Another Terrible Idea: An LGBT Die Hard Remake – Please Don’t Be Serious

Die Hard ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Some ideas are stupid. No, really, it isn’t about whether or not you like or dislike LGBT movies. I happen to like some that I’ve seen and support seeing more.

But give us original stories. Don’t take existing stories we loved, recast them with sexes swapped and call that creativity. That’s just lazy gender swapping.

An LGBT Die Hard remake seems horribly misguided. I mean, mad props to Charlize Theron who probably could pull off the acting chops with no problems, if the underlying story is lame then, nothing else matters.

As you may’ve seen, the idea of Theron tackling a female-driven riff on Die Hard gathered some buzz on social media earlier this week, and the 45 year-old was more than onboard with the idea. Not only that, but former New Girl star Hannah Simone also threw her hat into the ring

Charlize Theron Supports Campaign For Her To Star In LGBT Die Hard Remake

Where do I sign https://t.co/nO47Bj28CN

— Charlize Theron (@CharlizeAfrica) December 8, 2020

Again, I’m all for an LGBT action film that explores new territory. We just don’t need to see a Diehard remake with the main characters sex changed. This is the kind of thinking that just loses again and again. Diehard wasn’t that long ago to even need a remake. And doing so without Bruce Willis as John McClane and Bonnie Bedelia as Holly would be silly.

There are so many, many great books that could be adapted into films. Some are very LGBT, so there’s your source material. Leave Diehard alone already. I’m tired of subpar Diehard sequels with Bruce Willis, why would I want to see Charlize Theron in the title role? You?

SECOND LOOK: The Old Guard – Netflix

The Old Guard ⭐️⭐️⭐️½

This morning I watched this and liked it. My spoiler-free review is up on Letterboxd and linked on the title above, which is not how normally these FIRST LOOKS are done (in almost every case they are movies or TV shows I haven’t seen and am interested in seeing — usually written and posted before the release date).

UPDATE @ 4:20PM : Turns out that I did already write a FIRST LOOK on May 22 for this movie. How I forgot about this and wrote a second FIRST LOOK is my own mistake. The original post is here: FIRST LOOK: The Old Guard – Netflix

On Wednesday when looking at what was coming to Netflix this coming weekend (see: WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND #28 of 2020 Movie and TV Streaming Picks – AppleTV+, Netflix, HBO Max, Shudder, DC Universe), I saw this and planned to write up a FIRST LOOK for it (not remembering I’d already done it a couple weeks ago). This morning, I saw it appear on Netflix, started watching it and before I knew it, the movie was over.

It’s interesting reading other reviews and watching the trailer. I see there is focus on the diversity of the cast and crew, but it was the story I focused on. I didn’t even realize it was based on a 2017 graphic novel (The Old Guard by Greg Rucka — #1 is available for free on Google Play) until after reading other reviews.

“And love the fact that it was this group of warriors from different cultures and sexual orientations and genders that have come together to save humanity,” she says. “I mean, that’s the world that I — when I look out — that’s what I see, that organic diversity.”

Here’s why Netflix’s ‘The Old Guard’ is groundbreaking – Daily News

Trailer:

I’ll have more to say about the movie in the critique and other reviews I compile for next week, but in the meantime, if you’re looking for something action-oriented and new to check out this weekend, here you go.

The Old Guard is available for streaming on Netflix as of July 10, 2020.

Charlize Theron Doesn’t Seem To Like Steven Seagal

Bombshell ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Following the 4th of July festivities, realizing that we have still several more weeks before theaters reopen (AMC on July 31, Regal now on July 30, sigh), cleaning up spent fireworks reminds me of something I saw earlier this week.

Charlize Theron is dialing up the diss on Steven Seagal.

The Mad Max: Fury Road star then justified her criticism of Seagal, 68, noting, “I have no problem talking s— about him because he’s not very nice to women so f— you!”

Charlize Theron Says ‘Overweight’ Steven Seagal ‘Can Barely Fight’: ‘He’s Not Very Nice to Women’

I enjoyed some of Seagal’s earliest few films, but haven’t seen an action film starring him as the lead in a long time that was worth recommending, in some cases not even worth watching.

Look, we all slow down as we age. Some will gain weight, some things sag, aging isn’t a pretty proposition. I’ve personally looked about 20 years older than I am for the last 10+ years, although because of my physical job, I’m in very good physical shape. Steven Seagal, however, looks like he went through the Star Trek transporter and had his 80s appearance and body fused with the present. I don’t think he should be in action films as the action hero in this physical condition. He never was a great actor, even in his prime, uttering lines like he’s whispering and gargling glass. Add to that, he seemed even a bit creepy at times.

