Sunday, January 31, 2016

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 24th to 31st, 2016 - Update #47

Support Leroy on Patreon.

MOVIES - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 1/29 to 1/31/2016 weekend box office is "Kung Fu Panda 3" with an estimated take of $41 million.

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From Variety:  The actor, Frank Finlay, died Saturday, January 30, 2016 at the age of 89.  He earned a best supporting actor Oscar nomination for his role in "Othello" (1965).  Many may remember him as 'Porthos' in the 1973 version of "The Three Musketeers," with Oliver Reed, Michael York, and Richard Chamberlain.

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MOVIES - From Complex:  Manohla Dargis coins the term, "DuVernay Test" in honor of Ava DuVerany.

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MOVIES - From TOH:  ACE Awards for film and TV editors winners announced.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  I'm not a robot, Serena Williams says.

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SPORTS -  From YahooSports:  There are five high school players named after Kobe Bryant who are hot college basketball prospects.

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STAR WARS - From YahooMovies:  Details about Forest Whitaker's character in "Star Wars: Rogue One."

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NEWS - From RSN:  A scary article about the Zika virus.

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TELEVISION - From EOnline:  "X-Files" creator, Chris Carter, talks about the future of the show.

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TELEVISION:  From TheWrap:  Jade Pinkett-Smith returning to FOX's "Gotham" for multiple episodes as "Fish Mooney."

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap: "Gilmore Girls" revival is at Netflix, but I'm not interested.

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NEWS -  From BuzzFlash:  Erin Brockovich says that the Flint, Michigan water crisis is just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of other areas facing lead poisoning.

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CRIME - From Truthout:  Supreme Court, Montgomery v. Louisiana, may allow juveniles sentenced to life without parole a chance to be retroactively re-sentenced.

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MUSIC - From YahooMusic:  See the Coldplay-Beyonce video, "Hymn for the Weekend."

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COMICS - From WashPost:  What Star Wars and Marvel can learn from British cult comic, Judge Dredd.

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CRIME - From YahooNews:  The Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski, is not living a lonely life in prison.

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HISTORY - From MintPressNews:  Famous whistler blower, Daniel Ellsberg (The Pentagon Papers) says top military brass knew in advance that Vietnam War would fail.

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POLITICS - From RollingStone:  The mag says that Donald Trump skilled the 1/28/2016 GOP debate because he hates women.

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TRAILERS - From DreamWorks:  A new trailer for the CG-animated, Trolls.

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OSCARS - From Vulture:  I'm surprised by this.  I thought because it was controversially left off the best picture Oscar list, at least one of the producers of the film would be invited to the Oscars ceremony.  No, only the four nominated writers have been attended.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Tom Cruise and Jerry Bruckheimer talk "Top Gun" sequel.

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OSCARS - From RSN:  Spike Lee's Facebook post on his decision to boycott the 2016 Oscars.

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HISTORY - From CounterPunch:  Mumia Abu-Jamal on Huey P. Newton.

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POLITICS - From DemocracyNow:  The father of David and Charles Koch, Fred Kock, collaborated with the Nazis.

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OSCARS - From teleSUR:  Hollywood stars - Steven Soderbergh, Mark Ruffalo, Dustin Hoffman, Viola Davis and others - say Oscars and all of America is rife with racism.

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HISTORY - From Gawker:  Woody Guthrie hated his landlord, Donald Trump's father, Fred Trump.

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POLITICS - From TheHill:  Hacktivist group, Anonymous, wants Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder in jail over Flint, Michigan water crisis.

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COMICS - From DenofGeek: DC Comics teases something called "Rebirth."

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TELEVISION - From BleedingCool:  Corey Hawkins of Straight Outta Compton will take the lead in FOX's revival of the TV series, "24," which is being called "24: Legacy."

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GRAMMYS - From YahooMusic:  Will Smith once boycotted the Grammys.

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OBIT - From YahooTV:  The actor, Abe Vigoda, died today (January 26, 2016).  He was 94.  Vigoda is best remembered for his role as "Detective Fish" on the television series, "Barney Miller."  He also had a pivotal role in "The Godfather," as the mobster, Sal Tessio.

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POLITICS - From YahooNews:  How Bernie Sanders will get anything done.

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POLITICS - From YahooPolitics:  Ben and Jerry of Ben & Jerry have created a limited edition Bernie Sanders ice cream, "Bernie's Yearning."

