Oscar-Winning "Forest Gump" Celebrates 20th Anniversary in IMAX

FORREST GUMP CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY WITH EXCLUSIVE ONE-WEEK IMAX® RELEASE ON SEPT. 5

IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX; TSX:IMX), Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB), and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment today announced that Robert Zemeckis’ Academy Award® Best Picture-winning Forrest Gump will get an exclusive one-week IMAX® re-release, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the film’s original theatrical release in 1994. The film will be digitally re-mastered for the immersive IMAX® format and released domestically by Paramount Pictures in IMAX® theatres starting September 5.

Forrest Gump, which won six Academy Awards including Best Actor (Tom Hanks) and Best Director, will also receive a special Diamond Luxe Blu-ray release from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment September 30. The Diamond Luxe edition features a new sleek and durable collector-style packaging, with a state-of-the-art sophisticated design.

“As a ground-breaking achievement in both cinematography and visual effects for its time, Forrest Gump has become a modern American movie classic,” said Greg Foster, Senior Executive Vice President, IMAX Corp. and CEO of IMAX Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to once again collaborate with our longtime friends and partners Bob Zemeckis, Tom Hanks and Paramount. This film deserves a platform like The IMAX Experience® to help make its 20th anniversary one to remember.”

“On behalf of the entire Forrest Gump family, it is with great pleasure and pride that we bring Forrest Gump back to the big screen using the latest technology for the ultimate IMAX experience,” said producer Wendy Finerman.

Originally released in theaters by Paramount Pictures, Forrest Gump stars Hanks in the title role, a man who — despite his sub-normal IQ — led an extraordinary life, with a ringside seat to many of the most memorable events of the second half of the 20th century. The award-winning film went on to gross more than $675 million at the global box office, of which nearly $330 million came from North America, making it the highest-grossing film of all time when it was released in 1994.

The film also stars Robin Wright, Sally Field and Gary Sinise in his Oscar-nominated role as the cantankerous Lieutenant Dan.

The IMAX release of Forrest Gump will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment’s home video, digital distribution and interactive entertainment businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com and WBUltra.

About IMAX Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX's network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.

IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices
in London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. As of March 31, 2014, there were 840 IMAX theatres (707 commercial multiplexes, 18 commercial destinations and 115 institutions) in 57 countries.

IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, The IMAX Experience®, IMAX Is Believing® and IMAX nXos® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).

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First Poster for Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight" Debuts

This poster, according to sources online, is supposed to debut in Empire magazine.  The film is due late 2015.  Tarantino will shoot it in 70-millimeter Super CinemaScope, which I think was used for films like Ben-Hur and Lawrence of Arabia.   Negromancer will keep you updated.

Review: Sharks Rule "Open Water"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 159 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Open Water (2004)
Running time:  79 minutes (1 hour, 19 minutes)
MPAA: Rated R for language and some nudity
EDITOR/WRITER/DIRECTOR: Chris Kentis
PRODUCER: Laura Lau
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Laura Lau and Chris Kentis
COMPOSER:  Graeme Revell

THRILLER/HORROR

Starring:  Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis, Saul Stein, Estelle Lau, Michael E. Williamson, and John Charles

The subject of this movie review is Open Water, a 2003 thriller and psychological horror film from director Chris Kentis and producer Laura Lau.  The film is loosely based on the story of an American couple who were accidentally left behind on a scuba diving excursion in 1998.  Open Water follows two scuba divers, from the beginning of their vacation to their ordeal after their tour boat accidentally leaves them behind, stranding the couple in shark infested waters.

With its estimated $130,000 budget and its little-engine-that-could spirit, Open Water has become a summer movie critical darling, one of those films that acts like counter programming in a time of the year when films are loud, dumb, and fast and aimed at boys and twenty something men still in a mental state of boyhood.  But is Open Water the scariest movie of the summer?  No, it isn’t.  Jaws does a way better job selling a similar subject matter, and Open Water’s other claim to fame, that it’s shot with digital cameras, is also not impressive, but this is still an entertaining little thriller.

In the film, upwardly mobile young couple, Susan (Blanchard Ryan) and Daniel (Daniel Travis), take a much-needed vacation that includes a scuba diving excursion.  However, during the dive, their tour boat leaves early after one of the tour guides miscounts the number of divers returning to the boat.  Susan and Daniel surface to find themselves stranded in open water and soon learn that they are also in shark-infested waters.  As the hours pass, the couples comes to the grim conclusion that no one realizes that they were left behind, and as darkness falls danger looms under each wave.

Open Water is based upon the real life events from 1998 when American tourists Tom and Eileen Lonergan were left behind by their diving boat off the coast of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.  This incident became a stunning and horrifying news headline, and the tale does make great fodder for film.  Open Water does indeed payoff in thrills, dread, and scares.  However, the film has a major flaw in that the leads, Blanchard Ryan and Daniel Travis, are good but not strong actors and both them and their characters are not endearing or very likeable for that matter.

From the early moments in this film, Ms. Ryan and Travis seem like the kind of average actors for which low budget usually settle.  Early on, they don’t come across as being at all acceptable as actors, but as the film goes on, their performances markedly improve.  But as frightening as the film scenario is (and the idea of being stranded out in open water, let alone open shark-infested water is both hair-raising and spine-tingling), the best the duo can do is make you feel sorry for the couple.  There is a distance about the actors’ personalities, and maybe that carries over to the characters, as well as explaining why the boat left the film couple stranded.  Susan and Daniel are standoffish and don’t make themselves part of the diving group, so no one missed them when they didn’t return to the boat.

Still, I imagine how great this film would have been with two Hollywood movie stars chewing up the scenery and making a very good scary movie into a great, memorable scary movie.  That’s what Open Water is – not memorable.  It’s fun and scary, but as unremarkable as most film product.  It’s good enough to be seen in a theatre, but anyone who waits for home video won’t be missing out on a cinematic experience in the theatre.  Like a lot of good horror movies and thrillers, Open Water is out of your mind by the time you walk out of the theatre.  That’s a shame because what happened to the real life Lonergans and their fictional counterparts is sad and tragic.  Too bad Open Water is only a mild version of that tragedy.

6 of 10
B

Updated:  Monday, July 28, 2014

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

"If I Stay" Soundtrack Arrives August 19th, 2014

If I Stay: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Due August 19th from WaterTower Music

Standard and Deluxe Albums Feature Songs as Performed in the Film

Includes Music by Beck, Ben Howard, Tom Odell, Sonic Youth, Willamette Stone, and More

Fan-Voted ‘Heart Like Yours’ Available with Album Preorder

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WaterTower Music today announced the August 19, 2014 release of the soundtrack to New Line Cinema’s and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ drama “If I Stay,” based on Gayle Forman’s New York Times best-selling novel. The film will be released three days later on August 22.

    “One of the best things about the movie is getting to hear all the great music you don’t get to hear when you read the book. The way they brought the music to life gives the story a whole new dimension.”

Music is an integral part of the If I Stay storyline, be it Mia’s (Chloë Grace Moretz) practicing cello to get into the prestigious Juilliard music school, her father’s (Joshua Leonard) punk rock past, or Adam (Jamie Blackley) performing as singer/ guitarist of buzz band Willamette Stone. The film’s director, R.J. Cutler, stated, “It was immediately clear to me that If I Stay needed to feature a soundtrack assembled from a wide variety of styles and genres and would meld together to form an emotional, symphonic whole. The songs would reflect Adam’s roots in punk music and his contemporary sensibility, as well as the classical canon that Mia would master to apply to Juilliard. As I would often tell the cast and crew, in the world of If I Stay, music is the air that people breathe.”

