Review: "GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE" is Lukewarm

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 16 of 2024 (No. 1960) by Leroy Douresseaux

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Running time:  115 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for supernatural action/violence, language and suggestive references

DIRECTOR:  Gil Kenan

WRITERS:  Gil Kenan and Jason Reitman (based on the film, Ghost Busters, written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and directed by Ivan Reitman)

PRODUCERS:  Jason Reitman, Jason Blumenfeld, and Ivan Reitman

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Eric Steelberg

EDITORS:  Nathan Orloff and Shane Reid

COMPOSER:  Dario Marianelli

FANTASY/COMEDY/ACTION/MYSTERY

Starring:  Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Logan Kim, Celeste O'Connor, Ernie Hudson, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Emily Alyn Lind, James Acaster, Dan Ackroyd, Annie Potts, William Atherton, and Bill Murray

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a 2024 supernatural comedy, action and mystery film from director Gil Kenan.  It is the fifth entry in the Ghostbusters film franchise, and it is the third sequel to the original film, 1984's Ghost Busters (now known as “Ghostbusters”).  In Frozen Empire, the old and new Ghostbusters must take on an evil force unleashed from an ancient artifact.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire opens in New York City in 1904 where a group of fireman enters a hotel suite and finds an entire party frozen solid in the middle of an extremely hot summer.  In the present day, Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon) and her two children, son, Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), and daughter, Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), have moved from Summerville, Oklahoma to New York City, with Phoebe's former summer school teacher, Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), in tow.  The four live in the old Ghostbusters' NYC firehouse that had been maintained by original Ghostbuster, Dr. Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson).

Now, Phoebe, Trevor, Callie, and Gary are the active Ghostbusters, but a particular Ghostbusting case leads to significant damage in the city.  That brings them to the attention of the mayor and leads to Phoebe being forced out of the Ghostbusters because she is underage at 15-years-old.  But the world of the supernatural does not stop because of the human world's concerns.

Original Ghostbuster, Dr. Raymond “Ray” Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), has come into possession of a peculiar artifact, which he turns over to Winston Zeddemore's top-secret research lab.  Meanwhile, Phoebe, sidelined as a Ghostbuster, is trying to find her place in the world of the Ghostbusters.  Then, Garraka, an ancient god, is freed.  He wants to gather all the ghosts ever captured by the Ghostbusters and turn them into his personal army as he brings about a new ice age.  Despite her troubles, Phoebe will have to figure out how to stop the ancient evil that is Garraka before it's too late.

I was a huge fan of the original Ghostbusters films, Ghostbusters (1984) and its sequel, Ghostbusters II (1989).  I enjoyed Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), and I thought that film's teen characters, siblings Phoebe and Trevor, and their friends, Podcast (Logan Kim) and Lucky Domingo (Celeste O'Connor), made a great foundation for the new Ghostbusters.

Thus, I was surprised to see Phoebe and Trevor playing Ghostbusters with the adults, their mother, Callie, and their quasi-stepfather, Gary.  Honestly, I find Carrie Coon's Callie and Paul Rudd's Gary to be extraneous here.  I have no interest in their characters beyond what they did in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.  In fact, this film has too many characters.  Bill Murray's Dr. Peter Venkman, Annie Potts' Janine Melnitz, and William Atherton's Mayor Walter Peck are also mostly irrelevant.  Pretty much everything these characters do could have been passed off to other characters or deleted because it wasn't important enough to clutter up the narrative.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire spends much of its first half meandering around assorted relationship dysfunction, including one involving a ghost.  Then, the film rushes to a forced satisfactory conclusion that wastes a truly scary monster in Garraka.  I am glad that Ernie Hudson's Winston Zeddemore has a substantial part in this film, especially because Hudson spent the first two films fighting off Columbia Pictures' executives and Ghostbusters cast mates who were determined to sideline his character.

As a franchise, Ghostbusters needs to move on from its past or just die.  The young characters:  Phoebe and Trevor Spengler, Podcast, and Lucky Domingo are the franchise's present and true future.  When this Ghostbusters film focuses on them, it feels alive and is fun.  When it doesn't, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is frozen and freezer-burned.

[This film has one mid-credits scene.]

5 out of 10

C+

★★½ out of 4 stars

Friday, March 22, 2024

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Review: "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" Takes Us on a Fantastic Voyage

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 8 of 2023 (No. 1897) by Leroy Douresseaux

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Running time:  125 minutes (2 hours, 5 minutes)

MPAA – PG-13 for violence/action, and language

DIRECTOR:  Peyton Reed

WRITER:  Jeff Loveness (based on the Marvel Comics characters)

PRODUCERS:  Kevin Feige and Stephen Broussard

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Bill Pope

EDITORS:  Adam Gerstel and Laura Jennings

COMPOSER:  Christophe Beck

SUPERHERO/SCI-FI and ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring:  Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonathan Majors, Kathryn Newton, Bill Murray, Katy M. O'Brian, William Jackson Harper, James Cutler, David Dastmalchian, Randall Park, and Corey Stoll

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a 2023 superhero and sci-fi action film directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Marvel Studios.  It is the 31st film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and is also the third entry in the Ant-Man film series.  The film and the series are based on the Marvel Comics character, Ant-Man, who first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27 (cover date: September 1962) and was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby.  Quantumania finds Ant-Man and the Wasp on an incredible adventure in a strange universe where they face a dangerous new foe.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania finds Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) living his best life after his most recent adventures with the Avengers (as seen in Avengers: Endgame).  He is a successful author and is happily living with his girlfriend, Hope van Dyne/The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly).  However, there is some trouble at home.  Scott's daughter, Cassie (Kathryn Newton), has become an activist and has been recently arrested during a protest.

While they are visiting Hope's parents, her father, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), the scientist who was the original Ant-Man; and her mother, Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), who was the original Wasp, Cassie reveals that she has created a device that can map the “Quantum Realm,” a subatomic dimension of the Multiverse.  However, the device can also send messages to the Quantum Realm, which freaks out Janet, who was trapped there for 30 years.  Before Janet can do shut it down, a portal appears and pulls Scott, Hope, Cassie, Hank, and Janet into the Quantum Realm, separating Scott and Cassie from Hope, Hank, and Janet.

Once the two groups begin to explore the Quantum Realm, they interact with strange creatures and embark on an adventure that goes beyond the limits of what they thought was possible.  There is also a dark side.  Janet fears they are all headed for an encounter with someone she met when she was first trapped in the Quantum Realm – a despot named “Kang” (Jonathan Majors).

Ant-Man was a D-list character as far as Marvel Comics superheroes go, especially where familiarity with the general entertainment-consuming public was concerned.  Marvel Studios chose the right actor to play Ant-Man, the irresistibly likable, Paul Rudd.  The addition of Hollywood legends like Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer and television star Evangeline Lilly as a new female superhero made Ant-Man A-list box office.  The result was two lovable, loopy, and imaginative superhero films, Ant-Man (2015) and Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), that seemed aimed at young viewers even more so than adult audiences.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is just as loopy, but is bigger than the previous two films.  If French film director, Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), made a Star Wars film, it would probably look like Quantumania.  This film's menagerie of people, beings, creatures, machines, tech, etc. are almost on the level of Avatar: The Way of Water.  Quantumania is a dazzling spectacle, and it is nothing like what I expected based on the earlier films.  Everyone from director Peyton Reed and writer Jeff Loveness to the craft and visual effects people did the damn thing and the results are mind-blowing.

