Review: Pixar's "TURNING RED" is Universal and Unique

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 8 of 2024 (No. 1952) by Leroy Douresseaux

Turning Red (2022)

Running time:  100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)

MPA –  PG for thematic material, suggestive content and language

DIRECTOR:  Domee Shi

WRITERS:  Domee Shi and Julie Cho; from a story by Domee Shi, Julie Cho, and Sarah Streicher

PRODUCER:  Lindsey Collins

CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Mahyar Abousaeedi and Jonathan Pytko

EDITORS:  Nicholas C. Smith with Steve Bloom

COMPOSER: Ludwig Goransson

SONGS: Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell

Academy Award nominee

ANIMATION/FANTASY/COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring:  (voices) Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Hyein Park, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, Tristan Allerick Chen, Jordan Fisher, Finneas O'Connell, and James Hong

Turning Red is a 2022 animated fantasy and comedy-drama film directed by Domee Shi and produced by Pixar Animation Studios.  It is Pixar's 25th full-length animated feature film, and it is the first to be solely directed by a woman.  Turning Red focuses on a teen girl who is dealing with her demanding mother and the changes of adolescence when she suddenly discovers that becoming really excited causes her to turn into a giant red panda.

Turning Red opens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2002.  It introduces a Chinese-Canadian girl, 13-year-old Meilin “Mei” Lee (Rosalie Chiang).  She lives with her parents, mother Ming (Sandra Oh) and father Jin (Orion Lee).  Mei is a dutiful daughter to her mother who calls her “Mei-Mei,” and she helps take care of the family's temple, “the Lee Family Temple,” one of the the oldest temples in Toronto.  The temple honors the Lee family ancestors instead of gods, and it is dedicated to Mei's maternal ancestor Sun Yee.

Mei is also dedicated to a trio of girl friends:  Miriam (Ava Morse), Priya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), and Abby (Hyein Park), and all three of them are dedicated fans of the boy band, “4*Town.”  Life is busy, but it's about to get complicated.  The morning after a night of humiliation, Mei wakes up to discover that she has been transformed into a giant red panda.  This is a condition that happens when Mei is overly excited, but it can be cured.  But what does Mei really want?

In the early days of the Disney+ streaming service and in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Walt Disney Company released three Pixar feature films as direct-to-streaming releases:  Soul (2020), Luca (2021), and Turning Red, declining wide theatrical releases for the films.  These were and still are three of Pixar's greatest films, but they are finally getting belated theatrical releases in early 2024.  [Soul in January 2024; Turning Red in February 2024; and Luca in March 2024.]

Turning Red is an incredible coming-of-age story, and like Pixar's Oscar-winning Brave (2012), it is a story of transformations and of mother-daughter relationships and all the love and support and trials and tribulations that come with it.  Its beautiful, terracotta-like colors amplify the film's sense of magic and magical realism.  The variety of faces, body types, skin colors, hair styles, and clothes and costumes are a testament of how culturally expansive Pixar's films set in the human world are.  Everything about Turning Red invites the entire world of moviegoers to come along on this timeless, universal tale of a child coming into her own and learning to love herself as she is becoming and to love her parents for what they were, are, and can be.

Domee Shi and her co-writers, Julie Cho and Sarah Streicher, have created a character, a world, and a scenario of which I believe I can be a part.  I am an old-ass Black man, a million miles away from a 13-year-old Canadian girl of Chinese descent, but Turning Red makes me understand that what the girl experiences are in some ways similar to what I've experienced.  In a way, I am jealous of Turning Red and of Meilin Lee because I could never embrace the messy strangeness in me to the extent that she does.  I definitely did not want my freak flag fluttering in the wind too much.

There is so much to like in this film.  As usual, the animation is up to Pixar's astronomical standards, and Ludwig Goransson's score infuses itself into the film so much that it seems as if the animation is performing a concert.  Speaking of music, I'm embarrassed to admit that I like 4*Town, the band, and its three songs performed in the movie, which are written by the sister-brother team of Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell.  And I couldn't love the movie if I wasn't crazy about actress Rosalie Chiang's multi-layered and energetic voice performance as Mei.  Chiang makes Mei feel like a real girl, genuine child in the throes of change and transformation.

Some have said that Turning Red's setting and its lead character, Mei, make the film not timeless and universal like Pixar's other films.  They can go screw themselves.  Turning Red is universal like other Pixar films and also unlike other Pixar films.  Turning Red is Pixar high art and Disney magic, and it is a truly great film that I plan on watching again and again.

10 of 10

Sunday, February 11, 2024

NOTES:

2023 Academy Awards, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Animated Feature Film” (Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins)

2023 BAFTA Film Awards:  1 nominee: “Best Animated Feature Film” (Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins)

2023 Golden Globes, USA:  1 nominee:  “Best Motion Picture – Animated”

2023 Image Awards (NAACP):  1 nominee: “Outstanding Animated Motion Picture”

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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

Review: "THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS" is a Masterpiece

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 125 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Les Invasion Barbares (2003)

The Barbarian Invasions (2003) – U.S. title

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  Canada/France; Language:  French/English

Running time:  99 minutes (1 hour, 33 minutes)

MPAA – R for language, sexual dialogue, and content

WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Denys Arcand

PRODUCERS: Daniel Louis and Denise Robert

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Guy Dufaux

EDITOR: Isabelle Dedieu

COMPOSER: Pierre Aviat

Academy Award winner

DRAMA/COMEDY

Starring:  Rémy Girard, Stéphane Rousseau, Dorothée Berryman, Louise Portal, Dominique Michel, Yves Jacques, Pierre Curzi, Marie-Josée Croze, Marina Hands, Toni Cecchinato, and Mitsou Gélinas

Les Invasions barbares is a 2003 comedy and drama written and directed by Denys Arcand.  A Canadian and French co-production, the film was released in the U.S. under the title, The Barbarian Invasions, the title I will used for this review.  The Barbarian Invasions focuses on a dying man, who during his final days, is reunited with old friends, former lovers, his ex-wife, and his estranged son.

Arcand’s The Barbarian Invasion won the Academy Award for “Best Foreign Language Film” at the 76th Academy Awards in 2004.  A sequel to Arcand's 1986 film, The Decline of the American Empire, The Barbarian Invasions received only one other Oscar nomination, which was for best original screenplay (written by Arcand), and that was and still is ridiculous.  Considering the performances and Arcand’s direction, the film should have received at least a few more.

The Barbarian Invasions is the story of 50-ish Rémy (Rémy Girard) and his family.  He is dying of cancer and is laid up in a Montreal hospital.  His ex-wife, Louise (Dorothée Berryman), summons home their son, Sébastien (Stéphane Rousseau), who is estranged from his father and is living in London.  Sébastien, a rich oil trader for a huge British firm, is, in a sense, a disappointment to his father.  The son is a wealthy capitalist and the father was an arm chair, leftist, radical type.

Soon after he arrives, Sébastien uses his money and connections to fight the entrenched Canadian nationalized health system, and he gets Rémy a private room and other amenities.  But the most difficult part of the prodigal son’s return home is the reconciliation between father and son.

The most amazing thing about this thoroughly beautiful film is that Arcand is able to tell the story of a father trying to redeem himself, of a son trying to put aside his anger at this father, and of a man trying to find meaning in a life he believes that he lazily kept so modest and have still more sub-plots, philosophies, and ideas.  The film also deals with mother/daughter relationships, the drug war, drug addiction, personal and professional failure, the Canadian health system, socialism, infidelity, friendship, politics, religion, genocide, and barbarian invasions of civilization.  Arcand does all of this without losing the central, human focus of his lovely movie.  Filled with rich performances, subtle humor, and endearing characters, The Barbarian Invasions is the best film of the year.

10 of 10

Re-edited:  Saturday, September 2, 2023

NOTES:

2004 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win: “Best Foreign Language Film” (Canada); 1 nomination: “Best Writing, Original Screenplay” (Denys Arcand)

2004 BAFTA Awards:  2 nominations: “Best Screenplay-Original” (Denys Arcand) and “Best Film not in the English Language” (Denise Robert, Daniel Louis, and Denys Arcand)

2004 Golden Globes, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Foreign Language Film” (Canada)

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

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Review: Viggo Mortensen is a Kingpin in Cronenberg's "CRIMES OF THE FUTURE"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 49 of 2022 (No. 1861) by Leroy Douresseaux

Crimes of the Future (2022)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  Canada (with France, Greece, and UK); Language:  English
Running time:  107 minutes (1 hour, 47 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong disturbing violent content and grisly images, graphic nudity and some language
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  David Cronenberg
PRODUCERS:  Robert Lantos, Panos Papahadzis, and Steve Solomos
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Douglas Koch (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Christopher Donaldson
COMPOSER:  Howard Shore

SCI-FI

Starring:  Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, Don McKellar, Scott Speedman, Welket Bungué, Lihi Kornowski, Nadia Litz, Tanaya Beatty, Sotiris Siozos, and Kristen Stewart

Crimes of the Future is a 2022 Canadian science fiction film from writer-director David Cronenberg.  The film focuses on a performances artist who showcases the metamorphosis of his internal organs with the help of his partner who performs surgery on him during the performance.

