Cinema Buzz by Seymore Flix - 6/21/2015

In This Issue of Cinema Buzz

- Horror and the Supernatural Scare Up BIG Grosses
- The 'McQueen Effect' 
- Zoe Saldana Irate Over No Nanny Pay
- Rihanna Sued Over Her Name


Horror Continues To Scare Up Big Box Office

Horror has come a long way 

Taking a cue from the big screen, networks (be they broadcast, cable, or internet) are big into horror, as the genre continues to scare up big grosses and audiences.

The supernatural, horror, sci-fi, and now artificial and robotic intelligence spur on the magic 18-34 demo and keep the demand for this genre alive and very well. This month alone six new horror shows debuted on the small screen, and lots of money is being put into new movies and shows.

The genre has reinvented itself to where the horror and thrillers of today are darker but more sophisticated and their viewership has gotten wider.  Content that was once viewed only by screaming teens is now watched by a much broader viewership.

Technology has a lot to do with the growth and popularity of horror - creating new, horrific real-life scenarios that are resonating with all types of viewers of all ages.  The latest are movies or shows which feature 'synths' or sophisticated robots which are must-haves in many new horror movies and shows.  Film and TV show producers and writers feel strongly that there is an huge audience that is fascinated by the topic of artificial intelligence and the potential impact it will have on our real future.

Irregardless, the horror genre is big and getting bigger and is good and getting better.


'The McQueen Effect' - King of Cool Still Worth Big $s

McQueen's '76 Porsche

Steve McQueen was cool no doubt about it and a fine actor as well, in addition to being a for-real race car and motor cycle driver.  McQueen did all of his own driving and cycle riding in his movies. In fact, in 'The Great Escape' he did all of the motor cycle riding, including the German who was chasing him. McQueen made a lot of really good movies and made lots of money as one of the highest paid actors of his time.  He spent a portion of his wealth on sports cars and other high-end vehicles.

McQueen on set of 'Le Mans'

At this year's Monterey Car Week, McQueen's 1976 Porsche 930 will be auctioned. It is the last car McQueen special ordered.  A price for the car has not been set, although pristine  '76 930s go for about $200,000 the McQueen Porsche will fetch much more.

At last year's Monterey show, McQueen's 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 sold for $10 million! Prior to that his 1968 Ford GT40, used in the filming of 'Le Mans' sold for $11 million.

Steve McQueen died at the age of 50 but he made many timeless movies and is now in the realm of the iconic.  The McQueen Effect will be in play at the auction as the King of Cool lives on.

Zoe, Mad As Hell At Studios

Zoe Saldana

Zoe Saldana, the star of 'Avatar' wants the studios to pay for her nanny expenses.  The 37 year old actress who has scored big roles, in big franchise films, is advocating that the studios pay-up for her childcare expenses for her two children.

According to Zoe, the studios, "are taking me away from my home and my children away from home and make me work long hours.  Therefore I have to pay for a nanny. But they say, 'nope, we don't pay for nannies".

Saldana, who has a net worth of over $14 million has starred several big franchise films, including 'Star Trek' and 'Guardians of the Galaxy'.  She will next be seen in the jazz biopic 'Nina' (about the life of singer Nina Simone).  She will also be in the upcoming 'Star Trek Beyond' and 'Guardians of the Galaxy 2'.

Hey Zoe, nice try. Throw it at the wall and see if it sticks - next time have 'nanny expenses' put into your contract - it's that simple, but for now - pay the nanny!

DC Comics Sues Rihanna Over Name

Hey Rihanna,  What's in a name?

The comics company and pop-singer Rihanna are going head-to-head (legally) over the rights to the name Robyn.  DC Comics has filed a claim with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office to prevent Rihanna from trademarking the name Robyn (Rihanna's actual first name) because it is too similar to the name Robin - Batman's sidekick.

This may seem like an over-reach by DC, as Robin or Robyn are hardly unique names, but DC has had a trademark on 'Robin' since 1984 - yup, four years before Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born!

DC can't stop Rihanna from using the name Robyn but she probably can't trademark it either. But who knows, the government is all about paperwork so it could take some time before this issue is resolved.

So, its Robyn or Robin, this issue in itself could be a comic - it is pretty comical after all.


Best and Happy Movie-going
Seymore

In-Cinema Ads: Do Moviegoers Give Them Any Attention ?

We hear a lot about the benefits to advertisers regarding in-cinema ads. Buzz phrases abound: captive audience, demographic segmentation, market fragmentation, ad-reach, audience guarantees. But do moviegoers really pay any more attention to in-cinema ads vs. any other ads that are constantly thrown at us.

Are in-cinema ads very useful ?

I for one don't think moviegoers pay any more attention to cinema ads than they do watching any other ads on any platform.  For example, when I go to the movies and the show 'officially starts' it is normally the case that advertisements are thrown at me. These can be ads for concession items (which makes no sense as I am now seated and settled-in for a 2-3 hour movie and have already made my decision on whether or not to purchase concession items), automobiles, casual shoes, Air Force or Army recruitment, etc. After the ads come movie trailers (which can be as many as 7 or 8 but are normally 4 or 5) and are several minutes each.  Then the feature (what I came and paid to view) starts. Now, if you ask me what the ads were that I viewed I may guess right one or two.  Same on the trailers, I can remember one or two but not 5 and certainly not 8.

In many cases, the ads are the same ones I viewed on my last trip to that cinema and are, quite possibly,  the same ads even if I go to another cinema. Many times, they are ads I have already seen on broadcast or cable TV - so they are not new to me.

To me there is no connect between the ad and the movie I am viewing and the ads do not take into consideration the MPAA movie rating. I don't remember nor am I motivated by an advertisement because  I viewed it before a great movie.  And when I query other moviegoers they say the same. They find no connection between the ads and the movie.

Recently ScreenVision, one of the largest in-cinema ad runners, announced that they were launching 'Project Lynx' - a system which will track consumer behavior in and beyond their cinema experience.  Lynx is touted as being able to track  who, exactly, is sitting in the seats for any given movie and if they were motivated by the ads they viewed.  It will be interesting to see how Lynx works out.

Yes, the cinema is an immersive experience. Yes, the screens are larger than any TV. Yes, it is a less distracting viewing venue vs. the home. Yes, ads can be targeted so as to match up with movie titles.
But does all of this add up to increased brand awareness, ad recall, or (best case) product purchases.

