Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Review: "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" a Disappointing Reboot

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 57 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)
Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA - PG-13 for sequences of violence and intense action, and brief strong language
DIRECTOR:  Kenneth Branagh
WRITERS:  Adam Cozad and David Koepp (based on characters created by Tom Clancy)
PRODUCERS:  David Barron, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Mace Neufeld, and Mark Vahradian
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Haris Zambarloukos
EDITOR:  Martin Walsh
COMPOSER:  Patrick Doyle

ACTION/SPY/THRILLER

Starring:  Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner, Kenneth Branagh, Lenn Kudrjawizki, Alec Utgoff, Nonso Anozie, Seth Ayott, Colm Feore, and David Paymer with Mikhail Baryshnikov

The subject of this movie review is Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, a 2014 action and espionage thriller from director, Kenneth Branagh.  This is the fifth film in the Jack Ryan film franchise, which began with 1990's The Hunt for Red October (based on the novel by the late author, Tom Clancy).  Shadow Recruit focuses on a young Jack Ryan as he tries to uncover a Russian plot against the United States.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit opens at the London School of Economics, where Jack Ryan (Chris Pine) is a student.  The film also opens on September 11, 2001, the day of the terrorists attacks on New York City and Washington D.C.  Ryan joins the U.S. Marines after the attacks, but he is critically injured during a mission.  While undergoing recovery, Ryan meets and falls for Cathy Muller (Keira Knightley), a young medical student.  Muller, however, is not the only one who is watching Ryan.

Thomas Harper (Kevin Costner) of the CIA recruits Ryan into the agency.  A covert analyst, Ryan works for a Wall Street stock brokerage as a cover.  There, he discovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy via a terrorist attack.  Ryan first dangerous mission takes him to Moscow to face the sinister Viktor Cherevin (Kenneth Branagh), but this dangerous mission suddenly takes a decidedly lethal turn.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is a reboot of the Jack Ryan film franchise.  This is actually the second reboot of Jack Ryan, as The Sum of All Fears (2002) was a fresh start for the franchise with Ben Affleck as Ryan.  Shadow Recruit is also the first Jack Ryan film not based on one of Tom Clancy's novels.  Perhaps, not being based directly on a Clancy novel is the missing ingredient for this film.  It lacks the complexity and large size of Clancy's work.  As for the screenplay:  Tom Clancy ain't Shakespeare, but he was quite good at what he wrote, and screenwriters Adam Cozad and David Koepp are not Clancy

Shadow Recruit does not have to reinvent the action-thriller, let alone the Jack Ryan movie, and it certainly does neither.  This film is a well-produced movie with some good moments, especially those that take place in Moscow.  Ultimately, Shadow Recruit is nothing special, nor is it particularly slick, a characteristic of big-budget, big studio American action films.

I like Chris Pine, but I think that at the age of 33 (when the film was made), he looks too young and too boyish, and lacks the gravitas to play Jack Ryan.  Kenneth Branagh plays beneath his talent here, and it's evident; he looks tired/bored as Viktor Cherevin.

Seriously, I think Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is best as a past-time you watch on an over-the-air television station one lazy Sunday afternoon.  Sadly, though, I think the Jack Ryan film franchise is done for, and that's a shame.

5 of 10
C+

Sunday, December 14, 2014


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.



Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Final "Hobbit" Movie Has Grossed Over $550 Million in Worldwide Box Office


“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” Continues Its Worldwide March, Crossing the $550 Million Mark

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” has charged past the half-billion mark in only its second week in worldwide release. A production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), the film has taken in an astounding global total of $573.6 million and counting, it was announced today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

    “What a wonderful way to end the remarkable ‘The Hobbit’ Trilogy, as well as our year. We congratulate Peter Jackson and everyone involved in creating this fitting finale, and we anticipate more excellent returns well into 2015 with several territories, including China, yet to come.”

The conclusion to Peter Jackson’s acclaimed “The Hobbit” Trilogy, based on the timeless classic by J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” has continued to play to sold-out houses in North America, where the film has earned an estimated $168.5 million domestically to date and is still #1 at the box office.

Internationally, the film has grossed an estimated $405.1 million as it continues its roll out, setting records and/or topping the box office in countries around the globe, including Germany, Spain, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Holland, Switzerland and Austria, to name only a few. The film just opened on December 26 in Australia, Poland and Iceland, with much-anticipated release dates upcoming in Argentina, Uruguay and Venezuela on January 1, and China on January 23, 2015.

Scores of moviegoers worldwide are also opting to experience the adventure in the immersive IMAX® format. On the heels of its record-breaking IMAX opening, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” has gone on to earn an impressive $25 million on 360 domestic screens, and $23 million on 228 screens overseas, including a Christmas day record of $1.02 million, for a global total of $48 million.

In making the announcement, Fellman said, “This is a tremendous result so early in our run, especially in this highly competitive holiday season. Together with our partners at MGM and New Line, we are very happy that moviegoers are not only thrilling to this final adventure in ‘The Hobbit’ Trilogy, but also want to share the experience with their families and friends. Word of mouth and repeat business should lead to continued success as we head into next year.”

Kwan Vandenberg stated, “What a wonderful way to end the remarkable ‘The Hobbit’ Trilogy, as well as our year. We congratulate Peter Jackson and everyone involved in creating this fitting finale, and we anticipate more excellent returns well into 2015 with several territories, including China, yet to come.”

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, with Martin Freeman in the central role of Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield. The international ensemble cast is also led by Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch, Billy Connolly, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Graham McTavish, Stephen Fry, and Ryan Gage. The film also stars Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Orlando Bloom, Mikael Persbrandt, Sylvester McCoy, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, William Kircher, Stephen Hunter, Adam Brown, John Bell, Manu Bennett and John Tui.

The screenplay for “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” is by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Jackson also produced the film, together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh. The executive producers are Alan Horn, Toby Emmerich, Ken Kamins and Carolyn Blackwood, with Philippa Boyens and Eileen Moran serving as co-producers. The associate producers are Matthew Dravitzki and Amanda Walker.

New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Present a Wingnut Films Production, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.” As with the first two films in the Trilogy, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the final film is a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), with New Line managing production. Warner Bros. Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television distribution being handled by MGM. Like the first two films in the Trilogy, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” was released in High Frame Rate 3D (HFR 3D) in select theaters, other 2D and 3D formats, and IMAX®. www.thehobbit.com #OneLastTime

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites for December 28th to 31st, 2014 - Update #5


NEWS:

From RSN:  Bill Simpich is critical of The Interview.

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From YahooTV:  Hollywood salaries revealed - an interesting article.

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From Variety: The winner of the Dec. 26th to 28th, 2014 box office is The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies with an estimated take of $41.4 million dollars.  This is a repeat victory, as the film was also #1 in its opening week.  Seth Rogen and James Franco's controversial film, The Interview, earned an estimated $1.8 million in what is mainly an art-house release.


STAR WARS:

From YahooMovies:  Oscar Isaac says Star Wars rumors/theories are wrong.


COMICS BOOKS:

From YahooTV:  New promo art from "Ant-Man," featuring the character "Yellowjacket."

