[ad_1]
This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers visit http://www.djreprints.com.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/stock-market-movers-2b3602a5
[ad_1]
AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. has submitted a revised proposal for its stock-conversion plan, after a judge rejected a settlement Friday that would have given a green light to the deal.
In a letter to investors that was posted Sunday on Twitter, AMC Chief Executive Adam Aron said that a modified proposal was filed Saturday with the Delaware Chancery Court intended to address the court’s concerns. If the court agrees, Aron said he hopes to implement the plan “as soon as possible.”
Movie-theater chain AMC
AMC,
has wanted to turn its its so-called APE
APE,
— or AMC Preferred Equity — preferred units into common stock as part of its battle to eliminate debt. But Delaware Chancery Court Vice Chancellor Morgan Zurn on Friday rejected a settlement with opposing shareholders that would have allowed that conversion to move forward. That sent AMC shares rocketing more than 60% higher in after-hours trading Friday.
“AMC must be in a position to raise equity capital,” Aron stressed in his letter Sunday, saying that if the company is unable to do so, the risk of running out of cash in 2024 or 2025 rises.
“The risk of financial collapse is not whimsical,” Aron said, noting the bankruptcies of rival theater chain Cineworld/Regal and retailer Bey Bath & Beyond.
AMC shares are up 8% year to date, but have sunk 54% over the past 12 months.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
AMC Entertainment shares soared 70% after-hours Friday after a judge rejected a proposed court settlement that would have cleared the way for the movie-theater giant to complete a set of equity transactions enabling it to issue substantially more shares.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
Shares of AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. rocketed more than 60% higher on Friday after a judge in Delaware shot down a settlement that would have allowed the movie-theater chain to move ahead with a plan, maligned by some investors, to dump more shares onto the market, according to reports.
AMC
AMC,
has wanted to turn its its so-called APE — or AMC Preferred Equity — preferred units into common stock. But Delaware Chancery Court Vice Chancellor Morgan Zurn rejected an earlier settlement that would have allowed that conversion to move forward.
The theater chain has been looking to find ways to boost its share count and sell more shares — a tack that helped it through the COVID-19 pandemic — as it tries to shore up its finances and rein in its debt, the Wall Street Journal noted.
But not every investor was on board with the plan, amid worries about share dilution.
“At this juncture, the Court’s only task is to approve or reject the proposed
settlement,” wrote in the ruling, obtained by Bloomberg Law. “The focus of the settlement is on the claims presented in this case. The Court cannot address issues that do not pertain to the fairness of the settlement.”
“Such issues raised by AMC stockholders include theories about synthetic shares, Wall Street corruption, dark pool trading, insider trading and RICO violations, and a request for a share count,” the ruling continued. “The Court’s role is limited to considering settlement-specific issues, like the strength of the plaintiffs’ claims, the consideration the class would receive, and the scope of the release the class would give in exchange for that consideration.”
“To cut to the chase, the settlement cannot be approved as submitted,” the ruling added later.
AMC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
It’s a classic holiday film tale: small towns, snowflakes and star-crossed lovers.
But this year’s queue of beloved holiday movies may be considerably smaller due to the worldwide shut-down of productions caused by current Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes.
Glitch SPFX is an Ottawa-based special effects company responsible for simulating most of the artificial snow in holiday films produced in the province in the last five years — the majority of those films for American studios and networks.
Now, Glitch SPFX founder Ben Belanger said the company is completely out of work.
“It went from us working on literally three films at the same time in June … and then it was the writers’ strike that seemed like it was going to be nice and short.”
“But now with the actors’ strike jumping on top of that, it makes things a little more uncertain,” Belanger told Global News in an interview, referring to the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and Writers Guild of America (WGA) strikes.
Glitch has been in business for 10 years, but Belanger said the last five have been especially lucrative due to deals with American networks such as the Hallmark Channel, known for pumping out some of the most talked about holiday films each year.
Many of those films have been produced in Canada, with small-town locations in Ontario and British Columbia as well as the nation’s capital Ottawa flourishing with business the past few years.
But due to the strikes this year, the number of holiday films produced in Canada for Hallmark and similar networks will be greatly reduced, experts say — not because of the crews, but actors.
1Development Entertainment Services is an Ottawa-based production company with a focus on holiday, made-for-TV movies. Like Glitch, almost all of the studio’s projects are in collaboration with American unions and networks due to having a larger market and audience size.
Founder of 1Development, Shane Boucher, said it’s a big deal for networks to have at least one American star in a holiday film. That’s why many companies will likely choose to wait out the actors’ strike instead of working on new projects with an entirely Canadian cast.
“The SAG requirement is usually pretty high. There’s either a level of a Hallmark-known star … that’s going to help drive the viewership, or it’s just an American star that has a really high social media presence. Normally they’re higher than some of your top-level Canadians just because of the reach and the audience.”
Canadian studios will typically opt to hire domestic crews for tax credit purposes, which is more cost-effective.
Boucher said 1Development will not be one of the companies waiting out the strike and will work with networks to develop their own intellectual property (IP) in the meantime.
“We’re usually busy servicing production, so that’s kind of the silver lining. It gives us an opportunity,” he said.
Boucher said his goal has always been to grow the film industry in Ottawa since joining 20 years ago. Since work with American unions and networks is currently off the board, he’ll be focusing on smaller projects to fill the gaps.
“My job over the next few weeks to a month is to … work on getting some sort of projects so that we can keep everybody working … regardless of where it comes from.”
ACTRA Toronto executive director Alistair Hepburn said there is a small chance that some holiday film productions will be able to secure an American actor.
SAG-AFTRA is working on an agreement in which independent producers — those not affiliated with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) — will be able to engage the services of a SAG member through a waiver system for the duration of the strike.
“That may be something that we see maybe even more of because they will be filling that gap,” Hepburn said in an interview with Global News.
Hepburn noted that even if Canadian productions are able to hire SAG-AFTRA actors, those projects cannot be distributed by AMPTP companies, such as Netflix or Disney. Instead, independent producers can sell their project’s wares to unaffiliated networks like Hallmark.
