Mattel "Baby Yoda" Plush Among "Toy of the Year" Winners

Mattel Honored with Four 2021 “Toy of the Year” Awards

Mattel wins Prestigious Industry Awards across the Action Figure, Doll, Infant/Toddler and Plush categories

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) announced that the company has been honored with four Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards at the annual ceremony hosted by The Toy Association recognizing the most outstanding, unique and creative toy introductions from the past year.

Mattel received awards in the following categories:

•     Action Figure of the Year: Fisher-Price® #ThankYouHeroes Line
•     Doll of the Year: Barbie® Color Reveal™
•     Infant/Toddler Toy of the Year: Fisher-Price® Laugh & Learn® Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen™ playset
•     Plush Toy of the Year: Star Wars: The Mandalorian The Child 11" Plush

“It is an honor to be recognized by our industry peers with four 2021 TOTY Awards,” said Steve Totzke, Chief Commercial Officer, Mattel. “These awards are a testament to Mattel’s iconic brands, world-class team, valued partners and how we are delivering on our purpose to empower the next generation to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.”

In addition to presenting the annual awards, the event celebrated the induction of toy industry trailblazers into the esteemed Toy Industry Hall of Fame, including American Girl founder, Pleasant T. Rowland.

“Pleasant Rowland is a legend and, on behalf of everyone at Mattel, we would like to congratulate her on being inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame and thank her for creating the iconic American Girl brand, now in its 35th year, that continues to inspire and empower girls,” added Totzke.

The Toy of the Year Awards are based on votes from expert judges comprised of toy retailers, media, Toy Association members, and consumers. The awards program is a critical fundraiser for The Toy Foundation, which delivers the magic of play to millions of children in vulnerable situations through industry-wide toy donations and cash contributions.


About Mattel:
Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends®, UNO® and MEGA®, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming, music and live events. We operate in 35 locations and our products are available in more than 150 countries in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering children to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.

About The Toy Association™:
www.toyassociation.org / www.thegeniusofplay.org / www.playsafe.org

Founded in 1916, The Toy Association™, Inc. is the not-for-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $97.2 billion, and its 1,000+ members drive the annual $27 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry’s voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes play’s positive impact on childhood development to consumers and media. The organization has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, government, consumers, and industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play.

About the Toy of the Year Awards (TOTY):
The Toy of the Year Awards, known as the “Oscars” of the toy industry, annually recognize the top toys and games on the market. Finalists are nominated from within the industry and selected by a panel of expert judges. Winners are decided by votes cast by the public (at ToyAwards.org) and members of the industry. The TOTY Awards are administered by The Toy Association, with 100% of the program’s proceeds benefiting The Toy Foundation and its goal of delivering millions of brand-new toys to children in vulnerable situations.

NatGeo and ESPN Announce "The March on Washington: Keepers of the Dream" Documentary Special

National Geographic and ESPN’s The Undefeated Trace the Ongoing Plight and Journey of the Civil Rights Movement In THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON: KEEPERS OF THE DREAM

“Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time …” - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 March on Washington ‘I Have a Dream’ speech

One-Hour Documentary Special Gives a Timely and Powerful Look at Events Leading to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 March and 2020's March on Washington 57 Years Later as the Nation Reels From Civil Unrest and a Global Pandemic

The March on Washington: Keepers of the Dream Set to Premiere Thursday, Feb. 18, at 10/9c on National Geographic and Will Be Available Next Day on Hulu - Friday, Feb. 19

View YouTube Promo here or https://youtu.be/O0Bsj08WiEQ

WASHINGTON, D.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Geographic announced that THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON: KEEPERS OF THE DREAM is set to premiere Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021 at 10/9c and available next day on Hulu. The timely one-hour documentary special is from National Geographic and The Undefeated, ESPN’s content initiative exploring the intersection of sports, race and culture. It will trace the raw and uncensored journey of the Civil Rights Movement through the eyes of the heroes who marched for justice and equality in the 1960s, and the experiences of those on the front lines of the current fight for racial equality.

    “THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON: KEEPERS OF THE DREAM is a bold and powerful look at this nation’s dark history and the path Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. paved for us despite grave opposition”

THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON: KEEPERS OF THE DREAM will feature historic footage, as well as the most gripping and poignant, first-hand accounts and emotional commentary from historians, activists and journalists, including Wes Moore (author), Dr. Mary Frances Berry (professor, UPENN), Dr. Vernon Allwood (‘63 March attendee), Chris Connelly (journalist), Dr. Todd Boyd (professor, USC), Bill Murphy Jr. (civil rights attorney), Jemele Hill (journalist), Clarissa Brooks (social activist) and Mariah Parker (social activist). The documentary will also illustrate the resilience of the civil rights movement and the sentiment of the people behind it.

