Disney's Official Statement on J.J. Abrams and Star Wars: Episode VII

This press release from Walt Disney Studios announcing J.J. Abrams as the director of Star Wars: Episode VII is a week old.  I waited to post it this month so that it would be on the post list for at least one entire month.  Since this release, I have read that Abrams is not sure if he will adhere to the announced 2015 release date for Episode VII - Leroy.

J.J. Abrams to Direct Star Wars: Episode VII

J.J. Abrams will direct Star Wars: Episode VII, the first of a new series of Star Wars films to come from Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams will be directing and Academy Award-winning writer Michael Arndt will write the screenplay.

"It's very exciting to have J.J. aboard leading the charge as we set off to make a new Star Wars movie," said Kennedy. "J.J. is the perfect director to helm this. Beyond having such great instincts as a filmmaker, he has an intuitive understanding of this franchise. He understands the essence of the Star Wars experience, and will bring that talent to create an unforgettable motion picture."

George Lucas went on to say "I've consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller. He's an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film and the legacy couldn't be in better hands."

"To be a part of the next chapter of the Star Wars saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor," J.J. Abrams said. "I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid."

J.J., his longtime producing partner Bryan Burk, and Bad Robot are on board to produce along with Kathleen Kennedy under the Disney Lucasfilm banner.

Also consulting on the project are Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg. Kasdan has a long history with Lucasfilm, as screenwriter on The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Return of the Jedi. Kinberg was writer on Sherlock Holmes and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Abrams and his production company Bad Robot have a proven track record of blockbuster movies that feature complex action, heartfelt drama, iconic heroes and fantastic production values with such credits as Star Trek, Super 8, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, and this year's Star Trek Into Darkness. Abrams has worked with Lucasfilm's preeminent postproduction facilities, Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, on all of the feature films he has directed, beginning with Mission: Impossible III. He also created or co-created such acclaimed television series as Felicity, Alias, Lost and Fringe.

Feb. 2013: Black History Battles Negromancer for the Month

It is February 2013.  Welcome to Negromancer, a ComicBookBin blog (www.comicbookbin.com). This is rebirth of the former movie review website as a movie review and movie news website and blog.

All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademark their respective owners.

Central Ohio Film Critics Point to "Moonrise Kingdom"

The Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA) named Moonrise Kingdom as the "Best Film of 2012" and its director, Wes Anderson, as "Best Director."  Argo and director Ben Affleck were runners-up in both categories.

COFCA was founded in 2002 and is made up of film critics based in Columbus, Ohio, and the surrounding areas. Each January, COFCA votes on a number of awards, recognizing excellence in the film industry.

2012 Central Ohio Film Critics Awards:

Best Film
1. "Moonrise Kingdom"
2. "Argo"
3. "Django Unchained"
4. "Zero Dark Thirty"
5. "The Cabin in the Woods"
6. "Silver Linings Playbook"
7. "Lincoln"
8. "Looper"
9. "The Master"
10. "Les Misérables"

Best Picture
"Moonrise Kingdom"

Best Director
Wes Anderson, "Moonrise Kingdom"
(Runner-up: Ben Affleck, "Argo")

Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"
(Runner-up: John Hawkes, "The Sessions")

Best Actress
Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"
(Runner-up: Naomi Watts, "The Impossible")

Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained"
(Runner-up: Leonardo DiCaprio, "Django Unchained")

Best Supporting Actress
Anne Hathaway, "Les Misérables"
(Runner-up -- TIE -- Helen Hunt, "The Sessions" and Ann Dowd, "Compliance")

Best Adapted Screenplay
"Lincoln"
(Runner-up: "Argo")
Best Original Screenplay
"Moonrise Kingdom"
(Runner-up: "The Cabin in the Woods")

Best Cinematography
"Skyfall"
(Runner-up: "Life of Pi")

Best Score
"Moonrise Kingdom"
(Runner-up: "Cloud Atlas")

Best Animated Film
"ParaNorman"
(Runner-up: "Wreck-It Ralph")

Best Foreign Language Film
"The Kid with a Bike" (from Belgium, France, and Italy)
(Runner-up: "Headhunters" – from Norway)

Best Documentary
"How to Survive a Plague"
(Runner-up: "The Imposter")

Best Ensemble
"Moonrise Kingdom"
(Runner-up: "Lincoln")

Best Overlooked FIlm
"Killer Joe" (Runner-up: "Safety Not Guaranteed")

Breakthrough Film Artist
Bart Layton, "The Imposter"
(Runner-up: Quvenzhané Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild")

Actor of the Year (for exemplary body of work)
Matthew McConaughey, "Bernie," "Killer Joe," "Magic Mike" and "The Paperboy"
(Runner-up: Anne Hathaway, "The Dark Knight Rises" and "Les Misérables")

http://www.cofca.org/

Happy Birthday, Ed

Wow! You are 64, and you were in your 40s when we first met.  Well, you have had many happy birthdays, so please have another.

