In this week's Shootout on AMC, Peter Bart and Peter Guber contend that films released between August 15 and September 15 are orphan films -- typically bad movies being dumped before the Oscar race movies are released starting in mid September. They label Invasion, The Last Legion, Stardust, and Daddy Day Camp as orphans. Now, they say, for the rest of the year we'll see more higher-profile and higher-quality films.
Hellboy and Hellboy 2 writer-director Guillermo del Toro never travels without his "bible," which serves not just as diary of ideas and concepts, but as a legacy for his daughters.
What's interesting about his career is that it's marked either by great success (Bonnie And Clyde) or extreme failure (Ishtar), making all his movies memorable.
Bad buzz can be diminished by good reviews. When, expectations are low, reviewers seem pleasantly surprised by the film and their positive responses could put fans' fears to rest.
Release date is key to a movie's success but I don't think that the lack of success is due to quality. 3:10 to Yuma is one of the best movies I've seen this year and it was probably only released in early September because that was the only time that Lionsgate felt it could get it out there without a lot of competition...and it's one of the bigger openings for the first weekend in September. I also think we're seeing a lot of quality movies in limited release. I don't think late August is a good time to release a movie and something like Resurrecting the Champ and Death at a Funeral should have been saved for September or October.
Talking about the lasting film actor, I love the examples you gave. The problem with many actors today is that the surface or looks seem to be more important than the talent. IE, Ashlee Simpson and her botox at 23. She can barely sing is basing her career on appearances.
Cary Grant had wrinkles, and he was always so dashing and admired. The stars prior to the 90's still emerged on talent. Pamela Anderson is probably responsible for starting the trend that has detroyed females as talent. Even Marilyn Monroe was beautiful and mesmirizing as an actress.
Seeing Dye, Dye my Darling, recently, reminded of how beautiful Taloola Bankhead was, Lucille Ball, and Debra Kerr. Their beauty was within as well as on the outside, and yes, they grew old gracefully.
Who do we have to admire other than Meryl Streep? We don't have any character actresses to look up to and admire.
The men are weak, and also not handsome without their lives showing on their faces. Age and grace is a wonderful thing that has been lost completely, and Hollywood needs to stop with the erased faces, and plastic surgery. People are more beautiful, and film more interesting with real features in expression, and human flaws and life in full view. Why is this epidemic not corrected or discussed more. Can you make this a topic in earnest. I will be happy to battle for the audience in general. Let's start to find stars with talent and beauty, and let them age like Jack and Dustin Hoffman, Clint, and Mickey Rooney.And of course others...people crave the fifties and Lucy and Ricky were loved withoout taking their clothes off and removing their wrinkles. They stopped the theatre in it's tracks and created dark Mondays with their talent and humor. Yes, we need many more funny movies with heart, not rude flatulant jokes. Lindsay
Is Ragtime, for example, being made into a film as Sweeney Todd is? What about Wicked? There is a wonder series of books to explore there.
The new production of Annie on the stage was so full of heart and love, and energy.
We need films like that to evoke emotions of love, compassion, hope, joy, and happy endings. Sorry I got off subject, but I did want to talk about this. The theatre is still evoking emotions, and film isn't.
It is like watching cartoons or news channels.
Also, real music must come back into film if there is any hope in the future. As you hear a film score, even like Slueth, you hear emotions in the music. Contemporary rap and music electonically in films fails to evoke an emotion. Look at earlier films, and even silent ones, where music became a part of the final project. Other than John Williams, we need musicians and composers to bring life back into film. Where has the orchestra or chamber group gone? That is a hugh component missing from all new film other than remakes or musicals. Record live musicians not electically altered messes like Britney. Sorry, I hope you discuss this, and say film for the future. The "TV like" track must end.PS- Still love Bonanza reruns-it also had a musical underscore...