CBS All Access Canada Now Streaming "Console Wars" Documentary

CBS All Access’ First Feature-Length Documentary “CONSOLE WARS” Now Available in Canada

From Legendary Television and CBS Studios, the Documentary Film Provides a Front Row Seat to the Iconic ‘90s Battle Between Video Game Companies Sega and Nintendo

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CBS All Access, ViacomCBS’ subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, today announced that its feature-length documentary CONSOLE WARS is available to stream on the service in Canada starting, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. CONSOLE WARS is currently available to stream for CBS All Access subscribers in the United States and marks the first feature-length documentary for both the service and Legendary Television.

An Official Selection of the 2020 SXSW Film Festival, CONSOLE WARS takes viewers back to 1990 when Sega, a fledgling arcade company, assembled a team of underdogs to take on the greatest video game company in the world, Nintendo. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, no-holds-barred conflict that pit brother against brother, kids against grownups, Sonic against Mario and American’s unique brand of capitalism against centuries-old Japanese tradition. For the first time ever, the men and women who fought on the front lines for Sega and Nintendo discuss this battle that defined a generation.

CONSOLE WARS is produced and directed by Jonah Tulis and Blake J. Harris, author of the bestselling book of the same name, and also produced by Legendary Television and CBS Studios. Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen, James Weaver, Josh Fagen (Point Grey Pictures) and Scott Rudin and Eli Bush (Scott Rudin Productions) are executive producers, and Julian Rosenberg (Circle of Confusion), Doug Blush (MadPix Films) and Katie Mustard produced the film.

About CBS All Access Canada:

CBS All Access is ViacomCBS’ direct-to-consumer digital subscription video-on-demand and live streaming service. For $5.99 CAD, CBS All Access offers Canadian viewers more than 8,500 commercial-free episodes on demand, spanning full current seasons of select CBS series, entire previous seasons and classic shows, as well as the ability to live stream CBSN, CBS News’ 24/7 streaming news service. CBS All Access is available in Canada at cbsallaccess.ca, on iOS and Android mobile and tablet devices, and connected device platforms including Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast and Roku devices. In addition, the service is now available on the newly launched Apple TV Channels.

To sign up for CBS All Access in Canada, visit: cbsallaccess.ca

About Legendary Television:

Legendary Television is a leading global full-service television studio specializing in financing, developing and producing quality genre and character-driven projects for multiple platforms. Championing compelling auteur-driven storytelling featuring renowned talent, Legendary’s Television roster includes: the reboot of the classic family adventure series LOST IN SPACE, for Netflix; CARNIVAL ROW, a fantasy noir drama starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne, for Amazon; and PACIFIC RIM, an original anime series expanding the story of the first two live action movies, for Netflix. Upcoming projects include: DUNE: THE SISTERHOOD, based on one of the most popular science fiction franchises of all time, for HBO Max; PAPER GIRLS, based on Brian K. Vaughan’s best-selling graphic novel, for Amazon; and DEBRIS, the sci-fi drama from J.H. Wyman and starring Jonathan Tucker and Riann Steele, for NBC. To learn more visit: www.legendary.com.

 

About CBS Studios:CBS Studios is one of the industry’s leading suppliers of programming with more than 70 series currently in production across broadcast and cable networks, streaming services and other emerging platforms. The Studio’s expansive portfolio spans a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed scripted programming, genre-defining franchises including the ever-growing “Star Trek” universe, award-winning late night and daytime talk shows, and an extensive library of iconic intellectual property.

 

A review of Console Wars the original book is here.

 

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 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).

 

 

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 26th to 31st, 2020 - Update #27

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

Support Leroy on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:

STREAMING - From Variety:  Streaming service, CBS All Access, adds 70 TV series from across ViacomCBS's cable networks, including form BET, Comedy Central, and MTV.

DISNEY-STREAMING - From Variety:  What does Beyonce's "Black is King" mean for Disney+?

PIXAR - From Variety:  Pixar reveals details about its next original film, "Luca," a coming of age tale set in Italy.  It is due in theaters June 18, 2021.

STREAMING - From Variety:  The venerable Hollywood news source goes inside Netflix's plans for global dominance.

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Dwayne Johnson says that Tim Burton once considered him for the role of "Willy Wonka" in Burton's 2005 reboot "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

From YahooEntertainment:  Kevin Costner's starred in the troubled blockbuster film, "Waterworld," in 1995.  25 years later, Costner and director Kevin Reynolds talk about their disastrous choice to ignore Steven Spielberg's advice.

STREAMING - From ShadowandAct:  Netflix has acquired the streaming rights to seven Iconic African-American/Black sitcoms of the late 1990s and early 2000s, including "Moesha," "Girlfriends," and "Sister, Sister."

POLITICS - From MondoWeiss:  In an interview with the site, actor Seth Rogen says that the nation of Israel is ridiculous, antiquated and based on ethnic cleansing,

EMMYS - From THR:  If you care... here are the 2020 / 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards nominations.

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Larry Clark and Harmony Korine's shocking indie film, "Kids," is 25-years-old.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Amazon has required a "package" for a film biography of country singer, the late Merle Haggard.  Sam Rockwell wants to play Haggard and do his own singing of Haggards songs from the 1960s, which is when the film would be set.

STAR TREK - From Deadline:  The third season of "Star Trek: Discovery" will debut on CBS All Access October 15th.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. will apparently open Tenet in 70 international markets starting Wed., Aug. 26th, and in Canada on Thurs., Aug. 27th.  The U.S. opening will begin in select cities Thurs., Sept 3rd.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  Director Dave Franco's indie film, "The Rental," is the top film of the 7/24 to 7/26/2020 weekend box office with an estimate take of $421,000.

COMICS/AWARDS - From TheBeat:  The winners at the "Will Eisner Awards Comic Industry Awards 2020" were announced Friday night, July 24th.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  The British film director, Alan Parker, has died at the age of 76, Friday, July 31, 2020.  He was twice-nominated for the "Best Director" Oscar, for "Midnight Express" (1978) and "Mississippi Burning" (1988).  Parker directed films in a number of genres: musicals ("Fame" in 1980), horror movies ("Angel Heart" in 1987), and true-story dramas ("Angela's Ashes" in 1999).

From YahooNews:  Former U.S. Presidential candidate and businessman, Herman Cain, has died at the age of 74, Thursday, July 30, 2020, of complications of COVID-19.  Cain was a 2012 GOP presidential candidate, and he was a serious contender for much of 2011.  Cain was the CEO of "Godfather's Pizza" (1986-96) and was an executive at both Burger King and Pillsbury Company.

From RollingStone:  American rapper, singer, and recording artist, Malik B., has died at the age of 47, Wednesday, July 29, 2020.  Malik was a founding member of American hip hop band, "The Roots."  He left the group after its first four albums, but returned as a featured artist for some later albums.

