Showing posts with label F. Gary Gray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label F. Gary Gray. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Review: THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS is Perfectly 2 Fast 2 Furious

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 42 of 2021 (No. 1780) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Fate of the Furious (2017)
Running time: 136 minutes (2 hours, 16 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for prolonged sequences of violence and destruction, suggestive content, and language
DIRECTOR: F. Gary Gray
WRITER: Chris Morgan (based on the characters created by Gary Scott Thompson)
PRODUCERS: Vin Diesel, Neal H. Moritz, Chris Morgan and Michael Fottrell
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Stephen F. Windon (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Christian Wagner and Paul Rubell
COMPOSER: Brian Tyler

ACTION/CRIME/DRAMA

Starring:  Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Charlize Theron, Kurt Russell, Nathalie Emmanuel, Scott Eastwood, Elsa Pataky, Kristopher Hivju, Patrick St. Esprit, Luke Evans, and Helen Mirren

The Fate of the Furious is a 2017 action movie from director F. Gary Gray and was released by Universal Pictures.  It is the eighth installment in The Fast and the Furious movie franchise (now called the “Fast Saga”).  A direct sequel to 2015's Furious 7, The Fate of the Furious introduces a mysterious woman who has the power to turn Dominic Toretto into a terrorist.

As The Fate of the Furious begins, Dominic “Dom” Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Letitia “Letty” Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez) are on their honeymoon in Havana, Cuba.  While there, Dom meets a mysterious woman who turns out to be the elusive cyberterrorist, Cipher (Charlize Theron).  She has obtained something that she uses to coerce Dom into working for her.  Soon afterwards, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agent, Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), recruits Dom and his team – his family:  Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), Tej Parker (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) to retrieve an EMP device from a military outpost in Berlin.  However, Dom betrays them all and steals the device for Cipher, and Hobbs and Dom's family, including Letty, are branded criminals.

Intelligence operative and leader of a covert ops team, Frank Petty (Kurt Russell), a.k.a. “Mr Nobody,” arrives with his protege, Eric Reisner (Scott Eastwood), and he has an offer.  Mr. Nobody wants Hobbs and Dom's family to help him find Dom and capture the highly elusive Cipher.  Mr. Nobody also has a surprise for Hobbs and company.  He has recruited Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), the rogue British Special Forces assassin who was hunting Dom and his family until they defeated him and Hobbs and the DSS imprisoned him.  But will even Shaw be enough?  Cipher can disappear at will and with Dom at her side, she seems unbeatable.  Cipher's threat to the world and Dom's betrayal will test the family as never before.

When The Fate of the Furious was initially released to theaters in April 2017, I was too mired in family troubles to bother going to a movie theater to see it.  And quite frankly, after what I considered to be a barely average installment in Furious 7, I thought I was done with the franchise.  In fact, I didn't even watch The Fate of the Furious when it started playing on basic cable.  Recently, I saw a clip from the soon-to-be-released F9 (2021), and I was shocked to see Dominic Toretto playing with a baby.  A friend informed me of the events in The Fate of the Furious, and because he and I talked about seeing F9, I decided to rent The Fate of the Furious via Netflix.

Well, I will never doubt you again, Fast & Furious / Fast Saga.  I loved The Fate of the Furious.  This film franchise's over-the-top action has become so … over-the-top that it is practically a kind of superhero and car chase movie series.  These movies are fun, but I thought that the series had reached narrative exhaustion with Furious 7.  The Fate of the Furious was the hot-shot injection of jet fuel that the series needed, as far as I'm concerned.  And Vin Diesel may have given his best performance of the series in The Fate of the Furious.  He really seemed like an evil terrorist, but, at the same time, his grit and determination to manage the evil in order to protect his family feels genuine.

I also want to credit Universal Pictures and The Fate of the Furious in using Havana, Cuba as the setting for the film's opening scenes.  It is a love letter to a place that looks beautiful on film.  And The Fate of the Furious is also a crazy, mad, insane, and beautiful action movie.

8 of 10
A

Wednesday, June 23, 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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Saturday, April 24, 2021

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 18th to 24th, 2021 - Update #24

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS

AWARDS - From Deadline:   Back around April 11th, the winners at the 21st Annual Black Reel Awards were announced.  "Judas and the Black Messiah" won the "Outstanding Film" award.  Regina King's "One Night in Miami" wins the most awards, picking up five trophies.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:    CBS has renewed "NCIS: Los Angeles" for a 13th season.  It has give a straight-to-series order for "NCIS: Hawaii," which will be the first series in the franchise to have a female lead. The original "NCIS," was renewed for a 19th season.

OSCARS - From Esquire:  On the eve of the 93rd Academy Awards, writer Tom Nicholson ranks the previous 92 "Best Picture" Oscar winners.  No, "Crash" is not #92; it's #84.  "Cimarron" is #92. "Moonlight" is #1.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Star Vin Diesel and director F. Gary Gray will team-up for STXfilms action-comedy, "Muscle."  The film's story is being kept secret for the time being.

ANIMATION/LGBTQ - From YahooEntertainment:   Pixar is seeking "authentic" young performer to voice its first transgender character

AWARDS - From THR:  "Nomadland" wins "Best Feature" at the 2021 Film Independent Spirit Awards. This article includes a complete winners list.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Broadway and film super-producer, Scott Rudin, is now saying that he will step back from his film and streaming projects in the wake of the scandalous revelations about his abusive behavior towards those he works with and those who work for him.  Rudin previously announced that he would step back from his Broadway projects.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Netflix is nearing a deal on "Shout It Out Loud," a biographical film about the iconic rock band, KISS.  Apparently, the hopes are that it would do for KISS what the Oscar-winning "Bohemian Rhapsody" did for the rock band, Queen. 

From Deadline:  Actress Hillary Duff is set to headline "How I Met Your Father," a spinoff of the long-running CBS comedy series, "How I Met Your Mother" (2005-14).

BLACK HISTORY - From Variety:   Jamie Foxx, Halle Berry, and Kevin Hart are among the Black Hollywood figures behind a two-part Apple Original Films documentary about African-American achievement in Hollywood and about what it takes for Black actors to be successful in the film industry.

DISNEY - From Variety:   Disney and Sony Pictures have signed a massive licensing deal that will bring Sony films to multiple Disney streaming and broadcast and cable TV platforms.  The previously announced Netflix/Sony deals gives Netflix exclusive rights to Sony films in the post-theatrical "Pay 1" window.  The Disney/Sony deal gives Disney all subsequent TV windows.

GOLDEN GLOBES - From Deadline:  The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which hands out the Golden Globes, has expelled former 8-time president, South African-born Phil Berk, from the organization.  Berk recently sent an email to fellow members disparaging "Black Lives Matter" and one of its founders.

From Deadline:  Phil Berk, former 8-time president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (which hands out the Golden Globes), sent out an email to fellow HFPA members blasting the "Black Lives Matter" movement and co-founder Patrisse Cullors.  Fellow members push back at Berk, an 88-year-old South African.

BLM - From YahooNews:   Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted on all counts against him in the killing of African-American victim, George Floyd, nearly one year after kneeling on Floyd’s neck in an incident that sparked global protests against police brutality.  Chavin, a white man, was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Floyd on May 25, 2020.

ANIMATION - From Variety:   Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers (a current Oscar nominee for Disney/Pixar's "Soul"), and Justin K. Thompson have been tapped by Sony Pictures Animation to direct the sequel to the Oscar-winning animated feature “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 4/16 to 4/18/2021 weekend box office is "Godzilla vs. Kong" with an estimated take of 7.7 million dollars.

STREAMING - From EW:  Amazon is spending "upwards of 464 million dollars" to produce the first season of its "Lord of the Rings" TV series!

AWARDS - From Deadline:  The American Society of Cinematographers announced its 35th Annual ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards winners.  "Mank" won the "Theatrical Release" trophy.

From Deadline:  At the 2021 / 48th annual Annie Awards, Disney/Pixar's "Soul" wins "Best Feature" and "Wolfwalkers" wins "Best Indie Feature."  The two films were the big winners at the ceremony, with "Soul" winning seven awards and "Wolfwalkers" winning five.

From Deadline:   At the 2021 / 57th annual Cinema Audio Society Awards, Amazon Studios drama, "Sound of Metal," and Disney/Pixar’s "Soul" won out in top categories.

OBITS:

From Deadline:   Film and television producer, Charles "Chuck" Fries, has died at the age of 92, Thursday, April 22, 2021.  Fried was a prolific producer of films and of television series and movies.  He produced such films as "Cat People" (a 1982 remake) and "Troop Beverly Hills" (1989).  Fries is also considered a very important person in the development of the TV movie, especially "issue-oriented" films such as "Bitter Harvest" (1981) and "Small Sacrifices" (1989).

