Deneuve's New Book on Monroe

 Iconic French actress Catherine Deneuve authored a book entitled 'Marilyn Cherie.' It will be published in May to coincide with the 100th birthday of Monroe. 

Deneuve and Monroe

The book is about Monroe as a person and not a celebrity. She delves into the profound impact Monroe had on her life. The book includes many photos of Monroe not previously published.

Deneuve is a long-time fan and devotee of Monroe, who influenced her on-screen work and approach to acting. "So beautiful, so open, almost unknown. So generous with her body, but so child-like, which never makes her seem indecent. The actress whose films I have seen over and over and are precious to me," writes Deneuve.   

Deneuve, now 82, considered Monroe her mentor

The book's photos are owned by Sabastien Cauchon and taken from his private collection. This is a must-have book for every Monroe or Deneuve fan.

By: Jim Lavorato

Paramount Takes Warner Bros. - Good/Bad for the Cinema?

Paramount Takes Warner Bros.

On 2/26/26, the drama over the acquisition of WB ended with their acceptance of Paramount's $31/share bid. Netflix was out! This now begs the question: Is this good or bad for movie theaters?

Hollywood has been schizophrenic on the issue. First, when it appeared that Netflix would be the likely acquirer, Hollywood panicked. Filmmakers, actors, guilds, and unions were united against Netflix gobbling up WB. Their worry was the fear of a very short, or worse, non-existent theatrical release window. Now, the panic that Paramount will need to vertically integrate WB operations into its own will ensure massive layoffs at WB, compromising creativity and production. Neither is nor was true.

The issue that concerns me is what impact a massive media company has on the cinema.

Paramount will be huge. It currently consists of: Paramount Pictures, CBS Television and Sports, Showtime, Paramount+, Pluto TV, BET+, Nickelodeon, Miramax, and Paramount Automation. With the WB acquisition, it will add: WB Pictures, HBO, HBO-MAX, New Line Cinema, Castle Rock Studios, Spyglass Media, Cartoon Network, Turner Classic Movies, Cinemax, TNT, WB Theme Parks, DC Comics and publications, Discovery Network, TBS, HGTV, Animal Planet, Food Network, and CNN. WB employs over 35,000.  This is massive, and it will require significant operational cost-cutting for Paramount/Skydance to reduce its debt load, which will exceed $76 billion post the WB takeover.

Ellison will be managing a huge media giant

David Ellison, CEO of Paramount/Skydance, vowed that 30 feature films will be destined for the silver screen each year. That means a feature is released every 12 days. Hmmm...that's a lot.

In summary, I believe the Paramount takeover of WB is better for cinemas vs. a Netflix purchase. If Ellison lives up to his promise of 30 features per year (in 2025, Paramount and WB combined had 28 major releases) and provides a 45-day theatrical release window, it will be beneficial to movie theaters. We'll wait and see. 

By: Jim Lavorato

Largest Ratings Split in Rotten Tomatoes' History

 You may have already heard or read that the documentary 'Melania' received a 6% critics' approval rating while scoring a 99% audience approval rating. This is the biggest disparity between critics and audience ratings for a movie in Rotten Tomatoes' history.

The 'Melania' numbers are real. "There is no manipulation of the audience reviews", stated a Rotten Tomatoes spokesperson, "These reviews are verified, meaning it has been certified that users bought a ticket to the film through Fandango."

The critics' reviews were harsh, and if it wasn't for several publications that gave the movie favorable marks, the score would have been zero! Obviously, the critics are biased, anti-Trumpers, but this type of bias is really unacceptable in an honest critique of any film.

So far, the film has grossed about $10 million and is a clear box office success. Its $7.5 million opening weekend gross was the best showing for a documentary in at least 10 years.

There is such a political dichotomy in the U.S. that films, like 'Melania', become metaphors for this ongoing polarization. The mainstream media is anti-Trump; we all know this; however, this movie, with a 99% audience approval rating, can't be all about politics. 

