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What angered me about the Mockingjay split is that they could have used it for more character development and world-building, and they chose not to. Instead, they pushed the freakin' love triangle instead.

 

What I loved about the first movie is that they had such great character development- better than the book when it came to the secondary characters. That basically stopped when Francis took over.

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James Gunn on Deadpool's Box Office Success

 

The Guardians of the Galaxy director talks about why Deadpool worked:

 

“The film has a self-deprecating tone that’s riotous. It’s never been done before. It’s poking fun at Marvel. That label takes itself so seriously, can you imagine them making fun of themselves in a movie? They’d rather stab themselves.”

 

That’s a quote from Deadline Hollywood, attributing it to a Hollywood “suit.” I love Deadline and get a lot of my film business news from them. And I love Deadpool even more – the film is hilariously funny, has lots of heart, and is exactly what we need right now, taking true risks in spectacle film – but COME THE FUCK ON. That’s no reason to rewrite history. This quote has to have been said by the dumbest fucking Hollywood exec in the history of dumb fucking Hollywood execs.

 

Let’s ignore Guardians for a moment, a movie that survives from moment to moment building itself up and cutting itself down – God knows I’m biased about that one. But what do you think Favreau and Downey did in Iron Man? What the fuck was Ant-Man??

 

After every movie smashes records people here in Hollywood love to throw out the definitive reasons why the movie was a hit. I saw it happen with Guardians. It “wasn’t afraid to be fun” or it “was colorful and funny” etc etc etc. And next thing I know I hear of a hundred film projects being set up “like Guardians,” and I start seeing dozens of trailers exactly like the Guardians trailer with a big pop song and a bunch of quips. Ugh.

 

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

 

Deadpool wasn’t that. Deadpool was its own thing. THAT’S what people are reacting to. It’s original, it’s damn good, it was made with love by the filmmakers, and it wasn’t afraid to take risks.

 

For the theatrical experience to survive, spectacle films need to expand their definition of what they can be. They need to be unique and true voices of the filmmakers behind them. They can’t just be copying what came before them.

 

So, over the next few months, if you pay attention to the trades, you’ll see Hollywood misunderstanding the lesson they should be learning with Deadpool. They’ll be green lighting films “like Deadpool” – but, by that, they won’t mean “good and original” but “a raunchy superhero film” or “it breaks the fourth wall.” They’ll treat you like you’re stupid, which is the one thing Deadpool didn’t do.

 

But hopefully in the midst of all this there will be a studio or two that will take the right lesson from this – like Fox did with Guardians by green-lighting Deadpool – and say – “Boy, maybe we can give them something they don’t already have.”

 

And that’s who is going to succeed.

 

 

 

(Emphasis mine.)  

 

If I didn't know better, I'd think he's trying to take credit for Deadpool's success.  He probably has a point about studio execs not always understanding why certain films work and others don't (if they didn't, no movie would ever flop), but he phrases it in such a way that it sounds so....  

 

Well, to quote him... ugh.  Ugh.  Ugh.  Ugh.  Ugh.  Ugh.

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Hollywood Calls Dibs on Your Life Story
 


I found the movie "The Hurt Locker" so evocative of Iraq that I saw it six times. Apparently the verisimilitude wasn't an accident. According to a lawsuit brought by U.S. Army Sergeant Jeffrey Sarver, the film’s bomb-defusing lead character was based on him. The film’s screenwriter, Mark Boal, was embedded with Sarver’s company in Iraq and published an article on Sarver’s life and experiences in Playboy magazine in 2005.

Sarver sued Boal and the film's producers under a California rule that prohibits appropriating a public figure's likeness for commercial purposes without consent. On Wednesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit upheld the dismissal of the bomb-disposal technician’s case on the grounds that the film's First Amendment protections trumped any claim Sarver might have to ownership of his likeness.

The holding is dubious under controlling U.S. Supreme Court precedent. But it reflects a trend in appeals courts in which the freedom of speech is being used to defeat a person's claims to their image or story. The law here is changing in favor of Hollywood and against individuals.

I think it is more complicated than that.  The reality is, this gentleman has to have actual proof that the character Jeremy Renner played is "him", and not a amalgamation of several different people.  Also he has to prove that what Mark Boal put in his screenplay are authentic experiences to he and he alone and not generic experiences of war. 

 

Also does anyone know if you have a right to your image while your an actual soldier in active duty as long as they don't specifically name you?

