Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 1st to 10th, 2022 - Update #21

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Netflix and one of its biggest content providers, Warner Bros. Discovery, may be head for a streaming war due to the unhappiness of the latter's CEO David Zaslav.

MOVIES - From Variety:  "Scream 6" cast member Melissa Barrera says that the upcoming horror flick is "100 times gorier" than any previous entry in the franchise.

SCANDAL - From EW:  Grammy Award winning recording artist, Celine Dion, has revealed that she has a rare neurological disorder, "stiff-person syndrome," that will leave her rigid and suffering spasms in her torso and limbs.

MOVIES - From Variety:   Jennifer Lawrence says that the biggest reaction to her being cast in "The Hunger Games" was "how much weight is she going to lose."

MOVIES - From Variety:  There is a first-look image of Robert Pattinson in Oscar-winner Bong Joon Ho's ("Parasite") next film "Mickey 17.  The film is not due until March 29, 2024.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Robert Downey, Jr. talks about "Sr.," a Netflix documentary film about his late father, the filmmaker Robert Downey, Sr.

SCANDAL - From Variety:  Disgraced Oscar-winning film producer and former studio executive, Harvey Weinstein, has abnormal testicles, as they reside in his inner thighs.  That and more tidbits from his rape trial in Los Angeles.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:   The winner of the 12/2 to 12/4/2022 weekend box office is Disney/Marvel Studios' "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" with an estimated take of 17.5 million dollars.

From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux's review of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."

SPORTS - From Deadline:  Soccer great and sometimes actor, Pele, has reportedly entered end-of-life care in Brazilian hospital.

CANNES - From Variety:  Pedro Almodovar says his "queer Western" short film, "Strange Way of Life" will debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023.  The film stars Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke.

DISNEY - From Variety:  Indiana Jones 5 has a title, "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," and the film has its first trailer.  It features a de-aged Harrison Ford/Indiana Jones.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Peter Dinklage is among the voice cast added to "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts," which is due June 9, 2023.

AVATAR - From THR:  Director James Cameron talks about "Avatar: The Way of Water," the "Avatar" franchise, and more in a wide-ranging interview.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Two-time "Best Director" Oscar winner, Ang Lee, will direct a Bruce Lee biopic with Ang's son, Mason Lee, playing martial arts film legend.

OBITS:

From Variety:  Television and film actress, Kirstie Alley, has died at the age of 71, Monday, December 5, 2022.  Alley rose to fame as "Rebecca Howe" on the former NBC sitcom, "Cheers," from 1987-93, a role for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series."  She originated the role of "Saavik" in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," and she also appeared in three "Look Who's Talking" films.

From Variety:   Actor, singer, musician, recording artist, and children's book author, Bob McGrath, has died at the age of 90, Sunday, December 4, 2022.  McGrath played one of the original human characters, "Bob Johnson," on the long-running PBS education series, "Sesame Streeet."  McGrath played Bob Johnson from 1969 until 2016.

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AWARDS:

From Deadline:  The American Film Institute (AFI) has named its "AFI Awards Film" list of "Top 10 Films of 2022."  The list includes "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Top Gun: Maverick," and "The Woman King."

From THR:  The African-American Film Critics Association name "The Woman King" the "Best Film of 2022."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the "2023 Critics Choice Awards" in the television categories have been announced.  ABC's sitcom, "Abbot Elementary" leads the nominations.  The winners will be announced Sunday, January 15, 2023 and broadcast on The CW.

From Variety:  The 2022 / 88th Annual New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) Awards have been announced.  Todd Field's "Tar" wins "Best Film" and "Best Actress" (Cate Blanchett).  Keke Palmer wins "Best Supporting Actress" for her performance in "Nope."

From Deadline:  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" wins the "Best Feature" award at the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards, one of two wins for the film.

From IndieWire:  The nominations for the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced.   "Everything Everywhere All at Once" leads with eight nominations.  The winners will be announced March 4th, 2023.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards were announced a month ago.  Todd Field's "Tar" leads with five nominations.  The winners will be announced Monday, November 28th.

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BRITTNEY GRINER:

From CBSNews:  WNBA star Brittney Griner has been released from her Russian imprisonment in a one-for-one prisoner swap for notorious international arms dealer, Viktor Bout.

From NBCNews:   Brittney Griner will enter a system of isolation, grueling labor and psychological torment when she is transferred to a penal colony, the successor to the infamous Russian gulag, to fulfill a nine-year sentence handed down Tuesday in Moscow, former prisoners and advocates said.

From NBCNews:  A Russian court has rejected Brittney Griner's appeal of her nine-year prison sentence on (fake) drug charges.

From Reuters:  Russia says that it is ready to talk prisoner swamp for Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, but also scolds the U.S. Embassy.

From TheDailyBeast:   Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.

From Vox:  Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.

From ESPN:   A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th.  Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.

From ESPN:  The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.

From RSN:  "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack

From ESPN:  Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.

From CBSSports:  The Brittney Griner situation explained.

From RSN:  According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."

Review: "Gemini Man" Strong Start, Embarrassing Finish

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 2 (of 2020) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Gemini Man (2019)
Running time:  117 minutes (1 hour, 57 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violence and action throughout, and brief strong language.
DIRECTOR:  Ang Lee
WRITERS:  David Benioff, Billy Ray, and Darren Lemke (from a story by Darren Lemke and David Benioff)
PRODUCERS:  Jerry Bruckheimer, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Dion Beebe
EDITOR:  Tim Squyres
COMPOSER:  Lorne Balfe

SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER

Starring: Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen, Benedict Wong, Linda Emond, Douglas Hodge, Ralph Brown, Ilia Volok, and E.J. Bonilla

Gemini Man is a 2019 science fiction and action-thriller film from director Ang Lee and starring Will Smith.  The film focuses on an aging hit man who faces off against a younger version of himself.

Gemini Man introduces Henry Brogan (Will Smith), a government assassin who is considered the best assassin of his generation.  After completing an assassination mission in Europe that turns complicated, Henry decides to retire.  However, the government agency for which Henry kills, the Defense Intelligence Agency (D.I.A.), decides that it is time to permanently retire him, and sends an assassination squad to kill him.

Henry kills the team, and rescues a fellow D.I.A. agent, Danny Zakarweski (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who had been watching him.  Henry and Danny turn to a longtime associate of Henry's, Baron (Benedict Wong), who flies them to Bogata, Colombia.  There, Henry plots his next move, but what he doesn't know is that a D.I.A. supervisor, Clayton “Clay” Varris (Clive Owen), head of a top-secret black ops unit code-named “GEMINI,” has marked him for death.  And the assassin Clay has sent to kill Henry may be the most-perfect assassin to take down the world's best assassin.

While watching Gemini Man, I thought the film reminded me of one of those mid-1990s action movies that had science fiction elements.  I am thinking of director John Woo's Nicolas Cage vs. John Travolta film, Face/Off (1997), or director Chuck Russell's Eraser (1996), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Sure enough, I later learned that Gemini Man was originally meant to go into production back in 1997, but it ended up in “development hell” until producer David Ellison bought the rights.

They really don't make movies like Gemini Man anymore.  Our current movie action heroes are superhero action heroes like Black Panther, Captain America, and Iron Man, and, quite frankly, their films are better than Gemini Man is.

Actually, Gemini Man starts off pretty strongly, kind of like a slightly less polished version of a Jason Bourne film.  The first hour or so of Gemini Man is tense, thrilling, and filled with mystery.  However, once the mystery is solved and once the film reveals the identity and origin of the killer (code-named “Junior”) sent to kill Henry Brogan, the tension and drama of the film is let out like air out of a balloon.  There is an fierce “final battle” in the film's last act, and there is a feel-good, if not weird, happy ending, but the atmosphere of high-tech thrills that initially filled Gemini Man is gone.