The journey begins with events that set the stage for the March of 1963 - from the horrific photo of the corpse of 14-year-old Emmett Till, murdered by Mississippi vigilantes who were acquitted of all charges, to the broadcasts of police attacking peaceful Black protesters in Birmingham, Alabama. These images created the necessary public opinion and momentum for Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders to carry out their historic march and demand federal action.

Yet after the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Acts were subsequently passed, violence toward Black America continued. The documentary will follow the history of these attacks, juxtaposed with examples of Black progress that have threatened to obscure a dangerous reality.

A deep dive into the events that led to the historic racial upheaval of 2020, including the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, will also explore a modern focus of King’s declaration: that the future of the Civil Rights Movement would be the struggle for “genuine equality.”

Candid insights on the long history of racial inequality include Moore’s testament to the current climate of unrest, “... the argument and demand is that there has to be a greater accountability and acknowledgement of Black life ... Whether we are talking about the marches of the ‘60s or the marches that are taking place right now, that is what the marches are about - it's about changing systems.”

The special concludes with images from the 2020 March on Washington and will bring full circle the themes which center on an underlying systemically volatile relationship between Black people and the police, and how it continues to be a deferred dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON: KEEPERS OF THE DREAM is a bold and powerful look at this nation’s dark history and the path Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. paved for us despite grave opposition,” said Courteney Monroe, president, Content, National Geographic. “We are proud to have partnered with The Undefeated on this timely documentary special that provides a no-holds-barred look at the oppression faced by generations in this country as well as celebrates the unifying spirit and solidarity of the movement, then and now.”

“This compelling documentary takes viewers through the evolution of the March on Washington, and in the process highlights the galvanizing power of marches to fuel social change,” said Kevin Merida, senior vice president and Editor-in-Chief, The Undefeated. “We are proud to partner with National Geographic on this important film. The doc is a reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices made to make America better and how much work is left to be done.”

Produced by National Geographic Studios and The Undefeated. National Geographic’s Aneka Hylton-Donelson along with The Undefeated’s Kevin Merida and Sharon Matthews serve as executive producers. ESPN’s Emmy®Award-winning filmmaker Marquis Daisy is director, with The Undefeated’s senior writer Jesse Washington as producer and writer, and Chris Weber is SVP of National Geographic Studios.

The television special on National Geographic is an extension of ESPN’s Black History Always initiative – a companywide content commitment to highlight Black stories beyond the traditional Black History Month. #BlackHistoryAlways began with the Jan. 18th Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday, continues through the 2021 NBA All-Star Game in early March and concludes during Jackie Robinson Day on April 15, 2021.

Using original short-form content across its platforms, National Geographic will also be celebrating Black voices in the worlds of science, adventure and exploration during Black History Month -- including National Geographic Explorer Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, Mae Jemison and Courtney B. Vance of GENIUS: ARETHA. In addition to its on-air, social channels and digital platforms, National Geographic's “Overheard” podcast and the National Geographic magazine will have dedicated content that will celebrate Black storytellers, leaders and heroes.

For the past year, National Geographic’s podcast series “Overheard” has explored the journeys of photographers and scientists who are focusing a new lens on history. On Feb. 12, 2021 National Geographic presented “In Conversation,” a special episode featuring explorer Tara Roberts, computer scientist Gloria Washington and photographer Ruddy Roye as they reframe Black history through their work—across maritime archeology, artificial intelligence and photo journalism. Listen @natgeo.com/listen.

National Geographic Kids (natgeokids.com) will also be updating its African American Heroes digital hub with four new profiles: John Lewis, Katherine Johnson, George Washington Carver and Bessie Coleman.


About National Geographic Partners LLC:
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, 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 133 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.

About ESPN’s The Undefeated:
The Undefeated is ESPN’s multiplatform content initiative exploring the intersections of sports, race and culture. The digital hub, TheUndefeated.com, which launched in May 2016, combines innovative long-form and short-form storytelling, investigation, original reporting and provocative commentary to enlighten and entertain African Americans, as well as sports fans seeking a deeper understanding of black athletes, culture and related issues.

In addition to its cutting-edge content, The Undefeated seeks to be a thought-leader on race, sports and culture in the country – convening insightful forums to discuss and debate topical issues affecting sports and race in America.