I viewed 'Melania,' and as documentaries go, it wasn't bad. It was well directed, with great visuals, a very diverse soundtrack, and gave me a peek under the tent regarding the country's 'royalty' on both sides of the aisle. For this, I gave it an 80% approval rating. 

  

Hollywood Spends Big in Washington

 

Big media and big tech are pouring millions into lobbying to get Congressional access regarding AI and IP issues. 

The Hollywood studios and streamers are bowing at the altar of influence, as the game changed last year. AI, the biggest technological game-changer to come down the pike, raised its disruptor potential. In the past, media lobbying centered on tax policy and copyright laws, but AI changed all that. Big media is battling big tech over how legislation regarding AI is drafted and passed into law. 

On the flip side, there is the merger and acquisition game for further concentration in the media industry. A perfect example is the current battle between Paramount and Netflix regarding the takeover of Warner Bros. Both Paramount and Netflix have been pouring millions into lobbying both Congress and the Administration. 

According to published reports, every major entertainment and tech company has placed Ballard Partners on retainer. Ballard is a lobbying firm that is cozy with the Trump Administration. Followed by Millar Strategies, another lobbying giant. For example, according to the U.S. House and Senate Lobbyist records, in 2025, Comcast spent $13 million, Paramount - $8 million, and Fox - $5 million. These payments were dwarfed by big tech. Meta (Facebook) spent $26 million, Amazon- $18 million, and Google - $13 million.

In 2026, these numbers will rise exponentially, and there will be more players in the game. AI is just getting started, so there are lots of rules and regulations that need to be passed into law and then enforced.

AI is the biggest business, economic, health care, and lifestyle disruptor in all of human history. Remember, technology can not be stopped; it cannot be controlled.

Hollywood Launches Big Anti AI Campaign

 Entertainment industry writers, actors, musicians, and others have launched the Human Artistry Campaign (HAC) (code name: 'Stealing Isn't Innovative'), which is demanding licensing and opt-out mechanisms for human-created work.

The HAC blasted tech companies for developing generative AI, which is based upon "the mass theft of human creative works to produce tools that could theoretically compete with real creatives." The Campaign debuted with over 700 supporters and an ad in the New York Times.

The HAC comprises a mix of unions representing creators, artists' rights groups, and trade associations, including the Writers Guild of America, the Recording Industry Association, and the NFL Players Association, to name a few. 

As I've written ad nauseam, technology can't be stopped; everyone must adapt to its use and what it brings to society, including entertainment. The entertainment industry elites want to retain their power and control over entertainment creation, but this is a losing battle. AI-generated entertainment will become a large part of what consumers view and interact with. Its creation is much less expensive, more efficient to produce, and, in many cases, superior to the entertainment that is being produced and distributed now.

The Human Artistry Campaign smacks of a movement to preserve the status quo and keep income and profits flowing to the current entertainment gatekeepers. 

By: Jim Lavorato   

'Image' is Everything

 For the Hollywood glitterati, 'image' is everything. Being invited to an awards show and walking the red carpet. Being seen at the right night spots and restaurants. Back-slapping and hob-nobbing with the right crowd.

Now, going to breakfast at the right diner is the latest place to see and be seen - enter Max & Helen's. Owned by Phil Rosenthal, star of the Netflix food show "Somebody Feed Phil," an eight-hour wait line is common. Breakfast is a pilgrimage for the Hollywood set.

The wait-line to get into Max & Helen's is eight hours on weekends and six hours on weekdays. It's the longest wait for a table in LA. However, diners don't wrap around the block; they simply register with the host and are given an accurate return time. You can go view a movie or put in a shift at work before being called to your table - reservations are not accepted. 

With only 40 seats, the diner can't even accommodate Phil's friends or family members on a 'Can you get me in' request. 

The menu is pretty much normal breakfast fare with some lunch and dinner options.  Would I wait eight hours for a call to breakfast? NO. Sorry, Phil, no omelet is worth that long a wait.  

Jim Lavorato