The performances are excellent.  As usual, Paul Rudd comes across as the actor most perfect to be Scott Lang and Ant-Man.  Michael Douglas plays Hank Pym with a mix of spry comedy and pitch-perfect drama.  However, I must make way for the women in this film.  Quantumania allows Michelle Pfeiffer to let the dog in her out to play Janet van Dyne, in a way that she probably has not done since White Oleander (2002).  She left me wanting more of Janet.

Evangeline Lilly is once again great as The Wasp, and in Quantumania, she makes me believe that it is time for the Wasp to have a solo outing.  Also, Kathryn Newton makes it impossible to leave Cassie down on the superhero farm (so to speak).  Katy O'Brian also gives a fierce turn as the Quantum Realm freedom fighter, Jentorra.

Finally, I'm not sure that I have words to quite describe Jonathan Major's brilliant turn as Kang.  It is as if Majors has given flesh to James Earl Jones' Darth Vader voice.  He makes Kang own Quantumania, and I think it will be a blast going forward to watch Majors play this character.

You may have heard bad things about Quantumania, from film critics and reviewers and others.  But fuck 'em.  Quantumania is one of Marvel Studios' best films of the past few years, and I heartily recommend it to you, dear readers.  With its sense of the unexpected and of the future known, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the perfect start to what is called “Phase 5” of the MCU.

9 of 10

A+

★★★★+ out of 4 stars

Friday, February 17, 2023

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

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Review: Young Stars Bring "GHOSTBUSTERS: Afterlife" to Life

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 66 of 2021 (No. 1804) by Leroy Douresseaux

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Running time:  124 minutes (2 hours, 4 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for supernatural action and some suggestive references
DIRECTOR:  Jason Reitman
WRITERS:  Gil Kenan and Jason Reitman (based on the film, Ghost Busters, written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis)
PRODUCER:  Ivan Reitman
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Eric Steelberg
EDITORS:  Dana E. Glauberman and Nathan Orloff
COMPOSER:  Rob Simonsen

FANTASY/MYSTERY/ACTION/COMEDY

Starring:  Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Logan Kim, Celeste O'Connor, and Bokeem Woodbine with Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a 2021 supernatural comedy, action and mystery film from director Jason Reitman.  It is the fourth entry in the Ghostbusters film franchise and is a kind of sequel to the original film, 1984's Ghost Busters (now known as “Ghostbusters”), which was directed by Jason's father, Ivan Reitman.  In Afterlife, a single mother and her two children arrive in small town Oklahoma, and the children discover their grandfather's amazing and secret legacy.

Thirty-two years after the events of Ghostbusters II (1989), Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon) and her two children, son Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and daughter Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), arrive in Summerville, Oklahoma.  Currently homeless, they will try to make a new home in the rundown farmhouse owned by Callie's late father, Egon Spengler.  While rooting through some of Egon's belongings, Phoebe discovers a P.K.G. Meter (a ghost-tracking device).  While digging around, Trevor finds a beat-up old car that sports the “Ghostbusters” logo.

Phoebe, who does not believe in the supernatural, makes a friend, a boy named “Podcast” (Logan Kim), who believes in the strange and unusual and discusses it in his podcast.  Trevor makes a friend in a local, a teen girl named Lucky Domingo (Celeste O'Connor).  Eventually, the children discover that Phoebe's summer school teacher, Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), is quite familiar with their grandfather, Egon's legacy as a scientist, an inventor, and a member of “Ghostbusters,” the ghost-catching organization that was famous for its activities in 1980s New York City.  Now, the four youngsters and Callie and Gary must face the same great evil that once confronted the original Ghostbusters.

I was a huge fan of the original Ghostbusters films.  When I first saw Ghost Busters in a movie theater in 1984, I laughed so much that the other people in the theater were giving me the side eye.  I enjoyed the sequel, Ghostbusters II (1989), although many people I knew at the time did not like it all that much.  Still, I was happy, but over the years, Ghostbusters became a fond memory that I sometimes relived via my cable TV package.  In the years that followed Ghostbusters II, there was always talk of a third Ghostbusters film, but I was only mildly interested.

For some people, however, the Ghostbuster films and the related merchandise became a lifestyle choice, something to which they dedicated themselves as if it were hobby, a second career, and maybe even a quasi-religion.  Those were the people who claimed to have been traumatized by the 2016 franchise reboot, Ghostbusters, which featured an all-female cast as the Ghostbusters (and which may have since been re-titled “Ghostbusters: Answer the Call”).  I was only mildly interested in that film, and have seen most of it via cable TV.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is supposed to remedy the trauma of Ghostbusters 2016.  Afterlife director Jason Reitman once said that his film was giving Ghostbusters “back to the fans.”  I never felt like something had been taken from me.  After all, as I've said, I can see the original films at least a few times a week on television.  That said, I do like Afterlife.

Reitman offers an exciting film that is as much a mystery film as it is a comedy, and the secrets of the town of Summerville and its surroundings are quite intriguing and provide a nice setting for the story.  I do wish that the film had given us more on the town and its inhabitants.  However, there is much focus on the darkness at the edge of town – the big bad supernatural being.  Reitman and his co-writer, Gil Kenan, work overtime to make sure everyone understands that the villain is connected to the events of the original film.  I didn't find that connection necessary, but I understand why Reitman and Sony Pictures felt that it was very important to make a hard connection between the events of 1984 and the events of 2021.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife's shining light isn't the desperation to connect to a 37-year-old movie.  Afterlife's true treasures are its young stars:  Mckenna Grace as Phoebe, Finn Wolfhard as Trevor, Celeste O'Connor as Lucky, and Logan Kim as Podcast.  As Phoebe, Grace is totally capable of carrying this film's emotional center and of stabilizing its subplots and narrative threads until they come together.  When Jason Reitman focuses on his young cast, turning them into young supernatural investigators and Ghostbusters, Afterlife explodes with life and has all the magic of an old-fashioned summer blockbuster movie in spite of its November release date.

Yes, it was good to see the original cast members.  No, Paul Rudd is not the star of Afterlife, as the film's trailers and commercials suggest, but he is important to the development of the story.  Yes, Carrie Coon is good as the kid's mother, Callie.  However, it is time for this franchise to move on from nostalgia and fanservice if it is going to have a future.  These four young actors and four new characters are why Ghostbusters: Afterlife can be a true resurrection story.

7 out of 10
B+

Friday, November 19, 2021


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 1st to 9th, 2021 - Update #26

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Deadline is confirming that actor Cillian Murphy will play J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan's biopic, "Oppenheimer."  The film is due July 21, 2023.

MUSIC/CELEBRITY - From Variety:  Dwayne Johnson enters the rap game via Tech N9ine's new single, "Face Off."

NETFLIX - From THR:  Netflix has ordered a spinoff of Fox's late sitcom, "That 70's Show."  Creators Bonnie and Terry Turner and original cast members, Kurtwood Smith (Red Forman) and Debra Jo Rupp (Kitty Forman), are back for "That 90's Show."

