TRASH IN MY EYE Reviews

Monday, July 3, 2023

Comic Books, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for July 5, 2023

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

APR231447 A BOY NAMED ROSE TP (MR) $29.99

AUG222345 ABANDONED SACRED BEASTS GN VOL 14 $10.95

FEB230386 AMERICAN GODS TP VOL 02 MY AINSEL $24.99

APR231081 ANCIENT ENEMIES THE GREATER GOOD #1 CVR A TEAM CVR $3.99

APR231082 ANCIENT ENEMIES THE GREATER GOOD #1 CVR B DEAD RACER GIRLS C $3.99

DEC221948 ANCIENT MAGUS BRIDE GN VOL 18 $12.99

APR231639 ANIMALS #1 (OF 2) (MR) $6.99

MAR231360 ASTRO & INEZ LA NOVELA ONE SHOT CVR A ROMERA $4.99

MAR231361 ASTRO & INEZ LA NOVELA ONE SHOT CVR B BEALS $4.99

NOV221694 ASTRO MOUSE & LIGHT BULB GN VOL 03 RETURN BEYOND UNKNOWN $9.99

NOV221695 ASTRO MOUSE & LIGHT BULB HC VOL 03 RETURN BEYOND UNKNOWN $14.99

MAY231574 B&V FRIENDS FOREVER BEACH PARTY ONESHOT $3.99

MAY231257 BARNSTORMERS #1 CVR A LOTAY $4.99

MAY231258 BARNSTORMERS #1 CVR B JOHNSON $5.99

MAY231259 BARNSTORMERS #1 CVR C LOTAY $5.99

MAY231260 BARNSTORMERS #1 CVR D CARNEVALE $5.99

MAY231261 BARNSTORMERS #1 CVR E FOIL LOTAY VAR $5.99

MAY231264 BARNSTORMERS #1 CVR H FOC MOON $5.99

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FEB230425 BLADE OF IMMORTAL DLX HC VOL 09 (MR) $49.99

MAY232286 BLUE BOX GN VOL 05 $9.99

APR231793 BY THE HORNS DARK EARTH #10 $4.99

SEP221872 CASAGRANDES 3IN1 GN VOL 01 $14.99

MAY231789 CHIP N DALE RESCUE RANGERS COUNT ROQUEFORT CASE HC $29.99

APR232003 CINDERELLA VS QUEEN OF HEARTS #3 (OF 3) CVR A VIGONTE $5.99

APR232004 CINDERELLA VS QUEEN OF HEARTS #3 (OF 3) CVR B TARRAGONA $5.99

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APR232006 CINDERELLA VS QUEEN OF HEARTS #3 (OF 3) CVR D ABBONDANZA $5.99

MAR239500 CINDERELLA VS QUEEN OF HEARTS #3 (OF 3) CVR E 10 COPY FOC $10.00

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APR231544 CRASHING TP (MR) $16.99

APR231467 DEAR MINI HC (MR) $29.99

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MAY231156 DOCTOR WHO DOOM #1 (OF 2) CVR B PHOTO $3.99

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OCT222230 LOVE IS AN ILLUSION GN VOL 03 $24.99

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MAR231406 MASKERADE HC VOL 01 $24.99

MAR231407 MERRY GO ROUND TP $19.99

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APR231485 MONSTROUS GN $17.99

APR231486 MONSTROUS HC GN $25.99

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FEB230367 NIGHT OF GHOUL TP $19.99

