Review: "HAUNTED MANSION" is Surprisingly Charming and Delightfully Scary

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 35 of 2024 (No. 1979) by Leroy Douresseaux

Haunted Mansion (2023)

Running time:  123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes

MPA – PG-13 for some thematic action and scary action

DIRECTOR:  Justin Simien

WRITER:  Katie Dippold

PRODUCERS:  Jonathan Eirich and Dan Lin

CINEMATOGRAHER:  Jeffrey Waldron (D.o.P.)

EDITOR:  Phillip J. Bartell

COMPOSER:  Kris Bowers

COMEDY/FAMILY/FANTASY/HORROR

Starring:  LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Chase Dillon, J.R. Adduci, Charity Jordan, Hasan Minhaj, Daniel Levy, and Jared Leto (voice) with Winona Ryder

Haunted Mansion is a 2023 American supernatural horror-comedy and family film from director Justin Simien.  Released by Walt Disney Pictures, the film is loosely based on the Disney theme park attraction, “The Haunted Mansion,” which first opened at Disneyland in 1969.  Haunted Mansion the movie focuses on a single mom and a group of peculiar locals who attempt to exorcise her new home, an old mansion, of its troublesome ghosts.

Haunted Mansion opens in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Ben Matthias (LaKeith Stanfield) is an astrophysicist developing a camera to detect dark matter.  He marries Alyssa (Charity Jordan), a tour guide for the city's famously haunted places.  Tragedy strikes, and Ben gives up his career and continues to operate Alyssa's tour despite the face that he does not believe in ghosts and the supernatural.

Meanwhile, Gabbie (Rosario Dawson), a doctor from New York, and her young son, Travis (Chase Dillon), move to the formerly lavish, but now rundown mansion, Gracey Manor.  Her plan is to transform the abandoned place into a bed and breakfast, but she and Travis soon discover that the place is infested by so many ghosts that they can't count them all.

Father Kent (Owen Wilson), a local Catholic priest who claims to be an exorcist, is helping Gabbie with the hauntings.  He hires Ben to photograph Gracey Manor's ghosts because Ben has a “dark matter” camera that may be able to photograph ghosts.  Kent also calls in Harriet (Tiffany Haddish), a psychic with genuine abilities, and Bruce (Danny DeVito), a college historian and professor who has written a book on Gracey Manor, as additional help.

However, the ghosts of Gracey Manor immediately attach themselves to anyone who enters the mansion.  Those same ghosts are apparently afraid of an alpha ghost who is seeking one more ghost to add to his menagerie, an act that would give him ultimate power.  Can a singe mother, her son, a grieving tour guide with a ghost camera, an eccentric psychic, an odd priest, a cantankerous historian, and Madame Leota (Jamie Lee Curtis), the ghostly psychic trapped in a huge crystal ball, exercise the horrible evil that haunts Gracey Mansion?  Or will one of them have to make the ultimate sacrifice?

I have to admit that last summer, as I watched the advertisements for Haunted Mansion, I could never convince myself that it was a must-see film.  I did plan to see it... eventually because I had seen the previous take on the Disney ride, the Eddie Murphy-vehicle, The Haunted Mansion (2003).  Also, I have had my eye on Justin Simien, the director of Haunted Mansion, since I saw his 2014 film, Dear White People.  But I thought I could wait, and so I did.

Recently, I finally did see Haunted Mansion, and I am surprised by how much I like it.  It is sweet and charming, and it is one of those perfect scary family movies.  I love it.  July 28, 2024 was the one-year anniversary of Haunted Mansion original theatrical release, and the film was a huge box office disappointment.  The mistake was Disney releasing the film against 2023's box office behemoths, Barbie and Oppenheimer, which were still at the height of their box office powers in the last weekend of July 2023.

Haunted Mansion should have been a late September to early October 2023 theatrical release.  This film is perfect Halloween, from its kooky cast of characters to the literal 1001 ghosts with stories.  I think Tiffany Haddish gets the most eccentric mileage out of her character, the psychic Harriet.  Although, LaKeith Stanfield can be a bit stiff at times, the way he plays Ben Matthias brings some center and balance to the wackiness and supernatural craziness.

Jamie Lee Curtis shines in her small role as the ghostly psychic, Madame Leota, and Owen Wilson as Father Kent and Danny DeVito as Bruce are pitch perfect.  Rosario Dawson and Chase Dillon are perfectly “Disney normal” as the mother and son combo of Gabbie and Travis.

Writer Katie Dippold's screenplay, Justin Simien's direction, and the rest of the film's creative crew deliver a haunted house film that is as lavish in its production values as it is rich in chills and thrills.  The cast fills that haunted house with the consummate scary movie characters.  The Haunted Mansion 2003 was a bit of a box office disappointment, but it has gone on to become a Disney television Halloween favorite.  Given time, Haunted Mansion 2023 will also become a beloved Disney Halloween trick-or-treat. 

8 of 10

A

★★★★ out of 4 stars

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

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

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

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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from Dec. 17th to 23rd, 2023 - Update #16

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

CULTURE - From Variety:  On Jan. 1st, 2024, the earliest versions of Mickey Mouse enter the public domain. Also entering the public domain works from 1928 (such as Virginia Woolf's novel, "Orlando") and sound recordings from 1923 (including works by Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey).

MOVIES - From THR:  The stars of "The Color Purple": Fantasia Barino, Taraji P. Henson, and Danielle Brooks, and the film's producer, Oprah Winfrey, discuss the film with "The Hollywood Reporter."

From Deadline:  During an interview on Gayle King's SiriusXM show about the upcoming movie musical, "The Color Purple," Oscar-nominated and Emmy-nominated actress, Taraji P. Henson breaks down over pay disparity in Hollywood.

OSCARS - From Deadline:  The Oscars "shortlists" have been revealed for 10 categories:  "International Feature Film," "Documentary Feature," "Original Song," "Music Score," "Sound," "Visual Effects," "Makeup & Hairstyling," and the documentary, animated and live action short-film categories.

AWARDS - From Deadline:  Comedian Jo Koy will host the 81st Golden Globe Awards.  Koy is coming off his successful "Funny is Funny World Tour."  The 81st Golden Globes will air on CBS, Sunday, Jan. 7th and stream on Paramount+.

BREAKING - From Variety:  Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global have held talks about a potential merger of the two media companies.

From Variety:  Media mogul Byron Allen has renewed his attempt to buy BET Media Group from Paramount Global.  He has made an offer of 3.5 billion dollars (up from his previous 2.7 billion offer), which would get him the BET cable channel, VH1, BET Studios, and the BET+ stream service.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director Christopher Nolan says "Oppenheimer" is his most successful film to date.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  A New York City jury of three men and three women has found actor Jonathan Majors guilty of reckless assault and harassment in his domestic violence trial.  The actor, who appeared in Creed III and Disney+/Marvel Studios' "Loki" is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 6th, 2024.  He could face up to a year in jail.

