Review: DreamWorks "ANTZ" Can Still Dance

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 11 of 2024 (No. 1955) by Leroy Douresseaux

Antz (1998)

Running time:  83 minutes (1 hour, 23 minutes)

MPAA – PG for mild language and menacing action

DIRECTORS:  Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson

WRITERS:  Todd Alcott and Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz

PRODUCERS:  Brad Lewis, Kenneth Nakada, Aron Warner, and Patty Wooton

EDITOR:  Stan Webb

COMPOSERS:  Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell

ANIMATION/FANTASY/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring:  (voices):  Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Sylvester Stallone, Anne Bancroft, Danny Glover, Jennifer Lopez, Paul Mazursky, Grant Shaud, John Mahoney, Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtain, and Christopher Walken

Antz is a 1998 computer-animated adventure comedy film from directors Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson.  It was produced by DreamWorks Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, and Pacific Data Images and released by DreamWorks Pictures.  Antz was also DreamWorks Animation's debut film.  The movie focuses on a neurotic ant who bucks the system of his ant colony in order to pursue an ant princess, which sends them both on a perilous journey.

Antz opens in an ant colony, the home of a race of anthropomorphic ants (walk and talk like humans).  The focus is on Z (Woody Allen), an anxious and neurotic worker ant who chafes at the state of conformity in the colony. While at the local bar one night, Z has a chance encounter with the Queen Ant's daughter, Princess Bala (Sharon Stone), and he falls in love with her.  Z doesn't know that Bala is struggling with her suffocating royal life, although her mother, the Queen Aunt (Anne Bancroft), is the ruler of the colony.  Bala also has misgivings about her planned marriage to General Mandible (Gene Hackman), the cunning and arrogant leader of the colony's ant military.

Z wants to see more of Bala, but as a worker ant, he can't get near her.  He convinces Corporal Weaver (Sylvester Stallone), a soldier ant, to switch places with him.  This causes a series of events that finds Z and Princess Bala on a perilous journey outside the colony.  Meanwhile, General Mandible uses this turn of events to serve his own plans.

I am about to watch DreamWorks Animation's most recent release, Orion and the Dark, which was animated by the French production company, Mikros Animation.  So I decided that it was time to finish my review of DreamWorks' first animated feature film, Antz.

Early in Antz, I was not impressed by the CGI-animation.  It looks stiff and not imaginative, but as the film progresses, especially once the story leaves the colony, Antz begins to show some visual inventiveness.  The film's technical prowess improves as the story demands more complicated and involved action set pieces.

I like the voice cast, which I would call stellar; nine members of Antz's voice cast have won or been nominated for an Oscar – some several times.  However, I'm not that crazy about Woody Allen as the lead character, Z.  It's not that he doesn't do a good job; he does, but Allen is playing a character type that is familiar from his own films, such Hollywood Ending (2002) and Scoop (2006).  At times, Woody doing Woody doesn't really serve this film well.  As much as I like Sharon Stone, I can think of other actresses who could have given a better performance as Princess Bala.  I can say, however, that Gene Hackman is convincingly menacing as General Mandible.

So I'm glad that I finally watched Antz.  2023 was the 25th anniversary of its initial wide theatrical release (specifically October 2, 1998).  It is not as good as even recent DreamWorks Animation productions like The Bad Guys and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.  Still, Antz is what kicked off a line of fine animated feature films.

6 of 10

B

★★★ out of 4 stars

Thursday, February 15, 2024

NOTES:

1999 BAFTA Awards:  1 nomination: “Best Special Effects” (Ken Bielenberg, Philippe Gluckman, John Bell, and Kendal Cronkhite

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

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from Nov. 12th to 18th, 2023 - Update #19

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Recent horror movie hit, "The Exorcist: Believer" (the sequel to the 1973 hit, "The Exorcist"), will begin streaming on Peacock December 1st.

BOND - From BritishVogue:  Oscar-winning actress, Olivia Colman ("The Favourite"), says she wants to play the new "M" in the next James Bond film.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio says that he has thanked Oscar-nominee Sharon Stone for paying his salary in order for him to be in director Sam Raimi's revisionist Western, "The Quick and the Dead" (1995).  At the time, Stone wanted DiCaprio in the film, but the studio, TriStar Pictures, refused to cast him.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  "Dune: Part Two" moves up its release date to March 1st, 2024 from March 15th. The sequel to 2021's Oscar-winning Dune was originally slated to be released earlier this month (November).

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  ABC has announced its post-strike midseason broadcast schedule.  Everything kicks off Jan. 22nd with a two-hour premiere of "The Bachelor."

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Paramount+ is ending its drama "SEAL Team" after the upcoming seventh season.  The series originated on CBS, where it remained for five seasons before moving to Paramount+ for Season 6.

DISNEY - From Variety:  Disney CEO Bob Iger says that "Frozen 3" in in the works and that there might be a "Frozen 4."  The films would be the second and third sequels to the Oscar-winning 2013 film, Frozen.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Christopher Nolan suggests his recent acclaimed hit film, "Oppenheimer," on Blu-ray and own it at home and put it on a shelf "so no evil streaming service can come steal it from you."  "Oppenheimer" arrives on Blu-ray Nov. 21st.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  CBS is bringing its hit sitcom, "Young Sheldon," to an end with the series upcoming seventh season.  "Young Sheldon" Season 7 will debut Feb. 15th and will end with a one-hour series finale set for May 16th, 2023.

From Deadline:  The cast of the CBS sitcom, "Young Sheldon," reacts to the news that the upcoming seventh season will be the series' last.

DISNEY - From Variety:  Disney is merging Disney+ and Hulu into one application sometime in late March 2024.  Customers who have the current Disney+/Hulu bundle will be able to beta test the new merged app beginning in December.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Samuel Haskell IV, the 35-year-old son of prominent television producer, Sam Haskell, has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a headless torso was found several miles from his Los Angeles home.  He has been charged with three counts of murder for the deaths of his wife and her parents.

STAGE - From Variety:  Oscar-nominee Steve Carell will make his Broadway debut playing the title character in a revival of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” (1897). The production, which will be performed at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater, will begin previews April 2, 2024, and open on April 24, 2024.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  CBS has unveiled its mid-season 2023-24 schedule, which will feature new and returning series arriving mid-Feb. 2024.  Two planned new 2023-24 series, the "Matlock" reboot and Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans, Jr.'s "Poppa's House," will now debut in the 2024-25 season.

NETFLIX - From Deadline: Netflix has attached Denzel Washington to play the ancient Carthaginian general, Hannibal, in an untitled epic drama that will reteam Washington with his frequent collaborator, director Antoine Fuqua.  John Logan will write the screenplay.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 11/10 to 11/12/2023 weekend box office is Disney/Marvel Studios' "The Marvels" with an estimated take of 47 million dollars.

