2015 Grammys: Smith Wins Four, Beck Nabs Best Album Honors
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FEBRUARY 9, 2015 Page 1 of 11
Da
i ly
2015 Grammys: Smith Wins Four,
Beck Nabs Best Album Honors
Staff report
T
he music industry’s biggest
stars turned up at Sunday’s 57th
annual Grammy Awards at
Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Beck claimed both the album of
the year and best rock album honors
for Morning Phase. Meanwhile, Sam
Smith collected multiple Grammys,
including nods for record of the year,
song of the year, best new artist and
pop vocal album.
Eminem won the best rap album
smith: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images; beck: John Shearer/Invision/AP
Grammy for The Marshall Mathers LP 2,
while Beyonce and Jay Z took the honor
for best R&B performance for “Drunk
in Love.” Singer-songwriter Miranda
Lambert claimed the honor for best
country album with Platinum. Sam Smith (left) was tapped as best new artist, In the Lonely Hour earned him pop vocal album honors and “Stay With Me”
was named record and song of the year, while Beck’s Morning Phase was named album of the year and best rock album.
Click here to see a full list of Grammy
winners. Viewers of this year’s Grammy Awards shifts of this music industry promotional
As for the CBS broadcast itself, the would have been well advised to take a concert masquerading as an awards show?
following is The Hollywood Reporter critic mood-stabilizing drug before tuning in. At the telecast’s start, repeating host
Frank Scheck’s review: How else to navigate the endless tonal s ee page 2FEBRUARY 9, 2015 Page 2 of 11
2015 grammys
F ro m page 1 tion of Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, number she watched from the audience.
LL Cool J promised that we would see although they at least have been per- Sam Smith’s acceptance speeches, and
23 musical performances, which barely forming together for some time now. they were legion, that included admit-
left any time for, you know … awards. Singing “Cheek to Cheek,” they man- ting how his music didn’t come together
When someone did win, they were gen- aged to bridge their six-decade age span until he stopped trying to lose weight
erally played offstage within seconds. with finesse, although it’s difficult not and thanking the man who broke his
The performances themselves spanned to feel that she’s just playing dress-up. heart because he now had four Grammys
such a wide stylistic and Bizarre performances as a result. West jokingly
emotional range that the abounded, but not in rushing the stage after
ultimate effect was more a good way. Madonna Beck’s surprise best album
numbing than stimulating. performed her new single win. Bennett looking utterly
By the end of the seemingly “Living for Love” accom- bemused while watching
endless evening, it was as Lennox
panied by a seeming herd Madonna
AC/DC rocking through Swift
if you were walking away of half-naked Minotaurs “Highway to Hell.” Prince,
from a buffet feeling nause- in a stage tableau resem- with his now ubiquitous
atingly overstuffed. bling a Hieronymus Bosch walking stick, introducing
Continuing the show’s painting. Performing a the best album award by
propensity for unlikely striptease during the noting, “Albums still mat-
mashups of performers, West
number to demonstrate Pharrell
ter, like books and black Beyonce
we were treated to such that she’s still devotedly lives.” Jamie Foxx reprising
bizarre combinations as using her Thighmaster, his Ray Charles imperson-
Tom Jones and Jessie J, she was eventually raised ation while presenting an
singing “You’ve Lost That to the rafters as if ascend- award with Wonder.
Lovin’ Feeling,” with the ing to heaven. One of the more incon-
latter wearing a strange Sia replicated the gruous segments began Legend
sheer outfit that resulted in Stefani hallucinatory effect of her Prince with a PSA delivered by
Jones not having to bother “Chandelier” music video President Obama about violence against
undressing her with his eyes. Hozier sang including her dancing doppelganger and women. That was followed by that most
his hit “Take Me to Church” accompanied a cameo by actress Kristen Wiig, but she socially conscious of performers, Katy
by Annie Lennox, who for some reason might as well have been performing in Perry, singing “By the Grace of God”
then performed a solo on an imaginary another venue entirely. But the most truly while clad in an angelic white gown,
harmonica during her rendition of “I Put jaw-droppingly strange performance of which might have been easier to take
a Spell on You.” the evening came courtesy of Pharrell seriously if we hadn’t witnessed her per-
That legendary trio Peter, Paul and Williams, dressed in a bellboy outfit forming atop a giant robotic lion at the
Mary — I mean Kanye West, Paul seemingly borrowed from The Grand Super Bowl a week earlier.
McCartney and Rihanna — delivered Budapest Hotel, performing his smash hit The evening ended on serious notes.
their collaboration “FourFiveSeconds,” “Happy” with all the happiness drained Beyonce, as if making up for her contro-
with the former Beatle reduced to the out of it. Like Common and John Legend versially sexy turn in last year’s awards
role of backup singer/guitarist. Kanye would later in the night, his performance with “Drunk in Love,” went into full
seemed much more comfortable in his referenced the “hands up, don’t shoot” gospel mode with a powerful rendition
earlier solo number “Only One,” which gesture that originated with the protests of the hymn “Take My Hand, Precious
he performed not in the spotlight but in Ferguson, Mo. Pharrell was accom- Lord.” That was followed by Legend and
rather directly on top of one. The Voice panied by classical pianist Lang Lang, Common, warming up for the Oscars,
co-hosts Adam Levine and Gwen Stefani in an apparent attempt to duplicate the performing their song “Glory” from the
dueted on a rendition of “My Heart Is success of last year’s collaboration with Selma soundtrack and finally, as if to
Open” featuring a lavish string section. Metallica, and soundtrack composer Hans accentuate his dominance of the evening,
Usher sang Stevie Wonder’s “If It’s Magic” Zimmer, who wandered onstage playing Smith and Mary J. Blige reprising their
accompanied by a harpist, with Wonder guitar as if he was paying off a bet. duet on “Stay With Me.”
belatedly making an appearance only As is so often the case, it was the im-
to deliver a brief harmonica solo — on a promptu moments that were the most Click here for more coverage
real harmonica, at least. entertaining: Taylor Swift enthusiasti- of the 2015 Grammy Awards.