I suppose I can put this here, although it doesn't seem quite right, but I don't see another thread that's any better.  Apologies if it's already been posted somewhere and I didn't see it:

 

Ferris Fest to mark 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' anniversary

 

It could be fun, but the price might just keep a lot of people way from it.  On another note--I can't believe these movies I grew up with are turning 30!  Ugh.  :)

I think it is more complicated than that. The reality is, this gentleman has to have actual proof that the character Jeremy Renner played is "him", and not a amalgamation of several different people. Also he has to prove that what Mark Boal put in his screenplay are authentic experiences to he and he alone and not generic experiences of war.

Also does anyone know if you have a right to your image while your an actual soldier in active duty as long as they don't specifically name you?

Wouldn't every ripped-from-the-headlines episode of Law & Order ever inspire a lawsuit, if screenwriters aren't permitted to run with fictionalized versions of real life? True, many of those episodes do feature celebrity cases, but some are based on "regular" people. OTOH, Boal's established connection to this guy does make the similarities a bit suspect...

Edited by Dejana

Viacom Seeks Deal for Paramount Film Studio
 



The Viacom Inc.-owned studio has been ranked last among Hollywood “majors” at the box office for four straight years. Revenue and operating income have plummeted and hundreds of employees have been laid off.

Now, Viacom, under pressure from investors who are frustrated with the media giant’s sagging stock price and want to see major strategic moves, said Tuesday it will sell a minority stake in Paramount. The company hopes to close a deal for the 104-year-old studio by the end of June. . .

Many on Wall Street and in Hollywood believe a Chinese company such as Dalian Wanda Group could be among the bidders. The company previously approached Paramount, according to people familiar with the matter.

(edited)

 

Zack Snyder wants to make a 300-style movie about George Washington.

OK, I feel a little bad because I do think Snyder will try (fail, but try) to actually make a unique film, but I'm just picturing this has a horrible mixture of his past films, complete with actors from his former work.  Gerard Butler will play George Washington and he won't even bother hiding his accent, so he'll just be Scottish George Washington.  Lena Headey will be Martha, and mainly just hang out in the background and look worried.  Since Alexander Hamilton is apparently the hot Founding Father, he'll be played by Michael Fassbender (remember, Fassbender was in 300!)  Betsy Ross will now be a badass warrior queen, who will occasionally have random sex scenes (played by Eva Green, naturally.)  But I don't want it to just be 300 folks, so lets have Michael Shannon dial it up to 11 as Benedict Arnold!

 

At the very least, we'll get this scene when Washington and the gang have enough of those pesky Brits:

Redcoat General: "This is madness!"

Scottish Washington: "No.  THIS.  IS.  DEMOCRACY!!!!!"

(kicks Redcoat into a well)

 

Although, I would love it if they cast Jason Issacs, and he just basically plays the same character he did in The Patriot.

Edited by thuganomics85
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OK, I feel a little bad because I do think Snyder will try (fail, but try) to actually make a unique film, but I'm just picturing this has a horrible mixture of his past films, complete with actors from his former work.  Gerard Butler will play George Washington and he won't even bother hiding his accent, so he'll just be Scottish George Washington.  Lena Headey will be Martha, and mainly just hang out in the background and look worry.  Since Alexander Hamilton is apparently the hot Founding Father, he'll be played by Michael Fassbender (remember, Fassbender was in 300!)  Betsy Ross will now be a badass warrior queen, who will occasionally have random sex scenes (played by Eva Green, naturally.)  But I don't want it just be 300 folks, so lets have Michael Shannon dial it up to 11 as Benedict Arnold!

 

At the very least, we'll get this scene when Washington and the gang have enough of those pesky Brits:

Redcoat General: "This is madness!"

Scottish Washington: "No.  THIS.  IS.  DEMOCRACY!!!!!"

(kicks Redcoat into a well)

 

Although, I would love it if they cast Jason Issacs, and he just basically plays the same character he did in The Patriot.

 

This sounds like an awesome movie.

At the very least, we'll get this scene when Washington and the gang have enough of those pesky Brits:

Redcoat General: "This is madness!"

Scottish Washington: "No.  THIS.  IS.  DEMOCRACY!!!!!"

(kicks Redcoat into a well)

 

I have been laughing at this for several minutes.  

 

I could be wrong, but I don't think any of our fore fathers had ripped, sweaty abs.

 

Hollywood loves to romanticize (American) history, so what's a little washboard and pecs for visual appeal?  I might actually pay to see it in theatres, much like I did for that absurd wargasm known as 300. 

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I have been laughing at this for several minutes.  

 

 

Hollywood loves to romanticize (American) history, so what's a little washboard and pecs for visual appeal?  I might actually pay to see it in theatres, much like I did for that absurd wargasm known as 300. 

 

Mia in the book version of the Princess Diaries went on a rant about how unrealistically hot William Shakespare was in Shakespeare in Love. It was rather funny.

