April 26, 2024
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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?
So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.
And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.
There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.
I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.
But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”
My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher
“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.
~ David Simon
The September-November wide release movies I’m genuinely looking forward to:
“It 2” (of course I want to see how it ends; just wish it wasn’t 3 frigging hours long)
“Goldfinch” (John Crowley’s follow-up to my beloved “Brooklyn”)
“Hustlers” (looks like Girlpower fun)
“Downton Abbey” (the TV series was a guilty pleasure for me; hoping the same from the movie spin-off)
“Ad Astra” (James Gray; bow)
“The Joker” (Phoenix; Phillips)
“Gemini” (it’s all about Ang Lee–despite a distressingly meh trailer)
“The Addams Family” (perfect Halloween-y fare w/ a smell vocal cast)
“Maleficent” (Jolie, Pfeiffer, Elle, duh)
“Zombieland 2” (the cast more than the zombies)
“Terminator: Dark Fate” (Mackenzie Davis; the return of Linda Hamilton; hope springs eternal)
“Motherless Brooklyn” (Norton’s Tourette’s schtick looks like it could grow tiresome, but this sounds crazy-ambitious for a 2019 studio film)
“Last Xmas” (Paul Feig, and I’m a sucker for sappy feel-good Yule movies)
“Doctor Sleep” (a sort-of “Shining” sequel)
“Ford v Ferrari” (if any movie-lover doesn’t want to see this, they probably don’t have a pulse)
“Charlie’s Angels” (Kristen Stewart having fun)
“The Good Liar” (Bill Condon; Helen Mirren; Ian McKellan)
“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” (more for Marielle Heller–whose first two movies were fantastic–than Hanks channelling his inner Fred Rogers)
“Knives Out” (one of my favorite recent trailers: really hoping it’s more “Looper” or “Brick” than “The Brothers Bloom”)
“Queen + Slim” (fantastic trailer: if it’s as good as it looks, it could be an awards player as well)
“Frozen 2” (just because)
No ‘Irishman’, Movieman? Is that a Netflix thing or are you genuinely not enthused?
I used Mojo as my guide, Wally.
But “Irishman” and the new Baumbach for sure.
P.S.= That should have been “SWELL vocal cast,” not “smell vocal cast.”
Spell Check, sigh.
And in late-ish breaking news, the “Breaking Bad” movie premiering on Netflix in October can join my (already considerable) list.
I have been obsessed with Motherless Brooklyn since first reading the novel forever ago. The trailer looks like Norton understands the tone. Thr tourrettes was a really effective gimmick in the novel. Only issue with Norton is casting himself. The character is supposed to be a brute of a guy, which makes the affection more…endearing? Dunno. Anyway. I want to really see Joker.
JOKER is going all-out–TIFF and NYFF slots, 70mm engagements in multiple cities…
The “special screening” slot of “Joker” at NYFF is especially surprising since Kent Jones seems anathema to anything–besides shitty Robert Zemeckis and Michelle Williams (take “My Week With Marilyn:” please!) movies– resembling the commercial mainstream.
Not sure whether it’s good or bad news.
But it’s certainly…interesting.
TIFF is easy. Any major studio can buy a “Special Presentations” or even “Gala.”
Yeah, but doubt they’d want to take JOKER on this route unless it’s a tsunami of… something.
Do not know exhibitor situation with houses like the Music Box doing 70mm engagement.
I remember how baffling it seemed when NYFF slotted “12 Years a Slave” outside the official program a few years back.
As if it was a digitally restored print of, say, “Teorema.”
With few exceptions (e.g., “The Social Network,” “Bridge of Spies,” “Gone Girl”) whenever Jones/NYFF singles out an ostensibly commercial studio film, it doesn’t bode well for its long-term prospects.
“Hereafter,” “About Time,” “The Walk,” “Steve Jobs,” “Billy Lynn,” “Last Flag Flying,” “Wonder Wheel,” ad infinitum.
I’m definitely intrigued by “Joker,” though, and wish it well.
Just not all that interested in Joker. I love Phoenix as much as anyone but I don’t really trust Phillips and the trailer didn’t do much for me. Just can’t get enthused for a Joker origin story.
