by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
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ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:
DC STUDIOS - From Deadline: DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran finally revealed their plans for an inter-connective universe of DC Comics character-based film and television.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Will Smith and Martin Lawrence announced that "Bad Boys 4" is in pre-production. "Bad Boys for Life" directors El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are also returning.
STREAMING - From Deadline: FX has cancelled its "Hulu" series, "Kindred," after one season. The time-traveling drama is based on the novel by the late Octavia E. Butler.
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of 1/27 to 1/29/2023 weekend box office is "Avatar: The Way of Water" with an estimated 15.7 million dollars.
From Here: Negromancer's review of "Avatar: The Way of Water."
SUNDANCE - From Deadline: The 2023 Sundance Film Festival has unveiled its Jury and Audience Award winners for 2023. Focus Features' "A Thousand and One" has won the "Grand Jury Prize." "The Persian Version" won the "Audience Award."
TELEVISON - From Deadline: HBO has renewed its hot horror drama, the videogame adapation, "The Last of Us," for a second season.
MOVIES - From Deadline: In the wake of his hit biopic, "Elvis," receiving eight Oscar nominations, director Baz Luhrmann sighs a "first-look" deal with Warner Bros Pictures.
SCANDAL - From Deadline: Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" has announced that it has ended its association with Justin Roiland, co-creator of "Rick and Morty." Roiland is facing two felony counts related to domestic violence in Orange County, CA. The series will continue under the watch of the series' other co-creator, Dan Harmon, with the characters Roiland voiced, being recast.
From Variety: 20th Television Animation and Hulu Originals have announced that they have also ended their association with Justin Roiland. Thus, he has been dropped for the animated series, "Solar Opposites," which he co-created, and the Aussie-animated, "Koala Man," which he executive produces.
From WeGotThisCovered: No voice actor or creator is bigger than his character.
OSCARS - From Deadline: The nominations for the 2023 / 95th Academy Awards have been announced. The winners will be announced Sunday, March 12, 2023. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" leads with 11 nominations.
From THR: Malaysian acting icon, Michelle Yeoh, has become the first "Best Actress" Oscar nominee (for her role in "Everything Everywhere All at Once") to identify as Asian.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Franchise star, Brendan Fraser, stunned fans of his hit series, "The Mummy" (1999), and its sequel, "The Mummy Returns" (2011), by making an appearance at a screening of the two films in London.
TELEVISION - From Deadline: CBS is giving its Monday night sitcom, "The Neighborhood," a sixth season renewal for the 2023-24 broadcast season.
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 1/20 to 1/22/2023 weekend box office is "Avatar: The Way of Water" for an estimated take of 19.6 million dollars.
From Here: Leroy Douresseaux's review of "Avatar: The Way of Water."
From Variety: "Avatar: The Way of Water" crosses the 2 billion dollar-mark in worldwide box office, becoming the sixth film to do so. James Cameron has directed three of the films that have done so, including the original "Avatar" and "Titanic" (1997).
TELEVISION - From Deadline: The current season of CBS' long-running drama, "NCIS: Los Angeles" (Season 14), will be its last. The finale is set for May 14, 2023.
OBITS:
From Variety: The actress, Lisa Loring, has died at the age of 64, Saturday, January 28, 2023. She was best known for her work as a child actress, playing "Wednesday Addams" on the former ABC sitcom, "The Addams Family" (1964-66).
From Variety: Film and television actress and film producer, Cindy Williams, has died at the age of 75, Wednesday, January 25, 2023. Williams was best known for the role of "Shirley Feeney," on the late ABC sitcom, "Laverne & Shirley" (1976-82), with the late Penny Marshall playing "Laverne DeFazio." Williams and Marshall also appeared as the characters in five episodes of the late ABC sitcom, "Happy Days." Williams also appeared in the 1973 film, "American Graffiti," and its 1979 sequel, "More American Graffiti." After "Laverne and Shirley," Williams had many starring, recurring, and guest roles on numerous TV series.
From Deadline: Former child actor, Lance Kerwin, has died at the age of 65, Tuesday, January 24, 2023. Kerwin shot to fame in the late 1970s as a teen actor. He starred in "The Loneliest Runner," a 1976 semi-autobiographical made-for-TV movies written and directed by Michael Landon ("Bonanza," "Little House on the Prairie"). Kerwin starred in NBC's controversial drama, "James at 15" (1977-78), and also starred in the TV movies, "James at 15" (1977) the preceded it. Kerwin also starred in the 1979, two-episode TV miniseries, "Salem's Lot," an adaptation of Stephen King's 1975 novel of the same name.
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AWARDS:
From Oscar: The nominations for the 2023 / 95th Academy Awards have been announced. The winners will be announced Sunday, March 12, 2023.
From Deadline: "Top Gun: Maverick" wins "Best Picture" at the "AARP Movies for Grownups Awards" held Saturday night in Beverly Hills.
From Variety: The nominations for the 2023 Writers Guild Awards have been announced. Winners will be announced Sunday, March 5, 2023.
From Variety: The nominations for the 2023 EE BAFTA Awards have been announced. The Netflix World War I drama, "All Quiet on the Western Front," leads with 14 nominations. The winners will be announced Sunday, February 19, 2023.
From Deadline: The winners were announced at the 2023 / 28th annual Critics Choice Awards. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" was named "Best Picture."
From Deadline: The nominees for the 2023 / 34th Producers Guild of America Awards have been announced in both film and TV categories. The winners will be announced Sat. Feb. 25th, 2023.
From Deadline: The nominations for the 2023 / 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards have been announced. The winners will be announced Sun., Feb. 26th, 2023.
From Deadline: The National Society of Film Critics has named "Tar" its "Best Picture" of 2023 and its star, Cate Blanchette, as "Best Actress."
From Deadline: The nominations for the 2023 / 23rd Annual Black Reel Awards have been announced. "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and "The Woman King" have tied for the lead in nominations with 14 apiece. The winners will be announced February 6, 2023.
From Deadline: The Black Film Critics Circle named "The Woman King" the "Best Film" of 2022.
From Deadline: The winners of the 2022 Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) Awards have been announced. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "Tar" tie for "Best Picture" award.
From Deadline: The nominations for the 2023 / 80th annual Golden Globes Awards were announced today (Mon., Dec. 12th). "The Banshees of Inisherin" led the film field with eight nominations. ABC's "Abbot Elementary" lead the TV side with five nominations. The winners will be announced January 10, 2023.
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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TYRE NICHOLS:
From NBCNews: Tyre Nichols' death: A summary and timeline of his encounter with Memphis police officers
From YahooNews: In the 67 minutes of the Tyre Nichols video, brutality followed by nonchalance.
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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."
