Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 7th to 13th, 2024 - UPDATE #15

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

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ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Today (Fri., July 12th) in New Mexico, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer has dismissed the involuntary manslaughter trial against Alec Baldwin. Baldwin has been charged in the 2021 accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film, "Rust."  Judge Sommer accused the state of repeatedly failing to disclose key evidence to Baldwin's defense team.  The trial was dismissed without prejudice meaning it cannot be refiled.  The already-convicted armorer on the film, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed could also be released from prison.

From Deadline:  Alec Baldwin racks up a win early in his trial on involuntary manslaughter charges.  Baldwin is being tried for the shooting death of cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, in 2021 on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

POLITICS - From TheNewYorkTimes:  George Clooney says that he loves President Joe Biden, but that Biden has got to go... with friends like this...

STREAMING - From Variety:  Halle Berry and Glenn Close is joining Ryan Murphy's Hulu legal drama, "All's Fair," which will star Kim Kardashian.  Berry and Close will join Kardashian as executive producers.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 7/5 to 7/7/2024 weekend box office is Universal/Illumination's "Despicable Me 4" with an estimated take of 75 million dollars.

BUSINESS - From Variety:  David Ellison meets the press in the way of his company, Skydance Media, gobbling up Paramount Global.

From Deadline:  David Ellison's Skydance Media and its backers are taking over Paramount Global with an 8 billion dollar investment.  Ellison will be chairman and CEO of the merged companies, and the deal is expected to be closed by mid-2025.

From Deadline:  A special committee of Paramount Global board members has given a key approval vote to Skydance Media's bid to gain the controlling share of National Amusements Inc., the parent company of Paramount.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Joseph Kosinki talk about next summer's blockbuster film, "F1," starring Brad Pitt.

From WorldofReel:  There is a first poster for director Joseph Kosinski's "F1," which stars Brad Pitt. The film is due Summer 2025. Kosinski directed the megahit, "Top Gun: Maverick."

OBITS:

From Variety:  American television fitness guru and personality and author, Richard Simmons, has died at the age of 76, Saturday, July 13, 2024.  Simmons was best known for his extensive line of self-help books and videos related to exercise and weight-loss.  His best known series is probably the "Sweatin' to the Oldies," initially released on videocassette.  He gained fame as a fitness guru after opening his exercise studio, "The Anatomy Asylum," in 1974.  By the late 70s and into the early 1980s, he began consistently appearing on television.  From 1980-84, he hosted "The Richard Simmons Show," which was nominated for seven Daytime Emmy Awards and won four.  After the series ended, Simmons continued to make numerous TV and public appearances.  Beginning in 2014, Simmons largely became a recluse.

From THR:  American film and television actress and TV producer, Shelley Duvall, has died at the age of 75, Thursday, July 11, 2024.  Early on in her career, Duvall was the protege of director, Robert Altman, who discovered her, and she appeared in several of his films, including "Brewster's McCloud" (1970) and "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" (1971), and "Nashville" (1975).  Known for playing eccentric roles, she starred in "Popeye" (1980), the adaptation of the famed newspaper comics strip and animated cartoon series.  Duvall's most famous role may be that of the tormented wife, "Wendy Torrance," opposite Jack Nicholson's "Jack Torrance" in Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" (1980).  As a producer she earned two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her work on children's programming.

From Variety:  The magazine's Owen Gleiberman writes a remembrance of actress Shelley Duvall, who died Thurs., July 11th.

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From Deadline:  American actor and voice artist and former child star, Benji Gregory, has died at the age of 46, Thursday, June 13, 2024.  Gregory is best known for the role of "Brian Tanner" on the former NBC sitcom, "Alf" (1986-90). Gregory also performed voice roles on such animated series as "Pound Puppies" and the "Back to the Future" animated series.

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From Deadline:  American film producer, Jon Landau, has died at the age of 63, Friday, July 5, 2024.  Landau was best known for his association with writer-director James Cameron and was the COO of Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment.  Landau shared the "Best Picture" Oscar win with Cameron for the 1997 film, "Titanic."  He also received "Best Picture" Oscar nominations for "Avatar" (2009) and "Avatar: The Way of Water" (2022).

From Deadline:  In mourning the death of his close friend and collaborator, Jon Landau, James Cameron says "a part of myself has been torn away."

From Deadline:  Hollywood is shocked by the death of Oscar-winning producer Jon Landau ("Titanic), and they salute his vision, achievements, and kindness.

Review: Miller, Keaton Speed "THE FLASH" Forward

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 26 of 2023 (No. 1915) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Flash (2023)

Running time:  144 minutes (2 hours, 24 minutes)

MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, some strong language and partial nudity

DIRECTOR:  Andy Muschietti

WRITERS:  Christina Hodson; from a screen story by John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein, Joby Harold (based on the DC Comics characters)

PRODUCERS:  Barbara Muschietti and Michael Disco

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Henry Braham

EDITORS:  Jason Ballantine and Paul Machliss

COMPOSER:  Benjamin Wallfisch

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION

Starring:  Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton, Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdu, Kiesey Clemons, Antje Traue Temuera Morrison, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Nicolas Cage, George Clooney, Jason Momoa, and Jeremy Irons

The Flash is a 2023 superhero and action-fantasy film directed by Andy Muschietti.  The film is based on the DC Comics character, The Flash, with the two most famous versions being created by the teams of writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert and writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino.  The film is the 13th entry in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).  In The Flash, the superhero known as “the fastest man alive” uses his super-speed to change his family's tragic past, but also creates a world without superheroes.

The Flash opens at a very important time in the life of Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller).  His father, Henry Allen (Ron Livingston), has been imprisoned, wrongfully convicted for murdering his wife and Ezra's mother, Nora Allen (Maribel Verdu).  As a police forensic investigator for the Central City Police Department, Barry has been using his knowledge and connections in a bid to free his father, whose next appeal of his conviction is a day away.

However, Barry's superhero life intrudes, so he races to Gotham City where he helps Batman (Ben Affleck) stop a terrorist group.  After that, the Flash visits his childhood home.  Overcome by his emotions, Barry starts running so fast that he does not realize that his power, super-speed, has tapped into the “Speed Force” to such an extent that he has traveled back in time.  Although Batman's alter-ego, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck), warns him against doing so, the Flash travels back in time, again.

He returns to the day his mother was murdered and changes events in order to save her life, and the thing about which Bruce warned Barry occurs, the unintended consequences of time travel.  Soon, Barry comes face to face with his younger self, college-age Barry (Ezra Miller).  Not long afterwards, Barry learns that his big change to the past has also created an Earth without superheroes.  As an alien threat looms, the two Barrys seek out the one superhero everyone knows exists – or at least once existed, Batman.  However, this Earth's Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) does not want to be Batman again, even if it dooms the world.

When I first heard of the premise of The Flash, I knew that Warner Bros. Pictures wanted to make its on version of Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios' multiverse adventure, Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).  Unlike this very sharp Spider-Man flick, The Flash is not as crisp and as efficient.  The Flash's action scenes are always at least a minute too long and too overdone.  The drama is a bit too melodramatic, sometimes in danger of being corny.  Still, director Andy Muschietti and his editors offer a film that is often quite engaging, thrilling, and entertaining.

