Patriots Top Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX

I am jealous of Tom Brady’s life. Supermodel wife, classic good looks, penthouse suites and now, he has now solidified himself as the game’s greatest quarterback. The Brady-led Patriots outscored the Seattle Seahawks 14-0 in the fourth quarter and held on to win 28-24.

The game started slow for both clubs as we saw a scoreless opening quarter. Second quarter was a different story as the two battled and scored 14 a piece. The Seahawks were out-gained and out-played by an incredibly large margin in the first half, yet drove 80 yards in five plays only to score with two seconds remaining in the first half to tie the game at 14.

The third quarter was nerve-wracking for Pats fans as Seattle put up ten quick points to take a 24-14 led into the final quarter of football. Then, Tom Brady was simply Tom Brady.

Although Brady did throw two interceptions, he majestically recorded drives of 68 and 64 yards in the fourth quarter against the best secondary in the National Football League. After Brady brought the Patriots on their last scoring drive, the resilient Seahawks drove right down the field and found a bit of luck as Jermaine Kearse made one of the most insane catches in Super Bowl History. After the catch, Marshawn Lynch ran the ball to the goal line. Then things got questionable.

Pete Carroll will have to live with his play call that led to the game winning interception by an undrafted rookie corner back, Malcolm Butler. Instead of running the ball with Marshawn Lynch at the one yard line, Carroll decided to be “unpredictable” and dialed up a passing play which resulted in a Russell Wilson interception that would catapult the Patriots to NFL royalty.

Tom Brady finished with 328 yards passing to go along with four touchdown passes. He targeted Julian Edelman countless times and Edelman ended the game with nine receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown catch. Rob Gronkowski also had a big game catching six passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. LSU alum Brandon LaFell caught Super Bowl XLIX’s first touchdown pass, he finished with four catches and 29 yards.

For the Seahawks, Marshawn Lynch had 24 carries for 102 yards with a score. Russell Wilson struggled completing 12 passes while attempting 21. Wilson threw for 247 yards with two touchdowns but threw the biggest interception of his career at the goal line. Chris Matthews, the one-time Footlocker employee, had the breakout game of his young career by making four huge catches for a total of 109 yards and had a touchdown of his own.

With this victory, Tom Brady is 4-2 in his impressive six Super Bowl appearances. He is currently tied with Joe Montana with four Super Bowl victories and three Super Bowl MVPs. It’s safe to say that the New England Patriots have achieved legendary status by winning four Super Bowls in the past fourteen seasons. Also, Tom Brady is literally a couple of plays away from being undefeated and 6-0 in Super Bowls. He has been beaten by Eli Manning and the New York Giants in both of his only two losses in Super Bowls. Congrats to Super Bowl XLIX Champions the New England Patriots.

JC Chandor No Longer Directing ‘The Long Night’ aka ‘Deepwater Horizon’

Director JC Chandor, who has been developing The Long Night to film in New Orleans, is no longer helming the project according to Deadline.com. The Long Night chronicles the 2010 Deepwater Horizon tragedy that resulted in the deaths of those aboard and a major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Although no reasoning behind the changes are known, Chandor’s previous films have been small dramas. The man who is reportedly in talks to replace Chandor is big budget veteran Peter Berg, whose previous titanic projects include The Rundown, The Kingdom, Hancock and the $200 million behemoth Battleship, which shot in Baton Rouge at Celtic Studios.

If Berg boards the oil rig, he’ll be reuniting with the film’s star, Mark Wahlberg. The two previously collaborated on 2013’s Lone Survivor, the true story of Marcus Luttrell. It would also once again pair Berg with writer Matthew Michael Carnahan, who also wrote The Kingdom.

Chandor’s latest film A Most Violent Year opens in select theaters today. You can read my review of that excellent film here.

The Long Night is currently set for a late-March start, although it seems a change of directors may affect that start date. If you’d like to work on the film, you can send your resume to thelongnightresumes@gmail.com.

New Orleans Film Society Gala Moves to Spring

The New Orleans Film Society is a nonprofit arts organization in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Film Society was founded in 1989 and hosts special events throughout the year. In the fall, the NOFS puts on the New Orleans Film Festival which has evolved into a major showcase for local, national and international films. The NOFS also hosts the French Film Festival, Film-o-Rama and the New Orleans International Children’s Film Festival.

The New Orleans Film Society has many partners which helps them put on various monthly film screenings. These partners include: Contemporary Arts Center, Chalmette Movies, NOMA and Ashé Cultural Arts Center.

The New Orleans Film Society Gala, traditionally held in the fall, will be held this spring at the home of Paul and Sara Ruffin Costello at 1213 Third Street. Help celebrate twenty-five years of bringing great cinema to the New Orleans community.

With the growing success of the New Orleans Film Festival, films such as Black or White, Love Land and White Rabbit garnered great prosperity. Come give back and attend the Gala in the spring. Also, if you wish to become a member of the New Orleans Film Society, you can simply sign up here.

Tickets will go on sale next week. Visit the New Orleans Film Society’s official website at www.neworleansfilmsociety.org.

