J.J. Abrams Announces "Star Wars: Force of Change"

Fans Have a Chance to Be in Star Wars: Episode VII

J.J. Abrams Announces “Force for Change” Campaign to Benefit UNICEF’s Innovation Labs and Programs

Beginning Today (May 21, 2014), Visit Omaze.com/StarWars to Enter for a Chance to Win

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today in a special video message from the set of Star Wars: Episode VII, director J.J. Abrams announced the creation of Star Wars: Force for Change, a brand new Star Wars initiative from Disney and Lucasfilm in collaboration with Bad Robot dedicated to finding creative solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems. The first Star Wars: Force for Change campaign will raise funds and awareness for the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) Innovation Labs and its innovative programs that are benefiting the world’s most vulnerable children.

    “UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to help the world’s most vulnerable children and young people identify solutions and create change”

Disney has committed US $1 million to support the launch of Star Wars: Force for Change. Fans can now contribute directly at Omaze.com/StarWars for a chance to appear in Star Wars: Episode VII. For each $10 contribution made through the Omaze fundraising platform, eligible participants will be automatically entered for a chance to win this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The campaign runs from 12:01am PST on May 21stth until 11:59pm PST July 18th.

The Star Wars: Force for Change Grand Prize includes:

1.  Airfare and accommodations to London for one winner and a guest
2.   Behind-the-scenes access on the closed set of Star Wars: Episode VII as VIP guests of J.J. Abrams
3.  Winner will have the opportunity to meet members of the cast
4.  Winner and their guest will then be transformed by makeup and costume teams into a Star Wars character and filmed for a scene in Star Wars: Episode VII

"The Star Wars fans are some of the most passionate and committed folks around the globe,” says director J.J. Abrams. “We’re thrilled to offer a chance to come behind the scenes as our VIP guests and be in Star Wars: Episode VII. We’re even more excited that by participating in this campaign, Star Wars fans will be helping children around the world through our collaboration with UNICEF Innovation Labs and projects."

Star Wars continues to inspire generations of dreamers and doers to use their creativity to accomplish great things. Star Wars and Lucasfilm were built on the belief that in uniting creativity with innovation, you can make the impossible possible.

“The Star Wars films were made through George Lucas's adventurous combination of technology and creativity,” says Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. “We wanted to honor and carry on that positive spirit as we start production on Episode VII and use Star Wars to make a difference in the world. Star Wars: Force for Change will help us do that, letting us give back to the fans who keep Star Wars alive, and raising much-needed funds for programs like UNICEF's Innovation Labs.”

By pledging support for Star Wars: Force for Change, fans are helping UNICEF create a brighter tomorrow for kids and families around the world. Through its global network of Innovation Labs, UNICEF helps create sustainable solutions to major issues facing children in the areas of nutrition, water, health, and education. The Star Wars: Force for Change campaign will help fund innovative, life-changing projects in communities around the globe.

"UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to help the world’s most vulnerable children and young people identify solutions and create change,” says Christopher Fabian, UNICEF Senior Advisor on Innovation and co-Lead of the Innovation Unit. “We work together with the greatest technologists and designers of our time to create open-source solutions that help millions of people. The support from Star Wars: Force for Change will help to bind these innovators together on a mission to solve the world’s most pressing problems, and create a better future.”

Visit StarWars.com/ForceForChange to learn more about this new charitable initiative and the work of UNICEF’s Innovation Labs and programs, and be sure to enter through contribution or free entry for your chance to win at Omaze.com/StarWars.

May the Force be with you!

About UNICEF
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works in 190 countries and territories to save and improve children’s lives, providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF’s work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when zero children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org. Find us on Twitter: @unicefusa; join us on Facebook: UNICEF-USA.

Star Wars: Force for Change Program: Restrictions and Limitations
No purchase necessary to enter or win. Void where prohibited. Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age or the age of majority in your domicile, to enter and a resident of Argentina, Austria, Canada, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, USA, or the UK, and not a resident of Belgium, Italy, Malta, Singapore, or Thailand. Residents of Australia, Brazil, China and the Republic of Korea are not prohibited from participating, but local rules and laws may restrict or prohibit the award of certain prizes or impose additional restrictions on participation.

Rewards are separate from sweepstakes prizes. Rewards are limited in quantity. Odds of winning depend on number of entries. For free entry: (i) send post card to Sponsor at PO Box 3190, 1217 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, California 90408 by applicable mail date; or (ii) visit www.Omaze.com/StarWars. Entrants may receive additional entries via Facebook. Maximum number of entries: 10,000 per Entrant. Travel and accommodations are at Sponsor’s discretion and subject to availability and change. Winner and Guest may be required to pass a background screening or security check, to receive the prize and/or reward. Visa conditions may apply. All taxes are Winner’s responsibility. Not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook®. Residents of certain territories may be required to successfully complete a trivia question to qualify. For full entry requirements, details, limitations and restrictions see Official rules at www.Omaze.com/StarWars. Sole Sponsor: Omaze, Inc., PO Box 3190, 1217 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90408.

Review: "Balls of Fury" is Funnier Than it Looks (Happy B'day, Maggie Q)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 1 (of 2008) by Leroy Douresseaux

Balls of Fury (2007)
Running time: 90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for crude and sex-related humor, and for language
DIRECTOR:  Robert Ben Garant
WRITERS:  Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant
PRODUCERS:  Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Jonathan Glickman, and Thomas Lennon
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Thomas E. Ackerman (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  John Refoua
COMPOSER:  Randy Edelman

COMEDY/SPORT

Starring:  Dan Folger, Christopher Walken, George Lopez, James Hong, Maggie Q, Thomas Lennon, Aisha Tyler, Jason Scott Lee, Diedrich Bader, Terry Crews, Patton Oswalt, David Koechner, and Robert Patrick

The subject of this movie review is Balls of Fury, a 2007 sports comedy film from the team of co-writer/director Robert Ben Garant and co-writer Thomas Lennon.  The film follows a down-and-out former professional ping-pong phenom recruited by an FBI agent for a secret mission that may also lead the former child star to his father’s killer.

Balls of Fury takes place in the unsanctioned, underground, and unhinged world of extreme ping pong where the competition is brutal and the stakes are deadly – sort of like the way Dodgeball portrayed the mean world of professional dodge ball.  But we get the joke!

A ping pong professional as a child, Randy Daytona (Dan Fogler), spiraled downwards after an embarrassing loss at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.  Cut to the present.  Randy is down on his luck and on his game, and he’s performing at a nightclub when FBI Agent Ernie Rodriguez (George Lopez) recruits him for a mission to spy on one of the FBI’s most wanted men, the faux-Asian crime lord Feng (Christopher Walken).  Randy has some incentive to do take the assignment because Feng was responsible for the death of Randy’s father.

“Operation Ping Pong” requires Randy to get an invite to Feng’s underground ping pong championship tournament.  To do that, Randy will have to get his game back into shape.  With the help of a blind ping pong sage, Master Wong (James Hong), and his niece, Maggie Wong (Maggie Q), an expert ping pong trainer, Randy gets in winning form and gets an invite to Feng’s jungle compound where the tournament is being held.  Now, Randy will have to face a raft of formidable players en route to the prize, including his arch-nemesis, German Olympic ping pong god, Karl Wolfschtagg (Thomas Lennon), and still take down Feng.

Balls of Fury is a parody/remake of the 1973 Bruce Lee film, Enter the Dragon, by way of Dodgeball and Comedy Central’s television series, “Reno 911.”  In fact, Balls of Fury co-writer/director Robert Ben Garant and co-writer/actor Thomas Lennon are part of the brain trust behind “Reno 911,” and the kind of sheer absurdity that marks that hit comedy series is much in evidence in Balls of Fury.

