STARS DISS HOLLYWOOD: CLOONEY, EDGERTON & MORE SWIPE AT COMMERCIAL MOVIE BOMBS

Let me sum up the thoughts of the stars quoted in this article in five words: Me, me, me, me, me.

None of the so-called stars quoted here are talking about the customers. They are talking about themselves, especially George Clooney, who’s likely scared to try something openly commercial for fear if it flops, even the Huffington Post won’t call him “Hollywood’s pre-eminent A-lister,” as they laughably do here.

…and I hate it when a shit movie comes out that’s obviously made just to make money[.] – Joel Edgerton

At least those shit movies are trying to please the customers, and there actually is something worse than a shit movie designed to make a lot of money and that’s pretentious, self-important shit movies designed to make no money at all.

In related news….

ACTORS EGOS REQUIRE MASSAGING TO FORGE AHEAD WITH VOD

Ongoing discussion at WankFestDance:

VOD is to become a viable business that leads films on the margins to being widely seen, some obstacles have to be worked out of the system. The biggest: convincing actors accustomed to seeing their work play on 2,000 movie screens that the VOD model doesn’t mean their careers are on the downswing and that they’ve been relegated to pay-per-view. The only real equivalent actors have had for this was when they made a stinker that went straight to video obscurity. Will those actors spark to the potential of VOD riches and embrace the idea of promoting films to cable delivery systems instead of the ego-boosting traditional selling system of commercials and print ads? This is a psychological hurdle for stars. When Margin Call sold at Sundance last year with the Lionsgate/Roadside Attraction distribution VOD deal, veteran actors like Kevin Spacey had to be convinced this wasn’t necessarily a step down from a traditional theatrical release.

Since the death of the movie star, actors have zero to do with driving people into theatres. Why even have this argument?

ROSEANNE BARR TO PLAY MOBILE HOME MAVEN FOR NBC

Only NBC would grab one of the most divisive, unlikable stars on the planet and ‘fast-track’ her sitcom.  And, gee, you think maybe there will be some class-warfare “humor” to be had here?

NBC is owned in part by GE. GE is run by Jeffrey Immelt. Jeffrey Immelt is a big-time Obama supporter. Therefore, using all three of their networks, NBC is the biggest billionaire-backed, multinational-owned Super PAC ever created, and it’s all about electing Obama.

‘DAVID WOODERSON’ RETURNS IN MUSIC VIDEO

Matthew McConaughey’s Wooderson is one of my favorite movie characters of the 1990s. Like “Napoleon Dynamite’s” Uncle Rico, there’s just something I love about losers who have no idea they’re losers.

Not only is the video good, but it proves that Wooderson gets older while the rest of us really do stay the same.

No matter how many bad movies McConaughey makes, I will always, always love him for Wooderson.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to find a “work” reason to watch “Dazed and Confused” for the 287th time. Yeah, for a Big Hollywood research project. Yeah, Breitbart will buy that. Sure he will.

ABOUT MY EMBARRASSINGLY LARGE MOVIE COLLECTION

To answer some of the comments and emails regarding this photo.

Question: Do you really need all those movies?

Answer: Yes.

Question: When did you start your collection?

Answer: I started my VHS collection in 1981. At the tender age of 14, I spent my entire summer working and living on dairy farm so I could buy one of those top-loading VCRs and a color TV. Back then, VHS tapes were about $20  a pop, so I would save all my money and put three films on a 6 hour tape. It wasn’t until 1997 that switched over to DVD, which is all I have now.

Question: How many movies do you own?

Answer: Over 3,000

Question: You said that this is 70% of your collection, where is the rest?

Answer: The rest are films I recorded to DVD off of TCM; over 700 of them and they’re stored in books.

Question: What kind of movies do you own?

Answer: Mostly American films from every conceivable genre. From cheesy Godzilla features straight through to the arty, independent films of the 90s, to the classics from the Golden Era — my favorite era. There are a ton of B-films, from the lesser-known noirs of the 40s and 50s to 70’s Blaxploitation to everything Charles Bronson did for the last 25 years of his epic career. If the collection is light on anything it would be foreign and silent films, though there are a few. There’s also no porn. I hate porn.

Question: Why?

Answer: I fell in love with old movies as kid, 11 – 12 years-old. It was such a passion, I used to drink instant coffee so I could stay awake through the Late Show and the Late Late Show on school nights. Back in those days, there was no VHS. You could only watch what a few channels allowed you to watch and late at night the independent station we picked up would broadcast old, black and white studio films. Not classics. They were too expensive, but  lesser known films starring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Crawford, Cagney, Bogart, Flynn, Bette Davis, and the like.

What I hated was when the movie ended and the feeling I would never see it again. What I hated was being tethered to someone else’s schedule. What I wanted was to own these two-hour drugs that transport you to different world, so I could sample them whenever I felt like it.

I don’t have any other vices. I don’t smoke or drink, I don’t like to travel or eat out. So this is my vice, and there is nothing more precious to me than a day with nothing to do and my 3,000 narcotics to choose from.

To say I can’t wait to retire, take the phone off the hook  and lose myself in my collection is an understatement.

GREAT PHOTO OF HENRY CAVILL AS SUPES

Definitely looking like a great piece of casting.

PRESSURE FOR ACTRESSES TO AGREE TO TV NUDITY IS ‘TREMENDOUS’

Anyone who enjoys seeing young girls exploited and naked should call themselves a feminist. You’ve come a long way, baby.

JUSTIN BIEBER IS OBSESSED WITH THE 1996 MARK WAHLBERG FILM ‘FEAR’

Have you ever seen “Fear?” it’s actually a pretty tense little thriller. Well worth a look.

I CANCELLED MY BLOCKBUSTER BY-MAIL SERVICE

The DVDs just took too long to get here. Like the rest of America, I’m all about the Redbox now. So other than Netflix Streaming, that’s it for me. Plus this, of course. Why suffer through the awfulness of today’s awful movies when you don’t have to? There are movies in my collection I haven’t seen in years, movies I can never see too often, and I can always find something I’m in the mood for.

