SKULL FULL by Anthony Neil Smith / Z-View

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SKULL FULL by Anthony Neil Smith

First sentence…

Cubby sat at the picnic table in the park like always, counting the mosquitos on his arm.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Anthony Neil Smith presents fourteen short stories that are, as he says are “about f*****-up families, f*****-up relationships, f*****-up crimes, and f*****-up f*****ness, and are adorably twisted around a darkly humorous core.”  (And trust me, he doesn’t say “f*****, he says the actual word.  If that offends you, turn back now. )

The tales include…

Cubby – Cubby thought being special was good.  Of course he thought his friends were his friends.  A sad tale of a boy waiting for his mother.

Twenty-Eleven Nissan Something – Rhonda thought her luck was changing.  Her new man didn’t hit her.  Didn’t treat her bad.  He even liked her kids.  Rhonda knew what her man wasn’t.  She didn’t know what he was.

Exit Row Savior – When you fly as much as I do, you know things.  You know that if things go sideways, you want a man who can handle things by the exit.  I’m your guy.

Money on the Table and a Pistol on the Floor – Randy had a weakness.  Wasn’t drugs or gambling.  Nope.  It was women. Randy had three ex-wives and had lost more jobs than you could easily count.  The reason?  Women.  Take his last job for instance.  Fired from Lowe’s for having sex with a nineteen year old while he was on the clock.  She was fired too.  Now she thinks they’re a, well if not a couple, at least a team.  She has a plan for some quick cash.  All it will take his her, Randy and his pistol.

Roadrage – Why is everyone screwing with me.  I’m driving and everyone is trying me.  Well, I have a way to end that.

The Blind Girl – Everyone is a target. Being a sophomore in high school ain’t for the faint-hearted.  Everyone is a target.  Find your group and blend in.  That won’t protect you for sure, but it helps.  Everyone is a target.  Well, almost everyone.  Mess with the wrong person and you might find out.

A Skull Full of Solyanka – I’m getting forgetful.  That could be dangerous in my line of work.

Lady Icarus, Nazi – I’m rich.  And can get you anything you want.  You better believe that.

Must Be Wanderlust – Fay, her pistol and a singer/songwriter.

Sundays in the Workshop with Dad – Chet loved his time in the workshop.  He recognized his son, Jerimiah’s raw talent when the boy was young.  So Chet did what any good dad would do.  He had patience and put in the time so Jerimiah would be come a true craftsman.

Used Panties – Give the people what they want.

Piece of Shit Guitar – A semi-famous, good-for-nothing musician reminisces as he waits for his son to arrive.

+++++

Anthony Neil Smith wasn’t kidding when he described SKULL FULL.  He creates tales that will stick with you.  If you’re all about happy endings, this isn’t for you.  But if you like crime stories that surprise, entertain, and take you to places you’d never want to enter in real life… give it a go.

My favorite stories in this collection are: Twenty-Eleven Nissan Something; Roadrage; Lady Icarus, Nazi; Sundays in the Workshop with Dad and Piece of Shit Guitar.  

Rating:

“Elevation” (2024) starring Anthony Mackie and Morena Baccarin / Z-View

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Elevation (2024)

Director: George Nolfi

Screenplay: John Glenn, Jacob Roman, Kenny Ryan

Stars: Anthony Mackie, Morena Baccarin, Maddie Hasson, Rachel Nicks, Tyler Grey, Ian Hummel and Danny Boyd Jr..

Tagline: Don’t go down without a fight.

The Plot…

Three years ago, armored creatures burrowed to the surface and began wiping out humankind.  The beasts were impervious to our weapons due to the natural protective plates that covered their bodies.  95% of the world’s population was dead within weeks.

Only those who lived or could get to 8,000 feet above sea level survived.  For some reason the creatures wouldn’t go above that level.  Now small villages of survivors live above 8,000 foot elevation line.

When Wil’s son, Hunter (Boyd Jr.) runs low on his breathing medication, Wil (Mackie) knows he’ll have to go to Boulder to get more.  The city is below the 8,000 foot level.  It will almost certainly be a suicide mission.  But if he doesn’t go Hunter will die.

