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April 8, 2018

‘A Quiet Place’ Praised by Chris Pratt, Ryan Reynolds, and More: ‘John Krasinski and Emily Blunt Are My New Parents’

As evidenced by its $50 million opening weekend and 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes, “A Quiet Place” is the movie of the moment. John Krasinski’s near-silent thriller was hailed as “an extraordinary piece of work” by Stephen King earlier this week, and now Chris Pratt, Ryan Reynolds, and others are chiming in as well. Here’s what they have to say.

Instagram Photo

Source: IndieWire film

April 8, 2018

‘Empire Records’: Ethan Embry Reveals the Sad, Poignant Reason Why Rex Manning Day Is April 8

It’s April 8, which holds special significance for fans of “Empire Records”: Today is Rex Manning Day. That exciting anniversary, which comes shortly after the news that the 1995 cult classic is being revived as a Broadway musical, is being celebrated online with the usual barrage of gifs and memes; courtesy of one of the film’s stars, it’s also being marked with some sad, poignant trivia.

“The reason we picked April 8th as the day to have the powdered/coifed Rex Manning visit Empire is because Kurt was found on the 8th of April, the day the music of the 90s lost its mascot,” Ethan Embry tweeted. He’s referring to the fact that Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain was found dead on April 8, 1994, less than a year and a half before “Empire Records” was released.

Set in the eponymous record store (remember those?), the film was a critical and commercial failure upon release. Its reputation has grown over the years, largely thanks to children of the ’90s claiming it as a vital part of their youth.

“We musn’t dwell. No, not today. We can’t! Not on Rex Manning Day!” Embry’s character says at one point. Let us all take that lesson to heart on this most sacred of days.

Source: IndieWire film

April 8, 2018

‘You Were Never Really Here’ Opens Strong, Bringing More Good News to Specialty Box Office

Lynne Ramsay’s “You Were Never Really Here” continues the welcome trend of limited crossovers that includes “Isle of Dogs” and “The Death of Stalin.” This tough New York-set crime film is the best initial performer in the acclaimed Scottish director’s career, with a Joaquin Phoenix performance that’s viewed as some of his best work.

“Lean on Pete” from Andrew Haigh, another established British director working in an American setting, had a more modest but credible opening. The business needs a consistent supply of films like these, which can fill top specialized theaters.

Opening

You Were Never Really Here (Amazon) – Metacritic: 87; Festivals include: Cannes 2017, Sundance 2018

$129,911 in 3 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $43,304

Ramsay’s acclaimed drama stars Phoenix as a tortured soul rescuing young girls from sex slavery. Similar to her earlier “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” this is tough material, told in unflinching form centered on stark, gripping performances.

This opened better than “Kevin,” which opened in a single theater in 2011 to a little less than $30,000. “You Were Never Really Here” opened in three New York/Los Angeles theaters, with a star/director appearance in LA’s Cinerama Dome Friday, its best day. Beyond that, totals are impressive in for material that’s hard to market.

What comes next: Ten more cities in expansion next week, with a wider release the following week.

“Lean on Pete”

Lean on Pete (A24) – Metacritic: 78; Festivals include: Venice, Telluride, Toronto 2017

$50,118 in 4 theaters; PTA: $12,530

Haigh moves from his acclaimed gay romance “Weekend” and late-crisis marriage “45 Years” to an American setting with “Lean on Pete.” A working-class teen bonds with a quarter horse in Oregon, with an unconventional telling.

This is A24’s first platform release since their company-best result with “Lady Bird.” As usual, it played at top theaters in the first two cities, with an average result for their top releases.

What comes next:  Next week sees other top cities opening as the start of a gradual specialized expansion.

 

Where Is Kyra? Michelle Pfeiffer
“Where Is Kyra”

Where Is Kyra? (Great Point/Paladin) – Metacritic: 74; Festivals include: Sundance 2017

$7,000 in theaters; PTA: $7,000

A Sundance 2017 premiere, this intense drama stars Michelle Pfeiffer living out a grim life that gains some solace when she meets Kiefer Sutherland. It opened in a single Manhattan location to a modest initial result.

