Review: "SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3" Finds Jim Carrey Going Super-Sonic

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 59 of 2024 (No. 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)

Running time:  109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)

MPA – PG for action, some violence, rude humor, thematic elements and mild language.

DIRECTOR:  Jeff Fowler

WRITERS:  Pat Casey & Josh Miller and John Whittington; based on a story by Pat Casey & Josh Miller (based on the Sega video game)

PRODUCERS:  Toby Ascher, Neal H. Moritz, Toru Nakahara, and Hitoshi Okuno

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Brandon Trost (D.o.P.)

EDITOR:  Al LeVine

COMPOSER: Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL)

FANTASY/FAMILY and ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring:  Jim Carrey, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Lee Majdoub, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, Adam Pally, Krysten Ritter, Alyla Browne, and Tom Butler; (voices) Ben Schwartz, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, Idris Elba, and Keanu Reeves

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

Jim Carrey makes “Sonic and the Hedgehog 3” the best film of the series by making it his personal showcase.  He gives this film dramatic and comedic depth that I was not expecting; he gifts it the best of him.

This is still a Sonic the Hedgehog film, and once again voice actor Ben Schwartz brings Sonic to life in a way that makes him feel like a real-life character instead of being nothing more than one more special effect.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is dynamic and engaging in a way that makes it a family film which can impress adults as much as it entertains the kids.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a 2024 action-adventure, fantasy and comedy film from director Jeff Fowler.  The film is based on the Sega Corporation's video game series and media franchise which began with the 1991 “Sega Genesis” game, Sonic the Hedgehog.  The film is also the third entry in Sonic the Hedgehog film series.  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 finds Sonic and his family taking on two powerful new adversaries, including one with a shocking connection to an old enemy.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 finds Sonic the Hedgehog (voice of Ben Schwartz) celebrating the anniversary of his arrival on Earth with his adopted parents, Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie Wachowski (Tika Sumpter).  Also celebrating are the two newest members of the family, Knuckles the Echidna (voice of Idris Elba) and Miles “Tails” Prower (voice of Colleen O'Shaughnessey).  Together, Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails form “Team Sonic.”

However, while Sonic and family are celebrating, they don't know that trouble is brewing.  In Tokyo Bay is a secret prison run by the “Guardian Units of Nations” (G.U.N.), the military of Earth's government.  For decades, they have been holding an alien prisoner.  He is Shadow the Hedgehog (voice of Keanu Reeves), an anthropomorphic hedgehog like Sonic.

Now, Shadow has joined forces with the man who freed him, a mysterious scientist who has been stealing tech from Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey), Sonic's enemy.  That forces Robotnik to unite with “Team Sonic” in order to stop Shadow and his mysterious benefactor's mission of revenge against the Earth and mankind.  But can Sonic and his family really trust Robotnik?

Back in 2022, I saw Sonic the Hedgehog 2 because my niece asked to me to take her to the theater to see it.  A few days ago, I saw the first film, Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), for the first time (via Prime Video).  It got me in the mood for the new film, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, because, once again, my niece wanted me to take her to the theater to see it.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is the best of the series mainly because Jim Carrey, in a dual role, gives one of his best performances in recent years.  In the first two films, Carrey relied on his familiar over-the-top shtick and shenanigans.  In this new film, Carrey unleashes the breath and length of his talent as a performer and actor.  In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Carrey is peak 1990s Carrey, and if this were not a Sonic the Hedgehog movie, he would be getting movie awards season notice for his performance in this film.  And this film is all the better for what Carrey does.

Once again, voice performer Colleen O'Shaughnessey makes Tails seem like both an innocent kid and a veteran tech expert.  In the second film, Idris Elba used his voice acting skills to make Knuckles a tough guy, but here, he gets a chance to brings some gravitas to the character.  As usual, Ben Schwartz brings Sonic to life as a fully developed film character and makes Sonic's doubts and dilemmas seem genuine.  Schwartz delivers exuberance and drama in his voice performance as Sonic.

Director Jeff Fowler shows that he can play in the big leagues of giant, event action films after directing the bouncy and pleasant first two films.  Fowler and his cohorts take the Sonic film franchise from a special effects fun fest to an action-adventure movie with more on the line than eye-popping visual effects (VFX), although there is plenty of that.

So after saying all that, it is obvious that I like Sonic the Hedgehog 3.  It is not perfect, and this film is obviously not for certain audiences.  It's not really for me, but still, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 manages to surprise and entertain me.  And my niece was crazy about it.

