Random Thoughts

joey con carne wrote:I read the spoiler last night and I'll definitely say the twist is not what I expected. But after reading that link about what the original script was, it sounds like Olivia Wilde turned it into a feminist/girl power type deal.

joey con carne wrote:Saw the trailer for Knock at the Cabin. Dave Bautista is in it. Seems interesting from the trailer. It is by M. Night Shyamalan.

Rusty wrote:It's been a while since I've watched a Shyamalama Ding-Dong movie, so I might give this one a go. Last thing I saw of his was The Happening with Marky Mark.

Also, I only recently learned that he did an uncredited re-write of She's All That.

WyldeMan wrote:

Wait are you talking about the Rachel Lee Cook/Freddie Prinze Jr 90's high school movie, She's All That????

That can't be true there was no twist ending and not one single character was defeated by water.

Rusty wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:

Wait are you talking about the Rachel Lee Cook/Freddie Prinze Jr 90's high school movie, She's All That????

That can't be true there was no twist ending and not one single character was defeated by water.

Yeah that's the one. Finding out he wrote it is his best twist yet

Epix is joining ABC Family, IMDb TV and Spike TV in the network name scrap heap.

The MGM-backed premium cable network and its streaming counterpart are being rebranded as MGM+. The change, which will become effective in January, better aligns the brand with parent company MGM after the studio acquired full ownership of Epix from previous owners Viacom and Lionsgate in 2017 in a deal valued at $1 billion.

“MGM is one of the most iconic and beloved brands from the golden age of entertainment,” said Michael Wright, head of MGM+. “This rebrand is a promise to existing and new viewers that MGM+ is the place to find television that reflects and celebrates the legacy of the iconic MGM brand — cinematic programming with sophisticated storytelling that entertains, delights, surprises and transports. MGM is television for movie lovers.”

The rebrand will kick off on Jan. 15, timed to the third-season return of drama series Godfather of Harlem. Season two of the series starring Forest Whitaker — which is ironically owned and produced by Disney’s ABC Signature — ranks as Epix’s best-performing season of all time.

Other originals that are part of the Epix slate include Billy the Kid from Vikings creator Michael Hirst, sci-fi horror thriller From and dramas Rogue Heroes and Belgravia.

As part of the rebranding, Wright announced that drama Hotel Cocaine, from Narcos and Godfather of Harlem’s Chris Brancato, will join the roster of scripted originals at Epix. The eight-episode Miami-set crime thriller that is set in the late 1970s and early ’80s and produced in-house at Epix Studios and MGM Television will premiere in 2023.

Additionally, Wright has greenlit a second season of period drama Belgravia from The Gilded Age and Downton Abbey’s Julian Fellowes. Belgravia: The Next Chapter will pick up in 1865, 25 years after the 2020 limited series wrapped its run. The second season follows the love story of Frederick Trenchard and his new love interest, Clara Dunn.

Rounding out Epix’s slate is a roster of newly ordered unscripted series, including a four-part Amityville murders doc and a two-part exploration of the San Francisco music community from 1965 to 1975 from Frank Marshall, Alex Gibney and Amblin Television.

MGM+ will continue to feature films from MGM’s film library including No Time to Die, House of Gucci and Licorice Pizza as well as others from the James Bond and Rocky franchises alongside the likes of Bull Durham, Platoon, Silence of the Lambs, Mississippi Burning and many others.

Wright, for his part, oversees Epix and added MGM Television to his purview in March 2021 after he was tapped to replace studio veteran Steve Stark.

The rebranding comes as major media companies have continued to embrace their larger brand to better connect viewers with the properties they’re best known for. Streamer CBS All Access was rebranded as Paramount+ following the re-merging of Viacom with CBS. The new joint company was also rebranded as Paramount Global. Other recent networks to be rebranded include IMDb as Freevee, ABC Family as Freeform and Spike TV as Paramount Network, among others.

The rest of the Epix portfolio will also be rebranded to reflect the focus on MGM. Epix 2 will become MGM+ Hits; Epix Hits will become MGM+ Marquee; and Epix Drive-In becomes MGM+ Drive-In.