What comes next: 20 more theaters open this Friday.

Imelda Staunton in "Finding Your Feet"

“Finding Your Feet”

Roadside Attractions

Week Two

Finding Your Feet (Roadside Attractions)

$127,265 in 57 theaters (+43); PTA: $2,233; Cumulative: $229,947

The second weekend for this English comedy about middle-age couples is performing somewhat below the currently expanding “The Leisure Seeker.” It’s finding an interested older audience, with some potential to continue with word of mouth and further additional theaters.

Gemini (Neon)

$73,071 in 56 theaters (+52); PTA: $1,305; Cumulative: $120,624

This murder thriller, set in the LA movie world, got a major boost in its national exposure. Though most reviews have been favorable, negative ones in Washington and San Francisco might have hurt those areas.

“Outside In”

Outside In (The Orchard) – also streaming

$23,393 in 14 theaters (+5); PTA: $1,671; Cumulative: $47,203

Edie Falco stars as a high school teacher involved with a former student after his release from prison. Lynn Shelton’s film added more dates this week, along with streaming. It is getting strong reviews, which likely helps its at-home viewing more than theaters.

Love After Love (IFC) – also streaming on ITunes

$14,054 in 3 theaters (+2); PTA: $4,685; Cumulative: $31,417

Andie MacDowell and Chris Dowd  star in this drama about a family dealing with loss opened in Los Angeles after its initial New York start last week. It continues to get top theater and review attention, with mixed results that parallel its initial high-price ITunes availability.

“Isle of Dogs”

Ongoing/expanding (Grosses over $50,000)’

Isle of Dogs (Fox Searchlight) Week 3

$4,600,000 in 554 theaters (+389); Cumulative: $12,049,000

Wes Anderson’s animated film continues to succeed in expansion. Through three weekends, it is already at the $12 million. That’s where his earlier cartoon feature “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” was (in adjusted numbers) at the same point. What makes the current number impressive is at that point, “Fox” was playing in over 2,000 theaters on Thanksgiving weekend.

This will pass the earlier film’s adjusted $25 million for some margin. It lags beyond his breakout “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” but could near “Moonrise Kingdom.” This jumps to over 1,500 theaters next week, which will test its wider appeal.

The Death of Stalin (IFC) Week 5

$1,109,000 in 557 theaters (+73); Cumulative: $5,596,000

Armando Iannucci’s dark comedy about Kremlin intrigue continues to find appeal above all post-Oscar specialized releases other than “Isle of Dogs.” It is certain to end up as IFC’s second biggest release in the last 15 years (after “Boyhood”) as well as a standalone success in the tricky genre of political satire.

The Leisure Seeker

The Leisure Seeker

The Leisure Seeker (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 11

$577,912 in 353 theaters (+198); Cumulative: $1,820,000

A big jump in theaters kept the per-theater performance steady. That’s a positive sign for this mid-level success aimed at older audiences with its road trip story with retirees Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren.

Final Portrait (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 3

$59,600 in 21 theaters (+12); Cumulative: $145,756

Stanley Tucci’s film set in the art world with Geoffrey Rush and Armie Hammer is showing, at best, modest results as it continues to expand in large markets.

Foxtrot (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 6

$58,093 in 45 theaters (+10); Cumulative: $414,117

Similar to other Israeli films, this military-set drama continues to do minor business, though better than many other recent subtitled releases.

Itzhak (Greenwich) Week 5

$51,243 in 29 theaters; Cumulative: $234,487

This documentary on the iconic violinist continues to do niche business in select markets.

