Showing posts with label Jamie Foxx. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jamie Foxx. Show all posts

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from Nov. 19th to 30th, 2023 - Update #32

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From Variety:  "Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier,"  actor Sebastian Stan is playing young Donald Trump in a movie titled “The Student” from Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasi (“Holy Spider”).  Emmy winner Jeremy Strong ("Succession") will play Trump's awful mentor, attorney/fixer, Roy Cohn, and actress Maria Bakalova will portray Trump's first wife and mother of his spawn, Ivana Trump.

DISNEY - From VarietyNoah Hawley's "Alien" series for FX continues to fill out its main cast.  The recent additions are Babou Ceesay, Jonathan Ajayi, Erana James, Lily Newmark, Diêm Camille, and Adrian Edmondson.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  It’s official.  The upcoming fifth season of the CBS sitcom, "Bob Hearts Abishola" will be its last.  The fifth season will premiere Mon., Feb. 12th, and the series finale will air Monday, May 13th, the network said today (Wed., Nov. 29th).

From Variety:  Celebrity chef, Guy Fieri, has signed a new three-year deal with the Food Network that is worth $100 million.

MOVIES - From DeadlineEthan Hawke and the original cast of the hit horror film, The Black Phone (2022), are returning for "Black Phone 2."  The film is set for a June 27, 2025 theatrical release date.

AWARDS - From Variety:  The winners at the 2023 / 33rd Annual Gotham Awards were announced Mon., Nov. 27th.  Writer-director Celine Song's South Korean romantic drama, "Past Lives" won the "Best Feature" award.

ANIMATION - From IGN:  The streaming service, Max, is removing from its library the rest of the classic "Looney Tunes" cartoons shorts and also the 2011-13 Cartoon Network animated sitcom, "The Looney Tunes Show" and the 2003 live-action/animated hybrid film, Looney Tunes: Back in Action.  This move is effective December 31st, 2023.  The first half of the "Looney Tunes" animated shorts were removed back in December 2022.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Actor Timothy Olyphant is joining the cast of FX's "Alien" television series, which is being overseen by Noah Hawley (FX's "Fargo").

From Variety:  Cast member Cailee Spaeny says that the standalone "Alien" franchise film, "Alien: Romulus," is set between the first two films in the series, "Alien" (1979) and Aliens (1986). Directed by Fede Alvarez, the standalone film is due in theaters Aug. 16th, 2024.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 11/24 to 11/26/2023 weekend box office is Lionsgate's "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" with an estimated take of 28.8 million dollars.

MUSIC - From Variety:  The legal dispute between Grammy-winning recording duo, Daryl Hall & John Oates, seems to revolve around John Oates wanting to sell his share of Hall & Oates' joint venture, Whole Oates Enterprises, to music publishing and talent management company, Primary Wave.

POLITICS - From Politico:  Actor Hill Harper is known for his roles on the former CBS series, "CSI: NY" and ABC's "The Good Doctor," but now he is a political candidate seeking to win a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan in 2024.  A recent report says that a wealthy donor offered Hill 20 million dollars to instead mount a primary challenge to Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) for her U.S. House seat.  Hill, who revealed the plot, says he declined the offer.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:   Oscar-winning actor, Jamie Foxx (Ray), is being sued for an alleged sexual assault that happened in 2015. An unidentified woman has accused Foxx of placing his hands on an her waist, then moving them under her top. He then allegedly began rubbing the plaintiff’s breasts, dragging her to a secluded area of the rooftop at Catch NYC & Roof, where he touched other areas of her body.  The case was filed under New York state's "Adult Survivors Act," which provides a one-year window for sexual assault plaintiffs to file civil claims, regardless of the statute of limitations. That window closes on Thursday, Nov. 23rd and has led to a flurry of lawsuits claiming sexual assaults.

JAMES BOND - From Deadline:  Christopher Nolan (Tenet) said that there is no truth to the rumors that he is directing the next James Bond film.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Hot actress Jenna Ortega is not returning for "Scream 7" after starring as "Tara Carpenter" in Scream (2022) and "Scream 6" (2023).  Her departure is related to scheduling and reportedly has nothing to do with the recent firing of Melissa Barrera, who played Tara's sister, "Sam Carpenter."

From Deadline:  "Scream 7" director Christopher Landon says that the firing of Melissa Barrera from the film was not his choice to make.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The first post-strikes bidding war for a TV pitch will apparently be for a proposed television series that re-imagines the film 1962 film, "Cape Fear," and its 1991 remake, also entitled "Cape Fear."  Martin Scorsese, director of the remake, Stephen Spielberg, and Nick Antosca are attached as executive producers.

MOVIES - From Deadline: Universal Pictures is developing a new film in its "Jason Bourne" franchise with Edward Berger, the director of the Oscar-winning "All Quiet on the Western Front" set to direct. Universal will reportedly approach series star, Matt Damon, about reprising the role of Jason Bourne before they approach anyone else.

SCANDAL - From Variety: Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon has been dropped by her agency, UTA, after she made controversial comments at a pro-Palestine rally in New York on Nov. 17th.

From ComingSoon:  Actress Melissa Barrera, who has starred in Scream (2022) and "Scream 6" (2023), as "Sam Carpenter," has reportedly been fired from the upcoming "Scream 7" due to comments the actress made regarding the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.

MOVIES - From DeadlineDoug Liman is set to direct Paramount hot-anticipated reimagining of "The Saint."  Rege-Jean Page ("Bridgerton") is set to star in and executive produce the film.  "The Saint" first appeared in Leslie Charteris' 1920 novels and is best known for the 1960s British TV series starring Roger Moore.

MOVIES - From DeadlineKim Kardashian is attached to star in and produce the film, "The 5th Wheel," which is apparently a hot movie package.

