Review: "GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE" is Lukewarm

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 16 of 2024 (No. 1960) by Leroy Douresseaux

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Running time:  115 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for supernatural action/violence, language and suggestive references

DIRECTOR:  Gil Kenan

WRITERS:  Gil Kenan and Jason Reitman (based on the film, Ghost Busters, written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and directed by Ivan Reitman)

PRODUCERS:  Jason Reitman, Jason Blumenfeld, and Ivan Reitman

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Eric Steelberg

EDITORS:  Nathan Orloff and Shane Reid

COMPOSER:  Dario Marianelli

FANTASY/COMEDY/ACTION/MYSTERY

Starring:  Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Logan Kim, Celeste O'Connor, Ernie Hudson, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Emily Alyn Lind, James Acaster, Dan Ackroyd, Annie Potts, William Atherton, and Bill Murray

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a 2024 supernatural comedy, action and mystery film from director Gil Kenan.  It is the fifth entry in the Ghostbusters film franchise, and it is the third sequel to the original film, 1984's Ghost Busters (now known as “Ghostbusters”).  In Frozen Empire, the old and new Ghostbusters must take on an evil force unleashed from an ancient artifact.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire opens in New York City in 1904 where a group of fireman enters a hotel suite and finds an entire party frozen solid in the middle of an extremely hot summer.  In the present day, Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon) and her two children, son, Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), and daughter, Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), have moved from Summerville, Oklahoma to New York City, with Phoebe's former summer school teacher, Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), in tow.  The four live in the old Ghostbusters' NYC firehouse that had been maintained by original Ghostbuster, Dr. Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson).

Now, Phoebe, Trevor, Callie, and Gary are the active Ghostbusters, but a particular Ghostbusting case leads to significant damage in the city.  That brings them to the attention of the mayor and leads to Phoebe being forced out of the Ghostbusters because she is underage at 15-years-old.  But the world of the supernatural does not stop because of the human world's concerns.

Original Ghostbuster, Dr. Raymond “Ray” Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), has come into possession of a peculiar artifact, which he turns over to Winston Zeddemore's top-secret research lab.  Meanwhile, Phoebe, sidelined as a Ghostbuster, is trying to find her place in the world of the Ghostbusters.  Then, Garraka, an ancient god, is freed.  He wants to gather all the ghosts ever captured by the Ghostbusters and turn them into his personal army as he brings about a new ice age.  Despite her troubles, Phoebe will have to figure out how to stop the ancient evil that is Garraka before it's too late.

I was a huge fan of the original Ghostbusters films, Ghostbusters (1984) and its sequel, Ghostbusters II (1989).  I enjoyed Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), and I thought that film's teen characters, siblings Phoebe and Trevor, and their friends, Podcast (Logan Kim) and Lucky Domingo (Celeste O'Connor), made a great foundation for the new Ghostbusters.

Thus, I was surprised to see Phoebe and Trevor playing Ghostbusters with the adults, their mother, Callie, and their quasi-stepfather, Gary.  Honestly, I find Carrie Coon's Callie and Paul Rudd's Gary to be extraneous here.  I have no interest in their characters beyond what they did in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.  In fact, this film has too many characters.  Bill Murray's Dr. Peter Venkman, Annie Potts' Janine Melnitz, and William Atherton's Mayor Walter Peck are also mostly irrelevant.  Pretty much everything these characters do could have been passed off to other characters or deleted because it wasn't important enough to clutter up the narrative.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire spends much of its first half meandering around assorted relationship dysfunction, including one involving a ghost.  Then, the film rushes to a forced satisfactory conclusion that wastes a truly scary monster in Garraka.  I am glad that Ernie Hudson's Winston Zeddemore has a substantial part in this film, especially because Hudson spent the first two films fighting off Columbia Pictures' executives and Ghostbusters cast mates who were determined to sideline his character.

As a franchise, Ghostbusters needs to move on from its past or just die.  The young characters:  Phoebe and Trevor Spengler, Podcast, and Lucky Domingo are the franchise's present and true future.  When this Ghostbusters film focuses on them, it feels alive and is fun.  When it doesn't, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is frozen and freezer-burned.

[This film has one mid-credits scene.]

5 out of 10

C+

★★½ out of 4 stars

Friday, March 22, 2024

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Review: DreamWorks "ANTZ" Can Still Dance

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 11 of 2024 (No. 1955) by Leroy Douresseaux

Antz (1998)

Running time:  83 minutes (1 hour, 23 minutes)

MPAA – PG for mild language and menacing action

DIRECTORS:  Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson

WRITERS:  Todd Alcott and Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz

PRODUCERS:  Brad Lewis, Kenneth Nakada, Aron Warner, and Patty Wooton

EDITOR:  Stan Webb

COMPOSERS:  Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell

ANIMATION/FANTASY/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring:  (voices):  Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Sylvester Stallone, Anne Bancroft, Danny Glover, Jennifer Lopez, Paul Mazursky, Grant Shaud, John Mahoney, Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtain, and Christopher Walken

Antz is a 1998 computer-animated adventure comedy film from directors Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson.  It was produced by DreamWorks Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, and Pacific Data Images and released by DreamWorks Pictures.  Antz was also DreamWorks Animation's debut film.  The movie focuses on a neurotic ant who bucks the system of his ant colony in order to pursue an ant princess, which sends them both on a perilous journey.

Antz opens in an ant colony, the home of a race of anthropomorphic ants (walk and talk like humans).  The focus is on Z (Woody Allen), an anxious and neurotic worker ant who chafes at the state of conformity in the colony. While at the local bar one night, Z has a chance encounter with the Queen Ant's daughter, Princess Bala (Sharon Stone), and he falls in love with her.  Z doesn't know that Bala is struggling with her suffocating royal life, although her mother, the Queen Aunt (Anne Bancroft), is the ruler of the colony.  Bala also has misgivings about her planned marriage to General Mandible (Gene Hackman), the cunning and arrogant leader of the colony's ant military.

Z wants to see more of Bala, but as a worker ant, he can't get near her.  He convinces Corporal Weaver (Sylvester Stallone), a soldier ant, to switch places with him.  This causes a series of events that finds Z and Princess Bala on a perilous journey outside the colony.  Meanwhile, General Mandible uses this turn of events to serve his own plans.

I am about to watch DreamWorks Animation's most recent release, Orion and the Dark, which was animated by the French production company, Mikros Animation.  So I decided that it was time to finish my review of DreamWorks' first animated feature film, Antz.

Early in Antz, I was not impressed by the CGI-animation.  It looks stiff and not imaginative, but as the film progresses, especially once the story leaves the colony, Antz begins to show some visual inventiveness.  The film's technical prowess improves as the story demands more complicated and involved action set pieces.

I like the voice cast, which I would call stellar; nine members of Antz's voice cast have won or been nominated for an Oscar – some several times.  However, I'm not that crazy about Woody Allen as the lead character, Z.  It's not that he doesn't do a good job; he does, but Allen is playing a character type that is familiar from his own films, such Hollywood Ending (2002) and Scoop (2006).  At times, Woody doing Woody doesn't really serve this film well.  As much as I like Sharon Stone, I can think of other actresses who could have given a better performance as Princess Bala.  I can say, however, that Gene Hackman is convincingly menacing as General Mandible.

So I'm glad that I finally watched Antz.  2023 was the 25th anniversary of its initial wide theatrical release (specifically October 2, 1998).  It is not as good as even recent DreamWorks Animation productions like The Bad Guys and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.  Still, Antz is what kicked off a line of fine animated feature films.

