Tag Archives: Amy Adams

Charlize Theron Negotiates $10 Million Pay Rise After Sony Hack Revealed Male Co-Star Was Paid More

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Charlize Theron Negotiates $10 Million Pay Rise After Sony Hack Revealed Male Co-Star Was Paid More, equal pay, charlize theron, The Sony Hacks revealed a lot of unpleasant things, and one of them was the unequal pay between men and women, even in Hollywood. One, amazing, ballsy, actress was having none of this however. Charlize Theron negotiated a $10 million pay rise after reading that male co-star Chris Hemsworth was to be paid millions more for The Huntsman. She will now be paid the same as her male co-star. What an inspiration. We need more honesty about pay so more women can get paid what they are worth, and certainly as much as men. The pay gap between men and women is still significantly unequal. 

The hacked emails from Sony showed vast pay gaps between male and female stars. In American Hustle all of the male stars, and the male director, got 9 per cent of back-end profits. The two female stars, Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence only got 7 per cent. This is despite the fact that Jennifer Lawrence was an Oscar-winning actress and that Amy Adams had been nominated four times.

At Sony things were not any better. Out of 6,000 employees, only one of the seventeen who made over  $1 million or more was a woman. Even worse, while Michael De Luca and Hannah Minghella share a job as co-presidents of production at Columbia Pictures, De Luca makes almost  $1 million more than Minghella. 

In the UK the pay disparity between men and women is so great that women effectively work from November 4th until the end of the year for free. There are a number of social and feminist movements trying to make a difference. We must join them and do what we can. Find out how much men doing the same job are being paid and negotiate a better deal.

Man of Steel {Film Review}

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*WARNING – MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!*

 

This week is Warner Bros./DC Comics turn to bring up the heat for summer blockbuster season. It has been seven years since we had Superman on our screens with Superman Returns and the results were incredibly underwhelming (considering we had Batman Begins the year before, which was a critical and financial success). So a reboot was green-lit and Zack Snyder takes the helm to deliver Superman with watchful eyes from Christopher Nolan (serving as co-writer and producer). The end result is not as soaring as one would hope but flies rather valiantly.

 

Superman’s origin story remains the same; Kal-El (Henry Cavill) is one of the last remaining beings from the planet Krypton. Both his parents, Jor-El (Russell Crowe) and Lara Lor-Van (Ayelet Zurer), sent him off on a spacecraft as the planet was becoming unstable and would soon lead to its imminent destruction. His spacecraft crash lands in Smallville, Kansas and is raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent (Kevin Coster and Diane Lane). Though the interesting aspect that writers David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan decided to focus on this Superman movie is asking; how would we react to a super-being? Would we welcome it with open arms or would we feel threatened? It’s certainly interesting to the fact none of the previous

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movie iterations even remotely decided to focus on that aspect. Although the story can feel a bit too cold for a Superman film and comes to no surprise it mostly has Chris Nolan’s stamp all over it. It was understandable for his Dark Knight trilogy to contain such a grim tone and featuring such dark themes. Superman really is a Moses story through and through but really delves into his alien heritage. There are amusing one-liners here and there but the cinematography all felt bleak with shades of blue and grey (with exception of scenes in Krypton).

 

Henry Cavill dons the suit really well, and he also brings the character quite a bit of charm but also some weight to the character. He brings such emotions as isolation and frustration, trying to blend in but there’s always a reminder that he will never be one of them. Although one scene that I felt was too forced on the religious symbolism is when he confesses to a priest in a church (whilst sitting in-front of a window with Jesus on it, subtle movie!) and he tells Kal-El to take a leap of faith. Amy Adams makes Lois Lane an active character this time round, rather than just solely being the damsel-in-distress that has Superman saving often. The chemistry between Superman and Lois is a bit weak but hopefully will expand in future sequels. Both Kevin Costner and Diane Lane play their characters really well, though there’s not much to work on as Jonathan is along with the many motivational parent/guardians to our heroes (Aunt May in Spider-Man and Alfred in Batman). Though the spot-light is Michael Shannon as General Zod, a great character actor but he completely chews the scenery and yet makes him quite intimidating which brings the fun to this film. You really believe this is a man motivated and dedicated to his genetic upbringing as a military leader.

