Denise Di Novi's "Unforgettable" Begins Shooting in Los Angeles

Shooting Begins on “Unforgettable”

Katherine Heigl and Rosario Dawson star in the film, marking the directorial debut of Denise Di Novi

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography is underway on Warner Bros. Pictures’ dramatic thriller “Unforgettable,” which is the first film in the director’s chair for veteran producer Denise Di Novi (“Crazy, Stupid, Love,” “Focus”).

Katherine Heigl (“27 Dresses,” “Knocked Up”) and Rosario Dawson (the “Sin City” films) star in the film. “Unforgettable” marks a reunion for Heigl and Di Novi, who previously collaborated on “Life as We Know It.”

The main cast also includes Geoff Stults (TV’s “Zoo”), young actress Isabella Rice (“True Blood”), Simon Kassianides (TV’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”), Whitney Cummings (“The Wedding Ringer”), Robert Wisdom (TV’s “Chicago PD”) and film and television star Cheryl Ladd.

The film is being produced by Di Novi, Alison Greenspan (“If I Stay”) and Ravi D. Mehta (“Grudge Match”), from a screenplay by Christina Hodson.

Heigl stars as Tessa Connover, who is barely coping with the end of her marriage when her ex-husband, David (Stults), becomes happily engaged to Julia Banks (Dawson)—not only bringing Julia into the home they once shared but also into the life of their daughter, Lilly (Isabella Rice). Trying to settle into her new role as a wife and a stepmother, Julia believes she has finally met the man of her dreams, the man who can help her put her own troubled past behind her. But Tessa’s jealousy soon takes a pathological turn until she will stop at nothing to turn Julia’s dream into her ultimate nightmare.

The behind the scenes creative team is led by multiple Oscar-nominated director of photography Caleb Deschanel (“The Right Stuff,” “The Natural”), production designer Nelson Coates (“Flight”), editor Frédéric Thoraval (“Taken”), and costume designer Marian Toy (HBO’s “Ballers”).

“Unforgettable” will be lensed in and around the Los Angeles area.

The film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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Pokemon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior Takes Flight

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE HOME MEDIA RELEASE OF POKÉMON: GIRATINA AND THE SKY WARRIOR

Second Feature Film Of The POKÉMON DIAMOND AND PEARL Movie Collection Available Now

VIZ Media delivers the fun adventures of POKÉMON to fans of all ages with the home media release of POKÉMON: GIRATINA AND THE SKY WARRIOR on DVD.

The new release is the 11th POKÉMON feature film and the second movie in the POKÉMON DIAMOND AND PEARL movie collection. POKÉMON: GIRATINA AND THE SKY WARRIOR is rated ‘TV-Y7,’ for viewers ages 7 and older, and will carry an MSRP of $19.97 U.S. / $24.98 CAN. An official manga edition is also published by VIZ Media and is rated ‘A’ for All Ages and available with an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

POKÉMON: GIRATINA AND THE SKY WARRIOR takes audiences deep into the heart of the Reverse World, ruled by the Legendary Pokémon Giratina. Ash and friends meet up with the feisty and sharp-witted  Mythical Pokémon Shaymin and discover that its journey and their own share similar themes - love of nature and all living things, and exploring the fragile line between humans and Pokémon. And to make it even more spectacular, get ready for the appearance of Regigigas, a super-powerful Legendary Pokémon with a frosty demeanor! Add to the mix a helpful researcher, a dangerous villain who wishes to control Giratina, and a plan to rule the world, and you have all the makings of a Pokémon epic! Learn to fly all over again with POKÉMON: GIRATINA AND THE SKY WARRIOR!

POKÉMON is one of the most successful international entertainment franchises of all time. To date more than 270 million POKÉMON video game titles and over 21.5 billion Pokémon Trading Cards have been sold in more than 73 countries in addition to substantial publishing and merchandise sales. Pokémon the Series: XY is the 17th season of the POKÉMON animated series and airs in the U.S. on Cartoon Network. VIZ Media is the official North American home media distributor for the POKÉMON anime series and feature films as well as the publisher for POKÉMON manga graphic novel series including POKÉMON ADVENTURES X•Y, POKÉMON ADVENTURES, POKÉMON ADVENTURES: DIAMOND & PEARL, POKÉMON ADVENTURES: GOLD & SILVER, and POKÉMON ADVENTURES: BLACK & WHITE.

