Comics Review: "DRAWING BLOOD #1" - Fame Attracts Lunatics

DRAWING BLOOD #1

IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Kevin Eastman and David Avallone

SCRIPT: David Avallone

ART: Ben Bishop

“FLASHBACKS”: Ben Bishop (layouts) and Kevin Eastman

“HALLUCINATIONS”: Ben Bishop (layouts) and Troy Little

COLORS: Brittany Peer

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

COVER: Kevin Eastman

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Ben Bishop; Ben Bishop, Kevin Eastman, and Robert Rodriguez

28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (April 2024)

Rated “T+/Teen Plus”

Drawing Blood created by Kevin Eastman and David Avallone

Chapter One: “Drawn Blood”

Kevin Eastman is a comic book writer and writer-artist best known for co-creating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) with writer-artist Peter Laird.  Born in 1962, Eastman found himself with a burgeoning worldwide pop culture sensation by the time he was 25 in 1987, as TMNT entered the world of animated television, toys, and other merchandising.  That made Eastman and Laird very rich.

In 2019, via his comic book publishing company, KES Comics, Eastman published the four-issue miniseries, Drawing Blood.  Referencing his own career in comic books and media, Drawing Blood depicted the roller coaster life of a successful comics creator whose real life has become more absurd than any comic book.

The original Drawing Blood returns with new issues as a 12-issue series from Image Comics.  It is written by Kevin Eastman and David Avallone; drawn by Ben Bishop, Troy Little, and Eastman, colored by Brittany Peer; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.

Drawing Blood #1 (“Blood Drawn”) opens in the present day.  Shane “Books” Bookman and his friend, Nigel “Beastly” Boswell, are about to have a meeting with Lithuanian hoods at the local docks.  It is also all about to go bad.

Once upon a time, Shane was in the middle of success.  He was a star thanks to the comic book characters he co-created with Frank Forrest, a comic book creator he idolized as a child.  However, the glory days are over, and Frank was not who Shane thought he was, although he was apparently everything everyone else knew he was.  Now, desperate, Shane's life is about to become more absurd than his comics creations ever were.

THE LOWDOWN:  I was able to procure a PDF review copy of Drawing Blood #1.  Thus, I decided to review it for you, dear readers.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one of the most unique comic books ever created and the Turtles themselves are a genius creation of popular culture.  The Turtles co-creator, Kevin Eastman, revealed some of his trials and tribulations as a businessman, comic book publisher, and media figure in an extensive interview published in The Comics Journal #202 (cover dated: March 1998) and conducted by magazine's co-founder, Gary Groth.

To what extent Drawing Blood is based on a true story is a mystery to me.  Eastman has an excellent co-conspirator and collaborator in writer David Avallone.  Through his many Elvira comic book series and his 2016 surreal throw down, The Twilight Zone: The Shadow, Avallone has displayed a penchant for executing the most engaging comic book tales of the absurd, the surreal, and the real-adjacent.  On its own, this opening chapter, “Blood Drawn,” is engaging and intriguing just focusing on Shane Bookman.  Wondering what is exaggerated and what is fictional is only half the fun in this series.

Artist Ben Bishop's storytelling here recalls the early art of Kevin Eastman in the TMNT comic books.  There was an independent spirit in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, but Eastman and Laird's art had a handmade quality that mainstream comic books of the mid-1980s were gradually abandoning.  Bishop's visual and graphical storytelling style resembles that and is perfect for this story of an Eastman-like comics creator.  Bishop captures the emotional underpinnings of the Avallone's script and emphasizes just how vulnerable Bookman is.  Also, having Eastman draw a segment of this first issue is a delightful bonus of which I want more.

Like Howard Chaykin's Hey Kids! Comics! (Image Comics, 2018), Drawing Blood is a much-needed allegory (of sorts) about comic book creators inside and outside their work.  Drawing Blood has a lot to say, and it will have fun saying it.  I think you will want to hear every word of it, dear readers, so definitely give it a try.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of both Kevin Eastman and David Avallone will want to try Drawing Blood.

A

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

https://twitter.com/kevineastman86

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 9th to 15th, 2022 - Update #23

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

DISNEY+ - From Deadline:  Actor Tim Allen is returning to his popular "The Santa Clause" film franchise. He will star in and executive produce a Disney+ TV series that will act as a sequel to "The Santa Clause" trilogy.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Wes Anderson will write and direct a feature adaptation of Roald Dahl's short story, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar," for Netflix.  The story was published in Dahl's 1977 collection, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More."

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:   Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Inc. has acquired full control of German film and TV firm Telepool, including the 50 percent stake previously owned by Swiss financier Elysian Invest.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Writer-director Robert Rodriguez is among a group developing a reboot of the classic masked vigilante character, "Zorro," with the hero now being female instead of male.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Paramount Pictures is remaking director Alfred Hitchcock's "To Catch a Thief" with Gal Gadot as the lead.  Eileen Jones will write the script.

From Deadline:  Michael Sarnoski, who directed last year's acclaimed drama, "Pig" (starring Nicolas Cage), is in negotiations to direct the next "A Quiet Place" film.

STREAMING - From Variety: "Spider-Man: No Way Home" director Jon Watts is one of the producers of a revival of the "Final Distination" horror franchise for HBO Max.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Michael Bay, Patrick Hughes, and Gareth Evans' are united to reboot Evan's cult 2011 film, "The Raid," for Netflix.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The NAACP-CBS Studios venture has announced its first projects.  One of them is a reboot of the 1991 cult comedy, "Soapdish," in which one of the film's star, Whoopi Goldberg, will reprise her role ("Rose Schwartz") from the film.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 1/7 to 1/9/2022 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: No Way Home" with an estimated take of 33.02 million dollars.

From Negromancer:  My review of "Spider-Man: No Way Home."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  ABC has renewed "Grey's Anatomy" for a 19th season. Ellen Pompeo has signed a deal to return as the show's title character, Meredith Grey.

PIXAR/DISNEY+ - From Deadline:  Pixar's "Turning Red" will be the third straight Pixar Animation Studio film to skip theaters and go straight to Disney+.  The other two were "Soul" (2020) and "Luca" (2021).

OBITS:

From Variety:  American television host, stand-up comedian, and actor, Bob Saget, has died at the age of 65, Sunday, January 9, 2022.  Saget was best known for playing the role of widowed father, "Danny Tanner," in the ABC sitcom, "Full House" (1987-95).