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From FlickeringMyth:  Vin Diesel does more "Inhumans" teasing.


REVIEWS:

From AlterNet:  A review of Selma.

Negromancer's Fave Poli-Reads - December 2014 Edition - Update #10


From TheGuardian:  Kyle Orton and the search for NFL liberals.

From RSN:  If Obama were a White Republican...

From FoxNewsLatino:  There was actually a scheme to use the Cuban hip-hop scene to ferment revolution.

From BuzzFlash:  Stephen Colbert's finest moment; yes, it was.

From the WashingtonPost:  Of course, not some, but many Republicans won't accept Obama as President of these United States.  D'uh, it's because he's black.

From YahooNews:  President Obama only answers questions from female reporters in his press conference before his Christmas vacation.

From RSN:  Wonder why Palestinians feel loathing about the U.S.

From YahooNews:  Alan Gross freed from Cuba; this leads to talks between the Obama administration and Cuba to resume diplomatic ties.

From ConsortiumNews:  Cuz like... America's totally awesome.  Poor baby, she is some FOX honcho's jizz jar.

From TheDailyBeast:  The Hunger Games economy.

From ThinkProgess:  The Christian terrorist movement that few people know of - the Phineas Priesthood (although I first heard of them several years ago.)

From Slate:  Not that this will stop the GOP from throwing Benghazi in Hilary's face.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Over $3 Billion at International Box Office in 2014 for Warner Bros. Pictures


Warner Bros. Pictures Surpasses $3 Billion at the International Box Office

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the second consecutive year, Warner Bros. Pictures International has exceeded the coveted $3 billion mark at the international box office, it was announced today by Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

This benchmark comes on the heels of the release of “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, which surpassed $400 million at the international box office this weekend and is still going strong.

In making the announcement, Kwan Vandenberg stated, “We couldn't be happier to cap off the year this way. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, it is our great team whose commitment, talent and passion make it possible to maximize the international potential of all of our films, from the smallest gems to the biggest tentpoles.”

Nine Warner Bros. Pictures films have exceeded $100 million internationally, topped by Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” (with Paramount Pictures), which has taken in an astounding $467 million outside of the U.S. to date, and “Godzilla” (with Legendary Pictures), which has earned $327 million overseas. Four titles—Doug Liman’s “Edge of Tomorrow” (with Village Roadshow Pictures), Phil Lord & Christopher Miller’s “The LEGO® Movie” (also with Village Roadshow Pictures), and Noam Murro and Zack Snyder’s “300: Rise of an Empire” (with Legendary), along with the 2014 spillover grosses from “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”—each topped $200 million abroad. Other key successes included New Line’s “Annabelle” at a phenomenal $171 million and “Into the Storm,” and the local productions “Wild Tales (Relatos Salvajes),” Argentina’s official entry for the Foreign Language Film Oscar and the highest grossing local production of all time; the hit German comedy “Vaterfreuden”; and the Japanese productions “Rorouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno” and “Runouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends.”

Warner Bros. Pictures International has surpassed $1 billion in grosses a total of 16 years, and crossed $2 billion seven times, including consecutive years from 2010 to 2014.

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Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Choose "Birdman" as 2014's Best Film

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association is also known as the DFW Film Critics Association.  The group describes itself as a not-for-profit, unincorporated voluntary organization of print, broadcast and internet film critics based in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and greater North Texas who meet its membership criteria.  The DFW Film Critics Association currently consists of 29 broadcast, print, and online journalists from throughout North Texas.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association 2014 / 21st Annual Critics’ Poll:

Best Film: Birdman
Runners-Up, in order: Boyhood, The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Whiplash, Gone Girl, Selma, Wild and Nightcrawler

Best Actor: Michael Keaton, Birdman
Runners-Up, in order: Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of Everything, Benedict Cumberbatch for The Imitation Game, Jake Gyllenhaal for Nightcrawler and Timothy Spall for Mr. Turner

Best Actress: Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Runners-Up, in order: Julianne Moore for Still Alice, Rosamund Pike for Gone Girl, Felicity Jones for The Theory of Everything and Marion Cotillard for Two Days, One Night

Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Runners-Up, in order: Edward Norton for Birdman, Ethan Hawke for Boyhood, Mark Ruffalo for Foxcatcher and Alfred Molina for Love is Strange

Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Runners-Up, in order: Emma Stone for Birdman, Keira Knightley for The Imitation Game, Jessica Chastain for A Most Violent Year and Laura Dern for Wild

Best Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
Runners-Up, in order: Richard Linklater for Boyhood, Wes Anderson for The Grand Budapest Hotel, David Fincher for Gone Girl and Ava DuVernay for Selma

Best Foreign-Language Film: Force Majeure
Runners-Up, in order: Ida, Winter Sleep, Leviathan and Wild Tales

Best Documentary: Citizenfour
Runners-Up, in order: Life Itself, Jodorowsky’s Dune, The Overnighters and The Great Invisible

Best Animated Film: The Lego Movie
Runner-Up: Big Hero 6

Best Screenplay: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo, Birdman
Runner-Up: Richard Linklater for Boyhood

Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
Runner-Up: Hoyte Van Hoytema for Interstellar

Best Musical Score: Hans Zimmer, Intersellar

Winner of the Russell Smith Award: Boyhood

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Sunday, December 28, 2014

James Bond "SPECTRE" Has Begun Production

SPECTRE THE 24TH JAMES BOND ADVENTURE SET TO BEGIN PRODUCTION

Directed by Sam Mendes Produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli Starring Daniel Craig as James Bond 007

LONDON, UK, - 007 Soundstage, Pinewood Studios, London. James Bond Producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, released the title of the 24th James Bond adventure, SPECTRE. The film, from Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, is directed by Sam Mendes and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his fourth film as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007. SPECTRE began principal photography on Monday, December 8, 2014 and is set for global release on November 6, 2015.

Along with Daniel Craig, Mendes presented the returning cast, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw and Rory Kinnear as well as introducing Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Dave Bautista, Monica Bellucci and Andrew Scott. Mendes also revealed Bond’s sleek new Aston Martin, the DB10, created exclusively for SPECTRE.

A cryptic message from Bond’s past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organisation. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.

The 007 production will be based at Pinewood Studios, and on location in London, Mexico City, Rome and Tangier and Erfoud, in Morocco. Bond will return to the snow once again, this time in Sölden, along with other Austrian locations, Obertilliach, and Lake Altaussee.

Commenting on the announcement, Wilson and Broccoli said, "We’re excited to announce Daniel’s fourth installment in the series and thrilled that Sam has taken on the challenge of following on the success of SKYFALL with SPECTRE."

Written by John Logan and Neal Purvis & Robert Wade, Director of Photography is Hoyte van Hoytema and Editor is Lee Smith. Production Designer, Dennis Gassner returns along with Costume Designer, Jany Temime and Composer, Thomas Newman. Action Specialist, Alexander Witt is the 2nd Unit Director. Stunt Coordinator is Gary Powell, SFX Supervisor is Chris Corbould, and Visual Effects Supervisor is Steve Begg.

