Let's Make A Hollywood Hall of Fame!

Sports and Music both have Hall of Fames. Even some other organizations have a Hall of Fame. Hollywood does not. The closest they have is the Walk of Fame. So let’s create the first Hollywood Hall of Fame. It will be specifically for Directors, Actors, and Actresses. Let’s keep our first set of entrees to 5 per category. I have listed some criteria below. Who would you like to see in the Hollywood Hall of Fame?

 

Criteria:

-Sustained excellence over a minimum of 25 years

-Must have at least an Oscar nomination (winners preferred)

-Box office profitability taken into account

-Must have been a part of multiple iconic movies

-Each year would see a minimum of 1 and maximum of 5 people per category (our first induction will have 3 dead and 2 alive people in each category)

 

**Here are my first entrees into the Hollywood Hall of Fame (stats taken from IMDB.Com)

 

Directors:

-Alfred Hitchcock (0 Oscar wins, 5 nominations – “Psycho”)

-Stanley Kubrick (1 Oscar win, 13 nominations – “A Clockwork Orange”)

-John Ford (4 Oscar wins, 6 nominations – “The Searchers”)

-Steven Spielberg (3 Oscar wins, 15 nominations – “Saving Private Ryan”)

-Martin Scorsese (1 Oscar win, 12 nominations – “The Departed”)

Actors:

-Marlon Brando (2 Oscar wins, 8 nominations – “The Godfather”)

-Paul Newman (1 Oscar win, 10 nominations – “The Verdict”)

-Laurence Olivier (1 Oscar win, 11 nominations – “Spartacus”)

-Jack Nicholson (3 Oscar wins, 12 nominations – “The Shining”)

-Daniel Day Lewis (3 Oscar wins, 12 nominations – “Lincoln”)

Actresses:

-Katharine Hepburn (4 Oscar wins, 12 nominations – “Bringing Up Baby”)

-Ingrid Bergman (3 Oscar wins, 7 nominations – “Casablanca”)

-Bette Davis (2 Oscar wins, 11 nominations – “All About Eve”)

-Meryl Streep (3 Oscar wins, 18 nominations – “The Devil Wears Prada”)

-Jane Fonda (2 Oscar wins, 7 nominations – “Nine to Five”)

 

**Using the criteria above, who would you like to see put into the Hollywood Hall of Fame? Keep in mind, if you put someone else in for the first set of entrees, you must take someone from above out.

Do Superheroes Need An Origin Movie?

So far most superhero movies have started with an origin story. Batman, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Superman, Thor, and Wolverine have all had their origin stories told. Some multiple times. Other major characters have been able to exist without solo movies and origin stories though. Black Widow, Guardians of the Galaxy, Hawkeye, Nick Fury, X-Men, etc. are major characters that we know little about. All have had varying degrees of success at the box office, so my question is; do superhero movies need origin stories?

The answer to this question is not a yes or no. The true answer is somewhere in between. I will explain the different possible answers below.

*Yes – Superhero movies need origin stories:

Despite recent success, comic book fans and superhero fans are still a niche group. Studios are trying to attract casual fans, not hardcore fans. They know hardcore fans will already purchase tickets to their movies. Studios want to bring in new buyers in order to gain repeat customers. They want people seeing their movie multiple times. A great way to do this is to explain to the fans what they are watching. Telling an origin story is a great way to make a fan feel as though they are a part of something from the beginning. These origin stories can explain a lot about a character. It helps fans become invested.

*No – Superhero movies do not need origin stories:

As stated above fans know little about Black Widow, Guardians of the Galaxy, Hawkeye, Nick Fury, X-Men, etc. That has not decreased interest in those characters. Marvel and Fox have had great success without relying on a tired formula of movie making. We know little about most of the villains in these movies too, yet some have become immensely popular. We know nothing about the Joker and he may be the best character from all of these movies. This is proof that movies do not need origin stories in order to gain fan appeal and profits.

*Maybe:

Some comic book characters have transcended comic book fame. They are now firmly entrenched in pop culture lure. I believe most people, not just fans, know about Bruce Wayne seeing his Mother and Father shot in front of him. Most people know about Peter Parker seeing his Uncle Ben die. Most people know Superman is an alien raised in Smallville, Kansas. Most people know Captain America is a super soldier who was frozen for many years. Some origin stories do not need to be retold every time a character is rebooted or remade. It is lazy film making. On the other hand, some characters should have an origin story told. Movie goers know little about lesser known characters. The internet can explain a lot, but that would require fans to do some research. Not many people want to do homework before they see a movie.