TELEVISION - From DeadlineCBS' venerable family-cop drama, "Blue Bloods" is coming to an end with its upcoming 14th season.  10 episodes will air during the upcoming midseason, beginning Feb. 16th. The final eight episodes will run Fall 2024.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 11/17 to 11/18/2023 weekend box office is Lionsgate's "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" with an estimated take of 44 million dollars.

CELEBRITY - From TheNewYorker:  The venerable culture magazine interviews legendary Hong Kong director, John Woo, who talks about his upcoming nearly dialogue free revenge thriller, "Silent Night."

MOVIES - From Deadline: "Rocky" and "Creed" franchise producer, Irwin Winkler, has said that "Creed IV" is in the works, with franchise star and Creed III director Michael B. Jordan to helm it.

GOLDEN GLOBES - From Deadline:  The 2024 / 81st annual Golden Globes will move to CBS from the Globes previous home, NBC.  The awards show will also stream on Paramount+ and on the CBS app.  The 81st Golden Globes will air on CBS  Sun., Jan. 7th, 2024.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  Film, television, and Broadway (on and off-) actress, Frances Sternhagen, has died at the age of 93, Monday, November 27, 2023.  She won two Tony Awards ("The Good Doctor," "The Heiress") and was nominated five other times.  She was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, twice for her best known TV role, that of "Esther Clavin," the mother of "Cliff Clavin," on the former NBC sitcom, "Cheers." Sternhagen appeared in such films as "Outland" (1981), "Misery" (1990), and "Doc Hollywood" (1991), to name a few.

From TheCarterCenter:  Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has died at the age of 96, Sunday, November 19, 2023.  A passionate champion of mental health, caregiving, and women’s rights, Mrs. Carter passed at her home in Plains, Georgia. She died peacefully, with family by her side.  Mrs. Carter was married for 77 years to Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States and the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, who is now 99 years old. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” President Carter said. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”  She is survived by her children — Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy — and 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. A grandson died in 2015.

From AP:  A timeline of key moments from former First Lady Rosalyn Carter's 96 years

AWARDS:

From Variety:  The winners at the 2023 / 89th New York Film Critics Circle Awards have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" (directed by Martin Scorsese) was named "Best Film of 2023."  Christopher Nolan won "Best Director" for his film, "Oppenheimer."

From Variety:  The winners at the 2023 / 33rd Annual Gotham Awards were announced Mon., Nov. 27th.  Writer-director Celine Song's South Korean romantic drama, "Past Lives" won the "Best Feature" award.

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ACTORS STRIKE:

From Variety:  SAG-AFTRA has released the full 128-page contract that ended the actors strike on Nov. 8th, with union leaders urging members to vote yes on the deal by the Dec. 5th ratification deadline.

From Deadline:  Actor Matthew Modine says that he voted against SAG-AFTRA's tentative deal to end the actors strike, and that he will vote against the full agreement, which will be released today, Fri., Nov. 24th.

From Deadline:  SAG-AFTRA has produced a summary of its "2023 Tentative Agreement" that ended the 118-day long actors' strike. SAG-AFTRA members can begin voting on the agreement tomorrow, Tues., Nov. 14th. The voting can continue until the first week of December.

From IndieWire:  The site takes a look at the details of the tentative agreement between SAG-AFTRA (the actors' union) and the AMPTP (the Hollywood studios) that ended the 118-day actors' strike.

From Deadline:  The SAG-AFTRA national board, by a majority vote, approved the tentative agreement reached with the AMPTP to end the actors' strike.  Now, the actors vote...

From Variety:  The Hollywood studios have agreed to adjust language on artificial intelligence (AI) in their contract negotiations with SAG-AFTRA to end the 117-day actors' strike.

From THR:  SAG-AFTRA is evaluating the studios' "last, best and final offer" to end the actors' strike.

From Deadline:  The studios have delivered a new contract deal to SAG-AFTRA, the actors' union, and more strike talks are scheduled to be held this weekend.

From Deadline:  Striking actors are set to meet the studios today for Halloween negotiations, but they are still "far apart on key issues."

From Variety:  SAG-AFTRA (actors) and AMPTP (studios) will resume strike negotiations tomorrow (Tues., Oct. 24th).

From Deadline:  SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher says that the offer from top-earning Hollywood actors to chip in some money to help end the strike "isn't legally compatible with the union's contract.

From Deadline:  Top earning Hollywood actors want to chip in some money to end the SAG-AFTRA strike.

From Deadline:  George Clooney, Emma Stone, Ben Affleck, Tyler Perry and Scarlett Johansson were among a group of top talent guild members that spoke Tuesday (Oct. 17th) with guild president Fran Drescher and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland for a detailed debrief, we hear.

From Deadline:  The movie studios via AMPTP have suspended their talks with striking actors via SAG-AFTRA.  The snag seems to be that actors want "2 precent of potential profits" on streaming.

From Variety:  SAG-AFTRA (the actors) and AMPTP (the studios) are to resume strike talks Wed., Oct. 11th, as the actors strike enters Day 88.

From Deadline:  The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Hollywood studios CEOs met for strike talks for the first time since the actors went on strike July 14th. They plan to meet again, Wed., Oct. 4th.

BREAKING - From Deadline:  The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to end its strike after nearly five months. The parties finalized the framework of the deal Sunday when they were able to untangle their stalemate over AI and writing room staffing levels.

From WGAContract:  The WGA contract page has additional information on the settlement.

From WGAContract:  A summary of the new agreement.

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From Deadline:   The actors’ strike is now in its 63rd day.  Now, SAG-AFTRA leaders are ramping up their rhetoric against the studio heads, accusing them in the latest issue of the "SAG-AFTRA Magazine" of “behaving like petty tyrants,” “would-be feudal lords” and “land barons in feudal times.”

From Deadline:  Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra says that Hollywood unions need to embrace AI.

From Deadline:  Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav says the industry must focus and fight to resolve the writers and actors strikes.

