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Box Office: Oscar Winner Alicia Vikander Has a $2.1 Million Thursday in “Tomb Raider”– Despite Bad Reviews

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: Oscar Winner Alicia Vikander Has a $2.1 Million Thursday in “Tomb Raider”– Despite Bad Reviews

Sometimes the movie audience just wants the distraction of a pretty girl who can shoot an arrow.

That may be the case for Oscar winner Alicia Vikander in “Tomb Raider.” Last night Alicia and friends hit a bullseye with $2.1 million in previews. This was despite pretty bad reviews that leave the newest “Tomb Raider” with around a 50 on critics’ scores.

“Tomb Raider” will now take a shot at dethroning “Black Panther” from the top of the box office list. “A Wrinkle in Time” had no luck, and will fall to third or fourth place this weekend.

Really dead after this weekend will be Bruce Willis in “Death Wish.” Well, we knew it from the terrible reviews and Willis’s lack of interest in promoting the remake.

Good luck tonight, everyone!

Keith Richards Defies Nature, Rocks Out with Gary Clark Jr, Robert Cray, Norah Jones at All Star Benefit

Roger Friedman
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Keith Richards Defies Nature, Rocks Out with Gary Clark Jr, Robert Cray, Norah Jones at All Star Benefit

Rolling Stone Keith Richards. age 74, looked fine and dandy Thursday night at the Beacon Theater. He took the stage at Love Rocks 2, the brainchild of John Varvatos and Greg Williamson, and stole the four hour long all-star concert to raise money for Gods Love We Deliver.

Bill Murray, the de facto emcee, joked that the audience was raising money not to feed people in need around New York City, but to keep Keith Richards alive another day. But really, there’s no fear of Richards expiring from the looks of things. He’s in great shape. With Gary Clark Jr.–who soared on guitar despite a cast on a broken wrist–plus Robert Cray, Norah Jones, and backed by Will Lee, Paul Shaffer and a mesmerizing band of heavy hitters, Keef performed his Rolling Stones signature song, “Happy,” and a standout solo track from two decades ago called “Make No Mistake.”

The latter song was performed as a duet with Jones singing, but also with legendary Memphis musicians whose sound Richards used on his original recording — Charles and Leroy Hodges who’d just performed with Robert Cray.

The whole night was one of highs, with ovation after ovation for the likes of Mavis Staples, Donald Fagen, a trio of Emmylou Harris-Lucinda Williams-Norah Jones, Ann Wilson of Heart, Nona Hendryx, Jimmie Vaughn, Trombone Shorty, Valerie Simpson with Anthony Hamilton, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top with John McEnroe, McEnroe’s rock star wife Patty Smyth, Andra Day, the Bacon Brothers, and so on.

At one point, Murray — who was sent on stage a few times to fund raise– started taking cash from people near the stage. It was surprising how much he got– certainly a couple thousand dollars in what he said were 20s, 50s, and 100 dollar bills. It was hilarious but we’ll see how the charity deals with it. It reminded me of Soupy Sales sending his child viewers to their mother’s pocketbooks.

These charity shows in New York with dozens of acts are often the only way to see real rock, blues, soul, country all come together anymore  in the hands of superstars. This show was no exception, with star and bit players sharing the stage and producing phenomenal, historic moments. Kudos to Varvatos and Williamson.

Keep refreshing Friday for video…

 

TIME Has No Meaning for Meredith Publishers, They Just Wanted People, Entertainment Weekly

Roger Friedman
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TIME Has No Meaning for Meredith Publishers, They Just Wanted People, Entertainment Weekly

TIME Magazine is for sale again.

After being purchased with all the other Time-Life magazines to Meredith Publications, a new sale has emerged.

Reports are that Meredith just wanted People, InStyle, Golf Magazine, and Entertainment Weekly. They’re now going to try and sell Time, Sports Illustrated, Money, and Fortune. Apparently they’re too serious for the readers of Ladies Home Journal.

Who will buy the big four? Hard to say. Conde Nast could be interested. But it’s sad that Meredith isn’t interested in real journalism. But the Koch brothers invested $650 million into the Meredith deal to buy Time Inc. And you know, the last thing they want are real magazines. Sewing and cooking are more their speed.

Henry Luce turns over in his grave once more.

Despite Reports, Matt Damon is NOT Buying a House in Australia or Moving There

Roger Friedman
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Despite Reports, Matt Damon is NOT Buying a House in Australia or Moving There

You do have to laugh at how reports mushroom and fester on the internet.