*Depends:

There are pros and cons to having an origin story or not having an origin story. I think the best option really depends on how it is done. Some movies stray from the character’s comic book origin. Comic books and movies are different though. They require different types of storytelling. What works in a comic book may not work in a movie and vice versa. Fans will only get mad when a movie is bad or the core characteristics about a character are changed. There are also different ways to give some background information on a character without a full blown origin movie. Flashbacks, character exposition, and reveals can all be used instead of a movie starting from the very beginning of a character’s superhero life.

CM Punk Signs With The UFC

The UFC has signed Phillip Jack Brooks aka CM Punk (nothing against him, but I am not calling any person by their alias). This signing is a move that will divide fans. Some are excited. Some are mad. Some are confused. Good for Phillip Jack Brooks though. It is a brave decision to decide to fight. Especially against some of the best in the world. He is no longer working as a professional wrestler and needed a job. This is a great opportunity for him. People are only as valuable as what they are able to negotiate. This signing does bring up some topics of discussion about the UFC though. Let’s look at a few of the angles.  

Sports Angle

-From a fighting perspective Phillip Jack Brooks instantly becomes the worst fighter in whatever division he decides to fight in. He is currently 36 years old and does not have a traditional martial arts background. He has never taken an amateur or professional fight. There are literally hundreds of fighters in the world who could beat him. The UFC decided to give him a roster spot instead of someone more deserving. They will probably have to give other undeserving fighters a roster spot in order to create match-ups for Phillip Jack Brooks. To his credit though, he has been training jiu-jitsu and MMA for a little bit and will have access to some world class coaching, trainers, and partners before his first fight.

Business Angle

-The UFC has tried to position itself as a sports entity for many years. They have tried hard to go from niche sport to mainstream sport. The UFC is not a sport though. It is a business. Mixed martial arts is a sport. The signing of Phillip Jack Brooks should make this clear. He is a celebrity with great name recognition. The UFC is hoping he will be able to bring in professional wrestling fans and casual fans. They want to sell merchandise and they want to sell pay-per-views. Phillip Jack Brooks can do that. He is a great personality with even better microphone skills. He will be able to advertise himself and the UFC better than most fighters on the UFC roster.

Marketing Angle

-I wrote about how the UFC has a marketing problem a couple of weeks ago. Here is the link: http://dspeaker.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-ufc-has-marketing-problem.html. The Phillip Jack Brooks signing increases my argument. The UFC is hoping Phillip Jack Brooks will become a star a la Brock Lesnar. These are two completely different people though. Brock Lesnar had an amazing amateur wrestling background, fought before entering the UFC, and was an amazing athlete. The type of athlete the UFC had never seen before. Phillip Jack Brooks holds none of those attributes. Make no mistake. This signing is all about marketing. The UFC does not expect him to compete for a championship. They expect him to increase interest and viewership and sell a bunch of Reebok “CM Punk” gear.  

I have nothing against Phillip Jack Brooks. I am not a professional wrestling fan, but I actually like him as a person. I have seen some interviews with him and he is a likable, well-spoken person. This move smells of desperation though. The UFC tries to act as if it only employs the best fighters in the world, but that is false. They are in denial. They only employ some of the best fighters in the world. People should relax though. Having Phillip Jack Brooks take a few fights in the UFC will not soil the product. Love it or hate it, this is happening.

Are DC & Warner Bros. Wasting Will Smith?

No one is more excited about the upcoming Suicide Squad movie than me. I love the concept of the government employing criminals for near impossible missions. My hope is that it mirrors the success of Marvel’s formerly unproven property, Guardians of the Galaxy. The DC animated universe did such a great job with the Batman: Assault on Arkham movie. I imagine the live action version will borrow some aspects of that. While the cast for Suicide Squad is great, one person sticks out to me; Will Smith. Could DC be wasting his talents?

Will Smith will be playing the character of Floyd Lawton aka Deadshot in the Suicide Squad movie. While hardcore fans may know who he is, casual fans do not. He is a hired assassin and the world’s greatest marksman. Fans of Marvel could compare him to Bullseye, who was portrayed by Collin Farrell in Daredevil.  

Why Will Smith though? A bunch of actors could have played this role. While he has taken a step back in recent years, Will Smith is still an A-list actor. He has been nominated for two Academy awards and has a number of successful blockbuster movies to his name. I really feel DC could be wasting his talents by putting him in an ensemble cast. Perhaps they feel they need his star power and name recognition for this movie to be successful. If we have learned anything in recent years though, it is that you do not need superstars to produce box office results. Especially when it comes to superhero movies.

If DC is looking to bring Will Smith into their universe, a bigger character may be a better fit. The Green Lantern reboot is scheduled for release in 2020. Playing the role of John Stewart could be great for everyone. Ryan Reynolds is not coming back and DC would like fans to forget about that movie. Why not introduce John Stewart to the masses than? The move could also add even more diversity to the DC cinematic universe. This would be great since they are trying to distance themselves from Marvel.

