Showing posts with label Glenn Close. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Glenn Close. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Review: Walt Disney's "TARZAN" is Something Old, Something New, and Sometimes Amazing

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 114 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Tarzan (1999)
Running time:  88 minutes ( hour, 28 minutes)
MPAA – G
DIRECTORS:  Chris Buck and Kevin Lima
WRITERS:  Tab Murphy and Bob Tzudiker & Noni White; from a story by numerous writers (based upon the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel Tarzan of the Apes)
PRODUCER:  Bonnie Arnold
EDITOR:  Gregory Perler
COMPOSER:  Mark Mancina
SONGS:  Phil Collins
Academy Award winner

ANIMATION/ACTION/ADVENTURE/FAMILY

Starring:  (voices) Tony Goldwyn, Minnie Driver, Glenn Close, Brian Blessed, Lance Henriksen, Wayne Knight, Alex D. Linz, Rosie O’Donnell, and Nigel Hawthorne

The subject of this movie review is Tarzan, a 1999 animation fantasy-adventure film and musical directed by Chris Buck and Kevin Lima.  The film is based on Tarzan of the Apes, the first Tarzan novel written by Tarzan creator, Edgar Rice Burroughs.  Walt Disney’s Tarzan focuses on a man who was raised by gorillas, but who must decide where he really belongs when he discovers that he is a human.

Tarzan, Walt Disney’s animated version of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic character Tarzan, was one of the best films of the year 1999.  In fact, it was better than the Academy Award winner for Best Picture that year, American Beauty.  Many film fans and critics point to 1989’s The Little Mermaid as Disney’s return to the kind of high quality animation that made the studio so famous from the later 1930’s to the early 1950’s.  From 1989 to 2004 (when Disney stopped making feature length animated films for theatrical release, for the foreseeable future), Tarzan stands as a high water mark, being one of the best efforts of that second golden age of Disney animation (known as the “Disney Renaissance”).

However, the film isn’t just a great effort in animation, it’s also a great film, period.  Like classic Disney films, there is something for everyone.  The drama, humor, action, and adventure reach across generations to entertain anyone, especially if adults have open minds about opening up to the story of an animated film.

In this version of the classic tale, the gorilla Kala (Glenn Close) rescues an orphaned human after she finds its parents’ murdered bodies.  She names him Tarzan (Alex D. Linz) and takes him as her own because she is left childless after a leopard killed her infant.  Years later, the adult Tarzan (Tony Goldwyn) discovers he is human when he falls in love with Jane Porter (Minnie Driver), who comes to Tarzan’s jungle home with her father, Professor Porter (Nigel Hawthorne).  His love for Jane forces Tarzan to decide where he belongs when he has to choose between staying with his gorilla family or following Jane back to England.

Unlike many Disney animated films, Tarzan is thoroughly a boys’ action/adventure tale filled as it is with jungle chases over trees and through dense foliage and with combat fought to the death.  He is a boy’s man, having fun all day, surfing by his feet over thick and long tree branches, and he’s a whirling dervish of flips, twists, spins, leaps, dives, etc.  The film is, however, also quite poignant in its drama, particularly in the romance between Tarzan and Jane and in the relationship between Tarzan and his mother, Kala.

What would a Disney cartoon be without laughter and songs?  There is plenty of humor, some of it surprisingly provided by Rosie O’Donnell as Tarzan’s gorilla playmate, Terk (performed when she was still the “Queen of Nice.”).  The musical score is also very good, soaring and emotional.  However, it is Phil Collins’ song score that really makes the film, and Collins finally won his long sought after “Best Music, Original Song” Oscar® for a track entitled, “You’ll Be in My Heart.”

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
2000 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win: “Best Music, Original Song” (Phil Collins for the song “You'll Be In My Heart”)
2000 Golden Globes, USA:  1 win: “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Phil Collins for the song “You'll Be In My Heart”)

Updated:  Saturday, August 02, 2014


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Review: "The Girl With All the Gifts" is a Gift to Movie Audiences

 

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 22 (of 2020) by Leroy Douresseaux
 
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

The Girl with All the Gifts (2016)
Running time:  111 minutes (1 hour, 51 minutes)
MPAA – R for disturbing violence/bloody images, and for language
DIRECTOR:  Colm McCarthy
WRITER:  Mike Carey (based on his novel)
PRODUCER:  Camille Gatin and Angus Lamont
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Simon Dennis   
EDITOR:  Matthew Cannings
COMPOSER:  Cristobal Tapia de Veer

SCI-FI/HORROR/DRAMA

Starring:  Sennia Nanua, Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine, Fisayo Akinade, Anthony Welsh, Anamaria Marinca, Dominique Tipper, and Glenn Close

The Girl with All the Gifts is a 2016 British post-apocalyptic science fiction horror film from director Colm McCarthy.  Screenwriter Mike Carey adapted this film's screenplay from his 2014 novel, The Girl with All the Gifts.  The Girl with All the Gifts the movie is set in a dystopian future and follows the struggles of a scientist, a teacher, and two soldiers, and a special young girl who embark on a journey of survival.

