FIFTEENTH ANNUAL TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES JURIED AWARD WINNERS

The 15th annual Tribeca Film Festival, co-founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff, and presented by AT&T, announced the winners of its competition categories at the awards ceremony at 42 W NY. Top awards went to Dean, Junction 48, and Do Not Resist. The Festival runs through April 24, 2016.

For the first time in the Festival’s history there were separate US and International narrative competition categories. In total winners were awarded in the following feature film competition categories: US Narrative, International Narrative, World Documentary, New Narrative Director, The Albert Maysles New Documentary Director, and the Nora Ephron Prize.  Awards were also given in the short film categories: Narrative, Documentary, and Student Visionary.  

In addition, the Festival announced the recipients of the Storyscapes Award, for immersive storytelling, and the inaugural Tribeca X Award, a new juried award for branded storytelling recognizing the intersection of advertising and entertainment.

This year’s Festival included 102 features, 74 short films, and 38 immersive storytelling projects from 42 countries.

“We are proud to celebrate the winning filmmakers, artists, and creators from our 15th edition,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder, Tribeca Film Festival. “Their stories have entertained, inspired, and challenged us to think about the world and we are grateful to them for sharing their work with us.”

Screenings of the award–winning films will take place throughout the final day of the Festival: Sunday, April 24, at various venues. Specific times and ticketing information are available at www.tribecafilm.com/festival.

The winners of the Audience Awards, powered by Infor, which are determined by audience votes throughout the Festival, will be announced on April 23.

In addition to cash awards and in-kind services provided by sponsors including AKA Hotel Residences, AT&T, Bira 91, Coach, Company 3, Freixenet Cava, HBO, Infor, and Netflix, the Festival presented the winners with original pieces of art created by 10 contemporary artists: Keith Edmier, Marc Hundley, Zak Kitnick, John Miller, Virginia Overton, Laura Owens, Josh Tonsfeldt Sara VanDerBeek, Stephen Hannock and Clifford Ross.

The winners, awards, and comments from the jury who selected the recipients are as follows:

U.S. NARRATIVEFEATURE COMPETITION CATEGORIES: 
  
The jurors for the 2016 U.S. Narrative Competition, sponsored by AKA Hotel Residences,were Anne Carey, James Le Gros, Chris Nashawaty, Mya Taylor and Jennifer Westfeldt.

• The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – Dean, written and directed by Demteri Martin. Winner receives $20,000, sponsored by AT&T, and the art award “Waking Up in the Painted World” by Stephen Hannock. The award was given by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal joined by Fiona Carter, SVP of Brand Marketing, Advertising, and Sponsorships, AT&T, and Jennifer Westfeldt. 
  
  Jury Comment: “We have had the great privilege of seeing ten accomplished and ambitious films over the last seven days here at Tribeca. But we all fell in love with this next film. It manages the near impossible task of breathing new life into a well-worn genre, balancing humor and pathos with an incredibly deft touch, and offering a unique perspective on the way we process loss.”

• Best Actor in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film –Dominic Rains in The Fixer. The award was given by Chris Nashawaty.
  
  Jury Comment: “For his deeply emotional and empathic portrayal of a man who’s a stranger in a strange land.”

• Best Actress in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Mackenzie Davis in Always Shine.The award was given by Mya Taylor.
  
  Jury Comment: “For the unapologetic, fierce, brave, compelling, and vulnerable portrayal.”

• Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Michael Ragen for Kicks. Winner receives $50,000 in post-production services donated by Company 3. The award was given by Anne Carey along with David Feldman, Company 3 Director of Feature Services. 
  
  Jury Comment: “At times lyrical and other times visceral, the seductive cinematography of this film lured us into the violent world of busted childhood.”

• Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Women Who Kill written by Ingrid Jungermann. Winner receives $2,500 sponsored by Freixenet Cava. The award was given by James Le Gros along with Tom Burnet, President, Freixenet America.
  
  Jury Comment: “As Miles Davis said, ‘The hardest thing is to be original.’ This unique and deftly hilarious tale told in Brooklyn is from a fresh voice and a true original.”

INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE  FEATURE COMPETITION CATEGORIES: 
  
The jurors for the 2016 International Narrative Competition were Hany Abu-Assad, Jean Reno, Lydia Dean Pilcher, Sam Taylor-Johnson and Danny Glover.

• The Best International Narrative Feature – Junction 48, written and directed by Udi Aloni. Winner receives $20,000, sponsored by Netflix, and the art award “Temple of the Moon” by Sara VanDerBeek. The award was given by Danny Glover.
  
  Jury Comment: “This award goes to a phenomenal, stand-out, powerful, thoughtful movie. It offers a new perspective and insightful approach to a story about how to be different and live together.”

• Best Actor in an International Narrative Feature Film –Alan Sabbagh in The Tenth Man. The award was given by Jean Reno.
  
  Jury Comment: “A performance of natural subtlety that reflected a community that is unknown to most of us. An intriguing journey for connection in search for identity.”

• Best Actress in an International Narrative Feature Film – Radhika Apte in Clean Shaven, a part of Madly.The award was given by Jean Reno.
  
  Jury Comment: “This award goes to an actress who has conveyed bravery and emotional depth in different relationships around her.  A contemporary story that breaks through established culture.”

• Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Kjell Vassdal for El Clasico . Winner receives $50,000 in post-production services donated by Company 3. The award was given by Sam Taylor-Johnson along with David Feldman, Company 3 Director of Feature Services.
  
  Jury Comment: “This award goes to an expansive, naturalistic photography in serving the narrative and the emotional journey of the characters.”

• Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature Film – Perfect Strangers written by Filippo Bologna, Paolo Costella, Paolo Genovese, Paola Mammini, and Rolando Ravello. Winners receive $2,500 sponsored by Freixenet Cava. The award was given by Hany Abu-Assad along with Tom Burnet, President, Freixenet America.
  
  Jury Comment: “This award goes to a well-crafted, entertaining scenario, with deep character development. It’s an original story about private lives and hidden secrets.”

WORLD DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION CATEGORIES: 
  
The jurors for the 2016 World Documentary Competition, sponsored by Bira 91, were Laura Poitras, Douglas Tirola and Roger Ross Williams.

• Best Documentary Feature – Do Not Resist, directed by Craig Atkinson (USA). Winner receives $20,000, sponsored by Netflix, and the art award “Untitled” by Virginia Overton. The award was given by Roger Ross Williams.
  
  Jury Comments: “This film that uses documentary to go deep into a world with a cinematic experience.  We were excited by the directorial debut of a cinematographer who already has created a great body of work.  Do Not Resist shines a light on the frightening story of the militarization of the police.  In an impactful way the director uses his amazing access to look at power and force from the inside.”

• Best Documentary Cinematography – Cinematography by Jarred Alterman for Contemporary Color (USA).  Winner receives $2,500, sponsored by Bira 91. The award was given by Doug Tirola and Ankur Jain, CEO, Bira 91.

• Best Documentary Editing – Editing by Bill Ross for Contemporary Color (USA). Winner receives $2,500, sponsored by Bira 91.  The award was given by Doug Tirola and Ankur Jain, CEO, Bira 91.
  
  Jury Comments: “One film above all others demonstrated filmmakers completely in control of their craft.  Through both the editing and cinematography this film takes the audience deep into a unique world and its characters with nuance, emotion and beauty while also showcasing performances in a spectacular and grand cinematic way.

BEST NEW NARRATIVE DIRECTOR COMPETITION: 
  
The jurors for the 2016 Best New Narrative Director Competition were Hill Harper, Col Needham and Ry Russo-Young.  

• Best New Narrative Director – Priscilla Anany, director of Children of the Mountain (USA, Ghana). Winner receives $10,000 sponsored by HBO, and the art award “The Transit of Venus (Melanie)” by Keith Edmier. The award was given by the jury.
  
  Jury Comments: "So many of the films we had the pleasure of viewing were expertly directed and worthy of recognition. The winning director presents a fearless and heart wrenching tale of an embattled mother's high stakes journey to heal her sick child and ultimately herself. The film delicately and powerfully directs us through an emotionally resonant story that is dark for truthful reasons and simultaneously hopeful.  The best new narrative director award goes to Priscilla Anany for Children of the Mountain."

