Showing posts with label Don Cheadle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Don Cheadle. Show all posts

Saturday, January 7, 2017

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 1st to 7th, 2017 - Update #37

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ECO - From YahooNews:  A zombie apocalypse would wipe out humanity in 100 days.

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TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  Comedy duo, Key and Peele, bring back one of their most popular routines, the "Obama anger translator," for one last hurrah.

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LGBT - From Variety:  Sony Pictures Classics buys hot gay love story, "Call Me by Your Name," before it makes its Sundance 2017 debut.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  After battling a mysterious illness, Val Kilmer makes his first red carpet appearance in over a year.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Ralph Fiennes and Hugh Laurie are joining Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly's "Holmes and Watson."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Keegan-Michael Key joins the cast of "The Predator" (the reboot of the Predator film franchise).  The film is due February 2018.

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  Kirsten Dunst will star and executive produce with George Clooney a dark comedy for AMC, entitled "On Becoming a God in Central Florida."

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OBIT - From Variety:  The actress Francine York has died at the age of 80, Friday, January 6, 2017.  She has more than 150 film and TV credits.  That includes an appearance in the cult film, "The Doll Squad" and playing Lydia Limpet, the hench-woman of the Bookworm on the 1960s "Batman" TV series.

From Variety:  Veteran Indian actor, Om Puri, has died at the age of 66, Friday, January 6, 2017.  You might recognize a younger him in the Oscar-winning "Gandhi."

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POLITICS - From NYDailyNews:  Ann Coulter hits rock bottom, but at least we learn that she is a Nazi-Bitch.

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CELEBRITY-STAR WARS - From YahooCelebrity:  "People" offers details into the memorial for Carrie Fisher held, Thursday, January 5, 2016.

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COMICS-FILM - From THR:  In "Thor: Ragnarok," Thor and Hulk will fight in the gladiator ring.

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COMICS-FILM - From THR:  Sterling K. Brown, who had a star-making turn in FX's "The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story," has joined the cast of Marvel Studios' "Black Panther."

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The team behind the TV series, "Jane the Virgin," is working on a reboot of "Charmed," The WB TV series that ran from 1998 to 2006.

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CELEBRITY - From People:  Jessica Biel and husband Justin Timberlake's antics at a recent Los Angeles Lakers game cause a stir.

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AWARDS - From TheWrap:  Writers Guild of America has announced its WGA nominees for 2016.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Rachel McAdams and Jason Batemon are teaming for the comedy, "Game Night."

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Sylvester Stallone and Adam Driver (Kylo Ren in "The Force Awakens") are teaming for the film project, "Tough as They Come."

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OBIT - From Variety:  George Kosana has died at the age of 81, Monday, January 2, 2017.  Kosana's most famous role was as "Sheriff McClelland" in "Night of the Living Dead."  He was also one of 10 investors originally involved in the film.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  Although Angelina Jolie has agreed to Brad Pitt's request to keep divorce documents concerning child custody sealed, she says that he is terrified that the truth will come out.  What truth, girl?

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CELEBRITY - From YahooNews:  There was apparently a fight at the funeral of comedian Ricky Harris on Tuesday, January 3, 2017.  Comedian/actress Sherri Shepherd filmed the bout.  Harris, known for his recurring role on "Everybody Hates Chris," died Monday, December 26, 2016.

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CELEBRITY - From CNN:  50-year-old Janet Jackson has given birth to a baby boy.

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LGBT - From YahooNews:  Anti-gay bigot, Kim Burrell, will not appear on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" as scheduled.

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NEWS - From YahooNews:  FOX News hosts Megyn Kelly is moving to NBC.

From YahooNews:  Is Kelly's departure a catastrophe for Fox?

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STAR WARS - From YahooNews:  Actress Joely Fisher, sister of Carrie Fisher, says "We lost our hero."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  "Rogue One" won the three-day New Year's weekend box office, 12/30/2016 to 1/1/2017, with an estimated take of $49.5 million.  Over the four-day New Year's holiday weekend, which includes Monday, 1/2/2017, "Rogue One" took in $64.3 million.

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COMICS-FILM - From BleedingCool:  Leslie Jones, of "Saturday Night Live" and the recent "Ghostbusters" reboot, is campaigning to be Ryan Reynolds sidekick in "Deadpool" sequel.

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COMICS-ANIMATION - From BleedingCool:  Miles Morales (the "Black" Spider-Man) and Spider-Gwen are featured prominently in merchandising for upcoming Spider-Man Disney XD animated series.

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COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  Ben Affleck seems ambivalent about directing his superhero movie, "The Batman," according to some.

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COMICS-FILM - From SlashFilm:  Just two months off his big screen debut, Marvel's Doctor Strange has been confirmed to appear in Marvel Studios' "Thor: Ragnarok."

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MOVIES - ThePlaylist:  Ridley Scott worries about the future of cinema. Says that he has been asked several times to direct superhero movies.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Don Cheadle talks about his 10-year quest to bring the life of Miles Davis to the big screen.

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CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  A photo gallery of film, TV, and media people who died during 2016.

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BOX OFFICE - From Variety:  "Rogue One" ($50 million) and "Sing" ($41.4) are topping the New Year's Day holiday weekend so far.

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OBITUARY - From Variety:  The actor William Christopher has died at the age of 84, Saturday, December 31, 2016.  He was best known for playing "Father John Mulcahy" on the long-running TV series, "M*A*S*H."

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DISNEY - From BleedingCool:  Tyrus Wong, an acclaimed Disney artist, has died at the age of 106, Friday, December 30, 2016.  Named a "Disney Legend" in 2001, Wong's paintings were the inspiration for Walt Disney's animated feature film, "Bambi."

TRAILERS AND VIDEOS:

From YouTube: The video for "In My Foreign," the lead single from the "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage" soundtrack.

From YouTube:  Just cause I like it, here is another chance to see A.O.A.'s "Afraid of Americans," a remake of a 1990s David Bowie song.


Monday, September 12, 2016

Review: "Captain America: Civil War" Could Be the Best Superhero Movie Ever

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 15 (of 2016) by Leroy Douresseaux

[A version of this review originally appeared on Patreon.]

Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Running time:  147 minutes (2 hours, 27 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for extended sequences of violence, action and mayhem
DIRECTORS:  Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
WRITERS:  Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely; (based upon the comic book written by Mark Millar and the characters created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby)
PRODUCER:  Kevin Feige
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Trent Opaloch (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Jeffrey Ford and Matthew Schmidt
COMPOSER:  Henry Jackman

SUPERHERO/SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER

Starring:  Chris Evans, Robert Downey, Jr., Scartlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Tom Holland, Daniel Bruhl, William Hurt, Martin Freeman, Marisa Tomei, John Kani, John Slatterly, Hope Davis, Alfre Wooodard, Frank Grillo, and Stan Lee

Captain America: Civil War is a 2016 superhero film from Marvel Studios and is directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo.  The film stars Marvel Comics character, Captain America.  It is a direct sequel to the 2014 film, Captain America: The Winter Soldier (which was also directed by the Russo Brothers), and is also a follow-up to 2015’s Avengers: Age of UltronCivil War the movie finds the Avengers suddenly having to contend with political interference in the their activities, which causes a rift between teammates, Captain America and Iron Man.

Early in Captain America: Civil War, Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Sam Wilson/The Falcon (Anthony Mackie), and Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) travel to Lagos, Nigeria.  There, they are on a mission to stop Hydra agent, Crossbones/Brock Rumlow (Frank Grillo), from stealing a biological weapon from a lab in Lagos.  Just when the Avengers' mission seems successful, an unexpected, although not quite unavoidable, disaster occurs.

In the aftermath, U.S. Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) informs the Avengers that the United Nations wants to oversee and control the Avengers in the wake of the events of New York City (as seen in Marvel's The Avengers), Washington D.C. (depicted in Captain America: The Winter Soldier) and in the nation of Sokovia (shown in Avengers: Age of Ultron), as well as in Lagos.  The United Nations is preparing to pass the “Sokovia Accords,” which will establish a UN panel to decide if and when the Avengers can go into action.  Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) supports the accords, but Steve Rogers does not.

That divides the team and pits Avengers who agree with Stark (“team” Iron Man) against the Avengers who support Rogers position (“team” Captain America).  Soon the Avengers are fighting one another, which draws in new costumed superheroes.  Meanwhile, a sinister, yet unseen force plots to take advantage of the Avengers' “civil war.”

