Lee Daniels' The Butler: New Title, New Poster, Same Movie

Have you seen the new poster for Lee Daniels' The Butler? Here it is. 

new poster and old poster

I like it and here's why: It looks more like a Lee Daniels movie than that stately original poster. The first poster could have been for any movie that was going the prestige FYC route. It could have been a film made by anyone, and probably someone less crazy than Lee Daniels. That's a safe assumption, statistically! Whether you love or hate his movies -- three to date: Shadowboxer, Precious, The Paperboy -- you have to admit that they're non-generic. They don't feel like they were made by committee. At all.

The silly war over the period drama's title concluded too quickly for me to finish my "Suggested Alternate Title" joke post (since I was doing mock posters. I promise it was funny. sniffle) but PERSONALITY is why I like the new poster and the retitling to Lee Daniels' The Butler. 

 The more people hear your name, you know? It's why hip hop artists say their name so much in their songs. It's why Tyler Perry puts his name before every title. It might be vanity, sure, but it's also savvy business. Once your famous enough you can do this even if you aren't the director which kinda sucks for the guy who did that job - see Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) which is actually a Henry Selick movie! 

Lee Daniels presents... OprrraaaaaAAHHH

poll by twiigs.com

I've always wondered why studio marketing doesn't try to push director's names more. In this modern era where even amateurs understand the basics of personal branding, the studios are not capitalizing on or trying to build fanbases for their directors which seems like both a dumb and a dick move. Even a director as constantly successful as James Cameron often gets the "From the Director of..." without his name attached in commercials which is just stupid if you ask me. Everyone who has a unique vision, even if a lot of people hate that vision, should be trying to build a fanbase. 

Review: The Wolverine

When Marvel Comics first introduced Spider-Man and The Fantastic Four to the world in the 1960s, they sparked a comic book revolution. No longer were superheroes the new gods, indestructible and unfailingly heroic Others from distant planets, lands, times (see: Superman, Wonder Woman, Captain America) or mysterious 1% recluses (Batman) but something closer to heightened neighbors. Your classmate or coworker or mailman might be a mutant. You might stumble into capes or spandex yourself, should you cross paths with gamma rays or a radioactive spider. The Silver Age heroes had to hold down jobs, keep secrets, and navigate angsty romances or complicated family dynamics. If superheroes were real they'd be hounded by the tabloid press and paparazzi.

In other words... "Superheroes - they're just like us!"

But some super powers are far from relatable. This summer indestructibility has raised its dull head again as the chief power of both the Man of Steel and The Wolverine. This power lacks the proxy pizazz that comes with cooler mutations like flying, telekinesis, web-slinging, flaming on, and so on. Indestructibility just isn't inherently interesting, or at least not visually rich, good only for sticking around. And Wolverine, the world's favorite furry angry Canadian sure does, loitering about the cinema and historical signposts of the ages, too. [more...]

Click to read more ...

Ellen Round Two!

Guess who's strapping in for another Oscar night adventure? Ellen Degeneres that's who! Just announced: the comedienne and talkshow host will do her second solo gig as Oscar Host this coming March 2nd, 2014. She first hosted, as you'll recall, for the 2006/2007 Oscar ceremony which saw The Departed crowned Best Picture.

I'm glad Ellen is back for round two. You?

Since we all know Ellen loves to dance I hope there's either a Mary Poppins/Saving Mr Banks inspired "Steppin' Time" number in which various movies are represented -- you know how that song keeps changing to mirror whatever it's celebratin' -- or she does a group dance with the cast of American Hustle since they're already getting their boogie on.

Any other proposals as to what Ellen should do on Oscar night?

Reader Spotlight: Riccardo

Get to know the Film Experience community! Today we're talking to Riccardo who is very succinct in his answers!

TFE: What's your first movie memory?

Riccardo: Bambi in the late 70s in an afternoon show with mum and sister.

Your three favorite actresses?

Nicole Kidman in The Hours. The scene at the station for me is very emotional and I love listening to her original voice and she was absolutely perfect. Michelle Pfeiffer is an absolutely underrated and talented actress even in a thriller like What Lies Beneath. And I can't explain exactly why I like Marilyn Monroe so much -maybe the mix of weakness and sensuality, that will never be found again. I could watch Some Like It Hot a ton of times without ever being bored. 

Take one oscar away from someone. Regift it.

From Meryl Streep of The Iron Lady. To Viola Davis for The Help.

If you were in charge of the movies for a year, what kind of movies would you greenlight? 
Real stories that tell about real people that changed the world with their acts, thoughts and feeling... A bit boring maybe?

What's the most recent movie you saw in theaters?

Now You See Me which I found it an interesting surpris and I loved Man of Steel  -  Mr.Cavill's personality helped a lot.  Plus lovely Amy and welcome back Kevin.

Hey those aren't real stories about real people! ;) Okay, since you're from Italy what are the three Italian pictures that you think everyone should see?

1. Once Upon a time in America by Sergio Leone is a truly complex masterpiece.
2. La Ciociara (Two Women) with Sophia Loren since I think her Oscar-winning role is one of the most memorable ever.
And recently...
3. Life is Beautiful by Roberto Benigni, a powerful film that just happened to have a huge advertising and Oscar marketing system behind it :)  

Ciao, Riccardo!

Previous Reader Spotlights

The summer blockbuster is dying? Thank goodness

Hi, it's Tim. It’s not typically the Done Thing for us members of Team Experience to respond to each other, but Michael C’s Burning Question yesterday got me thinking especially hard, and coupled with Nathaniel’s mention of my own “why did this summer suck so hard?” jeremiad in his link round-up, it seemed impossible not to address what has suddenly become a hot topic: the death of the great American blockbuster, although with Iron Man 3 striding past $400 million, reports of the death of tentpole filmmaking are perhaps exaggerated.

That said, there’s clearly a problem, and as somebody who still hasn’t grown out of the desire to see robots punching explosions into bigger explosions, or what have you, I count myself among the aggrieved that big-budget Hollywood movies have been steadily turning into such paint-by-numbers, flavorless affairs, too finely-tuned for international consumption to have any real personality. But that’s not what I want to talk about – there’s been enough talk about that. I want to talk about the happy flip side of things, which is that for all that the impressive flops and under-performers, it’s hardly been a dolorous wasteland at the multiplex. In fact, I take the story of this summer to be a hopeful one: the future seems to be taking shape right in front of us, and it’s exactly the opposite of the panicked “Cinema is dying!” rants delivered by such men as the Stevens, Soderbergh & Spielberg, recently.

If I were to pick the single most impressive box-office story of the summer, it wouldn’t be Iron Man 3 hitting a figure that is, however large, not that big a deal for a movie with its kind of budget, especially one serving as de facto sequel to a film that destroyed very nearly every record that exists. I’d go with either The Great Gatsby or The Conjuring. [MORE...]

Click to read more ...