Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 7th to 13th, 2021 - Update #22

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney+ has provided a first look at Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy in "Hocus Pocus 2," the sequel to their 1993 Halloween cult classic.  "Hocus Pocus 2" is due Fall 2022.

BREAKING/CELEBRITY - From Variety:   The conservatorship over Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Britney Spears, has been terminated after 13 years, a California court has determined.

TELEVISION - From THR:  "And Just Like That," the sequel to the beloved series, "Sex in the City," has a premiere date (Dec. 9th on HBO Max) and a trailer.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  MGM is developing a "Road House" reboot with actor Jake Gyllenhaal and director Doug Liman circling the project.

CELEBRITY - From THR:  In a big feature interview, sexy actor Henry Cavill talks about "The Witcher," "Mission: Impossible," Superman, and James Bond...

COVID-19 - From THR:  Hollywood projects get stricter about COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

TECH - From Variety:  Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson is selling the VFX division of his company, Weta Digital, to Unity Software, a 3D game development platform.  Eventually, the deal will make Weta's VFX tools and tech will be available to creators all over the world.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo will portray Glinda and Elphaba, respectively, in Universal’s big-screen adaptation of the Tony-winning musical, "Wicked." The film will be directed by Jon M. Chu.

MOVIES - From THR:   Leonardo DiCaprio is in final talks to play infamous cult leader, Jim Jones, in a film for MGM that he will also produce.

OSCARS - From THR:  30 hopeful films enter the race for "Best Picture" at the 2022 / 94th Academy Awards.

From THR:  The Academy Awards promises 10 nominees in the "Best Picture" category at the 94th Oscars.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 11/5 to 11/7/2021 weekend box office is Disney/Marvel Studios' "Eternals" with an estimated take of 71 million dollars.

From Negromancer:   My review of "Eternals."

MOVIES - From Insider:  Director Jason Reitman talks about working on "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," a franchise he's avoided his whole life, and the connection to his father who directed the original films.

MOVIES - From THR:  Regina Hall is teaming with Robert De Niro to make a sequel to De Niro's 1988 film, "Midnight Run."  In the original, De Niro played a bounty hunter tracking  a mob accountant played by the late, great Charles Grodin.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Vin Diesel has asked Dwayne Johnson to return to the "Fast & Furious" franchise for the series' final two films.  Diesel and Johnson have been at odds since the making of "The Fate of the Furious."

TELEVISION - From THR:  Tyler Perry, who does all the writing for his television series, said that his plan is to bring in other writers and directors for his TV shows sometime in the next three to four years.

TELEVISION - From ShadowandAct:  Filmmaker Deon Taylor and rapper "Master P" are developing an scripted television series based on Master P's life.

MOVIES - From THR:  Acclaimed director and Oscar-winning screenwriter, Jane Campion, talks about her new film, "The Power of the Dog" (with Benedict Cumberbatch) and why she won't do a "Marvel movie."

OBITS:

From THR:  American producer, manager, and boxing promoter, Jeff Wald, has died at the age of 77, Friday, November 12, 2021.  Wald had many celebrity clients, including his ex-wife, the late singer-songwriter, Helen Reddy.  Wald was married to Reddy and managed her at the height of her career in the 1970s.  He also managed legendary comedian George Carlin and box office superstar, actor Sylvester Stallone.

From Deadline:  The former child performer and veteran actor, Dean Stockwell, has died at the age of 85, Sunday, November 7, 2021.  Stockwell began his film career as a child actor in 1945, appearing a several films, including "Anchors Aweigh" with Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly.  Stockwell may be best known for the role of "Admiral Al Calavicci" in the former NBC sci-fi drama, "Quantum Leap" (1989-93), for which he received four Primetime Emmy nominations in the category of "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series."  Stockwell also earned a "Best Supporting Actor" nomination for his role in Jonathan Demme's 1988 film, the crime comedy, "Married to the Mob."

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

"RUST" ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING DEATH:

From Deadline:  This link will take you to Deadline's Halyna Hutchins page, which articles related to everything about her shooting death on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From Deadline:  Serge Svetnoy, the gaffer on "Rust," has filed a lawsuit against several parties related to the film, including the production, the financiers, star Alec Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, and first Assistant Director David Halls.

From THR:   In the wake of the tragic accidental shooting on the set of his film, "Rust," Alec Baldwin on Monday took to social media to urge Hollywood to employ a police officer on every film and TV set that uses guns.

From THR:   The budget for "Rust" - Alec Baldwin was set to earn $150,000 as lead actor and $100,000 as producer, while $7,913 was earmarked for armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and $17,500 was set aside for the rental of weapons and $5,000 for rounds.

From Deadline:  Attorneys for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the set of the film, "Rust," said that they’re looking into whether a live bullet was placed in a box of dummy rounds with the intent of  “sabotaging the set.”

From THR:   Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the film, "Rust," released a statement through her lawyers.  She says she had “no idea where the live rounds came from” that were recovered by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's during the investigation of the accidental on-set shooting death of Halyna Hutchins.

From Jacobin:  An opinion piece says that cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' death on the set of the film, "Rust," was not a freak accident, but was about Alec Baldwin and his fellow producers' cost-cutting decisions.  Baldwin accidentally fired the gun that killed Hutchins.

From Deadline:   Two of executive producers on "Rust," Allen Cheney and Emily Salveson, disavow responsibility for the film's troubled production.

From THR:   Iconic "Ghostbusters" actor Ernie Hudson is reeling from the news of the death of Halyna Hutchins, like the rest of Hollywood. Hudson also appeared in the film, "The Crow," the film in which its star, Brandon Lee, was killed because of an on-set accidental shooting.  He also agrees with the call to ban real guns from movie sets.

From THR:  The Sheriff of Sante Fe County says that his office has recovered three guns and 500 rounds of ammunition from the set of the movie "Rust" where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed.

From Deadline:  Regarding criminal charges in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust," District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis, "all options are on the table - no one has been ruled out."

From THR:  Does Hollywood Need Guns? Will new regulations lead to an overreactions to a tragedy.

From Deadline:   "Rust" producers have opened an internal investigation into the fatal shooting on the set of the Western film.  They have hired outside lawyers to conduct interviews with the film's production crew.

From Deadline:  "Rust's" AD (assistant director), Dave Halls, has come under scrutiny in the wake of the on-set shooting death of the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The affidavit of Sante Fe Sheriff's Department Detective Joel Cano has been made public. It can be read at "Deadline."  The affidavit was for a search warrant from the property were the Western, "Rust," was being filmed.

From THR:  The production company behind "Rust" has shut the film down until the police investigation into the fatal, on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is through.  The Sante Fe County Sheriff's Office has also revealed a timeline of the shooting.

