Showing posts with label Denzel Washington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Denzel Washington. Show all posts

Friday, June 17, 2022

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 12th to 18th, 2022 - Update #16

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

SPORTS - From YahooSportsThe Golden State Warriors are the 2022 NBA World Champions.  They beat the Boston Celtics 103-90 in Game 6 of the 2021-22 NBA Finals Championship Series to win the best-of-seven series 4 games to 2. This is the Warriors fourth title in eight years.

EMMYS - From DeadlineChris Rock and Dwayne Johnson have been approached about hosting this year's Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony on NBC this Sept. 1st, although neither is expected to accept the offer.

NETFLIX - From DeadlineMelissa McCarthy and Amy Schumer are among the stars appearing in Jerry Seinfeld's Netflix comedy film, "Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story."

ANIMATION - From DeadlineBrian Cox, Gaia Wise, and Miranda Otto have joined the voice cast of New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Animation's "The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim."

MOVIES - From Deadline:   "Man on Fire" costars Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning will reunited on Sony's "The Equalizer 3," which is due September 2023.

TELEVISION - From DeadlineMalcolm-Jamal Warner, Wendell Pierce, and Karen LeBlanc will star in an episode of Fox's anthology crime drama, "Accused," which focuses on defendants on trial.

From Deadline:  The syndicated talk show, "The Wendy Williams Show," will officially end Fri., June 17th, with its final original episode after a 13 year run.  Williams will not be present for the final episode.  In the fall, it will be replaced by a syndicated talk show hosted by Sherri Shepherd.

TONY AWARDS - From Variety:  Here is complete list of winners at the 2022 / 75th Tony Awards, held Sun., April 12, 2022.  "A Strange Loop" wins "Best Musical" and "The Lehman Trilogy" wins "Best Play."

From Variety:  Singer-actress Jennifer Hudson has become the 17th "EGOT" recipient.  That is a person who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. Hudson won her Tony last night for producing "A Strange Loop."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 6/10 to 6/12/2022 weekend box office is "Jurassic World: Dominion" with an estimated take of 143.3 million dollars.

DISNEY - From Variety:  Chris Evans, star of Disney/Pixar's "Lightyear," talks about the intimidation of voicing a character made famous by the voice of actor, Tim Allen.

OBITS:

From YahooEntertainment:  Actor Philip Baker Hall has died at the age of 90, Sunday, June 12, 2022.  Hall was in his late 30s when his prolific film and TV career began with the film "Cowards."  He played numerous character roles on TV series and in television films.  He may be best remembered for his role as the hard-nosed library detective, Lt. Joe Bookman, on Season 3 Episode 5, "The Library," on NBC's former sitcom, "Seinfeld," in which he was hunting down a book that Jerry Seinfeld had borrowed in 1971 and never returned.  Hall was also known for his lead role in Paul Thomas Anderson's 1996 film, "Hard Eight," and for his supporting role in Anderson's 1997 film, "Boogie Nights."

From THR:  Film and television costume designer, May Routh, has died at the age of 87, June 1, 2022.  Routh began as a fashion illustrator for such magazines and "Elle" and "Vogue" before she began working in film and television.  She is best known for her work on such films as "The Man Who Fell to Earth" (1976) and "Being There" (1979).  Routh also received Emmy nominations for her work on the TV films, "Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter" (CBS, 1991) and "Andersonville" (TNT, 1996).

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UVALDE, TEXAS MASS SHOOTING:

From YahooAP:  An 18-year-old gunman slaughtered 19 children and two teachers on Tues., May 24th, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas.  All 21 victims were in the same 4th grade classroom at Robb Elementary.

From Jacobin:  "The Uvalde Massacre has exposed the lies that once justified police militarization" by Branko Marcetic

From Truthout:  We don’t need more evidence that police can’t be trusted.

From Truthout:   44 percent of GOP voters view mass shootings as part of living in “Free Society”

From ABCNews:  Arnulfo Reyes, a teacher who survived the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, calls the local police "cowards" because of slow response to an active shooter at his school, Robb Elementary.  All of 11 students in his class were killed.

From DallasNews:  Joe Garcia, the husband of Irma Garcia, one of the two teachers killed at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, has died of a heart attack two days after the murder of his wife.  They had been married for 24 years and had been high school sweethearts.

From Axios:  Texas gubernatorial candidate, Beto O'Rourke, interrupted Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's gaslighting press conference on the Uvalde elementary school mass shooting.

From USAToday:  Beto O'Rourke's outburst at Gov. Greg Abbott's Uvalde news conference shows the spine Democrats need.

From BostonGlobe:  Steve Kerr, head coach of the NBA's Golden State Warriors, asks "When are we going to do something?"

From NBCNews:  A Robb Elementary teacher describes "the longest 35 minutes of my life" and the terror she now feels.

From NBCNews:  The Uvalde school district had an extensive safety plan, but 19 children were killed at Robb Elementary anyway.  Even security plans that appear to be up to the latest research-based standards may have gaps and fall short of preventing the worst-case scenario, experts said.

From MSN:  Angeli Rose Gomez, the mother who was handcuffed outside Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, was able to get inside the school and rescue her two children.

From YahooNews:   Daniel Defense, the maker of the rifles used by the Uvalde massacre killer, has used "incendiary ads" in the past, including one in which a toddler holds one of its rifles.

From TheIntercept:  The police aren't obligated to protect anyone NOT in their custody, as the Supreme Court has ruled twice.

From RollingStone:  Right wing lies about the Second Amendment and why they tell them are killing America's childrne.

From Vice:  The law enforcement personnel in Texas that arrived at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas on Tues., May 24th did the opposite of what their own training documentary videos show.

From Vox:  Uvalde police keep changing their story.

From TheDailyBeast:  The families in Uvalde, Texas who lost loved one in the Robb Elementary massacre say that the cops there are "Nothing more than cowards" and that they need to pay for doing nothing while a gunman rampaged through the school last Tues, May 24th.

From TheNewYorker:  Thoughts and prayers, Uvalde, Texas. This is the America that Republicans and the right wing have being thinking about and praying for all these decades.

From ABC:  Sources say that Uvalde police and school district no longer cooperating with Texas probe of shooting of the May 24th massacre of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.

From GuardianUK:  Canada plans to freeze all handgun ownership.

From RSNWashPost:  Is it time to show the true horror of mass shooting - in pictures?

From MSN:  Angeli Gomez, the Uvalde mother who rescued her two children from the Robb Elementary shooting massacre, says that a police officer threatened to arrest her if she did not stop telling her story.

