Showing posts with label Fast and the Furious. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fast and the Furious. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 21st to 31st, 2023 - Update #29

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

SCANDAL - From Variety:  Actor Danny Masterson, best known for Fox's former sitcom, "That '70s Show" (1998-2006), has been convicted on two counts of "forcible rape," seeming from incidents back in 2003.  He faces 30 years in prison, with a sentencing hearing set for August 4th.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 5/26 to 5/28/2023 three-day Memorial Day weekend box office is Disney's "The Little Mermaid" with an estimated total of 95.5 million dollars.

From Here:  This is a review of "The Little Mermaid" by Leroy Douresseaux.

From THR:  Actress-singer Stephanie Mills says that she can relate to the racist backlash fellow actress-singer Halle Bailey has face over playing the lead in "The Little Mermaid." When she was 17, Mills originated the role of "Dorothy" in Broadway's "The Wiz," a soulful re-imagining of "The Wizard of Oz."

STREAMING - From Variety:  Actress Kim Cattrall will return as "Samantha Jones" for the Season 2 finale of "And Just Like That," Max's revival of the beloved HBO series, "Sex in the City."  The new season of "And Just Like That" debuts June 22nd, but Cattrall's episode won't stream until August.

AMAZON - From Deadline Prime Video Australia is remaking the British sitcom, "The Office" (2001-03) as a female-led series with comedian Felicity Ward in the role Ricky Gervais made famous in the original.  Of course, there was the NBC's American remake, also entitled "The Office" (2005-13).

ANIMATION/MOVIES - From THR: Mason Thames will star as "Hiccup" and Nico Parker will star as "Astrid" in Universal's live-action version of DreamWorks Animation's 2010 3D-animated hit, "How to Train Your Dragon." Thames starred in Universal’s horror hit The Black Phone, and Parker was last seen in HBO’s "The Last of Us."  Universal has set the films for a March 14, 2025 theatrical release.

MOVIES - From THR:  Director Penelope Spheeris talks about how falling out with star Mike Myers on "Wayne's World" cost her the gig directing "Wayne's World 2."

MOVIES - From Variety:  During his post-Cannes 2023 tour of Italy, famed film director Martin Scorsese meet with Pope Francis, and the result is that Scorsese is going to make a film about Jesus Christ.

CANNES - From Deadline:  As Cannes 2023 ends, the festival's top honor, the "Palme d'Or," goes to the film, "Anatomy of a Fall."  The film's director, Justine Triet, becomes only the third woman to win that honor.

From DeadlineJane Fonda gives a no-holds-barred interview at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

From Deadline:  In the first of a two-part Cannes interview with famed director Quentin Tarantino, Deadline gets a few more details about Tarantino's next film (and perhaps last), "The Movie Critic."

From Deadline: In the second of a two-part Cannes interview with famed director Quentin Tarantino, the Oscar winner talks about retirement, trying to make a James Bond movie, and working in television.

MOVIES - From ComicBook Lionsgate Motion Pictures Group chairman Joe Drake confirms that "John Wick 5" is in early development.

COMICS - From ImageComics:  Image Comics is pleased to announce a worldwide exclusive distribution deal with Lunar Distribution, effective with September on-sale titles (which will open for order on the Lunar site for retailers on Wednesday, June 14), for Direct Market/comic shop distribution.

CANNES - From Variety:  A white male can direct a 200-million dollar flop and get the chance to direct another film, but she as a Latina would not get that second chance says actress and now director Eva Longoria.

STREAMING - From Variety:  Today, "HBO Max" becomes just "Max." Of course, the transition is not without some glitches.

MOVIES/TRAILERS - From Variety:  On Christmas Day 2023, "The Color Purple" returns to theaters as a musical from director Blitz Bazawule and executive producers Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg. Warner Bros. has debuted the film's first trailer.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 5/19 to 2/21/2023 weekend box office is Universal's "Fast X" with an estimated take of 67.5 million dollars.

From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux's review of "Fast X."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  According to Quentin Tarantino, "Rick Dalton," the character that Leonardo DiCaprio played in Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood," has died - 1933 to 2023.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Where is the next generation of movie stars?

AMAZON - From DeadlineEddie Murphy is circling the lead role of "Inspector Clouseau" in MGM's currently in development new "Pink Panther" movie.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  Film and television actor, John Beasley, has died at the age of 79, Tuesday, May 30, 2023.  Beasley appeared in such films as "Rudy" (1993), "The General's Daughter" (1999), and "The Purge: Anarchy" (2014).  He was both a regular and a recurring character in TV Land's "The Soul Man" (2012-16) and also appeared in such TV series as "Millennium," "Treme," and "The Mandalorian," to name a few.

From RollingStone:  Singer, dancer, recording artist, actress, and author, Tina Turner, has died at the age of 83, Wednesday, May 24, 2023.  Born in America (Tennessee, USA), Turner was a naturalized citizen of Switzerland, where she died.  Born Anna Mae Bullock, she rose to prominence as "Tina Turner," half of the musical duo, the "Ike and Tina Turner Revue."  As part of this duo, she was nominated for four Grammy Awards and won one.  In 1976, Tina broke away from Ike, and began her solo career.  As a solo act, she was nominated for a Grammy 21 times and won seven of them.  Turner was a hugely successful touring act as a solo artist, and she also co-authored books and appeared in several films, most famously in 1985's "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome."

From Deadline:  Remembering Tina Turner, a career in photos.

From THRAngela Bassett, who portrayed Tina Turner in the film, "What's Love Got to Do With It," released a statement about Turner to "The Hollywood Reporter."

From Deadline:  On her website, Beyonce posted a tribute message to Tina Turner, with whom she once performed at the Grammy Awards ceremony.

From Variety:  Irish film and television actor, Ray Stevenson, has died at the age of 58, Monday, May 22, 2023.  He portrayed "Frank Castle/The Punisher" in the film, "Punisher: War Zone" (2008).  He played "Volstagg" in Marvel Studios' first three "Thor" films.  He is scheduled to appear in the upcoming Lucasfilm Disney+ series, "Ahsoka." 

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WRITERS STRIKE:

From Deadline:  Warner Bros Discovery chief David Zaslav gave the commencement address at Boston University. There he was met with jeers and also chants of "pay your writers" from picketers and from some in the audience.

From Deadline:   President Joe Biden speaks on the Writers Guild of America strike.

From Deadline:  Retaliation! The studios have starting informing writer-producers who have "overall" and "first-look" deals that such deals are being suspended.

From Deadline:  Retaliation!  Prolific HBO creator, David Simon, who is best known for "The Wire," is one of the many writers who have had their overall deals suspended the studios due to the WGA strike.  Simon has been with HBO for 25 years.

From Deadline:  The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is on strike.

From Deadline:  Disney, HBO/HBO Max, and CBS have sent letters to showrunners (the TV equivalent of film directors) instructing them to return to work, inspite of the writer's strike.

From Deadline:  The WGA's chief negotiator, Ellen Stutzman, talks about the state of the writers' strike, including the lack of engagement on the part of the strike's other party, AMPTP.

From Deadline:  What went wrong between the WGA and AMPTP? What could they not agree on that led to a strike?

From Deadline:  The site explains the WGA strike: the issues, the stakes, movies and TV shows affected, and how long it might last.


