“The Art of Letting Go”: I don’t know what she let go. The single comes out next Tuesday November 11th.
Oscars 2014: The Top Ten and a Couple More as of This Morning
Oscar race update: now that things are getting clearer, where are we? “The Monuments Men” and “Foxcatcher” are out of the race. “The Wolf of Wall Street” is back in, but no one’s seen it. “American Hustle” is probably in it, but no one’s seen that either. And as I’ve said before, “American Hustle” is unlikely as a Best Picture winner simply because “Argo” just won, and was a 70s true life “caper” movie. Two in a row? I don’t think so. But that doesn’t mean “AH” won’t be great.
And I am leaving “Rush” on the list. It would be a shame to ignore this film because of weak box office. Ron Howard did a superlative job. Daniel Bruhl deserves a Best Supporting Actor nod. Remember: films that win critics awards don’t repeat with the Academy. And “Gravity” has now made so much money, and will make so much more, that it could be the “Avatar” of 2014.
So where are we? Of the movies that have been seen, these are the top choices, in loose order:
1. 12 Years a Slave
2. Gravity
3. Lee Daniels’ The Butler
4. August: Osage County
5. Captain Phillips
6. Nebraska
7. Inside Llewyn Davis
8. Fruitvale Station
9. Blue Jasmine
10. Philomena
11. Mandela
12. Dallas Buyers Club
13. The Book Thief
14. All is Lost
15. Saving Mr. Banks
16. Rush
“Gravity” Passing $200Mil Mark Today, WikiLeaks Movie a Total Write Off
We will remember 2013 as the year of many big studio flops. Bill Condon’s “The Fifth Estate” is a $28 million write off for Disney. As of Sunday night, the Wikileaks movie had banked $2.8 million domestically.
Meantime “Gravity” will pass the $200 mil mark today in the U.S. It’s been in release for two weeks, has made a total of $365 mil worldwide. Warner Bros. can rest easy.
At Disney it’s a different story. Two more painful weeks in theaters, and “The Fifth Estate” will head to DVD and pay TV. It’s Disney’s second write off this year, following “The Lone Ranger”– a more massive loss by far. Disney’s Alan Horn can still save the year, though, with “Thor” and “Saving Mr. Banks.”
Fox is suffering, too. Ridley Scott’s “The Counselor” is a dog with $8 million for the weekend. Fox is still reeling from a total write off on Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake on “Runner Runner.” Ouch. They have $18.8 mil domestically. At least abroad people wanted to see these actors. So the foreign take is $41 mil. Fox Searchlight hasn’t fared as well as anyone thought it would with “Enough Said.” James Gandolfini’s penultimate release, nice chemistry with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and good reviews couldn’t lift it past $11 million. But “12 Years a Slave” is starting to boom, and will play a big deal in the Oscars.
Elsewhere, “Parkland” was totally botched by whoever released it. There was no marketing involved. “Parkland” played in Toronto, then just died. Where was the tie in to the 50th JFK anniversary? How hard could that have been? “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete” is headed in the same direction. Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys in a movie no one’s seen or knows anything about? And if Roadside Attractions isn’t careful, the Robert Redford tour de force performance in “All is Lost” could go the same way. There are going to be a lot of new offerings on Netflix soon.
Daniel Craig Returns to Broadway With Springsteen and Spielberg in the Audience
Wow! What a night on Broadway for Harold Pinter’s “Betrayal.” Before Daniel Craig, his Oscar winning wife Rachel Weisz, and Rafe Spall could even get on the stage of the Ethel Barrymore Theater you had to check out the audience. Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa sitting with Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw; Steven Soderbergh and wife Jules Asner with Julia Roberts and husband Danny Moder; former spouses Julie Andrews and Tony Walton; Marlo Thomas with Elaine May and Stanley Donen; Carol Kane in front of them; “Moneyball” director Bennett Miller, and Aaron Sorkin front and center, near Ellen Barkin. Bobby Cannavale with Rose Byrne, and Patricia Clarkson looking screen sirenish as usual. Also in the house: Emily Mortimer and Alessandro Nivola, plus “Skyfall” director Sam Mendes, Sir Ian McKellen, and publishing royalty Vanity Fair’s Graydon Carter and Vogue’s Anna Wintour– sitting on opposite sides of the theater.
Clearly this was not just another night on Broadway.
