Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 1st to 6th, 2024 - UPDATE #19

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

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ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Drew Barrymore has said that her frequent co-star, Adam Sandler, has written the screenplay for "Happy Gilmore 2," a sequel to one of his most popular films.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Actor Raymond Lee, star of NBC's "Quantum Leap," reboot announced via "Instagram" that the NBC has cancelled the series after two seasons.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Writer-producer-director-star Dev Patel talks about how important Oscar-winner Jordan Peele was in getting his debut feature, "Monkey Man," into theaters.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Netflix has revealed the cast of "Tyler Perry’s Beauty in Black."  The new 16-episode, hour-long drama series is coming to the streamer as a result of a previously announced creative partnership between Netflix and Tyler Perry.  The deal calls for Perry will write, direct, and produce feature films and series under a multi-year first-look deal.  Cast members include Taylor Polidore Williams, Amber Reign Smith, Crystle Stewart, Ricco Ross, Debbi Morgan, and Richard Lawson, to name a few.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Emmy-winning actress, Gillian Anderson, won't say "No" to appearing in Ryan Coogler's planned reboot of Fox's former sci-fi drama, "The X-Files."  Anderson played FBI Agent Dana Scully in the series, which ran from 1993 to 2002 and again from 2016-18.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Bob Iger thug life is still a thing.  Disney has succeeded in barring Nelson Peltz from its board of directors as shareholders at the company’s hotly anticipated annual meeting today voted in its slate of 12 nominees, fending off outsiders. It was a months-long bitter and costly fight.  Neither Pletz nor anyone from his Trian Group or Blackwells landed anyone on the board.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Warner Bros. is returning to "the Matrix" for a fourth sequel.  "Matrix 5" will be written and directed by Drew Goddard.  Lana Wachowski, the co-creator of the franchise and the director of the fourth film, "The Matrix: Resurrections," will be an executive producer on this film.  No word yet on what actor will be returning.

STAGE - From Deadline:  The Jamie Lloyd Company announced the full cast for the upcoming West End production of Romeo & Juliet.  They confrimed that newcomer Francesca Amewudah-Rivers confirmed as Juliet opposite Tom Holland as Romeo.  "Romeo & Juliet" opens at the Duke of York’s Theatre on Thursday, May 23, 2024, with previews from Saturday, May 11, and runs until Saturday, August 3.

MUSIC/MOVIES - From TheRoot:  Inspired by Beyonce's smash hit new country album, "Cowboy Carter," "The Root" has a list of must see Black Western films.  The list includes a couple of Idris Elba films, "The Harder They Fall" and "Concrete Cowboy."

SCANDAL - From THR:  The estate of the late, legendary comedian, George Carlin, has settled a lawsuit it brought against the makers of a podcast that used generative AI to impersonate the late stand-up comic's voice and style for an unauthorized special.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Chris Carter, the creator of Fox's former sci-fi drama, "The X-Files," talks about the reboot being shepherded by Ryan Coogler ("Black Panther").  Also, he mentions that original series star, Gillian Anderson ("Dana Scully") did not have enough "sex appeal" for Fox executives.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Oscar-nominee Benedict Cumberbatch and Oscar-winner Olivia Colman will star in director Jay Roach's reimagining of the 1989 film, "The War of the Roses."  The original was directed by Danny DeVito and starred Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Emmy-winner Felicity Huffman ("Desperate Housewives") joins Paramount+'s "Criminal Minds: Evolution" Season Two.

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:  The winner of the 3/29 to 3/31/2024 weekend box office is Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment's "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" with an estimated take of 80 million dollars.

From Variety:  "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" had an opening weekend of RMB317 (the equivalent of 44.6 million dollars) in mainland China, between Friday and Sunday (March 29th-31st).  Thus far, it is the biggest opening of any Hollywood film in China this year.

From Here:  A review of "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" by Leroy Douresseaux.

OBITS:

From Variety:  American actor, writer, and comedian, Joe Flaherty, has died at the age of 82, Monday, April 1, 2024.  A prolific actor, he was best known for his roles on the Canadian sketch comedy series, "Second City Television" ("SCTV"), and on the former NBC sitcom, "Freaks and Geeks."  As a writer, he shared nine Primetime Emmy nominations for his work on SCTV, winning twice.

From THR:  American film, television, and stage actress, Barbara Rush, has died at the age of 97, Sunday, March 31, 2024.  She appeared in over one hundred films, TV series, and TV movies.  Her best known film appearances include "It Came From Outer Space" (1953), "Magnificent Obsession" (1954), "The Young Philadelphians" (1959), and "Robin and the 7 Hoods" (1964), to name a few.  She appeared in such TV series as ABC'S "Peyton's Place" and "All My Children," NBC's "Flamingo Road," and The WB's "7th Heaven," to name a few.  In 1954, Rush won the "Golden Globe Award" for "New Star of the Year - Actress."

