Review: "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" Takes Us on a Fantastic Voyage

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 8 of 2023 (No. 1897) by Leroy Douresseaux

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Running time:  125 minutes (2 hours, 5 minutes)

MPAA – PG-13 for violence/action, and language

DIRECTOR:  Peyton Reed

WRITER:  Jeff Loveness (based on the Marvel Comics characters)

PRODUCERS:  Kevin Feige and Stephen Broussard

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Bill Pope

EDITORS:  Adam Gerstel and Laura Jennings

COMPOSER:  Christophe Beck

SUPERHERO/SCI-FI and ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring:  Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonathan Majors, Kathryn Newton, Bill Murray, Katy M. O'Brian, William Jackson Harper, James Cutler, David Dastmalchian, Randall Park, and Corey Stoll

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a 2023 superhero and sci-fi action film directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Marvel Studios.  It is the 31st film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and is also the third entry in the Ant-Man film series.  The film and the series are based on the Marvel Comics character, Ant-Man, who first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27 (cover date: September 1962) and was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby.  Quantumania finds Ant-Man and the Wasp on an incredible adventure in a strange universe where they face a dangerous new foe.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania finds Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) living his best life after his most recent adventures with the Avengers (as seen in Avengers: Endgame).  He is a successful author and is happily living with his girlfriend, Hope van Dyne/The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly).  However, there is some trouble at home.  Scott's daughter, Cassie (Kathryn Newton), has become an activist and has been recently arrested during a protest.

While they are visiting Hope's parents, her father, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), the scientist who was the original Ant-Man; and her mother, Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), who was the original Wasp, Cassie reveals that she has created a device that can map the “Quantum Realm,” a subatomic dimension of the Multiverse.  However, the device can also send messages to the Quantum Realm, which freaks out Janet, who was trapped there for 30 years.  Before Janet can do shut it down, a portal appears and pulls Scott, Hope, Cassie, Hank, and Janet into the Quantum Realm, separating Scott and Cassie from Hope, Hank, and Janet.

Once the two groups begin to explore the Quantum Realm, they interact with strange creatures and embark on an adventure that goes beyond the limits of what they thought was possible.  There is also a dark side.  Janet fears they are all headed for an encounter with someone she met when she was first trapped in the Quantum Realm – a despot named “Kang” (Jonathan Majors).

Ant-Man was a D-list character as far as Marvel Comics superheroes go, especially where familiarity with the general entertainment-consuming public was concerned.  Marvel Studios chose the right actor to play Ant-Man, the irresistibly likable, Paul Rudd.  The addition of Hollywood legends like Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer and television star Evangeline Lilly as a new female superhero made Ant-Man A-list box office.  The result was two lovable, loopy, and imaginative superhero films, Ant-Man (2015) and Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), that seemed aimed at young viewers even more so than adult audiences.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is just as loopy, but is bigger than the previous two films.  If French film director, Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), made a Star Wars film, it would probably look like Quantumania.  This film's menagerie of people, beings, creatures, machines, tech, etc. are almost on the level of Avatar: The Way of Water.  Quantumania is a dazzling spectacle, and it is nothing like what I expected based on the earlier films.  Everyone from director Peyton Reed and writer Jeff Loveness to the craft and visual effects people did the damn thing and the results are mind-blowing.

The performances are excellent.  As usual, Paul Rudd comes across as the actor most perfect to be Scott Lang and Ant-Man.  Michael Douglas plays Hank Pym with a mix of spry comedy and pitch-perfect drama.  However, I must make way for the women in this film.  Quantumania allows Michelle Pfeiffer to let the dog in her out to play Janet van Dyne, in a way that she probably has not done since White Oleander (2002).  She left me wanting more of Janet.

Evangeline Lilly is once again great as The Wasp, and in Quantumania, she makes me believe that it is time for the Wasp to have a solo outing.  Also, Kathryn Newton makes it impossible to leave Cassie down on the superhero farm (so to speak).  Katy O'Brian also gives a fierce turn as the Quantum Realm freedom fighter, Jentorra.

Finally, I'm not sure that I have words to quite describe Jonathan Major's brilliant turn as Kang.  It is as if Majors has given flesh to James Earl Jones' Darth Vader voice.  He makes Kang own Quantumania, and I think it will be a blast going forward to watch Majors play this character.

You may have heard bad things about Quantumania, from film critics and reviewers and others.  But fuck 'em.  Quantumania is one of Marvel Studios' best films of the past few years, and I heartily recommend it to you, dear readers.  With its sense of the unexpected and of the future known, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the perfect start to what is called “Phase 5” of the MCU.

9 of 10

A+

★★★★+ out of 4 stars

Friday, February 17, 2023

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

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Review: "Ant-Man and the Wasp" Improves on First Film

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 9 (of 2018) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Running time:  118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action violence
DIRECTOR:  Peyton Reed
WRITERS:  Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Paul Rudd, Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari (based on the comic book created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby)
PRODUCER:  Kevin Feige
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Dante Spinotti (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Dan Lebental and Craig Wood
COMPOSER:  Christophe Beck

SUPERHERO/SCI-FI and ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring:  Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michael Pena, Walter Goggins, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Abby Ryder Fortson, David Dastmalchian, Hannah John-Kamen, Laurence Fishburne, Randall Park, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Stan Lee

Ant-Man and the Wasp is a 2018 superhero film and sci-fi action-comedy directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Marvel Studios.  It is a direct sequel to the 2015 film, Ant-Man.  Both movies focus on the Marvel Comics character, Ant-Man, who first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27 (cover date: September 1962) and was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby.  Ant-Man and the Wasp finds the title hero on a new adventure to uncover the secrets of his friends' past.

In the wake of the events depicted in Captain America: Civil War (2016), Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) is under house arrest.  He is three days from finishing his sentence, so he is determined not to leave his house and be in violation.  However, Hope van Dyne/The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly), Scott's erstwhile girlfriend, and her scientist father, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), who have both been estranged from Scott, reenter his life.

They need Scott's help in rescuing the original Wasp, Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), who has been lost in the microscopic “quantum realm” for 30 years.  However, there are numerous obstacles in their way.  FBI agent, Jimmy Woo (Randall Park), Lang's parole officer, is determined to catch Scott in violation.  Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins), a low-level, but ambitious thug, is determined to obtain Hank Pym's technology so that he can sell it on the black market.  Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne), a former colleague of Hank Pym, claims that he will help Pym in his quest, but Foster is really out to help Ava Starr (Hanna John-Kamen).  This mysterious young woman is also the costumed “Ghost,” who needs the same technology that Scott, Hope, and Hank need.  She will do anything to get it because time is running out for both her and Janet Van Dyne.

Ant-Man is D-list as far as Marvel Comics superheroes go, especially where familiarity with the general entertainment-consuming public is concerned.  Marvel Studios chose the right actor to play Ant-Man, Paul Rudd, who is irresistibly likable.   In the original film, Ant-Man, Rudd's affable charm sells the idea of Scott Lang as a well-meaning criminal who had a just cause for the crime he committed.  Ant-Man might be a silly concept, but Rudd makes it all seem less so.  After stealing some scenes in Captain America: Civil War, Rudd and Ant-Man are pretty much settled in near the upper echelon of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

For the new film, Ant-Man and the Wasp, the visual effects (VFX) are the biggest star.  The process of shrinking and growing characters and all manner of objects (building, automobiles, knick-knacks, etc.) have a rhythmic quality.  The VFX flows and is poetic; call it “floetry” (like the early aughts R&B group).  While watching this new movie, I never thought it was too much.

Sure, I like the new character, Ghost, and the child actress, Abby Ryder Fortson, makes Scott Lang's daughter, Cassie, indispensable as a character.  [How about Cassie as a new Marvel superhero?]  Still, from the first time I heard of an Ant-Man movie, I thought that this character and concept was born to take advantage of computer-generated imagery (CGI) and of the advancement in VFX.  Ant-Man and the Wasp is a cinematic magic spell successfully completed.  It is not a great movie, but it greatly and hugely entertained me.

