Review: "Magic in the Moonlight" Does Not Cast Much of a Spell

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 23 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux (support on Patreon)

Magic in the Moonlight (2014)
Running time:  97 minutes (1 hour, 37 minutes)
MPAA –  PG-13 for a brief suggestive comment, and smoking throughout
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Woody Allen
PRODUCERS:  Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum, and Edward Walson
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Darius Khondji
EDITOR:  Alisa Lepselter

COMEDY/ROMANCE

Starring:  Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Simon McBurney, Eileen Atkins, Hamish Linklater, Marcia Gay Harden, Jacki Weaver, Jeremy Shamos, Erica Leerhsen, and Catherine McCormack

Magic in the Moonlight is a 2014 period romance and comedy from writer-director, Woody Allen.  The film focuses on an Englishman who travels to the south of France, where he becomes smitten with the young woman that he plans to reveal as a fraud.

Magic in the Moonlight opens in Berlin, 1928, where we meet the world famous illusionist, Wei Ling Soo (Colin Firth).  Soo is actually the Englishman, Stanley Crawford (Colin Firth), in disguise.  After a performance, Stanley receives a visit from his old friend, Howard Burkan (Simon McBurney), a fellow illusionist.  Burkan wants Stanley to accompany him to Côte d'Azur where Stanley can make use of the other talent that has made him famous.  Stanley can see past and also reveal the tricks of those who claim to have magical or supernatural powers.

In Côte d'Azur, a rich American family, the Catledges, are being taken in by a clairvoyant and mystic named Sophie Baker (Emma Stone).  In fact, the son of the family, Brice Catledge (Hamish Linklater), is so in love with Sophie that he wants to marry her.  Howard wants Stanley to debunk Sophie as a charlatan mystic.  Although he initially thinks that it will be easy to reveal Sophie as a fraud, Stanley soon finds himself smitten with her.

Magic in the Moonlight is not one of the better Woody Allen films.  It falls in the class of mediocre, hapless Allen films that have been prevalent since the turn of the century.  The casting is not particularly special, and the characters are mostly uninspired.  Emma Stone seems out of place as Sophie Baker, but there is not enough of Marcia Gay Harden as Sophie's mother, Mrs. Baker.

Magic in the Moonlight is not well-written, which is disappointing considering that Allen has won three Oscars for his screenwriting.  Allen's directing is mostly... well... uninspired.  However, the film does spring to life in its last half-hour, and it suddenly seems like a different film.  Why?  I think that Magic in the Moonlight lacks a true antagonistic relationship, although the film is ostensibly about one, being that Stanley Crawford is trying to prove that Sophie is a fraud.  Perhaps, Allen makes them fall in love with each other too soon.  Once betrayal is introduced into the narrative, the film has a real conflict and that brings it to life – too late, of course.

I will recommend Magic in the Moonlight to die hard Woody Allen fans who simply have to see each and every one of his films (like me).  Beyond that, there is no amount of magic in the moonlight that will make this movie of interest to people who are not fans of Allen.

5 of 10
C+

Thursday, May 28, 2015


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Archie Comics Announces New "Jughead" Comic Book Series

JUGHEAD #1 Cover by Erica Henderson

ZDARSKY AND HENDERSON SET THE TABLE WITH NEW JUGHEAD SERIES

New ongoing comic book series to be set in same world as new ARCHIE from Waid/Staples

Hamburgers and a crown made of paper. The mysterious “S” shirt and a dog named Hot Dog. Did we mention Hamburgers? All of these things are synonymous with the greatest comic book character of all time: Jughead! This October, Archie Comics is launching a new ongoing JUGHEAD series by the unbeatable team of Chip Zdarsky and Erica Henderson.

Featuring the adventures of Archie’s hamburger-loving best friend, the new series will debut with an all new #1 issue from two of the comic book industry’s brightest stars. Zdarsky, known for his work on the hit Image series Sex Criminals, will bring his unique brand of comedy to comics’ biggest jokester.

“Jughead is the one character that I totally attempted to emulate when I was younger,” said Zdarsky. “Cool without being cool, voracious appetite, a slacker who doesn't always live up to his potential.”