IN THEATERS: ‘A Most Violent Year’, ‘Black or White’, ‘Wild Card’, ‘Project Almanac’

A Most Violent Year

A determined immigrant fights to protect his business and his family. Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain star in this 1981 New York set crime-drama during the most dangerous year in the city’s history. 125 min. Rated R.

Black or White

Kevin Costner stars in this New Orleans-shot drama about a grieving widower who is drawn into a custody battle over his granddaughter. Directed by Mike Binder. 121 min. Rated PG-13.

Wild Card

Director Simon West reunites with his Mechanic star Jason Statham, who stars as Nick Wild, a recovering gambling addict who finds work providing protection for his friends. 92 min. Rated R.

Project Almanac

Teenagers discover and construct a time machine. However, things begin to spiral out of control. Directed by Dean Israelite. 106 min. Rated PG-13.

REVIEW: ‘A Most Violent Year’

Director JC Chandor’s last film was All Is Lost, a powerful drama with a powerhouse performance from Robert Redford, an actor who became an icon of American cinema in the 1970s. Although set in 1981, Chandor’s newest film looks and feels like a film made in that decade. Perhaps one directed by Sidney Lumet or Alan J Pakula that might have starred Redford, if it was made forty years ago.

Instead, A Most Violent Year stars Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain, two talented actors who are just hitting their stride. Isaac was impressive last year as a singer/songwriter in Inside Llewyn Davis and will soon appear in both the new Star Wars film and X-Men: Apocalypse. Chastain received Academy Award nominations for her roles in The Help and Zero Dark Thirty. She currently has Interstellar in theaters and can next be seen in Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak.

Here, Isaac plays Abel Morales, a self-made, sharp but quiet businessman navigating a company that distributes heating oil in New York City. It’s an industry filled with corruption that’s been under investigation for over two years as the film begins. Abel reminds me of Michael Corleone, but without the goons. And he doesn’t make offers you can’t refuse. He’s more like a runner training for a marathon and his race is this weekend.

Chastain is Anna Morales, Abel’s beautiful wife and business partner, and herself the daughter of a man who sold heating oil. The two are on truly equal footing in their marriage and in their business, and their relationship is a refreshingly realistic portrayal of couples that intermingle the two.

While under investigation, Abel’s delivery trucks are robbed with increasing frequency and escalating violence. The robberies are nothing new, but Abel is closing a major deal with the potential to elevate his company above his bottom-feeding competition. The violent robberies of his trucks hit his bottom line and scare his investors. But will his efforts to protect his business end up harming his family? Will we discover Abel is really one of the gangsters he’s fighting with? Or just an imperfect symbol of righteousness?

A Most Violent Year is, at last, a film for adults. There are no superheroes and it’s not based on any prior existing intellectual property. It’s the kind of mature drama that defined the 1970s but has become almost nonexistent. The characters are compelling and violence is treated with a real world respect.

Both Isaac and Chastain turn in Oscar-caliber performances. And they are flanked by brilliant character actors, including an almost unrecognizable James L. Brooks and the veteran New York-based actor Peter Gerety. You might remember Gerety as the judge that McNulty partners with to shake up Baltimore in The Wire. There’s also a memorable performance from Elyes Gabel, who has appeared on Game of Thrones and currently stars on the CBS show Scorpion. The supporting players feel like real people, not just plot points. And like the film’s leads, they make decisions that just feel human. Imperfect but understandable.

JC Chandor and his team have told a compelling story that lives in a realistic world, making the best use of cinema’s most powerful tools. It makes every moment of the film interesting. Even silences feel pregnant with thought.

I highly recommend this film. You can expect some great scenes, great speeches and yes even some violence. But my favorite speech in the film is just one word: stop.

A Most Violent Year opens this weekend in New Orleans at the Theatres at Canal Place. And look for more from Scene on JC Chandor’s next film, The Long Night, which will be filmed in New Orleans. It’s also known unofficially as Deepwater Horizon. We can’t wait to see what Chandor does with the backdrop of the Deepwater Horizon disaster and the resulting Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Come to the New Martin Wine Cellar Grand Opening

I’ll be celebrating the opening of Martin’s Wine Cellar at it’s original location tonight: 3827 Baronne Street at the corner of Peniston and Baronne. Come join me.

The press release is below…

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Celebrating the return to the original Martin’s location. 3827 Baronne Street at the corner of Peniston and Baronne.

Martin Wine Cellar along with Mayor Mitch Landrieu and City and State officials celebrate the grand opening of the Baronne Street store at 3827 Baronne Street. The opening of the new, one-story, 14,000 square foot store marks the homecoming of the original Martin’s location. On Friday, January 30th at 1:00 PM, Mayor Mitch Landrieu; Council Member Latoya Cantrell; Earl Randall, Senior CPD Specialist at US Department of Housing & Urban Development; and Pat Forbes, Executive Director of the Louisiana Office of Community Development will join President and Owner, Cedric Martin, in a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate this return.

