by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
Support Leroy on Patreon:
BLACK AMERICA AND COVID-19 - Crisis or... :
From TheVox: (May 8th) - Social distancing arrests target people of color.
From YahooNews: A tale of two parks: Enjoying the sun in wealthy Manhattan, social distancing under police scrutiny in the Bronx
From YahooGMA: (4/28) - Rana Zoe Mungin, a 30-year-old teacher from Brooklyn, died on Monday, April 27th for COVID-19. She had twice been denied a test for the coronavirus after showing symptoms. Her family and friends blame racial disparity in the health care system.
From RSNWashPost: How COVID-19 is a perfect storm for Black Americans.
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From NBCNews: Because COVID-19 is NOT killing enough black people fast enough for some people... Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT worker, was killed in a botched police raid on the part of the Louisville Metro Police Department.
From ABCNews: This article has a picture of the three Klansmen... I mean Louiville police officers who slaughtered Breonna Taylor.
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From NewYorkTimes: Because COVID-19 isn't killing enough black people fast enough for some people... a timeline in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery.
From YahooSports: NBA superstar and champion, LeBron James, speaks on the killing of Ahmaud Arbery. "We're literally hunted everyday," James says.
From YahooSports: NFL champion and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, Tom Brady, signs letter on Ahmaud Arbery.
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From USAToday: Because COVID-19 isn't killing enough black people fast enough for some people... Dreasjon "Sean" Reed was killed by the Indianapolis Metro Police Department on May 7th.
From TMZ: Cops joke about "closed casket" funeral after killing Sean Reed.
CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS:
From CDC: The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."
From YahooNews: Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?
From YahooNews: Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.
From Deadline: The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.
From TheNewYorker: The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.
From YahooNews: Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?
From YahooLife: What is "happy hypoxia?" And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?
From JuanCole: Remeber when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19. Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.
From RSN: Former U.S. Secretary of Labor (under President Bill Clinton), Robert Reich, list the new "class divides" with their inequalities that he says the COVID-19 pandemic has created.
From Grist: The scientists that saw coronavirus coming are hunting for the next pandemic.
From YahooNews: Senate majority leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell (Republican of Kentucky) blames former President Obama for current President Donald's piss-poor response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 OBIT:
From CNN: Entertainer and magician, Roy Horn, has died at the age of 75, May 8, 2020 of complications of COVID-19. Horn was best known as one-half of the Las Vegas animal and magic act, "Siegfried & Roy," with his partner Seigfried Fischbacher.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:
MOVIES - From Deadline: Oscar-winner Danny Boyle is set to direct Micheal B. Jordan in the film, "Methuselah," which is based on the Biblical character.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Warner Bros. is remaking director Blake Edwards' 1979 comedy, "10," which originally starred Julie Andrews, Dudley Moore, and Bo Derek.
MOVIES - From Variety: Universal Pictures has tapped Luca Guadagnino ("Call Me By Your Name") to direct its reboot of the film "Scarface." Joel Coen and Ethan Coen wrote the latest version of the script.
DISNEY - From Variety: Disney+ is in the early stages of developing the "Percy Jackson" book series as a live-action series. Fox previously produced two live-action films based on the books by Rick Riordan.
MOVIES - From CNN: Russell Crowe's thriller, "Unhinged," gets a July 1st, 2020 release date. This may make it the first new film to arrive in movie theaters during the pandemic.
DISNEY - From Deadline: Disney+ will stream a filmed version of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, "Hamilton." beginning July 3, 2020. Director Tommy Kail, who also directed the musical, comprised the film version by shooting three live performances of the musical. Disney paid $75 million for the worldwide rights to the movie.
From GQ: Robert Pattinson shot his own cover for the latest "GQ" magazine and its "A Dispatch from Isolation" interview with him. He talks about a number of things including his role in "The Batman" and his struggle to describe the plot of Christopher Nolan's "Tenet."
From THR: For its Fall 2020 schedule, Fox is picking on "L.A.'s Finest," a scripted original series for cable provider, Spectrum.
From Deadline: Ryan Murphy is working on an anthology spinoff of his hit FX series, "American Horror Story." It will be titles "American Horror Stories."
From Variety: There will be no Cannes Film Festival this year - even in the fall.
From Deadline: Not even a basket of horrid "X-Men" can stop writer-producer Simon Kinberg's career trajectory. Netflix has picked up his heist spec script, "Here Comes the Flood," for deal in the mid-7 figures.
From Deadline: Kal Penn talks about CBS' 2020-2021 TV sequel to the 1991 Oscar-winning film, "Silence of the Lambs."
From Deadline: CBS has picked up three new series for next season: The Equalizer reboot starring Queen Latifah; "Silence of the Lambs," sequel "Clarice," starring Rebecca Breeds; and the Chuck Lorre-Marco Pennette multi-camera comedy, "B Positive," headlined by Thomas Middleditch and Annaleigh Ashford.