From SouthBendTribune:  Vietnam prisoner of war (P.O.W.) and Indiana state politician, Joe Kernan, has died at the age of 74, Wednesday, July 29, 2020.  Kernan served as the 48th Governor of Indiana from 2003 to 2005.  He was the mayor of South Bend, Indiana from 1988 to 1997.  Kernan, a U.S. Navy pilot, was shot down in 1972 over North Vietnam and was held as a POW for 11 months in the notorious Hoa Lo Prison, also known as the "Hanoi Hilton."

From THR:  The British-American actress, Olivia de Havilland, has died at the age of 104, Saturday, July 25, 2020.  She was one of the last living stars of Hollywood's "Golden Age," and she was the last living star of the film, "Gone with the Wind" (1939), in which she played what is perhaps her best known role, that of "Melanie Hamilton."  She was nominated for an Academy Award five times and won the Oscar twice, for "To Each His Own" (1946) and "The Heiress" (1949)

From RollingStone:  English blues-rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, Peter Green, has died at the age of 73, Saturday, July 25, 2020.  He was considered one of the greatest guitarist of all time and was also considered a major figure of the 1960s British blues movement.  He was best known for co-founding the seminal rock band, Fleetwood Mac, with Mick Fleetwood and Jimmy Spencer.  He left the band in 1970.  In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Fleetwood Mac.

From Variety:  American TV personality and game show and talk show host, Regis Philbin, has died at the age of 88, Friday, July 24, 2020.  Philbin is best known for hosting the New York-based syndicated TV series, "Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee," beginning in 1988.  The show became "Live! with Regis and Kelly," until Philbin departed in 2011.  Philbin won three Daytime Emmy Awards for his work.


BLACK LIVES MATTER NEWS:

From RSN:  The four corners of police violence

From TheIntercept:  Black Lives Matter Wants to End Police Brutality. History Suggests It Will Go Much Further.

From YahooNews:  "The Confederacy of California": life in the valley where Robert Fuller was found hanged

From CNN:  Colorado police officers involved in the death of Elijah McClain reassigned for safety reasons.

From Truthout: " Three North Carolina Police Fired for Racist Rants, Threats to Kill Black People" - and what they said is crazy and scary

From Truthout: Bryant Gumbel Gives Powerful Commentary on the 'Black Tax,' the 'Added Burden' of Being Black

From YahooEntertainment:  Oscar-nominated songwriter and Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Ray Parker, Jr., may be best known for writing the theme to the film, "Ghostbusters," but when he was a teenager, Parker was beaten by Detroit police officers.

From RSNewYorker:  Jelani Cobb: An American Spring of Reckoning.

From NBCNews:  Baton Rouge, LA activist, Gary Chambers, makes an impassioned speech about changing the name of Robert E. Lee High School in Baton Rouge.

From YahooNews:  Racial violence and a pandemic: How the Red Summer of 1919 relates to 2020

From NBCNews:   NYPD is disbanding a unit that is the 'last chapter' of stop-and-frisk

From YahooLifestyle:  A history of the "Karen."


CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From YahooEntertainment:  Oscar-winning filmmaker Mel Gibson reveals that he was hospitalized with COVID-19 for a week in April.

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

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

7/29 - From YahooPolitico:  Rep. Louie Gohmert, the defiant Texas Republican U.S. congressman who refused to wear a mask, has tested positive for COVID-19.

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

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

Review: " The Lion King" Still Rules the Pride Lands

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 14 (of 2019) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

The Lion King (2019)
Running time: 118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)
MPAA – PG for sequences of violence and peril, and some thematic elements
DIRECTOR: Jon Favreau
WRITER: Jeff Nathanson (based on the 1994 story written by Brenda Chapman and characters created by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton)
PRODUCERS: Jon Favreau, Karen Gilchrist, and Jeffrey Silver
EDITORS: Adam Gerstel and Mark Livolsi
COMPOSER: Hans Zimmer
SONGS: Elton John and Tim Rice and Beyoncé

FANTASY/DRAMA/FAMILY with elements of comedy

Starring:  (voices) Donald Glover, Beyoncé, Chiwetel Ejiofor, James Earl Jones, John Oliver, John Kani, Alfre Woodard, JD McCary, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Keegan Michael-Key, Eric André, Florence Kasumba, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Amy Sedaris, Chance Bennett (Chance the Rapper), Phil LeMarr, J. Lee, and Josh McCrary

The Lion King is a 2019 musical, fantasy-drama film directed by Jon Favreau and released by Walt Disney Pictures.  It is a live-action remake of the 1994, Oscar-winning, animated film, The Lion King.  The Lion King 2019 focuses on a young lion prince who flees his kingdom after the death of his father, which he blames on himself.

The Lion King opens in the Pride Lands of Africa.  From his perch on Pride Rock, King Mufasa (James Earl Jones) leads a pride of lions and rules over the animal kingdom.  As the story begins, Queen Sarabi (Alfre Woodard) has given birth to a cub, Simba, who will one day succeed his father as king.  Simba (JD McCary) is a playful cub and enjoys romping with his best friend and future love interest, a lioness named Nala (Shahadi Wright Joseph).  Simba, however, is also a willful cub, so Mufasa must guide and prepare Simba for the day when he will rule.

Meanwhile, Mufasa’s younger brother, Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor), lurks in the shadows, bitter that he is not king, and he plots with a pack of hyenas to murder Mufasa.  After tragedy strikes, Simba leaves the Pride Lands, intending never to return.  Years later, an adult Simba (Donald Glover) lives in exile, and his constant companions are a meerkat, Timon (Billy Eichner), and a warthog, Pumbaa (Seth Rogen).  However, Simba’s past returns in the form of an old friend,  Now, Simba must learn the true meaning of responsibility and bravery as he is forced to make important decisions about both his future and that of the Pride Lands.

The Lion King works better as an animated feature film than it does as a live-action film.  Still, The Lion King the live-action film is quite entertaining.  I think that many of Walt Disney's classic animated films need a retelling every two or three generations, and it was time for The Lion King to be retold for a new generation or two.  [No, I have never seen The Lion King the musical that was first staged in 1997 and won the Tony Award for “Best Musical.”]

The Lion King 2019 may be an inferior (but not especially inferior) work to The Lion King 1994, but director Jon Favreau and his visual effects collaborators present a visual spectacular.  When the story lags, which it does a few times, the bounding animals and the Pride Lands, with its seemingly infinite variety of environments, will grab your wandering imagination and pull you back into the story.

The animals, which, I am assuming, are mostly computer-generated and rendered, are dazzling in their photo-realism.  I find Scar to be the most impressive, looking not to lean, not to dirty, but clearly a bit raggedy, which goes great with his conniving ways and with his feelings of bitterness and envy.

The voice performances are good.  JD McCary and Shahadi Wright Joseph, who voice the young Simba and Nala respectively, are exceptionally good.  If The Lion King 2019 has star performers, they are McCary and Ms. Joseph; they give this film the energy it needs to carry it to the rousing finale.  These young performers assure that The Lion King 2019 keeps the heart of its story – learning the meaning of being responsible, accountable, and brave.

