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“Twilight” Star Robert Pattinson: Can He Overcome the Bad Reviews?

Roger Friedman
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“Twilight” Star Robert Pattinson: Can He Overcome the Bad Reviews?

“Water for Elephants” opens today, with “Twilight” star Robert Pattinson in the lead role. The big question this Easter weekend will be, Can Pattinson overcome the movie’s horrendous reviews to be a hit? Or is Pattinson a vampire with bite in only one series of films? On Rotten Tomatoes.com, “Elephants” is scoring a 45% right now, not good and not terrible. But the negative reviews are scathing. The New York Times’s Stephen Holden, who is usually generous, skewered the actor and the film.

Holden writes: “Mr. Pattinson is only partly to blame for the fatuity of a character who even in the novel is really a generic male ingénue with no personality. In the film there is nothing about him to suggest a Depression-era youth whose parents’ deaths have thrown him into the world without a safety net. He is more like a “Gossip Girl”-ready 21st-century heartthrob who has exhausted his trust fund.” He gives the film itself low marks.

Oddly enough, Pattinson is supposed to be paired up with Reese Witherspoon in “Elephants” as a love interest. It was a just a few years ago that she played his mother in “Vanity Fair.” Time flies! (In real life she’s only eight years his senior.) “Elephants” has a pretty good shot this weekend, with competition from Morgan Spurlock’s wonderfully entertaining “POM Wonderful Presents The Greatest Movie Ever Sold” and a new Tyler Perry film–they’re interchangeable.

The power of the “Twilight” audience will endure a big test. Pattinson can’t even look to girlfriend Kristen Stewart for advice. Her non “Twilight” films have been busts pretty much–“The Runaways” and “Welcome to the Rileys”  bombed last year.

Olsen Twins Have Not Seen Little Sister’s Big Movie

Roger Friedman
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Olsen Twins Have Not Seen Little Sister’s Big Movie

Elizabeth Olsen, the younger sister of Mary Kate and Ashley, is breaking out as a big movie star. At Sundance, she received kudos for her work in Sean Durkin’s “Martha Marcy May Marlene,” an indie film that won high praise and immediately got a distributor. Now the film is going to the Cannes Film Festival, which is quite an achievement. But neither Mary Kate nor Ashley has seen it. Last night I ran into them at P.J. Clarke’s in the World Financial Center, right before the start of the Tribeca Film Festival screening of Cameron Crowe’s “The Union.” They were drooped over a wooden booth, sitting across from Lauren Hutton, who was giving them some kind of advice. At first I thought the twin nearest me was actually Elizabeth (they all have a strong family resemblance). But it was Mary Kate. After we sorted that out, I asked them if they’d seen the film. Neither one had, and it’s unclear whether they will accompany Elizabeth to Cannes. I did not ask them what they thought of Charlie Sheen’s missing goddess, Bree Olsen, using their last name for her pseudonym.

Sting, Blake Lively, the Koch Brothers Among Time 100

Roger Friedman
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Sting, Blake Lively, the Koch Brothers Among Time 100

The Time 100 list is out, and it’s full of entertainers, celebrities, and executives from the business. From thoughtful rock stars like Sting and Patti Smith to movie stars Colin Firth and Mark Wahlberg, the list–as usual–also features Oprah Winfrey. It also moves from left to right, with the latter represented by David and Charles Koch. There are more newcomer celebs like Blake Lively and Chris Colfer, as well as comedienne Amy Poehler and pop star Bruno Mars. Facebook is represented by Mark Zuckerberg, but also by the man who produced the movie about him, Scott Rudin. Maybe they’ll seat them at the same table. Justin Bieber, the most overly hyped teen maybe in pop history, is also on the roster, along with someone he might like to meet: Benjamin Netanyahu. There’s President Barack and Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Unlikely to attend Tuesday’s dinner are Wills and Kate, as they’re getting hitched a few days later. The guest everyone would like to sit next to: Julian Assange. Here’s the full list: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2066367,00.html

 

Elton John: “I Will Never Make a Christmas Album”

Roger Friedman
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Elton John: “I Will Never Make a Christmas Album”

In Cameron Crowe‘s very moving and informational documentary, “The Union,” I learned a lot about both of its subjects, Leon Russell and Elton John. The 10th annual Tribeca Film Festival opened with an outdoor showing of “The Union,” followed by a live set –in the freezing cold–by Sir Elton himself. But wait, in the movie we learned that Leon Russell, rock’s bad boy of the early Seventies, doesn’t know what a “high five” is. “That’s something from sports, isn’t it?”

We also learned that his record company has begged Elton to do a Christmas album or a theme album–like all Motown songs–for years. “I won’t do it,” he says. “That’s not me.” Instead he made “The Union,” my favorite album since it was released last November, with his own hero, Leon Russell. Crowe, director of “Almost Famous” and “Say Anything,” directed it.