OBITS:
From Deadline: Veteran film and television character actor, Fred Willard, has died at the age of 86, Friday, May 15, 2020. Willard was known for playing a long list of roles in various comedic films ("Best in Show" and "How High" to name a few) and television series ("Fernwood 2 Night" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" to name a few). On IMDb, Willard has 311 credits. He will be seen posthumously in the upcoming Netflix comedy, "Space Force," with Steve Carell.
From THR: The comedian and actor, Jerry Stiller, has died at the age of 92, Monday, May 11, 2020. He is best known for TV series. First is for the recurring role of "George Costanza's" father, "Frank," on the NBC series, "Seinfeld" (1989-1998), from 1993 to 1998. The second role is that of series regular, "Arthur Spooner," on CBS' "The King of Queens" (1998 to 2007). Decades ago, Stiller was best known for being part of the comedy team of Stiller and Meara with the late Ann Meara, who would become his wife. The couple had two children, actor and filmmaker, Ben Stiller, and
From Essence: Noted R&B and soul singer, Betty Wright, has died at the age of 66, Sunday, May 10, 2020. Noted for her use of the "whistle register," Wright had a number of hit songs. His signature single was "Clean Up Woman" (1974), a top 10 hit on "Billboard" magazine's "Hot 100" and "R&B" charts. In 1975, she had a hit with what is called a "proto-disco" song, "Where is the Love?" She won a "Best R&B Song" Grammy Award for composing the song with Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch of "KC & the Sunshine Band." Wright was also a prolific and prominent background vocalist who performed on recordings for a number of popular recording artists, including Gloria Estefan, Stevie Wonder, and David Byrne, to name a few.
From RollingStone: One of the founding fathers of rock and roll music, Little Richard, has died at the age of 87, Saturday, May 9, 2020. He combined blues and gospel music to create a thrilling new sound, and his flamboyant and gender-bending persona helped to create the sound and spirit of a new art form, rock and roll or rock 'n' roll music. His best known recordings included "Tutti Frutti" (1955), "Long Tall Song" (1956), and "Good Golly, Miss Molly" (1958). In 1986, Little Richard was among the first inductees of the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."
From RollingStone: Little Richard wrote this tribute to himself in 2010 for "Rolling Stone's" "100 Greatest Artists" issue.
Saturday, May 16, 2020
NatGeo WILD Starts Week Dedicated to Dogs Mon., May 18th
Beginning May 18, Nat Geo WILD Is Going to the Dogs With SIT, STAY, DOGS ALL DAY Five-Day Marathon Dedicated to All Things Dog!
PLUS... Cesar Millan Returns Home to Where it All Began on Nat Geo WILD With Week-long Interstitials for Pups and Their People
Then Roll Over to Disney+ For Additional ‘Mutt-see’ Pup Programming, Including Full Seasons of Nat Geo WILD’s Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan and more!
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The past two months have been ruff, and Nat Geo WILD is reminding you to stay ‘pawsitive’ while you’re staying home. Dogs have always been our constant companions and according to the ASPCA, the number of animals out of shelters and in homes is up 70%!
“So fetch your remote and loosen your collar for programming that highlights the important role dogs play in our lives. You’re gonna ‘pug’in love it!”
Beginning Monday, May 18, 2020, at 7AM/6c, Nat Geo WILD unleashes a weekday-long marathon of fan-favorite shows, celebrating the human-animal connection that unites us all. Settle in for five full days of Fido as the network delivers wall-to-wall programming that’s sure to inspire, entertain and ward off any ‘melan-collie.’
Cesar Millan, who became a ‘fur-miliar’ face on Nat Geo WILD nearly a decade ago, returns to headline the network’s SIT, STAY, DOGS ALL DAY programming event, providing the latest dog tips in a digestible mini-masterclass format. Topics include the following:
Nat Geo WILD, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, fills its coffers with canine content from the past decade with a spotlight on Cesar’s hit shows DOG WHISPERER and CESAR 911 and current stalwarts, including THE INCREDIBLE DR. POL and DR. OAKLEY: YUKON VET. And, throughout the week, check out ‘fur’ever friendships in UNLIKELY ANIMAL FRIENDS; witness heroic actions in A DOG SAVED MY LIFE; and figure out if your pup is an Einstein in IS YOUR DOG A GENIUS?
“Every dog has its day, and we are thrilled to bring back Cesar — one of the world’s most renowned dog behavior experts — to help us showcase these furry friends for five full days,” says Janet Han Vissering, senior vice president of development and production at Nat Geo WILD. “So fetch your remote and loosen your collar for programming that highlights the important role dogs play in our lives. You’re gonna ‘pug’in love it!”