It was not too long ago that actors laughed at the proposition of being in a superhero movie, so I am glad times have changed. I am excited Will Smith will be playing Deadshot. I know he will do a great job with the character. I just think if he had waited or negotiated differently, a better opportunity could have presented itself.

My Superman Video Game Idea

Superman is one of the most popular comic book characters of all time. He is the quintessential superhero. He has had his own comic books, merchandise, television shows, movies, and video games. The quality of each has varied, but there is greatness scattered throughout the different mediums. Except for video games. He has been featured in some quality video games, but he has never had a truly great solo video game. Why is this?

My theory is that he is just too much of a superhero. His only real weakness is kryptonite. He is strong, fast, can fly, has x-ray vision, laser eyes, freeze breath, strong skin, a healing factor, etc. He has just too many super powers for gamers. Gamers want to feel somewhat vulnerable. They want a challenge. They want to experience some difficulty while potentially being able to lose. So here is my idea for a Superman game:

Lex Luthor has finally realized that he can’t beat Superman alone. No one can. He decides he needs to build a team of villains to all attack Superman at the same time. He realizes there is strength in numbers. He recruits seven villains to assist him; Amazo, Bizarro, Brainiac, Doomsday, General Zod, Metallo, and Parasite. Together they form a plan to defeat Superman.

As Superman is flying around Metropolis helping citizens he sees Bizarro destroying a building. Superman engages and a fight ensues. As the fight rages on the rest of the villains ambush Superman. They beat him badly. After Superman is so weakened that he can’t move, Lex Luthor uses a machine that drains each of his powers. Lex Luthor gives each villain a different super power to hold onto and they disperse. He doesn’t kill Superman though, because he wants him to see what it is like to live as a normal human. Now that Superman is out of the way, the villains command evil soldiers of theirs to attack and destroy the city. Even without his powers Superman will not stand by and watch this.

The gameplay would consist of Superman running around an open world beating up the evil soldiers. He would be able to sustain damage and could potentially die. He would gain experience points and money from each soldier he beats up. He would use the money to buy first aid kits, energy drinks to keep him awake and give him endurance to run, and different costumes. There would also be different challenges and mini games scattered throughout the city.

Superman would interrogate the defeated soldiers in order to find out where each of the seven boss villains are hiding. Each villain would have an elaborate puzzle Superman would have to solve in order to get a power back. After he gets a power back he would be able to use it. The power would not be the normal strength Superman is used to though. He would have to defeat the boss villains and more evil soldiers to level up the different powers he re-acquires. After Superman re-acquired all of his powers and leveled them up to normal strength, he would fight a special ninth villain – Darkseid.

The Darkseid battle would be the most difficult of all, because he would have altered some pieces of kryptonite to mess with each one of Superman’s newly acquired powers. In order to defeat Darkseid, Superman would have to figure out which powers he can use and in what order he must use them to damage Darkseid.

Should Television Shows And Movies Share The Same Universe?

Should television shows and movies share the same universe? Another way of phrasing that question would be, should television and movies crossover or be linked? It is a hotly contested subject between fans. This topic mostly deals with superhero shows and movies, so I’ll focus on those.

Marvel currently has one television show and it does exist in the same realm as their movies. I am talking about Agents of SHIELD. DC currently has four shows and they do not exist in the same realm as their movies. They are Arrow, The Flash, Gotham, and Constantine.

While I understand falling in love with a show or an actor’s portrayal of a character, shared universes present some problems:

Acting Ability and Quality: For the most part movie actors are better at their craft than television actors. The same goes for production. Movies have a much bigger budget than television shows, so their production value is vastly superior. Especially when compared to network television. There are some exceptions to the rule, but there is a reason movie actors and directors are paid more than television actors and directors. It would be hard to have a shared universe, because the television actor could potentially be outclassed during a movie. It would make them look bad and hurt both the television show and movie product. It would also be difficult to persuade “A-list” actors to do television episodes. Agents of Shield hasn’t had Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Thor, etc.

Continuity and Schedule: There are a lot more television episodes than movie installments. A television show can go through two to three seasons before a movie releases. That is a lot of episodes. It could create continuity issues within the shared universe and end up hurting the show and movie. It also uses up potential characters and plot lines that a movie may want to touch on. Think about all the villains Arrow and Flash have already defeated. Due to actor’s schedules it would also be difficult to arrange a time when the television actors and movie actors are both available to film a new movie.

Fan Confusion: One complaint about Marvel’s Cinematic Universe is why certain characters don’t show up in different movies to help out other super heroes. Imagine if that complaint was doubled. Why didn’t a movie character appear in the show to help? Why didn’t a television character appear in a movie to help? It would create confusion for the common fan. Hardcore fans may be able to rationalize plot holes, but run-of-the-mill fans can’t. It’s important to remember hardcore fans are not the majority. They are the minority.