From Here:  A review of "The Marvels" by Leroy Douresseaux.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  The first trailer for Disney/Pixar's "Inside Out 2" has set a viewership record for Disney films.  It has had 157 million views in 24 hours.  The film is set for a June 14, 2024 debut in theaters.

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ACTORS STRIKE:

From Deadline:  SAG-AFTRA has produced a summary of its "2023 Tentative Agreement" that ended the 118-day long actors' strike. SAG-AFTRA members can begin voting on the agreement tomorrow, Tues., Nov. 14th. The voting can continue until the first week of December.

From IndieWire:  The site takes a look at the details of the tentative agreement between SAG-AFTRA (the actors' union) and the AMPTP (the Hollywood studios) that ended the 118-day actors' strike.

From Deadline:  The SAG-AFTRA national board, by a majority vote, approved the tentative agreement reached with the AMPTP to end the actors' strike.  Now, the actors vote...

From Variety:  The Hollywood studios have agreed to adjust language on artificial intelligence (AI) in their contract negotiations with SAG-AFTRA to end the 117-day actors' strike.

From THR:  SAG-AFTRA is evaluating the studios' "last, best and final offer" to end the actors' strike.

From Deadline:  The studios have delivered a new contract deal to SAG-AFTRA, the actors' union, and more strike talks are scheduled to be held this weekend.

From Deadline:  Striking actors are set to meet the studios today for Halloween negotiations, but they are still "far apart on key issues."

From Variety:  SAG-AFTRA (actors) and AMPTP (studios) will resume strike negotiations tomorrow (Tues., Oct. 24th).

From Deadline:  SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher says that the offer from top-earning Hollywood actors to chip in some money to help end the strike "isn't legally compatible with the union's contract.

From Deadline:  Top earning Hollywood actors want to chip in some money to end the SAG-AFTRA strike.

From Deadline:  George Clooney, Emma Stone, Ben Affleck, Tyler Perry and Scarlett Johansson were among a group of top talent guild members that spoke Tuesday (Oct. 17th) with guild president Fran Drescher and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland for a detailed debrief, we hear.

From Deadline:  The movie studios via AMPTP have suspended their talks with striking actors via SAG-AFTRA.  The snag seems to be that actors want "2 precent of potential profits" on streaming.

From Variety:  SAG-AFTRA (the actors) and AMPTP (the studios) are to resume strike talks Wed., Oct. 11th, as the actors strike enters Day 88.

From Deadline:  The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Hollywood studios CEOs met for strike talks for the first time since the actors went on strike July 14th. They plan to meet again, Wed., Oct. 4th.

BREAKING - From Deadline:  The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to end its strike after nearly five months. The parties finalized the framework of the deal Sunday when they were able to untangle their stalemate over AI and writing room staffing levels.

From WGAContract:  The WGA contract page has additional information on the settlement.

From WGAContract:  A summary of the new agreement.

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From Deadline:   The actors’ strike is now in its 63rd day.  Now, SAG-AFTRA leaders are ramping up their rhetoric against the studio heads, accusing them in the latest issue of the "SAG-AFTRA Magazine" of “behaving like petty tyrants,” “would-be feudal lords” and “land barons in feudal times.”

From Deadline:  Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra says that Hollywood unions need to embrace AI.

From Deadline:  Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav says the industry must focus and fight to resolve the writers and actors strikes.

From Deadline:  Hollywood’s superstars are answering the call from the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, donating $1 million or more each to help their fellow performers during the ongoing actors and writers strikes.  Among the big donors are Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, and Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively.

From Deadline:  If you are interested, here is a list of the film and TV productions SAG-AFTRA has granted waivers to continue filming.

From Variety:  International superstar, Dwayne Johnson, makes a seven-figure contribution to the "SAG-AFTRA Foundation Relief Fund." Foundation president, actor Courtney B. Vance, says the amount will remain confidential.

From Variety:  Why haven't A-list stars joined the SAG-AFTRA picket line?, asks "Variety."

From Deadline:  Author George R.R. Martin, whose works were the basis for HBO's "Game of Thrones," says the strikes will be long and bitter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 16th to 22nd, 2020 - Update #25

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

Support Leroy on Patreon:

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION:

From CNN:  Full video of Vice-President Joe Biden's acceptance speech at the 2020 DNC.

From CNN:  Full video of Sen. Kamala Harris acceptance speech at the 2020 DNC

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURAL NEWS:

EVENT - From DCFanDome:  "DC FanDome" is live.

SCANDAL - From Variety:  Actress Lori Loughlin ("Full House") was sentenced to two months in federal prison for her part in paying bribes in order to get her daughters admitted into the University of Southern California (USC).  She was also ordered to pay $150,000 in fines and perform 100 hours of community service.  Her husband, Mossimo Gainnulli was earlier sentenced to five months in federal prison.

SCIENCE - From IndependentUK:  750 million geneticially engineered mosquitoes to be released in Florida...

FOOD - From YahooLife:  Are the so-call "Go Mobile" Taco Bell restaurants the future of fast food?

SPORTS-CRIME - From YahooSports:  Could the prostitution case against NFL owner, Robert Kraft (New England Patriots), also help protect citizens from unchecked police surveillance.

STAR TREK - From YahooEntertainment:  Their is an intense legal battle for what is basically control over iconic "Star Trek" actress, Nichelle Nichols ("Uhura"), who is 83-years-old and suffers from dementia, involving her son, Kyle Johnson, and her manager, Gilbert Bell.

SCANDAL - From Variety:  Nick Cannon may be able to reconcile with ViacomCBS after he has met with Jewish leaders.  Cannon made some crazy ass anti-Semitic statements on his podcast June 30th.

MOVIES/TRAILERS - From Variety:  "Death on the Nile," the sequel to 2017's "Murder on the Orient Express," has a star-studded first trailer.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  "Saturday Night Live‘s" Pete Davidson and "Straight Outta Compton‘s" O’Shea Jackson Jr. are set to co-star in "American Sole," a high-stakes, high-top dramatic comedy set in the world of after-market sneakers.  The film will be written and directed by How To Make It In America creator Ian Edelman and produced by Kevin Hart and NBA All-Star Chris Paul.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Will Smith and Kevin Hart will star in and produce a remake of John Hughes' beloved 1987 road trip movie, "Planes, Trains & Automobiles."

SCANDAL - From YahooEntertainment:  Rose McGowan accuses director and Oscar-winning screenwriter, Alexander Payne ("Sideways") of sexual misconduct, which is not the first time he has been accused.

CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Ryan Reynold's "Aviation Gin" sells for 300 million dollars.

MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Laurence Fishburne has confirmed that he will not return for "The Matrix 4."  He played the wise warrior monk-type, Morpheus, in the original "Matrix" trilogy.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  The latest round California tax incentives have been announced.  Among the recipients include a Jordan Peele film and one starring Chris Evans.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The winner of the 8/14 to 8/16/2020 weekend box office is the new release, "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run," with an estimated take of $900,000.

