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365days365movies · 4 years ago

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March 7, 2021: Onward (Review)

Guess what my favorite Pixar film is now!

Yeah, it’s still Finding Nemo hands down. Not even a little bit of a question. But there is still a question. Where does this movie rank for me? And by the way, Finding Nemo is my FAVORITE Pixar film, but I don’t consider it be objectively the best.

I mean...come on. It’s Ratatouille. The hell else was I gonna say?

Ahhhhhh, SHIT, you make a good point there. Well...at least there’s only the two choices for objectively best

OH HOW GODDAMN DARE YOU

...Any more you wanna throw at me, you goddamn monsters? Huh? HUH?

...Crying, probably. Goddamn, OK, there are a LOT of good Pixar films, and this one doesn’t have a GODDAMN CHANCE against these movies. So...which ones does Onward beat, for me, anyway?

I mean, yeah, duh. I’d put all of the Cars films below Onward. Brave and The Good Dinosaur, too. All of the Toy Story films are above it, and...I think my initial assessment was correct.

And again, I like A Bug’s Life a lot! But I think that Onward’s about on this level for me in terms of favorites. Why is that? Well...let’s go through it, huh? You an check out Part One and Part Two of the Recap if you’d like, but the Review and my final opinions are down below!

Review

Cast and Acting: 9/10

OK, above everything else, I will say that Tom Holland and Chris Pratt are great in here, and they...mostly disappear into their characters. Maybe it’s because these are currently both MASSIVE names, but I never lost sight of the fat that these guys were playing Ian and Barley respectively. It’s a little odd, especially for a Pixar movie. Not as much for a Disney movie...which is an interesting point to revisit later. But they are good. And they’re also vastly surpassed, for me, by Julia Louis Dreyfus, WHO FUCKING OWNS HER ROLE! Yeah, sorry, Dreyfus is the MVP of this movie for me, and I genuinely love her and Laurel. Octavia Spencer was, of course, also good...but was also weirdly stilted in her line deliveries most of the time. I love Octavia Spencer, but she’s not a voice actress, what can I say? Still, Corey’s another of my favorite characters, so she’s not bad at it. Tracey Ullman and Mel Rodriguez are also good in here, for the record.

Plot and Writing: 9/10

You know...it’s funny. This movie doesn’t really feel like a Pixar movie, as much as it feels like a Disney movie. Not a bad thing, I promise, but it just doesn’t...feel Pixar to me. I can’t quite pinpoint the reasons for that...yet. But in terms of the plot, it’s mostly standard Disney/Pixar adventure fare, with some decent writing and good universe building behind it. However...I’ve been thinking about the ending, and it’s actually the most Pixar thing about the movie, mostly because it was, well...extremely unexpectedly good.

Yeah, I mean that. Ian’s sacrifice is NOT how I expected that to go down, and probably would’ve been different in a straight-up Disney movie. Credit to Dan Scanlon, Jason Headley, and Keith Bunin for crafting a unique and emotionally deep ending. If Pixar’s good at one thing, it’s emotionally complex endings. Coco eventually ends with Coco dying, Boo’s sort of just gone in Monster’s Inc (I know Sulley sees her again, BUT WE DON’T), Toy Story eventually ends in Woody leaving the gang with Bo Peep, and Finding Nemo...I mean, Nemo surpasses his disability, and Marlin learns to let go of his son, so...OK, maybe that’s the exception. STILL MY FAVORITE DO NOT @ ME

Directing and Cinematography: 8/10

Well...on one hand, it’s a Pixar movie. Obviously it’s got good directing (by Don Scanlon), but...I think this movie broke Pixar films for me. YEAH. I’ll explain, and understand: I’m not saying that the cinematography by Sharon Calahan and Adam Habib is bad, but it’s very Pixar formulaic. Here’s what I mean: I’m gonna put a bunch of GIFs of Pixar films up here. Look for the commonality.

THEY’RE PERFECTLY BALANCED. Which, at first glance, obviously isn’t a bad thing. But I just posted GIFs of films from SEVEN different directors! And they ALWAYS balance their characters perfectly on screen! I’d provide more proof of this, but LOOK!!!! It’s a very formulaic form of cinematography, and while it’s obviously not bad, it’s also...obvious. You want more proof? Let’s look at more unique Pixar films and directors. Brad Bird first.

Bird’s scenes feel more dynamic, more interesting, and he has a MUCH higher focus on the foreground vs. the background than these other guys. And yeah, he also centers some of his characters, because that’s find of how film works, but his films are a lot more visually complex, and they’re considered the best of the Pixar movies. OK, what about a more recent film?

A HELL of a lot of shots in Soul are unbalanced. Which is interesting, because this is Pete Docter, one of Pixar’s most prolific directors. He’s also the director of some of their most unique films, like Monster’s Inc., Up, and Inside Out. And his flair is in a lot of unique camera movements, but also interesting angles and shot composition. And maybe I’m going CRAZY with over-analysis here, because I am NOT a film student, AT FUCKING ALL...but this film made me notice this because it just feels so visually...formulaic. Not bad, just plain. And not just in terms of cinematography.

Production and Art Design: 8/10

These are Disney characters. THESE ARE DISNEY CHARACTERS. Which, I must once again stress, IS NOT A BAD THING. But it’s also not really Pixar. I mean, look at that collection of GIFs up there again. One of the things that Pixar is lauded for is its unique character designs and concepts. And, uh...this isn’t that. It’s still good...but it’s not Pixar’s usual fare. Again, not a bad thing, as they’re more than allowed to innovate, but...is a lack of innovation really innovating? Breaking formula, yeah, but pointedly not anything new. Which, sure, fine, but...it ruins something for me, I’m gonna be honest.

Now, again, IT IS NOT BAD. It’s still actually VERY good, from the lighting to the rendering, and to the unique world that’s been constructed. Well...mostly unique. It’s kind of just our world with magic. There’s definitely some uniqueness, but not enough for me in a lot of cases. I dunno, it’s weirdly low-fantasy for something that is POINTEDLY high-fantasy in origin. Which is pretty interesting, now that I’ve typed that out loud. I like the look of this movie, again...but I’d love something a little less Disney, and a little more Pixar.

Music and Editing: 9/10

Music’s good! And so is the editing, for that matter. Composed by Mychael and Jeff Danna, and edited by Catherine Apple, this aspect of the production carried over pretty well, I think. Soundtrack is definitely fitting for a fantasy film, that’s for sure. And, yeah, no problems with the editing (which, to be fair, is not the easiest category to judge for e, ESPECIALLY here). The point of is because, well...not putting it on my playlist. It’s good, but not the best music I’ve heard, this month, or from a Pixar movie. Real talk, whenever I mention Finding Nemo (I KNOW I KNOW I’LL SHUT UP ABOUT IT BUT HOLD ON), the soundtrack plays through my head with reckless abandon. Can’t really say the same for Onward.

I’m more than cool with a 86% for this one.

Look, it’s a genuine rarity for Pixar to make a bad film. Although...it’s funny, this is barely a Pixar movie for me. It mostly just doesn’t feel like a Pixar movie, potentially because it has the overarching structure of your more typical Disney fare. Which, no, certainly isn’t a bad thing, but it’s not...quite the same.

This is still a great movie, and good for families. And I should say, I’m watching this film from the standpoint of an only child, and it was still a heartwarming look at a relationship between two very different siblings. I liked it, is what I’m saying. But this is it: we’re done with animated fare now. Although, blue animated magic characters from Disney does remind me of someone...

OK, the next movie is NOT ALADDIN, I swear. I’ve definitely seen that one. But, uh...since I’m moving to live-action anyway...

March 8, 2021: The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

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thepeoplesbasics · 3 years ago

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youtube

How to Fund Democrats Compromise? | Basic Brief

Reconciliation is on the ropes and new funding methods like a billionaire income tax are being considered.

NEW BILLIONAIRE TAX IN DEMOCRATS SIGHTS

By NY Times – October 25th, 2021

“As Democrats race to find ways to pay for President Biden’s social spending plans — particularly as one of their own, Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, blocks efforts to raise corporate and individual tax rates — they’re increasingly turning their eyes to a different kind of tax.”

SUDAN COUP EXPLAINED

By Ivana Kottasova and Eliza Mackintosh – CNN October 26th, 2021

“Sudan has descended into crisis after the military dissolved the country’s power-sharing government and declared a state of emergency on Monday.”

LAWYER STEVEN DOZINGER ORDERED TO PRISON AFTER HOUSE ARREST

By Democracy Now – October 27th, 2021

“The environmental and human rights lawyer Steven Donziger joins us just before he is ordered to report to jail today, after a years-long legal battle with the oil company Chevron and 813 days of house arrest.”

FACEBOOK COLLECTING PEOPLE’S DATA EVEN WHEN ACCOUNTS ARE DEACTIVATED

By Kate Kaye – Digiday October 28th, 2021

“Brains hooked up to machines by mad scientists. Tortured spirits stuck between this world and the next. Limp bodies force-fed to stay alive. Any of these creepy horror flick scenarios might be fitting to describe how Facebook treats deactivated accounts. Not only does the company keep these otherwise dormant digital beings on life-support indefinitely, it continues to latch new data shared by advertisers to deactivated accounts, fortifying identifiable profiles just in case their masters return to electrify them back to life.”