JAN232251 NORAGAMI OMNIBUS GN VOL 06 $19.99

APR231954 NORTH VALLEY GRIMOIRE #2 (OF 6) CVR A ROCKWELL (MR) $3.99

APR231955 NORTH VALLEY GRIMOIRE #2 (OF 6) CVR B ROCKWELL (MR) $3.99

APR231956 NORTH VALLEY GRIMOIRE #2 (OF 6) CVR C BACK TO FUTURE HOMAGE $3.99

APR231957 NORTH VALLEY GRIMOIRE #2 (OF 6) CVR D BIG TROUBLE VAR (MR) $3.99

APR231959 NORTH VALLEY GRIMOIRE #2 (OF 6) CVR F FOC REVEAL VAR (MR) $3.99

APR231912 OLD CAVES GN $19.95

MAY232291 ONE PIECE GN VOL 103 $9.99

DEC221973 PANDORA IN CRIMSON SHELL GHOST URN GN VOL 16 (RES) (MR) $12.99

APR231091 PARKER GIRLS #8 $3.99

FEB231611 PINK LEMONADE TP $24.99

FEB231143 PLANET COMICS #19 $4.99

FEB230420 PLANTS VS ZOMBIES HC IMPFESTATION $10.99

SEP228353 PLEASE GO HOME MISS AKUTSU GN VOL 02 (MR) $13.99

NOV211305 POPEYE VARIANTS NOT YOUR PAPPYS COMICS & ART BOOK HC $39.99

APR231881 POPSCARS #4 (OF 6) CVR A GUILLEN (MR) $3.99

APR231882 POPSCARS #4 (OF 6) CVR B SAUVAGE (MR) $3.99

APR231883 POPSCARS #4 (OF 6) CVR C SLOMINSKI (MR) $3.99

APR231787 PROMETHEUS IN CHAINS #1 CVR A LES LINDON (MR) $4.95

APR231788 PROMETHEUS IN CHAINS #1 CVR B LES LINDON GARNER (MR) $4.95

MAR231411 ROCK GODS OF JACKSON TENNESSEE TP $19.99

MAY232277 ROMANTIC KILLER GN VOL 04 $16.99

MAY231605 SINS OF THE SALTON SEA #2 (OF 5) CVR A BRADSTREET (MR) $3.99

MAY231606 SINS OF THE SALTON SEA #2 (OF 5) CVR B FRANCAVILLA (MR) $3.99

MAY231607 SINS OF THE SALTON SEA #2 (OF 5) CVR C FILM NOIR HOMAGE (MR) $3.99

SEP221901 SISTERS GN VOL 08 MY NEW BIG SISTER $9.99

SEP221902 SISTERS HC VOL 08 MY NEW BIG SISTER $14.99

SEP221905 SMURF TALES GN VOL 06 SMURF AND ORDER & OTHER TALES $14.99

SEP221906 SMURF TALES HC VOL 06 SMURF AND ORDER & OTHER TALES $19.99

APR231568 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #62 CVR A BULMER $3.99

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APR231578 STAR TREK DEFIANT #5 CVR A UNZUETA $4.99

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APR231580 STAR TREK DEFIANT #5 CVR C VILCHEZ $4.99

APR231584 STAR TREK DS9 DOG OF WAR #4 CVR A HERNANDEZ $4.99

APR231585 STAR TREK DS9 DOG OF WAR #4 CVR B WARE $4.99

APR231586 STAR TREK DS9 DOG OF WAR #4 CVR C PRICE $4.99

MAY231306 SURVIVAL #3 (OF 5) $3.99

APR238434 SWEET DOWNFALL #1 SCOUT LEGACY ED $4.99

APR231834 THANKS ROMINA #1 CVR A CASE $4.99

APR231337 THE EDGE #2 $4.99

APR231887 THE PINK ELEPHANT #1 (OF 3) CVR A CHIN (MR) $3.99

APR231888 THE PINK ELEPHANT #1 (OF 3) CVR B CHIN (MR) $3.99

MAY231465 THORN #1 $4.99

MAY232294 TISTA GN VOL 02 $9.99

FEB231506 TMNT ARMAGEDDON GAME #8 CVR A FEDERICI $5.99

FEB231507 TMNT ARMAGEDDON GAME #8 CVR B PE $5.99

FEB231508 TMNT ARMAGEDDON GAME #8 CVR C EASTMAN & FEDERICI $5.99

FEB230362 TRACKERS PRESENTS ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN NICK TP $14.99

MAY231895 UNDER THE INFLUENCE #1 (OF 5) $4.99

MAY231929 UTOWN GN $19.99

MAY232281 VAMPIRE KNIGHT MEMORIES GN VOL 08 (MR) $9.99

JUN229000 VERSAILLES OF DEAD GN VOL 04 (MR) $12.99

MAY231576 WORLD OF ARCHIE JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #131 $9.99

MAR231416 WORLD OF BLACK HAMMER OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 $29.99

