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Oscars: Matt Damon Screens in “Promised Land,” Plus Best Actress Notes

Roger Friedman
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Oscars: Matt Damon Screens in “Promised Land,” Plus Best Actress Notes

Gus van Sant’s “Promised Land” has just started screening, and there’s an embargo on reviews until December 5th. I’ve seen it, and I’m not reviewing it until then. That said, Matt Damon could throw a monkey wrench into the Best Actor race. As I said last week, we already have Joaquin Phoenix, Bradley Cooper, Daniel Day Lewis, and Denzel Washington. A fifth slot could now pit Damon against his buddy Ben Affleck. And that doesn’t take into account Hugh Jackman from “Les Miserables.”

A lot will depend on Damon’s own campaign–he wrote the movie with actor John Krasinski, who’s also his co-star. The pair should get a screenplay nomination. I love Rosemarie DeWitt in anything, so I can’t be objective (but I’m not reviewing). “Promised Land” is about fracking in the New York-Pennsylvania farmland, so it has a topical slant. It’s got echoes of the great Bill Forsyth film, “Local Hero.” It could almost be a continuation of Damon’s character from “Good Will Hunting.” He is incredibly likeable in it.

Best Actress is shaping up. Jennifer Lawrence is way in the lead, with Marion Cotillard, Helen Mirren, and possibly Judi Dench from “Exotic Marigold Hotel” right behind her. Who’s the fifth? It looks like Jessica Chastain from “Zero Dark Thirty,” which screens this Sunday, is very, very poised for that position. I don’t think Helen Hunt from “The Sessions” will make it. There’s no buzz on Meryl Streep from “Hope Springs” even though there should be. Ditto Viola Davis. I was really impressed by Halle Berry in “Cloud Atlas,” but that movie is in a quandary for a lot of people. And the child from “Beasts of the Southern Wild” doesn’t seem like a fair thing to do to the adults.

If there’s one question mark here it’s Emmanuelle Riva, from “Amour.” The French film is a stunner, but it’s also quite depressing. I don’t feel a lot of buzz around her, whereas Dench is beloved and “Hotel” was a big hit. “Amour” may have to settle for a Best Foreign Film nomination.

Best Supporting Actress surely puts Sally Field in the lead from “Lincoln.” From there, you get Amy Adams in “The Master,” and maybe Jacki Weaver from “Silver Linings Playbook” — her performance is terrific and almost overshadowed by Lawrence, DeNiro and Cooper. Anne Hathaway is going to score big time from “Les Miz.” Field, Adams, Weaver, Hathaway, and then…the fifth slot remains open.

The jockeying has already begun. But the big screenings are right after Thanksgiving. “Les Miz” is shown on Friday twice on both coasts, and again in New York on December 2nd. On Sunday the 25th, Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty” gets a wider airing than its very early, advanced showing. And then there’s “Promised Land,” which I haven’t reviewed, remember?

Do you remember “Local Hero”? Rent it immediately. Peter Riegert and the late legend Burt Lancaster star.

 

American Music Awards Score Lowest Ratings Ever

Roger Friedman
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78
American Music Awards Score Lowest Ratings Ever

The American public rejected junk pop music last night in a stunning referendum. The American Music Awards scored their lowest rating ever– a 3.4–and lost to everything else that was playing on television. Apparently, even tweens couldn’t make Justin Bieber a hit, let alone the rest of the motley crew that showed up for this second tier awards bonanza.

The ratings were twenty percent lower than last year. And they reflect the fact that aside from Stevie Wonder’s tribute to Dick Clark with two songs, there was nothing for a normal person to watch on that show. Instead it was a celebration of bubblegum pop and bad acts from long ago like M.C. Hammer.

This response should give radio and record labels something to chew on. These young throwaway performers get a lot of tabloid attention, but they aren’t necessarily musicians who people over 21 want to watch or listen to. The constant spectacle of noise and fireworks, special effects and gyrating dancers is  a turn off.  The AMAs were simply a showcase for style over substance– and they were rejected.

Hopefully the Grammy Awards will include a variety of acts and ages– from Adele to Aerosmith to Janelle Monae and, of course, Justin Timberlake. Also, the AMAs were suspiciously devoid of Gotye and his best single of the year, “Somebody That I Used to Know,” as well as boy band phenom One Direction. But the Grammys also attract a wider following because they feature a little of everything, always mixed and matched by Ken Ehrlich (following the late Pierre Cossette’s lead) into interesting combinations.

Steven Soderbergh Makes an Awards Plea for Matthew McConaughey: Performance was “Bananas”

Roger Friedman
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Steven Soderbergh Makes an Awards Plea for Matthew McConaughey: Performance was “Bananas”

Oscar DVDs pouring in. This writer votes with the Broadcast Critics for the Critics Choice Awards (airing January 10th on the CW network). In today’s package from Warner Bros: a sealed envelope containing a letter signed by director Steven Soderbergh.

“Dear Broadcast Film Critics: I’m breaking my long standing embargo regarding pleas for recognition because the core creative team of MAGIC MIKE really hopes people are reminded at the end of the year of Matthew McConaughey’s performance as Dallas, which we found completely bananas in the best sense of the word. As he says in the film, “The moon is just a chip shot away!”

I totally agree with Soderbergh. But that first is a very long run-on, in sore need of editing. But it’s nice of him to write to us. Best Supporting Actor is a tight race this year. Robert DeNiro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Alan Arkin, Scoot McNairy (“Killing Them Softly”), plus possible entries for Leonardo DiCaprio (“Django”) and Russell Crowe (“Les Miz”) and we don’t know anything about “Zero Dark Thirty” or “Promised Land” yet. I really liked Jim Broadbent in “Cloud Atlas.”

But into the race we will now enter M McConaughey. And who knew Steven Soderbergh worked out of New York? That was an even bigger surprise!

Scooter Braun, Justin Bieber’s Manager, Wins the American Music Awards

Roger Friedman
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Scooter Braun, Justin Bieber’s Manager, Wins the American Music Awards

So last night the real winner of the AMAs was Scott “Scooter” Braun, the manager of the acts that took up the bulk of the show: Bieber, Jepsen, Psy. He also manages a boy band called The Wanted. Braun was recently profiled in The New Yorker by Lizzie Widdicombe. It’s a terrific piece about a 31 one year with limited education who is now buying mansions in the Hollywood Hills, $100,000 electric cars, and purchasing art in Beverly Hills dressed in flip flops and Mickey Mouse t shirts. (The “art” he buys is Mickey Mouse toys.) Here’s the link: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/09/03/120903fa_fact_widdicombe

It’s not hard to win the American Music Awards. They aren’t the Grammys. They’re kind of a promotional tool offered by Dick Clark Productions, same as the Golden Globes and People’s Choice Awards. No one takes them seriously. And if an an act performs at the AMAs, they’re not allowed on the Grammys. So when you see someone on stage at the AMAs, as they were last night, you can surmise a couple of things: their new album came out too late to qualify for a Grammy (Taylor Swift) or they’re too shlocky to get a Grammy (Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen, Psy.)

Braun is the manager of the moment. He’s cornered the market on one-off top 40 phenoms with Jepsen (“Call Me Maybe”) and the Korean Psy (“Gangnam Style”). Will these people ever have another hit? For Jepsen it’s already questionable. For Psy, it’s likely he’ll be doing that one number at state fairs in two years. For Bieber, it’s unknown how long this can continue. His transition to adulthood is the X factor. He’s small and androgynous, he doesn’t really have a song anyone outside of the tween girl world can hum, and his records — like most records now– are not huge sellers. Braun has him on the road selling concert tickets, and has diversified into perfume and other gimmicks. But Justin Bieber in five years? Unless he has a Stevie Wonder moment planned–where he turns out to be a musical genius and starts producing amazing adult music–Bieber’s shelf life is not long.

But last night Braun literally won the AMAs. Maybe, as he’d like to think, he’s the next David Geffen. More power to him. The AMAs were a perfect venue for his “clique,” as he called them on Twitter. But they didn’t do a lot for his sales. On iTunes, where teens are an instant referendum, Bieber and Jepsen are pretty much nowhere and number 58 and 135 respectively. But “Gangam Style” is number 1. And Braun goes looking for his next novelty hit.

“The Lion King” Growls to Its 15 Year on Broadway

Roger Friedman
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“The Lion King” Growls to Its 15 Year on Broadway

Number 1 on Broadway this week: “The Lion King.” Number 1 five years ago: “The Lion King.” Ten years ago: “The Lion King.” 15 Years ago; yup. “The Lion King,” with shows playing most everywhere all over the world, celebrated its 15th anniversary last night at the Minskoff Theater, a cavernous, cold modern space that is defeated by the musical’s simplicity, elegance, and heart. I was actually a little surprised how good the show looks and how well it runs. We were told that creator Julie Taymor had come in a few days earlier to tune it up for the big night. In particular she worked with Patrick Brown, the actor who currently plays the villiain Scar–and he kind of stole the show, although I really loved Tshidi Manye, who plays Rafiki, the medicine woman, with abundant charm.

Everyone was present from Taymor to Disney Theatrical chief Tom Schumacher, who produced “The Lion King” with Peter Schneider. Also Irene Mecchi and Roger Allers, who wrote the book, and Tim Rice, who co-wrote the now famous songs like “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” and “The Circle of Life” with Elton John. (Sir Elton was MIA, I’m, maybe due to a dispute with Disney.) Cast members from all the years were in the audience, especially the originals, which gave the show an electric feel. There was definitely a snap in the air. Also in the audience: former “Scar” Patrick Page, also now the former Green Goblin of “Spider Man” and a Tony nominee. The last time we saw him he was hanging from the ceiling.

“The Lion King” is a fairly spare, sophisticated enterprise for something so popular. It is not “Wicked” or “Cats.” Starting with a strong book and songs, Taymor has created one of those rare pieces of art that transcends commercialism. Still brimming in traditional colors and music of South Africa, “The Lion King” is a joyous adventure. When the lights go down and the safari “animals”– the first of Taymor and co’s many dazzling puppets–come down the aisles, the effect is still breathtaking. Several of the creators had tears in their eyes at that moment. They’ve made something that even transcends language. In April  2013, “The Lion King” opens in Brazil, translated into Portugese.

Reminder: Justin Timberlake Working On New Album, Maybe a Grammy Show Appearance

Roger Friedman
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1
Reminder: Justin Timberlake Working On New Album, Maybe a Grammy Show Appearance

Because work is progressing, and Justin Timberlake is dropping coy hints, here’s a redux flashback to my story on September 30th. Justin is working away on on his new album, a “secret” set for first quarter 2013. Maybe in time for the Grammy Awards, and a big splash on the show come February. http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/09/30/exclusive-justin-timberlake-finally-recording-new-album-after-six-years. It’s time for a new album. Justin’s acting career has been, let’s say, not the world beater of all time.

From September 30, 2012:

Exclusive: Justin Timberlake is in the studio making a new album. There’s no title yet, but I’m told Timberlake has been working around the clock with Timbaland and other producers. The album, which could have “many more than a dozen new tracks” would be ready for the first quarter of 2013 for Sony’s RCA label.

The project is considered very “hush-hush” at Sony, and very much low profile as it’s being done quickly.

It’s been six years since Timberlake’s second album, “Future Sex/Love Sounds,” came out in 2006. It yielded several hits like “What Goes Around Comes Around” and “Sexyback” (more a riff than a song, but whatever). But then Timberlake went into movies and made only occasional appearances as a guest star on other people’s records.

The album is being recorded in Los Angeles. A new Timberlake album would be an adrenaline shot in the charts. A gifted singer and dancer, Timberlake should easily have retained his following even after more than half a decade.

Vampire Weekend: Final “Twilight” Makes $141 Mil Opening 3 Days

Roger Friedman
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1
Vampire Weekend: Final “Twilight” Makes $141 Mil Opening 3 Days

“Twilight: Breaking Wind, Part 2” took in $141 million, plus it has another $200 million abroad, for stupendous opening, breaking wind, dawn, and other records for vampires who can’t act in a campy trilogy-plus-one. Congratulations, world. In five years, these things will be remaindered to the dustbin of time, like Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and half a dozen other Pet Rocks of the moment. (Remember when you were buying Paris Hilton’s jewelry on amazon?) Look for Taylor Lautner’s face on a Pez dispenser, and Robert Pattinson enjoying class reunions at the Night of 100 Stars with Luke Perry. Until then, Stephanie Meyers is getting the last laugh, and the LionsGate-Summit coffers- or is it coffins–are filling up exponentially. It’s all good. Just sayin. But…not so much.

Kathie Lee Gifford Leaves Out Juicy Part of Aimee Semple McPherson’s Life: Uncle Miltie

Roger Friedman
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Kathie Lee Gifford Leaves Out Juicy Part of Aimee Semple McPherson’s Life: Uncle Miltie

Kathie Lee Gifford’s musical about evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson is not a whitewash–she does tell us that Aimee liked her men, and she popped a lot of pills. But Kathie Lee did leave out one good story: that McPherson slept with comedian Milton Berle around 1930. Berle wrote about in his 2002 autobiography, detailing how he met McPherson when he was playing the vaudeville circuit and she was putting on outrageous shows to entice people into her Foursquare Church. Berle, it should be noted, was well known in Hollywood for the legend of his, er, sizeable manhood. (Ahem.) Kathie Lee could have written a cute song about this unusual coupling: an evangelist preacher and Jewish jokester.

Here’s the description of the events from Berle’s book via Wikipedia:

“I was both impressed and very curious … She was all dignity and class when it came her turn. The house went wild when she walked out into the lights.” Backstage, she invited him to see Angelus Temple. Instead, Berle wrote, the two of them went to lunch in Santa Monica, then to an apartment of hers where McPherson changed into something “cooler […] a very thin, pale blue negligee.” Berle said he could see she was wearing nothing underneath and that she only said, “Come in.” Berle said they met for the second and last time at the same apartment a few days later, writing, “This time, she just sent the chauffeur for me to bring me straight to the apartment. We didn’t even bother with lunch. When I was dressing to leave, she stuck out her hand. ‘Good luck with your show, Milton.’ What the hell. I couldn’t resist it. ‘Good luck with yours, Aimee.’ I never saw or heard from Aimee Semple McPherson again. But whenever I hear ‘Yes, Sir, That’s My Baby,’ I remember her.”

Scorsese “Surprise” 70th Birthday Party: No DeNiro, But Spielberg, Leo, Daniel Day Lewis Were There

Roger Friedman
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Scorsese “Surprise” 70th Birthday Party: No DeNiro, But Spielberg, Leo, Daniel Day Lewis Were There

UPDATED 11/18 AM: All week I was bursting to tell you about Saturday night’s surprise 70th birthday party at the Monkey Bar for director Martin Scorsese. But it wasn’t clear whether Scorsese actually knew what was happening, and I didn’t want to spoil the fun. On Monday night, I talked about it with Robert DeNiro at the premiere of “Silver Linings Playbook.” He told he couldn’t be there because he was representing the Tribeca Film Festival in Doha. He said, “I think Marty knows about it by now.”

Still–we waited. And so last night Steven Spielberg (with wife Kate Capshaw), Daniel Day Lewis (with his wife Rebecca Miller), and Leonardo DiCaprio (said to be very chummy with his “Wolf of Wall Street” costar Margot Robbie) were among the 120 guests invited to Graydon Carter’s Monkey Bar. I’m told that Scorsese–busy shooting “The Wolf of Wall Street”– was told that just 12 people were coming. What a surprise when he saw the guests! Harvey Keitel and Joe Pesci were among those on the guest list. Famed writer Philip Roth was there as well. In the end, the Monkey Bar was filled with everyone he’d ever worked with, from manager Rick Yorn to documentary filmmaker Albert Maysles, and of course Marty’s loyal and Oscar winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker. Thierry Fremaux, who runs the Cannes Film Festival, flew in just for the party.

Inside, there was dancing, and of course a montage of blooper clips from all the Scorsese films. I’m told that guests each got little “flip books” with the name “Marty” emblazoned on them. There was music and dancing, although Spielberg cut out around 11pm, exhausted from promoting “Lincoln” all weekend to junket press that had been flown in from all over the world.

DeNiro wasn’t the only luminary who couldn’t make it. “Saturday Night Live” producer Lorne Michaels had to spend the night at NBC for his show–and it was his birthday, too.

Aerosmith Ex Manager Won’t Stop Causing Trouble for the Group

Roger Friedman
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Aerosmith Ex Manager Won’t Stop Causing Trouble for the Group

Aerosmith is back and better than ever. Their album, “Music from Another Dimension,” sold 70,000 copies last week in its debut. That’s about right for veteran groups and acts. This week it should do a little better than half that. But album sales are no longer the measure of success for acts of that age–it’s all about concert tickets. Aerosmith has pretty much sold out Madison Square Garden for Tuesday night. Stubhub.com has around 900 tickets in circulation, which is a small fraction of the MSG total.

But Aerosmith’s former manager, Tim Collins, now lost to time, keeps spitting in the wind at Steven Tyler and co. This week he planted (through a friend of his–a and I can guess who it is) a nasty item in Page Six claiming the group is no longer speaking to each other, and they’re angry about the album and ticket sales. Hogwash, says a source. “They’re doing great and making lots of money.” This, of course, must anger Collins, who hasn’t worked with the group since George Bush was president– and I mean Bush 41, not 43.

Meantime, Sony would do well to give a real push to “What Could Have Been Love” from the new album. That’s a hit single all right, and one that should be pouring out of every AM radio in the land.

PS The Stones and The Who are touring. But FYI Aerosmith is still the only group with its original members intact. All others, dream on!

What Could Have Been Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7lCZ0rpH3o

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