Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Cinema Audio Society Reveal 2014 C.A.S. Award Nominations

by Amos Semien

Founded in 1964, the Cinema Audio Society (CAS) is a philanthropic, non-profit organization formed for the purpose of sharing information with Sound Professionals in the Motion Picture and Television Industry.  Cinema Audio Society Awards or The C.A.S. Awards is an annual awards ceremony honoring “Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing” and began doing so 1994.

The Cinema Audio Society has revealed its nominations for 2014, its 50th annual CAS Awards.  I focus on the “Motion Picture” categories, but the full list of nominees (including TV) is here: http://cinemaaudiosociety.org/?page_id=350

The 50th Annual CAS Awards will be held Saturday, February 22, 2014 in the Crystal Ballroom of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

The full list of film nominees:

MOTION PICTURE – LIVE ACTION:

Captain Phillips
Production Mixer --Chris Munro, CAS
Re-recording Mixer –- Michael Prestwood Smith
Re-recording Mixer -- Chris Burdon
Re-recording Mixer -- Mark Taylor
Scoring Mixer -- Al Clay
ADR Mixer -- Howard London, CAS
Foley Mixer -- Glen Gathard

Gravity
Production Mixer --Chris Munro, CAS
Re-recording Mixer -- Skip Lievsay, CAS
Re-recording Mixer -- Niv Adiri
Re-recording Mixer -- Christopher Benstead
Scoring Mixer -- Gareth Cousins
ADR Mixer -- Thomas J. O'Connell
Foley Mixer – Adam Mendez

Inside Llewyn Davis
Production Mixer -- Peter F. Kurland, CAS
Re-recording Mixer -- Skip Lievsay, CAS
Re-recording Mixer -- Greg Orloff, CAS
ADR Mixer -- Bobby Johanson, CAS
Foley Mixer -- George A. Lara

Iron Man 3
Production Mixer -- Jose Antonio Garcia
Re-recording Mixer -- Michael Prestwood Smith
Re-recording Mixer -- Michael Keller, CAS
Scoring Mixer -- Joel Iwataki
ADR Mixer -- Gregory Steele, CAS
Foley Mixer -- James Ashwill

Lone Survivor
Production Mixer -- David Brownlow
Re-recording Mixer -- Andrew Koyama, CAS
Re-recording Mixer -- Beau Borders, CAS
Scoring Mixer -- Satoshi Mark Noguchi
ADR Mixer -- Gregory Steele, CAS
Foley Mixer -- Nerses Gezalyan


MOTION PICTURE—ANIMATED

The Croods
Original Dialogue Mixer -- Tighe Sheldon
Re-recording Mixer -- Randy Thom, CAS
Re-recording Mixer -- Gary A. Rizzo, CAS
Scoring Mixer -- Dennis Sands, CAS
Foley Mixer -- Corey Tyler

Despicable Me 2
Original Dialogue Mixer -- Charleen Richards
Re-recording Mixer -- Tom Johnson
Re-recording Mixer -- Gary A. Rizzo, CAS
Re-recording Mixer -- Chris Scarabosio
Scoring Mixer -- Alan Meyerson, CAS
Foley Mixer -- Tony Eckert

Frozen
Original Dialogue Mixer -- Gabriel Guy
Re-recording Mixer -- David E. Fluhr, CAS
Re-recording Mixer -- Gabriel Guy
Scoring Mixer -- Casey Stone
Foley Mixer -- Mary Jo Lang

Monsters University
Original Dialogue Mixer -- Doc Kane
Re-recording Mixer -- Michael Semanick, CAS
Re-recording Mixer -- Gary Summers
Scoring Mixer -- David Boucher
Foley Mixer -- Corey Tyler

Walking With Dinosaurs
Original Dialogue Mixer -- Chris Navarro, CAS
Re-recording Mixer -- Andrew Koyama, CAS
Re-recording Mixer -- Martyn Zub
Scoring Mixer -- Rupert Coulson
Foley Mixer -- Sam Rogers

http://cinemaaudiosociety.org/

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Monday, January 20, 2014

2014 Producers Guild Awards: "12 Years a Slave" and "Gravity" Tie

by Amos Semien

The Producers Guild of America (PGA) describes itself as “the non-profit trade group that represents, protects and promotes the interests of all members of the producing team in film, television and new media.”  Film fans know the organization because of its annual PGA Awards.