After viewing the film, author Gayle Forman, who also served as an executive producer, commented, “One of the best things about the movie is getting to hear all the great music you don’t get to hear when you read the book. The way they brought the music to life gives the story a whole new dimension.”

Through social media outreach, If I Stay fans were given the opportunity to vote on the Willamette Stone song they most wanted to see released early, and they chose “Heart Like Yours.” The track is now available at iTunes, and will be delivered immediately to fans that pre-order the soundtrack.

WaterTower Music will be releasing two versions of the soundtrack: a fourteen song CD and digital release, as well as a digital deluxe configuration that contains eighteen tracks. Both albums feature multiple songs as performed in the film by Willamette Stone, while the digital deluxe version features an additional Willamette Stone track, along with several solo cello pieces performed in the film by Mia.

Due out August 19, the soundtrack for If I Stay is now available for pre-order at iTunes and Amazon.

1. "Who Needs You" – The Orwells
2. "Until We Get There" – Lucius
3. "I Want What You Have" – Willamette Stone
4. "All of Me" – Tanlines
5. "Promise" – Ben Howard
6. "Never Coming Down" – Willamette Stone
7. "Halo" – Ane Brun & Linnéa Olsson
8. "I Will Be There" – Odessa
9. "Mind" – Willamette Stone
10. “Morning” - Beck
11. “I Never Wanted To Go” (Bonus Track) – Willamette Stone **
12. “Karen Revisited” – Sonic Youth
13. "Today" – Willamette Stone
14. "Heart Like Yours" – Willamette Stone
15. "Heal (If I Stay Version)" – Tom Odell
16. ““Suite No. 1 in G Major for Solo Cello, BWV 1007: Prelude” (Bonus Track) – If I Stay
17. “Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op. 33” (Bonus Track) – If I Stay **
18. “Sonata in B Minor for Solo Cello, Op. 8” (Bonus Track) – Alisa Weilerstein **

** Available on the digital deluxe album

About “If I Stay”
Gayle Forman’s best-selling novel comes to the screen in New Line Cinema’s and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ drama “If I Stay,” starring Chloë Grace Moretz (“Carrie,” the “Kick-Ass” films), Mireille Enos (TV’s “The Killing,” “World War Z”); Joshua Leonard (“Higher Ground”); Jamie Blackley (“Snow White and the Huntsmen”); and Stacy Keach (“Nebraska”).

Mia Hall (Moretz) thought the hardest decision she would ever face would be whether to pursue her musical dreams at Juilliard or follow a different path to be with the love of her life, Adam (Blackley). But what should have been a carefree family drive changes everything in an instant, and now her own life hangs in the balance. Caught between life and death for one revealing day, Mia has only one decision left, which will not only decide her future but her ultimate fate. Also starring are Mireille Enos and Joshua Leonard as Mia’s parents, Kat and Denny, and Stacy Keach as Gramps. Rounding out the main cast are Jakob Davies as Mia’s little brother, Liana Liberato as her best friend, Gabrielle Rose as Grandma, and Aisha Hinds as Nurse Ramirez.

R.J. Cutler directed the film from a screenplay by Shauna Cross based on Forman’s novel. “If I Stay” was produced by Alison Greenspan, with Denise Di Novi, Forman and Brad Van Arragon serving as executive producers. Cutler’s behind-the-scenes team included cinematographer John de Borman, production designer Brent Thomas, editor Keith Henderson, costume designer Monique Prudhomme and composer Heitor Pereira.

New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures present a Denise Di Novi production, “If I Stay.” Opening August 22, 2014, the film has been rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some sexual material and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. ifistaymovie.com

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites: San Diego Comic-Con International 2014 Edition Update #20

I will be posting links to pages with breaking news, announcements, activities, etc from Comic-Con International 2014 on this page from today, Tuesday, July 22, 2014 to sometimes next week or as long as there is relevant news:

The Comic Book Resources (CBR) Comic-Con page is here.

The IMDb Comic-Con page is here.

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From Deadline:  Guillermo del Toro talked about his gothic romance, "Crimson Peak" and asked fans to help him get "Hellboy 3" and "At the Mountains of Madness" made.

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From Deadline:  There is a planned "Django Unchained-Zorro" crossover comic book, Tarantino told fans at a Comic-Con panel.

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From Previewsworld:  Actor Orlando Jones talks to the website of Diamond Distributors (of comics and related merchandise) about his career, which includes a voice acting gig on the "Black Dynamite" animated series on Adult Swim.

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From Variety via Yahoo:  Evangeline Lilly and Corey Stoll join "Ant-Man." Stoll will apparently play the villain, Yellowjacket.

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From Hitfix via Yahoo:  A detailed description of the "Avengers 2" footage shown during the Comic-Con panel, including the appearance of Ultron and Iron Man's "Hulkbuster" armor.

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From HuffingtonPost:  "Avengers 2" footage at Comic-Con.

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From BusinessInsider:  For as long as it is online, here is "Batman Vs. Superman" online teaser trailer.

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From the AP via Yahoo:  Sexual harassment at Comic-Con.

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From CBR:  IDW Entertainment and BOOM! Studios is producing a comic book that will bring the Star Trek and Planet of the Apes franchises together.

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From CBR:  Sam Raimi teases that he is writing a television series version of his classic horror film, Evil Dead.  Other than naming his collaborators, which include Bruce Campbell, Raimi said nothing else about the series.

---------------
From Hitfix:  Paul Rudd on Edgar Wright's "Ant-Man" exit.

----------------
From TheComicsReporter:  Your 2014 Will Eisner Award winner.

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From HitFix:  Daniel Radcliffe makes Comic-Con debut.

----------------
From Deadline via Yahoo:  Three actors exit "Ant-Man."

---------------- 
From Variety:  New image of Ben Affleck as Batman.

-----------------
From Variety:  Chris Nolan and Matthew McConaughey surprise fans at Comic-Con and talk about "Interstellar."

------------------
From Facebook:  Clive Barker art exhibition at SDCC.

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From CBR:  "Avengers: Age of Ultron" posters.

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From CBR:  "The Walking Dead" panel.

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From CBR:  Concept art for Marvel's Ant-Man revealed.

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From TheWrap via Yahoo:  Ben Affleck's Bat-suit - well, at least the cape and cowl - for "Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice" revealed.

-------------------
From CBR:  David and Meredith Finch become the creative team on Wonder Woman with issue #36.  CBR provides a first look at David's art for the series.

--------------------
From Deadline:  Warren Ellis joins Gale Anne Hurd, the executive producer of "The Walking Dead," on an unnamed television series.

---------------------
From CBR:  Big changes for Spawn in the next year and a half.

----------------------
From CBR:  Image Expo Keynote announces plenty of new series including new comics from Warren Ellis, Rick Remender, Jeff Lemire, and many more.

-----------------------
From CBR:  Cameron Stewart talks about working on the Fight Club comic book.  Yes, there will be a sequel to the novel, Fight Club, which was adapted into a film in 1999.  But it will be a 10-issue comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics.  The novel's author, Chuck Palahniuk will write the series and Cameron Stewart will draw.  "Fight Club 2" is due April 2015.

Review: McConaughey Super Sells "Dallas Buyers Club"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 36 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
Running time:  117 minutes (1 hour, 57 minutes)
MPAA – R for pervasive language, some strong sexual content, nudity and drug use
DIRECTOR:  Jean-Marc Vallée
WRITERS:  Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack
PRODUCERS:  Robbie Brenner and Rachel Winter
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Yves Bélanger (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Martin Pensa and John Mac McMurphy (Jean-Marc Vallée)
Academy Award winner

DRAMA/BIOPIC with elements of a historical

Starring:  Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto, Denis O’Hare, Steve Zahn, Michael O’Neill, Dallas Roberts, Griffin Dunne, Kevin Rankin, Donna Duplantier, Deneen D. Tyler, J.D. Evermore, and Bradford Cox

Dallas Buyers Club is a 2013 biographical drama from director Jean-Marc Vallée.  The film is a dramatization about real-life AIDS patient, Ron Woodroof.  He discovered unapproved pharmaceutical drugs that would help his disease symptoms and then, later smuggled those drugs into Texas to help fellow AIDS patients.  The film was critically acclaimed and won three Oscars, including a best actor win for Matthew McConaughey and a best supporting actor win for Jared Leto.