From RSNTheAtlantic:  The Uvalde police chose dishonor. Where was there courage?

From RSNWashPost:  Brenda Bell:  I hid from the Texas Tower sniper (Charles Joseph Whitman) in 1966. His successors have found us all.

From RSNTheIntercept:  "AR-15s Were Made to Explode Human Bodies. In Uvalde, the Bodies Belonged to Children" by Murtaza Hussain

From RSNNPR:  The tragic history of police responding too late to active shooters.

From VICE:  There is likely bodycam footage of the school shooting in Uvalde, TX, but the public may never see it.

BLM-BUFFALO:

From ABCNews:  A 18-year-old white MAN shot 13 people, killing 10 at a Buffalo, New York Tops Friendly Markets supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2021.

From RSNAP:  The white male suspect in the Buffalo Tops Supermarket shooting, Payton Gendron, was charged with federal hate crimes on Wed., June 15th and could face the death penalty if convicted.

From Truthout:  The racist attack in Buffalo at the Tops Friendly supermarket was crafted to terrorize us.  We can fight back, and here’s how we fight back.

From WGRZ:  Who are the victims of the Buffalo Tops Friendly Markets grocery store shooting. This comes from local station WGRZ Channel 2 and includes video and some victim photos.

From BuffaloNews:  One of the 10 Black murder victims of the Buffalo massacre was Katherine "Kat" Massey.  She was a leader in her community and civil rights activist and advocate for education.

From NewYorkPost:  One of the 10 Black murder victims of the Buffalo massacre was Andre Mackniel. He was at TOPS Supermaket to pick up a birthday cake for his son.

From Truthout:  The racist attack in Buffalo, NY at the Tops supermarket was crafted to terrorize us, so here is how we fight back.

From CNN:  What is known about the 18-year-old MAN, Payton Gendron.

From NPR:  198 mass shooting this year ... so far.

From Truthout:  White supremacist massacre of 10 people in Buffalo, NY shows that the “Alt-Right” ideology leads to murder.

From RollingStone:  Buffalo rampage killing is "Straight Up Racially Motivated Hate Crime."

From InformedComment:  Rene Binet, the originator the "great replacement" was a French Nazi, and he saw all American as "Negroes," an "impure mestizo 'race'."

From WashPost:  Only 22 people saw the live-stream of a white terrorist kill Black shoppers at the Buffalo Tops Friendly Markets supermarket, but millions have seen it since...

From GuardianUK:  Buffalo Tops Friendly Markets shooter may have been motivated by "eco-fascism," a focus on overpopulation and environmental degradation.

From RSN:  "What Lessons Have We Learned From the Buffalo Shooting?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

From Truthout:  “Innocent” White People Are Also Complicit in the Anti-Black Murders in Buffalo by George Yancy.

From Truthout:  "Black Lives Matter" cofounder discovered that Alicia Garza has learned that her name is mentioned in the Buffalo Tops supermarket killer's manifesto.

From GuardianUK:   Cornell West says, "Trump isn't out there with a gun, but he's enabled this war against Black people.

From Slate:  From the Tulsa Race Massacre to the Buffalo Tops Friendly Markets shootings: the legacy of anti-Black violence.

From Truthout:  After mass shootings, Republicans shield white supremacists from scrutiny

From MSN:  Angeli Gomez, the Uvalde mom who rescued her children from the school shooting at Robb Elementary, says that local police have threatened to have her arrested if she does not stop telling her story.

UKRAINE:

From TheDailyBeast:  Russian soldiers allegedly raped and killed a 1-year-old Ukrainian boy and have reportedly raped or sexually abused children as young as 9 months old.

HATE WATCH:

From NPR:  31 members of the white nationalist Patriot Front arrested near a "Pride Month" event in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  They are believed to have been planning to riot held at a local before moving on to rioting downtown.  They were not the only haters trying to sour the "Pride in the Park" event, which included families with children.

From SpokesmanReviewThe Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office released the names and photos of all 31 "Patriot Front" members who are suspects in a planned riot at the "Pride Month" event in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.


Saturday, February 12, 2022

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from February 6th to 12th, 2022 - Update #22

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   Bill Lawrence, the showrunner behind the hit TV series, "Ted Lasso," has just signed a 100 million dollar deal with Warner Bros. TV Group. Here, is the story behind the deal.

TELEVISION - From DeadlineFox Network has made a "script-to-series" commitment for "End of Watch," a TV series based on David Ayers' 2012 film, "End of Watch."

AMAZON - From VanityFair:  Here are several photographic images from Amazon's series, "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power."

TRAILER - From ETCanada:  The first official trailer for "Jurassic World: Dominion" is here.

SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Comedian and TV host turned media mogul, Byron Allen, wants to buy the NFL's Denver Broncos, which are currently up for sale.

BUSINESS - From Variety:  An array of movie, gaming, merchandising, and live event rights to "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" are up for sale because the Saul Zaentz Co. had decided to sell them.

MUSIC - From VarietySnopp Dogg has acquired his old record label, "Death Row Records."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The cause of actor-comedian Bob Saget's death has been revealed to be due to head trauma.  Saget was found unresponsive in an Orlando, Florida hotel on Jan. 9th, early this year.

NETFLIX - From THR:  Director Zack Snyder is re-teaming with his "Justice League" star, Ray Fisher, for the two-part Netflix film, "Rebel Moon," which will be shot back-to-back.

MOVIES - From VarietyUniversal Pictures has provided a first look at Oscar-winner Jordan Peele's upcoming film, "Nope."  The full trailer release will apparently happen during on "Super Bowl Sunday."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   Actress and TV personality Sherri Shepherd, a former co-host on ABC's "The View," is reportedly near a deal to become the permanent host of "The Wendy Williams Show."

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OSCARS - From Variety:  The nominations for the 2022 / 94th Academy Awards have been announced.  "The Power of the Dog" leads with 12 nominations.  The winners will be revealed March 27th.

From Deadline:    With his "Best Actor" nomination for "The Tragedy of Macbeth," Denzel Washington is the most nominated Black actor is Oscar history.  He has been nominated in two acting categories a total of 10 times with two wins total.

From Variety:   With her "Best Director" Oscar nomination for "The Power of the Dog," Jane Campion becomes the first woman nominated twice in that category. She was previously nominated in that category for "The Piano" (1993).

From Variety:  With his three nominations today, Kenneth Branagh of "Belfast" becomes the first person to have been nominated in seven individual categories over his career.

