Review: "ENTER THE DRAGON" and Bruce Lee Are Still Kicking Ass 50 Years Later

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 43 of 2023 (No. 1932) by Leroy Douresseaux

Enter the Dragon (1973)

Running time: 102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)

MPAA – R for martial arts violence and brief nudity

DIRECTOR:  Robert Clouse

WRITER:  Michael Allin

PRODUCERS:  Fred Weintraub, Raymond Chow, and Paul Heller

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Gilbert Hubbs (D.o.P.)

EDITORS:  Kurt Hirschler and George Watters

COMPOSER:  Lalo Schifrin

MARTIAL ARTS/ACTION

Starring:  Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Ahna Capri, Kien Shih, Bob Wall, Angela Mao, Betty Chung, Geoffrey Weeks, Marlene Clark, Peter Archer, Ho Lee Yan, and Bolo Yeung with Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yeun Wah

Enter the Dragon is a 1973 martial arts and action film directed by Robert Clouse and starring Bruce Lee (1940-1973).  An international co-production between the United States and Hong Kong, the film debuted one month after Lee's death on July 20, 1973.  Thus, August 19, 1973 was the fiftieth anniversary of the film's American release.  Enter the Dragon focuses on a Shaolin martial artist who travels to an island fortress to compete in a martial arts tournament and to also spy on the tournament's benefactor, a mysterious drug lord.

Enter the Dragon opens on the grounds of a Shaolin temple and introduces Lee (Bruce Lee), a highly proficient martial artist, martial arts instructor, and Shaolin monk.  Braithwaite (Geoffrey Weeks), a British intelligence agent, approaches Lee about spying on a crime lord and drug kingpin named Han (Shih Kien).  Braithwaite convinces Lee to attend the high-profile martial arts tournament that Han is holding at his private island fortress.  Attending the tournament would be a good cover as Lee has already been invited.  Before he leaves for Han's island, Lee learns that the man who murdered his sister, Su-Lin (Betty Chung), is Oharra (Bob Wall), one of Han's bodyguards.

While traveling to the island, Lee meets two friends who have also been invited to the tournament.  Both are martial artists and Vietnam veterans.  They are Roper (John Saxon), a white man who is deep in debt because of gambling, and Williams (Jim Kelly), a black man with deep ties to the martial arts in his community.

Once on the island, Lee begins to gather evidence of Han's drug trafficking, but Han is no ordinary criminal.  His tournament is no ordinary martial arts tournament, and Lee, Roper, and Williams are about to discover just how dangerous Han and his tournament are. 

Enter the Dragon is considered one of the most influential action films of all time.  The film's success contributed to the mainstream worldwide interest in the martial arts, and it continues to inspire filmmakers and storytellers to this day.  In addition to film, the influence of Enter the Dragon can be seen in television productions, video games, comic books, and Japanese manga (comics) and anime (animation).  It revolutionized the way Asians, Asian-Americans, and even African-Americans are portrayed on screen, especially in action and martial arts films.  The film also had an impact on mixed martial arts (MMA), including on the clothes and uniforms that MMA fighters wear.

Enter the Dragon is obviously a huge influence on the Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter video game franchises.  The original Mortal Kombat film, 1995's Mortal Kombat, borrows numerous story elements from Enter the Dragon, so much so that it would not be incorrect to call 1995 film a re-imagining of Enter the Dragon.

Obviously, Bruce Lee is magnetic in this film.  Decades after his passing and the arrival of this film, Lee still seems like a natural born movie star.  In this film, he is both subtle and graceful and over-the-top and explosive as needed, but yet he made space for the rest of the cast to shine.  John Saxon is both world-weary and witty as the underutilized Roper, and Jim Kelley, the first African-American martial arts film star, had enough screen time to turn this into his breakthrough role.

Rich in atmosphere, Enter the Dragon is at times odd and eccentric, and it would have been better served by another ten minutes of storytelling – at least.  However, those last twenty or so minutes of the film were like nothing ever seen in American films at the time, and today, still seem revolutionary.  Here, Lee is a coiled cobra, striking like lighting.  He is both time and lightning in a bottle, unleashing his energy while blowing the minds and expectations of the audience.  Fifty years after its original theatrical release, Enter the Dragon is ageless and timeless, and, while the earthly Bruce Lee is long since gone, the cinematic Bruce Lee is eternally youthful and alive and kicking.

10 of 10

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

You can buy a 50th anniversary 4K copy of ENTER THE DRAGON here at AMAZON.

NOTES:

2004 National Film Preservation Board, USA:  National Film Registry

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 December 11th to 17th, 2022 - Update #14

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

AMAZON - From Deadline:  MGM (now owned by Amazon) is in final negotiations to acquire worldwide rights to the official sequel to George A. Romero;s "Night of the Living Dead," which is set to be directed by Nikyatu Jusu ("Nanny") and written by LaToya Morgan ("TheWalking Dead").

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Lee Isaac Chung, the director of the Oscar-winning film, "Minari," will direct "Twisters," a sequel to the beloved, smash hit, 1996 film, "Twister."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment has optioned the film rights to Rachel Maddow's recent podcast, "Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra," which is from MSNBC and Maddow's Suprise Inside.

MOVIES - From Fangoria:  There is a first trailer for Sony's upcoming sci-fi/thriller, "65."  Starring Adam Driver, the film is about two humans from another world who crash land on Earth circa 65 million years ago.  That means they will face dinosaurs.

MOVIES - From Deadline: The Library of Congress has unveiled its annual list of 25 movies to make the cut for the National Film Registry.  The 2022 class includes Marvel Studios' "Iron Man" and the 1990 hip-hop comedy, "House Party."

MOVIES - From BloodyDisgusting:  The official title of "Scream 6" is "Scream VI," and it is due in theaters March 10, 2023.

MOVIES - From GamesRadar:  Christopher Nolan talks to "Total Film" magazine about his upcoming film, "Oppenheimer," an interview that includes a number of exclusive images. Nolan also talks about recreating a nuclear explosion with CGI.

MEDIA - From Deadline:  Writer-producer Rodney Barnes, who executive produced and co-wrote HBO's "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty," is prepping a horror podcast devoted to legends and myths stemming from Black folklore.  Entitled "Run, Fool," the series will follow an anthology format similar to "The Twilight Zone."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 12/9 to 12/11/2022 weekend box office is Disney/Marvel Studios' "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" with an estimated take of 11.1 million dollars.

From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux's review of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."

MOVIES - From Variety:  The great Jackie Chan has said that he is in talks for a fourth film in the "Rush Hour" franchise.

OBITS:

From THR:  American composer, Angelo Badalamenti, has died at the age of 85, Sunday, December 11, 2022.  Badalamenti is best known for his association with acclaimed film director, David Lynch, for whom Angelo scored six films.  Angelo also composed the music for Lynch's cult television series, "Twin Peaks" (ABC, 1990-91; Showtime, 2017).