From Deadline:  The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department confirmed Thursday night that Alec Baldwin “discharged” a prop gun on the New Mexico set of the movie, "Rust."  As a result, one crew member, director of photography Halyna Hutchins, was killed and director Joel Souza was injured and remains in a local hospital - his condition unknown.

From THR:  "Rust" director, Joel Souza, who was wounded in the accidental on-set shooting, says that he is "gutted" by the death of his cinematographer on the film, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The fatal shooting on the set of "Rust" may have been "recorded" according to detective for Santa Fe Sheriff's Department.

From Deadline:  The production company behind the film, "Rust," will launch an internal safety review after the fatal accident that killed Halyna Hutchins; possible prior gun incidents; and a camera crew walkout.

From CNN:   Crew member yelled "cold gun" as he handed Alec Baldwin prop weapon, court document shows.

From Variety:  Actor Alec Baldwin releases statement on the death of Halyna Hutchins: "There are no words to convey my shock and sadness."

From Variety:  The prop gun that killed “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on during an on-set accident on Thursday contained a “live single round,” according to an email sent by IATSE Local 44 to its membership.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 20th to 30th, 2021 - Update #33

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

BLM - From VICE:   Robert L. Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) and America’s first Black billionaire, wants a reparations check. He wants it from the government. And he wants it to come with an apology for slavery, Jim Crow, and hundreds of years of racism.

SCANDAL - From Variety:   "Smallville" actress Allison Mack was sentenced to three years in federal prison for her part in the NXIVM cult on Wednesday morning in federal court in Brooklyn, NY.

MOVIES - From IndieWire: "F9" star Sung Kang finds its validating that acclaimed director, Christopher Nolan, has a "soft spot" for, "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" (2006), the third entry in the "Fast & Furious" saga and the one that introduced his Kang's character, "Han Lue."

MUSIC - From MJVibe:   According to the site, recent streaming sales data has made the late Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Michael Jackson, the solo artist with the highest sales of recording music.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Rian Johnson has alerted us. "Knives Out 2" has started production, as filming begins in Greece.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The winner of the 6/25 to 6/27/2021 weekend box office is "F9" with an estimated total of 70 million dollars.

From Variety:  "F9's" 70 million dollar weekend box office debut is the largest opening since the COVID-19 pandemic started affecting movie theaters in the North America.

From Variety:  The stars of "F9" react to its record-breaking box office success.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:   On that HBO asshole show, writer-director Quentin Tarantino insists he will retire after he directs a tenth film (his next) and that he thought about doing a reboot of his first film, "Reservoir Dogs."

EMMYS - From Deadline:  If you care, here is the full winners list from the 2021 / 48th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

DISNEY - From WeGotThisCovered:   Set photos from Disney's live-action "The Little Mermaid," reveals film's star, Halle Bailey, with reddish hair.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   "Supernatural" (2005-20) was one of the most important shows in the history of The CW.  Now, one of its stars, Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester), is joining his wife, Danneel Ackles, are working on a prequel series, "The Winchesters."

From Deadline:  Meanwhile, Jensen Ackles's "Supernatural" co-star, Jared Padalecki, is "bummed" about not being involved in the prequel series.

TELEVISION - From YahooEntertainment:  Courtney Cox was hurt that she was the only one of the six stars of the former NBC sitcom, "Friends," who was never nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award during the series' original run.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Paramount Pictures revealed the title and details about its seventh "Transformers" film, "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts."

DISNEY - From Collider:  Scarlett Johansson will star in and produce a film based on Disney's theme park attraction, "Tower of Terror."

DISNEY - From ABCNews:   Actor Harrison Ford, the one and only Indiana Jones, takes a break from filming "Indiana Jones 5" after injuring his shoulder on set.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  Tyler Perry and T.D. Jakes got the go-ahead from local authorities Thursday to purchase over 130 acres in Atlanta including a proposed expansion of Tyler Perry Studios for an entertainment district with theaters, retail shops and restaurants.

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:   "Fast & Furious" actor, Vin Diesel, talks about his feud with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson."

DISNEY - From Variety:    Rachel Zegler has been cast as Snow White in Disney’s upcoming remake of the classic fairytale. Zegler is making her feature film debut as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” which bows later in 2021, and will also appear in the superhero sequel to “Shazam.”

LGBTQ/SPORTS - From OutSports:   Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Carl Nassib became the first active NFL player in history to announce that he is gay.

SCANDAL - From TheDailyEdge:   A list of Republican and Trump-connected child rapists, sex traffickers, pedophile enablers and child porn offenders

OSCARS - From Deadline:    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Monday announced its newly elected 2021–2022 Board of Governors.

From WeGotThisCovered:   Warner Bros. reportedly wants Dwayne Johnson to joins its "Mortal Kombat" film franchise.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Mike Epps will play legendary comedian and actor Richard Pryor in Adam McKay's HBO drama series about the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers.  Three others actors have been cast, including Carina Conti as Paula Abdul.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Steven Spielberg has entered his Amblin Partners into a Netflix that will find the Amblin producing multiple films each year for Netflix.  Spielberg and Amblin will continue to produce films for Universal Pictures.

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 6/18 to 6/20/2021 weekend box office is "The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard" with an estimated take of 11.6 million dollars.

CULTURE - From YahooEntertainment:  Grammy Award-winning singer Macy Gray wrote an op-ed for "Market Watch, in which she called for the U.S. flag to be replaced: "It is tattered, dated, divisive and incorrect."  She has drawn cheers and rage.

 

From MarketWatch:   Opinion: "For Juneteenth, America needs a new flag that all of us can honor" by Macy Gray.

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

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Pacific Theatres Exhibition Corporation, which includes Arclight Cinemas, is really not set to reopen anytime soon. The exhibition company released a statement today that they’re filing Chapter 7 in order to liquidate their assets for creditors.

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:   Netflix has released a trailer for its African-American cast Western film, "The Harder They Fall," from director Jeymes Samuel which arrives in Fall 2021.

From YouTube:  Here is the trailer to Universal/Illumination's "Sing 2," the sequel to 2016's "Sing."  The film is due December 22, 2021.

From YouTube:  Here is the second trailer for Universal's "Candyman" reboot/re-imagining, which is due August 27th.

From YouTube:  Here is the official trailer for "Halloween Kills," which is due October 15th.

