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Screened: Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Revenant,” A Very Beautifully Shot Film

Roger Friedman
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Screened: Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Revenant,” A Very Beautifully Shot Film

There’s an embargo until December 4th on reviewing Alejandro Innaritu’s “The Revenant.” The film stars Leonardo Di Caprio, Tom Hardy, and Domhnall Gleason. It’s 156 minutes, and it was screened tonight in New York and then in Hollywood.

I see already social media is buzzing. Will Leo be nominated? Will he win an Oscar at last? Will people make it through the movie?

And who plays the bear?

So I can’t review it except to say the cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki (Morgenstern) is absolutely stunning. You could frame half the frames in the film and put them on your wall. The music by Ryuichi Sakamoto et al. is quite wonderful. Everyone is top notch. The movie is rated for gore and sexual violence, and they are not kidding.

Nevertheless, “The Revenant” will be a major factor in the Oscar race. That’s a prediction, not a review. Innaritu just won the Oscar for “Birdman,” remember, so that plays in as a factor too.

More soon, promise.

PS There are no interior shots, no scenes set in restaurants, no one working at a desk. Grooming is at all time low. Everyone needs a comb. The dichotomies of nature’s beauty and danger are the themes.

Leo will be up against a lot of great actors. I would not count out Michael Fassbender as “Steve Jobs” because the movie hasn’t done well at the box office. It’s a great performance. Ditto Matt Damon in “The Martian,” Mark Ruffalo in “Spotlight,” Steve Carell in “The Big Short,” Tom Hanks in “Bridge of Spies,” Michael Caine in “Youth,” and from what I’m hearing, Samuel L. Jackson in “The Hateful Eight.”

Stay tuned…

Carly Simon Memoir Reveals How James Taylor Cheated On Her, and the Confrontation

Roger Friedman
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Carly Simon Memoir Reveals How James Taylor Cheated On Her, and the Confrontation

Carly Simon‘s memoir isn’t really the stuff of tabloids. And the stories in it are from thirty and forty years ago. Still, the romance of Carly and James Taylor, and their marriage, was the stuff of rock and roll legend.

And now we find out more precisely how it all came apart. In “Boys from the Trees,” which is officially published tomorrow, Simon reveals more or less what happened. First of all, it was indeed drugs. But we knew that. Taylor was a drug addict for a long time. The fact that he’s still here, and so healthy, is remarkable. The world would be a colder place without him.

But Taylor was (and is) a rock star. Back during his marriage to Simon, well think Justin Timberlake. Or better yet, John Mayer. (Makes you wonder if we’ll hear the John Mayer stories in 20 years.) When rock stars are hot, fidelity is not hi.

The real cause of the breakup of the Simon-Taylor marriage was his cheating. He cheated with a back up singer, whom Carly acknowledges but doesn’t name. (I know the name but what’s the point now?)

Taylor had a mistress named Evey (not sure if that’s her real name). He lodged her in a studio apartment he kept for practicing, and rehearsing on the Upper West Side. He was still living at home just a few blocks away with Simon and their two small children. The marriage was already estranged to the point where Carly was seeing someone (Scott Litt, who went on to produce REM’s hit albums including the song “Losing My Religion”).

What ensues his sad and hilarious at the same time when Carly leaves James with the kids — he was unaware– and decides to confront Evey. (She’d had a local locksmith make her a set of keys.)

She writes: “Why was I planning to face down my husband’s mistress in their West Seventieth
Street love nest? Because I wanted Evey to see that I was not a
character in a story James was telling her, not some phantom abstraction,
but a real person, and a nice person, too. I wanted her to respect James’s
and my marriage, our children, our life together.”

The scene in the apartment is priceless, as Evey tells Simon all the things Taylor has made up about her to justify the affair. Simon winds up in the bathroom and then can’t figure a way to exit the whole ordeal.

At last Evey spoke, her voice deliberate. “Jamie and I have the same trines in our charts. We dig each other. You don’t get him.”