6 of 10

B

★★★ out of 4 stars

Thursday, February 15, 2024

NOTES:

1999 BAFTA Awards:  1 nomination: “Best Special Effects” (Ken Bielenberg, Philippe Gluckman, John Bell, and Kendal Cronkhite

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Review: Spielberg's "INDIANA JONES and the Temple of Doom" Still Goes Boom! (Celebrating "The Fabelmans")

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 71 of 2022 (No. 1883) by Leroy Douresseaux

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Running time:  118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)
MPAA – PG
DIRECTOR:  Steven Spielberg
WRITERS:  Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz; from a story by George Lucas
PRODUCER:  Robert Watts
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Douglas Slocombe (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Michael Kahn, A.C.E.
COMPOSER:  John Williams
Academy Awards winner

ACTION/ADVENTURE

Starring:  Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan, Amrish Puri, Roy Chiao, Roshan Seth, Philip Stone, Raj Singh, D. R. Nanayakkara, Dan Aykroyd, and Pat Roach

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a 1984 action-adventure film from director Steven Spielberg.  It is the second entry in the “Indiana Jones” film franchise that began with the 1981 film, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), but it is also a prequel to Raiders.  In the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones takes on a secret cult in India in order to reclaim a sacred rock stolen from a simple Indian village.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom opens in Shanghai, 1935.  Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. a.k.a. “Indy” (Harrison Ford) has been hired by Lao Che (Roy Chiao), a Shanghai crime boss, to find the remains of Emperor Nurhaci.  Che betrays Indy, who goes on the run with Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw), one of Che's nightclub singers, and Short Round (Ke Huy Quan), a young Chinese orphan who is Indy's sidekick.

After surviving a plane crash orchestrated by Lao Che, the trio ends up in a small village in northern India.  The village chieftain (D. R. Nanayakkara) believes that Indy's arrival is fated, and that he will help the village with two problems.  The first is to retrieve the village's stolen “Shivalinga,” a rock the villagers hold in high esteem.  Indy believes that this rock is one of the five sacred “Sankara stones.”  The chieftain also wants Indy to find the villagers' missing children.  The chieftain informs Indy that the village's troubles began when the new Maharajá reopened the Pankot Palace in Pankot, an opening that has brought back a “dark light” to the land.

Traveling to Pankot Palace, Indy, Willie, and Short Round discover that the Maharajá of Pankot (Raj Singh) is a child, and beneath his palace, the ancient “Thuggee” cult has also been revived.  The cult leader, Mola Ram (Amrish Puri), wants to find all five Sankara stones in order to gain power from the Thuggees' goddess, Kali.  Now, Indiana Jones has taken it upon himself to stop the cult.

For years, I encountered pretentious film fans who despised Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and who insisted that I should hate it, too.  However, I have always found Temple of Doom to be endlessly entertaining, but I also understand that it has a lot to live up to.  It is the sequel (prequel) to one of the most popular movies of all time and one of the greatest films of all time (as far as I'm concerned), Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a great action-adventure film precisely because the filmmakers were not trying to make “Raiders of the Lost Ark II” so much as they were creating a franchise.  Temple of Doom is essentially world-building, as the film, especially early in the narrative, hints that Indiana Jones has had many adventures.  So before there was Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, there was Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.  That is what I liked most when I first saw it and still like:  Indiana Jones was not a one-time great thing; it was new universe and a new series of adventures centering on an archaeologist who was as much a cowboy as he was an professor and academic.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom also remains the most unique film in the series.  To date, it is the only entry that does not have a single moment set in the United States.  Set in China and India, it is the only film in the series in which the main cast is largely non-white.  The film has an intriguing villain to open the story, the Shanghai crime boss, Lao Che, and a superb main villain, Mola Ram, the Thuggee cult leader.  Both actors play their respective villainous roles quite well.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is also the first film in the series to suggest that Indy has a network of helpers or at least a circle of associates.  For me, Short Round is an excellent sidekick, and he fits better than Kate Capshaw's Willie Scott, who seems like nothing more than a noisy dame.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom also has excellent production values, especially its costumes, hair and make-up, and art direction and sets.  The film won an Oscar for its visual effects, which remain impressive four decades later, especially for the scenes involving the lava pit and the chase through the mine's tunnel system.

I am watching and, in some cases, re-watching early Steven Spielberg films, such as Duel, Jaws, and 1941, in anticipation of Spielberg's autobiographical film, The Fabelmans.  I have lost track of how many times I have watched at least part of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, but this is the first time that I have watched the film in its entirety in decades.  Watching it again, I am sure now, more than ever, that I love this film.  Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was the first sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark, and to date, it remains the best.

8 of 10
A
★★★★ out of 4 stars

Saturday, November 19, 2022

You can purchase the "INDIANA JONES 4-Movie Collection" Blu-ray or DVD here at AMAZON.

NOTES:
1985 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win: “Best Effects, Visual Effects” (Dennis Muren, Michael J. McAlister, Lorne Peterson, and George Gibbs) and 1 nomination: “Best Music, Original Score” (John Williams)

1985 BAFTA Awards:  1 win: “Best Special Visual Effects” (Dennis Muren, George Gibbs, Michael J. McAlister, and Lorne Peterson; 3 nominations: “Best Cinematography” (Douglas Slocombe), “Best Editing” (Michael Kahn), and “Best Sound” (Ben Burtt, Simon Kaye, and Laurel Ladevich)


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Review: Spielberg's "1941" - Raiders of the Lost Invasion (Countdown to "The Fabelmans")

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 67 of 2022 (No. 1879) by Leroy Douresseaux

1941 (1979)

Running time:  118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)

MPAA – PG

DIRECTOR:  Steven Spielberg

WRITERS:  Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale; from a story by Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, and John Milius

PRODUCER:  Buzz Feitshans

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  William A. Fraker (D.o.P.)

EDITOR:  Michael Kahn

COMPOSER:  John Williams

Academy Award nominee

COMEDY/HISTORICAL/WAR

Starring:  John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Christopher Lee, Nancy Allen, Ned Beatty, John Candy, Elisha Cook, Jr., Bobby Di Cicco, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Dianne Kay, John Landis, Michael McKean, Tim Matheson, Toshiro Mifune, Dick Miller, Warren Oates, Slim Pickens, Mickey Rourke, Lionel Stander, Robert Stack, Dub Taylor, Treat Williams, and Frank McRae

1941 is a 1979 comedy, war movie, and period film directed by Steven Spielberg.  Although not as popular or critically acclaimed as Spielberg's earlier films, 1941 began to gain in popularity after an expanded version of the film aired on television.  1941 is set almost a week after the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor and finds various California residents in a state of panic about an alleged inevitable Japanese attack on the state.

1941 opens on Saturday, December 13, 1941, at 7:01 a.m. (six days after the attack on Pearl Harbor).  Surfacing off the Northern California coast is a submarine of the Imperial Japanese Fleet, commanded by Akiro Mitamura (Toshiro Mifune).  Also aboard, as an annoying advisor, is Nazi Kriegsmarine officer, Wolfgang von Kleinschmidt (Christopher Lee).  Because he did not participate in the attack on Pearl Harbor, Commander Mitamura wants to destroy something in Los Angeles, in an act or honor.  He has decided to target “Hollywood,” although he and his crew are having trouble finding the place.

Meanwhile, in Santa Monica, servicemen from the U.S. Army and Navy have overrun the town.  Wayward youth, Wally Stephens (Bobby Di Cicco), is trying to hold on to his girlfriend, Betty Douglas (Dianne Kay).  She is the target of the unwanted attentions of Corporal Chuck Sitarski (Treat Williams), a member of a 10th Armored Division tank crew.  The crew, which also consists of Sergeant Frank Tree (Dan Aykroyd) and Private First Class Foley (John Candy), is suddenly dealing with its newest member, Private Ogden Johnson Jones (Frank McRae), a Black serviceman!