BEST NEW DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR COMPETITION:

The jurors for the 2016 Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award were Jason Biggs, Karen Cooper and Sebastian Silva.

• Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award – David Feige for Untouchable (USA).Winner receives $10,000 sponsored by Netflix, and the art award “Lenox Hill” by Josh Tonsfeldt. The award was given by Sebastian Silva.
  
  Jury Comment: “The film opens our eyes to the suffering of people on both sides of a controversial fence.  Made with compassion for all of its subjects, the film is a fascinating look into how laws are created with the best of intentions, but enforced in problematic and sometimes destructive ways.”

SHORT FILM COMPETITION CATEGORIES: 
  
The 2016 Best Narrative Short Competition jurors were Mike Birbiglia, Chloe Grace Moretz and Sheila Nevins.

• Best Narrative Short – Hold On (Houvast), directed by Charlotte Scott-Wilson (Netherlands).Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by Netflix, and the art award “It's You and Me Kid” by Marc Hundley. The award was given by Mike Birbiglia. 
  
  Jury Comments: “The jury was moved by one particular film because it is simultaneously about the price of performance, and the entirely unique idea that the protagonist’s musical performance itself succeeds on the back of her own self-doubt, torture, and anxiety. We were also blown away by the remarkable performance of the lead actress in both her emotional depth combined with her musical proficiency.”

The 2016 Best Documentary Short and Student Visionary Award jurors were Maria Cuomo Cole, Mark Conseulos, Jessica Yu, Parker Posey and Alan Yang.

• Best Documentary Short – Extremis directed by Dan Krauss (USA). Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by AKA Hotel Residences, and the art award “Untitled (11/30/96)” by John Miller. The award was given by Maria Cuomo Cole along with Larry Korman, President, AKA Hotel Residences.
  
  Jury Comments: “This film's cinematography is intimate yet unobtrusive; its point of view is empathetic and non-judgemental. And ultimately, it respects the conflicting perspectives at a morally wrenching crossroads.” 

• Student Visionary Award – Ping Pong Coach (乒乓), directed by Yi Liu. (Taiwan R.O.C., USA). Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by HBO. The award was given by Sharon Badal, Tribeca’s Vice President Shorts Programming and Filmmaker Relations along with Larry Korman, President, AKA Hotel Residences.
  
  Jury Comments: “For its naturalistic tone and compelling performances, this film impacted us in a real way.”

STORYSCAPES AWARD

The 2016 Storyscapes Award, presented by AT&T, which recognizes groundbreaking approaches in storytelling and technology, jurors were Jessica Brillhart, Jigar Mehta and Saschka Unseld.

• Storyscapes Award: Notes on Blindness: Into Darkness created by Arnaud Colinart, Amaury La Burthe, Peter Middleton, and James Spinney. Winner receives $10,000, presented by AT&T. The award was given by Jessica Brillhart, Saschka Unseld, and Olga Serna, Senior Marketing Manager, AT&T. 
  
  Jury Comments: “The most powerful stories allow us to see the world and its vast array of experiences through someone else's eyes.  One project took us on that journey in a most unexpected way. Through its creative use of a medium and its meticulous and elegantly crafted audio landscape. Through its dedication to nuance and aesthetic. Through its care and compassion not only for the protagonist, but for those who take the journey with him. Because as the piece so eloquently ends: ‘After all, being human is not seeing, it’s loving.”

THE NORA EPHRON PRIZE 

  The 2016 Nora Ephron Prize, sponsored by Coach, jurors were Rachael Leigh Cook, Judy Greer and Mary Stuart Masterson.

• The Nora Ephron Prize: Rachel Tunnard, director, writer and editor of Adult Life Skills (UK). Winner receives $25,000, sponsored by Coach, and the art award “Untitled” by Laura Owens. The award was given by the jury along with Margaret Coady, Executive Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and Coach Foundation at Coach, Inc.
  
  Jury Comments: “We selected someone whose originality of voice, deft handling of tone, assured visual and editorial style, and moving poetic screenplay combined to make us feel from the opening sequence that we were in good hands. She made a tiny—even miniaturized—world, seem vast. She handled grief in a wholly unique way. Using wit and emotional restraint to pull the audience in. And make us root for our protagonist to blow up the shed!”