POLITICS/TELEVISION - From Reuters:   How AT&T helped build far-right One America News (OAN).

From RollingStone:  "Fox News and OAN Were Deeper in the Bag for Trump Than Anyone Realized."

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  The cable net, Food Network, is reportedly parting ways with one of its most famous faces, superstar chef Bobby Flay, who has been with the network for 27 years.

SCANDAL - From YahooNews:  Rachel Lindsay, the first black woman to star on ABC's "The Bachelorette," tells a crazy story about ESPN's tragic mulatto, Sage Steele.

STREAMING - From THR:   Spyglass is rebooting the classic 1987 horror film, "Hellraiser," with "The L Word: Generation Q" actress," Jamie Clayton playing the iconic villian, "Pinhead."  The movie will debut on Hulu in 2022.  Clive Barker, the creator of Hellraiser and of its source material, the novella, "The Hellbound Heart," is one of the film's producers.

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  FXX's long-running animated series, "Archer," said good-bye to one of its main characters, "Malory Archer," voiced by Jessica Walter, in the Season 12 finale.  Walter died March 24th of this year at the age of 80.

AMAZON - From Variety:  Amazon has licensed “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania” from Sony Pictures Animation. The fourth (and final) installment in the blockbuster franchise will stream globally — excluding China — on Prime Video on Jan. 14, 2022. 

COVID-19 - From THR:   "Hollywood Battle Lines Emerge in Simmering Vaccine War." Without mandates to get a shot, some film and TV sets have been thrown into chaos as A-list holdouts have caused work stoppages while others say, “It’s not my place to police anyone.”

MOVIES - From THR:  On a recent episode of her talk show, "The Drew Barrymore Show," Drew talked about the infamous clash between her co-stars, Lucy Liu and Bill Murray, on the set of the 2000 "Charlie's Angels" film.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Actor Robert Carlyle is set to reprise his role as "Francis Begbie," a character he made famous in the film, "Trainspotting" (1996).  Begbie will return in a six-part series that is an adaptation of author Irvine Welsh's 2016 novel, "The Blade Artist," a sequel to "Trainspotting," Welsh's 1993 novel that became the beloved 1996 British film.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The former NBC legal drama, "L.A. Law" (1984-86), has taken another step in making a comeback.  ABC has ordered a pilot for a sequel series, and original series star, Blair Underwood, returns as his character, "Jonathan Rollins," in addition to being an executive producer.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:   The winner of the 10/1 to 10/3/21 weekend box office is "Venom: Let There Be Carnage" with an estimated take of 90.1 million dollars.

Negromancer:  My review of "Venom: Let There Be Carnage."

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NEWS - Truthout:  The United States Post Office (USPS) has started offering check-cashing services as part of a pilot program in four cities.  USPS customers are being given the opportunity to cash payroll or other types of checks, up to $500 in total, at single-branch post office locations in Washington, D.C., Falls Church, Virginia, Baltimore, Maryland, and the Bronx in New York City. 

ACADEMY AWARDS - From Deadline:   Will Packer has been named Producer of the 94th Annual Academy Awards, set for March 27, 2022.  Packer is a prolific producer of numerous films and TV projects including "Straight Outta Compton," "Ride Along," and "Girls Trip," to name a few.  He also produced the 2016, four-episode, remake of the television miniseries "Roots."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  WarnerMedia has released the first teaser for "House of the Dragon," a spin-off from the Emmy-winning, "Game of Thrones."

COVID-19 - From YahooNews:   Trying to Make Sense of COVID's Mysterious 2-Month Cycle

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Universal has moved the Bluhouse horror flick, "The Black Phone," from Jan. 28th, 2021 to Feb. 4, 2022.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney and Scarlett Johansson have settled their legal issues, and her projects with the studio are back on, including "Tower of Terror."  No terms of the settlement were made public, but Deadline estimates the multiple Oscar-nominated Johansson could get 40 million dollars.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  The Disney Channel favorite, "Raven's Home," has been renewed for a fifth season.  Actor Rondell Sheridan, who played Raven Baxter's father, "Victor Baxter," on the original series, "That's So Raven," will be one of the new series regulars.   However, the storyline moves to San Francisco and that results in the departure of several series regulars, Navia Robinson (Nia), Jason Maybaum (Levi), Sky Katz (Tess) and Anneliese van der Pol (Chelsea).

AMAZON - From THR:  Amazon is working on an update of the 1999 hit film, "Cruel Intentions," for its IMDb TV.

From THR:  Speaking of IMDb TV, the streamer is also interested in a greenlighting a second season of the cancelled ABC legal drama, "Rebel."  IMDb has the free streaming rights to the first season.

NFL - From Deadline:   Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem and Mary J. Blige will perform during the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show (Sun., Feb. 13th, 2022) at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles.  The five artists have never before appeared together onstage, according to the official announcement of the show. Among them, they have 43 Grammys and 22 No. 1 albums on the Billboard charts.

TELEVISION - From GoodHousekeeping:    The sister cable networks, "Hallmark Channel" and "Hallmark Movies & Mysteries" are debuting a combined 41 movies across both networks this holiday season.  "Good Housekeeping" has posted Hallmark Channel's "Countdown to Christmas" 2021 movie schedule and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries' "Miracles of Christmas" 2021 movie schedule.  Hallmark starts off with "You, Me & Christmas Tree" on Fri., Oct. 2nd.  HMM starts off with "Christmas in My Heart" on Sat., Oct. 23rd.

Review: Excellent "The Dead Don't Die" Recalls George Romero "Dead" Movies

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 24 (of 2020) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

The Dead Don't Die (2019)
Running time:  104 minutes (1 hour, 44 minutes)
MPAA – R for zombie violence/gore, and for language
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Jim Jarmusch
PRODUCERS:  Joshua Astrachan and Carter Logan
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Frederick Elmes
EDITOR:  Affonso Gonçalves
COMPOSER:  Sqürl

HORROR/COMEDY

Starring:  Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloë Sevigny,Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Selena Gomez, Austin Butler, Luka Sabbat, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, RZA, Carol Kane, Maya Delmont, Taliyah Whitaker,Jahi Winston, and Tom Waits

The Dead Don't Die is a 2019 zombie horror-comedy film from writer-director Jim Jarmusch.  The film features an ensemble cast and is set in the peaceful town of Centerville, which finds itself beset by a zombie horde after the recently dead start rising from their graves.

The Dead Don't Die opens in the town of Centerville, which has the motto, “A Real Nice Place,” emblazoned upon its welcome sign.  Strange things have been happening in the town, or so say Centerville Police Department Chief Cliff Robertson (Bill Murray) and Officer Ronald “Ronnie” Peterson (Adam Driver).  After answering a complaint one evening, these officers of the law notice that its 8 PM in the evening and it is still daylight.  Ronnie discovers that his watch and cell phone have stopped working.

There are news reports about pets behaving strangely, and Centerville's Farmer Miller (Steve Buscemi) has learned that his farm animals have disappeared.  According to a young inmate at a local juvenile facility, “polar fracking” has altered the Earth's rotation.  And the song, “The Dead Don't Die,” by country singer-songwriter, Sturgill Simpson, is always playing somewhere in town.  When night finally falls, the dead start to rise from their graves.  By the second evening, Centerville is experiencing a full-on zombie invasion, and, as Officer Ronnie already knows, all this will “end badly.”