The Girl with All the Gifts is set in the United Kingdom in a near future scenario.  Humanity has been ravaged by a mysterious disease that is caused by a parasitic fungus.  It is transmitted by bodily fluids, such as when an infected person bites an uninfected person.  The infected humans have turned into fast-moving, mindless zombies called “Hungries.”  Mankind's only hope is a small group of hybrid children, born with the fungus wrapped around their brains, making them part-human and part-Hungry.  These children crave living, human flesh, but they retain the ability to think and to learn.

On an army base, the scientist, Dr. Caroline Caldwell (Glenn Close), has been using a group of hybrid children in an attempt to develop a vaccine that would protect humans from becoming infected Hungries.  One of the children is a very special and exceptional girl named Melanie (Sennia Nanua), who has drawn the particular attention of Helen Justineau (Gemma Arterton), a young woman who is responsible for educating and for studying the children.

The hybrid children on the army base are essentially as held prisoners, guarded by a group of soldiers lead by Sergeant Eddie Parks (Paddy Considine).  When the base falls, Melanie, Justineau, Dr. Caldwell, Parks, and another soldier, Private Kieran Gallagher (Fisayo Akinade), head for London in the hope of finding help, but are they all in denial about the new order of things in a world of Hungries?

I have no trouble recommending The Girl with All the Gifts, a fantastic and truly unique film.  It is equally post-apocalyptic science fiction, zombie apocalypse horror, and road movie drama.  I could have watched another two hours of this stunning movie.  The Girl with All the Gifts is like a new take on the three films based on late author Richard Matheson's 1954 seminal post-apocalyptic novel, I Am Legend.  Those films are The Last Man on Earth (1964), The Omega Man (1971), and I Am Legend (2007), to one extent or another.

What makes this film exceptional is both the performance by and the appearance of Sennia Nanua as the film's lead character, Melanie.  She gives a honest and vibrant performance as Melanie, a child referred to as “it,” but who grows from a child seeking attention and being... hungry to a child learning to a becoming the group's guide and protector and finally to evolving into a kind of “Eve.”  Also, it is simply great to see a young actress of color as the lead in a science fiction film, especially in a movie that is led primarily by female characters.

The performances in the film are mostly poignant and quiet.  Do I have to tell you that Glenn Close gives a muscular turn as Dr. Caldwell?  Should I have to tell you that?  Well, I will tell you again that The Girl With All the Gifts is one of this decade's best genre films and that I highly recommend and might even demand that you see it.

9 of 10
A+

Friday, October 16, 2020


NOTES:
BAFTA Awards 2017:  1 nomination: “Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer” (Mike Carey and Camille Gatin)

The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.


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Thursday, January 31, 2019

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 27th to 31st, 2019 - Update #31

Support Leroy on Patreon:

STAR TREK - YahooEntertainment:  Patrick Stewart gives a few detail on his upcoming "Star Trek" series for the streaming CBS All Access.

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COMICS-FILM - From THR:  James Gunn in talks to direct the Warner Bros./DC Comics film, "Suicide Squad."

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MOVIES - From Collider:   Zendaya is being considered to play Timothy Chalamet's love interest in the "Dune" film reboot.

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STREAMING - From BloodyDisgusting:  Jordan Peele's reboot of "The Twilight Zone" will debut on CBS All Access in April.

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COMICS-FILM - From THR:  Writer-director Matt Reeves says his film, "The Batman" (due in 2021), will focus on Batman's detective roots and feature multiple villains from Batman's "Rogue's Gallery."

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STREAMING - From THR:  Zack Snyder has signed on to direct Netflix's "Army of the Dead," a zombie thriller movie.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Ryan Reynolds to star in action-comedy, "Shotgun Wedding," for director Jason Moore ("Pitch Perfect").

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MUSIC-GRAMMYS - From YahooEntertainment:  Brandi Carlile, the most nominated woman at the 2019 Grammys, talks to Yahoo about Joni Mitchell, President Barack Obama and "internalized and institutionalized misogyny."