Oscar prognosticators have viewed the PGA Awards as the most reliable predictor of the eventual “Best Picture” Oscar winner.  Over the last 24 years, the Academy and PGA winner for “Best Picture” have matched 17 times, and they have matched the last 6 times in a row (including last year for best picture Oscar winner, Argo).

There won’t be a seventh year in a row.  You see, it is unlikely that there will be a tie for the best picture Oscar, and last night at the 25th Annual PGA Awards, there was a tie for the first time in the awards’ 25-year history.  Alfonso CuarĂ³n’s Gravity and Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave shared the group’s prize for best picture, “The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures.”

Alfonso Cuaron and David Heyman for Gravity and Steve McQueen, Brad Pitt and the Plan B team for 12 Years a Slave accepted the award.

So this supposedly means an up-in-the-air race for the best picture Oscar.  If you go by the SAG Awards, actors favor David O. Russell’s American Hustle, and, as a group, actors apparently make up 20 percent of the Oscar vote – making them the dominant voting block.  Critics have loved 12 Years a Slave, and Gravity is clearly aspiring to win more than just some tech and visual effects Oscar.

The winners of the 25th Annual Producers Guild Awards (also known as the 2014 Producers Guild Awards) were announced Sunday, January 19, 2014 at the 2014 Producers Guild Awards ceremony, which was in the Dolby Theater at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

2014 / 25th Annual Producers Guild Awards (for the year 2013) – Full list of winners:

The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: (TIE)
"Gravity" (Warner Bros. Pictures) Producers: Alfonso Cuaron, David Heyman
"12 Years a Slave" (Fox Searchlight Pictures);  Producers: Anthony Katagas, Jeremy Kleiner, Steve McQueen, Brad Pitt and Dede Gardner

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:
"Frozen" (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures); Producer: Peter Del Vecho

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:
"We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks" (Focus Features);  Producers: Alexis Bloom, Alex Gibney, Marc Shmuger

The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama:
"Breaking Bad" (AMC); Producers: Melissa Bernstein, Sam Catlin, Bryan Cranston, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Mark Johnson, Stewart Lyons, Michelle MacLaren, George Mastras, Diane Mercer, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett

The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy:
"Modern Family" (ABC); Producers: Paul Corrigan, Abraham Higginbotham, Ben Karlin, Elaine Ko, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Jeffrey Morton, Dan O’Shannon, Jeffrey Richman, Chris Smirnoff, Brad Walsh, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker

The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television:
"Behind the Candelabra" (HBO); Producers: Susan Ekins, Gregory Jacobs, Michael Polaire, Jerry Weintraub

The Award for Outstanding Sports Program:
"SportsCenter" (ESPN)

The Award for Outstanding Children’s Program:
"Sesame Street" (PBS)

The Award for Outstanding Digital Series:
"Wired: What’s Inside"

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:
"Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown" (CNN);  Producers: Anthony Bourdain, Christopher Collins, Lydia Tenaglia, Sandra Zweig

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Competition Television:
"The Voice" (NBC); Producers: Stijn Bakkers, Mark Burnett, John de Mol, Chad Hines, Lee Metzger, Audrey Morrissey, Jim Roush, Kyra Thompson, Nicolle Yaron, Mike Yurchuk, Amanda Zucker

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment and Talk Television:
"The Colbert Report" (Comedy Central); Producers: Meredith Bennett, Stephen T. Colbert, Richard Dahm, Paul Dinello, Barry Julien, Matt Lappin, Emily Lazar, Tanya Michnevich Bracco, Tom Purcell, Jon Stewart

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New "Peter Pan" Movie Takes Superman/Batman's Release Date

Zack Snyder’s Much-Anticipated Superman/Batman Film Moves to May 6, 2016.

Warner Bros. Pictures’ All New Peter Pan Adventure Flies into a July 17, 2015 Release Date.