The special effects in Gemini Man look like special effects – in a too obvious way.  The computer-generated 23-year-old Will Smith sometimes looks weird and plastic.  I don't want to use the word “awful,” but...  I think Marvel Studios did a much better job creating a younger face for Samuel L. Jackson/Nick Fury in this year's blockbuster, mega-smash hit film, Captain Marvel.

Anyway, the performances are good, but not great.  Will Smith's performance as Henry Brogan is practically the same he gave in his previous sci-fi action-thriller, I, Robot (2004).  It is good to see that Mary Elizabeth Winstead can play an adult, and Benedict Wong is proving to be a winning character actor in roles that provide both comic relief and wit.  As usual, Clive Own proves that he can do mean, but his Clay Farris is much more menacing early in Gemini Man.  By the end of the film, Farris is practically a cartoon villain.

Gemini Man is a good and entertaining film.  It could have been so much better though; in fact, (as I keep saying), the beginning is really good and holds the promise of being the start of an exceptional action film.  Alas, Gemini Man is not exceptional.  If you are a Will Smith fan, Gemini Man is not so good that you have to see it in a theater; you can certainly wait for the home media release.

6 of 10
B

Saturday, October 12, 2019


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 6th to 12th, 2019 - Update #26

Support Leroy on Patreon:

MY REVIEW OF "GEMINI MAN" IS here.
MY REVIEW OF "JOKER" IS here.

POLITICS - From YahooLifestyle:  "You wouldn't know a joke if one raised you," Senator Kamala Harris tells Donald Trump, Jr. a.k.a. "Dumb, Jr."

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MUSIC - From YahooMusic:  Tina Turn called Elton John "fat."

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Bob Weinstein is trying to recover from the crap storm that is his brother, Harvey Weinstein, and all his sexual abuse allegations.  Bob has launched a boutique production label, "Watch This Entertainment."  First project is the animated film, "Endangered," which Bob is producing with actress Tea Leoni.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Gal Gadot ("Wonder Woman") and her husband, Jason Varsano, have formed a production company, Pilot Wave.  Their first film project will be the fact-based historical thriller, "Irene Sendler."

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  A judge has rejected AMC's claim that it is not responsible for the death of stuntman John Bernecker on the set of "The Walking Dead" in 2017.  Bernecker's family filed suit in 2018, and a trial is scheduled to begin December 9th, 2019.  AMC has made several claims of immunity from the lawsuit and about not being responsible for the accident that took Bernecker's life.

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DISNEY - From Variety:  Emmy-winner Billy Porter will play the "fairy godmother" in a re-imagined musical version of "Cinderella" that Sony is producing.

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TELEVISION - From TVLine:   Actress Drew Barrymore's syndicated daytime talk show gets a green light from CBS Television Distribution.  A pilot for the show has already been shot.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Kerry Washington is join super-producer Ryan Murphy's "The Prom," which already includes actors like Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman.

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SPORTS-POLITICS - From CNN:  Here is a timeline of the ongoing controversy involving the National Basketball Association, China, the Hong Kong protests, the NBA's Houston Rockets, and a tweet.

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MOVIES - From ScreenDaily:  Will Smith, "Gemini Man," Ang Lee and the viability of high fps (frames-per-second) film - also known as HFR (high frame rate) films.  24 fps is the usual rate.

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MOVIES-STREAMING - From Movieweb:  The new "Masters of the Universe" movie is due to hit theaters in March 2021.  However, Sony may sell the expensive project to Netflix reportedly to minimize financial risk.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has landed one of the lead roles in "The Matrix 4," which is being directed by one of the franchise's creators, Lana Wachowski.

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TELEVISION-AWARDS - From Deadline:  Actress, writer, and producer, Mindy Kaling, talks about the Emmy vetting process done by the Television Academy, which led to her being "singled out," as she describes it.

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SCANDAL - From Variety:  Ronan Farrow, whose work revealed Harvey Weinstein's history of sexual abuse, makes a shocking allegation in his new book, "Catch and Kill.  Farrow alleges that former NBC "Today" co-anchor, Matt Lauer, raped a colleague.

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DISNEY - From Variety:  Daveed Diggs, who won both a Tony Award and a Grammy for his work on the Broadway musical, "Hamilton," will play "Sebastian the Jamaican crab" in Disney's live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid."

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Len Wiseman ("Underworld") is set to direct "Ballerina," a female-centric spinoff of the "John Wick" film franchise."

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  "Prodigal Son" becomes the first series of the new Fall TV season to get a full-season pickup from Fox.  Fox had ordered 13 episodes of the the serial killer/family drama, and has upped that to a full 22-episode season.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 10/5 to 10/7/2019 weekend box office is "Joker" with an estimated take of 93.5 million dollars.

From Variety:  "Joker" is the biggest October launch in domestic box office history.  It's 93.5 million dollars surpasses the previous record holder, "Venom" which made 80 million dollars in its October 2018 opening weekend.

From Variety:  "Joker" dominates international box office with 140.5 million in overseas box office.

From Variety:  Todd Phillips' "Joker," starring Joaquin Phoenix in the title role, sets an October opening day record with an estimated 39.9 million dollar opening on Friday, October 5, 2019

From Patreon:  A review of "Joker."

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CELEBRITY - From ABCNews:  Tyler Perry christened his new 250 million dollar movie studio Sat., Oct, 5th with a star-studded opening gala, complete with red carpet.  The property has once served as a Confederate army base.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Taika Waititi talks about playing Adolf Hitler in his film, "Jojo Rabbit."

OBITS:

From Variety:  The actor Robert Forster has died at the age of 78, Friday, October 11, 2019.  Forster was a prolific character actor who had almost 200 acting credits.  He received a best supporting actor Oscar nomination for his role of "Max Cherry" in Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown."  He appeared in TV series such as "Last Man Standing" and "Twin Peaks," and he died the same day as the debut of one of his last projects, "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie."

From Deadline:  The actor and comedian, Rip Taylor, has died at the age of 84, Sunday, October 6, 2019.  Taylor was known for his exuberant and flamboyant personality and for showering himself and others in confetti.  He was an a voice actor on animated series, including voicing "Uncle Fester" on the 1992 "Addams Family" animated series.  Taylor appeared on talk and variety shows and was a panelist on several game shows, including Hollywood squares.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 22nd to 30th, 2019 - Update #30

Support Leroy on Patreon:

BOX OFFCE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 9/27 to 9/29/19 weekend box office is the animated film, "Abominable," with an estimated take of 20.85 million dollars.

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MOVIES - From Truthout:  A new documentary film, "PUSH," chronicles the urban housing crisis that has been growing since the 2008 financial crash.

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POLITICS - From DNYUZ:  Concerning Fox News, "Fuck 'em!" declared Oscar-winning actor Robert DeNiro in a CNN interview.

From YahooLifestyle:  This article has video clips of Mr. DeNiro's "Fuck 'em" declaration.

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JAMES BOND - From YahooMovies:  See first photo of Lashana Lynch as the new 007 on the set of the upcoming James Bond film, "No Time to Die."

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MARVEL STUDIOS - From BleedingCool:  When Disney ordered Ike Perlmutter to stop blocking "Black Panther" and "Captain Marvel."

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STREAMING - From ShadowandAct:  Breakout Broadway star, Jeremy Pope, will have a lead role in "Hollywood," the new series from TV super-producer Ryan Murphy and Netflix.

From TheWrap:  Emmy-winning actor Jim Parsons is among seven new cast members announced for Ryan Murphy's "Hollywood" series for Netflix.

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CELEBRITY - From ShadowandAct: Oscar-nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson has signed a deal with Amazon to become the first celebrity voice option for the voice of Alexa, the company's digitally enhanced assistant device.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Actress-singer Jennifer Lopez and Grammy-winning recording artist Shakira will headline the halftime show at "Super Bowl LIV."  The game is set for Feb. 2, 2020 and will be broadcast on Fox.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Andrea Reiher gives readers a recap of "American Horror Story: 1984" Episode 2 ("Mr. Jingles).