“That is a very clear direction from SAG,” he said.
Belanger said that he’s fortunate to feel financially secure enough during Glitch’s uncertainty, but that he worries about many of his employees.
“I’m more worried about the guys whose pay cheques I sign. The guys that work for me are looking for whatever other income they can get right now.”
Belanger said that what his company is currently experiencing is similar to the strain felt in the industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which also saw an industry-wide shut-down. A number of Glitch employees left at the time to supplement their income elsewhere, and not all returned.
However, Belanger said many of his staff are enjoying having a break. Though the holidays are still some time away, the summer season is typically the busiest for filming.
“It’s a bit of an abnormality. They don’t seem to be too worried about it, but we also don’t know when we’re coming back,” he said.
SAG-AFTRA is entering its second week of striking. Hepburn said that he doesn’t know how long the strikes will go on and that doesn’t see a resolution coming soon.
“This is going to have an impact for months, absolutely months,” Hepburn said. “On not just performance, but the entire industry as a whole.”
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
[ad_2]
Naomi Barghiel
Source link
[ad_1]
On July 21st, Barbie and Oppenheimer are set to open in the biggest box office battle since 2008’s Mamma Mia and The Dark Night. And if those two films taught us anything, it’s that we can have it all: a gritty Christopher Nolan film and a fun, fresh, flirty, female-helmed, camp musical.
So why is the entire internet pitting these two films against each other? It just may be part of the marketing strategy.
Much has been said about the seemingly untrammeled Barbie budget — especially the collabs. From a Beis luggage collection with actress Shay Mitchell to a splashy array of makeup launches and even the Malibu Barbie Dream House AirBnb, Barbie’s marketing is downright delirious.
But we must remember, Barbie isn’t just a movie — it’s a decades-old brand that helped to forge the identities of generations of women. While the high-budget film has a hand in much of this marketing, the corporation behind the doll, Mattel, is also invested in the movie’s success — and Barbie’s comeback.
So Mattel is footing much of the bill. Making the Barbie movie pretty much a sponsored cinematic feature — like Timothee Chalamet x Scorcese’s Chanel short film (when, oh when will that short film come home from the war?).
@jaiyagill it’s Barbie Pink summer #barbiemovie #barbiegirl #pink #barbiepink #barbieairbnb #beis #airbnb #moontoothpaste #barbiehotel #greenscreen #progressivecommercial #ryangosling #gretagerwig #margotrobbie
Oppenheimer’s marketing, although intense, is mostly focused on the (Christopher) Nolan and the (Cillian) Murphy-ness of it all. But by all accounts — with an international press tour (now canceled due to the SAG-AFTRA strike) and giant billboards — it must have a giant budget. But nothing compares to Barbie’s boffo budget.
And it feels like every movie of the summer is competing for air while the whole planet is talking about the girl in pink. So, instead of trying to out-do the joint forces of BarbieMattel, other film marketing teams have embraced the theory: if you can’t beat them, join them.
The Barbification of Movie Marketing
Have you seen the photos of Tom Cruise posing with a Barbie ticket and poster? And then have you seen the response-pic of Margot Robbie holding a ticket for Mission Impossible?
Rather than trying to outdo the colossal pink winner on this year’s slate, other summer blockbusters are hopping on the Barbie marketing bus and hoping a titch of that infectious pink rubs off.
The prime example is Tom Cruise’s ticket post that influenced the Barbie cast to recreate it.
What This Means for the Future of Movie Marketing
One of the most commendable things about Barbie’s marketing is its consistency. The branding isn’t just pink — though there’s certainly enough of that. Everything’s a reference to historic Barbie toys — like the dream house and Margot Robbie’s thematic outfits on the press tour.
The press tour looks — before the SAG strike, of course — are ones for the books. Each of Robbie’s looks is custom designer pieces made to reference vintage Barbie outfits. Meanwhile, all other cast members served fashion to rival the Met Gala.
And like the Met, the press tour looks seem like costumes. The branding feels like an extension of the movie. Instead of actors leveraging their personal brands to promote the film, the worldwide press tour felt like an unending trailer. Just look at Ryan Gosling. He’s literally Ken. This is peak method acting. And it’s working on us.
And whenever the SAG strike ends (studio execs: I beg you to pay your actors so we can all go back to bingeing your content), I anticipate future press tours will take note from Barbie and make their press rollouts more gimmicky. The bigger, the better is now the name of the game.
But What About the Small Films?
But what about the movies that can’t afford it? What about those modest films that aren’t essentially product bankrolled and marketed by a global company like Mattel? What about the movies that aren’t able to exploit the personal capital of Margot Robbie, Christopher Nolan, or Tom Cruise?
We’ve already seen the deleterious effects of streamers on cinemas. When a property’s not a giant blockbuster, are cinemas willing to screen smaller or independent films with their tiny box office returns? And with the entire industry on strike and struggling to earn a living, will studios take risks on movies with unknown actors?
The magic of movies used to involve viewing something brand new and being wowed by an immersive experience. Now, the magic of movies feels like being swept up in a huge trend the entire world is talking about. Movies feel like a product of marketing and don’t feel separate from the narratives surrounding them. A prime example: Don’t Worry Darling was a bad movie, but successful nonetheless, frankly, because of the IRL drama surrounding it.
And yet, Barbie is on track for similar success. I won’t be surprised if that silly Wonka film gets the same treatment. And while I’ll be sitting in the theatres for all these films, let’s keep that same energy for movies that lack million-dollar marketing. Otherwise, god help us, movies will just merely be ads.
[ad_2]
LKC
Source link
[ad_1]
Remember the era of summer blockbusters? Every weekend of the summer, families, friend groups, budding romances, and solo cinema lovers alike would pack into their local theatres to watch the latest, hottest summer film.
For a while, there’d be one or two movies that would own the summer — plus a smattering of stragglers that would fight for the audience’s attention and to nab those coveted box office numbers.