From YahooEntertainment:   Gregory Jacobs, the rapper and record producer best known as "Shock G" and "Humpty Hump," has died at the age of 57, Thursday, April 22, 2021.  As Shock G, Jacobs led the rap group, "Digital Underground," which had a hit in 1990's "The Humpty Dance."  Shock G also produced two tracks and provided background vocals on 2Pac/Tupac Shakur's debut album, "2Pacalypse Now" (1991).

From YahooEntertainment:   Scottish pop singer, Les McKeown, has died at the age of 65, Tuesday, April 20, 2021.  McKeown was the lead singer of the Scottish pop rock band, the "Bay City Rollers," during the group's most successful period, the mid-1970s, including singing lead on the "Billboard Hot 100" #1 single, "Saturday Night" (1975).

From CNN:  Former Vice-President of the United States, Walter "Fritz" Mondale, has died at the age of 93, Monday, April 19, 2021.  Mondale served as VP under President Jimmy Carter from Jan. 20, 1977 to Jan. 20, 1981.  Mondale was also a United States Senator for the state of Minnesota from 1964 to 1976.  He unsuccessfully ran for President, but lost to incumbent President Ronald Reagan in 1984.

From Variety:  Songwriter, composer, playwright, and record producer, Jim Steinman, has died at the age of 73, Monday, April 19, 2021.  Steinman's most famous work is recording artist Meat Loaf's 1977 debut album, "Bat Out of Hell."  Steinman composed all the songs on the album which became one of the bestselling albums of all time.  Steinman also wrote and/or produced songs for Air Supply, Barry Manilow, and Celine Dion, to name a few.


Monday, September 2, 2019

Review: "Men in Black: International" is Poo Doo

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 9 (of 2019) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Men in Black: International (2019)
Running time:  114 minutes (1 hour, 54 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action, some language and suggestive material.
DIRECTOR:  F. Gary Gray
WRITERS:  Matt Holloway and Art Marcum (based on characters created by Lowell Cunningham)
PRODUCERS:  Laurie MacDonald and Walter F. Parkes
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Stuart Dryburgh    
EDITORS:  Zene Baker, Christian Wagner, and Matt Willard
COMPOSERS:  Chris Bacon and Danny Elfman    

SCI-FI/FANTASY/ACTION/COMEDY

Starring:  Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson, Rebecca Ferguson, Rafe Spall, Emma Thompson, Laurent Bourgeois, Larry Bourgeois, Kayvan Novak and Kumail Nanjiani (voice)

Men in Black: International is 2019 science fiction-fantasy and action-comedy from director F. Gary Gray.  This is the fourth film in the Men in Black (MiB) film series, and the first in a new MiB series that is part reboot and part sequel.  Men in Black: International finds the organization that has always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe searching for a spy working within MiB.

Men in Black: International introduces Molly Wright (Tessa Thompson), an overachiever who, as a child, had an experience with an alien.  This encounter led to Molly discovering the existence of “The Men in Black.”  Molly, after years of searching, has finally found the Men in Black's New York City base.  That earns her a meeting with “Agent O” (Emma Thompson), the head of MiB's U.S. branch, who is impressed by Molly's tenacity.

Molly becomes a probationary MiB agent and is sent to London where she answers to the head of MiB's United Kingdom branch, “High T” (Liam Neeson).  Soon, Molly finds herself partnering with “Agent H” (Chris Hemsworth) on an assignment to protect an alien VIP, the Jababian party animal, Vungus the Ugly (Kayvan Novak).  Vungus' death will spark a hunt for the most destructive weapon ever made and also for a traitor hiding within the ranks of MiB London.

While visiting the IMDb page for Men in Black: International, I discovered a member review of the film that declared, “This movie is politically correct (You've been warned!).”  I don't know what the person who posted this means by “this movie is politically correct.”  Among those for whom “PC” has become a battle cry are malcontents who think fictional characters in popular entertainment must fit their personal tastes and ideals in physical appearance, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, to name a few.  Coincidentally or ironically, the aforementioned review is as unimaginative and as clueless as the movie, Men in Black: International, is.

I don't often hold screenwriters solely responsible for a bad movie, but, by my estimation, screenwriters  Matt Holloway and Art Marcum, are largely responsible for the fact that Men in Black: International is an all-time franchise low in the Men in Black film series.  Everything about the writing is weak:  the flimsy, clumsily convoluted plot; the dull, insipid characters; and the pointless settings.

Chris Hemsworth's Agent H is amiable and forgettable; he is a charming (alien) womanizer, whose charm is about effective as a pretty knick-knack.  When he isn't onscreen, he isn't worth a second thought.  H is like a tepid version of Kevin Beckman, the character Hemsworth played in the 2016 Ghostbusters film.  Tessa Thompson's Molly/Agent M is no better, and M may actually be worse.  It is as if Thompson is not sure if she should play M as a cool and reserved female agent or as a curious and determined investigator of the weird.  The screenplay gives neither Hemsworth nor Thompson enough material from which to fashion a character that is more than a type.  They could not do much more with two characters that barely register above a whisper.

Liam Neeson's face is so frozen that I thought he was healing from a face lift, and his character, High T, is not the kind of magnetic character Neeson normally plays.  An actor who usually brings passion to his performances was like stiff, wet underwear frozen on the clothesline by cold weather.

Men in Black: International does have a few characters that are engaging.  Rafe Spall makes the best of his “Agent C,” an excellent rivalry type character (to H and M) who is largely wasted.  Every time Emma Thompson is onscreen in Men in Black: International, one can only think of the wasted opportunities – great actress, not great material.  Kumail Nanjiani provides some much needed laughs in his voice role as the diminutive alien (and CG creation), “Pawny.”

Men in Black: International's plot, about a threat to MiB, is full of misdirection, that cannot hide an sterile and uninspired plot.  The film manages to make the settings, from New York to London to Marrakesh (why?) to Paris, appear indistinguishable from one another.

I can never forget the unique feelings of joy I felt the first time I saw the original Men in Black (1997), which I have seen in its entirety at least three times.  That film retains its freshness, inventiveness, and its endearing weirdness after repeated views.  The sequels have struggled to capture the original film's sense of something amazing and new.

Men in Black: International may be the start of a new series of MiB films, but it feels too tired and too worn out to be an ignition.  It is clumsy and contrived in its action scenes, which is why I blame the screenwriters.  If director F. Gary Gray is really good at anything, it is in directing action movies and thrillers, and even he can't generate excitement from the hapless blueprint that is this film's script.  Men in Black: International is a bore and a chore to watch.  Yes, there is an occasional good moment here or there, but I was embarrassed that I had convinced two friends to see it with me.

And that title, Men in Black: International, is clunky, too.  Start over... again, Sony.

3.5 of 10
C-

Official "Men in Black: International" trailer is on YouTube.

Sunday, June 16, 2019


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

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Saturday, March 31, 2018

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 25th to 31st, 2018 - Update #16

Support Leroy on Patreon:

ANIMATION-SCANDAL - From BuzzFeed:  John Kricfalusi, creator of "Ren and Stimpy," has been accused of preying on underage girls who wanted animation careers

MUSIC-SCANDAL - From HuffPostBlog:  While crazy rock musician Ted Nugent criticizes the #ParklandShooting survivors, let's look at his pedophile and statutory rape issues.

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POLITICS - From TheDailyBeast:  Neil Young Sounds Off on Trump: ‘He Has No Balls’

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STREAMING - From JoBlo:  Comic book luminary Frank Miller (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns) and Tom Wheeler will develop a TV series for Netflix.  It is (another) take on King Arthur based on Miller and Wheeler's upcoming YA book.

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MOVIES - From TheVillageVoice:  The magazine's Bilge Ebiri talks to eccentric actor, Joaquin Phoenix.

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ANIMATION - From TheWrap:  In the wake of the cancellation of his "Deadpool" animated series for FX, Donald Glover posts a fake episodic script he wrote for "Deadpool" (for an imagined finale) and he wonders if the series was cancelled because it was too black...

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COMICS-FILM - From DenofGeek:  Fox's next "X-Men" franchise films get more release changes.  "The New Mutants was moved from Spring 2018 to February 2019 and now it's new release date is August 2, 2019.  "X-Men: Dark Phoenix" has also been moved, from Nov. 2, 2018 to Feb. 14th, 2019.

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#MarchForOurLives - From TheDailyBeast: Paul McCartney Honors John Lennon at NYC March for Our Lives

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 3/23 to 3/25/2018 weekend box office is "Pacific Rim: Uprising" with an estimated take of $28 million.