I am not one of those people who believes that a movie is ruined for them if they read or hear “spoilers” about the contents of the movie.  Before I saw the original Star Wars film, I had read the official novelization of the movie countless times, and I do mean countless.  I was reading the thing about four or five times a year.  When I finally saw Star Wars (two years after first seeing The Empire Strikes Back, I felt like I had experienced the story for the first time, although I had a fairly good idea about the film's course of events.

However, I assiduously avoided finding out what happened in Captain America: Civil War.  That may be why I love the movie so much; every shocking reveal was indeed surprising to me.  A day after seeing Civil War (as I write this review), I still cannot believe that I liked it so much.  Here goes...

Captain America: Civil War is the best superhero movie that I have every seen.  It is the best film adaptation of a comic book that I have ever seen.  I am loathe to spoil it for you, dear reader, but if you have ever seen a superhero movie, you owe it to yourself to see Captain America: Civil War.   If you have seen a superhero movie from Pixar (The Incredibles), Warner Bros. Pictures (its numerous films based on DC Comics characters like Superman and Batman), Sony Pictures (its Spider-Man movies), Twentieth Century Fox (its movies based on Marvel Comics characters like the X-Men), or even one from Marvel Studios itself (the Iron Man and Avengers movies), then, you have to see Captain America: Civil War.  You have too, dammit!  It is now the gold standard for superhero movies.

I think the secret to the success of Marvel Studios' movies involves several elements.  Marvel movies have big action set pieces, and this one has enough to match the behemoth action scenes and sequences from both Avengers movies.  Each movie has great character drama that involves some kind of conflict.  It is not just man vs. man, man vs. himself, man vs. the world, or man vs. nature.  It's man vs. man, man vs. himself, man vs. the world, AND man vs. nature.

Most of all, the characters have engaging, cool, and even alluring personalities and personal stories.  Whether it is Steve Rogers' man-out-of-time tale or Tony Stark's duel between his out-sized ego and his desire to be the man who uplifts the human race, Marvel characters work on a personal level.  Steve Rogers and Tony Stark are just as amazing in or out of their costumes.

Captain America: Civil War is not only good because it has a riveting plot and narrative.  It is also good because Marvel Comics characters are simply great characters.  With each Marvel Studios movie or movie featuring Marvel characters produced by other studios, the world is discovering what comic book fans already know.  Go see Captain America: Civil War.  It will probably end up being better than 90 percent of the films that receive Oscar nominations this year.

10 of 10

Saturday, May 14, 2016


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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Sunday, August 14, 2016

Acclaimed TV Series "Years of Living Dangerously" Returns Sunday, Oct. 30th

Season Two of the Emmy Award-Winning and Critically Acclaimed Series "Years of Living Dangerously" Set to Premiere Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016 8/7c Exclusively on National Geographic Channel

New Season Scheduled to Air Just Over a Week Before the Presidential Election; Will Move to Regularly Scheduled Time, Wednesdays at 10/9c, Beginning Nov. 2, 2016

Full Lineup of Passionate Hollywood Actors and Producers Raising Awareness of the Effects of Climate Change Includes Jack Black, Gisele Bündchen, Ty Burrell, James Cameron, Don Cheadle, America Ferrera, Thomas Friedman, Joshua Jackson, David Letterman, Aasif Mandvi, Nikki Reed, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ian Somerhalder, Cecily Strong, Sigourney Weaver and Bradley Whitford

WASHINGTON & BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--US News and World Report has declared that “the 2016 presidential election may be America’s last chance to elect a leader who will halt climate change.” National Geographic Channel (NGC) (@NatGeoChannel) today announced that the second season of the Emmy award-winning documentary series Years of Living Dangerously will premiere on a special date and time — Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016 at 8/7c — just over a week before the presidential election.

Years of Living Dangerously will move to its regularly scheduled time, Wednesdays at 10/9c, beginning Nov. 2, 2016. The new season of the critically acclaimed series will air exclusively on NGC in 171 countries and 45 languages. For more information, visit yearsoflivingdangerously.com or our press room at foxflash.com, and follow @NGC_PR and @YearsOfLiving on Twitter. Link to view trailer here and downloadable here: http://files.natgeonetworks.com/_h1WgmoGwlsiATR.

    National Geographic Channel Announces Airdate for Season 2 of Years of Living Dangerously and Releases First Trailer

Produced in collaboration with The Years Project, Years of Living Dangerously once again features some of Hollywood’s biggest influencers who are passionate about environmental issues, and it reveals emotional and hard-hitting accounts of the effects of climate change from across the planet.

The full list of season two correspondents includes Jack Black, Gisele Bündchen, Ty Burrell, Don Cheadle, America Ferrera, Thomas Friedman, Joshua Jackson, David Letterman, Aasif Mandvi, Nikki Reed, executive producer Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ian Somerhalder, Cecily Strong, Sigourney Weaver and Bradley Whitford. They give first-person accounts from locations — some shockingly close to home, others in far-flung corners of the globe — where the effects of climate change are most prevalent. They cover crucial issues, like severe hurricanes, deforestation, the solar energy crisis, climate migrants, historic droughts and the rapidly increasing extinction rate of our planet’s wildlife. The result is a gritty and raw look at not only how our species has impacted our planet but also how we can save it for future generations.

The first season was hailed as “the most important television series ever,” “unexpected, character-driven stories” and “compelling, and frankly terrifying.” Years of Living Dangerously won the 2014 Emmy award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series and was executive produced by James Cameron, Jerry Weintraub and Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with Emmy-winning “60 Minutes” producers Joel Bach and David Gelber, and climate expert Daniel Abbasi.

Season two episodes and stories will include:

Years of Living Dangerously: A Race Against Time (wt)
Featuring David Letterman and Cecily Strong
Premieres Sunday, Oct. 30, at 8/7c

The energy market has an estimated global value of $6 trillion — a number that could be greatly affected by an increase in renewable sources, especially solar. In his first television project since retiring as host of CBS’s “The Late Show,” David Letterman travels to India for the first time to find out what the world’s soon-to-be most populous country is going to do to expand its inadequate energy grid, power its booming economy and bring basic electricity to 300 million citizens who have never plugged in. Letterman interviews the prime minister, travels to rural villages where power is a luxury few can afford and finds out why the U.S. may play a key role in India’s energy future. “Saturday Night Live” cast member Cecily Strong travels to Florida and Nevada to investigate what’s blocking the growth of solar energy in the U.S. — and she gets the real story from industry insiders and a retired commissioner now willing to tell their stories.

Years of Living Dangerously: The Rising (wt)
Featuring Jack Black and Ian Somerhalder
Premieres Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 10/9c

If nothing is done to curb carbon emissions, Miami is in danger of being underwater by the end of the century. Jack Black is there to find out if and how the city and other low-lying coastal areas can survive rising seas. He finds a political and business community in denial and talks to a few lone legislators, residents, activists and scientists trying to do something before it’s too late. Ian Somerhalder journeys to the Bahamas to investigate the future threat of superstorms, caused by rising sea temperatures, whose devastating effects could reach biblical proportions. At the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, he joins scientists on a deep dive to explore blue holes, underwater caves that have collected the remnants of past storms for centuries.

Years of Living Dangerously: The Battle in the Woods (wt)
Featuring Gisele Bündchen
Premieres Wednesday, Nov. 9, at 10/9c

The battle to save the Amazon in Brazil — the “lungs of the planet” — is the ultimate race against time. There are ever-increasing threats from cattle ranching, drought, deforestation, massive hydroelectric dams and illegal mining. Supermodel and activist Gisele Bündchen travels to her home country to see the extent of the damage and investigates what’s being done to save the rainforest for all of us. Deep in the Amazon, she joins the national environmental police on a mission to put an end to illegal deforestation; in Alta Floresta, she meets with Greenpeace for a flyover of the forest, which reveals huge patches of deforested land, logs piled high on trucks and barges, drought-stricken fields, burnt rainforests and vast cattle ranches that were once lush, thousand-year-old tropical rainforests.

