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One would assume a Martin Scorsese movie — sorry, “picture” — starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro would be a no-brainer, especially after last year’s The Irishman (to say nothing of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). But Hollywood isn’t known for making sense. Recently it was reported that the filmmaker’s next project, Killers of the Flower Moon, was having trouble getting an official go after losing original distributor, Paramount Pictures. But after shopping it around town, reports Deadline, Scorsese is back at Paramount with help from Apple.
Scorsese, who reportedly got $150 million from Netflix to make The Irishman, is again asking for a comic book movie-sized budget, between $180 million and $200 million. When Paramount — possibly un-easy about forking over that much dough for a non-franchise product — balked at the price, the legendary filmmaker was courted by all the majors, as well as Netflix. He wound up getting the cash from Apple, while Paramount Pictures will distribute to theaters that will presumably be open by the time Scorsese has wrapped. (Netflix, rather infamously, did not give The Irishman a wide theatrical release, with most of its viewers watching it at home.)
Killers of the Flower Moon is adapted from the David Grann book of the same title — a mystery about a series of murders amongst wealthy Osage Native Americans in 1920s Oklahoma, which investigation led to the establishment of the FBI. DiCaprio and De Niro would play two of the leads, the former reuniting with the director for the first time since 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street. For De Niro it would be his ninth go; The Irishman was in fact his first collaboration with the noted comic book movie critic since 1995’s Casino. As for the two actors, it will be their third movie together, after 1993’s This Boy’s Life and Marvin’s Room from 1996.
(Via Deadline)
Welcome to this week’s Wednesday Night Wars open discussion thread. This week it’s an AEW Dynamite featuring Iron Mike Tyson and the fallout from Double Or Nothing against an episode of NXT featuring Matt Riddle facing Timothy Thatcher in a cage with Kurt Angle as the special guest referee, a rare appearance from Charlotte Flair, and more.
On tonight’s cards:
AEW Dynamite
- a battle royal where the winner gets a TNT Championship match against Cody Rhodes on June 3
- an “Inner Circle Pep Rally”
- Matt Hardy and the Young Bucks vs. Joey Janela and Private Party
- SCU (Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian) vs. Jimmy Havoc and Kip Sabian
- Britt Baker discussing her injury
- details about Brian Cage’s upcoming AEW World Championship match at Fyter Fest
NXT
- Matt Riddle vs. Timothy Thatcher in an “NXT Fight Pit” match, with Kurt Angle as the special guest referee
- Interim NXT Cruiserweight Title Tournament Match: KUSHIDA vs. Drake Maverick vs. Jake Atlas
- Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair and a partner of her choice
- Adam Cole having a, “live negotiation with William Regal regarding The Velveteen Dream”
- more parking lot kidnappings, maybe
As always, +1 your favorite comments from tonight’s open thread and if we get enough comments, we’ll include 10 of the best in tomorrow’s Best and Worst of NXT and AEW reports. Make sure you flip the comments by selecting “newest” in the drop down menu under discussion, and enjoy the show!
You might not know the name Christian Lee Hutson, but you have definitely heard his work — whether it be as a songwriter for Boygenius or Better Oblivion Community Center, or a studio performer on what is being called one of the best podcast episodes ever.
For his latest album, Hutson recruited his friend and frequent collaborator Phoebe Bridgers to serve as producer for the project, doubling down on his intimate storytelling through self-dialogues and private confessions. The result is a deeply personal and revealing look into Hutson’s life, all presented through the lens of gorgeous instrumentals and vocal melodies.
To celebrate the new album, Hutson sat down to talk Joni Mitchell, Whole Foods, and Madea in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Quiet, nostalgic, guilt, forgiveness.
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
I guess I’d just want people to feel hopeful and like they aren’t completely alone on this planet.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?
Tokyo. I opened for Phoebe Bridgers there last year and aside from it being my favorite city to hang out in, the crowds both nights were really sweet.
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
I guess Elliott Smith because I learned how to play guitar by learning his songs.
Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
Whole Foods Arroyo Parkway.
What album do you know every word to?
Black Sheep Boy by Okkervil River.
What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?
John Prine. I was on tour with Jenny Lewis in Norway and we had the night off. Phoebe Bridgers also happened to be in town the same night and got us tickets. John was so happy during the show that he put his guitar down and started to dance around the stage.
What is the best outfit for performing and why?
A black sweater and black pants. I feel like it’s comfortable. It’s usually freezing in music venues and I feel like all black is simple and not too distracting so no one could ever be focused on what I am wearing.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
Sloppy Jane (@sloppyjanemusic) and my friend Allison (@xoxo_gothipgirl), both on Twitter.