I choose to interpret The Dead Don't Die as a remake and re-imagining of the classic 1968 horror movie, Night of the Living Dead, the forerunner of the modern zombie movie.  That film was co-written and directed by the late George A. Romero, the forefather of what is now known as the zombie apocalypse horror genre.  Obviously using Night of the Living Dead as a blueprint and using the cinematic language that Romero invented, writer-director Jim Jarmusch offers a deadpan ode to the seminal zombie movie.

In The Dead Don't Die, Jarmusch certainly has a better cast and better production resources than Romero had for Night of the Living Dead.  What Jarmusch maintains from the original film is its social commentary and satire and black humor, although Jarmusch gives his black comedy a spin of dry wit.  Jarmusch also breaks the fourth wall and throws in some out-of-this-world B-movie silliness, via the always brilliantly on-point Tilda Swinton as Centerville's newest resident, the Scottish mortician, Zelda Winston.  Swinton's short time on the screen alone is reason to see The Dead Don't Die.

Everyone in this delightfully diverse and eclectic ensemble cast makes the most of his or her onscreen time.  Some movie critics and reviewers have criticized The Dead Don't Die for being too dry and too deadpan.  Quite the contrary, I say.  I believe that this film's “dry” tone is a commentary on humanity's inescapable dark fate, the result of our childish desire for too many things that we really don't need.  Our hubris when it comes to the way we deal with the natural world and the natural order, and the insatiable greed that can never fill the hole in our metaphorical hearts could bring us a fate worse than death.  That is why I think that The Dead Don't Die is the smartest and purest zombie film since Romero's first three “Dead” films.

8 of 10
A

Saturday, October 31, 2020


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 19th to 25th, 2020 - Update #24

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

Support Leroy on Patreon:

MUSIC - From RollingStone:  54 years after moving to the U.S., Canadian-born rock legend and musician, Neil Young, is official a U.S. citizen.

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SUNDANCE - From Variety:  Director Justin Simien ("Dear White People") says that his film "Bad Hair," which opened at the Sundance 2020 is a tribute to exploited black women everywhere.

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STAR TREK - From THR:  President Trump has initiated a new branch of the military, the "Space Force."  The new logo for the "Space Force" looks strikingly similar to the insignia for Star Trek's "Starfleet Command."

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DISNEY - From THR:  The latest Walt Disney animated classic feature film to get a live-action remake is one of its all-time greatest and certainly its most stories, "Bambi" (1942).

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MOVIES - From THR:  Columbia Pictures wants to reboot its 1997 "Anaconda" film, which starred Jennifer Lopez, and Ice Cube, and Jon Voight, among others.

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GRAMMYS - From Variety:  The "Recording Academy," which hands out the music industry's "Grammy Awards" are denying that the nomination process is rigged... which everyone has suspected... like forever.

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MOVIES - From GamesRadar:  Bill Murray says that he is reprising his "Ghostbusters" role as "Peter Venkman" for the summer release, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife."

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STREAMING - From Newsarama:  On the Wed., Jan. 22nd episode of ABC's talk show, "The View," guest Patrick Stewart surprised co-host Whoopi Goldberg by asking her to reprise her "Star Trek: The Next Generation" role as "Guinan" on Season 2 of "Star Trek: Picard."  Stewart, of course, stars in the title role of "Picard," which just launched on the streaming service, CBS All Access

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STREAMING - From THR:  Leslie Jones talks about how she got "Game of Thrones" writers-producers, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, to direct her Netflix special, "Time Machine."

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DISNEY - From YahooMovieUK:  Actor Warwick Davis says that there is "a lot of work going on" n the planned Disney+ spin-off of the 1988 film, "Willow."  Made by Lucasfilm and directed by Ron Howard, the film starred Davis as an aspiring sorcerer trying to protect the child of an ancient prophecy.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Netflix explains its rating methods, talks viewership stats for two shows, and announces how a big a debut "The Witcher" made.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Universal Pictures and director Davie Leitch ("Deadpool 2") are developing a film based on the old ABC TV series, "Kung Fu," which starred the late David Carradine and ran from 1972 to 1975 (and I loved it!).

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SCANDAL -From Deadline:  In March of 2018, Universal marketing chief, Josh Goldstine, was fired for unspecified inappropriate behavior.  Today, Goldstine's name is cleared and he will be nearly 20 million dollars richer.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 1/17 to 1/19/2020 weekend box office is "Bad Boys for Life" with an estimated take of 59.17 million dollars.  The film will also win the "Martin Luther King Jr. Day" four-day holiday weekend with a take that is currently estimated at 68 million dollars.

From Variety:  "Bad Boys for Life" debuts with an estimated worldwide box office near 100 million dollars.

----------
AWARDS - From Variety:  Here is a complete list of winners at last night's (Sun., Jan. 19th) 2020 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards.

From Variety:  “Parasite” wins "best motion picture cast" at the 26th Screen Actors Guild Awards.  It is the first foreign language film to win the SAG Awards' top prize.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Writer Chris Bremner who worked on "Bad Boys for Life," the third film in the "Bad Boys" film franchise, will pen a script for a fourth installment.  Bremner is also working on a script for "National Treasure 3."

----------
AWARDS - From Deadline:  The winners of the 2020 Producers Guild Awards were announced last night (Sat., Jan. 18th).  The top prize went to director Sam Mendes' "1917."

----------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  Creator Julian Fellowes says that he will begin work on a sequel to the hit 2019 "Downtown Abbey" film after working on his HBO drama, "The Gilded Age."

----------
STAR TREK - From YahooEntertainment:  Producer Alex Kurtzman explains how "Star Trek: Picard" (from streaming CBS Access) connects unites the "Star Trek" timelines.

----------
TELEVISION - From Deadline:   NBA legend and Hall of Fame basketball player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and cable network, History, have teamed for "Black Patriots."  This one-hour documentary chronicles the role of African-Americans and Black people during the Revolutionary War.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  Broadcast journalist, Jim Lehrer, has died at the age of 85, Thursday, January 23, 2020.  Lehrer is best known for joining Robert MacNeil to create "The Robert MacNeil Report" for WNET, before moving to PBS shortly afterwards.  The show became known as the "The MacNeil/Lehrer Report" a year later.  MacNeil retired in 1995, and Lehrer continued to host or co-host the show, which is currently known as "PBS NewsHour."

From Deadline:  One of the co-founding members of the UK comedy troupe, "Monty Python," Terry Jones, has died at the age of 77, Tuesday, January 21, 2020.  Jones directed or co-directed three of the "Monty Python" films and worked on several films outside of Python.  He wrote several goblin and fairy-related books that artist Brian Froud illustrated.  Jones was born in Wales.

From Deadline:  The character actor, Jack Kehoe, died at the age of 85, Tuesday, Jan 14, 2020.  His film and TV career lasted about 30 years, and Kehoe was known for his appearances in such films as "Serpico," "The Sting," "Car Wash," and "The Untouchables" (1987).  Kehoe apparently began studying acting in the 1950s and he began appearing on stage sometime afterwards.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 7th to 13th, 2019 - Update #25

Support Leroy on Patreon:

POLITICS - From ProPublica:  ProPublica wants to know if you are in a secret Facebook hate group.

