NEGROMANCER 2.0: 2014

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Monday, September 21, 2015

2015 Primetime Emmy Award Winners; "Game of Thrones" Rules

Saturday, September 19, 2015

2015 Emmy Award Nominations - Complete List

The Emmy Award (or simply “Emmy”) recognizes excellence in the television industry. It corresponds to the Academy Award (for film), the Grammy Award (for music), and the Tony Award (for theatre). The best known Emmy Awards are the Primetime Emmys and Daytime Emmys. However, Emmys are awarded for sports programming, for national news and documentaries, and for regional and international television, among others.

The 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards were announced on Thursday, July 16, 2015, with HBO’s “Game of Thrones” receiving the most nominations. Andy Samberg will host the 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, September 20, 2015. Fox will broadcast them live from the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

[Sept. 21, 2015 Update: Here are the winners.]

2015 / 67th Primetime Emmy Award nominees are below:

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
“Better Call Saul”
“Downton Abbey”
“Game of Thrones”
“Homeland”
“House of Cards”
“Mad Men”
“Orange is the New Black”

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
“Louie”
“Modern Family”
“Parks and Recreation”
“Silicon Valley”
“Transparent”
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
“Veep”

LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA
Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”
Kyle Chandler, “Bloodline”
Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Jeff Daniels, “The Newsroom”
Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan”

LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA
Taraji P. Henson, “Empire”
Claire Danes, “Homeland”
Viola Davis, “How to Get Away with Murder”
Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black”
Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men”
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”

LEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Timothy Hutton, “American Crime”
Ricky Gervais, “Derek Special”
Adrien Brody, “Houdini”
David Oyelowo, “Nightingale”
Richard Jenkins, “Olive Kitteridge”
Mark Rylance, “Wolf Hall”

LEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Felicity Huffman, “American Crime”
Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story”
Queen Latifah, “Bessie”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Honorable Woman”
Frances McDormand, “Olive Kitteridge”
Emma Thompson, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street”

LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY
Anthony Anderson, “black-ish”
Matt LeBlanc, “Episodes”
Don Cheadle, “House of Lies”
Will Forte, “The Last Man On Earth”
Louis C.K., “Louie”
William H. Macy, “Shameless”
Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”

LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY
Lisa Kudrow, “The Comeback”
Lily Tomlin, “Grace And Frankie”
Amy Schumer, “Inside Amy Schumer”
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
Amy Poehler, “Parks And Recreation”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”

REALITY-COMPETITION SERIES
“The Amazing Race”
“Dancing With The Stars”
“Project Runway”
“So You Think You Can Dance”
“Top Chef”
“The Voice”

VARIETY SERIES
“The Colbert Report”
“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live”
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
“Late Show With David Letterman”
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”

LIMITED SERIES
“American Crime”
“American Horror Story: Freak Show”
“The Honorable Woman”
“Olive Kitteridge”
“Wolf Hall”

VARIETY SKETCH SERIES
“Drunk History”
“Inside Amy Schumer”
“Key & Peele”
“Portlandia”
“Saturday Night Live”

TELEVISION MOVIE
“Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Curtain, Poirot’s Last Case”
“Bessie”
“Grace of Monaco”
“Hello Ladies: The Movie”
“Killing Jesus”
“Nightingale”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA
Jonathan Banks, “Better Call Saul”
Ben Mendelsohn, “Bloodline”
Jim Carter, “Downton Abbey”
Peter Dinklage, “Game Of Thrones”
Alan Cumming, “The Good Wife”
Michael Kelly, “House Of Cards”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA
Joanne Froggatt, “Downton Abbey”
Lena Headey, “Game Of Thrones”
Emilia Clarke, “Game Of Thrones”
Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”
Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men”
Uzo Aduba, “Orange Is The New Black”

GUEST ACTOR, DRAMA
Alan Alda, “The Blacklist”
Michael J. Fox, “The Good Wife”
F. Murray Abraham, “Homeland”
Reg E. Cathey, “House of Cards”
Beau Bridges, “Masters Of Sex”
Pablo Schreiber, “Orange Is The New Black”

GUEST ACTRESS, DRAMA
Margo Martindale, “The Americans”
Diana Rigg, “Game of Thrones”
Rachel Brosnahan, “House Of Cards”
Cicely Tyson, “How To Get Away With Murder”
Allison Janney, “Masters Of Sex”
Khandi Alexander, “Scandal”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY
Andre Braugher, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
Adam Driver, “Girls”
Keegan-Michael Key, “Key & Peele”
Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”
Tituss Burgess, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Tony Hale, “Veep”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY
Mayim Bialik, “The Big Bang Theory”
Niecy Nash, “Getting On”
Julie Bowen, “Modern Family”
Allison Janney, “Mom”
Kate McKinnon “Saturday Night Live”
Gaby Hoffmann, “Transparent”
Jane Krakowski, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Anna Chlumsky, “Veep”

GUEST ACTOR, COMEDY
Mel Brooks, “The Comedians”
Paul Giamatti, “Inside Amy Schumer”
Bill Hader, “Saturday Night Live”
Louis C.K., “Saturday Night Live”
Bradley Whitford, “Transparent”
Jon Hamm, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

GUEST ACTRESS, COMEDY
Christine Baranski, “The Big Bang Theory”
Gaby Hoffmann, “Girls”
Pamela Adlon, “Louie”
Elizabeth Banks, “Modern Family”
Joan Cusack, “Shameless”
Tina Fey, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Richard Cabral, “American Crime”
Denis O’Hare, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Finn Wittrock, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Michael Kenneth Williams, “Bessie”
Bill Murray, “Olive Kitteridge”
Damian Lewis, “Wolf Hall”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Regina King, “American Crime”
Sarah Paulson, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Angela Bassett, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Kathy Bates, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Mo’Nique, “Bessie”
Zoe Kazan, “Olive Kitteridge”

WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Joshua Brand for The Americans, “Do Mail Robots Dream Of Electric Sheep?” from FX Networks, Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions

Gordon Smith for Better Call Saul, “Five-O” from AMC, Sony Pictures Television and Gran Via Productions

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss for Game Of Thrones, “Mother’s Mercy” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead, Television 360, Startling Television and Generator Productions

Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner for Mad Men, “Lost Horizon” from AMC, Lionsgate Television and UROK Productions

Matthew Weiner for Mad Men, “Person To Person” from AMC, Lionsgate Television and UROK Productions

DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Tim Van Patten for Boardwalk Empire, “Eldorado” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Leverage, Closest to the Hole Productions, Sikelia Productions and Cold Front Productions

David Nutter for Game Of Thrones, “Mother’s Mercy” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead, Television 360, Startling Television and Generator Productions

Jeremy Podeswa for Game Of Thrones, “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead, Television 360, Startling Television and Generator Productions

Lesli Linka Glatter for Homeland, “From A To B And Back Again” from Showtime, SHOWTIME Presents, Fox 21, Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions and Keshet

Steven Soderbergh for The Knick, “Method And Madness” from Cinemax, Cinemax Entertainment in association with Ambeg Screen Products, Anonymous Content and Extension 765

WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik for Episodes, “Episode 409″ from Showtime, SHOWTIME Presents, Hat Trick Productions and Crane Klarik Productions

Will Forte for The Last Man On Earth, “Alive In Tucson” (Pilot) from FOX and 20th Century Fox Television

Louis C.K. for Louie, “Bobby’s House” from FX Networks, Pig Newton, Inc. and FX Productions

Alec Berg for Silicon Valley, “Two Days Of The Condor” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with
Judgemental Films, Alec Berg, Altschuler Krinsky Works and 3 Arts Entertainment

Jill Soloway for Transparent, “Pilot” from Amazon Instant Video and Amazon Studios

Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche for Veep, “Election Night” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Dundee Productions

DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller for The Last Man On Earth, “Alive In Tucson” (Pilot) from FOX and 20th Century Fox Television

Louis C.K. for Louie, “Sleepover” from FX Networks, Pig Newton, Inc. and FX Productions

Mike Judge for Silicon Valley, “Sand Hill Shuffle” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Judgemental Films, Alec Berg, Altschuler Krinsky Works and 3 Arts Entertainment

Jill Soloway for Transparent, “Best New Girl” from Amazon Instant Video and Amazon Studios

Armando Iannucci for Veep, “Testimony” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Dundee Productions

WRITING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
John Ridley for American Crime, “Episode One” from ABC and ABC Studios

Dee Rees, Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois and Horton Foote for “Bessie” from HBO, HBO Films in association with Flavor Unit Entertainment and the Zanuck Company

Stephen Merchant, Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg for “Hello Ladies: The Movie” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Four Eyes Entertainment, Quantity Entertainment and ABC Studios

Hugo Blick for “The Honorable Woman” from SundanceTV, Drama Republic and Eight Rooks Productions for BBC TWO, co-produced by SundanceTV

Jane Anderson or “Olive Kitteridge” from HBO, HBO Miniseries in association with Playtone

Peter Straughan for “Wolf Hall” from PBS, A Playground Entertainment and Company Pictures Production for BBC and MASTERPIECE in association with BBC Worldwide, Altus Media and Prescience

DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Ryan Murphy for “American Horror Story: Freak Show” from Monsters Among Us, FX Networks and 20th Century Fox

Dee Rees for “Bessie” from HBO, HBO Films in association with Flavor Unit Entertainment and the Zanuck Company

Hugo Blick for “The Honorable Woman” from SundanceTV, Drama Republic and Eight Rooks Productions for BBC TWO, co-produced by SundanceTV

Uli Edel for “Houdini” from HISTORY, Lionsgate Television and A+E Studios for History

Tom Shankland for “The Missing” from Starz, New Pictures & Company Pictures in association with Two Brothers Pictures, Playground Entertainment & the BBC

Lisa Cholodenko for “Olive Kitteridge” from HBO, HBO Miniseries in association with Playtone

Peter Kosminsky for “Wolf Hall” from PBS, A Playground Entertainment and Company Pictures Production for BBC and MASTERPIECE in association with BBC Worldwide, Altus Media and Prescience

HOST, REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
Tom Bergeron, “Dancing with the Stars”
Jane Lynch, “Hollywood Game Night”
Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, “Project Runway”
Cat Deeley, “So You Think You Can Dance”
Anthony Bourdain, “The Taste”

STRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
“Antiques Roadshow”
“Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”
“MythBusters”
“Property Brothers”
“Shark Tank”
“Undercover Boss”

UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
“Alaska: The Last Frontier”
“Deadliest Catch”
“Intervention”
“Million Dollar Listing New York”
“Naked And Afraid”
“Wahlburgers”

VARIETY SPECIAL
“Bill Maher: Live From D.C.”
“The Kennedy Center Honors”
“Mel Brooks Live At The Geffen”
“The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special”
“Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek To Cheek LIVE!”

WRITING FOR A VARIETY SERIES
“The Colbert Report”
“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”
“Inside Amy Schumer”
“Key & Peele”
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”

WRITING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL
“The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards”
“Key & Peele Super Bowl Special”
“Louis C.K.: Live At The Comedy Store”
“Mel Brooks Live At The Geffen”
“The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special”

DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SERIES
James Hoskinson for The Colbert Report, “Show 11040″ from Comedy Central, Hello Doggie, Inc. with Busboy Productions and Spartina Productions

Chuck O’Neil for The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, “Show 20103″ from Comedy Central, Central Productions

Amy Schumer and Ryan McFaul for Inside Amy Schumer, “12 Angry Men Inside Amy Schumer” from Comedy Central and Jax Media

Jerry Foley for Late Show With David Letterman, “Show 4214″ from CBS and Worldwide Pants Inc.

Dave Diomedi for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, “Show 203″ from NBC, Universal Television and Broadway

DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL
Natalie Johns for “Annie Lennox: Nostalgia Live In Concert” from PBS, A Tricycle Logic Production in association with Blue Note Records and THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET

Louis J. Horvitz for “The Kennedy Center Honors” from CBS and The Stevens Company

Hamish Hamilton for “The Oscars” from ABC and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Don Roy King for “The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special” from NBC, SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video

Glenn Weiss for “68th Annual Tony Awards” from CBS and White Cherry Entertainment

SPECIAL CLASS PROGRAM
“Beyoncé And Jay Z On The Run”
“The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards”
“The Oscars”
“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street”
“68th Annual Tony Awards”

SHORT-FORM LIVE-ACTION ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM
“Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis: Brad Pitt”
“Billy On The Street With First Lady Michelle Obama, Big Bird And Elena!!!”
“Childrens Hospital”
“Key & Peele Presents Van And Mike: The Ascension”
“Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show Starring Katy Perry”

SHORT-FORM NONFICTION PROGRAM
“American Horror Story: Extra-Ordinary Artists”
“Parks And Recreation: Behind The Final Season”
“30 For 30 Shorts”
“Transparent: This is Me”
“A Tribute To Mel Brooks”

INTERACTIVE PROGRAM
“@midnight With Chris Hardwick”
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
“Saturday Night Live: SNL40″
“Talking Dead”
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”

CHILDREN’S PROGRAM
“Alan Alda And The Actor Within You: A YoungArts Masterclass”
“Degrassi”
“Dog With A Blog”
“Girl Meets World”
“Nick News With Linda Ellerbee: Coming Out”

NARRATOR
Neil deGrasse Tyson for “Hubble’s Cosmic Journey”
Anthony Mendez for “Jane The Virgin”
Miranda Richardson for “Operation Orangutan”
Peter Coyote for “The Roosevelts: An Intimate History”
Henry Strozier for “Too Cute!”

DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SPECIAL
“The Case Against 8″
“Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief”
“Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck”
“Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All”
“Virunga”

DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SERIES
“American Masters”
“Cancer: The Emperor Of All Maladies”
“The Jinx: The Life And Deaths Of Robert Durst”
“The Roosevelts: An Intimate History”
“The Sixties”

INFORMATIONAL SERIES OR SPECIAL
“Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown”
“Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways”
“Inside The Actors Studio”
“StarTalk With Neil deGrasse Tyson”
“Vice”

EXCEPTIONAL MERIT IN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING
“Citizenfour”
“The Great Invisible”
“Hot Girls Wanted”

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
Anthony Bourdain for “Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown” from CNN, Zero Point Zero Production, Inc.

Alex Gibney for “Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief” from HBO, HBO Documentary Films in association with Sky Atlantic and Jigsaw Productions

Brett Morgen for “Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck” from HBO, HBO Documentary Films in association with Universal Pictures, Public Road Productions and The End of Music

Mark Bailey and Keven McAlester for “Last Days In Vietnam (American Experience)” from PBS, A Moxie Firecracker Production for American Experience

Geoffrey C. Ward for The Roosevelts: An Intimate History “Episode 5: The Rising Road (1933 – 1939)” from PBS, Florentine Films

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
Laura Poitras for “Citizenfour” from HBO, Radius presents a Praxis Films production in association with Participant Media, HBO Documentary Films in co-production with Bertha, BRITDOC Circle, Channel4, NDR, and BR

Dave Grohl for “Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Roswell Films, Therapy Content, Diamond Docs and Worldwide Pants Inc.