Friday, May 19, 2023

Review: "FAST X" is Too Fast, Too Furious For One Movie

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 22 of 2023 (No. 1911) by Leroy Douresseaux

Fast X (2023)
Running time: 141 minutes (2 hours, 21 minutes)
MPA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, language and some suggestive material
DIRECTOR: Louis Leterrier
WRITERS: Justin Lin and Dan Mazeau; from a story by Justin Lin & Dan Mazeau and Zach Dean (based on the characters created by Gary Scott Thompson)
PRODUCERS: Vin Diesel, Neal H. Moritz, Justin Lin, Jeffrey Kirschenbaum, and Samantha Vincent
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Stephen F. Windon (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Dylan Highsmith and Kelly Matsumoto
COMPOSER: Brian Tyler

ACTION/CRIME/DRAMA

Starring:  Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, Leo Abelo Perry, Jason Statham, Jordana Brewster, Charlize Theron, Jon Cena, Brie Larson, Scot Eastwood, Alan Ritchson, Daniela Melchior, Pete Davidson, Joaquim de Almeida, Rita Moreno, Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Helen Mirren

Fast X is a 2023 action movie that is directed by Louis Leterrier and is produced by Universal Pictures.  It is the tenth installment in the Fast & Furious movie franchise (now also called the “Fast Saga”).  A direct sequel to 2021's F9, Fast X finds Dom Toretto and his family targeted by the vengeful son of a drug kingpin they defeated over a decade ago.

Fast X begins in 2011 in Rio de Janeiro and recounts events, some of which were depicted in Fast Five (2011).  That time, professional criminals, Dominic “Dom” Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O'Connor, led their crew/family in a heist against drug lord, Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida).  It is revealed that Reyes' son, Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), failed in his bid to stop the heist.

In present day Los Angeles, Dom is living a quiet life with his wife, Letitia “Letty” Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez), and his son, Brian “Little B” Marcos (Leo Abelo Perry).  Dom holds a family reunion that gathers the current incarnation of his crew-family:  Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), Tej Parker (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), Han Lue (Sung Kang), and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), as well as Dom's grandmother, Abuelita Torreto (Rita Moreno).

Roman, Tej, Han, and Ramsey are about to embark on a mission in Rome, Italy – with Roman leading – for Little Nobody (Scott Eastwood), the current head of “the Agency.”  However, what Dom and his family will discover is an elaborate trap laid for them by Dante Reyes, returned after over a decade and looking to avenge himself and his late father, Hernan.  Dante promise to kill Dom, but not before he makes him suffer by targeting his family and everyone connected to them or who helped them.  Now, a ragtag friends, enemies, and frenemies must gather together to stop Dante, who is always one step ahead of Dom and his family.  And Dante is enjoying every minute of the chaos and violence he causes.

When the first film, The Fast and the Furious, arrived in movie theaters in June of 2001, I ignored it, although I recognized the film's two stars, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker (1973-2013).  However, a few years later, I wanted to see 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) because it was directed by the late John Singleton (1968-2019) and because I was a fan of actor Tyrese and rapper/actor Chris “Ludacris” Bridges.  Three years later, I was in a local theater to see The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), but I called it quits after that, refusing to see Fast & Furious (2009).  I eventually did see it because I wanted to see the fifth film in the series.

That would be 2011's Fast Five.  I found it hugely entertaining, and it was the film that made me a consistent fan of the “Fast & Furious” film series.  I think that Fast Five was the first film in the series in which the action was more fantasy or fantastic than realistic.  Beginning with Dom and company's adventures in Rio, the series became some hybrid of science fiction-action, quasi-superhero fantasy, and James Bond-type super spy adventure.  After Fast Five, the series was never the same.

I won't say that Fast X epitomizes that any more than the previous four films:  Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Furious 7 (2015), The Fate of the Furious (2017), and F9 (2021).  There may be more crashes and collisions of automobiles, military vehicles, aircraft, etc, but it is all familiar, solidly entertaining, but familiar.  Fast X does seem to have the highest body count of any of the films, which I did find off-putting.  The characters shoot to kill and injury as if they are players in a video game and not characters in a narrative film.

Jason Momoa and Charlize Theron really give stand out performances in the film.  Momoa's Dante Reyes seems to be the first series villain that can really destroy Dominic Toretto, and Theron's Cipher is simply, majorly cool.

Fast X is also surprisingly funny, with more wit and humor than I think the series has delivered since 2 Fast 2 Furious.  The action is non-stop, but it is also apparently too big for a single film, as you will discover when you watch it, dear readers.  Fast X isn't a great work of cinema, but it is a superb entry in this crazy series.

[Fast X has one mid-credit scene.]

7 of 10
B+
★★★½ out of 4 stars

Friday, May 19, 2023


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

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Saturday, December 14, 2019

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 8th to 14th, 2019- Update #25

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

Support Leroy on Patreon:

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Orlando Jones says that he was fired from  Starz's "American Gods" for having "the wrong message for black America."  Gabrielle Union, fired from NBC's "America's Got Talent" for her being a "difficult" black woman shouts out to him.

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STREAMING - From THR:  Amazon has paid 25 million dollars for a Peter Berg-directed music documentary starring Rihanna.

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STREAMING - From YahooEntertainment:  Netflix is running a Christmas comedy special from Brazil, entitled "The First Temptation of Christ," which apparently implies that Jesus Christ was gay.  More than a million angry viewers have signed a petition demanding that Netflix remove it its service.

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STREAMING - From IndieWire:  Here is a detailed article about what is known about Amazon's secretive "The Lord of the Rings" TV series.  By the way, it is a prequel set thousands of years before the events depicted in the original "The Lord of the Rings" novels and films.

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GOLDEN GLOBES - From IndieWire:  "Queen & Slim" director Melina Matsoukas says "Golden Globe" voters refused to watch her film prior to voting for the awards.  Members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, who vote for the Globes, were offered three screening, which hardly any members attended, according to the direction and the film's distributor, Universal Pictures.

From Patreon:  Here is my review of "Queen and Slim."

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SCANDAL - From Deadline:  The proposed settlement between Harvey Weinstein, his former company, and the women accusing him of sexual misconduct is causing controversy.  It seems Weinstein's legal fees would be paid and he would not have to admit guilt.

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AWARDS - From Deadline:  The nominations for the 26th Screen Actors Guild Awards have been announced. The winners will be announced January 19, 2020 live on TBS and TNT cable networks.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  The U.S. Library of Congress has added 25 films to the "National Film Registry," and that includes Prince's musical semi-autobiographical film, "Purple Rain" (1984).  A record seven films directed by women were added, including Kimberly Pierce's "Boy's Don't Cry" (1999) and Elaine May's "A New Leaf" (1971), the first film from a major American studio in which a woman was the star, writer, and director.

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MARVEL TV - From Deadline:  Marvel Television, which produces live-action and animated TV series based on Marvel Comics titles is being shut down.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Michael Chabon's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" is being developed as a miniseries for Showtime.  It will be written and executive produced by Chabon and Ayelet Waldman.

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ANIMATION - From THR:  Vin Diesel debuts "Fast & Furious: Spy Racers," a Netflix original series based on the "Fast & Furious" film franchise.  Produced by DreamWorks and Universal Pictures, the series features Diesel's daughter, Similce, as a voice performer.

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TRAILER - From YouTube:  See first official trailer for "Ghostbusters: Afterlife."

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COMICS-TRAILER - From YouTube:  Here is the first official trailer for "Wonder Woman 1984."

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AWARDS - From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2020 / 77th Golden Globe Awards have been announced.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 12/6 to 12/8/2019 weekend box office is "Frozen II" with an estimated take of 34.7 million dollars.  This is the third straight weekend at #1 for the Walt Disney Animation Studios sequel.

From THR:  "Harriet," the biographical drama about abolitionist Harriet Tubman, has grossed more than 40 million dollars at the domestic box office.  That makes it one of the most successful biographical dramas for Focus Features, a specialty film label.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooCBS:  For "CBS Sunday Morning" (Sun., Dec. 8th) Turner Classic Movies' host Bill Mankiewicz interviewed Mel Brools on comedy, on love (his late wife, Anne Bancroft), and on his films (especially "Blazing Saddles").