Then there was the peculiar combina- cally inventing new dance steps for everyFEBRUARY 9, 2015 Page 3 of 11
awards news
DGA Awards: Birdman’s Inarritu
Takes Home Top Film Honors
By Gregg Kilday And while American Sniper may not
Birdman ’s A leja ndro G. Ina r r it u have won, its director Clint Eastwood
took top film honors at the 67th annual was clearly the most popular man in
Directors Guild of America Awards, which the room judging by the applause that
were held Saturday at the Hyatt Regency greeted every mention of his name.
Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, Calif. Sniper star Bradley Cooper, who shut
His pal Alfronso Cuaron, last year’s win- down his Broadway show The Elephant
ner for Gravity, presented the award to Man for the night to make a quick trip to
Inarritu, who had flown into Los Angeles Los Angeles, related how, when shooting
to attend the event from Canada, where that movie’s rodeo sequence, Eastwood
“To make a good film we all know is war, and we have just
he is currently filming The Revenant. to survive it,” Birdman helmer Alejandro G. Inarritu said in himself got down on the ground in the dirt
In his acceptance, Inarritu suggested his acceptance speech. “If this is considered a great film, and directed the actor to jump over him
it doesn’t have anything to do with me. It’s a miracle.”
that making a movie is not as hard as it to capture one particular shot. Cooper
once was because of new technologies, Cholodenko for HBO’s Olive Kitteridge. offered an Eastwood impersonation that
but “to make a good film we all know is Transparent’s Jill Soloway took home got big laughs as he described how, once
war, and we have just to survive it. If this comedy series honors for her Amazon he got the take he wanted, Eastwood got
is considered a great film, it doesn’t have show, while Lesli Linka Glatter won in the up, dusted himself off, and said, “All right,
anything to do with me. It’s a miracle.” drama series category for Showtime’s that’s enough of that shit.” Eastwood,
Coming in the wake of previous wins Homeland, one of two episodes of the show observing that he’s been a member of
from the Producers Guild of America that were nominated in the category. the guild for 46 years, vowed, “I’ve had a
and the Screen Actors Guild, Birdman Soloway expressed pleasure in being wonderful life in this business — and I’m
continues to build momentum heading welcomed into the ranks of directors, not over with it yet.”
toward the Academy Awards. The DGA saying, “I just got into the DGA. I got Barbra Streisand made an appearance
Award is considered a particularly telling my card three weeks ago,” while Poitras to hand out the TV awards for variety/
signal, because the winner of the DGA commented, “This is an incredible honor talk/news/sports. The award for regularly
Award has gone on to earn the Oscar as to receive from my colleagues and fellow scheduled programming went to Dave
best director in all but seven years since filmmakers. This is an incredible time to Diomedi for the first episode of The
the DGA Award was created. Birdman be a documentary filmmaker. People are Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,
triumphed over American Sniper, Boy- doing work that is incredibly ground- while the prize for specials went to Glenn
hood, The Grand Budapest Hotel and The breaking and risk-taking.” Weiss for directing the 68th annual Tony
Imitation Game at the DGA Awards. During the course of the evening, each Awards. It was the sixth DGA Award that
At the beginning of the evening, Jane of the five nominated feature directors Weiss has won for directing the Tonys,
Lynch, who served as emcee, joked that was presented with medallions by their but he seemed most excited to be accept-
since DGA president Paris Barclay is a colleagues. Michael Mann introduced ing the award from Streisand, saying,
gay, black man and she’s a six-foot-tall Inarritu. Bill Murray, acknowledging “Am I not going to be the most popular
woman, “between the two of us, you’ve that he’s a member of Wes Anderson’s guy on Broadway?!”
got 85 percent of your diversity tonight.” acting company, spoke affectionately of Steven Spielberg also made a surprise
In fact, the winners proved to be un- the director of The Grand Budapest Hotel. appearance just before the final award of
usually diverse. In addition to the Mexico- Julie Delpy, who has collaborated with the night to announce that next year the
born Inarritu, women took four awards. Richard Linklater on the Before Sunrise DGA will institute a new honor recogniz-
Laura Poitras claimed the honor for series, introduced the Boyhood director. ing emerging talent that will be given to
outstanding directorial achievement in And, appearing on video from London, a director for a first film. “Our guild was
a documentary for Citizenfour, her por- where they were set to attend the BAFTA founded on the premise of providing sup-
trait of Edward Snowden and dissection ceremony, Benedict Cumberbatch and port for filmmakers in what can often be
Getty Images
of the surveillance state. The award for Keira Knightley sang the praises of The a complicated business,” he said. “This
television MOV/miniseries went to Lisa Imitation Game helmer Morten Tyldum. s ee page 4FEBRUARY 9, 2015 Page 4 of 11
award news
F ro m page 3 tor and best supporting actress honors, him to break barriers in music.
new honor is the culmination of some- while Eddie Redmayne landed the best “His heart is so beautiful and I think
thing our organization does very well actor prize — one of three wins for The that’s what it takes to understand
— honor creativity and foster support.” Theory of Everything — and Julianne melody the way he does,” said Simmons.