Skyfall, the 23rd James Bond film, was a worldwide box office phenomenon, opening #1 in 70 territories around the world, taking over $1.1 billion worldwide and setting a new all-time box office record in the UK by becoming the first film to take over £100 million.

The launch of SPECTRE was streamed live on 007.com and Facebook.com/JamesBond007, and the video is now available on demand at both sites.

About Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions
EON Productions Limited and Danjaq LLC are wholly owned and controlled by the Broccoli/Wilson family. Danjaq is the US based company that co-owns, with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, the copyright in the existing James Bond films and controls the right to produce future James Bond films as well as all worldwide merchandising. EON Productions, an affiliate of Danjaq, is the UK based production company which makes the James Bond films. The 007 franchise is the longest running in film history with twenty-three films produced since 1962. Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli succeeded Albert R ‘Cubby’ Broccoli and have produced some of the most successful Bond films ever including CASINO ROYALE, QUANTUM OF SOLACE and SKYFALL.

About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is celebrating 90 years as a leader in the entertainment business and as an innovator in the industry. Today, MGM is an entertainment company focused on the production and distribution of film and television content globally. The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content. In addition, MGM has investments in domestic and international television channels and is the majority owner of and distributor for United Artists Media Group (UAMG). For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.

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The Killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson - December 2014 Edition - Update #28


From TheGuardian:  Another "I Can't Breathe" t-shirt controversy.  The truth hurts, doesn't it.

From YahooNews:  There was hell to pay for the callous comments about the Mike Brown memorial in Ferguson.

From Yahoo News via RSN:  Hundreds of cop killings of civilians not reported to the FBI.

From Reuters via RSN:  Hillary Clinton backs federal probes of Mike Brown and Eric Garner killings.  Already she has more balls then so-called Democratic governors in Missouri and New York.

From YahooNews:  If you don't want to hear "wings on pigs," then, don't do this.

From YahooNews:  Off-duty, black cops feel the boot of their white colleagues, also.

From YahooNews:  Black, unarmed, and shot dead by a cop in Houston.

From the NYT:  Sad story about a Ferguson moment in Louisville, Kentucky back in 1999.

From the NYT:  Okay, don't act like you don't know why some people react crazily.

From the NYT:  Yes, police must stop the abuse of Black men.

From RollingStone:  Matt Taibbi: The police in America are becoming illegitimate.

From YahooNews:  Ray Kelly, who sires rapists, and Giuliani, whose vanity led to the deaths of scores of firemen, on 9/11, blame President Obama and Mayor de Blasio for the murder of two New York policemen on 12/20/2014 by a lone gunman.

From AlJazeeraAmerica:  Yeah, we should be suspicious of the Oath Keepers.

From YahooNews:  Why the LAPD is not like the NYPD or Ferguson Police Department.

From YahooNews:  Could NYPD killings trigger a backlash against protestors.

From YahooNews:  Baltimore gang member kills two New York policemen, before killing himself.

From Esquire:  Why police unions have been making deranged responses to the responses to their brutality.

From YahooParenting:  Second graders do Ferguson protest.  One student's father is a cop.  "Daddy, do you shoot people?" he claims she asked.

From TheGuardian:  Remember John Crawford, shot dead by a cop in an Ohio Wal-Mart?  Well, The Guardian has obtained video footage of cop threatening his girlfriend.

From RSN:  Football still representing... damn what the pig's unions have got to say.

From RSN:  FBI to investigage North Carolina trailer park lynching.

From RSN:  Huge marches protesting police violence.

From YahooNews:  The National Bar Association wants Darren Wilson stripped of his license to carry a badge anywhere in Missouri.  The NBA is the nation's largest group of African-American lawyers and judges.

From ThinkProgress:  The woman who could hit reset on Mike Brown-Darren Wilson case.

From ThinkProgress:  The one word that kept Darren Wilson out of jail (It's "reasonable").

From GuardianUK:   In Brooklyn, a rookie cop kills an unarmed black man and calls his union rep instead of 911.

From YahooNews:  No indictment for Eric Garner's murderer.

From YahooNews:  Another angry white guy.  No, "Morning Joe," even 95 percent of white people don't agree with you.

From YahooSports:  Angry old white guy, Mike Ditko, embarrassed for the Rams players and demands that we not weaken the police anymore than they already are.  First, I'm sure the Rams players don't give a f**k.  Non-indictments say Ditko is clueless about the weakness of cops - especially post 9/11.  Maybe, he just needs a Viagra and beer.

From RSN:  A "Dear White People" essay from Carl Gibson.

From YahooNews:  America's mayor, Rudy Giulani, says that Ferguson grand jury should not have indicted.  This from a man whose vanity caused the death of many fireman on 9/11, an event from which Giulani made tens of millions of dollars.

From YahooSports:  One of America's favorite media quote machines, Charles Barkley, is down with Darren Wilson.

From YahooSports:  St. Louis cops union pissed at St. Louis Rams.

From WashingtonPost:  Holding an entire community in contempt by Eugene Robinson.

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THE BASICS:

From TheIntercept via RSN:  Klan jury... I mean grand jury in Mike Brown's shooting began Wednesday, August 20th, 2014.

Michael Brown, 18, was shot to death, reportedly by police officer Darren Wilson, on Saturday, August 9th, 2014 at approximately 2:15 pm on Canfield Drive in Ferguson, Missouri.  Ferguson is a small city in St. Louis County.  The shooting of the unarmed Brown sparked a furious backlash and days of protests, some violent and involving looting.  What follows is a list of links to news articles about the shooting and related matters:

From the StLouisPostDispatch:  An early article about the Michael Brown shooting

From the LosAngelesTimes:  This is the earliest (or oldest) article that I could find about the Michael Brown shooting.

From HuffingtonPost:  Another early article about the local African-American community's reaction to the shooting of Brown

From PrisonCulture:  A searing image of Michael Brown's father

From the WashingtonPost via RSN:  More of Darren Wilson's history and background emerges; it seems that he was previously associated with another police department that had a bad relationship with the local black folks.

From  Al Jazeera via RSN:  Darren Wilson: Judge, jury, and executioner.

From YahooNews via CSM and the AP:  Shooter a.k.a. Darren Wilson tells his "side" of the story about how he shot an unarmed black man to death.

Updated Shooting Timeline:  The AP via YahooNews.


Everything's Peachy... if by "Peachy" You Mean Hemlock - Update #77

There's no "race problem" in America.  We all have black friends.  I even have more than I need.  [I call some of them relatives.]  Dr. King's dream has not become a nightmare.  It's become a dytopian vision of future that simply dresses the dark past in new fangled rags. - Leroy 16, Aug. 2014

From AlterNet:  A great review of the new film, Selma.

From YahooParenting:  7 things I can do that my black son can't.

From CNN:  I remember hearing about Macy's racial profiling case, but not this one involving "Treme" actor, Robert Brown.

From Reuters via RSN:  Off-duty, Black NYPD cops feel threat from White colleagues.

From TheDailyBeast:  After they fired the shots, they're the victims...

From NYTimes:  Police shootings reveal racial chasm... D'uh.

From Time:  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to White people feeling targeted by Ferguson protests - Welcome to our world.