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AWARDS - From Deadline:  The Los Angeles Film Critics Association name "Parasite" the "Best Picture of 2019," with the film's director, Bong Joon Ho, "Best Director."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 25th Critics Choice Awards (formerly known as the "Broadcast Film Critics Association") in both film and TV categories have been announced.  Netflix and its film, "The Irishman" lead the nominations.

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SCANDAL - From Variety:  The firing of actress Gabrielle Union from the reality-competition TV series, "America's Got Talent" (NBC) continues to be a firestorm.  Now, the show's executive producer and main judge, Simon Cowell, has hired an attorney as investigations, both internal and external, continue into the show's off-camera culture.

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MOVIES - From LATimes:   Veteran (and some times reviled) film critic, Kenneth Turan, names his ten best films of 2019.

OBITS:

From THR:  The actor Danny Aiello has died at the age of 86, Thursday, December 12, 2019.  He is best known as Cher's lovelorn suitor in "Moonstruck" (1987) and as "Sal" the pizza joint owner in Spike Lee's "Do The Right Thing" (1989), for which he earned a best supporting actor Oscar nomination.  Aiello won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1981 for his appearance on the "ABC Afterschool Special" in 1980.

From CNN:  Swedish pop singer, songwriter, and recording artist, Marie Fredriksson, has died at the age of 61, Monday, December 9, 2019.  She was best known as a member of the Swedish pop music duo, "Roxette," which has a string of hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including "The Look" and "It Must Have Been Love."  She also recorded as a solo artist from 1984 to 2018.

From Deadline:  The actor Rene Auberjonois has died at the age of 79, Sunday, December 8, 2019.  Auberjonois is best known for two roles.  He was Clayton Endicott III on ABC's sitcom, "Benson" (1979-1986).  He was "Odo" on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1993-1999).  He was also a prolific voice actor in animated TV series and films ("The Little Mermaid."

From Deadline:   The actor Ron Leibman has died at the age of 82, Friday, December 6, 2019.  He won a Tony Award for playing infamous attorney, Roy Cohn, in the play, "Angels in America: Millennium Approaches."  He won an Emmy Award for his starring role in the short-lived CBS crime drama, "Kaz" (1978-79).

TRAILERS:

From EW:  Marvel Studios releases the first official teaser trailer and a poster for its next feature film, "Black Widow," which is set for release, May 1, 2020.

From THR:  The first official trailer for the next James Bond movie, "No Time to Die," makes it debut.


Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Down to 20 Films Pursuing Visual Effects Oscar at 92nd Academy Awards

20 CONTENDERS ADVANCE IN VFX OSCAR® RACE

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 20 films are in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 2020 / 92nd Academy Awards®.

The films are listed below in alphabetical order:

“Ad Astra”
“The Aeronauts”
“Aladdin”
“Alita: Battle Angel”
“Avengers: Endgame”
“Captain Marvel”
“Cats”
“Dumbo”
“Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”
“Ford v Ferrari”
“Gemini Man”
“The Irishman”
“Jumanji: The Next Level”
“The Lion King”
“Men in Black: International”
“Midway”
“1917”
“Spider-Man: Far from Home”
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
“Terminator: Dark Fate”

The Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the preliminary list of films eligible for further awards consideration.  Later this month, the committee will select a shortlist of 10 films that will advance to nominations voting.

Nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards will be announced on Monday, January 13, 2020.

The 92nd Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Saturday, August 10, 2019

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 1st to 10th, 2019 - Update #24

Support Leroy on Patreon:

MOVIES - From DigitalSpy:  This article is a list of films that 20th Century Fox had planned to make, but Disney has cancelled since buying Fox.

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TELEVISION - From THR:  Robert Kirkman, the co-creator of "The Walking Dead" comic book, is suing AMC over profits concerning "The Walking Dead" television series.  That trial may begin sooner than expected.

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DISNEY - From SlashFilm:  Disney's live-action remake of its animated classic, "Lady and the Tramp," will feature real dogs.  Here is a first look at those dogs.

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COMICS-FILM - From SlashFilm:  Multiple Oscar-nominee, Michelle Williams, is returning for the Venom sequel, "Venom 2," to play "Anne Weying."

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Wesley Snipes joins Eddie Murphy and Craig Brewer's "Coming to America" sequel.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Disney CEO Bob Iger says that the Disney+ streaming service will include reboots of 20th Century Fox movie properties like "Home Alone," "Night at the Museum," and "Cheaper by the Dozen."

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COMICS-TV - From Deadline:  ABC is looking for its next series based on a Marvel Comics property as Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. comes to an end. They are looking for a mostly brand new female superhero.

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COMICS-FILM - From THR:  Andy Serkis has closed a deal with Sony Pictures to direct "Venom 2."  Sexy Tom Hardy will return as the film's star.

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TELEVISION - From THR:  On the heels of "Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons", ABC has ordered two more "live" specials from producers Norman Lear and Jimmy Kimmel.  No word on which classic Norman Lear TV series will get the live treatment.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 8/2 to 8/4/2019 weekend box office is "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw" with an estimated 60.8 million dollars.

From Patreon:  My review of "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw."

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Actress Afton Williamson recently quit ABC's TV series, "The Rookie" (starring Nathan Fillion).  She announces that the reasons were sexual misconduct and racist behavior towards her.  Deadline has a dedicated page to follow this controversy which is heating up.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Oscar-winning producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have signed a first-look production deal with Universal Pictures.

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MOVIES - From THR:  In a rare public appearance, Lilly Wachowski (formerly Andy Wachowski), talks about the visibility of trans-people.  Lilly and her sister, Lana, (formerly Larry), are best known for directing "The Matrix" trilogy.

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MOVIES - From TheGuardian:  "Fragile masculinity: why no one in the Fast and Furious films can lose a fight" by Stuart Heritage.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Former costars Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren are reuniting for an hour-long action drama series, and it is a hot property with broadcast and streaming companies.

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  The eighth and final season of Showtime's Emmy-winning series, "Homeland," will begin February 2020.

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TELEVISION - From TVLine:  Gal Gadot will star in Showtime's biopic of famed Golden Age of Hollywood actress, Hedy Lamarr (who was also an inventor).

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MOVIES-TELEVISION - From Variety:  CBS and Viacom's reunion moves closer as both companies agree to an executive structure.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Cate Blanchett looks to join Guillermo del Toro's "Nightmare Alley," opposite Bradley Cooper.

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MOVIES - From Jezebel:  An analysis by Rich Juzwiak: "Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time In Hollywood Doubles Down on Shittiness Toward Women."

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Robert De Niro is in talks to join director Martin Scorsese and actor Leonardo DiCaprio in the film adaptation of the book, "Killers of the Flower Moon."

OBITS:

From Deadline:  The American author, Toni Morrison, has died at the age of 88, Monday, August 5, 2019.  Morrison won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993, the first Black woman to win the award.  Ms. Morrison was known for such novels as Sula, The Song of Solomon, and Beloved.

From ReviewJournal:  Sports reporter Don Banks has died at the age of 56, Sunday, August 4, 2019.  Banks was known for his work covering the National Football League (NFL).  He wrote for "Sports Illustrated" for 17 years and had recently joined "The Las Vegas Review-Journal. "

From IndieWire:  Documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker died at the age of 94, Thursday, August 1, 2019.  He was known for his focus on arts ("Don't Look Back" and "Monterey Pop") and politics ("The War Room") and was a pioneer of "Direct Cinema."  He was only nominated for one Oscar (for "The War Room"), but he won an "Honorary Oscar" for Lifetime Achievement.