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COMIC BOOKS - From HorrorNewsNetwork:  Zombie Love Studios founder and comic book writer Rodney Barnes is teaming up with rapper/actor Snoop Dogg to produce a new horror anthology comic book, "Tales from the Crip," that is said to be “in the tradition of the classic EC Comics of old.”

CELEBRITY - From RollingStoneJennifer Lopez is "Rolling Stone's" March 2022 cover star, and she talks about how she broke all the rules to get to the top.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 2/4 to 2/6/2022 weekend box office is "Jackass Forever" with an estimated take of 23.5 million dollar opening.

PARAMOUNT+ - From Deadline:   Six fan favorite cast members:  Joe Mantegna, Kirsten Vangsness, Adam Rodriguez, A.J. Cook, Aisha Tyler, and Paget Brewster, have agreed to come back to the Paramount+ revival of "Criminal Minds," subject to closing their deals and availability.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Famed television mega-producers, David E. Kelley ("The Practice") and J.J. Abrams ("Lost") are teaming up for a limited series adaptation of author Scott Turow's 1987 novel, "Presumed Innocent." The popular novel was previously adapted into a 1990 film starring Harrison Ford.

OBITS:

From Variety:  Pioneering visual effects artist and inventor, Douglas Trumbull, has died at the age of 79, Tuesday, February 7, 2022.  Trumbull was one of the mastermind behind some of the audacious science fiction films of all time, including "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968), "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977), and "Blade Runner" (1982).  He also directed two landmark visual effects films, "Silent Running" (1972) and "Brainstorm" (1983).  He was nominated for three Oscars for his work on "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (1979), and "Blade Runner."  He did win a "Scientific and Engineering Award" and the "Gordon E. Sawyer Award" Academy Awards.

From Deadline:  Pioneering visual effects and mass media artist, Robert Blalack, has died at the age of Wednesday, February 2, 2022.  He was one of the founders of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM).  He won a "Best Visual Effects" Oscar for his work on "Star Wars" (1977) and a Primetime Emmy for his work on ABC's television film, "The Day After" (1983).  Blalack also created and produced special effects for such films as "Altered States" (1980) and "Robocop" (1987).

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AWARDS:

From Deadline:  The 2022 BAFTA Film Awards nominations have been announced.  "Dune" leads with 11 nominations.  The winners will be announced March 13th.

From Deadline:   The 2022 / 33rd annual Producers Guild of America Awards nominations have been announced.  The winners will be announced Saturday, March 19th.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2022 / 74th annual Directors Guild Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced March 12th.

From COFCA:  The Columbus Film Critics Association name "The Power of the Dog" the "Best Film" of 2021.

From Deadline:  Netflix's Black Western, "The Harder They Fall," was named the "Best Picture" of 2021 at the 13th annual African American Film Critics Association Awards.  The Western tied with "King Richard" for most wins with four.  Will Smith was named "Best Actor" for "King Richard."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2022 / 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards have been announced.

From Variety:  The snubs and surprises in the nominations for the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards.

From Variety:   At the 2022 / 79th Golden Globes, "The Power of the Dog" wins "Best Motion Picture-Drama" and "West Side Story" wins "Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy."

From VarietyThe National Society of Film Critics names the Japanese film, "Drive My Car," the best film of 2021.

From AwardsWatch:  The nominations for the 22nd Annual Black Reel Awards were announced a few weeks ago. Netflix's Black Western, "The Harder They Fall," has a record 20 nominations.  The winners will be announced February 27, 2022.

From AwardsWatch:  The Columbus Film Critics Association announced the nominations for their annual film awards.  Director Jane Campion's "The Power of the Dog" leads with 12 noms.  The winners will be announced Thurs., Jan. 6th, 2022.

From Deadline:  The Los Angeles Film Critics Association has named the Japanese film, "Drive My Car," the "Best Picture" of 2021.

From Deadline:  The 2022 / 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards have announced their nominations. "Zola" leads with six nominations. The winners will be announced Sun., March 6, 2022.

From THR:  The 2022 / 79th Golden Globes Awards nominations have been announced.  "Belfast" and "The Power of the Dog" lead with seven nominations each.  Winners will be announced Jan. 9th, 2022.

From GoldDerby:   The 2022 Critics Choice Awards nominations have been announced. "Belfast" and "West Side Story" leads with 11 nominations each. Winners will be announced Jan. 9th, 2022.

From Deadline:   The American Film Institute announced the "2021 AFI Awards" Top 10 list, and the list includes "Dune," "The Tragedy of Macbeth," and "West Side Story."

From THR:  Director Aleem Khan's "After Love" tops the 2021 British Independent Film Awards, winning six awards, including "Best Film of 2021."

From Variety:   The New York Film Critics Circle has named the Japanese drama, "Drive My Car," as the "Best Film of 2021."

From Deadline:  The National Board of Review hands director Paul Thomas Anderson's "Licorice Pizza" it "Best Film" and "Best Director" awards.  Will Smith picks up the "Best Actor" award for "King Richard."

From THR:  Netflix’s "The Lost Daughter," directed by actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, dominated the 2021 Gotham Awards in New York on Monday night (Nov. 29th).  The film won in four of the five categories in which it was nominated, including "Best Feature."

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"RUST" ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING DEATH:

From Deadline:  This link will take you to Deadline's Halyna Hutchins page, which articles related to everything about her shooting death on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From THR:   A Republican New Mexico legislator, State Sen. Cliff Pirtle of Roswell, on Monday introduced a bill that would require all film set personnel who handle firearms to complete a safety course offered by the New Mexico Game and Fish Department.  This is in the wake a cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, being fatally shot on the set of the Western, "Rust," last year by Alec Baldwin with a weapon he says he thought was not loaded with live ammunition.

From DeadlineAlec Baldwin and the other producers of the doomed Western film, "Rust," want a California judge to dismiss the lawsuit filed against them by the script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell.

From Deadline:   Alec Baldwin has finally turned over his cell phone to police for their probe into the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Baldwin's Western film, "Rust," last October in New Mexico.

From Variety:  One of the producers of tragic Western film, Rust, Emily Salveson, pushes tax shelters and hid income.

From THR:  "I let go of the hammer and 'Bang,' the gun goes off" says Alec Baldwin says in his first interview of the moment when a gun he was holding accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From DeadlineAlec Baldwin will sit down with ABC's news-reading clown George Stephanopoulos for a one hour special tomorrow night to talk about what happened on the set of the movie "Rust."  It will be Baldwin’s first extensive interview about the shooting.