From NBA:  Retired professional basketball player and coach and NBA champion, Paul Silas, has died at the age of 9, Sunday, December 11, 2022.  Silas won two NBA championships with the Boston Celtics (1974, 1976) and one with the Seattle SuperSonics (1979).  Over a 32-year period, 1980-2012, Silas was an assistant coach and head coach for several teams, including the Charlotte-New Orleans Hornets and the Charlotte Bobcats.

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AWARDS:

From Deadline:  The winners of the 2022 Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "Tar" tie for "Best Picture" award.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2023 / 80th annual Golden Globes Awards were announced today (Mon., Dec. 12th).  "The Banshees of Inisherin" led the film field with eight nominations. ABC's "Abbot Elementary" lead the TV side with five nominations.  The winners will be announced January 10, 2023.

From Deadline:  The American Film Institute (AFI) has named its "AFI Awards Film" list of "Top 10 Films of 2022."  The list includes "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Top Gun: Maverick," and "The Woman King."

From THR:  The African-American Film Critics Association name "The Woman King" the "Best Film of 2022."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the "2023 Critics Choice Awards" in the television categories have been announced.  ABC's sitcom, "Abbot Elementary" leads the nominations.  The winners will be announced Sunday, January 15, 2023 and broadcast on The CW.

From Variety:  The 2022 / 88th Annual New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) Awards have been announced.  Todd Field's "Tar" wins "Best Film" and "Best Actress" (Cate Blanchett).  Keke Palmer wins "Best Supporting Actress" for her performance in "Nope."

From Deadline:  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" wins the "Best Feature" award at the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards, one of two wins for the film.

From IndieWire:  The nominations for the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced.   "Everything Everywhere All at Once" leads with eight nominations.  The winners will be announced March 4th, 2023.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards were announced a month ago.  Todd Field's "Tar" leads with five nominations.  The winners will be announced Monday, November 28th.

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BRITTNEY GRINER:

From CBSNews:  WNBA star Brittney Griner has been released from her Russian imprisonment in a one-for-one prisoner swap for notorious international arms dealer, Viktor Bout.

From NBCNews:   Brittney Griner will enter a system of isolation, grueling labor and psychological torment when she is transferred to a penal colony, the successor to the infamous Russian gulag, to fulfill a nine-year sentence handed down Tuesday in Moscow, former prisoners and advocates said.

From NBCNews:  A Russian court has rejected Brittney Griner's appeal of her nine-year prison sentence on (fake) drug charges.

From Reuters:  Russia says that it is ready to talk prisoner swamp for Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, but also scolds the U.S. Embassy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

From CBSSports:  The Brittney Griner situation explained.

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

Review: "THE CANNONBALL RUN" Can Still Run

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 70 of 2021 (No. 1808) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Cannonball Run (1981)
Running time:  95 minutes (1 hour, 35 minutes)
MPAA – PG
DIRECTOR:  Hal Needham
WRITER:  Brock Yates
PRODUCER:  Albert S. Ruddy
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Michael Butler (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Donn Cambern and William D. Gordean

COMEDY/ACTION/SPORTS

Starring:  Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Jack Elam, Adrienne Barbeau, Tara Buckman, Terry Bradshaw, Jackie Chan, Bert Convy, Jamie Farr, Peter Fonda, George Furth, and Michael Hui

[I am working my way through the films that I first saw in a movie theater for which I have not previously written a movie review.  The first time I saw a movie in an in-door theater (as opposed to a drive-in cinema) was in 1980 – likely The Empire Strikes Back.  However, I am starting this process in the year 1981, and it turns out that there are only two movies left from that year that I saw in a theater for I which I have never written a formal review.  The Cannonball Run is one of them.]

The Cannonball Run is a 1981 action-comedy and car-racing film from director Hal Needham.  The film was produced by the Hong Kong film company, Golden Harvest, and distributed by 20th Century Fox.  The movie's plot was based on the 1979 running of an actual cross-country, outlaw road race, the “Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash,” which was also known as the “Cannonball Run.”

The film features an all-star ensemble cast, led by Burt Reynolds and featuring Dom DeLuise, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr., to name a few.  It was also the second Hollywood film appearance for Hong Kong martial arts legend and international movie star, Jackie Chan.  The Cannonball Run movie focuses on an illegal cross-country race and its oddball contenders who will use every dirty-trick-in-the-book to evade the law and to screw over their opponents.

The Cannonball Run opens in Connecticut were several teams of racers have gathered for the latest running of the illegal, cross-country road race, the “Cannonball Run.”  The goal of the racers, who are called “Cannonballers,” is to reach Portofino Inn in Redondo Beach, California.  Some of them hope to break the Cannonball's speed race record of 32 hours and 51 minutes.

The race teams that have gathered in Connecticut are an odd lot.  The most eccentric is the team of JJ McClure (Burt Reynolds), a famous racing driver and team owner, and Victor Prinzi (Dom DeLuise), his chief mechanic and co-driver.  There racing vehicle is a “Transcon Medi-Vac” ambulance outfitted with a NASCAR engine.  In order to convince any law enforcement officers that might stop them that they are a real ambulance and medical team, McClure and Prinzi draft a wacky physician, Doctor Nikolas Van Helsing (Jack Elam), into their plans.  For a patient, they kidnap a beautiful young woman, a tree-loving photographer named Pamela Glover (Farrah Fawcett).

Their competitors are right behind them and are almost as weird.  Scotch-swilling Jamie Blake (Dean Martin), an F1 racing icon, and his gambling-obsessed teammate, Morris Fenderbaum (Sammy Davis Jr.), dress as Catholic priests, and drive a red Ferrari.  Jill (Tara Buckman) and Marcie (Adrienne Barbeau) are two attractive women who use their good looks and impressive cleavage against traffic officers while driving a black Lamborghini.  Two Asian racers (Jackie Chan and Michael Hui) race in a high-tech, computer-laden Subaru hatchback.  Seymour Goldfarb, Jr. (Roger Moore), the heir to the “Goldfarb Girdles fortune,” identifies himself as the actor Roger Moore, and he even drives a silver Aston Martin DB5.

Chasing after these teams and determined to stop the race because of its effects on the environment is Mr. Arthur J. Foyt (George Furth), an agent of the federal government's “Safety Enforcement Unit.”  But can Mr. Foyt really stop all the racers, or will their dirty tricks stop each other?