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NEWS - From Reuters:  McDonald's sales soar, thanks in large part to all-day breakfast menu.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  DreamWorks live-action adaptation of the manga, "Ghost in the Shell" (starring Scarlett Johansson) has moved from Disney to Paramount.

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MOVIES/TV - From Vulture:  Directors Guild president, Paris Barclay (an African American), says that more than just the Academy's changes are need to address diversity in Hollywood.

TELEVISION - From IndieWire:  Woody Allen is reportedly going to star in his Amazon series... with Miley Cyrus.

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MUSIC - From BET:  Kanye West reveals track listing for his upcoming solo LP, "SWISH."

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MOVIES - From BET:  Nick Cannon, who had a song that was eligible for the Oscars, has written an #OscarsSoWhite poem.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  5 early Super Bowl storylines.

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WEBCOMICS - From ComicBookBin:  New Constant Chp. 2 Pg. 2

From ComicBookBin:  New episode of Johnny Bullet - #58 - in English
From ComicBookBin:  New episode in French

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MOVIES - From Vulture:  Daniel Radcliffe explains his erection in "Swiss Army Man."

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TELEVISION - From Vulture:  Here is a recap from "The X-Files" Episode 1 of the six-issue miniseries.

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POLITICS - From TheAtlantic:  Now, that ugly puppy dog is no longer governor, Louisiana embraces Obamacare, thanks to new Gov. John Bel Edwards.

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AWARDS - From Vulture:  "I completely deserve this!" Shonda Rhimes says during her acceptance speech at the 2016 Producers Guild Awards.

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OSCARS - From Vulture:  Another white actor has to backtrack on diversity in Oscars/Hollywood comments.  This time it is the fine Julie Delpy.  And... she's not entirely wrong.

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MOVIES - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 2/22 to 2/24/2016 box office weekend is Oscar-favorite, "The Revenant" with an estimated take of $16 million.

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From YahooGames:  See the new "Batman vs. Superman" spot that aired during the NFC Championships Game.

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COMICS - From Patreon:   My review of "Obi-Wan and Anakin #1."

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COMICS - From ComicBookBin:  My review of "Kimi Ni Todoke Vol. 23."

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POLITICS - From RT:  Trump says he could shoot someone and still not lose his loyal supporters.

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RACE - From RSN:  “The laws are recast and enforced in order to suppress any type of minority movement.”

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OSCARS - From Variety:  Chris Rock will remain as host, and will address #OscarsSoWhite during his monologue.  He and his writing staff are rewriting their work for the show.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Gillian Anderson was offered half the salary of what David Duchovny recieved to return to X-Files.  Apparently, the show often treated her like a sidekick.

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OSCARS -
Deadline: Academy unveils major rules changes to diversify Oscars.

Deadline:  Historic changes met with praise and outrage.

TheGuardian:  Current Oscar-nominee Charlotte Rampling finds #OscarsSoWhite so racist to white people.

From Deadline:  Then, Ms. Rampling has to check herself.

From Deadline:  On diversity - Oscars at the end of the food chain says Oscar winner and favorite, Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu.

From Deadline:  Danny DeVito - We're all racists.

From Deadline:  Oscar-winning director, Jonathan Demme, suggests re-calibrating this year's Oscar nominations.

COMICS - From TheWrap:  "Thor: Ragnarok" director, Taiki Waititi, talks about about making the film funnier.

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From Zoolander 2 - new video content:

Blue Steel Selfie Studio here and here.

Meet Don Atari from House of Atoz here.



Review: "Jodorowsky's Dune" Documents the Beautiful Madness of an Iconoclast

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 2 (of 2016) by Leroy Douresseaux

[A version of this review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Jodorowsky’s Dune (2013)
Running time:  90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some violent and sexual images and drug references
DIRECTOR:  Frank Pavich
PRODUCERS:  Frank Pavich, Stephen Scarlata, Travis Stevens
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  David Cavallo
EDITORS:  Paul Docherty and Alex Ricciardi
COMPOSER:  Kurt Stenzel

DOCUMENTARY – History, Film, Art

Starring:  Alejandro Jodorowsky, Brontis Jodorowsky, Michel Seydoux, Devin Faraci, Chris Foss, Jean-Paul Gibon, H.R. Giger, Gary Kurtz, Drew McWeeney, Diane O’Bannon, Nicolas Winding Refn, and Richard Stanley

Jodorowsky’s Dune is a 2013 American documentary film from director Frank Pavich.  This movie is the story of film director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s ambitious plans to adapt the seminal science fiction novel, Dune, into a film during the mid-1970s.

