Thursday, August 31, 2023

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 27th to 31st, 2023 - Update #9

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From Variety:  Meg Ryan returns to movie theaters as director, writer, and co-star of the romantic-comedy, "What Happens Later," co-starring David Duchovny. The film is due Oct. 13th.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Hulu has cancelled the Elle Fanning-Nicholas Hoult drama, "The Great," after three seasons.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Another Disney investor suit targets Disney, CEO Bob Iger, and former CEO Bob Chapek over "alleged sleight of hand accounting" used to hide streaming losses.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/25 to 8/27/2023 weekend box office is Sony Pictures' "Gran Turismo" with an estimated take of 17.3 million dollars. That could change because today (Sunday, Aug. 27th) is the second annual "National Cinema Day," in which tickets at participating theaters is $4.

From THR:  Director Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" is now Warner Bros. Pictures' most successful film at the global box office.  It's has passed the 1.342 billion that "Harry Potter and the Death Hallows - Part 2" grossed globally.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney continues the Disney+ content purge.  It is not going forward with "Nautilus," the live-action "Captain Nemo" series from the United Kingdom that it commissioned two years ago.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  The fall of former Disney Channel child star, Mitchel Musso, continues with an arrest in Texas for multiple charges, including "public intoxication."

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  The hit Adult Swim (Cartoon Network) animated series "Rick and Morty," will return for its Season 7 on Sunday, Oct. 15 at 11 p.m. ET/PT with all new episodes.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American television game show host and animal rights activist, Bob Barker, has died at the age of 99, Saturday, August 26, 2023.  He is best known for his 35-year stint hosting the CBS daytime game show, "The Price is Right." He also hosted the former CBS/NBC/syndicated game show, "Truth or Consequences," from 1956 to 1975.  He received 43 Daytime Emmy Award nominations. He won the award for "Outstanding Game Show Host" 14 times as the host of "The Price is Right," and he won four "Outstanding Game Show" Emmy Awards as executive producer of "The Price is Right."

From Deadline:  Film and television actress and writer and voice actress, Arleen Sorkin, has died at the age of 68, Thursday, August 24, 2023.  Arleen is best known as the voice actress who originated the role of the character, Harley Quinn, first on "Batman: The Animated Series" (1992-95).  She performed the voice for Harley Quinn in at least 50 times for TV, film, webseries, and videogames.  Harley Quinn's co-creator, Paul Dini, also used Arleen as inspiration for the character.  Sorkin is also known for playing the soap opera character, Calliope Jones, over 400 times over a 26-year period on the former NBC soap, "Days of Our Lives."  Sorkin received two Daytime Emmy Award nominations and one News and Documentary Emmy Award nomination.

WRITERS/ACTORS STRIKE:

From THR:  As talks with the Writers Guild of America stall, the studio trade association, AMPTP, has retained D.C.-based firm, The Levinson Group, to pursue a fresh messaging strategy.

From Deadline:  Regarding the Hollywood writers strike, the AMPTP (representing the studios) released the details of a proposed labor agreement that it made to the WGA (the Writers Guild) on August 11th.

From Deadline:  A pair of former production assistants-turned-assistant directors have created a nonprofit in hopes of providing financial aid to PAs (production assistants) who’ve been put out of work due to the strike.

From Deadline:  Writers Guild (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) will resume strike talks today, Fri., Aug. 11th.

From Deadline:  Meeting for the first time in more than three months, the Writers Guild and the AMPTP on Friday failed to reach an agreement to resume contract negotiations. The Writers Strike will go on indefinitely.

From Deadline:  Hollywood’s superstars are answering the call from the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, donating $1 million or more each to help their fellow performers during the ongoing actors and writers strikes.  Among the big donors are Leonardo DiCaprioMeryl StreepOprah Winfrey, and Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively.

From Deadline:  If you are interested, here is a list of the film and TV productions SAG-AFTRA has granted waivers to continue filming.

From Variety:  International superstar, Dwayne Johnson, makes a seven-figure contribution to the "SAG-AFTRA Foundation Relief Fund." Foundation president, actor Courtney B. Vance, says the amount will remain confidential.

From Variety:  Why haven't A-list stars joined the SAG-AFTRA picket line?, asks "Variety."

From Deadline:  Author George R.R. Martin, whose works were the basis for HBO's "Game of Thrones," says the strikes will be long and bitter.