For more information on other manga and anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

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Review: Entertaining "Focus" Lacks Focus

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 32 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

[The review first appeared on Patreon.]

Focus (2015)
Running time:  105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA - R for language, some sexual content and brief violence  
WRITERS/DIRECTORS:  Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
PRODUCER:  Denise Di Novi
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Xavier Grobet (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Jan Kovac
COMPOSER:  Nick Urata    

CRIME/DRAMA/COMEDY/ROMANCE

Starring:  Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Adrian Martinez, Gerald McRaney, Rodrigo Santoro, BD Wong, Brenna Brown, Robert Taylor, Dotan Bonen, and Don Yesso

Focus is a 2015 crime film and romantic comedy-drama from writer-directors, Glenn Ficarra and John Requa.  The film stars Will Smith as a con man and Margot Robbie as the woman from his past who shows up in the middle of his latest con.

Focus opens in New Orleans where veteran con man, Nicky (Will Smith), meets a beautiful young woman named Jess (Margot Robbie).  Jess seduces Nicky, but he quickly sees through her ruse, and she reveals herself to be an inexperienced grifter.  Nicky allows Jess to apprentice with his crew as they plan to con and to steal their way though New Orleans during the weekend of a big football championship game.  However, Nicky eventually sends Jess away, letting her believe that he was just using her.

Three years later, Nicky is in Buenos Aires, where he is working on a con with billionaire motor sport team owner Rafael Garriga (Rodrigo Santoro).  Nicky gets thrown for a loop when he discovers that Jess is on the other side of this con job.

I am a big fan of Will Smith, so I have seen almost all of his films.  One thing that I have noticed is that in some of Will's films, especially in action movies, the filmmakers or the studio expect Will to be funny, although he is a fine dramatic actor.  So, we end up with films like Wild Wild West, which reportedly went through extensive re-shoots in order to add some comedy to the weird Western/action movie mash-up.  The final product was problematic, to say the least.

In fact, Will's 2008 hit film, Hancock, also seemed to suffer from a lack of... focus.  It wanted to be a action comedy about a disaster-prone, washed-out superhero in need of a PR guru.  Then, the film wanted to be a romantic drama about a love triangle, wherein a bad-boy superhero woos his new best friend's wife.  Then, Hancock turned into some kind of dark fantasy drama about fallen gods.

Focus starts off in New Orleans as a heist movie that lets the viewer inside the world of highly-skilled pickpockets, purse-snatchers, and con men; there is a romantic drama backdrop.  In Buenos Aires, the movie starts off as a romantic drama about reunited lovers, but that soon becomes romantic comedy with drippings of a crime thriller.

Well, the best part of this movie is the chemistry between Will Smith and Margot Robbie.  They make the romantic drama seem genuine, and when the film switches tone, they are witty and engaging star-crossed lovers with a perfect comic touch.  I loves me some Charlize Theron (who played opposite Will in Hancock), but I think that Margot Robbie is Will's best co-star to date.  Will and Margot need a better movie.

Although I am critical of Focus' shift in tone and genre-hopping, I like the many twists and turns of its plot, and its glamours backdrops and sets make Focus a gorgeous-looking movie.  Focus also has a scene-stealing star in supporting actor, Adrian Martinez as Farhad, and it is always good to see Gerald McRaney, who plays a hard-ass named Owens.  [I might be partial to McRaney because, before he died, my father was a fan of “Simon & Simon,” the 1980's CBS television series in which McRaney was one of the leads.]

My complaints aside, I really liked Focus, but I don't know if my review will be of much use to readers wondering about this film.  As I said, I am a big Will Smith fan, so that colors my reviews of his films.  And I did really like After Earth...

6 of 10
B

Monday, July 6, 2015


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

VIZ Media and Eleven Arts to Screen "Boruto: Naruto the Movie" in Canada

VIZ MEDIA AND ELEVEN ARTS ANNOUNCE THEATRICAL PREMIERE OF BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE IN MAJOR CANADIAN CITIES

Brand New Action-Filled Anime Adventure Features The Rebellious Son Of The Celebrated Ninja Naruto Who Seeks To Become An Even More Legendary Ninja

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, announces the expansion of its partnership with Los Angeles-based film distribution company ELEVEN ARTS to premiere BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE in a series of exclusive theatrical engagements. In addition to a big-screen debut in over 80 U.S. cities, Canadian fans also will have a very special opportunity to catch the premiere in 9 major cities, including Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and more beginning on October 10th, 2015.