From Deadline:  Actor and television executive, Dwayne Hickman, has died at the age of 87, Sunday, January 9, 2022.  Hickman was best remembered for starring as "Dobie Gillis," the eternally romantic teen in the former CBS TV series, "The Many Loves of Dobie Gills" (1959-62).  Hickman was also a programming executive at CBS from 1977 to 1988, and from 1989 to 1996, he directed episodes of various television sitcoms.

From Deadline: American songwriter and lyricist, Marilyn Bergman, has died at the age of 93, Saturday, January 8, 2022.  She was best known for her partnership with her husband, Alan Bergman.  The duo won two “Best Song” Oscars: “The Windmills of Your Mind” from “The Thomas Crown Affair” (1968) and the title song for “The Way We Were” (1973). They won an Oscar for “Best Original Song Score” for “Yentl” (1983).  The two also won four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Grammy Award for “Song of the Year” for “The Way We Were.”

From Deadline:  American television director, Dick Carson, died at the age of 92, Sunday, December 19, 2021.  He was nominated for the Daytime Emmy 12 times and won five of them, mostly for his work on "The Merv Griffin Show" and "Wheel of Fortune."  Dick was also the younger brother of television legend, the late Johnny Carson."  Dick also directed several episode of "The Tonight Show," including episodes of the series before his brother became the host.

SIDNEY POITIER - From Variety:  Oscar-winner Halle Berry pens tribute to Sidney Poitier, "An Angel Watching Over All of Us."

From Deadline:  Former President Barack Obama pays tribute to Oscar winner, the late Sidney Poitier, who died Thurs., Jan. 6th, 2022.

From Variety:   "Why Sidney Poitier Is the Most Important Actor in American History" by Steven Gaydos

From Deadline:  Star tributes continue to pour in for Sidney Poitier.

From Deadline:  This is the site's Sidney Poitier (1927-2022) page.

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AWARDS:

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2022 / 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards have been announced.

From Variety:  The snubs and surprises in the nominations for the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards.

From Variety:   At the 2022 / 79th Golden Globes, "The Power of the Dog" wins "Best Motion Picture-Drama" and "West Side Story" wins "Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy."

From Variety:  The National Society of Film Critics names the Japanese film, "Drive My Car," the best film of 2021.

From AwardsWatch:  The nominations for the 22nd Annual Black Reel Awards were announced a few weeks ago. Netflix's Black Western, "The Harder They Fall," has a record 20 nominations.  The winners will be announced February 27, 2022.

From AwardsWatch:  The Columbus Film Critics Association announced the nominations for their annual film awards.  Director Jane Campion's "The Power of the Dog" leads with 12 noms.  The winners will be announced Thurs., Jan. 6th, 2022.

From Deadline:  The Los Angeles Film Critics Association has named the Japanese film, "Drive My Car," the "Best Picture" of 2021.

From Deadline:  The 2022 / 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards have announced their nominations. "Zola" leads with six nominations. The winners will be announced Sun., March 6, 2022.

From THR:  The 2022 / 79th Golden Globes Awards nominations have been announced.  "Belfast" and "The Power of the Dog" lead with seven nominations each.  Winners will be announced Jan. 9th, 2022.

From GoldDerby:   The 2022 Critics Choice Awards nominations have been announced. "Belfast" and "West Side Story" leads with 11 nominations each. Winners will be announced Jan. 9th, 2022.

From Deadline:   The American Film Institute announced the "2021 AFI Awards" Top 10 list, and the list includes "Dune," "The Tragedy of Macbeth," and "West Side Story."

From THR:  Director Aleem Khan's "After Love" tops the 2021 British Independent Film Awards, winning six awards, including "Best Film of 2021."

From Variety:   The New York Film Critics Circle has named the Japanese drama, "Drive My Car," as the "Best Film of 2021."

From Deadline:  The National Board of Review hands director Paul Thomas Anderson's "Licorice Pizza" it "Best Film" and "Best Director" awards.  Will Smith picks up the "Best Actor" award for "King Richard."

From THR:  Netflix’s "The Lost Daughter," directed by actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, dominated the 2021 Gotham Awards in New York on Monday night (Nov. 29th).  The film won in four of the five categories in which it was nominated, including "Best Feature."

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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 Deadline:   Alec Baldwin has finally turned over his cell phone to police for their probe into the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Baldwin's Western film, "Rust," last October in New Mexico.

From Variety:  One of the producers of tragic Western film, Rust, Emily Salveson, pushes tax shelters and hid income.

From THR:  "I let go of the hammer and 'Bang,' the gun goes off" says Alec Baldwin says in his first interview of the moment when a gun he was holding accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From Deadline:  Alec Baldwin will sit down with ABC's news-reading clown George Stephanopoulos for a one hour special tomorrow night to talk about what happened on the set of the movie "Rust."  It will be Baldwin’s first extensive interview about the shooting.

From Deadline:  Industry veteran, Thall Reed, the father of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the Western, "Rust," may have handed the police a tip on why the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot to death on the set.

From THR:  A search warrant affidavit filed Tuesday for a prop shop sheds light on how alleged live ammunition ended up on the set of the Western film, "Rust," where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed in October.

From Deadline:  A month after cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot and killed on the New Mexico set the movie Western, "Rust," by a prop gun “discharged” by Alec Baldwin, those closest to the cinematographer held a private ceremony and interred her ashes at an unknown location.

From Deadline:  Actor Daniel Baldwin defends his brother, Alec Baldwin, in the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film, "Rust."  "Someone loaded that gun improperly," Daniel says.

From Deadline:  The newest lawsuit involving the tragic shooting on the set of the Western film, "Rust," has been filed by the film's script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell, against Alec Baldwin, the producers, the production company, armorer Hanna Gutierrez Reed, and others.

From Deadline:  Serge Svetnoy, the gaffer on "Rust," has filed a lawsuit against several parties related to the film, including the production, the financiers, star Alec Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, and first Assistant Director David Halls.

From THR:   In the wake of the tragic accidental shooting on the set of his film, "Rust," Alec Baldwin on Monday took to social media to urge Hollywood to employ a police officer on every film and TV set that uses guns.

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 January 24th to 31st, 2021 - Update #28

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 1/29 to 1/31/2021 weekend box office is "The Little Things" (starring Oscar winners Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto), with an estimated take of 4.8 million dollars.

