Category: Z-View

“Desperado” (1995) written & directed by Robert Rodriguez, starring Antonio Banderas, Joaquim de Almeida & Salma Hayek / Z-View

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Desperado (1995)

Director: Robert Rodriguez

Screenplay:  Robert Rodriguez

Stars:  Antonio Banderas, Joaquim de Almeida, Salma Hayek, Steve Buscemi, Cheech Marin, Carlos Gómez, Carlos Gallardo, Danny Trejo and Quentin Tarantino

Tagline: He came back to settle the score with someone. Anyone. EVERYONE.

The Plot…

A man known as El Mariachi arrives in a small Mexican border town. He’s come to kill the drug cartel crime lord Bucho.  As Mariachi works us way up the chain of command, it becomes clear, he’ll kill anyone and EVERYONE who gets in his way.

As one of the taglines says, “When the smoke clears, it just means he’s reloading.”

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Antonio Banderas directed the bathroom scene that takes place before the second tavern shootout.

Robert Rodriguez and Danny Trejo are second cousins.

Desperado is a remake of Robert Rodriguez’s earlier film El Mariachi.  Rodriguez self-financed El Mariachi using credit cards and his personal finances.  The budget was just $7,000.00.

Carlos Gallardo played the title role in El Mariachi and also plays one of the two musicians who comes to assist El Mariachi in Desperado.

Desperado (1995) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Animal Crackers” (2017) / Z-View

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Animal Crackers (2017)

Director: Scott Christian Sava, Tony Bancroft

Screenplay:  Scott Christian Sava, Dean Lorey

Stars:  Emily Blunt, Danny DeVito, John Krasinski, Ian McKellen, Sylvester Stallone, Patrick Warburton, Raven-Symoné, Harvey Fierstein, Wallace Shawn, Gilbert Gottfried, Tara Strong, James Arnold Taylor, Kevin Grevioux and Lydia Rose Taylor.

Tagline: A magical adventure in every bite!

The Plot…

Owen and Zoe meet at Owen’s family circus as children.  Years later, they marry.  Owen leaves the circus to work at his father-in-law’s dog biscuit factory as a taster.   When Owen inherits the circus, Zoe decides to give it a go.

The circus has seen better days.  Then Owen and Zoe find a box of magical animal crackers.  Eating an animal shaped cracker turns the person into the real animal!  Owen eats different crackers and becomes the circus’ star attraction.

Owen’s evil uncle, wants the circus and plans to steal the magic animal crackers.

 And now if I can direct your attention to the center ring… the show is about to start!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Animal Crackers is based on a graphic novel that co-Director Scott Christian Sava wrote for his two children.  He set the story in his hometown of Franklin, Tennessee.

Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, who voice the married couple, Zoe and Owen, are married in real-life.

I watched this with my grandchildren (ages 3 and 7), they loved it.  Their laughter was contagious!

Animal Crackers (2017) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Rambo” (2008) directed by and starring Sylvester Stallone / Z-View

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Rambo (2008)

Director: Sylvester Stallone

Screenplay:  Art Monterastelli, Sylvester Stallone

Stars:  Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz, Paul Schulze, Matthew Marsden, Graham McTavish, Rey Gallegos, Tim Kang, Jake La Botz, Maung Maung Khin and Ken Howard.

Tagline: Live for nothing, or die for something.

The Plot…

Twenty years have passed since Rambo’s rescue of Colonel Trautman in Afghanistan.  Rambo makes his living as a snake catcher and ferryman.

When Michael Burnett approaches Rambo to take his missionary group up river, Rambo refuses. Burnett wants to go into a war zone to render humanitarian aide to villagers brutalized by the Burmese Army.  Burnett’s fiancée, Sarah, makes an appeal to Rambo, but he again refuses.  Burnett’s group believes in nonviolence.  They’re traveling without weapons or additional security.  Odds would be against their survival.

Later that night Sarah speaks to Rambo again.  Burnett’s group is going with or without him.  Against his better judgment, Rambo agrees to take them up river, drop them off and return home.

Not long after, Arthur Marsh informs Rambo that Burnett’s group are held prisoner by Burmese soldiers.  Marsh has hired mercenaries to rescue them.  He wants Rambo to take the mercs up river.