7 of 10
B+

Sunday, July 21, 2019


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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"The Lion King" Races to a Billion at Global Box Office

"The Lion King" Crosses $1 Billion Worldwide

With an estimated $999 million worldwide through yesterday, Disney’s The Lion King will cross the $1 billion mark today in its 19th day of release. Along with Aladdin, it’s the second Disney-branded live-action release to reach the $1 billion threshold this year and the sixth ever to do so, following Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, and the second and fourth Pirates of the Caribbean films. It is also The Walt Disney Studios’ fourth billion dollar release this year.

Preceded by a strong debut in China where it earned nearly $100 million in its first week, The Lion King debuted day-and-date globally July 19, 2019, with $446.1 million. Bolstered by an A CinemaScore, the Jon Favreau-directed film opened with $191.8 million domestically, the eighth biggest debut of all time, and continues to be No. 1 at the daily box office earning an estimated $361 million to date. Internationally, The Lion King has earned $638 million, with major markets Japan (August 9) and Italy (August 21) still to open. The film is the second highest release of 2019 in EMEA and is the highest grossing release from Disney Live Action in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Central America, Trinidad, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 10th to 16th, 2017- Update #22

Support Leroy on Patreon.

SCANDAL - From RSN:  Salma Hayek talks about how both Harvey Weinstein and Donald Trump retaliated against her.

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  ABC's "Roseanne" revival/reboot to debut March 2018 with an hour-long episode.

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BUSINESS - From Variety:  Disney to buy 21st Century Fox in a $52.4 all-stock merger.

From BleedingCool:  More on the Disney-Fox deal.

From TheWrap:  Hollywood celebrities have fun with Marvel-Fox merger.

From BleedingCool:  Disney CEO Bob Iger is not against an R-rated Marvel movie, as Fox has done.

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MOVIES - From YahooHuffPost:  Even Will Smith is commenting on dopey Roy Moore's election loss in Alabama on Tuesday, Dec. 12th.

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MUSIC - From YahooMusic:  Supremely rare vinyl copies of Prince's "Black Album" have been find.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Hotter-than-hot Tiffany Haddish and John Cho join Ike Barinholtz in the satirical thriller, "The Oath."

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MOVIE-TV-AWARDS - From Variety:  A full list of 2018 Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  PBS suspends late-night talk show host, Tavis Smiley over sexual misconduct allegations.  [Sigh. - Leroy]

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Jennifer Lawrence joins the film, "Burial Rites," from director Luca Guadagnino, who is out off his film "Call Me By Your Name."

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COMICS-FILM - From THR:  Woody Harrelson joins Tom Hardy in Spider-Man spinoff film, "Venom."

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TELEVISION - From ShadowandAct:  Michael Che and Colin Jost have been named co-head writers for venerable variety show, "Saturday Night Live."  Che is the first person of color to hold that title on the show.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Jim Broadbent to join Robert Downey, Jr. in "Voyage of Doctor Doolittle."

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COMICS-STREAMING - From TheWrap:  Marvel-Netflix's "The Punisher" gets a second season.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Guillermo del Toro has set up at Fox Searchlight to write and direct a remake of 20th Century Fox's 1947 Tyrone Power flick, "Nightmare Alley."

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CULTURE - From HuffPost:  " Inside The Voucher Schools That Teach L. Ron Hubbard, But Say They’re Not Scientologist"

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Seth Rogen to play Walter Cronkite in David Gordon Green's film, "Newsflash."

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MOVIES - From Collider:  Steven Caple, Jr. will direct "Creed 2" instead of Sylvester Stallone.  Stallone will return for the sequel along with stars Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson.

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MOVIE AWARDS - From TheWrap:  The 2018 Golden Globe nominations are in...

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COMICS-FILM - From BleedingCool:  Even if the Disney-Fox merger happens, it may be too late for us to see Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine in a Marvel Studios movie.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 12/8 to 12/10/2017 weekend box office is Pixar's "Coco" with an estimated take of $18.6 million.

From Variety:  "Coco"wins weekend box office while "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" waits in the wings for next weekend.

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MOVIES AWARDS - From Variety:  "God's Own Country" wins big at 2017 British Independent Film Awards.

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POLITICS - From RSN:  Late night talk show host, Jimmy Kimmel, speaks on Alabama U.S. Senate candidate, Roy Moore, and his "Christian values."

TRAILERS:

From USAToday:  The first trailer for the animated film, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," featuring the Miles Morales Spider-Man, once known as the "Ultimate Spider-Man."

OBIT:

From ESPN:  Tommy Nobis, NFL and college football great, has died at the age of 74, Thursday, December 14, 2017.  Playing for the University of Texas Longhorns, Nobis appeared on the covers of "Sports Illustrated" and "Life."  He was the first player drafted by the then expansion NFL team, the Atlanta Falcons, in the 1966 NFL draft.  After professional football, Nobis co-founded the Tommy Nobis Center to help people with disabilities gets job training.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 5th to 11th, 2017 - Update #38

Support Leroy on Patreon.

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   Marvel's "Thor: Ragnarok" set to rule the box office for a second straight weekend.

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SCANDAL - From Variety:   Louis C.K. performed a voice in the hit film, "The Secret Life of Pets," but he has been dropped from the sequel follow accusations of and his admission to sexual misconduct.

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POLITICS - From Newsweek:  Danica Roem becomes Virginia's first transgender state lawmaker, and she beat the sponsor of an anti-transgender bathroom bill to win.

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SCANDAL - From THR:  Hollywood lawyers up - Hollywood attorneys say that they are getting calls from the accused and accusers in light of the scandals involving Hollywood men being accused of sexual misconduct.

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MUSIC From XXL:  Eminem releases a new single, "Walk on Water," and Beyonce sings the hook.

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SCANDAL - From TheNYTimes:  Louis CK admits to the sexual abuse allegations against him.

From THR:  FX cuts ties with Louis CK.  He was producing four shows with the cable net and was the star of its Emmy-winning series, "Louie."

From THR:  Indie film distributor, The Orchard, has dropped its distribution of Louis C.K.'s directorial debut, "I Love You, Daddy."

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WAR - From teleSUR:  Since 9/11, the United States has spent $4.3 TRILLION on wars in Asia and the Middle East.

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POLITICS - From RSN:  The voters of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania may have made a big move in ending mass incarceration with their recent choice for district attorney.

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STAR TREK - From TheWrap:  CBS All Access has announced that "Star Trek: Discovery" Chapter 2 begins January 7, 2018.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther, Creed) will make his directorial debut with a film adaptation of the novel, "The Stars Beneath Our Feet."

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STREAMING - From TheWrap:  Apple is investing a billion dollars in producing original content. It has given Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston's untitled TV drama a two-season straight-to-order series.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Damn, Ridley Scott is the man!  He has replaced in Kevin Spacey in his film, "All the Money in the World."  Get this: the movie was finished filming and was scheduled for release in time for Christmas.  Now, Scott will re-shoot Spacey's scenes with his original choice for his the role of J. Paul Getty, Christopher Plummer.