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CELEBRITY-CRIME - From Variety:  Jussie Smollett, one of the stars of FOX's "Empire," was hospitalized early Tuesday (Jan. 29th), following an assault in Chicago in what has been described as a "possible hate crime."

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Lakeith Stanfield will star in Jordan Peele's "Candyman" reboot.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Oscar Isaac joins Timothy Chalamet in the film reboot of the "Dune," based on Frank Herbert's legendary novel.

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  David Mancini and David Kirschner, the creators of the "Child's Play" and "Chuck" film franchise are developing a Chucky TV series for Syfy.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  NEON and Hulu land Lupita Nyong'o's zombie comedy, "Little Monsters."

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OSCARS - From TheCut:  What growing up in Hollywood and around the Academy Awards taught actress Amber Tamblyn about the "boys' club."  Tamblyn is the daughter of the Oscar-nominated actor, Russ Tamblyn.

MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Universal's "Dark Universe" may be retitled "Undead Dark Universe."  This may happen via the "Invisible Man" (1933) remake produced by Jason Blum and his Blumhouse Productions.

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MOVIES - From Newsarama:  Release dates for upcoming science fiction, fantasy, and genre films.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 1/25 to 1/27/2019 weekend box office is "Glass" with an estimated take of $19 million.

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AWARDS - From People:  Alan Alda is the "2019 Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award" winner.  "People" magazine provides this life in pictures.

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AWARDS - From THR:  Here is a complete list of winners at the 2019 / 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards winners.  Disney/Marvel's "Black Panther" wins the tops honor.

The 25th Annual SAG Awards ceremony will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS tonight (Jan. 27, 2019 at 8 p.m. ET/PT).  Four-time SAG Award-winner, Megan Mullaly, will host tonight's ceremony.

Here is the full list of nominations:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role:
Christian Bale, “Vice”
Bradley Cooper, “A Star Is Born”
Rami Malek, “Bohemian Rhapsody” - WINNER
Viggo Mortensen, “Green Book”
John David Washington, “BlacKkKlansman”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role:
Emily Blunt, “Mary Poppins Returns”
Glenn Close, “The Wife” - WINNER
Olivia Colman, “The Favourite”
Lady Gaga, “A Star Is Born”
Melissa McCarthy, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role:
Mahershala Ali, “Green Book” - WINNER
Timothee Chalamet, “Beautiful Boy”
Adam Driver, “BlacKkKlansman”
Sam Elliott, “A Star Is Born”
Richard E. Grant, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role:
Amy Adams, “Vice”
Emily Blunt, “A Quiet Place” - WINNER
Margot Robbie, “Mary Queen of Scots”
Emma Stone, “The Favourite”
Rachel Weisz, “The Favourite”

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:
“A Star Is Born”
“Black Panther” - WINNER
The cast for "Black Panther" – Angela Bassett, Chadwick Boseman, Sterling K. Brown, Winston Duke, Martin Freeman, Danai Gurira, Michael B. Jordan, Daniel Kaluuya, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Forest Whitaker, and Letitia Wright
“BlacKkKlansman”
“Bohemian Rhapsody”
“Crazy Rich Asians”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:
Antonio Banderas, “Genius: Picasso”
Darren Criss, “Assassination of Gianni Versace” - WINNER
Hugh Grant, “A Very English Scandal”
Anthony Hopkins, “King Lear”
Bill Pullman, “The Sinner”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:
Amy Adams, “Sharp Objects”
Patricia Arquette, “Escape at Dannemora” - WINNER
Patricia Clarkson, “Sharp Objects”
Penelope Cruz, “Assassination of Gianni Versace”
Emma Stone, “Maniac”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series:
Jason Bateman, “Ozark” - WINNER
Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us”
Joseph Fiennes, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
John Krasinski, “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan”
Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series:
Julia Garner, “Ozark”
Laura Linney, “Ozark”
Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Sandra Oh, “Killing Eve” - WINNER
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series:
Alan Arkin, “The Kominsky Method”
Michael Douglas, “The Kominsky Method”
Bill Hader, “Barry”
Tony Shalhoub, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” - WINNER
Henry Winkler, “Barry”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series:
Alex Borstein, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Alison Brie, “GLOW”
Rachel Brosnahan, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” - WINNER
Jane Fonda, “Grace and Frankie”
Lily Tomlin, “Grace and Frankie”