From THR:  American visual effects artist, Tim McGovern, has died at the age of 68, Saturday, March 30, 2024.  He won the "Special Achievement Academy Award" for his work on "Total Recall," sharing the win with Eric Brevig, Rob Bottin, and Alex Funke.  A digital effects pioneer, McGovern was also a founding member of Sony Picture ImageWorks, where he worked on such films as "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" (2015) and "Dunkirk" (2017).  His other credits include "Last Action Hero" (1993), "As Good as It Gets" (1997), and "Shazam: Fury of the Gods" (2023).

From THR:  American film and television writer and producer and TV director, Norman Steinberg, has died at the age of 83, Saturday, March 15, 2024.  Steinberg is best known for co-writing Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" (1974) and Richard Benjamin's "My Favorite Year" (1982), which starred Peter O'Toole.  He won a Primetime Emmy Awards for cowriting an episode of the former NBC variety series, "The Flip Wilson Show."

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 6th to 12th, 2019 - Update #26

Support Leroy on Patreon:

MY REVIEW OF "GEMINI MAN" IS here.
MY REVIEW OF "JOKER" IS here.

POLITICS - From YahooLifestyle:  "You wouldn't know a joke if one raised you," Senator Kamala Harris tells Donald Trump, Jr. a.k.a. "Dumb, Jr."

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MUSIC - From YahooMusic:  Tina Turn called Elton John "fat."

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Bob Weinstein is trying to recover from the crap storm that is his brother, Harvey Weinstein, and all his sexual abuse allegations.  Bob has launched a boutique production label, "Watch This Entertainment."  First project is the animated film, "Endangered," which Bob is producing with actress Tea Leoni.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Gal Gadot ("Wonder Woman") and her husband, Jason Varsano, have formed a production company, Pilot Wave.  Their first film project will be the fact-based historical thriller, "Irene Sendler."

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  A judge has rejected AMC's claim that it is not responsible for the death of stuntman John Bernecker on the set of "The Walking Dead" in 2017.  Bernecker's family filed suit in 2018, and a trial is scheduled to begin December 9th, 2019.  AMC has made several claims of immunity from the lawsuit and about not being responsible for the accident that took Bernecker's life.

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DISNEY - From Variety:  Emmy-winner Billy Porter will play the "fairy godmother" in a re-imagined musical version of "Cinderella" that Sony is producing.

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TELEVISION - From TVLine:   Actress Drew Barrymore's syndicated daytime talk show gets a green light from CBS Television Distribution.  A pilot for the show has already been shot.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Kerry Washington is join super-producer Ryan Murphy's "The Prom," which already includes actors like Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman.

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SPORTS-POLITICS - From CNN:  Here is a timeline of the ongoing controversy involving the National Basketball Association, China, the Hong Kong protests, the NBA's Houston Rockets, and a tweet.

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MOVIES - From ScreenDaily:  Will Smith, "Gemini Man," Ang Lee and the viability of high fps (frames-per-second) film - also known as HFR (high frame rate) films.  24 fps is the usual rate.

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MOVIES-STREAMING - From Movieweb:  The new "Masters of the Universe" movie is due to hit theaters in March 2021.  However, Sony may sell the expensive project to Netflix reportedly to minimize financial risk.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has landed one of the lead roles in "The Matrix 4," which is being directed by one of the franchise's creators, Lana Wachowski.

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TELEVISION-AWARDS - From Deadline:  Actress, writer, and producer, Mindy Kaling, talks about the Emmy vetting process done by the Television Academy, which led to her being "singled out," as she describes it.

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SCANDAL - From Variety:  Ronan Farrow, whose work revealed Harvey Weinstein's history of sexual abuse, makes a shocking allegation in his new book, "Catch and Kill.  Farrow alleges that former NBC "Today" co-anchor, Matt Lauer, raped a colleague.

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DISNEY - From Variety:  Daveed Diggs, who won both a Tony Award and a Grammy for his work on the Broadway musical, "Hamilton," will play "Sebastian the Jamaican crab" in Disney's live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid."

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Len Wiseman ("Underworld") is set to direct "Ballerina," a female-centric spinoff of the "John Wick" film franchise."

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  "Prodigal Son" becomes the first series of the new Fall TV season to get a full-season pickup from Fox.  Fox had ordered 13 episodes of the the serial killer/family drama, and has upped that to a full 22-episode season.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 10/5 to 10/7/2019 weekend box office is "Joker" with an estimated take of 93.5 million dollars.

From Variety:  "Joker" is the biggest October launch in domestic box office history.  It's 93.5 million dollars surpasses the previous record holder, "Venom" which made 80 million dollars in its October 2018 opening weekend.

From Variety:  "Joker" dominates international box office with 140.5 million in overseas box office.

From Variety:  Todd Phillips' "Joker," starring Joaquin Phoenix in the title role, sets an October opening day record with an estimated 39.9 million dollar opening on Friday, October 5, 2019

From Patreon:  A review of "Joker."

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CELEBRITY - From ABCNews:  Tyler Perry christened his new 250 million dollar movie studio Sat., Oct, 5th with a star-studded opening gala, complete with red carpet.  The property has once served as a Confederate army base.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Taika Waititi talks about playing Adolf Hitler in his film, "Jojo Rabbit."

