Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 1st to 10th, 2022 - Update #20

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

D23 - From TheWrap:  "Indiana Jones 5" trailer brings down the house at D23, Sat., Sept 10th.

From Variety:  At the Disney Legends Award Ceremony at the D23 Expo on Friday, Sept. 9th, the late actor, Chadwick Boseman, was officially named a "Disney Legend."  His brother, Derrick Boseman, gave an emotional acceptance speech.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Former Disney boss, Robert "Bob" Iger, predicts a reckoning for streaming services, the death of linear and satellite TV, and a "smaller and scarred" movie industry.

AMAZON - From THR:  The cast of Prime Video’s "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" is united in speaking out about racist threats that  non-white performers from the show have apparently faced.

OBAMAS - From CNN:  Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama's official White House portraits were unveiled during an emotional ceremony at the White House on Wednesday, September 7, 2022.

SCANDAL - From TheWrap:  If you are interested, the site has a timeline and explanation of the drama behind the upcoming film, "Don't Worry Darling, directed by Olivia Wilde and starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles.

From Variety:  Connected to "Don't Worry Darling," Harry Styles addresses the story that he spit on co-star Chris Pine during an interview.

CELEBRITY - From Variety:  Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence talks motherhood, the Hollywood pay gap, and falling out with her "Republican family" over the fall of "Roe v. Wade."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 9/2 to 9/4/2022 weekend box office is Sony/Marvel Studios' re-release, "Spider-Man: No Way Home," with an estimated take of 6 million dollars.

From Here:  The Negromancer review of "Spider-Man: No Way Home."

From Variety:  "Top Gun: Maverick" has passed "Black Panther" has the fifth-highest grossing film in North America.

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EMMY AWARDS - From THR:  Creative Arts Emmys: Night 1 (Sat., Sept. 3rd) - A winner's list

From THR:  At Saturday's "Creative Emmy Arts," former President Barack Obama won his first Emmy. It was in the category "Outstand Narration" for "A World of Wonder" episode of "Our Great National Parks."  Obama is the second U.S. President to win an Emmy, but the first to win in a competitive category. Dwight D. Eisenhower won the "Governor's Award" in 1956.

From THR:  The Disney+ live-action/animation hybrid film, "Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers," won the Emmy Award for "outstanding television movie"  during the second night of the 2022 Creative Arts Emmys.

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MOVIES - From VanityFair:  The site has a Fall 2022 movie preview guide with  "34 Films to Watch Out For"

CELEBRITY - From GQUK:  British comedy and television legend, Lenny Henry, talks about becoming a major player in fantasy streaming series, like Netflix's "The Sandman" and Amazon's "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power."

FILM FESTIVALS - From Variety:  At the 79th Venice Film Festival, director Todd Field's "Tar," which stars Cate Blanchett gets a six-minute standing ovation.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  MGM has bought the Miramax film project, "The Beekeeper," from director David Ayer ("Suicide Squad") and starring Jason Statham.  It will begin filming in late September and the entire cast has not been finalized.

OBITS:

From BBC:  The Queen of the United Kingdom, Elizabeth II, has died at the age of 96, Thursday, September 8, 2022.  Born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of the House of Windsor, Queen Elizabeth II was the longest reigning British monarch (70 years and 214 days) and second longest recorded of a monarch of a sovereign nation.  Her son, Charles Philip Arthur George, is now Charles III, King of the United Kingdom and of the Commonwealth realm.

From BBC:  Queen Elizabeth II - a life in pictures.

From TheNewYorkTimes:  American journalist and television anchorman, Bernard Shaw, has died at the age of 82, Wednesday, September 7, 2022.  Shaw was the founding anchor of CNN, being the lead anchor from 1980 until his retirement in March 2001.  Shaw was also a former U.S. Marine who served during the Vietnam War.

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BRITTNEY GRINER:

From TheDailyBeast:   Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.

From Vox:  Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.

From ESPN:   A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th.  Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.

From ESPN:  The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.

From RSN:  "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack

From ESPN:  Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.

From CBSSports:  The Brittney Griner situation explained.

From RSN:  According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."

Olivia Wilde's "Don't Worry Darling" to World Premiere at Venice Film Festival 2022

New Line Cinema’s and Filmmaker Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling” to World Premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New Line Cinema’s “Don’t Worry Darling,” the highly anticipated second feature from director Olivia Wilde, is set to make its out-of-competition world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival of La Biennale di Venezia, running from August 31st to September 10th, 2022. The announcement was made today by Alberto Barbera, Director of the 79th Venice International Film Festival of La Biennale di Venezia.

In tandem with the announcement, Wilde—who will attend the Festival, along with co-stars Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Gemma Chan and Chris Pine—stated, “I am honored and thrilled that ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. When we dreamed of making this movie, we imagined Venice as our ultimate goal, and we can hardly believe it’s really happening! From our cast —led by the formidable Florence Pugh and Harry Styles—to the design of this world and the kinetic cinematography, the film was crafted for viewing in the collective setting of the theatrical experience. For this first screening to take place in the jewel-like surroundings of the Venice Lido and in the presence of some of international cinema’s most accomplished artists is beyond exciting. I look forward to sharing the visceral ride of ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ with the world, beginning with the Venice Film Festival, and I wish to thank Alberto Barbera and the Biennale for the selection. This is truly a dream come true.”

The Venice International Film Festival is officially recognized by the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Association). The aim of the Festival is to raise awareness and promote international cinema in all its forms as art, entertainment and as an industry, in a spirit of freedom and dialogue. The Festival also organizes retrospectives and tributes to major figures as a contribution towards a better understanding of the history of cinema.

From New Line Cinema comes “Don’t Worry Darling,” directed by Olivia Wilde (“Booksmart”) and starring Florence Pugh (Oscar-nominated for “Little Women”), Harry Styles (“Dunkirk”), Wilde (upcoming “Babylon”), Gemma Chan (“Crazy Rich Asians”), KiKi Layne (“The Old Guard”) and Chris Pine (“All the Old Knives”).

Alice (Pugh) and Jack (Styles) are lucky to be living in the idealized community of Victory, the experimental company town housing the men who work for the top-secret Victory Project and their families. The 1950’s societal optimism espoused by their CEO, Frank (Pine)—equal parts corporate visionary and motivational life coach—anchors every aspect of daily life in the tight-knit desert utopia.

While the husbands spend every day inside the Victory Project Headquarters, working on the “development of progressive materials,” their wives—including Frank’s elegant partner, Shelley (Chan)—get to spend their time enjoying the beauty, luxury and debauchery of their community. Life is perfect, with every resident’s needs met by the company. All they ask in return is discretion and unquestioning commitment to the Victory cause.

But when cracks in their idyllic life begin to appear, exposing flashes of something much more sinister lurking beneath the attractive façade, Alice can’t help questioning exactly what they’re doing in Victory, and why. Just how much is Alice willing to lose to expose what’s really going on in this paradise?

An audacious, twisted and visually stunning psychological thriller, “Don’t Worry Darling” is a powerhouse feature from director Olivia Wilde that boasts bold performances from Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, surrounded by the impressive and pitch-perfect cast.

The film also stars Nick Kroll (“How It Ends”), Sydney Chandler (“Pistol”), Kate Berlant (“Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood”), Asif Ali (“WandaVision”), Douglas Smith (“Big Little Lies”), Timothy Simons (“Veep”) and Ari’el Stachel (“Respect the Jux”).