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COMICS - From BleedingCool:  John Carpenter is writing a "Joker" comic book.  He will be joined by his writing partner, Anthony Burch, and and artist Phillip Tan.

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CULTURE/MUSIC - From YahooEntertainment:  July 12, 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of the mini-Ku Klux Klan rally known as "Disco Demolition Night," which occured July 12, 1979 in Chicago's Comiskey Park during a Chicago White Sox double-header.

From NPR:  "July 12, 1979: The Night Disco Died' — Or Didn't"

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Since Guy Ritchie is not returning, the third film in the Robert Downey, Jr./Jude Law "Sherlock Holmes" movies needs a new director.  Enter Dexter Fletcher, fresh of "Rocketman" and finishing "Bohemian Rhapsody" after original director Bryan Singer was kicked off.

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TELEVISION - From THR:  Super-producer Ryan Murphy has revealed the cast of "American Horror Story: 1984" (Season 9), which is set to premiere September 18, 2019 on FX.

----------
ANIMATION - From Variety:  Warner Bros. Animation will produce a new "Flintstones" animated television series.  It will be overseen by actress Elizabeth Banks and her Brownstone Productions.

----------
STREAMING - From Variety:  David Fincher and Gary Oldman are teaming up for a Netflix biopic revolving around Herman Mankiewicz, the screenwriter of Citizen Kane (with Orson Welles), with Oldman playing Mankiewicz.

----------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  Three young actors: Alexa Mansour, Nicolas Cantu, and Hal Cumpston have been named as stars of AMC's announced third "The Walking Dead" TV series.

----------
STREAMING - From Deadline:  WarnerMedia's streaming service has a name - "HBO Max."  It will be the new streaming home of the TV series, "Friends."

----------
DISNEY - From YahooNews:  Abigail Disney is the daughter of the late Roy E. Disney, the son of Roy O. Disney, who co-founded the Walt Disney Company with his brother, Walt Disney.  In this interview, she talks about the violence she experienced as a child.

----------
SPORTS - From BET:  "Black Girl Magic": meet the Black women representing on the 2019 World Cup winning United States Women's Soccer Team.

----------
MOVIES - From BloodyDisgusting:  Samuel L. Jackson is reportedly joining Chris Rock in Rock's reboot of the "Saw" horror movie franchise.

From BloodyDisgusting:  Celeste O'Connor and Logan Kim have reportedly joined Jason Reitman's "Ghostbusters" film.

From BloodyDisgusting:  Megan Navarro names her best horror movies of the first half of 2019, plus one released in the second half of 2019.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 7/5 to 7/719 weekend box office is "Spider-Man: Far From Home" with an estimated take of 93.6 million dollars.

From Deadline:  "Spider-Man: Far From Home" grossed $185 million over the six-day haul since its Tuesday, July 2nd debut.  That is a record for a six-day Independence Day launch.

From Patreon:  My review of "Spider-Man: Far From Home."

----------
ECO - From APNews:  Leonardo DiCaprio is joining with billionaire investors and philanthropists Laurene Powell Jobs and Brian Sheth to create, "Earth Alliance," a new nonprofit environmental organization charged with tackling climate change and the loss of biodiversity.

CELEBRITY - From IndieWire: Bill Murray explains why he created a 1-800 number for people to reach him about roles.

----------
From Variety:  Noted horror director John Carpenter looks back on his legacy and career.

OBITS:

From ABC:  The actor Cameron Boyce has died at the age of 20, Saturday, July 6, 2019.  Boyce, as a child actor, was known for his "Luke Ross" on the Disney Channel TV series, "Jessie" (2011-2015).  He had also starred as "Carlos" in the Disney TV musical film series, "Descendants," including "Descendants 3," which is due to debut on Disney Channel, Aug. 2nd, 2019.

From Deadline:  Hollywood figures and former co-stars pay tribute to actor Cameron Boyce, star of Disney Channel's "Jessie" and Adam Sandler's son in the "Grown Ups" films, who died this past weekend.

From TeenVogue:  Tributes continue for Cameron Boyce, including from First Lady Michelle Obama and his costar, Dove Cameron ("Descendants").
----------------------------

From Variety:  Actress Stephanie Neznik died at the age of 52, June 23, 2019.  She was best known for her role as "Nina Feeney" on the TV series, "Everwood" (2002-2006).  She also appeared in the film, "Star Trek: Insurrection" (1998) and in the "Star Trek: Enterprise" episode, "Rogue Planet."

From RollingStone:  Stage, TV, and film actor, Rip Torn, has died at the age of 88, Tuesday, July 9, 2019.  He won an Emmy Award for playing "Artie," a supporting role in the TV series, "The Larry Sanders Show" (1992-98). Many will also remember as "Zed" in "Men in Black" and "Men in Black II."  He earned a best supporting actor Oscar nomination for his role in the film "Cross Creek" (1983).

From DallasMorningNews:  Self-made billionaire businessman and philanthropist, H. (Henry) Ross Perot, has died at the age of 89, Tuesday, July 9, 2019.  Many best remember Perot for his 1992 run as a U.S. presidential candidate.  He also ran in 1996.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 24th to 31st, 2019 - Update #23

Support Leroy on Patreon:

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 3/29 to 3/31/2019 weekend box office is Walt Disney's live-action remake, "Dumbo" with an estimated take of 45 million dollars.

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MOVIES - From Vulture:  Mark Hamill has confirmed that he is the voice of "Chuck," the killer doll in the 2019 remake of the 1988 film, "Child's Play."

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer and two-time Oscar nominee Melissa McCarthy are in talks to appear in a superhero film, "Thunder Force," for writer-director Ben Falcone, McCarthy's husband.

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COMICS-FILM - From Deadline:  "X-Men: Dark Phoenix" gets a boost at the convention, WonderCon 2019, when attendees respond enthusiastically to new footage shown to them.

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Cillian Murphy is in talks to join Emily Blunt in the " A Quiet Place" sequel.

----------
TELEVISION - From THR:  NBC has renewed "Law & Order: SVU" for a 21st season which will make it the longest running live-action TV series in American television history.

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Tom Hanks is in talks to appear in director Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley film.  Hanks will play Presley's manager, Col. Tom Parker.

----------
ANIMATION - From Newsarama:  Here is a first look at MGM's "The Addams Family," an animated film due October 18, 2019.

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AWARDS - From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2019 BAFTA TV Awards and BAFTA TV Craft Awards have been announced.  The TV series, "Killing Eve" and "A Very English Scandal" lead the nominations.  The award winners will be announced Sunday, April 28, 2019.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Jim Jarmusch's zombie movie, "The Dead Don't Die," starring Bill Murray is due June 14, 2019.  This will be Jarmusch's third film with Murray.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Sonequa Martin-Green of "Star Trek: Discovery" (formerly of "The Walking Dead") joins LeBron James in "Space Jam 2."

----------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  Marquis Rodriquez, John Simm, Richard McCabe, John Heffernan, and Dixie Egerickx join the still mysterious "Game of Thrones" prequel.

----------
SCANDAL - From LATimes:  All criminal charges have been dropped against "Empire" actor, Jussie Smollett.