In Death Valley, the cigar-chomping Captain Wild Bill Kelso (John Belushi) of the United States Army Air Forces aims his fighter plane towards L.A. where he believes he will help fight off a Japanese attack.  Everything is going crazy around everyone, and there seems to be a hundred melodramas and subplots.  Can Americans stop fighting Americans long enough prevent a real Japanese attack on Los Angeles and the surrounding area?

I recently saw 1941 for the first time in preparation for this review.  Although I am a huge fan of Steven Spielberg, 1941 was one of his films that I was not really interested in seeing.  I found a DVD copy containing a “restored version” of the film that is almost half an hour longer than the original theatrical release.  When I was a kid, 1941 was considered a “box office bomb,” which is apparently not true.  The film reportedly did make a profit, but it was not as financially or as critically well received as Spielberg's previous films, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and Jaws (1975).

For what it is, 1941 is way too long, even at its original length (1 hour, 58 minutes).  Still, it is funny in many spots, and, in spite of a really large cast, all the individual subplots and comic melodramas do come together so that the film does not feel disjointed.  I like that 1941 gives me a chance to see some of my favorite actors:  Toshiro Mifune, Christopher Lee, Warren Oates, Ned Beatty, and character actors:  Dick Miller, Dub Taylor and Elisha Cook, Jr., all of whom are now deceased.  Another favorite, Robert Stack, practically steals the film as Major General Joseph W. Stillwell, a character that seems to center the film.  And I'm always happy to see Dan Aykroyd.

One thing that really stuck out to me is that much of 1941 seems like a dry run for the action sequences in my favorite Spielberg film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, which would be his next film after 1941.  The action in 1941 is conveyed in a humorous mood, and Raiders, more of an adventure film than an action film, features action scenes that are breath-taking, but are delivered with something like a wink and a nod.

Regardless of where it is positioned in Steven Spielberg's filmography, 1941 shows that, as the guy at the helm, Spielberg's most impressive talent may be his ability to gather a large cast and crew and very talented collaborators in order to make really spectacular films that are epic in scope, even in their quite and funny moments.  1941 is not a great film, but there are moments during this movie when it is obvious that one of the greatest filmmakers of all time is the guiding force and the main man behind it.

5 of 10

B-

★★½ out of 4 stars

Saturday, November 5, 2022

NOTES:

1980 Academy Awards:  3 nominations: “Best Cinematography” (William A. Fraker), “Best Sound” (Robert Knudson, Robert Glass, Don MacDougall, and Gene S. Cantamessa), and “Best Effects, Visual Effects” (William A. Fraker, A.D. Flowers, and Gregory Jein)

The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site or blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: Young Stars Bring "GHOSTBUSTERS: Afterlife" to Life

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 66 of 2021 (No. 1804) by Leroy Douresseaux

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Running time:  124 minutes (2 hours, 4 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for supernatural action and some suggestive references
DIRECTOR:  Jason Reitman
WRITERS:  Gil Kenan and Jason Reitman (based on the film, Ghost Busters, written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis)
PRODUCER:  Ivan Reitman
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Eric Steelberg
EDITORS:  Dana E. Glauberman and Nathan Orloff
COMPOSER:  Rob Simonsen

FANTASY/MYSTERY/ACTION/COMEDY

Starring:  Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Logan Kim, Celeste O'Connor, and Bokeem Woodbine with Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a 2021 supernatural comedy, action and mystery film from director Jason Reitman.  It is the fourth entry in the Ghostbusters film franchise and is a kind of sequel to the original film, 1984's Ghost Busters (now known as “Ghostbusters”), which was directed by Jason's father, Ivan Reitman.  In Afterlife, a single mother and her two children arrive in small town Oklahoma, and the children discover their grandfather's amazing and secret legacy.

Thirty-two years after the events of Ghostbusters II (1989), Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon) and her two children, son Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and daughter Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), arrive in Summerville, Oklahoma.  Currently homeless, they will try to make a new home in the rundown farmhouse owned by Callie's late father, Egon Spengler.  While rooting through some of Egon's belongings, Phoebe discovers a P.K.G. Meter (a ghost-tracking device).  While digging around, Trevor finds a beat-up old car that sports the “Ghostbusters” logo.

Phoebe, who does not believe in the supernatural, makes a friend, a boy named “Podcast” (Logan Kim), who believes in the strange and unusual and discusses it in his podcast.  Trevor makes a friend in a local, a teen girl named Lucky Domingo (Celeste O'Connor).  Eventually, the children discover that Phoebe's summer school teacher, Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), is quite familiar with their grandfather, Egon's legacy as a scientist, an inventor, and a member of “Ghostbusters,” the ghost-catching organization that was famous for its activities in 1980s New York City.  Now, the four youngsters and Callie and Gary must face the same great evil that once confronted the original Ghostbusters.

I was a huge fan of the original Ghostbusters films.  When I first saw Ghost Busters in a movie theater in 1984, I laughed so much that the other people in the theater were giving me the side eye.  I enjoyed the sequel, Ghostbusters II (1989), although many people I knew at the time did not like it all that much.  Still, I was happy, but over the years, Ghostbusters became a fond memory that I sometimes relived via my cable TV package.  In the years that followed Ghostbusters II, there was always talk of a third Ghostbusters film, but I was only mildly interested.

For some people, however, the Ghostbuster films and the related merchandise became a lifestyle choice, something to which they dedicated themselves as if it were hobby, a second career, and maybe even a quasi-religion.  Those were the people who claimed to have been traumatized by the 2016 franchise reboot, Ghostbusters, which featured an all-female cast as the Ghostbusters (and which may have since been re-titled “Ghostbusters: Answer the Call”).  I was only mildly interested in that film, and have seen most of it via cable TV.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is supposed to remedy the trauma of Ghostbusters 2016.  Afterlife director Jason Reitman once said that his film was giving Ghostbusters “back to the fans.”  I never felt like something had been taken from me.  After all, as I've said, I can see the original films at least a few times a week on television.  That said, I do like Afterlife.

Reitman offers an exciting film that is as much a mystery film as it is a comedy, and the secrets of the town of Summerville and its surroundings are quite intriguing and provide a nice setting for the story.  I do wish that the film had given us more on the town and its inhabitants.  However, there is much focus on the darkness at the edge of town – the big bad supernatural being.  Reitman and his co-writer, Gil Kenan, work overtime to make sure everyone understands that the villain is connected to the events of the original film.  I didn't find that connection necessary, but I understand why Reitman and Sony Pictures felt that it was very important to make a hard connection between the events of 1984 and the events of 2021.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife's shining light isn't the desperation to connect to a 37-year-old movie.  Afterlife's true treasures are its young stars:  Mckenna Grace as Phoebe, Finn Wolfhard as Trevor, Celeste O'Connor as Lucky, and Logan Kim as Podcast.  As Phoebe, Grace is totally capable of carrying this film's emotional center and of stabilizing its subplots and narrative threads until they come together.  When Jason Reitman focuses on his young cast, turning them into young supernatural investigators and Ghostbusters, Afterlife explodes with life and has all the magic of an old-fashioned summer blockbuster movie in spite of its November release date.

Yes, it was good to see the original cast members.  No, Paul Rudd is not the star of Afterlife, as the film's trailers and commercials suggest, but he is important to the development of the story.  Yes, Carrie Coon is good as the kid's mother, Callie.  However, it is time for this franchise to move on from nostalgia and fanservice if it is going to have a future.  These four young actors and four new characters are why Ghostbusters: Afterlife can be a true resurrection story.

