Sad news out of the television world today: Christine Cavanaugh, an actress best known for voicing Chuckie on The Rugrats and the title character in the movie Babe, has passed away. She was 51 years old. According to TMZ insiders, Cavanaugh lost her life on December 22 and her cause of death is unknown at this time. Along with the aforementioned roles, Cavanaugh voiced characters from Darkwing Duck, Aladdin, The Critic, The Powerpuff Girls and The Wild Thornberrys. Cavanaugh retired from acting in 2001 and did not have any biological children. She did serve as the godmother to a child of a close friend, however. We send our thoughts and our condolences to her loved ones. Celebrities We Lost in 2014 1. Philip Seymour Hoffman R.I.P. Philip Seymour Hoffman (1967-2014). He will forever be missed!
Moguldom Studios officially releases its first documentary film: A Genius Leaves the Hood: The Unauthorized Story of Jay Z. Now available on iTunes, Google Play and VHX. Buy or rent it today at MoguldomStudios.com! “A Genius Leaves The Hood” The Unauthorized Story Of Jay Z On the surface, A Genius Leaves The Hood: The Unauthorized Story of Jay Z chronicles how hip-hop’s most successful rapper of the past two decades reached the top; but at its core, the film attempts to divulge the savvy and cunning business acumen of a mogul who decided that being at the top of the charts wasn’t enough. This 60-minute unauthorized biography explores the mind of a man who never played by the rules and admits it. A Genius Leaves The Hood: The Unauthorized Story of Jay Z uncovers the price Mr. Carter paid for his success through recent controversies including the racial debate of the Barneys deal, feud with Harry Belafonte and clashes with community activists over the construction of the Barclay Center. The film also explores rumors of association with the Illuminati, a highly publicized separation from the Roc-A-Fella crew, his estranged relationship with rapping mentor Jaz-O and break up with business partner Damon Dash. Through in-depth interviews with friends, former business partners, music industry executives, authors and journalists, this exploratory biopic gives the novice, the fan, the critic and the non-believer an uncensored look at Jay Z’s journey from Marcy Projects to Madison Avenue and beyond. As a drug dealer, turned rapper, turned CEO, turned author, turned sports agent, viewers will discover what drove Jay Z to seek unlimited wealth, how he positioned himself to achieve this wealth and whether criticism is warranted for someone who successfully pursued the American dream. Now available on iTunes, Google Play and VHX. Buy or rent it today at MoguldomStudios.com !
Another useless award show happened the other day. It is called the Critic Choice awards, and I am not even going to bother googling the shit to figure out what the concept behind the award show is, I already know, it is designed to celebrate people who already won, you know to give them fiction to fight for, because when you’re at the top, you need to come up with various levels of distinction to separate you from the other people who have already fucking won, otherwise, life would just be boring while sitting on a pile of money and life of luxury. You see these people have shelves in their office to fill with nonsense trophies….and we can’t get in the way of that…at least not the professional critics, who are behind this shit. In attendance were – Malin Akerman, Miranda Cosgrove, Diane Kruger, Carly Chaikin, Kaley Cuoco, Maria Menounos, Emmy Rossum and we’ve got the pics…. TO SEE THE PICS FOLLOW THIS LINK
Last week, Tyler the Creator took the heat for Justin Bieber’s alleged joy ride, Tweeting that he was driving the singer’s Ferrari when neighbors complained it was speeding around town on Memorial Day. Now, Tyler himself is under fire for comments made in Australia. Tyler, the Creator Curses Off Critic It all started with feminist protester Talitha Stone petitioning to have the artist’s Visa revoked because there are rules in the nation against visitors who “vilify or incite discord” and “songs advocating rape and extreme violence against women.” In response, during yesterday’s concert Down Under, Tyler told the crowd there was someone trying to give him the boot and said: “I wish she could hear me call her a b—-, too, f—ing whore.” Turns out she did: Stone was in the audience at the time! And she replied with a column in The Guardian titled “Tyler the Creator Shouldn’t Be Allowed to Verbally Abuse Me.” “At his incitement of violence towards me, the crowd went wild, cheering and pumping their fists,” she wrote. “The underaged fans – of which there were many – were groomed into mini “Tyler” behaviour. Rape is funny!” Australia typically has been hesitant to let American hip hop artists perform on its stages. In April, the Movement Festival was canceled because 2 Chainz couldn’t obtain a Visa, and then the Superfest Tour with T.I., 50 Cent, and J. Cole was postponed for similar reasons, making it curious how Tyler was ever allowed in the country to begin with.