8 of 10
A

Thursday, July 12, 2018


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint syndication rights and fees.



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Oliver Stone's "Wall Street" Returns for Limited September2017 Engagement

Oliver Stone’s Prophetic, Era-Defining ‘Wall Street’ Returns to Big Screens Nationwide September 24 & 27 for 30th Anniversary Celebration

Fathom Events and Twentieth Century Fox Present The Film That Defined ‘80s Excess Accompanied by a Unique Look at ‘Greed Is Good,’ a Retrospective

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oliver Stone’s Oscar®-winning “Wall Street,” which defined an era of excess and predicted an ongoing obsession with wealth and power, will return to movie theaters across the country for two days only this fall – almost 30 years from the “Black Monday” global stock market collapse.

    .@FathomEvents News: "Wall Street" returns to cinemas for 30th anniversary Sept 24 & 27 only. #WallStreet30

This special cinema event will be accompanied by a newly created featurette titled, “Greed is Good,” about the making and continued influence of “Wall Street,” which earned Michael Douglas the Oscar as Best Actor for his indelible portrayal of Wall Street corporate raider Gordon Gekko.

Fathom Events and Twentieth Century Fox will present “Wall Street” in nearly 650 movie theaters across the U.S. on Sunday, September 24, 2017 and Wednesday, September 27, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (local time) each day.

Tickets for “Wall Street 30th Anniversary” can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating movie theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Gekko’s infamous pronouncement that “Greed, for lack of a better term, is good” became one of the most quoted moments in movie history, crystallizing much of the cultural sentiment of the 1980s, and turned Gekko into a fascinating and unique movie character – both villain and hero.

“Wall Street” originally debuted in cinemas on December 11, 1987, less than two months after “Black Monday,” when global markets plunged and the U.S. stock market lost more than 22 percent of its value on a single day. Director Oliver Stone had shot “Wall Street” earlier that spring and summer, and the timing of the film’s original release gripped the public’s interest.

Also starring Charlie Sheen as young stockbroker Bud Fox, Martin Sheen as his blue-collar father Carl, Darryl Hannah as Bud’s girlfriend Darien, and Hal Holbrook as ethical Lou Mannheim, “Wall Street” has continued to simultaneously inspire newcomers to the financial industry and serve as a cautionary tale of unchecked greed.

“Viewed 30 years later, Wall Street is both nostalgic and as remarkably relevant and compelling as the day it was released,” said Tom Lucas, Fathom Events VP of Studio Relations. “It’s a gripping experience on the big screen, and one we are excited to share with audiences.”


About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is recognized as the leading domestic distributor of event cinema with participating affiliate theaters in all 100 of the top Designated Market Areas®, and ranks as one of the largest overall distributors of content to movie theaters. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), Fathom Events offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events such as live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions like the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live, sporting events like “Canelo Álvarez vs. Julio César Chávez, Jr.,” concerts with artists like Michael Bublé, Rush and Mötley Crüe, the yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics film series, inspirational events such as To Joey With Love and Facing Darkness, and anime titles such as Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 897 locations and 1,387 screens in 181 DMAs. For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film. TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions as well as all third party distribution partners on DVD, Blu-ray™, 4K Ultra HD, Digital HD, and VOD (video-on-demand). Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets and digital stores throughout the world.

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2016 Cesar Awards Announced;

First given out in 1975, the César Award is the national film award of France.  Some even think of the César Award as the French equivalent of the American Academy Awards (Oscars). The nominations are selected by the members of the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma, and the award ceremony is held in Paris each February.  The name of the award comes from the late sculptor César Baldaccini, and the trophies are actual sculptures of the artist.

The winners for the 41st Cesar Awards were announced on Friday, February 26, 2016 in Paris.  American actor Michael Douglas won an Honory César.

The 2016 / 41st Cesar Award winners (for the year in 2015) – complete list:
BEST FILM
Fatima – Philippe Faucon

BEST DIRECTOR
Arnaud Desplechin - My Golden Days

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Birdman – Alejandro Inarritu

BEST ACTRESS
Catherine Frot – Marguerite

BEST ACTOR
Vincent Lindon – The Measure Of A Man

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Sidse Babett Knudsen - Courted

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benoit Magimel – Standing Tall

BEST FEMALE NEWCOMER
Zita Hanrot – Fatima

BEST MALE NEWCOMER
Rod Paradot – Standing Tall

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Deniz Gamze Erguven, Alice Winocour – Mustang

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Philippe Faucon – Fatima

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Le Petit Prince – Mark Osbourne

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
Le Repas Domincal – Céline Devaux

BEST FIRST FILM
Mustang - Deniz Gamze Erguven

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Tomorrow – Cyril Dion, Mélanie Laurent

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Warren Eliis – Mustang

BEST SHORT FILM
La Contrée-Allée – Cécile Ducrocq

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Christophe Offenstein – Valley of Love

BEST EDITING
Mathilde Van De Moortel – Mustang

BEST SOUND
Francois Musy, Gabriel Hafner - Marguerite

BEST COSTUMES
Pierre-Jean Larroque – Marguerite

BEST ART DIRECTION
Martin Kurel – Marguerite

HONORARY CÉSAR
Michael Douglas

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2016 Cesar Award Nominations

First given out in 1975, the César Award is the national film award of France.  Some even think of the César Award as the French equivalent of the American Academy Awards (Oscars). The nominations are selected by the members of the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma, and the award ceremony is held in Paris each February.  The name of the award comes from the late sculptor César Baldaccini, and the trophies are actual sculptures of the artist.

The 41st Cesar Awards ceremony will take place on Friday, February 26, 2016 at the Theatre du Chatelet in central Paris presided over by Florence Foresti over by French comedian and actress Florence Foresti. Hollywood star Michael Douglas is due to receive an honorary Cesar for his career at the ceremony.

The 2016 / 41st Cesar Award nominees (for the year in 2015):

BEST FILM
Dheepan, dir: Jacques Audiard
Fatima, dir: Philippe Faucon
La Loi Du Marché, dir: Stéphane Brizé
Marguerite, dir: Xavier Giannoli
Mon Roi, dir: Maiwenn
Mustang, dir: Deniz Gamze Erguven
La Tete Haute, dir: Emmanuelle Bercot
Trois Souvenirs De Ma Jeunesse (aka My Golden Days), dir: Arnaud Desplechin

BEST FIRST FILM
L’Affaire SK1, dir: Frédéric Tellier
Les Cowboys; dir: Thomas Bidegain
Mustang, dir: Deniz Gamze Erguven
Ni Le Ciel Ni La Terre, Clément Cogitore
Nous Trois Ou Rien, dir: Kheiron

BEST DIRECTOR
Jacques Audiard, Dheepan
Stéphane Brizé, La Loi Du Marché
Xavier Giannoli, Marguerite
Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Mustang
Emmanuelle Bercot, La Tête Haute
Arnaud Desplechin, My Golden Days
Maïwenn, Moi Roi

BEST ACTOR
Jean-Pierre Bacri, La Vie Très Privée De Monsieur Sim
Vincent Cassell, Mon Roi
François Damiens, Les Cowboys
Gérard Depardieu, Valley Of Love
Antonythasan Jesuthasan, Dheepan
Vincent Lindon, La Loi Du Marché
Fabrice Luchini, L’Hermine

BEST ACTRESS
Loubna Abidar, Much Loved
Emmanuelle Bercot, Mon Roi
Cécile de France, La Belle Saison
Catherine Deneuve, La Tête Haute
Catherine Frot, Marguerite
Isabelle Huppert, Valley Of Love
Soria Zeroual, Fatima