From THR:  After an unprecedented 5-month shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, movie theaters reopen in North America.  In Canada, movie theaters welcomed the first new Hollywood releases to open wide since the shutdown.  They are "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run" and "Unhinged," a Russell Crowe road-rage thriller.
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BLACK ACTRESS - From BuzzFeed:  The article article got a call-back: "18 reasons why Angela Bassett is the most amazing actress of all time."  [She is certainly underrated and under-appreciated. - Leroy]

CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Bo Derek reflects on her career... and on those cornrows in "10."

OBITS:

From Loudwire:  American rock musician and recording artist, Frankie Banali, has died at the age of 68, Thursday, August 20, 2020, of pancreatic cancer.  Banali was best known as the drummer for the 1980s heavy metal band, Quiet Riot.  He also was the drummer for W.A.S.P. for a period of time.

From Deadline:  English stage, film and television actor, Ben Cross, has died at the age of 72, Tuesday, August 18, 2020.  Cross was best known for starring in the "Best Picture" Academy Award-winner, "Chariots of Fire" (1981) and for playing Spock's father, Sarek, in the 2009 reboot film, "Star Trek."

From Deadline:  Actor, writer, producer, and prolific filmmaker, Ash Christian, has died at the age of 35, Thursday, August 13, 2020.  His best known films include "1985," "Social Animals," and "Coyote Lake."  He won a Daytime Emmy in 2014 for the short, "mI Promise."

From Deadline:  Television music composer, Duane L. Tatro, has died at the age of 93, Sunday, August 9, 2020.  He composed music for TV series, including several for ABC, including "Dynasty," "The Love Boat," and "The Invaders," which was his first TV job.  The only television series for which he composed the theme music was "The Manhunter" (CBS, 1974-75).

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.

7/30 - From YahooGMA:  In their bid to crackdown on illegal gatherings amid COVID-19, New York authorities break up an alleged sex party.

7/31 - From Slate:  COVID-19 is airborne - for reals!

8/2 - From TheDailyBeast:  In Mississippi, COVID-19 has coroners terrified.

8/6 - From CNN:  Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (Republican) has tested positive for COVID19.

8/6 - From YahooNews:  Testing everyone constantly could stop the spread of COVID-19... according to this article.

8/8 - From YahooNYT:  The coronavirus is new, but your immune system might recognize it.

8/8 - From YahooNBC:  They thought COVID-19 was a hoax, and they almost died from it or are watching family and loved ones suffer with it or die from it.

8/9 - From YahooNews:  The rest of the world is incredulous at the pitiful U.S. response to COVID-19.

8/9 - From YahooAFP:  According to the real-time tally kept by John Hopkins University, the United States has hit 5 million cases of COVID-19.

8/15 - From NBA:  Bosnian NBA player Jusuf Nurkic of the Portland Trail Blazers says that his grandmother, 67-year-old Hana, has died of COVID-19.

8/16 - From Truthout: COVID Deaths Continue to Surge in Countries Led by Far Right Authoritarians

8/16 - From YahooEntertainment:  Sharon Stone reports that her sister, Kelly, is in the hospital with COVID-19.  She blames "non-mask wearers" for his sister's condition.

BLACK LIVES MATTER:

From RSN:   Judge's Blistering Opinion Says Courts Have Placed Police Beyond Accountability

From Billboard:  In an interview will the venerable music publication, legendary country music singer-songwriter and actress, Dolly Parton, expresses support for the "Black Lives Matter" movement.

From RSN:  Reader Supported News' "Sunday Song" for Aug. 8th, 2020 is "Chain Gang" by Sam Cooke.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 12th to 18th, 2019 - Update #17

Support Leroy on Patreon:

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Oscar-nominated actress, Sharon Stone, and Grammy-nominated recording artist, Marilyn Manson, will appear in HBO's "The New Pope," from director Paolo Sorrentino.

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COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  The site is reporting that Robert Pattison ("Twilight" series) will be the new Batman/Bruce Wayne in director Matt Reeves' upcoming film, "The Batman," which is due June 25, 2021.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Chris Rock (yes, that Chris Rock) is joining Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures to reboot the "Saw" film franchise.  The new film is due October 2020.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  James Gunn talks about being fired from "Guardians of the Galaxy 3" and then, being reinstated.

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MOVIES - From Movieweb:  James Wan ("Aquaman") is rebooting the "Mortal Kombat" film franchise (based on the beloved video game).  Wan will produce the film.

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DISNEY/STREAMING - From Variety:  Disney now has full operational control of the streaming service, Hulu, of which it has at least 60% ownership interest.  Comcast/NBCU retains its 33% ownership interest, which Disney can buy at some point in the future.  Comcast is planning to launch a free, ad-supported streaming service next year.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Rami Malek is in talks to join Denzel Washington in the serial killer film, "Little Things" from director John Lee Hancock.

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TELEVISION - From TVLine:  The upcoming sixth season (2019-2020) will be the final season for Fox's soap opera-drama, "Empire."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 5/10 to 5/12/2019 weekend box office is "Avengers: Endgame" with an estimated take of 63 million dollars.

From Forbes:  "Pokemon: Detective Pikachu" debuted this weekend and grossed 58 million dollars at the box office, the biggest opening weekend ever for a movie based on a video game.

From Patreon:  My review of "Avengers: Endgame."

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Broadcast television networks announce series orders and pick-ups.

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STREAMING - From TheVerge:  CBS All Access to give Jordan Peele's rebooted "The Twilight Zone," which is in full-color the black and white treatment, beginning May 30th.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Russell Crowe to star in road-rage thriller, "Unhinged."

OBITS:

From Deadline:  The Emmy-winning actor and comedian, Tim Conway, has died at the age of 85, May 14, 2019.  Conway was best known for his work on the ABC sitcom, "McHale's Navy" (1962-1966), and the long-running CBS variety program, The Carol Burnett Show" (1967-1978).  Conway won six Emmy Awards out of 13 nominations.

From TheWrap:  The actor Isaac Kappy died at the age of 42, Monday, May 13, 2019.  He had a small role in Marvel Studios' "Thor" (2011) and appeared in films such as "Terminator: Salvation" and "Beerfest."

From Deadline:  Iconic American actress and singer, Doris Day, has died at the age of 97, May 13, 2019.  She was known for such films as "Pillow Talk" (1959), which she made with her longtime friend, Rock Hudson; "That Touch of Mink" (1962), co-starring Cary Grant; and "Move Over, Darling" (1963) with James Garner.  She was also known for her TV series, "The Doris Day Show" (1968-1973) and for a string a hit records from the mid-1940s to the mid-1950s.

