Negromancer News Bits and Bites from Oct 6th to 12th, 2024 - UPDATE #11

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  Writer-director Chris Sanders confirms that DreamWorks Animation is developing a sequel to his current hit animated feature, "The Wild Robot."

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Netflix will not give a third season to "Unstable," the comedy series starring and co-created by Rob Lowe and his son, John Owen Lowe.

From Deadline:  Netflix is developing a TV series based on Jane Austen's beloved 1813 novel, "Pride and Prejudice," which has been previously adapted for film and television many, many, many times.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Three characters from "The Big Bang Theory" may lead a spinoff series for Max.  The series, which is still in early development, would feature comic book store owner, Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman), geologist Bert Kibbler (Brian Posehn), and Stuart's girlfriend, Denise (Lauren Lapkus).

MOVIES - From THR:  Christopher Nolan's next project after his Oscar-winning "Oppenheimer" will also find its home at Universal Pictures.  Matt Damon is in talks to star in the film.  The title and subject matter of the 2026 film remain unannounced.

AMAZON - From Deadline:  Although its third season does not arrive until 2025, Amazaon's "Jack Reacher" has been approved for a Season Four.

From Variety:  "Jack Reacher" star, Alan Ritchson, to star in the film adaptation of "Counting Miracles," from bestselling author, Nicholas Sparks.

SCANDAL - From RNS:  The preeminent sex pests of the late Rev. Jerry Faldwell's empire, his son, Jerry, Jr., and Junior's wife, Beckie, are back in the good graces of the empire.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  In November (2024), Poland’s "Camerimage Film Festival" will host what it has described as a tribute debut screening of the Alex Baldwin Western film, "Rust," to honor the late Ukrainian cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.  Hutchins was killed in an accidental shooting on the set of "Rust," where she was the cinematographer. Some in the Director of Photography / cinematography community find the idea of screening the film in Hutchins' honor distasteful.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 10/4 to 10/6/24 weekend box office is Warner's Bros. Pictures' "Joker: Folie a Deux" with an estimated take of 40 million dollars.

MOVIES - From JoBlo:  Katy O'Brian ("Love Lies Bleeding," "Twisters") is supposedly joining Glen Powell in the remake of the 1987's "The Running Man," which will be co-written and directed by Edgar Wright.

POLITICS - From RollingStone:  Grammy-winning recording artist, Bruce Springsteen, endorses the VP Kamala Harris-Gov Tim Walz ticket for President of the United States.

Review: "DEADPOOL 2" is Funnier and Friendlier Than the Original

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 33 of 2024 (No. 1977) by Leroy Douresseaux

Deadpool 2 (2018)

Running time:  119 minutes (1 hour, 59 minutes)

MPAA – R for strong violence and language throughout, sexual references and brief drug material

DIRECTOR:  David Leitch

WRITERS:  Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick and Ryan Reynolds (based on Marvel Comics characters)

PRODUCERS:  Ryan Reynolds, Simon Kinberg, and Lauren Shuler Donner

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Jonathan Sela (D.o.P.)

EDITORS:  Craig Alpert, Elisabet Ronaldsdottir, and Dirk Westervelt

COMPOSER:  Tyler Bates

SUPERHERO/COMEDY/ACTION

Starring:  Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Julian Dennison, Morena Baccarin, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Karan Soni, Brianna Hildebrand, Leslie Uggams, Eddie Marsan, Shioli Kutsuna, Jack Kesy, Michasha Armstrong, and Stefan Kapicic (voice) with Rob Delaney, Lewis Tan, Bill Skarsgard, Terry Crews, Brad Pitt, Alan Tudyk, Matt Damon, Nicholas Hoult, James McAvoy, Evan Peters, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Robert Wellman

Deadpool 2 is a 2018 American superhero film and action-comedy from director David Leitch.  It is a spin-off film in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men film series and is the eleventh film overall in the series.  It is a direct sequel to Deadpool (2016) and is also the second entry in the Deadpool movie franchise.  The film is based on the Marvel Comics character, Deadpool, that was created by artist Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza, and first appeared in New Mutants #98 (cover dated: December 1990).  Deadpool 2 finds the wisecracking Deadpool trying to protect a fiery young mutant from a time-traveling cyborg.

Deadpool 2 finds Wade Wilson/Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), the smart-mouthed mutant mercenary, doing what he likes to do – brutally slaughter bad guys.  However, his violent activities catch up with him at home, and tragedy befalls his beloved Vanessa Carlysle (Morena Baccarin).  Deep in grief and depression, Deadpool tries to kill himself, but is rescued by Colossus (voice of Stefan Kapicic), the giant mutant who has a body of organic steel.  Colossus still wants Deadpool to changes his ways and also wants him to join the X-Men – as a trainee.

On his first mission as a trainee, Deadpool and the X-Men, which includes Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) and her girlfriend, Yukio (Shioli Kutsuna), travel to the “Essex House for Mutant Rehabilitation.”  There, they find one angry teenager, Russell Collins (Julian Dennison), in crisis.  He is a young mutant with pyrokinetic power, and he has given himself the unfortunate code name of “Fire Fist.”  Deadpool's attempt to save the young man has disastrous results, and now, Deadpool has to save Russell from Cable (Josh Brolin), a time-traveling cyborg who has arrived in the present determined to kill the teen.  So Deadpool forms his own X-team, called “X-Force,” with tragically hilarious and hilariously tragic results.

We are nearing the release of the latest Disney/Marvel Studios blockbuster movie, Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).  I decided to watch and review the previous X-Men films:  Deadpool, Logan (2017), and Deadpool 2, that lead up to the new film.

Deadpool is humorous and silly, but it was primarily an action movie with drama and humor.  It heavily leans into brutally strong violence, frequent profane language, and explicit sexual references.  Deadpool 2 also has brutally strong violence, constant profane language, and some explicit sexual references.  However, Deadpool is a comedy, and everything serves the comedy, including the drama, superhero action, and even much of the killing.

As he does for Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds makes Deadpool, a film that could not exist without his schtick.  He is the spine of this film's comedy and is the reason so much of it works when it would be disastrous for other performers.  The supporting cast is good, but not great.  Josh Brolin has his moments as Cable, but the Cable is more of a prop than a persona.  Zazie Beetz creates moments for Domino to shine which otherwise wouldn't be there.  Julian Dennison is mostly convincing as the angry young mutant, Russell Collins, especially in the second half of the film.

I find Deadpool 2 a definite, delightful surprise. I never expected much of it because I really did not care for what I had previously seen.  Now, a full and patient viewing makes me think that Deadpool 2 is an occasion when the sequel surpasses the original.

7 of 10

A-

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

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

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 1st to 6th, 2024 - UPDATE #12

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:  The winner of the July 4th box office is "Despicable Me 4" with an estimated take of 20.4 million dollars.