APR231911 WORLD OF TOMORROW #2 $3.99

FEB231148 WORLD WAR 3 RAID ON TOKYO #5 (OF 5) $4.99

DEC221911 WORLDS END HAREM FANTASIA GN VOL 09 (MR) $13.99

FEB230390 YOUNG HELLBOY ASSAULT ON CASTLE DEATH HC $24.99

JAN232261 YURI IS MY JOB GN VOL 11 (MR) $12.99

MAY231711 ZAKS AND OTHER LOST STORIES HC $35.00

MAGAZINES

APR231335 COMIC SHOP NEWS (100CT BUNDLE) #1872 $PI

FEB231392 COMICS JOURNAL #309 $16.99

APR231339 G FAN #140 $8.95

APR231521 HI FRUCTOSE MAGAZINE QUARTERLY #67 $12.95

APR231700 SCARY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #131 $14.99

BOOKS

MAY231954 5 SCARIER STORIES FOR A DARK KNIGHT HC $12.99

MAY232394 ART OF THE WONDERLAND SC $29.95

MAY232066 CHARACTER DESIGN QUARTERLY 25 SC $16.00

NOV221487 COMPLETE WORLD FAMOUS CREATURES HC $59.95

NOV221486 COMPLETE WORLD FAMOUS CREATURES SC $39.95

MAY231815 DISNEY HAUNTED MANSION BIG GOLDEN BOOK $10.99

MAR231671 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ULT POP UP BOOK HC $85.00

SEP222285 FREE LIFE FANTASY ONLINE IMMORTAL PRINCESS L NOVEL VOL 03 (R $14.99

MAY231816 FUNKO GOONIES LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK $5.99

MAY231855 HOCUS POCUS OFFICIAL COOKBOOK $29.99

DEC221999 IRINA VAMPIRE COSMONAUT LIGHT NOVEL VOL 05 (MR) $14.99

APR231695 LEGO HARRY POTTER CHARACTER ENCYC NEW ED W MINIFIGURE $21.99

MAR231048 MARVEL HULK FIRST 60 YEARS HC $24.99

FEB231758 SKETCHING FROM IMAGINATION CHARACTER CONCEPTS SC $37.00

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DC Comics Shipping from Lunar Distributors for July 4, 2023

DC COMICS:

Adventures Of Superman Jon Kent #5 (Of 6)(Cover A Clayton Henry), $3.99

Adventures Of Superman Jon Kent #5 (Of 6)(Cover B Jim Cheung Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Adventures Of Superman Jon Kent #5 (Of 6)(Cover C Hayden Sherman Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Adventures Of Superman Jon Kent #5 (Of 6)(Cover D Zu Orzu Card Stock Variant), AR

Adventures Of Superman Jon Kent #5 (Of 6)(Cover E Clayton Henry Foil Variant), AR

Batman One Bad Day Penguin HC, $17.99

Batman One Bad Day Two-Face HC, $17.99

Batman Vs. Robin HC, $29.99

Clark And Lex TP, $12.99

DC Vs. Vampires All-Out War Volume 1 HC, $19.99

Deathstroke Inc. Volume 1 King Of The Super-Villains TP, $19.99

Knight Terrors Batman #1 (Of 2)(Cover A Guillem March), $4.99

Knight Terrors Batman #1 (Of 2)(Cover B Francesco Mattina Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Batman #1 (Of 2)(Cover C Puppeteer Lee Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Batman #1 (Of 2)(Cover D Dustin Nguyen Midnight Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Batman #1 (Of 2)(Cover E Kael Ngu Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Batman #1 (Of 2)(Cover F Dan Mora Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Black Adam #1 (Of 2)(Cover A Jeremy Haun), $4.99

Knight Terrors Black Adam #1 (Of 2)(Cover B Christian Ward Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Black Adam #1 (Of 2)(Cover C Tiago Da Silva Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Black Adam #1 (Of 2)(Cover D Dustin Nguyen Midnight Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Black Adam #1 (Of 2)(Cover E Karl Kerschl Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Black Adam #1 (Of 2)(Cover F Jeremy Haun Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors First Blood #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Howard Porter), $5.99

Knight Terrors First Blood #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Jae Lee Card Stock Variant), $6.99

Knight Terrors First Blood #1 (One Shot)(Cover C Francesco Mattina Card Stock Variant), $6.99

Knight Terrors First Blood #1 (One Shot)(Cover D Blank Card Stock Variant), $6.99

Knight Terrors First Blood #1 (One Shot)(Cover E Howard Porter Darkest Hour Neon Ink Card Stock Variant), $7.99

Knight Terrors First Blood #1 (One Shot)(Cover F Riccardo Federici Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors First Blood #1 (One Shot)(Cover G Ejikure Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors First Blood #1 (One Shot)(Cover H Jae Lee Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Poison Ivy #1 (Of 2)(Cover A Jessica Fong), $4.99

