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Movie of the Week Reminder: Vesper

Posted in Movies, Recommendations, Reminder, Television, Video on January 2, 2023| Leave a Comment »

On January 6, the AMC+ movie Vesper will debut online.

Set after the collapse of the Earth’s ecosystem, the sci-fi thriller follows Vesper (Raffiella Chapman), a headstrong 13-year-old girl who uses her survival skills to subsist in the remnants of a strange and dangerous world with her ailing father, Darius (Richard Brake). When Vesper finds a mysterious woman, Camellia (Rosy McEwen), alone and disoriented after an aerial crash, she agrees to help find her missing companion in exchange for safe passage to the Citadel – the dark central hub where oligarchs live in comfort thanks to state-of-the-art biotechnology.

Here is a trailer for Vesper:

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2022 Year-End Round Up: New Faces of 2023

Posted in Movies, New Faces, Television, Year End Round Up on December 30, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Much like the Faces of 2022, there are always entertainers of note to be on the look-out for in the new year or those who made great waves throughout the current year who will, undoubtedly, be big stars in the new year.

The new faces of 2023 appear below in no particular order:

Lisette Olivera – A relative newcomer, Lisette has the lead role of Jess Valenzuela in the Disney+ drama series National Treasure: Edge of History, which is considered an expansion of the Nicolad Cage-led National Treasure movie franchise. What’s more she gets to star alongside not only Harvey Keitel but also Catherine Zeta-Jones and movie alum Justin Bartha.

Chante Adams – Chante made a name for herself in the critical acclaimed indie film Roxanne Roxanne before appearing in the horror flick Bad Hair and the Issa Rae-led flick The Photograph. But it was her turn as Dana Canedy alongside Michael B. Jordan in the Denzel Washington-directed film A Journal for Jordan that turned heads. That was followed by a key role in the small screen adaptation of A League of Their Own. She will next be seen alongside the likes of Diane Lane, Jeff Daniels and Lucy Liu in the Netflix series A Man in Full.

Alaqua Cox – She is the absolutely newbie who stood out in the Disney+ Marvel series Hawkeye, fighting against Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton and Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop, as deaf gang leader Maya Lopez, who will be the lead character in the upcoming Disney+ series Echo (set to debut sometime in 2023). When the show debuts, she will star alongside heavyweights Vincent D’Onofrio, Charlie Cox, Tantoo Cardinal, Graham Greene and Zahn McClarnon.

Ncuti (pronounced Shoo-tee) Gatwa – Best known for his role in the Netflix comedy-drama series Sex Education, he was named as the new Doctor on Doctor Who, making him the first black actor to lead the series in its long-tenure. While he was set to take over for Jodie Whittaker, viewers were surprised by David Tennant – who played the 10th Doctor – would temporarily take over as the 14th Doctor, making Ncuti the 15th Doctor.

Joseph Quinn – While the British actor has appeared in episodes of Game of Thrones and C.B. Strike as well as the mini-series Howard’s End and Catherine the Great, but it was his major breakout role as fan favorite Eddie Munson in season four of Stranger Things that has really garnered him attention.

Minha Kim – Minha made her formal acting debut this year in the critically beloved Apple TV+ series Pachinko, which is based on the best-selling novel by Min Jin Lee, that found her working with a supporting cast that included Oscar winner Youn Yuh-Jung (Minari).

Railey and Seazynn Gilliland – These identical twins were plucked from TikTok – all while working at a pizza parlor – to play the Canadian indie pop duo Tegan and Sara (who are also identical twin sisters) in the Freevee drama series High School, which is based on the best-selling memoir by the pop duo. What’s more the Gilliland twins had no musical experience; in fact, they both had never acted, sung or played a musical instrument before, but Tegan stumbled upon their TikTok account, and just knew they were the right pair for the roles.

Christina Jackson – Christina has appeared in episodes of The Good Fight, Boardwalk Empire and Outsiders, but it is her role in the box office movie Devotion, starring opposite Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell, that has audiences turning heads. She will next have a role in the upcoming Shirley Chisholm biopic that will star Regina King.

Stephanie Hsu – While she has been acting for almost 20 years, it was her breakthrough performance in the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once, starring the upcoming film American Born Chinese (which reunites her with Yeoh). She has also appeared in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and had a recurring role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Gabriel LaBelle – The 19-year-old stars in the box office film The Fablemans, essentially playing that film’s version of Stephen Spielberg, and he also appeared in episodes of this year’s American Gigolo. He made his acting debut, at the age of 11, in the Canadian TV series Motive and he appeared in the 2018 movie The Predator.

Vicky Krieps – Hailing from Luxembourg, Vicky has appeared in a lot of projects. Most recently she has appeared in the box office films Phantom Thread, The Girl in the Spider’s Web and Old; but it’s been her role in Corsage, portraying the 19th century Austrian monarch Elisabeth, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, that has turned a lot of heads. She will next be seen in the movie More Than Ever.

Are there any actors or actresses who you think are the faces to watch in 2023? Please share.

TOMORROW: Closing Out 2022

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2022 Year-End Round Up: Faces of 2022

Posted in Movies, Music, Television, Year End Round Up on December 29, 2022| Leave a Comment »

The following list highlights the actors and actresses on TV and on the big screen who really caught viewers’ attention throughout the year.

They appear in no particular order:

Nicole Lecky – The 30-something English-Jamaican writer and actress (who is a quadruple threat: creator, writer, actress and singer-songwriter) hit it big with the BBC America and AMC drama series Mood, which was based on her 2019 one-woman show that debuted last month. Among her other credits are writing for the series E20, a spin-off of the British soap opera EastEnders and appearing in the British series Doctors and Casualty along with the streaming series Sense8.

