Thursday, December 18, 2025
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Box Office Update: “Logan Lucky” Collapse, Marvel Comics So-Called Reunion Soft Number 1

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Box office update: “Hitman’s Bodyguard” made $21 million over the weekend and finished at number 1. That’s a very soft number 1. The only reason it did that well wasn’t from reviews– they were bad– but it’s a kind of Marvel Comics reunion of Deadpool– Ryan Reynolds– and Nick Fury– Sam Jackson. Unfortunately, their super powers were lacking. “Hitman” at least wasn’t suicidal.

“Logan Lucky” has a 93 on Rotten Tomatoes. But it’s DOA with $8 million for the weekend. Come on people– go see a terrific heist movie. What’s wrong? What’s wrong is NO MARKETING. No publicity. No appearances on talk shows. No buzz. Jeez Louise. Why bother? Now Steven Soderbergh with will retire again. I sure hope not.

The good news: “Girls Trip” is the only comedy of 2017 to cross the $100 million line. Mucho congrats. Universal has a franchise now. Two sequels– why not? A Boys Trip? Boys and Girls Trip? Keep em coming.

Sunday Morning News Shows: White House Reps and Surrogates MIA Cause Kellyanne Conway Withdrawal

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Oh, Kellyanne Conway. We really really miss you. Where are you?

After months and months and months of lighting up Twitter with her ridiculous rationalizing and outright lying, Kellyanne is no where to be seen today. Perhaps worrying that General Pershing will be tied to the Bowling Green Massacre, Kellyanne is totally absent from the Sunday morning political shows. Even the ones on Fox.

Indeed, all the shows– “Meet the Press,” “This Week,” “Face the Nation,” “Lie to Me with Chris Wallace,” “Reliable Sources” — not one of them has a spokesperson from the White House or anyone who seems to have been there or knows Donald Trump. Everyone is gone– no Hope Hicks, no Sarah Huckabee Sanders, no Republicans of note.

And think of all the things they could be discussing besides Trump’s obsession with Nazis and confederate statues — like Trump pulling out of the Kennedy Center Honors. Like the mass resignation of corporate and arts commissions. So many other things to chat about than the fact that Trump has not called one family of military personnel killed abroad since he was sworn in.,

And Kellyanne– it’s obvious that she’s had “some work done” in the last few weeks. I heard she had a big face lift, and now she’s “bleeding from everywhere.”

Meantime, Trump is golfing at his golf club, day 75 of appearing at one of his properties. None of his aides have mentioned that Dick Gregory has died. Trump would confuse him with Flip Wilson. He loved Flip Wilson, especially when he was Geraldine.

Dick Gregory, Famed Civil Rights Activist, Humorist, Stand Up Comic Dies at 84

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Dick Gregory has died at age 84. Incredibly important and influential as a civil rights activist who was also a humorist and stand up comic and author, Gregory was portrayed just last year off Broadway by Joe Morton in a one man play called “Turn Em Loose.” He came up at the same time as Bill Cosby (whose own role in similar capacities is not invalidated by his legal problems).

Dick Gregory came into my consciousness in 1968 (I was 11) because he made headlines for going on a hunger strike. This was after he was already famous as humorist and comic. This was shocking. He protested the lack of rights for Native Americans in Washington state. It would become the first of many hunger strikes Gregory would use as a method of protest from his early days right up til age 80.

He picketed, was arrested, over and over. He was a committed activist for the right causes, was passionate and persuasive. In light of what’s happened recently in politics, Dick Gregory should only be remembered with the highest regard.

On the other side, not legal, he wrote books, appeared in films, and toured incessantly. Read his bio at Wikipedia. A good movie has to be made about him.

Tom Arnold to James Woods on Twitter Over Misleading Photo: “You’re looking for an ass-kicking, old man”

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Actor James Woods sent out a fake news photo of protesters at a march. Actor Tom Arnold responded quickly: “You know damn well this picture isn’t from Boston or America or even this year. You are begging for an ass kicking old man.”

A long night begins. Keep refreshing…

Box Office Calamity: Panned “Hitman’s Bodyguard” Does Three Times the Biz of Loved “Logan Lucky”

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“Logan Lucky” is Steven Soderbergh’s comeback film with Channing Tatum, Daniel Craig (James Bond, for goodness sake) and a neat cast. On Rotten Tomatoes it has a 93. It’s a smart funny heist movie.

