Michael Cieply Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Comedy is back; Super Mario Bros has proved that laughs are good for a half billion dollars.

Will there ever be a great book about the film business as it is now?

Editors Note: Bill Mechanic is chairman and CEO of Pandemonium Films and a former top executive at Paramount, Disney and chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment when that studio generated Titanic, X-Men, Independence Day and Braveheart. He is also a former producer of the Oscars and Oscar-nominated films like Hacksaw Ridge and Coraline, and was a member of the Academy’s Board of Governors before resigning in 2018. He weighs in on that body’s upcoming elections.

Michael Cieply Executive EditorIn a little-noticed court filing last week, producer Michael Shamberg amended his existing complaint against the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, arguing that Academy governors improperly deprived members of rights in June by restricting their ability to propose bylaws changes.Shamberg had earlier sued the Academy and its governing board, asking the Los Angeles County Superior Court to compel a vote on his own proposed bylaws amendments.

Michael Cieply Executive EditorIf you want a little scare for Halloween—not as big as the election, civil unrest, or coronavirus—take a look at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences job listings on Oscars.org.Last week, the Academy posted its call for a new Executive Vice-President, Member Relations and Awards, to replace Lorenza Muñoz, who recently left for Amazon. It’s quite a listing.

Michael Cieply Executive EditorLast week, just before the President’s diagnosis consumed us, Hollywood leaders joined in asking that Congress send coronavirus relief funds to exhibitors. Those were described as a life-and-death issue for theaters.  A mortal threat.

Michael Cieply Executive EditorWatching Wayne Wang’s Coming Home Again, set for a virtual release (online, but through individual theaters) by Outsider Pictures on Oct. 23, delivered a jolt.

Michael Cieply Executive EditorAs Deadline’s Tom Tapp reported last week, Los Angeles County isn’t quite ready to join other parts of California and the nation at large in allowing movie theaters to reopen, even with restrictions. So the coronavirus-beset movie capital remains closed to indoor movies.Which isn’t entirely bad.

Michael Cieply Executive EditorWill the movies ever let religion back into the mainstream? It doesn’t seem likely,  given the secular bent of most critics, festivals, and film awards. But the question could certainly occur to any thoughtful viewer of Marco Pontecorvo’s Fátima, which is set for release by Picturehouse in theaters and via PVOD on Aug.

Michael Cieply Executive EditorAuditions make me nervous. Not for myself—I’m beyond the casting call stage of life.

Michael Cieply Executive EditorIn or around 1976, I caught a forlorn moment near New York’s Bleecker St. It was early morning.

Michael Cieply Executive EditorBack on June 26, a little-noticed court filing in Roman Polanski’s lawsuit over his expulsion from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences offered a rare glimpse at dealings within the Academy’s Board of Governors. The view is limited, and colored by the advocacy of Polanski’ lawyer, Harland W.

Michael Cieply Executive EditorTalk about box-office drama. As the July 4 weekend unwinds, IFC’sThe Truth might be slugging it out with Homewrecker from Dark Star and The Outpost from Fathom for the honor of ranking somewhere in the 300s, near IFC’s own Wiener-Dog, among all-time Independence Day performers.

Michael Cieply Executive EditorFinancial wheels are in motion again at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, this time with a new bond issue that replaces about $128 million in earlier bonds that were about to come due in November. In other words, they’ve re-financed.According to the Electronic Municipal Market Access System, a new debt issue of $98.8 million began trading on Thursday morning at a price of $130.741.

By Michael Cieply

By Michael Cieply

By Michael Cieply

By Michael Cieply

By Michael Cieply

By Michael Cieply

By Michael Cieply

By Michael Cieply

By Michael Cieply