This film is sometimes shamefully in poor taste, and its lack of political correctness often borders on bad taste.  Still, it’s fun; Balls of Fury takes a look at sports and competition and pokes numerous holes in the gas bags that are elite athletes, secretive trainers, and arcane rules.  Then, the movie skewers so many sports movie stereotypes, from the sage-philosopher mentors to the sad sack underdogs.  Balls of Fury may look like a bad movie (and sometimes it truly is), but it is a comedy that delivers laughter.

5 of 10
B-

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Updated:  Thursday, May 22, 2014


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

Untitled Superman/Batman Movie is Now Named "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"

Cameras Roll on Director Zack Snyder’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” from Warner Bros. Pictures

Principal photography is underway in Metro Detroit, Michigan

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Filming is underway on Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the highly anticipated action adventure from director Zack Snyder, starring Henry Cavill in the role of Clark Kent/Superman, and Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” also stars Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, with Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane returning from “Man of Steel,” Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, Jeremy Irons as Alfred, and Holly Hunter in a role newly created for the film.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is written by Chris Terrio, from a screenplay by David S. Goyer. Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producing, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Wesley Coller, David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.

Principal photography will take place on location at Michigan Motion Picture Studios and on location in and around Detroit, Michigan; Illinois; Africa; and the South Pacific.

Set to open worldwide on May 6, 2016, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is based on Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, Batman characters created by Bob Kane, and Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston, appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment.

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New "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" Collection Due in July 2014

The wait is over! Five years after Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill first brought their famous League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series to the trans-Atlantic partnership of Top Shelf (US) & Knockabout (UK), we're officially opening pre-orders for our most requested item: the collected "Century"!

This 256-page hardcover, scheduled to stores in July 2014, will collect all three installments of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. III: Century. Spanning the League's adventures in 1910, 1969, and 2009, this metafictional epic sees Mina Murray and her dwindling allies race across time to prevent an apocalyptic conspiracy, while the world they once knew crumbles around them. Woven throughout, of course, are countless colorful characters from 100 years of British popular culture, from Marxist opera to reality television, pulp fiction to experimental film, and even a touch of rock 'n' roll.

Discover the saga CBR called "arguably one of the greatest comics of all time"!

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Vol III): Century - HARDCOVER
by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill
-- 256-page full-color hardcover with dust jacket
-- 6 5/8" x 10 3/8"
-- ISBN 978-1-60309-329-3
-- Diamond order code: MAY14-1615
-- For mature readers (18+)
-- $29.95 (US)
-- Co-published by Top Shelf Productions (US) and Knockabout Comics (UK)
-- Pre-order now for release in July!

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Production Begins on Ava DuVernay's Film, "Selma"

PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND PATHÉ ANNOUNCE THE START OF PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY ON “SELMA”

HOLLYWOOD, CA (May 20, 2014) – Paramount Pictures and Pathé today announced that principal photography has commenced on “SELMA,” directed by Ava DuVernay (“MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.”) The film is shooting in Atlanta, Georgia, and Montgomery and Selma, Alabama.

The screenplay was written by Paul Webb (“Four Nights in Knaresborough”). Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner will produce through their Plan B banner (“WORLD WAR Z,” “12 YEARS A SLAVE”), with Christian Colson through his Cloud Eight Films (“127 HOURS,” “SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE”), and Oprah Winfrey (“THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY,” “BELOVED”) through her Harpo Films. Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes, Cameron McCracken and Nan Morales are executive producing.

“This story will resonate deeply with not only those brave men and women who fought for voting rights alongside Dr. King, but also the countless millions of people who continue to fight against discrimination in voting today,” said Brad Grey, Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures. “This talented group of filmmakers, led by Brad Pitt and his team at Plan B, Oprah Winfrey and Christian Colson, and of course our director Ava DuVernay, are a formidable force to help bring this significant story to the big screen.”

“SELMA” is the story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s historic struggle to secure voting rights for all people – a dangerous and terrifying campaign that culminated with the epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, and led to President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Paramount is handling the film’s domestic distribution, Pathé will distribute in the UK and France and Pathé International will handle sales to the rest of the world.

The film stars David Oyelowo (“INTERSTELLAR,” “LEE DANIEL’S THE BUTLER”) as Martin Luther King Jr., Carmen Ejogo (“ALEX CROSS,” “PRIDE AND GLORY”) as Coretta Scott King, Tom Wilkinson (“THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL,” “MICHAEL CLAYTON”)as Lyndon Baines Johnson, Andre Holland (“42,” “1600 Penn”) as Andrew Young, Omar J. Dorsey (“DJANGO UNCHAINED,” “THE BLIND SIDE”) as James Orange, Tessa Thompson (“Heroes,” “Veronica Mars”) as Diane Nash, and Colman Domingo (“LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER,” “42”) as Ralph Abernathy.

The behind-the-scenes creative team includes cinematographer Bradford Young (“MOTHER OF GEORGE,” “MIDDLE OF NOWHERE”), production designer Mark Friedberg (“THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2,” “Mildred Pierce”), and costume designer Ruth E. Carter (“AMISTAD,” “MALCOLM X”).

About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, ParamountVantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About Pathé
Pathé is one of the leading European film production and distribution companies with offices in both Paris and London.  It is involved in all aspects of filmmaking, from development and production through to international sales and distribution. Films produced/distributed by Pathé range from THE QUEEN to SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and from THE IRON LADY to PHILOMENA.  Pathé’s upcoming releases include Matthew Warchus’ PRIDE starring Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton; and Sarah Gavron’s SUFFRAGETTE starring Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham-Carter, Brendan Gleeson and Meryl Streep.

"Sailor Moon" Anime Has Returned

VIZ MEDIA ACQUIRES NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS FOR SAILOR MOON ANIME FRANCHISE

North America’s Leading Anime Distributor Gains Digital, Streaming And Home Media Rights For Legendary Anime

Free Streaming Episodes Debut Monday, May 19 Exclusively On Neon Alley And Hulu!

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, is proud to announce the acquisition of the SAILOR MOON anime franchise. VIZ Media’s North American rights cover digital streaming, EST (Electronic Sell Through) and all home media products in the U.S. and Canada. Tokyo-based Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is the producer and global licensor for the SAILOR MOON anime property.

As part of the new agreement, VIZ Media has licensed all 200 episodes of the original SAILOR MOON anime series (rated ‘TV-PG’), including the never before licensed for North America fifth and final climatic season, “Sailor Stars.” The three feature films and additional specials for the long-running show are also part of the acquisition. SAILOR MOON will be presented digitally for the first time, with subtitled EST sets available starting Summer 2014 and dubbed editions late 2014, and DVD and deluxe limited edition Blu-ray/DVD combo packs are planned for Fall 2014. The uncut and uncensored VIZ Media release of SAILOR MOON, featuring its original uncropped 4:3 aspect ratio, will also feature all original Japanese names, story elements and relationships, as well as an all-new, uncut English dub with a new voice cast.

VIZ Media will premiere SAILOR MOON Episodes 1-4 (subbed) today on its free NeonAlley.com anime streaming destination and also via the subscription-based Hulu Plus in High Definition. Two new SAILOR MOON episodes will premiere every Monday.  Visit www.NeonAlley.com and Hulu.com/sailormoon for more information; the trailer may also be viewed at http://www.hulu.com/watch/635233 and http://youtu.be/RWPyM9afQ-w.

VIZ Media has also acquired the new SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL, and more details are forthcoming.

“We’re pleased to partner with VIZ Media to bring the beloved SAILOR MOON anime series back to North America,” says Masayuki Endo, General Manager, Toei Animation, Inc. “This fresh uncut and uncensored release of SAILOR MOON featuring the most accurate adaptation available will be just as creator Naoko Takeuchi intended. We look forward to fans current and new discovering and falling in love with this classic series all over again!”