We have options now and that’s a beautiful thing.

MARG HELGENBERGER OF ‘CSI’ GETS A STAR ON HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

Well deserved. I was a fan long before “CSI.”

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LAST NIGHT’S SCREENING

Wings (1927) on Blu-ray: Review coming.

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SCOTTDS’ EPIC LINKTACULAR

A LOOK AT THE SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

WILL WE EVER SEE ALEXANDER PAYNE’S SCI-FI SATIRE ‘DOWNSIZING?

LIAM NEESON FILMED A SCENE FOR ‘THE DARK KNIGHT RISES’?

REESE WITHERSPOON AND RYAN REYNOLDS ATTACHED TO TIM BURTON-PRODUCED ART BIOPIC ‘BIG EYES‘

DIRECTOR LEN WISEMAN REVEALS HOW HIS ADAPTATION WILL DIFFER FROM ORIGINAL ‘TOTAL RECALL’

JONATHAN DEMME GEARING UP ‘FABULOUS’ STEPHEN KING ADAPTATION

RUSSIAN TRAILER FOR MEL GIBSON’S ‘HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION‘

GREAT PHOTO OF HENRY CAVILL AS SUPES

STEVEN SODERBERGH REFLECTS ON HIS UNFILMED VERSION OF ‘MONEYBALL‘

‘SPARTACUS: VENGEANCE’ EPISODE 1 AVAILABLE EARLY ONLINE

A LOOK AT ILM’S WORK ON THE DOGFIGHTS OF ‘RED TAILS‘

BEN STILLER SIGNS FOR HBO COMEDY PILOT; ALAN ALDA IN TALKS TO CO-STAR

WHY PEOPLE REDBOX THE MOVIES THEY DO

LIFE AS AN EXTRA ON THE SET OF ‘WAR HORSE‘

BIG SCREEN MOMENTS THAT ARE STILL A FEAST FOR THE EYES

FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH: 10 KEY MOVIES ON THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

10 ACTORS WHO DIED DURING TV SHOWS

20 INCREDIBLY ARDUOUS FILM PRODUCTIONS

THE 15 BEST CHARACTER-DRIVEN FIGHT SCENES IN MOVIES

THE 10 LEAST PLAUSIBLE MOVIE STUNTS

A LOOK BACK AT THE INNOVATIONS OF GEORGE MÉLIÈS

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CLASSIC PICK FOR WEDNESDAY,  JANUARY 25

FMC:

11AM EST: QUILLER MEMORANDUM, THE — After two British agents are murdered by a mysterious Neo-Nazi organization in West Berlin, British secret service agent Quiller is sent to investigate. Cast: Alec Guinness, Max Von Sydow, Senta Berger, George Sanders, George Segal. Director: Michael Anderson.

Underrated espionage thriller with a delightfully complex romantic subplot. The listing says the broadcast is in widescreen, which gives Fox a leg up on Turner. For some reason, Turner airs this in full screen — at least the times I’ve seen it.

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Please send comments, suggestions and tips to jnolte@breitbart.com or Twitter @NolteNC.

In the new Oscar-buzzed film “The Descendants” by Alexander Payne (“Election,” “Sideways,” “About Schmidt”) George Clooney may be getting all the glory for his terrific lead performance as Matt King, a real estate mogul who has to deal with his comatose wife’s wishes to die at the same time he is forced to become a better father to his two daughters.

But it’s when he learns that his wife had been cheating on him with a smarmy-looking real estate agent named Brian Speer that the film really takes off, as he sets out to find Speer in order to gain closure.

It would be easy to play Speer as a heartless cad, and a lout who callously disrupted the family life and betrayed the marriage of another man. But as Speer, actor Matthew Lillard delivers a powerfully nuanced performance that actually makes viewers feel his pain as he begs for forgiveness from King and also begs King not to tell his own wife what he had done.

Lillard nails the pivotal role in a turn that comes as an almost complete surprise. After all, he’s had two other shots at big-movie success, as one of the two teen killers in the original “Scream” and as the iconic cartoon character Shaggy in the live-action film adaptations of “Scooby-Doo.”

In both cases, Lillard’s star potential waned after the films left theaters. But this third shot at stardom may prove to be the charm, as the Pasadena-based family man – a long-married father of three – has seen his career opportunities soar in just the three weeks since “The Descendants” was released. In fact, he just had an audition for Clint Eastwood’s next film, a fact that even he admits “wouldn’t have happened three years ago.”

Speaking with Big Hollywood, Lillard looked back on his career as a working actor thus far, and spoke of the ups and downs that he and so many other actors face. Yet he remains grounded, down to earth and hopeful about his future.

BH: How’d you decide to live in Pasadena, rather than a more trendy area like the Hollywood Hills or Beverly Hills?

LILLARD: My wife and I lived in the Hollywood Hills, and I had just gotten back from doing “Scooby Doo,” she was pregnant and we needed to decide if we’d go West side or East Side in LA. We found a house in Pasadena that nullified the entire debate. Within five minutes of walking through it, we bought the house. That was ten years ago. I can’t imagine living anywhere else, it’s got everything every family in America would want. Great Schools, restaurants, incredible culture like the Pasadena Playhouse. We’re happy to be living here and can’t imagine living anywhere else.

BH: How did “The Descendants” come about?

LILLARD: The audition came across my desk and I wanted the opportunity to audition for Alexander Payne, I’ve always been a fan of his work. I was to play Clooney’s wife’s lover, and thought there’s no way I’d get this part. But I went in to audition anyway and five of the best looking guys in the world were there and I thought I’ll never get this.

I promised to take my kids to the Warner Bros ranch for a screening of a film that day, but though I can do this quickly and do it fast and be off to take my kids to the movie. I auditioned once, and Payne said it was the best audition he’d ever seen. I said there’s no way I get the part, because there’s no way George Clooney’s wife cheats with a guy like me. They said to get out of the room, and four months later I got the call.