“Nat Geo WILD and I have decided to put the pack back together as the world is facing unprecedented times. I am eager to share my top tips for dogs and the people who love them, as we all navigate our new realities,” says Cesar Millan. “Dogs are an integral part of who we are and how we live our lives, and it is imperative that they are treated with respect, integrity and love. I hope these new recommendations allow viewers to connect with their dog in natural, simple and profound ways, no matter the age of the dog."
‘Fur’ additional programming sure to keep your tail wagging, check out Disney+ for Nat Geo WILD top-dog series and specials, including DOG WHISPERER WITH CESAR MILLAN, DOG: IMPOSSIBLE, WORLD’S GREATEST DOGS and HOW DOGS GOT THEIR SHAPES.
Nat Geo WILD’s full marathon line-up can be found here.
About National Geographic:
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between the National Geographic Society and Disney, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 132 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
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PLUS... Cesar Millan Returns Home to Where it All Began on Nat Geo WILD With Week-long Interstitials for Pups and Their People
Then Roll Over to Disney+ For Additional ‘Mutt-see’ Pup Programming, Including Full Seasons of Nat Geo WILD’s Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan and more!
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The past two months have been ruff, and Nat Geo WILD is reminding you to stay ‘pawsitive’ while you’re staying home. Dogs have always been our constant companions and according to the ASPCA, the number of animals out of shelters and in homes is up 70%!
“So fetch your remote and loosen your collar for programming that highlights the important role dogs play in our lives. You’re gonna ‘pug’in love it!”
Beginning Monday, May 18, 2020, at 7AM/6c, Nat Geo WILD unleashes a weekday-long marathon of fan-favorite shows, celebrating the human-animal connection that unites us all. Settle in for five full days of Fido as the network delivers wall-to-wall programming that’s sure to inspire, entertain and ward off any ‘melan-collie.’
Cesar Millan, who became a ‘fur-miliar’ face on Nat Geo WILD nearly a decade ago, returns to headline the network’s SIT, STAY, DOGS ALL DAY programming event, providing the latest dog tips in a digestible mini-masterclass format. Topics include the following:
- Knowing the proper technique for leashes
- Creating an indoor exercise program
- Helping a barking dog
- Keeping your dog fetchingly clean
- Ensuring a night filled with sweet dreams for pups and people
Nat Geo WILD, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, fills its coffers with canine content from the past decade with a spotlight on Cesar’s hit shows DOG WHISPERER and CESAR 911 and current stalwarts, including THE INCREDIBLE DR. POL and DR. OAKLEY: YUKON VET. And, throughout the week, check out ‘fur’ever friendships in UNLIKELY ANIMAL FRIENDS; witness heroic actions in A DOG SAVED MY LIFE; and figure out if your pup is an Einstein in IS YOUR DOG A GENIUS?
“Every dog has its day, and we are thrilled to bring back Cesar — one of the world’s most renowned dog behavior experts — to help us showcase these furry friends for five full days,” says Janet Han Vissering, senior vice president of development and production at Nat Geo WILD. “So fetch your remote and loosen your collar for programming that highlights the important role dogs play in our lives. You’re gonna ‘pug’in love it!”
“Nat Geo WILD and I have decided to put the pack back together as the world is facing unprecedented times. I am eager to share my top tips for dogs and the people who love them, as we all navigate our new realities,” says Cesar Millan. “Dogs are an integral part of who we are and how we live our lives, and it is imperative that they are treated with respect, integrity and love. I hope these new recommendations allow viewers to connect with their dog in natural, simple and profound ways, no matter the age of the dog."
‘Fur’ additional programming sure to keep your tail wagging, check out Disney+ for Nat Geo WILD top-dog series and specials, including DOG WHISPERER WITH CESAR MILLAN, DOG: IMPOSSIBLE, WORLD’S GREATEST DOGS and HOW DOGS GOT THEIR SHAPES.
Nat Geo WILD’s full marathon line-up can be found here.
About National Geographic:
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between the National Geographic Society and Disney, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 132 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
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Friday, May 15, 2020
MTV Networks to Air Oscar-Nominated Documentary, "St. Louis Superman"
MTV Documentary Films Academy Award® Nominated" St. Louis Superman," Executive Produced by Sheila Nevins and Fiona Lawson-Baker to Premiere Monday, May 18th, 2020 at 9PM ET/PT Across MTV, VH1 and MTV2
Critically-acclaimed film is co-directed by Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan and produced by Al Jazeera Witness and Poh Si Teng
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MTV Documentary Films' Academy Award®* nominated "St. Louis Superman," produced by Al Jazeera Witness will premiere Monday, May 18, 2020 at 9PM ET/PT on MTV, VH1 and MTV2 via simulcast.
[*"Best Documentary (Short Subject) at the 92nd Academy Awards.]
The award-winning film directed by Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan, tells the story of Representative Bruce Franks Jr., a Ferguson activist and battle rapper who was elected to the overwhelmingly white and Republican Missouri House of Representatives.