Boston Online Critics Choose "Zero Dark Thirty"

The Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA) named Zero Dark Thirty as the "Best Picture of 2012" and named the film's director, Kathryn Bigelow, as "Best Director."

BOFCA was founded in May 2012. According to the group, BOFCA fosters a community of web-based film critics and provides them with a supportive group of colleagues and a professional platform for their voices to be heard. They collect and link to their reviews every week at a website that also features original content by members, including filmmaker interviews and spotlights on Boston’s vital repertory film scene.

By widening professional membership to writers working in new media, BOFCA aims to encourage more diverse opinions in the field. The Boston Online Film Critics Association has gathered together critics writing for publications that collectively receive over 15 million impressions/page views per month. BOFCA is present on social media year-round with members’ film articles and essays.

Readers interested in how final decisions were made during the 2012 balloting can see the membership’s individual ballots at www.bofca.com.

Full list of 2012 BOFCA winners:

BEST PICTURE:
ZERO DARK THIRTY

BEST DIRECTOR:
Kathryn Bigelow, ZERO DARK THIRTY

BEST ACTOR:
Daniel Day-Lewis, LINCOLN

BEST ACTRESS:
Jessica Chastain, ZERO DARK THIRTY

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Tommy Lee Jones, LINCOLN

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Anne Hathaway, LES MISERABLES

BEST SCREENPLAY:
Tony Kushner, LINCOLN

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:
OSLO, AUGUST 31ST (from Norway)

BEST DOCUMENTARY:
HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE

BEST ANIMATED FILM:
PARANORMAN

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Roger Deakins, SKYFALL

BEST EDITING:
William Goldenberg & Dylan Tichenor, ZERO DARK THIRTY

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE:
Jonny Greenwood, THE MASTER

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST:
MOONRISE KINGDOM

The Ten Best Films of the Year:
ZERO DARK THIRTY

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

LINCOLN

MOONRISE KINGDOM

DJANGO UNCHAINED

OSLO, AUGUST 31ST

HOLY MOTORS

THE MASTER

ARGO

CLOUD ATLAS

Cartoon Network Announces 2013-2014 Season

Cartoon Network Gets In Front of the Upfront

#1 Boys Network Breaks Tradition and Takes The Show on The Road To Over 15 Cities

New and Returning Hit Series to Highlight the 2013-2014 Season Following Cartoon Network’s Most-Watched Year Ever

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Armed with record-setting ratings success as the only top kids’ network to achieve across-the-board growth in 2012 and its most-watched year in Prime in its 20-year history, Cartoon Network is jumping ahead of the customary Kids Upfront season and taking its show on the road with the CARTOON NETWORKING ROAD TOUR. With more than a dozen new productions and multiple returning hit series now slated for the 2013 and early 2014 season, Cartoon Network brought its road-show presentation directly to key clients and promotional partners at their respective home bases the week of January 21 and will continue into March.

Network, ad sales, marketing and programming executives will travel to more than 15 key cities across the country to visit clients and promotional partners. Along with its presentation, the network also plans to “take over” the building at each of its visits with custom activations that will include the distribution of unique branded premiums to employees.

“As viewers continue to interact with the Cartoon Network brand and content across a variety of screens, our advertising partners look to us for more innovative and engaging opportunities that provide greater reach for their messages,” said Donna Speciale, president of Turner Entertainment and Young Adults Ad Sales. “This year, we are breaking away from a traditional upfront presentation to engage with advertisers in a series of conversations that will focus on the development of ideas that leverage our brand strength to meet the goals of our partners. As our success and momentum continue to grow across all screens, we believe it’s an ideal time for advertisers to reassess their investments and strategically increase their media budgets with Cartoon Network.”

Cartoon Network will announce an impressive line-up of new original and acquired programming that began last Thursday, Jan. 24, with the premiere of Incredible Crew, a half-hour live-action sketch comedy show from entertainer Nick Cannon. Additionally, Cartoon Network Studios will produce three new original animated comedy series—Steven Universe, Uncle Grandpa and Clarence—each developed from its vibrant and prolific shorts program. Also from Cartoon Network Studios, two new original animated specials based on the #1 network series hits Adventure Time and Regular Show, plus a brand new, redesigned and re-imagined CG-animated special starring three of Cartoon Network’s earliest stars, The Powerpuff Girls—which also includes an original song performed by Beatles legend Ringo Starr—will premiere later this year.