Knight Terrors Poison Ivy #1 (Of 2)(Cover B Lesley Leirix Li Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Poison Ivy #1 (Of 2)(Cover C Jamie Mckelvie Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Poison Ivy #1 (Of 2)(Cover D Dustin Nguyen Midnight Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Poison Ivy #1 (Of 2)(Cover E Nimit Malavia Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Poison Ivy #1 (Of 2)(Cover F Jessica Dalva Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Ravager #1 (Of 2)(Cover A Jeff Spokes), $3.99

Knight Terrors Ravager #1 (Of 2)(Cover B Francesco Mattina Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Knight Terrors Ravager #1 (Of 2)(Cover C Felipe Massafera Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Knight Terrors Ravager #1 (Of 2)(Cover D Dustin Nguyen Midnight Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Knight Terrors Ravager #1 (Of 2)(Cover E James Stokoe Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Ravager #1 (Of 2)(Cover F Jeff Spokes Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors The Joker #1 (Of 2)(Cover A Stefano Raffaele), $4.99

Knight Terrors The Joker #1 (Of 2)(Cover B Francesco Mattina Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors The Joker #1 (Of 2)(Cover C Simone Bianchi Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors The Joker #1 (Of 2)(Cover D Dustin Nguyen Midnight Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors The Joker #1 (Of 2)(Cover E Alan Quah Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors The Joker #1 (Of 2)(Cover F Ryan Brown Card Stock Variant), AR

My Greatest Adventure #80 (Facsimile Edition)(Cover A Bruno Premiani), $3.99

My Greatest Adventure #80 (Facsimile Edition)(Cover B Bruno Premiani Foil Variant), $5.99

Peacemaker Tries Hard #3 (Of 6)(Cover A Kris Anka), $4.99

Peacemaker Tries Hard #3 (Of 6)(Cover B Joe Quinones), $4.99

Peacemaker Tries Hard #3 (Of 6)(Cover C Kris Anka Movie Poster Variant), $4.99

Peacemaker Tries Hard #3 (Of 6)(Cover D Jorge Corona), AR

Steelworks #2 (Of 6)(Cover A Clay Mann), $3.99

Steelworks #2 (Of 6)(Cover B Sami Basri Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Steelworks #2 (Of 6)(Cover C Ibrahim Moustafa Card Stock Variant), AR

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Saturday, July 1, 2023

An Independent Negromancer Enters July 2023

Welcome to July 2023. Welcome to Negromancer 2.0. This is the rebirth of Negromancer, the former movie review website as a new movie review and movie news site.

Support me on Patreon. All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademark their respective owners.

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Friday, June 30, 2023

Review: "INDIANA JONES and the Dial of Destiny" is a Wonderful Final Adventure

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 29 of 2023 (No. 1918) by Leroy Douresseaux

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (1989)

Running time: 154 minutes (2 hours, 34 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, language and smoking

DIRECTOR: James Mangold

WRITERS: Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth and David Koepp & James Mangold (based on characters created by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman)

PRODUCERS: Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, and Simon Emanuel

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Phedon Papamichael (D.o.P.)

EDITORS: Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker, and Dick Westervelt

COMPOSER: John Williams

ADVENTURE/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Antonino Banderas, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Olivier Richters, Ethann Isidore, Nasser Memarzia, Karen Allen, and John Rhys-Davies,

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a 2023 action-adventure film directed by James Mangold. It is the fifth entry in the “Indiana Jones” film franchise that began with the 1981 film, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Dial of Destiny finds Indiana Jones racing to retrieve a legendary artifact from a Nazi who wants change the course of history.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens in 1944, deep inside Europe during the Allied liberation of World War II. Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. (Harrison Ford) and his colleague and fellow archaeologist, Basil Shaw (Toby Jones), are both captured by Nazis while attempting to retrieve “the Lance of Longinus.” This relic is also known as the “Spear of Destiny,” the lance that is alleged to have pierced the side of Jesus Christ. Adolf Hitler believes it can save him and his dying Third Reich.

However, Nazi scientist Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) believes that he has found part of the relic that can save the Nazis, the “Antikythera”or “Archimedes's Dial,” a device created by the ancient Greek mathematician, Archimedes, Voller believes that if he can make the device whole it is capable of locating fissures in time. As usual, Indiana Jones foils the Nazis.

A quarter-century later, in August 1969, Jones is retiring from his position as a professor and instructor at Hunter College. He is approached by Helena “Wombat” Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), Jones' goddaughter and Basil Shaw's daughter. She has come looking for the Dial, but she isn't the only one. A Nazi ghost from Indiana Jones' past also wants to retrieve the Dial and to find its missing half. Can Indiana Jones, now an old man, find the will for one more adventure to save the world from Nazi machinations? Can he really trust his own goddaughter's motivations?

