"A Grammy Salute to the Sounds of Change" Salutes the Music of Social Change

"A GRAMMY® Salute To The Sounds Of Change," a New Two-hour Special, to Be Broadcast Wednesday, March 17, 2021, on CBS

THREE-TIME GRAMMY® AWARD WINNER COMMON SET TO HOST, WITH APPEARANCES AND PERFORMANCES BY YOLANDA ADAMS, LEON BRIDGES, ERIC CHURCH, D SMOKE, ANDRA DAY, SHEILA E., CYNTHIA ERIVO, EMILIO, EMILY, AND GLORIA ESTEFAN, JOHN FOGERTY, GAYLE KING, GLADYS KNIGHT, PATTI LABELLE, TERRACE MARTIN, BRAD PAISLEY, BILLY PORTER, LEANN RIMES, AND CHRIS STAPLETON

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Just three days after the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards®, the Recording Academy® and CBS will present a new two-hour special, "A GRAMMY® Salute To The Sounds Of Change,” spotlighting the iconic songs that inspired social change and left an everlasting imprint on history.

Featuring top contemporary musical artists, the special will be hosted by three-time GRAMMY award winner Common and include appearances by Yolanda Adams, Leon Bridges, Eric Church, D Smoke, Andra Day, Sheila E., Cynthia Erivo, Emily, Emilio, and Gloria Estefan, John Fogerty, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, Terrace Martin, Brad Paisley, Billy Porter, LeAnn Rimes, and Chris Stapleton performing songs that have seen us through the darkest hours and greatest triumphs. Artists across genres will highlight the stories behind, and deliver personal interpretations of, the powerful music that inspired social justice and equality. Also, presenters from the worlds of entertainment, art and activism will look back at some of the most iconic GRAMMY ® performances and moments in history.

"A GRAMMY® Salute To The Sounds Of Change" will broadcast on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 (9:00–11:00 p.m., ET/PT) and will also be available via livestream and on-demand on Paramount+, ViacomCBS’ newest global streaming service.

"A GRAMMY® Salute To The Sounds Of Change" is produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment. Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay are executive producers. Chantel Sausedo and Rob Paine are producers. Adam Blackstone serves as the musical director.


ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY:
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards — music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.

For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on Twitter, "like" Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT:
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full-service television and film production company and has played an integral role in producing many of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE has a multi-year overall agreement with ViacomCBS Cable Networks. On the theatrical film side, the company also has a first look on JCE’s film development projects which could include Viacom’s film entities such as Paramount Players. The award-winning and critically acclaimed television that JCE has produced includes miniseries—The New Edition Story and The Bobby Brown Story; scripted series—American Soul and Real Husbands of Hollywood; children’s series—Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices; award shows—BET Awards, Black Girls Rock!, BET Honors, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, BET Hip Hop Awards, ABFF Honors and Soul Train Awards; specials—John Lewis: Celebrating A Hero, Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration, Change Together: From The March On Washington To Today, Stand Up for Heroes, Dear Mama, Amanda Seales I Be Knowin’, Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine; as well as competition/game shows—Sunday Best, Hip Hop Squares, Nashville Squares and Rhythm & Flow. Jesse Collins, founder and CEO of the company, is the executive producer of all programming. He is also a co-executive producer for the iconic GRAMMY Awards and executive producer of The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show. He will next executive produce The 93rd Annual Academy Awards in April 2021. Go to jessecollinsent.com for more information on the company.

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#28DaysofBlack Review: "SUICIDE SQUAD" Kills Itself

[It is a testament to Will Smith's status as an international box office star that even after some misfires Warner Bros. looked to him to be the face of their superhero/anti-hero film, Suicide Squad.  The film is actually terrible.  However, five non-white actors play costumed characters in this film, and, at least another five have speaking roles, including the great Viola Davis.  So, no, Suicide Squad is not a “Black film,” but prior to Disney/Marvel Studios' Black Panther, few comic book films were blacker.]

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 8 of 2021 (No. 1746) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Suicide Squad (2016)
Running time:  123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes)
MPAA – PG - 13 for sequences of violence and action throughout, disturbing behavior, suggestive content and language
DIRECTOR:  David Ayer
WRITER:  David Ayer (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics)
PRODUCERS:  Charles Roven and Richard Suckle
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Roman Vasyanov (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  John Gilroy
COMPOSER:  Steven Price
Academy Award winner

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION/DRAMA

Starring:  Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Karen Fukuhara, Care Delevingne, Shailyn Pierre-Dixon, Ike Barinholtz, Common, Alain Chanoine, Adam Beach, Scott Eastwood, and Viola Davis with Ben Affleck

Suicide Squad is a 2016 superhero film from writer-director David Ayer.  The film is based on the DC Comics team of antiheroes, Suicide Squad, and also features characters associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise.  Suicide Squad the movie focuses on a team of incarcerated supervillains forced together to save the world from a supernatural apocalypse.

Suicide Squad opens some time after the death of Superman (in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice).  Intelligence officer Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) believes that the United States government must prepare for the day when the next Superman is not so friendly.  She believes that the U.S. government should have its own arsenal of metahumans (beings with extraordinary powers and abilities) to respond to extraordinary threats.  Thus, Waller assembles what she calls “Task Force X,” a team composed of dangerous criminals who also possess super-powers.

She finds that kind of criminal at Belle Reve Prison, a federal penitentiary for metahumans.  The first two recruits are the elite hit man, Deadshot (Will Smith), and former psychiatrist, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), who also happens to be the love interest of Batman's archenemy, The Joker (Jared Leto).  The next recruits include the pyrokinetic (fire-starter) and ex-gang banger, El Diablo (Jay Hernandez); the boomerang-wielding thief, Captain Boomerang (Jay Courtney); the genetic mutation, Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), and the mercenary, Slipknot (Adam Beach).

This group, called “Suicide Squad” by Deadshot, are placed under the command of Army Special Forces Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) to be used as disposable assets in high-risk missions for the United States government.  Their first mission takes them to Midway City where an apocalypse is brewing, created by a mystical creature familiar to Colonel Flag.

Suicide Squad is a genuinely terrible movie, and dear readers, I don't think that it is worth going into too much detail about all that is bad.  It is also a genuinely disappointing movie, as there are elements in the story that could have been developed to make this a good movie.  The opening sequences, two vignettes about Deadshot and Harley Quinn are... cool.  They made me think that Suicide Squad was going to surprise me and be a good movie...  The scenes between Deadshot/Floyd Lawton and his daughter, Zoe (Shailyn Pierre-Dixon), are also among the too few nice moments of drama in this film.

I would also be remiss if I did not comment on Jared Leto's depiction/version of The Joker.  Following the late Heath Ledger's stunning portrayal of the Joker in 2008's The Dark Knight (for which he posthumously received a best supporting actor Oscar), Leto was in a no-win situation.  Actually, Leto and Suicide Squad writer-director David Ayer do come up with a version of the Joker that is almost a good follow-up to Ledger's legendary turn.  Why do I say “almost?”  Well, it is as if Leto and Ayer got the character right and then, did not have the smarts or had too much ego to stop.  What could have been a truly frightening and terrifyingly creepy Joker often becomes an over-the-top character that causes goosebumps and eye-rolling in equal measure.

Well, I have to give Warner Bros. credit; it has produced three mediocre or bad films based on DC Comics characters, and these movies have all been box office blockbusters.  Suicide Squad was a blockbuster waste of my time.  It is clunky and weird, and does not know if it wants to be a superhero film, a movie about antiheroes, a special forces movie, or a supernatural-fantasy-action movie.  It is like a messy soup with all the wrong ingredients from four or five different recipes.

3 of 10
D+

Saturday, June 10, 2017


NOTES:
2017 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win: “Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling” (Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini, and Christopher Allen Nelson)


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

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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).

BET Her Presents Breonna Taylor Special by the NBA's Kyrie Irving

BET Her, the Network Dedicated to Black Women, Partners With PlayersTV to Air Kyrie Irving’s Breonna Taylor Special, “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor”

The One-hour Special Premieres Saturday, August 22, 2020 at 9 PM ET/PT Only on BET Her and Saturday, August 29 at 11 PM ET/PT on BET

In addition to driving action around Breonna Taylor’s case, the special will feature panel conversations with Kyrie Irving, Common, Jemele Hill, Dr. Brittney Cooper, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, among other leading voices on the frontlines of the movement

#JusticeForBreonnaTaylor

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Her announced the airing of “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” produced by six-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving. On March 13, 2020, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was fatally shot in her home by Louisville police enforcement, executing a no-knock search warrant. The warrant was not issued for Breonna Taylor. More than three months later, the officers responsible for her death still walk the streets as free men.

