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Cannes: Edward Norton Confuses Chivas for Dewars in Toast, And He’s Sober

Roger Friedman
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Cannes: Edward Norton Confuses Chivas for Dewars in Toast, And He’s Sober

The whirlwind that is Cannes featured a top notch elegant dinner on Friday night: Charles Finch’s annual celebration at the Eden Roc at the Hotel du Cap. Oscar winning director Alfonso Cuaron was honored, as was FilmAid, a great organization that brings film to third world countries. Actor Edward Norton got in the quote of the night when talking about FilmAid: “Scratch an actor, and you’ll find an actress. Scratch a director, and you’ll find two actresses!”

The rest of the night the A list crowd kept expanding on those lines. They included rock star Bryan Ferry, Naomi Watts, Julian Schnabel, Harvey Weinstein, Gael Garcia Bernal, Leah Seydoux, Sony Pictures Classics’ Michael Barker and Tom Bernard, and award winning writer Christopher Hampton, author of “Dangerous Liaisons” among others.

Norton, sober as a judge, thanked Dewars for sponsoring the night. Unfortunately the sponsor was Chivas Regal. That may be the best plug of all. After that, Chivas’ name was never forgotten!

I spent a great part of the evening talking to Paul McGuiness, the manager who created U2 with the group. Last year, he transitioned out of management, selling his company to U2 and handing the reins to Guy Oseary. After 35 years, Paul tells me he wants to go back to his first love: producing films and plays. He’s half owner of a theater in Dublin. My guess is we’ll be hearing his name soon attached to big projects.

PS Bryan Ferry told me he’s playing New York’s Beacon Theater this October. Why isn’t Roxy Music in the Rock Hall of Fame already? One of that idiotic group’s hugest scandals!

Michael Jackson Hologram Gets No Sales Bounce, But Fans Rediscover Grace Jones “Slave to the Rhythm”

Roger Friedman
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Michael Jackson Hologram Gets No Sales Bounce, But Fans Rediscover Grace Jones “Slave to the Rhythm”

Music fans have not responded well to Michael Jackson’s hologram 3D whatever it was visit from the grave on Sunday’s Billboard Music awards.

Jackson’s “Xscape” album is finding favor only on amazon.com, where it’s number 2 this morning in CD sales. But the album is number 5 in digital sales on amazon, and the single “Slave to the Rhythm” is way down the charts.

On iTunes, which is a better bellwether, “Xscape” is number 5. “Slave,” the song that was showcased on the awards, is in the 40s. The Justin Timberlake duet on “Love Never Felt So Good” is in the 20s.

Apparently, the gimmick of Jackson re-animated didn’t have the effect Jackson’s estate was hoping for. The core Jackson fans may be buying multiples of the CD on amazon to keep it afloat chartwise, but in the digital world the larger music audience did not rush to their devices.

And some may be mixing it up with Grace Jones’s 1985 hit “Slave to the Rhythm.” On amazon, the more popular search for a song with that title is Jones’s, not Jackson’s.

 

Cannes: Huge Ovation for “Foxcatcher” with Steve Carell, Now on Oscar Fast Track

Roger Friedman
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Cannes: Huge Ovation for “Foxcatcher” with Steve Carell, Now on Oscar Fast Track

It’s not like Steve Carell hasn’t been good in things other than “The Office.” He’s had very nice performances in “Little Miss Sunshine” and “The Way Way Back,” even “Date Night.” But he plays psychopath John DuPont III in Bennett Miller’s “Foxcatcher” so brilliantly that he’s destined for an Oscar nomination.

Carell’s will be one of many for “Foxcatcher,” which doesn’t open until November. In the meantime, it’s the only film to open at Cannes this year with robust applause at the press screening, calls of “Bravo!” at the press conference, and a 20 minute standing ovation tonight in the Lumiere theater at the Palais.

The audience really went wild for “Foxcatcher” tonight and with good reason. First of all, Cannes has been bereft of really good films. Second, “Foxcatcher” is the real thing. If only Tommy Lee Jones had re-conceptualized “The Homesman” from a novel into a movie. Oh what could have been…

Carell is blown away. He look stunned all day. At the party at the Baoli Beach club on the Croisette, Carell genuinely was having trouble taking it all in. How did he make the transition from comedy to this heavy role? “They– the producers, Bennett Miller– just had this idea I’d be right for it. They called me up. That was that.”

Cannes has been a blur. “I’m standing in a lot of places not knowing what to do,” he told me. “I’m trying to remember specific moments. But it’s all happening so fast.”

The whole cast came to the party, including Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo, as well as Jessica Chastain, Sofia Coppola, Willem Dafoe, and Oscar winning director of “The Artist” Michel Hazanavicius. On Wednesday, he premieres “The Search,” shot last year in Georgia (Russia) which filled in for Chechnya. Everyone is begging to see the film early, he told me. Only Harvey Weinstein, who turned “The Artist” into Oscar gold, may have the inside track.

 

Cannes: DuPont Murder Mystery Foxcatcher Wows Press Screening

Roger Friedman
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Cannes: DuPont Murder Mystery Foxcatcher Wows Press Screening

Brace yourselves: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo are mind blowingly good in Bennett Miller’s “Foxcatcher.” Postponed from last year this tautly told true murder tale will be a big  awards pleaser this fall.

This is the second real Oscar movie of 2013, after Wes Anderson’s “Grand Budapest Hotel” and possibly Mike Leigh’s “Mr. Turner.” We’ll see.

What a relief though that “Foxcatcher” was worth the wait. Tatum and Ruffalo are so good, but Steve Carell has the last laugh, making a transition from comedy and “The Office” to this substantial piece of acting.

Director Bennett Miller now makes it three in a row with “Capote,” “Moneyball,” and “Foxcatcher.” He will have to stick to one word titles for good luck! Miller presents a very deliberate, meticulous character study of a situation that still causes arguments: the murder of wrestling coach Dave Schultz by DuPont heir John DuPont III. The latter went to prison and died there in 2010.

Tatum and Ruffalo play the wrestling Schultz brothers with an easy rapport. Ruffalo is always good, but Tatum still surprises. He’s not just “Magic Mike.” As Mark Schultz, the younger of the two wrestling brothers, he carries his end of the movie with remarkable aplomb.

Cut down from their original roles are Sienna Miller as Dave’s wife, and Vanessa Redgrave as DuPont’s mother. I suppose something had to be cut. But these are memorable nevertheless.

At the press conference this afternoon, Miller deftly handled questions about the murder and the movie’s steady peeling away of the layers of the case. He also choked up and teared up when Philip Seymour Hoffman was mentioned. Miller directed Hoffman to an Oscar in “Capote” and cast him as the baseball manager in “Moneyball.”

“Foxcatcher” will come this fall, and then watch out. Along with Angelina Jolie’s “Unbroken,” it’s going to be a big contender.

 

ToldYa: Ghoulish Michael Jackson Hologram Performs on Music TV Show

Roger Friedman
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ToldYa: Ghoulish Michael Jackson Hologram Performs on Music TV Show

Here it is, from last night’s Billboard Music Awards. He didn’t want to work when he was alive. Now he’s five years dead and his executors have found a way to make him do it without discussion. You can’t tell me this in good taste. If I were a core fan, the ones who argue and debate, I’d be horrified. But I told you this was coming.

Exclusive: Jon Stewart Sneaks into Cannes for Screening of Directorial Debut

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Jon Stewart Sneaks into Cannes for Screening of Directorial Debut

Saturday, 4pm, Cannes, the grim little Olympia theater complex: standing outside, suddenly, Jon Stewart, host of the Daily Show. LionsGate/Open Road scheduled a sneak screening for film buyers of Stewart’s directorial debut “Rosewater.” Stewart shot the movie in the summer of 2013, taking 12 weeks off. His replacement, John Oliver, did so well that he has his own HBO show now.

“Rosewater” was not screened for press and no one knew that the screening was even taking place. But the turnout. I’m told, was huge, and the movie was well received. Stewart said he’d never been to Cannes before, and had to get back to the Daily Show.

In “Rosewater,” Gael Garcia Bernal plays Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari. Also a filmmaker, Bahari was arrested in June 2009 and held until October, tortured until he admitted that American journalists in Iran were actually spies. The Iranians thought this because they’d seen a parody news segment about this on The Daily Show.

“Rosewater” will likely debut at the Toronto Film Festival, where press will get to see it. Garcia-Bernal is already getting Oscar buzz.

 

Cannes XXX Shocker as “DSK” Case Gets Porn Treatment in Ambush Film (Mickey Rourke Attends)

Roger Friedman
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Cannes XXX Shocker as “DSK” Case Gets Porn Treatment in Ambush Film (Mickey Rourke Attends)

Welcome to New York, indeed. Abel Ferrara’s movie about former IMF chief Dominique Strauss Kahn has a first 15 minutes no one will forget. Although they will try..French film superstar Gerard Depardieu, corpulent and repetentant himself, gets fully naked– I do mean fully– for a series of orgies. His character, Devereaux, has worked for the World Bank, was a professor once, and is now thinking of running for president of France. But after a sex bender, Devereaux attacks a New York hotel maid, is arrested, and must be saved by his wealthy French wife.

You know this story, don’t you?

Saturday night the movie was screened on the beach and also in a small theater complex on the Rue d’Antibes. Meanwhile, across France “Welcome to New York” was available on Video on Demand. This ambush presentation was to circumvent DSK, whose lawyers were no doubt standing by. And why not? He was portrayed as a sex fiend without a conscience who quizzes his daughter’s boyfriend graphically at the dinner table about the younger couple’s sex life. (The f word is employed in many ways.)

To make matters a little more fun, none other than Mickey Rourke turned up at the theater screening.

The standout performance is given by Jacqueline Bisset as Simone, the wife who is really Anne Sinclair, DSK’s long suffering spouse. Bisset as Simone actually explains some of what is going on, to the audience, to Devereaux, and to herself as she realizes her 20 year marriage is really over.

Depardieu gives what is now known as a “balls out” performance. Indeed, his testicles are truly out. This is more than anyone wants to see of him. Devereaux is such a rutting pig you’re not sure whether Depardieu has lost his mind or giving a landmark performance. Suffice to say, he’s the least sympathetic lead character in movies in some time.