Rambo agrees.  But this time, Rambo’s not just doing a drop off.  This time, he’s going to war.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Rambo’s creator, David Morrell had this to say about the movie: “I’m happy to report that overall I’m pleased. The level of violence might not be for everyone, but it has a serious intent. This is the first time that the tone of my novel FIRST BLOOD has been used in any of the movies. It’s spot-on in terms of how I imagined the character – angry, burned-out, and filled with self-disgust because Rambo hates what he is and yet knows it’s the only thing he does well.”

Rambo, like Rocky Balboa is such a great bookend to its franchise.  While it is true that each had more movies to come, at the time it was thought that each would end the series.

One of my favorite John Rambo scenes is when the river pirates stop the group.  Stallone’s direction, shows Rambo silently assessing the situation.  Rambo determines the greatest dangers and the order he needs to eliminate them.  I also love the scene when Sarah returns in the pouring rain to try to convince Rambo to take them up river.

I know it’s sacrilege, but if push came to shove, I’d pick Rambo over First Blood.

Rambo (2008) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“War of the Worlds” (2005) directed by Stephen Spielberg; starring Tom Cruise / Z-View

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War of the Worlds (2005)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Screenplay:  Josh Friedman, David Koepp; based on THE WAR OF THE WORLDS by H.G. Wells

Stars:  Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin, Miranda Otto, Tim Robbins and Gene Barry, Ann Robinson.

Tagline: They’re already here.

The Plot…

Ray Ferrier is divorced and has his kids for the weekend.  Robbie is sixteen.  Rachel is ten.  Ray’s not been a good father.    He hardly knows his children.

When an alien invasion starts, Ray hits the road with Robbie and Rachel.

The nightmare has just begun.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

War of the Worlds was nominated for three Academy Awards…

  • Nominee for Best Achievement in Visual Effects – Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Randal M. Dutra, Daniel Sudick
  • Nominee for Best Achievement in Sound Editing – Richard King
  • Nominee for Best Achievement in Sound Mixing – Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Ron Judkins

The original War of the Worlds film is a five-star classic.  It starred Gene Barry and Ann Robbinson, who appear in the final scene of Spielberg’s remake.  The remake was Barry’s final feature film appearance.

There are so many jaw-dropping and terrifying scenes.

Like some many apocalyptic movies, the humans can be as dangerous as the terrors (aliens, zombies, etc.) being faced.

Spielberg’s War of the Worlds is also a classic.  It gets better with each viewing.

War of the Worlds (2005) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“A Flirt’s Mistake” (1914) starring Fatty Arbuckle / Z-View

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A Flirt’s Mistake (1914)

Director: George Nichols

Stars:  Fatty Arbuckle

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Fatty, a married man who flirts with any woman mistakes a Rajah for his next target.  It turns out the Sultan has a beard… and a sword!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

A Flirt’s Mistake is an eight minute short.

A Flirt’s Mistake (1914) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Chandler” (1971) starring Warren Oates / Z-View

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Chandler (1971)

Director: John Sacret Young

Screenplay:  Don Mankiewicz, Russell Rouse; story by Paul Magwood

Stars:  Warren Oates, Leslie Caron, Alex Dreier, Mitchell Ryan, Charles McGraw, and Gloria Grahame.

Tagline: Chandler is a private eye. It’s a hard way to make a living… and an easy way to die.

The Plot…

Chandler is hired to protect a government witness from gangsters.  She’s beautiful and the cops are crooked.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I wanted to like Chandler.  I’ve tried to watch it twice and never get past the 35 minute mark.  Perhaps your mileage will be better.  As for me…

Chandler (1971) rates 1 of 5 stars.

“Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” (2026) starring Vince Vaughn, James Marsden & Eiza González / Z-View

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Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (2026)

Director: BenDavid Grabinski

Screenplay:  BenDavid Grabinski

Stars:  Vince Vaughn, James Marsden, Eiza González, Keith David, Jimmy Tatro, Dolph Lundgren and Stephen Root.

Tagline: A time-traveling, double-crossing, ass-kicking comedy.