Alex Gibney for “Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief” from HBO, HBO Documentary Films in association with Sky Atlantic and Jigsaw Productions

Andrew Jarecki for The Jinx: The Life And Deaths Of Robert Durst “Chapter 2: Poor Little Rich Boy” from HBO, HBO Documentary Films in association with Good Things Acquisition Company

Brett Morgen for “Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck” from HBO, HBO Documentary Films in association with Universal Pictures, Public Road Productions and The End of Music

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM
“Archer”
“Bob’s Burgers”
“Over The Garden Wall”
“The Simpsons”
“South Park”

OUTSTANDING SHORT-FORMAT ANIMATED PROGRAM
“Adventure Time”
“Disney Mickey Mouse”
“Regular Show”
“Robot Chicken”
“Steven Universe”
“Wander Over Yonder”

OUTSTANDING CHARACTER VOICE-OVER PERFORMANCE
John Roberts for Bob’s Burgers “Eat, Spray, Linda”
Seth MacFarlane for Family Guy “Our Idiot Brian”
Seth Green for Robot Chicken “Victoria’s Secret Of Nimph”
Dan Castellaneta for The Simpsons “Bart’s New Friend”
Tress MacNeille for The Simpsons “My Fare Lady”
Hank Azaria for The Simpsons “The Princess Guide”

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE CONTEMPORARY OR FANTASY PROGRAM (ONE HOUR OR MORE)
Dave Blass, Hugo Santiago, Drew Monahan and Natali Pope for Constantine “The Darkness Beneath” “Feast Of Friends” “The Saint Of Last Resorts: Part One” from NBC, Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television

Deborah Riley, Paul Ghirardani and Rob Cameron for Game of Thrones “High Sparrow” “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken” “Hardhome” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions

Doug Kraner, Laura Ballinger Gardner and Regina Graves for Gotham “Pilot” from FOX, Warner Bros. Television

Steve Arnold, Halina Gebarowicz and Tiffany Zappulla for House Of Cards “Chapter 29″ “Chapter 36″ from Netflix, Donen/Fincher/Roth and Trigger Street Productions, Inc. in association with Media Rights Capital for Netflix

Suzuki Ingerslev, Cat Smith and Ron V. Franco for True Blood “Jesus Gonna Be Here” “I Found You” “Fire In The Hole” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Your Face Goes Here Entertainment

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE PERIOD PROGRAM (ONE HOUR OR MORE)
Bill Groom, Adam Scher and Carol Silverman for Boardwalk Empire “Golden Days For Boys And Girls” “Friendless Child” “Eldorado” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Leverage, Closest to the Hole Productions, Sikelia Productions and Cold Front Productions

Donal Woods, Mark Kebby and Linda Wilson for Downton Abbey “Episode 9″ from PBS, A Carnival Films/Masterpiece Co-Production in association with NBC Universal

Howard Cummings, Henry Dunn and Regina Graves for The Knick “Method And Madness” “Mr. Paris Shoes” “Get The Rope” from Cinemax, Cinemax Entertainment in association with Ambeg Screen Products, Anonymous Content and Extension 765

Dan Bishop, Shanna Starzyk and Claudette Didul for Mad Men “Person To Person” from AMC, Lionsgate Television / UROK Productions

Michael Wylie, Elizabeth H. Gray and Halina Siwolop for Masters Of Sex “Blackbird” “Below The Belt” “One For The Money, Two For The Show” from Showtime, SHOWTIME Presents, Sony Pictures Television, Round Two Productions, Timberman/Beverly Productions

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE PROGRAM (HALF-HOUR OR LESS)
John Shaffner, Francoise Cherry-Cohen and Ann Shea for The Big Bang Theory “The First Pitch Insufficiency” “The Clean Room Infilltration” “The Skywalker Incursion” from CBS, Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television

Michael Andrew Hynes and Maralee Zediker for Hot In Cleveland “Vegas, Baby/I Hate Goodbyes” “All About Elka” from TV Land, Hazy Mills in association with Sam Jen Productions in association with Hudson Street Productions

Richard Toyon, L.J. Houdyshell and Jenny Mueller for Silicon Valley “Sand Hill Shuffle” “Homicide” “Adult Content” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Judgemental Films, Alec Berg, Altschuler Krinsky Works and 3 Arts Entertainment

Cat Smith, Maria Baker and Nya Patrinos for Transparent “The Letting Go” from Amazon Instant Video, Amazon Studios

Glenda Rovello and Amy Feldman for 2 Broke Girls “And The Zero Tolerance” “And The Fun Factory” “And A Loan For Christmas” from CBS, Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with MPK Productions and Warner Bros. Television

Jim Gloster, E. David Cosier and Jennifer Engel for Veep “Joint Session” “Tehran” “Convention” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Dundee Productions

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR VARIETY, NONFICTION, REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAMMING
Brian Stonestreet, Alana Lorraine Billingsley, Kristen Merlino and Scott Welborn for “57th Annual Grammy Awards” from CBS, AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC

Derek McLane, Gloria Lamb and Matt Steinbrenner for “The Oscars” from ABC, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Derek McLane, Aimee B. Dombo and Mike Pilipski for “Peter Pan Live!” from NBC, Universal Television, Sony Pictures Television, Storyline Entertainment

Tyler Robinson, Schuyler Telleen and Katherine Isom for Portlandia “Dead Pets” “Call Me Al” “Fashion” from IFC, Broadway Video for IFC

Anton Goss, James Pearse Connelly, Zeya Maurer and Lydia Smyth for The Voice “Episode 701″ ” Episode 806″ “Episode 815A” from NBC, United Artists Media Group, Talpa Media USA Inc. and Warner Horizon Television

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Gayle Keller for “Louie”
Jeff Greenberg for “Modern Family”
Eyde Belasco for “Transparent”
Jennifer Euston and Meredith Tucker for “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Allison Jones, Meredith Tucker and Pat Moran for “Veep”

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Jill Trevellick for “Downton Abbey” from PBS, A Carnival Films/Masterpiece Co-Production in association with NBC Universal

Nina Gold, Robert Sterne and Carla Stronge for “Game Of Thrones” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions

Laray Mayfield and Julie Schubert for “House Of Cards” from Netflix, Donen/Fincher/Roth and Trigger Street Productions, Inc. in association with Media Rights Capital for Netflix

Laura Schiff and Carrie Audino for “Mad Men” from AMC, Lionsgate Television / UROK Productions

Jennifer Euston for “Orange Is The New Black” from Netflix, Lionsgate Television for Netflix

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR A SPECIAL
Kim Coleman and Beth Sepko Lindsay for “American Crime” from ABC, ABC Studios

Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson and Meagan Lewis for “American Horror Story: Freak Show” from FX Networks, 20th Century Fox Television

Billy Hopkins and Jackie Burch for “Bessie” from HBO, HBO Films in association with Flavor Unit Entertainment and the Zanuck Company

Laura Rosenthal and Carolyn Pickman for “Olive Kitteridge” from HBO, HBO Miniseries in association with Playtone

Nina Gold and Robert Sterne for “Wolf Hall” from PBS, A Playground Entertainment and Company Pictures Production for BBC and MASTERPIECE in association with BBC Worldwide, Altus Media and Prescience

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Monday, July 13, 2015

Review: "The Expendables 3" is Best When the Old Dogs Run

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 28 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux (Support the author on Patreon)

The Expendables 3 (2014)
Running time: 126 minutes (2 hours, 6 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violence including intense sustained gun battles and fight scenes, and for language
DIRECTOR: Patrick Hughes
WRITERS: Creighton Rothenberger, Katrin Benedikt, and Sylvester Stallone; from a story by Sylvester Stallone (based on characters created by David Callaham)
PRODUCERS: Les Weldon, Avi Lerner, Danny Lerner, Kevin King-Templeton, and John Thompson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Peter Menzies, Jr.
EDITORS: Sean Albertson and Paul Harb
COMPOSER: Brian Tyler

ACTION with some elements of drama

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kelsey Grammer, Antonio Banderas, Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz, Ronda Rousey, Kellan Lutz, Terry Crews, Jet Li, and Robert Davi

The Expendables 3 is a 2014 action movie from director Patrick Hughes. It is the second sequel to the 2010 film, The Expendables, and the third movie in the The Expendables film franchise. In The Expendables 3, team leader, Barney Ross, replaces his old teammates with some new blood for a showdown against a former friend turned arms dealer.

