Saturday, December 20, 2025
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“Constantine” Cancelled, But Star Matt Ryan Picks Up Hot Broadway Gig with Keira Knightley

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Matt Ryan is popular from his cancelled TV show “Constantine.” He just picked up a hot Broadway gig opposite Keira Knightley in “Therese Raquin.” So the former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company will be working in the fall, just in something really good.

“Therese Raquin” also bolsters itself by adding Tony winner Judith Light, who’s the toast of Broadway these days. She thought she had “One Life to Live,” then asked “Who’s the Boss,” but Light has turned out to be one of our finest stage actresses. Great move by the Roundabout Theater.

Review: Jurassic World Works, Brings Back the Feel of Original Spielberg Movie

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Wait: that headline didn’t mention the special effects. But “Jurassic Park” is back as “Jurassic World,” with special effect that really will amaze you. I saw it in 2D but I think 3D viewers are really going to marvel– as well as scream, and jump back– when they see the dinosaurs chomping away in this film.

But I digress: the 2015 “Jurassic World” is a big jump from the 1993 original. That movie was pretty advanced, certainly. There were two sequels, which I never saw. But the premise here is that a billionaire bought the old Jurassic Park, turned it into a theme park, and it’s a raving success. Unfortunately, they are also developing synthetic dinos, home grown Godzillas. You know it’s all going to go so very wrong.

For some reason, Judy Greer and Andy Buckley (David Wallace from The Office) let their two boys go to visit their aunt Claire, a a stuck up seeming business gal who who runs the Park and has no time for them. That’s Bryce Dallas Howard, who I could watch all day as she runs the park and flirts with Owen (Chris Pratt), who’s the Dino Whisperer. These two bicker at first, but you know they’re going to wind up together when trouble comes.

“Jurassic World” has stock plots and stock characters, but still I rather loved it, even all the cliches and the telegraphing of who will get eaten or stomped on. That’s all part of the fun. It’s especially meta when Claire’s nephews stumble into the old, abandoned Jurassic Park offices — more could have been made of that, actually. Maybe the next installment will pursue that angle. Somehow director Colin Trevorrow has captured the Spielberg spirit. And you know, if you’re a real dinosaur– like me– you remember that fondly. But it seemed to work for kids at our screening too. And that’s who these movies are for. “Jurassic World” is pure entertainment.

It’s important to mention that the wonderful Indian actor Irrfan Khan plays the billionaire who’s renovated the Park. BD Wong (more lately of Law & Order fame) is a scientist in the lab. These are really terrific actors who give the movie a jolt. Vincent D’Onofrio, in his own post Law & Order career, makes for a very good creepy guy who you’re never sure about.

Judy Greer is not in this movie enough, that’s all I can say. Chris Pratt is turning into a very good cocky self effacing leading man, very Harrison Ford. I like him. Bryce Dallas Howard just about steals the movie, she’s a sensational action heroine and damsel in distress. I think she took a little time off to have kids, etc. But she’s only 34. I hope she makes the most of her 30s.

A lot of munching in this film, but remember none of it’s real even thought the CGI people, painters, production etc get high high marks. Kudos to the art department for deploying the original Jurassic Park type face all over the new park. I can’t wait to see it again!

PS Plenty of commercial plugs, from Starbucks to Beats headphones, and Starbucks, among others. Funny — the only sponsorship missing is when a smart phone gets cracked and broken. I guess no one wanted to be part of that!

Two Time Tony Nominee Michele Lee Hits NYC With a Wild Cy Coleman Show at 54 Below

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“Mad Men” fans take note: Michele Lee is coming to town. She has two Tony nominations. She starred for 14 years as Karen McKenzie on “Knots Landing.” But she got her start in the early 60s playing Rosemary on Broadway opposite Robert Morse– aka Bert Cooper– in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” That show was the musical “Mad Men” of its time.

In 1974 Michele was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical in “Seesaw” by Cy Coleman. So to make a roughly 20 year anniversary, she’s playing 54Below in New York this week with an all Cy Coleman show. The amazing Mr. Coleman would have been 86 this year. Michele is quite a bit younger, but she’s been his standard bearer for many years.

What do you get at a Michele Lee show (besides dinner)? You get one of the most luminous performers ever, a Broadway belter who made it good in Hollywood and is always back showing everyone how it’s done. She’s got a great heart, a great voice, a great sense of humor. It’s a good week on Broadway.

PS She’s also got great stories. Her dad was Clint Eastwood’s make up guy in all his classic movies. Her nephew is the original drummer from Maroon 5. Ask her. She’ll tell you all about Donna Mills, too, if you’re nice.

Reboot: “KIndergarten Cop” (Without Arnold) Headed Back to Big Screen With Indian Sidekick

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Since everything in the world is being remade, why not this? I’m told that “Kindergarten Cop,” the hit Ivan Reitman movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, is on deck for a remake. The new film comes from Universal’s 1440 division, which typically remakes old movies into sequels for VOD. This one may be a stalking horse for a TV series of some kind, too.

The new film will be directed by Michael Don Paul (“The Island”) from a script by David H. Steinberg, who wrote “American Pie.” The new Kindergarten cop is a leading man type with an Indian sidekick named Sanjit. They’re on the trail of a missing flash drive from the Federal Witness protection program. Somehow it’s wound up in a kindergarten class. Flimsy premise, but it puts him side by side with a beautiful teacher and they hit it off. There’s also bad guys involved– this time they’re Albanian.

I’m told producers are looking for cross over names from TV. Since they’ve had so much fun doing a Lifetime movie, maybe Will Ferrell and Kristin Wiig can try this next!