OBITS:

From Variety:  The actor Robert Forster has died at the age of 78, Friday, October 11, 2019.  Forster was a prolific character actor who had almost 200 acting credits.  He received a best supporting actor Oscar nomination for his role of "Max Cherry" in Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown."  He appeared in TV series such as "Last Man Standing" and "Twin Peaks," and he died the same day as the debut of one of his last projects, "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie."

From Deadline:  The actor and comedian, Rip Taylor, has died at the age of 84, Sunday, October 6, 2019.  Taylor was known for his exuberant and flamboyant personality and for showering himself and others in confetti.  He was an a voice actor on animated series, including voicing "Uncle Fester" on the 1992 "Addams Family" animated series.  Taylor appeared on talk and variety shows and was a panelist on several game shows, including Hollywood squares.

Review: "50 First Dates" Surprisingly Works (Happy B'day, Adam Sandler)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 24 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

50 First Dates (2004)
Running time:  99 minutes (1 hour, 39 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for appeal for crude sexual humor and drug references
DIRECTOR:  Peter Segal
WRITER:  George Wing
PRODUCERS:  Jack Giarraputo, Steve Golin, Nancy Juvonen
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Jack Green (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Jeff Gourson
COMPOSER:  Teddy Castellucci

COMEDY/ROMANCE

Starring:  Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Rob Schneider, Sean Astin, Lusia Strus, Dan Aykroyd, Amy Hill, Blake Clark, Nephi Pomaikai Brown, and Allen Covert

The subject of this movie review is 50 First Dates, a 2004 romantic comedy starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore.  The film focuses on a man, who is afraid of commitment, and the girl of his dreams, who has short-term memory loss and wakes up every morning not remembering who he is.

The reunion of The Wedding Singer co-stars Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore sounds like a great idea, which it is, but even better than a great idea is when the movie reunion turns out to be such a charming and hilarious romantic comedy.  Although I initially had some misgivings about it, 50 First Dates is not only flat out hilarious, it’s also a very good romantic comedy.  50 First Dates' faults are few or are minor, but it definitely felt too long.

Lothario Henry Roth (Adam Sandler) is a serial dater, loving and leaving a legion of women and assorted lovers in the wake of whirlwind, weekend romances.  He finally believes he’s find that special lady when he experiences love at first sight.  However, Lucy Whitmore (Drew Barrymore), the object of his affection, suffers from short-term memory loss (like the protagonist in Memento) as the result of a car accident a year earlier.  Every day she awakens with no memory of anything she’s learned in the time since her accident.  After gaining the grudging approval of Lucy’s father, Marlin (Blake Clark), and brother, Doug (Sean Astin), Henry concocts a plan to remind Lucy of his love for her as the first thing she discovers when she awakens each morning, but for how long will she go along with the plan?

Director Peter Segal helmed Sandler’s 2003 smash, Anger Management, which is a harder belly laugh film.  Here, Segal smartly focuses on the leads to create and sustain the star-crossed romance, and he makes the best and most appropriate use of the supporting characters.  He lets the comic relief provide silly laughs and the more “mature” characters make just enough intensity to create what little dramatic conflict and tension 50 First Dates needs.  George Wing’s script is an exercise in sustaining laughs long enough to keep the audience chuckling and not looking behind the curtain to see the credibility gaffes until the film is over and they’ve reached the parking.

For all his detractors, Sandler is truly a talented comedian, and he has become a very accomplished comic actor.  His deadpan, sarcastic, neo-slob characters are endearing and charming, and the only viewers who truly dislike simply just want to dislike him.  Drew Barrymore is quite attractive, and, in spite of her beauty, she has an everyman, make that every woman quality, which endears her characters to the audience.  Sandler and Ms. Barrymore make a winning screen pair, and hopefully they won’t wait too long before giving us another fine film.

7 of 10
B+

Updated:  Monday, September 09, 2013

The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Review: "Curious George" is Made with Love

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 207 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Curious George (2006) – animated
Running time:  88 minutes (1 hour, 28 minutes)
MPAA – G
DIRECTOR:  Matthew O’Callaghan
WRITERS:  Ken Kaufman; from a story by Mike Werb and Ken Kaufman (based on the books by H.A. and Margaret Rey)
PRODUCERS:  Ron Howard, David Kirschner, and Jon Shapiro
EDITOR:  Julie Rogers
COMPOSER: Heitor Pereira

ANIMATION/FAMILY/FANTASY/COMEDY/MUSIC

Starring:  (voices) Will Ferrell, Drew Barrymore, David Cross, Eugene Levy, Joan Plowright, Dick Van Dyke, and Frank Welker

Curious George and his pal, The Man in the Yellow Hat, the heroes of the Curious George series of children’s books created by H.A. and Margaret Rey come to life in the 2006 animated film, Curious George.  The film is the only hand-drawn animated film to be released by a major studio this year, in this case Universal Pictures.  There are, however, some computer-animated of CG backgrounds, sets, and objects used throughout the film.