Despite today’s headlines, Matt Damon is not moving to Australia or buying a house there. So confirms his long time publicist Jennifer Allen, whom I’ve known since 1931.

Damon has strong roots in Boston, his wife and her family have strong roots in Florida. She is also Italian. They have kids who go to school. etc.

Jennifer does say, “They’ve visited there a lot lately.” Well, why not? It’s beautiful. It’s just Good will traveling.

Damon is more likely to move to Mars when Elon Musk gets his flights going. After all, Damon was “The Martin.” Maybe he left something there!

 

EXCLUSIVE Oscar Winner Danny Boyle Confirms James Bond Assignment “If We Get the Script Right,” Screens Emmy Worthy F/X Getty Series

Roger Friedman
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EXCLUSIVE Oscar Winner Danny Boyle Confirms James Bond Assignment “If We Get the Script Right,” Screens Emmy Worthy F/X Getty Series

Yes, Danny Boyle is definitely directing James Bond 25, he told me last night at the premiere of F/X’s Emmy worthy series “Trust.” Boyle is executive producer and directed all 10 episodes of this beautifully crafted story of J. Paul Getty and the kidnapping of his grandson in 1973.

Sounds familiar, right? “All the Money in the World” covered this in a feature at the end of last year, with Ridley Scott directing Christopher Plummer, Michelle Williams, and Mark Wahlberg. But Boyle and his gang– Donald Sutherland, Hillary Swank, and Brendan Fraser– were already at work on this series. It is QUITE different.

We saw the first 2 episodes last night and trust me– “Trust” is addictive like “Mrs, Maisel” or “Bloodline.” Everything about it is top notch. And because there are 10 chapters, Boyle has been able to slow down the story and explore nooks and crannies that Scott– who made a very satisfying movie– couldn’t get into. Simon Beaufoy, who won an Oscar for “Slumdog Millionaire” with Boyle, wrote every episode.

But wait– back to Bond. Boyle told me, “We’re just getting the script right. They’re doing it now.” I offered that with Theresa May kicking out dozens of Russian agents from Britain, and the whole nerve gas thing, the Bond movie is writing itself. He countered: “We go bigger than that.”

Boyle is also getting ready to direct a movie using Beatles songs. Is it a musical? “It’s not a musical.” Does everyone sing? “One person sings,” he said, mysteriously. This much I got: they have the rights to the songs, the movie is called “All You Need is Love,” and the one song we know is in it, asides from the title, is “In My Life.”

I did the best I could.

F/X meantime threw a lavish dinner for “Trust” at the Metropolitan Club, they know they have a winner. Sutherland, who just picked up a lifetime achievement Oscar, was there along with Brendan Fraser, who’s making a comeback of sorts after taking time out to raise his family in upstate New York.

We also met 21 year old British breakout star Harris Dickinson, who plays J. Paul Getty III– his ear gets cut off– and girlfriend Rose Gray, who’s about to take off in the music biz. (Coincidentally, she samples the James Bond theme music in her first single.)

Michael Esper, who was so good in Sting’s “The Last Ship” on Broadway, plays Paul Getty II, father of III with the same spirit and drive. They are all excellent. But Fraser is something of a revelation. He’s grown up, tossed off his “Encino Man” and “Mummy” days. He plays the same role Wahlberg did in the Scott movie– Fletcher Chase– but as a kind of heavy, flat footed Texas sheriff turned investigator. He’s quite good– we’ll look for a Fraser Renaissance this year just based on this performance.

Kirstie Alley Prefers L. Ron Hubbard Fiction, Gives Genius Stephen Hawking Disrespectful Send Off In Arrogant, Ignorant Tweet

Roger Friedman
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Kirstie Alley Prefers L. Ron Hubbard Fiction, Gives Genius Stephen Hawking Disrespectful Send Off In Arrogant, Ignorant Tweet

It’s easy to forget that Kirstie Alley was on “Cheers” and no one knew how crazy or mean she was. Today she Tweeted award winning genius scientist Stephen Hawking this disrespectful message: “You had a good go at it. Thanks for your input.” Her account is still up and she has not deleted the arrogant, ignorant Tweet despite criticism from the Twitter world. Alley obviously prefers the fiction of L. Ron Hubbard to the actual science of Hawking. An avowed member of Scientology, she subscribes to Xenu, John Travolta (who is a complete fiction) and the brainwashing of unsuspecting Hollywood wannabes. We learn something new and bad every day.

Kirstie, we didn’t ask for your input.