HOW LIBERTY UNIVERSITY DISCOURAGES AND DISMISSES STUDENTS’ REPORTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS

By Hannah Dreyfus – ProPublica October 24th, 2021

“The school founded by evangelist Jerry Falwell ignored reports of rape and threatened to punish accusers for breaking its moral code, say former students. An official who says he was fired for raising concerns calls it a “conspiracy of silence.”

JANUARY 6TH PLANNERS CONFESS THEY HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND WHITE HOUSE STAFF

By Hunter Walker – October 24th, 2021

“As the House investigation into the January 6th attack heats up, some of the planners of the pro-Trump rallies that took place in Washington, D.C., have begun communicating with congressional investigators and sharing new information about what happened when the former president’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Two of these people have spoken to Rolling Stone extensively in recent weeks and detailed explosive allegations that multiple members of Congress were intimately involved in planning both Trump’s efforts to overturn his election loss and the January 6th events that turned violent.”

PROPOSED IRS BANK-ACCOUNT REPORTING RULE IS REVISED

By Andrew Keshner – October 26th, 2021

“The Biden administration has already scaled back its controversial idea to have banks tell the Internal Revenue Service about the cash-flow information of certain customer accounts in its bid to make sure rich people are paying their full tax bills.”

TWO CRYPTO-LENDING FIRMS ORDERED SHUT BY NEW YORK’S JAMES

By Joe Light and TIna Davis – Yahoo October 18th, 2021

“New York Attorney General Letitia James said she ordered two cryptocurrency lending platforms to stop operating in the state, and sent three other platforms letters with questions about their operations.”

‘NEW DEMOCRATS’ BREAK WITH THEIR ANTI-WELFARE PAST AND BACK BIDEN’S AGENDA

By Arthur Delaney – HuffPost October 23rd, 2021

“When a small group of Democrats held up a procedural vote on President Joe Biden’s policy agenda in August, news stories described it as a rebellion by the moderates.”

CHINA’S SOLUTION FOR LONELINESS: PLAY TIME FOR GROWN-UPS

By Fan Yiying – Sixth Tone October 26th, 2021

“Inside a downtown community center, eight retirees are sitting around a table, each clutching a length of plastic drainpipe.”

The People's Basics is on linktree.

#the peoples basics #politics #discussion #human-centered economics #basic brief #democracy & government #youtube #Youtube

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celebritiesnewss9 · 2 years ago

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Information About The Julia Lious Dreyfus Height

Julia Lious Dreyfus has been a well-known American actress, comedian, and producer since 1981. She is an immensely popular actress who has bagged 11 Emmy awards for acting and three awards for producing TV programs. Besides, she is also a Golden Globe Award winner and has won 9 Screen Actors Guild Awards. She became famous after featuring in TV series such as Seinfeld, Saturday Night Live broadcast on TV from 1982 to 1985, Veep from 2012 to 2019, etc. She won many other awards for acting and producing series and movies, such as the Primetime Emmy Award as a leading actress, Outstanding Supporting Actress as a comedian in Seinfeld, etc.

She is an actress who was recorded in Richard Roeper’s List as a celebrity who never portrayed any vulgarity on the screen. In 2010, she was acknowledged as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. People magazine in 1998 chose Julia as one of the most beautiful people in the world.

About her early life

She was born on January 13, 1961, to Gerard Lious-Greyfus and Judith in Manhattan, New York. Her parents back then may have never thought Julia Lious Dreyfus height and other facts about her life would ever become the most searchable info on Google. Her father, Gerard Lious, was French-born and the chairman of a large Lious Greyfus company who was a billionaire then. Her mother, Judith Lefever, was a writer and a tutor for special children when she was four her parents divorced

She graduated from Holton-Arms School, located in Bethesda, in 1979. She dreamt of becoming an actress and hence joined an acting school in 1980. So, when she was a member of Delta Gamma sorority, she joined Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. In 1982 She graduated from Northwestern University. She married Brad Hall in 1987 after meeting him for 7 years. They first met each other at Northwestern University when they were both students. In 2007, she was honoured with a doctorate degree in arts and entertainment from Northwestern University. She appeared with her husband in the horror movie Troll in 1986, a year before they married. In 2006, she won an Emmy award for acting in The New Adventures of Old Christine. Her series, The New Adventures of Old Christine, was displayed on CBS for five years. Along with her husband, she produced a series called "Watching Ellie," which was successfully broadcast on television.

Her overall achievements as a star were

If Julia Lious Dreyfus height is a thing worth discussing, then her other achievements should not be left behind. In 2013, she was the only actress who received Emmy Awards as a comedian in three different shows, namely The New Adventures of Old Christine, Seinfeld, and Veep. IN

When she appeared in the series of Elaine Benes on NBC’s Seinfeld, she gained momentum. Today, she is a multi-millionaire, appearing in several TV shows and movies and producing some popular movies. In 1998, she was selected as Worst Support Actress of the Year for playing a role in Father’s Day. She is also featured on the cover of Home and Country magazine, which includes different articles about home décor, etc. The Kennedy Center awarded the Mark Twain Prize to the actress as a comedian. She appeared on the silver screen along with the legendary actress Demi Moore in 1997 in the movie Deconstructing Harry. She has won an award as an outstanding leading actress in some comedy series nearly 7 times.

Some of her most popular movies as an actress are Hannah and Her Sisters, The Soul Man, Downhill, Black Widow, Tuesday, etc. Some of the most popular TV series are Seinfeld, Saturday Night Live, Geppetto, Veep, etc.

She is a married woman with two children, Charlie Hall and Henry Hall. She is a beautiful and active actress, Julia Lious Dreyfus height is 5.3 feet tall and weighing 54 kg, a slim-statured woman who is active on the silver screen even today.

#julia louis-dreyfus height

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hazardous-waste-containment · 3 years ago

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The anti-Dreyfus camp enlisted in defense of the authority of the state and the honor of the army both conservatives and some Leftists influenced by traditional anticapitalist anti-Semitism and Jacobin forms of nationalism. The pro-Dreyfus camp, mostly from Left and center, defended a universal standard of the rights of man. The nation took precedence over any universal value, proclaimed the anti-Dreyfusard Charles Maurras, whose Action Française movement is sometimes considered the first authentic fascism. When a document used to incriminate Dreyfus turned out to have been faked, Maurras was undaunted. It was, he said, a “patriotic forgery,” a faux patriotique.”

This reminded me of the way fash talk about The Protocols of the Elders of Zion (both now and historically - I believe there was an interwar fascist who admitted that The Protocols was probably fake but also insisted that its veracity ultimately didn't matter because the conspiracy it described was definitely real anyways. It may have been Hitler actually but I can't remember).

#wichit in the park #reading #paxton

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nftbay · 3 years ago

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Julia Louis-Dreyfus – CryptoCeleb #629

JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS - CryptoCeleb #629 - Actress, Comedian, Producer

-Limited Edition of 1-

Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus Hall (born January 13, 1961) is an American actress, comedian, and producer. She is known for her work in the comedy television series Saturday Night Live (1982–1985), Seinfeld (1989–1998), The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006–2010), and Veep (2012–2019). She is one of the most decorated actresses in American television history, winning more Primetime Emmy Awards and more Screen Actors Guild Awards than any other performer, tying Cloris Leachman for the most acting wins. Louis-Dreyfus broke into comedy as a performer in The Practical Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois, which led to her casting in the sketch show Saturday Night Live from 1982 to 1985. Her breakthrough came in 1989 with a nine-season run playing Elaine Benes on Seinfeld, one of the most critically and commercially successful sitcoms of all time. Other notable television roles include Christine Campbell in The New Adventures of Old Christine, which had a five-season run on CBS, and her role as Selina Meyer in Veep, which ran for seven seasons on HBO. Her film roles include Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), Deconstructing Harry (1997), and Enough Said (2013). She also voiced roles in the animated films A Bug's Life (1998), Planes (2013), and Onward (2020). In 2021, Louis-Dreyfus began portraying Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Louis-Dreyfus has received eleven Emmy Awards, eight for acting and three for producing. She has also received a Golden Globe Award, nine Screen Actors Guild Awards, five American Comedy Awards, and two Critics' Choice Television Awards. Louis-Dreyfus received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2014. In 2016, Time named Louis-Dreyfus as one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list. In 2018, she received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, presented by the Kennedy Center as America's highest comedy honor. All CryptoCelebs are unique with only 1 Edition ever made. No two Crypto Celebrities are alike. Accessories will add/change rarity of each individual punk celeb. This is the Official & Original site of Crypto Celebs Punk Celebs Feautured on NFT Bay Featured on Opensea Read the full article

#actor #collectible #Comedian #CryptoCeleb629 #Director #ElainBenes #JerrySeinfeld #JuliaLouis #nft #NumerousAwards #Producer #RedLipstick

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wausaupilot · 11 months ago

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Expert in civil discourse to hold presentation at UWSP

The talk is free and open to the public.