From Variety:  After five weekends at the top of the box office, "Black Panther" is finally dethroned.

From Deadline:  "Pacific Rim: Uprising" opens at $65 mil in China for a possible worldwide box of about $150 million.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Steven Spielberg says no Oscars for Netflix films.

From Deadline:  Peter Bart and Mike Fleming, Jr. had a similar conversation a few weeks earlier.

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ANIMATION - From THR:  Donald Glover, Stephen Glover, and FX have dropped their involvement in an animated series based on Marvel Comics' "Deadpool."

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From NOLA:  Tom Hardy will star as Al Capone in the biopic, "Fonzo."  The film will reportedly shoot in New Orleans and will be directed by Josh Trank, who shot his superhero film, Fantastic Four, in Louisiana.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Tessa Thompson will reunite with her "Thor: Ragnarok" co-star, Chris Hemsworth, to headline Sony's "Men in Black" reboot.  F. Gary Gray is set to direct the film which is due for release June 14, 2019.

OBIT:

From CJOnlineLinda Brown has died at the age of 76, Monday, March 26, 2018.  As a child, Linda was at the center of the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision that ended school segregation in the United States.  Linda's father, Oliver Brown, became the lead plaintiff in the Brown v. Board case after attempting to enroll Linda in 1951 in the all-white Sumner Elementary School near the family’s home in Topeka, Kansas.


Saturday, February 10, 2018

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from February 1st to 10th, 2018 - Update #34

Support Leroy on Patreon:

COMICS-FILM - From BleedingCool:  See Marvel's Black Panther family tree

OSCARS - From IndieWire:  Paul Michael Thomas, Oscar-nominated director of "Phantom Thread," praises his fellow best director Oscar nominees.

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CRIME - From TheGuardian:  California police work and cooperate with white supremacists against anti-racist activists.

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COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  Joaquin Phoenix in talks to play Batman arch-nemesis, "The Joker," in a stand-alone Joker movie that would be directed by Todd Phillips.

From GeekTyrant:  DC Comics/Entertainment wants Michael Bay to direct a movie based on their character, Lobo.

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MOVIES - From TheFilmStage:  The prolific Richard Linklater, who has directed six films in the last seven years, has apparently set his sights on a film about the 1969 moon landing.

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SCANDAL - From TheGuardian:  Recent statements have famed director Quentin Tarantino facing a backlash.

MOVIE - From IndieWire:   French director Jean Pierre-Jeunet accuses Guillermo del Toro of plagiarism.

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MUSIC - From Vulture:  This is a killer interview with Quincy Jones who talks about Michael Jackson, The Beatles, and the Trumps.

From TMZ:  Quincy Jones claims in his Vulture interview that the late legendary actor Marlon Brando had sex with the late legendary comedian Richard Pryor.  Pryor's widow, Jennifer, apparently confirms it.

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COMICS-TV - From PreviewsWorld:  Gaumont has optioned the rights to produce an animated TV series based on the long-running comic book, Usagi Yojimbo.

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ANIMATION - From Variety:  Fox Animaton and Universal music an united to produce an animated film based on the music of the late world music legend, Bob Marley.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Newly-minted Oscar nominee, James Mangold, will follow his hit film "Logan" (an X-Men) with a movie Henry Ford II's rivalry with Ferrari.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Amazon Studios is developing a series based on Robert E. Howard's "Conan the Cimmerian" (or Conan the Barbarian) character.

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BLM - From NYTimes:  Remembering #TrayvonMartin via Charles M. Blow's opinion piece, "The Whole System Failed Trayvon Martin.

From GuardianUK:  Why NFL player protests still matter - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

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SUPERBOWL - From SBNation:   Philadelphia Eagles (NFC) win Super Bowl LII 41 to 33 over the New England Patriots (AFC).

From CBSSports:  Here are the players rosters for Super Bowl LII's participants, the Philadelphia Eables and the New England Patriots.

From YahooEntertainment:  Which movie trailer won Super Bowl LII - see them all.

From EW - Celebrities react to Justin Timberlake's mediocre Super Bowl LII halftime show.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the Super Bowl LII weekend box office - 2/2 to 2/4/2018 - is "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" with an estimated take of $11 million.

From Deadline:  Multiple Oscar nominee, "The Darkest Hour," passes the $100 mark in global box office.

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SCANDAL - From YahooET:  Halle Berry addresses sexual harassment allegations against her former agent, Vincent Cirrincione.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  CBS has ordered for additional drama pilots for the 2018-19 season.  One of them is a modern take on the James Ellroy's novel, "L.A. Confidential," which was previously adapted into a 1997 Oscar-winning film.

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SCANDAL - From NYTimes:  Actress Uma Thurman has a lot to say about Harvey Weinstein and about Quentin Tarantino, with whom she made three films.

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MOVIES - From GeekTyrant:  Steven Soderbergh eyes a screenplay entitled "Planet Kill" as his next film... although he is supposed to be in retirement.

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POLITICS - From HuffPost:  A graphic cartoon that shows him sniffing President Donald Trump's ass has got British TV personality Piers Morgan enraged.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Director F. Gary Gray is in talks to direct Sony Picture's "Men in Black" spinoff.  The film would focus on new characters and be a semi-reboot the way "Jurassic World" was a semi-reboot of "Jurassic Park."  The film is slate to be released June 14, 2019.

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CELEBRITY - From GQ:   A profile of actor Taylor Kitsch, who is currently starring in the Paramount Network's "Waco" miniseries.

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COMICS-FILM - From BleedingCool:  Marvel Studio's "Black Panther" will pay tribute to the late stuntman, John Bernecker, who died last year on the set of AMC's "The Walking Dead."

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CELEBRITY - From THR:  Apparently, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office has named actor Robert Wagner as a "person of interest" in its investigation in the "mysterious death" of his late wife, Natalie Wood, in 1981.

TRAILERS:

From YahooNews:  Here is the first teaser trailer for Sony/Marvel's "Venom" (October 5th, 2018), starring Tom Hardy.

From YouTube:  Here is the first teaser/trailer for Marvel Studios' "Ant-Man and the Wasp" which opens in theaters July 6th, 2018.

OBITS:

From IndieWire:  The actor, Reg E. Cathey, has died at the age of 59, Friday, February 9, 2018.  Cathey is best known for his roles in the television series, "The Wire" and "Oz."  He won an Emmy ("Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series") for his appearances on Netflix's "House of Cards."  He also appeared as "Franklin Richards" in Fox's 2015 reboot of "The Fantastic Four."

From THR:  The actor John Mahoney has died at the age of 77, Sunday, February 4, 2018.  Mahoney is best known for playing "Martin Crane" the cantankerous father on NBC's "Frasier" (1993 to 2004).  Mahoney was also a Tony Award winner.

From RollingStone:  Soul and R&B singer, Dennis Edwards, has died at the age of 74, Friday, February 2, 2018.  Edwards was the former lead singer of seminal Motown vocal group, The Temptations, singing on classic hits, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" "I Can't Get Next to You."

From MSN:  Utah billionaire and philanthropist, Jon Huntsman, Sr., died at the age of 80, Friday, February 2, 2018.  The founder of Huntsman Corp, Huntsman and his family have given away more than $1.4 billion.  Huntsman, Sr. was also the father of Jon Huntsman, Jr., the former U.S. ambassador, Utah governor, and Republican presidential candidate.


Friday, June 30, 2017

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 25th to 30th, 2017 - Update #30

Support Leroy on Patreon.

 COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Rosario Dawson out and Alice Braga as "Dr. Cecilia Reyes" in Fox's "New Mutants."

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MOVIES - From ShadowandAct:  Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are developing an HBO biopic about pioneering African-American filmmaker, Oscar Micheaux.  Tyler Perry is attached to star as Micheaux.

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POLITICS - From RSN:  Pediatrician Mai-Khanh Tran will attempt to unseat a 12-term, U.S. House Republican (and a powerful one at that) next year.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Michelle Rodriguez is ready to leave "The Fast and the Furious" franchise.  The actress, who plays Letty Ortiz, wants more opportunities for women in the film series.

From YahooFinance:  "The Fate of the Furious" director F. Gary Gray responds to Michelle Rodriguez.

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Halle Berry said that her 2002 best actress Oscar win (for 2001's "Monsters Ball") meant nothing for diversity.

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OBIT - From Deadline:  The children's author Michael Bond has died at the age of 91, Tuesday, June 27, 2017.  Bond was best known as the creator of Paddington Bear.  The character first appeared in the 1958 book, "A Bear Called Paddington."