The whole thing, you must read. (You can’t put it down.) A heartbreaking end to what the public saw as a fairy tale marriage.

PS Apparently the audio version of Carly’s book — which she reads– is scored with all new music. Can’t wait to hear it!

Exclusive: Kelsey Grammer, Kelli O’Hara Eyeing Julie Andrews-Directed “My Fair Lady”

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Kelsey Grammer, Kelli O’Hara Eyeing Julie Andrews-Directed “My Fair Lady”

EXCLUSIVE Did you know that everyone’s favorite person, Julie Andrews, now co-owns the rights to stage “My Fair Lady”?

Julie made her name as Eliza Doolittle on stage in the original “My Fair Lady.” As the story goes, Andrews was replaced by Audrey Hepburn for the famous movie, but then shot to superstardom in “Mary Poppins.”

So Julie, who’s 80, is going to direct “My Fair Lady” at the Sydney Opera House next year. Then her production will go on the road in two routes, with different casts, through Australia and maybe to Europe.

But I’m told when the show hits New York in 2017, its stars are likely to be Kelsey Grammer as Henry Higgins and Kelli O’Hara as Eliza. The pair played the roles for one night only in 2007 at a Lincoln Center fundraiser. Each actor has long expressed wishes to play those roles officially. And I’m told Mary Poppins herself is going to make it happen.

Kelli is currently the Tony winner of “The King and I” at Lincoln Center. Grammer is returning to “Finding Neverland” soon to reprise his roles as Capt Hook and Charles Frohman. He opened the musical last winter, but left soon after to spend time with his family.

“The Big Short” Brings Oscar Buzz to NYC with Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Tina Fey, and Sir Paul McCartney

Roger Friedman
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“The Big Short” Brings Oscar Buzz to NYC with Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Tina Fey, and Sir Paul McCartney

Just another Sunday night in Gotham as Adam McKay’s Oscar heavy “The Big Short” landed in New York with a private screening at MoMA followed by a swanky dinner at the Monkey Bar.

Among the guests were hosts Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels, along with cast members Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Jeremy Strong, Finn Wittrock, John Magaro, Byron Mann, and Hamish Linklater (with girlfriend, and, ahem, super actress Lily Rabe). Author Michael Lewis, who wrote the book upon which the was based, was there along with screenwriter Charles Randolph and director Adam McKay (who made one of my favorite films, “The Other Guys.”)

Other stars? Yep. Sir Paul McCartney and wife Nancy showed up for the MoMA part of the night, along with Bob Balaban, Mamie Gummer, David Tennant (the actor who plays “Dr. Who”).

You know Paramount is serious when studio chief Brad Grey comes to town. “The Big Short” is their Oscar entry, and it’s a doozy. This is almost a companion piece to “The Wolf of Wall Street,” except this story of finance and greed is more current– McKay and co. wittily detail the bank bailout and stock market disaster that brought the 2008 recession. Brad Pitt’s Plan B produced, and Brad makes an extended cameo half way through the film that absolves him for any cinematic indulgences this year.

Steve Carell leads the cast (and may well reap an Oscar nomination) with the outstanding Christian Bale, the terrific Gosling and a superior ensemble (my old friend Al Sapienza even puts in an appearance) cast. Marisa Tomei and Melissa Leo– two Oscar winners– pull the weight on the female side.

There are also surprise appearances from some unlikely people playing themselves including Selena Gomez, Anthony Bourdain, and a very sexy Margot Robbie in a bathtub.

At the Monkey Bar party, former “Law & Order” actress Carey Lowell (and former Mrs. Richard Gere, and Griffin Dunne) came with media honcho Tom Freston. Ryan Gosling and I chatted about his adorable 14 month old daughter Esmeralda. Steve Carell marveled at being the lead in yet another serious film (he was so memorable in “Foxcatcher”). Lorne Michaels accepted kudos on his “Adele Week.” Gummer invited us all to come see her in a much praised limited run play called “Ugly Lies the Bone.” Linklater and Rabe — NY theater stars– were excited to meet Mark Strong, currently starring on Broadway in “A View from the Bridge.”