Joining Wil will be Nina (Baccarin), a scientist working to create a bullet strong enough to penetrate the creatures’ armor and Katie (Hasson), a woman tired of hiding above the safety line.

It’s a suicide run to save a child.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Be sure to watch the mid-credits scene which could set-up a sequel.

I love the pre-opening credits set-up and the final scene before the end credits.

Mackie, Baccarin, Hasson were well cast.  I like the trio’s chemistry.

Elevation (2024) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“The Amateur” starring Rami Malek & Laurence Fishburne – The Second Trailer is Here!

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The second trailer for The Amateur starring Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne is here!  I was also glad to see Jon Bernthal and Holt McCallany listed in the credits.

Deal me in!

On April 11, The Amateur, starring Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne, arrives only in theaters.

Charlie Heller (Malek) is a brilliant, but deeply introverted decoder for the CIA working out of a basement office at headquarters in Langley whose life is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack. When his supervisors refuse to take action, he takes matters into his own hands, embarking on a dangerous trek across the globe to track down those responsible, his intelligence serving as the ultimate weapon for eluding his pursuers and achieving his revenge.

The film also stars Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Michael Stuhlbarg, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, Adrian Martinez, Danny Sapani, and Laurence Fishburne.

“The Amateur” is directed by James Hawes. The screenplay is by Ken Nolan and Gary Spinelli based on the novel by Robert Littell. The film is produced by Hutch Parker, p.g.a., Dan Wilson, p.g.a., Rami Malek, Joel B. Michaels, with JJ Hook serving as executive producer.

“Longlegs” (2024) written & directed by Osgood Perkins; starring Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage & Blair Underwood / Z-View

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Longlegs (2024)

Director:  Osgood Perkins

Screenplay: Osgood Perkins

Stars: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt, Michelle Choi-Lee, Dakota Daulby, Kiernan Shipka, Jason William Day, Lisa Chandler and Shafin Karim.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

It’s discovered that rookie FBI agent Lee Harker (Monroe) has some psychic ability.  For that reason Harker is assigned to a small task force working to find the serial killer known as Longlegs.  For years, Longlegs has wiped out entire families by forcing the father to kill his children, wife and then himself.  Longlegs then leaves coded Satanic messages behind.

Shortly after Harker is assigned to the task force she receives a message from Longlegs.  Slowly Harker begins to realize she may have a connection to the killer.  As the clock ticks and the date of Longlegs’ next family massacre draws near, Harker works to discover Longlegs’ identity.

Tick…tick…tick…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Although Nicolas Cage starred as the killer, Longlegs, writer/director Osgood Perkins requested that posters/trailers limit his use to promote the film so when he appears onscreen in the film it would be even more frightening.

Longlegs is the highest-grossing independent horror film since Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013).

Kudos to director Osgood Perkins.  He films each scene to at angles to increase tension.  Halls feel long and narrow.  Doors, windows and rooms in the background create concern.  There is always the feeling that something beyond the camera’s focus is about to occur.  Sometimes it does.  Creepy.

Longlegs (2024) rates 4 of 5 stars.

The Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett: Season 5 (2016) / Z-View

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The Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett: Season 5 (2016)

Director:  Jalal Merhi (Eps. 1-10)

Writer: Richard Syrett (Eps. 1-10)

The Plot…

Radio host Richard Syrett explores conspiracies, paranormal and supernatural beliefs, and a variety of other topics.  Each episode presents believers and skeptics who calmly present their evidence/beliefs.

Topics in season two include:

  • Area 51: Does the government house UFO technologies, aliens and more in Area 51?
  • Remote Viewing: Do some people have the ability to mentally see things from around the world that are hidden from view?
  • Freemasons: Are the Freemasons a cult working to control governments?
  • Depopulation Agenda: Is a secret organization working to bring the world population down?
  • Mokele Mbembe: Jungle natives describe a beast that lives in their jungle — is it a dinosaur?
  • Bigfoot: Do these creatures exist?
  • The O’Hare UFO Incident: Dozens of people, including pilots witnessed a UFO hovering above the airport.  But did they?
  • Agenda 21: What is this United Nations plan that looks to control development?
  • The Philadelphia Experiment: Did a military experiment in 1943 teleport a Navy destroyer and crew with terrible results?
  • The Phoenix Lights: What were the mysterious lights in the sky seen by hundreds of people?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I like that the host is respectful and presents both sides of each topic.  Since he interviews guests separately we don’t get arguments and shouting.  Each person presents their “evidence”.  At the end of each episode Syrett gives us his thoughts and we are left to decide how we feel.