There’s a lot I’m looking forward to and hope to see, but some stand out. It 2 to see how it ends (but yeah nearly 3 hours yikes). Ad Astra. Love James Gray and looks like it could be a visual feast. Zombieland 2. First is a good time and hopefully sequel is as well. Harriet. Good trailer and interesting subject matter. Doctor Sleep. Flanagan never did much for me but Hill House is solid and I’m intrigued. All Rise. Just saw the trailer and it grabbed me. Ford V. Ferrari. Looks fantastic. 21 Bridges. Hoping it isn’t as generic as trailer makes it look.
Knives Out and Queen & Slim. Excellent trailers. Especially the latter. Complain all the time about getting sick of seeing the same trailers over and over again for months, but I sit up in my seat every time the Queen & Slim trailer plays. So, so good.
Black Christmas. Original is a classic. 2006 version is fun. Gladly take either from new one.
I’m excited for a lot of stuff. Not gonna make a list because movieman did a great job on that.
I am worried about Joker. I say that as a lifelong Batman fan who knows the lore and various origin legends for the Joker. Something feels off. It looks like an attempt to make a realistic drama. Which is gutsy but feels wrong. I HOPE I’m wrong. I love Phoenix endlessly. This just feels like it could be a real misfire.
Can’t wait to try and ignore some 80-year-old coughing up blood on a fish over rice platter while trying to watch “Joker” (well, anything really) at NYFF.
“Two Lovers” I think will remain my favorite gray. “Lost City of Z” was a not good movie. “The Immigrant” had its charms but didn’t come together, and spatially, it didn’t make sense. That final shot didn’t make sense. “Ad Astra” does not look good.
Count me in for anything Marielle Heller related.
Second the Heller love. She is fantastic.
In terms of limited release, and I’m sure I’ll forget at least a few titles, Depraved looks good. Love Larry Fessenden. Really like the new Lucy in the Sky trailer (that’s probably wide release but Mojo has it limited right now). Parasite of course. That looks incredible. Jojo Rabbit. The Lighthouse. Those could also be wide releases? Trick. The Lodge. Uncut Gems.
I think I saw that Gems goes wide on Christmas Day. For all the askew looks I am throwing at Joker, its nothing about my worry about Uncut Gems, I am hoping they are both great but Sandler…… Its going to take a lot of convincing. Though I do appreciate that he is willing to do more than just make films with his buddies for Netflix.
Loved the “Uncut Gems” script when I read a few years ago–Sandler is great and OPN coming back bodes well. Seconding “The Lighthouse” as Eggers is a serious, considerate, meticulous director that is getting at some really interesting themes concerning American macabre weird as an outgrowth of forced secularism and the immigrant experience.
A lot of movies I could’ve added to my earlier list if I’d included “limited” releases (i.e., movies that will probably NEVER open anywhere near me).
I find it odd that Searchlight is apparently going ahead w/ their plans to open “Lucy” in early October; just two short weeks after Daddy Fox’s similar-ish enough “Ad Astra.”
Seems like a movie that would benefit from a late February/”Annihilation” date.
Sandler’s taken seriousness seriously many times. The Safdies!
“Punch Drunk,” “Spanglish,” “Funny People,” “Meyerowitz”…
Yep. Sandler can definitely act when he’s challenged by a strong director.
I’m anxious to see what the Safdies bring out of him.
i’d rather poke out my eye
So,smart movie people: Disney+ is the end of theaters. I’ll bet money there will be a new SW or MCU film that premiers on the service in the next 5 years or so. And then that will be that.
And some of us will (hopefully) wait for the DVD, just like with Netflix.
I think there will still be theaters, just like there are still bookstores and record stores. Maybe not as many, but still out there.
If we have to give odds on who is standing in five years, I give theaters 5 to 1 odds over Disney+. Out of Netflix, HBOmax, Comcastical, Apple, Disney+, and Amazon I see one of them folding up shop in five years.
Don’t know if it will be Disney, and we shudder in awe at their dominance, but getting into streaming they are moving into other peoples sandboxes. Looking at their stewardship of ABC, and their cable channels (which yes now include FX an early powerhouse) how competitive are they going to be? They whiffed on Agents of Shield, is the Mandolarian going to be an improvement? And after they binge Mando what are people going to watch the second weekend? Amazon and Netflix were like having a pay cable network, an add on to the monthly expenses, but these new ones are going to have to replace something whether it is a cable subscription or an existing streamer, and the people who write the checks for the household aren’t going to be persuaded by straight to video Home Alone remakes. I see each of these services eating into Netflix but none of them catching up.