From NFL:  Former National Football League (NFL) player, Nick Buoniconti, died at the age of 78, Tuesday, July 30, 2019.  Buoniconti played middle linebacker for the Boston Patriots and the Miami Dolphins.  He was on two Super Bowl winning Dolphins teams, including the 1972 "Perfect Season" Dolphins.  He was named to the "Pro Football Hall of Fame" in 2001.  Known for his charitable work, he co-founded Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, and he raised hundreds of millions of dollars for research into brain and spinal cord injuries.


Saturday, June 15, 2019

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 9th to 15th, 2019 - Update #21

Support Leroy on Patreon:

MOVIES - From Variety:  Bradley Cooper is in early talks to appear in Guillermo del Toro's next film, "Nightmare Alley."

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SCANDAL - From YahooEntertainment:  Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. was booked for misdemeanor forcible touching and sexual abuse in the third degree by the NYPD and he was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court and released without bail on Thursday night.  TMZ claims to have video of Gooding groping a woman at a New York bar.

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STREAMING-ANIMATION - From Newsarama:  DreamWorksTV has released a teaser trailer for Netflix's "Fast & Furious: Spy Racer" animated series.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  The Toronto Raptors are the 2019 NBA Champions, their first.  Kawhi Leonard is named MVP of the Championship Series.

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SCANDAL - From TheDailyBeast:  So bestselling author Nicholas Sparks may be a racist, homophobic, Christian bigot.  This article reprints damning emails from Sparks.

From TheGuardian:  This is an article from four and a half years ago about a lawsuit against Nicholas Sparks, who has had many of his bestselling novels turned into films.  The lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in August of this year.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  The St. Louis Blues are the National Hockey League champions, winning the 2019 Stanley Cup, 4 games to 3 games against the Boston Bruins.  This Blues won their first Stanley Cup championship by beating the Bruins 4 to 1 in Game 7 in Boston.

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ANIMATION - From Newsarama:  There is a new "Looney Tunes Cartoons" short with Bugs Bunny, "Dynamite Dance."  See it here.

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MUSIC - From GetPocket:  The story of Prince Nico Mbarga, the man who recorded the most popular son in African history, "Sweet Mother."

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STAR TREK - From ThePlaylist:  Regarding the "Star Trek" movie in which Quentin Tarantino is supposed to be involved, Tarantino says that a script has been written and it is awaiting his notes.  He says the film will definitely be rated "R."

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ANIMATION - From Variety:  Classic animated Disney characters, "Chip 'n Dale" are getting a reboot for the streaming service, Disney+.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Sandra Bullock, Akiva Goldsman, and John Legend are executive producing a dance-flavored, 1980s, drama-comedy inspired by Bullock's college years.  This project is headed to Amazon.

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AWARDS - From USWeekly:  A complete list of winners and nominees at the 2019 Tony Awards.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 6/7 to 6/9/2019 weekend box office is "The Secret Life of Pets 2" with an estimated haul of 47.1 million dollars.

From Deadline:  "Dark Phoenix" has the worst opening weekend at the domestic box office of any "X-Men" film at 33 million dollars.  It may well lose over 100 million dollars.  This article also talks about the film's troubles.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Steven Spielberg is writing a "creepy" and "super scary" series for the "Quibi" digital platform overseen by Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman.

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LGBTQ - From Slate:  "Before Stonewall, if You Were Attacked for Being Gay, You Were the Criminal" by James Polchin

----------
CULTURE - From Politico:  "How Legal Weed Is Killing America’s Most Famous Marijuana Farmers" by Natalie Fertig

----------
MOVIES - From FlickeringMyth:  Pro wrestler turned actor John Cena is either close to joining the "Fast & Furious 9" or has officially joined, according to Vin Diesel.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Kevin Hart is developing a remake of the 1988 Bill Murray, Christmas dark comedy film, "Scrooged."

----------
MUSIC - From YahooEntertainment:  Madonna is quite upset about a "New York Times" profile of her.


OBITS:

From NFL:  Longtime NFL owner of the Denver Broncos, Pat Bowlen, has died at the age of 75, Thursday, June 13, 2019.  Bowlen and his siblings bought the Broncos in 1984.  The Broncos won three Super Bowl titles during his ownership.

From NOLA:  Noted Louisiana blues and Zydeco musician, Paul "Lil Buck" Sinegal, has died at the age of 75, Monday, June 10, 2019.  The Lafayette, Louisiana-born guitarist recorded with Lil Bob, and Rockin' Dopsie, to name a few, and he was a member of the late Clifton Chenier's Band.

From RollingStone:  Rock musician and songwriter, Roky Erickson, died at the age of 71, Friday, May 31, 2019.  Erickson was a pioneer of psychedelic rock and a cult figure.  He spent several years in a Texas mental institution and battled mental illness for most of his life.  He is best known for his association with the band, "The 13th Floor Elevators."  The 2000s saw a revival of his career and also him gaining control of his health.


Saturday, February 9, 2019

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from February 1st to 9th, 2019 - Update #34

Support Leroy on Patreon:

CULTURE - From Deadspin:  Who's Killing The Soul Of Sneaker Culture?

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MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  James Cameron reveals the working title for upcoming "Terminator" film, "Terminator: Dark Fate."

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Phil Lord and Chris Miller's latest project, "The Last Human," is sparking a bidding war.

----------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  "The Walking Dead" star, Danai Gurira ("Michonne"), is leaving the series after the tenth season, which is scheduled to debut October 2019.

----------
AWARDS - From Deadline:  Sean Penn campaigns hard for Bradley Cooper and his film, "A Star is Born," at the Oscars in a "Deadline" article.

----------
MEDIA - From THR:  Amazon god-king, Jeff Bezos, alleges that AMI (American Media, Inc.), the parent company of the "National Enquirer" is trying to blackmail and extort him.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Michael B. Jordan and Warner Bros. obtain the novel "Black Leopard, Red Wolf."  Written by Marlon James, this buzzy novel has been called an "African Game of Thrones."

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Pre-production on the "World War Z" sequel has been halted.  Budgetary concerns may be the reason.

----------
AVATAR - From TheWrap:  Edie Falco has joined James Cameron's "Avatar" sequels.  The second film in the franchise is due December 2020.  The 2009 original set box office records.

----------
AWARDS - From Variety:  "Avengers: Infinity War" (3 wins) and "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (4 wins) dominate 2019 / 17th annual Visual Effects Society Awards.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From Collider:  Apparently Disney CEO Bob Iger wants to keep producing R-rated movies based on Marvel Comics, like the "Deadpool" franchise.  He is also open to continuing R-rated FOX franchises.

----------
BLM - From CBS42:  Alabama Attorney General and Exalted Cyclops Steve Marshall will not bring charges against the officer who killed E.J. Bradford, Jr., an African-American man.

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COMICS-FILM - From Deadline:  Lauren Shuler-Donner, a producer on Fox's "X-Men" film franchise, speaks about the time of transition as "X-Men" moves from Fox's control to Disney.  She says Marvel will likely recast Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackson in Fox's films.

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OSCARS - From YahooEntertainment:  The nominees for the 91st Academy Awards gather at the annual nominees luncheon and take a class photo.

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COMICS-FILM - From Newsarama:   Brian Michael Bendis, one of the creators of Miles Morales of the film, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," says that he is still writing an X-Men film, even in the wake of Disney's buyout of Fox.

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ANIMATION - From Newsarama:  "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" dominates Annie Awards.

----------
CELEBRITY - From TheDailyBeast:  Oscar-nominated Liam Neeson once wanted to commit and act or racist murder against a Black person (or "Black Bastard," as he described his potential victim).  I'll let the article tell you the rest...