The good news is there’s a lot of hype built up around that part. The whole movie is a ticking clock about when Clooney’s going to confront that guy. The climax of the movie is that scene and I knew reading it, what was coming and what everyone said in terms of the script. I knew there’d be a lot of pressure on that moment because if you suck at that scene you destroy the whole movie – and in an Alexander Payne movie with George Clooney you want to be really good.

BH: How did you manage to make Speer rather sympathetic?

LILLARD: You go back to the genius of Alexander Payne. I think if the character is the quintessential better-looking guy than George Clooney then viewers automatically hate him. But I don’t think you can hate Brian Speer as me, ‘cause I’m a nice guy and the lines are like “Please don’t screw up my life, I love my wife, it was a mistake, just sex.” Alexander Payne did a really smart move in casting a guy like me, a really normal guy. Every time you think it’s going cliché or melodramatic, he makes a left turn and Brian is simply human.

BH: Are you getting any new heat out of the role?

LILLARD: Things are starting to move a little bit differently. I just came back from auditioning for Clint Eastwood and I don’t think that would have been available to me three years ago. Every artistic career ebbs and flows, you’re hot or not and you hang in there to come back. Right now it feels good to come off a lull in my career and if nothing happens at least I have something I can be proud of.

BH: Where did you grow up, and did you always want to act?

LILLARD: I grew up in Detroit, moved to Orange County when I was 10 and lived in New York for a long time.

I was 13 and my dad said take either typing class or acting class, and I took acting. He thought I’d be a salesman and it would help me to be put in front of people. It was the first time in the world where I didn’t suck at something, and adults said ‘You did good.’ I studied at New York’s Circle in the Square, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts which used to be in Pasadena and studied there. I try to stay busy and endure the downslides that come.

BH: What was it like being part of “Scream,” which just came out of nowhere to be enormously popular?

LILLARD: It was a movie that at the time was really exciting to be part of, always fun to be part of something big and unexpected and it changed the trajectory of my life for awhile.

BH: And how about playing Shaggy?

LILLARD: To be a big part of a big Hollywood popcorn movie is fun and exciting and for better or worse, it provided the opportunity of staying the course as an actor and not selling pharmaceuticals. The good side is I got paid good money, the bad side is it ended my “cool card” doing Scooby Doo. You have to get that back and “The Descendants” is a part of that journey, hopefully.

Can the British actor, who previously appeared in ‘The Social Network’ and ‘Never Let Me Go,’ spin a web, any size, that catches thieves, just like flies? And what about Henry Cavill, another relative unknown tapped to play the lead in ‘Man of Steel’ hitting theaters in 2013?

Sometimes looking into an actor’s past can reveal plenty about their future prospects. And, in the case of those cast in superhero franchises, there’s a lot riding on just how heroic they can appear on screen.

So let’s recall how other actors prepared for their super close-ups and what happened once they tugged on those unforgiving tights — or, in the case of George Clooney, poured themselves into an uncomfortable cod piece.

Exhibit 1: Michael Keaton in ‘Batman’ (1989)

The Evidence: He snarled up a storm in ‘Johnny Dangerously’ and scared Winona Ryder three fourths to death in ‘Beetlejuice.’ He also showed some serious dramatic chops in ‘Clean and Sober.’

The Worry: Bruce Wayne is … Mr. Mom? A receding hairline and slip of a frame hardly pass Superhero 101. Bat fanatics thought Jack Nicholson’s Joker was the silver lining to this otherwise troubling casting call.

The Verdict: Pow! Bam! Zoom! Keaton defied conventional wisdom to make ‘Batman’ a sensation even with those awful Prince tunes. Turns out he could do dark and foreboding when given the chance, and his pursed lips looked just right beneath that hard rubber cowl. Bonus points for ditching the franchise before Robin entered the equation.

Exhibit 2: Robert Downey, Jr. in ‘Iron Man’

The Evidence: Snared an Oscar nomination for ‘Chaplin’ but wasted much of his youth on drugs and dismissible film roles.

The Worry: Did you see ‘Back to School?’ Downey, Jr.‘s Derek Lutz couldn’t beat up a sorority girl, let alone a supervillain.

The Verdict: Handsome, edgy and super believable as a genius who saves himself by forging a suit out of metal scraps. A near perfect marriage of actor and material.

Exhibit 3: George Clooney in ‘Batman and Robin’

The Evidence: Clooney proved he could do complicated with his turn as Dr. Ross on television’s ‘ER.’ He later made the jump to the big screen, flashing Tarantino-esque cool in ‘From Dusk Til Dawn’ when his screen bro (Quentin Tarantino himself) became a vampire’s snack.

The Worry: You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have Clooney’s most regrettable role in ‘The Facts of Life.’ Let’s not forget his middling turn in ‘One Fine Day.’

The Verdict: Holy franchise ender! Clooney doesn’t deserve all the blame for the calamitous ‘Batman and Robin,’ but he hardly distinguished himself in his first super effort. It took nearly a decade for fans to forgive this bat-travesty and allow the mighty Christopher Nolan to bring Bruce Wayne back with ‘Batman Begins.’

Exhibit 4: Tobey Maguire in ‘Spider-Man’

The Evidence: ‘Wonder Boys’ showcased Maguire’s sensitive side. So did ‘Pleasantville.’ And ‘The Cider House Rules.’ Heck, he could do Peter Parker-style sensitivity in his sleep.

The Worry: Spider-Man isn’t the stockiest superhero, but a stiff wind would give Maguire trouble.

The Verdict: More movie magic. The soulful Maguire nailed his dweeby high school moments, and the all-purpose Spidey mask helped distract us from that cherubic face. It helps that he got paired with the height-challenged Kirsten Dunst, with whom he shared one of the best screen kisses of all time.

Exhibit 5: Halle Berry in ‘Catwoman’

The Evidence: She overcame a lousy wig to play Storm in ‘X-Men’ and flaunted her curves in ‘The Flintstones.’ Oh, and she had just won a Best Actress Oscar for ‘Monster’s Ball.’

The Worry: Some pretty questionable film choices including ‘B*A*P*S’ and ‘Swordfish,’ even if the latter gave us the chance to ogle her, ahem, Golden Globes.