Times were simpler when Will Smith was the reigning champion of the summer blockbuster. From 2002 to 2008, he held the record for the most consecutive $100 million-plus releases from Men in Black to Hancock. And every summer, there were lines and lines, and unavailable seats as crowds packed into those movie houses to watch the latest summer film.
When did that end? With the dawn of streaming? With the death of cinema? Or, maybe it didn’t end. Maybe, just maybe, cinema is making a slow crawl back.
After last year’s mega releases of Top Gun: Maverick andElvis, the momentum for moviegoing has returned. And, of course, the hottest movie ticket going is for Barbie in theatres July 21st. I wonder, will the tickets themselves be pink? One can only hope the marketing budget stretches that far.
But once the Barbie frenzy’s over, what else should you watch? With a reinvigorated passion for the in-theater experience, I think we all go to the movies more this summer. And bring back those summers of yore where the best place to be on the weekend was staring at a cinema screen, together.
Here are the movies to get out of your house and watch this summer:
Barbie – July 21
THEEE movie of the summer — or the year, decade, century? Barbie is the film on everyone’s lips. And you better get your tickets now — seats for opening night are already selling out. And the soundtrack is already the sound of the summer.
When Barbie has an existential crisis, everything in her world starts going wrong. Faced with her mortality, she goes to the real world to discover a realm beyond the pretty pink pastels she’s always known. Oh — and then there’s Ken.
Oppenheimer – July 21
Who knows what Oppenheimer is about, honestly? And it’s by Christopher Nolan, so chances are, you won’t understand it after watching it either. Just go see it. Right after Barbie, preferably.
Joy Ride – July 7
This girls-trip comedy is already getting rave reviews. Starring AAPI female comedians, it follows Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu as they go on a trip to China. Hilarity and chaos ensue.
Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One – July 12
Fresh off the heels of his Academy Award-nominated Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise is back with another Mission: Impossible film. While this probably won’t land an Oscar, it’s classic summer blockbuster fun.
Theater Camp – July 14
This one is for all the theater kids! Set in a theater camp where the counselors have more drama than the kids, this comedy stars Ben Platt, Molly Gordon, Noah Galvin, Ayo Edebiri, Jimmy Tatro, and Patti Harrison.
Meg 2: The Trench – August 4
Yes, they’re making another one. Yes, I will watch anything with Jason Statham in it. Yes, I will be in attendance on opening night. Yes.
[ad_2]
LKC
Source link
[ad_1]
The strain of Hollywood’s actors’ and writers’ strikes is being felt in productions all around the world, and film industry insiders say Canada is far from exempt.
Due to long-established industry ties to American unions and networks, most film and television productions in Canada have come to a screeching halt. Alistair Hepburn, executive director of ACTRA Toronto, says productions began slowing down in spring when rumours of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike began.
“Some shows that were scheduled to come (to Canada) never even started. With this now, adding our siblings at SAG-AFTRA to the picket lines, we will absolutely see an impact,” Hepburn said to Global News in an interview, referring to the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
“There won’t be new shows recorded over the summer in time for a fall premiere.”
Summer is typically the film industry’s most lucrative season across the board, he said, but this year will be “relatively slow.”
A lot of Canadian productions work with American studios and SAG-AFTRA actors, but just under half of the work done in provinces like Ontario is domestic, which includes shows like Murdoch Mysteries and Run the Burbs.
“It’s all of those shows that are filmed here using Canadian talent, Canadian writers, Canadian directors, Canadian crews to do the work. Those shows continue,” Hepburn explained.
SAG-AFTRA is also working on an agreement where independent Canadian producers – not affiliated with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) – will be able to engage the services of a SAG member through a waiver system for the duration of the strike.
Independent Canadian producers will have access to actors who are dual card holders as well, meaning they have both a SAG-AFTRA and ACTRA membership.
“We’ve been in constant contact with our colleagues at SAG-AFTRA and they are assuring us that they’re not looking to do harm to our industry,” Hepburn said.
Hepburn says he doesn’t know how long the strikes will go on and doesn’t see a resolution coming soon.
“This is going to have an impact for months, absolutely months on not just performance, but the entire industry as a whole.”
Hepburn emphasized that it’s not just performers that will be affected by the production drought. Directors, technicians, caterers and Mom-and-Pop hardware stores will feel the strain too.
“In Ontario, it’s 35,000 full-time equivalent jobs in the film industry. The trickle-down effect is real,” Hepburn said.
Shane Boucher, who is the founder of an Ottawa-based studio called 1Development Entertainment Services, says this is the first July in the industry where he hasn’t worked.
“It’s really an industry-wide shutdown. It’s a big deal,” Boucher said in an interview with Global News.
1Development is a service company, meaning they service other parent companies or networks. Almost all of the TV movies the company works with are American.
Boucher says business started as usual at the start of the year with approximately 16 productions lined up. When rumours of the WGA strike started, Boucher found himself scrambling to finish as many films as possible by June. Now, he doesn’t have any projects in production.
Many productions gained buzz when it was announced they were set to film in Canada this summer, including the first season of Cruel Intentions, filmed in Toronto.
Stefan Steen, a producer on the show by Amazon, says production has stopped until the strike ends.
“It’s completely devastating to the local film industry. Everyone currently filming U.S. productions has had to stop and all local crews are immediately out of work. Most get one week’s additional pay but that’s it,” Steen said in an email to Global News.
Creative B.C., a program in British Columbia that supports the provinces’ creative sector, said in a statement on their website that they are “watching the situation closely” and “respect the process and all parties.”
“In our role as the economic development organization for motion picture in B.C., together with our local industry partners, we are concerned for the workforce, companies, industry, and people,” the group said.
“The industry is evolving rapidly, business models have changed, and addressing these changes is part of a necessary industry business cycle.”
Hepburn says anyone who wants to support the strike can vote with their wallets.
“It’s time to cancel your streaming account. That’s ultimately what is going to force the hand here. It’s going to be about financial hardships on the AMPTP companies,” he said.
“There needs to be action taken by the public.”