Wilde directs from a screenplay penned by her “Booksmart” writer Katie Silberman, based on a story by Carey Van Dyke & Shane Van Dyke (“Chernobyl Diaries”) and Silberman. The film is produced by Wilde, Silberman, Miri Yoon and Roy Lee, with Richard Brener, Celia Khong, Alex G. Scott, Catherine Hardwicke, Carey Van Dyke and Shane Van Dyke executive producing.

Wilde is joined behind the camera by two-time Oscar-nominated director of photography Matthew Libatique (“A Star Is Born,” “Black Swan”), production designer Katie Byron (“Booksmart”), editor Affonso Gonçalves (“The Lost Daughter”), Oscar-nominated composer John Powell (“Jason Bourne”), music supervisor Randall Poster (“No Time to Die”) and costume designer Arianne Phillips (“Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood”).

A New Line Cinema presentation, “Don’t Worry Darling” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to open in theaters internationally beginning September 21, 2022 and in North America on September 23, 2022.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 1st to 9th, 2022 - Update #27

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

WILL SMITH - From Deadline:  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has banded recent Oscar-winner Will Smith from attending its programs and events - virtually or in-person - including the Academy Awards ceremony for a period of 10 years.  This is his punishment for bitch-slapping Chris Rock during the 94th Academy Awards ceremony, Sun., March 27th.

From Variety:  Actor Harry Lennix comes off the porch to tell Will Smith that he should ... voluntarily give back his recent "Best Actor" Oscar in order to restore the awards honor ... saying this with a straight face.

From TMZ - Celebrities keep weighing in - Grammy Award-nominated rapper and recording artist, Fat Joe, says that Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 94th Academy awards "makes minorities look bad."

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Warner Bros. has cancelled the daytime, syndicated talk show, "The Real," after eight seasons (which is 7 years longer than I thought it would last).

CELEBRITY - From TIME:  Michelle Yeoh talk to the venerable magazine, in part about her new film, "Everthing Everywhere All at Once."

BUSINESS/WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY - From Deadline:  Who is in and who is out at Warner Bros. Discovery?  Who is under CEO David Zaslav?

From Deadline:  Fri., April 8th, Warner Bros. Discovery has been born of the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger.  It will make its Wall Street debut Mon., April 11th. David Zaslav, CEO of Discovery, will be the CEO of the new company.

From Deadline:  The 43 billion dollar merger between Discovery and WarnerMedia is set to close this week, and the new leadership structure.

From Deadline:  As WarnerMedia approaches its merger with Discovery, WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar leaves the company.

From Deadline:  Ann Sarnoff, who held the top role in WarnerMedia film and TV, is also departing ahead of the Warner merger with Discovery.

From Deadline:  Andy Forssell, the head of HBO Max, is out at WarnerMedia ahead of the merger with Discovery.

From Deadline:  The WarnerMedia purge continues - with six former executives dismissed.

MOVIES - From THR:  Rapper Kid Cudi (Scott Mescudi), has joined John Woo's action thriller, "Silent Night," which stars Joel Kinnaman.  Cudi recently starred in the horror film, "X."

SPORTS - From CBSSports:  The University of South Carolina Gamecocks are the winners of the Women's NCAA Basketball Championship, beating the University of Connecticut 64-49.  This is the Gamecocks' second NCAA women's basketball title.

MUSIC AWARDS - From Deadline:   The winners were announced at the 2022 / 64th Annual Grammy Awards.  Oscar-winner Jon Batiste won "Album of the Year" for his LP, "We Are."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 4/1 to 4/3 weekend box office is Sony Pictures' "Morbius" with an estimated take of 39.1 million dollars.

From Here:  Here is Negromancer's review of "Morbius."

From Deadline:  "Morbius" leads the global box office with an 84 million dollar debut, making 44.9 million of that in 62 international markets.

NETFLIX - From Variety:  Netflix has slowed its development of a Will Smith action-thriller, "Fast and Loose," in the wake of the Oscar slap.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  After not speaking for 13 years, director Lee Daniels and Oscar-winning actress Mo'Nique will reunite on the Netflix film, "Demon House."  Daniels directed Mo'Nique in the film, "Precious" for which she won her Oscar.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Actress Demetria McKinney has joined The CW's pilot, "The Winchesters." The project is a prequel to The CW's long-running series, "Supernatural."

MOVIES - From WeGotThisCovered:  Marvel Studios stalwarts Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson will star in director Jason Bateman's mystery film, "Project Artemis" for AppleTV.

MOVIES - From MovieWeb:  Actor Chris Pine wanted his new action movie, "The Contractor," in which he plays a Special Forces sergeant, to be as authentic as possible.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Bruce Willis' family have announced that the two-time Emmy Award-winning actor is retiring due to health related issues.

OBITS:

From ESPN:   NFL quarterback, Dwayne Haskins, has died at the age of 24, Saturday, April 9, 2022, killed when he was struck by a vehicle.  Haskins played for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2016 to 2018, where he was the MVP of the 2019 Rose Bowl.  Haskins was currently a member of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, but he was originally picked by the Washington Redskins in the 2019 NFL Draft - First Round, Pick #15.

From From Variety:  Television and film actress, Estelle Harris, has died at the age of 93, Saturday, April 2, 2022.  She is best known for playing "Estelle Costanza," the mother of George Costanza on the former NBC sitcom, "Seinfeld."  She also provided the voice for "Mrs. Potato Head" in Disney/Pixar's "Toy Story" films, with "Toy Story 4" (2019) being her final film role.  She also played "Muriel" on the Disney Channel sitcom, "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" (2005-08).

From Deadline:  Television actress, Barrie Youngfellow, has died at the age of 75, Monday, March 28, 2022.  Youngfellow is best remembered for starring as "Jan Hoffmeyer Gray" in the sitcom, "It's A Living."  The series aired on ABC from 1980-82 and in first-run syndication from 1985-89, and Youngfellow was one of only four actors who appeared in all 120 episodes of the series.

From THR: Film and television producer Walter Coblenz has died at the age of 93, Wednesday, March 16, 2022.  Coblenz received an Oscar-nomination for producing the 1976 film, "All the King's Men." Coblenz also produced films like "The Candidate" (1972) and "Money Talks" (1997)  He also received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for producing (with Lee Rich) the 1973 made-for-TV film, "The Blue Knight."

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WILL SMITH/CHRIS ROCK - From Variety:   Will Smith has announced that he is withdrawing his membership from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

From Variety:  Will Smith walks onstage at the 94th Academy Awards and slaps Chris Rock in the face for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

From Variety:  The Academy has said that Will Smith was asked to leave the 94th Academy Awards ceremony after slapping presenter Chris Rock, but he refused.  The Academy has started disciplinary proceedings against Smith.

From Deadline:  Oscar-winner Will Smith formally apologizes to comedian Chris Rock for slapping him during the 94th Academy Awards show.

From Variety:  Chris Rock says that he is "still kind of processing what happened."

From Variety:   "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe says that he is "dramatically bored" with hearing people's opinion about "THE SLAP."

From Variety:  Will Smith won the "Best Actor" Oscar for portraying the father of tennis stars, Venus and Serena Willaims, Richard Williams, in the biopic, "King Richard."  In regards to Smith slapping Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Academy Awards, Richard says, "We don't condone anyone hitting anyone else."