CELEBRITY - From EW:  Famous actor Kevin Bacon disguised himself as a regular person for a day and discovered that, compared to fame, it sucks.

MOVIES - From THR:  "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" director Matt Molloy said he kept turning down offers from super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer until he said yes to the new "Beverly Hills Cop" film.

FILM FESTIVALS - From Deadline:  Director Tim Burton's new film, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," will open the 81st Venice Film Festival on Aug. 28th. The film is the sequel to his 1988 Oscar-winning hit, "Beetlejuice."

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Sony teases that more information will come about Quentin Tarantino's 10th and alleged final film. Earlier this year, it was announced that Tarantino had scrapped his plans to make a movie called "The Movie Critic."

NETFLIX - From THR:  Netflix has won the rights to "RIP," a thriller from Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's production company.  Directed by Joe Carnahan, the film also stars Damon and Affleck.

JAMES BOND - From WorldofReel:  Edward Berger ("All Quiet on the Western Front") is the latest name to pop up as a potential director to helm the next James Bond film franchise reboot.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Universal moves tentpole musical, "Wicked" to November 22nd where it will open against Paramount Pictures' "Gladiator II."

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  Disney/Pixar's "Inside Out 2" has crossed the 1 billion dollar mark (1.014 billion dollars) at the global box office, which is the fastest ever for an animated film.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  We are approaching the 50th anniversary of the legendary blockbuster film, Jaws (1975). There are two documentaries about the film, dueling for attention, "Jaws: Making a Splash in Hollywood" and "Jaws @ 50."

OBITS:

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

From Deadline:  American screenwriter and director, Robert Towne, has died at the age of 89, Monday, July 1, 2024.  He was best known for his work on the 1975 film, Chinatown," for which he was the "Best Original Screenplay" Oscar.  He was also nominated for Academy Awards for his work on "The Last Detail" (1974), "Shampoo" (1976), and "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan" (1984). He wrote and directed four films, including "Personal Best" (1982) and "Tequila Sunrise" (1988).

From Deadline:  American film editor, producer, and director, Bud S. Smith, has died at the age of 88, Sunday, June 23, 2024.  He edited or co-edited such films as "The Karate Kid" (1984), "To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), "Darkman" (1990), and "The Replacements" (2000).  He shared two Oscar nominations for his editing work on "The Exorcist" (1973) and "Flashdance" (1983).

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 16th to 22nd, 2023 - Update #18

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

CELEBRITY - From THR:  For the first time since his medical emergency, Jamie Foxx speaks publicly, releasing a video on his "Instagram" page.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  FX's "Aliens" television series has begun filming in Thailand, but are filming scenes that don't include SAG-AFTRA actors.

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Antonio Banderas recalls Steven Spielberg's prescient words about CGI on the set of his film, "The Mask of Zorro" (1998). This is the 25th anniversary of the film's release.

MUSIC - From Deadline:  Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter and recording artist, Sheryl Crow, calls out country singer Jason Aldean over his violent and obviously racist song, "Try That in a Small Town."

OPPENHEIMER - From Deadline:  Actor Cillian Murphy talks about his starring role in "Oppenheimer" and about working with Christopher Nolan again.

From Variety:  Matt Damon had told his wife he was taking a break from acting unless director Christopher Nolan called. Then, Nolan called about "Oppenheimer"...

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Paramount+ has unveiled a first look at "Pet Sematary: Bloodlines," a prequel to Stephen King's 1983 novel. "Pet Sematary."

MEDIA - From Deadline:  Lionsgate seems to be in the lead to buy the film and television entertainment company eOne (Entertainment One) from Hasbro.

STREAMING - From Variety:  NBCUniversal's streaming service, "Peacock," has raised its prices for the first time since its launch.

BOX OFFICE - BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 7/14 to 7/16/2023 weekend box office is Paramount Pictures' "Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" with an estimated take of 56.2 million dollars.

From Here:  A review of "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" by Leroy Douresseaux

From Deadline:  Director Christopher McQuarrie considered using the "de-aging" process for Tom Cruise in order to create a young Ethan Hunt, but ultimately chose not to go with it.

OBITS:

From Deadline:   Legendary American singer, Tony Bennett, has died at the age of 96, Friday, July 21, 2023.  He career spanned decades and generations. He made his first recordings in 1949.  He had his first hit in 1951 ("Because of You").  He recorded his first album in 1952 ("Because of You"), which would be one of over 100 albums released.  Younger audiences discovered Bennett in the early 1990s and continue to do so, listening to his catalog of jazz, traditional pop, show tunes, and big band, to name a few of the genres of music in which he has performed. He won 19 Grammy Awards and received the Grammy "Lifetime Achievement Award."

From Deadline:  American actress Josephine Chaplin has died at the age of 74, Thursday, July 13, 2023.  The daughter of legendary filmmaker and actor, Charlie Chaplin, and British actress, Oona O'Neill, Josephine made an appearance as a child actor in her father's Oscar-winning film, "Limelight."  Her other roles include "Canterbury Tales" (1972), "Jack the Ripper," and "A Countess from Hong Kong" (1967), which was also her father's final film.

From Deadline:  Film and television producer and director, Robert Lieberman, has died at the age of 77, Saturday, July 1, 2023. As a film director, his best known work is the science fiction cult classic, "Fire in the Sky" (1993). As a TV director, he helmed numerous series, including multiple episodes of USA Network's "The Dead Zone" and Syfy's "The Expanse."  Lieberman directed over two thousand TV commercials and in 1980, he won the first Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards for "Best Commercial Director," one of two that he won in that category.

WRITERS/ACTORS STRIKE:

From THR:  Production works at Warner Bros. Animation (66) and at Cartoon Network (22) have gone public with their attempt to unionize via The Animation Guild.

From Variety:  Halted film productions due to the writers and actors strikes are costing each Hollywood studio at least 600,000 dollars per week.

From Variety:  Said at a strike meeting: “Without a transformative change in SAG-AFTRA’s current contract with the AMPTP, the acting profession will no longer be an option for future generations of performers, and actors already working in the industry will need to pursue other careers in order to survive.”

From Deadline:  If you are a "social media influencer" who is NOT  a member of SAG-AFTRA, you can be barred from future membership for promoting a film or television series during the actors' strike.

From Variety:  The SAG/AFTRA strike begins in New York and Los Angeles.  Hollywood actors began striking today, Fri., July 14th.

From Deadline:  The site has the video of the powerful strike speech given by SAG-AFTRA president, Fran Drescher, the actress best known for CBS' former sitcom, "The Nanny."

From Deadline:  Concerning the Hollywood writers strike (via the WGA), the Hollywood Studios (as represented by the AMPTP) is to let the writers go broke before resuming talks deep into the Fall.

From Deadline: SAG-AFTRA is already preparing strike picket signs in case the actors' strike begins next week.

