Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 1st to 10th, 2023 - Update #27

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  Warner Animation Group is now Warner Bros Pictures Animation, and that is just part of the rebranding from new President of Feature Animation, Bill Damaschke.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  NBC has cancelled the sitcom, "Young Rock," after three seasons on the network.  The series focuses on different chapters in the life of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

MUSIC - From Variety:  Grammy-winning legend, Madonna, and Grammy and Oscar-winner, Sam Smith, drop their new collabo, the single, "Vulgar."

SCANDAL - From THR:  Actor and voice performer, Jay Johnston, has been arrested by the FBI for his alleged participation in the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol. Charged by the Department of Justice in connection to his presence at the Capitol, Johnston was arrested Wednesday in Los Angeles.  Johnson is best known for his voice role as "Jimmy Pesto Sr.," a pizzeria owner on Fox's long-running animated series, "Bob's Burgers," and for appearing on such series as "Mr. Show with Bob and Dave" (HBO) and "The Sarah Silverman Program" (Comedy Central).

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  Due to its recent rise in ratings, Cartoon Network is giving its "Adult Swim" banner an extra hour of programming each evening, starting in late August.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  For the first time, the NFL highlights and analysis TV series, "Inside the NFL, moves to The CW, beginning Sept. 5th.  The series began in 1977 on HBO (1977-2008). It moved to Showtime (2008-21), and then most recently was on Paramount+ (2021-23).

NETFLIX - From Variety:  Zack Snyder days that his epic sci-fi film, "Rebel Moon," will be two films, and each will have two versions.  There will be a version that "anyone can enjoy," and there will be a version that is explicit and for "adults only."

DISNEY - From THR:  ABC has defeated a lawsuit from Ingo Rademacher over his dismissal from the daytime soap opera, "General Hospital," for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine.  Rademacher left or was fired from the series around November 2021.

SCANDAL - From THR:  Disgraced director, Bryan Singer (Fox's "X-Men" franchise), is planning a documentary film that would address the sexual misconduct accusations against him.  A 2019 expose in "The Atlantic" magazine detailed accusations against Singer by four accusers.

BREAKING - From THR:  98 percent of the members of Hollywood’s largest union, SAG-AFTRA, have given the green light to their negotiators to call a strike if deemed necessary in upcoming labor negotiations with the Hollywood studios.

APPLE - From Deadline:  Apple has announced its first major device launch in nearly a decade its VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) headset and platform, "Vision Pro."  Apparently, the starting price will be $3499.00

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 6/2 to 6/4/2023 weekend box office is Sony Pictures Animations' "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" with an estimated take of 120.5 million dollars.

From Deadline:  "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" grosses 88.1 million dollars at the international box office. Combined with its 120.5 million at the domestic box office, that is a global total of 208.6 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Oscar-winning directors Francis Ford Coppola and Kevin Costner talk about risking their fortunes bankrolling passion projects.  For Coppola, it is "Megalopolis," his epic, troubled sci-fi film.  For Costner, it is "Horizon," the first of four films set in the pre- and post-Civil War expansion of the American West.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  The Disney layoffs have hit Pixar with 75 jobs being made redundant at the legendary animation studio.  Among those let go are Angus McLane, the director of Pixar's "Lightyear" and Galyn Susman, the film's producer.  Susman had been with Pixar since 1995 and is apparently the person who saved "Toy Story 2."

DISNEY - From Deadline:  British actor Hugo Speer, one of the original actors from the 1997 film, "The Full Monty," was dropped from the forthcoming Disney spinoff series because (according to him) a few people saw him... naked.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The CW's "The Winchesters" is officially dead, as Warner Bros. has not been able to find another home for the series, which The CW cancelled after one season.  It is a spinoff and prequel to The CW's long-running "Supernatural."

MOVIES - From Variety:  Harrison Ford says he takes some of the blame for his clash with Brad Pitt over the script for the 1997 film thriller, "The Devil's Own."

LGBTQ+ - From Variety:  Elliot Page reveals in his upcoming book, "Pageboy," that a famous actor threatened to force sex on when he came out as gay over decade ago when he was "Ellen Page." The forced sex would prove that he wasn't gay - just afraid of men...

CELEBRITY - From PerezHilton:  Reality television star family, the Duggars, will always be with us. Hilton details how family patriarch, Jim Bob Duggar, stole his children's reality TV money. The post starts off funny and then, starts to read like an expose on a cult leader.

MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Universal Pictures is in active development on an untitled new “Fast & Furious” film starring Dwayne Johnson as "Luke Hobbs." The film won’t be a sequel to 2019's “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” or a spinoff.  Instead, it will be a direct continuation of the main “Fast Saga” story, serving as a bridge between the recently released “Fast X” and and its follow-up, “Fast X: Part II.”

From CBR:  Star Vin Diesel is reportedly upset with another "Fast & Furious" co-star over stealing attention from him.

DISNEY - From CBR:  Disney and Lucasfilm have revealed seven new "character posters" from "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny."

HARRISON FORD - From Variety:  Harrison Ford told a trio of stunt workers on the set of "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" the following: "Leave me the f**k alone."  Why? Read and find out.

From CBR:  Harrison Ford has now changed his stance and agrees with "Blade Runner" director, Ridley Scott. Ford believes that the film's lead character, "Rick Deckard," is a replicant.

AWARDS - From Deadline:  Here is your 2023-24 award season calendar, beginning on May 31, 2023 with the "Television Academy Honors" ceremony and ends on ends on March 10th, 2024 with the 96th Academy Awards.

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WRITERS STRIKE:

From Deadline:  The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has reached a tentative new three-year deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). So what does the Writers Guild (WGA), currently on strike and negotiating with the AMPTP, think of that deal.

From Deadline:  Netflix shareholders declined to support the 2023 pay packages of top executives during a non-binding vote at the company’s annual shareholder meeting on Thursday.  The vote won't prevent these execs from getting their loot (an total of $166 million), but this is a rare public rebuke.  The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has urged shareholders to vote "No" because the pay was "inappropriate" at this time.

From Deadline:  Warner Bros Discovery chief David Zaslav gave the commencement address at Boston University. There he was met with jeers and also chants of "pay your writers" from picketers and from some in the audience.

From Deadline:   President Joe Biden speaks on the Writers Guild of America strike.

From Deadline:  Retaliation! The studios have starting informing writer-producers who have "overall" and "first-look" deals that such deals are being suspended.

From Deadline:  Retaliation!  Prolific HBO creator, David Simon, who is best known for "The Wire," is one of the many writers who have had their overall deals suspended the studios due to the WGA strike.  Simon has been with HBO for 25 years.

From Deadline:  The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is on strike.

From Deadline:  Disney, HBO/HBO Max, and CBS have sent letters to showrunners (the TV equivalent of film directors) instructing them to return to work, inspite of the writer's strike.

From Deadline:  The WGA's chief negotiator, Ellen Stutzman, talks about the state of the writers' strike, including the lack of engagement on the part of the strike's other party, AMPTP.

From Deadline:  What went wrong between the WGA and AMPTP? What could they not agree on that led to a strike?

From Deadline:  The site explains the WGA strike: the issues, the stakes, movies and TV shows affected, and how long it might last.

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 June 9th to 15th, 2019 - Update #21

Support Leroy on Patreon:

MOVIES - From Variety:  Bradley Cooper is in early talks to appear in Guillermo del Toro's next film, "Nightmare Alley."

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SCANDAL - From YahooEntertainment:  Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. was booked for misdemeanor forcible touching and sexual abuse in the third degree by the NYPD and he was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court and released without bail on Thursday night.  TMZ claims to have video of Gooding groping a woman at a New York bar.

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STREAMING-ANIMATION - From Newsarama:  DreamWorksTV has released a teaser trailer for Netflix's "Fast & Furious: Spy Racer" animated series.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  The Toronto Raptors are the 2019 NBA Champions, their first.  Kawhi Leonard is named MVP of the Championship Series.

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SCANDAL - From TheDailyBeast:  So bestselling author Nicholas Sparks may be a racist, homophobic, Christian bigot.  This article reprints damning emails from Sparks.

From TheGuardian:  This is an article from four and a half years ago about a lawsuit against Nicholas Sparks, who has had many of his bestselling novels turned into films.  The lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in August of this year.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  The St. Louis Blues are the National Hockey League champions, winning the 2019 Stanley Cup, 4 games to 3 games against the Boston Bruins.  This Blues won their first Stanley Cup championship by beating the Bruins 4 to 1 in Game 7 in Boston.

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ANIMATION - From Newsarama:  There is a new "Looney Tunes Cartoons" short with Bugs Bunny, "Dynamite Dance."  See it here.

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MUSIC - From GetPocket:  The story of Prince Nico Mbarga, the man who recorded the most popular son in African history, "Sweet Mother."