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series:
“The Americans”
“Better Call Saul”
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
“Ozark”
“This Is Us” - WINNER
Cast of "This Is Us" – Eris Baker, Sterling K. Brown, Niles Fitch, Mackenzie Hancsicsak, Justin Hartley, Faithe Herman, Jon Huertas, Melanie Liburd, Chrissy Metz, Mandy Moore, Lyric Ross, Chris Sullivan, Milo Ventimiglia, Susan Kelechi Watson, and Hannah Zeile

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:
“Atlanta”
“Barry”
“GLOW”
“The Kominsky Method”
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” - WINNER
Cast of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" – Caroline Aaron, Alex Borstein, Rachel Brosnahan, Marin Hinkle, Zachary Levi, Kevin Pollak, Tony Shalhoub, Brian Tarantina, and Michael Zegen

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series:
“Glow” - WINNER
“Marvel’s: Daredevil”
“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan”
“The Walking Dead”
“Westworld”

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture:
“Ant-Man and the Wasp”
“Avengers: Infinity War”
“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”
“Black Panther” - WINNER
“Mission: Impossible – Fallout”

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MOVIES - From Polygon:  Polygon is at Sundance to discover movies you should know about

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PIXAR - From BleedingCool:  Did you know that Keanu Reeves has a character in "Toy Story 4?"

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COMICS-FILM - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. and director James Wan has begin developing a sequel to the hit film, "Aquaman."  Wan is seeking a "seaworthy script."

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POLITICS-CRIME - From MediaMatters:  A comprehensive guide to indicted President Trump ally Roger Stone, the racist, sexist conspiracy theorist.

OBITS:

From Variety:  The prolific actor, Dick Miller, has died at the age of 90, Wednesday, January 30, 2019.  If you saw a picture of Miller, you would know that you have seen him in film or on TV.  He appeared in every film directed by Joe Dante, including "Gremlins" and "Gremlins 2."  He also appeared in "The Terminator," among his over 180 acting credits.

From ConsequenceofSound:  Grammy-winning R&B singer and songwriter, James Ingram, has died at the age of 66, Tuesday, January 29, 2019.  Ingram, known for hits like "Baby, Come to Me" and "I Don't Have the Heart," won two Grammys for his vocal performances.  He was nominated twice for Oscars for his songwriting.


Friday, December 21, 2018

Netflix Debuts DreamWorks Animation's "3Below: Tales of Arcadia"

DreamWorks Debuts "3Below: Tales of Arcadia"

Premieres on Netflix December 21, 2018

DreamWorks Animation Television has released new clips for Guillermo del Toro’s highly anticipated Netflix original series 3Below: Tales of Arcadia, bringing an out-of-world experience exclusively to Netflix December 21, 2018.

Featuring an all-star voice cast including Diego Luna (Narcos: Mexico), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation), Glenn Close (TheWife) and more. 3Below: Tales of Arcadia follows two royal teenage aliens, Aja (Maslany) and Krel (Luna), and their bodyguard Vex (Offerman), as they flee a surprise takeover of their home planet and crash-land on Earth – in Arcadia, the same town where the events of Trollhunters take place. Now on the run from intergalactic bounty hunters, they must blend in and adapt to the bizarre world of high school all while attempting to repair their shipt to return to and defend their home planet.

From the seven-time Emmy Award-winning team behind Trollhunters, 3Below is created and executive produced by Guillermo del Toro. Rodrigo Blaas, Marc Guggenheim and Chad Hammes also serve as executive producers. The star studded voice cast also includes Andy Garcia, Nick Frost, Alon Aboutboul, Chris Obi, Uzo Aduba, Cheryl Hines, Tom Kenny, Haley Atwell, Danny Trejo, and Ann Dowd. Additionally, The Crystal Method created the main title theme that can be heard in the main title sequence. Returning talent fromTrollhunters includes Emile Hirsch, Charlie Saxton, Lexi Medrano, Steven Yeun, Cole Sands, Kelsey Grammer and more in epic crossover episodes that bridge the events of Trollhunters and 3Below in surprising ways.

All 13 half-hour episodes of 3Below’s first season will become available to Netflix members worldwide on December 21, 2018.

