Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 1st to 9th, 2024 - UPDATE #9

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

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ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

OSCARS - From THR:  After overshadowing every human actor at the recent 2024 Oscars Luncheon, "Messi" the scene-stealing border collie from "Anatomy of a Fall," will not attend the ceremony for the 2024 / 96th Academy Awards.  Some companies with nominated films believed that Messi gave "Anatomy" an advantage during the voting window.

AMAZON - From Deadline:   After threatening to boycott the premiere of his new film, "Road House," director Doug Liman attended the SXSW Opening Night debut of the film, which is a remake of the 1989 film starring the late Patrick Swayze.  Liman is upset that the film, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, was being released straight to Amazon's "Prime Video" instead of giving the film a theatrical release.

STREAMING - From Variety:  Kumail Nanjiani is joining Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building" Season 4 in a recurring role.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Fox and Fremantle have entered a deal to produce a reboot of the long-running syndicated television series, "Baywatch" (1989-99).  The series aired for one season on NBC, but was syndicated afterwards where it went on to become the most watched TV series in the world.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 3/1 to 3/3/2024 weekend box office is Warner Bros' "Dune: Part Two" with an estimated take of 81.5 million dollars.

AWARDS - From Deadline:  "American Fiction" (in the film category) and Apple TV+'s "Slow Horses" (in the TV category) top the 2024 / 36th Annual USC Scripters Awards.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  HBO Max is down to three finalists to be the writer who will adapt J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" novels to television.

OBITS:

From Deadline:    Comedian, singer, and actor, Steve Lawrence, has died at the age of 88, Thursday, March 7, 2024.  Lawrence is best known for teaming up with his late wife, Eydie Gorme (1928-2013), as the singing duo, "Steve and Eydie," beginning in 1954 and ending in 2009, when Eydie retired.  With Eydie, Steve won an Emmy Awards for "Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Program" for "Steve and Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin" (NBC, 1979) and was nominated in the same category for CBS' "Steve and Eydie: 'Our Love is Here to Stay'" (1976).  Steve and Eydie also won a Grammy Award for their performance of "We Got Us."  As an actor, he is best known for his role in the film, "The Blues Brothers" (1980).

From ESPN:  American sports journalist and NFL reporter, Chris Mortensen, has died at the age of 72, Sunday, March 3, 2024.  Mortensen was best known for his over 30 years at the ESPN cable network where he was featured on such series as "Sunday NFL Countdown," Monday Night Countdown," and "SportsCenter," to name a few.  Mortensen was twice-nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

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AWARDS:

From THR:  Key award season dates leading up to the 2024 / 96th Academy Awards, which are Sunday, March 10th, 2024.

From Variety: The nominations for the 2024 / 96th Academy Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" leads with 13 nominations, and "Poor Things" follows with 11.  The winners will be announced Sun., March 10th, 2024.

From Variety:  The Producers Guild of America has announced the winners for the 2024 / 35th Annual Producers Guild Awards.  "Oppenheimer" has won the top prize, the "Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures."

From Deadline:  The winners at the 2024 / 77th BAFTA Film Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" wins seven awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From THR:   The Directors Guild of America has announced the winners at the 2024 / 76th DGA Awards.  Christopher Nolan won the top category, "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film of 2023," for his work on his blockbuster film, "Oppenheimer."

From Deadline:  The winners at the 2024 / 51st Annie Awards have been announced.  "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" won six, including "Best Feature."  Its predecessor, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" also won six categories, including "Best Feature."

From AwardsWatch:  The NAACP has announced the nominees for the 2024 / 55th NAACP Image Awards.  By visiting www.naacpimageawards.net, the public can vote to determine the winners of the 55th NAACP Image Awards’ in select categories. Voting closes February 24th at 9:00 p.m. NAACP will also recognize winners in non–televised Image Awards categories March 11–14th, which will stream via naacpimageawards.net.  The winners will be revealed during the two–hour LIVE TV special, airing Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 8:00 PM ET/ PT on BET and CBS.

From THR:  The Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) has announced the winners at the 28th Art Directors Guild Awards.  "Poor Things," "Oppenheimer," and "Saltburn" win top prizes.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2024 Writers Guild Awards have been announced. The winners will be announced on April 14th, more than a month after the Oscars.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2024 / 77th EE BAFTA Film Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" leads with 13 nominations, and "Poor Things" follows with 11 nominations.  The winners will be announced Feb. 18th.

From Variety:  The Producers Guild of America has announced the nominees for the 2024 / 35th annual Producers Guild Awards.  For the first time in the history of the awards, two international films, "Anatomy of a Fall" and "The Zone of Interest," have made been nominated in the PGA's top category, "Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures." The winners will be announced Feb. 25th.

From Variety:   The nominees for the 2024 / 51st Annie Awards have been announced.  Netflix's "Nimona" leads the features categories with nine nominations.  The winners will be announced Sat., Feb. 17th.

From Deadline:  The Screen Actors Guild nominations for the 2024 / 30th annual SAG Awards have announced. "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" leads the film side of things with four nominations apiece.  The winners will be announced Saturday, Feb. 24th.

From AwardsWatch:  The Latino Entertainment Journalists Association has announced the 6th Annual LEJA Awards.  "Past Lives" won "Best Picture."  Actor Coleman Domingo won "Best Actor" for his role in "Rustin" and "Best Supporting Actor" for his role in "The Color Purple."

From AwardsWatch:  The Vancouver Film Critics Circle has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Anatomy of a Fall" won "Best Picture."

From Variety:  The Directors Guild of America has announced the nominations for the 2024 / 76th DGA Awards.  In the top category, "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film of 2023," the nominees are Greta Gerwig for "Barbie," Christopher Nolan for “Oppenheimer,” Martin Scorsese for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Yorgos Lanthimos for “Poor Things,” and Alexander Payne for “The Holdovers.”  The winners will be announced Feb. 10th.

From AwardsWatch:  The London Critics Circle announced the winners of its 44th annual film awards. "The Zone of Interest" won three awards, including "Film of the Year" and "Best Director" (Jonathan Glazer).

From AwardsWatch:  The Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) has won the 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" won six awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy tied with Paul Giamatti for "The Holdovers").

From Variety:  The American Cinema Editors has announced the nominees for the 2024 / 74th Annual ACE Eddie Awards.  The winners will be announced March 3rd, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) has named its 2023 film awards. "Oppenheimer" won eight awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Poor Things" won three awards, including "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Chicago Indie Critics (CIC) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won seven awards, including "Best Studio Film." Celine Song's "Past Lives" won three, including "Best Independent Film."

From Variety:  The Motion Picture Sound Editors has revealed the nominations for the 71st annual MPSE Golden Reel Awards in categories spanning feature film, television, animation, computer entertainment and student productions.  The winners will be announced March 3rd.

From AwardsWatch: The Iowa Film Critics Association (IFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  Alexander Payne's "The Holdovers" won four awards, including "Best Picture."

From Variety:  The Visual Effects Society has announced the nominations for the 2024 / 22nd Annual VES Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Feb. 21st.

