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Remember when Barry Keoghan was the boyish, offbeat Irish movie actor “Dunkirk” and “Belfast”?
Those days are over. He’s in LA, living The Life after dancing naked and humping a grave in “Saltburn” turned him into a Big Deal.
Pop star Sabrina Carpenter snagged him for her new video, “Please Please Please.” Sabrina sings the words “mother fucker,” handcuffs Barry and tapes over his mouth when she gets him home from prison. As you do.
It’s the follow up to her “Espresso,” and it’s going to be a hit tonight. Sabrina’s album is coming August 23rd. It’s called “Short n Sweet.”
Kevin Costner was once a golden boy when “Dances with Wolves,” a three hour movie, became a hit and raked in Oscars.
But now he’s known better for really big flops like “Waterworld” and “The Postman.” Both movies were laughably bad, and financial disasters. (Someone told me recently that “Waterworld” has become a cult movie, but it’s a cult I’m not joining!)
Now Costner is aiming for a June 27th release for “Horizon,” a three hour Civil War drama with a price tag of at least $100 million. He put $38 million of his own money into it. Compounding the release is a second film in the series, which will be released on August 16th.
So far, reports say — and I’ve confirmed — that advance tracking isn’t enthusiastic about “Horizon.” Costner is counting on his “Yellowstone” fans coming to theaters, but they may be turned off by the way he fought with the show’s producers, slowed down season 5, and ultimately tanked the whole project.
“Horizon” Part 1 may also be hampered when audiences discover Costner doesn’t appear in the first hour.
Critical reaction isn’t great either. Twenty six critics have chimed in, and the result is a 38% on Rotten Tomatoes.
So the question is, if the first installment fails, will Warner Bros put the second one on Max? And will they even take the as yet unfilmed parts three and four? Much to ponder.
You may remember Noor Alfallah. The 29 year old had a baby with 83 year old Oscar winner Al Pacino a year ago after telling him she couldn’t get pregnant. Her father had a $3 million judgement against him from the IRS. (See below.)
Somehow, Noor has turned into a movie producer. She’s listed among the record 45 names who put money into “The Apprentice,” the Cannes film showing Donald Trump raping first wife Ivana.
Ali Abbasa directed the film from a screenplay by former journalist Gabriel Sherman. (He was also behind the Roger Ailes book and mini series.) So far there are no takers for “The Apprentice” so it can be released to theaters. That’s too bad, because Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan have gotten terrific reviews.
Of course, Trump sent a cease and desist letter to the producers, which may have put a damper on things. Still, the movie will be released. If Harvey Weinstein were in business, he’d have bought it and turned it into an event.
Alfallah is not the only unusual name on the list of 45 producers. Another one is Andy Cohen, the Bravo guy who invented the Real Housewives. Maybe he’ll choose Noor as one of the housewives from this experience. The bigger question is where did she get the money to invest in this film? Pacino?
Believe it or not, Billy Preston’s estate still has not been settled.
The so called Fifth Beatle died 18 years ago today after many months in a coma. He was only 59.
Every year I write this story, with little progress in the proceedings. The hold up comes from faux family members who keep holding on in court. Real family members, who Billy didn’t like anyway, filed a probate action for him three days before he died. They were certainly anxious to get rid of him.
What’s holding all of this up? The woman who claims to be Preston’s sister (and has no proof) is in the California courts saying that was where Preston was domiciled because that’s where he died. In fact, he lived in Arizona, and the fake sister even said so when he died in 2006.
So did Preston’s 2006 death certificate. The California courts said back then– two months before Billy died, in an application for conservatorship: “The court finds that it does not have jurisdiction over the assets and estate of Conservatee, as he has filed a Chapter 11 Petition in U.S. Bankruptcy Court-Central district of California and further, find that the Conservatee is a permanent residence of Arizona.”
Everyone hopes this will be over by the end of the summer. The singer — whose hits included “Nothing from Nothing,” “Will it Go Round in Circles,” and “You Are So Beautiful” — is the subject of a documentary we may see in 2025. Fingers crossed it will concentrate on Preston’s enormous music legacy so his memory is preserved for future generations. In the meantime, you can see Billy in both the new version of “Let it Be” on Disney Plus, and the “Get Back” mini-doc from Peter Jackson.
What is our potential next president worried about?
Robert Kennedy Jr — just kidding– never to be president, is lamenting the FDA rejection yesterday of psychedelic drugs to cure PTSD.
The FDA did reject MDMA, or Ecstasy, or Molly, because it isn’t safe, they say. For one thing, it only works under the treatment of a therapist. If there’s no therapy, MDMA is just for kicks.
According to NPR, the FDA wrote that “the available evidence fails to show that the drug is effective or that its benefits outweigh its risks.”
After the FDA decision, Kennedy wrote: “MDMA treatment for PTSD and other mental illnesses has a big drawback — a single treatment is effective. That means small profit potential compared to lifetime treatment with conventional pharmaceuticals. Maybe that’s why an FDA advisory committee shot it down. One of the committee members actually works for Johnson & Johnson.
“When I’m President the FDA will serve the public, not industry. Then we can start getting to the root of this nation’s mental health crisis.”
The DEA says: “MDMA mainly affects brain cells that use the chemical serotonin to communicate with each other. Serotonin helps to regulate mood, aggression, sexual activity, sleep, and sensitivity to pain. Clinical studies suggest that MDMA may increase the risk of long-term, perhaps permanent, problems with memory and learning. MDMA causes changes in perception, including euphoria and increased sensitivity to touch energy, sensual and sexual arousal, need to betouched, and need for stimulation.”
Bruce Springsteen is back in New Jersey after canceling three shows in Europe. Bruce performed in the pouring rain in Dublin, then got sick. He also sang at the Ivors awards. The result was harm to his voice.
Bruce will be back on tour June 12th in Madrid then Barcelona. Before that we’re hoping he turns up at the Tribeca Film Festival this Saturday for “Disciples,” the documentary about his pal and bandmate, Stevie van Zandt.
You know that Sam Mendes is directing four movies about the Beatles.
Jeff Sneider of The InSneider is reporting that Harris Dickinson (John Lennon), Paul Mescal (Paul McCartney), Barry Keoghan (Ringo Starr), and Charlie Rowe (George Harrison) are going to portray the Fab Four. These films are set to be interconnected stories, one from each band member’s point of view.
The movies will open in 2027, not sure in what order or simultaneously. Titles of each films: Maybe a song from each Beatle. Ringo’s could be “Act Naturally.” George would be “Here Comes the Sun.” John -“In My Life.” Paul — “The Long and Winding Road.”
Mendes has total use of all the music, archives, etc. So there will new soundtracks. Presumably, the music will be overseen by Giles Martin, of the “fifth Beatle,” George Martin.
Read Jeff Sneider’s Insneider newsletter. He’s got great scoops!
Lady Gaga is not pregnant. Like it’s any of our business, either way.
Gaga posted that simple statement to Instagram, along with a reminder to vote.
I don’t know why this was necessary. It must be in supermarket tabs. Gaga is already a Mother to her Monsters. She doesn’t have time for more children!
Right now, Gaga has her “Chromatica” tour film streaming. And she’s finishing up her album that goes with the movie, “Joker 2: Folie a Deux,” coming in October. If it’s anything like her “A Star is Born” soundtrack, we’ll be seeing Ms. Germanotta back on the Oscar stage next winter.
Will Smith’s new “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” opens tonight, playing just a 7pm show in most theaters.
Real screenings on a regular schedule begin tomorrow.
So far, tonight’s 7pm shows have healthy sales. But starting tomorrow, the seat maps at theaters for the Sony Pictures release are generally open.
Most theaters have five or six seats sold, and the rest available in standard and IMAX forms.
Reviews for “Ride or Die” on Rotten Tomatoes are a mediocre 68%. It’s not rotten, but not exactly fresh. Most reviewers agree this is a stale idea, but it’s nice seeing Smith and Martin Lawrence at least for a few minutes.
Smith has mostly been kept away from doing anything but controlled big crowd appearances, answering no questions about his infamous 2022 Oscars debacle when he slapped Chris Rock violently on stage in front of millions of international viewers. People magazine, which couldn’t get an interview, shilled for Smith and ran an anonymous source’s quote that the person who did the slapping “wasn’t him.”
It sure looked like him.
Theater owners don’t care. They want a big weekend for “Ride or Die.” It’s unclear how that will turn out.
