Marvel, comiXology and Amazon announced today an expanded and renewed exclusive relationship to distribute and sell Marvels digital comic books across the comiXology, Amazon and Marvel Comics platforms. This newly expanded relationship will continue Marvels single issue digital comic books exclusive on comiXologys worldwide platform and also expand the exclusive deal to the vast universe of the Amazon Kindle readers for the first time in history.
“After Amazon’s acquisition of comiXology in April of 2014, we collectively saw a great opportunity to expand our relationship and create more ways for fans to access Marvel’s vast library of characters as well as leverage comiXology’s technology, together with Amazon’s incredible consumer focus and reach,” said Peter Phillips, EVP of Interactive and Digital Distribution at Marvel Entertainment.
“Marvel, comiXology and Amazon are committed to bringing Marvel’s amazing stories to current and future Marvel fans across the globe,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. “And this historic extension of our relationship with the expansion of Marvel’s single issues to Amazon’s Kindle platform is an enormous opportunity to reach more fans.”
Under the new agreement, comiXology will continue to distribute Marvels English language single issue, trades and graphic novels via the comiXology apps on Fire tablets, iPhone, iPad, Android devices and the web at comixology.com. ComiXology will also continue to power the Marvel Comics app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices as well as the Marvel Digital Comic Shop. Whats new for fans and readers is that over 12,000 single issue digital comic books will become available for sale on the Amazon Kindle Store on June 18, 2015 and will be available on the Amazon Kindle platform around the world.
Amazon, comiXology and Marvel share a passion for expanding the audience for comic books and graphic novels worldwide, said David Naggar, Vice President, Amazon Kindle. With the ever-increasing number of devices in consumers hands and the growing popularity of Marvels extensive catalogue of familiar Super Heroes we see this as the perfect time to create a whole new generation of comic book readers.
Since Marvel and comiXology first worked together to create the Marvel Comics app for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, the Marvel apps for these platforms have had a combined 15 million downloads. The Marvel Comics app has been the #1 grossing book app for iOS in 2015 and the #1 grossing app in the Comics Category in the Google Play app store for 2015. New fans, across all demographics, attracted to Marvels amazing characters through top-grossing movies, critically-acclaimed TV series, and ground breaking new publishing series have driven titles like Daredevil, Spider-Gwen, and Rocket Raccoon to record sales, alongside perennial favorites like Ultimate Spider-Man and Avengers.
Give all the credit in the world to the minds and talent behind Inside Out, the latest animated feature from Disney•Pixar, for shooting for the moon in terms of ambition and raising the bar for family entertainment in terms of content that challenges the mind and spurs the imagination. The film, like so many other Pixar productions, is chock full of visual cleverness and ingenuity, propelled by a thoughtful and accessible imagining of the craziness that can go in people’s heads.
Unfortunately, the script that writer/director Pete Docter (along with writers Meg LeFauve and Josh Cooley) contrives to fully explore all those clever concepts starts to feel labored about midway through and never completely regains its stride by the end. It’s never quite as fun as it hopes to be, despite the game efforts of its voice cast, and you may be left to wonder if there was too much of an effort to make the grown-ups laugh here, rather than reach the entire target audience.
Inside Out introduces audiences to the voices inside the head of 11-year-old Riley (voiced by Kaitlyn Dias). As Riley is for the most part a happy kid, the emotion most often at the controls inside “Headquarters” is Joy (Amy Poehler), the blue-haired, bursting with energy sprite whose job it is to keep Riley upbeat and positive. At times Joy has to contend with the other emotions in residence at Headquarters, however: there’s Fear (Bill Hader), who’s out to keep Riley safe from anything and everything; Anger (Lewis Black), who’s keen sense of fairness is occasionally influenced by a bit of a temper; Disgust (Mindy Kaling), who makes sure Riley steers clear of anything even remotely gross; and Sadness (Phyllis Smith), whose role in Riley’s happy life no seems quite sure of just yet.
The five of them face their greatest challenge yet when Riley’s family moves from Minnesota to San Francisco, and Riley has to adjust to a new house, a new school, and making new friends. In the tumult of all those adjustments, Joy and Sadness find themselves ejected from Headquarters and lost in the vast corridors of Long-Term Memory, at risk of getting discarded for good in the dreaded Memory Dump, from which nothing ever returns. As they frantically search for a way back home, it’s up to Riley’s remaining emotions to hold things together, but Riley’s mood and outlook on the move and her life take a predictable turn with only Fear, Disgust, and Anger left at the controls. Can the two seemingly-contrary emotions get back to Headquarters in time to save the day, or at least keep the others from making things worse? Perhaps, but first, they’ll have to figure out how to work together, and at last figure out just what Sadness’s role in the balance of Riley’s emotions will be.