Tony Bennett Cancels London Show But He’s OK, Just a Touch of Flu, Didn’t “Collapse”

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Just got this message. Tony Bennett did cancel his show with Lady Gaga tonight. But I’m told he’s ok, it’s just a touch of flu. Cut him some slack– he’s 88. He’ll be back, bopping away!
British press said he collapsed at his soundcheck today. I am assured Tony had NO soundcheck today for his second of two shows at Royal Albert Hall.

Tony Bennett is known for never canceling a show, so it was a rare occurrence that, due to a flu virus, he was not able to perform the second of two sold-out shows with Lady Gaga at the Royal Albert Hall in London this evening.

He sent this message to his fans on Twitter:
“Sorry to not be singing in London tonight. I love my fans in the UK and appreciate all the well wishes to get over this flu quickly.”

Watch “Bryce Dallas Howard” Sing “I Am Not Jessica Chastain” LOL It’s Bryce’s Big Moment

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This is hilarious. Bryce Dallas Howard, already an accomplished actress, just about steals “Jurassic World” this week. She’s the female star of the summer. But I guess some do mix her up with Jessica Chastain. I can’t stop laughing after watching this clever video. And Bryce’s answer beneath it. Each great ladies!

Everyone get it yet? : ) performance by #BryceDallasHoward not #JessicaChastain

A video posted by Jessica Chastain (@chastainiac) on

Number 1 on the Charts Doesn’t Mean What It Used To: Florence & The Machine Sell Just 138K

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Number 1 on the charts? It means number 2, or 10, next week. It doesn’t mean what it used to. Last week, Florence and the Machine were everywhere on TV. Florence may even have thrown out the first ball at Yankee Stadium. They were like Zelig. As their new album, called How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, launched on line and in stores, Flo and co. seemed like they were going to go through the roof.

In end, How Big sold 138,000 copies– including streaming and digital sales. In fact, streaming only gave them around 10K extra copies. Last week’s number 1, by rapper Rocky A$AP, dropped 68% and fell to number 3 with around 46K sold.

The only hit album so far of 2015 in Taylor Swift’s “1989.” Why? It’s full of hit singles that are being played on the radio.

Florence? She doesn’t have a hit on the iTunes top 150. Neither does Rocky, not ASAP not later. Next week Florence will be succeeded by someone else, maybe Muse or Of Monsters and Men. That’s the way it goes nowaways. The fans have no commitment to the music after the first week of release unless it’s something extraordinary. I dare say, 20 years after Alannis Morissette’s “Jagged Pill,” another phenom, Taylor Swift and her gang are the only ones who knew what they were doing this year.

PS The Tony Awards had low ratings, but the album score of “Fun Home” has zoomed to number 9 on iTunes. Not bad.

Also, Andy Grammer has a hit song. Steve Greenberg’s S Curve Records have really worked this guy. Hard work pays off.

Apple Introduces Music Service That is Just Like Spotify and All the Others

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Apple Music! It’s coming June 30th. It will cost $9.99 a month to stream music. Just like in the old days of the Columbia Music Club, you get the first three months free!

Guess what? It’s the same music you listen to now, on Spotify or Pandora. Same music, except for a kind of droney emo guy who Eddie Cue played for us and isn’t signed to a record label. The reason he isn’t signed is, he sounds very dull.

Anyway, I digress. With Apple Music, you can make playlists and share them with friends! Music will be suggested to you by…Drake!

Look, I know people love the Apple hardware. I love my iPad. But this stuff is not new. Apple is a cult. The people who love it live by it. But I don’t want to be trapped in iTunes. If you really love music, get the Sony Walkman and download high fidelity tracks from HDTracks.com. This isn’t so hard.

Seriously: what are artists going to be paid by iTunes? Will iTunes pay the record companies advances, and will those advances be paid to the artists? Did Apple pay the musicians whose music was used in their demo today? Will Aretha Franklin and Bruce Springsteen be getting checks for promotion? I doubt it.

The other news from Apple was that you can multitask programs and apps on the iPad with their new platform. But you have to buy a new iPad.

I would now turn my attention back to Tidal. The problem is, they’re a wreck. Back to Spotify. It’s just fine.

Game Changer: Brad Pitt Takes Next Movie to Netflix, with Theatrical Release as Well

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Score for Netflix: Brad Pitt’s next feature will debut on the subscription service in 2016 as well as in theaters. “War Machine” comes from David Michod, director of the great “Animal Kingdom” and the lesser “The Rover.” This is big news for Netflix, which now will flex its muscle simultaneously on their own platform and in movie theaters. The latter part of this news is to mollify theater operators who feel more and more cut out of what’s happening in Hollywood. This is no longer just Adam Sandler putting his unwanted movies on Netflix. Watch and see if this isn’t a game changer. “War Machine” is based on a book called “The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America’s War in Afghanistan” by the late Michael Hastings.

Tony Awards Ratings Lowest in History of Show, Down 25% from Last Year

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So all that JLO and Josh Groban stuff didn’t work. The Tony Awards were down 25% last night from last year, the lowest ratings ever for the telecast. Lack of a star host was the issue, as Alan Cumming and Kristen Chenoweth were fun, but had no pull.

http://www.showbiz411.com/2015/06/08/backstage-at-the-tony-awards-kelli-ohara-no-longer-the-susan-lucci-of-the-tony-awards

Total viewers were just over 6 million– that’s not a lot of eyes. I do remember thinking that when the ballet scene started from “An American in Paris,” a lot of people must be tuning out. They were.

NBA Finals, Game 2, had 15.65 million viewers. Next year, Hugh Jackman please come back. Neil Patrick Harris, all is forgiven.