Everyone now gets their pipe dream of ala carte cable, and most are going to hate it. The catchphrase Peak TV will be replaced with the buzzword Endless Churn.
As for Sandler, he ups his game for a real director, but it usually results in adequate as opposed to lazy manchild.
Punch Drunk Love was his most successful, and being surrounded with a brilliant cast and Anderson’s kinetic directing likely hid any flaws in the Sandler performance.
Jason Reitman and Tom McCarthy are real directors as well, and they crashed and burned with ‘serious’ Sandler.
So I hope Gems is great, I am rooting for it, but its a dark horse.
“The Irishman” is three-and-a-half hours?!?
Guess we’ll find out whether there can be too much of a good thing.
@hcat I don’t think this is Disney playing in anyone’s sandbox so much as redefining the sandbox. Their shock and awe approach to jamming this service with every arrow in the Disney IP closet is unprecedented. There’s no comp for it. Consider: Ewan MacGregor is signed for an Obi Wan Kenobi limited series. Like, if that’s announced as a movie it’s a huge deal.
The point here is to train people to access Disney content via this service over all other media platforms.
Amblin, I might be cynical but every arrow is still half a quiver. If I am a 28 year old cord cutter with no kids, why am I spending my money? If I am a 48 year old with grown kids why am I spending my money? It would be cheaper just to buy the digital copy of the maybe four movies a year that people would want to revisit. Hulu adds some value but when its down to only ABC and Fox content its going to seem a lot smaller. The original content is a wild card, but seems to be a majority of Marvel and Star Wars, do people want to live on a diet of exclusively that?
I love MacGregor but the fact that he signed for a tv series is less than shocking, its where his career and the industry is right now.
And is Star Wars no longer the incredible shrinking franchise? The legitimate criticisms of Last Jedi were drowned out by the whining of toxic incel fanboys, but that movie put a pretty big dent in the good will of the franchise. Solo was ignored. We get excited with each trailer and then let down by the product. Its entirely possible that by this time next year we will have a more muted enthusiasm towards Disney’s stewardship of this universe.
If I were to make a prediction, Disney + launches to 20 million subscribers, grows through the first year and then the churn starts. I don’t see them reaching 35 million.
My favorite Sandler dramatic performance is in Mike Binder’s “Reign Over Me.”
Saw “Crawl” last night and had a good time. It’s not a top-tier “B”-movie, but it’s closer to top-tier than it is to bottom-tier. I suspect that in five years people will be talking about how often they pause to watch it when stumbling across the film on cable.
But with limited resources these days, I’m using most of my movie funds on repertory screenings. Saw “Phantom of the Paradise” at last – not really my bag, but an important film for De Palma fans (such as myself) to see. I tried years ago, on video, but remember the film being poorly presented. The big-screen projection I saw – not sure if it was a DCP or DVD, but would guess it was the former – was strong. The story itself has some limitations, but I’ve never loved De Palma for his *stories.* Some of his directorial touchstones are evident here, but I feel like the style he’s known for today was still emerging at this point. (Though he’d made “Sisters” around the same time, and I feel like that’s a more fully realized “De Palma film.”) At least I have better fix on William Finley now. He’s appeared in several De Palma films, but I don’t think he starred in any of them the way he stars in “Phantom.”
Man, the JoJo Rabbit trailer played before Ready or Not and I could feel the audience cringe. My daughter and I just about high fived though. That’s going to be some interesting stuff
How Disney is going to tie the MCU to Star Wars?
“The Irishman” is three-and-a-half hours?!?
Guess we’ll find out whether there can be too much of a good thing.”
Wolf of Wall Street was over three hours and played like a rocket. To be honest, that makes me glad that I’ll be able to debut it on Netflix with the pause button in easy reach. In a way,a long movie debuting on a streaming service can actually make the storytelling more concise. Think about, for example, that scene almost exactly halfway through Avengers Endgame when Bruce Banner and the Tilda Swinton character start debating timelines and alternate realities. That might possibly be the most blatant and cynically conceived piss-break scene in movie history.
@hcat Macgregor doing a TV series isn’t the big deal here. It’s that Disney is going to use that IP to pump subs into their streaming service vs launching a tentpole film is the big deal. My comment had nothing to do with his current trajectory, pro or con. (I dno’t necessarily agree with you about his career anyway. It’s pretty obvious Hollywood sees him as a legit leading man: Dr Sleep, for instance.)