Joining Zdarsky on JUGHEAD will be Erica Henderson, best known for her work on Marvel’s Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, whose emotive artistic style and knack for capturing characters in their silliest moments perfectly suits the gluttonous teenager.

The new series will run alongside the upcoming ARCHIE series, launching on July 8, by Mark Waid and Fiona Staples, telling off-the-wall and hilarious stories in the new and revamped Riverdale.
On getting inside of Jughead’s head, Zdarsky said, “He has moments where he shines and then goes back to being cool and zen. I love Jughead. He's the teen who's comfortable with himself, which is such rare, weird thing.”

JUGHEAD #1 will be available in comic book stores and digitally on October 7.

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"The Game" Begins Its Final Season Wednesday, June 3rd on BET

“THE GAME” Heads into Overtime with the Final Season Premiere on Wednesday, June 3 at 10 PM ET/PT on BET

“FRANKIE & NEFFE” Season 2 Premieres Directly Following “THE GAME” at 10:30 PM ET/PT with BET’s New Recap Show “P.S. THE BET POST SHOW” Rounding up the Night at 11 PM ET/PT

“BEING” Returns with All New Episodes Beginning Monday, June 1 on Centric

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Next week is a touchdown with the final season premiere of “THE GAME.” After 9 seasons, “THE GAME” heads into the final quarter of its record breaking run. Directly following “THE GAME” is the return of “FRANKIE & NEFFE.” Season 2 picks up where “KEYSHIA COLE: ALL IN” left off, as viewers get a deeper glimpse into the complex lives of her wildly entertaining mother, Frankie and sisters, Neffe and Elite.

"THE GAME" - **FINAL SEASON** Wednesday, June 3 at 10:00 PM ET/PT on BET.

The final season of “THE GAME” (Season 9) continues to focus on the San Diego Sabers and the team’s experience. Focusing on both the players and previous fans the drama continues develop. When Blue discovers Keira and Malik together he initiates a brawl with Malik that is caught on surveillance tape. While Tasha is trying to cover up the Blue and Malik situation, Chardonnay attempts to expose Jason’s steroid use on national television. Guest stars include Bria Murphy and Deborah Norville.

“FRANKIE & NEFFE” – Season premieres Wednesday, June 3 at 10:30 PM ET/PT on BET.

Season 2 of “FRANKIE & NEFFE” picks up where “KEYSHIA COLE: ALL IN” left off, as viewers get a deeper glimpse into the complex lives of the wildly entertaining mother and sisters of R&B singer, Keyshia Cole. While sisters Neffe and Elite are determined to launch successful careers, they continue to struggle with Frankie, as her instability is a constant source of friction with her daughters. Whether they enter laughing or come out swinging, these funny, raw, unforgettable women fascinate us, and keep us rooting for their success.

“P.S. THE BET POST SHOW” – Season premieres Wednesday, June 3 at 11:00 PM ET/PT on BET.

Hosted by comedian Amberia Allen, “P.S. THE BET POST SHOW” is a LIVE half-hour series that will recap new episodes of “THE GAME” and “FRANKIE & NEFFE” every Wednesday at 11 PM ET/PT on BET. From live on-air commentary to social media updates of what fans are buzzing about to celebrity interviews this new interactive series will be your source for all of your favorite and hottest BET shows.

"BEING" – Season premieres Monday, June 1 at 10:00 PM ET/PT on Centric.

“BEING” is a one-hour documentary series that highlights the careers of seminal soul and vintage hip hop artists. In the season premiere, K. Michelle gives an intimate perspective on her ambition, spirit and work ethic being a southern girl from Memphis. The series focuses on a variety of individuals seen as beating the odds and rising from tough environments, “BEING” captures compelling and unknown stories that inspire our audience. Throughout each episode we get to hear what its’ like “BEING” them at different points in their career and life.


About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, the first network designed for Black women;; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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Dark Horse Comics Announces Third and Final "Colder" Series.

DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES NEW ‘COLDER,’ SERIES AT PHOENIX COMICON

TOBIN & FERREYRA’S HORROR SERIES RETURNS FOR A FINAL SCARE

MILWAUKIE, OR—As part of its announcement slate for Phoenix Comicon 2015, Dark Horse Comics has announced the final installment of  Eisner-nominated horror series Colder.