Mike Nichols directed this revival of “Betrayal.” The New York Times didn’t like it but everyone else did. As Elaine May, Nichols’ long time friend and partner, said to me after the show: “Who else could get laughs out of Harold Pinter?” Indeed, Nichols found the much needed humor in “Betrayal” that now gives it humanity as well as fierceness.
Producer Scott Rudin has a massive hit. I’m sure he wishes it could play past January, when the limited run ends. Premium tickets are selling for up to $500.
Craig and Weisz play a married couple, Emma and Robert. Rafe Spall plays their best friend, Jerry. His wife is unseen on stage, and Jerry– we learn instantly–has had a seven year affair with Emma. He thinks Robert hasn’t known about it. And then Pinter pulls the story off like layers of an onion. Only he does it backwards, beginning two years after the affair and working his way back to its inception. It’s short, under 100 minutes, and without an intermission.
Weisz is a proven entity, and she’s excellent as Emma. Spall is interesting choice. This production introduces him to Broadway audiences. But I think it’s Daniel Craig who’s the focus of much of the attention. Most people know him as James Bond. Four years ago he appeared in a two hander called “A Steady Rain” with Hugh Jackman.
Craig was a surprise then, and he is now. He’s extremely comfortable on stage and seems nothing like stoic Bond. When I asked him if playing Bond was a different acting muscle, he surprised me again. “No,” he said. “It’s the same. It’s all acting. I just try to be honest.” It works.
Lou Reed, The Great New York Rock Legend, Dies at 71 (Videos)
Lou Reed, innovator and influencer, rocker extraordinaire, New Yorker par excellence, has died at age 71 from liver failure. He leaves a huge legacy from the Velvet Underground to his solo work, from “Waiting for the Man” to “Walk on the Wild Side” to “September Song” and beyond. He leaves his wife, the versatile musician Laurie Anderson, and millions of grieving fans. A huge loss for the music world. Lou Reed was a great original.
So many videos. Here’s a few:
Quincy Jones Accuses Michael Jackson Estate, Sony Music of “Clandestine Agreements”–Wants $10 Mil
Quincy Jones produced “Off the Wall,” “Thriller,” and “Bad.” Michael Jackson fans like to think the King of Pop did everything himself, but Q made those albums what they are. He produced all the tracks, shaped them, arranged them. Now he’s suing Jackson’s estate and Sony for all the remixes and reissues they’ve done since Michael died. Jones claims in the lawsuit, filed Friday night, that he had very solid contracts detailing how his permission was needed to do anything. And neither Sony nor the Estate, he says, ever consulted him.
This was brewing for a long time. Despite Quincy putting on a good face during Michael’s memorial service and funeral, the famed producer was not happy. It had been a long time since he’d seen or spoken to Michael. And Jackson was not one to share credit. In the 90s and 2000s Jackson seemingly excised Quincy from his history as he himself believed in the King of Pop nickname.
The issue will be over permission to alter Quincy’s famous tracks, and how much money he is owed for that. In the lawsuit. Jones is alleging that Sony and MJJ Productions (aka The Jackson Estate) set up a “secret” company so that Quincy could not keep track of what was going on. The complaint details “Disguised Royalties” and “Clandestine Agreements.”
At the heart of the issue are post-death projects like the “This is It” movie and the Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas. Songs from all three albums that Quincy produced with Michael are used, reworked, and mixed up to make them seem new and different. Those three albums constitute the heart of Jackson’s moneymaking, with most of his hits coming from them. Subsequent albums like “Dangerous,” “HIStory,” and “Invincible” simply are not on that plane.
Jones’s complaint eyeballs his losses at $10 million or more. Stay tuned because there’s more to come. This could get interesting. Much as the Jackson executors have done a very good job with Michael’s estate, Quincy Jones wouldn’t be filing such a lawsuit unless there was some validity to his claim.
Britney Spears Writes A Letter to Her Fans: “I am Funny! I am Your Friend!”
Britney Spears has handwritten a note to her fans. This is because she’s about to release a new album called “Britney Jean” and has no idea if anyone cares. I’m not sure anyone does. Britney writes to the fans: “I am funny! I am your friend!”
I do feel kind of bad for her at this point. Britney is lost in the music business. She’s already headed for Vegas before the age of 30. She has a limited catalog. You just feel like she’s going to be a windup doll until she can’t be anymore. She’s like the main character in a Jacqueline Susann novel.
The big news is that B.J. has inherited William Orbit from Madonna. That means a lot of droning electronics and few hooks. Both Britney and Justin Bieber have the worst songwriters and producers in pop. Why can’t they do anything approaching Pink or Timberlake? Even some of Miley Cyrus’s stuff is pretty well done.