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238 Films Were Eligible for "Documentary Feature Film" Category at 93rd Oscars

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILMS ELIGIBLE FOR 93RD OSCARS® ANNOUNCED

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced feature films eligible for consideration in the Documentary Feature Film category for the 93rd Academy Awards®.  Eligibility lists by category can be viewed at Oscars.org/93rdFeatureEligibility.  Complete 93rd Academy Awards rules can be found at Oscars.org/rules.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Two hundred thirty-eight features are eligible for consideration in the Documentary Feature category for the 93rd Academy Awards.  Some of the films have not yet had their required qualifying release and must fulfill that requirement and comply with all the category’s other qualifying rules to advance in the voting process.

Documentary features that have won a qualifying award or have been programmed at qualifying film festivals or have been submitted in the International Feature Film category as their country’s official selection are also eligible in the category.  Films submitted in the Documentary Feature category may also qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.  A shortlist of 15 films was announced on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.

93RD ACADEMY AWARDS® ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE DOCUMENTARY FEATURE CATEGORY:

“Acasa, My Home”
“Addicted to Ralphie”
“Aggie”
“All I Can Say”
“All In: The Fight for Democracy”
“The American Sector”
“American Selfie: One Nation Shoots Itself”
“America’s Forgotten”
“The Antidote”
“Apocalypse ’45”
“The Art of Living in Danger”
“The Art of Political Murder”
“Assassins”
“Aswang”
“Athlete A”
“Babenco - Tell Me When I Die”
“Be Water”
“Beastie Boys Story”
“Beautiful Something Left Behind”
“Becoming”
“Bedlam”
“Belly of the Beast”
“Belushi”
“Beyond the Visible: Hilma af Klint”
“The Big Scary “S” Word”
“Billie”
“Black Boys”
“Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets”
“The Booksellers”
“Born to Be”
“Boys State”
“Bulletproof”
“Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn”
“Capital in the Twenty-First Century”
“Chicago: America’s Hidden War”
“Childhood 2.0”
“Chuck Berry”
“Circus of Books”
“City Dream”
“City Hall”
“Coded Bias”
“Collective”
“Colombia in My Arms”
“Coming Clean”
“Coronation”
“Coup 53”
“Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words”
“Creem: America’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll Magazine”
“Crip Camp”
“Crock of Gold - A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan”
“The Curve”
“Dads”
“Dave Grusin: Not Enough Time”
“David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet”
“Days of Cannibalism”
“Dear Santa”
“Death Protocol”
“Descent”
“Desert One”
“Diana Kennedy: Nothing Fancy”
“Dick Johnson Is Dead”
“Disclosure”
“The Dissident”
“The Dog Doc”
“The Donut King”
“Dope Is Death”
“Down a Dark Stairwell”
“Downstream to Kinshasa”
“The Earth Is Blue as an Orange”
“Elementa”
“Ending Disease”
“Epicentro”
“Erased,___Ascent of the Invisible”
“Escape from Extinction”
“Everybody Flies”
“F11 and Be There”
“Fandango at the Wall”
“Father Soldier Son”
“Feels Good Man”
“The Fight”
“Find Your Groove”
“Finding Yingying”
“Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds”
“First Vote”
“First We Eat”
“Flannery”
“For They Know Not What They Do”
“The Forbidden Reel”
“40 Years a Prisoner”
“Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb”
“Freedia Got a Gun”
“The Ghost of Peter Sellers”
“Giving Voice”
“A Glitch in the Matrix”
“The Go-Go’s”
“Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind”
“Gunda”
“Harry Chapin: When in Doubt, Do Something”
“He Dreams of Giants”
“House of Cardin”
“The Human Factor”
“Human Nature”
“I Am Greta”
“I Am Not Alone”
“I Owe You a Letter about Brazil”
“iHuman”
“In My Skin”
“Indian Space Dreams”
“The Infiltrators”
“Influence”
“(In)Visible Portraits”
“Irmi”
“Irradiés (Irradiated)”
“Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President”
“John Lewis: Good Trouble”
“Journey to Royal: A World War II Rescue Mission”
“Kate Nash: Underestimate the Girl”
“A Kid from Coney Island”
“Kingdom of Silence”
“Kings of Capitol Hill”
“Kiss the Ground”
“La Madrina: The Savage Life of Lorine Padilla”
“Lance”
“Landfall”
“The Last Blockbuster”
“Last Call for Tomorrow”
“Lennox: The Untold Story”
“Lessons of Love”
“The Letter”
“Libelu - Down with the Dictatorship”
“Life Is Deadly”
“Lift Like a Girl”
“Lost Course”
“Lost in Face”
“Love Child”
“MLK/FBI”
“Made You Look: A True Story about Fake Art”
“Man in the Arena”
“Martin Margiela: In His Own Words”
“Mayor”
“Mighty Ira”
“Miss Americana”
“Mr. Soul!”
“The Mole Agent”
“The Monster inside Me”
“A Most Beautiful Thing”
“Mother to Earth: The Untold Story of Earth Bound”
“Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado”
“My Darling Supermarket”
“My Darling Vivian”
“My Octopus Teacher”
“My People: The Jews of Greece”
“My Psychedelic Love Story”
“My Rembrandt”
“Napoli Eden”
“Narciso Em Férias”
“Nasrin”
“The New Corporation: The Unfortunately Necessary Sequel”
“9/11 Kids”
“915”
“9to5: The Story of a Movement”
“Notturno”
“Oliver Sacks: His Own Life”
“Olympia”
“On the Record”
“Once upon a Time in Venezuela”
“Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band”
“Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles”
“Our Time Machine”
“Pahokee”
“The Painter and the Thief”
“A Pandemic: Away from the Motherland”
“The Phenomenon”
“Planet of the Humans”
“The Plot against the President”
“The Pollinators”
“The Power of Movement”
“Pray: The Story of Patrick Peyton”
“Public Trust”
“Queen of Hearts: Audrey Flack”
“The Reason I Jump”
“Rebuilding Paradise”
“Red Penguins”
“Reunited”
“Rewind”
“The Right Girls”
“Ringside”
“Rising Phoenix”
“River City Drumbeat”
“River Tales”
“Runner”
“Searching for Mr. Rugoff”
“Self Portrait”
“17 Blocks The Final Cut”
“76 Days”
“Sky Blossom”
“Slay the Dragon”
“The Social Dilemma”
“Softie”
“Some Kind of Heaven”
“Songs of Repression”
“Soros”
“Spaceship Earth”
“Stars and Strife”
“The State of Texas vs. Melissa”
“Stray”
“Strip Down, Rise Up”
“System K”
“They Call Me Babu”
“This Is Not a Movie”
“This Is Paris”
“A Thousand Cuts”
“Through the Night”
“Time”
“The Times of Bill Cunningham”
“Totally under Control”
“Transhood”
“The Truffle Hunters”
“Trust Me”
“Uncle Tom”
“#Unfit: The Psychology of Donald Trump”
“Us Kids”
“WBCN and the American Revolution”
“The Walrus and the Whistleblower”
“The Way I See It”
“We Are the Radical Monarchs”
“We Don’t Deserve Dogs”
“Welcome to Chechnya”
“White Noise”
“Who Is Gatsby Randolph”
“Wild Daze”
“Wim Wenders: Desperado”
“With Drawn Arms”
“A Woman’s Work: The NFL’s Cheerleader Problem”
“Women in Blue”
“You Cannot Kill David Arquette”
“Yusuf Hawkins: Storm over Brooklyn”
“Zappa”