From Deadline:  Disney/Marvel Studios has fired actor Jonathan Majors in the wake of his guilty verdict on charges of reckless assault and harassment in New York City.  Majors had played "He Who Remains" a.k.a. "Kang the Conqueror" in two seasons of the Disney+ series, "Loki," and in the film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 12/15 to 12/17/2023 weekend box office is Warner Bros.'s "Wonka" with an estimated take of 39 million dollars.

From Deadline:  Searchlight Pictures' "Poor Things" tops the specialty box office with an estimated take of 1.3 million dollars, also good enough to make it to the #10 spot at the domestic box office.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Michael Jai White (Black Dynamite) has wrapped production on "Trouble Man!," the action-comedy that he directed and stars in for Samuel Goldwyn Films.  The movie, which also stars Orlando Jones, Mike Epps, and Method Man, to name a few, will be released in 2024.

CELEBRITY - From ETOnline:  Actress Rosario Dawson is going to be a grandmother. [Yeah, I'm shocked, too. Leroy.]

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

AWARDS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: For "CLERKS III," It's Closing Time

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 75 of 2022 (No. 1887) by Leroy Douresseaux

Clerks III (2022)

Running time:  100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)

MPA – R for pervasive language, crude sexual material, and drug content

WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Kevin Smith

PRODUCERS:  Liz Destro and Jordan Monsanto

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Learan Kahanov

EDITOR: Kevin Smith

COMPOSER: James L. Venable

COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring:  Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Rosario Dawson, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Trevor Fehrman, Austin Zajur, Ben Affleck, and Danny Trejo

Clerks III is a 2022 comedy-drama film from writer-director Kevin Smith.  It is the third entry in the Clerks film series.  Clerks III is also a sequel to Clerks (1994) and Clerks II (2006) and is a direct sequel to the latter.  Clerks III finds two friends and convenience store co-owners at a crossroads after one of them has a near-fatal heart attack.

Clerks III opens at “Quick Stop Groceries.”  This is the convenience story where best friends, Dante Hicks (Brian O’Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson), work side by side as co-owners of the store where they were once employees.  Vagrant drug dealers, Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith), who used to hangout in front of the store are now also business owners.  They have transformed the business space next door that was once occupied by “RST Video” into a legal marijuana dispensary.

Otherwise, their lives have remained the same, except for a tragedy that occurred in Dante's life.  One day, store employee, Elias (Trevor Fehrman), and his friend, Blockchain (Austin Zajur), are visiting when Randal suffers a heart attack (the type known as “the widow-maker”).  After surviving, Randal decides that he has wasted his life and, looking for a new purpose, decides to make a movie about his life at the convenience store.  In his maniacal focus to get his movie made, however, Randal seems to have forgotten how much a part of his life Dante has been – with tragic results.

Kevin Smith's filmography is filled with surprising movies, like Chasing Amy; interesting, uneven flicks, like Dogma; and interesting bad films, like Mallrats.  Clerks, the film that made him something of a star, and its sequel, Clerks II, are my favorite Kevin Smith movies, and I consider them great films.

Clerks III is not great, and it is surprising to me in the fact that it is an uneven film that is at times bad and at times interesting.  In the first hour, the story meanders so much that Clerks III is practically unwatchable.  At about the 70-minute mark, however, the film has a late inciting incident that changes the tone and essentially saves the film.

I have to admit that I find that Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, and Kevin Smith have not aged well.  They not only look old, but they also look as if they have had hard lives or lives filled with substance abuse.  Jason Mewes (Jay) has aged well, and I believe that he has actually had issues with substance abuse.  Truthfully, a lot of the returning cast looks old and run down.

Clerks III seems like a love letter to Clerks, which started it all – Kevin Smith's career as a filmmaker and celebrity and Clerks as a media franchise.  [There was a “Clerks” animated series, which aired for six episodes on ABC in 2000 and on Comedy Central in 2002, and a comic book miniseries originally published by Oni Press in the late 1990s.]  Clerks III is also Smith's nod to the part of his earlier life that inspired Clerks.  That's nice, but I would only recommend Clerks III to Kevin Smith fans.  Everyone else should avoid this convenience store.  The grades I am giving this film are an acknowledgment that I like the earlier films and don't really indicate how mediocre I think Clerks III is.

5 of 10

C+

★★½ out of 4 stars

Thursday, December 15, 2022

The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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

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: "JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK: Apokolips War" - As Endings Go, This One is Good

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 8 of 2022 (No. 1820) by Leroy Douresseaux

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War – video (2020)
Running time:  90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes)
MPAA – R for bloody violence, language, and some sexual references
DIRECTORS:  Matt Peters and Christina Sotter
WRITERS:  Ernie Altbacker and Mairghread Scott; from a story by Mairghread Scott (based on characters appearing in DC Comics)
PRODUCER:  Amy McKenna
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Sam Register and James Tucker
EDITOR:  Christopher D. Lozinski
COMPOSER:  Frederik Wiedmann
ANIMATION STUDIO:  Tiger Animation

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring:  (voices) Matt Ryan, Camilla Luddington, Taissa Farmiga, Jerry O'Connell, Rebecca Romijn, Rosario Dawson, Jason O'Mara, Stuart Allen, Hynden Walch, Rainn Wilson, Liam McIntyre, Ray Chase, John DiMaggio, Roger Cross, Shemar Moore, Christopher Gorham, and Tony Todd

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is a 2020 straight-to-video animated superhero film from Warner Bros. Animation.  It is the thirty-eighth film in Warner Home Video's line of “DC Universe Animated Original Movies.”  This film features the marquee DC Comics superhero teams:  Justice League, Teen Titans, and Suicide Squad.  The title of the movie references the supernatural-leaning version of the Justice League, the “Justice League Dark.”  In Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, the Earth's remaining superheroes engage in an epic battle to save what is left of Earth from Darkseid.

As Justice League Dark: Apokolips War opens, Superman (Jerry O'Connell) has devised a plan in which the Justice League will lead a first-strike attack on the all-powerful New God, Darkseid (Tony Todd), who has made two failed attempts at conquering Earth.  The plan is also for the Teen Titans to stay behind and protect the planet.  Unfortunately for the heroes of Earth, Darkseid has learned of their plans and overwhelms them with his “Paradooms,” a genetic hybrid creature made from combination of Darkseid's Parademons and Doomsday, the alien creature that once “killed” Superman.