Disney•Pixar is making much of Inside Out being the follow-up to their Oscar-winning 2009 smash hit Up, and truthfully, the two are very comparable in terms of how sophisticated and emotionally nuanced the two films are in terms of the stories they tell. Despite the fact that this film spends most of its time focused on the avatars of Riley’s emotions, they are still the emotions of a human girl who experiences an all-too-familiar and difficult situation for kids: having their lives uprooted by circumstances they have no control over, like when Mom or Dad get a new job and have to move to a new place. Despite how outlandish and wild some of the visualizations of concepts such as memories (both long and short-term), the subconscious, and emotional conflict get throughout the film, the commitment to the idea that its all going on inside the mind of an 11-year-old never gets lost or muddled, and that keeps things feeling, as odd as it might sound, “real.”
Inside Out is arguably at its best when all five of Riley’s competing emotions are interacting with one another, as each member of the voice ensemble brings their A-game and the casting proves to be spot on. Poehler is far and away the star here, but Joy, for all her bright and shiny energy, is really the “straight man” here in terms of comic balance, while the others, especially Lewis Black and Mindy Kaling, get arguably the biggest laughs playing the extremes. Veteran character actor Richard Kind (Mad About You, Spin City) also shines voicing Bing Bong, an imaginary friend lost as so many childhood imaginary friends are in the labyrinth of long-term memories.
But where Inside Out gets tripped up is in the pace of its storytelling. In order to explore as many different imaginatively-conceived realms of Riley’s mind as possible, Docter and his fellow script writers seem to feel the need to keep adding obstacles and complications to Joy and Sadness’s journey, and each one feels less and less organic to the film’s flow as time goes on. Despite only running 94 minutes, the film feel longer and almost leaden in its second act due to that perceived need, so don’t be surprised if you start to see the kids you bring to see Inside Out start to get a little restless before things start to wrap up.
For the grown-ups, that feeling might be mitigated by some very funny running gags, such as just why do things like annoying jingles from TV commercials seem to linger in memory and pop into the forefront of conscious thought for no good reason, or what goes through the minds of Mom and Dad when interactions with their children take unexpected turns. Balancing the more subtle, dialogue-driven comic bits to keep parents entertained and invested with the broad comedy necessary to reach younger audiences is perhaps the most difficult aspect of making any family-geared entertainment in today’s world in general, and in Inside Out that balance is definitely weighted more toward grown-up humor. That’s not a bad thing, at all; in a way, it shows a great deal of faith on the part of the film makers that the film will still work and kids will be bright and sophisticated enough to pick up on most, if not all, of what’s happening along with their parents.
But that effort also makes the film less universally accessible than, say, last year’s The Lego Movie, which attempted an even balance of grown-up and child-geared humor as it went way over the top to try and make everybody happy. Inside Out takes a more measured, subtle approach to entertainment while focusing its ambition on bringing to life abstract concepts in a fun and accessible way. The result is a film that may not be your kid’s all-time favorite Pixar movie when all is said and done, but it might be the one that gets them thinking the most about what’s going on inside their own heads.
Inside Out
Starring the voices of Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, Kaitlyn Dias. Directed by Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen.
Running Time: 94 minutes
Rated PG for mild thematic elements and some action.
Actor Rick Ducommun has died at the age of 58, at this time there is no cause of death.
Ducommun appeared in Groundhog Day, The ‘Burbs, Little Monsters, Spaceballs, Die Hard, The Hunt For Red October, The Last Boy Scout, Last Action Hero, and Scary Movie.
Director Joe Dante was the first to reveal the news of Ducommun’s passing.
Tom Anderson has surfaced and is now trending on social media. Did we trend on Myspace?
Myspace started in 2003 and by 2005 the company was sold to NewsCorp for $580 million. Anderson became president of NewsCorp, in 2009 Anderson was replaced as president.
Now 44 years old, Anderson is retired and his net worth is around the $60 million.
Did you know MLK almost gave up during Rosa Parks/Bus Boycott fearing the violent threats against him? But he didn't give up #hero
It has been 40 years since Steven Spielberg changed the landscape of summer movies forever, thanks in part to a fussy mechanical shark named Bruce. As Jaws nears its 40th anniversary on June 19 and heads back to a few theaters for a limited release, it is still a minor miracle that Spielberg’s vision came together in the face of so much adversity to deliver not only the first summer blockbuster, but a practically flawless display of fright, thrills, adventure, and what is occasionally overlooked and well-crafted acting performances from everyone involved.
The story is familiar to anyone and everyone, so there is no need to walk through plot points. Rather, let’s think about what makes Jaws such a perfect cinematic experience. First things first, the opening scene, and the attack on the young girl that happens all below the water. This jarring opening sequence, with the young woman writhing in pain being dragged helplessly around the shallow waters of Amity Island, sets the stage for the entire picture. It is horrific, but remains unclear, shrouded in mystery and darkness. The audience only knows something horrible has happened to the girl, but they never see what it is directly. The suspense launched within this opening scene permeates the entire film.
One of the most powerful aspects of Jaws is that crucial suspense, which builds through a fear of the unknown or the unseen. The shark doesn’t appear until well into the second act, which has become the very template for how to effectively build suspension in a creature feature. And yet, the attack on the young woman in the beginning, the ill-fated Kitner boy attack, and a number of close calls all happen in the first half of the film and are much more effective thanks to a malfunctioning shark. Bruce the mechanical shark (named after Spielberg’s lawyer) didn’t want to cooperate and failed to work properly for a majority of the shoot, forcing Spielberg to reframe several of the shots of the shark stalking people, the camera drifting below the water from the monster’s point of view, therein hiding it until absolutely necessary. Talk about a blessing in disguise. The problems with the production helped create a film that is a masterpiece of structure.
Not everything that made the film such a masterpiece was an accident; that would do a disservice to the power of Spielberg the storyteller, who is an absolute master at bringing familial life into extraordinary circumstances.
Jaws is not entirely about that 25-foot Great White stalking unsuspecting summer vacationers at Amity Island. The true heart and soul of the film are the three brilliant performances from Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and the indispensable (but difficult) Robert Shaw, whose shark hunter Quint adds some spice. Scheider, as new police chief Brody, must contend with a bloodthirsty shark, and the bureaucrats of Amity Island, namely Larry the Mayor (Murray Hamilton), who know the importance of summer dollars to the sustainability of the island through the harsh winter months. Despite the ongoing pressure to keep the beaches open, Brody knows he is in over his head, and employs Hooper, a Marine Biologist, played by Dreyfuss.
While Brody and Hooper make some headway, the shark is still loose in the shallow waters, which is why Quint must be brought in. This trio is perhaps the best balance every put to celluloid. Brody’s dogged determination and earnest need to save the island he is sworn to protect, Hooper’s science and forward thinking, Quint’s “street smarts” and a hint of madness all come together in perfect harmony. And what sends it over the top, what really congeals this relationship between these men – all from different backgrounds, all with different motivations, but now out alone on the water with one common goal – is one of the greatest speeches in all of film:
The undeniable magnetic roles at the heart of Jaws are what elevate a typical thriller picture into something magical. When the three finally do set sail the audience has experienced these shark attacks on such an intimate level – with these poor unsuspecting citizens of Amity Island, and with Brody, who wants nothing more than to help – we feel a kinship to the kill. It keeps the stakes high not only for the members of the boat, but the audience who is alone at sea right along with these three men.
Jaws has not lost a single step at 40. In 40 more years, it will remain as such, because of the flawless execution Spielberg and his production team didn’t even realize they were pulling off with every shark malfunction. It made audiences literally fear the water in 1975. While it may not do that thanks to its familiarity, it no doubt will make first-time viewers a little wary, and will still remind the rest of us to keep out eyes open when we wade out into the ocean.
Aside from the obvious big-time films coming out this holiday season, Sicario has now climbed to the top of my most-anticipated list thanks to this incredible, searing new trailer. Sicario also comes from Denis Villeneuve, whose Enemy and Prisoners are two excellent, atmospheric, very different types of thrillers. I am on board for anything Villeneuve has coming, until he proves me wrong.
“In Mexico, Sicario means hitman. In the lawless border area stretching between the U.S. and Mexico, an idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by an elite government task force official to aid in the escalating war against drugs. Led by an enigmatic consultant with a questionable past, the team sets out on a clandestine journey forcing Kate to question everything that she believes in order to survive.”
Once again, Emily Blunt returns to an action thriller role, which is where she seems to belong these days. Aside from Blunt and Benicio Del Toro, Sicario also stars Josh Brolin, Jon Bernthal, and Victor Garber. For my money, this looks like possibly one of the breakout hits of the year.
Sicario hits theaters September 18, right along with Johnny Depp’s Black Mass.
In what is easily some of the strangest news of the week, at least at first sight, is that Rob Zombie’s next project as a director is a biopic on comedic legend Groucho Marx. Deadline first reported the pairing of horror guru Zombie and Marx, and the film will be adapted from Steve Stoliar’s memoir Raised Eyebrows: My Years Inside Groucho’s House.