Iman Vellani – Iman is a rising newcomer who landed the lead role of Kamala Khan in the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel, becoming the first Muslim to play a key superhero in a live-action Marvel adaptation. This is her first role ever, and since she is a big fan of the genre (calling herself a “full-on fangirl,” not to mention she dressed up as Kamala Khan for Halloween when she was younger, she is having quite a year. She will reprise her role in next summer’s The Marvels.

Isabel May – This native Californian landed the plum role of Elsa Dutton in the Taylor Sheridan-Yellowstone prequel series 1883, which debuted at the beginning of this year. She started her career on the Netflix comedy series Alexa & Katie and had a recurring role on Young Sheldon. She also appeared in the movies I Want You Back and Run Hide Fight. She’ll next be seen in the indie heist film The Smack with Casey Affleck.

Troy Kotsur – Troy made history this year by not only being the first deaf man to be nominated for an acting Oscar and the second deaf actor to be nomimated for an Oscar as well as becoming the first deaf man to win the golden idol for his role as devoted father, and randy husband, Frank Rossi in the acclaimed film CODA, which won for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars. In the past, he has appeared in episodes of Strong Medicine, CSI: NY, Scrubs and Criminal Minds.

Quinta Brunson – It’s been quite a year for Quinta with the debut of her hit ABC comedy Abbott Elementary (which she created) in December of 2021. Since then the show has received critical acclaim and made her the first black woman to be nominated for acting, writing and producing in Emmy history. She has won awards for her role in the show from the Hollywood Critics Assocation and the Television Critics Association too. Her past TV appearances include guest starring roles in iZombie, Single Parents and Miracle Workers. She also played Oprah Winfrey in the The Al Yankovic Story,

Sydney Sweeney – This 24-year old has had a big year with her double Emmy nominations for her leading roles in the HBO dramas Euphoria and The White Lotus; and she has landed a role in the upcoming Marvel film Madame Web that will star Dakota Johnson in the title role. Sydney has appeared in episodes of Pretty Little Liars, The Handmaid’s Tale and Sharp Objects as well as the box office film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Melanie Lynskey – With nearly 30 years of industry work under her belt, including roles in the TV comedy Two and a Half Men and the box office favorites Ever After and Sweet Home Alabama, Melanie has a lot for which to be proud. That being said, it has been her role in the much-buzzed about Showtime drama Yellowjackets that has landed her a great deal of attention with praise galore. It’s been a long time coming and well deserved.

Amber Midthunder – Some viewers will remember her for her work in the Dan Stevens-led mind-binder series Legion or for her role in the rebooted series Roswell, New Mexico, but it was her lead role of Naru, the skilled warrior of the Comanche Nation in the box office film Prey that was a prequel to the Predators franchise.

Daryl McCormack – This relative newcomer from Ireland appeared in TV shows like Vikings and Peaky Blinders, but it was his turn as a gigolo in the Sundance hit Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, starring alongside Emma Thompson. He has also appeared in the much-talked-about Apple TV+ series Bad Sisters and appeared in the fantasy series The Wheel of Time.

The cast of Squid Game – This Netflix survival series took the world by storm, changing the landscape of TV and garnering the series and its cast with a Golden Globe win, three Screen Actors Guild awards, two Critics Choice Awards, 14 Emmy nominations and a special award at the AFI awards as well as a greenlit reality series.

Who are some of the faces from this year who caught your attention either on television, in music or in film? Please share.

TOMORROW: New Faces of 2023

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Movie of the Week Recommendation: The Dog Lover’s Guide to Dating

Posted in Movies, Recommendations, Reminder, Television, Video on December 28, 2022| Leave a Comment »

The Hallmark Channel movie The Dog Lover’s Guide to Dating will debut on January 1 at 8 PM.

Alex (Rebecca Dalton), a professional dog trainer is more enamored of her loyal four-legged clients than she is of their owners whom she never fully trusts. Her skepticism of a dog’s two-legged best friend makes for a difficult, or rather nonexistent, dating life. Simon (Corey Sevier) has the opposite problem.

He’s found the girl of his dreams; he just needs to win over her dog so they can live happily ever after. When he discovers Alex’s impeccable dog training skills, he convinces her to train him in the ways of the canine so he can show his girlfriend Chloe (Eliza King) and her beloved pug what a fun-loving pack leader he can be.

Here is a trailer for The Dog Lover’s Guide to Dating:

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2022 Year-End Round-Up: In Remembrance

Posted in Books, Condolences, Movies, Music, Television, Year End Round Up on December 27, 2022| Leave a Comment »

The following industry personalities, athletes, politicians (etc.) passed away in 2022 and heartfelt condolences are extended to their families, friends and fans.