Review: "F9" is for the "Fast & Furious" Family of Fans

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 43 of 2021 (No. 1781) by Leroy Douresseaux

F9 (2021)
Running time: 145 minutes (2 hours, 25 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, and language
DIRECTOR: Justin Lin
WRITER: Justin Lin and Daniel Casey; from a story by Justin Lin, Daniel Casey, and Alfredo Botello (based on the characters created by Gary Scott Thompson)
PRODUCERS: Vin Diesel, Neal H. Moritz, Justin Lin, Jeffrey Kirschenbaum, Joe Roth, Clatyon Townsend, and Samantha Vincent
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Stephen F. Windon (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Greg D'Auria, Dylan Highsmith, and Kelly Matsumoto
COMPOSER: Brian Tyler

ACTION/CRIME/DRAMA

Starring:  Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, Charlize Theron, Jon Cena, Kurt Russell, Anna Sawai, Don Omar, Shea Whigham, Vinnie Bennett, Finn Cole, JD Pardo, Michael Rooker, Lucas Black, Shad Moss, Jason Tobin, Thue Ersted Rasmussen, Isaac and Immanuel Holtane, Cardi B, and Helen Mirren

F9 is a 2021 action movie from director Justin Lin and is produced by Universal Pictures.  It is the ninth installment in the Fast & Furious movie franchise (now also called the “Fast Saga”).  A direct sequel to 2017's The Fate of the Furious, F9 finds Dom and his racing family facing a powerful figure from Dom's birth family.

As F9 begins, Dominic “Dom” Toretto (Vin Diesel) has retired from his previous life.  He is living in seclusion with his wife, Letitia “Letty” Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez), and his son, Brian (Isaac and Immanuel Holtane), the child he conceived with his former girlfriend, the late Elena Neves.  Dom and Letty get a surprise visit from his team/family:  Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), Tej Parker (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel).  Their sometime compatriot, covert operative Frank Petty (Kurt Russell), a.k.a. “Mr Nobody,” apparently captured cyberterrorist, Cipher (Charlize Theron).  The plane in which Mr. Nobody was transporting Cipher was attacked by rogue agents, but Mr. Nobody was able to send a coded distress signal meant for Dom and his team.

The leaders behind this attack are Otto (Thue Ersted Rasmussen), the mysterious son of a very wealthy and politically powerful man, and Jakob (Jon Cena), a man who has close ties to Dom.  Soon, Dom's sister, Mia (Jordana Brewster), a former member of Dom's team, returns to join the hunt for Jakob.  They must stop Jakob and Otto before they can obtain and activate a device called “Aries,” which can hack into any computer system in the world.  Before this mission is over, however, Dom will have to reveal his past and his past mistakes, and he will need help from a few figures from his past – including one thought to be dead.

As I write this, it is the morning after I saw F9 at a Thursday night preview show.  I can say the same thing about F9 that I wrote about The Fate of the Furious in a review I wrote a few days ago.  I love F9.  It is the latest installment of a film franchise that has seen its over-the-top action become so … over-the-top that it is practically a kind of superhero and car chase movie series.  However,  F9 sends this franchise higher – literally – than it has ever gone before.  The ludicrous and ridiculous, but oh-so-fun set pieces are a hallmark of this franchise, but F9 actually takes two characters into space.  Gravity and physics are totally subverted, but “Fast & Furious” fans won't give a damn while watching F9 anymore than they did watching the last 12 years of this franchise.

I will give F9 credit, however, for inserting some dark and edgy family drama into the story, melodrama even darker and edgier than what The Fate of the Furious gave audiences.  And, as in that film, Vin Diesel gets to show his dramatic chops, and he reveals that Dom isn't right all the time, and that sometimes his errors really cost the people close to him.  I don't think F9 is quite as good as The Fate of the Furious because the new film's villains are not quite as diabolical as Fate's super-villain (the aforementioned Cipher).  Still, I like how F9 puts the family in the fast and the furious.

7 of 10
B+

Friday, June 25, 2021


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

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

Review: THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS is Perfectly 2 Fast 2 Furious

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 42 of 2021 (No. 1780) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Fate of the Furious (2017)
Running time: 136 minutes (2 hours, 16 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for prolonged sequences of violence and destruction, suggestive content, and language
DIRECTOR: F. Gary Gray
WRITER: Chris Morgan (based on the characters created by Gary Scott Thompson)
PRODUCERS: Vin Diesel, Neal H. Moritz, Chris Morgan and Michael Fottrell
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Stephen F. Windon (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Christian Wagner and Paul Rubell
COMPOSER: Brian Tyler

ACTION/CRIME/DRAMA

Starring:  Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Charlize Theron, Kurt Russell, Nathalie Emmanuel, Scott Eastwood, Elsa Pataky, Kristopher Hivju, Patrick St. Esprit, Luke Evans, and Helen Mirren

The Fate of the Furious is a 2017 action movie from director F. Gary Gray and was released by Universal Pictures.  It is the eighth installment in The Fast and the Furious movie franchise (now called the “Fast Saga”).  A direct sequel to 2015's Furious 7, The Fate of the Furious introduces a mysterious woman who has the power to turn Dominic Toretto into a terrorist.

As The Fate of the Furious begins, Dominic “Dom” Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Letitia “Letty” Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez) are on their honeymoon in Havana, Cuba.  While there, Dom meets a mysterious woman who turns out to be the elusive cyberterrorist, Cipher (Charlize Theron).  She has obtained something that she uses to coerce Dom into working for her.  Soon afterwards, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agent, Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), recruits Dom and his team – his family:  Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), Tej Parker (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) to retrieve an EMP device from a military outpost in Berlin.  However, Dom betrays them all and steals the device for Cipher, and Hobbs and Dom's family, including Letty, are branded criminals.

Intelligence operative and leader of a covert ops team, Frank Petty (Kurt Russell), a.k.a. “Mr Nobody,” arrives with his protege, Eric Reisner (Scott Eastwood), and he has an offer.  Mr. Nobody wants Hobbs and Dom's family to help him find Dom and capture the highly elusive Cipher.  Mr. Nobody also has a surprise for Hobbs and company.  He has recruited Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), the rogue British Special Forces assassin who was hunting Dom and his family until they defeated him and Hobbs and the DSS imprisoned him.  But will even Shaw be enough?  Cipher can disappear at will and with Dom at her side, she seems unbeatable.  Cipher's threat to the world and Dom's betrayal will test the family as never before.

When The Fate of the Furious was initially released to theaters in April 2017, I was too mired in family troubles to bother going to a movie theater to see it.  And quite frankly, after what I considered to be a barely average installment in Furious 7, I thought I was done with the franchise.  In fact, I didn't even watch The Fate of the Furious when it started playing on basic cable.  Recently, I saw a clip from the soon-to-be-released F9 (2021), and I was shocked to see Dominic Toretto playing with a baby.  A friend informed me of the events in The Fate of the Furious, and because he and I talked about seeing F9, I decided to rent The Fate of the Furious via Netflix.

Well, I will never doubt you again, Fast & Furious / Fast Saga.  I loved The Fate of the Furious.  This film franchise's over-the-top action has become so … over-the-top that it is practically a kind of superhero and car chase movie series.  These movies are fun, but I thought that the series had reached narrative exhaustion with Furious 7.  The Fate of the Furious was the hot-shot injection of jet fuel that the series needed, as far as I'm concerned.  And Vin Diesel may have given his best performance of the series in The Fate of the Furious.  He really seemed like an evil terrorist, but, at the same time, his grit and determination to manage the evil in order to protect his family feels genuine.

I also want to credit Universal Pictures and The Fate of the Furious in using Havana, Cuba as the setting for the film's opening scenes.  It is a love letter to a place that looks beautiful on film.  And The Fate of the Furious is also a crazy, mad, insane, and beautiful action movie.

8 of 10
A

Wednesday, June 23, 2021


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

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 18th to 24th, 2021 - Update #24

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS: 

AWARDS - From Deadline:   Back around April 11th, the winners at the 21st Annual Black Reel Awards were announced.  "Judas and the Black Messiah" won the "Outstanding Film" award.  Regina King's "One Night in Miami" wins the most awards, picking up five trophies.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:    CBS has renewed "NCIS: Los Angeles" for a 13th season.  It has give a straight-to-series order for "NCIS: Hawaii," which will be the first series in the franchise to have a female lead. The original "NCIS," was renewed for a 19th season.

OSCARS - From Esquire:  On the eve of the 93rd Academy Awards, writer Tom Nicholson ranks the previous 92 "Best Picture" Oscar winners.  No, "Crash" is not #92; it's #84.  "Cimarron" is #92. "Moonlight" is #1.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Star Vin Diesel and director F. Gary Gray will team-up for STXfilms action-comedy, "Muscle."  The film's story is being kept secret for the time being.

ANIMATION/LGBTQ - From YahooEntertainment:   Pixar is seeking "authentic" young performer to voice its first transgender character

AWARDS - From THR:  "Nomadland" wins "Best Feature" at the 2021 Film Independent Spirit Awards. This article includes a complete winners list.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Broadway and film super-producer, Scott Rudin, is now saying that he will step back from his film and streaming projects in the wake of the scandalous revelations about his abusive behavior towards those he works with and those who work for him.  Rudin previously announced that he would step back from his Broadway projects.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Netflix is nearing a deal on "Shout It Out Loud," a biographical film about the iconic rock band, KISS.  Apparently, the hopes are that it would do for KISS what the Oscar-winning "Bohemian Rhapsody" did for the rock band, Queen. 

From Deadline:  Actress Hillary Duff is set to headline "How I Met Your Father," a spinoff of the long-running CBS comedy series, "How I Met Your Mother" (2005-14).

BLACK HISTORY - From Variety:   Jamie Foxx, Halle Berry, and Kevin Hart are among the Black Hollywood figures behind a two-part Apple Original Films documentary about African-American achievement in Hollywood and about what it takes for Black actors to be successful in the film industry.

DISNEY - From Variety:   Disney and Sony Pictures have signed a massive licensing deal that will bring Sony films to multiple Disney streaming and broadcast and cable TV platforms.  The previously announced Netflix/Sony deals gives Netflix exclusive rights to Sony films in the post-theatrical "Pay 1" window.  The Disney/Sony deal gives Disney all subsequent TV windows.

GOLDEN GLOBES - From Deadline:  The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which hands out the Golden Globes, has expelled former 8-time president, South African-born Phil Berk, from the organization.  Berk recently sent an email to fellow members disparaging "Black Lives Matter" and one of its founders.

From Deadline:  Phil Berk, former 8-time president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (which hands out the Golden Globes), sent out an email to fellow HFPA members blasting the "Black Lives Matter" movement and co-founder Patrisse Cullors.  Fellow members push back at Berk, an 88-year-old South African.

BLM - From YahooNews:   Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted on all counts against him in the killing of African-American victim, George Floyd, nearly one year after kneeling on Floyd’s neck in an incident that sparked global protests against police brutality.  Chavin, a white man, was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Floyd on May 25, 2020.

ANIMATION - From Variety:   Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers (a current Oscar nominee for Disney/Pixar's "Soul"), and Justin K. Thompson have been tapped by Sony Pictures Animation to direct the sequel to the Oscar-winning animated feature “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 4/16 to 4/18/2021 weekend box office is "Godzilla vs. Kong" with an estimated take of 7.7 million dollars.

STREAMING - From EW:  Amazon is spending "upwards of 464 million dollars" to produce the first season of its "Lord of the Rings" TV series!

AWARDS - From Deadline:  The American Society of Cinematographers announced its 35th Annual ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards winners.  "Mank" won the "Theatrical Release" trophy.

From Deadline:  At the 2021 / 48th annual Annie Awards, Disney/Pixar's "Soul" wins "Best Feature" and "Wolfwalkers" wins "Best Indie Feature."  The two films were the big winners at the ceremony, with "Soul" winning seven awards and "Wolfwalkers" winning five.

From Deadline:   At the 2021 / 57th annual Cinema Audio Society Awards, Amazon Studios drama, "Sound of Metal," and Disney/Pixar’s "Soul" won out in top categories.

OBITS:

From Deadline:   Film and television producer, Charles "Chuck" Fries, has died at the age of 92, Thursday, April 22, 2021.  Fried was a prolific producer of films and of television series and movies.  He produced such films as "Cat People" (a 1982 remake) and "Troop Beverly Hills" (1989).  Fries is also considered a very important person in the development of the TV movie, especially "issue-oriented" films such as "Bitter Harvest" (1981) and "Small Sacrifices" (1989).

From YahooEntertainment:   Gregory Jacobs, the rapper and record producer best known as "Shock G" and "Humpty Hump," has died at the age of 57, Thursday, April 22, 2021.  As Shock G, Jacobs led the rap group, "Digital Underground," which had a hit in 1990's "The Humpty Dance."  Shock G also produced two tracks and provided background vocals on 2Pac/Tupac Shakur's debut album, "2Pacalypse Now" (1991).

From YahooEntertainment:   Scottish pop singer, Les McKeown, has died at the age of 65, Tuesday, April 20, 2021.  McKeown was the lead singer of the Scottish pop rock band, the "Bay City Rollers," during the group's most successful period, the mid-1970s, including singing lead on the "Billboard Hot 100" #1 single, "Saturday Night" (1975).

From CNN:  Former Vice-President of the United States, Walter "Fritz" Mondale, has died at the age of 93, Monday, April 19, 2021.  Mondale served as VP under President Jimmy Carter from Jan. 20, 1977 to Jan. 20, 1981.  Mondale was also a United States Senator for the state of Minnesota from 1964 to 1976.  He unsuccessfully ran for President, but lost to incumbent President Ronald Reagan in 1984.

From Variety:  Songwriter, composer, playwright, and record producer, Jim Steinman, has died at the age of 73, Monday, April 19, 2021.  Steinman's most famous work is recording artist Meat Loaf's 1977 debut album, "Bat Out of Hell."  Steinman composed all the songs on the album which became one of the bestselling albums of all time.  Steinman also wrote and/or produced songs for Air Supply, Barry Manilow, and Celine Dion, to name a few.

Movie Review: "Bloodshot" Surprises

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 23 (of 2020) by Leroy Douresseaux

Bloodshot (2020)

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Running time:  109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, some suggestive material and language
DIRECTOR:  David S.F. Wilson
WRITERS: Jeff Wadlow and Eric Heisserer; from a story by Jeff Wadlow (based on the Valiant Comics character)
PRODUCERS:  Vin Diesel, Toby Jaffe, Neal H. Moritz, and Dinesh Shamdasani
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Jacques Jouffret (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Jim May
COMPOSER:  Steve Jablonsky

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/SCI-FI/ACTION

Starring:  Vin Diesel, Guy Pearce, Eiza González, Sam Heughan, Lamorne Morris, Alex Hernandez, Toby Kebbell, Talulah Riley, Siddharth Dhananjay, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson

Bloodshot is a 2020 superhero and science fiction film directed by David S.F. Wilson.  The film features the Valiant Comics' character, Bloodshot, that was created by Kevin VanHook, Don Perlin, and Bob Layton.  Blooshot focuses on a slain Marine brought back to life as a super-powered weapon.

Bloodshot introduces U.S. Marine Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel).  After leading a successful rescue operation in Mombasa, Ray and his wife, Gina (Talulah Riley), travel to a beachside town on Italy's Amalfi Coast for a holiday.  However, a notorious terrorist, Martin Axe (Toby Kebbell), kidnaps Ray and Gina and demands that Ray reveal the source of the information the Marines used for the Mombasa hostage operation.  Then, things turn ugly.

Ray awakens in a lab at the headquarters of RST (Rising Spirit Tech), a company that specializes in developing cybernetic enhancements for disabled United States' military personnel.  The company's CEO, Dr. Emil Harting (Guy Pearce), tells Ray that he is the first successful candidate that they have resurrected using a special “nanite technology.”  As he embarks on his first kill-mission, Ray does not realize that very little of what he believes is true.

While watching Bloodshot, I realized that Vin Diesel has starred in a lot of science fiction and fantasy films.  They are an odd lot of high concepts and box office misfires – for the most part.  Bloodshot is one of those films that had its release truncated by the closure of most movie theaters in North America by the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.  I am not sure if Bloodshot would have been much of a box office hit if it had had a full release...

...But it is a surprisingly enjoyable movie.  The truth is that this is something I would enjoy watching on DVD (which is how I saw the film via DVD Netflix), but, because it is based on a comic book, there is a good chance that I would have made a trip to the movie theater to see it.  Now, that I have seen it, I want to recommend it to fans of movies based on comic books and also to Vin Diesel fans.  Bloodshot is not a “Fast & Furious” film, but its action is... fast and furious... coincidentally.

Bloodshot's revenge-fantasy-within-a-revenge-tale plot delivers a lot of good action sequences.  This narrative's themes, built around the ideas of freedom, choice, control, and reality actually resonate.  While watching this movie, I often found myself asking questions like, “How free am I really?” and “How much freedom of choice is actually of my choosing?”  Bloodshot is like a story by the late author, Philip K. Dick, in which the lead character faces the truth that the reality in which he thinks he lives... is not real... or at least, it is not in his control.

Bloodshot is not a mindless action movie, and it is certainly a stronger take on the story of a military-type discovering that his body or part of it has been stolen than the 2019 Will Smith vehicle, Gemini Man.  However, Bloodshot would be a much stronger film if Vin Diesel were a better actor.  Diesel's acting range mostly runs from smooth guy to menacing guy to enraged guy.  This film's script certainly gives him plenty of scenes when Diesel has to be angry or at least to seethe.  Whenever Diesel's Ray Garrison has to be thoughtful, the film quickly moves on.

As for the supporting characters, the film's writing also doesn't offer anything more than familiar character types.  Still, actor Lamorne Morris manages to make his character, the coding rebel-genius, Wilfred Wigans, excellent comic relief.  Both actor and character are worth seeing again.

So I can honestly say that director David S.F. Wilson delivers a film that is more (at least, a little more) than it seems on the surface.  Bloodshot does not have any of those awful dry moments that make me want to fall asleep when watching an alleged action movie (which happens a lot... the aforementioned Gemini Man).  It is pretty much a fast-moving, highly-entertaining thrill machine.  Bloodshot has an excellent last act featuring a eye-spinning epic battle in and around an elevator shaft, and remember: the writing is smart enough to take its themes and ideas seriously.  In fact, Bloodshot is good enough to warrant a sequel – even if the box office... reality might keep that from happening.

6 of 10
B

Monday, September 28, 2020


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

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

Recent Release, "Bloodshot," Now Available on Digital

Columbia Pictures’ Bloodshot To Be Available For Digital Purchase Starting March 24

CULVER CITY, CA — Given unprecedented theater closures nationwide, Columbia Pictures has set the sale date of Bloodshot on EST (electronic sell through) for March 24, 2020. The Valiant comic-book property will be available for digital purchase for a suggested retail price of $19.99 in the U.S. with all leading digital retailers. International digital sale dates will be solidified in the days ahead with territory-specific COVID-19 impact considerations.

“Sony Pictures is firmly committed to theatrical exhibition and we support windowing,” said Tom Rothman, Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group. “This is a unique and exceedingly rare circumstance where theaters have been required to close nationwide for the greater good and Bloodshot is abruptly unavailable in any medium. Audiences will now have the chance to own Bloodshot right away and see it at home, where we are all spending more time. We are confident that -- like other businesses hit hard by the virus -- movie theaters will bounce back strongly, and we will be there to support them.”

Based on the bestselling comic book, Vin Diesel stars as Ray Garrison, a soldier recently killed in action and brought back to life as the superhero Bloodshot by the RST corporation. With an army of nanotechnology in his veins, he’s an unstoppable force –stronger than ever and able to heal instantly. But in controlling his body, the company has sway over his mind and memories, too. Now, Ray doesn’t know what’s real and what’s not – but he’s on a mission to find out.