Ted (Will Ferrell) is a highly enthusiastic guide at the Bloomsberry Museum, but one day he learns from the museum’s owner, Mr. Bloomsberry (Dick Van Dyke), that the museum will be closed because of meager attendance.  Mr. Bloomsberry’s son, Bloomsberry, Jr. (David Cross), is actually glad the museum will close because he plans on turning the museum’s site into a parking garage.  Knowing that it will take an amazing new exhibit to attract more visitors to the museum, Ted (the name given to The Man in the Yellow Hat for this movie), embarks on a trip to the jungles of Africa to find and bring back a priceless artifact, a gigantic idol located in The Lost Shrine of Zagawa.

Although Ted doesn’t find the idol, a mischievous and inquisitive monkey (actually a chimp) finds Ted, who is dressed in a yellow getup topped off by a big yellow hat.  Ted befriends the monkey, and when he leaves Africa crestfallen at failing to secure a giant idol, the monkey follows him and secretly stows away on the boat back to America.  Upon returning to the big city, Ted is horrified to discover his simian friend has followed him.  Although the monkey, which he names George (Frank Welker), is a troublemaker, Ted soon befriends him and they’re off on an adventure to save the Bloomsberry Museum.

Using illustrator H.A. Rey’s style guide of primary colors as the pallet, the animators of Curious George have created a traditional animated feature film with the warmth and feeling of something like classic Walt Disney hand drawn animated films.  They succeed so well at creating quality 2D animation that whenever CG intrudes, the computer stuff looks like a rude guest or even a party crasher.  Luckily, the luminous, hand-drawn animation surpasses any techno disturbances in the movie.

The voice acting works well, and David Cross as Bloomsberry, Jr. offers a surprise in the way he quietly steals scenes.  Will Ferrell dials back his hyperactivity to make Ted witty, humble, self-effacing, and a man with a good sense of humor who only occasionally drops a sarcastic bomb.  Frank Welker (the voice of “Abu,” Aladdin’s monkey sidekick in Walt Disney’s Aladdin films) adds the cooing, chattering, and gentle sounds of George that create harmony with Ferrell as Ted.  Songs by popular recording artist Jack Johnson (In Between Dreams) and the score by Heitor Pereira (Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights) capture the essence of George’s inquisitive nature and his need to touch and feel the world around him and also the nature of the bond between Ted and George.

Curious George is an animated film for children who identify with George the nosey explorer, and if their parents have the ability to understand how and why George’s curious nature appeals to children, they’ll be down with this rascally chimp, too.  For the rest: some of us may find that the lovingly crafted, old-fashioned 2D animation will blind us to whatever faults this flick has.

8 of 10
A

Thursday, October 05, 2006

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Review: "Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle" Sputters

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 100 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux


Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour, 46 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for action violence, sensuality and language/innuendo
DIRECTOR: McG
WRITERS: John August and Cormac Wibberley and Marianne Wibberley, from a story by John August (from the television program created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts)
PRODUCERS: Drew Barrymore, Leonard Goldberg, and Nancy Juvonen
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Russell Carpenter (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Wayne Wahrman
COMPOSER: Edward Shearmur
Razzie Award winner

ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY/MYSTERY

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Lui, Demi Moore, Bernie Mac, Justin Theroux, Robert Patrick, Luke Wilson, Matt LeBlanc, Crispin Glover, John Cleese, Shia LaBeouf, Ashley Olsen, Mary-Kate Olsen, Pink, Jaclyn Smith, Bruce Willis (no screen credit), and John Forsythe (voice)

The subject of this movie review is Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, a 2003 action comedy from director McG. This movie is a direct sequel to the 2000 film, Charlie’s Angels. Both films are based on the television series, “Charlie’s Angels,” which was originally broadcast on ABC from 1976 to 1981. As in the first film, Full Throttle stars Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu as three women employed by a private investigation agency and working for the voice known as “Charlie.”

Charlie’s Angels, the 2000 film remake of the 70-80’s TV show of the same name, was a hoot, a delightful and highly entertaining action/comedy with the guile of a cool Frank Miller comic book. Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, the 2003 sequel, is an overblown, way over-the-top Hollywood production that’s way too full of crap, and miraculously, it still manages to be somewhat entertaining.

It’s pointless to even attempt to describe the plot, as it’s muddled nonsense. The real plot involves the indelicate manner in which the filmmakers place Charlie’s Angels in positions and situations that create mondo opportunities for shots of tits and ass. Natalie Cook (Cameron Diaz), Dylan Sanders (Drew Barrymore), and Alex Munday (Lucy Lui) return as Charlie Townsend’s (voice of John Forsythe) high tech-trained, super-powered, manga-like cuties. This time the grrrrls have to retrieve two encrypted rings, which when combined give up the locations of people in the FBI witness relocation program, and wouldn’t the bad guys love to have that info.