From Deadline:  Hollywood’s superstars are answering the call from the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, donating $1 million or more each to help their fellow performers during the ongoing actors and writers strikes.  Among the big donors are Leonardo DiCaprioMeryl StreepOprah Winfrey, and Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively.

From Deadline:  If you are interested, here is a list of the film and TV productions SAG-AFTRA has granted waivers to continue filming.

From Variety:  International superstar, Dwayne Johnson, makes a seven-figure contribution to the "SAG-AFTRA Foundation Relief Fund." Foundation president, actor Courtney B. Vance, says the amount will remain confidential.

From Variety:  Why haven't A-list stars joined the SAG-AFTRA picket line?, asks "Variety."

From Deadline:  Author George R.R. Martin, whose works were the basis for HBO's "Game of Thrones," says the strikes will be long and bitter.

From Variety:  Halted film productions due to the writers and actors strikes are costing each Hollywood studio at least 600,000 dollars per week.

From Variety:  Said at a strike meeting: “Without a transformative change in SAG-AFTRA’s current contract with the AMPTP, the acting profession will no longer be an option for future generations of performers, and actors already working in the industry will need to pursue other careers in order to survive.”

From Deadline:  If you are a "social media influencer" who is NOT  a member of SAG-AFTRA, you can be barred from future membership for promoting a film or television series during the actors' strike.

From Variety:  The SAG/AFTRA strike begins in New York and Los Angeles.  Hollywood actors began striking today, Fri., July 14th.

From Deadline:  The site has the video of the powerful strike speech given by SAG-AFTRA president, Fran Drescher, the actress best known for CBS' former sitcom, "The Nanny."

From Deadline: SAG-AFTRA is already preparing strike picket signs in case the actors' strike begins next week.

From Deadline:  The Hollywood studios via the AMPTP has given Canadian actors a new contract, including a 5 percent raise.

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Saturday, July 22, 2023

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 16th to 22nd, 2023 - Update #18

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

CELEBRITY - From THR:  For the first time since his medical emergency, Jamie Foxx speaks publicly, releasing a video on his "Instagram" page.

TELEVISION - From DeadlineFX's "Aliens" television series has begun filming in Thailand, but are filming scenes that don't include SAG-AFTRA actors.

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainmentAntonio Banderas recalls Steven Spielberg's prescient words about CGI on the set of his film, "The Mask of Zorro" (1998). This is the 25th anniversary of the film's release.

MUSIC - From Deadline:  Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter and recording artist, Sheryl Crow, calls out country singer Jason Aldean over his violent and obviously racist song, "Try That in a Small Town."

OPPENHEIMER - From Deadline:  Actor Cillian Murphy talks about his starring role in "Oppenheimer" and about working with Christopher Nolan again.

From VarietyMatt Damon had told his wife he was taking a break from acting unless director Christopher Nolan called. Then, Nolan called about "Oppenheimer"...

STREAMING - From DeadlineParamount+ has unveiled a first look at "Pet Sematary: Bloodlines," a prequel to Stephen King's 1983 novel. "Pet Sematary."

MEDIA - From Deadline:  Lionsgate seems to be in the lead to buy the film and television entertainment company eOne (Entertainment One) from Hasbro.

STREAMING - From Variety:  NBCUniversal's streaming service, "Peacock," has raised its prices for the first time since its launch.

BOX OFFICE - BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 7/14 to 7/16/2023 weekend box office is Paramount Pictures' "Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" with an estimated take of 56.2 million dollars.

From Here:  A review of "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" by Leroy Douresseaux

From Deadline:  Director Christopher McQuarrie considered using the "de-aging" process for Tom Cruise in order to create a young Ethan Hunt, but ultimately chose not to go with it.

OBITS:

From Deadline:   Legendary American singer, Tony Bennett, has died at the age of 96, Friday, July 21, 2023.  He career spanned decades and generations. He made his first recordings in 1949.  He had his first hit in 1951 ("Because of You").  He recorded his first album in 1952 ("Because of You"), which would be one of over 100 albums released.  Younger audiences discovered Bennett in the early 1990s and continue to do so, listening to his catalog of jazz, traditional pop, show tunes, and big band, to name a few of the genres of music in which he has performed. He won 19 Grammy Awards and received the Grammy "Lifetime Achievement Award."

From Deadline:  American actress Josephine Chaplin has died at the age of 74, Thursday, July 13, 2023.  The daughter of legendary filmmaker and actor, Charlie Chaplin, and British actress, Oona O'Neill, Josephine made an appearance as a child actor in her father's Oscar-winning film, "Limelight."  Her other roles include "Canterbury Tales" (1972), "Jack the Ripper," and "A Countess from Hong Kong" (1967), which was also her father's final film.

From Deadline:  Film and television producer and director, Robert Lieberman, has died at the age of 77, Saturday, July 1, 2023. As a film director, his best known work is the science fiction cult classic, "Fire in the Sky" (1993). As a TV director, he helmed numerous series, including multiple episodes of USA Network's "The Dead Zone" and Syfy's "The Expanse."  Lieberman directed over two thousand TV commercials and in 1980, he won the first Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards for "Best Commercial Director," one of two that he won in that category.

WRITERS/ACTORS STRIKE:

From THR:  Production works at Warner Bros. Animation (66) and at Cartoon Network (22) have gone public with their attempt to unionize via The Animation Guild.

From Variety:  Halted film productions due to the writers and actors strikes are costing each Hollywood studio at least 600,000 dollars per week.

From Variety:  Said at a strike meeting: “Without a transformative change in SAG-AFTRA’s current contract with the AMPTP, the acting profession will no longer be an option for future generations of performers, and actors already working in the industry will need to pursue other careers in order to survive.”

From Deadline:  If you are a "social media influencer" who is NOT  a member of SAG-AFTRA, you can be barred from future membership for promoting a film or television series during the actors' strike.