I know why 15-year-old Leroy loved The Cannonball Run when he saw it in a theater in 1981 (the Vista Village Twin Cinema).  He liked the fast cars, the cool-looking cars, the pretty White women with big boobs, and he was a fan of the actors and celebrities who appeared in the film, such as Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Farrah Fawcett, Mel Tillis, and Terry Bradshaw, to name a few.  I was and still am a huge fan of the NFL team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and legendary Steelers quarterback, Terry Bradshaw, was and still is my favorite NFL player, even though he is now a fat, old White man who supports Donald Trump.

But why did AARP Leroy, who recently watched The Cannonball Run again for the first time in 40 years (via Netflix's DVD.com), still find himself loving the movie?  Maybe, it is because I like speedy, high-end, foreign sports cars.  Maybe, it's because I still like amble breasts on White women.  Maybe, it is because I still like many members of the film's cast, and I certainly appreciate Adrienne Barbeau, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Dean Martin more than I did back then.  And maybe, it is because now I appreciate the way actor Alfie Wise and former NFL defensive lineman, Joe Klecko, who both appeared in The Cannonball Run, once looked in tight jeans.

I also noticed that some of the larger profile stars in this film are best known for what they did in the 1970s.  Some continued to be star actors into the 1980s and beyond, such as Burt Reynolds.  Others, like Terry Bradshaw, found new careers.  Bradshaw has acted and appeared in numerous films and television shows, and he has had a four-decade career in sports broadcast that has earned him three Sports Emmy Awards, and he is still do that as of this writing.

Maybe, part of my enjoyment of this film is nostalgia.  I am a fan of at least ten performers who appeared in The Cannonball Run and who are now deceased, including Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise.

That aside, the film is genuinely funny, at least I think so.  It has a simple plot – win the race, trick the police, and lie-cheat-steal your opponents.  The setting is also simple, the highway and byways of the United States.  Sadly, because the film has a short-running time, it can only provide a cursory glance at the many unique places across the USA through which the Cannonballers have to travel.  Honestly, I think this concept would make for a good television series, at least a miniseries.

The characters are actually interesting.  Most of the actors are playing themselves or are playing character types, like Jack Elam's goony Dr. Van Helsing.  I'm pretty sure that Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. were each playing a character they played many times before this film, both on television and in film.  Farrah Fawcett's whispery-voiced Pamela Glover is a mostly pointless character, but Adrienne Barbeau and Tara Buckman make better use of their “sex appeal.”

In the case of Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise, their playing to type was and still is fine with me.  Reynolds smile and his wit shine through in The Cannonball Run, which is by no means one of his better performances.  Reynolds popularity lasted so long because he was a true movie star.  As for DeLuise, if you liked what he usually did, well, he gave all of himself here.  I have always found him likable, even when the material was not top notch, which it is not here.

I think what really sold The Cannonball Run, both to teenage me and to old me, is that everyone in this movie seems to be genuinely having fun.  Back in 1981, those good feelings crossed over to the audience; The Cannonball Run was one of the year's biggest box office hits.  In a way, those good feelings have crossed over through time to me, and I found myself really enjoying this movie all over again.

7 of 10
B+

Saturday, December 11, 2021


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

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Review: Jackie Chan Really Rumbles in "RUMBLE IN THE BRONX"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 53 of 2021 (No. 1791) by Leroy Douresseaux

Rumble in the Bronx (1996)
Running time: 90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes)
MPAA – R for some language and violent sequences
DIRECTOR:  Stanley Tong
WRITERS:  Edward Tang and Fibe Ma
PRODUCER:  Barbie Tung
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Jingle Ma
EDITOR:  Peter Cheung
COMPOSER:  J. Peter Robinson

MARTIAL ARTS/ACTION/COMEDY

Starring:  Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Francois Yip, Bill Tung, Carrie Cain-Sparks, Morgan Lam, Marc Akerstream, Garvin Cross, Alf Humphries and Kris Lord

[Destin Daniel Cretton, the director of Marvel Studios' “Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings,” has said in interviews that the films of Jackie Chan heavily influenced his Marvel film.  I decided to go back and take a new look at the first Jackie Chan film I saw, “Rumble in the Bronx.”]

Rumble in the Bronx is a 1995 Hong Kong martial arts film starring Jackie Chan and directed by Stanley Tong.  Both Chan and Tong directed the film's action choreography.  Rumble in the Bronx was released in Hong Kong in 1995.  New Line Cinema released an English-dub version of the film with a shorter run time than the original version in February 1996.  The film also introduced Jackie Chan to a mainstream audience in the United States.  Rumble in the Bronx focuses on a young man from Hong Kong who uses his martial arts skills to take on a street gang and murderous mobsters while visiting his uncle in New York City.

Keung (Jackie Chan) comes to New York City to attend the wedding of his Uncle Bill (Bill Tung) to his bride-to-be, Whitney (Carrie Cain-Sparks).  Uncle Bill, who lives in the Bronx, is also about to sell his grocery store, “the Wah-Ha Supermarket.”  Keung meets Elena (Anita Mui), the woman who is buying the supermarket, and he ends up agreeing to stay in the U.S. a little longer to help Elena with the transition of ownership

What Keung does not know is that his uncle's store and this Bronx neighborhood is plagued by a street biker street gang led by a man named Tony (Marc Akerstream).  Keung thwarts the gang members the first time he meets them, but he also meets a Danny Chan (Morgan Lam), a disabled Chinese-American boy whose sister, Nancy (Francois Yip), is a member of the gang.  Keung attempts to help Danny and Nancy, while in constant battle with Tony and his crew.  However, neither Keung or Tony know that they are about to become entangled with a vicious crime lord, White Tiger (Kris Lord).

I had heard of Jackie Chan by reputation long before I had a chance to see Rumble in the Bronx.  Prior to the release of that film in 1996, Chan was an international movie star, but only had a cult following in the U.S.  I do remember that a friend of mine at the time was a huge Jackie Chan fan and went out of her way to see his films.  Also, the fact that Rumble in the Bronx was set in New York City, but was actually shot in and around Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada fascinated some commentators.

The truth about most Jackie Chan films is that they are not about the plot, but are an excuse to show the amazing martial arts, acrobatic, gymnastic, and stunt skills of Jackie Chan.  Chan is an amazing performer and a charismatic movie star, even when speaking in what is not his first language, English.

At the time of the U.S. theatrical release of Rumble in the Bronx, I read an article that said that Chan had been seriously injured while performing his own stunts over forty times.  For much of his career, Chan has done most of his own stunts, and Rumble in the Bronx shows Chan in all his glory.  Watching it, I saw many instances in which he did things that could and should have killed him.  But Chan is like a real-life superhero, getting up every time he is knocked down.  Once I started watching Rumble in the Bronx this most recent time, I had a hard time stopping for anything.  Chan moves so fast that it makes the film seem to be shorter than it actually is.