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MOVIES - From Variety:  "News of the World," the historical drama starring Tom Hanks and directed by Paul Greengrass will be released December 25, 2020.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick is joining MGM to produce a sequel to their beloved ABC TV drama, "Thirtysomething" (1987-1991), which won the Primetime Emmy for "Best Drama Series" in 1988.  Multiple networks are interested, including ABC.

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CULTURE - From YahooMoney:  This map shows the richest person in each state.

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BUSINESS - From THR:  How much of a market is left for (stagnant) satellite TV service, DirectTV?

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MOVIES - From Variety:  The star trio of the original "Jurassic Park," Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, and Sam Neill, are returning for "Jurassic World 3."  The film is due June 21, 2021.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Will Smith will portray real-life crime boss, Nicky Barnes, in the film, "The Council," for Netflix.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Word is that Warner Bros. is rebooting its 1991 gangster film, "New Jack City," with "Snowfall" (FX) actor, Malcolm M. Mays writing.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The latest classic TV series about to be rebooted is the late CBS series, "Walker, Texas Ranger," which starred Chuck Norris.  Actor Jared Padalecki, formerly of The CW's "Supernatural" is set to star and executive produce.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 9/20 to 9/22/2019 weekend box office is "Downton Abbey" with an estimated take of 31 million dollars.

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EMMYS - From Deadline:  The estimated 6.9 million viewers who watched the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards broadcast is the smallest audience ever for an Emmy Awards show.

From TheWrap:  Here is a complete list of winners at last night's 71st Primetime Emmy Awards.

From TheWrap:  Tonight, Sun., Sept. 22nd is the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards.  "The Wrap" offers this complete list of the categories and nominees in each category that are in play tonight.

From FanSided:  Here is a printable list of the nominees in the major categories at tonight's 71st Primetime Emmy Awards.

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DISNEY - From THR:  Disney CEO Bob Iger explains why Disney walked away from acquiring Twitter in 2017.

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MOVIES - From THR:  The late actor R. Lee Emery played the drill sergeant in Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket."  "The Hollywood Reporter" offers the story of actor Tim Colceri, who was originally slated to play the role.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Director Ang Lee talks about his latest film, "Gemini Man," including de-aging the film's star, Will Smith.

OBITS:

From NPR:  Opera singer Jessye Norman has died at the age of 74, Monday, September 30, 2019.  Norman was a four-time Grammy winner and also received the "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2006.  She also received the "2009 National Medal of Arts" in 2010 from President Barack Obama.  A "dramatic soprano," Norman was one of the leading figures in opera at a time when there were far fewer African-American opera singers than there are now.

From Deadline:  The actor Robert Garrison died at the age of 59, Friday, September 27, 2019.  Garrison is best remembered for playing the character, "Tommy," in "The Karate Kid" (1984) and its sequel, "The Karate Kid 2" (1986).

From TheWrap:  The actor Sid Haig has died at the age of 80, Saturday, September 21, 2019.  In a career that began in the early 1960s, Haig appeared in over 50 films and in hundreds of episodes of television series.  He had become a horror movie icon thanks to his appearance in Rob Zombie's "Firefly family" films.  In the 1970s, Haig appeared in several blaxploitation films, including Jack Hill's "Coffy" and "Foxy Brown."

From StarTrek:  The actor Aron Eisenberg has died at the age of 50, Saturday, September 21, 2019.  He was best known for playing the character, "Nog," on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" for 47 episodes (according to IMDb).

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 1st to 8th, 2017 - Update #33

Support Leroy on Patreon.

CULTURE - From AlJazeera:  Teenage rape victim sentenced to 30 years in prison after stillbirth.

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BOX OFFICE - From Variety: "Spider-Man: Homecoming" looks to have a $120 million opening weekend.  If that holds, it would be the fourth movie of the year to have a 100 opening, following "Beauty and the Beast," "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," and "Wonder Woman."

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  John Cho, "Sulu" in the current "Star Trek" film series, is joining Fox's "The Exorcist" for its second season.

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COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies:  Revisiting James Cameron's "Spider-Man" film project.

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MUSIC - From BET:  Jay-Z's new album, "4:44," in less than a week.

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CRIME - From GuardianUK:  This story about the owners of Hobby Lobby buying thousands of artifacts smuggled from Iraq is simply a delight.  Church people start more hell...

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MOVIES - From THR:  Director Ang Lee's film, "Gemini Man," starring Will Smith, is due October 2019.  The film pits an aging assassin against a younger clone version of himself.

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TELEVISION - From THR:  Ava DuVernay and Netflix are tackling the infamous "Central Park Five" case in a miniseries.

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OBIT - From TheWrap:  Joan Lee, the wife of Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee, has died at the age of 93, Thursday, July 6, 2017.  Joan and Stan Lee had been married since December 1947.

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TELEVISION - From GoldDerby:  Margaret Atwood, who created the famous novel, "The Handmaid's Tale," would like fellow Canadia, Grammy-winning recording artist and rapper, Drake, to make a cameo in Season 2 of Hulu's hit adaptation of the novel.

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MOVIES - From Collider:  Sony wants a "Baby Driver" sequel.

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MOVIES - From TheVillageVoice:  Bilge Ebiri gives "War for the Planet of the Apes" a stellar review.

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COMICS-FILM - From ScreenRant:  The cast of Fox's "X-Men" spinoff, "New Mutants," arrives in Boston for filming.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Sony is teasing the re-release of Steven Spielberg's classic 1977 film, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."

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OBIT - From YahooMusic:  The musician John Blackwell, Jr. has died at the age of 43, Tuesday, July 4, 2017.  For over a decade, Blackwell was the drummer in the late Prince's band, New Power Generation.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Warner Bros. and the estate of J.R.R. Tolkein have their massive "Lord of the Rings" lawsuit.

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Yahoo Movies named the 21 best movies of 2017 so far... "Get Out" is their #1.

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CRIME - From YahooNews:  Imprisoned drug dealer found guilty of manslaughter in the 2012 killing of 20th Century Fox distribution executive, Gavin Smith, who was 57 at the time of his death.  Smith's body would go undiscovered in its desert shallow grave until 2014.

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SPORTS - From BuzzFlash:  The story of former Chicago Bull and NBA Champion, Craig Hodges.  Outspoken about poverty and racism, Hodges was blacklisted from the NBA for years.

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STAR WARS - From YahooMovies:  New "Star Wars" cartoon shorts debut online, focusing on female heroes.

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TELEVISION - From GuardianUK:  Ken Burns returns to epic television documentaries with his 10-part, 18-hour epic, "The Vietnam War."

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BLM - From RSN:  "What does it mean to be Black in America?" by Jeffrey Sterling.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 6/30 to 7/02/2017 weekend box office is "Despicable Me 3" with an estimated take of $75.4 million.  This is the first half of the extended Fourth of July holiday weekend.

From ShadowandAct:  Sony's risk with Edgar Wright's "Baby Driver" pays off.

From Variety:  "Despicable Me 3" opens with an estimated $192.3 million in global box office.

From TheWrap:  "Despicable Me 3" looks to have biggest opening by an animated film this year.

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MOVIES - From ShadowandAct:  Emmy-winning comedian Louis C.K. releases the documentary "Check It," about the black LGBT street gang, on his website.

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  How "Men in Black" changed movie special effects 20 years ago.

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Robert Downey, Jr. would rather hang up in "Iron Man"armor "before it embarrassing."

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TELEVISION - From IndieWire:  The third season of HBO's "True Detective" might star Mahershala Ali, who won a best supporting actor this year of "Moonlight."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  The "Top Gun" sequel, "Top Gun: Maverick," is due to hit theaters July 12, 2017.

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  NBC is cancelling "The Carmichael Show" after three seasons.  The network will air the season ending episode August 9th.

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MANGA-FILM - From Esquire:  "Ghost in the Shell" was a movie based on a manga (Japanese comic), and a white actress, Scarlett Johansson, in the lead role.  Netflix's "Death Note" film is also based on a manga, and the lead in this American version is a white actor.  Let the controversy ensue.