Known as “Superman” to his constituents, Franks Jr. cuts a unique figure - an unorthodox politician who has overcome a tremendous loss to become one of the most dynamic and unapologetic young leaders in the country. Forced to deal with the trauma he's been carrying for nearly 30 years after witnessing the shooting death of his nine-year-old brother, the film chronicles his work toward overcoming both personal trauma and political obstacles in an effort to pass a bill that is critical to his community. Only by confronting his pain can Franks Jr. find peace and truly fulfill his destiny as a leader.
The film won the jury prize for Best Documentary Short at Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, the Audience Award for Best Short at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, the Audience Award for Best Short at AFI Docs and the Special Jury Mention at Tribeca Film Festival. St. Louis Superman is produced by Mundhra, Khan and Poh Si Teng and executive produced by Sheila Nevins and Fiona Lawson-Baker.
About Bruce Franks Jr.
Bruce Franks Jr. is an American politician and community activist. He served in the Missouri House of Representatives representing the 78th District and served as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Police/Community Relations before resigning in 2019. A St. Louis native, Franks Jr. is also a world-renowned battle rapper known as “Ooops” as well as a small business owner. Today, he works with the Community Justice Action Fund, which holds elected officials and community leaders accountable for ending gun violence in communities of color across the nation.
About MTV Studios
MTV Studios is a unit of MTV focused on developing content for SVOD and linear distribution platforms. With access to one of the largest libraries of 200+ youth and music titles, MTV Studios was created to harness the power of MTV, create new franchises and reimagine its most iconic hits including “The Real World” for Facebook Watch as well as “Punk’d” and “Singled Out” for Quibi. Additionally, MTV Studios launched MTV Documentary Films to explore the social, political and cultural trends and stories important to young people.
About Al Jazeera English - Witness
"St. Louis Superman" is an Al Jazeera original documentary from AJE Witness, an award-winning documentary strand of Al Jazeera English. AJE Witness celebrates independent filmmaking and stories challenging dominant views that reflect the human experience. Al Jazeera English provides international news, current affairs and documentaries that places people at the heart of the story, rooted in the belief that everyone has a story worth hearing. The AJE Witness team is proud to have the opportunity to work with protagonist of the film Bruce Franks Jr., and award winning directors, Smriti Mundhra & Sami Khan.
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Critically-acclaimed film is co-directed by Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan and produced by Al Jazeera Witness and Poh Si Teng
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MTV Documentary Films' Academy Award®* nominated "St. Louis Superman," produced by Al Jazeera Witness will premiere Monday, May 18, 2020 at 9PM ET/PT on MTV, VH1 and MTV2 via simulcast.
[*"Best Documentary (Short Subject) at the 92nd Academy Awards.]
The award-winning film directed by Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan, tells the story of Representative Bruce Franks Jr., a Ferguson activist and battle rapper who was elected to the overwhelmingly white and Republican Missouri House of Representatives.
Known as “Superman” to his constituents, Franks Jr. cuts a unique figure - an unorthodox politician who has overcome a tremendous loss to become one of the most dynamic and unapologetic young leaders in the country. Forced to deal with the trauma he's been carrying for nearly 30 years after witnessing the shooting death of his nine-year-old brother, the film chronicles his work toward overcoming both personal trauma and political obstacles in an effort to pass a bill that is critical to his community. Only by confronting his pain can Franks Jr. find peace and truly fulfill his destiny as a leader.
The film won the jury prize for Best Documentary Short at Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, the Audience Award for Best Short at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, the Audience Award for Best Short at AFI Docs and the Special Jury Mention at Tribeca Film Festival. St. Louis Superman is produced by Mundhra, Khan and Poh Si Teng and executive produced by Sheila Nevins and Fiona Lawson-Baker.
About Bruce Franks Jr.
Bruce Franks Jr. is an American politician and community activist. He served in the Missouri House of Representatives representing the 78th District and served as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Police/Community Relations before resigning in 2019. A St. Louis native, Franks Jr. is also a world-renowned battle rapper known as “Ooops” as well as a small business owner. Today, he works with the Community Justice Action Fund, which holds elected officials and community leaders accountable for ending gun violence in communities of color across the nation.
About MTV Studios
MTV Studios is a unit of MTV focused on developing content for SVOD and linear distribution platforms. With access to one of the largest libraries of 200+ youth and music titles, MTV Studios was created to harness the power of MTV, create new franchises and reimagine its most iconic hits including “The Real World” for Facebook Watch as well as “Punk’d” and “Singled Out” for Quibi. Additionally, MTV Studios launched MTV Documentary Films to explore the social, political and cultural trends and stories important to young people.