Crimes of the Future opens sometime in the future when humanity has experienced a number of biological changes and evolutionary changes to human physiology.  The film introduces Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen) and Caprice (Lea Seydoux), a performance artist couple.  Saul's body is afflicted by “accelerated evolution syndrome,” which forces his body to constantly develop new vestigial organs.  Tenser is in constant pain, and he relies biomechanical devices in order to sleep and to eat.  Using a “Sark autopsy module,” Caprice performs surgery on Saul before an audience as an act of performance art, performances which have made the duo world renown.

Saul and Caprice's performances have started to draw official, governmental, and law enforcement interest.  They meet Wippet (Don McKellar) and Timlin (Kristen Stewart), the two bureaucrats in charge of the “National Organ Registry,” which catalogs and stores newly developed and evolved organs.

Not everyone is excited about “body-growth” and consider it a “body-crime.”  Cope (Welket Bungué), a detective with the “New Vice Unit,” a governmental police agency, wants Tenser to infiltrate the worlds of evolutionists, the people that want to accept and encourage “accelerated evolution syndrome.”  After he meets Lang Dotrice (Scott Speedman), a grieving father, Saul goes so deep into the world of this new human evolution that he might discover something about himself.

Some consider Crimes of the Future to be both a science fiction and horror film, but I consider it to be only a science fiction film.  However, I do recognize how much the film travels into the realms of the genre of “body horror.”  In that, Crimes of the Future does share many similarities with David Cronenberg's last science fiction-horror film, eXistenZ (1999).  Both are set in a world where biotechnology invents new machines that can directly interface with human bodies and control those bodies.  In both films, public performances of man-machine interfaces are both popular and controversial, and a diverse group of entities:  law enforcement, fetishists, secretive agencies, rebels, dissidents, and subcultures seek to control the future and future-tech.

In Crimes of the Future, Cronenberg presents a world in which the evolutionary change is spurred on by technology and other man-made efforts.  Once this new evolution starts, it is free to do as it pleases, outside the considerations of humanity.  As in many of his films, a lead character, group of characters, and/or society and the world at large struggle to adapt to that change.  To one extent or another, they are against it, afraid of it, and some ultimately, even if reluctantly, embrace that change.

Two things hold this film together, David Cronenberg's vision and his muse, actor Viggo Mortensen as Saul Tenser.  Cronenberg and his collaborators have created a world in which biotechnological and evolutionary changes take place in drab and rundown settings.  In Crimes of the Future, Cronenberg does not need flying cars and off-world colonies in order to communicate to his audience that the world and mankind are in a future undergoing radical transformation.  True to his ways, Cronenberg is both provocative and exploitative and visionary and elegant as he executes a story of a world in which evolution forces humanity to live in the world it made.

Crimes of the Future has a number of eccentric performances.  Lea Seydoux makes Caprice grow … and evolve, and Kristen Stewart is impish and mysterious as Timlin.  However, Viggo Mortensen is both the center of this film's narrative and the outer boundaries of its ideas and ambitions.  He holds it together both as one afflicted by evolution and as an explorer of the world of evolution and new humans.  Mortensen's gift is to make people buy into the idea that he is indeed the character he plays and that what he does as that character is authentic and not a contrivance of a really talented actor.

Once again, David Cronenberg offers a film that examines horrifying change, and he does it without nostalgia and sentiment, but with a superb score by the great Howard Shore.  Yeah, Cronenberg is a genius, and Crimes of the Future is his latest masterpiece.  The ending, which feels like a quick wrap-up, is the only reason I won't call this film perfect, but it would be a crime of the present for me to quibble about that.

9 of 10
A+
★★★★+ out of 4 stars

Thursday, August 25, 2022


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Review: "RESIDENT EVIL: Welcome to Raccoon City" is Scary as Hell

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 13 of 2022 (No. 1825) by Leroy Douresseaux

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Canada/Germany
Running time:  107 minutes (1 hour, 47 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence and gore, and language throughout
DIRECTOR:  Johannes Roberts
WRITER:  Johannes Roberts (based upon the video game, Resident Evil)
PRODUCERS:  Hartley Gorenstein, James Harris, and Robert Kulzer
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Maxime Alexandre
EDITOR:  Dev Singh
COMPOSER:  Mark Korven

HORROR/SCI-FI/ACTION

Starring:  Kaya Scodelario, Robbie Amell, Hannah John-Kamen, Tom Hopper, Avan Jogia, Donal Logue, Neal McDonough, Marina Mazepa. Janet Porter, Holly De Barros, Chad Rook, Nathan Dales, Daxton Grey Gujral, and Lily Gail Reid

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is a 2021 science fiction, action, and horror film from writer-director Johannes Roberts.  It is the seventh installment in the Resident Evil film franchise and a reboot of the franchise, which is based upon the Capcom survival horror video game series, Resident Evil.  Welcome to Raccoon City is set in 1998 and focuses on a small group of people trying to survive a zombie outbreak in a small town.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City opens sometime in the 1980s in the small town of Raccoon City.  The Raccoon City Orphanage is the current home of orphaned siblings, Claire Redfield (Lily Gail Reid), and her brother, Chris (Daxton Grey Gujral).  The children are subject to being experimented on by Dr. William Birkin (Neal McDonough), an employee of the Umbrella Corporation, the world's largest pharmaceutical company.  Eventually, Claire manages to run away.

On the rainy night of September 30, 1998, an adult Claire (Kaya Scodelario) returns to Raccoon City.  She hopes to convince her estranged brother, Chris (Robbie Amell), who is now an officer of the Raccoon City Police Department (RPD), that Umbrella is experimenting on the people of the city.  However, Chris is not happy to see his sister, nor does he believe what she tells him about Umbrella's activities.

In fact, Umbrella Corp. has pulled out of Raccoon City, turning it into a ghost town.  The only people still in town are a skeleton crew of the corporation's last employees and those who are too poor to leave.  Before Claire can convince anyone of anything, Raccoon City's remaining citizens start getting sick and eventually, they begin turning into hungry zombies.  Soon, Claire and Chris are each leading a small group of police officers on a quest to escape the city with neither knowing that they are rapidly running out of time.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City was not a success at the box office, which is a shame.  As the first entry in a new series of films, it is superior to Resident Evil, the 2002 film that kicked off the franchise.  I will be honest.  The characters are shallow, but character development and motivation are not the most important things in Welcome to Raccoon City.  The scares are.

To that end, it is very successful.  Writer-director Johannes Roberts turns in a film that makes superb use of nighttime settings, shadows, darkness, and a rainy night.  With film editor, Dev Singh, Roberts strangles his audience with fearsome sequences of zombies and monsters jumping out of every darkness.  There is a scene in which Chris Redfield has to ward off zombies with very little light.  Every time, he fires his weapon, there is a flash that briefly illuminates an attacking zombie.  In fact, Welcome to Raccoon City's zombies may be twenty-first century's scariest.  I felt that with every bump and thump in the night my blood was freezing.

I hope that Johannes Roberts gets a shot at making a sequel to Welcome to Raccoon City.  Online and especially on social media, I have come across complaints about this film, but these complainers must be jaded.  In the blended genre of survival horror and zombie films, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is quite an achievement.

7 of 10
A-

Thursday, March 10, 2022


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

 

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

 

Review: Jackie Chan Really Rumbles in "RUMBLE IN THE BRONX"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 53 of 2021 (No. 1791) by Leroy Douresseaux

Rumble in the Bronx (1996)
Running time: 90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes)
MPAA – R for some language and violent sequences
DIRECTOR:  Stanley Tong
WRITERS:  Edward Tang and Fibe Ma
PRODUCER:  Barbie Tung
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Jingle Ma
EDITOR:  Peter Cheung
COMPOSER:  J. Peter Robinson

MARTIAL ARTS/ACTION/COMEDY

Starring:  Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Francois Yip, Bill Tung, Carrie Cain-Sparks, Morgan Lam, Marc Akerstream, Garvin Cross, Alf Humphries and Kris Lord

[Destin Daniel Cretton, the director of Marvel Studios' “Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings,” has said in interviews that the films of Jackie Chan heavily influenced his Marvel film.  I decided to go back and take a new look at the first Jackie Chan film I saw, “Rumble in the Bronx.”]