For me the jury is still out on the impact of in-cinema advertising.  I believe it has the same impact as any type of other advertising - if the viewer has a predisposition of interest in a particular product they will focus attention, if not, it cognitively passes as not required information.

Best
Jim

CINEMA BUZZ by Seymore Flix - 6/15/15

Avatar 2 - What's The Holdup ?

James Cameron is taking his time with the sequel to the highest grossing film of all time - 'Avatar' ($2.8 billion -2009). Come to think of it, the second highest grossing film of all time,'Titanic' $2.2 billion - 1997) was also a Cameron film and they are 11 years apart.

Originally scheduled for release in 2016,  'Avatar 2' in now looking at a December 2017 release.  But wait! 'Avatar 3' and 'Avatar 4' are in the works and the reason 'Avatar 2' was postponed. Cameron is filming all three simultaneously and as you can imagine is very complex and time consuming. It's sure not bothering Fox Entertainment, which is bank-rolling this mega-project.  Fox's CEO, Jim Gianopulos stated, "Jim has his own pace and we are comfortable which that".  And, we might add, the two highest grossing films ever.  Even if Avatar 2 were to gross one-half of the first Avatar it would still end up the fifth highest grossing movie of all time.

James Cameron - 'At his own pace'

Cameron definitely works at his own pace and has a tendency to use the latest technologies that the industry has to offer.  If you remember, Avatar was one of the first films to use digital 3D for it debut. Can't wait to see all three sequels.  Scheduled releases: 12/17, 12/18,  and 12/19.

Top 10 All Time Highest Grossing Movies

1. Avatar $2.8 billion - 2009
2. Titanic $2.2 billion - 1997
3. The Avengers $1.6 billion - 2012
4. Furious 7 $1.5 billion - 2015
5. Avengers: Age of Altron $1.4 billion - 2015
6. Harry Potter-Deathly Hallows 2 $1.3 billion - 2011
7. Frozen $1.3 billion - 2013
8. Ironman 3 $1.2 billion - 2013
9. Transformers:Dark of the Moon $1.2 billion - 2011
10. Lord of the Rings:Return of the King $1.1 billion - 2003

No Men Allowed

Photo from 'The Gift of Fire'

Now here's a first, I think. Rechy Elias, a Jewish film-maker stipulated that her film, 'The Gift of Fire' could only be viewed by women - no men allowed in the auditorium!

To be screened at the London Israeli Film Festival last week Elias stated her religion forbade men from watching her movie.  An orthodox Jew of the Haredi sect, the film contains footage of women dancing and singing which cannot be viewed by men.

Screening of the film were cancelled by the governing board of the Festival as Odeon Theaters, where the movie was to debut, cancelled the screenings, stating "The film contains women dancing and singing, and in the Haredi beliefs this should not be viewed by men. We respect the position of the film-maker but have decided that we need to honor our policy of not restricting entry to any film based on gender."

'The Gift of Fire' is about a young woman's ordeal during the time of the Spanish Inquisition. Hmmm seems to me that Elias should think about making a film regarding her own, rather archaic, beliefs

A Tribute To Lee

Lee as Dracula

From 1958 Dracula to staring roles in everything from Bond films to Star Wars and Lord or the Rings Christopher Lee had a film career that spanned seven decades. At six foot five, Lee was an imposing figure with a deep, penetrating voice.  Always the perfect villain be it Scaramanga in the 007 'Man With The Golden Gun' or evil Count Dooku in the Star Wars 'Attack of the Clones' and 'Revenge of the Sith' or s the sinister Saruman in Lord of the Rings trilogy Lee was the embodiment of a cinema super villain who we had come to know and love over the years.

Peter Jackson, maker of the Lord of the Rings stated, "He was a scholar, singer, actor .... There will never be another Christopher Lee. He has a unique place in cinema history. An icon of cinema has passed into legend."

As Scaramanga in 007 'Golden Gun'

Tim Burton, who cast Lee in five films including Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, said "He was the last of his kind - a true legend - who I'm fortunate to have called a friend. He will continue to inspire me and I'm sure countless others."

Martin Scorsese, who cast Lee in his fantasy movie, 'Hugo' called Lee, "a great actor, wonderful friend, and real professional. I think of him every day and always will."

Lee was preparing for his latest role, at 93, in a film entitled 'The 11th' with Uma Thurman when he died.  Lee scared me when I was young watching the Dracula films. He was more sinister than Lugosi and more daunting. As time passed, however you came to admire his performances and that baritone voice wasn't as scary any longer. You knew it was your old buddy Chris Lee playing bad guy again.
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Studios: It's All About The 'Franchise'

Disney is about to start building the first 'Frozen' ride at Epcot Center in a section of the Park called 'Frozen Ever After' - which of course is based on the very successful animated movie/musical of the same name.

This is an example of a studio packaging a big hit movie into an entire business.  Termed franchises, these entities live on for years (long after the movie) as theme park rides and attractions, toys, clothes, video games, TV shows, and anything else that can generate revenue.

What the Hollywood studios are moving toward is basing their entire business model around brands and franchises. For example, in the case of 'Frozen' merchandise sales so far this year are 10 times what they were last year and the mobile game for 'Frozen' has more than 105 million downloads. 'Frozen', the movie, has grossed $1.3 billion since its 2013 release - and Disney has announced a sequel is in the works, as is a Broadway show.

The franchise concept for movies has been around for decades (Tarzan and Sherlock Holmes films come to mind) but the overall marketing of merchandise and related products has really kicked-in over the last 10 years - and now it's all about franchise films (their sequels) and all of the other revenue generators based upon the movie.  Last year, 11 of Disney's franchises each generated over $1 billion in branded merchandise.

Disney releases about 10 movies a year and they are all targeted to sequels, super-hero flix, and animated films (new or re-worked classics).  The era of producing big-ticket one-off movies and rolling the dice on their box office success is dead!  The studios can no longer be considered giant media companies but are now, global consumer-products companies.

Problem is : this strategy has a downside.  With reliance on franchises only a studio runs the risk of passing on projects that may turn into new franchises or one-off movies that turn into mega-box office winners.  However, it appears that all of the major studios are going down the same path of 'franchise prosperity' and perhaps giving consumers too much of the same.

In the meantime,  cinemas can thrive on the franchise model. Every cinema should take advantage of the huge (and free) amount of promotional give-aways and swag these films come with. A 'freebie' goes a long way in cementing the relationship between a cinema and moviegoer.