From Variety:  The actress and singer, Peggy Lipton, has died at the age of 72, Saturday, May 11, 2019.  Lipton appeared in the TV series, "The Mod Squad" (1968-1973), as the flower child, Julie Barnes, a role for which she received four Emmy nominations and won a Golden Globe.  Lipton also had a main role in the ABC TV series, "Twin Peaks" (1990-91).  Lipton was married to legendary music producer, Quincy Jones, with whom she has two daughters, actress and producer, Rashida Jones, and model and fashion designer, Kidada Jones.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 22nd to 31st, 2017 - Update #46

Support Leroy on Patreon.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Paramount Pictures' "Pet Sematary" remake will be directed by Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer, the directors of the buzzed about horror film, "Starry Eyes."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Blake Lively's spy thriller, "The Rhythm Section" is due in 2019.

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SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Harvey Weinstein has been expelled from the Producers Guild of America for life, following scores of sexual misconduct allegations.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Lupita Nyong'o and Josh Gad to star in zombie romantic comedy, "Little Monsters.

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SCANDAL - From Variety:  Kevin Spacey becomes the latest big-time Hollywood actor to be accused of some kind of sexual misconduct.  His accuser is Anthony Rapp of "Star Trek: Discovery."

From Variety:  Kevin Spacey's response to those accusations have irked some.

From Deadline:  Netflix is cancelling Kevin Spacey's streaming series, "House of Cards," after next year's sixth season in light of allegations against the two-time Oscar winner.

From HuffPost:  Remember that creepy Kevin Spacey joke on "Family Guy" in 2005?

From YahooNews:  Sexual misconduct accusations have dogged Kevin Spacey for year, according to "Newsweek."

From TheWrap:  Netflix is looking at creating a spinoff of its hit series, "House of Cards," which is will end after the sixth season - in light of accusations against series star, Kevin Spacey.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 10/27 to 10/29/2017 weekend box office is "Jigsaw" with an estimated take of $16.25 million.

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MOVIES - From Collider:  Quentin Tarantino has summoned big studios to look at the first script for his anticipated Charles Manson project.

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SCANDAL:  From YahooGMA:  Actress Annabella Sciorra ("Jungle Fever," "The Sopranos") is the latest to accuse Harvey Weinstein of rape.

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COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  Zachary Levi, best known for NBC's "Chuck," has been tapped for the lead role in New Line Cinema's "Shazam," film based on the DC Comics character.

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MOVIES - From YahooEntertaiment:  Writer-director Robert Rodriguez ("Spy Kids") once dated Rose McGowan, who says she was raped by Harvey Weinstein, who released several of Rodriguez's films.

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ANIMATION - From TheVillageVoice:  This article argues that "South Park," has backed off criticizing President Trump and the alt-right, when it has historically not back off any sacred cows.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Tom Hanks to star in science fiction film, "Bios."

----------
MOVIES - From Collider:  Vin Diesel releases information about the upcoming ninth and tenth installments of the "Fast & Furious" film franchise.

----------
CULTURE - From SplinterNews:  The military has a serious White Nationalists problem?  [Yes, it does. This is not new news. - Leroy]

----------
TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Who knows what is going on with the "Bad Boys" film franchise, but producer Jerry Bruckheimer is developing a TV spin-off.  The character played by Gabrielle Union, who was in "Bad Boys 2," will be the focus on the series.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Adam Driver ("Star Wars") is attached to star in Spike Lee's "Black Klansman" film.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Gareth Evans, the director of the fantastic film, "The Raid," is in talks to direct a film based on the "Deathstroke" character from DC Comics.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Colman Domingo joins Barry Smith's (Moonlight) drama, "If Beale Street Could Talk."  Domingo is known for his role as "Victor Strand" on "Fear the Walking Dead."

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Sharon Stone will star as a mob mistress in "Sunny," the English-language debut of Norwegian filmmaker, Eva Sorhaug.

----------
CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  The daughter of the late actor, Paul Walker, has reached a settlement in her wrongful death lawsuit against Porsche.  Walker and another man were killed in a Porsche car crash in November 2013.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  "Captain Marvel" director Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck are in talks to have the star of their film, "Mississippi Grind," Ben Mendelsohn, join their Marvel Studios film as the villain.

From WeGotThisCovered:  Director James Mangold begins work on movie that spins off the character, "X-23," from the hit movie, "Logan."

----------
SPORTS - From CNN:  The site offers a guide to the 2017 World Series pitting the Los Angeles Dodgers (National League) against the Houston Astros (American League).  This is the Astros second trip to the World Series; they last played in 2005 as the representative of the National League, where they were until 2013.  The Dodgers were last in the World Series in 1988, which they won.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From Deadline:  Set photo from first day on the set of "Venom" starring Tom Hardy.

From Refinery29:  Why is Tom Hardy always cast as the ugliest comic book characters.

From TheWrap:  Marvel's "Captain Marvel" film will lead into the fourth "Avengers" film.
---------
TELEVISION - From TVLine:  Ray Donovan is coming back for a sixth season, but there will be a big change.

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Oscar-winning actress Renee Zellweger will portray the legendary actress, Judy Garland, who is most famous for role in "The Wizard of Oz."  The film will be set in the final years of Garland's life.

---------
STAR TREK - From TheWrap:  "Star Trek: Discovery" gets a second season from CBS All Access, the streaming service.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 10/20 to 10/22/2017 weekend box office is "Tyler Perry's Boo 2! A Madea Halloween" with an estimated take of $21.65 million.

From Variety:  Tyler Perry's "Boo 2!" keeps the weekend box office from being a complete disaster.

From Variety:  With its big debut in China, "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" wins the recent international box office.

---------
SCANDAL - From TheWrap:  James Gunn, director of Marvel's "Guardian of the Galaxy" films, says that he has been trying to warn people about writer-director James Toback, who has been accused by over 30 women of sexual harassment.

----------
MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Frank Oz talks about the Muppets and his career directing films.

----------
MOVIES - From SlashFilm:  There is a synopsis and the promise of a trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson's upcoming film, "Phantom Thread."

----------
POLITICS - From NYTimes:  President Trump isn't Adolf Hitler, but...

----------
SCANDAL - From LATimes:  "Stranger Things" and "IT" star, "Finn Wolfhard," has led the LA-based talent agency, APA, after his agent, Tyler Grasham, was accused of sexually assaulting a teenager (who is not a director) a decade ago.

From LATimes:  Over 30 women have made sexual harassment claims against director and Oscar-nominated screenwriter ("Bugsy"), James Toback.

From MadameNoire:  Director Michael Canton-Jones days that Harvey Weinstein would not let him cast actress Sophie Okonedo in his 1998 flick, "B. Monkey," because Weinstein did not find her "f***able."  Okonedo would go onto star in "Hotel Rwanda," for which she received a best supporting actress Oscar nomination.  She has won a Tony Award.