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SCANDAL - From TheWrap:  Amazon now investigating a sexual harassment claim against Emmy-winning actor, Jeffrey Tambor.

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POLITICS - From Politico:  Apparently, Time-Warner will have to dump CNN or all the Turner Broadcasting properties in order to get President Trump's Department of Justice to approve Time-Warner's merger with AT&T.

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STREAMING - From TheWrap:  Grammy-winning hip-hop artist and rapper, Drake, LeBron James' business partners, Maverick Carter and Jamal Henderson, are helping to revive the British drug-dealer TV drama, "Top Boy," for Netflix.  The original stars and creative team will return.

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COMICS-FILM - From DeadlineTV:  Amazon has given a green light to the superhero drama based on the comic book, "The Boys."  Seth Rogen and his partner, Evan Goldberg, are involved.

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BLM - From YahooNews:   "That's how people like you get shot," a white male teacher in former slave state Georgia told a black male student.

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COMICS-FILM - From QuartzMedia:  Marvel takes Hollywood.

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TELEVISION - From BleeedingCool:  Woody McClain played Bobby Brown in BET's miniseries, "The New Edition Story."  McClain will reprise the role in BET's two-part miniseries, "The Bobby Brown Story."

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HEALTH - From TheHill:  Open enrollment for ObamaCare surges to record level in the early days of the sign-up, despite the roadblocks that President Clownface... I mean... President Trump placed in front of healthcare.

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POLITICS - From TheGuardian:  Read "The Guardian's" series, "The Paradise Papers."

From TheGuardian:  Senator Bernie sanders warns of an "international oligarchy" after the release of "the Paradise Papers."

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CULTURE - From BuzzFlash:  "Jeff Bezos wants the keys to your house" by Jim Hightower

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MEDIA - From Deadline:  In the possible Fox-Disney deal (which could be worth $20 billion), content is the weapon of choice.

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SCANDAL - From Variety:  In the wake of the sexual allegations scandal involving Kevin Spacey, Sony Pictures is pulling Spacey's upcoming film, "All the Money in the World," out of the AFI Fest.  Directed by Ridley Scott, the film is about the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III.

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COMICS-FILM - From THR:  Asher Angel, one of the stars of Disney Channel's "Andi Mack," will play Billy Batson, opposite Shazam, who will be played by Zachary Levi.

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COMICS-FILM - From ScreenRant:  Marvel Cinematic Universe rumors - confirmed and otherwise.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 11/3 to 11/6/2017 weekend box office is "Thor: Ragnarok" with an estimated take of $121 million.

From Variety:  "Thor: Ragnarok" puts an emphatic end to the month-long box office slump.

From CNNMoney:  "Thor: Ragnarok" is Marvel Studios' 17th film to open at #1 in weekend box office.

From YahooEntertainment:  "Thor: Ragnarok" director Taika Waititi and two of the film's star, Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie) surprised movie goers at a Los Angeles showing of the film.

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POLITICS - From NBCNews:  During the 2016 Republican National Convention, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn led the crowd to chants of "Lock her up! Lock her up!"  Now, he may be facing criminal charges from the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential elections.

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BLM - From Truthout:  St. Louis is still rising up against police violence, although the national new media mostly ignores it.

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COMICS-FILM - From Mashable:  After the first 50 reviews, "Thor: Ragnarok" stands as the best-reviewed superhero movie of all time, but it is still early in the process.

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SCANDAL - From Indiewire:  The New York City Police Department is reportedly gathering evidence to arrest Harvey Weinstein on a rape charge, and the department believes it has a "credible rape allegation."

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INTERNATIONAL - From YahooFinance:  Dozens of Saudi princes have been arrested in sweeping corruption probe.

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CULTURE - From TheRoot:  "The Culture of Male Silence: Men Treat Sexual Assault Like America Treats White Supremacy" by Michael Harriot

OBITS:

From THR:  The actor John Hillerman has died at the age of 84, Thursday, November 9, 2017.  He was best known for playing the snooty caretaker, Jonathan Quayle Higgins III, on "Magnum P.I," for which he won an Emmy Awards in 1987.  Fans of Mel Brooks will also remember Hillerman as "Howard Johnson" in "Blazing Saddles."

From THR:  A "Bond girl" has died.  German actress Karin Dor has died at the age of 79, Monday, November 6, 2017.  Dor played Helga Brandt (SPECTRE Agent No. 11) in the 1967 James Bond film, "You Only Live Twice."

From YahooSports:  Former Major League Baseball pitcher, Roy Halladay, has died at the age of 40, Tuesday, November 7, 2017.  Halladay was killed after his plane crashed in the Gulf of Mexico Tuesday afternoon.  He was a two-time National League Cy Young Award winner.  His pitched the 20th perfect game in MLB history on May 29th, 2010.  He also pitched only the second postseason (playoff) no-hitter in MLB history on Oct. 6th, 2010.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 23rd to 30th, 2017 - Update #26

Support Leroy on Patreon.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 4/28 to 4/30/2017 weekend box office is "The Fate of the Furious" with an estimated take of $19.3 million.

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FILM FESTIVALS - From Variety:  2017 Tribeca Film Festival announces "Audience Award" winners.

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FILM FESTIVALS - From TheWrap:  Roman Polanski's film "Based on a True Story," has been added to the Cannes 2017 lineup where it will screen out-of-competition.

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POLITICS - From Truthout:  White Nationalists are setting immigration policy for the administration of President Trump.

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OBIT - From YahooMovies:  The actor Michael Mantenuto has died at the age of 35, Monday, April 24, 2017.  He starred in Disney's hit film, "Miracle," about the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team.

CRIME - From RSN:  Rich-bitch accused murderess out on bail, while poor Black man accused of welfare fraud rots in jail.

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CULTURE - From Truthout:  Monuments to White Supremacy are finally falling in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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MOVIES - Variety:  Paramount Pictures is looking at David Fincher to director "World War Z 2."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Joe Johnston, director of "Captain America: The First Avenger," will direct "The Chronicles of Narnia" revival, "The Silver Chair."

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  M. Night Shyamalan has announced a film that will be a sequel to both his recent hit, "Split" and his 2000 film, "Unbreakable," which are apparently connected.

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OBIT - From IndieWire:  Film director, Jonathan Demme, has died at the age of 73.  The versatile filmmaker won an Oscar for directing 1991's "The Silence of the Lambs."  He also directed film such as "Melvin and Howard," "Philadelphia," and Married to the Mob (one of my favorites), among many.  RIP, Mr. Demme.

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DISNEY - From THR:  Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner are in talks to voice "Timon" and "Pumbaa" in "The Lion King" reboot.

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DISNEY - From Variety:  Disney announces release dates and release date changes for its upcoming film slate, including "Frozen 2," new Indiana Jones, and "Lion King."

