Angelina Jolie’s By the Sea got a limited release this weekend, and once all of the reviews were in, I can sort of understand why she didn’t want to do a wider release. Even the Daily Beast branded the film “boring as f—k” and “the most depressing two-hour luxury perfume ad of all time.” Vulture made a half-hearted attempt to claim that the film might be an Oscar contender, but even they couldn’t keep up the ruse. Still, with these two, the hustle never dies. The Daily Mail has some exclusive photos of the Jolie-Pitt clan at the airport – go here to see. And Angelina gave another wordy interview to The Telegraph. Some highlights:
The working honeymoon filming ‘By the Sea’: “There were a few days when we thought it wasn’t the best idea. There were days during filming last year when we were really worried and it was hard. If we had married and were just starting a relationship it would have been a disaster, but because we have been together so long we wanted to see how far we could push our relationship and our love and see if we can work together under very intense circumstances and with very complex issues and see if it would make us better. But at the end we came out of it thinking, ‘This was the best honeymoon,’ because the film says, ‘Whatever you go through, weather the storm and stick together.’ So it was kind of a message to each other that we are going to stick together whatever comes.”
She & Brad have issues? “Brad and I have our issues, but if the characters were even remotely close to our problems we couldn’t have made the film. To be clear: we have fights and problems like any other couple. We have days when we drive each other absolutely mad and want space, but the problems in the movie aren’t our specific problems.”
Working on Mr. & Mrs. Smith: “When we first worked together it was very different because we didn’t really know each other and we were young and, it was really a fun film, so we thought, maybe By the Sea was going to be that kind of fun, but realised very quickly that it wasn’t. Then we joked that this is what happens after 10 years of marriage.”
She knows Brad’s triggers: “Our first few days were quite tricky because no matter what I say, he knows me so well and knows every little gesture when I get impatient, or when I am not really happy. And I was nervous about not being able to have the right direction for him, to see him stuck and not being able to push him. So it was challenging, but we made a private pact that we were going to try to be as open and honest and emotive as possible and give to each other as much as we could and, succeed or fail, we would just lay it bare. These were very sensitive themes and I know Brad’s triggers and what he can do and what he is thinking about so I had to step away and just be very careful in how he was directed. I tried to give him a safe space and tell him to trust me and I would do my best to protect him in the editing room if he would be as open and give me as much of himself and his emotions and his honesty, and he did. I think he worked very hard.”
Turning 40: “I turned 40 this year and I am so happy. Most women in my family start to get sick and start dying in their 40s and I am going to be very happy to become 50 and 60. I love getting older.”
Taking the kids to Cambodia: “Maddox is working with me in production so when I have my production meeting he is sitting right next to me and we go though our notes. Pax is going through the photography and Shiloh is sketching the sets. It has to be with family and they have to be a part of it now.”
She hopes she keeps getting directing work: “I love directing and I would love to be allowed to do more films and I hope I’m a good enough director to keep getting jobs. Most of my films are based on a history that’s important to me. I don’t have the same connection with By the Sea although it’s important because humanity in life is important. But I think I am more comfortable making war films, to be honest. Not that marriage can’t be a little bit like that.”
I’m not sure what to make of “I think I am more comfortable making war films.” Like, maybe By the Sea proved that Angelina’s strength isn’t “moody domestic films.” But I’ve seen Unbroken and while she had moments of genius in directing that film, I wouldn’t say that her strength is directing war movies. Maybe it’s just going to be one of those “try and try again” things. And why shouldn’t it be? Mediocre male directors gets tons of opportunities to peddle their mediocre visions. Why shouldn’t women?
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
I thought she peed perfume, if at all, and he didn’t fart. They are human beings like everyone else, except richer and better looking.
I don’t think they have ever presented themselves as perfect human beings; other people have done it for them.
They are just ridiculously good looking and glamorous, so it can be easy to forget that they have flaws and troubles like everybody else.
I dunno. I’ve always thought of them as Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Like total badasses who have passionate fights and earth shattering make up sex.
You bet me to it. You can tell they love to fight to make up by swinging on the chandeliers.
Really, really ridiculously good looking?
Amelia, didn’t you ever wonder if there was more to life, other than being really, really, ridiculously good looking?!
ITA, neither have said they were perfect. Others have said it, but not them.
Rotten Tomatoes has By The Sea at 38%. Ouch.