On Thursday, January 29th, join us at the Baronne Street location from 5 PM to 8 PM for the grand opening celebration with live music, raffles, giveaways, and, of course, wine and hors d’oeuvres. In honor of the opening, Martin Wine Cellar invites you to enjoy complimentary wine tastings and great prices on spirits and wine all week long! Martin’s renowned deli menu items will be 25% off at the Metairie and Baronne Street locations, including wines by the glass, salads, sandwiches, and chef-inspired menu items during lunch and dinner through Sunday, February 1st.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu, New Orleans Mayor:
“Martin Wine Cellar is a family-owned business that has been part of the New Orleans community since 1946, and I congratulate and thank them for growing their business and continuing to create jobs and opportunities for New Orleanians. Martin Wine Cellar is continuing proof that the people of New Orleans are building our city back better than ever before.”

Cedric Martin, President & Owner of Martin Wine Cellar:
“With the re-opening of the Baronne Street store, we have had the opportunity to reestablish the tradition my father started in 1946. As a thank you for all of the support while rebuilding, we invite our neighbors and customers come celebrate with us. I look forward to seeing everyone at Martin’s Uptown.”

David Gladden, CEO of Martin Wine Cellar:
“Having the new Martin Wine Cellar open on the original Baronne Street site is a dream come true.  Mac Ball (architect) and I like to stand in the new store and simply enjoy being there- overjoyed that the project is finished!  It has taken too long and it was a huge task but now it is done and we are very excited and happy.  Our friends and customers have been very loyal and patient, waiting for us to rebuild.  Now, I hope they will enjoy the food and fun for years to come!”

Pat Forbes, Executive Director of the Louisiana Office of Community Development:
“Martin’s unwavering determination to restore their original Baronne Street location shows not only their dedication to their company history, but to the history and economic vitality of New Orleans. The state invested disaster recovery funds in this project because we knew that creating these jobs and restoring this slice of the city’s culture would provide a very real contribution to the city’s ongoing recovery from Hurricane Katrina.”

About the Baronne Street Store

The new, one-story, 14,000 square foot store at 3827 Baronne Street is packed with wine, spirits, beer, cheese, gourmet foods and more. The 120 seat Bistro/Deli offers lunch, dinner, happy hour, Sunday brunch, entrees-to-go and catering. Two separate parking lots accommodate 60 vehicles.

The building was designed by Waggonner & Ball Architects and constructed by F.H. Myers Construction. The project was partially funded by Whitney Bank and the Louisiana Office of Community Development’s Disaster Recovery Unit with federal Community Development Block Grant funds provided to the state by HUD to recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

About Martin Wine Cellar

Martin Wine Cellar is a family-owned and operated local retail business that provides an extensive collection of American and imported wines, spirits and beer along with a full-service Bistro/Deli, catering, cheese, gourmet food, gift baskets and wine merchandise. Martin’s, as it is commonly referred to, was founded by David Young Martin, Jr. in 1946, and now has four retail stores under his son and current president, Cedric Martin.

Pelicans Fail to Keep Winning Streak Alive in Loss to Nuggets

Shooting an atrocious 32-82 (39%) from the field and 3-15 (20%) from beyond the arc isn’t going to get you many wins. The Pelicans failed to knock down open shots and weren’t able to get to that fifth straight win Wednesday night against the underwhelming Denver Nuggets squad.

The Denver Nuggets snapped a seven-game losing streak as they took care of the Pelicans 93-85. The Afflalo-led Nuggets hit timely threes (10-17) throughout the game to pace them to victory. Ty Lawson had 13 assists to go along with Afflalo’s 20 points.

The Denver Nuggets came rushing out of the gate outscoring the Pelicans 28-17 in the first quarter. The lead ended up getting almost out-of-hand when Denver extended its lead to sixteen in the first half.

Anthony Davis was the only bright spot in the first half for the Pelicans. He had a quick fifteen points while Eric Gordon missed his first nine shots on his way to a 4-15 shooting night. Davis was the Pelicans only scorer in double figures going into halftime.

Coming out of the locker room for the second half, Tyreke Evans exploded onto the scoring scene. Tyreke finished with a game-high 25 points, 20 of which came in the second half. Although it took the 6’6 point guard twenty-two shots to get to twenty-five points he showed his dominating prowess to get to the rim and score.

Things got eerily quiet in the Smoothie King Center when All-Star starter Anthony Davis went down and was helped off of the court. In 37 minutes of play Davis finished 8-15 from the floor for 24 points and 12 rebounds, another effortlessly dominating performance.

Davis finally returned in the fourth to a standing ovation from a relieved crowd. Emotions were running high for the Crescent City crowd but the New Orleans Pelicans weren’t able to get the job done and ultimately being outscored 23-15 in the final quarter of play. Monty Williams told ESPN, “I just didn’t like the way he looked,” Williams said. “You can’t risk guys’ careers. He wants to be out there. Anyone would tell you that.” Davis will have an MRI today.

If we as fans can take anything positive from this game it is that we had an abysmal shooting night and the Nuggets had a great one and we only lost by single digits. In order to continue their recent success, Ryan Anderson needs to become a more consistent shooter/scorer and Eric Gordon must know and find his role on this team. Gordon has been a catalyst in the Pelicans’ recent good fortunes but needs to continue to be the third or fourth scoring option.