From Deadline:   Are Warner Bros.' film that are are released in both movie theaters and on HBO Max making money?

POLITICS - From Jacobin:   Everything You Always Wanted to Know about QAnon But Were Too Weirded Out to Ask

BLM - From YahooNews:   Black Lives Matter movement nominated for 2021 Nobel Peace Prize

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  ABC has ordered a production pilot that will reboot its former Emmy-winning series, "The Wonder Years" (1988-93).  The reboot will be set in the same time period, late 1960s, but this time will focus on a middle class African-American family in Montgomery, Alabama.

CICELY TYSON - From Variety:  LeVar Burton pays tribute to his "Roots" co-star, Cicely Tyson, who died on Thursday.

MOVIES - From Variety:   "Variety" has made the screenplay for "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" available for reading.

TELEVISION - From YahooFinance:  Media mogul Byron Allen launches TheGrio.TV: "Communicate how you see the world unapologetically."

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:   Is Denzel Washington acting in movies like the new film, "The Little Things," to make up for turning down the Brad Pitt role in classic serial killer film, "Seven?"  This review of "The Little Things" speculates.

STREAMING - From Deadline:   Paramount+ (CBS All Access) teases a revival of Nickelodeon's "iCarly" with a set photo.

OSCARS - From Deadline:   The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday released its official entries for 2021 Oscars in the categories of Documentary Feature, Animated Feature and International Films. As expected, the eligible Documentary Feature lineup shatters the record for the most ever.

FESTIVALS - From Deadline:   The 2021 Cannes Film Festival is delaying from its May dates. The fest will now run July 6-17, pushing back from the originally planned May 11-22 slot.

MOVIES - From IndieWire: Neon has released a first look at actress Kristen Stewart ("Twilight") as Princess Diana in director Pablo Larrain's upcoming film, "Spencer."

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Skydance Media has optioned the rights to re-imagine the "Spy Kids" film franchise Spyglass Media Group and series creator Robert Rodriguez.

MOVIES - From Deadline: Newcomer Alton Mason will play rock 'n' roll icon, Little Richard, in director Baz Luhrmann's film, "Elvis."

BLM - From BET:   UCLA Gymnastics showed off some Black Girl Magic over the weekend, thanks to a flawless floor routine from star athlete Nia Dennis.

AWARDS - From Deadline:   The nominees fro the 2020-21 Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced.  "Never Rarely Sometimes Always" leads with seven nominations, include "Best Feature."

BIDEN! - From CNN:   White House recommits to getting Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill after delays by the defunct President Donald clown administration.

POLITICS-AWARDS - From YahooEntertainment:   Spike Lee says Donald Trump "will go down in history with the likes of Hitler" in New York Film Critics speech

HARRY POTTER - From THR:   A live-action "Harry Potter" TV series is in development at HBO Max. HBO and Warner Bros. are denying this, however.

TELEVISION - From THR:  Former Secretary of State and Senator Hillary Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea, are developing a female Kurdish militia drama for TV.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The winner of the 1/22 to 1/24/20 weekend box office is "The Marksman" with an estimated take of 2.03 million dollars.

From Deadline: "Our Friend" is among the film leading at the specialty box office.

TELEVISION - From Variety:   Actor Kenneth Branagh will play British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a new television series from writer-director Michael Winterbottom.  Entitled "The Spectred Isle," the series will focus on Britain's muddled response to the COVID-19 crisis.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  The pioneering African-American actress, Cicely Tyson, has died at the age of 96, Thursday, January 28, 2021.  Her most famous works are the 1974 television movie, "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" (for which she won two of her three Primetime Emmy Awards) and the 1972 film, "Sounder" (for which she received her lone Academy Award nomination).  Tyson won a Tony Award for her performance in the 2013 revival of "A Trip to Bountiful."  In 2018, she received the "Honorary Academy Award."  Tyson continued to work until her passing, appearing in six films for Tyler Perry.

From Variety:  Longtime film and television actress, Cloris Leachman, has died at the age of 94, Tuesday, January 26, 2021.  Many will remember her as the character, "Phyllis Lindstrom" on CBS' "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and on her spinoff, "Phyllis" (1975-77). Leachman also appeared in three Mel Brooks movies, including her memorable turn as "Frau Blucher" in "Young Frankenstein" (1974).  Leachman was nominated 22 times for the Primetime Emmy Awards and won eight, and she won a Daytime Emmy Award.  Leachman won the "Best Supporting Actress" Oscar and British Academy Film Award for her performance in "The Last Picture Show" (1971).

From CNN:   Veteran NBA reporter and analyst, Sekou Smith, has died at the age of 48, Tuesday, January 26, 2021 from complications of COVID-19.  Smith wrote for NBA.com and worked for NBA TV since 2009.

From Deadline:   The veteran character actor, Bruce Kirby, has died at the age of Sunday, January 24, 2021.  Kirby long career began in the mid-1950s.  He appeared in recurring roles on several series, including "Car 54, Where Are You?," "Columbo," and "L.A. Law" to name a few.  He also had a memorable role in the Oscar-winning "Best Picture," "Crash."  Kirby was also the father of the late actor, Bruno Kirby (1949-2006).

From Deadline:   Television and film writer, Walter Bernstein, has died at the age of 101, Friday, January 22, 2021.  Bernstein was one of the writers blacklisted in Hollywood in the 1950s.  His credits include "Fail-Safe" (1964) and "The Front" (1976), which starred Woody Allen as a man who acts as a "front" for blacklisted writers.

From Deadline:   The actor, Gregory Sierra, has died at the age of 83, Monday, January 4, 2021.  Sierra is best known for playing "Julio Fuentes" in 12 episodes of the NBC sitcom, "Sanford and Son" (1972-77), and for playing "Sgt. Miguel 'Chano' Amenguale" during the first two seasons of the ABC sitcom, "Barney Miller" (1975-85).  He had guest roles on numerous TV series and appeared in at least 30 films.  Sierra's death was only recently made public.

2018 Austin Film Festival Reveals Film Program First Wave

Austin Film Festival Reveals First Wave of Films for 25th Anniversary, Including Retrospective Presented by Roger Corman and Robert Rodriguez

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Austin Film Festival (AFF), the premier film festival recognizing writers’ and filmmakers’ contributions to film, television, and new media, announced today the first wave of films to be included in their 2018 program taking place October 25 to November 1, 2018, including Boy Erased, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, and Cannes Palme D’or winner Shoplifters.