Jim

Where Do Cinemas Go From Here?

It has been 6 years, almost to the day, when I prognosticated that movies would eventually be released day-and-date across all digital platforms.  My reasons for this rather (at the time) bold pronouncement was predicated on the premise that the large (and growing) internet-based companies, such as Google and Amazon would eventually need to expand their user base so as to monetize their business and thus their charged fees and advertisement solicitations.  Netflix, at that time, did not figure into the equation, as it offered only a movie-by-mail service.  But, by a complete re-invention of itself (through one of the greatest turnarounds in corporate history) became the predominate internet streamer of viewed entertainment - and the prime mover in global movie distribution.

With billions at their disposal, these internet giants can buy and produce original, high-end content and decide where and how it is viewed.  Ushering in the day when a movie's debut will be world-wide on all digital platforms.  Last week, in Cannes, Netflix's chief of content, Ted Sarandos, stated "The current practice of delaying the release of films on home entertainment platforms until several weeks or months after they have appeared in cinemas, termed 'the theatrical window', will no longer be the norm.  Movies will be more profitable when they debut online and simultaneous with their conventional cinema releases."

How about some 'homemade' popcorn

Problem is: these web-based entities have the means but not the physical distribution outlets that bring movies to 'life' - cinemas.  Now, Netflix could easily purchase even the largest cinema circuit but what does that give them?  It would be contrary to their entire corporate strategy and reason for being - fee-based global content streaming.  Cinemas go against everything these entities strive not to be. Cinemas aren't efficient, virtual. or very profitable (at least not in Netflix's world).  So, their alternative is to produce high-quality movie content to distribute on their platform.

To that end, Netflix announced their first original film production, a sequel to the Oscar-winning 'Crouching Tiger - Hidden Dragon' in partners, with our old friends at the Weinstein Company. Another movie, 'The Ridiculous Six', a western spoof starring Adam Sandler will not be released in cinemas at all, and is the first of four stream-only movies scheduled with Sandler. (Note to cinema exhibitors: don't book any more Sandler movies).

Now, it's a no-brainer, and we find no fault with Netflix, Amazon, Google, or Apple, becoming major players in the entertainment content business (as this is a logical extension of their current business endeavors).  However, the cinema experience is what it is and it cannot be replicated via on-line devices. The logical conclusion will be the eventual elimination of the 'theatrical window'.  That said, the biggest grossing films are the high-impact, action-based films which really can only be savored at a cinema with big sound, large screen, and communal viewing which can not be replicated by streaming to home entertainment systems or iPads.

Immersive is just that, and you can only get really immersive at a cinema.  Stand-fast cinemas, you're going to be around until something much better than streaming a movie to a TV comes around.

Just saying,
Jim Lavorato

I would love to have your comments on this subject so don't hesitate to have your say.

CINEMA BUZZ by Seymore Flix - 6/6/2015

In This Buzz Edition

- Banksy, Greatest Street Artist Ever
- Mockingjay Two : Fans Hunger For It
- Actor Has Second Career Making 'Retreads'



Banksy - Say What?

You say you don't know who Banksy is. Well

A Banksy in NYC Subway

neither does the rest of the world. We don't know his/her real name nor how old he/she is, but whoever it maybe, Banksy is one of today's greatest modern artists, whose works fetch over $500,000.

We know Banksy was born in London and people started seeing Banksy's 'street art' on building in and around England which then spread to other European and U.S. cities.

An HBO documentary entitled, 'Banksy Does New York', is in release and chronicles the story of Banksy's quest of producing 31 original works of art (paintings and sculptors) one each day for a full month in NYC - each day giving clues on a website and an Instagram account as to where the next work would show up. Like a huge scavenger-hunt people scrambled to be the first to find the new works and post evidence of their discovery. Politically or culturally inspired, Banksy's works have a message and in many cases very profound ones.

Walkers-by place their head on the hydrant

It is thought that Banksy is a man and his works have become so popular that in several cases, people have taken the entire wall where Banksy has painted - it's that valuable.

If you get a chance to view 'Banksy Does New York' do so - it tells us more about ourselves than it does Banksy.




Hunger Games' Last Installment's First Look

Photo released on Facebook by Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence, the star of the 'Hunger Games' movie franchise, posted a peek of the final installment of the four episode saga on her Facebook page this past Thursday.  This posting was most likely not 'off the cuff' but planned as part of the film's promotion.

The photo that was posted shows Lawrence in character with her signature bow with co-star Liam Hensworth and other rebels. Lawrence posted the picture with the caption "6.9.15" - the date when Mockingjay Two's trailer is scheduled for release - the movie's release isn't until November.  This Facebook 'tease' came just two days after the release of  the film's official poster - which pictures a smashed statue of bad-guy and Capitol leader, President Snow.

There is certainly no teasing regarding the franchise box office which now stands at over $2 billion globally.  The final installment, if it lives up to its press, should gross another $500 million.

Harrison Ford Is Having 'Retread' Career

Ford as Solo in new 'Star Wars'

'The Fugitive' sequel is in the works - based on the great success of the original film (1993) and the TV series of the '60s.  The film, which starred Ford and Tommy Lee Jones (who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in the film) earned $390 million and its sequel goes into production early next year.

Ford, who is 72, has made a second career by re-acting his past iconic roles.  He will be playing Han Solo in the upcoming 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'.  He is also starring in the reboot of 'Blade Runner' where he is brought back as Rick Deckard.  Additionally, it has been rumored that a new Indiana Jones may get another installment.

Ford is still recovering from a plane crash of last March in which a vintage plane he was flying malfunctioned.  We wish Harrison the best. He has given us many hours of great and exciting entertainment.

Seymore

'Tomorrowland's' Box Office - A World Beyond

Speaking of the loss of star-power - one only has to look at 'Tomorrowland' - George Clooney just couldn't get 'tomorrow' into today's box office.  At a cost of $180+ million, Disney has laid another very big egg.  Projections are that the film's domestic take will end up in the $80-100 million range.

'Tomorrowland' is a child-friendly romp and an original film (not based upon a book, comic, or other source).  The movie did not deliver in terms of mind-blowing special effects - the effects were good but not great and word spread fast.  The marketing of the movie was better than the final (advertised) product.

For Clooney, he should take solace in the fact that no actor has star-power any longer.  No current actor can draw large attendance numbers unless they are supported by a great film. Its been proven time and again that the big box office bruisers don't need a big-name actor to get in the mega-grosses. Even the Disney name, as family-friendly as it is, cannot guarantee audiences.