From Deadline:  WGA is picketing the New York City filming location of the 12th series of FX's "American Horror Story" (entitled "Delicate") after series co-creator Ryan Murphy threaten litigation against an east coast strike captain.

From THR:  TV super-producer, Ryan Murphy, in a letter from his attorney to the leadership of the Writers Guild of America, threatened litigation against Warren Leight, an East Coast strike captain and Strike Rules Compliance Committee member who has subsequently forfeited those positions.

From Deadline:  The Hollywood studios via the AMPTP has given Canadian actors a new contract, including a 5 percent raise.

From Deadline:  Writers Strike puts the spotlight back on the challenge from writers for animation productions to be covered by the WGA.

From THR:  Studios won't give writers better pay, and now, are laying off janitors.

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.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 1st to 6th, 2021 - Update #14

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

NEWS - From THR:   On Fri., Nov. 5th, a crowd at rapper and record producer, Travis Scott’s "Astroworld Festival" unexpectedly began pushing toward the stage, causing panic and chaos, and leaving eight people dead, authorities said.  The dead range from age 14 to 27.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  "Stranger Things" Season 4 will debut Summer 2022 and will be comprised of 9 episodes.  Netflix has also released the titles for each episode.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Emilio Estevez will not be back for the second season of the Disney+ series, "The Mighty Duck: Game Changers," likely over COVID vaccination rules.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  "Wonder Woman" Gal Gadot will play the "Evil Queen" in Disney's live-action version of it classic animated film, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves."

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Film collective and comedy troupe, "Broken Lizard," has begun production on its next film, "Quasi," a new satirical take on the "Hunchback of Notre Dame" story.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  On "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," Tom Hanks offered a poignant remembrance of his friend, the late actor Peter Scolari, who was also Hank's co-star on the late ABC sitcom, "Bosom Buddies."

CELEBRITY - From THR:  David Chase, creator of HBO's beloved "The Soparnos," gives a wide-ranging interview to "The Hollywood Reporter."  He talks extensively about that show's final episode.

MOVIES - From Variety:   Robert Downey, Jr. and Matt Damon have joined Christopher Nolan's World War II epic, "Oppenheimer," about the development of the atomic bomb.  Cillian Murphy will play J. Robert Oppenheimer.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Director Troy Duffy has reunited with actors Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery for "Boondock Saints III."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   "Burn Notice" star Jeffrey Donovan will lead NBC's "Law & Order" revival, playing an NYPD detective.

ANIMATION - From Variety:  Chris Pratt will provide the voice of famous cartoon feline, "Garfield," in an upcoming animated film from Alcon Entertainment and Sony Pictures.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 10/29 to 10/31/2021 weekend box office is Dune with an estimated take of $15.53 million.

From Deadline:  "Dune" has now crossed the 300 million dollar mark in worldwide box office.

TRAILER - From LiveForFilm:  There is a teaser trailer for the upcoming new "Jeepers Creepers" film, "Jeepers Creepers: Reborn."

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"RUST" ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING DEATH:

From Deadline:  This link will take you to Deadline's Halyna Hutchins page, which articles related to everything about her shooting death on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From THR:   The budget for "Rust" - Alec Baldwin was set to earn $150,000 as lead actor and $100,000 as producer, while $7,913 was earmarked for armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and $17,500 was set aside for the rental of weapons and $5,000 for rounds.

From Deadline:  Attorneys for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the set of the film, "Rust," said that they’re looking into whether a live bullet was placed in a box of dummy rounds with the intent of  “sabotaging the set.”

From THR:   Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the film, "Rust," released a statement through her lawyers.  She says she had “no idea where the live rounds came from” that were recovered by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's during the investigation of the accidental on-set shooting death of Halyna Hutchins.

From Jacobin:  An opinion piece says that cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' death on the set of the film, "Rust," was not a freak accident, but was about Alec Baldwin and his fellow producers' cost-cutting decisions.  Baldwin accidentally fired the gun that killed Hutchins.

From Deadline:   Two of executive producers on "Rust," Allen Cheney and Emily Salveson, disavow responsibility for the film's troubled production.

From THR:   Iconic "Ghostbusters" actor Ernie Hudson is reeling from the news of the death of Halyna Hutchins, like the rest of Hollywood. Hudson also appeared in the film, "The Crow," the film in which its star, Brandon Lee, was killed because of an on-set accidental shooting.  He also agrees with the call to ban real guns from movie sets.

From THR:  The Sheriff of Sante Fe County says that his office has recovered three guns and 500 rounds of ammunition from the set of the movie "Rust" where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed.

From Deadline:  Regarding criminal charges in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust," District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis, "all options are on the table - no one has been ruled out."

From THR:  Does Hollywood Need Guns? Will new regulations lead to an overreactions to a tragedy.

From Deadline:   "Rust" producers have opened an internal investigation into the fatal shooting on the set of the Western film.  They have hired outside lawyers to conduct interviews with the film's production crew.

From Deadline:  "Rust's" AD (assistant director), Dave Halls, has come under scrutiny in the wake of the on-set shooting death of the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The affidavit of Sante Fe Sheriff's Department Detective Joel Cano has been made public. It can be read at "Deadline."  The affidavit was for a search warrant from the property were the Western, "Rust," was being filmed.

From THR:  The production company behind "Rust" has shut the film down until the police investigation into the fatal, on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is through.  The Sante Fe County Sheriff's Office has also revealed a timeline of the shooting.

From Deadline:  The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department confirmed Thursday night that Alec Baldwin “discharged” a prop gun on the New Mexico set of the movie, "Rust."  As a result, one crew member, director of photography Halyna Hutchins, was killed and director Joel Souza was injured and remains in a local hospital - his condition unknown.

From THR:  "Rust" director, Joel Souza, who was wounded in the accidental on-set shooting, says that he is "gutted" by the death of his cinematographer on the film, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The fatal shooting on the set of "Rust" may have been "recorded" according to detective for Santa Fe Sheriff's Department.

From Deadline:  The production company behind the film, "Rust," will launch an internal safety review after the fatal accident that killed Halyna Hutchins; possible prior gun incidents; and a camera crew walkout.

From CNN:   Crew member yelled "cold gun" as he handed Alec Baldwin prop weapon, court document shows.

From Variety:  Actor Alec Baldwin releases statement on the death of Halyna Hutchins: "There are no words to convey my shock and sadness."

From Variety:  The prop gun that killed “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on during an on-set accident on Thursday contained a “live single round,” according to an email sent by IATSE Local 44 to its membership.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 1st to 7th, 2021 - Update #24

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

COMICS TO FILM - From Negromancer:   Here is my review of "The Suicide Squad."

TELEVISION - From YahooAP:   CNN has fired three employees for going to work although they had not received a COVID-19 vaccination.