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COMICS-FILM - From ShadowandAct:  The return of Marvel Comics character, Blade, to the big or small screen?  Someday... says Marvel chief.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Gwendoline Christie (Star Wars' "Captain Phasma") will join Steve Carell in director Robert Zemeckis' still untitled drama.

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OBIT - From Variety:  The Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist has died at the age 56, Tuesday, June 27, 2017.  He played a rapist in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and the villain "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol."

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner, her writing partner from the HBO series, "Girls," are in talks to write the American remake on the hit foreign film, "Toni Erdmann."

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Marvel Studios boss, Kevin Feige, empathizes with Lucasfilm over the "young Han Solo" film director shakeup.

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COMICS-FILM - From LATimes:  Inside the deal the brought Spider-Man to the Marvel cinematic universe.

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TELEVISION - From ShadowandAct:  HBO is developing a TV series from Ray Bradbury's seminal novel, "Fahrenheit 451," with Michael B. Jordan in the lead.  Actress Laura Harrier will play the wife of Jordan's character ("Guy Montag").

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CULTURE - From BuzzFlash:  How to reverse the demise of the United States.

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TELEVISION - From ScreenDaily:  Kevin Bacon says that he is working on a reboot of his cult film, "Tremors," as a TV series for Syfy.

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Sissy Spacek came to fame and earned an Oscar nomination for her starring role in the film, "Carrie" (1976), adapted from a Stephen King novel.  Spacek is returning to the world of Stephen King in Hulu's upcoming series, "Castle Rock."

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MOVIES - From THR:  Warner Bros. is developing a sequel to Ben Affleck's hit film, "The Accountant" (2016).

----------
COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies:  Highlights from the "Spider-Man: Homecoming" press conference.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From YahooTV:  ABC has announced Friday, September 29, 2017 as the premiere date for "Marvel's Inhumans."

----------
STAR TREK - From Esquire:  One of the changes that "Star Trek Discovery" will make to rules established by Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry, is that Starfleet members will be in direct conflict with one another.  The first episode of this new series will air in October 2017.

----------
BLM - From WashPost:  A Black off-duty police officer tried to help stop a crime, and a White cop shot him.  Once again, the controversy is in the St. Louis area.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 6/23 to 6/25/2017 weekend box office is "Transformers: The Last Knight" with an estimated take of $45.3 million.

From TheWrap:  "The Big Sick" and "The Beguiled" open big at indie box office.

From GoldDerby:  "Wonder Woman" is now the highest grossing live-action film by a woman director.  It's global box office total is at just over $635 million dollars (and counting), which surpasses the the previous record holder, Mamma Mia! (2008), which grossed just under $610 million globally and was directed by Phyllida Lloyd.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  The upcoming "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is receiving glowing reviews.  The film will open nationwide on July 7th, 2017.

----------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  There is another project being adapted for TV from George R.R. Martin, whose fantasy novel series, "A Song of Fire and Ice," became the Emmy-winning, HBO television series, "Game of Thrones."  Now, Syfy is developing Martin's novella, "Nightflyers," as a pilot for a TV series.

----------
POLITICS - From RSN:  President Trump and the Congressional Republicans are trying to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA) or BCRA (Better Care Restoration Act) to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) also known as "Obamacare."  President Obama says the AHCA/BCRA will do us harm.

----------
ECO - From TheNewYorker:  The race to solar-power Africa.

----------
CULTURE - From Newsweek:  Most U.S. terrorists are of the right-wing variety, not Muslim.

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  This is the debut trailer for "The Greatest Showman," which stars Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum and also features Michelle Williams, Zendaya, and Zac Efron, among others.


Friday, February 17, 2017

Viola Davis, Lee Daniels Common Join "BET Presents the ABFF Honors"

Viola Davis, Lee Daniels, Common, Maxwell, Omari Hardwick, Morris Chestnut and Dionne Farris among Big Names to Take the Stage During the 2017 “BET Presents the American Black Film Festival Honors”

Actress and Director Regina Hall to Host Annual Ceremony

Awards Show Tapes Friday, February 17 in Los Angeles and will air on BET and Centric Wednesday, February 22 at 8:00PM ET

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Networks and American Black Film Festival (ABFF)’s “BET Presents the American Black Film Festival Honors” is thrilled to announce that Viola Davis, Lee Daniels, Common, Morris Chestnut and Omari Hardwick are confirmed to present during the annual ceremony taping in Los Angeles on Friday, February 17th, 2017. Also set to take the stage are Maxwell and Dionne Farris, who will woo the audience with sultry performances. ABFF Honors' mission is to celebrate Black culture by honoring individuals, movies and television shows that have had a significant impact on American entertainment. “BET Presents the American Black Film Festival Honors” airs on BET and Centric on Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 at 8:00PM ET.

Hosted by actress and director Regina Hall, “BET Presents the American Black Film Festival Honors” is proud to celebrate some of Hollywood’s most iconic artists. As previously announced, the show will honor actor and director Denzel Washington with the “Hollywood Legacy Award;” writer, producer and actress Issa Rae with the “Rising Star Award,” film director and producer F. Gary Gray with the “Excellence in the Arts Award” and actor and singer, Terrence Howard with the “Excellence in the Arts Award.” In addition, there will be a special appearance by some of Young Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Jay Ellis (Insecure, The Game), Kofi Siriboe (Queen Sugar), Alexandra Shipp (X-Men: Apocalypse, Straight Outta Compton) and Kylie Bunbury (Pitch).

“BET Presents the American Black Film Festival Honors” is sure to be a highlight of the Hollywood Awards season and Black History Month. The event is executive produced by ABFF Ventures founder Jeff Friday, Suzanne de Passe and Madison Jones for de Passe Jones Entertainment, Jesse Collins for Jesse Collins Entertainment, and Connie Orlando, Stephen G. Hill and Debra Lee for BET Networks.

The 2017 ABFF Honors sponsors are AT&T, Cadillac and Prudential Financial Inc. (Red Carpet Partners) and Hennessy (Official Spirit Partner).

For more information about the 2017 ABFF Honors, log on to www.ABFFHonors.com. Also, follow us on our social media platforms:

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Twitter: @ABFFHonors
Instagram: @AmericanBlackFilmFestival
Facebook: American Black Film Festival
YouTube: American Black Film Festival
Website: http://www.bet.com/shows/abff-honors.html


ABOUT ABFF
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is an annual event dedicated to showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. It supports emerging artists to foster a wider range of images, stories and storytellers represented in the entertainment industry. The festival is committed to the belief that Black artists and content creators deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts. ABFF founder Jeff Friday conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to promote diversity in the motion picture industry, and strengthen the Black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development. Today, the ABFF is recognized as the preeminent pipeline to new Black talent, both in front of and behind the camera, and is regarded as one of the leading film festivals in the world. The ABFF is a property of ABFF Ventures LLC, a multifaceted entertainment company specializing in the production of live events, television and digital content targeted to upscale African American audiences.

For additional information about the festival, visit www.ABFF.com.

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

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

BET to Air American Black Film Festival Awards Gala

Denzel Washington, Issa Rae and F. Gary Gray Confirmed as Honorees at the 2017 “BET Presents The American Black Film Festival Honors”

ACTRESS REGINA HALL TO HOST ANNUAL CEREMONY

Show Tapes Friday, February 17 in Los Angeles and will air on BET - Wednesday, February 22 at 8:00PM ET

#ABFFHonors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Networks and The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is proud to present actor and director Denzel Washington with the “Hollywood Legacy Award;” writer, producer and actress Issa Rae with the “Rising Star Award,” and film director and producer F. Gary Gray with the “Excellence in the Arts Award” during this year’s “BET Presents The American Black Film Festival Honors.” The awards gala held Friday, February 17, 2017 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA will air on BET and Centric, Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at 8:00PM ET.

    “BET Presents The American Black Film Festival Honors.”

ABFF Honors' mission is to celebrate Black culture by honoring individuals, movies and television shows that have had a significant impact on American entertainment, as well as the people who are proponents of championing diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. The annual event will be hosted by actress Regina Hall.

This year’s list of honorees includes some of Hollywood’s powerhouses. Denzel Washington is a veteran and iconic figure whose exemplary performances in film and on the stage has been recognized by his peers and loyal fan base. His unforgettable performances have garnered him two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, a Screen Actors Guild Award and countless others. Denzel’s current project, the critically-acclaimed film adaptation of August Wilson’s Fences, in which he produced and directed, also earned him a 2017 Oscar nomination.

