This week, people desperate for Nintendo to finally pull back the curtain on the successor to the Switch instead got an announcement that the acclaimed role-playing gameXenoblade Chronicles X, previously only available on Wii U, will make its way to the handheld hybrid next year. Also, Guy “Dr Disrespect” Beahm was…
When a filmmaker directs a documentary of a living subject, no doubt they want their stamp of approval. It’s not only good publicity, but shows you did a good job in your work. For R.J. Cutler, both couldn’t be further from his reach with his new doc on Martha Stewart. As it turns out, pissing off Stewart was a bad move.
While Martha Stewart admitted she liked the first half of the documentary, as a whole she has major problems with it, calling out R.J. Cutler for his misuse of resources and leaning too heavy on easy headlines. “R.J. had total access, and he really used very little. It was just shocking.” She added that Cutler constantly removed fun stories that Stewart shared and instead chose to put a major spotlight on her infamous 2004 trial which revolved around her involvement in a stock trading scandal, resulting in her spending five months in prison. As she put it, “It was not that important. The trial and the actual incarceration was less than two years out of an 83-year life. I considered it a vacation, to tell you the truth. he trial itself was extremely boring. Even the judge fell asleep. R.J. didn’t even put that in. The judge was asleep at the bench. I wrote it in my diary every day.”
Martha Stewart also claimed that Cutler misled the audience into suggesting that she is in poor health at age of 83. “Those last scenes with me looking like a lonely old lady walking hunched over in the garden? Boy, I told him to get rid of those. And he refused. I hate those last scenes. Hate them.” He, too, used unflattering camera angles, which he insisted on using despite Stewart’s request. Something like Martha, as with so many of celeb-driven docs, is no doubt going to drum up a ton of viewers based on the subject’s prominence alone. With that, it too could drive undeserved speculation as to Stewart’s condition (she actually had a damaged Achilles’ tendon and isn’t suffering from age-driven frailty). That said, it is ultimately R.J. Cutler’s film and he doesn’t really have to adhere to her requests.
Cutler has gone on to defend Martha (the film, that is), saying, “I am really proud of this film, and I admire Martha’s courage in entrusting me to make it. I’m not surprised that it’s hard for her to see aspects of it…It’s a movie, not a Wikipedia page. It’s the story of an incredibly interesting human being who is complicated and visionary and brilliant.”
But perhaps the most damning move on Cutler’s part came down to the music: Martha Stewart wanted either Dr. Dre or her BFF Snoop Dogg to score the doc, which we must say would have been dope.
Do you think the director should have followed Martha Stewart’s requests? Or does he have the final say?
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Going to the movies can be a hit-or-miss experience. In addition to possible visual and audio issues, your good time can also be ruined by unruly patrons, overpriced food and beverages, and filthy seats. Even if everything goes well, one more element has become increasingly overbearing in recent years: commercials. There’s nothing like going to the movies and having to sit through nearly 10-20 minutes worth of commercials (and that’s not counting the previews), and Joker: Folie à Deux director Todd Phillips has had enough.
As more people turn to streaming services instead of the theater, Phillips told Empire that one simple fix could help make the theatrical experience more enjoyable. “Stop showing commercials before the movies,” he said. “We’ve paid for our tickets. We’re excited to be there. The commercials tend to take the air out of the room.” I mean, he’s not wrong. I still remember the days when commercials were rare in my local theaters. There might have been one or even none at all. Now it feels like the actual movie doesn’t start until a good 30 minutes after the advertised showtime. I get that theaters need to make money, but there’s got to be some middle ground.
Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux is still playing in theaters, but unlike the first movie, which earned over $1 billion worldwide and scored Joaquin Phoenix an Academy Award for Best Actor, the sequel is bombing. In fact, there have been reports that it could lose the studio at least $150 million to $200 million. The sequel has grossed $201 million worldwide on a budget of $200 million.
Our own Chris Bumbray wasn’t a fan of the sequel, feeling that it only exists because the first movie made so much money. “Perhaps Joker was too big of a hit not to get a sequel, but watching Joker: Folie à Deux, you get the distinct feeling that this was an exercise in style for Phillips rather than a sequel that HAD to be made,” Bumbray wrote. “As it is, though, this Joker sequel spins its wheels and winds up being an often dull courtroom movie livened up by occasional flights of fancy into musical numbers. Those sequences are the best in the film, as without them, this would feel like a wholly unnecessary epilogue to what was originally a pretty powerful film.” You can check out the rest of Bumbray’s review right here, and be sure to let us know what you think of the film as well. Joker: Folie à Deux will be released on 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray on December 17th.
Would you like to see fewer commercials played in theaters or does it not bother you?