Dune is an epic science fiction novel that was originally serialized in the American science fiction magazine, Analog, over a two year period, from 1963 to 1965.  Chilton Books published Dune as a hardcover in 1965.  It won the first Nebula Award for “Best Novel” in 1965, and it shared the Hugo Award for “Best Novel” in 1966 (with …And Call Me Conrad by Roger Zelazny).

In 1971, film producer Arthur P. Jacobs optioned the film rights to Dune, but died before he could develop a film.  In 1974, a French consortium purchased Dune’s film rights from Jacobs’ production company.  Alejandro Jodorowsky was set to direct the film.

Jodorowsky was born in Chile in 1929.  At a young age, he began writing poetry and later also became involved in theater.  He moved to France in 1959, where he continued to work in theater and also made his first short film.  He moved to Mexico and continued his work in avant-garde theater, but he later gained tremendous fame and notoriety for his work in film, beginning with Fando y Lis.  His fame grew with the midnight movie cult classic, El Topo (1970), and with Holy Mountain (1973).

In 1974, Jodorowsky began writing the massive script that would be his adaptation of Dune.  He approached progressive rock (prog rock) groups like Pink Floyd and Magma to provide the film score.  He sought out Salvador Dalí, Orson Welles, David Carradine, and Mick Jagger, among others, to act in the film.  Jodorowsky hired French comic book artist Jean Giraud a/k/a Moebius (1938 to 2012) to draw the film’s storyboards and to provide concept art and designs.  He hired British science fiction book cover artist, Chris Foss, to design space ships for the film, and Swiss surrealist, H.R. Giger (February 5, 1940 to May 12, 2014), to provide conceptual art and designs.

After producing a massive hardcover book containing the script, the storyboards, and conceptual art, Jodorowsky and the film’s producers went to Hollywood, but were unable to convince any studio or anyone, for that matter, to finance the film.  Jodorowsky’s project ultimately failed, but Jodorowsky’s Dune became a film legend.

Director Frank Pavich interviews Alejandro Jodorowsky and the people who were his collaborators on the stalled Dune project to tell the story that is Jodorowsky’s Dune.  The interview subjects include Jodorowsky’s son, Brontis, who was going to play Dune’s lead character, Paul Atreides.  Producers Michel Seydoux and Jean-Paul Gibon talk about the overall process of trying to create such a large-scaled film.

Film critics Devin Faraci and Drew McWeeney and film directors Nicolas Winding Refn and Richard Stanley talk about the project from a broader standpoint of art and of making movies in Hollywood.  They also comment on how this failure still managed to be potent and influential.  Artist Chris Foss and H.R. Giger talk about the sense of freedom that Jodorowsky gave them, and how he encouraged their imagination.

When a director makes a documentary about a person, that person must be a fascinating or compelling figure.  Alejandro Jodorowsky is both, and really, Jodorowsky’s Dune is as much about Jodorowsky as it is about his attempt to film Dune, if not more so.  Jodorowsky might be insane or be a madman, but he is an artist and a cinematic visionary.  Best of all, he wants to make the people who work with him reach for the genius inside themselves.  That is the kind of guy around which a director can build a great or, at least, exceptional feature film.

The other interview subjects, for the most part, are guys that I could listen to for hours as they talk about film, art, work, and life.  However, the absence of Frank Herbert, the author of Dune, is conspicuous.  Herbert died in 1986, and I can’t believe that there is no video or audio of him commenting on Jodorowsky’s attempt to make a film out of his epic novel.  Dan O’Bannon, whom Jodorowsky hired to produce the special effects for Dune, died in 2009, but this documentary features audio of him talking about working on Dune.  His widow, Diane O’Bannon, is featured in an on-camera interview in this film.

The lack of Frank Herbert in this film is a minor complaint.  Jodorowsky’s Dune is one of the best documentary films that I have ever scene.  It inspires me to be creative, and it makes me wish I could find a way to get Jodorowsky’s Dune produced.  I really want to see that movie.  Maybe, if it had been made, his Dune would have been an overblown epic, but just listening to Jodorowsky makes me believe that the film is a lost masterpiece, although it doesn’t exist.  Perhaps, the magic that director Frank Pavich performs in Jodorowsky’s Dune make me want to believe that this film project is still alive... somewhere.