----------
FILMS - From Variety:  Wes Anderson makes announcements concerning his next film, the stop-motion animation "Isle of Dogs," including cast and a poster reveal.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From CinemaBlend:  The live-action Teen Titans TV series will appear on a new DC Comics digital streaming service.

----------
SPORTS - From BET:  Did the late NFL/New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez (who recently committed suicide in prison) commit murder to hide his bisexuality.

----------
COMICS - From YahooNews:  Marvel Comics announces big comic book event, "Legacy," on "Good Morning America" and it will break the Internet says Marvel Comics EiC Axel Alonso.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 4/21 to 4/23/2017 weekend box office is "The Fate of the Furious" with an estimated total of $38.6 million.

From YahooMovies:  New releases, "Unforgettable" and "The Promise," crash at the box office.  "The Promise," a historical drama about the Armenian genocide, cost about $90 to $100 mil to make and only grossed $4.1 million at the domestic box office.

----------
SPORTS - From YahooSports: NFL-Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Mohamed Sanu unknowingly impresses a family during an airline flight.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From Gamespot:  The Marvel Cinematic Universe could be a very different thing after 2019.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Steven Spielberg is working on a drama about the "Pentagon Papers," starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep.  The film will received a limited release on December 22, 2017 in order to qualify for the Oscars.

----------
POLITICS - From RSN:  Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone writes about President Trump and the U.S. war machine.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  Fox sets "Deadpool 2" for June 1, 2018, with Ryan Reynolds returning as Deadpool and Josh Brolin coming on as Cable.

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ERIN MORAN:

OBIT - From YahooTV:  The actress Erin Moran has died at the age of 56, Saturday, April 22, 2017.  Moran was best known for playing the role of Joanie Cunningham on the ABC sitcom, "Happy Days" (1974 to 1984).  Moran also played the character on the short-lived ABC comedy, "Joanie Loves Chachi" (1982 to 1983).

From YahooTV:  Scott Baio, the "Chachi" in "Joanie Loves Chachi" mourns Erin Moran, "Joanie."

From YahooCelebrity:  Erin Moran likely died from Stage 4 cancer.

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  Watch "The Crossing," the prologue short to "Alien: Covenant,"

From YouTube:  The new trailer for "Kingsman: The Golden Circle."

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of September 13th to 19th, 2015 - Update #16

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From YahooTV:  Kevin Spacey kills it with his Jimmy Stewart impression.

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From Vulture:  Stephen King's "The Mist," which was made into a tragi-comic film in 2007 may return as a television series.

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From DigitalSpy:  Kathryn Bigelow, Catherine Hardwicke and Mimi Leder are on a shortlist to direct a "Tomb Raider" film series reboot.

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From TheVerge:  Citizenfour's Laura Poitras moves on to Julian Assange.

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From TheWrap:  David Oyelowo prefers to work with women directors.

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From TheWrap:  FOX will give a simultaneous worldwide release to the second season opener of "Empire" and the debut of "Scream Queens."

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From DenofGeek:  I have lost track of how many times that I have published news about Warner Bros.' long-planned adaptation of the legendary manga, Akira.  The latest is that the adaptation will be a trilogy (rather than the previously announced two-film adaptation) and that Christopher Nolan will be involved... in some capacity.

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From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 9/11 to 9/13/2015 weekend box office is "The Perfect Guy" with an estimated take of $26.7 million.  Of course, "The Visit" is a close second with $25.6 million.  Things may change with the release of the final tally on Monday afternoon.

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From ShadowandAct:  An excellent article about the good and the bad of supporting films specifically because they feature Black actors and/or are made by Black filmmakers.

---------------
From Variety:  Seth Rogen talks about his acting process for "Steve Jobs."


COMICS - Films and Titles:

From THR:  The late comic book writer, Bill Finger, contributed much to the creation of Batman (including creating Robin, The Joker, and Catwoman, and naming Gotham).  Apparently, he will receive some kind of credit for his work on the upcoming season of "Gotham" and on the "Batman Vs. Superman" movie.

---------------
From WeGotThisCovered:  See the "Ant-Man" poster for the film's release in China.

---------------
From DigitalSpy:  Bob Hoskins could have been Wolverine.

---------------
From Empire:  Zoe Saldana is ready to kill giants.


REVIEWS:

From Variety:  Variety's Andrew Barker reviews "Pan."


OBITS:

From TheWrap:  Jackie Collins, the best-selling romance novelist and sister of actress Joan Collins, died today, Sat., September 19, 2015, at the age of 77.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites: January 18th to 24th, 2015 - Updated #15

NEWS:

From Variety:  Quentin Tarantino begins shooting "The Hateful Eight."

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From YahooTV:  Seth Rogen responds exclusively to the outrage about his American Sniper comments.

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From TheGuardian:  J.K. Rowling slapped back at Rupert Murdoch's bigotry.

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From YahooNews:  Free Mark Wahlberg!

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From YahooNews:  Michael Moore speaks on American Sniper - He says that he was taught that snipers were cowards, because his uncle was killed in WWII by a sniper.

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From YahooNews:  Seth Rogen also has thoughts on American Sniper, referencing Inglourious Basterds.

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From TPM:  The Oakland Tribune's front page headline read, "And the Oscar for best Caucasian goes to...

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From Variety via YahooMovies:  In its first full week of release, American Sniper wins the January 16th to 18th, 2015 weekend box office with an estimated take of $90.2 million.  This is also the Martin Luther King holiday weekend, so totals will go up.

From YahooMovies:  Taya Kyle, the widow of American Sniper SEAL, Chris Kyle, struggled with the idea of someone playing her late husband on screen.

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From HuffingtonPost:  Star Trek's troubling 50th anniversary.


COMIC BOOKS:

From TheVox:  Bryan Singer announces the new actors who will play Storm, (Alexandra Shipp), Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), and Cyclops (Tye Sheridan).


STAR WARS:

From CinemaBlend:  Disney ditches George Lucas' ideas for Star Wars 7.

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From CinemaBlend:  Actress hunt for Star Wars spin-off films.

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

From CinemaBlend:  George Lucas' at one time predicted the future for Star Wars.

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From YahooMovies:  George Lucas has finally seen the trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.


MISC:

From ComcastSportsnet:  Now you know what it feels like to be Kobe.

"Selma," "Still Alice" Win Best Movie Awards from Women Film Critics Circle

The Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC) is an association of women film critics, who are involved in print, radio, online and TV broadcast media.  Founded in 2004, this group is the first women critics’ organization in the United States.

The 2014 Women Film Critics Circle Award winners were announced December 13, 2014.