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Michel Fau, Marguerite
Louis Garrel, Mon Roi
Benoit Magimel, La Tête Haute
André Marcon, Marguerite
Vincent Rottiers, Dheepan

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Sara Forestier, La Tête Haute
Agnès Jaoui, Comme Un Avion
Sidse Babett Knudsen, L’Hermine
Noémie Lvovsky, La Belle Saison
Karin Viard, 21 Nuits Avec Pattie

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Adama; dir: Simon Rouby
Le Petit Prince, dir: Mark Osborne
Avril Et Le Monde Truqué, dirs: Christian Desmares, Franck Ekinci

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Birdman, dir: Alejandro G Inarritu
Son Of Saul, dir: Laszlo Nemes
Je Suis Mort Mais J’ai Des Amis, dirs: Guillaume Malandrin, Stéphane Malandrin
Mia Madre, dir: Nanni Moretti
Taxi Tehran, dir: Jafar Panahi
The Brand New Testament, dir: Jaco van Dormael
Youth, dir: Paolo Sorrentino

BEST NEWCOMER (FEMALE)
Lou Leroy-Collinet, My Golden Days
Diane Rouxel, La Tête Haute
Zita Hanrot, Fatima
Sara Giraudeau, Les Bêtises
Camille Cottin, Connasse, Princesse Des Coeurs

BEST NEWCOMER (MALE)
Swann Arlaud, Les Anarchistes
Quentin Dolmaire, My Golden Days
Félix Moati, A trois On Y Va
Finnegan Oldfield, Les Cowboys
Rod Paradot, La Tête Haute

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Eponine Momenceau, Dheepan
Glynn Speeckaert, Marguerite
David Chizallet, Mustang
Irina Lubtchansky, My Golden Days
Christophe Offenstein, Valley Of Love

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
David Oelhoffen, Frédéric Tellier, L’Affaire SKI
Samuel Benchetrit, Asphalte
Vincent Garenq, Stéphan Cabel, L’Enquete
Philippe Faucon, Fatima
Héléne Zimmer, Benoît Jacquot, Journal D’Une Femme De Chambre

BEST EDITING
Juliette Welfing, Dheepan
Cyril Nakache, Marguerite
Simon Jacquet, Mon Roi
Mathilde Van De Moortel, Mustang
Laurence Briau, My Golden Days

BEST SOUND
Daniel Sobrino, Valérie Deloof, Cyril Holtz, Dheepan
François Musy, Gabriel Hafner, Marguerite
Nicolas Provost, Agnès Ravez, Emanuel Croset, Mon Roi
Ibrahim Gök, Damien Guillaume, Olivier Goinard, Mustang
Nicolas Cantin, Sylvain Malbrant, Stéphane Thiébaut, My Golden Days

BEST SHOR FILM
La Contre Allée, dir: Cécile Ducrocq
Le Dernier Des Céfrans, dir: Pierre-Emmanuel Urcun
Essaie De Mourir Jeune, dir: Morgon Simon
Guy Moquet, dir: Demis Herenger
Mon Héros, dir: Sylvain Desclous

BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC
Raphaël, Les Cowboys
Ennio Morricone, En Mail, Fais Ce Qu’Il Te Plaît
Stephen Warbeck, Mon Roi
Warren Ellis, Mustang
Grégoire Hetzel, My Golden Days

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Noé Debré, Thomas Bidegain, Jacques Audiard, Dheepan
Xavier Giannoli, Marguerite
Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Alice Winocour, Mustang
Emmanuelle Bercot, Marcia Roman, La Tête Haute
Arnaud Desplechin, Julie Peyr, My Golden Days

BEST COSTUMES
Anaïs Romand, Journal D’Une Femme De Chambre
Pierre-Jean Larroque, Marguerite
Selin Sözen, Mustang
Catherine Leterrier, L’Odeur De La Mandarine
Nathalie Raoul, My Golden Days

BEST SET DECORATION
Michel Barthélémy, Dheepan
Katia Wyszkop, Journal D’Une Femme De Chambre
Martin Kurel, Marguerite
Jean Rabasse, L’Odeur De La Mandarine
Toma Baqueni, My Golden Days

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
La Nuit Américaine D’Angélique, dirs: Pierre-Emmanuel Lyet, Joris Clerté
Le Repas Dominical, dir: Céline Devaux
Sous Tes Doigts, dir: Marie-Christine Courtès
Tigre A La Queue Leu Leu, dir: Benoît Chieux

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Le Bouton De Nacre, dir: Patrico Guzman
Cavanna, dirs: Denis and Nina Robert
Tomorrow, dirs: Cyril Dion, Mélanie Laurent
The Missing Picture, dir: Rithy Panh
Une Jeunesse Allemande, dir: Jean-Gabriel Periot

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Review: "Marvel's Ant-Man" is a Tiny Marvel

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 47 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

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

Ant-Man (2015)
Running time:  117 minutes (1 hour, 57 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action violence
DIRECTOR:  Peyton Reed
WRITERS:  Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish & Adam McKay and Paul Rudd; from a story by Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish (based on the comic book created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby)
PRODUCER:  Kevin Feige
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Russell Parker
EDITORS:  Dan Lebental and Colby Parker, Jr.
COMPOSER:  Christophe Beck

SUPERHERO/SCI-FI and ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring:  Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Abby Ryder Fortson, Michael Pena, David Dastmalchian, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Hayley Atwell, John Slattery, Martin Donovan, Garrett Morris, Anthony Mackie, and Stan Lee

Ant-Man is a 2015 superhero film and sci-fi action-comedy film directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Marvel Studios.  The film focuses on the Marvel Comics character, Ant-Man, who first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27 (cover date: September 1962) and was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby.  Ant-Man the movie focuses on an ex-con who is given a super-suit that shrinks the wearer to microscopic size while increasing the wearer's strength, so that he can use it to pull off a heist that will save the world.

Ant-Man opens in the year 1989.  Scientist Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) discovers that his colleagues at S.H.I.E.L.D. are attempting to duplicate his shrinking technology, which he calls the “Pym particle,” so he quits.  Pym once used that shrinking tech to power his “Ant-Man” suit.  In the present day, the now-retired Pym discovers that his protégé at Pym Technologies, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), is also trying to duplicate the “Pym particle.”  In fact, Cross is very close to doing so and has even built his own shrinking suit, which he calls “Yellowjacket.”

Pym and his estranged daughter, Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), believe that the only way to stop Cross is to steal the “Yellowjacket” suit and all of Cross' data and research.  To do that, they will have to break into the heavily-secured Pym Technologies building, and that means someone will have to wear the Ant-Man suit.  Is down-on-his-luck ex-con and master thief, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), the perfect person to be the new Ant-Man?

As Marvel's superheroes go, Ant-Man is D-list, as far as familiarity with the public is concerned.  To bring him to the big screen, Marvel needed the right actor.  Paul Rudd is the right actor; he is irresistibly likable.  I have been a fan of his since I first saw him in Clueless about two decades ago.  His affable charm sells the idea of Scott Lang as a well-meaning criminal with a just cause.  If you find Ant-Man to be a silly concept, Rudd makes it all seem less so.  Everything about him says just-right.

Meanwhile, the rest of the cast is pretty good.  Corey Stall, who has been giving dramatic heft to FX's summer vampire television series, “The Strain,” since 2014, is Marvel's best villain-of-the-first-movie since Jeff Bridges menaced the first Iron Man film.  Michael Peña as Luis, Scott's friend, is good, although the character sometimes seems a bit like an out-of-place oddity.  Evangeline Lilly is lost in make-up as Hope van Dyne, who is also an oddity in this film.

I guess “odd” is the theme for Ant-Man the movie.  I can't believe how much I like this movie.  I saw Ant-Man at an early matinee on a Friday afternoon.  There were a few children in the audience, and they loved the movie, often squealing with delight.  I was dignified enough to force my squeals into hearty laughs.