So there are some reasons why television shows and movies should not share the same universe. I would love it if they did, but objectively thinking, they cannot. There are additional arguments against a shared universe, but I didn’t want to make this too long.

Two Ways Daniel Cormier Can Beat Jon Jones

Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier are both great fighters. They may very well be the number one and number two fighters in the light heavyweight division. I am truly a fan of both of them. With that being said I believe Jon Jones is going to win their fight easily. I predict he will finish the fight within three rounds. I think he is the better striker, better athlete, and that his length will give Daniel Cormier a lot of trouble. There is a chance Jon Jones could lose though. Here are two ways I could see Daniel Cormier becoming the new UFC champion:

One way Daniel Cormier could win would be to get inside of Jon Jones’ reach. It is easier said than done, but since Daniel Cormier is smaller and shorter than Jon Jones, he may be able to do it. Once inside he should push Jon Jones against the cage. This will limit Jon Jones’ reach advantage and not allow him to use his unique striking. From there he needs to dirty box and go for takedowns. If he can consistently do this he has a chance of beating who I believe is the best light heavyweight of all time.

The other way he could win would be to use his wrestling and take Jon Jones down as much as possible. Again, it will nullify the reach advantage and creative striking of Jon Jones. Daniel Cormier is physically and technically better suited to turn this fight into a grappling contest. Using some ground and pound will also weaken Jon Jones and make it so the fight is not restarted on the feet. Jon Jones has shown some good submission skills, but if Daniel Cormier uses his wrestling correctly he should be able to counter whatever Jon Jones tries to do.

Of course, Daniel Cormier could always land a surprise knockout or submission, but I see those as being highly unlikely. His best bet is to use one of the strategies I explained. He has the wrestling advantage and sometimes being shorter is not a hindrance if footwork is used correctly.

I stand by my Jon Jones pick, but in a fight, anything can happen. Jon Jones hasn’t shown many weaknesses yet, so until I see signs of him not being at his peak I will continue to always bet on him.

What Makes A Great Movie Trailer?

What makes a great movie trailer?

We live in a world where millions of dollars are spent advertising and marketing movies. Merchandise is created. Web sites are established. Posters and billboards are crafted. The list goes on and on. All of these are done so that people will be aware of when a movie is released. Movie studios really want you to see their product. Throughout time though, no advertising or marketing has meant as much as a movie’s trailer.

Trailers are so important these days that most companies commission a third party to create a buzz worthy trailer for their movie. We even have teasers for trailer releases. What makes a great trailer though? It’s not an exact science, but here are some things (in no particular order) that contribute to having a memorable trailer. This is more about modern movies since times and tastes have evolved over the years.

Music / Sounds

-People require more than just visual stimulation. What they hear can be just as important. The music and sounds of a trailer can also provide tone. It allows people to feel or experience something while watching. When fans emotions are engaged it can lead to them being willing to invest time and money into a viewing a movie.

Cast / Director

-Not all movies have “A-list” casts or directors. That doesn’t mean they don’t have great people delivering great performances though. A trailer should allow fans to know some of the actors appearing in the movie and who the director is without having to do research. A lot of actors and directors have a following, so showing or telling about their next project will help to increase profits.

Overview

-There are a lot of movie genres and source material that movies are based off of. A trailer should give fans an idea of what to expect. It should tell them what the movie is about. You don’t want to spoil the movie, but deliver enough information to leave them wanting more.

Visuals

-Almost every movie in Hollywood uses some form of visual effects. Most of the time you don’t notice it. Visuals aren’t limited to effects though. A trailer should also give you an idea of the setting and wardrobe that are going to appear in the movie. When a movie looks good (double entendre) fans are more likely to purchase tickets.

Dialogue

-Most trailers have a few quotable lines. This helps make the trailer memorable for the audience and allows them to share a small part of the movie with their friends. When dialogue from a movie enters the popular culture it creates something that lasts throughout time. The trailer gives fans their first glimpse of what’s to come.

So there you have it. If a trailer can nail those aspects it should be able to drum up some buzz. Of course, not every successful trailer has all of those things. A lot still manage to be great by being different. What do you feel makes a great trailer? Comment below.

The UFC Has A Marketing Problem

The UFC has a marketing problem. As the leader in the MMA community, the UFC should employ all of the top fighters in the world. For Ben Askren and others not to be in the UFC is a joke. It may be contract negotiations holding certain fighters from competing in the UFC, but this article is about marketing.