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that the release of Zack Snyder’s untitled Superman/Batman film has been moved to May 6, 2016, allowing the filmmakers time to realize fully their vision, given the complex visual nature of the story. The decision was made following the shift of the start of production to second quarter of this year. The Studio has also set a July 17, 2015, worldwide release date for its as-yet-untitled all-new Peter Pan adventure. Joe Wright will direct the epic live-action film about the boy who would never grow up, created by J.M. Barrie. The dual date announcement was made by Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

In making the announcement, Fellman stated, “We are happy to take advantage of these coveted summer dates, which are perfect for two of our biggest tentpole releases. We share the fans’ excitement to see DC Comics’ most popular figures, Superman and Batman, together on the big screen for the first time, which will now be arriving in theatres in May 2016. Peter Pan has delighted people of every generation for more than a century, so we are thrilled to bring him back to the screen next summer for today’s moviegoers.”

Kwan Vandenberg added, “We know that there is already great anticipation building for the next Super Hero film from Zack Snyder, and we are equally eager to see what he has in store for Superman and Batman as they share the big screen for the first time ever. The summer release corridor is also perfect for Joe Wright’s ambitious new Peter Pan adventure, reimagining the ageless story of the beloved and forever-young hero for audiences worldwide.”

Zack Snyder’s Superman/Batman film stars Henry Cavill, reprising his role as Superman/Clark Kent, and Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne. The film will also reunite “Man of Steel” stars Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane, and also stars Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince.

Snyder will direct the film from a screenplay written by David S. Goyer, from a story co-created by Goyer and Snyder. Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producing, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan and Wesley Coller serving as executive producers.

The film 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, published by DC Entertainment.

The new Peter Pan adventure will be directed by Joe Wright from a screenplay by Jason Fuchs, incorporating J.M. Barrie’s classic characters. The film is being produced by Greg Berlanti and Paul Webster.



Oscar-Winner's Webcomic, "Pariah," Now in Print

[Aron Warner won both an Oscar and a BAFTA as the producer of the 2001 smash hit animated film, Shrek.  Apparently, he also produces a webcomic, entitled, Pariah, which is now in print through Dark Horse Comics.  The following is a press release from Dark Horse. - LD]

ARON WARNER PUBLISHES PARIAH WITH DARK HORSE COMICS

Academy Award winner produces webcomic-to-print series

As announced at Comic-Con International 2013, Aron Warner, the Academy Award–winning producer of Shrek, is bringing his acclaimed webcomic Pariah to Dark Horse Comics.

Pariah is cowritten by Aron Warner and Philip Gelatt (Petrograd), with artwork by Eisner-nominated painter Brett Weldele (The Surrogates). Volume 1, which collects the webcomic, is available in bookstores everywhere today.

In Pariah, genetically engineered geniuses known as vitros are labeled a terrorist cell after an explosion at a military weapons lab. The vitros are rounded up and left on a decrepit satellite orbiting Earth. Now they must band together and use their supergenius abilities to get back to Earth safely.

Pariah will also see a brand-new, eight-issue miniseries beginning next month!

Praise for Aron Warner’s Pariah:

“A group of hyper-intelligent teenagers called vitros suddenly find themselves hunted by a society that has marginalized them . . . I was hooked by the fifth page.”—Fanboy Comics

“It does have a lot of potential and ironically enough much of the story is about untapped potential of highly intelligent teens being ostracized for, well, being smarties.”—Comic Bastards

“A good read. The art is great, plain and simple.”—Eat Geek Play

Aron Warner’s Pariah Volume 1 webcomic collection is now available digitally and in stores.  Pariah #1, the first issue of the new print series, will be on comic shop shelves on February 26, 2014. For more information, visit PariahOnline.com.

About Dark Horse Comics
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, including The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton’s Tragic Toys for Girls and Boys, Serenity, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.



Sunday, January 19, 2014

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

by Leroy Douresseaux

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

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

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

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

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

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

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

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

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

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:

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

TELEVISION PROGRAMS

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

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

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

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

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

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

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series:

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

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:

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

SAG AWARDS® HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES:

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

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

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:

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

http://www.sagawards.org/

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Review: Silly "LiTTLE MAN" Offers Big Laughs (Happy B'day, Shawn Wayans)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 149 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Little Man (2006)
Running time:  90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for crude and sexual humor throughout, language and brief drug references
DIRECTOR:  Keenen Ivory Wayans
WRITERS:  Keenen Ivory Wayans, Marlon Wayans, and Shawn Wayans
PRODUCERS:  Rick Alvarez, Lee R. Mayes, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Marlon Wayans, and Shawn Wayans
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Steven Bernstein
EDITORS:  Michael Jackson and Nick Moore
COMPOSER:  Teddy Castellucci