Partnering with powerhouse producers, Cartoon Network will introduce two new action-adventure half-hour series based on popular heroes from DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation, Teen Titans Go! and Beware The Batman; a new animated series from LEGO, Legends of Chima; a new animated musical-comedy series, Grojband, from FremantleMedia Ltd.; an all-new series iteration of the world’s most famous cat-and-mouse duo, The Tom and Jerry Show, produced by Warner Bros. Animation; a new season of the hit animated Total Drama “reality” series from CAKE Distribution, Total Drama All Stars; and also from LEGO, three quarterly installment specials of The Yoda Chronicles, a new CG-animated foray into the “Original Saga” world of Star Wars.

“Building upon the success we achieved last year, we have secured even more new programming plus all-new episodes of current hit series that continue to define the global brand vision for Cartoon Network,” said Stuart Snyder, president and chief operating officer, Turner Broadcasting’s Animation, Young Adults and Kids Media (AYAKM). “With our network branding and content strategy in place and working, we couldn’t see any reason to wait to share it with our partners. So we’re taking our message directly to them to help set the stage for optimum growth into the 2013-14 season.”

Among the network’s returning series, the Monday night line-up (7-9 p.m.) of original animated comedies that has ranked #1 on all television throughout 2012 among boys will return this year with all-new seasons, including the pop-culture phenomenon Adventure Time, the Primetime Emmy® Award-winning Regular Show, and additional new episodes of the Web-originated sensation Annoying Orange. Also returning with new seasons/episodes are Cartoon Network’s exclusive animated hit comedies The Amazing World of Gumball, The Looney Tunes Show, MAD, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Inc. and Johnny Test.

On the action-adventure front, dramatic new seasons of key hit series have been slated, including the action-comedy series DreamWorks Dragons: Riders of Berk, based on the critically-acclaimed feature film, How to Train Your Dragon; and Ben 10 Omniverse, from the global franchise powerhouse Ben 10.

In addition, Cartoon Network announced that its successful and innovative shorts program will continue at Cartoon Network Studios, producing a new slate of original shorts in 2013 via its dedicated production unit.

“Our unique approach to animation development has paid off in the form of many successful returning series, each with a giant fan base behind them,” said Rob Sorcher, chief content officer for Cartoon Network. “These new animated series forge diverse, new ground, and stem from our Cartoon Network Studios pipeline, which continues to cultivate the most talented minds working in TV animation today.”

Further details of Cartoon Network’s programming announcements include the following:

CARTOON NETWORK NEW SERIES
•Incredible Crew: Incredible Crew, is a live-action, half-hour, sketch comedy series from producer and entertainer Nick Cannon. Every episode of this high-energy, fast-paced show delivers hilarious comedy bits, outrageous hidden camera pranks, original music videos and commercial parodies all with a distinct attitude—a contemporary blend of internet sensibility mixed with kid imagination. Incredible Crew showcases six up-and-coming young comedy stars featured in diverse roles in every genre Shauna Case (American Horror Story), Shameik Moore (Joyful Noise), Tristan Pasterick, Chanelle Peloso (Level Up), Jeremy Shada (Adventure Time) and Brandon Soo Hoo (Enders Game, Tropic Thunder). Nick Cannon serves as executive producer of Incredible Crew along with Michael Goldman and Scott Tomlinson. The series is produced by Cartoon Network Studios in association with NCredible Entertainment.

•Steven Universe: Slated to debut in 2013, Steven Universe is a coming-of-age story told from the perspective of Steven, the youngest member of a team of magical Guardians of the Universe. The animated series was conceived as part of the shorts development initiative at Cartoon Network Studios, and is created by Emmy® and Annie Award-nominated writer and storyboard artist Rebecca Sugar (Adventure Time). Sugar is Cartoon Network’s first solo female show creator.

•Uncle Grandpa: Also slated for 2013, Uncle Grandpa is based upon the Emmy®-nominated short of the same name and follows the exploits of Uncle Grandpa—everyone in the world's “magical” uncle and grandpa. Created and executive produced by Pete Browngardt (creator of Cartoon Network’s Emmy®, Annie and Annecy Cristal Award-winning Secret Mountain Fort Awesome), Uncle Grandpa was conceived as part of the shorts development program at Cartoon Network Studios.

•Clarence: From creator Skyler Page, Clarence is a new original animated series about an optimistic boy who wants to do everything. Because everything is amazing! Clarence was conceived as part of the shorts development program at Cartoon Network Studios.