The Plot…

Quick Draw Mike is ready for a night of fun.  His boss, Sosa is throwing several parties for his son Jimmy Boy who just got out of prison.  Alice will be there.  She and Nick are having an affair.  Alice is married to a loan shark named Nick.

So when Nick asks Mike to leave the party to help him with something, Mike’s suspicious.  Does Nick know Mike’s having an affair with his wife?  He does.  In fact, Nick told Sosa that Mike was the rat who got Jimmy Boy sent to prison.  Worse still, Sosa has contracted The Baron, a contract killer who eats his victims to whack Mike.

Tonight Mike will be killed.

Nick knows this because he had a change of heart and has come back from the future to save Mike.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is a fun ride.

Dolph Lundgren makes a quick appearance.

I’m always surprised how well Vince Vaughn can be menacing in one film and funny in another.

David Marsden is perfect as Quick Draw Mike.  Keith David and Stephen Root are always good.

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (2026) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Air” (2015) starring Norman Reedus and Djimon Hounsou / Z-View

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Air (2015)

Director: Christian Cantamessa

Screenplay:  Christian Cantamessa, Chris Pasetto

Stars:  Norman Reedus, Djimon Hounsou, Sandrine Holt.

Tagline: Two men. One task. Save humankind.

The Plot…

In the future a major disaster left earth’s surface air unbreathable.  Underground bunkers were created with cryogenic pods for the chosen few.  Every six months a pair of maintenance workers in each bunker are awakened.  They have two hours to check air filters and make sure everything is functioning.  At the end of the two hours, they must return to their pods.

The survival of the human race depends on them.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Air has an interesting premise that it fails to live up to.  I kept hoping the movie would get better.  It didn’t.  Normally if I make it through a film it gets at least a “2” rating.  Air doesn’t.

Air (2015) rates 1 of 5 stars.

“Frank Miller: American Genius” (2021) / Z-View

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Frank Miller: American Genius (2021)

Director: Silenn Thomas

Screenplay:  Silenn Thomas

Stars:  Frank Miller

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Frank Miller revolutionized comics with his groundbreaking art and writing.  Hollywood called and Miller answered.  Along the way there were personal struggles which Miller overcame.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Frank Miller is considered a living legend.  This is his story.

Frank Miller created Sin City, my all-time favorite comic series.  He also revolutionized comics with Daredevil, The Dark Knight Returns, Ronin, Batman: Year One and so many other stories.  I’m glad he overcame his personal issues to see the love fans have for him.

Frank Miller: American Genius (2021) rates 4 of 5 stars.

NIGHT SQUAD by David Goodis / Z-View

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NIGHT SQUAD by David Goodis

First sentence…

At 11:20 a fairly well-dressed boozehound came staggering out of a bootleg-whiskey joint on Fourth Street.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Corey Bradford is a thirty-four-year-old ex-cop on a downnward spiral.  His wife left him.  Still no steady job.  He drinks too much.  All because he took a small handout from a gambler.  It wasn’t a big bribe to cover up evidence.  It wasn’t to let a hardened criminal walk.  It was just a sweetener because Bradford was a decent cop.  And it cost him everything.

Then one night Bradford, with just a couple of bucks to his name, headed to Grogan’s bar. Walter Grogan ran a nightly poker game in the back room and Bradford hoped to get in and get lucky.  That all changed when two masked-wearing and pistol-carrying men busted in.  They weren’t there to rob the game.  No, they came to kidnap Grogan.  Before they could Bradford stopped ’em cold.

Grogan was impressed.  He knew Bradford’s reputation and now had seen him in action.  So he offers Bradford a job.  $15,000 if Bradford can find out who sent the kidnappers.  Bradford accepts the job.

That evening Bradford is picked up by Detective-Sergeant Henry McDermott.  McDermott runs the Night Squad, a team of cops working the night shift who target and take down the city’s worst. The Night Squad’s tactics are brutal and extreme.  They get the job done. McDermott wants Grogan behind bars.  Walter Grogan runs the part of town known as The Swamp.  Grogan has his fingers in everyt illegal racket there.  But he’s too smart to get caught.