7 out of 10
B+

Friday, November 19, 2021


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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#28DaysofBlack Review: GET ON UP

[The late Chadwick Boseman portrayed four African-American historical figures, three of them as the lead actor.  His performance as James Brown in “Get on Up” is an example of why so many are devastated by his passing and also by the loss of what could have been.]

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 14 of 2021 (No. 1752) by Leroy Douresseaux

Get on Up (2014)
Running time:  139 minutes (2 hours, 19 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sexual content, drug use, some strong language, and violent situations
DIRECTOR:  Tate Taylor
WRITERS:  Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth; from a story by Steven Baigelman and Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth
PRODUCERS:  Brian Grazer, Erica Huggins, Mick Jagger, Victoria Pearman, and Tate Taylor
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Stephen Goldblatt
EDITOR:  Michael McCusker
COMPOSER:  Thomas Newman

BIOPIC/MUSIC/DRAMA

Starring:  Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd, Jamarion and Jordan Scott, Viola Davis, Lennie James, Fred Melamed, Jamal Batiste, Craig Robinson, Jill Scott, Octavia Spencer, Josh Hopkins, Brandon Mychal Smith, Tika Sumpter, Aunjanue Ellis, Tariq Trotter as Pee Wee Ellis, John Benjamin Hickey, and Allison Janney

Get on Up is a 2014 biographical film and musical drama directed by Tate Taylor.  The film is a fictional depiction of the life of singer, songwriter, recording artist, and concert performer, James Brown (1933-2006).  Get on Up chronicles the rise from extreme poverty of one of the most influential musical performers in history.

Get on Up opens in Augusta, Georgia, the year 1988.  James Brown (Chadwick Boseman), one of the world's most famous recording artists and performers, gets high on mix of marijuana and PCP.   He visits one of his businesses and discovers that someone from a nearby seminar has used his private restroom.  Furious, Brown confronts the seminar attendees while carrying a shotgun, which he accidentally fires into the ceiling.

The film then uses a nonlinear narrative, following James Brown's stream of consciousness, as he recalls events from his life.  We meet young James Brown (Jamarion and Jordan Scott), living in poverty with his mother, Susie Brown (Viola Davis), and abusive father, Joseph “Joe” Brown (Lennie James).  Eventually abandoned by both his parents, young James lives in a brothel run by his Aunt Honey Washington (Octavia Spencer).

Later, James joins “The Flames,” a gospel singing group fronted by his new friend, Bobby Byrd (Nelsan Ellis).  Soon, they become “The Famous Flames” and sing R&B songs, but within a decade James Brown is ready to go solo.  It would not be the last time James is willing to go it alone on the way to becoming one of the most influential singer, songwriters, musicians, producers, dancers, bandleaders, and recording artists of all time.

Director Tate Taylor and screenwriters Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth have fashioned of a story that looks at two sides of James Brown:  his musical talent and performances and his personal and professional relationships.  This allows Get on Up to give audiences what they want – lots of James Brown on stage – and to also tell a behind-the-music-like story of a complicated man.

Get on Up takes its title from a chorus in James Brown's 1970 hit, “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine.”  Brown does indeed “get on up” every time he experiences something personally or professionally that could have brought him down and kept him down.  The thing that I can respect about this film is that it does not only portray Brown as someone who overcomes, but also portrays him as someone who does not appreciate that he was never alone in creating his success.  Late in the film, Brown breaks the fourth wall (one of many times he does this) to tell the audience that he “paid the cost to be the boss.”  However, he did not pay the cost alone, to which wives, girlfriends, lovers, children, band mates, and employees can certainly testify.

Through the impressive work of Get on Up's film editor, Michael McCusker. Tate Taylor jumps around time to show the many faces of this artist who was, in a way, a chameleon as a performer.  We see moments from the years:  1939, 1949, 1955, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1971, 1988, and 1993.  This time-shifting of the film's narrative also reveals the many dark times of Brown's life.

Everyone's work would not mean much without a great performer giving a great performance as James Brown, and Chadwick Boseman certainly does that.  Boseman fashions a James Brown that is perfect for the story that Get on Up tells, creating a Brown that is an inspired genius and a dictatorial general.  Boseman nearly buries himself in the role, and I often found myself forgetting that Get on Up is not a documentary and that the James Brown on screen was a portrait not the real man.  However, Boseman's dynamic performance gives us both sides, the public persona known as James Brown, the musical revolution, and the private James Brown, unyielding to family, friends, collaborators, and partners and beset by demons.

There are other good performances.  Viola Davis packs her own power into every scene in which she appears as Brown's mother, and Octavia Spencer's displays the naturalism of her acting that charms her audiences as well as her fellow thespians.  Nelson Ellis offers a rich and layered performance as Brown's longtime collaborator, Bobby Byrd, and twins Jamarion and Jordan Scott damn near steal Get on Up with their performances as young James Brown.

Because of Chadwick Boseman's tragic passing in 2020, Get on Up will largely be remembered for his performance.  That's a shame because Get on Up is a really good film and is one of the best contemporary biographies of an African-American figure and of an icon figure in popular music in recent memory.  So, I'll take both.  Get on Up captures the music and the madness of James Brown, and the film captures a truly great performance by an actor who was becoming great and greater still before he died.

9 of 10
A+

Monday, February 15, 2021


NOTES:
2015 Black Reel Awards:  3 nominations: “Outstanding Actor, Motion Picture” (Chadwick Boseman), :Outstanding Supporting Actor, Motion Picture” (Nelsan Ellis), and “Outstanding Ensemble” (Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee)

2015 Image Awards (NAACP):  5 nomination: “Outstanding Motion Picture,” “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” (Chadwick Boseman), “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Jill Scott), “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Octavia Spencer), and “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Viola Davis)

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 September 15th to 21st, 2019 - Update #24

Support Leroy on Patreon:

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik, who played nerd couple, "Sheldon & Amy" on CBS' recently ended "The Big Bang Theory," are reportedly reunited for a new sitcom on Fox.  "Entitled "Carla," it is a based on the BBC series, "Miranda."

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SPORTS - From Deadline:  "The Immaculate Reception" has been named the greatest play in the history of the National Football League (NFL) by a nationwide panel of 68 media members.  This article has video of the deflected pass that Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Franco Harris, caught ran for a touchdown in the Steelers first playoff win.

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BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The "Downton Abbey" movie looks like it will squash "Rambo Last Blood" and Brad Pitt's "Ad Astra" to win the weekend box office.

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MOVIES - From YahooMoviesUK:  Samara Weaving, who is starring in "Bill & Ted 3," says that Keanu Reeves is unaware of his huge online fanbase.

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ECO - From Time:  Angelina Jolie writes for "Time Magazine": Climate Change Is Already Displacing Millions of People. It's Our Responsibility to Help Them

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Joe and Anthony Russo ("Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame") will receive will receive the 2019 Publicists Motion Picture Showman of the Year Award from the International Cinematographers Guild.

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STREAMING - From USAToday:  Amazon's "Lord of the Rings" TV series will film in New Zealand (and it already is) as Peter Jackson's film trilogy did.

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DISNEY - From Deadline:  "Vanity Fair" has an advanced excerpt from Disney CEO Bob Iger's memoir, "The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company."  Iger says that if Apple CEO Steve Jobs had lived, Disney and Apple would have merged.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  "Hogan's Heroes" is coming back.  Albert Ruddy, co-creator of the original 1960s comedy TV series, is joining Village Roadshow and Rough Pictures, to produce a sequel that focuses on the descendants of the original TV show who are now treasure hunters.

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STREAMING - From Deadline: NBCUniversal has named its new streaming service "Peacock."  A number of Peacock's series will be reboots of old NBC and Universal properties, like "Saved by the Bell."