The Expendables 3 opens with the Expendables: Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) the leader; his right-hand man, Lee Christmas (Jason Statham); Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren); Toll Road (Randy Couture); and Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), on a new mission. They seek to rescue Doc (Wesley Snipes), one of the original Expendables.

With Doc in tow, the Expendables head to Mogadishu, Somalia to capture billionaire arms dealer, Victor Minns. However, Minns turns out to really be Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), who co-founded the Expendables before going rogue. After the Expendables' mission goes horrible wrong, Barney dismisses his current team. When he faces Stonebanks again, Ross plans on having a younger team that is also not connected to him in any personal or emotional way. But are the new Expendables: Thorn (Glen Powell), Luna (Ronda Rousey), Marlito (Victor Ortiz), and John Smilee (Kellan Lutz), really ready to take on an Expendables mission?

Released in the late summer of 2010, The Expendables was a surprising gem, an explosive action film that was a throwback to the old macho, testosterone-fueled action films of the 1980s. However, The Expendables was not some homage, parody, or sentimental recollection of action movie days gone by. As I said in my review of the first film, it was “an authentic ass-kicking, ass-stabbing, cap-popped-in-ass action movie...”

The Expendables 3 is full of old relic-type actors from the 1980s and 90s – stars who dominated the movie box office and one television star. The story toys with the idea that the old folks must make way for the new stars, but ultimately, it only plays with such a notion. Honestly, I want to see Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Harrison Ford, and Arnold Schwarzenegger more than I want to see Ronda Rousey and Kellan Lutz (nothing against them).

I can't quite express how much I enjoyed seeing Kelsey Grammer (as Bonaparte), an actor about whom I have always had mixed feelings, and Harrison Ford (as Max Drummer). Ford is really showing his seven decades, but he's still cool. The Expendables 3 is at its best when it showed the old dogs in action, which is what made the original film such a treat. So, if there is a fourth film in this franchise, I want more aged beef and less fresh meat.

6 of 10
B

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

NOTES:
2015 Razzie Awards: 1 win: “Worst Supporting Actor” (Kelsey Grammer, also for Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return; Think Like a Man Too; Transformers: Age of Extinction); 2 nominations: “Worst Supporting Actor” (Mel Gibson) and “Worst Supporting Actor” (Arnold Schwarzenegger)

The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Review: Denzel Does Good Guy/Dark Side in "The Equalizer"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 27 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux - Support Leroy on Patreon.

The Equalizer (2014)
Running time: 132 minutes (2 hours, 12 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, including some sexual references
DIRECTOR: Antoine Fuqua
WRITER: Richard Wenk; (based on the television series created by Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim)
PRODUCERS: Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Tony Eldridge, Mace Neufeld, Alex Siskin, Michael Sloan, Steve Tisch, Denzel Washington, and Richard Wenk
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mauro Fiore (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: John Refoua
COMPOSER: Harry Gregson-Williams

ACTION/CRIME/THRILLER

Starring: Denzel Washington, Martin Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Masters, Johnny Skourtis, David Meunier, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Alex Veadov, Haley Bennett, James Wilcox, Mike O'Dea, E. Roger Mitchell, and Vladimir Kulich

The Equalizer is a 2014 action movie and crime thriller from director Antoine Fuqua and starring Denzel Washington. The film is 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 the movie focuses on a man with a mysterious past who helps a young female prostitute, which brings him into conflict with her owners, ultra-violent Russian gangsters.

The Equalizer introduces Robert “Bob” McCall (Denzel Washington), a man who lives quietly in Boston, Massachusetts, where he works at a “Home Mart” hardware store. McCall spends his nights at the Bridge Diner where he has befriended Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young call girl who also wants to be a pop singer. She is pimped out by local Russian gangsters that are led by a man named Slavi (David Meunier).

After Slavi beats Teri into a coma, McCall attempts to rescue her from Slavi. The aftermath of that meeting brings Teddy Rensen (Martin Csokas) to Boston. Rensen is the enforcer/fixer for Russian mafia leader, Vladimir Pushkin (Vladimir Kulich), but McCall decides to do some fixing of his own.

The Equalizer is a thoroughly satisfying movie... at least to me. I guess that I should qualify this review by admitting that I am a huge fan of Denzel Washington, whom I consider to be one of the world's best actors of the last three decades.

Since his Oscar-winning turn in 2001's Training Day, Washington has proven to be a capable bad guy. With 2010's Book of Eli, Washington showed that he could be a bad-ass, kick-ass, action hero with fancy martial arts-styled moves. Ostensibly the hero in The Equalizer, Washington mixes bad guy with bad-ass in Robert McCall.

The screenplay by Richard Wenk has McCall constantly in peril or makes it seem as if he were in danger even when he is not. Director Antoine Fuqua plays that for everything he can get out of it. He makes a crime film that moves like an action movie, and Fuqua makes everything so tense that he fashions a thriller that strengthens the crime and action movie elements.

And Denzel glides through it all with lethal inevitability and assurance, so much so that I have to give special credit to actor Martin Csokas. He delivers the kind of performance that makes Teddy Rensen an adversary who is a believable threat to Robert McCall.

The Equalizer is a game of death that is hard to stop watching, even if it is light on story and character development (which would have made this movie a classic). I was a big fan of the original television series, which I have not seen in years, and therefore, remember little of it. I do remember that the series did delve into character. Well, the recent announcement of a sequel to this film means that there could be improvement on the character front. In the meantime, take time to enjoy a slick and stylishly violent movie, The Equalizer.

7 of 10
B+

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Friday, June 12, 2015

Review: Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz Shine in "Big Eyes"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 25 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

Big Eyes (2014)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour, 46 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for thematic elements and brief strong language
DIRECTOR: Tim Burton
WRITERS: Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski
PRODUCERS: Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, Tim Burton, and Lynette Howell
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Bruno Delbonnel
EDITOR: JC Bond
COMPOSER: Danny Elfman
Golden Globe winner

DRAMA/BIOPIC

Starring: Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz, Danny Huston, Krysten Ritter, Jason Schwartzman, Terence Stamp, Jon Polito, Delaney Raye, Madeleine Arthur, and James Saito

Big Eyes is a 2014 biographical drama from director Tim Burton. The film is a dramatization of the complicated relationship between American pop-art painter, Margaret Keane, and her husband, Walter Keane. Brothers Bob Weinstein and Harvey Weinstein are executive producers on the film.

Margaret Keane is famous for her “big eyes” paintings, which are paintings featuring children as waifs with big doe eyes. For a decade, Margaret's second husband, Walter Keane, took credit for the paintings because, as he told Margaret, people would take her paintings seriously if they were credited to a man. Margaret's paintings became hugely popular in the 1960s and earned the couple a large fortune, but Walter became more domineering the more prominence “big eyes” art attained.

Big Eyes opens in 1958 in Northern California. Margaret Ulbrich (Amy Adams), a painter, leaves her husband and takes her young daughter, Jane (Delaney Raye), with her. Mother and child arrive in North Beach, San Francisco where Margaret's friend, DeAnn (Krysten Ritter), lives. One day, Margaret in selling drawings in a local park when she catches the attention of Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz), a painter who is also selling his art in the park.

Margaret and Walter marry, and Walter begins to try to sell both their paintings. People ignore Walter's paintings, but the “big eyes” paintings of his new wife, Margaret Keane (Amy Adams), soon become a sensation. Walter lies when people ask him and claims to be the creator of the “big eyes” art, and Margaret goes along with him. The “big eyes” become a sensation, but Margaret cannot truly find peace of mind. Can she ever break away from Walter and take credit for her work?