COMEDY/CRIME

Starring:  Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Kerry Washington, Tracy Morgan, John Witherspoon, Lochlyn Munro, Fred Stoller, Damien Dante Wayans, Gary Owen, Chazz Palminteri, Alex Borstein, Brittany Daniel, John DeSantis, Dave Sheridan, Molly Shannon, and David Alan Grier with Rob Schneider (no screen credit)

The subject of this movie review is Little Man (also stylized as LiTTLE MAN), a 2006 crime comedy from director, Keenen Ivory Wayans, and starring his brothers, Marlon and Shawn Wayans.  The film focuses on a wannabe dad who mistakenly believes that a short-of-stature criminal is his newly adopted son.

As soon as diminutive criminal, Calvin (Marlon Wayans provides the face; Linden Porco and Gabriel Pimental provide the body), leaves prison, he joins his dim and hapless homeboy, Percy (Tracy Morgan, priceless as the criminally inept doofus), in the theft of a large diamond.  With the police hot on their trail, Calvin passes the diamond off to a suburban couple, Darryl (Shawn Wayans) and Vanessa (Kerry Washington).

Calvin and Percy follow the couple back to their home where they learn that the couple is struggling with whether or not they should have a child.  Percy convinces the short-statured Calvin to disguise himself as a baby, and Percy leaves Calvin on Darryl and Vanessa’s doorstep.  After discovering the “baby” Calvin on their doorstep, the couple takes him in, deciding to keep the toddler for at least the weekend until they can turn him over to child welfare authorities on Monday.  Now a part of the family, baby Calvin makes his move to retrieve the diamond he hid in Vanessa’s bag, but Pops (John Witherspoon, in a scene stealing role), Vanessa’s father who lives with them, doesn’t trust this new foundling and keeps his eyes on him.  Meanwhile, Walken (Chazz Palminteri), the cheap hood for whom Calvin and Percy stole the diamond, is moving in to retrieve his booty and he just may kill anyone in his way.

A midget or diminutive criminal passing himself off as a baby to be taken in by a naĂ¯ve civilian who then unwittingly hides bogus baby from the law is a staple of Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon shorts – 1954 Baby Buggy Bunny comes to mind.  The family team of director/co-writer Keenen Ivory Wayans and co-writers/stars Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans make the concept their own in the new comedy, Little Man.  Coming from the people who gave us the Fox sketch comedy series, “In Living Color,” and the reviled, but popular 2004 film, White Chicks ($113 million in worldwide box office, $42.2 of that earned internationally), we would expect Little Man to be in bad taste, and boy, is it in bad taste.

It’s grosser than most gross-out comedies.  In terms of sexual innuendo, bawdy humor, and sexual humor, it actually crosses the line.  There are moments that either outright offended me or stunned and shocked me into silence – killing my laughter as if someone hit an off switch.  This concept is ridiculous except in Bugs Bunny cartoons.  The execution of the narrative is illogical, implausible, improbable, and filled with impossibilities.

The CGI and visual effects that mold Marlon Wayans body with that of two dwarf  actors to create Calvin is some amazing movie technology, but it doesn’t totally work.  Marlon’s head often movies awkwardly, and sometimes his head still looks way too big for such a small body.  Sometimes the seams between the computer-created Calvin and reality are painfully obvious, and Calvin just looks as if he’s been pasted in.  On the other hand, about half the time, the “little man” in Little Man actually looks quite good.

But after all is said and done, Little Man is just frickin’ funny.  It’s laugh-out-loud funny, howl with laughter in the theatre funny, choke-on-laughter funny, funny funny, etc.  Those who like the Wayans’ unabashedly low brow humor, chocked full of bad taste and taboo busting will find this a hilarious treat.  Little Man isn’t the classic great film, but it’s the classic make-you-laugh comedy.  What Little Man lacks in serious artistic merit, it makes up for in laughter inducing nonsense.  That’s the low art of high comedy.