Two years later, Earth is in ruins, and Darkseid has placed three devices, known as “Reapers,” on Earth to mine the planet's core of its magma.  Some superheroes, such as Cyborg (Shemar Moore), Wonder Woman (Rosario Dawson), and Batman (Jason O'Mara), are now Darkseid's slaves.  Many of the surviving heroes blame Clark Kent/Superman for leading them into failure, and worse, Superman has been forcibly de-powered after Darkseid tattooed his chest with liquid kryptonite.  Still, the Man of Steel has not given up on saving Earth.

Supeman and Lois Lane (Rebecca Romijn) have hatched a new plan to stop Darkseid.  Clark recruits the remaining Teen Titans, Damian Wayne/Robin (Stuart Allen) and Raven (Taissa Farmiga), who is struggling to maintain her father, Trigon's (John DiMaggio) imprisonment.  But everything may hinge on the troublesome con man and sorcerer, John Constantine (Matt Ryan).

Within the “DC Universe Animated Original Movies,” there is the “DC Animated Movie Universe.”  The line began in 2013 with the straight-to-video release of Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox and is comprised of 15 feature length films.  The point of the “DC Animated Movie Universe” was to make animated films that were loosely based on “The New 52.”  Started in 2011, “The New 52” was the publishing initiative in which DC Comics relaunched its entire line of superhero comic books.

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is the last film in the “DC Animated Movie Universe.”  That factoid is second in importance to the fact that Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is a really good DC Comics animated film.  The film probably uses the “Justice League Dark” title rather than simply “Justice League” because of the tone of the story and because, in many ways, John Constantine, the star of 2017's Justice League Dark animated film, is the lynch pin of Apokolips War.

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War takes the viewers in some inventive and intriguing directions in regards to characters, relationships, and mythologies.  The film offers a surprising amount of emotionally fulfilling character drama and arcs, including the usual Lois Lane and Clark Kent relationship.  However, John Constantine and Zatanna (Camilla Luddington) offer a poignant pairing, but the most surprising is the romance between Damian Wayne and Raven.  They're good enough to be the stars of their own animated film.

The surprising turns and compelling directions in which this film travels are matched by some high quality animation, a strong script, and some surprisingly lean and mean directing.  Such a large cast and so many subplots could have dragged on Apokolips War.  Instead, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is an exciting and riveting film, and it is a great way to end one universe in the DC Comics multiverse.

8 of 10
A

Wednesday, August 18, 2021


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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

Review: "SORRY TO BOTHER YOU" is Fresh and Audacious

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 7 of 2022 (No. 1819) by Leroy Douresseaux

Sorry to Bother You (2018)
Running time:  112 minutes (1 hour, 52 minutes)
MPAA – R for pervasive language, some strong sexual content, graphic nudity, and drug use
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Boots Riley
PRODUCERS:  Jonathan Duffy, Charles D. King, George Rush, Forest Whitaker, and Kelly Williams
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Doug Emmett (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Terel Gibson
COMPOSERS:  Tune-Yards: Nate Brenner and Merrill Garbus (score); The Coup (soundtrack)

COMEDY/SCIENCE FICTION

Starring:  LaKeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Harwick, Terry Crews, Kate Berlant, Michael X. Sommers, Robert Longstreet, and Danny Glover, Armie Hammer, and Steven Yeun with Rosario Dawson, Forest Whitaker, David Cross, Lily James, and Patton Oswalt

Sorry to Bother You is a 2018 satirical, science fiction, and black comedy film written and directed by Boots Riley.  The film follows a young African-American telemarketer who discovers the key to professional success and personal wealth, which also propels him into a world of corporate conspiracy and greed.

Sorry to Bother You opens in an alternate version of present-day Oakland, California.  Cassius “Cash” Green (LaKeith Stanfield) is a young African-American man who struggles to be gainfully employed.  He and his girlfriend, Detroit (Tessa Thompson), an artist, live with Cash's uncle, Sergio Green (Terry Crews), specifically in Uncle's Sergio's garage.  Cash learns about a job opportunity at the place of employment of his friend, Salvadore a.k.a. “Sal” (Jermaine Fowler).

Sal works as a telemarketer for a company called “RegalView.”  Cash manages to get a job, and his bosses, Johnny (Michael K. Sommers) and Anderson (Robert Longstreet), emphasize that he must “stick to the script” (S.T.T.P) when making sales calls.  He struggles with the job until an older African-American co-worker, Langston (Danny Glover), tells Cash that he must adopt a “white voice” when making sales calls.  After a few misfires, Cash eventually creates his own “white voice” (spoken by actor David Cross), and it works!  Soon, Cash is so good at selling products to the people he calls that his bosses dub him a “Power Caller.”

Meanwhile, Cash's coworker, Squeeze (Steven Yeun), has formed a union, and now, he wants to recruit Cash, Detroit, and Sal as union activists.  However, Cash is finally making some big money for the first time in his life, and when he moves on up to the luxurious Power Caller suite, he does not want to give that up.  When he starts selling for RegalView's main corporate client, WorryFree, Cash is forced to decide between his friends and selling his soul as part of a terrible corporate conspiracy.

Sorry to Bother You is one of those hybrid comedy film that blends dark humor, satire, science fiction, and adventure in a way that comments on the contemporary times in which the film debuted.  Sorry to Bother You reminds me of films like director Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985) and director Mike Judge's Idiocracy (2006).  Like those films, Sorry to Bother You eviscerates the power elites and the institutions that guide and even control society.

Like Judge's other satirical film, Office Space (1999), Sorry to Bother You perfectly captures the contemporary landscape of working America:  underpaid workers who are like drones; the difficulties of unionizing workplaces; using promotions to separate workers; pitting workers against each other; middle managers who act like overseers; and a narcissistic ownership class that doesn't know and doesn't want to know anything … that does not get them what they want.

In Sorry to Bother You, writer-director Boots Riley offers a bold vision of today with crazy, twisted apt metaphors that relate to now and to the near-future.  My one quibble with the film is that the characters are not quite one-dimensional, but they do lack true depth.  Steven Yeun adds some bump to his rabble rouser, Squeeze, as does Jermaine Fowler with his character, Sal.  However, it seems as if LaKeith Stanfield as Cash and Tessa Thompson as Detroit use their performances to bring their characters to heights to which the film's script does not aspire.  The film is almost over by the time these characters really start to command and shape the direction of the story, which Riley drives using a complex plot, an involved story line, and lots of amazing ideas.

It is a shame that upon its theatrical release audiences did not watch Sorry to Bother You the way they watched big-tent, event pictures.  At one point in the film, one of the characters in Sorry to Bother You says that when people discover a problem that they can't fix, they ignore it.  Sorry to Bother You doesn't offer easy answers, but it does ask that people get involved … and think.  Sorry to Bother You is as entertaining as most superhero movies, and without being preachy, it also asks the people to be heroes against villains and the injustice they perpetuate.  There are many home entertainment options for audiences to discover this wonderful and relevant movie.