Well the reviews didn’t hurt Maleficent.. and I suspect this movie will do fine..
Maleficient had a huge kid audience; BTS will not and it’s a gloomy vanity project.
Apples and oranges.
Malificent had so much potential but the narration took up half the plot. It easily could have been twice the length and still been fun to watch.
Using a single datapoint to support an argument is, generally, a bad idea.
I’ve seen sitcom movies rank worse.
The taste of the American public is chaotic. Who would believe that people went ape sh$t for Shades of Gray? Gone Girl(truly, truly awful)?
Just like Dick and Liz, Bogey and Bacall, and all the iconic married couples, people will watch it years to come because its Brangalina.
Thank you! Gone Girl was such mediocre shit!
I doubt it. Brangelina are no Bogey & Bacall
They’re not even close to being Bogart and Bacall.
I’m talking about years from now. Maybe twenty,thirty years.
They will never be Becall and Bogart
@funcakes why didn’t you like gonegirl? I’m not a film buff so I’d love to hear your point of view.
@meme
Thank goodness Brad and Angie are no Bogart and Bacall. When Bogey was dying at home, at only 57, from throat cancer, Lauren Bacall was having a torrid affair with Frank Sinatra, and telling her friends they were engaged. As soon as Bogart finally died, which from Bacall’s account, couldn’t happen soon enough, she and Frank went on a romantic vacation. Frank dumped Bacall when she started telling newspapers she and Frank were getting married. Bacall was more broken up over being dumped by Sinatra, than by her husband dying.
As I said, thank goodness Brad and Angie are nothing like Bacall and Bogart.
@Arabella
I just found everything about it over the top. The dialogue was juvenile, the acting was over the top and cartoonist. The only one I have good things about is Neil Patrick who was excellent.
But that’s my taste.
Full Disclosure: Clifford is my favorites comedy.
With only 8 reviews. Don’t get too overjoyed just yet. As if a review has ever stopped their films from making money. This is Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie together onscreen, after ten long years. The film will do fine here, and even better in Europe.
I’m not sure about the U.S. but it’s expansion is greater in Europe and Brad and Angelina always do better overseas than in the U.S. I know some fans are disappointed because it isn’t playing in their area, but hopefully it will expand. It’s playing in my area, so I’m seeing it this weekend.
“It has to be with family and they have to be a part of it now” why does it have to be with family? that does not make any sense.
Yeah, that line seems quite odd.
Also, I thought at least their kids wouldn’t get into the film bussiness and rap the fruits of nepotism as much as other celebrity kids. Guess I was wrong.
what a weird thing to say. so her kids “have” to be in show business? are they going to travel around together forever? I thought she wanted her kids to be great humanitarians and change the world. guess not.
When reading the comments on post where celebs enter their kids into show business some commenters say that they don’t think the parents should be letting their kids get into show business so early in age, or it’s purely nepotism at it’s finest. I wonder what’s the thought on Brad and AJ doing it.
I’m not a fan of celebs who protest their perfect relationship by talking about how much they love each other over and over, nor am I a fan of celebs who feel a need to tell us hey we have problems too. I think AJ mentioned this in another interview, no need to say it again unless this came from the same interview.
V4Real, I think this is the same interview, or else very similar questions are being asked, because I recall these answers too.
And regardless, it’s kind of a Catch-22 for her. She’s made a movie with her husband about a husband and wife. People are going to ask how it reflects on their relationship, and she can’t really go with “No comment,” but she also quite rightly doesn’t want to tell people what they fight about. I think this is kind of the best response she could give, myself.
@ meme:
Angelina never said that you’re purposely misinterpreting her words.
What do you mean “travel together forever”, their oldest child just turned 14, you don’t just turn them out on the street when they hit a certain age.
I think she *might* be saying that she doesn’t want to do a project unless her kids want to be involved. But who knows. If that’s the case, I don’t know if I would do that. I think it’s OK to have an adult life and career outside of your kids, even if it’s stuff they aren’t interested or involved in.
If that’s not it, I think kids of any celebrity are going to have some interest in their parents’ business, but I always hope they’re encouraged to explore other things as well and follow where their passion leads them, not pushed into showbiz too early like the Smith kids.
This particular movie she’s directing is about Cambodia. Maddox is Cambodian so she is involving him in the production. I think the other kids also wanted to be included so she found something for each of them to do.
Now that I can see close up pictures of her eyes, I’m thoroughly convinced that Angie and Bradster get stoned together. Can I join?!?!?
@Shambles
The wrong couple, try the couple that live on different coasts.
I don’t understand why you would want to push your marriage to the breaking point just to see if you could survive it. That sounds like a line from a bad romance novel. But I like her message that you stay together no matter what. That level of commitment is rare in Hollywood.
They stay together because they are a brand now just like Backham and Posh.
I know you wish that were true.
“They stay together because they are a brand now just like Backham and Posh.”
Like Jay Z and Beyoncé
Like Will and Jada
Like Faith Hill and Tim McGraw
Like Barack and Michele Obama
Like Oprah and Gayle
Like Lilo and Stitch
Like Turner and Hooch (I cried for poor Hooch).
Like Mike and Ike
Like M&M’s
Like Ben and Jerry
And yes I’m being silly.
I think they stay together because they have a family and they love each other.
Well according to Brad working on the film made their bond even stronger.
@Colette:
You just destroyed some delusions with your comment. Unfortunately, some have to believe Brad doesn’t love his wife. I think there’s more than enough proof to dispel their delusions.
Brad made it perfectly clear Angie is the woman he loves more than anything.
I think they like to fight in order to have vioent make up sex. Brad was staring at her boobs while at the premiere as if he was a fan boy. He also loves palmnimg her but. He always look as though he can’t wait to get to the limousine to ravage her.
He was never that way with Gwyneth and Juliet.
Damn man play it cool.
Jesus, do any of you have any sex if you need to fantasies about these two? She looks like a zombie, there’s no ass to grab and he is grandpa with a bad face lift. Who gets off on that?
Yet they are recognized as 2 of the most hottest celebs in Hollywood.
Not any more they are not, a few years ago yes. I like them but Young people couldn’t care less about these two.
@Kay and @Leonie and @FancyPants
Actually, I think you know young people love them and their whole family. J-law is young and she said they were so beautiful, she was starstruck and that she loves them so much she’d pay taxes to them. DITTO, the Fannings, Anna Kendrick, and a boatload of younger industry people. Young people who aren’t in the industry have also taken their humanitarian cues from them. Both at home and worldwide. Angelina consistently ranks with Michelle Obama, Hilary and Oprah,as most admired. They’re not just polling over 40s dear.
Can you ever chill on these nasty attacks? Do you really think people take your long-standing obviously bitter resentful jealous hatred of these two beautiful people seriously and objectively?
I could say Aniston has a face like Dustin Hoffman’s character Dorothy in Tootsie, and her new husband is a struggling bald poseur midget with a bad lace front, but I don’t. (Maybe that’s why you guys continue to be enraged and nasty, because you wishes for her a George Clooney, and you actually got a wannabe Judd Nelson, lol)
I just don’t plant myself in their thread to attack them, unlike you with the Brange – mainly because they’re desperate no talent losers who don’t interest me.
You obviously feel different about Brangelina because you’re always here.
Give it a rest. Although you’d like to see some awful thing befall them, it will not. They’re beautiful Oscar winners and at the end of the day, those clowns who you defend are not.
JLaw, Kendrick and others are not good examples for the simple reason they are in the business. Of course they would admire someone like Brad and AJ.
Now youngsters not in the business probably don’t care much about them. I’m around people in their 20’s who don’t care much for them or know much about them. Most teens probably don’t care much either. Some teens I work with didn’t even know who AJ was until I said did you see Salt or Wanted and some said oh, her. But they all knew who JLAW was
BESO I am a fan of the JPs. Why did you include me?
I’m referring to Brad and assuming who her feels about his wife. For the record, I’m not fantasizing about them. I’m not into couples.
My idea of sexy is some one just giving me a foot message while drinking wine after four Vicodins. Preferably, Keanu Reeves.
I think we’ve all wandered down a bad piece of road. Everyone seems to be stuck in 2005. I’m going outta here.
@funcakes:
Hope you’re joking about the Vicodin’s and wine, that combination could kill you. Be careful mixing drugs and alcohol.
I am kidding. Thank you for your concern. 🙂
“Palming her butt”? She has no tush! It is as flat as a pancake, and the reason he “palms” it on the red carpet, is because she is always wearing padding back there, to make her appear as though she has some meat on her. He’s into butts, and is merely appreciating the one she is wearing.
“He’s into butts, and is merely appreciating the one she is wearing.”