From THR:  Production works at Warner Bros. Animation (66) and at Cartoon Network (22) have gone public with their attempt to unionize via The Animation Guild.

From Variety:  Halted film productions due to the writers and actors strikes are costing each Hollywood studio at least 600,000 dollars per week.

From Variety:  Said at a strike meeting: “Without a transformative change in SAG-AFTRA’s current contract with the AMPTP, the acting profession will no longer be an option for future generations of performers, and actors already working in the industry will need to pursue other careers in order to survive.”

From Deadline:  If you are a "social media influencer" who is NOT  a member of SAG-AFTRA, you can be barred from future membership for promoting a film or television series during the actors' strike.

From Variety:  The SAG/AFTRA strike begins in New York and Los Angeles.  Hollywood actors began striking today, Fri., July 14th.

From Deadline:  The site has the video of the powerful strike speech given by SAG-AFTRA president, Fran Drescher, the actress best known for CBS' former sitcom, "The Nanny."

From Deadline:  Concerning the Hollywood writers strike (via the WGA), the Hollywood Studios (as represented by the AMPTP) is to let the writers go broke before resuming talks deep into the Fall.

From Deadline: SAG-AFTRA is already preparing strike picket signs in case the actors' strike begins next week.

From Deadline:  WGA is picketing the New York City filming location of the 12th series of FX's "American Horror Story" (entitled "Delicate") after series co-creator Ryan Murphy threaten litigation against an east coast strike captain.

From THR:  TV super-producer, Ryan Murphy, in a letter from his attorney to the leadership of the Writers Guild of America, threatened litigation against Warren Leight, an East Coast strike captain and Strike Rules Compliance Committee member who has subsequently forfeited those positions.

From Deadline:  The Hollywood studios via the AMPTP has given Canadian actors a new contract, including a 5 percent raise.

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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Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Review: "THE EQUALIZER 2" is Brutal and Personal

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 40 of 2023 (No. 1929) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Equalizer 2 (2018)
Running time:  121 minutes (2 hours, 1 minute)
MPAA – R for brutal violence throughout, language, and some drug content
DIRECTOR:  Antoine Fuqua
WRITER:  Richard Wenk (based on the television series created by Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim)
PRODUCERS:  Antoine Fuqua, Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Tony Eldridge, Mace Neufeld, Alex Siskin, Michael Sloan, Steve Tisch, and Denzel Washington
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Oliver Wood (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Conrad Buff IV
COMPOSER:  Harry Gregson-Williams

ACTION/CRIME/THRILLER

Starring:  Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders, Orson Bean, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Jonathan Scarfe, Kazy Tauginas, Garrett A. Golden, and Sakina Jaffrey

The Equalizer 2 is a 2018 action movie and crime thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Denzel Washington.  It is a sequel to the 2014 film, The Equalizer.”  Both films are based on the television series, “The Equalizer,” which was created by  Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim and was originally broadcast on CBS from 1985 to 1989.  The Equalizer 2 finds Robert McCall out to make the people who murdered someone he loves pay for their crimes with their lives.

The Equalizer 2 opens on a train headed to Istanbul, Turkey.  Robert “Bob” McCall (Denzel Washington) is about to serve his unflinching brand of justice on man who kidnapped his daughter in order to punish his ex-wife.  McCall still lives quietly in Boston, where he works as a Lyft driver and assists the less fortunate, the exploited, and the oppressed.  Among the people he is currently helping include Samuel “Sam” Rubinstein (Orson Bean), a Holocaust survivor trying to recover a painting of his sister, Magda, who died in a Nazi death camp.  Lately, he has taken an interest in Miles (Ashton Sanders), a troubled African-American teen who lives in the same apartment building.  Miles has tremendous artistic talent, but he is also being recruited by a violent, drug-dealing street gang.

However, the big action is in Brussels, Belgium.  There, Robert's friend and former DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) colleague, Susan Plummer (Melissa Leo), is investigating the apparent murder-suicide of DIA “agency affiliate” and his wife.  That investigation costs Susan her life.  McCall begins investigating Susan's murder with the assistance of her colleague and his former DIA teammate, Dave York (Pedro Pascal).  Determined to avenge Susan's murder, McCall will have to go deep into his past and risk endangering people very close to him.