From AwardsWatch:  The North Dakota Film Society (NDFS) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won nine awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The Music City Film Critics Association has announces it MCFCA 2023 Film Awards.  Oppenheimer won seven awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Portland Critics Association (PCA) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won nine awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From Deadline:  The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) announced the 15th annual African-Ameri an Film Critics Awards. "American Fiction" was voted the #1 film and won four awards, including "Best Comedy." Ava DuVernay's "Origin" was voted the #2 film and won three awards, including "Best Drama." 

From Deadline:  The winners of the 2024 / 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" won eight awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Hawaii Film Critics Society (HFCS) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Barbie" wins four awards, including "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS) has announced the winners of its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won four awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) revealed the nominees for the "2024 / 38th Annual ASC Awards" with categories in feature film, documentary, television and music video categories.  The winners will be announced March 3rd, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) announced the winners in 21 categories for the 2023 Seattle Film Critics Society Awards.  Director Celine Song’s "Past Lives" was named the "Best Picture of 2023."

From AwardsWatch:  The Cinema Audio Society (CAS) has announced the nominations for the 60th CAS Awards.  The winners will be announced March 2nd.

From AwardsWatch:  The Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) has announced the nominations for the 28th Art Directors Guild Awards. The winners will be announced Feb. 10th.

From AwardsWatch:  The Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) has announced it 2024 ASTRA Film Awards.  "Barbie" won eight awards, including "Best Picture.

From AwardsWatch:  The Greater Western New York Film Critics Association (GWNYFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Past Lives" was named "Best Picture."

From NSFC:  The National Society of Film Critics announce its 58th annual NSFC Awards.  "Past Lives" was named "Best Picture of 2023."

From Deadline:  The 2024 / 81st Golden Globes Awards ceremony was held Sun. night, Jan. 7th, 2024.  "Oppenheimer" won five awards, including "Best Motion Picture-Drama," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), "Best Actor-Drama" (Cillian Murphy), and "Best Supporting Actor-Motion Pictures" (Robert Downey, Jr.). "Poor Things" won "Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy."

From Deadline:  NIGHT 2 of the 75th Creative Arts Emmys took place Sun., Jan. 7th, 2024.  (Former) President Barack Obama and Keke Palmer were among the winners.

From Deadline:  NIGHT 1 of the 75th Creative Arts Emmys took place Sat., Jan. 6th, 2024.  HBO's "The Last of Us" lead the night with 8 wins, including wins in both "Guest Actor in a Drama Series" categories: Nick Offerman (Guest Actor) and Storm Reid (Guest Actress).

From AwardsWatch:  The 5th annual DiscussingFilm Critics Awards were announced.  "Oppenheimer" won eight awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:   The Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards. "Past Lives" won three awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Celine Song).

From AwardsWatch:  The Georgia Film Critics Association (GFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" won seven honors, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" was named "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Columbus Film Critics Association (COFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won six awards including "Best Film" and "Best Director" (Martin Scorsese).

From AwardsWatch:  The Costume Designers Guild (Local 892) announced the official nominees list for the 26th CDGA (Costume Designers Guild Awards). The annual CDGA ceremony will take place Wed., Feb. 21st, 2024.

From Variety:   The British Academy has unveiled the results of the first round of voting across all 24 categories for the 2024 / 77th BAFTA Film Awards.  These results are known as "the longlists."  "Barbie," "Killers of the Flower Moon," and "Oppenheimer" all appeared on the longlist of 15 categories.  The nominations will be announced Jan. 18th, and the winners will be announced Feb. 18th.

From AwardsWatch:  The Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won five awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Martin Scorsese), and "Best Actress" (Lily Gladstone).

From AwardsWatch:  The Critics Association of Central Florida (CACF) has announced the winners of its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won 10 awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan). 

From AwardsWatch:  U.K. Film Critics Association (UKFCA) has announced the winners of its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won three awards: "Best Film," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From Variety: The Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild (MUAHS, IATSE Local 706) has announced nominations for the 11th MUAHS Guild Awards. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 led with five mentions in the film categories and ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" led with four in the television categories. The winners will be announced Sunday, February 18, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Nevada Film Critics Society has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" won five awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  Hayao's Miyazaki's anime film, "The Boy and the Heron" was named "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "American Fiction" won six awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Cord Jefferson), and Best Actor (Jeffrey Wright).

From AwardsWatch:  The San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) has announced its 2023 film awards.  Always trying to be difficult, it named "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" the "Best Picture."  It named Martin Scorsese "Best Director" for "Killers of the Flower Moon."

From AwardsWatch:  The Dublin Film Critics Circle has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Past Lives" wins "Best Film" and "Best Director" (Celine Song)"

From AwardsWatch:  The North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" wins five awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Southeaster Film Critics Association (SEFCA) has announces its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won eight awards including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Poor Things" won six awards, including "Best Pictuere," "Best Director" (Yorgos Lanthmos), "Best Actress" (Emma Stone"), and "Best Supporting Actor" (Mark Ruffalo).

From AwardsWatch:  The Philadelphia Film Critics Circle (PFCC) has announced it 2023 film awards.  "Poor Things" won four awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Yorgos Lanthimos), and "Best Actress" (Emma Stone).

From AwardsWatch:  The St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) has announced its 2023 awards.  "Oppenheimer" won seven awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy)

From AwardsWatch:  The Phoenix Film Critics Society (PFCS) has named its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" wins "Best Picture."  Oppenheimer wins six, including "Best Director" for Christopher Nolan.

From AwardsWatch:  The Dallas-Ft. Worth Film Critics Association (DFWFCA) has named its 2023 films awards.  "The Holdovers" wins "Best Picture."  "Oppenheimer" wins four, including "Best Director" for Christopher Nolan.

From AwardsWatch:  The Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) have announced their 2023 film awards.  "The Zone of Interest" wins "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (for Jonathan Glazer).

From AwardsWatch:  The 2023 Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA) awards have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" wins "Best Picture," one of two awards its won.  "Oppenheimer" wins five, including a "Best Director" for Christopher Nolan.

From AwardsWatch:  The nominations for the 2024 / 24th annual Black Reel Awards have been announced.  "The Color Purple" leads with 19 nominations.  The winners will be announced Jan. 16th, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Phoenix Critics Circle (PCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Past Lives" wins "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO) have named "Killers of the Flower Moon" the "Best Film" of 2023.  Christopher Nolan wins "Best Director" for "Oppenheimer."

From AwardsWatch:  The Las Vegas Film Critics Society have named "Oppenheimer" the "Best Picture" of 2023, with the film's director, Christopher Nolan, winning "Best Director."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2023 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" wins "Best Picture," and Christopher Nolan wins "Best Director" for "Oppenheimer."

From THR:   The winners at the 2023 / 49th annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards have been announced.  The Holocaust historical drama, "The Zone of Interest," wins four awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Jonathan Glazer), and "Best Actress" (Sandra Huller).

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2024 / 29th annual Critics Choice Awards have been announced. "Barbie" leads with 18 nominations.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2024 / 81st annual Golden Globe Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Jan. 7th, 2024 on CBS and Paramount Plus.

From AwardsWatch:  The Las Vegas Film Critics have announced their 2023 LVFC Awards nominations.  "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" are the leading vote getters.  The winners will be announced Wed., Dec. 13th.