In addition to its awards for outstand- Moore scored best actress for Still Alice, “To cross genres, it doesn’t matter what
ing achievement in film and TV direction, which is still not out in U.K. cinemas. culture. It didn’t matter to Clive because
the DGA presented its inaugural Life- Having earned the most nominations he was a melody man. Giving him the
time Achievement Awards in TV Direction with 11, The Grand Budapest Hotel went award meant a lot to me personally.”
to James Burrows and Robert Butler. home with the evening’s highest tally of Simmons also admitted he’s addicted
Glen and Les Charles, whose shows five statuettes, including for original to Fox’s Empire, which follows the ups and
include Taxi and Cheers, paid tribute to screenplay. Neither Grand Budapest downs of music magnate
Burrows as “the foremost comedy director director Wes Anderson nor Boyhood’s Lucious Lyon (Terrence
in TV.” In accepting, Burrows first said, Richard Linklater were present, with Howard) and his family.
“This does not mean I’m retired,” adding Ethan Hawke and Stephen Fry slamming He applauded the increase
he was accepting on behalf of all his fel- the DGAs for keeping the latter stateside. of lead roles for African-
low sitcom directors in the guild “so we The night’s biggest surprise may have Anderson
Americans on television,
can make the term ‘traffic cop’ obsolete.” been the complete lack of awards for The but said that when powerful
Pierce Brosnan — whose big break Imitation Game despite a momentous push groups in Hollywood such as the Film
came when he was selected to star on for the film and the continued debate over Academy are not diverse, they may not
TV’s Remington Steele, one of the many its subject, late computer genius and understand the need to improve diversity.
shows Butler directed during a long WWII code-breaker Alan Turing. Many “The Academy shouldn’t be 95 percent
career which encompassed all genres might be thinking the film’s chances for white,” said Simmons. “There should be
but is especially notable for shows like success at the Oscars are also numbered. a shift in the infrastructure this time
Hill Street Blues — credited Butler for One Sunday win, however, that can’t be around as the shows are hot.”
giving him a career. But the veteran replicated in Hollywood later this month Filmmaker Spike Lee gave a well-
director took it all in stride, saying of the was for the The Lego Movie in the anima- received speech after receiving the
film clips that preceded his acceptance, tion category, something that helmer Phil Chairman’s Award. He said that the
“How about that commercial?” before Lord poked some fun at onstage, declar- recent Oscar snubs show that up-and-
concluding, “I somehow landed in the ing BAFTA his “favorite academy by far.” coming filmmakers should not always
most rewarding rat race of them all.” Click here to see a list of winners. look for validation.
The DGA also presented Special “It gets dangerous when you start
Service Awards to members Phillip Gold-
farb and Julie Gelfand, who received the Selma, Murder, black-ish allowing people to validate your work,”
said Lee. “It becomes dangerous when the
Frank Capra Achievement Award and
the Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement
Award, respectively.
top NAACP Image Awards
By Arlene Washington
outcome becomes not the art but to win
a Grammy, Oscar or a Tony whatever it is
and you pick the prize ahead of the art.”
Click here to see the complete list of Selma took home top film honors, Host Anthony Anderson was grateful
winners. while ABC’s Black-ish and How to Get to finally receive an Image Award for
Away With Murder won top TV awards at Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Boyhood, grand Budapest the 46th annual NAACP Image Awards.
“We did this movie because we
and Outstanding Comedy Series for his
role on Black-ish. After joking about how
win big at BAFTA Awards
By Alex Ritman and Georg Szalai
wanted to tell their story — our story,”
Selma producer Oprah Winfrey said
Friday in accepting the honor. She also
his nominations never turned into wins,
Anderson admitted there was no better
way for him to earn his awards than with
W h i l e l a st mon t h’s nom i nat ions presented the Entertainer of the Year his Black-ish cast.
provoked a large degree of shock at Mr. award to No Good Deed’s Taraji P. Henson. “I almost feel vindicated,” quipped
Turner’s omission for the top honors and From one music mogul to another, Anderson. “It took me 10 nominations
Selma’s complete absence, the BAFTA Russell Simmons presented Clive Davis over the course of 20 years. I’m happy
film awards on Sunday night mostly went with the Vanguard Award for his contri- and humbled by this, but I’m most
to pics that have earned praise through- butions to the music industry. Simmons excited and happy at the fact that we
out awards season. said backstage that Davis’ strong love for won this as a family.”
Boyhood took home best film, best direc- melody is blind to race, which has helped Click here to see a list of winners.FEBRUARY 9, 2015 Page 5 of 11
movie news
B.O. Report: SpongeBob Sequel
Squeezes Out $56 Million in Debut
By Pamela McClintock
Com i ng i n a h e a d of i n dust ry
projections, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge
Out of Water soaked up an estimated
$56 million from 3,641 theaters in its
domestic debut, giving new life to the
family franchise and wresting the top
spot from American Sniper.
The performance of the Paramount and
Nickelodeon Movies sequel, combined
with the blockbuster success of The Lego
Movie on the same weekend a year ago,
firmly establishes February as a home
for animated fare (Lego Movie debuted
to a whopping $69.1 million). And over-
seas, SpongeBob is doing five times more
business than the first film, grossing
$26.8 million to date from 25 territories
— including $11.1 million in Mexico — for
an early worldwide total of $82.8 million.
The news ranged from bad to terrible The performance of Paramount and Nickelodeon Movies’ The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, combined with the
wild success of The Lego Movie on the same weekend in 2014, firmly establishes February as a home for animated fare.
for big-budget sci-fi epics Jupiter Ascend-
ing and Seventh Son. The long-delayed (the latter cost a net $95 million). Japan and Australia.
Jupiter, starring Channing Tatum and Jupiter Ascending did win the overseas In North America, Sniper beat both
Mila Kunis, opened to $19 million from box-office race with an okay $32.5 million Jupiter and Seventh Son to come in No. 2
3,181 theaters despite costing $150 million from 65 countries, faring best in Eastern with $24.2 million from 3,885 theaters in
to make, while Seventh Son, starring Jeff Europe and Asia. Russia led with $4.7 mil- its fourth weekend in nationwide release.