When director Tim Burton's 2003 film, Big Fish, debuted, some critics said that Burton had finally made an adult film instead of his usual, a fantasy film. Big Fish actually had its share of surrealism and eccentricity, like practically all Burton's work. I think Burton's first adult film was the fanciful biopic, Ed Wood, which was more humorous than dramatic.

One might call Big Fish an adult film, but I found it dull and stiff. Burton's 2014 movie, Big Eyes, is a drama, and it is similar to Ed Wood in that both movies focus on an outside or cult artist. Big Eyes simply plays the biographical matter in a straighter fashion than Ed Wood. In that movie, Ed Wood and his band of merry filmmakers were weirdos (and I'm not saying this in a pejorative manner). Margaret Keane's art may be weird, but the screenwriters, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, and even director Tim Burton take her life seriously. Their movie is a fictional account of Keane's life that details the path she took to independence and to an awakening.

Since her coming-out-party in the indie film, Junebug, Amy Adams has been one of the best American actresses of the last decade. As Margaret Keane, she gives one of her best performances, if not her best. She embodies in herself and shows the struggle of a woman who is trying to break free of everything that holds her back – including herself. In her face and in her emotions, Adams conveys the trials of the artist trying to claim her own work and of a woman living in an era when the wife must be “the little wifey” and little more.

It is a testament to Christoph Waltz's skill as an actor and a performer that he keeps Walter Keane from being burned in the radiance of Adams' performance. Waltz makes it impossible to believe much of what Walter says, but he also keeps the fraudulent painter from becoming a caricature. In his hands, Walter is a fully realized character, which I realized when I noticed that I was sympathetic to him (just a little) by the end of the film.

Big Eyes, which is essentially a low-budget independent film, is Tim Burton's first good movie in a few years. With Ed Wood 20 years ago and with Big Eyes now, he shows that he sympathizes and identifies with artists who are off the beaten path, but who take their art as seriously as the “elite” artists. Burton does indeed know how to let the best dramatic actors do some of their best work. While I like a “serious” film (or Burton's version of it) such as Big Eyes, I do want more Tim Burton movies like Beetlejuice and Sleepy Hollow, which are both Oscar-winners, by the way.

8 of 10
A

Thursday, June 11, 2015

NOTES:
2015 Golden Globes, USA: 1 win: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical: (Amy Adams); 2 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical” (Christoph Waltz) and “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Lana Del Rey and Daniel Heath for "Big Eyes")

2015 BAFTA Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Leading Actress” (Amy Adams) and “Best Production Design” (Rick Heinrichs and Shane Vieau)

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Review: "Son of God" Has Power

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 24 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux on Patreon

Son of God (2014)
Running time: 138 minutes (2 hours, 18 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense and bloody depiction of The Crucifixion, and for some sequences of violence
DIRECTOR: Christopher Spencer
WRITERS: Richard Bedser, Christopher Spencer, Colin Swash, and Nic Young
PRODUCERS: Richard Bedser, Mark Burnett, and Roma Downey
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Rob Goldie
EDITOR: Robert Hall
COMPOSERS: Lorne Balfe and Hans Zimmer

RELIGIOUS/DRAMA

Starring: Diogo Morgado, Darwin Shaw, Amber Rose Revah, Mathew Gravelle, Sebastian Knapp, Joe Wredden, Greg Hicks, Adrian Schiller, Paul Brightwell, Simon Kunz, Fraser Ayres, Joe Coen, Leila Mimmack, Idrissa Sisco, and Roma Downey

Son of God is a 2014 religious film and Biblical drama from director Christopher Spencer. The film is a follow-up to the hit 2013 cable television miniseries, “The Bible” (History Channel), from husband and wife producing team, Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, who also produced this movie. Son of God follows the life of Jesus Christ, from His birth to His resurrection, especially focusing on the time from when Jesus began his public ministry to his Crucifixion.

Son of God opens with John (Sebastian Knapp), the last surviving disciple of Christ, as an old man living in exile as he tells his story. John narrates the story of Jesus' birth, before moving 30 years forward in the story. The adult Jesus (Diogo Morgado) begins gathering followers, including Peter (Darwin Shaw), John, and Judas (Joe Wredden), who would eventually betray him.

Jesus' popular ministry upsets the status quo in Judea, earning him the ire of the Pharisees, the Jewish religious leaders. Caiaphas (Adrian Schiller), head of the Pharisees, believes that Jesus is a grave threat, so he begins to plot against him. When Jesus and his disciples enter Jerusalem for the upcoming Passover holiday, Caiaphas seeks the help of Pontius Pilate (Greg Hicks), the prelate who has command over Judea for the Roman Empire. But are the Pharisee and the Roman part of a plot or are they part of a larger plan that that neither they nor Jesus's disciples can truly understand?

I found Son of God to be both an uplifting and a truly entertaining film. That surprised me because I found much of the film's first hour to be awkward and overly mannered. The film initially seems like a stiff and clunky stage production mounted by sincere and well-meaning Christians who have little or no idea about how powerful the cinematic narrative can be.

However, after the halfway point, the film rapidly grows more powerful and the narrative more insistent. It become emotional and heartrending, but also invigorating and celebratory. I felt the Holy Spirit move me as Jesus suffered the Passion and the Crucifixion. [I was once Roman Catholic.]

Son of God features some scenes that were part of “The Bible” miniseries. I only recognized a few scenes, as I did not watch much of the TV miniseries. The acting in Son of God is a little better than the acting featured in movies shown on religious cable networks like TBN. However, this film is not about the acting; it is about the story.

Yes, this film did receive many bad reviews from movie reviewers and film critics, but the film isn't as dull, as heavy-handed, or as preachy as some said. Also, Son of God isn't quite a “Sunday School lesson,” as some would have you believe. When Son of God hits its narrative stride, it is powerful and moving, and even inspiring. Hey, the best part of this movie moved me into giving it a high rating. This film does quite well by the story and message of the Son of God.

8 of 10
A

Saturday, May 30, 2015

The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Review: "Magic in the Moonlight" Does Not Cast Much of a Spell

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 23 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux (support on Patreon)

Magic in the Moonlight (2014)
Running time: 97 minutes (1 hour, 37 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for a brief suggestive comment, and smoking throughout
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Woody Allen
PRODUCERS: Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum, and Edward Walson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Darius Khondji
EDITOR: Alisa Lepselter

COMEDY/ROMANCE

Starring: Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Simon McBurney, Eileen Atkins, Hamish Linklater, Marcia Gay Harden, Jacki Weaver, Jeremy Shamos, Erica Leerhsen, and Catherine McCormack

Magic in the Moonlight is a 2014 period romance and comedy from writer-director, Woody Allen. The film focuses on an Englishman who travels to the south of France, where he becomes smitten with the young woman that he plans to reveal as a fraud.

Magic in the Moonlight opens in Berlin, 1928, where we meet the world famous illusionist, Wei Ling Soo (Colin Firth). Soo is actually the Englishman, Stanley Crawford (Colin Firth), in disguise. After a performance, Stanley receives a visit from his old friend, Howard Burkan (Simon McBurney), a fellow illusionist. Burkan wants Stanley to accompany him to Côte d'Azur where Stanley can make use of the other talent that has made him famous. Stanley can see past and also reveal the tricks of those who claim to have magical or supernatural powers.

In Côte d'Azur, a rich American family, the Catledges, are being taken in by a clairvoyant and mystic named Sophie Baker (Emma Stone). In fact, the son of the family, Brice Catledge (Hamish Linklater), is so in love with Sophie that he wants to marry her. Howard wants Stanley to debunk Sophie as a charlatan mystic. Although he initially thinks that it will be easy to reveal Sophie as a fraud, Stanley soon finds himself smitten with her.

