We're not the only ones getting canned.
Russia to stop new cinema production in 2009.
7 Apr, 06:12 PM
The Russian Minister of Cultural Affairs Alexander Avdeev has said that Russia will stop new cinema production in 2009, Russian web-site Lenta.ru reports. “We will just continue work on the films that were started last year” – Avdeev said at a session of The State Duma Special-Purpose Committee.
According to Avdeev’s speech, the Russian Ministry of Cultural Affairs will assign about 500 million rubles ($15 million) to supporting documentaries and children’s films. “This way we will save the proportion of money that would have been allocated to making motion pictures and nonfiction films. We will also avoid unemployment in the cinema sphere” – Avdeev said.
Avdeev added that film directors and producers will have to compete to retain their jobs, although he did not specify how. Those that win will be granted funding from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
Avdeev also said that the state is ready to help directors who make films touching on specific social problems. The Minister said he was sure that projects based on these themes would attract the interest of many famous directors and actors.
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Film Review: I-Trek or Star Trek(2009)
Okay, I'll post more on Monay AFTER everyone has seen this. But the answer is to see it. It's right up there with Star Trek IV.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
I'd like your thoughts ...
Was reading an article from moviemaker and the following question popped up.
If you had made a film at 16, what would it have looked like?
My answer:
It probably would have been a post-apocalyptic film. Very dark. That's where I was at that time. It would have been mediocre. The other possibility was a fantasy film, and it would truly have sucked.
If you had made a film at 16, what would it have looked like?
My answer:
It probably would have been a post-apocalyptic film. Very dark. That's where I was at that time. It would have been mediocre. The other possibility was a fantasy film, and it would truly have sucked.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
MEME: 10 Films to judge a suitor by
Okay this is my response to a tag by Lis.
1. Star Wars - When I say this, if you thought asking "which one?" instead of thinking of the 1977 film, I'm going to question your age.
2. The Last Boy Scout - It's about love and commitment and duty.
3. Some Kind of Wonderful - We've all been 'the friend' at one time and hoped it would end up like this movie.
4. Good Will Hunting - If you knew me, you'd understand the analogy.
5. The Fifth Element - Love, guns, and spaceships.
6. The Princess Bride - True love ... and vengeance.
7. Casablanca - Witty and at the same time heartbreaking.
8. Better Off Dead - It's about how life can change for the better when you have the right woman in your life.
9. Serendipity - We say we don't believe in fate, but we all hope for it.
10. Streets of Fire - How far would you go to rescue someone you love?
1. Star Wars - When I say this, if you thought asking "which one?" instead of thinking of the 1977 film, I'm going to question your age.
2. The Last Boy Scout - It's about love and commitment and duty.
3. Some Kind of Wonderful - We've all been 'the friend' at one time and hoped it would end up like this movie.
4. Good Will Hunting - If you knew me, you'd understand the analogy.
5. The Fifth Element - Love, guns, and spaceships.
6. The Princess Bride - True love ... and vengeance.
7. Casablanca - Witty and at the same time heartbreaking.
8. Better Off Dead - It's about how life can change for the better when you have the right woman in your life.
9. Serendipity - We say we don't believe in fate, but we all hope for it.
10. Streets of Fire - How far would you go to rescue someone you love?
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Ice Storm Inbound
There's nothing to be done about it, not to mention the snowstorm following it.
So I borrowed a selection of DVD's from the library.
Juno
Rush Hour 3
The Bank Job
August Rush
The Great Debaters
December Boys
Hopefully, I'll have reviews ready soon.
So I borrowed a selection of DVD's from the library.
Juno
Rush Hour 3
The Bank Job
August Rush
The Great Debaters
December Boys
Hopefully, I'll have reviews ready soon.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Death of Cinema Part Three
Yeah, I wasn't around for Part One in the late forties and there weren't blogs in the 80's for Part Two when video tape was going to kill them. But we are around for the Internet. The death of theatrical releases still hasn't proven true.