Source: THR

joey con carne wrote:He's living in gangsta's paradise now.

WyldeMan wrote:Hurricane Ian, what a mother fucker....

I'll never understand people who choose to stay in an area that regularly is overtaken by the ocean. Gators and snakes patrol the city streets, power will be out for weeks, millions in tens if not hundreds of millions in property damages, everything is utter devastation and it's always shock from people claiming they didn't expect the Hurricane to be so bad. Only the hubris of man could make you think that you can predict what nature, let alone a hurricane is going to do.

Now its a state of emergency with millions without power, thousands in need of rescue and who knows how many dead and all I keep reading and seeing is "We didn't think it'd get this bad so we stayed". As if Hurricanes are known for their small scale damage and cooperative nature.

UltimateMarvel wrote:They did warn that it was going to be bad the closer it got. I think I read the damages were over $1 Billion or so.

joey con carne wrote:

UltimateMarvel wrote:They did warn that it was going to be bad the closer it got. I think I read the damages were over $1 Billion or so.

Economic damages are expected to exceed $100 billion.

joey con carne wrote:Economic damages are expected to exceed $100 billion.

Rusty wrote:It's October here too. Cool  

The days are warming up but the evenings are still sit-by-the-fire worthy.

Haven't had a drop of alcohol in 14 days, so I guess I'm officially in for Sober October.

Mark Pedowitz’s reign at The CW has come to an end after 11-plus years, as Nexstar Media Group officially takes over the netlet.

Pedowitz was named president of The CW in May 2011, succeeding Dawn Ostroff. He added the titles of CEO and Chairman in January 2020.

Dennis Miller, a TV executive-turned-venture capitalist who in recent years has served on Nexstar’s board of directors, will take over as CW president effective immediately.

Reacting to the switcheroo, prolific producer Greg Berlanti — who over the years has shepherded a show or 20 for The CW — told Deadline, ”I’m definitely a little shocked, and I’m definitely sad. But Mark and I have worked together for 20 years at ABC and [at The CW], and I’m sure we will continue to find other ways to work together.”

Pedowitz’s accomplishments at The CW include but are not limited to the expansion to Sunday and then Saturday programming; the rollout of summertime originals; and of course the decade-ago launch of what would soon blossom into the Arrowverse, a multi-series slate of crossover-happy superhero fare.

(Personal aside, Mark is also one of the very nicest and most genuine guys in the business. I cannot recall a time he didn’t make a point to say hello at an industry event, even when being hurried from Point A to Point B at Upfronts.)

Local-TV giant Nexstar Media Group announced in August that it would acquire a 75 percent ownership stake in the broadcast network. The CW’s current co-owners, Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global, will each retain a 12.5 percent minority stake, allowing both companies to continue producing original scripted content for The CW.

At the time, it was indicated that Pedowitz would stay put in his leadership role. But it was also revealed by Nexstar president and CEO Tom Carter that the plan to make The CW profitable revolved around content that appealed to an audience older than the outlet had previously targeted.

“The CW is currently the lowest-rated broadcast network, which we believe largely reflects the fact that its programming is targeted for an 18-to-34 audience demographic, while the average age of the CW broadcast viewer is 58 years,” Carter said in August. “Over time, we’ll be taking a different approach to our CW programming strategy.” That approach also involves adding more cost-effective unscripted and “high-quality syndicated programming” to its lineup, which Carter noted was “a departure from the prior predominant focus on expensive, original scripted content.”

joey con carne wrote:Oh, man. CW is known for their bops. I wonder what kind of programming they will come up with now.

Emma Caulfield, known for portraying Anya Christina Emmanuella Jenkins on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series and Dotti on WandaVision, has revealed she has multiple sclerosis.

“Once upon a time, I had zero health problems,” Caulfield told Vanity Fair. “I woke up one morning and the left side of my face felt like there were a million ants crawling on it. That feeling when you’ve sat in a position too long? … The feeling’s gone and it’s coming back like a rush of blood.”

Caulfield recalls she went to her acupuncturist who suggested she might have Bell’s Palsy, which is characterized by half of the face dropping due to muscle weakness. She would get more tests done and after the results of an MRI, her doctor confirmed she had MS.