No surprise, it was a Hobbit weekend with the title, accounting for over half of the overall box office and even setting a December record. It did not match the highest estimates of some box office prognosticators, but nevertheless a solid showing considering its expectations. The top 10 grossed over $122.6 million. 1. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Gross: $84,775,000 Screens: 4,045 (PSA: $20,958) Week: 1 As expected, Middle Earth proved highly lucrative at the box office, even setting a December record. With 4,045 theaters, The Hobbit ‘s gross outpaced the previous December record-holder, I Am Legend with $77.2 million. It also performed above the start of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King at $73.3 million. Still, the Lord of the Rings prequel did not match the lofty expectations of $100 million some had predicted. The feature accounted for over half of the b.o. over the weekend. 2. Rise of the Guardians Gross: $7,420,000 (Cume: $71,361,823) Screens: 3,387 (PSA: $2,191) Week: 4 (Change: – 28.7%) Rise of the Guardians placed second again and the title only fell about 29% maintaining momentum that should continue with its holiday theme. The pic will have to contend with a number of new releases headed to theaters between now and Christmas, so reaching the $100 million mark may still be tough. 3. Lincoln Gross: $7,244,000 (Cume: $107,898,000) Screens: 2,285 (PSA: 3,170) Week: 6 (Change: – 18.8%) After its big Golden Globe nomination haul, Steven Spielberg’s pic on the 16th U.S. President held strong, only dropping under 19% as the title added 271 theaters. Among the Oscar contenders, it is the highest grossing, at nearly $107.9 million, ahead of Argo ‘s $104.9 million. 4. Skyfall Gross: $7 million (Cume: $272,366,000) Screens: 2,924 (PSA: $2,394) Week: 6 (Change: – 35.1%) The latest Bond hit number one last weekend in a generally slow box office, but displayed bravado nonetheless. The pic continued to show strength over the weekend, placing fourth in its sixth week with only a 35% drop despite losing 477 theaters from the previous week. 5. Life of Pi Gross: $5.4 million (Cume: $69,559,406) Screens: 2,548 (PSA: $2,119) Week: 4 (Change: – 35.2%) Ang Lee’s 3-D spectacle held decently with a 35% drop as it lost 398 theaters over the previous weekend. Life of Pi again placed 5th in the box office rankings and it continues to be a tiger at the box office overseas where it has grossed an additional $128.5 million. Still it will have a tough time hitting $100 million domestically. 6. Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 Gross: $5,175,000 (Cume: $276,865,000) Screens: 3,042 (PSA: $1,701) Week: 5 (Change: – 43.5%) The Twilight finale lost 604 theaters in its 5th weekend, placing sixth on the chart, dropping three spots from the previous weekend. Worldwide it has grossed a cool $778,265,000 worldwide. 7. Wreck-It Ralph Gross: $3,273,000 (Cume: $168,779,000) Screens: 2,249 (PSA: $1,455) Week: 7 (Change: – 32.6%) In its seventh weekend of release, the animated Disney pic only dropped 32.6 per cent after losing 497 theaters. It again placed seventh in the chart. Abroad the pic has cumed $57.7 million. 8. Playing for Keeps Gross: $3,247,000 (Cume: $10,838,092) Screens: 2,840 (PSA: $1,143) Week: 2 (Change: – 43.5%) Opening in sixth place, the pic added three venues and dropped two slots to eighth. The pic will struggle to stay in the top 10 and will likely not stay in theaters in a significant way as new offerings open. 9. Red Dawn Gross: $2,394,000 (Cume: $40,889,423) Screens: 2,250 (PSA: $1,064) Week: 4 (Change: – 43.5%) One month out, Red Dawn lost 504 theaters and dropped one spot to 9th place. The pic will struggle to pass $45 million domestically which marks a likely loss considering its $65 million production budget. 10. Silver Linings Playbook Gross: $2,084,000 (Cume: $16,954,049 Screens: 371 (PSA: $5,617) Week: 5 (Change: – 4%) The Oscar hopeful broke the top 10 after flirting with it for a number of weeks. The feature is in comparatively far fewer theaters than its other top 10 brethren and its $5,617 per screen average is only outpaced by The Hobbit , which bowed this weekend. After dropping nearly 30% in each of the last couple weeks, the film only fell a very slight 4% this weekend, showing the title has some solid footing as it heads into the thick of the holidays and a wider expansion likely in the New Year.
