by Leroy Douresseaux
Back in 2012, I was surprised to hear that George Lucas was selling his company, Lucasfilm, Ltd., to The Walt Disney Company. Through Lucasfilm, Lucas owned such franchises as Star Wars and Indiana Jones. After hearing about the sale, the first thing I thought was what is going to happen to Dark Horse Comics' license to produce Star Wars comic books.
Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before Dark Horse lost the license, which it had held for over two decades. After all, Disney had gobbled up Marvel Enterprises (or whatever it calls itself), the owner of Marvel Comics, before they had consumed Lucasfilm. So why would Disney let Dark Horse produce Star Wars comic books when Disney owned its own comic book company, Marvel Comics?
Dark Horse recently sent out the following message from publisher Mike Richardson to the contacts on its press list:
A MESSAGE FROM MIKE RICHARDSON
The End of an Era
All things come to pass. So too, do all licensed deals. I am sad to report that Disney, the new owner of Lucasfilm, has notified us here at Dark Horse of their intention to move the Star Wars publishing license to another of their recent acquisitions, Marvel Comics, beginning in 2015. This will end a partnership that has lasted more than two decades.
For those who are new to the industry, Dark Horse revolutionized the treatment of comics based on films. After a history of movie properties being poorly handled with little regard for execution and continuity, Dark Horse took a new approach, carefully choosing licenses and approaching them with excitement and creative energy. Our goal was to create sequels and prequels to the films we loved, paying careful attention to quality and detail, essentially treating those films as though they were our own. Star Wars has been the crown jewel of this approach. We began chasing the title as far back as 1989, and with the launch of Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy’s Dark Empire, a new era in comics was born. I’m not ashamed to admit that we were Star Wars geeks, and we have been determined to spare neither effort nor expense in the pursuit of excellence.
It is ironic that this announcement comes at a time when Dark Horse is experiencing its most successful year ever. For obvious reasons, we have prepared for this eventuality by finding new and exciting projects to place on our schedule for 2015 and beyond. Will they take the place of Star Wars? That’s a tall order, but we will do our best to make that happen. In the meantime, 2014 may be our last year at the helm of the Star Wars comics franchise, but we plan to make it a memorable one. We know that fans of the franchise will expect no less. The Force is with us still.
Mike Richardson
About Dark Horse
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Geof Darrow, Guillermo Del Toro and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties such as The Mask, Ghost, Captain Midnight, and X. Its successful line of comics, books, and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Halo, Serenity, The Legend of Zelda, Game of Thrones and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.
END of message
Over two decades, Dark Horse published an endless stream of Star Wars comic books, but it all began with one of the best works in what is now known as the Star Wars Expanded Universe, Star Wars: Dark Empire. Well, I'm ready to see what Marvel Comics, which first held the license from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s, does this time around.
L
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
2014 Writers Guild Award Nominations - Feature Film Categories
by Amos Semien
On Friday, January 3, 2014, the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced nominations for outstanding achievement in writing during the year 2013 – the 2014 Writers Guild Awards. The winners will be honored at the 2014 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 1, 2014, during simultaneous ceremonies held in both Los Angeles and New York.
The Writers Guild of America is a labor union representing film, television, radio, video game, and new media writers. The Writers Guild of America Award acknowledges outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio and has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949.
A complete list of 2014 Writers Guild Award nominations can be found here: http://www.wga.org/wga-awards/nominees-winners.aspx.
SCREEN NOMINEES:
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
American Hustle, Written by Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell; Columbia Pictures
Blue Jasmine, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics
Dallas Buyers Club, Written by Craig Borten & Melisa Wallack; Focus Features
Her, Written by Spike Jonze; Warner Bros.
Nebraska, Written by Bob Nelson; Paramount Pictures
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
August: Osage County, Screenplay by Tracy Letts; Based on his play; The Weinstein Company
Before Midnight, Written by Richard Linklater & Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke; Based on characters created by Richard Linklater & Kim Krizan; Sony Classics
Captain Phillips, Screenplay by Billy Ray; Based on the book A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty; Columbia Pictures
Lone Survivor, Written by Peter Berg; Based on the book by Marcus Lutrell with Patrick Robinson; Universal Pictures
The Wolf of Wall Street, Screenplay by Terence Winter; Based on the book by Jordan Belfort; Paramount Pictures
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Dirty Wars, Written by Jeremy Scahill & David Riker; Sundance Selects
Herblock – The Black & The White, Written by Sara Lukinson & Michael Stevens; The Stevens Company
No Place on Earth, Written by Janet Tobias & Paul Laikin; Magnolia Pictures
Stories We Tell, Written by Sarah Polley; Roadside Attractions
We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks; Written by Alex Gibney; Focus Features
END
On Friday, January 3, 2014, the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced nominations for outstanding achievement in writing during the year 2013 – the 2014 Writers Guild Awards. The winners will be honored at the 2014 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 1, 2014, during simultaneous ceremonies held in both Los Angeles and New York.