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Sasha Calle played Supergirl in The Flash. It was meant to be the first appearance of a character who would go on to play a major role in the DCEU. However, by the time the film was released, the DCEU was in its death throes. This was especially frustrating for Calle, who had signed on for multiple movies and called the whole experience “heartbreaking.“
“I was so deeply in love with that role. I had a conversation about her future many times,” Calle told THR. “When I signed onto that, it was for a multiple picture deal. That’s a common thing when you sign onto a franchise. So it was very heartbreaking for me, and it was very confusing. Ultimately, I know that I did my best, and wherever it ended up going, it wasn’t … (Calle ponders for a few moments.)“
Although Calle obviously wished she would be able to return as Supergirl, she looks back on the experience fondly. “I look back at it as something super beautiful. It’s been said that a queer Latina girl like me couldn’t be Supergirl. But I was, and no one can take that away from me,” Calle said. “That is the most important thing for me; I did something that mattered. And whether you saw yourself represented in me or not, a lot of people really connected with her and loved her.“
Given the controversy surrounding The Flash star Ezra Miller, Calle was the only actor who did press for the film. Considering this was Calle’s very first movie, the experience of being the public face of the project was a little overwhelming. “It was very hard, I have to say. I had bittersweet feelings as I was maneuvering everything. I was very excited, but there were a lot of unanswered questions for me, so it was very bittersweet,” Calle said. “I then got really sick, too. I lost my voice. So I was kind of in robot mode just to make sure that I was even able to speak, but my team was awesome. My makeup artist would knock on my door at 4 in the morning, and she would throw a bucket of ice in a sink to put my face into it. (Laughs.) I know it sounds treacherous, but to be very honest with you, it was really sweet. She would then make sure that I didn’t look sick.“
The world will soon be getting a new Supergirl, with Milly Alcock taking over the role for Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
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Resident Evil star Milla Jovovich is preparing to battle the undead once again as Deadline reports that she’s set to star in Twilight of the Dead, which is being billed as the seventh and final installment of George A. Romero’s iconic zombie franchise. Betty Gabriel (Get Out) will also star in the movie, which is set to be directed by Brad Anderson (Session 9).
Twilight of the Dead is set on a tropical island and will “delve into the dark nature of humanity from the perspective of the last humans on earth who are caught between factions of the undead.” Romero had been working on the project before he died in 2017, and his wife, Suzanne Desrocher-Romero, made sure it would live on. Greg Nicotero, who got his star on Romero’s Day of the Dead, will create the makeup effects, so the undead are in very good hands. The George A. Romero estate is teaming up with Roundtable Entertainment on the project.
In a statement, director Brad Anderson said, “I see this film in the same way as successful post-apocalyptic thrillers such as I Am Legend, A Quiet Place, The Road, and The Last of Us — genre stories that are as emotional as they are intense. When I first read Twilight of The Dead I teared up at the end. Which is weird for a film of this type. But it has that kind of pull, that combo of horror and heartbreak that I love.“
Suzanne Desrocher-Romero added: “It is with great pleasure to work with my partners at Roundtable to finally get the last of George A Romero’s the Dead canon out to the fans. It’s what the fans have longed for and with Brad Anderson at the helm it will be sensational!“
Roundtable Entertainment’s Sarah Donnelly said, “We’re thrilled to share Milla Jovovich’s return to the zombie genre in this fresh and original way with Twilight of the Dead. With Brad’s masterful, visionary direction and Milla’s unique ability to command the screen as a Bona fide action star with emotional depth and resiliency, there’s no doubt this film will be a riveting, compelling standout in the genre.“
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The year is almost over. Today is November 1, and that means we’re only a few short weeks away from the Game of the Year deliberations that will have us at each other’s throats in December. With only a precious few weekends left in the year, it looks like most of us here at Kotaku are trying to clean up our backlogs,…
The year is almost over. Today is November 1, and that means we’re only a few short weeks away from the Game of the Year deliberations that will have us at each other’s throats in December. With only a precious few weekends left in the year, it looks like most of us here at Kotaku are trying to clean up our backlogs,…
After the massive success of Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise may be looking to make a sequel to Days of Thunder, the NASCAR racing film directed by the late Tony Scott. THR reports that the actor has been talking to Paramount about the potential project in addition to Top Gun 3. The studio is reaching out to writers, but it’s still early days.
“He’s talking [to Paramount] about Top Gun and Days of Thunder,” a studio insider familiar with the discussions told the outlet. “It’s going to be what comes together first in terms of a script. It depends on the idea and, ultimately, the script… I don’t think a [Days of Thunder sequel] is a terrible idea. You might have said that revisiting Top Gun was a terrible idea. I wouldn’t discount it.“
Cruise played Cole Trickle in Days of Thunder, a young hot-shot stock car driver who gets his chance to compete at the top level. The film also starred Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes, Caroline Williams, and Michael Rooker. However, unlike Top Gun, Days of Thunder wasn’t considered a major box office hit. It grossed $157 million against a budget of $60 million. It also received mixed reviews from critics at the time but has grown a passionate following, which includes director Quentin Tarantino. “Hands down my favorite [racing movie] is Days of Thunder,” Tarantino said in 2013. “Yeah, yeah, you laugh, but seriously, I’m a big fan. Sure, it had a big budget, big stars and a big director in Tony Scott, but it had the fun of those early [American International Picture racing] movies. I just don’t think [the genre] works if you take the whole thing too seriously.“
Before any potential Days of Thunder sequel, Cruise has several projects on his slate. He’s set to start filming a new movie directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, which will be the director’s first English-language movie since The Revenant. He’s also set to reunite with director Doug Liman for a movie which will see him travel into outer space for real.