About Al Jazeera English - Witness
"St. Louis Superman" is an Al Jazeera original documentary from AJE Witness, an award-winning documentary strand of Al Jazeera English. AJE Witness celebrates independent filmmaking and stories challenging dominant views that reflect the human experience. Al Jazeera English provides international news, current affairs and documentaries that places people at the heart of the story, rooted in the belief that everyone has a story worth hearing. The AJE Witness team is proud to have the opportunity to work with protagonist of the film Bruce Franks Jr., and award winning directors, Smriti Mundhra & Sami Khan.
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Wednesday, May 13, 2020
New Scooby-Doo Movie, "Scoob!," Hits On Demand Fri., May 15th
Warner Bros. to Make the Full-Length Animated Feature “SCOOB!” Available for Both Premium Video On Demand and Premium Digital Ownership May 15, 2020
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In response to the unprecedented demand for high-quality family entertainment in the home, Warner Bros. will make its upcoming animated feature film “SCOOB!” available for both Premium Video On Demand (PVOD) and for premium digital ownership in the U.S. and Canada on May 15, 2020 providing first-run content while theaters remain closed due to the current global health crisis. The announcement was made today by Ann Sarnoff, Chair and CEO, Warner Bros.
“While we’re all eager to be able to once again show our films in theaters, we’re navigating new, unprecedented times which call for creative thinking and adaptability in how we distribute our content”
“While we’re all eager to be able to once again show our films in theaters, we’re navigating new, unprecedented times which call for creative thinking and adaptability in how we distribute our content,” said Sarnoff. “We know fans are eager to see ‘SCOOB!’ and we’re delighted we can deliver this feel-good movie for families to enjoy while they’re home together.”
“SCOOB!” will be available for a 48-hour rental via Premium Video On Demand for $19.99 or premium digital ownership for $24.99 beginning on Friday, May 15 (prices listed U.S. SRP). The title will be available on participating digital platforms.
The first full-length animated Scooby-Doo adventure for the big screen, “SCOOB!” reveals how lifelong friends Scooby and Shaggy first met and how they joined with young detectives Fred, Velma and Daphne to form the famous Mystery Inc. Now, with hundreds of cases solved and adventures shared, Scooby and the gang face their biggest, most challenging mystery ever: a plot to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world. As they race to stop this global “dogpocalypse,” the gang discovers that Scooby has a secret legacy and an epic destiny greater than anyone imagined.
Starring in “SCOOB!” are Will Forte (“Booksmart,” TV’s “The Last Man on Earth”) as Scooby-Doo’s best friend, Shaggy; two-time Oscar nominee Mark Wahlberg (“The Fighter,” “The Departed”) as Blue Falcon; Jason Isaacs (the “Harry Potter” films, TV’s “The OA”) as the infamous Dick Dastardly; Gina Rodriguez (“Deepwater Horizon,” TV’s “Jane the Virgin”) as Velma; Zac Efron (“The Greatest Showman,” “Hairspray”) as Fred; Amanda Seyfried (the “Mamma Mia!” films, “Mean Girls”) as Daphne; Kiersey Clemons (“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,” TV’s “Angie Tribeca”) as Falcon Fury pilot Dee Dee Skyes; Ken Jeong (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “The Hangover” trilogy) as the Falcon Force’s Dynomutt; Tracy Morgan (“What Men Want,” TV’s “30 Rock”) as Captain Caveman; and Frank Welker (TV’s Scooby-Doo; the “Transformers” franchise) as Scooby-Doo.
“SCOOB!” is directed by Tony Cervone, Annie Award nominee for the feature “Space Jam” and two-time Emmy nominee for his work on “Duck Dodgers.”
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Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Review: "Midsommar" is Both Familiar and Freaky
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]
Midsommar (2019)
Running time: 147 minutes (2 hours, 27 minutes)
MPAA – R for disturbing ritualistic violence and grisly images, strong sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and language
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Ari Aster
PRODUCERS: Patrik Andersson and Lars Knudsen
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Pawel Pogorzelski
EDITOR: Lucian Johnston
COMPOSER: Bobby Krlic
HORROR
Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Vilhelm Blomgren, William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter, Ellora Torchia, Archie Madekwe, Henrik Norlen, Gunnel Fred, Isabelle Grill, Agnes Rase, Mats Blomgren, and Hampus Hallberg
Midsommar is a 2019 horror film written and directed by Ari Aster. The film follows a group of friends that travel to Sweden to visit a isolated village and attend its mid-summer festival only to find themselves in the clutches of a pagan cult.
Midsommar introduces college student, Dani Ardor (Florence Pugh), who has recently been traumatized by a bizarre family tragedy. Dani is also involved with an emotionally-distant boyfriend, Christian Hughes (Jack Reynor), and the incident with Dani's family further strains their tenuous relationship. Dani learns that in the upcoming summer, Christian and his friends, Mark (Will Poulter) and Josh (William Jackson Harper), have been invited by their Swedish friend, Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren), to accompany him to Sweden.