Rumble in the Bronx is also a bit odd beyond Chan's act.  The film is surprisingly humorous, making it a delightful action-comedy, but it is also unexpectedly violent, including depicting a brutal kind of murder that one would not expect in this film, considering its humorous slant.  However, Rumble in the Bronx also includes one of my favorite Jackie Chan stunts, the scamper through the grocery cart.

Rumble in the Bronx is not a great Jackie Chan film, but truthfully, it was the perfect film in which to introduce mainstream American audiences to one of China's greatest movie stars.  And, also truthful, Rumble in the Bronx is quite enjoyable.

6 of 10
B

Thursday, September 2, 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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Bluefin Announces Its Showcase Collectibles for Toy Fair 2020

Visit Bluefin At Toy Fair 2020 Booth #5332

BLUEFIN ANNOUNCES A BOLD ARRAY OF NEW COLLECTIBLES TO BE SHOWCASED AT TOY FAIR 2020

Anaheim, CA – Bluefin, a Bandai Namco group company and the leading North American distributor of toys, collectibles, and hobby merchandise from Japan and Asia, returns to New York City with a wide array of new products to be showcased at Toy Fair 2020.

This year, the renowned distributor will mark its largest presence to-date at Toy Fair with an expansive 100x30 foot booth featuring 5 massive display statues of Barbatos (Gundam), RX-78 (Gundam), Sailor Moon, Goku (Dragon Ball) and Godzilla. The booth will showcase a must-see collection of soon-to-be released collectibles and products for Mobile Suit Gundam, Star Wars, Marvel, Godzilla, Dragon Ball, Pokémon, Sailor Moon, Fate Grand Order, Kamen Rider, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Evangelion, and more.

Leading Bluefin toy and collectible brands to be represented at Toy Fair 2020 will include Tamashii Nations, Bandai Hobby, Bandai Boys Toys, and well as Bluefin client brands, Flame Toys and Storm Collectibles.

Bluefin will be located at Booth #5332.

Toy Fair 2020 takes place February 22-25 at the Jacob K. Javitz Convention Center in Manhattan, NY and is a leading annual industry event produced by the Toy Industry Association™, Inc. (TIA), a non-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in manufacturing and distributing toys and youth entertainment products to consumers. Show details are available at: http://www.toyfairny.com.

BaNDAI TAMASHII NATIONS

S.H.Figuarts Captain America Final Battle Edition – Avengers: Endgame · MSRP: $92.00 - Available May 2020

S.H.Figuarts gets even more dramatic! Captain America, as seen in his final form in the epic "Avengers: Endgame," joins the series! Now you can replicate the film's thrilling climax in which Cap himself wields Thor's mighty hammer Mjolnir! The accurately detailed and highly posable figure includes a shield, a shield strap, four optional pairs of hands, two optional heads, a broken shield, Mjolnir, and a Mjolnir effect part.

S.H.Figuarts Iron Man MK-85 Final Battle Edition – Avengers: Endgame · MSRP: $100.00 - Available May 2020

Iron Man Mk-85, as seen in his final form playing the key role in the climactic battle of "Avengers: Endgame," joins the series with a huge array of accessories! Tony Stark facial parts let you re-create dramatic moments with other characters. The accurately detailed and highly posable figure includes that optional Tony Stark head, four pairs of optional hands, energy blade part, repulsor effects, nano lightning refocuser, lightning refocuser effect parts, nano shield part.

S.H.Figuarts Dragon Ball Son Goku Ultra Instinct · MSRP: $62.00 · Available June 2020

Son Goku, as seen in the space survival arc of "Dragon Ball Super," joins S.H.Figuarts! Now you can hold the power of Son Goku "Ultra Instinct" in the palm of your hand! The set includes three optional expressions, three pairs of optional hands, a ball effect, and seven light beam effects.

S.H.Figuarts Jackie Chun · MSRP: $58.00 · Available June 2020

Jackie Chun, who is the master of Martial Arts, now joins S.H.Figuarts with full action! As well as funny face for him, various optional parts recreate the scenes from comics / TV series! This figure includes two optional face parts, seven optional right hands, six optional left hands, optional arm parts (R/L), a microphone part and dragon ball object (three-star ball at summoning Shenron).

S.H.MonsterArts Burning Godzilla · MSRP: $90.00 · Available June 2020

Burning Godzilla, which appeared in the final climactic scene of "Godzilla Kind of the Monsters,” joins the S.H.MonsterArts line! By displaying with S.H.MonsterArts King Gidorah (sold separately) and Mothra & Rodan set (sold separately), fans can recreate the final battle in the movie.

S.H.Figuarts Iron Spider Final Battle Edition – Avengers: Endgame · MSRP: $92.00 - Available July 2020

The hugely popular newest member of the team, Iron Spider, gets a total make-over for this new release! The highly detailed and posable figure is modeled to look just as he did in the climactic final battle of "Avengers: Endgame." The figure includes an optional head, three pairs of optional eyes, four pairs of optional hands, dual web shooting hands, spider web effect parts, a set of spider legs, a nano gauntlet, and a Tamashii STAGE connector.

FiguartsZERO Gilgamesh · MSRP: $100.00 · Available May 2020

The hit series "Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Battlefront: Babylonia" joins the Bandai Spirits collector’s line - FiguartsZERO! These fixed-pose figures portray cool moments from each character's famous scenes!  Dynamic sculpting and plenty of effect parts capture the thrill in three dimensions! This statue figure comes with a stage.

FiguartsMini Fate/Grand Order Mash Kyrielight · MSRP: $30.00 · Available April 2020

Tamashii Nations is proud to launch its new "FiguartsMini" brand with "Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Battlefront: Babylonia," which began streaming in October 2019! This figure includes an optional right hand, a shield and a stage.

FiguartsMini Fate/Grand Order Gilgamesh · MSRP: $30.00 · Available April 2020

Tamashii Nations is proud to launch its new "FiguartsMini" brand with "Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Battlefront: Babylonia!” This figure includes an optional left hand with axe, an optional hand with stone plate and a stage.

FiguartsMini Fate/Grand Order Ishtar · MSRP: $30.00 · Available April 2020

Tamashii Nations is proud to launch its new "FiguartsMini" brand with "Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Battlefront: Babylonia!” This figure includes an optional right hand, Maanna and two stages.

BaNDAI Hobby

Bandai Hobby Pokémon Model Kits Various Characters ·  Available May 2020

“PokePla” (Pokémon Plastic Models) kits blend iconic characters from of one of the world’s most popular entertainment and video gaming brands with the renowned, model kit design and production expertise of Bandai Spirits Hobby. The line launches with kits for Pikachu, Mewtwo and Evee. Additional kits will be added in 2020.

