In 2004, the South Park team released a hilarious feature film called “Team America: World Police.” Kim Jong Un’s dad, Kim Jong Il, was spoofed mercilessly. For some reason, everyone’s forgotten that in the wake of “The Interview.” That movie was produced by Scott Rudin, who’s now all over the Sony hack. Everything old is new again!
here are some clips:
That’s really a wrap for The Interview. I count myself lucky to have seen it back on December 10th. Because now Sony says there will be no DVD or Video on Demand. They’re just putting it away in a vault. What??? Terrorists really won this round. What happens when people from other countries– say the Russians or Chinese– are villains in a movie? Will their cyber hackers be our editorial board? And what’s the role of the Japanese who own Sony? There are lot of unanswered questions.
So the public will never get to see a sensitive Kim Jong Un in a bromance with James Franco’s Dave Skylark. What a shame. Randall Park must be crushed. He is hilarious as Kim Jong Un, particularly when he’s in thrall to Katy Perry’s “Firework” song. It’s used many times, not just when he’s assassinated. Kim in this movie is a BIG Katy Perry fan. Sony had to clear all that music and pay for it, and now it’s for nothing. Oy vey.
More on “The Interview” in the morning…
Told ya:
Sony has decided to pull “The Interview” from its scheduled Dec 25 release.
Read the full statement from Sony below:
“In light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors not to show the film The Interview, we have decided not to move forward with the planned December 25 theatrical release. We respect and understand our partners’ decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theater-goers.
Sony Pictures has been the victim of an unprecedented criminal assault against our employees, our customers, and our business. Those who attacked us stole our intellectual property, private emails, and sensitive and proprietary material, and sought to destroy our spirit and our morale – all apparently to thwart the release of a movie they did not like. We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to our company, our employees, and the American public. We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.”
A couple of years ago, Sony had a James Franco–Seth Rogen movie called “This is the End.” Now that title is coming true. When Sony inevitably pulls the plug on the Rogen-Franco movie “The Interview,” it will have a domino effect through the company. (BowTie theaters are the latest to say they won’t show it, virtually guaranteeing no run.)
Without “The Interview,” Sony has no holiday season. Their other big release, a remake of “Annie,” has terrible reviews and worse word of mouth. The only upside is that it’s the only movie for kids. But even they may not want to see it.
Sony hasn’t had a great year. They had only three movies cross the $100 mil mark— “The Amazing Spider Man 2,” “22 Jump Street,” and “The Equalizer.” Brad Pitt’s “Fury” is only around $84 mil, and that’s pretty much it. Nothing else really worked, and they handed “Foxcatcher,” their one shot at an Oscar, to Sony Pictures Classics. As it is, “Foxcatcher” is not catching on the way everyone hoped despite rave reviews. George Clooney’s “Monuments Men” was a big disappointment. On the bright side, Sony released “Heaven is for Real,” a faith based movie no one in LA or New York ever saw, and it grossed $91 million.
If “The Interview” had been a smash hit comedy, that might have helped. But even without the controversy and inevitable postponement, “The Interview” is getting reviews that would have killed it anyway. If “Annie” breaks even there will be a sigh of relief. But again, word of mouth and reviews are negative.
The problem is, there’s not much on the horizon. There’s “Mall Cop 2” and a Neill Blomkamp sci-fi adventure called “Chappie” with Hugh Jackman coming in March. Sony is literally waiting all year for Bond 24, “Spectre,” to give them a major boost. By the time James Bond mixes that martini, many major players in this game may be history.
EXCLUSIVE Big night for Tim Burton’s “Big Eyes” as late Christmas carolers were led by golden-throated famed actor Paul Sorvino and pop star Michael Bolton. “Big Eyes” costar Amy Adams egged them on with “Beautiful” Tony winner Jesse Mueller. It was the end of a great premiere with Christoph Waltz and legendary artist Margaret Keane, who told me she’s still painting every day. Co-star Jason Schwartzman kept busy by going out to the corner, buying hot pretzels and chestnuts from a street vendor, coming back and offering them to guests on a silver tray. Hey, why not? (Photo below c2014 Showbiz411.)