 

Elton John Getting 2 New Albums of Tribute Covers from Miley Cyrus (Bitch is Back) to Lady Gaga (Your Song)

Roger Friedman
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Elton John Getting 2 New Albums of Tribute Covers from Miley Cyrus (Bitch is Back) to Lady Gaga (Your Song)

Elton John is getting two albums’ worth of cover tributes on April 6th– one called “Revamp” and the other “Restoration.” The latter is all country stars interpreting Elton and Bernie Taupin hits– and my guess is that one will really take off fast. Strangely, no one covers one of my favorites of their songs, “Country Comfort.” And there’s no appearance by Leon Russell, with whom Elton and Bernie made a whole (and excellent) album. But there are plenty of big names, like Little Big Town and Lee Ann Womack, to compensate.

I told you about the former album a few weeks ago.   Some of the songs were taken from the April 10th Elton Grammys TV special. Famed producer Peter Asher assembled the tracks. Ed Sheeran’s “Candle in the Wind” was one of his discoveries, I’m told, and not the version that’s been floating around YouTube. All of this is part of Sir Elton’s three year “retirement” plan, and it’s damn good marketing. By the way, yes, there was an Elton tribute album years ago — called “Two Rooms” (1991)– that holds up very nicely.

PS Cool covers for the albums– Taupin designed “Restoration.”

Revamp

1. Bennie and The Jets – Elton John, P!nk, Logic

2. We All Fall In Love Sometimes – Coldplay

3. I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues – Alessia Cara

4. Candle In The Wind – Ed Sheeran

5. Tiny Dancer – Florence And The Machine

6. Someone Saved My Life Tonight – Mumford and Sons

7. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word – Mary J. Blige

8. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Q Tip feat. Demi Lovato

9. Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters – The Killers

10. Daniel – Sam Smith

11. Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me – Miley Cyrus

12. Your Song – Lady Gaga

13. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Queens of the Stone Age

Restoration

1. Rocket Man – Little Big Town

2. Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters – Maren Morris

3. Sacrifice – Don Henley and Vince Gill

4. Take Me To The Pilot – Brothers Osborne

5. My Father’s Gun – Miranda Lambert

6. I Want Love – Chris Stapleton

7. Honky Cat – Lee Ann Womack

8. Roy Rogers – Kacey Musgraves

9. Please – Rhonda Vincent and Dolly Parton

10. The Bitch Is Back – Miley Cyrus

11. Sad Songs (Say So Much) – Dierks Bentley

12. This Train Don’t Stop – Rosanne Cash and Emmylou Harris

13. Border Song – Willie Nelson

Harry Styles Introduces New Song, “Medicine,” Live in Paris and Fans Go Crazy Speculating About Its Meaning

Roger Friedman
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Harry Styles Introduces New Song, “Medicine,” Live in Paris and Fans Go Crazy Speculating About Its Meaning

Harry Styles: does he go in One Direction or Two? He introduced a new song called “Medicine” on tour in Paris and now Twitter fans are going crazy. What is he saying? Is he bisexual? Or just fooling around? It’s funny that “Medicine” wasn’t included on his solo album. It’s better than most of the others that made the cut.

Well, at least he’s got people talking.

Lyrics:
Here to take my medicine, take my medicine Treat you like a gentleman Treat you like a gentleman Give me that adrenaline, that adrenaline Think I’m gonna stick with you Here to take my medicine, take my medicine Rest it on your fingertips Up to your mouth, feeling it out Feeling it out [Pre-Chorus] I had a few, got drunk on you and now I’m wasted And when I sleep I’m gonna dream of how you [tasted] [Chorus] If you go out tonight, I’m going out ‘cause I know you’re persuasive You got the salt and I got me an appetite; now I can taste it You get me dizzy, oh, you get me dizzy La la la la la You get me dizzy, oh, you get me dizzy, oh [Verse 2] Tingle running through my blood, fingers to my toes Tingle running through my bones The boys and the girls are here I mess ’round a bit And I’m okay with it The boys and girls are here I’m messing ’round with them And I’m okay with it [Pre-Chorus] I’m coming down, I figured out I kinda like it And when I sleep I’m gonna dream of how you [tasted] [Chorus] If you go out tonight, I’m going out ‘cause I know you’re persuasive You got the salt and I got me an appetite; now I can taste it You get me dizzy, oh, you get me dizzy, oh La la la la la You get me dizzy, oh, you get me dizzy, oh [Pre-Chorus] I had a few, got drunk on you and now I’m wasted [Chorus] If you go out tonight, I’m going out ‘cause I know you’re persuasive You got the salt and I got me an appetite; now I can taste it You get me dizzy, oh, you get me dizzy La la la la la You get me dizzy, oh, you get me dizzy, oh

Happy Birthday to Legends Quincy Jones and Michael Caine, They Each Turn 85 Today!