So McDermott offers Bradford a chance at redemption.  If Bradford works undercover and gathers evidence to bring Grogan to justice, he can get his badge back.  Refuse and the Night Squad will target him.  Bradford accepts.

Bradford is playing a dangerous game.  Working both sides against each other can get him dead.

And someone besides Bradford knows the score…

+++

David Goodis takes us on another journey to the seedy side of town.  I’m surprised NIGHT SQUAD was never adapted into a movie.  It would have made a good one.

Rating:

“Lioness” Season 3 (2026) starring Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Kelly and Thad Luckinbill / Z-View

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Lioness: Season 3 (2026)

Created by: Taylor Sheridan

Director: Michael Friedman (Eps. 1-3; 7-8); D.J. Caruso (Eps. 4; 6); Robert McLachlan  (Ep. 5);

Teleplay: Taylor Sheridan (Eps. 1-8)

Stars: Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Kelly, Laysla De Oliveira, Genesis Rodriguez, Jill Wagner, Dave Annable, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Thad Luckinbill, Hannah Love, Ian Bohen and Elizaveta Neretin.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

When Joe McNamara is kidnapped, her team must figure out who took her and locate them before Joe is taken out of the country to a certain tortuous death.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Season 3 ups the stakes.  Each episode amps up the tension and the mystery behind Joe’s kidnapping.

Kyle played by Thad Luckinbill has become a favorite character.  He could lead a spin-0ff series.

Lioness remains must-see tv.  Bring on Season 4.

Lioness: Season 3 rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Extinction” (2015) starring Matthew Fox, Jeffrey Donovan and Quinn McColgan / Z-View

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Extinction (2015)

Director:  Miguel Ángel Vivas

Screenplay:  Alberto Marini, Miguel Ángel Vivas; based on Y pese a todo by Juan de Dios Garduño

Stars:  Matthew Fox, Jeffrey Donovan, Quinn McColgan

Tagline: When the undead can evolve…no one is safe.

The Plot…

The zombie apocalypse came.  Jack, his pregnant wife Emma and their friend Patrick were part of a two bus caravan trying to get to a safe zone.  When the convoy was overrun by zombies, Emma was bitten.  The baby was saved, but Emma died.

Jack and Patrick and baby Lu found refuge in a small remote deserted town.

Nine years passed.  The climate changed.  Now it is perpetual winter.

Jack and Lu live in a house with boarded windows and security fencing.  Patrick lives next door with his dog.  Jack and Patrick are no longer friends and they rarely interact.  Although they haven’t seen other people or zombies for years, Lu is safer with both men close.

They believe the zombies died off due to the cold.  They’re soon to find out, they didn’t die out… they evolved.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Extinction’s opening is awesome.  It’s everything you’d want. Quick concise character developement, tension, suspense and horror.   It then becomes more of a character study until the end when we get the zombie attack we’ve been waiting for.

Extinction (2015) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“The Last Run” (1971) starring George C. Scott / Z-View

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The Last Run (1971)

Director: Richard Fleischer

Screenplay:  Alan Sharp

Stars:  George C. Scott, Tony Musante, Trish Van Devere and Colleen Dewhurst .

Tagline: In the tradition of Hemingway and Bogart.

The Plot…

Harry Garmes was a getaway driver.  And a good one.  But he left his life of crime years ago.  After his son died.  And his wife left him.  Now Garmes lives alone in a small fishing village in southern Portugal.

When Garmes is unexpectedly offered a job, he accepts it.  Garmes is to drive Paul Rickard, an escaped convict, across the border.  Garmes wasn’t expecting Rickard to show up with his girlfriend.

Or that he would fall for her.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Last Run had a troubled production.  The original director was John Huston.  Huston and George C. Scott repeatedly clashed.  Within a few weeks, Huston walked.  Richard Fleischer came on as director.  The original leading lady, Tina Marquand, was replaced with Trish Van Devere.  Despite these problems and more, the film finished one week and just $30,000 over budget.

Colleen Dewhurst and George C. Scott were married during the production of The Last Run.  Dewhurst completed her scenes and returned to the US.  As production continued George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere fell in love.  After filming completed Scott divorced Dewhurst and married Van Devere.

George C. Scott said he made this film because it felt like something Bogart would have done.  It does have an “old time” feel.