----------
TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The ratings for (fake) Super Bowl 53 hits a 10-year low for Super Bowl ratings.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 2/1 to 2/3/2019 weekend box office (Super Bowl weekend) is "Glass" with an estimated take of $9.5 million.  This is the third week in a row that "Glass" tops the weekend box office.

----------
MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Rami Malek has something to say about original "Bohemian Rhapsody" director, Bryan Singer.

----------
AWARDS - From TheWrap:  Alfonaso Cuaron wins the tops prize at the 2019 Directors Guild Awards for his film "Roma."

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  The hit 1992 film, "Groundhog Day," is getting a sequel, but it is a VR game and not a movie.

----------
AWARDS - From Deadline:  The American Cinema Editors (ACE) announced their "Eddie Awards," with "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "The Favourite" winning the feature film awards.

----------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  The next two "Mission: Impossible" films will appear a year apart, July 23, 2021 and August 5, 2022.  Tom Cruise, of course, will return.

----------
SCIENCE - From TheAtlantic:  Death-Cap Mushrooms Are Spreading Across North America

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Leigh Whannell ("Saw," "Insidious") is the latest director connected to the long-promised (and unnecessary) "Escape from New York" remake.

----------
CELEBRITY - LGBTQ - From Variety:  Jussie Smollett speaks publicly for the first time since the anti-gay, racist attack against him in Chicago earlier this week.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Javier Bardem joins Timothy Chalamet in Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" film reboot.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  There are new photo images from Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  First trailer for "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw," which is in theaters August 2, 2019.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  The British actor, Albert Finney, has died at the age of 82, Thursday, February 7, 2019.  Finney was a five-time Oscar nominee, the first time being for the film with which he is most often associated, "Tom Jones," although he never attended the Academy Awards ceremony.  He also turned down the honor of being knighted by Queen Elizabeth.

From ESPN:  Baseball Hall of Fame member (1982) Frank Robinson has died at the age of 83, Thursday, February 7, 2019.  Robinson was the first and only Major League Baseball player to win the MVP in both the American League and National League.  Robinson was also the first African-American manager of a Major League team (Cleveland Indians, 1975).

From TheWeek:  Former U.S. Congressman, Representative John Dingell (Democrat - Michigan, 12th U.S. District) has died at the age of 92, Thursday, December 7, 2019.  Dingell retired at the age of 88 in January 2015.  He was the nation's longest serving U.S. Congressman.

From EOnline:  The actor Kristof St. John has died at the age of 52, Sunday, February 3, 2019.  St. John was best known for starring in the long-running CBS soap opera, "The Young and the Restless," playing "Neil Winters."

From TheWrap:  The actress Julie Adams has died at the age of 92 years old, Sunday, February 3, 2019.  She is best known for her role as "Kay Lawrence," the damsel in distress in the classic Univeral Pictures horror flick, "The Creature from the Black Lagoon."

From THR:  Prolific television director, Andrew McCullough, has died the age of 94, January 22, 2019.  McCullough directed Orson Welles and James Dean on the small screen.  He also directed episodes of classic family sitcoms like "The Donna Reed Show," "Happy Days," and "Family Ties."


Monday, January 18, 2016

2016 Critics Choice Awards Announced; "Spotlight" Named Best Picture of 2015

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada.  It represents almost 300 television, radio and online critics. For additional information about the BFCA and their memberships, visit www.criticschoice.com.

The winners for the 21st Critics’ Choice Awards were announced Sunday, January 17, 2016.

The 2016 / 21st Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards – winners (for the year in film, 2015):

BEST PICTURE: Spotlight

BEST DIRECTOR: George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST ACTOR: Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant

BEST ACTRESS: Brie Larson – Room

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Sylvester Stallone – Creed

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS: Jacob Tremblay – Room

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE: Spotlight

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy – Spotlight

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Charles Randolph and Adam McKay – The Big Short

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: The Revenant – Emmanuel Lubezki

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: Mad Max: Fury Road – Colin Gibson

BEST EDITING: Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixel

BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Mad Max: Fury Road – Jenny Beavan

BEST HAIR & MAKEUP: Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Inside Out

BEST ACTION MOVIE: Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE: Tom Hardy – Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE: Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST COMEDY: The Big Short

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY: Christian Bale – The Big Short

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY: Amy Schumer – Trainwreck

BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE: Ex Machina

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Son of Saul (Hungary)

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Amy

BEST SONG: Furious 7 – “See You Again”

BEST SCORE: The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone

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Saturday, December 26, 2015

Las Vegas Film Critics Named "Spotlight" Best Picture of 2015

The Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) is a non-profit organization that describes itself as “progressive” and “dedicated to the advancement and preservation of film.”  The LVFCS membership is comprised of “select” print, television and internet film critics in the Las Vegas area. The LVFCS presents its "Sierra" awards each year for the best in film, including The William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award, which is named for the late Academy Award winning actor.

2015 Sierra Award winners:

Best Picture
“Spotlight”

Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Revenant”

Best Actress
Brie Larson, “Room”

Best Supporting Actor
Sylvester Stallone, “Creed”

Best Supporting Actress
Elizabeth Banks, “Love & Mercy”

Best Director
Tom McCarthy, “Spotlight”

Best Screenplay (Original)
Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer, “Spotlight”

Best Screenplay (Adapted)
Drew Goddard, “The Martian”

Best Cinematography
Emmanuel Lubezki, “The Revenant”

Best Film Editing
Margaret Sixel, “Mad Max: Fury Road”

Best Costume Design
Jenny Beavan, “Mad Max: Fury Road”

Best Art Direction
“Brooklyn”

Best Visual Effects
“Mad Max: Fury Road”

Best Foreign Film
“Goodnight Mommy” (Austria)

Best Documentary
“Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief”

Best Animated Film
“Inside Out”

Best Family Film
“Cinderella”

Best Horror/Sci-Fi Film
“Ex Machina”

Best Comedy Film
“Trainwreck”

Best Action Film
“Mad Max: Fury Road”

Best Ensemble
“Spotlight”

Best Score
“The Hateful Eight”

Best Song
“See You Again” (DJ Frank E, Charlie Puth, Wiz Khalifa, and Andrew Cedar – writers) – “Furious 7”

Youth in Film
Jason Tremblay, “Room”

Breakout Filmmaker of the Year
Alex Garland, “Ex Machina”

Silver Nitrate Award
Lee Lanier (Dam Short Film Festival)

William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award
Ennio Morricone

LVFCS Top 10 Films of 2015:
1. Spotlight
2. Creed
3. Ex Machina
4. Straight Outta Compton
5. Beasts of No Nation
6. The Martian
7. Mad Max: Fury Road
8. Sicario
9. Legend
10. Room

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


Monday, December 14, 2015

22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Award Nominations - Film Categories

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).

Nominations for the 22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards were announced on Wednesday, December 9, 2015.  Winners will be revealed during the January 30, 2016 awards ceremony that will be simultaneously telecast on TBS and TNT.

The “Ensemble” categories are SAG's equivalent of a “Best Picture” or “Best Television Series” award.