TRIBECA X AWARD

The Tribeca X award, sponsored by GE, jurors were Laurie Anderson, Scott Carlson, Judy McGrath, Liev Schreiber and Hank Willis Thomas.

• Tribeca X award: Hearing Colors created by Greg Brunkalla for Samsung. The award was given by Scott Carlson and Hank Willis Thomas along with Andy Goldberg, Chief Creative Officer, GE. 
  
  Jury Comments: “We were drawn in by the story and the inventive way it was told, we loved what it taught us about ways to see the world. The piece communicated Samsung's brand values effortlessly without ever overtly talking about the brand itself. So we appreciated the approach and we appreciated that Samsung supported this film and all the creativity that made it possible. When the world is given entertaining stories and novel ways of telling these stories, there is no doubt they will be shared.”

FULL LIST OF ELIGIBLE 2016 TFF FILMS IN EACH CATEGORY OF COMPETITION: 
  
U.S. Narrative Feature Competition:

• Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature:10 films
• Best Actress in a U.S. Narrative Feature: 9 actresses
• Best Actor in a U.S. Narrative Feature: 9 actors
• Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature: 10 films
• Best Screenplay for a U.S. Narrative Feature: 10 films
• Best Editing in a U.S. Narrative Feature: 10 films

International Narrative Feature Competition:

• Best International Narrative Feature: 8 films
• Best Actress in an International Narrative Feature:  9 actresses
• Best Actor in an International Narrative Feature: 10 actors
• Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature:  8 films
• Best Screenplay for an International Narrative Feature:  8 films
• Best Editing in an International Narrative Feature: 8 films

World Documentary Feature Competition:

• Best Documentary Feature: 12 films
• Best Editing in a Documentary Film:  12 filmmakers
• Best Cinematography in a Documentary Film: 12 filmmakers

  
 Best New Narrative Director Competition:

• Best New Narrative Director: directors selected from 13 films

Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Competition:

• Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award: directors selected from 12 films

Short Film Competition:

• Best Narrative Short: 29 films
• Best Documentary Short: 16 films
• Student Visionary Award: 8 films

Storyscapes Competition:

• Storyscapes Award: 10 projects

Nora Ephron Prize:

• Awarded to a female director or screenwriter. Selected from 13 eligible films, with 6 female writer-directors, 10 female writers, and 4 female directors

Tribeca X Award

• •  Selected from more than 100 submissions of scripted and documentary work for film, TV, digital, social, and VR/AR, in both feature or short length, funded with support from a brand in collaboration with artists or filmmakers.

For more information on all of the films in the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival, please visit tribecafilm.com/festival.

 About the Tribeca Film Festival 
The Tribeca Film Festival, now in its 15th year, brings together visionaries across industries and diverse audiences to celebrate the power of storytelling. A platform for independent filmmaking, creative expression and immersive entertainment, Tribeca supports emerging and established voices, discovers award-winning filmmakers, curates innovative and interactive experiences, and introduces new technology and ideas through panels, premieres, exhibitions, and live performance.

Lenni Reviews: "Behave" by Andromeda Romano-Lax

(Image Source)

"Behave" is a fictional biography of Rosalie Rayner Watson; the wife and assistant of John B. Watson. Together they carried out The Little Albert Experiment; which studied classical conditioning in human beings. The novel starts with her time at Vassar and goes through Rosalie meeting John, becoming involved with him, and the experiment itself.

Though lovingly written, it was difficult to get fully into this book. The feel of it is poetic and lush but the main character seems so distant and cold it's hard to relate to her. It is not the writing at all because some of the descriptions are very detailed; even beautiful at times. But yikes, it was hard to pick this book back up if I put it down. And if Rosalie was distant, John was flat out unpleasant. You don't have to love babies but his flippant attitude towards his test subjects was grating. Despite being a pair of smart, capable characters; reading about them experimenting on these kids was distressing. Or maybe that's just me, I'm not a fan of making babies cry.

Overall, if reading about what Rosalie may have been like interests you and you are a fan of good writing, this book will please you. It's a solid 4 out of 5 since I just couldn't get over my dislike of the two main characters. 