Writer, producer and actress, Issa Rae, created her own path by starting out in the online/web space, but has since transitioned to television and is now one of Hollywood’s much-watch talents. Her new show, HBO’s INSECURE, took the world by storm this past year with its ridiculously hilarious punch lines, private rap battles and a killer musical selection. It also earned her, her first Golden Globe nomination for “Best Actress in a TV Comedy or Musical.”

F. Gary Gray has been making moves behind the camera since 1989 and has brought some of today’s most buzzworthy and top box office films to the silver screen. Gray directed his first film, the comedy Friday, at age 24 and has since gone on to direct some of the biggest names in film, including Academy Award-winner Kevin Spacey, Academy Award-nominee Samuel L. Jackson in The Negotiator, Golden Globe-winner Queen Latifah in Set if Off, Academy Award- winner Charlize Theron and Academy Award-nominee Mark Wahlberg in Italian Job and Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winner John Travolta in Be Cool. Up next, he will direct the eighth installment of The Fast and the Furious franchise (The Fate of the Furious).

ABFF Honors will be one of the highlights of the Hollywood Awards season and Black History Month. The event is executive produced by ABFF Ventures founder Jeff Friday, Suzanne de Passe and Madison Jones for de Passe Jones Entertainment, Jesse Collins for Jesse Collins Entertainment, and Connie Orlando, Stephen G. Hill and Debra Lee for BET Networks.

The 2017 ABFF Honors sponsors are Cadillac and Prudential Financial Services (Red Carpet Partners), Morgan Stanley (Corporate Partner) and Hennessy (Official Spirit Partner).

For more information about the 2017 ABFF Honors, log on to www.ABFFHonors.com. Also, follow us on our social media platforms:

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Twitter:           @ABFFHonors
Instagram:         @AmericanBlackFilmFestival
Facebook:         American Black Film Festival
YouTube:         American Black Film Festival
Website:        

http://www.bet.com/shows/abff-honors.html


ABOUT ABFF
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is an annual event dedicated to showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. It supports emerging artists to foster a wider range of images, stories and storytellers represented in the entertainment industry. The festival is committed to the belief that Black artists and content creators deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts. ABFF founder Jeff Friday conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to promote diversity in the motion picture industry, and strengthen the Black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development. Today, the ABFF is recognized as the preeminent pipeline to new Black talent, both in front of and behind the camera, and is regarded as one of the leading film festivals in the world. The ABFF is a property of ABFF Ventures LLC, a multifaceted entertainment company specializing in the production of live events, television and digital content targeted to upscale African American audiences.

For additional information about the festival, visit www.ABFFHonors.com.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

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

Friday, December 11, 2015

African-American Film Critics Choose "Straight Outta Compton" Best Picture of 2015

The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is a group of African-American film critics that gives various awards for excellence in film at the end of each year.  The association was founded in 2003 by Gil L. Robertson IV and Shawn Edwards.

2015 awards ceremony will be held February 10, 2015.

2015 AAFCA Award winners:

AAFCA Top Ten Films of 2015 in order of distinction:

1. Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)
2. Creed (Warner Bros.)
3. Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.)
4. Beasts of No Nation (Netflix)
5. The Martian (20th Century Fox)
6. 3-1/2 Minutes/Dope (HBO/Open Road Films)
7. Chi-Raq (Roadside Attractions/Amazon Studios)
8. Carol (Weinstein Co.)
9. The Big Short (Paramount Pictures)
10. The Danish Girl (Focus Features)

Best Picture
Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)

Best Director
Ryan Coogler, Creed (Warner Bros.)

Best Ensemble
Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)

Best Actor
Will Smith, Concussion (Sony)

Best Actress
Teyonah Parris, Chi-Raq (Roadside Attractions/Amazon Studios)

Best Supporting Actor
Jason Mitchell – Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)

Best Supporting Actress
Tessa Thompson, Creed (Warner Bros.)

Best Independent Film
Chi-Raq (Roadside Attractions/Amazon Studios)

Best Screenplay
Rick Famuyiwa – Dope (Open Road Films)

Breakout Performance
Michael B. Jordan, Creed (Warner Bros.)

Best Animation
The Peanuts Movie (20thCentury Fox)

Best Documentary
A Ballerina’s Tale (Sundance Selects)

Best Song
“See You Again” (written by Wiz Khalifa, Charlie Puth, DJ Frank E, and Andrew Cedar; perfromed by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth) from "Furious 7" (Atlantic Records)

Best TV Comedy
Black-ish (ABC)

Best TV Drama
How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)

Best Cable/New Media TV Show
Survivor’s Remorse (Starz)

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


Friday, October 9, 2015

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 1st to 10th, 2015 - Update #29

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From Variety:  CBS cancels "Extant" with Halle Berry, but is developing a legal drama with Berry.

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From InContention:  Cinematography Oscar hopefuls.

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From Variety:  "The Expendables 4" in 2017.

---------------
From Variety:  Disney announces release dates for the next 5 years, including release dates for "Cars 3" and "The Incredibles 2."

---------------
From YahooMovies:  Meet the new Disney princess, Moana.

From IMDb:  A photo of the young actress, Auli'i Cravalho, who will give voice to "Moana."

---------------
From YahooMovies:  What has Rick Moranis been doing.

---------------
From YahooMovies:  Francis Ford Coppola talks about one of my favorite movies, his film, "Bram Stoker's Dracula."

From Indiewire:  Danny Boyle says he is open to directing "28 Months Later," or whatever the third "28 Days Later" film would be called.

---------------
From Vulture:  EEOC to investigate how few women get directing gigs in Hollywood.

---------------
From YahooMusic:  Will Smith is reportedly returning to music with an album and world tour next year.

---------------
From TheWrap:  The director of "Snowpiercer" is working on a monster movie, and one of his "Snowpiercer" actors, Tilda Swinton, will return for that.

---------------
From BleedingCool:  There will apparently be a prequel to "The Shining."  Lord, have mercy!

---------------
From  HitFix:  George Miller would like to do 2 more "Mad Max" films... in addition to some smaller non-SFX films.

---------------
From JoBlo:  The search for the director of the 8th "Fast & Furious" film is down to 3, with F. Gary Gray apparently in the lead.

---------------
From TheWrap:  The debut season of "Fear the Walking Dead" had better ratings than the original "The Walking Dead" had in its debut season.

---------------
From BoxOfficeMojo:  "The Martian" won the 10/2 to 10/4/2015 weekend box office with an estimated take of $55.7 million.  That is just short of the October opening weekend record that "Gravity" set in 2013.

---------------
From ScreenRant:  Update on the "Power Rangers" movie reboot.

---------------
From Variety:  Sony plans an animated "Ghostbusters" film.

---------------
From ThePlaylist:  Lionsgate wants a "Cabin in the Woods" sequel.  So do I.

---------------
From Variety:  "The Ring" sequel, "Rings" has lost its Nov. 13th, 2015 date, and will move to 2016, may the first quarter.

---------------
From YahooCelebrity:  Porsche responds to Paul Walker lawsuit.  This will get ugly.


COMICS - Titles and Films:

From YahooNews:  "Ant Man" will have a sequel, "Ant Man and the Wasp."

---------------
From SlashFilm:  In addition to being considered for "Furious 8" (the eighth "Fast & Furious" flick), F. Gary Gray is reportedly talking to Marvel about their "Black Panther" film, which is due in 2018.

---------------
From Variety:  Seth Grahame-Smith, who is writing the "Lego Batman" movie and wrote the novel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, is in talks to direct "The Flash" movie...

---------------
From BleedingCool:  Another Marvel comic book is headed to ABC.  This time, it's the late Dwayne McDuffie's "Damage Control."

---------------
From YahooNews:  The surprising choice for director "Thor: Ragnarok" is Taiki Waititi.

---------------
From IGN:  Marvel boss, Kevin Feige, talks about Ronda Rousey's campaign to be Captain Marvel.

---------------
From YahooNews:  Marvel's "Doctor Strange" will be an origin story.



Saturday, August 15, 2015

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of August 9th to 15th, 2015 - Update #13

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From Deadline:  Lots of Pixar news at D23.

---------------
From YahooTV:  AntennaTV is bringing Johnny Carson back to television starting January 1, 2016.

---------------
From YahooMovies:  The first trailer of Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight.'

---------------
From YahooMovies:  Entertainment Weekly has scoops from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

---------------
From Variety:  The NWA music biopic could have a $40 million opening weekend.

---------------
From THR:  Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese's next collabo will be an adaptation of "Devil in the White City."

---------------
From SlashFilm:  Frank Grillo in, so script for "The Purge 3" will exist.

---------------
From Patreon:  This is my review of the Josh Trank's Fantastic Four film.  I will post a slightly altered version on Negromancer when the film arrives on DVD/Blu-ray.