Also noted:

1945 (Menemsha) – $45,065 in 11 theaters; Cumulative: $496,892

A Fantastic Woman (Sony Pictures Classics) – $35,419 in 38 theaters; Cumulative: $1,885,000

Call Me  By Your Name (Sony Pictures Classics) – $28,650 in theaters; Cumulative: $18,037,000

Back to Burgundy (Music Box) – $24,864 in 14 theaters; Cumulative: $104,873

Journey’s End (Good Deed) – $23,000 in 28 theaters; Cumulative: $134,544

Flower (The Orchard) – $10,921 in 36 theaters; Cumulative: $321,195

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Source: IndieWire film

April 5, 2018

Tutorial: Save Time with Adobe Premiere Pro’s New Audio Ducking Tool

Instantly mix music to dialogue with auto ducking in Adobe Premiere Pro.A popular feature inside of Audition, Adobe has now introduced the Auto …
Source: CW’s Flipboard Feed

April 5, 2018

How to Easily Create a Photo Mosaic Overlay Using Lightroom and Photoshop

Photo mosaic overlays are a very cool effect that can be a great way to tie a set of images together around a main photo. Traditionally, they’re …
Source: CW’s Flipboard Feed

April 1, 2018

‘Ready Player One’ Is Spielberg’s Best Opener in a Decade, Even as the Box Office Falls Behind

“Ready Player One” scored at home and abroad with $181 million worldwide, creating his biggest success since “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” in 2008. Even so, the box-office slump of 2018 continues. The weekend dropped over 20 percent from the same date last year, bringing the year to over three percent lower through the first quarter of 2018.

Read More:  ‘Ready Player One’: Steven Spielberg Is the King of Blockbusters, and He Needs a Hit

“Ready Player One”

Jaap Buitendijk

Spielberg’s film is the second-best weekend opening of the year, and only the second over $40 million. By this time last year, eight films had better openings, with six of them higher than “Ready Player One.”

“Ready Player One”

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Picture

If “Ready” has a three-time multiple of its first four days, it would total $170 million. That would be a strong achievement, although his 18th-biggest film overall. The never-certain China dominated the $128 million showing in most of the world (Japan and Germany still to debut). The film’s game-world setting looks to have struck a chord there, with their version of Cinemascore responding well and a better second day than usual in the country. Worldwide through the first weekend is $181 million.

Unlike some recent expensive openers like “Pacific Rim Uprising” and “Tomb Raider,” domestic could end up in the 30-35 percent range. That’s a healthy result, since monster films like “Black Panther” that do half or more of their business in North Anerica are anomalies. Even better is that a film this expensive, detached from any franchise, found its footing.

“Acrimony”

Tyler Perry Studios

“Acrimony,” the other studio wide release, did a credible $17 million. The thriller starring Taraji P. Henson is the first Tyler Perry drama in five years. “Confessions of a Marriage Counselor” in 2013 also opened at Easter to an adjusted $25 million. To the film’s credit, it debuted much better than Sony’s “Proud Mary” last January, also with Henson.

Weakness among other recent openers allowed “Black Panther” to claim third place for its seventh weekend, crossing the $650 million mark. It appears to be heading to a $700 million domestic total, establishing it as the film to beat in 2018. Worldwide, it’s creeping toward $1.3 billion — more than double any other 2018 release.

“I Can Only Imagine” continues its sleeper success in fourth place. Still adding theaters, it fell 21 percent and reached $55 million, which is the best ever for distributor Roadside Attractions. It will be the biggest faith-based commercial film since “Heaven Is for Real” in 2014 (adjusted $100 million). It is also an anomaly, with Sony’s historical “Paul, Apostle of Christ” barely holding on to 10th place in its second week. Similarly, “God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness” debuted this weekend and flopped with $2.6 million.

At just over $9 million, “Pacific Rim: Uprising” dropped an awful 67 percent off its mediocre debut, falling to fifth place from its top spot last weekend. Sure, it’s done fine in China, but with the bulk of its gross already in at $231 million, this has a way to go before getting close to profit.

“Love, Simon”

20th Century Fox

The best other hold among longer-run titles came from “Love, Simon,” 20th Century Fox’s gay coming-of-age story; with a modest 37 percent fall, it reached $32 million. With a modest budget ($17 million) and likely considerable post-theatrical business, the gamble here seems to have paid off.