OBITS:

From THR:  Actor Jack Bannon has died at the age of 77, Wednesday, October 27, 2017.  He was best known for playing the amiable city editor, Jack Donovan, on CBS's "Lou Grant."

From THR:  Famed cinematographer Harry Stradling, Jr. died at the age of 92, Tuesday, October 17, 2017.  A two-time Oscar nominee, Stradling was known for his work on Western films, like "Little Big Man" and "Rooster Cogburn."  He worked across genres and earned Oscar nods for "1776" and "The Way We Were."

From RollingStone:  The music icon and legend, Fats Domino, died at the age of 89, Tuesday, October 24, 2017.  Domino, a symbol of the dawn of rock and roll, was an architect of rock and roll, and during the second half of the the 1950s, his record sales were reportedly second only to Elvis Presley.  His hits including "I'm Walkin'," "Blue Monday," and "Ain't That a Shame," to name a few.

From TheWrap:  The actor Robert Guillaume has died at the age of 89, Tuesday, October 24, 2017. He was best known for playing the character, Benson DuBois, a butler.  He played Benson as a supporting character in the ABC TV series, "Soap," and as a lead character in the ABC series, "Benson."  He won two Emmys for the role, once as a supporting actor and once as a lead actor.  Guillaume is also known for his voice performance as "Rafiki," in the Disney animated film, "The Lion King."  Guillaume won a Grammy Award for performing the character on "The Lion King" Read-a-long Book.

Sharon Stone's Catherine Tramell from "Basic Instinct" Returns

Visit Bluefin during 2017 Comic-Con International at Booth #401

BLUEFIN ANNOUNCES BLITZWAY’S SHARON STONE BASIC INSTINCT ¼ SUPURB SCALE STATUE TO BE UNVEILED AT 2017 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL

Sexy Femme Fatale From The Acclaimed Neo-Noir Crime Thriller Depicted With Extraordinary Detail From The Film’s Most Famous Scene; Pre-Orders Available Now!

Anaheim, CA – Bluefin, the leading North American distributor of toys, collectibles, and hobby merchandise from Japan and Asia, details an extraordinary new release from BLITZWAY ahead of the 2017 Comic-Con International. Set to be unveiled at the convention will be an incredibly realistic ¼ scale release from BLITZWAY’s Superb Scale Statues line of Sharon Stone as she appeared in Basic Instinct.

The statue is scheduled for release in February 2018 and will be available from authorized Bluefin retailers nationwide and also from select leading online outlets. Pre-orders are available now. MSRP will be $429.99.

Comic-Con International is one of the nation’s largest comic book, science fiction and pop culture events, and will take place July 20th–23rd at the San Diego Convention Center, in San Diego, CA. Complete details on Comic-Con are available at: www.comic-con.org.

Bluefin will be located in Booth #401

Is there anyone who can resist her secret and deadly seduction? Experience Catherine Tramell’s secret and irresistible whisper that is sharper than ice, making what you already know irrelevant and powerless.

"What are you gonna do? Charge me with smoking?" - Catherine Tramell

She is mysterious and audacious, with an irresistibly sensual and glamorous beauty…boasting of sexual attraction and danger. BLITZWAY and Bluefin are pleased to present Sharon Stone from Basic Instinct. This unique and alluring rendering depicts the sexy icon and movie star of American cinema and is sure to be a centerpiece of any ardent fan’s collection.

Stone portrayed Catherine Tramell, the heinous and atrocious femme fatale from the acclaimed 1992 neo-noir crime thriller that was directed by Paul Verhoeven that also starred Michael Douglas. BLITZWAY presents the sultry actress as she appeared in one of the film’s most famous scenes – a tense and memorable police interrogation. Collectors will appreciate Stone’s meticulously sculpted facial expression and crossed legs that complement her body’s expression of dignity, confidence and poise.

BLITZWAY utilized new facial printing technology to achieve an extremely high level of realism. The statue, which nearly 12½-inches tall, is further accented by a screen accurate costume constructed of special fabrics to portray her dress’s unmistakable silhouette and realistic wrinkles along with a period correct chair and other realistic accessories that complete the setting and accent the atmosphere from the film’s notorious interrogation scene.

Based in South Korea, BLITZWAY specializes in highly detailed and intricately sculpted 1/6 and 1/4 scale figures and statues of famous characters from pop culture, comics, and TV and movies.


About Bluefin:
Based in Anaheim, CA, Bluefin built its reputation as a leading distributor of Japanese toys, collectibles, novelty and hobby products. In recent years, Bluefin has grown to include a range of high quality collectible lines from the United States, Hong Kong and Taiwan and established itself as the official North American consumer products and retail development partner for Studio Ghibli. Selling to thousands of specialty, chain and independent stores, Bluefin is an official North American distributor for Bandai Hobby, Bandai Shokugan, and Capcom, and is also an official provider of Bandai Tamashii Nations products, and is also the exclusive and official distributor for Blitzway Studios, Mr. Hobby, SEN-TI-NEL, Storm Collectibles, and X-Plus. Bluefin also represents TruForce Collectibles products worldwide. Additional information is available at: www.bluefincorp.com.

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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 8th to 14th, 2016 - Update #36

Support Leroy on Patreon.

COMICS - From Patreon:  My review of "Captain America: Civil War."

---------------
COMICS - From BleedingCool:  One of my favorite comic book artists and creators of all time, Darwyn Cooke, apparently lost his battle with cancer today, Saturday, May 14, 2016.  Yeah, it hurts.

---------------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  From Cannes comes this report on Steven Spielberg's upcoming film, "The BFG."

--------------
BLACK LIVES MATTER - From USAToday:  George Zimmerman's gun auction up to a bid of 65 million - thanks to Internet trolls.  So thanks, Internet trolls.

---------------
COMICS - From Variety:  Michael B. Jordan is in talks to join Marvel's "Black Panther."  Ryan Coogler, the film's director, has worked Jordan on two films, "Fruitvale Station" and "Creed."

---------------
CIVIL RIGHTS - From RSN:  U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch defends trans-people.

---------------
COMICS - From IGN:  Kevin Feige explains why Natalie Portman won't be back for "Thor: Ragnarok."

---------------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  Gareth Edwards directed Warner Bros.'s "Godzilla," but will not be back for "Godzilla 2," which is due in 2019.

---------------
TELEVISION - From CinemaBlend:  ABC cancels "Marvel's Agent Carter."

From YahooMovies:  "Agent Carter's" star Hayley Atwell has a new ABC series, "Conviction."

From EW:  "Marvel's Most Wanted," the "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." spinoff is not happening.

---------------
COMICS - From Variety:  CBS superhero drama, "Supergirl," moving to The CW.

--------------
BLACK LIVES MATTER - From Gawker:  Notorious child killer, George Zimmerman, to sell the pistol he used to kill Trayvon Martin.

