Celebrities And Controversy

06 08 2007

Are the Coreys In On the Joke?

Posted by: admin in Celebrities and Controversy

Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Newsstand, Home Entertainment

It seems like another lifetime ago when Corey Feldman was the bad boy and Corey Haim was the good-boy darling. Personally, I was quite a fan of The Haim and how he said “Hello, honey” in Dream a Little Dream, and thought he was the star to the dark Mr. Feldman. Their successes succumbed to battles with drugs, and now Feldman is the clean and stable Corey trying to help his old friend regain the spotlight. The New York Times spent some time with the actors, whose faux reality show premiered last night, and as Feldman sees it: “We’re producing. We’re in on the joke.” But are they?

Earlier this month, Erik Davis posted about a clip from the show where Feldman tells Haim that he was approached for The Lost Boys sequel, but they didn’t want Lucas too. Haim cried, and the pair shared a particularly creepy, sad moment. I would hazard a guess that Haim is trying to be in on the joke in order to help his career, but not completely feeling it — sort of a “Hey, I’m cool and can make fun of myself! Hire me!” In the Times piece, Mickey Rapkin describes a point in their dinner where a young woman approaches their table for a picture of Feldman. When she was walking away, Feldman called after her: “Corey Haim is right there. Take his picture.” Rapkin then describes: “The fan turned to Mr. Haim. ‘Do you want me to take your picture?’ she asked reluctantly. He was already leaning back, posing.”

The scene sounds like something that would’ve been perfect for the show — if they follow the same theme as the clip — Feldman trying to help his struggling and sad friend. The pair might be producing the show, but I wonder if this will just make people pity and joke about Haim all the more, instead of helping the actor move past his struggles. At least Haim didn’t bite on another pitch, where a producer wanted him to “knock on the doors of former co-stars to see if they would let him in.” Ouch. If any of you have seen The Two Coreys, what do you think?

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06 08 2007

Bollywood Star Sanjay Dutt is Heading to the Slammer

Posted by: admin in Celebrities and Controversy

Filed under: Action & Adventure, Drama, Foreign Language, Independent, Celebrities and Controversy, Cinematical Indie

These days, hearing about drugs and cinema usually brings to mind a certain Miss Lohan and her struggles with booze, drugs and reckless driving. Sometimes, that’s only the start. Famous Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt has had a rough go of things. A struggle with drug addiction and the deaths of both his mother and first wife were unfortunately just the beginning of the famous actor’s plight. Along with much Bollywood success in films like Mission Kashmir and Lage Raho Munnabhar, Dutt found himself in deep water. Way back in 1993, he was arrested in connection with the terrible bombings in Mumbai in 1993, which killed 257 people. After many years and investigations for further troubles like money-laundering and connections with kidnappers and extortionists, he’s heading to jail.

The actor’s connection to Mumbai — he had acquired a mass of weapons believed to be part of the consignment used in the bombings. He kept one of the pieces, a rifle, which he later instructed his friends to destroy when he came under suspicion. Fourteen years after his original arrest, and on bail since 1995, Dutt has been sentenced to six years in jail and fined 25,000 rupees ($625). Judge Pramod Kode said: “The crime was not brutal, cruel, ghastly, inhuman, not anti-social, not immoral and did not result in any harm to anyone,” but he added that it was still a serious offense.

This might stop his acting career, but I’m thinking the chances for a biopic are pretty good — famous terrorism, drug addiction and death? What else does a story need?

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06 08 2007

Matt Damon’s Best & Worst Movie Roles

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Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Best/Worst, Hold the ‘Fone

Matt Damon's Best & Worst Movie Roles Matt Damon’s come a long way since playing the lobster-challenged little brother to Julia Roberts‘ love interest in Mystic Pizza. He’s come even longer since appearing as an extra in Field of Dreams (he was the guy next to Ben Affleck). And while he may not be quite as “celebrated” a celebrity as close pals and Ocean’s co-stars Brad Pitt and George Clooney (though it’s safe to say he’s left Ben in the dust), he’s got one major advantage: his OWN booming franchise.

Not only do they rake in the cash, but the Bourne movies seem to get better and better (just check out the reviews for Ultimatum). That never happens. So is it safe to say amnesiac spy Jason Bourne is the best role of Damon’s career? Or was it as Good Will Hunting, the movie that introduced Matt and Ben to the world and earned Damon a Best Actor Oscar nomination. Or maybe it was one of Damon’s two triumphs in 2006, The Good Shepherd or The Departed. And what was his worst? Moviefone takes a crack at ranking Damon’s best and worst roles. Check it out, then argue the fine (and not-so-fine) points below.