From Variety:  The SAG/AFTRA strike begins in New York and Los Angeles.  Hollywood actors began striking today, Fri., July 14th.

From Deadline:  The site has the video of the powerful strike speech given by SAG-AFTRA president, Fran Drescher, the actress best known for CBS' former sitcom, "The Nanny."

From Deadline:  Concerning the Hollywood writers strike (via the WGA), the Hollywood Studios (as represented by the AMPTP) is to let the writers go broke before resuming talks deep into the Fall.

From Deadline: SAG-AFTRA is already preparing strike picket signs in case the actors' strike begins next week.

From Deadline:  WGA is picketing the New York City filming location of the 12th series of FX's "American Horror Story" (entitled "Delicate") after series co-creator Ryan Murphy threaten litigation against an east coast strike captain.

From THR:  TV super-producer, Ryan Murphy, in a letter from his attorney to the leadership of the Writers Guild of America, threatened litigation against Warren Leight, an East Coast strike captain and Strike Rules Compliance Committee member who has subsequently forfeited those positions.

From Deadline:  The Hollywood studios via the AMPTP has given Canadian actors a new contract, including a 5 percent raise.

From Deadline:  Writers Strike puts the spotlight back on the challenge from writers for animation productions to be covered by the WGA.

From THR:  Studios won't give writers better pay, and now, are laying off janitors.

From Deadline:  The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has reached a tentative new three-year deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). So what does the Writers Guild (WGA), currently on strike and negotiating with the AMPTP, think of that deal.

From Deadline:  Netflix shareholders declined to support the 2023 pay packages of top executives during a non-binding vote at the company’s annual shareholder meeting on Thursday.  The vote won't prevent these execs from getting their loot (an total of $166 million), but this is a rare public rebuke.  The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has urged shareholders to vote "No" because the pay was "inappropriate" at this time.

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.

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Saturday, May 6, 2023

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 1st to 6th, 2023 - Update #17

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

STRIKE - 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.

SCANDAL - From the AP:  The Labor Department has fined McDonald's restaurant franchisees in Louisville, Kentucky, a total $212,000 for illegally employing children.  That includes two 10-year-olds who were not paid for their labor.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  Oscar-winning actor and performer, Jamie Foxx, breaks silence for the first time since his hospitalization after a "medical emergency."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Paramount Network's drama, "Yellowstone," will end after its upcoming fifth season.  It will be replaced by a follow-up series starring Matthew McConaughey.

From ETOnline:  Star Kevin Costner will not return to Paramount Network's television series, "Yellowstone," past this currently filming fifth season.

TONY AWARDS - From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2023 / 76th Annual Tony Awards have been announced.  The musical "Some Like It Hot" leads with 13 nominations.  The winners will be announced Sunday, June 11th at 8pm Eastern on CBS.

ANIMATION - From DeadlineJ. Michael Straczynski, the creator of the TV series, "Babylon 5," has announced that more information about the release date of the "Babylon 5" animated film is coming in a week.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  In a first look, Oscar-nominated actor, Austin Butler ("Elvis") is bald and without eyebrows as the villain, Reyd-Rautha, in "Dune: Part Two."

OSCARS - From Deadline:  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Monday its “most significant overhaul” of the campaign promotional regulation and awards rules for the upcoming 96th Oscars.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Fox had opted not to renew its highest-rated scripted drama, "9-1-1," after its current sixth season, which has its season finale May 15th.  However, the series will move to ABC for the 2023-24 season, its seventh season.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 4/28 to 4/30/2023 weekend box office is Universal/Illumination Entertainment's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" with an estimated take of 40 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Actor Ioan Gruffudd (2005's "Fantastic Four," and "San Andreas") has been added to Sony Pictures' "Bad Boys 4."

OBITS:

From Variety:  Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and folk singer, Gordon Lightfoot, has died at the age of 84, May 1, 2023.  He had a number one hit in the U.S. with the 1974 single, "Sundown."  He also had huge success on the U.S. "Adult Contemporary" charts with such songs as "If You Could Read My Mind" (1970), "Carefree" (1974), and "Rainy Day People" (1975), among others.  His songs were covered by such artists as Elvis Presley, Harry Belafonte, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and Neil Young, to name a few.

From Variety:  Film and television editor, John Gordon Wright, has died at the age of 79, Thursday, April 20, 2023.  Wright was nominated for the "Best Editing" Oscar twice, for "The Hunt for Red October" (1990) and "Speed" (1994).  He won a Primetime Emmy Award for editing the 1991 CBS television film, "Sarah, Plain and Tall."  He edited two films for director Mel Gibson, "The Passion of the Christ" (2004) and "Apocalypto" (2006).  He also edited "X-Men" (2000) and Marvel Studios' "The Incredible Hulk" (2008).


Saturday, April 15, 2023

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 9th to 15th, 2023 - Update #11

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From DeadlineNicholas Hoult and Toni Collette have joined Clint Eastwood's next film, "Juror #2."

STREAMING - From VarietyHBO Max has officially announced it has officially ordered a "Harry Potter" television series.  The cast will be entirely new.

From Deadline:  There is more information on HBO Max's recently announced "Harry Potter" TV series, including that its debut is set for 2025-26.

From VarietyChuck Lorre is developing a second spinoff of his former CBS hit TV series, "The Big Bang Theory" for HBO Max (soon to be known simply as "Max").  The first spinoff, "Young Sheldon," is currenly airing on CBS.

CELEBRITY - From Variety:  Jamie Foxx has been hospitalized in Atlanta following a “medical complication” his family revealed late Wednesday evening.

From CNN:  Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx remains hospitalized in Atlanta (possibly due to a stroke), while his current film, "Back in Action," is expected to wrap production within the week.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Emmy Award-winning actress. Julie Bowen, ("Modern Family") will star in Peacock’s "satanic panic," coming-of-age thriller, "Hysteria!"