3BELOW: TALES OF ARCADIA SEASON 1 - Trailer: https://youtu.be/jfVmNGUA-eo

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Friday, October 27, 2017

Amazon Announces Lineup for Fall 2017 Half-Hour Pilot Season

Amazon’s Fall 2017 Half-Hour Pilot Season Premieres on November 10, 2017 on Amazon Prime Video

Three new half-hour pilots The Climb, Love You More, and Sea Oak will debut exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in over 200 countries and territories for any Amazon customer to watch

Shows feature notable creators and talent including Bridget Everett, Diarra Kilpatrick, George Saunders, Glenn Close, Hiro Murai, and Michael Patrick King

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon announced the lineup for its forthcoming fall pilot season which will debut on November 10, 2017 in over 200 countries and territories exclusively on Amazon Prime Video for all customers to stream

The new pilots include half-hours Love You More from creators Bridget Everett (Patti Cake$), Michael Patrick King (Sex and the City, The Comeback, 2 Broke Girls), Bobcat Goldthwait (God Bless America) and Carolyn Strauss (Treme); Sea Oak, based on a short story of the same name from creator and award-winning author George Saunders (Lincoln In The Bardo), starring Glenn Close (Damages, The Wife), directed by Hiro Murai (Atlanta), and executive produced by Jonathan Krauss and showrunner Evan Dunsky (Nurse Jackie); and The Climb, created by a fresh, powerful new voice, Diarra Kilpatrick (American Koko, The Last O.G.), directed by Chris Robinson (The New Edition Story, Star) with showrunner Christina Lee (Search Party, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp).

    “We’re excited about, and committed to, telling diverse and risky stories from the best storytellers in the world”

Since Amazon Prime Video’s expansion to more than 200 countries and territories around the globe last December, customers from all over the globe can now stream the latest pilots. Amazon customer feedback on pilots has helped make some of the most critically-acclaimed and popular series to date, including multi Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series Transparent, multi Golden Globe-winning series Mozart in the Jungle, and the most-streamed scripted Amazon Original Series ever by Prime members globally, The Man in the High Castle, winner of two Emmys. All pilots will be available via the Amazon Prime Video app for compatible TVs, connected devices and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/amazonvideo.

“We’re excited about, and committed to, telling diverse and risky stories from the best storytellers in the world,” said Joe Lewis, Head of Comedy, Drama and VR, Amazon Studios. “We can’t wait for customers to see these incredible new universes from Diarra, Bridget, Michael and George.”

Amazon’s upcoming half-hour pilots include:

The Climb

From creator and star Diarra Kilpatrick (American Koko, The Last O.G.) and The Mark Gordon Company comes a comedy about the new American Dream set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing Detroit. The Climb follows an office assistant who seeks an extraordinary life through internet fame, with her best friend always in tow. Chris Robinson (The New Edition Story, Star) directed the pilot, which shot on location in Detroit. Christina Lee (Search Party, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp) served as showrunner on the pilot episode. The Mark Gordon Company (Designated Survivor, Ray Donovan) is producing and serving as the studio on the project along with Amazon Studios.

Love You More

Love You More stars New York City cabaret sensation Bridget Everett (Patti Cake$) as Karen Best, with Bobcat Goldthwait (God Bless America) directing and Michael Patrick King (Sex and the City, The Comeback, 2 Broke Girls) showrunning. Karen Best is a big girl with a big personality and a big love of Chardonnay, which occasionally causes her to make some big mistakes with men. But the biggest thing about Karen is her big heart, which she uses to excel at her job as a counselor at an independent living residence for young adults with Down syndrome. And sometimes, Karen’s need to stand up for all the little people in life manifests into a fantasy rock music number, where we discover she also has a big and beautiful voice. Love You More is from MPK Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and Amazon Studios. King, Goldthwait, Strauss and Everett co-wrote the pilot. King and Goldthwait serve as executive producers, and Everett is co-executive producer.

Sea Oak

Sea Oak is a genre-bending comedy from renowned author and creator George Saunders (Lincoln in the Bardo), starring Emmy-winner Glenn Close (Damages, The Wife), directed by Golden Globe-winner Hiro Murai (Atlanta) and executive produced by Jonathan Krauss through his Affiliated Pictures banner. Murai will also serve as an executive producer as well as Evan Dunsky (Nurse Jackie). Lael Smith and Keir McFarlane serve as co-executive producers. Aunt Bernie, a working-class woman in a Rust Belt city (meek, unmarried, no kids), dies tragically in a home invasion. Compelled by sheer force of dissatisfaction, she comes back from the dead full of rage, determined to get the life she never had. She proceeds to inflict a range of demands on what’s left of her nuclear family (a quasi-stripper nephew and two feckless nieces), who live in a low-end subsidized hellhole of a housing complex called Sea Oak. Sea Oak is from Amazon Studios.