World Premieres include The Black String, Fishbowl, Speaking in Tongues, and Fathers of Football.

As part of its retrospective series, AFF will screen Roger Corman’s Rock All Night, presented by Robert Rodriguez and Corman himself, Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking honoree.

The complete list of programming will be announced in late September.

AFF FIRST WAVE:

The Black String
World Premiere
Writers: Brian Hanson, Richard Handley
Director: Brian Hanson
Starring: Frankie Muniz, Cullen Douglas, Chelsea Edmundson

Boy Erased
Writer/Director: Joel Edgerton
Starring: Lucas Hedges, Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, Joel Edgerton

Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Writers: Nicole Holofcener, Jeff Whitty
Director: Marielle Heller
Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant, Julie Ann Emery

Fathers of Football
World Premiere
Director: Bradley Beesley

Fishbowl
World Premiere
Writers: Stephen Kinigopoulos, Piero Iberti, Bennett Elliott
Directors: Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Kinigopoulos
Starring: Rick Kain, Belle Shickle, Emily Peachey, Caroline Coleman

Little Woods
Writer/Director: Nia DaCosta
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Lily James, Lance Reddick

The Long Dumb Road
Writers: Hannah Fidell, Carson Mell
Director: Hannah Fidell
Starring: Tony Revolori, Jason Mantzoukas, Taissa Farmiga, Ron Livingston

Rock All Night (1957) presented by Roger Corman and Robert Rodriguez
Writer: Charles B. Griffith
Director: Roger Corman

Shoplifters
Writer/Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
Starring: Lily Franky, Ando Sakura, Matsuoka Mayu

Speaking in Tongues
World Premiere
Writers: Nathan Deming, Lawrie Doran
Director: Nathan Deming


ABOUT AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL:
Austin Film Festival (AFF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the art, craft and business of writers and filmmakers, recognizing their contributions to film, television and new media. AFF is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department and the Texas Commission on the Arts. All attendees and events are based on permitting schedules and are subject to change and/or cancellation without notice. To apply for press credentials, please complete this form. Badges and passes are available for purchase at www.austinfilmfestival.com or by phone at 1-800-310-FEST.

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Fathom Events Announces 20th Anniversary Event for "From Dusk Till Dawn"

Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Miramax’s Cult Classic Film From Dusk Till Dawn with a Screening Featuring an Exclusive Q&A with Director Robert Rodriguez, Writer/Actor Quentin Tarantino, and Moderated by Elvis Mitchell

The Movie Is On Screen for Two Days Only, November 6 and 9, Along with an Exclusive Filmmaker Q&A

DENVER & SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--From Dusk Till Dawn, the genre-busting cult classic that launched an epic filmmaking partnership spanning two decades, will return to movie theaters to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Fans won’t want to miss this once-in-a-cinematic-lifetime event commencing with a brand-new, exclusive Q&A with director Robert Rodriguez and writer Quentin Tarantino.

    .@FathomEvents News: From Dusk Till Dawn returns to cinemas for its 20th anniversary Nov 6 & 9 #Dusk20

This 20th anniversary celebration of From Dusk Till Dawn takes place in cinemas for two days only on Sunday, November 6, 2016, at 6:00 and 9:00 p.m.; and Wednesday, November 9, 2016, at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. (all local times)

Presented by Fathom Events and Miramax, the 20th anniversary celebration of From Dusk Till Dawn is the only place fans can see a brand-new, exclusive Q&A with Rodriguez and Tarantino discussing the blockbuster hit. The conversation is moderated by renowned film critic and host of The Treatment, Elvis Mitchell.

Tickets for “From Dusk Till Dawn 20th Anniversary” are available online at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants subject to change).

From Dusk Till Dawn thrilled moviegoers on its initial release in 1996, stunned audiences with Salma Hayek’s now iconic snake dance scene, and launched the film career of George Clooney. It’s since gained a rabid cult following and spawned two film sequels as well as “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series,” now in its third season on El Rey Network (www.elreynetwork.com), a 24-hour English language network founded by Robert Rodriguez.

“From Dusk Till Dawn is unpredictable, creative and breathtakingly original, a movie that almost defies description,” Fathom Events Vice President of Studio Relations Tom Lucas said. “Fathom is excited to help bring this collaboration of Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, two of the unique voices in modern American cinema, back to the big screen for four special showings to commemorate its 20th anniversary.”

It’s nonstop thrills when George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino star as the Gecko brothers - two dangerous outlaws on a wild crime spree. After kidnapping a father (Harvey Keitel) and his two kids (including Juliette Lewis), the Geckos head south to a seedy Mexican bar to hide out in safety. But when they face the bar’s truly notorious clientele, they’re forced to team up with their hostages in order to make it out alive. From Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, the creators of Grindhouse, From Dusk Till Dawn is explosive action entertainment.


About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is recognized as the leading domestic distributor of event cinema, and ranks as one of the largest overall distributors of content to movie theaters. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), Fathom Events offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events that include live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions such as the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live’s Hamlet, sporting events like FS1 Presents USA v Mexico, concerts with Roger Waters and One Direction, the TCM Presents classic film series and faith-based events such as The Drop Box and Four Blood Moons. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 887 locations and 1,354 screens in 181 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

About MIRAMAX®
Acquired by beIN Media Group (beinmediagroup.com) in March 2016, MIRAMAX® is a global film and television studio best known for its award-winning and original content. New projects include both film and television, among them Bad Santa 2 starring Billy Bob Thornton, who reprises his Golden Globe nominated role as Willie Soke, and Oscar®, Golden Globe and Emmy winner Kathy Bates, with Broad Green Pictures co-producing/co-financing and handling U.S. theatrical; Bridget Jones’s Baby from Working Title for Universal Pictures, MIRAMAX® and StudioCanal, with Oscar® winners Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth reprising their roles in the third installment of the Bridget Jones film series; the recent acquisition Southside With You, inspired by the first date of Barack and Michelle Obama, starring Parker Sawyers and Tika Sumpter, with MIRAMAX® and Roadside Attractions partnering on the U.S. release, Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, heading into its third season in the U.S. on El Rey Network; as well as the recently announced Whitney, the forthcoming documentary feature from Oscar®-winning director Kevin Madonald on pop icon Whitney Houston, and the Johnny Depp film Labyrinth which MIRAMAX® will be co-financing with Open Road Films.