NETFLIX/ANIMATION - From DeadlineNetflix has approved an animated series set in the world of its hit series, "Stranger Things."  The series currently does not have a title.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 4/7 to 4/9/2023 Easter weekend box office is Universal/Illumination Entertainment's "Super Mario Bros. Movie" with an estimated take of 146.3 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director James Mangold says that Timothée Chalamet, the star of his upcoming biopic of the legendary singer-songwriter, Bob Dylan, will be doing his own singing.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  The actress Elizabeth Hubbard has died at the age of 89, Saturday, April 8, 2023.  She was best known for her roles in two daytime soap opera television series.  She was "Dr. Althea Davis" in former NBC series, "The Doctors," and also "Lucinda Walsh" in the former CBS series, "As the World Turns."  She won a Daytime Emmy Award for "The Doctors." From 1986-1999, she was nominated for lead actress Daytime Emmy eight times for "As the World Turns."  She won an additional Daytime Emmy in 1976 for her role in the daytime TV movie, "First Ladies Diaries: Edith Wilson."  Her final Daytime Emmy nomination was for her role in the YouTube daytime soap opera, "Anacostia."

From Variety:  The film and television actor, Michael Lerner, has died at the age of 81, Saturday, April 8, 2023.  Lerner appeared in numerous films, including "Eight Men Out" (1988), "Elf" (2003), and "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (2014).  He received a "Best Supporting Actor" Oscar nomination for his role in the Coen Bros.'s 1991 film, "Barton Fink." Lerner was also a recurring character on the former NBC drama, "Hill Street Blues" and the former ABC/UPN sitcom, "Clueless," to name a few.


Sunday, October 30, 2022

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 23rd to 31st, 2022 - Update #15

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:   The winner of the 10/28 to 10/30/2022 weekend box office is Warner Bros.' "Black Adam" with an estimated take of 27.7 million dollars.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Actor Liam Hemsworth will replace Henry Cavill as the star of Netflix's "The Witcher" when the series returns for its fourth season in 2023.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Quentin Tarantino debunks the notion that he stole the idea for his 2012 film, "Django Unchained," from disgraced recording artist Kanye West.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Village Roadshow Pictures has partnered with Chris Romero and the late George A. Romero’s Sanibel Films, Origin Story, Vertigo and Westbrook Studios on what all hope will create a new franchise from "Night of the Living Dead."  The first sequel is being written by "The Walking Dead's" LaToya Morgan and directed by Nikyatu Jusu ("Nanny") 

DC STUDIOS - From THRJames Gunn and Peter Safran to lead the newly formed "DC Studios," which will oversee almost all films, TV, and animation based on DC Comics characters.

From THR:  Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige gives his blessing to James Gunn moving to DC Studios.  Gunn has directed Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 10/21 to 10/23/2022 weekend box office is Warner Bros./DC Film's "Black Adam" with an estimated take of 67 million dollars.

From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux's review of "Black Adam."

From Deadline:   If new release, "Black Adam," has a $60-62 million dollar opening weekend, it would be Dwayne Johnson's largest opening weekend as a solo star/leading man.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Will "Beetlejuice" director Tim Burton be involved with "Beetlejuice 2?" Burton says "nothing is out of the question."

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:   Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, who played "Hagrid" in the "Harry Potter" films, died Fri., Oct. 14th at the age of 72.  According to many reports coming out of the United Kingdom, he died following multiple organ failure. The death certificate also noted that Coltrane had been suffering from sepsis, lower respiratory tract infection. and heart block.  He had also been diagnosed with obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Grammy-winning recording artist, Kanye West, says that he pitched the idea for the Oscar-winning film, "Django Unchained" (2012), to the film's director, Quentin Tarantino, and its star, Jamie Foxx.

OBITS:

From Variety:   Singer, songwriter, and piano player, Jerry Lee Lewis, has died at the age of 87, Friday, October 28, 2022.  Lee was a pioneer in rock 'n' roll and rockabilly music, and the 1957 song, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" shot him to worldwide fame.  He was inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" in 1986.

From Variety:  Film, television, and stage actor, Leslie Jordan, has died at the age of 67, Monday, October 24, 2022 in a car accident, which may have been the result of a medical emergency.  He had a career in films and a prolific career in television.  He may be best known for the role of "Beverley Leslie" in NBC's late sitcom, "Will & Grace," for which he won an Emmy Award in the category of "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series." He appeared three times in FX's horror anthology, "American Horror Story."

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BRITTNEY GRINER:

From NBCNews:   Brittney Griner will enter a system of isolation, grueling labor and psychological torment when she is transferred to a penal colony, the successor to the infamous Russian gulag, to fulfill a nine-year sentence handed down Tuesday in Moscow, former prisoners and advocates said.

From NBCNews:  A Russian court has rejected Brittney Griner's appeal of her nine-year prison sentence on (fake) drug charges.

From Reuters:  Russia says that it is ready to talk prisoner swamp for Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, but also scolds the U.S. Embassy.

From TheDailyBeast:   Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.

From Vox:  Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.

From ESPN:   A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th.  Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.

From ESPN:  The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.

From RSN:  "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack

From ESPN:  Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.

From CBSSports:  The Brittney Griner situation explained.

From RSN:  According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."

 

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 26th to 30th, 2022 - Update #18

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

NETFLIX - From DeadlineCameron Diaz retired from acting in 2018, but now she is coming out of retirement to star with Jamie Foxx in the Netflix action-comedy, "Back in Action."

JAMES BOND - From Deadline:  "James Bond" producer Barbara Broccoli has revealed that it will be “at least two years“ before the next 007 movie begins filming and that the task of finding an actor to replace Daniel Craig hasn’t begun “because it’s a reinvention of Bond.”

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  The Grammy-winning recording artist, R. Kelly, was sentenced at a Brooklyn, NYC federal court to 30 years on nine counts of sex trafficking and racketeering.