Rumble in the Bronx is a 1995 Hong Kong martial arts film starring Jackie Chan and directed by Stanley Tong.  Both Chan and Tong directed the film's action choreography.  Rumble in the Bronx was released in Hong Kong in 1995.  New Line Cinema released an English-dub version of the film with a shorter run time than the original version in February 1996.  The film also introduced Jackie Chan to a mainstream audience in the United States.  Rumble in the Bronx focuses on a young man from Hong Kong who uses his martial arts skills to take on a street gang and murderous mobsters while visiting his uncle in New York City.

Keung (Jackie Chan) comes to New York City to attend the wedding of his Uncle Bill (Bill Tung) to his bride-to-be, Whitney (Carrie Cain-Sparks).  Uncle Bill, who lives in the Bronx, is also about to sell his grocery store, “the Wah-Ha Supermarket.”  Keung meets Elena (Anita Mui), the woman who is buying the supermarket, and he ends up agreeing to stay in the U.S. a little longer to help Elena with the transition of ownership

What Keung does not know is that his uncle's store and this Bronx neighborhood is plagued by a street biker street gang led by a man named Tony (Marc Akerstream).  Keung thwarts the gang members the first time he meets them, but he also meets a Danny Chan (Morgan Lam), a disabled Chinese-American boy whose sister, Nancy (Francois Yip), is a member of the gang.  Keung attempts to help Danny and Nancy, while in constant battle with Tony and his crew.  However, neither Keung or Tony know that they are about to become entangled with a vicious crime lord, White Tiger (Kris Lord).

I had heard of Jackie Chan by reputation long before I had a chance to see Rumble in the Bronx.  Prior to the release of that film in 1996, Chan was an international movie star, but only had a cult following in the U.S.  I do remember that a friend of mine at the time was a huge Jackie Chan fan and went out of her way to see his films.  Also, the fact that Rumble in the Bronx was set in New York City, but was actually shot in and around Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada fascinated some commentators.

The truth about most Jackie Chan films is that they are not about the plot, but are an excuse to show the amazing martial arts, acrobatic, gymnastic, and stunt skills of Jackie Chan.  Chan is an amazing performer and a charismatic movie star, even when speaking in what is not his first language, English.

At the time of the U.S. theatrical release of Rumble in the Bronx, I read an article that said that Chan had been seriously injured while performing his own stunts over forty times.  For much of his career, Chan has done most of his own stunts, and Rumble in the Bronx shows Chan in all his glory.  Watching it, I saw many instances in which he did things that could and should have killed him.  But Chan is like a real-life superhero, getting up every time he is knocked down.  Once I started watching Rumble in the Bronx this most recent time, I had a hard time stopping for anything.  Chan moves so fast that it makes the film seem to be shorter than it actually is.

Rumble in the Bronx is also a bit odd beyond Chan's act.  The film is surprisingly humorous, making it a delightful action-comedy, but it is also unexpectedly violent, including depicting a brutal kind of murder that one would not expect in this film, considering its humorous slant.  However, Rumble in the Bronx also includes one of my favorite Jackie Chan stunts, the scamper through the grocery cart.

Rumble in the Bronx is not a great Jackie Chan film, but truthfully, it was the perfect film in which to introduce mainstream American audiences to one of China's greatest movie stars.  And, also truthful, Rumble in the Bronx is quite enjoyable.

6 of 10
B

Thursday, September 2, 2021


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

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

93 Nations Submitted Entries for the "International Film" Oscar at 93rd Academy Awards

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILMS ELIGIBLE FOR 93RD OSCARS® ANNOUNCED

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced feature films eligible for consideration in the International Feature Film category for the 93rd Academy Awards®.  Eligibility lists by category can be viewed at Oscars.org/93rdFeatureEligibility.  Complete 93rd Academy Awards rules can be found at Oscars.org/rules.

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Ninety-three countries have submitted films that are eligible for consideration in the International Feature Film category for the 93rd Academy Awards.  An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the United States with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track.  Lesotho, Sudan and Suriname are first-time entrants.

Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted to expand the shortlist from 10 to 15 films.  Academy members from all branches are invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must meet a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.  The shortlist of 15 films was announced on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.

93RD ACADEMY AWARDS® ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM CATEGORY:

Listed in alphabetical order by country:
Albania, “Open Door”
Argentina, “The Sleepwalkers”
Armenia, “Songs of Solomon”
Austria, “What We Wanted”
Bangladesh, “Sincerely Yours, Dhaka”
Belgium, “Working Girls”
Bolivia, “Chaco”
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Quo Vadis, Aida?”
Brazil, “Babenco - Tell Me When I Die”
Bulgaria, “The Father”
Cambodia, “Fathers”
Cameroon, “The Fisherman’s Diary”
Canada, “14 Days, 12 Nights”
Chile, “The Mole Agent”
China, “Leap”
Colombia, “El Olvido Que Seremos (Memories of My Father)”
Costa Rica, “Land of Ashes”
Croatia, “Extracurricular”
Cuba, “Buscando a Casal”
Czech Republic, “Charlatan”
Denmark, “Another Round”
Dominican Republic, “A State of Madness”
Ecuador, “Emptiness”
Egypt, “When We’re Born”
Estonia, “The Last Ones”
Finland, “Tove”
France, “Two of Us”
Georgia, “Beginning”
Germany, “And Tomorrow the Entire World”
Greece, “Apples”
Guatemala, “La Llorona”
Honduras, “Days of Light”
Hong Kong, “Better Days”
Hungary, “Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time”
Iceland, “Agnes Joy”
India, “Jallikattu”
Indonesia, “Impetigore”
Iran, “Sun Children”
Ireland, “Arracht”
Israel, “Asia”
Italy, “Notturno”
Ivory Coast, “Night of the Kings”
Japan, “True Mothers”
Jordan, “200 Meters”
Kazakhstan, “The Crying Steppe”
Kenya, “The Letter”
Kosovo, “Exile”
Kyrgyzstan, “Running to the Sky”
Latvia, “Blizzard of Souls”
Lebanon, “Broken Keys”
Lesotho, “This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection”
Lithuania, “Nova Lituania”
Luxembourg, “River Tales”
Malaysia, “Roh”
Mexico, “I’m No Longer Here”
Mongolia, “Veins of the World”
Montenegro, “Breasts”
Morocco, “The Unknown Saint”
Netherlands, “Buladó”
Nigeria, “The Milkmaid”
North Macedonia, “Willow”
Norway, “Hope”
Pakistan, “Circus of Life”
Palestine, “Gaza Mon Amour”
Panama, “Operation Just Cause”
Paraguay, “Killing the Dead”
Peru, “Song without a Name”
Philippines, “Mindanao”
Poland, “Never Gonna Snow Again”
Portugal, “Vitalina Varela”
Romania, “Collective”
Russia, “Dear Comrades!”
Saudi Arabia, “Scales”
Senegal, “Nafi’s Father”
Serbia, “Dara of Jasenovac”
Singapore, “Wet Season”
Slovakia, “The Auschwitz Report”
Slovenia, “Stories from the Chestnut Woods”
South Africa, “Toorbos”
South Korea, “The Man Standing Next”
Spain, “The Endless Trench”
Sudan, “You Will Die at Twenty”
Suriname, “Wiren”
Sweden, “Charter”
Switzerland, “My Little Sister”
Taiwan, “A Sun”
Thailand, “Happy Old Year”
Tunisia, “The Man Who Sold His Skin”
Turkey, “Miracle in Cell No. 7”
Ukraine, “Atlantis”
Uruguay, “Aleli”
Venezuela, “Once upon a Time in Venezuela”
Vietnam, “Dreamy Eyes”

All dates and rules for the 93rd Academy Awards are subject to change based on national guidelines, state-mandated government orders and Academy-determined best practices.

Nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards will be announced on Monday, March 15, 2021.

The 93rd Oscars® will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2021, and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

###


ABOUT THE ACADEMY:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

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

CBS All Access Canada Now Streaming "Console Wars" Documentary

CBS All Access’ First Feature-Length Documentary “CONSOLE WARS” Now Available in Canada

From Legendary Television and CBS Studios, the Documentary Film Provides a Front Row Seat to the Iconic ‘90s Battle Between Video Game Companies Sega and Nintendo

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CBS All Access, ViacomCBS’ subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, today announced that its feature-length documentary CONSOLE WARS is available to stream on the service in Canada starting, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. CONSOLE WARS is currently available to stream for CBS All Access subscribers in the United States and marks the first feature-length documentary for both the service and Legendary Television.