I believe that the persons that really carry The Flash are first, Ezra Miller as The Flash/Barry Allen and as younger Barry Allen and second, Michael Keaton as Batman/Bruce Wayne.  This time around Ezra offers a superhero and alter-ego that are both far less annoying and forced than they were in Joss Whedon's 2016 superhero film, Justice League.  Miller is so good at portraying two versions of Barry that they seem like distinctly different people and personalities.  Here, Miller's Flash is more like a quirky character than in Justice League, where he seemed like bad character writing and a resulting confused and awkward performance.  Sadly, Miller's legal problems may keep them from portraying the Flash again, which is a shame.  They have finally got a bead on how to play that kind of character in a way that makes him endearing.

To a slightly lesser extent, Michael Keaton also carries this film.  His Batman/Bruce Wayne is one of the most famous iterations of the character, having appeared in director Tim Burton's Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992).  Keaton revives the beats of the way he played the character over three decades ago, while adding a lot of new flavors to his character and new engagement in his performance.  After this appearance, I would really like to see more of Keaton's Batman.

Ben Affleck also makes a really nice turn as the “DCEU Batman/Bruce Wayne.”  Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl gives a performance that makes the character seem shoe-horned into this film.  And there are some delightful cameos from other actors and characters that have appeared in DC Comics-related film and television series.  Plus, there is a surprise appearance from another cinematic Batman.  As I have said, however, Ezra Miller and Michael Keaton put a light-speed jolt into The Flash.  I found The Flash entertaining, but I'm giving it the grade I am because of Miller and Keaton.

[The Flash has one scene at the end of the credits.]

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Friday, June 23, 2023

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from February 18th to 28th, 2018 - Update #32

Support Leroy on Patreon:

COMICS-FILM - From DenofGeek:  First look at the Zachary Levi's costume in Warner Bros./DC Entertainment's "Shazam: film.

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STREAMING - From Variety:  Netflix plans 700 original series and movies for 2018.

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COMICS-FILM - From BleedingCool:  Significant reshoots for Fox's X-Men spinoff, "The New Mutants."

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CELEBRITY - From Variety:  In a wide-ranging interview, legendary Barbra Streisand talks sexism in Hollywood, the Oscars, and wanting to direct films again.  She also reveals that she has had her dogs cloned.

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OSCARS - From Yahoo:  Oscars so scandalous: leading movies hit with backlash

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CELEBRITY - From Variety:  Kevin Smith tweets that he suffered a heart attack.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 2/23 to 2/25/2018 weekend box office is Marvel Studio's "Black Panther" with an estimated take of $108 million.

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MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Ryan Coogler explains why he isn't directing "Creed 2," the sequel to his hit film, "Creed."

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MOVIE - From ShadowandAct:  See photographic image of three generations of Shaft from the upcoming film, "Son of Shaft."

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STREAMING - From TVSeriesFinale:  Amazon is developing a TV series based on Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" book series.

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MOVIES - From Vulture:  "The First Great Movie of the Trump Era" By Jada Yuan and Hunter Harris (about Jordan Peele's "Get Out")

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MOVIES - From Collider:   Alex Garland is a hot filmmaker and is currently promoting his second film, "Annihilation."  He began as a noted novelist and revealed that there may be another film adaptation of his debut novel, "The Beach."  There was a 2000 film adaptation from director Danny Boyle and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

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TELEVISION - From TVSeriesFinale:  Walter Goggins will star in CBS's reboot of the Oscar-winning film, "L.A. Confidential."

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CELEBRITY - From GQ:  Whatever happened to actor Brendan Fraser (The Mummy franchise)

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MOVIES - From THR:  "Jurassic World 3" has been scheduled for a 2021 release.

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ANIMATION - From Deadline:  Larry Fishburne is producing an animated TV series based on Marvel Comics' "Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur" comic book, which is apparently popular with young readers.

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MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Jessica Chastain is in talks to star as "Beverly" in the sequel to the smash hit, "It."

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#PARKLANDSHOOTING - From StandardUK:  George and Amal Clooney donate $500,000 to gun control march after Florida shooting.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 2/16 to 2/18/2018 (President's Day) weekend box office is Disney/Marvel's "Black Panther" with an estimated take of $192 million, the fifth largest box office opening to date.

From BleedingCool:  Black Panther's three-day weekend total is actually $201.8 million instead of $192 million.

From Variety:  "Black Panther's four-day President's Day weekend may hit $235 million.

From THR:  All this fuss over a superhero movie? by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

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MOVIES - From CBR:  The "Transformers" film franchise may end as an unresolved film series.  Paramount has reportedly cancelled what was to be the sequel to "Transformers: The Last Knight," which apparently had an open ending. [I didn't see that film.]

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AWARDS - From Variety:  A complete list of winners at the 2018 BAFTAs.  "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" wins two best film awards.

From TheGuardian:  Bafta film awards 2018: Three Billboards triumphs as Time's Up dominates

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MOVIES - From EW:  Anne Hathaway joins Dee Rees ("Mudbound") for an adaptation of Joan Didion's 1996 novel, "The Last Thing He Wanted," a political thriller.

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CRIME-POLITICS - From Justice.gov:   Read Robert S. Mueller III's indictment against 13 individuals (Russians and one American).

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MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Sylvester Stallone reveals the first poster for "Creed II."

OBITS:

From THR:  Oscar-nominated animator, Bud Luckey, has died at the age of 83, Saturday, February 24, 2018.  An early Pixar employee, Luckey, designed the cowboy "Woody" for the original "Toy Story."  He also created "counting cartoons" for "Seasame Street."  He received an Oscar nominations for his animated short film, "Boundin'."

From Variety:  The India actress, Sridevi Kapoor, has died at the age of 54, Saturday, February 24, 2018.  Best known by her mononym, Sridevi, was the first Bollywood superstar actress.

From TheGuardian:  British actress, Emma Chambers, has died at the age of 53, Wednesday, February 21, 2018.  Chambers was best known for her roles in the British comedy TV series, "The Vicar of Dibley," and in the 1999 film, "Notting Hill," playing "Honey," the sister of Hugh Grant's character.

From YahooNews:  Famed evangelist and ordained Southern Baptist minister and preacher, Billy Graham, has died at the age of 99, Wednesday, February 21, 2018.  Known as "America's Pastor," Graham provided spiritual counsel to every U.S. President from Harry Truman to Barack Obama.  Graham was also a supporter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and began "racial integration" for his revival and crusades beginning in 1953.  [Of course, he's resting in peace.]

From Deadline:  African filmmaker Idrissa Ouedraogo, has died at the age of 64, Sunday, February 18, 2018.  A native of the West African nation of Burkina Faso, Ouedraogo won the Cannes Jury Prize for his 1990 film, "Tilai."

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 17th to 23rd, 2016 - Update #57

Support Leroy on Patreon.

POLITICS:  From RSN:  Michael Moore - Flint water poisoning is a "racial crime."

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MOVIES:  From Variety:  Sony rebooting Jim Henson's "Labyrinth."

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COMICS - From CBR:  Kevin Smith says that DC Entertainment higher-ups are considering a DC Movie/TV crossover for sometime in the future.

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POLITICS - From YahooNews:  GOP presidential candidates have been quiet about Flint Michigan water crisis.  So has Faux News.