The Verdict: Me-ouch! Berry sure looked purty, but every other element of this neo-S&M dud went awry. She could have sauntered through the film nekkid and we’d still throw tomatoes at the screen.

Exhibit 6: Ryan Reynolds in ‘Green Lantern’

The Evidence: He looks like a superhero sans shirt. He’s even been a superhero of sorts twice already — as Deadpool in ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ and in ‘Blade: Trinity.’ Plus, he’s quick with a one-liner and wooed Scarlett Johansson off-screen. That’s a superpower 99.9 percent of men wish they had.

The Worry: Is Reynolds too pretty to be a rough and tumble superhero?

The Verdict: Thud! ‘Green Lantern’ proved the biggest disappointment of last summer’s super flock of movies. Reynolds looked lost amidst all those ones and zeroes zipping around the screen, and bland love interest Blake Lively couldn’t help.

Exhibit 7: Chris Evans in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’

The Evidence: Holy coincidence! Evans also played a superhero long before tugging on Captain America’s tights. In fact, even those who found the two ‘Fantastic Four’ films a bore, and that’s most of us, cheered Evans’ glib turn as the Human Torch. If that resume chip wasn’t enough, Evans also played a man with supernatural powers in ‘Push,’ a clunker co-starring Dakota Fanning.

The Worry: With apologies to Johnny Storm, the Human Torch is no Captain America. Ol’ Cap is an icon, a red, white and blue example of American pride. Those are pretty big boots to fill.

The Verdict: Let’s Salute Capt. Evans! ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ got the rah-rah spirit of the Allied powers just right, even if the film’s ending revealed the whole product was primarily a plug for ‘The Avengers.’

Exhibit 8: Christopher Reeve in ‘Superman’

The Evidence: Slim, at best. Reeve’s pre-’Superman’ work consisted of three TV appearances and a small role in the 1978 film ‘Gray Lady Down.’

The Worry: Who is Christopher Reeve, and why does he think he can share the screen with the likes of Gene Hackman? Or Valerie Perrine, for that matter?

The Verdict: Super, indeed. Reeve proved the ideal fit for The Man of Steel, capturing the character‘s innate goodness while proving you don‘t need CGI muscles to look like a hero. Director Richard Donner forged the template for future superhero films, combining the silly with the serious in just the right ratio. But that wouldn‘t matter if Reeve hadn‘t filled out the Superman costume in such convincing fashion.

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On a couple of occasions, I’ve had the privilege of seeing Ondrasik play live and his ability to mesmerize a crowd using nothing but a piano and his voice is something you never forget.

There are more tribute performances at the Five for Fighting website and for those of you who don’t know, Ondrasik is a tireless supporter of our military men and women.

EXCLUSIVE: KEITH DAVID JOINS WACHOWSKI’S ‘CLOUD ATLAS’

One of the most underused, under-appreciated actors in Hollywood is The Mighty Keith David, a true screen talent and presence who has made every project he’s been associated with better since his first major role in John Carpenter’s “The Thing.”

Nothing’s been formally announced yet, but I’m told Mr. David is in Berlin working on “Cloud Atlas” after another actor didn’t work out. He’s joined an A-list cast that includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving Jim Broadbent and Susan Sarandon.

The Wachowskis are lucky to have him.

Here’s a synopsis of the science-fiction drama:

We already know that Cloud Atlas is going to be weird. Directed by Tom Tykwer and the Wachowski siblings, the project, based on the book by David Mitchell, is about six different characters with six separate storylines in six separate locations in six different eras and the actors will all be playing more than one role. If that isn’t enough, however, actor Ben Whishaw has informed Vulture that it gets even weirder. Speaking with the site to promote his new BBC show, The Hour, Whishaw revealed that not only are all the performers playing multiple roles in Cloud Atlas, but they will be switching races and genders as well. “I.m doing three,” the actor said.

If you want to know why I’m such a fan of the two-time Emmy winner, rent “Pitch Black” and “Requiem for a Dream” and closely watch his introduction scenes. If the story allows for any kind of nuance, David never shows all of his cards and therefore you never fully know what the true intentions of his characters are. In both of those films, when you first see his character, you have no idea whether he’s a good guy or a villain. Best of all, throughout the rest of his performance, you’re always under the impression that at any time he could turn in some unexpected direction.

Something’s always hidden, something unseen and unspoken is always going on. With little help from the script and using only his talent, David always tries to give his characters an inner-life, which makes him an actor with a very rare quality today… He’s interesting.

WHO SAID THESE WORDS IN A 1988 SPEECH OPPOSING THE ALTERING OF FILMS:

These current defacements are just the beginning. Today, engineers with their computers can add color to black-and-white movies, change the soundtrack, speed up the pace, and add or subtract material to the philosophical tastes of the copyright holder. Tomorrow, more advanced technology will be able to replace actors with “fresher faces,” or alter dialogue and change the movement of the actor’s lips to match. It will soon be possible to create a new “original” negative with whatever changes or alterations the copyright holder of the moment desires.

NOOOOOOOoooooo!!!!

HEAD-MOUNTED MOVIES? BRING ‘EM ON!

Over 25 years ago at some Disney World future world technology expo, I put on a pair of small Walkman-like headphones and experience what they called “3D sound.” It was so impressive that my notoriously awful memory still remembers the experience.

I was sure this was the future in film sound; that within five years, movie theatres would start handing out headphones as you took your seat. Not only would you be immersed in a motion picture’s sound design, but you could control your own volume and, best of all, not be distracted by jerk-off theatre talkers. And how simple would it have been to incorporate that technology into home theatres?

Well, I have no idea what happened to that technology, but now the same idea has been taken a step further with a movie theatre you can strap to your head. You can skip the spell-breaking 3D picture, thank you very much, but otherwise I think I’m in love.

If this thing takes off, I’ll bet dollars to donuts it will be because of the porn industry.  

AMY ADAMS SOUGHT FOR AMERICAN REMAKE OF “THE ORPHANAGE”

Whatever.