From TVLine:  One of the series that NBCUniversal is reviving for its streaming service, "Peacock," is "Saved by the Bell."  Is anyone from the original cast coming back?

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  There will be a second reboot of the old ABC TV series, "Battlestar Galactica."  Fans remember Syfy's 2003-09 series.  Now, NBCUniversal, which owns the property, has ordered a reboot from "Mr. Robot" creator, Sam Esmail.  The new series will debut on NBCU's new streaming service, which was recently named, "Peacock."

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MOVIES - From CBR:  Original "Ghostbusters" star, Dan Aykroyd, will return for the upcoming "Ghostbusters 2020."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:   The winner of the 9/13 to 9/15/2019 weekend box office is "It: Chapter Two" with an estimated take of 40.7 million dollars.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Emmy-winning actress Jane Lynch has revealed that she has joined Grammy and Tony Award-winning singer-songwriter, Cyndi Lauper, and former "Seinfeld" writer, Carol Leifer, in developing a new comedy similar to NBC's long-running hit, "The Golden Girls."  They hope to sell the series to Netflix.

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MOVIES - From TheGuardian:  In its "100 best films of the 21st century" list, the site goes with Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood" (2007) as the top film.  And they stupidly start with the year 2000.

From TheGuardian:  Paul Thomas Anderson talks about his film being #1.

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EMMYS - From IndieWire: Here is the winners' list from the second night of the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

From Variety:  Last night, Saturday, September 14, 2019 was "Night 1" of the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards."  This article has a full list of winners.

From TheWrap:  Last night at the 2019 Creative Arts Emmys, legendary TV producer, Norman Lear, became the oldest Emmy Award winner at the age of 97 years and 49 days old.  He beat a record that had been set half and hour earlier when David Attenborough won an Emmy at the age of 93 years old.

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CULTURE - From THR:  "Who decides who is allowed to say the "N-word?" Kareem Abdul-Jabbar supports writer Walter Mosley's decision to quit the writing staff of "Star Trek: Discovery" after Mosley was admonished for telling a story that involved him using the word "nigger."

From TheNewYorkTimes:  Novelist and screenwriter Walter Mosley explains why he quit "Star Trek: Discover."

OBITS:

From ABC:  Groundbreaking female journalist and political commentator, Cokie Roberts, has died at the age of 75, Tuesday, September 17, 2019.  A three-time Emmy winner, Roberts may be best known for her association with National Public Radio (NPR) and ABC News.  Roberts was a longtime panelist on ABC's Sunday morning news show, "The Week" and ABC's evening news show, "World News Tonight."

From YahooEntertainment:  Actor Brian Turk died at the age of 49, Friday, September 13, 2019.  He was best known for his role as "Gabriel" in HBO's "Carnivale" (2003-2005).  He was a football player at the University of Southern Califonia, and began his acting career in 1993.

From RollingStone:  Singer-songwriter, producer, and recording artist, Ric Ocasek, has died at the age of 75, Sunday, September 15, 2019.  Ocasek is best remembered as the lead singer, primary songwriter, and rhythm guitarist of "the Cars," a band known for fusing pop and new wave music.  Ocasek was also a prolific music producer for other acts including Weezer, No Doubt, and Bad Brains, to name a few.

From YahooEntertainment:  Ric Ocasek, lead singer of the 1970s-80s New Wave rock band, died of cardiovascular disease according to an autopsy report released today, Monday, September 16, 2019, by the New York City medical examiner’s office.  Ocasek passed away Sunday.

Three Ghostbusters Directors Gather at "Ghostbuster Fan Fest" on June 8th

Ivan Reitman, Paul Feig And Jason Reitman To Come Together For The First-Ever Directors’ Panel At Ghostbusters™ Fan Fest Presented By Wizard World June 8, 2019

Directors Of The Original 1984 Film, Ghostbusters II, 2016 Reboot and the Upcoming 2020 Project To Participate On a Directors’ Panel In Celebration Of the Franchise’s 35th Anniversary On The Sony Pictures Studio Lot

CULVER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The once-in-a-lifetime Ghostbusters Fan Fest presented by Wizard World just got a little more special with today’s announcement of the first-ever panel featuring the directors of all four of the franchise’s feature films. Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989)), Paul Feig (Ghostbusters 2016) and Jason Reitman (Ghostbusters-2020) will join to discuss the franchise on the main stage as a prime feature of the blockbuster event, Saturday, June 8, 2019 on the famed Sony Pictures Studio Lot in Culver City, Calif.

    @paulfeig joins the @ghostbusters Fan Fest June 8 on the @sonypictures lot, in a first-ever panel with Ivan and Jason Reitman @wizardworld WhoYaGonnaCall

The Q&A session, part of a daylong celebration of the 35th Anniversary of the original film and 30th of Ghostbusters II, will be open to all Ghostbusters Fan Fest attendees. Class 1, 3, 5 and 10 attendees will have priority seating based on the benefits of their respective tickets.

Feig, who served as both the co-writer (along with Katie Dippold) and director of the 2016 entry in the franchise, is the latest addition to the Ghostbusters Fan Fest celebrity lineup. The creator of “Freaks and Geeks” and director of Bridesmaids, The Heat, Spy and A Simple Favor, Feig has produced, directed, written and acted in films and TV series for more than 30 years.

In addition to participating in the panel, Feig will greet fans, pose for photo ops and sign autographs during the Fan Fest.

“The Directors’ Panel is one of the featured elements that will make Ghostbusters Fan Fest presented by Wizard World memorable for every fan,” said John D. Maatta, President & CEO, Wizard World. “Fans will be able to hear stories from the directors of every Ghostbusters film! This amazing collection of talented filmmakers can only happen at Ghostbusters Fan Fest.”

Jeffrey Godsick, Executive Vice President, Brand Strategy and Global Partnerships for Sony Pictures adds, “We’re excited to have Paul Feig join Ivan and Jason on stage. The Directors’ Panel is the perfect way to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of such a beloved franchise and we’re looking forward to bring these talented filmmakers to some of their biggest fans.”

In addition to the famed directors, headliners scheduled to attend Ghostbusters Fan Fest include Ghostbusters (1984) stars Dan Aykroyd (Dr. Raymond Stantz) and Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore), theme song singer-songwriter Ray Parker Jr., Violet Ramis Stiel, daughter of Ghostbusters writer and actor Harold Ramis, and author of Ghostbusters Daughter: Life with My Dad, Harold Ramis. Numerous supporting cast and crew will be in attendance. Fans will take part in a non-stop series of interactive experiences, live music, costumes, meetups, impersonators, reenactors and more all day.

Other popular guests from the Ghostbusters universe scheduled to attend include William Atherton (“Walter Peck,” Ghostbusters 1984), Joe Medjuck (producer, Ghostbusters 1984, Ghostbusters II, The Real Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2016, Sheldon Kahn (editor, Ghostbusters 1984, Ghostbusters II), Maurice LaMarche (“Dr. Egon Spengler,” The Real Ghostbusters) and Dave Coulier (“Dr. Peter Venkman,” The Real Ghostbusters).

Cast and crew also scheduled to attend include, actors Mark Bryan Wilson (“Slimer”), Billy Bryan (“Stay Puft”), Jennifer Runyon (“female student”), Timothy Carhart (“violinist”), Steve Tash (“male student”), Tom Morga (stunt double, “Dr. Egon Spengler,” others), Tony Cecere (stunts); crew: Steve Johnson (visual effects/sculptor); from Ghostbusters II, appearing are actors Robin Shelby (“Slimer”), Tim Lawrence (“Scoleri brother”) and Jim Fye (“Scoleri brother”).

The evening before, Friday, June 7, 2019, fans can attend a special 35th Anniversary screening of the original 1984 Ghostbusters film with introduction by Dan Aykroyd and Ivan Reitman, on the Sony Pictures Studio Lot.

Following the event on June 7-8, Wizard World will continue its Ghostbusters touring experience at its conventions throughout the country featuring a pop-up shop featuring exclusive Ghostbusters merchandise. Details will be linked at www.wizardworld.com.

Tickets for the premier event are on sale now at https://tixr.com/pr/gbffpr/12066. Packages range in price from a just added $149.99 general admission ticket to $1499 for the ultimate VIP experience, with autographs and photo ops included in some packages.

Fans can learn more about the Ghostbusters Fan Fest presented by Wizard World at http://www.ghostbusters.com/news/ghostbusters-fan-fest.


About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., which is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.

About Ghost Corps
Ghost Corps, Inc., a subsidiary of Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., is focused on expanding the Ghostbusters brand with live-action feature films, animated motion pictures, television, merchandise, and other new entertainment products. Ghost Corps is headquartered on the Sony Pictures Studios lot in Culver City, Calif.

About Wizard Entertainment, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD)
Wizard Entertainment, Inc. (www.wizardworld.com) produces comic, gaming and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop culture: movies, television, gaming, live entertainment, tech, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming and entertainment takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A's, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard Entertainment has also teamed with Sony Pictures Entertainment to find the next generation of movies as well as to engage in a number of strategic initiatives. Fans can interact with Wizard Entertainment at www.wizardworld.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.

The 2019 Wizard World convention schedule is available at: http://www.wizardworld.com/comiccon.

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

Jason Reitman to Appear at "Ghostbusters Fan Fest" in June

Jason Reitman, the Director and Co-Writer of Sony Pictures’ Upcoming Ghostbusters™ Film, to Attend Ghostbusters™ Fan Fest Presented by Wizard World June 7-8, 2019

Joins Dan Aykroyd, Ivan Reitman, Plus Stars of the 1984 Original Film and ‘The Real Ghostbusters’ Series For Live Event On Sony Pictures Studio Lot Celebrating Ghostbusters’ 35th Anniversary

CULVER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As fans get ready for a new chapter of the Ghostbusters universe, attendees of the first-ever Ghostbusters Fan Fest, presented by Wizard World, will hear from Jason Reitman, the director and co-writer (with Gil Kenan) of Sony Pictures’ upcoming 2020 Ghostbusters film, on the famed Sony Pictures Studio Lot this June 7th and 8th, 2019 in Culver City, California. With Ghostbusters (1984) stars Dan Aykroyd (Dr. Raymond Stantz), Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore) and director and producer Ivan Reitman already slated to attend the event with several other stars from across the franchise and a bevy of themed activities, it’s the ultimate, once-in-a-lifetime celebration of everything Ghostbusters.

    Director/writer @JasonReitman will attend @Ghostbusters Fan Fest presented by @WizardWorld, June 7-8 at the @SonyPictures Lot in Culver City, Calif. #whoyagonnacall

“I am thrilled that my role of Brownstone Boy #2 will finally be given proper recognition. Might also chat about the upcoming Ghostbusters film,” said Jason Reitman.

Reitman is a four-time Academy Award® nominated filmmaker. He made his feature film debut with the 2006 Sundance hit, Thank You For Smoking. Reitman notably earned Academy Award® nominations for directing Juno and Up In The Air, the latter of which earned him a Golden Globe® Award, WGA Award and BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay. Other films include Young Adult, Tully, and The Front Runner. Reitman also produced four seasons of the Hulu comedy series, "Casual" through his Right of Way Films. He also executive produced the Academy Award®-winning film Whiplash, Karyn Kusama’s Jennifer’s Body and Jean-Marc Vallee’s Demolition.

Jeffrey Godsick, EVP, Brand Management and Global Partnerships, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group said: “We’re excited to be collaborating with Jason Reitman on this new chapter in the franchise. This will be a unique opportunity for fans to get a sneak peek of Jason’s vision for the film. The Ghostbusters Fan Fest is shaping up as a can’t-miss celebration of Ghostbusters and we couldn’t be more pleased that Jason will be such a big part of it.”

John D. Maatta, CEO of Wizard Entertainment said: “We will continue to bring additional value to fans to ensure the greatest Ghostbusters experience imaginable on June 7 and 8 on the Sony Pictures Studio Lot. Adding Jason to Ghostbusters Fan Fest is the next big step and one that fans will be excited to hear about.”

In addition to the Reitman's, Aykroyd and Hudson, Ghostbusters Fan Fest standout guests include Ghostbusters theme song singer-songwriter Ray Parker Jr., The Real Ghostbusters animated series (1986-91) headliners Maurice LaMarche (Dr. Egon Spengler), Frank Welker (Dr. Raymond Stantz) and Dave Coulier (Dr. Peter Venkman). Fans will participate in exclusive panels with the stars and original crew members, meet the Ghostbusters creators, talent and crew and experience Ghostbusters augmented reality gaming. Other planned Ghostbusters-themed activities include a screening of the original film, a special musical performance by Parker, costume contests, meet-ups, documentary screenings, laser tag, interactive photo booths, exhibitor booths, and much more.

Following the event on June 7-8, Wizard World will continue its Ghostbusters touring experience at its conventions throughout the country featuring a pop-up shop featuring exclusive Ghostbusters merchandise. Details will be linked at www.wizardworld.com.

Tickets for the premier event are on sale now at https://tixr.com/pr/gbffpr/12066. Packages range in price from a just added $149.99 general admission ticket to $1499 for the ultimate VIP experience, with autographs and photo ops included in some packages.

Fans can learn more about the Ghostbusters Fan Fest presented by Wizard World at http://www.ghostbusters.com/news/ghostbusters-fan-fest.


About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., which is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.

About Ghost Corps
Ghost Corps, Inc., a subsidiary of Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., is focused on expanding the Ghostbusters brand with live-action feature films, animated motion pictures, television, merchandise, and other new entertainment products. Ghost Corps is headquartered on the Sony Pictures Studios lot in Culver City, Calif.

About Wizard Entertainment, Inc. (OTCQB:WIZD)
Wizard Entertainment, Inc. (www.wizardworld.com) produces comic, gaming and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop culture: movies, television, gaming, live entertainment, tech, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming and entertainment takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A's, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard Entertainment has also teamed with Sony Pictures Entertainment to find the next generation of movies as well as to engage in a number of strategic initiatives. Fans can interact with Wizard Entertainment at www.wizardworld.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.

The 2019 Wizard World convention schedule is available at: http://www.wizardworld.com/comiccon.

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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 1st to 10th, 2017 - Update #42

Support Leroy on Patreon.

ECO - From EcoWatch:  Leonardo DiCaprio teams with Mexican government to save the "vaquita porpoise," the most endangered marine mammal in the world.

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OBIT - From Variety:  The actor Adam West has died at the age of 88, Friday, June 9, 2017.  West was best known for his portrayal of Batman in the seminal 1960s ABC TV series, "Batman" (1966-68).  He also gave voice to the animated character, Mayor Adam West," in Fox's animated TV series, "Family Guy."

From YahooTV:  Burt Ward, who played Robin to West's Batman in the 1960s, and Julie Newmar, who played "Catwoman" on the series, are remembering their costar, Adam West.  Actor and producer, Seth Green, who worked with Adam West, on Family Guy and "Robot Chicken," also spoke fondly of West.

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OBIT - From Deadline:  The actress Glenne Headly has died at the age of 63, Thursday, June 8, 2017.  She was known for appearing in such films as "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" and "Dick Tracy."  She received an Emmy nomination for her performance in the miniseries, "Lonesome Dove."

