La review of books

It’s one of busiest opening weeks in some time for indie releases with Neon ( Pleasure ), Bleecker Street ( Montana Story ), IFC Midnight ( The Innocents ) and Roadside Attractions ( Family Camp ) in theaters — even as the imminent closure of the Landmark Pico underscores just how arthouses are struggling to win back core demos. Also out, Grasshopper Films presents Michelangelo Frammartino’s Venice Special Jury Prize-winner Il Buco ; Greenwich Entertainment documentary Mau is the first feature-length treatment on design visionary Bruce Mau; and Trafalgar Entertainment offers a remastered version of Lasse Hallstrom’s ABBA : The Movie , which follows the group’s hugely successful 1977 Australian tour. Roadside’s faith-based comedy Family Camp is the widest specialty release on over 850 screens. It’s the first feature from The Skit Guys — Tommy Woodard and Eddie James – targeting “family member from eight to eighty.” Two … [Read more...] about A Church Camp, Porn Shoots And Eerie Nordic Kids In Lively Indie Weekend – Specialty Preview

Robert S. Moore is leaving his post as vice chairman of Paramount Pictures, people briefed on his departure confirmed Friday. Those people said superiors at Viacom forced his departure after killing the proposed sale of a studio stake to China’s Wanda Group, a sale of which Moore was a strong advocate. It is has been widely rumored that Jim Gianopulos , who recently left his job as chief executive of the Fox studio , would take a role at Paramount; but Gianopulos, who has already enjoyed a tour as studio chief, seems an unlikely candidate for a No. 2 spot, and there was no immediate indication that Paramount chief Brad Grey was headed for the door. People briefed on the turmoil at Viacom said Gianopulos remains a contender for that company’s chief executive spot, recently vacated by Philippe Dauman, and then his short-term successor, Tom Dooley. Dooley had been a close corporate ally of Moore’s; but the Viacom board bypassed Dooley in its search for a new long-term chief. … [Read more...] about Rob Moore Exiting As Paramount Vice Chairman

SUNDAY AM UPDATE: If there’s still a five-picture plan in place for Fantastic Beasts, clearly after this weekend’s $43M opening for The Secrets of Dumbledore, it’s time to pivot the Harry Potter franchise. That’s the lowest opening ever stateside for a J.K. Rowling Wizarding World movie, and it’s probably not prudent for the studio to go for another low opening record on the next project from the franchise. It was evident Potter fans didn’t like the last movie, Crimes of Grindelwald , even if there was a cliffhanger, and they didn’t want to come back for Dumbledore. With the Warner Bros.-Discovery merger made official on Wall Street earlier this week, this is unfortunately not the best optics for the studio. However, as CEO David Zaslav gets to know Hollywood, he should realize that sometimes greenlight decisions pre-date the studio’s current regime. Who would greenlight a $200M net production on a franchise that wasn’t working? The Fantastic Beasts movies were put into … [Read more...] about ‘Dumbledore’ Opens To $43M U.S., Lowest In ‘Harry Potter’ Franchise; What Now For The J.K. Rowling IP? – Sunday AM Update