May 2010
1 post
WatchIf you were among the masses to see Iron Man 2 at your local cineplex this weekend, chances are you were blown away by this latest trailer for Inception. If you haven’t seen it yet, well stop reading my ramblings, and watch now!
Ok, are you back? Can I just say that this film represents my most anticipated movie for the Summer of 2010? Ok, well I’m not going to ask your permission,...
April 2010
4 posts
Jimmy Fallon Blossoms Into A Late Night Staple →
Conan O’Brien is everywhere today (and deservedly so!). I can’t wait for his return to late night TV this fall on TBS. But just because Conan isn’t appearing nightly on our TV sets, doesn’t mean the “funny” has disappeared from late night TV.
Click the link above for my latest piece on Mediaite.com all about Late Night w/ Jimmy Fallon. It’s about time...
Conan O'Brien is moving to TBS! →
Big news in the world of tv today, specifically late night tv. Conan is going to TBS (NOT FOX!) this November for an 11pm nightly talk show. FOX was the early favorite to land Conan once NBC decided they liked Jay Leno better than Conan, but apparently FOX couldnt convince its affiliates to abandon the syndicated tv money train that Seinfeld & Simpsons reruns represent in favor of some...
WatchAny trailer that starts with “From the director of Step Brothers and Talladega Nights” has an instant pedigree in my book. And the trailer doesnt even mention that the director also happened to write & direct a little movie called Anchorman!
Yes, Will Ferrell is back with his writer/director soulmate Adam McKay to bring us this summer’s sure to be comic smash, The Other...
WatchIf you like your comedies so stupid that they are smart, it looks like MacGruber will be here to somehow save the day this May. This trailer is plain funny.
March 2010
7 posts
WatchCan’t deny this trailer kicks ass. I can’t even remember Tom Cruise’s last film? Was it Valkyrie? Looks like he has another box-office smash on his hands this summer.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World trailer debuts →
That film title may be meaningless to you now, but come this summer, it will be one of the most talked about films and a sure box-office smash. Get on the bandwagon early and check out this great trailer! Oh and this film is written and directed by Edgar Wright who previously brought us Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Need I say more. Click the link above and enjoy.
Hot Tub action at your local cineplex this... →
My review of Hot Tub Time Machine is now live on Mediaite.com. Click the link above and get ready to get your 80’s on.
WatchA little bit of comedic genius from Zach Galifianakis and Ben Stiller…Enjoy.
TR0N LEGACY TRAILER DEBUTS! →
Audiences that saw Tim Burton’s new Alice in Wonderland 3D-Xtravaganza this past weekend (to the tune of a record breaking $116M!) have already seen this trailer for TR0N LEGACY. Few aside from hardcore film-geeks remember the original TR0N (1982) starring Jeff Bridges and and Bruce Boxleitner, but both actors return for this sequel nearly 30 years later, along with a younger generation led...
WatchThe Iron Man 2 trailer is here. If there are 10 Best Picture nominees next year, will there be room for Iron Man 2? Ok, we will save Oscar 2011 talk for another day, but this flick opens in 2 months and I CAN NOT WAIT!
Oscars 2010: Prepare for a world of HURT →
Yes, the Oscars are finally here. Click the link above for my latest piece on Mediaite.com, including my picks in the top Oscar categories. Enjoy!
February 2010
4 posts
Record Breaking Holiday Weekend at the Box Office!
The 4 day Valentine’s Day / Presidents Day double-feature weekend is shaping up to be a record breaking one at the box office. Yesterday, Valentine’s Day (the movie, not the holiday, which is tomorrow..yes i know this is all very confusing) made about $15M at the box office. If Valentine’s Day (the movie) becomes a popular date night activity on Valentine’s Day, the...
Valentine's Day is not just for lovers anymore,... →
My latest piece is up on mediaite.com. Click the link above and enjoy.