From Amy Adams interview in British GQ they talk about the gender pay gap on American Hustle:

 

Amy Adams admits she knew she was being paid less than her male co-stars

“Yeah, I did. I didn’t speak about it before and I’m probably not going to speak about it forever, because I disagreed with... not Jennifer per se, but people who had opinions on how women should go about negotiating. The truth is we hire people to negotiate on our behalf, men and women... I knew I was being paid less and I still agreed to do it because the option comes down to do it or don’t do it. So you just have to decide if it’s worth it for you. It doesn’t mean I liked it.”

 

(edited)

This does not shock me at all. In fact when it first came out about the pay gap a close friend of mine was of the opinion that JL or at least her negotiators had to be very aware of this but in the end the women being featured in such a fashionable way made them feel they would probably make so much more for clothing/cosmetics deals after, something rarely offered to the men. I mean American Hustle was not something I could see Hugo Boss's people feeling that Bradley Cooper or Christian Bale were a must have to endorse their line.

ETA; Although I see Bradley Cooper flogs Häagen-Dazs, and that ain't too shabby but it's hardly the same as becoming 'most fashionable ' at awards season.

Edited by raezen

 

Amy Adams admits she knew she was being paid less than her male co-stars

 

This does not shock me at all. In fact when it first came out about the pay gap a close friend of mine was of the opinion that JL or at least her negotiators had to be very aware of this but in the end the women being featured in such a fashionable way made them feel they would probably make so much more for clothing/cosmetics deals after, something rarely offered to the men. I mean American Hustle was not something I could see Hugo Boss's people feeling that Bradley Cooper or Christian Bale were a must have to endorse their line.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          ETA; Although I see Bradley Cooper flogs Häagen-Dazs, and that ain't too shabby but it's hardly the same as becoming 'most fashionable ' at awards season.

But it still isn't right for a woman to be paid less than a man when doing the same amount of work for a movie. Solely because of her gender. 

 

And I think JLaw is in a better professional position than Amy Adams to speak out about the gender gap. Plus she's a naturally outspoken person and has taken a stance on other issues as well, e.g. when someone hacked into her phone and leaked her nude photos or when she told Jack Nicholson, "Excuse me, I'm talking here." 

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But it still isn't right for a woman to be paid less than a man when doing the same amount of work for a movie. Solely because of her gender. 

But Jennifer Lawrence was not a lead in American Hustle. Amy Adams was and she made the same amount as Jennifer Lawrence who seems to be the only one who people talked about getting ripped off because she was the most popular actor at the moment. Work in Hollywood has little to do with it.

Besides, Amy Adams doesn't sound like she is interested in the least in becoming a spokesperson but she absolutely is in the best position to comment on something that started with a film she worked on.

China’s richest man is now the biggest owner of US movie theaters
 


Will dominance of the theater market by a Communist Party heavyweight influence what appears on American screens? Under Xi, China has undergone a widespread crackdown on free speech and tighter controls on the media. New rules prohibit television shows from depicting homosexuality and “sexual freedom,” for example, and news media have been instructed to reflect the party’s point of view at all times.

“There are multiple ways in which China gets its message out,” Anne-Marie Brady, a professor at the University of Canterbury who studies the Communist Party, told Quartz before the AMC deal. Beijing’s handling of criticism about its slowing economy may seem heavy-handed, Brady said, but China’s “economic propaganda” has been incredibly successful—giving Beijing broader influence in Hollywood and elsewhere.

Getting Hollywood movies to show positive portrayals of China, or no portrayal of it all, is part of the government’s goal of spreading a positive image of the country, she said.

I know "David O. Russell is a dick" isn't exactly breaking news at this point, but when you've reached the point where Amy Adams -- who has always seemed to me to be one of the most professional, drama-free actors in Hollywood -- is publicly calling you out, it's really saying something.

One of the leaked Sony emails – from journalist Jonathan Alter to his brother-in-law Sony CEO Michael Lynton – would prove otherwise. Alter said Russell “so abused” Adams on the set of American Hustle that Christian Bale had to step in to defend her. “His abuse and lunatic behavior are extreme even by Hollywood standards,” wrote Alter.

 

Was this true? In a word: yes. Working with Russell was always kind of crazy, she says. On The Fighter, there was a lot of improv and energy, but this was something else.

...

Is it true he made her cry? “He did. He was hard on me, that’s for sure. It was a lot.” Most days, she says, “I was really just devastated on set,” and most days she returned home devastated too. “I mean, not every day, but most.”