An Official Selection of the 2020 SXSW Film Festival, CONSOLE WARS takes viewers back to 1990 when Sega, a fledgling arcade company, assembled a team of underdogs to take on the greatest video game company in the world, Nintendo. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, no-holds-barred conflict that pit brother against brother, kids against grownups, Sonic against Mario and American’s unique brand of capitalism against centuries-old Japanese tradition. For the first time ever, the men and women who fought on the front lines for Sega and Nintendo discuss this battle that defined a generation.

CONSOLE WARS is produced and directed by Jonah Tulis and Blake J. Harris, author of the bestselling book of the same name, and also produced by Legendary Television and CBS Studios. Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen, James Weaver, Josh Fagen (Point Grey Pictures) and Scott Rudin and Eli Bush (Scott Rudin Productions) are executive producers, and Julian Rosenberg (Circle of Confusion), Doug Blush (MadPix Films) and Katie Mustard produced the film.

About CBS All Access Canada:

CBS All Access is ViacomCBS’ direct-to-consumer digital subscription video-on-demand and live streaming service. For $5.99 CAD, CBS All Access offers Canadian viewers more than 8,500 commercial-free episodes on demand, spanning full current seasons of select CBS series, entire previous seasons and classic shows, as well as the ability to live stream CBSN, CBS News’ 24/7 streaming news service. CBS All Access is available in Canada at cbsallaccess.ca, on iOS and Android mobile and tablet devices, and connected device platforms including Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast and Roku devices. In addition, the service is now available on the newly launched Apple TV Channels.

To sign up for CBS All Access in Canada, visit: cbsallaccess.ca

About Legendary Television:

Legendary Television is a leading global full-service television studio specializing in financing, developing and producing quality genre and character-driven projects for multiple platforms. Championing compelling auteur-driven storytelling featuring renowned talent, Legendary’s Television roster includes: the reboot of the classic family adventure series LOST IN SPACE, for Netflix; CARNIVAL ROW, a fantasy noir drama starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne, for Amazon; and PACIFIC RIM, an original anime series expanding the story of the first two live action movies, for Netflix. Upcoming projects include: DUNE: THE SISTERHOOD, based on one of the most popular science fiction franchises of all time, for HBO Max; PAPER GIRLS, based on Brian K. Vaughan’s best-selling graphic novel, for Amazon; and DEBRIS, the sci-fi drama from J.H. Wyman and starring Jonathan Tucker and Riann Steele, for NBC. To learn more visit: www.legendary.com.

 

About CBS Studios:CBS Studios is one of the industry’s leading suppliers of programming with more than 70 series currently in production across broadcast and cable networks, streaming services and other emerging platforms. The Studio’s expansive portfolio spans a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed scripted programming, genre-defining franchises including the ever-growing “Star Trek” universe, award-winning late night and daytime talk shows, and an extensive library of iconic intellectual property.

 

A review of Console Wars the original book is here.

 

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

 

 Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

 

 

Sony Pictures to Release "The Broken Hearts Gallery" to Theaters July 10th

Sony Pictures Announces First Major Studio Wide Release Of The Summer

The Studio Has Acquired Natalie Krinsky’s Directorial Debut, ‘The Broken Hearts Gallery’, For Theatrical Release July 10, 2020

The Romantic Comedy Stars Geraldine Viswanathan And Dacre Montgomery, From Producers No Trace Camping And Executive Producer Selena Gomez

Culver City, CA – Sony Pictures will roll out the first major studio wide release of the summer beginning July 10, 2020 -- in theaters only -- as cinemas in the U.S. begin to safely reopen. In a competitive situation, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions’ Stage 6 Films acquired worldwide rights to writer/director Natalie Krinsky’s directorial debut, The Broken Hearts Gallery, from producer and financier No Trace Camping. Elevation Pictures will distribute the film in Canada.

The romantic comedy stars Geraldine Viswanathan, Dacre Montgomery, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Molly Gordon, Phillipa Soo, Suki Waterhouse, Arturo Castro, Ego Nwodim, Taylor Hill and Bernadette Peters.

“Hearing from more female writers and directors is very much needed. Natalie is a wonderful talent and I am happy to be a part of her debut film. I understand people’s concerns regarding returning to activities we all loved prior to COVID-19. I hope everyone will listen to scientists’ recommendations and consider others’ health and safety while enjoying the movie theater experience,” said Executive Producer Selena Gomez. 

“Now more than ever, The Broken Hearts Gallery will resonate with audiences ready for a feel-good moviegoing experience this summer,” said Josh Greenstein, Motion Picture Group President. “We have faith in a theatrical rebound, and we look forward to being there right out of the gate with our exhibition partners’ anticipated reemergence, as -- and when -- state-by-state safety guidelines are met.”

“I am beyond thrilled Sony has defined our relationship by bringing The Broken Hearts Gallery into the world,” said writer/director Natalie Krinsky. “Getting a film made -- especially your first -- is like finding a soulmate: years of heartbreak and (maybe) ultimate triumph. In this moment of distance it feels good to fall in love. I can't wait for audiences to (safely) see it in theatres.”

What if you saved a souvenir from every relationship you’ve ever been in? The Broken Hearts Gallery follows the always unique Lucy (Geraldine Viswanathan), a 20-something art gallery assistant living in New York City, who also happens to be an emotional hoarder.  After she gets dumped by her latest boyfriend, Lucy is inspired to create The Broken Heart Gallery, a pop-up space for the items love has left behind.  Word of the gallery spreads, encouraging a movement and a fresh start for all the romantics out there, including Lucy herself.

The film is produced and financed by No Trace Camping’s David Gross and executive produced by Selena Gomez, Mandy Teefey, Jesse Shapira, Jeff Arkuss, Josh Clay Phillips, Mason Novick and Michelle Knudsen. Produced with the participation of Telefilm Canada and Ontario Creates.

Endeavor Content and Jamie Feldman of LGNAFC negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers.


About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is 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. Sony Pictures Television operates dozens of wholly-owned or joint-venture production companies around the world. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html

About No Trace Camping
No Trace Camping is an independent feature film financier and production company based in Toronto and Los Angeles. Its principals are Jesse Shapira, David Gross and Jeff Arkuss. Founded in 2008, the company produced the Academy Award®-winning Room, as well as the films Goon, Goon: Last of the Enforcers, What If and Kin.

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

"The Kids in the Hall" Returns for an 8-Episode Run on Amazon

The Kids Are Back! Amazon Prime Video to Bring Back The Kids in the Hall With New Episodes as First Canadian Amazon Original Series

Brand new episodes of the beloved Canadian sketch series will come to Prime Video for Canada and around the world in more than 200 countries and territories

Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video and Canadian production company Project 10 on board to produce

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(Nasdaq:AMZN) – Amazon announced that the critically-acclaimed sketch comedy series, The Kids in the Hall, will be making a comeback on Prime Video. With the return of all of the original “Kids,” the 8-episode Amazon Original series, which will be a continuation of the original show, will be available to Prime members in Canada and around the world in more than 200 countries and territories.

    “We’ve been investing in Canada for several years and are excited to add to that momentum by making The Kids in the Hall the first Canadian Amazon Original series”

First premiering in 1989, the original Emmy Award-nominated The Kids in the Hall starred Canadian comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson. All of the original “Kids” will be reprising fan-favorite characters (and assuming some new ones) for the series’ next iteration. The original series earned multiple Gemini Awards along with the cast being honored with the Canadian Screen Awards ICON AWARD in 2019. The series will be executive produced by Saturday Night Live creator, Lorne Michaels.

“We’ve been investing in Canada for several years and are excited to add to that momentum by making The Kids in the Hall the first Canadian Amazon Original series,” said James Farrell, Vice President of International Originals for Amazon Studios. “The Kids in the Hall is an iconic show with a deep-rooted fan base. Several of our global hits, including The Boys, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and The Expanse have been filmed in Canada and we are looking forward to continuing our work with talented producers and crew teams across the country to bring this series to our Prime members around the world.”

“Even after 30 years, The Kids in the Hall has retained its brilliance and originality,” said Executive Producer, Lorne Michaels. “We are happy to be bringing back all of the original ‘Kids’ for the new series.”

Since 2015, Prime Video has filmed 18 Amazon Original series and films in Canada, including The Man in the High Castle and the upcoming series Upload in Vancouver, The Boys and The Expanse in Toronto, the upcoming Tales from the Loop in Winnipeg, as well as parts of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and the upcoming film, The Voyeurs in Montreal. The Kids in the Hall will be the first Canadian Amazon Original series and follows the release of Amazon Original series that have been launched around the world in countries including Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Japan, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S. The series will join thousands of TV shows and movies in the Prime Video catalogue, including award winning and critically-acclaimed Amazon Originals such as 2020 Golden Globe and Emmy award-winner Fleabag, Emmy and Golden Globe award-winner The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and the recently released Hunters, from Executive Producer Jordan Peele and starring Al Pacino.


