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Mark Ruffalo, Natalie Merchant Will Lead Fracking Protest in Albany on Wednesday

Roger Friedman
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Mark Ruffalo, Natalie Merchant Will Lead Fracking Protest in Albany on Wednesday

The Incredible Hulk and the leader of 10,000 Maniacs are getting together to protest fracking. Actor Mark Ruffalo and singer Natalie Merchant are leading a group to Albany this Wednesday to register their anti-fracking feelings with Governor Andrew Cuomo.They’re planning an all out campaign to appear at Cuomo’s State of the State Address. You can read about it at www.nyagainstfracking.org.”Fracking” has become a hot button issue, especially in New York and Pennsylvania, along what’s known as the Marcellus Shale. Actors Matt Damon and John Krasinski have been drawn into the war because of their new movie, “Promised Land.” The documentary, “Gasland,” was the first to address the dangers of fracking in farm lands. My own thought, is you don’t fish in your own pond. It’s as simple as that. Both Ruffalo and Merchant live in the area, so it’s important to them.

Here’s what they say:

The New Yorkers Against Fracking coalition is calling on all New Yorkers to come to Albany for a rally to keep fracking out of our beloved state. We will take our message right to the Governor as we gather outside the annual State of the State Address, delivered by Andrew Cuomo.

We’ve never needed your voices more than now. On November 29th, the Department of Environmental Conservation took the reckless step of releasing draft rules and regulations that would sanction the process of fracking in New York State, thus setting the clock ticking on a decision-making process that, absent our intervention, could lead to permits in early 2013. Never mind that the environmental impact statement (sGEIS) that is supposed to serve as a scientific foundation of those regulations has not been released to the public. Never mind that the unfinished health “review” that is supposed to sit at the heart of the sGEIS is shrouded in secrecy. Never mind that the work of the health study is being carried out by three outside experts who are contracted for a mere 25 hours–three days–of their time. Never mind that Governor Cuomo said NO to New York’s own physicians and scientists who have demanded a transparent, comprehensive health impact assessment.

Let’s tell the Governor that everything about this process is wrong: it is backward, undemocratic, hasty, and irrational. A secret, 25-hour health review? Shockingly inadequate. An industry-influenced sGEIS? Fatally flawed. And cart-before-the-horse rulemaking? Un-fracking-believable.

Celeste Bartos, Longtime New York Philanthropist, Dies at Age 95 (Or Thereabouts)

Roger Friedman
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Celeste Bartos, Longtime New York Philanthropist, Dies at Age 95 (Or Thereabouts)

I always thought Celeste Bartos was already dead. But apparently the woman whose name adorns a magnificent room at the New York Public Library, and a theater at the Museum of Modern Art, passed away on Saturday. No one mentions her age but this sort of amazing philanthropist and heiress to a huge pulp paper empire had to have been around 95. As yet there’s no official obit in the Times.

In the little biography readily available, it’s stated that she married her first husband, John Altman, in 1935. Some time later she married her second husband, Armand Bartos. He was born in 1910 and died at the end of 2005; he himself was 95.  Even though Bartos had money and was influential in the art world, it was Celeste’s fortune from her father, D. Samuel Gottesman, that propelled her. (Gottesman’s brother and his family made millions with Warren Buffet.)

But in all the years that we heard about people like philanthropist Brooke Astor or social X-ray Nan Kempner, there was nary a word about Celeste Bartos in the press. Indeed, a quick search of the New York Times archives reveals not one mention of her between her father’s death in 1956 and the naming of the Library room in 1987. Even then, there’s no mention of the person. There’s no picture of her either.

The Museum of Modern Art’s NY Times paid obit: “Celeste and her husband Armand were not only generous philanthropists, but active and passionate collectors of art. Celeste helped build MoMA’s renowned collection by giving important works of art to the Museum and by assisting with the acquisition of other pieces.” According to reports, her sons carry on her legacy.

We should all say thank you, and rest in peace, Celeste Bartos.

 

Downton Abbey Returns, Lady Grantham Mistakes Her Son for A Waiter

Roger Friedman
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Downton Abbey Returns, Lady Grantham Mistakes Her Son for A Waiter

Well, if the last two hours on PBS weren’t its highest rated ever, I’d be surprised. The return of “Downton Abbey” with a two hour premiere (actually two one hour episodes back to back) was a total enjoyment. Just when the show was teetering on becoming a Monty Python sketch, in comes Shirley MacLaine to save the day.

As Martha Levinson, the mother of Cora, Lady Grantham (the great Elizabeth McGovern ), MacLaine was just right as an American on the verge of the roaring Twenties with no pretenses and lots of fun to cut through the rubbish. And MacLaine doesn’t ham it up as much as you might have expected, there’s no big duel between her and Maggie Smith. MacLaine is a smart, smart cookie. She knows she’s not going to win that fight. And this isn’t “Dynasty,” by god. MacLaine was a welcome breath of fresh air in a dusty house. And when Martha observes the age of houses like Downton is over, she’s right. Which makes what will happen in Season Three (and we kind of know where we’re going) mean that Season Four probably will be the end. That’s okay.

Anyway, Maggie Smith, the Michael Jordan of “Downton,” scored more points than any other player. I’m sorry, I’m the willing victim to all of her one liners. The best by far was saying she mistook her son, Robert (the ever patient Hugh Bonneville) for a waiter because he was wearing a regular black tie tuxedo to dinner. (They call it white tie.) Smith’s timing is so impeccable she could slice diamonds with it. And Bonneville — who may be the heart and soul of “Downton”— takes it like a man every time. One day we’ll see the outtake reels and wonder how they all soldiered on.

Mary and Matthew’s wedding was too romantic for words. Creator Julian Fellowes really struck lightning with Michelle Dockery and Dan Stevens. Dockery has literally become a professional yearner. She may be the first since the 1930s. Stevens is fine, and plays the Cary Grant role for all it’s worth. How he’ll fare post-Downton is anyone’s guess. (David Caruso, anyone?) But Mary will be okay, I really believe it. There’s something bigger for her in the world before “Downton” ends.

 

 

Golden Globes: It’s About the Food, You Know–Menu Announced

Roger Friedman
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Golden Globes: It’s About the Food, You Know–Menu Announced

Just posted on the Hollywood Foreign Press Association website, the menu for next Sunday. The Golden Globes are about the food, you know. At the Oscars, there’s no food. Last year, they even stopped selling the turkey sandwich at the bar. You don’t get fed until the Governor’s Ball or, barring that, leaving the building after four or five hours. We always take Power Bars in our pockets just in case, and smelling salts.

Here’s the story right from the website:

Guests at the 70th Golden Globe Awards will dine on a menu  of Grilled Artichoke on Frisee served with Fennel Tomato Lemon Mousse, Kabocha pumpkin smoked dried tomato tart and pepper honey Goat Cheese as appetizers; a main course of Smoked Flat Iron Steak and Pacific Sea Bass; and Cappucino Mousse Cake for dessert. Beverly Hilton Executive Chef Suki Sugiura and Executive Pastry Chef Thomas Henzi have created this feast, to be enjoyed with a 2004 Grand Vintage Moet et Chandon champagne on tables adorned by red rose arrangements designed by celebrity florist Mark Held.

Feel inspired to prepare your own version of the dishes for your Golden Globe party? Check out the recipes…http://www.beverlyhilton.com/_files/pdf/Recipes-for-Press.pdf#zoom=100

The 70th Golden Globe Awards will be held on January 13 at the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton, in Beverly Hills, CA.

 

Former NY Mayor Ed Koch Visits His Own Grave Now, In a Non Jewish Cemetery

Roger Friedman
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Former NY Mayor Ed Koch Visits His Own Grave Now, In a Non Jewish Cemetery

Former New York City mayor Ed Koch is alive, but he visits his own grave. You see, he’s already erected a double wide gravestone with inscriptions and an epitaph written by him. And in a new documentary called “Koch,” by Neil Barsky, set for release next month, Koch takes the filmmakers up to the very un-Jewish Trinity Church cemetery at Broadway and West 155th St. to view this achievement.

Here’s what Koch has to say about himself in carved into granite:

“Edward I. Koch, mayor of the city of New York. He was fiercely proud of his Jewish faith. He fiercely defended the city of New York. And he fiercely loved its people. Above all he loved his country, the United States of America in whose Armed Forces he served in World War II.”

The stone is also engraved with a quote from murdered Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl that reads: “My mother father is Jewish, my mother is Jewish, I am Jewish.” But Koch is not only to be buried in a non-Jewish cemetery, he has already put up the stone–something that traditionally is done on the first anniversary of a Jewish death.

Why is he in a non-Jewish cemetery. He claims he likes “the hustle and bustle” of Trinity (apparently it’s very busy). He didn’t think he’d be “seen” in a Jewish cemetery, and claims–inaccurately–that most of them in New York are “closed” to new burials.

In New York, at least, the Barsky documentary  will be controversial. It’s more or less a rebuttal to a 2009 doc called “Outrage,” and follows the path of a book called “The Rebuilding of New York” by Jonathan Soffer. “Outrage” tried to “out” Koch as gay and blame him for New York’s AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. The book heralded Koch’s record of rebuilding the city. The new film does its best to rewrite his history as a politician who actually defended and protected the gay community and was in the forefront of gay rights. I will leave this part to those who know better. And they will be vocal. When Barsky asks Koch if he’s gay, the mayor responds: “It’s none of your fucking business.”

Is he digging his own grave? If so, he can visit it. Otherwise “Koch” is very well made, and shows a nearly 90 year old man who’s survived everything, but seemingly has no self-awareness or conscience on most subjects.

But as mayor he was a force to be reckoned with, especially in his first two terms. And you do get an understanding of how his motto, “How’m I doing?” really means “Go screw yourself.” He doesn’t care really what we think of how he’s doing. The film also chronicles Koch’s greatest hits, from famously closing a hospital that was important to the black community to endless examples of how he let the outer boroughs deteriorate especially in his third term. There’s also great archival footage of his failed effort for an unprecedented–and completely nuts–fourth term.

Box Office: “Django,” “Les Miz” Cross $100 Mil Mark

Roger Friedman
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The weekend box office: this is funny– the winner is “Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D” which made $23 million– but almost half of that — $10 million was on Friday night. Usually movies do better on Saturday, then plateau off on Sunday. In this case, that movie did worse each successive night. Word of mouth must not have been very good. Oh well. “Django Unchained” and “Les Miserables” each crossed the $100 million mark, “Skyfall”–with already a billion worldwide–is set to $300 million domestically on Monday or Tuesday. “The Hobbit” came in third, and is still booming. Bette Midler and Billy Crystal are still ahead of Tom Cruise, although “Jack Reacher” is starting to post good numbers abroad and technically broke even this weekend– it’s a moneymaker, if not a huge one. And this year’s Oscars will feature many films with big followings. “Argo,” “Flight,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” and “Lincoln” have all done extremely well. It’s not like some years (i.e. “The Hurt Locker”) in which no one had seen the winner.

“Amour,” Film That Won’t Win the Oscar for Best Picture, Gets Nice Prize

Roger Friedman
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“Amour,” Film That Won’t Win the Oscar for Best Picture, Gets Nice Prize

The National Society of Film Critics has announced its winners from this year’s movies. A little schizo, the NSFC, whoever they are, made the esoteric and uncomfortable “Amour,” a foreign film, their Best Picture. Then to balance that, they gave Matthew McConnaughey Best Supporting Actor for playing a male stripper in the unwatchable commercial “Magic Mike.” Go figure. They also liked “Lincoln” and “The Master” a lot. This is a group with issues.

Their second place actor was Denis Lavant. Who? Right. He was in the mostly unseen “Holy Motors,” a French film. (“Amour” only has a French title and actors, is set in Paris, but is directed by Michael Haneke, who is Austrian.)

Weird awards, irrevelant, but something for a Saturday. PSI do think it’s interesting that all these people who are in love with “AMour” only like Emmanuelle Riva, who basically doesn’t speak through the whole movie. The same critics have no love for Jean Louis Trintignant, who actually keeps the movie moving. Go figure.

Here’s another take, from our PAULA SCHWARTZ:

Amour was named the best picture of the year by the 60 members of The National Society of Film Critics, who met today at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Center in Lincoln Center to cast their ballots.

They also gave the top actress prize to the film’s star, Emmanuelle Riva, who beat Jennifer Lawrence by eight votes (50 to 42), and honored Haneke with the best directing award. He narrowly beat Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) and Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master), who each tied with 24 votes to his 27.

Daniel Day-Lewis was voted best actor for Lincoln. The historical drama written by Tony Kushner was named best screenplay.

In the supporting actor categories the prizes went to Matthew McConaughey for Magic Mike and Amy Adams for The Master.

The Gatekeepers, the provocative, troubling and brilliant film by Israeli director Dror Moreh, which brings together six former heads of Israel’s secret service, was named best documentary.

The National Society of Film Critics was founded in 1966 and is a national organization of 60 film critics from major papers in Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Chicago. They are critics not just from Time, Newsweek and the New York but also the Village Voice, the Boston Phoenix and NPR. Since the days of newspapers and magazines are numbered, it will be interesting to see how this group will evolve.

By now, if the awards season hasn’t put you in a stupor, you will be asking what the National Society of Film Critics choices mean for the Oscars? The answer is probably not much. Last year they chose Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia as best picture of the year and its star, Kristin Dunst as best actress. The Oscar went to The Artist and Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady.

One word about Andrew Sarris, the late distinguished film critic and educator, who was also one of the founding members of the society, to whom this year’s awards are dedicated. I took an introductory film class with him at Columbia University more years ago than I want to admit. He was an amazing teacher and passionate movie lover. I will never forget how much I enjoyed his class, which was huge. About seven years ago I was lucky enough to sit next to him at a dinner after a private screening and told him how much his class meant to me. When he mentioned my New York Times Oscar coverage in his Observer column six years ago, I was touched, grateful and deliriously happy. (http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/news/2007/feb/15/oscars-politics/).

BEST ACTOR
*1. Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln – 59 (Dreamworks/Touchstone)
2. Denis Lavant – 49
2. Joaquin Phoenix – 49

BEST ACTRESS
*1. Emmanuelle Riva – Amour – 50 (Sony Classics)
2. Jennifer Lawrence – 42
3. Jessica Chastain– 32

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
*1. Matthew McConaughey – Magic Mike (Warner Bros.), Bernie (Millennium Entertainment) – 27
2. Tommy Lee Jones – 22
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman – 19

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
*1. Amy Adams – The Master (The Weinstein Co.) – 34
2. Sally Field – 23
3. Anne Hathaway – 13

BEST PICTURE
*1. Amour (Sony Classics) – 28
2. The Master – 25
3. Zero Dark Thirty – 18

BEST DIRECTOR
*1. Michael Haneke (Amour) – 27
2. Kathryn Bigelow – 24
2. Paul Thomas Anderson – 24

BEST NONFICTION
*1. The Gatekeepers – Sony Pictures Classics – 53
2. This Is Not a Film – 45
3. Searching for Sugar Man – 23

BEST SCREENPLAY
*1. Lincoln (Dreamworks/Touchstone) – Tony Kushner – 59
2. The Master (P.T. Anderson)– 27
3. Silver Linings Playbook (David O. Russell) – 19

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
*1. Master (Mihai Malaimare, Jr. ) – 60
2. Skyfall (Roger Deakins) – 30
3. Zero Dark Thirty (Greig Fraser) – 21

“Django” Set to Become Third $100 Mil Movie for Weinstein Company

Roger Friedman
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1
“Django” Set to Become Third $100 Mil Movie for Weinstein Company

After just six years (or seven– depending on how you count it)– “The Weinstein Company” is about to have its third $100 million movie. Tomorrow, Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” will cross that magic line with a lot of life left in it, that’s for sure. The other two TWC blockbusters are “The King’s Speech” ($414 mil worldwide, $138 mil US) and Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” ($321.4 mil worldwide, $120.5 mil US).

For a mini studio like Weinstein, born with difficulty after Miramax was claimed by Disney, that’s quite an accomplishment. The company, of course, is awash in Oscars and prestige, from Kate Winslet’s win for “The Reader” to the multiple prizes for “The Artist” and “The King’s Speech.” This year, TWC should rake in quite a few gold statues for “Django,” “The Master,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” and “The Intouchables.”

But it’s not so easy to get past $100 million– and fast. “Django” was released on Christmas Day, so it’s just two weeks. Now the task at hand is for “Django” to double its money at home in theaters because it has a $100 million pricetag. With Oscar noms coming Thursday, Critics Choice and Golden Globes next week, that shouldn’t be too difficult. Sony International must be thrilled too. They start rolling “Django” out next week around the world. Ka ching!

Jessica Chastain Will Miss Three Broadway Performances for Awards Shows

Roger Friedman
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0
Jessica Chastain Will Miss Three Broadway Performances for Awards Shows

If you’ve paid $700 to see stars at the National Board of Review dinner next Tuesday (Jan 8), I think you’re guaranteed one will be very very late to the program if she gets there at all. Jessica Chastain, who won Best Actress from the fan based fee-mandated group for her work in “Zero Dark Thirty” has a 7pm curtain on Broadway that night for “The Heiress.” She’s been giving knockout performances for weeks.

And she will be there without fail. The show is three hours long, which is exhausting. The earliest Chastain could make it might be 10:30pm, by which time many NBR members may be tucked into their beds. And who knows how she’ll feel, considering “The Heiress” has two shows on Wednesday.

A featured Broadway player–even with awards to attend to–can only take so many nights off or disappoint ticket holders.  The red haired beauty will miss three performances, however: she’ll  be replaced by her capable understudy only on  January 10th and 13th, to accommodate the Critics Choice Awards on the 10th (on the CW Network, live, 8pm Eastern), the Golden Globes on Sunday January 13th (infamously on NBC) and then the Screen Actors Guild Awards (TNT)  on January 27th.

And yes, this does suggest that she will fly back to New York right after the Critics Choice Awards, do a show on Friday, two on Saturday, then fly back to L.A. for the Globes, and then fly back to New York on Monday. Whew!

Chastain is in a heavy race with Jennifer Lawrence (“Silver Linings Playbook”) as the front runners for Best Actress this year. But they will likely split the winnings at the Globes, where Chastain should get the prize for Drama, and Lawrence for Comedy/Musical.

PS Even with the absences, “The Heiress” is a hit, and worth a visit if you can get tickets. The show closes February 10th, giving Jessica enough time to prepare for Oscar night.

Writers Guild Nominees Include “The Master,” “Argo,” “Lincoln,” “Silver Linings,” “Moonrise”

Roger Friedman
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Writers Guild Nominees Include “The Master,” “Argo,” “Lincoln,” “Silver Linings,” “Moonrise”

With just hours to go before Oscar first round ballots are due, the Writers Guild of America has announced its nominees. For Best Original Screenplay, the WGA resuscitated Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master,” which has been neglected a lot this season. Others in the original screenplay group are “Moonrise Kingdom,” plus “Flight,” “Looper,” and “Zero Dark Thirty.”

Adapted screenplays included “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Lincoln,” “Argo,” “Life of Pi,” and “Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

Absent from the list of originals is “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and Woody Allen’s “To Rome with Love.”

Completely excluded because they were ineligible– ironically, the two box office draws of the moment, “Les Miserables” and “Django Unchained.” Those movies were made under foreign jurisdiction.

 

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