The one-hour special explores the importance of movements like #SayHerName and examines how Breonna’s murder highlights the lack of awareness around Black women victims of police brutality. Premiering Saturday, August 22, 2020 at 9 PM ET/PT on BET Her, “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” will feature panel conversations with leading voices on the frontlines of the movement, including six-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving, award-winning artist Common, acclaimed journalist Jemele Hill, author Dr. Brittney Cooper, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham, and Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza. Additionally, the special will provide viewers with several actionable steps to drive change and demand #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor. An encore presentation of “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” will air Saturday, August 29, 2020 at 11 PM ET/PT on BET.

    “Too often, there is silence when Black Women are killed by law enforcement. While millions of protestors have taken to the streets demanding change, we must continue calling for justice for Breonna Taylor whose case remains largely disconnected from the broader narrative”

“It is critical to magnify how Black women are, tragically, also subject to lethal police brutality, and we must demand that Breonna Taylor’s killers are brought to justice. We are committed to utilizing our platforms to drive awareness and sustainable impact. We stand in solidarity with Breonna’s family and all of the voices on the frontlines fighting for justice to be served.” said Scott Mills, President, BET.

“Too often, there is silence when Black Women are killed by law enforcement. While millions of protestors have taken to the streets demanding change, we must continue calling for justice for Breonna Taylor whose case remains largely disconnected from the broader narrative,” said Tavia Pitts, VP of Ad Sales, "BET Her is dedicated to bringing awareness to important issues directly affecting the Black community, specifically Black women. We are proud to partner with Kyrie, PlayersTV, and the many leading voices in the frontlines fighting for bold reforms that address racially biased policing and misuse of force. Together, we will not be ignored.”

Throughout the broadcast, specific calls to action will be made available to the public, including:

•     Dial 844-298-2731 to demand Louisville City Leadership get #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor via Color of Change.
•     Check your voter registration status and register to vote at Vote.Org.
•     Sign the Justice For Breonna Taylor petition today on Change.Org.
•     CALL Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron at 502-696-5300 and demand he charge the officers who murdered Breonna Taylor via Until Freedom.
•     Post on social media using #SayHerName and #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor to raise awareness about Breonna's case.

The program is also supported by Color Of Change, Vote.org, Until Freedom, Black Future's Lab, The Gathering For Justice, MoveOn, Vera Institute For Justice, Harness, ACLU, Campaign Zero, Imagine Justice and PlayersTV.

“#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” joins BET’s roster of programs produced from its media-focused initiative “Content For Change.” The initiative helps address systemic racism, and inequities in America including racial justice, economic empowerment, education, health, and civic participation.

For more details on “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” please visit www.bet.com and follow @BETHerTV & @BETNews across social platforms to join the conversation using the hashtag #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor.


About BET:
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

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Recording Academy Announces "Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince"

Prince's Prolific Career Celebrated with "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY® Salute to Prince"

All-Star Lineup Set to Perform Songs from Prince's Remarkable Catalog During Live Concert Taping on Jan. 28

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Just two days after the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards®, the Recording Academy®, AEG Ehrlich Ventures and CBS will celebrate the unparalleled career of 38-time GRAMMY® nominee and seven-time GRAMMY winner Prince by presenting "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY® Salute to Prince." The live concert taping will be held Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. PT at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The special will be broadcast later in 2020 on the CBS Television Network. Tickets are on sale now and available for purchase here.

The special will feature a lineup of all-star artists paying tribute to Prince's unprecedented influence on music, including GRAMMY Award-winning artists Beck, Common, Gary Clark Jr., Earth, Wind & Fire, Foo Fighters, H.E.R., Juanes, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Coldplay's Chris Martin, Mavis Staples, St. Vincent, and Usher, and singer/songwriter Susanna Hoffs. Plus, a historic joint performance by several of Prince's most celebrated musical friends and collaborators, including GRAMMY Award-winning band the Revolution, past GRAMMY Award nominee Sheila E., and legendary funk band Morris Day And The Time. Additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

"Prince. The Purple One. His Royal Badness — regardless of how you identify him, he is indisputably one of the greatest musical virtuosos of all time," said Deborah Dugan, President/CEO of the Recording Academy. "With his subversive attitude and commanding nature, he straddled musical genres and created electrifying music that was bursting with character. He continues to serve as an inspirational icon for artists and fans worldwide, and we are so honored to pay tribute to his legacy at this year's post-GRAMMYs® special."

"One of the true joys of producing the GRAMMY Awards is both working with and being able to tribute your heroes, and Prince gave me the opportunity of doing both," said Ken Ehrlich. "His GRAMMY appearances, though few, were historic, and it's with mixed feelings that we approach this opportunity to celebrate the amazing legacy he left us. We've gathered a remarkable collection of artists across genres and across generations to salute one of music's truly singular iconic writer/performers, and believe me, it's a tall order to do him justice."

Prince's start in music broke grounds by successfully negotiating with Warner Bros. Records to not only let him produce his 1978 debut album, For You, but to play all 27 instruments featured on the album. In 1984, Prince achieved international fame with the release of his album and film Purple Rain. He has more than 40 RIAA certifications, ranging from platinum to diamond. His catalog includes 19 Top 10 singles and five No. 1 hits, including the GRAMMY-winning "Kiss," as well as five chart-topping albums, including the GRAMMY-winning Purple Rain. Prince has garnered seven GRAMMY Awards, and 38 GRAMMY nominations, and he was presented with the Academy's President's Merit Award in 1985. In 2004, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received the Icon Award at the 2013 Billboard Awards. Releasing nearly 40 studio albums, Prince has solidified his mark as one of the most influential artists of all time.

"Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute to Prince" is produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC, with the cooperation of the Prince Estate. Ehrlich is executive producer, Ron Basile and Chantel Sausedo are producers, and David Wild is the writer/producer. Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Sheila E. are the co-musical directors of the special. To learn more about Prince, visit Prince.com and follow @Prince on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


About the Recording Academy
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards — music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.

For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on Twitter, "like" Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

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Celebrities Celebrate New Film, "Just Mercy"

Celebrities, Sports Teams, Athletes, Churches and Major Corporations Champion “Just Mercy,” the Acclaimed Film About Real-Life Hero Bryan Stevenson, Starring Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx and Brie Larson

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading up to the Friday, January 10th, 2020 nationwide release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Just Mercy,” a growing list of luminaries, sports teams, faith leaders and global corporations have come out in support of the film through theatre buyouts. The film, which opened in limited release on Christmas Day, has struck a chord with critics and moviegoers, earning an exceedingly rare A+ CinemaScore in addition to being Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 99% Audience Score. “Just Mercy” has also won seven Audience Awards at film festivals across the country, including the Mill Valley, Chicago, Virginia, New Orleans, Twin Cities and Heartland Film Festivals.

People are inspired by the story of a true hero for our time, attorney Bryan Stevenson, a Black man who courageously took on powerful forces in Alabama to save the life of an innocent Black man on death row. Bryan has since become an indomitable force for change, both in his community and across the nation, tirelessly fighting for justice for people trapped in a system where the cards are often stacked against them.

Stars from the worlds of sports, acting, fashion and music, as well as sports teams, key faith leaders and churches, and multinational corporations, have been motivated to buy out entire theatres and offer free admission, in hopes of making this powerful story accessible to as many people as possible. Some of those on the growing list of those doing theatre buyouts include:

    Kobe Bryant
    Kanye and Kim Kardashian West
    John Legend
    Common
    Lena Waithe
    Garrett Temple from the Brooklyn Nets
    Devin McCourty, New England Patriots Defensive Back #32
    Jason McCourty, New England Patriots Cornerback #30
    Microsoft
    Coach
    Facebook
    Goldhouse
    JPMorgan Chase
    Prudential Financial
    Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group
    Eastdil Secured
    The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation & Third Point LLC
    The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
    Chris & Crystal Sacca
    Michael & Lydia Kives
    Sheryl Leach
    William McMorrow, Chairman and CEO of Kennedy Wilson
    just keep livin foundation
    Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics
    Pastor Jamal Bryant and New Birth Church, Atlanta
    Dr. Irishea Hilliard and New Light Church, Houston
    Bishop Dale Bronner and Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral, Atlanta

Sports teams including:
        From the NBA: Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings

        From the NFL: San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons


About “Just Mercy”:
Michael B. Jordan (“Black Panther,” the “Creed” films, “Fruitvale Station”) and Oscar winners Jamie Foxx (“Ray,” “Baby Driver,” “Django: Unchained”) and Brie Larson (“Room,” “Short Term 12,” “Captain Marvel”) star in “Just Mercy.” Award-winning filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton (“The Glass Castle,” “Short Term 12”) directed the film from a screenplay he co-wrote, based on Bryan Stevenson’s bestselling memoir.

