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“Selma” Director Gets Standing Ovation BEFORE Premiere Screening, And Another After

Roger Friedman
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“Selma” Director Gets Standing Ovation BEFORE Premiere Screening, And Another After

Ava Duvernay got a big shock Sunday night at the Ziegfeld before her premiere screening of “Selma.” In front of a really sold out audience, she received a standing ovation BEFORE the screening, just when her name was announced. Among the A list crowd on its feet: Aretha Franklin, Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Gayle King, India Arie, Audra McDonald, Bebe Winans, Ruben Santiago Hudson, as well as the “Selma” cast including Tim Roth, Tom Wilkinson, and Alessandro Nivola with “Newsroom” star and wife Emily Mortimer.

It didn’t hurt that also on his feet was Martin Luther King III, son of the famed civil rights leader, with his daughter. He’s a big fan of the film about his father.

After Paramount chief Brad Grey made an unusual opening speech about the movie, the crowd went wild for Duvernay and star David Oyelowo. The word had already spread: this may be the most important film of the year despite being snubbed by the idiots at the National Board of Review. Already on the AFI list of 10 best movies of 2014, “Selma” feels like a winner. Oyelowo most certainly will be nominated and may indeed win the Oscar for Best Actor.

Paramount threw a swanky party at the New York Public Library after the screening where no less an eminence than Harvey Weinstein was spotted congratulating everyone.

“Selma” is notable for more than a few things: introducing Martin and Coretta King as a glamorous young couple in Oslo, when Martin is accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 when he’s just 35 years old; shocking the movie audience right away into paying attention with the deaths of the four little girls in Birmingham, Alabama; and letting King via Oyelowo deliver his speeches with fiery oratory that actually shows who he was and why he was so revered.

Get ready because “Selma” is going to be BIG when it opens on Christmas Day. Oyelowo gives a masterful performance. There are plenty of terrific supporting players too including Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King, Wilkinson as LBJ, Roth as the evil George Wallace, plus Lorraine Toussaint, Colman Domingo, Tessa Thompson, Wendell Pierce, E. Roger Mtichell, Common and Niecy Nash.

“Gotti” Movie Story Re-surfaces in NY Times, And Paper Has No Idea What’s Going On

Roger Friedman
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“Gotti” Movie Story Re-surfaces in NY Times, And Paper Has No Idea What’s Going On

Oh, the New York Times. What a mess! Briefly: they reported today that our old friend, Sal Carpanzano, is in trouble with the law. He’s been arrested on three separate fraud charges, one of them involving the “Gotti” movie that was never made and will never be made. Somehow, the NY Times reporter became convinced that “Gotti” producer Marc Fiore and his partner Fay Devlin are the injured parties. I will write more later, but for the time being you can read the history of the “Gotti” movie as reported exclusively here. Marc Fiore is an ex con who was part of a boiler room operation. He was written about in a book about the whole thing. I told you this whole story back in 2011-12. But it’s back. And there’s more tomorrow…

http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/09/16/exclusive-the-real-story-of-why-the-john-travolta-gotti-film-fell-apart

 

http://www.showbiz411.com/2011/10/17/gotti-movie-exec-producer-ive-never-encountered-anything-so-difficult-in-my-life

“Exodus” Causes Exodus from Theatres: Hits 27% on Critics List, Falls Short at Box Office

Roger Friedman
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“Exodus” Causes Exodus from Theatres: Hits 27% on Critics List, Falls Short at Box Office

Ridley Scott’s “Exodus” didn’t bring as many fans into theatres as producers might have hoped. You could say it caused an Exodus! Fox reported $24.5 million today for the first weekend, with a huge drop from Saturday to Sunday. When the real numbers come in late tomorrow, expect “Exodus” to be even a little lower. On RottenTomatoes, the film is at an astonishingly 27%. And that’s instructive since review embargoes kept it at 44% for a while. But the bottom dropped out, and the audience smelled a stinker even if it was late.

The failure of “Exodus”– and it’s a bust, just wait til the drop off next week– bodes poorly for the end of the year. Aside from the final “Hobbit” there is no destination movie for Christmas-New Year’s. It’s really dismal. All of the Oscar movies are pretty much out, except for “American Sniper” and “Unbroken.” We’ll see how they do. The latter should bring out audiences. With “Sniper,” I wish they had a November release date. But it should click in January.

What I would see on Christmas day: Whiplash. St. Vincent. Paddington. Rent “Chef.”

