Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 22nd to 31st, 2026 - UPDATE #11

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

NETFLIX - From WorldofReel:  Netflix will apparent not release "The Adventures of Cliff Booth" this summer.  The film is set immediately after the events depicted in director Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (2019).  Brad Pitt, who won a "Best Supporting Actor" Oscar for the film will reprise his role of "Cliff Booth."

AMAZON - From EW:  Sophie Turner, the star of Amazon's highly anticipated "Tomb Raider" series, has been injured on the series' set, causing a halt in production.  Turner, who starred in "Game of Thrones," plays heiress and adventurer, Lara Croft.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 3/27 to 3/29/2026 weekend box office is Amazon-MGM Studios' "Project Hail Mary" with an estimated take of 54.5 million dollars.

HULU - From Deadline:  Actor Himesh Patel will join actress Danielle Deadwyler in Hulu's reboot of the former FX sci-fi drama, "The X-Files."  Oscar-winner Ryan Coogler will write and direct the pilot and will produce.  Jennifer Yale will serve as the series showrunner, and Chris Carter, creator of the original series, will serves as one the reboot's executive producers.  Deadwyler and Patel will not play Agents Scully and Mulder; they will reportedly play new characters.

MUSIC - From Variety:  Paul McCartney has released his first new music in five years, a single entitled "Days We Left Behind."  McCartney has a new album, "The Boys of Dungeon Lane," which is due May 29th, 2026.

MOVIES - From Variety:  In one of the stranger recent news items in entertainment comes word that talk show host, Stephen Colbert, and his son, Peter McGee, will join "Lord of the Rings" franchise veteran, Philippa Boyens, will write a new LOTR film, "The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past."  That film will go into production after "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum."

TELEVISION - From WorldofReel:  Quentin Tarantino is set to write and co-direct, with Sylvester Stallone, a 1930s-set gangster series. Described as a six-part series, it will be shot in black and white using 1930s cameras. The series featuring gangsters, showgirls, boxing, but there are no cast details.  Apparently, Stallone will not be acting on screen, only directing.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 3/20 to 3/22/2026 weekend box office is Amazon/MGM's "Project Hail Mary" with an estimated take of 80.58 million dollars.

OBITS:

From THR:  American film and television actor, James Tolkan, has died at the age of 94, Thursday, March 26, 2026.  Tolkan was best known for playing "Principal Gerald Strickland" in "Back to the Future" (1985) and "Back to the Future II" (1989), and "U.S. Marshall James Strickland" in "Back to the Future III" (1990).  Other notable film roles include "Serpico" (1973), "Top Gun," and "Masters f the Universe" 1987), to name a few.  Tolkan appeared in multiple episodes of such TV series as "Mary" (starring the late Mary Tyler Moore), "Remington Steele," and "Nero Wolfe," among others.

From DailyMail:  The veteran animator, director, and storyboard artist, Barry Caldwell, has died at the age of 60, March 2026.  A groundbreaking Black artist and animation veteran, Caldwell directed five episodes of "Tiny Toon Adventures" and 16 episodes of "Animaniacs."  Beginning his career at Filmation in 1979, Caldwell was a storyboard artist on such series as "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids," "The New Adventures of Zorro," "Blackstar," and "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe," to name a few.  He would move on to other animation companies, including Warner Bros. and Disney, where he worked on such series as "The Smurfs" (1981), "Alvin and the Chipmunks" (1983), "Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers" (1989), and "Pinky and the Brain," to name a few.  Caldwell won a "Daytime Emmy Award" and was nominated two other times for his work on "Animaniacs."

From Variety:  American actress, Valerie Perrine, has died at the age of 82, Monday, March 23, 2026.  Perrine may be best known for playing Lex Luthor's girlfriend, Miss Teschmacher, in "Superman: The Movie" (1978) and in "Superman II " (1980).  She earned as Academy Award nomination in the category of "Best Actress" for "Honey Bruce" in "Lenny" (1974), the biopic about comedian Lenny Bruce.  She also won the "Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress" (1975) and earned a BAFTA nomination and an award for the role of "Honey Bruce."  Her other notable film appearances include roles in "Slaughter-Five" (1972) and "The Electric Horseman" (1980).  Perrine appeared in a number of TV films and series, and that includes "Sweet Bird of Youth" (1989), ER (1995), and "Nash Bridges" (1996).

From Deadline:  Canadian actress, Carrie Anne Fleming, has died at the age of 51, Thursday, February 26, 2026 of complications related to breast cancer.  Fleming was best known for her recurring roles on two television series from The CW, "iZombie" and "Supernatural."  She also appeared in such TV series, as "Smallville," "Supergirl" and "The 4400."

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 8th to 14th, 2026 - UPDATE #8

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

DISNEY/PIXAR - From Newsweek:  Director Joseph Kahn, best known for his work in music videos, has publicly called out Disney after the company scrapped a Pixar movie that Kaha says reflects Disney's broader rollback of LGBTQ+ representation.  Kahn calls this shift the "De‑Gayification" of the studio.  The name of cancelled Pixar film is "BeFri."  Directed by Kristen Lester, this original film looks at the "platonic break-up" of two girls' longstanding friendship.  "BeFri" was three years into its development.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning for "King Conan," a new Conan the Barbarian movie.  It is in development at 20th Century Studios and has the "Mission: Impossible" franchise’s Christopher McQuarrie attached to write and direct, sources have confirmed to the movie news website, "Deadline."  Although representatives for 20th Century Studios declined to comment for Deadline, Schwarzenegger broke the news himself in an appearance at the "Arnold Sports Festival" in Columbus, Ohio this past weekend (March 5th-8th, 2026).

From SlashFilm:  In additions to a new Arnold Schwarzenegger Conan film ("King Conan"), there will supposedly be a new Schwarzenegger "Predator" film, the first since his starring role in the 1987 original.  There is also reportedly a script for "Commando 2," which be a sequel to the 1985 film, "Commando."

DISNEY - From Variety:  Disney has apparently confirmed that Kathryn Hahn will play "Mother Gothel" in its live-action remake of his hit animated film, "Tangled" (2010).

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Original "Rambo" actor, Sylvester Stallone, will be an executive producer on Lionsgate, Millenium Media, and AGBO' prequel film about the life of "John Rambo" before his original appearance in the 1982 movie classic, "First Blood."  Actor Noah Centineo has taken over as John Rambo, and Jalmari Helander ("Sisu") is directing the film which is currently filming in Bangkok, Thailand.