In 2015, MIRAMAX® together with Roadside Attractions, released the critically acclaimed Mr. Holmes, one of the year’s most successful independent hits, directed by Academy Award® winner Bill Condon and starring Academy Award® nominees Sir Ian McKellen and Laura Linney; as well as the Kevin Hart hit comedy The Wedding Ringer with Sony-Screen Gems.

Collectively, MIRAMAX’s unrivaled library of more than 700 titles has received 278 Academy Award® nominations and 68 Oscars®, earning most notably four Best Picture awards for The English Patient, Shakespeare in Love, Chicago and No Country for Old Men. More iconic titles from the library include critically acclaimed and commercial hits alike, such as Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, Bridget Jones’s Diary, the Scream film franchise, Kill Bill Vol. 1&2, and The Aviator.

MIRAMAX® Online

Website: Miramax.com
Facebook: facebook.com/Miramax
Twitter: twitter.com/Miramax
Instagram: instagram.com/Miramax

“Oscar®” and “Academy Award®” are the registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

“MIRAMAX®” and the “MIRAMAX” Logo are the registered trademarks, trademarks and service marks of Miramax, LLC.

About El Rey Network
El Rey Network is a 24-hour English language network founded by maverick filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. Curated by Rodriguez and his artistic collective, the network unites "the new mainstream" through badass content that awakens the renegade in everyone. El Rey's action-packed slate is anchored by signature series including the original drama, "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series", the one-on-one interview program, "El Rey Network Presents: The Director's Chair" and "Lucha Underground," a Lucha Libre wrestling series from Mark Burnett. El Rey Network's lineup also showcases a wide range of iconic feature films and TV series including genre, cult classics, action, and horror/sci-fi. El Rey Network LLC is jointly owned by Robert Rodriguez and FactoryMade Ventures with a minority stake held by Univision Networks & Studios, Inc.

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Sin Ctiy's Frank Miller to Appear at 2016 New York Comic Con

DARK HORSE AND FRANK MILLER INVITE YOU TO SIN CITY

Frank Miller to sign in Dark Horse booth at NYCC

MILWAUKIE, Ore. — To celebrate the release of Frank Miller’s Sin City: The Hard Goodbye Curator’s Collection, Dark Horse is excited to offer fans the opportunity to meet comics legend Frank Miller at New York Comic Con! On Saturday, October 8, 2016, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Dark Horse will welcome Miller for a special two-hour signing at booth #1636 at the Javits Convention Center.

The Frank Miller signing is an exclusive wristband-only event and will be his only signing at New York Comic Con. Wristbands will be distributed by a random drawing in the Dark Horse Comics booth on Friday and Saturday mornings during the first hour of the show.

Dark Horse will be selling limited quantities of both the standard and special editions of Frank Miller’s Sin City: The Hard Goodbye Curator’s Collection in the booth for fans to purchase prior to the signing.

Frank Miller’s Sin City: The Hard Goodbye Curator’s Collection Special Edition
NYCC attendees who purchase a copy of the special edition at the Dark Horse booth are guaranteed a wristband to the signing, a priority spot at the front of the line to have Frank specially personalize their book, and a limited 11 x 17–inch Sin City print, which Frank will sign as well.

Frank Miller’s Sin City: The Hard Goodbye Curator’s Collection Standard Edition
NYCC attendees who purchase a copy of the standard edition at the Dark Horse booth will receive a wristband, a priority spot in line, Frank’s signature in the book, and a limited 11 x 17–inch Sin City print, which Frank will sign.

Dark Horse Booth Wristband Lottery
NYCC attendees who win a wristband to the signing via the in-booth lottery will be awarded a limited 11 x 17–inch Sin City print, which Frank will sign. No additional material will be signed.

Frank Miller’s Sin City: The Hard Goodbye Curator’s Collection is an impressive book to own—a deluxe hardcover with a HUGE trim size of 15 x 21.5 inches, 224 pages, and smyth-sewn binding under a cloth spine. Produced and assembled under the Kitchen Sink Books/Dark Horse Books imprint, Frank Miller’s Sin City: The Hard Goodbye Curator’s Collection showcases the entire Eisner Award–winning graphic novel, now scanned from the original artwork in Frank Miller’s personal archives and reproduced at full size. This edition features an introduction from Sin City codirector Robert Rodriguez, an epilogue by publisher Mike Richardson, and a new interview with Frank Miller about his artistic technique to accompany the interior artwork. Frank Miller’s Sin City: The Hard Goodbye Curator’s Collection retails for $175.

Frank Miller’s Sin City: The Hard Goodbye Curator’s Collection Special Edition features the same material and page count as the regular edition but has an alternative cover and is signed by Frank Miller in pencil on a special tipped-in image not included in the regular edition. The special edition is limited to 50 copies and retails for $275.


About Frank Miller
Frank Miller began his career in comics in the late 1970s, first drawing then writing Daredevil for Marvel Comics, creating what was essentially a crime comic disguised as a superhero book. It was on Daredevil that Miller gained notoriety, honed his storytelling abilities, and took his first steps toward becoming a giant in the comics medium. Next came Ronin, a science-fiction samurai drama that seamlessly melded Japanese and French comics traditions into the American mainstream; and then the groundbreaking and acclaimed Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One, both of which not only redefined the classic character, but also revitalized the industry itself. Finally able to fulfill his dream of doing an all-out, straight-ahead crime series, Miller introduced Sin City in 1991. Readers responded enthusiastically to Miller’s tough-as-leather noir drama, creating an instant sales success. His multi-award-winning 300 series from Dark Horse, a telling of history’s most glorious and underreported battle, was brought to full-blooded life in 1998. In 2001, Miller returned to the superhero genre with the best-selling Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again. Frank Miller continues to push the medium into new territories, exploring subject matter previously untouched in comics, and his work consistently receives the highest praise from his industry peers and readers everywhere. In 2005, with the hugely successful Sin City movie release, co-directed with Robert Rodriguez, Miller added a director’s credit to his already impressive resumé and introduced his characters to an entirely new legion of fans worldwide.

About Dark Horse

For thirty years, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, the company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Geof Darrow, Brian Wood, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Milo Manara, Kazuo Koike, Neil Gaiman, and Frank Miller, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, X, and Barb Wire. Its successful line of comics, manga, and products based on popular properties includes Dragon Age, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Tomb Raider, Halo, The Witcher, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.