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AWARDS - From BlackReelAwards: 16th annual Black Reel Awards nominations.

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COMICS - From CinemaBlend:  Deadpool movie looking at a big opening weekend.

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OSCARS - From ATTN:  New York Post has fun with the blizzard and #OscarsSoWhite.

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RACE - From ThinkProgress:  Once upon a time, armed black people bucked the government, and they were killed - unlike the White militia at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.

Speaking of - From ThinkProgress: Ursula K. Le Guin sacks Ammon Bundy and his Klan-lings and the newspaper that parrots their nonsense.

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POLITICS - From RSN:  Oliver Stone speaks of war-mongering on the part of both Republicans and Democrats.

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CULTURE - From USMagazine:  "Actress" Stacey Dash hits back at BET.

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CRIME - From YahooNews:  Ex-Oklahoma City police officer, Daniel Holtzclaw, preyed on women in poor neighborhoods and raped at least 13.  He was recently sentenced to 263 years in prison.

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CULTURE:  From TheVox:  Netflix's "Making a Murderer" reveals the systematic problems of the American justice system.

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MOVIES -  From EcoWatch:  Leonardo DiCaprio says that film "The Revenant" drove home the need to take action on climate change.

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COMICS:  From BusinessInsider:  Warner Bros. is planning 11 superhero movies through 2020, and most look horrible.

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MUSIC:  From TheVillageVoice:  The 2015 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll and the Year in Music.

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TRAILER - From Vulture:  The red band trailer for Key & Peele's upcoming film, Keanu, has been released.

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OSCARS - From Vulture:  Oscar nominee, this year, Mark Ruffalo, is weighing skipping the Oscar ceremony.

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OSCARS - From YahooTV:  Will Smith will not attend this year's Oscar ceremony, as his wife is skipping the ceremony also.

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COMICS - From ComicBookBin:  Herve St. Louis, the owner of the Bin and the creator of the webcomic strip, "Johnny Bullet," talks about the difficulties of reader surveys.

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COMICS - From BleedingCool:  The best work I've ever done says Hellboy creator, Mike Mignola.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Nate Turner talks about his hot Sundance film, "Birth of a Nation."

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MOVIES - From THR:  Paramount has taken "Terminator 2" off its release schedule and replaced it with the "Baywatch" movie - which I did not know was going to happen.

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OSCARS - From THR:  Academy members defend votes - "to imply we are racists is extremely offensive."

Also From THR:  Scott Feinberg, awards analyst, on Oscar omissions.

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STAR WARS - From YahooMovies:  Star Wars Episode 8 has a new release date moving from May 2017 to December 15, 2017.

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MOVIES - From TheGuardian:  Jamie Foxx with the help of an as-yet unnamed paramedic pulled a young man from a burning car.

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COMICS - From YahooMovies:  See the "Wonder Woman" clip that played on The CW.  The movie resembles "Captain America: The First Avenger." I am not crazy about Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.

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MOVIES - From ComicBook:  DC Films releases logos from upcoming movies, including Flash and Cyborg.

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Jennifer Lawrence to play Fidel Castro's lover in a film written by "American Hustle" scribe, Eric Warren Singer.

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COMICS - From YahooMovies:  See the first "Suicide Squad" trailer.

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OSCAR - From YahooMovies:  David Oyelowo speaks on #OscarsSoWhite.

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COMICS - From CBR:  Steve Rogers to return as Captain America.

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POLITICS - From RSN:  Michael Moore calls for President Obama to go to Flint, Michigan in the middle of water crisis.

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AWARDS - From Variety:  "Carol" dominates Dorian Awards.

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COMICS - From YahooTV:  See the first official picture of the entire Justice League team of DC Films.

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COMICS - From CBB:  My review of Vol. 10 of the manga, Terra Formars.

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OSCARS - From YahooTV:  I am a fan of Whoopi Goldberg, but she made an ass of herself in this #OscarsSoWhite debate on "The View."

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OSCARS - From Variety:  George Clooney says we're moving in the wrong direction, concerning #OscarsSoWhite.

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MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Vin Diesel posts "Fast 8" poster on Instagram.

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TV - From Vulture:  Cuba Gooding, Jr. talks about playing O.J. Simpson in FX's upcoming, "The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story."

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RACE - From HuffingtonPost:  Back in December, a Black woman died after being forcibly removed from hospital.

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OBIT - From YahooMusic:  The singer-songwriter and musician Glenn Frey has died at the age of 67 (Monday, January 18, 2016).  He was a founding member of The Eagles, one of the most popular recording acts in the history of music.  I still really love his solo hit song, "The Heat is On," the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack.

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CULTURE - From YahooCelebrity:  Hannibal Buress still dealing with the aftermath of his Bill Cosby rape joke that started the legendary comedians downfall.

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POLITICS - From RSN:  Bernie Sanders healthcare plan would cover everyone (not Hillary's) and it would be administered by the federal government and not by the states... according to RSN.

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OSCARS - From Variety:  Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith call for boycott of 88th Oscars.

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SPORTS - From NBCSports:  Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin sheds tears in the locker room after his team's painful loss to the Denver Broncos.  It is not his fault that the NFL is in the tank for another Brady-Manning matchup.

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CULTURE - From TheVox:  Her husband was a rapist, yet the wife also had to answer for his crimes, although she had committed no crime.

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AWARDS - From Variety:  2016 Critics Choice Awards winners.

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COMICS - From CBB:  New episode of Johnny Bullet (#57) in English
COMICS - From CBB:  New episode of Johnny Bullet (#57) in French
COMICS - From CBB:  New episode of Constant (#23 - Chapter Two, Page 1)

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CULTURE - From NRM:  Go to the Norman Rockwell Museum to see his classic Civil Rights painting, "The Problem We All Live With."

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MOVIES:  From BoxOfficeMojo:  "Ride Along 2" wins the 01/15 to 01/17/2016 weekend box office with an estimated take of $34 million.  Monday will also be part of the Martin Luther King holiday weekend.

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NEWS - From YahooNews:  This is the 30th anniversary of MLK Day, and in South Carolina, the celebration is even bigger now that the Confederate flag over the capitol building was taken down.

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MOVIES -  From SlashFilm:  Tyler Perry on why he joined TMNT 2 and on Oscars and how to fix lack of diversity.

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COMIC BOOKS - From YahooMovies:  The new posters for the "Suicide Squad" film debut.

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NEWS - From ThinkProgess:   Another video that Chicago is forced to release shows a police officer shooting an unarmed black teenager.

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CULTURE - From ThinkProgess:  The phony debate about political correctness. " It's a get out of jail free card for bigotry, sexism, and lying."

NEWS - From TheIntercept: What is the real story about the U.S. Navy boats that "drifted" into Iranian waters.

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From RSN:  A doctor who treats concussions and is an NFL fans says the league is unethical.

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COMICS - From WarrenEllis:  Warren Ellis updates his readers and shares 3 questions he asked author Joe Hill (Stephen King's son who is also an author).

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NEWS - From RSN:  Flint lives in fear of lead from the drinking water, and the citizens fear that they may already have lead poisoning.

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POLITICS:  From YahooNews:  Did you know that three Southern states honor Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Martin Luther King Day?  Mississippi (of course), Alabama (no doubt), and Arkansas (typical).  Well, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson want to change that.