“SAILOR MOON is one of the extremely rare breed of anime series truly deserving of the title of ‘Legendary’,” says Charlene Ingram, VIZ Media Senior Manager, Animation Marketing. “Since its initial debut in the mid-1990’s, SAILOR MOON has been unavailable to English-speaking fans for nearly a decade. It has also never seen a complete and proper unedited release in North America...until now!”

“SAILOR MOON was groundbreaking in the way its storyline and main characters resonated with both a male and female audience, and these aspects continue to attract a new generation of fans eager to see this iconic series,” says Brian Ige, VIZ Media Vice President of Animation. “We’re thrilled to be able to release this empowering action title uncut and in its entirety. We invite fans to catch the official premieres on Neon Alley and to enjoy the series on DVD and Blu-ray later this year!”

VIZ Media will be celebrating SAILOR MOON at the 2014 Anime Expo, taking place July 3rd–6th at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. Now celebrating its 23nd consecutive year, Anime Expo is sponsored by the SPJA and is the nation’s largest anime convention. VIZ Media will host a variety of special activities and panels throughout “Sailor Moon Day,” on Saturday July 5th. More details forthcoming.

The smash hit SAILOR MOON anime series is inspired by the bestselling manga (graphic novel) series created by Naoko Takeuchi (published in North America by Kodansha). In the series, Usagi Tsukino is a clumsy but kindhearted teenage girl who transforms into the powerful guardian of love and justice, Sailor Moon. Meeting allies along the way who share similar fates, Usagi and her team of planetary Sailor Guardians fight to protect the universe from forces of evil and total annihilation!

Naoko Takeuchi was born on March 14. She is a Pisces and A blood type. In 1986 Takeuchi made her debut with the manga LOVE CALL. Her hits include Sailor Moon, Codename: Sailor V, and The Cherry Project.

For more information on SAILOR MOON, or other award-winning anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

About Toei Animation Co., Ltd.
With headquarters in Tokyo and sales offices in Paris, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Shanghai, Toei Animation (Jasdaq: 4816) ranks amongst the world’s most prolific animation production studios. Toei Animation’s operations include animation development and production, and worldwide marketing and program licensing. Since its founding in 1956, Toei Animation has produced more than 10,000 episodes of TV series (more than 200 titles) and more than 200 long feature films as of January, 2014.

About Toei Animation Inc.
Toei Animation Inc. (TAI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toei Animation Co., Ltd. established in Los Angeles in 2004, looks forward to spreading the world-renowned Japanese animation studio’s extensive library and pursuing co-production projects in North and Latin America and other English-speaking territories worldwide. The main business operations of TAI include film licensing in all media and digital platforms, merchandise licensing and co-productions with local establishments.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

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Sony Pictures Television Commits to Opportunities for Diversity

SONY PICTURES TELEVISION LAUNCHES DIVERSE DIRECTORS PROGRAM

As part of its commitment to providing opportunities to talented artists of diverse backgrounds, Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has announced the SPT Diverse Directors Program. The Los Angeles-based initiative will provide opportunities for highly qualified candidates to shadow established TV directors on episodes of various hour and half-hour scripted SPT series.

"This program continues our commitment to diversity at SPT," said SPT President Steve Mosko. "The Diverse Directors Program will provide access and training to promising future directors and at the same time provide us with new, emerging talent behind the camera with various points of view."

"We are encouraged by SPT’s commitment to increasing diversity," said Frank Gonzalez, Assistant Executive Director of Diversity at the Directors Guild of America. "We hope that the launch of the new SPT Diverse Directors Program will result in a welcome and much-needed boost to director diversity in episodic television."

Added Paul Martin, SVP and Chief Diversity Officer for Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), "This program reflects Sony Pictures’ on-going mission to provide our divisions with the support needed to undertake initiatives that enrich the lives of our employees, our corporate extended families and our audiences. Diversity on all levels is a central focus to many of our programs, and we fully believe that the Diverse Directors Program will not only provide access and experience to a diverse group of potential directors, but will also become a key component of Sony Pictures’ business strategy."

ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit an online application at www.sptdiversedirectors.com beginning Friday, May 23 and ending Friday, June 6 (EOD), or when a total of 500 applications are received. In addition to the completion of an application, the selection process will require the submission of a single, completed example of a past directing project as defined by the online application, letters of recommendation from entertainment industry professionals and an interview. Twenty semi-finalists will take part in an intensive episodic directing workshop and attend networking events with industry professionals. The workshop will begin in June on the Sony Lot in Culver City, and the curriculum will consist of six evenings of discussion and instruction from working directors, production personnel and entertainment professionals.

Three finalists will then be invited into the program and will have an opportunity to shadow participating TV directors on various series. Additionally, each of the three finalists will be provided a weekly stipend when actively shadowing. Participants may also have the opportunity to be invited back to direct an episode of a scripted SPT series the following season.

The director shadowing program begins in August. For more information, please visit the program’s website at www.sptdiversedirectors.com

Review: "Bettie Page Reveals All" is as Good as Her Looks

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 25 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

Bettie Page Reveals All (2012)
Running time:  101 minutes (1 hour, 41 minutes)
MPAA – R for sexual content and graphic nudity throughout
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR:  Mark Mori
WRITER:  Doug Miller
CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Grant Barbeito, Angel Barroeta, Doug Miller, and Jay Miracle
EDITORS:  Julie Chabot, Douglas Miller, and Jay Miracle

DOCUMENTARY – Biography and History

Starring:  Bettie Page, Hugh M. Hefner, Paula Klaw, Greg Theakston, Harry Lear, Art Arnsie, Olivia De Berardinis, Steve Brewster, and Richard Bann

Bettie Page Reveals All is a 2012 documentary film from director Mark Mori.  The film is the life story of the late Bettie Page (April 22, 1923 to December 11, 2008).  It also examines Page’s cultural influence.  Page was famous in the 1950s for her pin-up photos, and she is still often referred to as the “Queen of Pinups.”

Considered by fans and admirers as “the world’s greatest pinup model,” cult icon Bettie Page recounts the true story of her sometimes drama and strife-filled life.  It is a story that took place in front of the camera, as Page’s willingness to model for racy fetishistic photos earned her a huge following of admirers and of those who collected pin-up photography.  Page battled censorship, including a United States Senate investigation.  Along the way, Page helped launch the sexual revolution in the United States.

Bettie Page Reveals All is an adoring documentary in which Bettie Page tells all.  She only appears on screen in archival photos and film footage.  Director Mark Mori conducted an audio interview of Page, and he used that as the film’s voice-over narration through which Page tells her story.

Bettie Mae Page was an American model whose career began in 1950 when she met Jerry Tibbs, a police officer with an interest in photography.  Tibbs took pictures of Page and also put together her first pin-up portfolio.  Tibbs suggested that Page style her hair with bangs in front, and those bangs soon became an integral part of her distinctive look.

Through “camera clubs,” Page entered the field of “glamour photography” and became a popular camera club model.  Her lack of inhibition in posing made both her name and image a hit in the erotic photography industry.  Images of Page soon appeared in men’s magazines such as Beauty Parade, Wink, and Titter, among others.

From 1952 through 1957, Page posed for photographer Irving Klaw and his sister, Paula Klaw.  The Klaws owned a mail-order business that sold photographs with pin-up and BDSM themes, and those photographs would also make Page the first famous bondage model.  Page continued to model and pose for other photographers, and attracted the attention of Playboy founder, Hugh Hefner.  Page was one of Playboy magazine’s earliest “Playmates of the Month” (“Miss January 1955”).