Hepburn also says he hopes other countries will show solidarity in what performers are fighting for.
“SAG’s fight is everybody’s fight,” he said. “It’s a righteous fight on behalf of performers worldwide.”
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
[ad_2]
Naomi Barghiel
Source link
[ad_1]
Picture me with my stepmother in a college neighborhood in Seattle. We’re looking for something to do, preferably with air conditioning. We’ve sampled the artisanal ice cream shop on the main street (every college has one). But our rapidly melting cones’ reprieve from the heat was short-lived. We head to a small theatre. We decide that we’ll watch pretty much anything to escape Seattle’s unprecedented heat just for a couple of hours.
When we say “pretty much” anything, we mean anything but The Flash — which we will not be partaking in for obvious, Ezra Miller-related, reasons. And in that tiny, retro theatre, we only have one other choice: No Hard Feelings, the new movie starring Jennifer Lawrence and newcomer Andrew Barth Feldman.
NO HARD FEELINGS – Official Red Band Trailer (HD)www.youtube.com
It’s immediately clear to me that this is not a movie to watch with their stepmother. From the raunchy themes to the full-frontal nudity, the film is the definition of a late-night comedy. The premise is kind of: grooming?
Essentially, a pair of Hamptons helicopter parents hire a local girl (Jennifer Lawrence) to … turn their son into a man in exchange for . . . a car. Yes, this is precisely what it sounds like. What ensues is sometimes tough to watch. Lawrence plays Maddie (31) and Feldman’s Percy is only 19. And if this isn’t enough, she pursues and pressures him to “seal the deal” despite his constant insistence that he’s not ready. Yikes.
The only thing that saves this film is that, inevitably, they don’t go through with it. Conveniently, they both learn lessons, grow up, and get what they truly want. See? The movie seems to imply, all that discomfort and the murky dealings with consent turns out okay. Although this remains debatable, the most memorable scene in the movie is one of my favorite film scenes of the year.
The scene is part of the sequence that signals the turn from a raunchy comedy to a coming-of-age story. On the night the odd couple is supposed to finally go all the way, they . . . go to dinner — you know, because it’s a classy affair.
During dinner, Maddie asks Percy to play something on a vacant piano. After some convincing, he starts in on a Hall and Oates’ cover of “Maneater” — a song that references their first date.
@9or0studios Jennifer Lawrence is 🔥 #jenniferlawrence #andrewbarthfeldman #nohardfeelings #maneater
Clearly, the song has resonance in Percy’s life, and the camera keeps dramatically panning to Maddie’s tear-filled eyes to make sure we get the point. We get the point. Though the song and its symbolism hits us over the head, what’s surprising is how good Feldman is as Percy.
Feldman’s take on the song is artfully executed. True to his role, he’s tentative at the beginning, then earnest, then full-out confident. Triumphant. Musically, it’s an excellent arrangement. And Feldman? He’s got it. A voice like Ben Platt, sincerity without being saccharine, and genuine feelings.
This scene has been playing in my head all week. While problematic in premise, this film wasn’t horrid. I’ve already forgotten the trite antics — though they might have scarred my stepmother for life. (I did apologize profusely afterward for forcing her watch it. Shockingly, she insisted that she had a good time.) But despite it all, it’s this seemingly innocent scene that I keep returning to.
Whether it’s the movie magic of a musical number that always gets me — a la every fine 90s film — or the of Feldman’s surprising tenderness, this scene gave me chills. Perhaps it’s the scene’s contrast to the rest of the movie. Perhaps it’s because both Lawrence and Feldman are at their finest as actors, both vulnerable and no longer playing to the ridiculousness of the movie’s conceit.
Whatever it was, it’s worth watching No Hard Feelings just to see that scene. Or simply streaming the cover on Spotify:
Maneater (Live)
[ad_2]
LKC
Source link
[ad_1]
Will Ferrell and his wife Viveca Paulin’s three sons looked all grown up at the recent “Barbie” movie premiere in London.
The actor, who stars in the upcoming film, was photographed on the pink carpet on Wednesday with Paulin and their sons: Magnus, 19, Mattias, 16 and Axel, 13.
Ferrell fittingly donned a pink tie with his suit, and Paulin stunned in a navy blue dress. Mattias and Axel opted for blue suits, while Magnus rocked a maroon suit.
Ferrell has talked about his family life in the past.
During an appearance on “The Ellen Show” in 2020, he jokingly told guest host Jennifer Aniston that raising three boys was “like running a small correctional facility.”
“It’s a lot of chaos, and all parenting rules go completely out the window,” he said, explaining that he sometimes has a hard time sticking to conflict resolution strategies often promoted in parenting books.
“Within five minutes [you’re] like, ‘Get upstairs now and brush your teeth. Shut up. I don’t care. Why? Because I said so.’”
The actor plays the CEO of Mattel in “Barbie,” which is due out on July 21.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
Some of Canadians’ favourite Hollywood actors will officially be taking a break from the big screen to join the picket line.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) made the decision Thursday to join the Hollywood’s writers’ union in a strike. Observers say the actors’ union’s decision largely comes down to a demand for compensation from studios and streaming services that keeps up with inflation.
“The compensation issues include both upfront compensation, the session fees, the money they’re paid when they do the work, and also residuals or royalties that actors, and also writers and directors get paid when product is rerun or reused,” said Los Angeles entertainment lawyer Jonathan Handel in an interview with Global News.
When it comes to streaming, actors are concerned that being on a successful show on services like Netflix or Prime video won’t earn them a higher compensation than one that draws in less buzz.
“‘Wednesday’ doesn’t pay any higher residual than ‘Tuesday’ as it works,” Handel said, referencing the recent Netflix series produced and partially directed by Tim Burton.
American producer Tom Nunan told Global News that actors are increasingly being paid one lump-sum for their work on streaming services. Now, they want longer relationships with their content — similar to how they have been paid by non-streamers — and to see more transparency with the way that streaming services are measuring success.