From YahooMovies:  Here is the cool looking trailer for Netflix's "Death Note" film.

From Nerdreactor:  "Death Note" trailer shows the changes made to characters for the film.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, the world champions of the National Basketball Association (NBA), will now earn the richest annual salary in American sports history.

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TRAILERS AND SHORTS:

From YouTube:  Star Wars: Forces of Destiny Episode - Sand of Jakku

Samuel L. Jackson to Be Honored at 2016 BAFTA Britannia Awards

Courtesy of BAFTA; photo by Phil Fisk

BAFTA LA To Honor Samuel L. Jackson At The 2016 British Academy Britannia Awards

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles (BAFTA Los Angeles) is pleased to announce it will honor award-winning actor Samuel L. Jackson with the Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment at this year’s British Academy Britannia Awards.

The annual gala celebration will take place on Friday, October 28, 2016 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. As previously announced, the evening will be hosted for a second time by British actor and comedian Jack Whitehall, and Ang Lee will be honored with the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing.  World-renowned television and event production company Done + Dusted will produce the ceremony.

Recipients of the Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment are that rare breed of iconic and trail-blazing individuals whose talented, innovative approach and true global appeal has had a profound, lasting impact on the worldwide entertainment industry. Their masterful accomplishments, continue to dazzle, entertain, and inspire audiences around the world.

“Like the distinguished producer after whom this award is named, Samuel L Jackson has made an undeniable contribution to the global film industry” says Kieran Breen, BAFTA Los Angeles Chairman. “He has provided us with some of the most iconic roles in movie history not to mention some of the classic movie lines of all time.  With a prolific shooting schedule that would put other actors to shame, including some quality time spent in the UK, we are thrilled that he is able to join us for this year’s British Academy Britannia Awards”.

The British Academy Britannia Awards evening is BAFTA’s big night out in Hollywood, where Brits and anglophiles alike come together in celebration of exceptional individuals who have dedicated their careers to advancing the art forms of the moving image in the US, UK and beyond. Known to be an enjoyable evening that captures a unique blend of sincerity and British irreverence, the evening also serves to celebrate the long-standing collaboration between the British and American industries. The Britannia Awards are BAFTA Los Angeles’ highest accolades, recognizing both outstanding British talent, and exceptional international talent by virtue of their strong connection to the British industry through their body of work. Proceeds from the event support BAFTA Los Angeles’ on-going education, scholarship, community outreach and archival projects.

Appearing in well over 100 films, Samuel L. Jackson is one of the most respected actors in Hollywood. Jackson’s portrayal of ‘Jules’, the philosopher hitman, in Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” made an indelible mark on American cinema. In addition to unanimous critical acclaim, he received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations as well as a Best Supporting Actor award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Jackson recently appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s highly anticipated Western “The Hateful Eight.” He starred as Major Marquis Warren, alongside Bruce Dern, Walton Goggins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Channing Tatum and Kurt Russell. In addition, Jackson appeared in Spike Lee’s newest film “Chiraq,” which released in December 2015. Jackson will appear in David Yates’ “Tarzan,” starring alongside Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie and Christoph Waltz this July as well as Tim Burton’s “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” which will release in September. Most recently, he completed production on the Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures film “Kong: Skull Island” and is currently in production on Lionsgate’s “Hitman’s Bodyguard” with Ryan Reynolds and Gary Oldman.  

In 2012, he co-starred in Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” as ‘Stephen,’ with Christoph Waltz, Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio.  He also starred in “The Avengers,” which is part of his 9-picture deal with Marvel Studios. The highly anticipated film opened on May 4, 2012 to a record breaking $200 million opening weekend.

Jackson reprised his role as ‘Nick Fury’ in both Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” which was released in April 2014, and the 2015 sequel “The Avengers: Age of Ultron.” In February 2015, he starred alongside Colin Firth and Taron Egerton in Matthew Vaughn’s “Kingsman: The Secret Service.”

Jackson made his Broadway debut in 2011 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theater in “The Mountaintop,” where he portrayed Martin Luther King Jr. The play also starred Angela Bassett and was directed by Kenny Leon.

Jackson’s career began onstage upon his graduation from Morehouse College in Atlanta with a degree in dramatic arts.  Among the plays were Home, A Soldier’s Play, Sally/Prince and The District Line. He also originated roles in two of August Wilson’s plays at Yale Repertory Theatre.  For the New York Shakespeare Festival, Jackson appeared in Mother Courage and Her Children, Spell #7, and The Mighty Gents.

Past film credits also include: “RoboCop,” “Oldboy,” “Mother and Child,”  “Iron Man 2,” HBO’s “The Sunset Limited,” “Lakeview Terrace,” “Soul Men,” “The Spirit,” “Jumper,” “Resurrecting the Champ,” “1408,” “Black Snake Moan,” “Snakes on a Plane,” “Freedomland,” “Coach Carter,” “Star Wars:  Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith,” “The Incredibles,” “S.W.A.T,” “Changing Lanes,” “Formula 51,” “Stars Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones,” “Caveman’s Valentine,” “Eve’s Bayou,” “Unbreakable,” “Rules of Engagement,” “Shaft,” “Deep Blue Sea,” “Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace,” “The Negotiator,” “The Red Violin,” “Jackie Brown,”  “187,” “A Time to Kill,” “Die Hard with a Vengeance,” “Jungle Fever”, “Sphere,” “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” “Ragtime,” “Sea of Love,” “Coming to America,” “Do the Right Thing,” “School Daze,” “Mo’ Better Blues,” “Goodfellas,” “ Patriot Games,” and “True Romance.”

On the small screen, Jackson served as Executive Producer for the Spike TV animated series, “Afro Samurai” which premiered in 2007.  The series received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Animated Program from the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences. The first edition of the “Afro Samurai” video game launched in February 2009.

On television, in addition to “The Sunset Limited,” Jackson starred in John Frankenheimer’s Emmy Award-winning “Against the Wall” for HBO.  His performance earned him a Cable Ace nomination as Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries, as well as a Golden Globe nomination.

The 2015 ceremony took place in October at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Harrison Ford received the Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment, Orlando Bloom received the Britannia Humanitarian Award presented by the Beazley Group, Meryl Streep received the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film, Sam Mendes received the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing presented by the GREAT Britain campaign, James Corden received the Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year presented by Burberry and Amy Schumer received the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy presented by Kodak.

The British Academy Britannia Awards is produced through a partnership between BAFTA Los Angeles and Done & Dusted. Event Production and Management is by MTA Events.

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Kansas City Film Critics Obeyed "The Master" in 2012

by Leroy Douresseaux

I complete today's 2012 film awards season catch-up with the Kansas City Film Critics Circle. The group named The Master as the "Best Film of 2012," and they matched Ang Lee's best director Oscar for Life of Pi by also honoring him.

Founded in 1967, The Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) says that it is the "second oldest professional film critics" association in the United States" (behind the New York Film Critics Circle). The organization is composed of media film critics in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The KCFCC’s awards are named for the group’s founder, James Loutzenhiser, who died in November 2001.

2012 Loutzenhiser Awards:
(Announced December 16, 2012)

Best Film: The Master

Robert Altman Award for Best Director:
Ang Lee - Life of Pi

Best Actress:
Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook

Best Actor:
Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln

Best Supporting Actress:
Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables

Best Supporting Actor:
Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Chris Terrio - Argo

Best Original Screenplay:
Paul Thomas Anderson - The Master

Best Foreign Language Film:
Amour - (Austria/France)

Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror Film: The Cabin in the Woods

Best Animated Film: Frankenweenie

Best Documentary: The Imposter

London Film Critics Choose "Amour"

by Leroy Douresseaux

I'm still tying up some loose ends from the 2012 movie award season.  I just remembered that I did not post the result of a critics organization awards ceremony, although I did post its nominations earlier.  So...