Sony Hack, Rudin, Etc: Angelina Jolie Has Nothing to Be Ashamed of– “Unbroken” is Excellent

Roger Friedman
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Sony Hack, Rudin, Etc: Angelina Jolie Has Nothing to Be Ashamed of– “Unbroken” is Excellent

I hate to say this, but if Angelina Jolie were a) a man or b) unknown, “Unbroken” would be considered a masterpiece. Jolie is a lightning rod, as Scott Rudin and Amy Pascal’s leaked emails show all too well. Rudin, who hates everyone, considers her a “spoiled brat” and doesn’t want her commandeering David Fincher for her “Cleopatra” remake. I agree; there’s no reason for a “Cleopatra” remake. But I disagree about Jolie.

“Unbroken” was recently named to the AFI list of top 10 movies of the year. It’s a deserved spot. That Jolie was able to tell the story of Louie Zamperini at all seems to really upset a lot of people. That she made a real epic film on a big canvas, one that fully conveys Zamperini’s rise to Olympics fame and then his two years of torture as a World War II prisoner of the Japanese– wow, that is even worse. How dare she?

“Unbroken” isn’t perfect. It’s long but that’s no different than anything else. Every movie could use 20 minutes excised. It may seem a little conventional, also, as it is a linear story. The early parts of the screenplay are frustrating as they cut back and forth in time. Four screenwriters were involved including Joel and Ethan Coen. But the story is unwieldy, and that’s just something we have to deal with until Zamperini and his two comrades are in their lifeboat. After that it’s smooth– er, well, choppy– sailing.

Zamperini survived being shot down over the Pacific and living in a lifeboat for 47 days. This was not fiction, like Life of Pi. There were no imaginary animals to play with. This was real. And 47 grueling days, and the death of one buddy, he and the other survivor were ‘rescued’ by the Japanese. They were thrown in prison and stayed in a Japanese internment camp for two years. Zamperini was singled for for torture due to his status as an Olympic hero. All of this happened.

The truth is, if Spielberg or Eastwood made the movie (and they have, in different forms) the Oscar prognosticators would be running around screaming  “brilliant” and putting on awards parades. But it’s Angelina Jolie, so either she made this film by luck, or someone else did it and she’s “lip synching.” Bull shit.

Just wait: Jolie makes movie stars out of Jack O’Connell, Finn Wittrock, and Domhnall Gleason.  If Universal puts some muscle into the marketing, “Unbroken” should turn into an audience favorite. It’s patriotic and heroic, and a big old fashioned entertainment.

 

Oscar Best Actor Race: Bradley Cooper May Have Edge After Broadway Triumph

Roger Friedman
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Oscar Best Actor Race: Bradley Cooper May Have Edge After Broadway Triumph

The Best Actor race is probably the one most talked about some 10 weeks before the Oscars. Everyone has a theory about what’s going to happen, and who’s making final cut of Five.

I do think right off the bat you’ve got Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne playing respective British math geniuses in “The Imitation Game” and “The Theory of Everything.” They are in, with Cumberbatch slightly leading Redmayne.

Then what? David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King in “Selma” seems like a sure thing. But then so does Michael Keaton in “Birdman” and Steve Carell in “Foxcatcher.” All three could make it.

For a while, there was solid talk of Oscar Isaac in “A Most Violent Year.” Oscar is thisclose to having an Academy Awards career. But I don’t think it’s with this picture. I was also very high on Bill Murray in “St. Vincent.” The movie has done very very well, and Murray is superb. But the momentum has not materialized.

One actor poses a threat to one of those three — Oyelowo, Keaton and Carell. It’s Bradley Cooper, who opened to raves last Sunday night on Broadway in “The Elephant Man.” His performance as Navy SEAL Chris Kyle in “American Sniper” is the real thing. I saw that  movie on Thanksgiving weekend– three weeks ago– and Cooper has not gone out of my head since that screening.

Seeing him on Broadway with the sensational Alessandro Nivola and Patricia Clarkson reaffirmed my opinion. Yes, you say that Cooper has two Oscar nominations thanks to director David O. Russell. And when he was on Broadway several years ago with Julia Roberts and Paul Rudd he was the rainmaker in “Three Days of Rain.”

A lot of people may not realize this but Bradley Cooper did study at the Actors Studio. He’s serious about his craft. As John Merrick, the Elephant Man, he twists his body and face, all the while maintaining a convincing British accent and a witty sense of humor. He has a long scene with Nivola in Act 2 that crystallizes the whole play. You walk out of the Booth Theatre and it’s almost impossible to shake John Merrick off.