Before streaming services, “actors would have a movie or TV show premiere and then get paid for that one thing and then it would be on cable systems or on demand… and they would continue to have what we call residual relationships with the content financially,” Nunan said.
“Now in the streaming era, you get paid once and that’s all you get paid.”
Attending a photo event on Wednesday, film star Matt Damon said that while everyone was hoping a strike could be averted, many actors need a fair contract to survive.
“We ought to protect the people who are kind of on the margins,” Damon told The Associated Press. “And 26,000 bucks a year is what you have to make to get your health insurance. And there are a lot of people whose residual payments are what carry them across that threshold… And that’s absolutely unacceptable. We can’t have that.”
Another key issue in the strike is the use of artificial intelligence — or AI. Computer generated imagery (CGI) is already widely used in the industry to simulate crowds or audiences, for example.
But as the digital age advances, studios have started to explore ways to convincingly replicate actors’ voices and faces. Early rumblings of ‘deepfakes’ already exist, where AI is used to make images of fake events or make appear that someone is saying something they didn’t.
Handel says that the industry generally holds two schools of thought on the matter. Some actors say they don’t have an issue with studios reproducing their likeness with AI, but they want to be compensated by studios. Others take issue with the use of AI entirely for authenticity purposes.
“It’s a compromise between both sides of the table… but I think the unions are most likely to take the first position: that as long as there’s compensation that would be satisfactory,” Handel said.
Nunan says he doesn’t think there is a large risk of Canadians’ favourite A-listers having their likeness replicated without their consent. Rather, lesser-known actors are more likely to have their features replicated without being aware because they don’t have the same protections through lawyers, agents and managers.
With actors and writers stepping away from U.S. productions, Handel says audiences may have to brace themselves for slightly different content for the time being. Reality television will be emphasized, he says, along with sports.
There’s also an opportunity for foreign content with actors and writers who are not part of the striking unions.
“Some companies, Netflix in particular, have proved very adept at creating content overseas and getting Americans to watch it. You know, “Squid Game,” for example. Netflix managed to do something that no one thought was possible, which is to get Americans to watch foreign content.”
Nunan, on the other hand, does not see foreign content now dominating screens, but it “could be promoted more heavily,” he says.
The actors’ guild released a statement early Thursday announcing that its deadline for negotiations to conclude had ended without a contract.
“The companies have refused to meaningfully engage on some topics and on others completely stonewalled us. Until they do negotiate in good faith, we cannot begin to reach a deal,” said Fran Drescher, the star of “The Nanny” who is now the actors’ guild president.
Members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike since early May, slowing the production of film and television series on both coasts and in production centres like Atlanta.
Handel said the dual actors’ and writers’ strike is a “win” for studios because “they’re not spending money on production.”
With files from the Associated Press and Global News’ Reggie Cecchini.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
[ad_2]
Naomi Barghiel
Source link
[ad_1]
You might know Harris Dickinson from last year’s eat-the-rich hit, Triangle of Sadness (2022), directed by Ruben Östlund. Or from his indie breakthrough Beach Rats (2017). Or even from his brief but exquisite role as Prince Phillip in the weirdly wonderful Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019) opposite Elle Fanning and Angelina Jolie (no, you didn’t hallucinate those movies. And, yes, they made two of them).
Dickinson has been a “rising star” for years now, but he’s finally gaining even more momentum and getting the recognition he deserves for his astonishing range. From experimental indies like Postcards from London to big-budget blockbusters like The King’s Man and The Darkest Minds, Dickinson can do it all.
His upcoming role is as Jason — a young, estranged father, trying to forge a relationship with his hyper-independent daughter Georgie (Lola Campbell) in Scrapper.
SCRAPPER Clip | TIFF Next Wave 2023www.youtube.com
Scrapper finds Georgie living alone in London, fending for herself after her mother dies. The only problem: she’s 12. Dodging social services with claims that she’s living with her nonexistent uncle, Georgie’s content fending for herself. She is the (Beanie Feldstein voice) titular role: a scrapper, squeaking by on stealing bike parts and getting into trouble.
When her dad (Dickinson) rolls into town searching for her, Georgie has to decide if she’ll let him into her life while he has to decide to grow up. The two spend the summer growing up together, trading their independent and carefree lives to become a family.
Winning the Grand Jury Prize for the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Charlotte Regan’s directorial debut feature already has critics buzzing and 94% on Rotten Tomatoes — fresh!
Scrapper is set to land in theatres on August 25th.
In this answer to peer Paul Mescal’s Aftersun, Dickinson’s role promises to be a similar heartwarming feat. Hollywood Reporter said Dickinson “brings soulfulness to his rapscallion hitherto-absentee dad Jason.” Campbell, too, has been praised for her comic timing and emotional deftness in her breakout role. Together, the pair anchor this comedy’s irresistible with a solid emotional core.
As for Dickinson, Scrapper is merely the latest on an upcoming roster of exciting projects. We’ll soon see him alongside Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White (aka my dream cast of heartthrobs) in A24’s The Iron Claw — a biopic about the Von Erich brothers, a dynasty of wrestlers in the 1960s.
While we wait for that thrilling experience, be sure to follow this charming pair traipsing around London in this offbeat summer comedy.
[ad_2]
LKC
Source link
[ad_1]
Tribeca Film Festival took place in New York City from June 7th to 18th. With celebratory ceremonies, fascinating film premieres, and even the announcement of the upcoming De Niro Con — it was a jampacked two weeks for filmmakers and film lovers alike.
All over the city, fans scrambled to access rush screenings, catch a glimpse of their favorite actors strutting along makeshift sidewalk red carpets, and spot said celebs at popular downtown eateries and bars. Honestly, this is what living in New York is generally like, with celebrity events and premieres happening every day. But for two weeks, the excitement was concentrated in Tribeca.
And there I was, in the thick of it. Between tearing from screening rooms to AMC theatres, it’s easy to get swept up in managing the logistics and stress. Darting from show to show and scouring unknown neighborhoods for lunch spots, life as a writer and reviewer at Tribeca is far from glamorous. But after viewing a heaping slate of Tribeca’s selection of films, I was able to parse out some common themes.