From Variety:  The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has confirmed that Chris Rock has declined to file a police report regarding Oscar-winner Will Smith slapping him during the 94th Academy Awards.

From THR:  The actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, calls Will Smith's slap of Chris Rock to be "unacceptable."

From People:  Of the Oscar slap, "Aquaman" Jason Momoa says that he is shocked that Will Smith slapped Chris Rock and that "There's a tipping point for everyone."

From Variety:  Celebrities react to the Oscar bitch slap heard around the world.

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Review: "WONDER WOMAN 1984" Means Well, But is Stupid

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 37 of 2021 (No. 1775) by Leroy Douresseaux

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Running time:  151 minutes (2 hours, 31 minutes)
MPAA – PG - 13 for sequences of action and violence
DIRECTOR:  Patty Jenkins
WRITERS:  Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns, and Dave Callahan; from a story by Patty Jenkins and Geoff Johns (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and created by William Moulton Marston)
PRODUCERS:  Charles Roven, Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot, and Stephen Jones
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Matthew Jensen (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Richard Pearson
COMPOSER:  Hans Zimmer

SUPERHERO/FANTASY

Starring:  Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Lucian Perez, Kristoffer Polaha, Natasha Rothwell, Ravi Patel, Oliver Cotton, Lilly Aspell, and Lynda Carter

Wonder Woman 1984 is a 2020 superhero fantasy film from director Patty Jenkins.  The film stars the DC Comics superhero, Wonder Woman, who first appeared in All Star Comics #8 (1941) and was created by writer William Moulton Marston (with artist Harry George Peter).  It is a direct sequel to 2017's Wonder Woman and is also the ninth film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film series.  In Wonder Woman 1984, our titular hero must battle a colleague and a businessman whose desire to have everything they ever wanted and much more could destroy the world.

Wonder Woman 1984 opens on the island of Themyscira, the home of the Amazons.  There, young Diana (Lilly Aspell) is trying to be the most accomplished Amazon.  In an athletic event against older Amazons, young Diana must also learn an important lesson about getting what she wants.

The story moves to 1984.  Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) works cultural anthropology and archaeology at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.  Secretly, Diana is also the superhero known as “Wonder Woman.”  At work, Diana meets and eventually befriends a new museum employee, Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig), a shy woman whose professions are geology, gemology, and lithology, in addition to being a cryptozoologist.  Barbara is barely seen by her co-workers, and she comes to envy Diana, whose radiance draws people to her.

One day, the FBI asks the museum to identify some stolen antiquities, and among them is a mysterious item, a “citrine” that turns out to be called the “Dreamstone.”  Also interested in this item is a failing businessman, Maxwell “Max” Lord (Pedro Pascal), who believes that the stone has “wish-granting” powers that can both save his failing oil company, “the Black Gold Cooperative,” and make him the powerful man he has always wanted to be.  No one really understands how dangerous the Dreamstone can be, even Diana, who gets her deceased lover, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), back into her life.

I like that Wonder Woman 1984 deals with such themes as immediate gratification, getting things the easy way without working for it, cheating to get what you want, and the desire to have something before you are ready to have it.  However, it is the execution of these themes that is problematic.  For a film that beats viewers over the head with the idea that it is bad to get whatever you wish for, Wonder Woman 1984 is filled with magical thinking.  This film's story is illogical, nonsensical, silly, and full of pretty pictures while being largely empty and devoid of substance.

Having Steve Trevor's spirit possess the body of an actual living man and control it is a horrible idea.  Supposedly, co-writer/director Patty Jenkins says that the Trevor subplot is a reference to the body-switching trope found in films like Freaky Friday: The Movie (1976) and Big (1988).  If true, this explanation is lame.  Having Wonder Woman basically hold a man hostage so that she can use his body to play kissy-face with her dead lover's spirit does not seem like something Wonder Woman would actually do.  I won't go into the non-consensual element of this relationship...

However, that is just one element of the entire nonsense that is having Steve Trevor in this film.  In one sequence, it just happens to be the Fourth of July, which leads to Wonder Woman and Trevor stealing a conveniently located jet and flying through the clouds that are lit up by the holiday fireworks below.  Wonder Woman asks Trevor what makes flying as a pilot so special to him, and the dude says that it is because of the wind and the air...

I'm not even sure why this movie is called Wonder Woman 1984, as very little about that year really permeates this film.  1984 seems like nothing more than an arbitrary date, while calling this film “Wonder Woman: The Year of Schmaltz and Syrupy Sentiment” would seem more accurate.

Nothing epitomizes Wonder Woman 1984's nonsensical, trite, contrived nature than the “lead” villain, Max Lord.  Heaven knows that Pedro Pascal gives it his all in order to fill the vast emptiness that is Max, but even his acting skills can't save this bomb of a character.  Patty Jenkins and Geoff Johns' hackneyed script gives Max a child, Alistair (Lucian Perez), a pensive-faced waif who just loves his daddy no matter how much daddy ignores and minimizes him.  The presence of the child only emphasizes how lame Max Lord is.

The better villain is Kristen Wiig's Cheetah (who is not called that in the film), but the script relegates Barbara Minerva/Cheetah to side-piece status.  Minerva and Cheetah had the potential to be an excellent counter to Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, but no, the man-villain must be the center of attention.  Also, I'm pretty sure that Cheetah appears merely for licensing purposes – perhaps, as a hard-to-find, low-run, female action figure.

Just as she was the last time, Gal Gadot is gorgeous in this film, but whereas the Wonder Woman she played in the original film was so strong, independent, and fierce, the Wonder Woman of the sequel is a clueless broad who pines after the ghost of a long dead man.  Everything the heroine of this sequel does is either strange or thoughtless, and she puts herself and others in danger cause she's just gotta have her (dead) man!  Wonder Woman 1984 turns Gadot's Wonder Woman from historical in the first film to hysterical in the sequel.

The only reason that I am not giving Wonder Woman 1984 a grade of “D” or even of “F” is because I was so happy to see Lynda Carter, TV's Wonder Woman of the 1970s, in a mid end credits scene.  Yeah, that's a spoiler that I didn't warn you about, but hey, I am warning you about the rest of Wonder Woman 1984.  Now, dear readers, you can watch it while expecting much less of it than I did.

4 of 10
C

Thursday, April 8, 2021


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#28DaysofBlack Review: "A WRINKLE IN TIME" is Wonderfully Weird

 

[I imagine that The Walt Disney Company had to make “A Wrinkle in Time” an accounting write-off.  The film under-performed at the box office, which is a shame.  It is one of the most original science fiction and fantasy films of the 21st century.  I also honestly believe that this film is such a unique vision because it was directed by an African-American woman, Ava DuVernay.]

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 18 of 2021 (No. 1756) by Leroy Douresseaux

A Wrinkle in Time (2018)
Running time:  109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)
MPAA – PG for thematic elements and some peril
DIRECTOR:  Ava DuVernay
WRITERS:  Jennifer Lee and Jeff Stockwell (based on the novel by Madeleine L'Engle)
PRODUCERS:  Catherine Hand and Jim Whitaker
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Tobias Schliessler (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Spencer Averick
COMPOSER:  Ramin Djawadi

SCI-FI/FANTASY/ADVENTURE/FAMILY/DRAMA

Starring:  Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Levi Miller, Deric McCabe, Chris Pine, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Pena, Andre Holland, Rowan Blanchard, and David Oyelowo

A Wrinkle in Time is a 2018 science fiction and fantasy-adventure film directed by Ava DuVernay.  The film is based on Madeleine L'Engle's 1962, A Wrinkle in Time, the first book in her “Time Quintet” series.  A Wrinkle in Time the movie follows a young girl, her brother, and a school friend as they set off on a quest across the universe to find the girl's missing father.