Bridges and Julianne Moore, bombed lion, followed by France with $2.3 million. Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-nominated pic has
with $7.1 million from 2,875 locations The movie has yet to roll out in China, s ee page 6
FOR UP-TO-THE-MINUTE
INDUSTRY COVERAGE
go to
THR.COM/BUSINESSFEBRUARY 9, 2015 Page 6 of 11
movie news
F ro m page 5
now grossed $282.3 million domestically.
SpongeBob 2, which earned a B Cinema-
Weekend Box Office Top 10
Score, hits theaters more than a decade This 3-day Percent # of Per- Cume
Movie/Distributor gross theater
after The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie week (in mil)
change theaters average to date
opened to $32 million domestically on 1 SpongeBob Squarepants 2 (paramount) $56.0 — 3,641 $15,380 $56.0
its way to earning $130 million globally.
2 American Sniper (Warner bros.) 24.2 -21 3,885 6,220 282.3
The first film was directed by Stephen
Hillenburg, creator of the Nickelodeon 3 Jupiter Ascending (warner bros.) 19.0 — 3,181 5,973 19.0
television show. Series writer and execu- 4 Seventh Son (universal) 7.1 — 2,875 2,470 7.1
tive producer Paul Tibbitt directed the 5 Paddington (weinstein) 5.4 -35 2,888 1,858 57.3
latest effort, with regular castmembers
6 Project Almanac (paramount) 5.3 -36 2,900 1,838 15.8
Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger
Bumpass, Clancy Brown, Carolyn Law- 7 The Imitation Game (weinstein) 4.9 -3 1,963 2,487 74.7
rence and Mr. Lawrence reprising their 8 The Wedding Ringer (sony) 4.8 -16 2,138 2,245 55.1
roles. Antonio Banderas, who plays a 9 Black or White (relativity) 4.5 -27 1,823 2,479 13.1
villainous pirate, and Slash co-star.
10 The Boy Next Door (universal) 4.1 -33 2,193 1,870 30.9
“In the U.S., the movie definitely has
rentrak
multigenerational appeal. It did a lot of
business at night,” said Paramount vice Seventh Son, coming in No. 4, has already dict Cumberbatch, fell just 3 percent to
chairman Rob Moore. “And overseas, you earned $83.6 million overseas, includ- $4.9 million from 1,963 theaters for a
can see how much the brand has grown.” ing nearly $26 million in China, where North American cume of $74.7 million.
SpongeBob opened in a handful of Legendary East is releasing the movie
foreign markets last weekend, includ-
ing Mexico, where its cume compares to
and where the country’s state-owned
film company China Film Group made Rogen, Efron to reunite
$3.5 million all in for the original. And in
Brazil, the sequel has grossed $4.6 million.
“Hopefully, it won’t take 10 years to
an eight-figure investment in the film.
Still, that won’t be enough to stem an
overall financial loss.
for Neighbors sequel
By Tatiana Siegel
make another film,” said Moore. Universal is distributing Seventh Son T h er e l ik ely won’ t ev er be a
The success of Sniper is sure to soften on behalf of Legendary and has yet to sequel of The Interview. But Seth Rogen
the blow of Jupiter for partners Warner open it in 15 foreign markets. fans can rejoice now that there’s a Neigh-
Bros. and Village Roadshow. Directed by Despite competition from SpongeBob, bors 2 in the works.
Lana and Andy Wachowski, the latter was British family film Paddington rounded Universal is moving forward with a
originally slated to open last summer, out the top five in its fourth weekend with follow-up to its hugely successful com-
but was delayed at the eleventh hour. a sturdy $5.4 million from 2,888 theaters edy from last summer that will reunite
Jupiter’s audience skewed heavily for a domestic cume of $57.3 million and all of the major principals including stars
male (57 percent) despite its female worldwide gross of nearly $200 million. Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrne as well
heroine, a mere Earthling who discovers The Weinstein Co. is distributing the pic as director Nicholas Stoller. Neighbors,
she is a galactic queen. It also played in the U.S. on behalf of StudioCanal. which cost just $18 million to make, earned
notably older despite its youthful stars, Another family film also made head- $268 million worldwide. The studio will
with 82 percent of ticket buyers over the lines this weekend — Disney’s Oscar give the sequel a wide release on May 13,
age of 25 (it’s likely that Wachowski fans nominee Big Hero 6, which surpassed 2016 — a date it was holding for a different
made up a large share of the audience). the $500 million global mark, thanks R-rated comedy that Uni had yet to name.
The film earned a B- CinemaScore; to a heroic run in Japan, where it has Penned by Andrew Jay Cohen and
ditto for Seventh Son. now earned $66.7 million. The Disney Brendan O’Brien, Neighbors revolved
Seventh Son stars Bridges and Moore, Animation Studios title has earned around a couple (Rogen, Byrne) with a
who is nominated for an Academy Award $218.6 million domestically and $286.6 new baby who are forced to live next to
for best actress for Still Alice. The tent- million abroad for a $505.1 million tota;. a fraternity house and do whatever they
pole is the second box-office dud in a row Back in the U.S., TWC also continued can to take it down. Cohen and O’Brien
for Legendary after Michael Mann’s to see strong results for The Imitation are back for the sequel, which will have a
Blackhat, at least domestically. Game, another best-picture Oscar con- female twist. This time a sorority moves
The good news for Legendary is that tender. The British biopic, starring Bene- s ee page 7FEBRUARY 9, 2015 Page 7 of 11
movie news
F ro m page 6 Starkey as producers. There are fears that increased censor-
in next door to the couple, who enlist their Zemeckis last directed 2012’s Flight, ship also could encourage more piracy
former nemeses from the fraternity to starring Denzel Washington, which was and could give domestic movies, which
help battle the raucous sisters. a critical and commercial success for have to go through the censorship pro-
Universal is eyeing a summer shoot. Paramount, earning over $150 million cess very early on, an advantage.