With thousands of films submitted each year, the films Tribeca Festival selects are always the cream of the crop. Tribeca 2023 highlighted 109 feature films helmed by 127 filmmakers spanning 36 countries. Within the lineup, 93 showings were world premieres, there was one international premiere, 8 North American premieres, one U.S. premiere, and 6 New York premieres.
The festival is also a competition, with filmmakers competing for recognition in the following categories:
There are special categories like Human/Nature and the Nora Ephron Award, plus categories for music, audio storytelling, games, and XR.
Major winners at Tribeca Film Festival 2023 include:
After enduring a barrage of press about sensationalized (but subpar) works at festivals like Cannes — I’m talking about The Idol, of course — witnessing the celebration of thoughtful, transformative pieces at Tribeca felt rare. And since art reflects our life and times, the themes of major Tribeca films offer us a glimpse into the zeitgeist.
It’s interesting to note that, despite films starring mega names like Jon Hamm, Tina Fey, and Nick Jonas, the work that received the highest honors were those with highly developed characters and stories.
When surveying the big winners, it appears that the jury was most compelled by stories that dealt with identity, belonging, and an immersive sense of place. A Strange Path was lauded for how it “radiated a magnetic realism,” which can be applied to many of the winners.
Smoking Tigers is intimate and immediate, painting a lush portrait of a singular experience that — due to the expert wielding of perspective — feels inviting to the viewer. This sense of “magnetic realism” emanates from the characters (for whom we feel so much empathy), as well as the place, which becomes as emotionally potent to us as it does for the characters.
Cypher manages to evoke that feeling while being an experimental, surrealist portrait that blends fact and fiction. It manages this ambitious feat by drawing on Tierra Whack’s own charisma as a character so the viewer is anchored to the fast-moving world we’re plunged into.
All these films demonstrate a viewer’s desire to connect with compelling places and characters — the fundamentals of film that can get lost amidst the grind of the Marvel machine and celeb-driven cash grabs.
Even amongst the festival-wide programming, connection was a theme that binds many of the films together. Particularly, reunion after being distanced, and reconnection after a death. Since the festival’s closing, I’ve been mulling over the vast number of films and the judges’ verdicts. And I’ve been thinking about the common themes raised by this year’s lineup.
What keeps coming back to me is the idea of healing. While there wasn’t a preponderance of “Covid” films, many had a post-Covid resonance.
Films about returning to your childhood home. About feeling isolated. About grief. About reconciling with family — anyone who lived at home or lost a loved one during the pandemic can relate. Indeed, sitting in Q&As with writers and directors after some screenings, fellow audience members shared stories about their own losses and their own homecomings. In the dark of those theaters, audiences made sense of our own lives from the perspectives of the characters on the screen — a testament to fine cinema.
And while a number of these films are imperfect, many of the characters predictable, and the narratives too linear, I think it indicates that we’ve reached the first wave (no pun intended) of Covid narratives. These stories aren’t directly about viruses or lockdowns. Instead, they’re about how living through two years defined by distance has shaped us, and is still shaping us, socially, psychologically, and emotionally.
[ad_2]
LKC
Source link
/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/VMGMXHTQJRPIFKRMCJ3YGDAKU4.jpg)
[ad_1]
[1/2]Actor Kevin Spacey walks outside the Southwark Crown Court on the day of his trial over charges related to allegations of sex offences, in London, Britain, June 30, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville
LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) – An alleged sex assault victim of Kevin Spacey said the “slippery” Hollywood actor had tried to “groom” him, and the repeated groping assaults had left him feeling physically sick, a London court heard on Monday.
Spacey, 63, is on trial at Southwark Crown Court accused of a dozen allegations of historic sex offences committed against four men, then aged in their 20s and 30s, which are said to have taken place between 2001 and 2013.
He has denied all the charges and his lawyer Patrick Gibbs said last week at the start of the trial the jury were going to hear some “damned lies”.
On Monday, the court was shown a recorded police interview with the first of the alleged victims. The man said the actor had assaulted him on up to 12 occasions over a period of about four years in the early 2000s, grabbing his “private areas” when they were alone, such as in a car or an elevator.
After two to three weeks of being with Spacey, the actor made him feel uncomfortable, rubbing the man’s legs and neck while he was driving, before later starting to grope him or force the man’s hand onto his genitalia, he said.
“He was almost, from the get go, grooming me,” the man said in the interview.
The alleged victim, who cannot be identified, said the “touchy feely” actor had on one occasion aggressively grabbed his crotch so hard when he was driving him to a party hosted by singer Elton John in about 2004 that he almost crashed the car.
Describing himself a “man’s man”, the accuser recounted that he had threatened to knock the actor out if he did it again, to which Spacey had replied “that’s such a turn on to me”.
He described the Oscar-winner as a “slippery snaky, difficult person”, a “mixed-up individual” who was very confused about his sexuality. The man said Spacey’s behaviour was an open secret at the London Old Vic theatre where he worked for more than a decade.
“It was well-known that he was obviously up to no good so to speak,” the man said.
Giving evidence in person in court from the behind a screen, the man said he felt shocked, embarrassment and ashamed about what had happened to him, saying the alleged assaults made him feel physically sick.
He rejected suggestions from Spacey’s lawyer Gibbs that he had been flirtatious himself with the actor, had appeared to enjoy the interaction and that he had questioned his own sexuality.
Gibbs quizzed him about why he had kept a “warm and jolly” letter Spacey had sent him ahead of a charity event the man was involved in, and a “cosy” photo he posted on social media showing him with the actor.
“It’s just a normal photo, two men standing next to each other,” the witness replied.
Gibbs also put it to him the allegation regarding the incident prior to the Elton John party was completely untrue, pointing out that Spacey had only attended one such gathering which was in 2001. The man replied he might have got the dates wrong as it had been so long ago.
Asked why he had only come forward to the police last year, he said it was the “right time”, and then when questioned whether it had occurred to him he might be able to sue Spacey, he agreed it had.
