#DannyBilson

[trioxina245]

The Flash (1990) John Wesley Shipp @JohnWesleyShipp developed by Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo

[adamwatchesmovies]

Da 5 Bloods (2020)

Thanks to Spike Lee's direction, Da 5 Bloods is one of 2020’s most visually arresting films. It also features one of the year’s best performances. This film has a lot to say. It’s bold, packed with tension, and rich drama.

During the war, Vietnam soldiers Paul (Delroy Lindo), Otis (Clarke Peters), Eddie (Norm Lewis), and Melvin (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) discovered a locker of U.S. gold meant for the Lahu people. In present day, they return. Officially, to recover the body of the leader of the "Bloods", "Stormin'" Norman (Chadwick Boseman). They're also planning on smuggling the recovered gold home. As they approach their destination, old war wounds reopen and the poisonous draw of that treasure begins to tear them apart.

Generally, a 150 minute+ running time is excessive. Here, it’s necessary. There is so much to digest in this film you need those minutes to process it all. The very premise fills you with uncertainty. The gold the remaining Bloods are after isn't theirs. Then again, they’ve "earned" it. Even during the war, the Viet Cong used news reports and facts to make Black soldiers question their place in the conflict. The men we follow suffered greatly during the war, particularly Paul. His complex relationship with his son, David (Jonathan Majors), proves it. For all these men, Vietnam never ended and their government failed to take care of them once they returned home. Norman made them promise they would use the money to make a difference.

You expect a certain political standpoint from Spike Lee and it’s there… but the film is not “us and them”. To his friends’ shock and disappointment, Paul strolls into Vietnam with a red “Make America Great Again” hat. It perfectly summarizes the complexity of this group.

We've got a great story. In it are rich characters. These people feel real. They joke around, prove themselves the best of friends, expose their vulnerabilities... and don’t always do what you expect them to. You have no idea where the story is going but you’ve got a bad feeling. Rarely does a treasure trove prove to be the salvation men expect.

Da 5 Bloods is then elevated to the next level by the way Spike Lee tells this story by his co-writers Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo, and Kevin Willmott. When the Bloods look at a photo, the film cuts to a shot of just that photo. When they remember Norman, it’s done as if this is a documentary. For a moment, you forget this is fiction. Then, we have the flashback sequences. There aren’t enough of them to make Chadwick Boseman’s performance more than a cameo but the way they’re presented I’ve never seen before. Rather than cast men who look like young versions of Lindo, Majors, Peters, or Lewis, they play themselves in these memories of the past. Why not? When you reminisce, the events you saw are from the same point of view as today. The difference in aspect ratio emphasizes these are memories, not literal trips through time. The editing, camerawork, music, casting, every aspect of filmmaking amplifies the film’s voice in a truly inspired way.

Da 5 Bloods juggles many complicated ideas and freshly presents them. Partly, it's because we haven’t seen what it was like to be a Black soldier in Vietnam, and certainly not within the context of 2020. It’s also a great story about greed and trauma with a fantastic cast. After it's over, I recommend you stay until the end of the credits to see a bonus “scene” showing the cast and crew. It isn’t essential in the same way a nugget that teases the next Marvel movie but it does give you a nice breather after all this heavy stuff. (January 31, 2021)

[13thhr]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 🌄 Joshua Blum 🌌 (@the13thhr.ost)

[👾]🎤📖🎸🏹🤸🏼‍♂️🌈 I was saddened to learn that character actor Art LeFleur recently passed away. One of my favorite movies, 1985’s Zone Troopers, kind of a cross between a WW2, sci-fi, and comedy film, has him as “Mittens,” the American GI who KOs Hitler in a hilarious scene. I first watched this film years ago on a day I got snowed in and couldn’t make it to work (I think my car got stuck in the snow), and after I finally gave up and got turned around and made it home, cold and wet, I found this gem on Netflix. Coincidentally, it was written by Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo, who would later go on to write the script for The Rocketeer (1991), my favorite movie of all time, and you can tell in the dialogue, the era, the feel. It’s no longer on Netflix, but you can find it on Amazon and Youtube if you look. Hope you get to deck Hitler again in the afterlife, Art 👊🏽 RIP 🪦 #zonetroopers #artlefleur #ww2movies #80smovies #80sbmovies #dannybilson #pauldemeo #therocketeer https://www.instagram.com/p/CWjwdkYDStR/?utm_medium=tumblr

[ryf8589]

#4scifimoviemarathon #eliminators #arena #arenamovie #arena1989 #charlesband #dannybilson #empirepictures #scifi #dvd #claudiachristian #america3000 #thetimeguardian (at Spring Valley Village, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/rythemanf89/p/BxDbGV8FgGC/?igshid=10e6sqzjpdn83

[uscgames]