----------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. is re-developing the age-less man thriller, "Methusaleh," for Michael B. Jordan.  At one time, the project was seen as a Tom Cruise vehicle with sequel and franchise potential.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  The shocking box office success of "Us" reveals the power of Jordan Peele.

From Deadline:  Jordan Peele talks about being a black auteur and myths of representation in Hollywood.

---------
STREAMING - From Variety:  Apple unveils its new TV streaming service, Apple TV+

From Variety:  Apple unveiled its long-rumored gaming subscription service, "Apple Arcade."  It is the world’s first game subscription service for mobile, desktop and living room, the company said. With a single subscription, you get access to more than 100 new and exclusive games.

From Variety:  Apple also unveils Apple News+.   The $9.99 service gives paying subscribers access to over 300 magazines as well as select newspapers and premium digital news services.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 3/22 to 3/24/2019 weekend box office is Jordan Peele's "Us" with an estimated take of 70.25 million dollars.  This is the second highest debut for a live-action original film (behind "Avatar's" 77 million dollar debut in 2009).

From YahooEntertainment:  "Us" is shatters or approaches box office records.

From Patreon:  A review of "Us" by yours truly (Leroy Douresseaux, boo!)

From YahooEntertainment:  All the Easter eggs, references and hidden meanings we found in Jordan Peele's "Us."

----------
MOVIES - From ELLE:  Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is not the only 2019 film focusing on some aspect of the Tate-LaBianco murders committed by followers of the cult leader Charles Manson.

OBITS:

From RollingStone:  The British singer and musician, Ranking Roger, has died at the age of 56, Tuesday, March 26, 2019.  Roger was best known as the lead singer for the British ska band or "two-tone" band, the Beat (known as the "English Beat" in North America).  He was later a founding member of the band, "General Public."

From Deadline:  TV writer-producer and movie writer-director, Larry Cohen, has died at the age of 77, Saturday, March 23, 2019.  Cohen is best remembered for his cult horror film, "It's Alive."  He created the TV series, "The Invaders" and "Branded."

Review: "The Jungle Book" Goes Live with Spectacular Effects

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 23 (of 2017) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Jungle Book (2016)
Running time: 107 minutes
MPAA – PG for some sequences of scary action and peril
DIRECTOR:  Jon Favreau
WRITER:  Justin Marks (based on the books by Runyard Kipling)
PRODUCERS:  Jon Favreau and Brigham Taylor
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Bill Pope (D.o.P)
EDITORS:  Mark Livolsi with Adam Gerstel
COMPOSER: John Debney
Academy Award winner

FANTASY/ADVENTURE/DRAMA/FAMILY

Starring:  Neel Sethi and the voices of Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong'o, Scarlett Johansson, Giancarlo Esposito, Christopher Walken, Garry Shandling, Brighton Rose, Sam Raimi, Jon Favreau and Dee Bradley Baker

The Jungle Book is a 2016 fantasy adventure film directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Walt Disney Pictures.  The film is a live-action remake of Disney's classic animated film, The Jungle Book (1967), and both films are based on stories from The Jungle Book (1894), the collection of stories by Rudyard Kipling.  The Jungle Book 2016 focuses on a boy raised by wolves who makes a journey of self-discovery after a fearsome tiger threatens his life.

The Jungle Book focuses on Mowgli (Neel Sethi), a human who is raised by the wolf Raksha (Lupita Nyong'o) and her pack, led by her mate, Akela (Giancarlo Esposito).  Mowgli is called a “man-cub” and lives in harmony with the animals in a jungle in India.  However, Shere Khan (Idris Elba), a tiger with a scar on its face, catches Mowgli's scent; Khan hates man because it was a man that scarred his face.  Now, Khan has decided to kill Mowgli.

The black panther, Bagheera (Ben Kingsley), who rescued Mowgli when he was a baby and brought him to the wolves, decides that he must take the man-cub out of the jungle and get him to a nearby man village.  Shere Khan, however, is not content with Mowgli leaving the jungle; he wants to kill him.  Mowgli must prove to everyone, including Bagheera and his new friend, Baloo the sloth bear (Bill Murray), that the jungle is where he belongs.

The Jungle Book 2016 is not a great movie, but it is a pretty good movie.  The voice acting is good, but only Christopher Walken as King Louie the Gigantopithecus (an extinct genus of ape), and Idris Elba as Shere Khan bring real power, heat and menace to their voice acting.  As Mowgli, one of the few real or non-computer generated characters, Neel Sethi gives a performance that has both strong and weak moments, but overall is good.

The most impressive things about The Jungle Book 2016 are the visual effects.  The animal characters are some of the most realistic computer-generated animals that I have ever seen in a movie.  The sheer number and variety of animals make this the greatest cinematic achievement in terms of using computer software to create animals.  If there is better, I have not seen it yet, but I want to see that movie or movies.

The Jungle Book 2016 will not make you forget the 1967 film, which I do not consider to be among the best of Disney's animated films.  Still, it is a truly nice family movie that even some adults can find entertaining, and, of course, the visual effects achievements here make The Jungle Book a must-see for film fans.

6 of 10
B

Sunday, October 22, 2017

NOTES:
2017 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones, and Dan Lemmon)

2017 BAFTA Awards 2017:  1 win: “Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects” (Robert Legato, Dan Lemmon, Andrew R. Jones, and Adam Valdez)


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 12th to 18th, 2016 - Update #54

Support Leroy on Patreon.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Paramount looking to revive "The Saint" again.  Roger Moore or nothing, baby!

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Summer Redstone looks like a Deadite, but he's still fighting for Viacom.

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MOVIES - From TheTrackingBoard:  Judi Dench boards period film, "Victoria and Abdul."

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BOX OFFICE - From Showbiz411:  FOX is apparently preparing for bad news regarding Independence Day: Resurgence.

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OBIT - From TheWrap:  The actor Ron Lester has died at the age of 45, Friday, June 17, 2016.  He was best known for the 1999 film, "Varsity Blues."

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PIXAR - From YahooMovies:  Pixar changed a voice in "Finding Dory."

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CELEBRITY - From YahooNews:  Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former President Bill Clinton and soon-to-be-President Hillary Clinton, welcomes a baby boy with her husband, Marc Mezvinsky.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER - From YahooNews:  Michael Brown's family are suing the city of Ferguson, Missouri; Mike's killer (former cop Darren Wilson); and other enemies and adversaries.  Lawyers for the enemy want Mike's juvenile record, which has so far been refused them.

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BOX OFFICE - From HitFix:  How will "Independence Day: Resurgence" before at the box office?  Can it match the original film?

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Common to star in a television adaptation of "Black Samurai."  Marc Olden's 1974 book series, "Black Samurai," which was previously adapted as a 1977 film starring Jim Kelly.

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LGBT - From VillageVoice:  If only America could embrace queer and trans before they're dead.

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MUSIC/CRIME - From YahooBeauty:  New information on the pathetic killer of Christina Grimmie, a contestant on NBC's "The Voice."

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SPORTS/CRIME - From NYPost:  Some female swimmers at Stanford thought convicted rapist, Brock Turner, was a creep before he was arrested for sexually assaulting a Stanford student.