With his Oscar-winning turn in 2001's Training Day, Denzel Washington proved to be a convincing bad guy.  With 2010's The Book of Eli, Washington showed that he could be a bad-ass, kick-ass, action hero with fancy martial arts-styled moves.  The first take on The Equalizer allowed Washington to blend hero and anti-hero in a visceral mix.  So in anticipation of The Equalizer 3, I decided to see The Equalizer 2, of which I have seen bits and pieces on television over the past few years.

In the original film, the screenplay by Richard Wenk had McCall constantly in peril or made it seem as if he were in danger even when he was not.  Wenk returns for the sequel and delivers a script that adds compassion to the standard revenge thriller.  McCall can be a gentle soul helping a teen go through growing pains that are filled with danger, and he can lend a kind ear to an old man whose current quest could be the real thing or the result of a failing memory crashing from the accumulation of data over a long life.  On the other hand, McCall will also break a mutha down to the blood and bone if he deserves such a reckoning, even if it means killing him.

The Equalizer would be a standard revenge thriller if its avenger were portrayed by just any other movie star, but Denzel Washington is a consummate professional and charismatic actor.  That means he can deliver the meat and potatoes and the art to every performance – whether it is Shakespeare on stage or Hollywood entertainment product destined for the multiplex.  In this second film, Washington super-charges his performance in order to make the personal so personal that it is murderous. 

Director Antoine Fuqua plays Washington's skills for everything he can get out of this brilliant actor.  Fuqua is an impressive director in his own right, especially when it comes to dark, violent, dramatic thrillers, such as Shooter (2007).  Together, Fuqua and Washington deliver in The Equalizer 2 a film that slightly surpasses the original.  I find myself endlessly fascinated by it because The Equalizer 2 is a really good thriller.

7 of 10
A-
★★★½ out of 4 stars

Wednesday, August 30, 2023


The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Comics Review: "BATTLE CHASERS #12" Ends its First New Arc with a Bang

BATTLE CHASERS #12
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Joe Madureira
ART: Ludo Lullabi
COLORS: Ludo Lullabi
LETTERS: Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Tyler Smith
COVER: Ludo Lullabi
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Joe Madureira with Billy Garretsen; Jonboy Meyers; Stanley “Art” Lau; Reiq; Andrew Cockroach; Derrick Chew
MISC. ART: Ludo Lullabi; Hicham Habchi
34pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (August 2023)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Battle Chasers created by Joe Madureira

“Martial Law” Part Three

Battle Chasers is a fantasy comic book series created by artist Joe Madureira.  The series, originally published from 1998 to 2001, returns via Image Comics.  It is written by Madureira; drawn and colored by Ludo Lullabi; and lettered by Tyler Smith.

Battle Chasers focuses on five main characters.  There is Gully, a ten-year-old girl who has a pair of magical gauntlets.  Garrison is a legendary swordsman who possesses a powerful magical sword.  Knolan is a mighty 500-year-old wizard, and his companion, Calibretto, is a towering “Wargolem.”  Also aboard is Red Monika, a voluptuous outlaw who is the target of King Vaneer of the Unified Territories.  And Tyler Smith's Comicraft

Battle Chasers #12 opens in Capital City, specifically in “The Armory.”  There, the wizard Knolan and King Vaneer argue.  The king wants the legendary gauntlets of Aramus, but Aramus' daughter, Gully, has reclaimed the gloves.  And she ain't giving them up for no-damn-body!  And Calibretto is there to back her up!

Meanwhile, Maestro and his Master Paladins have cornered Garrison, but something dark has emerged from Garrison's sword.  Garrison will be tested, but it won't necessarily be by Maestro and company.

Not too far away, Red Monika takes on the Master Paladin known as “Leech.”  He needs her blood; she needs to find Garrison.  Which one is savvy enough to win this game of blood and bullets?

THE LOWDOWN:  I have previously written that I was a huge fan of Joe Madureira a.k.a. “Joe Mad” in the 1990s.  I was also a huge fan of Battle Chasers, and I am glad that the series has been revived, even if Mad is no longer drawing it.  Now, I must say that I am quite satisfied with the end of this first arc.

The “Martial Law” arc has come to an end, and according to a note at the end of the story written by Madureira, Battle Chaser's story arcs will comprise three or four issues.  When will Battle Chasers return?  Your guess is as good as anyone's, but Madureira has at least promised Battle Chasers #13.