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OSCARS - From GuardianUS:  White Hollywood parents of black children should speak about diversity for awards.

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POLITICS -  From USUncut:  5 things to know about the Oregon militia movement.

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WORLD NEWS - From LATimes:  The U.S. and Iran swap prisoners.

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COMICS -  From CBR:  Jim Johnson reviews the relaunch of the Uncanny X-Men comic book.

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COMICS FILM - From CBR:  There is a petition for a PG-13 cut of the upcoming "Deadpool" film, which is being released with an "R" rating.

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COMICS TV - From CBR:  FX's X-Men-related series, "Legion" will take place in an "alternate universe" not connected to the X-Men film series.

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  15 great and unique directors who have never received a best director Oscar nomination.

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TV - From ThePlaylist:  Netflix is developing a "Punisher" series.

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OSCARS - From BoxOfficeMojo:  A look at the 2016 best picture Oscar nominees and their grosses.

OSCARS:  From TheDailyBeast:  The Oscars are racist...

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From YouTube:  "13 Hours" featurettes - Tig & Dominic; Tanto & Pablo; “Oz & Max” Featurette - https://youtu.be/mSdYKWjoHeg

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 18th to 24th, 2015 - Update #16

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From HitFix:  The movies Spielberg wishes he'd made.

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From ChicagoMagazine: Spike Lee: Rahm Emanuel tried to bully me.

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From Deadline:  George Clooney set to direct a script by Joel and Ethan Coen.

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From Variety:  R.J. Cyler of "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" is the "Blue Ranger" in the Lionsgate reboot.

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From GoldDerby:  An article about best animated feature dark horse, Anomalisa.

From Variety:  Fox is apparently re-imagining "Rocky Horror Picture Show" as a TV special.  Laverne Cox of "Orange in the New Black" has been cast as "Frank-N-Furter."

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From Variety:  Chris Rock may host the 88th Oscar ceremony.

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From CinemaBlend:  Fox may have found a director for its future box office disappointment, Gambit, an X-Men film starring Channing Tatum.  That might be Doug Liman.

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From TheWrap:  Oscar and multiple-Grammy winner Adele teases new music? First album in five years supposed to hit in November

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From BoxOfficeMojo:  "Goosebumps" wins the 10/16 to 10/18/2015 weekend box office with an estimated take of $23.5 million.


COMICS: Titles and Films:

From CinemaBlend:  Marvel's next wide idea.

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From TheWrap:  David Goyer is developing a TV show about Superman's home planet, Krypton, for the Syfy Channel.

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From Empire:  "Ant-Man" director, Peyton Reed, is in negotiations to return for the 2018 film, "Ant-man and the Wasp."

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From CinemaBlend:  "Ant-Man" is a big hit in China.


STAR WARS:

From YahooNews:  112 views in 24 hours.

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From CinemaBlend:  The final trailer is here.


TRAILERS and PREVIEWS:

From YouTube:  See the new trailer for David O. Russell's "Joy" starring Jennifer Lawrence.

"Boyhood," "The Grand Budapest Hotel" Win Best Picture Awards at 2015 Golden Globe Awards - Complete Winners List

The Golden Globe Award is a movie accolade bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).  The award recognizes excellence in both film and television.  The annual awards ceremony is a major part of the film industry’s award season.

The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Award winners were announced on Sunday, January 11, 2015.  The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards was hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.  The ceremony aired on Sunday, January 11, 2015, LIVE coast-to-coast on NBC from 8:00-11:00 p.m. (EST) and 5:00-8:00 p.m. (PST).

George Clooney received the Cecil B. DeMille Award.

2015 / 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards winners:

FILM CATEGORIES:

Best Motion Picture – Drama
Boyhood

Lead Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything

Lead Actress in a Motion Picture- Drama
Julianne Moore – Still Alice

Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
The Grand Budapest Hotel

Lead Actor in a Motion Picture- Comedy or Musical
Michael Keaton – Birdman

Lead Actress in a Motion Picture- Comedy or Musical
Amy Adams – Big Eyes

Director
Richard Linklater – Boyhood

Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

Supporting Actress  in a Motion Picture
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood

Screenplay
Alejandro G. Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo – Birdman

Animated Feature
How to Train Your Dragon 2

Foreign Film
Leviathan, Russia

Original Song – Motion Picture
Glory – Selma (John Legend, Common)

Original Score – Motion Picture
Johann Johannsson – The Theory of Everything


TELEVISION AWARDS:

Best TV Drama
The Affair

Lead Actor – TV Drama
Kevin Spacey – House of Cards

Lead Actress – TV Drama
Ruth Wilson – The Affair

TV Miniseries or Movie
Fargo

Actor – TV Miniseries or Movie
Billy Bob Thornton – Fargo

Actress – TV Miniseries or Movie
Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Honorable Woman

Best TV Comedy
Transparent

Lead Actor – TV Comedy
Jeffrey Tambor – Transparent

Lead Actress – TV Comedy
Gina Rodriguez – Jane the Virgin

Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or TV movie
Matt Bomer – The Normal Heart

Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries, or TV movie
Joanne Froggatt – Downton Abbey

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

"Our Brand is Crisis" Begins Shooting in New Orleans

Cameras Roll on “Our Brand is Crisis”

Principal photography begins on “Our Brand is Crisis,” starring Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton under the direction of David Gordon Green

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Filming is underway in New Orleans on director David Gordon Green’s (“Pineapple Express,” “George Washington”) feature adaptation of the critically acclaimed 2005 documentary “Our Brand is Crisis,” starring Oscar winners Sandra Bullock (“The Blind Side”) and Billy Bob Thornton (“Sling Blade”).

When a group of American consultants accept the challenge of getting an unpopular Bolivian president re-elected, they realize they need help. Tracking down retired maverick political consultant Jane Bodine (Bullock) to her cabin in the woods, they persuade her to lead the team—a decision they quickly come to regret, as “Calamity” Jane begins to live up to her nickname, unleashing her very own brand of chaos on the campaign.

Just as all seems lost, the loathsome Pat Candy (Thornton), Jane’s worst enemy, arrives in town to work for the opposition. Suddenly things become personal and as the battle begins the consultants get to see Jane the legend in action.

The film also stars Anthony Mackie (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier”), Scoot McNairy (“Gone Girl,” “Argo”), Zoe Kazan (“Ruby Sparks”), Ann Dowd (“Side Effects,” HBO’s “The Leftovers”), Reynaldo Pacheco (“Beginners”), Dominic Flores (“Rampart”), Louis Arcella (NBC’s “The Blacklist”), Octavio Gómez Berríos (“Che: Part One”) and Joaquim de Almeida (“Fast Five”).

Green directs from a screenplay by Oscar nominee Peter Straughan (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), based on the documentary by Rachel Boynton, which outlined the American political campaign marketing tactics employed in the real-life 2002 Bolivian presidential election.

The film is being produced by Oscar-winning Smokehouse Pictures’ principals George Clooney and Grant Heslov (“Argo”), with Bullock, Participant Media’s Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King, and Stuart Besser serving as executive producers. Participant Media is a co-financier on the film.