Pikachu $8.00

Mewtwo $10.00

Evee $10.00

Bandai Boys Toys

Bandai Boys Toys “Kamen Rider Kiva” Kivat Belt · MSRP: $320.00 · Available April 2020

Introducing the newest CSM (Complete Selection Modification), Kiva's Kivat Belt! This CSM comes with Kivat and six Fuestles. This item is also compatible with the CSM Tatsulot, and enables the two devices can talk to each other and utilize voice activation functions.

FLAME TOYS

Catch special reveals for new Flame Toys Beast Wars and Transformers Victory Leo Kuro Kara Kuri model kits.

Flame Toys Transformers Optimus Prime Kuro Kara Kuri · MSRP: $450.00 · Available Now!

Optimus Prime, the leader of the heroic Autobots, is locked in eternal battle with the evil Decepticons. Possessing strong moral character, excellent leadership and a strong sense of honor and justice, he continuously battles the Decepticon’s diabolical leader, Megatron.

Standing 21cm., with 5 LED units packed in the body, this poseable figure is packed with accessories; including 2 small swords, 2 small axes, a short cannon, a big sword and 6 pairs of hands. This incredibly detailed an articulated figure also features 3 interchangeable faces to show off different emotions for the Autobot leader.

Storm collectibles

Catch several first-ever world reveals for upcoming new Storm Collectibles figures based on characters from Mortal Kombat, Darkstalker, Streets of Rage and more!

Storm Collectibles Bane “Injustice: Gods Among Us” 1/12 Scale Acton Figure · MSRP: $95.00 · Available Now!

After Superman’s defeat, Bane was betrayed by the Regime and relentlessly pursued by Batman. Having already spent most of his life in prison, he is determined to take revenge against his former Regime masters and turn Gotham into a city where his rule is law. Product Features: 3 pairs of interchangeable hands, and a fully articulated body. The figure features incredible sculpt and details.

Storm Collectibles Scorpion “Mortal Kombat 3” 1/12 Scale Action Figure · MSRP: $70.00 - Available Now!

"Get Over Here!" Scorpion Hanzo Hasashi was once a member of the Japanese Shirai Ryu ninja Clan. Given the name Scorpion for deadly fighting skills, his life was blessed with glorious combat in the name of his Grand Master. His signature move is his spear and hellfire. When his mask is removed, his head is a (flaming) skull. Scorpion is a fan favorite. Product features a newly designed body with highly articulated joints. Accessories include interchangeable face mask / skull face mask, 2 pairs of interchangeable hands, a Battle Axe • a Scorpion Spear and 3 blood effects.


About Bluefin
Bluefin is a leading master and channel distributor of Japanese toys, collectibles, novelty and hobby products. The company’s extensive product line features a diverse and continually expanding catalog of high quality and popular collectibles from Asia. As a Bandai Namco group company, Bluefin distributes products in the U.S. for Bandai Tamashii Nations, Hobby and Shokugan. The company’s array of brand offerings also includes products from Storm Collectibles, Mr. Hobby/GSI, SEN-TI-NEL and Flame Toys, for which the company is the North American exclusive distributor. Bluefin is also the official North American consumer products and retail development partner for Studio Ghibli. Additional company information is available at: https://bluefinbrands.com/

https://www.instagram.com/bluefinbrands/

https://www.facebook.com/BluefinBrands/

https://twitter.com/BluefinBrands

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClaqOdyh-gLzT27x9p-o0nw

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 15th to 21st, 2017 - Update #38

Support Leroy on Patreon.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Documentary filmmaker Tony Zierra plans a documentary about legendary filmmaker, the late Stanley Kubrick.

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SCANDAL - From Vulture:  In breaking a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), Rose McGowan claimes that Harvey Weinstein raped her.

From YahooGMA:  Director Rob Reiner says that there are more "Harvey Weinsteins."

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MUSIC - From BET:  Grammy-winning recording artist, Frank Ocean, has won his a libel suit brought by his father.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  Tyler Perry's "Boo 2!" headed to be #1 at weekend box office.

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CELEBRITY - From Variety:  PartyCasino claims to name the most and least profitable actors and actresses in Hollywood.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Jackie Chan remembers impromptu game of bowling with Bruce Lee just days before Lee died.

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SCANDAL - From ShadowandAct:  Lupita N'yongo documents her awful encounter with Harvey Weinstein.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  The writers behind FX's "Feud: Betty and Joan" miniseries are writing a biopic of actress Vivien Leigh, who won two best actress Oscars, the most famous for her role as Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone with the Wind."

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MOVIES - From THR:  Channing Tatum haults development on a sexual abuse movie he was working on with The Weinstein Company.

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  Fox orders a pilot from "Carmichael Show" creator, Jerrod Carmichael.

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CULTURE - From InformedComment:  Some Vikings were Muslin?!

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MANGA-FILM - From Gizmodo:  "Fast & Furious" franchise director, Justin Lin, wants to turn legendary manga, "Lone Wolf and Cub" into a manga.

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CULTURE - From Truthout:  How the Nazis used Jim Crow laws as models for their race laws.

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Ryan Potter has been cast as "Beast Boy" in the TV series, "Titans" (based on the DC Comics series).  Titans is slated to bow in 2018 on an unnamed DC Comics streaming service.

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POLITICS - From RawStory:  President Trump tells widow of fallen soldier "he knew what he signed up for."

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STAR WARS - From CNN:  Ron Howard announces the title of his Star Wars movie, "Solo: A Star Wars Story."

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BOOK NEWS - From BBC:  American George Saunders won the UK's highest literary award, the Man Booker Prize, for his novel, "Lincoln in the Bardo."  Saunders is the only the second American to win the award.  The award has only been open to American authors since 2014.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooLifestyle:  Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence once had to do a nude lineup.

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MUSIC - From Billboard:  The "Selena Quintanilla Google Doodle" celebrates the anniversary of the October 17, 1989 release of the first album from the late Mexican-American singer, Selena.  Billboard has the exclusive story behind the development and creation of the Selena Google Doodle.

From Google:  To read more about the "Selena Quintanilla Google Doodle."

From Google:  There is an interactive museum exhibit featuring Selena.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Gregg Popovich, coach of the NBA's San Antonio Spurs, calls President Trump a "soulless coward."

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MUSIC - From YahooMusic:  The original members of Bananarama reunite.

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CELEBRITY - From EOnline:  Oscar-winning actress Alicia Vikander has married Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender.

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COMICS-FILM - From YahooEntertainment:  Marvel's "Black Panther" trailer is a game changer.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 10/13 to 10/15/2017 weekend box office is "Happy Death Day" with an estimated take of $26.5 million.

From FilmSchoolRejects:  A list of movies that are similar to "Happy Death Day" to varying degress.

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MOVIES - From ThinkProgress:  Woody Allen, who has been accused of sexual transgressions, does not want the accusations against Harvey Weinstein to turn into "a witch hunt."