8 of 10
A

Wednesday, February 16, 2022


NOTES:
2019 Black Reel Awards:  3 wins: “Outstanding Screenplay” (Boots Riley), “Outstanding Emerging Director” (Boots Riley), and “Outstanding First Screenplay” (Boots Riley); 4 nominations: “Outstanding Actor” (LaKeith Stanfield), “Outstanding Director” (Boots Riley), “Outstanding Ensemble,” and “Outstanding Costume Design” (Deirdra Elizabeth Govan)

2019 Image Awards (NAACP):  2 nominations: “Outstanding Independent Motion Picture” and “Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Film)” (Boots Riley)

The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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

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

Review: "REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN" Does Not Reign

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 48 of 2021 (No. 1786) by Leroy Douresseaux

Reign of the Superman – video (2019)
Running time:  87 minutes
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of action violence
DIRECTORS:  Sam Liu
WRITERS:  Jim Krieg and Tim Sheridan (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics)
PRODUCERS:  Sam Liu and Amy McKenna
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Sam Register and James Tucker
EDITOR:  Christopher D. Lozinski
COMPOSER:  Frederik Wiedmann  
ANIMATION STUDIO:  Maven Image Platform

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring:  (voices) Jerry O'Connell, Rebecca Romijn, Rainn Wilson, Patrick Fabian, Cress Williams, Cameron Monaghan, Rosario Dawson, Nathan Fillion, Christopher Gorham, Matt Lanter, Shemar Moore, Nyambi Nyambi, Jason O'Mara, Jonathan Adams, Rocky Carroll, Trevor Devall, Paul Eiding, Jennifer Hale, Charles Halford, Erica Luttrell, Max Mittelman, Toks Olagundoye, and Tony Todd

Reign of the Supermen is a 2019 straight-to-video animated superhero film from Warner Bros. Animation and director Sam Liu.  It is the thirty-third film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies series and is a direct sequel to the 2018 film, The Death of Superman.  The movie takes its story from “Reign of the Supermen!” a 1993 story arc that was part of “The Death of Superman” DC Comics story line and publishing event (1992-93).  In Reign of the Supermen, several new people present themselves as possible successors to Superman, in the wake of his death.

Reign of the Supermen opens six months following the death of Superman at the hands of Doomsday (as seen in The Death of Superman), and the rising crime rate in Metropolis has spread beyond the city.  Meanwhile, four new super-powered beings have emerged to take Superman's place.  Still grieving the loss of Superman and, by extension, his alter-ego, Clark Kent (Jerry O'Connell), reporter Lois Lane (Rebecca Romijn) of The Daily Planet has been investigating the new Supermen by gathering whatever information she can from different sources.

One Superman is a gold-visor wearing, energy blast-shooting vigilante called “The Eradicator.”  Another is “Steel,” the armored hero who is the identity of a young scientist, John Henry Irons (Cress Williams).  The third is a teen clone of Superman created by a scientist working for Lex Luthor (Rainn Wilson), and the public starts calling him “Superboy” (Cameron Monaghan).  The fourth, who seems the most like Superman, is part-man and part machine and is called “Cyborg Superman.”

The four “Supermen” are controversial and mysterious, and one of them is conspiring with Darkseid (Tony Todd) in the lord of Apokolips' plan to invade Earth.  Meanwhile, the Justice League:  Wonder Woman (Rosario Dawson), Batman (Jason O'Mara), Aquaman (Matt Lanter), Cyborg (Shemar Moore), Flash (Christopher Gorham), Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkman, and Martian Manhunter (Nyambi Nyambi) have been sidelined.  Now, Lois and the three truly heroic Supermen must uncover the mystery of what actually happened to the real Superman if they are going to stop a plot to take over the world.

Some of the central conceits of superhero comic books and their media adaptations are that the superheroes will almost always win; the bad guys will lose; a superhero's death will ultimately not benefit the super-villain; and the villains will plot even in defeat, while the superheroes remain vigilante.  If you are never bored by this, you will generally always like or love superhero fiction.

In the case of Reign of the Supermen, the conceits are alive and well.  While the idea of Superman dying always causes the fanboy in me some internal discomfort, I found myself mostly bored by Reign of the Supermen.  I couldn't wait for this movie to end, but I wanted to finish it in order to write this review.  I did like the four “Supermen” and the drama in the film built around them.  Everything else only mildly interested me.

I found that the battle between Superman and Doomsday that made up the second half of The Death of Superman saved that movie.  The battle that dominates the last act of Reign of the Supermen only made me care about the movie a little more.  I really liked the Supermen of Reign of the Supermen, but not much else about this movie.

5 of 10
B-

Saturday, May 29, 2021


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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

Review: "THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN" Saved by Superman vs. Doomsday

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 47 of 2021 (No. 1785) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Death of Superman – video (2018)
Running time:  81 minutes (1 hour, 21 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of violence and action including some bloody images.
DIRECTORS:  Sam Liu and Jake Castorena
WRITER:  Peter Tomasi (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics)
PRODUCERS:  Sam Liu and Amy McKenna
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Sam Register and James Tucker
EDITOR:  Christopher D. Lozinski
COMPOSER:  Frederik Wiedmann  
ANIMATION STUDIO:  Studio MIR

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring:  (voices) Jerry O'Connell, Rebecca Romijn, Rainn Wilson, Rosario Dawson, Nathan Fillion, Christopher Gorham, Matt Lanter, Shemar Moore, Nyambi Nyambi, Jason O'Mara, Jonathan Adams, Rocky Carroll, Trevor Devall, Paul Eiding, Jennifer Hale, Charles Halford, Erica, Luttrell, Max Mittelman, and Toks Olagundoye

The Death of Superman is a 2018 straight-to-video animated superhero film from Warner Bros. Animation and directors Sam Lui and Jake Castorena.  It is the thirty-second film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies series.  The movie takes its story from “Doomsday!” (also known as “The Death of Superman”), a story arc that ran in various DC Comics titles in late 1992.  In The Death of Superman movie, Superman battling a seemingly insurmountable foe.

The Death of Superman finds Superman (Jerry O'Connell) at the height of his popularity as a superhero in Metropolis and around the world.  However, Superman has some brewing domestic issues in his civilian life as Clark Kent (Jerry O'Connell).  Clark is dating Lois Lane (Rebecca Romijn), a fellow reporter at The Daily Planet.  Clark's parents, Ma and Pa Kent (Jennifer Hale and Paul Eiding), are visiting, and they will finally meet Lois, but that only forces Clark to face the fact that he has not told Lois that he is Superman.