From MiamiHerald:  The rules are indeed different for Black people seeking justice.

From TheGuardian:  Gentrifiers having to throw people out of their homes.

From CNN:  Racism without racists.

From the GuardianUK:  Jesse Jackson says we can still get justice for Mike Brown.  I kinda doubt it, but I'm hopeful.

From Esquire:  The rise in police shootings, even in places like Utah.

From YahooNews:  Another black male with a toy gun shot to death by cops - this time the black male is a child.

From CSMonitor:  Mumia Abu-Jamal sues over the Pennsylvania law specifically meant to gag him.

From RSN and FirstLook:  Yes, we do need someone to judge the judges because Judge Edith Jones is an ignorant racist bitch.

From FirstLook:  How the innocent are screwed into pleading guilty.

From NPR:  Black and dead in Brazil.

From ConsortiumNews:  Is Arlington, VA racist?  Probably.

From RSN:  Did you know that Denver cops had killed an unarmed street preacher.  It costs them $4.6 million?  That was an expensive cap-popping.

From RawStory:  Dead in Alabama jails to save money.

From TheNation:  How racism stole black childhood.

From RSN:  Cops killed 77 people in September 2014.

From the NYT:  Civil asset forfeiture - makes me wanna support Clive Bundy.

From Demos via RSN:  A third of Americans live at or near poverty.

From YahooNews:  Expelled Nazis and SS still get Social Security paychecks.

From Think Progress via RSN:  Funny Ebola freak-outs.

From YahooNews:  Michael Dunn gets life for killing 17-year-old Jordan Davis.

From Truthout:  Incarceration, mass murder, and genocide of Black men.

From FreeThoughtProject:   Cops with gang tattoos to celebrate the people they kill.

From Truthout:  Understanding our many Fergusons.

From YahooNews:  Another unarmed, innocent black teen attacked by white cops on a racial profiling rampage.  Luckily, the cops didn't kill him.

From GQ via RSN:  An interesting article about murderer, George Zimmerman's crappy family.

From News 13 via RSN:  Michael Dunn found guilty of murdering black teenager, Jordan Davis.

From Truthout:  Cops retaliate against citizens group that monitor police activity.

From Salon via RSN:  America's summer of white supremacy.

From InformedComment via RSN:  $8.7 billion in food stamp cuts, but $22 billion to fight ISIS.

From TheNewYorkTimes:  When Whites Just Don't Get It Part One and Part Two.

From the HuffingtonPost:  Los Angeles law enforcement kill about one person a week - I'm not surprised.

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From YahooNews:  JUSTICE:  Woman beat up by CHiP cop, wins $1.5 million and cop resigns.

From NPR:  INJUSTICE:  Grand Jury refuses to indict murders... I mean cops involved in the shooting death of an unarmed man in Ohio Wal-Mart shooting.
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From BearingArms:  Family wants charges against fat lying bastard who made the 911 call that led to the murder of their son.

From Salon via RSN:  The strange death of Charles Smith.  Shot to death while handcuffed, supposedly in possession of gun.

From Salon via RSN:  Rock the Vote joins militia group to intimidate Wisconsin African-American voters in November.

From CBS:  WHITE South Carolina state trooper charged in shooting of UNARMED BLACK MAN.

From Salon via RSN:  Yes, Justice Scalia is "an utter moral failure."

From the Guardian UK via RSN:  Cops act like gang in assault on Latino man.

From the AP via RSN:  Students walk-out in protest over conservative school board's attempt to make history education emphasize respect for authority and the free-market.

From the Guardian UK via RSN:  By the way, a federal judge approved New York City's settlement with the Central Park Five.  Former mayor, Michael Bumberg, had fought the lawsuit.

From The Washington Post via RSN:  Cops seizing hundreds of millions in cash and property from motorists not charged with crimes.  First heard about this a month ago, and I'm still shocked.

From Campus Reform via RSN:  Students and faculty have to tell Clemson University how many times they've had sex...  Apparently, this is real.

From The Daily Beast via RSN:  Ferguson cops caught in a lie about blood on their uniforms and got away with it... for now.

From BuzzFlash via Truthout:  For Black youth, no mistakes allowed.  It could be fatal.

From TheWashingtonPost:  White rage against Black progress.

From the GuardianUK via RSN:  Yep, the cops shot Darrien Hunt in the back.  Had to admit it.

From Esquire via RSN:  It's never about race, right?  Riiiiiight.

From The Intercept via RSN:  No heads in the sand on ISIS beheading videos.

From Truthout:  NRA hold "killer cop contest."Includes a "Head Shots Only" competition.

From the SPLC via RSN:  Neo-Confederate group forms paramilitary unit to advance a second secession.

From YahooSports:  Yeah, there are good cops...

From CBSLocal via RSN:  Free Patrick McLaw - A teacher an self-published science fiction author placed on administrative leave after his work was discovered.  Free Patrick McLaw.

From ABCNews:  John Crawford, Jr., the father of Wal-Mart shooting victime, John Crawford, III, hears his son's dying breaths.

From YahooNews:  So-called witness in John Crawford shooting - the guy who called 911, has changed his story.

From BuzzFlash:  Black men who "open carry" get a cap in the ass from cops.

From TomDisptach via RSN:  We made ISIS.

From Truthout: U.S. slammed for failure to end all forms of racial discrimination

From Reuters via RSN:  Federal prosecutors will investigate the shooting death of Victor White III, a Louisiana man whose death had been previously ruled a suicide.  Supposedly, he shot himself while handcuffed in the back of a police car.

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From LATimes:  Two brothers who were wrongly convicted of the murder and rape of an 11-year-old girl in North Carolina were freed Wednesday morning, September 3, 2014.  They spent 30 years in prison.  One was 19 and the other were 15 when they were arrested in 1983.

So is a Black man in America more afraid of police and the justice system or of ISIL/ISIS?
------------------------------------------

From ThinkProgress via RSN:  Ain't it the truth, girl - America has a real racial problem - Justice Ginsburg.

From GlobalVoiceOnline:  Israeli soldiers used Gazans as human shields  This is not the first time I have heard of this.  They way Israelis act, one would think Palestinians were the ones who caused the Holocaust.

From Truthout:  Black women on "Women's Equality Day."

From NateSilver via RSN:  Most police don't live in the cities they serve.

From TheNation:  How Trayvon Martin's death launched a new generation of black activism.

From MotherJones:  How indeed.

From BuzzFlash: A piece on Ferguson police officer, Dan Page, and his racist speech given before the Oath Keepers in April 2014.  From TheAdvocate and TheGuardian - Page's speech.

From YouTube:  Ferguson police officer, Dan Page, threatening CNN's Don Lemon.

From Truthout:  "We won't go back" - the march for Eric Garner.

From Truthout:  The killing of black men continues...

From YahooNews:  Activist carry the coffin of a black woman killed by a white Phoenix police sergeant to the steps of City Hall.

From Valid:  More commentary on Michelle Cusseaux, the black woman killed by a white Phoenix police officer.

From BuzzFlash via Truthout:  Most whites still don't understand the danger of being a black man in the U.S. ...

