Dejana

David O. Russell's abandoned film Nailed finally sees the light of day as Accidental Love, credited to a "Stephen Greene". Jake Gyllenhaal looks so young, and the plot centers around lobbying Congress for health care reform (amid all the wacky hijinks!), because filming began in 2008. http://vimeo.com/114819845

I would really be surprised if Jill and Derick shared any sweet fellowship before the wedding, especially after that awkward kiss at the altar.

Here's a listing of the latest cable ratings available, from December 30. After sports, the top three shows are Big Bang Theory reruns all over 3 million viewers, then Family Guy over two million and L&O:SVU repeats hovering around 1.5 million. Daily, added up over time I guess it's a lot of money, and you even get the weekend syndication deals that must be profitable, even if they aren't making TBBT money. A few years back, I remember the person who did the cable ratings write-ups there would delight in pointing out how many original cable shows (buzzed about reality shows and acclaimed shows like Damages) that got fewer viewers than a random That's So Raven rerun at midnight. Loved Kyle XY and hated that it was a casualty of ABC Family going in a teen girl soap opera direction with its dramas (nothing against teen girl soap operas in general). The parents were very down to earth, the kids were flawed but without being troubled teen clichés and it was interesting seeing Kyle navigate a new world while gradually unraveling the conspiracy behind his existence. It could have gone for another season or two, easily.

January 2–4, 2015 Estimates: 1 (1) The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies $21,910,000 | 3,875 Theaters | $5,654 Avg. | $220,767,000 2 (2) Into the Woods $19,066,000 | 2,538 Theaters | $7,512 Avg. | $91,209,000 3 (3) Unbroken $18,358,000 | 3,190 Theaters | $5,755 Avg. | $87,801,000 4 (N) The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death $15,145,000 | 2,602 Theaters | $5,821 Avg. | $15,145,000 5 (4) Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb $14,450,000 | 3,802 Theaters | $3,801 Avg. | $89,726,000 6 (5) Annie (2014) $11,400,000 | 3,166 Theaters | $3,601 Avg. | $72,600,000 7 (8) The Imitation Game $8,111,000 | 754 Theaters | $10,757 Avg. | $30,808,000 8 (6) The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 $7,700,000 | 2,505 Theaters | $3,074 Avg. | $323,875,000 9 (7) The Gambler $6,300,000 | 2,494 Theaters | $2,526 Avg. | $27,566,000 10 (11) Big Hero 6 $4,816,000 | 1,913 Theaters | $2,518 Avg. | $211,268,000 The Interview $1,100,000 | 581 Theaters | $1,893 Avg. | $4,900,000 Awards Watch: Wild $4,500,000 | 1,361 Theaters | $3,306 Avg. | $25,814,000 Big Eyes $2,623,000 | 1,408 Theaters | $1,863 Avg. | $9,937,000 Interstellar $2,400,000 | 1,048 Theaters | $2,290 Avg. | $182,742,000 Top Five $2,120,000 | 1,195 Theaters | $1,774 Avg. | $23,720,000 The Theory of Everything $1,114,000 | 651 Theaters | $1,711 Avg. | $24,780,000 Foxcatcher $903,000 | 298 Theaters | $3,030 Avg. | $7,943,000 Birdman $845,000 | 282 Theaters | $2,996 Avg. | $25,416,000 Selma $645,000 | 22 Theaters | $29,318 Avg. | $2,080,000 American Sniper $640,000 | 4 Theaters | $160,000 Avg. | $2,192,000 Gone Girl $400,000 | 279 Theaters | $1,434 Avg. | $166,737,000 Inherent Vice $239,000 | 16 Theaters | $14,938 Avg. | $1,451,000 Mr. Turner $231,000 | 24 Theaters | $9,625 Avg. | $963,000 Whiplash $211,000 | 84 Theaters | $2,512 Avg. | $5,902,000 A Most Violent Year $188,000 | 4 Theaters | $47,000 Avg. | $300,000 Citizenfour $63,000 | 49 Theaters | $1,286 Avg. | $2,263,000 Boyhood $40,800 | 24 Theaters | $1,700 Avg. | $24,290,800 Two Days, One Night $31,000 | 2 Theaters | $15,500 Avg. | $109,800 Global Totals: THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF FIVE ARMIES: $502.1M Overseas Total | $722.8M Global Total THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1: $371.6M Overseas Total | $695.7M Global Total BIG HERO 6: $167.4M Overseas Total | $378.6M Global Total GONE GIRL: $196.1M Overseas Total | $362.8M Global Total PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR: $193.5M Overseas Total | $271.5M Global Total EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS: $142.5M Overseas Total | $203.7M Global Total NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB: $92.3M Overseas Total | $182M Global Total HORRIBLE BOSSES 2: $47M Overseas Total | $100M Global Total PK: $77.2M Overseas Total | $86.2M Global Total