The acclaimed Austrian film, Amour, won the "Film of the Year" award for 2012 at the 33rd annual edition of the London Critics' Circle Film Awards.  Amour also earned an "Actress of the Year" award for Emmanuelle Riva and a "Screenwriter of the Year" award for its writer/director, Michael Haneke.  "Director of the Year" went to Ang Lee for Life of Pi.  Lee surprised quite a few people at the Oscars this past Sunday night by winning the best director Oscar for Life of Pi.

The 33rd annual edition London Critics' Circle Film Awards took place on Sunday, January 20, 2013, in a ceremony held at the May Fair Hotel.

33rd London Film Critics’ Circle Awards Winners:

The Sky Movies Award: FILM OF THE YEAR
Amour (Artificial Eye)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Rust and Bone (StudioCanal)

DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
The Imposter (Picturehouse/Revolver)

The Attenborough Award: BRITISH FILM OF THE YEAR - presented by The May Fair Hotel
Berberian Sound Studio (Artificial Eye)

Top 10 Films
1. Amour (Artificial Eye)
2. The Master (Entertainment)
3. Life of Pi (Fox)
4. Argo (Warners)
5. Beasts of the Southern Wild (StudioCanal)
6. Zero Dark Thirty (Universal)
7. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (New Wave)
8. Django Unchained (Sony)
9. Tabu (New Wave)
10. Rust and Bone (StudioCanal)

The American Airlines Award: DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Ang Lee – Life of Pi (Fox)

ACTOR OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Spotlight
Joaquin Phoenix – The Master (Entertainment)

ACTRESS OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Spotlight
Emmanuelle Riva – Amour (Artificial Eye)

SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Master (Entertainment)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Anne Hathaway – Les Miserables (Universal)

BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR - In association with Cameo Productions
Toby Jones – Berberian Sound Studio (Artificial Eye)

BRITISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Andrea Riseborough – Shadow Dancer (Paramount)

YOUNG BRITISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
Tom Holland – The Impossible (eOne)

SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Distrupol
Michael Haneke – Amour (Artificial Eye)

BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILM-MAKER
Alice Lowe and Steve Oram, writers – Sightseers (StudioCanal)

The Sky 3D Award: TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Life of Pi – Bill Westenhofer, visual effects (Fox)

DILYS POWELL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FILM - sponsored by Premier
Helena Bonham Carter

http://www.criticscircle.org.uk/

85th Academy Award Winners - Complete List

by Leroy Douresseaux

Argo was named the "Best Motion Picture of the Year" of 2012 at the 85th Annual Academy Awards.  Director Ben Affleck gave an emotional speech while receiving his Oscar with fellow Argo producers, Grant Heslov (who also spoke) and George Clooney (who did not speak).  Jack Nicholson and, in a big surprise, First Lady Michelle Obama were the presenters of the best picture Oscar.

Life of Pi won the most awards, four.  That included Ang Lee's surprise win for "Best Director" which seemed destined to Steven Spielberg for Lincoln.  Daniel Day-Lewis set a record for "Best Actor" Oscar wins, 3, by winning for his performance in Lincoln.  Jennifer Lawrence won "Best Actress" for her role in Silver Linings Playbook.

For the first time since 1994 (and only the sixth time overall), there was a tie, as both Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty won the "Best Sound Editing" Oscar.  Django Unchained won 2 trophies - "Best Original Screenplay" for writer/director Quentin Tarantino and "Best Supporting Actor" for Christoph Waltz, who won the same award three years ago for appearing in another Tarantino film, Inglourious Basterds.

The 85th Annual Academy Awards’ ceremony was held on Sunday, February 24, 2013.

2013 Academy Award Winners:

Best Motion Picture of the Year:
Argo: Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney

Best Achievement in Directing:
Ang Lee for Life of Pi

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:
Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:
Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:
Anne Hathaway for Les Misérables

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen:
Django Unchained: Quentin Tarantino

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published:
Argo: Chris Terrio

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year:
Brave: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Amour (Austria)

Best Achievement in Cinematography
Life of Pi: Claudio Miranda

Best Achievement in Editing:
Argo: William Goldenberg

Best Achievement in Production Design
Lincoln: Rick Carter, Jim Erickson

Best Achievement in Costume Design
Anna Karenina: Jacqueline Durran

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling
Les Misérables: Lisa Westcott, Julie Dartnell

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score:
Life of Pi: Mychael Danna

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song:
Skyfall: Adele, Paul Epworth ("Skyfall")

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
Les Misérables: Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson, Simon Hayes

Best Achievement in Sound Editing: TIE
Skyfall: Per Hallberg, Karen M. Baker
Zero Dark Thirty: Paul N.J. Ottosson

Best Achievement in Visual Effects:
Life of Pi: Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik De Boer, Donald Elliott

Best Documentary, Features
Searching for Sugar Man: Malik Bendjelloul, Simon Chinn

Best Documentary, Short Subjects
Inocente: Sean Fine, Andrea Nix

Best Short Film, Animated
Paperman: John Kahrs

Best Short Film, Live Action
Curfew): Shawn Christensen

Ang Lee Wins "Best Director Oscar" for "Life of Pi"

Best Achievement in Directing:

Ang Lee for Life of Pi WINNER

Michael Haneke for Amour
David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook
Steven Spielberg for Lincoln
Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild

"Life of Pi" Tops 2013 3D Creative Arts Awards

International 3D Society Bestows 25 Awards at 4th Annual Creative Arts Ceremony in Los Angeles

“Life of Pi” Wins 3 Top Honors

“Brave,” “The Avengers” “Katy Perry: Part of Me” and “Britney Spears: Femme Fatale” Honored

3net, ESPN, Sky UK, Sky Italia, and Korea Broadcasting Win TV Awards

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The International 3D Society bestowed 25 honors for “distinguished achievement” in the 3D Creative Arts Awards Wednesday night at a black-tie ceremony held at the Beverly Hills hotel in Los Angeles. “Life of Pi” (20th Century Fox) swept several categories including: Best Live Action 3D Feature, Best Stereography – Live Action, and 3D Sequence/Moment of the Year. Two of the Society’s Lumiere™ statuettes were presented to: “Brave” (Pixar Animation Studios) for Best Animated 3D feature, and Best Stereography – Animation. “The Avengers” (Paramount Pictures) was honored for Best Use of 2D to 3D Conversion in 2012. ‘”Katy Perry: Part of Me” won in the category of Best Motion Picture Live Event.

“Life of Pi” director Ang Lee received the Society’s Harold Lloyd Filmmaker Award, which was presented by Lloyd’s granddaughter, Suzanne Lloyd, and Society Co-Chairman Tom Cosgrove, CEO of 3net.

DreamWorks Animation (DWA) was honored with the Sir Charles Wheatstone Award for education and distinguished achievement for 3D body of work.

Panasonic Corporation was honored with the Society’s Century Award for its support of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games 3D broadcasts from London.

In television categories, 3net won Best Documentary for “Sky Soldier – The Vietnam War in 3D.” ESPN won Best Live Sports Broadcast for its 3D telecast of the 2012 BCS College Championship Game. Volkswagen Germany was awarded a Lumiere™ for Best 3D Commercial. Bwark Productions and Sky UK were honored for Best 3DTV Short Subject Program for “Little Crackers,” and PGS and Sky Italia won a statuette for Best 3DTV Entertainment Program for “The Little Prince.” The “Britney Spears: Femme Fatale Tour” 3D concert telecast won a Lumiere™ for Best 3DTV Entertainment.

Universal Studios Hollywood received a Lumiere™ statuette for Best Themed Attraction, “Transformers: The Ride.”

“The sheer volume and quality of work across all platforms was extraordinary this year,” said Buzz Hays, the Society’s Awards Committee Chairman.

“Our theme for the night was ‘Our Story Begins.’ Our honorees demonstrated that 3D is really just beginning to tell its story. But, the quality and breadth of content is very impressive,” said Society President, Jim Chabin.