Same thing for Cooper’s Chris Kyle. Kyle was basically a legit hit man for the Navy, a sniper who doesn’t just pick off obvious bad guys. Clint Eastwood’s film is deceptive. You want to dismiss it, and Kyle as a redneck who loved guns. But nothing is that simple. “American Sniper” is not a rah-rah red state tribute to guns and violence.

Eastwood peels back Kyle’s life layer by layer. On screen Kyle develops with a personal arc into a three dimensional character. Cooper, beefed up, does his best work since “Limitless.” (I’m not counting the Russell movies.) Since Kyle was a real person whom just about no one in film criticism would know or relate to, Cooper pulls off a coup. He really makes us care about this guy. And that’s the task at hand.

So far “American Sniper” — which opens Christmas Day– has had a funny ride in awards season. The National Board of Review went overboard for it. Then the Golden Globes snubbed it entirely. WTH? What does this mean? In the end, nothing. Those two groups are all about the subjective, and who owes whom what.

Don’t forget — “Sniper” is on the AFI List of Best Films of 2014. That’s the only list you should care about. I agree. It’s one of the best films of the year. Luke Grimes, who was kind of a weasel on TV in “Brothers & Sisters,” makes a huge impression supporting Cooper here. But Bradley Cooper really comes into his own this winter with “Sniper” and “Elephant Man.” This can’t be ignored. I think he’s a surprise nominee.

SNL’s Overnight Star, Pete Davidson, Turns 21, Has Never Heard of Diana Ross

Roger Friedman
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SNL’s Overnight Star, Pete Davidson, Turns 21, Has Never Heard of Diana Ross

updated “Saturday Night Live” has its latest break out star– Pete Davidson. He just turned 21 on November 16th, making him the second youngest “SNL” cast member ever.  (Readers have told me Anthony Michael Hall was the youngest, at 17.)  He is so young that at dinner Thursday– a small off the record gathering set up by Lorne Michaels– a couple of names came up. One of them was Diana Ross. “Who?” Pete said. I thought he was pulling my leg. A few people around us– other cast members like Michael Che and Leslie Jones– threw out names of some other cultural icons. Sam Cooke? Jackie Wilson? Davidson offered a blank stare. The Beatles? “Yeah,” he cried in his richly nasal Staten Island accent. “I know them!” Like d’uh.

Every time Lorne Michaels launches a new cast, it’s met with criticism and derision. The Post and the Daily News always hate the new people. Now social media only exacerbates the situation. A few weeks later the cast gels, and then suddenly they all become stars. This year was no exception. My personal favorite is Kate McKinnon. She started in April 2012, and I am obsessed with how talented she is. When I met her Thursday night at the Wolfgang Steak House, I think I scared her. Kate, I promise not to stalk you.

In fact, all the new cast members who were at the dinner were a delight. Colin Jost, Cecily Strong, Che and Jones, Davidson, McKinnon, Kyle Mooney. The rest of the cast was rehearsing with tonight’s host, Martin Freeman, or shooting videos. I did get to meet Steve Higgins, who doubles as Jimmy Fallon’s “Tonight” show announcer and a producer on “SNL.” Like Leslie Jones, he’s “of an age,” and adds considerably to the smart tone of the show.

All the really good gossip on Thursday night was not to be repeated, but I did get an earful. None of it would shock anyone. The buzz around dinner was that Michaels– maybe the most savvy and knowledgeable guy at NBC–  is gearing up for the show’s 40th anniversary on February 15, 2015. It will be a big night on NBC. Believe it or not, the last big anniversary show was 15 years ago! “There are so many more people now, hosts and musical guests,” Michaels said. Just a note– in the 25th season Jimmy Fallon was promoted to cast regular. Crazy!

 

Third “Night at the Museum” Movie Closes Trilogy, Hugh Jackman Makes a Cameo

Paula Schwartz
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Third “Night at the Museum” Movie Closes Trilogy, Hugh Jackman Makes a Cameo

“Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,” is the end of the franchise that began in 2006  and had a sequel in 2009. Director  Shawn Levy confirmed this a few days ago, and that’s fine since two cast members are now deceased (Mickey Rooney and Robin Williams).

The successful series of films transforms the New York American Museum of Natural History into a nightly dance party for Neanderthals, diorama inhabitants, dinosaurs, a Capuchin monkey, a wax Theodore Roosevelt (Robin Williams), a cowboy (Owen Wilson), an errant knight (Dan Stevens) and other denizens of the museum. In honor of the film, the museum has sleepovers occasionally for the kiddies and their parents. Ben Stiller said he’s gone with his kids and saw Martin Scorsese there.