Asked how much he thought he might receive, he replied: “Whatever it would be, it wouldn’t be enough for somebody who had been assaulted and abused.”
The trial is due to last about four weeks.
Reporting by Michael Holden, Editing by William Maclean
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
[ad_2]
/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/KE6FLULGUVN3DBZQQHOATKHOAI.jpg)
[ad_1]
HANOI, July 3 (Reuters) – Vietnam has banned Warner Bros’ highly-anticipated film “Barbie” from domestic distribution over a scene featuring a map that shows China’s unilaterally claimed territory in the South China Sea, state media reported on Monday.
The U-shaped “nine-dash line” is used on Chinese maps to illustrate its claims over vast areas of the South China Sea, including swathes of what Vietnam considers its continental shelf, where it has awarded oil concessions.
“Barbie” is the latest movie to be banned in Vietnam for depicting China’s controversial nine-dash line, which was repudiated in an international arbitration ruling by a court in The Hague in 2016. China refuses to recognise the ruling.
In 2019 the Vietnamese government pulled DreamWorks’ animated film “Abominable” and last year it banned Sony’s action movie “Unchartered” for the same reason. Netflix also removed an Australian spy drama “Pine Gap” in 2021.
[1/2]Actor Margot Robbie is photographed during a photocall for the upcoming Warner Bros. film “Barbie” in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 25, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake
“Barbie”, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, was originally slated to open in Vietnam on July 21, the same date as in the United States, according to state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper.
“We do not grant license for the American movie ‘Barbie’ to release in Vietnam because it contains the offending image of the nine-dash line,” the paper reported, citing Vi Kien Thanh, head of the Department of Cinema, a government body in charge of licensing and censoring foreign films.
Warner Bros did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Vietnam and China have long had overlapping territorial claims to a potentially energy-rich stretch in the South China Sea. The Southeast Asian country has repeatedly accused Chinese vessels of violating its sovereignty.
Reporting by Phuong Nguyen; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
On August 4, Roadside Attractions will release Dreamin’ Wild, a new movie that tells the story of Donnie & Joe Emerson, who released the album Dreamin’ Wild to little fanfare 1979, but found acclaim in 2012 through a Light in the Attic reissue. The film stars Casey Affleck as Donnie Emerson and Walton Goggins as Joe, and Zooey Deschanel plays Donnie’s wife, Nancy. Watch the new trailer for the movie below (via People).
In the Dreamin’ Wild trailer, Donnie and Nancy are struggling to maintain a recording studio business. Out of the blue, the Emerson brothers learn that Light in the Attic wants to showcase Dreamin’ Wild, which leads to press and concert opportunities. Matt Sullivan—the Light in the Attic founder and co-owner played by Chris Messina—even reads part of Pitchfork’s review of the reissue (“during its finest moments—to twist a Brian Wilson phrase—[Dreamin’ Wild] is a godlike symphony to teenhood”).
[ad_2]
Matthew Strauss
Source link
[ad_1]
AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc.’s stock ended Wednesday’s session up 7.6% on the eve of a key hearing in the company’s push to convert its AMC Preferred Equity Units into common stock.
Shares of AMC
AMC,
had their largest single-day percentage gain since April 6, when they rose 21%. Earlier this week, the stock snapped its longest losing streak in 18 months. The APE
APE,
units ended Wednesday’s session down 3.4%.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
Spoiler alert: This review contains spoilers for the film The Lesson
A friend — another writer, because we masochists have to stick together — tells me she’s not worried about her novel. This is a different tune than she’d been singing all year as she works on this mammoth project that every writer dreads, yet flirts with: writing her first book.
What’s changed? I ask. Turns out — she tells me — all the writers she’s researched say the same thing: you’re doomed to write a bad book in your twenties, then either bury it and never look at it again or completely rewrite it years later. But the bad first novel is crucial. It means you’ve had the discipline face the screen for months, even years. It means you’ve written a book. But a bad first novel removes the agony of showing it to anyone.
Of course, there are exceptions. But for most writers, the first book won’t be a masterpiece. It’s a jumping-off point — a dock at the edge of a pond.
This is what Liam Sommers (played by Daryl McCormack, who received a BAFTA nomination for Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) learns in The Lesson. At one point Liam rips up his first novel and hurls it to the bottom of a pond — and that’s not even the film’s climax.
What is The Lesson about?
The Lesson follows Liam during a formative summer. He’s just graduated from Oxford University, he’s hired by his favorite writer — J.M. Sinclair (Richard E. Grant) — to tutor his son, Bertie (Stephen McMillan).
Liam gets a front-row seat to their family drama, learning what makes everyone tick, and what not to mention. He’s even invited into his hero’s inner literary sanctum. Of course, this is where it all begins to unravel.
THE LESSON | Official Trailer | Bleecker Streetwww.youtube.com
What happens in The Lesson?
Liam soon finds himself embroiled with each family member. He becomes Bertie’s confidant and Mr. Sinclair’s editor. And, later, Mrs. Sinclair (Julie Delpy) — known only to Liam as Hélène — becomes Liam’s lover. As he swept up in the middle of the Sinclairs’ lives, he finds a renewed passion for his own project: his own first novel that he had previously abandoned and, by the middle of the film, finally finishes.
The Lesson is a tale about writers writing, and the agony of it — not merely the act of scribbling on a page (Liam writes longhand, of course) but the tenuousness of your art being perceived — especially by those you idolize. Liam confronts these fears when he shares his novel with Sinclair. It’s then he discovers these fears of the nascent author are what killed Sinclair’s eldest son.
We learn, as Liam learns, that the eldest Sinclair boy, Felix, had also aspired to be a writer. And his father’s ceaseless criticisms were the likely cause of his suicide in the family’s pond. As the summer goes on, Liam fits into the family almost as if he’s their lost son — there’s a scene where Liam borrows some of Felix’s old clothes.
Playing this role of pseudo-son, the story takes on an Oedipal framework as Liam grows disillusioned by Sinclair, as a writer, a father, and as Hélène’s lover and partner.
