John Matrix is The “Commando” by Rudy Ao!
Rudy Ao is back and he brought John Matrix with him!
“Come on, let the girl go. Just between you and me. Don’t deprive yourself of some pleasure. Come on Bennett! Let’s party!” – John Matrix
“The Night Eats the World” (2018) / Z-View
The Night Eats the World (2018)
Director: Dominique Rocher
Screenplay: Jérémie Guez, Guillaume Lemans, Dominique Rocher; based on La nuit a dévoré le monde by Pit Agarmen
Stars: Anders Danielsen Lie, Golshifteh Farahani, Denis Lavant, Sigrid Bouaziz.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
When Sam goes to his ex-girlfriend’s apartment to pick up his belongings, a huge party is going on. Sam is finally able to catch up to his ex and she tells him his things are in a back room. Sam goes in and closes the door to get away from the crowd. He sits down and falls asleep.
When Sam wakes the apartment is empty. But there are signs of a massacre. Blood on the walls… the floors. Thankfully Sam is alone. He locks the door.
As he looks out the window he see more bloodshed and destruction. Then he spots a family running to a parked car. Before they can escape the family is swarmed and killed.
The zombie apocalypse is well underway… and Sam is trapped in the apartment.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Night Eats the World (2018) is a SLOW burn. If you’re into that, you’ll like it more than me. I prefer more action in zombie movies.
The Night Eats the World (2018) rates 2 of 5 stars.
DARWYN COOKE’S THE COMPLETE SPIRIT CONNOISSEUR EDITION!
DARWYN COOKE’S THE COMPLETE SPIRIT CONNOISSEUR EDITION is coming. Here’s the lowdown…
Immerse yourself in the noir world of Darwyn Cooke’s The Spirit, now collected in one place for the first time in this oversized collectible edition.
With his masterful storytelling and flair for noir style, Darwyn Cooke was uniquely suited to reintroduce Will Eisner’s beloved comics creation,The Spirit, to modern audiences.
Now, Darwyn’s The Spirit comic stories are collected in their entirety for the FIRST TIME in this oversized hardcover collection, presented within a beautiful slipcase. Designed by Sean Phillips, who also oversaw the Eisner-winning RICHARD STARK’S PARKER: THE MARTINI EDITION – LAST CALL, to which this book is a companion in size and scope. J Bone, Cooke’s long-time collaborator, provides an introduction.
Also included in this definitive version of Cooke’s The Spirit is a gallery featuring all the covers, two variant covers from a Rocketeer/The Spirit crossover, and several never-before-seen drawings!
Collects The Spirit #1-6, #8-12, and Batman/The Spirit one-shot.
Pre-orders are available now. My order is in. Is yours?
“Safe House” (2025) starring Lucien Laviscount, Hannah John-Kamen, Ethan Embry, Lewis Tan and Holt McCallany / Z-View
Safe House (2025)
Director: Jamie Marshall
Screenplay: Leon Langford
Stars: Lucien Laviscount, Hannah John-Kamen, Ethan Embry, Lewis Tan, Adam Levy, Markina Brown, Brett Cullen, Lorenzo Orozco, Brian Van Holt and Holt McCallany.
Tagline: Betrayal is the ultimate weapon.
The Plot…
When a well planned terrorist attack takes out the Vice President’s motorcade, killing several government officials, secret service agents and civilians, a “shelter in place” order is initiated. All government politicans and operatives are to get to the nearest secure location. Choi, one of the secret service agents from the VP’s motorcade makes it to a nearby safe house. Choi is in possession of the Vice President’s “football” which can access the US nuclear arsenal.
Choi isn’t the only one to make it to this safe house. Agents Owens and Reeves from the Department of Defense, Agent Sorello from Homeland Security, Agent Halton from the CIA as well as the Safe House operator, Anderson are there. That’s six people in lockdown.
Only problem is, before communications are blown, they learn that only five people should be there. Tensions mount as more attacks take place.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
I’m a sucker for stories where a small group of strangers are thrown together in life or death situations and no one is sure of the right move.
Holt McCallany is always a great addition to any cast.
While Safe House suffers from a low budget, I enjoyed it. Safe House would have been a great second feature at a drive-in… if we still had drive-ins.
Safe House (2025) rates 3 of 5 stars.
“Enter the Dragon” Alt Poster by Doaly!
Enter the Dragon remains one of my all-time favorite films. So I love seeing alt posters for it, like the one above created by Doaly. Click on the art to see a bigger version.
“Boards don’t hit back.” – Lee
“Albino Alligator” (1996) directed by Kevin Spacey; starring Matt Dillon, Faye Dunaway, Gary Sinise, William Fichtner, Viggo Mortensen, John Spencer, Skeet Ulrich, M. Emmet Walsh and Joe Mantegna / Z-View
Albino Alligator (1996)
Director: Kevin Spacey
Screenplay: Christian Forte
Stars: Matt Dillon, Faye Dunaway, Gary Sinise, William Fichtner, Viggo Mortensen, John Spencer, Skeet Ulrich, M. Emmet Walsh, Joe Mantegna, Melinda McGraw, Doug Spinuzza, Spencer Garrett, Enrico Colantoni and Frankie Faison
Tagline: They Planned The Perfect Crime… Until It All Went Perfectly Wrong!
The Plot…
When their robbery goes sideways, brothers Dova and Milo and their sociopathic partner Law find themselves on the run from the cops. They’ve already killed three people. One of them a cop. Plus Milo is badly wounded.
It’s well past midnight and the streets are empty. If they keep running, they know they’ll get caught. So the three take refuge in a bar that’s closing. Inside they find five people: Janet, her boss Dino, an older man at the bar, a young man at the pool table and business man alone at one of the tables.
Dova and Law pull their guns and order everyone to stay seated. Law is ready to blast away. It won’t take much to send him over the edge. Dova just wants to patch his brother up and hide out until they can slip away in the morning.
What nobody inside knows is the FBI has the bar staked out. It is surrounded by agents ready to close in.
Why was the FBI already there? What will happen if they charge in?
It’s late. Last call before the action starts…
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Albino Alligator showcases Kevin Spacey’s debut as a director. It also features my favorite Faye Dunaway performance.
Albino Alligator (1996) rates 3 of 5 stars.
“Terminator” Alt Poster by Luke Preece!
Luke Preece is an Art Director, illustrator and graphic designer. Preece is also the artist who created the cool Terminator poster above.
“Come with me if you want to live.” – Kyle Reese
Sly Stallone as Rambo by Jarrod “The Yardsale Artist” Alberich!
Jarrod Alberich aka The Yard Sale Artist created the Sly Stallone as Rambo piece for pick-up at HeroesCon. I’ve known Jarrod for years. He’s a fun guy and an easy artist to deal with.
Jarrod calls himself The Yard Sale Artist because he uses materials that he finds at yard sales, thrift stores and so on. When Jarrod comes across books that with torn covers, missing pages, etc., instead of discarding them, he repurposes the pages for art. This drawing came from a Rambo movie adaptation novel.
“The In-Laws” (1979) starring Peter Falk & Alan Arkin / Z-View
The In-Laws (1979)
Director: Arthur Hiller
Screenplay: Andrew Bergman
Stars: Peter Falk, Alan Arkin, Richard Libertini, Nancy Dussault, Penny Peyser, Arlene Golonka, Paul L. Smith, Carmine Caridi, James Hong, David Paymer and Ed Begley Jr.
Tagline: While the Father of the Bride was extracting a molar from Mrs. Cohen, the Father of the Groom was extracting $20 Million from the U.S. Mint. And this was only the beginning.
The Plot…
Dr. Sheldon “Shelley” Kornpett’s daughter is about to marry the son of Vince Ricardo. Shelley likes his future daughter-in-law and her mother. He has concerns about Vince though. Shelley thinks Vince tells tall tales (to put it politely) and might even be crazy.
So when Vince comes to Shelley’s office and asks a favor, he’s hesitant. Vince promises it will just take five minutes. Not wanting to create waves Shelley agrees. Soon he’s involved with money stolen from the US Mint, and chased by crooks and the CIA. Oh, and the wedding is tomorrow.
Serpentine! Serpentine!
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The In-Laws showcases David Paymer’s feature film debut.
Fran Drescher, who gained fame in The Nanny, was originally cast as the daughter but was fired shortly after filming began. The part was recast with Penny Peyser.
I saw The In-Laws during it’s original theatrical run and loved it. I re-watched it recently and am happy to say it holds up.
The In-Laws (1979) rates 4 of 5 stars.
“Eichmann” (2007) / Z-View
Eichmann (2007)
Director: Robert Young
Screenplay: Snoo Wilson
Stars: Thomas Kretschmann, Troy Garity, Stephen Fry.
Tagline: Husband. Father. Soldier. Monster.
The Plot…
Fifteen years after the end of World War II, Adolf Eichmann was captured. Although a high official in the Nazi Party, an officer of the SS and one of the major organisers of Hitler’s Final Solution, Eichmann claimed to have no knowledge of the holocaust and was just as a small, insignificant bureaucrat—a “little cog in the machinery” who followed orders.
Captain Avner Less, an Israeli police officer, was assigned to interview Eichmann in an effort to get him to self-incriminate. It will be a battle of wills to get justice served.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Prior to his capture Adolf Eichmann was the most wanted Nazi war criminal in the world. CIA documents released in 2006, showed that U.S. and West German intelligence knew that Eichmann was alive in Argentina, but fearing he might expose former comrades who had been useful to the CIA and the German government, did nothing.
Eichmann (2007) rates 3 of 5 stars.
“Normal” starring Bob Odenkirk, Henry Winkler and Lena Headey – The Trailer is Here!
The trailer for Normal is here and I’m on board.
Deal me in!
In theaters April 17
http://normalthemovie.com/The latest collaboration between Bob Odenkirk, JOHN WICK creator Derek Kolstad and NOBODY producer Marc Provissiero, director Ben Wheatley’s (FREE FIRE, HIGH RISE) kinetic neo-Western stars Odenkirk as an unassuming substitute sheriff with a troubled past who, after moving to a small, sleepy town, responds to a bank robbery and unknowingly uncovers something far more explosive.
For Sheriff Ulysses (Odenkirk), his provisional posting to the quaint Midwestern American town of Normal was meant to be a welcome respite from both his marital woes and recent moral injuries in the line of duty. But when a botched bank robbery interrupts the municipality’s tranquil pace, a dark secret is inadvertently exposed, and Ulysses soon discovers that the town is anything but its namesake.
Starring Bob Odenkirk, Lena Heady and Henry Winkler
Directed by Ben Wheatley
“Terminator 2: Judgment Day” Alt Poster by Pete Lloyd!
Check out this creative Terminator 2: Judgment Day alt poster created by Pete Lloyd.
“I need your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.” – The Terminator
Marv, Nancy and Miho by Milivoj Ceran!
Marv from Frank Miller’s Sin City is one of my all-time favorite characters. I love seeing artists do their “take” on the big lug. Today we have a Marv, Nancy and Miho by Milivoj Ceran.
“The AI Doc: Or How I Became An Apocaloptmist” – The Trailer is Here!
The trailer for The AI Doc: Or How I Became An Apocaloptmist is here. I want to see this film!
“The most urgent film of our time.”
THE AI DOC: OR HOW I BECAME AN APOCALOPTIMIST is only in theaters March 27. Watch the trailer now.
From the Academy Award®-winning filmmakers behind Everything Everywhere All at Once and Navalny; a father-to-be tries to figure out what is happening with all this AI insanity. The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist is a hand-made, eye-opening documentary about the most powerful technology humanity has ever created… and what’s at stake if we get it wrong.
“Battling Butler” (1926) directed by and starring Buster Keaton / Z-View
Battling Butler (1926)
Director: Buster Keaton
Screenplay: Al Boasberg, Lex Neal, Charles Smith, Paul Gerard Smith; based on Battling Butler
(a 1922 play) by Stanley Brightman, Austin Melford
Stars: Buster Keaton, Sally O’Neil, Walter James.
Tagline: KEATON wins the laugh championship of the world in this greatest of all screen comedies! A love story. A prize-fight story! A knockout – and how! You can’t stop laughing!
The Plot…
Alfred Butler has grown up with all the luxuries a wealthy family can provide. Alfred, although a young man, even has a personal assistant. Alfred is a small, gentle young man who his father believes needs to toughen up. So Alfred and his valet decide to go roughing it in the woods.
While camping Alfred meets a poor young woman who lives with her family in a mountain shack. It’s love at first sight. The woman’s brothers are tough mountain men. In order to impress them, Alfred’s valet says that Alfred is a famous fighter called ‘Battling Butler”. Alfred reluctantly goes along when it becomes clear that the family is impressed.
Alfred never dreamed he’d really have to enter the ring against the real “Battling Butler”.
Let’s get ready to rumble!
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Battling Butler was released the same year as Keaton’s classic The General. Ironically, The General, during it’s initial release, was considered a huge flop, while Battling Butler became Keaton’s second biggest hit.
Battling Butler (1926) rates 3 of 5 stars.