Green’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes frequent collaborators director of photography Tim Orr, editor Colin Patton and production designer Richard A. Wright (“Manglehorn”), as well as costume designer Jenny Eagan (“Now You See Me”).

“Our Brand is Crisis” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of September 21st to September 27th, 2014 - Update #16

NEWS:

From YahooTV:  Information about some of the characters in the still-in-development Walking Dead spinoff.

From YahooCelebrity: George Clooney married Amal Alamuddin today, Saturday, September 27, 2014, in Italy.  The marriage will be made official in a civil ceremony on Monday.

----------------
From YahooTV:  "Gilligan's Island" is 50-years-old today.

----------------
From YahooScreen:  Apparently, there will be a third installment of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.  I don't like this movie, but strangely, I really loved Evan Dorkin's comic book adaptation of the film for Marvel Comics.

----------------
From InsideMovies:  Famously (infamously) reclusive writer, Thomas Pynchon, may make a cameo in Paul Thomas Anderson's film adaptation of his novel, Inherent Vice.

----------------
From CinemaBlend:  "Taken 3" gets a new title, Tak3n... seriously.

----------------
From CinemaBlend:  A story about Kenan Thompson of "Saturday Night Live" and "What Up With That?"

----------------
From YahooNews:  Will Smith posts cute birthday pic of he and and wife, Jada.

----------------
From UPI:  Oscar-nominated actress, Kate Hudson, claims that she and mother, Oscar-winning legend, Goldie Hawn, can see ghosts.

-----------------
From YahooCelebrity:  Emma Watson, of Harry Potter fame, delivers a stirring speech on gender equality before the United Nations on Saturday, September 20, 2014.

------------------
From TheHollywoodReporter:  New release, The Maze Runner, wins the September 19th to 21st, 2014 weekend box office with an estimated take of $32.5 million.

-------------------
From the HuffingtonPost:  Idris Elba's tale of the vampire Nic Cage.


COMICS BOOKS - Books and Films:

From TheMotleyFool:  Five things you might not know about "Batman Vs. Superman."

------------------
From Inquisitr:  "Batman vs. Superman" cast member, Henry Lennix, says that fans of Frank Miller's seminal Batman graphic novel, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, will be pleased about the 2016 film.

-----------------
From Vulture:  Bryan Singer will direct "X-Men: Apocalypse" and an update on his legal trouble.

------------------
From CinemaBlend:  If he is in "Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice," what will Aquaman look like.

-------------------
From YahooTV:  TV Guide on what works and doesn't work in "Gotham" (FOX affiliates - 8 Eastern/7Central, but check your local listings).


STAR WARS:

From Inquisitr:  Episode 7 concept art reveals a light sabre duel in a snowy forest

From CinemaBlend:  Storm Troopers may have a new look in Episode 7.

-----------------
From IBTimes:  Five villains who may be in Episode 7.

------------------
From /Film:  Roger Moore, James Bond and The Saint, talks about his Star Wars Episode 7 set visit.


INTERVIEWS and REVIEWS:

From The Hollywood Reporter via YahooMovies:  Richard Gere talks about playing a homeless man in "Time Out of Mind.

-----------------
From YahooTV:  A review of Episode 1 of Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 22

------------------
From TheVillageVoice:  An interview of Terry Gilliam for the release of his new film, Zero Theorem.


TRAILERS:

From 20th Century Fox:  New trailer for Kingsman: The Secret Service.

"Gravity" Goes Nationwide - Again on January 17 2014

Warner Bros. Pictures’ Award-Winning Drama “Gravity” Returning to Wide Release on January 17

The acclaimed Alfonso Cuarón-directed worldwide hit, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, will be on more than 900 screens nationwide 

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following months of overwhelming critical and audience acclaim and numerous year-end awards, Warner Bros. Pictures is bringing Alfonso Cuarón’s cinematic achievement “Gravity” back to big screens nationwide. The film, which stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, will be re-released on more than 900 screens on January 17, 2014, it was announced today by Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Originally released on October 4, 2013, “Gravity” instantly became a favorite of both critics and audiences. It has since become one of the most honored films of the year, most recently bringing a Golden Globe Award for Best Director to Alfonso Cuarón. The film has also received 11 BAFTA Award nominations and 10 Critics’ Choice Award nominations, both including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress (Bullock)*. It has also won Best Picture awards from several prestigious critics organizations, including the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and has been included on 395 critics’ and critics groups’ top ten lists, as well as being named one of the AFI’s ten best films of the year. It was also announced as the year’s best reviewed film by the website Rotten Tomatoes.

In addition, the talents behind the film have been recognized by their peers, with a Directors Guild of America Award nomination for Cuarón; a Producers Guild of America Award nomination for David Heyman and Cuarón; a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Bullock; a American Society of Cinematographers Award nomination for Emmanuel Lubezki; an Art Directors Guild Award nomination for Andy Nicholson; and an American Cinema Editors’ Eddie Award nomination for Cuarón and Mark Sanger*.

“Gravity” has also been a smash hit at the box office, earning more than $670 million worldwide and counting, with most moviegoers opting to view it in 3D.

In making the announcement, Fellman stated, “We are thrilled by the many accolades for ‘Gravity,’ which have generated renewed word-of-mouth and interest in seeing the film, whether for the first time or to experience it again. We wanted to give audiences everywhere another opportunity to see it the way it was meant to be seen—on the big screen.”

Academy Award® winners Sandra Bullock (“The Blind Side”) and George Clooney (“Syriana”) star in “Gravity,” a heart-pounding thriller that pulls you into the infinite and unforgiving realm of deep space. The film was directed by Oscar® nominee Alfonso Cuarón (“Children of Men”).

Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (Clooney) in command. But on a seemingly routine mission, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalski completely alone—tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

“Gravity” was written by Alfonso Cuarón & Jonás Cuarón, and produced by Alfonso Cuarón and David Heyman (the “Harry Potter” films). Chris deFaria, Nikki Penny and Stephen Jones served as executive producers. The behind-the-scenes team included multiple Oscar®-nominated director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki (“Children of Men,” “The New World”); production designer Andy Nicholson (art director “Alice in Wonderland”); editors Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger (VFX editor “Children of Men”); and costume designer Jany Temime (the “Harry Potter” films). The visual effects were handled by Oscar®-nominated visual effects supervisor Tim Webber (“The Dark Knight”). The music was composed by Steven Price (“Attack the Block”).

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents an Esperanto Filmoj/Heyday Films Production, an Alfonso Cuarón Film, “Gravity.” Released in 3D and 2D and IMAX®, the film is being distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company. This film has been rated PG-13 for intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images and brief strong language.

gravitymovie.com

"Gravity" Now Past $500 Million in Worldwide Box Office

Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Gravity” Soars over $500 Million Worldwide

Alfonso Cuarón’s acclaimed worldwide hit, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, continues to break box office records. 

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Reaching another astronomical milestone, Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Gravity” crossed $500 million at the worldwide box office on Saturday, November 16, 2013. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, “Gravity” has earned an astounding $240.6 million domestically and $274.3 million internationally, for an estimated worldwide total to date of $515 million, and still climbing. From the start, the film has enjoyed record-breaking domestic and international openings, most recently in the UK. It is now the highest-grossing movie ever (worldwide) for its Oscar®-winning stars, Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.

