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Michelle Williams has been moved up to the Lead Actress category for Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans.”
For my money, she’s a cinch to win. As more and more people see this wonderful memoir of Spielberg’s, Williams’ portrayal of the mother, Mitzi, will become the talk of the town.
Williams has an advantage over some of the other possible candidates for Best Actress. Both Cate Blanchett and Viola Davis are loaded with awards. Williams, however, has been slowly building a strong career. She’s already been nominated for four Oscars, two as lead, two as supporting. Her time has definitely come.
In the movie, Mitzi is the stand in for Spielberg’s real mother the late Leah Spielberg Adler. Like many people around the film business, I knew her. Some even went to her dairy restaurant on Pico Boulevard, the Milky Way. She died at 97 just five years ago. Leah Adler was a spitfire. It’s amazing that Williams, who is certainly not Jewish, looks like her and ‘gets’ her strength and determination just right.
My guess is that Universal will take it slow because “The Fabelmans” isn’t released until the end of the year. And the Oscars aren’t until March, six months from now. But no matter how good the other actresses are this season, it’s the year of Michelle Williams. As it should be.
Oh, Mariah. She sounded great in her 16 minute show for Global Citizen last night in Central Park. But it was unclear if she knew where she was.
Like most Mariah appearances, this one was daffy. She complained about the lighting, there wasn’t enough on her. She asked for her Glam Squad to come out and fix her make up.
She didn’t seem to know why she was there, or what it was for, but I can’t blame her. She vaguely mentions “a charity.”
Funniest moments: Mariah plugging something about her old “Butterfly” album. Also, announcing “I used to work here!” Where? In Central Park. She did not explain.
Mariah has become the Gracie Allen of pop. (Kids, look it up.) That’s ok, it’s sort of refreshing. She’s like her cartoon character. Maybe more Jessica Rabbit than Gracie Allen. I love it when she asks if her kids are in the audience. Let me see, where DID I put them?
Strangely, Mariah did not include her two biggest hits, “Vision of Love” or “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” She’s saving them, I guess, for a better venue.
I didn’t watch anything else on Global Citizen. But you can see they spent a fortune on the sets, etc. Two stages! They typically spend around $4 million on this concert and send almost nothing to people in need of food or shelter. Their executives make a fortune. It’s all for a cause: them!
No sign of former Global Citizen enthusiasts Chris Martin or Hugh Jackman, even by video (at least I didn’t see them). I think they’ve figured it all out. (PS Jackman could have come over after “The Music Man” matinee.)
Is “Don’t Worry Darling” a hit? Well, not in the conventional sense.
The Harry Styles movie that’s had so much intense gossip pulled off $19.2 million in the US, and a total of $30 million around the world.
That’s better than anyone could have hoped, less than they would have liked. But the movie only cost $35 million, they say, $40 million tops including flying Harry around for promotional activities. So cost-wise, we’re cool.
But what happens now that Harry Styles’ fans have flooded the theaters? WIll anyone else go? Word of mouth is evidently not good with a B- Cinemascore. On Rotten Tomatoes the audience score is 81%, which means even Harry’s fans have not jammed the numbers.
Soon we’ll have “My Policeman” with Harry in some very graphically gay scenes. Will the fans be there for that? We won’t know, really. Amazon, which will release it, doesn’t give box office numbers. So we’ll only be able to judge that one from social media and Rotten Tomatoes.
In both movies, I ‘ve said, Styles acquits himself. He’s not nearly as wooden as Hayden Christensen was in “Star Wars.” He’d have to become a table for that description. He took on two difficult films, and didn’t complain, just went for it. He needs credit for that. Is he the new face of an acting generation? No.
Wilde likes to say she got the criticism and gossip because she’s a woman. I don’t think so. I think she comported herself very badly through her interviews. The whole thing seemed like a a high school mess about the year end play or talent show. I give the Warner’s PR credit for maintaining their own decorum and dealing with a perilous situation.
Meantime, the minute any of those Styles fans happens upon “The Stepford Wives” on TV and they’ll know what’s really going on.
Breznican’s story is about how a Ukrainian AI company takes pieces of Jones’s old speeches from “Star Wars” movies and remixes them to make new dialogue for Star Wars spin offs set a the time.
Jones, Breznican says, “signed off” this idea, meaning he gave his blessing. He bequeathed no rights. He didn’t own any to begin with.
The story is actually about how the Ukrainian firm, Respeecher, is able to operate during wartime and still fulfill its work for Skywalker Sound and Lucas Films. It’s pretty interesting.
Jones is 91, and not really appearing in public anymore. He didn’t attend the renaming of a Broadway theater recently in his name. He remains one of the greats of all time, even if he never owned the rights to Darth Vader. He also doesn’t own the rights to his CNN announcements. If he did, he might considered retrieving them.
Also, Woody Allen did not announce his retirement last week. Are there any fact checkers left out there?
Her name is Ilaria Catalina Irena and she is the 7th child born to Alec (formerly Alexander) and Hilary (now known as Hilaria) Baldwin.
Neither Baldwin nor Thomas is of Spanish descent. It’s unclear if they can even make a proper paella. But all seven of their children have Spanish names. The other names are Carmen, Leonardo, Romeo, Rafael, Eduardo, and Lucia.
Baldwin’s first child is daughter Ireland, from his marriage to Kim Basinger. At least Baldwin is Irish, so that one makes sense. His next child may be named Gazpacho. Or Shlomo.
Hilaria Baldwin has been criticized in the media for faking an accent and a Spanish background. Hilary was born in Boston to parents David Thomas Jr. and his wife Katherine Hayward, neither of whom have any training playing castanets. But they did travel to Spain, and like Munchhausen Syndrome mimics other illnesses, they all became infected with Los Gringolitis.
So welcome, Ilaria Catalina Ilena. Soon other kids will asking the Baldwin bunch about their names. Wait til they’re old enough to do 23 and Me. They have a big surprise coming!
Yes, the nearly-Oscar winning film has returned in wide release after 13 years. And this weekend should bring a nice $10 million to its already record breaking box office numbers.
This is all a lead up to the December release of the much anticipated sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water.” More than a dozen years have passed in “Avatar” land and everyone looks like a brighter and deeper blue thanks to enhanced graphics. If you loved it then, you’ll love it more now.
Here’s a problem: audiences turned out for “Don’t Worry Darling” big time last night. But they didn’t like it.
Warner Bros. says the troubled film starring Harry Styles and Florence Pugh, directed by Olivia Wilde, made a total of $9.4 million in Thursday previews and Friday shows.
But the audience also gave the film a terrible B minus Cinemascore. Yikes. This means upon exit, they indicated they would not be telling their friends to check it out.
If I were the filmmakers, I’d say Worry darling, A lot. It’s one thing that Harry Styles’ fans are coming to see their pop idol. It’s another that they don’t get it or are unsatisfied. They’re agreeing with critics who’ve kept it well below 40% on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Don’t Worry Darling” could pick up another $13 million tonight and tomorrow, bringing it around $20 million for an opening weekend. That’s huge for this movie which cost $35-$40 million. But it may have repercussions for Wilde, and even Harry Styles if it’s left a sour feeling.
Congrats! Last night Elton John performed at the White House and was given a medal of honor by President Joe Biden. You can watch the whole thing here, and it’s worth it. Bravo to Elton and David Furnish for all their work with Elton John AIDS Foundation.
On Friday morning, the NY Post reported that Baldwin has listed his Amagansett estate for $29 million. He bought it in 1995 when he was married to Kim Basinger.
Baldwin is protecting his assets from potential judgments in the “Rust” shooting scandal. Baldwin’s participation in the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins means he could be liable for millions.
The actor knows what he’s doing. He’s purchased a 55 acre spread in Vermont, as I wrote earlier this year, for a very good reason. Vermont is a homestead state. (A homestead state protects residents from civil judgments.) If he’s hit with big judgements, the Vermont farm is safe from being taken away. The 10 acre Hamptons layout would be the first thing lawyers would go for.
What a terrible turn of events. Of course, Hutchins’ death is awful. But Baldwin never intended to kill anyone. Being forced out of the Hamptons is sad on many levels. For one thing, before Baldwin met and married “Hilaria” and had six kids, he’d become a local philanthropist. He’s donated a lot of money to various East Hamptons art institutions including the Hamptons Film Festival. I’ve no doubt that coming from a working class family in Massapequa, Long Island, and making it on his own, Amagansett was the ultimate sign of success.
Earlier this year, Baldwin unloaded another home in upstate New York. All he has left is his massive apartment in Greenwich Village, said to be worth $16 million. That will undoubtedly go next. The Baldwins will seek safe financial harbor in Vermont, where they can make pickles and jam without interference.
Ringo Starr is 82 and to paraphrase his song, “I’m the Greatest,” he can still boog-a-loo.
I caught up with Ringo and his All Starr Band on tour tonight in Bridgeport, Connecticut, of all places, at the Hartford Healthcare Theater. The always former Beatle and best drummer in rock and roll looks ever youthful thanks to a good diet, meditation, and his love of preaching peace. It’s all good. His only complaint tonight was the unexpected whipping cold wind at the outdoor venue, thanks to Hurricane Fiona. “We’re going to play Alaska next!” he declared in between asking the audience, “Are you cold?”
I’ve seen the All Starr Band in many incarnations over the years but this an especially tight version. If Richard Nader’s oldies shows of the past had been anything like this, we might have thought twice about snickering. Ringo’s got real stars who are also top notch musicians, and no fat: Edgar Winter, Steve Lukather of Toto, Hamish Stuart of Average White Band, Colin Hay of Men at Work, plus two superior studio musicians in drummer Greg Bissonette and horn player/singer Warren Ham.
If there’s a scene stealer in the group it’s 75 year old Edgar Winter who straps a keyboard around his neck and plays it like Little Richard, wails away on the saxophone, straddles an electric guitar. He is literally Most Valuable Player. Winter gets to showcase his talents in his 70s hits “Frankenstein” (the centerpiece of this show) and “Free Ride.” On the former, Bissonnette gets his own spotlight on drums and he’s phenomenal. (He threw into his “Frankenstein” a bit of Ringo’s “Abbey Road” finale, a nice clever nod to our host.)
Everyone else is terrific, as well. Lukather’s guitar solos on his own “Rosanna” and other numbers are magic. Ham is a gifted all around musician with a lovely tenor that comes in handy on some high notes that escape the older guys. Stuart’s Scottish funk still remains authentic and full of groove. Colin Hay delights the crowd with “Down Under” and “Who Can It Be Now.”
And then there’s Ringo. Who doesn’t love him? He shows off his tremendous drum skills on Beatles songs like “I Wanna Be Your Man” and “Boys.” He can lead the crowd in sweetly nostalgic versions of “Yellow Submarine” and “With a Little Help of My Friends,” and rock them with “It Don’t Come Easy” and “Photograph” as if they were new. He’s also as charming and as invested in rock and roll as ever. That comes across. Ringo is rich as he could be. He could just stay home and spend the day wrapped in cashmere. But he’s a musician at heart, he loves the audience, and he’s going to keep doing this until someone says, Honey don’t.