CELEBRITY - From ScreenGeek:  "Jurassic World" star Chris Pratt says that some online commentary about him has made him cry.

CHADWICK BOSEMAN - From RadarOnline:  "Black Panther" star Chadwick Boseman died without a will.  His widow, Simone Ledward Boseman, has asked that the late actor's estate be divided evenly betweeen her and Boseman's parents.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  An array of British acting talent will appear in the period thriller, "The Critic," including Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, and Mark Strong, to name a few.

TELEVISION - From DeadlineAlex Wagner will take over Rachel Maddow's coveted 9 p.m. spot on MSNBC beginning Aug. 16th.  "The Rachel Maddow Show" is currently only appearing on Monday nights.  The name for Wagner's show is to be determined.

CELEBRITY - From Variety:  Controversial Oscar-nominee Alec Baldwin will interview controversial multiple Oscar winner Woody Allen.  The interview will appear on Instagram live Tues., June 28th at 10:30 a.m. EST.

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:  As the final numbers role in, "Elvis" is the winner of the 6/24 to 6/26/2022 weekend box office with a take of 31.1 million dollars over 29.6 million dollars for "Top Gun: Maverick."

From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 6/24 to 6/26/2022 weekend box office is thus far a tie, according to early estimates.  New film, Elvis, and former champ, "Top Gun: Maverick," have both grossed 30.5 million dollars.

From TheWrap:  "Top Gun: Maverick" has become the first Tom Cruise movie to surpass the billion dollar mark at the worldwide box office office.

From Variety: The box office is back, and movie theaters are feeling confident.

AWARDS - From Deadline: The winners of at the BET Awards 2022 were announced last night, Sun., June 26th.  "Silk Sonic" (Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak) let all winners.

POLITICS - From YahooHuffPost:  Actor and international movie star, Samuel L. Jackson, rips Supreme Coon ... I mean ... Court Justice Clarence Thomas over his hypocrisy on Roe v. Wade and interracial marriage.

EMMYS - From Deadline:  The winners at the 2022 / 49th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced Fri., June 24th, streaming on Paramount+.  ABC's "General Hospital" won "Outstanding Daytime Drama."

From DeadlineMishael Morgan becomes the first Black woman to win win "Outstand Lead Actress" at the Daytime Emmys by winning  "Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama, Actress" at the 49th Daytime Emmy Awards (Fri., June 24th) for her role as "Amanda Sinclair" on "The Young and the Restless."

MOVIES - From BBC:   "'Full Metal Jacket' and Kubrick: The Ultimate Anti-War Films" - a look the anti-war themes in the films of the late director, Stanley Kubrick.

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ROE V. WADE - From NPR:  The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has overturned "Roe v. Wade."  It's gone, boo.

From TheRoot:  During a re-election really with Donald Trump, Congresswoman Mary Miller said that the overturning of "Roe v. Wade" a "historic victory for white life." [Sometimes, they tell you who they are - Leroy]

From GoogleDocs:  "Roe v. Wade": What you can do.

From RSNNewYorker:  We're not going back to the time before Roe. We're going somewhere worse.

From RSNVanityFair:  Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Stephen Breyer's wrote a withering dissent to the court's conservative majority. Their conclusion: this opinion is "the curtailment of women's rights, and of their status as free and equal citizens."

From Truthout:  Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass) led a group of 20 Black Congresswomen who urged President Biden to to take urgent action to protect abortion rights.

From GuardianUK:  "'Fewer Rights Than Their Grandmothers': Read Three Justices' Searing Abortion Dissent"

UVALDE, TEXAS MASS SHOOTING:

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

From TheDailyBeast:  Texas's top law enforcement official, Department of Public Safety Director Steve McGraw, has said that the school shooter in Uvalde, Texas could have been taken down in three minutes.

From TheDailyBeast:  Police officers responding to last month’s mass shooting at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school never even tried to open the door to the classroom where young children were trapped with the gunman, according to a new report. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From Vox:  Uvalde police keep changing their story.

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

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

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

From GuardianUK:  Canada plans to freeze all handgun ownership.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BLM-BUFFALO:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UKRAINE:

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

HATE WATCH:

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

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


Friday, December 17, 2021

Review: "SPIDER-MAN: No Way Home" Brings it on Home

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 72 of 2021 (No. 1810) by Leroy Douresseaux

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Running time: 148 minutes (2 hours, 28 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of action/violence, some language and brief suggestive comments
DIRECTOR: Jon Watts
WRITERS: Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers (based upon the Marvel comic book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko)
PRODUCERS: Amy Pascal and Kevin Feige
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mauro Fiore (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Leigh Folsom Boyd and Jeffrey Ford
COMPOSER: Michael Giacchino

SUPERHERO/DRAMA/ACTION/ROMANCE

Starring:  Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx,Willem DaFoe, Alfred Molina, Tony Revolori, Marisa Tomei, Angourie Rice, Arian Moayed, Hannibal Buress, Martin Starr, J.B. Smoove, J.K. Simmons, Thomas Hayden Church, Rhys Ifans, Charlie Cox, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire

Spider-Man: No Way Home is a 2021 superhero film and drama from director Jon Watts.  It is the eighth film in Columbia Picture's Spider-Man film franchise, and it is the third entry in a film trilogy that began with 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming.  No Way Home is also a co-production between Columbia and Marvel Studios, making it the 27th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  In No Way Home, Peter Parker turns to fellow Avenger, Doctor Strange, for help in making the world forget that he is Spider-Man, with disastrous results.

Spider-Man: No Way Home opens one week after the events depicted in Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019).  Peter Parker's (Tom Holland) identity as Spider-Man has been revealed to the world, and Spider-Man has been framed for the murder of Mysterio/Quentin Beck, whom some in the public see as a hero and a warrior.  Although his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) takes the news better than expected, Peter is stilled concerned with how the news is affecting the lives of his girlfriend, Michelle “MJ” Jones-Watson (Zendaya), and his best friend, Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon).