Box office results for IMAX® are also very strong, with an estimated $47.1 million domestically, and $24.2 million in 42 overseas markets, for a global total to date of $71.3 million.

In addition, 3D continues to be the format of choice for the vast majority of moviegoers who want to experience the story in the most immersive way possible. The 3D sales represent 81% of the box office domestically and have grown to 80% internationally.

The half-billion mark comes as “Gravity” prepares for two more major openings: in China on November 19, followed by Japan on December 13.

In making the announcement, Fellman said, “This is an outstanding achievement for Alfonso, Sandy and George, and the film’s extraordinary team of innovative artists. We congratulate all of those who brought to life a film that is not only creatively groundbreaking but also beloved by both critics and audiences worldwide.”

Kwan Vandenberg stated, “We are delighted that moviegoers everywhere have embraced 'Gravity' and made it into a global, cinematic event. With anticipation really high for the China and Japan openings, we are expecting even stronger international returns in the coming weeks.”

Academy Award® winners Sandra Bullock (“The Blind Side”) and George Clooney (“Syriana”) star in “Gravity,” a heart-pounding thriller that pulls you into the infinite and unforgiving realm of deep space. The film was directed by Oscar® nominee Alfonso Cuarón (“Children of Men”).

Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (Clooney) in command. But on a seemingly routine mission, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalski completely alone—tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left.

But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

“Gravity” was written by Alfonso Cuarón & Jonás Cuarón, and produced by Alfonso Cuarón and David Heyman (the “Harry Potter” films). Chris deFaria, Nikki Penny and Stephen Jones served as executive producers.

The behind-the-scenes team includes multiple Oscar®-nominated director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki (“Children of Men,” “The New World”); production designer Andy Nicholson (art director “Alice in Wonderland”); editors Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger (VFX editor “Children of Men”); and costume designer Jany Temime (the “Harry Potter” films). The visual effects were handled by Oscar®-nominated visual effects supervisor Tim Webber (“The Dark Knight”). The music was composed by Steven Price (“Attack the Block”).

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents an Esperanto Filmoj/Heyday Films Production, an Alfonso Cuarón Film, “Gravity.” The film is being released in 3D and 2D and IMAX®, and is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company. This film has been rated PG-13 for intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images and brief strong language.

gravitymovie.com

"Gravity" Still Soaring High in Worldwide Box Office

Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Gravity” Rockets Past $300 Million Worldwide

Number one weekends and record-breaking international openings continue to fuel the acclaimed worldwide hit, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney under the direction of Alfonso Cuarón.

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Showing no signs of coming back to Earth, Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Gravity” flew past the $300 million mark on Wednesday, October 23, less than three weeks after its record-breaking opening. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

“We all congratulate the filmmakers and the cast on the world’s overwhelming response to ‘Gravity.’ The film’s success speaks not only to the awe-inspiring visuals but also to the universal appeal of the story’s emotional journey, a combination that continues to captivate audiences everywhere.”

One of the best reviewed movies of this or any year, the Alfonso Cuarón-directed dramatic thriller has topped the box office for three consecutive weekends in North America as well as internationally, holding the number one spot in every major market in which it has opened.

Strong word of mouth has made “Gravity” a must-see film that audiences and critics all agree is best experienced in 3D. Moviegoers around the globe have flocked in record numbers to see the film in the immersive 3D format, which has proven to be the overwhelming preference worldwide. 3D sales represent an astounding 81% of the total gross domestically and 77% internationally. IMAX numbers are equally impressive, with an estimated $40 million domestically, and more than $12 million in 32 overseas markets.

Internationally, the film has enjoyed stellar openings in a number of key territories, including Cuarón’s native Mexico, as well as Germany, Russia, Spain, Italy and Korea. “Gravity” is also yet to open in several major markets, including France (today), the UK (November 8th), Japan (December 13th) and, as just announced, China, where it will be released on November 20th.

Fellman stated, “Alfonso Cuarón, together with his collaborators on both sides of the camera, crafted a magnificent film that is a creative and technological feat. These terrific box office numbers are exceeding expectations every day as more and more people discover ‘Gravity’ for the first time or return to enjoy it again and again.”

Kwan Vandenberg said, “We all congratulate the filmmakers and the cast on the world’s overwhelming response to ‘Gravity.’ The film’s success speaks not only to the awe-inspiring visuals but also to the universal appeal of the story’s emotional journey, a combination that continues to captivate audiences everywhere.”

Academy Award® winners Sandra Bullock (“The Blind Side”) and George Clooney (“Syriana”) star in “Gravity,” a heart-pounding thriller that pulls you into the infinite and unforgiving realm of deep space. The film was directed by Oscar® nominee Alfonso Cuarón (“Children of Men”).

Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (Clooney) in command. But on a seemingly routine mission, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalski completely alone—tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left.

But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

“Gravity” was written by Alfonso Cuarón & Jonás Cuarón, and produced by Alfonso Cuarón and David Heyman (the “Harry Potter” films). Chris deFaria, Nikki Penny and Stephen Jones served as executive producers.

The behind-the-scenes team includes multiple Oscar®-nominated director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki (“Children of Men,” “The New World”); production designer Andy Nicholson (art director “Alice in Wonderland”); editors Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger (VFX editor “Children of Men”); and costume designer Jany Temime (the “Harry Potter” films). The visual effects were handled by Oscar®-nominated visual effects supervisor Tim Webber (“The Dark Knight”). The music was composed by Steven Price (“Attack the Block”).

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents an Esperanto Filmoj/Heyday Films Production, an Alfonso Cuarón Film, “Gravity.” The film is being released in 3D and 2D and IMAX®, and is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company. This film has been rated PG-13 for intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images and brief strong language.

gravitymovie.com

Review: "Team America: World Police" is Crazy, Smart and True (Happy B'day, Trey Parker)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 209 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Team America: World Police (2004)
Running time:  100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)
MPAA – R for graphic, crude & sexual humor, violent images and strong language; all involving puppets
DIRECTOR:  Trey Parker
WRITERS:  Pam Brady, Matt Stone and Trey Parker
PRODUCERS:  Scott Rudin, Matt Stone, and Trey Parker
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Bill Pope, A.S.C. (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Thomas M. Vogt
COMPOSER:  Harry Gregson-Williams

COMEDY/ACTION/ADVENTURE

Starring:  (voices) Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Kristen Miller, Masasa, Daran Norris, Phil Hendrie, Maurice LaMarche, and Paul Louis

The subject of this movie review is Team America: World Police, a 2004 satirical comedy film from the team of Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of the long-running animated series, “South Park.”  The film’s cast is composed of marionettes (puppets) instead of live actors.  Team America: World Police follows a popular Broadway actor who is recruited by an elite counter-terrorism organization to help stop a dictator who is plotting global terror attacks.

Team America: World Police may be 2004’s funniest film.  Some may consider it the most obnoxious and crass movie of the year, especially after viewing the graphic puppet “sex scene.”  It will certainly go down as one of the most outrageous movies not made by John Waters.  It’s a wonderful send up of action movies, especially as those made by super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and the hilarious characters that populate them.  Even the musical scores to Bruckheimer films get it up the butt and in the mouth from this movie.  It’s also a wicked satire of American military aggression and the celebrities who protest it.  However, as good as the film is (and it’s quite good), Team America: World Police frequently falls on its own spear.