There, the group will travel to Pelle's ancestral commune, the Harga, in Halsingland and experience a midsummer celebration, a nine-day feast, that occurs every 90 years. Christian reluctantly invites Dani to come along. As soon as the group arrives, however, bizarre and horrible things begin to happen, and some of their friends begin to disappear. Will Dani and her friends uncover the truth about this idyllic village in time to save themselves?
Midsommar is the second feature film from writer-director Ari Aster, who wowed audiences with his 2018 film, Hereditary (which I have not yet seen). Midsommar is creepy, bizarre, troubling, and unsettling. Some of the film has stayed with me in the eight hours since I finished watching it, and I can't stop thinking about both some of its scenes and some of the pagan practices, rituals, and iconography depicted in the film. Midsommar is a beautiful looking film, especially the costumes of the Harga villagers, the flower arrangements, and the sets.
That said, much of Midsommar is a reworking of decades-old films that have dealt with murderous pagan cults. That includes the British films, Eye of the Devil (1966) and The Wicker Man (1973), and also the 1978, two-part NBC miniseries, “The Dark Secret of Harvest Home” (1978). In fact, I recognized a lot of ideas in Midsommar that are similar to plot threads in “The Dark Secret of Harvest Home,” which was based on Thomas Tyron's 1973 novel, Harvest Home.
So Midsommar is good and creepy and unsettling and disturbing. However, it isn't so much original as it is the revival of genre of cult movies that are about cults. If you have not seen the earlier films, Midsommar is a good place to start.
B
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Friday, April 10, 2020
The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.
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Monday, May 11, 2020
DC Comics On-Sale May 12, 2020
DC Comics New Comic Books – Tuesday, May 12, 2020:
New Comic Books:
Harley Quinn #72
Justice League #44
Justice League Odyssey #20
Lois Lane #10
Metal Men #6
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New Comic Books:
Harley Quinn #72
Justice League #44
Justice League Odyssey #20
Lois Lane #10
Metal Men #6
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Saturday, May 9, 2020
Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 1st to 9th, 2020- Update #26
by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
Support Leroy on Patreon:
BLACK AMERICA AND COVID-19 - Crisis or... :
From YahooNews: A tale of two parks: Enjoying the sun in wealthy Manhattan, social distancing under police scrutiny in the Bronx
From YahooGMA: (4/28) - Rana Zoe Mungin, a 30-year-old teacher from Brooklyn, died on Monday, April 27th for COVID-19. She had twice been denied a test for the coronavirus after showing symptoms. Her family and friends blame racial disparity in the health care system.
From RSNWashPost: How COVID-19 is a perfect storm for Black Americans.
CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS - Hollywood and Beyond:
From YahooNews: Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?
From YahooNews: Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.
From Deadline: The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.
From TheNewYorker: The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.
From YahooNews: Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?
From YahooLife: What is "happy hypoxia?" And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?
From YahooNews: The U.S. Secret Service has 11 positive cases of COVID-19.
From CNN: One of President Donald's personal valet has test positive for COVID-19.
From YahooNews: Academy Award-winning actress and humanitarian, Angelina Jolie, has written a letter to top officials in the U.S. Congress asking them to increase SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in the next coronavirus legislation. She said many children are going hungry due to job loss and not being in school due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
From YahooNews: Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Laurie Garrett, who has been predicting the global spread of contagious pathogens for decades sees dark times ahead of us because of COVID-19 and no medical miracle arriving anytime soon.
From YahooNews: As states push ahead with reopening, CDC warns coronavirus cases and deaths are set to soar
From Deadline: (4/30) - Broadway actor, Nick Cordero, has taken a turn for the worse in his battle against COVID-19, including having tremendous lung damage.
From YahooFinance: Sixteen prominent health officials have proposed giving American $50 a day to self-isolate until testing and treatment for COVID-19 is under control.
From YahooNews: Anti-vaccination activists (or anti-vaxxers) have joined and in some cases have led the protests against COVID-19 stay-at-home orders.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:
CULTURE - From PulitzerPrizes: The 2020 Pulitzer Prize Winners have been announced.
DISNEY+ - From Deadline: Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is working on a TV series reboot of his Disney hit film series, "National Treasure."
STREAMING - From BleedingCool: Director Spike Lee's next film, "Da 5 Bloods," will debut on Netflix June 12th.
POLITICS - From HuffPost: Veteran Democratic strategist and political consultant, James Carville, warns President Donald about his "grifter campaign.
MOVIES - From RottenTomatoes: Neve Campbell, who played the central character "Sidney Prescott" in the first four "Scream" films, may return for "Scream 5."
TELEVISION - From Deadline: CBS has renewed 18 more of its TV series, bringing the total of renewed series to 23. The network has cancelled four including Patricia Heaton's "Carol's Second Act."