Each episode runs less than 30 minutes.

The Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett: Season 5 (2016) rates 5 of 5 stars.

THE KNIVES: A CRIMINAL BOOK by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips!

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A new CRIMINAL book from Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips is coming! Titled THE KNIVES, it will drop September 9, 2025.  Here’s the lowdown…

THE FIRST NEW CRIMINAL BOOK IN FIVE YEARS!

With the Prime Video adaptation premiering soon, crime comic grandmasters Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips return to their most acclaimed series with a new standalone graphic novel: THE KNIVES.

A sprawling Criminal epic, THE KNIVES is the most ambitious tale Brubaker and Phillips have ever tackled. Three dark journeys wind around each other over a decade, like sharks hunting for a kill.

Cartoonist Jacob Kurtz goes to Hollywood in the era of peak TV to work on an adaptation of his comic strip, only to find himself caught up in the life of his aging aunt and the vultures circling her estate. Angie was raised at the Undertow, but now everything she loves has been taken from her. She’s on the streets with vengeance on her mind, her eyes set on the city’s kingpin. And finally, Tracy Lawless is home from the Special Forces, finally a civilian again, but he’s in bad shape and this city has always brought out the worst in him.

These three tales collide in THE KNIVES a breathtaking noir story about greed, ambition, heartbreak, and blood ties. A must-have for all Brubaker and Phillips fans!

  Deal me in.  Pre-Orders are available now.

The Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett: Season 4 (2015) / Z-View

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The Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett: Season 4 (2015)

Director:  Jalal Merhi (Eps. 1-6)

Writer: Richard Syrett (Eps. 1-6)

The Plot…

Radio host Richard Syrett explores conspiracies, paranormal and supernatural beliefs, and a variety of other topics.  Each episode presents believers and skeptics who calmly present their evidence/beliefs.

Topics in season two include:

  • Ouija Boards: Are Ouija Boards a harmless board game or a portal for demons?
  • Global Warming, A Hoax?: Is the Earth warming because of the use of fossil fuels?
  • JFK: Was President Kennedy killed by the military industrial complex.
  • Pterodactyls: Are some dinosaurs still alive in remote jungle areas?
  • GMO: Are genetically modified foods unsafe?
  • Fluoride: Is fluoride in our drinking water safe?
  • Area 51: Does the government house UFO technologies, aliens and more in Area 51?
  • Remote Viewing: Do some people have the ability to mentally see things from around the world that are hidden from view?
  • Freemasons: Are the Freemasons a cult working to control governments?
  • Depopulation Agenda: Is a secret organization working to bring the world population down?
  • Mokele Mbembe: Jungle natives describe a beast that lives in their jungle — is it a dinosaur?
  • Bigfoot: Do these creatures exist?
  • The Fake Arab Spring?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I like that the host is respectful and presents both sides of each topic.  Since he interviews guests separately we don’t get arguments and shouting.  Each person presents their “evidence”.  At the end of each episode Syrett gives us his thoughts and we are left to decide how we feel.

Each episode runs less than 30 minutes.

The Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett: Season 4 (2015) rates 5 of 5 stars.

RIP: Gene Hackman

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It was announced that Gene Hackman was found dead today.  No time or cause of death has been given.  Although no foul play was no suspected, an investigation is on-going.  Mr. Hackman was 95.

At the age of ten, Gene Hackman knew that he wanted to be an actor.  At sixteen he lied about his age and enlisted in the Marines.  After Mr. Hackman finished his enlistment he studied journalism and television production at the University of Illinois.  Gene Hackman left for California before graduating.  He joined the Pasadena Playhouse where he became friends with Dustin Hoffman.  Mr. Hackman moved to New York where at different times he shared an apartment with Dustin Hoffman or Robert Duvall.