AWARDS - From Deadline:  The winners at the Writers Guild of America's 2026 / 78th annual WGA Awards have been announced.  Writer-director Ryan Coogler took the "Original Screenplay" for "Sinners," and Paul Thomas Anderson won "Adapted Screenplay" for "One Battle After Another." The link leads to an article with the WGA Awards complete winners list.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 3/6 to 3/8/2026 weekend box office is Disney/Pixar's "Hoppers" with an estimated take of 46 million dollars.

STAGE - From WorldofReel:  Quentin Tarantino has reportedly written a play.  It is described as a "classic British-style farce comedy, filled with slapstick chaos, awkward mishaps, and characters constantly mistaken for someone else."  Tarantino is eyeing a 2027 debut in London's West End, maybe even a late 2026 debut.

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OSCARS:

From Variety:  "Variety" offers its final Oscar winner predictions in every category at the 2026 / 98th Academy Awards.

From THR:  The nominations for the 2026 / 98th Academy Awards have been announced.  Director Ryan Coogler's Sinners leads with history-making 16 nominations, including for "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Coogler), and Best Actor (Michael B. Jordan).  The winners will be announced March 15, 2026.

From Truthout:  Directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman, the 2025 documentary film, "The Alabama Solution," is one of five nominees in the category of "Best Documentary Feature."  The film chronicles the horrific conditions inside the state of Alabama's prisons.  The incarcerated men who produced footage for "The Alabama Solution" were abruptly transferred to solitary this month (January).

From TheGuardian:  Director Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" earned 16 Oscar nominations at the 98th Academy Awards, the most in the 98-year history of the awards.  The previous record is 14, held by "All About Eve" (1950), "Titanic" (1997), and "La La Land" (2016).

From Variety:  With her fifth Oscar nomination, for "Best Costume Designer" for "Sinners," Ruth E. Carter is now the most Oscar-nominated Black woman in the history of the Academy Awards.

From Truthout:  One of the five nominees for this year's "Best International Feature" Academy Award is "The Voice of Hind Rajab."  Representing the nation of Tunisia, the film is a mix of drama and documentary, and it tells the story of Hind Rajab, a five-year old girl who was killed January 29, 2024 by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during the Israeli invasion of the Gaza strip.

From YahooEntertainment:  At the age of 73, actor Delroy Lindo finally gets his first Oscar nomination - in the category of "Best Supporting Actor" for "Sinners."  The actor also talks about being "profoundly disappointed" by previous Academy snubs.

From EW:  Oscar-nominee Kirsten Dunst is not pleased that her husband, previous Oscar-nominee, Jesse Plemons, was not Oscar-nominated for his work in the recent acclaimed film, "Bugonia."

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 7th to 13th, 2025 - UPDATE #13

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

AWARDS - From CBR:  The nominations for the 2026 / 83rd Golden Globes Awards have been announced.  Cynthia Erivo received a "Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy" nod for playing "Elphaba" in "Wicked: For Good," while Ariana Grande was recognized in "Best Supporting Actress" for the role of "Glinda."  Last year, both women received the nominations in the same categories for the same roles in the first film, "Wicked" (2024). This is a first in the history of the Golden Globes. 

From Billboard:  Cynthia Erivo has become the first Black woman to received two "Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy" Golden Globe nominations.  She received her nomination for "Wicked: For Good" after receiving her first last year for "Wicked."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 12/5 to 12/7/2025 weekend box office is Universal Pictures' "Five Nights at Freddy's 2" with an estimated take of 63 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Slate:  "Slate" writer Sam Adams has a very thoughtful piece on Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films, which have returned to theaters in a combined form, entitled "Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair," which is different and longer than the 2011 version of "The Whole Bloody Affair."

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American voice actor and radio personality, Jim Ward, has died at the age of 66, Wednesday, December 10, 2025.  Among his best known work was playing the voice of "Captain Qwark" in the "Ratchet and Clank" video game series.  He also voiced "Doug Dimmadome" and "Chet Ubetcha" in the long-running Nickelodeon animated series, "The Fairly OddParents."  He also played voice roles in such series as "Ben 10," "Biker Mice from Mars," and "Wolverine and the X-Men," to name a few.  In 2009, he won a Daytime Emmy Award for his work on "Biker Mice from Mars."

From TMZ:  American actor, stand-up comedian, and voice performer, Jeff Garcia, has died at the age of 48, Wednesday, December 10, 2025.  A beloved voice actor, Garcia was best known for performing the voice of the character, "Sheen Estevez," in the 2001 animated film, "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius;" and the Nickelodeon animation television spinoffs, "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius" (2002-06) and "Planet Sheen" (2010-13).  Garcia also played Sheen in other Nickelodeon "Jimmy Neutron" TV movies and specials.  Garcia was also a series regular on the former syndicated sitcom, "Mr. Box Office" (2012-13). 

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MOVIE AWARDS 2025-26:

From AwardsWatch: The winners at the 2025 Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) Awards have been announced.  "One Battle After Another" picked up nine wins, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Paul Thomas Anderson)

From AwardsWatch:  The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) have announced the winners at the 17th Annual AAFCA Awards.  Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" won 8 awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Ryan Coogler), and "Best Actor" (Michael B. Jordan).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2025 Michigan Movie Critics Guild (MMCG) Awards have been announced.  Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" won 8 awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Ryan Coogler), and "Best Actor" (Michael B. Jordan).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2025 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) Awards have been announced.  Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" won 10 awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Ryan Coogler), and "Best Actor" (Michael B. Jordan).

From AwardsWatch:  The 2025 Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) Awards winners have been announced.  "One Battle After Another" picked up four wins, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Paul Thomas Anderson).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners of the 2025 / 51st Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards have been announced.  "One Battle After Another" picked up three wins, including "Best Film" and "Best Director" (Paul Thomas Anderson).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2025 National Board of Review Awards have been announced.  "One Battle After Another" picks up five wins, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Paul Thomas Anderson), and "Best Actor" (Leonardo DiCaprio).

From THR:  The nominations for the 2026 / 83rd Annual Golden Globes have been announced.  "One Battle After Another" leads the film categories with nine nominations. HBO's "The White Lotus" leads the television category with six nominations.  The winners will be announced January 11, 2026 in a ceremony broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.