All dates and rules for the 93rd Academy Awards are subject to change based on national guidelines, state-mandated government orders and Academy-determined best practices.

Nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards will be announced on Monday, March 15, 2021.

The 93rd Oscars® will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2021, and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

###

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from February 7th to 13th, 2021- Update #23

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

SCANDAL - From Deadline:   Jose Melina, a writer on Joss Whedon's late Fox series, "Firefly," joins the chorus of people criticizing Whedon's behavior towards the people with whom he worked.

MOVIES - From Variety:   If the big-tent summer movies have to be moved again because of COVID-19, who will blink first:  Disney with "Black Widow" or Universal with "F9?"

STREAMING - From Variety:   The 2005 hit Brad Pitt-Angelina Jolie film, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," will be transformed into an Amazon streaming TV series.  Emmy winners, Donald Glover and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, will play the leads and executive produce the series.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  "CSI: Vegas," the sequel to the long-running, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," has added three new members to its cast.  The series is close to a formal straight-to-series order from CBS.  William Petersen and Jorja Fox are finalizing their deals to join the new series.

STREAMING - From BleedingCool:   The "Chappelle Show" is streaming on Netflix again, and Dave Chappelle says that he has settled his dispute with ViacomCBS and paid him "millions of dollars."

SCANDAL - From Variety:    Charisma Carpenter alleges Joss Whedon “abused his power on numerous occasions” while she performed on Whedon’s series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel.”

POLITICS - From Nada:   Sunday, February 7, 2021 was the end of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse’s term, according to the constitution. He refuses to step down...