The film won a number of prizes including Best Picture. Also in Monday’s round-up of news, seven films made the Academy’s Shortlist of titles competing in the hair and makeup category; Lili Taylor’s latest is set for a Berlin premiere; newcomers in the Specialty Box Office opened weak over the weekend; and film critic Karina Longworth is leaving L.A. Weekly. Silver Linings Playbook Wins 4 Satellite Awards Including Best Picture David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook took five prizes at the 17th annual Satellite Awards Sunday including Best Picture and best director for Russell and best actor prizes for Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, THR reports . 7 Movies On Makeup Short List Seven films remain in competition for the Makeup and Hairstyling category for the 85th Academy Awards. Hitchcock , The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey , Les Misérables , Lincoln , Looper , Men in Black 3 and Snow White and the Huntsman made the short list. Three nominees will lead into the Oscar ceremony. Lili Taylor’s The Cold Lands Set for Berlin Premiere The film by Tom Gilroy will have its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival in February. Also starring John Ventimiglia, the pic revolves around Atticus who flees from authorities after his mother’s sudden death into the rugged mountains and dense forests of upstate New York. The feature is part of the initial films announced in the Berlinale’s Generation Programme. See the full list of announced titles here . Any Day Now Soft as Holdovers Hyde Park On Hudson and Silver Linings Playbook Stay Solid Any Day Now bowed in 16 theaters a brave story starring Alan Cumming about a gay couple fighting to retain custody of special needs child they reared. Any Day Now is a brave film and story that earned audience prizes at festivals throughout the year. Unfortunately it did not connect fully with paying audiences in its debut but hopefully its audience will build through word-of-mouth. It averaged only $2,563 per location. More specialty results at Deadline. Film Critic Karina Longworth Leaves L.A. Weekly Longworth began at L.A. Weekly replacing Scott Foundas who headed to the Film Society of Lincoln Center. He’s returning to Village Voice Media as its critic. She is writing a book about Meryl Streep for Cahiers du Cinema and will freelance, TOH reports .
The film won a number of prizes including Best Picture. Also in Monday’s round-up of news, seven films made the Academy’s Shortlist of titles competing in the hair and makeup category; Lili Taylor’s latest is set for a Berlin premiere; newcomers in the Specialty Box Office opened weak over the weekend; and film critic Karina Longworth is leaving L.A. Weekly. Silver Linings Playbook Wins 4 Satellite Awards Including Best Picture David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook took five prizes at the 17th annual Satellite Awards Sunday including Best Picture and best director for Russell and best actor prizes for Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, THR reports . 7 Movies On Makeup Short List Seven films remain in competition for the Makeup and Hairstyling category for the 85th Academy Awards. Hitchcock , The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey , Les Misérables , Lincoln , Looper , Men in Black 3 and Snow White and the Huntsman made the short list. Three nominees will lead into the Oscar ceremony. Lili Taylor’s The Cold Lands Set for Berlin Premiere The film by Tom Gilroy will have its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival in February. Also starring John Ventimiglia, the pic revolves around Atticus who flees from authorities after his mother’s sudden death into the rugged mountains and dense forests of upstate New York. The feature is part of the initial films announced in the Berlinale’s Generation Programme. See the full list of announced titles here . Any Day Now Soft as Holdovers Hyde Park On Hudson and Silver Linings Playbook Stay Solid Any Day Now bowed in 16 theaters a brave story starring Alan Cumming about a gay couple fighting to retain custody of special needs child they reared. Any Day Now is a brave film and story that earned audience prizes at festivals throughout the year. Unfortunately it did not connect fully with paying audiences in its debut but hopefully its audience will build through word-of-mouth. It averaged only $2,563 per location. More specialty results at Deadline. Film Critic Karina Longworth Leaves L.A. Weekly Longworth began at L.A. Weekly replacing Scott Foundas who headed to the Film Society of Lincoln Center. He’s returning to Village Voice Media as its critic. She is writing a book about Meryl Streep for Cahiers du Cinema and will freelance, TOH reports .