From AwardsWatch:  The Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) has announced the nominations for the 2025 SFCS Awards.  Director Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" leads with a record-tying 14 nominations.  Eventual "Best Picture" Oscar winner, "Everything Everywhere All At Once," received 14 nominations in 2022.  The winners will be announced Monday, December 15, 2025.

From AwardsWatch:  The 2025 / 9th Atlanta Film Critics Circle has announced its winners.  "One Battle After Another" picks up seven wins, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Paul Thomas Anderson), and "Best Actor" (Leonardo DiCaprio).

From Variety:  The winners of the 2025 / 91st New York Film Critics Circle Awards have been announced.  Director Paul Thomas Anderson's film, "One Battle After Another" wins "Best Film."  The awards will be handed out at a gala ceremony on January 6, 2026 at "Tao Downtown" in New York City.

From Deadline:   The winners at the 2025 / 35th Annual Gotham Awards have been announced.  Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s "One Battle After Another" won "Best Feature." Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi and his Palme d’Or winner, "It Was Just An Accident" were the big winners, picking up "Best International Feature," "Best Director," and  "Original Screenplay."

From AwardsWatch:  Twenty films have made crossed the first hurdle in the race for the "Best Visual Effects" Oscar.  Those films include "Avatar: Fire and Ash," "Captain America: Brave New World," "Frankenstein," and "Sinners."  In a little under two weeks, those 20 will be cut down to 10.

From AwardsWatch:  The site has a list of all 322 films eligible for Oscar consideration in the animated, documentary, and international film categories.

From THR:  The nominations for the 2026 / 38th European Film Awards have been announced.  the winners will be announced at the 38th European Film Awards ceremony, which takes place January 17, 2026.

From Deadline:  Last week (Oct. 14th), the European Film Academy shortlisted the 67 films were available to receive nominations for the 38th European Film Awards, taking place on January 17, 2026.  The shortlist included 44 feature films, 15 documentary films, and eight animated feature films.  Among the list of feature films were "Bugonia" and "Sound of Falling."  The nominations are scheduled to be announced today (Oct. 18th).

From THR:  The nominations for the 2025 / 35th Annual Gotham Films Awards have been announced.  Director Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" tops the list of nominees with a record six nominations, including "Best Feature" and "Best Director" for Anderson.  The winners will be announced December 1, 2025.

BEST PICTURE TRACKER:

"One Battle After Another" (7 wins):  Atlanta Film Critics Circle; Chicago Film Critics Association; Gotham Awards; Los Angeles Film Critics Association; National Board of Review; New York Film Critics Circle; Toronto Film Critics Association

"Sinners" (3 wins):  African American Film Critics Association; Michigan Movie Critics Guild; Washington DC Area Film Critics Association

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 17th to 23rd, 2025 - UPDATE #7

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

TELEVISION - From Variety:  "Dexter: Origins" will not get a Season 2, although it was initially renewed.  "Dexter: Resurrection" is getting its writers room ready for a Season 2.

MUSIC - From EW:  TV and musical icon, Donny Osmond, talks about the "offensive" advice he once got from his friend, the late cultural icon and legendary entertainer, Michael Jackson.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  There is a trailer for "Anemone," the first film starring Oscar-winner Daniel Day-Lewis in eight years.  The film is also the directorial debut of Daniel's son, Ronan Day-Lewis.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  The cast of director Doug Liman's XR (Extended Reality) sci-fi thriller, "Asteroid."  Among the cast is Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, DK Metcalf (formerly of the Seattle Seahawks).

TELEVISION - From Variety:  MSNBC will change its name to "MS Now" once it and several cable networks are separated from their corporate parent, NBCUniversal, into a new publicly traded company called "Versant."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/15 to 8/17/2025 weekend box office is Warner Bros' "Weapons" with an estimated take of 25 million dollars.

NETFLIX - From Deadline: Quentin Tarantino explains why he is not directing "The Adventures of Cliff Booth," a Netflix spinoff of his film, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."  David Fincher is directing the film.

OBIT:

From Variety:  The English actor, Terence Stamp, has died at the age of 87, Sunday, August 17, 2025.  His breakout performance in the film, "Billy Budd" (1962), earned him an Oscar nomination for "Best Supporting Actor."  Three years later, Stamp received a "Best Actor Award" at the Cannes Film Festival" for "The Collector" (1965).  His best known film roles include "General Zod" in "Superman II" (1981), "Bernadette Bassenger" in "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" (1994), "Wilson" in "The Limey" (1999), and "Supreme Chancellor Fenis Valorum" in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" (1999).

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 15th to 21st, 2025 - UPDATE #14

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

MOVIES - From THR:  Oscar-winning director, Danny Boyle, gives a career spanning interview about his career and about his new film, "28 Years Later."

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  A collection of memorabilia from the late director, David Lynch, earns 4.25 million dollars at auction.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Fine-ass actor Jason Isaacs talks about pay equity on the HBO series, "The White Lotus." Each actor makes $40000 per episode.

NETFLIX - From Variety:  Oscar-winner Katherine Bigelow has a new film, "A House of Dynamite."  It will have a brief theatrical run before streaming exclusively globally on Netflix Oct. 24th, 2025.

OSCARS - From THR:  The board of governors for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has announced that Tom Cruise will received an "Honorary Oscar."  The other recipients of that honor this year are actress/producer/choreographer Debbie Allen and production designer Wynn Thomas.  Dolly Parton will receive the "Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award."  These honors will be bestowed at the 16th annual "Governors Awards.

BUSINESS - From Variety:  Warner Bros. Discover boss, David Zaslav will see his pay decrease (such as it is) in the wake of the proposed split of WBD into two separate companies.  Zaslav will see a significant reduction in his target annual compensation, including lowered his annual cash compensation opportunity, and reorientation of the total pay mix toward long-term incentives.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline: Veteran actor Al Pacino met the newly elected pontiff, Leo XIV, at the Vatican on Monday (June 16th).  Pacino met the Pope alongside Andrea Iervolino, the Italian producer behind "Maserati: The Brothers," a biopic about Italy’s legendary Maserati family that stars Pacino, Anthony Hopkins, and Andy Garcia. 