From Deadline:  Industry veteran, Thall Reed, the father of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the Western, "Rust," may have handed the police a tip on why the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot to death on the set.

From THR:  A search warrant affidavit filed Tuesday for a prop shop sheds light on how alleged live ammunition ended up on the set of the Western film, "Rust," where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed in October.

From Deadline:  A month after cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot and killed on the New Mexico set the movie Western, "Rust," by a prop gun “discharged” by Alec Baldwin, those closest to the cinematographer held a private ceremony and interred her ashes at an unknown location.

From Deadline:  Actor Daniel Baldwin defends his brother, Alec Baldwin, in the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film, "Rust."  "Someone loaded that gun improperly," Daniel says.

From Deadline:  The newest lawsuit involving the tragic shooting on the set of the Western film, "Rust," has been filed by the film's script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell, against Alec Baldwin, the producers, the production company, armorer Hanna Gutierrez Reed, and others.

From DeadlineSerge Svetnoy, the gaffer on "Rust," has filed a lawsuit against several parties related to the film, including the production, the financiers, star Alec Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, and first Assistant Director David Halls.

From THR:   In the wake of the tragic accidental shooting on the set of his film, "Rust," Alec Baldwin on Monday took to social media to urge Hollywood to employ a police officer on every film and TV set that uses guns.

From THR:   The budget for "Rust" - Alec Baldwin was set to earn $150,000 as lead actor and $100,000 as producer, while $7,913 was earmarked for armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and $17,500 was set aside for the rental of weapons and $5,000 for rounds.

From Deadline:  Attorneys for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the set of the film, "Rust," said that they’re looking into whether a live bullet was placed in a box of dummy rounds with the intent of  “sabotaging the set.”

From THR:   Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the film, "Rust," released a statement through her lawyers.  She says she had “no idea where the live rounds came from” that were recovered by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's during the investigation of the accidental on-set shooting death of Halyna Hutchins.

From Jacobin:  An opinion piece says that cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' death on the set of the film, "Rust," was not a freak accident, but was about Alec Baldwin and his fellow producers' cost-cutting decisions.  Baldwin accidentally fired the gun that killed Hutchins.

From Deadline:   Two of executive producers on "Rust," Allen Cheney and Emily Salveson, disavow responsibility for the film's troubled production.

From THR:   Iconic "Ghostbusters" actor Ernie Hudson is reeling from the news of the death of Halyna Hutchins, like the rest of Hollywood. Hudson also appeared in the film, "The Crow," the film in which its star, Brandon Lee, was killed because of an on-set accidental shooting.  He also agrees with the call to ban real guns from movie sets.

From THR:  The Sheriff of Sante Fe County says that his office has recovered three guns and 500 rounds of ammunition from the set of the movie "Rust" where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed.

From Deadline:  Regarding criminal charges in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust," District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis, "all options are on the table - no one has been ruled out."

From THR:  Does Hollywood Need Guns? Will new regulations lead to an overreactions to a tragedy.

From Deadline:   "Rust" producers have opened an internal investigation into the fatal shooting on the set of the Western film.  They have hired outside lawyers to conduct interviews with the film's production crew.

From Deadline:  "Rust's" AD (assistant director), Dave Halls, has come under scrutiny in the wake of the on-set shooting death of the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The affidavit of Sante Fe Sheriff's Department Detective Joel Cano has been made public. It can be read at "Deadline."  The affidavit was for a search warrant from the property were the Western, "Rust," was being filmed.

From THR:  The production company behind "Rust" has shut the film down until the police investigation into the fatal, on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is through.  The Sante Fe County Sheriff's Office has also revealed a timeline of the shooting.

From Deadline:  The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department confirmed Thursday night that Alec Baldwin “discharged” a prop gun on the New Mexico set of the movie, "Rust."  As a result, one crew member, director of photography Halyna Hutchins, was killed and director Joel Souza was injured and remains in a local hospital - his condition unknown.

From THR:  "Rust" director, Joel Souza, who was wounded in the accidental on-set shooting, says that he is "gutted" by the death of his cinematographer on the film, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The fatal shooting on the set of "Rust" may have been "recorded" according to detective for Santa Fe Sheriff's Department.

From Deadline:  The production company behind the film, "Rust," will launch an internal safety review after the fatal accident that killed Halyna Hutchins; possible prior gun incidents; and a camera crew walkout.

From CNN:   Crew member yelled "cold gun" as he handed Alec Baldwin prop weapon, court document shows.

From Variety:  Actor Alec Baldwin releases statement on the death of Halyna Hutchins: "There are no words to convey my shock and sadness."

From Variety:  The prop gun that killed “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on during an on-set accident on Thursday contained a “live single round,” according to an email sent by IATSE Local 44 to its membership.


Thursday, September 30, 2021

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 26th to 30th, 2021 - Update #16

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

DISNEY - From Deadline:   Tim Federle will direct and Madhuri Shekar will write "Sister Act 3" for Disney+. Whoopi Goldberg will reprise her role as "Deloris," the nightclub singer turned nun.  Goldberg will also produce the film along with Tyler Perry and Tom Leonardis.

SCANDAL - From VanityFair:  Film, TV, and Broadway titan, Aaron Sorkin, says that scandal-ridden bully and super-producer (and Sorkin's collaborator), Scott Rudin, got what he deserved.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network has signed a deal for a 20-episode third season of "All Rise," the legal drama that CBS cancelled in this past May.  The Warner Bros TV-produced series will air on OWN beginning in 2022.  Star Simone Missick and most of the cast will return.

TELEVISION - From EOnline:  Ellen Pompeo remembers that time she called Denzel Washington a "m*therf*cker."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Eleven years after dumping it, NBC is reviving its beloved crime drama, "Law & Order," for a 21st season.  No premiere date has yet been announced.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  J. Michael Straczynski is set to write and executive a reboot of his 1990s science fiction syndicated TV series, "Babylon 5," for The CW.  The series ran for fives seasons (1994-99), including a pilot film (1993) and five other television movies.  The pilot TV movie and the series' first four seasons were syndicated via the "Prime Time Entertainment Network."  Season 5 aired on cable network TNT.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:   Grammy-winning recording artist, R. Kelly, has been found guilty on all nine counts in his federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Brooklyn. Sentencing is set for May 4th, 2022.

CELEBRITY - From GQ:  Oscar-nominated, box office champion, Will Smith, is the cover feature in November 2021 issue of "GQ." "Introducing the Real Will Smith" is the title of the article.