Some fans say Ben Askren and others are “boring” fighters. Guess what? People say that about Floyd Mayweather Jr. too and he’s the most profitable fighter in the world. He’s largely a defensive fighter with amazing footwork, reactions, and timing. It comes down to marketing. There are “boring” football and basketball teams too and those sports are thriving. Again, it all comes down to marketing. I wrote another article detailing how to fix the UFC (http://dspeaker.blogspot.com/2014/11/how-to-fix-ufc.html). Let me borrow some lines from that:

Every event poster is the same. Every television special is the same. Every weigh-in is the same. Every fighter’s walkout is the same. Every commercial is the same. Every season of The Ultimate Fighter is the same. Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Spice things up. Take some chances. Do something different. The biggest companies in the world invest millions into new and creative marketing. That’s because marketing creates profit.

It appears as if the UFC has lost a lot of the momentum it had a few years ago. It was on the verge of being a mainstream sport. That is no longer the case. Perhaps they can rebound, but I think it will take a new marketing push to do so. “Mega fights” won’t do it. New champions won’t do it. New marketing strategies will. It’s time for change UFC. If you want to increase your profits, it is time to try something new.

Know Your Classics: Wages of Fear

In my opinion there are three kinds of movies in this world: bad movies, good movies, and great movies. “Wages of Fear” though, transcends those categories. It is in a class all of its own. It is not just a great movie, it is an all-time great movie. It is a French movie from 1953, so I will forgive you if you have never heard of it. If you can handle foreign films in black and white, I would suggest you see it immediately. Even if cannot handle those things, I would still suggest you see it immediately. All-time great art deserves to be appreciated.


I first came across this movie in a film history class in college. Initially, I was not too excited about watching it. I thought a black and white movie with French subtitles from the 50s with a director I had never heard of would be boring. I was wrong. This movie opened my eyes to what great film-making was all about. I was able to get past the visuals and subtitles. I found myself analyzing every frame, every line of dialogue, every character action. The movie is full of symbolism and after watching it, you will find yourself breaking down every movie you later watch.


It is a thriller/suspense movie that takes place in South America. After an oil well 300 miles away catches on fire four poor men are hired to transport highly explosive nitroglycerine to the site so the fire can be extinguished and the well can be capped. The suspense and thrill comes from the poor condition of the roads and the different obstacles the drivers encounter. If the nitroglycerine cans are shaken too much they will explode, killing the drivers. Essentially, this is a suicide mission. The only reason the people accept the job is because they are in desperate need of money. The film sees the courage, friendship, ingenuity, and desperation of its characters tested. 


The movie itself is dark and gritty. The black and white really adds to the tone the movie is trying to portray. If there was color present, those visuals could subtract from the feeling of imminent death. The people are dirty and sweaty. The vehicles are beaten down. Even the direction by Henri-Georges Clouzot is superb. Every shot is simple. It allows the viewer to focus on the actors and the terrain the vehicles must cross. While viewing, you truly will be on the edge of your seat.


I adore this movie and it is a shame that not more people know it exists. It is one of the few movies with a 100% rating on RottenTomatoes.com. I would hate for Hollywood to ruin it with a remake, but I do feel as though not enough people know how brilliant this movie really is. The time is right for an American remake. It could be done for fairly cheap too, so hopefully in the future Hollywood will see the profit potential in it. Until then, find a way to view this masterpiece.

How To Fix The UFC

Be more professional

-This goes for the athletes and management. Dana White is the face of the company and its biggest star. As President, he’s essentially equal to the Commissioner of the other sports leagues. The NFL, MLB, NBA, etc. all have professionals running their organizations. They largely stay in the shadows and just make sure everything is run properly. They don’t partake in reality television shows. They don’t give their opinion on their athlete’s performance. And they punish people when necessary. Those leagues would never stand for one of their athletes calling another, “Nazi”, a la Conor McGregor.

Trim the roster

-I understand you want to put on a lot of events during the year and that injuries happen, but your roster is full of fighters who aren’t the best in the world. Knowing that turns fans off of wanting to watch your product. You should employ only the best 20 or so fighters in each weight class and have everyone fight 3-4 times a year. Occasionally bring in other fighters your scouts feel could compete with the best in the world in order to add new blood. Don’t do it all the time though just to have watered down fight cards. Your product won’t be so diluted and fans will want to watch more.

Trim the fight cards

-If you’re going to trim the roster, you’ll likely have to trim the fight cards as well. 10 fights is the perfect number for an event. Anything more is overkill and oversaturation. Fans want quality, not quantity.

Have and announce injury backup plans

-If an NFL quarterback gets injured, fans and the opposing team already know who his backup is and the game goes on. Nothing gets cancelled. The UFC should have something similar. Announce a replacement fighter for each scheduled fight. They can be paid a portion to train and will get paid even more if they are needed as a late replacement. Fans would still buy the pay per views if they knew they would still get a compelling fight should someone get injured.