Gosling, by the way, hosts “SNL” next weekend with Leon Bridges as musical guest.

Brad Pitt hits town Monday night for the movie’s real premiere at the Ziegfeld followed by an old fashioned gala in mid town. He and his Plan B team are on a roll– they made “12 Years a Slave”–since “The Big Short” is about to make a big noise.

Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2 Opens to Series Low at $101 Mil, Drags Lions Gate Stock Price

Roger Friedman
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Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2 Opens to Series Low at $101 Mil, Drags Lions Gate Stock Price

“The Hunger Games–Mockingjay Part 2” opened to a series low this weekend with $101 million. This is down 36% from the original film. It’s also way off from the numbers that were being suggested last week by LionsGate– up to $134 million.

What happened? Hubris. This film had good reviews. But there was little interest left in this enterprise to start with. The studio just left it up to the fans, and the fans were ambivalent. Still, LionsGate makes money from the whole thing. It’s just that they end on a down note.

For Jennifer Lawrence, it was a great pay day. And now she comes with David O. Russell’s “Joy,” which looks very very promising for Oscar season.

On Friday, Lions Gate stock ended down $1.20 or 3.31% at $35.02. That’s not too bad off its high for the last year, but we’ll see how it does on Monday based on this information.

Elsewhere, Oscar certain “Spotlight” and “Carol” each did very well over the weekend. Brad and Angelina’s “By the Sea” is now at $312,597 total.

DOA: “The Secret in their Eyes” starring Julia Roberts, with Nicole Kidman. It made $6,633,000 in wide release. DOA, VOD, etc. I could really get into a whole megillah about this, but why bother? It’s over.

Lorne Michaels Wraps Up Adele Week with 2 Great “SNL” Performances by Singer

Roger Friedman
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Lorne Michaels Wraps Up Adele Week with 2 Great “SNL” Performances by Singer

This was Adele week for Lorne Michaels. First he produced her Radio City Music Hall show on Tuesday, a great success. It will air December 14th on NBC. Then last night Adele gave 2 great performances on “Saturday Night Live.” She sang both “Hello” and the song I think is the break out hit from 25, “When We Were Young.” Here’s the latter:

When We Were Young

Scientology: Watch this Insane Video of Tom Cruise Speaking Spanish, Opening Madrid Center

Roger Friedman
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Scientology: Watch this Insane Video of Tom Cruise Speaking Spanish, Opening Madrid Center

Ton Cruise read Spanish off a Teleprompter and opened the Madrid Scientology center in 2004. Someone just posted this to YouTube. Wow. You see, no amount of shame, books, revelations, exposes, can stop him. Tom is deep inside the organization.

The indefatigable Tony Ortega translated. Poor Spain. They don’t need this crap. I hope they can ignore it.

Listen to Adele’s Direct Predecessors: Dusty Springfield and Alison Moyet

Roger Friedman
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Listen to Adele’s Direct Predecessors: Dusty Springfield and Alison Moyet

Adele has a terrific voice, but she’s not the first British singer with big, bad pipes. Adele’s direct predecessors are the legendary Dusty Springfield — who died in 1999 weeks short of her 60th birthday– and the wonderful Alison Moyet.

Here’s Dusty singing “Yesterday When I  Was Young.” This will remind you of a couple of Adele’s new tracks, particularly “Millions of Years Ago”:

And then there’s Alison Moyet, who is only 54 and most definitely still an active recording artist. Alison was the lead singer of Yaz, a British new wave group, before she went out on her own.

Hunger Games Finale Starving for Audience as Studio Overestimates Weekend Take by Millions

Roger Friedman
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Hunger Games Finale Starving for Audience as Studio Overestimates Weekend Take by Millions

UPDATE The Friday number was $46 million, even lower than originally thought.

EARLIER I can’t remember the last time a series finale was less successful than its prior — or penultimate — episode. Such is the case for “The Hunger Games, Part 4, Mockingjay, Part 2.”