Women Film Critics Circle Awards 2014:

BEST MOVIE ABOUT WOMEN
Still Alice

BEST MOVIE BY A WOMAN
Selma: Ava Duvernay

BEST WOMAN STORYTELLER [Screenwriting Award]
Ida: Rebecca Lenkiewicz [Co-screenwriter]

BEST ACTRESS
Julianne Moore: Still Alice

BEST ACTOR
Eddie Redmayne: The Theory Of Everything

BEST YOUNG ACTRESS
Mira Grosin: We Are The Best

BEST COMEDIC ACTRESS
Jenny Slate: Obvious Child

BEST FOREIGN FILM BY OR ABOUT WOMEN
Two Days, One Night

BEST FEMALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1

WORST FEMALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE
Horrible Bosses 2
      
BEST MALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE 
Love Is Strange

WORST MALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE  
Dumb And Dumber To

BEST DOCUMENTARY BY OR ABOUT WOMEN
Citizenfour

BEST SCREEN COUPLE
The Skeleton Twins

BEST THEATRICALLY UNRELEASED MOVIE BY OR ABOUT WOMEN
Girlhood

BEST EQUALITY OF THE SEXES - TIE
Life Itself
The Skeleton Twins
BEST ANIMATED FEMALE
Winnie: Boxtrolls

BEST FAMILY FILM
Big Hero 6

WOMEN'S WORK/BEST ENSEMBLE
The Homesman

*SPECIAL MENTION AWARDS*

COURAGE IN FILMMAKING:
LAURA POITRAS: For bringing the Edward Snowden NSA revelations to light in Citizenfour, and driven into exile in Germany for doing so.

*ADRIENNE SHELLY AWARD: A film that most passionately opposes violence against women:
Frontera
Private Violence

*JOSEPHINE BAKER AWARD: For best expressing the woman of color experience in America:
Anita: Speaking Truth To Power

*KAREN MORLEY AWARD: For best exemplifying a woman’s place in history or society, and a courageous search for identity:
Belle

ACTING AND ACTIVISM AWARD: Rosario Dawson
For her work with The Lower East Side Girls Club; the environmental group Global Cool; the ONE Campaign; Oxfam; Amnesty International; Voto Latino; V-Day, a global non-profit movement that raises funds for women's anti-violence groups; RESPECT! Campaign, a movement aimed at preventing domestic violence; and countless other organizations.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:
Oprah Winfrey

COURAGE IN ACTING: [Taking on unconventional roles that radically redefine the images of women on screen]:
Julianne Moore: Still Alice

BEST FEMALE ACTION STAR:
Oprah Winfrey: Selma

THE INVISIBLE WOMAN AWARD: [Performance by a woman whose exceptional impact on the film dramatically, socially or historically, has been ignored]:
Felicity Jones: The Theory Of Everything

WOMAN'S RIGHT TO MALES ROLES IN MOVIES:
Jessica Chastain: Interstellar

MOMMIE DEAREST WORST SCREEN MOM OF THE YEAR AWARD:
*TIE
Charlotte Gainsbourg: Nymphomaniac
Uma Thurman: Nymphomaniac

JUST KIDDING AWARDS

*Best Female Images: Nymphomaniac

*Forty-Plus Female Empowerment Award: For the producers who give women over forty  meaningful roles in movies on a regular basis, in an industry where forty is the new  ninety-five - and as other than maniacs and witches.

*Merry Macho Award: Seth Rogen and James Franco: For advancing the cause of world peace with their presidential assassination comedy, The Interview. And who knows, while possibly mulling the  Interview II sequel comedy, the assassination of US President Obama. And for further extending  Hollywood as a wing of the US military and CIA, following leaked email revelations that the US State Department advocated Sony to use the film to help bring down the DPRK government.

BEST LINE IN A MOVIE:
Big Hero 6: 'Stop Whining. Woman Up!'

About the Special Mention Awards:
**ADRIENNE SHELLY AWARD: Adrienne Shelly was a promising actress and filmmaker who was brutally strangled in her apartment in 2006 at the age of forty by a construction worker in the building, after she complained about noise. Her killer tried to cover up his crime by hanging her from a shower rack in her bathroom, to make it look like a suicide. He later confessed that he was having a “bad day.” Shelly, who left behind a baby daughter, had just completed her film, Waitress, which she also starred in, and which was honored at Sundance after her death.

**JOSEPHINE BAKER AWARD: The daughter of a laundress and a musician, Baker overcame being born black, female and poor, and marriage at age fifteen, to become an internationally acclaimed legendary performer, starring in the films Princess Tam Tam, Moulin Rouge and Zou Zou. She also survived the race riots in East St. Louis, Illinois as a child, and later expatriated to France to escape US racism. After participating heroically in the underground French Resistance during WWII, Baker returned to the US where she was a crusader for racial equality. Her activism led to attacks against her by reporter Walter Winchell who denounced her as a communist, leading her to wage a battle against him. Baker was instrumental in ending segregation in many theaters and clubs, where she refused to perform unless integration was implemented.

**KAREN MORLEY AWARD: Karen Morley was a promising Hollywood star in the 1930s, in such films as Mata Hari and Our Daily Bread. She was driven out of Hollywood for her leftist political convictions by the Blacklist and for refusing to testify against other actors, while Robert Taylor and Sterling Hayden were informants against her.  And also for daring to have a child and become a mother, unacceptable for female stars in those days.  Morley maintained her militant political activism for the rest of her life, running for Lieutenant Governor on the American Labor Party ticket in 1954.  She passed away in 2003, unrepentant to the end, at the age of 93.

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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for December 28th to 31st, 2014 - Update #5

NEWS:

From RSN:  Bill Simpich is critical of The Interview.

------------------
From YahooTV:  Hollywood salaries revealed - an interesting article.

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From Variety: The winner of the Dec. 26th to 28th, 2014 box office is The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies with an estimated take of $41.4 million dollars.  This is a repeat victory, as the film was also #1 in its opening week.  Seth Rogen and James Franco's controversial film, The Interview, earned an estimated $1.8 million in what is mainly an art-house release.


STAR WARS:

From YahooMovies:  Oscar Isaac says Star Wars rumors/theories are wrong.


COMICS BOOKS:

From YahooTV:  New promo art from "Ant-Man," featuring the character "Yellowjacket."

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From FlickeringMyth:  Vin Diesel does more "Inhumans" teasing.


REVIEWS:

From AlterNet:  A review of Selma.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for December 14th to 20th, 2014 - Updated #9

NEWS:

From Variety:  "The Interview," Seth Rogen and James Franco's comedy about a silly assassination plot against Kim Jong-un (North Korean dictator), will not get a theatrical release.  It may not get any kind of release.

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From Variety:  Steve Carell's North Korea-set thriller dropped by New Regency.

------------------
From Vulture:  Frank Rich interviewed Chris Rock.

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From YahooMovies:  It was 75 year ago today that the Gone with the Wind premiere was held in Atlanta.  Oops, none of the black actors could attend, even eventual Oscar-winner, Hattie McDaniel.

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From Variety:  FOX's Exodus: Gods and Kings was the #1 film at the box office for the weekend of Fri., Dec. 12th to 14th, 2014 with an estimated take of $24.5 million.

--------------------
From Arstechnica:  Marvel reveals plot details about "Ant-Man."

--------------------
From LATimes:  Sony emails about Obama.  Actually, they aren't terrible.