Team America is an international police force dedicated to maintaining global security.  And they’re also marionettes; you may best remember marionettes as those puppets on the venerable British TV children’s series, “Thunderbirds.”  Team America’s latest mission takes them to Paris, France, where they fight a handful of terrorists with WMD’s, also known as weapons of mass destruction.  Team America also manages to destroy Paris’ most famous landmarks, and also loose a team member to a terrorist’s bullets.

Team America’s leader, Spottswoode, a gray-headed, older, distinguished gentleman, recruits a young Broadway actor named Gary to replace the fallen comrade.  Spottswoode thinks that Gary will make the perfect spy because in college he was a double major in theatre and world languages.  The other Team America members:  Lisa, Sarah, Chris, and Joe, are wary at first, but they back him up on their first mission to Cairo to infiltrate a band of Islamic fundamentalists with WMD’s.

There is however a larger crisis looming.  Power-mad dictator Kim Jong Il of North Korea has planned a series of simultaneous global terror attacks – imagine 9/11 times 2356.  He’s convinced the Hollywood Film Actors Guild, or F.A.G., and their leader, actor Alec Baldwin, to support a conference in North Korea in which all world leaders will attend.  The conference is merely a cover for the launch of the worldwide terror strikes, which will occur while Baldwin gives his peacenik keynote speech.  Can Team America stop Kim Jong Il…and the actors?

Team America: World Police is the second major studio film from Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of the uproarious and bawdy animated program, “South Park,” on Comedy Central.  Team America, on one hand, is a delightful and loving send up of “Thunderbirds” and the other puppet marionette shows produced by England’s Century 21.  On the other hand, the film is mostly a vicious and brutal satire of the contemporary American political landscape and American self-righteousness.  The use of marionettes instead of actors greatly takes the sense of people getting made fun of to a level that human actors couldn’t go.

Parker/Stone use clever dialogue, over-the-top violence, and hyper-patriotic songs to skewer heavy-handed U.S. military offenses, strikes, and pre-emptive attacks on international locales.  They also use marionettes that closely resemble well known Hollywood and celebrities that protest U.S. military action.  The marionettes, in some cases, barely look like the stars that they’re supposed to resemble; in some cases the resemblance is just close enough not to get the filmmakers sued.  Still, it works enough so that such stars as Alec Baldwin, Tim Robbins, Michael Moore, Susan Sarandon, Matt Damon, Helen Hunt and others are mercilessly lampooned.

But is the movie good?  The answer is a resounding yes; it’s one of the funniest films I’ve seen in years.  However, it is mean-spirited, graphic, obnoxious, brutal, vicious, vulgar, filthy, foul, nasty, rank, etc.  Sometimes, I had a hard time believing that Parker and Stone were going so far in their satire and humor.  Still, they’re not frat boys out of control; every joke and satirical comment and farcical moment seems well conceived.

Team America: World Police, in the end, takes the side of the “good guys,” but Parker and Stone obviously only trust them a little more than the “bad guys.”  They insist that even the protagonists be viewed with a wary eye, so in the end, it’s as if they question that anyone can be trusted.  Fighting assholes who want to kill everyone is a dirty job, and the heroes and their charges may not be “all that” themselves.  Team America: World Police is not perfect, but it’s the work of frankly honest and only barely inhibited filmmakers.  That’s refreshing when “looking good” is so important these days.

8 of 10
A

Updated:  Saturday, October 19, 2013

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

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

"Gravity" Soars Past $100 Mil in Worldwide Box Office

Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Gravity” Has Fast Climb to $100 Million Worldwide

Alfonso Cuarón’s dramatic thriller, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, soars with critics and audiences around the world

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Only five days after its record-breaking launch, Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Gravity” has flown past $100 million at the worldwide box office. The film has earned an estimated $68.5 million domestically and $35.8 internationally for a global total to date of $104.3 million. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Following weeks of enthusiastic critical acclaim and huge anticipation from moviegoers, the Alfonso Cuarón-directed dramatic thriller exceeded all expectations on its opening weekend. Taking in $55.8 million domestically, “Gravity” broke a number of box office records, including those for the biggest October opening for any film, the largest IMAX opening in October ($11.8 million), and the highest opening weekend ever for stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.

In making the announcement, Fellman stated, “We are all thrilled by this start—from the tremendous critical acclaim to the fantastic response from audiences. Alfonso Cuarón and his brilliant collaborators crafted a groundbreaking film that succeeds on every level, both creatively and commercially. Word of mouth has been amazing and we expect it only to grow, keeping ‘Gravity’ strong at the box office in the weeks and months ahead.”

Kwan Vandenberg noted, “‘Gravity’ is a riveting and relatable human drama that has struck a chord with moviegoers in countries around the globe. We are excited by these numbers and know this is just the beginning, with much-anticipated openings coming up in major markets such as the UK, France, Japan, Korea, Brazil and Mexico.”

Sue Kroll, Warner Bros. Pictures President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, said, “The buzz on ‘Gravity’ began building when we unveiled the film at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals. Critical raves and screening audience reactions reinforced what we already knew—that the combination of thrilling drama, breathtaking visuals, and powerful performances made this a film that had to be experienced on the big screen.” President of Worldwide Production Greg Silverman added, “Sue and I join everyone at Warner Bros. in congratulating Alfonso Cuarón, producer David Heyman, screenwriter Jonás Cuarón, Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, and all the other talented artists who worked to make ‘Gravity’ an unequivocal cinematic achievement.”

Academy Award® winners Sandra Bullock (“The Blind Side”) and George Clooney (“Syriana”) star in “Gravity,” a heart-pounding thriller that pulls you into the infinite and unforgiving realm of deep space. The film was directed by Oscar® nominee Alfonso Cuarón (“Children of Men”).

Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (Clooney) in command. But on a seemingly routine mission, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalski completely alone—tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left.

But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

“Gravity” was written by Alfonso Cuarón & Jonás Cuarón, and produced by Alfonso Cuarón and David Heyman (the “Harry Potter” films). Chris deFaria, Nikki Penny and Stephen Jones served as executive producers.

The behind-the-scenes team includes multiple Oscar®-nominated director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki (“Children of Men,” “The New World”); production designer Andy Nicholson (art director “Alice in Wonderland”); editors Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger (VFX editor “Children of Men”); and costume designer Jany Temime (the “Harry Potter” films). The visual effects were handled by Oscar®-nominated visual effects supervisor Tim Webber (“The Dark Knight”). The music was composed by Steven Price (“Attack the Block”).

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents an Esperanto Filmoj/Heyday Films Production, an Alfonso Cuarón Film, “Gravity.” The film will be released in 3D and 2D and IMAX®, and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company. This film has been rated PG-13 for intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images and brief strong language.

gravitymovie.com

3D Society Celebrates Box Office Success of "Gravity"

‘Gravity’ Breaks 3D Box Office Records

Next up: ‘The Hobbit,’ ‘Frozen,’ ’47 Ronin’ and ‘Thor,’ According to The International 3D & Advanced Imaging Society

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. hit 3D movie ‘Gravity’ broke several records this weekend, as millions of movie fans flooded 3D cinemas worldwide. It is the first of five major studio 3D movies scheduled for 4th quarter, according to the International 3D & Advanced Imaging Society.