Years of Living Dangerously: A Better Way Forward (wt)
Featuring Ty Burrell and Arnold Schwarzenegger
Premieres Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 10/9c

Almost one-fifth of all carbon emissions in the world come from the transportation sector. Actor Ty Burrell takes to the road to see the environmental revolutions being made in electric vehicles (EVs) and automated vehicles (AVs). Burrell visits Silicon Valley to learn about AV advancements and hear how big automakers are pouring major capital into AV technology. In Atlanta, where some of the country’s most generous EV incentives were recently killed, Burrell makes a visit to see the effects and hear firsthand from EV advocates. Action hero, politician, climate crusader and Years of Living Dangerously executive producer Arnold Schwarzenegger sets out to explore the military’s relationship with a changing climate, including how our armed forces are dealing with an increasing number of climate-related disasters and how the military is working to reduce its own carbon footprint. Schwarzenegger travels to Kuwait to visit soldiers and travel in a fuel convoy (where more than 3,000 soldiers have been killed or injured since 9/11). He learns how serious a threat the military perceives climate change to be, talks to top-level military leaders and meets the brave men and women who are dealing with climate change threats and disasters on the front lines.

Years of Living Dangerously: The Uprooted (wt)
Featuring Tom Friedman and Don Cheadle
Premieres Wednesday, Nov. 23, at 10/9c

New York Times columnist Tom Friedman investigates the increasing population of climate refugees — migrants forced to leave their homes due to climate change-induced sea-level rise, natural disasters and destroyed livelihoods. He travels from the COP21 climate conference in Paris to the Sahel region of a parched and war-torn Africa, where he hears from refugees themselves. He explores this new wave and what the future may bring. Actor Don Cheadle is on the ground in California, where the worst drought in 1,200 years is devastating the nation’s most populous state and the world’s seventh-largest economy. He investigates how Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration is fighting the drought while also fighting climate change. Along the way, Cheadle meets a scientist who warns of a global water and food crisis as well as a family of farmers whose lives may never be the same as they struggle to find water in the parched Central Valley.

Years of Living Dangerously: Warming and Winning (wt)
Featuring Joshua Jackson and Nikki Reed
Premieres Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 10/9c

Joshua Jackson investigates the one place on Earth where the impacts of climate change are most profound yet practically invisible: the oceans. Josh travels to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to look at the devastating impacts of ocean warming on the world’s largest reef system, and he explores the predicted impact of ocean acidification. In the Philippines, he looks at the impact of climate change in a place where hundreds of millions of people rely on healthy reefs for food, income and protection from storms. Actress and activist Nikki Reed explores what some believe to be the ultimate solution for climate change: putting a price on carbon. She joins a group of passionate students at Ponoma College in Southern California on a mission to put it into action and travels to Vancouver, a carbon-pricing success story, for a sit-down with the mayor.

Years of Living Dangerously: Saving What’s Left (wt)
Featuring Aasif Mandvi and Bradley Whitford
Premieres Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 10/9c

Animal species around the world are disappearing at an alarming rate, and climate change is only worsening the trend. Former “Daily Show” correspondent Aasif Mandvi sets off on a quest to understand just how much of a threat climate change poses to endangered species. He travels to Kenya’s wildlife preserves to meet the people on the front lines of conservation efforts, discovering that increased drought and irregular rainfall are compounding poaching and loss of habitat. Meanwhile, “West Wing” star Bradley Whitford travels to Capitol Hill to explore the growing movement to get Republicans to admit that climate change is real and to commit to doing something about it. He tells the story of Jay Butera, who has spent the past 10 years lobbying Republicans on climate. For Butera, it’s not about brow-beating lawmakers with facts; it’s about providing solutions they can get behind to forge a bipartisan majority to act. Whitford follows Butera and some of the members of Congress he’s convinced, to see if this movement can be sustained.

Years of Living Dangerously: Uprising (wt)
Featuring America Ferrera and Sigourney Weaver
Premieres Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 10/9c

Even though coal plants are shutting down across the country, coal remains a major source of energy, and burning it emits toxic pollutants and climate-altering carbon dioxide. America Ferrera journeys to Illinois, where a still-functioning coal plant is creating tension between those who want to shut it down and those — like the local mayor — who want to keep it open. She meets a group of activists fighting hard to close it in favor of an option that can provide clean energy and green jobs. Sigourney Weaver explores China’s explosive economic growth and the impact it is having on the environment not just locally but on a massive global scale. In New York, she sits down with the former U.S. ambassador to China before traveling to Hong Kong and China to see whether the world’s biggest polluter is fulfilling promises to reduce emissions — even as its populations and industry continue to grow.

For previous episodes and more information, visit yearsoflivingdangerously.com and follow @YearsOfLiving on Twitter.

Years of Living Dangerously is produced for National Geographic Channel by Years of Living Dangerously LLC. For National Geographic Channel, executive producer is Robert Palumbo, vice president of production is Matt Renner and president of original programming and production is Tim Pastore. For The Years Project, executive producers are Joel Bach, James Cameron, David Gelber, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jerry Weintraub and Maria Wilhelm; co-executive producer is Jon Meyerson; supervising producer is Ellin Baumel; and senior producer is Sydney Trattner.


About National Geographic Channels
Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Networks. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society’s commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission. Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD. In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled. The Channels have carriage with all of the nation’s major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in nearly 90 million U.S. homes. Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in more than 440 million homes in 171 countries and 45 languages. For more information, visit natgeotv.com, find us on Facebook at facebook.com/NatGeoTVUS or follow @NatGeoChannel on Twitter and Instagram.

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Tuesday, February 23, 2016

"12 Years a Slave" Makes Its Basic Cable Premiere on BET Networks

BET Honors Black History Month with 2 New Specials

JAMIE FOXX, ROBERT DOWNEY JR., KERRY WASHINGTON, OCTAVIA SPENCER AND MORE ATTEND “ABFF AWARDS: A CELEBRATION OF HOLLYWOOD” AIRING ON BET AND CENTRIC, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD AT 8P/7C

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tune in Tuesday, February 23, 2016 as BET partners with American Black Film Festival (ABFF) to air “ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood” at 8P/7C. This first-ever televised award shows tributes film legends and TV’s hottest stars. Hosted by Mike Epps, the two-hour event honors Don Cheadle, Regina King, Ryan Coogler, Diahann Carroll and Will Packer for their achievements in entertainment. Don’t miss special appearances by Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Kerry Washington, Octavia Spencer, Loretta Devine, KeKe Palmer, Anthony Anderson and more!

2014 Best Picture Oscar Winner, “12 Years A Slave,” makes its basic cable premiere on BET Networks to wrap up Black History Month. The movie premieres Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. The film is based on an incredible true story of one man's fight for survival and freedom. In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon's chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist forever alters his life.

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Tuesday, February 9, 2016

BET to Produce the 2016 American Black Film Festival Awards

BET Networks Partners with the American Black Film Festival to Produce the 2016 ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood Premiering Tuesday, February 23rd at 8pm ET/PT

Don Cheadle, Regina King and Ryan Coogler Join Diahann Carroll and Will Packer as Honorees for an Evening Celebrating Excellence in Entertainment

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, ABFF Ventures and BET Networks announced their partnership to produce the “ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood,” hosted by actor and comedian Mike Epps and premiering on BET and Centric Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The Awards celebrates Black culture and recognizes individuals, movies and television shows of the past year that have had a significant impact on American entertainment, as well as the people who have been proponents in championing diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. This year’s event will be taped on Sunday, February 21st, 2016 at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

In addition to recognizing the top television shows and films of the year, the “ABFF Awards: Celebration of Hollywood” will pay tribute to film legends along with today's creative forces, who together inspire the filmmakers and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Iconic actress, Diahann Carroll, will be presented with the Hollywood Legacy Award, and television and film producer Will Packer will receive the Distinguished ABFF Alumni Award at the 2016 ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood.

Joining our illustrious list of honorees, we are excited to reveal the Excellence in the Arts Award (male and female), to Actors/Directors Don Cheadle and Regina King. Our Rising Star Award honoree is Director Ryan Coogler.