---------------
From BoxOfficeMojo:  In its second week of release, "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" wins the 8/7 - 8/9/15 weekend box office with an estimated take of $29.4 million.  It also won its debut weekend.  In its debut, the Fantastic Four reboot film finished way under early estimates and was second with an estimated take of $26.2 million.

---------------
From THR:  Despite resisting, Bill Murray has finally agreed to appear in Paul Feig's all-female Ghostbusters.


COMICS - Films and Books:

From io9:  Talks about the "Civil War" and "Doctor Strange" reveals they saw at D23.

---------------
From Deadline:  "RED" movies series is coming to TV.  The movies were based on a comic book series.

---------------
From YahooMovies:  Josh Trank and Miles Teller almost came to blows on the set of Fantastic Four reboot bomb.

---------------
From SlashFilm:  Patrick Stewart confirms that he will have a significant role in "Wolverine 3."

---------------
From YahooNews:  More bad news for Fantastic Four film.

---------------
From CinemaBlend:  So maybe FOX did mess with Josh Trank's "Fantastic Four" set pieces.




Wednesday, July 1, 2015

322 People Invited to Join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

ACADEMY INVITES 322 TO MEMBERSHIP

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 322 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures.  Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy’s membership in 2015.

“It’s gratifying to acknowledge the extraordinary range of talent in our industry,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs.  “This year, our branches have recognized a more diverse and inclusive list of filmmakers and artists than ever before, and we look forward to adding their creativity, ideas and experience to our organization.”

The 2015 invitees are:

Actors
Elizabeth Banks – “Love & Mercy,” “The Hunger Games”
Choi Min-sik– “Lucy,” “Oldboy”
Benedict Cumberbatch – “The Imitation Game,” “Star Trek Into Darkness”
Martin Freeman – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Hot Fuzz”
Heather Graham – “The Hangover,” “Boogie Nights”
Tom Hardy – “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Inception”
Kevin Hart – “The Wedding Ringer,” “Ride Along”
Felicity Jones – “The Theory of Everything,” “Like Crazy”
Stephen Lang – “Avatar,” “The Men Who Stare at Goats”
Jodi Long – “A Picture of You,” “Beginners”
John Carroll Lynch – “Shutter Island,” “Zodiac”
Gugu Mbatha-Raw – “Beyond the Lights,” “Belle”
Denis O’Hare – “Milk,” “Michael Clayton”
Michael O’Neill – “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Transformers”
David Oyelowo – “Selma,” “A Most Violent Year”
Dev Patel – “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” “Slumdog Millionaire”
Rosamund Pike – “Gone Girl,” “Pride & Prejudice”
Chris Pine – “Into the Woods,” “Star Trek”
Daniel Radcliffe – “Kill Your Darlings,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”
Eddie Redmayne – “The Theory of Everything,” “Les Misérables”
Jason Segel – “The Five-Year Engagement,” “The Muppets”
J.K. Simmons – “Whiplash,” “Juno”
Sonny Skyhawk – “Geronimo: An American Legend,” “Young Guns II”
Song Kang-ho – “Snowpiercer,” “The Host”
Emma Stone – “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),” “The Help”

Casting Directors
Lucy Bevan – “Cinderella,” “The Hundred-Foot Journey”
Victoria Burrows – “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” “King Kong”
Aisha Coley – “Selma,” “Beyond the Lights”
Patricia DiCerto – “Blue Jasmine,” “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Mary Hidalgo – “The Lego Movie,” “The Incredibles”
Roger Mussenden – “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “Get Smart”
Lucie Robitaille – “Incendies,” “The Barbarian Invasions”
Luis San Narciso – “The Skin I Live In,” “The Sea Inside”
April Webster – “Tomorrowland,” “Star Trek”
Tricia Wood – “Woman in Gold,” “The Lincoln Lawyer”

Cinematographers
Christopher Blauvelt – “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby,” “The Bling Ring”
Adriano Goldman – “August: Osage County,” “Jane Eyre”
Ben Kasulke – “Laggies,” “Safety Not Guaranteed”
Ryszard Lenczewski – “Ida,” “Margaret”
Jody Lee Lipes – “Ballet 422,” “Martha Marcy May Marlene”
Sharone Meir – “Whiplash,” “Mean Creek”
Rachel Morrison – “Cake,” “Fruitvale Station”
Tristan Oliver – “ParaNorman,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox”
Hoyte Van Hoytema – “Interstellar,” “Her”
Roman Vasyanov – “Fury,” “End of Watch”
Łukasz Żal – “Ida,” “Joanna”

Costume Designers
Kasia Walicka Maimone – “Foxcatcher,” “Moonrise Kingdom”
Francesca Livia Sartori – “Piazza Fontana: The Italian Conspiracy,” “When the Night”
Jany Temime – “Gravity,” “Skyfall”

Designers
Ramsey Avery – “Tomorrowland,” “Star Trek Into Darkness”
Gae Buckley – “The Book of Eli,” “He’s Just Not That into You”
Keith Brian Burns – “The Best Man Holiday,” “2 Fast 2 Furious”
Lester W. Cohen – “Fading Gigolo,” “Cop Land”
Suzie Davies – “Mr. Turner,” “The Children”
John F. Fenner – “The Phantom of the Opera,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley”
Darren Gilford – “Oblivion,” “Tron: Legacy”
Derek R. Hill – “Southpaw,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”
Bryn Imagire – “Cars 2,” “Up”
Dina Lipton – “Baggage Claim,” “Love Hurts”
Tatiana Macdonald – “The Imitation Game,” “The Invisible Woman”
Dominic Masters – “Woman in Gold,” “Casino Royale”
Doug Meerdink – “Jurassic World,” “Ocean’s Thirteen”
Chris Spellman – “Paper Towns,” “This Is the End”
Patrick Tatopoulos – “300: Rise of an Empire,” “Total Recall”
Charlotte Watts – “Mr. Holmes,” “Mr. Turner”

Directors
Michael Binder – “Black or White,” “Reign over Me”
Bong Joon-ho – “Snowpiercer,” “Mother”
Niki Caro – “North Country,” “Whale Rider”
Damien Chazelle* – “Whiplash,” “Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench”
Simon Curtis – “Woman in Gold,” “My Week with Marilyn”
François Girard – “Silk,” “The Red Violin”
F. Gary Gray – “The Italian Job,” “Friday”
James Gunn – “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Super”
Im Kwon-taek – “Chi-Hwa-Seon (Painted Fire),” “Chunhyang”
Stan Lathan – “Beat Street,” “Amazing Grace”
Malcolm D. Lee* – “The Best Man Holiday,” “The Best Man”
Justin Lin – “Fast & Furious 6,” “Better Luck Tomorrow”
François Ozon – “Young & Beautiful,” “Swimming Pool”
Paweł Pawlikowski* – “Ida,” “My Summer of Love”
Kelly Reichardt – “Meek’s Cutoff,” “Wendy and Lucy”
Ira Sachs – “Love Is Strange,” “Keep the Lights On”
Lynn Shelton – “Laggies,” “Your Sister’s Sister”
Abderrahmane Sissako* – “Timbuktu,” “Bamako”
Damián Szifron* – “Wild Tales,” “On Probation”
Fernando Trueba – “Chico & Rita,” “Belle Epoque”
Morten Tyldum – “The Imitation Game,” “Headhunters”
Zaza Urushadze – “Tangerines,” “The Guardian”
Wayne Wang – “Anywhere but Here,” “The Joy Luck Club”
Edgar Wright – “The World’s End,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”
Joe Wright – “Anna Karenina,” “Atonement”
Andrey Zvyagintsev* – “Leviathan,” “Elena”

Documentary
Richard Berge – “The Island President,” “The Rape of Europa”
Mathilde Bonnefoy* – “CitizenFour,” “The Invisibles”
Emad Burnat – “5 Broken Cameras”
Guy Davidi – “5 Broken Cameras,” “Interrupted Streams”
Geralyn Dreyfous – “The Square,” “The Invisible War”
Lewis Erskine – “Free Angela: And All Political Prisoners,” “Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple”
Shana Hagan – “Misconception,” “This Film Is Not Yet Rated”
Tony Hardmon – “Detropia,” “Semper Fi: Always Faithful”
Leonard Retel Helmrich – “Position among the Stars,” “Shape of the Moon”
Pirjo Honkasalo – “The 3 Rooms of Melancholia,” “Atman”
Judy Irving – “Pelican Dreams,” “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill”
Robert Kenner – “Merchants of Doubt,” “Food, Inc.”
Marc Levin – “Mr. Untouchable,” “The Last Party”
Jesse Moss – “The Overnighters,” “Full Battle Rattle”
Pratibha Parmar – “Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth,” “A Place of Rage”
Paula DuPre’ Pesmen – “Keep On Keepin’ On,” “The Cove”
Gordon Quinn – “Life Itself,” “Hoop Dreams”
Kim Roberts – “Waiting for ‘Superman’,” “Lost Boys of Sudan”
Richard Rowley – “Dirty Wars,” “The Fourth World War”
João Moreira Salles – “Santiago,” “Entreatos (Intermissions)”
Ondi Timoner – “We Live in Public,” “Dig!”