McG, the director of the first film, returns to helm this gigantic, flatulent cartoon that is Full Throttle. The script is lame, but all McG has to do is make the pictures look good, and, as a music video director, he knows how to do that. Imagine The Matrix on drain cleaner, Japanese cartoons (anime) on fast forward, soft porn on the rag, and comic books conceived by horny, high school upper classmen and dull-witted sorority boys and you have the Charlie’s Angel's sequel. Don’t get me wrong; there are lots of laughs. It’s difficult to tell if the filmmakers were trying to be clever or if they were cynical enough to believe that audiences really would take it ‘tween the cheeks. The end result is this dumb as a low-rent retard movie.

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle parodies action movie clichés…badly, and also throws in a stiff riff from Martin Scorcese’s Cape Fear. It’s just too over the top and too much of a crack-addled cartoon. I did like the way the filmmakers tried to created the vibe of a family extended around the Angels; that actually gave me warm feelings. Still, I was half enthralled and half bored out of my mind. For all the fun I had, there were as many moments when I wondered why the experience of seeing this felt so wasteful. This is simply too much candy, and frankly, unless you really crave an empty movie experience, you can wait for the tape. Someone might tell you that this is a sly, wink-wink, nudge-nudge movie and you have to take it for what it is. If he tries to spin trash as something smart, he is a way-too-easy ho for the big, movie making machine in la-dee-da land.

4 of 10
C

NOTES:
2004 Razzie Awards: 2 wins: “Worst Remake or Sequel” and “Worst Supporting Actress” (Demi Moore); 5 nominations: “Worst Actress” (Drew Barrymore, also for Duplex-2003), “Worst Actress” (Cameron Diaz), “Worst Excuse for an Actual Movie” (All Concept/No Content!), “Worst Picture” (Columbia), and “Worst Screenplay” (John August-also story, Cormac Wibberley, and Marianne Wibberley)

Updated: Thursday, June 27, 2013

Review: "Charlie’s Angels" Pure Pop Pleasure

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 99 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux


Charlie’s Angels (2000)
Running time: 98 minutes (1 hour, 38 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for action violence, innuendo and some sensuality/nudity
DIRECTOR: McG
WRITERS: Ryan Rowe, Ed Solomon, and John August (from the television series by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts)
PRODUCERS: Drew Barrymore, Leonard Goldberg, and Nancy Juvonen
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Russell Carpenter (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Peter Teschner and Wayne Wahrman
COMPOSER: Edward Shearmur

ACTION/COMEDY

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, Bill Murray, Sam Rockwell, Kelly Lynch, Tim Curry, Crispin Glover, Luke Wilson, Matt LeBlanc, Tom Green, LL Cool J, and John Forsythe (voice)

The subject of this movie review is Charlie’s Angels, a 2000 action comedy from director McG (the stage name of Joseph McGinty Nichol). The film is an adaptation of the television series, “Charlie’s Angels,” which was originally broadcast on ABC from 1976 to 1981. The film stars Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu as three women employed by a private investigation agency and working for the voice known as “Charlie.”

When I first saw Charlie’s Angels, the big-screen adaptation of the late 70’s television series of the same name, I was sure that it was the best action/comedy that I’d seen in years, if ever. Having seen it again in anticipation of the 2003 sequel, I’m sure that it is one of the best action movies I’ve ever seen and one of the best action/comedies ever made. Although the film’s tongue is firmly planted in the Angel’s cheeks and the film is geared towards men, it’s so very entertaining that everyone should get the joke.

The mysterious Charles “Charlie” Townsend (voice of John Forsythe) has three very special little ladies in his employ: Natalie Cook (Cameron Diaz), Dylan Sanders (Drew Barrymore), and Alex Munday (Lucy Liu). Under the supervision of John Bosley (Bill Murray), Charlie’s Angels use martial arts, high tech skills, and sex appeal in their investigation work for clients who can afford Charlie’s agency. This time the client is kidnap victim Eric Knox (Sam Rockwell) who runs a giant software company. The girls not only have to rescue him, but also have to retrieve Knox’s revolutionary voice-ID software. However, the girls run into more than they were told to expect, including a sleazy billionaire (Tim Curry) and his mysterious, tall, thin, ass-kickin’ bodyguard (Crispin Glover).

Directed by music video maestro McG (videos for Korn and Sugar Ray, among others), Charlie's Angels is a high-octane, comic book-styled, action movie parody and farce. None of it should be taken seriously, least of all its conspiracy-within-a-conspiracy script. This is played for fun, recalling the best action movie scenes and clichés: car chases, exploding buildings, pumping soundtrack, quick-cut editing, and Matrix-style “wire-fu” martial arts. Maybe the funniest thing about this film is that this time women do the butt stomping. Usually in action movies, the girls are just the hang-ons of the male stars, following them around and screaming at the appropriate moments during gun fights, fist fights, car chases, aircraft falling out the sky, explosions, etc. This time the girls are in control. This time their sex appeal rules the story instead of just being sex used to decorate the violence. The ladies kick the butts and leave the men panting.

It’s all done so stylishly, and it’s all good and so cool. The vapid material gets inspired performances from the cast, but the actors really make this fun to watch. Bill Murray is tired though. His Bosley is just him doing his shtick, but it is so uninspired that he should have been embarrassed to see himself in the finished product. He was wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong again.