From TheNewYorkTimes:  In an opinion piece for the times, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker, Sarah Polley, talks about the lecherous men she meets making films, including Harvey Weinstein.

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CELEBRITY - From TheGuardian:  Tom Hanks has written his first book of short stories.

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DISNEY - From FinancialTimes:  The site applauds Disney's thus-far successful "Movies Anywhere" service, but wonders if it is seven years too late.

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MOVIES - From NOW:  Are social media posts about movies more important than film critic reviews?

TRAILERS and VIDEOS:

From YouTube:  New Black Panther trailer (10/16).

From YouTube:   Here is a trailer for "Roman J. Israel, ESQ." from writer/director Dan Gilroy ("Nightcrawler") and starring Denzel Washington.

From YouTube:  Here is a trailer for the Amazon Prime Video exclusive, "Jean Claude Van Johnson."  Jean Claude Van Damme plays Van Johnson a spy who moonlights as an actor named "Jean Claude Van Damme."

From ShadowandAct:  Tyler Perry appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" Madea, President Donald Trump's new press secretary.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 13th to 19th, 2016 - Update #27

Support Leroy on Patreon.

POLITICS - From YahooNews:  President-elect Trump wants the cast of the Broadway musical, "Hamilton" to apologize to Vice-President-elect and anti-gay bigot, Mike Pence.

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MOVIE - From THR:  Marc Forster is directing Disney's live-action movie about "Christopher Robin," Winnie the Pooh's friend.

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OBIT - From TheWrap:  Sharon Jones, who is the lead singer of "Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings," has died at the age of 60, Friday, November 18, 2016.

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CULTURE - From RSN:  Is America possible, Michelle Alexander asks, especially as we are just learning to walk.

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MOVIES - From CNN:  Shelley Duvall, the actress who is known for such film as "The Shinning" and "Popeye," reveals that she suffers from mental illness.

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ECO - From RollingStone:  Neil Young celebrates his 71st birthday with a concert at Standing Rock #NoDAPL protest site.

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SPORTS - From the Steelers:  The NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers announce the "The Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research."

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MOVIES - From ETCanada:  Michelle Williams to play rock legend Janis Joplin in upcoming biopic.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  Halle Berry celebrates 50 with a new lingerie line.

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COMICS - From Vulture:  A fascinating piece on, Steve Ditko, the artist who created The Amazing Spider-Man and Doctor Strange with Stan Lee.  The writer even tries to meet Ditko, who is an infamous recluse.

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TELEVISION - From BleedingCool:  Marvel, IMAX, and ABC team for a big budget "Inhumans" television show.

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Ava DuVernay's "A Wrinkle in Time" set for release April 2018.

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OBITS - From NYTimes:  Award-winning and groundbreaking political reporter and author, Gwen Ifill, died at the age of 61, Monday, November 14, 2016.

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ACADEMY AWARDS - From Variety:  Jackie Chan receives an Oscar.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 11/11 to 11/13/2016 weekend box office is "Doctor Strange" with an estimated take of $43 million.

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POLITICS - From YesMagazine:  6 historic firsts for women on election night 2016.

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SPORTS - From LATimes:  Serena and Venus Williams are returning to their hometown of Compton to renew ties to the community.

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POLITICS - From OregonLive:  Anti-Trump protests in Portland Oregon turn violent Saturday night.

From YahooSports:  Damian Lillard, a star of the Portland Trailblazers, troubled by the anti-Trump protests in Portland.

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OBIT:  From People:  Songwriter and musician, Leon Russell, has died at the age of 74, Sunday, November 13, 2016.  He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Class of 2011.

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TELEVISION - From USAToday:  Dave Chappelle hosted "Saturday Night Live" last night (11/12/2016) and revived some favorite characters from "The Chappelle Show."

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POLITICS - From NYTimes:  Oscar-winning filmmaker, Ethan Coen, pens thank you notes to the people who helped us end up with President-elect Trump.

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MOVIES - From THR:  David Yates says that he is directing all "Fantastic Beasts" films, which are set in the "Harry Potter" universe.

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ANIMATION - From Variety:  DreamWorks Animation and Universal have shut down production on "The Croods 2," the sequel to the Oscar-nominated, "The Croods."

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MUSIC - From YahooMusic:  Sting reopens Bataclan one year after the Paris terror attacks.

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  New trailer (second official?) for Hidden Figures (which I want to see so badly), which is due January 6, 2017.

From YouTube:  First official trailer for Disney's live-action "Beauty and the Beast," due Spring 2017.

From YouTube:  Here is the first trailer for "Ghost in the Shell," which is due  March 31, 2017.

Warner Bros. Announces Voice Cast for "The LEGO Ninjago Movie"

The Stars Have Been Assembled for “The LEGO® Ninjago Movie”

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The main cast has been put together for “The LEGO® Ninjago Movie,” a new animated adventure in Warner Bros. Pictures’ LEGO franchise. The film will star Dave Franco, Justin Theroux, Fred Armisen, Abbi Jacobson, Olivia Munn, Kumail Nanjiani, Michael Peña, Zach Woods, and the legendary Jackie Chan. “The LEGO Ninjago Movie” is slated to open nationwide on September 22, 2017.

    “We are thrilled with the star-studded voice cast slated for ‘The LEGO Ninjago Movie.’ Our fans know and love Ninjago characters for their personalities and skills, so it’s only fitting that we assemble a diverse and talented cast to bring the world of Ninjago to life on the big screen.”

In this big-screen Ninjago adventure, the battle for Ninjago City calls to action young Lloyd, aka the Green Ninja, along with his friends, who are all secret warriors and LEGO Master Builders. Led by kung fu master Wu, as wise-cracking as he is wise, they must defeat evil warlord Garmadon, the Worst Guy Ever, who also happens to be Lloyd’s dad. Pitting mech against mech and father against son, the epic showdown will test this fierce but undisciplined team of modern-day ninjas who must learn to check their egos and pull together to unleash their true power.

Jackie Chan (“Kung Fu Panda,” “The Karate Kid”) stars as Master Wu; Justin Theroux (“Magamind 2,” “The Leftovers”) is Garmadon; Dave Franco (“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising”) plays Lloyd; and Olivia Munn (“X-Men: Apocalypse”) is Lloyd’s mom, Koko. Making up the secret ninja crew, Fred Armisen (“The Jim Gaffigan Show,” “SNL”) voices Cole; Abbi Jacobson (“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising”) plays Nya; Kumail Nanjiani (“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”) is Jay; Michael Peña (“Ant-Man,” “The Martian”) is Kai; and Zach Woods (“Silicon Valley”) voices Zane.