COMICS:

From Screengonzo:  News of a possible "meeting of the minds" between Marvel and Sony about Spider-Man.

--------------------
From IGN:  Joss Whedon talks about a big surprise in Avengers: Age of Ultron.


STAR WARS:

From EntertainmentWeekly:  Oscar-nominated screenwriter and director, Jason Reitman stages a live reading of The Empire Strikes Back, with surprise performances by Mark Hamill and Rainn Wilson.

--------------------
From EntertainmentWeekly:  10 things Andy Serkis can say about Episode 7.



MISC:

From YahooSports:  Kobe Bryant passes Michael Jordan for third place on the National Basketball Association (NBA) scoring list.

Negromancer New Bits and Bites: June 8 to June 14, 2014 Update #6

OBIT:

From the New York Times and Variety:  The Academy Award-nominated actress Ruby Dee died on Wednesday, June 11, 2014.  She earned her lone Oscar nomination in 2008 for her turn as the feisty mother in American Gangster.  She won an Emmy Award in 1991 for her role in the "Hallmark Hall of Fame" television movie, Decoration Day.

Dee is also best known her role as "Ruth Younger" in A Raisin in the Sun, both onstage, beginning in 1959, and in the 1961 film adaptation.  Dee often worked with her late husband, Ossie Davis, who died in 2005.  My heart is breaking, but I know Davis and Dee are together again.  Negromancer sends condolences to her family and friends.

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

MOVIE NEWS:

From Hitfix:  Jason Momao, of the 2011 Conan the Barbarian remake and of "Game of Thrones" will apparently be playing Aquaman in "Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice."

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

From The Hollywood Reporter:  The Millennium Falcon apparently broke Han Solo.

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

From Shadow and Act: A talk with Supremacy director, Deon Taylor.

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

From Entertainment Weekly:  Vincent D'Onofrio will play the villain "Wilson Fisk" in Marvel TV's 13-episode series, "Daredevil," that it is producing for Netflix.  Daredevil is one of four series that Marvel is producing for Netflix.  It is also producing a spinoff of "Marvel's Agents of SHIELD," entitled, Agent Carter, which will appear on ABC.

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

From Shadow and Act:  Wanna be an extra in Don Cheadle's Miles Davis biopic?

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

From Variety: Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua are in early talks to team up for MGM's planned remake of The Magnificent Seven (which starred Steve McQueen and Yul Brenner).  Washington and Fuqua first teamed on 2001's Training Day, for which Washington won a best actor Oscar.  Their current team-up, The Equalizer (a remake of the 1980s TV series) is due this September.

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

From Moviehole: Guillermo del Toro is working on a script for a sequel to Pacific Rim with Zak Penn.

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

From BuzzFeed: Hugh Jackman has shaved his head to play Blackbeard in Pan. The photo is on Jackman's Instagram account.

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

Care about the 2014 / 68th annual Tony Awards?  Playbill has this article with a list of the winners, which also includes the nominees.

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

"Tracy Morgan Crash" driver turned himself in and posted bail .  Walmart is profoundly sorry.

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

The Fault in Our Stars has the edge over Tom Cruise at the June 6-8, 2014 box office.

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

Marvel officially announced that Peyton Reed (Bring It On, The Break-Up, Yes Man) will direct 2015's Ant-Man movie.  Edgar Wright had been attached to the project since 2006, but recently walked away apparently due to creative differences with Marvel.  Marvel's statement from its website:

When Marvel's "Ant-Man" hits theaters July 17, 2015, director Peyton Reed will help shepherd the hero into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a cast led by Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas, with writer Adam McKay contributing to the film's script.

Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang (Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

The Hollywood Reporter has more on the announcement, including news that Adam McKay (the Anchorman movies) will polish the script.

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

How Seth Rogen makes movies from The Wrap.

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

COMIC BOOKS:

From Newsarama:  Frank Miller, the man who created and worked on such highly influential and/or memorable comic books as Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Daredevil, and Sin City (to name a few), would like to work on Captain America.  Please, make it happen Marvel.

MISCELLANEOUS:

From HuffPost Science:  Girth matters... apparently more than size/length.

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

Apparently Dwayne Johnson wants you to follow the diet and fitness routine he used to become buff for the upcoming Hercules.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for Saturday, May 31, 2014

The Washington Post began the walk back on Ann Hornaday's May 25th column/rant that blamed in part the recent Isla Vista massacre on the films like those made by Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow.  Hornaday responded to the controversy of her original column.

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

Actor Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) will apparently play Thanos in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (due August 1, 2014).

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

Apparently, Quentin Tarantino left enough of Django Unchained on the cutting room floor that he wants to re-edit the film:

“My idea, frankly, is to cut together a four-hour version of 'Django Unchained,'” he said on Friday. “But I wouldn’t show it like a four-hour movie. I would cut it up into hour chapters. Like a four-part miniseries. And show it on cable television. Show it like an hour at a time, each chapter.”

Tarantino won a best original screenplay Oscar for the film.  More at Variety.

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

Monsters and Godzilla director Gareth Edwards has apparently signed on to direct one of Walt Disney's Star Wars spinoff films.  Garry Whitta (Book of Eli) is writing the script for the spinoff.  Which spinoff: no one knows.

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

Edgar Wright has apparently left Marvel's Ant-Man movie.

The directors interviewing to replace Wright are Rawson Marshall Thurber (We're the Millers), Adam McKay (the Anchorman movies), and Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland)

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

Bunny Yeager, the pin-up model turned photographer, died Sunday, May 25, 2014.  She was 85.  This New York Times obituary gives an overview of her life and work.  Yeager famously photographed pin-up queen, Bettie Page, in a leopard-print swimsuit.  I recently reviewed the documentary, Bettie Page Reveals All, which has a segment on the Page-Yeager combination.

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

Herb Jeffries was a pioneering actor in Westerns that were targeted at African-America.  Best known as the "Bronze Buckaroo," Jeffries died Sunday, May 25, 2014,  He was 100-years-old.

Review: Fun Never Ends in "This Is the End"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 66 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

This Is the End (2013)
Running time:  107 minutes (1 hour, 47 minutes)
MPAA – R for crude and sexual content throughout, brief graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use and some violence
DIRECTORS:  Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
WRITERS:  Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg; from a screen story by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (based on the short film, Jay and Seth vs. The Apocalypse, by Jason Stone)
PRODUCERS:  James Weaver and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Brandon Trost
EDITOR:  Zene Baker
COMPOSER:  Henry Jackman

COMEDY/FANTASY

Starring:  James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Emma Watson, Kevin Hart, Mindy Kaling, Rihanna, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Paul Rudd, and Channing Tatum with Jason Segel

This Is the End is a 2013 apocalyptic comedy film from writer-directors, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.  This black comedy features a number of Hollywood comic actors and celebrities playing fictional versions of themselves.  The movie centers on actor James Franco’s house where a small band of survivors are forced to live together after a disaster that could be the end of the world.