Elsewhere, without warning, a meteor has crashed on Earth causing trouble above in Earth orbit and below in the ocean depths.  Emerging from the meteor is a gray-skinned, white-haired monster with incredible strength, stamina, and invulnerability.  Also, its skeleton protrudes through its skin in the form of multiple razor-sharp spurs.

The creature, whom Lois dubs “Doomsday,” quickly dispatches the Justice League.  Doomsday beats Wonder Woman (Rosario Dawson), Batman (Jason O'Mara), Aquaman (Matt Lanter), Cyborg (Shemar Moore), Flash (Christopher Gorham), Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkman, and Martian Manhunter (Nyambi Nyambi) nearly to death.  Now, only Superman stands before the creature, but to defeat him, Superman may lose his own life.

The Death of Superman is not the first time that the “Doomsday”/“The Death of Superman” story line has been adapted into a direct-to-DVD animated film.  The first was 2007's Superman: Doomsday, which I did not care for all that much.  Concerning this newer film, I don't like the graphic design of the characters, who all appear to have anemic faces.  In fact, their heads are all face – odd, angular faces.  I find them a little jarring to look at, but the animation moves smoothly.

I thought the first half of 2018's The Death of Superman was dull, but the second half is a blast to watch.  Doomsday's fights with the other members of the Justice League are filled with bone-crushing blows and near-death intensity.  The Superman vs. Doomsday battle is so powerful that calling it “epic” does not completely describe the insane violence displayed in this literally to-the-death fight.

The character drama between Clark and Lois is also well-developed, and the depiction of the edginess in their relationship keeps the first half of the movie from being a total loss.  This film also includes a strong version of Lex Luthor (Rainn Wilson), one that could have taken over this film.  Ultimately, I am giving The Death of Superman a high recommendation because of the Superman-Doomsday battle.  This fight is like an animated equivalent of a battle one might find in a Disney/Marvel Studios' Avengers films.

7 of 10
B+

Saturday, April 24, 2021


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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

A "Star Wars" Link-o-Rama 2020 by Negromancer - Update #94

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

Support Leroy Doureseaux on Patreon.

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  The official trailer for "The Mandalorian" Season Two.
-------------------------- 

NOVELS - From IndieWire:  Beloved "Star Wars" novelist, Alan Dean Foster, talks about being asked to remove a budding romance between Finn and Rey that he was setting up in his novelization of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

BOBA FETT - From StarWars:  There is more news on the recently announced Disney+ series, "The Book of Boba Fett," which will be executive produced by Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, and Robert Rodriguez.

From Deadline:  Previously unannounced, "The Book of Boba Fett" will be a new Disney+ "Star Wars" series.  A spinoff of "The Mandalorian," the series is set to debut December 2021.

COMICS - From BleedingCool:   Marvel Comics' "Star Wars: The High Republic #1" has sold out three weeks before its release date.  Marvel has reportedly ordered a second printing.

OBIT - From CinemaBlend:  The English actor Jeremy Bulloch has died at the age of 75, Thursday, December 17, 2020.  Bulloch played the bounty hunter, "Boba Fett," in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, appearing in "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of Jedi."  While Bulloch wore Boba's costume, the late American actor, Jason Wingreen ("All in the Family," "Archie Bunker's Place") provided Boba's voice.

GEORGE LUCAS - From IndieWire:  Legendary film director, Francis Ford Coppola ("The Godfather"), says that he feels sad that "Star Wars" dominated George Lucas' career.

OBI-WAN - From Deadline:   Hayden Christensen will return as Darth Vader in the developing Disney+ series, "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

ROGUE SQUADRON - From Deadline:   Patty Jenkins, the director of the "Wonder Woman" film franchise, will direct a new "Star Wars" film, "Rogue Squadron."  This will be the first "Star Wars" feature directed by a female director.

OBIT - From StarWars:   David Prowse, the actor who gave the physical performance of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, died this weekend. He was 85.

REVENGE OF THE SITH - From IGN:   Star Wars Stunt Co-Ordinator Selling Lightsabers From Revenge of the Sith

HIGH REPUBLIC - From WeGotThisCovered:   A preview of pages from Marvel Comics' "Star Wars: The High Republic" reveals a look at a younger Yoda.

JOHN BOYEGA - From Deadline:   John Boyega Had A “Transparent, Honest” Phone Call With Kathleen Kennedy After "Star Wars" Race Comments

HIGH REPUBLIC - From Previews:   In its first contribution to Lucasfilm’s "Star Wars: The High Republic" publishing campaign spanning comics and prose, IDW announced the February 3rd, 2021 launch of "Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures," an ongoing comic book series set 200 years before the live action film continuity.

PREQUEL TRILOGY - From IndieWire:  An upcoming book, "Star Wars Archives: 1999-2005," reveals stunning new details of George Lucas' plans for the sequel trilogy (Episodes 7 to 9).  This includes resurrected Darth Maul and making him the "godfather of crime" in the universe.

FUTURE - From IndieWire:  Leslye Headland, creator of Netflix's "Russian Doll," says that her Disney+ TV series will be set in a part of the "Star Wars" timeline that fans "don't know much about."

JOHN BOYEGA - From THR:  This wide-ranging article features interviews with actors John Boyega and Letitia Wright, and Oscar-winning filmmaker, Steve McQueen.  In the interview, Boyega says that he met with a high-ranking Disney executive (that he did not name) about his criticisms of the way "people of color" were treated in the recent "Star Wars" trilogy.

THE MANDALORIAN - From Deadline:  SPOILER - Actor Temuera Morrison makes a cameo appearance in Episode 1 of "The Mandalorian" Season Two.  Morrison played Jango Fett, Boba Fett's father, in "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones."  Rumor says he will play Boba in "The Mandalorian."

OBI-WAN - From MensHealth:   Ewan McGregor Wore His Obi-Wan Robes on the Set of The Mandalorian

MANGA - From ScreenRant:  Yen Press has released a preview of its upcoming manga-graphic novel, "Leia: Princess of Alderaan."

HIGH REPUBLIC - From BleedingCool:  A "High Republic" story written by author Charles Soule will be serialized in "Star Wars Insider," likely beginning in December 2020.

ROGUE ONE SPINOFF - From Deadline:  Director Toby Haynes ("Black Mirror") has replaced Tony Gilroy as director of the first three episodes of the Disney+ "Rogue One" spinoff.

COMICS - From BleedingCool:  IDW will adapt author Greg Rucka's 2015 Star Wars junior novel, "Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure," as a comic book miniseries.

MERCHANDISE - From People:  Shoe maker and Adidas and "Star Wars" launch a fur-covered "Chewbacca" themed sneaker which you can buy at Adidas.com

OBI-WAN - From ET:  In an "Entertainment Tonight," actor Ewan McGregor talks about his "Long Way Down" and "Long Way Up" series.  Concerning what we really want to know about, the Disney+ "Obi-Wan," he says they will start filming spring of next year and that there plans are for one standalone season only.