Tyreke Evans showed great scoring ability again but only dished out two assists. I’m thrilled to have Dante Cunningham and Quincy Pondexter suiting up as the Pelicans swingmen. They both will quickly play into their roles and help the Pelicans both offensively and defensively and will bring great energy every time they step onto the floor.

The Pelicans must string together multiple wins at a time in order to eek their way into the Western Conference Playoffs. Things won’t get any easier as the play host to the Chris Paul-led Clippers Friday night at 7pm. Fans will get a glimpse of the former Pelicans tenth overall pick, Austin Rivers in his new Clippers attire.

‘Salem’ Season 2 Will Premiere on April 5

The first original scripted series from WGN America will return with its sophomore season on Sunday, April 5. Salem recently added recurring stars Lucy Lawless and Peter Townsend to the cast in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The thirteen-episode second season is described as a “witch war.” Janet Montgomery’s Mary Sibley, the deadliest witch in Salem, vies to take control of the 17th century town in Massachusetts. In this re-imagining of the Salem witch trials, Mary Sibley will face rival witches as they all fight for the proverbial witch throne.

Season one of Salem is available to binge watch on Netflix now. You have plenty of time to catch up with the witchy bedlam, and you can watch the Salem Season 2 trailer here.

The supernatural thriller is written and created by 24’s Brannon Braga and Adam Simon and is produced by Fox 21. The show also stars Shane West, Seth Gabel, Ashley Madekwe, Tamzin Merchant, Elise Eberle and Iddo Goldberg.

As Scene mentioned earlier, Lucy Lawless will play Countess Marburg and Stuart Townsend will play Samuel Wainwright. Marburg is one of the last descendants of a legendary line of German witches and Wainwright is the perplexing doctor exploring Salem for its deepest secrets. Joe Doyle has the role of Baron Sebastian Marburg who is a charming son-of-a-witch(weak pun intended). Mary’s long-lost son is played by Oliver Bell.

Keep an eye on updated scheduling by visiting Salem’s official website wgnamerica.com.

Source: Variety

Sundance: 'Mississippi Grind' Sells to A24

The film stars Ryan Reynolds as a man who embarks on a road trip to a high-stakes card tournament in New Orleans.

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‘The King of New Orleans’ To Screen at The Prytania Theatre

Kono Productions and Creative Control will host a private screening of King of New Orleans at The Prytania Theatre on Thursday, February 5. An after party will follow the screening at Le Bon Temps Roulé.

King of New Orleans, a project written and shot in New Orleans, tells the story of the father and son relationship of a cabbie and his son, a Harvard drop out. The movie shows the deterioration of a man and his son’s failed attempts at success. King of New Orleans is directed by Coodie & Chike and written by Brian R. Friedman. David Jensen stars as the cab driver and Richard Brien plays his son.

Director Chike Ozah is a New Orleans native and the director of Benji, the highly acclaimed 30 for 30 ESPN series. Writer Brian R. Friedman also resides in New Orleans and has been friends with Chike for quite some time. Friedman has covered Chike in the past for NolaVie as Chike’s Benji was a huge success at the Tribeca Film Fest in 2012. The film’s star, Jensen, is currently in Louisiana filming Geostorm.

In the trailer, we see the tense relationship of father and son parallel the night life of New Orleans. “There’s no place like home” seems to be a major theme. The dialogue and cinematography reinforce this theme and also showcases the beauty of the Big Easy.

The trailer shows the cab driver engaging in jovial conversations with his patrons. Each passenger seems to reveal more than they would normally due to the effects of New Orleans’ beverages. The film’s look is similar to the documentary style that was used in the 30 for 30 series.

SUNDANCE: 2015 Short Film Awards

The Sundance Institute has announced the 2015 jury prizes in short filmmaking. The awards were presented at a ceremony in Park City, Utah, where the festival takes place every year. You can watch a full video of the ceremony at youtube.com/sff.

This year’s short film program is comprised of sixty short films selected from 8,061 submissions, a number that grows every year. The short film jurors are K.K. Barrett, Alia Shawkat and Autumn de Wilde. Short film award recipients will also be honored at the Festival’s feature film awards ceremony, hosted by Tig Notaro, on Saturday, January 31 at 7pm MT and live-streamed at sundance.org.

The Short Film Grand Jury Prize was awarded to:

World of Tomorrow / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Don Hertzfeldt) — A little girl is taken on a mind-bending tour of the distant future.

The Short Film Jury Award: U.S. Fiction was presented to:
SMILF / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Frankie Shaw) — A young single mother struggles to balance her old life of freedom with her new one as mom. It all comes to a head during one particular nap-time when Bridgette invites an old friend over for a visit.

The Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction was presented to:
Oh Lucy! / Japan, Singapore, U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Atsuko Hirayanagi) — Setsuko, a 55-year-old single so-called office lady in Tokyo, is given a blonde wig and a new identity, Lucy, by her young unconventional English-language teacher. “Lucy” awakens desires in Setsuko she never knew existed.

The Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction was presented to:
The Face of Ukraine: Casting Oksana Baiul / Australia (Director: Kitty Green) — Adorned in pink sequins, little girls from across a divided, war-torn Ukraine audition to play the role of Olympic champion figure skater Oksana Baiul, whose tears of joy once united their troubled country.

The Short Film Jury Award: Animation was presented to:
Storm hits jacket / France (Director and screenwriter: Paul Cabon) — A storm reaches the shores of Brittany. Nature goes crazy, two young scientists get caught up in the chaos. Espionage, romantic tension, and mysterious events clash with enthusiasm and randomness.

A Short Film Special Jury Award for Acting was presented to:
Back Alley / France (Director and screenwriter: Cécile Ducrocq) — Suzanne, a prostitute for 15 years, has her turf, her regular johns, and her freedom. One day, however, young African prostitutes settle nearby, and she is threatened.

A Short Film Special Jury Award for Visual Poetry was presented to:
Object / Poland (Director: Paulina Skibińska) — A creative image of an underwater search in the dimensions of two worlds — ice desert and under water — told from the point of view of the rescue team, of the diver, and of the ordinary people waiting on the shore.

TEASER: Baton Rouge-Shot ‘Fantastic Four’

Many have been wondering where our first look at Fox’s super reboot of Fantastic Four has been hiding. Wonder no more. The teaser is here, it looks great and really has us excited for the final product.

The new film stars Miles Teller as Reed Richards (aka Mr. Fantastic), House of Cards star Kate Mara as Sue Storm (The Invisible Woman), Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm (The Human Torch) and Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm (The Thing). Toby Kebbell, who did an outstanding job voicing Koba in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, will again play the villain, Victor Domachev. If you want to see him in human form, I suggest checking out the excellent British tv series Black Mirror.

Chronicle director Josh Trank led the band of four through filming in Baton Rouge, most of which took place at Celtic Studios. Rumor has it they are back for reshoots in early 2015. Although, this trailer looks so good, that’s no cause for concern.

The Fantastic Four is set for a late summer release on August 7.

‘Selma’ Star David Oyelowo and Director Ava Duvernay Reunite for Hurricane Katrina Film

The powerful filmmaking team behind the civil rights drama Selma will be headed to New Orleans in the near future. Director Ava DuVernay and actor David Oyelowo will be reteaming on a new drama set against the backdrop of Hurricane Katrina. The deal for the new film came together at the Sundance Film Festival. The narrative feature is described as a sweeping love story and murder mystery.

Selma was widely expected to receive Academy Awards considerations but DuVernay and Oyelowo did not receive nominations when they were announced last week. The omissions are considered two of the biggest snubs of the 2015 Oscars. Selma, which chronicles the three Selma to Montgomery, Alabama marches in 1965, currently boasts an incredibly rare Rotten Tomatoes score of 99% Fresh.

Oyelowo portrays Martin Luther King, Jr. in the film. The Katrina project will bring him back to Louisiana, where he previously shot The Butler and The Paperboy. Both of those films were directed by Lee Daniels.

Several Hurricane Katrina-related films have been in development, and a few have made their way to very limited distribution deals, but there has not yet been a commercially or critically successful film to incorporate the disaster in any major way. The closest Hollywood has come was David Fincher’s film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which used Katrina to narratively frame the film.

Because of the intense media coverage of Hurricane Katrina, and the resulting political discussion, something known as “Katrina fatigue” emerged to describe a general disaffection with the topic. That’s probably what has kept the film industry from bringing a Katrina pic to the big screen. But as time passes, audiences will hopefully be more eager to reflect on one of the greatest natural (and some say, man-made) disasters in United States history.

DuVernay and Oyelowo might be the first to do so successfully.

Source: Deadline

France's M6 Acquires 'NCIS: New Orleans,' 'Scorpion'

The CBS hit shows will premiere before April on the channel.

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Anthony Davis Named a Starter for NBA All Star Game

Get ready, New York City. Get ready, NBA. Your All Stars are coming. On February 15, the offensively-intensive All Star game will be played in the mecca of basketball, Madison Square Garden. The contest is always action packed, offensive minded and lackadaisical defensively, to say the least.

But this year is different. New Orleans Pelicans’ gold medalist, superstar and all around freak of nature Anthony Davis has been named a starter for the Western Conference All Star team.

Anthony Davis was third overall in All Star voting this year and was behind MVP frontrunners Stephen Curry and LeBron James. That’s pretty high praise for a twenty-one year old. Anthony Davis led the Western Conference frontcourt with 1,369,911 votes. Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies was second with only 795,121 votes.

The West’s starting lineup: Stephen Curry (Warriors), Kobe Bryant (Lakers), Anthony Davis (Pelicans), Blake Griffin (Clippers) and Marc Gasol (Grizzlies).

The East’s starting lineup: John Wall (Wizards), Kyle Lowry (Raptors), LeBron James (Cavaliers), Carmelo Anthony (Knicks) and Paul Gasol (Bulls).