In preparation for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, I recently watched Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in its entirety for the first time in over two decades. I have seen the first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, countless times, and I re-watched its follow-up, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), in November of last year (2022). I have watched the fourth film in the series, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), many times since its release.

I am happy to report that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the best Indiana Jones since Temple of Doom. It is a bit long and drags in the middle, but when it is time to deliver the old-fashioned Indiana Jones thrills, this film brings it with renewed freshness. The two street chases, one in New York and one in Tangier, Morocco, kept me on the edge of my seat. Indiana Jones on a horse tearing through the streets and subways of NYC is every bit as good as it could be.

Dial of Destiny is also blessed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Helena Shaw. The script presents a very well conceived and executed character, and Bridge turns her into a character that can match Indiana Jones step for step. Hers is not the only high-quality supporting character, but this film could not work without Waller-Bridge playing Shaw the way she does.

The best Indiana Jones villains are the Nazis, and Mads Mikkelsen as Voller and Boyd Holbrook as Klaber, Voller's crazy and homicidal lackey, gives us Nazis worthy of not only being punched, but also of being killed. It's good to see that the Indiana Jones franchise makes Nazis plainly and clearly evil. There isn't any “good people on both sides here” double talk in this movie.

No, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas do not return for Dial of Destiny, being listed in the credits as “executive producers.” James Mangold has replaced Spielberg as director, and he does a much better job with this film than I expected. Lucas has co-written the story for the previous films doesn't for this one, but the spirit of adventure and mystery he first imagined decades ago is strong in Dial of Destiny.

I understand that some viewers may be put off by the age of Dial of Destiny's star and title character. I like that Dial of Destiny does not hesitate to grapple with Indiana Jones' age and about the grief and regret that have become a big part of his life. It is nice to see returning supporting characters, Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) and Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), although it is a bit off-putting not seeing them so much older. Still, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, with its themes of time and tide, of change, of new eras, of aging, of a hero in the sunset of his life, offers a perfect good-bye to a beloved hero. It says that there is still a story to tell, but the story we followed for so long … well, that's over.

7 of 10

A-

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Friday, June 30, 2023

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 25th to 30th, 2023 - Update #15

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

AMAZON - From Deadline: Tyler Perry has announced the second film of the four-picture deal he signed with Amazon back in November 2022. Perry will write, produce, and direct "Divorce in the Black." Among its stars are Meagon Goode, Debbie Morgan, and Perry himself, to name a few.

MARVEL STUDIOS - From Deadline: Marvel Studios' star, Anthony Mackie (Falcon, Captain America) speaks out in support of his fellow Marvel star, Jonathan Majors (Kang the Conqueror), who has recently faced multiple accusations of violence against women.

NETFLIX - From Deadline: Netflix has signed a five-year deal with Japanese screenwriter Yuki Sakamoto. He won the screenplay award at this year's Cannes Film Festival for the film, "Monster."

DISNEY - From THR: Evan Peters, hot off "Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story," will reportedly play the villain next to Jared Leto's hero in "Tron 3." Joachim Ronning is scheduled to direct the film that hopes to begin filming in August.

DC STUDIOS - From Variety: Actor David Corenswet will play Superman/Clark Kent and Rachel Brosnahan will play Lois Lane in 2025's "Superman: Legacy."

TELEVISION - From Deadline: MSNBC has renewed John Leguizamo's travelogue-style show, "Leguizamo Does America," for a second season.

ACADEMY AWARDS - From THR: Actress Angela Bassett, writer-director-actor-songwriter Mel Brooks and film editor Carol Littleton have been tapped to receive honorary Oscars, while former Sundance Institute chief Michelle Satter will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2023 Governors Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Monday, June 26th. The 14th annual honors will be presented at a ceremony at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on Nov. 18th.

MUSIC - From Variety: The winners at the 2023 BET Awards were announced. There was a tie for "Album of the Year," Beyonce for "Renaissance" and SZA for "SOS."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 6/23 to 6/25/2023 weekend box office is Sony Pictures' "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" with an estimated take of 19.3 million dollars.

From Variety: "The Flash" experiences a 73 percent drop from its debut weekend (when it was #1) to its second weekend (where it finished at #3).

From Here: A movie review of "The Flash" by Leroy Douresseaux.