Peter turns to Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help.  He asks Doctor Strange to cast a mystic spell that will make the world forget that he is Spider-Man, but Strange's mentor and friend, Wong (Benedict Wong), warns him about casting such a spell.  Strange casts the spell anyway, but Peter damages it by constantly asking for changes in who can remember him, which destabilizes the magic.  That in turn destabilizes the multiverse, causing cracks in reality.  Yes, the multiverse is real, and now, people from other universes who know that Peter is Spider-Man start showing up in Peter's world.  And that includes some dangerous villains who have previously engaged Spider-Man in death matches.  Peter does not know any of them, but he is determined to save them from their fates.  Is our young hero willing to pay the costs and make the sacrifices that it will take to make everything right in this world and in the wider multiverse?

Sony Pictures is determined to keep social media and media in general from spoiling the many surprises contained in its film, Spider-Man: No Way Home.  The film does a number of things very well, but it does two things particularly well.  Talking about the first could reveal spoilers, so what I will say is that this film gives us the appearances by certain characters and actors that many of us have wanted since we first heard the rumors that this film would deal with the multiverse.  Most of the character appearances are not cameos, and they contribute significantly to No Way Home.  The audience which with I saw No Way Home this past evening cheered with gusto for each special appearance.  They cheered as much as I ever heard an audience cheer during a superhero film.

Spider-Man: No Way Home is a joint production between Sony Pictures and Walt Disney Pictures' Marvel Studios.  One of the many things that Marvel's films do well is character development and drama.  No Way Home is the first film in the Sony/Marvel Spider-Man trilogy in which Peter Parker is confronted with the high costs of being Spider-Man.  Until this film, he has been relatively unscathed., but now, he learns that the decisions he makes can have ruinous consequences.  He suffers humiliations, setbacks, and heartbreaking loss.  He learns that with great power there must come great responsibility, and he learns that true heroes often make tremendous personal sacrifices for the benefit of others.  In No Way Home, Spider-Man becomes a man.

Don't get me wrong.  Spider-Man: No Way Home is certainly a true crowd-pleaser, and it is also one of the best films that I have seen this year.  As Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Tom Holland gives a wonderful performance in a film that requires him to express a wide range of emotions, sometimes from one extreme to another.  Holland, in layers, with textures, and with art, shows us the evolution of Spider-Man and especially of Peter Parker.  Spider-Man: No Way Home is one for the ages, and it is a great way to end one Spider-Man trilogy … so that the next one can come home.

9 of 10
A+

Friday, December 17, 2021


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

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Saturday, October 16, 2021

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 10th to 16th, 2021 -- Update #18

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

DC COMICS - From Variety:  See previews, performances, and personalities from upcoming films and TV, live-action and animated, based on DC Comics characters at DC FanDome 2021.

TRANS/NETFLIX - From THR:  Australian comedian, Hannah Gadsby, tears into Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos in the ongoing controversy over Dave Chappelle's most recent Netflix special, "The Closer."  Chappelle mocked gender identities in the special.

From THR:   In the ongoing controversy over Dave Chappelle's "The Closer" stand-up special, Netflix has fired an employee for leaking confidential financial data to "Bloomberg", resulting in an article published on Oct. 13 that detailed the cost ($24.1 million) of The Closer.

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SPORTS/BLM - From TheAtlantic:   Is the NFL's Jon Gruden scandal a sign that the league has a problem with bigotry among its coaches, team executives, and owners? Jemele Hill of "The Atlantic" discusses.

MOVIES - From Deadline: Oscar-winner Tommy Lee Jones is replacing Oscar-nominee Harrison Ford in Amazon's "The Burial," which will also star Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Jensen Ackles ("Supernatural," "The Boys") joins the ensemble cast of the Western, "Rust," which already includes Alec Baldwin as an actor and producer.

BUSINESS - From Deadline:   Unless an agreement is reached with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in the coming days, the 60,000 film and TV workers of the IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) will go on strike on Monday, Oct. 18, at 12:01 a.m. PDT.

NETFLIX - From THR:   Squid Game drew 111 million viewers in its first month on the platform, per internal Netflix estimates, becoming the biggest launch in the streaming giant’s history.

From THR:    "Squid Game" creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, talks Season 2.

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TRAILERS-MOVIES - From ETCanada:  Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group have released a trailer for its relaunch of the "Scream" franchise with a fifth film. The film is due Jan. 14, 2022.

TELEVISION - From EW: AMC has greenlit a new spinoff of "The Walking Dead."  The anthology series, "Tales of the Walking Dead" will debut on AMC and streaming AMC+ next summer.

CELEBRITY - From TimesUK:  Rumors say that Prince William sees his uncle, Prince Andrew, as a threat to the British royal family because of Andrew's connection to the late pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, and because of his ongoing legal battles with Virginia Giuffre.  Giuffre says that Prince Andrew raped her when she was a teenager.

AWARDS - From THR:   FX’s "Pose" and "Mayans M.C." and Hulu’s "Love, Victor" were among the winners at Sunday night's 2021 Imagen Awards.  The awards recognize positive portrayals of Latinos in media.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 10/8 to 10/10/21 weekend box office is the James Bond film, "No Time to Die," with an estimated take of 56 million dollars.

From Deadline:  "No Time to Die" leads the international box office with an estimated gross of 89.54 million dollars. Its total foreign gross to date is 313.3 million.

From Negromancer:  My review of "No Time to Die."
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MOVIES - From BuzzFeed:   Timothy Chalamet shares a first-look at himself as "Willy Wonka" from the film, "Wonka," which is due in 2023.

OSCARS - From Variety:  Husband and wife entertainment mega-couple, Jay-Z and Beyonce, could make Oscar history if both received "Best Original Song" nominations.

