Review: Pixar's "TURNING RED" is Universal and Unique

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 8 of 2024 (No. 1952) by Leroy Douresseaux

Turning Red (2022)

Running time:  100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)

MPA –  PG for thematic material, suggestive content and language

DIRECTOR:  Domee Shi

WRITERS:  Domee Shi and Julie Cho; from a story by Domee Shi, Julie Cho, and Sarah Streicher

PRODUCER:  Lindsey Collins

CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Mahyar Abousaeedi and Jonathan Pytko

EDITORS:  Nicholas C. Smith with Steve Bloom

COMPOSER: Ludwig Goransson

SONGS: Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell

Academy Award nominee

ANIMATION/FANTASY/COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring:  (voices) Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Hyein Park, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, Tristan Allerick Chen, Jordan Fisher, Finneas O'Connell, and James Hong

Turning Red is a 2022 animated fantasy and comedy-drama film directed by Domee Shi and produced by Pixar Animation Studios.  It is Pixar's 25th full-length animated feature film, and it is the first to be solely directed by a woman.  Turning Red focuses on a teen girl who is dealing with her demanding mother and the changes of adolescence when she suddenly discovers that becoming really excited causes her to turn into a giant red panda.

Turning Red opens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2002.  It introduces a Chinese-Canadian girl, 13-year-old Meilin “Mei” Lee (Rosalie Chiang).  She lives with her parents, mother Ming (Sandra Oh) and father Jin (Orion Lee).  Mei is a dutiful daughter to her mother who calls her “Mei-Mei,” and she helps take care of the family's temple, “the Lee Family Temple,” one of the the oldest temples in Toronto.  The temple honors the Lee family ancestors instead of gods, and it is dedicated to Mei's maternal ancestor Sun Yee.

Mei is also dedicated to a trio of girl friends:  Miriam (Ava Morse), Priya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), and Abby (Hyein Park), and all three of them are dedicated fans of the boy band, “4*Town.”  Life is busy, but it's about to get complicated.  The morning after a night of humiliation, Mei wakes up to discover that she has been transformed into a giant red panda.  This is a condition that happens when Mei is overly excited, but it can be cured.  But what does Mei really want?

In the early days of the Disney+ streaming service and in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Walt Disney Company released three Pixar feature films as direct-to-streaming releases:  Soul (2020), Luca (2021), and Turning Red, declining wide theatrical releases for the films.  These were and still are three of Pixar's greatest films, but they are finally getting belated theatrical releases in early 2024.  [Soul in January 2024; Turning Red in February 2024; and Luca in March 2024.]

Turning Red is an incredible coming-of-age story, and like Pixar's Oscar-winning Brave (2012), it is a story of transformations and of mother-daughter relationships and all the love and support and trials and tribulations that come with it.  Its beautiful, terracotta-like colors amplify the film's sense of magic and magical realism.  The variety of faces, body types, skin colors, hair styles, and clothes and costumes are a testament of how culturally expansive Pixar's films set in the human world are.  Everything about Turning Red invites the entire world of moviegoers to come along on this timeless, universal tale of a child coming into her own and learning to love herself as she is becoming and to love her parents for what they were, are, and can be.

Domee Shi and her co-writers, Julie Cho and Sarah Streicher, have created a character, a world, and a scenario of which I believe I can be a part.  I am an old-ass Black man, a million miles away from a 13-year-old Canadian girl of Chinese descent, but Turning Red makes me understand that what the girl experiences are in some ways similar to what I've experienced.  In a way, I am jealous of Turning Red and of Meilin Lee because I could never embrace the messy strangeness in me to the extent that she does.  I definitely did not want my freak flag fluttering in the wind too much.

There is so much to like in this film.  As usual, the animation is up to Pixar's astronomical standards, and Ludwig Goransson's score infuses itself into the film so much that it seems as if the animation is performing a concert.  Speaking of music, I'm embarrassed to admit that I like 4*Town, the band, and its three songs performed in the movie, which are written by the sister-brother team of Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell.  And I couldn't love the movie if I wasn't crazy about actress Rosalie Chiang's multi-layered and energetic voice performance as Mei.  Chiang makes Mei feel like a real girl, genuine child in the throes of change and transformation.

Some have said that Turning Red's setting and its lead character, Mei, make the film not timeless and universal like Pixar's other films.  They can go screw themselves.  Turning Red is universal like other Pixar films and also unlike other Pixar films.  Turning Red is Pixar high art and Disney magic, and it is a truly great film that I plan on watching again and again.

10 of 10

Sunday, February 11, 2024

NOTES:

2023 Academy Awards, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Animated Feature Film” (Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins)

2023 BAFTA Film Awards:  1 nominee: “Best Animated Feature Film” (Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins)

2023 Golden Globes, USA:  1 nominee:  “Best Motion Picture – Animated”

2023 Image Awards (NAACP):  1 nominee: “Outstanding Animated Motion Picture”

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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

Review: "GODZILLA" 2014 is Still Awesome

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 7 of 2024 (No. 1951) by Leroy Douresseaux

Godzilla (2014)

Running time: 123 minutes (2 hours, three minutes)

MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of destruction, mayhem and creature violence

DIRECTOR:  Gareth Edwards

WRITERS:  Max Borenstein; from a story by Dave Callaham

PRODUCERS:  Jon Jashni, Mary Parent, Brian Rogers, and Thomas Tull

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Seamus McGarvey (D.o.P.)

EDITOR:  Bob Ducsay

COMPOSER:  Alexandre Desplat

SCI-FI/ACTION/MILITARY/THRILLER

Starring:  Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Carson Bolde, Sally Hawkins, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn, Richard T. Jones, and Victor Rasuk

Godzilla is a 2014 science fiction-monster film and military thriller directed by Gareth Edwards.  Produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, the movie was the first in the “MonsterVerse” film series, and it is a reboot of Toho Co., Ltd.'s Godzilla film franchise.  Godzilla 2014 focuses on the reappearance of monstrous creatures that have the power to destroy human civilization, but one of them may be humanity's only hope for survival.