Magic in the Moonlight is not one of the better Woody Allen films. It falls in the class of mediocre, hapless Allen films that have been prevalent since the turn of the century. The casting is not particularly special, and the characters are mostly uninspired. Emma Stone seems out of place as Sophie Baker, but there is not enough of Marcia Gay Harden as Sophie's mother, Mrs. Baker.

Magic in the Moonlight is not well-written, which is disappointing considering that Allen has won three Oscars for his screenwriting. Allen's directing is mostly... well... uninspired. However, the film does spring to life in its last half-hour, and it suddenly seems like a different film. Why? I think that Magic in the Moonlight lacks a true antagonistic relationship, although the film is ostensibly about one, being that Stanley Crawford is trying to prove that Sophie is a fraud. Perhaps, Allen makes them fall in love with each other too soon. Once betrayal is introduced into the narrative, the film has a real conflict and that brings it to life – too late, of course.

I will recommend Magic in the Moonlight to die hard Woody Allen fans who simply have to see each and every one of his films (like me). Beyond that, there is no amount of magic in the moonlight that will make this movie of interest to people who are not fans of Allen.

5 of 10
C+

Thursday, May 28, 2015

The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Review: "The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies" is a Fantastic Ending to a Joyous Trilogy

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 21 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux (support on Patreon)

The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies (2014)
Running time: 144 minutes (2 hours, 24 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images
DIRECTOR: Peter Jackson
WRITERS: Frances Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, and Guillermo del Toro (from the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien)
PRODUCERS: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Carolynne Cunningham, and Zane Weiner
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Andrew Lesnie (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Jabez Olssen
COMPOSER: Howard Shore
Academy Award nominee

FANTASY/ACTION/ADVENTURE with elements of drama

Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, Luke Evans, Graham McTavish, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Dean O’Gorman, Aidan Turner, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, Jed Brophy, Mark Hadlow, Adam Brown, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee, Ian Holm, Sylvester McCoy, Ryan Gage, John Bell, Peggy Nesbitt, Mary Nesbitt, and Benedict Cumberbatch (also voice)

The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies is a 2014 fantasy-adventure film from director Peter Jackson. The film is the third of three movies which are based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1937 novel, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again (better known by its abbreviated title, The Hobbit). Set sixty years before The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit is the story of a curious Hobbit who joins a company of 13 Dwarves on a mission to reclaim their homeland from a powerful dragon. The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies centers on the struggle to control the Lonely Mountain.

As The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies begins, Smaug (voice of Benedict Cumberbatch), the dragon that ruled over the Lonely Mountain, attacks the human settlement, Lake-town. Now, only Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans), who is practically an outcast among his fellow humans, knows how to stop the dragon, but can he actually do it?

The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), has helped the Company of Dwarves, at last, reclaim their homeland, Erebor. Having rid themselves of Smaug, the Dwarves settle into their ancestral home. However, their would-be king, Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), decides that he wants to keep the vast, uncountable treasure in Erebor for himself. He seals off Erebor, even as the human survivors of Lake-town seek refuge in the nearby ruins of Dale.

Bilbo soon finds himself caught between different groups that want a share of the treasure of Erebor. Bard, now the spokesman and ostensible leader of the humans, wants the share of the treasure Thorin promised to the humans if they helped him; now, Thorin refuses to honor that promise. Meanwhile, the Wood-elves and their arrogant king, Thranduil (Lee Pace), have arrived in Dale, seeking the white diamonds that belong to the Elves. While Dwarves, Elves, and humans squabble, the blood-thirsty Azog the Defiler and a war party of Orcs marches toward the Lonely Mountain like a rising tide of darkness, prepared to conquer and to kill.

When I heard that Tolkien's The Hobbit would be adapted into two films by Peter Jackson, the guiding force behind the Lord of the Rings films, I was quite pleased. I have loved The Hobbit since I first saw the 1977 animated television film adaptation, and I have read Tolkien's original novel at least three or four times. I was ambivalent when I heard that the two-film adaptation would become a three-film adaptation. After seeing the second film, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, I was suddenly quite interested in the third film again.

The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies did not disappoint me. I do think that the word, “war,” is spoken too many times in this movie (for my taste). Other than that, I love The Battle of Five Armies unconditionally. The Hobbit reminds me of a grand adventure that a boy or a young man has with this friends. Soon, the adventure is over, and he must say goodbye to his friends – some for only a short time, some for a long time, and others forever.

The filmmakers retained the sense of friendship throughout the trilogy. The undertaking of an adventure that becomes a coming-of-age adventure also permeates The Hobbit film trilogy. However, The Battle of Five Armies most personifies themes of friendship and obligation, and the sense of a bond between companions is strong in this movie, making it poignant as well as thrilling.

In the end, I thank Peter Jackson for his efforts. I find it hard to think critically about this film individually or The Hobbit trilogy as a whole. I felt The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies in my heart, and yes, I teared up quite a bit, especially during the goodbyes. I wish there were another adventure to come, but I can always revisit this one.

9 of 10
A+

Monday, May 18, 2015

NOTES:
2015 Academy Awards, USA: 1 nomination: “Best Achievement in Sound Editing” (Brent Burge and Jason Canovas)

2015 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Special Visual Effects” (Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, and R. Christopher White)

The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Review: "Dracula Untold" is a Pretty Thing

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 19 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

Dracula Untold (2014)
Running time: 92 minutes (1 hour, 32 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of warfare, vampire attacks, disturbing images, and some sensuality
DIRECTOR: Gary Shore
WRITERS: Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless (based on characters created by Bram Stoker)
PRODUCER: Michael De Luca
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Schwartzman (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Richard Pearson
COMPOSER: Ramin Djawadi

ACTION/FANTASY

Starring: Luke Evans, Sarah Gordon, Dominic Cooper, Art Parkinson, Charles Dance, Dairmaid Murtagh, Paul Kaye, William Houston, Noah Huntley, Ferdinand Kingsley, Joseph Long, Thor Kristjansson, Ronan Vibert, and Zach McGowan

Dracula Untold is a 2014 action-fantasy and vampire film from director Gary Shore. This film's screenplay, written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, takes the title character for Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula (1897), and real-life historical figure, Vlad the Imapler, and combines them. The two writers re-imagine both the fictional story of Count Dracula and the true story of Vlad. Dracula Untold focuses on a young prince who must become a monster to save his people from a massive army. Thomas Tull of Legendary Pictures is one of this film's executive producers.

Dracula Untold is narrated by a man who proceeds to tell the story of Vlad the Impaler, the prince of Wallachia and Transylvania. When Vlad was a boy, he was a royal hostage of Sultan Mehmed II (Dominic Cooper), the ruler of the Ottoman Empire. Vlad was trained to be a soldier in the Sultan's elite Janissary Corps, and he became their most feared warrior. He earned the nickname “Vlad the Impaler,” because of the methods by which he slaughtering thousands.

In 1442, the adult Vlad (Luke Evans) now rules his people. He is a husband to his wife, Mirena (Sarah Gordon), and a father to his young son, Ingeras (Art Parkinson). Vlad rules his kingdom in peace, but it seems that the Turks of the Ottoman Empire now want more from him than gold and jewels as tribute. They want boys who can become soldiers, as Vlad once was, and the Sultan even demands that Vlad turn Ingeras over to him.

Vlad does not want use his son or any other boy as tribute to Mehmed II, but he is powerless against the Sultan's army which is tens of thousands strong. However, deep in the mysterious Broken Tooth Mountain hides a creature (Charles Dance) that can give Vlad the power he needs to defeat the Ottoman Empire. Is Vlad willing to pay the ultimate price for the power that will turn him into the legendary vampire, Dracula?