Of all the Marvel Studios films, Ant-Man is the one that most effectively uses the avalanche of CGI and special effects we have come to expect of modern summer blockbusters, fantasy films, and superhero movies.  I would dare say that just about every use of computer-generated imagery and effects in Ant-Man is in context, serving the narrative.  Ant-Man is like The Matrix (at least the first one) in that all of the movie and computer magic is justified.  I want a sequel, so I'm asking the rest of the world to join me in loving ants and Ant-Man as you never thought you could or would.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, July 19, 2015


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

Michael Douglas Shares His Thoughts on "Marvel's Ant-Man"

This Q&A was provided to the press by Disney's public relations and marketing partners.

AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL DOUGLAS FOR THE HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE OF MARVEL’S ANT-MAN

The latest evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe introduces the newest member of the Avengers: Marvel’s Ant-Man. Armed with the amazing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang (played by Paul Rudd) joins forces with his new mentor Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit. Full of humor and heart, as well as awesome special effects, this action-packed adventure will shortly be released on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD – complete with never-before-seen deleted scenes, making-of featurettes, a gag reel and audio commentary.

To celebrate the exciting in-home release, we talk to acclaimed actor Michael Douglas – who plays Dr. Hank Pym in Marvel’s Ant-Man – to discover his thoughts on the daring heist adventure…

Q:  Marvel’s Ant-Man has been praised as one of the funniest movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Did the humor attract you to the superhero project? 

DOUGLAS:  The humor was definitely appealing, but I was more interested in the idea of being in an effects movie. I was also really interested in being in a studio tent-pole film after a few years of being more involved with indie pictures. I’m certainly overwhelmed by the success that Marvel has had and how well they do these movies. It’s been a joy to watch and study how they mold a picture together. 

Q: Is this your first superhero movie?

DOUGLAS:  I’ve never done an effects movie before, so this is my first. I was very envious of Jack Nicholson when he played the Joker and Danny DeVito when he played the Penguin. I remember them telling me how much fun it was, so I was very excited to add at least one of these super-action superhero pictures to my résumé.

Q:  With the impending home entertainment release of Marvel’s Ant-Man, how does it feel to know that audiences will soon be able to watch the movie in the comfort of their own home?

DOUGLAS:  Historically, the movies that you buy are the movies that you cherish the most, so I think it’s great. When I think back to the first picture I produced, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest; when we put that out in the Blu-ray format, viewers got lots of background information and things that weren’t in the movie. They got a lot of behind-the-scenes information. It’s a joy for people that are real fans to see what was going on when we were making the movie. 

Q:  Do you have a large Blu-ray collection at home?

DOUGLAS:  I’ve got a pretty good Blu-ray collection, but my problem is that I rarely have time to look at it. I don’t know how people find the time. It’s the same thing with people who watch box sets and they go right through three years of a series. I have no idea how people have the time! 

Q:  Have you got a state-of-the-art home entertainment system set-up at home?

DOUGLAS:  I’ve got one of those new curve screens and it’s quite stunning. The sound quality is amazing, too. You know what? I haven’t explained this to my kids – but when I first started in The Streets Of San Francisco, there were only two networks that existed: CBS and NBC; ABC was the upcoming version. It really makes you think about how much time has passed because I’m talking about black and white television here. That’s unheard of now. Television and movies have come along an amazingly long way. 

Q:  What do your children think of your role in Marvel’s Ant-Man? Were they excited to see their father in a superhero blockbuster?

DOUGLAS:  This movie gives me a new credibility with my son and his buddies, which is great. Up until now, most of my career has been R-rated, so neither my kids nor any of their friends have seen a whole lot of what I’ve done. My 14-year-old’s reaction was like an agent. He said, “You know what, Dad? This could be a whole new audience for you.” I took that to heart and here I am.

Q:  There’s a fatherhood theme that runs through Marvel’s Ant-Man. How does that add to the movie’s appeal?

DOUGLAS:  I thought it gave the movie a lot of heart. It’s certainly been an issue that was touched on with Iron Man to some degree, but I don’t think to the level that it is in Ant-Man. I think the complexities of my relationship with my daughter, Hope, and the parallel relationships that Scott Lang [played by Paul Rudd] has with his family are very interesting. I think it grounds the picture and gives it an emotional level that is viable. It’s an asset.

Q:  What do you think of Paul Rudd’s performance as Ant-Man?

DOUGLAS:  Paul Rudd is great. He brings an everyman quality to the superhero. He’s got a great self-deprecating sense of humor and he worked his way into unbelievable shape for the role. He doesn’t try to play it smart; he just has an everyman quality about him, which I think is very, very appealing. When you watch him, as the character rises to the qualities of being a superhero, you really end up rooting for him. 

Q:  How much of a Marvel fan are you?

DOUGLAS:  I love to go and watch Marvel movies with my kids. I’ve caught a fair share of the Marvel films and I always look forward to them – but I also enjoy the home entertainment editions. As a member of the Academy, we get DVDs of a lot of the pictures at the end of the year, so my wife Catherine [Zeta-Jones] and I spend a lot of time catching up on films at our home. 

Q:  How much research did you undertake into the history of Ant-Man and Dr. Hank Pym when you signed on to the movie?

DOUGLAS:  I was not familiar with Ant-Man before this movie – but Marvel were kind enough to send me about two years’ worth of comic books, so I could catch up on his history and background. I’ve read a lot of them. I’ve thumbed through and read most of the stuff that pertained to Hank to help me understand him a little more.

Q:  In the comics, Dr. Hank Pym is a damaged man with an unfortunate history. How much of his past was on your mind when you portrayed the character on set?

DOUGLAS:  They gave me more background to my character than most movies I’ve done, so I could understand about the loss of his wife and the alienation with his daughter. I found it very helpful. I think there are echoes of the loss of his wife and elements that highlight the distance between Hank and his daughter, who is played by Evangeline Lilly. I don’t think we wanted to dwell on it, but it pays off a little later in the picture.

Q:  Marvel likes to hide lots of Easter eggs and secret references in their movies. Were you aware of them when you were shooting the film?

DOUGLAS:  I became aware as they explained them to me. I was a babe in the woods, so what can I say? I love the curiosity and the zealousness in which a lot of the audiences follow these pieces. But I was aware, of course, of the Wasp at the end of the movie and its significance.

Q:  Was the Wasp reveal always planned to be a stinger scene with the end credits?

DOUGLAS:  It was a little scene that they added halfway through the picture. Maybe they were going to have it all along – but they start on a broad canvas and then they narrow it down in terms of the relationships that are working. It goes from there really. 

Q:  The opening sequence of the movie is a flashback scene with Hayley Atwell’s character, Peggy Carter. Did you understand the relevance of that scene when you were shooting it?

DOUGLAS:  They explained it to me. They explained why a young, attractive woman on a television series was now playing an older woman – and why I was playing my character 30 years younger than he is for the rest of the movie. She and I did not have a chance to talk too much. She was in the middle of her series [Agent Carter], so she just came down for that one quick scene.

Q:  What do you think of the scene?

DOUGLAS:  When I went into record some extra dialogue after the movie was shot, that scene was half finished, so one half of me had little spots all over my face – and I was wearing the wig with all that hair – and the other half had been completed. Through the magic of computer graphics, I looked 30 years younger. I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s like looking at yourself 30 years ago. There’s no need to do remakes anymore. I’ll just remake some of my movies with myself playing the part!

Q:  How did they shoot the scene?

DOUGLAS:  I had little spots, or little dots, everywhere. They used the dots for reference to measure or change things or whatever they do – and once completed, you see this little baby-faced guy. It was great. I thought it was fantastic.