From Esquire via RSN:  Charles Pierce - Ferguson: The Limits of Everything

From Reuters via RSN:  President Obama order review of police militirization

From Salon via RSN How to Wreck the GOP in 3 Easy Steps! - Obama and weak-kneed Democratic leadership won't do this.

From RSNWhere Were the Soldier Cops at Bundy Ranch?  - Good questions, Marc Ash.  There is a markedly different response to black protestors in Ferguson, Missouri than there was to the white, gun-toting protestors at the Bundy Ranch in Nevada.

From Popular Resistance via Truthout:  The reality of militarized, racist policing ...according to a recent study, a black man is killed every 28 hours by police, security guards or vigilantes. The whole nation is experiencing these tragedies; reality is being forced upon us.

From Time via RSNKareem Abdul-Jabbar: "The Coming Race War Won't Be About Race." He says that it will be about class.  He also wonders if the event in Ferguson, Missouri will disappear down the memory hole as the shootings at Jackson State in 1970 - 10 days after the Kent State shooting.

From Salon via RSN: The criminalization of Black mothers.

From Truthout:  It's worth standing with Keith Ellison.

From BuzzFlash:  President Nixon's Vietnam treason confirmed


OTHER:

From The Intercept via RSN:  How Gary Webb was destroyed.


MISC:

From Suggest:  10 celebs you didn't know were black.

From RedFlagNews, you will learn that everything is not peachy.



Saturday, December 27, 2014

Mel Brooks Give Voice to "Vlad" in "Hotel Transylvania 2"


Comic Legend Mel Brooks To Voice Dracula’s Father In HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2

Sony Pictures Releasing International Also Casting Beloved Local Celebrities For The Voice Of Vlad

Sony Pictures Animation today announced the casting of Oscar®-, Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy-winning writer, director, performer, composer and producer Mel Brooks in the sequel to the 2012 worldwide hit, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2. Brooks has been cast in the role of Vlad, the ancient, undead and incredibly grumpy father to Dracula (Adam Sandler). Dracula, Mavis, Jonathan and all of their monster friends are back in the brand new comedy adventure: when the old-old-old-fashioned vampire Vlad arrives at the hotel for an impromptu family get-together, Hotel Transylvania is in for a comic collision of supernatural old-school and modern day cool.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 is slated for a September 25, 2015 release, and is being directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, produced by Michelle Murdocca, executive-produced by Sandler, Allen Covert,and Ben Waisbren, and written by Robert Smigel.

Brooks – who takes on the role 40 years after helming the horror-comedy classic Young Frankenstein – said, "I’m having a wonderful time with the character Vlad. He’s been around for eons and he’s a pretty crabby guy. Basically, he reminds me of me."

Brooks isn’t the only icon who will be voicing Vlad, as Sony Pictures Releasing International is securing the talents of additional high-profile stars around the world to voice the ancient one for the non-English versions of the film. So far, these regional Vlads include: France’s Michel Galabru, the esteemed 92-year-old actor who has appeared in more than 200 films; Japan’s Junji Inagawa, whose voice is instantly recognizable as the "go to" narrator of horror films, radio programs and DVDs; Holland’s Bram Van Der Vlugt, who, for decades, was the most requested Dutch TV/film "Sinterklaas" (Saint Nicholas); and Belgium’s Jacques Vermeire, the well-known Flemish performer with decades of memorable comic television and feature film performances.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ANIMATION
Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated and family entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its worldwide comedy hits—the 2012 monster hit comedy Hotel Transylvania, the hybrid live action/animated blockbusters The Smurfs and The Smurfs 2, and the mouth-watering Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies—with the family comedies Hotel Transylvania 2scheduled in September 2015 and Untitled Smurfs Movie in August 2016. Sony Pictures Animation also released a critically acclaimed, brand new mini-movie on DVD and television last Fall, The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow. The studio, in conjunction with Aardman Animations, has produced two critically acclaimed feature films: the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas; and the Academy Award® nominated stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits. In 2007, Surf's Up also received an Academy Award®: nomination for Best Animated Feature Film. The division, whose first feature film Open Season led to a very successful movie franchise, turned 10 in 2012. Sony Pictures Animation is an operating unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions

Website: http://www.sonypicturesanimation.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SONYPicturesAnimation
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sonyanimation
Tumblr: http://sonyanimation.tumblr.com/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/SonyAnimation

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of December 21st to 27th, 2014 - Update #10


NEWS:

From Vulture:  Idris Elba responds to Bond rumors with a clever tweet.

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From the NYPost:  Astrophysicist and "Cosmos" host, Neil deGrasse Tyson, angers with his Christmas tweet.

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From TheWrap:  "Unbroken" and "Into the Woods" explode on their Christmas Day 2014 debuts.

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From YahooTV:  Rush Limbaugh offers some clownish insight on Idris Elba (an "African-English" actor) as James Bond.

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From YahooMovies:  "Star Trek 3," the third film of the rebooted Star Trek film franchise, will arrive in theaters on July 8, 2016.  Justin Lin, of the Fast & Furious franchise will direct.

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From YahooMovies:  Sony lawyer responds to President Obama and suggests that "The Interview" will be released.

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From Variety:  The #1 movie for the 12/19 to 12/21/2014 weekend box office is The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies with an estimated take of $56.2 million.  Since its debut on Wednesday, Dec. 17th, 2014, it has grossed an estimated $90.6 million.

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From YahooFinance:  Sony lawyer:  "We haven't caved."


COMICS BOOKS:

From io9:  Mike Colter is Luke Cage in Marvel/Netflix's A.K.A Jessica Jones.


STAR WARS:

From Inquisitr:  Photo purports to reveal Star Wars: The Force Awakens toys.


OBITS:

From YahooMusic:  Raspy voice singer, Joe Cocker, has died at the age of 70.  His two best known hits were a rendition of The Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" and the smash hit, "Up Where We Belong," which he sang with Jennifer Warnes.  The latter was the theme-song from the film, An Officer and a Gentleman, won Cocker his only Grammy Award win.


Friday, December 26, 2014

9 Films Vie for 5 "Foreign Language Film" 87th Oscar Nominations

9 Foreign Language Films Advance in Oscar® Race

Nine features will advance to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 87th Academy Awards®.  Eighty-three films had originally been considered in the category.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:

Argentina, "Wild Tales," Damián Szifrón, director;

Estonia, "Tangerines," Zaza Urushadze, director;

Georgia, "Corn Island," George Ovashvili, director;

Mauritania, "Timbuktu," Abderrahmane Sissako, director;

Netherlands, "Accused," Paula van der Oest, director;

Poland, "Ida," Paweł Pawlikowski, director;

Russia, "Leviathan," Andrey Zvyagintsev, director;

Sweden, "Force Majeure," Ruben Östlund, director;

Venezuela, "The Liberator," Alberto Arvelo, director.


Foreign Language Film nominations for 2014 are being determined in two phases.

The Phase I committee, consisting of several hundred Los Angeles-based Academy members, screened the original submissions in the category between mid-October and December 15.  The group’s top six choices, augmented by three additional selections voted by the Academy’s Foreign Language Film Award Executive Committee, constitute the shortlist.