6 of 10
B

Saturday, July 15, 2006

NOTES:
2007 Razzie Awards:  3 wins: “Worst Actor” (Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans), “Worst Screen Couple” (Shawn Wayans, Kerry Washington, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans and either Kerry Washington or Marlon Wayans), and “Worst Remake or Rip-Off” (Rip-Off of the 1954 Bugs Bunny cartoon Baby Buggy Bunny-1954); 4 nominations: “Worst Picture,” “Worst Actor” (Rob Schneider for The Benchwarmers), “Worst Director” (Keenen Ivory Wayans), and “Worst Screenplay” Keenen Ivory Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans)

Updated:  Sunday, January 19, 2014

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



Saturday, January 18, 2014

"Kids on the Slope" and on Neon Alley



VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE PREMIERE OF JAZZ ANIME DRAMA KIDS ON THE SLOPE ON NEON ALLEY

Launching On The 24/7 Digital Anime Channel, Series By The Acclaimed Team Behind Cowboy Bebop Follows A Group Of Young Jazz Musicians In 60s Era Japan 

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, announces a very special mid-season anime series debut with the launch of KIDS ON THE SLOPE on Neon Alley on Friday, January 17th at 9:30pm (PST).

The 12-episode anime drama about a group of young Japanese jazz musicians originally aired in Japan as a part of the prestigious ‘noitaminA’ block on Fuji TV, is rated ‘TV-14,’ and new installments will debut every Friday. KIDS ON THE SLOPE is distributed in North America by Sentai Filmworks.

Get ready to be blown away as the acclaimed team behind COWBOY BEBOP reunites for a tale of life, love, and all that jazz in KIDS ON THE SLOPE! Set during the summer of 1966 and based on a popular manga series created by Yuki Kodama, KIDS ON THE SLOPE! is the story of High school freshman Kaoru Nishimi struggling to adjust to the latest of many moves in his young life - this time to his uncle’s home in the seaside town of Kyushu. It’s never easy adjusting. But this time will be different. This time he’ll meet friends who’ll change his life forever. And he’ll discover a new passion, one that grabs his heart and rocks him to his very soul. It’s called JAZZ, and together with bad boy Sentaro and music store girl Ritsuko, they’re going to follow their muse to wherever the music takes them!

Neon Alley is VIZ Media’s innovative 24-hour English-dubbed linear anime channel that is available for general web access as well as for the Xbox 360® and Xbox LIVE® and the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) gaming system and the PlayStation®Network. Fans can also take advantage of the platform’s Video-On Demand “Catch Up” option which offers the flexibility to watch shows such as KIDS ON THE SLOPE anytime. The “Catch Up” option also allows viewers to search for specific content by individual series or by latest additions.

“KIDS ON THE SLOPE is a rich character-driven drama that demonstrates the power that music has to dramatically alter lives, and we’re very excited to bring it to North American fans on Neon Alley,” says Charlene Ingram, Senior Animation Marketing Manager. “Directed by Shinichiro Watanabe of Cowboy Bebop and Space Dandy fame, the series wonderfully captures the look and sound of 60s era Japan. Watanabe reunites with acclaimed Cowboy Bebop composer Yoko Kanno, who creates a rich and textured jazz soundtrack for this dynamic new musical drama. We invite fans to catch the mesmerizing premiere!”

Neon Alley’s diverse programming schedule includes a mix of action, adventure, sci-fi, supernatural, fantasy, and horror anime, all uncut and dubbed into English and presented in HD (when available), for a low monthly subscription rate of only $6.99.

For more information on Neon Alley, please visit www.NeonAlley.com.

For more information about other anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit: www.viz.com.

For more information on Sentai Filmworks, please visit www.sentai-filmworks.com

About Sentai Filmworks
Sentai Filmworks is one of the fastest-growing anime companies in North America, producing hit series like Persona 4, Girls und Panzer, Devil Survivor 2, Bodacious Space Pirates, Majestic Prince and High School of the Dead as well as high profile theatrical films such as Grave of the Fireflies, K-ON! and Appleseed. Sentai Filmworks’ programs are distributed through Ingram Entertainment, Diamond Comic Distributors, Section23Films and Waxworks through retailers Amazon, Best Buy, Fry’s, FYE, Hastings, Suncoast, The Right Stuf, Wal-Mart and other good and fine stores.  Digital product offerings may be found at Amazon, Anime Network, Crunchyroll, Google Play, Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, PlayStation Network, Rovi, Samsung, Vudu, XBOX Marketplace and YouTube.