2016/22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations:

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
BRYAN CRANSTON / Dalton Trumbo – “TRUMBO” (Bleecker Street)
JOHNNY DEPP / James “Whitey” Bulger – “BLACK MASS” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / Hugh Glass – “THE REVENANT” (20th Century Fox)
MICHAEL FASSBENDER / Steve Jobs – “STEVE JOBS” (Universal Pictures)
EDDIE REDMAYNE / Einar Wegener/Lili Elbe – “THE DANISH GIRL” (Focus Features)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
CATE BLANCHETT / Carol Aird – “CAROL” (The Weinstein Company)
BRIE LARSON / Ma – “ROOM” (A24)
HELEN MIRREN / Maria Altmann – “WOMAN IN GOLD” (The Weinstein Company)
SAOIRSE RONAN / Eilis – “BROOKLYN” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
SARAH SILVERMAN / Laney Brooks – “I SMILE BACK” (Broad Green Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
CHRISTIAN BALE / Michael Burry – “THE BIG SHORT” (Paramount Pictures)
IDRIS ELBA / Commandant – “BEASTS OF NO NATION” (Netflix)
MARK RYLANCE / Abel Rudolph – “BRIDGE OF SPIES” (DreamWorks)
MICHAEL SHANNON / Rick Carver – “99 HOMES” (Broad Green Pictures)
JACOB TREMBLAY / Jack – “ROOM” (A24)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
ROONEY MARA / Therese Belivet – “CAROL” (The Weinstein Company)
RACHEL McADAMS / Sacha Pfeiffer – “SPOTLIGHT” (Open Road Films)
HELEN MIRREN / Hedda Hopper – “TRUMBO” (Bleecker Street)
ALICIA VIKANDER / Gerda Wegener – “THE DANISH GIRL” (Focus Features)
KATE WINSLET / Joanna Hoffman – “STEVE JOBS” (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:

BEASTS OF NO NATION (Netflix)
ABRAHAM ATTAH / Agu
KURT EGYIAWAN / 2nd I-C
IDRIS ELBA / Commandant

THE BIG SHORT (Paramount Pictures)
CHRISTIAN BALE / Michael Burry
STEVE CARELL / Mark Baum
RYAN GOSLING / Jared Vennett
MELISSA LEO / Georgia Hale
HAMISH LINKLATER / Porter Collins
JOHN MAGARO / Charlie Geller
BRAD PITT / Ben Rickert
RAFE SPALL / Danny Moses
JEREMY STRONG / Vinny Peters
MARISA TOMEI / Cynthia Baum
FINN WITTROCK / Jamie Shipley

SPOTLIGHT (Open Road Films)
BILLY CRUDUP / Eric MacLeish
BRIAN D’ARCY JAMES / Matty Carroll
MICHAEL KEATON / Walter “Robby” Robinson
RACHEL McADAMS / Sacha Pfeiffer
MARK RUFFALO / Michael Rezendes
LIEV SCHREIBER / Marty Baron
JOHN SLATTERY / Ben Bradlee, Jr.
STANLEY TUCCI / Mitchell Garabedian

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON (Universal Pictures)
NEIL BROWN JR. / DJ Yella
PAUL GIAMATTI / Jerry Heller
COREY HAWKINS / Dr. Dre
ALDIS HODGE / MC Ren
O’SHEA JACKSON JR. / Ice Cube
JASON MITCHELL / Eazy-E

TRUMBO (Bleecker Street)
ADEWALE AKINNUOYE-AGBAJE / Virgil Brooks
LOUIS C.K. / Arlen Hird
BRYAN CRANSTON / Dalton Trumbo
DAVID JAMES ELLIOTT / John Wayne
ELLE FANNING / Niki Trumbo
JOHN GOODMAN / Frank King
DIANE LANE / Cleo Trumbo
HELEN MIRREN / Hedda Hopper
MICHAEL STUHLBARG / Edward G. Robinson
ALAN TUDYK / Ian McLellan Hunter

SAG AWARDS HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
“EVEREST” (Universal Pictures)
“FURIOUS 7” (Universal Pictures)
“JURASSIC WORLD” (Universal Pictures)
“MAD MAX: FURY ROAD” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
“MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATION” (Paramount Pictures)

52nd Annual SAG Life Achievement Award
CAROL BURNETT

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



Tuesday, December 8, 2015

20 Films Vie for 5 "Visual Effects" Nominations for Feb. 2016 Oscars Ceremony

20 CONTENDERS ADVANCE IN VFX OSCAR RACE

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 20 films are in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 88th Academy Awards®.

The films are listed below in alphabetical order:

    “Ant-Man”
    “Avengers: Age of Ultron”
    “Bridge of Spies”
    “Chappie”
    “Everest”
    “Ex Machina”
    “Furious Seven”
    “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2”
    “In the Heart of the Sea”
    “Jupiter Ascending”
    “Jurassic World”
    “Mad Max: Fury Road”
    “The Martian”
    “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”
    “The Revenant”
    “Spectre”
    “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”
    “Terminator Genisys”
    “Tomorrowland”
    “The Walk”

The Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the preliminary shortlist.  This year, in the Visual Effects category, the number of eligible films initially shortlisted for further consideration was increased to a maximum of 20 titles.  The number of films that will be shortlisted for nominations voting remains at 10, which will be announced later this month.

The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

The 88th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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


Wednesday, April 1, 2015

"Furious 7" to Make Biggest Global IMAX Release Ever


Universal Pictures' Furious 7 Poised To Ignite Worldwide Box Office With Widest-Ever Global IMAX® Release Beginning April 1

IMAX to Debut New Laser Projection Technology at Furious 7 Worldwide Premiere Event

LOS ANGELES, PRNewswire/ -- IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX) and Universal Pictures, a division of Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA), today announced that Furious 7 will receive the widest-ever IMAX release globally. The film begins its global launch on Wednesday, April 1, 2015 before rolling out domestically and in the majority of overseas markets on Friday, April 3, 2015. Throughout its global run, Furious 7 will screen at more than 800 IMAX® theatres, including approximately 445 international and 365 domestic IMAX locations.

Additionally, IMAX will be launching its revolutionary new laser projection system at the Furious 7 global premiere event to be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX in Los Angeles. This marks IMAX's U.S. debut of the new technology as well as the first film ever to receive a global premiere with laser projection. IMAX has undertaken a significant R&D investment to develop its next-generation projection and sound system, which incorporates the laser digital intellectual property IMAX exclusively licensed from Eastman Kodak and Barco's unique laser innovations. IMAX with laser represents a quantum leap forward in cinema technology - providing audiences with the sharpest, brightest, clearest and most vivid digital images ever, combined with a whole new level of immersive audio.

"Not only are we excited to be releasing Furious 7 globally in record-setting fashion, we are delighted to be partnering with Universal Pictures on the first-ever movie premiere event screened with laser," said Greg Foster, Senior Executive Vice President, IMAX Corp. and CEO of IMAX Entertainment. "As the most action-packed Fast and Furious installment yet, Furious 7 deserves to be seen in the most awe-inspiring and intense way possible across IMAX screens worldwide."

The IMAX(®) release of Furious 7 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.


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 Dec. 31, 2014, there were 934 IMAX theatres (809 commercial multiplexes, 19 commercial destinations and 106 institutions) in 62 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.

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


Friday, March 20, 2015

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of March 15th to 21st, 2015 - Update #19


NEWS:

From Variety:  Joseph Gordon-Levitt to headline a live-action "Fraggle Rock" movie.

--------------
From YahooMovies:  First Spectre poster reveals new-look James Bond, but in a retro way.

--------------
From YahooMovies: First Furious 7 review.

--------------
From YahooMovies:  Alex Winter at SXSW on "Bill & Ted 3."

---------------
From RollingStone:  The time Matt Taibbi saw American Sniper.

----------------
From NYT:  The much ado about nothing article about "The View."

-----------------
From Variety:  The winner of the 3/13 to 3/15/2015 box office is Walt Disney's live-action Cinderella with an estimated take of $70.1 million.

-----------------
From RollingStone:  Kevin Smith confirms a sequel to his early film, Mallrats.

-----------------
From YahooMovies:  Classic heartthrob and actor, Tab Hunter, talks about his life and his SXSW doc.

-------------------
From YahooCelebrity:  The Justin Bieber roast - one joke had him thinking "That shit ain't funny."


COMIC BOOKS - Movies and Comics:

From SlashFilm:  Mark Millar's just-released comic book, Chrononauts, is currently being developed for feature film by Universal Pictures.  I couldn't get a copy of the first issue because it was already sold out by the time I got to the store.