Richard E Grant, Julie Delpy, Stephen McMillan, and Daryl McCormack in The Lessonvia Falco Ink
Is The Lesson good?
Like the Oedipal myth, much of this film relies on oft-used literary tropes to spring conflict upon the cast rather than building tension and character. Instead, much of the film is spent admiring the elegant manor and the beautiful countryside and yearning — just like Liam — to go for a swim in the old pond.
The final third features much of the conflict — and the majority of action — which makes the film feel unevenly paced. As a viewer, you wish there was less fluff and distraction. Considering Bertie’s lack of development — beyond the stereotypical sullen teenage — the relationship between Liam and Hélène feels especially trite. Viewers aren’t privilege Bertie’s own motives — the film only reveals Bertie as his father views him: a boy unable to get out from under his brother’s shadow.
Liam’s character is similarly hard to parse, as he’s caught between the role of participant and observer. As a novelist, you’d think the film would give him a wider perspective. We understand that he’s a Sinclair fanboy, he’s obsessed with rewatching Sinclair’s speeches in the opening scenes, and he even wrote his thesis on Sinclair. And we understand that he is a writer, talented, too. Other questions are raised but not answered: how did he actually become a tutor? What does he want from life?
The ending feels neat and wrapped up. But a more satisfying ending would be one in which we better understand our protagonist — did he achieve what he set out to do? Was it worth it? Or is he destined to repeat the sins of his pseudo-father?
With greater insight into Liam’s internal motivations, the film would overcome and surpass cliches. However, it’s the world-class performances by both McCormack and Grant that transcend these drawbacks and makes the battles of this pretentious pair captivating. All I wanted was more.
[ad_2]
LKC
Source link
/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/6ZYOK7GFPROKPIQ5DRMW2O637Q.jpg)
[ad_1]
June 22 (Reuters) – Movie director and submersible maker James Cameron said on Thursday he wishes he had sounded the alarm earlier about the submersible Titan that imploded on an expedition to the Titanic wreckage, saying he had found the hull design risky.
All five aboard the vessel were killed.
Cameron became a deep-sea explorer in the 1990s while researching and making his Oscar-winning blockbuster “Titanic,” and is part owner of Triton Submarines, which makes submersibles for research and tourism.
He is part of the small and close-knit submersible community, or Manned Underwater Vehicle (MUV) industry. When he heard, as many in the industry had shared, that OceanGate Inc was making a deep-sea submersible with a composite carbon fiber and titanium hull, Cameron said he was skeptical.
“I thought it was a horrible idea. I wish I’d spoken up, but I assumed somebody was smarter than me, you know, because I never experimented with that technology, but it just sounded bad on its face,” Cameron told Reuters in a Zoom interview.
The cause of the Titan’s implosion has not been determined, but Cameron presumes the critics were correct in warning that a carbon fiber and titanium hull would enable delamination and microscopic water ingress, leading to progressive failure over time.
Other experts in the industry and a whistle-blowing employee raised alarms in 2018, criticizing OceanGate for opting against seeking certification and operating as an experimental vessel. OceanGate has not addressed queries about its decision to forgo certification from industry third parties such as the American Bureau of Shipping or the European company DNV.
The U.S. Coast Guard said on Thursday the submersible appears to have imploded on its expedition to the wreckage of the Titanic on the bottom of the North Atlantic, but a conclusive investigation will take time.
[1/2]James Cameron attends the AFI (American Film Institute) Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S. January 13, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
A secret U.S. Navy acoustic detection system recorded “an anomaly consistent with an implosion or explosion in the general vicinity of where the Titan submersible was operating when communications were lost,” the Navy told the Wall Street Journal.
Cameron said his sources reported similar information and he knew the submersible was lost from the start of the four-day ordeal, suspecting it imploded at the time the Titan’s mother ship lost communications with and tracking of the submersible one hour and 45 minutes into the mission.
“We got confirmation within an hour that there had been a loud bang at the same time that the sub comms were lost. A loud bang on the hydrophone. Loss of transponder. Loss of comms. I knew what happened. The sub imploded,” Cameron said. He added that he told colleagues in an email on Monday, “We’ve lost some friends,” and, “It’s on the bottom in pieces right now.”
The five who died mark the first deep-sea fatalities for the industry, Cameron said.
The industry standard is to make pressure hulls out of contiguous materials such as steel, titanium, ceramic or acrylic, which are better for conducting tests, Cameron said.
“We celebrate innovation, right? But you shouldn’t be using an experimental vehicle for paying passengers that aren’t themselves deep ocean engineers,” Cameron said.
Cameron said both the Titanic and the Titan tragedies were preceded by unheeded warnings. In the Titanic’s case, the captain sped across the Atlantic on a moonless night despite being told about icebergs.
“Here were are again,” Cameron said. “And at the same place. Now there’s one wreck lying next to the other wreck for the same damn reason.”
Reporting by Rollo Ross and Daniel Trotta; Editing by Leslie Adler
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
The trailer for Carrie Fisher’s final movie role was released Friday, nearly seven years after the actor’s death.
“Wonderwell” is a coming-of-age fantasy film that follows a young girl named Violet (Kiera Milward) living in Italy. When Violet wanders into the forest one day and tumbles through a magic portal, she meets Hazel, played by Fisher. The mysterious Hazel is described by the movie’s Instagram as “an extravagant and powerful witch of the forest.”
In the trailer, it’s clear that Hazel’s reputation precedes her.
“Are you the witch?” Violet asks the Fisher’s flame-haired character.
“The witch, or a witch?” Hazel coyly replies.
The movie’s release took longer than expected due to Fisher’s 2016 death and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were challenged with COVID lockdowns and, of course, the passing of our wonderful Carrie Fisher,” director Vlad Marsavin said in a statement. “Now is the perfect time to share her magical on-screen moments as Hazel.”
The film, which also stars Rita Ora, is slated for a limited theatrical release on June 23 through AMC. It will also be released digitally.
[ad_2]
