First Trailer for Ava DuVernay's "Selma" Debuts

Watch the first trailer for SELMA

Starring David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King, Jr.

Watch now and read an interview with director Ava DuVernay:
https://www.yahoo.com/movies/watch-martin-luther-king-jr-s-struggle-for-101958230737.html

Can you pass a voting literacy test? - www.SelmaMovie.com/SelmaLiteracyTest

Voting is a topic at the forefront of culture. Whether debating the effects of voter ID laws or discussing the importance of voting to push for more police regulation, we find ourselves at a pivotal time in history. As we approach the theatrical release of SELMA and the 50th anniversary of the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, we take a reflective look at where America would be without this powerful movement via an infographic that simply asks the question, “Can you vote?”

In Select Theaters December 25, 2014 - In All Theaters January 9, 2015

SELMA is the story of a movement. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition.  The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement.  Director Ava DuVernay’s SELMA tells the story of how the revered leader and visionary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his brothers and sisters in the movement prompted change that forever altered history.

Starring:  David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi Common, Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint, with Tim Roth and Oprah Winfrey as “Annie Lee Cooper.”

Directed by Ava DuVernay
Written by Paul Webb
Produced by Christian Colson,  Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey
Executive Producers:  Cameron McCracken, Nik Bower, Diarmuid McKeown, Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes, Nan Morales

Official Site: http://www.selmamovie.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SelmaMovie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/selmamovie
Instagram: http://instagram.com/selmamovie

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

2014 European Film Award Nominations Announced - Complete List

by Leroy Douresseaux

The European Film Awards recognize excellence in European cinematic achievements.  The awards are are presented annually since 1988 by the European Film Academy (EFA) and are given in over ten categories, of which the most important is “European Film,” the best film of the year award.  The European Film Awards are restricted to European cinema and European producers, directors, and actors.

The European Film Academy and EFA Productions announced the nominations for the 27th European Film Awards at the Seville European Film Festival.  The more than 3,000 EFA members will vote for the winners.  The awards ceremony will be held on December 13, 2014 in Riga, European Capital of Culture 2014.  The 27th European Film Awards will be streamed live on europeanfilmawards.eu.

Leading the nominations is Ida, director Pawel Pawlikowski’s Polish postwar drama, with five nominations.  Director Andrey Zvyagintsev's Russian satire, Leviathan (Leviafan), has four nominations.  The winners in six categories were revealed with the announcement of the nominations.

The 2014/27th European Film Awards nominations:

EUROPEAN FILM
“Force Majeure”
“Ida”
“Leviathan”
“Nymphomaniac Director's Cut – Volume I & II”
“Winter Sleep”

EUROPEAN COMEDY
“Carmina & Amen”
“Le Week-End”
“The Mafia Only Kills in the Summer”

EUROPEAN DIRECTOR
Nuri Bilge Ceylan, “Winter Sleep”
Steven Knight, “Locke”
Ruben Ostlund, “Force Majeure”
Paweł Pawlikowski, “Ida”
Paolo Virzì, “Human Capital”
Andrey Zvyagintsev, “Leviathan”

EUROPEAN ACTRESS
Marian Alvarez, “Wounded”
Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, “Human Capital”
Marion Cotillard, “Two Days, One Night”
Charlotte Gainsbourg, “Nymphomaniac Director's Cut – Volumes I & II”
Agata Kulesza, “Ida”
Agata Trzebuchowska, “Ida”

EUROPEAN ACTOR
Brendan Gleeson, “Calvary”
Tom Hardy, “Locke”
Alexey Serebryakov, “Leviathan”
Stellan Skarsgard, “Nymphomaniac Director's Cut – Volume I & II”
Timothy Spall, “Mr. Turner”

EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER
Ebru Ceylan & Nuri Bilge Ceylan, “Winter Sleep”
Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, “Two Days, One Night”
Steven Knight, “Locke”
Oleg Negin & Andrey Zvyagintsev, “Leviathan”
Paweł Pawlikowski & Rebecca Lenkiewicz, “Ida”

NOTE:  The 2014 winners in the following categories were announced the same day the 2014 nominations were announced:

EUROPEAN CINEMATOGRAPHER
Łukasz Żal & Ryszard Lenczewski, “Ida”

EUROPEAN EDITOR
Justine Wright, “Locke”

EUROPEAN PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Claus-Rudolf Amler, “The Dark Valley”

EUROPEAN COSTUME DESIGNER
Natascha Curtius-Noss, “The Dark Valley”

EUROPEAN COMPOSER
Mica Levi, “Under the Skin”

EUROPEAN SOUND DESIGNER
Joakim Sundström, “Starred Up”

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

VIZ Media Announces "Road to Ninja - Naruto the Movie" on Blu-ray/DVD

VIZ MEDIA DELIVERS THE NORTH AMERICAN HOME MEDIA RELEASE OF ROAD TO NINJA – NARUTO THE MOVIE

“For My Friends And Family, I’ll Risk My Life For This Mission!”