As he did in the previous two issues, current series, Ludo Lullabi, has brought the series to life with his kinetic storytelling, which he composes in big panels and wide open page designs that recall Madureira's original run on the series from 1997 to 2002.  Lullabi's colors also give the series a dark epic tone that is not unlike that of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films, beginning with The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), and Jackson's The Hobbit films, beginning with An Unexpected Journey (2012).  And Tyler Smith's Comicraft lettering is the perfect accompaniment to Lullabi's storytelling.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of artist Joe Madureira and of his former comic book series, Battle Chasers, will want to read the revived Battle Chasers.

A

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


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The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Monday, August 28, 2023

BOOM! Studios Shipping from Diamond Distributors for August 30, 2023

BOOM! STUDIOS

JUN230486 ALICE NEVER AFTER #2 (OF 5) CVR A PANOSIAN (MR) $4.99
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Dynamite Entertainment Shipping from Diamond Distributors for August 30, 2023

DYNAMITE

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Image Comics Publishing Shipping from Diamond Distributors for August 30, 2023

IMAGE COMICS

JUN230287 ARCADE KINGS #4 (OF 5) CVR A $7.99
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Marvel Comics Shipping from Diamond Distributors for August 30, 2023

MARVEL COMICS

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JUN230953 WOLVERINE #36 LEINIL YU VAR $3.99

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Comic Books, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for August 30, 2023

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

JUL232103 2070 GN ADV HC $39.99
JUN231843 A BOOK TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH HC $75.00
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BOOKS

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DC Comics Shipping from Lunar Distributors for August 29, 2023

DC COMICS:

Absolute Superman For All Seasons HC, $100.00
Action Comics Presents Doomsday Special #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Bjorn Barends), $5.99
Action Comics Presents Doomsday Special #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Lucio Parrillo Card Stock Variant), $6.99
Action Comics Presents Doomsday Special #1 (One Shot)(Cover C Puppeteer Lee Card Stock Variant), $6.99
Action Comics Presents Doomsday Special #1 (One Shot)(Cover D Clayton Crain Card Stock Variant), AR
Action Comics Presents Doomsday Special #1 (One Shot)(Cover E Jon Bogdanove Card Stock Variant), AR
Action Comics Presents Doomsday Special #1 (One Shot)(Cover F Dan Jurgens Card Stock Variant), AR
Batgirl Volume 8 The Joker War TP (Rebirth), $16.99
Batman Catwoman The Gotham War Battle Lines #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Jorge Jimenez), $5.99
Batman Catwoman The Gotham War Battle Lines #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Joe Quesada Card Stock Variant), $6.99
Batman Catwoman The Gotham War Battle Lines #1 (One Shot)(Cover C Kael Ngu Card Stock Variant), $6.99
Batman Catwoman The Gotham War Battle Lines #1 (One Shot)(Cover D Blank Card Stock Variant), $6.99
Batman Catwoman The Gotham War Battle Lines #1 (One Shot)(Cover E Jonboy Meyers Foil Variant), $7.99
Batman Catwoman The Gotham War Battle Lines #1 (One Shot)(Cover F Otto Schmidt Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman Catwoman The Gotham War Battle Lines #1 (One Shot)(Cover G Kael Ngu Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman Catwoman The Gotham War Battle Lines #1 (One Shot)(Cover H Joe Quesada Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman Knightwatch TP, $16.99
Catwoman Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Jamie McKelvie), $5.99
Catwoman Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Frank Cho), $5.99
Catwoman Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover C Olivier Coipel), $5.99
Catwoman Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover D Stanley Artgerm Lau Foil Variant), $7.99
Catwoman Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover E Babs Tarr), AR
Catwoman Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover F Jeff Dekal), AR
G’norts Illustrated Swimsuit Edition #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Vasco Georgiev), $5.99
G’norts Illustrated Swimsuit Edition #1 (One Shot)(Cover B J Scott Campbell Card Stock Variant), $6.99
G’norts Illustrated Swimsuit Edition #1 (One Shot)(Cover C Adam Hughes Card Stock Variant), $6.99
G’norts Illustrated Swimsuit Edition #1 (One Shot)(Cover D Pablo Villalobos Card Stock Variant), AR
Harley Quinn The Animated Series The Eat Bang Kill Tour TP, $19.99
Knight Terrors Night’s End #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Howard Porter), $5.99
Knight Terrors Night’s End #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Simone Di Meo Card Stock Variant), $6.99
Knight Terrors Night’s End #1 (One Shot)(Cover C Mico Suayan Card Stock Variant), $6.99
Knight Terrors Night’s End #1 (One Shot)(Cover D Howard Porter Darkest Hour Neon Ink Card Stock Variant), $7.99
Knight Terrors Night’s End #1 (One Shot)(Cover E Dan Mora Card Stock Variant), AR
Knight Terrors Night’s End #1 (One Shot)(Cover F Kendrick Kunkka Lim Card Stock Variant), AR
Knight Terrors Night’s End #1 (One Shot)(Cover G Mico Suayan Card Stock Variant), AR
Knight Terrors Night’s End #1 (One Shot)(Cover H Howard Porter), AR
Phantom Stranger Omnibus HC, $150.00
Sandman Universe Nightmare Country The Glass House #4 (Of 6)(Cover A Reiko Murakami), $3.99
Sandman Universe Nightmare Country The Glass House #4 (Of 6)(Cover B Matteo Scalera Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Sandman Universe Nightmare Country The Glass House #4 (Of 6)(Cover C Cathy Kwan Card Stock Variant), AR
Superboy The Man Of Tomorrow #5 (Of 6)(Cover A Jahnoy Lindsay), $3.99
Superboy The Man Of Tomorrow #5 (Of 6)(Cover B Adrian Gutierrez Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Superboy The Man Of Tomorrow #5 (Of 6)(Cover C Carlo Barberi Blue Beetle Movie Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Superboy The Man Of Tomorrow #5 (Of 6)(Cover D Scott Kolins Card Stock Variant), AR
Superman Red Son TP (2023 Edition), $19.99
Wonder Woman 1987 #1 (Facsimile Edition)(Cover A George Perez), $3.99
Wonder Woman 1987 #1 (Facsimile Edition)(Cover B Blank Variant), $4.99
Wonder Woman 1987 #1 (Facsimile Edition)(Cover C George Perez Foil Variant), $5.99