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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 15th to 21th, 2015 - Update #33

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From TheDailyBeast:  Did you know that Ingrid Bergman was once slut-shamed?

---------------
From THR:  Kenneth Branagh will star in and direct a film adaptation of Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express" for Fox.  Branagh will play the novel's detective, Hercule Poirot.

---------------
From Variety:  Paramount and Hasbro prepare to make more "Transformers" and "G.I. Joe" movies; plus a "Micronauts" movie.

---------------
From BleedingCool:  Peter Jackson admits to winging it on "The Hobbit."

---------------
From BET:  World Series and New York Yankees legend found 50 Cent too "urban."

---------------
From YahooCelebrity:  Corinne Foxx, the daughter of Jamie Foxx, is Miss Golden Globe 2016.

---------------
From TheWrap:  Emma Stone has returned to playing Billie Jean King in the film, "Battle of the Sexes," with Steve Carell as Bobby Riggs.

---------------
From THR:  The "Tomb Raider" reboot has a director, Roar Uthaug.  I haven't heard of him either.

---------------
From YahooCelebrity:  Charlie Sheen announces that he is HIV positive.

---------------
From Ecowatch:  Mark Ruffalo on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," talks eco-issues and politics.

---------------
From THR:  Someone is remaking Chris Nolan's "Memento."  Notice that today is NOT April Fool's Day.

---------------
From TheReelWord:  First look at Martin Scorsese's much-anticipated "Silence."

---------------
From TheReelWord:  The "Fast & Furious" franchise will include spinoffs and prequels.

---------------
From BleedingCool:  The Prometheus sequel keeps shifting names, and it may feature to "Alien" creatures.

---------------
From THR:  The Academy (AMPAS) has disqualified the Afghan film, "Utopia" from being considered in the "Best Foreign Language" film race for containing too much English.

---------------
From Variety:  Spike Lee finally gets his Oscar - at the 2015 Governors Awards.

---------------
From BoxOfficeMojo:  The number one movie at the 11/13 to 11/15/2015 weekend box office is the James Bond film, "Spectre," with an estimated take of $35.4 million.

---------------
From Deadline:  The French terrorism-themed film, "Made in France," which was to be released Wednesday, has had that release date cancelled.  It will be released at an unknown later date.


HARD NEWS:

From WashingtonPost:  My White neighbor...

From ContraCostaTimes:  A white-man gets a Rodney King-like beat-down.

From Salon:  This is why they hate us...

From Truthout:  You can kill your employees, but DO NOT lie to wealthy investors and federal regulators.

From RSN:  No "global domination" is not going well.

From WashPost:  Missouri State Senator seeks to stop a grad student's dissertation on abortion regulations.

From BBC:  A day before the attacks in Paris, ISIS was behind an attack in Beirut, Lebanon that left more than 40 dead.

From teleSUR:  Have we forgotten?  Do some of us even know?

From BBCBlog:  April 2014 attack in Kenya was practically ignored - cause Black lives really don't matter.
---------------

From TheIntercept:  Blame CITIZENFOUR for Paris.


COMICS - Films and Books:

From IndieWire:  There may be a new "X-Men" in 2018, perhaps with shooting beginning in 2017.

---------------
From BleedingCool:  Alan Moore is on Twitter.

---------------
From CinemaBlend:  Marvel is working on bringing back Michael Douglas to reprise his role of Hank Pym in "Ant-Man and the Wasp."

---------------
From CinemaBlend:  "Doctor Strange" adds martial artist Scott Adkins to its cast.


SPORTS:

From YahooSports:  The American League "Cy Young Award" winner is Houston Astros pitcher, Dallas Keuchel.

From YahooSports:  The National League "Cy Young Award" winner is Chicago Cubs pitcher, Jake Arrieta.

From ESPN:  Your American League "Rookie of the Year" for 2015 is Carlos Correa, shortstop for the Houston Astros.

From ESPN:  Your National League "Rookie of the Year" for 2015 is Kris Bryant, third baseman for the Chicago Cubs.
---------------

From ESPN:  The Lakers win at Detroit, and Kobe and the team honor the U.S. heroes who stopped a French train attack in August.

---------------
From ESPN:  The Jacksonville Jaguars win a road game for the first time in almost 2 years!

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for July 4th to 11th, 2015 - Update #11

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From Variety:  Avengers and Inside Out help push Disney over $3 billion in global box office gross.

---------------
From BoxOfficeMojo:  It looks like "Jurassic World" will still be #1 at the box office for the July 4th 2015 weekend box office.


COMIC BOOKS - Films and Books:

From THR:  Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will unite in a comic book.

---------------
From CBR:  Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson are announced as artist for "Batman: The Dark Knight III: The Master Race."

---------------
From CBR:  Wesley Snipes says that he has met with more about playing "Blade" again.

---------------
From Variety:  Marisa Tomei will reportedly be the new Aunt May in the Spider-Man reboot.

---------------
From ThePlaylist:  "X-Men: Apocalypse" is the real first X-Men film, says Bryan Singer.

---------------
From EW:  More on the upcoming new X-Men film.


TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  New trailer for "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip."


OBITS:

From TheGuardian:  The actor, Omar Sharif, died at the age of 83 in Egypt on Friday, July 10, 2015.  Sharif is known for his roles in Lawrence of Arabia and Dr. Zhivago.

---------------
From THR:  Movie producer Jerry Weintraub died today, Monday, July 6, 2015, at the age of 77.  He produced the original Ocean's 11 and The Karate Kid films and the remakes and sequels.  He received an Emmy Award for producing the TV bio-film, Behind the Candelabra, one of three he won.

---------------
From Deadline:  Michael Douglas's mother, Diana Douglas, died on Saturday, July 4th, 2015.  She was Kirk Douglas' first wife.  She was 92.


---------------
From TheWrap:  The actress Amanda Peterson was recently found dead in her Colorado home.  She was best known for her role in 80's classic, Can't Buy Me Love.

Marvel Reveals "Ant-Man" Poster at Comic-Con International 2014

The above poster was made available to San Diego Comic-Con International 2014 attendees.  The art is by Andy Park.  "Ant-Man," due Summer 2015 stars Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas.

SAG Awards: "Breaking Bad" for "American Hustle" and "Modern Family"

by Leroy Douresseaux

At the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, director David O. Russell’s American Hustle won “Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture,” SAG’s equivalent of a “best picture” award.  After leading the nominations with four in the theatrical motion picture categories, director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave won only one, Lupita Nyong'o as supporting actress.

I still think this is another sign that 12 Years a Slave is unlikely to win any big awards at the upcoming Oscars.  I wonder if even Nyong’o will win in her Oscar category.

In the television categories at the 2014 Screen Actors Guild Awards, Breaking Bad and “Modern Family” each won two awards.  Actress Rita Moreno received the “Life Achievement Award.”

The 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards winners were announced at the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® ceremony.  The ceremony was simulcast live nationally on TNT and TBS on Saturday, January 18, 2014 from the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center.

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role:
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY / Ron Woodroof – “DALLAS BUYERS CLUB” (Focus Features)

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

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role:
JARED LETO / Rayon – “DALLAS BUYERS CLUB” (Focus Features)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role:
LUPITA NYONG’O / Patsey – “12 YEARS A SLAVE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:

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

TELEVISION PROGRAMS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:
MICHAEL DOUGLAS / Liberace – “BEHIND THE CANDELABRA” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:
HELEN MIRREN / Linda Kenney Baden – “PHIL SPECTOR” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series:
BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White – “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series:
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham – “DOWNTON ABBEY” (PBS)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series:
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series:
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Vice President Selina Meyer – “VEEP” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series:

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

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:

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

SAG AWARDS® HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES:

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture:
LONE SURVIVOR (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series:
GAME OF THRONES (HBO)

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:

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

http://www.sagawards.org/

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

2014 Golden Globe Awards Nominations - Television Categories List

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

END

2013 Primetime Emmy Award Winners List

by Amos Semien

The Emmy Award is a television production award that is considered the television equivalent of the Academy Awards in film and the Grammy Awards in music.  Negromancer’s focus is usually on the Primetime Emmy Awards.  It is presented by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards honored the best in television programming (at least as the members of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences see it) from June 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013.  The awards ceremony was held on Sunday, September 22, 2013 and televised by CBS (in the United States) and hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, who is a multiple-Emmy winner.

