“A Minecraft Movie” delivered huge boxoffice, but with unexpected rowdy behavior in cinemas by some youthful moviegoers. The Warner Bros. Pictures adaptation of the hit video game generated a blockbuster $130 million domestically its opening weekend, April 3-6, which was double prerelease research tracking. To date, the parental guidance-rated (PG) movie starring Jack Black … [Read more...] about ‘Minecraft’ Ignites Rowdy Cinema Rally
social media
Arty-Film Website Letterboxd Blossoms
An influential social-media website for arthouse aficionados, Letterboxd, is hitting its stride, reaching 17 million active members with accounts at end of last year. “In 2024, those members wrote 96.4 million reviews, marked 701 million films watched, and made 6.8 million lists, a popular feature,” a Letterboxd press release says. Fans are scattered for upmarket films, … [Read more...] about Arty-Film Website Letterboxd Blossoms
Epic PR Clash ‘Ends With Us’
The public relations and legal battle also veered into movie marketing issues. According to Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman, the producer of the movie Wayfarer Studios “made the decision to proactively hire a crisis manager prior to the marketing campaign of the film, to work alongside their own representative with Jonesworks employed by Stephanie Jones, due to the multiple … [Read more...] about Epic PR Clash ‘Ends With Us’
Disney Star Ignites Political Storm
A Walt Disney Studios star imperils the marketplace reception of a reported $270 million film by taking a strong anti-Trump stand. It’s the worst nightmare of every film distributor, having the personal, off-camera conduct of talent ignite an extraneous controversy. “'May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace,” posted actress Rachel Zegler. … [Read more...] about Disney Star Ignites Political Storm
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 for extensive media coverage of its premiere, is a PG-13 rom-com from Sony Pictures Releasing. The film is based on the best-selling novel by Colleen Hoover. The gala Aug. 6 premiere at the … [Read more...] about Premiere Press Coverage Propels ‘It Ends’
‘Mean Girls’ Cast Leverages Social Clout
The casts of the two “Mean Girls” movies pack a wallop in social media, which was leveraged for a theatrical premiere this past weekend. The high-school satire musical opened Jan. 11-23 in cinemas to an estimated $28 million in domestic boxoffice (decent given horrible winter weather across the nation). The PG 13-rated film mixes in the cast of an identically titled movie … [Read more...] about ‘Mean Girls’ Cast Leverages Social Clout
Hollywood’s Go-to Video Blogger at TikTok
TikTok video blogger Reece Feldman, whose handle is @guywithamoviecamera, is the go-to influencer for films marketed to the youth demographic via social media. In just three years after leaving college, Feldman has created a cottage industry of his journalism-style v-logger posts and commentaries on movies and TV programs. The 25-year-old marketing promotional wiz is on paid … [Read more...] about Hollywood’s Go-to Video Blogger at TikTok
‘Priscilla’ Spawns Elvis-era Cosmetics
A $49 woman’s makeup kit from the movie “Priscilla” allows fans to wear their own “winged eye” look made famous by the wife of Elvis Presley. This film-licensed cosmetics merchandise is making a publicity splash. The publicity is the viral type as fans go online with tutorials and commentaries about the Priscilla x Half Magic cosmetic product and the source movie. There are … [Read more...] about ‘Priscilla’ Spawns Elvis-era Cosmetics
Oscars Tighten Campaigning Rules
Rules governing campaigning for Oscar awards were tightened in social media and in other areas this week, but loosened allowing “shortlists” to be promoted. Rules tweaks for the Academy Awards are done annually but this cycle are extensive, particularly after a little-known British actress Andrea Riseborough got nominated last year after waging an aggressive social … [Read more...] about Oscars Tighten Campaigning Rules
Film Fests Wobbly on Free Speech
Once self-proclaimed bastions of free speech, film festivals increasingly kowtow to woke progressive and grievance-culture growing in U.S. society. As a consequence, acclaimed and quality films perceived to be on the wrong side of mandated group-think get the boot from movie fests in acts of self-censorship. “A new, unspoken modus operandi [is that] festivals — once the … [Read more...] about Film Fests Wobbly on Free Speech