Month: June 2024

6 Jun

Ashton Kutcher is getting roasted for his comments about using AI to make feature films in their entirety

By . FilmTV No Comments
Ashton Kutcher, AI, Sora

That ’70s Show and The Butterfly Effect star Ashton Kutcher is making waves online after commenting on the advances of AI and using the tools to create entire feature films with generative assets. Speaking with Google CEO Eric Schmidt at L.A.’s Berggruen Salon, Kutcher went to bat for Sora, OpenAi’s generative video tool. Kutcher is a significant fan of the program and thinks the possibilities it presents are limitless. He details the cost-cutting aspects of using AI, saying shots that would typically cost someone thousands could cost significantly less with the use of AI. He’s not wrong, but what is the cost to creators and crew members?

“You can create good 10, 15-second videos that look very real,” Kutcher said. “It still makes mistakes. It still doesn’t quite understand physics. … But if you look at the generation of this that existed one year ago as compared to Sora, it’s leaps and bounds. In fact, there’s footage in it that I would say you could easily use in a major motion picture or a television show.”

“Why would you go out and shoot an establishing shot of a house in a television show when you could just create the establishing shot for $100?” he continued at the salon, which was touted as a discussion about how “technology is disrupting the film industry and changing the way creativity is approached.”

“To go out and shoot it would cost you thousands of dollars,” Kutcher continued. “Action scenes of me jumping off of this building, you don’t have to have a stunt person go do it, you could just go do it [with AI].”

Kutcher dug his hole deeper when he began talking about using AI to create entire films from scratch, essentially discounting the hard work of industry staff by saying anyone would “be able to render a whole movie. You’ll just come up with an idea for a movie, then it will write the script, then you’ll input the script into the video generator and it will generate the movie. Instead of watching some movie that somebody else came up with, I can just generate and then watch my own movie.”

Unfortunately for Kutcher, former Rick and Morty writer Caite Delaney quickly called him out on social media, saying his way of thinking short-changes below-the-line workers. Delaney publically told Kutcher you’re “cannibalizing your own industry because you played Steve Jobs in an inferior movie and think you’re a tech genius now.”

“When you take ANY humans off of a collaborative and creative pursuit you literally lose the humanity,” she continued. “A hollow, dumbass, pointless shell. TV will have the same artistic merit as dish soap,” Delaney continued.

Delaney’s comments were the first dominos to fall in an avalanche of observations concerning Kutcher’s stance on AI.

“Imagine being Ashton Kutcher stepping onto a film set now, after coming out and advocating for all those crew people to lose their jobs and fucking starve,” added screenwriter J. Filiatraut. “Gutsy choice, bud.”

“I overhear it at my bar, hedgefund bros & stocks. Departments in my girl’s corporate job. Celebrities like Ashton Kutcher,” wrote Ash Laser on Twitter. “It’s such an ignorant, shortsighted, self-centered, short-term cost vs long-term gain mindset. You’re training it to replace YOU. And your kid’s dreams.”

Woof! I doubt Kutcher anticipated this kind of response to his interview. AI could have a place in Hollywood, but it’s a double-edged sword. You’re barking up the wrong tree once you start talking about replacing flesh-and-blood workers. We could strike a balance with AI one day, but it’s not today or anytime soon.

What do you think of Ashton Kutcher’s comments about AI? Would you watch a film made by artificial intelligence? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Ashton Kutcher is getting roasted for his comments about using AI to make feature films in their entirety appeared first on JoBlo.

6 Jun

Starve Acre trailer: Matt Smith, Morfydd Clark supernatural horror film gets a July release

By . FilmTV No Comments

Matt Smith (Last Night in Soho) and Morfydd Clark (Saint Maud) star in the supernatural horror film Starve Acre, which is coming our way from BAFTA-nominated Apostasy creator Daniel Kokotajlo. It was announced back in October that the film had secured North American distribution through Brainstorm Media, and now we know what Brainstorm has planned for it: they will be giving Starve Acre a theatrical and VOD release on July 26th. Along with that information comes the unveiling of a trailer for the film, and you can check that out in the embed above.

Based on a novel by Andrew Michael Hurley, Starve Acre is said to be a “brooding horror film” that follows Richard and Juliette, whose seemingly idyllic rural English family life is thrown into turmoil when their son Ewan starts acting out of character. At Starve Acre, their remote family home, archaeologist Richard buries himself in exploring a folkloric myth that the ancient oak tree on their land is imbued with phenomenal powers, while Juliette turns to the local community to find some kind of peace.

The project was developed with BBC Film and funded by BBC Film, Access Entertainment, and the BFI. The film is being produced by Tessa Ross and Juliette Howell of House Productions. Ross said we should expect Starve Acre to be “a genre defining modern classic”.

Copies of Hurley’s novel can be picked up at THIS LINK. Here’s the description: The worst thing possible has happened. Richard and Juliette Willoughby’s son, Ewan, has died suddenly at the age of five. Starve Acre, their house by the moors, was to be full of life, but is now a haunted place. Juliette, convinced Ewan still lives there in some form, seeks the help of the Beacons, a seemingly benevolent group of occultists. Richard, to try and keep the boy out of his mind, has turned his attention to the field opposite the house, where he patiently digs the barren dirt in search of a legendary oak tree. Starve Acre is a devastating new novel by the author of the prize-winning bestseller The Loney. It is a novel about the way in which grief splits the world in two and how, in searching for hope, we can so easily unearth horror.

