At first glance, there is little about Snowden that would seem to distinguish it from some of this year’s other “I’m not sure there’s a movie in that true story” based-on-a-true-story movies like Sully and Deepwater Horizon, especially in the wake of the Wikileaks film The Fifth Estate or the exceptional documentary Citizenfour. But Snowden has a secret weapon, and it’s one that I wasn’t expecting: a fully-engaged and on-his-game Oliver Stone. And when Oliver Stone is on his game and fully engaged, there are few filmmakers who are more interesting or provocative. I have been a fan of his work for most of the time I have been a film fan, even before I knew fully who he was. I was drawn to films he had written, and when he made the jump to directing full-time with the back-to-back accomplishment of Salvador and Platoon,...
- 9/16/2016
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar Adam Sandler in Drag/Jack And Jill Below Sandler Box-Office Average; Tower Heist Down 45% At no. 5 on the domestic box-office chart this weekend, Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar raked in $11.47 million — at the very lower end of expectations — as per studio estimates found at Box Office Mojo. The J. Edgar Hoover biopic starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Hoover, Armie Hammer as his associate and intimate companion Clyde Tolson, and Naomi Watts as FBI secretary Helen Gandy averaged an acceptable — though not very promising — $6,005 at 1,910 locations. As mentioned in a couple of previous posts, comparisons to Gus Van Sant's Oscar-nominated Milk, which were possible on Wednesday, are impossible to make at this stage. Written by J. Edgar's Dustin Lance Black, the 2008 drama starring Sean Penn as gay San Francisco politician Harvey Milk never played at more than 900 North American sites — and that expansion took place around Oscar time,...
- 11/13/2011
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood, J. Edgar Henry Cavill/Tarsem Singh Immortals May Reach $38m: Box Office At no. 5 on the domestic box-office chart on Friday, Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar raked in $4.25 million as per Box Office Mojo. If the J. Edgar Hoover biopic starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, and Naomi Watts reaches $12 million for the weekend, that means an acceptable — though not very promising — $6,312 average at 1,901 locations. Comparisons to Gus Van Sant's Milk, which were possible on Wednesday, become trickier at this stage. Written by J. Edgar's Dustin Lance Black, the 2008 drama starring Sean Penn as the gay San Francisco politician Harvey Milk never played at more than 900 North American locations — and that expansion took place around Oscar time, more than two months after the film's late November debut. Made for a reported $20m, Milk went on to gross only $31.84m at the domestic box office; J. Edgar...
- 11/13/2011
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
Armie Hammer as Clyde Tolson, Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover, Judi Dench as Anne Marie Hoover, J. Edgar Jack And Jill/Adam Sandler in Drag: Second-Lowest-Grossing Sandler Comedy in Past Five Years? According to unproven — and quite possibly unfounded — rumors, FBI emperor J. Edgar Hoover enjoyed wearing some nice-fitting dresses every now and then. Ironically, this weekend the all-powerful Hoover will surely be beaten at the Us/Canada box office by another cross-dresser: Adam Sandler in Jack and Jill. How the mighty have fallen. At no. 5 on the domestic box-office chart, Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar will likely rake in $10-$12 million for the weekend after grossing $3.5-$4 million on Friday. Even if the Hoover biopic reaches $12 million, that means an acceptable — though hardly very promising — $6,312 average at 1,901 locations. (Deadline has $13 million for the weekend, but that could be a typo, unless Warner Bros. is expecting the adult-oriented J. Edgar...
- 11/12/2011
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar Hoover biopic J. Edgar grossed $52,645 according to Box Office Mojo. The Warner Bros. release starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the FBI honcho and Armie Hammer as his intimate "friend" Clyde Tolson is currently screening at seven locations. The film's average was a not-too-impressive $7,571 per theater. For comparison's sake: on November 26, 2008, Gus Van Sant's Milk, another biopic about a gay figure written by J. Edgar screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, collected $268k at 34 locations, averaging $7,897 (about $9,150 today) per site. Remember that all things being equal, the lower the number of theaters, the higher the per-theater average should be. In other words, Milk had a considerably stronger first-day opening than J. Edgar. But then again, Milk opened the day before the Thanksgiving holiday; that could have made a difference. Milk, which stars Sean Penn as slain gay San Francisco politician Harvey Milk, went on...
- 11/10/2011
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover, Naomi Watts as Helen Gandy in Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar As J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI's notoriously corrupt, rabidly power-hungry topdog, Leonardo DiCaprio looks very much like Leonardo DiCaprio in the above still from Clint Eastwood's Hoover biopic J. Edgar. As Hoover's secretary Helen Gandy, Naomi Watts looks like Nicole Kidman without makeup. Watts certainly looks nothing at all like the real Gandy. The Big Question: Will J. Edgar delve into Hoover's alleged homosexuality and his relationship with protégé Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer)? Considering that the J. Edgar screenplay was written by Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black of Milk fame, I can't see how it wouldn't. That might also explain Hammer's casting: the Social Network actor looks as much like Tolson as, say, Tom Cruise looks like Joseph Stalin, but Hammer and DiCaprio do make a nice-looking couple. In addition to DiCaprio,...
- 8/16/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Robert Schimmel is off the hook. With his wife declining to press charges, prosecutors in Los Angeles have dropped the domestic violence case against the 59-year-old funnyman. According to a court document filed by Deputy District Attorney James Garrison, without the cooperation of Melissa Schimmel, 35, there was not enough evidence to proceed with an assault charge stemming from a May 2 incident at the couple's home. Melissa filed for divorce six days later, citing irreconcilable differences. She's seeking spousal support and sole physical custody of the couple's two children along with child support. As a bleep-worthy comic, Schimmel is best know for his appearances on Late Night...
- 5/22/2009
- E! Online
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