This is the first time in NBA history that two brothers have been starters in the NBA All Star Game. The two seven-foot Spaniards, Marc and Pau Gasol accomplished this feat. The starters have been announced and the reserves will be named on January 29. The reserves will be selected by a coaches’ vote. Steve Kerr (Warriors) will coach the West and Mike Budenholzer (Hawks) will coach the East. Both Kerr and Budenholzer have led their teams to hold the best records in their respective conferences.

Before the All Star break, the New Orleans Pelicans must find their identity and find their way above the .500 mark. In order to survive in the West, the Pelicans must get to at least fifty wins. Coming off a good team win against the Lakers Wednesday night, the Pelicans travel to Minnesota to play the T-Wolves. The Pelicans will play tonight at 7pm.

IN THEATERS: New Orleans-shot ‘The Loft’, ‘Cake’, ‘Mortdecai’

The Loft

Five friends share a newly purchased loft, one that will secretly serve as a safe haven from their married lives. The five friends fall into a pit of lust and adventure until one morning they make a shocking discovery. The body of a dead young woman is found in the loft and the men begin to question each other’s loyalty. 108 min.
Rated R.

Cake

Jennifer Aniston takes a dramatic turn as Claire, a woman who initiates a dubious relationship with a widower while confronting fantastical hallucinations of his dead wife. 102 min. Rated R.

Mortdecai

Art dealer Charles Mortdecai (Johnny Depp) searches for a stolen painting that’s reportedly linked to a lost bank account filled with Nazi gold. 106 min. Rated R.

Tonight, Startup Theater Indywood Celebrates Its One-Year Anniversary with the Greatest Movie of Our Time

A few days ago, I visited with Indywood, a single screen theater located on Elysian Fields in New Orleans. Carved out of a defunct laundromat by Hayley and Will Sampson, Indywood is a startup company that’s programming independent films. Local and national fare that offers indie flicks to a community that is increasingly producing more indie content.

After their first successful year, Hayley and Will are inviting you to celebrate tonight with a free screening of Buckaroo Banzai, one of my favorite movies. Two-time Oscar nominee John Lithgow, who stars in the film, also counts it as one of his favorite. Here’s the trailer. It doesn’t give much away, but trust me, this film is hilarious and fun and I love it and if you don’t, there’s a special place in hell for you.

The screening of Buckaroo tonight is free and an ’80s dance party will follow. Pabst Blue Ribbon has graciously donated two kegs of hipster-friendly beer, although non-hipsters are also welcome to imbibe. And if you show up in costume as one of the characters from the movie, you’ll get free popcorn.

The entire night is a big thank you to the local community who has supported the theater. It begins at 9pm at Indywood, located at 628 Elysian Fields Ave, New Orleans. There’s a Facebook Page with more info. Check it out and RSVP to let them know you’re coming.

Singer Sky Ferreira Joins ‘Elvis & Nixon’ in New Orleans

Sony’s Elvis & Nixon just gained another player to their already impressive cast. Singer-songwriter Sky Ferreira joins the likes of Kevin Spacey, Michael Shannon, Colin Hanks, Alex Pettyfer and one of my first ever role models, Johnny Knoxville. With the new cast in full force, shooting will begin in January.

Boardwalk Empire star Michael Shannon will play Elvis as the ruthless House of Cards star Kevin Spacey will don his best Richard Nixon. Spacey should be quite familiar with the role of a cunning politico after his cold portrayal of Francis Underwood.

The film is based off the true tale involving the coming together of Elvis and Nixon on December 21, 1970. The meeting occurs while both men are at the height of their power and national recognition. Colin Hanks will play Nixon’s aide Egil Krough. Johnny Knoxville will be a member of the Memphis Mafia and head of security for Presley. Alex Pettyfer will play Presley’s best friend Jerry Schilling. Sky Ferreira will make her screen debut as Schilling’s love interest.

The film Elvis & Nixon has begun shooting in Atlanta and will travel to New Orleans in due time.

Adam Brody, Elizabeth McGovern and Cicely Tyson Join ‘Showing Roots’

It’s 1977 in a small Southern town when Roots is seen on television throughout an entire community. The town faces conflict as racial tensions are abruptly brought to the surface. That is the narrative setting for the new film Showing Roots, which is currently shooting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The film stars Taken’s Maggie Grace and Orange is the New Black alum Uzo Aduba as Violet and Pearl, two women who work at a beauty parlor. Downton Abbey’s Elizabeth McGovern will play Shirley, the owner of the beauty parlor. Adam Brody and Cicely Tyson will also come to the capital city to join the cast. Brody will be Bud the engineer and Tyson will play Hattie, Pearl’s grandmother.

For Cicely Tyson, this is a reprisal of sorts as she was Kunta Kinte’s mother in the original Roots miniseries. The reunion continues for Oscar-nominee Tyson as she and director Michael Wilson reunite. Wilson directed Tyson in Broadway’s The Trip To Bountiful. Tyson would go on to win the Tony Award for the play.

Wilson is directing from a script written by Susan Batten. Batten used bits of her own life to tell this story. “I grew up going to a beauty parlor and Roots changed my worldview and my whole town,” she said according to Deadline. “Nobody every really taught us about slavery history, or if they did, it was extremely brief. It changed my generation.”