The Top Ten

1. Ready Player One (Warner Bros.) NEW – Cinemascore: A-; Metacritic: 64; Est. budget: $175 million

$41,210,000 in 4,234 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $9,733; Cumulative: $53,215,000

2. Acrimony (Lionsgate) NEW – Cinemascore: A-; Metacritic: 33; Est. budget: $20 million

$17,100,000 in 2,006 theaters; PTA: $8,524; Cumulative: $17,100,000

3. Black Panther (Disney) Week 7; Last weekend #2

$11,263,000 (-34%) in 2,988 theaters (-382); PTA: $3,769; Cumulative: $650,670,000

4. I Can Only Imagine (Roadside Attractions) Week 3; Last weekend #3

$10,751,000 (-21%) in 2,648 theaters ($+395); PTA: $4,060; Cumulative: $55,576,000

5. Pacific Rim Uprising (Universal) Week 2; Last weekend #1

$9,205,000 (-67%) in 3,708 theaters (no change); PTA: $2,482; Cumulative: $45,671,000

6. Sherlock Gnomes (Paramount) Week 2; Last weekend #4

$7,000,000 (-34%) in 3,662 theaters (no change); PTA: $1,912; Cumulative: $22,821,000

7. Love, Simon (20th Century Fox) Week 3; Last weekend #7

$4,800,000 (-37%) in 2,024 theaters (-410); PTA: $2,372; Cumulative: $32,141,000

8. Tomb Raider (Warner Bros.) Week 3; Last weekend #5

$4,700,000 (-54%) in 2,788 theaters (-1,066); PTA: $1,686,000; Cumulative: $50,502,000

9. A Wrinkle in Time (Disney) Week 4; Last weekend #6

$4,694,000 (-43%) in 2,367 theaters (-1,056); PTA: $1,983; Cumulative: $83,250,000

10. Paul, Apostle of Christ (Sony) Week 2; Last weekend #8

$3,500,000 (-32%) in 1,473 theaters (no change); PTA: $2,376; Cumulative: $11,531,000

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Source: IndieWire film

April 1, 2018

April Fools’ Day: Netflix, Redbox, and the Criterion Collection Joke About Seth Rogen and Jim Jarmusch

It’s April Fools’ Day, and you know what that means: The headlines today are slightly less troubling than they are the other 364 days of the year. In 2018, that includes Netflix acquiring Seth Rogen — which is to say, “full ownership of his personal autonomy” — Redbox announcing walk-up movie theaters, and the Criterion Collection re-releasing Jim Jarmusch’s “Stranger Than Paradise” the way he always meant for it to be seen: in glorious 3D.

Netflix Acquires Seth Rogen

“World-renowned Canadian person, prolific marijuana-doer, and winner of the 2015 MTV Movie Award for ‘Best Kiss’ Seth Q. Rogen has entered into a lifetime deal to transfer full ownership of his personal autonomy to Netflix, Inc.

“’I have known Seth for many years’ said senior Netflix Development Executive Jareth Chumley. ‘After a wrap party in late 2017, Seth approached me and said something like “Jesus Fucking Christ Jarbear, I would sell my soul for a fuckin enchilada right now.” And so basically that was how the idea was born. In the end we settled on a price a little higher than a standard Chili’s To-Go entree, but I’ll be damned, not by that much.’

“’As a general rule, I don’t really “read” anything before I sign it,’ replied Rogen when asked about the deal, spilling some beer on his own head as he does the finger-symbol equivalent of air quotes. ‘That’s what Danny is for, he handles that for me, mostly,’ gesturing toward an elderly man in a poncho sleeping on the couch behind him. ‘Hey Danny!’ he shouts, unable to wake his senior contract advisor. ‘I really hope he didn’t fuck this up. He’s the reason that ‘Zach and Miri Make a Porno exists.’”

Redbox Announces Walk-Up Movie Theaters

“Redbox, America’s new-release home entertainment authority, will be pranking customers on April Fool’s Day, Sunday, April 1, with the news of Redbox walk-up movie theatres now being available!”