Over many decades of watching movies, I have gradually come to understand and admire aspects of film-making that I had once not understood. I love high production values, which is why I am a fan of costume dramas and periods films. I love beautiful cinematography and gorgeous production design and art direction. I have come to appreciate costume design, especially in the last decade. Another aspect at which I am paying more attention is the work of movie make-up and hair artists.

In Dracula Untold, the costume designers and especially the make-up artists stand out. I can't remember a film in which I have seen so many good looking people, not just the well-dressed royals but also the regular folks, soldiers, and peasants. Honestly, I wouldn't mind wearing the well-designed “rags” worn by the poor folks in this movie. Thanks to make-up and hair, many characters in this movie are too pretty to die, especially the super-gorgeous Mehmed II played by Dominic Cooper and one of Mehmed's assassins, the lethally beautiful “Bright Eyes,” portrayed by Thor Kristjansson.

I won't lie; I thoroughly enjoyed Dracula Untold, but it is not a particularly good movie. Thanks to costume, make-up and hair, and Luke Evans as such a handsome Dracula this movie manages to be a little more than it should be. However, Evans is not a particularly memorable Dracula. In fact, there is not much imagination in the re-imagining of this Dracula. I am giving Dracula Untold a high rating because of the costumes and make-up and hair, which are still dazzling me days after I saw the movie. The beauty in the production values of Dracula Untold makes it stand-out, even if it is neither a stand-out Dracula film nor a particularly imaginative vampire film.

7 of 10
B+

Saturday, April 25, 2015

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Review: "I, Frankenstein" Has a Cool B-Movie Vibe

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 18 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

I, Frankenstein (2014)
Running time: 92 minutes (1 hour, 32 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of intense fantasy action and violence throughout
DIRECTOR: Stuart Beattie
WRITERS: Stuart Beattie; from a screen story by Kevin Grevioux and Stuart Beattie (based on the Darkstorm Studios graphic novel by Kevin Grevioux and the characters created by Mary Shelley)
PRODUCER: Sidney Kimmel, Gary Lucchesi, Andrew Mason, Tom Rosenberg, Richard Wright, and Johnny Klimek
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ross Emery
EDITOR: Marcus D'Arcy
COMPOSER: Reinhold Heil

FANTASY/HORROR/ACTION

Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Yvonne Strahovski, Mirando Otto, Jai Courtney, Socratis Otto, Caitlin Stasey, Mahesh Jadu, Nicholas Bell, Deniz Akdeniz, Kevin Grevioux, Bruce Spense, Steve Mouzakis, and Aden Young

I, Frankenstein is a 2014 action-fantasy and horror film from director, Stuart Beattie. This film is based on the comic book, I, Frankenstein: Genesis (2013), which was written by Kevin Grevioux, who serves this movie as an executive producer, writer, and actor. I, Frankenstein also borrows a few characters and some story from Mary Shelley's legendary novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, which was first published in 1818. I, Frankenstein the movie focuses on Victor Frankenstein's creature as it finds itself caught in the middle of a centuries-old conflict.

I, Frankenstein opens in 1795. A voice summarizes the story of Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Aden Young), the man who created a monster. This was a soulless creature that Frankenstein made by patching together body parts from corpses. However, he rejected his creation, which began a war between creator and creation that ended with the creation burying the creator.

Even as he buries his creator, Frankenstein, “the monster” (Aaron Eckhart) cannot know peace, because demons attack him in the graveyard. Two gargoyles rescue the monster and take him to Leonore (Miranda Otto), High Queen of the Gargoyle Order. She gives the monster a name, “Adam,” and tells him that the Gargoyle Order has been fighting a centuries-old war against demons on Earth in order to protect humanity. Leonore invites Adam to join their cause, but he declines.

The demons and their leader, Prince Naberius (Bill Nighy), also want Adam on their side. Naberius wants the secrets behind Frankenstein's creation of Adam, and he has employed a beautiful young scientist, Terra Wade (Yvonne Strahovski), to discover how to replicate the process that created Adam. However, Adam also wants to unravel the secrets to his creation, so he too needs Terra. But will working with Terra threaten to decide the outcome of a war between immortals?

I, Frankenstein currently has a low score with movie review aggregate sites, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic. However, I like it. I, Frankenstein is a dark, urban fantasy similar to Underworld, which was also originally created by Kevin Grevioux. For its genre, it has a novel and easy to understand premise, which might seem silly to people who don't like this kind of story or its genre.

The acting isn't particularly great, ranging from overacting (as in the case of Miranda Otto as Lenore) to stiff (as in the case of Yvonne Strahovski as Terra). Some performances are way too fierce (as is the case with Jai Courtney as Gideon, leader of the Gargoyle army). Bill Nighy always seems game to play a dark fantasy baddie, and his Naberius is malevolent and cheesy in pleasurably equal measures.

Aaron Eckhart seems lost as Adam/Frankenstein's monster. It is as if he does not quite know what to do with the character. Is he bent on revenge? Is he curious about himself? Does he just want to be left alone? If it is all of the above, Eckhart doesn't quite get the mix right.

Still, I like I, Frankenstein, and found it hugely enjoyable. I want a sequel.

6 of 10
B

Saturday, April 18, 2015

The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Monday, April 13, 2015

Review: "The Grand Budapest Hotel" is Stylish and Quirky, of course

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 17 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Running time: 99 minutes (1 hour, 39 minutes)
MPAA – R for language, some sexual content and violence
DIRECTOR: Wes Anderson
WRITERS: Wes Anderson; from a story by Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness (inspired by the writings of Stefan Zweig)
PRODUCERS: Wes Anderson, Jeremy Dawson, Steven Rales, and Scott Rudin
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Robert Yeoman (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Barney Pilling
COMPOSER: Alexandre Desplat
Academy Award winner

ADVENTURE/COMEDY/DRAMA with elements of fantasy

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, F. Murray Abraham, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Jeff Goldblum, Mathieu Amalric, Harvey Keitel, Jude Law, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Lea Seydoux, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, Bob Balaban, and Owen Wilson

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a 2014 comedy-drama and adventure film from writer-director Wes Anderson. Anderson and Hugo Guinness, who wrote the film's story with Anderson, were inspired by the writings of Austrian, Stefan Sweig (1881-19420, a novelist, playwright, journalist and biographer. The Grand Budapest Hotel focuses on the adventures of a legendary concierge at a famous hotel and the lobby boy who becomes his trusted sidekick.

The Grand Budapest Hotel opens in the present day, before moving back to 1985. The film moves back again to the year 1968. A man, known as “The Author” (Jude Law), travels to the Republic of Zubrowka (a fictional Central European state). He stays at a remote mountainside hotel in the spa town of Nebelsbad. The Author discovers that the Grand Budapest Hotel has fallen on hard times. He meets the owner of the hotel, an elderly gentleman named Zero Moustafa (F. Murray Abraham). Moustafa tells “The Author” how he came to own the Grand Budapest Hotel.

That takes the story back to the year 1932, during the hotel's glory days. Monsieur Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes) is the Grand Budapest Hotel's devoted concierge. He manages the hotel's large staff and sees to the needs of the hotel's wealthy clientele, Gustave also often has sexual relationships with some of the hotel's elderly female clientele. One of the aging women who flock to the hotel to enjoy M. Gustave's “exceptional service” is Madame Céline Villeneuve "Madame D" Desgoffe und Taxis a.k.a. “Madame D” (Tilda Swinton).

After Madame D dies, M. Gustave discovers that she has left him something in her will, a highly-sought after painting by Johannes van Hoytl (the younger), entitled, “Boy With Apple.” M. Gustave also learns that Madame D was murdered and that he is not only the chief suspect, but that he is also caught up in a dispute over a vast family fortune. M. Gustave is in trouble, but luckily he has hired a most capable and talented new lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori). M Gustave's most trusted friend and protege, Zero, may be the only one who can help a legendary concierge save himself.