As for the target audience for Disney+…if they’ve gone to or plan on going to a theme park, seen a disney/marvel movie, etc, they’re the target audience. So ya, maybe childless millenials or whatever won’t care but I think the appeal here is a little more widespread than niche.
I don’t even care if the new Joker movie is garbage, the second trailer alone has made mainstream movies and movies about comic book characters better.
They are doing a great job teasing Joker. I just get more curious with each new trailer.
I would say 20 million subs would count as widespread appeal, I just don’t think its going to be the giant slayer some are expecting. But as to your argument that sending Boba Fett and Obi-Wan to streaming as opposed to theatrical being a big deal, after Solo this may seem more like damage control. A way to use the IP in a more economical setting. I believe both of those were pitched as stand alone movie ideas before they went to series.
I love to gripe about so many movies being overlong these days but the combination of Netflix and Scorsese makes me not worry about The Irishman being 210 minutes long. Although if I get the chance to see it in a theater that might be hard to pass up. I imagine it’ll show at the same place I saw Roma.
Joker trailers just do nothing for me other than making me think that rewatching The King of Comedy would be a better use of my time.
Well no matter what, Netflix will not go quietly into that good night. When you’re getting talent like Scorsese and now Soderbergh and Streep on your roster, you’re saying to every new streaming service to Bring It On. In any year, The Laundromat would definitely be on every Oscar Watch list.
https://youtu.be/wuBRcfe4bSo
“Joker trailers just do nothing for me other than making me think that rewatching The King of Comedy would be a better use of my time.”
King Of Comedy as an origin story for a villain is not the worst take on this material.
@Bulldog someone is gonna pick up the adults.
Going to see Midsommar director’s cut Monday. Taking my new girlfriend. She’s not a movie nerd and she’s not big of horror movies or weird stuff. But she liked the trailer. Maybe it’ll open her eyes to a new world of film. Maybe it’ll make her flee. Place your bets.
Also, The Farewell is finally in town. Need to find time for that this week.
The first thing I thought when I saw that “Irishman” was 210 minutes long was that streaming bloat–in which virtually every episode of an internet series runs 10 minutes or more than it needs to because they’re unencumbered by sponsors/commercials/etc.–is now infecting the movies steamers are making as well.
Netflix’s resuscitation of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” is perhaps the most egregious example of that disconcerting trend.
The mind boggles that “The Irishman” is the opening night film at the NYFF. (FSLC’s opening night soiree is going to get off to a very late start this year, lol.)
Naturally I can’t wait to see every second of it, but I sure hope there’s an intermission built-in for any theatrical engagements.
I can see that viewpoint amblinman. As someone who doesn’t really like superhero/comic book movies, I should appreciate attempts to veer from the norm. But the trailers just haven’t grabbed me for some reason and Phillips is a huge red flag. But we’ll see. I’ll probably end up seeing it anyway.
Scorsese movies are always long. This is a longtime passion project. I’m not surprised by the length. But streaming bloat is real and it’s often not episodes that are too long but seasons that are too long. 13 episodes when 8-10 would have been plenty.
Have a great time Bill. Hope it goes well.
@SB Yeah, I feel it too, and I’m more of a dork than you are for the material. And I *hate* prequels…and now origin stories. So go figure! 😉
The Joker is one of the few characters I’m fine with an origin story because he really doesn’t have one, and doesn’t need a canon, official version. The dramatic license is off the charts, and I doubt Phoenix would be interested in the first film in a franchise so I’m cautiously expecting something special. Phillips makes me nervous too but whatever. if the script is good, all he has to do is film Phoenix doing his thing and I’m good.
On the trailers: my understanding is that Phillips actually cut them. If this is true, I wonder if we’re not being played to an extent. The tone of the second trailer treats the Joker like this giant, triumphant protagonist. Something is off. Or it’s a sign that Phillips botched the material already.
I get what you’re saying about the second trailer. Maybe it’s that I’m not interested in an attempt to explain why Joker is the way he is. Much like I don’t want say Michael Myers explained. Can’t say I have much faith in Phillips as a writer either but Scott Silver isn’t totally terrible so maybe the script will be good? And Phoenix could definitely make it worth watching even if everything else is crap. He’s certainly that kind of actor.