ANIMATION - From Variety:   HBO Max has ordered an animated series starring classic "Scooby-Doo" character, Velma Dinkley.

ACADEMY AWARDS - From Variety:   More details about the 2021 Academy Awards are emerging, including that it will broadcast live from multiple locations.

MOVIES - From WeGotThisCovered:   Neil Marshall, who directed the "Hellboy" reboot, says his next film will mix elements of "Alien," "Predator," and "Dog Soldiers."

STREAMING - From Deadline: Universal’s hit The Best Man movie franchise is getting a new installment as a streaming series. Peacock has ordered a 10-episode limited dramedy series The Best Man: The Final Chapters from the movies’ writer and director Malcolm D. Lee and former Insecure executive producer Dayna Lynne North.  The core original cast will return.

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  The Walt Disney Company is shutting down "Blue Sky Studios," the animation unit it acquired when Disney acquired 20th Century Studios and its assets.  Blue Sky is best known for the "Ice Age" computer-animated film franchise. 

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Michelle Rodriguez and Justice Smith join Chris Pine in Hasbro/eOne and Paramount's "Dungeons & Dragons" film.

MOVIES - From BleedingCool:   Director Tate Taylor says that he has an idea for a sequel to his hit horror film, "MA," and that star Octavia Spencer is on board.

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  Fox Entertainment has given a formal series order to a new animated series from Dan Harmon ("Rick & Morty") and the Fox-owned animation studio, Bento Box.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Michael B. Jordan and his Outlier Society production company has signed a TV deal with Amazon.  Part of that deal is a Muhammad Ali TV series.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The winner of the 2/5 to 2/7/2021 weekend box office is "The Little Things" with a estimated take of 2.1 million dollars.

MOVIES - From VanityFair:   Cathy Yan, who directed last year's "Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)," has announced that her next film is "The Freshening."  The film "will ponder a medically-induced post-racial world."

SPORTS-CELEBRITY - From YahooSports:  During his acceptance speech after winning the 2020-21 NFL MVP award, Green Bay Packers quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, announces that he is engaged to marry acclaimed film actress, Shailene Woodley.

MOVIES - From TheBeat:   On February 9th, 2021 at 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, an online event being held on Zoom by the University of Pittsburgh Libraries will give fans of George A. Romero a chance to peek inside the George A. Romero Archival Collection!

OBITS:

From YahooEntertainment:   American businessman, magazine publisher and adult entertainment media mogul, Larry Flynt, has died at the age of 78, Wednesday, February 10, 2021.  Flynt was best known for creating the monthly pornographic magazine, "Hustler," which began publication in 1974 after being expanded from the "Hustler Newsletter," which promoted Flynt's clubs.

From RollingStone:   African-American singer, Mary Wilson, has died at the age of 76, Monday, February 8, 2021.  Wilson was a co-founder of the legendary girl group, "The Supremes."  She appeared on all 12 of the group's Billboard #1 hits.

From ExtraTV:   Former college and NFL football player and actor, Mike Henry, died at the age of 84, January 8, 2021.  Henry played football at USC, before being drafted into the NFL by the Pittsburgh Steelers.  After playing 3 seasons with the Steelers, Henry played three seasons for the Los Angeles Rams.  Henry's big break in acting came when he starred in a trilogy of mid-1960s "Tarzan" films, but he declined to continue the role in a subsequent television series.  Henry may be best known for playing the role of "Junior Justice" in the "Smokey and the Bandit" films.

From CNN:  Former American professional boxer, Leon Spinks, has died at the age of 67, Friday, February 5, 2021.  Spinks was best known for defeating Muhammad Ali in February 1978 in a 15-round split decision match to become the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion.  In the September 1978 rematch, Ali would defeat Spinks.  Spinks won the light heavyweight gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics.  He was also a U.S. Marine from 1973 to 1976.

BET Brings Tyler Perry's "The Oval" and "Madea" to Tues., Feb. 16tj

BET to Air Mega Night of Tyler Perry Must-Watch Originals With the Return of “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” and the World Television Debut of “Madea’s Farewell Play” Airing Tuesday, February 16, 2021

“Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play” Will Kick off the Television Event at 8 PM ET/PT Followed by the Return of Hit-Series “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” All New and Moving to Tuesdays

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET announced the premiere date of the much-anticipated original drama “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” season two and the television debut of acclaimed stage play “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play” airing Tuesday, February 16, 2021 starting at 8 PM ET/PT. “The Oval” was the #1 new series for African Americans P2+ on cable in calendar year 2020*. “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” season two returns Tuesday, February 16, at a special time 10:30 PM ET/PT. The series will then move to its regular time slot of 9 PM ET/PT starting Tuesday, February 23, 2021. Come home to BET for a night of Black joy, entertainment and more of the Tyler Perry content we all can’t get enough of!