Redbox April Fools

The Criterion Collection to Re-Release Jim Jarmusch’s “Stranger Than Paradise” in 3D

“The Criterion Collection is proud to announce that it will be releasing one of the landmarks of independent cinema, downtown icon Jim Jarmusch’s epic ode to everything ‘Stranger Than Paradise,’ in the form the filmmaker originally intended.

“While working on Criterion’s upcoming release of ‘Dead Man,’ Jarmusch revealed that his breakthrough film had originally been conceived as a 3D experience. ‘When we originally filmed the movie,’ he said, ‘we tried duct-taping two Bolex cameras together, but at the time we just weren’t able to combine the two images correctly for 3D . . . until now!’

“Criterion’s Jon Mulvaney says that by any measure this will be one of the company’s proudest achievements. ‘Here at Criterion, we’ve always been committed to presenting each film as its maker would want it seen, fully restored, in the correct aspect ratio, and so on, but this isn’t just a matter of a few dirt and scratch fixes or an alternate shot here and there. This is a chance to make a filmmaker’s dream come true.’

“When it was released in 1984, ‘Stranger Than Paradise’ set the standard for immersive indie experiences, but few knew that they had only seen half the film. The secondary camera reels, long thought lost, were discovered in Jarmusch’s basement in stunning mint condition. Scanned in 4K, the reels were composited using state-of-the-art 3D-Lineator® MARK IV™ software to create the ultra-real impression that Jarmusch always hoped for. You can practically smell the sidewalks of the East Village and the shores of Lake Erie! Look for ‘STP3D’ at select theaters later this year.”

Source: IndieWire film

April 1, 2018

Breakout ‘Isle of Dogs’ Dominates Feast or Famine Specialty Box Office

Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs” (Fox Searchlight) showed crossover strength as it widened on its second weekend to more major markets. And “Death of Stalin” (IFC) continues strong on the arthouse circuit.

Both added a much-needed boost to the anemic specialty market. Only three holdovers after their third week grossed over $50,000, including the final dates for Oscar-winner “The Shape of Water.” This marks the lowest numbers in years, and exposes the feast-or-famine nature of the current specialized box office.

The widest new opener, Roadside Attraction’s British senior romance “Finding Your Feet,” drew a mixed response in multiple initial cities.

Of the three new U.S. indies arriving with past festival branding, only Gemini (Neon) has a chance at real theatrical legs;  “Love After Love” (IFC) is already streaming, and “Outside In” (The Orchard) hits SVOD on April 3 before Netflix availability on June 1. The theatrical business is shifting: only a handful of top titles can make a strong impact, leaving home-viewing alternatives the logical choice for most films.

Celia Imrie and Imelda Staunton in “Finding Your Feet”

Courtesy of Roadside Attractions

Opening

Finding Your Feet (Roadside Attractions) – Metacritic: 54; Festivals include: Palm Springs 2018

$61,295 in 14 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $4,378

Aimed at older audiences currently attracted to “The Leisure Seeker,” this British comedy focuses an older woman (Imelda Staunton) thrown out of her comfort zone after discovering her husband in the middle of an affair. Her free-wheeling sister (Celia Imrie) tries to loosen her up at a dance class. With a familiar cast including Timothy Spall, Roadside released this in several markets (Florida cities, Phoenix and Los Angeles) to find a receptive older audience. Initial results were modest; it remains to be seen if word of mouth will kick in.

What comes next: This has a planned expansion to around 500 theaters by April 13.

Gemini (Neon) – Metacritic: 74; Festivals include: South by Southwest 2017

$34,184 in 4 theaters; PTA: $8,546

The Los Angeles show business murder mystery opens a year after its South by Southwest premiere in two cities to decent reviews and average business. Boosted by Zoe Kravitz and rising young actress Lola Kirke, and backed by Neon in its first release after their major success with “I, Tonya,” this will see a national break and a chance to reach younger audiences.