-----------------
From SlashFilm:  Future flop, Deadpool, is supposedly actually filming right now, and is due in theaters, Feb. 12, 2016.  Ryan Reynolds is back as Deadpool... unfortunately.

------------------
From YahooMovies:  New Avengers: Age of Ultron spot.

------------------
From YahooMovies:  Joss Whedon teases even more characters in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

-------------------
From NerdReactor:  Don't say "F***, Marvel, Jason.  Help Warner Bros. get like Marvel with their DC movies.


STAR WARS:

From ThePlaylist:  J.J. Abrams may return to direct "Star Wars 9."

-----------------
From RopesofSilicon:  Recent Oscar winner, Alexandre Desplat will reportedly score "Star Wars: Rogue One."

------------------
From YahooMovies:  Alan Dean Foster talks about his superb Star Wars novel, Splinter of the Mind's Eye."


TRAILERS:

From 20th Century Fox:  Paper Towns trailer. The movie is based on a book by the author of The Fault in Our Stars.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Negromancer News Bit and Bites for November 1 to November 8, 2014 - Update #20


NEWS:

From YahooTV:  Update on another "Walking Dead" lawsuit.  Screen Rant has articles about Frank Darabont's firing From the show and his lawsuit.

-----------------
From YahooMovies:  Ernie Hudson on his bittersweet memories of the original Ghostbusters.

-----------------
From DemocracyNow:  More on CITIZENFOUR.

-----------------
From VanityFair:  How Laura Poitras shot her buzzed-about doc, CITIZENFOUR, on the down low.

-----------------
From YahooMovies:   Channing Tatum apparently in Quentin Tarantino's next film, "The Hateful Eight."

------------------
From YahooMovies:  "Toy Story 4" announced for June 6, 2017, directed by the incomparable John Lasseter.

-------------------
From YahooMovies:  Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg team for "The Six Billion Dollar Man," an update of the cult TV show, "The Six Million Dollar Man."  The movie may skew closer to the 1972 novel, Cyborg, which inspired "The Six Million Dollar Man."

--------------------
From YahooCelebrity:  Keira Knightley poses topless in a protest.

-------------------
From THR:  Christian Bale is reportedly out of director Danny Boyle's Steve Jops biopic.

-------------------
From TheWrap:   When the final numbers came in, Ouija won the October 31 to November 2, 2014 box office with a tally of $10.7 million.  Nightcrawler finished second with $10.4 million.

------------------
From YahooCelebrity:  Angie Harmon and her husband, former NFL player, Jason Sehorn, are separating.

-------------------
From THR:  According to early estimates, the films, Ouija and Nightcrawler, have tied for the top spot at the October 31st to November 2nd, 2014 weekend box office, each with an estimated $10.9 million.

--------------------
From YahooMovies:  The late Paul Walker is featured prominently in the new Furious 7 trailer.


COMICS:  Movies and News:

From TheWrap:  Jared Leto as the Joker in Suicide Squad.

--------------------
From CinemaBlend:  "Ant-Man" is important to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

---------------------
From CinemaBlend:  Could the classic graphic novel, Doctor Strange: Into Shamballa, be the source material for 2016's Doctor Strange film?

---------------------
From CinemaBlend:  Some of "Ant-Man" could take place in the past.

---------------------
From YahooGames:  Marvel has released a teaser for "X-Men '92."  Does that mean the FOX Saturday morning "X-Men" animated television series is returning?  Unlikely.  More likely, this means that there will be a comic book based on the TV series which debuted in 1992.


STAR WARS:

From YahooMovies:  Star Wars Episode 7 has a name, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

------------------
From the Examiner:  "Star Wars Episode 7" recently had a wrap party and R2-D2 was there looking battered.

-------------------
From YahooCelebrity:  There was a "wrap" (the end of "principal photography") party for Star Wars Episode 7.

-------------------
From CinemaBlend:  What did the cast and crew of Star Wars Episode 7 get as a parting gift?

--------------------
From NPR:  An interview and feature on Episode 7 actor, Adam Driver.


REVIEWS:

From TheVillageVoice:  Stephanie Zacharek on Interstellar.



Monday, March 24, 2014

"Hustle" and "Wolf" Lead 2014 MTV Movie Award Nominations - Complete List

by Amos Semien

The MTV Movie Awards began in 1992.  I cared as much then as I do now, and that’s very little.  I have probably watched less than half an hour combined of all the award telecasts, although I might watch more this year.

The nominations for the 2014 MTV Movie Awards were revealed on Thursday, March 6, 2014.  The nominations feature a mix of the year’s biggest blockbusters (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and We’re the Millers) and the movie award season favorites (12 Years a Slave and Dallas Buyers Club).  American Hustle and The Wolf of Wall Street lead the nomination with eight apiece.

Fans can vote by going to the website: http://www.mtv.com/ontv/movieawards/

The 2014 MTV Movie Awards will be held on Sunday, April 13, 2014 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.  The ceremony will be hosted by Conan O'Brien.

The 2013 MTV Movie Awards complete list of nominees:

MOVIE OF THE YEAR
• "12 Years a Slave"
• "American Hustle"
• "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"
• "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"
• "The Wolf of Wall Street"

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE
• Amy Adams — "American Hustle"
• Jennifer Aniston — "We're the Millers"
• Sandra Bullock — "Gravity"
• Jennifer Lawrence — "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"
• Lupita Nyong'o — "12 Years a Slave"

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE
• Bradley Cooper — "American Hustle"
• Leonardo DiCaprio — "The Wolf of Wall Street"
• Chiwetel Ejiofor — "12 Years a Slave"
• Josh Hutcherson — "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"
• Matthew McConaughey — "Dallas Buyers Club"

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
• Liam James — "The Way Way Back"
• Michael B. Jordan — "Fruitvale Station"
• Will Poulter— "We're the Millers"
• Margot Robbie — "The Wolf of Wall Street"
• Miles Teller — "The Spectacular Now"

BEST KISS
• Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams — "American Hustle"
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Scarlett Johansson — "Don Jon"
• James Franco, Ashley Benson and Vanessa Hudgens — "Spring Breakers"
• Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller — "The Spectacular Now"
• Emma Roberts, Jennifer Aniston and Will Poulter — "We're the Millers"

BEST FIGHT
• "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" — Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner and Steve Carell vs. James Marsden vs. Sacha Baron Cohen vs. Kanye West vs. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler vs. Jim Carrey and Marion Cotillard vs. Will Smith vs. Liam Neeson and John C. Reilly vs. Greg Kinnear
• "Identity Thief" — Jason Bateman vs. Melissa McCarthy
• "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" — Orlando Bloom and Evangeline Lilly vs. Orcs
• "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" — Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Sam Claflin vs. Mutant Monkeys
• "This is the End" — Jonah Hill vs. James Franco and Seth Rogen

BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE
• Kevin Hart — "Ride Along"
• Jonah Hill — "The Wolf of Wall Street"
• Johnny Knoxville — "Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa"
• Melissa McCarthy — "The Heat"
• Jason Sudeikis — "We're the Millers"

BEST SCARED-AS-S**T PERFORMANCE
• Rose Byrne — "Insidious: Chapter 2"
• Jessica Chastain — "Mama"
• Vera Farmiga — "The Conjuring"
• Ethan Hawke — "The Purge"
• Brad Pitt — "World War Z"

BEST ON-SCREEN DUO
• Amy Adams and Christian Bale — "American Hustle"
• Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto — "Dallas Buyers Club"
• Vin Diesel and Paul Walker — "Fast & Furious 6"
• Ice Cube and Kevin Hart — "Ride Along"
• Jonah Hill and Leonardo DiCaprio — "The Wolf of Wall Street"