From THR:  The winners at the 2023 European Film Awards have been announced.  "Anatomy of a Fall" won five awards including for "Best Film," "Best Director" (Justine Triet), and "Best Actress" (Sandra Huller).

From AwardsWatch:  The 2023 National Board of Review film honors have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won "Best Film," "Best Director" (Martin Scorsese), and "Best Actress" (Lily Gladstone).

From AwardsWatch:  The American Film Institute (AFI) names its top ten films: American Fiction, Barbie, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, May December, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, Poor Things, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.  It also names its top ten television series: Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Beef, Jury Duty, The Last of Us, The Morning Show, Only Murders in the Building, Poker Face, Reservation Dogs, and Succession.

From AwardsWatch:  "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" lead the nominations for "Astra Film & Creative Arts Awards," which are put on by the "Hollywood Creative Alliance" (formerly known as the Hollywood Critics Association).  The winners will be announced Jan. 6th, 2024 in Los Angeles.

From Deadline:  At the 2023 / 26th British Independent Film Awards, director Andrew Haigh's "All of Us Strangers" won seven awards, including "Best British Independent Film."

From Variety:  The winners at the 2023 / 89th New York Film Critics Circle Awards have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" (directed by Martin Scorsese) was named "Best Film of 2023."  Christopher Nolan won "Best Director" for his film, "Oppenheimer."

From Variety:  The winners at the 2023 / 33rd Annual Gotham Awards were announced Mon., Nov. 27th.  Writer-director Celine Song's South Korean romantic drama, "Past Lives" won the "Best Feature" award.

BEST PICTURE COUNT:

All of Us Strangers: 1

American Fiction: 2

Anatomy of a Fall: 2

Barbie: 2

The Boy and the Heron: 1

The Holdovers: 2

Killers of the Flower Moon: 9

Oppenheimer: 23

Past Lives: 9

Poor Things: 4

The Zone of Interest: 3

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MOVIE POSTER: Michael Bay's "Ambulance" Character Poster - Jake Gyllenhaal

Jake Gyllenhaal is the lead "Danny Sharp" in director Michael Bay's action thriller, AMBULANCE. The film is due April 8, 2022.  Below is one of three character posters released for the film:

Review: "Spider-Man: Far From Home" Right at Home

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 12 (of 2019) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Running time: 134 minutes (2 hours, 14 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some language and brief suggestive comments
DIRECTOR: Jon Watts
WRITERS: Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers (based upon the Marvel comic book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko)
PRODUCERS: Amy Pascal and Kevin Feige
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Matthew J. Lloyd
EDITORS: Dan Lebental and Leigh Folsom Boyd
COMPOSER: Michael Giacchino

SUPERHERO/DRAMA/ACTION/ROMANCE

Starring:  Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Tony Revolori, Angourie Rice, Martin Starr, J.B. Smoove, Cobie Smulders, Numan Acar, J.K. Simmons, Peter Billingsley, and Dawn Michelle King (voice)

Spider-Man: Far From Home is a 2019 superhero film and drama from director Jon Watts.  It is the seventh film in Columbia Picture's Spider-Man film franchise, but it is the second in a new film trilogy that began with 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming.  Like Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home is also a co-production between Columbia and Marvel Studios, making it the 23rd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Far From Home finds Spider-Man forced to take on new responsibilities and threats in a world that has changed forever.

Spider-Man: Far From Home opens after the events depicted in Avengers: Endgame.  In Mexico, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Maria Hill (Colbie Smulders), a former high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who works closely with Fury, arrive to investigate an unnatural storm caused by a creature called an “Elemental.”  There, they meet a super-powered man, Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal), who arrives to fight the creature.

In New York City, Peter Parker, who is also the Avenger known as Spider-Man (Tom Holland), is about to take a two-week summer trip to Europe with fellow students from Midtown High (the Midtown School of Science and Technology).  Peter Parker, who is still distraught over the death of fellow Avenger, Tony Stark/Iron Man, plans to use the trip to confess to his classmate MJ (Zendaya) his growing romantic feelings for her.  Peter also plans to avoid heroics and leaves his Spider-Man suits at his home in Queens.  However, Fury forcefully interrupts Peter's vacation and tells him that he is the heir to Iron Man's legacy.  Fury also demands that he help Quentin Beck, now known as “Mysterio,” fight an invasion of alien Elemental monsters.  But not all is as it appears.

I really enjoyed 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming, but I thought this reboot/restart of the Spider-Man film franchise was a fluke.  Thus, as much as I wanted to see the new film, Spider-Man: Far From Home, I thought that it would probably be mediocre.  I am happy to report, dear readers, that it is not only not mediocre, but that it is also as good as Homecoming.

Sam Jackson is almost in top-form as Nick Fury (almost because there is a catch here).  J.B. Smoove and Martin Starr make the most of their scenes as the two teachers chaperoning Midtown High's European vacation.  Marisa Tomei as May Parker, and Jon Favreau as “Happy” Hogan are strong in their respective roles.  Jake Gyllenhaal does a good crazy turn as Mysterio, good because that character is one of the few aspects of the screenplay that is not well done.

Zendaya, who was quite good as MJ in the first film, does even better work in Far From Home.  Every time the film moved away from her, I wanted her back.  Jacob Batalon does scene-stealing in his supporting role as Peter Parker's friend, Ned Leeds, much as he did in the prior film.

But the star here is Tom Holland, now my favorite actor to play Spider-Man.  Holland makes Peter's grief over Tony Stark's death (in Avengers: Endgame) seem real and poignant.  At the same time, he plays the lovelorn and lovesick puppy pursuing MJ with a flair that rivals the best male romantic leads in classic teen movies.  I guess that Tom Holland's ability to play a lovesick boy finally gives Sony Pictures the YA (young adult) angle it wanted when The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) was the reboot of the franchise.

What Holland does best is portray the heroic arc and the heroic journey.  Holland's Peter Parker/Spider-Man believes that he is both not ready and not the right person to take Iron Man's place as the key Earth superhero.  As Peter Parks strives to become the hero he wants to be and is meant to be, Holland performance yield superb drama.

Spider-Man: Far From Home has a strong screenplay and expert directing.  The visual effects are fantastic, especially as seen in the final battle scene which finds Spider-Man spinning, swinging, ducking, dodging, bobbing, weaving, and being the hero, all with death-defying grace and cinematic magical prowess.

In my review of Spider-Man: Homecoming two years ago, I said that the film captured the magic, the sense of wonder, the imagination, and the freshness of Spider-Man's first appearance, which was a 12-page story included in the comic book, Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962).  Spider-Man: Far From Home stays true to the spirit of fun, adventure, mystery, and thrills that the comic book, The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (1963), promised readers over five and a half decades ago.

9 of 10
A+

Thursday, July 4, 2019


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

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"Spider-Man: Far From Home" Breaks Sony Box Office Record

Spider-Man™: Far From Home Breaks Sony Pictures Record As Highest-Grossing Film In Studio’s Ninety-Five Year History

Never-Before-Seen Extended Cut Featuring New Action Sequence To Be Released Labor Day Weekend

CULVER CITY, Calif. – Columbia Pictures’ Spider-Man: Far From Home has officially become Sony Pictures’ highest-grossing film of all time, passing the global box office gross of Columbia Pictures/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/EON Production’s Skyfall. Through Sunday, August 18, 2019, Spider-Man: Far From Home made $376.7 million domestically and $732.9 million internationally for a worldwide cume of $1.109 billion.