The Writers Guild of America is a labor union representing film, television, radio, video game, and new media writers. The Writers Guild of America Award acknowledges outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio and has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949.
A complete list of 2014 Writers Guild Award nominations can be found here: http://www.wga.org/wga-awards/nominees-winners.aspx.
SCREEN NOMINEES:
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
American Hustle, Written by Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell; Columbia Pictures
Blue Jasmine, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics
Dallas Buyers Club, Written by Craig Borten & Melisa Wallack; Focus Features
Her, Written by Spike Jonze; Warner Bros.
Nebraska, Written by Bob Nelson; Paramount Pictures
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
August: Osage County, Screenplay by Tracy Letts; Based on his play; The Weinstein Company
Before Midnight, Written by Richard Linklater & Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke; Based on characters created by Richard Linklater & Kim Krizan; Sony Classics
Captain Phillips, Screenplay by Billy Ray; Based on the book A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty; Columbia Pictures
Lone Survivor, Written by Peter Berg; Based on the book by Marcus Lutrell with Patrick Robinson; Universal Pictures
The Wolf of Wall Street, Screenplay by Terence Winter; Based on the book by Jordan Belfort; Paramount Pictures
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Dirty Wars, Written by Jeremy Scahill & David Riker; Sundance Selects
Herblock – The Black & The White, Written by Sara Lukinson & Michael Stevens; The Stevens Company
No Place on Earth, Written by Janet Tobias & Paul Laikin; Magnolia Pictures
Stories We Tell, Written by Sarah Polley; Roadside Attractions
We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks; Written by Alex Gibney; Focus Features
END
2014 Writers Guild Award Nominations - Select Television Categories
by Amos Semien
The Writers Guild of America is a labor union representing film, television, radio, and new media writers. The Writers Guild of America Award acknowledges outstanding achievements in film, television, radio, new media, video games, and has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949.
On Friday, January 3, 2014, the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced nominations for outstanding achievement in writing during the year 2013 – the 2014 Writers Guild Awards. The winners will be honored at the 2014 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 1, 2014, during simultaneous ceremonies held in both Los Angeles and New York.
The Writers Guild Awards are given in numerous television categories, but I only focus on a select group of categories when the nominations are announced. A complete list of 2014 Writers Guild Award nominations, including nominations in radio, new media, and video games (which have not been announced as I write this) can be found here: http://www.wga.org/wga-awards/nominees-winners.aspx.
TV NOMINEES:
DRAMA SERIES
Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC
The Good Wife, Written by Meredith Averill, Leonard Dick, Keith Eisner, Jacqueline Hoyt, Ted Humphrey, Michelle King, Robert King, Erica Shelton Kodish, Matthew Montoya, J.C. Nolan, Luke Schelhaas, Nichelle Tramble Spellman, Craig Turk, Julia Wolfe; CBS
Homeland, Written by Henry Bromell, William E. Bromell, Alexander Cary, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Barbara Hall, Patrick Harbinson, Chip Johannessen, Meredith Stiehm, Charlotte Stoudt, James Yoshimura; Showtime
House of Cards, Written by Kate Barnow, Rick Cleveland, Sam Forman, Gina Gionfriddo, Keith Huff, Sarah Treem, Beau Willimon; Netflix
Mad Men, Written by Lisa Albert, Semi Chellas, Jason Grote, Jonathan Igla, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Janet Leahy, Erin Levy, Michael Saltzman, Tom Smuts, Matthew Weiner, Carly Wray; AMC
COMEDY SERIES
30 Rock, Written by Jack Burditt, Robert Carlock, Tom Ceraulo, Luke Del Tredici, Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, Matt Hubbard, Colleen McGuinness, Sam Means, Dylan Morgan, Nina Pedrad, Josh Siegal, Tracey Wigfield; NBC