 

As expected from Zack Snyder, he really delivers the spectacle and makes you believe a man can fly again! You feel the ferocity when Superman is flying for the first time, the sense of wonder from Superman’s reaction on roaring through the clouds. We finally get to see super-beings beat the living daylights out of each other. The scale and action sequences is spectacular, raising the bar to the extreme on what Superman has to handle. Zod’s soldiers really do put up a fight and you feel every blow they make is a devastating one! Though it does concern me that Zack Snyder causes this much destruction more on looking cool than taking into consideration the death toll would be extremely high (not to mention the amount of damage and lasting impact would leave upon Metropolis’s citizens). I was genuinely enthralled by WETA Digital’s creation of Krypton, clearly the filmmakers made sure they distanced themselves from Richard Donner’s Krypton. You feel that everything had a purpose and the planet felt alive with its inhabitants (I especially liked the silver projections when Lara is giving birth and Jor-El is giving Kal-El a history lesson about Krypton). Hans Zimmer’s score really captures the awe and wonder of Superman but also the menacing threat from the villains. There’s a lot to live up to than being under the shadow of John Williams’ iconic theme tune but Zimmer completely makes it his own.

 

Overall; a great stab on the Superman icon and really succeeds to make its own than trying to be a copy with what has been already established. Henry Cavill and Amy Adams play their respective characters faithfully and supported by a terrific cast. I really am looking forward to seeing more of this Superman series.

 

4 out 5

The Muppets {Film Review}

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Over a decade since their last cinematic outing, Jim Henson’s iconic, comedic felt creations face a tough dilemma. Do they put on a spectacular show at the old Muppet theatre to restore their name and glory or do they slip away into the night; icons of a less complicated and cynical time? Whilst that may describe the plot of the movie itself, it also sums up the real world that the Muppet franchise finds itself in at present. Kid’s entertainment is mostly cyclical and yesterday’s fad creates indifference if not complete ignorance. However the care of craft is crucial and it seems to have paid of hugely. After a terrific Thanksgiving opening in the States, James Bobin’s reboot arrives on these shores. As someone who always liked and enjoyed The Muppets yet not a die-hard fan, I approached this with a certain sense of trepidation. Thankfully I was rewarded with one of the smartest, funniest and simply joyful mainstream family films of recent memory.

The central plot revolves around young Muppet Walter and his human brother Gary (Jason Segal, also the films co-writer). Growing up as the only Muppet in the ridiculously idyllic Smalltown, Walter finds comfort and joy through the Muppet Show on television. All grown up the two head to LA with Gary’s girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams in full on charm mode) in tow to see the Muppets Studios. However they find the studio empty and in decline, the Muppets broken up and etching out meagre livings and worst of all an evil oil baron literally named Tex Richman (a game Chris Cooper) planning to tear down the studios and dig up the black gold he has found beneath. It’s up to Walter and his friends to band Kermit and his Muppet companions together for one last show in order to raise funds and save their precious theatre. To be honest it’s a fairly tired and tested plot device yet the creators crucially realise that the journey is what counts and not the destination. For a film that is primarily aimed at a youth market, it’s a surprisingly melancholic experience as the central Muppet characters are forced to face their redundancy. These issues are raised on a more direct level with Walter and Gary who must confront the inevitable distance that grows between them.

As brave a move this is for a kid’s movie, only a fool would believe this would take the route of a Shakespearian drama. Bobin and Segal clearly understand the nostalgic appeal of the characters and play it wonderfully with a firmly tongue in cheek sense of humour that at once ridicules the characters flaws yet is clearly on their side and delights in their antics. Fozzy tells his bad jokes, Gonzo will perform death defying stunts and Animal will be unable to resist the drums. They’re aware their living in a movie world and there are several witty and well placed jokes referencing the confines of the films narrative that work well for both old fans and newbie’s alike. The human cast rise to the task with equal aplomb noticeably during the films playful song and dance sequences penned by Bret McKenzie of HBO’s brilliant Flight Of The Concords. The piece ‘Man or a Muppet’, drifts effortlessly between melancholy and mirth with a great visual pay-off. There’s also the bizarre sight of an Oscar winning dramatic actor rapping about his wealth with dance backing.