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COMICS - From EOnline:  Tyler Hoechlin will play "Superman" on the "Supergirl," the former CBS series that is moving to The CW this fall.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  "A Star is Born" remake that is to be directed by Bradley Cooper, who will also star in the film, may feature Lady Gaga as the female lead.  Beyonce was once attached to the project.

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OBIT - From Variety:   The actress Ann Morgan Guilbert died at the age of 87, Tuesday, June 14, 2016.  She was best known for her role as neighbor "Minnie Helper on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "Yetta Rosenberg," the forgetful grandmother on "The Nanny."

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MOVIES - From ScreenRant:  Image of Michael Fassbender as "David" on the set of "Alien: Covenant."

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MOVIES - From BleedingCool:   "Beverly Hills Cop 4" has it directors.

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TELEVISION - From BleedingCool:   Orlando Jones and Demore Barnes join Starz's "American Gods."

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COMICS - From DenofGeek:  DC Entertainment's Diane Nelson talks Wonder Woman.

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MOVIES - From Hitflix:  Helen Mirren is joining cast of "Fast 8."

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  "Curb Your Enthusiasm" to return for a ninth season on HBO.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Matt Lucas joins Season 10 of "Doctor Who."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Craig Gillespie to direct Margot Robbie in Tonya Harding biopic.

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SPORTS - From Time:  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:  Muhammad Ali Became a Big Brother to Me - and to All African-Americans.

COMICS - From WeGotThisCovered:  Donald Glover signs to join next year's "Spider-Man Homecoming."

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BROADWAY - From LATimes:  Complete list of 2016 Tony Award winners.

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FILM - From TheWrap:  Oscar-nominated, Emmy Award winner Bill Murray to receive the "Mark Twain Prize for American Humor" on October 23rd, 2016.

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POLITICS - From RSN:  8 reasons why the GOP should dump Trump.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  See the massive championship rings received by the Denver Broncos for the win in Super Bowl 50.

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Andy Goddard, a "Downton Abbey" director, to helm a film about the Rolling Stones and the recording of their legendary LP, "Exile of Main Street."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 6/10 to 6/12/2016 weekend box is "The Conjuring 2" with an estimated take of $40.35 million.

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SPECIAL - #PulseShooting in Orlando, Florida:

CRIME - From YahooNews:  50 people dead in worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

From YahooNews:  Remembering the victims fatally shot at the Pulse.

From telSUR:  Omar Mateen's wife was told by the FBI not to tell the U.S. media that she and family members thought he was gay.

From YahooNews:  Florida found Omar Mateen suspicious and refused to sell him body armor and bulk amunition.

From TheWrap:  Disney gives $1 million to Orlando victims.

From InformedConsent:  Omar Mateen and Rightwing Homophobia: Hate Crime or Domestic Terrorism?

From ThinkProgress:  LGBT people can still be fired from their jobs in Florida for being gay.

From YahooNews:  CNN's Anderson Cooper grills Florida Attorney General and anti-gay politician, Pam Bondi, on her anti-gay activism.

From RSN:  Omar Mateen committed LGBT mass murder, and we must confront that.

From YahooNews:  Anderson Cooper's moving tribute.

From YahooNews:  Omar Mateen's father apologizes for his son's murderous actions.

From YahooFinance:  Pulse shooter, Omar Mateen, was a regular at the club.

From CNN:  Orlando shooting article with updates.

From YahooNews:  Pulse shooting victims mourned nationally and globally.

From YahooNews:  What is known about #PulseShooting killer, Omar Mateen.

From YahooNews:  President Obama's statement.

From YahooNews:  Omar Mateen's father speaks.

From YahooNews:  Donald Trump's self-congratulatory tweets prove that he should not and cannot be President of the United States.

From BleedingCool:  Comic book people react to #PulseShooting.

From YahooNews:  Witness accounts of shooting at Orlando dance club, Pulse.

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ANIMATION - From BleedingCool:  A trailer has been released for Disney's next animated film, "Moana."  However, that trailer has been released overseas where the movie is called "Vaiana."

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BLACK LIVES MATTER - From Truthout:  What is the future of resistance to racist police violence.

COMICS - From CBR:   Comic Book Resources has gathered all the character designs and re-designs for DC Comics' "Rebirth" event in one place.

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TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  Norman Reedus of "The Walking Dead" has a new reality series, "Ride with Norman Reedus."  Here are 25 things you may not know about him.

Fathom Events Calls Original "Ghostbusters" Back to Theaters

Tickets Now Available for Audiences to Celebrate the Nationwide Re-Release of the Original ‘Ghostbusters’ (1984) in Select U.S. Cinemas

Fathom Events and Sony Pictures Entertainment Present This Fan-Favorite Back in Movie Theaters This Summer on June 8 and 12 Only

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tickets are now available for audiences to revisit “Ghostbusters” (1984) in select U.S. cinemas on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 – the anniversary of the original release date – and Sunday, June 12, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. local time (both dates). The classic film is being re-released in anticipation of the worldwide release of “Ghostbusters” (2016), starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Chris Hemsworth in theaters July 15, 2016. These special screenings of the original film include an exclusive sneak peek of the highly-anticipated new “Ghostbusters.”

    .@FathomEvents News: Who you gonna call when the cinema becomes your gateway to 1984 w/ @Ghostbusters 6/8 & 12

Tickets for “Ghostbusters” (1984) can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 830 movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

After a team of underdog scientists (Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray) lose their cushy positions at a university in New York City, they decide to set out on their own and become "ghostbusters," waging a high-tech battle with supernatural spirits taking up residency in New York City. In their paranormal investigations, they stumble upon a gateway to another dimension – a doorway that will release evil upon the city – and the ghostbusters must now save the Big Apple from complete destruction. Released in 1984, the original “Ghostbusters” was directed and produced by Ivan Reitman, written by Aykroyd and Ramis, and starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis and Ernie Hudson. Following these special screenings, the classic “Ghostbusters” will go back into the vault until the release of the new film.

“Before the new ‘Ghostbusters’ hits theaters, there’s no better way to get excited than by seeing the original back in its home on the big screen,” Fathom Events Vice President of Studio Relations Tom Lucas said. “Fathom Events is bringing this classic re-release to audiences all across the country, and we are thrilled for fans new and old to see it in its original glory with special added content.”


About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is the event cinema distribution arm of AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), the three largest movie theater circuits in the U.S., and is recognized as the leading distributor of alternative content. It offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events in movie theaters nationwide that include live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions such as the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live’s Hamlet, sporting events like FS1 Presents USA v Mexico, concerts with Roger Waters and One Direction, the TCM Presents classic film series and faith-based events such as The Drop Box and Four Blood Moons. Fathom Events also takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. In addition, Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 885 locations and 1,348 screens in 181 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

About Ghostbusters (2016)
Ghostbusters makes its long-awaited return, rebooted with a cast of hilarious new characters. Thirty years after the beloved original franchise took the world by storm, director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today – Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth. This summer, they’re here to save the world! The film is produced by Ivan Reitman and Amy Pascal, and written by Katie Dippold & Paul Feig, based on the 1984 film “Ghostbusters,” written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and directed by Ivan Reitman. The film will be released in theaters nationwide on July 15, 2016.