STREAMING - From Deadline: Paramount+ has canceled a slew of its originals, including "Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies," "Star Trek: Prodigy," "Queen of the Universe," and "The Game." The streamer is taking the shows off its platform as it becomes the latest media company to take a content write-down. Some will be shopped to rival broadcasters and streamers.

OBITS:

From Variety: Film director and actor, Alan Arkin, has died at the age of 89, Thursday, June 29, 2023. Arkin won the best supporting actor Oscar for his performance in the "Little Miss Sunshine" (2006). His prolific career includes roles in such films at "Catch-22," "The In-Laws," "The Rocketeer," "Glengarry Glen Ross," and "Argo," to name a few.

From Deadline: The English film and television actor, Julian Sands, has been confirmed dead, at the age of 65. Sands had been missing since mid-January when he was believed to be hiking on Mount Baldy, northeast of Los Angeles. Hikers found human remains on Mount Baldy on June 24th, and they were confirmed as Sands Tues., June 27th, 2023. His varied film career included roles in such films as "A Room with a View" (1985), "Gothic" (1986), "Warlock" (1989), "Boxing Helena" (1993), and "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995), to name a few.

From Deadline: Television, film, and state actor, Nicolas Coster, has died at the age of 89, Monday, June 26, 2023. Among his best known works are his roles on the former NBC daytime soaps, "Another World" (1970-80) and "Santa Barbara" (1984-93). He appeared in numerous other TV series, including "Star Trek: The Next Generations," "Law & Order," and "As the World Turns," to name a few. He won a Daytime Emmy Awards in 2017 and was nominated four other times for his work on "Santa Barbara."

WRITERS STRIKE:

From Deadline: Writers Strike puts the spotlight back on the challenge from writers for animation productions to be covered by the WGA.

From THR: Studios won't give writers better pay, and now, are laying off janitors.

From Deadline: The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has reached a tentative new three-year deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). So what does the Writers Guild (WGA), currently on strike and negotiating with the AMPTP, think of that deal.

From Deadline: Netflix shareholders declined to support the 2023 pay packages of top executives during a non-binding vote at the company’s annual shareholder meeting on Thursday. The vote won't prevent these execs from getting their loot (an total of $166 million), but this is a rare public rebuke. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has urged shareholders to vote "No" because the pay was "inappropriate" at this time.

From Deadline: Warner Bros Discovery chief David Zaslav gave the commencement address at Boston University. There he was met with jeers and also chants of "pay your writers" from picketers and from some in the audience.

From Deadline: President Joe Biden speaks on the Writers Guild of America strike.

From Deadline: Retaliation! The studios have starting informing writer-producers who have "overall" and "first-look" deals that such deals are being suspended.

From Deadline: Retaliation! Prolific HBO creator, David Simon, who is best known for "The Wire," is one of the many writers who have had their overall deals suspended the studios due to the WGA strike. Simon has been with HBO for 25 years.

From Deadline: The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is on strike.

From Deadline: Disney, HBO/HBO Max, and CBS have sent letters to showrunners (the TV equivalent of film directors) instructing them to return to work, inspite of the writer's strike.

From Deadline: The WGA's chief negotiator, Ellen Stutzman, talks about the state of the writers' strike, including the lack of engagement on the part of the strike's other party, AMPTP.

From Deadline: What went wrong between the WGA and AMPTP? What could they not agree on that led to a strike?

From Deadline: The site explains the WGA strike: the issues, the stakes, movies and TV shows affected, and how long it might last.

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Thursday, June 29, 2023

Review: "INDIANA JONES and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is a Nice Coda

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 27 (of 2008) by Leroy Douresseaux

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Running time: 126 minutes (2 hours, 6 minutes)

MPAA – PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images

DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg

WRITERS: David Koepp; from a story by George Lucas and Jeff Nathanson

PRODUCER: Frank Marshall

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Janusz Kaminski (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Michael Kahn, A.C.E.

COMPOSER: John Williams

ACTION/ADVENTURE

Starring: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, and Shia LaBeouf

There is that old saying, “you can’t go home again,” but you can. It is simply that the present does not have the cherished golden glow of cherished memories of an idealized past. With that in mind, in 2008, we saw the return of Indiana Jones to the big screen for the first time in 19 years.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is an action-adventure film from director Steven Spielberg. It is the fourth entry in the “Indiana Jones” film franchise that began with the 1981 film, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). Kingdom of the Crystal Skull finds Indiana Jones fighting a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the “Crystal Skulls.”

