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
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)
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)
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
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
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.
Michael Jackson Posthumous Album Stopped on Charts by Black Keys
It’s been a might effort, Michael Jackson cannot get to number 1 on the charts. His second posthumous album, “Xscape,” has been blunted at the top of the charts by The Black Keys. Released earlier this week, “Xscape” is number 3 on iTunes and number 2 on amazon.com. And so it goes.
Hey– it’s not too shabby to be number 2. “Xscape” has been marketed within an inch of its life, so whatever it’s doing on the charts is good news for the core fans. And who knows? Maybe Sunday’s hologram performance on the Billboard awards will ignite sales and drive “Xscape” to the top spot. Anything is possible.
Meantime, the Jackson estate was hit by its second civil lawsuit filed by an ex Neverland boy in his 30s. First Wade Robson, now Jimmy Safechuck claims that he was molested by Michael Jackson.
The story of the lawsuit has less resonance because it was written by Jackson’s lifetime archenemy, Diane Dimond. She’s determined to stalk Jackson into the next lifetime.
Both Robson and Safechuck and their families have previously sworn that nothing untoward happened with Jackson. But now they’re in their 30s and keep reading about how well the Jackson estate is doing. Dollars signs have popped up in their eyes.
Will more Neverland boys file suits? That’s really key because if they do, he cases will be taken more seriously. Some of those boys include Jonathan Spence, and actors Emmanuel Lewis and Macaulay Culkin. I’ve no doubt Diane Dimond and Jackson’s losing 2005 prosecutor, Ron Zonen, are camped out in their respective garages.
Look for the hologram on Sunday, May 18th on ABC at the Billboard Awards. There’s now a chance that Justin Bieber will be involved. I am so glad I’m out of the country.
Here in Cannes, some producers are peddling a documentary about Jackson’s 2007 photo shoots for miscellaneous magazines. The fight for scraps is on!
Next up is a book by Jackson’s final bodyguards about his last three years. I’ll tell you about that shortly. They claim Michael was obsessed with Bobby Brown’s hit “My Prerogative” and was considering covering it. Like “A Horse with No Name.” If only Jackson had lived, he could have put out a Karaoke album.
Harrison Ford, Sequel King: First Star Wars, Now Blade Runner
Yes it’s true. Harrison Ford is re-teaming with Ridley Scott for the sequel to “Blade Runner.” The 1982 film is now 32 years old and a cult classic. This is Ford’s second sequel announcement since he agreed to play Han Solo, assisted living president, in “Star Wars 7.” What’s next? “Witness 2”? Anyway, Alcon is financing with Warner Bros. Expect a trilogy with spin offs as this is the new Hollywood where branding is all.
PS Weird wording for the press release. It says “An offer is out to Harrison Ford…” Not a definitive. Is their way of forcing him to terms? What if he doesn’t accept the offer? Whoops! That would be embarrassing. We’ll what happens…
Cannes Opener Star Studded; Kidman Going on Tour this Summer with Keith Urban
Nicole Kidman is finally taking a break. After making several movies back to back, Kidman will give herself time off this summer. At the Cannes black tie premiere of “Grace of Monaco,” I asked the Oscar winner what her plans were.
“We’re going on tour with Keith,” she said, with a big smile. Kidman and daughters Sunday and Faith will hit the road with dad-husband Keith Urban as he fills arenas around the US and Australia.
Nicole wowed the red carpet Wednesday night wearing a beaded blue Armani gown that couldn’t have been sexier for a mom of four. She was a real trooper all day, too, doing the “Grace” press conference with a real sense of humor, then hitting the premiere of the film– the first time she’d seen it, followed by the opening night gala dinner and after party.
She even danced with French actor Lambert Wilson during the Cannes opening ceremony from her seat in the audience at the Palais. Of course Nicole got a huge ovation.
Besides co-star Tim Roth and Cannes jurors like Willem Dafoe and Gael Garcia Bernal, other celebs on Cannes opening night included a dazzling Jane Fonda, Zoe Saldana, and Djimon Honsou.
Nicole and I talked about all four of her kids– not just Sunday and Faith, but her older kids, Connor and Bella. She’s very proud of them. “Isabella is living in London and loving it,” she told me. She was also very proud of Connor attending the recent White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington DC.
Even though it was a beautiful night in Cannes, there’s always something that goes awry. This time it was an impromptu cab strike. Taxi drivers tried to block off access to the Palais right as formally attired guests were trying to get in to “Grace of Monaco.” The French take it in stride!
Fonda, meantime, told me she’s only here for a couple of days before heading to a film shoot in Switzerland with Oscar winning director Paolo Sorrentino (“The Great Beauty”). “I have some amazing scenes with Harvey Keitel,” is all she let on about the film that also stars Michael Caine and Rachel Weisz.
Cannes Review: Nicole Kidman Triumphs as Princess Grace in a Grim Fairy Tale
Finally: a version of Grace of Monaco has officially screened for the press in Cannes. The Oliver Dahan film opens the festival tonight. Here’s the bottom line. Nicole Kidman, beautiful and intelligent, carries the film as regally as a princess. Even when things get out of hand factually and historically, Kidman keeps it anchored in a lovely star turn that will certainly put her in awards races come this fall.
Of course, “Grace of Monaco” has become a curiosity as Harvey Weinstein has fought with Dahan and French distributor Gaumont about the final cut. Last fall this column was exposed to Dahan’s cut, which Weinstein reportedly later said was “too dark.” Today in Cannes I think we saw the Gaumont cut, some kind of compromise between the studio and the director.
This version works, even though it could still use a little more tweaking. The movie has been totally re-edited and re-cut from the Dahan version. Now the first 45 minutes is driven less by Grace and Prince Rainier’s romance and life in Monaco than by Alfred Hitchcock trying to get Kelly back to work in Hollywood. In real life, Hitchcock never visited Kelly in Monaco. Like so many episodes in the movie, this is imagined or created. Indeed, the movie now carries a proviso that it is fiction inspired by facts, or something like that.
What still needs to be trimmed are some terrible lines of dialogue — especially a few about Charles DeGaulle. Also Kidman has a long speech at the end of the movie that could use some judicious editing. But all in all, she and Tim Roth (as Prince Rainier) are very good, as is Frank Langella as their confidante clergy. Parker Posey still seems like she’s in a Mel Brooks remake of “Rebecca,” however. And the added music, meant to sound like Bernard Herrmann (or really from a Hitchcock soundtrack) is too melodramatic. They should re-think the music.
Weinstein Company tried to back out of releasing “Grace.” But today comes word they cut a new deal with Gaumont, paid them $2-$3Â million less than their original deal, and will release the film in early fall. Tonight we’ll see how the opening night black tie red carpet audience likes it. Some French journalists laughed out loud in the wrong places this morning and tried to start something. But there was scattered applause at the film’s conclusion. A lot of people liked it more than they thought they would. That’s progress.