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Offbeat Influencers Intrigue Publicists
Hollywood publicists invite fringe influencers to premieres and other PR events, apparently to tap their digital media followers who don’t frequent traditional media. There is a debate about the value of bringing unconventional media personalities inside the film-marketing tent. For example, in May, Disney’s 20th Century Fox picked up travel expenses for influencer Easton Simpson to work the red-carpet premiere in Los Angeles of “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” Simpson’s signature schtick is to mumble questions midway through…
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Oscars Forecast: No Frontrunners
This awards season is back to normal with no Hollywood labor strikes and no Covid, but it also is lacking consensus frontrunners for Oscars Best Picture. “So far, 2024 has…
Reviewers Ignore ‘Am I Racist?”
Anti-woke “Am I Racist?” is a mini-blockbuster in the documentary category, but is mostly ignored by professional film reviewers apparently rubbed the wrong way by its message. “For whatever reason,…
Rereleases Pile Into Cinemas
Theatrical rereleases are multiplying, driven by nostalgia, consumers’ desire to get out-of-home and gaps in release schedules after Hollywood labor strikes. And audiences are flocking to cinemas to see them.…
Neon Stakes Out Distribution Turf
Seven-year-old Neon emerged as a mainstay in the hardscrabble domestic theatrical distribution business, where most new entrants fail or shrink to irrelevancy within a few years. Highlights of its short…
Film Fests Want Oscars Mojo Back
Movie festivals in the autumn lost their prominence as Oscar launching pads in recent years, but this cycle are working hard to again be harbingers of awards. “For 14 years…
‘Reagan’ Knocks Media Bias
Presidential biographic drama “Reagan” is courting conservative audience segments as it heads to an Aug. 30 domestic theatrical premiere, after finding liberal-leaning media is trying to stifle its marketing. Showbiz…
Premiere Press Coverage Propels ‘It Ends’
Romantic comedy “It Ends With Us” is headed for a relatively big cinema premiere Friday, helped by buzz from its star-laden premiere. “It Ends,” whose star Blake Lively was catalyst…
YouTube Film Critic Makes Movie
A prominent YouTube critic has parlayed his online celebrity into crowd-funding a horror film that he directed and wrote, which received a prestigious fest play. Then, it was acquired by…
‘Twisters’ Storming Mid-America, 4DX
Tornado yarn “Twisters” surpassed audience tracking estimates by a wide margin, playing exceptionally well in middle America and the Southeast (where real twisters are a menace!) and on big-screen cinema.…