October 25, 2013
Letter from Britney Jean
Dear Fans,
I haven’t sat down to write you guys in SUCH a long time. Long overdue! We’re all so used to getting our thoughts out in 140 characters, but sometimes its nice to take time to sit down and write something a little longer and more personal. I am putting the finishing touches on my new album, “Britney Jean” over the next few days and I am so excited for you to hear it. I poured my heart and soul into this album and it’s been an incredible journey. I’ve learned a lot about myself, and as I am finishing, I am reminded of the incredible foundation that has supported me for the last 15 years. Thank you all for continuing to follow me on this journey and for allowing me to do what I love to do. I can’t believe this is my eighth studio album and I know I keep telling you that it is my most personal record yet, but its true and I’m really proud of that.
I have been through a lot in the past few years and it has really inspired me to dig deeper and write songs that I think everyone can relate to. Working with people like Sia, William Orbit, and of course Will.i.am has been an amazing experience. They have listened to all of my ideas and helped me bring them to life. There are a lot of really fun, upbeat dance songs, but it was important to me that I show my strength, and my attitude, and my vulnerability. Of course, I also have some surprises for you guys ;)
I want to show you the different sides of Britney Spears. I am a performer. I am a Mom. I am funny. I am your friend! I am Britney Jean.
Hope you love my labor of love!
EXCLUSIVE: The Beatles Set for 2014 Grammy Awards Tribute, All-Star 50th Anniverary Concert
EXCLUSIVE The Grammy Awards will come earlier than usual in 2014, and will have something extra special. Ringo Starr confirmed for me tonight that The Beatles will likely be celebrated twice–once during the Grammy Awards, and then again the next night. The plan right now is for a special Beatles segment during the Grammys on January 26th to commemorate the 50th anniversary of their arrival in America on February 7. 1964.
Then, on January 27, the Monday night after the Grammys, there will be a special Beatles show in Los Angeles at the Convention Center. Right now it’s supposed to entail a lot of different acts playing Beatles songs. Ringo says that so far he and Paul McCartney have discussed only the “possibility” of their participation. “It’s not like we’re not going to do it,” he told me. “But it might be cool to have all these other bands doing our stuff, and we’re watching.”
Knowing Paul and Ringo, though, it might be hard to keep them off the stage. And for a true Beatles anniversary celebration, it would be cool to have Dhani Harrison, Sean and Julian Lennon, James McCartney, and Zak Starkey all on stage.
All of this news explains why Grammy producer extraordinaire Ken Ehrlich was hanging out yesterday at Ringo’s press conference for his All Starr Band tour in South America and his beautiful new book of Beatles pix called “Photograph.” You can look it over at http://www.genesis-publications.com/photograph-ringo-starr/#.UmnHLhDCZqUÂ Ehrlich is producing the Monday night show as well.
An ebook version of “Photograph” is already on iTunes for $12.99.
What a weekend if this all comes together: on Friday night MusiCares honors Carole King; Saturday night is the NARAS Clive Davis dinner and show; Sunday would bring the Grammys with lots of Timberlake, Thicke, and (hopefully) Elton John; and then Monday the Beatles. Tuesday January 28th will have to be declared a national holiday!
Clooney “Monuments Men” Set for Feb 7, May Open Berlin Film Festival
George Clooney’s “Monuments Men” has been moved to an opening date of February 7, 2014. I’m told there’s a great likelihood it could open the Berlin Film Festival on February 6th. Certainly that makes sense from a marketing point of view. “Monuments Men” should have big international appeal. And there’s no place better to launch it for the world– especially Europe– than Berlin. Imagine the press in Germany’s most forward thinking city. So stay tuned, and remember you heard it here first. Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Bob Balaban, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, and Bill Murray co-star/ Now there’s a red carpet!
Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Kate Moss Rock Out in New Paul McCartney Video
Do you think Meryl Streep lights up a screen? Watch her rock out in Paul McCartney’s new video for “Queenie Eye.” The centerpiece song from his “New” album has a star studded video that also features former lovers Johnny Depp and Kate Moss, as well as James Corden a slew of other stars including “Star Trek” actors Chris Pine and Alice Eve. I’m sorry, but Meryl–on the verge of another Oscar nomination–just glows. She’s radiant. The video made at Abbey Road, of course.
Also featured: Stella McCartney, Tom Ford, Jeremy Irons, Tracey Ullmann.
Here’s the video:
And watch the Making of: