Monday, February 12, 2018

Bluefin Illuminates Sen-Ti-Nel's "Thor" at New York Toy Fair 2018


Visit Bluefin during New York Toy Fair 2018 at Booth #5331

BLUEFIN TO PARTICIPATE IN TOY FAIR 2018 WITH EXCLUSIVE NEW COLLECTIBLES FROM LEADING INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURERS

Leading Collectibles And Toy Distributor To Preview New And Forthcoming Products At The Toy Industry’s Biggest Annual Event From Bandai Hobby, Mr. Hobby, Sen-Ti-Nel, Iron Studios, Flame Toys, And Storm Collectibles

Anaheim, CA – Bluefin, the leading North American distributor of toys, collectibles, and hobby merchandise from Japan, Asia and more, heads to New York City this month and announces its participation at Toy Fair 2018.

For this year’s show, Bluefin will exhibit a wide array of unique collectibles, including action figures, model kits, statues and modelling accessories from leading companies such as Bandai Hobby and Mr. Hobby, SEN-TI-NEL, Iron Studios, Flame Toys, and Storm Collectibles.

Bluefin will be located at Booth #5331.

Toy Fair 2018 takes place Feb. 17-20, 2018 at the Jacob K. Javitz Convention Center in Manhattan, NY and is a leading annual industry event produced by the Toy Industry Association™, Inc. (TIA), a non-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in manufacturing and distributing toys and youth entertainment products to consumers. TIA’s more than 900 members account for approximately 90 percent of the annual U.S. domestic toy market of $22 billion. Show details are available at: http://www.toyfairny.com.

Flame Toys

Flame Toys Transformers Model Kits · MSRP: Roughly $30.00 each · Available Q3 2018
Catch the exclusive North American debut of 2 new Transformers model kits from Flame Toys. These 1/144 scale, color-injected model kits are based on the IDW comics and animated series. Completed kits are between 6 inches and 7 inches tall and are fully-articulated. (**Note – these kits do not transform)

Flame Toys Transformers “Drift” High-End Action Figures · MSRP: $299.00 · Available Now!
Now available, this extraordinary rendering is officially licensed and depicts the Autobot, Drift, as depicted in the beloved IDW Transformers comic book series. The Drift figure represents the pinnacle of collectible design. He stands 8 inches tall and is constructed with high quality die-cast parts with more than 50 jointed linkage articulation features to allow for maximum realistic poseability. A must-have for any ardent pop culture collector or Transformers fan.

The (non-transforming) Drift figure also features 3 interchangeable facial expressions and contains 6 LED units that provide light-up displays on its body. The LR batteries required for this figure are included. Finally, Drift contains 3 sword weapons and a cape that is accented with bendable wires that allow for dramatic, anime-style windswept poses.

During Toy Fair, Bluefin will also highlight future Flame Toys Transformers releases including Tarn and Star Saber who will also be on display for the first time in the U.S.

Iron Studios

Iron Studios 1/10 Scale Superhero Statues · MSRP: Roughly $100.00 each · Available Q2 2018
New from Iron Studios are its latest highly-detailed, 1/10 scale Polystone statues of popular DC and Marvel superhero characters. For Toy Fair, Bluefin will highlight releases for Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor Ragnarok, Black Panther, Assassins Creed and Batman & Robin -Frank Miller Edition for "The Dark Knight Returns." Each statue is hand-painted and presented ready for battle. and can be connected to create a kinetic diorama.

Sen-Ti-Nel

Sen-Ti-Nel Super Hero Illuminate Gallery · MSRP: $25.00 each · Available Now
New from SEN-TI-NEL comes the Super Hero Illuminate Gallery Collection. Each superhero is encased in a 7-inch tall acrylic display box that features LED lights that are motion activated. Collectors can choose between 2 settings – static and motion detected. Available releases include Captain America, Spider Man, Thor, Vison, Iron Man and Ultron.

Storm Collectibles

Storm Collectibles Mortal Kombat Shao Kahn · MSRP: $95.00 · Available March 2018
Catch a highly detailed 1/12 scale release of Shao Kahn, the very embodiment of evil from the world of the landmark Mortal Kombat video game. Poseable figure features a variety of accessories including his iconic throne.

