Current releases chat...

[Harry Caul]

Doesn't surprise me one bit.  When I was working in Rome a while back I knew a young woman (prob 19-20) who worked at the Gagosian art gallery.  She said one day Harvey came in for some sort of VIP visit and he wouldn't stop creeping on her -- even after she was direct that she wasn't AT ALL interested and had a boyfriend.  She said he was a total sleeze bag.

[erik1925]

And it continues... 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/tv-reporter-says-harvey-weinstein-010215849.html

[mcfree]

Ugggh! Decisions, decisions...
What to do regarding my thoughts about the movie: Blade Runner 2049  ?
Do I post in:
-What did you just watch?
-What did you watch last night?
-Blade Runner 2049  2017-10-06?
or
-Current releases chat?
(Obviously I chose the later. Hopefully this was correct)

I watch movies on tv/cable/redbox all the time, but I only get to the theater about one every other month. And even then, it's usually a  movie directed towards kids. So I was really happy to be able to go out and see the new BR last night with my friend.

First, for those of you who don't know/or think about it, it's a long movie. When you add in the previews to the movie's run time of 2 hours and 44 minutes, expect to be at the theater for 3 hours. Second, I believe a movie should always be able to stand alone on it's own. Whether it's a prequal, sequal, next chapter, whatever. The movie should always be understandable for someone who doesn't have any backstory knowledge.

My thoughts?
I agree with the title of an article that Mel posted about BR in the other thread- that this is a scifi movie brought back down to earth. The scifi is consisted throughout the whole film, yet not overtly in your face, but subtle.
Now, did I notice some slight similarites or nuances compared to the original? Sure. But these things were just that, "slight". These things maybe enhanced the experience for me since I was a fan of the original, but by no means did it affect the overall story of the new BR. (Also, for what it's worth, my friend who never saw the original, came out of theater very pleased. He thoroughly enjoyed it and understood the storyline and premise).
Lastly, I would say that the orginal film is much more of a SciFi Action film with a dramatic undertone. BR 2049 on the other hand is the reverse. Much, much more drama then action.

I highly recommend. The layout, the landscapes, the sound/music, I'm really happy I got a chance to see it in the theater.

[guest4955]

I highly recommend. The layout, the landscapes, the sound/music, I'm really happy I got a chance to see it in the theater.

I'm going to see it today.

Real disappointed that it's not doing well:

http://variety.com/2017/film/news/box-office-blade-runner-2049-opening-weekend-1202583660/

[guest4955]

Weinstein got fired today.

I don't want to belabor the topic too much. Just as a former employment atty, I'm just flummoxed. HW grossly hit on actresses auditioning for roles. Those kinda"black and white" cases dried up 25 years ago. Everybody knows now you'll get instantly fired for that if you admit the behavior or the investigation/litigation proves you did. The typical sexual harassment case is very "gray" or obviously frivolous. For example, two employees have a consensual affair but then one wants out. The rejected party sends a bunch of pitiful emails begging reconsideration. The rejecting party then sues even if he/she never suffers any negative employment consequences. Of course, most "harassment" claims just have nothing to deal with "real legal" harassment. One plaintiff I defeated spent forever going on about her coworker's alcoholism. Just had nothing at all relevant to harassment.

****

What is more relevant to this thread is that one particular article talked extensively about how the Weinstein Company has recognized that "prestige drama" movies are no longer viable in theaters. It's all moving to "prestige TV" now. Now that new plan is up in the air now that HW is out.

[erik1925]

Doesn't surprise me one bit.  When I was working in Rome a while back I knew a young woman (prob 19-20) who worked at the Gagosian art gallery.  She said one day Harvey came in for some sort of VIP visit and he wouldn't stop creeping on her -- even after she was direct that she wasn't AT ALL interested and had a boyfriend.  She said he was a total sleeze bag.

Listen to the way he wants this woman to come in his room ... for just 5 minutes... 
(Caught during an NYPD sting investigation)

http://video.newyorker.com/watch/harvey-weinstein-caught-on-tape

[eatbrie]

A friend of mine is a Senior Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs at The Weinstein Company.  I'm afraid to ask questions.  I keep checking her FB page for comments.  So far nothing.  I'm sure she has her orders.

T

[erik1925]

And Im sure she would be fired were she to open her mouth about anything.

[guest4955]

Let me correct and enhance the record here.

Atrocious sexual cases like Weinsten's dried up 19 years ago when the S.Ct. held that all Title VII employers in the US (those with 15 or more employees) would be 100% immune from liability if they enacted, disseminated, and enforced anti-sexual harassment policies:



*****

EVERY major company did this immediately. Medium-sized employers did this by 2000. Many set up sexual-harassment hotlines but all designated an employee to receive complaints.