'Tomorrowland' is what it is - a 'B' movie whose shortcomings quickly became apparent to moviegoers. Many reviewers are blaming the fact the the movie was an original film, in my mind that really doesn't matter.There have been plenty of films that started out as originals and then became huge successes - Fast & Furious comes to mind.

High-impact, action films w/good actors and special effects = good box office. A mediocre film with big-named star and studio cache = bad box office.  Maybe Disney can recoup some of the loss through DVD and pay-per-view sales. Best of luck.

Jim

DOJ Probes AMC and Regal For Misconduct in Movie Booking

It is common knowledge (to anyone in the industry) that the large cinema circuits have used 'clearances' for years.

Clearances are agreements that cinema chains strike with the studios in order to gain the exclusive right to play a given movie in a particular market.  Problem is, this practice is illegal and the Department of  Justice Antitrust Division has initiated a probe at the two largest cinema circuits - Regal Entertainment Group and AMC Entertainment Holdings - to see how this practice has stymied competition from competing theater operators.

AMC, in a statement, said the DOJ "wanted information into potentially anticompetitive  conduct which we do not believe we violated and are cooperating with the governmental authorities."

The DOJ's civil investigative demands, received by AMC and Regal on May 28th, "gave it subpoena power and request for documents and answers to certain questions regarding the practice of clearance". AMC and Regal also received additional civil investigative demands from the Office of the Attorney General of Ohio, which has similar inquiry under Ohio's antitrust laws.

Regal, in a statement, said that it had been asked by the DOJ to "preserve all documents and information since January 2011 relating to movie clearances or communications or cooperation" between the company and its chief rivals, AMC and Cinemark Holdings Inc. We do not believe that any investigation of movie clearances or any communications or cooperation involving the Company and AMC or Cinemark will produce evidence that the Company has engaged in any anticompetitive conduct in violation of Federal or State antitrust or competition laws.

Come on guys, the clearance issue has been around and practiced for years, and has been complained about for years by many independent cinema exhibitors.  The National Assoc. of Theater Owners (NATO) has also known about this for years - and did nothing about it. Not a peek.

It now appears that the practice has become so widespread that it finally couldn't be ignored by the DOJ and State regulators.  The increase in clearance requests by the large circuits has coincided with a rise in cinema construction, and sufferers of the practice say it allows the larger chains to wield significant market power and drive new and existing smaller competitors out of business. AMC, Regal, and Cinemark have commented that clearances are part of a long-standing and established industry practice that only affects a small number of their locations.

Well, just because something is done doesn't mean it's right or, for that matter, legal.  As I said, clearance has been going on for years and everyone in the industry knew it was happening and knew it was wrong.  Clearances should not be granted and the practice needs to be stopped - a large civil judgment against the large circuits may be what will end it.

Jim

The Ultimate Fan

A few weeks ago a post on the greatest movie fans detailed how the 'Stars Wars' juggernaut had the most dedicated fans; however, I may have spoken to soon.  It seems that a 'Star Trek' fan has taken the all-time greatest fan prize.

Liu Dejian, a Chinese web app developer and over-the-top Trekkie, has built his company's corporate headquarters in the shape of the SS Enterprise, Captain Kirk's space ship.  Now, this is what I call a fan!

At a cost of $160 million, Liu has actualized  his obsession with Star Trek and fulfilled the mantra of 'going where no man has gone before'.  Reports from within NetDragon Websoft, Liu's company, indicate that Liu went so far as to secure the copyright for the Enterprise, to make his dream headquarters 100% legal. No word on how much he paid for the copyright but it may have been a good bit over the $160 million construction cost for the building. The huge space-ship shaped corporate campus is quite functional and beautiful and may be as large, if not larger, than the fictional SS Enterprise.

NetDragon has had great success with mobile smartphone games and other apps in China, and Liu himself has branched out of the app game and into fields like bioengineering.  Liu had an early love for the 'Star Trek' TV show and the Trek-series of movies, and is wealthy enough to indulge his passion as a Trekkie. This is quite impressive, it's fantasy to reality in very big terms.

Best
Jim

It's Not All About Money - Or Is It.

I received a few comments from readers saying that I was cynical regarding the movie business being all about money.  That the art of movie-making is not all about profits and grosses but done for a great cause - an artistic endeavor.  Alright, have it your way.  But to bolster my case following are a few recent examples of Hollywood 'good deeds' :

- The American Federation of Musicians of the U.S. & Canada filed a law suit last week accusing the major film studios of "recycling old soundtracks in new movie releases".  The Federation claims that the studios, including Disney, Paramount, and Sony have violated the terms of their contract with song writers by using previously recorded film scores or parts of scores in later movie releases.

The law suit names a number of examples where this 'recycling of film scores' has occurred. For example, there was 1 minute/10 second clip of the 'Titanic' used in 'This Means War', a 33 second clip from 'Castaway' featured in 'Bridesmaids', a 35 second clip from 'Battle of the Planet of the Apes' used in 'Argo'.  These and many other examples were cited in the law suit.

The studios are in agreement that "all music soundtracks already recorded, will not be used at any time, for any purpose, except to accompany the picture for which the music soundtrack was originally prepared."

Well, how cheap and greedy are the studios.  They can't compensate the music writers for use of their songs or scores.  How much money does this save?   Hmmmm ........ but Hollywood's not about money.

- Gender inequality in movie actor pay - that is the current mantra of movie actors. Equal pay for equal performance.  It seems that the leaked emails for the Sony Studio hack indicated that the studios are not paying female stars the same amount as their male co-stars. This has now reached the stage where it begs the question: are these actions on the part of the studios illegal discrimination.

The stuff that leaked through the internet when Sony was hacked speaks for itself.  The emails between executives at Sony indicate that, for example, 'American Hustle' stars Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence were paid less than their male co-stars.

Again, it's all about the money. The solution for this is simple - for the studios. Just pay the male actors less!  Bring their pay down to the level of the female actors - problem solved.  So, instead of making $10 million for their role the male stars make $8 million. They are all over-compensated anyway.  Everyone knows that most films are not star-driven anyway. What?  There have been 5 or 6 Batmen, 3 or 4 Supermen, 3 or 4 Spidermen - you got my drift. It's been proven time and again that a movie doesn't need a star to make a big gross.  Ok, Ok. That's one solution. But honestly, it should be equal pay for equal work without exception.