The main cast also includes Rob Morgan, Tim Blake Nelson, Rafe Spall, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Karan Kendrick. The film was produced by two-time Oscar nominee Gil Netter (“Life of Pi,” “The Blind Side”), Asher Goldstein (“Short Term 12”) and Michael B. Jordan. Bryan Stevenson, Mike Drake, Niija Kuykendall, Gabriel Hammond, Daniel Hammond, Scott Budnick, Jeff Skoll and Charles D. King served as executive producers. Cretton co-wrote the screenplay with Andrew Lanham, based on Stevenson’s book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, which has spent more than 180 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers List and counting.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in Association with Endeavor Content/One Community/Participant Media/Macro, a Gil Netter Production, an Outlier Society Production, “Just Mercy.” Distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, the film has been rated PG-13 for thematic content, including some racial epithets. www.JustMercyFilm.com

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Review: "John Wick: Chapter 2" Makes "John Wick" a Real Franchise

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 10 (of 2019) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
Running time:  122 minutes (2 hours, two minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence throughout, some language and brief nudity
DIRECTORS:  Chad Stahelski
WRITER:  Derek Kolstad (based on characters created by Derek Kostad)
PRODUCERS:  Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Dan Lausten (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Evan Schiff
COMPOSERS:  Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard

ACTION/CRIME/THRILLER

Starring:  Keanu Reeves, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ian McShane, Ruby Rose, Common, Claudia Gerini, Lance Reddick, Laurence Fishburne, Tobias Segal, John Leguizamo, Bridget Moynahan, Thomas Sadoski, Peter Stormare, and Franco Nero

John Wick: Chapter 2 is a 2017 action and crime-thriller starring Keanu Reeves and directed by Chad Stahelski.  It is a direct sequel to the 2014 film, John Wick, and both the original and the sequel were written by Derek Kolstad.  The film tells the story of an ex-hit man who comes out of retirement to kill the man who viciously wrongs him.

Once upon a time, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) was a legendary hit man, a seemingly unstoppable killer also known as “the Boogeyman.”  John retired, but came out of retirement when a young gangster stole his vintage 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 and killed his dog.  John Wick: Chapter 2 opens four days after the first film.  John Wick retrieves his stolen car from a chop shop owned by Abram Tarasov, the brother and uncle, respectively, of the men who wronged Wick in the first film.

Later, John receives a visit from the Italian crime lord, Santino D'Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio).  It seems that Santino swore John Wick to a “marker” (a form of contract) which allowed Wick to retire and to marry his late wife, Helen (Bridget Moynahan).  The marker is an unbreakable promise, personified by a “blood oath” medallion.  Now, Santino is calling in this marker, and he wants John to perform a hit/assassination for him, one guaranteed to leave Wick's life changed forever.

In my review of John Wick, I wrote that I had been a fan of Keanu Reeves since I first encountered him the 1980s in films like Dangerous Liaisons (1988) and River's Edge (1986), although I am not a fan of his popular 80s film, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989).  I also wrote that I had never thought of Reeves as a great or even as a good actor; he is either way too stiff or too wooden as a performer.  That aside, I have enjoyed Reeves in films like the original Point Break (1991) and in The Matrix film trilogy.  Reeves' star has dimmed in recent years, but John Wick's success has been something of a revival of Reeves as an action movie star.

The sequel, John Wick: Chapter 2, released in 2017, was an even bigger hit that the original film.  I knew that I would like John Wick just from the commercials and trailers for it, but I was not sure that I would like John Wick: Chapter 2.  Now, that I have seen it, I have to admit that I like it, even more than I did the first film.

I have to be honest.  I love the violent fight scenes and bloody shoot outs that often feature gunshots to the head and blood spurting... no... ejaculating from bodies and heads.  I know the sudden spurts and ejaculations of blood are merely computer-generated effects or practical special effects, but they still thrill me.  I like this film's high-quality production design and the cinematography.  The clothing and costumes are “swell,” and the hotels and other settings are snazzy.

In the middle of it all is one of my favorite movie stars, Keanu Reeves.  I enjoy his John Wick, and I love watching him kill those trying to kill him.  Hey... I'm not the only one enjoying this wanton cinematic, stylish, and slick violence.  There is a third John Wick film set to be released in a few days, as I write this review.  After John Wick: Chapter 2, oh, I am so ready for more.

7 of 10
B+

Wednesday, May 15, 2019


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

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New Line Starts Production on "The Kitchen" with McCarthy, Haddish and Moss

Production Set to Start on New Line Cinema’s “The Kitchen”

Andrea Berloff directs the female-driven mob drama starring Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish and Elisabeth Moss, based on the Vertigo comic book series from DC Entertainment

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography began Friday, May 11, 2018 on New Line Cinema’s gritty drama “The Kitchen,” written and directed by Andrea Berloff, who was nominated for an Oscar for the original screenplay for “Straight Outta Compton.” Based on the Vertigo comic book series from DC Entertainment, the film stars Oscar nominee Melissa McCarthy (“Bridesmaids”), Tiffany Haddish (“Girls Trip”) and Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) as three 1978 Hell’s Kitchen housewives whose mobster husbands are sent to prison by the FBI. Left with little but a sharp ax to grind, the ladies take the Irish mafia’s matters into their own hands—proving unexpectedly adept at everything from running the rackets to taking out the competition…literally.

“The Kitchen” also stars Domhnall Gleeson (“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”), James Badge Dale (“Only the Brave”), Brian d’Arcy James (“Spotlight”), Margo Martindale (TV’s “The Americans”), Oscar winner Common (“Selma,” “Marshall”), Bill Camp (TV’s “The Night Of”), Jeremy Bobb (“Marshall”), Alicia Coppola (TV’s “Shameless”), John Sharian (“True Story”) and Myk Watford (“Earth to Echo”).

Berloff directs from her own screenplay, based on the comic book series created by Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle for Vertigo from DC Entertainment. Multiple Oscar nominee Michael De Luca (“Captain Phillips,” “Moneyball” and “The Social Network”) and Marcus Viscidi (“Rampage”) are producing.

Berloff’s creative team includes director of photography Maryse Alberti (“Creed”), production designer Shane Valentino (“Straight Outta Compton”), Oscar-nominated editor Christopher Tellefsen (“Moneyball,” “A Quiet Place”) and costume designer Sarah Edwards (upcoming “Ocean’s 8,” Showtime’s “Billions”).

Principal photography will take place primarily in and around the film’s setting, New York City’s famed Hell’s Kitchen.

A New Line Cinema production, “The Kitchen” is currently set for release on September 20, 2019. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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2018 Oscars "Best Original Song" - "Remember Me"

Music (Original Song)

Remember Me from Coco; Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez - WINNER

Nominees
Mighty River from Mudbound; Music and Lyric by Mary J. Blige, Raphael Saadiq and Taura Stinson

Mystery Of Love from Call Me by Your Name; Music and Lyric by Sufjan Stevens

Stand Up For Something from Marshall; Music by Diane Warren; Lyric by Lonnie R. Lynn and Diane Warren

This Is Me from The Greatest Showman; Music and Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

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60th Annaul (2018) Grammy Award Nominations - Complete List

The Grammy Awards (or Grammys) are given out by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) of the United States. The Grammy is an accolade that recognizes outstanding achievement in the music industry. It is the music industry equivalent to the Academy Awards for film, the Emmy Awards for television, and the Tony Award for stage.

The nominees for the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards in a total of 84 categories were announced Tuesday, November 28, 2017.  The 60th Annual Grammy Awards recognize the best musical (and some spoken word and video) recordings, compositions, and artists for the eligibility year that began on October 1, 2016 and ended on September 30, 2017.

The 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on Sunday, January 28, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.  The ceremony will broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 7:30 – 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT).  James Corden will return as host.