Amy’s Amazonian agent didn’t understand that this would be good press and stopped me from filming after a couple of songs. But Amy’s a doll, it was great to see her and non-husband (life partner, baby daddy, actor-director) Darren. Amy and Jesse are pals from doing “Into the Woods” together two summers ago in Central Park. Sorvino, of course, is a beloved NY figure and actor from “GoodFellas” and “That Championship Season” among others. His famous daughter is Oscar winner Mira Sorvino. Paul is infamous for breaking out in operatic song to the delight of many. Before these carols he was singing away from across the room, entertaining the crowd at the Weinstein company party at Larry Gagosian’s boite under his Madison Avenue gallery.
“Big Eyes” opens Christmas Day, and is must-see. Margaret Keane told me the real trial seen in the film went on for four weeks! She got the last laugh.
Forget Kim Jong Un. Seth Rogen and James Franco’s comedy “The Interview” has far more shocking revelations than anything about North Korea. Rapper Eminem and actor Rob Lowe appear in hilarious cameos as guests — playing themselves– of Franco’s celebrity interviewer Dave Skylark.
Lowe reveals on Skylark’s show that he’s actually bald. He removes a wig and shows off a few strands of dark hair. Skylark tells him, “It’s not so bad.”
****************SPOILER ALERT***********
But it’s Eminem that gets all the laughs. Skylark asks him about his numerous homophobic lyrics and remarks. Eminem explains: “That’s because I’m gay. I like men. I can’t believe people didn’t pick up on that.” Marshall Mathers says it all with a straight face, matter of factly with a priceless deadpan delivery.
That’s what “The Interview” is all about. It’s completely silly and as far removed from reality as it could be. Yes, Kim Jong Un is presumably killed when a train explodes. But it’s a comic moment after 90 minutes of Randall Park playing a genteel and somewhat loveable Korean dictator. In fact, when he does presumably die, a lot of the film does, too. North Koreans are probably not gifted in nuance. But somehow Kim Jong Un comes off as sympathetic, not menacing.
I hope Eminem wasn’t expected a marketing push from “The Interview.” The movie is likely being postponed. Maybe forever.
That’s a wrap on “The Interview.” It will likely be pulled from its December 25th release and held until next year. Landmark Theaters put the kibosh on Thursday’s New York premiere following Carmike Theatres cancelling their run in 284 theatres. I told you the School of Visual Arts cancelled its free screening for Tuesday night. It’s only a few hours until Sony announces “The Interview” will come back one day when all this passes.
Fox had to do this last year when Ben Stiller’s comedy “Neighborwood Watch” by accident came too close to the Trayvon Martin story in real life. The movie was retitled “The Watch” and bombed months later.
So the villains, so to speak, have won. Sony can’t take the chance of any trouble on Christmas Day. Whoever is hacking and threatening them knows this.
Hindsight is 20/20 but you do wonder why, when trouble was first brewing months ago, they didn’t just change the ending of “The Interview” so Kim Jong Un wasn’t assassinated. He’s such a likeable character for most of the movie, he could have moved to Hollywood with Franco and Rogen. Oh well. Too late now.
This afternoon, we’ve learned, a major screening of Seth Rogen and James Franco’s comedy “The Interview” was cancelled here in New York. At 3:41pm Tuesday, the School of Visual Arts sent out an email notifying all students and faculty that they would not be showing “The Interview” tonight. The email came right after news broke that anonymous threats had been made against theaters that would show “The Interview” come opening day, December 25th.
The SVA Theater, on West 23rd St., is often used for small premieres, screenings, and movie events. It’s not where Thursday’s NY premiere of “The Interview” is set to take place– if that’s still happening.
The threat was included as a note with the illegal release of over 12,000 emails from Sony Pictures chief Michael Lynton’s emails to media organizations. Those groups immediately began doing the bidding of the so called “GOP’– aka “Guardians of Peace”– to hurt Sony, its staff, and associates– and to stop the release of a small, insignificant satire called “The Interview.”