Gene Hackman began to get small television roles.  During this time Mr. Hackman also appeared in several off-Broadway plays.  In 1963, he got his first Broadway role.  This opened the door to roles in feature films.  Mr. Hackman continued to work on Broadway, television guest spots and small film roles.  Gene Hackman’s breakout role came when he co-starred in Bonnie and Clyde.  This earned him his first (of five) Oscar nominations.  For the rest of his career Gene Hackman appeared in television and feature films.

Gene Hackman was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning two…

  • 1968 Nominee for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Bonnie and Clyde
  • 1971 Nominee for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for I Never Sang for My Father
  • 1972 Winner for Best Actor in a Leading Role for The French Connection
  • 1989 Nominee for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Mississippi Burning
  • 1993 Winner for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Unforgiven

Some of the television projects that feature Gene Hackman include: Tallahassee 7000; The United States Steel Hour (8 episodes); Naked City; The Defenders (2 episodes); Route 66; Ride with Terror; East Side/West Side; Brenner (3 episodes); The Trials of O’Brien; Hawk; The FBI; The Invaders; Iron Horse; CBS Playhouse; I Spy; and Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In (2 episodes).

Some of the feature films that Gene Hackman appeared in include: Mad Dog Coll; Lilith; Hawaii; A Covenant with Death; Bonnie and Clyde; The Split; Downhill Racer; Marooned; I Never Sang for My Father; The French Connection; Cisco Pike; Prime Cut; The Poseidon Adventure; Scarecrow; The Conversation; Young Frankenstein; Night Moves; Bite the Bullet; French Connection II; Lucky Lady; The Domino Principle; A Bridge Too Far; Superman; Superman II; Reds; Under Fire; Uncommon Valor; Target; Power; Hoosiers; Superman IV: The Quest for Peace; No Way Out; Bat*21; Mississippi Burning; The Package; Postcards from the Edge; Narrow Margin; Unforgiven; The Firm; Geronimo: An American Legend; Wyatt Earp; The Quick and the Dead; Crimson Tide; Get Shorty; The Birdcage; Extreme Measures; The Chamber; Absolute Power; Twilight; Antz; Enemy of the State; Under Suspicion; The Replacements; The Mexican; Heist; The Royal Tenenbaums; Behind Enemy Lines; Runaway Jury and Welcome to Mooseport.

I probably first saw Gene Hackman in Route 66 or The Invaders.  The first movie I remember seeing Mr. Hackman was in The Poseidon Adventure.  I loved him in that role!  It’s hard to pick a favorite Gene Hackman role because he was so good in so many films.  Some of favorites include Poseidon Adventure; Mississippi Burning; Unforgiven; The Quick and the Dead; Crimson Tide and Get Shorty.  What an amazing career Mr. Hackman had.

Out thoughts and prayers go out to Gene Hackman’s family, friends and fans.

“A Working Man” – The Red Band Trailer is Here!

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Today we have the red band trailer for A Working Man written by Sylvester Stallone, based on a character created by Chuck Dixon.  The film stars Jason Statham, David Harbour and Michael Peña.  The working title for the film was Levon Cade.

Deal me in.

It’s time to get to work.

Watch the new red band trailer for #AWorkingMan now, and see the movie only in theaters March 28.

CREEPY Archives Volume 10!

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CREEPY Archives Volume 10 will be released on September 2, 2025.  It will contain 280 pages of horrific fun! Here’s what we get…

GRAVE CONSEQUENCES!

IT’S BOUND TO BE A SCREAM!

In this cranium-cracking collection, the Eisner Award-winning Creepy Archives run continues to bring classic Warren horror anthology stories to modern readers in an affordable paperback edition!

Collecting Creepy magazine issues #46-#50 and featuring a terrifying cover by acclaimed horror and fantasy illustrator Sanjulian, our latest excursion into terror brings us face to fang with the bizarre concoctions of Richard Corben, Doug Moench, Reed Crandall, Tom Sutton, Jerry Grandenetti, José Bea, and other familiar monsterminds and fan faves.