(An off-side is that at the beginning of the rennaisance, they thought the same thing of the printing press in relation to books. Really it was about controlling content and distribution. Also Books were going to be killed off by audio recordings and later video recordings, but we have more books published now, than ever before.)
Of course if they keep raising the price of tickets dramatically, they will kill Theatrical release. Well, that and playing crappy movies. They need to slash prices at the theaters by at least a third and food by maybe half.
As for movies this past year:
They say that the economy will now kill movies and that the movies aren't making money. What most people look at are the biggest box office hits and major losers. But it's more interesting to see #11, #12 & #17 for the year, since they're not F/X or Animation oriented.
#11 Sex and the City
Budget: $65 million
World Wide Box: $415,129,126
DVD sales: $85,376,850
If you figure they take about 50% of all that, and subtract about $50,000,000 for advertising and prints; they made around $340,000,000 minus percentages for above the liners and residuals.
#12 Momma Mia!
Budget: $52 million
World Wide Box: $572,225,617
Figuring 50% of that, and subtracting $50 million for P&A; they made around $470,000,000 minus percentages.
Compare that to Dark Knight
Budget: $185,000,000
World-Wide Box: $996,889,925
DVD Sales: $158,737,619
Giving it a standard of $50 million for P&A. It did probably no better thatn Sex and the City around $340 million; though they'll get better merchandising.
By the same Calculations, Hancock did $250 million, IJ4 did $215 million, Kung Fu Panda did $195 million, Iron Man did about $135 million, Wally $105 million, Horton Hears a Who made $30 million, QOS, Mummy3 making up $ on the DVDs, Madagascar2 spent so much advertising that it will have to make it up in merchandising.
Twilight will be making a big splash, with a $37,000,000 budget and a box so far of $237,027,235 it's already in the black.
And not to forget #17 Juno at a tiny budget of $7 ends up with around $225 million.
Wanted turned around $110 million.
(Note all the above doesn't subtract above the line percentages of box nor residuals but also doesn't cover all other streams of income).
Point of the above, is that Big budgets sometimes equal smaller profits than lower budgeted films; which is not to say there aren't crappy low-budget films, or that there aren't great large budget films. But then there's sometimes ALOT of waste on large-budget productions and they aren't as challenged to be inventive to remain inside a smaller budget.
If you ever read on Hollywood accounting, it doesn't appear that any movies made money, but if they really didn't as often as Hollywood claims, the theaters would have closed years ago.
(An off-side is that at the beginning of the rennaisance, they thought the same thing of the printing press in relation to books. Really it was about controlling content and distribution. Also Books were going to be killed off by audio recordings and later video recordings, but we have more books published now, than ever before.)
Of course if they keep raising the price of tickets dramatically, they will kill Theatrical release. Well, that and playing crappy movies. They need to slash prices at the theaters by at least a third and food by maybe half.
As for movies this past year:
They say that the economy will now kill movies and that the movies aren't making money. What most people look at are the biggest box office hits and major losers. But it's more interesting to see #11, #12 & #17 for the year, since they're not F/X or Animation oriented.
#11 Sex and the City
Budget: $65 million
World Wide Box: $415,129,126
DVD sales: $85,376,850
If you figure they take about 50% of all that, and subtract about $50,000,000 for advertising and prints; they made around $340,000,000 minus percentages for above the liners and residuals.
#12 Momma Mia!
Budget: $52 million
World Wide Box: $572,225,617
Figuring 50% of that, and subtracting $50 million for P&A; they made around $470,000,000 minus percentages.
Compare that to Dark Knight
Budget: $185,000,000
World-Wide Box: $996,889,925
DVD Sales: $158,737,619
Giving it a standard of $50 million for P&A. It did probably no better thatn Sex and the City around $340 million; though they'll get better merchandising.
By the same Calculations, Hancock did $250 million, IJ4 did $215 million, Kung Fu Panda did $195 million, Iron Man did about $135 million, Wally $105 million, Horton Hears a Who made $30 million, QOS, Mummy3 making up $ on the DVDs, Madagascar2 spent so much advertising that it will have to make it up in merchandising.