TELEVISION - From TheHill:  "Saturday Night Live" is adding a comedian, James Austin Johnson, to its cast who's been dubbed the world's greatest impersonator of former President Trump.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 9/25 to 9/27/2021 weekend box office is "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" with an estimated 13.3 million dollars.

From Negromancer:  My review of "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings."

CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Former child star, Dante Baco (who played "Rufio" in Steven Spielberg's 1991 film, "Hook") talks about his career and transition from child to adult actor.

MARVEL - From THR:   On Friday, Sept. 24, Marvel Entertainement filed a series of lawsuits against the estates of a group of comic book creators who created many of their most popular characters.  Those creators, all deceased, include Stan Lee, Gene Colan, and Steve Ditko.  The dispute is over something called "copyright termination," but you can read more at the article.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director Joel Coen and actor Frances McDormand answer questions about their new film, "The Tragedy of Macbeth," which also stars Denzel Washington and opened the 2021 New York Film Festival.

POLITICS - From YahooNews:  Kidnapping, assassination and a London shoot-out: Inside the CIA's secret war plans against WikiLeaks qne Julian Assange.

OBITS:

From THR:  Actor and former Disney child star, Tommy Kirk, has died at the age of 79, found dead on Tuesday, September 28, 2021.  Kirk was best known for the films he made for Walt Disney Studios from the mid-1950s to the early 1960s.  These include "Old Yeller" (1957), "The Shaggy Dog" (1959), "Swiss Family Robinson" (1960), and "Son of Flubber" (1963), to name a few.  He also played boy detective, "Joe Hardy," of "The Hardy Boys" on "The Mickey Mouse Club" in 1956.  The late Walt Disney reportedly personally fired Kirk from the studio in 1963 when he learned that the 21-year-old was involved in a gay relationship.  Kirk was elected as a "Disney Legend" in 2006.

From Deadline:  British film editor, Jon Gregory, has died at the age of 77, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021.  Gregory was nominated for a "Best Film Editing" Oscar nomination for his work on "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" (2017).  He was a four-time BAFTA nominee, including for his work on films like "Four Wedding and a Funeral" (1994) and "In Bruges" (2008).  Gregory is also known for his work with director Mike Leigh, including on films "Naked" (1993) and "Secrets & Lies" (1996).


Thursday, February 11, 2021

#28DaysofBlack Review: Denzel and Viola Tear it Up in "FENCES"

[Over a decade after his death, August Wilson's acclaimed stage play, Fences, finally made it to the big screen, three decades after word came that it was to be adapted into film.  Every time I think that Denzel Washington:  the film's star, director, and one of its producers, can no longer amaze me, he amazes us all.  It turns out that America's greatest male actor is also a really fine director.]

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 12 of 2021 (No. 1750) by Leroy Douresseaux

Fences (2016)
Running time: 139 minutes (2 hours, 19 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for thematic elements, language and some suggestive references
DIRECTOR:  Denzel Washington
WRITER:  August Wilson (based upon his play, Fences)
PRODUCERS:  Todd Black, Scott Rudin, and Denzel Washington
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Charlotte Bruus Christensen (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Hughes Winborne
COMPOSER:  Marcelo Zarvos
Academy Award winner

DRAMA

Starring:  Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, and Saniyya Sidney

Fences is a 2016 period drama film directed by Denzel Washington.  It is based on playwright, August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Fences (1985).  Wilson also wrote the film adaptation's screenplay before he died in 2005 at the age of 60.  Fences focuses on a working-class African-American father in the 1950s who tries to come to terms with the events of his troubled life.

Fences opens in 1950s Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and introduces 53-year-old Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington).  Troy lives with his wife, Rose Lee Maxson (Viola Davis), and their son, Cory (Jovan Adepo).  Troy works as a garbage collector alongside his best friend, Jim Bono (Stephen McKinley Henderson).  Troy has a younger brother, Gabriel (Mykelti Williamson), who sustained a head injury in World War II that left him mentally impaired.  Gabriel received a $3,000 government payout that Troy subsequently used as a down payment on a home for his family.  Troy sometimes wonders if he has done right by Gabriel, who now lives at “Miss Pearl's house.”

Troy also has an adult son from a previous relationship, Lyons Maxson (Russell Hornsby), an apparently talented musician who visits Troy on payday when he wants to borrow money.  Troy's relationship with Lyons is strained, as are his relationships with just about everyone else.  Troy is especially bitter about his professional baseball career.  He played professionally in the Negro Leagues, but never played Major League Baseball, which had a “color barrier” until 1947 that prohibited Black players from joining the majors.  Now, Troy refuses to give permission for Cory to play football because he does not want the teen to fail in sports as he did … he says.  This decision, his general contrarian ways, and his rancor about his life is pushing his family and friends away from him.

Fences is the sixth play in August Wilson's ten-part, “Pittsburgh Cycle,” of plays.  Like all the plays in the cycle, Fences explores the evolving African-American experience and examines race relations, among other themes.  Back in the late 1980s, actor Eddie Murphy had the film rights to Fences, but his planned film never came about.  Wilson and Murphy clashed over Wilson's insistence that the film adaptation of Fences be directed by an African-American because, more or less, only a black man could understand Troy Maxson's life.  At least, that is how I remember the behind-the-scenes happenings concerning Murphy's planed Fences film.

Watching Denzel Washington play Troy Maxson made me realize how universal Fences action and especially its themes are.  Washington is one of the film's producers as well as being the director, so he could make the film he wanted, and he filmed Fences in the city of Pittsburgh, where it is set.  It seems to me that Washington made Fences in its original setting, but played Troy Maxson and presented his world as a story in which audiences, practically from around the world and most certainly in the United States, could recognize and even identify.

Troy isn't just bitter about not being a Major League Baseball player; he is also always yearning.  Troy knows what he's got, but surpassing that is the desire to have more.  It is as if he is constantly thinking, “I have a good wife, son, home, and job, but …”  I have never seen Fences the play or read its text, so I am assuming that Fences the film is true to its source.  However, I interpret Fences the film as revealing that Troy's biggest obstacle isn't race, but is him always believing that what he has now will no longer make him happy, if it ever did.  He always believes that if he gets this “next thing” he will be happy or, at least, happier than he is at the present.

Washington's performance as Troy Maxson in his film, Fences, is a performance for the ages.  If this isn't his best acting, it is his best since The Hurricane.  And what do you know, Washington was nominated for the “Best Actor” Oscar for his performances in both Fences and The Hurricane, and he lost to actors who gave good but inferior performances to Washington's.