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Two Classic Supernatural Comedies Like You’ve Never Seen Them Before

Ghostbusters & Ghostbusters II Debut on 4K Ultra HD™ June 7

Ultimate Home Theater Experience Features High Dynamic Range and All-New Dolby Atmos Soundtracks

CULVER CITY, Calif. -- Fans will now be able to experience particle beams and ectoplasm like never before when Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II debut June 7, 2016 on next generation 4K Ultra HD disc with High Dynamic Range (HDR) from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE). Perfect for Father’s Day gifting, each 4K Ultra HD release will also include the recent anniversary Blu-rays, bursting with all the bonus materials, including previously released legacy content, commentary and the interactive Slimer Mode.

As two of the first Sony 4K Ultra HD disc releases, both films were fully restored from the 35mm original camera negatives, thereby utilizing in 4K the full resolution, detail and color depth inherent in the film. 4K Ultra HD is the perfect way to finally experience these comprehensive restorations at full 4K resolution in the home – it features four times the resolution of high definition, along with High Dynamic Range (HDR), which produces brilliant highlights, vibrant colors and greater contrast on compatible displays. Additionally, both films have been remixed specifically for the home theater environment with Dolby Atmos® audio, delivering captivating sound that places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead.

These new 4K Ultra HD releases precede the July 15, 2016 U.S. premiere of Sony Pictures’ highly anticipated new motion picture, Ghostbusters, from director Paul Feig, starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth.

Also, as part of the excitement surrounding the arrival of the new film, SPHE will release over 50 episodes of the iconic 1980s animated series, The Real Ghostbusters, on DVD July 7 and on Digital, from Ivan Reitman, DiC and Sony Pictures Television.

Both Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II are directed and produced by Ivan Reitman (Meatballs, Stripes), and written by Dan Aykroyd (My Girl) and Harold Ramis (Knocked Up). Bill Murray (St. Vincent), Dan Aykroyd (Blues Brothers), and Sigourney Weaver (Aliens) star, along with Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day) and Rick Moranis (Honey I Shrunk the Kids). Ernie Hudson (TV’s “Oz”) and Annie Potts (TV’s “Designing Women”) also star. Ghostbusters is ranked No. 28 on the AFI’s List of America’s Funniest Movies.

SYNOPSES:
Ghostbusters: University parapsychologists Dr. Peter Venkman (Murray), Dr. Raymond Stanz (Aykroyd) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Ramis) lose a research grant when their experiment methodology is proven to be bogus. The team decides to go into business for themselves and open ‘Ghostbusters,’ a ghost removal service. After struggling to get on their feet, they are summoned to investigate the strange happenings in Dana Barrett’s (Weaver) Central Park West apartment. What they discover is that all Manhattan is being besieged by ghosts and other-worldly demons through a portal in her building.

Ghostbusters II: Supernatural superstars Peter Venkman (Murray), Dr. Raymond Stanz (Aykroyd) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Ramis) spring back into action when the infant son of Dana Barrett (Weaver) becomes the target of a powerful demonic force. Reunited with their industrious secretary Janine (Potts) and the nerdy, near-sighted Louis (Moranis), the ‘heroes of the hereafter’ must put a stop to an enormous underground river ready to rot the roots of the entire Big Apple.

GHOSTBUSTERS & GHOSTBUSTERS II 4K Ultra HD Releases Include:
§  Feature films in 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR)
§  Dolby Atmos soundtracks (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible)*
§  Includes high-def Blu-rays featuring the films and special features

*To experience Dolby Atmos at home, a Dolby Atmos enabled AV receiver and additional speakers are required, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar; however, Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.

GHOSTBUSTERS Blu-ray Special Features:
§  Who You Gonna Call: A Ghostbusters Retrospective - Roundtable Discussion with Director Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd (Part 1)
§  Poster Art Gallery – Gallery of 1988 artwork
§  Ghostbusters Music Video – Ray Parker, Jr.
§  Slimer Mode – Picture in Picture and Trivia Track
§  Commentary with Ivan Reitman, Harold Ramis & Joe Medjuck
§  10 Deleted Scenes
§  1984 Featurette
§  Cast and Crew Featurette
§  SFX Team Featurette
§  Multi-Angles
§  Ecto-1: Resurrecting the Classic Car
§  Ghostbusters Garage: Ecto-1 Gallery Storyboard Comparisons

GHOSTBUSTERS II Blu-ray Special Features:
§  Time Is But A Window: Ghostbusters II and Beyond - Roundtable Discussion with Director Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd (Part 2)
§  Deleted Scenes
§  “On Our Own” Music Video – Bobby Brown
§  Theatrical Trailers

GHOSTBUSTERS has a run time of approximately 105 minutes and is rated PG.

GHOSTBUSTERS II has a run time of approximately 108 minutes and is rated PG.


ABOUT SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 6th to 12th, 2015 - Update #22

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From BleedingCool:  "The Hateful Eight" was originally conceived as a novel starring Django.

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From Deadline:  Ron Howard updates "Arrested Development" Season 5.

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From BuzzFlash:  J.K. Rowling says Donald Trump is worse than Lord Voldemort.

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From Vulture:  Idris Elba may have the lead in the adaptation of Stephen King's "Dark Tower."

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From YahooTV:  2015 Golden Globe nominations.

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From TheWrap: SAG nominations.

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From IndieWire:  David Oyelowo to play Muhammad Ali for Ang Lee.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  An article about the upcoming debuts and features at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.

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From Deadline:  Queen Latifah to star in Lee Daniels project for Fox.

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From Vulture:  Bill Murray will play a dog in a Wes Anderson stop-motion film.

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From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 12/4 to 12/6/2015 box office is "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part Two," the film's third straight weekend at the top.

From TheHollywoodReporter:  The performance of holiday-themed horror film, "Krampus," surprised with its second place finish at the weekend box office ($16 million).  I was not surprised, and I thought it might actually gross a little more.  "Chi-raq" is reportedly a huge hit in Chicago, the setting of Spike Lee's film.

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From GoldDerby:  Director Sean Baker and star Mya Taylor talk about their buzzed-about film, "Tangerine."

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From Variety:  Ethan Hawke joins Luc Besson's "Valerian."


COMICS - Films and Books:

From Variety:  Cate Blanchett in talks to join Marvel's "Thor: Ragnarok."


MOVIE AWARD SEASON:

From Deadline: African-American Film Critics name "Straight Outta Compton" best picture.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  Los Angeles Film Critics Association names "Spotlight" the best film of the year.  However, "Mad Max: Fury Road" wins in three category, including "Best Director" for George Miller.  It was the runner-up in two categories, including the "Best Film" category.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  The Boston Society of Film Critics names "Spotlight" the best picture of 2015.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  Alex Garland's "Ex Machina" is named Best British Independent Film at the 2015 British Independent Film Awards, and dominates with 4 wins.


STAR WARS:

From YahooMovies:  Have a seat, John Boyega tells William Shatner.

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From YahooTV:  While in Australia promoting "The Force Awakens," Harrison Ford responds to his fan, Donald Trump.


TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  Official "X-Men Apocalypse" trailer.

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From Vulture:  First trailer for Warner Bros.' "The Legend of Tarzan."

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From Deadline:  The debut trailer for Spielberg's "The BFG."