More about the real Imitation Game. The concept of whether computers can imitate human thinking very briefly comes up in the film, probably to try to explain the title. The movie is based on the biography Alan Turing: The Enigma, but Enigma was already used for an earlier movie about (different) British codebreakers in World War II. Fact vs. fiction in The Imitation Game. Tl;dr: Turing wasn't on the autism spectrum, but was more open about his sexuality with friends and colleagues. He built an improved code-breaking machine, but the Polish had invented an earlier version. Also, Turing devised the computer with the help of a person not even mentioned in the film. Christopher was real; Turing didn't name any of his early machines after him. Commander Denniston recruited Turing and never tried to fire him. The guy whose brother was doomed didn't actually have a brother IRL. Joan Clarke was recruited to Bletchley by an old professor, not a crossword puzzle. Turing tried to reunite with her a couple of years after the breakup but she rebuffed him. There's no record of Turing personally crossing paths with Menzies or the Soviet spy. Some changes fall within the acceptable realm of dramatic license for me, but it seems so incredibly lazy and reductive to imply that the misunderstood genius has some form of autism. If he did, fine, but why fall back on that creaky stereotype in the 2010s? It just makes the think the screenwriter and director aren't very creative. And with this movie's clear Oscar aspirations, of course it completely shied away from showing Turing actually doing anything physical or intimate with a man, when it's a huge part of his story that the movie actually delves into—the arrest, the chemical castration, his eventual suicide. But it was just a creative decision to limit the PDA to that flashback where Alan and Christopher sat very closely together that one time, and not because the filmmakers and studio didn't want to make any conservative AMPAS members uncomfortable or risk a more restrictive rating. Sure. I guess you're only supposed to judge a movie on what it is and not what it could have been and I did find it watchable enough at the time. In the rearview mirror, and with more knowledge of reality...

No need to wonder about birth order here, it's right on the screen along with the name. Alyssa seems older than 19. Zach just looks like he's in his mid-30s. Interesting to see so many bachelor brothers in the family. I guess the Bateses want the sons to be able to provide for a family before arranging courtships for them?

It's not really Oscar season until the accuracy of the awards bait comes under question. Sometimes it hurts (Zero Dark Thirty), sometimes it doesn't matter (in the same year, Argo withstood criticisms about significantly downplaying Canada's role in the rescue). Slate has a piece about all the generous liberties taken with Alan Turing's life and work for The Imitation Game.

There was a young couple in the South somewhere buying their first house. The wife was the daughter of a brick mason who'd recently been diagnosed with ALS, I think, so he couldn't build them their first house as planned, but she still wanted a brick exterior. The husband made jewelry and the wife needed a room for gift wrapping, but they seemed pretty relaxed and reasonable in the overall house hunt. He kept teasing her about wanting "All brick everything!" but they realized they couldn't afford it yet and their attitude about it seemed to be, maybe for the next house.

I really didn't know much about Johnny Football's home life, so I did some googling and...wow. The Deadspin version is even more colorful (long reads, both). I guess when there's a history of grifting, federal indictments and prison stints, poor work ethic and overzealous partying can't exactly disgrace the family name. If the Panthers make it to the conference championship or Super Bowl, the talking heads might be hung up on the losing record, but I think the mainstream media will be all over the "human interest" angle of Cam surviving the car crash and getting a new lease on life.