Um let’s see
Aniston, small butt
Lewis, small butt
Newton, small butt
Paltrow, small butt
Givens, small butt
Renett Malone, small butt
Davis, small butt
He sure has dated a lot of women with small or barely there tushies to be into butts.
V4real, we aren’t talking “small” butts. I’m talking NO butt, and Jolie does not have one. As I stated, it is as flat as a pancake. And yes, he use to Palm Anistons rear too, but fortunately, that’s was the real deal.
@Goo
You didn’t see Angie’s picture in the Italian Vogue photoshoot. She’s got a pert booty on her. No wonder Brad has his hands it all the time.
The only thing thin about Angie is her limbs, long slim arms and legs.
Lewis’s and Newton butts are just as small as,AJ. And if a man likes butts Aniston nor, Givens had much of an ass either.
As a feminist, I have a bit of a problem with: she is a mediocre director, and so she should get projects because, well, there are mediocre male directors. Hows about this: talented female AND male directors are the ones who should be getting the work. There is enough talent out there to go around. She has the star power to green light a film, but perhaps her strength lies in producing. Obviously she should do whatever she wants, we don’t have to keep trying to believe she is a great story teller or artist.
As a capitalist (female) I have no problem admitting that her movies are experimental and she’s not really good at directing. She may get better, or she may always suck, but since she is writing, directing and, I’m guessing, financing a great deal of this film, then using her connections and years worth of her crafted Hollywood image to market it, she can and probably will continue to make whatever movie she likes until her money and power can no longer sustain the ones that are too “artsy” to have a broad appeal.
I suppose the “feminist” component of this is that she got very rich in a world that would throw tons of money at a young female actress and she was smart enough to take control of her brand and her craft at a fairly young age. Now she gets to make whatever movies she likes, whether mass tastes like them or not.
Yes. Talented or not, she is definitely smart enough to realize that this is the time to do the things that she wants to do (directing and writing) while she still has clout in hollywood.
Yes, and the free market decides. Jolie’s movies do not make money, In fact, all three of the films Jolie has directed have in fact lost money. Catherine Hardewick despite huge finical success of the 1st Twilight has to fight to direct movie.
@Ladyjane
Funny, I used to say the same thing about mediocre sit com actresses trying for the past 15 or 20 years to be a poor man’s Sandra Bullock and make a foray into decent films. All of her films done under her own steam, fail and bomb at the box office, still she got chance after chance after chance to try, try and try again despite having nothing but an association with a real movie star, a few enabling ‘fans,’ still mad at the world for her, and a tabloid ready publicity machine that her agent feeds to keep her his cash cow.
If I had a dime for every time I heard (from fans) if only she would try this kind of film or that kind of film,or she should work with this person or that person.
It seems we onky get impatient with women behind the canmera i their sophmore or junior effort in directing even when showing great promise, and being encouraged by their industry?
But others get a lifetime pass to ‘squirrels to the nut’ us to death for 25 yrs and counting?!! Please. Your animus is showing.
@MILDREDPIERCE
Unbroken was a hit.
In the Land if Blood & Honey and By the Sea we’re never meant to release wide, and are small Indies. The former Angelina’s freshman effort for which she got strong encouragement, and many good, solid reviews, has definitely made back it’s budget.
I’m sure BTS will as well.
I really enjoyd ITLOBAH. I think it was a strong debut, and preffered it to Unbroken.
Unbroken lost money. I can’t change box office numbers. A hit, it was not.
MildredFierce check your facts. Unbroken was a hit and did well at the box office. That is internationally recognized. In fact, it had a record for highest Christmas weekend opening. We can’t change the high numbers just because you don’t like the facts.
Unbroken did not lose money. Did it make back it’s budget opening weekend? No but once it was done in theaters it almost doubled it. Here are the total box office numbers for it:
Total Lifetime Grosses
Domestic: $115,637,895 71.6%
+ Foreign: $45,821,402 28.4%
= Worldwide: $161,459,297
Domestic Summary
Opening Weekend: $30,621,445
(#3 rank, 3,131 theaters, $9,780 average)
% of Total Gross: 26.5%
> View All 11 Weekends
Widest Release: 3,301 theaters
Close Date: March 12, 2015
In Release: 78 days / 11.1 weeks
@Ladyjane:
There was no one saying Angie could not direct a film. No reviews saying she was a bad Director, right the opposite.