Godzilla opens in 1999.  Dr. Ishiro Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) and Vivienne Graham (Sally Hawkins), two scientists from “Project Monarch,” are investigating the skeleton of a monstrous creature that was unearthed in the Philippines.  Meanwhile, in Janjira, Japan, Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston), the supervisor at the Janjira Nuclear Power Plant, prepares for another day of work with his wife, Sandra Brody (Juliette Binoche).  Something odd has been happening in and around the power plant, and before the day is over, the plant will collapse due to what seems to be an earthquake.  It is an incident that will leave Joe Brody broken and haunted.

Fifteen years later, Lt. Ford Brody (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is a U.S. Navy EOD officer (United States Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal).  The son of Joe and Sandra, Ford has moved on with his life and is now on-leave in San Francisco with his wife, Elle Brody (Elizabeth Olsen), a nurse, and their son, Sam (Carson Bolde).  However, Ford is forced to return to Japan when he learns that his father has been detained for trespassing in Janjira's quarantine zone (Q zone).  Joe is determined to find the cause of the meltdown 15 years ago at the Janjira power plant.  Ford thinks his father is crazy and does not believe anything he tells him.

However, what Ford is about to witness will introduce him to the world of the MUTO (massive unidentified terrestrial organism).  One such MUTO has the power to disrupt human civilization by emitting an intense electromagnetic pulse (EMP), and now, it's headed for the United States.  Monarch's Dr. Serizawa believes that the only thing that can stop the MUTO is an ancient alpha predator he calls “Gojira.”  But Gojira is also a MUTO...

The “MonsterVerse” is an American multimedia franchise that includes movies; a streaming live-action television series (Apple TV+) and a streaming animated series (Netflix); books and comic books; and video games.  It is a shared fictional universe that includes the character, “Godzilla” and other characters owned and created by the Japanese entertainment company, Toho Co., Ltd.  The MonsterVerse is a reboot of Toho's Godzilla franchise.  It is also a reboot of the King Kong franchise, which is based on the character, “King Kong,” that was created by actor and filmmaker, Merian C. Cooper (1893-1973).

The fifth film in the MonsterVerse series, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, is due to be released sometime in March, so I have decided to watch and review the previous four films:  Godzilla (which is the subject of this review), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021).  I have previously seen Godzilla and Kong: Skull Island, but I have not previously reviewed them.

I watched parts of Godzilla 2014 more times than I can remember over the last decade.  It is a fascinating American “kaiju” film.  “Kaiju” is a Japanese sub-genre of science fiction that features giants monsters, and the term can also be used to refer to the giant monsters themselves.  Godzilla 2014 is very well directed by Englishmen, Gareth Edwards, who first came to notice because of his excellent 2010 film, Monsters, and later gained notoriety as the director of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016).  Edwards is a natural when it comes to big monsters and big monster conspiracies and threats.

The film includes some good performances, although Bryan Cranston is the real standout with his intense, heartbreaking turn as Joe Brody.  Elisabeth Olsen as Elle Brody is sidelined and wasted, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson gamely plays Lt. Ford Brody as the film's ostensible lead, who is more dragged along by the film's action than leading it.

What makes this modern Godzilla film exceptional to me is the work of the technicians, artisans, and crew that don't always get credit for making a film work.  Godzilla's camera work, the lighting, the film editing, the film score, the visual effects, the sound editing and mixing combine to create a film that is successful in what it conveys.  What this film is pushing to us is a deep and abiding sense of mystery.  It is in the shadows that hides the monsters and incredible battles.  It is in the mood altering and heartbeat pacing score by the great Alexandre Desplat.

The mystery is in the sound and in the silence.  It is in the flitting light and frequent flares and in the subtle film editing that hides itself while controlling the film's pace and mood.  Godzilla's technical skill is the art of cinematic craftsmanship coming together, and that is best exemplified in the beautiful, breathtaking “Halo drop” sequence.

Godzilla's sense of mystery keeps the film from coming across like lowbrow, popcorn entertainment, which was the fate of director Roland Emmerich's 1998 film, Godzilla.  Godzilla 2014's characters are in the dark almost as much as the audience is.  By maintaining a sense of mystery, the film's narrative could convince me that humanity may be on the precipice of extinction, and it did.  I highly recommend the MonsterVerse Godzilla, and I'll keep watching it.

A

8 of 10

★★★★ out of 4 stars

Saturday, February 10, 2024

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from Feb. 1st to 10th, 2024 - Update #28

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From THR:  Christian Bale will play Frankenstein in a film directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal.  The Warner Bros. film is set in the 1930s and finds the monster traveling to the 1930s Chicago where a doctor will create a companion for him.  Filming begins in the next few weeks.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Emmy Award-winner Jon Cryer shoots down the possibility of a reboot of his former CBS sitcom, "Two and a Half Men."

ANIMATION - From TheWrap:  It seems that Warner Bros. Discovery's plan all along was to kill the live-action/animation hybrid Looney Tunes film, "Coyote vs. Acme."

OSCARS - From THR:  The Academy of Motion Pictures Art and Sciences (AMPAS) has announced that it will soon begin annually presenting an Oscar recognizing "achievement in casting." The award, which will first be presented in 2026, will be the first new Oscar introduced since the organization began presenting "best animated feature" in 2002, after announcing its creation in 2001.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. has won the deal for the untitled project from writer-producer-director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan that is based on an original script by Coogler.  Coogler and Jordan first made their mark as a team on Fruitvale Station (2013) and later worked together on Creed (2015) and Black Panther (2018).

DISNEY - From Deadline:   Taylor Swift's hit concert film, "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" will begin streaming on Disney+ March 15th and will feature five new songs.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director David Leitch is in early talks to direct the next "Jurassic World" film, which is set to debut in theaters July2, 2025.  Leitch is best known for such films as "John Wick" and "Bullet Train."

AMAZON - From Deadline:  America Ferrera will make her directorial debut with "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter," which is based on Erika Sanchez's novel.  The film was previously set up at Netflix, but is not at Amazon MGM Studios' Orion Pictures.