“Twenty years ago, I created the American Black Film Festival to spotlight the rich diversity of talent and achievement. It was born out of my love for film and desire to ensure that Black people gained opportunity and equity in every arena of Hollywood. I am truly honored to partner with BET to showcase the work of our most talented artists.” - Jeff Friday, ABFF Founder and CEO

“It’s clear that there’s a need for this show. BET is very excited to partner with Jeff and ABFF to present A Celebration of Hollywood. We will unabashedly acknowledge performances and achievements of African-Americans on screen from this past year and give special honor and recognition to artists that have thrilled us during their highly-acclaimed careers. 2015 was ripe with tremendous and inspiring performances by African-Americans and we are beyond thrilled to be the ones to recognize them with class and admiration.” - Stephen Hill, President of Programming, BET Networks

With a resume that’s as varied and expansive as it is rich in depth of the characters he brings to life, Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle is, without question, one of the most highly sought after and premier actors of his generation. Turning in consistently powerful performances, Don has not only taken on challenging roles, but put his talents into producing projects he believes in as well.

Don currently stars as ‘Marty Kaan’ on the critically acclaimed Showtime series House of Lies. House of Lies has earned multiple nominations for the series and Don himself, including four Emmy Nominations, a Golden Globe® Award and two additional Golden Globe® nominations and a SAG Award nomination. Recently Don directed his first feature film, Miles Ahead, which he also co-wrote and produced. Don also stars in the film, based on the life of legendary jazz artist, Miles Davis, along with Ewan McGregor.

Don is well known for his passionate performances on stage and screen, stemming from his breakout performance opposite Denzel Washington in Devil in A Blue Dress, where he was named Best Supporting Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics. In 2012, Cheadle garnered critical acclaim for his role in Robert Zemeckis’ Flight. Additional film credits include Talk To Me; the 2006 Oscar® winning Best Picture, Crash, which Cheadle also produced; Hotel Rwanda, for which his performance garnered Academy Award®, Golden Globe®, Broadcast Film Critics Award and Screen Actors Guild® Award nominations for Best Actor; Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen, Boogie Nights, Bulworth, Swordfish, Mission To Mars and Rosewood, for which Cheadle earned an NAACP Image Award nomination.

Regina King’s distinguished talents have not gone unnoticed by Hollywood. She has recently been seen in recurring roles on CBS’s hit show The Big Bang Theory, Showtime’s critically acclaimed series Shameless and FX’s thriller The Strain. The skilled actress wrapped the fifth and final season of TNT’s drama Southland in 2013. In addition to directing episodic television for ABC’s Scandal and BET’s Being Mary Jane, King also helmed the teleplay adaptation of the best-selling book, Let the Church Say Amen, for BET Networks. Regina is currently a series regular on two critically-hailed television dramas including HBO’s “The Leftovers,” as well as the John Ridley ABC anthology American Crime, which has garnered her very first Emmy Award Nomination, as well as her first Golden Globe Nomination for “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.” Regina also starred opposite Sandra Bullock in the comedy Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, as well as voiceovers for the animated film, Ant Bully and the hit television show, The Boondocks. Her appearance in the Oscar-nominated film Ray, opposite Jamie Foxx, garnered King critically-acclaimed praise, as well as her role as Cuba Gooding Jr.’s wife Marci, in the blockbuster film, Jerry Maguire.

Regina made her television debut on the hit sitcom “227.” After five seasons, King made the leap to the silver screen with a role in John Singleton’s powerful directorial debut, Boys N the Hood. She would soon collaborate with Singleton again in Poetic Justice and Higher Learning. This committed actress has always been consistent in showing her dynamic range, bouncing effortlessly from dramatic material to comedic performances, like in the hit film Friday with Ice Cube and in A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, opposite Martin Lawrence.

American Black Film Festival alum, Ryan Coogler, was born in Oakland, CA and always harbored a talent for storytelling. Ryan discovered his own passion for filmmaking as a college freshman, and began shooting shorts with his teammates and friends. After being admitted into the USC School of Cinematic Arts, he went on to create his award winning shorts Locks, Fig and Gap. After receiving his M.F.A., he began to work as a juvenile hall counselor before creating a short film, which won the HBO Short Film Competition at the American Black Film Festival in 2011 and then directed his first feature film, Fruitvale Station, which debuted at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Ryan has received much success with his recent feature, Creed, and has recently been tapped to direct Marvel Comics’ Black Panther.

“The ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood,” presented by the American Black Film Festival and BET Networks, will be one of the highlights of the Hollywood Awards season and Black History Month. The event is an ABFF Ventures production and is executive produced by show creator Jeff Friday, Debra Lee, Stephen Hill, Jesse Collins, Suzanne de Passe and Connie Orlando. Sponsors are Cadillac (Presenting Sponsor), Hilton Worldwide, Moet Hennessy, and Prudential Inc. (Gold Sponsors), and Morgan Stanley and Verizon (Silver Sponsors).

For more information on the American Black Film Festival and the ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood, go to www.ABFF.com, www.ABFF.com/ABFFAwards, www.BET.com and BET.com/ACelebrationOfHollywood.

Join the conversation on social media by logging on to ABFF and BET’s multiple social media platforms:

• On Twitter by using hashtag: #BETCelebratesHollywood; follow us @BET and @ABFF

• On Facebook by liking the fan page at facebook.com/BET and at facebook.com/American-Black-Film-Festival

•On Instagram by liking the fan page at Instagram.com/BET and Instagram.com/AmericanBlackFilmFestival


ABOUT ABFF:
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF), founded in 1997, is an annual event dedicated to showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. 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., which is a partnership between Film Life, Inc. and Black Enterprise. Celebrating its 20th year, the 2016 ABFF will take place June 15-19, 2016 in Miami, Florida.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), 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, the first network dedicated to Black women; BET Digital Networks - BET Soul, BET Jams and BET Gospel, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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Monday, August 10, 2015

Don Cheadle's "Miles Ahead" Heads to Sony Pictures Classics

SONY PICTURES CLASSICS ACQUIRES DON CHEADLE’S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT MILES AHEAD

NEW YORK (August 5, 2015) – Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired worldwide* rights to Don Cheadle’s directorial debut, MILES AHEAD. MILES AHEAD tells the story of a few lost days in the life of Miles Davis (Cheadle), the virtuoso, fighter and genius, as he bursts out of his silent period, conspires with a Rolling Stone writer (McGregor) to steal back his music, and relives the years he had with his great love, Frances Taylor (Corinealdi). The film was recently announced as this year’s Closing Night selection for the 53rd New York Film Festival.

Written by Steven Baigelman and Cheadle, MILES AHEAD stars Cheadle, Ewan McGregor, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Keith Stanfield. Cheadle, Lenore Zerman, Pamela Hirsch, Daniel Wagner, Robert Ogden Barnum, Darryl Porter and Vince Wilburn, Jr. produced the film. Mark Amin, Baigelman, Jonathan Gardner and Brian Pope executive produced. Davis’ son, Erin Davis, and daughter, Cheryl Davis, are also executive producers, and the film was made with the participation of The Miles Davis Estate. The film was financed by BiFrost Pictures.

"Miles was many things…a supreme artist and a national treasure but also an enigma to those around him, especially during his so-called quiet period," said Cheadle. "With the family’s blessing and Miles’ tenets on creativity as our guide, we used these cloistered years as a jumping off point to compose the story of a self-exiled artist creating his own ‘centrifugal adventure’ to spin himself back into playing music again. And now I’m delighted that we’ve found the perfect partners in Michael, Tom and the SPC team to take this journey with us."

"What Don Cheadle has done here with the spirit of Miles Davis is truly astounding. We are not only witnessing for the first time this part of Miles Davis’ story as it deserves to be told, but also the birth of a major film director who happens to portray the iconic musician in a jaw dropping performance. This movie will be embraced by audiences everywhere and we are so pleased to help make that happen," stated Sony Pictures Classics.

The deal was negotiated by SPC with UTA Independent Film Group, which arranged the financing and represented the filmmakers in the deal. IM Global handled pre-sales in multiple territories.*

*Pre-sale territories were Portugal, Switzerland, UK, Ex-Yugoslavia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Israel and Middle East.


ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992, which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world.

Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 32 Academy Awards® (28 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 158 Academy Award® nominations (132 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, AND CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

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

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Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Review: Denzel Washington Takes "Flight"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 26 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux - Support Leroy on Patreon.