I mean, it’s fine. Don’t see the movie. Whatever. See if I care.
🙁
On another note: I totally don’t get the consternation over Irishman’s running time. I don’t see that as a netflix thing. It has felt like movie run times in general have gotten longer and longer and longer. Avengers was 3 fucking hours.
Another another note: with Joker and Irishman, I’m ready for Bobby D to get a curtain call that fits his career. Silver Linings Playbook suggested he’s still got power in the engine.
Yeah, although Silver Linings was actually longer ago than I realised – seven years have gone by. I would.love to see De Niro have a great creative Indian Summer like Nicholson did in the early to mid ’00’s (About Schmidt, The Departed, The Pledge – jeez he even made Anger Management fun and enjoyable).
The only thing that would trigger warning signs on Irishman’s three hour plus runtime is that there might not be anyone there willing to rein Scorsese in. I’m a firm believer that everyone one no matter how legendary needs a strong editor or producer to keep them from flying off the rails. I always figure directors want to keep absolutely everything in, and they need a counterpoint to get them to parse it down.
The runtime on Netflix certainly wont be a problem, and given the scope and ambition of the project it could indeed earn the time, but given how Netflix has had no problem tossing money at this project to promote how prestigious their service is, I am sure no one is interested in trying to do anything that might be construed as interfering with his vision.
Um OK then. I didn’t think you’d care. Not sure what’s going on here.
Speaking of Scoresese, my wife and I rewatched After Hours. It has been easily a couple of decades since I last saw it. Still phenomenal.
In another thread we were discussing Yellowstone and Cole Hauser. I was at Family Video and they had this 15 year old gem(?) on a shelf.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcC-at7q-Ik
Now that Season 2 is over, can someone please explain the plan of the Beck Brothers? Still scratching my head on that.
I remember Paparazzi. Gibson produced it right? Should pair it with The Fanatic this weekend. Good double feature.
Hauser had quite the scene in the season finale. Granted he’s been great throughout but he really got to shine in those moments with Beth and the house. The Beck Brothers were planning to ah take down John and Rainwater by let’s see not giving the new casino slots and um being mean to John? Shit that’s a good question Pete. A bit convoluted. Just an excuse to have Neal McDonough play his 742nd bad guy. And hey he does it well. Looking forward to Sawyer as the bad guy in season three. Kind of forgot that Josh Holloway existed.
SB: The scene between Rip and Beth that you referenced in Wednesday’s “Yellowstone” finale may have been my favorite moment all season.
Powerfully moving, and Hauser just killed it.
I’d love to see him start getting some high-profile studio film assignments on the basis of his “Yellowstone” work.
Hauser is the kind of man’s man Hollywood movies have been lacking for quite some time. It’s probably why so many of the macho man jobs routinely go to Aussies and Brits.
Of course, “Justified” (and/or “Deadwood”) did nothing to jump-start Tim Olyphant’s feature film profile. Which will forever remain a mystery to me.
Completely agree with all of that movieman. What a treat it’s been to see Hauser do wonders with such a great part. Here’s hoping it leads to many more. I feel the same way about Holt McCallany. Longtime fan and he is incredible on Mindhunter. Has some very powerful moments in season two.
Just rewatched all of Justified earlier this year. In my top 5 all time for TV shows. I agree about Olyphant 150%.
Family Video? Pete are you a fellow Midwesterner?
I was just reading an article about how people’s nostalgia for Blockbuster is misplaced, but I will always defend how wonderful a place Family Video was. There weren’t the equivalent of the deep dive urban video stores (RIP Takoma Video American), but I could always find something, and pay next to nothing for it.
Fellow Midwesterner here. I don’t think we have any Family Video stores near where I live a bit north of Milwaukee, but I saw one two weeks ago in Sturgeon Bay, WI and Green Bay had one a year or two ago. I’ve given Family Video my business quite a few times.
I get why Blockbuster is bad. I get why many hate them. But from around 2003 to 2006 I lived directly across the street from one. I loved going there on a Friday or Saturday night to browse and often rent the latest direct-to-DVD horror movie. I didn’t have HBO then and used Blockbuster to rent seasons of The Wire and other shows. I was also pretty close to an indie video store and I went there a lot as well (better selection of weird/obscure stuff), but they didn’t have nearly as wide of a selection as Blockbuster. It was great to be close to both.