•Teen Titans Go!: Featuring the return of Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg in all-new, comedic adventures, Teen Titans Go! will premiere in April 2013. Character-driven comedy is the order of the day as this new take on the superhero series focuses on the funny business that happens between saving the world and living together as teenagers without adult supervision. The series stars the principal voice cast from the original Teen Titans, and is produced by Warner Bros. Animation.

•Beware the Batman: A cool, new take on the classic Dark Knight franchise, Beware the Batman incorporates Batman’s core characters with a rogue gallery of new villains not previously seen in animated form. Along with backup from ex-secret agent Alfred and lethal swordstress Katana, the Dark Knight faces the twisted machinations of Gotham City’s criminal underworld led by the likes of Anarky, Professor Pyg, Mister Toad and Magpie. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, this action-packed detective thriller deftly redefines what we have come to know as a “Batman show.” Featuring cutting-edge CGI visuals, Beware the Batman, based on characters from DC Comics, is coming to Cartoon Network’s DC Nation block in Summer 2013.

•Legends of Chima: In the mystical land of CHIMA, Laval the Lion and Cragger the Crocodile are the best of friends. An innocent escapade results in Cragger getting his first experience with the CHI, a powerful and sacred resource important to the delicate balance of CHIMA. The CHI gives awesome power to the user but needs to be managed carefully and certainly not by young adventurous animals. From LEGO, creator of Cartoon Network’s powerhouse action-adventure series Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Legends of Chima will premiere in Summer 2013.

•Grojband: 12-year-old Corey is the front man for a rockin’ garage band. There’s just one problem: Corey’s lyrics stink. He just can’t think of anything cool to write about, until…he finds his sister’s diary that’s full of “teen angst and junk” and decides to use each diary entry as inspiration for crowd pleasing, heart stopping, foot stomping hit songs. Grojband is distributed by FremantleMedia Ltd. and produced by Fresh TV, creator of the hit animated reality franchise Total Drama Island.

•The Tom and Jerry Show: The iconic cat and mouse rivals are back in The Tom and Jerry Show, a fresh take on the classic series. Preserving the look, characters and sensibility of the original, the all-new series shines a brightly colored, high-definition lens on the madcap slapstick and never-ending battle that has made Tom and Jerry two of the most beloved characters of all time. The Tom and Jerry Show is produced by Warner Bros. Animation.

•Total Drama All Stars: Total Drama is back, but this time the team at Fresh TV have assembled the best loved and most hated contestants from seasons past to compete - Heroes vs. Villains style! Total Drama Island is produced by Fresh TV and distributed by CAKE Distribution.

SPECIALS AND MOVIES
•Adventure Time Special: Highly-regarded comedic actors Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) and Donald Glover (Community) will be featured in a special episode of Cartoon Network’s hit animated series Adventure Time. The episode, “Bad Little Boy,” is slated to premiere February 18 as part of the series’ fifth and current season. Reprising his role as Prince Gumball from season three’s much-loved gender switch episode “Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake,” Neil Patrick Harris will join Donald Glover, as Marshall Lee, the musical male counterpart to fan favorite Marceline the Vampire Queen in this second installment of the Fionna and Cake (derived from Finn and Jake) saga. In this special episode, the princesses are sick and tired of Ice King’s crazy Fionna and Cake stories, so Marceline stops by the Ice Kingdom to show him how it’s done.

•Regular Show Special: Regular Show, Cartoon Network's Emmy® Award-winning animated comedy featuring best friends Mordecai, a six-foot-tall blue jay and Rigby, a hyperactive raccoon, is slated for a 30-minute Thanksgiving special, Regular Show style. Mordecai and Rigby accidentally ruin Thanksgiving and must find a way to save it before their families arrive for dinner. The gang pulls together to help make it the best Thanksgiving ever! Regular Show, currently in its' fourth season, has become an instant hit continually ranking #1 in its time period among all key boy demos across all of television according to Nielsen Media Research.

•The Powerpuff Girls Special: “Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice…plus a dash of mysterious Chemical X” were the essential ingredients that created Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup—also known as The Powerpuff Girls. This groundbreaking and Emmy®-winning series, created by Craig McCracken, ran on Cartoon Network from 1998-2005 and will soar again as a brand-new, redesigned and re-imagined CG special coming in 2013 where the trio of pint-sized super heroines will be called upon to rescue not just the city of Townsville, but the USA and the world! Featuring an original song “I Wish I Was A Powerpuff Girl” performed by Beatles legend Ringo Starr, who also portrays Townsville’s most famous flamboyant mathematician, “Fibonacci Sequins,” this all-new original special comes from a powerhouse creative team featuring animation talent from around the globe including acclaimed director Dave Smith and award-winning art director Kevin Dart and is produced by Cartoon Network Studios in association with UK’s Passion Pictures. The special also features the original voice cast reprising their iconic roles and will premiere later this year.