---------------
COMICS - From Variety:  Lupita Nyong'o in talks to appear in Marvel's "Black Panther" film.

---------------
MOVIES - From RollingStone:  Jack Black joins director Jake Kasdan's "Jumanji" remake, which as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the star and possibly Kevin Hart.

--------------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Woody Allen is not bothered by Laurent Lafitte's rape jock at Cannes.

---------------
POLITICS - From Truthout:  Donald Trump has already destroyed the GOP.

---------------
MOVIES - From BoxOfficeMojo:   Warner Bros. shifts some release dates, including for its ridiculous Kong and Godzilla movies.

---------------
COMICS - From Glide:  The magazine comes down hard on "X-Men: Apocalypse" in a review.

---------------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Amazon and STX Entertainment pick up rights to Nash Edgerton's untitled action title, which has a killer cast, including David Oyelowo and Charlize Theron.

--------------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  Disney has crossed the $1 billion mark in domestic office in 128 days, a new record surpassing the record that Universal set last year at 165 days.

---------------
 MOVIES - From TheHollywoodNews:  Zorro is back!  And he is Gael Garcia Bernal.

---------------
MOVIES - From Variety: The Russo Bros., directors of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and "Civil War," are getting into Chinese film production.

---------------
TELEVISION - From BleedingCool:  "Electric Dreams: The World of Philip K. Dick" is an upcoming anthology series based on the short stories of the 20th century's greatest author, Philip K. Dick.

---------------
OBIT - From TheWrap:  The character actor William Schallert has died at the age of 93, Sunday, May 8, 2016.  Over his 60 year career, he had close to 400 screen credits.  One of his best known roles was as "Martin Lane," the father of Patty Lane on "The Patty Duke Show."  He was and still is one of my favorite actors.  I send condolences to his family.  R.I.P.

---------------
TELEVISION - From YahooSports:  Sean McDonough is a new voice on ESPN's "Monday Night Football."

---------------
COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Is Marvel killing off the X-Men in "Death of X" event.

---------------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  2016 BAFTA TV awards winners are announced.

--------------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner at the box office for the 2016 Mother's Day weekend (5/6 to 5/8/2016) is "Captain America: Civil War" with an estimated $181.8 million haul.

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:  "Captain America: Civil War" opens with an estimated $181.8 million weekend box office.

----------------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  The breaking news (and gossip) website has a big-ass question-and-answer with Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige.

---------------
MOVIES - From Deadline:   Lee Daniels is no longer director of the Richard Pryor biopic.

---------------
COMICS - From SlashFilm:  The still-fine Sharon Stone said that she will have a "wee" part in a Marvel movie.

---------------
From Variety:   Ben Affleck will be an executive producer on "Justice League: Part One," which apparently includes him having a say in the film's story and production.  The movie is due November 2017.

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

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  New "Ice Age: Collision Course" trailer - "Kiss your ice goodbye."

From YouTube:   Official trailer for 20th Century Fox's "Assassin's Creed," which is due in December.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of September 20th to 26th, 2015 - Updated #21

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From Hitfix:  Apparently, someone is plotting to remake "The Exorcist."

---------------
From SlashFilm:  Matt Damon reveals more info on his fourth Jason Bourne film (the fifth overall).

---------------
From YahooMovies:  Aaron Sorkin rips into Apple's Tim Cook over the movie, "Steve Jobs."

---------------
From TheWrap:  There is a huge controversy about the "white boy hero" of "Stonewall."  I have mixed feelings about this.  I understand why the filmmakers would feel the need for this character, but I understand why some are angry that the real-life leaders of that event, people of color, are secondary characters.  I guess we need to keep in mind that his is a fictional account of a real-life event.

---------------
From TheWrap:  Sigourney Weaver will be in the "Ghostbusters" reboot.

---------------
From YahooMovies:  As preparations move forward for a second "Men in Black" trilogy, news breaks that Will Smith is unlikely to return.

---------------
From ThePlaylist:  Steven Soderbergh has an intriguing new project, entitled "Mosaic," with Garrett Hedlund and Sharon Stone.

---------------
From YahooNews:  Robert Englund, famous for playing movie monster, Freddie Krueger," believes that a remake of "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3" is being planned.

---------------
From TheWrap:  "Empire" has a second season debut with 16 million viewers.

---------------
From YahooNews:  The title of "Prometheus 1" is Alien: Paradise Lost?

---------------
From TheGuardian:  Leo DiCaprio joins $2.6 trillion fossil fuel divestment movement.

---------------
From THR:  You'd think that after a $1.5 billion grossing seventh installment, Furious 8 would be easy sailing.  But no...

---------------
From BleedingCool:  Clive Barker's "Weaveworld" headed to The CW.

---------------
From ThePlaylist:  Ridley Scott says that it might not be until Prometheus 3 or 4 that the franchise will formally connect to Scott's 1979 film, "Alien."

---------------
From Variety:  Jack Reacher 2's villain might be played by Patrick Heusinger.

---------------
From Deadline:  When Viola Davis won "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama" for "How to Get Away with Murder," she made history by becoming the first African-American woman to win that award.  Two others Black women also won at the 67th Primetime Emmys:  Regina King ("American Crime") and Uzo Aduba ("Orange is the New Black").

---------------
From Deadline:  With its four wins at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards and eight wins at last week's Creative Arts Emmy, "Game of Thrones" set a record with 12 Emmy Award wins in a single year.

---------------
From Deadline:  "Modern Family" had won the "Outstanding Comedy Series" Emmy five years in a row, a feat also achieved by NBC series, "Frasier" in the 1990s.  In fact, no series has won "Outstanding Comedy Series" more than five times.  At the 67th Primetime Emmys, "Veep" won the "Outstanding Comedy Series" Emmy and kept Modern Family from winning a record sixth in that category.

---------------
From BoxOfficeMojo:  "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" won the 9/18 to 9/20/2015 weekend box office with an estimated haul of $30.3 million.


COMICS - Books and Films:

From THR:  Ta-Nehisi Coates will apparently write the first 12 issues of Marvel Comics' upcoming "Black Panther" comic book series.  I am not as excited by this news as I thought I'd be. - Leroy


TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  New "Peanuts" trailer (9/21) from 20th Century Fox and Blue Skys.


OBITS:

From Deadline:  Jimmy Olsen has died.  The actor, Jack Larson, who played Olsen in the "The Adventures of Superman" 1950s TV series, died Sunday, September 20, 2015.  Larson was 87.