“The Hitman’s Bodyguard” with Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson has a 40. No one really liked it, it was sort of a cliche ridden romp for movie stars, without much thought. The director, Patrick Hughes, is not considered A list.

But “Hitman” did almost three times the business last night, taking in $8 million with very little press or promotion– it sold on the names.

“Logan Lucky” wasn’t very lucky– $2.8 million on Friday night signals a disaster. It also had very little publicity– nearly nothing except a small premiere in Tennessee.

What a mess. For LionsGate, “Hitman” is a cookie cutter success. It’s right off their conveyor belt. For little indie Bleecker Street, “Logan” could have been a breakout. But it tracked poorly and no one from the production– save for Tatum and Soderbergh– put much effort into promoting it.

“Logan Lucky” won’t even finish second for the weekend. That honor goes to holdover horror film “Annabelle Creation.” If only “Logan” had been as Lucky as the Wolverine movie “Logan” from earlier this spring.

The “Hitman” success is moderate. And the total box office for the weekend will be scarifyingly low.

Trump Kennedy Center Rebuke Omen for State Dinners, Presidential Medal of Freedom?

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Now that Donald Trump has pulled out of the Kennedy Center Honors, new questions arise: what about state dinners? The Presidential Medal of Freedom?

In the case of the former, so far there have been no state dinners. Trump is rarely at the White House. He conducts all his social business at his own properties. But state dinners are a tradition in Washington. By the fall, every White House is gearing up for a few.

But who would come? Scott Baio? Ted Nugent? Under Obama, both Bushes, and Clinton, not to mention Reagan, celebrities clamored to come to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. I doubt now that even the performers who appeared at the Inauguration would come, not with Charlottesville hanging over their heads.

And then there’s the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Movie stars and music stars are always chosen. But it’s primarily for great thinkers– scientists, writers, etc. As a climate change denier, Trump won’t get any people from science.

Anyone with a proper education would turn him down. It could be this year would be the first ever without Medal of Freedom recipients. Writers and poets would say no, classical musicians would decline. With Trump threatening to cut funds from all arts and sciences, it’s a pretty dismal scene.

Trump’s Disdain of the Arts: He and Melania Won’t Be Part of the Kennedy Center Honors– a First

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Donald and Melania Trump have pulled out of the Kennedy Center Honors.

Three of the five recipients had already said they would not go to the White House for the traditional Saturday night gala at which the president bestows the awards.

Now the Trumps, rather than try to fix things or reach out to the people in the arts and culture who make America great, have pulled out of the ceremony entirely. There is no explanation other than they want to “remove political distraction.”

This is a telling moment for what’s to come with Trump as far as dinners and awards go. There have no been state dinners yet. Celebrities typically are invited. And then there are things like the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Would anyone accept at this point?

So this is a first. It’s rare– if ever– that a president and first lady haven’t sat in the presidential box since the Kennedy Center honors began 40 years ago. It’s unclear now who will sit in the box– Mike Pence? — or whether it will be removed entirely.

This is one of the many failings of Donald Trump. Knowing that he’s offended the arts world– all the members of his arts commission resigned this week– he has no interest in trying to figure out why, or to meet anyone in that community halfway. Melania is probably fuming– no red carpets, no celeb, no gowns. It’s just back to Mar-a-Lago, where this week seven — 7– major charities have cancelled their galas.

UPDATE Michael Moore Heading to Prime Time This Winter with “Live from Apocalypse” (Plus Review of His Broadway Show Here)

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Michael Moore announced on Twitter tonight he’s returning to prime time TV. “Live from the Apocalypse’ will air on TNT.

 

EARLIER I finally caught up with Michael Moore’s “The Terms of My Surrender” last night at the Belasco Theater. Everyone who’s interested in what’s going on now with Trump and America must see this hilarious and often moving one man show.

After reading Jesse Green’s review in the Times I worried about “Terms.” But it turns out Green was dead wrong. Moore’s performance is absolutely captivating. There are plenty of laughs, and some serious moments too. But don’t be fooled– this is no screed– it’s like Garrison Keillor taking on Donald Trump, and winning!

Moore tailors the evening’s performance to what’s happening in the news. Since he opened last Thursday, we’ve had Charlottesville and Barcelona. Those topics were worked into last night’s opening monologue. But there are also excellent set pieces about the Flint, Michigan water supply and even “Dancing with the Stars.”