A Wrinkle in Time introduces 13-year-old Meg Murry (Storm Reid).  She continues to struggle to adjust at school four years after the disappearance of her father, Alex Murry (Chris Pine), a renowned astrophysicist.  Meg and her gifted younger brother, Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe), have also been in trouble with their school's Principal Jenkins (Andre Holland).  Even their mother, Dr. Kate Murry (Gugu Mbatah-Raw), struggles in the wake of the disappearance of her husband.  However, Meg has made a new friend, her classmate, Calvin O'Keefe (Levi Miller).

Then, the Murrys and Calvin start to get unusual visitors.  They call themselves “the Misses.”  They are Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon), and Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling), a trio of astral beings who claim that the “tesseract,” a method of space travel that Alex Murry was studying, is real.  These astral travelers reveal that they have come to help find Alex, who has transported himself across the universe.  They need Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin's help, and they need them to be “warriors.”  However, Meg doubts her own abilities and really doesn't like herself all that much, and that will make her vulnerable to the powerful enemy that awaits them, “The IT.”

The cinematography by Tobias A. Schliessler, the costume design by Paco Delgado, and the production design by Naomi Shohan come together to create one of the most visually beautiful science fiction films that I have seen in a decade.  The film editing by Spencer Averick and the gorgeous score by Ramin Djawadi make that beauty move and feel vibrant, creating a film like no other.

Beyond the high production values, director Ava DuVernay has fashioned a big-hearted film that is one of the most ambitious science fiction and fantasy films in recent memory.  I have never read Madeleine L'Engle's now legendary novel, so I assume that screenwriters Jennifer Lee and Jeff Stockwell (and any other writers that contributed to the final product) condensed the character drama in order to focus on Meg Murry.  However, DuVernay and the writers, through Meg, tell a story in which love and imagination and determination and fortitude can send humans on a voyage that traverses not only our galaxy, but also the universe.

Young actress Storm Reid as Meg Murry is poignant and engaging as the young hero who must learn to both love and accept herself and to believe in herself.  Her teen (or 'tween) struggles seem honest and genuine.  In a movie full of offbeat performances of odd characters, Reid makes Meg seem solid and the driving force of this narrative.

Young Deric McCabe seems supernaturally self-assured as Charles Lawrence Murry, making the young brother an important counterpart to Meg.  Levi Miller is a pleasant addition as Calvin O'Keefe whose main role is to believe in Meg even when she doesn't believe in herself, but the story also gives Calvin his own poignant journey.

I get why adults, especially film critics, had mixed feelings about the film.  I think young viewers will get it, and this film adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time is important because Ava DuVernay, once again, reinvents what a black female can be on screen in a Hollywood film.  A Wrinkle in Time may be a fantasy film dressed in the many multi-colored robes of science fiction, but this film introduces new kinds of warriors in service of the universe.  And one of those new colors is a young black girl, and that makes A Wrinkle in Time an exceptional film for this time.

9 of 10
A+

Monday, February 22, 2021


2019  Black Reel Awards”  3 nominations: “Outstanding Cinematography” (Tobias A. Schliessler), “Outstanding Costume Design” (Paco Delgado), and “Outstanding Production Design” (Naomi Shohan)


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 13th to 19th, 2020 - Update #25

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

BLM - From WashPost:   The Rev. William H. Lamar IV is the pastor of the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington D.C. that was attacked on Sat., Dec. 12th, 2020 by members of the racist group, the "Proud Boys."  The "Boys" were in Washington for a pro-Trump rally/riot.  Rev. Lamar wrote an opinion piece for the "Washington Post" entitled "My church will replace our Black Lives Matter sign. Will America replace its racist myth?" One of the quotes is "...that White men can employ violence to take what they want and do what they want and call that criminality justice, freedom and liberty."

COVID-19 - From CNN:  US sees record Covid-19 cases as CDC advisory group votes to recommend Moderna vaccine

CELEBRITY - From THR:   Inside Johnny Depp's self-made implosion.

CULTURE - From YahooEntertainment:   The last "Blockbuster" video rental store keeps chugging along and is the subject of a new documentary, "The Last Blockbuster."

AWARDS - From THR:  The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) names "First Cow" its best film of 2020.

STREAMING - From YahooEW:   New set photos from "Coming 2 America," Netflix's sequel to the classic Eddie Murphy film, "Coming to America," include an image of Wesley Snipes.

MOVIES - From DirtyMovies:   There will be another entry in the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" film franchise in 2021.  "Dirty Movies" analyzes what went wrong with the last two entries.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  NBC is working on a reboot of its classic legal comedy, "Night Court" (1984-1992), with Warner Bros. Television.  John Larroquette, who won several Emmy Awards for the show, will return as "Dan Fielding," and Melissa Rauch ("The Big Bang Theory") will play the role of Judge Abby Stone, the daughter of the late Judge Harry Stone (played by the late Harry Anderson).

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  ABC is in early development on "Pine Valley," a prime time follow-up to its daytime soap opera, "All My Children," which ended its run on the network in 2011.

TELEVISION-BLM - From Variety: "Heroes" Was Supposed to Be Leonard Roberts’ Big Break. Instead, It Nearly Broke Him. An African-American actor speaks about his poor treatment on the set of the former NBC series.

TOM CRUISE - From Deadline:   Tom Cruise Goes Off On Crew After Covid Breach On ‘Mission: Impossible 7’ London Set – Hear The Audio.

From YahooMovies:  Apparently, five crew members have quit "Mission: Impossible 7" over Tom Cruise's tirade against them for allegedly breaking COVID-19 protocol.

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

SPORTS-BLM - From MLB:   Major League Baseball has long celebrated the legacy of the Negro Leagues. But for the first time, MLB is officially recognizing that the quality of the segregation-era circuits was comparable to its own product from that time period.  Addressing what MLB described as a “long overdue recognition,” Commissioner Rob Manfred on Wednesday bestowed Major League status upon seven professional Negro Leagues that operated between 1920 and 1948. The decision means that the approximately 3,400 players of the Negro Leagues during this time period are officially considered Major Leaguers, with their stats and records becoming a part of Major League history.

COVID-19 - From GuardianUK: US Covid Deaths Pass 300,000 as First Americans Receive Coronavirus Vaccine

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  As we acknowledge the 25th anniversary of Michael Mann's film, "Heat," which starred Oscar-winners, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, we revisit an interview in which Pacino talks about his friendly rivalry with De Niro.

STREAMING - From Deadline:   Lily James and Sebastian Stan (Marvel Studios "Winter Soldier") will play model/actress Pam Anderson and rock musician Tommy Lee in Hulu's biopic about the infamous celebrity couple.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Chris Pine is in talks to star in "Dungeons & Dragons" for eOne and Paramount Pictures.  Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley are set to direct from a script they wrote.

SPORTS - From YahooSports:   Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians are dropping "Indians" from their name.  Here are the possibilities for a new name, including a Negro League name.