For more reviews and various hi-jinks, check out Lenni's blog at Haunting Hypatia.

5 Supervillian Teams That Could Start The Next Phases Of The MCU

Hey O&G fans, Capt. America: Civil War will premiere in a couple weeks which means two years from now, we will be preparing for the Infinity Wars part 1. This will start the end of the first three phases of the MCU. That being said, what will be the next storyline? What will be the next big threat?

The Russo brothers have been quoited to have access to atleast sixty MCU characters, heroes and villains. With that many characters at their disposal, Marvel Studios could plan out some interesting stories after the Infinity Wars. Here are some suggestions of Super Villain teams that would make great stories for the next phases of the MCU.

5. Black Order

The Black Order (also known as the Cull Obsidian) are a group of alien villains that work for Thanos. They help Thanos conquer worlds where they demand tribute. Their first comic book appearance was in New Avengers Vol. 3. If Thonas is defeated at the end of the Infinity Wars, Marvel doesn't have to end his reign of terror there.  They could use this team of villains to exact a more sinister plot for revenge. The members of the Black Order are:  Black Dwarf, Corvus Glaive, Ebony Maw, Proxima Midnight, and Supergiant.

4. Skrulls

Millions of years ago, the Celestials performed genetic experiments on the reptilian ancestors of the Skrulls, resulting in three branches of Skrulls that eventually warred with one another. The Deviant branch—possessing the innate ability to shapeshift. The Skrulls would be a great for the MCU........ if Marvel Studio owned the rights (Hint,Hint, make the deal Fox) Having the Skrulls in the MCU, we could see the Secret Invasion story come to the big screen. This could also give Marvel the ability to change the Avengers line-up and add new characters.

3. Masters of Evil

The original Masters of Evil (consisting of existing Marvel Comics supervillains Black Knight, Melter, and Radioactive Man) was gathered by former Nazi scientist Baron Heinrich Zemo. The team has had different members and leaders: Egghead's Masters of Evil, Doctor Octopus' Masters of Evil, and Pre-Thunderbolts Masters of Evil. This would give Marvel the ability to mix and match Villiains for the MCU. Let's consider that they start with (Characters that might be introduced in Capt. America civil War) Baron Zemo, Crossbones, and Klaw. Leading up to Infinity Wars, Marvel could plant the seeds of these guys being the next big threat.

2. Dark Avengers

In the aftermath of the Skrull Invasion, Norman Osborn became head of the Fifty-State Initiative, the Thunderbolts Initiative and S.H.I.E.L.D.. He disbanded all three with different results. S.H.I.E.L.D reformed into H.A.M.M.E.R. with Osborn as its Director, the Thunderbolts became a secret black-ops team for him and his Cabal and the Fifty State Initiative came under his control after its founder, Tony Stark,  was blamed for the Secret Invasion  and became a hunted fugitive. This would be one the best storylines and Super Villain team for the MCU because with Sony and Marvel working on Spiderman reboot and now that the characters can interact, it could open up a huge story. Since some of the actor like Robert Downey Jr might end their run, this would be a good way to have him still in the MCU, but only with cameo's and introduce new characters. This also leads into my Number 1 Super Villain Team. 

1. The Cabal

The Cabal (a.k.a. The Dark Illuminati) was formed by Norman Osborn, a covert group set against the aims of the scattered Illuminati, made up of Namor of Atlantis, Emma Frost of the X-Men, Doctor Victor Von Doom of Latveria, Loki of Asgard, and the criminal known as the Hood. With all the movies leading up to the Infinity Wars, the theme has been some shadowy figure with a sinister plot..... why not continue! After all is said and done, the storyline about the Dark Avengers and Norman Osborn would be perfect. Every Tv, Streaming, and Movie could be affected by the backlash and start a new Story with new characters.