GRAMMYS - From Variety:  The winners at the 2024 / 66th Annual Grammy Awards were announced.  The top prize, "Album of the Year," went to "Midnights" by Taylor Swift.

From Deadline:  With his daughter, Blue Ivy, at his side, Jay-Z called out the Grammys over Beyonce's lack of an "Album of the Year" award, all while accepting the "Dr. Dre Global Impact Award."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:   The winner of the 2/2 to 2/4/2024 weekend box office in Universal Pictures' "Argylle" with an estimated take of 18 million dollars.

BUSINESS - From Afrotech:  Actress and writer-producer, Issa Rae, says that she has secured money from investors to open a studio that will create opportunities for creators.

MOVIES - From Collider:  Actress Nico Parker will play "Astrid" in the live-action adaptation of DreamWorks Animation's Oscar-nominated hit, How to Train Your Dragon.  However, she believes the film will be its "own film, and its own interpretation."

ANIMATION/TRAILER - From SlashFilm:  There is a trailer for "Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin."  It debuts on Apple TV+ on Feb. 16th.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Jim Carrey will reprise his role as "Dr. Robotnik" in "Sonic the Hedgehog 3."  He played the role in "Sonic the Hedgehog" (2020) and "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" (2022).

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Actor Sam Waterson is leaving NBC's long-running legal drama, "Law & Order" after 400+ episodes as Assistant D.A. and later District Attorney "Jack McCoy."  Waterson's last episode will air Thurs., Feb. 22nd.  He joined the series in 1994.  Actor Tony Goldwyn will replace him. 

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Actor and filmmaker, Donnie Yen, will star in "Kung Fu," an adaptation of the former ABC martial arts/Western drama television series, "Kung Fu" (1972-75). David Leitch is set to direct.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Brad Pitt is reunited with Quentin Tarantino for his final film, "The Film Critic," which is due in 2025.  Pitt has starred in Inglourious Basterds (2009) and won an Oscar for his performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).

MUSIC/SPORTS - From NewYorkTimes:  Fox News demands that Grammy Award-winning superstar, Taylor Swift, stay out of politics as they fear that she will endorse President Joe Biden... again.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Tim Burton is set to direct a re-imagining of the 1958 Warner Bros.'s film, "The Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman," with Gillian Flynn ("Gone Girl") writing the script.

ANIMATION/STREAMING - From ScreenRant:  Peacock has announced a direct sequel to the DreamWorks Animation's 2010 film, Megamind.  Peacock released a trailer for "Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate," which will begin streaming on Peacock March 1st.  Debuting the same day on Peacock is an eight-episode animated series, "Megamind Rules!"

MOVIES - From AwardsWatch:  Sony Pictures Classics announced that it has acquired all rights in North America, the Middle East, India, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand to Pedro Almodóvar’s upcoming first English-language feature film, The Room Next Door.  Starring Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, and John Turturro and produced by Almodóvar’s El Deseo, the film will begin shooting March (2024) in New York and Madrid.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Apple TV+'s "Ted Lasso" was the most watched streaming original series in 2023, according to Nielsen.  However, the most streamed title of the year was USA'S former legal drama, "Suits" (2011-19) with 57.7 billion viewing minutes.

OBITS:

From Variety:  Country singer-songwriter and recording artist and actor, Toby Keith, has died at the age of 62, Monday, February 5, 2024.  Keith recorded 19 studio albums, many reaching No. 1 on both the "Billboard 200" album chart and Billboard's "Top Country Album" chart.  Keith had 20 No. 1 sings on Billboard's "Hot Country Songs" chart, including the most played country song of the 1990s, "Should've Been a Cowboy."  Keith was also a seven-time Grammy Award nominee.  Keith starred in two films, "Broken Bridges" (2006) and "Beer for My Horses" (2008), which he wrote.

From Variety:  Film and television actor and TV director, Carl Weathers, has died at the age of 76, Thursday, February 1, 2024.  Weathers is best known for the character, "Apollo Creed," which he first played in the Oscar-winning "Best Picture," "Rocky" (1976), and in "Rocky II" (1979), "Rocky III" (1982), and "Rocky IV" (1985).  Other best known appearances include Predator (1987), "Action Jackson" (1988), and "Happy Gilmore" (1996).  Weathers directed episodes of several TV series, including CBS' "FBI," NBC's "Chicago Med" and "Law & Order."  Weathers directed two episodes of the Disney+ series, "The Mandalorian."  Weathers also appeared in 9 episodes of "The Mandalorian" over its three seasons as "Greef Karga," which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in the category of "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series" in 2021.  Weathers also played professional football for the NFL's Oakland Raiders and CFL's BC Lions.

From Deadline:  Carl Weathers, his career in photos, from "Rocky" to "Predator" and "The Mandalorian."

From LATimes:  "Everyone loved him," Sylvester Stallone, Adam Sandler, and other co-star speak on the late actor and director, Carl Weathers.

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

From Deadline:  Film and television actor, William O'Connell, has died at the age of 94, Monday, January 15, 2024.  O'Connell played the memorable "Star Trek" villain, "Thelev the Andorian," in the second season episode, "Journey to Babel" (Nov. 17th, 1967).  He appeared in several films with Clint Eastwood, including "High Plains Drifter" (1972) and "The Outlaw Josey Wales" (1976).  O'Connell was a Korean War veteran who received the "Bronze Star," among other decorations.

AWARDS:

From THR:  Key award season dates leading up to the 2024 / 96th Academy Awards, which are Sunday, March 10th, 2024.

From Variety: The nominations for the 2024 / 96th Academy Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" leads with 13 nominations, and "Poor Things" follows with 11.  The winners will be announced Sun., March 10th, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The NAACP has announced the nominees for the 2024 / 55th NAACP Image Awards.  By visiting www.naacpimageawards.net, the public can vote to determine the winners of the 55th NAACP Image Awards’ in select categories. Voting closes February 24th at 9:00 p.m. NAACP will also recognize winners in non–televised Image Awards categories March 11–14th, which will stream via naacpimageawards.net.  The winners will be revealed during the two–hour LIVE TV special, airing Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 8:00 PM ET/ PT on BET and CBS.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2024 / 77th EE BAFTA Film Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" leads with 13 nominations, and "Poor Things" follows with 11 nominations.  The winners will be announced Feb. 18th.