About Prime Video
Prime Video is a premium streaming service that offers Prime members a collection of award winning Amazon Original series, thousands of movies and TV shows—all with the ease of finding what they love to watch in one place. Find out more at PrimeVideo.com.

•     Included with Prime Video: Watch thousands of popular movies and TV shows, including our critically-acclaimed Amazon Originals such as the Emmy Award-winning comedies Fleabag and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Boys, Homecoming, Hanna, Good Omens, Carnival Row, Guava Island from Donald Glover, exclusives, live sports including Thursday Night Football and licensed and self-published content available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
•     Watch more with Prime Video Channels: Prime members can add channels they love such as Hayu, Starz and STACKTV, an all-in entertainment multipack offering the latest episodes of hit shows from 12 great networks. Most subscriptions start with a free trial, and you can cancel anytime.
•     Instant Access: Watch where you want, when you want with the Prime Video app on Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android and iOS, compatible Smart TVs, select game consoles, select MVPDs including Shaw and Rogers, or online at PrimeVideo.com. In the Prime Video app on mobile and tablet, Prime members can download most videos and watch them anywhere offline at no additional cost.
•     Included with Prime: Prime members have access to further entertainment benefits including music and reading, alongside free delivery on millions of items as fast as same-day for just CAD$ 79/year or CAD$ 7.99/month (plus applicable taxes). Eligible customers can sign-up for a free 30-day trial. Learn more at amazon.ca/prime.

About Prime
Prime was designed to make your life better every single day. Over 150 million paid members around the world enjoy the many benefits of Prime, including shopping and entertainment. For Canada, that includes unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video, Prime Video Channels, ad-free listening of over one million songs on Prime Music, unlimited access to hundreds of books with Prime Reading, free games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, free unlimited photo storage with Amazon Photos, early access to select Lightning Deals, Prime Day, and more. Prime was built on the foundation of unlimited fast, free shipping and members receive Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary, Prime FREE One-Day Delivery in 33 cities and towns, and unlimited FREE Two-Day Shipping on millions of items. Prime is CDN $79 per year or CDN $7.99 a month and eligible customers can start a free trial at amazon.ca/prime. University and college students can join Prime Student for 50% off and enjoy the benefits of Prime with a six-month free trial at amazon.ca/primestudent. Amazon Business customers—from small businesses to large enterprises, as well as education, government and non-profit organizations—can also take advantage of Prime’s fast, free shipping and exclusive business-relevant benefits with Business Prime, which starts at CDN $109 per year for up to three users at amazon.ca/businessprime.

About Broadway Video
Broadway Video is a global media and entertainment company focused on the creation and distribution of premier content. Founded by Lorne Michaels in 1979, Broadway Video’s legacy originated with the cultural icon Saturday Night Live. Broadway Video has since built a stable of television programs including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Shrill, Los Espookys, Documentary Now!, Late Night with Seth Meyers, A.P. Bio, Miracle Workers, The Other Two, Detroiters, Portlandia, 30 Rock and feature films such as Wayne’s World and Mean Girls. Broadway Video has also created and launched the digital studios Above Average, Más Mejor, and The Kicker.

About Project 10 Productions
Project 10 is a global television production company with offices in Toronto and Los Angeles specializing in scripted comedy. The company works closely with high-profile talent to develop and produce compelling content for the worldwide marketplace. The principal executives for Project 10 Productions Inc. are Andrew Barnsley, Ben Murray (Toronto) and Andrew Moncrief (Los Angeles). Leveraging their considerable strengths and decades of experience with those of partner and three-time MLB All-Star Vernon Wells, Project 10 has established itself as a go-to partner for domestic and international creators, broadcasters and distributors alike.

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

Warner Bros. to Release "Detective Chinatown 3" in the U.S. and Canada

Warner Bros. Pictures to Kick Off Chinese New Year with North American Theatrical Release of “Detective Chinatown 3”

Latest installment of the blockbuster franchise, starring Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran, to debut in U.S. and Canada, day-and-date with China release.

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In celebration of the Chinese New Year, Warner Bros. Pictures will invite audiences throughout the U.S. and Canada to experience the newest chapter in the hugely popular international franchise with the domestic theatrical release of “Detective Chinatown 3.” The action-comedy-mystery sequel is set to open in more than 150 theaters and limited IMAX engagements in major cities across North America, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Toronto and Vancouver, on Friday, January 24, 2020, day-and-date with the film’s much-anticipated release in China by Wanda Pictures. “Detective Chinatown 3” is one of the widest releases among all Mandarin language films in North America in recent years.

Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran reprise their roles as a mismatched crime-solving duo in the film, again written and directed by Chen Sicheng (“Detective Chinatown,” “Detective Chinatown 2”). Set in Tokyo, where the pair embarks on their latest misadventure, the film also features Thai martial arts superstar Tony Jaa (“Furious 7,” the “Ong Bak” movies) and Japanese actors Satoshi Tsumabuki (“Detective Chinatown 2,” “Paradise Next”) and Tadanobu Asano (“Midway,” “Thor: Ragnarok”). “Detective Chinatown 3” is subtitled in Chinese and English. Click here to view the trailer.

Chinatown detectives Tang Ren (Wang Baoqiang) and Qin Feng (Liu Haoran) head to Tokyo to join Japanese investigator Noda Hiroshi (Satoshi Tsumabuki) on a high-profile case involving the murder of a powerful businessman… and the prime suspect is the president of the lethal Black Dragon Gang. But they’re not the only ones taking on the challenge, as detectives from “CRIMASTER World Detective Rankings” also converge in Tokyo to help catch the killer. The appearance of the number one-ranked super-sleuth “Q” on the scene raises the stakes and makes the case even more suspicious for Tang Ren and Qin Feng, who are plunged headlong into the ultimate challenge as the strongest detectives in Asia join forces and fight it out to crack the case.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents, in association with Wanda Media Co., Ltd., As One Pictures (Bei Jing) Co., Ltd., and China Film Co., Ltd., “Detective Chinatown 3,” starring Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran. Written and directed by Chen Sicheng, the film also stars Satoshi Tsumabuki, Tony Jaa, Masami Nagasawa, Shota Sometani, Honami Suzuki, Eiji Okuda, Tadanobu Asano, Tomokazu Miura and Shang Yuxian, with special appearances by Xiao Yang, Zhang Zifeng, Roy Chiu, Ning Chang, Janice Man, Zhang Yibai and Clara Lee. “Detective Chinatown 3” is being distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Warner Bros. Pictures, and in China by Wanda Pictures. The film is rated R for brief violence/bloody images.

The first “Detective Chinatown” opened in China in 2015, quickly becoming a surprise hit and turning Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran into bona fide box office stars. Set in Thailand, the film successfully blended the action comedy and mystery thriller genres, delighting audiences across the world. Its sequel, which relocated the action to New York, opened in China and across the globe during the 2018 Chinese New Year period, including North America, where it was released by Warner Bros. Pictures, and went on to earn an astounding $544 million worldwide. “Detective Chinatown 2” is currently ranked No. 6 on the list of highest-grossing films in China.

Warner Bros. Pictures will release “Detective Chinatown 3” in the following markets on January 24, 2020.

United States:

    Albany
    Atlanta
    Austin
    Baltimore
    Boston
    Champaign
    Charlotte, NC
    Chicago
    Cleveland
    Columbus, GA
    Columbus, OH
    Dallas
    Denver
    Detroit
    Eugene, OR
    Honolulu
    Houston
    Indianapolis
    Kansas City
    Lafayette, IN
    Lansing
    Las Vegas
    Los Angeles
    Madison
    Miami
    Minneapolis
    New Haven
    New Orleans
    New York
    Orlando
    Philadelphia
    Phoenix
    Pittsburgh
    Portland, OR
    Raleigh-Durham, NC
    Sacramento
    San Diego
    San Francisco
    Seattle
    St. Louis
    Syracuse
    Tampa Bay
    Tulsa

Canada:

    Calgary
    Edmonton
    Halifax
    Montreal
    Ottawa
    Toronto
    Vancouver
    Winnipeg

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

IMDb TV to Stream "Corner Gas Animated" Beginning Oct. 15th

IMDb Original Series Corner Gas Animated to Premiere on IMDb TV in the U.S. on October 15, 2019

IMDb TV becomes exclusive U.S. home of CTV’s smash-hit Corner Gas franchise

Corner Gas Animated is based on Corner Gas, Canada's highest-rated live-action comedy franchise of all-time

Viewers can now stream the smash hit live-action comedy Corner Gas (107 episodes), Corner Gas: The Movie and Corner Gas Animated (24 episodes) for free on IMDb TV

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ:AMZN) — IMDb TV, a free streaming service offering thousands of premium movies and TV shows for everyday TV viewing, today announced that Corner Gas Animated will debut on IMDb TV as an IMDb Original series. Based on Canada’s most popular comedy brand of all-time, the award-winning Corner Gas Animated series brings the beloved characters of Corner Gas to life in a new, reimagined way. Beginning October 15, 2019, 24 episodes of Corner Gas Animated Season 1 and 2 will be available for the first time in the U.S. on the IMDb TV app on Fire TV, the Prime Video app, IMDb.com and the IMDb mobile apps.