BLM - From Deadline:  Tyler Perry has donated $100,000 to the legal defense fund for Kenneth Walker, the boyfriend of Breonna Taylor, the medical worker murdered in her apartment by members of the Louisville Metro Police Department.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:   The winner of the 12/11 to 12/13/20 weekend box office is "The Croods: A New Age" with an estimated take of 3 million dollars.

COVID-19 - From YahooNewsAP:  Trucks with first batches of COVID-19 vaccine in US get ready to roll

CHRISTMAS - From YahooNews:  Rare planetary conjunction means a rare "Christmas Star" will light up the night for the first time since the year 1226.

OBITS:

From THR:   American dancer, actress, and choreographer, Ann Reinking, has died at the age of 71, Saturday, December 12, 2020.  She is best known for her association with the Broadway musical, "Chicago," both as an actress (1977 and 1996) and as a choreographer (1996).  In 1997, she won a "Tony Award for Best Choreography" for the 1996 revival of "Chicago."  Reinking was nominated for a Tony three other times.

From Variety:  The spy-turned-spy-novelist, John le Carre, has died at the age of 89, Saturday, December 12, 2020.  During the 1950s and 1960s, le Carre (born David John Moore Cornwell) worked the British "Security Service" (MI5) and "Secret Intelligence Service" (MI6).  By the time he left the service, le Carre has already published three novels, including the international bestseller, "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" (1963).  Ten of his novels have been adapted into film, including 2001's "The Constant Gardener," which became the 2005 Oscar-winning film.

From RollingStone:  Iconic country music singer, Charley Pride, has died at the age of 86, Saturday, December 12, 2020 of complications of COVID-19.  Pride was a pioneering African-American country musician and is one of only three Black members of the "Grand Old Opry," and he was inducted into the "Country Music Hall of Fame" in 2000.  In 1971, at the "Country Music Association Awards, Pride won the "Entertainer of the Year" award.  Pride was a three-time Grammy Award winner, and received the "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2017.

From RollingStone:   10 essential Charley Pride songs, according to Rolling Stone.

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

 

From Deadline:  The actress Marguerite Ray has died at the age of 89, November 18, 2020.  Ray was the first African-American regular on the CBS soap opera, "The Young and the Restless," playing the role of Mamie Johnson from 1980 to 1990.  Ray was also a regular on "Sanford" (1980-81), NBC's sequel series to "Sanford and Son."

 

 

 

"Wonder Woman 1984" Makes Virtual World Premiere Tues., Dec. 15th

DC FanDome Presents: “Wonder Woman 1984” Virtual World Premiere Fan-first Event on Tuesday, December 15 at 12 PM PST

Watch the Virtual Red Carpet With the Stars of “Wonder Woman 1984” From Anywhere in the World—Just a Click Away

Certain Lucky Loyalty Program Moviegoers Can Watch the Virtual Premiere on the Big Screen and Be the First Audiences to Experience the Full-length Movie in Select CinemaSafe IMAX & Premium Format Theaters

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--“Wonder Woman 1984” star Gal Gadot took to TikTok and announced that, via the hugely popular DC FanDome virtual event platform, fans around the globe will have a front row seat to the digital red carpet for Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Patty Jenkins’ hugely anticipated DC Super Hero action adventure. Some lucky fans will also be among the first audiences anywhere to see the entire film on the big screen in select theaters around the world.

Jenkins and Gadot stated, “We have the best fans in the world and that’s why we’re so excited to celebrate the launch of ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ in such a big way. Having it be a virtual event allows us to share the moment with Wonder Woman superfans everywhere who might not otherwise have the chance to experience a movie premiere.”

The Virtual World Premiere Red Carpet: Taking place in the ultimate fan-first destination, the DC FanDome Hall of Heroes, “attendees” can join the celebration of the upcoming film. In true Hollywood fashion, the film’s director, Patty Jenkins, and stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig and Pedro Pascal – along with a special guest – will be on the red carpet to talk with host Tiffany Smith, and answer questions from fans. As Gadot herself revealed via TikTok today, the virtual event takes place on December 15 at 12:00 PM PST.

When they “arrive,” viewers can check out the massive screens within the Hall of Heroes as they project fans from around the world. Next, they will be treated to a special behind-the-scenes featurette, leading into the talent from “Wonder Woman 1984” stepping onto the carpet and into frame for an exciting conversation about the film. Later, the audience will enjoy a one-of-a-kind performance from world-renowned composer Hans Zimmer, who created the score. And there will be an exclusive sneak peek at the highly anticipated film.

To watch the Virtual Red Carpet, fans can go to:

•     DCFanDome.com, which will be supported across all WB, DC, HBO Max and AT&T social channels; and
•     TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.
•     On Demand on HBO Max (in app and on the website); and
•     On Demand on talent and Warner Bros./WarnerMedia social channels; and
•     Select exhibition partners.

The In-Theater Virtual Premiere + Feature Film Experience: Certain lucky loyalty program members will be offered the opportunity to watch the Virtual Red Carpet on the big screen in select CinemaSafe theaters in IMAX and premium formats. Immediately following the event, they will be the first audiences to experience the full-length feature film “Wonder Woman 1984.”

DC FanDome Presents “Wonder Woman 1984” will also support World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit, non-governmental organization founded by chef José Andrés that uses the power of food to heal communities and strengthen economies in times of crisis and beyond. Fans interested in donating will find a link on the DC FanDome site beginning on the 15th.

From director Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot in the title role, “Wonder Woman 1984” fast forwards to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big screen adventure finds her riding lightning across the sky, donning wings of gold, and chasing a dream while in pursuit of two new formidable foes: Max Lord and the Cheetah.

In “Wonder Woman 1984,” the fate of the world is once more on the line, and only Wonder Woman can save it. This new chapter in the Wonder Woman story finds Diana Prince living quietly among mortals in the vibrant, sleek 1980s—an era of excess driven by the pursuit of having it all. Though she’s come into her full powers, she maintains a low profile, curating ancient artifacts and only performing her superheroic acts incognito. But now, Diana will have to step directly into the spotlight and muster all her wisdom, strength and courage in order to save mankind from a world of its own making.

The film also stars Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as the Cheetah, Pedro Pascal as Max Lord, Robin Wright as Antiope and Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta.

Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder, Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot and Stephen Jones produced the film. Rebecca Steel Roven Oakley, Richard Suckle, Marianne Jenkins, Geoff Johns, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong Vo and Wesley Coller served as the executive producers.

Jenkins directed from a screenplay she wrote with Geoff Johns & Dave Callaham, story by Jenkins & Johns, based on characters from DC. Wonder Woman was created by William Moulton Marston. Joining the director behind the scenes are several members of her “Wonder Woman” team, including director of photography Matthew Jensen, Oscar-nominated production designer Aline Bonetto (“Amélie”), and Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (“Topsy-Turvy”). Oscar-nominated editor Richard Pearson (“United 93”) cut the film. The music is by Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer (“Dunkirk,” “The Lion King”).

