Warner Bros announced all of its 2021 slate films will have premiere simultaneously on the big screen and small screen via HBO Max. The Hollywood business models are changing. What does this mean for cheaters? Stay tuned, we talk about this on the next Chat Cinema.
Senegalese-French filmmaker Maimouna Doucoure unwittingly stepped in the middle of the American Culture Wars. Her small film has gotten a lot of attention. “Cuties” is the story of a girl from a poor Paris neighbourhood trying to find her way in life.
According to some, it promotes Child Sexuality. On social media many are calling for canceling Netflix. The streaming giant acquired the production earlier this year. Senator Ted Cruz wants the company investigated calling the film “disgusting”. Why the Fuss? Has the film become the latest victim of “Outrage”?
I chatted with Chat Cinema Contributor Kristin about the controversy. Kristin thinks people should see the film before condemning it. “After the Berlinale screening we discussed “Cuties“, she says. The overall opinions, “We liked it”. “Admittedly, it is not a great film, but enjoyable”.
“Cuties” is available on Netflix.
Kristinloves going to the movies.
Along with the more high-profile feature films, we should not overlook the short film entries in Venice. I commend those that have been selected. The short film competition in Venice has programmed a total of twelve entries this year. The selection represents all regions of the world except South America.
Two further films selected are screening out of competition. One, an intriguing piece titled Si by Italian director Luca Ferri. Running at just under 20 minutes, it has a split screen effect; the left side for the visuals, the right for text. In his notes, the director talks of Si as the first of five planned films representing absence. Here, a man studies a series of encyclopedic images from the Prelinger Archives, illustrating the creation of the cosmos.
Humanity is conspicuously absent, represented only in its works and ruins. The man falls asleep and sinks into a nightmare of arctic hunters killing polar bears, while the compellingly melancholic soundtrack features two pieces of contemporary music by the composer Agazzi with the text linked to the director’s personal childhood memory of a suicide. Hope and redemption are also tellingly absent in this unique and pessimistic appraisal of the contemporary human condition.
The sole entry from the United Kingdom, a Scottish film called The Shift, directed by Laura Carreira. It is a candid snapshot of contemporary social dependency in an ever increasing insecure world of employment. A young woman called Anna takes her dog for a walk in the woods, then goes to the local supermarket. Waiting at the checkout, she gets a phone call telling her she has lost her shift as a temporary worker.
The director stated that he felt the need to represent this common but largely unaddressed social situation. The film conveys this poignant vulnerability as representation of an increasing amount of people. Shift, represents the temporary shift work and also the poignant shift in personal situation and security, as a powerless young woman sees her life change spontaneously and inexorably.
~ Steven Yates loves cinema. He is a frequent contributor to Black and Paper
Director Paul Verhoeven made a certain film that has outlived the most savage reviews. Why? A bad film we love.
Stay Tuned for the next Chat Cinema Podcast.
The first film based on the life of famed music artist David Bowie. Stardust tells the story of the 24 year old musician before his debut in the United States. Directed by Gabriel Range starring Johnny Flynn.
We decided to profile Mr. Reeves for the first performer profile. Why? We like his movies. After 35 years in the business, he continues to be relevant.
In these times when we are being asked to “Stay Inside” it is important to still have connect with colleagues. The Chat Cinema gang got together over Skype to have a conversation about films. Our stay home recommendations to watch until the crisis is over. Some surprises happened over the course of the 4 way digital meet up.
Bonus films we recommend.
Kristin-Breakfast at Tiffanys
Sofia-Working Girl
Steve-Crimes and Misdemeanors
Breck-Blazing Saddles
Please Stay In during this Crisis. The medical services have there hands full at this time. We wish everyone to be safe.
Chat Cinema returns with new episodes. We weigh in a number of current topics.
The battle over the state of modern cinema took a funny twist recently. Director Martin Scorsese weighed in by saying Marvel Cinematic Universe is not cinema. The backlash was swift. Do not attack a cultural movement. Martin, like so many others in Hollywood, has been left wondering what is his place in the new franchise driven film business. A critics darling, Scorsese has never been a box office magnet. His most successful films drew on the star power of Leonardo DiCaprio.
As his latest film, the acclaimed “The Irishman” premieres for Netflix, the helmer has taken aim at modern cinema. The free market economy does not count when it comes to buying tickets. “Marvel films are theme park attractions”, said Scorsese. Theaters should stop booking hem. According to this logic, as an exhibitor is better to choose “his idea of artistic integrity” over making a billion dollars.
Budgeted at $160 million “The Irishman” has a running time of 209 minutes. Translated; if this were a feature film, there could only be 2 theater screenings per day. It would need to earn $500 million to recoup production costs. Plus, an addition $50 million for marketing and prints costs. Martin Scorsese’s highest grossing film to date: 2006’s “The Departed” with Leonardo Di Caprio earned $291 million. No small wonder why the director had to turn to Netflix for financing his latest mobster film starring frequent creative partner Robert DiNiro. As the economics of the film business shift to even bigger tentpoles, Scorese’s view of cinema has been sidelined.
A filmmaker of the 70’s auteur movement, when studios gave directors autonomy over their work. Scorsese did not move into the blockbuster realm. Nor did he crash out like Coopola, DiPalma, or Bogdanavich. His was a world of dysfunctional characters on tee edge. Even his family friendly work, “Hugo” from 2011, a great look, but a times came across like a puzzle with missing middle pieces. Lacking an emotion. I felt no empathy for the characters. The film lost over $100 million at the box office.
Do not attack a movie genre for being successful. If the theater going public pays $20 per ticket, the film earns $2 billion at global cinemas. That is cinema.
Stay Tuned for more Chat Cinema Podcasts.
The Chat Cinema crew discuss Ben Fritz’s book “The Big Picture”. As Hollywood moves away from Star driven movies to franchise based media vehicles the impact is felt on all levels of tinseltown. One studio in particular got it wrong. Once the darling of “A list talent”, Sony finds itself struggling in the new era. What went wrong?
This podcast is sponsored by #Beyerdynamic.