Stoliar, who lived with Groucho in the last few years of his life, wrote about the somewhat strange and contentious final times of the comedian. Apparently, there is enough strange and interesting material that Zombie’s involvement with a former Hollywood icon sounds less bizarre. Zombie had an interesting take on the story, saying “I have been a huge Groucho Marx fan ever since I was a child and have read countless book on the comic legend, but after reading the book Raised Eyebrows, a totally new perspective on Groucho’s life emerged.
I immediately saw this project as Groucho’s Sunset Boulevard,” he added, “and knew I had to bring it to the big screen. It is a sad, funny and very dark tale of a one of Hollywood’s greatest stars final years.”
Sunset Boulevard is an interesting angle for Rob Zombie to go with, and if he can pull off the at least a hint of the off-kilter tone in the Billy Wilder classic perhaps he can effectively break away from horror. Zombie is a talented filmmaker, at least I think he is, but his films are extremely hit or miss. His last few ventures into the horror genre (Halloween II, The Lords of Salem) have gotten progressively worse in my opinion, so maybe this will be a chance for Zombie to show off his talented eye in another avenue of storytelling.
Rob Zombie will be working on a script from Oren Moverman, who recently penned the screenplay for the Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy.
Starz has given a greenlight to FremantleMedia North America’s (FMNA) adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed contemporary fantasy novel American Gods. Bryan Fuller (“Hannibal,” “Pushing Daisies,” “Heroes”) and Michael Green (“The River,” “Kings,” “Heroes”), will pen and showrun the series. Gaiman will also executive produce the series. FremantleMedia North America will produce. Start of production is dependent on casting the lead role of “Shadow Moon.”
Starz CEO Chris Albrecht said, “STARZ is committed to bring American Gods to its legions of fans. With our partners at FremantleMedia and with Bryan, Michael and Neil guiding the project, we hope to create a series that honors the book and does right by the fans, who have been casting it in their minds for years. The search for Shadow begins today!”
Commented Neil Gaiman, “I am thrilled, scared, delighted, nervous and a ball of glorious anticipation. The team that is going to bring the world of American Gods to the screen has been assembled like the master criminals in a caper movie: I’m relieved and confident that my baby is in good hands. Now we finally move to the exciting business that fans have been doing for the last dozen years: casting our Shadow, our Wednesday, our Laura…”
Commented Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, “Almost 15 years ago, Neil Gaiman filled a toy box with gods and magic and we are thrilled to finally crack it open and play. We’re grateful to have STARZ above us and FremantleMedia at our backs as we appease the gods, American or otherwise.”
Craig Cegielski, Co-CEO, FremantleMedia North America said “’American Gods’ has been the passion project for us at FMNA since Stefanie Berk brought this exceptional piece of literature to the company when she joined two years ago. Chris, Carmi and the entire team at Starz are committed partners, sharing the same creative vision and ambition for this series. Neil’s novel is a brilliant work of art, and together with the talented Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, we are committed to delivering a series that is nothing short of extraordinary.”
The 2001 novel has been translated into over 30 languages and earned numerous accolades including Hugo, Nebula and Bram Stoker Awards for Best Novel. The plot posits a war brewing between old and new gods: the traditional gods of biblical and mythological roots from around the world steadily losing believers to an upstart pantheon of gods reflecting society’s modern love of money, technology, media, celebrity and drugs. Its protagonist, Shadow Moon, is an ex-con who becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to Mr. Wednesday, a conman but in reality one of the older gods, on a cross-country mission to gather his forces in preparation to battle the new deities.
FremantleMedia North America’s Craig Cegielski and Stefanie Berk will executive produce the series along with Bryan Fuller, Michael Green and Neil Gaiman. Senior Vice President of Original Programming Ken Segna will be the Starz executive in charge of “American Gods.” Starz will retain all network pay TV and SVOD rights to the project. FremantleMedia will distribute the series worldwide.
Fans can tweet @AmericanGodsSTZ and @STARZ_Channel using the hashtag #CastingShadow to share who they think should play the role of “Shadow Moon.”
The search for Shadow begins today! Who do you envision as Shadow Moon in #AmericanGods? Tweet us your thoughts with #CastingShadow.
The second season of Fargo will premiere in September and drama will take place during the 70’s.
The FX show stars Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Ted Danson, Patrick Wilson, Jean Smart, Nick Offerman, Brad Garrett, Kieran Culkin, Bokeem Woodbine, Jeffrey Donovan, Angus Sampson, Adam Arkin, Mike Bradecich,Jonas Chernick, and Bruce Campbell as Ronald Reagan.