The shortlist will be winnowed down to the category’s five nominees by specially invited committees in New York, Los Angeles and, for the first time, London.  They will spend Friday, January 9, through Sunday, January 11, viewing three films each day and then casting their ballots.

The 87th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 15, 2015, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

The Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Thursday, December 25, 2014

Review: "A Madea Christmas" a Funny and Odd Christmas Movie

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 56 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas (2013)
Running time:  100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sexual references, crude humor and language
DIRECTOR:  Tyler Perry
WRITER:  Tyler Perry (based on the stage play, A Madea Christmas, written by Tyler Perry)
PRODUCERS:  Ozzie Areu, Tyler Perry, and Matt Moore
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Alexander Gruszynski (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Maysie Hoy
COMPOSER:  Christopher Young

CHRISTMAS/COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring:  Tyler Perry, Larry the Cable Guy, Anna Maria Horsford, Tika Sumpter, Eric Lively, JR Lemon, Kathy Najimy, Chad Michael Murray, Alicia Witt, Noah Urrea, and Lucy Whelchel

A Madea Christmas is a 2013 comedy, drama, and Christmas movie from writer-director Tyler Perry.  The film is based on Perry's musical play, A Madea Christmas, which was first performed in 2011.  A Madea Christmas the movie finds Madea in rural Alabama after being coaxed into helping a relative pay her daughter a surprise visit for Christmas.

As A Madea Christmas begins, Mabel “Madea” Simmons (Tyler Perry) is working at Tifton's department store for some extra Christmas cash, thanks to her niece, Eileen Murphy (Anna Maria Horsford), who works at the store.  Eileen is sad that her daughter, Lacey (Tika Sumpter), is living in the small town of Bucktussle, Alabama, and she wants to visit her.  Eileen coaxes Madea into accompanying her for a surprise Christmas visit.

What Eileen does not realize is that her daughter is now Lacey Williams and is married to her college sweetheart, Conner Williams (Eric Lively).  Lacey is not ready to tell her mother that she is married to a White man, but may be forced to when Eileen and Madea arrive.  Also arriving at Lacey and Conner's doorstep are Conner's parents, Kim and Buddy Williams (Kathy Najimy and Larry the Cable Guy).

A Madea Christmas is an odd entry in Tyler Perry's Madea film series.  First, the film deals, in a fluffy way, with racism, and is also set in a town and area that is largely white.  With its mushy sentiment, soft-focused racial harmony, and easy pace,  A Madea Christmas seems like an original holiday movie for either the Lifetime or Hallmark cable networks.

I found this film enjoyable and comfy, and although Madea does dispense her usual unique brand of wisdom, the film is not as preachy as previous Madea films.  A Madea Christmas' dominant theme seems to be that parents should accept that their children will live the lives the children choose and not the ones the parents want.  There is also a subplot about a sensitive and talented boy, Bailey McCoy (Noah Urrea), whose father, Tanner McCoy (Chad Michael Murray), is a racist and a bully (but not really in an especially offensive way).  This subplot encapsulates how A Madea Christmas goes out of its way not to offend or scare white audiences.

I don't think that A Madea Christmas will be a Christmas classic, but it is definitely a different kind of Christmas movie.  I found it to be quiet funny at times, and I plan on seeing it again.

6 of 10
B

Tuesday, December 23, 2014


NOTES:
2014 Razzie Awards:  1 win: “Worst Actress” (Tyler Perry); 4 nominations: “Worst Picture,” “Worst Supporting Actor” (Larry the Cable Guy), “Worst Screen Combo” (Tyler Perry, Larry the Cable Guy, Tyler Perry & EITHER Larry the Cable Guy OR That Worn-Out Wig & Dress), and “Worst Screenplay” (Tyler Perry)



Wednesday, December 24, 2014

San Francisco Film Critics Name "Boyhood" as 2014's Best Picture

The San Francisco Film Critics Circle (SFFCC) was founded in 2002 and is comprised of critics from Bay Area publications.  Its membership includes film journalists from the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Jose Mercury News, the Oakland Tribune, the Contra Costa Times, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, SF Weekly, the East Bay Express, KRON-TV, Variety, and RottenTomatoes.com, among others.

2014 San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards:

Best Picture
    BIRDMAN
    WINNER – BOYHOOD
    THE IMITATION GAME
    UNDER THE SKIN
    WHIPLASH

    Best Director
    Wes Anderson, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
    Jonathan Glazer, UNDER THE SKIN
    Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, BIRDMAN
    Mike Leigh, MR. TURNER
    WINNER – Richard Linklater, BOYHOOD

    Best Actor
    Benedict Cumberbatch, THE IMITATION GAME
    Jake Gyllenhaal, NIGHTCRAWLER
    WINNER – Michael Keaton, BIRDMAN
    Eddie Redmayne, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
    Timothy Spall, MR. TURNER

    Best Actress
    Marion Cotillard, TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT
    Essie Davis, THE BABADOOK
    Scarlett Johansson, UNDER THE SKIN
    WINNER – Julianne Moore, STILL ALICE
    Reese Witherspoon, WILD

    Best Supporting Actor
    Ethan Hawke, BOYHOOD
    Gene Jones, THE SACRAMENT
    WINNER – Edward Norton, BIRDMAN
    Mark Ruffalo, FOXCATCHER
    J.K. Simmons, WHIPLASH

    Best Supporting Actress
    WINNER – Patricia Arquette, BOYHOOD
    Jessica Chastain, A MOST VIOLENT YEAR
    Agata Kulesza, IDA
    Emma Stone, BIRDMAN
    Tilda Swinton, SNOWPIERCER

    Best Screenplay, Original
    WINNER – BIRDMAN, Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu; Nicolas Giacobone; Alexander Dinelaris; Armanso Bo
    BOYHOOD, Richard Linklater
    THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, Wes Anderson; Hugo Guinness
    MR. TURNER, Mike Leigh
    A MOST VIOLENT YEAR, J.C. Chandor
    WHIPLASH, Damien Chazelle

    Best Screenplay, Adapted
    GONE GIRL, Gillian Flynn
    THE IMITATION GAME, Graham Moore
    WINNER - INHERENT VICE, Paul Thomas Anderson
    SNOWPIERCER, Joon-ho Bong; Kelly Masterson
    WILD, Nick Hornby

    Best Cinematography
    BIRDMAN, Emmanuel Lubezki
    THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, Robert D. Yeoman
    WINNER – IDA, Lukasz Zal; Ryszard Lenczewski
    MR. TURNER, Dick Pope
    UNDER THE SKIN, Daniel Landin

    Best Production Design
    BIRDMAN, Kevin Thompson
    WINNER – THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, Adam Stockhausen
    INHERENT VICE, David Crank
    MR. TURNER, Suzie Davies
    SNOWPIERCER, Ondrej Nekvasil

    Best Editing
    WINNER – BOYHOOD, Sandra Adair

    BIRDMAN, Douglas Crise; Stephen Mirrione
    INHERENT VICE, Leslie Jones
    UNDER THE SKIN, Paul Watts
    WHIPLASH, Tom Cross

    Best Animated Feature
    BIG HERO 6
    THE BOXTROLLS
    HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
    WINNER – THE LEGO MOVIE
    THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA

    Best Foreign Language Picture
    A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT
    FORCE MAJEURE
    WINNER – IDA
    TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT
    WILD TALES

    Best Documentary
    WINNER – CITIZENFOUR
    FINDING VIVIAN MAIER
    JODOROWSKY’S DUNE
    LIFE ITSELF
    THE OVERNIGHTERS

Marlon Riggs Award for courage & vision in the Bay Area film community:
Joel Shepard Longtime Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Film & Video curator Joel Shepard’s idiosyncratic and innovative programming has embraced everything from experimental and exploitation showcases to burgeoning national film cultures, such as the annual New Filipino Cinema festival.