At least, Viola Davis finally won an Oscar – for “Best Supporting Actress” – for her performance in Fences.  She was long overdue, and in Fences, as Rose Maxson, she grounds the story and keeps Washington and Troy Maxson from dominating the entire story.  Some thought that Davis should have been nominated in the lead actress category, but Rose Maxson is a supporting character in this film.  Fences the film needs Viola Davis and Rose Maxson's support.

Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, and Mykelti Williamson give some of the best performances of their careers.  I have no doubt that Henderson would have been nominated in the “Best Supporting Actor” category if he were a white actor...

That's okay.  All these black folks make Fences a major cinematic accomplishment.  They make it an African-American experience writ large, and anyone who can comprehend a movie, regardless of ethnic background, can take into Fences into his or her soul.

10 of 10

Wednesday, February 10, 2021


NOTES:
2017 Academy Awards, USA:  1 winner: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Viola Davis); 3 nominations: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Todd Black, Scott Rudin, and Denzel Washington), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Denzel Washington), and “Best Adapted Screenplay” (August Wilson-Posthumously)

2017 Golden Globes, USA:  1 winner: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Viola Davis) and “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Denzel Washington)

2017 BAFTA Awards:  1 winner: “Best Supporting Actress” (Viola Davis)

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

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Sunday, January 31, 2021

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 24th to 31st, 2021 - Update #28

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 1/29 to 1/31/2021 weekend box office is "The Little Things" (starring Oscar winners Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto), with an estimated take of 4.8 million dollars.

From Deadline:   Are Warner Bros.' film that are are released in both movie theaters and on HBO Max making money?

POLITICS - From Jacobin:   Everything You Always Wanted to Know about QAnon But Were Too Weirded Out to Ask

BLM - From YahooNews:   Black Lives Matter movement nominated for 2021 Nobel Peace Prize

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  ABC has ordered a production pilot that will reboot its former Emmy-winning series, "The Wonder Years" (1988-93).  The reboot will be set in the same time period, late 1960s, but this time will focus on a middle class African-American family in Montgomery, Alabama.

CICELY TYSON - From Variety:  LeVar Burton pays tribute to his "Roots" co-star, Cicely Tyson, who died on Thursday.

MOVIES - From Variety:   "Variety" has made the screenplay for "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" available for reading.

TELEVISION - From YahooFinance:  Media mogul Byron Allen launches TheGrio.TV: "Communicate how you see the world unapologetically."

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:   Is Denzel Washington acting in movies like the new film, "The Little Things," to make up for turning down the Brad Pitt role in classic serial killer film, "Seven?"  This review of "The Little Things" speculates.

STREAMING - From Deadline:   Paramount+ (CBS All Access) teases a revival of Nickelodeon's "iCarly" with a set photo.

OSCARS - From Deadline:   The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday released its official entries for 2021 Oscars in the categories of Documentary Feature, Animated Feature and International Films. As expected, the eligible Documentary Feature lineup shatters the record for the most ever.

FESTIVALS - From Deadline:   The 2021 Cannes Film Festival is delaying from its May dates. The fest will now run July 6-17, pushing back from the originally planned May 11-22 slot.

MOVIES - From IndieWire: Neon has released a first look at actress Kristen Stewart ("Twilight") as Princess Diana in director Pablo Larrain's upcoming film, "Spencer."

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Skydance Media has optioned the rights to re-imagine the "Spy Kids" film franchise Spyglass Media Group and series creator Robert Rodriguez.

MOVIES - From Deadline: Newcomer Alton Mason will play rock 'n' roll icon, Little Richard, in director Baz Luhrmann's film, "Elvis."

BLM - From BET:   UCLA Gymnastics showed off some Black Girl Magic over the weekend, thanks to a flawless floor routine from star athlete Nia Dennis.

AWARDS - From Deadline:   The nominees fro the 2020-21 Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced.  "Never Rarely Sometimes Always" leads with seven nominations, include "Best Feature."

BIDEN! - From CNN:   White House recommits to getting Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill after delays by the defunct President Donald clown administration.

POLITICS-AWARDS - From YahooEntertainment:   Spike Lee says Donald Trump "will go down in history with the likes of Hitler" in New York Film Critics speech

HARRY POTTER - From THR:   A live-action "Harry Potter" TV series is in development at HBO Max. HBO and Warner Bros. are denying this, however.

TELEVISION - From THR:  Former Secretary of State and Senator Hillary Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea, are developing a female Kurdish militia drama for TV.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The winner of the 1/22 to 1/24/20 weekend box office is "The Marksman" with an estimated take of 2.03 million dollars.

From Deadline: "Our Friend" is among the film leading at the specialty box office.

TELEVISION - From Variety:   Actor Kenneth Branagh will play British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a new television series from writer-director Michael Winterbottom.  Entitled "The Spectred Isle," the series will focus on Britain's muddled response to the COVID-19 crisis.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  The pioneering African-American actress, Cicely Tyson, has died at the age of 96, Thursday, January 28, 2021.  Her most famous works are the 1974 television movie, "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" (for which she won two of her three Primetime Emmy Awards) and the 1972 film, "Sounder" (for which she received her lone Academy Award nomination).  Tyson won a Tony Award for her performance in the 2013 revival of "A Trip to Bountiful."  In 2018, she received the "Honorary Academy Award."  Tyson continued to work until her passing, appearing in six films for Tyler Perry.

From Variety:  Longtime film and television actress, Cloris Leachman, has died at the age of 94, Tuesday, January 26, 2021.  Many will remember her as the character, "Phyllis Lindstrom" on CBS' "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and on her spinoff, "Phyllis" (1975-77). Leachman also appeared in three Mel Brooks movies, including her memorable turn as "Frau Blucher" in "Young Frankenstein" (1974).  Leachman was nominated 22 times for the Primetime Emmy Awards and won eight, and she won a Daytime Emmy Award.  Leachman won the "Best Supporting Actress" Oscar and British Academy Film Award for her performance in "The Last Picture Show" (1971).

From CNN:   Veteran NBA reporter and analyst, Sekou Smith, has died at the age of 48, Tuesday, January 26, 2021 from complications of COVID-19.  Smith wrote for NBA.com and worked for NBA TV since 2009.

From Deadline:   The veteran character actor, Bruce Kirby, has died at the age of Sunday, January 24, 2021.  Kirby long career began in the mid-1950s.  He appeared in recurring roles on several series, including "Car 54, Where Are You?," "Columbo," and "L.A. Law" to name a few.  He also had a memorable role in the Oscar-winning "Best Picture," "Crash."  Kirby was also the father of the late actor, Bruno Kirby (1949-2006).