Dallas Buyers Club opens in 1985 in Dallas.  Electrician, hustler, and rodeo cowboy, Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) falls ill and is diagnosed with HIV.  He is given 30 days to live.  Ron initially refuses to accept the diagnosis, but quickly finds himself ostracized by friends and coworkers.  Ron learns from the kindly Dr. Eve Saks (Jennifer Garner) about the experimental drug AZT, which is supposed to help with symptoms of AIDS.  Ron is able to obtain some without having a prescription.  However, he not only abuses AZT, but he also continues to abuse illegal narcotics.

Ron develops full-blown AIDS.  As he fights to live, he begins to study and research AIDS and learns that outside the United States there are pharmaceutical drugs used to fight the symptoms of AIDS.  However, they are unapproved for use in the U.S. by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).  Ron begins to smuggle large quantities of these drugs into Dallas.  With the help of Rayon (Jared Leto), a sassy cross-dressing man/transgender, Ron opens the “Dallas Buyers Club” to sell these unapproved drugs to HIV-positive and AIDS patients, but Ron’s efforts draw the attention of people who want to shut him down.

I have seen many films that are elevated by a great performance.  Raging Bull is memorable for Robert De Niro’s legendary turn as boxer Jake La Motta.  Russell Crowe gives the most nuanced performance of his career in A Beautiful Mind.  Helen Mirren rules The Queen.  In fact, all three of these movies would be little more than made-for-television films without the celebrated performances given by their respective lead actors.

Dallas Buyers Club tells a story that needed to be told and needs to be remembered, but without Matthew McConaughey’s performance, this film would be a well-meaning TV movie or an indie film that would have been lost in the art film ghetto.  McConaughey risked his health in order to lose weight to play the emaciated Ron Woodroof, but what really makes his performance so distinguished is that McConaughey takes on Woodruff’s cause and suffering as if his own life depended upon it.

McConaughey is a good actor and has given some excellent performance.  However, in recent years, he has finally showcased his talent and skill in character study films that require putting out the effort to create fully-realized fictional characters.  Anyone who is a fan of McConaughey or has seen some of his films must see Dallas Buyers Club.

Both Jared Leto’s transformation into Rayon and his performance are impressive.  Leto was indeed Oscar worthy, but Rayon is mostly unnecessary to this story.  Although Rayon was not a real-life figure and was created specifically for this movie, he could have been replaced with just about any other character.  Leto is magnificent in a film in which the filmmakers didn’t seem to know what to do with his character other than to play him as a stereotype – the tragic mulatto version of drag queen.  Jennifer Garner’s Dr. Saks is also wasted, although not nearly as badly as Rayon is.

However, Matthew McConaughey is so good that he makes you overlook Dallas Buyers Club’s warts.  His character, Ron Woodroof, is a charming rogue with electrifying swagger.  It is as if McConaughey and Woodroof are two separate beings occupying the same space, and they are why Dallas Buyers Club earned a best picture Oscar nomination.  And that best picture Oscar nod made what would have been just an AIDS movie into something special.

8 of 10
A

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

NOTES:
2014 Academy Awards, USA:  3 wins: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Matthew McConaughey), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Jared Leto), “Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling” (Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews); 3 nominations: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Robbie Brenner and Rachel Winter), “Best Achievement in Film Editing” (Jean-Marc Vallée and Martin Pensa), “Best Writing, Original Screenplay” (Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack)

2014 Golden Globes, USA:  2 wins: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Matthew McConaughey) and “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Jared Leto)

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

---------------------------

Marvel Reveals "Ant-Man" Poster at Comic-Con International 2014

The above poster was made available to San Diego Comic-Con International 2014 attendees.  The art is by Andy Park.  "Ant-Man," due Summer 2015 stars Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas.

Dark Horse Comics Reveals "Tywin Lannister" Game of Thrones Collectible Figure

DARK HORSE REVEALS AN ALL-NEW GAME OF THRONES® FIGURE AT COMIC CON INTERNATIONAL

SAN DIEGO, CA – The doors were open at the pop culture event of the year! To celebrate, Dark Horse kicked things off with the reveal of the latest figure to join the growing line of figures based on characters from the smash hit HBO® series, Game of Thrones!

Tywin Lannister, father of Cersei, Jaime and Tyrion and known as the wealthiest man in the seven kingdoms and Hand of the King, is a perfect addition to the upcoming group of detailed collectible Game of Thrones figures produced by Dark Horse Comics.

“We just couldn’t say no to Tywin,” said Dark Horse VP of product development David Scroggy. “It didn’t seem like a smart idea to deny him.”

Exclusively revealed on social media by HBO earlier, the figure prototype could be viewed throughout the show as a key item in Dark Horse’s upcoming products display at booth #2615!

The Tywin Lannister figure joins an ongoing series of non-articulated figures based on characters from the popular series. Debuting in January 2014, the ongoing range will continue through 2015.

The Tywin Lannister figure measures approximately 8” tall on his base. It will be packaged in a full-color window-box package.

Scheduled on-sale date is March 2015, making this figure available in-store just ahead of the season five premiere of Game of Thrones.

About HBO Global Licensing
HBO Global Licensing officially licenses the HBO® brand for the development and merchandising of innovative product lines inspired by the network's award-winning programming. With products created around hit series like Game of Thrones® and True Blood® as well as classic series like The Sopranos®, Sex and the City®, and Entourage, items include fashion apparel, figures, jewelry, digital and CD soundtracks, prop and costume replicas, games, books, and beverages, as well as exclusive, premium collections in partnership with upscale, designer brands. Merchandise can be purchased in retail stores nationwide, at http://store.hbo.com, and at the groundbreaking HBO retail hub, the HBO Shop®, located at 42nd and 6th Avenue in New York City. HBO Global Licensing products are also sold internationally across Europe (www.hboshopeu.com), Asia and Australia.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites for July 20 to July 26, 2014 Update #11

NEWS:

From THR:  The Hollywood Reporter has an excellent article about how Marvel became a Hollywood juggernaut, with an emphasis on Ike Perlmutter.

-----------------
From Variety via Yahoo:  A copy of The Expendables 3 has been leaked online, and it is supposedly "DVD-quality."

------------------
From Variety:  Joaquin Phoenix is in talks to play Stephen Strange in Marvel's "Doctor Strange" movie.

-----------------
From TheWrap  "Beetlejuice 2?"  It could really, finally happen.

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From Yahoo via TheWrap:  There is an unfinished documentary about the planned and then abandoned "Superman Lives" film, which was to star Nicolas Cage as Superman!

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From YouTube:  First "50 Shades of Grey" official trailer.

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From TheWrap via Yahoo:  Marvel adds a sixth movie mystery date, May 4, 2018.

--------------------
From Yahoo:  A great interview with Zoe Saldana from The Hollywood Reporter, in which discusses being in sci-fi franchises, race and skin color in Hollywood, and Avatar.

---------------------
From TheWrap:  Adam McKay and Will Ferrell are producing a remake of "Manimal."  This was an action-adventure television series that originally aired on NBC for a few months back in the second half of 1983.

--------------------
From EW InsideMovies:  Steven Spielberg is working on a Cold War thriller starring Tom Hanks.  Amy Ryan is joining the cast, and Alan Alda may also join.  Joel and Ethan Coen have also worked on the untitled film's script.