Have some fun

-Every fighter’s walkout is the same. Every commercial is the same. Every season of The Ultimate Fighter is the same. Spice things up. Take some chances. Do something different. Allow fighters to be more original with their walkout routines. Fans will pay to see the spectacle as much as the fights themselves.

Pay the athletes more

-I understand the best of the best in the UFC make good money and everything is not disclosed to the public, but everyone on the roster should be making more. Fans follow their favorite fighters on social media and see their struggles. This only makes fans complain and want change to happen in the UFC. It doesn’t help the business at all. Follow the old adage of, “to make money, you must spend money”. The fighters are your assets. Invest in your assets.

Should Disney Buy Nintendo?

I read a great article on Yahoo.com today. It was about Disney buying Nintendo in the future. It’s not a rumor or even a realistic possibility, but it got me to thinking.

Here is the article: https://games.yahoo.com/news/disney-save-nintendo-only-cost-173001469.html

Imagine what Disney could do with all of the different characters from Nintendo. Nintendo, due in part to the Super Mario Brother’s movie failure in 1993, have been reluctant to expand on their intellectual properties. They focus only on gaming these days. Had that movie been a success fans would likely see more Nintendo characters in television shows and movies.

Disney has been extremely successful with its own brand, ABC, ESPN, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, etc. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that they would be in asset acquisition mode. Companies that make profit always want more profit. More characters means more potential profit. With geek culture now being mainstream and popular, it would make sense for Disney to strike now.

Disney has its foot in print media, digital media, television, and movies. Having access to Nintendo’s already popular stable could mean big bucks. Case in point, nobody knew who Big Hero 6 were until Disney got their hands on them. Now imagine what they could do with already popular characters.  

Is Johnny Depp Still A Good Actor?

I have some unpopular opinions. I’m not afraid to express them and I’m not afraid to be criticized for them. They are just opinions. They are just thoughts. It’s just how I feel. Here is one opinion I’m sure others don’t agree with. Johnny Depp is no longer a good actor. Hopefully people will read this with an open mind before calling me names.

Does it matter if Johnny Depp is no longer a good actor? Nope. Not one bit. He’s a millionaire who will continue making movies despite what some guy in Maryland (Me) thinks. Hear me out though. I’m saying at this point in time Johnny Depp has become a bad actor. I’m still a fan of his and I think he will bounce back, but currently he is not very good. He used to be great, but talent or acting ability can be lost. Ask Matthew McConaughey.

That is what I think has happened. I think Johnny Depp has lost his acting ability/talent. Maybe he’s just not trying anymore. In recent years he has resorted to playing over the top characters covered in make-up. That’s not acting. That’s hiding. That’s mailing in a performance. That’s living off your name and reputation instead of your ability.

What is good acting though? Some say it’s about getting consistent work. Some say it’s about having profitable films. Some say it’s about being nominated or winning awards. I’d say it’s the ability of a person to transform into a character, while delivering an authentic performance that is believable to the audience.  

To me, Johnny Depp no longer does this. He uses silly voices and awkward mannerisms. It works for some of his characters, but for the majority of them, it falls flat. It takes me out of the movie going experience. It’s a distraction every time he’s on screen. He stands out, not because of his skill, but because of his lack of subtlety. There is nothing nuanced about his recent performances.  

It looks like “Into the Woods” and “Mortdecai” will continue his “Tusk”, “Lone Ranger”, “Dark Shadows”, etc. trend. I hope his upcoming movies, “London Fields” and “Black Mass” can reignite his talent though. I still believe in him. I know a good actor is in there. Now it’s about showing it.

How Much Money Do Movies Really Make?

When looking at how a movie performs, most fans only look at the box office results. This is only one piece of the pie. Remember, it's not about how much money a studio makes, but how much profit they make. To understand how much money a movie really made for a studio quite a few things must be taken into account:

Production Budget

-Movies can cost a lot of money to make. Cast, location, effects, crew, production, etc. all factor into how much money goes into making a movie. Larger scale blockbusters often cost more than other types of movies. The production budget of a movie is often known to the public. A great site to reference for this information is BoxOfficeMojo.com.

Marketing/Advertising

-This one is tricky. Studios don’t often disclose how much money goes into marketing and advertising. It is millions of dollars though. Most movies spend between $20 million and $50 million to get the public’s attention. Larger scale blockbusters can spend even more than that.  

Total Box Office

-Total box office isn’t what it seems. Movie studios actually only get to keep about 2/3 of the box office money. The rest of the money goes to the theater showing the movie. Fans often forget this when looking up box office results online.