And last night it opened the festival on a joyous New York night that was open to the public but had its share of celebrities with people like Scott  Glenn, Griffin Dunne, David O. Russell, Anna Kendrick, Julian Schnabel with Rula Jebreal, the Olsen twins, Lauren Hutton, Bob Balaban, Zoe Kravitz, rock jewelry designer Loree Rodkin (who’s writing a book about her life in Hollywood folks–look out) and the album’s producer, T Bone Burnett. The extra special guest was Bernie Taupin, Elton’s longtime lyricist, and the guy who thought of the term “Crocodile Rock.”

Jane Rosenthal, who started the Film Festival right after September 11, 2001, gave opening remarks and then introduced Martin Scorsese, who got thunderous applause across the plaza behind the World Financial Center in Battery Park Plaza–the same place that was once a landfill and was home to the legendary No Nukes concert of 1979. Rosenthal, husband Craig Hatkoff, and Robert DeNiro gave the area a much needed shot of adrenalin after 9-11. Now it’s packed with office buildings and apartment houses, more popular than ever.

But back to the show: Rosenthal introduced Elton, and after the show he performed two songs from “The Union,” plus “Tiny Dancer,” “Rocket Man,” “Your Song,” and “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues.” He was by himself, playing piano, and sounding way too good for a musician who told the audience: “I’m like a freezing cold lollipop.” Russell, he told us, wasn’t there because he’s on tour in Australia since Elton revived his career. “He’s got a bus, and some money,” Elton said proudly.

PS You’ll be able to see “The Union” soon–my sources say a deal is all but done with HBO, as it should be.

Lady Gaga Doesn’t Want ‘Weird Al’ Parody

Roger Friedman
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Lady Gaga Doesn’t Want ‘Weird Al’ Parody

Lady Gaga needs to get a thicker skin. She doesn’t want Weird Al Yankovic to do a parody of her Madonna like song, “Born this Way.” Check our video player below. You can hear Weird Al do his “Perform This Way”–it’s a hoot, just like most Weird Al send ups. But on Weird Al’s blog–via The Drudge Report–Yankovic tells the story of what’s going on. The short story is this: the former Stephani Germanotta will not allow Weird Al to use his version of “Born this Way” on his new album. According to him, when he requested permission, she responded by saying she had to hear it and approve it. Imagine–if Michael Jackson had done this, we’d never have heard the classic “Eat It.” Al writes: “My parodies have always fallen under what the courts call “fair use,” and this one was no different, legally allowing me to record and release it without permission. But it has always been my personal policy to get the consent of the original artist before including my parodies on any album, so of course I will respect Gaga’s wishes. However, given the circumstances, I have no problem with allowing people to hear it online, because I also have a personal policy not to completely waste my stinking time.”

Check out the whole story at http://alyankovic.wordpress.com/the-gaga-saga/

Michael Sarrazin, Enigmatic Hollywood Actor, Dies at 70

Roger Friedman
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Michael Sarrazin, Enigmatic Hollywood Actor, Dies at 70

Because so many readers won’t know who he was, I thought I’d mention Michael Sarrazin‘s passing yesterday at age 70. In the 60s and into the mid 70s, Sarrazin was a popular, handsome, but mysterious actor. From Montreal originally, Sarrazin acted with both Jane and Henry Fonda–with Jane in “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They”?” and with Henry in “Sometimes a Great Notion.” They were directed in the latter by Paul Newman. Sarrazin’s big moment was co-starring with Barbra Streisand in a comedy called “For Peter’s Sake.” He had memorable eyes, and a lanky stance, but somewhere between Jack Nicholson, Peter Fonda, and a few others, he got lost. He was always cast with other top notch actors like George C. Scott. “Star Trek” fans may know him from the series, “Deep Space Nine.” In the end, there’s little publicity about Michael Sarrazin. Julia Phillips only mentions him in passing in “You’ll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again.” From 1968 to 1974, Hollywood’s legendary “modern” era, he lived with Jacqueline Bisset. Sarrazin leaves two daughters from another relationship, each of whom works for the Montreal Gazette. Rest in peace.

Exclusive: Michael Douglas on Catherine Zeta Jones and “Liberace”

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Michael Douglas on Catherine Zeta Jones and “Liberace”

Michael Douglas: “He’s a rock star,” someone said last night when Douglas came into the Booth Theater to see Kathleen Turner‘s opening night in “High.” He was accompanied by his longtime publicist Allen Burry. It’s true. Everyone wanted to see Douglas, find out how he is, ask after wife Catherine Zeta Jones, etc. He greeted Nederlanders and Shuberts alike. The New York Post’s Cindy Adams, who sometimes bolts during intermissions, was seated next to Burry, and wasn’t going anywhere.

Douglas has survived cancer and kept a mane of shiny, thickish gray hair. Unbelievable. He looks great. At intermission, I asked him about filming his next movie, “Liberace.”

“We have to wait until September, I think,” he said. “Matt Damon’s going off to make a payday picture this summer. And I have to gain some weight.” Damon is indeed filming “Elysium” with Jodie Foster, directed by Neill Blomkamp, for Sony.

And how is CZJ? “She’s off to Louisiana to shoot a new film,” Michael said, making no reference to CZJ’s recent news headlines. I didn’t bring them up. When the film is shot, the family heads to their home in Spain for the summer.

And how is Michael’s dad, Kirk Douglas, who stole the Oscar show? “He’s 94 and doing great,” Michael said. “He did just about steal that show, didn’t he?” He said, and grinned.

Charlie Sheen Has a Bad Day On Both Coasts

Roger Friedman
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Charlie Sheen Has a Bad Day On Both Coasts

I know you’re dying to hear how Charlie Sheen‘s day went. So here it is: in Los Angeles, he lost his custody motion with ex wife and recovering addict Brooke Mueller. The judge did not think their twin boys should be with Daddy on his “Violent Torpedoes of Truth” tour while Mommy was in rehab. So Sheen was thwarted, thank goodness, in that move. He had to skedaddle back to Washington DC for his show in that city at DAR Constitution Hall. So his lawyers had to argue in another L.A. court whether Sheen’s lawsuits with Warner Bros. should be arbitrated or heard by a jury. Sheen wants a jury because in Hollywood, stars win. But the case will likely go to mediation. He got to DC in time to start the show an hour late–it would have  been a half hour late anyway, so what’s the diff? He was heckled, there was booing, people left. A Washington journalist who was Tweeting said the only celebs in the audience were those now famous Washington party crashers. Dan Zak notes: “Geez, everybody hates everything,” Sheen says as restive crowd catcalls nearly every line of his or his radio host interviewer. And the beat goes on.

Kathleen Turner Brings Out Her Exes for “High”

Roger Friedman
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0
Kathleen Turner Brings Out Her Exes for “High”

Kathleen Turner has a lot of loyal exes, I’ll say that for her. Last night for the premiere of her new play, called “High,” she packed the house with ’em. Michael Douglas, her co-star in three classic films (“War of the Roses,” the two “Romancing the Stone” movies) was on the aisle, center. Douglas, looking great, by the way, was seated right in front of Bill Irwin, who co-starred with Kathleen on Broadway in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

Across the aisle from Irwin, Kathleen’s “Serial Mom” director, John Waters. And elsewhere in the theater was Turner’s ex husband, Jay Weiss, with their daughter, Rachel. Apart from the exes, I chatted with Elaine Stritch, Carroll Baker, Tovah Feldshuh, and Alan Cummings.

It was a hot night in the Booth Theater, as Kathleen and her co-stars–Stephen Kunken and Evan Jonigkeit–worked like dogs to make something of a slight, melodramatic play by Michael Lombardo. To their credit, they did it–and Turner–a multiple Oscar and Tony nominee–knows how to work an audience.

The ladies (and maybe a few guys) were happy with Jonigkeit‘s Broadway debut, especially his full frontal nudity. He’s naked on the floor of the stage for quite some time. I asked him if it gets cold up there. “I talk to stage manager a lot about it,” he said. Luckily he’s thrown a blanket at one point.

Not everyone made it down to Madison Square Park on 26th St. for the after party at SD26. They made a big mistake. Tony May has transplanted his famous San Domenico to this spot, and the food was the best so far this theater season. It certainly helped put the unsavory subject matter of “High,” the story of a recovering alcoholic nun/social worker who tries to help a 19 year old junkie. A little good pasta goes a long way!

P Diddy: Unusual Twitter Appeal for More Acting Work, Offers to Donate Pay

Roger Friedman
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P Diddy: Unusual Twitter Appeal for More Acting Work, Offers to Donate Pay

Sean Combs, aka P Diddy et al, really likes acting, maybe more than rapping, making records, and selling vodka. He had such a good time guest starring on “Hawaii 5-0” last night that he’s sent out a bunch of unusual Tweets to his followers.  In his latest he wrote: “ATTN all independent film directors+producers-if im blessed to be in ur film ill donate my pay to charity+bring soulfood to set 4 everyone!!” But that’s not all: “For all acting inquiries pls contact my agents at CAA-Nick Styne @tricky44 and David Bugliari.” There was even this one: “I take direction well. I’m always on time. I don’t come with a entourage! and I know how to play my position! No EGO! I wanna work! Hire me!”
and this one:
“Attention all Film directors, casting agents, producers, writers! I am a aspiring actor for Hire! Pls call me if you have a job 4 me! 4real”
So, he’s a nice boy and he needs a break. Can’t someone help him? Indie filmmakers take note: he’ll donate his pay to charity! (Note: you should donate the pay, and take the tax deduction.) Combs has 3.6 million Twitter followers, so he should get some bites!

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