Flight (2012)
Running time:  138 minutes (2 hours, 18 minutes)
MPAA – R for drug and alcohol abuse, language, sexuality/nudity and an intense action sequence
DIRECTOR:  Robert Zemeckis
WRITER:  John Gatins
PRODUCERS:  Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes, Jack Rapke, Steve Starkey, and Robert Zemeckis
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Don Burgess (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Jeremiah O'Driscoll
COMPOSER:  Alan Silvestri
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA

Starring:  Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood, Kelly Reilly, Tamara Tunie, John Goodman, Nadine Velazquez, Garcelle Beauvais, Justine Martin, Melissa Leo, and Brian Geraghty

The subject of this movie review is Flight, a 2012 drama from director Robert Zemeckis.
The film focuses on an airline pilot who saves almost all his passengers on his malfunctioning airliner, which eventually crashes, but an investigation into the accident reveals something troubling.

In the film, SouthJet Flight 227 is heading to Atlanta from Orlando, when something goes terribly wrong.  Veteran airline Captain William “Whip” Whitaker (Denzel Washington) manages to keep the crash from being a complete and total disaster.  Suddenly, Whip is a hero, but questions begin to arise when he avoids the spotlight.  Meanwhile, the investigation by the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) into the Flight 227 accident reveals something troubling.

Flight has an Oscar-winning director in Robert Zemeckis (for Forrest Gump).  However, Flight's Oscar-nominated screenplay by John Gatins is a blistering character study of a man whose talents (as a highly skilled airplane pilot) fully come to light at the same time as the most troubling aspect of his personality (his alcoholism) begin to come to light.  As a character study, the film script provides Denzel Washington with the opportunity to give one of his best performances of the last decade.

Zemeckis guides all the actors through this thoughtful and provocative character study, but Washington is the primary focus.   Whip Whitaker is a meaty role, and the film takes him on a harrowing personal journey.  Washington does not shy away from being intimate with the stage, camera, and audience as he pulls all the mess and addiction out of the tortured Whip for the audience to see.  It is good to see an African-American actor get the chance to be so vulnerable and revealing to movie audiences.  Washington deserved the Oscar nomination he received for his performance here.

Flight is an excellent return to live-action film for Zemeckis.  He is flawless in the way he captures Washington's grand performance and Whip Whitaker's journey towards redemption and maybe, salvation.  Flight should be a blueprint for high-quality film drama.

8 of 10
A

Saturday, April 25, 2015


NOTES:
2013 Academy Awards, USA:  2 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Denzel Washington) and “Best Writing, Original Screenplay” (John Gatins)

2013 Golden Globes, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Denzel Washington)

2013 Black Reel Awards:  1 win: “Best Actor” (Denzel Washington); 3 nominations: “Best Film” (Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes, Jack Rapke, Steve Starkey, and Robert Zemeckis – Paramount Pictures), “Best Supporting Actress” (Tamara Tunie), and “Best Ensemble” (Victoria Burrows-Casting Director)

2013 Image Awards:  1 win: “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” (Denzel Washington); 3 nominations: “Outstanding Motion Picture,” “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Don Cheadle), “Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture-Theatrical or Television” (John Gatin)


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.


Thursday, May 7, 2015

Marvel Studios Begins Production on 2016's "Captain America: Civil War"

Marvel Studios Begins Production on Marvel's 'Captain America: Civil War'

Learn more about the upcoming film in theaters May 6, 2016

Marvel Studios has commenced principal photography at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta, Georgia on “Captain America: Civil War,” the third installment of its Super Hero franchise. The production will shoot on location in Atlanta, Georgia, which serves as the base for the film’s production, as well as locations in Germany, Puerto Rico and Iceland.

Set for release in the United States on May 6, 2016, “Captain America: Civil War” is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo (Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Community”) from a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (“Captain America: The Winter Solider,” Marvel’s “Captain America: The First Avenger”). The film returns Chris Evans (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron”) as the iconic Super Hero character Steve Rogers/Captain America along with Robert Downey Jr. (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” Marvel’s “Iron Man 3”) as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Scarlett Johansson (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”) as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Sebastian Stan (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Captain America: The First Avenger”) as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”) as Sam Wilson/Falcon, Paul Bettany (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Iron Man 3”) as The Vision, Jeremy Renner (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” Marvel’s “The Avengers”) as Clint Barton/Hawkeye, Don Cheadle (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Iron Man 3”) as Jim Rhodes/War Machine and Elizabeth Olsen (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Godzilla”) as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch.

After his debut in Marvel’s “Ant-Man” on July 17, 2015, Paul Rudd (“Ant-Man,” ”Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues”) will make his first appearance alongside the Avengers as Scott Lang/Ant-Man in “Captain America: Civil War.”

The film also includes outstanding additional cast, including Chadwick Boseman (“42,” “Get on Up”) as T’Challa/Black Panther, Emily VanCamp (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Revenge”) as Sharon Carter/Agent 13, Daniel Brühl (“Inglourious Basterds,” “Bourne Ultimatum”), Frank Grillo (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Warrior”) as Brock Rumlow/Crossbones, William Hurt (“A History of Violence,” Marvel’s “The Incredible Hulk”) as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross and Martin Freeman (“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”). 

“Captain America: Civil War” picks up where “Avengers: Age of Ultron” left off, as Steve Rogers leads the new team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. After another international incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to enlist the services of the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers while they try to protect the world from a new and nefarious villain.

Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” is produced by Marvel Studios’ president, Kevin Feige, with Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Patricia Whitcher, Nate Moore and Stan Lee serving as executive producers.

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo’s creative team also includes director of photography Trent Opaloch (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Elysium”), production designer Owen Paterson (“Godzilla,” “Matrix”), and three time Oscar®-nominated costume designer Judianna Makovsky (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”).

Based on the Marvel comic character first published in 1941, “Captain America: Civil War ” continues the lineage of epic big-screen adventures chronicled in  “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Marvel's The Avengers,” “Iron Man 3,” “Thor: The Dark World,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and the upcoming release schedule, which includes Marvel’s “Ant-Man” on July 17, 2015, Marvel’s “Doctor Strange,” on November 4, 2016, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy 2,” on May 5, 2017, and Marvel’s “Thor: Ragnarok,” on November 3, 2017.

Marvel Studios most recently continued its unprecedented success with the release of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” on May 1, 2015. The film recorded the second biggest opening weekend of all time with a $191.3 million box office. It has also been the #1 release in every country where it has been released.

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Sunday, May 3, 2015

Review: "Avengers: Age of Ultron" is Bigger and Better

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 20 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux (support on Patreon)

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Running time: 141 minutes (2 hours, 21 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence and destruction, and for some suggestive comments
DIRECTOR: Joss Whedon
WRITER: Joss Whedon (based upon the comic book created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
PRODUCER: Kevin Feige
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ben Davis
EDITORS: Jeffrey Ford and Lisa Lassek
COMPOSERS: Brian Tyler and Danny Elfman

SUPERHERO/ACTION/DRAMA/FANTASY/SCI-FI

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Don Cheadle, Anthony Mackie, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgard, Claudia Kim, Linda Cardellini, Andy Serkis, Thomas Kretschman, Stan Lee, Henry Goodman, Julie Delpy, Haley Atwell, Kerry Condon (voice), and James Spader (voice), and Samuel L. Jackson

The answer to your likely first question is a resounding “Yes!”  It is good and even better than the first  movie, which was itself quite good.  I want to see this movie again.  Now, on to the formal review...

Avengers: Age of Ultron is a 2015 superhero movie written and directed by Joss Whedon and produced by Marvel Studios. The film, which is based upon the comic book created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, is the sequel to 2012's Marvel's The Avengers.  Jon Favreau and Stan Lee are among the executive producers of this film

Avengers: Age of Ultron features the comic book superheroes, the AvengersCaptain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner).  In this new film, a well-meaning peacekeeping program inadvertently creates a powerful artificial intelligence, which decides to destroy the Avengers before destroying all of humanity.

Avengers: Age of Ultron opens in the Eastern European country of Sokovia.  There, The Avengers are in the midst of raiding a Hydra outpost led by Baron Wolfgang von Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann).  The Baron has been experimenting on humans using the scepter of Loki, Thor's villainous brother.  The Avengers retrieve Loki's scepter, but encounter the results of von Struker's experimentation, a twin brother and sister who now both possess super powers.

Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) a.k.a. Iron Man and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) a.k.a. the Hulk discover an artificial intelligence (A.I.) inside the scepter's gem.  They decide to use that A.I. to complete Stark's global defense project, but they don't tell their fellow Avengers about their experimentation.  The result is a dangerous new being calling itself “Ultron” (voice of James Spader) that decides to exterminate humanity and has the power to match the Avengers.