Featuring the son of the world’s most popular ninja, BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE is executive produced by Masashi Kishimoto, the famed creator of the epic bestselling manga series (also published by VIZ Media) on which the film’s characters are based. BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE also features screenplay and character design by Kishimoto, and was directed by Hiroyuki Yamashita, with screenplay cooperation by Ukyou Kodachi; Chief Character Designers and Chief Animation Directors are Tetsuya Nishio and Hirofumi Suzuki.

BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE will be presented with original Japanese dialogue with English subtitles. For additional information and to purchase advance tickets, please visit: www.elevenarts.net.

In BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE, famed ninja, Naruto Uzumaki protects the Hidden Leaf Village as the Seventh Hokage, while Boruto, his troublesome son, resents his father's responsibilities that take his time away from him. Seeing this, Sasuke takes Boruto under his wing, while Sasuke's only daughter, Sarada, dreams of being Hokage one day.

With Naruto as the Seventh Hokage, the Hidden Leaf Village plans to host the Chunin Exams to train new shinobi from the village and from their allied villages. Among the entrants are Sasuke's daughter, Sarada, Mitsuki, an exceptionally talented yet mysterious shinobi… and Boruto, Naruto's talented but impetuous son. Meanwhile, Sasuke who’s been on a mission in another dimension appears before Naruto to warn of a strange impending danger. Shrouded with an evil aura, Momoshiki and Kinshiki appear and attempt to assassinate Naruto. Petrified, Boruto is shielded by Naruto, only to disappear in front of Boruto's own eyes!

To view a trailer for BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exOSxoLjark

For more information on NARUTO anime, manga and feature film titles, please visit: viz.com/naruto.

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"John Carpenter's Tales for a HalloweeNight" Comics Anthology Announced

Halloween Nightmares Come To Life John Carpenter releases John Carpenter's Tales for a HalloweeNight

(Hollywood CA) Award winning comic publisher Storm King Comics announced today a horror comic anthology entitled John Carpenter’s Tales for a HalloweeNight (ISBN: 978-0-9853258-9-3) that has been put together by the King of Darkness himself, John Carpenter.

The anthology includes an epic line up of artists and writers including John Carpenter (Prince of Darkness, The Thing), Steven Hoveke (Thor, Steamworld Chronicles ), Sandy King (John Carpenter’s Asylum, Vampires, They Live), Steve Niles (30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre), James Ninness (Insanity, AZ, Chronicles of a Full Time Father), Trent Olsen (John Carpenter's Asylum), David Schow (The Crow, Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Tim Bradstreet ( Punisher, Hellblazer), Buzz (Wolverine, Dr. Strange) Federico DeLuca (Dorian Gray. John Saul's The God Project) , Leonardo Manco (John Carpenter’s Asylum, Hellblazer), Darick Robertson (Transmetropolitan, The Boys), Tone Rodriguez (John Carpenter's Snake Plisken Chronicles, Uncanny Xmen 100 Project) and more.

The book will be full color 100+ pages and will be released by October 31st 2015. Fans can get sneak peak at the book Saturday October 17th at 2pm at Barnes and Noble at The Grove 189 Grove Drive K30, Los Angeles, CA 90036. John Carpenter will be signing advanced copies of the book in time for Halloween!

“This project kept growing and growing. The more word spread about the project through the creative community the more talent wanted to be involved. It's one of those books that you pick up because it's going to be fun and when you put it down, it's because you need to turn all the lights in the house on” explained Storm King Comics head Sandy King.

Fans should be able to pick up the title at their local comic shops as well as the Storm King Productions booth at New York Comic Con. The second graphic novel in the Storm King Comic's series John Carpenter's Asylum will be out in early 2016.


About John Carpenter's Tales for a HalloweeNight:
From the man who brought you the movie, “Halloween” and all the scares beyond, here comes the ultimate graphic novel anthology of tales to warm your toes by on a dark and stormy night in October.  Carpenter brings together story tellers from the world of movies, novels and comics and in these pages lie tales of graveyards, sunken ships, creepy crawlers and ghosts to haunt your dreams at night. 

Writers:  John Carpenter, Steven Hoveke, Sandy King, Steve Niles, James Ninness, Trent Olsen, David Schow and Duane Swierczynski.