----------------
From LATimes:  "Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Lost Missions" will NOT reveal the fate of Ahsoka Tano... or so we're told.

-----------------
From Variety:  "Star Trek 3" goes into "deep space," and will be more like the original TV series, says director Roberto Orci.

-----------------
From LATimes:  JJ Abrams reveals new X-wing fighter.

-----------------
From Variety:  Christina Chong reportedly cast in Star Wars Episode VII.

-----------------
From TheWrap:  Idris Elba in talks to star in Guy Ritchie's King Arthur flick.

------------------
From Yahoo:  Details about Philip Seymour Hoffman's money and will.
 
--------------------
From Variety:  Variety announces "Artisans," a new regular feature that will focus on the "below-the-line" community in Hollywood.  That would be everyone from cinematographers and editor to propmasters and grips.  It will be featured in the weekly magazine and on Variety.com.  I will link to these features as I find them.

--------------------
From IMDb and Yahoo: The American actor, James Garner, has died at the age of 86.  He was best known for his roles on the television series, "Maverick" and "The Rockford Files."  In 1977, he won the Emmy Award for Best Actor for "The Rockford Files." In 2004, he received the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award.  He was also nominated for a best actor Oscar for his role in Murphy's Romance.

Garner died Saturday evening, June 19, 2014 in Los Angeles.  Garner was born on April 7, 1928 in Oklahoma.  He served in the Korean War where he earned two Purple Hearts.

I first saw Garner on "The Rockford Files," which my father watched religiously.  For some reason, I had been thinking about him recently.  I send my condolences to his family and friends.  R.I.P. Mr. Garner.

---------------
From YahooFinance:  This is a small article about how Joss Whedon junked the script for The Avengers that predated his involvement in the film and wrote his own.

--------------
From Variety:  Dawn of the Planet of the Apes tops the July 18-20, 2014 weekend box office.


COMIC BOOK NEWS: Movies, TV, and Books:

From TheWrap:   Dates for mystery movies?  Which Marvel movies will be released on these dates:

July 28, 2017
Nov. 3, 2017
May 4, 2018 UPDATED
July 6, 2018
Nov. 2, 2018
May 3, 2019
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MISC:

From TheVillageVoice:  Baphomet and the Satanic Temple - prank or not?

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From Inquisitr:  Woman uses Trayvon Martin's name as a threat against two eight-year-old boys.

First Look at Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in "Batman Vs. Superman"

The above image is of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in "Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice" (May 2016).  It was presented at a Comic-Con International 2014 panel on Saturday, July 26, 2014.  The film's director, Zack Snyder, was in attendance, as was Henry Cavill (Superman), Ben Affleck (Batman) and Gadot.  Snyder did not let the actors speak for fear of spilling secrets about the film.

"Avengers: Age of Ultron" Concept Art Poster: Hawkeye

Art by Ryan Meinerding.  Hawkeye is Jeremy Renner.

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"Avengers: Age of Ultron" Concept Art Poster - Quicksilver

Art by Ryan Meinerding.  Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as Quicksilver. [The character also appeared in X-Men: Days of the Future Past.]

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NBCUniversal's Universal Cable Productions Expands Comic Books-to-TV Development

Universal Cable Productions Expands Comic Book Development Roster with Three New All-Star Deals

Signs Renowned Graphic Novel Writer Warren Ellis To Develop His First Original TV Series; Options Horror Comic Book “Night Mary” And The Kickstarter, Breakout Hit “Five Ghosts”

Comic-Con 2014

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As Comic-Con International 2014 #CCSD kicks off in San Diego, Universal Cable Productions (UCP) today announced three new deals that will bolster UCP’s genre library and generate excitement among comic book enthusiasts. UCP has signed award-winning graphic novel writer Warren Ellis (New York Times best-seller “Gun Machine”, and “Iron Man: Extremis” - the Marvel Comics graphic novel and basis for “Iron Man 3”) to develop Ellis’ first original TV series in collaboration with Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla Entertainment (“The Walking Dead”, “Terminator”).

    “There are very few writers who have been able to so completely influence a medium as Warren has with comic books. I am very excited to be able to collaborate in bringing his unique vision to television for the first time”

Additionally, UCP and IDW Entertainment have optioned the horror comic book “Night Mary” with the intent to co-develop it as a live action TV series. UCP has also optioned the Kickstarter funded, breakout hit “Five Ghosts” written by Frank Barbiere and Chris Mooneyham from Black Mask Studios to develop it as an original TV series.

“We love genre at UCP and thankfully so do audiences. We've made it a priority to seek out great properties that will attract equally great creators to adapt them,” said Dawn Olmstead, Executive Vice President, Development, Universal Cable Productions. “From Warren’s dynamic plots and complex characters to the dark and suspenseful world of ‘Night Mary,’ and the creative mash-up of five literary icons in the cult hit ‘Five Ghosts,’ they are all provocative, distinctive and have the promise to be a whole lot of fun.”

Based on the acclaimed IDW Publishing property created by Rick Remender and Kieron Dwyer, “Night Mary” follows a young woman trained to be a lucid dreamer. Her father owns a sleep disorder clinic where she enters the dreams of his patients. When a patient is revealed to be a serial killer, she is placed in jeopardy as nightmares and reality become frighteningly intertwined. John Pogue (“The Quiet Ones”) has been tapped to write and direct the pilot. Ted Adams and David Ozer from IDW Entertainment and David Alpert and Rick Jacobs from Circle of Confusion (“The Walking Dead”) will serve as executive producers along with John Pogue.

“Five Ghosts” is the stylish, pulpy adventure by Frank Barbiere and Chris Mooneyham that tells the story of a 1930s-era treasure hunter possessed by five literary ghosts (Merlin, Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes, Musashi, and Dracula) whose unique abilities he can draw on during his adventures. “Five Ghosts” was funded on Kickstarter in 2012 and previewed at San Diego Comic Con that year when Matt Pizzolo (who would later co-found Black Mask Studios) shared his San Diego Comic Con table with then-unknown writer Frank Barbiere. “Five Ghosts” was picked up by Image Comics and premiered at Emerald City Comic Con becoming one of the breakout hits of 2013. UCP has optioned the TV series rights from Black Mask and has signed on Evan Daugherty (“Snow White And The Huntsmen”, “Divergent”) to write the pilot and serve as executive producer. Chris Bender and Jake Weiner from Benderspink (“Horrible Bosses 2”, “The Hangover”) will also serve as executive producers along with Jake Wagner as producer, and Matt Pizzolo and Brett Gurewitz as co-executive producers.

UCP’s currently untitled Warren Ellis project with Valhalla Entertainment marks the renowned writer’s first foray into television. "I've been strongly drawn to television over the last few years, and working with brilliant and determined collaborators like Gale and the UCP team, I'm delighted at the opportunity to add my voice to the new, novelistic TV form that's evolved so dramatically," said Ellis.

“There are very few writers who have been able to so completely influence a medium as Warren has with comic books. I am very excited to be able to collaborate in bringing his unique vision to television for the first time,” added Hurd.

Ellis is the award-winning writer of graphic novels TRANSMETROPOLITAN, FELL, MINISTRY OF SPACE and PLANETARY, and the author of the NYT-bestselling GUN MACHINE, currently in development at Microsoft, as well as the “underground classic” novel CROOKED LITTLE VEIN. The film RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. His GRAVEL books are in development for film at Legendary Pictures, with Tim Miller attached to direct. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. Warren Ellis is currently working on a non-fiction book about the future of the city for Farrar Straus Giroux. His newest publication is the digital short-story single DEAD PIG COLLECTOR, from FSG Originals. His next book will be the novella NORMAL, also from FSG, and his most recent comics project is TREES from Image Comics. A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.