But don’t let that keep you from watching this funny, exciting, and very wild action cartoon. Come on. Pull the stick out. Sit back and be entertained by this delicious serving of popcorn movie.

7 or 10
B+

NOTES:
2001 Black Reel Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Song” (Jean Claude Olivier-Writer, Samuel Barnes-Writer, Cory Rooney-Writer, Beyoncé Knowles-Writer, and Destiny’s Child-Performers for the song “Independent Women Part 1”)

Updated: Thursday, June 27, 2013

"E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" Still a Wonder

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 76 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Running time: 115 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes)
MPAA – PG
DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
WRITER: Melissa Mathison
PRODUCERS: Kathleen Kennedy and Steven Spielberg
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Allen Daviau (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Carol Littleton
COMPOSER: John Williams
Academy Award winner

SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY/DRAMA

Starring: Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Peter Coyote

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the first release of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial to theatres (specifically June 11, 1982). E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is the story of an alienated boy and the stranded alien from another world he befriends. The boy must be brave if he is to help the extraterrestrial avoid authorities until he is rescued by his kin. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this Academy Award-winning, science fiction and fantasy drama surpassed Star Wars as the highest-grossing film of all time, and it held that record for ten years until another Spielberg film, Jurassic Park, surpassed it.

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial opens in a lush California forest where a group of diminutive aliens collect plant samples. One of them is mistakenly left behind and makes his way to a suburb near the forest. There, he takes up residence in a backyard shed, where he is found by 10-year-old Elliot (Henry Thomas). Elliot lives in a two-story home with his recently divorced mother, Mary (Dee Wallace); his older brother, 16-year-old Michael (Robert MacNaughton), and his little sister, 5-year-old Gertie (Drew Barrymore).

Elliot names his extraterrestrial foundling, “E.T.” Elliot and his siblings hide E.T. in their home, but Elliot soon discovers that in order to protect his friend, he must help him find a way home (“E.T. phone home”).

I had not watched E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial in its entirety since I first saw it 30 years ago, back in June 1982. With the release of an anniversary edition Blu-ray, I decided to watch it again, and I’m simply amazed and flabbergasted. Over the years, I always thought that if I watched E.T. again that I might still like the movie, but certainly not as much as I did the first time I saw it. And I was quite taken with it back in ’82. I was practically heartbroken when it lost the best picture Oscar to Gandhi. In fact, I even thought that I might not like E.T. if I watched it again.

As Sir Richard Attenborough, the Oscar-winning director and producer of Gandhi once said, E.T. is inventive, powerful, and wonderful. There is a sense of magic and wonder that permeates the film, infused by Steven Spielberg, who spins this story as if he were part magical storyteller and part wizard. He pulls from his bag of tricks and makes everything work by using the magic of movies.

The film’s most famous sequence is probably the one in which Elliot and E.T. fly to the forest on Elliot’s bike. One of the moments in that sequence has the bike passing in front of a full moon, which has become an iconic moment in cinematic history. Actually, the great moment of magic in E.T. for me is when E.T., Elliot, Michael and their friends are on their bikes on the run from pursuing police. When it seems as if they have reached a dead end, E.T. uses his telekinesis to lift the bikes in the air towards the forest.

When I watched the movie recently, I knew that scene was coming; yet seeing it again, I lost my breath for a moment. This is a spellbinding sequence that still blows my mind and even makes my eyes a little misty. Yep, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is still magical. God willing, I’ll watch it in another 30 years and see if I’m still spellbound.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
1983 Academy Awards: 4 wins: “Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing” (Charles L. Campbell and Ben Burtt), “Best Effects, Visual Effects” (Carlo Rambaldi, Dennis Muren, and Kenneth Smith), “Best Music, Original Score” (John Williams), and “Best Sound” (Robert Knudson, Robert Glass, Don Digirolamo, and Gene S. Cantamessa); 5 nominations: “Best Picture” (Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy), “Best Cinematography” (Allen Daviau), “Best Director” (Steven Spielberg), “Best Film Editing” (Carol Littleton), and “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (Melissa Mathison)

1983 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Best Score” (John Williams); 11 nominations: “Best Direction” (Steven Spielberg), “Best Film” (Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy), “Best Cinematography” (Allen Daviau), “Best Film Editing” (Carol Littleton), “Best Make Up Artist” (Robert Sidell), “Best Production Design/Art Direction” (James D. Bissell), “Best Screenplay” (Melissa Mathison), “Best Sound” (Charles L. Campbell, Gene S. Cantamessa, Robert Knudson, Robert Glass, and Don Digirolamo), “Best Special Visual Effects” (Dennis Muren and Carlo Rambaldi), “Most Outstanding Newcomer to Leading Film Roles” (Drew Barrymore), and “Most Outstanding Newcomer to Leading Film Roles” (Henry Thomas)