However, a Senate committee, an FBI interview, and an upsetting experience with a group of photographers seem to have led Page to retire from modeling and pin-up photography.  Her life out of the public eye was filled with bad relationships and divorce.  There were encounters with law enforcement officials that led to a stay in a mental institution.  Her conversion to evangelical Christianity also caused her some trouble.

Meanwhile, the Bettie Page that was an image in pin-up photographs retained a cult following.  In the late 1970s and early 1980s, various book companies published books that collected pictures of Bettie.  At the same time, cartoonists, painters, and other artists began to use Bettie Page as an inspiration for their work and some even started painting images of Bettie Page.

Perhaps, the person that really launched the Bettie Page revival in the 1980s was cartoonist and illustrator, the late Dave Stevens.  In 1982, Stevens introduced his comic book character, “The Rocketeer,” in a backup feature in issues #2 and #3 of the comic book series, Pacific Comics.  Stevens gave his star, Cliff Second a/k/a The Rocketeer, a love interest based on Bettie Page.  The Rocketeer, which would eventually be adapted into a film by Walt Disney Pictures, is how I first learned of Bettie Page.

Bettie Page Reveals All is like an open letter from Page to her fans, but the film is also like a love letter from director Mark Mori to both Page and to her fans and admirers.  Bettie stated that she wanted fans to remember her as the Bettie Page in the pin-up photographs taken of her in the 1950s, so we do not need to see her as a senior citizen in this film.  Pin-up Bettie was one of the most beautiful women ever to be photographed.  Her unique looks, curvy figure (measurements: 36-24-37), and innate sexiness and attractiveness practically shine in those photographs.  Even seeing the photos via a movie cannot diminish their power to attract both male and female admirers.

This is my recommendation for Bettie Page Reveals All.  See it because it is a unique story about someone who truly deserves to be described as an icon.  Most of all, see Bettie Page Reveals All so that you can see a matchless example of true physical beauty and perfection in American popular culture.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, May 18, 2014

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

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Animated "Batman: Assault on Arkham" Due August 14, 2014

Warner Bros. Brings "Batman: Assault on Arkham" to DVD/Blu-ray August 14.

Batman, one of the world’s most valiant super heroes, faces a villainous squad of criminals in an epic battle of good vs. evil in the DC Universe Original Movie, Batman: Assault on Arkham. Set in the world of the best-selling Batman: Arkham video game series, this action-packed film takes place between the Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Asylum video games. Available on August 12, 2014 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, on Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD, this hit is one DC Comics fans won’t want to miss.

Gotham is in great danger when the government assembles a group of villains — code named the Suicide Squad — and forces them to break into Arkham Asylum to retrieve top secret information stolen by the Riddler. Things take a turn for the worse when one of the Squad members (Harley Quinn) frees the Joker, who is intent on blowing up Arkham Asylum and Gotham City. Batman must use his super hero wits and strength to thwart the wicked plans of the Joker and the Suicide Squad.

"Batman: Assault on Arkham is a thrill-ride with everything a fan would want — a courageous super hero, depraved villains, and suspenseful plot twists," said Mary Ellen Thomas, WBHE Vice President, Family & Animation Marketing. "Featuring voice talent from some of today’s hottest television actors, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is proud to release this as the next DC Universe Original Movie."

"Working on a new Batman story is always exciting," said Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Digital Series. "As a fan of the Arkham video games, I know this movie is going to entertain all Batman groups, from comic book and super hero fans to the most dedicated gamer."

Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) voices Batman, and joins forces with several Hollywood greats to bring the legendary characters to life. Adding to the celebrity-laden cast is Neal McDonough (Justified, Desperate Housewives) as Deadshot, Troy Baker (The Last of Us) as Joker, Matthew Gray Gubler (Criminal Minds) as Riddler, CCH Pounder (The Shield, Warehouse 13) as Amanda Waller, Greg Ellis (24) as Captain Boomerang, and Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, Revolution) as Black Spider.

Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment, Batman: Assault on Arkham is directed by Jay Oliva (Man of Steel, Justice League: War) and Ethan Spaulding (Son of Batman) from a script written by Heath Corson (Justice League: War). Sam Register (Beware the Batman, Teen Titans Go!), Benjamin Melniker (The Dark Knight Rises) and Michael Uslan (The Dark Knight Rises) serve as executive producers. James Tucker (Son of Batman) is Supervising Producer.

Batman: Assault on Arkham has tons of exciting enhanced content. The Blu-ray Combo Pack will include:

    Arkham Analyzed: The Secrets Behind the Asylum – This is the documentary that traces the strange, demonic history of the location where horror is mixed with the extremities of the criminally insane. A place where Batman must keep his watchful gaze, to insure that what goes in does not come out .... ever.
    The Joker's Queen: Harley Quinn - If The Joker were to have a girlfriend, what would she be like? This featurette covers the story of the deviancy and often provocative side to The Joker’s greatest ally, Harley Quinn.
    An advance look into the next DC animated feature film with the creators and cast.
    Four episodes from the DC Comics Vault.

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video, digital distribution, interactive entertainment, technical operations and anti-piracy businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com.

About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, etc.), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables, etc.) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating across Warner Bros. and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world.


About Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) is one of the leading producers of animation in the entertainment industry, producing and developing both CG and traditionally animated projects for multiple platforms, both domestically and internationally. For TV, WBA produces series such as Beware the Batman, Teen Titans Go!, The Tom and Jerry Show and the upcoming Be Cool Scooby-Doo! and Wabbit – A Looney Tunes Production for Cartoon Network; original animated DC Nation shorts for Cartoon Network; and the forthcoming Mike Tyson Mysteries series for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. As the home of the iconic animated characters from the DC Comics, Hanna-Barbera, MGM and Looney Tunes libraries, WBA also produces highly successful animated films — including the DC Universe Animated Original Movies — for DVD. One of the most-honored animation studios in history, WBA has won six Academy Awards®, 35 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents’ Choice Award, the HUMANITAS Prize, two Prism Awards and 20 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).

 Batman and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and ©DCComics

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

"Twin Peaks - The Entire Mystery" Arrives on Blu-ray July 29, 2014

David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Groundbreaking Cult Phenomenon Arrives on Blu-ray™ in TWIN PEAKS – THE ENTIRE MYSTERY with the Long-Awaited Debut of Nearly 90 Minutes of Deleted/Alternate Scenes from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

For The First Time Ever, Acclaimed Television Series And Feature Film Arrive In One Complete Box Set With Upgraded Picture, Newly Produced And Archival Special Features … All Under the Personal Supervision of David Lynch on July 29, 2014

HOLLYWOOD--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Twenty-five years after the shocking murder of Laura Palmer in the acclaimed series from legendary filmmaker David Lynch and writer/producer Mark Frost, CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution will release TWIN PEAKS – THE ENTIRE MYSTERY.

    “Secrets From Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks”

Arriving for the first time on stunning High Definition Blu-ray with English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio on July 29th, this comprehensive collection contains every episode from the complete television series; both the U.S. and international versions of the series’ Pilot; the North American Blu-ray debut of Lynch’s follow-up feature Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me; and nearly 90 minutes of deleted and alternate scenes from the film. The set also features newly transferred Log Lady introductions for each episode; picture upgrades to many shots in the TV series; a new featurette with Lynch and the actors who portrayed the Palmer family which includes a mesmerizing return to the lives of their characters today; and hours of never-before-released material that dives into the fascinating story behind the celebrated pop culture classic.

Along with a newly transferred version of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, created from a 4K scan of the original negative, TWIN PEAKS – THE ENTIRE MYSTERY Blu-ray box set boasts the long-awaited missing pieces from the original version of the film – nearly an hour-and-a-half of deleted/alternate scenes from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me – often referred to as the “holy grail” of Twin Peaks fandom. This feature-length experience has been directed and edited by Lynch exclusively for this release. Capping off more than 30 deleted/alternate scenes is an epilogue providing a fascinating glimpse beyond the cliffhanger finale of the TV series.