•The Yoda Chronicles: LEGO Star Wars returns in epic style with THE YODA CHRONICLES, a thrilling, funny and action-packed new LEGO Star Wars story told in three animated TV specials! Set in the “Prequel” Star Wars timeline, THE YODA CHRONICLES stars the one and only Yoda—the Jedi Master who has seen it all, done it all, and taught generations of Jedi Knights—in an all-new adventure. With the help of a fresh class of Padawans, Yoda leads the Jedi in a desperate fight to stop Darth Sidious and his minions from creating a new super-weapon that could crush the Republic and win the war for the forces of Evil.

RETURNING SERIES/SPECIALS
•Adventure Time
•Regular Show
•Annoying Orange
•MAD
•The Amazing World of Gumball
•The Looney Tunes Show
•Ben 10 Omniverse
•Dreamworks Dragons: Riders of Berk
•Scooby-Doo! Mystery Inc.
•Johnny Test
•Pokémon Black & White: Adventures in Unova
•Beyblade Metal Fury
•Almost Naked Animals
•Scaredy Squirrel

Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com) is the #1 U.S. television network among boys 6-11. Currently seen in 99 million U.S. homes and 194 countries around the world, Cartoon Network is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s ad-supported cable service now available in HD offering the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for kids and families. In addition to Emmy-winning original programming and industry-leading digital apps and online games, Cartoon Network embraces key social issues affecting families with solution-oriented initiatives such as Stop Bullying: Speak Up and the Move It Movement.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

Review: "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1" Captures Frank Miller's Original

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 8 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012) – straight-to-video
Running minutes: 74 minutes (1 hour, 14 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some intense sequences of violence and action
DIRECTOR: Jay Oliva
WRITER: Bob Goodman (based on the characters created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and the comic book by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson)
EDITOR: Christopher D. Lozinski
COMPOSER: Christopher Drake
ANIMATION STUDIO: Moi Animation Studios

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION

Starring: (voices) Peter Weller, Ariel Winer, David Selby, Wade Williams, Carlos Alazraqui, Dee Bradley Baker, Paget Brewster, Michael Jackson, Grey DeLisle, Michael McKean, Frank Welker, Gary Sturgis, and Greg Eagles

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 is a 2012 direct-to-video, superhero animated film from Warner Bros. Animation. Starring one of DC Comics’ most famous superheroes, Batman, this is also the 15th feature in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line. Once again, Bruce W. Timm is an executive producer on the film,.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 is an adaptation of the four-volume, comic book miniseries, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, which was written and drawn by Frank Miller, with inks by Klaus Janson and colors by Lynn Varley. First published in early 1986, the series tells the story of a 55-year-old Bruce Wayne coming out of retirement to once again fight crime as Batman.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 opens in a dystopian, near-future version of Gotham City, where Batman has not been seen for ten years. Meanwhile, a savage new breed of criminal, exemplified by a group called the Mutant Gang, terrorizes the Gotham. Gotham City police Commissioner James “Jim” Gordon (David Selby) looks forward to retirement, but his good friend, 55-year-old Bruce Wayne (Peter Weller), chafes at being retired as Batman.

Wayne is haunted both by visions of his past, in particular the deaths of his parents, and by what could have been if he’d remained Batman. The disappearance of Harvey Dent/Two-Face and the escalating violence of the Mutant Gang lead Wayne to return as Batman. Not everyone is happy to have the Batman back, even Bruce’s butler’s Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Jackson), is disapproving. Meanwhile, a young woman named Carrie Kelley (Ariel Winter) is inspired to fight crime by Batman’s return.

I was excited to hear that Warner Bros. Animation was adapting the Batman: The Dark Knight Returns comic book as one of their direct-to-DVD animated films. I also felt trepidation about the project. Would the filmmakers mess this up, one of my all-time favorite comic books, by delivering an inferior product? I didn’t need to worry. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 is actually quite good.

There are moments in this film, when the animation and/or production design manage to duplicate the graphic design and visual style of particular scenes or panels from Frank Miller’s comic book. This is a well-executed film, and there are very few dry or slow moments. The movie does seem a little odd, as if it weren’t quite a Batman story, although Frank Miller’s seminal comic book has always seemed like a real Batman thing to me.

I have to say that I find the voice acting to be mostly bad, but I’m so happy that the filmmakers captured Frank Miller’s first Dark Knight comic book so well that I can overlook that. I am anxious to see Part 2.

7 of 10
A-

Saturday, January 26, 2013