“It was like an out-of-body experience,” she said about her reaction following her MS diagnosis. “I’m like, ‘No, that’s not possible.’ I’m like, ‘What are you talking about?’ [The doctor] was very matter of fact about it…. It was literally a kind of nightmare.”

Caulfield also revealed that her father had MS, but that wasn’t the cause of his death. The actor also said she had initially not revealed her diagnosis as she “didn’t want to give anyone the opportunity to not hire me.” Caulfield said she filmed WandaVision while experiencing in silence the effects of MS. She added that she would be reprising her role on the Disney+ series Agatha: Coven of Chaos, but this time, she has notified everyone “that needs to be notified.”

Source: Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: (UPDATED with Alec Baldwin statement): Rust Movie Productions LLC and its Rust star and producer Alec Baldwin have reached a settlement with the estate of slain cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. As part of the peace, her husband Matthew Hutchins will executive produce Rust, which will return to production in January 2023 with the original cast.

The Hutchins family had filed a wrongful death lawsuit February 15 over the shooting of Hutchins that occurred on the set of the in Western on October, 21, 2021, when Baldwin discharged a prop gun after being informed by the production’s assistant director David Halls that the weapon was “cold.”

“We have reached a settlement, subject to court approval, for our wrongful death case against the producers of Rust, including Alec Baldwin and Rust Movie Productions, LLC. As part of that settlement, our case will be dismissed,” Matthew Hutchins said Wednesday morning.

“The filming of Rust, which I will now executive produce, will resume with all the original principal players on board in January 2023,” Hutchins added of the most confidential agreement.

“I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame (to the producers or Mr. Baldwin). “All of us believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident. I am grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work.”

The culmination of weeks of negotiations, today’s news comes as the final report of the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office’s investigation into Hutchins’ death and what really went down at the Bonanza Creek Ranch location that terrible day is expected to be handed over soon to local District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies. Several Rust crew members including armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed have already filed ongoing civil lawsuits of their own in New Mexico and California. However, Wednesday’s agreement between the Hutchins family and Baldwin and other Rust producers could shift the legal landscape for those civil cases and any possible criminal charges from the Santa Fe D.A.

Rust Movie Productions, LLC, through its attorney, Melina Spadone of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, said today: “We are pleased the parties came together to resolve this matter, which, subject to court approval, marks an important step forward in celebrating Halyna’s life and honoring her work.”  

Baldwin’s attorney, Luke Nikas of Quinn Emanuel, added: “Throughout this difficult process, everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best for Halyna’s son. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the resolution of this tragic and painful situation.”

Later this morning, the Oscar-nominated actor of The Cooler added this on Instagram: “We are pleased to announce today the settlement of the civil case filed on behalf of the family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Throughout this difficult process, everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best for Halyna’s son. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the resolution of this tragic and painful situation.”

Joel Souza, Director of Rust, said: “Those of us who were lucky enough to have spent time with Halyna knew her to be exceedingly talented, kind, creative, and a source of incredible positive energy. I only wish the world had gotten to know her under different circumstances, as it surely would have through her amazing work. In my own attempts to heal, any decision to return to finish directing the film could only make sense for me if it was done with the involvement of Matt and the Hutchins family. Though certainly bittersweet, I am pleased that together, we will now complete what Halyna and I started. My every effort on this film will be devoted to honoring Halyna’s legacy and making her proud. It is a privilege to see this through on her behalf.”

The Hutchins original lawsuit in February claimed that “Defendant Baldwin, the Producers, and the Rust Production Companies were aware of firearms safety issues that had occurred on the set of Rust and did not take action to correct the situation and ensure that basic gun safety rules were followed on October 21, 2021…Had Defendant Baldwin, the Producers, and the Rust Production Companies taken adequate precautions to ensure firearm safety on the set of Rust or if basic firearm safety rules had been followed on the set of Rust on October 21, 2021, Halyna Hutchins would be alive and well, hugging her husband and nine-year old son.”

Close to a year since the tragic incident occurred, the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office has yet to charge anyone.