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COMICS-FILM - From Twitter:  Marvel debuts poster for #BlackPanther movie.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  The talented Zhang Ziyi joins the third film in Legendary Pictures' "MonsterVerse" universe, "Godzilla: King of Monsters."  The first two were 2014's Godzilla and the recent "Kong: Skull Island."

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MOVIES - From Variety: Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures will distribute the Eli Roth-Bruce Willis remake of the film, "Death Wish," which is due in November.

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COMICS-FILM - From Fandango:  Connie Nielsen, who plays Wonder Woman's mama, Hippolyta, will also appear in this year's "Justice League."

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COMICS-FILM - From THR:  It turns out that "Wonder Woman" director Patty Jenkins is actually not signed to do a sequel to the film.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  FOX is cancelling "24: Legacy," but will explore future versions of the "24" franchise.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Director Ryan Cooger and actor Michael B. Jordan, who have collaborated on two films, "Fruitvale Station" and "Creed," will reunited on an education scandal movie, "Wrong Answer."  Jordan will also appear in Coogler's "Black Panther" for Marvel Studios.

ANIME - From TheReelWord:  Classic anime series, "Cowboy Bebop." is being adapted as a U.S. live-action TV series.

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MOVIES - From SlashFilm:  In addition to directing a sequel to her hit film, "Wonder Woman," Patty Jenkins is working on a horror project for the streaming service, Shudder.

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COMICS-FILM - From Deadline:  Henry Zaga joins "X-Men" spinoff, "New Mutants," as the mutant, Sunspot.

From FlickeringMyth:  Winston Duke will play the "Man-Ape" in Marvel Studios' "Black Panther" and "Avengers: Infinity War," both due in 2018.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Emmy winners Sarah Paulson and Bob Okenkirk join Steve Spielberg's "The Papers," about "the Pentagon Papers."

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CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  George Clooney and his wife, Amal, welcome twins, a girl and a boy.

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MUSIC - From YahooMusic:  Former Pink Floyd front man, Roger Waters, is in a feud with Radiohead's Thom Yorke over Israel and the BDS movement.

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POLITICS - From WashPost:  Most Trump voters were not working class.

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BLM - From TheHill:  Third noose found this week in Washington D.C.

From RSN:  Trump's proposed budget cuts attack civil rights enforcement.

From TheNation:  Even LeBron James cannot escape wave of toxic racist hate.

From TheNewRepublic:  Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, author of "Black Lives Matter to Black Liberation," had to cancel an event because of death threats.

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TELEVISION - From YahooSports:  Hank Williams, Jr. is returning to ESPN's "Monday Night Football" six years after getting fired.

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COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  Did Patty Jenkins and her film, "Wonder Woman," save the DC Extended Universe film franchise?

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MOVIES - From Indiewire:  Terry Gilliam announces that he has finished "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote," after 17 years.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 6/2 to 6/4/2017 weekend box office is "Wonder Woman" with an estimated take of $100 million.

From YahooNews:  Wonder Woman sets the record for biggest opening weekend for a movie directed by a womna (Patty Jenkins).

From CBB:  Deejay Dayton reviews "Wonder Woman" at the ComicBookBin.

From YahooNews:  Lupita Nyong'o is passionate about "Wonder Woman."

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Dan Aykroyd blames director Paul Feig for financial disaster that was the "Ghostbusters" reboot.

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ECO - From TheIndependentUK:  Leonardo DiCaprio responds to President Trump's decision to abandon the Paris climate agreement.

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MUSIC - From Deadline:  Ariana Grande's Manchester benefit concert to air live in over 50 countries.  At the end of her concert in Manchester England on May 22, 2017, there was a suicide bombing that killed 22 people.

----------
TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  Bill Maher uses the term "house nigger," and I don't have a problem with it - Leroy the Negro.

From People:  Bill Maher apologizes... of course, he did.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Tom Cruise reveals that the "Top Gun" sequel will be titled "Top Gun: Maverick."

----------
COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  Blu Hunt will play the character "Danielle Moonstar" in X-Men spinoff, "New Mutants."

----------
TELEVISION - From ThePlaylist:  The final season of "Game of Thrones" may not debut until 2019.

----------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  For nine season, Leah Remini co-starred with Kevin James on the CBS sitcom, "The King of Queens."  Now, Remini will reunite with James on Season 2 of his current CBS sitcom, "Kevin Can Wait," as a regular cast member.

From YahooTV:  Errin Hayes, who played the wife "Donna" on "Kevin Can Wait," has left the show, one day after it was announced that series star Kevin James would be reuniting with his "The King of Queens" costar, Leah Remini.

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  The first trailer for "Murder on the Orient Express" (20th Century Fox)

From YouTube:  Trailer for Kate Winslet/Idris Elba film, "The Mountain Between Us (20th Century Fox).

Fathom Events Calls Original "Ghostbusters" Back to Theaters

Tickets Now Available for Audiences to Celebrate the Nationwide Re-Release of the Original ‘Ghostbusters’ (1984) in Select U.S. Cinemas

Fathom Events and Sony Pictures Entertainment Present This Fan-Favorite Back in Movie Theaters This Summer on June 8 and 12 Only

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tickets are now available for audiences to revisit “Ghostbusters” (1984) in select U.S. cinemas on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 – the anniversary of the original release date – and Sunday, June 12, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. local time (both dates). The classic film is being re-released in anticipation of the worldwide release of “Ghostbusters” (2016), starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Chris Hemsworth in theaters July 15, 2016. These special screenings of the original film include an exclusive sneak peek of the highly-anticipated new “Ghostbusters.”

    .@FathomEvents News: Who you gonna call when the cinema becomes your gateway to 1984 w/ @Ghostbusters 6/8 & 12

Tickets for “Ghostbusters” (1984) can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 830 movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

After a team of underdog scientists (Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray) lose their cushy positions at a university in New York City, they decide to set out on their own and become "ghostbusters," waging a high-tech battle with supernatural spirits taking up residency in New York City. In their paranormal investigations, they stumble upon a gateway to another dimension – a doorway that will release evil upon the city – and the ghostbusters must now save the Big Apple from complete destruction. Released in 1984, the original “Ghostbusters” was directed and produced by Ivan Reitman, written by Aykroyd and Ramis, and starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis and Ernie Hudson. Following these special screenings, the classic “Ghostbusters” will go back into the vault until the release of the new film.

“Before the new ‘Ghostbusters’ hits theaters, there’s no better way to get excited than by seeing the original back in its home on the big screen,” Fathom Events Vice President of Studio Relations Tom Lucas said. “Fathom Events is bringing this classic re-release to audiences all across the country, and we are thrilled for fans new and old to see it in its original glory with special added content.”


About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is the event cinema distribution arm of AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), the three largest movie theater circuits in the U.S., and is recognized as the leading distributor of alternative content. It offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events in movie theaters nationwide that include live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions such as the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live’s Hamlet, sporting events like FS1 Presents USA v Mexico, concerts with Roger Waters and One Direction, the TCM Presents classic film series and faith-based events such as The Drop Box and Four Blood Moons. Fathom Events also takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. In addition, Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 885 locations and 1,348 screens in 181 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

About Ghostbusters (2016)
Ghostbusters makes its long-awaited return, rebooted with a cast of hilarious new characters. Thirty years after the beloved original franchise took the world by storm, director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today – Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth. This summer, they’re here to save the world! The film is produced by Ivan Reitman and Amy Pascal, and written by Katie Dippold & Paul Feig, based on the 1984 film “Ghostbusters,” written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and directed by Ivan Reitman. The film will be released in theaters nationwide on July 15, 2016.