    “Corner Gas is already known and loved by many across North America and we couldn’t be happier for Corner Gas Animated to join our family of IMDb Originals, bringing even more ways for viewers to be entertained”

From CTV, Canada's #1 television brand, Corner Gas Animated is joined exclusively in the U.S. on IMDb TV by Canada's highest-rated live-action comedy franchise of all-time, Corner Gas, including 107 episodes of the International Emmy Award nominated, six-season sitcom and the 90-minute feature film, Corner Gas: The Movie. The live-action franchise features dozens of notable guest stars, including two Canadian Prime Ministers.

“Corner Gas is already known and loved by many across North America and we couldn’t be happier for Corner Gas Animated to join our family of IMDb Originals, bringing even more ways for viewers to be entertained,” said Mark Eamer, Vice President of IMDb TV. “Corner Gas fans can now enjoy the entire Corner Gas franchise for free in one place as it finds its new exclusive home on IMDb TV in the U.S.”

Created, starring and executive produced by award-winning showrunner and stand-up comedian Brent Butt, the Corner Gas franchise centers around the colorful characters of Dog River – a fictional rural town forty miles from nowhere and way beyond normal. The ensemble cast stars Brent Butt as Brent Leroy, owner of a roadside service station, with Gabrielle Miller as Lacey Burrows, Fred Ewanuick as Hank Yarbo, Eric Peterson as Oscar Leroy, Lorne Cardinal as Sgt. Davis Quinton, Tara Spencer-Nairn as Constable Karen Pelly, Nancy Robertson as Wanda Dollard, and Corrine Koslo who replaces the late Janet Wright as Emma Leroy.

The new IMDb Original series Corner Gas Animated features an all-star lineup of cameos, including actor Michael J. Fox, comedian Russell Peters, singer/songwriters Jann Arden and Sarah McLachlan, astronaut Chris Hadfield and Epic Meal Time’s Harley Morenstein.

“When we started producing the original sitcom Corner Gas, we didn't expect it to become a breakout hit with millions of viewers, multiple awards, spin out movie and animated series, and run for over a decade," said Creator, Showrunner, Executive Producer and star Brent Butt. "Sharing the Corner Gas franchise with our U.S. fan base is a dream come true."

“Americans asked us to bring Corner Gas Animated to the U.S.," said Executive Producer Virginia Thompson. “We promised it was coming. Now it’s here! The all-new animated series, along with the live-action sitcom and movie will be available all in one place. A big thank you to IMDb TV for being our brand champion in the U.S.”

Corner Gas Animated joins the IMDb Originals line-up alongside short-form series, including the animated, scripted series You’re Not a Monster, which will begin streaming later this month, as well as The IMDb Show, IMDbrief and Casting Calls. These IMDb Originals complement IMDb TV’s extensive collection of premium movies and TV shows across a range of genres, including comedy, kids and family, romance, thrillers, science fiction, documentaries, horror and more. Fans of the hit show The Middle can enjoy all nine seasons exclusively on IMDb TV, along with other popular series, like Midsomer Murders and Columbo. Movie buffs will also enjoy must-watch titles, including Academy Award-winning film La La Land, Academy Award-nominated film Drive, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and more.

To learn more about IMDb TV, visit www.imdb.com/tv and follow @IMDbTV.

View video: Corner Gas Animated trailer and Corner Gas live action trailer.


About IMDb TV
IMDb TV is a free streaming video service with thousands of premium movies and TV shows available anytime. It’s everyday TV for everyone, and here’s why fans love it.

•     Content You Want to Watch: IMDb TV brings new titles to the service every month, providing viewers with endless options to be entertained and informed. With a wide selection of genres including comedy, kids and family, romance, thrillers, science fiction, documentaries, horror and more, IMDb has must see movies and TV shows for all entertainment fans.
•     Free: IMDb TV is free. Period.
•     Less Is More: IMDb TV has half the ads of linear TV.
•     It’s. So. Easy. IMDb TV is available in the U.S. on the IMDb website and as a free Channel within the Prime Video and IMDb apps across hundreds of devices. To use IMDb TV on Fire TV, customers can find the icon in the “Your Apps & Channels” row, making it easy to find free movies and TV shows. Using the Alexa Voice Remote or paired Echo device, simply say “Alexa, go to IMDb TV.”

About CTV
CTV is Canada’s #1 television brand. CTV provides unparalleled entertainment programming across two broadcast television networks; a powerful suite of specialty channels including CTV Comedy Channel, CTV Drama Channel, CTV Life Channel, and CTV Sci-Fi Channel; and digital platforms CTV.ca, CTV Throwback, CTV Movies, and the CTV app. CTV has been Canada’s most-watched television network for the past 18 years in a row and features a wide range of sports and information programming, including CTV News, Canada’s highest-rated national and local newscasts. CTV comes from Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and out-of-home advertising.

In Canada, the Corner Gas franchise is exclusively available on Bell Media platforms including CTV.ca, CTV Throwback, CTV Comedy Channel, the CTV app, and Bell Media's SVOD service, Crave.

About the Corner Gas Franchise
With an illustrious 15-year history, Corner Gas is Canada’s most popular comedy brand of all-time. A Canadian cultural phenomenon, the brand spawned two chart-topping books, sold-out comedy tours, a successful line of merchandise, a top-selling series of DVDs, a Christmas special and song and a thriving tourist industry in Rouleau, Saskatchewan, where the live-action sitcom and movie were filmed on location.

On January 22, 2004, Corner Gas, the live-action sitcom, premiered on Canadian broadcaster CTV and was an immediate runaway hit. During the majority of its six-season run, Corner Gas was the #1 primetime sitcom (Canadian or American) in Canada, maintaining an impressive average audience of 1.4 million viewers over its 107-episode run. The series finale made television history when a record-breaking 3.02 million viewers tuned in on April 13, 2009. It remains the largest audience on record for a Canadian scripted television series.

During the 2007-2009 television seasons, the series was carried by WGN America airing in the U.S. and over two dozen countries world-wide.

The series received an International Emmy nomination and won seven Gemini Awards including Best Comedy and Best Comedy Ensemble, nine Canadian Comedy Awards, four Writers Guild of Canada Awards, three Directors Guild of Canada Awards and 12 Leos.

In December 2014 the 90-minute feature film Corner Gas: The Movie was released theatrically in over 100 cinemas across Canada. The film sold-out theatres during its eight-day event-based theatrical run, attracted more than 7 million Canadian TV viewers and issued a best-selling DVD. Corner Gas: The Movie won the 2016 Golden Screen Award for the most-watched scripted program of the year.

In April 2018, Corner Gas Animated debuted on CTV Comedy Channel, the commissioning Canadian broadcaster (formerly known as The Comedy Network). It was the most-watched series premiere in the history of channel. In July 2019, Season 2 launched on CTV Comedy Channel to record breaking numbers. It won the 2019 Canadian Screen Award for Best Writing, Animation and a 2019 Leo Award for Best Animation in a Program or Series.

In December 2018, Corner Gas, the 107-episode live-action sitcom and Corner Gas: The Movie, the 90-minute movie launched on Amazon Prime Video, through Prime Video Direct, in the U.S. and over 60 countries worldwide, quickly becoming a fan favorite on the service.

Brent Butt of Sparrow Media, David Storey of Aslan Entertainment and Virginia Thompson of Vérité Films are executive producers and distributors of the Corner Gas franchise in association with commissioning broadcasters CTV and CTV Comedy Channel (formerly The Comedy Network).

Corner Gas Animated merchandise is available at amazon.com/cornergas.

About Prairie Pants Distribution
Prairie Pants Distribution Inc. is owned and operated by Brent Butt (Sparrow Media), David Storey (Aslan Entertainment) and Virginia Thompson (Vérité Films). It is the distributor of Corner Gas Animated and Corner Gas: The Movie, and the sales agent, on behalf of distributor Bell Media, of the 107-episode live-action sitcom Corner Gas. For more information about the distribution of the Corner Gas franchise, go to veritefilms.ca.