The majority of 2013 Primetime Emmys were actually handed out at the 2013 Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony, which was held on Sunday, September 15, 2013.  Go here to read the list.

65th Annual / 2013 Primetime Emmys winners:

COMEDY

Best Comedy Series:
"Modern Family"

Best Comedy Actor:
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"

Best Comedy Actress
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"

Best Comedy Supporting Actor:
Tony Hale, "Veep"

Best Comedy Supporting Actress:
Merritt Wever, "Nurse Jackie"

Best Comedy Writing
"30 Rock" -- "Last Lunch" (Tina Fey, Tracey Wigfield)

Best Comedy Directing
"Modern Family" -- "Arrested" (Gail Mancuso)

DRAMA

Best Drama Series
"Breaking Bad"

Best Drama Actor
Jeff Daniels, "The Newsroom"

Best Drama Actress
Claire Danes, "Homeland"

Best Drama Supporting Actor
Bobby Cannavale, "Boardwalk Empire"

Best Drama Supporting Actress
Anna Gunn, "Breaking Bad"

Best Drama Writing
"Homeland" -- "Q&A" (Henry Bromell)

Best Drama Directing
"House of Cards" -- "Chapter 1" (David Fincher)

MOVIE/MINISERIES

Best Movie/Miniseries
"Behind the Candelabra"

Best Movie/Mini Actor
Michael Douglas, "Behind the Candelabra"

Best Movie/Mini Actress
Laura Linney, "The Big C: Hereafter"

Best Movie/Mini Supporting Actor
James Cromwell, "American Horror Story: Asylum"

Best Movie/Mini Supporting Actress
Ellen Burstyn, "Political Animals"

Best Movie/Mini Writing
"The Hour" (Abi Morgan)

Best Movie/Mini Directing
"Behind the Candelabra" (Steven Soderbergh)

VARIETY

Best Variety Series
"The Colbert Report"

Best Variety Series Writing
"The Colbert Report"

Best Variety Series Directing
"Saturday Night Live"

REALITY

Best Reality Competition Series
"The Voice"

CHOREOGRAPHY

Best Choreography
"Dancing with the Stars" -- "Hey Pachuco/Para Los Rumberos/Walking on Air" (Derek Hough)

Thanks to Gold Derby for the list.

65th Annual Primetime Emmy Award Nominations List

by Lucy Troy

The Emmy Award is a television production award that is considered the television equivalent of the Academy Awards in film and the Grammy Awards in music.  Negromancer’s focus is usually on the Primetime Emmy Awards.  It is presented by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will honor the best in television programming (at least as the members of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences see it) from June 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013.  The awards ceremony will be held on September 22, 2013 and televised by CBS (in the United States).

Netflix made history by earning the first Primetime Emmy Award nominations for original, online-only, web television as three of its series, “Arrested Development,” “Hemlock Grove,” and “House of Cards” earned nominations.

65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2013) nominees:

Drama Series
•Breaking Bad
•Downton Abbey
•Game of Thrones
•House of Cards
•Homeland
•Mad Men

Comedy Series
•30 Rock
•The Big Bang
•Girls
•Louie
•Modern Family
•Veep

Miniseries or Movie
•American Horror Story
•Behind the Candelabra
•The Bible
•Phil Spector
•Political Animals
•Top of the Lake

Lead Actor in a Drama Series
•Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
•Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
•Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
•Jon Hamm, Mad Men
•Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
•Damian Lewis, Homeland

Lead Actress in a Drama Series
•Connie Britton, Nashville
•Claire Danes, Homeland
•Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
•Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel
•Kerry Washington, Scandal
•Robin Wright, House of Cards

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
•Benedict Cumberbatch, Parade’s End
•Michael Douglas, Behind The Candelabra
•Matt Damon, Behind The Candelabra
•Toby Jones, The Girl
•Al Pacino, Phil Spector

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
•Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum
•Laura Linney, The Big C: Hereafter
•Helen Mirren, Phil Spector
•Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake
•Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals

Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program
•Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
•Betty White, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers
•Tom Bergeron, Dancing With The Stars
•Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, Project Runway
•Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance
•Anthony Bourdain, The Taste

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
•Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
•Jason Bateman, Arrested Development
•Louis C.K., Louie
•Don Cheadle, House of Lies
•Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
•Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
•Laura Dern, Enlightened
•Lena Dunham, Girls
•Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
•Tina Fey, 30 Rock
•Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
•Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Reality-Competition Series
•The Amazing Race
•Dancing With the Stars
•Project Runway
•So You Think You Can Dance
•Top Chef
•The Voice

Variety Series
•The Colbert Report
•The Daily Show
•Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
•Jimmy Kimmel Live
•Saturday Night Live
•Real Time With Bill Maher

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
•Bobby Cannavale, Boardwalk Empire
•Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad
•Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
•Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
•Peter Dinklage, Game Of Thrones
•Mandy Patinkin, Homeland

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
•Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
•Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
•Emilia Clarke, Game Of Thrones
•Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
•Morena Baccarin, Homeland
•Christina Hendricks, Mad Men

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series
•Nathan Lane, The Good Wife
•Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife
•Rupert Friend, Homeland
•Robert Morse, Mad Men
•Harry Hamlin, Mad Men
•Dan Bucatinsky, Scandal

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
•Adam Driver, Girls
•Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
•Ed O’Neill, Modern Family
•Ty Burrell, Modern Family
•Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
•Tony Hale, Veep

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
•Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
•Jane Lynch, Glee
•Julie Bowen, Modern Family
•Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie
•Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
•Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
•Anna Chlumsky, Veep

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series
•Bob Newhart, The Big Bang Theory
•Nathan Lane, Modern Family
•Bobby Cannavale, Nurse Jackie
•Louis C.K., Saturday Night Live
•Justin Timberlake, Saturday Night Live
•Will Forte, 30 Rock

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series
•Margo Martindale, The Americans
•Diana Rigg, Game Of Thrones
•Carrie Preston, The Good Wife
•Linda Cardellini, Mad Men
•Jane Fonda, The Newsroom
•Joan Cusack, Shameless

Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series
•George Mastras, Breaking Bad • Dead Freight
•Thomas Schnauz, Breaking Bad • Say My Name
•Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey • Episode 4
•D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, Game Of Thrones • The Rains Of Castamere
•Henry Bromell, Homeland • Q&A

Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
•Tim Van Patten, Boardwalk Empire • Margate Sands
•Michelle MacLaren, Breaking Bad • Gliding Over All
•Jeremy Webb, Downton Abbey • Episode 4
•Lesli Linka Glatter, Homeland • Q&A
•David Fincher, House Of Cards

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series
•Molly Shannon, Enlightened
•Dot-Marie Jones, Glee
•Melissa Leo, Louie
•Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live
•Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
•Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock

Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series
•Jeffrey Klarik and David Crane, Episodes • Episode 209
•Louis C.K and Pamela Adlon, Louie • Daddy’s Girlfriend (Part 1)
•Greg Daniels, The Office • Finale
•Robert Carlock and Jack Burditt, 30 Rock • Hogcock!
•Tina Fey and Tracey Wigfield, 30 Rock

Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series
•Lena Dunham, Girls • On All Fours
•Paris Barclay, Glee • Diva
•Louis C.K., Louie • New Year’s Eve
•Gail Mancuso, Modern Family • Arrested
•Beth McCarthy-Miller, 30 Rock • Hogcock! / Last Lunch