TELEVISION - From Variety:   Actress Colbie Smolders, who has made numerous appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will play real-life political commentator, Ann Coulter, in FX's "Impeachment: American Crime Story."  She replaces actress Betty Gilpin, who had to withdraw from the project due to scheduling conflicts.  "Impeachment" focuses on the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky.

ANIMATION - SouthPark:   MTV Entertainment Studios inks new and expansive deal with creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone through 2027. South Park TV series extending to season 30 for Comedy Central linear. 14 South Park original made-for-streaming movies exclusively for Paramount+ starting with two films in 2021

SCANDAL - From YahooWashPost:   In Hawaii, a case of mistaken identity so crazy that you have to read it yourself.  The victim spent over two years in jail and also in a mental institution.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Taylor Sheridan has created a prequel to his hit TV series, "Yellowstone."  Entitled "1883," the series will star Sam Elliot, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Apple's "Apple Original Films" is closing in on a big deal to obtain worldwide rights to director Matthew Vaughn's star-studded next film, "Argylle."

MUSIC/SCANDAL - From TheDailyBeast:  This month, specifically Aug. 25th, is the 20th anniversary of the plane crash in the Bahamas that killed singer and actress Aaliyah D. Haughton, simply known as "Aaliyah."  This article talks about a new book, "Baby Girl: Better Known as Aaliyah," that makes the claim that the singer was drugged by one of her entourage and carried onto the plane before it crashed.

From Complex:   There have been hints that Aaliyah's music will be available on all streaming platforms this month (Aug. 2021).  In response, her family issues a statement about unauthorized projects.

COVID - From Stat:  For many people, the belated realization that COVID-19 will be "a long war" sparks anger and denial.

CELEBRITY/COVID-19 - From YahooEntertainment:  Actress Jennifer Aniston says that she has had to cut ties with "a few people" over COVID-19 vaccinations.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Actor Brendan Fraser, best known for Universal's wonderful "The Mummy" franchise, has landed two huge acting gigs.  He has joined Martin Scorsese's highly-anticipated "Killers of the Flower Moon" and also Max Barbakow's comedy, "Brothers."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Nicholas Hoult will star in Universal Pictures' "Renfield," which focuses on Count Dracula's henchman.

MEDIA - From Deadline:  Meet "DirecTV Stream," the new entity born as a result of AT&T spinning off DirecTV.

CELEBRITY - From CNN:   Emmy winning television personality and comedian, Kathy Griffin, has announced that she has lung cancer and will have surgery.

STREAMING - From Variety:   Amazon has released an image from and a release date (Sept. 2, 2022) for its series, "The Lord of the Rings."

BUSINESS - From WSJ:  Reese Witherspoon’s media business, Hello Sunshine, is selling itself to a firm backed by private-equity giant Blackstone Group Inc., reportedly for 900 million dollars.

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 7/30 to 8/1/2021 weekend box office is Disney's "Jungle Cruise" with an estimated take of 34.2 million dollars.

From Deadline:   New Line Cinema's "The Conjuring" franchise, which is currently comprised of seven movies, has crossed the two-million dollar mark in worldwide box office.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Alex Kurtzman, the architect behind CBS Studios' "Star Trek" universe, has signed an overall mega-deal with CBS Studios.  The deal is reportedly worth 150 million dollars, which would put Kurtzman among the top writer-producers in TV.

MUSIC/POLITICS/BLM - From YahooRollingStone:   Willie Nelson returned to the stage Saturday (July 31st) to take part in the Poor People’s Campaign march for voting rights outside the Texas Capitol in Austin.

MOVIES - From TimesUK:   From "The Sunday Times" comes this article:  "Is Matt Damon the Last of Hollywood's Leading Men."  The actor says, “Movies as we know them aren’t going to be a thing in our kids’ lives.” “And that makes me sad.”

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Veteran movie car coordinator Dennis McCarthy breaks down the back stories behind two of the biggest vehicular stars of "F9" as Yahoo Entertainment presents exclusive 3D augmented-reality renderings of the film’s "Dodge Charger Wide Body" and "Dodge Charger Hellcat" — two of the nine Chargers McCarthy and his 12-person team built for the film — which you can virtually place in your family room.

BLACK FILM - From TheGuardian:   Melvin Van Peebles and Perry Henzell made seminal 70s films – now their kids have recovered their fathers’ would-be classics.

OBITS:

From Deadline:   Songwriter and musician, Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, has died at the age of 70, Saturday, August 7, 2021.  Thomas an alto saxophone player was one of the founding members of the American R&B, soul, funk, disco, jazz, and pop band, "Kool and the Gang," and he had been with the band since its inception in 1964 until his death.

From YahooSports:  Former Major League Baseball pitcher, J.R. Richard, has died at the age of 71, Wednesday, August 4, 2021.  A Houston Astros legend, Richard was one of the most feared pitchers of the 1970s.  Richard had a stroke in July 1980 that effectively ended his career.

"Moonlight" Wins "Best Picture of 2016" Oscar

Best Picture

Nominees
Arrival - Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Aaron Ryder and David Linde, Producers

Fences - Scott Rudin, Denzel Washington and Todd Black, Producers

Hacksaw Ridge - Bill Mechanic and David Permut, Producers

Hell or High Water - Carla Hacken and Julie Yorn, Producers

Hidden Figures - Donna Gigliotti, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Pharrell Williams and Theodore Melfi, Producers

La La Land - Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz and Marc Platt, Producers

Lion - Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Angie Fielder, Producers

Manchester by the Sea - Matt Damon, Kimberly Steward, Chris Moore, Lauren Beck and Kevin J. Walsh, Producers

Moonlight - Adele Romanski, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers - WINNER

2016 British Independent Film Award Nominations Announced

In 1998, Raindance created the British Independent Film Awards to celebrate merit and achievement in independently funded British filmmaking.  The awards also honor new talent and promote British films and filmmaking to a wider public.

On Tuesday, November 1, 2016, the nominations for the 2015/19th Moët British Independent Film Awards were announced in London.  The winners will be announced at The Moët British Independent Film Awards on Sunday, December 4, 2016 at Old Billingsgate. The event, hosted by Jennifer Saunders, will be live streamed on www.bifa.film.