Modern Family, Written by Paul Corrigan, Bianca Douglas, Megan Ganz, Abraham Higginbotham, Ben Karlin, Elaine Ko, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Becky Mann, Dan O’Shannon, Jeffrey Richman, Audra Sielaff, Emily Spivey, Brad Walsh, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker; ABC
Orange Is the New Black, Written by Liz Friedman, Sian Heder, Tara Herrmann, Sara Hess, Nick Jones, Jenji Kohan, Gary Lennon, Lauren Morelli, Marco Ramirez; Netflix
Parks and Recreation, Written by Megan Amram, Donick Cary, Greg Daniels, Nate DiMeo, Emma Fletcher, Rachna Fruchbom, Daniel J. Goor, Norm Hiscock, Matt Hubbard, Dave King, Greg Levine, Joe Mande, Sam Means, Aisha Muharrar, Matt Murray, Amy Poehler, Alexandra Rushfield, Michael Schur, Jen Statsky, Harris Wittels, Alan Yang; NBC
Veep, Written by Simon Blackwell, Roger Drew, Sean Gray, Armando Iannucci, Ian Martin, Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Tony Roche, Will Smith; HBO
NEW SERIES
The Americans, Written by Michael Batistick, Joshua Brand, Joel Fields, Melissa James Gibson, Sneha Koorse, Joe Weisberg, Bradford Winters; FX
House of Cards, Written by Kate Barnow, Rick Cleveland, Sam Forman, Gina Gionfriddo, Keith Huff, Sarah Treem, Beau Willimon; Netflix
Masters of Sex, Written by Michelle Ashford, Tyler Bensinger, Michael Cunningham, Lyn Greene, Richard Levine, Amy Lippman, Sam Shaw, Noelle Valdivia; Showtime
Orange Is the New Black, Written by Liz Friedman, Sian Heder, Tara Herrmann, Sara Hess, Nick Jones, Jenji Kohan, Gary Lennon, Lauren Morelli, Marco Ramirez; Netflix
Ray Donovan, Written by Ann Biderman, Sean Conway, David Hollander, Brett Johnson, Ron Nyswaner; Showtime
EPISODIC DRAMA
“Buried” (Breaking Bad), Written by Thomas Schnauz; AMC
“Confessions” (Breaking Bad), Written by Gennifer Hutchison; AMC
“Episode 101” (House of Cards), Teleplay by Beau Willimon; Netflix
“Granite State” (Breaking Bad), Written by Peter Gould; AMC
“Hitting the Fan” (The Good Wife), Written by Robert King & Michelle King; CBS
“Pilot” (Masters of Sex), Written by Michelle Ashford; Showtime
EPISODIC COMEDY
“Career Day” (Modern Family), Written by Paul Corrigan & Brad Walsh; ABC
“Farm Strong” (Modern Family), Written by Elaine Ko; ABC
“Hogcock!” (30 Rock), Written by Jack Burditt & Robert Carlock; NBC
“Lesbian Request Denied” (Orange Is the New Black), Written by Sian Heder; Netflix
“Leslie and Ben” (Parks and Recreation), Written by Michael Schur & Alan Yang; NBC
“Pilot” (Orange Is the New Black), Teleplay by Liz Friedman and Jenji Kohan; Netflix
LONG FORM – ADAPTED
Killing Kennedy, Written by Kelly Masterson, Based on the book by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard; National Geographic
Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight, Written by Shawn Slovo, Based on the book by Howard Bingham and Max Wallace; HBO
ANIMATION
“A Test Before Trying” (The Simpsons), Written by Joel H. Cohen; Fox
“Game of Tones” (Futurama), Written by Michael Rowe; Comedy Central
“Hardly Kirk-ing” (The Simpsons), Written by Tom Gammill & Max Pross; Fox
“Murder on the Planet Express” (Futurama), Written by Lew Morton; Comedy Central
“Saturday Morning Fun Pit” (Futurama), Written by Patric M. Verrone; Comedy Central
“Yolo” (The Simpsons), Written by Michael Nobori; Fox
END
The Writers Guild of America is a labor union representing film, television, radio, and new media writers. The Writers Guild of America Award acknowledges outstanding achievements in film, television, radio, new media, video games, and has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949.
On Friday, January 3, 2014, the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced nominations for outstanding achievement in writing during the year 2013 – the 2014 Writers Guild Awards. The winners will be honored at the 2014 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 1, 2014, during simultaneous ceremonies held in both Los Angeles and New York.
The Writers Guild Awards are given in numerous television categories, but I only focus on a select group of categories when the nominations are announced. A complete list of 2014 Writers Guild Award nominations, including nominations in radio, new media, and video games (which have not been announced as I write this) can be found here: http://www.wga.org/wga-awards/nominees-winners.aspx.