IDK, the cost of moviegoing hasn't dramatically increased in the past 2-3 years, but this weekend increased from the same weekend last year at the box office (6 percent), and maybe the plummeting gas prices helped. As far as going out for entertainment, I still think a movie is cheaper than concerts, major sporting events or clubs, especially a matinee (I never go the movies at night and don't live in a Top 10/20 market, so maybe this is why it doesn't seem so expensive to me?) I think VOD/streaming and the slate of films not compelling people to attend are bigger issues. Dealing with a generation who've always had tablets and Youtube might be a growing challenge for movie theaters in a few years. It used to be a huge deal for a teen to be able to go to the mall with friends, but now you have helicopter parents, they can all text each other constantly, and they can probably pirate whatever movie they want fairly easily. With further numbers, Into the Woods came in second for the weekend, ahead of Unbroken ($31M vs. $30.6M). Both are still outperforming expectations so far.

I did like both Unbroken and The Imitation Game, but felt the films left too many interesting developments to onscreen blurbs before the credits, and the directors could have re-shifted focus to depict those events rather than certain elements they did choose to highlight/dwell on instead.

December 26–28, 2014 Estimates: 1 (1) The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies $41,420,000 | 3,875 Theaters | $10,689 Avg. | $168,522,000 2 (N) Unbroken $31,748,000 | 3,131 Theaters | $10,140 Avg. | $47,341,000 3 (N) Into the Woods $31,021,000 | 2,440 Theaters | $12,714 Avg. | $46,105,000 4 (2) Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb $20,600,000 | 3,914 Theaters | $5,263 Avg. | $55,307,000 5 (3) Annie (2014) $16,600,000 | 3,197 Theaters | $5,192 Avg. | $45,835,000 6 (5) The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 $10,000,000 | 2,793 Theaters | $3,580 Avg. | $306,656,000 7 (N) The Gambler $9,300,000 | 2,478 Theaters | $3,753 Avg. | $14,300,000 8 (16) The Imitation Game $7,930,000 | 747 Theaters | $10,616 Avg. | $14,631,000 9 (4) Exodus: Gods and Kings $6,750,000 | 3,002 Theaters | $2,249 Avg. | $52,517,000 10 (6) Wild $5,415,000 | 1,285 Theaters | $4,214 Avg. | $16,364,000 11 (7) Big Hero 6 $4,854,000 | 2,065 Theaters | $2,351 Avg. | $199,933,000 12 (8) Top Five $3,800,000 | 1,426 Theaters | $2,665 Avg. | $19,266,000 13 (10) Penguins of Madagascar $3,250,000 | 2,033 Theaters | $1,599 Avg. | $66,954,000 14 (11) Interstellar $3,000,000 | 1,253 Theaters | $2,394 Avg. | $177,348,000 15 (N) Big Eyes $2,986,000 | 1,307 Theaters | $2,285 Avg. | $4,401,000 The Interview $1,811,000 | 331 Theaters | $5,471 Avg. | $2,851,000 Awards Watch: The Theory of Everything $1,205,000 | 736 Theaters | $1,637 Avg. | $22,369,000 Foxcatcher $947,000 | 315 Theaters | $3,006 Avg. | $6,147,000 Birdman $820,000 | 292 Theaters | $2,808 Avg. | $23,778,000 American Sniper $610,000 | 4 Theaters | $152,500 Avg. | $850,000 Selma $590,000 | 19 Theaters | $31,053 Avg. | $912,000 Gone Girl $420,000 | 269 Theaters | $1,561 Avg. | $165,950,000 St. Vincent $289,000 | 497 Theaters | $581 Avg. | $42,911,000 Mr. Turner $252,000 | 24 Theaters | $10,500 Avg. | $494,000 Inherent Vice $200,000 | 16 Theaters | $12,500 Avg. | $964,000 Whiplash $180,300 | 87 Theaters | $2,072 Avg. | $5,457,900 Nightcrawler $97,700 | 105 Theaters | $930 Avg. | $31,754,900 Citizenfour $60,900 | 40 Theaters | $1,523 Avg. | $2,141,800 The Homesman $59,800 | 61 Theaters | $980 Avg. | $2,157,200 Two Days, One Night $30,600 | 2 Theaters | $15,300 Avg. | $48,200 Boyhood $36,900 | 26 Theaters | $1,419 Avg. | $24,220,200

The Interview isn't playing at the big chains, independent theaters generally have fewer screens (maybe just 1-2 as opposed to 18 or 24) while at the multiplex, theaters 13-15 might be playing nothing but the latest Hobbit movie 4-5 times a day. The movie was yanked around the schedule and maybe the theaters made plans to show other films, further limiting the number of showtimes per day it might have.