My summary of Avengers: Age of Ultron is wimpy compared to the actual size and scale of this movie.  Avengers: Age of Ultron, in terms of action, is as massive as one of Michael Bay's Transformers movies, but Age of Ultron is more entertaining than any Transformers movie by far.  In terms of story, this movie is big, encompassing multiple settings, enough characters for three movies, and a plot surrounded by multiple sub-plots.  Age of Ultron, however, does not collapse under its own weight, and it is not hard to follow.  Because the story has so much... well, story, I find myself ruminating over it still, two and a half days after I saw it.

Writer-director Joss Whedon is beloved by fans because the story writing and storytelling he brought to his television series, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”  Whedon takes fantasy seriously enough to be serious about crafting a story about vampire hunters and superheroes with all the careful consideration that other writers give to such Oscar winners as Terms of Endearment and A Beautiful Mind.  Concerning the parts of the script that deal with the personalities, motivations, and interior lives of the Avengers, Whedon makes Age of Ultron intimate, probing, and surprisingly individualized.

As I wrap up this review, Age of Ultron lingers in my mind.  I could talk about the eye-popping effects and the fantastic superhero action that are true to the comic book while simultaneously breaking free of the confines of the comic book page.  I could talk about the high-quality acting; the performers take these characters seriously, also.  However, I will say that with Avengers: Age of Ultron, Marvel Studios delivers again... and again... and again...  This is one of the best superhero films ever made.

9 of 10
A+

Sunday, May 3, 2015


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.



Friday, December 13, 2013

2014 Golden Globe Awards Nominations - Television Categories List

The 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards nominees: TELEVISION CATEGORIES – complete list:

Best TV Series - Comedy/Musical
"Big Bang Theory"
"Brooklyn Nine Nine"
"Girls"
"Modern Family"
"Parks & Recreation"

Best Miniseries Or Motion Picture Made For Television
"American Horror Story: Coven"
"Behind The Candelabra"
"Dancing On The Edge
"Top Of The Lake"
"The White Queen"

Best TV Drama
"Breaking Bad"
"Downton Abbey"
"The Good Wife"
"House Of Cards"
"Masters Of Sex"

Best Actress - Drama TV Series
Julianna Marguiles - "The Good Wife"
Tatiana Maslany - "Orphan Black"
Taylor Schilling - "Orange Is The New Black"
Kerry Washington - "Scandal"
Robin Wright - "House Of Cards"

Best Actor - TV Drama
Bryan Cranston - "Breaking Bad"
Liev Schreiber - "Ray Donovan"
Michael Sheen - "Masters Of Sex"
Kevin Spacey - "House Of Cards"
James Spader - "The Blacklist"

Best Actress - Miniseries
Helena Bonham-Carter - "Burton & Taylor"
Rebecca Ferguson - "The White Queen"
Jessica Lange - "American Horror Story: Coven"
Helen Mirren - "Phil Spector"
Elisabeth Moss - "Top Of The Lake"

Best Actor - Miniseries
Matt Damon - "Behind The Candelabra"
Michael Douglas - "Behind The Candelabra"
Chiwetel Ejiofor - "Dancing On The Edge"
Idris Elba - "Luther"
Al Pacino - "Phil Spector"

Best Actress - Comedy TV Series
Zooey Deschanel - "New Girl"
Lena Dunham - "Girls"
Edie Falco - "Nurse Jackie"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - "Veep"
Amy Poehler - "Parks & Recreation"

Best Actor - Comedy TV Series
Jason Bateman - "Arrested Development"
Don Cheadle - "House Of Lies"
Michael J Fox - "The Michael J Fox Show"
Jim Parsons - "The Big Bang Theory"
Andy Samberg - "Brooklyn Nine Nine"

Best Supporting Actor - TV
Josh Charles - "The Good Wife"
Rob Lowe - "Behind The Candelabra"
Aaron Paul - "Breaking Bad"
Corey Stoll - "House Of Cards"
Jon Voight - "Ray Donovan"

Best Supporting Actress - TV
Jacqueline Bisset - "Dancing On The Edge"
Janet McTeer - "The White Queen"
Hayden Panetierre - "Nashville"
Monica Potter - "Parenthood"
Sofia Vergara - "Modern Family"

END


Thursday, December 12, 2013

2014 Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations - TV Categories List

by Amos Semien

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is an American labor union that represents film and television performers worldwide.  Most people probably know SAG for the various actors’ strikes or for the Screen Actors Guild Award, which SAG uses to honor outstanding performances by its members.  The first SAG Awards ceremony was held in February 1995 (for films released in 1994).

The 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations were announced on Wednesday, December 11, 2013.  In the television categories, Breaking Bad led with 4 nominations.  “The Big Bang Theory,” “Modern Family,” and “30 Rock” each had three nominations.

Winners will be announced at the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® ceremony.  The ceremony will be simulcast live nationally on TNT and TBS on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014 at 8 p.m. (ET)/5 p.m. (PT) from the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center.

An encore presentation will air immediately following live telecast on TNT only at 10 p.m. (ET)/7 p.m. (PT).  A live stream of the SAG Awards can also be viewed online through the TBS and TNT websites, as well as through the “Watch TBS” and “Watch TNT” apps for iOS or Android.  Apparently, viewers who want to use these apps must sign in using their TV provider user name and password in order to view the live stream.

20th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS NOMINATIONS - TELEVISION PROGRAMS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:
MATT DAMON / Scott Thorson – “BEHIND THE CANDELABRA” (HBO)

MICHAEL DOUGLAS / Liberace – “BEHIND THE CANDELABRA” (HBO)

JEREMY IRONS / King Henry IV – “THE HOLLOW CROWN” (WNET/Thirteen)

ROB LOWE / John F. Kennedy – “KILLING KENNEDY” (National Geographic Channel)

AL PACINO / Phil Spector – “PHIL SPECTOR” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:
ANGELA BASSETT / Coretta Scott King – “BETTY & CORETTA” (Lifetime)

HELENA BONHAM CARTER / Elizabeth Taylor – “BURTON AND TAYLOR” (BBC America)

HOLLY HUNTER / G.J. – “TOP OF THE LAKE” (Sundance Channel)

HELEN MIRREN / Linda Kenney Baden – “PHIL SPECTOR” (HBO)

ELISABETH MOSS / Robin Griffin – “TOP OF THE LAKE” (Sundance Channel)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series:
STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson – “BOARDWALK EMPIRE” (HBO)

BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White – “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)

JEFF DANIELS / Will McAvoy – “THE NEWSROOM” (HBO)

PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister – “GAME OF THRONES” (HBO)

KEVIN SPACEY / Francis Underwood – “HOUSE OF CARDS” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series:
CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison – “HOMELAND” (Showtime)

ANNA GUNN / Skyler White – “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)

JESSICA LANGE / Fiona Goode – “AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN” (FX)

MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham – “DOWNTON ABBEY” (PBS)

KERRY WASHINGTON / Olivia Pope – “SCANDAL” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series:
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy – “30 ROCK” (NBC)

JASON BATEMAN / Michael Bluth – “ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT” (Netflix)

TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

DON CHEADLE / Martin “Marty” Kaan – “HOUSE OF LIES” (Showtime)

JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper – “THE BIG BANG THEORY” (CBS)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series:
MAYIM BIALIK / Amy Farrah Fowler – “THE BIG BANG THEORY” (CBS)

JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton – “NURSE JACKIE” (Showtime)

TINA FEY / Liz Lemon – “30 ROCK” (NBC)

JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Vice President Selina Meyer – “VEEP” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series:

BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
PATRICIA ARQUETTE / Sally Wheet
MARGOT BINGHAM / Daughter Maitland
STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson
BRIAN GERAGHTY / Agent Warren Knox
STEPHEN GRAHAM / Al Capone
ERIK LA RAY HARVEY / Dunn Purnsley
JACK HUSTON / Richard Harrow
RON LIVINGSTON / Roy Phillips
DOMENICK LOMBARDOZZI / Ralph Capone
GRETCHEN MOL / Gillian Darmody
BEN ROSENFIELD / Willie Thompson
PAUL SPARKS / Mickey Doyle
MICHAEL STUHLBARG / Arnold Rothstein
NISI STURGIS / June Thompson
JACOB WARE / Agent Selby
SHEA WHIGHAM / Elias “Eli” Thompson
MICHAEL KENNETH WILLIAMS / “Chalky” White
JEFFREY WRIGHT / Valentin Narcisse