What did you think of the Starve Acre trailer? Will you be watching this movie next month? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post Starve Acre trailer: Matt Smith, Morfydd Clark supernatural horror film gets a July release appeared first on JoBlo.

6 Jun

Alamo Drafthouse is closing six theaters in Texas and Minnesota after bankruptcy filing

By . FilmTV No Comments
Alamo Drafthouse, bankruptcy, cinema

It’s a sad day for moviegoers living in Texas and Minnesota as Alamo Drafthouse closes its doors in six locations after the franchise filed for bankruptcy. The closures include five locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and a Minnesota theater in Woodbury. The closures are already in effect, with termination of employment contracts to follow immediately. A message to employees is circulating online mentioning the company losing $1 million in 2023. The reality is that Alamo Drafthouse has been fighting an uphill battle since the pandemic. People go to the theater less than they used to, not even for quality cinema experiences like The Fall Guy and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

Beyond the pandemic, Alamo Drafthouse suffered a tremendous loss during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, when new films were slow to open and streaming services pumped out movies like they were going out of style. Many people became comfortable staying at home or waiting for new releases to hit digital retailers shortly after opening in theaters. As the window from theatrical release to home viewing shortened, the urgency to pay outrageous prices for the silver screen waned.

The message to employees also states, “We are working as quickly as possible to get Alamo Drafthouse Cinema back up and running in these cities. All other Alamo Drafthouse locations are operating as normal, with continued expansion plans across the country.”

A press release announcing the bankruptcy, Two is One, One is None, LLC said it had “infused more than $3.5 million dollars in new capital, into payroll and operations in 2023” while attempting to cut costs and avoid closures.

“We are very disappointed to learn today that our franchisee, which operates five locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX and one in Woodbury, MN has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and is closing their business effective immediately. We are heartbroken for the franchisee’s teammates and the local film communities, however, we are working as quickly as possible to get Alamo Drafthouse Cinema back up and running in these cities. All other Alamo Drafthouse locations are operating as normal, with continued expansion plans across the country.” – Alamo Drafthouse spokesperson

Alamo Drafthouse continues to fight the good fight while recuperating from hard times. There are now 35 locations nationwide, 15 of which are franchise locations and 20 of which are corporately owned. It’s up to audiences to frequent the theater and cinema owners to entice people to spend their hard-earned money and time on the boutique movie-going experience. I have at least one friend devastated by today’s news, and I’m sure they’re not alone. Are you upset about the Alamo Drafthouse closures? Do you live in the area where the closures are taking place? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post Alamo Drafthouse is closing six theaters in Texas and Minnesota after bankruptcy filing appeared first on JoBlo.

6 Jun

Martin Lawrence says he’s “healthy as hell” following fan concerns

By . FilmTV No Comments
Martin Lawrence

The Los Angeles premiere of Bad Boys: Ride or Die gave fans their chance to see Martin Lawrence and Will Smith back together again for the first time since 2020. And while the movie is shaping to be one of the best of the series, fans got a glimpse of what many feared was a troubling moment. Ahead of the screening, Lawrence appeared to be escorted out by Will Smith, who was holding his hand as he was about to greet the crowd. Even when Smith let go, Lawrence did look to be moving rather slowly, prompting concern all over the web. Ahead of the movie’s wide release, Lawrence is getting the rumors out of the way, ensuring everybody he is completely healthy…Now get him some Skittles!

Appearing on Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning (via The Hollywood Reporter), Martin Lawrence addressed the worried, saying, “I’m fine. I’m in God’s hands. I’m blessed, you know? I’m glad to be waking up every day. I’m all good. No need for people to be concerned.” He would later add, “I’m healthy as hell. Stop the rumors!” Indeed, while Lawrence did look a bit frail during certain clips, he was also seen signing autographs for fans and posing for photos on the red (well, blue) carpet. Still, past health problems for Martin Lawrence – chiefly falling into a three-day coma due to heat exhaustion – did not go unnoticed by fans who saw the footage.

While the first two Bad Boys movies both have dismal critic scores on Rotten Tomatoes, they are enjoyed by and large by moviegoers. The third installment, Bad Boys for Life, actually jumped to a 76%, while Ride or Die currently sits at a 70%. Considering the legacy and love behind the franchise, we can expect a pretty strong audience score for this fourth outing as well. Our own Chris Bumbray gave it an 8/10, saying, “It’s hard not to root once again for these Bad Boys to keep their franchise going for years to come.” With Will Smith doing his best to rebound and Martin Lawrence evidently in good health, that’s definitely on the table.

Are you a fan of the Bad Boys movies? Will you be catching Ride or Die in theaters this weekend?

The post Martin Lawrence says he’s “healthy as hell” following fan concerns appeared first on JoBlo.

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