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

Sony Pictures Classics to Distribute "French Exit" in the United States

Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Azazel Jacobs’ “French Exit” Starring Oscar® Nominee Michelle Pfeiffer And Oscar® Nominee Lucas Hedges

Film To Start Production In Montreal & Paris In October

NEW YORK – Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired all rights in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, China and worldwide airlines to Azazel Jacobs’ FRENCH EXIT. The film stars Oscar® nominee Michelle Pfeiffer and Oscar® nominee Lucas Hedges, and is set to start production this October in Montreal and Paris. 

Written by award-winning Canadian novelist Patrick deWitt, FRENCH EXIT is based on deWitt’sinternational bestselling book of the same title, which was shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize.

“My plan was to die before the money ran out,” says 60-year-old penniless Manhattan socialite Frances Price (Michelle Pfeiffer), but things didn’t go as planned. Her husband Franklin has been dead for 20 years and with his vast inheritance gone, she cashes in the last of her possessions and resolves to live out her twilight days anonymously in a modest apartment in Paris, accompanied by her directionless son Malcolm (Hedges) and the embodiment of Franklin in the form of 'Small Frank', the family cat.

“To work with Sony Pictures Classics is a dream come true for me. They have given us so many beautiful, inspiring films over the years, and the incredible care and expertise with which they release them has always impressed me. As I prepare to embark on production, I am happy and relieved to know that French Exit will ultimately be in their hands,” said Azazel Jacobs.

"When I wrote the novel and screenplay I couldn't have imagined a more exciting cast to embody these characters. Sony Classics is a dream distributor consistently delivering smart, quality work. I'm honored to be working with this incredibly talented team.," said Patrick deWitt.

"French Exit is the fresh, distinctive screenplay we've been looking for all year. Based on the spectacular best selling novel by Patrick DeWitt with settings in the New York and Paris we've grown to love, DeWitt’s screenplay has dialogue, witty and strong and rich characters in the mold of the best Hollywood comedies. This promises goldmine performances from Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges. We couldn't be more pleased to be working with director Azazel Jacobs, a formidable voice in independent film," added Sony Pictures Classics.

The Canadian/ Irish international co-production is produced by Rocket Science, Elevation Pictures, Screen Siren Pictures and Blinder Films.

CAA Media Finance and Rocket Science brokered the deal with Sony Pictures Classics.

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions previously picked up all other international territories excluding Canada and Switzerland.

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

Image Comics Announces Sci-Fi Comic Book, "Little Bird"

DARK SCIENCE-FICTION MINISERIES OUT THIS MARCH, LITTLE BIRD, EXPLORES AN ULTRA-NATIONALIST NORTH AMERICA

PORTLAND, OR — Director/screenwriter Darcy Van Poelgeest boasts a long list of awards and accolades for his storytelling prowess and brings the same writing finesse to Ian Bertram’s breathtakingly detailed artwork in the gorgeous, hyper-detailed miniseries Little Bird launching from Image Comics this March.

“Little Bird is really just Ian and I sitting down and creating a comic we really want to read, inhabited with characters we genuinely love,” said Van Poelgeest. “It’s been an exciting and emotional journey creating this book, and I can’t wait for others to join us on that journey.”

Bertram burst onto the scene with his haunting, macabre collaboration with Peter J. Tomasi on House of Penance, the eerie, unsettling comic series about the Winchester haunted house. He brings a similarly intricate inking style to the pages of Little Bird.

With the same limitless scope as a new East of West or Saga—and the drama and surrealism of Akira—Little Bird follows a young resistance fighter in a science-fiction style reminiscent of Alejandro Jodorowsky.

In the world of Little Bird, North America has been devastated by three decades of war as the American Empire expands under an ultra-nationalist, theocratic government. But from the ashes of defeat rises Little Bird, a 12-year old girl who sets out to reignite the Canadian Resistance and discover her own identity in a world on fire.

Little Bird #1 (Diamond Code JAN190099) will be available on Wednesday, March 13, 2019. The final order cutoff deadline for comics shop retailers is Monday, Feb. 18, 2019.

The digital edition of Little Bird #1 will also be available for purchase across many digital platforms, including the official Image Comics iOS app, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play.


ABOUT DARCY VAN POELGEEST
Darcy Van Poelgeest is a multi-award winning writer and director living in Vancouver, B.C. His film work has screened internationally at festivals, broadcast on TV, shown in galleries, and become a best seller on iTunes. His debut comic series Little Bird will be released through Image Comics & Glènat Editions in the Spring of 2019.

ABOUT IAN BERTRAM
Ian Bertram is an artist living and working in New York. By combining a love of storytelling with precise, meditative mark making, he creates mystical, grotesque, and primal portraits of the strange. He has published with Marvel, DC, Image Comics, and Dark Horse Comics. He has shown work in New York, Sri Lanka, and Paris.

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has six individuals on the Board of Directors: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, Jim Valentino, and Eric Stephenson. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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

Miami Film Festival Announces Short Film Competition Nominees

IMDbPro and MDC’s Miami Film Festival Announce 25 Finalists for IMDbPro Short Film Competition

All 25 Finalists Will Screen at the Festival and Compete for the Grand Jury Selection of the Best Short Film of the Year and $2,500 Cash Prize to be Presented at the Festival’s Awards Night Gala on March 17, 2018

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Miami Dade College’s (MDC) acclaimed Miami Film Festival and IMDbPro (www.imdbpro.com), the essential resource for entertainment industry professionals, unveiled 25 finalists in the Festival’s IMDbPro Short Film Competition. The 25 finalists were selected by a programming committee of filmmakers, cinephiles and film industry professionals in Miami and internationally, under the direction of the Festival’s Director of Programming, and will all screen at the Festival and compete for the Grand Jury selection of the best short film of the year, to be presented at the Festival’s Awards Night Gala on March 17, 2018. The Short Film Competition Grand Jury will include IMDb Founder and CEO Col Needham and others to be announced, and the winning filmmaker will receive a $2,500 cash prize.

    “We congratulate the finalists of the IMDbPro Short Film Competition and are pleased that all submissions were exclusively received and processed via the IMDbPro Withoutabox service, which connects filmmakers and film festivals”

The internationally renowned Miami Film Festival, which celebrates its 35th anniversary edition this year, will take place March 9 – 18, 2018 at venues across Miami. Tickets went on sale to members of the Miami Film Society on February 9, 2018 and the general public on February 16, 2018 at miamifilmfestival.com or 1-844-565-6433 (MIFF).

“We congratulate the finalists of the IMDbPro Short Film Competition and are pleased that all submissions were exclusively received and processed via the IMDbPro Withoutabox service, which connects filmmakers and film festivals,” said Matt Kumin, Head of IMDbPro. “This short film competition is one of the many ways we help filmmakers get discovered by a global audience and advance their careers.”

“The short film is an art form unto itself,” said Miami Film Festival director Jaie Laplante. “Life comes at us in short bursts, and these 25 wonderful films expertly capture the brief sensations of insight we are momentarily afforded in the enormous volume of information that crowds our lives.”

Highlights among the 25 finalists of the Festival’s 2018 IMDbPro Short Film Competition include:

•     Adrián Cárdenas, a Cuban-American writer/director from Miami and former Major League baseball player for the Chicago Cubs, will present his NYU Tisch School of the Arts master’s thesis film, “Canoe Poems.”
•     Six new animated shorts will compete from the National Film Board of Canada, this category’s defending champion. The 2017 Miami Film Festival’s Best Short-winning film was the NFB’s “The Head Vanishes,” by Franck Dion.
•     Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei and Oscar-nominee Minnie Driver star in Jocelyn Stamat’s unusual sci-fi/horror entry, “Laboratory Conditions.”
•     Three-time and currently Oscar-nominated makeup artist Kazuhiro Tsuji’s work in the physical transformation of 2018 Oscar nominee Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour is profiled in “The Human Face.”
•     Palestinian filmmaker Mahdi Fleifel returns to the competition for a third consecutive time with the BAFTA-nominated “A Drowning Man,” first presented as a Palme d’Or candidate at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.
•     Miami-born Michael Arcos will present his eclectic “This My Favorite Mural” and Miami-educated Sara Werner will present “The Things They Left Behind,” based on a story by Stephen King.