60th / (2016-2017) Annual GRAMMY Award nominees:

GENERAL FIELD

Record Of The Year:
“Redbone” — Childish Gambino
“Despacito” — Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber
“The Story Of O.J.” — Jay-Z
“HUMBLE.” — Kendrick Lamar
“24K Magic” — Bruno Mars

 Album Of The Year:
“Awaken, My Love!” — Childish Gambino
4:44 — Jay-Z
DAMN. — Kendrick Lamar
Melodrama — Lorde
24K Magic — Bruno Mars

Song Of The Year:
“Despacito” — Ramón Ayala, Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Erika Ender, Luis Fonsi & Marty James Garton, songwriters (Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber)

“4:44” — Shawn Carter & Dion Wilson, songwriters (Jay-Z)

“Issues” — Benny Blanco, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Julia Michaels & Justin Drew Tranter, songwriters (Julia Michaels)

“1-800-273-8255” — Alessia Caracciolo, Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, Arjun Ivatury & Khalid Robinson, songwriters (Logic Featuring Alessia Cara & Khalid)

“That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Best New Artist:
Alessia Cara
Khalid
Lil Uzi Vert
Julia Michaels
SZA

POP FIELD

Best Pop Solo Performance:
“Love So Soft” — Kelly Clarkson
“Praying” — Kesha
“Million Reasons” — Lady Gaga
“What About Us” — P!nk
“Shape Of You” — Ed Sheeran

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Something Just Like This” — The Chainsmokers & Coldplay
“Despacito” — Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber
“Thunder” — Imagine Dragons
“Feel It Still” — Portugal. The Man
“Stay” — Zedd & Alessia Cara

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:
Nobody But Me (Deluxe Version) — Michael Bublé
Triplicate — Bob Dylan
In Full Swing — Seth MacFarlane
Wonderland — Sarah McLachlan
Tony Bennett Celebrates 90 — (Various Artists) Dae Bennett, Producer

Best Pop Vocal Album:
Kaleidoscope EP — Coldplay
Lust For Life — Lana Del Rey
Evolve — Imagine Dragons
Rainbow — Kesha
Joanne — Lady Gaga
÷ (Divide) — Ed Sheeran

DANCE/ELECTRONIC FIELD

Best Dance Recording:
“Bambro Koyo Ganda” — Bonobo Featuring Innov Gnawa
“Cola” — Camelphat & Elderbrook
“Andromeda” — Gorillaz Featuring DRAM
“Tonite” — LCD Soundsystem
“Line Of Sight” — Odesza Featuring WYNNE & Mansionair

Best Dance/Electronic Album:
Migration — Bonobo
3-D The Catalogue — Kraftwerk
Mura Masa — Mura Masa
A Moment Apart — Odesza
What Now — Sylvan Esso

CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL FIELD

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album:
What If — The Jerry Douglas Band
Spirit — Alex Han
Mount Royal — Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge
Prototype — Jeff Lorber Fusion
Bad Hombre — Antonio Sanchez

ROCK FIELD

Best Rock Performance:
“You Want It Darker” — Leonard Cohen
“The Promise” — Chris Cornell
“Run” — Foo Fighters
“No Good” — Kaleo
“Go To War” — Nothing More

Best Metal Performance:
“Invisible Enemy” — August Burns Red
“Black Hoodie” — Body Count
“Forever” — Code Orange
“Sultan’s Curse” — Mastodon
“Clockworks” — Meshuggah

Best Rock Song:
“Atlas, Rise!” — James Hetfield & Lars Ulrich, songwriters (Metallica)
“Blood In The Cut” — JT Daly & Kristine Flaherty, songwriters (K.Flay)
“Go To War” — Ben Anderson, Jonny Hawkins, Will Hoffman, Daniel Oliver, David Pramik & Mark Vollelunga, songwriters (Nothing More)
“Run” — Foo Fighters, songwriters (Foo Fighters)
“The Stage” — Zachary Baker, Brian Haner, Matthew Sanders, Jonathan Seward & Brooks Wackerman, songwriters (Avenged Sevenfold)

Best Rock Album:
Emperor Of Sand — Mastodon
Hardwired…To Self-Destruct — Metallica
The Stories We Tell Ourselves — Nothing More
Villains — Queens Of The Stone Age
A Deeper Understanding — The War On Drugs

ALTERNATIVE FIELD

Best Alternative Music Album:
Everything Now — Arcade Fire
Humanz — Gorillaz
American Dream — LCD Soundsystem
Pure Comedy — Father John Misty
Sleep Well Beast — The National

R&B FIELD

Best R&B Performance:
“Get You” — Daniel Caesar Featuring Kali Uchis
“Distraction” — Kehlani
“High” — Ledisi
“That’s What I Like” — Bruno Mars
“The Weekend” — SZA

Best Traditional R&B Performance:
“Laugh And Move On” — The Baylor Project
“Redbone” — Childish Gambino
“What I’m Feelin'” — Anthony Hamilton Featuring The Hamiltones|
“All The Way” — Ledisi
“Still” — Mali Music

Best R&B Song:
“First Began” — PJ Morton, songwriter (PJ Morton)

“Location” — Alfredo Gonzalez, Olatunji Ige, Samuel David Jiminez, Christopher McClenney, Khalid Robinson & Joshua Scruggs, songwriters (Khalid)

“Redbone” — Donald Glover & Ludwig Goransson, songwriters (Childish Gambino)

“Supermodel” — Tyran Donaldson, Terrence Henderson, Greg Landfair Jr., Solana Rowe & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (SZA)

“That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Best Urban Contemporary Album:
Free 6LACK — 6LACK
“Awaken, My Love!” — Childish Gambino
American Teen — Khalid
Ctrl — SZA
Starboy — The Weeknd

Best R&B Album:
Freudian — Daniel Caesar
Let Love Rule — Ledisi
24K Magic — Bruno Mars
Gumbo — PJ Morton
Feel The Real –Musiq Soulchild

RAP FIELD

Best Rap Performance:
“Bounce Back” — Big Sean
“Bodak Yellow” — Cardi B
“4:44” — Jay-Z
“HUMBLE.” — Kendrick Lamar
“Bad And Boujee” — Migos Featuring Lil Uzi Vert

Best Rap/Sung Performance:
“PRBLMS” — 6LACK
“Crew” — Goldlink Featuring Brent Faiyaz & Shy Glizzy
“Family Feud” — Jay-Z Featuring Beyoncé
“LOYALTY.” — Kendrick Lamar Featuring Rihanna
“Love Galore” — SZA Featuring Travis Scott

Best Rap Song:
“Bodak Yellow” — Dieuson Octave, Klenord Raphael, Shaftizm, Jordan Thorpe, Washpoppin & J White, songwriters (Cardi B)

“Chase Me” — Judah Bauer, Brian Burton, Hector Delgado, Jaime Meline, Antwan Patton, Michael Render, Russell Simins & Jon Spencer,
songwriters (Danger Mouse Featuring Run The Jewels & Big Boi)

“HUMBLE.” — Duckworth, Asheton Hogan & M. Williams II, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)

“Sassy” — Gabouer & M. Evans, songwriters (Rapsody)

“The Story Of O.J.” — Shawn Carter & Dion Wilson, songwriters (Jay-Z)

Best Rap Album:
4:44 — Jay-Z
DAMN. — Kendrick Lamar
Culture — Migos
Laila’s Wisdom — Rapsody
Flower Boy — Tyler, The Creator

COUNTRY FIELD

Best Country Solo Performance:
“Body Like A Back Road” — Sam Hunt
“Losing You: –Alison Krauss
“Tin Man” — Miranda Lambert
“I Could Use A Love Song” — Maren Morris
“Either Way” — Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance:
“It Ain’t My Fault” — Brothers Osborne
“My Old Man” — Zac Brown Band
“You Look Good” — Lady Antebellum
“Better Man” — Little Big Town
“Drinkin’ Problem” — Midland

Best Country Song:
“Better Man” — Taylor Swift, songwriter (Little Big Town)

“Body Like A Back Road” — Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Sam Hunt)

“Broken Halos” — Mike Henderson & Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)

“Drinkin’ Problem” — Jess Carson, Cameron Duddy, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne & Mark Wystrach, songwriters (Midland)

“Tin Man” — Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert & Jon Randall, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)

Best Country Album:
Cosmic Hallelujah — Kenny Chesney
Heart Break — Lady Antebellum
The Breaker — Little Big Town
Life Changes — Thomas Rhett
From A Room: Volume 1 — Chris Stapleton

NEW AGE FIELD

Best New Age Album:
Reflection — Brian Eno
SongVersation: Medicine — India.Arie
Dancing On Water — Peter Kater
Sacred Journey Of Ku-Kai, Volume 5 — Kitaro
Spiral Revelation — Steve Roach