What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?
It changes every tour. Last tour it was this song called “Mid Air” by Paul Buchanan.
What’s the last thing you Googled?
“what was the first Madea movie?”
What album makes for the perfect gift?
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
A shack made of sheet metal connected to the back half of a school bus in the middle of the desert in New Mexico.
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
My dad took me to get a Hank Williams tattoo when I turned 18 because it was some of the only music he played for me when I was little.
What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?
Ira Glass.
What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
I’m on the phone with my mom right now and she says I have to say that she brought me into this world.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Don’t drink. Don’t do drugs. Be yourself.
What’s the last show you went to?
Whispertown at the Bootleg Theater.
What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?
What would you cook if Kanye were coming to your house for dinner?
I would cancel last minute.
Beginners is out May 29. Pre-order it here.
To most, Elon Musk is our most eccentric billionaire, known for weird baby names and threatening to take Tom Cruise to outer space. To one woman, he’s a mild annoyance. NPR has reported on one Lyndsay Tucker, a 25-year-old Sephora employee who has the misfortune of having Musk’s old phone number. And for the last couple of years she’s gotten calls intended for him, with occasionally bizarre requests.
She’s gotten a call from someone who volunteered to go to space via his SpaceX shuttle, whose planned launch on Wednesday was delayed due to bad weather. She’s gotten a call from former Disney exec John Lasseter, who wanted to sing the praises of his new Tesla car. She’s been contacted about coronavirus research, been sent blueprints about a bionic limb, and been given an order from a South African businessman for 1,000 trucks. One time the Internal Revenue Service called about some complex tax issue.
“I assumed I had messed something up,” Tucker told NPR. “It was a huge relief they weren’t looking for me.”
Tucker says she often has to prove to the mystery caller that she is indeed not Elon Musk. “They say, ‘Oh, how do I know you’re not Elon?’ ” she explained. “And they suddenly want proof that I’m not him even though they’re obviously talking to a woman on the phone.”
The number reportedly hails from an old condo in Palo Alto that Musk bought and sold years ago. When asked by NPR about the issue, Musk responded, “That number is so old! I’m surprised it’s still out there somewhere.” And yet Tucker claims some of the callers say they got the number from Musk himself. When asked if he handed those digits out to people he was trying to avoid, Musk did not respond.
Tucker says she finds the calls “amusing,” and that the frequency of Musk calls vary on the day; if he’s in the news, which is a fair amount, the calls dramatically increase.
“Whenever I see his name pop up in the news, I’m like, ‘OK, I have to actually learn what he said because, chances are, someone is going to message me about it or call me about it,’” said Tucker. “Even though I find it funny most of the time, it does get irritating sometimes when it’s like call after call after call.”
(Via NPR)
The US has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths in the world, but public health experts say the actual count is likely much higher.
The NBA is working towards a return to play in some form with games taking place in a bubble, with it seeming increasingly likely that Orlando will be the lone location for games. There are some, like Mark Cuban, who insist all 30 teams need to return to the floor under the guise of giving everyone at least a few games to make up ground in the standings — when in reality the goal is to reach 70 games played to get most of the money from local RSN television contracts.
However, it seems more likely that we will see the NBA return in some sort of modified playoff format, whether that’s with 24 teams like the NHL’s proposal or 20 teams, with the East set in stone but the four teams still most closely in the hunt in the West having a chance to play their way into the postseason. If that is the case, it means the regular season would be over and, as such, the regular season awards would need to be voted upon, only taking into account the games played through early March.
Damian Lillard has recently been making the rounds, talking to various outlets about the NBA’s potential return (and clarifying comments about how he doesn’t want to play if the Blazers don’t have a chance at the playoffs), and in an interview with ESPN’s Jalen & Jacoby he was asked for his pick for NBA MVP and explained why LeBron would be his selection.
Damian Lillard says LeBron James should win MVP this season
(
ESPN Jalen & Jacoby) pic.twitter.com/sxZ3hZFMab
— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) May 27, 2020
The general consensus would most likely point to Giannis Antetokounmpo as the league’s MVP, given his production (which is somehow better than his MVP numbers from a year ago) and the Bucks owning the NBA’s best record. Lillard’s argument is centered on James’ longevity, what he’s doing in the face of immense pressure, and the Lakers being the best in the West, which isn’t surprising given Lillard also plays in that conference.
LeBron will certainly have support for a fifth MVP award this season, but it’d be surprising to see him come out ahead of Giannis for the award this season. Still, if nothing else, he has the vote of one of his elite contemporaries in Lillard, and that’s high praise.