The celebrities we have lost this year are (in alphabetical order):

Shinzo Abe (Former Japanese Prime Minister)
Neal Adams (Batman Comic Artist)
Shireen Abu Akleh (Al Jazeera Journalist)
Madeleine Albright (First Female Secretary of State)
Ian Alexander Jr. (Musician, DJ and son of Actress and Director Regina King) [He was only 26]
Marie Alice (Actress, A Different World and Spakle)
Kirstie Alley (Actress, Cheers, Veronica’s Closet and Look Who’s Talking)
Louie Anderson (Comedian; Emmy Winning Actor, Baskets and Family Feud Host)
John Aniston (Veteran Actor, Days of Our Lives and Jennifer Aniston’s Father)
David A. Arnold (Standup Comedian and Showrunner)
Nicki Aycox (Actress, Supernatural) [She was 47]

Angelo Badalamenti (Composer, Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive)
Rebecca Balding (Actress, Soap and the original Charmed)
Jim Balfe (father of actress Caitriona Balfe from Outlander)
Darius Barnes (Broadway dancer and choreographer)
Jules Bass (Producer and Director, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman)
Luke Bell (Country Artist, Cowboy and Troubadour) [He was only 32]
Jana Bennett (Former President and General Manager of the History Channel and Former Director at the BBC)
Marilyn Bergman (Oscar-, Emmy- and Grammy-winning songwriter, “The Way We Were”)
David Birney (Actor, St. Elsewhere and Bridget Loves Bernie)
Stephanie Bissonnette (Broadway Star, Mean Girls) [She was only 32]
June Blair (Actress, Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet) [She was 90]
Peter Bogdanovich (Iconic Director, The Last Picture Show and Paper Moon)
Stephan Bonnar (Legendary Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Bellator fighter) [He was only 45]
Lee Bontecou (Legendary Artist) [She was 91]
Stephen “tWitch” Boss (Dancer, DJ and Co-Executive Producer, So You Think You Can Dance and The Ellen DeGeneres Show) [He was 40]
Traci Braxton (Singer and Star of Braxton Family Values alongside her sisters Toni and Tamar) [She was only 50]
David Brenner (Film Editor, Justice League and Independence Day)
Raymond Briggs (Creator of “The Snowman’ picture book) [He was 88]
Todd Brodginski (Veteran Music Publicist and Art Garfunkel’s Manger)
Peter Brook (Tony-Winning British Theater Director) [He was 97]
Johnny Brown (Veteran Actor, Good Times)
June Brown (Veteran British Actress, EastEnders) [She was 95]

James Caan (Actor, The Godfather and Las Vegas)
Patrick Carlin (Author, Comedy Writer and Older Brother of Comedian George Carlin) [He was 90]
Irene Cara (Iconic 1980’s Singer-Actress, Fame and Flashdance)
Pat Carroll (Emmy Winner and voice of Disney’s Ursula)
Dick Carson (Director, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and younger brother to Johnny Carson) [He was 92]
Jeff Carson (Award-Winning Country Artist and Songwriter ) [He was 58]
Aaron Carter (Pop Singer and Younger Brother of Nick Carter from Backstreet Boys) [He was only 34]
Robbie Coltrane (Actor, Hagrid in the Harry Potter franchise)
Coolio (Rapper, Best Known for “Gangster’s Paradise”)
Kevin Conroy (Iconic Voice of Animated Batman)
Tim Considine (Disney Legend and Actor, My Three Sons and original The Mickey Mouse Club)
Ann Turner Cook (Face of Gerber’s Baby Food) [She was 95]
Zuri Craig (America’s Got Talent Finalist and Collaborator of Tyler Perry)
Bernard Cribbins (British Actor, Grandfather to Donna Tate on Doctor Who) [He was 93]
Carl Croneberg (Deaf Swedish Immigrant, Helped write first comprehensive ASL dictionary) [He was 92]
Julee Cruise (Icon Singer, Twin Peaks theme song)

David Davis (Comedy Writer, Bob Newhart Show and Taxi)
Charlbi Dean (Actress, Black Lightning) [She was only 32]
Emilio Delgado (Actor, Sesame Street)
Robert Breck Denny, Jr. (Writer and Actor, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Member of The Groundlings) [He was only 34]
Jan DeWitt (50-Year Veteran Producer, Bones and Judging Amy)
Tony Dow (Actor, Leave It To Beaver)
Denise Dowse (Actress, Insecure and Beverly Hills 90210)
Lamont Dozier (Motown Legend, Singer-Songwriter-Producer, Mastermind behind songs like “Baby Love” and “Two Hearts”)
Shonka Dukureh (Actress-Singer, Played Big Mama Thornton in 2022 Elvis) [She was only 44]

Sonya Eddy (Actress and Beloved General Hospital Star) [She was 55]
James Edwards (Major Figure in British Music Industry) [He was only 31]
Ned Eisenberg (Actor, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Mare of Easttown)
Ralph Emery (Country Music DJ and TV Host)
Charles Entenmann (Builder of the Baked Goods Empire) [He was 92]
Zack Estrin (Writer-Producer, Prison Break and Lost in Space) [He was 51]
Nicholas Evans (Author, The Horse Whisperer)

Ben Feigin (Executive Producer, Schitt’s Creek)
Ryan Fellows (Cast Member on Discovery series Street Outlaws) [Died in Car Crash; He was only 41]
Bobbie Faye Ferguson (Actress, Designing Women, Dallas and Dukes of Hazzard)
Steve Fickinger (Tony-Winning Producer, “Dear Evan Hansen”)
Bert Fields (Consummate Hollywood/Entertainment Lawyer) [He was 93]
Nikki Finke (Founder of Deadline and Iconoclastic Journalist)
Andy Fletcher (Founding Member of Depeche Mode)
Louise Fletcher (Oscar Winning Actress, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest)
Farrah Forke (Actress, Wings and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) [She was 54]
Jason David Frank (Actor, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) [He was 49]
Dallas Frazier (Songwriter, “Elvira,” “Alley Oop” and “Beneath Still Waters”)
Budd Friedman (Founder of The Improv Comedy Club) [He was 90]