STEVENS POINT – A senior adviser to the president for democracy initiatives will give a talk at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in February. Nancy Thomas will present “Discourse, Speech, Inclusion and the Future of our Democracy” at 6 p.m. Feb. 21 in the Alumni Room of the Dreyfus University Center, 1015 Reserve St., Stevens Point. The talk is free and open to the public. This talk is…

View On WordPress

#American Association of Colleges and Universities #civil discourse in the U.S.#democracy initiatives #Dreyfus University Center #Institutte for Democracy and Higher Education #Nancy Thomas #University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point #UW-Stevens Point #UWSP

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onceuponamirror · 7 years ago

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(1/2) hi there!! I’ve followed you for a long time and im a writer and I’ve been toying with the idea of making one of the main characters (and her family) of an original story of mine Jewish. The story is very family oriented, and though her Jewish identity wouldnt be the center focus (the story is more about womanhood and queerness) it’s definitely important and will constantly come up. Since I know you’re jewish yourself, I was wondering if there’s anything about your Jewish identity you’d li

(2/2) like to be represented or touched on more!! Or if you had any recommendations for resources regarding Jewish identity for women and queer folks. I’ve researched quite a bit about Judaism in the past, so at this point I’m trying to find things to read about Jewish identity and maybe concepts people have a hard time reconciling with their faith, rather than just general information about Judaism. thank you for reading this at all!!

————

hi there! happy to help, but know i can only speak for my specific relationship to the culture. contextually: i was raised not with the religious elements as much as i was with the ethnic and cultural components, which in my experience is much more common for american jews.

i think that as i’ve become more connected to my history and my culture, i’ve realized the really latent disparity that comes with diaspora.

as in—in many ways, there’s a lot about american white culture that i don’t relate to or especially feel welcome within, but at the same time, many jews are also beneficiaries of white privilege. it would be wrong to say that i’ve experienced any negative profiling, especially as i personally am fair, green-eyed, and blonde.

(certainly the discussion of white or white adjacent privilege in jews is not universal; i have a friend who is black and jewish and she’s talked to me about the struggle of having both feet in identities that sometimes feel far away from one another. but again—i can’t speak to her own personal relationship with that, nor do i want to try, as it’s not my identity)

but for askenazi american jews in particular, especially recently, there’s a real struggle in where exactly we fit in. the antisemitism is hypocritical and often unconscious on the liberal side, and vicious and veiled on the right wing side.

for example—recently, in chicago dyke march, three jewish women were kicked out of the parade for having a rainbow flag with the star of david on it. this is a jewish symbol before it’s israeli, but they were kicked out because it made people think it was about zionism.

(zionism, for clarification, is the support of israel as a country—a very complicated subject, which i honestly don’t recommend you bringing up in your character if you’re not jewish)

there’s a trend in american liberalism that for jews to be welcome in safe spaces, they must not be “like other jews,” like the bad ones in israel. a progressive american jew must constantly defend themselves against the actions of a country which they possibly have never been to or have no personal relationship towards. here’s an excerpt from an article discussing this:

“By that hierarchy, you might imagine that the Jewish people — enduring yet another wave of anti-Semitism here and abroad — should be registered as victims. Not quite.

Why? Largely because of Israel, the Jewish state, which today’s progressives see only as a vehicle for oppression of the Palestinians […] no matter that progressives hold no other country to the same standard. China may brutalize Buddhists in Tibet and Muslims in Xinjiang, while denying basic rights to the rest of its 1.3 billion citizens, but “woke” activists pushing intersectionality keep mum on all that.”

[x]

(i should note that i personally don’t support the actions and apartheid structure put in place by israel, but the fact that i feel compelled to make that delineation is kind of my point)

other related readings on the subject: 1, 2

and then of course, especially lately, there’s been an overt-but-coded rise of antisemitism on the right. if you ever hear the words “global power” or “global banks” or anything that alludes to some handful of people or families that control all the money in the world and are suppressing working class white people, it’s antisemitic conspiracy that jews somehow are puppeteering the world in domination.

what i fear, as a jewish woman, is not an individual attack on my safety, or profiling, etc—instead it’s about being a person whose entire cultural history is defined by being the scapegoat, or historically the boogeyman for everyone’s economic problems.

throughout all recorded history, the jewish identity is tied to persecution and blame. in fact, one of the reasons why most american jews are eastern european (areas now russian, polish, ukranian, etc) is because although we migrated there and lived there for a long time, we were never considered citizens and thus fled to america as soon as we were able on a mass scale.

similarly, the reason why so many german jews didn’t leave at the start of the holocaust was because they felt as though they were germans; they just didn’t think their neighbors and government would turn on them until it was too late.

so the lesson lingering there for a lot of young american jews is that no matter how comfortable and integrated you may be with the culture of your country, people en masse will still always turn on you and blame you, especially when there’s economic or political elements to it.

it’s a cultural wariness, basically, and that’s what i mean about the disparity of diaspora. we often say never again, but there’s a imprint of don’t get too cozy.

you are, but you aren’t.

it’s not all so wrought, though.

there’s also a lot of warmth and humor and self-deprecation in the jewish identity—the kind of thing necessary to handle the burden of so much historical atonement and loss—and there is, at least in the jewish community in which i grew up, a lot of acceptance and love.

orthodox judaism can be as rigid and sexist and racist as any other orthodox religion, but reform judaism (which is progressive and much more the norm) is super accepting, especially of queerness, at least in my temple.

again, i can’t speak so much to the faith of it, because i ended that relationship with the religion after my bat mitzvah. i can speak more to the themes of the holidays and cultural navigations if you want, though.

a portrayal of jewish characters i loved that might help you: schmidt on new girl, norah from nick & norah’s infinite playlist, jonathan safran foer in everything is illuminated (basically autobiographical/writing himself), shoshana dreyfus in inglorious basterds---actually, the ENTIRE family in the show transparent is an amazing and unflinchingly accurate portrayal of a modern jewish family.

tl;dr, all that being said though, honestly, if you’re not jewish, i don’t know if it’s really your place to speak to the specific current relationship towards diaspora.

i think you can allude to it, certainly, especially if your character isn’t sure where to align themselves in terms of their relationship towards social justice, but it’s a very complicated identity that i personally am still figuring out how to navigate, and i can’t really speak to what narrative you want to explore more specifically than what you asked above.

honestly, a lot of jewish humor is making fun of the sometimes accurately stereotypical things we do, and i’m not sure you, if you’re not jewish, should be doing that. but i think self-deprecation, sarcasm, warmth, respect for contextual history, and adaptability are good cultural traits that would be alright for you to play with!

if you want to send me specific examples, i’d be happy to tell give you a more specific opinion on things. and i think it’s great that you want to tell a story with representation!!!!

let me know if this was what you meant, hopefully this was helpful~

#judaism #social justice #Anonymous

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tokensbossh · 16 days ago

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Dark Avengers Team Coming with Thunderbolts Movie

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has excited fans with the announcement of Thunderbolts, slated for release in May 2025. This upcoming superhero film is unique as it will center around a team of anti-heroes and former villains, similar to DC’s Suicide Squad. With characters such as Red Guardian, Ghost, Bucky Barnes, and U.S. Agent, the Thunderbolts movie will bring together an intriguing mix of Marvel characters who tread the line between heroism and villainy. The film is expected to be a refreshing twist within the MCU, showing how the government forms its own squad of extraordinary, albeit morally complex, individuals. Here’s everything you need to know about the team lineup, cast, and how Thunderbolts fits into Marvel’s broader cinematic vision.

Dark Avengers Thunderbolts (2025) Everything You Need to Know The Thunderbolts Team: Who’s Who? The Thunderbolts film will bring together some familiar faces in new roles. Led by the enigmatic Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus), the team includes: - Red Guardian (David Harbour): Known for his brute strength and connection to Russia, Red Guardian will reprise his Black Widow role as a seasoned, if somewhat unpredictable, hero. - Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen): First introduced in Ant-Man and the Wasp, Ghost has phasing abilities and a mysterious past. - Bucky Barnes aka Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan): The former HYDRA assassin and long-time friend of Steve Rogers, Bucky is one of the MCU's most complex characters. - U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell): A conflicted patriot, John Walker’s return as U.S. Agent will bring more tension and drama to the team. - Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko): With her ability to mimic any combat style, Taskmaster’s skills add a versatile edge to the Thunderbolts lineup. - Yelena Belova aka the new Black Widow (Florence Pugh): Taking up Natasha Romanoff’s legacy, Yelena is sure to bring her own style and wit to the team. THE superhuman powerhouse Sentry (played by Lewis Pullman) is set to join the film. Known as one of the most powerful characters in Marvel Comics, Sentry’s inclusion could significantly impact the story's dynamics.