JOHN BOYEGA - From GQUK:  Here is the John Boyega feature/interview that has caused quite a stir.

THE MANDALORIAN - From Esquire:  George Lucas cradles Baby Yoda - with social media reactions.

ROGUE ONE - From Deadline:  Actress Adria Arjona will join star Diego Luna (Cassian Andor) in the Disney+ "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" prequel series.

LEIA - From io9:  An upcoming book, "Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection" (Oct. 20th), will have details about Leia's lightsaber from "The Rise of Skywalker."

GEORGE LUCAS - From Deadline:  Tom Pollock was a studio executive and an entertainment lawyer.  He died at the age of 77, Sat., Aug. 1st.  He pulled off what is likely Hollywood's all-time greatest deal - the one that got George Lucas sequel and merchandising rights to "Star Wars."

THE MANDALORIAN - From THR:    Disney+/Lucasfilm's hit series, "The Mandalorian," received 15 nominations at the 2020 / 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, including "Outstanding Drama Series."

THE HIGH REPUBLIC - From THR:  The new "Star Wars" publishing initiative, "The High Republic," will connect to existing "Star Wars canon."

BAD BATCH - From Variety:  Disney+ has made a series order for the animated series, "Star Wars: Bad Batch."  It is a spinoff of the long-running animated series, "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," and will follow an elite and experimental unit of clone troops.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - From Variety:  For the first time since 1997, "The Empire Strikes Back" is back on top of the weekend box office.  Back in 1997, the film was re-released under the "Special Edition" banner and included new scenes and changes to the film.  Reissued again, this time as "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back," the film is estimated to gross between $400,000 and $500,000 in this post-COVID-19 theatrical box office.

THE MANDALORIAN - From StarWars:  StarWars.com reveals an extensive publishing program of books and titles for all ages based on the Disney+ series, "The Mandalorian."  This will include comic books from both Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing.

THE HIGH REPUBLIC - From IGN:  Read the First Chapter of "Star Wars: The High Republic - Light of the Jedi" by Charles Soule.

THE HIGH REPUBLIC - From YahooEntertainment:  New Star Wars book reveals why The High Republic fell – and kicks off a new era of stories

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - From YahooEntertainment:  "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" will get a "4K" restoration re-release in the United Kingdom in celebration of the film's 40th anniversary.

From Collider:  See graphic designer Matt Ferguson's poster designs for "The Empire Strikes Back" 4K re-release.

TIMELINE - From YahooEntertainment:  Here is a detailed (and interesting) Star Wars timeline.

JOHN BOYEGA - From IndieWire:  Star Wars' very on "Finn," actor John Boyega, gave an impassioned speech in support of Black Lives Matter in London on Wednesday, June 3, 2020.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - From StarWars:  In an interview done to commemorate the 40th anniversary of "The Empire Strikes Back," George Lucas says that he doesn't know why "Star Wars" is so popular.

REVENGE OF THE SITH - From YahooMovieUK:  There is a fan petition demanding that Disney release an alleged four-hour cut of "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith."

JAR JAR BINKS - From YahooEntertainment:  The voice actor behind prequel trilogy star, "Jar Jar Binks," Ahmed Best, will be the host of the upcoming game show, "Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge," on YouTube's "Star Wars Kids" channel.

STAR WARS OBIT - From Variety:  "Boom operator" (sound department) veteran Ken Nightingall has died at the age of 92, Tuesday, May 19, 2020.  He worked on over 47 films, including the original 1977 film, "Star Wars."  In recent years, he became a cult figure when a photo of him emerged in which he was shirtless and wearing pink shorts while his arms were hoisting a boom microphone over Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker, CP30, and R2D2 during a scene shot in Tunisia.  To fans, Nightingall was the "pink shorts boom guy."

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - From YahooEntertainment:  George Lucas apparently changed the ending of "The Empire Strikes Back," slightly, early in original release.

THE MANDALORIAN - From SlashFilm:  Katee Sackhoff will appear in Season 2 of "The Mandalorian" in which she will play in live-action the character "Bo-Katan Kryze," that she has given voice to in the animated TV series, "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars Rebels."

THE MANDALORIAN - From THR:  Actor Temuera Morrison, who played "Jango Fett" in "Attack of the Clones," will reportedly play "Boba Fett" in Season Two of Disney+'s "The Mandalorian."

REBELS - From WeGotThisCovered:  Rumors say that Lucasfilm is developing a spinoff of the animated series "Star Wars Rebels."  The alleged live-action spinoff would focuse on the character, "Kanan Jarrus."

FRANCHISE - From TheWrap:  34 Celebrities You Probably Didn’t Know Were in ‘Star Wars’ Movies (with photos)

WAITITI - From StarWars:  Oscar-winner Taika Waititi will co-write and direct a new "Star Wars" film.

ROGUE ONE - From BritishGQ:  In an interview, actor Riz Ahmed, who appeared as "Bohdi Rook" in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," says that two of his family members have died of COVID-19.

ROGUE ONE SPIN-OFF - From THR:   The Disney+ "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" spinoff has a new showrunner, Tony Gilroy.  Gilroy came in to co-write (or script doctor) "Rogue One," and may have directed new scenes for the film.  Gilroy replaces original showrunner, Stephen Schiff.  The series also added actresses, Genevieve O'Reilly and Denise Gough.

FUTURE - From Variety:  Leslye Headland, the creator of Netflix's "Russian Doll," is developing a "Star Wars" series for Disney+.

THE MANDALORIAN - From Variety:  While the second season of Disney+/Lucasfilm's "The Mandalorian" is not due until Oct. 2nd of this year, the third season is already being written and conceptualized artistically.

ROGUE ONE SPINOFF - From Variety:  Actors Stellan Skarsgard and Kyle Soller join the Disney+ "Rogue One" spinoff.

THE HIGH REPUBLIC - From BleedingCool:  The first inter-company crossover between publishers of "High Republic" fiction will involve two comic book publishers, Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing.  However, the crossover will not be a comic book, but a novel.

THE HIGH REPUBLIC - From StarWars:  StarWars.com reveals the Jedi Knights and Jedi Masters that are presumably the main protagonists in the upcoming multi-platform, "Star Wars: The High Republic."  The first publications are set to arrive in August 2020, with the "Light of the Jedi" novel due August 25, 2020.

OBI-WAN - From Variety:  Joby Harold has been named the new head writer of the planned Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series.