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: Humor Makes First "SONIC THE HEDGEHOG" Film Pleasingly Pleasant

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 58 of 2024 (No. 2002) by Leroy Douresseaux

Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Running time:  99 minutes (1 hour, 39 minutes)

MPA – PG for action, some violence, rude humor and brief mild language

DIRECTOR:  Jeff Fowler

WRITERS:  Pat Casey & Josh Miller (based on the Sega video game)

PRODUCERS:  Toby Ascher, Neal H. Moritz, Toru Nakahara, and Takeshi Ito

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Stephen F. Windon (D.o.P.)

EDITORS:  Debra Neil-Fisher and Stacy Schroeder

COMPOSER: Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL)

FANTASY/FAMILY and ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring:  James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Lee Majdoub, Neal McDonough, Tom Butler, Frank C. Turner, Melody Niemann, and Jim Carrey; and (voices) Ben Schwartz and Donna Jay Fulks

Sonic the Hedgehog is a 2020 action-adventure, fantasy and comedy film directed by Jeff Fowler.  The film is based on the Sega Corporation video game series and media franchise that began with the 1991 Sega Genesis game, Sonic the Hedgehog.  In Sonic the Hedgehog the movie, Sonic takes refuge on Earth, but when his speed accidentally knocks out power in part of the United States, he draws the attention of a mad scientist.

Sonic the Hedgehog introduces Sonic (voice of Ben Schwartz).  He is an anthropomorphic (which means he is an animal that can walk and talk like a human), blue hedgehog who has the ability to move at superhuman speed.  Ten years earlier, Sonic fled to Earth to escape his enemies with the aid of a golden ring that opened a portal to Earth.  He carried a bag of more such rings with him to Earth.

Currently, Sonic lives an enjoyable secret life in a cavern under the rural town of Green Hills, Montana.  He zooms around the area, and has become something of a local legend, “the blue devil.”  He longs to make friends and spies on local sheriff, Thomas Michael “Tom” Wachowski (James Marsden), whom Sonic calls the “Donut Lord,” and Tom's wife, Maddie (Tika Sumpter), whom Sonic calls “Pretzel Lady.”  What Sonic does not know is that Tom and Maddie are planning to relocate to San Francisco.

It is Sonic's loneliness which leads him to initiating an accident that causes a massive power outage across the Pacific Northwest.  Determined to discover the origin of this power outage, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff reluctantly enlists the services of eccentric roboticist and scientific genius, Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey).  Now, Sonic is forced to seek help from Tom Wachowski, but can this thrown-together duo escape the clutches of Robotnik and his drone army?

I had no intention of watching Sonic the Hedgehog from the first time I heard about the movie's production back in the 20-teens.  I also had no plans on seeing its 2022 sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, but when it was first released, my niece asked to me to take her to the theater to see it, as she did not want to wait for it to stream on Paramount+.  Because she rarely asks me to take her to the movies and because she usually turns down my offers to accompany me when I'm going, I (reluctantly) agreed to see Sonic the Hedgehog 2 with her.

Well, the third film, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, has been released, and my niece wants me to take her to see that one, too.  I found Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to be much better than I thought it would be, and I was able to follow it without having seen the first film.  However, I decided that it was past time to see the original, and I was able to because it is available via my Amazon Prime Video subscription.

I must say that I found the first film pleasingly pleasant.  Sonic the Hedgehog's visual effects (VFX) and humor drive the film's narrative and makes even the most raucous action and chases scenes sometimes breathtaking, sometimes funny, and sometimes both.  I think the film's director, Jeff Fowler, and his film editors get the most humor and energy that they can out of a lightweight script.  The result is an lighthearted and entertaining family film.

Voice actor Ben Schwartz brings Sonic to life as a fully developed film character.  Schwartz makes Sonic's doubts and dilemmas seem genuine, and his exuberant voice performances makes Sonic one of the most lovable CGI movie characters in recent memory.

The second standout performance comes from Jim Carrey.  With Carrey, audiences get the good, the bad, and ugly of the actor and former stand-up comedian's constant over-the-top mode.  However, in Sonic the Hedgehog, he gives a delightful comic performance.  His Robotnik is not so much over-the-top as he is the wackiest of wacky mad scientist; then, Carrey bumps that up a notch.  Carrey would actually steal this movie if Ben Schwartz was not pitch perfect as Sonic.

So it turns out that I like Sonic the Hedgehog as much as I liked Sonic the Hedgehog 2.  I highly recommend Sonic the Hedgehog for those looking for something that would be quite a treat for family movie night.