It’s hard to say who really won, or if nobody won, or if everyone won last night when filmmaker Joe Swanberg ( LOL , Hannah Takes The Stairs ) and Badass Digest critic Devin Faraci took their creative differences to the boxing ring at the Fantastic Debates, an annual Fantastic Fest highlight that combines traditional debate with actual fisticuffs. Technically, their topic of debate was “Mumblecore is catshit and is giving a bad name to independent films,” though given Swanberg’s position as the micro-indie movement’s poster child, the fight got personal as soon as it began. Faraci had the audience going early with opening remarks (full transcript below) laced with pointed barbs that had the capacity crowd cheering. “[Mumblecore] is a bunch of middle class white kids whining about their ennui, about their middle class white lives in front of a camera, without a script, without good actors,” he proclaimed. “Here’s what you need to make a mumblecore movie: A sense of entitlement, white skin, and Greta Gerwig.” It’s safe to say Faraci’s anti-mumblecore attack/not-so-friendly roast had the support of the audience, but to his credit, Swanberg (who had no films in the fest and flew in for the debate) deftly countered. “True to form I haven’t prepared notes like Devin,” he began, turning the focus back on Faraci. “Maybe us mumblecore filmmakers are making movies from the heart that are connecting with you in a way that makes you a little bit uncomfortable.” Faraci nailed exactly what so many film-watchers dislike about mumblecore films — the unscripted, self-obsessed feeling of privileged white hipsterism that dominates them — but while he had the audience’s minds, Swanberg captured their hearts with the best counter-argument he could have used. “When you use your voice to try and squash people who are young, who are just coming up, who are figuring out the kind of filmmaker they want to be and the kinds of films they want to make,” said Swanberg, “all you’re doing is discouraging creative people from becoming who they are.” It was a passionate, personal, highly entertaining exchange of ideas and philosophies about film and filmmaking filled with complexities of the critic-artist relationship as old as time. And then they entered the ring. Although Faraci and Swanberg were preceded by dueling twin sister filmmakers Jen and Sylvia Soska ( American Mary ) who kicked each other while dressed as Mortal Kombat characters, and were followed by the night’s title card between Fantastic Fest founder Tim League and actual Tae Kwan Do Grandmaster/motivational speaker/ Miami Connection star Y.K. Kim, the critic-filmmaker bout was the best, and most alarming, of the night. Punches landed hard. Contact lenses were lost. In an event traditionally more tongue-in-cheek sideshow than serious fight, Faraci hit the mat but kept going for two rounds with Swanberg, who had director Ti West as his cornerman and wore a shirt that read “The Silver Bullet,” a nod to one of his own films and a symbolic weapon for taking down certain hirsute mythological creatures. What started out as a wildly entertaining exchange of barbs turned harrowing as the physical match wore on. But neither contender pulled any punches, at the podium or in the ring, Fantastic Fest got its best Debate in memory, and this morning Faraci and Swanberg’s intellectual bout is as much the talk of the fest as their knock-down rumble. In any case, the two bruisers made up after hours, somewhat , in true Fantastic Fest fashion. I guess that’s a win-win for everyone? Read the full transcript below. Devin Faraci: Joe, I really want to thank you for coming down to Austin, Texas to talk. I understand that last night you and your wife wanted to have some Chinese food, and Magnolia is now releasing that into 100 theaters next weekend. I’m here not because I hate Joe Swanberg – that’s just a plus – but because I love independent cinema. I love indie movies! They’re the beating heart of film. This is the best, the brightest, our greatest directors from Oscar Micheaux to Roger Corman to Dennis Hopper to Katherine Bigelow, Richard Linklater, Paul Thomas Anderson’s independent cinema. These are people without big means, these are people with big dreams, big visions – and usually, take note, a script. Even Cassavetes who didn’t have the scripts had these amazing actors, incredibly trained naturalistic actors whose qualifications were much more than just being willing to simulate sex onscreen with the director. You are the opposite of everything that’s great about indie film. It’s the laziest form of filmmaking. It’s a bunch of middle class white kids whining about their ennui, about their middle class white lives in front of a camera, without a script, without good actors. Here’s what you need to make a mumblecore movie: A sense of entitlement, white skin, and Greta Gerwig. To me, the word “core” at the end of mumblecore sounds like it should be something punk rock, something amazing, something edgy, instead of the blandest, most