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


Sunday, August 27, 2023

Review: "TENET" May Have Been 2020's Best Film

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 39 of 2023 (No. 1928) by Leroy Douresseaux

Tenet (2020)
Running time:  150 minutes (2 hours, 30 minutes)
MPA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some suggestive references and brief strong language
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Christopher Nolan
PRODUCERS:  Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Hoyte Van Hoytema (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Jennifer Lame
COMPOSER:  Ludwig Goransson
Academy Award winner

SCI-FI/ACTION/SPY

Starring:  John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Dimple Kapadia, Himesh Patel, Denzil Smith, Yuri Kolokolnikov, Clémency Poséy, Fiona Dourif, Laurie Shepherd, Martin Donovan, and Kenneth Branagh and Michael Caine

Tenet is a 2020 science fiction, secret agent, and action-thriller film written and directed by Christopher Nolan.  The film, Nolan's eleventh as a director, is a co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States.  Tenet focuses on a CIA operative on a mission to save the world, armed with only one word, “Tenet.”

Tenet introduces a CIA operative known only as "The Protagonist" (John David Washington).  The Protagonist leads a covert CIA extraction during a staged terrorist siege at the National Opera House in Kyiv., Ukraine.  After he is injured and the mission goes badly, the Protagonist is recruited by a secretive organization known only by the word, “Tenet.”  He is told that with a gesture, Tenet can “open the right doors and the wrong doors.”

He is briefed about bullets with “invertedentropy that move backwards through time.  It seems that the man who possesses the technology to invert entropy is a Russian oligarch named Andrei Sator (Kenneth Branagh).  The technology has been given to Sator from mysterious forces in the future, and those forces are also sending Sator the pieces of something called the “Algorithm,” which is a threat to the present world.

Suddenly, the Protagonist finds himself surrounded by a menagerie of people he cannot quite trust or really know.  That includes the Mumbai-based arms dealer, Priya Singh (Dimple Kapadia), and Sator's estranged and abused wife, Katherine “Kat” Barton (Elizabeth Debicki).  Another is Ives (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), a Tenet military commander.  Most mysterious of all is Neil (Robert Pattinson), who is supposed to be the Protagonist's “handler” from Tenet, and Neil seems to know the Protagonist in ways he does not know Neil.  Now, the Protagonist must uncover the secrets of inversion, the secrets of the Algorithm, and perhaps, even the secrets of himself.