A highly disorganized extremely tacky gargantuan party followed the screening. Some guests received white terry cloth robes with “WTNY” emblazoned in black. Others got gift bags that included a cat o’nine tails, a mask, glasses, and a pair of usable handcuffs.

What the porno and the gifts mean is that nothing around “Welcome to New York” should be taken seriously. It’s a send up of the DSK case, not a serious investigation. It’s almost as if 12 year old with a lot of  money decided to tell the story. There is nothing about the maid’s life, class, race, or the media. Will Strauss-Kahn sue? I don’t know. But Ben and Jerry’s won’t be too happy. I’m leaving it at that.

 

Mariah Carey Finally Has a Comeback Hit (Watch New Video)

Roger Friedman
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Mariah Carey Finally Has a Comeback Hit (Watch New Video)

Mariah Carey just performed “You Don’t Know What to Do” featuring Wale, on the Today show. It’s a hit. After slogging through some inferior material, the new single sounds great and ready to launch her new album in 11 days. She also sings the hell out of it. Watch listen learn.

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Cannes Day 3: Struggle to Find Hot Movie as Press Boos Ryan Reynolds Thriller

Roger Friedman
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Cannes Day 3: Struggle to Find Hot Movie as Press Boos Ryan Reynolds Thriller

As Tom Petty once sang, the waiting is the hardest part. In Cannes, everyone is waiting for a really good film in competition– or anywhere at this point. Wedneday’s opening brought an excellent performance by Nicole Kidman in a not great movie called “Grace of Monaco.” Thursday introduced us to Mike Leigh’s very personal take on the painter JMW Turner in “Mr. Turner,” an awards magnet that will find love with the NPR crowd and maybe fans of “Downton Abbey.”

Today, spirits really sagged. Atom Egoyan’s “The Captive” was met with boos from the press of every country. Usually it’s just the French who express themselves this way. But “The Captive” is an atrocious waste of good efforts from the celebrated Canadian director of “The Sweet Hereafter.” Egoyan’s last film, about the West Memphis Three, was pretty bad. But this one really is shocking in its total lack of focus, thought, originality.

Egoyan did himself no favors with actors like Ryan Reynolds and Scott Speedman, not exactly the Redford and Newman of their generation. On top of that, Egoyan throws away the uber talented Rosario Dawson. Everything is wrong with this movie, starting with the hackneyed music and culminating in a plot that becomes a carbon copy of ten different bad movies.

The big day here won’t come until Monday when there are back to back screenings of what could be important films– Bennett Miller’s long awaited “Foxcatcher” and David Cronenberg’s “Maps to the Stars.” Until then it’s all about deals for films which may never happen, a lot of announcements, and high end networking.

Cannes Celebs From Cate Blanchett to Penelope Cruz Are All Over Town

Roger Friedman
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Cannes Celebs From Cate Blanchett to Penelope Cruz Are All Over Town

Thursday, date 2 of the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. The stars spent the day fanning out all over town. At night, the hottest crowd descended on the famed Hotel Martinez for a gathering sponsored by Chopard jewelry. (So far no robberies but the festival is young!)

Two double Oscar winners arrived in stunning gowns and chatted each other up: Cate Blanchett and Jane Fonda are in a very small club. A glowing Blanchett had presented young actor’s breakthrough awards to Logan Lerman and to Adèle Exarchopoulos. She joined Pedro Almodovar and Penelope Cruz afterward for a private dinner. Blanchett is a mensch, you know: she delayed leaving for the dinner so she could be introduced to some of my colleagues and friends from Variety, which sponsored the event.

Also dropping by the Chopard party were newly minted Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o and director Sofia Coppola, the latter is on the main jury this year.

Oscar winner Penelope, by the way, can’t stick around Cannes long. She starts shooting “MaMa” in Madrid on Monday, her first new movie in some time after having two children with Oscar winner husband Javier Bardem. Doesn’t she want to get back to work? “Not really,” the great beauty sighed. “The boys are just 9 months and 3 years old.” Apparently she doesn’t know they’re old enough to take care of themselves!

Meanwhile, lunch time at the Eden Roc in Cap d’Antibes is already bubbling. On Thursday, “Hercules” director and new film financier Brett Ratner dined with Revlon chief Ronald Perelman. (The latter had to cut the size of his yacht party Thursday night, I’m told, per the captain, or risk sinking. Not the case ever with Paul Allen’s yacht!)

Vanity Fair supremo editor Graydon Carter commanded his own table, while producer-multi hyphenate Charles Finch sized up the terrace for his annual all star soiree-hot ticket celebrating Cannes tonight (Friday).

What’s anticipated: Harvey Weinstein’s annual presentation of clips from forthcoming movies. And Prince putting on a show, maybe, possibly. There’s also a lot of buzz about Abel Ferrara’s “Welcome to New York,” which will screen at 9pm (changed from Midnight) on Saturday. That’s the thinly veiled “DSK” movie with Gerard Depardieu and Jacqueline Bisset.

 

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