The 2016 / 19th Moët British Independent Film Awards nominations:

BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
AMERICAN HONEY Andrea Arnold, Lars Knudsen, Jay Van Hoy, Pouya Shahbazian, Alice Weinberg, Thomas Benski, Lucas Ochoa
COUPLE IN A HOLE Tom Geens, Zorana Piggott
I, DANIEL BLAKE Ken Loach, Paul Laverty, Rebecca O’Brien
NOTES ON BLINDNESS Peter Middleton, James Spinney, Mike Brett, Jo-Jo Ellison, Steve Jamison, Alex Usborne
UNDER THE SHADOW Babak Anvari, Emily Leo, Oliver Roskill, Lucan Toh

INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM
HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE Taika Waititi, Carthew Neal, Matt Noonan, Leanne Saunders
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Kenneth Lonergan, Kimberly Steward, Matt Damon, Chris Moore, Lauren Beck, Kevin J. Walsh
MOONLIGHT Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner
MUSTANG Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Alice Winocour, Charles Gillibert
TONI ERDMANN Maren Ade, Janine Jackowski, Jonas Dornbach, Michel Merkt

DIRECTOR
ANDREA ARNOLD American Honey
BABAK ANVARI Under the Shadow
BEN WHEATLEY Free Fire
KEN LOACH I, Daniel Blake
PETER MIDDLETON, JAMES SPINNEY, Notes on Blindness

SCREENPLAY
ANDREA ARNOLD American Honey
BABAK ANVARI Under the Shadow
BILLY O’BRIEN, CHRISTOPHER HYDE I Am Not a Serial Killer
PAUL LAVERTY I, Daniel Blake
RACHEL TUNNARD Adult Life Skills

ACTRESS
HAYLEY SQUIRES I, Daniel Blake
JODIE WHITTAKER Adult Life Skills
KATE DICKIE Couple in a Hole
NARGES RASHIDI Under the Shadow
SASHA LANE American Honey

ACTOR
DAVE JOHNS I, Daniel Blake
MAX RECORDS I Am Not a Serial Killer
MICHAEL FASSBENDER Trespass Against Us
SHIA LABEOUF American Honey
STEVE BRANDON My Feral Heart

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
AVIN MANSHADI Under the Shadow
GEMMA ARTERTON The Girl With All the Gifts
NAOMIE HARRIS Our Kind of Traitor
SHANA SWASH My Feral Heart
TERRY PHETO A United Kingdom

SUPPORTING ACTOR
ARINZÉ KENE The Pass
BRETT GOLDSTEIN Adult Life Skills
CHRISTOPHER LLOYD I Am Not a Serial Killer
JAMIE DORNAN Anthropoid
SEAN HARRIS Trespass Against Us

DOCUMENTARY
THE CONFESSION: LIVING THE WAR ON TERROR Ashish Ghadiali, James Rogan
DANCER Steven Cantor, Gabrielle Tana
THE HARD STOP George Amponsah, Dionne Walker
NOTES ON BLINDNESS Peter Middleton, James Spinney, Mike Brett, Jo-Jo Ellison, Steve Jamison, Alex Usborne
VERSUS: THE LIFE AND FILMS OF KEN LOACH Louise Osmond, Rebecca O’Brien

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CRAFT
JOAKIM SUNDSTRÖM Sound – Notes on Blindness
PAUL MONAGHAN, MAT WHITECROSS Editing – Supersonic
ROBBIE RYAN Cinematography – American Honey
SEB BARKER Visual Effects – The Girl With All the Gifts
SHAHEEN BAIG Casting – Free Fire

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD (DEBUT DIRECTOR)
ADAM SMITH Trespass Against Us
ALICE LOWE Prevenge
BABAK ANVARI Under the Shadow
PETER MIDDLETON, JAMES SPINNEY Notes on Blindness
RACHEL TUNNARD Adult Life Skills

DEBUT SCREENWRITER
ED TALFAN The Passing (Yr Ymadawiad)
HOPE DICKSON LEACH The Levelling
JOHN CAIRNS, MICHAEL McCARTNEY A Patch of Fog
RACHEL TUNNARD Adult Life Skills
SIMON FARNABY, JULIAN BARRATT Mindhorn

BREAKTHROUGH PRODUCER
CAMILLE GATIN The Girl With All the Gifts
DIONNE WALKER The Hard Stop
MICHAEL BERLINER Adult Life Skills
MIKE BRETT, JO-JO ELLISON, STEVE JAMISON Notes on Blindness
PAUL FEGAN Where You’re Meant to Be

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER
DAVE JOHNS I, Daniel Blake
HAYLEY SQUIRES I, Daniel Blake
LETITIA WRIGHT Urban Hymn
SENNIA NANUA The Girl With All the Gifts
STEVE BRANDON My Feral Heart

THE DISCOVERY AWARD
BLACK MOUNTAIN POETS Jamie Adams, Jon Rennie
THE DARKEST UNIVERSE Tom Kingsley, Will Sharpe, Tiani Ghosh, Jo-Jo Ellison
THE GHOUL Gareth Tunley, Jack Healy Guttmann, Tom Meeten
GOZO Miranda Bowen, Leo Scott
THE GREASY STRANGLER Jim Hosking, Toby Harvard, Daniel Noah, Andrew Starke, Ant Timpson, Josh C Waller, Elijah Wood

BRITISH SHORT
JACKED Rene Pannevis, Ashish Ghadiali, Jennifer Eriksson
MOTHER Leo Leigh, Scott O’Donnell
OVER Jörn Threlfall, Jeremy Bannister
RATE ME Fyzal Boulifa, Taina Galis
THE WRONG END OF THE STICK Terri Matthews, Chris Cornwell, Sam Bank

The BIFA Variety Award:
Naomie Harris
(The Variety Award recognises a director, actor, writer or producer who has made a global impact and helped to focus the international spotlight on the UK.)

The Richard Harris Award:
Alison Steadman
(The Richard Harris Award was introduced in 2002 in honour of Richard Harris and recognises outstanding contribution to British film by an actor.)

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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 1st to 6th, 2016 - Update #40

Support Leroy on Patreon.

POLITICS - From Time:  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says that Donald Trump's treatment of the Khans should be a wake-up call.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From Mashable:  Brie Larson, who will portray Marvel's "Captain Marvel" embraces her inner fangirl.

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COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies:  "Suicide Squad" has a cool mid-credits scene [SPOILERS!]

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MOVIES - From SlashFilm:  Anthony Mackie is joining Kathryn Bigelow's untitled 1967 Detroit Riots film.  This is reunion for Mackie who appeared in Bigelow's Oscar-winning, "The Hurt Locker."

---------
SPORTS - From YahooNews:  NFL running back found that his family and friends went through $1.6 million of his money in 10 months.

----------
BARACK OBAMA - From NYDailyNews:  Happy Birthday, President! Someone punched George Zimmerman after he started bragging about killing Trayon Martin in a Florida restaurant.

From CBSNews:  Happy Birthday, again! Dylann Roof, who killed nine African-American parishioners at a South Carolina church, got his ass beat in a jail shower.

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COMICS-FILM - From ScreenRant:  Paul Dini, the man who co-created "Harley Quinn" (with Bruce Timm) for the the 1992 "Batman" animated series, likes what Margot Robbie does with the character in the film, "Suicide Squad."

From Moviefone:  Fans angry over the bad reviews that "Suicide Squad" has received.