About Universal Cable Productions
Universal Cable Productions (UCP) creates innovative and critically acclaimed original scripted and digital content across media platforms for domestic and international distribution. UCP’s content library spans classics such as Emmy-award winning, “Monk,” and cult favorites “Psych,” “Battlestar Galactica” and “Warehouse 13.” UCP’s programming can be seen across various networks, including: “Covert Affairs,” “Dig” (fall 2014), “Playing House,” “Royal Pains,” “Satisfaction” and “Suits” on USA Network; “Ascension” (fall 2014), “Defiance,” “Dominion,” and “12 Monkeys” (2015) on Syfy; “Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce” (fall 2014) on Bravo; “Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome” on Machinima Prime/YouTube, Syfy and DVD/Blu-Ray; and “Side Effects” on Awesomeness TV/YouTube. Universal Cable Productions is a part of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. Follow us @UCPisTV.

About IDW Entertainment
IDW Entertainment launched in November 2013 to fund and develop film and television properties based on IDW's extensive catalog. The division is currently in development on a slate of properties including Chuck Dixon’s epic Winterworld, being developed with Xbox; V Wars by New York Times best-seller Jonathan Maberry with writer/executive producer Tim Schlattman (Dexter, Smallville); action packed comic series Pantheon with co-creator Michael Chiklis (The Shield); Life Undead, with showrunner Paul Zbyszewski (S.H.I.E.L.D., Hawaii Five-O, Lost); and Brooklyn Animal Control, based on the darkly thrilling comic from writer/director J.T. Petty (Splinter Cell, Hellbenders). IDW also has several active theatrical projects in development: Lore, at Warner Bros. with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson set to star; World War Robot, with Jerry Bruckheimer producing at Disney and Jon Spaihts writing the screenplay; and Zombies vs. Robots, at Sony with Platinum Dunes and Circle of Confusion producing.

About IDW Publishing
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE and MY LITTLE PONY; Paramount’s Star Trek; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; 2000AD’s Judge Dredd; The Rocketeer; Toho’s Godzilla; Wizards of the Coast’s Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons; V-Wars from New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Maberry; Ragnarök from Eisner Award-winner Walter Simonson; Winterworld, created by Chuck Dixon and Jorge Zaffino; and Little Nemo from the award-winning duo of Eric Shanower and Gabriel Rodriguez. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints, Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio, and the multiple award-winning Artist's Edition imprint. IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot; Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Warner Brothers are producing a film based on Ashley Wood's Lore; Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony are bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film, Kurtzman/Orci are producing a movie based on Locke & Key at Universal.

About Black Mask Studios
Black Mask Studios (www.blackmaskstudios.com) is a publishing/production company that specializes in utilizing 'transmedia storytelling' to expand comic book creators' audiences across multiple media platforms. Launched in 2013 by musician/entrepreneur Brett Gurewitz (Bad Religion, Epitaph Records, ANTI- Records), writer/director and producer Matt Pizzolo (Godkiller, Occupy Comics, Wired Magazine's "World's Most Wired in Comics"), and comic book writer Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), the company's mandate is to bring comic book storytelling to new frontiers. Black Mask's initial slate included the political, not-for-profit Occupy Comics (founded by Pizzolo with Alan Moore, Charlie Adlard, Art Spiegelman, Molly Crabapple, Ben Templesmith, and dozens more), the animal-rescuing vigilantes story Liberator, Adam Egypt Mortimer and Darick Robertson's transreal, cyberpunk adventure Ballistic, and the multi-platform gangster odyssey 12 Reasons To Die by Ghostface Killah and RZA. Black Mask will unveil its Year 2 Slate at San Diego Comic Con in July 2014.

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"Star Wars Rebles" and HitFix Invade San Diego Comic-Con International 2014

HitFix and Star Wars Rebels Kick Off Comic-Con

5TH annual event will celebrate the new animated Disney XD series

Comic-Con 2014

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HitFix (www.hitfix.com), the fastest-growing entertainment news brand in the US, is teaming up with Lucasfilm and Star Wars Rebels (www.starwars.com/rebels) to bring the Force to San Diego Comic-Con International Wednesday night.

    “The kick-off party has become so popular that our staff is asked about the event year-round. We are very pleased to partner on this year’s event with a show as highly anticipated as Star Wars Rebels.”

An annual Wednesday night tradition since 2009, HitFix began the kick-off event for members of the entertainment industry from around the world to catch up before the convention officially opens its doors on Thursday, July 24. Held at the Hotel Solamar in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, this is now one of the most anticipated events on the Comic-Con calendar.

“As HitFix has grown, so has our Comic-Con presence,” said Jen Sargent, HitFix CEO. “The kick-off party has become so popular that our staff is asked about the event year-round. We are very pleased to partner on this year’s event with a show as highly anticipated as Star Wars Rebels.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with HitFix at Comic-Con this year to kick off a variety of great activities and events for Star Wars Rebels,” said Lucasfilm’s EVP and Head of Production and Development, Tony To. “Star Wars has a long history with Comic-Con dating back to 1976, and we’re really excited to be carrying on that tradition with tonight’s Star Wars Rebels kick-off party.”

Star Wars Rebels is a new 3D animated adventure set in the era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. It debuts this Fall on Disney XD.

HitFix’s premier editorial team will once again cover Comic-Con from one corner of the San Diego Convention Center to another. Fans looking for breaking entertainment news on their favorite TV shows or movies should follow @HitFix on Twitter, like HitFix on Facebook and visit HitFix.com for the latest.

A special thanks to Star Wars Rebels licensees Turtle Beach, Jakks Pacific, Santa Cruz, and Rubies Costumes for supporting this exciting kick-off event!

About HitFix
HitFix is the fastest growing provider of authentic entertainment news and video on movies, music, TV and events, reaching one of the highest compositions of 18-to-34-year-old consumers in entertainment. With their influential editorial voice and engaging journalistic and video content, HitFix’s nationally recognized team drives consumer discovery, conversation and choices around what’s next in entertainment. HitFix delivers the influential content consumers want, and advertisers need, across millions of screens daily. Delivering 97 million monthly videos streams and driving the entertainment choices of 300 Million monthly viewers both in their home and on the go, HitFix is rapidly becoming The Entertainment Authority. Everywhere.

About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.

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Happy 75th, Batman!

From Jim Lee via Twitter:

The 75th Anniversary of Batman Digital Comics Sale Kicks Off

DC Entertainment Celebrates the 75th Anniversary of Batman with Largest Digital Sale Ever

Just In Time For Batman Day And Comic-Con International: San Diego, 750 Batman Titles Available July 22-29 For Only $.99 Across All Digital Platforms

Comic-Con 2014

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As part of their ongoing celebration of Batman’s 75th anniversary, DC Entertainment (DCE) announced today that 750 Batman titles will be made available for digital download for $.99 each. For one week only beginning on July 22, fans can become immersed in the adventures of the world’s most popular Super Hero. The special sale coincides with “Batman Day” on July 23 and Comic-Con International: San Diego 2014 activities, which will also shine a spotlight on the iconic comic idol.

    “Now, thanks to this mammoth 75th anniversary sale DCE is making it easier than ever to collect an incredibly broad range of Batman’s best stories, at a price that doesn’t require a Bruce Wayne-sized budget.”

The largest English-language publisher and the leader in digital comics innovation, this marks a first-of-its-kind offer for DCE across all digital platforms including comiXology, Google Play, iBooks, Kindle Store and Nook Store. Key Batman titles and storylines featured in the sale include Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: The Long Halloween, Batman: No Man’s Land, Batman: Year One, Batman: Hush, Batman: The Court of the Owls, All Star Batman & Robbin the Boy Wonder and many, many more!