What comes next: This expands quickly to the rest of the 20 largest markets this week.

gemini

“Gemini”

Love After Love (IFC) – Metacritic: 84; Festivals include: Tribeca 2017, Palm Springs 2018; also streaming

$11,216 in 1 theater; PTA: $11,216

This feature debut starring Andie McDowell and her family dealing with the aftermath of her husband’s death opened at the IFC Center in New York to a very respectable initial reaction, given its concurrent day-and-date streaming availability.

What comes next: Los Angeles opens this Friday, with some other theaters also complementing the streaming ahead.

Outside In (The Orchard) – Metacritic: 76; Festivals include: Toronto 2017, South by Southwest 2018

$(est.) 10,000 in 7 theaters; PTA: $1,429

Lynn Shelton (“Landline”) returns to the Northwest with her first drama, about a man returning to society after an unfair prison sentence. He’s in love with the one time teacher (Edie Falco) who worked to get him out. Despite upbeat reviews, audiences showed little interest in its initial big city theater dates.

What comes next: Streaming starts on Tuesday.

The Gardener (Gravitas Ventures)

$6,500 in 1 theater; PTA: $6,500

This documentary about a brilliant horticultural achievement at a Quebec estate opened in one New York theater, with a majority of its gross on Friday.

What comes next: Niche non-fiction films about creative cultures can have some niche appeal, so this could find interest elsewhere.

The Great Silence (Film Movement) (reissue)

$7,639 in 1 theater; PTA: $7,639

Sergio Corbucci was a significant force in Italian Westerns in the late 1960s. One of the key efforts outside of the master Sergio Leone, this variation on “The Grapes of Wrath” set in 19th century Utah has farmers thrown off their land banding together to fight terrorizing bounty hunters. A cast including Jean-Louis Trintignant and Klaus Kinski and a classic Ennio Morricone score add to its iconic status. A prominent New York Times review and other press attention boosted its initial response.

What comes next: This will get showings at key other city theaters that focus on top revivals.

"Isle of Dogs"

“Isle of Dogs”

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Week Two

Isle of Dogs (Fox Searchlight)

$2,810,000 in 165 theaters (+138); PTA: $17,030; Cumulative: $5,917,000

Wes Anderson’s second animated film is the biggest specialized success of the year, performing at the level of a year-end Oscar contender. Three waves of expansion will take the movie nationwide on over 1,500 dates by April 13. It’s already notching top grosses at many high-end general audience theaters that are also playing “Ready Player One.” This ongoing interest should hold as it expands further. Anderson’s earlier animated “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” went wide its third weekend with (adjusted) $8.4 million in over 2,000 theaters on its way to $25 million. Searchlight is giving “Isle of Dogs” a somewhat slower roll out, but it should reach that high level for any films released in the first four months of the year in the specialized market.

The Final Portrait (Sony Pictures Classics)

$33,237 in 9 theaters (+6); PTA: $3,693; Cumulative: $70,867

Stanley Tucci’s latest directorial effort stars Geoffrey Rush as the Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti dealing with self-doubts late in his esteemed career. It continues in its second weekend to see minor response.

Ismael's Ghosts

“Ismael’s Ghosts”

Magnolia

Ismael’s Ghosts (Magnolia)

$(est.) 8,500 in 2 theaters (no change); PTA: $(est.) 4,250; Cumulative: $(est). 37,000

Arnaud Despleschin’s ensemble French drama continues at its two Manhattan locations. It fell a bit more than half from its decent initial numbers. Los Angeles adds on this Friday.

Back to Burgundy (Music Box)

$36,180 in theaters (+13); PTA: $2,010; Cumulative: $57,721

Veteran French director Cedric Klapisch’s latest (set in wine country amid family turmoil) expanded in its second week to large cities with modest results similar to most recent subtitled films.

Photo by Nicola Dove, courtesy of IFC Films

Ongoing/expanding (Grosses over $50,000)

The Death of Stalin (IFC) Week 4

$1,454,000 in 487 theaters (+386)); Cumulative: $3,918,000

Broadening quickly, Armando Iannucci’s comedy of Soviet insider intrigue continues its decent expansion. It has already outpaced his earlier “In the Loop” which in 2009 didn’t reach $3 million. It will shortly pass “45 Years” as IFC’s biggest performer since “Boyhood.”