OSCARS - From Variety:  Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm, wants the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to present Disney CEO Bob Iger with an "Honorary Oscar." Not everyone is enamored with that idea.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Carla Gugino is the latest to join Brad Pitt in Netflix's "The Adventures of Cliff Booth."  The film will be directed by David Fincher and it is written by Quentin Tarantino as a follow-up to his Oscar-winning film, "Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood."  Cliff Booth, the sidekick of Leonardo DiCaprio's "Rick Dalton" in the 2019 film, is now a Hollywood fixer in the Netflix film.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 6/13 to 6/15/2025 weekend box office is Universal Studios/DreamWorks Animation's "How to Train Your Dragon" with an estimated take of 83.7 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Famed director Steven Spielberg has filmed a new, special introduction to his landmark 1975 film “Jaws,” which will air over three hours on Friday, June 20th, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC — the exact 50th anniversary date of when it was released. The NBC screening and Spielberg’s introduction are just some of the plans NBCUniversal has to mark the anniversary.

OBITS:

From THR:  American film, television, and stage actress, Lynn Hamilton, has died at the age of 95, Thursday, June 19, 2025.  Hamilton was best known for the recurring role of "Donna Harris," the girlfriend and later fiance of "Fred G. Sanford" on the former NBC sitcom, "Sandford and Son" (1972-77).  From 1973 to 1981, she also had the recurring role of "Verdie Foster" on the CBS drama, "The Waltons."  Hamilton also had main roles on two early 1990s soap opera series, "Dangerous Women" and "Generations."  Her film roles included appearances in such noted Black films as "Buck and the Preacher" (1972) and "Lady Sings the Blues" (1972).

From Variety:  American chef and television personality, Anne Burrell, has died at the age of 55, Tuesday, June 17, 2025.  Burrell was best known for her association with the "Food Network" cable network.  She debuted on the network by serving as the sous chef of Mario Batali during his six-season run on "Iron Chef America: The Series"  Burrell's first Food Network series was "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" (2008-12) as its "presenter."  She cohosted on "Worst Cooks in America" from 2010-2024.  She also cohosted "Chefs Wanted with Anne Burrell" (2012-13).  In 2011, Burrell received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in the category of "Outstanding Lifestyle/Culinary Host" for her work on "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef."

From Deadline:  Television screenwriter and producer, Terry Louise Fisher, has died at the age of 79, Tuesday, June 10, 2025.  Fisher was a producer and writer on the former CBS crime drama, "Cagney & Lacey."  Her best known work as the former NBC legal drama, "L.A. Law" (1986-94), that she co-created with super-producer, Steven Bochco."  Fisher and Bochco also co-created the former ABC drama-comedy, "Hooperman" (1987-89), which starred the late John Ritter.  She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award seven times and won three:  "Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series" once (for "L.A. Law") and "Outstanding Drama Series" twice (once each for "Cagney & Lacey" and "L.A. Law").

From Deadline:  Film, television, and stage actor, Harris Yulin, has died at the age of 87, Tuesday, June 10, 2025.  In film, he was best known for roles in such films as "Scarface" (1983), "Clear and Present Danger" (1994), and "Training Day."  He played the obstinate "Judge Stephen Wexler" who has to be rescued by the Ghostbusters in "Ghostbusters II" (1989).  He was a recurring or guest star in such series as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "24," and "Ozark," to name a few.  He received an "Outstanding Guest Actor in Comedy Series" Primetime Emmy nomination for his role in a 1996 episode of the former NBC sitcom, "Frasier."

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 26th to 31st, 2025 - UPDATE #11

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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

NEWS:

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Tyler Perry's slate of "Netflix" films and series, includes a new "Madea" film, a new Taraji P. Henson, headliner, and the "She the People" show.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Matthew Lillard is one of the latest "Scream" legacy actors to join the cast of "Scream 7," which is due February 2026.

NETFLIX - From Variety:  Netflix is going to produce a new version of Laura Ingells Wilder's beloved book series, "Little House on the Prairie."  I'm guessing everyone remembers the former NBC drama, "Little House on the Prairie" (1974-83).

MOVIES - From Variety:  Christopher Nolan will shot part of his adaptation of "The Odyssey" on "goat island" where scholars say Odysseus landed with his crew.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  At Sundance 2025, Quentin Tarantino reveals that he hasn't been making movies lately because he is in no hurry to jump into production.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney dropped a teaser trailer during Sunday's NFL AFC Championship game (Jan. 26th) for the upcoming FX/Hulu series, "Alien: Earth."  Developed by Noah Hawley, the series is set two years before the events depicted in the film, "Alien" (1979).

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 1/24 to 1/26/2025 weekend box office is Lionsgate's "Flight Risk" with an estimated take of 12 million dollars.

MOVIES - From THR:  "Barbarian" director Zach Cregger will co-write and direct the latest attempt at rebooting the "Resident Evil" movie franchise, which is based off the legendary video game.  Constantin Film, which has held the film rights for at least a quarter-century, will produce the reboot with Playstation Productions.  Four studios, including Warner Bros. and Netflix, are vying to distribute the film.

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MOVIE AWARDS:

From THR:  The winners for the 2025 / 82nd Annual Golden Globes have been announced.  "Emilia Perez" won "Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy" and "Best Motion Picture - Non-English Language."  "The Brutalist" won "Best Motion Picture - Drama."  "Wicked" won in the new category, "Cinematic and Box Office Achievement."  "Flow" won "Best Motion Picture - Animated."

From AMPAS:  The nominations for the 2025 / 97th Academy Awards have been announced the winners will be announced Sunday, March 2, 2025.

From THR:  The nominations for the 2025 / 36th Producers Guild of America Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Sat. Feb. 8th.

From BBC:  The nominations for the 2025 / 78th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) have been announced.  "Conclave" leads with 12 nominations.  The winners will be Sunday, Feb. 16th, 2025.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2025 / 77th Annual Directors Guild Awards have been announced.  In the awards' marquee category, "Theatrical Feature Film," the nominees are Jacques Audiard ("Emilia Perez"), Sean Baker ("Anora"), Edward Berger ("Conclave"), Brady Corbet ("The Brutalist"), and James Mangold ("A Complete Unknown").  The winners will be announced February 8th.

From EW:  The Screen Actors Guild has cancelled the 2025 / 31st SAG Awards nominations announcement live-stream because of the current wildfires sweeing through the Los Angeles area.  The nominations will be announced Thursday morning, January 9th via press release and on SAG Awards website.  The SAG Award ceremony will be hired Feb. 23rd.