This final caper has an undercurrent of poignancy because it is the final appearance of Robin Williams on screen. (Mickey Rooney who appears in a small role in “Night” also passed away.)

Promoting the film  were cast members Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Rickey Gervais, Rebel Wilson, Dan Stevens (looking very slim and different from ‘Downton Abbey’ days) and director Shawn Levy.

Asked about his memories of working with Robin Williams, Ben Stiller said, “I always was excited to work with Robin because I’ve always been a fan of his since I was a kid, since I was 12 or 13 and ‘Mork and Mindy’ came on, so I never got over that element working with him on any of the movies. It was just always a thrill for me. And he was amazing. He was a genius. But for me, the thing I take away working with him is that he was so kind and generous to everybody. Like every single person who would come up to him in any way, and it was pretty amazing to watch and he set a really high bar for that and he was a really genuine person.”

After the press conference I asked Levy if Robin Williams’ death affected his editing choices. Williams appears in the film in more sequences it seems than in the earlier films.

“I knew that the movie would have a layer of poignancy that was not anticipated and I didn’t want to compromise the movie because of its bitter-sweetness,” Levy told me. “Robin loved the emotionality of the franchise and Robin in particular loved the emotionality of this movie so I took out two sentences of dialogue that were a little too close to home, but the warm-hearted poignancy of these movies, and this movie in particular, it was arguably Robin’s favorite part of this movie so I was not going to compromise that, and I’m happy that audiences thus far have appreciated the love and the warmth and understand where it’s coming from, which is a very sincere love for this performer and this character he’d done.”

Fans of the film will also appreciate a hilarious cameo with Hugh Jackman. The character played by “Downton Abbey” star Dan Stevens, who plays a knight looking for the holy grail, interrupts a performance of “Camelot” and mis-hears Hugh Jackman’s name as Huge Act-Man. The idea to have Jackman appear in the scene was the director’s. “I called Hugh, and asked, ‘Would you do this cameo?’ He goes ‘yeah, yeah, okay.’ I’ll send you a script, and he said, ‘No, no, you don’t need to send anything. Just give me a date I’ll be there.’ So he showed up just as a favor but the Huge Act-man joke was Ben Stiller’s rewrite of the scene that he wasn’t even in.”

 

Photo by Paula Schwartz c2014

Taylor Swift Celebrates 25th Birthday On Stage at Madison Square Garden Jingle Ball

Roger Friedman
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Taylor Swift Celebrates 25th Birthday On Stage at Madison Square Garden Jingle Ball

“It’s so good to be home.” Taylor Swift announced this last night right after she sang “Welcome to New York” at the annual Z100 I HeartMedia (formerly ClearChannel) Jingle Ball. It was three and a half hours since the pop marathon revue had begun with Pharrell performing “Happy” and his other hits.

MSG was still completely packed, mostly with teenage girls and some actual children, who’d heard and seen performances by everyone from Sam Smith to Ariana Grande to Maroon 5, OneRepublic, Iggy Azalea, and novelty act Meghan Trainor. It was the only time I can recall that the house lights were up for an entire show at MSG.

Swift, whom I’d seen earlier in the day at the Billboard Women in Power lunch, is efficiently charming, poised, well spoken, and prepared. The girls adore her. When she appears on stage, the shrillness of the screaming is enough to guarantee a mass gathering of canines who can hear only her. Plus, the transformation from country artist to pop mega star is complete (although I think it was already that way a couple of years ago).

Taylor Swift, from Pennsylvania and Nashville, is now a self-declared New Yorker. She dresses as if every public appearance is a magazine layout/ But it’s not eccentric Gaga style. Swift is only interested in high fashion a la Anna Wintour. The result is that she’s always stunning and impeccable.

Last night was the perfect example. She celebrated her 25th birthday on stage. Oddly no one sang “Happy Birthday.” But Swift joyfully swept through several of her hits including the two big new ones– “Shake it Off” and “Blank Space.” The audience went wild, to say the least. And I don’t blame them. These are really catchy, well produced songs. They are better than anything sung by anyone else — 17 acts, three and a half hours–at the Jingle Ball. For 2014, when all hope is lost, they are superior pop records. And to paraphrase Dick Clark, you can dance to them.