Gallagher (Well-Known Comedian)
Mickey Gilley (Country Music Icon)
Clarence Gilyard, Jr. (Actor, Die Hard and Walker, Texas Ranger)
Jean-Luc Godard (King of France’s New Wave Cinema) [He was 91]
Mikhail Gorbachev (Last Soviet leader who ended the Cold War) [He was 91]
Gilbert Gottfried (Comedian)
Heather Gray (Executive Producer of “The Talk”) [She was only 50]
Jeremiah Green (Co-founder and Drummer, Rock Band Modest Mouse) [He was 45]
Stephen Greif (Actor, The Crown and Blake’s 7)
Robyn Griggs (Soap Opera Actress, One Life to Live and Another World) [She was only 49]
Clu Gulager (Veteran Actor, The Virginian and Return of the Living Dead) [He was 93]

Mike Hagerty (Actor, Friends and Somebody, Somewhere)
Patrick Haggerty (Trailblazing Gay Country Star)
Philip Baker Hall (Veteran Actor, The Loop, Falcon Crest and Seinfeld) [He was 90]
Scott Hall (WWE Hall of Famer)
Thich Nhat Hanh (Zen Master and Buddhist Monk) [He was 95]
Estelle Harris (Veteran Actress, Seinfeld) [She was 93]
Franco Harris (Legendary Football Player, Pittsburgh Steelers)
William “Poogie” Hart (Lead Singer of Soul Group Delfonics)
John Hartman (Founding Drummer of The Doobie Brothers)
Dwayne Haskins (Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback) [He was only 24]
Shelley Haus (Chief Marketing Officer of Ulta Beauty) [She was only 49]
Ronnie “Hawk” Hawkins (Rocabilly Singer, Mentor to The Band)
Rosa Lee Hawkins (Singer from The Dixie Cups, “Chapel of Love”)
Taylor Hawkins (Drummer, Foo Fighters) [He was only 50]
Anne Heche (Actress, Men In Trees)
Brad William Henke (Former NFL Player and Actor, Orange Is the New Black)
Howard Hesseman (Actor, Head of the Class and WKRP in Cincinnati)
Dwayne Hickman (Actor, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis)
Mike Hodges (British Director, Get Carter and Croupier) [He was 90]
Nick Holly (Manager, Writer, Producer and Co-Creator of ABC comedy Sons & Daughters) [He was 51]
Georgia Holt (Singer, Actress and Mother of Cher) [She was 96]
Bo Hopkins (Actor, American Graffiti and The Wild Bunch)
Joan Hotchkis (Veteran Stage and Screen Actress, The Odd Couple and Legacy) [She was 95]
Marsha Hunt (Blacklisted Actress and Activist) [She was 104]
William Hurt (Oscar-Winning Actor)

Gregory Itzin (Actor, 24)

Michael Robin Jackson (LA Talk Radio Personality)
Conrad Janis (Veteran Actor, Mork & Mindy)
Anthony “A.J.” Johnson (Actor, House Party and Friday) [He was 55]
Brad Johnson (Actor, Always and the original Melrose Place)
L.Q. Jones (Veteran Actor, The Wild Bunch, Casino and The Legend of Zorro) [He was 94]
Leslie Jordan (Actor, Writer and Singer)
Marvin Josephson (Founder, ICM Partners) [He was 95]
Naomi Judd (Matriarch of The Judds and mother to Wynonna and Ashley)
Max Julien (Actor, 1973 Blaxploitation classic The Mack)

Robert A. Katz (Producer, Gettysburg and Selena)
Takahashi Kazuki (Creator, Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Jack Kehler (Character Actor, The Main the High Castle and The Big Lebowski)
Sally Kellerman (Actress, Original Movie MASH)
Jessica Klein (Producer and Writer, Beverly Hills 90210)
Howie Kleinberg (Top Chef Fan Fave) [He was only 46]
Jak Knight (Stand-Up Comedian) [He was only 28]
Charles Koppelman (Legendary Music Executive and Former Chairman of Martha Stewart’s Company)
Michael Kopsa (Actor, Hallmark Channel movies)
Krishna (Major Star of 1980’s Telgui Cinema and Father of Star Mahesh Babu)
Hardy Kruger (German Actor, A Bridge Too Far, Hatari! and Barry Lyndon)
Cheslie Kryst (Former Miss USA 2019 and Correspondent for Extra) [She was only 30]
Oleksandra “Sasha” Kuvshynova (Journalist) [Killed in Ukraine] (She was only 24)

Art Laboe (Legendary Radio DJ who coined “Oldies but Goodies”)
Alan Ladd Jr. (Son of legendary actor Alan Ladd, Oscar-Winning Producer and Influential Motion Picture Executive)
Guy Lafleur (Legendary Montreal Canadiens player)
Bappi Lahiri (Bollywood Composer and Singer)
Edie Landau (Producer, The David Susskind Show and Executive President of the National Telefilm Associates) [She was 95]
Angela Landsbury (Veteran Actress, Murder She Wrote)
Mark Lanegan (Singer, Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age)
Michael Lang (Co-Creator of the 1969 Woodstock Festival)
Mike Lang (Leading Jazz and Studio Pianist)
Stephen J. Lawrence (Composer, Sesame Street)
Quentin Oliver Lee (Broadway Actor and Opera Singer)
Kevin Levene (Pioneering Guitarist and Co-Found of the Clash)
Jerry Lee Lewis (Rock Pioneer and Singer)
Lil Keed (Atlanta-based Rapper) [He was only 24]
Ray Liotta (Actor, Goodfellas and Field of Dreams)
Jon Lind (A&R Executive and Songwriter “Boogie Wonderland,” “Crazy for You”)
Sacheen Littlefeather (Native Americn Activist Who Declined Marlon Brando’s Oscar)
Bob LuPone (Actor and Brother of Broadway Icon Patti LuPone)
Loretta Lynn (Country Music Legend) [She was 90]