About “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” season two airing on a *NEW* night TUESDAYS on BET & BET Her:

The one-hour drama, “Tyler Perry’s The Oval,” returns with its second jaw-breaking season and lifts the veil of what can happen when the leader of the free world, his wife and family are crazed maniacs. The series also highlights the personal side and everyday lives of the staff who run the inner workings of the nation’s most iconic residence. The talented ensemble cast for season two includes Ed Quinn, Kron Moore, Paige Hurd, Daniel Croix Henderson, Javon Johnson, Ptosha Storey, Vaughn Hebron, Teesha Renee, Lodric Collins, Ciera Payton, Taja V. Simpson, Walter Fauntleroy, Brad Benedict, Travis Cure, Matthew Law, Bill Barrett and Derek A. Dixon star in the 22-episodes original series.

“Tyler Perry’s The Oval” is executive produced, directed, and written by Tyler Perry. Michelle Sneed will also serve as Executive Producer of the series for Tyler Perry Studios.

About “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play”:

In Tyler Perry’s final stage run as Madea, he pulls together some of his audience’s favorite characters for a family gathering. Madea, Mr. Brown, Cora, and Aunt Bam are all under one roof for over two hours of pure joy. Madea is in rare form, as she tries to support her great-grandchildren, and daughter Cora. While at her granddaughter’s home, Madea uses her combination of tough love and old southern wisdom to help the family navigate their new normal. All seems fine until Mr. Brown takes a trip that leaves audiences in stitches. As always, Perry’s blend of incredible music and laugh out loud moments make the “Madea’s Farewell Play” great food for the soul.

“Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play” stars Tyler Perry as Madea, Cassi Davis Patton as Betty Ann "Aunt Bam" Murphy, David Mann as Leroy Brown, Tamela Mann as Cora Jean Simmons-Brown, Kwaylon Rogers (BlameitonKway) as Tiffany "TiTi" Samuels, Alexis Hollins as Darlene Samuels, Anthony Lewis as Devin, Jacobi Brown as Malik Samuels, Ashlee B. Gillum as Robin, Walter Fauntleroy as Omar, RaVaughn Brown as Sylvia, and Kendrick Mays as William Samuels. “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play” launched exclusively on BET+ in August 2020.

“Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play” is executive produced, directed, and written by Tyler Perry. Michelle Sneed and Mark E. Swinton will also serve as executive producers for Tyler Perry Studios.

For more information, viewers can log on to BET.com and join the conversation on social media by using the hashtags #TheOvalOnBET and #FarewellMadea on all social platforms.

*Source: Nielsen Live + SD, Live+3 for timeslot claims, Premieres airing M-Sun 7p-12a, 1/1/20-12/13/20, excluding sports, news, kids, Spanish-nets, rankings on impressions (000), 4+ telecast min (2+ on timeslot claims)

ABOUT BET:
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), 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 is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT TYLER PERRY STUDIOS:
Tyler Perry Studios is a state-of-the-art film and television production facility founded in 2006 by actor, producer, filmmaker, playwright, and philanthropist Tyler Perry. Located in Atlanta, Georgia on the historic grounds of the former Fort McPherson army base, the new 330-acre campus is one of the largest production studios in the country. It boasts a variety of shooting locations including 40 buildings on the national register of historic places, 12 purpose-built sound stages, 200 acres of green space and an expansive backlot.

#28DaysofBlack Review: "A Madea Family Funeral"

[I could not imagine committing to a focus on black films and not offer at least one film from media mogul, Tyler Perry.  Within a decade, Perry became a successful performer and producer of stage plays.  He entered the film business with his 2005 film, “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” and owned a film production studio, Tyler Perry Studios, by 2006.  Perry's signature character, Mabel "Madea" Earlene Simmons, has played a significant part in Perry's rags to riches story, and he apparently brought the film saga of Madea to an end with “A Madea Family Funeral.”]