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents an Atlas Entertainment/Stone Quarry Production, a Patty Jenkins Film, “Wonder Woman 1984.” The film is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It will be released in theaters internationally beginning December 16, and in the U.S. in theaters and on HBO Max on December 25, 2020.

www.wonderwomanmovie.com

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

Review: "SPIDER-MAN: Into the Spider-Verse" is One of the Greatest Superhero Films

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 2 (of 2019) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Running time:  117 minutes (1 hour, 57 minutes)
MPAA – PG for frenetic sequences of animated action violence, thematic elements, and mild language
DIRECTORS:  Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman
WRITERS:  Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman; from a story by Phil Lord (based upon the Spider-Man character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and the Mile Morales character created by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli)
PRODUCERS:  Avi Arad, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Amy Pascal, and Christina Steinberg
EDITOR:  Robert Fisher Jr.
COMPOSER:  Daniel Pemberton
Academy Award winner

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring:  (voices) Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Bryan Tyree Hill, Lily Tomlin, Luna Lauren Velez, Zoe Kravitz, John Mulaney, Kumiko Glenn, Nicolas Cage, Kathryn Hahn, Liev Schreiber, Chris Pine, Natalie Morales, and Stan Lee

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a 2018 computer-animated superhero film from Sony Pictures.  It was developed by the filmmaking duo of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the writer-directors of the animated films, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) and The Lego Movie (2014), and the live-action films, 21 Jump Street (2012) and the sequel, 22 Jump Street (2014).

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse focuses on the Marvel Comics' character, Miles Morales, an Afro-Latino teenager.  Miles takes on the Spider-Man identity when he gains spider-like powers after being bitten by a genetically-altered spider, similar to the way the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker, gained his special abilities and powers.  The film follows Miles as he becomes the Spider-Man of his reality and joins versions of Spider-Man (Spider-People) from other dimensions in order to stop a threat to all reality, the multiverse that is know as the “Spider-Verse.”

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse introduces Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), a teenager who is a fan of Spider-Man.  As the story begins, Miles is dealing with the fact that he must attend an elite boarding school, Brooklyn Visions Academy.  Although he would prefer to remain in public school, Miles must accept the decision of his parents, his mother Rio Morales (Luna Lauren Velez), a nurse, and his father, Jefferson Davis (Bryan Tyree Hill), a police officer.

Miles also has a shady uncle, his father's brother, Aaron Davis (Mahershala Ali), whom Miles visits for advice a curious girl he meets at his new school.  Aaron encourages Miles' passion for graffiti and takes him to an abandoned subway station where he can paint and draw.  It is there that a genetically-altered spider bites Miles, causing him to develop powers similar to his hero, Spider-Man.  Miles meets his hero and learns that Spider-Man is trying to stop Wilson Fisk a.k.a. “The Kingpin” (Liev Schreiber) from using a device that will give him access to parallel universes.  Now, Miles must join Spider-Man types from across the Spider-Verse to stop The Kingpin's activities from destroying all of reality.

I could talk all day about how great Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is, but I want to be more self-aware than The Kingpin is.  I will focus on two stand-out elements in this film.  First is Shameik Moore, who is great in his voice role, bringing to life a Miles Morales that is lovable and is as ground-breaking as he was in the comic books.  Moore's performance personifies the dominate theme of this film, that the novice hero grows into the role of being a mature hero, which is especially true in the case of Spider-Man.  Moore's performance also captures the one thing that has made Spider-Man popular worldwide, practically since he debut.  Because of the kind of superhero costume Spider-Man wears, anyone can be behind the mask, including an Afro-Latino teen and even a teen girl.  Moore and the filmmakers perfectly encapsulate the truth that Spider-Man is an every-man hero.

The second thing about this film I want to highlight is its fantastic animation, eye-popping visuals, and breath-taking graphic design.  The film combines the in-house computer animation of Sony Pictures Imageworks with traditional hand-drawn comic book techniques, much of it inspired by the work of Miles Morales's co-creator, artist Sara Pichelli (who created the character with writer Brian Michael Bendis) and artist Robbi Rodriguez, co-creator of Spider-Gwen/Spider-Woman.  Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse blends 3D computer animation with the 2D sensibilities of comic book graphics, graffiti, collage, mixed media, and street art to create the visual look for the film that is thoroughly modern, but also reflects the visuals and graphics of 1960s Marvel Comics titles, especially the quintessential Spider-comic, The Amazing Spider-Man.

Apparently, 2D artists took the renderings of 3D computer-animators and drew on top of those renderings various comic book drawing techniques, including line work, dots, and painting.  The combination of 2D and 3D makes much of the film look like a series of comic book panels, so there are times that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is like a comic book-in-motion.  It becomes a living, breathing comic book, pulsating with static-electric life.

Isn't it obvious that I love me some Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse?  It is the best Spider-Man film to date, and the second best comic book movie of the year, behind Black Panther.  I hope that adult audiences that generally avoid animated films don't avoid Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.  It is much better than the vast majority of comic book and action films that they have seen over the last decade.  Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a triumph, and it could be a game-changer.

A+
9 out of 10

Sunday, December 16, 2018; Edited:  Monday, February 25, 2019

NOTES:
2019 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win: “Best Animated Feature Film” (Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Phil Lord, and Christopher Miller)

2019 Golden Globes, USA:  1 win: “Best Motion Picture – Animated”

2019 BAFTA Awards:  1 win: “Best Animated Featured Film” (Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, and Phil Lord)


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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Principal Photography Begins on "Wonder Woman 1984"

Cameras Roll on Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Wonder Woman 1984”

Director Patty Jenkins Reteams with Star Gal Gadot for the DC Super Hero’s Return to the Big Screen

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big screen adventure finds her facing an all-new foe: The Cheetah. Principal photography is underway on Warner Bros. Pictures’ follow up to the Super Hero’s first outing, last summer’s record-breaking “Wonder Woman,” which took in $822 million at the worldwide box office. “Wonder Woman 1984” will also be helmed by acclaimed director Patty Jenkins, and star Gal Gadot in the title role.

As previously announced, the film also stars Kristen Wiig in the role of the Super-Villain The Cheetah, as well as Pedro Pascal. And Chris Pine returns as Steve Trevor.

Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder, Patty Jenkins, Stephen Jones and Gal Gadot are producing the film. Rebecca Roven Oakley, Richard Suckle, Wesley Coller, Geoff Johns and Walter Hamada are the executive producers.

Joining her behind the scenes are several members of Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” team, including director of photography Matthew Jensen, Oscar-nominated production designer Aline Bonetto (“Amélie”), and Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (“Topsy-Turvy”). Oscar-nominated editor Richard Pearson (“United 93”) will cut the film.

Production will take place in Washington, D.C., Alexandria, Virginia, and in the UK, Spain and the Canary Islands.

Set to open in theaters November 1, 2019, “Wonder Woman 1984” is based on the character created by William Moulton Marston, appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment (DC Comics). It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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

 

Review: Wonderful "Wonder Woman" in Less Than Wonderful Movie

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 16 (of 2017) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review originally posted on Patreon.]

Wonder Woman (2017)
Running time:  141 minutes (2 hours, 21 minutes)
MPAA – PG - 13 for sequences of violence and action, and some suggestive content
DIRECTOR:  Patty Jenkins
WRITERS:  Allan Heinberg; from a story by Zack Snyder, Allan Heinberg, and Jason Fuchs (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and created by William Moulton Marston)
PRODUCERS:  Charles Roven, Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, and Richard Suckle
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Matthew Jensen
EDITOR:  Martin Walsh
COMPOSER:  Rupert Gregson-Williams

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/WAR/HISTORICAL

Starring:  Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Said Taghmaoui, Ewen Bremner, Eugene Brave Rock, Lucy Davis, Elena Anaya, Lilly Aspell, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Ann Wolfe, Ann Ogbomo, Emily Carey, and James Cosmo

Wonder Woman is a 2017 superhero fantasy, war, and and historical film from director Patty Jenkins.  The film stars the DC Comics superhero, Wonder Woman, who first appeared in All Star Comics #8 (1941) and was created by writer William Moulton Marston (with artist Harry George Peter).  The movie takes place when Wonder Woman was only known as Diana, princess of the Amazons, a young, trained warrior who goes out into the world to discover her full powers and her true destiny.  Wonder Woman is also the fourth film in the DC (Comics) Extended Universe film series.

