Showbiz Sandbox 565: Are COVID Rules Unfairly Targeting Movie Theaters?
December 13, 2021
As COVID cases rise in various parts of the world, local governments are quick to restrict movie theater attendance, while at the same time allowing restaurants and pubs to operate normally. Patrick von Sychowski, editor of Celluloid Junkie, explains why these rules unfairly target movie theaters and discusses a new study that highlights which moviegoers are reluctant to return to cinemas. Plus, we’ll shine a light on LED movie screens and whether they’re the future everywhere…or just in China.
Meanwhile, the Golden Globes announced this year’s list of nominees, but since the ceremony will not be televised it remains to be seen whether they will still influence the ongoing awards season.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how the United Kingdom will get its own version of “Saturday Night Live,” Adele helps revive the sale of compact discs and all the big winners at this year’s video game awards show.
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Showbiz Sandbox 471: A Harsh Verdict from Former “America’s Got Talent” Judges
December 9, 2019
After just one season on “America’s Got Talent” celebrity judges Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough had done what they were hired to do; increase the show’s social media footprint. Yet their contracts were not renewed for a second season and Union gained a huge amount of attention for her claims the show has a toxic culture. The show’s producers and network NBC are being very careful in how they handle the situation.
In Hong Kong, mass protests continue to disrupt the city and its significant entertainment industry. The ongoing demonstrations have affected Asian year-end awards, Hong Kong’s box office and generally made it harder to do business for entertainment companies who are both trying to please China yet show they have a moral compass.
Meanwhile, it looks as if this year won’t set any North American box office records, though it might be the second highest on record. Disney, however, has nothing to worry about as they set theatrical earnings records thanks to a string of billion dollar releases.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including Golden Globe nominations, the bidding war ver Ali Wong’s next comedy special and Comcast looks to expand in the United Kingdom.
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Showbiz Sandbox 333: Predicting The Biggest Box Office Flops of 2016
August 31, 2016
Much has been made about the decline in box office this summer, with franchise sequels underperforming and certain pricey movies failing to attract an audience. Kevin Lincoln, a senior editor at New York Magazine and Vulture, takes a look at this summer’s biggest flops and predicts which mega-budget releases might suffer a similar fate as we round out the year.
In China it might be more difficult to know which movies are box office disappointments or crowd favorites since online and mobile ticketing companies have been offering hefty subsidies to cinemagoers in their heated battle for market share. This means the gross of any release is almost always higher than what moviegoers actually paid to see it.
We’ll also dip back into audience figures from the recently completed Summer Olympics in Rio. This time however we have some data about viewership in Europe, Canada and elsewhere. To nobody’s surprise, more people streamed coverage online than ever before.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including how Netflix international subscribers will soon outnumber those in the United States, a changing of the guard at Twentieth Century Fox gets expedited and the late Prince’s home and music studio is set to become a museum.
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Showbiz Sandbox 298: Predicting The 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees
October 12, 2015
Among the 2016 nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced this past week were legendary musical acts like The Smiths that will surely be inducted, unheralded backing groups such as the J.B.s that are a long shot and even a popular 1970s funk band, Chic, that has now been nominated ten times. The nominations that generated the most media discussion were probably for pop star Janet Jackson and N.W.A., the hip hop group which popularized gansta rap. We debate which of this year’s nominees are deserving of induction and which are real head scratchers.
Meanwhile government and film industry regulators in China agreed to allow greater oversight into their box office receipts through a public website. Only time will tell whether this was a symbolic gesture meant to assuage Hollywood studios or a true step toward more transparency.
We’ll also dip back into book publishing, where despite recent setbacks many companies are trying to launch all-you-can read subscription services.. Given the numbers revealed by Amazon for its Kindle Unlimited program, it appears authors don’t have much to gain.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including a lifetime achievement award for composer John Williams, the plans to adapt Nancy Drew for television and Woody Allen goes digital.
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Showbiz Sandbox 174: Is “The Hobbit” A Death Knell for 3D Movies?
December 17, 2012
All of the talk surrounding the release of “The Hobbit” was over high frame rate and whether audiences would reject a crisper image. It may have been more appropriate to discuss whether audiences have already shunned 3D. Only 49% of audiences chose to see the film in 3D over opening weekend. If moviegoers aren’t willing to see a film shot and meant to be seen in 3D, is the format ultimately doomed?
“The Hobbit” was noticeably absent on a number of important year-end top film lists. Nor was it among the nominations for the Golden Globes and SAG Awards, which were announced last week.
The fantasy book from “The Hobbit” is adapted has been a perennial best seller, but with the explosion of e-book readers future generations may not even know what a book is. Can e-books and print co-exist?
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including this year’s Rock Hall of Fame inductees, the top grossing concert tours of 2012 and (finally!) an end to loud television commercials.
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