Patricia MacLachlan (Award-Winning Author, “Sarah, Plain and Tall”)
Lata Mangeshkar (Bollywood Singer, Known as the ‘Nighingale of India’) [She was 92]
Mary Mara (Actress, Nash Bridges, Law & Order and ER)
Jane Marczewski [aka Nightbirde] (Fan Favorite Season 16 contestant on America’s Got Talent) [She was only 31]
Stuart Margolin (TV Director, Actor and two-time Emmy winner, The Rockford Files)
Ron Masak (Actor, Murder She Wrote)
Dan McCafferty (Frontman of Scottish Rock Band Nazareth)
David McCullough (Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author) [He was 89]
Bob McGrath (One of the Original Human Stars on Sesame Street) [He was 90]
Virginia McLaurin (Sharecropper Daught in Jim Crow South/Danced with Barack & Michelle Obama at the Whitte House) [She was 113 by her accounting, as she had no birth certificate]
Dale McRaven (Creator, Mork & Monday and Perfect Strangers)
Christine McVie (Fleetwood Mac, Singer-Songwriter-Keyboardist)
Meat Loaf (Singer, “Bat Out of Hell”)
Marijane Meaker (Autor, 1952 novel “Spring Fire” among countless other books) [She was at 95]
Yvette Mimieux (Actress, The Time Machine, The Black Hole, Where the Boys Are and Toys in the Attic)
Nicky Moore (Lead Singer of heavy metal band Samson)
Tommy Morgan (Harmonica Soloist for Dances With Wolves and Roots) [He was 89]
Robert Morse (Veteran Actor, Mad Men) [He was 90]
Roger E. Mosley (Actor, the original Magnum P.I.)
Virginia Patton Moss (Last Surviving Adult Cast Member of It’s a Wonderful Life)
Manfred Thierry Mugler (French Fashion Designer)

Mace Neufeld (Longtime producer, Patriot Game and Beverly Hills Cop III) [He was 93]
Olivia Newton-John (Grammy-Winning Singer and Actress, Grease and Xanadu)
Nichelle Nichols (Veteran Actress, Original Star Trek) [She was 89]
Monty Norman (Composer, James Bond Theme) [He was 94]

Terrence O’Hara (TV Director, NCIS and JAG)
Mo Ostin (Top Executive at Warner Bros.-Reprise Records for more than three decades) [He was 95]

Mimi Parker (Vocalist and Drummer for the band Low)
Tom Parker (The Wanted, British-Irish Boy Band) [He was only 33]
Fred Parris (Singer from The Five Satins, “In The Still Of The Night”)
Pelé (Soccer Legend) [He was 82]
D.H. Peligro (Drummer of Legendary Punk Rock Band Dead Kennedys)
Bill Pence (Co-Founder of the Telluride Film Festival) [He was 82]
Bob Penny (Veteran Actor, Forrest Gump and Sweet Home Alabama)
George Perez (Comic Book Artist, Wonder Woman and Teen Titans)
Nehemiah Persoff (Actor, Yentl and Some Like it Hot) [He was 102]
Wolfgang Peterson (Director, Air Force One and Das Boot)
Leslie Phillips (Actor in Harry Potter franchise as the voice of The Sorting Hat) [He was 98]
Svika Pick (Israeli King of Pop and Eurovision Winner)
Anita Pointer (Member of the Pointer Sisters)
Sidney Poiteir (Revered Actor, Oscar-Winning Trailblazer and Civl Rights Activist) [He was 94]
Jesse Powell (R&B Singer and Grammy Nominee)
Julie Powell (Food Writer of Julia Child Recipe Blog – Amy Adams played her in Julia & Julie movie) [She was only 49]
Pope Benedict XVI (German Pope from 2005 to 2013) [He was 95]
Albert Pyun (Action Director, Nemesis, Cyborg and Captain America)

Queen Elizabeth (Longest-Reigning Monarch in British History) [She was 96]

Bob Rafelson (Director, Five Easy Pieces and Co-Creator of The Monkees)
Teddy Ray (Stand-Up Comedian and Actor) [He was only 32]
Julia Reichert (Oscar-Winning Documentarian)
Ivan Reitman (Legendary Director, Ghostbusters)
Brent Renaud (U.S. Documentary Filmmaker) [He was only 50] [Killed in Ukraine]
Hargus “Pig” Robbins (Country Hall of Fame Piano Player)
Peter Robbins (Voice Actor, Original Voice of Charlie Brown in Peantus cartoons)
Cormac Roth (Musician and Son of Actor Tim Roth) [He was only 25]
Art Rupe (Specialty Records Founder and Rock ‘n’ Roll Pioneer) [He was 104]
Bill Russell (11-Time NBA Champion and First Black Head Coach in US Pro Sports) [He was 88]
Mitchel Ryan (Veteran Actor, Dark Shadows, Lethal Weapon and Dharma & Greg)
Bobby Rydell (1960’s Pop Idol and Star of Bye Bye Birdie)