Colder: Toss the Bones sees the return of the Eisner-nominated horror series by Paul Tobin and Juan Ferreyra. Set to debut in September, the final chapter of the Colder trilogy follows a newly resurrected Nimble Jack, as he skips back and forth between the Hungry World and our own reality, recruiting agents of madness and unifying them with a single objective: the death and consumption of Declan.

Colder: Toss the Bones #1
Paul Tobin (W), Juan Ferreyra (A/Cover)
$3.99
Available in September at your local comic shop

Also available:
Colder Volume 1
$17.99, 978-1-61655-136-0
​Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Colder Volume 2: The Bad Seed
$17.99, 978-1-61655-647-1
Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound


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, Felicia Day, and 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, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, EVE Online, Halo, Serenity, 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.

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All Six Episodes of "Catastrophe" Will Premiere June 19th on Amazon Prime

Season One of the Amazon Original Comedy Series Catastrophe Will Launch Exclusively for Amazon Prime Members in the US on June 19
All six episodes, about an American man and Irish woman who make a mess out of falling in love in London as they deal with an unexpected pregnancy, will premiere on June 19 in the US and come to Amazon Prime in the UK later this year

Catastrophe is created by and stars comedian and bestselling author Rob Delaney (Key & Peele) and award-winning actress Sharon Horgan (Pulling), with guest stars Carrie Fisher (Star Wars) and Tobias Menzies (Outlander), and is Executive Produced by Richard Allen-Turner (Workaholics), Kara Baker (Iliza Shlezinger: Freezing Hot), Delaney, Horgan, and Jon Thoday (Last Week Tonight with John Oliver)

Series also stars Ashley Jensen (Ugly Betty), Mark Bonnar (Shetland), Jonathan Forbes (Titanic: Blood and Steel), Daniel Lapaine (Zero Dark Thirty), Marta Barrio (The Trip), and Sarah Niles (Beautiful People)

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ:AMZN)—Amazon today announced it will premiere all six episodes of season one of the Amazon Original Series Catastrophe on Friday, June 19, 2015 exclusively for Amazon Prime members in the US. Written by comedian and bestselling author, Rob Delaney (Key & Peele), and award-winning actress, Sharon Horgan (Pulling), Catastrophe is a half-hour comedy set in London about an Irish woman and American man struggling to start a relationship after their clumsy lust leads to pregnancy. Already a critical hit in the UK, Catastrophe is an Avalon Television production with co-producers Birdbath Productions and Merman and is Executive Produced by Richard Allen-Turner (Workaholics), Kara Baker (Iliza Shlezinger: Freezing Hot), Delaney, Horgan, and Jon Thoday (Last Week Tonight with John Oliver). The series will be available exclusively for Prime members in the U.S. and will come to Amazon Prime in the UK later this year.

    “We are delighted Catastrophe will be available on Amazon Prime and joining their impressive line-up of critically acclaimed TV shows”

In Catastrophe, two different worlds collide as Rob (Delaney) decides to move to London to become the father he never had, while Sharon (Horgan) questions whether this will be her last chance at motherhood. Together, Rob and Sharon must steer through increasingly thorny situations and navigate the choppy waters of their ever-more-complicated lives, while also learning to deal with Sharon’s intense Irish family, her rather unpleasant friend, Fran (Ashley Jensen, Ugly Betty) and Rob’s eccentric Bostonian mother, Mia (Carrie Fisher, Star Wars).

Beginning June 19, Amazon Prime members can watch the entire first season of Catastrophe using the Amazon Instant Video app for TVs, connected devices and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/AIV. Customers who are not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at Amazon.com/prime.

“We look forward to bringing this honest and smart series to our customers,” said Roy Price, Vice President, Amazon Studios. “Sharon’s irreverent humor plays into Rob’s fish-out-of-water experience and, together, their chemistry makes for a universally witty comedy.”

“We are delighted Catastrophe will be available on Amazon Prime and joining their impressive line-up of critically acclaimed TV shows,” added Jon Thoday, Joint Managing Director at Avalon Television.