In the movie, Korean dictator Kim Jong Un picks up an American entertainment show on his TV and asks to be interviewed by its insipid host played by Franco. The host, Dave Skylark, and his producer (Rogen) are tasked by the CIA to kill Kim Jong Un. They go to North Korea, chump around like Abbott and Costello, or Hope and Crosby, and eventually fulfill their goal.
Now of course the media, thinking this an episode of “Batman” with Adam West, has played right into the hands of Gotham City’s villains. And Commissioner Gordon is having trouble texting Batman for help. The villains have convinced Gotham authorities they represent North Korea when in fact the Penguin, Riddler, and Joker — the usual suspects– are secretly behind the whole thing.
This is the R rated trailer with lots of vulgarities:
Van Morrison just keeps on swinging. The Irish superstar, beloved around the world, is changing labels. He’s jumping from Universal Music to RCA Records, a division of Sony, after a long run at the prior company.
By my count, and Wikipedia, Van has 34 albums apart from greatest hit packages. A new album, number 35, should come from RCA in early 2015. His last album, “Born to Sing: No Plan B” was a career highlight. But Morrison has so many– from “Astral Weeks” (1968) and “Moondance” (1970) right through “Hymns to the Silence” in 1991 and today.
According to his website, Morrison makes his own records which he owns and then licenses them to whomever. He’s been on various UMG labels, mostly Lost Horizon, for years. “Born to Sing” was on Blue Note, which was part of Capitol-EMI. But then Blue Note and Capitol were sold to Universal, and that put Morrison under the umbrella of bland popmeister David Foster. I’ve heard that was not a match made in heaven. And after the Leon Russell debacle, who could blame any legacy artist for hightailing it out of there?
The new RCA recording may be duets with Van on a selection of his many hits by lots of great singers. But they will be true to his jazz instincts, and not the sort of disaster inflicted on the great Smokey Robinson earlier this year by Universal.
By the way, Van Morrison is only 69 years old. We can expect a lot more from him, thank goodness.
The march to the Oscars is filled with disappointment. There are about 15 men who could be nominated for Best Actor. Only 5 will make it. What do we do?
On Monday at a luncheon for Clint Eastwood and “American Sniper”– at the Four Seasons– I asked Bradley Cooper about his outstanding performances in “Sniper” and on Broadway as “The Elephant Man.” He put it to me bluntly: “This is all I’ve got, this is the best I can do.”
And it’s pretty good, his best. Not only is he killing it– the play just extended its run right through Oscar Sunday February 22nd. But he also rates an Oscar nomination as Navy SEAL Chris Kyle in “Sniper.” Eastwood’s meticulous and analytical direction tells the Kyle family story with grace and sensitivity. Cooper and Sienna Miller are outstanding as Chris and wife Tea.
At lunch, Tea Kyle joined a panel that included Eastwood and the cast, moderated by Anderson Cooper. This young widow is remarkably literate and vocal. Once you’ve met her, you understand “American Sniper.”
So far the Golden Globes and the Broadcast Critics haven’t had a lot of love for “Sniper.” I think this is so wrong. It may be in part to the fact that the National Board of Review over-pandered to it. But Cooper gives a great performance. He told us that playing Kyle –which required beefing up and changing his body– was a “science experiment.”
Cooper, an Actors Studio grad, totally absorbed being Kyle. It’s instructive to remember that this movie is based on Kyle’s book, “American Sniper.” The screenplay was written before Kyle was murdered by a SEAL who’d returned with mental issues. Kyle’s death was not what caused the book and movie to be made–it was his life as a family man who returned home after four tours of duty to be with his family.
Meantime, it was grand to catch up with Clint. An amazing 84 years old, he’s had two movies this year. So now what? “Skiing with my family,” he said, giving me his trademark squint. “I need a break, don’t you think?” Yes, sir!
See Garland Jeffreys’ special New Year’s Eve show at Joe’s Pub!
http://www.publictheater.org/reserve/index.aspx?performanceNumber=26196&SiteTheme=JoesPub