“During the last days in the life of Laura Palmer many things happened, which have never been seen before,” said David Lynch. “They're here now alongside the new transfer of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and Twin Peaks, the television series.”

“We set the bar very high with our prior complete series TWIN PEAKS DVD Gold Box,” said Ken Ross, Executive Vice President and General Manager, CBS Home Entertainment. “THE ENTIRE MYSTERY Blu-ray had to be spectacular in terms of both content and presentation. We are confident that we hit the mark and are bringing the fans something very special. None of this could have been possible without the day-to-day involvement of David Lynch.”

TWIN PEAKS – THE ENTIRE MYSTERY is loaded with special features. In the two-part feature “Between Two Worlds,” Lynch himself interviews the Palmer family (Leland, Sarah and daughter Laura) about their current existence in this life and the next, and follows up with a discussion with the actors who portray them. TWIN PEAKS – THE ENTIRE MYSTERY also features “Moving Through Time: Fire Walk With Me Memories,” an exclusive retrospective documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew who recount the making of the Twin Peaks movie and working with David Lynch. The collection also features high-definition versions of the Log Lady episode introductions, transferred from recently unearthed 16mm film negative, a selection of newly discovered deleted scenes and outtakes from the television series, and three Twin Peaks photo galleries with over 130 behind-the-scenes images from David Lynch’s personal never-before-released collection. Also new to this release are 10 vignettes of iconic Twin Peaks themes called “Atmospherics.” Each features a unique montage of music, dialogue and video (including some rare outtakes) that appear as both menu backgrounds and as their own textless experience to further immerse fans in the mysterious world of Twin Peaks.

Additionally, the set features a massive collection of pre-existing special features, some of which have been re-mastered in high definition exclusively for this release, including the award-winning four-part documentary “Secrets From Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks,” and a newly extended version of the Gold Box featurette “A Slice of Lynch,” featuring the complete and uncut conversation between David Lynch and actors Kyle MacLachlan and Mädchen Amick. Additionally, this 10-disc set houses an extraordinary archive of special features culled from the entire history of Twin Peaks on home video, including featurettes, cast and crew interviews, promotional reels, archival deleted scenes...and much, much more.

Winning a Golden Globe® for Best Television Series - Drama in 1991, and a fixture in all-time top TV series lists from TIME, Entertainment Weekly and TV Guide, Twin Peaks follows the inhabitants of a quaint northwestern town who are stunned after the homecoming queen Laura Palmer is suddenly found murdered. The investigation that follows engenders an eerie chain of events with cataclysmic results felt across the entire town. The series features an ensemble cast including Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Sheryl Lee, Sherilyn Fenn, Lara Flynn Boyle, Mädchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook, Richard Beymer, Ray Wise, Peggy Lipton and Warren Frost. Although shot after the series ended, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me is the prequel to the television series and focuses on the seven days leading up to Laura Palmer’s death. Many of the TV series cast members reprise their roles in the film and are joined by others including Kiefer Sutherland, David Bowie, Chris Isaak and Harry Dean Stanton.

TWIN PEAKS – THE ENTIRE MYSTERY will be available in 1080p with English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (Series and Feature), original English Stereo 2.0 (Series and Feature), Latin American Spanish Mono (Series), Latin American Spanish Stereo (Feature), Brazilian Portuguese Mono (Series), French Mono (Series), French 5.1 (Feature), Italian Mono (Series), Italian Stereo (Feature), German Mono (Series), German 5.1 (Feature), Castilian Mono (Series), Castilian Stereo (Feature), Japanese Mono (Series), and Japanese Stereo (Feature). The 10-disc collection also includes English SDH, Latin American Spanish, French, Italian, German, Castilian, Japanese, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and Finnish subtitles (Series and Feature).

It will be available for the suggested retail price of $109.99 U.S. and $129.99 Canada. The disc breakdown is as follows:

Disc One:
    Pilot
        Original Version
        Alternate International Version
    Episode 1
    Episode 2
    Special Features
        Log Lady Intros (HD)
        Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

Disc Two:
    Episode 3
    Episode 4
    Episode 5
    Episode 6
    Episode 7

    Special Features
        Season 1 Image Gallery
        Twin Peaks Sneak Peeks (HD)
        Log Lady Intros (HD)
        Previews and recaps on select episodes (HD)

Disc Three:
    Episode 8
    Episode 9
    Episode 10
    Special Features
        A Slice of Lynch: Uncut (HD) – NEW!
        Season 2 Image Gallery
        Promos (HD/SD)
        Log Lady Intros (HD)
        Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

Disc Four:
    Episode 11
    Episode 12
    Episode 13
    Episode 14
    Special Features
        Series Deleted Scenes
        Series Deleted Scenes (HD) – NEW!
        Outtakes (HD) – NEW!
        Log Lady Intros (HD)
        Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

Disc Five:
    Episode 15
    Episode 16
    Episode 17
    Episode 18
    Special Features
        Return To Twin Peaks
        Location Guide
        The Glastonbury Archives
            17 Pieces of Pie: Shooting at the Mar T (AKA RR) Diner
            Mark Frost Interview with Wrapped in Plastic
            Learning to Speak in the Red Room
            An Introduction to David Lynch
            Lucy Bumpers
            1-900 Hotline
            Production Documents
            Image Galleries
        Log Lady Intros (HD)
        Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

Disc Six:
    Episode 19
    Episode 20
    Episode 21
    Episode 22
    Special Features
        Postcards From The Cast
        Twin Peaks Sneak Peaks (HD)
        Log Lady Intros (HD)
        Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

Disc Seven:
    Episode 23
    Episode 24
    Episode 25
    Episode 26
    Special Features
        Cast And Crew Interviews
        Log Lady Intros (HD)
        Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

Disc Eight:
    Episode 27
    Episode 28
    Episode 29
    Special Features
        Secrets From Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks (HD)
            Northwest Passage: Creating the Pilot
            Freshly Squeezed: Creating Season One
            Where We’re From: Creating the Music
            Into the Night: Creating Season Two
        Log Lady Intros (HD)
        Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

Disc Nine:
    Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
    The Missing Pieces: Deleted/Alternate Scenes (HD) – NEW!
    Special Feature
        Archival Interviews

Disc Ten:
    Special Features
        Between Two Worlds (HD) – NEW!
            Palmer Family Interview
            Actors Discussion
        Moving Through Time: Fire Walk With Me Memories (HD) – NEW!
        Reflections On The Phenomenon Of Twin Peaks
        US Trailer
        International Trailer
        Fire Walk With Me Photo Gallery – NEW!
        Atmospherics (HD) – NEW!
            Trees/Woods
            Pie
            Signs/Places
            Coffee
            Notes
            Water
            Donuts
            Owls
            The Ring
            The Red Room

Please visit andthemissingpieces.tumblr.com for the latest details on TWIN PEAKS – THE ENTIRE MYSTERY. Use #theentiremystery to join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

High Definition special features are denoted (HD). Configuration and names of special features are subject to change.

CBS Home Entertainment manages the worldwide DVD and Blu-ray businesses for the CBS Corporation across all lines of content including current hits and classic series from the vast CBS library, as well as new releases from Showtime Video. CBS Home Entertainment products are released on the CBS DVD and CBS Blu-ray labels.

Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for certain DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment titles. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.