2010 Academy Award Nominations Announced! →
It was another early am in Hollywood today as Anne Hathaway helped announce the 2010 Academy Award nominations. This years Academy Awards are notable in that the Best Picture category has expanded to 10 nominees for the first time in over half a century. Click the link above for the full list of nominees, but here are my instant thoughts:
The big surprise in the Best Picture category was the...
Dancin' in the Snow: Sundance Film Festival recap... →
I spent the last week in the snowy mountains of Park City, Utah and all I came back with is a huge story summarizing my experience (ok, I also got lots of shwag too, but more on that next time). Part 1 of my huge Sundance Film Festival recap is now live on mediaite.com. Click the link above and enjoy.
January 2010
4 posts
Meet the Party King of Sundance... →
If you will be at the Sundance film festival this week, Chris Ryan is the guy you want to know. Click the link above for my profile on Chris’ and his infamous party list, this year sponsored by bing…
Smart Hollywood: The Hurt Locker is an Oscar... →
Latest piece is up on Mediaite. Click the link above and enjoy.
The Director's Guild announces its nominations... →
The Directors Guild Award nominations have just been announced (Click the link above for Variety’s coverage).
Based on the DGA noms, it now appears to be a lock that we are in for an Oscar Showdown for Best Director between the formerly married couple of Kathryn Bigelow for “Hurt Locker” and James Cameron for “Avatar”. While I loved “Avatar” and...
December 2009
15 posts
Box Office Business is a Boomin' →
Click the link above for my latest piece on mediaite.com analzying the record breaking box office over the Christmas holiday. Enjoy.
Avatar continues its roll at the worldwide box... →
AVATAR UPDATE - Thought I should add that over the 3 day holiday weekend since my column entitled “Avatar and the Art of Buzz…Now in 3D!” was originally published, Avatar grossed another $300 million in box office receipts worldwide, putting it over $600 million total worldwide box office in its first 10 days. And with another week of holiday vacation for many filmgoers around...
AVATAR and the Art of Buzz...NOW IN 3D! →
Click the link above for my latest column on mediaite.com. Share your thoughts on Avatar with me on Twitter @smarthollywood or email me at smarthollywood@gmail.com. Happy holidays and go see some movies this weekend!
WatchI give you the just released Iron Man 2 trailer. Never too early to start planning your Summer 2010 moviegoing…have to admit this is a great trailer. Does a great job teasing the movie without giving too too much away. I was a little skeptical about Mickey Rourke as Whiplash but as of now I’m sold.
The 2009 Black List is released. CLICK HERE! →
Today is a hotly anticipated day inside Hollywood - the release of the annual Black List. You may be asking yourself the following questions: 1) what is the Black List, 2) why should I care? and 3) isn’t McCarthyism dead? Well to start backwards, the answer to #3 is I sure hope so, though I have my fears. But let’s get to the answers to #1 and #2. Rest assured that as opposed to...
THE REVIEWS ARE COMING IN FOR AVATAR... →
And the early word from “Variety” and “Hollywood Reporter” is that the film is a must-see. (Click the link above for Variety’s review). Ok, color me a bit surprised on this one. This film has been getting buzzed about seemingly forever (which is fitting as it has literally been YEARS in the making), but ever since footage started popping up from Comic-Con this past...
VERY IMPORTANT COLUMN ON NY MAG WEBSITE →
Ok, its the top 10 catch phrases from last night’s MTV premiere of Jersey Shore.
We have an instant trash-tastic pop-culture classic on our hands with MTV’s latest. Click the link above to enjoy a sampling.
Smart Hollywood: My Top Ten Fave Films of the 00’s →
The complete top 10 is now live on Mediaite.com. Click the link above and enjoy!
"Up In The Air" is Best Picture of 2009 according... →
That’s the National Board of Review for those of you unfamiliar with the abbreviation. Click the link above for EW’s coverage and a full run down of NBR’s 2009 choices for best films of the year and NBR’s top acting, directing, and writing honors.
I have to say I love the NBR’s choices for the Top 10 films of the Year. I’ve seen 7 of the 10 thus far and I am...