9 of 10
A+

Monday, November 2, 2015


NOTES:
2013 Cannes Film Festival:  1 nomination: “Golden Camera” (Frank Pavich)

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

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Sony Pictures Acquires to "Eat That Question-Frank Zappa In His Own Words"

SONY PICTURES CLASSICS ACQUIRES WORLDWIDE RIGHTS TO THORSTEN SCHÜTTE’S FRANK ZAPPA DOC EAT THAT QUESTION AT 2016 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

(Park City) — In advance of its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, Sony Pictures Classics announced today that it has acquired worldwide rights (excluding France and Germany) from NYC-based sales company Submarine to Thorsten Schütte’s documentary on iconoclastic composer-musician Frank Zappa, EAT THAT QUESTION–FRANK ZAPPA IN HIS OWN WORDS, an intimate portrait told through rare archival footage.

EAT THAT QUESTION is an energetic celebration of Zappa told entirely through archival footage culled from the performer's 30-year career in entertainment. Weaving together rare TV interviews and performances from around the world, the film by the German director explores Zappa's unconventional and irreverent handling of the media, his irrepressible quest for enlightenment and his witty self-dramatization.

"I'm delighted and I'm thrilled that Sony Pictures Classics believes in the film and I feel we're in very good hands," remarked filmmaker Thorsten Schütte. "The news of the acquisition is really the cherry on the cake of our world premiere at Sundance."

The deal was negotiated by Sony Pictures Classics with Josh Braun, Dan Braun and David Koh of Submarine on behalf of the filmmakers.

EAT THAT QUESTION premiered at Sundance on Monday, January 25, 2016 in the Documentary Premieres section. It has also been pre-selected for Germany’s top film awards, the LOLAs, and will next be showcased in the LOLA at Berlinale section of the Berlin Film Festival.

EAT THAT QUESTION is produced by Estelle Fialon of Les Films du Poisson (France) and Jochen Laube of UFA Films (Germany), and co-produced by ARTE France and SWR.


ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992, which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world. Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 32 Academy Awards® (28 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 158 Academy Award® nominations (133 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, AND CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

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2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards Announced; Idris Elba Wins Twice

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is an American labor union that represents film and television performers worldwide.  Most people probably know SAG for the various actors’ strikes or for the Screen Actors Guild Award, which SAG uses to honor outstanding performances by its members.  The first SAG Awards ceremony was held in February 1995 (for films released in 1994).

Winners of the 22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards were revealed during the awards ceremony on Saturday, January 30, 2016 that was simultaneously telecast on TBS and TNT.

The “Ensemble” categories are SAG's equivalent of a “Best Picture” or “Best Television Series” award.

2016/22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards winners:

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
SPOTLIGHT (Open Road Films)
BILLY CRUDUP / Eric MacLeish
BRIAN D’ARCY JAMES / Matty Carroll
MICHAEL KEATON / Walter “Robby” Robinson
RACHEL McADAMS / Sacha Pfeiffer
MARK RUFFALO / Michael Rezendes
LIEV SCHREIBER / Marty Baron
JOHN SLATTERY / Ben Bradlee, Jr.
STANLEY TUCCI / Mitchell Garabedian

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / Hugh Glass – “THE REVENANT” (20th Century Fox)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
BRIE LARSON / Ma – “ROOM” (A24)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
IDRIS ELBA / Commandant – “BEASTS OF NO NATION” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
ALICIA VIKANDER / Gerda Wegener – “THE DANISH GIRL” (Focus Features)


TELEVISION PROGRAMS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
IDRIS ELBA / DCI John Luther – “LUTHER” (BBC America)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
QUEEN LATIFAH / Bessie Smith – “BESSIE” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
KEVIN SPACEY / Francis Underwood – “HOUSE OF CARDS” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

VIOLA DAVIS / Annalise Keating – “HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
JEFFREY TAMBOR / Maura Pfefferman – “TRANSPARENT” (Amazon)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
UZO ADUBA / Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren – “ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
DOWNTON ABBEY (Masterpiece/PBS)
HUGH BONNEVILLE / Robert, Earl of Grantham
LAURA CARMICHAEL / Lady Edith Crawley
JIM CARTER / Mr. Carson
RAQUEL CASSIDY / Baxter
BRENDAN COYLE / Mr. Bates
TOM CULLEN / Anthony Gillingham
MICHELLE DOCKERY / Lady Mary Crawley
KEVIN DOYLE / Mr. Molesley
JOANNE FROGGATT / Anna Bates
LILY JAMES / Lady Rose
ROBERT JAMES-COLLIER / Thomas Barrow
ALLEN LEECH / Tom Branson
PHYLLIS LOGAN / Mrs. Hughes
ELIZABETH McGOVERN / Cora, Countess of Grantham
SOPHIE McSHERA / Daisy
LESLEY NICOL / Mrs. Patmore
JULIAN OVENDEN / Charles Blake
DAVID ROBB / Dr. Clarkson
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham
PENELOPE WILTON / Isobel Crawley