Starting Thursday, August 29, 2019, ahead of the holiday weekend, an extended cut of the film featuring approximately four additional minutes of a never-before-seen action sequence will be released in theaters in the U.S. and Canada. The film will also be available in IMAX® and large formats in select locations.

On its path toward this record-breaking milestone, Spider-Man: Far From Home showed incredible power at the global box office.

The film’s North American opening at $185.06 million for the six-day holiday weekend was an all-time opening six-day record for Sony Pictures, the best-ever six-day opening for a Spider-Man film, and the best six-day opening for a film launching over the Fourth of July holiday. On opening day, July 2, the film opened to the biggest Tuesday numbers of all time with $39.3 million.

Spider-Man: Far From Home became the highest-grossing Spider-Man movie overseas and opened at #1 in 65 markets including Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The film’s global rollout began on June 28 in China, Hong Kong, and Japan with a $111 million cumulative opening. China debuted to $97.7 million – the seventh-largest opening of all-time for a studio film in the market and Sony Pictures’ second-biggest opening there. Japan opened with $9.4 million – the second-biggest superhero movie launch in the last decade. Hong Kong opened with $3.7 million – the fifth-biggest Friday-to-Sunday opening of all-time, and Sony Pictures’ best-ever opening in the market.


About Spider-Man™: Far From Home
Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever.

Directed by Jon Watts. Written by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers. Based on the MARVEL Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Produced by Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Thomas M. Hammel, Eric Hauserman Carroll, Rachel O’Connor, Stan Lee, Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach serve as executive producers. The film stars Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, JB Smoove, Jacob Batalon, Martin Starr, with Marisa Tomei and Jake Gyllenhaal.

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

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

"Widows," "Green Book" to Screen at Austin Film Festival 2018

Austin Film Festival Announces Full Film and Conference Schedule

Slate Includes Centerpiece Film Ben is Back, Widows, Green Book, Friends from College Season 2 Premiere, Wildlife

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference (AFF), the premier film festival recognizing the writers’ contributions to film, television, and new media, announced today the full schedule of films and panels for the 25th Anniversary festival, this October 25-November 1, 2018. AFF’s feature film slate includes 23 World, North American, and US Premieres, a robust retrospective series, and highly anticipated marquee titles, including Steve McQueen’s and Gillian Flynn’s modern-day thriller Widows, Peter Farrelly’s dramedy period piece Green Book starring Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen, Mike Leigh’s period piece Peterloo, Mickey Rourke-starring boxing drama Tiger, Paul Dano’s Wildlife starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan, and Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges family drama Ben is Back bowing as AFF’s Centerpiece selection, with writer/director Peter Hedges in attendance.

AFF also announced its 2018 television program. Included this year is comedy series Friends From College, launching on Netflix in 2019. Creators Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller will present a special preview screening of the Season 2 premiere episode. Creator Justin Marks and executive producer Jordan Horowitz will also be on hand at the Festival to present the season 2 premiere of their espionage spy thriller Counterpart, starring Academy Award® winner J.K. Simmons, premiering on Starz later this year.

AFF’s retrospective series will feature Tony Gilroy presenting his 1995 film Dolores Claiborne based on Stephen King’s novel, Graham Yost presenting his 1994 action classic Speed, and writer Mick Garris in attendance for a special Halloween presentation of Hocus Pocus.

Other World Premieres include The Dancing Dogs of Dombrova, F/11 and Be There, The Amaranth, A Girl Named C, and Waiting for the Miracle to Come.

The full Film and Conference schedule can be found at www.austinfilmfestival.com.


ABOUT AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL:
Austin Film Festival (AFF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the art, craft and business of writers and filmmakers and recognizing their contributions to film, television and new media. AFF is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department and the Texas Commission on the Arts. All attendees and events are based on permitting schedules and are subject to change and/or cancellation without notice.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 18th to 24th, 2016 - Update #25

Support Leroy on Patreon.

POLITICS - From ThinkProgress:  First the Mus-lambs hated white people because of their freedoms.  Now, the darkies hate white people because of their success.

----------
OBIT - From YahooMovies:  The actor Bill Nunn has died at the age of 62, Saturday, September 24, 2016.  He was best known for playing "Radio Raheem" in Spike Lee's 1989 film, "Do The Right Thing."  He also had a minor role in Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy.

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MUSIC - From YahooMusic:  The baby on the iconic cover of Nirvana's "Nevermind" album is now 25-years-old.  He's never made a dime on an LP that has sold over 30 million copies worldwide.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan join acclaimed actor Paul Dano's directorial debut, "Wildlife."

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CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  Brad Pitt tells his side of the messiness.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  More on allegations about substance abuse, spousal abuse, and more in the ongoing Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.

----------
ECO - From Variety:  Shailene Woodley to be honored at Environmental Media Association Awards.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  How Angelina Jolie told Brad Pitt it was over.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER - From TheFreeThoughtProject:  Massachusetts state supreme courts says Black men justified in running away from cops.

----------
SPORTS - From Steelers:  Terry Bradshaw talks about playing QB for the Steelers and his biggest regrets.

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COMICS - From ScreenRant:  Is Agents of SHIELD connected to "Doctor Strange?"

----------
MOVIES - From RSN:  Can Oliver Stone's film, "Snowden," help Edward Snowden gain a pardon?

----------
CRIME - From RSN:  Connecticut cops are caught on camera fabricating criminal charges against a man who was recording them at a DUI checkpoint.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Rooney Mara to star in pop drama, "Vox Lux."

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Deadpool villian, Ed Skrein, in talks to join "Alita: Battle Angel," which Robert Rodriguez is directing and James Cameron is producing.

----------
CELEBRITY - From TMZ:  Angelina Jolie files for divorce from Brad Pitt.

----------
OBIT - From Deadline:  Screenwriter and director Curtis Hanson has died at the age of 71, Tuesday, September 20, 2016.  He won an Oscar for his screenplay for his 1997 film, L.A Confidential.

----------
BLACK LIVES MATTER - From YahooNews:  African-American Terence Crutcher was unarmed and did not shoot at the cops, but was shot to death by a white cop.

CRIME - From YahooNews:  Ahmad Khan Rahami planted bombs in New York City and shot at the cops, but he is still alive.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Jamie Dornan will play "Will Scarlet" in "Robin Hood: Origins."

----------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  Johnny Depp's thriller "Labyrinth" has a distributor.

----------
STAR WARS-COMICS - From YahooMovies:  Marvel's "Star Wars" comics will dig into Yoda's history.

----------
POLITICS - From Truthout:  Here, what's (who's) in Donald Trump's "Basket of Deplorables."

----------
EMMYS - From LATimes:  A complete list of 2016 Emmy Award winners.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 9/16 to 9/18/2016 weekend box office is Sully with an estimated take of $22 million.

----------
EMMYS - From TheWrap:  In case you missed it, Night 1 of the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys - from last week.

From Deadline:  Night 2 of those 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.

----------
OBIT - From TMZ:  Charmain Carr, who played one of the Von Trapp children in "The Sound of Music," has died at the age of 73, Saturday, September 17, 2016.