JAZZ FIELD

Best Improvised Jazz Solo:
“Can’t Remember Why” — Sara Caswell, soloist
“Dance Of Shiva” — Billy Childs, soloist
“Whisper Not” — Fred Hersch, soloist
“Miles Beyond” — John McLaughlin, soloist
“Ilimba” — Chris Potter, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album:
The Journey — The Baylor Project
A Social Call — Jazzmeia Horn
Bad Ass And Blind — Raul Midón
Porter Plays Porter — Randy Porter Trio With Nancy King
Dreams And Daggers — Cécile McLorin Salvant

Best Jazz Instrumental Album:
Uptown, Downtown — Bill Charlap Trio
Rebirth — Billy Childs
Project Freedom –Joey DeFrancesco & The People
Open Book — Fred Hersch
The Dreamer Is The Dream — Chris Potter

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album:
MONK’estra Vol. 2 — John Beasley
Jigsaw — Alan Ferber Big Band
Bringin’ It — Christian McBride Big Band
Homecoming — Vince Mendoza & WDR Big Band Cologne
Whispers On The Wind — Chuck Owen And The Jazz Surge

Best Latin Jazz Album:
Hybrido – From Rio To Wayne Shorter — Antonio Adolfo
Oddara — Jane Bunnett & Maqueque
Outra Coisa – The Music Of Moacir Santos — Anat Cohen & Marcello Gonçalves
Típico — Miguel Zenón
Jazz Tango — Pablo Ziegler Trio

GOSPEL/ CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC FIELD

Best Gospel Performance/Song:
“Too Hard Not To” — Tina Campbell
“You Deserve It” — JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise Featuring Bishop Cortez Vaughn
“Better Days” — Le’Andria
“My Life” — The Walls Group
“Never Have To Be Alone” — CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song:
“Oh My Soul” — Casting Crowns
“Clean” — Natalie Grant
“What A Beautiful Name” — Hillsong Worship
“Even If” — MercyMe
“Hills And Valleys” — Tauren Wells

Best Gospel Album:
Crossover: Live From Music City — Travis Greene
Bigger Than Me — Le’Andria
Close — Marvin Sapp
Sunday Song — Anita Wilson
Let Them Fall In Love — CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album:
Rise — Danny Gokey
Echoes (Deluxe Edition) — Matt Maher
Lifer — MercyMe
Hills And Valleys — Tauren Wells
Chain Breaker — Zach Williams

Best Roots Gospel Album:
The Best Of The Collingsworth Family – Volume 1 — The Collingsworth Family
Give Me Jesus — Larry Cordle
Resurrection — Joseph Habedank
Sing It Now: Songs Of Faith & Hope — Reba McEntire
Hope For All Nations — Karen Peck & New River

LATIN FIELD

Best Latin Pop Album:
Lo Único Constante — Alex Cuba
Mis Planes Son Amarte — Juanes
Amar Y Vivir En Vivo Desde La Ciudad De México, 2017 — La Santa Cecilia
Musas (Un Homenaje Al Folclore Latinoamericano En Manos De Los Macorinos) — Natalia Lafourcade
El Dorado — Shakira

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album:
Ayo — Bomba Estéreo
Pa’ Fuera — C4 Trío & Desorden Público
Salvavidas De Hielo — Jorge Drexler
El Paradise — Los Amigos Invisibles
Residente — Residente

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano):
Ni Diablo Ni Santo — Julión Álvarez Y Su Norteño Banda
Ayer Y Hoy — Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Momentos — Alex Campos
Arriero Somos Versiones Acústicas — Aida Cuevas
Zapateando En El Norte — Humberto Novoa, producer (Various Artists)

Best Tropical Latin Album:
Albita — Albita
Art Of The Arrangement — Doug Beavers
Salsa Big Band — Rubén Blades Con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta
Gente Valiente — Silvestre Dangond
Indestructible — Diego El Cigala

AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC FIELD

Best American Roots Performance:
Killer Diller Blues — Alabama Shakes
Let My Mother Live — Blind Boys Of Alabama
Arkansas Farmboy — Glen Campbell
Steer Your Way — Leonard Cohen
I Never Cared For You — Alison Krauss

Best American Roots Song:
“Cumberland Gap” — David Rawlings
“I Wish You Well” — The Mavericks
“If We Were Vampires” — Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit
“It Ain’t Over Yet” — Rodney Crowell Featuring Rosanne Cash & John Paul White
“My Only True Friend” –Gregg Allman

Best Americana Album:
Southern Blood — Gregg Allman
Shine On Rainy Day — Brent Cobb
Beast Epic — Iron & Wine
The Nashville Sound — Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit
Brand New Day — The Mavericks

Best Bluegrass Album:
Fiddler’s Dream — Michael Cleveland
Laws Of Gravity — The Infamous Stringdusters
Original — Bobby Osborne
Universal Favorite — Noam Pikelny
All The Rage – In Concert Volume One [Live] — Rhonda Vincent And The Rage

Best Traditional Blues Album:
Migration Blues — Eric Bibb
Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio — Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio
Roll And Tumble — R.L. Boyce
Sonny & Brownie’s Last Train — Guy Davis & Fabrizio Poggi
Blue & Lonesome — The Rolling Stones

Best Contemporary Blues Album:
Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm — Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm
Recorded Live In Lafayette — Sonny Landreth
TajMo — Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’
Got Soul — Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Live From The Fox Oakland — Tedeschi Trucks Band

Best Folk Album:
Mental Illness — Aimee Mann
Semper Femina — Laura Marling
The Queen Of Hearts — Offa Rex
You Don’t Own Me Anymore — The Secret Sisters
The Laughing Apple — Yusuf / Cat Stevens

Best Regional Roots Music Album:
Top Of The Mountain — Dwayne Dopsie And The Zydeco Hellraisers
Ho’okena 3.0 — Ho’okena
Kalenda — Lost Bayou Ramblers
Miyo Kekisepa, Make A Stand [Live] — Northern Cree
Pua Kiele — Josh Tatofi

REGGAE FIELD

Best Reggae Album:
Chronology — Chronixx
Lost In Paradise — Common Kings
Wash House Ting — J Boog
Stony Hill — Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley
Avrakedabra — Morgan Heritage

WORLD MUSIC FIELD

Best World Music Album:
Memoria De Los Sentidos — Vicente Amigo
Para Mi — Buika
Rosa Dos Ventos — Anat Cohen & Trio Brasileiro
Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration — Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Elwan — Tinariwen

CHILDREN’S FIELD

Best Children’s Album:
Brighter Side — Gustafer Yellowgold
Feel What U Feel — Lisa Loeb
Lemonade — Justin Roberts
Rise Shine #Woke — Alphabet Rockers
Songs Of Peace & Love For Kids & Parents Around The World — Ladysmith Black Mambazo

SPOKEN WORD FIELD

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling):
Astrophysics For People In A Hurry — Neil Degrasse Tyson
Born To Run — Bruce Springsteen
Confessions Of A Serial Songwriter — Shelly Peiken
Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In (Bernie Sanders) — Bernie Sanders And Mark Ruffalo
The Princess Diarist — Carrie Fisher

COMEDY FIELD

Best Comedy Album:
The Age Of Spin & Deep In The Heart Of Texas — Dave Chappelle
Cinco — Jim Gaffigan
Jerry Before Seinfeld — Jerry Seinfeld
A Speck Of Dust — Sarah Silverman
What Now? — Kevin Hart

MUSICAL THEATER FIELD

Best Musical Theater Album:
Come From Away — Ian Eisendrath, August Eriksmoen, David Hein, David Lai & Irene Sankoff, producers; David Hein & Irene Sankoff, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Dear Evan Hansen — Ben Platt, principal soloist; Alex Lacamoire, Stacey Mindich, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, producers; Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Hello, Dolly! — Bette Midler, principal soloist; Steven Epstein, producer (Jerry Herman, composer & lyricist) (New Broadway Cast Recording)

MUSIC FOR VISUAL MEDIA FIELD

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media:
Baby Driver — (Various Artists)
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2: Awesome Mix Vol. 2 — (Various Artists)
Hidden Figures: The Album — (Various Artists)
La La Land — (Various Artists)
Moana: The Songs — (Various Artists)

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media:
Arrival — Jóhann Jóhannsson, composer
Dunkirk — Hans Zimmer, composer
Game Of Thrones: Season 7 — Ramin Djawadi, composer
Hidden Figures — Benjamin Wallfisch, Pharrell Williams & Hans Zimmer, composers
La La Land — Justin Hurwitz, composer