“Digital comics make it possible to get Batman anytime, anywhere and this sale is the perfect opportunity for fans to dive into the world of the Caped Crusader,” said DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Jim Lee. “Now, thanks to this mammoth 75th anniversary sale DCE is making it easier than ever to collect an incredibly broad range of Batman’s best stories, at a price that doesn’t require a Bruce Wayne-sized budget.”

To further mark its July 23rd Batman Day activities taking place at hundreds of comic book retailers nationwide, DCE will also launch a 24-hour eBook sale that day only across all digital partners – offering 10 essential Batman graphic novels for only $2.99 each.

For more information on DCE’s digital comic offerings, please visit www.readdcentertainment.com and all digital platforms. For the latest information including exclusive content celebrating Batman’s 75th anniversary, please visit www.batman75.com.

About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world.

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VIZ Media's "Perfect Square" Imprint Prepared to Delight at San Diego Comic-Con International 2014

VIZ MEDIA’S PERFECT SQUARE IMPRINT ANNOUNCES FUN EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR

2014 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL

All-Ages Imprint Celebrates The Launch Of CATBUG And The HELLO KITTY Brand’s 40th Anniversary With In-Booth Artist Appearances, Photo Opportunities, Advance Copies Of Forthcoming Titles And Much More At The Nation’s Largest Comics And Pop Culture Event

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, prepares to delight the young and young at heart with a variety of engaging activities, in-booth artists signings and other fun events presented by its Perfect Square imprint and aimed at fans of all ages at the 2014 Comic-Con International.

Comic-Con International is the nation’s biggest comic book, science fiction and pop culture event, and takes place July 23rd-27th at the San Diego Convention Center, in San Diego, CA. VIZ Media will be located in Booth 2813. Complete details on Comic-Con are available at: www.comic-con.org.

Perfect Square will present a range of activities and attractions each day throughout Comic-Con. Fans will also be able to purchase advance copies of several forthcoming Perfect Square titles ahead of their scheduled release dates later this summer. Notable titles that will be available during Comic-Con at the VIZ Media booth include BRAVEST WARRIORS: THE SEARCH FOR CATBUG ($30.00) a special Comic-Con limited edition with foil-accented cover and gilded pages - only 250 made - don’t miss the chance to have it autographed by many of the CATBUG artists, including official Bravest Warriors comics artist Ian McGinty, Codename: Kids Next Door creator Mr. Warburton and Ben 10 Omniverse artists Jon Chad and Corin Howell (and more!) at exclusive in-booth signings; BRAVEST WARRIORS: CATBUG'S TREASURE BOOK ($13.00), a pictures-and-words journal, will be sold with a limited edition poster; HELLO KITTY, HELLO 40, a commemorative art book ($50.00) a special Comic-Con limited edition with foil-accented cover and gilded pages - only 250 copies printed - don’t miss the chance to have it signed by HELLO KITTY artists at the exclusive in-booth signing. Fans can also catch a variety of freebies and promo item giveaways throughout the convention along with manga samplers, posters, temporary tattoos, posters, postcards, buttons and more. Also don’t miss the return of the VIZ MEDIA convention tote bag, FREE with any purchase and available in four amazing colorful designs, including HELLO KITTY and UGLYDOLL!

Perfect Square Comic-Con Panels & Special Events:

Thursday July 24th

10:00AM & 4:00PM -UGLY DOLL PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
VIZ Media Booth #2813
Drop by the VIZ Media booth for a photo with an UGLYDOLL pal!

Friday July 25th

10:00AM & 1:00PM - CATBUG VOICE ACTOR SAM LAVAGNINO
In-Booth Signing & Personal Appearance
VIZ Media Booth #2813
Meet the voice of Catbug, the breakout star of YouTube hit Bravest Warriors, and receive a signed art card!

4:00pm – 5:00pm - BRAVEST WARRIORS ARTIST SIGNING
VIZ Media Booth #2813
Meet talented artists including Stu Livingston, Mr. Warburton, Ian McGinty, Jon Chad and Inori Fukuda Trant for their brand new book, a seek-and-find style artbook featuring Catbug, the breakout star of the YouTube smash-hit BRAVEST WARRIORS series and get your VIZ Media BRAVEST WARRIORS book or sampler signed!

Saturday July 26th

10:00AM – 11:00AM -HELLO KITTY PHOTO OP & ARTIST SIGNING
VIZ Media Booth #2813
Join Hello Kitty and a team of talented artists from the forthcoming HELLO KITTY: HELLO 40 commemorative art book including Eisner-Award winning team Art & Franco, Babymouse creators Jennifer and Matt Holm and Long Tail Kitty creator Lark Pien for a special signing and photo opportunity!

Sunday July 27th

10:00AM – 11:00AM - HELLO KITTY PHOTO OP & ARTIST SIGNING
VIZ Media Booth #2813
Join Hello Kitty and her artist friends for a special second signing and photo opportunity. Fans can meet artists including Brianne Drouhard, Stephanie Gonzaga, Martin Hsu, and Chynna Clugston Flores. Copies of the forthcoming HELLO KITTY: HELLO 40 art book will also be available for sale and fans can have it autographed by the appearing artists.

1:00PM – 2:00PM - HELLO KITTY ARTIST SIGNING
VIZ Media Booth #2813
Meet talented HELLO KITTY, HELLO 40 contributors Corin Howell, Susie Ghahremani, Debbie Huey and Jacob Chabot, and get your limited edition copy signed!

2:00PM – 3:00PM - PERFECT SQUARE PRESENTS – MAKING KIDS COMICS AWESOME
Panel Discussion Room 32AB
Bring your kids and join creators and editors from across the industry for a lively roundtable. What are the challenges of entertaining different age levels at the same time?  Kids can also try their hand at pitching ideas, and hear how the panelists would craft those ideas into real comics, during a one-of-a-kind interactive Q&A. Featuring as moderator writer Tom Pinchuk (MAX STEEL) and as panelists, writer/artist Katie Cook (My Little Pony), writer Jenni L. Holm (Baby Mouse), editor Shannon Watters (kaBOOM!, Adventure Time), editor Sarah Gaydos (IDW Kids Comics) and writer/editor Joel Enos (BEN 10, Perfect Square).

VIZ Media’s Perfect Square imprint focuses on delivering original comics, manga (graphic novels) and other children’s books with an emphasis on strong storytelling, eye-popping graphics, empowering themes, and a dash of irreverence, that captures the imagination of a whole new generation.

Additional information on titles published by Perfect Square is available at www.PerfectSquare.com.

For more information on other manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

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CraveOnline Celebrates TNT's "The Last Ship" at San Diego Comic-Con International 2014

CraveOnline and TNT’s The Last Ship Storm Comic-Con by Sea with Exclusive Concert Event, Featuring MGMT and Grimes, on the USS Midway

Comic-Con 2014

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Evolve Media’s CraveOnline Media (http://www.craveonline.com), the largest online male lifestyle publisher, announced today their all new Comic-Con activation aboard San Diego’s USS Midway: CraveOnline Conquers the Con, in conjunction with TNT’s The Last Ship. On Friday, July 25, select guests will board the Comic-Con-adjacent aircraft carrier to enjoy cocktails, games, and most notably, performances by MGMT and Grimes. This is CraveOnline’s third online/offline co-promotion with TNT, and the second to take place at Comic-Con.