Award winners include:

LIVE ACTION 3D FEATURE
Life of Pi - 20th Century Fox

ANIMATED 3D FEATURE
Brave - Pixar Animation Studios

SHORT 3D MOTION PICTURE/NARRATIVE
La Luna - Pixar Animation Studios

3D DOCUMENTARY
Storm Surfers - Storm Surfers

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURE - OUTSTANDING USE OF 2D TO 3D CONVERSION
The Avengers - Marvel Studios & The Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

3D LIVE EVENT
Katy Perry: Part of Me - Paramount Pictures

STEREOGRAPHY – LIVE ACTION
Life of Pi - 20th Century Fox

3D MOMENT OF THE YEAR
"Fish Flying Over Boat" from Life of Pi - 20th Century Fox

STEREOGRAPHY – ANIMATION
Brave - Pixar Animation Studios

3D ELECTRONIC BROADCAST MEDIA - LIVE SPORTS
2012 BCS Championship - ESPN

3D ELECTRONIC BROADCAST MEDIA – ENTERTAINMENT
Sky Soldier: The Vietnam War in 3D - 3net

3D ELECTRONIC BROADCAST MEDIA - LIVE EVENT
Britney Spears: Femme Fatale Tour - 3ality Technica

3D ELECTRONIC BROADCAST MEDIA – COMMERCIAL
Volkswagen "Flower Power" - Stereotec

THEMED ATTRACTION
Transformers: The Ride—3D - Universal Studios Hollywood

SIR CHARLES WHEATSTONE AWARD
DreamWorks Animation (DWA)

HAROLD LLOYD AWARD
Ang Lee

CENTURY AWARD
Panasonic Corporation

AUTODESK 3D INDEPENDENT SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Ora - The National Film Board of Canada

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (JAPAN)
Tekken: Blood Vengeance - Namco Bandai / Sony PCL

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (CHINA)
3D Taiwan - Gene Young 3D Image Co., Ltd

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (KOREA)
The Fetus - KBS (Korean Broadcasting System)

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (EUROPE)
Vicky and the Treasure of the Gods - Stereotec (Rat Pack Filmproduktion)

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (3DTV - LIVE SPORTS)
The Ryder Cup (2012) - Sky UK

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (3DTV - ENTERTAINMENT)
The Little Prince - PGS & Sky Italia

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (3DTV - SHORT)
Little Crackers - Bwark Productions & Sky UK

In addition, two more 3D Technology Awards were presented to RealD, and Innoventive Software.

The program was held in the Crystal Ballroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel. Host Leonard Maltin was assisted by actress Jackie Lloyd, granddaughter of Harold Lloyd, and singer/actress Meagan Chase. Voting was conducted during the month of January by 400 of the Society’s voting members.


About the International 3D Society & 3D@Home Consortium
The International 3D Society & 3D@Home Consortium advances 3D content, products and adoption through recognition, networking, communication for professionals and consumers. With over 60 companies and 500 professional members, the organization honors the year’s best during its 3D Technology and 3D Creative Awards programs; hosts worldwide meetings, workshops and demonstrations; and manages many online resources to assist consumers and professionals to further understand and integrate 3D into their lives. Visit: www.International3DSociety.com, www.3DatHome.org, and 3DUniversity.net to explore the full range of 3D information available.

2013 Directors Guild Award Nominations

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is the entertainment labor union that represents film and television directors. The DGA gives out the Directors Guild of America Award each year to honor outstanding achievement.

The winner of the DGA Award for “Feature Film” usually wins the best director Oscar. As of last year, only six DGA winners in the “Feature Film” category have not also won the best director Oscar. The last time this happened was for the year 2002. Rob Marshall was the DGA choice for Chicago. The Oscar went to Roman Polanski for The Pianist.

The winners of the 65th Annual DGA Awards will be announced at the 65th Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, February 2, 2013 in Los Angeles.

65th Annual DGA Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film nominees (for 2012):

BEN AFFLECK for Argo
(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Mr. Affleck’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Amy Herman
First Assistant Director: David Webb
Second Assistant Director: Ian Calip
Second Second Assistant Directors: Clark Credle, Gavin Kleintop
First Assistant Director (Turkey Unit): Belkis Turan

This is Mr. Affleck’s first DGA Feature Film Award nomination.

KATHRYN BIGELOW for Zero Dark Thirty
(Columbia Pictures)

Ms. Bigelow’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Colin Wilson
First Assistant Director: David A. Ticotin
Second Assistant Directors: Ben Lanning, Sarah Hood
First Assistant Director (Jordan Unit): Scott Robertson
Second Assistant Directors (Jordan Unit): Jonas Spaccarotelli, Yanal Kassay
Second Second Assistant Director (Jordan Unit): Tarek Afifi
Unit Production Manager (India Unit): Rajeev Mehra

This is Ms. Bigelow’s second DGA Feature Film Award nomination. She won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for The Hurt Locker in 2009.

TOM HOOPER for Les Misérables
(Universal Pictures)

Mr. Hooper's Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Patrick Schweitzer
First Assistant Director: Ben Howarth
Second Assistant Director: Harriet Worth
Second Second Assistant Director: Dan Channing Williams

This is Mr. Hooper's second DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for The King's Speech (2010) and was previously nominated for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television/Mini-Series for John Adams in 2008.

ANG LEE for Life of Pi
(Twentieth Century Fox)

Mr. Lee’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Michael J. Malone
Unit Production Manager (Taiwan): Leo Chen
First Assistant Directors: William M. Connor, Cliff Lanning
Second Assistant Directors: Robert Burgess, Ben Lanning
Unit Production Manager (India Unit): Sanjay Kumar
First Assistant Director (India Unit): Nitya Mehra
Second Assistant Director (India Unit): Ananya Rane
Second Second Assistant Directors (India Unit): Namra Parikh, Freya Parekh
Second Assistant Directors (Montreal Unit): Derek Wimble, Renato De Cotiis

This is Mr. Lee’s fourth DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for Brokeback Mountain (2005) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) and was nominated for Sense and Sensibility in 1995.

STEVEN SPIELBERG for Lincoln
(Dreamworks Pictures/Twentieth Century Fox)

Mr. Spielberg’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Susan McNamara
First Assistant Director: Adam Somner
Second Assistant Director: Ian Stone
Second Second Assistant Directors: Eric Lasko, Trevor Tavares

This is Mr. Spielberg’s eleventh DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film three times for Saving Private Ryan (1998), Schindler’s List (1993) and The Color Purple (1985). He was also nominated in this category for Munich (2005), Amistad (1997), Empire of the Sun (1987), E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial (1982), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and Jaws (1975). Mr. Spielberg was honored with the DGA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.

2013 Oscar Nominations: "Best Motion Picture of the Year"

Best Motion Picture of the Year:

Nominated film: producer(s)

Amour: To Be Determined

Argo: Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney

Beasts of the Southern Wild: Dan Janvey, Josh Penn, Michael Gottwald

Django Unchained: Stacey Sher, Reginald Hudlin, Pilar Savone

Les Misérables: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh

Life of Pi: Gil Netter, Ang Lee, David Womark

Lincoln: Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy

Silver Linings Playbook: Donna Gigliotti, Bruce Cohen, Jonathan Gordon

Zero Dark Thirty: Mark Boal, Kathryn Bigelow, Megan Ellison  

2013 Oscar Nominations: "Best Achievement in Directing"

Best Achievement in Directing:

Michael Haneke for Amour

Ang Lee for Life of Pi

David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook

Steven Spielberg for Lincoln

Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild  

Phoenix Film Critics Say "Argo" is Best Film of 2012

After showering Les Misérables with 12 nominations, the Phoenix Film Critics Society 2012 Annual Awards gives the film one win, Anne Hathaway as best supporting actress.  Argo gets "Best Picture," but "Best Director" goes to Zero Dark Thirty's Kathryn Bigelow.