Take Katherine Heigl who was a teenager when she starred in the Under Seige sequel (which I sort of enjoyed, despite it being a pretty bad movie). Listen to what she says about working with Seagal and remember, she had just turned 16:

“You know, Katie, I’ve got girlfriends your age,” Seagal said, according to Heigl on the last day of shooting.
“Isn’t that illegal?” Heigl replied.
“They don’t seem to mind,” Seagal said.
Heigl called out, “Mom!”

And then Jimmy Kimmel shows a picture with Seagal’s hand on Heigl’s breast with her mom wearing sunglasses in the background.

Yikes. Just not a good optic. I don’t know if it’s stranger that people are laughing in the audience over this or that Kimmel even brings this up. The whole video interview doesn’t make me laugh, it just creeps me out.

Related to Theron’s angsty comments? I don’t know.

Meanwhile, Charlize Theron has been in several recent movies that were not only worth watching, but at least one that I’ve recommended. So, one is relevant in 2020, the other was relevant 20 years ago.

FIRST LOOK: The Old Guard – Netflix

Charlize Theron is a skilled actress with a lot of variety. I compare her — wrong or right — to Scarlett Johannson. I think Scarlett is more talented, but Theron has been amazing at times (Monster, for example).

There’s also an interesting meta aspect to The Old Guard’s narrative, in the sense that it’s a movie about corporate executives wanting to tap into its heroes’ unique abilities and monetize them for their personal benefit, as opposed to using them for a nobler purpose

The Old Guard Trailer: Charlize Theron is a Superhero

The trailer looks good:

I really enjoy these women kicking butt action movies. This one looks like fun. I get tired of muscle-bound guys — some of which have very little acting skill — in the roles, so nice to see some women — who do have skill acting — getting their kicks in and mixing the genre up. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a badass husband-wife pair take on an action movie? I realize this isn’t like that, but maybe we can get one someday?

The Old Guard will be streaming on Netflix on July 10, 2020.

The Unnecessary Creative Liberties Taken by Bombshell

Bombshell⭐️⭐️⭐️

Anybody who has even loosely followed Megyn Kelly as a journalist and TV personality — and yes, she’s somewhat old news since going off the air on both Fox and her NBC Today Show — knows she had to speak up sooner or later about the movie.

Turns out she had some kind of private screening with alleged victims of Roger Ailes at FOX.

Kelly invited her husband, Doug Brunt, as well to watch the movie and give fresh, first reactions.

Brunt looks almost tranquilized in the few camera shots catching his expression. You can tell he feels badly for what happened to his wife.

It’s interesting to hear Brunt bring up one of my main criticisms of how Charlize Theron portrayed Megyn Kelly. The mannerisms and look are practically a dead ringer, but the voice is off. Check out this part of the video for Brunt’s comments at 3:33:

Physically it was there. I thought the voice was forced trying to get down deep and low.

Thanks for the vindication, Doug, because that was exactly the problem I couldn’t get over while watching it. There is more to a person than their looks, the way they speak is a very important part of their personality. Theron, as gifted and talented as she is, didn’t imitate Kelly’s voice.

Kelly goes on to detail several more liberties the movie took with the facts:

“They suggest that I had run my debate questions for Trump by the Murdochs. That’s a fantasy. I never ran it by Ailes or the Murdochs, or anyone other than my debate team,” Kelly said. “The notion that Roger liked the ‘Donald Trump woman question’ because it created controversy in a TV moment was not true. Roger did not like the question at all and was very angry at me for asking it. And at one point eventually asking me, ‘no more female empowerment stuff.’”

Megyn Kelly Disputes Bombshell’ Plot Points: What It Got Right & Wrong | IndieWire

It’s puzzling why Jay Roach and his team didn’t do a better job staying true to the narrative, instead of spinning their own. I understand why some biographies sway from the truth, but in these cases it was unnecessary. There were plenty of dramatic, intense moments with the facts not to need creative license.

This wasn’t what Roach did with Sarah Palin in Game Change ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (as much, anyway) but for some reason he felt it was necessary here. I think this is one main reason the film didn’t do as well.

Another reason is it didn’t tell the story from Gretchen Carlson’s point of view as the primary character. That was the person who brought the charges first and was the most prominent in the actual case. Instead, Roach went for the more “popular” of the three, Megyn Kelly. Again, to the film’s detriment.

I’ll readily admit being fascinated by how much Charlize Theron looked like Megyn Kelly, but in the end that wasn’t enough to maintain my interest in the story.

Also see: 20+ Bombshell Reviews – Charlize Theron Portrayal of Megyn Kelly Not Award-worthy

What did you think of Bombshell?

Two Feel Good Human Stories involving Movie Stars – Grease Jacket Returned by Generous Donor and Charlize Theron SAG Nomination Bathrobe Slip

It’s the holiday season and who doesn’t love reading stories of human beings being, well, human? The kindness, warmth and generosity displayed by some very good people reminds us that the spirit of humanity will never die.

