Sunday, September 29, 2024
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Venice Film Fest Rolls the Dice with Star Directors, No SAG AFTRA Actors Like Hugh Jackman, Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Niecy Nash

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The Venice Film Festival will be light on American stars. But they’re hoping for international ones, not members of SAG AFTRA, and star directors to fill their spotlight. They lost their opening film, “Challengers,” from Italian Luca Guadagnini, with Zendaya and Josh O’Connor. They’ve got movies by Ava Duvernay, David Fincher, and Michael Mann. But no actors from those movies unless the strike is quickly resolved by the end of August.

The studios had better get their act together, pronto! Until then no Hugh Jackman, no Michael Fassbender, no Emma Stone! And no Niecy Nash!

“Lubo,” Giorgio Diritti (Italy)

“Origin,” Ava DuVernay (U.S.)

“The Killer,” David Fincher (U.S.)

“Memory,” Michel Franco (Mexico, U.S.)

“Io Capitano,” Matteo Garrone (Italy, Belgium)

“Evil Does Not Exist,” Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Japan)

“The Green Border,” Agnieszka Holland (Czech Republic, Poland, Belgium)

“The Theory of Everything,” Timm Kröger (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)

“Poor Things,” Yorgos Lanthimos (U.K.)

“El Conde,” Pablo Larrain (Chile)

“Ferrari,” Michael Mann (U.S.)

“Adagio,” Stefano Sollima (Italy)

“Woman Of,” Malgorzata Szumowska, Michal Englert (Poland, Sweden)

“Holly,” Fien Torch (Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, France)

HORIZONS

“A Cielo Aperto,” Mariana Arriaga, Santiago Arriaga (Mexico, Spain)

“El Paraiso,” Enrico Maria Artale (Italy)

“Behind the Mountains,” Mohamed Ben Attia (Tunisia, Belgium, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar)

“The Red Suitcase,” Fidel Devkota (Nepal, Sri Lanka)

“Tatami,” Guy Native, Zar Amir Ebrahimi (Georgia, U.S.)

“Paradise is Burning,” Mika Gustavson (Sweden, Italy, Denmark, Finland)

“The Featherweight,” Robert Colony (U.S.)

“Invelle,” Simone Massi (Italy, Switzerland)

“Hesitation Wound,” Selman Nacar (Turkey, Spain, Romania, France)

“Heartless,” Nara Normande, Tião (Brazil, France, Italy)

“Una Sterminata Domenica,” Alain Parroni (Italy, Germany, Ireland)

“City of Wind,” Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir (France, Mongolia, Portugal, The Netherlands)

“Explanation for Everything,” Gábor Reisz (Hungary, Slovacchia)

“Gasoline Rainbow,” Bill Ross, Turner Ross (U.S.)

“En Attendant La Nuit,” Céline Rouzet (France, Belgium)

“Housekeeping for Beginners,” Goran Stolevski (North Macedonia, Poland, Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo)

“Shadow of Fire,” Shinya Tsukamoto (Japan)

“Dormitory,” Nehir Tuna (Turkey, Germany, France)

HORIZONS EXTRA

“Bota Jonë,” Luàna Barjami (Kosovo, France)

“Forever Forever,” Anna Buryachkova (Ukraine, The Netherlands)

“The Rescue,” Daniela Goggi (Argentina, U.S.)

“Day of the Fight,” Jack Huston (U.S.)

“In the Land of Saints and Sinners,” Robert Lorenz (Ireland)

“Felicità,” Micaela Ramazzotti (Italy)

“Pet Shop Boys,” Olmo Schnabel (Italy, U.K. Mexico)

“Stolen,” Karan Tejpal (India)

“L’Homme D’Argille,” Anaïs Tellene (France)

OUT OF COMPETITION – SERIES

“D’argent et de sang” (Episodes 1-12), Xavier Giannoli, Fredéric Planchon (France, Belgium)

“I Know Your Soul” (Episodes 1-2), created by Jasmila Zbanic and Damir Ibrahimovic, directed by Alen Drjević and Nermin Hamzagic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

OUT OF COMPETITION – NON-FICTION

“Amor,” Virginia Eleuteri Serpieri (Italy, Lithuania)

“Frente A Guernica,” (Uncut Version) Yervant Gianikian, Angela Ricci Lucchi (Italy)

“Hollywoodgate,” Ibrahim Nash’at (Germany, U.S.)

“Ryuichi Sakamoto — Opus,” Neo Sora (Japan)

“Enzo Jannacci Vengo Anch’io,” Giorgio Verdelli (Italy)

“Menus Plaisirs,” Frederik Wiseman (France)

OUT OF COMPETITION — FICTION

“Society of the Snow,” J.A. Bayona (Spain, Uruguay, Chile) – Closing Film

“Coup de Chance,” Woody Allen (France, U.K.)

“The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” Wes Anderson (U.S.)

“The Penitent,” Luca Barbareschi (Italy)

“L’Ordine Del Tempo,” Liliana Cavani (Italy)

“Vivants,” Alix Delaporte (France, Belgium)

“Welcome to Paradise,” Leonardo di Constanzo

“DAAAAAALI!,” Quentin Dupieux (France)

“The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,” William Friedkin

“Making of,” Cédric Kahn (France)

“Aggro Dr1ft,” Harmony Korine (U.S.)

“Hit Man,” Richard Linklater (U.S.)

“The Palace,” Roman Polanski (Poland, France)

“Snow Leopard,” Pema Tseden (China)

“Barbie” Fever Cools Down as Feminist Fantasy Film Drops 40% on Monday, Only 2nd Best Selling Doll on Amazon

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The “Barbie” movie is a phenom, no doubt.

The droll doll film with feminist overtones is already in the pink after a $162 million weekend. It’s the 4th biggest opening weekend of all time.

On Monday, however, “Barbie” fever cooled a little as the box office dropped 40% from Sunday to just $26.1 million. It’s a big drop but it’s also the best ever Monday for Warner Bros. After “The Flash” debacle, there’s a sigh of relief in the air!

Nonetheless, “Barbie” will likely cross the $200 million mark today after six days of release. Worldwide including the US is up to $400 million after today. That’s quite an accomplishment for director Greta Gerwig, and all the marketing people at Mattel and Warner Bros.

Alas, the number best selling doll on Amazon is called “Polly Pocket Play Set,” not from Mattel. But Barbie dolls are selling very well. Don’t worry!

PS It’s a little early and kind of absurd for “Barbie” Oscar prognostications. That fever needs a Tylenol, too!

Meet Polly here:

Remembering Tony Bennett: Documentary Is Coming Detailing Lady Gaga Relationship, Family Overcome by Public Reaction to Passing

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EXCLUSIVE Tony Bennett‘s family is overwhelmed by the response to his death last week at age 96 (almost 97).

In particular, the front page obit in the New York Times just knocked them out, as well as pieces today in the paper. “It’s like a head of state dying,” Tony’s son and manager Danny told me.

The family does not know yet what they will do next. “Tony wasn’t into funerals,” Danny said. A memorial concert down the road is possible. Before Tony died, they were already planning a big centenary celebration for Tony’s 100th birthday three years from now.

The reason Tony has had such an outpouring of love from the public? He himself exuded love. He spoke to everyone. He was not a prima donna. He was a man of the people. He was a superstar and didn’t really care.

“Everyone has a story about meeting Tony Bennett,” Danny said. The one person who really has a story is Danny. “I didn’t revive his career,” he said, “I think I revived his audience. But Tony was always the same. It’s not like he started singing [contemporary pop songs]. He stuck to the classics. I remember him telling Gaga once, Just sing the words. Don’t improvise They knew what they were doing.’ She loved that.”

The relationship with Lady Gaga was extraordinary. Danny says he was on the phone with her all day last Friday. She’s very sad, of course. They loved each other and spoke the same language. I’m told that a documentary is being finished about their 10 year friendship.

Tony’s death was not unexpected because of his Alzheimers. But he had nothing else wrong with him Danny said. A few days before he passed he actually came into the living room and said to his adoring wife, Susan, What would you like to hear? Accompanied by piano, Tony sang Susan his first hit, “Because I of You.” The last words he said to Danny, his son says, were “Thank you.”

I’ve been covering celebrities etc since the 1980s. I have rarely met anyone as self effacing as Tony Bennett, or a family so devoted to their patriarch. Tony Bennett’s legacy will last forever. Believe the Benedetto’s will make sure of it.

PS I told Danny that the famous photographer Jill Krementz sent me this picture she took of Tony with Aretha Franklin because she knew how much both of them meant to me. That’s a big deal. I’m very grateful to her.

copyright c2023 Jill Krementz all rights reserved.

photo of Tony alone c2023 Showbiz411

Elon Musk Changes Twitter Name to X, But Microsoft Owns An X Trademark for All Computer Related Items That Could Be a Problem

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This should be interesting.

Turns out Microsoft owns the trademark for “X” for everything related to computers, etc. including all the items stated below.

X is the name Elon Musk has changed Twitter to. Did no one tell him?

Microsoft’s X is stylized in a different way than Musk’s. But it may not be sufficiently different. Musk’s X is white on black. which may get him off the hook since Microsoft’s X is described as ” consists of a stylized letter “X”. The left side of the “X” is white and the right side of the “X” is blue. The shaded square carrier represents background only and is not a part of the mark.”

Musk traded in his beautiful blue bird for this nonsense. Microsoft could immediately start its own Twitter like platform and use this logo.

Below are all the things the X trademark covers:

“Computer software for broadcasting, transmitting, receiving, accessing, viewing, uploading, downloading, sharing, integrating, encoding, decoding, displaying, formatting, organizing, storing, caching, transferring and streaming of data, text, games, game content, digital media, images, music, audio, video, movies and animations; application programming interface (API) software for broadcasting, transmitting, receiving, accessing, viewing, uploading, downloading, sharing, integrating, encoding, decoding, displaying, formatting, organizing, storing, caching, transferring and streaming of data, text, games, game content, digital media, images, music, audio, video, movies and animations; computer software for sending, receiving and organizing electronic mail, messaging, enabling internet chat and social networking; computer software for purchasing and subscribing to digital media content; computer software development tools; computer software for developing and publishing applications for interactive streaming; software development kits (SDK’s) for developing software for broadcasting, transmitting, receiving, accessing, viewing, uploading, downloading, sharing, integrating, encoding, decoding, displaying, formatting, organizing, storing, caching, transferring and streaming of data, text, games, game content, digital media, images, music, audio, video, movies and animations; computer software that enables users to designate specific content for future viewing; computer software for management and storage of digital media; computer software for accessing, browsing and searching online databases; software for filtering internet searches; audio recordings featuring music; video recordings featuring music, video games, movies and animations; computer software that allows gamers to live broadcast their games from a gaming console, or to watch games being played by others”

Robert Kennedy Angry His Antisemitism Rally Is Cancelled by Venue, Blames Dems, Doesn’t Get that Shmuley Boteach is the Reason

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MONDAY: Kennedy says the event will go on. The group has rented out a party space on the edge of Manhattan– The Glass House on 12th Avenue. Makes sense. Kennedy and Shmuley already live in a ‘glass house’!

SUNDAY: If Robert Kennedy is this stupid he really should be elected to anything.

He was planning a bogus antisemitism rally for Tuesday night in New York at the Ethical Culture School. The rally was sponsored by shady “rabbi” Shmuley Boteach and his New World Values Foundation.

Shmuley, a barnacle for celebrities, and his wife take $600,000 a year in salaries and give no money away from their “foundation.” I reported this again, for the umpteenth time, over the last few days. The Ethical Culture School obviously read what I wrote and smelled something that wasn’t Ethical.

Kennedy, clueless or just stupid, wrote on Twitter X:

“The New York Society for Ethical Culture @EthicalNYC just CANCELED my event with @RabbiShmuley scheduled for tomorrow night. They’re evidently under tremendous pressure since they violated a binding contract and canceled without explanation. This shows the DNC’s fierce determination and awesome power to censor criticism of an embattled President. WE ARE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER VENUE for tomorrow in Manhattan. Stay tuned. Let @EthicalNYC know if you oppose this form of political censorship. Help us protect free speech!”

Kennedy’s father, uncle, and assorted smart relatives are turning in their graves over his either total dimness or complete denial. Below is the story I wrote. Good for Ethical Culture.

Please read this and pass it around. Enough is enough.

Broadway: “Funny Girl” Star Lea Michele Took the Weekend Off Because She Was “Under the Weather”

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“Funny Girl” is surging at the box office as the production prepares to close over Labor Day weekend.

The fans are turning out to see star Lea Michele play Fanny Brice after her bravura performance on the Tony Awards.

But those fans were surely disappointed this past weekend. Lea Michele missed the shows on Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday. A message posted to the show’s social media said she was “under the weather.”

Standby Julie Benko filled in but she was ready anyway. Benko plays the Thursday night show, where she’s become the Understudy of the Year.

Indeed, the one person who got a lot out of “Funny Girl” is Benko. She started under Beanie Feldstein, who was often MIA. Then Lea Michele’s term brought the Thursday gig and plenty of fill ins.

Benko’s next gig once “Funny Girl” ends is starring in Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman’s “Harmony.” She finally gets to top line. It’s about time!

Toronto Film Fest Announces Galas With a Strike Work Around: Stars Who Directed Movies Including Ethan Hawke, Chris Pine, Anna Kendrick, Tony Goldwyn, Michael Keaton

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The Toronto Film Festival has figured out a work around so they can get past the SAG strike prohibition of actors promoting movies.

TIFF announced its galas and special presentations today and the list is heavy on movies directed by stars. This way, name directors will show up, giving TIFF at least a little star power.

The actors who directed movies include Ethan Hawke, Michael Keaton, Chris Pine, Anna Kendrick, Viggo Mortensen, Tony Goldwyn, and Kristin Scott Thomas.

TIFF also has movies by name directors like John Carney, George C. Wolfe, Alex Gibney (a Paul Simon doc and maybe Paul will come), Taika Waititi, Michael Winterbottom, and Canada’s own Atom Egoyan.

Cameron Bailey and his team did a good job figuring this out. It will be worth the trip across the border after all!

GALA PRESENTATIONS 2023
*Previously announced

Concrete Utopia Um Tae-Hwa | South Korea
North American Premiere
Sales Title – North America Rights Available

Dumb Money Craig Gillespie | USA
World Premiere

Fair Play Chloe Domont | USA
International Premiere

Flora and Son John Carney | Ireland/USA
Canadian Premiere

Hate to Love: Nickelback Leigh Brooks | Canada
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Lee Ellen Kuras | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

*Next Goal Wins Taika Waititi | USA
World Premiere

NYAD Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin | USA
International Premiere

Punjab ’95 Honey Trehan | India
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Solo Sophie Dupuis | Canada
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

The End We Start From Mahalia Belo | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

The Movie Emperor Ning Hao | China
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

The New Boy Warwick Thornton | Australia 
North American Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

The Royal Hotel Kitty Green | Australia/United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere


SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 2023
*Previously announced 

A Difficult Year Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache | France
International Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

A Normal Family Hur Jin-ho | South Korea
World Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

American Fiction Cord Jefferson | USA
World Premiere

Anatomy of a Fall Justine Triet | France
Canadian Premiere

Close to You Dominic Savage | Canada/United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

Days of Happiness Chloé Robichaud | Canada
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

El Rapto Daniela Goggi | Argentina
North American Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

Ezra Tony Goldwyn | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Fingernails Christos Nikou | USA
International Premiere

Four Daughters Kaouther Ben Hania | France/Tunisia/Germany/Saudi Arabia
North American Premiere
Sales Title – Some Rights Available

His Three Daughters Azazel Jacobs | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Hit Man Richard Linklater | USA
North American Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon Alex Gibney | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Kidnapped Marco Bellocchio | Italy/France/Germany
North American Premiere

Knox Goes Away Michael Keaton | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

La Chimera Alice Rohrwacher | Italy/France/Switzerland
North American Premiere

Last Summer Catherine Breillat | France
North American Premiere

*Les Indésirables Ladj Ly | France
World Premiere
Sales Title – North America Rights Available

Memory Michel Franco | USA/Mexico
North American Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available 

Monster Kore-eda Hirokazu | Japan
North American Premiere

Mother Couch Niclas Larsson | USA
World Premiere

North Star Kristin Scott Thomas | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

One Life James Hawes | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Pain Hustlers David Yates | USA
World Premiere

Poolman Chris Pine | USA
World Premiere 
Sales Title – Some Rights Available

Reptile Grant Singer | USA
World Premiere

Rustin George C. Wolfe | USA
International Premiere

*Seven Veils Atom Egoyan | Canada
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

Shoshana Michael Winterbottom | United Kingdom/Italy
World Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

Sing Sing Greg Kwedar | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

Smugglers Ryoo Seung-wan | South Korea
North American Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Swan Song Chelsea McMullan | Canada
World Premiere
Sales Title – Some Rights Available

The Beast Bertrand Bonello | France/Canada
North American Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

The Burial Maggie Betts | USA
World Premiere

The Convert Lee Tamahori | Australia/New Zealand
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

The Critic Anand Tucker | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – Some Rights Available

The Dead Don’t Hurt Viggo Mortensen | Mexico/Canada/Denmark
World Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

The Holdovers Alexander Payne | USA
International Premiere 

The Peasants DK Welchman, Hugh Welchman | Poland/Serbia/Lithuania
World Premiere
Sales Title – Some Rights Available

The Zone of Interest Jonathan Glazer | United Kingdom/Poland/USA
Canadian Premiere

Together 99 Lukas Moodysson | Sweden/Denmark
World Premiere 

Unicorns Sally El Hosaini, James Krishna Floyd | United Kingdom/USA/Sweden
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Uproar Paul Middleditch, Hamish Bennett | New Zealand
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Wicked Little Letters Thea Sharrock | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Wildcat Ethan Hawke | USA
International Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

Woman of the Hour Anna Kendrick | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

Strike News: “General Hospital” Starts Airing Episodes This Week Written by Scabs and “Fi-Core” Writers

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Starting Monday, ABC soap “General Hospital” will be written by scabs and “fi core” writers, meaning union members who have forfeited voting rights, etc but will will still be part of the Writers Guild when the strike is settled.

“GH” writer Shannon Peace announced on Instagram today that her last episode aired last Thursday. She has no idea whether the interim writers have continued her stories, as well as the other staff writers’, or if suddenly everyone will start doing weird things.

No one from “The Young and the Restless” or “The Bold and the Beautiful” has announced anything but it’s likely this has already begun over there on CBS.

Writers from the soaps have been on strike since it began

on May 2nd so their scripts were written before that date. The soap actors are not on strike as they are signed to a different contract.


As for “Days of our Lives” on Peacock, they film months, not weeks, in advance. So “Days” has shot through the fall. Next week they’ll acknowledge the death of actor John Aniston when his character, Victor Kiriakis, dies in a plane crash, I am told. They were smart to get this under the wire.

The Other Oppenheimer Movie Connection: How John Wayne, Other Stars, Died from Cancer After Shooting a Film in Utah Several Years Later

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Everyone is celebrating the movie “Oppenheimer” and that’s a good thing. Christopher Nolan did a great job.

But J. Robert Oppenheimer left another movie connection in the desert. Years after the bomb tests we see on screen, more and much large testing went on out there in Utah and New Mexico. The after effects were devastating not only to the people who lived there, but to a movie that was shot there.

The move was called “The Conqueror” and it wasn’t very good. Starring a miscast John Wayne — legendary from American Westerns — as Mongolian Emperor Genghis Khan. The movie was a critical and financial disaster. Producer Howard Hughes was so embarrassed by it he’s said to have bought up all the existing prints and took it out of circulation for years, (It turns up now on TCM.)

“The Conqueror” was often glibly referred to as “radio active.” This is why: It was shot around St. George, Utah, 137 miles from where above ground tests were conducted by the Atomic Energy Commission in Nevada from 1951 to 1963.

The result, many have speculated, was the consequent illnesses of at least 91 of the 220 people who worked on the film. Of the 91, 46 died from cancer. All the principals from “The Conqueror” succumbed to cancer, presumably from breathing the air, water, and minerals left poisoned by the AEC.

Here’s the list:

In 1960, actor Pedro Armendáriz was diagnosed with kidney cancer. He killed himself in 1963 after learning that his condition was terminal.

Also in 1963, director Dick Powell died at age 53 of lymphatic cancer. Powell was a huge star for decades, a best selling pop star aka crooner who transitioned to movies and became a TV icon on screen and a busy director/producer. He was married first to wise cracking Joan Blondell and then to June Allyson, beloved star of MGM musicals and comedies.

Susan Hayward, a top star of the time, was claimed by brain cancer in 1974 at age 57. She’d won an Oscar in 1959 after four nominations. Agnes Moorehead, who’d had a wildly successful second career on “Bewitched,” also died in 1974 from cancer. Actors Lee Van Cleef and John Hoyt were hit by cancer in 1989 and 1991, respectively.

Wayne died in June 1979 at age 72. He’d suffered from lung, throat, and stomach cancers. Because of his politics, Wayne had lost a lot of his luster during the anti war movement of the 60s and 70s. But he was a towering Hollywood figure, bigger than Stallone and Schwarzenegger rolled into one. He won an Oscar two years before his death, for “True Grit.”

I’m not the first to write this story. There are plenty of reports on line. People magazine— back when it was a real magazine– broke the story back in 1980, revealing the number of primary deaths and illnesses as well as those who visited the set including family members. They didn’t even get into how the radiation the people who lived in the area, and this was 43 years ago. Click on the People link above to read the comments by the stars’ family members at the time.

As good as Nolan’s movie is, there’s a conversation to be had now about the disastrous, lingering effects of Oppenheimer’s brilliance. The movie doesn’t endorse what the scientists at Los Alamos created, it just tells their story. But there are a lot of other stories to be told, going forward.

If you know anyone who was affected, please drop me a line at showbiz411@gmail.com.

Greece is the Word: Despite Roaring Temps, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Sacha Baron Cohen, Tim Burton Other Stars All Over the Place

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This summer I keep hearing these words: Patmos, Paros, Antiparos. There’s an anti-Paros?

Last summer the A list went to Italy and discovered Tuscany, Venice, etc. It was annoying after a while.

This year, it’s Greece. If you don’t have a villa or a yacht and a private tour of the Acropolis, I don’t want to hear about it!

So who’s there? Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were seen, they own a spread. Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher are renting. So, too, apparently are Tim Burton and Monica Bellucci.

The good news is, Paros is not expensive. Prices for a nice villa with a pool, on the water, begin around 7,000 Euros a week. It’s a steal! But word to the wise: AntiParos is double.

Already installed is multiple Oscar winner Alexandre Desplat. He’s composing himself on the beach.

And this all despite the temperature being 98 degrees earlier today. You can cook the Souvlaki right on the stone steps!