Back End Deals

-This one is also tricky, so don’t really try factoring it into my equation below. An actor’s contract is never made public. The only thing known is an actor’s salary or how many movies in a franchise an actor is contracted to film, should the studio want them to return. Some A-List actors have back end deals worked into their contract though. They believe their name will help sell the film, so they ask for a certain percentage of the box office money.  

So how do you calculate how much money a film really makes? It’s tough since only the studio really knows. Here is a way to do it though. The exact amount will be off, but it will give you a good idea.

2/3 Total Box Office (Domestic and Foreign) – (Production Budget + Marketing/Advertising = Assume $35 million for a normal movie and $65 million for a larger scale blockbuster)

*EXAMPLE: The production budget of a movie is $100 million and it makes $200 million at the box office. Roughly how much did the studio make from that movie?

2/3 Total Box Office ($132 million) – ($100 million Production Budget + $35 million Marketing/Advertising) = -$3 Million.

-It can be assumed the example lost the studio $3 million in money. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that for every $1 million spent making the movie the studio would like to see $3 million or more returned at the box office.

Omega Red Should Be The Next Wolverine Movie Villain

Movies no longer worry just about North American profit. They now worry about international profit. While some movies only receive a domestic release by a studio, most blockbusters receive worldwide releases. Comic book movies are blockbusters. Many movies will even cater to different markets in order to appeal to a wider audience. They will have a multicultural cast or take place outside of the United States.  

The last Wolverine movie did just this. It took the character outside of North America and placed him in Japan. This was a genius financial move. The movie made $132 million in the domestic box office and $282 million in the foreign box office according to BoxOfficeMojo.Com. I’m sure much of that foreign box office money came from Asia. This is in part due to the setting, storyline, and characters of the movie.

The movie itself was bound to be a hit no matter what. People love comic book movies. People love Wolverine. People love Hugh Jackman. Coming off the critical failure of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Fox Studio needed to do something to spice up the franchise. Insert Japan, Silver Samurai, and Viper. Fox should continue in this direction. Drop Wolverine in a different country every movie and give him a character from that country to fight. Fans will have a better movie than X-Men Origins: Wolverine and the studios will be able to make more money off the foreign box office.

That brings me to the villain I’d love to see Wolverine fight next. Omega Red. I’ll include a link with more information about him, but basically he’s a badass Russian mutant. His inclusion would give Wolverine a tough fight in another cultural landscape. He would also be a visually stunning character to see onscreen. Everyone’s happy and everyone wins.

http://marvel.com/universe/Omega_Red

 

The Chicago Bulls should trade Derrick Rose

I have some unpopular opinions. I’m not afraid to express them and I’m not afraid to be criticized for them. They are opinions. They are thoughts. It’s just how I feel. Here is one opinion I’m sure others don’t agree with. The Chicago Bulls should trade Derrick Rose. Some may call me crazy, but here is my reasoning.  

As Herm Edwards once said, “You play to win the game”. Seems simple. To take it one step further, a team should play to win a championship. Simple concept right? Not every franchise attempts to achieve this though. A lot of franchises attempt to build towards the future instead of operating in the present. Sometimes I agree with this business approach. Most of the time I don’t though.

The Chicago Bulls are built to win now. Right now. This season. The championship seems wide open this year. There is no clear favorite so far. The Chicago Bulls should be trying to strike while the iron is hot. Derrick Rose has missed the last two seasons and has been hurt for most of this season. Having him sit on the bench isn’t helping Chicago win any games.

That is why I believe they should trade him. I’m not sure what the market is for him, but I’m sure they could get a serviceable point guard and shooting guard for him. To me, The Bulls need some more ball handling and shooting to really take them over the top. Trading Derrick Rose could get those for them.

As I said at the beginning of this article, I know my point of view is crazy to some, but it does hold some merit. Chicago wants to win a championship and they believe they need Derrick Rose to do so. I disagree. I believe if they have the right pieces they can accomplish their goal. Trading Derrick Rose can bring those pieces into play right now.  

 

The Flash And Arrow Are The Same Show

Let me start off by saying I like both The Flash and Arrow television shows. They are essentially the same though. Knowing that won’t stop me from watching future episodes, but I think the CW may want to make some changes to improve one or the other and help differentiate them to fans.

-Both have superheroes who protect their city (Green Arrow-Starling City/The Flash-Central City)

-Both have teams who know their identity (Felicity, Diggle, Roy, Laurel/Caitlin, Cisco, Wells, Joe)

-Both have media code names (The Arrow, The Vigilante/The Streak)

-Both have love interests (Laurel, Sara, Felicity/Iris)

-Both have genius women (Felicity/Caitlin)

-Both have black law enforcement or military males (Diggle/Joe)

-Both have different villains every episode

There are some differences, but they are greatly outweighed by the similarities. Arrow has flashbacks and The Flash is dealing with his Father’s wrongful incarceration. We also don’t know what’s going on with Doctor Harrison Wells yet, but it’s likely he’ll end up evil like Malcolm Merlyn.