VIZ Media gives anime fans across North America the opportunity to add the sixth and latest feature film of the massively popular NARURTO SHIPPUDEN saga to their personal collections as it announces the release of ROAD TO NINJA – NARUTO THE MOVIE on Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and DVD on November 25th.

The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack is a 2-disc set and will carry an MSRP of $29.99 U.S. / $37.48 CAN. The DVD edition of ROAD TO NINJA is a single-disc release that will carry an MSRP of $19.98 U.S. / $34.98 CAN.

A variety of bonus features will also make ROAD TO NINJA of special interest to NARUTO SHIPPUDEN fans. These include the original Japanese theatrical trailers, broadcast commercials, and promotional videos offered on both the DVD and Blu-ray editions. The Blu-ray edition features crisp 1080p High Definition video and also includes a special bonus art gallery. The Blu-ray edition contains DTS-HD audio, also with English and Japanese dialogue options and English subtitles. DVD audio selections include English 5.1 as well as Japanese 2.0 dialogue options, with English subtitles.

In ROAD TO NINJA – NARUTO THE MOVIE, long ago, a mysterious masked shinobi unleashed the Nine-Tailed Fox onto the Village Hidden in the Leaves to spread chaos and destruction. But the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and his wife Kushina Uzumaki sealed the Tailed Beast into their newborn son, Naruto, to save the village, foiling the shinobi’s plan.

Years later, Naruto and his friends succeed in driving away the infamous Akatsuki, who have mysteriously returned from the dead. Upon returning to the village, the young shinobi are praised by their families for completing a dangerous mission. Reminded of how alone he is, Naruto begins to wonder what it’s like to have parents, when a strange masked figure appears before him – the same masked shinobi responsible for the death of his parents!

VIZ Media also invites NARUTO fans to catch the exciting adventures of the world’s most popular ninja in manga (graphic novel) format (rated ‘T’ for Teens), available in-print and also digitally from VIZManga.com, the VIZ Manga App, and from a host of partner platforms. Fans can further dive into all of the previous NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN feature films on DVD or Blu-ray, and also catch anime series episodes and select films on Neon Alley, VIZ Media’s FREE media streaming platform, including brand new, subtitled episodes simulcast with Japan!

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?

Additional information on NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN is available at www.Naruto.com.

For more information on manga titles available from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

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

2014 British Independent Film Award Nominations Announced - Complete List

In 1998, Raindance created the British Independent Film Awards to celebrate merit and achievement in independently funded British filmmaking.  The awards also honor new talent and promote British films and filmmaking to a wider public.

On Monday, November 3, 2014, the nominations for the 17th Annual Moët British Independent Film Awards were announced in London, at St Martins Lane.  London actor, Jared Harris, presented the nominations.  The winners will be announced at the 17th awards ceremony on Sunday, December 7, 2014 at the Old Billingsgate in London.

The 2014/17th Annual Moët British Independent Film Awards nominees:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM -Sponsored by Moët & Chandon
'71
Calvary
Mr Turner
Pride
The Imitation Game

BEST DIRECTOR - Sponsored by AllCity & Intermission
John Michael McDonagh – Calvary
Lenny Abrahamson – Frank
Matthew Warchus – Pride
Mike Leigh – Mr Turner
Yann Demange  – '71

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR] - Sponsored by 3 Mills Studios
Daniel Wolfe, Matthew Wolfe – Catch Me Daddy
Hong Khaou – Lilting
Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard – 20,000 Days on Earth
Morgan Matthews – X+Y
Yann Demange –  '71

BEST SCREENPLAY - Sponsored by BBC Films
Graham Moore – The Imitation Game
Gregory Burke  – '71
John Michael McDonagh – Calvary
Jon Ronson, Peter Straughan – Frank
Stephen Beresford – Pride

BEST ACTRESS - Sponsored by M.A.C Cosmetics
Alicia Vikander – Testament of Youth
Cheng Pei Pei – Lilting
Gugu Mbatha-Raw – Belle
Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game
Sameena Jabeen Ahmed – Catch Me Daddy

BEST ACTOR - Sponsored by Movado
Asa Butterfield  – X+Y
Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game
Brendan Gleeson – Calvary
Jack O'Connell – '71
Timothy Spall – Mr Turner