TWIN PEAKS — THE ENTIRE MYSTERY BLU-RAY
Street Date: July 29, 2014
Suggest retail price:  $109.99 US / $129.99 CAN
Catalog #: 144394
Series Run Time: Approx. 25 hours, 3 minutes
Film Run Time: Approx. 2 hours, 14 minutes
Series U.S. Rating: NR
Film U.S. Rating: R - Strong Violence, Sex and Drug Content, Language
Series CAN Rating:14A – Mature Theme
Film CAN Rating: 18A – Sexual Violence, Sexual Content, Disturbing Content

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

Twice the Chocolate at Indiegogo

Try conventional chocolate:

The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention on Indiegogo

I have never been to this convention, but I plan to go.  I think what they do is important for the art form in America:

Bradley Cooper and Todd Phillips Form Production Company

Warner Bros. Pictures Announces First-Look Producing Deal with Todd Phillips and Bradley Cooper’s New Production Company

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Longtime friends and collaborators Todd Phillips and Bradley Cooper have formed a production company as producing partners and signed a three-year, first-look production agreement with Warner Bros. Pictures, it was announced today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, Warner Bros. Pictures.

    “Bradley is a tremendous talent and one of my closest friends”

“Todd and Bradley have deep personal ties throughout the Studio and we couldn’t be more pleased that they are combining their immense talents into what promises to be one formidable production company,” said Silverman. “The entire Warner Bros. family is excited about the great movies we know will come from this collaboration of two highly successful and original filmmakers.”

“Todd is one of the smartest, coolest guys I know,” said Cooper. “He also happens to be one of the best filmmakers in the business, and I am honored and excited to be his partner.”

“Bradley is a tremendous talent and one of my closest friends,” said Phillips. “He is the hardest working guy I know and truly loves all aspects of filmmaking. The pairing of his intense focus and my good looks should make for some fun, and hopefully compelling, projects. I look forward to causing some trouble with him.”

The first collaboration under the new banner will be “Arms & the Dudes,” which is Phillips’ next project to direct. The film is based on a Rolling Stone article written by Guy Lawson that chronicles the true story of two stoner kids from Miami Beach who wound up becoming big-time arms dealers for the U.S. government, eventually landing a $300 million contract that got them in way over their heads.

Cooper, who became well known from “The Hangover” franchise, has since been nominated for Academy Awards® for his work in “Silver Linings Playbook” and “American Hustle.” He formed 22nd & Indiana Pictures and partnered with Warner Bros. in a two-year development deal in 2012. One of the first projects Cooper acquired under the 22nd & Indiana banner was “American Sniper,” an adaptation of the autobiography of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. Cooper is producing and starring in the film, which is currently shooting in Morocco and Los Angeles, under the direction of Clint Eastwood.

Phillips’ Green Hat Films has been based at Warner Bros. since 2005. The first film under the Green Hat banner was “The Hangover,” which grossed $469.2 million worldwide, and still ranks, domestically, as the highest grossing R-rated comedy ever. The sequel, “The Hangover Part II,” surpassed its predecessor, grossing $587.2 million worldwide. Collectively, “The Hangover” trilogy has grossed over $1.4 billion globally. Phillips also produced and directed “Due Date” for the studio in 2010 and produced “Project X” in 2012.

Review: Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 24 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery (2014) – Video
Running time:  84 minutes (1 hour, 24 minutes)
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR:   Brandon Vietti
WRITER:  Michael Ryan
EDITOR:  Kyle Stafford
COMPOSER:  Ryan Shore
ANIMATION STUDIO:  Digital eMation, Inc.

ANIMATION/FANTASY/FAMILY and ACTION/COMEDY/MYSTERY

Starring:  (voices) Frank Welker, Matthew Lillard, Grey DeLisle, Mindy Cohn, Charles S. Dutton, Bumper Robinson, Mary McCormack, Corey Burton, and Fred Tatasciore; from WWE: John Cena, Kane, Brodus Clay, AJ Lee, The Miz, Triple H, Michael Cole, Santino Marella, and Vince McMahon

Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery is the 21st animated movie in the Scooby-Doo straight-to-video series from Warner Bros. Animation.  This series began in 1998 with Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island.  In WrestleMania Mystery, Mystery Inc. joins WWE wrestling superstars to solve the mystery of a marauding ghost bear.  This film is also a co-production between WWE Studios and Warner Bros. Animation.

Early in Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery, Shaggy Rogers (Matthew Lillard) and Scooby-Doo (Frank Welker) win tickets to WrestleMania.  The two then cajole the rest of the Mystery Inc. gang:  Fred Jones (Frank Welker), Daphne Blake (Grey DeLisle), and Velma Dinkley (Mindy Cohn), into taking them to the event.  The entire gang boards the Mystery Machine and heads to WWE City, the site of WrestleMania.

An accident on the way gives the friends the chance to meet WWE (Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment) superstar, John Cena (John Cena).  They even meet WWE boss, Mr. McMahon (Vince McMahon), and the gang gets an invite to visit the WWE training camp.  The good times are interrupted, however, by Vicious, a ghost bear whose attacks threaten to ruin WrestleMania.  WWE stars join Mystery, Inc. to solve the case and to also protect the health and freedom of Shaggy and Scooby.

I actually did not expect much from Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery, because I am not a fan of professional wrestling.  I was when I was a child (and I was huge fan of it, then).  However, I liked this movie … a lot.  In fact, I found myself wishing for a sequel as soon as I finished watching WrestleMania Mystery.

There are a few reasons.  First, WrestleMania Mystery is one of the better recent Scooby-Doo direct-to-DVD movies, with the animation, production values, and voice acting being mostly good.  John Cena, or at least the cartoon version of him, comes across as a nice guy, the kind of fella who would make a good mystery-solving pal.  The Miz (regular name: Mike Mizanin) is funny in a small role, and I think that he’d also make a good sleuthing buddy.  WWE star, Sin Cara, is fantastic in a non-speaking role.

At 84 minutes in length, WrestleMania Mystery is more like a full-length movie than most of the Scooby-Doo movies of the last several years.  For the most part, the story does not seem padded.  Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery works.  It is genuinely good and funny, and it has a nice, action-filled last act.  I like it enough that it almost makes me want to watch some real-life WWE action … almost.

7 of 10
A-

Saturday, May 17, 2014


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

Happy Birthday, Albert Avilla

Happy Birthday to my longtime friend and comics collaborator, Albert Avilla.  Al is also a contributor at Negromancer's sister blog, I Reads You.  Have a Happy Birthday and many, many, many more ... pal o' mine!

by Leroy

Review: "Club Dread" is an Awkward Mix of Horror and Comedy (Happy B'day, Bill Paxton)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 93 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Broken Lizard’s Club Dread (2004)
Running time:  104 minutes (1 hour, 44 minutes)
MPAA – R for violence/gore, sexual content, language and drug use
DIRECTOR:  Jay Chandrasekhar
WRITERS:  Broken Lizard (Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, Erik Stolhanske, and Jay Chandrasekhar)
PRODUCER:  Richard Perello
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Lawrence Sher
EDITOR:  Ryan Folsey
COMPOSER:  Nathan Barr

COMEDY/HORROR/THRILLER

Starring:  Bill Paxton, Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, Erik Stolhanske, Brittany Daniel, Jordan Ladd, M.C. Gainey, Samm Levine, Lindsay Price, and Michael Yurchak

The subject of this movie review is Club Dread, a 2004 comic horror-thriller directed by Jay Chandrasekhar.  The film stars and is written by the comedy troupe, Broken Lizard, of which Chandrasekhar is a member.  Club Dread focuses on the staff members of an island resort, as they try to stop a serial killer’s rampage ... or at least hide bodies.

Broken Lizard, the comedy troupe who gave us the hilarious Super Troopers, returns with a new film decidedly different from Super Troopers, and it is entitled Club Dread.  Coconut Pete’s Coconut Beach Resort is an island retreat off the coast of Costa Rica for swinging singles i.e. people who want to have lots of recreational sex.  The owner is Coconut Pete (Bill Paxton), a burnt out rock singer/songwriter who is a low rent version of Jimmy Buffet.