Bloodshot is presented by Columbia Pictures in association with Bona Film Group Co., Ltd. and Annabell Pictures & The Hideaway Entertainment. Directed by David S. F. Wilson. Screenplay by Jeff Wadlow and Eric Heisserer. Story by Jeff Wadlow. Based on The Valiant Comic Book. Produced by Neal H. Moritz, Toby Jaffe, Dinesh Shamdasani and Vin Diesel. Executive Producers are Dan Mintz, Louis G. Friedman, YU Dong, Jeffrey Chan, Rita LeBlanc, Buddy Patrick and Matthew Vaughn. The film stars Vin Diesel, Eiza Gonzalez, Sam Heughan, Toby Kebbell and Guy Pearce.


About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.

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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 20th to 31st, 2019 - Update #32

Support Leroy on Patreon:

COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Director Matt Reeves confirms that Jeffrey Wright will play "Commissioner James 'Jim' Gordon" in his upcoming film, "The Batman."

----------
CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Family and friends remember actor and comedian, John Witherspoon ("Friday," "The Wayan Bros.," and "The Boondocks"), who died Tuesday, October 29, 2019.

-----------
TELEVISION - From Deadline:  HBO is not going forward with the "Game of Thrones" prequel pilot starring Naomi Watts.

From THR:  However, HBO has ordered a "Game of Thrones" prequel series, "House of the Dragon" that is set 300 years before "Game of Thrones." It is created by George R.R. Martin, the author of the "Game of Thrones" novels, and Ryan Condal

----------
BOX OFFICE - From THR:  It turns out the ACTUAL winner of the 10/25 to 10/27/2019 weekend box office is "Malificent: Mistress of Evil" with a final take of 19.4 million dollars.  "Joker," the previously announced winner had a final box office take of 19.2 million dollars instead of 18.9 million.

From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 10/25 to 10/27/2019 weekend box office is "Joker" with an estimated take of 18.9 million dollars.

From Patreon:  My review of "Joker."

----------
SCANDAL - From TheWrap:  Actor Jared Padalecki, who plays "Sam Winchester" on The CW's "Supernatural," has apparently been arrested for assaulting employees at his bar, "Stereotype," in Austin, Texas.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Australian director Baz Luhrmann has chosen Australian actress Olivia DeJonge to play Priscilla Presley in his Elvis Presley biopic for Warner Bros.

----------
DISNEY - From Vulture:  Now, that it complete only 20th Century Fox, Disney is reportedly placing classic Fox movies in the "Disney vault," which is causing problems for repertory movie theaters.

----------
MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Crispin Glover admits that he only took the job acting in "Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter" (the fourth film) for the paycheck.

----------
JAMES BOND - From Deadline:  The 25th James Bond film, "No Time to Die," has wrapped up shooting.  The film will open in the U.S. on April 8th, 2020.

---------
DISNEY - From THR:  "Chernobyl" creator, Craig Mazin, has been hired to reboot Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" film franchise alongside veteran "Pirates" writer, Ted Elliot.

---------
ECO - From Variety:  Actors Jane Fonda and Ted Danson were arrested during a climate change protest in Washington D.C. For Fonda, it is second recent climate protest arrest.

---------
CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Grammy-winning recording artist, Adele, shows off a slimmer look at Grammy-winner Drake's birthday party.

----------
AWARDS - From Deadline:  The nominations for the 29th / 2019 Gotham Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Monday, Dec. 2nd.

----------
MOVIES - From RollingStone:   Vin Diesel reveals that Grammy-winning singer Cardi B will appear in the 9th installment of the "Fast & Furious" franchise.

----------
MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Recording artist and choreographer, Paula Abdul, talks about choreographing the African dance scene during the aborted wedding that takes place early in the Eddie Murphy classic, "Coming to America."

----------
MOVIES - From ShadowandAct:  Andre Holland ("Moonlight") joins Ruth Negga and Tessa Thompson in the film adaptation of Nella Larsen's 1939 novel, "Passing."

----------
SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Lori Loughlin facing an additional 10 years in jail because of an additional charge in the "college admissions scandal" (the FBI's "Operation Varsity Blues).

----------
OSCARS - From Deadline:  The stars of "Ford v. Ferrari," actors Matt Damon and Christian Bale, will go head to head in the best actor Oscar race.

----------
CELEBRITY - From BET:  Celebrated and reviled rap music impresario, Suge Knight, is serving 28 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter.  It has been reported that he has sold the rights to his life story to recording artist, actor, and TV personality, Ray J.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 10/18 to 10/20/2019 weekend box office is "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" with an estimated take of 36 million dollars.

From THR:  The Ang Lee-directed, Will Smith-headling "Gemini Man" could lose 75 million dollars for companies behind it.

From Deadline:  "Joker" looks like it is headed to 900 million dollars in worldwide gross.  That would make it the highest grossing R-rated film ahead of current record holder, "Deadpool," which grossed 783 million dollars.

----------
AWARDS - From Deadline:  Tom Hanks will recevie the "Cecil B. DeMille Award" from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at the 77th Annual Golden Globes Awards on Jan. 5th, 2020.

----------
CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence married Cooke Maroney Sat., Oct. 18th.

----------
POLITICS-BDS - From Truthout:  Actor David Clennon wonders if he will be blacklisted because of his support of the Boycott Divest Sanction movement against Israel.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  The actor and comedian, John Witherspoon, has died at the age of 77, October 29, 2019.  His 42-year film and TV career began with a two appearances on "The Richard Pryor Show" (1977).  His longest running TV gig was playing "John 'Pop' Williams" on "The Wayans Bros" (1995-99), and he also provided the voice of "Robert 'Grandad' Freeman" for the animated series, "The Boondocks" (2005-2014).  His best known film role was as "Willie Jones" in Ice Cube's "Friday" film series.

From Deadline:  Legendary Hollywood film producer, Robert Evans, has died at the age of 89, Saturday, October 26, 2019.  He was best known as the producer of many films, including 1974's "Chinatown," for which he received an Academy Award nomination, his only Oscar nod.  He also, notoriously, produced 1984's "The Cotton Club," a production that became entangled in a murder trial. Evans was also the head of production at Paramount Pictures from 1967 to 1974.

From NPR:  Former congressman, U.S. Representative John Conyers, Democrat-Michigan, has died at the age of 90, Sunday, October 27, 2019.  Conyers was the longest serving African-American member of Congress, 1965 to 2017.

From NFL and TheMercuryNews:  Former NFL player, coach and executive,Willie Brown, has died at the age of 78, Monday, October 21, 2019, according sources with the Oakland Raiders, the team with which he is most associated.  Brown played cornerback for the Denver Broncos (1963 to 1966) and the Oakland Raiders (1967 to 1978).  Brown won three Super Bowl titles (XI, XV, and XVIII) with the Raiders, one as a player and two as a coach.

