Article by Suzanne Philips

Photos Copyright Larry Cunningham/CFM

Keno

As animal lovers probably already know, the 2015 Puppy Bowl will take place tomorrow at 3pm on Animal Planet.  The annual show, which features rescue dogs from all over the country, has become an alternative for many to the Super Bowl.  The game offers many of the features that the other “big game” will have, including a starting lineup and an award for the MVP (in this case, Most Valuable Puppy).

All of the dogs picked to be part of the game are rescue dogs and are able to be adopted and brought to their forever homes.  Last year, all of the puppies had been adopted prior to the show’s airing.

Las Vegas’ contribution to the big game is 6-month old “Keno” a wire hair Terrier mix who was dropped off at the Nevada’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ shelter with his brother in a cardboard box.  NSPCA President Kathy Jung placed Keno and his brother in a temporary foster home but also sent in an application for Keno to appear in the Puppy Bowl.

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman with Keno

The City of Las Vegas has really gotten behind their hometown hero, and this Wednesday, Mayor Carolyn Goodman dedicated a ceremonial fire hydrant to the cute Terrier as a send off for the game.  Celebrities like “Raiding the Rock Vault”s Paul Shortino  and the Las Vegas Review Journal’s Norm Clark were also on-hand to wish Keno well.

Paul Shortino of “Raiding the Rock Vault” with wife Carmen

Las Vegas Review Journal’s Norm Clark with Keno

The 2015 Puppy Bowl airs on Animal Planet on Sunday, February 1st at 3pm.  For more information on the 2015 Puppy Bowl, check out www.animalplanet.com.

Sasha Roiz at San Diego Comic Con. Photo copyright Suzanne Philips/CFM

The cast of the supernatural-themed show “Grimm” will host inaugural GRIMM gala to benefit patients and families of Portland’s Doernbecher Children’s Hospital on February 7th.

“Grimm” star Sasha Roiz, who plays Captain Sean Renard on the hit NBC show, has set up a fund called The Grimmster Endowment to directly help these families in need. We asked him some questions about his motivation to set up the endowment and the support he has received from the show and the city of Portland.

CFM asked how Roiz got involved with the hospital and why he decided to help.  “The cast and I made a visit to the Children’s hospital (Doernbecher) in our first season and were moved by the dedication of the staff and the personal interactions we had with the patients and their families” said Roiz.  “Certain personal experiences I had with individual patients left a profound impression with me and made me very aware of the need for more financial assistance to support these families in their most vulnerable time. It was then that I began an endowment with the hospital named after our loyal fanbase – The Grimmsters. It is my hope that with the upcoming gala and donations from fans worldwide, we will be able to leave a source of support for this wonderful community. ”

“Grimm” cast photo. Copyright NBC/Universal

And he didn’t need to look very far for support for the project. “It’s meant the world to me” Roiz said of the support he has received from both the show and NBC.  “When I first proposed the idea for a fundraiser, our generous producer Steve Oster immediately put me in touch with the right people. Our production team has committed to help and prepare the space, the countless auction items that production donated and their support for this event is what’s made this a reality. Not to mention the generosity of the people at Comcast, Nike and of course my amazing cast that have all rallied behind this mission. It’s overwhelming and very humbling. ”

Even though the GRIMM gala sold out very quickly, fans can still get involved and donate to this great cause and pick up some cool memorabilia for themselves. “The online auction and donations are open worldwide. Nothing would please us more than to have our global fanbase pitch in and make the name Grimmster a message of hope for many struggling families,” said Roiz.

If you would like to donate or check out more information about the event, visit  http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/about/dchf/fundraising/grimm-gala.cfm

Cast of NBC’s “Grimm” at San Diego Comic Con/Photo copyright NBC/Universal

The cast and crew of NBC’s hit TV drama “Grimm,” which is set and filmed in Portland, Oregon, are supporting OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital with the establishment of the Grimmster Endowment.

“Over the past few years, my fellow cast and crew members and I have fallen in love with the city. Since Portland has given us so much, we wanted to give something back,” said Sasha Roiz, who plays Captain Sean Renard on “Grimm.” “The cast visited OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital not long after coming to Portland, and we were moved by the families, the kids and everything the hospital does to ensure that patients receive the best possible care in a supportive, family-centered environment. We also were made aware of the hospital’s areas of greatest need, which inspired us to establish the Grimmster Endowment, a patient-assistance fund that provides children and families critical support associated with uncompensated care, travel, lodging and other services integral to the care and comfort of the most vulnerable patients.”

Fundraising efforts for the endowment will kick off with the “Grimm Gala” at the Eastside Exchange Ballroom on Feb. 7. Comcast and NBCUniversal are underwriting the cost of the event so that all proceeds will go directly to the Grimmster Endowment. The gala is sold out.

“Grimm” fans are encouraged to support the endowment by making a donation or by participating in an exclusive online auction of memorabilia from the show. The auction is open to the public and will run from Jan. 26 to Feb. 4.