Rogen, Evan Goldberg and James in worldwide receipts and receiving two “The government wants to make sure it
Weaver — who together produced The Academy Award nominations. has oversight over all content that is shown
Interview — are producing Neighbors 2 Zemeckis is currently in postproduction online, and it was always obvious that
through their Point Grey Pictures. Good on The Walk, a Tri-Star drama starring they would extend the crackdown on TV
Universe, which has collaborated on Joseph Gordon-Levitt that is slated for dramas to features,” said the source.
several films with Point Grey including an October release. Last week there were reports that
Neighbors and This Is the End, is producing Borys Kit contributed to this article. the rules had been extended to include
as well. Cohen and O’Brien will serve as Hong Kong TV shows. April 1 is a key
executive producers alongside Good Uni-
verse’s Nathan Kahane and Joe Drake. China Poised to Expand date, as that is when the new rules come
into play, and more details about the
Neighbors 2 marks Rogen’s first deal
since the media frenzy surrounding
The Interview (Sony initially withdrew
Censorship Crackdown
By Clifford Coonan
restrictions are expected to emerge in
the coming weeks.
Marc Ganis, whose Jiaflix outfit has
the film from theaters following threats BEIJING — China will dramatically teamed with the China Movie Channel’s
of violence made by the hacker group step up its crackdown on web content streaming movie website M1905 to show
Guardians of Peace, but then changed to include censorship of feature films international feature films, confirmed
course and released it in smaller venues streamed online in a raft of tough new that China’s State Administration of Press,
and simultaneously on VOD). rules that until now mostly had been Publication, Radio, Film and Television
Rogen, repped by UTA, Principal aimed at overseas TV dramas. (SAPPRFT) likely will become more
Entertainment and attorney Fred Toczek, Until late last year, online video sites active in regulating the digital distribu-
is portraying Steve Wozniak in Universal’s largely were self-censoring, but the tion of video content, including movies.
upcoming Steve Jobs biopic. government is cracking down hard on “They’ve started with television shows
pornography, violence or anything that — movies are on the horizon,” said Ganis.
Zemeckis Set to direct might challenge the authority of the ruling
Communist Party, and Hollywood movies
In September, SAPPRFT announced
it must OK all foreign TV shows before
Pitt Romantic Thriller
By Erik Hayden
are the next target of the campaign.
“We are at an early stage in this pro-
cess,” an industry source said Saturday
they can be posted on video sites, and
producers must present the whole season
for approval before screening. The TV
Robert Zem eck is is on boa r d to at the Berlin Film Festival. “The govern- rules mean shows like Game of Thrones
direct Brad Pitt in an untitled romantic ment is planning to extend the censor- and The Newsroom could face delays of up
thriller from Paramount and ship rules to include movies next, after to nine months before being broadcast.
New Regency, the studios imposing restrictions on TV dramas.” Jean Prewitt, president-CEO of the
announced Friday. China is the world’s second-biggest Independent Film & Television Alliance,
Plot details for the movie film market, and Hollywood studios says the size of China’s massive market
are unknown at this time, have started reaping profits from selling makes it “essential” for the success of
other than that it is set Pitt
content to sites such as Youku Tudou, the independent film and TV industries.
during World War II and Baidu’s iQIYI, Sohu.com and Tencent. “China has not yet eliminated historical
is epic in scope. But negotiating its regulatory environ- barriers for imported films, but tele-
Steven Knight, who ment can be tricky, and censorship of vision opportunities have existed,” said
penned Eastern Promises movies online would make the market Prewitt. “Any steps to create new barriers
and a screenplay for Pitt’s more challenging. through censorship or other regulations
World War Z sequel, wrote Zemeckis
“It probably wouldn’t be a huge prob- seriously threaten the ability of inde-
the script for the project, lem if some scenes of sex or violence were pendents to access distribution opportu-
which originally was developed by Graham cut,” said one leading U.S. sales agent, nities. IFTA strongly advocates that all
King’s GK Films. “but if scenes started to be rearranged, trade barriers be eliminated including
Now that the film has a studio home, or there were other wholesale changes, expanded and unwarranted censorship
King is joined by Zemeckis and Steve watch out.” regulations.”FEBRUARY 9, 2015 Page 8 of 11
tv news
Williams to Take Leave Walters sign off in May 2014. Along with
O’Donnell, the show welcomed Rosie
Perez and Republican political analyst
From NBC Nightly News Nicolle Wallace.
But behind the scenes, O’Donnell and
co-host Whoopi Goldberg are known to
By Ryan Gajewski continue my career-long effort to be have clashed, and the reboot has failed
Br i a n W i l l i a ms w i l l be st eppi ng worthy of the trust of those who place to reverse the show’s ratings woes. The
away from NBC Nightly News for a num- their trust in us.” View’s ratings are flat year-over-year
ber of days. In related developments on Sunday, among total viewers, and are down 9 per-
The anchor sent a note on Saturday to Williams canceled his planned appear- cent among women 25-to-54, the show’s
the show’s staff, announcing that Lester ance this Thursday on CBS’ Late Show target audience.
Holt is replacing him for With David Letterman as he deals with
an unspecified amount of
time. The news comes as
fallout surrounding the helicopter story.
During a 2013 Late Show appearance, fargo’s Hanks joins
Williams is embroiled in
a scandal surrounding his
story about being a pas-
Williams told the story of his chopper
taking fire, leading Letterman to tell
the news anchor that he had newfound
CBS Comedy Pilot life
By Lesley Goldberg
Williams
senger in a helicopter that respect for him. Col i n Ha n k s is g oi ng f rom t h e
took fire in Iraq in 2003. Minnesota crime beat to suburbia.