Mary-Louise Parker also stars. The film begins shooting in Baton Rouge in January.

The Paramount at South Market Opens Its Doors

The Paramount at South Market, a new luxury development from The Domain Companies, is now leasing 209 premier apartments and welcoming first-class restaurants and retailers in the heart of Downtown New Orleans.

Domain began its development work in New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina, focused on supporting the city’s recovery. As the Crescent City continued to experience growth that outpaced the national average, Domain saw an opportunity to create a mixed-use, transit-oriented development Downtown: the $250 million South Market District. Located at 611 O’Keefe Avenue, The Paramount is South Market’s first phase.

“The Paramount is meeting the steadily increasing demand for luxury rentals and retail space Downtown,” says Megan McNeill, Domain’s marketing manager. “The building features 209 stylish one- and two-bedroom apartments, all complemented by a suite of five-star services and amenities. We’re also excited to be welcoming some of the city’s most highly-anticipated restaurants and shops later this year.”

Every detail of the property has been selected to position it at the top of the New Orleans market, including finishes and fixtures, services and amenities, targeted LEED Silver Certification and more. The Paramount’s residents become members of the “MyDomain” program, which includes discounts and rewards for supporting local Downtown businesses. Residents also enjoy exclusive access to The Park, the first building of its kind in New Orleans, housing first-class retailers and services, five floors of car and bike parking, electric car charging stations and both bicycle and car-sharing programs.

In 2015, The Paramount will welcome an array of highly-anticipated restaurants and retailers, including:

• Ursa Major, an international small plate and craft cocktails concept from the Booty’s Street Food team.
• Willa Jean, a new bakery concept from Chef John Besh.
• Magasin Kitchen, the second Vietnamese restaurant with a fresh, healthy focus from the Magasin team.
• Blaze Pizza, a custom-built artisanal pizza restaurant.
• Stonefree, a new boutique featuring designer styles and a bohemian aesthetic.
• Barre3 New Orleans, a fitness studio specializing in the innovative barre3 system.

Meanwhile, The Park will be home to Arhaus Furniture, CVS and Hattie Sparks, the second location for the popular lifestyle boutique.

The Paramount will be especially attractive to professionally-minded residents, including those who work locally in the entertainment industry. “New Orleans is a city that welcomes creativity and the arts,” says Matt Schwartz, Domain’s principal and co-founder. “We’re seeing growth in a number of creative industries, having recently surpassed New York and California in feature film production. This creative workforce tends to want to live Downtown, where the entertainment and arts scenes are flourishing. We expect South Market to be a popular destination for that workforce.”

McNeill says The Paramount is currently offering short-term leases, in addition to offering residences that are fully furnished, two things that make the new property especially attractive to the film industry. Those interested in leasing an apartment can find out more by visiting www.paramountnola.com, calling 504.324.7750 or emailing leasing@paramountnola.com.

An Excellent Jazz Cover of Two Tracks from ‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’

Although I always preferred books to video games, I am continually impressed with the staying power of the computer and Nintendo games I played growing up. One of those near-perfect games was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

While game designers are experts in plucking the reward centers of the adolescent brain, the presence of world-class music compositions elevated the experience of using a small plastic joystick to run from objective to objective. The simple tunes, which you had to memorize and “play” during the course of the game to unlock items and passageways, are ingrained in my mind. I would know them anywhere, sooner than any song sung in school or even some popular music of the time.

Here’s a jazz rendition of a few of the themes from Ocarina of Time from the Toronto-based band BadBadNotGood. It’s beautiful even without hours invested in a twenty year old Japanese video game.

‘Glee’ Star Lea Michelle, Abigail Breslin, Emma Roberts and Ariana Grande Join ‘Scream Queens’ in New Orleans

Televisionary Ryan Murphy has found wild success on TV with Glee, Nip/Tuck and American Horror Story, which has shot its two most recent seasons in New Orleans. Now, after directing and producing the critically acclaimed TV movie The Normal Heart, Murphy will be bringing his newest show back to the Crescent City.

Scream Queens will star Glee alum Lea Michelle, American Horror Story star Emma Roberts, Little Miss Sunshine standout Abigail Breslin and even singer Ariana Grande will be making regular appearances. True Blood’s Joes Manganiello and Akeela and the Bee’s Keke Palmer will also star, along with horror film legend Jamie Lee Curtis.

The new show is Murphy’s next from his Glee team of Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. The trio will executive produce along with Dante Di Loreto for 20th Century Fox TV.

Like American Horror Story, Scream Queens will be an anthology series, one that revolves around a college campus that is rocked by a series of murders. The first season will consist of fifteen one-hour episodes set to premiere this fall on Fox.

Scream Queens is now scouting for locations in New Orleans and is expecting to begin filming the first of its fifteen ordered episodes in early March.

IN THEATERS: ‘American Sniper’, ‘Paddington’, ‘Blackhat’, ‘The Wedding Ringer’

American Sniper

One of the best films of the year. A moving, true account of the life of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. Bradley Cooper stars for director Clint Eastwood. 132 min. Rated R. 