About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch, and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:

  •     Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular licensed and self-published content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Tick, Manchester by the Sea and kids series Tumble Leaf, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership. Prime Video is also now available to customers in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe at www.primevideo.com.
  •     Live Sports: Sporting events, including NFL Thursday Night Football and ATP Next Gen ATP Finals, are available to watch live on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe.
  •     Amazon Channels: Over 100 channel subscriptions that Prime members can add to their membership, including HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, Cinemax, PBS KIDS, Acorn TV and more, plus Anime Strike – the first curated on-demand subscription by Amazon Channels. To view the full list of channels available, visit www.amazon.com/channels
  •     Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new-release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers
  •     Instant Access: Instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices visit www.amazon.com/howtostream
  •     Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR), X-Ray and mobile downloads for offline viewing of select content

In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalogue with Audible Channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select Lightning Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more visit: www.amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

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Saturday, June 17, 2017

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 11th to 17th, 2017 - Updated #29

Support Leroy on Patreon.

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POLITICS - From RSN:  Russell Brand says "austerity" is brutality not frugality.

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SPORTS - From BET:  Boxer Floyd Mayweather will make between $200 to $300 million for his "super-fight" with MMA fighter Conor McGregor (who will make $100 million) on August 26th, 2017.

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TELEVISION - From THR:  Glenn Close to star in "Sea Oak," a half-hour zombie drama for Amazon.

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COMICS-FILM - From ThePlaylist:  Marvel Studios has no immediate plans for Marvel Comics' "Fantastic Four."

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OBIT - From THR:  Film editor Bill Butler died at the age of 83 of June 4, 2017.  He earned an Oscar nomination for his work on Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange."

From Variety:  Film director John G. Avildsen has died at the age of 81, Friday, June 16, 2017.  He won an Oscar for directing the original "Rocky" (1976).  He also directed the original "Karate Kid" films.

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TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  Aisha Tyler is leaving the CBS daytime talk show, "The Talk," after six seasons.

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MOVIES - From EW:  There is a new documentary, "Score," about film music which celebrates some of the greatest musical moments in film history.

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Danai Gurira, one of the stars of "The Walking Dead," will appear in both the "Black Panther" and "Avengers: Infinity War."

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COMICS-FILM - From Collider:  An R-rated Marvel Studios movie is not out of the questions says Marvel boss, Kevin Feige.  Jessica Chastain in talks to play a villain.

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Simon Kinberg set to direct "X-Men: Dark Phoenix," which will begin production soon.

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  The new cinematic Spider-Man, Tom Holland, has revealed that the upcoming "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is the first film in a trilogy.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Actress and model, Anita Pallenberg, has died at the age of 73, Tuesday, June 13, 2017.  She appeared in the film "Barberella" and in "Performance" with the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger.  She also had three children with Jagger's band mate, Keith Richards.

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MOVIES - From Variety: Michelle Monaghan is returning for "Mission: Impossible 6."  She plays Dr. Julia Meade, the wife of Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt and was last seen in "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" (the fourth film).

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MOVIES - From EW:  Josh Brolin bulks up with muscle for his role as Cable in "Deadpool 2."

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TELEVISION - From THR:  Anthony and Joe Russo, the guys behind the two Captain America movies, "Winter Soldier" and "Civil War," will join Henry Selick, director of "A Nightmare Before Christmas," to bring the video game "Little Nightmares" to television.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Lionsgate is planning to dramatize the story of the controversial rap group, 2 Live Crew, in film.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Woody Allen's upcoming drama, "Wonder Wheels," will debut December 1, 2017.

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SPORTS:  From NYTimes:  The Golden State Warriors win the 2017 National Basketball Association (NBA) Championship, their second in three years.  They beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 129 to 120, to win the best of 7 series, 4 games to 1.

From AOLNews:  Championship teams visit the White House to celebrate with the President of the United States. The Golden State Warriors players voted unanimously not to visit President Trump after winning the 2017 NBA Championship.

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THEATRE - From Variety:  A complete list of 2017 Tony Award winners, including Bette Midler and "Dear Evan Hansen."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:   The winner of the 6/9 to 6/11/2017 weekend box office is "Wonder Woman" with an estimated take of $57 million.

From Deadline:  With an estimated global box office debut of $169.3, "The Mummy" is delivering some of Tom Cruise's best box office numbers.

From Deadline:  Still, Wonder Woman is whipping Tom Cruise's ass at the domestic box office.

From Variety:  The global box office gross of Tom Cruise's "The Mummy" has pushed Universal Pictures past $3 billion in global box office for the calendar year, 3 days faster than last year.