About Kitchen Sink Books
Founded in 2013 by pioneering alternative publisher Denis Kitchen (of Kitchen Sink Press) and award-winning designer/editor John Lind, Kitchen Sink Books is an exclusive imprint of Dark Horse Comics focusing on archival collections, art books, and large format editions. Their debut title The Best of Comix Book: When Marvel Went Underground won the 2014 Harvey Awards for Best Domestic Reprint and Excellence in Presentation. Also in 2014, Harvey Kurtzman’s Jungle Book became the first release in Kitchen Sink Books’ ambitious Harvey Award–nominated Essential Kurtzman series, which aims to collect the most acclaimed work of this master cartoonist and satirist. Frank Miller's Sin City: The Hard Goodbye Curator's Collection is the first project in Kitchen Sink’s Curator’s Collection series featuring original art reproduced at size, alongside preliminary work, essays, and creator interviews.

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

Support Leroy on Patreon.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 11th to 17th, 2015 - Update #24

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From WeGotThisCovered:  Rosario Dawson will voice Batgirl in the LEGO Batman movie.

---------------
From IndieWire:  John Carpenter wins a plagiarism lawsuit in France against Luc Besson.  It involved the film "Lockout" starring Guy Pearce being a rip off of Carpenter's films, "Escape from New York" and "Escape from LA."

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From CinemaBlend:  More on "Die Hard" prequel.

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From TheWrap:  New Die Hard movie being developed.  It would feature both a young John McClane and an older one (Bruce Willis).  Len Wiseman developing...

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From TheWrap:  "Godzilla vs. Kong" in 2020.

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From Variety:  James Cameron's name has long been attached to a film adaptation of the manga, "Battle Angel Alita."  Now, word is that Cameron will produce and Robert Rodriguez will direct.

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From IndieWire:  Johnny Depp does not want to win an Oscar... he says.  He has been nominated three times, and he says being nominated is enough.

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From DigitalSpy:  The creator of the popular British television series, "Luther," is writing the remake to Escape From New York.

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From InContention:  Quentin Tarantino has cut two version of "The Hateful Eight."

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From Variety:  M. Night Shyamalan's low-budget career rival continues with a new thriller featuring James McAvoy.

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From Deadline:  John Ridley to write and direct a film about the L.A. riots of 1992.

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From IndieWire:  Guillermo del Toro's next film could be about a Mexican wrestler fighting vampire politicians.  I'm in!

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From THR:  "The Martian" wins the 10/9 to 10/11/2015 weekend box office with an estimated take of $37 million.  Warner Bros.' "Pan" bombs with an estimated haul of $15.5 (against a production that cost $150 million).

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From Vulture:  A "Firefly" reunion at New York Comic Con 2015.

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From IMDb:  Ahead of the Season 6 debut of "The Walking Dead," a Norman Reedus exclusive.


HARD NEWS:

From TheRoot:  Two white men argue over who owes whom for gentrification.

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From the AP via YahooNews:  Two reports say incompetent rookie Cleveland cop, Timothy Loehmann, was justified in killing 12-year-old, Tamir Rice.

From TheRoot:  "Reasonable..."
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COMICS:

From ComicBookMovie:  Mark Ruffalo to appear as Hulk in "Thor Ragnarok."

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From HitFix:  Drew McWeeny says FF to Marvel rumors are nonsense and explains why.

From DenofGeek:  Updates on the news that Marvel may have gotten the rights to the Fantastic Four back from FOX, in relation to the X-Men TV deal.

---------------
From BleedingCool:  FOX announces to television series based on the X-Men comic book franchise - one about the Hellfire Club (seen in "X-Men: First Class") and one about "Legion" (Charles Xavier's son).

---------------
From Vulture:  Paul Reubens (aka "Pee-Wee" Herman) will play the father of Oswald's "Penguin" Cobblepot on FOX's "Gotham."  Reubens also played the elder Cobblepot in Tim Burton's film, Batman Returns (1992).

---------------
From Variety:  Bryan Cranston of "Breaking Bad" wants to be a Marvel baddie.


MISC:

From YahooNews:  Photos seems to be only the second photographic image of Billy the Kid.

Robert Rodriguez Receives "Vision Award" at 28th Hispanic Heritage Awards

(Photo provided by Business Wire)

The Hershey Company Presents the Prestigious Vision Award to Robert Rodriguez at the 28th Hispanic Heritage Awards

Innovative filmmaker Robert Rodriguez accepted the Vision Award, sponsored by The Hershey Company, during the 28th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards.

HERSHEY, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) presented the Vision Award to innovative filmmaker Robert Rodriguez during the 28th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards (HHAs) on September 17th, 2015 at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C.

    “Hershey is at its best when every member of our team believes they can help us find new paths to growth and success”

The Hershey Company is a Medallion Sponsor of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, an organization that honors notable Latinos who have distinguished themselves in various fields and made a positive difference in the U.S. and globally. The Hispanic Heritage Foundation Awards are considered the highest honor “for Latinos by Latinos.”

Robert Rodriguez is a film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician and founder and Chairman of El Rey Network, the genre-busting English-language cable network.

His first feature film, “El Mariachi,” was made for $7,000 and won the Audience Award at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival. It became the lowest budget movie ever released by a major studio and Rodriguez went on to write, produce, direct and edit numerous successful films including, “Desperado,” “From Dusk Till Dawn,” “The Faculty,” and the “Spy Kids” franchise.

“We are proud to have presented the Vision Award to Robert Rodriguez who embodies the spirit of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s mission and work,” said Javier Idrovo, Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer at The Hershey Company. “Hershey is dedicated to the Latino community and providing great career opportunities for Latinos.”

Milton Hershey made his mark hiring employees from diverse backgrounds from the earliest days of the company. He saw diversity of perspectives as a source of strength. Today, Hershey has teams of people throughout the organization with unique talents and diverse perspectives, which drives innovative thinking and success.

“Hershey is at its best when every member of our team believes they can help us find new paths to growth and success,” added Idrovo.