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron and starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, ‘Gravity’ generated more than $80 million dollars in worldwide box office revenues this weekend. The movie set the record for having the biggest weekend ever for a movie released in October, according to the Society.

Fans flooded 3D theaters to see the movie; 80% of US revenues were for 3D tickets, 70% internationally. These figures exceeded ‘Avatar,’ which generated 72% of its revenues in 3D, and ‘Life of Pi,’ which generated 68%.

“’Gravity’ was brilliantly conceived, written, produced and marketed for 3D, and the critics and fans have been absolutely thrilled. It’s a movie people want to see in 3D,” said Society President, Jim Chabin. “With nine of the top ten movies this year being 3D titles and an incredible lineup scheduled for 4th quarter, 3D continues to be key to box office success this year,” he added.

3D movies scheduled for November include Marvel’s ‘Thor: The Dark World.’ The first edition of the ‘Thor’ franchise in 2011 generated over $449 million dollars in worldwide box office revenues. Walt Disney Pictures’ highly anticipated animated feature ‘Frozen’ debuts on November 27, and director Peter Jackson’s second installment of ‘The Hobbit’ franchise, ‘The Desolation of Smaug,’ hits screens in December. Last year’s ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ generated more than $1 billion dollars in worldwide ticket sales. ‘47 Ronin,’ starring Keanu Reeves, is also scheduled for December release.

“There are more than seventy 3D movies in the pipeline for 2014-15,” added Chabin. “3D technology is advancing rapidly and movie makers are becoming bolder. And as we’ve seen with ‘Gravity,’ the 3D art form has never been more powerful -- consumers love great 3D.”

About The International 3D & Advanced Imaging Society:
The International 3D & Advanced Imaging Society is a community of content creators and professionals whose mission is to develop the arts and technologies of 3D, advanced imaging and its innovators. With over 60 companies and 800 professional members in 20 countries, the Society is open to individuals and organizations active in moving 3D and advanced imaging to an exciting new era of creative achievement and consumer support. For more information please visit: www.International3DSociety.com.

Review: "Argo" is Indeed a Best Picture

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 30 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

Argo (2012)
Running time: 120 minutes (2 hours)
MPAA – R for language and some violent images
DIRECTOR: Ben Affleck
WRITER: Chris Terrio (based on the book, The Master of Disguise, by Antonio J. Mendez and the article, “Escape from Tehran,” by Joshuah Bearman)
PRODUCERS: Ben Affleck, George Clooney, and Grant Heslov
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Rodrigo Prieto (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: William Goldenberg
COMPOSER: Alexandre Desplat
Academy Award winner

THRILLER/DRAMA/HISTORICAL

Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Victor Garber, Tate Donovan, Clea DuVall, Scoot McNairy, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Kerry Bishé, Kyle Chandler, Chris Messina, Zeljko Ivanek, Titus Welliver, Shelia Vand, Richard Kind, Michael Parks, Adrienne Barbeau, and Mark Rhino Smith

Argo is a 2012 thriller and historical drama directed by Ben Affleck, who also plays the lead role and is one of the film’s three producers. Argo is based upon two sources: the book, The Master of Disguise, by Antonio J. Mendez and the Wired magazine article, “Escape from Tehran,” by Joshuah Bearman. The film dramatizes a real-life event – the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran.

At the 85th Academy Awards (February 24, 2013), Argo won the Oscar for “Best Picture.” It is not my pick for best picture of the year (which I still think is Django Unchained), but it is not far behind. Argo is not only one of the greatest American thriller films ever made, but it is also a joy to watch.

Argo opens on November 4, 1979 at the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran. Militants and protestors storm the embassy and take the occupants hostage in retaliation for President Jimmy Carter giving asylum to the recently ousted Shah of Iran (Mohammad Reza Pahlavi). However, six of the embassy staff escape and find shelter in the home of the Canadian ambassador, Ken Taylor (Victor Garber).

The U.S. State Department begins exploring options for exfiltrating the six Americans from Iran. Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), a CIA “exfil” specialist who uses the name “Kevin Harkins,” concocts a rather unusual idea. He creates a cover story in which a Canadian film production crew is scouting locations for a new science fiction film, and Iran is one of the locations he wishes to scout. With the help of his supervisor, Jack O’Donnell (Bryan Cranston), Mendez recruits John Chambers (John Goodman), an Oscar-winning make-up artist, and Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), a film producer.

They pretend to have a film in development; entitled Argo, it is a science fantasy in the style of Star Wars. When Mendez moves to Iran for the most crucial stage of the operation, he discovers that he and his fake movie are always in real danger.

From the very beginning of the film, Argo grabbed me and pulled me to the edge of my seat, and from there, the movie kept me in the grip of fear and trepidation. From start to finish, damn, this is a great movie. Argo is an example of how supremely important the film editor, in this case, William Goldenberg, is to a film; Goldenberg is totally indispensable to success of the Argo. The nerve-wracking thriller that Argo is results from Goldenberg putting together what becomes a transfixing narrative. He certainly deserved and earned his best editing Oscar for Argo.

Of course, by praising Goldenberg, I do not want to take anything away from Ben Affleck as director. Affleck has made a movie that is a terrific thriller, but it is not an action thriller. Affleck uses the suspense weaved into Chris Terrio’s Oscar-winning screenplay and summons his inner Hitchcock, turning in what is one of the best heist movies in recent memory. He does it with such intimacy. Argo isn’t wide open. Affleck squeezes everything into tight and cramped visual spaces, as if it to emphasize that the characters are working hard to avoid the confines of either prison or the grave.

There are some good performances in this film, though nothing really outstanding, except for two. Alan Arkin and John Goodman turn in some of their most distinctive work in supporting roles as the unconventional Lester Siegel and John Chambers, respectively. Ben Affleck is oddly muted and stiff as Tony Mendez/Kevin Harkins. There are a few scenes when that works, but not many. Sometimes, it is as if Mendez isn’t even present in the movie, even when he’s in a scene; maybe that not-really-there act is the way a CIA operative is supposed to be.

Anyway, Argo is fantastic. This is one time when I don’t think that the “Best Picture” Oscar winner is a joke, even if it isn’t my choice. I plan to make Argo a favorite of mine, worthy of repeated viewings.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
2013 Academy Awards, USA: 3 wins: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, and George Clooney), “Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published” (Chris Terrio), and “Oscar Best Achievement in Editing” (William Goldenberg); 4 nominations: “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score” (Alexandre Desplat), “Best Achievement in Sound Editing” (Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn), and “Best Achievement in Sound Mixing” (John T. Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, and José Antonio García), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Alan Arkin)

2013 BAFTA Awards: 3 wins: “Best Film” (Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, and George Clooney), “Director” (Ben Affleck), “Editing” (William Goldenberg); 4 nominations: “Adapted Screenplay” (Chris Terrio), “Leading Actor” (Ben Affleck), “Original Music” (Alexandre Desplat), and “Supporting Actor” (Alan Arkin)

2013 Golden Globes, USA: 2 wins: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Ben Affleck) and “Best Motion Picture – Drama;” 3 nominations: “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Alexandre Desplat), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Alan Arkin), and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Chris Terrio)

Wednesday, May 01, 2013