BREAKING BAD (AMC)
MICHAEL BOWEN / Uncle Jack
BETSY BRANDT / Marie Schrader
BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White
LAVELL CRAWFORD / Huell
TAIT FLETCHER / Lester
LAURA FRASER / Lydia Rodarte-Quale
ANNA GUNN / Skyler White
MATTHEW T. METZLER / Matt
RJ MITTE / Walter White Jr.
DEAN NORRIS / Hank Schrader
BOB ODENKIRK / Saul Goodman
AARON PAUL / Jesse Pinkman
JESSE PLEMONS / Todd
STEVEN MICHAEL QUEZADA / Gomez
KEVIN RANKIN / Kenny
PATRICK SANE / Frankie

DOWNTON ABBEY (PBS)
HUGH BONNEVILLE / Robert, Earl of Grantham
LAURA CARMICHAEL / Lady Edith Crawley
JIM CARTER / Mr. Carson
BRENDAN COYLE / John Bates
MICHELLE DOCKERY / Lady Mary Crawley
KEVIN DOYLE / Molesley
JESSICA BROWN FINDLAY / Lady Sybil Crawley
SIOBHAN FINNERAN / Sarah O’Brien
JOANNE FROGGATT / Anna Bates
ROB JAMES-COLLIER / Thomas Barrow
ALLEN LEECH / Tom Branson
PHYLLIS LOGAN / Mrs. Hughes
ELIZABETH McGOVERN / Cora, Countess of Grantham
SOPHIE McSHERA / Daisy
MATT MILNE / Alfred
LESLEY NICOL / Mrs. Patmore
AMY NUTTALL / Ethel
DAVID ROBB / Dr. Clarkson
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham
ED SPELEERS / Jimmy
DAN STEVENS / Matthew Crawley
CARA THEOBOLD / Ivy
PENELOPE WILTON / Isobel Crawley

GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
ALFIE ALLEN / Theon Greyjoy
JOHN BRADLEY / Samwell Tarly
OONA CHAPLIN / Talisa Maegyr
GWENDOLINE CHRISTIE / Brienne of Tarth
EMILIA CLARKE / Daenerys Targaryen
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU / Jaime Lannister
MACKENZIE CROOK / Orell
CHARLES DANCE / Tywin Lannister
JOE DEMPSIE / Gendry
PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister
NATALIE DORMER / Margaery Tyrell
NATHALIE EMMANUEL / Missandei
MICHELLE FAIRLEY / Lady Catelyn Stark
JACK GLEESON / Joffrey Baratheon
IAIN GLEN / Ser Jorah Mormont
KIT HARINGTON / Jon Snow
LENA HEADEY /Cersei Lannister
ISAAC HEMPSTEAD WRIGHT / Brandon “Bran” Stark
KRISTOFER HIVJU / Tormund Giantsbane
PAUL KAYE / Thoros of Myr
SIBEL KEKILLI / Shae
ROSE LESLIE / Ygritte
RICHARD MADDEN / Robb Stark
RORY McCANN / Sandor “The Hound” Clegane
MICHAEL McELHATTON / Roose Bolton
IAN McELHINNEY / Barristan Selmy
PHILIP McGINLEY / Anguy
HANNAH MURRAY / Gilly
IWAN RHEON / Ramsay Snow
SOPHIE TURNER / Sansa Stark
CARICE VAN HOUTEN / Melisandre
MAISIE WILLIAMS / Arya Stark

HOMELAND (Showtime)
F. MURRAY ABRAHAM / Dar Adal
SARITA CHOUDHURY / Mira Berenson
CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison
RUPERT FRIEND / Peter Quinn
TRACY LETTS / Sen. Andrew Lockhart
DAMIAN LEWIS / Nicholas Brody
MANDY PATINKIN / Saul Berenson
MORGAN SAYLOR / Dana Brody

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:

30 ROCK (NBC)
SCOTT ADSIT / Pete Hornberger
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy
KATRINA BOWDEN / Cerie
KEVIN BROWN / Dot Com
GRIZZ CHAPMAN / Grizz
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon
JUDAH FRIEDLANDER / Frank Rossitano
JANE KRAKOWSKI / Jenna Maroney
JOHN LUTZ / Lutz
JAMES MARSDEN / Criss
JACK McBRAYER / Kenneth Parcell
TRACY MORGAN / Tracy Jordan
KEITH POWELL / Toofer

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (Netflix)
WILL ARNETT / George Oscar “G.O.B.” Bluth II
JASON BATEMAN / Michael Bluth
JOHN BEARD / Himself
MICHAEL CERA / George-Michael Bluth
DAVID CROSS / Tobias Fünke
PORTIA DE ROSSI / Lindsay Bluth Fünke
ISLA FISHER / Rebel Alley
TONY HALE / Buster Bluth
RON HOWARD / Narrator/Himself
LIZA MINNELLI / Lucille Austero
ALIA SHAWKAT / Maeby Fünke
JEFFREY TAMBOR / George Bluth, Sr./Oscar Bluth
JESSICA WALTER / Lucille Bluth
HENRY WINKLER / Barry Zuckerkorn

THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)
MAYIM BIALIK / Amy Farrah Fowler
KALEY CUOCO / Penny
JOHNNY GALECKI / Leonard Hofstadter
SIMON HELBERG / Howard Wolowitz
KUNAL NAYYAR / Rajesh Koothrappali
JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper
MELISSA RAUCH / Bernadette Rostenkowski

MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy
AUBREY ANDERSON EMMONS / Lily Tucker-Pritchett
JESSE TYLER FERGUSON / Mitchell Pritchett
NOLAN GOULD / Luke Dunphy
SARAH HYLAND / Haley Dunphy
ED O’NEILL / Jay Pritchett
RICO RODRIGUEZ / Manny Delgado
ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker
SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
ARIEL WINTER / Alex Dunphy

VEEP (HBO)
SUFE BRADSHAW / Sue Wilson
ANNA CHLUMSKY / Amy Brookheimer
GARY COLE / Kent Davidson
KEVIN DUNN / Ben Cafferty
TONY HALE / Gary Walsh
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Vice President Selina Meyer
REID SCOTT / Dan Egan
TIMOTHY SIMONS / Jonah Ryan
MATT WALSH / Mike McLintock

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series:
BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
BREAKING BAD (AMC)
GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
HOMELAND (Showtime)
THE WALKING DEAD (AMC)

END


Saturday, August 31, 2013

Review: "Rush Hour 2" Improves on the Original (Happy B'day, Chris Tucker)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 113 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux

Rush Hour 2 (2001)
Running time:  90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for action violence, language, and some sexual content
DIRECTOR:  Brett Ratner
WRITER:  Jeff Nathanson (based upon the characters created by Ross LaManna)
PRODUCERS:  Roger Birnbaum, Jonathan Glickman, Arthur Sarkissian, and Jay Stern
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Matthew F. Leonetti
EDITORS:  Mark Helfrich and Robert K. Lambert
COMPOSER:  Lalo Schifrin

COMEDY/ACTION/CRIME

Starring:  Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, John Lone, Ziyi Zhang, Roselyn Sanchez, Harris Yulin, Alan King, Jeremy Piven, Saul Rubinek, and Gianni Russo with Don Cheadle

The subject of this movie review is Rush Hour 2, a crime comedy and action film from director Brett Ratner and starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker.  The film is a sequel to the 1998 film, Rush Hour.  In the new film, Chan’s Lee and Tucker’s Carter are on vacation in Hong Kong when they get caught up in a counterfeit money scam.

Chief Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) is once again the foil for Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) as Carter comes to Hong Kong on vacation and spends much time subjecting Lee to verbal barbs.  The rest and relaxation is cut short when an explosion kills two American agents.  Lee learns that this case may be tied to crime boss Ricky Tan (John Lone).