6 of 10

B

★★★ out of 4 stars

Friday, December 20, 2024

The text is copyright © 2024 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 Feb. 1st to 10th, 2024 - Update #28

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From THR:  Christian Bale will play Frankenstein in a film directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal.  The Warner Bros. film is set in the 1930s and finds the monster traveling to the 1930s Chicago where a doctor will create a companion for him.  Filming begins in the next few weeks.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Emmy Award-winner Jon Cryer shoots down the possibility of a reboot of his former CBS sitcom, "Two and a Half Men."

ANIMATION - From TheWrap:  It seems that Warner Bros. Discovery's plan all along was to kill the live-action/animation hybrid Looney Tunes film, "Coyote vs. Acme."

OSCARS - From THR:  The Academy of Motion Pictures Art and Sciences (AMPAS) has announced that it will soon begin annually presenting an Oscar recognizing "achievement in casting." The award, which will first be presented in 2026, will be the first new Oscar introduced since the organization began presenting "best animated feature" in 2002, after announcing its creation in 2001.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. has won the deal for the untitled project from writer-producer-director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan that is based on an original script by Coogler.  Coogler and Jordan first made their mark as a team on Fruitvale Station (2013) and later worked together on Creed (2015) and Black Panther (2018).

DISNEY - From Deadline:   Taylor Swift's hit concert film, "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" will begin streaming on Disney+ March 15th and will feature five new songs.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director David Leitch is in early talks to direct the next "Jurassic World" film, which is set to debut in theaters July2, 2025.  Leitch is best known for such films as "John Wick" and "Bullet Train."

AMAZON - From Deadline:  America Ferrera will make her directorial debut with "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter," which is based on Erika Sanchez's novel.  The film was previously set up at Netflix, but is not at Amazon MGM Studios' Orion Pictures.

GRAMMYS - From Variety:  The winners at the 2024 / 66th Annual Grammy Awards were announced.  The top prize, "Album of the Year," went to "Midnights" by Taylor Swift.

From Deadline:  With his daughter, Blue Ivy, at his side, Jay-Z called out the Grammys over Beyonce's lack of an "Album of the Year" award, all while accepting the "Dr. Dre Global Impact Award."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:   The winner of the 2/2 to 2/4/2024 weekend box office in Universal Pictures' "Argylle" with an estimated take of 18 million dollars.

BUSINESS - From Afrotech:  Actress and writer-producer, Issa Rae, says that she has secured money from investors to open a studio that will create opportunities for creators.

MOVIES - From Collider:  Actress Nico Parker will play "Astrid" in the live-action adaptation of DreamWorks Animation's Oscar-nominated hit, How to Train Your Dragon.  However, she believes the film will be its "own film, and its own interpretation."

ANIMATION/TRAILER - From SlashFilm:  There is a trailer for "Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin."  It debuts on Apple TV+ on Feb. 16th.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Jim Carrey will reprise his role as "Dr. Robotnik" in "Sonic the Hedgehog 3."  He played the role in "Sonic the Hedgehog" (2020) and "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" (2022).

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Actor Sam Waterson is leaving NBC's long-running legal drama, "Law & Order" after 400+ episodes as Assistant D.A. and later District Attorney "Jack McCoy."  Waterson's last episode will air Thurs., Feb. 22nd.  He joined the series in 1994.  Actor Tony Goldwyn will replace him. 

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Actor and filmmaker, Donnie Yen, will star in "Kung Fu," an adaptation of the former ABC martial arts/Western drama television series, "Kung Fu" (1972-75). David Leitch is set to direct.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Brad Pitt is reunited with Quentin Tarantino for his final film, "The Film Critic," which is due in 2025.  Pitt has starred in Inglourious Basterds (2009) and won an Oscar for his performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).

MUSIC/SPORTS - From NewYorkTimes:  Fox News demands that Grammy Award-winning superstar, Taylor Swift, stay out of politics as they fear that she will endorse President Joe Biden... again.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Tim Burton is set to direct a re-imagining of the 1958 Warner Bros.'s film, "The Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman," with Gillian Flynn ("Gone Girl") writing the script.

ANIMATION/STREAMING - From ScreenRant:  Peacock has announced a direct sequel to the DreamWorks Animation's 2010 film, Megamind.  Peacock released a trailer for "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate," which will begin streaming on Peacock March 1st.  Debuting the same day on Peacock is an eight-episode animated series, "Megamind Rules!"

MOVIES - From AwardsWatch:  Sony Pictures Classics announced that it has acquired all rights in North America, the Middle East, India, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand to Pedro Almodóvar’s upcoming first English-language feature film, The Room Next Door.  Starring Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, and John Turturro and produced by Almodóvar’s El Deseo, the film will begin shooting March (2024) in New York and Madrid.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Apple TV+'s "Ted Lasso" was the most watched streaming original series in 2023, according to Nielsen.  However, the most streamed title of the year was USA'S former legal drama, "Suits" (2011-19) with 57.7 billion viewing minutes.