From IdahoStatesman:  "Rotten Tomatoes" getting the brunt of the fan anger over bad reviews for "Suicide Squad."

From THR:  And man... "Suicide Squad" had a troubled production.

From YahooNews:  "Suicide Squad" set to break August box office records... with a catch.

---------------
OBITS - From TheWrap:  The actor David Huddleston has died at the age of 85, Tuesday, August 2, 2016.  He was Jeffrey Lebowski a.k.a. "the Big Lebowski" in the Joel and Ethan Coen's 1998 cult film, "The Big Lebowski."

----------
COMICS - From CBR:  African-American writer Christopher Priest is returning to comics (on DC Comics' "Deathstroke") precisely because he is not being asked to write a Black character.

----------
MOVIES - From Showbiz411:  Martin Scorsese says that his film "Silence" will be ready for Oscar contention.

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STAR WARS - From EntertainmentWeekly:  Daisy Ridley quits Instagram because of the furor over her anti-violonece post.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Will Poulter is among the cast members added to Kathryn Bigelow's film about the 1967 Detroit Riots.

---------------
COMICS-FILMS - From EntertainmentWeekly:  Hot star Mike Birbiglia wonders why the MPAA rated his acclaimed film, "Don't Think Twice," "R" and rated the violent "Suicide Squad" "PG-13."
 
----------
COMICS-FILMS - From EntertainmentWeekly:  As a kid, Viola Davis wanted to be Wonder Woman in order to beat those who bullied her.

----------
PRINCE - From YahooMusic:  "Weird Al" Yankovic talks about how Prince turned him down four times concerning Al doing parodies of Prince's songs.  Meanwhile, Michael Jackson was very supportive of Al.

From Billboard:  The time Matt Damon met Prince.

----------
STAR TREK - From YahooNews:  The parents of "Star Trek" Alton Yelchin have sued the makers of the Jeep Grand Cherokee.  The 27-year-old actor was killed by his Cherokee back in June.

---------------
OBITS - From Deadline:  The screenwriter Eric Bergren died at the age of 62 on July 14, 2016.  He was an Oscar nominee for co-writing "The Elephant Man" (1980).

----------
BLACK LIVES MATTER - From YahooNews:  BLM releases first policy platform.

----------
TELEVISION - From ScreenRant:  Rapper 50 Cent (a.k.a. Curtis Jackson) has created a new superhero drama, "Tomorrow, Today" for Starz.  Fitty is one of the people behind Starz hit drama, "Power."

----------
STAR TREK - From ScreenRant:  "Star Trek: Discovery" may be set before the original "Star Trek," but we'll know sometime Wed., August 10th.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Benedict Cumberbatch to star in and produce a film adaptation of the classic British novel, "Rogue Male," by Geoffrey Household.

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MOVIES - From ScreenDaily:  Terry Gilliam begins production on "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" with Adam Driver (Kylo Ren in "Star Wars: The Force Awaken") as the star.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Disney want to remake Ron Howard 1980s film, "Splash," with Channing Tatum and Jillian Bell taking the roles of the original film's star, Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah.

----------
OBIT - From TheWrap:  The actress Gloria DeHaven has died at the age of 91, Saturday, July 30, 2016.  She was the star of MGM musicals of the 1940s and 50s like "Summer Holiday" and "Summer Stock."

----------
AWARDS - From TheWrap:  A complete list of winners at the 2016 Teen Choice Awards.

----------
COMICS-FILM -  From CinemaBlend:  Will Scarlett Witch be in "Spider-Man: Homecoming?"

----------
COMICS-FILMS -  From ScreenRant:  Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely updates their work on the screenplays for the third and fourth Avengers movies.

----------
TELEVISION - From YahooCelebrity:  Shannen Doherty, famous for her role on 90s soap, "Beverly Hill, 90210," that her break cancer, which she has been fighting since February 2015, has spread.  We send her our prayers.

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POLITICS - From YahooNews:  Donald Trump is still at it with Khizr and Ghazala Kahn, the couple who appeared at this past week's 2016 DNC, where Khizr spoke and castigated Trump.  The Kahns' son, Humayun, was an Army captain and a Muslim who was killed in Iraq in 2004.  Now other "Gold Star families" (meaning they have lost a child, sibling, or spouse in the recent wars) want Trump to apologize to the Khans.

From YahooNews:  Former Republican presidential nominee and current Senator John McCain (Arizona) rebukes Trump over his escalating a feud with the Kahns.  Sen. McCain is also a former prisoner of war (POW) in Vietnam.

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CULTURE - From YahooCelebrity:  Justin Timberlake gives heartfelt speech at 2016 Teen Choice Awards.

----------
SPORTS - From Deadspin:  Not Safe for Work - NBA baller, Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors, sends out a picture of his penis on snap chat.

----------
POLITICS - From NYPost:  Not Safe for Work - Racy, partial nude photos of Donald Trump's wife, Melania Trump, are released.

TRAILERS:

From WeGotThisCovered:  The new TV spot for Marvel's "Doctor Strange."

From YouTube:  Grammy nominee Andra Day's video for the song, "The Only Way Out," from the film, "Ben-Hur."

From YouTube:  Behind the scenes video starring Andra Day about the song, "The Only Way Out."

From Variety:  The first teaser trailer for Chris Nolan's WWII action-thriller, "Dunkirk."  The film is due July 21, 2017.

Houston Film Critics Named "Spotlight" Best Picture of 2015- Complete List of Winners

Houston Film Critics Society is a not-for-profit, unincorporated voluntary organizaton of print, broadcast, and internet film critics based in the Greater Houston metropolitan area that meet its membership criteria.  According its website, the group was founded in 2007 by Nick Nicholson and Danny Minton and helps to organize and coordinate the local area film critics community.

The nominees for the 9th annual Houston Film Critics Society Awards were announced, December 13, 2015.  The winners were announced January 9, 2016.

2015 / 9th Houston Film Critics Society winners:

Best Picture:  Spotlight

Best Director:  Alejandro G. Iñárritu for The Revenant

Best Actor:  Michael Fassbender for Steve Jobs

Best Actress:  Brie Larson for Room

Best Supporting Actor:  Tom Hardy for The Revenant

Best Supporting Actress:  Rooney Mara for Carol

Best Screenplay:  Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer for Spotlight

Best Animated Film:  Inside Out (Pete Doctor, director)

Best  Cinematography:  Emmanuel Lubezki for The Revenant

Best Documentary:  Amy (Asif Kapadia, director)

Best Foreign Film:  Son of Saul (Hungary; László Nemes, director)

Best Score:  Ennio Moriccone for The Hateful Eight

Best Song:  Brian Wilson for "Love and Mercy" from Love & Mercy

Texas Independent Film Award:  Mark Craig for The Last Man on the Moon

Technical:  Guy Norris for Mad Max: Fury Road

Worst Movie:  Pixels                      

Lifetime Achievement:  Dennis Quaid

Humanitarian of the Year:  Matt Damon

Outstanding Cinematic Contribution:  Joe Leydon

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

2016 Golden Globe Award Winners - Complete List

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

The 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards winners were announced on Sunday, January 10, 2016.  The 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards were hosted by Ricky Gervais.  The ceremony aired on NBC, from 8:00 (EST) and 5:00 (PST).  Denzel Washington was presented with the Cecil B. DeMille Award.