From Deadline:   Television and film writer, Walter Bernstein, has died at the age of 101, Friday, January 22, 2021.  Bernstein was one of the writers blacklisted in Hollywood in the 1950s.  His credits include "Fail-Safe" (1964) and "The Front" (1976), which starred Woody Allen as a man who acts as a "front" for blacklisted writers.

From Deadline:   The actor, Gregory Sierra, has died at the age of 83, Monday, January 4, 2021.  Sierra is best known for playing "Julio Fuentes" in 12 episodes of the NBC sitcom, "Sanford and Son" (1972-77), and for playing "Sgt. Miguel 'Chano' Amenguale" during the first two seasons of the ABC sitcom, "Barney Miller" (1975-85).  He had guest roles on numerous TV series and appeared in at least 30 films.  Sierra's death was only recently made public.


Saturday, July 25, 2020

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 19th to 25th, 2020 - Update #28

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

Support Leroy on Patreon:

San Diego ComicCon@Home 2020:

From YouTube:  ComicCon's YouTube channel.

From YouTubeDispatches from Middle-earth: What’s New for Tolkien Fans.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:

MUSIC - From YahooEntertainment:  There is a possibility of a musical collaboration between Big Boi, the rapper of the Grammy-winning OutKast, and reclusive and beloved British singer-songwriter, Kate Bush.

TYLER PERRY - From Deadline:  The first season of a TV series produced entirely during COVID-19 is almost in the can. Filming is scheduled to conclude today, July 25th, on Season 2 of Tyler Perry’s BET series, "Sistas."

SPORTS - From NFL:  Trailblazing Pittsburgh Steelers scout, Bill Nunn, deserves spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, says NFL.com columnist Jim Trotter.

STAR TREK - From Variety:  "Star Trek’" Universe’s Comic-Con Panel Teases New Shows and Champions Diversity

TELEVISION - Variety:  Is Hollywood slowly killing cable television?

MOVIES - From Variety:  Universal Pictures wants the planned "shot-in-outer-space" Tom Cruise movie that will be directed by Doug Liman.  Elon Musk's SpaceX and NASA will fully cooperate with this film's production.

MUSIC - From Variety:  Taylor Swift has announced that she will release a new LP, "Folklore," Thursday (July 23rd) midnight.

POLITICS - From YahooFinance:  Media mogul Byron Allen shares his thoughts on President Trump.  "... he's nothing more than temporary hired help."

DISNEY - From THR:  Disney animation pioneer, Ruthie Tompson, has turned 110-years-old.  Shis is a pioneer both in animation and at Walt Disney.  She first joined the Ink and Paint Department. During the next four decades, Tompson worked in various capacities, including reviewing animation cels before they were filmed and scene planning on films such as "Fantasia," "Dumbo," "Sleeping Beauty" and "Mary Poppins."

MUSIC-CULTURE - From TheAtlantic:  Grammy-winning recording artist, Dave Grohl, writes, "In Defense of Out Teacher."

BLM-CULTURE - From Truthout:  A New Wave of Pan-Africanism Seeks to Combat Global Anti-Black Racism

POLITICS - From TheHill:   On Mon., July 20th, Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) called Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) a "fucking bitch" during a heated confrontation that he initiated.

COMICS - From CNN:  Keanu Reeves is writing a comic book - BRZRKR - which is coming out in October.

NETFLIX:  From Deadline:  Netflix has won the rights to a movie star-cast package featuring Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, and director Sam Esmail, creator of the USA TV series, "Mr. Robot."  Entitled "Leave the World Behind," it is based on the upcoming novel by Rumaan Alam.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. has delayed the release of director Christopher Nolan's upcoming film, "Tenet," indefinitely, but could also announce a new release date in the very near future.  Warner also announced that the film's theatrical role out will not be "nontraditional."

MUSIC - TheGuardian:  The remarkable story of Olivia Records, a California-based, lesbian-feminist record label launched in 1973, that was owned and operated by women.

BOX OFFICE - From THR:  At the foreign box office, the South Korean film, "Peninsula," is the top film with an estimated debut of between 19 and 20 million dollars.

TELEVISION - From BlackEnterprise:  After ABC parted ways with "Dancing with the Stars" hosts, Tom Bergeron (with the series for 15 years) and Erin Andrews, the network made supermodel and businesswoman, Tyra Banks, the new host of the long-running reality competition series.  She will also be an executive producer of the series.

MUSIC - From Variety:  What would happen if Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Drake, decides to become an independent recording artist?

OBITS:

From THR:  The actor John Saxon has died at the age of 84, Saturday, July 25, 2020.  Saxon may be best known for his role as the indebted gambling addict, "Roper," in the legendary Bruce Lee film, "Enter the Dragon."  He also played law enforcement officials in some noted horror films, including "Black Christmas" (1974) and "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984).

From Variety:  The Japanese actor and singer, Haruma Miura, has died at the age of 30, Saturday, July 18, 2020.  Miura was best known for his role on the live-action TV series, "Attack on Titan" and "Kimi no Todoke."

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JOHN LEWIS:

From CNNPolitics:  Iconic American Civil Rights Movement leader, Congresmman John Lewis (D-Georgia), has died at the age of 80, Friday, July 17, 2020.  Lewis was chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and he was one of the "Big Six" leaders of the groups who organized the 1963 March on Washington.  Lewis played many key roles in the movement, including being one of the original 1961 Freedom Riders.

From IReadsYou:  A review of the first volume of John Lewis' autobiographical graphic novel trilogy, "March: Book One."

From Medium:  President Barack Obama issues a statement on the passing of Congressman John Lewis.

From Variety:  Celebrities and politicians remember Civil Rights Movement icon, Congressman John Lewis, who died on Friday.

From RSN:  Rev. Jesse Jackson says "John Lewis Is What Patriotism and Courage Look Like."

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From CNN:  Iconic American Civil Rights Movement leader and minister, C.T. Vivian, has died at the age of 95, Friday, July 17, 2020.  Among the many important things he did and in which he participated, the images of him being beaten by Alabama sheriff, Jim Clark, helped galvanize wider support for the Civil Rights movement.  In 1961, Vivian also participated in the "Freedom Rides."


BLACK LIVES MATTER NEWS:

From RSN:  The four corners of police violence

From TheIntercept:  Black Lives Matter Wants to End Police Brutality. History Suggests It Will Go Much Further.