Phoenix Film Critics Society 2012 Annual Awards winners:

Best Picture: Argo

Top Ten Films
•"Argo"
•"The Avengers"
•"Beasts of the Southern Wild"
•"Les Misérables"
•"Life of Pi"
•"Lincoln"
•"Moonrise Kingdom"
•"Silver Linings Playbook"
•"Skyfall"
•"Zero Dark T`hirty"

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow - "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Daniel Day-Lewis - "Lincoln"

Best Actress in a Leading Role: Jessica Chastain - "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Philip Seymour Hoffman - "The Master"

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Anne Hathaway - "Les Misérables"

Best Ensemble Acting: "Moonrise Kingdom"

Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: "Moonrise Kingdom"

Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Medium: "Argo"

Best Live Action Family Film: "Life of Pi"

Overlooked Film of the Year: "Safety Not Guaranteed"

Best Animated Film: "Wreck-It Ralph"

Best Foreign Language Film: "The Intouchables" (France)

Best Documentary: "Searching for Sugar Man"

Best Original Song: "Skyfall" from "Skyfall"

Best Original Score: "Skyfall"

Best Cinematography: "Life of Pi"

Best Film Editing: "Argo"

Best Production Design: "Moonrise Kingdom"

Best Costume Design: "Anna Karenina"

Best Visual Effects: "Life of Pi"

Best Stunts: "Skyfall"

Breakthrough Performance on Camera: Quvenzhané Wallis - "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Breakthrough Performance Behind the Camera: Benh Zeitlin - "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Best Youth Performance in a Lead or Supporting Role – Male: Tom Holland - "The Impossible"

Best Youth Performance in a Lead or Supporting Role – Female: Quvenzhané Wallis - "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

American Film Institute Announces 2012 Awards

The American Film Institute (AFI) describes itself as “America’s promise to preserve the history of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers.” Their awards focus on American feature films and television programs.

Some of the "best film" selections are expected, such as Zero Dark Thirty, Lincoln, and Beasts of the Southern Wild (which seems to be gaining not just momentum, but also a big head of steam).  The Dark Knight Rises, which I found to be loud and self-important (acceptable traits if you're a film critic), would make my bottom ten.  I have not watched any of the honored television series, and I've grown tired of "Modern Family."

AFI MOVIES OF THE YEAR – 2012:

ARGO

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

DJANGO UNCHAINED

LES MISÉRABLES

LIFE OF PI

LINCOLN

MOONRISE KINGDOM

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

ZERO DARK THIRTY

AFI TV PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR:

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM

BREAKING BAD

GAME OF THRONES

GIRLS

HOMELAND

LOUIE

MAD MEN

MODERN FAMILY

THE WALKING DEAD

AFI has stated that it will honor the creative ensembles for each of the selections at an invitation-only luncheon on Friday, January 11, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.

"Life of Pi" Director Ang Lee to Receive Harold Lloyd Award

(Ang Lee photo courtesy of Business Wire)

“Life of Pi” Director Ang Lee to Receive Harold Lloyd Award at International 3D Society Creative Arts Awards, February 6, 2013

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--“Life of Pi” director, Ang Lee, has been named the 2013 recipient of the Harold Lloyd Award, it was announced today by the International 3D Society in Hollywood. The two-time Academy Award Winning Director will receive the Society’s highest filmmaker award at a black-tie ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel February 6th.

“Ang Lee has embodied Harold Lloyd’s vision and passion for capturing the hearts and the imaginations of movie fans around the world,” said Suzanne Lloyd, Lloyd’s granddaughter and Chairman of Harold Lloyd Entertainment. “With ‘Life of Pi,’ he has produced an exquisite, enlightened and exciting storytelling achievement that ranks as one of the finest artistic works captured in 3D.”

The Award was established by the 3D Society and the Lloyd Family to annually celebrate filmmakers for groundbreaking artistic and technical achievement in 3D.

“Harold Lloyd was a life-long advocate for 3D movies, but the technology available to him could never bring this dream to life. In joining our previous honorees, James Cameron and Martin Scorsese, Mr. Lee has realized that dream, and has produced an extraordinary work of art with ‘Life of Pi,’” said Jim Chabin, President of the Society.

“Life of Pi” is Ang Lee’s first 3D feature, and is based on the novel by Yann Martel. The critically acclaimed film has been called a “spectacular work of wonder” by TIME Magazine. The Associated Press praised the movie as “the most artful use of digital 3D technology yet seen.”

Mr. Lee’s vision, coupled with stunning 3D visuals, has turned a novel long thought unfilmable into a thrillingly audacious mix of grand storytelling and powerful and provocative themes. He has created a singular vision of Martel’s unforgettable tale of courage, perseverance, inspiration and hope. The film takes us through a young man’s incredible adventure – at turns thrilling and spiritual, harrowing and triumphant, humorous and inspirational.

The Society’s Gold Lumiere™ statuette will be presented for distinguished achievement in fifteen categories, including film and television, at its annual Creative Arts Awards. The Society’s Annual black-tie Awards Dinner will be held at the Beverly Hills Hotel Crystal Ballroom. Lloyd’s great, great granddaughter and actress, Jackie Lloyd, will assist presenters onstage at this year’s honors.

Along with legends Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and others, Lloyd was one of the founders of Hollywood’s original comedic and creative community. Lloyd wrote, acted in, directed and produced more than 200 films. In a 1923 Los Angeles Times interview, Lloyd predicted that “the person who produces perfect stereo motion-pictures will have accomplished the greatest achievement since the first motion-picture.” He founded the Hollywood 3D Society in 1950 with Edgar Bergen and actor Sterling Holloway (the voice of Disney’s Winnie the Pooh). He served as its first President.

In addition to his films, the Harold Lloyd Archive contains more than 250,000 stereoscopic 3D photographs of Hollywood celebrities, events, people and places Lloyd encountered while pursuing his passion for 3D photography.

Ang Lee is one of the world’s most revered and honored film directors. He has won two Academy Awards: in 2006, for his direction of “Brokeback Mountain,” and the 2001 Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language Film for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” His most recent film, “Taking Woodstock,” was nominated for a Golden Palm Award at Cannes Film Festival.

Mr. Lee’s other films include “Lust, Caution,” “The Wedding Banquet,” “Sense and Sensibility,” “The Ice Storm,” “The Hulk,” “Eat Drink Man Woman” and “Ride with the Devil.”

Mr. Lee moved to the United States in 1978. After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre from the University of Illinois, he went to New York University to complete a Masters of Fine Arts Degree in film production. His short film “Fine Line” won Best Director and Best Film awards at the annual NYU Film Festival.


About the International 3D Society & 3D@Home Consortium
The International 3D Society & 3D@Home Consortium advances 3D content, products and adoption through recognition, networking, communication for professionals and consumers. With over 60 companies and 500 professional members, the organization honors the year’s best during its 3D Technology and 3D Creative Awards programs; hosts worldwide meetings, workshops and demonstrations; and manages many online resources to assist consumers and professionals to further understand and integrate 3D into their lives. Visit www.International3DSociety.com, www.3DatHome.org, and 3DUniversity.net to explore the full range of 3D information available.

Review: The First" Hulk" Movie: I Like it More Now Than When I Wrote This Review

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 94 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Hulk (2003)
Running time: 138 minutes (2 hours, 18 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some disturbing images and brief partial nudity
DIRECTOR: Ang Lee
WRITERS: John Turman, Michael France, and James Schamus, from a story by James Schamus (based upon the Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
PRODUCERS: Avi Arad, Larry J. Franco, Gale Anne Hurd, and James Schamus
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Frederick Elmes
EDITOR: Tim Squyres
COMPOSER: Danny Elfman

SUPERHERO/SCI-FI/ACTION/DRAMA

Starring: Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliot, Josh Lucas, Nick Nolte, Paul Kersey, Daniel Dae Kim, Lou Ferrigno, and Stan Lee

The subject of this movie review is The Hulk, a 2003 superhero science fiction and action movie from director, Ang Lee. The film stars the Hulk, a Marvel comics superhero character created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee and first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962). The film explores the origins of the Hulk.

