January 30, 2003

There is less and less news every day, it seems. 

Actually, the real news of this month is that being out of work is worse than ever, even if you are a studio head.  Some shoring up of positions has happened at Columbia/Tri-Star.  Alan Horn has proven untouchable at Warner Bros.  Sherry Lansing decided that the grass was greener on her own side of the fence.  For all the beating on Michael Eisner in the media, he got himself a modest bonus for managing moderate failure in a dismal moment in stock market history.  DreamWorks seems content to spend their newfound financing.  MGM has stabilized in its marginal, occasional smashingly good, indie film from UA or Bond status.  And Fox will remain stable as long as Daredevil isn’t a complete loss and Master & Commander is indeed the Gladiator of this summer. 

All of a sudden, only Universal seems to really be in hard play.  And if the year remains true to this form, Diller will push Marvin Davis off and do exactly what he was expected to do six months ago. 

It became obvious when Lansing was considering an exit from Paramount… no one thought that any of the rumored contenders for the gig were truly compelling.  There are managers aplenty out there, but few inspired choices. 

GREAT DOCS:  I saw two great documentaries in the last two days.  The first was a gloriously reflective film called Rivers And Tides: Andy Goldsworthy Working With Time.  It is a film that embraces the style of its subject, Andy Goldsworthy, an environmental artist who works with twigs and leaves and branches and the simple flow of nature.  German director Thomas Riedelsheimer follows Goldsworthy into and through a number of projects and, like last year’s excellent War Photographer, he draws you into the man’s work by allowing it to breathe. 

Usually, the most compelling documentaries are the most painful to experience.  But not in this case.  Quite the opposite.  Watching Andy Goldsworthy’s calm, patient, reflective efforts in the most obscure of art forms, nearly every project certain to be whisked away by very nature he embraces, slowly evolves into a form of meditation.  The world is a more loving place simply for Goldsworthy’s efforts.  If you have a chance to catch this one, do.  Don’t expect a rollercoaster.  It’s more like a swing on a beautiful summer afternoon.

The other doc is Tom Dowd & The Language of Music.  I did my best to overlook this film when I saw it in the Sundance catalog.  There was something about the photo and the title that jut seemed too CBS’ Sunday Morning. 

But I was wrong.

About 15 minutes into this film, I realized that we are in the midst of a run of 1960s music docs that Ken Burns will never have to travel because these films have done it so well.  First, Artisan’s Standing in the Shadows of Motown.  I haven’t seen Miramax’s flip-side doc, Only The Strong Survive, but it was good enough to get into Telluride, so I trust that it’s worth a long look.  And now this, a document of the history of Atlantic Records through the eyes of one remarkable man. 

But this is no dry tale.  Tom Dowd was a key part of the evolution of the music that the Baby Boom grew up with and that still drives the music of today.   He was more than a musician, more than an engineer and more than a producer.  He was the ultimate muse to band after band after band.

It seems to have taken until this moment in time for filmmakers to look at the 60s through any prism other than Vietnam.  Thank goodness the time is here.  Filmmaker Mark Moormann does an excellent job bringing together archival footage, new stuff and lots and lots of great music in a film that manages to be a personality piece that is more a celebration of the music than of anyone’s ego. 

PATHETIC AD WATCH:  ABC’s Alias desperation has taken another turn for the ugly… the second one in just one week.  Not only did the spots for this week’s new show lead with Jennifer Garner in a blue bikini, but now they’ve added the lingerie images from last Sunday’s show.  Why?  Super Bowl and all, the ratings were still in the toilet for Alias.  I wouldn’t be at all shocked to see Ms. Garner deep-throating a banana in the spots for next week’s show.  You know, secret agents have to eat on the run.  Sorry… the secret is out.  Jennifer Garner is the Gretchen Mol of 2002/2003.  She may have a second gear, but she’s going to have to escape this flaming car wreck (“She’s great, but the ratings… no matter what they did!”) and recreate herself, probably in some indie films. 

READER OF THE DAY:  CATH’S HUBBY writes:  “What is Mr. Goldstein smoking?  When he says that the MPAA has "as always...refused to discuss any specific ratings", did he go and look on the movie poster?  Or the movie's website?  All MPAA ratings now give reasons for their ratings as to content.  Kangaroo Jack specifically contains "language, crude humor, sensuality and violence" according to the MPAA.

With that combo, there's still a question as to why Kangaroo Jack only got a PG.  But if anything, the MPAA is protecting its collective rear by doing this.  Perhaps the MPAA should advertise this new facet of the rating system as a better guide to parents as to movie content.  I use it to know what I'm getting into right now, and I have no kids to take to the movies yet (first one due in March).  Long and short of it is, the information is out there as to any movie's content, and it is easily and readily available to anybody looking.  You can disagree with the rating itself, but you can't plead complete ignorance when they tell you right up front what's in there.”

JOLLY ROGERS writes: “The really crazy thing about all this Andy Serkis Oscar wish hoopla is that they'll keep saying it's not a "performance" until a bigger star does it... which is not far off. Mr. Oscar himself, Tom Hanks will be "painted" over in THE POLAR EXPRESS which should be arriving in 04/05.

The Oscars are always (at least) a year behind. Nicole Kidman will have to win this year for not winning when she should've last year which means Julianne Moore will have to win for an inferior performance in the next year or two to make up for her loss this year when she should have won. Chicago will win this year because Moulin Rouge! (which should've won last year) got the ball rolling for them.

AMPAS will always be playing catch up. To stop the cycle they'd have to admit they screwed up and stop trying to "make it up" for past slights and just get on with the business of awarding the ‘best.’“

NOT BRUSCETTA writes:  “I'm glad you nailed Medved's hypocracy-laced USA Today essay so quickly in your essay posted a day after his. I'm not surprised by how quick you got it out there--his motivations, presumptions and half-baked comments were so obvious that it was all too easy.

Medved's essay seemed like a desperate ploy to get attention from the public--a propaganda to show that he embraces their values and what THEY see. ("THEY" meaning the huge mass audience, not those who still went and saw "Far From Heaven", "Adaptation" or "The Hours"...they're so few that he doesn't consider them to be a part of his idea of "the public". I'd hate to see how he'd judge a Medved Bi-Audience member... you know, one who went and saw "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", "Signs", "Far From Heaven" and "The Hours" and liked them all.)

I find it funny that Medved doesn't seem to feel one way or another about a movie about a family devastated by the husband's "homosexual affair" yet finds "Signs" to be "spiritually challenging". You mean he likes to be challenged? Not every movie has to be reassuring and obvious to him? I guess he's just biased. He doesn't want to think about the feelings of a family dealing with homosexuality but if it's a spiritual film then he'll think about it. It affirms his values. I saw him on a C-SPAN or something about 5 years or so preaching against homosexuality on film so it's no surprise he'd bash "Far From Heaven" because it doesn't affirm his values. Who cares if it "challenges" him. To call "Signs" "spiritually challenging" seems like a lie because I don't think a thought ever went through his mind that said "Man, maybe faith isn't the way to go?"

I don't mind Medved having his own opinion but to bash (not question) the opinions of others because they aren't his or others (without any merit) seems like a desperate plea for attention.”

E ME:  I’m scheduled to go on air with Medved on his syndicated radio show tomorrow afternoon, so keep an eye out to see whether I win the battle for critics everywhere.

Meanwhile, did anyone see anything in Park City that hasn’t gotten attention, but deserves more?