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STAR TREK - From ThePlaylist:  Regarding the "Star Trek" movie in which Quentin Tarantino is supposed to be involved, Tarantino says that a script has been written and it is awaiting his notes.  He says the film will definitely be rated "R."

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ANIMATION - From Variety:  Classic animated Disney characters, "Chip 'n Dale" are getting a reboot for the streaming service, Disney+.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Sandra Bullock, Akiva Goldsman, and John Legend are executive producing a dance-flavored, 1980s, drama-comedy inspired by Bullock's college years.  This project is headed to Amazon.

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AWARDS - From USWeekly:  A complete list of winners and nominees at the 2019 Tony Awards.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 6/7 to 6/9/2019 weekend box office is "The Secret Life of Pets 2" with an estimated haul of 47.1 million dollars.

From Deadline:  "Dark Phoenix" has the worst opening weekend at the domestic box office of any "X-Men" film at 33 million dollars.  It may well lose over 100 million dollars.  This article also talks about the film's troubles.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Steven Spielberg is writing a "creepy" and "super scary" series for the "Quibi" digital platform overseen by Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman.

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LGBTQ - From Slate:  "Before Stonewall, if You Were Attacked for Being Gay, You Were the Criminal" by James Polchin

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CULTURE - From Politico:  "How Legal Weed Is Killing America’s Most Famous Marijuana Farmers" by Natalie Fertig

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MOVIES - From FlickeringMyth:  Pro wrestler turned actor John Cena is either close to joining the "Fast & Furious 9" or has officially joined, according to Vin Diesel.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Kevin Hart is developing a remake of the 1988 Bill Murray, Christmas dark comedy film, "Scrooged."

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MUSIC - From YahooEntertainment:  Madonna is quite upset about a "New York Times" profile of her.


OBITS:

From NFL:  Longtime NFL owner of the Denver Broncos, Pat Bowlen, has died at the age of 75, Thursday, June 13, 2019.  Bowlen and his siblings bought the Broncos in 1984.  The Broncos won three Super Bowl titles during his ownership.

From NOLA:  Noted Louisiana blues and Zydeco musician, Paul "Lil Buck" Sinegal, has died at the age of 75, Monday, June 10, 2019.  The Lafayette, Louisiana-born guitarist recorded with Lil Bob, and Rockin' Dopsie, to name a few, and he was a member of the late Clifton Chenier's Band.

From RollingStone:  Rock musician and songwriter, Roky Erickson, died at the age of 71, Friday, May 31, 2019.  Erickson was a pioneer of psychedelic rock and a cult figure.  He spent several years in a Texas mental institution and battled mental illness for most of his life.  He is best known for his association with the band, "The 13th Floor Elevators."  The 2000s saw a revival of his career and also him gaining control of his health.

Common and John Legend to Perform "Glory" on the 57th Annual Grammy Awards

Miranda Lambert, Sam Smith, Usher, and Pharrell Williams to Perform on the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards®

Common and John Legend Will Perform the Award-Winning Song "Glory" from the Film Selma

Watch What Happens On Music's Biggest Night®, Live On CBS, Feb. 8, 2015

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The latest performers for the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards® telecast were announced today: GRAMMY® winners Common and John Legend, who will perform "Glory" from the film Selma; country singer/songwriter Miranda Lambert; eight-time GRAMMY winner Usher; and two of this year's leading nominees, Sam Smith and Pharrell Williams, who are tied with six nominations each. They join previously announced performers AC/DC, Eric Church, Ariana Grande, Madonna, and Ed Sheeran. Taking place at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Music's Biggest Night will be broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

Two-time GRAMMY winner Common is up for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Blak Majik" Featuring Jhené Aiko and Best Rap Album for Nobody's Smiling.

GRAMMY winner Miranda Lambert has four nominations: Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song for "Automatic," Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "Somethin' Bad" with Carrie Underwood, and Best Country Album for Platinum.

Nine-time GRAMMY winner John Legend has two nominations: Best Pop Solo Performance for "All Of Me" (Live) and Best Rap Song for "Bound 2."

Making his GRAMMY stage debut will be Sam Smith, one of this year's top nominees, who is up for Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance for "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)"; Album Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for In The Lonely Hour; and Best New Artist.

Also performing is seven-time GRAMMY winner and fellow top nominee Pharrell Williams. Williams holds six nominations: Album Of The Year for his own Girl, and as producer on Beyoncé's Beyoncé, and Ed Sheeran's X; Best Pop Solo Performance for "Happy (Live)"; Best Music Video for "Happy"; and Best Urban Contemporary Album for Girl.

GRAMMY winner Usher is up for four awards this year: Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for "New Flame" (with Chris Brown & Rick Ross); and Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for "Good Kisser."

The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich is executive producer, Louis J. Horvitz is director, and David Wild and Ken Ehrlich are the writers.

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGRAMMYs on Twitter, like "The GRAMMYs" on Facebook, and join The GRAMMYs' social communities on Google+, Instagram, Tumblr and YouTube.

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LL Cool J to Host the 57th Annual Grammy Awards

Two-Time GRAMMY® Winner LL COOL J Returns to Host the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards®

Watch What Happens on Music's Biggest Night®, Live on CBS, Feb. 8, 2015

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Entertainment icon and two-time GRAMMY® winner LL COOL J is set to return as host of the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards® marking his fourth consecutive year as MC. Over the years, the dynamic host has presided over 10 GRAMMY shows, tributes, and specials, and served as a producer for "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music's Biggest Night®" and "A Very GRAMMY Christmas" holiday special.

    “As both a GRAMMY-winning recording artist and an accomplished actor, LL COOL J's wide range of talent, dynamic personality, and charismatic energy make him the perfect choice to host the GRAMMY Awards”

"As both a GRAMMY-winning recording artist and an accomplished actor, LL COOL J's wide range of talent, dynamic personality, and charismatic energy make him the perfect choice to host the GRAMMY Awards," said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. "His unique expertise allows him to set the right tone for the show and connect with everyone — from his musical peers to fans at home. We are honored to have him back."

"I'm thrilled to again be part of Music's Biggest Night," said LL COOL J. "The performances and moments you see on the GRAMMY stage are nothing less than amazing throughout the years and this year's show is shaping up to be one you will never forget."

The lineup for the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards currently includes previously announced performers AC/DC, Eric Church, Common, Ariana Grande, Miranda Lambert, John Legend, Madonna, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Usher, and Pharrell Williams. The eclectic lineup sets the stage for what's sure to be an incredible night for music. Additional performers and presenters will be announced shortly. Taking place at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Music's Biggest Night will be broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich is executive producer, Louis J. Horvitz is director, and David Wild and Ken Ehrlich are the writers.


About The Recording Academy®
Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGRAMMYs on Twitter, like "The GRAMMYs" on Facebook, and join The GRAMMYs' social communities on Google+, Instagram, Tumblr and YouTube.

About LL COOL J:
LL COOL J is an entertainment icon who has found great success crossing into multiple mediums. A two-time GRAMMY winner, recording artist, talented actor, author, NAACP Image Award winner, entrepreneur and philanthropist, LL continues to display his wide range of talents with every project. First introduced to the world in 1984 as a Def Jam Records flagship artist, LL is the first rap artist to amass 10 consecutive platinum-plus selling albums. The multi-platinum artist and two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee is currently tied for third place for most Billboard chart debuts by a rapper. As an actor, LL COOL J has successfully transitioned to one of the consistently highest rated shows on television. He currently stars in the CBS hit primetime drama series, "NCIS: LOS ANGELES," and his performance on the show garnered him a NAACP Image Award four years in a row for his role as Special Agent Sam Hanna. Continuing his musical expedition three decades after he first released music, LL most recently released his critically acclaimed album Authentic, which scored him his 13th Top 10 Album on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Chart.

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69th Golden Globe Award Winners - Complete List

The 69th Golden Globes Awards were given out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association on Sunday, Jan. 15th 2012 in a ceremony broadcast live on NBC.

2012 Golden Globe Awards Winners (For the year ended December 31, 2011):

FILM

BEST DRAMA PICTURE
"The Descendants"

BEST COMEDY/MUSICAL PICTURE
"The Artist"

BEST DIRECTOR
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"

BEST DRAMA ACTOR
George Clooney, "The Descendants"

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"

BEST COMEDY/MUSICAL ACTOR
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"

BEST COMEDY/MUSICAL ACTRESS
Michelle Williams, "My Week with Marilyn"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Chrisopher Plummer, "Beginners"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

BEST SCREENPLAY
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"

BEST ANIMATED PICTURE
"The Adventures of Tintin"

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE PICTURE
"A Separation"

BEST SCORE
Ludovic Bource, "The Artist"

