Latest news with #GodfatherPartII
San Francisco Chronicle
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Can ‘murderous savagery' be entertaining? Why dark films keep us captivated
Hello Mick LaSalle: What is the movie definition of entertainment? How can graphic, criminal, murderous savagery be 'entertaining'? David Preuss, Castro Valley Hello David Preuss: Murderous savagery can't be entertainment, but depicting it can be entertainment, by definition, if it proves to be entertaining. It's just that we don't usually use words like 'entertaining' for movies about grave subjects. Take the German film, ' Downfall,' about Adolf Hitler. It couldn't succeed if it weren't entertaining, not in the sense of being light and amusing, but in the sense of engaging our full interest. Think of it this way: If you're making a movie about something truly horrible, like the Manson murders or the Holocaust, you don't get any points for virtue by making it boring. Likewise, it's no credit against you if you make it in a way that people want to watch it. Obviously, while depicting serious events, you would be careful not to be tasteless. But even then, the requirement to be entertaining is self-enforcing: If you were to veer into crassness, your movie would probably cease to be entertaining at that precise moment. Robert Freud Bastin, Petaluma Parker Monroe, Oakland I'd also add Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Hitchcock, and John Williams and Steven Spielberg. Also don't forget Terence Blanchard and Spike Lee, particularly for '25 th Hour.' Hi Mick: Hardly a day goes by when my husband and I don't paraphrase the dialogue from the scene in ' Godfather Part II ' between Fredo and Michael. Our conversations go something like, 'I'm smart, not like everybody says.' We think we're hilarious. Do you have any movie scenes that you find yourself quoting often? Karin Sanford, Santa Rosa Hi Karin: Yes, that one. For example, sometimes when I'm driving back to my house, my wife will start giving me helpful driving instructions when we're only about five blocks away. When that happens, I might go into the Fredo speech. The important thing is to pronounce smart as 'smott.' Also, try to keep the speech going, so it ends with '. . . not like everybody says, like dumb, I'm smott!' Dear Mick: I disagree with your dismissal of Stanley Kubrick as too cold for choice as one of the greatest directors of all time. But your glib dismissal does hint at why your commentaries on movies and actors, while often quite stylish, are actually quite vapid, quite missing of any insight into the current human predicament. Ramesh Gopalan, Fremont Dear Ramesh: Thank you for saying that. Recently, I was luxuriating with some friends in my distinctly stylish way, and we were all trying to figure out why, for all my modish elan, I remained (quite) vapid and (quite) missing insight into the current human predicament. I mean, it's one thing to be (quite) clueless about the human predicament generally, but far worse not to stay current about such matters. But here you've gone ahead and figured out my whole problem — I don't like the same movies that you do! So, please, send me a list of movies that I should like, which will allow me to at least fake it, and make people believe I'm smart … not like everybody says, like dumb, but smart.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Robert De Niro issues statement on trans child: 'I don't understand what the big deal is...'
Robert De Niro doesn't understand "what the big deal is" about his child coming out as trans. Airyn De Niro - whose mother is actress Toukie Smith - recently opened up about "stepping into this new identity" as a trans woman and now her Hollywood star father, 81, has insisted that he "loves all" of his children no matter what. He told PEOPLE: "I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter. I don't know what the big deal is, I love all my children." The 'Godfather Part II' star is also father to Drena, 57, and Raphael, 48, with his first wife Diahnne Abbott, Julian, 29, with ex-girlfriend Toukie , as well as Elliot, 26, and Helen, 13, with ex-wife Grace Hightower. In April 2023, he and his girlfriend Tiffany Chen welcomed daughter Gia into the world. Airyn, 29, revealed her coming out as she described her desire to be "seen" as who she really is. She told Them: 'There's a difference between being visible and being seen. I've been visible. I don't think I've been seen yet.' In the wake of recent news articles about her, the 29-year-old aspiring actress added: "Not only did they get information wrong about me…They just sort of reminded me that people really don't know anything about me." Airyn struggled to feel accepted by the queer community when she came out as a gay man in high school. She said: "[Gay men were] ruthless and mean. I didn't even fit that beauty standard, which is thin, white, muscular, or just super fit, masculine. "I was always told I was too much of something or not enough of something growing up: Too big, not skinny enough. Not Black enough, not white enough. Too feminine, not masculine enough. It was never just, 'You're just right, just the way you are." She began hormone therapy to start her transition last November and admitted it helped her to see other trans women being successful in the public eye. She said: "Trans women being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media and getting to see them in their success… I'm like, you know what? Maybe it's not too late for me. "Maybe I can start... "I think a big part of [my transition] is also the influence Black women have had on me. I think stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to them in some way." And Airyn hopes she can be an "inspiration" to others as she works to achieve her dreams in the worlds of acting and modelling. She said: "I'd want to hopefully be an inspiration for at least one other person like me who is Black, who is queer, who's not a size extra small. 'I'd want to see more trans women, more Black women who are maybe bigger-bodied or don't fit the mould of super thin or heroin chic.' 'I want queer people of colour and bigger-bodied people to have an Alex Consani. I want queer people of colour and bigger-bodied people to have a Hunter Schafer. 'A part of me has always wanted to model and sort of follow my mom's footsteps. Honestly, if I could be on the cover of Vogue with her or recreating one of her pictures, that would be a dream come true.'
Perth Now
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Robert De Niro issues statement on trans child: 'I don't understand what the big deal is...'