This Is the End begins with Jay Baruchel arriving in Los Angeles to visit his old friend and fellow actor, Seth Rogen.  Seth convinces Jay to go with him to a housewarming party hosted by actor James Franco.  Jay is reluctant because he does not like Seth’s L.A. friends, especially actor Jonah Hill.  During the party, a catastrophic earthquake occurs, and L.A. falls to fire and chaos.  Jay, Seth, James, Jonah, and Craig Robinson survive the destruction, but they are not alone.  They slowly learn that the largest earthquake in California history may be more than just a natural disaster.

In his review of This Is the End for Maclean’s, critic Brian D. Johnson basically said that there could be worse ways to experience the apocalypse than with stoned celebrities (go here or http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/06/07/was-armageddon-always-this-complicated/ for the full review).  Other than spending it with my family, there is no better way to go through the end of the world than with fun, fictional versions of Seth Rogen and his friends.  Also, much of the middle of the film works like a comedy stage play that allows each member of the ensemble to fashion a character that engages the audience.

I like many of the films in which most members of the main and supporting cast have appeared.  For the most part, I also like their public personas.  They are all really funny in this film, and James Franco’s sardonic humor (which was too understated to work during his gig hosting the Oscars) shines.  Once again, Craig Robinson finds a way to turn a supporting comedy part into a co-leading role on the sheer strength of his underrated talent as a light comic actor.  Danny McBride steals the show; if any actor deserves an Academy Award nomination as a supporting actor this year because of a comedic performance, it is McBride in This Is the End.

This Is the End was made for me.  I liked what the actors did in this movie, and I liked how they were willing to savage their public personas and work in films.  This Is the End of the review but not of my love for this movie, which will go on...

8 of 10
A

Saturday, October 05, 2013


The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

DreamWorks Animation Partners with Hasbro on Two Projects

DreamWorks Animation Teams with Hasbro for Two Tentpole Franchise Properties

Leading Branded Play Powerhouse Comes Aboard for B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations and Trolls

GLENDALE, Calif. & PAWTUCKET, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a powerful ghost and troll combo pack, Hasbro, Inc., (NASDAQ: HAS) a leading branded play company, and DreamWorks Animation (NASDAQ: DWA) have entered into an agreement to create toys and games inspired by DreamWorks Animation’s B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations and Trolls properties. Through this deal, Hasbro will unveil franchise-inspired product lines across major toy categories, with theatrical releases supporting B.O.O. and Trolls arriving in theaters in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

“Both properties offer rich and expansive play patterns and we cannot wait to get started.”
.“B.O.O. and Trolls are incredible properties and we are thrilled to be collaborating with DreamWorks at the very early stages of these great franchises,” said Samantha Lomow, Senior Vice President of Global Brand Strategy and Marketing at Hasbro. “Both properties offer rich and expansive play patterns and we cannot wait to get started.”

“This dual franchise agreement reflects our excitement for these two amazing brands, and the opportunity to join forces with Hasbro is truly huge,” said Michael Connolly, head of global consumer products for DreamWorks Animation. “These franchises lend themselves to endless possibilities at retail, and kids will be lining up see what Hasbro has in store for the coming years.”

B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations is the super classified agency you've never heard of and certainly never seen. Dedicated to protecting the Universe from evil hauntings, the agents of B.O.O. have a secret weapon: they are ghosts themselves! When B.O.O. faces its biggest threat yet – an uber-villain who has a ghastly plan up his ghostly sleeve -- top agent Jackson Moss (Seth Rogen) and his wacky partner Watts (Melissa McCarthy) team up for the job. Now, this duo must use every trick in their arsenal to defeat Drake’s powerful ghost army and save their home from becoming a literal ghost town.

DreamWorks Animation also recently announced the acquisition of the Trolls franchise. The Troll doll phenomenon was born in 1959 when Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam, too poor to afford a Christmas present for his young daughter Lajla, carved a doll for her based on the legendary Scandinavian troll. This modern-day Geppetto couldn’t have imagined that the Troll dolls would soon become one of the biggest toy crazes of the 1960s. The Trolls experienced a resurgence in the 1990s, and in 2003, the Toy Industry of America named Trolls on its list of One Hundred of the Century’s Most Treasured Toys. Their uniquely endearing faces and shocks of colorful hair continue to capture the hearts and imaginations of fans with rare Troll dolls still being coveted by collectors around the globe.

About Hasbro, Inc.
Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company dedicated to fulfilling the fundamental need for play for children and families through the creative expression of the Company’s world class brand portfolio, including TRANSFORMERS, MONOPOLY, PLAY-DOH, MY LITTLE PONY, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, NERF and LITTLEST PET SHOP. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with innovative play and entertainment experiences, in a variety of forms and formats, anytime and anywhere. The Company's Hasbro Studios develops and produces television programming for more than 170 markets around the world, and for the U.S. on Hub Network, part of a multi-platform joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK). Through the company's deep commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. It has been recognized for its efforts by being named one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" and is ranked as one of Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "100 Best Corporate Citizens." Learn more at www.hasbro.com.

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Hasbro, Inc. Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made on the basis of Hasbro’s current expectations regarding future events, including potential performance, and Hasbro’s ability to achieve its other financial and business goals. These statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainty, and Hasbro’s actual actions or results may differ materially from those expected or anticipated in the forward-looking statements due to both known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Specific factors that might cause such a difference include changes in release schedules, increased costs or difficulties associated with developing and releasing the media initiatives described in this press and introduce brands, products and product lines which achieve and sustain interest from retailers and consumers, Hasbro’s ability to manufacture, source and ship products in a timely and cost-effective manner and customers' and consumers' acceptance and purchase of those products in quantities and at prices that will be sufficient to profitably recover development, manufacturing, marketing, royalty and other costs, and other risks and uncertainties as may be detailed from time to time in Hasbro’s public announcements and Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including Hasbro’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and its most recent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Hasbro undertakes no obligation to make any revisions to the forward-looking statements contained in this release or to update them to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this release.

About DreamWorks Animation:
DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series and live entertainment properties, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by FORTUNE® Magazine for five consecutive years. In 2013, DreamWorks Animation ranks #12 on the list. All of DreamWorks Animation’s feature films are produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 27 animated feature films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Puss In Boots, and The Croods.

DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements:
This document includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company’s plans, prospects, strategies, proposals and our beliefs and expectations concerning performance of our current and future releases and anticipated talent, directors and storyline for our upcoming films and other projects, constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry in which we operate and management's beliefs and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the statements herein due to changes in economic, business, competitive, technological and/or regulatory factors, and other risks and uncertainties affecting the operation of the business of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. These risks and uncertainties include: audience acceptance of our films, our dependence on the success of a limited number of releases each year, the increasing cost of producing and marketing feature films, piracy of motion pictures, the effect of rapid technological change or alternative forms of entertainment and our need to protect our proprietary technology and enhance or develop new technology. In addition, due to the uncertainties and risks involved in the development and production of animated feature projects, the release dates for the projects described in this document may be delayed. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and our most recent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. DreamWorks Animation is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.