I like Taylor Swift. When I met her at lunch, she was maybe the most polite 25 year old ever. She shakes hands and looks you right in the eye. She listens to each new person, no matter how bored she might be, with a passive but aggressive look of interest. Her posture is perfect.i You never see her thought balloon. She is unfailingly nice to children who ask for autographs. Frankly, she could run for office now– maybe Mayor of New York, to replace Bill DeBlasio in three years. Will she ever crack, have a rebellious period? I doubt it. She’s the Manchurian Performer.

And the Jingle Ball itself? Better than ever, all stops pulled out. Really. The curated group of performers had a nice, genuine feel to them. No one seemed to be lipsynching or otherwise faking it. There were acts for the older crowd (Maroon 5, OneRepublic, Pharrell, and a stunningly refreshed Gwen Stefani, who was trying to celebrate her own 25th birthday) and presenters that lined up with them (Sarah Jessica Parker, Jamie Foxx, et al).

They were all quite accomplished. But it was the younger crowd the audience came to see: Trainor, Jesse J, Charlie S-E-X (Whoops– XCX), Sam Smith, Nick Jonas, and so on. Internet Vine star Shawn Mendes, 16, who I wrote about a couple of weeks ago, battled the flu but came out swinging. He played a short set that elicited screams. The big presenter in this age group was up and coming teen star Ansel Elgort, the Camille of “The Fault in Our Stars.” I was happy to see his famous photographer father, Arthur Elgort, snapping away.

And of course, there was IHeartRadio’s American Idol entrepreneur of the year, Ryan Seacrest. He’s like the president who comes in to support a local incumbent. In this case that would be Elvis Duran, the beloved long time captain of the ZMorning Zoo. Elvis will be “re-elected” Governor of the Top 40, but President Seacrest’s appearance cinched it.

Jingle Ball: A +.

Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande Pay RESPECT to Aretha Franklin at Billboard Awards

Roger Friedman
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Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande Pay RESPECT to Aretha Franklin at Billboard Awards

It was quite an afternoon at the Billboard Women in Music Awards. Aretha Franklin received the first ever Icon Award. And before she did, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, and Ariana Grande, among others, came to pay her some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Beyonce– just stunning– came right over to the Queen of Soul’s table and just about bowed down. All of 55 Wall Street had eyes on these two as Aretha– wearing a periwinkle blue Chanel suit and sporting blonde highlighted hair– graciously received her. Taylor Swift followed suit. Ariana Grande and Jesse J each called out Franklin’s name from the stage.

Meanwhile, Clive Davis came to introduce Franklin, who received a thunderous standing ovation. Aretha got a chance to hear several of today’s singers live, too, since there were many performances. The best one was Hayley from Paramore with Joy Williams on a stunning acoustic number. Jesse J, whom I’d never seen before, has an amazing voice but a really terrible hit song. Ariana Grande is sort of a Mariah Carey in waiting. She also has a big voice with a lot of potential.

Stevie Wonder, by the way, sent a video for Aretha. He rewrote the lyrics of “Until You Come Back to Me,” his song that Franklin had a massive hit on back in 1972. Very clever stuff from Stevie.

 

Photo c2014 Showbiz411.com

Sony Hack, Angelina Jolie vs. Scott Rudin: At Least He Didn’t Threaten to Strangle Her

Roger Friedman
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Sony Hack, Angelina Jolie vs. Scott Rudin: At Least He Didn’t Threaten to Strangle Her

Everyone’s so excited about Scott Rudin’s emails in the Sony hacking scandal. He called Angelina Jolie a spoiled brat. Big deal! You should see the emails I get from Scott Rudin. He is legendary for pushing ‘send’ before thinking.

Back in 1998 he sent Paramount Pictures publicist Allison Jackson a memo that was leaked everywhere. This is what it said: “The only thing separating my hands from your neck is the fact that there are three thousand miles between us.” This was because he didn’t like the way she was handling the premiere of “The Truman Show.”

Rudin continued:

“Be aware that this is the last movie of mine you will have anything to do with because the prospect of having to go through another one of these events with you makes my skin crawl.”

He said she was nothing but “a hostess, nothing more; you create nothing of value except hors d’oeuvres and guest lists. You’re not even smart enough to know who not to offend. You may have kissed enough ass to get you to where you are but . . . you’ve got a lot to learn.”

Jackson went on to do many other projects for Rudin’s films, and her big client nowadays is Paul Allen. So there.

At least he didn’t threaten to strangle Angie!

I don’t know why all these emails are taken seriously. If you go back to Julia Phillips’s classic “You’ll Never Eat Lunch in this Town Again” you’ll find that everyone eats lunch in this town again. Murderers walk free. Grandmothers are sold down the river for rights to a good project. And grandchildren too!

 

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