TV NOMINEES:
DRAMA SERIES
Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC
The Good Wife, Written by Meredith Averill, Leonard Dick, Keith Eisner, Jacqueline Hoyt, Ted Humphrey, Michelle King, Robert King, Erica Shelton Kodish, Matthew Montoya, J.C. Nolan, Luke Schelhaas, Nichelle Tramble Spellman, Craig Turk, Julia Wolfe; CBS
Homeland, Written by Henry Bromell, William E. Bromell, Alexander Cary, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Barbara Hall, Patrick Harbinson, Chip Johannessen, Meredith Stiehm, Charlotte Stoudt, James Yoshimura; Showtime
House of Cards, Written by Kate Barnow, Rick Cleveland, Sam Forman, Gina Gionfriddo, Keith Huff, Sarah Treem, Beau Willimon; Netflix
Mad Men, Written by Lisa Albert, Semi Chellas, Jason Grote, Jonathan Igla, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Janet Leahy, Erin Levy, Michael Saltzman, Tom Smuts, Matthew Weiner, Carly Wray; AMC
COMEDY SERIES
30 Rock, Written by Jack Burditt, Robert Carlock, Tom Ceraulo, Luke Del Tredici, Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, Matt Hubbard, Colleen McGuinness, Sam Means, Dylan Morgan, Nina Pedrad, Josh Siegal, Tracey Wigfield; NBC
Modern Family, Written by Paul Corrigan, Bianca Douglas, Megan Ganz, Abraham Higginbotham, Ben Karlin, Elaine Ko, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Becky Mann, Dan O’Shannon, Jeffrey Richman, Audra Sielaff, Emily Spivey, Brad Walsh, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker; ABC
Orange Is the New Black, Written by Liz Friedman, Sian Heder, Tara Herrmann, Sara Hess, Nick Jones, Jenji Kohan, Gary Lennon, Lauren Morelli, Marco Ramirez; Netflix
Parks and Recreation, Written by Megan Amram, Donick Cary, Greg Daniels, Nate DiMeo, Emma Fletcher, Rachna Fruchbom, Daniel J. Goor, Norm Hiscock, Matt Hubbard, Dave King, Greg Levine, Joe Mande, Sam Means, Aisha Muharrar, Matt Murray, Amy Poehler, Alexandra Rushfield, Michael Schur, Jen Statsky, Harris Wittels, Alan Yang; NBC
Veep, Written by Simon Blackwell, Roger Drew, Sean Gray, Armando Iannucci, Ian Martin, Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Tony Roche, Will Smith; HBO
NEW SERIES
The Americans, Written by Michael Batistick, Joshua Brand, Joel Fields, Melissa James Gibson, Sneha Koorse, Joe Weisberg, Bradford Winters; FX
House of Cards, Written by Kate Barnow, Rick Cleveland, Sam Forman, Gina Gionfriddo, Keith Huff, Sarah Treem, Beau Willimon; Netflix
Masters of Sex, Written by Michelle Ashford, Tyler Bensinger, Michael Cunningham, Lyn Greene, Richard Levine, Amy Lippman, Sam Shaw, Noelle Valdivia; Showtime
Orange Is the New Black, Written by Liz Friedman, Sian Heder, Tara Herrmann, Sara Hess, Nick Jones, Jenji Kohan, Gary Lennon, Lauren Morelli, Marco Ramirez; Netflix
Ray Donovan, Written by Ann Biderman, Sean Conway, David Hollander, Brett Johnson, Ron Nyswaner; Showtime
EPISODIC DRAMA
“Buried” (Breaking Bad), Written by Thomas Schnauz; AMC
“Confessions” (Breaking Bad), Written by Gennifer Hutchison; AMC
“Episode 101” (House of Cards), Teleplay by Beau Willimon; Netflix
“Granite State” (Breaking Bad), Written by Peter Gould; AMC
“Hitting the Fan” (The Good Wife), Written by Robert King & Michelle King; CBS
“Pilot” (Masters of Sex), Written by Michelle Ashford; Showtime
EPISODIC COMEDY
“Career Day” (Modern Family), Written by Paul Corrigan & Brad Walsh; ABC
“Farm Strong” (Modern Family), Written by Elaine Ko; ABC
“Hogcock!” (30 Rock), Written by Jack Burditt & Robert Carlock; NBC
“Lesbian Request Denied” (Orange Is the New Black), Written by Sian Heder; Netflix
“Leslie and Ben” (Parks and Recreation), Written by Michael Schur & Alan Yang; NBC
“Pilot” (Orange Is the New Black), Teleplay by Liz Friedman and Jenji Kohan; Netflix
LONG FORM – ADAPTED
Killing Kennedy, Written by Kelly Masterson, Based on the book by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard; National Geographic
Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight, Written by Shawn Slovo, Based on the book by Howard Bingham and Max Wallace; HBO
ANIMATION
“A Test Before Trying” (The Simpsons), Written by Joel H. Cohen; Fox
“Game of Tones” (Futurama), Written by Michael Rowe; Comedy Central
“Hardly Kirk-ing” (The Simpsons), Written by Tom Gammill & Max Pross; Fox
“Murder on the Planet Express” (Futurama), Written by Lew Morton; Comedy Central
“Saturday Morning Fun Pit” (Futurama), Written by Patric M. Verrone; Comedy Central
“Yolo” (The Simpsons), Written by Michael Nobori; Fox
END
Sunday, January 5, 2014
National Society of Film Critics Go "Inside Llewyn Davis"
by Amos Semien
The National Society of Film Critics was founded in New York City in 1966 and its membership is currently comprise of 56 of the country’s most prominent movie critics. Known for their highbrow tastes, these critics form one of the most prestigious film groups on the United States. Current members include some of my favorite film critics, like David Edelstein and J. Hoberman, among others. The late Roger Ebert, my favorite critic, was also a member. The society has produced several anthologies about movies, including the must-have for film fans, Produced and Abandoned: The Best Films You’ve Never Seen (1990).