From YahooNews:  "The Confederacy of California": life in the valley where Robert Fuller was found hanged

From CNN:  Colorado police officers involved in the death of Elijah McClain reassigned for safety reasons.

From Truthout: " Three North Carolina Police Fired for Racist Rants, Threats to Kill Black People" - and what they said is crazy and scary

From Truthout: Bryant Gumbel Gives Powerful Commentary on the 'Black Tax,' the 'Added Burden' of Being Black

From YahooEntertainment:  Oscar-nominated songwriter and Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Ray Parker, Jr., may be best known for writing the theme to the film, "Ghostbusters," but when he was a teenager, Parker was beaten by Detroit police officers.

From RSNewYorker:  Jelani Cobb: An American Spring of Reckoning.

From NBCNews:  Baton Rouge, LA activist, Gary Chambers, makes an impassioned speech about changing the name of Robert E. Lee High School in Baton Rouge.

From YahooNews:  Racial violence and a pandemic: How the Red Summer of 1919 relates to 2020

From DemocracyNow:   Fear Grows of Modern-Day Lynchings as Five People of Color Are Found Hanged

From NYPost:  Caramel, Indiana Catholic priest suspended for comparing Black Lives Matters activists to maggots.

From NBCNews:   NYPD is disbanding a unit that is the 'last chapter' of stop-and-frisk

From YahooLifestyle:  A history of the "Karen."


CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS:

From CDC:   The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."

From YahooNews:  Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?

From YahooNews:  Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.

From Deadline:  The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.

From TheNewYorker:  The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.

From YahooNews:  Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?

From YahooLife:  What is "happy hypoxia?"  And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?

From JuanCole:  Remeber when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19.  Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.

From TheIntercept:  The federal government has ramped up security and police-related spending in response to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including issuing contracts for riot gear, disclosures show. The purchase orders include requests for disposable cuffs, gas masks, ballistic helmets, and riot gloves...

From TheAtlanticThe Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying. The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.

From ProPublica:  Hospital's Secret COVID-19 Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns

From TheGuardian:  More than 20 million Americans could have contracted COVID-19, experts say.

From RSN/WashPost:  The COVID-19 mutation that has taken over the world.

7/13 - From YahooSports:  Maybe a pandemic means that there will not be college football this fall.

7/13- From YahooNews:  The CDC adds four new symptoms (including nausea and purple or blue lesions on feet and toes) to the list of COVID-19 symptoms.

7/19 - From YahooFinance:  Harvard Public Health professor Dr. Howard Koh says the U.S. "needs to regroup" to find COVID-19.

7/22 - From YahooNews:  A public health employee predicted Florida's coronavirus catastrophe — then she was fired.

7/22 - From YahooLifestyle:  Florida mom loses son, 20, to coronavirus, and then days later, her daughter.

7/23 - From TheWrap:  The site has a list of movie and TV stars, entertainment and sports figures who have tested positive for COVID-19

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Friday, May 17, 2019

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 12th to 18th, 2019 - Update #17

Support Leroy on Patreon:

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Oscar-nominated actress, Sharon Stone, and Grammy-nominated recording artist, Marilyn Manson, will appear in HBO's "The New Pope," from director Paolo Sorrentino.

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COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  The site is reporting that Robert Pattison ("Twilight" series) will be the new Batman/Bruce Wayne in director Matt Reeves' upcoming film, "The Batman," which is due June 25, 2021.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Chris Rock (yes, that Chris Rock) is joining Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures to reboot the "Saw" film franchise.  The new film is due October 2020.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  James Gunn talks about being fired from "Guardians of the Galaxy 3" and then, being reinstated.

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MOVIES - From Movieweb:  James Wan ("Aquaman") is rebooting the "Mortal Kombat" film franchise (based on the beloved video game).  Wan will produce the film.

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DISNEY/STREAMING - From Variety:  Disney now has full operational control of the streaming service, Hulu, of which it has at least 60% ownership interest.  Comcast/NBCU retains its 33% ownership interest, which Disney can buy at some point in the future.  Comcast is planning to launch a free, ad-supported streaming service next year.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Rami Malek is in talks to join Denzel Washington in the serial killer film, "Little Things" from director John Lee Hancock.

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TELEVISION - From TVLine:  The upcoming sixth season (2019-2020) will be the final season for Fox's soap opera-drama, "Empire."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 5/10 to 5/12/2019 weekend box office is "Avengers: Endgame" with an estimated take of 63 million dollars.

From Forbes:  "Pokemon: Detective Pikachu" debuted this weekend and grossed 58 million dollars at the box office, the biggest opening weekend ever for a movie based on a video game.

From Patreon:  My review of "Avengers: Endgame."

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Broadcast television networks announce series orders and pick-ups.

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STREAMING - From TheVerge:  CBS All Access to give Jordan Peele's rebooted "The Twilight Zone," which is in full-color the black and white treatment, beginning May 30th.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Russell Crowe to star in road-rage thriller, "Unhinged."

OBITS:

From Deadline:  The Emmy-winning actor and comedian, Tim Conway, has died at the age of 85, May 14, 2019.  Conway was best known for his work on the ABC sitcom, "McHale's Navy" (1962-1966), and the long-running CBS variety program, The Carol Burnett Show" (1967-1978).  Conway won six Emmy Awards out of 13 nominations.

From TheWrap:  The actor Isaac Kappy died at the age of 42, Monday, May 13, 2019.  He had a small role in Marvel Studios' "Thor" (2011) and appeared in films such as "Terminator: Salvation" and "Beerfest."

From Deadline:  Iconic American actress and singer, Doris Day, has died at the age of 97, May 13, 2019.  She was known for such films as "Pillow Talk" (1959), which she made with her longtime friend, Rock Hudson; "That Touch of Mink" (1962), co-starring Cary Grant; and "Move Over, Darling" (1963) with James Garner.  She was also known for her TV series, "The Doris Day Show" (1968-1973) and for a string a hit records from the mid-1940s to the mid-1950s.

From Variety:  The actress and singer, Peggy Lipton, has died at the age of 72, Saturday, May 11, 2019.  Lipton appeared in the TV series, "The Mod Squad" (1968-1973), as the flower child, Julie Barnes, a role for which she received four Emmy nominations and won a Golden Globe.  Lipton also had a main role in the ABC TV series, "Twin Peaks" (1990-91).  Lipton was married to legendary music producer, Quincy Jones, with whom she has two daughters, actress and producer, Rashida Jones, and model and fashion designer, Kidada Jones.