----------
POLITICS - From ThinkProgress:  Donald Trump trying to rewrite his Birther history about President Obama.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From WeGotThisCovered:  See Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons as "Commissioner James Gordon" in next year's "Justice League."

----------
COMICS-TV - From ScreenRant:  The "Ghost Rider" is a different kind of threat on this season's "Marvel's Agents of SHIELD."

----------
POLITICS - From teleSUR:  Julian Assange offers himself in exchange for Chelsea Manning's freedom.

Review: "Nightcrawler" an L.A. Crime Classic

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 14 (of 2016) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Nightcrawler (2014)
Running time:  118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)
MPAA – R for violence including graphic images, and for language
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Dan Gilroy
PRODUCERS:  Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Jake Gyllenhaal, David Lancaster, and Michel Litvak
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Robert Elswit
EDITOR:  John Gilroy
COMPOSER:  James Newton Howard
Academy Award nominee

CRIME/THRILLER/DRAMA

Starring:  Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, Bill Paxton, Kevin Rahm, Ann Cusack, Michael Hyatt, and Price Carson

Nightcrawler is a 2014 neo-Noir drama and crime-thriller from writer-director Dan Gilroy.  Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, the film focuses on a Los Angeles man who enters the world of freelance video journalism and then begins to manipulate events in order to create more lurid stories.

Nightcrawler opens in Los Angeles.  It introduces Louis “Lou” Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), a thief always looking to convert his stolen merchandise into quick cash.  One night, Bloom is driving back to his apartment when he comes across the scene of a car crash.  He pulls over to witness the chaos, but most of his attention is taken by the “Stringers,” freelance cameramen who are filming live footage of the crash scene with the intent of selling that video footage to local television news stations.

Fascinated and inspired, Bloom buys his first camcorder and a police radio scanner and begins driving the streets of L.A. at night.  He looks for accidents, emergencies, and crime scenes that he can film.  He makes his first sale to KWLA, a bottom-rung television station, where he catches the notice of the station's morning news director, Nina Romina (Rene Russo).  As he muscles his way into the world of L.A. crime journalism, however, Bloom's dark side quickly emerges.

On the surface, Nightcrawler might seem like it is only a slick crime film, especially because of Robert Elswit's gorgeous cinematography.  What writer-director Dan Gilroy also offers, however, is a mean, edgy film that is classic L.A. crime story.  This film is high-quality neo-Noir that recaptures the classic, black and white L.A. Film-Noir, without being a prisoner to style and expectations.

Nightcrawler might not be the excellent film it is without Jake Gyllenhaal's marvelous performance as the sociopathic and murderously ambitious Lou Bloom.  It is now official; doubting that Gyllenhaal is a supremely talented and skilled actor is no longer okay.  I must also throw some cheer Rene Russo's way.  Hell, yeah, she's good, but Hollywood industry ageism now keeps her away from audiences.  She takes a throwaway character like Nina and makes her crucial to the execution of the narrative.  Also, I must not forget Riz Ahmed.  As Rick, Bloom's desperate-for-money assistant, Ahmed delivers a star-turn that just comes out of nowhere.

It might be easy to focus on Louis Bloom's sociopathic tendencies; one might call him an outright sociopath.  However, I think Nightcrawler speaks to the world that creates the Lou Blooms.  The world of L.A. local television news is little better than rogue capitalism.  The movie is rife with characters that are me-first and win-at-all-costs, to say nothing of the anal obsession with acknowledging achievement that comes from literally walking over dead bodies.

Nightcrawler is not perfect; some of it seems a bit far-fetched.  Louis Bloom gets away with things that stretch credulity, although I won't be specific in order to avoid spoilers.  Still, I was destined to like Nightcrawler because I like neo-Noir set in Los Angeles.  I think that what makes Nightcrawler so fascinating to watch are the things that sometimes make it hard to watch.  Dan Gilroy's gem is blunt about a morally bankrupt society in which class status is everything and in which society treats actual people as nothing more than commodities.

8 of 10
A

Saturday, February 6, 2016


NOTES:
2015 Academy Awards, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Writing, Original Screenplay” (Dan Gilroy)

2015 BAFTA Awards:  4 nominations: “Best Leading Actor” (Jake Gyllenhaal), “Best Supporting Actress” (Rene Russo), “Best Editing” (John Gilroy), and “Best Original Screenplay” (Dan Gilroy)

2015 Golden Globes, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Jake Gyllenhaal)


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Nevada Film Critics Society Name "Gone Girl" as Best Film of 2014

The Nevada Film Critics Society (NFCS) is apparently a society of film critics who reside in Nevada and produce film reviews for print, broadcast, radio, and online.

The Nevada Film Critics Society's 2014 Awards for Achievement in Film:

Best Film - Gone Girl'

Best Actor - Jake Gyllenhaal for Nightcrawler'


Best Actress - Rosamund Pike for Gone Girl'


Best Supporting Actor - JK Simmons for Whiplash'

Best Supporting Actress - Tie:
Jessica Chastain for A Most Violent Year'
Patricia Arquette for 'Boyhood' 


Best Youth Performance - Ellar Coltrane for Boyhood'


Best Director - Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler'

Best Screenplay - Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler'


Best Ensemble Cast - 'Guardians of the Galaxy'


Best Documentary - 'Citizenfour'

Best Animated Movie - 'Big Hero 6'

Best Production Design - Adam Stockhausen for The Grand Budapest Hotel'


Best Cinematography - Hoyte van hoytema for Interstellar'


Best Visual Effects - 'Interstellar'

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

Central Ohio Film Critics Name "Selma" Best Film of 2014

The Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA) was founded in 2002 and is made up of film critics based in Columbus, Ohio, and the surrounding areas.  Its membership currently consists of more than 21 print, radio, television, and new media critics.  Each January, COFCA votes on a number of awards, recognizing excellence in the film industry.

The 13th Annual Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards, honoring the best in film for 2014, were announced on Thursday, January 8, 2015.

2014 / 13th Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards:

Best Film
   1. Selma
   2. Whiplash
   3. Snowpiercer
   4. The Grand Budapest Hotel
   5. Nightcrawler
   6. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
   7. The Imitation Game
   8. Boyhood
   9. A Most Violent Year
  10. Gone Girl

Best Director
  • Ava DuVernay - (Selma)
  • Runner-Up: Wes Anderson - (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

Best Actor
  • David Oyelowo - (Selma)
  • Runner-Up (tie): Michael Keaton - (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance))
  • Runner-Up (tie): Jake Gyllenhaal - (Nightcrawler)

Best Actress
  • Essie Davis - (The Babadook)
  • Runner-Up: Scarlett Johansson - (Under the Skin)

Best Supporting Actor
  • J.K. Simmons - (Whiplash)
  • Runner-Up (tie): Josh Brolin - (Inherent Vice)
  • Runner-Up (tie): Mark Ruffalo - (Foxcatcher)

Best Supporting Actress
  • Tilda Swinton - (Snowpiercer)
  • Runner-Up: Patricia Arquette - (Boyhood)