"Lovelace" with Amanda Seyfried Opens Today - August 9, 2013

Radius/TWC Presents

LOVELACE

FILM BY ROB EPSTEIN & JEFFREY FRIEDMAN

STARRING: AMANDA SEYFRIED, PETER SARSGAARD, HANK AZARIA, WES BENTLEY, ADAM BRODY, BOBBY CANNAVALE, JAMES FRANCO, DEBI MAZAR, CHRIS NOTH, ROBERT PATRICK, ERIC ROBERTS, CHLOE SEVIGNY, SHARON STONE, JUNO TEMPLE

OPEN WIDE on AUGUST 9th

Download the UK Red Band Trailer Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkkU5jkIopM

Download the Green Band Trailer Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gJrCfNNzA8&feature=youtu.be

In 1972—before the internet, before the porn explosion—Deep Throat was a phenomenon: the first scripted pornographic theatrical feature film, featuring a story, some jokes, and an unknown and unlikely star, Linda Lovelace. Escaping a strict religious family, Linda discovered freedom and the high-life when she fell for and married charismatic hustler Chuck Traynor. As Linda Lovelace she became an international sensation—less centerfold fantasy than a charming girl-next-door with an impressive capacity for fellatio. Fully inhabiting her new identity, Linda became an enthusiastic spokesperson for sexual freedom and uninhibited hedonism. Six years later she presented another, utterly contradictory, narrative to the world—and herself as the survivor of a far darker story.

Review: "Basic Instinct" is Still a Killer (Happy B'day, Sharon Stone)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 129 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Basic Instinct (1992)
Running time: 123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence and sensuality and for drug use and language
DIRECTOR: Paul Verhoeven
WRITER: Joe Eszterhas
PRODUCER: Alan Marshall
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jan De Bont, A.S.C.
EDITOR: Frank J. Urioste, A.C.E.
COMPOSER: Jerry Goldsmith
Academy Award nominee

THRILLER/CRIME/MYSTERY

Starring: Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Denis Arndt, Leilani Sarelle, Bruce A. Young, Chelcie Ross, Dorothy Malone, Wayne Knight, and Daniel von Bargen

The subject of this movie review is Basic Instinct, a 1992 erotic thriller and mystery film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by the great Joe Eszterhas. The film follows a police detective in charge of the investigation of a brutal murder and a beautiful and seductive woman who could be involved.

Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) is a tough, but vulnerable San Francisco detective – vulnerable because he’s under the watchful eye of Internal Affairs after he’d shot and killed some tourists during a pursuit of suspects. Nick has also complicated his life by having intimate relations with the therapist, Dr. Beth Garner (Jeanne Tripplehorn), his bosses are making him see.

The story begins after a prominent community member is found bound and brutally murdered (stabbed with an ice pick) in his blood-soaked bed. Nick’s life and job get even more convoluted when he and his partner, Gus Moran (George Dzundza), are assigned to be the lead detectives in the case. The prime suspect is Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), a cold, calculating, and beautiful novelist with an insatiable sexual appetite. Catherine takes an immediate interest in Nick and delves into his past, but is she using him for reference in her new novel or is she dragging Nick into an even more dangerous game. As the bodies pile up, Nick wonders if a jealous rival of Catherine’s or of his and Catherine’s relationship is out to frame her… and kill him. Or is Catherine behind all the murders?

Basic Instinct was one of the most talked about and controversial movies of 1992. Protests from gay rights groups marred the film’s production shoot after the script was leaked and it was learn that all the murder suspects in the film were lesbian characters. When the film was finally released, Basic Instinct’s explicit sex, tawdry subject matter, and riveting crime plot made it one of the year’s biggest box office hits and the poster child for those who believed sex and violence in Hollywood films had finally crossed too many lines.

But the film was good… no, great. Hot sex, hot girls, beautiful locations in San Francisco and the surrounding area, swanky sets, multiple plausible murder suspects, and a cop nearly out of his mind chasing hot ass – Basic Instinct was and still is a thoroughly delightful adult thriller. Director Paul Verhoeven created a murder mystery in the tradition of films such as Out of the Past and Murder, My Sweet. If Basic Instinct weren’t a color film, it would be a modern Film-Noir classic.

There were good performances all around, and the best were Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone’s. The duo had great screen chemistry, and Ms. Stone played the part for all it was worth, making her a top-billed, highly paid actress for the next few years. Rarely had there been so much sexual tension, distrust, dishonesty, and brazenness between a screen couple that couldn’t stop “being” with one another, and Douglas coolly played the role on the way to solidifying his position as an A-list actor.

One element that was absolutely necessary in making Basic Instinct such a sexy thriller is the Oscar-nominated score (Best Music, Original Score) by the late Jerry Goldsmith (1929-2004). Haunting and alluring, it helps the film capture some of the screen magic of crime films from the golden age of Hollywood. Goldsmith also provided the right musical themes and rhythms to go with Michael and Sharon’s pummel-your-partner love scenes.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
1993 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Film Editing” (Frank J. Urioste) and “Best Music, Original Score” (Jerry Goldsmith)

1993 Golden Globes, USA: 2 nominations: “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Jerry Goldsmith) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Sharon Stone)

1992 Cannes Film Festival: 1 nomination: “Palme d'Or” (Jerry Goldsmith)

1993 Razzie Awards: 3 nominations: “Worst Actor” (Michael Douglas, also for Shining Through -1992), “Worst New Star” ("Sharon Stone's 'Tribute to Theodore Cleaver'"), and “Worst Supporting Actress” (Jeanne Tripplehorn)

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

Review: "Basic Instinct 2" Doesn't Come Close to the Original (Happy B'day, Sharon Stone)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 182 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Basic Instinct 2 (2006)
Running time: 114 minutes (1 hour, 54 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong sexuality, nudity, violence, language, and some drug content
DIRECTOR: Michael Canton-Jones
WRITERS: Leora Barish & Henry Bean (based upon characters by Joe Eszterhas)
PRODUCERS: Mario Kassar, Joel B. Michaels, and Andrew G. Vajna
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Gyulas Pados (director of photography)
EDITOR: Istvan Kiraly and John Scott
COMPOSER: John Murphy
Razzie Award winner

MYSTERY/THRILLER

Starring: Sharon Stone, David Morrissey, Charlotte Rampling, David Thewlis, Hugh Dancy, Stan Collymore, Neil Maskell, Indira Varma, Heathcote Williams, and Flora Montgomery

The subject of this movie review is Basic Instinct 2, a 2006 erotic thriller and mystery film. Directed by Michael Canton-Jones, the film is a sequel to the 1992 film, Basic Instinct. Sharon Stone returns from the original film, but not her co-star, Michael Douglas. In the new film, Stone’s character, novelist Catherine Tramell, is again in trouble with the law, and she lures the Scotland Yard psychiatrist appointed to evaluate her into a seductive game.

Charged with the murder of her fiancé, Kevin Franks (Stan Collymore), best-selling novelist, Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), is once again in trouble with the law – this time in London. Catherine faces questioning from Dr. Michael Glass (David Morrissey), a Scotland Yard-appointed criminal psychiatrist. Before long, more people are turning up dead all around Catherine, just as it did a decade and a half ago in San Francisco. The suspects are plenty, and the players include a conniving reporter and a dirty cop, as well as many of Glass’ friends and associates. An old case of Glass’ also comes into play. Did he know that George Cheslav (unseen in the film), a psychotic patient of his, was going to kill his girlfriend? Tramell sees the case as a chance to manipulate Glass as fodder for her new novel – about a psychiatrist who may or may not have committed murder. Glass has the training to withstand Catherine’s mind games, or does he? Can he even match her willpower? And what happens when the evidence from the murders start pointing to him as much as it does to Catherine?

Basic Instinct 2 isn’t good, nor is it really bad. It starts off with a bang, but most of it is dry, dull, and awkward, in spite of a good moment here and there and a killer ending that leaves the viewer asking questions just as the first film did. One wonders why we really needed a sequel to the San Francisco-based neo-noir, Basic Instinct, although there has been talk of one ever since the film became a blockbuster hit in 1992. Leora Barish and Henry Bean’s script is a good murder mystery, but it’s wrong for the Catherine Tramell character. Tramell certainly belongs in a lurid murder mystery; this just isn’t the one. Putting her in this British-based tale of deception and hard sex is like putting Shrek in The Lord of the Rings just because the former is a fantasy-based character and the latter is an epic fantasy.

Director Michael Canton-Jones (Scandal) tries to give this film some style, and judging from the explicit “love scenes,” he knows how to direct a hot sex scene. Sharon Stone still is Catherine Tramell, but she’s trying to hard, and Canton swoops in on her every wicked facial expression. For fans of the original, this is merely a curiosity piece and one that tries the patience.

3 of 10
C-

Saturday, August 19, 2006

NOTES:
2007 Razzie Awards: 4 wins: “Worst Actress” (Sharon Stone), “Worst Picture” (A.K.A. Basically, It Stinks, Too-Sony and Columbia), “Worst Prequel or Sequel” (A.K.A. Basically, It Stinks, Too), and “Worst Screenplay” (Leora Barish and Henry Bean, based on characters created by Joe Eszterhas); 3 nominations: “Worst Director” (Michael Caton-Jones), “Worst Screen Couple” (Sharon Stone's lop-sided breasts.), and “Worst Supporting Actor” (David Thewlis, also for The Omen-2006)

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

Original "Total Recall" Still a Total Beast

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 64 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux


Total Recall (1990)
Running time: 113 minutes (1 hour, 53 minutes)
MPAA – R
DIRECTOR: Paul Verhoeven
WRITERS: Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon, and Gary Goldman; from a screen story by Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon and Jon Povill (inspired by the short story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” by Philip K. Dick)
PRODUCERS: Buzz Feitshans and Ronald Shusett
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jost Vacano
EDITORS: Carlos Puente and Frank J. Urioste
COMPOSER: Jerry Goldsmith
Academy Award winner

SCI-FI/FANTASY/ACTION

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox, Michael Ironside, Marshall Bell, Mel Johnson, Jr., and Michael Champion

The subject of this movie review is Total Recall, a 1990 science fiction action film from director Paul Verhoeven and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film is loosely based upon Philip K. Dick’s “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale,” which was first published in 1966. The film follows a man who accidentally has memories dredged up of a life he apparently had on Mars, which only gets him marked for death.

Total Recall opens on Earth in the year 2084. Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a construction worker who yearns for more in his life. He is also troubled by dreams of Mars; in fact, he is obsessed with going to Mars. His wife, Lori (Sharon Stone), wants a different vacation, so Quaid decides to get a vacation to Mars in a unique way. He goes to a company called “Rekall,” which promises to implant memories of a virtual vacation. These false memories will seem just like real memories to Quaid.

However, something goes terribly wrong during the procedure to implant the memories in Quaid’s brain. Suddenly, his visit to Rekall is apparently the reason gun-toting men, led by the ruthless Richter (Michael Ironside), want to kill him. Quaid discovers that he has to get to Mars – for real this time – as soon as he can, because all the answers to his shattered memories are there… he hopes.

I believe that the Dutch-born filmmaker, Paul Verhoeven, does not get enough credit as a terrific director. This is because the amount of violence in his film is seen as excessive by some critics. Indeed, Verhoeven’s science fiction films, Robocop (1987) and Starship Troopers (1997), both contain copious amounts of violence, some of it so intense and gory that it made me cringe when I first watched these films.

However, there is also a strong undercurrent of humor in Verhoeven’s science fiction films. Some of it is black humor, but some of it mocks militarized institutions, such as corporations (Robocop), governments (Starship Troopers), and governments that are really corporations, as in Total Recall. Verhoeven and his screenwriters find absurdity in how such institutions are singularly focused on their goals and treat their employees, as well as others who get in their way, as expendable. This film is practically a metaphor for our modern resource wars and for people like the Neocons (best exemplified by former U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney and mustachioed toad-humper, John Bolton).

Total Recall also received a Special Achievement Academy Award for its visual effects, which is usually a competitive award, but not in 1991. The special effects for the other films in the visual effects category simply did not match up to the effects in Total Recall. Thus, the committee that oversees this award for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) simply gave the award to Total Recall and named the other films as runners-up rather than as nominees. Honestly, Total Recall’s effects still look very good, and even the dated elements, such as the animatronics that are supposed to replicate heads and bodies of many of the characters, look good.

People probably remember Total Recall as an “Arnold Schwarzenegger movie,” and, in a way, it is. His film persona dominates the narrative and the action, and even 22 years later, his performance here reveals why, for a period, he was the biggest action movie star in the world and probably the world’s biggest movie star for most of that time.

Total Recall, however, is more than just Schwarzenegger. There are a number of good supporting performances, especially Michael Champion as Richter’s acerbic right-hand man, Helm. Also, Rachel Ticotin as Melina is one of the few actresses to play a partner to one of Schwarzenegger’s characters and not disappear in the shadow that Arnold’s personality and presence cast.

When I first saw Total Recall 22 years ago, I was lukewarm about it. I seem to remember that Meryl Streep was publicly critical of it. I think that I am more open-minded about movies now, and I have also learned not to view every film in a strictly literal manner. Perhaps, that is why I now think Total Recall is a science fiction movie classic, even if I didn’t think that two decades ago.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
1991 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Special Achievement Award: (Eric Brevig, Rob Bottin Tim McGovern, Alex Funke for visual effects) [The other films in this category were listed as runners-up instead of as nominees: Back to the Future Part III, Dick Tracy, and Ghost.]; 2 nominations: Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing” (Stephen Hunter Flick) and “Best Sound” (Nelson Stoll, Michael J. Kohut, Carlos Delarios, and Aaron Rochin)

1991 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Special Visual Effects” (To the whole special visual effects production team)

Thursday, August 02, 2012