Last month, Deadline obtained a letter from Santa Fe D.A. Carmack-Altwies to the New Mexico Board of Finance requesting $635,000 to prosecute as many as four individuals with criminal and homicide charges related to the Rust tragedy (the DA was granted $317,750). The DA said in her letter that “one of the possible defendants is well known movie actor Alec Baldwin.” Nikas, speaking on behalf of Baldwin, responded to the DA’s letter “that it would be premature to discuss the case because they had not yet reviewed the file or deliberated about their charging decision.”

“It is irresponsible to report otherwise,” Nikas blasted at the time. “The DA has made clear that she has not received the sheriff’s report or made any decisions about who, if anyone, might be charged in this case.”

Nikas stated in April that an New Mexico OSHA report “exonerates” Baldwin. That agency fined Rust Productions, LLC a maximum allowable $136,793 after a six-month investigation that found a “willful and serious” violation of workplace safety procedures.

In an ABC news interview with George Stephanopoulos last December, Baldwin insisted he never actually pulled the trigger of the gun that took Hutchins’ life during a quick-draw rehearsal move in a church location on the set of Rust.

Baldwin also told Stephanopoulos, “I have been told by people who are in the know, in terms of even inside the state, that it’s highly unlikely that I would be charged with anything criminally.”

joey con carne wrote:The husband probably justified it as "this is what Halyna would have wanted."

Does even Thor have his physical limits? We’ll find out when the docuseries Limitless With Chris Hemsworth premieres with all six episodes on Wednesday, Nov. 16 on Disney+.

The National Geographic-produced program, from filmmaker Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan), explores Hemsworth’s journey “to combat aging and discover the full potential of the human body,” per the official synopsis. “Part global scientific adventure, part personal journey, each episode of the series follows Chris as he takes up a gauntlet of physical and mental feats designed by world-class experts, scientists and doctors to unlock different aspects of the aging process.”

Quentin Tarantino is prepping to embark on a book tour for his first nonfiction book “Cinema Speculation,” which releases on Nov. 1.

The tour will see the filmmaker, cinephile and now podcaster make stops in five major U.S. cities from Nov. 3-16. Tarantino will kick off his promo jaunt in Los Angeles, then head to San Francisco, Portland and Austin before concluding at The Town Hall in New York City.

In “Cinema Speculation,” the “Pulp Fiction” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” director finally does what fans have anticipated throughout his 30-year long career: write about and analyze the films that shaped him, from his early childhood to his adulthood. As one of the most famous movie-lovers of all time, Tarantino packs in film criticism, film theory, reporting and personal history while centering on key movies made throughout the 1970s. The book will be published by Harper Collins and is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.

The book follows Tarantino’s New York Times No. 1 bestseller “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” a novelization of his 2019 film of the same name.

Tickets officially go on sale for Tarantino’s “Cinema Speculation” book tour on Friday, Oct. 7. See the full list of tour dates below, and pre-order the book here.

   Nov. 3 – Los Angeles, CA at The Theatre at Ace Hotel
   Nov. 7 – San Francisco, CA at Castro Theatre
   Nov. 9 & 10 – Portland, OR at Hollywood Theatre
   Nov. 12 – Austin, TX at Paramount Theatre
   Nov. 16 – New York, NY at The Town Hall

Rusty wrote:Assault on Precinct 13 is such an underrated film. Barely gets a mention when most people talk about Carpenter's films.

joey con carne wrote:Commuted into the city today for a mandatory seminar. Sucks. I’ve never been a “school spirit” kind of guy and I just hate when any organization gets everyone together to talk about how awesome they are and how much of a difference we are making. Go fuck yourself. Want to show me appreciation? Give me more money.

Fuck all this. Lunch isn’t for another hour. The kool aid here is strong but not strong enough to brainwash me.

joey con carne wrote:I never understood the end of that movie. So Steven becomes the boss and his final act as boss before quitting is giving agent smith’s daughter an extension on her loan?

Did I miss something? Why didn’t he just forgive it completely?

joey con carne wrote:Damn. It can't be good breathing that in. Do you have air filtration system or anything?