So is The Hulk a good movie, you might ask? And my answer is simply “no.” The film doesn’t even cut it as a second-rate summer thriller. This is not a joy ride. It’s a ponderous, lumbering…well, lumbering hulk of a picture, full of sound and fury signifying nothing – nothing on the screen and nothing left in the space in your wallet where that money was you spent to see this junk. There are a few good moments, emphasis on “few.”

The story goes thusly. Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) and his on-again/off-again girlfriend/scientist Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly) are scientists working on a method of using nano-technology to cure injuries. Banner and Ross use gamma radiation to activate their so-called nanomeds once they’re inside the injured test subject, but one day Bruce is accidentally exposed to the gamma rays. To make things worse, Bruce is the byproduct of his father David’s (Nick Nolte’s) bizarre experiments when he was a child.

Combine the radiation with whatever weird crap Bruce’s father put in him and whenever Bruce gets mad (you won’t like him when he’s mad), he becomes the behemoth force of nature, The Hulk, a big green brute with a muscular body cut along lines any bodybuilder would kill for eight days a week. Of course, there’s the obligatory greedy scientist, Talbot (Josh Lucas), who wants to study the Hulk DNA for possible military applications. Talbot is also Bruce’s rival for some of Betty’s booty. And one more thing, Betty’s father General Ross (Sam Elliot) has to hunt the Hulk – keep it in the family.

Director Ang Lee and his cinematographer Frederick Elmes from Lee’s great film, The Ice Storm, turn the film’s photography into a series of kinetic moving pictures. They happily cut and divide the screen into multiple pictures and frames that mimic the panel grid of a comic book; sometimes the movie looks like a photo album or a photo collage. At best this is purely superficial, adding nothing to the story.

The most ironic thing about The Hulk is the tagline, “You wouldn’t like me when I angry.” It’s quite the opposite. The only time we really like the Banner character is when he is the Hulk. That’s the only time this morose, sullen, humorless picture has any life. Lee literally buries his film in the rubble of boring psychological struggles amongst the characters, in particular between the Banners. I was literally climbing the walls of the theatre. No one gives a damn about Banner’s evil daddy! Show us the Hulk. Lee races through scenes of The Hulk madly and wildly destroying his environment almost as if he were embarrassed to be making a monster movie. It’s as if actually showing a rampaging CGI Hulk is an unpleasant thing Lee had to do to appease his studio; then, it’s back to the real people and their mental and emotional baggage.

Dammit, we came to get down on some mindless fun. Who’s gonna like this? The kids? Hell, no. Even adults are going to be bored. If we wanted this much therapeutic confession and angst, we’d rent a Woody Allen movie. The Hulk comic book concept was a metaphor about the inherent and potential dangers of the atom bomb, not about bad daddies and emotionally distant sons. It’s like going to see an Austin Powers' film and discovering that Freud’s really the star this time.

I’ve seen three of Ang Lee’s films (Sense and Sensibility, The Ice Storm, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and they were brilliant. This effort is beneath him. I can’t believe that the director who had so much fun with Crouching Tiger couldn’t have fun with The Hulk. Even the effects are only okay, but in an age when the SFX is supposed to “blow you away,” the Hulk effects just blow. The most interesting and exciting scene isn’t until the end of the film, and the final battle is so beyond being ridiculous that I’m not articulate enough to tell you just how lame it is. I can understand Lee’s desire to do a big budget, Hollywood, effects extravaganza, but that doesn’t mean he should let the film do him.

4 of 10
C

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Review: "Sense and Sensibility" is Still a Gem (Happy B'day, Emma Thompson)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 86 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Running time: 136 minutes (2 hour, 16 minutes)
MPAA – PG for mild thematic elements
DIRECTOR: Ang Lee
WRITER: Emma Thompson (based upon the novel by Jane Austen)
PRODUCER: Lindsay Doran
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michael Coulter
EDITOR: Tim Squyres
Academy Award winner

DRAMA/ROMANCE

Starring: Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, Gemma Jones, Greg Wise, Elizabeth Spriggs, Emilie François, Robert Hardy, James Fleet, Harriet Walter, Ian Brimble, Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton, Imogen Stubbs, and Tom Wilkinson

Elinor Dashwood (Emma Thompson) and her romantically inclined sister, Marianne (Kate Winslet), search for marriage amid 19th century etiquette, ethics, and class. Their troubles begin when their father, Mr. Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson), dies, but by law, their half-brother, John Dashwood (James Fleet), from Mr. Dashwood’s first marriage, inherits the country estate in which the sisters live with their mother, Mrs. Dashwood (Gemma Jones), and younger sister, Margaret (Emilie François). Although he has a home in London, John wants the estate for him and his wife, Fanny (Harriet Walter). Shortly after John and Fanny arrive, they get a visit from Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant), Fanny’s older brother. Elinor strikes up a intimate friendship with the aspiring clergyman, but they must part when Elinor and her family have to vacate the estate to John.

The Dashwoods find a small cottage belonging to a distant relative, Sir John Middleton (Robert Hardy), who lives nearby with his mother-in-law, the very friendly, but prying Mrs. Jennings (Elizabeth Spriggs). It is at their new home where Marianne charms two suitors – the staid Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman) and the lively and vigorous, John Willoughby (Greg Wise). Marianne prefers the dashing Willoughby over the older Col. Brandon. Meanwhile, Elinor braves the choppy straights of a circuitous courtship with Edward, whose heart has been promised many years prior to another young woman. However, the Dashwoods’ lack of a fortune affects Elinor and Marianne’s ability to find suitable husbands among their social set, so the sisters face heartbreak and triumphant as dark and old secrets are revealed.

Sense and Sensibility is an excellent and splendidly produced costume drama. It is better than most 19th century period dramas produced for film or television (British TV, in particular), although I wouldn’t put it up with the Merchant/Ivory production, Howard’s End. As usual, the technical aspects of the film are good, in particular the costumes and makeup. The sets and locations are a little more grounded in reality than is normal for a 19th century English period piece. This movie isn’t all pristine chambers and lavishly furnished estates. The characters deal with living in poorly heated homes, dirt and dust, and horse manure in the streets.

Critics and fans were shocked that a Chinese director, Ang Lee (up until that time not well known except to art house fans), could direct a British costume drama. However, he simply does, and brings fresh touches to the genre. The film is as natural and as passionate as it is refined and aloof. There is an emotional edge that makes the film engage the audience more than costume dramas normally do. The laughs are heartier; the snobbery is more savage and hurtful; the disappointment more bitter; and the romance more urgent – this is Ang’s touch. One can see that Elinor (expertly played by Emma Thompson, who won an Oscar for adapting Jane Austen’s novel) is as hearty and as resolute as she is reserved. The film’s best performance comes from Kate Winslet, who brings a raw insistence to her pursuit of her man; she’s like a real teenage girl.

The movie’s veracity is the cherry on top that makes Sense and Sensibility a memorable and exceptional costume drama.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
1996 Academy Awards: 1 win” “Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium” (Emma Thompson); 6 nominations: “Best Actress in a Leading Role” (Emma Thompson), “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” (Kate Winslet), “Best Cinematography” (Michael Coulter), “Best Costume Design” (Jenny Beavan and John Bright), “Best Music, Original Dramatic Score” (Patrick Doyle), and “Best Picture” (Lindsay Doran)

1996 BAFTA Awards: 3 wins: “Best Film” (Lindsay Doran and Ang Lee), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Emma Thompson), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Kate Winslet); 9 nominations: “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (Patrick Doyle), “BAFTA Film Award Best Cinematography” (Michael Coulter), “Best Costume Design” (Jenny Beavan and John Bright), “Best Make Up/Hair” (Morag Ross and Jan Archibald), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Alan Rickman), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Elizabeth Spriggs), “Best Production Design” (Luciana Arrighi), “Best Screenplay – Adapted” (Emma Thompson), and “David Lean Award for Direction” (Ang Lee)

1996 Golden Globes: 2 wins: “Best Motion Picture – Drama,” and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Emma Thompson); 4 nominations: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Ang Lee), “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Patrick Doyle), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Emma Thompson), and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Kate Winslet)

Friday, April 21, 2006

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