What this story does allow me to do is encourage you to see the original, a brilliant, emotional, atmospheric, and frightening experience.  

FANBOYS AREN’T FANBOYS OF SUPERMAN’S NEW DUDS

You can’t judge the look of a film or costume or anything based on leaked photographs. If you’ve ever been on an actual film or television set, it’s striking how phony, cheap and fake everything looks. It’s only after the color correction and lighting that this kind of stuff comes to life.

I trust Zack Snyder and Chris Nolan’s instincts and have faith that on the big screen, Supes won’t look like a piece of “big blue cheese.”

I’ll take this over this any day of the week.

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LAST NIGHT’S SCREENING

Though I’m over a half-dozen seasons behind the times, based on my dad’s enthusiasm for the show, I gave the first few episodes of “The Closer” a look last night. The fetching Kyra Sedgwick plays Brenda Leigh Johnson, a fish-out-water deputy police chief from Atlanta who’s placed in charge of the LAPD’s Priority Homicide Division — which is pretty much set up to handle high-profile cases and avoid another O.J. debacle.

Good concept. Terrific cast, including J.K. Simmons and a very funny G.W. Bailey.

 The premiere episode definitely set the wrong tone, though. The murderer was a homophobic Christian woman and the vibe was the worst of “Law & Order” after it went over a partisan cliff. The two episodes that followed, however, showed real promise and anyone who’s transplanted themselves to Los Angeles pre-GPS can certainly sympathize as Brenda attempting to navigate all those streets named Mulholland while reading a bulky Thomas Guide.

Good times. Good times.

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QUICK HITS

THE PERFECT  EXAMPLE OF A HUFFPO STORY

HOLD ON. I CAN DO THIS. … … … … DAMN. FAILED TO CARE AGAIN.

DEPP REFUSES TO DO ‘LONE RANGER’ WITHOUT DIRECTOR VERBINSKI

AMERICA’S FAVORITE MOVIE OF THE SUMMER IS…

GLEN CAMPBELL MOST CERTAINLY HAS LED A BIOPIC-WORTHY LIFE

POTENTIAL ‘DIE HARD 5′ DIRECTOR IN FINAL NEGOTIATIONS

ANDREW KLAVAN IS STILL ON VACATION

‘CHILDREN OF THE CORN: GENESIS’ ISN’T THAT BAD

AWESOME NEWS FOR US ‘RESIDENT EVIL’ FANATICS

‘ROMANCING THE STONE’ REMAKE NEWS SOMEHOW GETS WORSE

NETFLIX PRICE INCREASE STARTS TODAY

LOVE LETTER TO A PERFECT FILM: “RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK”

SUMMER MOVIES MANGLE THE FACTS

‘BOARDWALK EMPIRE’ RETURNS TO HBO 9/25     

WATCH MARVEL’S ‘THE ROAD TO THE AVENGERS’

‘DEXTER’ SEASON 6 SYNOPSIS & PREMIERE PHOTOS REVEALED

–Please send tips/suggestions/requests to jnolte@breitbart.com

If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... The B-Team.

If ticket prices were the problem, then you would see a drop for all films. But there’s been no such drop. The “second-tier superhero” argument doesn’t wash either. It’s hard to argue that Iron Man or X-Men were “first tier” superheroes before they hit it big in theaters. And nothing is more first tier than Superman or the Incredible Hulk, yet both have struggled — not to mention Wonder Woman, who can’t even get a series off the ground.

The oversaturation argument is intriguing. On the one hand, oversaturation cannot be THE problem because people wouldn’t turn out for surprise hits like Captain America if they were just sick of superhero films generally. Also, if oversaturation really was THE problem, then why don’t slasher flicks or romcoms suffer from this? Those genres have been steadily turning out the same film year after year for decades. Still, I do think oversaturation plays a part in this puzzle. In particular, oversaturation makes these films less special, which makes people more selective. Being more selective means people are less likely to see films they don’t think are worth their time or money. But what is it that is causing people to choose some superhero films over others? In a word: plot.

Hollywood is using a bad formula for superhero films.

Hollywood wants to appeal both to fanboys and the public at large while also setting up the franchise for future films. But this requires catering to seemingly contradictory desires. The public wants a film that doesn’t require them to read the comic book series to understand the movie. Hollywood thinks that means they need to provide a primer on the series. But the fanboys want a deep, new story and don’t want to see a Cliff’s Notes version of the comic book series. And nobody wants to feel like they’re watching a movie that is just setting up future movies.

Hollywood tries to solve this dilemma by giving the public the origin story for the hero and the villain in the first half of the film, which is meant to teach the public the backstory and set up the franchise while making the public think they are seeing a full story. Then, in the second half of the film, they jam in a truncated version of some story from the series to please the fanboys. Then they finish with an “epic” 40 minute CGI fight to turn you into a drooling idiot and wipe your memory before you can leave the theater and warn people how much you hated the first 80 minutes.

This. . . satisfies. . . no. . . one!

Moreover, the formula used for the origin story stinks. This part of the story is presented in disguised-vignette form, connected only by the thinnest strands of plot. That plot is designed to feed you the information you need to know to establish the franchise and usually takes the form of a romance which connects the hero to the villain in some way. There are two reasons for this: (1) romances attract female audiences and (2) the romance gives the film a semblance of being one single story, even though it is really separate stories connected only by the love interest. The vignettes themselves are predictable and lame. They involve the hero discovering their powers, followed by a cliché-ridden 20 minutes of tired comedy as we see the hero learn how to use their powers through trial and error, the introduction of all the characters you need to know for the franchise and a quick glimpse into their lives, and a short version of the villain’s origin story. Then suddenly it’s off to the second plot, where nothing you just saw is relevant.

“I’ll be in Lex’s story for a while. There’s kryptoniteloaf in the fridge. See you in the second half of the film.”