On Jan. 30, an NBC Nightly News clip
was posted to Facebook in which Williams O’Donnell to leave View The Fargo alum has nabbed the co-
starring role in CBS’ comedy pilot Life
repeated a story he had told previously
about having been in the helicopter that
was hit and went down during the Iraq
to focus on her health
By Aaron Couch
in Pieces, The Hollywood
Reporter has learned.
The project, written
invasion. After the story was questioned, Rosi e O’Don n el l is ex i t i ng A BC’s on spec, focuses on one
Williams apologized on last Wednesday’s The View. family told through sepa-
Nightly News, saying that his helicopter She will leave the show this week to rate stories of its different Hanks
was following the one that was hit. focus on her health and family, following family members.
“I feel terrible about making this mis- a split from wife Michelle Hanks will play Greg Short, the coddled
take, especially since I found my OWN Rounds, The Hollywood youngest of three siblings who finds him-
WRITING about the incident from back Reporter has confirmed. self overwhelmed and unprepared for the
in ‘08, and I was indeed on the Chinook “Rosie is an immensely birth of his first child.
behind the bird that took the RPG in talented star who comes Better Off Ted’s Justin Adler will write
the tail housing just above the ramp,” O’Donnell
in each and every morn- the script and executive produce the 20th
Williams wrote on Facebook. ing brimming with ideas, Century Fox Television single-camera
In a memo to staff on Friday, NBC excitement and passion for the show,” entry. Kapital Entertainment’s Aaron
News Deborah Turness wrote that a an ABC rep said in a statement to THR. Kaplan will executive produce.
team of people was working to “make “When she told us that she wanted to For Hanks, who was already gener-
sense” of the incident. exit The View, we respected and under- ating multiple pilot offers this season,
“In the midst of a career spent covering stood her desire to put her well-being and the casting marks his follow-up to his
and consuming news, it has become pain- her family first. We’re delighted she’s still Emmy-nominated supporting actor
fully apparent to me that I am presently part of the ABC family with upcoming turn on FX anthology series Fargo. His
too much a part of the news, due to my guest appearances on The Fosters. And role as Gus Grimly also earned him a
actions,” wrote Williams in his message we know she’ll return to The View often Golden Globe nomination.
about going on hiatus from the show. “As with her unique point of view and updates Repped by UTA, MGMT and Bloom
managing editor of NBC Nightly News, on her work and her family.” Hergott, Hanks’ small-screen credits
I have decided to take myself off of my O’Donnell returned to The View in also include Dexter, The Good Guys, Mad
daily broadcast for the next several days, September 2014 after having held a Men, NCIS and episodes of Bad Teacher
and Lester Holt has kindly agreed to sit seat on the show during the 2006-2007 and Mom. He is also set to appear in the
in for me to allow us to adequately deal season. She joined during a rebuilding theatrical release Elvis & Nixon, which is
with this issue. Upon my return, I will period for the show, which saw Barbara currently shootingFEBRUARY 9, 2015 Page 9 of 11
berlinale 2015
Lionsgate Acquires Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara and Benicio
del Toro.
Broad Green’s deal for the pair of mov-
Moore-Page Pic Freeheld ies isn’t a complete surprise. Last week,
the company and Imax came aboard to
complete financing of Voyage of Time,
By Borys Kit the nature documentary that Malick has
Lionsgate h a s won a bidding wa r been working on for the past 30 years.
for rights to Freeheld, which tells the true
story of the late Laurel Hester, a police
detective who fought government officials Sony pictures Classics
for equal treatment when she was diag-
nosed with cancer. Julianne Moore stars
as Hester, while Ellen Page plays her life
nabs drama 13 Minutes
By Georg Szalai
partner, Stacie Andree. BERLIN — Sony Pictures Classics has
Julianne Moore (left) and Ellen Page star in Freeheld.
In a contest that went overnight and picked up North American and Latin
into dawn in the German capital, Lions- Page is also one of the producers of American rights to Hitler assassination
gate beat out numerous other bidders, Freeheld, along with Michael Shamberg, drama 13 Minutes from Beta Cinema.
including Focus Features, Sony Pictures Stacey Sher, Kelly Bush, Stern, Richard Directed by Oscar-nominated helmer
Classics and Netflix. The deal for North Fischoff, Duncan Montgomery, Jack Selby Oliver Hirschbiegel (Downfall), the pic is
American rights was in the high seven and Cynthia Wade. Also producing was playing out of competition at the Berlin
figures, according to sources. Even more Phil Hunt and Compton Ross of Head Film Festival. The deal with Sony Classics
noteworthy is the bidding war erupted Gear Films, who co-financed the film. was being negotiated before Berlin got
after execs saw only a 12-minute sizzle Bankside Films, who also co-financed underway, according to insiders.
reel and not a completed film, since Freeheld, is handling foreign sales. The movie is about would-be assassin
Freeheld is still in post. Georg Elser. “With 13 more minutes,
Moore is a favorite to take home the
best actress Oscar this year for her work Malick movie Knight the bomb he had personally assembled
would have torn apart Adolf Hitler and
in Still Alice, so Freeheld was already
generating interest going into Berlin,
where the producers, including End-
Sells to Broad Green
By Pamela McClintock
his henchmen,” a plot description says.