Best Ensemble
  • The Grand Budapest Hotel
  • Runner-Up (tie): Foxcatcher
  • Runner-Up (tie): Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Actor of the Year (for an exemplary body of work)
  • Jake Gyllenhaal - (Enemy and Nightcrawler)
  • Runner-Up: Tilda Swinton - (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Only Lovers Left Alive, Snowpiercer, and The Zero Theorem)

Breakthrough Film Artist
  • Ava DuVernay - (Selma) - (for directing)
  • Runner-Up: Jennifer Kent - (The Babadook) - (for directing and screenwriting)

Best Cinematography
  • Robert Yeoman - (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
  • Runner-Up: Daniel Landin - (Under the Skin)

Best Film Editing
  • Tom Cross - (Whiplash)
  • Runner-Up: Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrione - (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance))

Best Adapted Screenplay
  • Graham Moore - (The Imitation Game)
  • Runner-Up: Bong Joon-ho and Kelly Masterson - (Snowpiercer)

Best Original Screenplay
  • Paul Webb - (Selma)
  • Runner-Up: Wes Anderson - (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

Best Score
  • Alexandre Desplat - (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
  • Runner-Up: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - (Gone Girl)

Best Documentary
  • Finding Vivian Maier
  • Runner-Up: Citizenfour

Best Foreign Language Film
  • We Are the Best! (Vi är bäst!)
  • Runner-Up: Ida

Best Animated Film
  • The LEGO Movie
  • Runner-Up: Big Hero 6

Best Overlooked Film
  • The Babadook
  • Runner-Up: Edge of Tomorrow

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Central Ohio Film Critics Association Announces 2014 Award Nominations

The Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA) was founded in 2002 and is made up of film critics based in Columbus, Ohio, and the surrounding areas.  Its membership currently consists of more than 21 print, radio, television, and new media critics.  Each January, COFCA votes on a number of awards, recognizing excellence in the film industry.

The 13th Annual Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards, honoring the best in film for 2014, will be announced Thursday, January 8, 2015.  The nominees were announced this past weekend.

2014 / 13th Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award nominees:

Best Film
- Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
- Boyhood
- Gone Girl
- The Grand Budapest Hotel
- The Imitation Game
- A Most Violent Year
- Nightcrawler
- Selma
- Snowpiercer
- Whiplash

Best Director
-Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
-Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
-Ava DuVernay, Selma
-Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
-Richard Linklater, Boyhood

Best Actor
-Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel
-Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler
-Michael Keaton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
-David Oyelowo, Selma
-Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Best Actress
-Essie Davis, The Babadook
-Scarlett Johansson, Under the Skin
-Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
-Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
-Reese Witherspoon, Wild

Best Supporting Actor
-Josh Brolin, Inherent Vice
-Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
-Edward Norton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
-Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
-J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Best Supporting Actress
-Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
-Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year
-Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
-Emma Stone, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
-Tilda Swinton, Snowpiercer

Best Ensemble
- Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
- Foxcatcher
- Gone Girl
- The Grand Budapest Hotel
- Guardians of the Galaxy

Actor of the Year (for an exemplary body of work):
-Jessica Chastain (The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, Interstellar, Miss Julie, and A Most Violent Year)

-Benedict Cumberbatch (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies and The Imitation Game)

-Jake Gyllenhaal (Enemy and Nightcrawler)

-Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy and The LEGO Movie)

-Tilda Swinton (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Only Lovers Left Alive, Snowpiercer, and The Zero Theorem)

Breakthrough Film Artist
-Damien Chazelle, Whiplash – (for directing and screenwriting)

-Ava DuVernay, Selma – (for directing)

-Jennifer Kent, The Babadook – (for directing and screenwriting)

-Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Belle and Beyond the Lights – (for acting)

-Justin Simien, Dear White People – (for directing and screenwriting)

Best Cinematography
-Benoît Delhomme, The Theory of Everything
-Hoyte Van Hoytema, Interstellar
-Daniel Landin, Under the Skin
-Emmanuel Lubezki,   Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
-Robert Yeoman, The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Film Editing
-Sandra Adair, Boyhood
-Spencer Averick, Selma
-Kirk Baxter, Gone Girl
-Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrione, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
-Tom Cross, Whiplash

Best Adapted Screenplay
-Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice
-Bong Joon-ho and Kelly Masterson, Snowpiercer
-Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
-Nick Hornby, Wild
-Graham Moore, The Imitation Game

Best Original Screenplay
-Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
-J.C. Chandor, A Most Violent Year
-Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
-Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, and Armando Bo, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
-Paul Webb, Selma

Best Score
-Alexandre Desplat, The Grand Budapest Hotel
-Jóhann Jóhannsson, The Theory of Everything
-Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Gone Girl
-Antonio Sanchez, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
-Hans Zimmer, Interstellar

Best Documentary
- Citizenfour
- Dinosaur 13
- Finding Vivian Maier
- Jodorowsky’s Dune
- Life Itself

Best Foreign Language Film
- Force Majeure (Turist)
- A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
- Ida
- Two Days, One Night (Deux jours, une nuit)
- We Are the Best! (Vi är bäst!)

Best Animated Film
- Big Hero 6
- The Book of Life
- The Boxtrolls
- How to Train Your Dragon 2
- The LEGO Movie

Best Overlooked Film
- The Babadook
- Blue Ruin
- Edge of Tomorrow
- Enemy
- Locke

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"Boyhood" Tops Austin Film Critics Association Awards

The Austin Film Critics Association describes itself as a group dedicated to supporting the best in film, whether at the international, national, or local level.  Members of the AFCA contribute to such publications and outlets as Ain’t It Cool News, the Austin American-Statesman, the Austin Chronicle, The Daily Texan, DVDActive, Fandango, Film School Rejects, FirstShowing.net, KOOP Radio, Movies.com, among others.

The 2014 AFCA Awards were announced on December 17, 2014.

2014 Austin Film Critics Association Awards winners:

Best Film: Boyhood (Richard Linklater)

Best Director: Richard Linklater, Boyhood

Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler

Best Actress: Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl

Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Best Original Screenplay: Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler

Best Adapted Screenplay: Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl

Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman

Best Score: Antonio Sanchez, Birdman

Best Foreign-Language Film: Force Majeure (Ruben Östlund)

Best Documentary: Citizenfour (Laura Poitras)

Best Animated Film: The LEGO Movie (Phil Lord, Christopher Miller)

Best First Film: Nightcrawler (Dan Gilroy)

Breakthrough Artist: Jennifer Kent, The Babadook

Best Austin Film: Boyhood (Richard Linklater)

Special Honorary Award: Gary Poulter, for his outstanding performance in Joe

AFCA 2014 Top Ten Films:
1. Boyhood
2. Whiplash
3. The Grand Budapest Hotel
4. Birdman
5. Snowpiercer
6. Nightcrawler
7. Selma
8. The Imitation Game
9. TIE: Inherent Vice and Gone Girl

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San Diego Film Critics Pick "Nightcrawler" as Best Film of 2014

The members of the San Diego Film Critics Society write and/or broadcast for a San Diego County based outlet.  The society’s mission statement is “to provide diverse critical opinion about movies, advance film education and awareness, and recognize excellence in cinema.”