Tan is a former policeman and was the partner of Lee’s father until Tan betrayed him.  Lee and Carter follow the case back to Los Angeles, where they meet Isabella Molina (Roselyn Sanchez), a sexy customs agent.  Isabella informs them that Tan is part of an international scheme to launder 100 million dollars in counterfeit U.S. currency.  Lee and Carter head to Las Vegas, the epicenter of Tan’s scheme, for an explosive showdown.

Rush Hour 2 is Rush Hour, but with some improvements.  The screen chemistry between Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, which was quite good in the first film, is even better this time around.  It’s as if three years haven’t passed between the first film and this one.  They have a near-flawless rhythm and flow, and their performances turn this flimsy joke of a crime plot into action/comedy gold.  Rush Hour 2 does have one big problem – there’s not enough of it.

7 of 10
B+

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Updated:  Saturday, August 31, 2013

The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

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Sunday, May 5, 2013

Review: "Iron Man 3" About the Man in the Iron

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 31 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux


Iron Man 3 (2013)
Running time: 130 minutes (2 hours, 10 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence throughout, and brief suggestive content
DIRECTOR: Shane Black
WRITERS: Drew Pearce and Shane Black (based on the characters and stories created by Stan Lee, Don Heck, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby)
PRODUCER: Kevin Feige
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Toll (director of photography)
EDITORS: Peter S. Elliot and Jeffrey Ford
COMPOSER: Brian Tyler

SUPERHERO/SCI-FI/ACTION

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Ty Simpkins, Ben Kingsley, James Badge Dale, Stephanie Szostak, William Sadler, Miguel Ferrer, Jon Favreau, and Paul Bettany (voice)

Iron Man 3 is a 2013 superhero film co-written and directed by Shane Black and starring Robert Downey, Jr. in the title role. It is the third movie in the Iron Man film franchise and the seventh installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (which began with the first Iron Man movie in 2008). In Iron Man 3, Tony Stark/Iron Man is forced to rebuild his world after it is torn apart by a formidable terrorist.

Iron Man 3 finds billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) suffering from anxiety after his experiences with The Avengers. He has built several new Iron Man suits, which causes friction with his girlfriend and current CEO of Stark Industries, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). Also, Tony’s friend, James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle), is now the U.S. government’s go-to-guy when it needs Iron Man-type help. Rhodes in his War Machine armor has also been re-branded as the Iron Patriot.

Tony has been working non-stop for months, but one thing that does catch his attention is the global tension caused by a mysterious terrorist known as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley). After his friend, Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), is gravely wounded in one of The Mandarin’s terrorist attacks, Tony vows revenge, but The Mandarin strikes first. Tony begins a journey of rebuilding and retribution, which is complicated by a cast of characters that includes friends and foes and even people whose allegiances are suspect.

Iron Man 3 is spectacular. Destruction is rendered in vivid colors and in awesome visual effects generated by computer software with the god-like ability to create new realities. But I was buying it the way I did for the first two Iron Man films. Don’t get me wrong, Iron Man 3 is good, and I enjoyed it – for the most part. For all its superhero action pageantry and its out of this world combat between demigods and demigod wannabes, I was only somewhat titillated.

There is one glaring thing that dampened my enthusiasm for Iron Man 3, and it is the entire Tony Stark anxiety, panic attack, quasi-PTSD, crisis of faith/conscience factor that is at the heart of Iron Man 3. To me, Tony’s angst comes across as contrived. I just wasn’t buying it. Didn’t we already litigate Tony Stark’s mental demons, relationship shortcomings, and personality glitches in Iron Man 2?

I did enjoy Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, and the actress shows that if the filmmakers did more than just scratch the surface of this character, they’d have something super. In addition, Don Cheadle easily moves past being the replacement actor (as Terrence Howard played Rhodes in the first Iron Man), as he fully comes into his own as James Rhodes. Here, Cheadle is funny and engaging, and he clearly has the film personality to be an action-movie star – certainly in superhero movies. Also, Ty Simpkins is surprisingly good as the Harley, a non-annoying, forthright boy.

In terms of tone, attitude, and spirit, Iron Man 3 is different from its predecessors. In fact, it seems odd, and The Mandarin subplot keeps things weird – perhaps too much. So Iron Man 3… maybe I’ll like it more when I see it again, on DVD or television. It is a good movie, but I can only be generous enough to give it a grade of “B.”

6 of 10
B

Sunday, May 5, 2013


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

"Iron Man 3" Opens Early in IMAX

Marvel's Iron Man 3 Flies Into IMAX® Theatres Worldwide Starting April 25

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX; TSX:IMX), and Marvel Entertainment, a division of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), today announced that Marvel's Iron Man 3(TM), the latest installment of the film franchise that has grossed more than $1.2 billion at the global box office, will be digitally re-mastered into the immersive IMAX(®) 3D format and released to IMAX(®) theatres internationally starting April 25 and domestically on May 3.

Marvel's Iron Man 3 marks the fourth Marvel Entertainment film to be presented in IMAX theatres, following the releases of Iron Man 2 in 2010, Thor in 2011 and Marvel's The Avengers in 2012 - which all delivered record breaking performances in IMAX theatres.

"Marvel and IMAX are a perfect one-two punch and the Iron Man franchise has become a global phenomenon that resonates with fans around the world," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "We look forward to moviegoers experiencing this highly-anticipated next installment of Tony Stark's latest adventures in IMAX 3D."

"With Iron Man 3 building on the events of Marvel'sThe Avengers, audiences are in for yet another incredible moviegoing experience from Marvel Studios," said Dave Hollis, Executive Vice President of Motion Picture Distribution for The Walt Disney Studios. "We're thrilled to be able to offer that to fans in the larger-than-life action of IMAX 3D."

The IMAX 3D release of Marvel's Iron Man 3 will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience(®) with proprietary IMAX DMR(®) (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie. You can learn more about Marvel's Iron Man 3 by visiting Marvel's official site at http://marvel.com/ironman3.


About Iron Man 3
Marvel's Iron Man 3 pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, Marvel's Iron Man 3 is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel's iconic super hero Iron Man, who first appeared in the pages of Tales of Suspense #39 in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with The Invincible Iron Man # in May of 1968.

Marvel's Iron Man 3 is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures and DMG Entertainment. Marvel Studios' President Kevin Feige is producing and Jon Favreau, Louis D'Esposito, Charles Newirth, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard, Alan Fine, Stan Lee and Dan Mintz are executive producers. The film releases May 3, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

About Marvel Entertainment, LLC
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information, visit http://www.marvel.com/.

About IMAX Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX's network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.

IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices in London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. As of Sept. 30, 2012, there were 689 IMAX theatres (556 commercial multiplex, 20 commercial destination and 113 institutional) in 52 countries.

IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, The IMAX Experience® and IMAX Is Believing® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).

This press release contains forward looking statements that are based on IMAX management's assumptions and existing information and involve certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are discussed in IMAX's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

Monday, January 14, 2013

2013 Golden Globe Award Winners - Complete List

The Golden Globe "Best Picture" awards for the year 2012 went to Argo (drama) and Les Misérables (musical or comedy).  In the television categories, the winners are “Homeland” (drama),"Girls" (musical or comedy), and Game Change (mini-series or made-for-TV movie)..

The Golden Globe Award is a movie accolade bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The award recognizes excellence in both film and television. The annual awards ceremony is a major part of the film industry’s award season.

The 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards winners were announced on Sunday, January 13, 2013, broadcast at 8pm ET/5pm PT on NBC.

The 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards winners (for the film and television year of 2012):

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Argo

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Les Misérables

Best Director - Motion Picture
Ben Affleck for Argo

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Hugh Jackman for Les Misérables

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Anne Hathaway for Les Misérables

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Django Unchained: Quentin Tarantino

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
Skyfall: Adele, Paul Epworth ("Skyfall")

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Life of Pi: Mychael Danna

Best Animated Film
Brave

Best Foreign Language Film
Amour (from Austria)

Best Television Series - Drama
"Homeland"

Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy
"Girls"

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Game Change

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
Damian Lewis for "Homeland"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
Claire Danes for "Homeland"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
Don Cheadle for "House of Lies"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
Lena Dunham for "Girls"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Kevin Costner for "Hatfields & McCoys"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Julianne Moore for Game Change

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Ed Harris for Game Change

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Maggie Smith for "Downton Abbey"

“Cecil B. DeMille Award” (for career achievement)
Jodie Foster