    “Throughout the entire planning process, our goal was to build an event that would not only cater to CraveOnline’s massive music and entertainment audiences, but to create an unforgettable experience—one that would distance us from the usual distractions surrounding Comic-Con”

Upon boarding the USS Midway, guests will step into a fully branded entryway, immersing themselves into the world of The Last Ship—TNT’s hit new post-apocalyptic series about the crew of a Navy destroyer searching for the cure to a global pandemic. Guests will then head through the similarly themed Science Lab, where footage from the show can be viewed. From there, they can partake in the Laser Maze, a laser-tag style target practice meant to take down intruders who threaten the cure. For a select group, refuge can be found in the TNT-hosted VIP Hangar Bay Lounge. Meanwhile, all guests are invited to peruse the Loot Lounge for specialty cocktails—and to then head to the main deck to have their photo taken in front of real fighter jets.

The evening will culminate with an opening DJ set by Grimes, followed by an exclusive performance from the Grammy Award-winning group MGMT on the CraveOnline stage.

Readers at home can keep up with complete coverage of the event, along with all Comic-Con news, on CraveOnline.com—which will display branded takeovers by TNT’s The Last Ship.

“This party is the perfect way to celebrate TNT’s The Last Ship, this year's #1 cable series,” said Tricia Melton, Senior Vice President of Entertainment Marketing and Branding for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). “We're excited to be joining forces with CraveOnline for a truly unique event onboard a vessel that mirrors the program perfectly. This party is certain to be an experience unlike any other at Comic-Con.”

“Throughout the entire planning process, our goal was to build an event that would not only cater to CraveOnline’s massive music and entertainment audiences, but to create an unforgettable experience—one that would distance us from the usual distractions surrounding Comic-Con,” said John Keefer, General Manager of CraveOnline and Vice President of Evolve Media. “Securing the USS Midway was crucial to visually set us apart, while our loyal friends at TNT have made it easy—and fun—to create a fantastically immersive experience. Exclusive concert sets by MGMT and Grimes will provide an exhilarating ending to an extraordinary night.”

For complete coverage of Comic-Con, as well as photos and videos of the event, please visit: http://www.craveonline.com/hub/comic-con.

About TNT's The Last Ship
This summer, TNT is topping the charts with its new action-packed drama series The Last Ship, starring Eric Dane (Grey's Anatomy) and executive-produced by blockbuster filmmaker Michael Bay (Transformers). Airing Sundays at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), The Last Ship ranks as basic cable's #1 new series so far this year. The show takes place in the midst of a global catastrophe that nearly decimates the world's population. Because of its positioning, the Navy destroyer U.S.S. Nathan James avoids falling victim to the devastating tragedy. But now the crew and its captain must confront the reality of their new existence in a world where they may be among the few remaining survivors.

Dane stars as Captain Tom Chandler, a career Navy man who is authoritative and decisive, but also fair and courageous. A born leader and a loving father and husband, Chandler is respected and loved by the men and women under his command. The Last Ship also stars Rhona Mitra (Strike Back) as Rachel Scott, a strong-willed, intelligent and fearless paleomicrobiologist assigned to the Nathan James to investigate the cause of billions of deaths worldwide. Adam Baldwin (Firefly, Chuck) is Slattery, the ship's second-in-command who worries deeply about his family and occasionally clashes with Dane's Captain Chandler over the best course of action. The series also stars Travis Van Winkle (Heart of Dixie), Charles Parnell (Pariah), Christina Elmore (Fruitvale Station), Sam Spruell (Snow White and The Huntsman) and Marissa Neitling (Leverage).

The Last Ship is based on William Brinkley's popular novel and comes to TNT from Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes and its partners, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form, whose credits include the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Bay, Fuller and Form serve as executive producers, along with showrunner Hank Steinberg (creator of Without a Trace, The Nine), Steven Kane (The Closer) and director Jack Bender (Lost).

About CraveOnline Media, LLC
CraveOnline (www.craveonline.com) is the #1 male lifestyle destination reaching men ages 18-34 featuring video, movies, TV, music, sports, games, cars, humor and more. As the largest male lifestyle publishing company, CraveOnline Media attracts over 26 million unique visitors per month. CraveOnline strives to get users the most up-to-date and coolest content on the web. For advertisers, CraveOnline produces custom, integrated media programs that leverage rich media, video, mobile and social in ways that allow the marketing message to be an uninterrupted part of the user experience. Recent brand advertisers include Schick, Wrigley, IKEA, Universal, LG, Nikon, Coke, Pepsi, Unilever. The company is based in Los Angeles with sales offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Toronto. CraveOnline is part of Evolve Media (www.evolvemediallc.com).

This is What VIZ Media Will Be Doing at San Diego Comic-Con International 2014

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES SHOW PROGRAMMING, PANEL EVENTS, SPECIAL GUESTS AND CONVENTION EXCLUSIVES FOR 2014 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL

VIZ Media Hosts NARUTO Japanese Voice Actor And Offers A Weekend Of Collectable Giveaways, Convention Exclusive Items, Fun Booth Activities, Panel Discussions And Much More At The Nation’s Largest Comics And Pop Culture Event

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, delivers a cornucopia of anime and manga delight to fans of all ages this year at the 2014 Comic-Con International. Attendees are invited to join a fun weekend in San Diego jam-packed with special events, in-booth giveaways, informative panel discussions, and other fun activities and convention exclusives.

Comic-Con International is the nation’s biggest comic book, science fiction and pop culture event, and takes place July 23rd-27th at the San Diego Convention Center, in San Diego, CA. VIZ Media will be located in Booth 2813. Complete details on Comic-Con are available at: www.comic-con.org.

VIZ Media will host an array of panel discussions detailing a host of forthcoming releases, new acquisitions and other surprises from the company’s animation and publishing teams. Fans will not want to miss a very special appearance by Junko Takeuchi, the Japanese voice actress who provides the original voice for Naruto in the popular anime series. She will join the staff of VIZ Media’s WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP for a special panel discussion on NARUTO on Thursday, July 24th. Fans are also invited to attend the official SAILOR MOON panel, which will offer new information on the return of the legendary animated series to North America!

VIZ Media’s Booth 2813 on the Main Show Floor will be a continual hub of activity with special in-booth photo opportunities with an UGLYDOLL on Thursday, July 24th and everyone’s favorite cat-type robot from the future, DORAEMON, on Saturday July 25th. Fans can also catch freebies and promo item giveaways throughout the convention including posters, temporary tattoos, posters, postcards, buttons and more for popular series such as BLOOD LAD, DEADMAN WONDERLAND, SAILOR MOON and ONE-PUNCH MAN. And don’t miss the return of the VIZ MEDIA convention tote bag, FREE with any purchase, available in four amazing designs (while supplies last)!

Collectors also can browse an array of limited edition items and special convention exclusives that will be offered for sale in the VIZ Media booth throughout Comic-Con (while supplies last). Notable items include ONE PIECE Exclusive Replica Manga Art ($15.00); Limited Edition BRAVEST WARRIORS: THE SEARCH FOR CATBUG ($35.00), with foil-accented slipcover and gilded page edges only 250 made - don’t miss the chance to have it signed by the artists at the exclusive in-booth signing; BRAVEST WARRIORS: CATBUG'S TREASURE BOOK ($15.00); HELLO KITTY, HELLO 40 Commemorative Art Book (50.00) only 250 printed with foil-accented slipcover and gilded page edges - don’t miss the chance to have it signed by HELLO KITTY artists at the exclusive in-booth signing; exclusive Gecco NARUTO SHIPPUDEN figure ($150.00); and Cryptozoic’s NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Trading Card Game Presale ($50.00).

Also catch special advance pre-sales of several forthcoming new VIZ Media titles including FOOD WARS, Vol. 1 ($10.00), BLACK ROSE ALICE ($10.00) and THE ART OF PRINCESS MONOKOE ($35.00) ahead of their street date releases later this summer.  Don’t miss the latest WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Jump Pack ($20.00) that contains more than 100 pages of the world’s most popular featured series and a limited edition YU-GI-OH! card “Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Evening Twilight,” as well as a special bonus exclusive game mat free with purchase (while supplies last)!