From Variety:  The Producers Guild of America has announced the nominees for the 2024 / 35th annual Producers Guild Awards.  For the first time in the history of the awards, two international films, "Anatomy of a Fall" and "The Zone of Interest," have made been nominated in the PGA's top category, "Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures." The winners will be announced Feb. 25th.

From Variety:   The nominees for the 2024 / 51st Annie Awards have been announced.  Netflix's "Nimona" leads the features categories with nine nominations.  The winners will be announced Sat., Feb. 17th.

From Deadline:  The Screen Actors Guild nominations for the 2024 / 30th annual SAG Awards have announced. "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" leads the film side of things with four nominations apiece.  The winners will be announced Saturday, Feb. 24th.

From Variety:  The Directors Guild of America has announced the nominations for the 2024 / 76th DGA Awards.  In the top category, "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film of 2023," the nominees are Greta Gerwig for "Barbie," Christopher Nolan for “Oppenheimer,” Martin Scorsese for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Yorgos Lanthimos for “Poor Things,” and Alexander Payne for “The Holdovers.”  The winners will be announced Feb. 10th.

From AwardsWatch:  The London Critics Circle announced the winners of its 44th annual film awards. "The Zone of Interest" won three awards, including "Film of the Year" and "Best Director" (Jonathan Glazer).

From AwardsWatch:  The Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) has won the 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" won six awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy tied with Paul Giamatti for "The Holdovers").

From Variety:  The American Cinema Editors has announced the nominees for the 2024 / 74th Annual ACE Eddie Awards.  The winners will be announced March 3rd, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) has named its 2023 film awards. "Oppenheimer" won eight awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Poor Things" won three awards, including "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Chicago Indie Critics (CIC) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won seven awards, including "Best Studio Film." Celine Song's "Past Lives" won three, including "Best Independent Film."

From Variety:  The Motion Picture Sound Editors has revealed the nominations for the 71st annual MPSE Golden Reel Awards in categories spanning feature film, television, animation, computer entertainment and student productions.  The winners will be announced March 3rd.

From AwardsWatch: The Iowa Film Critics Association (IFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  Alexander Payne's "The Holdovers" won four awards, including "Best Picture."

From Variety:  The Visual Effects Society has announced the nominations for the 2024 / 22nd Annual VES Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Feb. 21st.

From AwardsWatch:  The North Dakota Film Society (NDFS) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won nine awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The Music City Film Critics Association has announces it MCFCA 2023 Film Awards.  Oppenheimer won seven awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Portland Critics Association (PCA) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won nine awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From Deadline:  The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) announced the 15th annual African-Ameri an Film Critics Awards. "American Fiction" was voted the #1 film and won four awards, including "Best Comedy." Ava DuVernay's "Origin" was voted the #2 film and won three awards, including "Best Drama." 

From Deadline:  The winners of the 2024 / 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" won eight awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Hawaii Film Critics Society (HFCS) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Barbie" wins four awards, including "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS) has announced the winners of its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won four awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) revealed the nominees for the "2024 / 38th Annual ASC Awards" with categories in feature film, documentary, television and music video categories.  The winners will be announced March 3rd, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) announced the winners in 21 categories for the 2023 Seattle Film Critics Society Awards.  Director Celine Song’s "Past Lives" was named the "Best Picture of 2023."

From AwardsWatch:  The Cinema Audio Society (CAS) has announced the nominations for the 60th CAS Awards.  The winners will be announced March 2nd.

From AwardsWatch:  The Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) has announced the nominations for the 28th Art Directors Guild Awards. The winners will be announced Feb. 10th.

From AwardsWatch:  The Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) has announced it 2024 ASTRA Film Awards.  "Barbie" won eight awards, including "Best Picture.

From AwardsWatch:  The Greater Western New York Film Critics Association (GWNYFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Past Lives" was named "Best Picture."

From NSFC:  The National Society of Film Critics announce its 58th annual NSFC Awards.  "Past Lives" was named "Best Picture of 2023."

From Deadline:  The 2024 / 81st Golden Globes Awards ceremony was held Sun. night, Jan. 7th, 2024.  "Oppenheimer" won five awards, including "Best Motion Picture-Drama," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), "Best Actor-Drama" (Cillian Murphy), and "Best Supporting Actor-Motion Pictures" (Robert Downey, Jr.). "Poor Things" won "Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy."

From Deadline:  NIGHT 2 of the 75th Creative Arts Emmys took place Sun., Jan. 7th, 2024.  (Former) President Barack Obama and Keke Palmer were among the winners.

From Deadline:  NIGHT 1 of the 75th Creative Arts Emmys took place Sat., Jan. 6th, 2024.  HBO's "The Last of Us" lead the night with 8 wins, including wins in both "Guest Actor in a Drama Series" categories: Nick Offerman (Guest Actor) and Storm Reid (Guest Actress).

From AwardsWatch:  The 5th annual DiscussingFilm Critics Awards were announced.  "Oppenheimer" won eight awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:   The Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards. "Past Lives" won three awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Celine Song).

From AwardsWatch:  The Georgia Film Critics Association (GFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" won seven honors, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" was named "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Columbus Film Critics Association (COFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won six awards including "Best Film" and "Best Director" (Martin Scorsese).

From AwardsWatch:  The Costume Designers Guild (Local 892) announced the official nominees list for the 26th CDGA (Costume Designers Guild Awards). The annual CDGA ceremony will take place Wed., Feb. 21st, 2024.

From Variety:   The British Academy has unveiled the results of the first round of voting across all 24 categories for the 2024 / 77th BAFTA Film Awards.  These results are known as "the longlists."  "Barbie," "Killers of the Flower Moon," and "Oppenheimer" all appeared on the longlist of 15 categories.  The nominations will be announced Jan. 18th, and the winners will be announced Feb. 18th.

From AwardsWatch:  The Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won five awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Martin Scorsese), and "Best Actress" (Lily Gladstone).

From AwardsWatch:  The Critics Association of Central Florida (CACF) has announced the winners of its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won 10 awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan). 

From AwardsWatch:  U.K. Film Critics Association (UKFCA) has announced the winners of its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won three awards: "Best Film," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From Variety: The Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild (MUAHS, IATSE Local 706) has announced nominations for the 11th MUAHS Guild Awards. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 led with five mentions in the film categories and ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" led with four in the television categories. The winners will be announced Sunday, February 18, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Nevada Film Critics Society has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" won five awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  Hayao's Miyazaki's anime film, "The Boy and the Heron" was named "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "American Fiction" won six awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Cord Jefferson), and Best Actor (Jeffrey Wright).

From AwardsWatch:  The San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) has announced its 2023 film awards.  Always trying to be difficult, it named "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" the "Best Picture."  It named Martin Scorsese "Best Director" for "Killers of the Flower Moon."

From AwardsWatch:  The Dublin Film Critics Circle has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Past Lives" wins "Best Film" and "Best Director" (Celine Song)"

From AwardsWatch:  The North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" wins five awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Southeaster Film Critics Association (SEFCA) has announces its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won eight awards including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Poor Things" won six awards, including "Best Pictuere," "Best Director" (Yorgos Lanthmos), "Best Actress" (Emma Stone"), and "Best Supporting Actor" (Mark Ruffalo).

From AwardsWatch:  The Philadelphia Film Critics Circle (PFCC) has announced it 2023 film awards.  "Poor Things" won four awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Yorgos Lanthimos), and "Best Actress" (Emma Stone).

From AwardsWatch:  The St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) has announced its 2023 awards.  "Oppenheimer" won seven awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy)

From AwardsWatch:  The Phoenix Film Critics Society (PFCS) has named its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" wins "Best Picture."  Oppenheimer wins six, including "Best Director" for Christopher Nolan.

From AwardsWatch:  The Dallas-Ft. Worth Film Critics Association (DFWFCA) has named its 2023 films awards.  "The Holdovers" wins "Best Picture."  "Oppenheimer" wins four, including "Best Director" for Christopher Nolan.

From AwardsWatch:  The Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) have announced their 2023 film awards.  "The Zone of Interest" wins "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (for Jonathan Glazer).

From AwardsWatch:  The 2023 Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA) awards have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" wins "Best Picture," one of two awards its won.  "Oppenheimer" wins five, including a "Best Director" for Christopher Nolan.

From AwardsWatch:  The nominations for the 2024 / 24th annual Black Reel Awards have been announced.  "The Color Purple" leads with 19 nominations.  The winners will be announced Jan. 16th, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Phoenix Critics Circle (PCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Past Lives" wins "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO) have named "Killers of the Flower Moon" the "Best Film" of 2023.  Christopher Nolan wins "Best Director" for "Oppenheimer."

From AwardsWatch:  The Las Vegas Film Critics Society have named "Oppenheimer" the "Best Picture" of 2023, with the film's director, Christopher Nolan, winning "Best Director."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2023 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" wins "Best Picture," and Christopher Nolan wins "Best Director" for "Oppenheimer."

From THR:   The winners at the 2023 / 49th annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards have been announced.  The Holocaust historical drama, "The Zone of Interest," wins four awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Jonathan Glazer), and "Best Actress" (Sandra Huller).

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2024 / 29th annual Critics Choice Awards have been announced. "Barbie" leads with 18 nominations.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2024 / 81st annual Golden Globe Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Jan. 7th, 2024 on CBS and Paramount Plus.

From AwardsWatch:  The Las Vegas Film Critics have announced their 2023 LVFC Awards nominations.  "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" are the leading vote getters.  The winners will be announced Wed., Dec. 13th.

From THR:  The winners at the 2023 European Film Awards have been announced.  "Anatomy of a Fall" won five awards including for "Best Film," "Best Director" (Justine Triet), and "Best Actress" (Sandra Huller).

From AwardsWatch:  The 2023 National Board of Review film honors have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won "Best Film," "Best Director" (Martin Scorsese), and "Best Actress" (Lily Gladstone).

From AwardsWatch:  The American Film Institute (AFI) names its top ten films: American Fiction, Barbie, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, May December, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, Poor Things, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.  It also names its top ten television series: Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Beef, Jury Duty, The Last of Us, The Morning Show, Only Murders in the Building, Poker Face, Reservation Dogs, and Succession.

From AwardsWatch:  "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" lead the nominations for "Astra Film & Creative Arts Awards," which are put on by the "Hollywood Creative Alliance" (formerly known as the Hollywood Critics Association).  The winners will be announced Jan. 6th, 2024 in Los Angeles.

From Deadline:  At the 2023 / 26th British Independent Film Awards, director Andrew Haigh's "All of Us Strangers" won seven awards, including "Best British Independent Film."

From Variety:  The winners at the 2023 / 89th New York Film Critics Circle Awards have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" (directed by Martin Scorsese) was named "Best Film of 2023."  Christopher Nolan won "Best Director" for his film, "Oppenheimer."

From Variety:  The winners at the 2023 / 33rd Annual Gotham Awards were announced Mon., Nov. 27th.  Writer-director Celine Song's South Korean romantic drama, "Past Lives" won the "Best Feature" award.

BEST PICTURE COUNT:

All of Us Strangers: 1

American Fiction: 2

Anatomy of a Fall: 1

Barbie: 2

The Boy and the Heron: 1

The Holdovers: 2

Killers of the Flower Moon: 9

Oppenheimer: 19

Past Lives: 8

Poor Things: 4

The Zone of Interest: 3

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

Remembering #Kobe Bryant: Basketball Legend, Father - Update #116

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

LIFE GOES ON...:

From NBA:  This is video of the unveiling of the Kobe Bryant statue.

From NBA:  Mike Trudell writes about the unveiling of the Kobe Bryant statue.