Catastrophe also stars Mark Bonnar (Shetland) as Chris, Jonathan Forbes (Titanic: Blood and Steel) as Fergal, Daniel Lapaine (Zero Dark Thirty) as Dave, Marta Barrio (The Trip) as Mallandra, and Sarah Niles (Beautiful People) as Melissa, and also guest stars Tobias Menzies (Outlander) as Dr. Harries. The series is produced by Jack Bayles (Russell Brand’s Ponderland) and directed by Ben Taylor (Cuckoo).


About Prime Instant Video
Amazon Prime members have instant access to stream tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes, including award-winning Amazon Original Series, available at no additional cost to their membership. In addition, new release movies like Gone Girl, Boyhood and Birdman as well as classics like the Star Wars saga along with in-season shows like The Walking Dead, Scandal and Better Call Saul are also available for rent or purchase on Amazon Instant Video for all customers to stream and enjoy.

Customers can watch shows and movies with the Amazon Instant Video app. The Amazon Instant Video app is available on hundreds of devices including connected TVs, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as on mobile devices like Fire phone, Fire tablets, iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. Customers can also watch online at Amazon.com/PIV. Prime Instant Video is also the only U.S. online-only subscription streaming service that enables offline viewing—on a plane, on vacation, and anywhere else where you may not have Wi-Fi.

Amazon Prime members have exclusive access to popular TV series at no additional cost to their membership. Prime members can enjoy binge-worthy TV shows including Amazon Original Series’ airing now such as multi-Golden Globe winning series, Transparent, the hour-long drama, Bosch, based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling books, the Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman comedy, Mozart in the Jungle and the political comedy starring John Goodman, Alpha House, in addition to HBO favorites like The Sopranos, True Blood and Six Feet Under, and popular primetime series including 24, Covert Affairs, Downton Abbey, Extant, Falling Skies, Grimm, Hannibal, Justified, Orphan Black, Teen Wolf, The Americans, Under the Dome and Veronica Mars. Prime members also have access to an exclusive collection of kids shows now airing including Amazon Original Series’ Annedroids, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street and the Annecy, Annie and multi-Emmy Award-winning Tumble Leaf from Bix Pix Entertainment, as well as popular shows from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Team Umizoomi, Blue’s Clues and The Bubble Guppies.

In addition to tens of thousands of titles to instantly stream, the Amazon Prime membership (www.amazon.com/primevideo) includes one million songs and hundreds of playlists with Prime Music, unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items, early access to select Lightning Deals, unlimited photo storage, and access to more than 800,000 books all for $99 a year.

About Amazon
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire phone, Fire tablets, and Fire TV are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.

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BOOM! Studios Re-ups with Diamond Comic Distributors

BOOM! Studios Renews Distribution Agreement with Diamond

(BALTIMORE, MD) — Diamond Comic Distributors has announced that BOOM! Studios has renewed its distribution agreement with the company, making Diamond the worldwide distributor of BOOM’s comics and graphic novels to the comic book specialty, hobby and gaming markets, as well as international book markets, excluding the UK and Ireland.   

“Diamond is pleased to continue its association with BOOM! Studios,” said Diamond Vice President of Purchasing, John Wurzer. “We look forward to working with the entire BOOM! team on maximizing their sales and marketing efforts to reach comic book readers worldwide.”

BOOM! Studios continues to create a vast library of best-selling and award winning titles through its BOOM!, KaBOOM!, BOOM! Box, and Archaia imprints with such titles as Adventure Time, Mouse Guard, The Woods, Big Trouble in Little China, Lumberjanes and many more. BOOM! Studios was recognized with a Diamond GEM Award as Best Publisher-Under 4% Market Share for 2014, and has won the award 5 of the past 6 years. The new distribution agreement allows BOOM! Studios additional opportunities to have their growing library of titles reach international markets worldwide through Diamond’s book market wing, Diamond Book Distributors. 

“We’re happy to have renewed our distribution agreement with Diamond,” said BOOM! Studios CEO and Founder, Ross Richie. “Diamond is, and has been, one of our most critical partners for the first decade of our business and this newest agreement is a great reinforcement of Diamond’s continued support of our growth in the direct market and beyond.”