Robert De Niro doesn't understand "what the big deal is" about his child coming out as trans. Airyn De Niro - whose mother is actress Toukie Smith - recently opened up about "stepping into this new identity" as a trans woman and now her Hollywood star father, 81, has insisted that he "loves all" of his children no matter what. He told PEOPLE: "I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter. I don't know what the big deal is, I love all my children." The 'Godfather Part II' star is also father to Drena, 57, and Raphael, 48, with his first wife Diahnne Abbott, Julian, 29, with ex-girlfriend Toukie , as well as Elliot, 26, and Helen, 13, with ex-wife Grace Hightower. In April 2023, he and his girlfriend Tiffany Chen welcomed daughter Gia into the world. Airyn, 29, revealed her coming out as she described her desire to be "seen" as who she really is. She told Them: 'There's a difference between being visible and being seen. I've been visible. I don't think I've been seen yet.' In the wake of recent news articles about her, the 29-year-old aspiring actress added: "Not only did they get information wrong about me…They just sort of reminded me that people really don't know anything about me." Airyn struggled to feel accepted by the queer community when she came out as a gay man in high school. She said: "[Gay men were] ruthless and mean. I didn't even fit that beauty standard, which is thin, white, muscular, or just super fit, masculine. "I was always told I was too much of something or not enough of something growing up: Too big, not skinny enough. Not Black enough, not white enough. Too feminine, not masculine enough. It was never just, 'You're just right, just the way you are." She began hormone therapy to start her transition last November and admitted it helped her to see other trans women being successful in the public eye. She said: "Trans women being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media and getting to see them in their success… I'm like, you know what? Maybe it's not too late for me. "Maybe I can start... "I think a big part of [my transition] is also the influence Black women have had on me. I think stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to them in some way." And Airyn hopes she can be an "inspiration" to others as she works to achieve her dreams in the worlds of acting and modelling. She said: "I'd want to hopefully be an inspiration for at least one other person like me who is Black, who is queer, who's not a size extra small. 'I'd want to see more trans women, more Black women who are maybe bigger-bodied or don't fit the mould of super thin or heroin chic.' 'I want queer people of colour and bigger-bodied people to have an Alex Consani. I want queer people of colour and bigger-bodied people to have a Hunter Schafer. 'A part of me has always wanted to model and sort of follow my mom's footsteps. Honestly, if I could be on the cover of Vogue with her or recreating one of her pictures, that would be a dream come true.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Which Stars Will Join De Niro at Cannes This Year?
Robert De Niro is set to receive an honorary Palme d'Or at the Cannes festival this year, with rumors that Tom Cruise will join him and other stars on the French Riviera. The industry is buzzing with speculation about who will attend the world´s premier film event one month before it kicks off in the south of France. Cinemas are desperate for some stardust and sparkling new films after a weak start to 2025. Cannes president Iris Knobloch and long-time director Thierry Fremaux will unveil the selection of in-competition films and other major premieres at a press conference in Paris on Thursday. They confirmed on Monday that De Niro, star of "Taxi Driver" and "Godfather Part II", was to be given an honorary Palme d'Or at the opening ceremony on May 13 for his contribution to cinema. "With his restrained style, expressed through the softness of a smile or the hardness of a glance, Robert De Niro has become a legend of cinema," the festival said in a statement in French. Fellow Hollywood icon Tom Cruise, now 62, has also been tipped to appear in Cannes three years after making a dramatic helicopter entrance at the festival for "Top Gun: Maverick." Rumors suggest he may return with the latest instalment of "Mission: Impossible", which has been billed as the final chapter in the saga. The film is slated for release in French cinemas on May 21, which would be perfect timing for a Cannes launch out of competition. Many cinema owners are in need of a blockbuster and are banking on Cruise's star power to sell tickets after a terrible start to 2025 that has been marked by a series of expensive Hollywood flops. These include Disney's live-action "Snow White," superhero sequel "Captain America: Brave New World" and bizarre sci-fi movie "Mickey 17". The much-hyped "A Minecraft Movie", released last week, was panned by critics but might help to lift the gloom after a record-breaking opening weekend in the United States. That saw fans of the legendary computer game flock to cinemas. - Contenders - The head of the Cannes jury this year is French screen legend Juliette Binoche, who will hand out the famed Palme d'Or for best film. Around 20 movies are set to compete in the top category, looking to emulate the success of last year's winner, "Anora" by Sean Baker. Terrence Malick, who won the Palme d´Or for "The Tree of Life" 14 years ago, has been tipped to return with a long-awaited project inspired by biblical stories. Other festival veterans could also return, such as Jim Jarmusch ("Broken Flowers", "Dead Man"), whose latest film stars Cate Blanchett and Adam Driver. Wes Anderson, 55, has also assembled yet another star-studded cast for his latest film, featuring Benicio Del Toro, Tom Hanks and Scarlett Johansson. Johansson, 40, could bring a breath of fresh air to the festival by presenting her directorial debut, "Eleanor the Great". Another actress-turned-director, Kristen Stewart, 34, has also recently completed her first feature film. Experts have also suggested the new master of American horror, 38-year-old Ari Aster -- known for his chilling films "Hereditary" and "Midsommar" -- could make his Cannes debut with a movie starring Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone. Three French female directors, Julia Ducournau (2021 Palme d´Or winner for "Titane"), Rebecca Zlotowski ("Other People's Children", "An Easy Girl") or Alice Winocour, who has made a film about Paris Fashion Week starring Angelina Jolie, have also been named as contenders. Exiled Russian filmmakers such as Kirill Serebrennikov, Andrey Zvyagintsev and rising talent Kantemir Balagov could also feature. The festival has yet to announce its opening film or the full composition of the jury.