From AwardsWatch:  The nominations for the 2025 / 56th Annual NAACP Image Awards have been announced.  Netflix's "The Piano Lesson" leads with 14 nominations.  The winners will be announced February 21st and 22nd.

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) Awards have been announced.  "Anora" was named "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The International Press Academy has announced the winners at the 2025 / 29th Satellite Awards in Motion Pictures and Television.  "The Brutalist" won "Motion Picture, Drama" and "Anora" won "Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS) Awards have been announced.  "Dune: Part Two" has been named "Best Film."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Pittsburgh Film Critics Association (PFCA) Awards have been announced. This is the association inaugural awards announcement.  "The Substance" was named "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Chicago Independent Critics (CIC) Awards have been announced.  "The Substance" has won seven awards, including "Best Indepent Film," "Best Director" (Coralie Fargeat), and "Best Actress" (Demi Moore).  "Dune: Part Two" won "Best Studio Film."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC) Awards have been announced.  "Emilia Perez" wins "Best Movie About Women."  Coralie Fargeat's "The Substance" wins "Best Movie By a Woman" (directing)

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the annual Portland Critics Association (PCA) Awards have been announced.  "The Brutalist" won in 10 of the 13 categories in which it was nominated, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Brady Corbet), and "Best Actor" (Adrien Brody). 

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 North Dakota Film Society (NDFS) Awards have been announced.  "Anora" won five awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Sean Baker), and "Best Actress" (Mikey Madison).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Hawaii Film Critics Society (HFCS) Awards have been announced.  "The Brutalist" took four awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Actor" (Adrien Brody). 

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) Awards have been announced.  "The Wild Robot" won two awards - "Best Picture" and "Best Animated Feature."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners of the Minnesota Film Critics Association (MNFCA) Awards have been announced.  "The Brutalist" has taken five awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Brady Corbet), and "Best Actor" (Adrien Brody). 

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Music City Film Critics Association (MCFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Dune: Part Two" has won four awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Denis Villeneuve).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Georgia Film Critics Association (GFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Anora" won four awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Sean Baker), and "Best Actress" (Mikey Madison).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners of the 2024 Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ) EDA Awards have been announced.  "The Brutalist" has won "Best Film."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Anora" won five awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Sean Baker), and "Best Actress" (Mikey Madison).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) Awards have been announced.  "The Substance" has won six awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Coralie Fargeat), and "Best Actress" (Demi Moore). 

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Greater Western New York Film Critics Association (GWNYFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Challengers" has won "Best Film" and "Best Director" (Luca Guadagnino).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 DiscussingFilm's Global Film Critics Awards have been announced.  "Nickel Boys" won "Best Picture."

From EW:  The nominations for the 2025 / 82nd Annual Golden Globes have been announced.  "Emilia Perez" leads with 10 nominations.  The winners will be announced January 5, 2025 on CBS and Paramount+.

From THR:  The winners at the 2025 National Society of Film Critics (NSFC) Awards have been announced. "Nickel Boys" has won the award for "Best Picture" of 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) Awards have been announced.  "Conclave" won five awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Edward Berger), and "Best Actor" (Ralph Fiennes).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Conclave" has won three awards, including "Best Narrative Film."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Columbia Film Critics Association (COFCA) Awards have been announced. "The Substance" has won four awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Coralie Fargeat), and "Best Actress" (Demi Moore), 

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 29th Capri, Hollywood-International Film Festival Awards have been announced. "Emilia Perez" won six awards, including "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Critics Association of Central Florda (CACF) Awards have been announced.  "Anora" has been named "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 UK Film Critics Association (UKFCA) Awards have been announced. "Dune: Part Two" won "Film of the Year" and "Best Director" (Denis Villeneuve).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) Awards have been announced. "Anora" has won four awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Sean Baker), and "Best Actress" (Mikey Madison).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Online Association of Female Film Critics (OAFFC) Awards have been announced.  "The Substance" won six awards, including "Best Director" (Coralie Fargeat). and "Best Leading Performance" (Demi Moore).  "The Substance" shared the "Best Film" honor with "Anora."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Philadelphia Film Critics Circle (PFCCA) Awards have been announced.  "Anora" won six awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Sean Baker), and "Best Actress" (Mikey Madison).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) Awards have announced.  "The Beast" has won "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Bertrand Bonello).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Nevada Film Critics Society (NFCS) Awards have been announced.  "The Brutalist" has taken six awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Brady Corbet), and "Best Actor" (Adrien Brody). 

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Dublin Film Critics Circle (DFCC) Awards have been announced.  "The Zone of Interest" was named "Best Film" and its director, Jonathan Glazer, won "Best Director."  Although the film was released in Dublin this year, it was eligible for the Academy Awards in 2023.

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critic Association (DFWFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Anora" has won three awards: "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Sean Baker), and "Best Actress" (Mikey Madison).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners of the 2024 Southeastern Film Critics Associations (SFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Anora" has been named "Best Film."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Iowa Film Critics Association (IFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Anora" won three awards: "Best Film," "Best Director" (Sean Baker), and "Best Actress" (Mikey Madison).

From AwardsWatch: The winners at the 2024 New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO) Awards have been announced.  "The Substance" has won "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Coralie Fargeat)

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) Awards have been announced.  "The Substance" has been named "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Phoenix Film Critics Society (PFCS) Awards have been announced.  "The Brutalist" has been named "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners of the 2024 Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) Awards.  "The Substance" has won six awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Coralie Fargeat), and "Best Leading Performance" (Demi Moore), and "Best Supporting Performance" (Margaret Qualley).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Nickel Boys" has won "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (RaMell Ross)

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Awards have been announced. "Dune: Part Two" has won three awards, including "Film" and "Best Director" (Denis Villeneuve).

From AwardsWatch:  The Producers Guild of America (PGA) has announced the nominations in the category of "Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures." The winners at the 2025 / 39th Annual Producers Guild Awards will be announced Saturday, February 8, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Awards have been announced. "Anora" has been named "Best Film."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA) Awards have been announced. "The Brutalist" has taken five awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Brady Corbet), and "Best Actor" (Adrien Brody). 