06 08 2007

Will the Real Asger Leth Please Stand Up?

Posted by: admin in Celebrities and Controversy

Filed under: Documentary, Independent, Celebrities and Controversy, Cinematical Indie

In an age when fansites, blogs and message boards make talking about film as lively and slippery as a bucket of eels, strident critics of films can make their voices heard more loudly than ever; in a bizarre turn of events, though, it seems that a fierce critic of Asger Leth’s documentary The Ghosts of Cité Solei is actually posing as the filmmaker himself.

In a story at GreenCine’s Daily blog, David D’Arcy tells how last Friday a vehement critique of The Ghosts of Cité Solei titled “Leni Riefenstahl Goes to Haiti” was mailed out from the e-mail address ‘asgerleth79′ via a well-known free e-mail domain to a number of recipients. D’Arcy contacted the Asger Leth, who explained that he had no link to the e-mail — and how his documentary’s gripping examination of life in Haiti’s slums, which is fiercely critical of ex-Haitian president Aristide, has earned the attention and activism of pro-Aristide activists.

Leth’s calm about this latest salvo in the campaign against his film: “They want to discredit the film as much as they can, but they’re pissing up against a hurricane …” It’s also worth noting that the e-mailed review, credited to Charlie Hinton of the Haiti Action Committee, also turns up on the IMDB boards for The Ghosts of Cité Solei, suggesting a fairly concerted campaign against Leth’s film. The piece doesn’t offer if the real Leth is pursuing any legal action (I can’t imagine how the real Leth would even begin to try and track down the impostor), but it’s certainly a bizarre tale of identity and politics in film. …

06 08 2007

Fox Pulls Out of ComicCon

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Filed under: Action & Adventure, Celebrities and Controversy, Fandom, Exhibition, 20th Century Fox, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, ComicCon

They’re claiming that none of their films are ready yet, but is that the real reason 20th Century Fox has decided to pull out of next week’s San Diego ComicCon? The studio was previously scheduled to hold a “star-and-filmmaker-studded panel” next Friday in the main hall, featuring exclusive first looks at films like Aliens vs Predator, Jumper, Babylon A.D. and Hitman. While practically every other major studio (Warner Bros., Paramount/Dreamworks, Lionsgate, New Line, Sony Pictures, Universal and Walt Disney) still have plans to appear, Fox has officially pulled out. Or have they? According to The LA Times, the studio was reconsidering that decision yesterday afternoon — meanwhile, ComicCon organizers were scrambling to fill their much-coveted slot.

This hasn’t been the greatest of weeks for Fox. Earlier, there was a whole big stink going on in Chicago over Fox’s apparent snub of some film critics when it came to invites for advanced screenings of their films. From what I understand, The Chicago Film Critics Association has instituted a boycott against Fox releases. The boycott won’t affect reviews; instead, they’ll be staying away from additional coverage like features, interviews, etc … Personally, I’m a bit peeved as well after finding out yesterday that the only Simpsons Movie screening happening in the New York City area (that I’m aware of) is taking place the night before the film will be released. And, as far as I can tell, the same goes for the rest of the country. So, while I usually like to have a day or so to sit with a film before I review it, I now have a few hours.

Whether or not this ComicCon pull out has anything to do with the aforementioned boycott — I don’t know. I do know, however, that Fox has become a major player when it comes to fighting movie piracy (they’re one of the studios who wanted to ban advanced screenings in Canada), and so perhaps it’s not a question of whether their footage is ready — but, instead, has to do with them being afraid that same footage will be on YouTube within the hour. Oh, and I should note that Fox Atomic will still be attendance … handing out raffles, or something. Yay! Raffles!

Continue reading First Run Acquires Sundance Doc ‘For the Bible Tells Me So’

06 08 2007

First Run Acquires Sundance Doc ‘For the Bible Tells Me So’

Posted by: admin in Celebrities and Controversy

Filed under: Documentary, Independent, Deals, Sundance, Celebrities and Controversy, Distribution, Movie Marketing, Politics, Cinematical Indie

One of my fave films at Sundance this year was For the Bible Tells Me So, a documentary exploring the disconnect between what most Christians believe about homosexuality versus what the Bible actually has to say on the subject and,in particular, the way the Christian right has used misinterpretation of the Biblical take on the issue to shut homosexuals out of their faiths.