What do you think of our List? Did we miss any groups that would fit better? Let us know in the comments.

by Sean Tucker

Tribeca Filim Festival 2016: Virtual Arcade

Written By Justin D Williams

Tribeca Film Festival 2016 had one very interesting showcase that caught my eye this year. This showcase was Tribeca Film Festival: Virtual Arcade. While the showcase did have one or two VR games to experience. The showcase main focus was to show what can possibly the future of movie interaction. The Virtual Arcade showcase 13 VR shorts/films and all. I must say that I was really immerse on how close to the action I was. I saw two films. One film focus on an actual carnival experience which had some horror elements. I was right in the middle as the performances were going on. This was something to see and for someone who isn't too fond of clowns, this was kind of a nerving experience when I turn around and saw a clown behind me. The way VR uses the cinematography to have to whole film play all around you is definitely going to be the future. I will go on record to say that the best thing that will happen to VR will be the horror genre. The way horror is going to be able to grab us by our emotions, the way we have to use our body to see what is behind us is going to be a huge hit. Other films were also great to see. Animation was also used very well in VR. I think kids are going to really gravitate to what will be happening in 2017. Overall I had a great time interacting with some new films and getting to see some cool stuff like the Shadow technology which operates on motions and touch. If this comes back in 2017 I'm surely going to go back and check more stuff out. 

The Maiden Premieres on April 19th

THE MAIDEN, a short thriller/horror film, made its online premiere exclusively on bloody-disgusting.com on April 18. Following the 24-hour exclusive, the film will live on the-maiden.com.

 THE MAIDEN is the story of a real estate agent (Alia Raelynn) who is pushed to the edge as she struggles to close on a mysterious estate. As she goes about her business, she begins to discover that this house is not as deserted as it seems - and a very powerful and evil presence is working against her. The closer she gets to the sale, the more dangerous things get. Can she close on the house before its too late?

 Michael Chaves wrote and directed the original short. The story was inspired by the real estate crash a few years ago. “I was fascinated by how corrupt it was,” said Chaves. “I’ve always loved haunted house stories, but I wanted some kind of a twist. I started wondering ‘what happens before the young family moves in? How was someone able sell something so evil?’

The film was shot on location in Los Angeles at the famous Beckett Mansion. Chaves produced the short with his family and close friends. He enlisted his high school best friend Tristan Nyby to shoot it. Michael’s wife, Dina Buglione, did the casting. His next door neighbor David Moore and Lynda Pribyl produced it with Chaves.

“We wanted to anchor it in reality, so we shot primarily with natural light,” said Tristan Nyby, Director of Photography. “Especially for a thriller/horror, the power is in believing this is real. The house had such an amazing structure that it shaped the light really beautifully.”

For more information please visit http://www.the-maiden.com.

Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheMaidenFilm/

Twitter, https://twitter.com/michaelchaves

https://www.instagram.com/michaelchaves/

30 for 30: This Magic Moment Red Carpet Pictures

Written By Justin D Williams

I attend the 30 for 30 Red Carpet premiere and the big man himself Shaq was in attendence. Check out the pictures below. 

Giveaway: Silicon Valley Season 2 DVD

Otakus and Geeks is giving away a copy of Silicon Valley Season 2. The rules is simple just answer these 5 multiple choice questions correctly and you will be enter in our random drawing. To enter send your answers using the contact us form  http://www.otakusandgeeks.com/contact/ only one entry person contest ends 16th. 

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Actor T.J. Miller co-star in this 2016 blockbuster?

A. Deadpool.

B. Batman v Superman

C. The Boss

2. Amanda Crews previous co-star in which Steve Jobs movie?

A. Steve Jobs

B. Jobs

3. The shows intro song is called?

A. Silicon Valley

B. The Valley

C. Stretch Your Face

4. In season one the show presents an equation in?

A. Jerking Off

B. Physics 

C. Pie

5. Luis left his job to create?

A. Spaceballs

B. Hooli

C.Hiooli

DVD Details: After taking the tech world by storm last season at TechCrunch Disrupt, Richard and rest of the Pied Piper team – Erlich, Jared, Dinesh and Gilfoyle – look ahead to a bright and profitable future. But their success may be in jeopardy, thanks to big changes at Raviga, the company created by Peter Gregory, and Nucleus, the competing compression platform launched by Hooli CEO Gavin Belson. Starring a talented ensemble of series regulars, including Thomas Middleditch as Richard Hendricks; T.J. Miller as Erlich; Josh Brener as Big Head; Martin Starr as Gilfoyle; Kumail Nanjiani as Dinesh; Zach Woods as Jared; Amanda Crew as Monica; Matt Ross as Gavin Belson; Suzanne Cryer, who joins the cast as Raviga managing partner Laurie Bream; and Jimmy O. Yang as Jian-Yang. Guest star Ben Feldman returns as Ron LaFlamme; new guest stars include Chris Diamantopoulos as Russ Hanneman and Alice Wetterlund as Carla.