Think of this in Star Wars terms. Luke Skywalker: Curse of the Jedi Phantom Monster’s Vengeance would waste the first third of the film with Luke bumming around at work until he discovers he has hilarious Jedi skills: “Dude! I can make the coffee droid fly and make my boss change my evaluation.” This would be interspersed with scenes of hip, angry, young Darth Vader, a rich corporate titan who has the hots for Luke’s girl, who just happens to work for Vader LLC. The entire backstory of Vader’s life, i.e. the three prequels, would be condensed to about two minutes of whiny exposition as he woos the girlfriend: “Obi-wan never loved me and the emperor tricked me. . . now the world is going to pay. . . you smell purty!” Then suddenly Vader falls into an industrial grinder, ends up in the black suit, shoots a henchman, kicks a puppy, finds plans for a Death Star on eBay, builds it overnight, and kidnaps Luke’s girlfriend because that’s the only connection his story has to Luke. This forces Luke to use his powers to fight Vader in a 40 minute CGI death struggle as CGI buildings explode all around them. Roll credits. AndrewPrice slams own head into wall.

"I find your lack of faith in my TPS Reports disturbing."

A better approach would be to pick one of the stories from the comic book series that really struck a chord with readers and produce that. Forget trying to sample the whole series and forget giving the complete history of each character up to that point: people won’t miss it. Think about it. Do we care that we didn’t see a young Quint getting sunk aboard the Indianapolis or buying his first boat or catching his first shark in Jaws or that we never got to see James Bond’s training before he showed up in Dr. No? Heck no! We do want backstory in our films, but that doesn’t mean you need to spend forty minutes showing it. It’s usually best to bring it out through the dialog as the film progresses.

This is what Hollywood needs to realize. You don’t need a primer to set up a franchise and you probably shouldn’t start with the origin story. Audiences want real stories they can get into, not background information presented as barely-connected vignettes followed by a huge fight scene. And whatever information the casual fans need can be presented as the film goes along in the dialog. Trust me: give the audience a genuine stand-alone story and they will respond.

Know any good superhero films?

Via Voices From Krypton:

“In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time. Clark Kent/Kal-El (Cavill) is a young twentysomething journalist who feels alienated by powers beyond anyone’s imagination. Transported to Earth years ago from Krypton, an advanced alien planet, Clark struggles with the ultimate question – Why am I here? Shaped by the values of his adoptive parents Martha (Lane) and Jonathan Kent (Costner), Clark soon discovers that having super abilities means making very difficult decisions. But when the world needs stability the most, it comes under attack. Will his abilities be used to maintain peace or ultimately used to divide and conquer? Clark must become the hero known as “Superman,” not only to shine as the world’s last beacon of hope but to protect the ones he loves.”

Let’s take a poll:

I will come right out and admit it. I am a geek. I am a hardcore geek. I revel in many different realms of geekdom. Amongst the fields where I am most comfortable with my geekdom is in comic books. I’ve been reading comics books since, well, I could read. During my early childhood, comic books were just entertainment, something to do when waiting at the supermarket whilst my mother shopped or to pass the time in line at the barber. There were the piles of Archie and Richie Rich comics that my grandparents stocked up on for the times a dozen grandkids would descend upon their house for summer vacation. In the end, I didn’t really care about comics themselves, just the ten minutes it would take me to read through whichever one was at hand. There was no appreciation of story arcs or pacing, art work and coloring, dialogue and continuity, all of these things were foreign concepts.

It wasn’t until I was about thirteen that a classmate of mine showed me that comic books were a world of their own. He had boxes and boxes of carefully stored books, each one in an individual bag with a cardboard backing to keep the spines straight. He was able to tell me about which stories were worth following, why Marvel characters were better than DC, and showed me where to go to get the best deals. I was hooked. From then on, I spent every spare penny of pocket money and any other money I earned on comic books. Throughout my high school years, I bought thousands of books, all still in their individual bags with cardboard backs, alphabetized, and organized by publisher.

The genre has changed dramatically since I started following it back in the 80s. It is, to some extent, still dominated by the two major players, Marvel and DC, each of which has its own diehard adherents, but there is now a plethora of thriving independent publishers, each one pushing the envelope in both art and with storytelling. More importantly the consumers have evolved. The geeks who grew up in the 80s, downtrodden and ridiculed by the jocks are the engine that drove the technological revolution of the 90s. They now find themselves hitting middle age flush with success at being the new arbiters of cool and that cool is the geekdom that they grew up loving; comics.

Over the next while, I would like to introduce the readers to this medium and to some of what I see as the more interesting and exciting offerings on the market today. Keep in mind, comic books are no longer reserved for kids. Many books are squarely aimed at the adult market. While there have always been those that were of a more prurient nature, today’s mature comics actually try to tell stories that evoke the same emotions and thoughts as other mediums have been doing for years. I want to share that love with you.

I will start with a brief history of what is referred to as Sequential Art.

Comics began in the late 1800s with single frames, in black and white as part of the Sunday editions of newspapers. The Katzenjammer Kids, first published in 1897 by Randolph Hearst was the first comic to be recognizable as such, a sequence of panels with balloon speech. As it happens, it’s still running today.

It would be another 30 years until the next major advance in comics would hit the scene. Following the rise of Science Fiction and Fantasy stories, pioneered by Edgar Rice Burroughs, 1929 saw the serialization of Buck Rogers in the 25^th Century as well as the adaptation of Burroughs’ Tarzan. As the Great Depression took hold of America, many people turned to movies to escape their daily troubles, others went to comic strips. 1931 saw the genesis of the most popular comic strip character of all times, Dick Tracy and his two-way wrist radio. 3 years later, Flash Gordon came onto the scene.

Around the same time, 1933, the first comic book was published; a collection of comic strips put together in a folded multiple page format. The first book of all new content came out in 1935, put out by National Periodicals. The industry was starting to grow and experiment, and it was in 1938 that a strange visitor from another planet became the first in a pantheon of heroes with powers beyond the ken of normal man. Based on a series of stories they had written six years earlier, Jerry Siegal and Joe Shuster sold the rights to Superman to Detective Comics (later DC) for a whopping $130. With the advent of the Superhero genre, the industry moved from the serialized strip wholeheartedly into the comic book era. Comics were outselling even the most popular news weeklies, some moving two million copies per issue, a huge amount even by today’s standards. The era saw Will Eisner’s creation The Spirit published. As World War II began, the comic book industry joined the fight, Captain America burst onto the scene, famously punching Hitler in the face in 1941. A year later he was joined by Wonder Woman, whose alter ego Diana Prince was in the Women’s Auxiliary Corps.