From Insider:  Three years after he died, NBA legend and champion and Olympic gold medalist, the late Kobe Bryant, seems to be making more money than ever.

From NBCNews:   In an unanimous verdict, a federal jury awarded the widow of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant $16 million in damages over leaked photographs of the site of the helicopter crash that killed her husband and one of their daughters, Gianna, in 2020.  First responders snapped of bodies at the crash and shared them with members of the public and the jury agreed with Vanessa Bryant that this invaded her privacy and caused her emotional distress.  The jury also awarded co-plaintiff Chris Chester, whose wife Sarah and 13-year-old daughter Payton also died in the crash, $15 million in damages.

From Deadline:  Vanessa Bryant plans to donate her proceeds from the judgment she won against L.A. County (16 million) to the nonprofit Mamba and Mambacita Sports foundation, which she founded to give sports education to underserved athletes.

From CBSNews:  Deputy Doug Johnson, the Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy who was among the first to arrive at the scene of the 2020 helicopter crash that killed Lakers star Kobe Bryant, his teen daughter and seven others, testified Friday, Aug. 12th that he "didn't do anything wrong" when he snapped 25 pictures at the site, some of which contained close-up images of body parts, and sent the pictures to others.

From YahooSports:  Vanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant's widow, announced on Thursday, March 24th that the Bryant family's partnership with Nike has been renewed, with an agreement to donate "net proceeds" from Kobe's shoes to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation and establish a youth basketball center in Southern California.

From NBA:   To celebrate "Kobe Day," here is the "Ultimate Career Mixtape: Kobe Bryant."

6/22/2021 - From Deadline:  Vanessa Bryant has settled the wrongful death lawsuit she launched last year over the helicopter crash that killed her NBA legend husband, Kobe Bryant, and eldest daughter, Gianna, along with seven others in January 2020.

6/7/2021 - From BET:   Natalia Bryant paid tribute to her late father, basketball great Kobe Bryant, during her high school graduation on Friday, June 4th.  Natalia is expected to attend USC beginning in the fall.

 2/15/2021 - From YouTube:  See Vanessa Bryant's "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame" Class of 2021 Enshrinement speech for her late husband, Kobe Bryant.

5/14/2021 - From YahooSports:  Vanessa Bryant shows off portion of Kobe Bryant Hall of Fame exhibit she helped design

5/13/21 - From YahooSports:  New and more shocking information has come out of Vanessa Bryant's lawsuit against L.A. County.  Initially, it was believed that four deputies took and shared anywhere form 25 to 100 grisly photos at the helicopter crash site where Bryant's husband, Kobe, and daughter, Gianna, and six others, including two other children, were killed.  Now, it is believed that at least 18 fire and police department employees took photos of the crash site and that another 66 people may have "relevant" knowledge of the conduct.

4/19/21 - From BET:   Vanessa Bryant shares intimate wedding photos to mark the 20th anniversary (April 18th) of her marriage to the late Kobe Bryant.

3/17/2021 - From YahooSports:   In an Instagram post Wednesday, Vanessa Bryant named four Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies who allegedly took and shared unauthorized graphic photos of the helicopter crash that killed her husband Kobe, daughter Gianna and seven others.  In a lawsuit, they are named as Joey Cruz, Rafael Mejia, Michael Russell, and Raul Versales.

2/27/2021 - From YahooSports:  Kobe Bryant's widow, Vanessa Bryant, wants to publicly release the names of the Los Angeles County deputies who were accused of sharing photos of the crash site where her husband and daughter, Gianna ("Gigi"), and seven other poor souls, including two other minor children.

From NBA:  15 years ago, January 22, 2006, Kobe scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second highest point total by a player in an NBA game (after Wilt Chamberlain's 100 points).

From ClutchPoints:  Shareef O'Neal, son of NBA legend and champion, Shaquille O'Neal, will wear the number 32 when he plays for his father's alma mater, Louisiana State University (LSU).  That number combines the two jersey numbers worn by his mentor, the late Kobe Bryant, 8 and 24.  Shaquille also wore the number 32 when he played for the Orlando Magi.

From BET: Vanessa Bryant is celebrating the Los Angeles Lakers following their victorious finals win snagging the NBA Championship over the Miami Heat on Sunday, Oct. 11th. Paying tribute to her late husband, Kobe Bryant and daughter, Gianna, Vanessa wishes that the father-daughter duo “were here to see this.”

From BET:   A new law has been signed to respect victims of crime scenes and other tragic accidents after photos of the helicopter crash which killed Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant and seven others leaked online.

From YahooSports:   LeBron James, currently of the Los Angeles Lakers, expresses his one regret about Kobe Bryant.

From TMZ:  Vanessa Bryant is suing the L.A. County Sheriff and his department, claiming they caused her severe emotional distress ... when deputies allegedly took personal cellphone photos of the bodies of her late husband, NBA legend and champion, Kobe Bryant, and their daughter, Gigi Bryant, at the scene of the helicopter crash that took their lives.  At least eight deputies took photos of bodies at the crash site, and one tried to use it to pick up a woman at a bar.

From YahooSports:  Kobe's widow, Venessa Bryant, criticizes L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva for demanding reward money from LeBron James and for covering up that his deputies were passing around photos from the helicopter crash scene that killed her husband and daughter, Gianna.

From YahooSports:  Kobe's former teammate, Pau Gasol, and his wife, Catherine McDonell, welcomed a baby girl.  Her middle name is in honor of Kobe's daughter, Gianna.  The baby's name is "Elisabet Gianna Gasol."

From HuffPost:  On what would have been the late Kobe Bryant's 42nd birthday, we get "Thoughtful Quotes About Parenthood From Kobe Bryant."

From BET:  Kobe Bryant's widow, Vanessa, shares photos of her daughters hanging out with Kobe's former teammate, NBA champion and Olympic medalist, Pau Gasol.

From YahooEntertainment:  Grammy-winning recording artist, Taylor Swift, gifts Kobe Bryant's daughter, Natalia, a cardigan for her new album, "Folklore."