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (Netflix)
UZO ADUBA / Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren
MIKE BIRBIGLIA / Danny Pearson
MARSHA STEPHANIE BLAKE / Berdie Rogers
DANIELLE BROOKS / Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson
LAVERNE COX / Sophia Burset
JACKIE CRUZ / Marisol “Flaca” Gonzales
CATHERINE CURTIN / Wanda Bell
LEA DELARIA / Carrie “Big Boo” Black
BETH FOWLER / Sister Jane Ingalls
JOEL MARSH GARLAND / Scott O’Neill
KIMIKO GLENN / Brook Soso
ANNIE GOLDEN / Norma Romano
DIANE GUERRERO / Maritza Ramos
MICHAEL J. HARNEY / Sam Healy
VICKY JEUDY / Janae Watson
SELENIS LEYVA / Gloria Mendoza
TARYN MANNING / Tiffany “Pennsatucky” Doggett
ADRIENNE C. MOORE / Black Cindy
KATE MULGREW / Galina “Red” Reznikov
EMMA MYLES / Leanne Taylor
MATT PETERS / Joel Luschek
LORI PETTY / Lolly Whitehill
JESSICA PIMENTEL / Maria Ruiz
DASCHA POLANCO / Dayanara Diaz
LAURA PREPON / Alex Vause
ELIZABETH RODRIGUEZ / Aleida Diaz
RUBY ROSE / Stella Carlin
NICK SANDOW / Joe Caputo
ABIGAIL SAVAGE / Gina
TAYLOR SCHILLING / Piper Chapman
CONSTANCE SHULMAN / Yoga Jones
DALE SOULES / Frieda
YAEL STONE / Lorna Morello
SAMIRA WILEY / Poussey Washington

SAG AWARDS HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series
GAME OF THRONES” (HBO)

52nd Annual SAG Life Achievement Award
CAROL BURNETT

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Saturday, January 30, 2016

New Naruto Novel Out Tues., February 2nd

VIZ MEDIA DELIVERS A BRAND NEW NARUTO NOVEL TO READERS WITH THE DEBUT OF NARUTO: SHIKAMARU’S STORY

New Novel Is The Second Release In A New Series Focusing On Key Characters From Masashi Kishimoto’s Smash Hit Ninja Action Series, NARUTO

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, delivers the next release in a continuing series of NARUTO prose novels focusing on key characters from the internationally acclaimed ninja action series.

NARUTO: SHIKAMARU’S STORY was written by author Takashi Yano and will be released in print and digitally in early February. The book tells the story of the current head of Team 10 and the Nara Clan and features original cover art by Masashi Kishimoto. Allies and enemies from the famed NARUTO series take center stage in these fast-paced adventures, with each novel focusing on a particular clan mate, ally, team…or villain

NARUTO: SHIKAMARU’S STORY
MSRP: $10.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN / $6.99 Digital · Available February 2nd, 2016

Two years after the Great Ninja War, Shikamaru spends his days racing around, hands full as one of Konoha’s key protectors. Then, large numbers of ninja from every region are reported missing. Even Sai disappears. And the place where the missing shinobi end up is the mysterious empire, the Land of Silence. As a ninja, as an adult, to protect all that he is responsible for, Shikamaru must do battle with the shadow of a new generation.

Also don’t miss NARUTO: KAKASHI’S STORY, the first book in the series of NARUTO novels, available now in print and also digitally.

Manga author/artist Masashi Kishimoto was born in 1974 in rural Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Like many kids, he was first inspired to become a manga artist in elementary school when he read Dragon Ball. After spending time in art school, he won the Hop Step Award for new manga artists with his story, Karakuri. After considering various genres for his next project, Kishimoto decided on a story steeped in traditional Japanese culture. His first version of NARUTO, drawn in 1997, was a one-shot story about fox spirits; his final version, which debuted in Japan in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, quickly became the most popular ninja manga in the world. The series would also spawn multiple anime series, movies, novels, video games and more. Having concluded the series in late 2014, Masashi Kishimoto has kept himself busy this year with the side story, Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring, and writing the story for the latest NARUTO movie, Boruto: Naruto the Movie, both of which focus on the title character's son, Boruto.