What is a movie-star. anyway?  Defined as an actor who has become famous for their acting roles or is deemed marketable and whose name is used to promote a motion picture.  Really well known and recognized movie-stars become super-stars.  But are there really any super-stars now?  In the past there were people who sang, danced, acted, and played an instrument - all with great genius. These people were not just movie-stars they were entertainers - and you don't find them in today's Hollywood.

Best
Jim

Trouble in Paradise

It's only a rom-com but 'race-casting' has reared its ugly head once again.  This time it's in Hawaii, where an indigenous peoples support group is targeting the film 'Aloha' with race-casting by featuring - "to few Asian-Pacific Islanders and for insulting the Hawaiian culture."

The new film - to be released this week in the U.S. - has been accused of "white-washing".  The Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) released an angry statement against Sony Pictures and Cameron Crowe (the film's director) saying they failed to recognize the majority of Hawaii's population.

"Caucasians only make up 30% of the population but from watching this film you'd think they made up 99%," said MANAA. "This comes in a long line of films that use Hawaii for its exotic backdrop but goes out of its way to exclude the very people who live there.  It's an insult to the diverse culture and fabric of Hawaii."

'Aloha' stars Bradley Cooper, who falls in love with a female pilot while he is trying to reconnect with his ex-wife.  The female leads are played by Emma Stone and Rachel McAdams.

What can I say? Hollywood, I believe (as should everyone) is color and ethnic blind, except for the fifty shades of green - as in moola.  Like the constant belly-aching by African-American actors saying they deserve more and bigger roles, to all the other groups that say they are under-represented in movies - the only concerns of film producers is if the film is going to make a profit.

If putting Asian, African, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, or others into their movie would garner a larger box office gross - it would be done.  Movies are made with a certain demographic in mind, and that demographic is what that film is intended to 'play' to.  'Aloha' is a simple rom-com, chick-flix.  Its demographic is white females aged 18-38.

Nuff said,
Jim

Just Say - "Can"

The 2015 Cannes (say 'can') Film Festival (the tops in film fests) is over - and, as is always the case, there was controversy, arguing, and disappointment.

It seems to me that Cannes has become political vs. artistic. The Festival has morphed into a nature preserve, a sanctuary for endangered foreign and documentary films, rallying against the un-natural, polluting, and destructive ways of Hollywood.

The grand prize winner of this year's Palme d'Or was 'Dheepan'. A French made film, 'Dheepan', the work of Jacques Audiard, is about a Tamil Tiger, who escapes Sri Lanka with a bogus family (a woman and child he doesn't know) and goes to France where he gets caught-up in a drug turf-war.  A great film? A good film?  I hope to view it at an arthouse. I'll let you know what I think.

'Dheepan' would never have won an Oscar - but then again Cannes is not an awards show but a festival - a coming together of cinema makers to show their wares and craft-skills.  Cannes, in my opinion has gone to the dark-side.  It's less about the art of film-making and more about the message. Political messages and viewpoints are smeared all over the Festival - from the monotonous, blustering of the global warming threat to the Tamal Tigers (a defunct pro-self governing military organization which formed in Sri Lanka in1976 and was destroyed by the Sri Lankan military in 2009).

Cannes is still the preeminent annual affair for all the biggies in the global movie industry to be seen and heard.  Like most industries, the movie business in now global.  This globalization can be witnessed by the number of films screened at Cannes which were in English (the world's un-official universal language).  Of the 20 films in competition for top honors, only three were made by English speaking film-makers, yet 12 were in English.  So, even foreign films are being made and distributed in English.

I post about Cannes because it's all about excess. In dress, in food, in private jets and yachts, in the way the glitterati pontificate to the 'common and misinformed man', and in the way our hum-drum lives are, some how, made better by the existence of Cannes and its Festival.

Just saying,
Jim

CINEMA BUZZ by Seymore Flix

New York Times To Cut Number of Movie Reviews

The venerable New York Times says it lacks the staff  to review all of the films that are being released and that it will be independent and documentary films that will be taken off the review roster.

Capable of making or breaking a movie with one of its reviews, the Times' Chief Critic, AO Scott, stated that, "Because of the increasing volume of new films released each year, the Times in no longer able to guarantee reviews of all New York theatrical releases." He added, that new movies would now be chosen for review on a case-by-case basis, but promised that the Times would continue to review as many as possible.

The Times has (in the past) criticized the number of low-quality releases screened at cinemas, for even one or two runs, which would require a review from the famous newspaper.  Termed. 'vanity bookings', Scott says, "It's not hard to spot vanity bookings. There are clues. If there's a chance something will be worth our time and space, we want to review it." 

The concern is that a very good film may miss a review and lose out on an Oscar nomination.  The entry rules for Best Documentary Oscar is that the film must have been reviewed by either the NY Times or the LA Times.  "We didn't tell the documentary branch of the Academy to make us the standard and it's tricky because a lot of those are, in effect, good films", says Scott. "We have three staff critics and a good roster of freelancers, but it takes time and space and editorial labor and cost to review so many movies."

I agree that there are just too many movies being produced. Many are not worth big screen time and a great number do go straight to cable or VOD from one of the internet streamers.  As a cruise Netflix or Amazon for films to watch, I see a lot of so-so features and foreign movies - single-star stuff that has no business being shown at a movie theatre.

Do people still read newspaper film reviews?  Or even reviews by web based critics?  If the film is not a big budget blockbuster it's success is mostly word-of-mouth via tweets, texts, or verbal.  There seems to be a documentary on very possible subject, from kudzu to meerkats and each  year more and more would-be filmmakers enter the fray.  There is just too much mediocre product and the Times is right in not wanting to spend the time and money on reviewing them.

Porn in 3D - It's 'Love' in Cannes

Noe' (w/beard) and cast of 3D pron-film 'Love'

Defending his new movie, 'Love' which was screened at the Cannes Festival, film-maker Gaspar Noe' did admit it would "have been hard to make the film in America". There is "nothing nasty" about the film, Noe' stated, however there are explicit sex scenes that do jump out at the audience via the 3D effect.

'Love' tells the story of the melt-down of a relationship between an American ex-pat in Paris and his girlfriend which is perpetuated by the introduction of another female into their relationship.

'Love' will be distributed in the U.S. by Alchemy, an indie film distributor.  It is unlikely that any of the major cinema chains will screen the film. It will carry an 'unrated' rating and it would be a huge struggle to get it into cinemas.