As the movie begins, a machete-wielding maniac starts killing Pete’s employees.  After destroying the only two boats on the island, the killer threatens Coconut Pete and his staff:  keep it business as usual; do not tell the tourists about his murderous escapades or he will kill them all.  Of course, he keeps on killing; hilarity and paranoia ensue.

On the surface, Club Dread is a strange film, and it would be incorrect to call it a horror comedy.  It’s more a comic slasher flick, and it pulls off a rare trick – the horror film that is genuinely funny, not ironic and self-referential funny like the Scream franchise.  Amazingly, the film has all the elements that are absolutely required to make a slasher flick.  What makes it funny?  The answer would be the actions of the characters.  Although the players are virtually to a man nothing but wispy caricatures, the things they do and say are outrageous, silly, ridiculous, and sometimes hilarious.

The main reason this film doesn’t become a disaster is director Jay Chandrasekhar, a member of Broken Lizard.  He has a deft comic touch, and, for the most part, it works.  He manages to take his troupe’s peculiar brand of comedy and make it at least palatable to a broader audience.  Club Dread isn’t by any means a really good film.  It’s a decent horror flick with lots of laughs.  But taken as a whole Chandrasekhar had made a film that will be a good video rental for horror fans.  And in an odd way, there is something about Club Dread that makes it hard to stop watching.

5 of 10
C+

Updated:  Saturday, May 17, 2014

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

2014 Student Academy Award Winners Announced

Academy Announces 2014 Student Academy Award® Winners

Beverly Hills, CA – Fifteen students have been selected as winners in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 41st Student Academy Awards® competition.  They will arrive in Los Angeles for a week of industry activities that will culminate in the awards ceremony on Saturday, June 7, at 6 p.m., at the DGA Theater in Hollywood.  The medal placements – gold, silver and bronze – in the five award categories will be announced at the ceremony.

The winners are (listed alphabetically by film title):

Alternative
“Oscillate,” Daniel Sierra, School of Visual Arts, New York
“Person,” Drew Brown, The Art Institute of Jacksonville, Florida


Animation
“Higher Sky,” Teng Cheng, University of Southern California
“Owned,” Daniel Clark and Wesley Tippetts, Brigham Young University, Utah
“Yamashita,” Hayley Foster, Loyola Marymount University, California

Documentary
“The Apothecary,” Helen Hood Scheer, Stanford University
“One Child,” Zijian Mu, New York University
“White Earth,” J. Christian Jensen, Stanford University

Narrative
“Above the Sea,” Keola Racela, Columbia University, New York
“Door God,” Yulin Liu, New York University
“Interstate,” Camille Stochitch, American Film Institute, California


Foreign Film
“Border Patrol,” Peter Baumann, The Northern Film School, United Kingdom
“Nocebo,” Lennart Ruff, University of Television and Film Munich, Germany
“Paris on the Water,” Hadas Ayalon, Tel Aviv University, Israel


This year saw first-time honors go to Tel Aviv University, Israel, and The Northern Film School, United Kingdom, in the foreign competition.  Academy members voted the winners from a field of 49 finalists, announced earlier this month.

The Academy established the Student Academy Awards in 1972 to support and encourage excellence in filmmaking at the collegiate level. Past Student Academy Award winners have gone on to receive 46 Oscar® nominations and have won or shared eight awards. They include John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Robert Zemeckis, Trey Parker and Spike Lee.

The 41st Student Academy Awards ceremony on June 7 is free and open to the public, but advance tickets are required.  Tickets may be obtained online at www.oscars.org or by mail.  Any remaining tickets will be made available at the door on the evening of the event. The DGA Theater is located at 7920 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.  For more information, call (310) 247-2677.

Chris Rock to Host 2014 BET Awards

Emmy and GRAMMY® Award Winner Chris Rock to Host “BET Awards” 2014

Awards to air LIVE on Sunday, June 29th on BET from Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, CA

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET’s “106 & PARK” today revealed Emmy and GRAMMY® Award winning comedian Chris Rock as the host for this year’s “BET Awards” 2014 airing live on Sunday, June 29th at 8pm ET on BET from the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, CA.

    “Mr. Rock is a comedic genius with a rapier wit who is a keen observer of pop culture. We’re looking forward to what he is to unleash on June 29th. You will definitely want to meet us at the BET Awards.”

“I watch the BET Awards every year. It’s one of my favorite award shows combining people from movies, sports, TV and music,” said Chris Rock. “Where else can you get Rick Ross and Michelle Obama in the same room?! The BET Awards is like a party where nothing is off-limits. My peers have done the show, now it’s my turn.”

“We’ve been trying to make this happen for a VERY long while, and we’re ecstatic that Chris Rock will be the host of the BET Awards for the first time,” Stephen Hill, President of Music Programming and Specials at BET, said. “Mr. Rock is a comedic genius with a rapier wit who is a keen observer of pop culture. We’re looking forward to what he is to unleash on June 29th. You will definitely want to meet us at the BET Awards.”

Lauded by awards and critics alike, Chris Rock is one of our generation’s strongest comedic voices. The Brooklyn-raised comedian has garnered four Emmy Awards, three GRAMMY® Awards, is listed as number five on Comedy Central’s “100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time” and was honored in 2006 with HBO’s esteemed “Comedian Award.”

Rock’s film credits include “Madagascar,” “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” and “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted,” “Grown Ups,” “2 Days In New York,” “Death at a Funeral,” “Nurse Betty,” “Beverly Hills Cop II,” “Boomerang,” “Panther,” “New Jack City,” “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka!,” “Lethal Weapon 4,” “Dogma,” “Bad Company,” “Down to Earth,” “I Think I Love My Wife,” “The Longest Yard” and “Dr. Doolittle.” Rock competed at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival as a first-time documentary filmmaker for his film, “Good Hair.” The critically-acclaimed film won the Sundance “Special Jury Prize,” the NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Documentary” and was named “Top Five Documentaries of 2009” by the National Board of Review.

In 2011, Rock made his Broadway debut starring in Stephen Adly Guirgis’s The Motherf**ker With The Hat. Rock hosted the 77th Annual Academy Awards in 2005, as well as the MTV Video Music Awards in 1999 and 2003. Rock’s debut book, Rock This, spent time on both The New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists.

The BET Experience VIP Package offers the only way to purchase a “BET Awards" ticket, great seats to 3 nights of concerts at the Staples Center, and exclusive access to events at the free Fan Fest. For more information, including exclusive hotel rates, and to purchase tickets, go to BET.com/BETX.

A full list of the BET Award 2014 nominations is now available at www.BET.com.

Stephen G. Hill, BET’s President of Music Programming and Specials, and Lynne Harris Taylor, BET’s Vice President of Specials, will serve as Executive Producers for the “BET Awards,” along with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment.

The “BET Awards” 2014 will broadcast live on Sunday, June 29th at 8pm ET on BET from the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, CA. The BET Awards 2014 will premiere internationally on BET’s international network on July 1st, 2014 at 8:00pm GMT (Check local listings).