Storm Collectibles Tekken 7 Heihachi Mishima · MSRP: $65.00 · Available March 2018
Heihachi Mishima is one of the main characters from the Tekken video game series and has appeared in all incarnations of the game. The new 1/12 scale action figure from Storm Collectibles will resonate with pop culture and gaming fans as there has not been a collector’s grade release of any character from Tekken 7 in a long time. Bluefin will also showcase future releases from the Storm Collectibles Tekken line-up during Toy Fair.

During the past year, Storm Collectibles has built a name for itself as a premiere brand for fighting game action figures. For 2018, fans can look forward to releases for Ultra Street Fighter II, The King of Fighters ’98, Tekken 7 and Injustice (1 & 2).


About Bluefin:
Based in Anaheim, CA, Bluefin built its reputation as a leading distributor of Japanese toys, collectibles, novelty and hobby products. In recent years, Bluefin has grown to include a range of high quality collectible lines from the United States, Hong Kong and Taiwan and established itself as the official North American consumer products and retail development partner for Studio Ghibli. Selling to thousands of specialty, chain and independent stores, Bluefin is an official North American distributor for Bandai Hobby, Bandai Shokugan, and Capcom, and is also an official provider of Bandai Tamashii Nations products. Bluefin the exclusive and official distributor for Blitzway Studios, Flame Toys, Mr. Hobby, SEN-TI-NEL, Storm Collectibles, and X-Plus. Bluefin also represents TruForce Collectibles products worldwide. Additional information is available at: www.bluefincorp.com.

https://www.instagram.com/bluefinbrands/

https://www.facebook.com/BluefinBrands/

https://twitter.com/BluefinBrands

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClaqOdyh-gLzT27x9p-o0nw

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Sunday, February 11, 2018

Illumination and Nintendo Developing "Super Mario Bros." Animated Film

Illumination and Nintendo Begin Development on Animated Film Based on the World of Super Mario Bros.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nintendo Co., Ltd. and Illumination announced a partnership to develop an animated film based on the immersive world of Super Mario Bros.

The project will be produced by Chris Meledandri, Founder and CEO of Illumination, and Shigeru Miyamoto, Representative Director, Fellow of Nintendo.

The film will be co-financed by Universal Pictures and Nintendo and distributed theatrically worldwide by Universal.


About Illumination
Illumination, founded by Academy Award® nominee Chris Meledandri in 2007, is one of the entertainment industry’s leading producers of event-animated films. The company’s franchises include two of the top-four animated films of all time, and its iconic, beloved brands—infused with memorable and distinct characters, global appeal and cultural relevance—have grossed more than $5.7 billion worldwide.

Illumination was recently honored by Fast Company as one of the world’s most innovative companies.

Illumination, which has an exclusive financing and distribution partnership with Universal Pictures, has garnered an extraordinary number of franchise successes for a studio only a decade old. As the creator of the hugely successful world of Despicable Me, which was recently crowned the top-grossing box-office animated franchise globally, Illumination has evolved the Despicable Me series to include Minions, the second-highest-grossing animated film of all time and the most profitable film in Universal’s history, as well as the Academy Award ®-nominated Despicable Me 2 and summer 2017’s Despicable Me 3, which crossed $1 billion at the global box office to become the fourth-highest-grossing animated film of all time.

With successful mobile games, consumer products and social/digital media, Illumination’s franchises—populated with characters that are as comedic as they are heartfelt and authentic—translate far beyond the theater. “Minion Rush” is the 5th most downloaded mobile game of all time, while Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood, has newly been joined by the wildly popular Minion Park at Universal Studios Japan…where the Minions are the No. 1 licensed characters.

Illumination’s upcoming films—featuring creative contributors from an unparalleled collection of writers, artists, voice talent and musicians—include Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch in November 2018, The Secret Life of Pets 2 in June 2019, Minions 2 in July 2020, and Sing 2 in December 2020.

About Nintendo
The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Nintendo Switch™ system and the Nintendo 3DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 4.5 billion video games and more than 710 million hardware units globally, including Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS™ family of systems. Super NES™, Nintendo 64™, Nintendo GameCube™, Wii and Wii U™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™.

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Saturday, February 10, 2018

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from February 1st to 10th, 2018 - Update #34

Support Leroy on Patreon:

COMICS-FILM - From BleedingCool:  See Marvel's Black Panther family tree

OSCARS - From IndieWire:  Paul Michael Thomas, Oscar-nominated director of "Phantom Thread," praises his fellow best director Oscar nominees.

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CRIME - From TheGuardian:  California police work and cooperate with white supremacists against anti-racist activists.

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COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  Joaquin Phoenix in talks to play Batman arch-nemesis, "The Joker," in a stand-alone Joker movie that would be directed by Todd Phillips.

From GeekTyrant:  DC Comics/Entertainment wants Michael Bay to direct a movie based on their character, Lobo.

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MOVIES - From TheFilmStage:  The prolific Richard Linklater, who has directed six films in the last seven years, has apparently set his sights on a film about the 1969 moon landing.

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SCANDAL - From TheGuardian:  Recent statements have famed director Quentin Tarantino facing a backlash.

MOVIE - From IndieWire:   French director Jean Pierre-Jeunet accuses Guillermo del Toro of plagiarism.

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MUSIC - From Vulture:  This is a killer interview with Quincy Jones who talks about Michael Jackson, The Beatles, and the Trumps.

From TMZ:  Quincy Jones claims in his Vulture interview that the late legendary actor Marlon Brando had sex with the late legendary comedian Richard Pryor.  Pryor's widow, Jennifer, apparently confirms it.

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COMICS-TV - From PreviewsWorld:  Gaumont has optioned the rights to produce an animated TV series based on the long-running comic book, Usagi Yojimbo.

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ANIMATION - From Variety:  Fox Animaton and Universal music an united to produce an animated film based on the music of the late world music legend, Bob Marley.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Newly-minted Oscar nominee, James Mangold, will follow his hit film "Logan" (an X-Men) with a movie Henry Ford II's rivalry with Ferrari.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Amazon Studios is developing a series based on Robert E. Howard's "Conan the Cimmerian" (or Conan the Barbarian) character.

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BLM - From NYTimes:  Remembering #TrayvonMartin via Charles M. Blow's opinion piece, "The Whole System Failed Trayvon Martin.

From GuardianUK:  Why NFL player protests still matter - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

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SUPERBOWL - From SBNation:   Philadelphia Eagles (NFC) win Super Bowl LII 41 to 33 over the New England Patriots (AFC).

From CBSSports:  Here are the players rosters for Super Bowl LII's participants, the Philadelphia Eables and the New England Patriots.

From YahooEntertainment:  Which movie trailer won Super Bowl LII - see them all.

From EW - Celebrities react to Justin Timberlake's mediocre Super Bowl LII halftime show.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the Super Bowl LII weekend box office - 2/2 to 2/4/2018 - is "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" with an estimated take of $11 million.

From Deadline:  Multiple Oscar nominee, "The Darkest Hour," passes the $100 mark in global box office.

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SCANDAL - From YahooET:  Halle Berry addresses sexual harassment allegations against her former agent, Vincent Cirrincione.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  CBS has ordered for additional drama pilots for the 2018-19 season.  One of them is a modern take on the James Ellroy's novel, "L.A. Confidential," which was previously adapted into a 1997 Oscar-winning film.

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SCANDAL - From NYTimes:  Actress Uma Thurman has a lot to say about Harvey Weinstein and about Quentin Tarantino, with whom she made three films.

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MOVIES - From GeekTyrant:  Steven Soderbergh eyes a screenplay entitled "Planet Kill" as his next film... although he is supposed to be in retirement.

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POLITICS - From HuffPost:  A graphic cartoon that shows him sniffing President Donald Trump's ass has got British TV personality Piers Morgan enraged.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Director F. Gary Gray is in talks to direct Sony Picture's "Men in Black" spinoff.  The film would focus on new characters and be a semi-reboot the way "Jurassic World" was a semi-reboot of "Jurassic Park."  The film is slate to be released June 14, 2019.