I've read boatloads of articles, Twitter posts, etc. in the last few days generically alleging sexual harassment is still rampant in the entertainment industry but none of them mentions that virtually all entertainment companies have viable anti-sexual policies and all have HR and EEO employees to enforce them. They would get instantly fired if they received Weinstein-like allegations but did not immediately question the accused employee and report everything to the legal dept, which in turn would immediately report everything to the Board requesting an immediate investigation or immediate termination if the accused ee has admitted the allegations.

*****

Something atypical and inexcusable happened at Weinstein Company. Four Board members have resigned and it is likely they knew about Weinstein but failed to enforce the company's harassment policies. Also Weinstein paid all settlements himself, which should not been allowed by the company's lawyers bc individuals cannot be sued for sexual harassment. Only the company is ever liable under Title VII.Also the lawyers must have known all details of all prior cases against Weinstein bc that subject is invariably uncovered during litigation. We'll see....

[mcfree]

Wow! Good detailed information (unfortunately).  Thanks for sharing...

[guest4955]

Finally, a good article:



But they didn't interview a good employment atty.

S/he would have pointed that companies can still take "appropriate action" even if it's a "he said/she said" scenario with no witnesses or other evidence:

- Assure the accuser she will not be retaliated against.
- Order the accused never to disparage the accuser and never communicate with her.
- Remove the accused from any hiring/employment role relevant to the accuser. For example, an actress accuser can be re-auditioned (by a female preferably).

[guest4955]

The new Justice League trailer is quite entertaining. Hopefully will be good as WW, much better than awful Bat v. Sup.

http://www.justiceleaguethemovie.com/#/videos/trailer/

The Sup/LL dream scene is quite touching:



(During the 2 month reshoot scenes, Cavill was growing a mustache for his next role. They had to CGI it out like they did with Gadot's baby bump in the WW reshoot!)

Pretty silly that Aman can fly:



The villains are super-dopey IMO, why I rarely like comic book movies:

[guest4955]

Hollywood and corporations are inseparable nowadays.

The director of JL saw a cool Mercedes concept car in a video game and wanted to use it in JL. Mercedes saw a great marketing opportunity and built a working concept car for JL.

Cool 4 minute vid about the cars and Gadot and Affleck praise them:


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OVCjhR7ltJM




*****

Now Mercedes is running commercials on national TV promoting the cars. It’s 90% a promo for JL:



https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9qF4pcq7RCU

[guest4955]

I'd like to see 1-3 Grade A blockbuster films make the Oscar cut. Do you agree?



http://variety.com/2017/film/features/studios-raise-stakes-with-quality-movies-1202597117/

A funny thing happened on the way to major studios’ predicted demise: They started making some excellent movies.

Whether through serendipity or survival instinct, studios have already managed to release more than a dozen major Oscar contenders, and 2017 is far from over. It’s still early, and usually coming up with lists only makes trouble, but based on conversations with consultants, executives, producers and other veterans of the Oscar trenches, we can identify the following studio releases as pictures of interest: “Wonder Woman,” “Dunkirk,” “Get Out,” “Blade Runner: 2049,” “War for the Planet of the Apes,” “Baby Driver,” “Logan,” “mother!” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

Still on deck for fourth-quarter release are “The Post,” “Downsizing,” “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” and “All the Money in the World.” (Disney’s holiday tandem of “Coco” and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” are also intriguing wild cards.)

Sue Kroll, president of worldwide marketing and distribution for Warner Bros., says the studio has often been a factor in the Oscar race over the past couple of decades, even during stretches when rivals have withdrawn. The record reflects that, with best picture wins for films like “Million Dollar Baby” and “The Departed” and high nomination totals for others such as “Gravity,” “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “Mystic River.” This year, she notes, “it’s much more competitive overall. I really like that. There have been a lot of wonderful, small, artistic films getting recognized lately, which is great, but this year has been such a strong year for films connecting with large audiences.”

One reason for so many love connections, many studio vets say, is the rising bar of expectations. Audiences who agree to get off their couches expect to be rewarded, both in commercial megaplexes and industry screenings rooms, given how much cinema-grade quality there is across the media spectrum.....

[eatbrie]

I'm not holding my breath.  Studios have a terrible track record at the Academy Awards.  In the past ten years alone, only WB has won the award once.  The rest went to indies Fox Searchlight (3 times), Weinstein/Miramax (3 times), Summit, Open Road and A24 (once each).  Of all the movies mentioned in the article, I only see Dunkirk as a sure bet for a nomination (not a win).  Then maybe Beauty and the Beast.

T

[guest4955]

Hilarious BS Hollywood accounting. ROTJ made $572 million, vs. $33 million for cost but has never made a profit....

[guest4955]

Spacey no doubt paid a fancy PR firm $$$ to write this insane statement, now he'll have to go on Ellen and clean it up himself....

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/10/30/kevin-spacey-has-set-gay-rights-back-actor-blasted-for-response-to-sexual-misconduct-claim/

Arts and Entertainment
‘Kevin Spacey has set gay rights back’: Actor blasted for response to sexual misconduct claim
By Amy B Wang and Elahe Izadi October 30 at 3:46 PM
 Play Video 1:33
Kevin Spacey apologizes to actor for alleged sexual advances
 
0:00

Kevin Spacey issued a public apology after actor Anthony Rapp accused him of making a sexual advance towards him 31 years ago. (Amber Ferguson/The Washington Post)
For a few hours after a bombshell BuzzFeed interview in which actor Anthony Rapp alleged Kevin Spacey had made a sexual advance toward him more than 30 years ago, when Rapp was just 14, Spacey remained silent.....

Then, at precisely midnight, the veteran actor posted a two-paragraph statement on Twitter.

In the first, Spacey said he was “beyond horrified” to hear Rapp’s story but did not remember the encounter, which would have taken place when Spacey was 26. However, he apologized “if I did behave then as [Rapp] describes . . . for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.”

Then, in the second paragraph, Spacey came out as gay.

“This story has encouraged me to address other things about my life,” he wrote. “I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man. I want to deal with this honestly and openly and that starts with examining my own behavior.”

[Kevin Spacey addresses allegations he made a sexual advance on a minor]

His late-night statement outraged many, particularly in the LGBT community, who accused Spacey of trying to deflect from a serious accusation — making a sexual advance on a minor — by coming out and implying that it was his choice to be gay. For years, the actor has danced around rumors he had relationships with other men.

[guest4955]

Incisive article discusses the trend of studios spending tens of millions of dollars to reshoot movies, including Solo and Justice League, to improve quality but forsake profits:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2017/11/01/for-solo-a-star-wars-story-quality-is-more-important-than-profit/#684ef984752d

http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/justice-league/266623/justice-league-and-hollywoods-era-of-major-reshoots


*****

Kathleen Kennedy Lucasfilm prez confirms they will keep making Star Wars movies indefinitely, a la James Bond:

https://io9.gizmodo.com/kathleen-kennedy-on-the-future-of-star-wars-newest-hero-1820057729

[erik1925]

Shooting remakes, especially of films that are not that old, simply shows the lack of creativity in Hollywood these days. A sad state of affairs for sure.

And then remakes like the POS reboot of Ghostbusters is the result. 

[guest4955]

All 17 Marvel Cinematic Universe movies ranked worst to best

1. The Avengers (2012)

Not since the first big super hero alliance has any team-up been so great (Captain America: Civil War had a stellar team but a thinner plot – and no Loki). Despite being a team up, it's not technically a sequel, and doesn't waste time on expository baggage beyond introducing our heroes to one other.  The film brings them together with plenty of witty banter and fascinating face offs (Mjolnir vs. vibranium, anyone?), and ends with shawarma, thus accidentally creating the best sub genre: Avengers-not-avenging. When can we green light that franchise?



*****

I've seen 2.5 (Avengers, SMan, and DS). Do confess how many you've seen....

[Damomac]

Nerd Alert - seen them all, enjoyed all of them except the Thor movies which imo were not that great. The list is nearly spot on

[guest4955]

Saw MOTOE yesterday. Quite good, great cast, surprising end scenes. Always a big SHolmes fan, not Poirot but his mustache was excellente:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2017/11/10/kenneth-branaghs-epic-mustache-poirots-superpower-murder-orient-express/843140001/

[guest4955]

JL getting pretty good early reviews:

https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/justice-league-buzz-its-not-perfect-but-its-fun-and-entertaining/

*****

[guest4955]

40K likes on Reddit - you really must download the Reddit app and peruse the "most popular" posts daily:

[Simes]

Saw MOTOE yesterday. Quite good, great cast, surprising end scenes. Always a big SHolmes fan, not Poirot but his mustache was excellente:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2017/11/10/kenneth-branaghs-epic-mustache-poirots-superpower-murder-orient-express/843140001/

Must admit, I fell asleep .  As did my fiancé.

Maybe it was the wine.

The 'look' of it all though was magnificent.