Best Song Written For Visual Media:
“City Of Stars” — Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, songwriters (Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone)

“How Far I’ll Go” — Lin-Manuel Miranda, songwriter (Auli’i Cravalho)

“I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (‘Fifty Shades Darker’)” — Jack Antonoff, Sam Dew & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Zayn & Taylor Swift)

“Never Give Up” — Sia Furler & Greg Kurstin, songwriters (Sia)

“Stand Up For Something” — Common & Diane Warren, songwriters (Andra Day Featuring Common)

COMPOSING/ ARRANGING FIELD

Best Instrumental Composition:
“Alkaline” — Pascal Le Boeuf, composer (Le Boeuf Brothers & JACK Quartet)
“Choros #3” — Vince Mendoza, composer (Vince Mendoza & WDR Big Band Cologne)
“Home Free (For Peter Joe)” — Nate Smith, composer (Nate Smith)
“Three Revolutions” — Arturo O’Farrill, composer (Arturo O’Farrill & Chucho Valdés)
“Warped Cowboy” — Chuck Owen, composer (Chuck Owen And The Jazz Surge)

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella:
“All Hat, No Saddle” — Chuck Owen, arranger (Chuck Owen And The Jazz Surge)
“Escapades For Alto Saxophone And Orchestra From Catch Me If You Can” — John Williams, arranger (John Williams)
“Home Free (For Peter Joe)” — Nate Smith, arranger (Nate Smith)
“Ugly Beauty/Pannonica” — John Beasley, arranger (John Beasley)
“White Christmas” — Chris Walden, arranger (Herb Alpert)

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals:
“Another Day Of Sun” — Justin Hurwitz, arranger (La La Land Cast)
“Every Time We Say Goodbye” — Jorge Calandrelli, arranger (Clint Holmes Featuring Jane Monheit)
“I Like Myself” — Joel McNeely, arranger (Seth MacFarlane)
“I Loves You Porgy/There’s A Boat That’s Leavin’ Soon For New York” — Shelly Berg, Gregg Field, Gordon Goodwin & Clint Holmes, arrangers (Clint Holmes Featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater And The Count Basie Orchestra)
“Putin” — Randy Newman, arranger (Randy Newman)

PACKAGE FIELD

Best Recording Package:
El Orisha De La Rosa — Claudio Roncoli & Cactus Taller, art directors (Magín Díaz)
Mura Masa — Alex Crossan & Matt De Jong, art directors (Mura Masa)
Pure Comedy (Deluxe Edition) — Sasha Barr, Ed Steed & Josh Tillman, art directors (Father John Misty)
Sleep Well Beast — Elyanna Blaser-Gould, Luke Hayman & Andrea Trabucco-Campos, art directors (The National)
Solid State — Gail Marowitz, art director (Jonathan Coulton)

Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package:
Bobo Yeye: Belle Epoque In Upper Volta — Tim Breen, art director (Various Artists)
Lovely Creatures: The Best Of Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds (1984 – 2014) — Tom Hingston, art director (Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds)
May 1977: Get Shown The Light — Masaki Koike, art director (Grateful Dead)
The Voyager Golden Record: 40th Anniversary Edition — Lawrence Azerrad, Timothy Daly & David Pescovitz, art directors (Various Artists)
Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares — Tim Breen, Benjamin Marra & Ken Shipley, art directors (Various Artists)

NOTES FIELD

Best Album Notes:
Arthur Q. Smith: The Trouble With The Truth — Wayne Bledsoe & Bradley Reeves, album notes writers (Various Artists)
Big Bend Killing: The Appalachian Ballad Tradition — Ted Olson, album notes writer (Various Artists)
The Complete Piano Works Of Scott Joplin — Bryan S. Wright, album notes writer (Richard Dowling)
Edouard-Léon Scott De Martinville, Inventor Of Sound Recording: A Bicentennial Tribute — David Giovannoni, album notes writer (Various Artists)
Live At The Whisky A Go Go: The Complete Recordings — Lynell George, album notes writer (Otis Redding)
Washington Phillips And His Manzarene Dreams — Michael Corcoran, album notes writer (Washington Phillips)

HISTORICAL FIELD

Best Historical Album:
Bobo Yeye: Belle Epoque In Upper Volta — Jon Kirby, Florent Mazzoleni, Rob Sevier & Ken Shipley, compilation producers; Jeff Lipton & Maria Rice, mastering engineers (Various Artists)

The Goldberg Variations – The Complete Unreleased Recording Sessions June 1955 — Robert Russ, compilation producer; Matthias Erb, Martin Kistner & Andreas K. Meyer, mastering engineers (Glenn Gould)

Leonard Bernstein – The Composer — Robert Russ, compilation producer; Martin Kistner & Andreas K. Meyer, mastering engineers (Leonard Bernstein)

Sweet As Broken Dates: Lost Somali Tapes From The Horn Of Africa — Nicolas Sheikholeslami & Vik Sohonie, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)

Washington Phillips And His Manzarene Dreams — Michael Corcoran, April G. Ledbetter & Steven Lance Ledbetter, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Washington Phillips)

PRODUCTION, NON-CLASSICAL FIELD

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical:
Every Where Is Some Where — Brent Arrowood, Miles Comaskey, JT Daly, Tommy English, Kristine Flaherty, Adam Hawkins, Chad Howat & Tony Maserati, engineers; Joe LaPorta, mastering engineer (K.Flay)
Is This The Life We Really Want? — Nigel Godrich, Sam Petts-Davies & Darrell Thorp, engineers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer (Roger Waters)
Natural Conclusion — Ryan Freeland, engineer; Joao Carvalho, mastering engineer (Rose Cousins)
No Shape — Shawn Everett & Joseph Lorge, engineers; Patricia Sullivan, mastering engineer (Perfume Genius)
24K Magic — Serban Ghenea, John Hanes & Charles Moniz, engineers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer (Bruno Mars)

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical:
Calvin Harris
Greg Kurstin
Blake Mills
No I.D.
The Stereotypes

Best Remixed Recording:
“Can’t Let You Go (Louie Vega Roots Mix)” — Louie Vega, remixer (Loleatta Holloway)
“Funk O’ De Funk (SMLE Remix)” — SMLE, remixers (Bobby Rush)
“Undercover (Adventure Club Remix)” — Leighton James & Christian Srigley, remixers (Kehlani)
“A Violent Noise (Four Tet Remix)” — Four Tet, remixer (The xx)
“You Move (Latroit Remix)” — Dennis White, remixer (Depeche Mode)

SURROUND SOUND FIELD

Best Surround Sound Album:
Early Americans — Jim Anderson, surround mix engineer; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Jim Anderson & Jane Ira Bloom, surround producers (Jane Ira Bloom)
Kleiberg: Mass For Modern Man — Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Eivind Gullberg Jensen & Trondheim Symphony Orchestra And Choir)
So Is My Love — Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Nina T. Karlsen & Ensemble 96)
3-D The Catalogue — Fritz Hilpert, surround mix engineer; Tom Ammermann, surround mastering engineer; Fritz Hilpert, surround producer (Kraftwerk)
Tyberg: Masses — Jesse Brayman, surround mix engineer; Jesse Brayman, surround mastering engineer; Blanton Alspaugh, surround producer (Brian A. Schmidt, Christopher Jacobson & South Dakota Chorale)

PRODUCTION, CLASSICAL FIELD

Best Engineered Album, Classical:
Danielpour: Songs Of Solitude & War Songs — Gary Call, engineer (Thomas Hampson, Giancarlo Guerrero & Nashville Symphony)
Kleiberg: Mass For Modern Man — Morten Lindberg, engineer (Eivind Gullberg Jensen, Trondheim Vokalensemble & Trondheim Symphony Orchestra)
Schoenberg, Adam: American Symphony; Finding Rothko; Picture Studies — Keith O. Johnson & Sean Royce Martin, engineers (Michael Stern & Kansas City Symphony)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio — Mark Donahue, engineer (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
Tyberg: Masses — John Newton, engineer; Jesse Brayman, mastering engineer (Brian A. Schmidt, Christopher Jacobson & South Dakota Chorale)

Producer Of The Year, Classical:
Blanton Alspaugh
Manfred Eicher
David Frost
Morten Lindberg
Judith Sherman