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 13 of 2021 (No. 1751) by Leroy Douresseaux

A Madea Family Funeral (2019)
Running time:  109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for crude sexual content, language, and drug references throughout
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Tyler Perry
PRODUCERS:  Ozzie Areu, Will Areu, Tyler Perry, and Mark E. Swinton
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Richard Vialet (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Larry Sexton
COMPOSER:  Philip White

COMEDY

Starring:  Tyler Perry, Cassi Davis, Patrice Lovely, Jen Harper, Courtney Burrell, Ciera Payton, Rome Flynn, KJ Smith, Aeriél Miranda, David Otunga, Quin Walters, Ary Katz, and Derek Morgan

A Madea Family Funeral is a 2019 comedy-drama from writer-director Tyler Perry.  It is the eleventh and (supposedly) final film in the Madea film series.  A Madea Family Funeral focuses on an anniversary celebration that unexpectedly turns into a funeral that unveils unsavory family secrets.

A Madea Family Funeral opens in the home of Vianne (Jen Harper) and Anthony Thompson (Derek Morgan).  Their children are planning a surprise party to celebrate their parents' 40th wedding anniversary.  Sylvia (Ciera Payton) is with her husband, Will (David Otunga).  Carol (KJ Smith), who is married to older brother, A.J. (Courtney Burrell), is awaiting his arrival.  Younger brother, Jesse (Rome Flynn), is awaiting the arrival of his fiancé, Gia (Aeriél Miranda).

Meanwhile Mabel “Madea” Simmons (Tyler Perry), Uncle Joe (Tyler Perry), Betty Ann Murphy a.k.a. “Aunt Bam” (Cassi Davis), Hattie (Patrice Lovely), and Joe's son, Brian Simmons (Tyler Perry), are also traveling to the reunion.  Vianne and Anthony's family is also the family of Madea and Joe's brother, Heathrow (Tyler Perry), a lecherous, wheelchair bound Vietnam veteran.

Not long after Madea and company arrive at their hotel, they discover that A.J. is also there with Gia, with whom he is having an affair.  Even more shocking is that they discover that Anthony is in a room next to A.J. and Gia's and is engaged in kinky sex with Renee (Quin Walters), a friend of both Vianne and Anthony's.  Anthony suffers a heart attack from the sexual activity and is taken to a hospital where he dies.

Now, Madea is charged with planning Anthony's funeral, which Vianne wants to occur in two days.  In the meantime, Anthony's secret life and the secrets of his two sons threaten to spill over.

A Madea Family Funeral qualifies as a dramatic film because of the secrets and lies and melodrama that apparently have long been a part of Vianne and Anthony's family.  Writer-director Tyler Perry deals with this the way he normally does – with soap opera, gospel theatrics, and Christian philosophizing.  Still, this family drama is pretty dark, and I do credit Perry for once again telling a story about mothers who make tough choices in order to provide for, to protect, and to keep their families together.  What might seem like weakness and stupidity might actually be strength and practicality.

A Madea Family Funeral is a comedy because of … well, because of Madea, Joe, Aunt Bam, and Hattie.  I have to be honest; I think much of the humor in this film as being an inappropriate match for the dramatic side of this film.  Still, I found myself vigorously laughing through more than half this film.  In a way, Anthony's funeral becomes a hilarious nightmare, both because of the unsavory family secrets and because of Madea and company.  But, hell, sometimes laughter helps a family get through a funeral, especially a hot mess of a death and funeral like Anthony's.

If A Madea Family Funeral is indeed the final Madea film, I can say that it went out on a relatively high note.  Perry gives us his trademark Christian moralizing, and Madea gives us the shameless, shameful comedy.  Truthfully, only Tyler Perry could be Madea, so there can be no other true Madea films unless he makes them.  So I hope A Madea Family Funeral doesn't put the Madea film franchise to rest.

7 of 10
B+

Wednesday, February 10, 2021


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#28DaysofBlack Review: Denzel and Viola Tear it Up in "FENCES"

[Over a decade after his death, August Wilson's acclaimed stage play, Fences, finally made it to the big screen, three decades after word came that it was to be adapted into film.  Every time I think that Denzel Washington:  the film's star, director, and one of its producers, can no longer amaze me, he amazes us all.  It turns out that America's greatest male actor is also a really fine director.]

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 12 of 2021 (No. 1750) by Leroy Douresseaux

Fences (2016)
Running time: 139 minutes (2 hours, 19 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for thematic elements, language and some suggestive references
DIRECTOR:  Denzel Washington
WRITER:  August Wilson (based upon his play, Fences)
PRODUCERS:  Todd Black, Scott Rudin, and Denzel Washington
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Charlotte Bruus Christensen (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Hughes Winborne
COMPOSER:  Marcelo Zarvos
Academy Award winner

DRAMA

Starring:  Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, and Saniyya Sidney

Fences is a 2016 period drama film directed by Denzel Washington.  It is based on playwright, August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Fences (1985).  Wilson also wrote the film adaptation's screenplay before he died in 2005 at the age of 60.  Fences focuses on a working-class African-American father in the 1950s who tries to come to terms with the events of his troubled life.