Special Citation for under-appreciated independent cinema:
THE ONE I LOVE Charlie McDowell’s relationship opus cracks open the intricacies of a crumbling union in the most effective way imaginable: by turning it into a mind-bending Twilight Zone episode.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

2015 Critics' Choice Movie Award Nominations - Complete List

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada.  It represents almost 300 television, radio and online critics. For additional information about the BFCA and their memberships, visit www.criticschoice.com.

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) recently announced the nominees for the 20th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards.  The winners will be revealed at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, which will broadcast live on A&E from the Hollywood Palladium on January 15th, 2015 at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT.  This is also the same day the Academy Award nominations are announced.
,
Former NFL star and Super Bowl champion, Michael Strahan (New York Giants), will serve as the host Critics’ Choice Movie Awards.  Strahan is the co-host of the popular morning talk show “LIVE with Kelly and Michael,” and he is an analyst for “Fox NFL Sunday,” for which he received an Emmy nomination.  Strahan also serves as a special co-host for ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

The 2015 / 20th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Award nominations (for the year in film, 2014):

BEST PICTURE
Birdman
Boyhood
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Nightcrawler
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Unbroken
Whiplash

BEST ACTOR
Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game
Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton – Birdman
David Oyelowo – Selma
Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything

BEST ACTRESS
Jennifer Aniston – Cake
Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore – Still Alice
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon – Wild

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin – Inherent Vice
Robert Duvall – The Judge
Ethan Hawke – Boyhood
Edward Norton – Birdman
Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Jessica Chastain – A Most Violent Year
Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game
Emma Stone – Birdman
Meryl Streep – Into the Woods
Tilda Swinton – Snowpiercer

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Ellar Coltrane – Boyhood
Ansel Elgort – The Fault in Our Stars
Mackenzie Foy – Interstellar
Jaeden Lieberher – St. Vincent
Tony Revolori – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Quvenzhane Wallis – Annie
Noah Wiseman – The Babadook

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Into the Woods
Selma

BEST DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Ava DuVernay – Selma
David Fincher – Gone Girl
Alejandro G. Inarritu – Birdman
Angelina Jolie – Unbroken
Richard Linklater – Boyhood

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Birdman – Alejandro G. Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr., Armando Bo
Boyhood – Richard Linklater
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Wes Anderson, Hugo Guinness
Nightcrawler – Dan Gilroy
Whiplash – Damien Chazelle

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn
The Imitation Game – Graham Moore
Inherent Vice – Paul Thomas Anderson
The Theory of Everything – Anthony McCarten
Unbroken – Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Richard LaGravenese, William Nicholson
Wild – Nick Hornby

BEST CINEMATOGRAPY
Birdman – Emmanuel Lubezki
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Robert Yeoman
Interstellar – Hoyte Van Hoytema
Mr. Turner – Dick Pope
Unbroken – Roger Deakins

BEST ART DIRECTION
Birdman – Kevin Thompson/Production Designer, George DeTitta Jr./Set Decorator
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Adam Stockhausen/Production Designer, Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator
Inherent Vice – David Crank/Production Designer, Amy Wells/Set Decorator
Interstellar – Nathan Crowley/Production Designer, Gary Fettis/Set Decorator
Into the Woods – Dennis Gassner/Production Designer, Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator
Snowpiercer – Ondrej Nekvasil/Production Designer, Beatrice Brentnerova/Set Decorator

BEST EDITING
Birdman – Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione
Boyhood – Sandra Adair
Gone Girl – Kirk Baxter
Interstellar – Lee Smith
Whiplash – Tom Cross

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Milena Canonero
Inherent Vice – Mark Bridges
Into the Woods – Colleen Atwood
Maleficent – Anna B. Sheppard
Mr. Turner – Jacqueline Durran

BEST HAIR & MAKEUP
Foxcatcher
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Into the Woods
Maleficent

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Edge of Tomorrow
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Interstellar

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Big Hero 6
The Book of Life
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Lego Movie

BEST ACTION MOVIE
American Sniper
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Edge of Tomorrow
Fury
Guardians of the Galaxy

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Bradley Cooper – American Sniper
Tom Cruise – Edge of Tomorrow
Chris Evans – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Brad Pitt – Fury
Chris Pratt – Guardians of the Galaxy

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Emily Blunt – Edge of Tomorrow
Scarlett Johansson – Lucy
Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1
Zoe Saldana – Guardians of the Galaxy
Shailene Woodley – Divergent

BEST COMEDY
Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
St. Vincent
Top Five
22 Jump Street

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Jon Favreau – Chef
Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Michael Keaton – Birdman
Bill Murray – St. Vincent
Chris Rock – Top Five
Channing Tatum – 22 Jump Street

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Rose Byrne – Neighbors
Rosario Dawson – Top Five
Melissa McCarthy – St. Vincent
Jenny Slate – Obvious Child
Kristen Wiig – The Skeleton Twins

BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE
The Babadook
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Interstellar
Snowpiercer
Under the Skin

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Force Majeure
Ida
Leviathan
Two Days, One Night
Wild Tales

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Citizenfour
Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me
Jodorowsky’s Dune
Last Days in Vietnam
Life Itself
The Overnighters

BEST SONG
Big Eyes – Lana Del Rey – Big Eyes
Everything Is Awesome – Jo Li and the Lonely Island – The Lego Movie
Glory – Common/John Legend – Selma
Lost Stars – Keira Knightley – Begin Again
Yellow Flicker Beat – Lorde – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

BEST SCORE
Alexandre Desplat – The Imitation Game
Johann Johannsson – The Theory of Everything
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – Gone Girl
Antonio Sanchez – Birdman
Hans Zimmer – Interstellar

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Monday, December 22, 2014

Washington D.C. Film Critics Pick "Boyhood" as Best Film of 2014

Founded in 2002, The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) is comprised of professional DC-based film critics with affiliations in television, radio, print and the internet. As of 2013, WAFCA has grown to include 58 dedicated members from the District, Maryland and Virginia.

The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) recently announced the 2014 winners of their annual film awards.