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CELEBRITY - From GQ:   A profile of actor Taylor Kitsch, who is currently starring in the Paramount Network's "Waco" miniseries.

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COMICS-FILM - From BleedingCool:  Marvel Studio's "Black Panther" will pay tribute to the late stuntman, John Bernecker, who died last year on the set of AMC's "The Walking Dead."

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CELEBRITY - From THR:  Apparently, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office has named actor Robert Wagner as a "person of interest" in its investigation in the "mysterious death" of his late wife, Natalie Wood, in 1981.

TRAILERS:

From YahooNews:  Here is the first teaser trailer for Sony/Marvel's "Venom" (October 5th, 2018), starring Tom Hardy.

From YouTube:  Here is the first teaser/trailer for Marvel Studios' "Ant-Man and the Wasp" which opens in theaters July 6th, 2018.

OBITS:

From IndieWire:  The actor, Reg E. Cathey, has died at the age of 59, Friday, February 9, 2018.  Cathey is best known for his roles in the television series, "The Wire" and "Oz."  He won an Emmy ("Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series") for his appearances on Netflix's "House of Cards."  He also appeared as "Franklin Richards" in Fox's 2015 reboot of "The Fantastic Four."

From THR:  The actor John Mahoney has died at the age of 77, Sunday, February 4, 2018.  Mahoney is best known for playing "Martin Crane" the cantankerous father on NBC's "Frasier" (1993 to 2004).  Mahoney was also a Tony Award winner.

From RollingStone:  Soul and R&B singer, Dennis Edwards, has died at the age of 74, Friday, February 2, 2018.  Edwards was the former lead singer of seminal Motown vocal group, The Temptations, singing on classic hits, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" "I Can't Get Next to You."

From MSN:  Utah billionaire and philanthropist, Jon Huntsman, Sr., died at the age of 80, Friday, February 2, 2018.  The founder of Huntsman Corp, Huntsman and his family have given away more than $1.4 billion.  Huntsman, Sr. was also the father of Jon Huntsman, Jr., the former U.S. ambassador, Utah governor, and Republican presidential candidate.


Review: Tom Cruise's The Mummy is an Odd Duck

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 1 (of 2018) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

The Mummy (2017)
Running time:  110 minutes (1 hour, 50 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violence, action and scary images, and for some suggestive content and partial nudity
DIRECTOR:  Alex Kurtzman
WRITERS:  David Koepp, Christopher McQuarrie, and Dylan Kussman; from a screen story by Jon Spaihts, Alex Kurtzman, and Jenny Lumet
PRODUCERS:  Sarah Bradshaw, Sean Daniel, Alex Kurtzman, and Chris Morgan
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Ben Seresin (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Gina Hirsch, Paul Hirsch, and Andrew Mondshein
COMPOSER:  Brian Tyler

FANTASY/ACTION/HORROR

Starring:  Tom Cruise, Annabelle Wallis, Sofia Boutella, Russell Crowe, Jake Johnson, Courtney B. Vance, Marwan Kanzari, and Selva Rasalingam

The Mummy is a 2017 action, horror, and thriller film directed by Alex Kurtzman.  It is a reboot of Universal Pictures' The Mummy franchise and is also the first installment in Universal's Dark Universe cinematic universe.  The Mummy 2017 focuses on an ancient Egyptian princess that hunts the man who awakened her so that she can use him to bring a great evil into the modern world.

In the New Kingdom era of the Egyptian kingdom, Princess Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella) kills her father, the Pharoah Menehptre (Selva Rasalingam), as well as his wife and child so that she can claim the throne for herself.  She is captured and condemned to be mummified alive for eternity as punishment for the murders she committed and for trying to bring her lover, the dark god Set, into the world.

In present-day Iraq, Sergeant Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) and Corporal Chris Vail (Jake Johnson) of the United States Army stumble upon Ahmanet's underground tomb.  Dr. Jennifer “Jenny” Halsey (Annabelle Wallis), who previously had a contentions relationship with Nick, is the archaeologist sent to investigate the tomb.  None of these three people realize that they are about to release an evil that defies human comprehension.  That evil will make Nick a target both of Ahmanet and of Prodigium, a secret society dedicated to hunting supernatural threats.