The Last Run (1971) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Platoon” written & directed by Oliver Stone; starring Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe and Charlie Sheen / Z-View

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Platoon (1986)

Director: Oliver Stone

Screenplay:  Oliver Stone

Stars:  Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Keith David, Forest Whitaker, Kevin Dillon, John C. McGinley, Mark Moses, Tony Todd, Dale Dye, Oliver Stone and Johnny Depp.

Tagline: The first casualty of war is innocence.

The Plot…

1967.  The Viet Nam war rages.  While most US soldiers are drafted, Chris Taylor volunteered for duty.  Taylor arrives in Viet Nam and finds himself in a Platoon under the command of a young and inexperienced Lieutenant named Wolfe.  Although Wolfe gives the final orders, it is the two battle-tested Sergeants, Barnes and Elias, that the men respect.

Staff Sergeant Barnes has a soul as scarred as his face.  Barnes is there to get the job done.  He is hard, even brutal…to the enemy as well as those soldiers under him.  To Barnes the only good gook is a dead gook. Sergeant Elias has compassion for his men and an understanding of his enemy.  Elias is more of a “hearts and minds” soldier.

Each Sergeant has members of the platoon that prefer their leadership.  A mission goes sideways.  Members of the platoon are killed.  Barnes incites and leads his men as they commit war crimes.

Taylor will have to make a choice.  Look the other way or take a stand.  Either decision could mark him for death.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Platoon was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won four…

  • Nominee for Best Cinematography – Robert Richardson
  • Nominee for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen – Oliver Stone
  • Nominee for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Willem Dafoe
  • Nominee for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Tom Berenger
  • Winner for Best Film Editing – Claire Simpson
  • Winner for Best Sound –  John Wilkinson, Richard D. Rogers, Charles Grenzbach, Simon Kaye
  • Winner for Best Director – Oliver Stone
  • Winner for Best Picture – Arnold Kopelson

Oliver Stone cast his leads against type.  Before Platoon Tom Berenger was usually the hero and Willem Dafoe the villian.  It worked.  Each man was nominated for an Academy Award.

When Jim Morrison (lead singer of The Doors) died, a Platoon script was in his possession.  Oliver Stone sent it to him in hopes that he would play Chris Taylor.

I saw Platoon when it was first released.  I thought it was good.  I went back a week later for another viewing and liked it much better.

Platoon (1986) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Neagley” Season 1 starring Maria Sten / Z-View

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Neagley: Season 1 (2026)

Based on: Characters by Lee Child

Developed by: Nick Santora, Nicholas Wootton

Directors: Sam Hill (Eps.1–2); Gary Fleder (Eps. 3–4); Phil Abraham (Eps. 5–6);  MJ Bassett (Eps. 7–8)

Teleplay: Nick Santora & Nicholas Wootton (Ep. 1-2; 7-8); Adam Higgs (Eps. 3; 6); Kyle Long (Ep. 4); Lacey Herbert (Ep. 5)

Starring: Maria Sten, Greyston Holt, Adeline Rudolph, Jasper Jones, Matthew Del Negro, Damon Herriman, Rebecca Liddiard and Alan Ritchson

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Frances Neagley, an ex-Military Police Investigator, now works as a Chicago Private Eye.  When a childhood friend turns up dead, police rule it a suicide.  Neagley doesn’t believe it and starts to investigate.  Clues point to Echo Farm, a new age cult led by Lawrence Cole.

Neagley is sure Cole has sinister motives for creating Echo Farm.  But what?  And why was her friend murdered?  As Neagley digs deeper she becomes a target.  Neagley will learn too late that someone with money, power and influence is pulling Cole’s strings… and trying to eliminate her.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Maria Sten is perfect as France Neagley.

Dewey Crowe will always be my favorite character played by Damon Herriman, but he’s also great as Lawrence Cole.

I loved this season of Neagley.  However, I thought much of the decisions made by Keno at Echo Park were dumber than they needed to be.  With that said, I must also add that I do like the character.

The Frances Neagley personal subplot was a nice addition that added depth to the character.

It was cool having Alan Ritchson make cameo bookends in season one.

Bring on Season 2!