I said that Ethan and Joel Coen's 2010 film, True Grit (a remake of the classic John Wayne western), was a movie in which the brothers got to work out and to employ their visual tics, cinematic style, and storytelling techniques on a Western. It was a good film, but it was truly “a Coen Bros. movie.”

In a similar fashion, The Grand Budapest Hotel is Wes Anderson employing everything that is eccentric, quirky, and unique to his films going back at least a decade. Embodied in this movie, the Wes Anderson style is wonderful and invigorating and a joy to watch. Truly, The Grand Budapest Hotel has a striking and an eye-catching visual style. Anderson's mix of ornate visual environments and eccentric characters with deeply held emotions makes his movies hard to ignore, if you give them half the chance.

Those characters can be a problem, though. For this film, Anderson easily offers 20 characters worth knowing, but other than M. Gustave and Zero, Anderson uses the others as quirky backdrops or as caricatures upon which he can hang his plot. Thus, The Grand Budapest Hotel is beautiful, but depth of character is lacking. The adventure of M. Gustave and Zero plays as if it were something straight out of a beloved children's book. Much has been made of Ralph Fienne's performance in this film, and it is indeed a good one. It must be noted that Tony Revolori as Zero is also quite good. Still, the adventure of the two leads would be better with more interplay from the other characters than the film offers. Adrien Brody's Dmitri Desgoffe und Taxis is wasted, and Willem Dafoe's J.G. Jopling is not so much a menacing villain as he is a bad guy straight out of Jay Ward Productions.

However, while this movie does not fail to burrow into the imagination, it does not really plant its roots in the viewers' hearts. It is gorgeous on the surface, but Anderson seems to avoid the deeply emotional ideas he introduces, making The Grand Budapest Hotel an exceptional film, but keeping it from being truly great. It is Wes Anderson art for Wes Anderson's art sake.

8 of 10
A

Friday, April 10, 2015

NOTES:
2015 Academy Awards, USA: 4 wins: “Best Achievement in Costume Design” (Milena Canonero), “Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling” (Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier), “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score” (Alexandre Desplat) and “Best Achievement in Production Design” (Adam Stockhausen-production design and Anna Pinnock-set decoration); 5 nominations: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven M. Rales, and Jeremy Dawson), “Best Achievement in Directing” (Wes Anderson), “Best Achievement in Cinematography” (Robert D. Yeoman), and “Best Achievement in Film Editing” (Barney Pilling), and “Best Writing, Original Screenplay” (Wes Anderson-screenplay/story and Hugo Guinness-story)

2015 BAFTA Awards: 5 wins: “Best Original Music” (Alexandre Desplat), “Best Costume Design” (Milena Canonero), “Best Production Design” (Adam Stockhausen and Anna Pinnock), “Best Original Screenplay” (Wes Anderson), and “Best Make Up & Hair” (Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier); 6 nominations: “Best Film” (Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven M. Rales, and Jeremy Dawson), “Best Leading Actor” (Ralph Fiennes), “Best Cinematography” (Robert D. Yeoman), “Best Editing” (Barney Pilling), “Best Sound” (Wayne Lemmer, Christopher Scarabosio, Pawel Wdowczak), and “David Lean Award for Direction” (Wes Anderson)

2015 Golden Globes, USA: 1 win: “Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical;” 3 nominations: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Wes Anderson), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical” (Ralph Fiennes), and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Wes Anderson)

The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Review: "Top Five" is Chris Rock's Woody Allen Thing

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 15 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

Top Five (2014)
Running time: 102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong sexual content, nudity, crude humor, language throughout and some drug
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Chris Rock
PRODUCERS: Eli Bush, Barry Diller, and Scott Rudin
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Manuel Alberto Claro
EDITOR: Anne McCabe
COMPOSERS: Ludwig Göransson and Ahmir-Khalib “Questlove” Thompson
Black Reel Award winner

COMEDY/DRAMA/ROMANCE

Starring: Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson, J.B. Smoove, Gabrielle Union, Romany Malco, Cedric the Entertainer, Ben Vereen, Sherri Shepherd, Jay Pharoah, Tracy Morgan, Leslie Jones, Hassan Johnson, Tichina Arnold, Luis Guzman, Kevin Hart, Olga Merediz, Laurissa Romain, Miriam Colon, Charlie Rose, Bruce Bruce, Taraji P. Henson, Gabourey Sidibe, Whoopi Goldberg, Adam Sandler, DMX, Jim Norton, and Jerry Seinfeld

Top Five is a 2014 comedy-drama and romance from writer-director Chris Rock. Rock stars as a comedian who is trying to make it as a serious actor, while his fiancée is turning their upcoming wedding into a reality-television event. Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Jay-Z, is a co-producer on this film.

Top Five focuses on Andre Allen (Chris Rock). He had a successful career as a stand-up comedian, and later became a box office star with his hit movie franchise, Hammy The Bear, which yielded three films. Now, Allen is trying to become a serious actor with a new film, Uprize, in which he portrays Dutty Boukman, a prominent figure in the Haitian Revolution.

Allen is also engaged to marry reality-TV star, Erica Long (Gabrielle Union). The wedding planning, the bachelor party, the wedding itself, and even the honeymoon are going to be reality-television programming on the cable network, Bravo. While dealing with the headache of a big wedding, Allen is also busy promoting Uprize, so he grudgingly agrees to a probing interview with The New York Times. Allen is surprised to find himself opening up to Times reporter, Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson), but Brown isn't quite being upfront about her intentions.

In Top Five, Chris Rock has delivered a film that recalls the films of Woody Allen. Like Allen, Rock uses comedy to probe the inner recesses of the lead character's mind, faults, shortcomings, and foibles. Also like Allen, Rock uses romance to bring together two conflicted people, whose motivations and yearnings are similar to one another, but are also in conflict with one another.

The drama comes into Top Five because, even with the crazy scenarios and embarrassing moments and revelations, the story takes everything seriously. The sublime and the ridiculous cannot exist without each other, and stupidity does not absolve one of being honest with oneself.

Rock delivers a solid performance, and he only plays himself half the time in the film. Rosario Dawson shows both dramatic and romance-comedy chops. Wow, she is good, and I can't help but think that if she were a white girl that she would have headlined big-time romantic comedies ages ago. Katherine Heigl and Kate Hudson aren't better than Dawson.

J.B. Smoove is smooth, and Cedric the Entertainer kills it and then some in a cameo role. Whoopi Goldberg, Adam Sandler, and Jerry Seinfeld appear together near the end of the film and are a treat, especially Seinfeld, who is a riot. In fact, a number of comic actors and comedians (including Tracy Morgan) make cameo appearances or have bit parts in this movie, and they do their best to make Top Five a must-see movie.

The Hollywood trade press is reporting that producer Scott Rudin wants Chris Rock to quickly make a non-sequel follow-up to Top Five, bringing back some of the cast of this film. This movie is going to be a hard act to follow. Top Five is Rock's best directorial effort to date, and it is one of the best films of 2014. Rock should have received an Oscar nomination for Top Five's screenplay.

9 of 10
A+

Saturday, April 11, 2015

NOTES:
2015 Black Reel Awards: 1 win: “Outstanding Screenplay (Original or Adapted), Motion Picture” (Chris Rock); 6 nominations: “Outstanding Motion Picture” (Scott Rudin and Eli Bush), “Outstanding Actor, Motion Picture” (Chris Rock), “Outstanding Actress, Motion Picture” (Rosario Dawson), “Outstanding Director, Motion Picture” (Chris Rock), “Outstanding Ensemble” (Victoria Thomas), and “Outstanding Original Song (Ahmir-Khalib Thompson-performer and writer and Eliza Colby-performer and writer for the song, “It Ain't Easy”)

2015 Image Awards: 2 nominations: “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Cedric the Entertainer) and “Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture” (Chris Rock)

The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.