Twilight will be making a big splash, with a $37,000,000 budget and a box so far of $237,027,235 it's already in the black.
And not to forget #17 Juno at a tiny budget of $7 ends up with around $225 million.
Wanted turned around $110 million.
(Note all the above doesn't subtract above the line percentages of box nor residuals but also doesn't cover all other streams of income).
Point of the above, is that Big budgets sometimes equal smaller profits than lower budgeted films; which is not to say there aren't crappy low-budget films, or that there aren't great large budget films. But then there's sometimes ALOT of waste on large-budget productions and they aren't as challenged to be inventive to remain inside a smaller budget.
If you ever read on Hollywood accounting, it doesn't appear that any movies made money, but if they really didn't as often as Hollywood claims, the theaters would have closed years ago.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Have a Nazi Christmas???
WTF?
Let's see:
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - Playing Now
The Reader - December 10th
Valkyrie - December 25th (A christmas release?)
Three movies about Nazi Germany in 2 months over the holidays?
While I don't mind films set in WWII, there's a time for release, and I'm not sure that these are the right time.
Let's see:
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - Playing Now
The Reader - December 10th
Valkyrie - December 25th (A christmas release?)
Three movies about Nazi Germany in 2 months over the holidays?
While I don't mind films set in WWII, there's a time for release, and I'm not sure that these are the right time.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Missing The Good Movies
A Christmas Tale - not playing locally - But is in New Salem, MA. I might just hit this one, even with subtitles (it's in French).
Religulous - Just found out that I can get to this one ... I'll have to check it out.
Slumdog Millionaire - not playing locally - though if I were really motivated, I could see it in NY or Boston.
The Wrestler - Missed it ... apparently played at NY Film Festival. I've got to start hitting festivals. Hope it plays somewhere nearby.
Black Dynamite - Hope this plays nearby.
I guess I'm tired of the same old movies, not to say there aren't any selections from Hollywood, just I think I need something to break up the monotony.
Religulous - Just found out that I can get to this one ... I'll have to check it out.
Slumdog Millionaire - not playing locally - though if I were really motivated, I could see it in NY or Boston.
The Wrestler - Missed it ... apparently played at NY Film Festival. I've got to start hitting festivals. Hope it plays somewhere nearby.
Black Dynamite - Hope this plays nearby.
I guess I'm tired of the same old movies, not to say there aren't any selections from Hollywood, just I think I need something to break up the monotony.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Good-bye Television ... It was great while it lasted.
Today I started listing all the movies I've ever seen. Thousands. Well that aint too bad ... maybe 5% of my lifetime.
Then I started on TV. Holy $#!+. I spent how much of my life on TV hours?
I just gave it up. I will now make a list of TV shows to buy when I retire. Until then, I'm going back to living life.
You might think that I watch too many movies, but that 5% also includes movies that I've seen on TV/Cable, but doesn't include reruns, and neither did the TV listing.
I'm going to allow myself one new movie, and one old movie per week MAX. That'll be about 3%.
Of course that will not include any time I'll be writing. I've become disconnected from the real world and it's time to hop back in.
Then I started on TV. Holy $#!+. I spent how much of my life on TV hours?
I just gave it up. I will now make a list of TV shows to buy when I retire. Until then, I'm going back to living life.
You might think that I watch too many movies, but that 5% also includes movies that I've seen on TV/Cable, but doesn't include reruns, and neither did the TV listing.
I'm going to allow myself one new movie, and one old movie per week MAX. That'll be about 3%.
Of course that will not include any time I'll be writing. I've become disconnected from the real world and it's time to hop back in.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
12 Movie Meme by Lazyeye via Emily of Bamboo Killers
Monday
Braveheart
Dune
Epic Bodycounts
Tuesday
Lawrence of Arabia
Saving Private Ryan
WWI & WWII Epic movies.
Wednesday
Five Deadly Venoms
The Sholin Temple
Martial Arts Movie Classics.
Thursday
Pale Rider
The Quick and the Dead
Heroic Gunslinger Westerns.