CLASSICAL FIELD

Best Orchestral Performance:
Concertos For Orchestra — Louis Langrée, conductor (Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Copland: Symphony No. 3; Three Latin American Sketches — Leonard Slatkin, conductor (Detroit Symphony Orchestra)
Debussy: Images; Jeux & La Plus Que Lente — Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)
Mahler: Symphony No. 5 — Osmo Vänskä, conductor (Minnesota Orchestra)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio — Manfred Honeck, conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Best Opera Recording:
Berg: Lulu — Lothar Koenigs, conductor; Daniel Brenna, Marlis Petersen & Johan Reuter; Jay David Saks, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra)
Berg: Wozzeck — Hans Graf, conductor; Anne Schwanewilms & Roman Trekel; Hans Graf, producer (Houston Symphony; Chorus Of Students And Alumni, Shepherd School Of Music, Rice University & Houston Grand Opera Children’s Chorus)
Bizet: Les Pêcheurs De Perles — Gianandrea Noseda, conductor; Diana Damrau, Mariusz Kwiecień, Matthew Polenzani & Nicolas Testé; Jay David Saks, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)
Handel: Ottone — George Petrou, conductor; Max Emanuel Cencic & Lauren Snouffer; Jacob Händel, producer (Il Pomo D’Oro)
Rimsky-Korsakov: The Golden Cockerel — Valery Gergiev, conductor; Vladimir Feliauer, Aida Garifullina & Kira Loginova; Ilya Petrov, producer (Mariinsky Orchestra; Mariinsky Chorus)

Best Choral Performance:
Bryars: The Fifth Century — Donald Nally, conductor (PRISM Quartet; The Crossing)
Handel: Messiah — Andrew Davis, conductor; Noel Edison, chorus master (Elizabeth DeShong, John Relyea, Andrew Staples & Erin Wall; Toronto Symphony Orchestra; Toronto Mendelssohn Choir)
Mansurian: Requiem — Alexander Liebreich, conductor; Florian Helgath, chorus master (Anja Petersen & Andrew Redmond; Münchener Kammerorchester; RIAS Kammerchor)
Music Of The Spheres — Nigel Short, conductor (Tenebrae)
Tyberg: Masses — Brian A. Schmidt, conductor (Christopher Jacobson; South Dakota Chorale)

 Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance:
Buxtehude: Trio Sonatas, Op. 1 — Arcangelo
Death & The Maiden — Patricia Kopatchinskaja & The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Divine Theatre – Sacred Motets By Giaches De Wert — Stile Antico
Franck, Kurtág, Previn & Schumann — Joyce Yang & Augustin Hadelich
Martha Argerich & Friends – Live From Lugano 2016 — Martha Argerich & Various Artists

Best Classical Instrumental Solo:
Bach: The French Suites — Murray Perahia
Haydn: Cello Concertos — Steven Isserlis; Florian Donderer, conductor (The Deutsch Kammerphilharmonie Bremen)
Levina: The Piano Concertos — Maria Lettberg; Ariane Matiakh, conductor (Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin)
Shostakovich: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 — Frank Peter Zimmermann; Alan Gilbert, conductor (NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester)
Transcendental — Daniil Trifonov

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album:
Bach & Telemann: Sacred Cantatas — Philippe Jaroussky; Petra Müllejans, conductor (Ann-Kathrin Brüggemann & Juan de la Rubia; Freiburger Barockorchester)
Crazy Girl Crazy – Music By Gershwin, Berg & Berio — Barbara Hannigan (Orchestra Ludwig)
Gods & Monsters — Nicholas Phan; Myra Huang, accompanist
In War & Peace – Harmony Through Music — Joyce DiDonato; Maxim Emelyanychev, conductor (Il Pomo D’Oro)
Sviridov: Russia Cast Adrift — Dmitri Hvorostovsky; Constantine Orbelian, conductor (St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra & Style Of Five Ensemble)

Best Classical Compendium:
Barbara — Alexandre Tharaud; Cécile Lenoir, producer
Higdon: All Things Majestic, Viola Concerto & Oboe Concerto — Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Tim Handley, producer
Kurtág: Complete Works For Ensemble & Choir — Reinbert de Leeuw, conductor; Guido Tichelman, producer
Les Routes De L’Esclavage — Jordi Savall, conductor; Benjamin Bleton, producer
Mademoiselle: Première Audience – Unknown Music Of Nadia Boulanger — Lucy Mauro; Lucy Mauro, producer

Best Contemporary Classical Composition:
Danielpour: Songs Of Solitude — Richard Danielpour, composer (Thomas Hampson, Giancarlo Guerrero & Nashville Symphony)
Higdon: Viola Concerto — Jennifer Higdon, composer (Roberto Díaz, Giancarlo Guerrero & Nashville Symphony)
Mansurian: Requiem — Tigran Mansurian, composer (Alexander Liebreich, Florian Helgath, RIAS Kammerchor & Münchener Kammerorchester)
Schoenberg, Adam: Picture Studies — Adam Schoenberg, composer (Michael Stern & Kansas City Symphony)
Zhou Tian: Concerto For Orchestra — Zhou Tian, composer (Louis Langrée & Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)

MUSIC VIDEO/FILM FIELD

Best Music Video:
“Up All Night” — Beck
“Makeba” — Jain
“The Story Of O.J.” — Jay-Z
“Humble.” — Kendrick Lamar
“1-800-273-8255” — Logic Featuring Alessia Cara & Khalid

Best Music Film:
“One More Time With Feeling” — Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
“Long Strange Trip” — (The Grateful Dead)
“The Defiant Ones” — (Various Artists)
“Soundbreaking” — (Various Artists)
“Two Trains Runnin'” — (Various Artists)


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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 20th to 26th, 2017 - Update #33

Support Leroy on Patreon.

TELEVISION - From SlashFilm:  Lionsgate is among a group of entities developing a reboot of the 2008 film "Jumper."  Doug Liman, who directed the film, is also developing a "Jumper"-related series for Youtube Red.

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TELEVISION - TVLine:  The first three episode of "American Horror Story: Cult" have been screened for the press, revealing details about Lena Dunham and Emma Roberts' characters.

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MOVIES - From FlickeringMyth:  Vera Farmiga and J.K. Simmons are joining Hugh Jackman in his Gary Hart biopic, "The Front Runner."

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  "It," the new film adaptation of Stephen King's epic novel, is looking like it may set a box office record for the month of September.

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COMICS-FILM - From Vulture:  James Cameron ain't buying all the self-congratulatory back slapping over the "Wonder Woman" film.

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  A "Girls Trip" sequel may be in the works.

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COMICS-FILM - From THR:  Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, the producers of NBC's hit drama, "This is Us," will write and direct a film featuring DC Comics' characters, The Joker and Harley Quinn.

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COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies:  Jon Favreau teases a reunion of Robert Downey, Gwyneth Paltrow and himself in "Avengers 4."

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CELEBRITY - From YahooTV:  Tyler Perry says that he still takes care of his step-father although the man physically and verbally abused him as a child.

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Director Matt Reeves says that his movie, "The Batman" (starring Ben Affleck as Batman) will not be part of the DC Extended Universe and it will be a stand alone film.

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Martin Lawrence does not think "Bad Boys 3" will happen.

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BLM - From GuardianUK:  The U.S. justice system uses the chokehold to oppress and humiliate black men.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Common will star in Starz "Black Samurai" series with RZA (Wu-Tang Clan) and Jerry Bruckheimer executive producing.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Iranian filmmaker, Asghar Farhadi, has begun shooting his new film in Spain with Oscar winners Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz headlining the film.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment are planning another Batman spinoff movie.  This one would focus on the origin of iconic Batman villian, The Joker, and would involve the creative talents of Todd Phillips and Martin Scorsese.

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MOVIES - From CinemaBlend:  Ed Skein of "Deadpool" is joining the "Hellboy" reboot film.

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  NBC has scrapped its plans for a reboot of "Xena: Warrior Princess."

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Margot Robbie is unrecognizable as Queen Elizabeth I in the film, "Mary Queen of Scots."

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SPORTS - From BET:  A large number of NYPD officers rally in support of blackballed NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick.

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CULTURE - From RollingStone:  The history of White supremacy in America.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  New details emerge on "Deadpool 2" crash that took the life of stunt woman Joi Harris.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Lynn Whitfield joins Sanaa Lathan in Netflix's comedy, "Nappily Ever After."

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TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  A spoiler-filled recap of the Aug. 20th, 2017 "Game of Thones."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 8/18 to 8/20/2017 weekend box office is "Hitman's Bodyguard" with an estimated take of $21.6 million.

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ANIMATION - From YahooTV:  Writer-director Adam Reid is trying to raise money to produce a pilot for a proposed animated TV series featuring President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden as time traveling heroes.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Cover story:  Has Netflix's Ted Sarandos rescued or ruined Hollywood?