A powerful film about the Black experience as a soldier during the Vietnam era (and that experience, frankly, continues into today), it couldn't be any more timely... Streaming Now On @Netflix The original story was written by our @uscgames Director, @DannyBilson and his late partner, #PaulDeMeo, and--of course, then @officialspikelee made it a #SPIKELEEJOINT! #CheckItOut #Da5Bloods #BLM #Movie #Writer #Creator #Histoty #Cinema #Netflix #NetflixandChill #Gamer #Youtube #Nintendo #xbox #play #play #gamer #gaming #discord #twitch #livestream #esports #playstation #pcgaming #like4like #Weekend #summer #2020 #news (at Los Angeles, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBay4h2lr7b/?igshid=128x5lxu2dyxr

[hifisociety]

The Rocketeer // #1991 // Director #JoeJohnston // Writer #DaveStevens #DannyBilson #PaulDeMeo #WilliamDear // #vhs

[adamwatchesmovies]

The Rocketeer (1991)

There are so many superhero movies today people say they've taken over theaters (even though they represent only a small percentage of all titles released). I remember when you needed to read a book to see your favorite super-powered adventurer! All the big names have gotten numerous appearances on the silver screen so how about something a little different? If The Rocketeer isn't on your radar, it should be. It's got what it takes to charm just about anyone.

Set in the U.S. in 1938, stunt pilot Cliff Secord (Billy Campbell) discovers a mysterious rocket pack that everyone from the FBI to Nazi operatives want at any cost. Unaware of the device’s importance, Cliff - along with his mechanic Peevy (Alan Arkin) - perfects the rocket’s controls and uses it to become a masked hero.

Director Joe Johnston perfectly captures the look and feel of the era. The film looks, feels. and sounds like was made during the 1930s, which to me gives it a timeless quality. It's bright-eyed and optimistic, unaware of the danger that looms ahead but sure to be ready to face it head-on when it arrives. When Cliff sees this jet pack, he does what the audience members want him to do: wear, get himself a cool helmet and become a superhero. There’s never an instant of considering an ordinary life. Regular guys don’t get the girl in the end, don’t save the day and don’t become legends. Immediately, the picture raises your spirits and gets you excited to see what's next. It’s full of good special effects and “just one chance” jumps mixed in with some light-hearted, good-natured comedic moments.

Although you don't need to know much about "the golden days of Hollywood" to appreciate The Rocketeer, being aware of it enhances your experience. Cliff’s romantic rival is clearly a pastiche of Errol Flynn (he even plays a swashbuckling bandit in a movie being filmed during the events of this film) and recognizing what Howard Hughes did in real life makes Terry O’Quinn's portrayal of the man even more fun. It's got surprising twists in the second half, the hero's costume looks great, little details add that something extra to give the film solid re-watch value (like the news footage before the movie Cliff and his girlfriend Jenny go see). It all builds towards a terrific climax.

Look forward to seeing Jennifer Connelly as Jenny Blake. She’s Cliff’s girlfriend and she'll make your jaw drop. She’s beautiful in that classic style, like a pin-up model or vixen painted on the side of an airplane ready to fly into battle. I was afraid that she'd end up as little more than a damsel in distress for the villains to take hostage, but she’s integral to the plot and proves herself quite capable when the going gets tough.

It's surprising how well this film's held up since its release. It's just the right amount of action and comedy. An easy and instant favorite for everyone who watches. This is what you want in a family movie. Not just something inoffensive or with a nice message; a film that appeals to everyone and that you can all happily watch together. (Theatrical version on the big screen, February 2, 2015)

[13thhr]

The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #250 and Like a Hood Ornament 10 - Welcome Jim O'Kane and Hal Bryan of The Rocketeer Minute! (Part 2/2)

Welcome back @halbryan & Jim from @RocketeerMinute to discuss recording >100 episodes about #TheRocketeer! Thanks, guys, and all your great guests (e.g. @MeloraHardin , @WOCampbell , @DannyBilson ) for a great podcast! The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #250 and Like a Hood Ornament 10 - Welcome Jim O'Kane and Hal Bryan of The Rocketeer Minute! (Part 2/2)

Episode #250 and Like a Hood Ornament 10 – Welcome Jim O’Kane and Hal Bryan of The Rocketeer Minute! (Part 2/2)

  On this week’s show, I had the opportunity to continue the discussion with Jim and Hal from the Rocketeer Minute podcast, which if you never heard of the Movies by Minutepodcast movement (I hadn’t until stumbling upon their show), it’s where people dissect a movie, generally one…

[13thhr]

The Thirteenth Hour Podcast #249 and Like a Hood Ornament 9 - Welcome Jim O'Kane and Hal Bryan of The Rocketeer Minute! (Part 1/2)

On this wk's show, join @halbryan & Jim from @RocketeerMinute to discuss recording >100 episodes about #TheRocketeer! Thanks, guys, and all your great guests (e.g. @MeloraHardin, @WOCampbell, @DannyBilson) for a great podcast!

Episode #249 and Like a Hood Ornament 9 – Welcome Jim O’Kane and Hal Bryan of The Rocketeer Minute! (Part 1/2)

https://archive.org/download/podcast-249/Podcast%20249.mp3

On this week’s show, I had the opportunity to connect with Jim (of TVDads.com) and Hal (of the Experimental Aircraft Association) from the Rocketeer Minute podcast, which if you never heard of the Movies by Minutepodcast movement…