Bob Saget (Stand-Up Comedian and Actor, Full House and Host, America’s Funniest Home Videos)
Pharoah Sanders (Boundary-Pushing Jazz Saxophonist)
Marnie Schulenburg (Actress, As the World Turns and One Life to Live) [She was only 37]
Vin Scully (Legendary Announcer for the LA Dodgers) [He was 94]
Jim Seals (Seals and Crofts 70’s soft-rock duo)
Bernard Shaw (Legendary CNN Broadcaster) [He was 82]
Liz Sheridan (Veteran Actress on Broadway and on TV in Seinfeld and ALF)
Mark Shields (Political Analyst for PBS News Hour and CNN’s Capital Gang)
Oksana Shvets (Revered Ukranian Actress) [Killed in Russian Rocket Attack]
Charles Siebert (Actor, Trapper John M.D.)
Henry Silva (Veteran Actor, Ocean’s Eleven and The Manchurian Candidate) [He was 94]
Joanna Simon (Opera Singer and Sister of Carly Simon)
Lucy Simon (Singer, Broadway Composer and Sister of Carly Simon)
Joyce Sims (R&B Singer-Songwriter)
Tony Siragus (Former NFL PLayer) [He was 55]
Tony Sirico (Actor, The Sopranos)
Paul Sorvino (Actor, Goodfellas and Law & Order)
Ronnie Spector (Lead Singer of 60’s girl group The Ronettes)
Carol Speed (Actress, Blaxploitation film The Mack and Horror classic Abby)
Willie Spense (Season 19 American Idol Runner-Up) [He was only 23]
Meghan Stabile (New Jazz Impresario) [She was only 39]
Susie Steiner (Author of Acclaimed British Crime Novels) [She was only 51]
Morgan Stevens (Actor, Fame and Melrose Place)
Austin Stoker (Veteran Actor, Assault on Precinct 13 and Sheba, Baby) [He was 92]
Larry Storch (Actor, F Troop) [He was 6 months shy of his 100th birthday]
Alec John Such (First Bassist and Founding Member, Bon Jovi)

Marva Hicks Taha (Broadway and TV Actress)
Akira Takarada (Veteran Actor, Star of Original Godzilla and Voiceover Artist) [He was 87]
Takeoff (Rapper) [He was only 28]
Andre Leon Talley (Former America’s Next Top Model Judge and Fashion Icon)
Joe E. Tata (Actor, Beverly Hills, 90210)
Dax Tejera (Executive Producer, ABC’s This Week) [He was only 37]
Judy Tenuta (Accordian-Playing ‘Love Goddess’ Comedian)
Terry Tolkin (Veteran A&R Executive for Elektra Records)
Jean-Louis Trintignant (French Actor, A Man and a Woman and Amour) [He was 91]
Trouble aka Skoob (Atlanta Rapper) [He was only 35]
Ivana Trump (Donald Trump’s former wife)
Brett Tuggle (Keyboardist for Fleetwood Mac and David Lee Roth)
Joe Turkel (Bartender in The Shining and Blade Runner) [He was 94]

Gaspard Ulliel (French Actor, Moon Knight)

Vangelis (Oscar-Winning Composer Chariots of Fire)
Ronan Vibert (Actor, Saving Mr. Banks and The Snowman) [He was 58]
Leon Vitali (Actor, Barry Lyndon and Personal Assistant to Stanley Kubrick)
Monica Vitti (Actress, Italian movies L’Avventura and La Notte)
Lenny Von Dohlen (Actor, Twin Peaks)

Grant Wahl (Soccer Journalist) [He passed away while covering the World Cup in Qatar]
Jackie Walorski (Indiana US Representative)
Barbara Walters (Legendary News Anchor, TV Interviewer and TV Host) [She was 93]
Fred Ward (Actor, The Right Stuff and Tremors)
Shane Warne (Legendary Former Australian Cricket Player and TV Commentator) [He was 52]
David Warner (British Actor, The Omen, Tron, Time Bandits)
Shirley Watts (Wife of Rolling Stones Drummer Charlie Watts)
Kenneth Welsh (Actor, Twin Peaks and The Day After Tomorrow)
Vivienne Westwood (Legendary English fashion designer who helped to popularize punk style)
Bobbie Whiteman (Longtime Variety Editor)
Don Wilson (Co-Founder of Rock-N-Roll Group The Ventures)

Shimada Yoko (Golden Globe Winner playing Mariko in 1980s TV series Shogun)

Pierre Zakrzewski (Fox News Cameraman) [Killed in Ukraine]
Jon Zazula (Legendary Metal Label Megaforce Records)

NOTE: This list, in no way, covers all the industry talent who passed away this year. Again, condolences are extended to one and all.

Out of respect, please take a moment of silence.

TOMORROW: TV Ratings

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2022 Year-End Round Up: Award Winners

Posted in Awards, Movies, Music, Television, Year End Round Up on December 26, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Every year there are lots of awards shows, some important, some just fun and numerous just plain silly or nonsensical, but the list featured below showcases just some of the top winners over the course of 2022.

GOLDEN GLOBES (January)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama – Will Smith, King Richard
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy – Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick … Boom!
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy – Rachel Zegler, West Side Story
Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture – Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
Best Television Series, Drama – Succession, HBO
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama – Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Pose
Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television – The Underground Railroad
Best Performance by an Actress, Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television – Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown
Best Motion Picture, Animated – Encanto

NAACP IMAGE AWARDS (February)

Entertainer of the Year – Jennifer Hudson
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture – Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture – Regina King, The Harder They Fall
Outstanding Drama Series – “Queen Sugar”
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series – Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series – Angela Bassett, 9-1-1
Outstanding Female Artist – Jazmine Sullivan

SAG AWARDS (February)

Life Achievement Award – Helen Mirren
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture – Coda
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role – Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series – Jung Ho-Yeon, Squid Game
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series – Lee Jung-Jae, Squid Game

CRITIC’S CHOICE AWARDS (March)

Best Picture (Film) – The Power of the Dog
Best Young Actor (Film) – Jude Hill – Belfast
Best Ensemble (Film) – Belfast
Best Original Screenplay (Film) – Kenneth Branagh – Belfast
Best Costume Design (Film) – Jenny Beavan – Cruella
Best Visual Effects (Film) – Dune
Best Comedy (Film) – Licorice Pizza
Best Actress in a Drama Series (TV) – Melanie Lynskey – Yellowjackets
Best Movie Made for TV – Oslo
Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for TV – Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus
Best Animated Series – What If…?