“often rent the latest direct-to-DVD horror movie”
My biggest problem with them. I had one two blocks away from the first house we purchased (we had just moved from renting in Takoma Park which had Video American which was Nirvana), so I had not been in a Blockbuster for years and when I entered I was shocked at how few movies they actually had. Seventy-Five percent of the stock was direct to video, I had no idea that Seagal and Mario Van Peebles had been working so steadily through the years. But that is when I took the plunge on Netflix so I think I only went in there a few more times (mostly when I had a free trial of their own mailing service).
Yeah I can see that being the case. But in say 2004 or 2005 (assuming you’re talking about a later time period) I remember the Blockbuster near me having a ton of movies and a solid mix of wide theatrical releases and low-budget, direct-to-DVD fare. DVD glory years.
This would have been 97-05 at a few different locations. At one place it took longer for the people behind the counter to check us out than it did to watch the movie. During this time they had some kind of ‘we guarantee that you will like this movie’ promotion, but at this one store they placed every single movie in one of those boxes, so I took them up on it, but it only worked a few times since the counter people had no clue how to enter a free rental into the system.
Oh I stand corrected. Must have varied by location. I recall some of those promotions. And yeah the customer service was often inept.
So on the future viewing conversation:
Uncut Gems – On the main page there is a tweet from Larry Gross stating that its fantastic and Sandler will be nominated. Very encouraging.
Dark Fate – New trailer actually looks pretty good. Still don’t think it will be as good as the first two, but this could break out of the crowd of tired attempts to continue the franchise. I might actually see the damn thing.
Irishman – Feeling better about this because I watched Birdman of Alcatraz last night and if Frankenheimer can pull 2.5 fat free hours out of that plot, an even more talented filmmaker should have no trouble filling the 3.5 of the Irishman. I just worry too much.
The IRISHMAN script by Steven Zaillian from the first attempt at financing is good, runs 134 pages. But a script’s in the rearview mirror once Schoonmaker assembles Scorsese footage,
Funny that for all the high profile stuff Zaillian has been associated with the mention of his name always instantly triggers a slideshow of Searching for Bobby Fischer in my mind. Love love love that little movie, and even though I had probably seen her in half a dozen other movie that was the first time I really noticed Joan Allen. (Linney had a small part as well)
Searching For Bobby Fischer and A Civil Action are two of my fav slept on films in recent memory. I think the latter might be the best of Travolta’s comeback roles after Pulp.
Yep Hcat, fellow Midwesterner.
Fort Wayne, Indiana to be precise. We have two Family Videos still open and 2 more in the surrounding vicinity.
Also don’t understand the lack of high profile stuff for Olyphant as I loved Justified too.
Josh Holloway had some alien invader show on USA or TNT that must have been canceled.
I was thinking of Searching for Bobby Fischer the other day, was planning on taking a look at it since I think it’s been about a decade since the last time I saw it but some of those scenes still play fresh in my mind.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Disney tries to buy a theater chain. I don’t know what kind of laws they have against vertical integration but clearly the DoJ is more afraid of Wall St than TJ police officers are of the drug cartels. Why should they split 60/40 with 3000 theater screens for Star Wars and Marvel films if they can get 100% of 2250? They’ll open Disney stores outlets by the concessions where you can order and have merch delivered to your home the next day. They’ll have their own concessions and tack on an extra buck or two enter into a Disney environment experience the moment you step through the doors.
I hope the theaters figure it out but Millennials are happy watching content on their phones, tyvm, and are so addicted they have to check out the latest one min vid while in a theater watching something they supposedly were dying to see. I missed films like Wild Rose and Being Frank but still managed to avoid films like Aladdin and Lion King and MiB because I find they only exist out of fear. I wish the aforementioned films had their shot in bigger chains.
I doubt Disney is done buying content or creators. I bet Lionsgate with its big juicy Summit tween properties is next. Disney + to get you started at infant to 12, whatever next incarnation of sparkly vampires or teenaged assassins or hunger games will take up to the age where they can drive and Marvel kicks in. Meanwhile, it’s Star Wars and live action reboots for all my 4-quad friends!
Even if erosion happens, they’ll keep jacking their price up each year so no one will notice people walking away.