1983 Golden Globes, USA: 2 wins: “Best Motion Picture – Drama” and “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (John Williams); 3 nominations: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Steven Spielberg), “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Melissa Mathison) and “New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture – Male” (Henry Thomas)

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

"E.T." Gets 30th Anniversary New Theatrical Release and Blu-ray Debut

“E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” Returns to Cinemas for 30th Anniversary Celebration

Commemorating Universal Pictures' 100th Anniversary, NCM® Fathom Events and TCM Presents a Newly Remastered Version of Steven Spielberg’s Unforgettable Classic Adventure in Select Movie Theaters on October 3

CENTENNIAL, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This fall, movie theater audiences nationwide will “phone home" once again as Steven Spielberg's beloved film “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” returns to the big screen in honor of its 30th Anniversary. “TCM Presents ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ 30th Anniversary Event” will take place Wednesday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m. local time, with special matinee screenings in select theaters at 2:00 p.m. local time. Presented by NCM® Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and Universal Pictures as part of the studio's 100th Anniversary celebration, the event features the all-new, digitally remastered feature film, as well as a special taped introduction by TCM host Ben Mankiewicz, who will take audiences through the making of this modern classic. Fans will discover how Spielberg came up with the idea for “E.T.” and learn what working on the film was like for the film’s three young stars. As an added treat, Drew Barrymore, who plays Gertie in the film and who currently co-hosts TCM’s “The Essentials” showcase, shares what the film means to her 30 years later.

Tickets for “TCM Presents ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ 30th Anniversary Event” are available now at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. The event will be presented using new digital cinema projection systems in more than 560 select movie theaters around the country. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

“E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” stars Henry Thomas as Elliott, an imaginative boy who meets a lost alien and forges of one of cinema’s most endearing friendships. With help from his older brother, Michael (Robert MacNaughton), and little sister, Gertie (Barrymore), Elliott sets out to help the visitor find his way back home before government agents can capture him. Dee Wallace and Peter Coyote co-star.

Released in 1982, “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” became the biggest blockbuster of the year, ranking No. 1 over 16 different weekends. Today, “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” remains the fourth most successful movie of all time in the domestic box office (Adjusted for ticket price inflation). Nominated for nine Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Writing and Best Screenplay, the film took home four Oscars® for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Sound and Best Music for John Williams’ now-iconic score.

“Thirty years ago, Steven Spielberg introduced the world to E.T. – the alien who stole our hearts with a timeless and endearing story about friendship and courage,” said Shelly Maxwell, executive vice president of NCM Fathom Events. “Together with TCM and Universal Pictures, Fathom Events invites audiences – young and old – to experience the magic of ‘E.T.’ once again in movie theaters.”

Universal Studios Home Entertainment will celebrate the 30th anniversary of “E.T. The Extra- Terrestrial” with the film’s Blu-ray™ release on Tuesday, October 9. Featuring an all-new, digitally remastered picture, as well as all-new 7.1 surround sound, the “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” Anniversary Edition Blu-ray™ Combo Pack includes the 1982 theatrical movie, an all-new interview with Spielberg, and “The E.T. Journals,” featuring never-before-seen footage from the set of the film.


About National CineMedia (NCM)
NCM operates NCM Media Networks, a leading integrated media company reaching U.S. consumers in movie theaters, online and through mobile technology. The NCM Cinema Network and NCM Fathom present cinema advertising and events across the nation’s largest digital in-theater network, comprised of theaters owned by AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK), Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) and other leading regional theater circuits. NCM’s theater advertising network covers 181 Designated Market Areas® (49 of the top 50) and includes over 19,000 screens (approximately 18,100 digital). During 2011, approximately 680 million patrons (on an annualized basis) attended movies shown in theaters in which NCM currently has exclusive, cinema advertising agreements in place. The NCM Fathom Events live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is comprised of over 700 locations in 170 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). The NCM Interactive Network offers 360-degree integrated marketing opportunities in combination with cinema, encompassing 42 entertainment-related websites, online widgets and mobile applications. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 48.6% interest in and is the managing member of National CineMedia LLC. For more information, visit www.ncm.com or www.FathomEvents.com.

About Turner Classic Movies (TCM)
Turner Classic Movies is a Peabody Award-winning network that presents great films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world. Currently seen in more than 86 million homes, TCM features the insights of veteran primetime host Robert Osborne and host Ben Mankiewicz, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests. As the foremost authority in classic films, TCM offers critically acclaimed original documentaries and specials, along with regular programming events that include The Essentials with Robert Osborne and Drew Barrymore, Essentials Jr. with Bill Hader, 31 Days of Oscar® and Summer Under the Stars. TCM also stages special events and screenings, such as the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood and the TCM Classic Cruise; produces a wide range of media about classic film, including books and DVDs; and hosts a wealth of materials on its website, http://www.tcm.com. TCM is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.

Academy Awards® and Oscar® are both registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

About Universal Studios Home Entertainment
In honor of its Centennial anniversary, Universal Pictures proudly salutes 100 years of unforgettable films that have entertained audiences and touched the hearts of millions around the globe. In celebration of our first 100 years, Universal Studios Home Entertainment is proud to present a selection of our many beloved movies as part of an extensive year-long program that underscores the studio’s rich cinematic history and indelible cultural impact.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE holding a 49% stake.