OBITUARY - From YahooEntertainment:  Dialect coach and "Star Wars" actor, Andrew Jack, has died at the age of 76, Tuesday, March 31, 2020.  He died as a result of COVID-19.  Jack played the character Caluan Ematt in "The Force Awakens" and "The Last Jedi," as well as providing the voice for a character in "Solo: A Star Wars Story."  Since the early 1980s, Jack was the dialect coach for over 200 actors, including stars such as Robert Downey, Jr. and Chris Hemsworth.  He was the supervising dialect coach on "The Lord of the Rings" and created the "Middle-earth" accents.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From YahooEntertainment:  A look at the concept art for "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" reveals Lando's original look for the film and also the "space wolves."

THE MANDALORIAN - From THR:  Actor Michael Beihn, best known for his roles in James Cameron's "The Terminator" (1984) and "Aliens" (1986), has reportedly been cast in Season 2 of "The Mandalorian."

THE MANDALORIAN - From Variety:  Actress Rosario Dawson will portray the "Star Wars" character, Ahsoka Tano," in Season Two of the Disney+ series, "The Mandalorian."  This will be the first live-action version of the character which appeared in the long-running animated series, "Star Wars: The Clone Wars."

TOYS - From Newsarama:  Long time principal "Star Wars" toy designer, Mark Boudreax, is retiring after 43 years of designing for first, Kenner, and then, Hasbro.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From Deadline:  Disney drops "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" on digital early, Dec. 13th, instead of the planned Dec. 17th digital release date.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From Empire:  Some of the scenes deleted from "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" will appear in Marvel's comic book adaptation of the film.

THE HIGH REPUBLIC - From Newsarama:  Formerly known as "Project Luminous," "Star Wars: The High Republic will bridge multiple publishers and platforms.  "The High Republic" is set 200 years before the events depicted in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace." The first publications are set to arrive in August 2020.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - From ScaryMommy:  This year marks the 40th anniversary of the first theatrical release of "The Empire Strikes Back," and Hasbro is celebrating with the upcoming release of a "Retro Collection" of action figures from the move.  According to reports the figures are "highly detailed" and "life-like."

FUTURE - From THR:  Director J.D. Willard ("Sleight") and writer Matt Owens ("Luke Cage") are developing a "Star Wars" project for Lucasfilm.  No other details are known.

From Deadline:  Willard and Owens "Star Wars" project will take place on the Sith planet, "Exegol," which debuted in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From Newsarama:  Marvel Comics will adapt "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" into a five-issue miniseries, with new material.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From GamesRadar:  The novelization of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" confirms a deleted scene from the film in which Kylo Ren meets "The Oracle."

FRANCHISE - From Variety:  The future of "Star Wars" is television says Disney CEO Bob Iger.

KATHLEEN KENNEDY - From CNN:  Lucasfilm president, Kathleen Kennedy, attended the 2020 BAFTA Film Awards ceremony in London on Sun., Feb. 2nd.  There, she received the coveted "BAFTA Fellowship" trophy, their version of a lifetime achievement award.  She also talked about changing the future of "Star Wars."

OBITUARY - From FanthaTracks:  The British "Star Wars" actor, Alan Harris, died at the age of 81, Saturday, January 25, 2020.  He was best known for portraying the bounty hunter, "Bossk," in "The Empire Strikes Back."  Harris also played several bit parts and was also a body double in the original trilogy films.  He wore costumes for tests and also appeared as Terrence Stamp's body double in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace."

UNDERWORLD - From Newsarama:  Making the Internet rounds is what is purported to be test footage from "Star Wars: Underworld," the planned "Star Wars" TV series that George Lucas scrapped.

FUTURE - From Esquire:  Could the "High Republic" and "Project Luminous" be the future of Star Wars?

EPISODE IX - From GamesRadar:  Director Colin Trevorrow, fired from directing "Star Wars 9," confirmed as "real" the recent script leak and concept art for what would have been his Episode 9 film, "Star Wars: Duel of the Fates."

OBI-WAN - From Deadline:  The Disney+/Lucasfilm "Obi-Wan" series has been put on hold.

EPISODE IX - From YahooLifestyle:   More concept art, allegedly from Colin Trevorrow's aborted version of "Star Wars Episode IX," has been leaked.  Trevorrow, who was hot off "Jurassic World," was fired and replaced by J.J. Abrams.

THE CLONE WARS - From GamesRadar:  Season 7 of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" has a release date (Feb. 21st on Disney+) and a new trailer (which can see in the article I've linked to).

JOHN BOYEGA - From YahooNews:  John Boyega, "Finn" in the sequel trilogy (in case you didn't know), bought his parents a house.  They were speechless and there were lots of tears...

FUTURE - From TheWrap:   Oscar-nominated filmmaker, Taika Waititi, is being eyed to develop a "Star Wars" film of some type.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From Variety:  "The Rise of Skywalker" crosses the one billion dollar mark in global box office, $1.001 billion.

EPISODE IX - From YahooEntertainment:  Before J.J. Abrams came back to direct what would become "The Rise of Skywalker," Colin Trevorrow was going to co-write and direct Episode IX.  Now, comes a leak of what is alleged to be Trevorrow and writing partner's Derek Connolly's Episode IX script, "Star Wars: Duel of the Fates."

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From Space:  "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" earned two Oscar nominations as the 2020 / 92nd Academy Awards: "Music (Original Score)" and "Sound Editing and Visual Effects."

THE MANDALORIAN - From TheWrap:  Meet the actor who punched the "Baby Yoda" puppet that cost five million dollars to make.

PRINCESS LEIA - From YahooEntertainment:  Apparently, Billie Lourd played her mother, Carrie Fisher's character, Princess Leia, in "The Rise of Skywalker," for "a few seconds" with the help of VFX magic.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From GamesRader:  Apparenly, classic Star Wars character, Nien Nunb (Return of the Jedi), dies in "The Rise of Skywalker."

COMIC BOOKS - From Newsarama:  The site has a first-issue preview of Marvel Comics' new Darth Vader series, "Star Wars: Darth Vader."  The preview includes seven pages of interior art and also a look at the art for two covers.

THE MANDALORIAN - From CBR:  Director Taika Watiti says that he knows "The Child" a.k.a. "Baby Yoda's" real name, but he is waiting for "The Mandalorian's" creator and executive producer, Jon Favreau to reveal it.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From IGN:   "The Rise of Skywalker" apparently has deleted scenes that explain how Palpatine is still alive.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From BleedingCool:  Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner (1984-2005) took to Twitter to criticize "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" and actress Daisy Ridley's performance in it.

THE MANDALORIAN - From MovieWeb:  Actress Gina Garano says that she fainted twice while filming the "Baby Yoda choke scene" during a recent episode of Disney+/Lucasfilm's "The Mandalorian."