From Variety:  "The Mummy" may be in trouble at the North American box office, but it make $52 million in China.

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CULTURE - From YahooNews:  Tomorrow, June 12th is "Loving Day,"  It is also the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision "Loving v. Virginia."  The AP is republishing its last interview with Mildred Loving.

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TELEVISION - From THR:  "The Hollywood Reporter" offers an appreciation of Adam West, who played Batman/Bruce Wayne in the campy 1960s "Batman" TV series for ABC.  West died on Friday, June 9, at the age of 88.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Rafael Nadal won his 10th French Open men's singles title, the most by anyone, and a record he has held since he won his seventh French Open singles title in 2012.  With this victory, he becomes the first individual to win 10 singles championships in a single Grand Slam event, in this case the French Open.

From TheGuardian:  In the women's singles, Jelena Ostapenko won her first women's Grand Slam singles title with her victory in the French Open women's singles.  She is the first tennis player from the nation of Latvia, male or female, to win a Grand Slam singles title.

From YahooSports:  With their 2-0 victory over the Nashville Predators tonight, the National Hockey League's (NHL) Pittsburgh Penguins win the 2017 Stanley Cup.  They also won the 2016 Stanley Cup, making them the first team to win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 19 years.


Saturday, March 7, 2015

Review: Imaginative "Guardians of the Galaxy" is Charming and Fun

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 12 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Running time:  121 minutes (2 hours, 1 minute)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language
DIRECTOR:  James Gunn
WRITERS:  James Gunn and Nicole Perlman (based on the comic book created by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning)
PRODUCER:  Kevin Feige
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Ben Davis
EDITORS:  Fred Raskin, Hughes Winborne, and Craig Wood
COMPOSER:  Tyler Bates
Academy Award nominee

SCI-FI/FANTASY and ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring:  Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Peter Serafinowicz, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Haddock, Sean Gunn, Wyatt Oleff, Gregg Henry, Christopher Fairbank, Stan Lee, and the voices of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel with Josh Brolin

Guardians of the Galaxy is a 2014 science fiction action film and adventure comedy from director James Gunn and is produced by Marvel Studios.  The film is based on the comic book, Guardians of the Galaxy (2008), which was created by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.  The film focuses on a human and a ragtag band of aliens who take on a warlord bent on galactic destruction.

Guardians of the Galaxy opens in 1988 where a young boy named Peter waits in a hospital where his mother is dying.  Shortly after she passes, the boy is abducted by the Ravagers, a group of space pirates.  26 years later, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is Star-Lord, and he is also a wanted man.  He arrives on the planet Morag, where he steals a mysterious orb that he is supposed to give to the leader of the Ravagers, Yondu Udonta (Michael Rooker).

However, the orb holds incredible power, and a fanatical alien named Ronan (Lee Pace) wants to use the orb's power to destroy the planet Xandar.  Ronan sends an assassin to get the orb from Quill.  On the run, Quill unites a ragtag band of oddballs:  the assassin, Gamora (Zoe Saldana); the genetically-engineered raccoon, Rocket (Bradley Cooper); the tree-like humanoid, Groot (voice of Vin Diesel); and the revenge-seeking Drax (Dave Bautista).  They may be the only ones who can save the galaxy and maybe even the universe.

Guardians of the Galaxy was one of the surprise hits of the year, if not the surprise hit of the year.  It was the highest grossing film at the North American box office during the calendar year of 2014.  Some people joked that if Marvel Studios could make a hit of Guardians of the Galaxy, it could make a hit of anything.  That may be true.

Guardians of the Galaxy's production values rival and even exceed (in some cases) most recent science and space fantasy films, including the Star Wars prequels.  The artists behind this film's production design and art direction build an entire new galaxy filled with amazing worlds and places from the ground up, with eye-popping and dazzling results.  The costumes are as creative as what is worn in the kind of costume dramas that usually earn Oscar nods for their costume design.  The make-up, both effects and hair-styling, is probably the best ever seen in a film based on a comic book.

Visually, Guardians of the Galaxy is a most unusual and imaginative film, but it is also familiar.  It is thoroughly infused with the spirit of Star Wars (1977).  Like the original Star Wars film, Guardians of the Galaxy is a lavish sci-fi movie spectacle with elements of Western and pirate adventure films.  It is fun to watch, and by the end of it, I was eager for a sequel.