On Saturday, January 4th, 2014, the National Society of Film Critics announced the winners and runners-up of the 48th edition of its film awards. The group chose Inside Llewyn Davis as Best Picture of the Year 2013. The film’s directors, brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, won “Best Director,” and the film’s lead, Oscar Isaac, won “Best Actor.”
The Society held its 48th annual awards voting meeting, using a weighted ballot system, at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Center as guests of the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
In a statement on its website, the society said that 56 members are eligible to vote, though a few disqualify themselves if they haven’t seen every film. Any film that opened in the United States during the year 2013 was eligible for consideration. As usual, there is no nomination process. The members met, voted, and made their announcement on January 4th. There is no awards party, but scrolls will sent to the winners.
48th National Society of Film Critics Awards: Here is the list of the winners and runners-up, with vote counts from the final round:
BEST PICTURE
*1. Inside Llewyn Davis – 23
2. American Hustle – 17
3. 12 Years a Slave – 16
BEST DIRECTOR
*1. Joel and Ethan Coen (Inside Llewyn Davis) – 25
2. Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity) – 18
3. Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) – 15
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
*1. Blue Is the Warmest Color – 27
2. A Touch of Sin – 21
3. The Great Beauty – 15
BEST NON-FICTION FILM
*1. The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer) – 20
*1. At Berkeley (Frederick Wiseman) – 20
3. Leviathan (Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel) – 18
BEST SCREENPLAY
*1. Before Midnight (Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke) – 29
2. Inside Llewyn Davis (Joel and Ethan Coen) – 26
3. American Hustle (Eric Singer and David O. Russell) – 18
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
*1. Inside Llewyn Davis (Bruno Delbonnel) -28
2.Gravity (Emmanuel Lubezki) – 26
3. Nebraska (Phedon Papamichael) – 19
BEST ACTOR
*1. Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis) – 28
2. Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) – 19
3. Robert Redford (All Is Lost) – 12
BEST ACTRESS
*1. Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) – 57
2. Adèle Exarchopoulos (Blue Is the Warmest Color) – 36
3. Julie Delpy (Before Midnight) – 26
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
*1. James Franco (Spring Breakers) – 24
2. Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) – 20
3. Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips) – 14
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
*1. Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle) – 54
2. Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) – 38
3. Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine) – 18
3. Léa Seydoux (Blue Is the Warmest Color) – 18
EXPERIMENTAL FILM
Leviathan (Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel)
FILM HERITAGE AWARD
• To the Museum of Modern Art, for its wide-ranging retrospective of the films of Allan Dwan.
• “Too Much Johnson”: the surviving reels from Orson Welles’s first professional film. Discovered by Cinemazero (Pordenone) and Cineteca del Friuli; funded by the National Film Preservation Foundation; and restored by the George Eastman House.
• British Film Institute for restorations of Alfred Hitchcock’s nine silent features.
• To the DVD “American Treasures from the New Zealand Film Archive.”
BEST FILM STILL AWAITING AMERICAN DISTRIBUTION
• Stray Dogs (Tsai Ming-liang)
• Hide Your Smiling Faces (Daniel Patrick Carbone)
DEDICATION: The meeting was dedicated to the memory of two distinguished members of the Society who died in 2013: Roger Ebert and Stanley Kauffmann.
http://www.nationalsocietyoffilmcritics.com/
END
The National Society of Film Critics was founded in New York City in 1966 and its membership is currently comprise of 56 of the country’s most prominent movie critics. Known for their highbrow tastes, these critics form one of the most prestigious film groups on the United States. Current members include some of my favorite film critics, like David Edelstein and J. Hoberman, among others. The late Roger Ebert, my favorite critic, was also a member. The society has produced several anthologies about movies, including the must-have for film fans, Produced and Abandoned: The Best Films You’ve Never Seen (1990).