BEST SONG
"Masterpiece" ("W.E.")
Music and Lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost, Jim Harry

TELEVISION

BEST DRAMA SERIES
"Homeland"

BEST DRAMA ACTOR
Kelsey Grammer, "Boss"

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Claire Danes, "Homeland

BEST COMEDY SERIES
"Modern Family"

BEST COMEDY ACTOR
Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes"

BEST COMEDY ACTRESS
Laura Dern, "Enlightened"

BEST MOVIE/MINISERIES
"Downton Abbey"

BEST MOVIE/MINI ACTRESS
Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce"

BEST MOVIE/MINI ACTOR
Idris Elba, "Luther"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"

Cecil B. DeMille Award: Morgan Freeman

"Die Another Day" Mixes Bond Tradition with Loud Action

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 35 (of 2002) by Leroy Douresseaux


Die Another Day (2002)
Running time: 133 minutes (2 hours, 9 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for action violence and sexuality
DIRECTOR: Lee Tamahori
WRITERS: Neal Purvis and Robert Wade
PRODUCERS: Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: David Tattersall (director of photography)
EDITORS: Andrew MacRitchie and Christian Wagner
SONG: “Die Another Day” by Madonna-music/lyrics and Mirwais Ahmadzaï-music
Golden Globe nominee

ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLER

Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike, Rick Yune, Judi Dench, John Cleese, Michael Madsen, Will Yun Lee, Kenneth Tsang, Samantha Bond, and Madonna (no screen credit)

Die Another Day, Pierce Brosnan’s fourth outing as James Bond, Agent 007, is the twentieth film version of Ian Fleming’s classic secret agent/super spy, and many think that the venerable character is showing his age and signs of wear. The issue is merely one of competition. Over the years stunt coordination and computer technology advanced so much that Bond’s low-fi action looked dated next to bigger and louder explosions of other action heroes, secret agents, and troubleshooters.

By the late Eighties, pumped up action thrillers had run Bond out of town; The Living Daylights and License to Kill were not hits and Bond needed a makeover. Post James Cameron’s True Lies, Brosnan became Bond and his first outing, Goldeneye, exploded out of the gate. It wasn’t very good, being more action movie cum video game than secret agent/spy thriller. Maybe the concept is dated and the character a bit long in the tooth, but the producers can still find away to make an exciting action hit.

Die Another Day is high-octane action movie, and it is better than The World is Not Enough and almost as good as Tomorrow Never Dies, the third and second Brosnan Bond films respectively.

The first half is closer in tone to the old Bond. North Korea captures and tortures Bond for 14 months. After his captors work a deal to free him, his masters at M6 cut him loose because they believe the North Koreans broke him during interrogation. Separated from his future tech arsenal and his agency, Bond has to rely on his wits, his smarts, and his experience. The viewer gets to see just how good Bond is and how dangerous a rogue he can be even without an agency to back him. Brosnan was always convincing as Bond. He could be the suave lover and charming chameleon that he needs to be in order to get into places and into people’s heads. Brosnan could also instantly become the ruthless killing machine that is the mark of an agent with a double “O” license.

Bond also meets a mysterious American, Jinx, played to full sexual tilt by Academy Award winner Halle Berry (Monster’s Ball). Together they pursue the pompous Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens), a wealthy jetsetter with the usual world beating schemes. Graves is actually a very good and charming villain, and he has a dangerous sidekick, Zao (Rick Yune).

Much of the second half of the film is borderline, pure sci-fi, but in the hands of Lee Tamahori (Along Came a Spider), the action is intense and has the wall-to-wall ferocity of anime (Japanese animated films) and mania of a comic book. The script by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, the screenwriters of The World is Not Enough, is well written and does a good job straddling two film genres – espionage and action. Though the movie runs a bit long, the thrills of the second half are well choreographed and relentless.

Die Another Day has some excellent small parts: John Cleese, in his best outing as Q, Judi Dench as the dour M, and Michael Madsen, always a welcome sight as a tough guy, who should have had a bigger part.

The movie is part secret agent thriller and part loud cartoon. I would like to see more of the former, but, on the whole, it is a very entertaining film and a near perfect film for people who just love loud action movies.

7 of 10
B+

NOTES:
2003 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Madonna-music/lyrics and Mirwais Ahmadzaï-music for the song "Die Another Day")
2003 Black Reel Awards: 1 nomination: “Theatrical - Best Supporting Actress” (Halle Berry)