MOVIES - From Deadline: Filmmaker Ava DuVernay has named former Netflix executive, Sarah Bremner, as president of her ARRAY Filmworks.
MOVIES - From Deadline: NASA, Tom Cruise, and crazy rich guy Elon Musk are working on a project that would be the first movie (an action-adventure) shot in outer space.
STREAMING - From Deadline: The streaming service, "Peacock" (Universal), has chosen a showrunner for its reboot (the second) of "Battlestar Galactica." It's Michael Lesslie, who was the lead writer and showrunner of AMC's "The Little Drummer Girl."
MOVIES - From Deadline: MGM has won an auction for a production commitment to director Ron Howard's film, "Thirteen Lives," 2018 Thai cave rescue true story.
MOVIES - From Variety: Because you asked for it... I guess... Paramount Pictures and Hasbro are rebooting the "G.I. Joe" film franchise. This new film would be a follow-up to "Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins," which is still due October 23rd.
CELEBRITY - From YahooE: Legendary actor Harrison Ford is once again the subject of an FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) investigation over his actions as pilot of a airplane. He has been investigated several times, the most infamous being after he crashed a World War II era plane in 2015 that left Ford with a head wound.
ANIMATION - From THR: Fox claims this is the real reason they fired TV music composer, Alf Clausen, from his job composing music for its long-running animated series, "The Simpson."
OBITS:
From RollingStone: One of the founding fathers of rock and roll music, Little Richard, has died at the age of 87, Saturday, May 9, 2020. He combined blues and gospel music to create a thrilling new sound, and his flamboyant and gender-bending persona helped to create the sound and spirit of a new art form, rock and roll or rock 'n' roll music. His best known recordings included "Tutti Frutti" (1955), "Long Tall Song" (1956), and "Good Golly, Miss Molly" (1958). In 1986, Little Richard was among the first inductees of the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."
From RollingStone: Music executive and record label founder, Andre Harrell, has died at the age of 59, Friday, May 8, 2020. In 1986, he founded the highly influential music label, "Uptown Record," which was the home of artists such as Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Heavy D & The Boyz, and Jodeci, to name a few. Although they would eventually fall out, Harrell was also instrumental in the development of the career of Sean "Diddy" Combs.
From ESPN - Legendary NFL coach, Don Shula, has died at the age of 90, Monday, May 4, 2020. Shula was the coach of the Baltimore Colts from 1963 to 1969, where he lead them to the 1968 NFL Championship (now called NFC Champion), before losing to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III. He is best known for his stint as head coach of the Miami Dolphins (1970 to 1995), where he lead them to victories in Super Bowls VII and VIII and appearances in Super Bowls XVII and XIX. The 1972 Dolphins finished the regular season 14-0 and won all their postseason games, including the Super Bowl, finishing 17-0, the only NFL team to finish the season with a perfect season.
From THR: The actor Sam Lloyd has died at the age of 56, Friday, May 1, 2020. Lloyd was best known for playing the role of "Ted Buckland" on the NBC-ABC sitcom, "Scrubs" (2001o2010), for 95 episodes. Lloyd was also the nephew of actor Christopher Lloyd.
From Deadline: The film and television director and writer, John Lafia, has died at the age of 63, Wednesday, April 29, 2020, reportedly by suicide. Lafia was best known for co-writing the classic horror film, "Child's Play " (1988) and for directing its sequel "Child's Play" (1990). He also wrote and directed the popular NBC disaster miniseries, "10.5" (2004) and "10.5: Apocalypse" (2006).
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BLACK AMERICA AND COVID-19 - Crisis or... :
From YahooNews: A tale of two parks: Enjoying the sun in wealthy Manhattan, social distancing under police scrutiny in the Bronx
From YahooGMA: (4/28) - Rana Zoe Mungin, a 30-year-old teacher from Brooklyn, died on Monday, April 27th for COVID-19. She had twice been denied a test for the coronavirus after showing symptoms. Her family and friends blame racial disparity in the health care system.
From RSNWashPost: How COVID-19 is a perfect storm for Black Americans.
CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS - Hollywood and Beyond:
From YahooNews: Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?
From YahooNews: Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.
From Deadline: The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.
From TheNewYorker: The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.
From YahooNews: Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?
From YahooLife: What is "happy hypoxia?" And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?
From YahooNews: The U.S. Secret Service has 11 positive cases of COVID-19.
From CNN: One of President Donald's personal valet has test positive for COVID-19.
From YahooNews: Academy Award-winning actress and humanitarian, Angelina Jolie, has written a letter to top officials in the U.S. Congress asking them to increase SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in the next coronavirus legislation. She said many children are going hungry due to job loss and not being in school due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
From YahooNews: Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Laurie Garrett, who has been predicting the global spread of contagious pathogens for decades sees dark times ahead of us because of COVID-19 and no medical miracle arriving anytime soon.