Fences opens in 1950s Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and introduces 53-year-old Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington).  Troy lives with his wife, Rose Lee Maxson (Viola Davis), and their son, Cory (Jovan Adepo).  Troy works as a garbage collector alongside his best friend, Jim Bono (Stephen McKinley Henderson).  Troy has a younger brother, Gabriel (Mykelti Williamson), who sustained a head injury in World War II that left him mentally impaired.  Gabriel received a $3,000 government payout that Troy subsequently used as a down payment on a home for his family.  Troy sometimes wonders if he has done right by Gabriel, who now lives at “Miss Pearl's house.”

Troy also has an adult son from a previous relationship, Lyons Maxson (Russell Hornsby), an apparently talented musician who visits Troy on payday when he wants to borrow money.  Troy's relationship with Lyons is strained, as are his relationships with just about everyone else.  Troy is especially bitter about his professional baseball career.  He played professionally in the Negro Leagues, but never played Major League Baseball, which had a “color barrier” until 1947 that prohibited Black players from joining the majors.  Now, Troy refuses to give permission for Cory to play football because he does not want the teen to fail in sports as he did … he says.  This decision, his general contrarian ways, and his rancor about his life is pushing his family and friends away from him.

Fences is the sixth play in August Wilson's ten-part, “Pittsburgh Cycle,” of plays.  Like all the plays in the cycle, Fences explores the evolving African-American experience and examines race relations, among other themes.  Back in the late 1980s, actor Eddie Murphy had the film rights to Fences, but his planned film never came about.  Wilson and Murphy clashed over Wilson's insistence that the film adaptation of Fences be directed by an African-American because, more or less, only a black man could understand Troy Maxson's life.  At least, that is how I remember the behind-the-scenes happenings concerning Murphy's planed Fences film.

Watching Denzel Washington play Troy Maxson made me realize how universal Fences action and especially its themes are.  Washington is one of the film's producers as well as being the director, so he could make the film he wanted, and he filmed Fences in the city of Pittsburgh, where it is set.  It seems to me that Washington made Fences in its original setting, but played Troy Maxson and presented his world as a story in which audiences, practically from around the world and most certainly in the United States, could recognize and even identify.

Troy isn't just bitter about not being a Major League Baseball player; he is also always yearning.  Troy knows what he's got, but surpassing that is the desire to have more.  It is as if he is constantly thinking, “I have a good wife, son, home, and job, but …”  I have never seen Fences the play or read its text, so I am assuming that Fences the film is true to its source.  However, I interpret Fences the film as revealing that Troy's biggest obstacle isn't race, but is him always believing that what he has now will no longer make him happy, if it ever did.  He always believes that if he gets this “next thing” he will be happy or, at least, happier than he is at the present.

Washington's performance as Troy Maxson in his film, Fences, is a performance for the ages.  If this isn't his best acting, it is his best since The Hurricane.  And what do you know, Washington was nominated for the “Best Actor” Oscar for his performances in both Fences and The Hurricane, and he lost to actors who gave good but inferior performances to Washington's.

At least, Viola Davis finally won an Oscar – for “Best Supporting Actress” – for her performance in Fences.  She was long overdue, and in Fences, as Rose Maxson, she grounds the story and keeps Washington and Troy Maxson from dominating the entire story.  Some thought that Davis should have been nominated in the lead actress category, but Rose Maxson is a supporting character in this film.  Fences the film needs Viola Davis and Rose Maxson's support.

Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, and Mykelti Williamson give some of the best performances of their careers.  I have no doubt that Henderson would have been nominated in the “Best Supporting Actor” category if he were a white actor...

That's okay.  All these black folks make Fences a major cinematic accomplishment.  They make it an African-American experience writ large, and anyone who can comprehend a movie, regardless of ethnic background, can take into Fences into his or her soul.

10 of 10

Wednesday, February 10, 2021


NOTES:
2017 Academy Awards, USA:  1 winner: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Viola Davis); 3 nominations: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Todd Black, Scott Rudin, and Denzel Washington), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Denzel Washington), and “Best Adapted Screenplay” (August Wilson-Posthumously)

2017 Golden Globes, USA:  1 winner: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Viola Davis) and “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Denzel Washington)

2017 BAFTA Awards:  1 winner: “Best Supporting Actress” (Viola Davis)

The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).