Christmas Day Estimates: 1. Unbroken $15,592,000 | 3,131 Theaters | $4,980 Avg. | $15,592,000 2. Into the Woods $15,084,000 | 2,440 Theaters | $6,182 Avg. | $15,084,000 3. The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies $13,140,000 | 3,875 Theaters | $3,391 Avg. | $127,102,000 4. Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb $7,350,000 | 3,914 Theaters | $1,878 Avg. | $34,782,000 5. The Gambler $5,000,000 | 2,478 Theaters | $2,018 Avg. | $5,000,000 6. Annie (2014) $4,600,000 | 3,197 Theaters | $1,439 Avg. | $29,235,000 7. The Imitation Game $3,077,000 | 747 Theaters | $4,119 Avg. | $6,702,000 8. Exodus: Gods and Kings $3,035,000 | 3,002 Theaters | $1,011 Avg. | $45,782,000 9. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 $2,650,000 | 2,793 Theaters | $949 Avg. | $296,608,000 10. Wild $1,660,000 | 1,285 Theaters | $1,292 Avg. | $10,949,000 11. Top Five $1,465,000 | 1,426 Theaters | $1,027 Avg. | $15,470,000 12. Big Eyes $1,415,000 | 1,307 Theaters | $1,083 Avg. | $1,415,000 13. Big Hero 6 $1,291,000 | 2,065 Theaters | $625 Avg. | $195,079,000 14. P.K. $1,075,000 | 272 Theaters | $3,952 Avg. | $6,200,000 15. The Interview $1,040,000 | 331 Theaters | $3,142 Avg. | $1,040,000 In Limited Release: Selma $322,000 | 19 Theaters | $16,947 Avg. | $322,000 American Sniper $240,000 | 4 Theaters | $60,000 Avg. | $240,000

BH6 hasn't opened everywhere yet.

December 19–21, 2014 Estimates: 1 (N) The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies $56,220,000 | 3,875 Theaters | $14,508 Avg. | $90,627,000 2 (N) Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb $17,300,000 | 3,785 Theaters | $4,571 Avg. | $17,300,000 3 (N) Annie (2014) $16,300,000 | 3,116 Theaters | $5,231 Avg. | $16,300,000 4 (1) Exodus: Gods and Kings $8,065,000 | 3,503 Theaters | $2,302 Avg. | $38,902,000 5 (2) The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 $7,750,000 | 3,174 Theaters | $2,442 Avg. | $289,227,000 6 (10) Wild (2014) $4,150,000 | 1,061 Theaters | $3,911 Avg. | $7,211,000 7 (4) Top Five $3,570,000 | 1,307 Theaters | $2,731 Avg. | $12,456,000 8 (5) Big Hero 6 $3,563,000 | 2,407 Theaters | $1,480 Avg. | $190,441,000 9 (3) Penguins of Madagascar $3,525,000 | 2,717 Theaters | $1,297 Avg. | $64,172,000 10 (N) P.K. $3,500,000 | 272 Theaters | $12,868 Avg. | $3,500,000 Outside the Top 10: The Theory of Everything, $1,590,000 | 1,011 Theaters | $1,573 Avg. | $19,823,000 Foxcatcher, $954,000 | 307 Theaters | $3,107 Avg. | $4,438,000 Birdman, $910,000 | 452 Theaters | $2,013 Avg. | $22,249,000 The Imitation Game, $895,000 | 34 Theaters | $26,324 Avg. | $3,192,000 Gone Girl, $385,000 | 352 Theaters | $1,094 Avg. | $165,212,000 Whiplash, $197,000 | 111 Theaters | $1,775 Avg. | $5,087,000 Inherent Vice, $147,000 | 5 Theaters | $29,400 Avg. | $600,000 Nightcrawler, $146,000 | 153 Theaters | $954 Avg. | $31,514,000 Mr. Turner, $109,000 | 5 Theaters | $21,800 Avg. | $109,000 Citizenfour, $58,100 | 52 Theaters | $1,117 Avg. | $2,041,000 Boyhood, $21,500 | 25 Theaters | $860 Avg. | $24,132,400 Song of the Sea, $18,000 | 1 Theater | $18,000 Avg. | $18,000 Global Totals: THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 1: $350.5M Overseas Total | $639.7M Global Total INTERSTELLAR: $464M Overseas Total | $635.4M Global Total THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF FIVE ARMIES: $265M Overseas Total | $353.4M Global Total BIG HERO 6: $81.6M Overseas Total | $272M Global Total PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR: $135.6M Overseas Total | $199.6M Global Total EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS: $61.8M Overseas Total | $100.3M Global Total HORRIBLE BOSSES 2: $37.2M Overseas Total | $84.9M Global Total