Director Daniel Karslake scored some amazing interviews to flesh out the film, including Bishop Desmond Tutu, Rabbi Zachary Mayer, and, at the center of the film, Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay man to be elected Bishop of that denomination. Robinson’s election was controversial and divisive, and he and his partner received so many death threats that he had to wear a bullet-proof vest under his robes at his consecration (because Jesus was all about the death threats, right?)

06 08 2007

Lohan’s ‘Poor Things’ Shuts Down for Good?

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Filed under: Comedy, RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy, DIY/Filmmaking

Now that Lindsay Lohan is officially out of rehab (and wearing a “Thou Shalt Not Do Anything Stupid” ankle bracelet), the girl should have plenty of time to start shooting the dark comedy Poor Things; that film starring Shirley MacLaine we told you about back in May. Remember how there was talk Lohan would be replaced in the flick, until MacLaine came to her rescue and issued a bizarre statement, saying they were rearranging the schedule of the film so Lohan can shoot her scenes following the 30-day stint in rehab? Remember all that? Well, according to one of the most reliable sources in the world (ahem, Page Six), the plug has been pulled on Poor Things for good. As in, the movie is dead. Page Six cites an email from production designer Fontaine Beauchamp Hebb (I’d like to see that on a birth certificate) to product vendors GE and Dell (both of whom were promised placement in the film in return for cash) that came attached to the subject line: “Poor Things has been cancelled.”

Apparently, the body of the email read as follows: “Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news, but I just received a call from Jacky Gilardi, the producer, pulling the plug on the ill-fated film. Apparently, Ms. Lohan’s antics in Las Vegas over the weekend have scared the bond companies and all of the funding has been pulled . . . I look forward to working together in the future and trust our next project will not be as fraught with difficulty.” It should be noted that one of Lohan’s friends called bullsh*t on the email, telling Page Six the actress had nothing to do with the movie shutting down. Says the friend: “It was a mess to begin with. They randomly fired Channing Tatum for Giovanni Ribisi, and then financing fell through because producers spent money like water. It was only supposed to cost $4 million — Lindsay was being paid nothing for that role.” As expected, everyone involved with the film declined to comment. So until final word comes through, I’d say you should chalk this one as another “Lohan ruined everything” rumor. Poor thing … even when she’s sober, she can’t catch a break.

06 08 2007

Now Playing at Cinematical Indie: Amy Berg on the Catholic Church Payout, John Sayles Gets an Award, and the Scoop on Mandy Lane

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Filed under: Classics, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Foreign Language, Independent, Casting, Deals, Celebrities and Controversy, Distribution, The Weinstein Co., Family Films, Movie Marketing, Politics, Michael Moore, Lists, Cinematical Indie

Have you been reading Cinematical Indie lately? If not, here’s what you’ve been missing …

INDIE FILM GRAB BAG

Atom Egoyan will start shooting on his newest film, Adoration, this fall — his first since 2005’s Where the Truth Lies.
Cinematical Indie Seven: Documentaries worth catching on DVD …
Deliver Us From Evil director Amy Berg (pictured) talks to Cinematical Indie about the $660 million payout by the Catholic Church to victims of clergy sexual abuse, and how she feels about Cardinal Roger Mahony’s “apology” to the victims.

FEST NEWS

Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Fest announces its lineup, which includes some retro films (Grease, Raiders of the Lost Ark). It’s Michael Moore’s fest, so it’s a given that there are plenty of social-issue films, but there will also be other fest fare like Waitress, Paprika and The King of Kong.
Heading to a slightly more exotic locale, news from the Thessaloniki Film Festival is that the fest will be honoring one of Monika’s fave directors, John Sayles, with a “Golden Alexander.” The fest will also screen the European premiere of Sayle’s latest film, Honeydripper (Monika wrote earlier this month about Honeydripper being selected for Toronto … busy year for Sayles.
The Middle East International Film Festival, announced at Cannes earlier this year, has a Festival Director: film fest veteran Jon Fitzgerald, who helped launch Slamdance and has worked for AFI and, well, lots of other fests. The fest will be held in October in Abu Dhabi, and the main site of the fest is the truly stunning Emirates Palace. Seems like the organizers of the fest intend to make it a major business-oriented fest with lots of deal-making going on … it will be interesting to see how Fitzgerald grows the fest, and if it eventually becomes a key fest for dealmakers — kind of like the Toronto or Sundance of the Middle East. Interesting …
The AFI Dallas Film Fest has announced its call for entries for 2008, the second year of the fest, so get your films submitted.
Cinematical Indie gears up for our coverage of the major fall film fests, Telluride, Toronto and Venice.