Every couple of shows there is a surprise guest who comes on stage. Last night it was Ann Sparanese, the progressive Englewood, New Jersey librarian who saved Moore’s 2001 book, “Stupid White Men,” from being pulped by Rupert Murdoch’s Harper Collins publishers.

The book was set to be released on September 11, 2001. But after the World Trade Center tragedies, HarperCollins decided to not release the book and pulp it because it was too irreverent. By coincidence, a couple of months later, Moore read portions aloud to a group of librarians in New Jersey. He told them what was going on. Sparanese, who didn’t know Moore, immediately sent an email to 100 influential librarians. Word spread quickly and Harper Collins was forced to publish “Stupid White Men” in its original form.

Sparanese is quite remarkable. She took a seat with Moore on stage last night. “I never expected to be on Broadway,” she said. With twinkling eyes and long white hair, Sparanese is a throwback to Woodstock and lefty organizing. She fights the good fight, and was there that day in 2001 at Moore’s reading as a representative of her union.

Sparanese told us a lot about libraries. There’s a library that loans ties to people going on job interviews. It’s called the Tiebrary. Others loan out “hot spots” so people can get resumes done. We were surprised (not shocked) to learn that Trump’s budget proposes total cuts to funding of public  libraries.

I don’t know why the Times review called Moore “self-aggrandizing” and that he was “bragging.” About what? Talk about missing the point. Moore’s rambling (it’s actually very structured thanks to director Michael Mayer) presentation is completely sincere. He’s strung together memoirish anecdotes, combined some sketch like comedy (a bit about the TSA gets howls), and then delivers solid information about making a difference.

This past week, Moore took his audience by bus load to Trump Tower, to participate in protests. He’s got some more interactive stuff coming up. I found it exciting theater. Two hours, no intermission, and it was a breeze. Plus, I learned some things.

I can’t wait to go back.

Review: “Leap!” Has a Laugh Out Loud Mel Brooks and Kate McKinnon in Three Delicious Roles

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“Leap!”—directed by Eric Summer and Eric Warin– is a clever Swan Lake for kids with lush animation. But it’s also a lot of fun for adults. A hit all over the world, “Leap!” has been smartly recast with American actors who bring their own sensibilities starting with Elle Fanning as Felicie, the young heroine trapped in a French orphanage in late 1880s Normandy. She dreams of being a prima ballerina in Paris. But that means escaping the confines she’s known since childhood. Wait til she meets a cast of characters in Paris, some who help and many who hinder her trajectory to fame and happiness.

Fanning — who’s become the go-to late teen actress–  plays it straight and lovely so the gang of scene stealers around her can do their bits. Kate McKinnon– playing three roles but mainly the deliciously evil Regine LeHaute — is an essential addition to the canon of wicked witches like Cruela deVil and Cinderella’s stepmother. (McKinnon can do no wrong, and luckily Regine seems like she was drawn just for her.)

The great Mel Brooks is hilarious as the proprietor of the Normandy orphanage from which Felicie (Elle Fanning) wants to escape. (He has at least one line that made me laugh out loud. Wait for it.) Felicie has competition in Regina LeHaut’s daughter, Camille (a lovely sneering Maddie Ziegler). Luckily, Felicie also has some supporters– a bff In Victor, a young budding inventor (Nat Wolff) and a mentor in Odette (Carly Rae Jepsen).

There isn’t a little girl in America who won’t want to be Felicie or identify with her. It’s a story old as time, to quote another animated classic. And guess what? It still resonates with every new generation.

Taylor Swift About to Join Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Other Popsters in Grammy Race with New Music

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Taylor Swift is about to give birth.

Any minute now she will drop a new single. Swift will join Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber and other popsters who want records out for Christmas, and maybe Grammy nominations.

The Grammys deadline is September 30th, so the heat is on to capitalize on that publicity.

Miley has a new album and single, “Younger Now.” Bieber just released a new single called “Friends.”

Swift has cleared the decks on all her social media, getting ready to launch something. She’s literally created a ‘blank slate’ to introduce new music and new branding.

Whether all this will work for Grammys is one thing. But this last minute summer push makes sense. These acts have to grab the attention of teens and tweens before school is back in session.

So far the Grammy contenders for Best Album include Kesha, Ed Sheeran, and Kendrick Lamar. There’s still time for someone to release something great– not sure if that’s possible, but we’ll let hope spring eternal!