To learn more about The Hershey Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility efforts please visit: http://www.thehersheycompany.com/social-responsibility.aspx


About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY), headquartered in Hershey, Pa., is a global confectionery leader known for bringing goodness to the world through its chocolate, sweets, mints and other great-tasting snacks. Hershey has more than 22,000 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company, which has more than 80 brands around the world that drive over $7.4 billion in annual revenues, includes such iconic brand names as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers and Brookside. Hershey is focused on growing its presence in key international markets while continuing to build its competitive advantage in North America. Additionally, Hershey is expanding its portfolio into categories beyond confectionery, finding new ways to bring goodness to people everywhere.

At Hershey, goodness has always been about more than delicious products. For 120 years, Hershey has been committed to good business by operating fairly, ethically and sustainably to make a positive impact on society. This means contributing to a better life for its employees, consumers, communities, and, ultimately, creating a bright future for children in need. This commitment is exemplified by Milton Hershey School, established in 1909 by the company's founder and administered by Hershey Trust Company. The children who attend the school receive education, housing, and medical care — thriving as direct beneficiaries of The Hershey Company's success.

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Review: "Kill Bill: Volume 2" Gets Better with Age

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 53 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)
Running time: 136 minutes; MPAA – R for violence, language and brief drug use
DIRECTOR: Quentin Tarantino
WRITER: Quentin Tarantino (The Bride character by Uma Thurman and Quentin Tarantino)
PRODUCER: Lawrence Bender
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Robert Richardson (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Sally Menke
COMPOSER: Robert Rodriguez
Golden Globe nominee

CRIME/DRAMA with elements of Action, Martial Arts, and Thriller

Starring: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Daryl Hannah, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Madsen, Lucy Liu, Michael Parks, Jeannie Epper, Perla Haney-Jardine, Caitlin Keats, Chris Nelson, Gordon Liu, LaTanya Richardson, and Bo Svenson

The subject of this movie review is Kill Bill: Volume 2, a 2004 crime drama and martial arts film from writer/director Quentin Tarantino. It is the second of two films that were released within several months of each other. The film follows a character called “The Bride,” who is seeking revenge against her former colleagues.

In Kill Bill: Vol. 2, the sequel or second half of Quentin Tarantino’s film, Kill Bill: Volume 1, The Bride (Uma Thurman) continues her mission of revenge against her former colleagues for killing her husband-to-be and the wedding party and for shooting and leaving her for dead. Most of all, she want her old boss, Bill (David Carradine); he fired the shot in her head that was supposed to kill her. But Bill has a secret named B.B. (Perla Haney-Jardine), so will The Bride be able to handle the shock of meeting B.B.?

Where Kill Bill: Vol. 1 was a stylish martial arts movie done in lively colors with the relentlessness of a revenge movie cum video game, Kill Bill: Vol. 2 is slick, crime drama – part Western and part hard-boiled novella. There’s a movie poster for a film by the late actor, Charles Bronson, used a set piece in the film, and Vol. 2 indeed has the gall of Bronson bullet ballad. Some viewers may be put off by the jarring change of pace from the first film to the second. There are very few fight scenes in 2, and they’re quite short. Only the battle between Elle Driver/California Mountain Snake (Daryl Hannah) and The Bride has the hard-edged intensity of anything near the fisticuffs of the first film.

Still, Kill Bill: Vol. 2 is an example of virtuoso filmmaking and an expert homage to many well known American film genres. Vol. 2 isn’t anywhere near as fun to watch as the first, but for those viewers who have varied tastes in films and movies and who are familiar with many film styles and techniques, Vol. 2 will be exciting to watch. As all his films have been, Kill Bill: Vol. 2 is ultimately worth watching because director Quentin Tarantino simply does so many interesting things. He’s that know-it-all film nerd who can actually make the great film he might say no one else can make, although Kill Bill Volume 2 isn’t that exactly the great film either.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2005 Golden Globes, USA: 2 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (David Carradine) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Uma Thurman)

2005 Black Reel Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Original Score” (RZA)

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Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Review: Original "Spy Kids" a Family Action Flick

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 135 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Spy Kids (2001)
Running time: 88 minutes (1 hour, 28 minutes)
MPAA – PG for action sequences
EDITOR/WRITER/DIRECTOR: Robert Rodriguez
PRODUCERS: Elizabeth Avellan and Robert Rodriguez
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Guillermo Navarro
COMPOSERS:  John Debney, Danny Elfman, Los Lobos, and Robert Rodriguez

ACTION/COMEDY/FAMILY

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Alan Cumming, Tony Shalhoub, Teri Hatcher, Cheech Marin, Robert Patrick, and Danny Trejo

Robert Rodriguez is a low-budget filmmaker even when he gets a big budget to make a film. His breakthrough work, El Mariachi, was an effort of gathering money from wherever he could, including selling his body for medical experiments. Even as his budgets grew larger, his films still had a low cost, B-movie feel to them including such entertaining movies as From Dusk Till Dawn (which was actually a low-budget film) and The Faculty. When he turned his eye towards making a kid-friendly film, he retained his charming visual style, and used a bigger budget to create imaginative and novel backdrops and characters – all of which are seen in Spy Kids.

In Spy Kids, Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez (Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino) are retired spies with two precocious children, Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara), but Gregorio has a secret. He’s still doing spy work, and a project he worked on, named the Third Brain, is the object of desire of a bad spy, Mr. Lisp (Robert Patrick). When Lisp and his cohorts capture Gregorio and Ingrid, their spunky, resourceful children, Carmen and Juni, decides that it’s up to them to find their parents and save the world from the threat of Lisp and his band of nefarious Spy Kids.

Spy Kids has a lot in it that’s worth liking. For one thing, it’s a decidedly low-wattage action movie, which is perfect for children. It lacks the violence and intensity of many action films, but it retains the spirit of action flicks with a sense of adventure and lots of high tech gadgets and vehicles. The cast of villains is a collection of oddballs, seemingly more inspired by Tim Burton films than James Cameron films. Rodriguez fills his Spy Kids with imaginative sets and creatures that seemingly come right out of a children’s fairytale book or a comic book. It all looks so unusual in the context of an action movie, but that’s what makes Spy Kids really unique.

The acting is mostly pretty good. While Banderas and Ms. Gugino are kind of wooden as the parents, young Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara get better as the film goes along. They manage to be both serious and have a sense of fun about their work. They’re having a good time, and they manage to establish a sly, sort of winking relationship with the audience; they definitely make this picture. The cast of villains is very good, including a surprising turn by Alan Cumming as Fegan Floop, the host of Juni’s favorite TV program; he really buries himself in the character and seems inseparable from the role while on screen.