The Leisure Seeker (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 9

$248,622 in 155 theaters (+38); Cumulative: $1,082,000

This Helen Mirren/Donald Sutherland senior road trip movie is chugging along at a steady if modest rate, now over $1 million.

The Shape of Water (Fox Searchlight) Week 18; also streaming

$(est.) 80,000 in 98 theaters (-149); Cumulative: $63,484,000

The near complete totals show the Best Picture winner will end up with an additional $6 million after its wins, with substantially more from [unreported] streaming revenues that started about the same time.

Zoey Deutch in Flower

“Flower”

Full Metal Mullet LLC

Also noted:

Flower (The Orchard) – $48,072 in 102theaters; Cumulative: $278,096

Foxtrot (Sony Pictures Classics) – $47,346 in 35 theaters; Cumulative: $342,004

A Fantastic Woman (Sony Pictures Classics) – $46,349 in theaters; Cumulative: $1,804,000

Journey’s End (Good Deed) – $46,200 in theaters; Cumulative: $85,100

Call Me By Your Name (Sony Pictures Classics) – $45,276 in 31 theaters; Cumulative: $: $17,974,000; also streaming

Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.

Source: IndieWire film

April 1, 2018

Eddie Redmayne Spoke at Stephen Hawking’s Funeral

Stephen Hawking was officially laid to rest yesterday. Among the hundreds of mourners who paid their respects in Cambridge, England was Eddie Redmayne, who won an Academy Award for portraying Hawking in the 2014 biopic “The Theory of Everything.” The actor gave a reading from Ecclesiastes 3.1-11 during the ceremony.

Here’s the passage he read from in its entirety:

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.”

Hawking died at age 76 on March 14. Redmayne released a statement at the time saying that “we have lost a truly beautiful mind, an astonishing scientist and the funniest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet. My love and thoughts are with his extraordinary family.”

Source: IndieWire film

April 1, 2018

Cuba Gooding Jr. Recalls His ’10 Years in the Wilderness’ — and Turning Down ‘Ray’ and ‘The Last King of Scotland’

Few actors have had a career trajectory quite like that of Cuba Gooding, Jr. Twenty years after winning an Oscar for his role in “Jerry Maguire,” the actor has mounted a comeback of sorts after what he describes as “10 years in the wilderness” marked by forgettable straight-to-DVD projects. Now he’s done a far-reaching interview with the Guardian to discuss how he always wanted to be an actor “who does all the parts” — and how that may have harmed his career as much as it helped it.

After admitting that he’s starred in “some real clunkers,” Gooding, Jr. is asked whether he made them for the money. “Not for me,” he says. “For me, it was always about protecting the sanctity of that golden statue… Because I felt I needed to show people that I can do more, I can do better.”

That mindset dates back to his breakthrough role: “I remember when I did ‘Boyz N the Hood,’ everybody was like, ‘Yeah, but can he do comedy?’ Then I won for ‘Jerry Maguire’ and they’re, ‘Yeah, but can he do drama?’”

The years between those two films, which were highlighted by performances in “Outbreak” and “A Few Good Men,” represented a shift for him: “Now [I’ve] moved away from the title ‘black actor’ and now I’m just an entertainer.” They also made him not want to repeat himself, which seems to be why he turned down “Ray,” “Hotel Rwanda,” and “The Last King of Scotland.” “I was offered Idi Amin in ‘The Last King of Scotland,’” he recalls. “And I said to myself, ‘I can’t do that. He’s a bad guy!’”

Gooding, Jr. has that on his mind when discussing the likes of Ryan Coogler and Barry Jenkins. “It will be interesting to see if they get put in the same box, like they did with the Singletons and Spike Lees, or if they’re accepted as just filmmakers who have their ways to tell a story.” Read his full interview here.

Source: IndieWire film