Executives
Carolyn Blackwood
Robbie Brenner
Lia Buman
Steve Burke
David Fenkel
Mellody Hobson
Brian Keane
Steven Paul O’Dell
Jim Orr
Mark Rachesky
Ted Sarandos
Jeff Shell

Film Editors
Craig Alpert – “Pitch Perfect 2,” “Pineapple Express”
Mick Audsley – “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” “Dirty Pretty Things”
Pablo Barbieri – “Wild Tales,” “La Antena (The Aerial)”
Nadia Ben Rachid – “Timbuktu,” “Bamako”
Kristina Boden – “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby,” “Cake”
Mathilde Bonnefoy* – “CitizenFour,” “Run Lola Run”
Julian Clarke – “Chappie,” “District 9”
Douglas Crise – “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),” “Babel”
Tom Cross – “Whiplash,” “Any Day Now”
Jinx Godfrey – “The Theory of Everything,” “Man on Wire”
Robert Grahamjones – “Brave,” “Ratatouille”
Masahiro Hirakubo – “Virunga,” “The Duchess”
Jarosław Kamiński – “Ida,” “Aftermath (Pokłosie)”
William Kerr – “Bridesmaids,” “I Love You, Man”
Nico Leunen – “Lost River,” “The Broken Circle Breakdown”
Mike McCusker – “Get On Up,” “3:10 to Yuma”
Tim Mertens – “Big Hero 6,” “Wreck-It Ralph”
Barney Pilling – “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “An Education”
David Rennie – “22 Jump Street,” “Office Space”
Gary D. Roach – “American Sniper,” “Prisoners”
Michael L. Sale – “We’re the Millers,” “Bridesmaids”
Stephen Schaffer – “Cars 2,” “WALL-E”
Job ter Burg – “Borgman,” “Winter in Wartime”
Peter Teschner – “St. Vincent,” “Horrible Bosses”
Tara Timpone – “Friends with Kids,” “Bad Teacher”

Makeup Artists and Hairstylists
Frida S. Aradottir – “August: Osage County,” “A Serious Man”
Victoria Down – “Big Eyes,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”
Frances Hannon – “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “The King’s Speech”
Todd Kleitsch – “Run All Night,” “Black Swan”
Dennis Liddiard – “Foxcatcher,” “Jobs”
Jerry Popolis – “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),” “Noah”
Janine Rath-Thompson – “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “Bridesmaids”
Johnny Villanueva – “The Gambler,” “The Fighter”
David White – “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “La Vie en Rose”
Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou – “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “An Education”

Members-at-Large
Andy Armstrong
Wayne Billheimer
Kevin Brownlow
Simon Crane
Debbie Denise
Jeff Habberstad
Andy Hendrickson
Elissa M. Rashkin Loparco
Guido Quaroni
Nicole Scalise
Steven J. Scott
Leon D. Silverman
Gregg Smrz
Lynda Ellenshaw Thompson
Steve Venezia

Music
Tyler Bates – “John Wick,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Alex Gibson – “Interstellar,” “The Dark Knight”
Jonny Greenwood – “Inherent Vice,” “The Master”
Dave Grusin – “Skating to New York,” “The Firm”
Alex Heffes – “Love and Honor,” “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
Lisa Jaime – “Annie,” “Rock of Ages”
Jóhann Jóhannsson – “The Theory of Everything,” “Prisoners”
Laura Karpman – “States of Grace,” “Black Nativity”
Christopher Lennertz – “The Wedding Ringer,” “Horrible Bosses”
Lonnie Lynn – “Selma,” “Freedom Writers”
Chris McGeary – “Jersey Boys,” “RoboCop”
Sergio Mendes – “Rio 2,” “Rio”
Daniel Pinder – “Big Hero 6,” “Captain Phillips”
Trent Reznor – “Gone Girl,” “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Atticus Ross – “Love & Mercy,” “The Social Network”
John Stephens – “Selma,” “Django Unchained”
Marc Streitenfeld – “Poltergeist,” “Prometheus”
Erica Weis – “Spy,” “The Heat”
Gary Yershon – “Mr. Turner,” “Another Year”

Producers
Caroline Baron – “Capote,” “Monsoon Wedding”
Effie T. Brown – “Dear White People,” “Real Women Have Curves”
Terence Chang – “Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale,” “Face/Off”
Wyck Godfrey – “The Fault in Our Stars,” “Twilight”
Jeremy Kleiner – “Selma,” “12 Years a Slave”
Pamela Koffler – “Still Alice,” “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”
Gina Kwon – “Camp X-Ray,” “Me and You and Everyone We Know”
Dan Lin – “The Lego Movie,” “Sherlock Holmes”
Eric Newman – “RoboCop,” “Children of Men”
Bruna Papandrea – “Wild,” “All Good Things”
Lydia Dean Pilcher – “Cutie and the Boxer,” “The Darjeeling Limited”
Rebecca Yeldham – “On the Road,” “The Kite Runner”

Public Relations
Jennifer Allen
Asad Ayaz
Dawn Baillie
Andrew Bernstein
Liz Biber
Mara Buxbaum
Lee Ginsberg
R. Jeff Hill
Michelle Hooper
Chris Libby
Susan Norget
Lewis Oberlander
Gordon Paddison
Elias Plishner
David Pollick
Weiman Seid
LeeAnne Stables
Ryan Stankevich
Bonnie Voland

Short Films and Feature Animation
Alan Barillaro – “Brave,” “WALL-E”
Kristine Belson – “The Croods,” “How to Train Your Dragon”
Darlie Brewster – “Curious George,” “The Prince of Egypt”
Roy Conli – “Big Hero 6,” “Tangled”
Ronnie Del Carmen – “Up,” “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron”
Paul A. Felix – “Big Hero 6,” “Lilo & Stitch”
Michael Fukushima – “Me and My Moulton,” “Dimanche/Sunday”
Don Hall – “Big Hero 6,” “Winnie the Pooh”
Talkhon Hamzavi – “Parvaneh,” “Taub”
Hu Wei – “Butter Lamp (La Lampe Au Beurre De Yak),” “Le Propriétaire”
Jin Kim – “Big Hero 6,” “Bolt”
Mat Kirkby – “The Phone Call,” “Hard to Swallow”
David Kneupper – “Alex and Sylvia,” “The Civil War in 4 Minutes”
Michael Lennox – “Boogaloo and Graham,” “The Back of Beyond”
Fabio Lignini – “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” “Puss in Boots”
James Lucas – “The Phone Call”
Patrick Osborne – “Feast,” “Paperman”
Jerome Ranft – “Toy Story 3,” “Ratatouille”
Jim Reardon – “Wreck-It Ralph,” “WALL-E”
Kristina Reed – “Feast,” “Paperman”
Jason Reisig – “Home,” “Shrek Forever After”
Nicolas Schmerkin – “Habana,” “Logorama”
Anthony Stacchi – “The Boxtrolls,” “Open Season”
Isao Takahata – “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya,” “Grave of the Fireflies”
Michael Thurmeier – “Ice Age: Continental Drift,” “No Time for Nuts”
Marlon West – “Frozen,” “The Princess and the Frog”

Sound
Ray Beckett – “Zero Dark Thirty,” “The Hurt Locker”
Odin Benitez – “Frozen,” “Silver Linings Playbook”
Ron Bochar – “Mortdecai,” “Moneyball”
Jason Canovas – “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” “World War Z”
Thomas Curley – “Whiplash,” “The Spectacular Now”
Michael Dressel – “American Sniper,” “Interstellar”
Mary H. Ellis – “Vacation,” “Prisoners”
Stephanie Flack – “Jupiter Ascending,” “Ender’s Game”
Martín Hernández – “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),” “Biutiful”
Dean Humphreys – “Taken 3,” “The Pianist”
William Johnston – Vice President of Engineering, Formosa Group
Shawn Jones – “Iron Man 3,” “Drive”
Daniel Laurie – “Inside Out,” “Big Hero 6”
David Lee – “Unbroken,” “The Matrix”
Craig Mann – “Dope,” “Whiplash”
Kyrsten Mate – “Tomorrowland,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Shannon J. Mills – “Inside Out,” “Big Hero 6”
Bryan K. Pennington – “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” “Promised Land”
Juan P. Peralta – “Tomorrowland,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”
John Ross – “Danny Collins,” “American Hustle”
Peter Staubli – “San Andreas,” “Skyfall”
Mark Taylor – “Edge of Tomorrow,” “Captain Phillips”
Addison Teague – “Big Hero 6,” “The Amazing Spider-Man”
Jon Title – “San Andreas,” “The Divergent Series: Insurgent”
Thomas Varga – “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),” “The Immigrant”
Ben Wilkins – “Whiplash,” “Star Trek”