“But this was not to be, and on Nov. 8,
1939, Hitler left the scene of the attempted
game Entertainment, decided to shop BERLIN — Upstart distributor Broad assassination earlier than expected, leav-
domestic rights. Last year, a bidding war Green Pictures has struck a lucrative ing Elser to fail catastrophically.”
also erupted in Berlin over The Imitation deal for U.S. rights to Terrence Malick’s The pic stars Christian Friedel, Katha-
Game before it was completed. Knight of Cups, starring Christian Bale, rina Schuttler, Burghart Klaussner and
CAA and WME Global, which pack- as well as Malick’s upcoming untitled pic. Johann von Bulow and was produced by
aged and arranged financing, conducted The pact, valued at $6.5 million, came Lucky Bird Pictures in co-production
the auction through the wee hours. End- just hours before Knight made its world with SWR, ARD Degeto, BR, WDR,
game’s James D. Stern negotiated the premiere at the Berlin Film Festival (it ARTE, Delphi Medien and Philipp film
deal on behalf of the producers. played for buyers earlier in the day). CAA production. Producers are Boris Ausserer,
The film, equal parts love story and and WME Global brokered the deal. Oliver Schundler and Fred Breinersdorfer.
civil-rights drama, follows Hester’s rela- In the film, Bale plays a Hollywood “Sixty years after the end of WWII
tionship with her partner and their fight screenwriter addicted to success and there continues to be extraordinary sto-
both against Hester’s illness and govern- trapped by illusions. Natalie Portman, ries from that period, and 13 Minutes is
ment officials, who were preventing her Cate Blanchett and Isabel Lucas co-star. one of those stories,” said Sony Classics
pension benefits from going to Andree. Nicolas Gonda, Sarah Green and Ken in a statement. “Oliver Hirschbiegel is
Steve Carell, Michael Shannon and Kao produced the film, with Kao financ- a gifted storyteller, whose film we are
Luke Grimes co-star in the drama, based ing via his Waypoint Entertainment. proud to bring to the public.”
on the 2007 Academy Award-winning Tanner Beard executive produced.
documentary short of the same name. The same team are behind Malick’s Click here to download
Peter Sollett directed the film and Ron untitled film, also starring Bale and THR’s Berlin Dailies.
Nyswayner penned the script. Portman alongside Michael Fassbender,FEBRUARY 9, 2015 Page 10 of 11
BERLIN reviewS
Knight of Cups
By Todd McCarthy
Christian Bale gets caught up in a life
of Hollywood excess in Knights of Cups.
BERLIN — Having swung so far out
of orbit on To the Wonder to have been
sucked into a creative black hole, Terrence
Malick makes it about half-way back to
terra firma with Knight of Cups. A reso-
lutely poetic and impressionist film about
creative paralysis, indecision, father and
sons, female muses and life slipping away
as surely as water down a river, the seventh
feature from this takes-his-time writer-
director is far more partial to free associ-
ation and stream-of-consciousness nota- and with music rather than with talk. like I am. You can’t figure your life out.”
tions than to conventional storytelling. The approach has its pros and cons. As if this were not enough thematic
The upshot is a certain tedium and repet- What the film conveys most bracingly is clarity, the first of the many women we
itiveness along with the rhythmic nice- the fleeting nature of human exchange, see Rick cavorting with, the reed-like
ties and imaginative riffs. But whereas of how moments that passed between Della (Imogen Poots), rubs it in further.
his last work of real weight, The Tree of people and lasted only seconds can remain “We’re not leading the lives we were
Life, achieved rarified moments of emo- vividly embedded in memory forever. meant for. We were meant for some-
tional and lyrical expressiveness, this one Such incidents are backdropped by a thing else,” the racoon-eyed waif intones
mostly operates on a more dramatically pictorially beautiful but conceptually as she spins though an aquarium and a
mundane, private and even narcissistic simplistic contrast between the cold, studio backlot.
level. While the name cast will help, box- hard surfaces of an urban environment Rick may well be suffering from a
office potential is still very modest. and the rich beauty of unspoiled natural spiritual/emotional/creative malaise,
Examined with more nuance, this sub- landscapes, the latter a longtime Malick but he’s obviously getting what many
jective, physically tactile film is designed preoccupation; he even provides a pre- good-looking young men want to get out
not to play out dramatic encounters in a tentiously cosmic context with a few of Hollywood — lots of great-looking
theatrical way, but to capture moments in outer space shots, which might have been women. Any number of interludes of
their immediate essence, much as one better saved for the director’s upcoming a few minutes each have Emmanuel
might remember them. Shifting from Voyage in Time Imax venture. Lubezki’s exceptionally mobile, ever-
scene to scene with all the seeming ran- The downside is a feeling of repetition repositioning camera making every effort
domness of shuffling cards (the film is and, over time, shallowness, as the sheer to capture something meaningful but
broken into chapters named after tarot weight of evocative, ethereal images is not evanescent passing between Rick and
cards, such as “The Moon,” “The Hanged matched by complexity, depth or char- his woman of the moment. And what
Man” “The High Priestess” and so on, acter development. Pointed evocations a collection of women they are: There’s
the import of which remains elusive on an of emotional or otherwise memorable a physician ex-wife (Cate Blanchett),
initial viewing), Malick aims to repro- moments can create little pings of recog- a woman he may have gotten pregnant
duce on film the way we recall incidents, nition and impact, but the wispy way that and wanted to marry (Natalie Portman),
sensual encounters and emotional ex- they are generally represented makes the a lovely model (Freida Pinto) and a free-
changes. He’s not interested in long, well- pic feel lightweight rather than profound. spirited good-times Aussie who certainly
articulated dialogue exchanges but in For such an image-dependent film- looks like the most fun (Teresa Palmer).
experiences defined by physical contact, maker, Malick can also be terribly literal- There are plenty of others as well, espe-
gestures, glances, light, colors, the tenor minded. After some quick glimpses of cially at a lavish outdoor party scene
of voices, all of it overlaid by diverse music childhood and some gobbledygook about where you can play spot-the-celebrity
carefully chosen to express the dominant a pearl, a cup and a prince who enters a (oh, there’s Ryan O’Neal, and let’s have a
emotions of the characters. In his own deep sleep, film-world denizen Rick (Chris- word from Bruce Wagner).