Again, I enjoy both shows. I just feel as though the CW is being lazy by not making each unique and different while keeping them connected.

 

Reports, Rumors, and Confirmations

The internet is a great source of information. It’s also a great source of rumors and misinformation. Ever heard the phrase, “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet”? A lot of websites today employ people who are not journalists and have no journalistic integrity. They will post stories and articles that aren’t confirmed.

Writers have become lazy with their information. They don’t research what they hear or fact check what they write. They want to be the first to “break” a story. In today’s world, page views and clicks are more important than accurate information. Don’t believe the hype though. Know the difference between a report, a rumor, and a confirmation.   

Reports mean nothing. Rumors should only be given credence if there is a notable source attached. Obviously web site won’t name their sources, but they should give a general idea where the rumor is coming from. A confirmation can only come from someone directly attached to a project. I bring this up, because there are too many articles online that are false and misleading to fans. Many people repost these as fact, when they are not. Before you believe something you see online, stop and think where the information is really coming from.

When Should A Fighter Retire?

When should a fighter retire? This is both a simple and complicated question. Every fighter and every fighter’s situation is different. Here are some examples of when a fighter should retire though:

When their skills are gone

-National Football League quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning both recently said, [“I will retire when I suck”]. That’s one way to look at it. Fighting is different though. A fighter’s mentality is different from other athletes. They don’t always know when their skills have diminished. You often hear fighters talk about a bad training camp, a bad weight cut, illness, not sticking to a game plan, or “getting caught”.

When they no longer have a passion to compete

-Fighters not only train to win a bout, but to protect themselves from harm. Fighters want to succeed, but they also want to avoid pain and injury. Most fighters are life-long athletes. Since middle school or earlier they’ve been practicing and training for something. It’s all they know. As a rule, exercising is horrible, so it’s hard for athletes to know when they don’t want to compete anymore and when they just don’t want to prepare.

When, medically, they shouldn’t be fighting

-Most athletes have sustained injuries at some point and come back, so they don’t always listen to the signs their body is giving them. It’s “tough person” culture to fight through pain. They also don’t actively seek out advanced medical information. They don’t always know what is going on with their organs, heart, or brain.   

When someone won’t pay them

-Fame and fortune are addictive. Some fighters enjoy them just as much, if not more, than competing. Winning is great, but fans are better to some athletes. Also due to financial circumstances, as long as someone is willing to pay them, they have to compete. It’s their livelihood. The only career they’ve ever known is being an athlete. If one isn’t prepared for retirement, the job market can be a scary place.

So when should a fighter retire? United States Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once said, “I know it when I see it”. He wasn’t talking about fighters, but his words ring true in this case as well.

 

Bad Movie Remake

 

Hollywood doesn’t make a lot of original movies. It’s not for a lack of creative writers though. The movie industry has some incredibly talented writers in fact. Original content is scarce because most of the original movies that do get made, don’t succeed. Hundreds of movies are produced every year, which means thousands of scripts never get their chance to shine. Most movies these days are literary adaptations, franchises, or reboots/remakes.

One movie I would love to see rebooted/remade is the 1991 flop, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. It’s not a particularly good movie, but it does have some good qualities to it. The movie stars Mickey Rourke, Don Johnson, Daniel Baldwin, and Tom Sizemore. The basic plot as described by IMDB.Com is as follows:

[“Tough biker Harley and his no less tough cowboy friend Marlboro learn that an old friend of theirs is losing his bar, because a bank wants to build a new complex there and demands 2.5 million dollars for a new contract in advance. Harley and Marlboro decide to help him by robbing the corrupt bank. Unfortunately they rob the wrong safety transport and get ahold of a new synthetic drug, instead of money. Now they are targeted both by criminal bankers and killers of the drug mob.”]

Done right, this movie could be a success. Heist movies are typically cheap. They also can transcend age ratings. A good heist movie could be PG-13 or Rated R. Think about some of the best heist movies ever; Ocean’s Eleven, The Italian Job, Fast and Furious, etc. As a one-off or franchise a new version of Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man could work. Get some popular lead actors, write some witty dialogue, have some memorable stunts and chases, include some beautiful women, and wrap it around an awesome soundtrack. BOOM! Rake in the cash.

Obviously if it was that easy, it would have been done by now. Perhaps the reason it hasn’t been repackaged though, is because the movie isn’t well known. It didn’t do well at the box office and it didn’t receive great ratings from critics. The only reason I know of the movie is because I watched it plenty of times as a child on VHS. I watched it so many times in fact that I remember the whole movie by heart even after not watching it in years. That is how I am able to see so much potential in it.