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
•James Cromwell, American Horror Story: Asylum
•Zachary Quinto, American Horror Story: Asylum
•Scott Bakula, Behind The Candelabra
•John Benjamin, The Big C: Hereafter
•Peter Mullan, Top Of The Lake

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
•Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Asylum
•Imelda Staunton, The Girl
•Ellen Burstyn, Political Animals
•Charlotte Rampling, Restless
•Alfre Woodard, Steel Magnolias

Outstanding Writing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special
•Richard LaGravenese Behind The Candelabra
•Abi Morgan, The Hour
•Tom Stoppard, Parade’s End
•David Mamet, Phil Spector
•Gerard Lee and Jane Campion, Top Of The Lake

Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special
•Steven Soderbergh, Behind The Candelabra
•Julian Jarrold, The Girl
•David Mamet, Phil Spector
•Allison Anders, Ring Of Fire
•Garth Davis and Jane Campion, Top Of The Lake • Part 5

Outstanding Variety Special
•The Kennedy Center Honors
•Louis C.K.: Oh My God
•Mel Brooks Strikes Back! With Mel Brooks And Alan Yentob
•Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Thursday (Part One)
•12-12-12: The Concert For Sandy Relief

Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series
•The Colbert Report
•The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
•Jimmy Kimmel Live
•Portlandia
•Real Time With Bill Maher
•Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special
•Louis C.K.: Oh My God
•Night Of Too Many Stars: America Comes Together For Autism Programs
•Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Thursday (Part One)
•66th Annual Tony Awards

Outstanding Directing For A Variety Series
•James Hoskinson, The Colbert Report
•Chuck O’Neil, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
•Andy Fisher, Jimmy Kimmel Live
•Jerry Foley, Late Show With David Letterman
•Jonathan Krisel, Portlandia
•Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Directing For A Variety Special
•Louis J. Horvitz, The Kennedy Center Honors
•Hamish Hamilton and Bucky Gunts, London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony
•Louis C.K, Louis C.K.: Oh My God
•Don Mischer, The Oscars
•Michael Dempsey, 12-12-12: The Concert For Sandy Relief

Cable Dominates Third Annual Critics' Choice TV Awards

Broadcast Television Journalists Association Announces Winners of the 3rd Annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards

The Big Bang Theory is Most Honored Series and HBO is Most Awarded Network

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) tonight announced the winners of the 3rd annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards. The star-studded gala awards dinner to acknowledge and honor the best in television was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel earlier this evening.

There was a tie for Best Drama Series with Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones sharing the honor while The Big Bang Theory won in the Best Comedy Series category.

There was also a tie for Best Reality Series, which went to Duck Dynasty and Push Girls. Best Reality Series-Competition went to The Voice for the second year in a row. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart was honored as Best Talk Show, Archer was honored as Best Animated Series for the second year in a row, and Behind the Candelabra was honored as Best Movie/Miniseries. HBO was the most awarded network with five wins followed by FX with four wins.

Actors Bryan Cranston and Louis C.K. won Best Actor in a Drama Series for Breaking Bad and Best Actor in a Comedy Series for Louie, respectively, and both for the second consecutive year. Tatiana Maslany was honored as Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role in Orphan Black while Julia Louis-Dreyfus won for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in Veep.

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series went to Parenthood’s Monica Potter. Southland’s Michael Cudlitz was named Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Kaley Cuoco and Eden Sher tied for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy for their roles in The Big Bang Theory and The Middle, respectively. Simon Helberg won Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in The Big Bang Theory. Jane Fonda won Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series for The Newsroom, and Patton Oswalt won Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series for his role on Parks and Recreation, marking the second year the series was awarded in this category.

Tom Bergeron of Dancing with the Stars was honored as Best Reality Host for the second year in a row. Michael Douglas was recognized as Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries for his work in Behind the Candelabra, while Elizabeth Moss was named Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries for her role in Top of the Lake. Zachary Quinto won Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Mini-Series and Sarah Paulson won Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Mini-Series for their roles in American Horror Story: Asylum.

In addition, The Bridge, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Masters of Sex, The Michael J. Fox Show, Ray Donovan and Under the Dome were honored as Most Exciting New Series.

BTJA honored Bob Newhart with the Critics’ Choice Television Icon Award, which Henry Winkler presented to the legendary comedian.

BTJA also partnered with thalo Magazine to recognize Bunheads with the thalo’s Critics’ Choice Inspiration Award, which honors a television show for illuminating the fine arts in its subject matter and production methods, along with the individuals who infuse those productions with their artistic passions.

Presenters included: Malin Akerman (Suburgatory), Angela Bassett (American Horror Story), Laura Carmichael (Downton Abbey), Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly), Hugh Dancy (Hannibal), Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance), Yossi Dina (Beverly Hills Pawn), Josh Gad (1600 Penn), Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory), Seth Green (Family Guy), Allison Janney (West Wing), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), Maria Menounos (Extra), Garrett Morris (2 Broke Girls), Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men), Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory), Cory Oliver (Beverly Hills Pawn), Jack Osbourne (Alpha Dogs), Adam Pally (Happy Endings), Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story), Aubrey Plaza (Parks & Recreation), Zachary Quinto (American Horror Story), Kevin Rahm (Mad Men), John Ratzenberger (Legit), Emmy Rossum (Shameless), Jimmy Smits (Sons of Anarchy), Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) and Sam Trammell (True Blood).

The Critics’ Choice Television Awards honored programs and performances that aired between June 1, 2012 and May 31, 2013, except for the Most Exciting New Series, which are shows premiering after June 1, 2013. Two new categories debuted this year including Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Mini-Series and Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Mini-Series. The full winners tally is included below.

The 3rd annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards were executive produced by Bob Bain for Bob Bain Productions.

About BTJA
The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) is a partner organization to the Broadcast Film Critics Association. BTJA includes TV, radio and Internet journalists who cover television on a regular basis. For more information, visit: www.CriticsChoice.com


WINNERS OF THE 3rd ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE TELEVISION AWARDS

Best Comedy Series: The Big Bang Theory – CBS

Best Actor in a Comedy Series: Louis C.K., Louie – FX

Best Actress in a Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep - HBO

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Simon Helberg, The Big Bang Theory – CBS

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Tie):
Kaley Cuoco, The Big Bang Theory – CBS
Eden Sher, The Middle – ABC

Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series: Patton Oswalt, Parks and Recreation – NBC

Best Drama Series (Tie):
Breaking Bad – AMC
Game of Thrones – HBO

Best Actor in a Drama Series: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad – AMC

Best Actress in a Drama Series: Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black – BBC America

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Michael Cudlitz, Southland - TNT

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Monica Potter, Parenthood – NBC

Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series: Jane Fonda, The Newsroom – HBO

Best Movie or Mini-Series: Behind the Candelabra – HBO

Best Actor in a Movie or Mini-Series: Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra - HBO

Best Actress in a Movie or Mini-Series: Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake – Sundance

Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Mini-Series: Zachary Quinto, American Horror Story: Asylum – FX

Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Mini-Series: Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Asylum – FX

Best Reality Series (Tie):
Duck Dynasty – A&E
Push Girls – Sundance

Best Reality Series–Competition: The Voice – NBC

Best Reality Series Host: Tom Bergeron, Dancing with the Stars – ABC

Best Talk Show: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – Comedy Central

Best Animated Series: Archer – FX

Critics’ Choice Television Icon Award: Bob Newhart

thalo’s Critics’ Choice Inspiration Award: Bunheads – ABC Family

Most Exciting New Series:
The Bridge - FX
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - ABC
Masters of Sex - Showtime
The Michael J. Fox Show - NBC
Ray Donovan - Showtime
Under the Dome - CBS

Review: "Basic Instinct" is Still a Killer (Happy B'day, Sharon Stone)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 129 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Basic Instinct (1992)
Running time: 123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence and sensuality and for drug use and language
DIRECTOR: Paul Verhoeven
WRITER: Joe Eszterhas
PRODUCER: Alan Marshall
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jan De Bont, A.S.C.
EDITOR: Frank J. Urioste, A.C.E.
COMPOSER: Jerry Goldsmith
Academy Award nominee

THRILLER/CRIME/MYSTERY

Starring: Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Denis Arndt, Leilani Sarelle, Bruce A. Young, Chelcie Ross, Dorothy Malone, Wayne Knight, and Daniel von Bargen

The subject of this movie review is Basic Instinct, a 1992 erotic thriller and mystery film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by the great Joe Eszterhas. The film follows a police detective in charge of the investigation of a brutal murder and a beautiful and seductive woman who could be involved.

Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) is a tough, but vulnerable San Francisco detective – vulnerable because he’s under the watchful eye of Internal Affairs after he’d shot and killed some tourists during a pursuit of suspects. Nick has also complicated his life by having intimate relations with the therapist, Dr. Beth Garner (Jeanne Tripplehorn), his bosses are making him see.

The story begins after a prominent community member is found bound and brutally murdered (stabbed with an ice pick) in his blood-soaked bed. Nick’s life and job get even more convoluted when he and his partner, Gus Moran (George Dzundza), are assigned to be the lead detectives in the case. The prime suspect is Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), a cold, calculating, and beautiful novelist with an insatiable sexual appetite. Catherine takes an immediate interest in Nick and delves into his past, but is she using him for reference in her new novel or is she dragging Nick into an even more dangerous game. As the bodies pile up, Nick wonders if a jealous rival of Catherine’s or of his and Catherine’s relationship is out to frame her… and kill him. Or is Catherine behind all the murders?

Basic Instinct was one of the most talked about and controversial movies of 1992. Protests from gay rights groups marred the film’s production shoot after the script was leaked and it was learn that all the murder suspects in the film were lesbian characters. When the film was finally released, Basic Instinct’s explicit sex, tawdry subject matter, and riveting crime plot made it one of the year’s biggest box office hits and the poster child for those who believed sex and violence in Hollywood films had finally crossed too many lines.

But the film was good… no, great. Hot sex, hot girls, beautiful locations in San Francisco and the surrounding area, swanky sets, multiple plausible murder suspects, and a cop nearly out of his mind chasing hot ass – Basic Instinct was and still is a thoroughly delightful adult thriller. Director Paul Verhoeven created a murder mystery in the tradition of films such as Out of the Past and Murder, My Sweet. If Basic Instinct weren’t a color film, it would be a modern Film-Noir classic.

There were good performances all around, and the best were Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone’s. The duo had great screen chemistry, and Ms. Stone played the part for all it was worth, making her a top-billed, highly paid actress for the next few years. Rarely had there been so much sexual tension, distrust, dishonesty, and brazenness between a screen couple that couldn’t stop “being” with one another, and Douglas coolly played the role on the way to solidifying his position as an A-list actor.

One element that was absolutely necessary in making Basic Instinct such a sexy thriller is the Oscar-nominated score (Best Music, Original Score) by the late Jerry Goldsmith (1929-2004). Haunting and alluring, it helps the film capture some of the screen magic of crime films from the golden age of Hollywood. Goldsmith also provided the right musical themes and rhythms to go with Michael and Sharon’s pummel-your-partner love scenes.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
1993 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Film Editing” (Frank J. Urioste) and “Best Music, Original Score” (Jerry Goldsmith)

1993 Golden Globes, USA: 2 nominations: “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Jerry Goldsmith) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Sharon Stone)

1992 Cannes Film Festival: 1 nomination: “Palme d'Or” (Jerry Goldsmith)

1993 Razzie Awards: 3 nominations: “Worst Actor” (Michael Douglas, also for Shining Through -1992), “Worst New Star” ("Sharon Stone's 'Tribute to Theodore Cleaver'"), and “Worst Supporting Actress” (Jeanne Tripplehorn)

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Review: In "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" Michael Douglas is Still King

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 9 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)
Running time: 133 minutes (2 hours, 13 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for brief strong language and thematic elements
DIRECTOR: Oliver Stone
WRITERS: Allan Loeb and Stephen Schiff (based upon characters created by Stanley Weiser and Oliver Stone)
PRODUCER: Edward R. Pressman, Eric Kopeloff, and Oliver Stone
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Rodrigo Prieto (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: David Brenner and Julie Monroe
Golden Globe nominee

DRAMA

Starring: Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, Vanessa Ferlito, John Buffalo Mailer, Eli Wallach, Austin Pendleton, Oliver Stone and Charlie Sheen

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, a film from Oliver Stone, is a sequel to Stone’s 1987 movie, Wall Street. Money Never Sleeps is set 23 years after the original and revolves around the 2008 financial crisis. It focuses on a young trader working to unite a legendary Wall Street figure with his daughter, the trader’s girlfriend. As good as it is, however, the new film does not resonate the way the original did.

The film opens in 2001 with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), the Wall Street titan of the first film, being released from federal prison after serving eight years for insider trading and securities fraud. Jumping seven years later, the film shifts focus to Jacob “Jake” Moore (Shia LaBeouf), a trader at Keller Zabel, a major Wall Street investment bank. Jake is trying to raise 100 million dollars to fund a fusion research project. Keller Zabel, however, is in trouble, and the firm’s managing director, Louis Zabel (Frank Langella), who is also Jake’s mentor, goes down with his firm.

In the aftermath, Jake proposes to his girlfriend, Winnie Gekko (Carey Mulligan), Gordon Gekko’s daughter. Jake also meets Gordon and retries to reunite him with Winnie, who wants nothing to do with her father. Behind Winnie’s back, Jake and Gekko plot revenge against Bretton James (Josh Brolin). The CEO of investment firm Churchill Schwartz, James helped bring down Keller Zabel. Gekko also has a score to settle, but Jake is about to learn how troublesome Gekko is to friend and foe alike.

The original Wall Street was about power, insiders, information, influence, and greed. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is about lying, cheating, and a monstrous form of greed that will eat and/or destroy everything around it, regardless of the damage done or even potential harm done to itself. With that kind of subject matter, Money Never Sleeps should be a better film than it is. It is certainly a good film, with excellent performances, but it never reaches its potential.

Neither the film’s writers nor Stone, its director, seem able to distinguish what Money Never Sleeps’ focus is supposed to be. Is it about Jake and Gekko or Jake versus Bretton James or Jake and Gekko versus Bretton? Is it about Jake trying to reunite Gekko with his estranged daughter, Winnie? The film tries all these plots and storylines, but mostly leaves them with unsatisfying and/or half-done resolutions.

Where as the first film had the central conflict of Douglas’ Gordon Gekko versus Charlie Sheen’s Bud Fox (who makes a cameo in the new film), Money Never Sleeps lacks a strong central conflict. The first film dealt with insider trading, giving the audience clear details into how this illegal practice works. Because the bugaboo of the new film is the confusing matter of derivatives, the screenplay avoids the details, and the movie suffers for it.

The performances are all good. Shia LaBeouf is surprising and holds his own against Michael Douglas, affirming that the young actor can be a leading man. Douglas gets better with age, and he has been good for longer than LaBeouf has been alive. It is easy to forget how capable Douglas is of being subtle, as he gives Gekko more layers than the viewer can count.

Watching Douglas, it becomes obvious that even if the new movie is about the new players on Wall Street, the movie loves the smartest, most dangerous, and most enigmatic player, Gordon Gekko. One of the reasons that Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is good is because it has the strongest element from the first film, Gekko. Despite its strengths, the new film cannot come up with anything of its own that is as memorable as Gordon Gekko.

7 of 10
B+

NOTES:
2011 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Michael Douglas)

Friday, January 28, 2011

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