Roger Friedman
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Happy Birthday to Legends Quincy Jones and Michael Caine, They Each Turn 85 Today!

Sir Michael Caine and (Sir) Quincy Jones each turn 85 years young today. They’ve celebrated their birthdays together many times and have been friends for decades. Today is quite an achievement since the two of them have had a lot of fun and never compromised in their art.

I’ve known Michael Caine a while, since he starred in “The Cider House Rules” in 2000. He didn’t think he could win an Oscar, but he deserved it, and he did win. Frankly, he could have won Best Actor but he went into the Supporting category. He was a pleasure to have around that Oscar season, and has never failed to be quite the gent, smart and funny.

Caine’s other Oscar came in 1987, for Woody Allen’s “Hannah and Her Sisters.” He’s the only man Woody has ever directed to an Oscar other than Woody himself. All of Allen’s other Oscar nominees and winners are women. Caine has four other Oscar nominations as well. PS He and Roger Moore were great pals. They were often in Elaine’s, and one year they took our beloved Elaine Kaufman to the Deauville Film Festival.

Quincy Jones, who you know is called “Q,” is a genius musician and humanitarian. Forget about that dust up last month and those crazy quotes. The fact is, Q is a jazz prodigy who conducted for Frank Sinatra during the Chairman’s heyday, arranged his music and helped bring him back. Q has recorded dozens of hits, worked with everyone, influenced countless musicians of different genres, and shaped Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and “Bad” into timeless blockbusters.

Q has a pair of headphones he sells through AKG (Harman, JBL). They’re listed at $1,499 but I think you can pick them up on amazon for half off. They’re called the N90Q and have this space age equalizing thing in them. They are worth the price. I recently got a “revised” pair to play with– and all I did was listen to Q’s jazz work through them. The sounds are magnificent, soaring, soulful. Transportive. Transplendent. Magnificato. You want to make up words for how his music makes you feel.

You know, everything about Quincy is real. There’s no artifice. He’s the real deal. He says wild things, they are mostly true, or true enough. He’s telling it like it is. We’d better appreciate him while we can.

Two great, irreplaceable legends. I hope they’re really celebrating today!

 Here’s Quincy producing Aretha, 1973, with “Somewhere”– Sondheim-Bernstein

George Clooney Political Career Moving Forward? Pens Op-Ed Piece in “Foreign Affairs” About Africa

Roger Friedman
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George Clooney Political Career Moving Forward? Pens Op-Ed Piece in “Foreign Affairs” About Africa

George Clooney has been laying low in the film business recently. But he’s been getting more active politically. I told you a few weeks ago that he was donating $500,000 to the March 24th March for Our Lives. Now Clooney and John Prendergast have co-written an Op Ed piece for “Foreign Affairs” magazine on how to achieve peace in Africa.

In the piece, titled “The Key to Making Peace in Africa: Fighting Corruption Can Help End Conflict,” Clooney and Prendergast, the actor’s partner in The Sentry, a project of Clooney’s South Sudan effort called Not On Our Watch. write:

  • “Every year, billions of aid dollars pour into Africa: taxpayers and donors around the world fund peacekeeping forces, state-building programs, humanitarian assistance, elections, and peace processes. But none of this support has been able to keep corrupt leaders and their network of beneficiaries from stealing billions of dollars.”
  • “This is the fatal flaw of peacemaking in Africa: those supporting mediation lack the leverage necessary to stop corrupt figures from using their forces to bomb, burn, imprison, silence, torture, starve, impoverish, kill, and rape to maintain or gain power.”
  • “Serious financial pressure with real bite is not only possible; it has proved effective in the past.”
  •  “A comprehensive strategy of using financial pressure for peace and human rights in South Sudan and other African war zones would cost very little. But it would give African mediators and their supporters in Washington, London, and elsewhere leverage in peace negotiations.”

Clooney certainly seems like he’s continuing to test the political waters recently. He has no movies lined up, but is busy producing, directing and acting in the TV version of Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22.” His commitment to Africa, South Sudan especially, is not new. He and actor Don Cheadle have continued to be very active with Not On Our Watch and have been for about a decade.

Which new movie is Donald Trump screening at the White House?

 

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