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From VanityFair:   Director J.J. Abrams explained how he convinced Harrison Ford to come back and play "Han Solo" one more time in "The Rise of Skywalker."


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

STAR WARS Movie Reviews:

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars"
From Negromancer:  "The Empire Strikes Back"
From Negromancer:  "Return of the Jedi"

From Negromancer:   "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Force Awakens
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Last Jedi"
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (2008 animated film)
From Negromancer:  "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"
From Negromancer:  "Solo: A Star Wars Story" 

I Reads You "Star Wars Central" comics and graphic novel review page is here.

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

Negromancer's #TheMandalorian Link-o-Rama 2020 - Update #11

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

Support Leroy Doureseaux on Patreon.

12/18 - YahooTVLine:   A SPOILER-filled recap of "The Mandalorian" Season 2 finale

12/11 - From YahooEntertainment:  "The Mandalorian" teases the rise of the First Order.

12/9 - From Sideshow:   A recap of "The Mandalorian" Chapters 12 to 14.

12/7 -   From Sideshow:  The canonical story of Boba Fett.

12/7 - From BleedingCool:   Hasbro announces to its "Star Wars Mission Fleet" toy line related to "The Mandalorian."

12/4 - From CNET:  A Season Two-Episode Six (Chapter 14) spoiler-free recap.

11/30 - From Collider:  In the wake of her debut on "The Mandalorian," Ahsoka Tano" (as played by actress Rosario Dawson), gets her own character poster.

11/27 - From BleedingCool:  A run down of "The Mandalorian" Season 2, Episode 5 (or series Episode #13) with total spoilers.

11/27 - From EW:   The Mandalorian reveals Baby Yoda's name and backstory

11/27 - From Deadline:   "The Mandalorian" Chapter 13: Rosario Dawson Makes Debut As Key ‘Clone Wars’ Character With Major Reveals About Baby Yoda

11/27 - From IGN:  The Mandalorian (Chapter 13) Reveals Another Huge Connection to Star Wars Lore

11/26 - From ComicBook:  The Mandalorian Fans Are Losing It Over Getting to See Ahsoka Tano in Live-Action Star Wars Series

1/6- From CBR:  Director Taika Watiti says that he knows "The Child" a.k.a. "Baby Yoda's" real name, but he is waiting for "The Mandalorian's" creator and executive producer, Jon Favreau to reveal it.

1/2 - From MovieWeb:  Actress Gina Garano says that she fainted twice while filming the "Baby Yoda choke scene" during a recent episode of Disney+/Lucasfilm's "The Mandalorian."

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

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  The official trailer for "The Mandalorian" Season Two.

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

STAR WARS Reviews:

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars"
From Negromancer:  "The Empire Strikes Back"
From Negromancer:  "Return of the Jedi"

From Negromancer:   "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Force Awakens
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Last Jedi"
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (2008 animated film)
From Negromancer:  "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"
From Negromancer:  "Solo: A Star Wars Story"

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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from February 16th to 22nd, 2020 - Update #21

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

Support Leroy on Patreon:

STREAMING - From Variety:  NBCUniversal is looking to buy Wal-Mart's streaming service, "Vudu."  [I didn't know Vudu was a Wal-Mart service!!! - Leroy]

----------
DISNEY - From YahooEntertainment:  Pixar's upcoming "Onward" introduces the first LGBTQ character in Disney animation history.

----------
STREAMING - From THR:  The reunion special of the popular TV series, "Friends," is official at HBO Max.

----------
TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Julia Roberts Sean Penn, Armie Hammer and Joel Edgerton are joining "Mr Robot" creator Sam Esmail for a "Watergate" drama series.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Eli Roth will direct a film adaptation of the video game, "Borderlands," for Lionsgate.

----------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  NBC has renewed its long-running TV series, "The Blacklist," for an eighth season.  [I did not realize that it had been on this long. - Leroy]

----------
CRIME - From TMZ:  20-year-old up-and-coming rapper, Pop Smoke, was killed in his Hollywood Hills house during a home invasion early Wednesday morning, Feb. 19th.

----------
TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Sony Pictures Television is developing a TV series based on the venerable pulp fiction hero, "Doc Savage."

---------
STREAMING - From Variety:   Jennifer Lawrence to star in Adam McKay's comedy film, "Don't Look Up," for Netflix.

----------
MARVEL-CONTEST - From Newsarama:  Actor Chris Evan is raffling off a Captain America shield prop that he used in "Avengers: Endgame" for the charity, "Girl Powerful."

----------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  Actress Dichen Lachman ("Animal Kingdom," TNT) has joined the cast of "Jurassic World 3."

----------
SCANDAL - From GuardianUK:  In regards to the Harvey Weinstein trial, actress Rosanna Arquette says that victims of sexual abuse will never be silent again.

----------
CELEBRITY - From YahooLifestyle:  Actress Rosario Dawson has come out.

----------
CRIME - From Deadline:  Famed Hollywood family and sex therapist, Amie Harwick, was killed Sat., Feb. 15, 2020 at her home in the Hollywood Hills.  Her ex-boyfriend has been arrested.

----------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director Martin McDonagh ("Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri") is planning to re-team with his "In Bruges" stars, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 2/14 to 2/16/2020 weekend box office is "Sonic the Hedgehog" with an estimated gross of 57 million dollars.

From Variety:  Did the Internet backlash that lead to a redesign of "Sonic the Hedgehog" save the film from box office disaster?

----------
MOVIE TRAILERS - From THR:  The site offers a roundup of seven recently released film trailers, including for such films as "The French Dispatch" and "The Green Knight."

----------
ECO-TELEVISION - From TheGuardian: The BBC is planning a documentary TV series focusing on teenage climate activist, Greta Thunberg.

OBITS:

From THR:   The actress and singer-songwriter, Ja'Net Dubois, has died at the age of 74, Tuesday, February 18, 2020.  She is best known for playing the role of "Willona Woods" in the CBS sitcom, "Good Times" (1974-79).  DuBois also co-wrote and sang the theme song, "Movin' On Up," for the CBS sitcom, "The Jeffersons" (1975-85).  A noted voice actress, DuBois won two Primetime Emmy Awards for her role as "Ms. Avery" in the animated series, "The PJs" (1999-2001, Fox/The WB).

From YahooEntertainment:  The young actress, Nikita Pearl Waligwa, has died at the age of 15, Saturday, February 15, 2020.  Nikita appeared in the 2016 Disney film, "Queen of Katwe."  She died as the result of a brain tumor.

From CNN:  Former Major League Baseball (MLB) player, Tony Fernandez, has died at the age of 57, Saturday, February 15, 2020.  Born in the Dominican Republic, Fernandez was a shortstop and played for 17 seasons, most notably with the Toronto Blue Jays where he was part of the 1993 World Series Championship team.