From IGN:  Both the current generation and next-generation versions of the upcoming video game, "NBA 2K21," will have cover art honoring the late professional basketball legend and NBA champion, Kobe Bryant.

From Deadline:   The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner on Friday released its examination reports (autopsy reports) for the nine victims of the January helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna.

From NBA:  NBA.com writer Kevin Ding says that ESPN's Michael Jordan documentary, "The Last Dance," shows the how far Kobe's connection went.

From YahooSports:  On her 38th birthday, Vanessa Bryant opens a letter her husband, the late Kobe Bryant, penned in January before he died.

From BET:  Happy Birthday, Vanessa - her spectacular life in photos.

From PopCulture:  On what would have been her 14th birthday, Kobe Bryant fans around the world celebrate the life of his daughter, Gianna, who died with him.

From ESPN: (4/17) - Gianna Bryant and the two teammates who died with her: Alyssa Altobelli, and Payton Chester were named honorary selections in the 2020 WNBA draft.

From YahooSports:  Kobe Bryant has officially been elected to Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2020.

From BET:  Kobe Bryant's widow Vanessa Bryant posts a picture of herself with two of her daughters and Kobe Bryant's sisters.

From BET:  Vanessa Bryant shares video from Kobe and Wesley King's new book, "The Wizenard Series: Season One."

THE MEMORIAL:

From YahooSports:  In the ongoing scandal of L.A. County deputies sharing graphic photos of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash site, Sheriff Alex Villanueva says that he ordered eight deputies to delete photos of the crash that they had in their possession. Apparently, this was done last week to keep the matter quiet.

From NBA:  Laughter and tears flow at the memorial for Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.

From YahooSports:  Los Angeles County deputies allegedly leaked graphic photographic images from the Kobe Bryant crash site.

From YahooSports:  Tom Brady tweets emotional statement about Kobe Bryant: "He was the real life superhero our world needs."

From YahooSports:  Major League Baseball super agent, Scott Boras, will grant one of Kobe's final wishes.

From YahooSports:  Hours after eulogizing Gigi and Kobe Bryant, Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu makes NCAA history.

From Deadline:  Kobe Bryant Memorial: Beyoncé, Jimmy Kimmel, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, NBA Legends & Vanessa Bryant Lead Celebration Of Life

From Variety:  Michael Jordan delivers a moving, tearful memorial to his friend, Kobe.

From YahooSports:  Kobe Bryant's friend, former agent, and current Los Angeles Lakers general manager, Rob Pelinka, talks about the final text he received from Bryant.

From ESPN:  From the Staples Center the "Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant" in a live-stream.

From BET:  The cable network will air the memorial service (#ForKobeAndGigi) live; check your local cable television listings.  The cable net is also live streaming the event, with coverage hosted by Marc Lamont Hill and Jemele Hill.  The link at the beginning of this post will take you to BET's YouTube page.

From THR:  The memorial for Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, (Monday afternoon, Feb. 24th), will feature 35,000 roses and number of performances.

From YahooSports:  The life of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant told through his most iconic images

From NBA:  Boston Celtics legend, Bill Russell, wore a No 24 Kobe Lakers jersey to the the Celtics vs. Lakers game on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 23rd.

From THR:  The 2020 NAACP Image Awards ceremony this past Saturday night (Feb. 22nd) featured a tribute to Kobe and Gianna.

DEVELOPING NEWS/INVESTIGATION:
From YahooSports:  NBA legend, Kobe Bryant (1978-2020), one of the greatest modern professional basketball players, died Sunday morning, January 26, 2020 in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, Yahoo Sports confirmed.  Kobe's daughter, Gianna, was also on board as was another player and parent en route to a travel basketball game, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

From BET:  Kobe Bryant's widow, Vanessa Bryant, has announced that she will change the name of Kobe's "The Mamba Sports Foundation" to "The Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation" to honor both Kobe and their later daughter, Gianna.

From YahooSports:  The Los Angeles Lakers have revealed details about the Feb. 24th memorial service celebrating Kobe and Gianna.

From NBA:  Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, laid to rest in a cemetery near their home.

From YahooSports:  The investigation of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven other people, has found no signs that the helicopter suffered engine failure.

From YahooSports:  Friday night (Jan. 31st), the Los Angeles Lakers revealed a new Kobe Bryant "KB" logo for the floor of the Staples Center where they play and for their uniforms.

From YahooSports:  Kobe Bryant's wife, Vanessa Bryant, makes her first public statement since the Kobe and their daughter, Gianna, were killed in a helicopter crash, Sun., Jan. 26th.

From YahooSports:  Los Angeles County officials said the Sunday morning helicopter crash that killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, also claimed the lives of seven other victims - nine victims in total.

From YahooSports:  L.A. County officials makes it "official" that nine people died in the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. The article also names some of the other victims.

From HuffPost:  All nine victims have been identified in the Jan. 26, 2020 helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.

From YahooSports:   The Los Angeles County Coroner's office has informed news outlets that all nine bodies have been recovered from the helicopter crash site where Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, and seven other people were killed.

From YahooNews:  Kobe Bryant's wife and Gianna's mother, Vanessa Bryant, with touching Instagram profile photo.

From YahooNews:   Experts now wonder why helicopter pilot in Kobe Bryant crash flew in fog.

From YahooSports:  Helicopter in Kobe Bryant crash lacked key safety feature, a "terrain awareness system."

From People:  Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, attended Catholic mass at Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of the Angels in Newport Beach and received communion before the taking the helicopter flight in which they would lose their lives.

From YahooLifestyle:  Kobe Bryant's surviving daughters must now grieve a sister: Why sibling loss gets "minimized."

From YahooSports:  Harbor Day School in Corona Del Mar, CA has retired the No. 2 jersey of Kobe Bryant's daughter, Gianna "Gigi" Bryant, who died with him in a helicopter crash.

From BET:  Vanessa Bryant leaves heart-breaking tribute to her daughter, Gianna Bryant.

NEWS SITES WITH REGULAR UPDATES:

From LATimes:  This link leads to a live sports blog with updates and new articles on the ongoing story of the death of Kobe Bryant.