Friday
Raiders of the Lost Ark
The Mummy
Archeological Action Adventure Movies.
Saturday
The Last Starfighter
Star Wars
Science Fiction movies that show the little guy can win.
Monday
Braveheart
Dune
Epic Bodycounts
Tuesday
Lawrence of Arabia
Saving Private Ryan
WWI & WWII Epic movies.
Wednesday
Five Deadly Venoms
The Sholin Temple
Martial Arts Movie Classics.
Thursday
Pale Rider
The Quick and the Dead
Heroic Gunslinger Westerns.
Friday
Raiders of the Lost Ark
The Mummy
Archeological Action Adventure Movies.
Saturday
The Last Starfighter
Star Wars
Science Fiction movies that show the little guy can win.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
My list of films for the next 6 months
A list of films I'm considering and why:
April 4th
Nim's Island: hearing mixed reviews, but sounds interesting.
April 18th
Forbidden Kingdom: Jackie Chan AND Jet Li ... no more needs saying.
May 2nd
IRON MAN: This looks good, though they really should have done the suit in aluminum or used a metallized paint, it looks plastic in the stills, maybe it'll look better on screen. But since I've read the comic as a kid (though my best friend at the time was more into it), I am going to see it. Then again I liked Ghost Rider.
May 16th
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian : Big special effect film which (due to DFX not being finished) was pushed to summer release from this past christmas. I hope they kept a bit truer to character than the last one. Then again it's been Disney-fied.
May 23rd
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: I've watched the first three, and I might as well finish it, though we've been told that it will probably piss us off how they finish it. Like that's something new in Hollywood?
May 30th
Sex and the City: Yes, I am going to see this. Either I am going to be on a date, or looking for more sexually liberated women. We'll have to see. Yes, there is a difference between sexually liberated and slut. Way too many male and female sluts out there as opposed to sexually liberated.
June 6th
Kung Fu Panda: Animated safe flick, maybe get my mother out for a change.
Mongol: I generally don't go for films in other languages, but they're haven't been alot of Mongol films since the John Wayne version flopped.
June 24th
Wall-E: Again safe family film, probably will take my mother out in the second week.
WANTED: Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman ... nerdy nobody gets trained to be superhero and saves the world. Always a popular theme. Some scenes shot with Red Camera and I want to see how it looks.
July 11th
HB II (Hellboy 2): Not high on my list, but if I need to do something.
July 18th
The Dark Knight: It's a batman flick ... which means usually good. I expect alot of Heath Ledger fans will propel this one to #1 even if it is bad.
August 1st
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (a.k.a. The Mummy 3): Well, again the first two went well, so I'll give 3 a shot.
August 15th
Star Wars: The Clone Wars I'll catch this because I generally like Star Wars and because I can get someone else to pop for the ticket for my birthday.
August 26th
Babylon A.D.: Vin Diesel, Action, Sci-Fi ... enough said.
September 12th
Punisher: War Zone: Punisher flick, it had better have a good body count, or it can't be considered a Punisher flick.
September 26th
Death Race: Remake based on the 70's film. pretty low on the list of things to do. Might improve as we get closer.
October 3rd
Valkyrie: WWII film ... depends ... have to see when it gets closer.
October 10th
City of Ember: Family Adventure flick ... we'll see as it gets closer.
October 17th
Max Payne: Based off video game. Depends on how much big-screen action over small-screen action ... not high on list.
November 7th
Madagascar sequel: maybe ... day out with mother or something.
November 21st
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince: As the books get worse, the movies will probably be better. Since the first four books that were good were badly hacked to make mediocre films.
November 26th
The Road: I got out of post-apocolyptic films years ago, but Viggo Mortensen & Robert Duvall, hmmm .... might be interesting, I'll keep an eye out as it gets closer.
December 12th
The Day the Earth Stood Still: Remake of the classic 50's film. I personally think they'll screw it up, but then again it might be fun.