self-indulgent bullshit and only at the narcissists who make it. Your audience, pretty much, is you. Joe Swanberg: Well, true to form I haven’t prepared notes like Devin. I heard you use the word “lazy” just now yet also it seems to be the case that I’ve made more movies than almost any American filmmaker so that seems to be a contradiction. Additionally, if my audience is just me why do I make a living as a filmmaker and why do you seem to have seen so many of my films? Maybe you recognize yourself in those movies, Devin. Maybe us mumblecore filmmakers are making movies from the heart that are connecting with you in a way that makes you a little bit uncomfortable, possibly in your underpants area. Maybe they’re a little too familiar. Maybe the awkward fumblings of the sexual scenes hit a little too close to home, so rather than embrace these films you put up a wall of defense. I also heard you mention Roger Corman, another filmmaker who in his time was accused of being lazy, amateurish, sloppy, all these things – now he’s a hero of yours. Maybe you’ve got to give these mumblecore movies another 25 years before you see the true impact they make. Mostly, I’m out there doing it, Devin. I’m making movies. I’m getting my friends together with no money, we’re going out there and doing it, we’re putting ourselves on the line for shitheads like you to take cheap shots from behind your computer! There wouldn’t be a you without a me, Devin. Faraci: You’re right, you have made more films than most American filmmakers. Hitler killed more Jews than most other people. True, your early films were full of your heart, and your soul, and your dick, and then you moved past short subjects into longer movies. It is important that people keep making movies. I do agree that having no money should never be a roadblock for any filmmaker out there. Having no talent, that’s a whole other matter entirely. Swanberg: I’m going to ignore the cheap shots. You know, we both came of age in a really amazing time when the technology has allowed me to have a voice and the technology has allowed you to have a voice. And I think that, unfortunately, when you use your voice to try and squash people who are young, who are just coming up, who are figuring out the kind of filmmaker they want to be and the kinds of films they want to make, all you’re doing is discouraging creative people from becoming who they are. I think the next time you see a movie that you really hate, you might want to reflect on it for more than 25 minutes before you write a review. You write reviews faster than I make movies. Faraci: I do agree, I think that young filmmakers out there who are working hard should be supported, they should have places like Fantastic Fest to come and show the work they’re doing. It doesn’t mean that every single thought that they ever had has to become a 65-minute motion picture. At the end of the day I think making movies isn’t just about getting your friends together and turning a camera on. It’s about creating something that speaks to people, something that has a soul, something that has narrative. I think you need to have one of these things: amazing craft, amazing script, amazing actors. At this point, when Kevin Smith is beating you in all three of those, I don’t know what to say. But I do want to say, Joe, I do respect that you came down here. This is not easy, this is not your crowd. I think this was very big of you. And I look forward to punching you right in the face in a couple minutes. Swanberg: I don’t have much to say Devin, except that I’m going to be making a lot more films for the rest of my life, most of them you’ll be watching. I’ll never read another word you write. I think you’ve demonstrated an incredibly close-minded view of what cinema can be, by referencing just script, or just narrative, or just those things. I think you have a lot to learn. I’m excited for you to learn it. Mostly I’m excited to put the gloves on and beat the shit out of you. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Lamar Odom has succeeded where so many before him have failed: at standing up to Kris Jenner. The Kardashian matriarch had reportedly been pressuring her son-in-law to give up professional basketball and dedicate himself fully to the life of a talentless, shameless hack reality TV star. But TMZ now confirms Odom has gone in the opposite direction and will be concluding his series with wife Khloe Kardashian after this season in order to focus on his faltering NBA career. The heretofore solid sixth man was placed on the inactive list by the Dallas Mavericks a few weeks ago after failing to connect with teammates, showing general laziness and falling to career lows in points and rebounds. He’s now intent, though, on reviving his career, with insiders saying he’ll reside full-time in Los Angeles and work out with personal trainers. The most recent episode of Khloe & Lamar earned -65 points from our critic, as it focused on Khloe’s family visiting the struggling couple in Dallas.