New retailers interested in purchasing BOOM! titles are encouraged to contact Diamond’s New Accounts Department at newaccounts@diamondcomics.com or via phone at 443-318-8001. To find BOOM! Studios comics and graphic novels, visit your local comic book shop. To find a comic shop, go to www.comicshoplocator.com.


ABOUT BOOM! Studios – Founded by Ross Richie in 2005, Diamond Gem Award-winning “Best Publisher” BOOM! Studios (boom-studios.com) generates a constellation of best-selling Eisner and Harvey Award-winning original and licensed comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent. BOOM! Studios is comprised of four distinct imprints. The original Studios imprint is home to Mike Carey's Suicide Risk; James Tynion IV's The Woods; Mark Waid's Irredeemable; Sons of Anarchy; and Big Trouble in Little China. Steven Grant’s graphic novel 2 Guns was released as a feature film from Universal Pictures, starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. BOOM!’s all-ages imprint KaBOOM! publishes Charles Schulz’ Peanuts; Jim Davis’ Garfield; Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time, Regular Show, The Amazing World of Gumball, and Steven Universe; Mike Kunkel’s Herobear and the Kid; and Natasha Allegri's Bee and PuppyCat. BOOM!'s experimental imprint BOOM! Box publishes The Midas Flesh and Lumberjanes. In June 2013, BOOM! acquired Archaia Entertainment (archaia.com). Archaia is the Eisner and Harvey Award-winning graphic novel publisher of Mouse Guard, Cow Boy, Gunnerkrigg Court, Rust, and Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand. In October 2013, BOOM! Studios entered into a unique first-look relationship with 20th Century Fox, giving the studio access to its library of titles and giving the publisher access to Fox's vast catalog of films. In August 2014, BOOM! Studios began a similar first-look relationship with 20th Century Fox TV to develop properties for the small screen


ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS (DCD)—Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books, graphic novels, and related pop-culture merchandise, serving thousands of retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.

ABOUT DIAMOND BOOK DISTRIBUTORS (DBD)—DBD is a division of Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc., and is dedicated to making a wide selection of graphic novels and other pop culture merchandise available globally to bookstores, libraries, schools, online retailers, mass merchants and others. DBD is the home to a number of world class publishers including IDW Publishing, publisher of 30 Days of Night, Locke & Key, My Little Pony, G.I. Joe and Transformers; Image Comics, publisher The Walking Dead, Saga, Chew, and Morning Glories; Oni Press, Top Shelf Productions, and many others.  For more information, visit Diamond Books on the web at www.diamondbookdistributors.com.

© 2015 Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. All rights reserved. Diamond, the Diamond logo, and PREVIEWS are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Diamond Comic Distributors in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective copyright owners.

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Tracy Morgan and WalMart Settle Lawsuit

Walmart and Tracy Morgan Announce Settlement of Lawsuit Regarding New Jersey Turnpike Accident

BENTONVILLE, Ark. & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Walmart and Benedict P. Morelli, attorney for Tracy Morgan, Ardley Fuqua, and Jeffrey Millea, today announced a settlement agreement, ending a lawsuit against Walmart arising out of a multi-vehicle accident involving the men on June 7, 2014, on the New Jersey Turnpike. The terms and conditions of the settlement with Morgan and the other plaintiffs remain confidential.

    “Walmart did right by me and my family, and for my associates and their families. I am grateful that the case was resolved amicably.”

"Our thoughts continue to go out to everyone that was involved in the accident," said Greg Foran, Walmart U.S. president and CEO. "While we know there is nothing that can change what happened, Walmart has been committed to doing what's right to help ensure the well-being of all of those who were impacted by the accident. We worked closely with Mr. Morelli, and we are pleased to have reached an amicable settlement that ends this litigation. We are deeply sorry that one of our trucks was involved."

Benedict Morelli stated, "Walmart and I worked diligently to reach this settlement for the plaintiffs and their families. Walmart took full responsibility for the accident, which we greatly appreciate."

Tracy Morgan said, "Walmart did right by me and my family, and for my associates and their families. I am grateful that the case was resolved amicably."

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