Bids can be placed at grimmgala.doernbecherfoundation.org. Online auction items include the Volcanalis eye from episode 218, Monroe and Rosalee’s cake topper and wedding invitation from episode 322, and drawings from the “Grimm” book, among other items from seasons one through four.

“Grimm” airs on NBC on Friday nights at 9pm.

THE STANLEY FILM FESTIVAL INVITES YOU TO COME PLAY APRIL 30 – MAY 3, 2015

The Denver Film Society Announces Hotel and Ticket packages are on sale for the 

Stanley Film Festival

Set at the notoriously haunted and historic Stanley Hotel, inspiration for Stephen King’s THE SHINING, the Stanley Film Festival (SFF) showcases the best in classic and contemporary horror cinema in beautiful Estes Park, Colorado. Presented by NBC Universal’s Chiller, the SFF will take place April 30-May 3, 2015. Produced by the Denver Film Society, the festival is dedicated to crafting a more interactive experience for genre filmmakers and fans.

The Stanley Hotel

“We are thrilled to once again partner with the Stanley Hotel to produce this festival,” said Tom Botelho, Executive Director, Denver Film Society.”We invite fans of horror to delve deep into the paranormal mysteries of the hotel and come play with us this spring at the Stanley Film Festival.”

Last year’s festival screened over 20 feature films, 7 retro titles, 19 shorts, and 8 student shorts with 23 countries represented. Special guests from 2013 and 2014 include: SpectreVision co-founders and Visionary Award Winners, Elijah Wood, Daniel Noah and Josh Waller, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night Director Ana Lily Amirpour, 2014 Stanley Film Festival Master of Horror Award Winner, Joe Dante, director of What We Do In The Shadows (Winner of the Audience Award for Feature Film), Taika Waititi, Eli Roth (2013 Visionary Award Winner) and more. In addition, the Festival provided a fully interactive experience thanks to panels, live shows, special secret events and a unique horror immersion game that invited the player to solve a series of mysteries spanning the weekend.

“The Stanley Hotel offers a perfect retreat for fans of the genre, filmmakers, and experts to recharge and get inspired by becoming fully immersed in our dark playground,” says Landon Zakheim, Program Director for the Stanley Film Festival.

Screenings and special events at the Stanley Film Festival will take place at The Stanley Hotel and throughout Estes Park. All access packages to attend the Stanley Film Festival and stay at the historic hotel for all 3 nights of the festival are on sale now, starting at $666/person. Festival patron and ticket passes range from $45.00 (day pass) to $295.00 for an all access patron pass.  Space is limited on all packages, so guests are encouraged to book early. For more information regarding ticket and hotel packages, visit www.StanleyFilmFest.com or click here.

Article by Suzanne Philips

Photos copyright popsugar.com and Tafriha Ahmed/CFM

Richard Armitage. Copyright Popsugar.com

Richard Armitage, who can currently be seen as Thorin in “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” will be joining the cast of NBC’s hit show ” Hannibal” for it’s third season.

Armitage will play Francis Dolarhyde, a serial killer whose habit of biting his victims has earned him the nick-name “The Tooth Fairy”.  Dolarhyde was the primary antagonist in Thomas Harris’ “Red Dragon” novel and subsequent film adaptation which had the character played by Ralph Fiennes .  Armitage will have a 6-episode arc, which begins with the season’s eight episode.

Richard Armitage at Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Ceremony for Peter Jackson. Photo copyright Tafriha Ahmed

Season 3 of “Hannibal” should premiere in late spring or early summer of 2015.  The show airs on the NBC network.

Wizard World and Skybound, Robert Kirkman’s imprint at Image Comics, have announced that Eisner Award winning artist Steve Lieberhas drawn the second in a yearlong series of Limited Edition Exclusive Variant Covers of The Walking Dead #1 comic, to be provided free to all full-price attendees at Wizard World Portland Comic Con, January 23-25.

The exclusive The Walking Dead #1 edition will be produced in extremely limited quantities and is available at registration to fans at the Oregon Convention Center only while supplies last. VIP attendees will receive an additional black & white sketch version of the comic.

Lieber, whose publishers include DC Comics, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image, Scholastic and many others has worked on characters like Batman, Superman, Hellboy and Road to Perdition, but he’s best known as the artist of the graphic novel Whiteout and its Eisner-winning sequel, Whiteout: Melt, which were adapted by Warner Brothers as a movie starring Kate Beckinsale. The Portland resident recently completed two Alabaster graphic novels at Dark Horse, and is currently illustrating Superior Foes of Spider-Man for Marvel.

Stars of “The Walking Dead” TV series scheduled to attend Wizard World Portland Comic Con include Steven Yeun, Sarah Wayne Callies,Michael Cudlitz, Josh McDermitt, Michael Rooker and Jon Bernthal.

Get your tickets today at http://www.wizardworld.com/portland.html