The “BET Awards” will take place along with the BET Experience in Los Angeles from June 27-29th. BET.com/Awards is the official site for the “BET Awards” and will have all the latest news and updates about this year's show. All information about the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE presented by Coca-Cola® can be found at BETExperience.com. The BET Experience VIP Package offers the only way to purchase a BET Awards ticket, great seats to 3 nights of concerts at the Staples Center, and exclusive access to events at the free Fan Fest. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to BET.com/BETX. Follow the Experience on Twitter @betexperience.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE
BET Networks, an entertainment powerhouse, and AEG, one of the leading entertainment companies in the world and developer/operator of L.A. LIVE, have teamed up once again to create the BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE (BETX), June 27 - 29, 2014 presented by Coca-Cola®. This three-day festival will be filled with music and comedy concerts taking place at Club Nokia and STAPLES Center; “106 & PARK” tapings in Nokia Plaza L.A. LIVE; BET Fan Fest at the Los Angeles Convention Center including seminars, celebrity basketball games, celebrity meet & greets; GRAMMY® Museum exhibits and other special appearances. The weekend will be capped off with the “BET Awards” on Sunday, June 29, 2014 at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”
The BET AWARDS is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The BET AWARDS franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT:
Jesse Collins Entertainment is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, Collins, the company’s CEO, has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. Formerly Executive Producer/EVP of Cossette Productions, Collins has produced ground-breaking and award-winning television programming including the BET Awards, the GRAMMY Awards, BET Honors, The UNCF Evening of Stars and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Collins currently Exec. Produces “The Real Husbands of Hollywood,” (now going into its 4th hit season) alongside industry Icons Stan Lathan and Ralph Farquhar; and has worked with superstar talent such as Will Smith, Chris Rock, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Prince, Mariah Carey and many more.

About AEG
AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Anschutz Company, owns or is affiliated with a collection of companies including over 100 of the world’s preeminent facilities such as STAPLES Center (Los Angeles, CA), StubHub Center (Carson, CA), Best Buy Theater (Times Square, New York), Mercedes-Benz Arena (Shanghai, China), Allphones Arena (Sydney, Australia), Brisbane Convention and Entertainment Center and The O2 arena and entertainment district (London, England). Developed by AEG, L.A. LIVE is a 4 million square foot / $3 billion downtown Los Angeles sports, & entertainment district featuring Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE, Club Nokia, the Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14 theater, 19 restaurants the GRAMMY Museum and a 54-story, 1001-room convention "headquarters" hotel/destination. In addition to overseeing privately held management shares of the Los Angeles Lakers, assets of AEG Sports include franchises such as the LA Kings, LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo and the Amgen Tour of California cycling stage race. Along with AEG Facilities, other global divisions include AEG Live, the world’s second largest concert promotion and touring companies comprised of touring, festival, exhibition, broadcast, merchandise and special event divisions and AEG Global Partnerships, responsible for worldwide sales and servicing of sponsorships, naming rights and other strategic partnerships. In 2010, AEG launched its AEG 1EARTH environmental program featuring the industry's first sustainability report while in 2011, AEG introduced AXS a comprehensive entertainment platform serving as the company’s primary consumer brand including AXS Ticketing which provides fans the opportunity to purchase tickets directly from their favorite venues via a user-friendly ticketing interface, Examiner.com and the AXS TV network. For additional information, visit www.aegworldwide.com

Review: "Delta Farce" Tries (Happy B'day, Danny Trejo)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 134 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux

Delta Farce (2007)
Running time:  89 minutes (1 hour, 29 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for crude and sexual humor
DIRECTOR:  CB Harding
WRITERS:  Bear Aderhold and Thomas F.X. Sullivan
PRODUCERS:  Alan Blomquist and J.P. Williams
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Tom Priestley, Jr.
EDITOR:  Mark Conte
COMPOSER:  James S. Levin

COMEDY/ACTION

Starring:  Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall, DJ Qualls, Keith David, Marisol Nichols, Glenn Morshower, Michael Papajohn, and Danny Trejo

The subject of this movie review is Delta Farce, a 2007 action-comedy starring comedians, Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall.  The film follows three bumbling Army reservists who are bound for Iraq, but instead are accidentally dropped near a Mexican village besieged by bandits.

After being mistaken for Army reserve troops, Larry (Larry the Cable Guy), Bill (Bill Engvall), and Everett (DJ Qualls), three small-town losers who are also National Guardsmen, find themselves introduced to angry Sgt. Kilgore (Keith David).  After berating them for their slovenliness, Kilgore eventually hustles the trio onto a transport plane bound for Iraq.

During the flight, the pilots unwittingly drop Larry, Bill, Everett, and Kilgore in Mexico.  After burying Kilgore whom they believe was killed by the drop, Larry, Bill, and Everett begin liberating what they think are Iraqi civilians.  When they discover that they are in Mexico, the trio finds itself saving the small Mexican village of La Miranda from a gang of bandits led by the man who calls himself the “real Carlos Santana” (Danny Trejo).

How do you take two funny comedians and turn them into listless joke machines delivering dry one-liners?  You try to make them actors, which is what the film Delta Farce does.  Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall are best known as part of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, although Larry the Cable Guy, as a solo act, is currently the most successful touring comedian in terms of tickets sold.  They’re funny guys, and Larry is especially talented.  But turn them into actors, and their comedy becomes strained.

The film Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector played to Larry’s strengths by fashioning a flimsy movie scenario and basically letting him perform his stage act with the rest of the movie’s cast playing off him.  His voiceover performance in Disney/Pixar’s Cars was basically Larry being Larry.

In Delta Farce, Larry and Bill not only have to play characters; they also have to move the narrative.  That requires a performer to do more acting than just pretending.  It’s more than telling jokes, performing skits and routines, and saying silly things.  Larry and Engvall are good at delivering one-liners and saying a few funny things, but this comic duo often seems out of place in the context of film narrative.  Ultimately, they’re not bad, and what they do in Delta Farce should appease their fan base.

On the other hand, DJ Qualls, a pretty good comic actor, and Keith David, a fine and under-utilized character actor, fit comfortably.  Qualls and David actually play comic characters and when they perform, it’s like acting and not a stand-up comedy routine.

Delta Farce is harmless and is for the most part funny.  It actually could have been much better, but the directing by C.B. Harding, who helmed Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie and the TV follow ups, is abysmal.  The film is largely apolitical, though odd “support the troops” comments pop up here and there.  As is, Delta Farce is decent entertainment for fans of the various cast members, especially Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall.

4 of 10
C

Updated: Friday, May 16, 2014


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

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for May 15, 2014

Variety is reporting that Harrison Ford has been offered a role in Alcon Entertainment's Blade Runner sequel, which is being directed by Ridley Scott, who also directed the original film.

Speaking of Ridley Scott films, H.R. Giger, the famed 20th century surrealist painter, died Monday, May 12, 2014.  He won a visual effects Oscar in 1980 for his work on Scott's legendary film, Alien.  Giger was 74.  According to confirmed reports, Giger died after sustaining falls from an injury.

In miscasting news, Channing Tatum will play the Marvel Comics mutant character, "Gambit," in an X-Men spinoff movie.

New "Transformers: Age of Extinction" Poster (May 14, 2014)

TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION is the fourth film in director Michael Bay’s global blockbuster franchise. Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Li Bingbing , Kelsey Grammer, Sophia Myles, T. J. Miller, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor and Titus Welliver star. The film begins after an epic battle that left a great city torn, but with the world saved. As humanity picks up the pieces, a shadowy group reveals itself in an attempt to control the direction of history… while an ancient, powerful new menace sets Earth in its crosshairs. With help from a new cast of humans, Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen) and the Autobots rise to meet their most fearsome challenge yet. In an incredible adventure, they are swept up in a war of good and evil, ultimately leading to a climactic battle across the world.

Transformers: Age of Extinction is in theaters 06.27.14

Official site: TransformersMovie.com

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/transformersmovie

Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/transformers / Hash tag - #Transformers

Fans can tweet using #TransformersPremiere for a chance to win a trip for two to the world premiere in Hong Kong to see the film and and watch Imagine Dragons perform live on June 19. For official rules: http://www.transformersmovie.com/TwitterSweeps/OfficialRules.pdf

Get the official Transformers: Age of Extinction movie app, available now on iOS and Android!
Choose your side, complete missions and get ready for the film release.

To download the App please visit:
Itunes: http://hasb.ro/TF4APAIT514
Google Play: http://hasb.ro/TF4APAS514