2016 / 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards winners:

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

• THE REVENANT -Regency Enterprises; Twentieth Century Fox

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

• BRIE LARSON, ROOM

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

• LEONARDO DICAPRIO, THE REVENANT

BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

• THE MARTIAN - Twentieth Century Fox; Twentieth Century Fox

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

• JENNIFER LAWRENCE, JOY

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

• MATT DAMON, THE MARTIAN

BEST MOTION PICTURE – ANIMATED

• INSIDE OUT - Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

BEST MOTION PICTURE – FOREIGN LANGUAGE

• SON OF SAUL (HUNGARY) - Laokoon Filmgroup; Sony Pictures Classics

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE

• KATE WINSLET, STEVE JOBS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE

• SYLVESTER STALLONE, CREED

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

• ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ IÑÁRRITU, THE REVENANT

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

• AARON SORKIN, STEVE JOBS

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

• ENNIO MORRICONE, THE HATEFUL EIGHT

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

• “WRITING’S ON THE WALL” — SPECTRE: Music by: Sam Smith, Jimmy Napes; Lyrics by: Sam Smith, Jimmy Napes

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

• MR. ROBOT (USA NETWORK) - Universal Cable Productions

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

• TARAJI P. HENSON, EMPIRE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

• JON HAMM, MAD MEN

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

• MOZART IN THE JUNGLE (AMAZON VIDEO)- Amazon Studios

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

• RACHEL BLOOM, CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

• GAEL GARCÍA BERNAL, MOZART IN THE JUNGLE

BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• WOLF HALL PBS - A Playground Entertainment and Company Pictures production for BBC and MASTERPIECE in association with BBC Worldwide, Atlus Media and Prescience

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• LADY GAGA, AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• OSCAR ISAAC, SHOW ME A HERO

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• MAURA TIERNEY, THE AFFAIR

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• CHRISTIAN SLATER, MR. ROBOT

Cecil B. DeMille Award:  Denzel Washington

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

National Board of Review Names "Mad Max: Fury Road" Best Film of 2015

The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, which is made up of film enthusiasts, academics, students, and filmmakers, historically launches the movie awards season.

NBR President Annie Schulhof said, “2015 has been a banner year for popular cinema. We are thrilled to be awarding George Miller and Ridley Scott, two iconic filmmakers at the top of their game, while also celebrating the next generation of talent.”

The 2015 William K Everson Film History Award recipient is Cecilia De Mille Presley, the granddaughter of legendary director, Cecil B. DeMille. As Vice Chair of the National Film Preservation Foundation, she has devoted her life to film preservation. In honor of her grandfather’s legacy she has co-authored the book Cecil B. DeMille: The Art of the Hollywood Epic.

For 106 years, the National Board of Review has dedicated its efforts to the support of domestic and foreign cinema as both art and entertainment. This year, over 250 films (studio, independent, foreign-language, animated, and documentary) were viewed by this select group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics, and students. These screenings were frequently followed by in-depth discussions with directors, actors, producers, and screenwriters. Voting ballots were tabulated by the accounting firm of Lutz and Carr, LLP.

The National Board of Review honors diverse members of the film community at their annual Awards Gala, which also acts as a fundraiser for student grant philanthropy. Hosted by Willie Geist, this year’s gala will take place on January 5, 2016 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.  The 2015 National Board of Review of Motion Picture awards were announced Tuesday, December 1, 2015.

2015 National Board of Review of Motion Picture awards:

Best Film:  Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Director:  Ridley Scott – The Martian

Best Actor:  Matt Damon – The Martian

Best Actress: Brie Larson – Room

Best Supporting Actor:  Sylvester Stallone – Creed

Best Supporting Actress:  Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight

Best Original Screenplay:  Quentin Tarantino – The Hateful Eight

Best Adapted Screenplay:  Drew Goddard – The Martian

Best Animated Feature:  Inside Out

Breakthrough Performance:
Abraham Attah – Beasts of No Nation
Jacob Tremblay – Room

Best Directorial Debut:  Jonas Carpignano – Mediterranea

Best Foreign Language Film:  Son of Saul (Hungary)

Best Documentary:  Amy

William K. Everson Film History Award:  Cecilia De Mille Presley

Best Ensemble:  The Big Short

Spotlight Award:  Sicario, for Outstanding Collaborative Vision

NBR Freedom of Expression Award:
Beasts of No Nation
Mustang

Top Films:
Bridge of Spies
Creed
The Hateful Eight
Inside Out
The Martian
Room
Sicario
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton

Top 5 Foreign Language Films:
Goodnight Mommy (Austria)
Mediterranea (Italy)
Phoenix (Germany)
The Second Mother (Brazil)
The Tribe (Ukriane)

Top 5 Documentaries:
Best of Enemies
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
The Diplomat
Listen to Me Marlon
The Look of Silence

Top 10 Independent Films:
’71
45 Years
Cop Car
Ex Machina
Grandma
It Follows
James White
Mississippi Grind
Welcome to Me
While We’re Young

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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of August 16th to 22nd, 2015 - Update #10

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From Variety:  A Carl Sagan biopic in the works.

---------------
From SlashFilm:  John Boyega lands director James Ponsoldt's "The Circle," based on the Dave Eggers book.

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From Variety:  UPDATE:  Initial estimates had "Straight Outta Compton" at a weekend box office of $56.1.  Updated box office total is $60.2 million!

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From YahooTV:  Stephen King is a "superfan" of John Ridley's "American Crime," television event series/miniseries that premiered on ABC this past spring.

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From Deadline:  Facing five years, Emile Hirsch takes a plea that have him serve 15 days in jail.  He apparently attacked a woman during this year's Sundance film festival.

---------------
From BoxOfficeMojo:  The number one movie at the box office for the weekend of 8/14 to 8/16/15 is "Staight Outta Compton," the biopic about the legendary and seminal rap group, N.W.A.  The movie pulled in an estimated $56.1 million.  The movie's success helped Universal cross $2 billion at the domestic box, the fastest by four months over Warner Bros. which previously crossed that mark in 2009.


COMICS - Films and Books:

From HitFix:  Doctor Strange movie reveals at D23.


TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  New trailer for Ridley Scott's "The Martian," starring Matt Damon.

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From YouTube:  New trailer for the upcoming film, Victor Frankenstein, starring James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe.