Paddington

It’s the famous Paddington bear, this time in a live-action feature that stars Nicole Kidman and Michael Gambon. Ben Whishaw is the voice of Paddington. 95 min. Rated PG.

Blackhat

Influential director Michael Mann returns with a cyber-thriller one with a plot thats well timed with the Sony hacking scandal. Chris Hemsworth, Violia Davis and Wei Tang star. 135 min. Rated R.

The Wedding Ringer

Jobs alum Josh Gad is in need of friends and a best man for his wedding. Who else to hire but one of the biggest comedians on the planet, Kevin Hart. Watch the two as they try to throw the funniest fake wedding of the year. 101 min. Rated R.

Lucy Lawless and Stuart Townsend Join ‘Salem’ in Shreveport

Lucy Lawless and Stuart Townsend will join the Shreveport-shot Salem cast for season two. Both actors will have recurring roles. Lawless will play Countess Marburg and Townsend will play Samuel Wainright. Salem is set in the 17th century during the notorious witch trials where executions were part of the town’s narrative.

Parks And Recreation alum Lawless will switch gears from playing Ron Swanson’s wife to become Countess Marburg, a woman with the long bloodline of German witches. Townsend, who famously took the role of Lestat in Anne Rice’s Queen of the Damned, will play an English aristocrat, Samuel Wainright.

The first season starring Shane West and Janet Montgomery gained a strong following. Salem brings the witch trials to life and doesn’t stop until an execution is made.

Make sure to binge watch season one on Netflix and check out Salem’s season 2 trailer here. Also, read Scene’s exclusive interview with Baton Rouge native and Salem star Shane West here.

THE 2015 Academy Award Nominations

The 2015 Academy Award Nominations were revealed today. Take a look below.

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
American Sniper
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Steve Carell in Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper in American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Robert Duvall in The Judge
Ethan Hawke in Boyhood
Edward Norton in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Mark Ruffalo in Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons in Whiplash

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones in The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon in Wild

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Patricia Arquette in Boyhood
Laura Dern in Wild
Keira Knightley in The Imitation Game
Emma Stone in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Meryl Streep in Into the Woods

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR
Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Ida (Poland)
Leviathan (Russia)
Tangerines (Estonia)
Timbuktu (Mauritania)
Wild Tales (Argentina)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
American Sniper / Jason Hall
The Imitation Game / Graham Moore
Inherent Vice / Paul Thomas Anderson
The Theory of Everything / Anthony McCarten
Whiplash / Damien Chazelle

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) / Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo
Boyhood / Richard Linklater
Foxcatcher / E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman
The Grand Budapest Hotel / Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness
Nightcrawler / Dan Gilroy

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) / Emmanuel Lubezki
The Grand Budapest Hotel / Robert Yeoman
Ida / Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski
Mr. Turner / Dick Pope
Unbroken / Roger Deakins

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
The Grand Budapest Hotel / Milena Canonero
Inherent Vice / Mark Bridges
Into The Woods / Colleen Atwood
Maleficent / Anna B. Sheppard and Jane Clive
Mr. Turner / Jacqueline Durran

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
CitizenFour
Finding Vivian Maier
Last Days in Vietnam
The Salt of the Earth
Virunga

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Joanna
Our Curse
The Reaper (La Parka)
White Earth

ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
American Sniper / Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach
Boyhood / Sandra Adair
The Grand Budapest Hotel / Barney Pilling
The Imitation Game / William Goldenberg
Whiplash / Tom Cross

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Foxcatcher / Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard
The Grand Budapest Hotel / Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier
Guardians of the Galaxy / Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE)
The Grand Budapest Hotel / Alexandre Desplat
The Imitation Game / Alexandre Desplat
Interstellar / Hans Zimmer
Mr. Turner / Gary Yershon
The Theory of Everything / Jóhann Jóhannsson

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG)
“Everything Is Awesome” from The Lego Movie
Music and Lyric by Shawn Patterson

“Glory” from Selma
Music and Lyric by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn

“Grateful” from Beyond the Lights
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren

“I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me
Music and Lyric by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond

“Lost Stars” from Begin Again
Music and Lyric by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois

ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock

The Imitation Game
Production Design: Maria Djurkovic; Set Decoration: Tatiana Macdonald

Interstellar
Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis

Into the Woods
Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock

Mr. Turner
Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Charlotte Watts

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
The Bigger Picture
The Dam Keeper
Feast
Me and My Moulton
A Single Life

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
Aya
Boogaloo and Graham
Butter Lamp (La Lampe Au Beurre De Yak)
Parvaneh
The Phone Call

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
American Sniper / Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) / Martín Hernández and Aaron Glascock
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies / Brent Burge and Jason Canovas
Interstellar / Richard King
Unbroken / Becky Sullivan and Andrew DeCristofaro

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
American Sniper / John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) / Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and Thomas Varga
Interstellar / Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker and Mark Weingarten
Unbroken / Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and David Lee
Whiplash / Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS
Captain America: The Winter Soldier / Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes / Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist
Guardians of the Galaxy / Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould
Interstellar / Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher
X-Men: Days of Future Past / Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer