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Box Office: “Gemini Man” Zodiac Killer, “Joker” Nears $200 Million, Cannes Winner “Parasite” Sets Foreign Film Record

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: “Gemini Man” Zodiac Killer, “Joker” Nears $200 Million, Cannes Winner “Parasite” Sets Foreign Film Record

Cannes prize winner “Parasite,” from South Korean director Bong Joon-Ho set a record this weekend for foreign films. In just three theaters, the social satire made $376,264 or $125K per theater– one of the top openings ever. Little distributor Neon Pictures, which began ignominiously with a Michael Moore documentary and no logo, has a big hit on its hands. They’re headed to the Oscars, where they’ll have to take on Pedro Almodovar’s “Pain and Glory” with Antonio Banderas. Not bad.

“Parasite” is indeed a social satire about a family of grifters inveigling themselves into a wealthy household. It’s sort of like a soap opera on steroids, and the audience quickly begins rooting for the lower class family to get away with, well, murder. Things turn dark about halfway through, and then eschewing a happy fun ending, Bong Joon-Ho really goes for it Tarantino style.

Kudos to Neon for recognizing that this movie would strike a chord with American audiences.

Meanwhile, “Gemini Man” starring Will Smith eked out $20.5 million for the weekend, a little more than expected if the numbers hold. But it’s once of Smith’s poorest openings ever, and doesn’t bode well for its future.

In loftier worlds, “Joker” will cross $200 million US in the next day or so, by Tuesday. It’s now up to around $600 million worldwide with no end in sight.

At the other end of the spectrum, “Lucy in the Sky” from Fox Searchlight made nothing over the weekend and has a two week cume of $154,612.  Seeing the critics response, parent Disney has just buried this completely. It’s a tough deal for the actors and everyone who made it,

RIP Robert Forster, Oscar Nominee for “Jackie Brown,” One of Hollywood’s Unsung Heroes, Dead at 78

Roger Friedman
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RIP Robert Forster, Oscar Nominee for “Jackie Brown,” One of Hollywood’s Unsung Heroes, Dead at 78

So Robert Forster: he was a great guy, I’m not kidding. Everyone loved him. He was the opposite of someone who makes it in Hollywood and then becomes inaccessible, walled off. After his Oscar nomination for “Jackie Brown” in 1997, he shrugged it off, appreciated what Quentin Tarantino did for him, and went to work with one terrific performance after another.

The announcement of his death last night, from a very sudden brain cancer, really shook me. I’d been a fan all through the 70s and 80s. Check him out from his TV appearances on shows like “Police Story” and “Bannon.” Then Tarantino rescued him from obscurity and made him the star of “Jackie Brown.” That’s when I met him, and we fell into an easy occasional friendship. I think everyone who knew him felt the same way probably. When he saw someone he liked, he really liked them: handshakes, hugs, a big wide smile. If he really really liked you, he gave you his favorite gadget, a silver letter opener with a wide handle. “This is the greatest thing  I’ve ever used!” he’d exclaim. He meant it.

Bob was from Rochester, New York but he had a nasal, flat, Chicago accent for some reason. You thought he was going to say “Da Bears,” when he spoke. With his height, and enthusiasm, the accent, he was so unlike everyone else in Hollywood. How could you not like him? He’d seen the highs, the lows, new highs. He was not impressed by the trappings of fame. He was just an actor.

I cheered, along with his other friends, when we saw him in Alexander Payne’s “The Desecendants” or in the revived “Twin Peaks,” basically replacing his old friend, Michael Ontkean. “Twin Peaks” was so nutty, I had to ask him one day, did he know what was going on?

“I didn’t understand a word of it!” he told me. “But I love David Lynch. This guy is a genius. You just have to trust him.” And so he did.

In 1990, to pick a year and a credit, Bob starred in a great little indie film called “Diamond Men” with Donnie Wahlberg. If you can find it online, watch it. His old, dear friend Kathie Berlin, one of the great publicist in Hollywood history, got everyone ginned up about it. We thought Bob would get another award. But there was money behind it, so “Diamond Men” faded into history as a lost gem. But just watch him in it. There isn’t a false note.

Bob had another long friendship in Hollywood, with Dani Janssen, the widow of “Fugitive” star David Janssen. He’d known David, who died way too young, and Dani was the doyenne of Hollywood for decades, so they palled around and accompanied each other to a lot of parties in the 2000s, before Dani– also much beloved– retired from the scene. They were a great pair to hang with because they knew everything, and said very little. They could have been characters out of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” survivors of their own golden era who wouldn’t stand down. And I was so glad they didn’t.

Bob has a great girlfriend, Denise, and a big family of kids and grandkids. He  has fans from all his shows, too. But he leaves a legacy of friends, from actors and journalists to just a lot of people he handed that letter opener to, who will never forget him and always clap when they see him pop up on their screens. I will really miss him.

Will Smith’s “Gemini Man” Tanks with $5.9 Mil Friday, May Fall Short of Low End Predictions, “Joker” Kills with $17 Mil

Roger Friedman
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Will Smith’s “Gemini Man” Tanks with $5.9 Mil Friday, May Fall Short of Low End Predictions, “Joker” Kills with $17 Mil

Box office Friday:

“Joker” killed it Friday night with another whopping $17 million. That’s now a total of $154 million in 8 or 9 days, depending on how you count it. So Warner Bros. is celebrating a huge win after a disappointing summer and early fall counting “The Goldfinch.” That bird has flown. They should use all this money to pump “Just Mercy,” their Oscar movie with Jamie Foxx and Michael B. Jordan.

Will Smith’s “Gemini Man” is DOA. The real Friday number is $5.9 million, plus the $1.6 million it made Thursday. Paramount may fall short of their low end $19 million prediction. But you know, Will Smith has survived worse outings. And this year he already starred in “Aladdin,” a big hit. He’s had tons of flops but they don’t seem to matter. Plus, he’s set for life, and he’s married to a very bright, talented actress (Jada Pinkett Smith). Maybe Gemini was just the wrong sign.

“Downton Abbey” crosses $80 million tonight. “Hustlers” flirts with $100 million this coming week, maybe by Monday or Tuesday.

 

Will Smith’s “Gemini Man” Makes Just $1.6 Mil in Previews, Heads to Disappointing $19 Mil Weekend

Roger Friedman
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Will Smith’s “Gemini Man” Makes Just $1.6 Mil in Previews, Heads to Disappointing $19 Mil Weekend

Will Smith’s “Gemini Man” didn’t draw much buzz last night in previews.

The Paramount film with weird visuals took in just $1.6 million. They’re now aiming for a third place, $19 million opening over four days.

“Gemini Man” doesn’t have much help from critics, who gave it a 29% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Smith’s sci-fi adventure should finish third behind “Joker,” again at number 1, and “The Addams Family” animated film (also panned with a 36%).

But even though $19 million isn’t great, it’s better than some of Smith’s other recent films like “Collateral Beauty” with $7 million opening, “Concussion” with $10 million, and “Focus” with $18.6 million No one remembers those films and they were less than five years ago.

 

Global Lyme Alliance Raises $2.5 Million at Glittering Fundraiser Featuring “Tootsie” Tony Winner Santino Fontana

Regina Weinreich
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Global Lyme Alliance Raises $2.5 Million at Glittering Fundraiser Featuring “Tootsie” Tony Winner Santino Fontana

A glamorous crowd packed Cipriani 42nd Street for the fifth annual Global Lyme Alliance gala: sparkly gowns and tuxes for a stellar event put together by the incomparable Lawrence Scott (if you want a great event, go to him). Hosted by Good Day New York’s irrepressible Rosanna Scotto, the benefit, to end the insidious and sneaky Lyme epidemic, featured speeches from Lyme survivors and performances by a Big Apple Circus juggler who did amazing work with pink umbrellas.

The big star of the night was “Tootsie” Tony winner Santino Fontana. Lucky for us “Tootsie” is dark on Thursday nights.

Fontana’s wife, it turns out, just had a baby girl two weeks ago, a blessing considering she also suffers from the debilitating Lyme disease. What we learned about Lyme survivors from the moving speeches: you can’t really tell someone has it, enduring invisible symptoms so that often specialists in the medical community poo poo their patients’ complaints about low energy and brain fog. Who knew in Cipriani’s vast expanse, which among the glittery diners were sick and which were not.

One thing was for sure: the well-heeled crowd, owners of lawns where the disease may be tick-borne, was happy to raise $2.5 million at the live auction, including $60,000 to spend some time with Avril Lavigne when she performs her Live in the Vineyard in Napa Valley. Lavigne had to take a break from her own thriving career to heal, and now she’s all in on getting information and medicine to fellow sufferers.

Jane Fonda Steps Up Political Activism: Moves to DC for Four Months to Stage Civil Obedience Rallies — “Fire Drill Fridays” — at the Capitol Over Climate Change

Roger Friedman
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Jane Fonda Steps Up Political Activism: Moves to DC for Four Months to Stage Civil Obedience Rallies — “Fire Drill Fridays” — at the Capitol Over Climate Change

Two time Oscar winner Jane Fonda is once again trail-blazing with her legendary political activism. She’s moved to Washington, DC for the next four months to help stage civil disobedience rallies at the Capitol.

The subject is Climate Change, and Jane is not fooling around. The first event will be today at 11am on the Southeast Lawn of the Capitol. The events are called “Fire Drill Fridays.” Fonda is calling on all celebrities and members of communities most affected to join her every Friday through mid-January.

Fonda will turn 82 this December, and she never stops, never backs down, and for four decades has been on the forefront of social activism. This takes courage, because mostly we hear a lot of talk and no action on the subject of Climate Change, and dozens of other subjects as well.

from today’s press release:

Inspired by the growing movement of young climate strikers, Fonda decided to move to the nation’s capital for four months to take up their baton. The effort aims to spur action to avert what the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calls irreversible climate disaster if atmospheric CO2 warms the planet by another 1.5 to 2 degrees Centigrade in the next 11 years.

“Change is coming by design or by disaster. A Green New Deal that transitions off fossil fuels provides the design. They say it’s not realistic, that it’s Socialism. That’s what they said about Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, and we got Social Security and a middle class,” said Fonda.

Speakers at today’s event include:

Keya Chatterjee, Executive Director, US Climate Action Network

Jerome Foster, high school senior and climate striker, Washington, DC

Naomi Klein, activist, filmmaker, award-winning author and Gloria Steinem Chair in Media, Culture and Feminist Studies at Rutgers University

Annie Leonard, Executive Director, Greenpeace USA

Dr. Sarah Steingraber, biologist and award-winning author
Kerene N. Tayloe, Esq., Director of Federal Legislative Affairs, WE ACT for Environmental Justice

From the agenda:

VOTE for the climate in every election up and down the ballot. Vote for candidates who are in favor of a Green New Deal and a bold and responsible transition from fossil fuels to clean renewable energy.

 SPEAK to candidates or elected officials. Tell them that climate can’t wait. Call them, sign petitions and go to their town halls. Write letters to the editor of your local paper. Put your money where your mouth is: divest from fossil fuel companies and invest in a sustainable future.

 ACT: Join an organization working for real climate solutions. March, protest and recruit your friends to join. Listen and show up for communities most impacted by climate change and, if you can, put your body on the line.

DEMANDS

 A Green New Deal

·       Transform our economy to 100% clean, renewable energy by 2030 and phase out all fossil fuel extraction through a just and equitable transition, creating millions of good jobs

·       A halt to all leasing and permitting for fossil fuel extraction, processing and infrastructure projects immediately in order to avoid a lock-in of increased emissions as we work together for a responsible transition to clean, renewable energy.

Respect of Indigenous Land and Sovereignty

·       Honor the treaties protecting Indigenous lands, waters, and sovereignty by the immediate halt of all construction, leasing and permitting for resource extraction, processing and infrastructure projects affecting or on Indigenous lands

·       Recognize the Rights of Nature into law to protect our sacred ecosystems and align human law with natural law to ban resource extraction in defense of our environment and people

Environmental Justice

·       A transition that invests in prosperity for communities on the frontlines of poverty and pollution

·       Welcoming those displaced by the cumulative effects of the climate crisis, economic inequality, violence, and lack of opportunity

Protection and Restoration of Biodiversity

·       Protection and restoration of at least 30% of the world’s lands and oceans including a halt to all deforestation by 2030

Implementation of Sustainable Agriculture

·       Investment in farmers and regenerative agriculture and an end to subsidies for industria

“Lights Up”: One Direction’s Harry Styles Drops New, Short-ish Three Minute Single After Mysterious Posts to Social Media

Roger Friedman
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“Lights Up”: One Direction’s Harry Styles Drops New, Short-ish Three Minute Single After Mysterious Posts to Social Media

Harry Styles, of One Direction fame, is back. He’s got a new website, new art, and new posts on social media. He also has new music.

“Lights Up” was produced by Tyler Johnson with additional production by Kid Harpoon (Tom Hull), who both co-wrote the track with Styles. Johnson wrote and produced most of Harry’s first album. But this time, at least with “Lights Up,” the song is good, and not imitative of anything. Thumbs up!

Over Labor Day weekend he appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone and warned us a new album was coming. No date was given, but Sony/Columbia has got to get Harry released before Adele comes roaring in second week of November or so. I told you about this back on September 4th.

Harry dropped two posts on social media after 11pm tonight, and picked up nearly 1 million likes in 10 minutes. Will that translate to sales? Harry’s debut album did alright, not great, and was plagued by soundalike music from the 1970s.

But in that time, he’s appeared in “Dunkirk,” had a world tour, sung with the decidedly unhip Fleetwood Mac, and raised his profile. So the second time may the charm.

Lyrics:

What do you mean?
I’m sorry by the way,
I’m never coming back down,
Can’t you see,
I could but wouldn’t stay,
I wouldn’t put it like that,

What do you mean?
I’m sorry by the way,
I’m never coming around,
It’d be so sweet if things just stayed the same,
La da da da dah,

All the lights couldn’t put out the dark,
Running through my heart,
Lights up and they know who you are,
Know who you are,
Do you know who you are?,

Shine,
Step into the light,
It’s so bright sometimes,
I’m not ever going back,

Shine,
Step into the light,
It’s so bright sometimes,
I’m not ever going back,

Shine,
Step into the light,
It’s so bright sometimes,
I’m not ever,

What do you mean,
I’m sorry by the way,
I’m never going back now,
It’d be so sweet if things just stayed the same,
La da da da dah,

All the lights couldn’t put out the dark,
Running through my heart,
Lights up and they know who you are,
Know who you are,
Do you know who you are?

Still Imitating “Godfather II,” James Murdoch, aka Michael Corleone, Helps Family Go Legit

Roger Friedman
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Still Imitating “Godfather II,” James Murdoch, aka Michael Corleone, Helps Family Go Legit

You do remember that in one of the greatest epics ever made, The Godfather Part 2, Michael Corleone is trying to make his crime family go legit. They’re going to leave New York and the Mafia, and own Las Vegas casinos, and never mention Sonny or the bridge again. No one will remember the murders, the mayhem, or any of the terrible crimes committed by the Corleones in the bad old days.

So, too, comes James Murdoch, the Michael of the Murdochs. Rupert Murdoch vs. Don Corleone? There’s a resemblance, certainly. Now the Murdochs got rid of 20th Century Fox, cashed in their chips, and “retired” Murdoch from Twitter and active public life.

But there was Rupert yesterday, reportedly meeting with Attorney General Barr, Donald Trump’s henchman. Hours later Fox News– which the Murdochs held onto– carried another moronic Trump rally. But this time they didn’t cut away, as in the recent past. Our own Attorney General made sure of it. (Things are now so much worse than Nixon, John Mitchell, etc.)