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Dorothy Atkinson – Mr Turner
Imelda Staunton – Pride
Maggie Gyllenhaal – Frank
Sally Hawkins – X+Y
Sienna Guillory – The Goob

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Sponsored by St Martins Lane
Andrew Scott – Pride
Ben Schnetzer – Pride
Michael Fassbender – Frank
Rafe Spall – X+Y
Sean Harris – ‘71

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER
Ben Schnetzer – Pride
Cara Delevingne – The Face of An Angel
Gugu Mbatha-Raw – Belle
Liam Walpole – The Goob
Sameena Jabeen Ahmed – Catch Me Daddy

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION
'71
20,000 Days on Earth
Catch Me Daddy
Lilting
The Goob

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Chris Wyatt - Editing - '71
Dick Pope - Cinematography - Mr Turner
Robbie Ryan - Cinematography - Catch Me Daddy
Stephen Rennicks - Music – Frank
Tat Radcliffe - Cinematography - '71

BEST DOCUMENTARY
20,000 Days on Earth
Next Goal Wins
Night Will Fall
The Possibilities Are Endless
Virunga

BEST BRITISH SHORT
Crocodile
Emotional Fusebox
Keeping Up With The Joneses
Slap
The Kármán Line

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM
Blue Ruin
Boyhood
Fruitvale Station
Ida
The Badadook

THE RAINDANCE AWARD
Flim: The Movie...
Gregor
Luna
Keeping Rosy
The Beat Beneath My Feet

THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD (for outstanding contribution by an actor to British Film)
To Be Announced

THE VARIETY AWARD
To Be Announced

THE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Announced at the Moët British Independent Film Awards on Sunday 7th December


For further information on MBIFA, visit www.bifa.org.uk

For further information on Moët & Chandon, visit http://moet.com

For further information on Raindance, visit www.raindance.org

Negromancer News Bit and Bites for November 1 to November 8, 2014 - Update #20

NEWS:

From YahooTV:  Update on another "Walking Dead" lawsuit.  Screen Rant has articles about Frank Darabont's firing From the show and his lawsuit.

-----------------
From YahooMovies:  Ernie Hudson on his bittersweet memories of the original Ghostbusters.

-----------------
From DemocracyNow:  More on CITIZENFOUR.

-----------------
From VanityFair:  How Laura Poitras shot her buzzed-about doc, CITIZENFOUR, on the down low.

-----------------
From YahooMovies:   Channing Tatum apparently in Quentin Tarantino's next film, "The Hateful Eight."

------------------
From YahooMovies:  "Toy Story 4" announced for June 6, 2017, directed by the incomparable John Lasseter.

-------------------
From YahooMovies:  Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg team for "The Six Billion Dollar Man," an update of the cult TV show, "The Six Million Dollar Man."  The movie may skew closer to the 1972 novel, Cyborg, which inspired "The Six Million Dollar Man."

--------------------
From YahooCelebrity:  Keira Knightley poses topless in a protest.

-------------------
From THR:  Christian Bale is reportedly out of director Danny Boyle's Steve Jops biopic.

-------------------
From TheWrap:   When the final numbers came in, Ouija won the October 31 to November 2, 2014 box office with a tally of $10.7 million.  Nightcrawler finished second with $10.4 million.

------------------
From YahooCelebrity:  Angie Harmon and her husband, former NFL player, Jason Sehorn, are separating.

-------------------
From THR:  According to early estimates, the films, Ouija and Nightcrawler, have tied for the top spot at the October 31st to November 2nd, 2014 weekend box office, each with an estimated $10.9 million.

--------------------
From YahooMovies:  The late Paul Walker is featured prominently in the new Furious 7 trailer.


COMICS:  Movies and News:

From TheWrap:  Jared Leto as the Joker in Suicide Squad.

--------------------
From CinemaBlend:  "Ant-Man" is important to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

---------------------
From CinemaBlend:  Could the classic graphic novel, Doctor Strange: Into Shamballa, be the source material for 2016's Doctor Strange film?

---------------------
From CinemaBlend:  Some of "Ant-Man" could take place in the past.

---------------------
From YahooGames:  Marvel has released a teaser for "X-Men '92."  Does that mean the FOX Saturday morning "X-Men" animated television series is returning?  Unlikely.  More likely, this means that there will be a comic book based on the TV series which debuted in 1992.


STAR WARS:

From YahooMovies:  Star Wars Episode 7 has a name, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

------------------
From the Examiner:  "Star Wars Episode 7" recently had a wrap party and R2-D2 was there looking battered.

-------------------
From YahooCelebrity:  There was a "wrap" (the end of "principal photography") party for Star Wars Episode 7.