Grease is one of my wife’s favorite movies. She will love this story when I share it with her, so am sharing with others reading, too …

Sadly, singer and Grease actress Olivia Newton John has been diagnosed with breast cancer three times since 1992. Recently, she donated the jacket and her iconic black pants from Grease to an auction for her cancer center.

CNN you did a wonderful thing with this news story, especially this time of year, about a wealthy super fan who chose to remain anonymous, that purchased Olivia Newton John’s iconic black Grease jacket for nearly a quarter of a million dollars — and then returned it to her.

“This jacket belongs to you and the collective soul of those who love you, those for whom you are the soundtrack of their lives. It should not sit in a billionaire’s closet for country club bragging rights,” the anonymous buyer said in Los Angeles this weekend, in a video posted on Facebook by Julien’s Auctions. “For this reason I humbly and respectfully return it to its rightful owner, which is you.”

Olivia Newton-John’s ‘Grease’ jacket: A man bought it for $243,200 and gave it back to her – CNN Style

The second story is more humorous in nature, but still heart warming, reminding that TV and film awards, even a SAG nomination, mean a lot to actors and actresses for their hard work and dedication in films.

Enter Charlize Theron in a bathrobe jumping up and down on a bed and having an accidental, revealing moment:

The talented actress was surrounded by friends while jumping up and down on her bed when she got excited over the nomination and when she realized the bottom part of the blue robe she was wearing opened, the video blanked out with a beep. When it cut back to the clip, it showed the blonde beauty and her friends laughing hysterically as she covered herself and gushed to a cute dog about the nomination.

Hollywood Life

Theron received the SAG nomination for her work on Bombshell [PREVIEW] which some lucky moviegoers will be able to see tomorrow ….

Bombshell opens (limited, it seems) in some theaters December 13, 2019.

PREVIEW – Bombshell

Bombshell – or the movie that dramatizes what happened at Fox News with Roger Ailes sexual harassment – is opening limited in theaters on December 13 and wide on December 20. The following is what we do and don’t know about this movie as of this writing.

Charlize Theron looks hauntingly similar to Megyn Kelly.

No, really, the box art to the right doesn’t do her transformation into looking like Kelly justice.

Theron spoke about getting into the personality of Megyn Kelly in preparation for the movie:

“She’s tricky in the sense that there’s so much footage…there’s a lot you can see on Megyn Kelly, but it’s always in that lawyer-y and journalist format,” she said. “You kind of have to decipher what her emotional capacity is or how she would express her emotional experience because she doesn’t necessarily do it the way I naturally do it. It’s very, very different from how I function.”

Charlize Theron had some doubts about playing Megyn Kelly in ‘Bombshell’ – CNN

Here is the real Megyn Kelly talking about the alleged sexual harassment (Roger Ailes denied) she endured:

Now watch the official Bombshell trailer. Whomever does Charlize Theron’s makeup, prosthetics, etc, should be considered for some kind of award. Wow.

Bombshell official trailer – the story of sexual harassment in the workplace at FOX News

Real sources were used.

The Bombshell producers talked to “about 20” former and current FOX employees about sexual harassment in the workplace.

In order to paint a vivid picture of the network’s culture, Bombshell’s makers spoke to about 20 people with a connection to Fox, including multiple women bound by confidentiality agreements, a task that sent the filmmakers into territory usually left to investigative journalists. “We have all taken an oath to protect our sources,” says Theron, who also produced Bombshell. “But we tried to communicate as much as we could with everybody. Yeah, I’ll just say that.”

The Secret Sources for ‘Bombshell’: Why Ex-Fox News Staffers Broke Their NDAs for Filmmakers – Hollywood Reporter

Some of the women spoken to are identified in this blog post: Juliette Huddy and Rudi Bahktiar but not Julie Rogansky who said nobody spoke to her.

The great John Lithgow plays the late Roger Ailes. His transformation is less impressive than Ailes, but the fat suit and “man boobs” (lol!) has Ailes’ build correct anyway:

Lithgow said, “I was effortlessly in character as soon as I put all that stuff on. [Costume designer] Colleen Atwood, she was my co-conspirator. We spent hours and hours getting that big fat body right. If you look very closely, halfway through the shooting we decided that he really needed man boobs. We said, it depends on his mood, in some scenes he has man boobs and in some scenes he doesn’t.”

Indiewire

Nicole Kidman plays Gretchen Carlson

The real Gretchen Carlson who sued over the sexual harassment is frustrated that she can’t say much, due to an agreement reached in court. She received $20 million in her lawsuit and Ailes resigned.

This movie could be the 2019 poster child for the #MeToo movement and dive deep into a gritty story about sexual harassment in the workplace. I hope it delivers and doesn’t come up short. We’ll find out on December 13, 2019.