I don’t even know of Disney + works. Do you get free access on demand to all the Disney Channel show? Does their content have limited availability windows? WB has AT&T/DirecTV, Universal had comcast, even if people can access Disney + directly on their Apple TV or tablets, I’m sure Disney would love to maintain their lofty carriage fees as well as get into being the mechanism to deliver digital content as an internet provider. Don’t know who owns Frontier or Dish or Cox but I could see that as being ripe to be gobbled up by Disney.
Olyphant: I don’t know that he wants to be a movie star. During Justified’s run youd think he could have parlayed that into at least one starring role. Nuttin. Hes a pretty free spirit in interviews, sounds like he’s having the time of his life.
It’s fun to look at the daily box-office chart and see a film – in this case between “Toy Story 4” and “The Art of Racing in the Rain” – that I’ve never heard of and, frankly, don’t know how to pronounce:
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=todascaen.htm
The poster screamed “Pretty Woman” to me – maybe a remake? But the plot description would indicate, “nope.”
A few searches come up empty, so I don’t think it’s playing near me.
RE: millenial tech habits
Surprisingly, Gen Xers check out their social media more than Millenials, and other generations are just as addicted. I think a big underestimated factor in all of this is that Millenials (this does not comprise people under the age of 23-24 by most definitions) are much more financial insecure than previous generations, so would just skip the movie anyway. It’s always boomers I see in theaters checking their phones and not paying attention, I assume because they have the wealth to. Anecdotally, it’s almost exclusively teenagers and boomers who act loud, rude, and entitled during films (thank god I don’t go to any films teenagers would… i guess)
Co-sign everything Spassky just said. I grimace whenever I walk into a showing dominated by boomers. Glare galore from phones all throught the film usually.
I’m a film buff and the medium means the world to me but going to a movie theater and enjoying a movie have been growing mutually exclusive for a while now.
The Joker discourse is going to be extremely healthy and productive and reasoned and will enhance our culture and make us a better people.
Gen X here. Agreed about the habits of the failed Boomer generation. Their massive ego needs keep them looking for those little notification flags.
shit’s fucked up
@SB Already exhausted. Everything is a goddamn binary choice now and it’s fucking obnoxious.
And it’s only going to get worse. So much fighting already about a movie hardly anyone’s seen that opens in more than a month.
The Discourse is all that matters, the participants no longer see Cinema.
I have not seen the film. Maybe it is an incel rallying cry. Or maybe it’s a strike against wealth inequity. Mostly likely it’s neither of these things but hey let’s fight about it because a 17 month old child being shot in the face is too real life and we have no answer for that.
My dad left us this morning.
He’d been battling Alzheimer’s for more than a decade, so it was something we all knew was coming. But it still hit like a tsunami.
Because I was essentially Dad’s caretaker for many years, I suddenly feel identity-less.
Who do I care for now?
What is my role?
Do I even have one?
Sorry for unloading like this on the Hot Blog, but I think of many of you as “family.” And sharing is what family does, right?
It’s also why I didn’t post weekend box office figures as per usual (not that there’s anything particularly interesting to report, but still).
Going to be a long, tough road.
I thought losing my mother when I was 16–she died of a heart attack: no advance warning whatsoever–would be the hardest thing I’d ever face re: a parent.
But this feels even worse.
I feel numb, rudderless, lost.
“Joker” indeed, huh?
It was my Dad who first took me to see movies like “The Graduate,” “M*A*S*H,” “Easy Rider,” “Last Summer,” “Five Easy Pieces,” “The Last Picture Show,” “McCabe and Mrs. Miller,” “The Wild Bunch,” “Straw Dogs,” “Carnal Knowledge,” “Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice,” “Satyricon,” “The Last Movie,” “Women in Love,” “A Clockwork Orange,” “The Godfather,” “Last Tango in Paris,” et al back when I was probably (much) too young. Yet it bonded us in a strange way.
He knew I was “different:” certainly unlike any kid he’d ever encountered.
But he helped nurture my individuality–and my insatiable movie-passion–by letting that particular freak flag fly.
He also saw every new Bond movie with me from “Thunderbolt” on, so there’s that.
Condolences movieman. Can’t imagine how difficult that is. Hope you find some peace in good memories of better days.
Sorry for your loss, movieman. Do you have any brothers or sisters? It’s quite common for people who assume the role of caretaker to feel that after their loved one passes. Sometimes it won’t hit for months. Comfort to you.