The chances that 'Love' will be playing at your local cinema are very slim. Not only because of the explicit sexual content but that it will have to play in 3D and not many (if any) cinemas are willing to give up a 3D blockbuster for a sex film with a very limited audience.  I think the affair with 'Love' was over before it started.

'Unfriended'


The first social media horror film, 'Unfriended' is again in release. The film, produced by Blumhouse Productions (a Universal Studios subsidiary), cost about $1 million but last weekend ( in a re-release from 2014)  grossed $15.8 million in the U.S. and an additional $3 million overseas.  'Unfriended' has room to grow over the summer, so if you're an exhibitor and haven't booked it, try and do so.

Blumhouse, best known for its 'Paranormal' franchise has made mega-bucks on its ultra-low budget horror movies.  'Unfriended' takes place within web browsers and Skype cams of teenagers where internet searches reveal half the name of the next murder victim.

'Unfriended' is a winner, especially for drive-ins, but also for indoor cinemas which have a good teen demographic.

Best,
Seymore

The Old, The Familiar, The Comfortable - That's Today's Hollywood

Remakes, sequels, franchise films - that's what drives Hollywood these days.  The major studios pop-out these films on a regular basis and plan for more of the same - it's what moviegoers crave and are willing to part with their cash for.

Indies, foreign, documentaries, serious dramas, etc. are auditorium fodder for the multiplexes, in-between fillers as exhibitors wait for the next box office bruiser to be released - and it appears that this scenario is going to be in play for some time to come.  The six majors (Disney, Fox, Paramount, Sony, Universal, and Warners) will continue to focus on what they know works. The only concern is keeping up with the technology.  Technology has made movies more expensive to make as each time a new special effect, immersive sound, or visual enhancement is achieved and delivered it raises the entertainment expectations of moviegoers for more and better.

Generally, a major release ($100 million or more cost) needs to make 2.5-3 times its budget before it can be considered a success.  That's why the studios favor known box office winners with a ready-made audience.  Hence the remake or sequel -  give moviegoers the familiar, the old and successful, the comfortable - with characters and story-lines that they can relate to.  Books have become a huge source for movie content.  Marvel comic characters, for example, come with a large and supportive audience that already knows the background story and traits of their favorite heroes.  Fan boys and girls that range in age from 12 to 65 - the older generations were comic fans, the younger video game fans of the same characters.

It is now common for a remake or sequel to outperform the original movie.  This is particularly true of franchise films which build one-upon-the-other making the characters more and more familiar to the audience, and thus more and more believable.

The old, the familiar, the comfortable is what Hollywood banks on - and it's paying off.

Best
Jim

Barden Bellas 'Bitch-Slap' Mad Max

Boxoffice Battle of The Sexes

Women a Force in Films

In a boxoffice battle last week, the girls came out swinging and beat-down the gents in a no-holds barred bout.  'Pitch Perfect 2' - representing the growing power of the female moviegoer - grossed $70.3 million, while 'Mad Max: Fury Road' - the male-centric film - garnered only $44.4 million.

Women, one could argue, have been underrated as a bloc when it comes to moviegoing. but this notion is changing.  The audience for 'Pitch Perfect 2' was 75% women and outscored its older sister, 'Pitch Perfect' (released in 2012) which grossed a total boxoffice of $80.8 million over its entire run. Thing is, 'Pitch Perfect's' VOD and DVD sales were huge prompting Universal to move forward with the sequel.  The film also had a mega soundtrack hit with the Barden Bellas, the 'Pitch's' singing group.

Making matters worse for the guys is that 'Mad Max' cost $150 million, while 'Pitch Perfect 2' costs only $29 million to produce.  However, coming into the Memorial Day weekend the 'Max' should perform well, and we'll see if the girls can sustain their winning streak.

The performance of 'Pitch Perfect 2' coincided with remarks made by actress, Salma Hayek, at Cannes this week.  Saying that women have been ignored by the studios and industry in general. "The only kind of movie where women make more than men is the porno industry" cried Hayek.  "They don't see us as a powerful force."   Well, this may all be changing as women dominated films kill at the boxoffice.

Films by and about women are now having huge boxoffice success.  Hayek also remarked about missing out on roles because male stars get the right to veto female co-stars - but women don't get the same right.  Additionally, since the Sony Studio's computer hack of last year, we now know that women lead or co-lead actors don't get the same money as men.

The battle of the sexes in movies will continue and I'm betting my money on the fairer sex.

CINEMA BUZZ by Seymore Flix

'Tentpoles' - What Are They In The Movie Business

The word 'tentpole' is frequently used to describe movies that are box office blockbusters.  These are the franchise films that the studios are betting will hit it big. Currently, these are the high-impact, action or fantasy films that moviegoers crave and support.

Tentpoles are known quantities that the studios are banking on and have strategically positioned there release dates to garner the best possible grosses - so as to prop-up the year's releases that will be flops.

But where does the term 'tentpole' come from?  Well, it been around for decades.  In fact the term goes back to 1917 when a theatre critic, Alexander Woolcott, described the stage actor Harry Mestayer as a "tentpole".  Mr. Woolcott wrote, "Every now and then a visitor to a play sees an expert actor holding up a scene as a tentpole holds up an acre of bellying canvas"  That phrase has resonated for decades and somewhere along the line tagged it to movies that bolster (lift up) box office grosses.

The term was first used in reference to movies by then Paramount chairman, Frank Mancuso. "Tentpoles are movies that because of content, star value or story line have immediate want-to-see"., stated Mancuso. That phrase stuck and 'tentpoles' are what drives the movie industry today.

No Flats At The Cannes

Oui! Oui!

It's Cannes Film Festival week and as usual things got ugly.  This year it's all about footwear - or at least women's footwear.

Aucun! Aucun!

It seems there is an unwritten Cannes rule that says women MUST wear high-heeled shoes to all red carpet events.  Well, I, for one, was appalled when a number of women tried to circumvent the rules and were promptly turned away for wearing flats.  The gall of it all.  Anyway, so what if some of the women had medical or phyicial conditions which prohibited the wearing of high-heels.  Rules are rules!

The Cannes dress policy for red-carpet events states, "men must wear black tie with black shoes and women must be elegantly dressed with smart footwear".  I guess high-heels are smart and rhinestone loafers dumb - at least at Cannes.