From YahooNews: As states push ahead with reopening, CDC warns coronavirus cases and deaths are set to soar
From Deadline: (4/30) - Broadway actor, Nick Cordero, has taken a turn for the worse in his battle against COVID-19, including having tremendous lung damage.
From YahooFinance: Sixteen prominent health officials have proposed giving American $50 a day to self-isolate until testing and treatment for COVID-19 is under control.
From YahooNews: Anti-vaccination activists (or anti-vaxxers) have joined and in some cases have led the protests against COVID-19 stay-at-home orders.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:
CULTURE - From PulitzerPrizes: The 2020 Pulitzer Prize Winners have been announced.
DISNEY+ - From Deadline: Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is working on a TV series reboot of his Disney hit film series, "National Treasure."
STREAMING - From BleedingCool: Director Spike Lee's next film, "Da 5 Bloods," will debut on Netflix June 12th.
POLITICS - From HuffPost: Veteran Democratic strategist and political consultant, James Carville, warns President Donald about his "grifter campaign.
MOVIES - From RottenTomatoes: Neve Campbell, who played the central character "Sidney Prescott" in the first four "Scream" films, may return for "Scream 5."
TELEVISION - From Deadline: CBS has renewed 18 more of its TV series, bringing the total of renewed series to 23. The network has cancelled four including Patricia Heaton's "Carol's Second Act."
MOVIES - From Deadline: Filmmaker Ava DuVernay has named former Netflix executive, Sarah Bremner, as president of her ARRAY Filmworks.
MOVIES - From Deadline: NASA, Tom Cruise, and crazy rich guy Elon Musk are working on a project that would be the first movie (an action-adventure) shot in outer space.
STREAMING - From Deadline: The streaming service, "Peacock" (Universal), has chosen a showrunner for its reboot (the second) of "Battlestar Galactica." It's Michael Lesslie, who was the lead writer and showrunner of AMC's "The Little Drummer Girl."
MOVIES - From Deadline: MGM has won an auction for a production commitment to director Ron Howard's film, "Thirteen Lives," 2018 Thai cave rescue true story.
MOVIES - From Variety: Because you asked for it... I guess... Paramount Pictures and Hasbro are rebooting the "G.I. Joe" film franchise. This new film would be a follow-up to "Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins," which is still due October 23rd.
CELEBRITY - From YahooE: Legendary actor Harrison Ford is once again the subject of an FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) investigation over his actions as pilot of a airplane. He has been investigated several times, the most infamous being after he crashed a World War II era plane in 2015 that left Ford with a head wound.
ANIMATION - From THR: Fox claims this is the real reason they fired TV music composer, Alf Clausen, from his job composing music for its long-running animated series, "The Simpson."
OBITS:
From RollingStone: One of the founding fathers of rock and roll music, Little Richard, has died at the age of 87, Saturday, May 9, 2020. He combined blues and gospel music to create a thrilling new sound, and his flamboyant and gender-bending persona helped to create the sound and spirit of a new art form, rock and roll or rock 'n' roll music. His best known recordings included "Tutti Frutti" (1955), "Long Tall Song" (1956), and "Good Golly, Miss Molly" (1958). In 1986, Little Richard was among the first inductees of the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."
From RollingStone: Music executive and record label founder, Andre Harrell, has died at the age of 59, Friday, May 8, 2020. In 1986, he founded the highly influential music label, "Uptown Record," which was the home of artists such as Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Heavy D & The Boyz, and Jodeci, to name a few. Although they would eventually fall out, Harrell was also instrumental in the development of the career of Sean "Diddy" Combs.
From ESPN - Legendary NFL coach, Don Shula, has died at the age of 90, Monday, May 4, 2020. Shula was the coach of the Baltimore Colts from 1963 to 1969, where he lead them to the 1968 NFL Championship (now called NFC Champion), before losing to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III. He is best known for his stint as head coach of the Miami Dolphins (1970 to 1995), where he lead them to victories in Super Bowls VII and VIII and appearances in Super Bowls XVII and XIX. The 1972 Dolphins finished the regular season 14-0 and won all their postseason games, including the Super Bowl, finishing 17-0, the only NFL team to finish the season with a perfect season.
From THR: The actor Sam Lloyd has died at the age of 56, Friday, May 1, 2020. Lloyd was best known for playing the role of "Ted Buckland" on the NBC-ABC sitcom, "Scrubs" (2001o2010), for 95 episodes. Lloyd was also the nephew of actor Christopher Lloyd.
From Deadline: The film and television director and writer, John Lafia, has died at the age of 63, Wednesday, April 29, 2020, reportedly by suicide. Lafia was best known for co-writing the classic horror film, "Child's Play " (1988) and for directing its sequel "Child's Play" (1990). He also wrote and directed the popular NBC disaster miniseries, "10.5" (2004) and "10.5: Apocalypse" (2006).
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