Jill Wilfert, an executive producer on the film and Vice President of Licensing and Entertainment for LEGO Group, stated, “We are thrilled with the star-studded voice cast slated for ‘The LEGO Ninjago Movie.’ Our fans know and love Ninjago characters for their personalities and skills, so it’s only fitting that we assemble a diverse and talented cast to bring the world of Ninjago to life on the big screen.”

“The LEGO Ninjago Movie” marks the feature film directorial debut of Charlie Bean (“Tron: Uprising”). It is being produced by Dan Lin, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Roy Lee, who previously collaborated on the worldwide box-office phenomenon “The LEGO® Movie,” along with Maryann Garger (“Flushed Away”). Chris McKay, Seth Grahame-Smith, Jill Wilfert, and Keith Malone are serving as executive producers. The screenplay is by Hilary Winston & Bob Logan & Paul Fisher, story by Kevin Hageman & Dan Hageman and Hilary Winston & Bob Logan & Paul Fisher, based on LEGO Construction Toys.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Animation Group, in association with LEGO System A/S, a Lin Pictures/Lord Miller/Vertigo Entertainment Production, “The LEGO Ninjago Movie” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LEGONinjagoMovie
Instagram: @LEGONinjagoMovie / Twitter: @NinjagoMovie

LEGO, the LEGO logo, NINJAGO, the minifigure and the brick and knob configuration are trademarks of The LEGO Group. ©2016 The LEGO Group. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from February 7th to 13th, 2016 - Update #40

Support Leroy on Patreon.

OBITS - From YahooPolitics:  Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has died, today, Saturday, February 13, 2016, at the age of 79.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  French actor, Tahar Rahim, joins Harrison Ford and Anthony Hopkins in "Official Secrets."
 
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MOVIES - From DenofGeek:  Release dates for... God help me... Transformers 5, 6, and 7.

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TELEVISION - From TVLine: FOX has ordered a pilot for a series based on the "Lethal Weapon" movies.  Damon Wayans Sr. to star..

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MOVIES - From WeGotThisCovered:  The proposed horror film, Death House, which will unite legendary horror characters like Freddie Krueger, is described as "The Expendables or horror."  It is apparently a go.

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POLITICS - From RollingStone:  The magazine lists 19 great moments from the 2/11/2016 debate between Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

From WashPost:  Annotated transcript of debate.

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TELEVISION - From CBSNews:  A few hints about new "Star Trek" series, set to debut in 2017.

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COMICS - From CinemaBlend:  Deadpool movie writers really wish they could use the Hulk.

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COMICS - From Movieweb:  Rumor has it that in "Thor 3", the villain Hela (Cate Blanchett) will kill off a major character.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER - From The New York DailyNews:  Trayvon Martin would have been 21 years-old on Friday, February 5, 2016.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Michael De Luca and Scott Suber come on board as producers of the "Battlestar Galactica" movie.

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POLITICS - From YahooNews:  Mrs. Beetlejuice - Carly Fiorina - suspsends presidential campagin.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER - From RSN:  Texas police kill a naked black man.

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OBITS - From TheWrap:  Former child actor, Tommy Kelly, died on January 25, 2016 at the age of 90.  Kelly was best known for playing the title role in the 1938 version of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer."  He also appeared in a number of films including "Gone with the Wind."

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MOVIES - From THR:  Johnny Depp is headlining Universal's reboot of "The Invisible Man."  Supposedly, Tom Cruise is signed to "The Mummy" reboot!

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MOVIES - From RSN:  Michael Moore was in intensive care in NYC.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Thank you, God.  Charlize Theron in talks to join "Fast 8" as a villain.

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WEBCOMICS - From CBB:  New Johnny Bullet - Episode 60.

From CBB:  Johnny Bullet in French - Episode 60.

From CBB:  Constant, Chp. 2 Pg. 4.

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OSCAR - From Deadline:  The 2016 Oscars Nominees Luncheon photos.

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ECO - From EcoWatch:  Mark Ruffalo:  "We're heading towards a national water crisis."

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SPORTS - From the New York DailyNews:  Former NFL player, Bill Romanowski, makes sure that there is no doubt that he is a racist.

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AWARDS - From ScreenDaily:  John Boyega and Eddie Redmayne lead BAFTA buzz ahead of awards on February 14th, 2016.

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TV - From YahooTV:  "X-Files" recap - "Back in the Day is Now."

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COMICS - From YouTube:  "Captain America: Civil War" Super Bowl spot.

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OBITS - From Vulture:  Daniel Gerson, a Pixar screenwriter, died on Saturday, February 6, 2016 after a battle with brain cancer.  Gerson co-wrote Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University, and was apparently working on "Cars 3."

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TRAILERS - From YouTube:  New trailer for "Mie & Dave Need Wedding Dates," which looks really good.

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TRAILERS - From YouTube:  "X-Men: Apocalypse" the Super Bowl trailer.

TRAILERS - From YouTube:  "Independent Day: Resurgence" Super Bowl trailer.

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POLITICS - From Yahoo:  Professional black people hater and firemen killer, Rudy Giuliani, whines about Beyonce's performance at Super Bowl 50.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER - From Truthout:  Why are black girls and women dying in jails? Genocide, that's why.

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HISTORY - From RSN:  Sirhan Sirhan is coming up for parole.

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MOVIES:  From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the Super Bowl Weekend box office (7/5 to 7/7/2016) is "Kung Fu Panda 3" with an estimated take of $21 million.

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CULTURE:  From Vulture:  How Richard Pryor marks the beginning of the modern comedy era.

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MUSIC - From Vulture:  Beyonce dominates Super Bowl 50 halftime show... that Coldplay was head-lining.

MUSIC - From Vulture:  See Beyonce's "Formation" video.

MUSIC - From Vulture:  A guide to "Formation" music video.

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MOVIES - From Vulture:  There was a controlled explosion of a bus in London for an upcoming Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan and apparently the locals were still surprised, although there was supposedly advance warning.

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COMICS - From YahooTV:  Deadpool movie review - It's "the world's most violent and vulgar Bugs Bunny cartoon.

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From Deadline:  2016 Directors Guild Awards announced; Alejandro G. Iñárritu repeats as outstanding director of a feature film with his win for "The Revenant." Last year, he won for directing "Birdman."

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ANIMATION - From TheWrap: Here are your 43rd Annie Awards winners.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of August 10th to August 16th, 2014 - Update #13

NEWS:

From the BostonHerald:  Jackie Chan says that he has been approached about appearing in a few sequels, including "Rush Hour 4" and "The Expendables 4."

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From Today:  Star Trek legend, George Takei (Sulu), recalls his family being taken at gunpoint (with bayonet) in 1942 on their way to an American internment camp during World War II.  This story and more will be included in "To Be Takei," the documentary about his life.

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From Deadline:  Mike Epps apparently delivered an explosive screen test that has him as the front-runner to play iconic stand-up comic and actor, Richard Pryor, in a planned biopic from Oscar-nominated director, Lee Daniels, for The Weinstein Company.