Christopher Nolan gained many fans for his series of films starring DC Comics' Batman, known as “The Dark Knight Trilogy”: Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).  However, Tenet is closer to Nolan's films such as Memento (2000), Insomnia (2002), The Prestige (2006), and Inception (2010), which, like Tenet, have some combination of complex plots and character time lines, ambiguous elements, and cleverly hidden details that are open to many theories and interpretations.

Tenet freely plays with the themes of free will and determinism.  Do people really have free will, or is it better that people think that they have free will?  In the end, I think the narrative ultimately decides that free will and determinism are compatible, which is one of many reasons that I love this film.  Many secret agent and spy films offer the illusion that the hero (or the protagonist) is in control.  From the first movie in Eon Productions' “James Bond film series, Dr No (1962), the hero, James Bond, seems to have a measure of control or at least force of will to save the day or often, the world.  One can say the same of Universal Pictures' “Jason Bourne” film series.  It starts with The Bourne Identity (2002), and Matt Damon's Jason Bourne seems to exert free will all the more with each film, although his fate was determined and settled before the narrative of the first film begins.  In Tenet, free will is a work in progress, exercised within the settled plots of determinism.

I love Tenet's cast.  Either The Protagonist was tailor-made for actor John David Washington, or he was the perfect casting.  I feel the same way about Robert Pattison's Neil, and Kenneth Branagh is such a fine actor that he can make any role seem like a real person.  Elizabeth Debicki, honestly, is Oscar-worthy as Kat Barton, and Dimple Kapadia adds a delightful flavor as Priya Singh.  Aaron Taylor-Johnson is all fire, menace, and masculinity as Ives.

I had not seen a Christopher Nolan film since Inception, although I'd planned to see Tenet in a theater.  However, I was really wary of returning to movie theaters during the 2020 year of COVID-19 movie theater shutdowns, even after they reopened.  In a way, that worked out.  I got to savor Tenet on DVD as a way of prepping for eventually seeing his most recent film, Oppenheimer.

I like Tenet's trippy, surreal, time-shifting, inscrutable nature, and I like that Nolan is willing both to throw out a lot of ideas and to engage them.  For me, it is mysterious, a mystery worth losing myself in every chance I get.  As far as my opinion is concerned, Tenet is Christopher Nolan's best, most imaginative, and truly most inventive film.

10 of 10

Sunday, August 27, 2023


NOTES:
2021 Academy Awards, USA:   1 win: “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley, and Scott R. Fisher); 1 nomination: “Best Achievement in Production Design”
{Nathan Crowley-production design and Kathy Lucas-set decoration)

2021 BAFTA Awards:  1 win: “Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects” (Scott R. Fisher, Andrew Jackson, and Andrew Lockley)

2021 Golden Globes, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Ludwig Göransson)

2021 Black Reel Awards:  2 nominations: “Outstanding Cinematography” (Hoyte Van Hoytema) and 1 nomination: “Outstanding Production Design” (Nathan Crowley)


The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Saturday, August 26, 2023

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 20th to 26th, 2023 - Update #13

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

NETFLIX - From Variety:  Director Sammi Cohen talks about directing Adam Sandler's daughters in the Netflix teen movie, "You're So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. Pictures has moved it big event film, "Dune: Part Two," to 2024.  The sequel to the Oscar-winning "Dune: Part One" is now scheduled to hit theaters March 15, 2024.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Paramount+'s steaming sequel "Frasier," the sequel to the long-running NBC sitcom, "Frasier" (1993-2004), will beginning streaming with two episodes on October 12, 2023. Afterwards, new episodes will arrive on Thursdays.  The first two episodes of the 10-episode series will also air on CBS on October 17th.

CELEBRITY - From Variety: Grammy-winning recording artist, Britney Spears, says news of her divorce from her husband of 14-months, Sam Asghari, is "nobody's business."  However, she did say that she couldn't take the pain anymore.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/18 to 8/20/23 weekend box office is Warner Bros.'s "Blue Beetle" with an estimated take of 25.4 million dollars.

From Here:  A review of "Blue Beetle" by Leroy Douresseaux.

From Deadline:  At the specialty box office (art house), the 20th anniversary re-release of the South Korean film, "Oldboy," grosses 495,000 dollars on 250 screens. It may reach 1 million dollars before the end of its first week back in circulation.

From Here:  This is a nearly seventeen year-old review of "Oldboy" by Leroy Douresseaux.