Everyone’s up for a laugh in the film, a clear fact from the celebrity cameos associated with the Muppets from their early days. The likes of Alan Arkin and Emily Blunt send up their own images in brief but well timed spots but perhaps in some of the later scenes there seems to be a wary degree of redundancy in the appearances, as though the makers just tried to get as familiar faces in as they could. This is particularly noticeable at the films climax; could they really have not found anyone else to ‘co-host’ the show. It’s one of a few niggling flaws that slightly undermine the film such as particular favourites such as Rolfe and Beaker getting only limited screen time (though understandable due to the brisk running time) and a only creeping sense of infantile humour that feels at odds with the all generations aspect of the original show. But no mind, these are only small flaws with what is otherwise a genuine gem of family entertainment and a glorious return to form for a set of beloved characters. Hell, ever Waldorf and Statler would be cheered up by it.

The Fighter {Film Review}

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I’m going to be very honest with you. Before I watched the trailer for this film, I said to myself: “What could you possibly bring to us that we haven’t seen before?” It’s the same rags-to-riches, triumph-over-odds tale that we have seen countless times. Well, it turns out quite a bit, and who doesn’t love an inspiring story about a boxer?

Rocky was nominated for 10 Oscars, including two for Sylvester Stallone with Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay (left with three for Best Director, Best Picture and Best Film Editing). Then you have one of Martin Scorsese’s best work, Raging Bull, which was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Director for Scorsese and Best Picture (won two with Best Actor for Robert De Niro and Best Film Editing). The reasons why these two films worked is because the actors and the film itself were authentic and felt real rather than a fairy tale.

In The Fighter, Mark Wahlberg plays our real life protagonist, Micky Ward, the younger brother to Dickie Eckland, played by Christian Bale.

Dickie used to be a boxing legend, until his career collapsed when he developed a crack addiction and now trains his brother. But Dickie is still the leading man, while Micky is overshadowed by his brother’s former success and  just a stepping stone for other fighters to beat the shit out of him. Conflicted by everyone telling him what to do, it is more of a fight to stand up for himself and even stand up his own two feet than it is to fight in the ring.

The performances from this film are really good. Wahlberg finally shows us how good an actor he can be after the awful performances from The Happening and Max Payne. Amy Adams continues to be exceptional and stands out amongst the crowd, but it’s Christian Bale who steals the spotlight in making his best performance of his career. He has reportedly lost weight to portray the drug addicted ex-boxer – something he has done before in The Machinist (and he again has to bring back the muscle to play Bruce Wayne/Batman for The Dark Knight Rises) which shows the talent he has and the respect for his work to fully immerse himself in the character.

You can see the expression in his eyes, and the energy that Bale’s Eckland always gets a kick out of the sport. Although it is heart-breaking when he thinks HBO are documenting his comeback, while in actual fact he’s a subject of a failed sportsman succumbed to drug addiction and further brings humiliation to the family.

The setting and the overall film looks authentic. You could feel the urban hard-working town of Lowell, Massachusetts. To the local bars and diners, down to the streets and neighbourhood, you feel it’s a community. Ever since the success of The Departed, Massachusetts (especially Boston) seems more popular with film locations. To be honest, I love MA and it brings back memories of staying in the States (granted I didn’t notice or see the bad side of it during that time). And it’s a nice change since most of these films would be set either in L.A. or New York.

Darren Aronofsky was originally signed on to direct the film, until he left to work on Black Swan. The Fighter and Aronofsky’s previous film, The Wrestler, have a similar feel – going for a rough look rather than to be soft and safe, especially with the fights needing to look and feel realistic.  It was reported that 1990’s era cameras were used for the fights. Either way, they’re very well choreographed, and even made me want to stand up and shout: “Come on, Mark! Kick his fucking ass!”

Verdict: A great film that really does make you root for Wahlberg. Stellar performances from Bale and Adams, and well deserved for their award recognition. Looks like we needed another inspiring boxer after all!

4/5