Would you like to see a sequel to Days of Thunder?
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Based on a best-selling novel by Judith Rossner (which itself was inspired by a true crime case), the 1977 sexual thriller Looking for Mr. Goodbar was a box office success and earned two Academy Award nominations: Best Supporting Actress for Tuesday Weld and Best Cinematography for William A. Fraker. Star Diane Keaton also earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. And yet, for a film, this was a film lost to time, as it never made it past the VHS and LaserDisc age of home video – apparently due to music licensing issues. Thankfully, it looks like the folks at Vinegar Syndrome have finally solved the problem, as Looking for Mr. Goodbar has leap-frogged over DVD and received a 4K UHD and Blu-ray release! Limited to 8,000 units, this Vinegar Syndrome release can be ordered at THIS LINK.
The 2-disc 4K UHD/Blu-ray set comes with a spot gloss hard slipcase + slipcover combo (designed by Dylan Haley) and includes a 40-page perfect bound book.
Written and directed by Richard Brooks, Looking for Mr. Goodbar has the following synopsis: Theresa Dunn’s mild demeanor and job as an inner-city school teacher for deaf children masks her rebellious nightlife of frequenting dance clubs and dive bars, searching for easy men and one-night stands. At odds with her older sister Katherine, whose seemingly idyllic life is itself a cover for infidelity and heartbreak, Theresa finds joy in her self-styled form of liberation, in part to overcompensate for the trauma of a disfiguring scar from childhood scoliosis and her repressive Catholic upbringing. When two wildly different men, the square but grounded James and fun but unhinged Tony, enter her life, Theresa is forced to confront her demons as never before, forcing her on a path of increased self-destruction.
The cast includes Diane Keaton, Tuesday Weld, William Atherton, Richard Kiley, and Richard Gere.
Here’s the information on the 4K UHD and Blu-ray release: – 2-disc Set: 4K Ultra HD (High Bitrate UHD100) / Region A Blu-ray – 4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision High-Dynamic-Range – Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative – Commentary track with filmmaker/film scholar Gillian Wallace Horvat – First Comes the Word: Richard Brooks and the making of Looking for Mr. Goodbar (23 min) – an interview with Douglass K. Daniel, author of Tough as Nails: The Life and Films of Richard Brooks – Studs Terkel interview from 1976 with Looking for Mr. Goodbar author Judith Rossner (13 min) – Defining Autonomy: The Trial of Looking for Mr. Goodbar (30 min) – a visual essay by Brent Cowley on the obscenity trial following the film’s theatrical release in Utah – Original trailer – Radio spots – 40-page perfect bound book with essays by Marya E. Gates, Marc Edward Heuck, Elizabeth Purchell, and Jourdain Searles (exclusive to the limited deluxe case edition) – Reversible sleeve artwork – English SDH subtitles
Will you be buying this 4K UHD and Blu-ray release of Looking for Mr. Goodbar? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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Deadline reports that Garret Dillahunt (Fear the Walking Dead) has joined Lanterns in what will be a major recurring role. In my opinion, Dillahunt can do anything. The man is so good. He will be a welcome addition to the Green Lantern series.
It’s said that Dillahunt will play William Macon, a modern cowboy who is described as “a self-righteous, conspiracy-minded man who masks his ruthless ambition behind a charming and calculated facade.” As far as I know, this doesn’t sound like anyone from the comics. Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) is set to star in Lanterns as Hal Jordan alongside Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge) as John Stewart. Kelly MacDonald (Boardwalk Empire) also recently boarded the series as Sheriff Kerry, a “no-nonsense woman deeply devoted to her family and close-knit town.“
The live-action Green Lantern series is said to have a True Detective vibe as it “follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.” Chris Mundy (Ozark) will serve as showrunner and executive producer and will co-write the series alongside Damon Lindelof (The Leftovers) and Tom King (Supergirl), who will also executive produce. James Hawes, a prolific TV director best known for Black Mirror and Slow Horses, will helm the first two episodes.
Josh Brolin was originally in talks to play Hal Jordan, but he recently said it didn’t work out. “You know what? Green Lantern didn’t work out, but that’s okay,” Brolin said. “It’s working out. Who is it going to be, Kyle Chandler? I love him as an actor, I think he’s wonderful, actually. And, you know, we’ll see what’s down the line, man.”
Lanterns was given an eight-episode straight-to-series order earlier this summer. Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max content, said: “We are elated to be reuniting with both Chris Mundy and Damon Lindelof as they partner with Tom for this fresh take on DC’s ‘Green Lantern.’ As part of James and Peter’s vision for the DC Universe, this first new live action series will mark an exciting new era.“
In a joint statement, James Gunn and Peter Safran, co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios, added: “We’re thrilled to bring this seminal DC title to HBO with Chris, Damon and Tom at the helm. John Stewart and Hal Jordan are two of DC’s most compelling characters, and LANTERNS brings them to life in an original detective story that is a foundational part of the unified DCU we’re launching next summer with ‘Superman.’“
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