This archival edition also reprints all color covers, color Loathsome Lore stories, fan-art pages, letter columns, and essays from the original magazines, making our series essential for hardcore horror collectors and new readers alike!

  Deal me in.  Pre-Orders are available now.

The Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett: Season 3 (2012) / Z-View

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The Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett: Season 3 (2012)

Director:  Jalal Merhi (Eps. 1-14)

Writer: Richard Syrett (Eps. 1-14)

The Plot…

Radio host Richard Syrett explores conspiracies, paranormal and supernatural beliefs, and a variety of other topics.  Each episode presents believers and skeptics who calmly present their evidence/beliefs.

Topics in season two include:

  • The Mystery of Oak Island: Does a treasure remain hidden on Oak Island?
  • Energy Healing: Do some people have the gift/ability to heal others with their energy?
  • MLK and the Framing of James Earl Ray: Was James Earl Ray a patsy?
  • The Birthers – Obama’s Birth Certificate: Evidence is presented that Barack Obama wasn’t born in the United States.
  • RFID Chips: Are radio frequency identification tags used to track the population and control people?
  • The Assassination of John Lennon: Was Mark David Chapman a patsy or mind-controlled assassin?
  • Is Jim Morrison Alive?: Evidence is presented that Jim Morrison faked his death.
  • The Water Engine: Was Stanley Meyer killed because he found a way to make an internal-combustion engine that runs on water?
  • The Murder of Marilyn Monroe: Was Marilyn Monroe killed because she knew too much from her affairs with John and Robert Kennedy?
  • Is The Cure for Cancer Being Suppressed?: Are drug companies suppressing several cures for cancer and other diseases?
  • The Bilderberg Group: What goes on behind closed doors at the annual meeting of the world’s richest and most powerful men from around the world?
  • The Shroud of Turin: Evidence is presented that the Shroud of Turin is the burial cloth of Jesus Christ.
  • The Fake Arab Spring?: Did a series of revolts and protests that swept the Middle East really take place? If they did were they instigated by the US?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I like that the host is respectful and presents both sides of each topic.  Since he interviews guests separately we don’t get arguments and shouting.  Each person presents their “evidence”.  At the end of each episode Syrett gives us his thoughts and we are left to decide how we feel.

Each episode runs less than 30 minutes.

The Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett: Season 3 (2012) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Mob Cops” starring Kevin Connolly, David Arquette and Jeremy Luke – The Trailer is Here!

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The trailer for Mob Cops is here.  Lookin’ good.

Deal me in.

Mob Cops – Watch the trailer! In Theaters, On Demand and On Digital April 25.

Starring David Arquette, Jeremy Luke, Danny A. Abeckaser, Joseph Russo, Nathaniel Buzolic, Kyle Stefanski, Bo Dietl, with Kevin Connolly, and Graham Sibley.

Kevin Connolly (Entourage), David Arquette (Scream) and Jeremy Luke (Sully) star in a thrilling crime drama about the darkest corruption case in the history of the New York City Police Department. When a retired NYPD detective writes a book about his family’s ties to the mob, it ignites a firestorm between the dirty cops working for the city’s brutal crime boss and the officers trying to bring them to justice.

“Havoc” starring Tom Hardy – The Poster & Trailer are Here!

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The poster and trailer for Havoc is working since I want to see it.

Deal me in.

After a drug deal gone wrong, a bruised detective must fight his way through a criminal underworld to rescue a politician’s estranged son, while unravelling a deep web of corruption and conspiracy that ensnares his entire city.

HAVOC is a high octane action thriller written and directed by Gareth Evans (The Raid, Gangs of London), and starring Tom Hardy, Jessie Mei Li, Justin Cornwell, Quelin Sepulveda, Luis Guzmán, Michelle Waterson, Sunny Pang, Jim Caesar, Xelia Mendes-Jones with Yeo Yann Yann, Timothy Olyphant, and Forest Whitaker.

Coming to Netflix on April 25.