OBITS:

From Variety:  Country singer-songwriter and recording artist and actor, Toby Keith, has died at the age of 62, Monday, February 5, 2024.  Keith recorded 19 studio albums, many reaching No. 1 on both the "Billboard 200" album chart and Billboard's "Top Country Album" chart.  Keith had 20 No. 1 sings on Billboard's "Hot Country Songs" chart, including the most played country song of the 1990s, "Should've Been a Cowboy."  Keith was also a seven-time Grammy Award nominee.  Keith starred in two films, "Broken Bridges" (2006) and "Beer for My Horses" (2008), which he wrote.

From Variety:  Film and television actor and TV director, Carl Weathers, has died at the age of 76, Thursday, February 1, 2024.  Weathers is best known for the character, "Apollo Creed," which he first played in the Oscar-winning "Best Picture," "Rocky" (1976), and in "Rocky II" (1979), "Rocky III" (1982), and "Rocky IV" (1985).  Other best known appearances include Predator (1987), "Action Jackson" (1988), and "Happy Gilmore" (1996).  Weathers directed episodes of several TV series, including CBS' "FBI," NBC's "Chicago Med" and "Law & Order."  Weathers directed two episodes of the Disney+ series, "The Mandalorian."  Weathers also appeared in 9 episodes of "The Mandalorian" over its three seasons as "Greef Karga," which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in the category of "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series" in 2021.  Weathers also played professional football for the NFL's Oakland Raiders and CFL's BC Lions.

From Deadline:  Carl Weathers, his career in photos, from "Rocky" to "Predator" and "The Mandalorian."

From LATimes:  "Everyone loved him," Sylvester Stallone, Adam Sandler, and other co-star speak on the late actor and director, Carl Weathers.

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From Deadline:  Film and television actor, William O'Connell, has died at the age of 94, Monday, January 15, 2024.  O'Connell played the memorable "Star Trek" villain, "Thelev the Andorian," in the second season episode, "Journey to Babel" (Nov. 17th, 1967).  He appeared in several films with Clint Eastwood, including "High Plains Drifter" (1972) and "The Outlaw Josey Wales" (1976).  O'Connell was a Korean War veteran who received the "Bronze Star," among other decorations.

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 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 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 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: 1

Barbie: 2

The Boy and the Heron: 1

The Holdovers: 2

Killers of the Flower Moon: 9

Oppenheimer: 19

Past Lives: 8

Poor Things: 4

The Zone of Interest: 3

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Review: Super Sonic VFX and Humor Drive "SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 25 of 2022 (No. 1837) by Leroy Douresseaux

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)
Running time:  122 minutes (2 hours, 2 minutes)
MPAA – PG for action, some violence, rude humor, and mild language
DIRECTOR:  Jeff Fowler
WRITERS:  Pat Casey & Josh Miller and John Whittington; based on a story by Pat Casey & Josh Miller
PRODUCERS:  Toby Ascher, Neal H. Moritz, Toru Nakahara, and Hitoshi Okuno
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Brandon Trost (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Jim May
COMPOSER: Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL)

FANTASY/FAMILY/ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring:  James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, Lee Majdoub, Tom Butler; Ben Schwartz, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, Idris Elba, and Jim Carrey

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a 2022 action-adventure, fantasy and comedy film directed by Jeff Fowler.  The film is based on the Japanese video game series and media franchise that was created and is owned by the Sega Corporation and which began with the 1991 Sega Genesis game, Sonic the Hedgehog.  The film is also a direct sequel to the 2020 film, Sonic the Hedgehog.  Sonic the Hedgehog 2 pits the titular character and his archenemy in a race to obtain an all-powerful jewel.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 opens several months after the events depicted in Sonic the Hedgehog.  The mad scientist, Dr. Robotnik, also known as “Eggman” (Jim Carrey), is still trapped on the mushroom planet.  As luck would have it, his schemes to escape the planet draw the attention of Knuckles the Echidna (voice of Idris Elba), an anthropomorphic red echidna (a spiny anteater) warrior who possesses superhuman strength.

Meanwhile, Robotnik and Knuckles mutual adversary, Sonic the Hedgehog (voice of Ben Schwartz), is living in Seattle as the superhero, “Blue Justice.”  However, Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who can run at supersonic speeds, is not really good at being a superhero.  Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie Wachowski (Tika Sumpter) adopted Sonic as their son, and Tom, as his father, advises Sonic to remain patient for the day his power will be needed.  Then, he and Maddie leave for Hawaii for the wedding of Maddie's sister, Rachel (Natasha Rothwell).

That leaves Sonic home alone for some fun, and he is having fun until Robotnik and Knuckles arrive, with the latter immediately attacking him.  Knuckles turns out to be a formidable fighter, and he also desires to honor his extinct tribe.  To do so, he must find the legendary “Master Emerald,” an ancient relic that allows anyone who possesses it to bend reality to their will.  Knuckles not only believes that the emerald is on Earth, but also that Sonic knows its secret location.

Sonic is rescued by Miles “Tails” Prower (voice of Colleen O'Shaughnessey), an anthropomorphic, two-tailed, yellow fox who idolizes Sonic and came to warn him about Knuckles.  Tails can fly by spinning his tails like a helicopter's blades.  Now, Sonic and Tails are on a race to keep Robotnik and Knuckles from locating the Master Emerald.  But can Sonic keep his parents, Tom and Maddie, from getting involved, and is that the right thing to do?

I have not seen the first film, Sonic the Hedgehog, and I had no intentions of watching it.  So, I also had no plans on seeing Sonic the Hedgehog 2, but then, my niece asked to me to take her to the theater to see it, as she did not want to wait for it to stream on Paramount+.  Because she rarely asks me to take her to the movies and because she usually turns down my offers to take her when I'm going, I (reluctantly) agreed to see Sonic the Hedgehog 2 with her.

I must say that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is much better than I thought it would be.  I must be honest and admit that early in the movie, I dozed off several times – because I was tired and it had already been a long day.  However, Sonic's second live-action film has many exciting scenes, and the special effects and CGI are really good.  Sonic the Hedgehog may be a kids' movie, but the visual effects (VFX) are as a good as most big event, tent pole movies made for adults.  Soon, I was into it, pretty much enthralled by the impressive VFX.

The character animation is top notch.  Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are obviously CGI and animated characters, but the character animation gives them personality and character.  They don't look like stuffed animals with weird eyes that have come to life.  The voice acting is quite good, with Colleen O'Shaughnessey making Tails see like a real hero-worshiping boy who finally meets his idol, and Idris Elba sounds all tough guy as Knuckles.  Ben Schwartz brings Sonic to life as a fully developed film character.  Schwartz makes Sonic's doubts and dilemmas seem genuine, and Sonic's exuberance and Schwartz's voice performance shine through the narrative.  Here, Sonic is more movie star than video game character.

As for Jim Carrey, he is what he usually is as an actor:  the good, the bad, and ugly of a performer in constant over-the-top mode.  The rest of the live-action cast makes the best of their roles with James Marsden and Tika Sumpter seeming like real parents in love with their alien child.  Natasha Rothwell, as Maddie's sister, Rachel, is quite good at stealing scenes.

So after saying all that, it is obvious that I like Sonic the Hedgehog 2.  But will I see the first film...?

6 of 10
B
★★★ out of 4 stars

Friday, April 22, 2022


The text is copyright © 2022 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 September 13th to 19th, 2020 - Update #28

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

Support Leroy on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From Deadline:  John Boyega ("Star Wars") joins Payman Maadi in Gavin Hood's "The Test."

CELEBRITY - From Variety:  Former husband and wife, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, reunited for the "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" table reading.  The event was held for Sean Penn's non-profit, CORE.  Penn starred in the 1982 film.

EMMYS - From LATimes:  The behind the scene workers are the real losers at this year's virtual Primetime Emmy Awards.

TELEVISION - From THR:  WarnerMedia says it is "concerned and disappointed" about the culture in its TV division.  They're talking about controversy at "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "TMZ on TV," and WarnerMedia's leaders are ready to end partnerships if they have to. 

From THR:  Speaking of which, "The Hollywood Reporter" has an investigative article on the "dark side" of WarnerMedia's Telepictures division.

CELEBRITY - From HuffPost:  Zendaya talks about intentionally auditioning for roles written for white actresses.

AWARDS - From ShadowandAct:  Kerry Washington finally wins an Emmy Awards... but it's not for acting.

BLM - From ShadowandAct:  Michael B. Jordan puts Hollywood's racist hiring practices on blast.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Madonna will direct a biopic of herself that Oscar-winner Diablo Cody is co-writing.

MOVIES-COVID-19 - From YahooNYT:  Movie theaters have reopened after the five-month COVID-19 shutdown, but audiences have not.  Now what?

From IndieWire:  Well, Christopher Nolan and his wife and longtime producer, Emma Thomas, are doing their part and going to the movies.

TELEVISION - From TheDailyBeast:  NBC announced on Wednesday that actor Jim Carrey will be joining Saturday Night Live to play former Vice President Joe Biden when the show returns to 30 Rockefeller Center for its 46th season on Oct. 3rd, 2020.

CULTURE - From YahooLife:  Hot Halloween 2020 mask - the latex rubber "Karen" mask.

STREAMING - From EW:   Tom Holland (Marvel/Sony's Spider-Man) did not know that one of the producers of his Netflix period drama, "The Devil of All Time," was Jake Gyllenhaal, who played the villain, Mysterio, in his second Spider-Man film, "Spider-Man: Far from Home."

MOVIE TRAILER - From YouTube:  Don't forget to see the spectacular first trailer for "Dune."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Actress Genevieve Padalecki will join her husband, Jared Padalecki ("Supernatural") in "Walker," the re-imagining of CBS's 1990s action series, "Walker, Texas Ranger."  Jared will play Cordell Walker, and Genevieve will play his late wife, Emily.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  "Paramount+" will be the new name of the streaming service, "CBS All Access," with this rebrand taking place early in 2021.

NETFLIX - From YahooFinance:  Once upon a time... Netflix co-founder and now co-CEO Reed Hastings tried to sell Netflix to Blockbuster, but the once-great video rental giant would not pay the $50 million asking price.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Cable net MSNBC adds two new shows to its weekend line-up and movies Kasie Hunt of "Kasie DC" to a new weekeday mornings show.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The winner of the 9/11 to 9/13/2020 weekend box office is "Tenet" with an estimated gross of 6.7 million dollars.  The film has also crossed the $200 million mark in worldwide box office.

From Deadline:  Warner Bros. is hiding box office information on "Tenet" and Sony Pictures on "The Broken Hearts Gallery from rival studios.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Netflix has payed $30 million dollars for "Malcolm & Marie," director Sam Levinson's drama that was quietly shot during the COVID lock down.  The romantic drama stars John David Washington and Zendaya.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Pop star Harry Styles is reportedly replacing actor Shia LaBeouf in Olivia Wilde's thriller, "Don't Worry Darling."

VENICE - From THR:  Nomadland, diector Chloé Zhao's look at America's van-dwelling community, starring Frances McDormand, has won the "Golden Lion" for best film at the 77th Venice International Film Festival.  This article includes the winners in the festival's many other categories.

MOVIES - From CNN:  Halle Berry says that her historic best actress Oscar win for "Monster's Ball" was "one of her biggest heartbreaks."

OBITS:

From NPR:  Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg has died at the age of 87, September 18, 2020.  She was the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court (after Justice Sandra Day O'Connor).  Nominated by President Bill Clinton, she served on the court from 1993 to her death.

From RollingStone:  Reggae music pioneer, Toots Hibbert, has died at the age of 77, Friday, September 11, 2020.  A singer and songwriter, Toots was best known for his association with the reggae and ska band, Toots and the Maytals.  Hibbert wrote the 1968 Maytals song, "Do the Reggay," which is widely credited as being the genesis word "reggae."


CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS:

From CDC:   The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."

From YahooNews:  Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?

From YahooNews:  Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.

From Deadline:  The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.

From TheNewYorker:  The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.

From YahooNews:  Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?

From YahooLife:  What is "happy hypoxia?"  And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?

From JuanCole:  Remember when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19.  Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.

From TheIntercept:  The federal government has ramped up security and police-related spending in response to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including issuing contracts for riot gear, disclosures show. The purchase orders include requests for disposable cuffs, gas masks, ballistic helmets, and riot gloves...

From TheAtlantic:  The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying. The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.

From ProPublica:  Hospital's Secret COVID-19 Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns

From TheGuardian:  More than 20 million Americans could have contracted COVID-19, experts say.

From RSN/WashPost:  The COVID-19 mutation that has taken over the world.

7/13 - From YahooSports:  Maybe a pandemic means that there will not be college football this fall.

7/13- From YahooNews:  The CDC adds four new symptoms (including nausea and purple or blue lesions on feet and toes) to the list of COVID-19 symptoms.

7/19 - From YahooFinance:  Harvard Public Health professor Dr. Howard Koh says the U.S. "needs to regroup" to find COVID-19.

7/22 - From YahooNews:  A public health employee predicted Florida's coronavirus catastrophe — then she was fired.

7/22 - From YahooLifestyle:  Florida mom loses son, 20, to coronavirus, and then days later, her daughter.

7/23 - From TheWrap:  The site has a list of movie and TV stars, entertainment and sports figures who have tested positive for COVID-19

From Bloomberg:  Will the COVID-19 pandemic turn Millennials into socialists?