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) Awards have been announced.  "Dune: Part Two" has won six awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Denis Villeneuve).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Nickel Boys" has won "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (RaMell Ross). "Sing Sing" has won "Best Actor" (Colman Domingo) and "Best Supporting Actor" (Clarence Maclin).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Phoenix Critics Circle (PCC) Awards have been announced.  "The Brutalist" has been named "Best Picture."  The films four total wins including for "Best Director" (Brady Corbet) and "Best Actor" (Adrien Brody).

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Chicago Film Critics (CFC) Awards have been announced.  "The Brutalist" has won "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners of the 2024 San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Awards have been announced.  "Sing Sing" won "Best Picture," won of three awards it received.

From AwardsWatch:  The winners of the 2024 Michigan Movie Critics Guild (MMCG) Awards have been announced.  "Anora" was named "Best Picture," one of its four wins.

From AwardsWatch:  The winners of the 2024 Atlanta Film Critics Circle Awards have been announced.  "Anora" was named "Best Film," one of four awards it won.

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Washington Area Film Critics Association Awards have been announced.  "Wicked" has won the award for "Best Feature."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners of the 49th Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards have been announced.  "Anora" was named "Best Picture."  Marianne Jean-Baptiste (for "Hard Truths") became the first Black woman to win a lead performance honor in the groups history.

From AwardsWatch:  The winners for the 2024 / 27th British Independent Film Awards have been announced.  The Irish film, "Kneecap," wins "Best British Independent Film."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2024 Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC) have been announced.  "Anora" wins "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Sean Baker), "Best Actress" (Mikey Madison), and "Best Original Screenplay."

From AFI:  The American Film Institute has named its top ten films and television series.  Among the films honored are "Dune: Part Two," "Nickel Boys," and "Wicked."

From THR:  The winners at the 2024 / 37th European Film Awards have been announced.  "Emilia Perez" wins the award for "European Film."  It also won the directing (Jacques Audiard), writing (Audiard), and actress (Karla Sofia Gascon) honors.

From NBR:  The National Board of Review has named its 2024 film honorees.  "Wicked" wins "Best Film" and "Best Director" (for John M. Chu).

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2025 / 40th Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced.  Cannes 2024 Palme d'Or winner, "Anora," and "I Saw the TV Glow" each lead with six nominations apiece.  The winners will be announced Saturday, February 22, 2025.

From Deadline:  The winners of the 2024 / 90th New York Film Critics Circle Awards have been announced.  Director Brady Corbet's three-hour epic, "The Brutalist," has won "Best Film" and its star, Adrian Brody, has won "Best Actor."

From Variety:  The winners at the 2024 / 34th Gotham Awards have been announced.  Writer-director Aaron Schimberg's "A Different Man" has won the "Best Feature" award.

From Deadline:  The 2024 / 34th Gotham Awards kick off the 2024-25 movie awards season by announcing its nominations for achievement in film.  Director Sean Baker's "Anora," which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes this year, leads with four nominations.  The winners will be announced Monday, December 2, 2024.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2024 / 27th British Independent Film Awards have been announced.  The Irish film, "Kneecap," leads with 14 nominations. The winners will be announced Sunday, December 8, 2024.

BEST PICTURE WINNER COUNT:

From AwardsWatch:  This link will take you, dear readers, to "AwardWatch's" article, "Who Won What? - The 2024/2025 Film Award Precursor Guide."

"Anora": 16 wins (Atlanta Film Critics Circle; Austin Film Critics Association; Boston Society of Film Critics; CACF: DFWFCA; Georgia Film Critics Association; IFCA; LAFCA; Michigan Movie Critics Guild; North Dakota Film Society; OAFFC; NTFCA; Philadelphia Film Critics Circle; Satellite Awards; SFBAFCC; SFCA)

"The Beast": 1 win (Florida Film Critics Circle)

"The Brutalist": 12 wins (AWFJ; BOFCA; Chicago Film Critics; Golden Globes-Drama; HFCS; MNFCA; Nevada Film Critics Society; NYFCC; Phoenix Critics Circle; Phoenix Film Critics Circle; Portland Critics Association; Satellite Awards)

"Challengers": 1 win (GWNYFCA)

"Conclave":  2 wins (North Carolina Film Critics Association; Oklahoma Film Critics Circle)

"A Different Man": 1 win (Gotham Awards)

"Dune: Part Two" - 6 wins (Chicago Independent Critics; LVFCS; Music City Film Critics Associations; St.LFCA; UKFCA)

"Emilia Perez":  4 wins (Capri, Denver Film Critics Society; Hollywood-International Film Festival Awards; European Film Awards; Golden Globes-Comedy or Musical; WFCC)

"Kneecap": 1 win (British Independent Film Awards)

"Nickel Boys": 4 wins (AAFCA; DiscussingFilm; National Society of Film Critics; TFCA)

"Sing Sing": 1 win (San Diego Film Critics Society)

"The Substance": 9 wins (Chicago Independent Critics; COFCA; Indiana Film Journalists Association; KCFCC; NYFCO; OAFFC; Pittsburgh Film Critics Association; Seattle Film Critics Society; WFCC)

"Wicked": 2 wins (National Board of Review; WAFCA)

"The Wild Robot":  1 win (Utah Film Critics Association)

----

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 1st to 6th, 2024 - UPDATE #12

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

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ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:  The winner of the July 4th box office is "Despicable Me 4" with an estimated take of 20.4 million dollars.

CELEBRITY - From EW:  Famous actor Kevin Bacon disguised himself as a regular person for a day and discovered that, compared to fame, it sucks.

MOVIES - From THR:  "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" director Matt Molloy said he kept turning down offers from super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer until he said yes to the new "Beverly Hills Cop" film.

FILM FESTIVALS - From Deadline:  Director Tim Burton's new film, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," will open the 81st Venice Film Festival on Aug. 28th. The film is the sequel to his 1988 Oscar-winning hit, "Beetlejuice."

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Sony teases that more information will come about Quentin Tarantino's 10th and alleged final film. Earlier this year, it was announced that Tarantino had scrapped his plans to make a movie called "The Movie Critic."

NETFLIX - From THR:  Netflix has won the rights to "RIP," a thriller from Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's production company.  Directed by Joe Carnahan, the film also stars Damon and Affleck.

JAMES BOND - From WorldofReel:  Edward Berger ("All Quiet on the Western Front") is the latest name to pop up as a potential director to helm the next James Bond film franchise reboot.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Universal moves tentpole musical, "Wicked" to November 22nd where it will open against Paramount Pictures' "Gladiator II."