VIZ Media Comic-Con Panels & Special Events:

Thursday July 24th

10:00AM and 4:00PM - UGLYDOLL PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
VIZ Media Booth #2813
Drop by the VIZ Media booth for a photo with an UGLYDOLL pal!

10:00AM – 11:30AM - SHONEN JUMP PRESENTS: NARUTO
Room 8
NARUTO is one of the world’s most popular manga series, with over 60 best-selling volumes published. Get all the latest news and more at this super-sized panel, featuring guests from VIZ Media, Bandai Namco Games (Daisuke Koumoto, producer of the upcoming NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: ULTIMATE NINJA STORM REVOLUTION) and a special guest Junko Takeuchi, Japanese voice of Naruto!

4:00PM – 5:00PM - VIZ MEDIA PANEL
Room 7AB
Get the latest updates & exciting news from VIZ Media staff on your favorite manga and anime! There will be free manga for attendees (while supplies last)!

Friday July 25th

10:00AM – 1:00PM - CATBUG VOICE ACTOR SAM LAVAGNINO
In-Booth Signing & Personal Appearance
VIZ Media Booth #2813
Meet the voice of Catbug, the breakout star of YouTube hit Bravest Warriors, and get a signed art card!

10:00AM – 11:00AM - VIZ MEDIA ANIMATION PANEL Feat. NEON ALLEY
Room 25ABC
Find out all that's new and awesome with the VIZ Media animation team and the free streaming site Neon Alley! Bring all your anime questions because they will be there to answer them!

Saturday July 26th

12:30PM – 1:30PM - OFFICAL SAILOR MOON PANEL
Room 5AB
VIZ Media is releasing the complete classic SAILOR MOON series for the first time on Blu-ray and with an all-new English dub! Join members of the VIZ Media animation team and learn all about this legendary anime series!

12:30PM - DORAEMON PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
VIZ Media Booth #2813
Get a hug and take a picture with everyone’s favorite cat-type robot from the future, DORAEMON!

Sunday July 27th

2:00PM – 3:00PM - PERFECT SQUARE PRESENTS – MAKING KIDS COMICS AWESOME
Room 32AB
Bring your kids along, or just your inner child, and join an eclectic group of creators and editors for a lively roundtable that will get you laughing, learning and looking at the craft of all-ages comics in a whole new way!

Other Notable VIZ Media In-Booth Events:

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Deck Building Game Demo
Check the daily booth schedule for a chance to try out the new card game debuting from Cryptozoic at SDCC!

In-Booth Signing and Photo-Op: HELLO KITTY
Join Hello Kitty herself and graphic novel artists for a special signing and photo opportunity!

Saturday, July 26th 10AM: features Jenni Holm, Matt Holm, Art Baltazar, Franco Aureliani, Lark Pien

Sunday, July 27th at 10AM: features Brianne Drouhard, Stephanie Gonzaga, Martin Hsu, Chynna Clugston Flores, Susie Ghahremani

Jacob Chabot will also be available Sunday July 27th at 1PM!

In-Booth Signing: BRAVEST WARRIORS
Meet the talented contributors for the brand new books based off of the YouTube smash-hit series and get your VIZ Media BRAVEST WARRIOR book or comic sampler signed!

Friday, July 25th at 4:00PM: features Stu Livingston, Tom Warburton, Jon Chad, Ian McGinty

Sunday, July 27th at 1:00PM: features Corin Howell and Inori Fukuda Trant,

In-Booth Signing: NARUTO Figure Sculptor Shin Tanabe
Thursday, July 24th & Friday July 25th at 2:30PM
Meet Gecco figure Sculptor Shin Tanabe, creator of the Comic-Con exclusive NARUTO SHIPPUDEN figure and get your limited edition figure signed!

RANMA ½ Plinko
Available Throughout Comic-Con
Try your luck at our RANMA ½ Plinko board for a chance to win a limited edition Comic-Con only RANMA ½ water bottle! Check the daily booth schedule for times to play!

For more information on VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.

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(Girl) Thor Drawn by Chris Samnee

Review: "Blue Jasmine" Filled with Superb Performances

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 35 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

Blue Jasmine (2013)
Running time:  98 minutes (1 hour, 38 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for mature thematic material, language and sexual content
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Woody Allen
PRODUCERS:  Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum, and Edward Walson
CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Javier Aguirresarobe
EDITOR:  Alisa Lepselter
Academy Award winner

DRAMA

Starring:  Cate Blanchett, Sally Hawkins, Alec Baldwin, Andrew Dice Clay, Bobby Cannavale, Louis C.K., Peter Sarsgaard, Daniel Jenks, Max Rutherford, Max Casella, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Alden Ehren

Blue Jasmine is a 2013 drama written and directed by Woody Allen.  The film follows a rich Manhattan socialite, fallen on hard times, who moves to San Francisco to live with her sister, with her troubles in tow.

Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) was a New York socialite, married to hugely successful real estate developer, Hal Francis (Alec Baldwin).  Jasmine, whose real name is Jeanette, leads a life of luxury and leisure, but Hal’s business is based on fraud.  After Hal is sent to prison, she loses everything (home, money, status, etc.).  Jasmine travels to San Francisco where she will move in with her sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins), a single mother of two boys, Matthew (Daniel) and Johnny (Max).

Jasmine’s arrival is an imposition, as Ginger had planned to allow her fiancé, Chili (Bobby Cannavale), to move in with her.  Hal’s fraudulent dealings also cost Ginger and her ex-husband, Augie (Andrew Dice Clay), a lot of money and financially ruined them.  Deeply troubled and in denial about the past, Jasmine looks fabulous, but her looks hide the fact that she isn’t bringing anything good to her new home.

Blue Jasmine is not only one of Woody Allen’s best screenplays of the last decade, but it also features some of his best characters ever.  In a way, their motivations and emotions are so obvious that they could be described as wearing their hearts on their sleeves.  On the other side of that, each character is also inscrutable, because what goes on inside their heads (thinking and thought processes) is largely a mystery.

Jeanette “Jasmine” Francis is the most inscrutable of all, and as Jasmine, Cate Blanchett gives what may be the best performance of her career.  That says a lot in a career full of incredible performances.  Jasmine is that rare instance when an actor brings to life a fully realized character that seems to devour everything that the actor is.  Blanchett also makes sure that there are no easy answers to Jasmine, who denies the past, but is inexorably trapped in it.

Sally Hawkins as Ginger manages to keep up with Blanchett, and in every scene that Ginger shares with Jasmine, Hawkins makes her character just as compelling.  Prepare to be surprised by the multi-dimensional performance by Andrew Dice Clay as Ginger’s ex-husband, Augie.  I was a huge fan of Clay when he was a blazing, red-hot, stand-up comic in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but his heartbreaking turn as the deeply wounded Augie is still a surprise to me.

I have read that some critics see Blue Jasmine as Woody Allen’s take on Tennessee William’s legendary play, A Streetcar Named Desire, as they share similar elements.  If this is true, Allen made Blue Jasmine worthy of being compared to the masterwork that is William’s play.  Even movie audiences who are not usually fans of Allen’s films should see the exceptional Blue Jasmine.

8 of 10
A

Friday, July 18, 2014

NOTES:
2014 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Cate Blanchett); 2 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Sally Hawkins) and “Best Writing, Original Screenplay” (Woody Allen)

2014 Golden Globes, USA:  1 win: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Cate Blanchett); 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Sally Hawkins)

2014 BAFTA Awards:  1 win: “Best Leading Actress” (Cate Blanchett); 2 nominations: “Best Original Screenplay” (Woody Allen) and “Best Supporting Actress” (Sally Hawkins)

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