Wonder Woman opens in present-day Paris, in the Louvre, where Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) works as an archivist of some type.   Bruce Wayne has sent her a gift, a World War I-era photographic plate that contains an image of Diana and three men.

This image returns Diana's memories to her past, beginning when she was a child (Lily Aspell) on the hidden island of Themyscira, home to the Amazon race of warrior women.  Diana is the daughter of the queen, Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), who does not want her daughter trained to be a warrior.  Hippolyta's sister and Diana's aunt, General Antiope (Robin Wright), believes that Diana should be prepared for the eventual day when she will have to fight.

As a young woman, Diana rescues an American pilot and spy, Captain Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), after his plane crashes off the coast of Themyscira.  The Germans pursing Trevor invade Themyscira, but are repelled by the Amazons.  Diana interprets these events as signs that she must accompany Trevor as he returns to the world of men, where Diana believes she must confront the reason for the world war that rages across Europe (World War I).  Diana believes that Ares, the god of war, is behind the so-called “War to End All Wars,” but Diana does not realize that this journey will reveal the truth about her powers, her destiny, and her identity.

Since its release to theaters in the United States (almost a month ago as of this writing) and around the world (over a month as of this writing), Wonder Woman has received rave reviews.  Women and children, especially girls, have embraced the power of this beloved female superhero who finally stars in her own feature film.

I get it; I understand the appeal and the adoration, but for me, Wonder Woman the movie is, at best, a slightly above-average superhero movie.  Gal Gadot is wonderful as Wonder Woman, which surprised me because I thought she was all wrong when I first heard about her casting.  However, here, Gadot is so good that I had trouble imagining another actress (except maybe Linda Carter) as Wonder Woman.  Gadot embodies the strength and independence of a woman raised in a society in which women do not think of themselves as subordinate or inferior to men.

In the character drama, in the film's quiet moments, in the times when Diana fights for the forgotten and ignored (the “little” people?), director Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot deliver on what Wonder Woman has meant, what she means today, and what she can mean in the future.  Jenkins and Gadot depict the ability of women to pursue the best of themselves and to pursue the best for humanity at large – with their endeavors as equal or even superior to those of men.  To nurture and to create; to defend and to take the initiative:  Wonder Woman/Diana and women can do anything men can do.

The problems with Wonder Woman the film are the men who contribute to this film.  Co-producer and co-writer Zack Snyder's handiwork is all over the cheesy, slow-motion camera fight scenes.  The fact that the last act devolves into a ridiculous supernatural battle between Diana and Ares is typical of the previous Warner/DC Comics films.  Those movies reeked with the ludicrous fights that were the climaxes of Snyder's The Man of Steel and Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, as well as last year's Suicide Squad, which is also part of the DC Extended Universe.

Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot deliver some superb movie making with Wonder Woman.  Unfortunately, the perspective of males, one of whom is a hack filmmaker, ruins it.

6 of 10
B

Friday, June 30, 2017


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 1st to 9th, 2017 - Update #42

Support Leroy on Patreon.

SPORTS - From NYTimes:  Sloane Stephens wins the women's tennis singles title at the 2017 U.S. Open Women.

From HuffPost:  American tennis is alive because of Black women.

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STREAMING - From ArsTechnica:  Disney is pulling its "Star Wars" and Marvel Studios films from Netflix, beginning in 2019.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Spike Lee and Jordan Peele ("Key & Peele") are uniting for the film, "Black Klansman," based on the true story of a Black man who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan.

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BOX OFFICE - From Variety:  "Spider-Man: Homecoming" opens strong in China.

From Fortune:  "Spider-Man: Homecoming" may be the highest grossing straight-reboot film at the worldwide box office.

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COMICS-FILM - From THR:  Drew Goodard will write and direct "X-Force," a spin-off from Fox's awful X-Men film franchise.

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STREAMING - From TheWrap:  Christina Ricci's Amazon series, "Z: The Beginning of Everything" has cancelled.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Armie Hammer joins Felicity Jones in the Ruth Bader Ginsburg (a current Supreme Court Justice) biopic, "On the Basis of Sex."

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COMICS-FILM - From THR:  "Suicide Squad 2" finally has a director.  Gavin O'Connor of "The Accountant" (with Ben Affleck) will write and direct the film.

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TELEVISION - Variety:  CBS is developing a TV series based on James Ellroy's classic novel, L.A. Confidential.  The book was previously developed into a critically acclaimed, Oscar-winning 1997 film writer-director Curtis Hanson.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Jude Law joins Elle Fanning and Selena Gomez in a Woody Allen film due next year.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  A rare photo of Jamie Foxx and Katie Holmes, long rumored to be a couple, has surfaced.

-----------
COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  In terms of domestic box office, "Wonder Woman" is now one of the top five highest grossing superhero movies of all time.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Chris Pine to take the lead in Robert F. Kennedy project at Hulu.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Paramount has acquired rights to "authorized prequel" to Bram Stoker's "Dracula," entitled "Dracul."

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STAR WARS - From TheWrap:  Colin Trevorrow "steps down" as the director of Star Wars Episode 9.

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  "American Horror Story: Cult" - frenzied mess or metaphor for Trump-induced madness.

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MOVIES-FILM FESTIVALS - From Variety:  Angelina Jolie gets a standing ovation at the Telluride Film Festival for her new film, "Cambodia."

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POLITICS - From NYDailyNews:  The selfish reason Donald Trump has made several film cameos.

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COMICS-FILM - From CBR:  15 things wrong with the X-Men film franchise, according to Comic Book Resources.  [Yeah, those movies are a stanky hot mess. - Ed.]

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Luc Besson's "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" was a big disappointment at the box office.  That has cost the deputy CEO of Besson's EuropaCorp is job.

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WGA - From Variety:  The incoming president of the Writers Guild of America, West says that Hollywood writers will have to make a 2020 strike threat to get a decent contract.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The number one film at the 9/1 to 9/3/2017 weekend box office is "The Hitman's Bodyguard" with an estimated total of $10.25 million.  This is the film's third consecutive weekend at the top of the box office.

From Variety:  "Dunkirk" wins the most recent international box office period.

----------
CELEBRITY - From BBC:  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Prince William of Great Britain and his wife, Kate) are expecting a third child.

----------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  A slideshow of the 50 most anticipated films of Fall 2017.

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SPORTS - From BET:  Tennis great Serena Williams has given birth to a baby girl.

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COMICS-FILM - From CBR:  Spike Lee may be involved in a Sony Pictures film based on Marvel Comics character, Nightwatch," who is part of the "Spider-Man" line.

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COMICS-FILM - From ScreenRant:  Cate Blanchett gives the three reasons she wanted to be in "Thor: Ragnarok."

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COMICS-FILM - From SideshowToy:  A first look at Evangeline Lilly in costume as "The Wasp" during filming of Marvel's "Ant-Man and the Wasp."