Although Rodriguez’s script belabors the point about the need for family members to have each other’s back, the film is a fine example of an action film that everyone in the family can enjoy. The plot and story are simplistic, but not simple-minded, and Spy Kids has all the things that make “real” action movies exciting – thrills, gadgets, and a sense of urgency to save the good from the bad.

6 of 10
B

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Review: "From Dusk Till Dawn" Still a Bloody, Glorious Mess

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 68 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux


From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
Running time: 108 minutes (1 hour, 48 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence and gore, language, and nudity
DIRECTOR/EDITOR: Robert Rodriguez
WRITERS: Quentin Tarantino; based upon the story by Robert Kurtzman
PRODUCERS: Gianni Nunnari and Meir Teper
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Guillermo Navarro

HORROR/ACTION/DRAMA with elements of comedy and crime

Starring: Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Juliette Lewis, Ernest Liu, Salma Hayek, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Tom Savini, Fred Williamson, Michael Parks, Kelly Preston, John Saxson, and Brenda Hillhouse

After a bloody bank robbery, Seth Gecko (George Clooney) and his younger brother, Richard (Quentin Tarantino), are on the lam. The brothers take Jacob Fuller (Harvey Keitel), an ex-preacher, and his children, Kate (Juliette Lewis) and Scott (Ernest Liu) hostage, in order to use the Fullers’ RV for their getaway. The Geckos and the Fullers escape the police dragnet across the border into Mexico, where the Gecko Brothers are supposed to rendezvous with a local drug kingpin at a biker and trucker cantina called the Titty Twister. What the quintet doesn’t know is that the bar’s owners and some of the clientele are bloodthirsty vampires.

Movies like Scream, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, or even Interview with a Vampire might make the list of great horror movies from the 1990’s, but the Robert Rodriguez directed, Quentin Tarantino scripted horror film, From Dusk Till Dawn is a horrifying, classic howler. Part dark comedy, part gore fest, part action horror, and part crime thriller, FDTD is hell of a film. It’s so blood soaked at times that it might give some people pause and grab their stomachs. Some of the monster and creature makeup and effects are way over the top and hilarious, but the film works.

From Dusk Till Dawn is actually like two movies in one. The first half is straight out of classic crime cinema – dangerous, murderous, cop-killing thieves are on the lam with hostages in tow. The second half is apparently an ode to outlandish Mexican horror films (of which I never seen a one). This mixture is something only genre storytellers do well, and two guys like Tarantino and Rodriguez are steeped in stuff like comics, pulp fiction, and lowbrow cinema to the point where they can make something like FDTD work.

The cast is obviously having a good time; the extras seem to have the best time. George Clooney’s cool and calm killer carries this film across two genres, and his movie star presence shines even in something like this. However, blaxtiploitation star Fred Williamson and horror movie makeup legend, Tom Savini, give sweet kicks to their small, but deliciously kooky parts.

8 of 10
A

Friday, May 20, 2005

From Dusk Till Dawn [Blu-ray]

Review: Wam! Bam! Thank You "Machete"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 14 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Machete (2010)
Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence throughout, language, some sexual content and nudity
DIRECTORS: Ethan Maniquis and Robert Rodriguez
WRITERS: Robert Rodriguez and Álvaro Rodríguez
PRODUCERS: Elizabeth Avellan, Robert Rodriguez, and Rick Schwartz
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jimmy Lindsey
EDITORS: Rebecca Rodriguez and Robert Rodriguez

ACTION

Starring: Danny Trejo, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Fahey, Cheech Marin, Don Johnson, Shea Whigham, Lindsay Lohan, Daryl Sabara, Gilbert Trejo, and Tom Savini

Robert Rodriguez’s recent hell-raising flick, Machete, first hit the screen as a fake trailer in the 2007 Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino double feature, Grindhouse. Part tongue-in-cheek action comedy and part exploitation movie, Machete offers deranged fun that includes everything from dismemberment to a mini-race war.

The film focuses on Machete Cortez (Danny Trejo), a former Mexican Federale turned illegal immigrant. Three years after the powerful drug lord, Rogelio Torrez (Steven Seagal) killed his wife and daughter, Machete roams Texas looking for work. A shady businessman named Michael Booth (Jeff Fahey) offers Machete $150,000 to assassinate corrupt Texas State Senator John McLaughlin (Robert De Niro). After he is double-crossed, Machete joins forces with immigration agent Sartana Rivera (Jessica Alba) to take down McLaughlin and a far-ranging conspiracy that includes anti-immigration racists and Machete’s old nemesis, Torrez. Luckily, Machete and Rivera find help in the form of Machete’s brother, the gun-wielding priest, Padre (Cheech Marin), and the taco-truck lady, Luz (Michelle Rodriguez).

I enjoy Robert Rodriguez’s films so very much, and although he has a co-director, Ethan Maniquis, for this film, Machete is true to the spirit of mayhem inherent in movies produced by Troublemaker Studios, Rodriguez’s production company. Machete does seem a bit long, and the narrative is occasionally clunky, but the action sequences have a seamless quality that gives the violence maxim impact upon the viewer.

The cinematic art of beheading, dismemberment, gouging, puncturing, and bladed-weapon-thrusting have rarely looked so good (obviously thanks to computer effects enhancement). Those of us who like that sort of thing will howl with pleasure. The terrific gunfights and pitched gun battles are the giant, juicy, succulent cherry on top of this hack-and-slash fun.

As well-made as this film is from creative and technical points of view, the cast is what assures that Machete manages not to take itself seriously, but also still work as an over-the-top action movie. Of course, Robert De Niro is good; in fact, his spot-on creation of the opportunistic, chauvinistic Senator McLaughlin is gold for this movie. Steve Seagal, Jeff Fahey, and Don Johnson were all, at one point in their careers, B-movie action stars, and they deliver some of their best action flick work here, especially Johnson. The girls are all good here, but Lindsay Lohan effortlessly outshines Jessica Alba and Michelle Rodriguez in a much smaller role.

Machete ultimately relies on Danny Trejo. Seemingly hewn from granite (sans the pretty boy looks), Trejo is an action star with the soul of a thespian. As good as this movie is, there actually isn’t enough of him on screen. Trejo has palatable film presence, and he makes Machete not just a good action movie, but also a good movie, regardless of genre.

7 of 10
A-

Friday, February 11, 2011

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