Artists:  including…Tim Bradstreet, Buzz, Federico DeLuca, Leonardo Manco, Darick Robertson, and Tone Rodriguez

Edited by Sandy King

Want the most up to date information on John Carpenter's Asylum like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JohnCarpentersAsylum.  Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JCsAsylum

About Storm King Productions:
Storm King Productions is headed up by writer producer powerhouse Sandy King Carpenter. Storm King focuses on artistic storytelling in all forms. Their flagship comic book title John Carpenter's Asylum has become a global fan favorite. Other comic properties including Randy Queen's DarkChylde, are also currently in production.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of August 16th to 22nd, 2015 - Update #10

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From Variety:  A Carl Sagan biopic in the works.

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From SlashFilm:  John Boyega lands director James Ponsoldt's "The Circle," based on the Dave Eggers book.

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From Variety:  UPDATE:  Initial estimates had "Straight Outta Compton" at a weekend box office of $56.1.  Updated box office total is $60.2 million!

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From YahooTV:  Stephen King is a "superfan" of John Ridley's "American Crime," television event series/miniseries that premiered on ABC this past spring.

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From Deadline:  Facing five years, Emile Hirsch takes a plea that have him serve 15 days in jail.  He apparently attacked a woman during this year's Sundance film festival.

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From BoxOfficeMojo:  The number one movie at the box office for the weekend of 8/14 to 8/16/15 is "Staight Outta Compton," the biopic about the legendary and seminal rap group, N.W.A.  The movie pulled in an estimated $56.1 million.  The movie's success helped Universal cross $2 billion at the domestic box, the fastest by four months over Warner Bros. which previously crossed that mark in 2009.


COMICS - Films and Books:

From HitFix:  Doctor Strange movie reveals at D23.


TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  New trailer for Ridley Scott's "The Martian," starring Matt Damon.

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From YouTube:  New trailer for the upcoming film, Victor Frankenstein, starring James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe.


OBITS:

From Variety:  The actress, Yvonne Craig, died Monday, August 17, 2015 at the age of 78.  She was best known for her role as "Batgirl" on the 1960s "Batman" TV series.  As a child I loved her as Batgirl.  Rest in peace, Ms. Craig.

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From TheWrap:  Civil rights legend, Julian Bond, died Saturday night, August 16, 2015.  Bond was also the board chairman of the NAACP and the first president of the Southern Poverty Law Center.  He was 75.  Negromancer sends condolences to his family.

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From TheWrap:  E’Dena Hines, the step-granddaughter of Morgan Freeman, was stabbed to death in New York City on early Sunday morning, August 16, 2015.  She was 33.

Artists Annie Wu and Veronica Fish Join Mark Waid on All New "Archie"

ARCHIE #4 Cover by Annie Wu

Fan Favorite Artists Annie Wu and Veronica Fish Join Mark Waid's Critically Acclaimed ARCHIE Reboot in November

Wu (Black Canary, Hawkeye) and Fish will handle art duties for upcoming issues of the bestselling ARCHIE relaunch.

Following the mega-successful and beloved launch of the new ARCHIE book from the legendary team of Mark Waid and Fiona Staples, superstar artist Annie Wu and rising star Veronica Fish join the series in November 2015.

Wu, known for her stellar work on hit series Hawkeye and Black Canary, will handle the art for #4 while Veronica Fish will take on issues #5 and #6.

“Annie has the perfect handle on these characters and we’re lucky to have her come in for a special, one-issue story,” said Archie Comics President Mike Pellerito. “Annie’s a unique and versatile talent and really the perfect person to step in and showcase these characters in a new way, while still holding true to the foundation Fiona put in place.”

Fans got their first glimpse at Veronica Fish’s vibrant take on the Archie gang with her promotional image for the new ‘RIVERDALE’ series in development at The CW.

“Veronica’s a real hidden gem,” Pellerito said. “Mark my words – she’ll be a star before she’s done working on these two issues.”

Fiona Staples, with colorists Andrew Szymanowicz and Jen Vaughn, will continue her character defining run on ARCHIE through September’s issue #3, introducing new faces and fan favorites to the town of Riverdale.

“She not only nailed the style, but also got to the core of each character,” said Pellerito. “Archie, Jughead, Betty, Kevin, Reggie, Midge, Veronica, and so on. Just perfect. Fiona was, hands down, the perfect artist to launch this series, and it shows.”

ARCHIE #2 by Mark Waid and Fiona Staples is on sale Wednesday at comic book stores and digitally. ARCHIE #4 by Mark Waid and Annie Wu is available in comic book stores and digitally this November.

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