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull begins in the desert Southwest in 1957 at the height of the Cold War. There, Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. (Harrison Ford) and his sidekick, George “Mac” McHale (Ray Winstone), encounter the icy cold Soviet beauty, Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), and her elite military unit on a remote airfield. The Soviets want something from Indy, but in the end, he barely escapes the nefarious Soviets.

Afterwards, Indy returns to Marshall College, where he is known as “Professor Jones,” and finds that things have gone from bad to worse. The government is suspicious of Indy’s recent activities and forced Jones’ close friend and dean of the college, Dean Charles Stanforth (Jim Broadbent), to fire him. On his way out of town, Indy meets the rebellious young biker, Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf), who asks Indy for his help in a deeply personal mission. If he helps Mutt, Indy could very well make one of the most spectacular archaeological finds in history – the Crystal Skull of Akator, a legendary object of fascination and superstition.

As Indy and Mutt comb the most remote corners of Peru, Spalko and the Soviet agents are also hot on the trail of the Crystal Skull, which they believe can help the Soviets dominate the world, if they can unlock its secrets. Peru, however, is not only the home of the Crystal Skull, it is also the place where Indiana Jones makes a surprise reunion and learns an even more shocking secret, as he and his friends desperately battle to protect the powerful Crystal Skull.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull lacks the old school, B-movie serial charm of the original Raiders of the Lost Ark. It doesn’t have the gleefully and deliberately gruesome spirit of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), nor the comic charm of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).

What Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull does have is entertainment value by the truckload. This pleasing popcorn movie has a mix of action, adventure, and nostalgia that turns it into the perfect summer romp for an afternoon at the movie theater.

Why keep pretending!? Karen Allen, as the original Indiana Jones heroine, Marion Ravenwood, is back, and that makes this somewhat inferior Indiana Jones sequel even more enjoyable. Throw in another secret, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a must-see for Indy fans. Obviously many fans had questions and concerns coming into this new film. Chief among them would be the use of CGI. Between the time that The Last Crusade appeared and now, CGI has, for the most part, replaced practical and physical special effects in mainstream Hollywood films.

No, the use of CGI (which the filmmakers claimed was only used on 30% of the film) to create lush jungles, impossible fight scenes (like the sword duel between Mutt and Irina, most of it on top of moving vehicles), and exotic locales doesn’t ruin Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, although this flick lacks the grit and tough guy spirit of the other films. But let’s face it; Harrison Ford is no longer a spring chicken, so this film needs CGI slickness to give the action a manic video game feel to it. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a modern action movie, and all the quiet, dramatic moments are used to merely prepare us for the next death-defying chase, whereas they existed for themselves in the early films. Still, the modern touches work.

Set in 1957, the film drops many 1950’s cultural and pop culture tropes: Elvin Presley, B-movie sci-fi, aliens, Communism, bikers, etc. The fear of being turned into the other or being forced into a like or hive mind is prevalent, as is Steven Spielberg’s familiar motif that knowledge only robs reality of its sense of wonder (OK…). However, the age of their star Harrison Ford required the driving force behind Indiana Jones, Spielberg and George Lucas, to accept that it’s sometimes okay to grow up.

That’s why Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is ultimately less a sequel than it is a coda or epilogue to Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, which is likely the reason that Karen Allen/Marion Ravenwood, the most beloved woman in Indy’s life, is back. It’s time to grow up and movie on, and what a silly and fun send off this is. Flaws and all, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a good old American summer movie blockbuster. As the credits rolled on the film’s happy finale, I realized that Indy and I were going our separate ways, but with wonderful memories as parting gifts.

6 of 10

★★★ out of 4 stars

NOTES:

2009 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Special Visual Effects” (Pablo Helman, Marshall Richard Krasserm and Steve Rawlins)

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Edited: Saturday, November 5, 2022

You can purchase the "INDIANA JONES 4-Movie Collection" Blu-ray or DVD here at AMAZON.

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Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Review: "INDIANA JONES and the Last Crusade" Stills Feels Like a True Ending

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 28 of 2023 (No. 1917) by Leroy Douresseaux

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Running time: 127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)

MPAA – PG-13

DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg

WRITERS: Jeffrey Boam; from a story by George Lucas and Menno Meyjes (based on characters created by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman)

PRODUCER: Robert Watts

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Douglas Slocombe (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Michael Kahn, A.C.E.