The complete list of 25 films in the Festival’s IMDbPro Short Film Competition are:

1. BROKEN HILL (Australia, 2017), directed by Peter Drew.
2. THE CANNONBALL WOMAN (Canada, France, Switzerland, 2017), directed by Albertine Zullo, David Toutevoix.
3. CANOE POEMS (USA, 2017), directed by Adrián Cárdenas.
4. DEYZANGEROO (Canada, 2017), directed by Ehsan Gharib.
5. A DROWNING MAN (Denmark, Greece, UK 2017), directed by Mahdi Fleifel.
6. EMMY (Canada, 2018), directed by Hannah Cheesman.
7. THE FISHERMAN (Cuba, 2017), directed by Ana A. Alpizar.
8. (FOOL TIME) JOB (France, 2017), directed by Gilles Cuvelier.
9. THE FULL STORY (UK, 2017), directed by Daisy Jacobs.
10. HOLY HILL (Dominican Republic, 2017), directed by Rodney Llaverias.
11. THE HUMAN FACE (USA, 2017), directed by Aline Pimentel.
12. LABORATORY CONDITIONS (USA, 2017), directed by Jocelyn Stamat.
13. LOS COMANDOS (USA, 2017), directed by Joshua Bennett, Juliana Schatz.
14. MANIVALD (Canada, Croatia, Estonia 2017), directed by Chintis Lundgren.
15. MI DULCINEA (Cuba, 2017), directed by Max Barbakow.
16. MOTHER (Spain, 2017), directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen.
17. MY TREASURE (El Salvador, 2017), directed by Michael Flores.
18. MY YIDDISH PAPI (Canada, 2017), directed by Éléonore Goldberg.
19. NO TRAFFIC NO MORE (Canada, 2017), directed by Julie Roy
20. SKIN FOR SKIN (Canada, 2017), directed by Kevin D. A. Kurytnik, Carol Beecher.
21. THE TESLA WORLD LIGHT (Canada, 2017), directed by Matthew Rankin.
22. THE THINGS THEY LEFT BEHIND (USA, 2017), directed by Sara Werner.
23. THIS MY FAVORITE MURAL (USA, Honduras, Costa Rica, 2017), directed by Michael Arcos.
24. TO GO (Uruguay, 2018), directed by Ilan Rosenfeld.
25. UNFINISHED, 2017 (MIXED MEDIA) (USA, 2018), directed by Rafael Salazar Moreno.

The Grand Jury selection for the IMDbPro Short Film Award and $2,500 cash prize will be presented at the Festival’s Awards Night Gala on March 17, at the Olympia Theater and The Historic Alfred I. Dupont Building in downtown Miami, as part of the Festival’s CINEDWNTWN GALA series sponsored by Miami Downtown Development Authority (DDA). Tickets for the Awards Night Gala are already on sale via 1-844-565-6433 (MIFF) or miamifilmfestival.com.

The Canadian short films in this section are presented with the support of Telefilm Canada, and all French-language shorts are additionally presented by TV5 Monde. The screening of “Mother” is made possible with the support of Acción Cultural Española, AC/E.

For membership opportunities or more information, visit miamifilmfestival.com or call 305-237-FILM (3456). Miami Film Festival is the only major film festival event housed within a college or university.


About Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival
Celebrating cinema in two annual events, Miami GEMS Festival in October and its 35th annual edition March 9 – 18, 2018, Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival is considered the preeminent film festival for showcasing Ibero-American cinema in the U.S., and a major launch pad for all international and documentary cinema. The annual Festival more than 60,000 audience members and more than 400 filmmakers, producers, talent and industry professionals. It is the only major festival housed within a college or university. In the last five years, the Festival has screened films from more than 60 countries, including 300 World, International, North American, U.S. and East Coast Premieres. Miami Film Festival’s special focus on Ibero-American cinema has made the Festival a natural gateway for the discovery of new talent from this diverse territory. The Festival also offers unparalleled educational opportunities to film students and the community at large. Major sponsors of the 2017-18 Festival season include Knight Foundation, American Airlines and Miami-Dade County. For more information, visit miamifilmfestival.com or call 305-237-FILM (3456).

About IMDbPro and Withoutabox
IMDbPro (www.imdbpro.com) is the essential resource for entertainment industry professionals. This membership-based service includes comprehensive information and tools that are designed to help entertainment industry professionals achieve success throughout all stages of their career. IMDbPro offers members the following: detailed contact and representation information; tools to manage and showcase their IMDb profile, including the ability to select their primary images and the credits they are best “known for”; exclusive STARmeter and MOVIEmeter rankings that are determined by page views on IMDb; a casting service to post breakdowns and apply to roles; the IMDbPro app for iPhone and more. IMDbPro is owned and operated by IMDb, the #1 movie website in the world. Additionally, IMDb owns and operates Withoutabox (https://www.withoutabox.com/), the premier submission service for film festivals and filmmakers.

About Telefilm Canada—Inspired by talent. Viewed everywhere.
Created in 1967, Telefilm is dedicated to the cultural, commercial and industrial success of Canada’s audiovisual industry. Through its various funding and promotion programs, Telefilm supports dynamic companies and creative talent here at home and around the world. Telefilm also makes recommendations regarding the certification of audiovisual treaty coproductions to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund and the Talent Fund, a private donation initiative. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/telefilm_canada and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/telefilmcanada.

About TV5Monde
TV5MONDE is the global French language entertainment network, broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, without commercial interruptions. TV5MONDE USA is a premium pay-tv channel reaching 1.5 million viewers in the U.S. American viewers enjoy a wealth of high quality French language programming, subtitled in English, including up to 300 classic, recent and never-before-seen in the U.S. French language films per year, around the clock newscasts live from Paris, the latest series and TV dramas, premium documentaries, cultural programs and international sports coverage.

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

"Piper" Wins "Best Animated Short Film" Oscar

Short Film (Animated)

Nominees
Blind Vaysha - Theodore Ushev

Borrowed Time - Andrew Coats and Lou Hamou-Lhadj

Pear Cider and Cigarettes - Robert Valley and Cara Speller

Pearl - Patrick Osborne

Piper - Alan Barillaro and Marc Sondheimer - WINNER

Canadian Theatrical Release Dates for "Sailor Moon R The Movie" Announced

VIZ MEDIA AND ELEVEN ARTS ANNOUNCE SAILOR MOON R THE MOVIE CANADIAN THEATRICAL PREMIERE

First Feature Film Of The Legendary Anime Series Opens In Major Canadian Cities – Fans Invited To Attend

VIZ Media and Los Angeles based film distribution company, ELEVEN ARTS, have announced the theatrical premiere of SAILOR MOON R: THE MOVIE across Canada starting March 1st. Canadian fans will have this special opportunity to catch the legendary anime film’s big-screen debut at 39 theatres in key cities including Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, and more!

For the full Canadian theater listing, additional information and to purchase advance tickets, please visit: www.elevenarts.net/sailormoon.

To view a trailer for SAILOR MOON R: THE MOVIE, please visit: https://youtu.be/UqCzWMw92M8.

SAILOR MOON R: THE MOVIE premieres across Canada following a highly successful opening in the U.S. at more than 300 theatres earlier this year; the majority of which were sold-out screenings. The exclusive event also features the Canadian theatrical debut of the original SAILOR MOON short, MAKE UP! SAILOR GUARDIANS.  English language dubbed will be offered. Fans attending the Canadian screenings a showing will receive an exclusive Sailor Guardian character art board as a gift with ticket purchase, while supplies last.

Presented uncut and for the first time in North American theaters, SAILOR MOON R: THE MOVIE features a renowned English language cast already familiar to fans from the VIZ Media-distributed SAILOR MOON anime series. Voice actress Stephanie Sheh reprises her leading role of Usagi Tsukino / Sailor Moon, along with actor Robbie Daymond as Mamoru Chiba / Tuxedo Mask. Ben Diskin will voice the role of the film’s villain, Fiore. 

In the film, long before Mamoru found his destiny with Usagi, he gave a single rose in thanks to a lonely boy who helped him recover from the crash that claimed his parents. This long-forgotten friend, Fiore, has been searching the galaxy for a flower worthy of that sweet gesture long ago. The mysterious flower he finds is beautiful, but has a dark side - it has the power to take over planets. To make matters worse, the strange plant is tied to an ominous new asteroid near Earth! Faced with an enemy blooming out of control, it’s up to Sailor Moon and the Sailor Guardians to band together, stop the impending destruction and save Mamoru!

The SAILOR MOON anime series is inspired by the bestselling manga series created by Naoko Takeuchi. In the series, Usagi Tsukino is a clumsy but kindhearted teenage girl who transforms into the powerful guardian of love and justice, Sailor Moon. Meeting allies along the way who share similar fates, Usagi and her team of planetary Sailor Guardians fight to protect the universe from forces of evil and total annihilation! 

Enjoy the original, classic SAILOR MOON as well as the all-new SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL anime series, which are now available from VIZ Media as Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo Packs as well as multi-disc Standard Edition Blu-ray and DVD Sets. SAILOR MOON R: THE MOVIE will be released on Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and Standard DVD Sets in late Spring 2017. 

For more information on SAILOR MOON, SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL and other award-winning anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

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