-------------------
From CinemaBlend:  What did the cast and crew of Star Wars Episode 7 get as a parting gift?

--------------------
From NPR:  An interview and feature on Episode 7 actor, Adam Driver.


REVIEWS:

From TheVillageVoice:  Stephanie Zacharek on Interstellar.

20 Films Compete for "Best Animated Feature Film" Oscar Nominations to Be Announced January 15, 2015

20 Animated Features Submitted for 2014 Oscar Race

LOS ANGELES, CA – Twenty features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 87th Academy Awards.

The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are:

“Big Hero 6”
“The Book of Life”
“The Boxtrolls”
“Cheatin’”
“Giovanni’s Island”
“Henry & Me”
“The Hero of Color City”
“How to Train Your Dragon 2”
“Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart”
“Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return”
“The Lego Movie”
“Minuscule – Valley of the Lost Ants”
“Mr. Peabody & Sherman”
“Penguins of Madagascar”
“The Pirate Fairy”
“Planes: Fire & Rescue”
“Rio 2”
“Rocks in My Pockets”
“Song of the Sea”
“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya”

Several of the films have not yet had their required Los Angeles qualifying run. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules before they can advance in the voting process.  At least eight eligible animated features must be theatrically released in Los Angeles County within the calendar year for this category to be activated.

Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category also may qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories.

The 87th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 15, 2015, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Warner Bros. Obtains Max Joseph's "We Are Your Friends"

Warner Bros. Pictures to Release “We Are Your Friends”

Max Joseph directed the Working Title and Studiocanal production starring Zac Efron, Emily Ratajkowski and Wes Bentley

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that it has obtained the domestic distribution rights for Max Joseph’s (MTV’s “Catfish: The TV Show”) feature film directorial debut, “We Are Your Friends.” The film, from Working Title Films and Studiocanal, stars Zac Efron (“Neighbors”), Emily Ratajkowski (“Gone Girl”) and Wes Bentley (“Interstellar,” “The Hunger Games”). The announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

    “The breadth and depth of our slate allows us to proudly bring features from every genre, scope and scale to our audiences, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to usher in Max Joseph’s fresh, raw image of a love story set in today’s modern-day music scene.”

“We Are Your Friends” is about what it takes to find your voice. Set in the world of electronic music and Hollywood nightlife, an aspiring 23-year-old DJ named Cole (Efron) spends his days scheming with his childhood friends and his nights working on the one track that will set the world on fire. All of this changes when he meets a charismatic but damaged older DJ named James (Bentley), who takes him under his wing. Things get complicated, however, when Cole starts falling for James’ much younger girlfriend, Sophie (Ratajkowski). With Cole’s forbidden relationship intensifying and his friendships unraveling, he must choose between love, loyalty, and the future he is destined for.

In making the announcement, Silverman stated, “We are so thrilled to finally be in business with Working Title, and know this is the beginning of a great relationship. The same can be said for Max, a wonderful new voice who will, hopefully, make many movies here. It is also thrilling to have our dear friend Zac back, as well as Emily, who will appear in ‘Entourage,’ and Wes, who is so wonderful in ‘Interstellar.’”

Kroll added, “The breadth and depth of our slate allows us to proudly bring features from every genre, scope and scale to our audiences, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to usher in Max Joseph’s fresh, raw image of a love story set in today’s modern-day music scene.”

“I couldn't be happier to have Warner Bros releasing my first feature film,” director Joseph said. “Having their passion and expertise behind ‘We Are Your Friends’ is a dream come true.”

Joseph directs from a screenplay he wrote with Meaghan Oppenheimer, from a story by Richard Silverman. The producers are Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Liza Chasin, with Silverman executive producing and Johanna Byer serving as co-producer. Randall Poster (“The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Divergent,” “Spring Breakers”) is the film’s music supervisor.

“We Are Your Friends” will be distributed in North America by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. Studiocanal, who financed the film, is handling international sales and will be distributing in France, UK, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.

About Working Title Films
Founded in 1983, Working Title Films has been co-chaired by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner since 1992. The pair has produced more than 100 feature films which have amassed over $5 billion worldwide. Their films have won 9 Academy Awards®, and earned over 50 Academy Award® nominations, and won 24 BAFTAs, garnering over 100 BAFTA nominations.

About Studiocanal
Studiocanal is a subsidiary of the Canal+ Group. It is one of Europe’s leading companies in the market for co-production, acquisition, distribution and sales of international feature films and TV series. Studiocanal is the only studio operating simultaneously in the three main European territories—France, the United Kingdom and Germany—as well as in Australia and New Zealand. Additionally, Studiocanal owns one of the most important libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.