I wasn't speaking of unknown movie actors, but the casting call that went out to the general public, similar to the ones decades later for the Harry Potter movies. The "Southern Talent Search" visited several colleges, Junior League and theater groups in the region to audition hopefuls. It seems Selznick was genuinely interested in finding a Scarlett this way for a time, though the more cynical view is that it was more about finding a new star for his studio who could be put under contract fairly cheaply. The person in charge of traveling to all the stops, who actually had to see "debutante groups [who] giggle" and "every Miss Atlanta from twenty yearsback" (her words, the STS page has links to her audition observations and memos to Selznick) was a little warier about the effort having any real value to the movie, outside of publicity. Still, the actress who played India Wilkes did end up getting on the production's radar through one of these casting calls. Scarlett is 16ish when the story starts at the beginning of the Civil War and in her late 20s when it ends, I think. For the later years, a teen actress probably would've been a stretch. Especially next to Leslie Howard.

Maybe North Korea didn't have any attacks on US soil in the works, but a lone wolf/potential mass shooter using the situation as an opportunity to wreak havoc, especially on Christmas Day, to add to the level of infamy? I think if Aurora hadn't happened, theater owners might have been slightly less leery.

Some of the screen tests were probably about assuaging egos among the studio's talent roster and keeping GWTW in the news. Teenage Lana Turner as Scarlett? Yeah, that was going to happen. The nationwide casting call for Scarlett probably always had 0.00000001% chance of plucking some unknown from obscurity to lead such a major film, but it gave fangirls hope and added to the hype.

I guess they figured Team America: World Police didn't cause this sort of drama, so what's the worst that could happen? Of course, that involved puppets, and maybe Kim Jong Il wasn't as web savvy. I don't expect Rogen and Franco to have a broader perspective, but that's where you figure the executives would intercede. Of course, with the (alleged) stamp of approval from the State Department (link contains movie spoiler) Sony probably thought they were in the clear on the movie causing an international incident.

The production specifically avoided the KKK reference and just called it a "political meeting". The movie also left out the book's usage of the n-word. Calling it an effort to be racially sensitive is probably going too far, but the book is even more inflammatory and moviemakers at the time had to deal with criticisms from black groups/media about the story's content and toned some things down in response. I read a comment once that GWTW is really the love story of Scarlet and Melanie, proven by how the story kind of peters out once Melanie dies. Some screen tests for Scarlett, Melanie, Ashley and Mammy:

Maybe the writers are basing Petra's case to have a claim on the child on what can happen when the situation is reversed. Historically, the terrain has been murkier about the legal father, if a woman is married to one man but pregnant by another, especially before DNA tests came along. I didn't even think about the existence of a surrogacy contract making no sense, but perhaps an agreement was drawn up as one of the many options Rafael and Petra explored when he was being treated for cancer? It doesn't square with Petra being inseminated, I agree. Rose as Sin Rostro? I like it! No one is going to believe Alba when she blames Magda for pushing her down the stairs, or they will say the head bump has made her imagine things.

Update: He's found a traveling partner, but she has a boyfriend (paging James Marsden).

Carmike theater chain won't show The Interview

Alba! She had better not be dead. Since this is heavily inspired by telenovelas, I'm going to hold out for amnesia. I thought Rafael taking the drink from the stranger at the bar was a bit of uncharacteristic naivete, but if he actually believed that Petra is just turning 25 then he has a much longer history of being easily duped. Maybe he just thought she had a hard life in the old country? If he's Sin Rostro, I'm going to have a hard time buying it. I'm going to guess Petra's mom, for now. I do like Jane and am glad she's too self-righteous to be a perfect character, but someone really needs to call her out on it. I was wondering why Michael and Nadine were going to start to go at it on the bathroom counter when there were more comfortable places in the hotel room for sexytimes, but a hidden tunnel underneath the bathtub makes more sense logistically than under a bed or couch.