OBITS:

From Variety:  The actress, Yvonne Craig, died Monday, August 17, 2015 at the age of 78.  She was best known for her role as "Batgirl" on the 1960s "Batman" TV series.  As a child I loved her as Batgirl.  Rest in peace, Ms. Craig.

---------------
From TheWrap:  Civil rights legend, Julian Bond, died Saturday night, August 16, 2015.  Bond was also the board chairman of the NAACP and the first president of the Southern Poverty Law Center.  He was 75.  Negromancer sends condolences to his family.

----------------
From TheWrap:  E’Dena Hines, the step-granddaughter of Morgan Freeman, was stabbed to death in New York City on early Sunday morning, August 16, 2015.  She was 33.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of August 1st to 8th, 2015 - Update #16

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From CinemaBlend:  Your bro doesn't think that you're big enough for his movies anymore, Miles Teller.

---------------
From ThePlaylist:  "The Day the Clown Cried" is Jerry Lewis' infamous, unreleased and rarely seen Holocaust drama.  He has the only copy in existence, or he had.  The Library of Congress has it now as a gift from Lewis, but cannot show it for 10 years.

---------------
From Variety:  Sony Pictures announce the release of 16 films over the next four years, including two "Bad Boys" films.

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From SlashFilm:  Will Smith will replace Hugh Jackman in "Collateral Beauty," which will co-star Rooney Mara.

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From Deadline:  More actors added to Woody Allen's next film, due in 2016.

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From SlashFilm:  "The Hobbit" will return to theaters this fall with extended editions of all three films.

---------------
From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 7/31 to 8/2/15 weekend box office is "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" with an estimated haul of $56 million.

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From TheWrap:  Andre Benjamin joins "American Crime" Season 2.

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From YahooSports:  Wrestler and actor "Rowdy" Roddy Piper died Thursday, July 30, 2015 at the age of 61.

From EntertainmentWeekly:  EW takes a look at Roddy's career, focusing on his turn in John Carpenter's sci-fi cult classic, They Live.  I have been a fan of his since I first saw this film. Rest in Peace, "Rowdy."

From EW:  Director John Carpenter pays tribute to his friend, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.
---------------

COMICS - Films and Books:

From YahooNews:  Doctor Strange - Marvel's "Fantasia?"

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From YahooMovies:  Talk about white privilege, Josh Trank blames others for his panned Fantastic Four reboot.

---------------
From Variety:  A Deadpool teaser for the Deadpool trailer debuts ahead of the trailer's debut on "Conan" on Tuesday night, August 4, 2015.

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From HuffingtonPost:  Kate Mara and Michael B. Jordan deal with rude interviewer.

From EW:  Stan Lee is quite fine with Michael B. Jordan as the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four reboot.

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From SideshowCollectibles:  News on the Marvel/Netflix deal and potential schedule of series.


TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  20th Century Fox unleashed the "red band" trailer for 2016's "Deadpool."

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From YouTube:  New trailer for "The Martian," directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon.

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From YouTube:  A new trailer for future box office disappointment, "Hitman: Agent 47."


MISC:

From VillageVoice:  I'm glad that there is a new generation discovering the great Nile Rogers.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of July 26th to July 31st, 2015 - Update #9

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From Vulture:  The all-male Ghostbusters reboot, to go along with the all-female Ghostbusters movie, might happen.

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From Vulture:  Queen Latifah and Mary J. Blige join NBCs upcoming version of "The Wiz."

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From YahooMovie:  New Line is plotting a reboot of iconic 70s film, "Shaft."

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From Variety:  Tommy Lee Jones joins Matt Damon in the next "Jason Bourne" film.

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From ThePlaylist:  Richard Linklater is the frontrunner to direct "The Rosie Project" starring Jennifer Lawrence.

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From BoxOfficeMojo:  Because of early estimates, Disney/Marvel is declaring "Ant-Man" as the winner of the 7/24 to 7/26/2015 weekend box office with an estimated take of $24.675 million.  If this holds, "Ant-Man," which was #1 at the box office last weekend, will repeat as champ.

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From HuffingtonPost:  Bobbi Kristina Brown, the daughter of the late singer, Whitney Houston, and singer Bobby Brown, has died at the age of 22, Sunday, July 26, 2015.


COMICS: Films and Books:

From YahooGames:  Mark Hamill gave voice to "The Joker" in the beloved "Batman: The Animated Series."  Now, Hamill returns to voicing the Joker in direct-to-DVD adaptation the famous Batman comic book, "Batman: The Killing Joke."

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From YahooNews:  Rachel McAdams confirms that she is in talks regarding Marvel's "Doctor Strange" film.


MISC:

From YahooMovies:  A wanted fugitive was starring in a horror movie, while on a probation violation.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of June 7th to 13th, 2015 - Update #8

Posted by Leroy Douresseaux; you can support him on Patreon.

NEWS:

From YahooTV:  Jurassic World is apparently about to take over the world... box office.

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From Collider:  Pixar has apparently replaced the entire voice cast (except maybe one actor) of The Good Dinosaur, which is due in December 2015.  

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From Variety:  The great British actor, Christopher Lee, died on Sunday, June 7, 2015 at the age of 93.  He is probably best known as the actor who revitalized Dracula in the 1958, Horror of Dracula.  He was the 20th Century's second most famous screen Dracula.

Young fans will know him for his appearances in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films.  He was a James Bond villain in The Man with the Golden Gun.  He was "Count Dooku" in the second and third films of Star Wars prequel trilogy.  He was a close friend of one of my favorite actors, Peter Cushing (who died in 1994).  I believe that they are reunited.

From IMDb:  Christopher Lee: A Life in Pictures.
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From THR:  Apparently, Sony still wants "Bad Boys 3."  Joe Carnahan is circling to work on the script and to direct.  Michael Bay directed the first two films in the series.

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From THR:  The new comedy, Spy, wins the 6/5 to 6/7/2015 weekend box office with an estimated take of $30 million.  The Paul Reig film stars Melissa McCarthy.

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From CinemaBlend:  J.K. Rowling offers clues about an American wizarding school.


COMICS - Films and Books

From Collider:  Marvel and Sony at odds over which actor will be the next Spider-Man, apparently, my fave, Asa Butterfield, is out.

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From Vulture:  Someone else takes a shot at writing a screenplay adaptation of one of the greatest manga and comic books of all time, Akira.

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From YahooTech:  Joseph Gordon-Levitt says his "Sandman" film won't be a typical superhero film.


TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  The new trailer for Ridley Scott's "The Martian."


OBIT:

From Variety via YahooMovies:  The actress, Mary Ellen Trainor, died May 20, 2015 at the age of 62.  She appeared in numerous movies, including The Goonies, Die Hard, and all four Lethal Weapon movies, among many.