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Two Classic Supernatural Comedies Like You’ve Never Seen Them Before

Ghostbusters & Ghostbusters II Debut on 4K Ultra HD™ June 7

Ultimate Home Theater Experience Features High Dynamic Range and All-New Dolby Atmos Soundtracks

CULVER CITY, Calif. -- Fans will now be able to experience particle beams and ectoplasm like never before when Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II debut June 7, 2016 on next generation 4K Ultra HD disc with High Dynamic Range (HDR) from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE). Perfect for Father’s Day gifting, each 4K Ultra HD release will also include the recent anniversary Blu-rays, bursting with all the bonus materials, including previously released legacy content, commentary and the interactive Slimer Mode.

As two of the first Sony 4K Ultra HD disc releases, both films were fully restored from the 35mm original camera negatives, thereby utilizing in 4K the full resolution, detail and color depth inherent in the film. 4K Ultra HD is the perfect way to finally experience these comprehensive restorations at full 4K resolution in the home – it features four times the resolution of high definition, along with High Dynamic Range (HDR), which produces brilliant highlights, vibrant colors and greater contrast on compatible displays. Additionally, both films have been remixed specifically for the home theater environment with Dolby Atmos® audio, delivering captivating sound that places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead.

These new 4K Ultra HD releases precede the July 15, 2016 U.S. premiere of Sony Pictures’ highly anticipated new motion picture, Ghostbusters, from director Paul Feig, starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth.

Also, as part of the excitement surrounding the arrival of the new film, SPHE will release over 50 episodes of the iconic 1980s animated series, The Real Ghostbusters, on DVD July 7 and on Digital, from Ivan Reitman, DiC and Sony Pictures Television.

Both Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II are directed and produced by Ivan Reitman (Meatballs, Stripes), and written by Dan Aykroyd (My Girl) and Harold Ramis (Knocked Up). Bill Murray (St. Vincent), Dan Aykroyd (Blues Brothers), and Sigourney Weaver (Aliens) star, along with Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day) and Rick Moranis (Honey I Shrunk the Kids). Ernie Hudson (TV’s “Oz”) and Annie Potts (TV’s “Designing Women”) also star. Ghostbusters is ranked No. 28 on the AFI’s List of America’s Funniest Movies.

SYNOPSES:
Ghostbusters: University parapsychologists Dr. Peter Venkman (Murray), Dr. Raymond Stanz (Aykroyd) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Ramis) lose a research grant when their experiment methodology is proven to be bogus. The team decides to go into business for themselves and open ‘Ghostbusters,’ a ghost removal service. After struggling to get on their feet, they are summoned to investigate the strange happenings in Dana Barrett’s (Weaver) Central Park West apartment. What they discover is that all Manhattan is being besieged by ghosts and other-worldly demons through a portal in her building.

Ghostbusters II: Supernatural superstars Peter Venkman (Murray), Dr. Raymond Stanz (Aykroyd) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Ramis) spring back into action when the infant son of Dana Barrett (Weaver) becomes the target of a powerful demonic force. Reunited with their industrious secretary Janine (Potts) and the nerdy, near-sighted Louis (Moranis), the ‘heroes of the hereafter’ must put a stop to an enormous underground river ready to rot the roots of the entire Big Apple.

GHOSTBUSTERS & GHOSTBUSTERS II 4K Ultra HD Releases Include:
§  Feature films in 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR)
§  Dolby Atmos soundtracks (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible)*
§  Includes high-def Blu-rays featuring the films and special features

*To experience Dolby Atmos at home, a Dolby Atmos enabled AV receiver and additional speakers are required, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar; however, Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.

GHOSTBUSTERS Blu-ray Special Features:
§  Who You Gonna Call: A Ghostbusters Retrospective - Roundtable Discussion with Director Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd (Part 1)
§  Poster Art Gallery – Gallery of 1988 artwork
§  Ghostbusters Music Video – Ray Parker, Jr.
§  Slimer Mode – Picture in Picture and Trivia Track
§  Commentary with Ivan Reitman, Harold Ramis & Joe Medjuck
§  10 Deleted Scenes
§  1984 Featurette
§  Cast and Crew Featurette
§  SFX Team Featurette
§  Multi-Angles
§  Ecto-1: Resurrecting the Classic Car
§  Ghostbusters Garage: Ecto-1 Gallery Storyboard Comparisons

GHOSTBUSTERS II Blu-ray Special Features:
§  Time Is But A Window: Ghostbusters II and Beyond - Roundtable Discussion with Director Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd (Part 2)
§  Deleted Scenes
§  “On Our Own” Music Video – Bobby Brown
§  Theatrical Trailers

GHOSTBUSTERS has a run time of approximately 105 minutes and is rated PG.

GHOSTBUSTERS II has a run time of approximately 108 minutes and is rated PG.


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

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Review: "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" a Nice Ode to 1940s Era Films

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 255 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001)
Running time:  103 minutes (1 hour, 43 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some sexual content
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Woody Allen
PRODUCER:  Letty Aronson
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Zhao Fei
EDITOR:  Alisa Lepselter

COMEDY/CRIME/MYSTERY/ROMANCE

Starring:  Woody Allen, Helen Hunt, Dan Aykroyd, Brian Markinson, Elizabeth Berkley, Wallace Shawn, Charlize Theron, David Ogden Stiers, and Carol Bayeux

The subject of this movie review is The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, a 2001 romance, crime-comedy and mystery film from writer-director Woody Allen.  The film follows an insurance investigator and an efficiency expert, both hypnotized into stealing jewels by a crooked hypnotist using a jade scorpion.

New York City – 1940:  C.W. Briggs (Woody Allen) is the top insurance investigator for North Coast Casualty and Fidelity of New York, and he is his boss, Chris Magruder’s (Dan Aykroyd) go-to-guy when it comes to solving the thefts of high value items that North Coast is insuring.  C.W. has also been sparring with the company’s latest hire, Betty Ann Fitzgerald (Helen Hunt), an efficiency expert with an eye on putting C.W. in his place.

At a dinner party, a crooked hypnotist named Voltan (David Ogden Stiers) uses a jeweled charm, the Jade Scorpion, to hypnotize C.W. and Betty Ann.  Soon, the combative co-workers are babbling like love struck kids.  Their colleagues think this is some kind of clever hypnosis gag, so no one realizes that Voltan has placed C.W. and Betty Ann under a post-hypnotic suggestion.  Voltan controls C.W. and makes the insurance investigator use his professional skills and inside information to steal a fortune in jewels from two prominent families that have insured their treasure with North Coast.  With the police after him for the robberies, will C.W. ever get a clue that he’s a hypnotized dupe?

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is Woody Allen’s delightful ode to movies from the 1940’s, like his delightful 1987 movie, Radio Days, was.  Jade is a nod to the light mystery films of the 40’s, but here, this material isn’t particularly strong, although the acting is quite good and gives the movie a sense of earnest fun.  The entire cast seems up to recreating both the style and ambience of 40’s era movies and the characters in them, and that’s a credit to Allen’s direction.

Helen Hunt is spicy as Betty Ann Fitzgerald, and she makes an excellent foil for Allen’s C.W. Briggs, who is the typical wisecracking character Allen plays in his comedies.  Charlize Theron glams it up to create the sexy, bold, and randy Laura Kensington, a character with an unfortunately too small part because she gives this flick a much-needed kick in the rear every time she’s on screen.  Brian Markinson, Elizabeth Berkley, and Wallace Shawn also add the right touches to their parts and add flavor to this film.

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion isn’t great Allen, nor is it anywhere nearly as good as Radio Days.  It’s a minor, but good Allen flick that will entertain Allen fans to one extent or another.

6 of 10
B

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Updated:  Monday, May 19, 2014

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