Also in the early 40s, another comic genre started to show up, one that wouldn’t really be noticed until after the war. True Crime comics, pioneered by Crime Does Not Pay, became the new rage. Lurid covers and graphic stories supposedly taken from the most violent police dispatches began to draw the largest audiences. True Crime was soon joined by Horror comics, both using drawings of scantily clad women on the cover to help move the product. As the fifties brought more and more horror comics into the market, each trying to outdo the next with their racy and macabre content, a backlash was building in Washington.

1953 saw the creation of the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency, chaired by Robert Hendrickson (R-New Jersey). It was founded to investigate the problems of, of course, juvenile Delinquency. Its 1954 hearings concentrated on the popular Horror and Crime genres. The committee released their findings , which were very critical of the industry. The direct result of this was the publication later that year by psychologist Frederic Wertham, of Seduction of the Innocent; a book that is the poster child for the Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc logical fallacy. Wertham argued that, since all delinquents read comic books, comic books cause delinquency. This caused a huge backlash against the comic community. Sales fell, books were burned and publishers went out of business. The industry, in a move aimed at salvaging what they could, instituted the Comics Code. Based on Hollywood’s Production Code, it was a self-censoring move to limit the graphic depictions of violence and sexual innuendo in comic books.

One of the results of the Code was that many of the smaller independent publishers went out of business. DC was one of the few companies to survive mostly unscathed with their stable of tame superhero books. Marvel, then called Atlas, barely survived and the only remnant of the house that brought forth the most graphic horror comics was MAD magazine. The late 50s and early 60s brought us many of the most iconic DC heroes. The Flash, The Green Lantern and The Martian Manhunter showed up, forming the Justice League along with veterans Wonder Woman and Aquaman.

The superhero genre was back, and it was back in a big way. In 1961, Jack Kirby joined Stan Lee and began publishing Marvel’s new brand of Super Hero starting with the Fantastic Four. The Marvel Age of comics was underway. The Fantastic Four was followed by the Hulk and Spider-Man a year later.

Next: Comics Move into the 70s and beyond

Cross-posted at JooFood

–‘RIDDICK 3′ SET TO START SHOOTING IN SEPTEMBER?–

Not only am I big fan of Vin Diesel’s, I’m an even bigger fan of both of his Riddick films: 2000’s “Pitch Black” and the much more ambitious follow-up, 2004’s “The Chronicles of Riddick.” “Black” is a hands-down brilliant B-flick, perfectly structured and paced with a well-executed concept and superb cinematography. “Riddick” is director David Twohy’s (he did both films) attempt to layer Diesel’s Riddick character in all kinds of mythology, something I felt worked beautifully thanks to a compelling story and a strong central performance by the underrated Diesel.

The failure of “Riddick” with critics and at the box office didn’t really surprise. People were expecting another lean, mean “Pitch Black, not a space opera. This initial reaction kept me from seeing the sequel in theatres, but when I finally caught it on DVD I was blown away. In fact, I remember the DVD stopped playing about 100 minutes in and making a frantic and rather pathetic near-midnight drive to Blockbuster for a replacement.

On television, “Riddick” appears to have finally caught on with its intended audience, which may be why a third chapter is being considered. Also, Diesel’s star is back on the rise thanks to the surprising popularity of his other terrific B-movie franchise, “Fast and Furious.”

In this pathetic era of overlong, complicated plots and meterosexuals, I have a great appreciation for Diesel, especially his work in the action genre.

–FOUR-MINUTES FROM ‘RISE OF THE APES’ RELEASED–

The monkey still looks phony and please take a moment to notice that the bully in the clip has an American flag hanging from his house.

Yeah, Hollywood’s like that.

–BEN STILLER TO STAR IN AND DIRECT “SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY” REMAKE–

James Thurber’s original story is a joy to read and re-read. The story of a milquetoast clerk who uses every opportunity to escape into heroic fantasies is rich in ideas and theme. Unfortunately, though perfectly cast, Danny Kaye’s 1947 adaptation failed to hit the mark. It was much too episodic and ended up being nothing more than a formulaic boy meets girl romance.

The idea of a Hollywood remaking an old film with a great concept and a lousy execution is always appealing, but Stiller’s usual sensibility in this kind of story already seems tired.

There is good news, however. Steve Conrad, who wrote the marvelous “Pursuit of Happyness,” has had his hands on the script.

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TODAY’S QUICK HITS

–‘MAN OF STEEL’ SET PHOTOS

–BECAUSE YOU NEEDED ANOTHER REASON TO HATE ‘SUPERMAN RETURNS’

–GREAT ACTOR? YES. POTENTIAL NEMESIS FOR MICHAEL WESTEN? WE’LL SEE.  

–FILM DRUNK MAKES ME LAUGH EVEN WHEN THEY RIP OUR SIDE.

–“SOUTH PARK” RETURNS OCTOBER 5TH

–TRYING TO CARE. FAILING.

–IT IS THAT COMIC-CON TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

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CLASSIC PICK FOR THURSDAY JULY 21, 2011

TCM:

2:00 AM EST:  Son of the Sheik, The (1926) —   In this silent film, an Arabian knight protects a dancing girl from desert outlaws. Dir: George Fitzmaurice Cast:  Rudolph Valentino, Vilma Banky, George Fawcett. BW-69 mins, TV-G.

Everyone should see at least one Rudolph Valentino film, if only to attempt a grasp at understanding an actor who was probably the most popular and universally adored movie star of all time. Valentino doesn’t really reach the consciousness of today’s audiences in the same way other classic stars like Bogie, Monroe and John Wayne do. We understand their appeal because we still live with their work. Unfortunately, silent films are less accessible than talkies, which makes them less connected to us and therefore we fail (and I include myself) to fully grasp the power the stars of that era had over the collective imagination of the American public. These were the first movie stars, the first celebrities, and their legacy and impact is still felt straight through to “Brangelina.”