On Saturday, January 4th, 2014, the National Society of Film Critics announced the winners and runners-up of the 48th edition of its film awards. The group chose Inside Llewyn Davis as Best Picture of the Year 2013. The film’s directors, brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, won “Best Director,” and the film’s lead, Oscar Isaac, won “Best Actor.”
The Society held its 48th annual awards voting meeting, using a weighted ballot system, at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Center as guests of the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
In a statement on its website, the society said that 56 members are eligible to vote, though a few disqualify themselves if they haven’t seen every film. Any film that opened in the United States during the year 2013 was eligible for consideration. As usual, there is no nomination process. The members met, voted, and made their announcement on January 4th. There is no awards party, but scrolls will sent to the winners.
48th National Society of Film Critics Awards: Here is the list of the winners and runners-up, with vote counts from the final round:
BEST PICTURE
*1. Inside Llewyn Davis – 23
2. American Hustle – 17
3. 12 Years a Slave – 16
BEST DIRECTOR
*1. Joel and Ethan Coen (Inside Llewyn Davis) – 25
2. Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity) – 18
3. Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) – 15
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
*1. Blue Is the Warmest Color – 27
2. A Touch of Sin – 21
3. The Great Beauty – 15
BEST NON-FICTION FILM
*1. The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer) – 20
*1. At Berkeley (Frederick Wiseman) – 20
3. Leviathan (Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel) – 18
BEST SCREENPLAY
*1. Before Midnight (Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke) – 29
2. Inside Llewyn Davis (Joel and Ethan Coen) – 26
3. American Hustle (Eric Singer and David O. Russell) – 18
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
*1. Inside Llewyn Davis (Bruno Delbonnel) -28
2.Gravity (Emmanuel Lubezki) – 26
3. Nebraska (Phedon Papamichael) – 19
BEST ACTOR
*1. Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis) – 28
2. Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) – 19
3. Robert Redford (All Is Lost) – 12
BEST ACTRESS
*1. Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) – 57
2. Adèle Exarchopoulos (Blue Is the Warmest Color) – 36
3. Julie Delpy (Before Midnight) – 26
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
*1. James Franco (Spring Breakers) – 24
2. Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) – 20
3. Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips) – 14
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
*1. Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle) – 54
2. Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) – 38
3. Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine) – 18
3. Léa Seydoux (Blue Is the Warmest Color) – 18
EXPERIMENTAL FILM
Leviathan (Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel)
FILM HERITAGE AWARD
• To the Museum of Modern Art, for its wide-ranging retrospective of the films of Allan Dwan.
• “Too Much Johnson”: the surviving reels from Orson Welles’s first professional film. Discovered by Cinemazero (Pordenone) and Cineteca del Friuli; funded by the National Film Preservation Foundation; and restored by the George Eastman House.
• British Film Institute for restorations of Alfred Hitchcock’s nine silent features.
• To the DVD “American Treasures from the New Zealand Film Archive.”
BEST FILM STILL AWAITING AMERICAN DISTRIBUTION
• Stray Dogs (Tsai Ming-liang)
• Hide Your Smiling Faces (Daniel Patrick Carbone)
DEDICATION: The meeting was dedicated to the memory of two distinguished members of the Society who died in 2013: Roger Ebert and Stanley Kauffmann.
http://www.nationalsocietyoffilmcritics.com/
END
Warner Bros. Pictures Dominates 2013 Box Office
Warner Bros. Pictures Wins the 2013 Box Office Triple Crown
The Studio takes the top spot in Domestic market share with $1.895 billion; International market share with $3.140 billion; and Worldwide market share with $5.035 billion.
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a record-breaking year, Warner Bros. Pictures emerged as the top-grossing studio for 2013, ranking number one in domestic, international and worldwide market shares. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution; Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution; and Sue Kroll, President of Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
The Studio took in an estimated combined global box office gross of $5.035 billion, setting a new Warner Bros. benchmark and becoming only the second studio ever to cross the $5 billion threshold. It also marked the fifth consecutive year Warner Bros. has surpassed $4 billion worldwide, which is an industry record. Globally, the Studio has now ranked #1 or #2 in nine of the past ten years, also an industry record.
Warner Bros. Pictures has crossed the $1 billion mark, both domestically and internationally, 13 years in a row, another industry record. The Studio took in an estimated $1.895 billion at the domestic box office, with eight films crossing $100 million, including three that went on to gross more than $200 million. At the international box office, Warner Bros. set a new Studio record of $3.14 billion, marking the fourth consecutive year—and the sixth year overall—that it has earned more than $2 billion. Ten Warner Bros. releases earned more than $100 million internationally, of which seven grossed more than $200 million—both unprecedented achievements for the Studio. In addition, two of those films took in more than $300 million, and two more crossed the $400 million mark.
Fellman stated, “We are extremely proud of all the remarkable benchmarks reached in 2013. These terrific numbers speak to the diversity of our slate, which has enabled us to deliver great entertainment to a broad range of audiences throughout the year.”
“This incredible achievement is a testament to not only the consistent quality of filmmaking at our studio, but also the creativity and hard work of our teams here and around the world,” Kwan Vandenberg said. “They continue to reach for greater possibilities in a growing and changing international marketplace.”
Kroll added, “We share these remarkable results with our partners at New Line, Village Roadshow, Legendary and MGM. We also thank and congratulate the extraordinary talents behind our films, whose commitment has been an important part of our efforts on each release.”
Two current hits, still in theatres, are among the Studio’s highest-grossing films for the year: “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” in partnership with New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), at $659 million worldwide and counting; and “Gravity,” at $663 million to date. The Summer blockbuster “Man of Steel,” from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, was the Studio’s top-grossing release for the year, at $668 million globally. Among the other worldwide box office highlights for 2013 are: “Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Pacific Rim,” with $411 million; “The Hangover Part III,” also in partnership with Legendary, at $362 million; “The Great Gatsby,” in partnership with Village Roadshow Pictures, at $351 million; New Line Cinema’s “The Conjuring,” with $318 million; and “We’re the Millers,” also from New Line, at $270 million.
Moving into 2014, the Studio’s First Quarter titles include “Her,” presently in limited release and due out wide on January 10; “The LEGO Movie,” in partnership with Village Roadshow Pictures, slated for February 7; “Winter’s Tale,” also with Village Roadshow Pictures, on February 14; and Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “300: Rise of an Empire,” due out March 7.
The Studio takes the top spot in Domestic market share with $1.895 billion; International market share with $3.140 billion; and Worldwide market share with $5.035 billion.
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a record-breaking year, Warner Bros. Pictures emerged as the top-grossing studio for 2013, ranking number one in domestic, international and worldwide market shares. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution; Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution; and Sue Kroll, President of Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
The Studio took in an estimated combined global box office gross of $5.035 billion, setting a new Warner Bros. benchmark and becoming only the second studio ever to cross the $5 billion threshold. It also marked the fifth consecutive year Warner Bros. has surpassed $4 billion worldwide, which is an industry record. Globally, the Studio has now ranked #1 or #2 in nine of the past ten years, also an industry record.
Warner Bros. Pictures has crossed the $1 billion mark, both domestically and internationally, 13 years in a row, another industry record. The Studio took in an estimated $1.895 billion at the domestic box office, with eight films crossing $100 million, including three that went on to gross more than $200 million. At the international box office, Warner Bros. set a new Studio record of $3.14 billion, marking the fourth consecutive year—and the sixth year overall—that it has earned more than $2 billion. Ten Warner Bros. releases earned more than $100 million internationally, of which seven grossed more than $200 million—both unprecedented achievements for the Studio. In addition, two of those films took in more than $300 million, and two more crossed the $400 million mark.
Fellman stated, “We are extremely proud of all the remarkable benchmarks reached in 2013. These terrific numbers speak to the diversity of our slate, which has enabled us to deliver great entertainment to a broad range of audiences throughout the year.”
“This incredible achievement is a testament to not only the consistent quality of filmmaking at our studio, but also the creativity and hard work of our teams here and around the world,” Kwan Vandenberg said. “They continue to reach for greater possibilities in a growing and changing international marketplace.”
Kroll added, “We share these remarkable results with our partners at New Line, Village Roadshow, Legendary and MGM. We also thank and congratulate the extraordinary talents behind our films, whose commitment has been an important part of our efforts on each release.”
Two current hits, still in theatres, are among the Studio’s highest-grossing films for the year: “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” in partnership with New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), at $659 million worldwide and counting; and “Gravity,” at $663 million to date. The Summer blockbuster “Man of Steel,” from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, was the Studio’s top-grossing release for the year, at $668 million globally. Among the other worldwide box office highlights for 2013 are: “Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Pacific Rim,” with $411 million; “The Hangover Part III,” also in partnership with Legendary, at $362 million; “The Great Gatsby,” in partnership with Village Roadshow Pictures, at $351 million; New Line Cinema’s “The Conjuring,” with $318 million; and “We’re the Millers,” also from New Line, at $270 million.
Moving into 2014, the Studio’s First Quarter titles include “Her,” presently in limited release and due out wide on January 10; “The LEGO Movie,” in partnership with Village Roadshow Pictures, slated for February 7; “Winter’s Tale,” also with Village Roadshow Pictures, on February 14; and Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “300: Rise of an Empire,” due out March 7.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
"Naruto Shippuden" Sailing for Adult Swim and Toonami
VIZ Media has announced the debut of the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime series on Adult Swim’s Toonami programming block beginning in January 2014. North American fans can catch dubbed and uncut adventures featuring the world’s most popular ninja from the beginning with a new episode airing each week. Check local listings for specific airtimes and channel availability.
Adult Swim (AdultSwim.com), launched in 2001, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s network offering original and acquired animated and live-action series for young adults. Airing nightly from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. (ET/PT), Adult Swim is basic cable’s #1 network with persons 18-34 and 18-49, and is seen in 99 million U.S. homes.
Created by Masashi Kishimoto, NARUTO was first introduced in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga properties. The manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens, in print and digital editions) and animated counterpart (NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN rated ‘TV-14’) are some of VIZ Media’s most successful titles and have captivated millions of fans across North America, Europe and South America.
In the NARUTO manga and animated series, Naruto Uzumaki wants to be the best ninja in the land. He's done well so far, but Naruto knows he must train harder than ever and leaves his village for intense exercises that will push him to his limits. NARUTO SHIPPUDEN begins two and a half years later, when Naruto returns to find that everyone has been promoted up the ninja ranks – except him. Sakura’s a medic ninja, Gaara’s advanced to Kazekage, and Kakashi…well he remains the same. But pride isn’t necessarily becoming of a ninja, especially when Naruto realizes that Sasuke never returned from his search for Orochimaru. Plus, the mysterious Akatsuki organization is still an ever-present danger. As Naruto finds out more about the Akatsuki’s goals, he realizes that nothing in his universe is as it seems. Naruto is finding that he’s older, but will he also prove wiser and stronger?
More information on NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN is available at www.Naruto.com.
Additional information on titles available from VIZ Media is available at www.VIZ.com.
About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.
Review: "We're the Millers" the Funniest Movie of 2013
We’re the Millers (2013)
Running time: 110 minutes (1 hour, 50 minutes)
MPAA – R for crude sexual content, pervasive language, drug material and brief graphic nudity
DIRECTOR: Rawson Marshall Thurber
WRITERS: Bob Fisher & Steve Faber and Sean Anders & John Morris; from a story by Bob Fisher and Steve Faber
PRODUCERS: Chris Bender, Vincent Newman, Tucker Tooley, and Happy Walters
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Barry Peterson
EDITOR: Michael L. Sale
COMPOSERS: Ludwig Göransson and Theodore Shapiro
COMEDY/CRIME
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Emma Roberts, Will Poulter, Ed Helms, Nick Offerman, Kathryn Hahn, Molly Quinn, Tomer Sisley, and Matthew Willig
We’re the Millers is a 2013 crime comedy from director Rawson Marshall Thurber (DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story). We’re the Millers focuses on a veteran pot dealer and the fake family he creates as part of a plan to transport a shipment of marijuana into the United States from Mexico. In a year when not too many comedies really thrilled me, I think We’re the Millers is not only the year’s best comedy, but it is also one of my all-time favorites, and I want to see it again.
We’re the Millers introduces low level pot dealer, David Clark (Jason Sudeikis). An unfortunate occurrence leaves him $43,000 in debt to his supplier, drug lord Brad Gurdlinger (Ed Helms). Brad makes David a deal: go to Mexico and big up a small stash of weed and bring it back to him. Realizing that one man attempting to get through customs at the Mexican border would be a bit suspicious, David comes up with the idea of creating a fake family.
David first recruits his neighbor, 18-year-old Kenny Rossmore (Will Poulter), to be his son. Kenny recommends Casey Matthis (Emma Roberts), a 15-year-old runaway and thief, to pose as a daughter. David’s toughest recruitment is another neighbor, Rose O’Reilly (Jennifer Aniston), a stripper, to be his wife. Still, David manages to create a fake family, the Millers. At first, the mission to Mexico goes well, but things turn complicated when the family runs afoul of another drug dealer and also encounters an overly-friendly family, the Fitzgeralds.
We’re the Millers’ director Rawson Marshall Thurber does his best work in allowing his cast to make gold of a screenplay filled with silliness, vulgarity, and silly vulgarity. Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis are veteran comic actors, and they easily take this material to heights, beyond what anyone should have reasonably expected of it. Emma Roberts and Will Poulter (who is unfamiliar to me) steal many scenes, all the better for the audience. Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn are not only fun, but they also deliver some excellent character acting, which helps them do quite a bit of scene stealing.
We’re the Millers apparently got mixed reviews from critics, but there are no mixed feelings here. I love it! In the future, when We’re the Millers is a staple of cable television, I’ll think of each showing as “Miller time!” Forgive me for going there.
9 of 10
A+
Thursday, January 02, 2014
The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
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