2014 San Diego Film Critics Award winners were announced Monday, December 15, 2014.

San Diego Film Critics Society Top Films of 2014:

BEST FILM
NIGHTCRAWLER

BEST DIRECTOR
Dan Gilroy, NIGHTCRAWLER

BEST ACTOR
Jake Gyllenhaal, NIGHTCRAWLER

BEST ACTRESS
Marion Cotillard, TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Mark Ruffalo, FOXCATCHER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Rene Russo, NIGHTCRAWLER

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Dan Gilroy, NIGHTCRAWLER

BEST ADAPATED SCREENPLAY
Gillian Flynn, GONE GIRL

FOREIGN LANGUAGE
FORCE MAJEURE

DOCUMENTARY
CITIZENFOUR

ANIMATED
THE BOXTROLLS

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Robert Elswit, NIGHTCRAWLER

EDITING
James Herbert, Laura Jennings, EDGE OF TOMORROW

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Adam Stockhausen, Anna Pincock, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

BEST SCORE
James Newton Howard, NIGHTCRAWLER

BEST ENSEMBLE
BIRDMAN

BODY OF WORK
Willem Dafoe – JOHN WICK, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, A MOST WANTED MAN & NYMPHOMANIAC 2

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St. Louis Film Critics Choose "Boyhood" as Best Film of 2014

The St. Louis Film Critics is an association of professional film critics operating in metropolitan St. Louis and adjoining areas of Missouri and Illinois.  Founded in late 2004, the group’s goals (according to the website) are to serve the interests of local film critics, and to promote an appreciation for cinema both as an art form and for its societal, cultural and historical context and impact.

The eligibility requirements for a SLFC Award, according to the group’s website:  a film must have been shown in the greater St. Louis area in a theater or at a film festival or series, or made available to SLFC members by screening or screener during the past year. Films opening in limited run elsewhere for Oscar qualification but which will open in the St. Louis area early in the next year are eligible.

Winners of the 2014 SLFC Awards were announced on Monday, December 15, 2014.

2014 SLFC Awards:

Best Film: “Boyhood”

Best Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (“Birdman”)

Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal (“Nightcrawler”)

Best Actress:  Rosamund Pike (“Gone Girl”)

Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons (“Whiplash”)

Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette (“Boyhood”)

Best Original Screenplay:  “Birdman” (Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo

Best Adapted Screenplay: “Gone Girl” (Gillian Flynn)

Best Cinematography: “Birdman” (Emmanuel Lubezki)

Best Visual Effects: “Interstellar”

Best Musical Score: “Birdman”

Best Soundtrack: “Guardians of the Galaxy”

Best Art Direction: “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Best Animated Film: “The Lego Movie”

Best Art-House or Festival Film: “Whiplash”

Best Comedy: “Guardians of the Galaxy”

Best Documentary: “Citizenfour”

Best Non-English Language Film: “Force Majeure”

Best Scene (favorite movie scene or sequence): “X-Men: Days of Future Past” – Quicksilver Escape from the Pentagon

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

Review: "End of Watch" a Blast to Watch

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 21 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux


End of Watch (2012)
Running time: 109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence, some disturbing images, pervasive language including sexual references, and some drug use
WRITER/DIRECTOR: David Ayer
PRODUCERS: David Ayer, Matt Jackson, John Lesher, and Nigel Sinclair
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Roman Vasyanov (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Dody Dorn
COMPOSER: David Sardy

CRIME/DRAMA/ACTION

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña, Natalie Martinez, Anna Kendrick, David Harbour, Frank Grillo, America Ferrera, Jamie FitzSimons, Cle Sloan, Cody Horn, and Yahira “Flakiss” Garcia, and Maurice Compte

End of Watch is a 2012 thriller and cop movie from writer/director, David Ayer. End of Watch looks like a documentary, but is entirely fictional. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña as two young Los Angeles police officers who run into criminal activity that is bigger than they can handle.

Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña) are close friends and partners in the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). They are assigned to Newton, an area in South Central Los Angeles that is one of the toughest divisions in the LAPD. Both young officers, who are in their late 20s, have active personal lives. Brian meets and falls in love with Janet (Anna Kendrick), and Mike and his wife, Gabby (Natalie Martinez), are expecting a child.

Investigating gang activity in Newton, Brian and Mike uncover something so big that it also involves federal authorities. The actions of the young policemen draw the attention of the Curbside Gang, a vicious Latino street gang, and other criminal forces that are bigger than Brian and Mike realize.

Writer/director David Ayers is known for writing such police and crime films as The Fast and the Furious (2001), Training Day (2001), and Dark Blue (2004). Shot documentary-style, End of Watch is gritty and immediate, while films like The Fast and the Furious and Training Day are stylish, neo-Noir crime movies. In fact, End of Watch is at its best when it’s being gritty and in the middle of some kind of police action. Car chases, foot chases, shoot-outs, domicile entries, traffic stops, and stakeouts: they are riveting and nerve-wracking. Ayer’s collaborators give him some of the best cinematography and film editing of 2012.

When it focuses on the daily grind of police life or the ordinary moments of civilian life, End of Watch grinds to a halt. It’s as if the hum-drum of life is much less interesting to the filmmakers. It’s not that I have to have constant titillation; the movie simply loses its way when it’s not doing the exciting cop stuff.

The cast gives its all, however, even when they’re not chasing perps and popping caps. While Jake Gyllenhaal gives a good performance, of the two lead actors, Michael Peña gives the better performance. He earned a “Best Supporting Male” nomination at the 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards (which was won by Matthew McConaughey for Magic Mike). Gyllenhaal tries so hard, but he looks like he’s acting. Peña is subtle, effortless, and natural, so that Mike Zavala seems like both a real person and a genuine police officer.

In the movie, a few of the male characters talk about the allure they believe Captain Reese (played by Jamie FitzSimons) has. I have to admit that I also think that Captain Reese/Jamie FitzSimons does have some strange magnetism.

End of Watch is probably the movie that the 1988 film, Colors, wanted to be. As cop movies go, End of Watch is quite good.

7 of 10
B+

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Filming Begins on "Prisoners," Starring Hugh Jackman

Filming Begins on Alcon Entertainment’s “Prisoners”

Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal head an outstanding cast in director Denis Villeneuve’s dramatic thriller

Principal photography is underway on location in Georgia for Alcon Entertainment’s “Prisoners,” a Warner Bros. Pictures’ release starring Oscar® nominees Hugh Jackman (“Les Misérables”) and Jake Gyllenhaal (“Brokeback Mountain”), under the direction of Denis Villeneuve, who helmed the Oscar®-nominated foreign language film “Incendies.”

How far would you go to protect your child? Keller Dover (Jackman) is facing every parent’s worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street. Heading the investigation, Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) arrests its driver, Alex Jones (Paul Dano), but a lack of evidence forces the only suspect’s release.

Knowing his child’s life is at stake, the frantic Dover decides he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. The desperate father will do whatever it takes to find the girls, but in doing so, he may lose himself, begging the question: When do you cross the line between seeking justice and becoming a vigilante?

Led by Jackman and Gyllenhaal, the dramatic thriller “Prisoners” features an all-star cast, including Maria Bello (“Beautiful Boy”) as Keller’s distraught wife, Grace; Oscar® nominees Terrence Howard (“Hustle & Flow”) and Viola Davis (“The Help,” “Doubt”) as Franklin and Nancy Birch, whose daughter Joy went missing with the Dovers’; Academy Award® winner Melissa Leo (“The Fighter”) as Alex Jones’ Aunt Holly; and Paul Dano (“Looper”) as Alex Jones.