BEST SHIRTLESS PERFORMANCE
• Jennifer Aniston — "We're the Millers"
• Sam Claflin — "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"
• Leonardo DiCaprio — "The Wolf of Wall Street"
• Zac Efron — "That Awkward Moment"
• Chris Hemsworth — "Thor: The Dark World"

#WTF MOMENT
• The RV Crash — "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues"
• The Beauty Pageant — "Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa"
• Car Sex — "The Counselor"
• The Lude Scene — "The Wolf of Wall Street"
• Danny's New Pet — "This is the End"

BEST VILLAIN
• Barkhad Abdi — "Captain Phillips"
• Benedict Cumberbatch — "Star Trek into Darkness"
• Michael Fassbender — "12 Years a Slave"
• Mila Kunis — "Oz The Great and Powerful"
• Donald Sutherland — "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"

BEST ON-SCREEN TRANSFORMATION
• Christian Bale — "American Hustle"
• Elizabeth Banks — "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"
• Orlando Bloom — "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"
• Jared Leto — "Dallas Buyers Club"
• Matthew McConaughey — "Dallas Buyers Club"

BEST MUSICAL MOMENT
• Backstreet Boys, Jay Baruchel, Seth Rogen and Craig Robinson Peform in Heaven — "This is the End"
• Jennifer Lawrence Sings "Live & Let Die' — "American Hustle"
• Leonardo DiCaprio Pops and Locks — "The Wolf of Wall Street"
• Melissa McCarthy Sings "Barracuda" — "Identity Thief"
• Will Poulter Sing "Waterfalls" — "We're the Millers"

BEST CAMEO PERFORMANCE
• Robert De Niro — "American Hustle"
• Amy Poehler and Tina Fey — "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues"
• Kanye West — "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues"
• Joan Rivers — "Iron Man 3"
• Rihanna — "This is the End"

BEST HERO
• Henry Cavill as Clark Kent — "Man of Steel"
• Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man — "Iron Man 3"
• Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins — "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"
• Chris Hemsworth as Thor — "Thor: The Dark World"
• Channing Tatum as John Cale — "White House Down"


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Thursday, December 12, 2013

2014 Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations - Film 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).

In the theatrical motion picture categories, director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave led the 20th annual Screen Actors Guild Award nominations with 4 nominations, including a best ensemble nomination and three nominations in the acting categories:  Chiwetel Ejiofor (lead), Michael Fassbender (supporting), and Lupita Nyong'o (supporting).  Rita Moreno will receive this year's "Life Achievement Award."

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 – Full list of nominations:

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES Categories:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
BRUCE DERN / Woody Grant – “NEBRASKA” (Paramount Pictures)

CHIWETEL EJIOFOR / Solomon Northup – “12 YEARS A SLAVE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

TOM HANKS / Capt. Richard Phillips – “CAPTAIN PHILLIPS” (Columbia Pictures)

MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY / Ron Woodroof – “DALLAS BUYERS CLUB” (Focus Features)

FOREST WHITAKER / Cecil Gaines – “LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
CATE BLANCHETT / Jasmine – “BLUE JASMINE” (Sony Pictures Classics)

SANDRA BULLOCK / Ryan Stone – “GRAVITY” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

JUDI DENCH / Philomena Lee – “PHILOMENA” (The Weinstein Company)

MERYL STREEP / Violet Weston – “AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY” (The Weinstein Company)

EMMA THOMPSON / P.L. Travers – “SAVING MR. BANKS” (Walt Disney Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
BARKHAD ABDI / Muse – “CAPTAIN PHILLIPS” (Columbia Pictures)

DANIEL BRÃœHL / Niki Lauda – “RUSH” (Universal Pictures)

MICHAEL FASSBENDER / Edwin Epps – “12 YEARS A SLAVE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

JAMES GANDOLFINI / Albert – “ENOUGH SAID” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

JARED LETO / Rayon – “DALLAS BUYERS CLUB” (Focus Features)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role:
JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Rosalyn Rosenfeld – “AMERICAN HUSTLE” (Columbia Pictures)

LUPITA NYONG’O / Patsey – “12 YEARS A SLAVE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

JULIA ROBERTS / Barbara Weston – “AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY” (The Weinstein Company)

JUNE SQUIBB / Kate Grant – “NEBRASKA” (Paramount Pictures)

OPRAH WINFREY / Gloria Gaines – “LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:

12 YEARS A SLAVE (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / Ford
PAUL DANO / Tibeats
GARRET DILLAHUNT / Armsby
CHIWETEL EJIOFOR / Solomon Northup
MICHAEL FASSBENDER / Edwin Epps
PAUL GIAMATTI / Freeman
SCOOT McNAIRY / Brown
LUPITA NYONG’O / Patsey
ADEPERO ODUYE / Eliza
SARAH PAULSON / Mistress Epps
BRAD PITT / Bass
MICHAEL KENNETH WILLIAMS / Robert
ALFRE WOODARD / Mistress Shaw

AMERICAN HUSTLE (Columbia Pictures)
AMY ADAMS / Sydney Prosser
CHRISTIAN BALE / Irving Rosenfeld
LOUIS C.K. / Stoddard Thorsen
BRADLEY COOPER / Richie DiMaso
PAUL HERMAN / Alfonse Simone
JACK HUSTON / Pete Musane
JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Rosalyn Rosenfeld
ALESSANDRO NIVOLA / Federal Prosecutor
MICHAEL PEÑA / Sheik (Agent Hernandez)
JEREMY RENNER / Mayor Carmine Polito
ELISABETH RÖHM / Dolly Polito
SHEA WHIGHAM / Carl Elway

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (The Weinstein Company)
ABIGAIL BRESLIN / Jean Fordham
CHRIS COOPER / Charles Aiken
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / “Little” Charles Aiken
JULIETTE LEWIS / Karen Weston
MARGO MARTINDALE / Mattie Fae Aiken
EWAN McGREGOR / Bill Fordham
DERMOT MULRONEY / Steve
JULIANNE NICHOLSON / Ivy Weston
JULIA ROBERTS / Barbara Weston
SAM SHEPARD / Beverly Weston
MERYL STREEP / Violet Weston
MISTY UPHAM / Johnna

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (Focus Features)
JENNIFER GARNER / Dr. Eve Saks
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY / Ron Woodroof
JARED LETO / Rayon
DENIS O’HARE / Dr. Sevard
DALLAS ROBERTS / David Wayne
STEVE ZAHN / Tucker

LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER (The Weinstein Company)
MARIAH CAREY / Hattie Pearl
JOHN CUSACK / Richard Nixon
JANE FONDA / Nancy Reagan
CUBA GOODING, JR. / Carter Wilson
TERRENCE HOWARD / Howard
LENNY KRAVITZ / James Holloway
JAMES MARSDEN / John F. Kennedy
DAVID OYELOWO / Louis Gaines
ALEX PETTYFER / Thomas Westfall
VANESSA REDGRAVE / Annabeth Westfall
ALAN RICKMAN / Ronald Reagan
LIEV SCHREIBER / Lyndon B. Johnson
FOREST WHITAKER / Cecil Gaines
ROBIN WILLIAMS / Dwight D. Eisenhower
OPRAH WINFREY / Gloria Gaines

SAG AWARDS® HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture:
ALL IS LOST (Lionsgate)
FAST & FURIOUS 6 (Universal Pictures)
LONE SURVIVOR (Universal Pictures)
RUSH (Universal Pictures)
THE WOLVERINE (20th Century Fox)

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Screen Actors Guild 50th Annual Life Achievement Award: RITA MORENO

http://www.sagawards.org/

END