James, meantime, has taken his money from the 20th Century Fox sale and started an investment fund. This is the same James who was at the center of the hacking scandal with his father and Rebecca  a few years ago in London. You remember the hacking scandal, yes? Phones of celebrities and private people were hacked into by Murdoch employees, and “scoops” were unveiled in News of the World. The paper is gone now, a lot of people were fired, and James– er, Michael– moved to the US full time to become a media mogul.

So Lupa Systems– Lupa being wolf as opposed to Fox– the fund, has just bought into Vice Media. It’s the latest move in James’s bid to have the Murdochs go legit. A few months ago, he bought into the Tribeca Film Festival; we’ll be seeing James, all new and improved, at the opening next April. He’s also reportedly bought into a comic book company run by ex-Marvelites. What’s next? Vanity Fair? Conde Nast will sell it to him, believe me, or welcome him as an investor.

Of course, Michael Corleone’s story ends badly in Part 2. He has his brother, Fredo, killed (is that Lachlan?). His ex wife hates him. If you believe in Part 3, things just get worse. (I pretend Part 3 doesn’t exist.)

We’re only a matter of months before the NY Times has a serious piece on James. In today’s story about the Vice Media purchase, no mention was made of the hacking scandal. Some PR genius has done their job well.

 

Tuesday TV Ratings: “Empire” Drops Again, as Fans Turn Away, Tune Out, Just 2.8 Mil Now, 17 Mil Four Years Ago

Roger Friedman
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Tuesday TV Ratings: “Empire” Drops Again, as Fans Turn Away, Tune Out, Just 2.8 Mil Now, 17 Mil Four Years Ago

“Empire” is not going out in style. The once hot-as-a-pistol show dropped again to its lowest ratings ever.

Tuesday’s night audience was down to 2,793,000 from 2,941,000 in week 2. Week one was just above 3 million.

Did Jussie Smollett carry that much audience? Or are the viewers just turned off by everything that happened with his scandal? Whatever it is, they are gone. Smollett took them with him when he became embroiled in his scandal last spring. His reporting of a mugging, with racial and homophobic overtones, turned into an international cause celebre when it couldn’t be corroborated. Smollett may have invented the whole thing because he wanted a higher salary. The whole thing ended with a question mark, and Smollett’s career in flames.

Believe it or not, “Empire” hit 17.65 million viewers on March 18, 2015. It was the season 1 cliffhanger. Since then, episode by episode, the numbers just drained slowly.

At the time “Empire” was renewed for its sixth and final season, Fox TV said: “We’re turning the final season of Empire into a large television event. We are going out guns-a-blazing. Six years is a pretty remarkable run for a drama series.” But it’s going out with a whimper at this point. Gun control has set in.

When it’s over, Taraji P. Henson can return to her film career or star in another series. Terrence Howard says he’s done, but who knows with him? He’d be imprudent to squander his career right now. Gaboure Sidibe was already famous from “Precious” before “Empire” started thanks to Lee Daniels, who directed that movie and created this show.

As for Daniels, time to get back to movies. He’s needed in that space more than in this one.

Meanwhile, “NCIS” dipped below 12 million to its lowest rating in some time. Ziva– Cote de Pablo– was not on this episode, which aired while a lot of viewers may have been at Kol Nidre services for Yom Kippur. Maybe that’s where Ziva — who’s Jewish in the show– was too.

 

Matt Lauer Responds to Rape Charge from Former NBC Staffer: “We engaged in a variety of sexual acts…she certainly did not cry”

Roger Friedman
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Matt Lauer Responds to Rape Charge from Former NBC Staffer: “We engaged in a variety of sexual acts…she certainly did not cry”

In an open letter (uploaded by the NY Post) Matt Lauer defends himself against rape charges made by former NBC staffer Brooke Nevils. Really, read this. I am throwing up. It’s insane that he wrote this and thinks it’s a defense. What kind of father does this and then admits to it, graphically? The mind reels. “She didn’t cry.” What? “We engaged in a variety of sexual acts.” And then he describes them. On Yom Kippur, of all days. Talk about a day of Atonement. I don’t think this letter is going to work, frankly.

Matt Lauer Open Letter by New York Post on Scribd

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