7/27 - From CNN:   Chief of critical care at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center, Dr. Joseph Costa, passes away due to Covid-19 complications... after treating the hospital's sickest COVID-19 patients.  He was 56 and leaves behind family, including a husband of 28 years.

7/30 - From Deadline:  Emmy-winning actor Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") reveals that he had a bout with COVID-19.

7/31 - From YahooEntertainment:  Writer and actress, Lena Dunham, creator of HBO's "Girls, reveals that she contracted COVID-19 and the symptoms she experiences and still experience.

7/30 - From YahooGMA:  In their bid to crackdown on illegal gatherings amid COVID-19, New York authorities break up an alleged sex party.

7/31 - From Slate:  COVID-19 is airborne - for reals!

8/2 - From TheDailyBeast:  In Mississippi, COVID-19 has coroners terrified.

8/6 - From YahooNews:  Testing everyone constantly could stop the spread of COVID-19... according to this article.

8/8 - From YahooNYT:  The coronavirus is new, but your immune system might recognize it.

8/8 - From YahooNBC:  They thought COVID-19 was a hoax, and they almost died from it or are watching family and loved ones suffer with it or die from it.

8/9 - From YahooNews:  The rest of the world is incredulous at the pitiful U.S. response to COVID-19.

8/9 - From YahooAFP:  According to the real-time tally kept by John Hopkins University, the United States has hit 5 million cases of COVID-19.

8/16 - From Truthout: COVID Deaths Continue to Surge in Countries Led by Far Right Authoritarians

9/1 - From YahooPeople:  Mark Mothersbaugh is the front man of the rock band, Devo," and the prolific composer of music for film and television, but he also had a near-fatal battle with COVID-19.  He recalls it in this article.

9/2 - From YahooNews:  The first COVID-19 death linked to the massive biker rally in Sturgis, South Dakota has been reported in Minnesota, several weeks after the event attracted over 400,000 vehicles.  Minnesota is also tracking 50 coronavirus cases related to the event.

9/8 - From YahooSports:  College football senior Jamain Stephens Jr. dies after contracting COVID-19.

BLACK LIVES MATTER:

From RSN:   Judge's Blistering Opinion Says Courts Have Placed Police Beyond Accountability

From TheGuardian:  Yusef Salaam, one of the "Central Park Five," says in an interview, "Trump would have had me hanging from a tree in Central Park."

From NPR:  Prosecutors' plea deal required drug suspect to name Breonna Taylor a "co-defendant."

From ChicagoSunTimes:  Rev. Jesse Jackson: America has millions of people in poverty because Americans choose not to demand the policies that would lift them out of poverty.


REMEMBERING CHADWICK BOSEMAN:

From YahooAP:  Chadwick Boseman was laid to rest Sept. 3 at Welfare Baptist Church Cemetery in Belton, South Carolina, about 11 miles from Boseman's hometown of Anderson, the Los Angeles County Certificate showed. Anderson held a public memorial for Boseman a day later.

From Slate:  Friends and Fans mourn "Black Panther" star, Chadwick Boseman, dead at 43.

From YahooHuffPost:  Why Chadwick Boseman kept his cancer battle secret, according to his agent.

From Variety:  Chadwick Boseman's life and career in photos.

From CNN:  Denzel Washington offers a tribute to Chadwick Boseman, for whom he once paid school tuition.

From THR:  Co-star Harrison Ford remembers Chadwick Boseman as being "as much a hero as any he played.

From BuzzFeed:  Why Chadwick Boseman's death hurts so much.

From Variety:  Michael B. Jordan remembers his "Black Panther" co-star, Chadwick Boseman.

From YahooEntertainment:  Remembering Chadwick Boseman: A journalist’s cherished, complicated friendship with a superhero.

From Deadline:  The site has a page dedicated to the late actor, Chadwick Boseman.

From Variety:   Chadwick Boseman: A Virtuoso Actor Who Could Do Just About Anything

From Variety:  Chadwick Boseman’s Final Tweet Is Twitter’s Most-Liked Post of All Time

From YahooEntertainment:  Did Chadwick Boseman hint at his cancer battle in a 2017 interview?

From Newsweek:  Chadwick Boseman's final tweet was a picture of him with Vice-Presidential candidate, Senator Kamala Harris.

From NPR:  Chadwick Boseman in his own words.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 18th to 24th, 2018 - Update #16

Support Leroy on Patreon:

MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Nate Parker ("The Birth of a Nation") will direct "Black & Blue," a biopic of decorated LAPD officer, Ralph Waddy.