COMPOSER: John Williams

Academy Award winner

ADVENTURE/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Alison Doody, Denholm Elliot, John Rhys-Davies, Julian Glover, River Phoenix, Michael Byrne, Kevork Malikyan, Robert Eddison, Richard Young, and Michael Sheard

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a 1989 action-adventure film from director Steven Spielberg. It is the third entry in the “Indiana Jones” film franchise that began with the 1981 film, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). The Last Crusade finds Indiana Jones searching for his father, who along with the Nazis, are search for the Holy Grail.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade opens in Utah, 1912. It is there that teenage Henry Jones, Jr. (River Phoenix) has his first experiences with raiders of an archaeological site.

Over a quarter-century later, in 1938, Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. (Harrison Ford) recovers the treasure he lost as a teenager. Jones returns to teaching (apparently at Barnett College in Fairfield, New York) when one of the college's wealthy patrons approaches him about a special mission. Walter Donovan (Julian Glover) wants Jones to help him locate the Holy Grail.

Jones informs him that his father, Professor Henry Jones, Sr. (Sean Connery), is the expert on the Holy Grail and the one whom Donovan should seek. Donovan shocks Jones by informing him that he had hired his father to find the Grail, but the senior Jones has disappeared. Jones and his colleague, Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliot), race to Venice, his father's last known location. Waiting for them is Dr. Elsa Schneider (Alison Doody), who was working with the elder Jones in Venice as he sought to find more clues about the Grail's location.

Before long, Indiana Jones and Henry Jones Sr. are racing for their lives, staying one step ahead of the Nazis, who also want the Grail, and the Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword, who want to protect it. Reunited with his old friend, Sallah (John Rhys-Davies), the Jones boys get closer to the Holy Grail, but the secret of the Grail is that it offers both eternal life and total destruction.

In preparation for the upcoming fifth film in the series, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, I decided to see the one Indiana Jones film that I have not watched in its entirety since the 1990s, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I have seen the first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, countless times, and I rewatched its follow-up, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), in November of last year (2022). I have watched the fourth film in the series, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), many times since its release.

I have long considered Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade the true end of the Indiana Jones film series because it was the third film in the original trilogy and because it felt like the end of something. The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull felt like a “coda,” in the sense that it was both an addition to the three-film series that ran from 1981 to 1989 and a final piece added to the ending of The Last Crusade's tale of family and friends out for one last adventure.

Seeing The Last Crusade in its entirety for the first time in decades, I still feel like I'm watching the end of trilogy. If there was going to be another film after it, that ceased to be when River Phoenix, the actor who played teen Henry Jones, Jr. in this film, died in 1993 at the age of 23. Actor Denholm Elliot, who played Marcus Brody in the original film and in The Last Crusade, died at the age of 70, a year earlier in 1992. Henry Jones Sr., actor Sean Connery, only recently died (2020) at the age of 90. So, you see, dear readers, because of the passing of a number of cast members, more and more, I associate Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade with endings.

The Last Crusade is my least favorite film of the original trilogy. I know that some audiences prefer it to the darker Temple of Doom, and apparently, director Steven Spielberg made The Last Crusade the way he did to offer a lighter film in response to the criticism of the Temple of Doom's violence and exotic mysticism. However, I find Temple of Doom to be wildly inventive, darkly imaginative, and a roller coaster ride. If Raiders of the Lost Ark is an original, in a way, Temple of Doom still seems determined to be something very different from its predecessor.

Honestly, I find The Last Crusade to be only mildly entertaining until the film's last 45 minutes. Then, it explodes and really finds itself with lots of Nazi-punching and killing and also with a spine-tingling jaunt to the Holy Grail. Besides, Indiana Jones is always at his best when he's beating Nazis. Honestly, I think it is important that audiences who have not seen the original films watch them all before moving on to the new film. By the time they get to the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, many newbies may finally understand what Indiana Jones meant to American cinema once upon a time, and why, over four decades after the release of the first film, there is a new one.

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

You can purchase the "INDIANA JONES 4-Movie Collection" Blu-ray or DVD here at AMAZON.

NOTES:

1990 Academy Awards, USA: 1 win: “Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing” (Ben Burtt and Richard Hymns); 2 nominations: “Best Sound” (Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, Shawn Murphy, and Tony Dawe), and “Best Music, Original Score” (John Williams)

1990 BAFTA Awards: 3 nominations: “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (Sean Connery), “Best Sound” (Richard Hymns, Tony Dawe, Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, and Shawn Murphy), and “Best Special Effects” (George Gibbs, Michael J. McAlister, Mark Sullivan, and John Ellis)

1990 Golden Globes, USA: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Sean Connery)

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