From THR:  Television writer and producer, James Schmerer, died at the age of 81, Friday, October 4, 2019.  Schmerer was known for writing episodes of TV series such as "Mannix," "CHiPs," "MacGuyver," and "The High Chaparral" (for which he was also a producer).

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

Support Leroy on Patreon:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


OBITS:

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

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

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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 9th to 15th, 2018 - Update #25

Support Leroy on Patreon:

AWARDS - From TheWrap:  The 2018 European Film Awards named director Pawel Pawlikowski's "Cold War" the "Best European Film" of 2018.

----------
SCANDAL - From YahooEntertainment:  Jennifer Lawrence denies claims made in a lawsuit that she had a sexual relationship with disgraced movie mogul, Harvey Weinstein.

----------
TELEVISION - From THR:  Disney has fired actor Stoney Westmoreland from its Disney Channel TV series, "Andi Mack."  Westmoreland was arrested in Utah after he used an online dating app to attempt a sexual liason with a 13-year-old.

----------
STREAMING - From Deadline:  Apple TV lands rights to produced new content based on the classic comic strip, "Peanuts."

----------
SCANDAL - From Deadline:  CBS secretly settled a sexual harassment claim by Eliza Dushku for $9.5 million.  The claim concerned Dushku's appearance on the current CBS TV series, "Bull," and its star, Michael Weatherly.

From YahooTV:  Cybill Shepherd says that CBS' now-disgraced for chairman, Les Moonves, cancelled her 1990s CBS comedy series, "Cybill," because she would not have sexual relations with him.

----------
MUSIC - From BleedingCool:  The 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee class will include Janet Jackson, Radiohead, The Cure, Stevie Nicks, Roxy Music, Def Leppard, and The Zombies.  The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled to take place on  March 29th 2019 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, with a tv broadcast scheduled to air on HBO at a later date.

----------
STREAMING - From Collider:   Steven Yeun, best known for playing Glenn Rhee on "The Walking Dead," will star in an episode of Jordan Peele's "The Twilight Zone" for CBS All Access.

----------
PIXAR - From Deadline:   Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Octavia Butler, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus lead the voice cast of Pixar's film, "Onward," which is being directed by Dan Scanlon and is due March 2020.

----------
AWARDS - From TheWrap:  The 2019 Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations have been announced.

----------
STREAMING - From TVLine:  Netflix has greenlit a biographical series based on the life of slain Tejano music singer, the late Selena Quintanilla-Perez a.k.a. "Selena."

----------
CULTURE - From TIME:  "Time Magazines'" has named is "Person of the Year" for 2018, and it is "The Guardians and the War on Truth," with an emphasis on murdered Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi.

----------
COMICS - From THR:  There is a new comic book publisher, TKO Studios, that wants to change the way readers buy comic books.

----------
MOVIES - From TheDailyBeast:  Director Adam McKay, who is seeing the release of his Dick Cheney film, "Vice," talks about the time he was forced to film a Donald Trump cameo for his film, "The Other Guys."  Apparently, if you want to film on a Trump property, you have to film a cameo of Trump for your film.

---------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  Starz's hit series, "Power," has shut down production of its sixth season after a production assistant was killed in an on-set accident.

From Deadline:  NBC is developing "Conway," a detective series from Vin Diesel and his One Race TV company and also Universal Television.

----------
STREAMING - From THR:  Netflix has ordered its first "African original" series, "Queen Sono."

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 12/7to 12/9/2018 weekend box office is "Ralph Breaks the Internet" with an estimated take of $16.1 million.  This is the film's third week in the top spot.

From TheWrap:  Warner Bros. opened its upcoming DC Comics' superhero flick, "Aquaman," in China, two weeks before its U.S. debut.  The result is a $93 million opening weekend in China.

----------
AWARDS - From TheWrap:  Los Angeles Film Critics Association name Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma" the best film of 2018.

From THR:  The New York Film Critics Online also name "Roma" best film of 2018.

----------
ECO - From RSN:  How the Iconic 1968 Earthrise Photo Changed Our Relationship to the Planet

----------
STREAMING - From SlashFilm:  "Sister Act 3" is being produced for the streaming service, Disney+.  Whoopi Goldberg, who starred in the first two films, will not be involved with the new film... reportedly.

----------
AWARDS - From Deadline:  "Minding the Gap" takes the top prize at the 2018 IDA Documentary Awards.

----------
SPORTS - From ESPN:  University of Oklahoma junior quarterback, Kyler Murray, is the winner of the 2018 Heisman Trophy, as the top player in college football.  Murray is the second consecutive Sooner to win the trophy following the 2017 winner, Baker Mayfield, who is currently a quarterback for the NFL's Cleveland Brown.

OBITS:

From Variety:  One of the most revered jazz singers of the 20th century, Nancy Wilson, has died at the age of 81, Thursday, December 13, 2018.  Wilson, who won three Grammys and recorded more than 70 albums, also had a 1974-75 NBC variety series, "The Nancy Wilson Show."  She was also a frequent guests on variety shows hosted by Carol Burnett, Andy Williams, and Flip Wilson.

From Variety:  The actress Sondra Locke died at the age of 74, November 3, 2018.  She received a best supporting actress Oscar nomination for her first movie role in the film, "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter."  She is probably best known for her association with Clint Eastwood.  She appeared in several of his films, including as a murderous, vengeful rape victim in "Sudden Impact."  Locke also had a romantic relationship with Eastwood that was quite contentious.

Review: "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2" Reaches New Heights

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 14 (of 2017) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Running time:  136 minutes (2 hours, 16 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language, and brief suggestive content
DIRECTOR:  James Gunn
WRITERS:  James Gunn (based on the comic book created by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning)
PRODUCER:  Kevin Feige
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Henry Braham (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Fred Raskin and Craig Wood
COMPOSER:  Tyler Bates

SCI-FI/FANTASY and ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring:  Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Kurt Russell, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Laura Haddock, Sean Gunn, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sylvester Stallone, Stan Lee, Michelle Yeoh, Ving Rhames, and the voices of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a 2017 science fiction-action film and adventure comedy.  It is written and directed by James Gunn and is produced by Marvel Studios.  The film is based on the Marvel Comics title, Guardians of the Galaxy (2008), which was created by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, and is a sequel to the 2014 film, Guardians of the Galaxy.  This second film finds the Guardians of the Galaxy trying to unravel the mystery of the origins of one of their own while evading an unhappy client intent on killing them.

In 2014, Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Drax (Dave Bautista), Baby Groot (voice of Vin Diesel) are renowned throughout the galaxy as the Guardians of the Galaxy.  They have been hired by Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), the leader of the Sovereign race, to stop a monster from stealing valuable batteries from the Sovereign world.  That mission is successful, but also goes slightly awry, making the Guardians targets for destruction.

While on the run, the Guardians meet a mysterious man, who calls himself Ego (Kurt Russell), and his assistant, Mantis (Pom Klementieff).  Ego claims that he is Peter Quill's father, and he takes Peter, Gamora, and Drax with him to his home world.  Rocket and Baby Groot find themselves stuck with Gamora's vengeful sister, Nebula (Karen Gillan).  Things get worse when Peter's surrogate father and Ravager leader, Yondu Udonta (Michael Rooker), shows up to claim a bounty on the Guardians.  Meanwhile, on Ego's planet, Gamora begins to suspect that there is something ominous about Peter's alleged biological father.

The original Guardians of the Galaxy was one of the surprise hits of 2014, if not the surprise hit of the year.  Although I was interested in a sequel to the film, I could not imagine what a Guardians of the Galaxy 2 would like.  What we gets is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, a fun sci-fi action movie and a surprisingly thoughtful character melodrama.

In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the acting is really good; the special effects are impressive; the CGI-created environments, backdrops, sets (interiors and exteriors), spaceways, worlds, etc. are so dazzling in scope, color, and imagination.  The songs on the soundtrack are just the inspired choices they were for the first film.  The make-up and costumes are worthy of receiving Oscar nominations next year.

But Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 turns on the inventive and reflective storytelling of writer-director James Gunn.  I thought that Gunn might be a potentially top-notch filmmaker when I saw his film Slither (2006), one of the few horror movies that is genuinely scary while also being droll and witty.  And I have to admit that I also liked Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004), for which Gunn was the credited screenwriter, so that was also a point in his favor.

With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Gunn delivers his best screenplay.  He takes what could have been a silly, frivolous, and mildly entertaining sequel to a surprising outer space, action-adventure film (the original Guardians of the Galaxy), and instead, delivers a shockingly moving rumination on what a family is, what it can be, and what forms it may take.  Vol. 2 says that family members fight and yell at each other because they care so damn much about one another – even if each individual in the family is loathed to admit how much he cares about another family member and how much she cares about the family as a group.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is just as wild and entertaining and out-there as the first movie.  It is a science fiction/space fantasy pop confection with the delightful fizz of the first film.  However, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is not just a follow-up to a hit film, nor is it just the next installment in a franchise.  It is an evolution or at least it is evidence that this franchise can grow, and James Gunn is the guy with the notion that he could really, really improve on the original with a film that engages the characters – both the leads and the supporting players – in character drama and character development.  I honestly wonder if Gunn can top himself in a third Guardians movie.

9 of 10
A+

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 9th to 15th, 2017 - Update #28

Support Leroy on Patreon.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Robert Duvall is the latest actor to join director Steve McQueen's "Widows."

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Paramount Pictures has hired the original writing team behind 1988's "Coming to America," to write a sequel.

----------
MOVIES - From IndieWire:  J.C. Chandor has lost his stars (Tom Hardy and Channing Taturm) and his studio (Paramount Pictures) for his action-thriller, "Triple Frontier," one month before it was to start filming.

----------
OBIT - From YahooSports:   Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers owner, Dan Rooney, has died at the age of 84, Thursday, April 13, 2017.  Rooney was also highly influential in the development of the NFL, initiating "the Rooney rule" to help African-American coaches have more opportunities to become head coaches.

----------
MOVIES - From CinemaBlend:  Loosing the role of "Jack Reacher" to Tom Cruise was motivation for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

----------
CELEBRITY:  From BET: Tupac Shakur was arrested in Los Angeles last month...

----------
FILM FESTIVAL - From Variety:  Cannes 2017 film lineup is announced, and that includes 49 films and a few TV projects.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Josh Brolin will play the time-traveling mutant, Cable, in "Deadpool 2."

---------
OBIT - From People:  Actor and comedian, Charlie Murphy, has died at the age of 57, Wednesday, April 13, 2017.  He was Eddie Murphy's older brother, but Charlie established himself as an actor in comedies and rose to fame for his appearances on Comedy Central's "Chappelle's Show" from 2003 to 2004.

From THR:  The Murphy family releases a statement about the passing of Charlie Murphy.

From BET:  Charlie Murphy's final tweets.

From BET:  Dave Chappelle honors his friend, Charlie Murphy.

----------
OBIT - From IndieWire: German director of photography, Michael Ballhaus, has died at the age of 81.  He was known for his work with Martin Scorsese, including "Goodfellas" and "The Departed."

----------
OBIT - From YahooMusic:  J. Geils, guitarist and leader of the band, The J. Geils Band," has died at the age of 71.

----------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  John Ridley and Emmy-winner Regina King have previously teamed up for "American Crime," and are teaming again for "No Place Safe," for FX.

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Oscar nominee and BAFTA winner, Barkhad Abdi ("Captain Phillps") talks about his character in "Blade Runner 2049."

----------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  How did The Rock/Vin Diesel feud begin?

From Variety:  "The Fate of the Furious" heading towards a global box office opening near $400 million.

From YahooCelebrity:  Jordana Brewster on why she is not in "The Fate of the Furious."

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Don Cheadle to star in a biopic, "Prince of Darkness," about Black American millionaire, Jeremiah G. Hamilton.

----------
MOVIES - From DeadlineHollywood:  Brett Ratner's production company, RatPac, options the life story rights of Hugh Hefner, founder of "Playboy" magazines and its empire.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 4/7 to 4/9/2017 weekend box office is "The Boss Baby," with an estimated take of $26.3 million.

From Variety:  "Ghost in the Shell" tops foreign box office.

----------
MOVIES - From IndieWire:  Anthony Hopkins says that Michael Bay is a genius...

----------
MOVIES - From DeadlineHollywood:  "Mission: Impossible 6" officially beings production.

----------
MOVIES - From THR:   Vin Diesel remembers Paul Walker at "The Fate of the Furious" premiere.

----------
STAR TREK - From YahooCelebrity:  Sonequa Martin-Green says her role on "Star Trek: Discovery" came after the fate of her character, Sasha, on "The Walking Dead" was already sealed.

----------
COMICS - From TheVox:  A Marvel VP blames diversity for Marvel's sales slumps - rather than pricey books, event/crossovers, and bad comics.

TRAILERS:

From SideshowCollectibles:  "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" first trailer.

From YahooMovies:  New trailer for "Thor: Ragnarok"

From YouTube:  New trailer for "War of the Planet of the Apes," which is due July 14th, 2017.