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One of the other actors being considered is Marlon Wayans, who was the choice when Adam Sandler's Happy Madison was producing a Pryor film with Dreamgirls' Bill Condon directing.  Michael B. Jordan and Nick Cannon are also being considered.  Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway are among those considered to play Pryor's wife, Jennifer Lee Pryor.

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From YahooFinance:  Amazon is refusing to accept pre-orders on some Walt Disney DVDs in a battle that is similar to Amazon's feud with book publisher, Hachette.

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From YahooCelebrity:  Tyler Posey, star of MTV's "Teen Wolf," played Jennifer Lopez's young son in the 2002 film, Maid in Manhattan.  Lopez and Posey reunited on stage last night at the 2014 Teen Choice Awards.  This article also has a list of the award ceremony's winners.  Most of the winners were movies based on books written for teens and the young adult audience.


COMIC BOOKS - Movies, TV, and Comics:

From IGN:  SPOILERS! Lex Luthor's dastardly plot in "Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice" may have been revealed.  It involves a corpse and kryptonite.

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From Yahoo:  Vin Diesel teasing or trolling his fans about starring in a possible Marvel Studios film featuring the Inhumans.

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From TheWrap:  The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles update won the August 8 to 10, 2014 weekend box office.

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From THR:  Ninja Turtles sequel announced for June 3, 2016.

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From YahooMovies:  Photographic evidence that Guardians of the Galaxy star, Chris Pratt, was homeless and lived in a van at one time.


STAR WARS:

From LatinoReview:  Episode VII plots, villains, spoilers, etc.

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From IndieRevolver:  An alleged look at how Han Solo (Harrison Ford) will look in Star Wars: Episode VII.

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From IndieRevolver:  About the alleged Sith villain of Episode VII.

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From Twitter:  An interesting photo.


OBITS:

From Variety: Lauren Bacall, legendary Hollywood actress and icon of the Golden Age of Hollywood, has died at the age of 89.  She made her debut at the age of 19 in the film, To Have and to Have Not (directed by Howard Hawks), opposite another legend and icon, Humphrey Bogart.  She died at her apartment in Manhattan today, Tuesday, August 12, 2014.  My heart is broken.  Negromancer sends condolences to Ms. Bacall's family and friends.

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From TheWeek:  Bacall on Humphrey Bogart's illness and death.

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From CNN:  The actress, Arlene Martel, has died at the age of 78.  She was known to "Star Trek" fans as "T'Pring," the Vulcan priestess who was engaged to marry Spock in the episode "Amok Time" (the first episode of the second season).  Martel died Tuesday, August 12, 2014.  Negromancer sends condolences to her family and friends.


TRAILERS:

From 20th Century Fox:  Second trailer for the animated film, The Book of Life. Film is due Halloween 2014.


MISC:

From YahooNews and the NYPost:  Brittney Griner of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury is engaged to fellow WNBA player, Glory Johnson of the Tulsa Shock.  Both Arizona and Oklahoma, however, practice bigotry in their marriage laws.

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From Truthout:  How the Mainstream Media Helped Kill Michael Brown.  The author's argument makes sense, especially the standpoint of the relationship between law enforcement a crime reporters.

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

NEWS:

From The Wrap:  Meryl 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 Yahoo:  John 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 Marvel:  Rosario Dawson joins Marvel's Netflix series, "Daredevil," which is scheduled to debut in early 2015.

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From The Wrap:  Jon 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 Yahoo:  Harrison 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.

Review: "Rush Hour 3" Serves the Franchise Well

TRASH IN MY EYE, No. 3 (of 2008) by Leroy Douresseaux

Rush Hour 3 (2007)
Running time:  91 minutes (1 hour, 31 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of action violence, sexual content, nudity, and language
DIRECTOR:  Brett Ratner
WRITER:  Jeff Nathanson (based on the characters created by Ross LaManna)
PRODUCERS:  Roger Birnbaum, Andrew Z. Davis, Jonathan Glickman, Arthur M. Sarkissian, and Jay Stern
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  J. Michael Muro
EDITORS:  Mark Helfrich, Billy Weber, and Don Zimmerman
COMPOSER:  Lalo Schifrin

ACTION/COMEDY/CRIME

Starring:  Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Hiroyuki Sanada, Youki Kudoh, Max von Sydow, Yvan Attal, Noémie Lenoir, Jingchu Zhang, Tzi Ma, and Roman Polanski

The subject of this movie review is Rush Hour 3, a 2007 action movie and crime comedy from director Brett Ratner.  It is the third film in the Rush Hour movie franchise.  In Rush Hour 3, Lee and Carter head to Paris, after an attempted assassination on an ambassador, to protect a French woman with knowledge about the Triads’ secret leaders.

Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker return for the long-awaited third installment of their wildly popular comic action film franchise, Rush Hour.  While Rush Hour 3 is funny and action-packed, the stars and director seem to be trying too hard.

After his dear friend, Ambassador Han (Tzi Ma), is shot, Hong Kong Police Chief Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) finds himself guarding Han’s daughter, Soo Yung (Jingchu Zhang), from the Triads who want Han and the information he has on them destroyed.  There is, however, another complication when Lee discovers that Kenji (Hiroyuki Sanada), someone from his past who is greatly important to him, suddenly appears and is associated with the Triads.

LAPD Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) leaves the doghouse of traffic detail to help his old friend, Lee.  Soon, the duo is in Paris looking for two elusive women, the sexy Geneviéve (Noémie Lenoir) and the mysterious “Shy Shen,” who may hold the secrets that the Triads guard so jealously.  But in Paris, Lee and Carter are out of their element and always in trouble and/or danger.

Rush Hour 3 has its moments – in fact, plenty of them, but there seem to be an equal number of times in which the pratfalls, explosions, gunfire, banter, sex, etc. seem forced.  The sad thing is that neither director Brett Ratner nor his two stars need to be so over the top.  With two strong comic actors – Lee being the great physical comedian and Tucker personifying the fast-talking streetwise comic – the Rush Hour franchise has the perfect opposites-attract pair.  It’s not that hard to build an action comedy around them with only the thinnest scenario.

Instead, Chris Tucker’s witty banter often turns to babbling, and Jackie Chan’s fighting and gymnastic scenes usually make him look like a tired windup toy or a beat-up action figure caught in a wind tunnel.  It is okay to refry the same old shtick; Ratner and writer Jeff Nathanson just overcooked it and let some of the fun get scorched.  Still, seeing Chan and Tucker back together is good, and the movie is not exactly bad.  In fact, Rush Hour 3 is good enough to make a fourth film worth the wait.

5 of 10
B-

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Updated:  Friday, March 28, 2014

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