--------------------
You might notice that most are fantasy/sci-fi and not much comedy or drama or romance, etc. Now if I add in DVD to this, it would have plenty. At least FX can make it worth paying the exorbant fees that they want at the theaters. If I were dating regularly, there might be some rom-coms and drama tossed in, but where I'm not, I go for what is most visually spectacular. That's why I've put films that are not as large in story but are action heavy, and sometimes both. I also have alot in the fantasy because they don't put enough money into it as compared to sci-fi, though there is a definate market for it.
April 4th
Nim's Island: hearing mixed reviews, but sounds interesting.
April 18th
Forbidden Kingdom: Jackie Chan AND Jet Li ... no more needs saying.
May 2nd
IRON MAN: This looks good, though they really should have done the suit in aluminum or used a metallized paint, it looks plastic in the stills, maybe it'll look better on screen. But since I've read the comic as a kid (though my best friend at the time was more into it), I am going to see it. Then again I liked Ghost Rider.
May 16th
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian : Big special effect film which (due to DFX not being finished) was pushed to summer release from this past christmas. I hope they kept a bit truer to character than the last one. Then again it's been Disney-fied.
May 23rd
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: I've watched the first three, and I might as well finish it, though we've been told that it will probably piss us off how they finish it. Like that's something new in Hollywood?
May 30th
Sex and the City: Yes, I am going to see this. Either I am going to be on a date, or looking for more sexually liberated women. We'll have to see. Yes, there is a difference between sexually liberated and slut. Way too many male and female sluts out there as opposed to sexually liberated.
June 6th
Kung Fu Panda: Animated safe flick, maybe get my mother out for a change.
Mongol: I generally don't go for films in other languages, but they're haven't been alot of Mongol films since the John Wayne version flopped.
June 24th
Wall-E: Again safe family film, probably will take my mother out in the second week.
WANTED: Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman ... nerdy nobody gets trained to be superhero and saves the world. Always a popular theme. Some scenes shot with Red Camera and I want to see how it looks.
July 11th
HB II (Hellboy 2): Not high on my list, but if I need to do something.
July 18th
The Dark Knight: It's a batman flick ... which means usually good. I expect alot of Heath Ledger fans will propel this one to #1 even if it is bad.
August 1st
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (a.k.a. The Mummy 3): Well, again the first two went well, so I'll give 3 a shot.
August 15th
Star Wars: The Clone Wars I'll catch this because I generally like Star Wars and because I can get someone else to pop for the ticket for my birthday.
August 26th
Babylon A.D.: Vin Diesel, Action, Sci-Fi ... enough said.
September 12th
Punisher: War Zone: Punisher flick, it had better have a good body count, or it can't be considered a Punisher flick.
September 26th
Death Race: Remake based on the 70's film. pretty low on the list of things to do. Might improve as we get closer.
October 3rd
Valkyrie: WWII film ... depends ... have to see when it gets closer.
October 10th
City of Ember: Family Adventure flick ... we'll see as it gets closer.
October 17th
Max Payne: Based off video game. Depends on how much big-screen action over small-screen action ... not high on list.
November 7th
Madagascar sequel: maybe ... day out with mother or something.
November 21st
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince: As the books get worse, the movies will probably be better. Since the first four books that were good were badly hacked to make mediocre films.
November 26th
The Road: I got out of post-apocolyptic films years ago, but Viggo Mortensen & Robert Duvall, hmmm .... might be interesting, I'll keep an eye out as it gets closer.
December 12th
The Day the Earth Stood Still: Remake of the classic 50's film. I personally think they'll screw it up, but then again it might be fun.
--------------------
You might notice that most are fantasy/sci-fi and not much comedy or drama or romance, etc. Now if I add in DVD to this, it would have plenty. At least FX can make it worth paying the exorbant fees that they want at the theaters. If I were dating regularly, there might be some rom-coms and drama tossed in, but where I'm not, I go for what is most visually spectacular. That's why I've put films that are not as large in story but are action heavy, and sometimes both. I also have alot in the fantasy because they don't put enough money into it as compared to sci-fi, though there is a definate market for it.