1990 saw the release of a movie entitled Hudson Hawk.  The film starred Bruce Willis as a thief and was a box office bomb, although I really liked it.  Hudson Hawk was directed by Michael Lehmann, hot off his cult film, Heathers.  The film's producer was Joel Silver, known for some of the most successful and most violent action films of the 1980s.  One of the film's writers was Daniel Water, who rose to prominence for writing Heathers.

Years ago, I read a review of Hudson Hawk in which the critic said that the film was sold as a “Bruce Willis movie,” but it was not – not entirely.  The critic said that the film reflected the differing sensibilities of the primary creative forces behind hit:  Willis, Silver, Lehmann, and Waters, and each of those four men had different ideas about what Hudson Hawk should be.  Hudson Hawk ended up being some kind of mish-mash, hybrid action, adventure, comedy, crime caper, and sci-fi film.

From the time Universal first announced that it was rebooting The Mummy franchise to its completion of the film, The Mummy has involved several directors and writers.  The result is a film that is weird, thin on plot, and encompasses multiple genres while really not belonging to any of them.  The Mummy 2017 really seems like a movie made by too many people with the power to shape the film – a Frankenstein of Hollywood heavyweights making a patchwork of a movie.

There are rumors that Tom Cruise took control of all aspects of the film once he arrived on set.  That is funny to contemplate because Cruise seems out of place in this film.  I cannot help but view it and ask, “What is he doing here?”  I can't think of The Mummy as “a Tom Cruise movie.”

The Mummy 2017 mostly reminds me of how much I like... no, love writer-director Stephen Sommers' turn of the century reboot of Universal's The Mummy franchise.  Starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001) were rousing adventure films in the tradition of Raiders of the Ark.  The Mummy 2017 is not rousing and is in the tradition of Hollywood, big-budget, tent pole, franchise-wannabe films that end up being nothing more than another cynical film trying to exploit a moment or a market.

To be fair, The Mummy 2017 did have some interesting, inventive, imaginative, and exciting moments; there were parts of this film that really interested me.  It is not particularly good or bad; it just never really comes together (and sometimes, it is so shamelessly mediocre).  The Mummy 2017 cuts right down the middle, equally okay and equally messy – canceling each other out.  The truth is I really wanted to like this movie... even if it is not a Tom Cruise movie...

5 of 10
C+

Friday, November 17, 2017


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

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Friday, February 9, 2018

60th Annaul (2018) Grammy Award Winners Announced - Complete List

The Grammy Awards (or Grammys) are given out by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) of the United States. The Grammy is an accolade that recognizes outstanding achievement in the music industry. It is the music industry equivalent to the Academy Awards for film, the Emmy Awards for television, and the Tony Award for stage.

The nominees for the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards in a total of 84 categories were announced Tuesday, November 28, 2017.  The 60th Annual Grammy Awards recognized the best musical (and some spoken word and video) recordings, compositions, and artists for the eligibility year that began on October 1, 2016 and ended on September 30, 2017.

The 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards were announced on Sunday, January 28, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.  The ceremony was broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 7:30 – 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT).  James Corden was host of the ceremony.

60th / (2016-2017) Annual GRAMMY Award winners:

GENERAL FIELD

Record Of The Year:
“24K Magic” — Bruno Mars

Album Of The Year:
24K Magic — Bruno Mars

Song Of The Year:
“That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Best New Artist:
Alessia Cara

POP FIELD

Best Pop Solo Performance:
“Shape Of You” — Ed Sheeran

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Feel It Still” — Portugal. The Man

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:
Tony Bennett Celebrates 90 — (Various Artists) Dae Bennett, Producer

Best Pop Vocal Album:
÷ (Divide) — Ed Sheeran

DANCE/ELECTRONIC FIELD

Best Dance Recording:
“Tonite” — LCD Soundsystem

Best Dance/Electronic Album:
3-D The Catalogue — Kraftwerk

CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL FIELD

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album:
Prototype — Jeff Lorber Fusion

ROCK FIELD

Best Rock Performance:
“You Want It Darker” — Leonard Cohen

Best Metal Performance:
“Sultan’s Curse” — Mastodon

Best Rock Song:
“Run” — Foo Fighters, songwriters (Foo Fighters)

Best Rock Album:
A Deeper Understanding — The War On Drugs

ALTERNATIVE FIELD

Best Alternative Music Album:
Sleep Well Beast — The National

R&B FIELD

Best R&B Performance:
“That’s What I Like” — Bruno Mars

Best Traditional R&B Performance:
“Redbone” — Childish Gambino

Best R&B Song:
“That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Best Urban Contemporary Album:
Starboy — The Weeknd

Best R&B Album:
24K Magic — Bruno Mars

RAP FIELD

Best Rap Performance:
“HUMBLE.” — Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap/Sung Performance:
“LOYALTY.” — Kendrick Lamar Featuring Rihanna

Best Rap Song:
“HUMBLE.” — Duckworth, Asheton Hogan & M. Williams II, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)

Best Rap Album:
DAMN. — Kendrick Lamar

COUNTRY FIELD

Best Country Solo Performance:
“Either Way” — Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance:
“Better Man” — Little Big Town

Best Country Song:
“Broken Halos” — Mike Henderson & Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)

Best Country Album:
From A Room: Volume 1 — Chris Stapleton

NEW AGE FIELD

Best New Age Album:
Dancing On Water — Peter Kater

JAZZ FIELD

Best Improvised Jazz Solo:
“Miles Beyond” — John McLaughlin, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album:
Dreams And Daggers — Cécile McLorin Salvant

Best Jazz Instrumental Album:
Rebirth — Billy Childs

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album:
Bringin’ It — Christian McBride Big Band

Best Latin Jazz Album:
Jazz Tango — Pablo Ziegler Trio

GOSPEL/ CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC FIELD

Best Gospel Performance/Song:
“Never Have To Be Alone” — CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song:
“What A Beautiful Name” — Hillsong Worship

Best Gospel Album:
Let Them Fall In Love — CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album:
Chain Breaker — Zach Williams

Best Roots Gospel Album:
Sing It Now: Songs Of Faith & Hope — Reba McEntire

LATIN FIELD

Best Latin Pop Album:
El Dorado — Shakira

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album:
Residente — Residente

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano):
Arriero Somos Versiones Acústicas — Aida Cuevas

Best Tropical Latin Album:
Salsa Big Band — Rubén Blades Con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta

AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC FIELD

Best American Roots Performance:
Killer Diller Blues — Alabama Shakes

Best American Roots Song:
“If We Were Vampires” — Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit

Best Americana Album:
The Nashville Sound — Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit

Best Bluegrass Album: (TIE)
– Laws Of Gravity — The Infamous Stringdusters
– All The Rage – In Concert Volume One [Live] — Rhonda Vincent And The Rage

Best Traditional Blues Album:
Blue & Lonesome — The Rolling Stones

Best Contemporary Blues Album:
TajMo — Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’

Best Folk Album:
Mental Illness — Aimee Mann

Best Regional Roots Music Album:
Kalenda — Lost Bayou Ramblers

REGGAE FIELD

Best Reggae Album:
Stony Hill — Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley

WORLD MUSIC FIELD

Best World Music Album:
Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration — Ladysmith Black Mambazo

CHILDREN’S FIELD

Best Children’s Album:
Feel What U Feel — Lisa Loeb

SPOKEN WORD FIELD

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling):
The Princess Diarist — Carrie Fisher

COMEDY FIELD

Best Comedy Album:
The Age Of Spin & Deep In The Heart Of Texas — Dave Chappelle

MUSICAL THEATER FIELD

Best Musical Theater Album:
Dear Evan Hansen — Ben Platt, principal soloist; Alex Lacamoire, Stacey Mindich, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, producers; Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

MUSIC FOR VISUAL MEDIA FIELD

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media:
La La Land — (Various Artists)

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media:
La La Land — Justin Hurwitz, composer

Best Song Written For Visual Media:
“How Far I’ll Go” — Lin-Manuel Miranda, songwriter (Auli’i Cravalho)

COMPOSING/ ARRANGING FIELD

Best Instrumental Composition:
“Three Revolutions” — Arturo O’Farrill, composer (Arturo O’Farrill & Chucho Valdés)

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella:
“Escapades For Alto Saxophone And Orchestra From Catch Me If You Can” — John Williams, arranger (John Williams)

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals:
“Putin” — Randy Newman, arranger (Randy Newman)

PACKAGE FIELD

Best Recording Package: (TIE)
– El Orisha De La Rosa — Claudio Roncoli & Cactus Taller, art directors (Magín Díaz)

– Pure Comedy (Deluxe Edition) — Sasha Barr, Ed Steed & Josh Tillman, art directors (Father John Misty)

Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package:
The Voyager Golden Record: 40th Anniversary Edition — Lawrence Azerrad, Timothy Daly & David Pescovitz, art directors (Various Artists)

NOTES FIELD
Best Album Notes:
Live At The Whisky A Go Go: The Complete Recordings — Lynell George, album notes writer (Otis Redding)

HISTORICAL FIELD

Best Historical Album:
Leonard Bernstein – The Composer — Robert Russ, compilation producer; Martin Kistner & Andreas K. Meyer, mastering engineers (Leonard Bernstein)

PRODUCTION, NON-CLASSICAL FIELD

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical:
24K Magic — Serban Ghenea, John Hanes & Charles Moniz, engineers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer (Bruno Mars)

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical:
Greg Kurstin

Best Remixed Recording:
“You Move (Latroit Remix)” — Dennis White, remixer (Depeche Mode)

SURROUND SOUND FIELD

Best Surround Sound Album:
Early Americans — Jim Anderson, surround mix engineer; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Jim Anderson & Jane Ira Bloom, surround producers (Jane Ira Bloom)

PRODUCTION, CLASSICAL FIELD

Best Engineered Album, Classical:
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio — Mark Donahue, engineer (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Producer Of The Year, Classical:
David Frost

CLASSICAL FIELD

Best Orchestral Performance:
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio — Manfred Honeck, conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Best Opera Recording:
Berg: Wozzeck — Hans Graf, conductor; Anne Schwanewilms & Roman Trekel; Hans Graf, producer (Houston Symphony; Chorus Of Students And Alumni, Shepherd School Of Music, Rice University & Houston Grand Opera Children’s Chorus)

Best Choral Performance:
Bryars: The Fifth Century — Donald Nally, conductor (PRISM Quartet; The Crossing)

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance:
Death & The Maiden — Patricia Kopatchinskaja & The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

Best Classical Instrumental Solo:
Transcendental — Daniil Trifonov

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album:
Crazy Girl Crazy – Music By Gershwin, Berg & Berio — Barbara Hannigan (Orchestra Ludwig)

Best Classical Compendium:
Higdon: All Things Majestic, Viola Concerto & Oboe Concerto — Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Tim Handley, producer

Best Contemporary Classical Composition:
Higdon: Viola Concerto — Jennifer Higdon, composer (Roberto Díaz, Giancarlo Guerrero & Nashville Symphony)

MUSIC VIDEO/FILM FIELD

Best Music Video:
“Humble.” — Kendrick Lamar

Best Music Film:
“The Defiant Ones” — (Various Artists)


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Thursday, February 8, 2018

DC Comics Launches Two New Imprints Aimed at Young Readers

DC Entertainment Reveals New Young Adult and Middle Grade Imprints: DC Ink and DC Zoom

World Class Roster of Bestselling Authors Tapped to Pen Original Graphic Novels that Will Bring DC’s Iconic Super Heroes to a Whole New Generation of Young Readers

DC Ink and DC Zoom All-Star Talent Line-up Includes Laurie Halse Anderson, Meg Cabot, Melissa de la Cruz, Shea Fontana, Kami Garcia, Minh Lê, Marie Lu, Lauren Myracle, Michael Northrop, Danielle Paige, Ridley Pearson, Mariko Tamaki, Gene Yang, and more!