VIZ Media is the North American master licensor for NARUTO and publishes the bestselling NARUTO manga series in print and digitally and also distributes the NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime series and feature films. Additional information on NARUTO is available at www.Naruto.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 ONE PIECE, 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.

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Friday, January 29, 2016

DC Comics to Publish Modernized Scooby-Doo Comic Book - "Scooby Apocalypse"

DC Entertainment to Publish Comics Based on Popular Hanna-Barbera Characters

“Scooby Apocalypse” Featuring Character Designs by Jim Lee Headlines New Lineup of Teen+ Comics

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pajamas and a big bowl of sugary cereal is how many of us remember watching our favorite Saturday morning cartoons as kids. Beginning in May, DC Entertainment plans to give old fans and new the chance to relive (and extend) their childhoods with a new, modern lineup of comics based on some of Hanna-Barbera’s most popular cartoon characters, but reimagined in a fresh and contemporary fashion.

    “With this initial lineup of titles and talent, we’re excited for fans to experience the reimagining of these Saturday morning classics with a more modern and contemporary look and feel.”

The initial lineup includes:

SCOOBY APOCALYPSE – Featuring character designs by veteran artist Jim Lee and an origin story by Jim Lee and Keith Giffen (JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001), artist Howard Porter (SUPERMAN) will provide his own unique take on Freddie, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo. “Those meddling kids” and their Mystery Machine are at the center of a well-meaning experiment gone wrong and they’ll need to bring all of their mystery solving skills to bear (along with plenty of Scooby Snacks), to find a cure for a world full of mutated creatures infected by a nanite virus that enhances their fears, terrors and baser instincts. This time, the horrors are real in this apocalyptic near-future badland!

FUTURE QUEST – Writer Jeff Parker (AQUAMAN, JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED, BATMAN ’66) and artist Evan “Doc” Shaner (JUSTICE LEAGUE DARKSEID WAR: GREEN LANTERN) join forces to bring fans new tales of adventure’s most iconic teenager, Jonny Quest, along with his sidekick Hadji. This series combines Team QUEST (Hadji, Race Bannon, Dr. Benton Quest and Jezebel Jade) with some of the most well-known action and adventure heroes ever created by Hanna-Barbera, including SPACE GHOST, THE HERCULOIDS, BIRDMAN, MIGHTOR and FRANKENSTEIN Jr., among others.

WACKY RACELAND – Take The Ant Hill Mob, Penelope Pitstop and Dick Dastardly, mix in a healthy dose of “Mad Max” and you get this dark and gritty take on Hanna-Barbera’s “Wacky Races,” courtesy of writer Ken Pontac (REBOOT, HAPPY TREE FRIENDS) and artist Leonardo Manco (HELLBLAZER), with vehicle designs by Mark Sexton (MAD MAX: FURY ROAD). A time of hope and innocence with Utopia at the finish line has given way to planetary Armageddon and a desert wasteland full of radioactive lakes, nanotech dust storms, and cannibalistic mutants. Against this backdrop, the Wacky Racers and their sentient vehicles continue their contest, but now the competition is for survival, and there can only be one winner when the checkered flag falls.

THE FLINTSTONES – Based on character designs by Amanda Conner (HARLEY QUINN, STARFIRE), writer Mark Russell (PREZ, GOD IS DISAPPOINTED IN YOU) provides his own unique perspective on everyone’s “modern stone age family.” Russell will use Bedrock’s most popular family to shine a light on humanity’s ancient customs and institutions in a funny origin story of human civilization. Fred is still the simple man, striving to be the king of his castle, Wilma is still the tolerant but not-indulging wife and Barney (with his wife Betty and infant son Bamm-Bamm) is still the original wingman, whose loyalty to Fred often outweighs his common sense.

“I can’t think of anyone that doesn’t look back at these characters with anything but fond memories,” said Dan DiDio, DC Entertainment Co-Publisher. “With this initial lineup of titles and talent, we’re excited for fans to experience the reimagining of these Saturday morning classics with a more modern and contemporary look and feel.”

For more information about Hanna-Barbera and DC Comics, visit the website at DCComics.com.


About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics in the world.

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VIZ Media Offers a Duo of Pokemon DVD Sets

VIZ MEDIA PREVIEWS A PAIR OF NEW POKÉMON HOME MEDIA RELEASES TO START 2016

POKÉMON THE SERIES: XY Set 2 DVD Available Now And POKÉMON: THE MOVIES STEELBOOK BLU-RAY COLLECTION Debuts Next Month

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, expands its POKÉMON catalog for anime fans as it announces a pair of new home media releases.

Inspired by the latest generation of Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video games, Pokémon THE SERIES: XY Set 2 is available now on DVD. POKÉMON: THE MOVIES 1-3 STEELBOOK BLU-RAY COLLECTION contains a trio of full-length POKÉMON feature films and will be available February 9th, 2016. Both are rated ‘TV-Y7’ for viewers ages 7 and older.

POKÉMON THE SERIES: XY DVD SET 2 · MSRP: $26.95 U.S. / $31.98 CAN · Available Now

In the latest home media set inspired by the new generation of Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video games, Ash Ketchum and his friends venture ever deeper into the Kalos region! Ash takes to the skies in a wing suit in his first aerial battle, and the group explores exciting new areas like the majestic Kalos Canyon, the mysterious Cave of Mirrors, and Professor Sycamore’s Pokémon summer camp. Meanwhile, Miette and Serena’s rivalry over Ash heats up, and Team Rocket flummoxes everyone with clever disguises and Pokémon-nabbing schemes! And of course, everyone’s after the secrets of Mega Evolution—but will anyone get a handle on its consequences? The new set contains 3 discs featuring 24 episodes (25-48), presented with dubbed English dialogue.

POKÉMON: The MOVIEs 1-3 Steelbook BLU-RAY COLLECTION · MSRP: $39.99 U.S. / $46.99 CAN · Available February 9th    

A special 3-disc Steelbook set featuring three complete POKÉMON feature films— POKÉMON: THE FIRST MOVIE, POKÉMON THE MOVIE 2000, and POKÉMON 3: THE MOVIE. Films are each presented with dubbed English dialogue.

In POKÉMON: THE FIRST MOVIE, the adventure explodes into action with the debut of Mewtwo, a bio-engineered Pokémon created from the DNA of Mew, the rarest of all Pokémon. After escaping from the lab where it was created, Mewtwo is determined to prove its own superiority. It lures a number of talented Trainers into a Pokémon battle like never before—and of course, Ash and his friends are happy to accept the challenge!

In POKÉMON THE MOVIE 2000, just one person can make a difference… In the Orange Islands far south of Kanto, a Trainer named Lawrence is on a sinister quest: catching the Legendary Pokémon Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres in an attempt to awaken Lugia, guardian of the sea! When Ash and friends arrive, the islanders ask him to gather three elemental orbs from different islands. As the weather across the world goes out of control, it becomes clear that the capture of the legendary trio has thrown the environment out of balance! With Lugia’s help, can Ash find the orbs, restore the balance, and be the “chosen one” that everyone turns to?

In POKÉMON 3: THE MOVIE, a crystal catastrophe is unleashed upon Greenfield, and Ash, Pikachu, and friends must figure out how to undo the damage to the once-beautiful town. But the unthinkable happens when Ash’s mother is kidnapped by the powerful Entei, a Pokémon thought to have existed only in legend. Now Ash must go to her rescue, uncertain of what he’ll uncover when he unlocks the real secret power behind the unbelievable turn of events: a young girl whose dream world is being turned into a nightmarish reality by the mysterious and unstoppable Unown!

POKÉMON is one of the most successful international entertainment franchises of all time. More than 275 million POKÉMON video game titles and over 21.5 billion Pokémon Trading Cards have been sold in more than 74 countries in addition to substantial publishing and merchandise sales. VIZ Media is the official North American distributor for a wide variety of POKÉMON home media releases including animated series and films and also publishes a variety of POKÉMON manga graphic novel series including POKÉMON ADVENTURES X•Y, POKÉMON ADVENTURES, POKÉMON ADVENTURES: DIAMOND AND PEARL, POKÉMON ADVENTURES: HEART/GOLD & SOUL/SILVER, POKÉMON ADVENTURES: BLACK & WHITE.

For more information on other Pokémon manga and anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit 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 ONE PIECE, 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.

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