Visual Effects
Nicolas Aithadi – “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “X-Men: First Class”
Daniel Barrett – “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”
Stephane Ceretti – “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Cloud Atlas”
Paul Corbould – “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Tim Crosbie – “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “The Wolverine”
Dan DeLeeuw – “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Iron Man 3”
Sean Faden – “Fast & Furious 6,” “Let Me In”
Joe Farrell – “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Hereafter”
Scott R. Fisher – “Interstellar,” “The Dark Knight Rises”
Chris Harvey – “Chappie,” “Fast & Furious 6”
Alex Jaeger – “Tomorrowland,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”
Matt Kutcher – “Focus,” “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”
Andrew Lockley – “Interstellar,” “Inception”
Gray Marshall – “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Captain America: The First Avenger”
Carl Miller – “Jurassic World,” “Elysium”
David Nakabayashi – “Tomorrowland,” “Avatar”
Rocco Passionino – “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Spider-Man 2”
Lou Pecora – “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”
Cary Phillips – “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”
Ellen Poon – “Frozen,” “Inception”
Edwin Rivera – “22 Jump Street,” “Moneyball”
Cameron Waldbauer – “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “Elysium”
Erik Winquist – “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” “Avatar”

Writers
Armando Bo – “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),” “Biutiful”
Damien Chazelle* – “Whiplash,” “Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench”
Álex de la Iglesia – “El Crimen Perfecto,” “The Day of the Beast”
Rick Famuyiwa – “Dope,” “The Wood”
Maya Forbes – “Infinitely Polar Bear,” “Monsters vs Aliens”
E. Max Frye – “Foxcatcher,” “Something Wild”
Nicolás Giacobone – “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),” “Biutiful”
Dan Gilroy – “Nightcrawler,” “The Bourne Legacy”
Jorge Guerricaechevarría – “Cell 211,” “The Day of the Beast”
Rita Hsiao – “Toy Story 2,” “Mulan”
Simon Kinberg – “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “Sherlock Holmes”
Malcolm D. Lee* – “The Best Man Holiday,” “The Best Man”
Christopher Markus – “Thor: The Dark World,” “Captain America: The First Avenger”
Stephen McFeely – “Thor: The Dark World,” “Captain America: The First Avenger”
Graham Moore – “The Imitation Game”
Paweł Pawlikowski* – “Ida,” “My Summer of Love”
Abderrahmane Sissako* – “Timbuktu,” “Bamako”
Damián Szifron* – “Wild Tales,” “On Probation”
Kessen Tall – “Timbuktu”
Tyger Williams – “The Perfect Guy,” “Menace II Society”
Andrey Zvyagintsev* – “Leviathan,” “Elena”

Associates
Victoria Belfrage
Josh Braun
Wayne Fitterman
Sharon Jackson
Patricia Keighley
Cliff Roberts
Elyse Scherz
James Toth
Bart Walker

Seven individuals (noted above by an asterisk) have been invited to join the Academy by multiple branches.  These individuals must select one branch upon accepting membership.

Each year, each Academy member may sponsor one candidate for membership within their branch.  New member application reviews take place in the spring.  Applications for the coming year must be received by March 24, 2016.

New members will be welcomed into the Academy at an invitation-only reception in September.

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Friday, June 20, 2014

Negromancer News Bits and Bites: June 15 to June 21, 2014 - Updated #6


NEWS:

From The WrapMeryl Streep makes a move to television as she will play opera legend Maria Callas in a television film for HBO.  Director Mike Nichols is adapting the Broadway play, "Master Class," which tells the story of Callas' life.

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From Variety: The next "Bourne" movie, starring Jeremy Renner, has been moved from August 14, 2015 to July 15, 2016,  That film will ostensibly be a sequel to the Renner-starring The Bourne Legacy.

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From Variety:  Apparently the F. Gary Gray N.W.A. biopic will take Bourne's August 2015 release date.

From Cinema Blend:  Speaking of the N.W.A. biopic, the film reportedly has its actors to play the lead characters, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and Dr. Dre.  O'Shea Jackson, Jr. will apparently play his father, Ice Cube, whose birth name is O'Shea Jackson.  At one point, Michael B. Jordan was eyed to play Cube, but his role in the Fantastic Four reboot may have squashed that.

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From YahooJohn Cusack and Adrien Brody join Jackie Chan in the Chinese-language film, "Dragon Blade."  It looks to be the most expensive Chinese-language made to date at $65 million.

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COMIC BOOK MOVIES:

From MarvelRosario Dawson joins Marvel's Netflix series, "Daredevil," which is scheduled to debut in early 2015.

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From The WrapJon Spaihts who wrote Ridley Scott's Prometheus is apparently writing Marvel Studios' planned "Doctor Strange," movie, which would be based on the surgeon turned Sorcerer Supreme, Stephen Strange a/k/a/ Doctor Strange.  Scott Derrickson, who directed the low-budget hit horror film, Sinister, is apparently directing the film.  Jared Leto and Benedict Cumberbatch are the top choices to play Strange.

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From Yahoo Celebrity: Ben Affleck buffs up for Batman role in Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice.


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STAR WARS News:

From YahooHarrison Ford broke his leg, not his ankle.

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From Heat Celeb News:  More on Harrison Ford's injury on the set of Star Wars Episode VII.

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From GoSanAngelo:  Here is an interesting article about fans who spend much money and time to build their own Star Wars droids.  There is even a club, Astromech.net.

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MISC:

Surprising article from a few years ago:  I was a drunk teenaged wizard.

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From Yahoo: In this installment of Hollywood Time Capsule, the 1999 flick, Wild Wild West, gets a look-back via Entertainment Weekly.

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OBITS:

From the New York Times and Indiewire: Casey Kasem, the famous American disc jockey, radio personality, and voice actor, died Sunday, June 15, 2014.  He was 82-years-old.  Kasem was born Kemal Amen Kasem in Detroit on April 27, 1932 to Lebanese immigrant parents.

I remember Kasem for several reasons.  First of all, I was a big fan of his syndicated radio show, "America's Top 40." Beginning in 1970 and continuing for 24 years, Kasem played the top forty songs on Billboard magazine's weekly "Hot 100" singles chart.  There was also a syndicated television version of the show in the 1980s that showed the music videos for the top ten songs of the week on the "Hot 100" singles chart, and sometimes for songs on Billboard's other singles chart.

But I most treasure and love Casey Kasem as the voice of cartoon character, Norville "Shaggy" Rodgers, beginning with the animated series, "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?" (1969) and continuing until 1997.  He also provided the voice of Robin on "Super Friends" and Alexander on "Josie and the Pussycats."

Negromancer sends condolences to Casey Kasem's family and friends.  R.I.P. Shaggy.

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From Yahoo Sports:  Former Major League Baseball player, Tony Gwynn, died today, Monday, June 16, 2014 at the age of 54.  He was one of the greatest hitters in the history of Major League Baseball and the greatest pure hitter of his generation.  He played with the San Diego Padres for 20 years (his entire career) and was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.  He was named on 532 of 545 Hall of Fame voting ballots, for one of the highest percentages ever, 97.61.  Negromancer sends its condolences to Tony Gwynn's family, friends, colleagues, and teammates.  R.I.P. slugger.

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From the New York Times and Yahoo Sports:  I think I've stated before that the Pittsburgh Steelers are my favorite NFL team.  Well, I was saddened to learn that beloved head Coach Chuck Noll died Friday night, June 13, 2013.  Charles Henry Noll was born on January 5, 1932.  He was 82-year-old.

Noll built the "Steel Curtain" Steelers of the 1970s, one of the most dominant teams in NFL history.  The Steelers won the Super Bowls in the 1974, 1975, 1978, and 1979 seasons.  They were the first team to win four Super Bowls.  Noll coached the Steelers from 1969 to 1991 and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, his first year of eligibility.

Rest in peace, Coach.  Negromancer offers condolences to Chuck Noll's family and friends.