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  Disney/Pixar's "Inside Out 2" has crossed the 1 billion dollar mark (1.014 billion dollars) at the global box office, which is the fastest ever for an animated film.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  We are approaching the 50th anniversary of the legendary blockbuster film, Jaws (1975). There are two documentaries about the film, dueling for attention, "Jaws: Making a Splash in Hollywood" and "Jaws @ 50."

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American film producer, Jon Landau, has died at the age of 63, Friday, July 5, 2024.  Landau was best known for his association with writer-director James Cameron and was the COO of Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment.  Landau shared the "Best Picture" Oscar win with Cameron for the 1997 film, "Titanic."  He also received "Best Picture" Oscar nominations for "Avatar" (2009) and "Avatar: The Way of Water" (2022).

From Deadline:  American screenwriter and director, Robert Towne, has died at the age of 89, Monday, July 1, 2024.  He was best known for his work on the 1975 film, Chinatown," for which he was the "Best Original Screenplay" Oscar.  He was also nominated for Academy Awards for his work on "The Last Detail" (1974), "Shampoo" (1976), and "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan" (1984). He wrote and directed four films, including "Personal Best" (1982) and "Tequila Sunrise" (1988).

From Deadline:  American film editor, producer, and director, Bud S. Smith, has died at the age of 88, Sunday, June 23, 2024.  He edited or co-edited such films as "The Karate Kid" (1984), "To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), "Darkman" (1990), and "The Replacements" (2000).  He shared two Oscar nominations for his editing work on "The Exorcist" (1973) and "Flashdance" (1983).

Review: "PULP FICTION" is Still a Wild Child

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 23 of 2024 (No. 1967) by Leroy Douresseaux

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Running time:  154 minutes (2 hours, 34 minutes)

MPAA – R for strong graphic violence and drug use, pervasive strong language and some sexuality

DIRECTOR:  Quentin Tarantino

WRITERS:  Quentin Tarantino; from stories by Roger Avary and Quentin Tarantino

PRODUCER:  Lawrence Bender

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Andrzej Sekula

EDITOR:  Sally Menke

Academy Award winner

CRIME/DRAMA

Starring:  John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Phil LaMarr, Frank Whaley, Paul Calderon, Bronagh Gallagher, Rosanna Arquette, Eric Stoltz, Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Walken, and Harvey Keitel

Pulp Fiction is a 1994 crime film from writer-director Quentin Tarantino.  The film follows the lives of an ensemble of characters, including two mob hit men, a boxer, a pair of armed robbers, and a gangster and his wife in a series of intertwined tales of violence and redemption.

Thirty years ago, this month, May 1994, brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the then co-chairmen of Miramax Films, blew into France with the entire cast of Pulp Fiction for the 47th Cannes Film Festival.  On or about May 21, 1994, the Weinsteins unveiled Pulp Fiction at a midnight screening.  From what I read lo those many years ago, that screening cause a sensation.  Pulp Fiction would go on to win the festival's top prize, the “Palme d'Or,” for Tarantino.

I had been putting off seeing Pulp Fiction during its initial release, but it was re-released in the spring of 1995 in the run-up to the 67th Academy Awards (March 27, 1995).  Pulp Fiction had been nominated for seven Oscars.  A friend encourage me to see it with her, which I think we did a week or so before the Oscars.  I'd seen Reservoir Dogs (1992), which I considered to be an exceptional film of that time, but even the uncommon nature of Reservoir Dogs did not prepare me for the demented nature of the audacious art that was (and still is) Pulp Fiction.  In preparation for this film, I recently rewatched Tarantino's other early films, Jackie Brown (1997) and Reservoir Dogs.

Told out of chronological order, Pulp Fiction is set in and around Los Angeles.  It opens in a diner, where a couple, Pumpkin/Ringo (Tim Roth) and Honey Bunny/Yolanda (Amanda Plummer), decide to pull of an armed robbery. Elsewhere, two hit men, Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent Vega (John Travolta), seek to retrieve a brief case that belongs to their employer, crime boss Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), from a small group of thieves who tried to double-cross Wallace.

Later, Vega takes Wallace's wife, Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman), out to dinner – by request of Marsellus.  They banter.  They dance.  They deal with an overdose.  Also, a palooka boxer, Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis), double-crosses Marsellus.  Now, he's on the run, but before the night is done, Butch and Marsellus will find themselves delivered into evil.  Finally, Jules meets Pumpkin and Honey Bunny.

Reservoir Dogs is “neo-noir,” which is a modern versions of “Film-Noir,” a term that refers to the stylized Hollywood dramas – especially crime dramas – covering a period from the 1930s to the 1960s.  So if Reservoir Dogs is “neo-noir,” Pulp Fiction recalls another vintage American genre of fiction, the storytelling of the pulp magazines and hard-boiled crime novels of the mid-20th century.  Tarantino grabs the lurid, exploitative, and sensational, and also the violence and corruption that were featured in some pulps and crime novels and grafts that onto Pulp Fiction's non-linear narrative tale of people living, working, cheating, screwing, and killing in the criminal underground of L.A.

Three decades later, I find that some of the film has not aged will, such as the opening scene at the diner and the early parts of the misadventures of Vincent and Jules.  The rest of the film still sparkles with cinematic magic, as Tarantino delights in the myriad elements of both American pop culture and international cinema that he borrows (or steals) for this film.  I will say that this film's last act – the diner scene featuring Vincent & Jules and Pumpkin & Honey Bunny – is what keeps Pulp Fiction in place as one of the best films of the 1990s.  If I can divide films into increments of a quarter-hour or so, I'd say that Pulp Fiction's last 17 minutes before the end credits form the one of the best sequences of film that I have ever seen.

Seeing it again, I was frozen in place, mesmerized, and riveted by the power of this moment in American cinema.  Honestly, Samuel L. Jackson,who was nominated for a “Best Supporting Actor” Oscar for his work in this film, should have won the award based solely on his performance in this last act of Pulp Fiction.  And I say that even as I believe that the actor who did win, the late Martin Landau for Tim Burton's Ed Wood, was deserving of the Oscar.

Back in 1994, at the moment Dick Dale & His Del-Tones' 1962 surf rock anthem, “Misirlou,” blasts across the film's soundtrack, Pulp Fiction injected some much needed juice and venom into American cinema, even if some rejected that injection at the time.  Someone once described Pulp Fiction as a “succulent guilty pleasure.”  I'll still suck on it, and I won't feel guilty about its pleasures.