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COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  Warner Bros. would love Leo DiCaprio to play the Joker in its "Joker" stand alone film to be directed by Todd Phillips.

-----------
MOVIES - From THR:  "The Crow" reboot, entitled "The Crow Reborn," is not at Sony Pictures.

----------
STREAMING - From Variety:  Netflix teams up with Damien Chazelle ("Best Director Oscar" for "La La Land") for a Paris-set musical series, "The Eddy."

----------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Director Andy Muschietti says that the sequel to "It," the highly-anticipated adaptation of the Stephen King novel, will focus on the 1986 novel's "cosmic dimension."

From CinemaBlend:  Muschietti would like to make a new film adaptation of King's 1983 novel "Pet Semetary," which was previously adapted by director Mary Lambert in 1989.

From TheWrap:  Muschietti talks about the origin of Pennywise the Clown's distinctive look in the new "It."

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CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  Robert Pattison of "Twilight" fame once lived with Dustin Diamond a.k.a. "Screech" from "Saved by the Bell."

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  HBO's limited series, "True Detective," will return for a third season, with Mahershala Ali as its star.  Nic Pizzalatto and Jeremy Saulnier will direct.  No air date announced as of yet.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  Taylor Swift's friend, the dancer, Todrick Hall, getting trolled over his relationship with Swift and his appearance in her new video.

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Sam Rockwell in final talks to play George W. Bush in Dick Cheney biopic from director, Adam McKay.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Lily Collins joins Nicholas Hoult in Fox Searchlight and Chernin Entertainment's biopic about J.R.R. Tolkien, the creator of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.

OBIT:

From TheWrap:  Blake Heron, former child star, has died at the age of 35, Friday, September 8, 2017.  He was best known for the 1996 film, "Shiloh."

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From TheWrap:  Rock musician and recording artist, Walter Becker, has died at the age of 67, Sunday, September 3, 2017.  Becker was the guitarist and co-founder of the rock-jazz fusion band, Steely Dan.

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From Variety:   The actor and comedian Shelley Berman has died at the age of 92; Friday, September 1, 2017.  The Grammy Award he won in 1959 for "Best Comedy Performance, Spoken Word," was the first given for a non-musical performance.  In recent years, he played Larry David's father on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," which earned him a 2008 Emmy nomination.

Warner Bros Brings the Full House to CinemaCon

Warner Bros. Pictures Goes All in at CinemaCon

The Studio’s 2017 Big Picture Presentation Featured the Stars and Filmmakers behind Its Upcoming Slate

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures had a full house of talent at this year’s CinemaCon presentation in Las Vegas, showcasing the broad diversity of its upcoming slate. Generating excitement throughout the Caesars Palace Colosseum, the Studio’s 2017 Big Picture presentation was highlighted by footage from each movie—some never-before-seen—and appearances from some of the stars and filmmakers behind the films.

The show launched with a reel highlighting Warner Bros. Pictures’ legacy of entertaining the world for more than 90 years. Sue Kroll, President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, came to the stage to welcome the exhibitors and thank them for their great support in delivering the Studio’s films to a global audience.

Remarking on the Warner Bros. event, Kroll said, “In today’s dynamic marketplace, one thing holds true: the strength of our partnership with the exhibition community. It is always great to come to CinemaCon to share our slate with the people who connect our films with moviegoers the world over. We are grateful to all the actors and filmmakers who came in to support their films and the Studio and who added so much fun, excitement and star power to the day.”

Show host Maria Menounos then took the stage, and kicked off the film presentation by introducing one of today’s most acclaimed and successful filmmakers: Christopher Nolan, the director/writer/producer of “Dunkirk.” After sharing some insights about the much-anticipated epic action thriller, Nolan presented the film’s stunning prologue, which was met with enthusiastic cheers and applause.

Then, as darkness enveloped the stage, Menounos set the mood for a dual reel previewing two upcoming horror thrillers from New Line Cinema: “Annabelle: Creation,” marking the return of the demonically possessed doll from “The Conjuring”; and “It,” bringing Stephen King’s bestseller—and infamous villain Pennywise—to the big screen for the first time. The terrifying footage sent several jolts through the auditorium, producing screams and making some noticeably jump in their seats.

The scares continued with a chilling new trailer from the suspense thriller “Unforgettable,” which was introduced by first-time director Denise Di Novi, joined onstage by the stars of the film, Rosario Dawson and Katherine Heigl.

Switching gears, comedy took over as actor Ed Helms and director Lawrence Sher, who lensed the “Hangover” films, reminded the audience of the duo’s shared connection to Caesars Palace and then presented an early look at their new comedy “Bastards” (from Alcon Entertainment), in which Helms stars with Owen Wilson. Also apropos to the CinemaCon site, the casino-set comedy “The House” (from New Line Cinema and Village Roadshow Pictures) was hilariously set up on tape by stars Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler. Both pieces generated raucous laughter.

Menounos also introduced footage from the romantic drama “Everything, Everything” (from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures), based on the hugely popular YA bestseller of the same name; as well as a new trailer for the suspenseful action thriller “Geostorm,” starring Gerard Butler.

CinemaCon’s Male Star of the Year, Charlie Hunnam was greeted by loud applause when he took the stage to reveal an action-packed new trailer from Guy Ritchie’s epic reimagining of the Excalibur story, “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” (from Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow). Hunnam stars in the action adventure’s title role, opposite Jude Law.

The presentation of “Blade Runner 2049,” the long-awaited sequel to the seminal science fiction classic “Blade Runner,” wowed the entire audience. Director Denis Villeneuve, and two of the film’s stars, Jared Leto and Ana de Armas, showed a special reel, featuring footage from the film interwoven with B-roll and interviews with the filmmakers and cast—including Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford—talking about the lasting impact of Ridley Scott’s original 1982 feature and offering hints of where the new film (from Alcon, distributed domestically by Warner Bros.) will take today’s audiences.

Warner Bros. Pictures has built a globally successful animation franchise in the LEGO® universe, beginning with “The LEGO Movie,” followed most recently by “The LEGO Batman Movie.” A look at the latest film assembled by Warner Bros. and LEGO System A/S, “The LEGO NINJAGO® Movie,” delighted the audience. Immediately following, two of the film’s voice stars, Dave Franco and Justin Theroux, kept everyone laughing with a funny exchange about making the fun-filled action adventure.

The event’s thrilling finale showcased three hugely anticipated films from the DC cinematic franchise, which is a cornerstone of Warner Bros.’ slate. Diving in, Jason Momoa, who stars in the title role of “Aquaman,” took center stage to share a glimpse of what’s in store in the undersea Super Hero’s first standalone feature, starting production later this spring under the direction of James Wan.

A taped greeting from Wonder Woman herself, Gal Gadot, introduced director Patty Jenkins and actor Chris Pine, who stars opposite Gadot in the film. The two introduced extended sequences from “Wonder Woman,” which brings the iconic Super Hero to the screen in her first standalone film. The never-before-seen footage included several breathtaking action scenes, which generated tremendous buzz and left the attendees wanting more.

And they got it. Following a preview of the epic Super Hero ensemble action adventure “Justice League,” director Zack Snyder was joined onstage by Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller and Ray Fisher, who star, respectively, as Batman, Superman, Aquaman, The Flash and Cyborg.

Snyder and cast then closed the successful show, wishing everyone a great rest of the convention.

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