idiosyncratic way, Malick comes as close tian Bale) is awakened in his modernistic Sandwiched in between Rick’s female
as anyone does today to making silent beach-adjacent condo by a strong earth- encounters are unsettling ones with his
films, in which relationships and emo- quake, only to then hear his father (Brian father and troubled brother (Wes Bent-
tional dynamics are expressed visually Dennehy) reminding him, “Son, you’re just s ee page 1 1FEBRUARY 9, 2015 Page 11 of 11
BERLIN reviewS
Ben Zaken
F ro m page 1 0
ley) that stir up still-burning family
embers, including a reference to another By Stephen Dalton
brother who died, echoing aspects of BERLIN — A bracingly austere slice of
Tree of Life. Although we don’t hear him somber social realism from Israel, Ben
say much, Dad’s gruff, critical nature Zaken is the debut feature of young writer-
would seem to lie at the root of his son’s director Efrat Corem. The dramatic focus
problems. Unlike most of the movie, is an impoverished family living in a social
Eliraz Sade tries to watch over his
which is largely set on fashionably chic housing project in the coastal city of Ash- daughter (Rom Shoshan) in Ben Zaken.
Westside L.A. locations, the men are kelon, but the context could be almost
often seen downtown on skid row, which any place where money is tight, jobs are Corem’s stated intention with Ben
doesn’t do much other than to fill out the scarce and living conditions basic. Zaken was to dramatize a section of
film’s visual presentation of opposites: While it is refreshing to see a rare con- Israeli society rarely seen on screen: the
desert and sea, light and dark, love and temporary Israeli drama that is not over- working-class residential townships with
hate, fertility and barrenness. shadowed by the Palestinian conflict, their shabby synagogues, dusty grocery
Malick’s most distinctive ambition Corem’s low-budget glumfest quickly stores and crowded immigrant popu-
here is his attempt to create an almost starts to feel like a cheap holiday in other lation. This she achieves in a thorough
pointilistic portrait of a man by evoking people’s misery. Most of its scenes are but oppressively dour manner, stripping
acute moments of his past and present, filmed in cramped interiors in static shots, away any hint of sentimentality while
and this sustains real interest for a while, with no music and little tonal variation. laying heavy emphasis on drab domestic
as you wait to see how it all might come Imagine a Ken Loach movie drained of drudgery in spartan living conditions.
together. But as the pic just keeps offering all passion and humour. Ben Zaken is a At least the cast provide some respite
more of the same — beachside amblings, dead-cert festival booking, especially with from all this relentless low-voltage gloom.
bedroom tussles, solo walks, musical the perpetual political heat surrounding Shoshan is a great find for the role of Ruhi,
swelling — it doesn’t build or pay off with Israel. But distributors are unlikely to a prematurely wise head on a young body.
what it seems designed to do, which is to see a commercial angle. Hollow-eyed and heavy-browed, she looks
provide either a dramatic or philosophi- Three generations of the Ben Zaken like a Frida Kahlo painting made flesh.
cal apotheosis. family share a small apartment on the Batel Mashian also stands out in a minor
On a more mundane dramatic level, edge of Ashkelon. Long-suffering matri- role as a 20-year-old neighbor with an
Malick’s method, which allows for only arch Dina (Chani Elemlch) is still cook- obsessive crush on Leon, her luscious
slashes of dialogue to emerge through the ing and cleaning for her two grown sons, beauty and lustful energy seemingly
voiceovers and music, keeps the characters, doting on the older boy Leon (Mekikes beamed in from an entirely different film.
even the ever-present Rick, at a remove; Amar), an alpha-male type who runs a Inevitably, Corem soon shuts down
he’s a knot of confusion who reveals very construction business. The younger this subplot before it contaminates her
little of what he thinks, feels or wants. Schlomi (Eliraz Sade) is more problem- pic with too much joy. Because no one
Even though you’re with him for two atic, a chain-smoking 34-year-old waster is allowed to feel pleasure in Ben Zaken,
hours, you know precious little about him. struggling to hold down a job while play- it seems. Nobody smiles, or dances, or falls
As always, Lubezki’s work is rapturous. ing single father to his 11-year-old daugh- in love, or has sex, or even expresses a
Either by luck or design, the Los Angeles ter Ruhi (Rom Shoshan), a fierce tomboy tender emotion. Laughter and poetry and
skies in this film are always clear, graced who is bullied and alienated at school. messy, bittersweet, hope-driven human-
with soft, pastel colorings and not a spec Tensions run deep in this pressure- ity are all banned from this cinematic
of smog. cooker environment, both between siblings ghetto. Corem has made a worthy and
and across generations. Ruhi constantly thoughtful debut, but she really needs
Venue: Berlin Film Festival. bickers with her father and grandmother, to let a little more sunshine in next time.
(Competition). attracting concerned attention from
Production: Waypoint Entertainment. teachers and child welfare workers. Unable Venue: Berlin Film Festival (Forum).
Cast: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, to offer his daughter the life she deserves, Production: Laila Films.
Natalie Portman, Brian Dennehy, Freida Schlomi weighs up the option of sending Cast: Rom Shoshan, Eliraz Sade,
Pinto, Wes Bentley, Isabel Lucas, Teresa her to a children’s home, which would Mekikes (Ronen) Amar, Chani Elemlch,
Palmer, Imogen Poots. mean facing up to his failings as a dead- Batel Mashian.
Director-screenwriter: Terrence Malick. beat dad. His indecision hangs in the air as Director-screenwriter: Efrat Corem.
Not rated, 118 minutes. the pic ends, feeling like a lose-lose deal. Not rated, 90 minutes.You can also read