DEALS and DISTRIBUTION

Just when we got all excited about the July 20 release of one of our fave flicks from Toronto last year, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, things got curiouser and curiouser, culminating with the announcement that — too bad, so sad — we’re going to have to wait until 2008 for the film’s official release now. Wha –? Poor Mandy — first, she didn’t get a freaking poster until two weeks before her release date, then she got dumped by the Weinsteins’ Dimension and acquired by Senator Entertainment. But never fear, the Brothers Weinstein have a positive spin on the bizarre dumping of the film, saying that Senator will give Mandy a wider release than they had planned for her, and Senator already owned her German rights anyhow … and there’s less competition in the film’s new release slot (and, just maybe, the horror genre will recover from the dreadful opening of Captivity by then — though Elisha Cuthbert’s career may not). Ah, Mandy. The guys dying to see the film will just have to wait a while longer … but I guess as long as a girl is trading up, it’s all good.
Speaking of the Weinstein boys, The Weinstein Company (TWC) also acquired Benny Chan’s Invisible Target … and Peter Martin ponders whether this one might head straight to DVD …
Here! Films picks up Tribeca player Fat Girls, while First Run (finally, it’s about time someone did) acquires one of my own fave Sundance flicks, For the Bible Tells Me So.

INDIES ONLINE AND ON DVD

Robert Bresson’s first film, Les Anges du Péché, finally gets a DVD release, but you have to buy it from a French website.
Willy Wiggins reinvents The Outlaw Son.
Peter Martin writes up the latest indie DVD releases, including his top pick-of-the-week, Avenue Montaigne.

06 08 2007

Hold the Presses! Or, the New York Times on How Nikki Blonsky Dares to Eat (Gasp) Ribs!

Posted by: admin in Celebrities and Controversy

Filed under: Classics, Comedy, Music & Musicals, New Line, Celebrities and Controversy

Over at Hollywood Elsewhere (a frequent site of heated debates on issues like homosexuality and fatness versus thin-ness) Jeff Wells really pushed some buttons with a post about this New York Times piece on Hairspray star Nikki Blonsky by Monica Corcoran (note: login with a free account required to read it) in which Ms. Corcoran makes observations like, “To see Ms. Blonsky caper through “Hairspray,” the musical adaptation of the John Waters camp classic, is to watch a Botero come to life as she wiggles her broad backside and flaps her ample arms.” and “When plates of ribs and roast chicken arrived, she dug in with gusto.” Golly gee, with those ample arms flapping in the breeze, however did she manage to even hold onto that plate of ribs, much less sign autographs for fans?

Wells doesn’t actually weigh in (yeah, pun intended) with an opinion on Blonsky’s proportions, but boy, oh, boy do his commenters get into it. This isn’t the first time Wells and his readers have gotten into it on the issue of weight, but I find it interesting nonetheless that people are going after Blonsky for her weight (and I love all the concern about the poor girl’s health) — after all, the role of Tracy Turnblad calls for a “fat girl” — that’s kind of the whole point of the story, right? I mean, seriously … imagine, if you will, if Adam Shankman had cast uber-skinny Keira Knightley as Tracy, and stuck her in a fat suit like they did with John Travolta in the film. Plenty of people are peeved also at the casting of Travolta in a fat suit instead of a real woman of larger proportions playing that role, by the by, even if the casting is a sort of homage to Harvey Fierstein and Divine.

I’ve not seen Hairspray yet, but by all the accounts I’ve read of the film, Blonsky’s performance is pretty darn good — how about discussing how she compares to Ricki Lake, or to any of the actresses who played Tracy on stage? Here’s what I predict: Within a couple years, Blonsky’s agent and PR people are going to convince her that she has to lose weight in order to continue having a career (after all, there are only so many roles for fat girls out there, right?) and we’ll see a miraculous transformation ala Ricki Lake — I can see the tabloid headlines now: “Former Fatty Nikki Blonsky: How I Stopped Eating Ribs With Gusto and Shed 50 Pounds!” Then she can start hanging out with Paris Hilton, get drunk at nightclubs, flash her crotch getting out of limos, and end up in rehab. Maybe then people will talk about her talent, and not her weight.