The 2014 WAFCA Awards:

Best Film:
Boyhood

Best Director:
Richard Linklater (Boyhood)

Best Actor:
Michael Keaton (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance))

Best Actress:
Julianne Moore (Still Alice)

Best Supporting Actor:
J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)

Best Supporting Actress:
Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)

Best Acting Ensemble:
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Best Youth Performance:
Ellar Coltrane (Boyhood)

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl)

Best Original Screenplay:
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr., Armando Bo (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance))

Best Animated Feature:
The LEGO Movie

Best Documentary:
Life Itself

Best Foreign Language Film:
Force Majeure

Best Art Direction:
Production Designer: Adam Stockhausen, Set Decorator: Anna Pinnock (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

Best Cinematography:
Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance))

Best Editing:
Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione, ACE (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance))

Best Original Score:
Mica Levi (Under the Skin)

The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC:
Captain America: The Winter Soldier

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Online Film Critics Society Names "The Grand Budapest Hotel" its Best Picture of 2014


Founded in 1997, the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) describes itself as “the largest, most respected organization for critics whose work appears primarily on the Internet.”  The OFCS says that it has been the key force in establishing and raising the standards for Internet-based film journalism.  Its membership consists of film reviewers, journalists and scholars based in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Latin America and the Asia/Pacific Rim region.

The 18th Annual Online Film Critics Society Awards were announced on Monday, December 15, 2014.

2014 OFSC Awards (18th Annual):

Best Picture
The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Animated Feature
The Lego Movie

Best Film Not in the English Language
Two Days, One Night

Best Documentary
Life Itself

Best Director
Richard Linklater – Boyhood

Best Actor
Michael Keaton – Birdman

Best Actress
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl

Best Supporting Actor
Edward Norton – Birdman

Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood

Best Original Screenplay
The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Adapted Screenplay
Gone Girl

Best Editing
Birdman

Best Cinematography
The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Non-U.S. Release (non-competitive category)
’71
10,000 km
Entre Nós
Han Gong-ju
Hard to Be a God
The Look of Silence
The Salt of the Earth
What We Do in the Shadows
Timbuktu
The Tribe

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7 Films Vie for 3 "Makeup and Hairstyling" 87th Oscar Nominations


7 FEATURES ADVANCE IN RACE FOR MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING OSCAR

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that seven films remain in competition in the Makeup and Hairstyling category for the 87th Academy Awards.

The films are listed below in alphabetical order:

"The Amazing Spider-Man 2"
"Foxcatcher"
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"Guardians of the Galaxy"
"Maleficent"
"Noah"
"The Theory of Everything"

On Saturday, January 10, 2015, all members of the Academy's Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch will be invited to view 10-minute excerpts from each of the seven shortlisted films.  Following the screenings, members will vote to nominate three films for final Oscar consideration.

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Third Hobbit Film Leads Global Box Office in Its Debut Week


“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” Conquers Global Box Office, Crossing the $350 Million Mark Worldwide

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” charged to the top of the global box office, and has now earned more than $350 million. The film, a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), is the conclusion to Peter Jackson’s acclaimed “The Hobbit” Trilogy based on the timeless classic by J.R.R. Tolkien. The joint announcement was made today by Toby Emmerich, President and Chief Operating Officer, New Line Cinema; Sue Kroll, President of Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures; Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures; and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

    “This is a timeless story that speaks to audiences all over the world, and the anticipation for the Trilogy’s electrifying finale has yielded tremendous results. Everywhere it’s opened, the film has seen huge debuts, strong holds and amazing buzz, and the momentum will only build as we move into 2015.”

Beginning with sold-out preview screenings in the U.S., the film has earned $90.63 million domestically. “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” also expanded across the majority of international markets, taking in $105.5 million over the weekend. The international total stands at $265 million and counting.

Internationally, opening day showings for “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” were sold out, some weeks in advance, and thousands of fans waited in line to journey to Middle-earth one last time. The film enjoyed the biggest opening day of year in a number of key markets, including Germany, Scandinavia and the director’s home country of New Zealand, where it had the widest release ever in that country. The film also became the biggest Warner Bros. opening in Russia, Serbia and Ukraine, and shot to #1 in Brazil and Mexico, where it went up against the final match of the Mexican Soccer League. “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” also broke records for the biggest opening of all time in Sweden, Finland, Croatia and Czech Republic; and the biggest opening of the year in Spain, Germany, Russia, Holland, Switzerland, Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia. The film is yet to open in a number of markets, including China on January 23, as well as Australia, Argentina, Iceland and Uruguay, as well as Poland and other Eastern European territories.

Additionally, the film set records in IMAX®, taking in $13.62 million on 360 domestic screens, marking the biggest December opening and the biggest opening for “The Hobbit” Trilogy. Internationally, the weekend total was $6.5 million on 217 IMAX screens for an international total of more than $15 million to date, including the biggest IMAX opening of all time in the UK, Germany and Austria.

In making the announcement, Emmerich stated, “For Peter Jackson, the adventure that began with his benchmark ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy has reached a high water mark with this incredible response to the epic finale of ‘The Hobbit’ Trilogy. Along with our colleagues at Warner Bros. and MGM, we congratulate Peter on this exciting conclusion to his 16-year endeavor to bring this enduring saga to life for millions of moviegoers all over the world.”

Kroll stated, “We are very proud to have accompanied Peter Jackson and his remarkable team of collaborators on his hugely successful cinematic journey. The positive response of both critics and audiences to this final film in ‘The Hobbit’ Trilogy is a tribute to the talents of everyone who dedicated years to bringing these ambitious films to fruition, and we applaud them all on this tremendous success.”

Fellman said, “This is an extraordinary start for our final adventure in Middle-earth. We are excited by the enthusiasm of moviegoers, who have already made ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ a blockbuster, and this is just the beginning. We expect word of mouth to continue to drive the box office through the holiday season and well into the new year.”

Kwan Vandenberg noted, “This is a timeless story that speaks to audiences all over the world, and the anticipation for the Trilogy’s electrifying finale has yielded tremendous results. Everywhere it’s opened, the film has seen huge debuts, strong holds and amazing buzz, and the momentum will only build as we move into 2015.”

In all releasing markets, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” surpassed the #1 openings of the two preceding films in the Trilogy, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” which were released a year apart, starting in December 2012, with the first going on to earn more than a billion dollars worldwide and the second earning upwards of $950 million.

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, with Martin Freeman in the central role of Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield. The international ensemble cast is also led by Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch, Billy Connolly, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Aidan Turner, Dean O'Gorman, Graham McTavish, Stephen Fry, and Ryan Gage. The film also stars Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Orlando Bloom, Mikael Persbrandt, Sylvester McCoy, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, William Kircher, Stephen Hunter, Adam Brown, John Bell, Manu Bennett and John Tui.

The screenplay for “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” is by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Jackson also produced the film, together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh. The executive producers are Alan Horn, Toby Emmerich, Ken Kamins and Carolyn Blackwood, with Philippa Boyens and Eileen Moran serving as co-producers. The associate producers are Matthew Dravitzki and Amanda Walker.

New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Present a Wingnut Films Production, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.” As with the first two films in the Trilogy, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the final film is a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), with New Line managing production. Warner Bros. Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television distribution being handled by MGM. Like the first two films in the Trilogy, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” was released in High Frame Rate 3D (HFR 3D) in select theaters, other 2D and 3D formats, and IMAX®. www.hobbitmovie.net #OneLastTime

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