“Son of the Sheikh” is not a great flick, but it is beautifully filmed, well paced, and historically fascinating.  

I should also add that no one writes about the silent era with more knowledge and affection than my friend Robert Avrech, an Emmy winning screenwriter, who writes at Serpahic Secret — a must bookmark site for movie lovers and proud Zionists everywhere.

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Please send tips/suggestions/requests to jnolte@breitbart.com

–FINAL CHAPTER OF ANDREW KLAVAN’S HOMELANDERS’ QUADROLOGY RELEASED TODAY–

A very well-written, page-turning adventure series for the kids. God, country and values are treated as good things. On the other hand, terrorism and narcissism are treated as bad things. I think the word we’re searching for in this upside day and age is: Iconoclastic.

You can order the book here. I recommend all four. Klavan’s an amazing talent who also happens to be on our side. What more could you possibly ask for. Did you just say a film based on the series?  Done.

Klavan blogs here and here.

–KEVIN COSTNER UP FOR VILLAIN ROLE IN NEW TARANTINO FLICK–

I’ve always liked Kevin Costner and was sorry to see his career all but derail 15 years ago with the triple-punch of the underrated “Waterworld,” the truly dreadful “Postman” (which even Tom Petty couldn’t save) and the stillborn “Wyatt Earp.”

Costner’s masculine, has a genuinely likable screen persona, and seems like a decent guy in real life — and in the right role he’s a very, very good actor. Try to picture someone else in “Field of Dreams,” “The Untouchables” or “Dances with Wolves.” You can argue he’s no Olivier ( I would counter with his unforgettable work in “A Perfect World), but at the same time he’s always managed to hold his own on screen with some powerful actors: James Earl Jones, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall, Morgan Freeman, Sean Connery, etc — which is a talent all on its own.

Tarantino has an excellent eye for under-appreciated actors and a real gift for resurrecting those put out to pasture before their time. Now that he has some real age on his face, Costner would be perfect as a sadistic Western villain.  An actor known for being a good guy personifying evil worked out pretty well ofr Henry Fonda in “oOce Upon a Time In the West.” I suspect the same will be true here.

–UNIVERSAL WISELY PULLS PLUG ON STEPHEN KING’S “DARK TOWER” –

King wrote some of his “Dark Tower” series when he could still tell a damn good story and some long after his storytelling tank had ran out of gas. Regardless, even in the good ole’ days when I gobbled up all things King, the story of Roland the Gunfighter was sheer torture to get through and completely forgettable afterwards.

To adapt a film from a book is one thing. At times, it even makes sense to adapt a film from a lousy book if the concept is good and the story itself is somewhat simple (“Bridges of Madison County,” “DaVinci Code,” “Along Came a Spider”). But these Dark Tower books are a real slough; confusing and self-indulgent.

King’s strength has never been in creating layers of mythology. He’s no Lewis or Tolkien and becomes un-readable when he thinks he is. This was a good move on Universal’s part, but you can bet they spent millions just to get to a point where the obvious became apparent.

Only in Hollywood.

–AMEN, BROTHER, AMEN: KYLE SMITH HAMMERS HARRY POTTER–

Sitting unmoved and uninterested through all eight Harry Potter movies over the last decade or so, I often had the thought: Please don’t let this all be leading up to Harry P. and Lord V. standing a few yards apart zapping each other with their wands until one of them buckles.

Kyle and I are pals and share a similar political philosophy, but when it comes to films, oddly enough, we disagree much more than we agree. There are leftist critics I have more in common with in this regard. But when it comes to the uncommonly dull, episodic, and downright unbearable Harry Potter film franchise, we’re darn near soul mates. Here’s Smith’s excellent takedown, which I couldn’t agree with more or written half as well.

Smith blogs here.

–TOTO’S FEELING GUILTY–

When it comes to “Stealth” he should feel guilty. When it comes to the brilliant “Malibu’s Most Wanted,” however, he should feel guilty for feeling guilty.

–CHARLIE SHEEN PLOTS TELEVISION COMEBACK?–

Though it was an awful movie, the concept for “Anger Management” is a pretty good one and you can definitely see it as a workable sitcom.

As far as Charlie Sheen goes, unless he does a John Belushi, he’s here to stay no matter how outrageous his behavior. I’ve always felt he was an underrated actor, most especially a comedic actor, and someone is always going to take another chance on him. Furthermore, his return to television is likely to the biggest thing since Little Ricky was born.

If nothing else, we’ll always have Sheen’s canon of epic B-films, from 1989’s “Major League” to 1997’s “Money Talks,” to remember him by.

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TODAY’S QUICK HITS

–WHO DIDN’T SEE THIS COMING?

–RATINGS FOR “BREAKING BAD” SEASON FOUR PREMIERE ARE SERIES BEST

–AWESOME NEW “CAPTAIN AMERICA” POSTERS

–TRYING TO CARE. FAILING.

–BROODING SUPERMAN EQUALS SUCKY SUPERMAN. SCREW YOU, DC.

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CLASSIC PICK FOR WEDNEDAY JULY 20, 2011

TCM:

6:45 AM EST: Tomorrow Is Forever (1946) — A scarred veteran presumed dead returns home to find his wife remarried. Dir: Irving Pichel Cast: Claudette Colbert, Orson Welles, George Brent. BW-104 mins, TV-PG,

A beautiful and beautifully filmed and acted film that’s essentially the story of a mother (Claudette Colbert) who learns that winning the war means that mothers everywhere must risk making the ultimate sacrifice.

They simply don’t make films like this anymore and for whatever reason this particular one doesn’t get the attention it deserves. On its face the concept may seem a little absurd, but the emotional arc of the story and characters is handled so delicately and with such respect, that you soon forget.

Honestly, this one is not to be missed. A truly under-rated classic I promote at every opportunity.

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Please send tips/suggestions/requests to jnolte@breitbart.com