So sorry, MM. What great moviegoing memories, though! I’ve seen few movies with my dad, but tend to remember well the ones we have seen together.
Thanks for those kind words, gang.
Yes, Triple, I have an older sister who shared caretaking duties with me for many years.
Dad was a veritable yo-yo being passed back and forth between us every other day.
It was weird.
I believe that I’d remained an adolescent for decades past the official expiration date mostly through the indulgences of my father (and my obsession with popular culture). Pretty sure he was trying to make up for having lost my mother at such an early age by coddling me.
Yet I became his “parent”–and finally! officially!–a “grown up” in the process once he was diagnosed.
Dad was part of the “Greatest Generation.” He actually graduated high school a year early just so he could join the Navy and serve in WW II.
He worked like a dog his entire life: 6 days a week (minimum), usually 12 hours a day. And when he finally retired, he became the full-time caretaker of my grandmother.
Then he basically served the same duties to his final girlfriend who had bone cancer and lingered much longer than anyone ever expected, almost entirely
through his tireless efforts to KEEP HER ALIVE.
The Alzheimer’s didn’t really kick in until after he buried her.
I often likened him to an Energizer Bunny: always on the go, indefatigable, never taking a break.
When I was at NYU, he’d leave NE OH at midnight (alone), drive straight through the night, arrive in Greenwich Village before 8 A.M., pack me up (for summer vacation, winter break, whatever) and we’d drive straight back home.
Never once did he allow me to take the wheel no matter how much I may have pleaded to help out and give him a rest.
Watching the life drain out of him in recent years was devastating.
And I’ll never forget the look of abject horror on his face last night.
It was like he’d already glimpsed the “other side” and discovered there was nothing but an eternal abyss awaiting him.
That will haunt me for the rest of my days.
there’s nothing to say to ease grief like this but condolences movieman, your dad lives on in you <3
Movieman, my condolences.
My father suffered from dementia and was bedridden for his final years. Growing up I could count on one hand the # of days he missed work, so it was alarming how frail he became.
My advice is to focus on the man your father was and not his time at the end.
Much appreciated, Hot Bloggers.
I knew I was right to think of you as “family.”
We may disagree and even squabble from time to time, but what family doesn’t?
My condolences Movieman. I lost my dad at 16 in 1984, and he was my best friend and I still miss him every day. He was a lover of historical war movies and political thrillers, and when double features were still a thing, my brother and I went to the movies and I don’t recall what we went to see, but the second picture was Who Dares Win, which we had no interest in seeing so we walked out. When we got home early and told him we walked out and described the type of film we walked out of, he immediately picked up the newspaper, yes, the newspaper, to check the listings, and made his way to theatre for the next showing. He joked about disowning us. Lol.
I sincerely hope that you find some comfort in the memory of your dad.
Much love and condolences, Movieman. I’m glad you have all those great memories. Grief is the cost of love and it’s worth it but it’s cruel.
Embrace the memories. I sound like a goddamn cliche but as i approach 50 and lose people and have health problems it becomes clearer that those memories are the real thing.
Best wishes, and my thoughts are with you my friend
I hope we never lose the Hot Blog.
It’s the only internet “family” I’ll ever know, and I cherish all of you for your love and support.
A heartfelt thanks to all of you!
Much love, MM. We all expect to lose our parents but it’s so intensely personal in ways I didn’t expect, if that makes sense. You think you’ve resolved a bunch of shit but their loss is like an anchor dredging up a bunch of gunk as it’s pulled up. I was overwhelmed with what I was feeling. Angry that it was bothering me again at that stage in my life. Wasn’t a guy that worried about my childhood or whatnot. Then I found out I clearly worried about it way more than I knew.
So, anyway, I’m sorry. And good luck with all of it. You’ll be fine but it’s an adjustment and it sucks. Self-care, bud. Whatever that looks like for you. And lots of it.
So sorry to hear it MM, take the time to process it and mourn. Watch a couple of the shared experience and relish the time you did have with him.
My father passed in 08 and I still feel guilty watching new Bond movies without him.
My condolences, Movieman. I was busy and just saw this. Glad to know we here provide you some comfort.
Yes indeed.
One of the few bright spots of this past, very rough week has been the condolence-comments on the Hot Blog from my official internet “family.
Thanks again, gang.
You have no idea how much it meant to me.