BAFTA FILM AWARDS (March)

Leading Actress – Joanna Scanlan, After Love
Documentary – Summer Of Soul (Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Adapted Screenplay – CODA, Siân Heder
EE Rising Star Award – Lashana Lynch
Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature-Film Director -Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter (Netflix)
Best Character Animation – Live Action – Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS (March)

Best Male Lead – Simon Rex, Red Rocket
Best Female Lead – Taylour Paige, Zola
Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series – Reservation Dogs
Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series – Thuso Mbedu, The Underground Railroad
Best Male Performance in a New Scripted Series – Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game”
Best New Scripted Series – Reservation Dogs
Best Supporting Female – Ruth Negga, Passing
John Cassavetes Award (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000) – Shiva Baby

PRODUCER’S GUILD AWARDS (March)

David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series TV – M0are of Easttown
Award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures- Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers
Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction TV – The Beatles: Get Back
Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk TV – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

WRITER’S GUILD AWARDS (March)

Original Screenplay (Film) – Don’t Look Up
Comedy Series TV – Hacks
Adapted Long Form TV – Maid
Daytime Drama TV – Days of Our Lives
On-Air Promotion (Documentary TV) – Celebrating Powerful Female Leads: Trailers for The Equalizer & Why Women Kill, Written by Molly Neylan;

RAZZIE AWARDS (March)

Worst Picture – Diana the Musical (The Netflix Version)
Worst Actor – LeBron James / Space Jam: A New Legacy
Worst Supporting Actor – Jared Leto / House of Gucci

ACADEMY AWARDS (March)

Best Original Score – Hans Zimmer, Dune
Best Supporting Actress – Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
Best Supporting Actor – Troy Kotsur, CODA
Best Director – Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
Best Lead Actor – Will Smith, King Richard
Best Lead Actress – Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Best Picture – CODA

GRAMMY AWARDS (April)

Record of the Year – Silk Sonic
Album of the Year – Jon Baptiste
Best New Artist – Olivia Rodrigo
Best Pop Solo Performance – Olivia Rodrigo, “Drivers License”
Best Rock Performance – Foo Fighters, “Making a Fire”
Best Traditional R&B Album – H.E.R., “Fight for You”
Best Country Solo Performance – Chris Stapleton, “You Should Probably Leave”
Best Musical Theater Album – Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical”

BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS (May)

Top Duo/Group – BTS
Top Billboard 200 Artist – Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Artist – Olivia Rodrigo
Top Billboard Global Artist – Ed Sheeran
Top Tour – The Rolling Stones
Top Country Duo/Group – Dan + Shay
Top Rock Artist – Glass Animals
Top Dance/Electronic Artist – Lady Gaga
Top Billboard 200 Album – Olivia Rodrigo, “SOUR”
Top Soundtrack – Encanto
Top Rock Album – Twenty One Pilots, “Scaled and Icy”
Top Radio Song – Dua Lipa, “Levitating”

MTV MOVIE & TV AWARDS (June)

Best Movie – Spider-Man: No Way Home
Best Show – Euphoria
Best Performance in a Movie – Tom Holland, Spider-Man: No Way Home
Best Performance in a TV Show – Zendaya, Euphoria
Best Comedic Performance – Ryan Reynolds, Free Guy
Best Hero – Scarlett Johansson, Black Widow
Best Villain – Daniel Radcliffe, The Lost City
Best Breakthrough Performance – Sophia Di Martino, Loki

BET AWARDS (June)

Best Actress – Zendaya, Euphoria/Spider-Man: No Way Home
YoungStars Award – Marsai Martin, black-ish
Album of the Year – Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak), “An Evening with Silk Sonic”
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist – Jazmine Sullivan

TELEVISION CRITICS ASSOCIATION AWARDS (August)

Individual Achievement in Drama – Mandy Moore, This Is Us
Individual Achievement in Comedy – Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming – The Baby-Sitters Club
Program of the Year – Abbott Elementary

MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS (August)

Best New Artist – Dove Cameron
Best Rock – Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Black Summer”
Song of Summer – Jack Harlow, “First Class”
Best Album – Harry Styles, Harry’s House
Best Altenative – Måneskin,“I Wanna Be Your Slave”
Song of the Year – Billie Eilish, “Happier Than Ever”
Group of the Year – BTS

HUMANITAS PRIZE AWARDS (September)

Comedy Feature Film – Don’t Look Up
Drama Teleplay – Pachinko, “Chapter One”
Limited Series, TV Movie, or Special – Women of the Movement: ‘Mother and Son

EMMY AWARDS (September)

Limited or Anthology Series – The White Lotus
Lead Actor in a Drama Series – Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series – Jean Smart, Hacks
Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Zendaya, Euphoria
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie – Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Julia Garner, Ozark

CMA AWARDS (November)

Entertainer of the Year – Luke Combs
Female Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year – Lainey Wilson
Male Vocalist of the Year – Chris Stapleton
Vocal Group of the Year – Old Dominion

GOTHAM AWARDS (November)

Television Performer – Ben Whishaw, This Is Going To Hurt
Outstanding Lead Performance – Danielle Deadwyler, Till
Best Feature – Everything Everywhere All at Once

AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS (November)