 

I begin to say you could argue that if the film is a success… then the method is…

 

“No,” she cuts in. “It’s not OK with me. Life to me is more important than movies.”

 

She wouldn’t, she says, want to work with David O. Russell again – at least not any time soon.

 

“Not in the near future, no. I’ll never say never, but with my daughter being where she’s at, unless the role is less damaged and there’s a way to mitigate the insanity then probably not. I just want to be a good mom, you know?”

 

Good for her, and good for her for refusing to let the interviewer excuse or justify Russell's abuse. That's the kind of shit that enables assholes like him to keep behaving the same way.

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She also talked about how Jennifer Lawrence can take DOR's temper better than she could, which is probably part of the main reason why she keeps working with him while others vow never to work for him again, but she seemed to be implying that JLaw let DOR's bad behavior towards others slide when she shouldn't have. 

 

Okay, please forgive me, but that's bullshit.  Why is it Jennifer Lawrence's responsibility to moderate his behavior?  She's doing what she has to do to keep her job -- it's not her responsibility to protect anyone else, either.

 

Then there's the fact that she was abused by this asshole, too.  Just because the outward appearance is that she can handle it better doesn't mean she wasn't abused.

 

What about every other person on that set?  Why was Jennifer Lawrence supposed to stand up to him when hundreds of others didn't?

 

I'm sorry, that just pisses me off.

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While it's not solely the job of JL or other actors to stand up to bullies like DOR she is now putting herself in the position of a person who speaks up for women in Hollywood while being bff's with a guy who sounds kind of misogynistic to me. This could get ugly if the media actually ever tried to point that out. I doubt they will though.

Edited by raezen
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While it's not solely the job of JL or other actors to stand up to bullies like DOR she is now putting herself in the position of a person who speaks up for women in Hollywood while being bff's with a guy who sounds kind of misogynistic to me. This could get ugly if the media actually ever tried to point that out. I doubt they will though.

 

This. I know she's talked about growing with two older brothers/being a tomboy/being in a family where you had to be funny in order to survive because they're so mean to each other, but I hear her talk about how DOR sometimes calls her "he" or "him" and would never tiptoe around a woman and just...girl, no. 

 

This is the Vogue interview where JLaw talked about this stuff. Amy Adams' reaction to what she says about DOR here is basically, "LOL, no":

 

http://www.vogue.com/13368193/jennifer-lawrence-december-2015-cover-hunger-games/

 

I DO like the part where Jen says that SHE wound up scaring HIM during their fights on the set of Joy, though. That does make me laugh. 

Edited by UYI
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While it's not solely the job of JL or other actors to stand up to bullies like DOR she is now putting herself in the position of a person who speaks up for women in Hollywood while being bff's with a guy who sounds kind of misogynistic to me. This could get ugly if the media actually ever tried to point that out. I doubt they will though.

 

I'm confused about what is expected of her here.  She can't speak up about women's roles in Hollywood because she continues to work with a director who clearly brings out the best in her?  She's expected to burn that bridge now because Amy Adams has?  Is she supposed to keep her mouth shut or stop working with him?  Regardless, it doesn't sound like freedom or equality.

 

Obviously, actors still work with him.  I don't understand why this burden is being put on Jennifer Lawrence and no one else.

I'm confused about what is expected of her here. She can't speak up about women's roles in Hollywood because she continues to work with a director who clearly brings out the best in her? She's expected to burn that bridge now because Amy Adams has? Is she supposed to keep her mouth shut or stop working with him? Regardless, it doesn't sound like freedom or equality.

Obviously, actors still work with him. I don't understand why this burden is being put on Jennifer Lawrence and no one else.

She can say what she pleases and everyone else has the freedom to their own opinion about whether that may be right or wrong, or hypocritical. That is the risk we all take when we speak up the difference is that JL's platform is huge. A platform she uses also to promote DOR in a way that imo goes beyond most actors working relationships with their directors. I don't mind saying I see a future conflict in her trying to promote women and DOR. Edited by raezen
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At that point I don't think Jennifer Lawerence's platform was as big as it is now.Not to mention Jennifer Lawrence was 21 or 22 when she made that movie, Amy Adams is 15ish years older than her why is it on Jennifer Lawrence to speak up for her? Why can't she speak up for herself? Amy Adams has been in the buisness for a while this can't be the first time she worked with an asshole, it's not even the first time she worked with David O'Russell.

Harrison Ford & Steven Spielberg are reuniting to do a fifth Indiana Jones movie. It's due out in July, 2019--by which point Harrison Ford will apparently be 77 years old.

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/indiana-jones-steven-spielberg-harrison-ford-reuniting-1201730532/

Edited by BW Manilowe

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