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DC Entertainment revealed two new original graphic novel publishing imprints today, DC Ink focused on young adult (YA) readers, and DC Zoom focused on middle grade (MG) readers. Both imprints will feature a world class line-up of authors who have established YA and MG fan bases. These authors will bring their storytelling expertise to a DC Universe filled with iconic characters like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and many more. The first titles from DC Ink and DC Zoom will be released in Fall 2018.

    DC launches books for young reader imprints #DCInk and #DCZoom

“Superheroes are more popular than ever so it only makes sense to bring these DC characters to an entirely new generation of young readers,” stated Diane Nelson, president of DC Entertainment and president of Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “The first comic books created decades ago were for kids, and as the business evolved and matured, it became more focused on adult readers. DC Ink and DC Zoom present an exciting new opportunity to grow our publishing business and ensure beloved stories built around iconic characters like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are endeared as part of the fabric of childhood for years to come.”

“Two of the recent areas of growth in publishing include graphic novels and books for young readers – we’re bringing those formats together with DC Ink and DC Zoom,” said DC Entertainment Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee. “We’ve already experienced tremendous success with our DC Super Hero Girls graphic novels. The new DC Ink and DC Zoom slate, paired with a stellar author line-up, presents a major business growth opportunity and we couldn’t be more excited – we’re going big.”

The first titles from DC Ink include HARLEY QUINN: BREAKING GLASS by Mariko Tamaki (SUPERGIRL: BEING SUPER) with art by Steve Pugh, and MERA by Danielle Paige (DOROTHY MUST DIE series). The first title to hit shelves from DC Zoom will be DC SUPER HERO GIRLS: SEARCH FOR ATLANTIS from writer Shea Fontana and artist Yancey Labat. All three titles will go on sale in Fall 2018, with many more titles from DC Ink and DC Zoom set to follow in 2019.

Additional confirmed upcoming titles and authors for DC Ink include:

  •     BATMAN: GOTHAM HIGH – Melissa de la Cruz (ALEX & ELIZA, BLUE BLOODS series, WITCHES OF EAST END series)
  •     BATMAN: NIGHTWALKER – THE GRAPHIC NOVEL – Marie Lu (LEGEND series)
  •     TEEN TITANS – Kami Garcia (BEAUTIFUL CREATURES series)
  •     UNDER THE MOON: A CATWOMAN TALE – Lauren Myracle (INTERNET GIRLS series, KISSING KATE)
  •     WONDER WOMAN: TEMPEST TOSSED – Laurie Halse Anderson (SPEAK and CHAINS)



Additional confirmed titles and authors for DC Zoom include:

  •     BATMAN TALES: ONCE UPON A CRIME – writer and artist: Derek Fridolfs, Dustin Nguyen (BATMAN: LI’L GOTHAM)
  •     BATMAN: OVERDRIVE – Shea Fontana (DC SUPER HERO GIRLS series)
  •     BLACK CANARY: IGNITE – Meg Cabot (THE PRINCESS DIARIES series)
  •     DEAR JUSTICE LEAGUE – Michael Northrop (TOMBQUEST series)
  •     GREEN LANTERN: LEGACY – Minh Lê (DRAWN TOGETHER)
  •     SUPER SONS – Ridley Pearson (KINGDOM KEEPERS series)
  •     SUPERMAN OF SMALLVILLE – writer and artist: Art Baltazar & Franco (TINY TITANS)
  •     SUPERMAN SMASHES THE KLAN – Gene Yang (AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER series, NEW SUPER-MAN), will be released as periodicals first, then collected


About DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC (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 one of the largest English-language publishers of comics in the world.

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New "Mission: Impossible - Fallout" Teaser Poster - Feb. 2nd, 2018



































Mission: Impossible - Fallout
In Theatres: July 27, 2018

Synopsis: The best intentions often come back to haunt you.  MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT finds Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team (Alec Baldwin, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames) along with some familiar allies (Rebecca Ferguson, Michelle Monaghan) in a race against time after a mission gone wrong.  Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett, and Vanessa Kirby also join the dynamic cast with filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie returning to the helm.

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Cast: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett, Vanessa Kirby, Michelle Monaghan, Alec Baldwin, Wes Bentley, Frederick Schmidt.

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