Denis Villeneuve directs the film from an original screenplay by Aaron Guzikowski (“Contraband”). Kira Davis, Adam Kolbrenner, and Academy Award® nominees Broderick Johnson and Andrew A. Kosove (“The Blind Side”) are the producers, with John Starke, Ed McDonnell, Stephen Levinson, Robyn Meisinger and Mark Wahlberg serving as executive producers.

Villeneuve is supported by a top-flight creative team that includes 10-time Oscar®-nominated cinematographer Roger Deakins (“Skyfall”), Oscar®-nominated production designer Patrice Vermette (“The Young Victoria”), Oscar®-winning editor Joel Cox (“Unforgiven”), editor Gary Roach (“J. Edgar”), and costume designer Renée April (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”).

Alcon Entertainment’s “Prisoners” is scheduled for release on September 20, 2013, and will be distributed domestically by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Review: "The Day After Tomorrow" is Still Relevant and Entertaining (Happy B'day, Dennis Quaid)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 83 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Running time: 124 minutes (2 hours, 4 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense situations of peril
DIRECTOR: Roland Emmerich
WRITERS: Jeffrey Nachmanoff and Roland Emmerich; from a story by Roland Emmerich
PRODUCERS: Roland Emmerich and Mark Gordon
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ueli Steiger (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: David Brenner
COMPOSERS: Harald Kloser and Thomas Wanker
BAFTA winner

ACTION/ADVENTURE/DRAMA/FANTASY/SCI-FI/THRILLER


Starring: Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emmy Rossum, Dash Mihok, Jay O. Sanders, Sela Ward, Austin Nichols, Arjay Smith, Tamlyn Tomita, Ian Holm, Kenneth Welsh, and Perry King

The subject of this movie review is The Day After Tomorrow, the 2004 science fiction and environmental disaster film from director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day). Released by 20th Century Fox, the film is an ensemble drama about people trying to survive a new ice age brought upon by abrupt global warming. The character that is the main focus is a climatologist who is determined to save his son who is trapped in a frozen New York City.

A crack paleoclimatologist, Professor Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid), discovers that the Ice Age is coming back with a vengeance in director Roland  Emmerich’s hip retro cool disaster film, The Day After Tomorrow. Mixing such controversial concepts as the green house effect, global warming, and modern super SFX, the film is truly the movie as roller coaster ride.

After this new Ice Age hits the northern hemisphere with almost unimaginable fury, especially New York City, Hall begins a dangerous track across the frozen face of the northeastern U.S. to reach his son Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is trapped in NYC with a group of fellow students. Meanwhile, the freak weather is tearing half the planet apart.

Although many critics and detractors will cry over the film’s allegedly implausible concept, the important question is always, “Is it good.” Hell, yeah, it’s good. It’s a big, old giant tub of popcorn movie fun. The Day After Tomorrow is also a finely constructed drama and thriller with that just right touch of melodrama that stays one notch below over the top, which is just enough to pull at the old heartstrings. It’s exciting. It’s thrilling. It’s a damn good time at the movies.

Roland Emmerich reaffirms what his film Independence Day hinted – he’s a great movie director. Emmerich does the same thing Martin Scorcese and Steven Spielberg do with a “serious” drama – make the ordinary extraordinary. When it comes to a fun film, The Day After Tomorrow is a keeper.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2005 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects” (Karen E. Goulekas, Neil Corbould, Greg Strause, and Remo Balcells)

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Paul Giamatti Wins "Best Actor-Musical or Comedy" Golden Globe for "Barney's Version"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:

Paul Giamatti for Barney's Version WINNER

Johnny Depp for The Tourist

Johnny Depp for Alice in Wonderland

Jake Gyllenhaal for Love and Other Drugs

Kevin Spacey for Casino Jack

Review: "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" is a Very Good Time at the Movies

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 97 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

Prince of Persia: The Sand of Time (2010)
Running time: 116 minutes (1 hour, 56 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action
DIRECTOR: Mike Newell
WRITERS: Boaz Yakin, Doug Miro, and Carlo Bernard; from a screen story by Jordan Mechner (based upon the video game series "Prince of Persia" created by Jordan Mechner)
PRODUCER: Jerry Bruckheimer
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Seale
EDITORS: Mick Audsley, Michael Kahn, and Martin Walsh
COMPOSER: Harry Gregson-Williams

FANTASY/ADVENTURE/ACTION

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina, Steve Toussaint, Toby Kebbell, Richard Coyle, Ronald Pickup, Reece Ritchie, Gísli Orn Garðarsson, and William Foster

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a film based upon the video game series, Prince of Persia, especially the 2003 video game, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Set in a mystical and mythical version of the Persian Empire, the film focuses on a fugitive prince and a young princess trying to stop a villain from unleashing a force that can change time and even destroy the world. And this is actually a very entertaining film that is part Raiders of the Lost Ark and part Robin Hood with a bit of The Mummy (1999) thrown into the happy mix.

The hero of this story is Prince Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal), the youngest of the three Princes of Persia. Dastan was actually adopted into the royal family when he was a boy by King Sharaman (Ronald Pickup), the ruler of Persia. Dastan, along with his foster brothers, heir-to-the-throne Tus (Richard Coyle) and Garsiv (Toby Kebbell), and their uncle, Nizam (Ben Kingsley), invade the sacred city of Alamut, because it is supposedly selling weapons to Persia’s enemies. The celebration of their successful conquest of Alamut quickly turns sour when Dastan is accused of murder.

Trying to clear his name, Dastan goes on the run with Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton), the ruler of Alamut, and learns that the real murderer’s true goal is the Dagger of Time, which Tamina is supposed to protect. Dastan finds allies, of a sort, in a tax-averse, shady businessman named Sheik Amar (Alfred Molina) and his knife-throwing friend, an African named Seso (Steve Toussaint), and their men. The real murderer also has allies, a band of highly-skilled warriors and hired killers known as the Hassansins, and he orders them to slay Dastan.

Although I initially planned to see Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, I decided to avoid it because all the movie trailers for it made the movie look like an empty CGI-extravaganza with little or no story and wooden characters. Well, the plot is indeed simple; the story amounts to a bunch of chase scenes, fights, and rescues; and the characters are pretty shallow. But it works. Just like The Mummy, which had a simple plot and story, Prince of Persia is a fun ride through the desert. Prince of Persia’s characters aren’t as endearing as the feature players are in The Mummy. Still, I’d follow Dastan, the chatterbox Tamina, Sheik Amar and Seso again, if they went on another breathtaking mission to stop a bad guy and save life as we know it (especially if their adventures featured another lush score by Harry Gregson-Williams).

This movie is also easy on the eyes with its beautiful desert cities, extravagant backdrops, and lavish sets. The cast seems to be made of every known skin color and body type, and the costumes are dazzling and eclectic. No performance really stands out, but somehow, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Times works and works really well. It’s just fun to watch. It’s the kind of movie some of us will watch again and again on television.

7 of 10
B+

Sunday, November 28, 2010

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