Dark Avengers Thunderbolts (2025) Everything You Need to Know The Plot and Themes: Government-Sanctioned Missions In the MCU, the Thunderbolts are reportedly assembled by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who has been gradually working behind the scenes since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. She’s strategically gathering characters who operate in gray moral areas, preparing them for government-backed missions. Much like the Avengers, but with a darker twist, the Thunderbolts’ objectives are rumored to involve dangerous tasks that require them to cross moral lines the Avengers wouldn’t. Impact on the MCU and Speculated Connections Thunderbolts isn’t just a standalone movie; it is likely to tie into several ongoing MCU narratives. For example, Captain America: New World Order and other future projects are expected to interweave with the Thunderbolts storyline, potentially leading to more crossover events. Fans are eager to see how these morally complex characters interact and possibly clash with the rest of the MCU’s heroes. Additionally, rumors about the Sentry’s role in the MCU raise questions about whether Thunderbolts will delve into darker, more psychological themes.

Dark Avengers Thunderbolts (2027) Everything You Need to Know Release Date and Production Scheduled to hit theaters on May 2, 2025, Thunderbolts is directed by Jake Schreier, known for his unique storytelling style that could bring fresh energy to Marvel’s established cinematic style. Filming and production details have been kept largely under wraps, but with the confirmed cast, the movie has already garnered substantial fan interest. Possible Fan Theories and Future Speculations Given the team’s composition and the MCU’s established storyline, several fan theories suggest that Thunderbolts could hint at a more significant storyline like Dark Avengers or an eventual conflict with other superhero teams. With Sentry on the roster, fans also wonder if the film might introduce even more powerful villains or delve into psychological battles, as Sentry's powers are often intertwined with mental health struggles in the comics.

Dark Avengers Thunderbolts (2026) Everything You Need to Know Sources and Additional Reading For more insights and details on the Thunderbolts movie, Marvel Cinematic Universe’s official website provides regular updates on upcoming projects. Additionally, the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki is an excellent resource for background on each character and storyline. By taking a deeper look at Marvel’s Thunderbolts, we see how this bold project may reshape the MCU's focus. With its cast of complex, sometimes morally ambiguous characters, this film is bound to offer a fresh perspective on what it means to be a hero—or a villain. Read the full article

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16thstreet · 7 years ago

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Alternative Loyalty and the American Council for Judaism

By Steven Trebach, Research Intern

I am a Research Intern at the Center for Jewish History (CJH) and a recent graduate of Haverford College. My original goal was to research dual loyalty, which led me to documents concerning the American Council for Judaism (ACJ) within the Center’s Partner’s collections, particularly the American Jewish Historical Society. In the mid-20th century, the ACJ accused Zionist Jews of not being loyal to America.

This blog post intends to explore the nature of the ACJ’s claims using archival and supplementary materials. In this piece, I will introduce the ideas of dual and alternative loyalty, the ACJ, illustrate the nature of ACJ’s alternative loyalty charges, and try to understand how these charges fit into larger patterns of alternative loyalty. The specific AJHS archival materials in question are a series of correspondences from and about the ACJ.

First, my research revealed several kinds of alternative loyalty charges that have developed with regard to Jews throughout the world. The most relevant to the ACJ’s accusations is what can be referred to as polity conflict. Jewish polity conflict is the accusation that Jews are loyal to another geopolitical entity, especially one whose interests can interfere with those of the polity in which said Jews live. When the charge acknowledges a Jew’s loyalty to their place of residence alongside the conflicting foreign body, the allegation is dual loyalty. For example, the Iraqi fear that Iraqi Jews supported British consolidation of power in Iraqi, leading to a pogrom, Al-Farhud. (Moreh & Yehuda, 2011, p.12). The second major kind of alternative loyalty is ideological disloyalty, based on the idea that Jews hold allegiance to a foreign philosophical movement conflicting with society’s values and safety. An American example of this is the disproportionate targeting of Jews for anti-communist loyalty tests by the Postal service during the late 1940s (Spiegler, November 4, 1948).

These kinds of allegations have precursors in anti-Semitic conspiracies, such as blood libel, and events, such as the Dreyfus affair. The modern phenomenon, into which the ACJ’s allegations fit, arose with the establishment of revolutionary resistance politics within Jewish communities, such as Zionism, Bundism, and multiple forms of socialism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Though these movements were largely concentrated in Eastern European Jewry and their American progeny, alternative loyalty claims related to these revolutionary resistance movements occurred from Argentina to Hashemite Iraq. That these indictments were leveled against diverse, loosely related communities might suggest they arise not from a community’s behavior but rather from a source within the accusing society.

Image: Judah Magnus Museum via FoundSF

The ACJ is a Jewish organization that was founded in opposition to Zionism. The group has many of its organizational and ideological roots in the 1942 Atlantic City conference, a meeting of 36 rabbis concerning the growth of Zionism, which revealed a schism between supporters of “nationalism versus religion” and vice versa, in which the ACJ took a firm stance against Jewish nationalism (Kolsky, 1990, pp.49, 54).[1] The ACJ’s position, according to correspondences by one of its leading figures Elmer Burger, was that Jews were not “not a minority group of Americans identified by a separate ‘Jewish’ nationality” but rather a religion; the ACJ’s ultimate desire was secular integration for Jews in America (Berger, April 21, 1950, pp. 2,8) Thus, the ACJ rejected any Zionism or nationalism that contradicted that sentiment. As such, the ACJ was “the only American Jewish organization ever formed for the specific purpose of fighting Zionism” (Kolsky, 1990, p.ix). This distinction placed the ACJ outside of mainstream Jewish life.

It is in this context that the ACJ seems to make two kinds of common alternative loyalty charges. The charges are framed as concern for the wellbeing of the Jewish community rather than fear of Israeli desires contradicting American ones. Their dual loyalty claim, the charge that one had divided one’s loyalties between two polities, is well illustrated in Norman Thomas’ “Letter to Maurice Spector.” Thomas argues that the American Council puts forward “the charge that certain statements by Zionist leaders here and in Israel opened the way to the development of dual loyalty, and to exaggerated charges of dual loyalty by actual or potential anti-Semites” (Thomas, February 3 1950). Just as Iraqis during Al-Farhud may have seen hypothetical Jewish allegiance to the British as a potential danger to Iraq’s sovereignty, the ACJ saw Zionist loyalty to Israel as a potentially dangerous conflict with their American citizenship.

The ACJ’s criticisms also seem to contain an element of ideological treason, the accusation that one is committed to ideas deleterious to one’s polity. Elmer Burger, a rabbi and ACJ leader, “considered Zionism the last attempt to maintain any traces of ghetto control over the lives of individual Jews” (Kolsky, 1990, p.109). This critique of Zionist Jews does not posit Zionism as an allegiance to another polity but rather as an ideology that acts negatively upon Jews. I believe this is comparable to the Argentine fears of Jewish communism and the Soviet fears of Jewish anti-communism.

There are two key differences between most alternative loyalty charges and those of the ACJ that must be addressed. All of the other rhetoric originated in a source external to the Jewish community and arguably entailed hostility towards it. The ACJ’s ideas arose within the Jewish community and suggest concern for it. Even the direct accusation of dual loyalty is meant to mitigate potential anti-Semitism.

The clearer of the two is the internal-external division. Though on the surface, this may seem major, it is easily resolvable with regards to the dual loyalty case. The ACJ followed the premise that “we are Americans”; therefore, they charged dual loyalty not as Jews but as Americans (Berger, April 21, 1950, p.1). Thus, they saw themselves as holding no special communal attachment to the Zionists on the plane of nationalism outside of an Americanism they shared with gentiles. Therefore, from the ACJ’s perspective, the accusation was against a different community.

Demographic concerns bolster the above claims. “Council members were differentiated from the rest of American Jewry on religious, social and economic as well as ideological grounds” being primarily upper-class, Reform, German Jews as opposed to poorer, more religious Eastern European Jews (Halperin, 1961, p.454). These two populations inherited two very different relationships with Judaism and nationalism. “German Jews… were barely distinguishable from other German immigrants” and “were proud of their German heritage…and retained their German nationalism even after becoming American citizens,” a mentality that likely informed their “the opinion that Judaism is primarily a religion” (Kolsky, 1990, p.18) (Thomas, February 3 1950). Accepting Jewish nationalism would intrude upon this treasured German heritage. Conversely, Eastern European Jews “had lived in Jewish enclaves in Eastern Europe and … considered themselves an ethnic group” (Kolsky, 1990, p.22). Thus, strains of Zionism positing Jews as a separate people would be more attractive to them than to members of the ACJ. Thus, as they had strong social and cultural differences, the ACJ may have felt themselves part of a completely different community than these other Jews.

The above explanation does not account for the ACJ’s intended benevolence. Why would an organization attempting to protect the Jewish community use rhetoric reminiscent of more hostile groups? One hypothesis is that ACJ members such as Norman Thomas can be taken at face value: they fear anti-Semitism being visited upon Jews for their dual loyalty. By providing the same rhetoric devoid of violence, perhaps they could extinguish alternative loyalties before they draw the ire of more hostile groups. Zionist counterpropaganda, however, had a different explanation. They argued via the ideas of Kurt Lewin that “the person seeking to enter a higher status group has to be especially careful to disown any connection with the ideas of the group to which he once belonged” (Halperin, 1961, pp. 456-457). As ACJ members mostly of or striving for higher social status than Zionist Jews, Lewin’s idea seems applicable. One could therefore argue that although the ACJ claimed benevolence, their true motivations were an internalized hostility towards association with Jews of lower social and economic status.

Ultimately, the case of the ACJ provides a clear but complicated example of alternative loyalty charges that demonstrates the intellectual complexities surrounding the topic. The libraries and AJHS archives within the CJH contain sufficient archival and supplementary data for the future in-depth evaluation this topic deserves.

Works Cited:

Archival Materials:

American Council for Judaism. (1947). American Council for Judaism Collection, undated, 1943-1991 . American Jewish Historical Society. Call Number: I-344.

Berger, April 21, 1950

Thomas, February 3, 1950

NJCRAC I-172: Committees- Committee on Overt Anti-Semitism- Loyalty Test – Postal Employees- 1948-1951-1&2. American Jewish Historical Society.

Spiegler, November 4, 1948

Published Books:

Halperin, S. (1985). The Political World of American Zionism. Silver Spring, MD: Information Dynamics Inc.

Kolsky, T. A. (1990). Jews Against Zionism: The American Council for Judaism. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.

[1] It should be noted that the Atlantic City conference took place after the aforementioned Farhud in Iraq, but it is not clear whether or not the participants were influenced or aware of said events, given the overwhelming cacophony of the contemporaneous World War II.

#American Judaism #Reform Judaism #Research Intern #Steven Trebach #American Council for Judaism #Dual Loyalty #Alternative Loyalty

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supercoolgamesstuff-blog · 5 years ago

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The Geek's Guide To Movies In 2020

New Post has been published on https://www.coolgamingzone.com/the-geeks-guide-to-movies-in-2020-6/

The Geek's Guide To Movies In 2020

With 2020 looking to be a great year for video games, we wanted to look ahead at all of the movies plotted out for the new year. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a state of refresh following the cataclysmic events of Endgame and Star Wars is taking a breather on the heels of The Rise of Skywalker, there are plenty of films in nerd culture to look forward to this year.

Check out our list below and start planning which ones you’re going to leave the comfort of your house for, and which you’ll probably wait until they’re streaming to see.

Winter

Dolittle – January 17

We’ve previously seen the likes of Eddie Murphy and Rex Harrison take up the role of Dr. Dolittle from the Hugh Lofting children’s books, and now we get to see how Robert Downey Jr. handles the role of the doctor who gains the ability to communicate with animals. Downey is joined by Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen as live-action actors, while a star-studded cast with the likes of Rami Malek, John Cena, Emma Thompson, Kumail Nanjiani, Selena Gomez, and more handling the animal voices. Fans of Marvel movies will even be able to enjoy a psuedo-reunion between Iron Man and Spider-Man, as Tom Holland plays Jip, a dog who wears glasses.

Bad Boys for Life – January 17

Nearly 17 years later, the long-awaited conclusion to the Bad Boys film trilogy is finally here. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return for one last action-packed showdown, this time taking on a cartel mob boss before retiring from their jobs at the police department.

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) – February 7

The prevailing notion of 2016’s Suicide Squad is that while it wasn’t a great film, Margot Robbie does an excellent job giving Harley Quinn her live-action silver-screen debut. While 2021 will bring a new take on the Suicide Squad with a mix of new and returning cast members, in the meantime, Robbie returns as Harley in Birds of Prey. The storyline follows the crazed clown princess after she breaks up with Joker. However, she hasn’t completely escaped trouble, as Black Mask (played by Ewan McGregor) starts stirring things up. This film promises appearances from other beloved female superheroes like Black Canary, Huntress, and more, but according to Robbie, we shouldn’t expect to see Jared Leto’s Joker appear at all.

Sonic the Hedgehog – February 14

After outrage ensued following the reveal of the original design of Sonic the Hedgehog for the upcoming live-action film, Paramount pushed the release back to February 14, 2020 to create the version of Sega’s iconic blue hedgehog you see above. In addition to Ben Schwartz voicing Sonic, the live-action cast features James Marsden as Sonic’s friend Tom and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik. In typical Sonic fashion, the story revolves around collecting rings and stopping Robotnik from conquering the world. Here’s hoping it can defy the odds and continue the trends set by live-action, game-inspired properties like Detective Pikachu of delivering an enjoyable end-product.

Onward – March 6

As the magic-using power of society diminishes thanks to the convenience of science, two teenage brothers set out on an adventure to recapture the abilities their world once wielded in order to save their father. This Pixar adventure stars Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and more.

Bloodshot – March 13

While Marvel and DC may reign supreme in the comic-book movie world, Valiant Comics is trying its hand at producing a blockbuster based on its property. Vin Diesel already looks and sounds (and has a name) like a comic-book character, but to this point, he’s been relegated to voicing a single line of dialogue for a sentient tree in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Bloodshot brings him out of the voice booth and into the spotlight as the eponymous technologically augmented killing machine on a quest for vengeance.

A Quiet Place: Part II – March 20

The tense first part, which stars John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, delivered a compelling and daunting tale of a family trying to survive in a world invaded by blind extra-terrestrial hunters who will tear anything they hear to shreds. Krasinski returns to the director’s chair once more, with Blunt joining the remaining cast in front of the camera.

Mulan – March 27

Disney’s live-action remakes with Aladdin, Dumbo, and The Lion King have consisted of varying degrees of quality, but everything of Mulan looks terrific. Those familiar with the source material will revel in seeing iconic scenes recreated in stunning live-action sequences, while the uninitiated will be able to enjoy the tale of Hua Mulan overcoming obstacles put in her way as a result of the Imperial Chinese Army’s perception of women as she strives to join the ranks of the military in place of her ailing father.

Spring

The New Mutants – April 3

Though Disney is poised to absorb the X-Men property into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a part of its acquisition of Fox, the final 20th Century Fox Marvel film is set to release this April. The New Mutants was originally supposed to be a jumping off point for a trilogy based on the comics of the same name, but with the acquisition and Disney likely already putting things in motion to bring mutants and the X-Men into the nearly all-encompassing MCU, we’re not so sure how this fits into the Marvel puzzle.

No Time to Die – April 10

Daniel Craig takes up the mantle of 007 for the fifth time in No Time to Die. This time, he’s opposite Mr. Robot, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Until Dawn star Rami Malek. The story centers on a post-retirement James Bond who, predictably, gets sucked back into the secret agent lifestyle through the abduction of an important scientist.

Black Widow – May 1

After the events of last year’s climactic Avengers: Endgame (and the wrap up in Spider-Man: Far From Home), the Marvel Cinematic Universe has slowed down just a bit while it readies the stage for its next major narrative arc. Despite being set immediately after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Black Widow is said to serve as the jumping-off point for the next phase of the MCU. Whether that comes in the form of villain Taskmaster or some other way remains to be seen, but it will be great to finally see Natasha Romanoff take the spotlight for a long overdue solo film.

Scoob! – May 15

This origin story tells the tale (tail?) of how Scooby-Doo met the Mystery Inc. gang. With movie posters featuring puppy Scooby-Doo and the film possessing an endearing computer-generated art style, Scoob! looks like a cute and fun adventure for theater-goers of all ages. Throw in a voice cast featuring Will Forte, Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried, Tracy Morgan, Ken Jeong, and Mark Wahlburg, and you can see the studio is hoping to create something more than simply another adventure with these beloved characters.

Fast & Furious 9 – May 22

For a series that started as a story about Paul Walker and Vin Diesel racing cars illegally at night with an occasional high-speed truck heist, the recent movies sure veer closer to the superhero genre than anything else. Who knows what we’ll see in the ninth mainline entry of the series: Tanks flying through the sky? Cars backflipping over bodies of water? Vin Diesel punching through a nuclear reactor? Sure. Why not? None of the plot matters, but that doesn’t mean these movies aren’t relentlessly entertaining thrill rides, and we can’t wait for the next entry. Oh, this one has John Cena and Cardi B.

Artemis Fowl – May 29

Based on the books from Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl is about a 12-year-old genius who comes from a family of brilliant criminals. However, when his father mysteriously vanishes, Artemis must investigate the disappearance, which kicks off an adventure. Disney has brought in a supporting cast that features Judi Dench, Josh Gad, and more to help tell the story.

Summer

Wonder Woman 1984 – June 5

As the sequel to the best film in the DC Extended Universe, Wonder Woman 1984 has lofty expectations placed on it by fans. Gal Gadot has shown to be the perfect casting for Diana Prince, and with Wonder Woman set to face off against both Maxwell Lord and Cheetah with a 1980s backdrop, it’s easy to see why this is one of the most anticipated DC live-action films in years.

Soul – June 19

Pixar makes this list for the second time with Soul, a film that features Tina Fey, Jamie Foxx, Questlove, Phylicia Rashad, and Daveed Diggs in both writer and voice-actor roles. The story is set to tell the tale of an aspiring jazz musician whose soul gets separated from his body. The dynamic duo of Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor are set to provide the score in what is sure to be a crowd-pleasing animated film.

Top Gun: Maverick – June 26

Set 30 years after the events of Top Gun, Maverick looks to do for the Top Gun series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. Top Gun: Maverick places a keen focus on Maverick, reprised by Tom Cruise. With a story that involves the son of Maverick’s late best friend Goose, and Val Kilmer returning to the role of Iceman, this sequel has all the nostalgic trappings fans of the original are likely looking for.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife – July 10

Set 30 years after the events of Ghostbusters II, Afterlife looks to do for the Ghostbusters series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. As you might expect, much of the core original cast returns in unknown capacities, but we’re just excited to see Bill Murray as Peter Venkman once again – we just hope he has a bigger role in Afterlife than Luke Skywalker had in The Force Awakens.

Purge – July 10

With creator James DeMonaco saying the 2020 entry will be the final entry in the series, those who have been following the franchise are hoping the team can close it out in a satisfying manner. Unfortunately, not many details are available at the moment, but Everardo Gout is set to direct.

Tenet – July 17

Christopher Nolan films always garner a certain level of attention, but Tenet was off many fans’ radars until IMAX theatergoers were treated to an extended Prologue for the film before screenings of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. A secret agent with the ability to time travel must use his powers to prevent World War III in what is sure to be a mind-bending, action-packed film that hits way too close to home in 2020.

Bob’s Burgers: The Movie – July 17

After the success of The Simpson’s Movie, Fox hopes to effectively transition another one of its beloved animated series to the silver screen with Bob’s Burgers: The Movie. The voice cast from the popular show returns for what is being described as a “musical comedy.”

Jungle Cruise – July 24

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt headline the newest Disney film to be based on a Disney ride – hey, it worked for Pirates of the Caribbean. The group heads out into the jungle in search of the Tree of Life while avoiding dangerous wildlife and racing a rival expedition.

Morbius – July 31

Jared Leto may not be in the Birds of Prey film, but that doesn’t mean comic book fans will be completely deprived of his acting. The Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman and (former?) Joker actor steps into the role of Michael Morbius in the newest film in Sony’s Marvel Universe based on the characters surrounding Spider-Man.

Bill & Ted Face the Music – August 21

Set 30 years after the events of Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, Bill & Ted Face the Music looks to do for the Bill & Ted series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. This August, Keanu Reeves will take some time out of running around Night City in Cyberpunk 2077 with us to join Alex Winter on yet another nostalgic time-travel romp.

Fall

Monster Hunter – September 4

If Capcom has demonstrated one thing with its loose game-to-film adaptations, it’s that it loves Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich. The spousal combo that ran and starred in the Resident Evil films respectively returns to similar roles in Monster Hunter. Milla Jovovich stars as Natalie Artemis, a captain in the United Nations military team. Her team falls into a portal that leads to an alternate world full of giant monsters, and the adventure begins to save Earth from the invading beasts. Did I mention it’s only loosely based on the games?

The King’s Man – September 18

A prequel to the over-the-top action franchise Kingsman, The King’s Man tells the story of a man who must stop a group of history’s worst tyrants and criminals in order to save the world from a devastating war. If you’ve seen the first two movies, you probably have an idea of what to expect, but having it set in the early 1900s and starring a completely different cast gives us something new to look forward to.

Venom 2 – October 2

Two years after one of Spider-Man’s biggest rivals kicked off Sony’s Spider-Man-less SpiderVerse, Venom is back for a direct sequel. Tom Hardy returns to the role of Eddie Brock, while Woody Harrelson looks to deliver on the post-credit tease of his interpretation of the popular and brutal villain Carnage. Additionally, rumors have circulated that Tom Holland could have a small role in the film, which would connect Spidey (and potentially the MCU) to the Sony SpiderVerse.

Snake Eyes – October 16

The G.I. Joe film franchise has been dormant since Retaliation in 2013, so it would make sense to bring it back with a prequel film telling the origin story of one of the most popular characters in the series. Previously played by Darth Maul actor Ray Park, the titular character is now portrayed by Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding.

The Eternals – November 6

While Black Widow kicks off Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in May, The Eternals looks to continue it by telling an extraordinarily different kind of story. Taking place over the course of multiple millennia, theatergoers will learn about this immortal alien race created by the Celestials. The Eternals also signals the entry point to the MCU for several high-profile actors including Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, and Kit Harrington.

Holiday

Godzilla vs. Kong – November 20

Legendary’s MonsterVerse comes to a head with Godzilla vs. Kong, the fourth film in the franchise. Bringing the Godzilla that has starred in 2014’s Godzilla and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters face to face with the King Kong from 2017’s Kong: Skull Island should be an exciting cinematic affair for those who love kaiju films. The human actors are often meant to convey that everyone is afraid and things are out of control, and Legendary has tasked Alexander Skarsgård and Millie Bobby Brown in those roles.

Dune – December 18

Based on the classic novel of the same name, Dune adapts the first half of the iconic science-fiction book with a star-studded cast. Those who watch the film will see the novel brought to life by actors like Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, and Stallan Skarsgård.

West Side Story – December 18

The beloved musical gets a modern interpretation. Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, this story of forbidden love is said to follow the original script more closely than the 1961 film many know.

Coming 2 America – December 18

Set 30 years after the events of Coming to America, Coming 2 America looks to do for the Coming to America series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. Eddie Murphy returns to star, joined by a star-studded cast featuring Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, Wesley Snipes, James Earl Jones, and more.

Tom and Jerry – December 23

The timeless and iconic dynamic of Tom and Jerry makes its way to the big screen just in time to close out the year. This time, the classic animated series joins the trend of animated characters joining the live-action world. It will be interesting to see how the eternal game of cat and mouse translates to this latest cinematic trend this holiday season.

For our list of the games coming out in 2020, check out our constantly updated list.

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starfriday · 5 years ago

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DISNEY PRESENTS UPCOMING LIVE-ACTION AND ANIMATED MOVIE SLATE TO JAM-PACKED HOUSE AT D23 EXPO 2019

Studio Leaders and Filmmakers from Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Disney Live Action, Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios Reveal New Details, Introduce Major Stars and Host a Stunning Performance at Ultimate Disney Fan Event

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Walt Disney Studios—including studio leaders and filmmakers from Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Disney live action, Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios—wowed an audience of nearly 7,000 this morning at D23 Expo 2019 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif. Alan Horn, co-chairman and chief creative officer, The Walt Disney Studios—joined by Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy, Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige, Disney live action’s Sean Bailey, Pixar’s Pete Docter and Disney Animation’s Jennifer Lee—offered guests a captivating look at Disney’s upcoming film slate, including never-before-seen footage and a host of stars, plus a spectacular performance from “Frozen 2” voice cast members Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad.

“You’re not just fans, you’re family,” said Horn to the packed room. “It’s because of you that we keep working so hard to make great movies, and we love D23 Expo because it’s where we can share them with you first.”

The presentation included the following highlights.

LUCASFILM

President of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” director/writer/producer J.J. Abrams showcased the riveting conclusion to the Skywalker saga. Kennedy and Abrams revved up the audience, introducing nine stars from the film—many of whom marked this as their first D23 Expo appearance: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran and Billy Dee Williams, plus special appearances from R2-D2, BB-8 and the new droid D-O. A brand-new poster was revealed—and gifted to the entire audience. And all were given a look back at the incredible legacy of Star Wars storytelling and treated to a sneak peek of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” which opens in U.S. theaters on Dec. 20, 2019.

MARVEL STUDIOS

Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, kicked off his presentation with a surprise visit from “Black Panther” director and co-writer Ryan Coogler. Together, they revealed that “Black Panther 2” (working title) will hit U.S. theaters on May 6, 2022.

Feige segued to next year’s “The Eternals,” inviting cast members from the much-anticipated film to the stage: Richard Madden, who portrays the all-powerful Ikaris; Kumail Nanjiani, who plays cosmic-powered Kingo; Lauren Ridloff, who portrays the super-fast Makkari, the first deaf hero in the MCU; Brian Tyree Henry, who plays the intelligent inventor Phastos; Salma Hayek, who plays the wise and spiritual leader Ajak; Lia McHugh, who portrays the eternally young, old-soul Sprite; Don Lee, who plays the powerful Gilgamesh; and Angelina Jolie, who stars as the fierce warrior Thena. Feige revealed concept art images of each character, and announced three new cast members and their characters: Gemma Chan, who plays humankind-loving Sersi; Kit Harington, who was cast as non-Eternal Dane Whitman, and Barry Keoghan, who portrays aloof loner Druig, and was on hand for the event. Directed by Chloé Zhao, who helmed the critically acclaimed Sundance film “The Rider,” “The Eternals” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 6, 2020.

Feige concluded with “Black Widow,” the Cate Shortland-directed first film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which hits U.S. theaters on May 1, 2020. Feige shared a pre-recorded greeting featuring stars Scarlett Johansson, who reprises her role of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow; David Harbour, who was cast as Alexei the Red Guardian; and Florence Pugh, who plays Yelena. The audience was also treated to an exclusive look at the upcoming film.

DISNEY LIVE ACTION

Sean Bailey, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, took the audience through upcoming releases for the studio, including next summer’s “Jungle Cruise,” a rousing adventure inspired by the classic theme-park attraction. Star Dwayne Johnson, who plays riverboat captain Frank Wolff, entered Hall D23 aboard an original Jungle Cruise boat, introducing a “trailer” that showed off his character—so much so, that co-star Emily Blunt, who portrays Dr. Lily Houghton, arrived via classic car to share with fans her own “trailer,” offering a different perspective—Bailey laughingly informed Johnson and Blunt that neither trailer was official. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” hits U.S. theaters on July 24, 2020.

Bailey next introduced acclaimed filmmaker Niki Caro, director of “Mulan,” the upcoming live-action reimagining of the 1998 classic animated film. Caro expressed to fans her passion for the project, sharing several minutes of footage from the epic adventure inspired by one of China’s fiercest warriors. In Disney’s “Mulan,” which opens in U.S. theaters on March 27, 2020, the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders. So, the eldest daughter of an honored but ailing warrior masquerades as a man, transforming into a heroic warrior to ultimately earn her the respect of a grateful nation and a proud father.

Next up, Bailey shared details about “Cruella,” an all-new feature film starring Emma Stone and Emma Thompson. Stone, who plays the iconic “Cruella,” sent D23 Expo fans a greeting from the London-based set with help from a spotted, four-legged co-star. Fans also got a glimpse of an image of Stone in full costume with Cruella’s signature black-and-white hair. Director Craig Gillespie, who helmed “I, Tonya” and “The Finest Hours,” brings “Cruella” to the big screen on May 28, 2021, with a fresh, 1970s, punk-rock approach.

PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS

Docter next introduced director Dan Scanlon and producer Kori Rae, who shared details and more than ten minutes of exclusive footage from Pixar’s upcoming feature film “Onward.” The movie, which opens in U.S. theaters on March 6, 2020, stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as two teenage elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, who embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left in the world. Set in a modern fantasy world, Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” is inspired by Scanlon’s personal experiences with his brother. Holland, Pratt and Julia Louis-Dreyfus—who voices Mom in the movie—joined the filmmakers on stage—much to the delight of the audience, who all received an exclusive “Onward” poster.

WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee presented an overview of the studio’s next two features, beginning with the Thanksgiving 2020 fantasy-action-adventure, “Raya and the Last Dragon.” Directors Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins (“Big Hero 6,” “Frozen”), producer Osnat Shurer (“Moana”) and writer Adele Lim (“Crazy Rich Asians”) joined Lee on stage to set up the film, which introduces Raya, a lone warrior from the fantasy kingdom of Kumandra who teams up with a crew of misfits in her quest to find the Last Dragon and bring light and unity back to their world. The D23 Expo crowd was the first to get a look at the new film, viewing an exclusive three-minute piece. They also met two newly announced members of the voice cast: Awkwafina lends her voice to Sisu, the Last Dragon, who was left on Earth in case dark forces return to the world, and Cassie Steele voices the lead character, Raya. Exploring themes of community and hope, and inspired by the beautiful and diverse cultures of Southeast Asia, the fantasy-action-adventure “Raya and the Last Dragon” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 25, 2020.

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creepykingdom · 5 years ago

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Disney Unveils Upcoming Film Line Up at the D23 Expo

The Walt Disney Studios—including studio leaders and filmmakers from Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Disney live action, Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios—wowed an audience of nearly 7,000 this morning at D23 Expo 2019 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif. Alan Horn, co-chairman and chief creative officer, The Walt Disney Studios—joined by Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy, Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige, Disney live action’s Sean Bailey, Pixar’s Pete Docter and Disney Animation’s Jennifer Lee—offered guests a captivating look at Disney’s upcoming film slate, including never-before-seen footage and a host of stars, plus a spectacular performance from “Frozen 2” voice cast members Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad. “You’re not just fans, you’re family,” said Horn to the packed room. “It’s because of you that we keep working so hard to make great movies, and we love D23 Expo because it’s where we can share them with you first.” The presentation included the following highlights.

LUCASFILM President of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” director/writer/producer J.J. Abrams showcased the riveting conclusion to the Skywalker saga. Kennedy and Abrams revved up the audience, introducing nine stars from the film—many of whom marked this as their first D23 Expo appearance: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran and Billy Dee Williams, plus special appearances from R2-D2, BB-8 and the new droid D-O. A brand-new poster was revealed—and gifted to the entire audience. And all were given a look back at the incredible legacy of Star Warsstorytelling and treated to a sneak peek of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” which opens in U.S. theaters on Dec. 20, 2019.

MARVEL STUDIOS Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, kicked off his presentation with a surprise visit from “Black Panther” director and co-writer Ryan Coogler. Together, they revealed that “Black Panther 2” (working title) will hit U.S. theaters on May 6, 2022. Feige segued to next year’s “The Eternals,” inviting cast members from the much-anticipated film to the stage: Richard Madden, who portrays the all-powerful Ikaris; Kumail Nanjiani, who plays cosmic-powered Kingo; Lauren Ridloff, who portrays the super-fast Makkari, the first deaf hero in the MCU; Brian Tyree Henry, who plays the intelligent inventor Phastos; Salma Hayek, who plays the wise and spiritual leader Ajak; Lia McHugh, who portrays the eternally young, old-soul Sprite; Don Lee, who plays the powerful Gilgamesh; and Angelina Jolie, who stars as the fierce warrior Thena. Feige revealed concept art images of each character, and announced three new cast members and their characters: Gemma Chan, who plays humankind-loving Sersi; Kit Harington, who was cast as non-Eternal Dane Whitman, and Barry Keoghan, who portrays aloof loner Druig, and was on hand for the event. Directed by Chloé Zhao, who helmed the critically acclaimed Sundance film “The Rider,” “The Eternals” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 6, 2020. Feige concluded with “Black Widow,” the Cate Shortland-directed first film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which hits U.S. theaters on May 1, 2020. Feige shared a pre-recorded greeting featuring stars Scarlett Johansson, who reprises her role of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow; David Harbour, who was cast as Alexei the Red Guardian; and Florence Pugh, who plays Yelena. The audience was also treated to an exclusive look at the upcoming film. DISNEY LIVE ACTION

Bailey welcomed Angelina Jolie back to the stage to present exclusive footage and details about Disney’s “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” the exciting follow-up to the hit 2014 film. Maleficent, portrayed by Jolie, and her goddaughter Aurora, played by Elle Fanning, begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies and new dark forces at play. Aurora’s imminent marriage to Prince Phillip is cause for celebration—however, Prince Phillip’s mother, Queen Ingrith, portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer, challenges Maleficent’s role as Aurora’s mother figure. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Connal, one of the leaders of the dark fey who becomes Maleficent’s ally. Ejiofor, Pfeiffer and Fanning were all welcomed to the stage by an enthusiastic audience. Directed by Joachim Rønning, who co-helmed 2017’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” arrives in U.S. theaters on Oct. 18, 2019. Bailey next introduced acclaimed filmmaker Niki Caro, director of “Mulan,” the upcoming live-action reimagining of the 1998 classic animated film. Caro expressed to fans her passion for the project, sharing several minutes of footage from the epic adventure inspired by one of China’s fiercest warriors. In Disney’s “Mulan,” which opens in U.S. theaters on March 27, 2020, the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders. So, the eldest daughter of an honored but ailing warrior masquerades as a man, transforming into a heroic warrior to ultimately earn her the respect of a grateful nation and a proud father.

PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS

Pixar Animation Studios’ Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter guided the audience through Pixar’s upcoming film slate of originals. Docter began with next summer’s release, “Soul,” which he directs. The film journeys from the streets of New York City to the never-before-seen cosmic realms and “The You Seminar,” the fantastical place where we all discover our unique personalities. Producer Dana Murray, co-director/writer Kemp Powers and writer Mike Jones joined Docter on stage, and together they set up the film for the audience and shared a sneak peek. The team revealed members of the voice cast who joined them on stage, including Ahmir Questlove Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Daveed Diggs, Tina Fey and Jamie Foxx. Foxx lends his voice to Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher whose true passion is playing jazz. Fey plays 22, a soul-in-training who has an unexpected encounter with Joe when he accidentally finds his way to the “You Seminar.” Together, the two are going to find a way to get Joe back to Earth, making him think again about what it truly means to have soul. Filmmakers also revealed that globally renowned musician Jon Batiste will be writing original jazz music for the film, and Oscar®-winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (“The Social Network”), from Nine Inch Nails, will compose an original score that will drift between the real and soul worlds. Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” opens in U.S. theaters on June 19, 2020. Docter next introduced director Dan Scanlon and producer Kori Rae, who shared details and more than ten minutes of exclusive footage from Pixar’s upcoming feature film “Onward.” The movie, which opens in U.S. theaters on March 6, 2020, stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as two teenage elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, who embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left in the world. Set in a modern fantasy world, Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” is inspired by Scanlon’s personal experiences with his brother. Holland, Pratt and Julia Louis-Dreyfus—who voices Mom in the movie—joined the filmmakers on stage—much to the delight of the audience, who all received an exclusive “Onward” poster. WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS

Lee, who directs “Frozen 2” with Chris Buck, and wrote the screenplay, invited Buck to join her on stage as the Oscar®-winning duo revealed new details about the upcoming film, which opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22. Lee and Buck introduced two new “Frozen 2” cast members: Sterling K. Brown, who voices Lieutenant Destin Mattias, and Evan Rachel Wood, who voices Queen Iduna, Anna and Elsa’s mother. The crowd—who received an exclusive D23 Expo “Frozen 2” poster—saw never-before-seen footage of the new characters, including a scene that featured Wood as Iduna singing to young Elsa and Anna. The song, “All Is Found,” is one of seven all-new original songs by Oscar®-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. The audience also saw a sequence from the movie that showcased Elsa’s yearning for answers about the past, culminating in another song, “Into the Unknown.” And a climactic performance of the song “Some Things Never Change” by Menzel, Bell, Groff and Gad brought the audience to its feet, capping off the studio presentation in extraordinary style. About The Walt Disney Studios For more than 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music, and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. About D23 Expo 2019 D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings together all the worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks, shopping, and more. The event provides fans with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, games, theme parks, and celebrities. For the latest D23 Expo 2019 news, visit D23expo.com. Presentations, talent, and schedule subject to change. To join the D23 Expo conversation, be sure to follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and use the hashtag #D23Expo. About D23 The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 90-plus-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year. Fans can join D23 at Gold Membership ($99.99), Gold Family Membership ($129.99), and General Membership (complimentary) levels at D23.com. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

(Film Images Courtesy of Disney / Panel Images Courtesy of Getty Images)

#blogposts #D23Expo

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blackkudos · 8 years ago

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Wanda Sykes

Wanda Sykes (born March 7, 1964) is an American comedian, writer, actress and voice artist. She was first recognized for her work as a writer on The Chris Rock Show, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1999. In 2004, Entertainment Weekly named Sykes as one of the 25 funniest people in America. She is also known for her role as Barb Baran on CBS' The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006–10) and for appearances on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm (2001–11).

Aside from her television appearances, Sykes has also had a career in film, appearing in Monster-in-Law (2005), My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006), Evan Almighty (2007) and License to Wed (2007), as well as voicing characters in the animated films Over the Hedge (2006), Barnyard (2006), Brother Bear 2 (2006), Rio (2011), Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) and Ice Age: Collision Course (2016).

Early life

Sykes was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, and raised in the Washington, D.C., area. Her mother, Marion Louise (née Peoples), worked as a banker, and her father, Harry Ellsworth Sykes, was a US Army colonel employed at the Pentagon. Sykes attended Arundel High School in Gambrills, Maryland, and went on to graduate from Hampton University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. After college, her first job was as a contracting specialist at the National Security Agency (NSA), where she worked for five years.

Sykes' family history was researched for an episode of the 2012 PBS genealogy program Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr. Her ancestry was traced back to a 1683 court case involving her paternal ninth great-grandmother Elizabeth Banks, a free white woman and indentured servant, who gave birth to a biracial child, Mary Banks, fathered by a slave, who inherited her mother's free status. According to historian Ira Berlin, a specialist in the history of American slavery, the Sykes family history is "the only such case that I know of in which it is possible to trace a black family rooted in freedom from the late 17th century to the present."

Career

Not completely satisfied with her role with the NSA, Sykes began her stand-up career at a Coors Light Super Talent Showcase in Washington, DC, where she performed for the first time in front of a live audience in 1987.

She continued to hone her talents at local venues while at the NSA until 1992, when she moved to New York City. Working for the Hal Leonard publishing house, she edited a book entitled Polyrhythms – The Musician's Guide, by Peter Magadini. Her first big break came when opening for Chris Rock at Caroline's Comedy Club.

In 1997, she joined the writing team on The Chris Rock Show and also made many appearances on the show. The writing team was nominated for four Emmys, and in 1999, won for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Special.

Since that time, she has appeared in such films as Pootie Tang and on TV shows such as Curb Your Enthusiasm. In 2003, she starred in her own short-lived Fox network sitcom, Wanda at Large. The same year, Sykes appeared in an hour-long Comedy Central special, Tongue Untied. That network also ranked her No. 70 on its list of the 100 greatest all-time stand ups. She served as a correspondent for HBO's Inside the NFL, hosted Comedy Central's popular show Premium Blend, and voiced a recurring character named Gladys on Comedy Central's puppet show Crank Yankers. She also had a short-lived show on Comedy Central called Wanda Does It.

In addition to her film and television work, she is also an author. She wrote Yeah, I Said It, a book of humorous observations on various topics, published in September 2004.

In 2006, she landed a recurring role as Barb, opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus, on the sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine; she became a series regular during the series' third season in 2008. She also guest starred in the Will & Grace episode "Buy, Buy Baby" in 2006. She provided voices for the 2006 films Over the Hedge, Barnyard, and Brother Bear 2. She had a part in My Super Ex-Girlfriend and after playing in Evan Almighty, had a bit part in License to Wed. Sykes' first HBO Comedy Special, entitled Wanda Sykes: Sick & Tired, premiered on October 14, 2006; it was nominated for a 2007 Emmy Award. In 2008, she performed as part of Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Tour for LGBT rights.

In October 2008, Wanda Sykes appeared in a television ad for the Think Before You Speak Campaign, an advertising campaign by GLSEN aimed at curbing homophobic slang in youth communities. In the 30-second spot, she uses humor to scold a teenager for saying "that's so gay" when he really means "that is so bad".

In March 2009, it was announced that Sykes would be the host of a new late-night talk show on Saturdays on Fox, The Wanda Sykes Show which was scheduled to premiere November 7, 2009. In April 2009, she was named in Out magazine's "Annual Power 50 List", landing at number 35.

In May 2009, Sykes was the featured entertainer for the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner, becoming both the first African American woman and the first openly LGBT person to get the role. Cedric the Entertainer had been the first African American to become the featured entertainer in 2005. At this event, Sykes made controversial headlines as she responded to conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh's comments regarding President Barack Obama. Limbaugh, in reference to Obama's presidential agenda, had said "I hope he fails". In response, Sykes quipped: "I hope his [Limbaugh's] kidneys fail, how 'bout that? Needs a little waterboarding, that's what he needs."

Her second comedy special, Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me premiered on HBO in October 2009. November 2009 saw the premier of The Wanda Sykes Show, which starts with a monologue and continues with a panel discussion in a similar format to Bill Maher's shows Real Time with Bill Maher and Politically Incorrect.

She appeared as Miss Hannigan in a professional theatre production of Annie at The Media Theatre in Media, PA, a suburb 25 minutes southwest of Philadelphia. Her first appearance in a musical, she played the role from November 23 – December 12, 2010, and again from January 12–23, 2011. She voices the Witch in the Bubble Guppies episode "Bubble Puppy's Fin-tastic Fairlytale Adventure".

In 2012, Sykes role the voice of Granny in Ice Age: Continental Drift, and In 2016, she was returned voice of Granny in Ice Age: Collision Course from the Blue Sky Studios' "Ice Age movies".

In May 2013, Sykes was a featured entertainer at Olivia Travel's 40th anniversary Music & Comedy Festival in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

In 2013, Sykes appeared in eight episodes of Amazon's Alpha House, a political comedy series written by Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau. Sykes plays Rosalyn DuPeche, a Democratic Senator from Illinois and the next door neighbor of four Republican senators living together in a house on Capitol Hill. Sykes will also appear in Season Two, which is filming over the summer of 2014.

Personal life

Sykes was married to record producer Dave Hall from 1991 to 1998. In November 2008, she publicly came out as a lesbian while at a same-sex marriage rally in Las Vegas regarding Proposition 8. A month earlier, Sykes had married her partner Alex Niedbalski, a French woman, whom she had met in 2006. The couple also became parents on April 27, 2009, when Alex gave birth to a pair of fraternal twins, daughter Olivia Lou and son Lucas Claude.

Sykes only came out to her conservative mother Marion and father Harry when she was 40, who both initially had difficulty accepting her homosexuality. They declined to attend her wedding with Alex, which led to a brief period of estrangement, but have since reconciled and are now proud grandparents to the couple's children.

During a September 19, 2011, appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Sykes announced that she had been diagnosed earlier in the year with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Although DCIS is a non-invasive "stage zero breast cancer", Sykes had elected to have a bilateral mastectomy in order to lower her chances of getting breast cancer.

Sykes splits time living in both Los Angeles and Media, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia.

Activism

Sykes has publicly expressed being devastated after California voters passed state Proposition 8. She said: "with the legislation that they passed, I can’t sit by and just watch. I just can’t do it." She has continued to be active in same-sex marriage issues hosting events and emceeing fundraisers. She has also worked with PETA on promoting dog anti-chaining legislation in her home state.

She has been an outspoken supporter of Detroit's Ruth Ellis Center after the organization's staff sent Sykes a letter asking her to visit during her 2010 tour's stop in Detroit.

Awards

Sykes has been nominated for seven Primetime Emmys, with one win (in 1999) for "Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special". In 2001, she won the American Comedy Award for "Outstanding Female Stand Up Comic". She won a Comedy Central Commie Award for "Funniest TV Actress in 2003". In 2010 she won the GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award. In 2015 she won the Activism in the Arts honor at the Triumph Awards.

Wikipedia

#Wanda Sykes

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