AMAZON - From Variety:  Amazon has cancelled its series, "A League of Their Own," so it won't have a second and final season.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American television writer, producer, and director, David Jacobs, has died at the age of 84, Sunday, August 20, 2023.  He was best known for creating the long-running CBS dramas, "Dallas" and its spin-off, "Knots Landing."  He left "Dallas" after its third season in order to focus on "Knots Landing" for the duration of its 14 season fun.  Jacobs received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations - one for his work on the ABC TV movies, "Homefront" (1991) and the subsequent "Homefront" TV series (ABC, 1991-93).

From THR:  American film and television actor, Ron Cephas Jones, has died at the age of 66, Saturday, August 19, 2023.  Jones was best known for his role as "Walter Hill" on the former NBC drama, "This Is Us."  As Walter Hill, Jones received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations.  He won twice in the category of "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series" (2018, 2020). Jones also had roles in USA Network's "Mr. Robot," Netflix/Marvel's "Luke Cage," and Apple TV+'s "Truth Be Told," to name a few.

WRITERS/ACTORS STRIKE:

From THR:  As talks with the Writers Guild of America stall, the studio trade association, AMPTP, has retained D.C.-based firm, The Levinson Group, to pursue a fresh messaging strategy.

From Deadline:  Regarding the Hollywood writers strike, the AMPTP (representing the studios) released the details of a proposed labor agreement that it made to the WGA (the Writers Guild) on August 11th.

From Deadline:  A pair of former production assistants-turned-assistant directors have created a nonprofit in hopes of providing financial aid to PAs (production assistants) who’ve been put out of work due to the strike.

From Deadline:  Writers Guild (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) will resume strike talks today, Fri., Aug. 11th.

From Deadline:  Meeting for the first time in more than three months, the Writers Guild and the AMPTP on Friday failed to reach an agreement to resume contract negotiations. The Writers Strike will go on indefinitely.

From Deadline:  Hollywood’s superstars are answering the call from the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, donating $1 million or more each to help their fellow performers during the ongoing actors and writers strikes.  Among the big donors are Leonardo DiCaprioMeryl StreepOprah Winfrey, and Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively.

From Deadline:  If you are interested, here is a list of the film and TV productions SAG-AFTRA has granted waivers to continue filming.

From Variety:  International superstar, Dwayne Johnson, makes a seven-figure contribution to the "SAG-AFTRA Foundation Relief Fund." Foundation president, actor Courtney B. Vance, says the amount will remain confidential.

From Variety:  Why haven't A-list stars joined the SAG-AFTRA picket line?, asks "Variety."

From Deadline:  Author George R.R. Martin, whose works were the basis for HBO's "Game of Thrones," says the strikes will be long and bitter.

From THR:  Production works at Warner Bros. Animation (66) and at Cartoon Network (22) have gone public with their attempt to unionize via The Animation Guild.

From Variety:  Halted film productions due to the writers and actors strikes are costing each Hollywood studio at least 600,000 dollars per week.

From Variety:  Said at a strike meeting: “Without a transformative change in SAG-AFTRA’s current contract with the AMPTP, the acting profession will no longer be an option for future generations of performers, and actors already working in the industry will need to pursue other careers in order to survive.”

From Deadline:  If you are a "social media influencer" who is NOT  a member of SAG-AFTRA, you can be barred from future membership for promoting a film or television series during the actors' strike.

From Variety:  The SAG/AFTRA strike begins in New York and Los Angeles.  Hollywood actors began striking today, Fri., July 14th.

From Deadline:  The site has the video of the powerful strike speech given by SAG-AFTRA president, Fran Drescher, the actress best known for CBS' former sitcom, "The Nanny."

From Deadline:  Concerning the Hollywood writers strike (via the WGA), the Hollywood Studios (as represented by the AMPTP) is to let the writers go broke before resuming talks deep into the Fall.

From Deadline: SAG-AFTRA is already preparing strike picket signs in case the actors' strike begins next week.

From Deadline:  WGA is picketing the New York City filming location of the 12th series of FX's "American Horror Story" (entitled "Delicate") after series co-creator Ryan Murphy threaten litigation against an east coast strike captain.

From THR:  TV super-producer, Ryan Murphy, in a letter from his attorney to the leadership of the Writers Guild of America, threatened litigation against Warren Leight, an East Coast strike captain and Strike Rules Compliance Committee member who has subsequently forfeited those positions.

From Deadline:  The Hollywood studios via the AMPTP has given Canadian actors a new contract, including a 5 percent raise.

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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