Collaboration of the Year – Elton John & Dua Lipa, Cold Heart – Pnau Remix
Favorite Touring Artist – Coldplay
Favorite Female R&B Artist – Beyonce
Favorite Male Latin Artist – Bad Bunny
Favorite Soundtrack – Elvis

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS (December)

Movie of 2022 – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Comedy Movie of 2022 – The Adam Project
Action Movie of 2022 – Top Gun: Maverick
Male Movie Star of 2022 – Chris Hemsworth – Thor: Love and Thunder
Drama Movie Star of 2022- Austin Butler – Elvis
Action Movie Star of 2022 – Elizabeth Olsen – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Show of 2022 – Stranger Things
Comedy Show of 2022 – Never Have I Ever
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show of 2022 – Stranger Things
Country Artist of 2022 – Carrie Underwood

Congratulations to all of the above winners (and the countless others who won awards) this year. Are any of the above your favorites? Do you think there was an actor or actress who was overlooked this year? Please share your thoughts.

TOMORROW: Condolences

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2022 Year-End Round Up: Box Office Movies

Posted in Movies, Year End Round Up on December 25, 2022| Leave a Comment »

This year movie-goers were back in the cineplex in droves because the COVID restrictions were far less stringent than last year, and the box office included some heavy hitters this time around. There were still superhero-related movies like Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Adam and Spider-Man: No Way Home, but there were also huge blockbusters like Top Gun: Maverick, Jurassic World: Dominion and Elvis. And then there were more indie movies like Everything Everywhere All at Once and the much buzzed about screen adaptation of the best-selling novel Where the Crawdads Sing.

Among the much buzzed about news items in the world of box office movies have been the unjust cancellation of Batgirl just as the film was nearly at completion; the rave reviews for the performances by Brendan Fraser in The Whale and Austin Butler in Elvis and the impressive cast of The Woman King, including Lashana Lynch, John Boyega, Sheila Atim, Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu.

Now let’s take a look at the top 30 box office winners from this year (up through Sunday, December 18 that is):

1. Top Gun: Maverick – 718.3 million
2. Black Panther: Wakana Forever – 419.8 million
3. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – 411.3 million
4. Jurassic World: Dominion – 376 million
5. Minions: The Rise of Gru – 369.5 million
6. The Batman – 369.3 million
7. Thor: Love and Thunder – 343.3 million
8. Spider-Man: No Way Home – 231.8 million
9. Sonic the Hedgehog – 190.9 million
10. Black Adam – 167.7 million
11. Elvis – 151 million
12. Avatar: The Way of Water – 150.4 million
13. Uncharted – 148.6 million
14. Nope – 123.3 million
15. Lightyear – 118.3 million
16. Smile – 105.9 million
17. The Lost City – 105.3 million
18. Bullet Train – 103.4 million
19. The Bad Guys – 97.2 million
20. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore – 95.8 million
21. DC League of Super-Pets – 93.7 million
22. Where the Crawdads Sing – 90.2 million
23. The Black Phone – 89.9 million
24. Sing 2 – 86.3 million
25. Scream – 81.6 million
26. Morbius – 73.9 million
27. Everything Everywhere All at Once – 68.7 million
28. Ticket to Paradise – 67.9 million
29. The Woman King – 67.2 million
30. Halloween Ends – 64.1 million

NOTE: This list does not include Babylon or Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, both of which come out on December 23 nor does it include the Tom Hanks film A Man Named Otto, which comes out on December 30. Please keep in mind the box office results are currently low for Avatar: The Way of Water, as it just came out on Decmeber 16.

On the other spectrum are the movies that were either a disappointment in the box office due to poor ticket sales or, more importantly, had a horrible trailer that made me completely uninterested in seeing them. While several of the below were in the top 30 for ticket sales, they still weren’t very good (at least to me).

They appear in alphabetical order below:

Bones and All
Don’t Worry Darling
Halloween Ends
Jackass Forever
Marry Me
Massive Talent
Nope
Smile
Terrifier 2
The Barbarians
The Black Phone
The Menu
Violent Night

What movies did you most enjoy seeing this year? Which movies were disappointments to you? Please share your thoughts and comments.

TOMORROW: Awards of 2022

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

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Movie of the Week Recommendation: Christmas in Wolf Creek

Posted in Movies, Recommendations, Reminder, Television, Video on December 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »

The UPtv holiday movie Christmas in Wolf Creek will debut on December 25 at 7 PM.

When a runaway reindeer threatens the annual Christmas play, a struggling couple (Tim Rozon and Nola Martin) must work together to save Christmas for the town and each other.

Here is a trailer for Christmas in Wolf Creek:

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Movie of the Week Recommendation: Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical

Posted in Movies, Recommendations, Reminder, Television, Video on December 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »

The Netflix movie Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical will air online on December 25.

Based on the novel and stage musical, an extraordinary girl with a sharp mind and a vivid imagination takes a daring stand to change her story — with miraculous results. Meet Matilda.

The cast includes Alisha Weir, Emma Thompson and Lashana Lynch.

Here is a trailer for Roald Dahl’s Matilda Tthe Musical:

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Special of the Week Recommendation: Call the Midwife Holiday Special

Posted in Movies, Recommendations, Reminder, Special, Television, Video on December 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »

The Call the Midwife Holiday Special will debut on PBS on December 25 at 9 PM.

With Christmas approaching, the midwives move to their maternity clinic and are delighted when their first patient is a familiar face. Life in Poplar returns to normal after the tragic train crash, and everyone unites for a festive talent show.

Here is a trailer for Call the Midwife Holiday Special:

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