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  Ryan Murphy says that Fox is ready for spinoffs from his hit medical drama, "9-1-1".

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MOVIES - From TheRinger:  The Disney Decade - the House of Mouse took over movie going in the 21st century.

COMICS-FILM - From ThePlaylist:  "Deadpool 2" reshoots add "a secret cameo" to the film.

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STREAMING - From Reuters:   Exclusive: Amazon's internal numbers on Prime Video, revealed

From TheRinger:  To Win the Streaming Wars, Amazon Will Need to Take More Risks

----------
NATURE - From Vox:  It's the first day of Spring 2018; here are six things to know about the first day of the spring equinox.

From Space.com:  The first day of Spring 2018 as seen from space.

----------
MUSIC - From YahooEntertainment:  Three "retro" musical acts (Jimi Hendriz, David Byrne, and Judas Priest) enter the "Top Ten" on the Billboard 200 albums chart this week.

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MOVIES - From YahooTheWrap:  Steven Spielberg says that the fifth Indiana Jones film will begin production in April of 2019.

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POLITICS - From CNN:  Activist and actress Cynthia Nixon has announced that she will enter the New York gubernatorial race.  Nixon is best known for her roll as Miranda Hobbes in the television and later film series, "Sex in the City."  Nixon will challenge current New York governor Andrew Cuomo in the state's Democratic primary in September of this year.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 3/16 to 3/18/2018 weekend box office is Marvel Studios' "Black Panther" with an estimated take of $27 million.  This is the film's fifth consecutive week at #1.

From YahooAP:  "Black Panther" becomes the first film since "Avatar" (2009) to be #1 at the weekend box office for 5 consecutive weeks.  Before "Avatar," the last film to accomplish that feat was "The Sixth Sense" (1999).

From Variety:  "Tomb Raider" reboot tops international box office with $84.5 million.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Jim Carrey's Sarah Sanders (White House press secretary) painting creates a controversy.

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

OBITS:

From DeadlineTV:  The actress DuShone Monique Brown has died at the age of 49, Friday, 23, 2018.  She was best known for her role as "Connie" on NBC's "Chicago Fire."

From Bloomberg:  Charles Lazarus, the founder of Toy 'R' Us, has died at the age of 94, Thursday, March 22, 2018.  Lazarus founded the company as a children's furniture store, and began the company's modern incarnation in 1957.  Toys 'R' Us is currently closing its operations in the United States.

From TheBostonGlobe:  Television personality and entertainer, Frank Avruch, has died at the age of 89, Wednesday, March 21, 2018.  A long time personality at WCVB-TV, Avruch is best known as one of the men who performed "Bozo the Clown."  Avruch played the character from 1959 to 1970.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 27th to 30th, 2015 - Update #15

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From Deadline: A new label will distribute Michael Moore's doc, "Where to Invade Next."

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From Vulture:  A spinoff of the smash hit FOX television series, "Empire," is apparently happening.

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From DeadlineTV:  Amazon has plans for a "Jack Ryan" television series.

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From Variety:  "Pacific Rim 2" has been delayed; some think the film has been scrapped all together.

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From THR:  Jim Carrey's girlfriend, Cathriona White, found dead of an apparent suicide.

From Variety:  Jim Carrey releases a statement about the apparent drug overdose death of his girlfriend, Irish makeup artist, Cathriona White.

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From YahooTV:  5 reasons not to worry about "The Daily Show" under Trevor Noah.

From YahooTV:  Ken Tucker reviews Noah's first show.

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From BleedingCool:  Idris Elba talks about his Star Trek villain as "groundbreaking."

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From CinemaBlend:  "Trainspotting 2" is moving forward, but with a title change.  The sequel novel to the original Trainspotting novel is entitled "Porno," so no, that will not be the title of the film.

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From TheWrap:  "Flight 462" is a web series that will tie into "Fear the Walking Dead."

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From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 9/25 to 9/27/2015 weekend box office is "Hotel Transylvania 2" with an estimated take of $47.5 million.

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From CinemaBlend:  Did Vin Diesel reveal the end of "The Fast and the Furious" franchise?

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From THR:  Denzel Washington talks about his son's career, diversity, and more in a talk held on Sept. 17th.

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From THR:  Rose McGowan still on spittin' fire.


COMICS: Books and Films:

From CBR:  The creators of the infamous manga, "Death Note," debuted a color illustration from their upcoming manga.

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From BleedingCool:  When Black comic book fans avoid Black comic book creators...


TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  A second trailer for the film, "The Revenant," with Leonardo DiCaprio, which looks really good.

From BleedingCool:  See Marvel/Netflix's "Jessica Jones" teaser trailer.