Coolest Film News of The Week! →
Well yeah i know that the Comcast/GE deal to combine NBC Universal and Comcast’s cable operations was finally announced today - but let’s be real, that is old news at this point!
The super cool news is that today Variety has a story about Paul Thomas Anderson’s next film. To get you up to speed on why this is a momentous day, PTA is one of the most original filmmakers of the...
"Precious" leads the pack with 5 Independent...
Ok, well it actually co-leads with “The Last Station”, each garnering 5 Spirit noms. Since I haven’t seen “Station” yet, I will reserve judgment on its award prospects, but at this point “Precious” has to be considered the early favorite to nab the Spirit for Best Picture. The other 3 Best Pic nominees include “Sin Nombre”,...
Why you should see "Big Fan" according to Patton...
At tonight’s 19th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards, the ingenious Patton Oswalt offered a little (tongue firmly in cheek) help to the marketing team behind his current dark indie film “Big Fan”, which is about an obsessed NY Giants football fan who has a rather disturbing encounter with one of his idols.
Oswalt, who was nominated tonight for “Breakthrough...
"The Hurt Locker" gets off to a fast start in this... →
Check your calendars, its awards season time again. Tonight in a drizzly NYC, the award season began in earnest with the 19th Annual Gotham Independent Awards, which honors the year’s best in the world of indie cinema. And judging by tonight’s outcome, the filmmaker’s and actor’s behind “The Hurt Locker” better start backing up a truck to help them carry all...
November 2009
11 posts
FOR THANKSGIVING HERE'S A LINK TO LEGO MATRIX! →
Click the link above and enjoy. Somehow I dont remember Lego’s being this cool when I was a kid! HAPPY TURKEY DAY EVERYONE!
My fave films of the 00's (thats the Aughts to you...
I have a fun little project for you over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Why don’t you try condensing 10 years of movies you love into 1 column (or if you want to cheat like me, make it 2 columns). Go on, I dare you. In the meantime, here’s my list for you to dwell on and inspire you. Now to be clear, this is not my list of what I think are the 10 best movies of the decade. You can look to...
Teenage girls really really love vampires...I mean... →
So remember my column yesterday where i mentioned the latest little Twilight movie would make over $100M this weekend? Well given it made $72.7M on its opening day yesterday (beating the previous record held by The Dark Knight), maybe I should have said it would make over $130M this weekend, because it’s certainly going to rake in box office in that ballpark now and in the process leave box...
About that little Twilight movie... →
click through for my latest column on mediaite.com
Midnight shows of 'New Moon' shatter box office... →
click above for link to Variety’s coverage.
SMART HOLLYWOOD makes its debut on mediaite.com →
FINAL SEASON OF LOST TO PREMIERE ON FEBRUARY 2,...
Lady Gaga vs. Cartman vs. Christopher Walken →
A little mash-up magic of “Pokerface” to help you through your day.
It's the end of the world as we know it...SO GO...
You know, the year 2012 is just around the corner. And according to a bunch of Mayans, or is it Nostradamus, or I think it may just be Glen Beck, a calamity of biblical proportions is going to befall the entire planet, and we are all dunzo. So, if you have $12 burning a hole in your pocket, why not just go see a sneak preview of your impending doom by way of Sony Pictures new worldwide mega...
Things are looking UP
Ok, now its time to get to business. For my second column, I’d like to introduce a regular feature (or I suspect it will become regular, but as this is my second column, you may have to cut me some slack) – the “SMART PICK OF THE WEEK” or SPOTW – I mean that really rolls off the tongue right? (yes, this is a work in progress).
The SPOTW will feature my top pick or picks of the week in the...
SMART HOLLYWOOD - NOT AN OXYMORON I PROMISE!
Welcome to my brand spanking new column. You may be asking yourself, who is Jonathan Fuhrman, why does he have a new column, and why should I care. It’s okay, I ask myself versions of that first and last question all the time (and I still don’t have a good answer). In any event, here I am, with the goal of sharing my take on the business that is show, and basically anything pop-culture...