Bonus content for Silicon Valley: The Complete First Season includes: 

• Reality Bytes: The Art & Science Behind Silicon Valley

• Deleted Scenes 

• Six Audio Commentaries with Mike Judge, Alec Berg, T.J. Miller and many more…

Silicon Valley: The Complete First Season - Blu-ray with Digital HD, DVD

Street Date: April 19, 2016

Order Date:  March 15, 2016

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: Approx. 320 minutes (including bonus materials)

Price: $34.98 Blu-ray with Digital HD (2 BD discs)

Price: $26.95 DVD (2 SD discs)

30 for 30: This Magic Moment (Review)

Reviewed By Justin D Williams

In the mid-1990s, Orlando was the epicenter of excitement in the NBA. The young franchise, led by mega-stars Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, beat the mighty Bulls en route to the 1995 NBA Finals. They lost that year but it was clear this team from Orlando was a dynasty in the making. But the Magic’s moment on top was never fully realize.

30 for 30: This Magic Moment was a story I was personally waiting for. It's the story of the most popular teams of 90's basketball the Orlando Magics. Just like previous 30 for 30 entries this gives full light on the true story of the team. The team focuses on two main figures Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway. One thing I really enjoy about the documentary is how they showed the origins of each player. We follow the rise of Shaq from his college days to when he was picked by the Magics. On the parallel side we see the rise of Penny and how was also chosen by the Magics. Each man had their own path and journey to get to the NBA. However both men had the same goal in mine and that was winning the NBA Championship. While the film first half is heavily focus on Shaq and his influence on Orlando and his career as a hall. It was great to see that Shaq himself didn't shy away from his faults. Shaq admitted that his ego and wanting to be in the spotlight played a hand in the fall of the Magics. His insecurity of when he was injured and how Penny's rise was making him envious. Don't get me wrong the film is not all about Shaq and Penny but it shows how much of an impact these two had on the team. The film also focuses on the franchise as a whole. It tells the story of the birth of the Orlando Magics and the fear and struggles of starting a brand new franchise. Interviews with past GM''s, players and coaches are all feature in this documentary. Key moments such as Shaq breaking the rim with a slam dunk to Nick Anderson missing foul shots are all touch and explored. 

The film is one of the best I've seen from the series. It paints a great story of triumph, heartbreak and ends with a bittersweet what if question with Shaq and Penny. What if Penny didn't get hurt? What if Shaq put his ego and pride to side and didn't leave? What if Nick Anderson made that shot? 30 for 30: This Magic Moment is a story of friends, brothers and team that shocked the world but ultimately fell short due to pressure and egos. This is a must see film for any 90s basketball fan and something that will be talked about for a while.

Final Grade 4.5/5 Stars

First look at Scarlett Johansson in Live Action Ghost in The Shell

Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures have formally announced filming has begun on the live-action Ghost In The Shell movie with a still featuring Scarlett Johansson in the lead role of Major, a human/cyborg hybrid.

Johannson leads a cast comprised of Beat Takeshi Kitano, Juliette Binoche, Michael Pitt, and others. The film is directed by Snow White & the Huntsman's Rupert Sanders.

Here is a look at her as Major:

We are so pleased to be in Wellington to shoot Ghost In The Shell,” said producers Avi Arad, Ari Arad, Michael Costigan and Jeffrey Silver. “The city boasts state-of-the-art production facilities and a rich urban landscape that make it an ideal setting for a sci-fi action film. The crew-base in New Zealand working on the film is first class, and working with Sir Richard Taylor and the team at Weta Workshop is inspirational on every level. The people of New Zealand have been terrific partners in helping us bring this story and its beloved characters to audiences around the world and we are thankful for their continued hospitality.”

Ghost In The Shell is scheduled for nationwide release on March 31, 2017