From Variety:  Marvel/Netflix's "The Defenders" could set binge-viewing / streaming records.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  New Line is looking to reboot the "Shaft" film franchise again.  Samuel L. Jackson is in negotiations to join the film with Jessie T. Usher ("Survivor's Remorse").  Jackson starred in the title role in Paramount Pictures' 2000 "Shaft" film.

CULTURE - From Politico:  How militias became the private police force for White supremacists.


OBITS:

From THR:  The comedian, radio talk show host, and comic actor, Jay Thomas, has died at the age of 69, Thurs., August 24, 2017.  Thomas won two Emmys playing "Jay Gold" on the 1980s-90s CBS sitcom, "Murphy Brown."  He was also known for his annual appearances on David Letterman's late-night talks shows.

From RollingStone:  Actor, filmmaker, comedian, and philanthropist, Jerry Lewis, has died at the age of 91, Sunday, August 20, 2017.  Before he embarked on a solo film career, he partnered with legendary singer and actor, Dean Martin.  Many knew Lewis for his annual "The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon," which raised money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

---------------------------------
From Variety:  Groundbreaking civil rights activist and comedian, Dick Gregory, has died at the age of 84, Saturday, August 19, 2017.  He counted among his friends Dr. Martin Luther King and Medgar Evars.  Gregory wrote several books, including "Nigger: An Autobiography."  His new book, "Defining Moments in Black History" is due in September.

From Variety:  Tributes to Dick Gregory, who died on Saturday, pour in from colleagues, fans, and admirers, including Whoopi Goldberg, George Wallace, Ava DuVernay, Gilbert Gottfried, Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, Lawrence O'Donnell, and more.

From Variety:  Dick Gregory recent guest column for Variety: "Fight Police Brutality with Your Wallet."
-----------------------------------------

From Variety:  The actor Sonny Landham died at the age of 76, Thursday, August 17, 2017.  Part Seminole and Cherokee, Landham was best known for playing the Native American tracker, Billy Sole, in the Arnold Schwarzenegger film, Predator (1987).  He also had roles in "The Warriors," "48 Hrs," and "Action Jackson."

Viola Davis, Lee Daniels Common Join "BET Presents the ABFF Honors"

Viola Davis, Lee Daniels, Common, Maxwell, Omari Hardwick, Morris Chestnut and Dionne Farris among Big Names to Take the Stage During the 2017 “BET Presents the American Black Film Festival Honors”

Actress and Director Regina Hall to Host Annual Ceremony

Awards Show Tapes Friday, February 17 in Los Angeles and will air on BET and Centric Wednesday, February 22 at 8:00PM ET

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Networks and American Black Film Festival (ABFF)’s “BET Presents the American Black Film Festival Honors” is thrilled to announce that Viola Davis, Lee Daniels, Common, Morris Chestnut and Omari Hardwick are confirmed to present during the annual ceremony taping in Los Angeles on Friday, February 17th, 2017. Also set to take the stage are Maxwell and Dionne Farris, who will woo the audience with sultry performances. ABFF Honors' mission is to celebrate Black culture by honoring individuals, movies and television shows that have had a significant impact on American entertainment. “BET Presents the American Black Film Festival Honors” airs on BET and Centric on Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 at 8:00PM ET.

Hosted by actress and director Regina Hall, “BET Presents the American Black Film Festival Honors” is proud to celebrate some of Hollywood’s most iconic artists. As previously announced, the show will honor actor and director Denzel Washington with the “Hollywood Legacy Award;” writer, producer and actress Issa Rae with the “Rising Star Award,” film director and producer F. Gary Gray with the “Excellence in the Arts Award” and actor and singer, Terrence Howard with the “Excellence in the Arts Award.” In addition, there will be a special appearance by some of Young Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Jay Ellis (Insecure, The Game), Kofi Siriboe (Queen Sugar), Alexandra Shipp (X-Men: Apocalypse, Straight Outta Compton) and Kylie Bunbury (Pitch).

“BET Presents the American Black Film Festival Honors” is sure to be a highlight of the Hollywood Awards season and Black History Month. The event is executive produced by ABFF Ventures founder Jeff Friday, Suzanne de Passe and Madison Jones for de Passe Jones Entertainment, Jesse Collins for Jesse Collins Entertainment, and Connie Orlando, Stephen G. Hill and Debra Lee for BET Networks.

The 2017 ABFF Honors sponsors are AT&T, Cadillac and Prudential Financial Inc. (Red Carpet Partners) and Hennessy (Official Spirit Partner).

For more information about the 2017 ABFF Honors, log on to www.ABFFHonors.com. Also, follow us on our social media platforms:

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Twitter: @ABFFHonors
Instagram: @AmericanBlackFilmFestival
Facebook: American Black Film Festival
YouTube: American Black Film Festival
Website: http://www.bet.com/shows/abff-honors.html


ABOUT ABFF
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is an annual event dedicated to showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. It supports emerging artists to foster a wider range of images, stories and storytellers represented in the entertainment industry. The festival is committed to the belief that Black artists and content creators deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts. ABFF founder Jeff Friday conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to promote diversity in the motion picture industry, and strengthen the Black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development. Today, the ABFF is recognized as the preeminent pipeline to new Black talent, both in front of and behind the camera, and is regarded as one of the leading film festivals in the world. The ABFF is a property of ABFF Ventures LLC, a multifaceted entertainment company specializing in the production of live events, television and digital content targeted to upscale African American audiences.

For additional information about the festival, visit www.ABFF.com.

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

BET Bid Farewell to the Obama with "Through the Fire: The Legacy of Barack Obama"

The End of an Era – BET Networks Bids Farewell to the First Family with Special Tributes Throughout the Month

BET News original documentary “Through the Fire: The Legacy of Barack Obama” Produced by Stanley Nelson

Premieres January 19 at 7 pm ET

Samuel L. Jackson, Will.i.am, Regina Hall, Common Among Celebrities to Share Their Goodbyes

#ThankYouObama

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On November 4, 2008, the nation elected its first African-American president; an historic first celebrated around the world. During his two terms in office, on the world stage, Barack Obama worked to fulfill the promise so many of his supporters saw in him. From domestic policy to foreign affairs, Barack Obama has led America forward with a powerful dignity and grace that no one can question. NOW as the First Family prepares to bid the White House adieu, BET Networks celebrates and reflects on Barack Obama’s presidency with a month-long series of documentaries and specials, culminating in a full day of special programming honoring the Obamas.

    “Through the Fire: The Legacy of Barack Obama”

BET Presents “Through the Fire: The Legacy of Barack Obama” (original premiere) This documentary explores the historic election of America’s first African-American president and his consequential two-terms in office. Blending archival footage with a diverse array of provocative interviews with the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Common, Usher, Russell Simmons, Mellody Hobson, Van Jones, Valerie Jarrett, Questlove and many more, EMMY award winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson reveals the challenges and triumphs of Barack Obama’s unique presidency and powerful legacy. Narrated by actor/activist Jesse Williams, “Through the Fire” premieres January 19th, 2017 at 7pm ET.

http://www.bet.com/video/news/specials/2017/through-the-fire/the-legacy-of-barack-obama-sneak-peek.html

BET Life of: The Obamas (original premiere) along the Obama presidential timeline, BET showcased instances of the grace, pride, leadership and influence personified by the President and First Lady; from Michelle being featured on BET platforms like “106 & Park”, “Black Girls Rock” and “BET Honors” to Barack sitting with Jeff Johnson to discuss significant issues in the black community, celebrating the anniversary of the historic Selma to Montgomery march and engaging our youth in various town halls. Host Marc Lamont Hill highlights these notable appearances in “BET Life of: The Obamas” and brings you the top moments from the last concert at the White House hosted by the Obamas. This special premieres January 19 at 4pm ET.

Love and Happiness: An Obama Celebration (repeat) Ain’t no party like a BET party…at The White House! The First Family invited viewers into their home for an unforgettable star-studded musical celebration. Hosted by Regina Hall and Terrence J. The evening was filled with special performances and memorable moments from John Legend, Bell Biv DeVoe, Angela Bassett, Jill Scott, Janelle Monae and others. This special airs January 19th at 8am and 11pm on BET.

Be sure to follow @BET on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for special photos and video thankyous from celebrities who have been personally impacted by President Obama and his leadership. And join the live tweeting on January 19th using #ThankYouObama.


About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

Follow us on Twitter: @BET_PR

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

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.