10 of 10

Saturday, May 25, 2024

NOTES:

1995 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win: “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary); six nominations: “Best Picture” (Lawrence Bender), “Best Actor in a Leading Role” (John Travolta), “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (Samuel L. Jackson), “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” (Uma Thurman), “Best Director” (Quentin Tarantino), and “Best Film Editing” (Sally Menke)

1995 BAFTA Awards:  2 wins: “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (Samuel L. Jackson) and “Best Screenplay – Original” (Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary); 7 nominations: “Best Film” (Lawrence Bender), “Best Actor” (John Travolta), “Best Actress” (Uma Thurman), “Best Cinematography” (Andrzej Sekula) “David Lean Award for Direction” (Quentin Tarantino), “Best Editing” (Sally Menke), and “Best Sound” (Stephen Hunter Flick, Ken King, Rick Ash, and Dean A. Zupancic)

1995 Golden Globes, USA:  1 win: “Best Screenplay-Motion Picture: (Quentin Tarantino); 5 nominations: “Best Motion Picture – Drama,” “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Quentin Tarantino), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (John Travolta), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Uma Thurman), and “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Samuel L. Jackson)

1994 Cannes Film Festival:  1 win: “Palme d'Or” (Quentin Tarantino)

2013 National Film Preservation Board, USA:  National Film Registry

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "RESERVOIR DOGS" is Still Running These Mean Streets

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 20 of 2024 (No. 1964) by Leroy Douresseaux

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Running time:  99 minutes (1 hour, 39 minutes)

MPAA – R for strong violence and language

DIRECTOR:  Quentin Tarantino

WRITER:  Quentin Tarantino

PRODUCER:  Lawrence Bender

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Andrzej Sekula

EDITOR:  Sally Menke

DRAMA/CRIME

Starring:  Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Randy Brooks, Kirk Baltz, Edward Bunker, Quentin Tarantino, and (voice) Steven Wright

Reservoir Dogs is a 1992 drama and crime film from writer-director Quentin Tarantino.  It is Tarantino's debut film and is the film that brought him to the attention of movie audiences, film critics, and movie studios.  Reservoir Dogs focuses on the aftermath of jewelry heist gone wrong as each surviving criminal tries to find out which of his cohorts is a police informant.

Reservoir Dogs opens in a diner and introduces eight gangsters.  The boss is Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney), and he and his son, “Nice Guy” Eddie Cabot (Chris Penn), are plotting the heist of jewelry store that has obtained some pricey, fine-cut diamonds.  Joe has put together a crew to pull off what seems like a routine robbery, and he has given them nicknames or aliases so that they don't know each other's “Christian names.”

Larry Dimmick (Harvey Keitel) is “Mr. White.”  Freddy Newendyke (Tim Roth) is “Mr. Orange.”  “Toothpick” Vic Vega (Michael Madsen) is “Mr. Blonde.”  The other three are “Mr. Pink” (Steve Buscemi), “Mr. Blue” (Edward Bunker), and “Mr. Brown” (Quentin Tarantino).

However, the heist turns out not to be routine because it was like the cops were waiting for them.  Now, two of the six robbers are dead.  Four of them are hold-up in a warehouse.  One of them is grievously wounded, and one of them has shown up with a young police officer, Marvin Nash (Kirk Baltz), he kidnapped.  If they are going to make it out of their current predicament, however, they are going to have to discover which of them ratted the rest out to the police.

This year is the thirtieth anniversary of the original theatrical release of Quentin Tarantino's most famous film, Pulp Fiction.  It's also the 30th anniversary of the film's debut at the 47th Cannes Film Festival.  Before I take a look at that film in its entirety for the first time in thirty years, I decided to go back and watch Reservoir Dogs in its entirety for the first time in over thirty years.

Over the last few decades, I have seen many films referred to as “neo-noir,” because they are modern versions of “Film-Noir.”  This term refers to the stylized Hollywood dramas – especially crime dramas – of the 1930s to the 1960s.  The 1940s and 1950s are seen as the classic period of Film-Noir.  I believe that Reservoir Dogs is legitimately neo-noir because it recalls two of my favorite Film-Noir classics, John Huston's The Asphalt Jungle (1950) and Stanley Kubrick's The Killing (1956), especially the latter of which Reservoir Dogs borrows several ideas and elements.  Early on, it is also clear that the nonlinear narrative that Tarantino uses in Reservoir Dogs is similar to that of Akira Kurosawa's classic period drama, Rashomon (1950).

Reservoir Dogs introduces audiences to what would become Tarantino narrative hallmarks:  pop culture references; gory violence, hard-hitting action, nonlinear storytelling, and a heady mixture of songs from the 1960s and 1970s.  In this case, the music is introduced by an unseen radio DJ, K-Billy, voiced by comedian and actor, Steven Wright.  At the time, however, those didn't feel like hallmarks.  They were new, and over thirty years later, they still feel new, not like things that are now director trademarks which in many ways define Tarantino's career and process.  Even watching the film now, I see them as clever flourishes from a young director with a lot of potential.

Yes, the dialogue does not always sparkle, but every moment of this film bursts with potential even.  That is true even when the nonlinear storytelling reveals that the entire process of the jewelry store heist seems like a thing inadvertently built on a house of holes.

Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Steve Buscemi provide the strong performances that often keep Reservoir Dogs from seeming like a shallow work of plagiarisms.  The bring depth, weight, and substance to ideas that might falter in the hands of lesser talents.  Chris Penn and Lawrence Tierney make for a believable father-son duo, and the film's lone Black actor, Randy Brooks, as the police official, Holdaway, dominates every scene in which he appears.

Thirty-two years later, I am now wondering why I haven't watched Reservoir Dogs more often.  It, along with Tarantino's next two feature films, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown (1997), form Tarantino's purest filmmaking period.  Without the big budgets he would get in his twenty-first century films, he had to be clever about the places he flexed himself, whereas now he can indulge his every whim.  His characters were vulnerable and living on the margins as regular people, low-level criminals, and cheap hoods.  In his films of the last two decades, the characters are flashy anti-heroes and rebels played by some of Hollywood biggest stars.  Reservoir Dogs has not aged well simply because it has not aged.  It still feels like a star recently born.

8 of 10

A

★★★★ out of 4 stars

Thursday, May 2, 2024

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