Ah, the superfluousness of it all- the glitterati arguing over shoes - I love it!

World of Warcraft ...... Finally

Doomhammer -  so cute.

Nine years in development the first scenes of the movie based on the gigantically popular video game, 'World of Warcraft' has hit the web. Released by the film's director, Duncan Jones, the clip is a shot of orc chieftain - Orgrim Doomhammer (to know him is to love him). Doomhammer comes to life via the efforts of Industrial Light and Magic, which also did the Hulk in 'Avergers: Age of Ultron'. The creatures, in the film, are real characters yet are regenerated using digital filming techniques.
"We've gone beyond the point where these are just creatures in movies. We now have the technology and the ability to make new characters entirely", says Jones.

'World of Warcraft' is scheduled for release in June 2016 and will mimic the video game's on-going battle between humans and orcs in the fantasy world of Azeroth.


Seymore Flix

Bikes vs. Cars

I like documentaries. Even if I don't agree with the filmmaker's point-of-view or message I learn something about the subject or situation.

A recent docu from Fredick Gertten, a Swede, who has been making films for many years, caught my eye - entitled 'Bikes vs. Cars'.  The film is an expose' on the war between bikes and autos, which seems futile and very one-sided until you dig a little deeper.

Major cities across the globe are designed for cars and are more or less hostile to bike travel. Gertten knows this, so his film centers on the notion that, "Car dependency is a disease for society. If you're dependent on having a car everyday, you have lost your freedom.  Most people are unhappy in traffic. Yet, the people who bike, become city-lovers.  When you're in a car, you don't see the city, you are only watching the road.  On a bike, you can see the sky, you can see the trees."  That's all well and good Fredick, but people need cars to get to and from work, play, food, recreation, vacations, visits, etc.  So there has to be more to it than a love for cities.

However, Gertten does have a point. People, in many countries, have come to believe that auto traffic is a normal, natural thing - it isn't. And eventually we all will have to change our ways of 'getting around'.  Although the film is very much on the pro-side of biking, in the end you feel more sorrow for auto-commuters.  So miserable, so tired, so fed-up, in a futile and wasteful part of their lives.  In San Paulo, commuters spend, on average, three hours per day in traffic.  In LA, the roads at rush hour are so clogged that one fender-binder puts traffic at a full-stop (this a can personally attest to).

Docu-maker Fredrik Gertten

As the statistics on the number of cars in the major cities around the globe go ballistic, a picture starts to develop - where perhaps perpetual growth meets the limitations of space.  One always thinks that population growth, water shortages, etc. would be the big catalysts for pushing sustainability but transport may rise first.  The absurdity of trying to cram more and more cars into already clogged roads makes the case for sustainability without even trying to argue it.  Gertten is right when he states, "I don't even think it's about growth or not growth.  Growth needs to be sustainable to be counted as growth, this is just destroying things".

'Bikes vs. Cars' opened in early May to a limited release.  If you get a chance to view it do so - you may not agree with the message but the final outcome seems pretty certain.

Best
Jim

In-Cinema Advertising - The Answer To Many Marketers

Market Fragmentation Not An Issue For Cinemas

Everyone knows that in-cinema, pre-show advertising is very much worth the cost for advertisers. The greatest concern for any company advertising its products or services is market fragmentation - which has never been greater.  Getting to a target audience is primary and a huge challenge for most companies.  But cinemas offer up such an environment, if fact, cinemas are stand-outs as audience fragmentation gets worse.

The normal (and old) response to audience fragmentation by marketers is to use the shot-gun approach - offer the same ads to everyone. But this approach doesn't work well and cost a lot of money, in addition, it does not have an audience that is paying full attention to the ad.

Cinemas offer an audience that IS paying full attention - there are no distractions.  Cinemas offer an environment where other outlets (particularly online or mobile) face - an ever increasing number of ways for consumers to avoid watching ads.  Only 50% of viewers say they pay attention to ads on TV, and there are ways to 'not-view' ads - using DVRs, ad-skipping, ad-blocking and time shifting, and through the use of streaming services, like Netflix and Amazon.  This leaves companies wondering; Who is watching our ads, and more importantly, how do we get to the target market.

What advertisers want is to have viewers not only watch their ad but impact them to take action.  They want consumers to see and engage.  The only place this works well, give the fragmented marketplace we live in, is cinemas.

Every weekend audiences show up in the millions at their local cinemas - and those audiences are captive and impressionable.  Cinemas offer up the world's best programming in an immersive and distraction-free environment. Offering unique ad awareness, as 0% of a cinema's audience can skip ads, and the impact is 100%.

Taking this one-step further, cinemas ads can be pin-pointed to a particular viewing audience.  Different ads can be presented depending upon the movie being played. For example, an ad played for an audience that came to view a high-impact, action hero movie vs. ads presented for a rom-com.

All cinema operators should be running pre-feature ads and adding that revenue to their profits.

Jim

CORD CUTTING - Not A Big Savings

Value in the Bundle 

You hear a lot about people 'cutting-the-cord' or getting off of cable TV and going with internet or 'over-the-top' (OTT) content viewing. The biggest reason for 'cord-cutting' is cost. Many people believe that cable has gotten too expensive and many of the channels they are paying for they never watch.  But is this true?  If you look at the numbers you get a different picture.

what is referred to as

Despite the hype, OTT packages offer a very limited number of channels, and most don't have all of the sports - that many people young and old crave.  Even non-sports fans get short-changed as they have to subscribe to several OTT packages or services to satisfy their entertainment needs. Factor in the cost of basic broadband and the total cost of OTT  approaches a 'double' or 'triple' play from a cable provider. 'Double' play means having cable TV and internet connection. 'Triple' play means having cable TV, internet connection, and phone connection.

To me 'cord-cutting' sounds great in conversation but crumbles when faced with reality.  When taken individually, none of the OTT offerings provide everything viewers want, and cable providers will move toward a menu driven programming whereby subscribers can pick-and-choose the channels they want to see and only be charged for these.

What Are The Costs

A cable TV provider 'bundle' (TV, internet (broadband) service, and phone service) runs about $100 per month - give or take.  The cost of  OTT services varies greatly, but here is a current rundown:

- Amazon Prime - $99/year and free Amazon shipping. Offer some original series and library of old movies, music, etc.
- Apple TV- $30-40/month.  25 live channels including ABC, CBS, and Fox.
- Sling - $20/month. Live streaming channels, including ESPN, TNT, TBS. Other content and extra $5/month.
- HBO Now - $14.99/month. Movies and original series
- Hulu Plus- $7.99/month. Current and past TV shows from major broadcasters and cable networks.
- CBS All Access - $5.99/month. Live and on-demand programming from CBS network.
- Noggin- $5.99/month. Ad-free programming for kids.
- PlayStation Vue - $49.99/month. 50 networks including CBS, NBC, Fox, TNT, TBS, etc.
- Netflix - $7.99/month. Original programming plus library of movies, TV shows, etc.
- Xfinity - $49.99/month. Offers 140 channels including major networks, plus ESPN and others.

So, you still need an internet (broadband) connection to access any of the above. Average cost of broadband $50-60 per month. On all of the above a lot of the newer content, especially movies, are on a pay-per-view basis and most don't offer 'everything' that you want. The result is that most 'cord-cutters' wind-up subscribing to two OTT services and sometimes more!  So the 'bundle' being offered by the cable TV provider gets to look better and better in terms of value, accessibility, and content variety.

What is happening is that the folks are, by-and-large, sticking with their cable provider (which also provides broadband service) and subscribing to one or two of the OTT services - like Amazon or Netflix.

Best
Jim

It's All About Moms

It's Mother's Day and I want to congratulate all of the great Moms out there, each any very one.
However, it struck me that sometimes Moms aren't so great. And what about bad Moms in the cinema.

Let's start with the first Mom, Eve. Hmmmm not so great.  Ate the forbidden fruit and condemned us all to hell. Plus one of her sons killed the other. Not too nurturing, Eve.  But let's talk bad cinema Moms. Here are some of my favorites:

Ramsey in 'Throw Mama'

Throw Mama From The Train (1987) - starring Danny Devito, Billy Crystal, and Rob Reiner with Anne Ramsey playing Devito's cruel and domineering mother who he plots to kill.  This is a black comedy that is well worth the view, bad Ma aside.

Dunaway with wire hanger

Mommie Dearest (1981) Semi-bio memoir and expose' of actress Joan Crawford. Played by Faye Dunaway, the story goes that Crawford, the mother of four children (two of which were orphans), becomes abusive due to a series of career and romantic frustrations, coupled with alcoholism. "I told you never to use a wire hanger" Crawford screams at her daughter.

Ma Barker's Killer Brood (1960) depicts the life of Arizona Donnie Barker, better known as Ma Barker - the ring-leader of a notorious gang (which included her four sons).  The Barker gang robbed, kidnapped, and murdered throughout the mid-western U.S. in the early 1930s.  Ma was a great role model and taught her sons the tricks of the criminal trade. The real Ma Barker was killed in a shoot-out with FBI agents in 1935.  Although the movie was highly dramatized it nonetheless showed Ma in her glory days.

The Manchurian Candidate (1962). Eleanor Iselin (played to perfection by Angela Lansbury) takes pleasure in brainwashing her son into becoming an assassin in the hopes of using him to further her (and her new husband's) political fortunes.  The movie, which was controversial had its release postponed due to the Kennedy assassination.  The film also starred Frank Sinatra and Lawrence Harvey and ends well, as the son kills the not-so-good nurturing Mom.

Well, what can I say. Yes, there are bad Moms, just ask Oedipus.

Just saying,
Jim

Cinema Buzz

IN THIS POST:

- Another Actor Agrees With Me ...... They are finally getting it right!
- Deluxe and Technicolor Join Forces
- Eastwood Opens Up At CinemaCon


Downey Gets Down on Indie Films

Another actor has come forward in describing the movie industry and its fixation with indie films that are "exhausting to make and a lot of times suck."  That according to Robert Downey, Jr., one of Hollywood's highest paid and sought after actors.

On a promotional campaign for 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Downey got down in an interview and stated that independent film-makers are "inexperienced and lame for the most part".  As I've stated many times in this blog the big, blockbusters need to get their due.

When asked by an interviewer from Entertainment Weekly whether he ever felt like making a $500,000 budget indie movie, Downey's response was a flat, "No. Because they're exhausting and sometimes they suck and then you just go, "What was I thinking?"  The indie film makers are like, "Hey, man, we're just running a couple of days behind. Do you think you can stay through your birthday and then come back on the fourth of July? And, by the way, like the crew - can you pay for the craft services?"  Craft services are snacks provided on film sets between main meals.

Downey indicated that he has little patience with the snobbery of those in the indie industry.  Three cheers for Robert Downey. Finally actors are coming to the front and speaking out regarding the Hollywood hoi poloi and their films that make no money and have little entertainment value.


Deluxe and Technicolor Form Joint Venture

Together in a new venture, called, 'Deluxe Technicolor Digital Cinema', the new entity will specialize in cinema digital mastering, distribution, and key (movie codes) management.

The new venture will be managed by Deluxe and be based in Burbank, CA.  The company was conceived to streamline the D-Cinema distribution process and open the way to the next generation of immersive cinema entertainment without competing with each other. This will impact all movie exhibitors and hopefully make the distribution and running of movies easier and more efficient.

Both Technicolor, Inc. and Deluxe Entertainment Services Group have been in the movie industry from the beginning. Deluxe since 1915 and Technicolor since 1914.

Eastwood on Eastwood

At this year's CinemaCon, Clint Eastwood received the 'Legends of the Cinema Award'.  At 84, Eastwood is still going strong, having just seen his latest film, 'American Sniper' become a huge box office success.  On 'American Sniper' Eastwood said, "Everyone has opinions on it, but nobody's really thought about it from the point of view of the families of the people who volunteer for a belief that some of us think is a great idea and some of us don't thing is a great idea."

 As Man with No Name

Eastwood has had a long and very successful career - starting in TV, moving overseas to star in the famous spaghetti westerns, then into direction and production of a wide range of films including several that gave him Best Director Oscars - 'Unforgiven' (1992) and 'Million Dollar Baby' (2004), Regarding his career, Eastwood stated, "I ain't stopping when it comes to making movies, but I won't be doing any superhero movies."

Eastwood started his production company, Malpaso Productions in 1967.  He has starred in many of his films but there are many in which he did not appear, such as 'Mystic River'(2003), 'Letter from Iwo Jima' (2006), and the recent 'American Sniper' - most of which have won critical acclaim.

Clint deserves the 'Legends' award. We all owe him thanks for a great many hours of fine viewing entertainment.

Jim