Review: "Scream" Still a Scream

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 50 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Scream (1996)
Running time: 111 minutes (1 hour, 51 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong graphic horror violence and gore, and for language
DIRECTOR: Wes Craven
WRITER: Kevin Williamson
PRODUCERS: Cathy Konrad and Cary Woods
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mark Irwin (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Patrick Lussier
COMPOSER: Marco Beltrami

HORROR/MYSTERY/THRILLER

Starring: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Skeet Ulrich, Rose McGowan, Matthew Lillard, Jamie Kennedy, W. Earl Brown, Drew Barrymore, Joseph Whipp, Lawrence Hecht, Roger Jackson (voice), Liev Schreiber, and Henry Winkler

In the GenX/post-GenX thriller Scream, a psychopathic killer stalks a group of teens just like psychos stalk victims in slasher movie. His primary focus is teenage virgin Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), and the killings begin near the one-year anniversary of her mother’s death. A tabloid reporter, Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), who covered sensational murder trial of the alleged killer of Sidney’s mom, is determined to uncover the truth because she believes the wrong man was convicted of killing Mrs. Prescott and that the real killer is still at large. Of course, the mystery surrounding the killer culminates during a raucous teen party held at the obligatory isolated farmhouse. Finding out who survives is as fun as learning who the killer is.

Much has been made of how Scream references the many horror films that preceded it, especially 1980’s slasher flicks, but Scream is simply a great horror film and as much a mystery thriller as it is a scary movie. Maybe that’s because the film is a horror movie for the sake of being a horror movie. Any social commentary the film makes is ancillary, and anything it says about other movies is just the nature of the beast. Just about any horror movie will reflect the others that came before it.

While casting young stars from TV shows popular with teens and twenty-somethings in the mid-90’s was a savvy move on the part of the filmmakers (most 80’s slasher movies cast young unknowns), the two elements of that make Scream great are screenwriter Kevin Williamson and director Wes Craven. Williamson’s script is tight, smart, funny, deft, self-referential, and most of all, creates a solid structure of suspense. The characters are mostly throwaways, but Williamson makes us care about them because the situations he puts them in are so precarious, we’d be cruel not to root for them to escape. For all the artful window dressings, Williamson’s script simply tells a scary story.

Wes Craven is one of the greatest horror film directors of all time having helmed A Nightmare of Elm Street and The Last House on the Left. Scream simply cements his position as a master director of the suspense genre. He turns Williamson’s words into palatable fear. He knows when to make the film outright scary, and when slowly increase the level of suspense and fright. Craven knows when to be funny and silly, and he knows when to deliver the deathblow, but most of all when to leave it all hanging on a thin string.

Scream is a film no slasher fan should go without seeing, and certainly it’s a work not to be missed by admirers and students of horror cinema.

8 of 10
A

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Drew Barrymore's "Going the Distance" Gets New Release Date

Press release:

"GOING THE DISTANCE" MOVES TO SEPTEMBER 3rd

BURBANK, CA, AUGUST 12, 2010 - Warner Bros. Pictures is pushing the opening of the new comedy "Going the Distance" back one week, to September 3, 2010, it was announced today by Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution.

In making the announcement, Fellman stated, "Moving to the Labor Day weekend not only allows us to take advantage of the long holiday weekend, but gives us some distance from the other female-driven films releasing in August. Additionally, we have an opportunity to build more awareness and word-of-mouth for a movie we believe has strong appeal for a broad audience."

"Going the Distance" stars Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis and Christina Applegate. Barrymore plays Erin, whose wry wit and unfiltered frankness charm newly single Garrett (Justin Long) over beer, bar trivia and breakfast the next morning. Their chemistry sparks a full-fledged summer fling, but neither expects it to last once Erin heads home to San Francisco and Garrett stays behind for his job in New York City. But when six weeks of romping through the city inadvertently become meaningful, neither is sure they want it to end. But despite the opposite coasts, the couple just might have found something like love, and with the help of a lot of texting, sexting and late-night phone calls, they might actually go the distance.

Academy Award®-nominated documentary filmmaker Nanette Burstein ("On the Ropes") directed "Going the Distance," which marks her feature film directorial debut. The film was produced by Adam Shankman, Jennifer Gibgot and Garrett Grant from a screenplay by Geoff LaTulippe. Dave Neustadter, Richard Brener and Michael Disco served as executive producers.

New Line Cinema presents an Offspring Entertainment production, "Going the Distance." The film is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The movie is rated R by the MPAA for sexual content including dialogue, language throughout, some drug use and brief nudity.

http://www.going-the-distance.com/

Charlie's Angels 3?! With Rihanna?!

According to this entry at BET.com's "What the Flick" blog (written by Clay Cane), actress/producer Drew Barrymore is working on a third installment of the Charlie's Angels film franchise, and apparently, singer Rihanna is being considered for a role as an Angel.