Two days ago there were weekend guestimates for this movie as high as $134 million. Then that came down to $121 million. Next, we heard $114 million.

Now the word is $104 million will be the top, and most of that will be reported this morning from a combination of Thursday and Friday nights.

Somewhere there was a big miscalculation about the interest in this film. Me, I am not surprised. The teens in my family were extremely apathetic about “MJ Pt 2.” They said the book wasn’t very good, and that it shouldn’t have been split into two movies. They could wait to see the finale.

Then comes Page Six’s report that the cast wouldn’t give red carpet interviews in New York this week, and were partying privately. In Los Angeles they wouldn’t give interviews, so the studio claimed it was in solidarity with the Paris shootings. Such hooey. What the heck do these things have to do with each other?

The principals are obviously so well paid and so over it they don’t care. Maybe they sense the audience doesn’t much either. We’ll see what the numbers are shortly.

JLO, P Diddy Plan American Music Awards Reunion 16 Years After Arrests Following Nightclub Shooting

Roger Friedman
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JLO, P Diddy Plan American Music Awards Reunion 16 Years After Arrests Following Nightclub Shooting

Ah, nostalgia. Sunday night will bring back beautiful memories on the American Music Awards. Jennifer Lopez is the host. And one of the presenters is Sean P Diddy/Puff Daddy Combs.

It was a mere 16 years ago when these two were the Bonnie and Clyde of the music world. They were a couple on the A list of tabloids news.

To wit: JLO and Diddy were part of a shoot out in a Times Square nightclub in 1999. Rather than stay and talk to the police, the couple jumped in a limo sped away. They ran 11 red lights in their efforts to escape involvement.

The party they’d been attending was to celebrate the album release by Puffy protege Jamal “Shyne” Barrow. Combs and Lopez were arrested, but Lopez was exonerated. Combs and Barrow each stood trial. Combs was acquitted. Barrow went to jail for nine years. Combs paid civil settlements to three shooting victims, reportedly coming to around $3 million.

Barrow’s burgeoning career was destroyed. After his release from prison he was deported back to his native Belize, where he resides today. Combs and Lopez went on to fame and fortune.

Ah, memories.

Perhaps anticipating that JLO and Diddy would soon be reunited, Shyne posted this on Instagram this past September 26th:

It took 21 years to make my debut album.
My entire life to that point was put into my first album.
What most people don’t know is the Shyne album was almost never released.
After the now infamous club New York shooting for which my big bro
Anthony Wolf Jones, Sean Puffy Combs, Jennifer Lopez and myself were arrested
on December 27, 1999, Puffy’s lawyers tried to convince him to take the position of distancing himself from me. The logic was, It would be much easier to distance and dismiss yourself from an unknown artist with no albums than a million record selling world famous artist. However to fade into the shadows of obscurity was not my destiny.
Thanks to my big brother Wolf who convince Sean Combs to do the right thing and not abandon his, at the time, little brother. I new I would have to spend sometime in prison so until then all I had was my music and burgeoning career.
Torn between criminal lawyers and Wolf, Andre Harrell, Harve Pierre, bobby Springsteen and @nygiant , Puffy decided to do the right thing and let me continue recording the Shyne album.
Bad Boyz was recorded the previous summer. Puff played me the beat and asked who was the guy that goes Whoooooa sweeen. Barrington Levy I said and that’s how Bad Boyz and Bonnie & Shyne came to life.
The life, produced by Nasheim Merrick was the first post arrest song I recorded and it blew everyone away. At Bad Boy records your music had to be crack or Puff would shut you down immediately. Especially me, there was so much at stake. All the hype all the controversy, my music had to be better than great.
Nonetheless, Song after song I kept smashing larger than life expectations.
I remember when pharrelll came thru as the neptunes at that time and played the beat for n+++ gonna die, it was surreal how all this great music was coming together under such nightmarish circumstances.
Every song was better than the last song or just as dope in its own distinctive way. No song sounds the same on Shyne. No flow is the same. Pound for Pound one of the greatest rap albums.

 

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