From Deadline: The site has a dedicate Kobe Bryant page with links to their news and tributes articles.

From BET:  Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash: Here’s What We Know

NBA NEWS, PLAYERS AND NOTES:

From YahooFinance:  WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that Kobe is the only current or former NBA player to visit her in the seven months she has been commissioner.

From NBA:  An NBA.com video of highlights from Kobe Bryant's years a star high school basketball player.

From Variety:  At a 2020 NBA All-Star Game brunch President Barack Obama speaks about the loss of Kobe and Gianna Bryant and the seven other victims of the helicopter crash.

From SI:  Dr. Dre's 2020 NBA All-Star Game video tribute to Kobe Bryant is... something else...

From ESPN:  Kawhi Leonard wins the first "Kobe Bryant MVP Award" an the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, Sun., Feb. 16th, 2020.

From NBA:  On Sat., Feb. 15th, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that the MVP Award for the NBA All-Star Game has been permanently named for Kobe Bryant.

From YahooSports:  Tonight's 2020 NBA All-Star Game featured tributes to Kobe Bryant.

From NBA:  This is NBA.com's Kobe Bryant tribute page.

From BostonGlobe:  Boston Celtic Gordon Hayward talks about his secret workouts with Kobe.

From NBA:  The best of Kobe on the "NBA on TNT"

From NBA:  A NBA.com video obituary for Kobe Bryant

From NBA:  Kobe Bryant honored throughout the league.

From NBA:  Los Angeles Clippers star, Paul George, narrates a tribute to Kobe, Gianna, and the other victims in the helicopter crash.

From NBA:  Three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry on Kobe's passing.

From NBA:  Inside "Mamba Forever," the emotional tribute essay from Howard Beck of "Bleacher Report."

From ESPN:  The NBA has postponed the Tues., Jan. 28th between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers, in response to the death of Laker legend, Kobe Bryant.

From NBA:  NBA commissioner Adam Silver's statement on passing of Kobe Bryant

From NBA:  This link goes to a page of video highlights from Kobe's NBA career and also includes and also a photo essay by NBA/Lakers photographer, Andrew Bernstein, on his favorite Kobe photos.

From NBA:   NBA players, coaches, legends and other personalities on Bryant's passing.


TRIBUTES/HISTORY/GENERAL:

From PopCulture:  A young great white shark has been named for Kobe Bryant.

From BET:  A father reveals how Kobe Bryant made his son's dream come through Make-a-Wish Iowa.  The boy, who eventually died of cancer at 13, was buried in the the jersey Kobe game him.

From PopCulture:  "The Big Bang Theory" actress Kaley Cuoco says the death of Kobe Bryant left her feeling "gutted."

From BET:  Jay-Z reveals one of the last things Kobe told him.

From YahooEntertainment:  An oral history of Kobe and Glen Keane's Oscar-winning animated short, "Dear Basketball."

From Deadline:  Author Paulo Coelho, who had been working on a children's book with Kobe Bryant, wants to delete the unfinished draft and discontinue work on the book.

From YahooSports:  NBA superstar LeBron James reveals his new ""Mamba 4 Life" tatoo honoring former Laker Kobe Bryant.

From YahooSports:  NBA superstar LeBron James, of the Los Angeles Lakers, was surprised at the joy Kobe Bryant found in his family life in his post-NBA career.

From Variety:  At a Super Bowl Week concert in Miami, recent Grammy winner Lizzo is joined on stage by actor-singer Harry Styles and also offers a tribute to Kobe, Gianna and the other victims of the helicopter crash that killed them Sun., Jan. 26th.

From YahooSports:  Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe's one-time teammate, will donate the proceeds from his big Super Bowl LIV party to the families of the nine victims in the crash that killed Kobe.

From THR:  Talk show hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon tear-up on the first episodes of their respective shows since the death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven other people.

From YahooSports:  "Mamba Mentality," Kobe Bryant's motto, looms over Super Bowl week.

From THR:  Renowned animation filmmaker and legendary Disney animator, Glen Keane, shared an Oscar win with Kobe Bryant for the animated short film, "Dear Kobe."  In a column for "The Hollywood Reporter," he writes about his first meeting with Bryant.

From YahooSports:  Allen Iverson, one ne of Kobe Bryant's greatest rivals, speaks about being "devastated and heartbroken" over his death and offers a story.

From YahooSports:  Los Angeles united in grief for the loss of its adopted son, Kobe Bryant.

From YahooEntertainment:  In a rare interview, Los Angeles Lakers super-fan, Jack Nicholson, releases a statement about Kobe Bryant.

From BET:  Remembering Kobe Bryant's relationship with his daughter, Gianna, who also died in the helicopter crash that killed her father.

From BET:  Shareef O'Neal, the son of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, shares a message that Kobe sent to him the morning Kobe died.

From MarketWatch:  This viral video shows how Kobe Bryant mirrored his idol, NBA legend, Michael Jordan.

From YahooSports:  Pro golfing legend, Tiger Woods, speaks on the passing of his friend, Kobe Bryant.

From YahooSports:  Upon hearing of Kobe Bryant's death, NBA star, Kyrie Irving, reportedly left Madison Square Garden before his team, the Brooklyn Nets, took on the New York Knicks.  Irving and Bryant were close, and Irving saw Bryant as a mentor.

From YahooSports:  President Trump and former President Obama take to Twitter after the shocking news of the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash.

From YahooEntertainment:  The 2020 Grammy Awards are being held at Staples Center tonight (Sun., Jan. 26th).  The NBA's Los Angeles Lakers also play there, and today, they lost one of their all-time players, Kobe Bryant.  Even with the Grammys, fans are gathering at the Staples Center to celebrate Kobe's life.

From Deadline:  Fellow Los Angeles Lakers legends:  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal offer tributes and condolences to their fallen Laker, Kobe Bryant.

From ESPN - In Europe, Kobe Bryant remembered for his "Italian qualities."

From IMDb:  The site remembers Kobe Bryant in a gallery of 58 photos.

Amazon has a Kobe Bryant shopping page.

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

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