MOVIES - From USAToday:  "Best horror movies: 10 thrilling, chilling films to watch for Halloween 2021."

POLITICS/TELEVISION - From Reuters:   How AT&T helped build far-right One America News (OAN).

From RollingStone:  "Fox News and OAN Were Deeper in the Bag for Trump Than Anyone Realized."

OBIT:

From Deadline:   Disney animator, Ruthie Thompson, has died at the age of 111, Sunday, October 10, 2021. She worked an a camera technician, animation checker, or scene planner on many Walt Disney animated films over a four decade period, including "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Fantasia," "Mary Poppin," and "The Rescuers."  She was named a "Disney Legend" in 2000.


Sunday, May 2, 2021

Review: Takes a Bit, But Pixar's "Soul" Finds its Soul

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 30 of 2021 (No. 1768) by Leroy Douresseaux

Soul (2020)
Running time:  100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes0
MPAA –  PG for thematic elements and some language
DIRECTORS:  Pete Docter with Kemp Powers (co-director)
WRITERS:  Pete Docter, and Mike Jones, and Kemp Powers
PRODUCER:  Dana Murray
CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Matt Aspbury (D.o.P.) and Ian Megibben (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Kevin Nolting
COMPOSERS: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross with Jon Batiste (jazz compositions and arrangements)
Academy Award winner

ANIMATION/FANTASY/COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring:  (voices) Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Ahmir-Khalib Thompson a.k.a. Questlove, Angela Bassett, Cora Champommier, Margo Hall, Daveed Diggs, Rhodessa Jones, Wes Studi, Sakina Jaffrey, Ochuwa Oghie, Jeannie Tirado, Dorian Lockett, and Marcus Shelby

Soul is a 2020 American computer-animated, comedy-drama, and fantasy film from director Pete Docter and co-director Kemp Powers and is produced by Pixar Animation Studios.  Soul is also the first Pixar film to feature an African-American protagonist.  Soul focuses on a jazz pianist who finds himself trapped in a strange place that exists between Earth and the afterlife.

Soul introduces Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), a pianist living in New York City and who dreams of playing jazz professionally.  He is also a middle school music teacher at M.S. 70, and the school's Principal Arroyo (Jeannie Tirado) has just offered to make him a full-time teacher.  Joe's mother, Libba, (Phylicia Rashad) insists that he make teaching a full time job, fearing for his financial security as a jazz musician chasing gigs and sessions.

One day, a former student, Lamont “Curley” Baker (Ahmir-Khalib Thompson a.k.a. Questlove), who is now a jazz drummer, tells Joe that there is an opening in the jazz group, “the Dorothea Williams Quartet,” and that auditions are being held at “The Half Note” jazz club.  Dorothea Williams is a legend, and playing in a jazz outfit like hers has been Joe's dream for years.

But an accident causes Joe's soul to be separated from his body, and Joe ends up trapped between “the Great Beyond” and “the Great Before.”  And perhaps the only thing that can save Joe is helping a wayward soul known as “22” (Tina Fey).

Soul may feature Pixar Animation Studios' first African-American lead, Jamie Foxx's Joe Gardner,, but it is not really a “black film.”  The film is not a celebration of ordinary black people, but it dares to imagine black people as ordinary folks who have the same ups and downs, successes and failures, and hopes and dreams as everyone else.  Also, Soul is the most adult film that Pixar has produced to date.  I think children could enjoy it, but Soul deals with the kind of existential questions that adults face.  In fact, I found that the film's story seemed to confront me about my life on more than a few occasions.  I also like that the film asks a lot of questions, but bluntly and stubbornly refuses to answer all of them.

I did find the first 50 minutes of Soul to be muddled in terms of the narrative.  Everything about it is technically proficient, but the story lacks … soul.  It is not until Joe and 22 reach Earth that Soul really begins to grapple with the struggle between living a life with a purpose as in goals and living a life in which once enjoys living.

Whenever I review a Pixar film, I really don't get into the quality of the animation.  From the standpoint of technology and art, Pixar has practically always been astounding and awesome.  For a long time now, Pixar's computer-animation (or 3D animation) has been so good and so beautifully rendered and colored that it makes me forget that I am watching an animated film.  Soul, in its dazzling colors, inventive characters, and imaginative settings (“the Great Beyond” and how it welcomes a soul), is about as strong as its predecessors

Soul's film score recently won an Oscar.  Jon Batiste's jazz compositions and arrangements are captivating, and made me feel like I was right there in the performance.  Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' score, especially when the story moves into the realms of the soul, is ethereal, magically, and futuristic, and sounds like music from another world.

I like the voice performances.  Jamie Foxx does not fully sound like Jamie Foxx, and, in that, he makes Joe Gardner feel like a genuine character.  What more can I say about Tina Fey?  As “22,” she shows, once again, that she has talent to burn.  Also, I think Phylicia Rashad makes the most of every line she has in the film; she makes Libba Gardner seem like a real mother.

Ultimately, Soul reminds me that I really need Pixar Animation Studios in my life.  Pixar's feature films find the best of humanity and emphasize the beauty in us all.  This time, Pixar gives us Soul to remind us to look up and notice the beauty in us and in the world around us.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, May 2, 2021


NOTES:
2021 Academy Awards, USA:  2 wins:  “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures-Original Score” (Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Jon Batiste) and “Best Animated Feature Film” (Pete Docter and Dana Murray); 1 nomination: “Best Sound” (Ren Klyce, Coya Elliott, and David Parker)

2021 Golden Globes, USA:  2 wins: “Best Motion Picture – Animated” and “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Jon Batiste)

2021 BAFTA Awards:  2 wins: “Best Animated Feature Film” (Pete Docter and Dana Murray) and “Original Score” (Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor, and Atticus Ross)
; 1 nomination: “Best Sound” (Coya Elliott, Ren Klyce, and David Parker)


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