Maybe co-writer and director James Gunn has created Star Wars for a new generation.  He has a fine cast of actors; a cool universe populated with awesome beings, places, and things.  Gunn also has what seems like an imagination full of ideas that want to get out and sparkle on the big screen.  Gunn can do really good things with this film as the start of a new franchise.  In the meantime, we can enjoy this first film.  Like Men in Black and Independence Day, Guardians of the Galaxy is a sci-fi blast that thrills every viewer who can enjoy the wonder of a great space adventure.

7 of 10
A-

Wednesday, March 4, 2015


NOTES:
2015 Academy Awards, USA:  2 nominations: “Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling” (Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White) and “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner, and Paul Corbould)

2015 BAFTA Awards:  2 nominations:  “Best Make Up/Hair” (Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White) and “Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects” (Stephane Ceretti, Paul Corbould, Jonathan Fawkner, and Nicolas Aithadi)

2015 Black Reel Awards:  2 nominations: “Outstanding Supporting Actress, Motion Picture” (Zoe Saldana) and “Outstanding Voice Performance” (Vin Diesel for playing "Groot")


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


Sunday, May 20, 2012

Review: Close, McTeer Do the Damn Thing in "Albert Nobbs"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 39 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

Albert Nobbs (2011)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Ireland, U.K.
Running time: 113 minutes (1 hour, 53 minutes)
MPAA – R for some sexuality, brief nudity and language
DIRECTOR: Rodrigo García
WRITERS: Glenn Close, John Banville, and Gabriella Prekop; from a story by István Szabó (based upon the novella, “The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs” by George Moore)
PRODUCERS: Glenn Close, Bonnie Curtis, Julie Lynn, and Alan Moloney
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michael McDonough (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Steven Weisberg
COMPOSER: Brian Byrne
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA/HISTORICAL

Starring: Glenn Close, Janet McTeer, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Pauline Collins, Brenda Fricker, Mark Williams, Phyllida Law, Bronagh Gallagher, and Brendan Gleeson

Albert Nobbs is a 2011 Irish period drama from director Rodrigo Garcia (Mother and Child). The film is based upon the 1918 short story “The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs” by the late Irish novelist, George Augustus Moore. The film stars Glenn Close as a woman who poses as a man in order to work at a motel in late 19th century Ireland,

Albert Nobbs (Glenn Close) was born a female in London. He has been posing as a man for 30 years in order to survive the harsh environment of the impoverished working class in the late 19th century. Albert works as a waiter in Morrison’s Hotel in Dublin, Ireland, and is known for his extreme dedication to his job. However, Albert begins to reconsider how he has lived when he meets Hubert Page (Janet McTeer), a strapping painter who is doing some work at the hotel.

With its lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender themes, Albert Nobbs is certainly one of the most intoxicating period dramas that I have ever seen. Even when I enjoy a period or costume drama, I often forget about them not long after watching them (like The King’s Speech), but I can’t stop thinking about Albert Nobbs. I think that this is because Albert Nobbs has a screenplay which is determined to keep the audience guessing about the actions and motivations of the characters, and this is true from the main characters down to the supporting characters with small speaking roles. The movie engages the viewer in a guessing game of why and how. Why does she do that? How does she do it? How does she get away with it?

Albert Nobbs is marked by excellent performances and two great performances: Glenn Close as Albert Nobbs and Janet McTeer as Hubert Page. Close creates a compelling character in Nobbs by making the character’s fear that he will be caught a character itself. It is almost as if there are two characters: one is a waiter, and the other is a man whose secret-keeping is his life. As for McTeer, I don’t know if I have the words to describe her performance, which is a work of high art. I’ll just call it mega-awesome and leave it at that.

Albert Nobbs is a bit slow, but only a bit. I find that sometimes director Rodrigo García allows things to get too aloof and stiff, but he extracts passion and conflict from the kind of characters that like to keep things hidden and to act detached. However, the performances by Close and McTeer burn brightly enough to draw our attention to this unique film that depicts the diversity of relationships between women.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2012 Academy Awards: 3 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Glenn Close), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Janet McTeer), and “Best Achievement in Makeup” (Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnson, and Matthew W. Mungle)

2012 Golden Globes, USA: 3 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Glenn Close), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Janet McTeer), and “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Brian Byrne-music and Glenn Close-lyrics for the song "Lay Your Head Down")

Saturday, May 19, 2012

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Sunday, February 26, 2012

Meryl Streep Wins Best Actress Oscar for "The Iron Lady"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

WINNER - Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady

Nominees:
Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis for The Help
Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

2012 Academy Award Nominations: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Nominees:

Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs (2011)

Viola Davis for The Help (2011)

Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady (2011)

Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn (2011)