The critics would have been much happier if they had had a few car chases, maybe blown up a villa or two.
I hate to say this, but maybe Angelina needs to rethink her directing career. Unbroken was really boring and it bothered me so much, because Louie’s story was amazing and should have been made into an amazing film, and I just didn’t feel it. Of course, I haven’t seen By The Sea, but the reviews, as mentioned, are pretty, pretty bad…but like Kaiser said, there are some pretty bad male directors that get to direct over and over, (Zack Snyder, MIchael Bay, etc) so, I guess, WTF, let her keep trying, if she wants….
Have to agree re Unbroken. And BTS sounds like it’s all meaningless angst with no place to go.
It’s all well and good having a passion for ‘war’ stories but unless you have the skills to tell them creatively and engagingly, then what’s the point?
I don’t want to be unnecessarily mean but AJ’s main talent as a director seems to be to suck all the life out of the subject matter with her earnestness. There’s something very leaden and dreary almost about her storytelling and I don’t think she understands that dark stories need light. Or maybe she does but just doesn’t have the skills to generate that light.
But the thing with Michael Bay is that even though some people think he is a bad director the audience still flocks to see his films and they make money. Of course he’s going to continue to direct if people continue to go see his movies. The same with Snyder and some of his films, the movie audience go in droves to see his films, bad director or not. It’s all about the bottom line.
@V4Real:
People went to see Unbroken, it made a profit, Universal was happy. That’s the bottom line.
@Cynical What are you talking about. My comment had nothing to do with Unbroken. I was just giving my opinion as to why Bay and Snyder are still allowed to direct though some people think they are horrible directors.
Are you so quick to try to defend AJ that you even go after comments that are not directed at her?
Michael Bay is mocked too at least. Like people know those movies aren’t great but those movies aren’t meant to be great either. Bay et. al. are at least protected because they know their appeal doesn’t rely on great deep filmmaking. Their goal is to entertain the masses and thus makes lots of money. They do what they set out to do so they’re happy and the studio is happy.
Jolie doesn’t want to be successful without being taken serious, there’s too much heart and passion in her projects for that but but what she creates doesn’t exactly reach its goal as her directing is not praised and BTS is usually called ‘amateur’. 3 movies and still an amateur is not good. Male directors like PTA who also engage in dark topics showed a knack for great filmmaking from the start but they aren’t big earners. Jolie will never be a PTA as she hasn’t shown much growth.
I don’t know, I think she will need to do some thinking if her next project is again visually stunning but lacking in story (a common theme now with the BTS reviews coming out).
I finally saw Unbroken this past weekend… It was terrible. And this is coming from someone who’s a huge World War II buff and a Jolie fan. Somehow she managed to take all the emotion out of that movie. I should’ve been crying from beginning to end considering the true life material, but I wasn’t. It’s a shame because that was an amazing story to tell.
How that movie had any Oscar buzz I don’t know. She was definitely not snubbed, it just wasn’t good.
“Mediocre male directors gets tons of opportunities to peddle their mediocre visions. Why shouldn’t women?”
I think this is really bad logic. I’m not saying that Angelina should never direct another movie but I think, in general, fewer people should be wasting millions of dollars to get bad movies made.
Excellent point!!!
I have to agree that this is awful logic. Then again, the whole discussion of better/worse is really misplaced when it comes to directing, because movies are supposed to make you feel something, even if it’s an action movie making you feel exhilarated. There will be a handful of people who like Angelina’s work, maybe simply because they like her as a personality, but as long as she can sell tickets and support her efforts, she’ll continue directing for that handful of people. Michael Bay may be making garbage movies from a critical standpoint, but he knows his audience, so he’ll keep making movies for them. And Michael Bay will make more money, not because he is a “better” director or because he is a man, but because the audience he appeals to is willing to buy lots of tickets.
Stop making sense. You want the whole Hollywood system to shut down? Bad over budget movies are all they make.
Oh, you are so right. The vast majority of films being made today are terrible. Even the actors who are considered the best in their profession – De Niro, Pacino, Streep, Oldman, Penn – have to take parts in substandard movies, because that’s all there is, and even they have to pay the bills. It’s depressing to talk to a 20-something, and they refer to De Niro as the dad in ‘Meet the Fockers’, but have no idea he was considered an acting god from his brilliant work in ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘Raging Bull’, “The Godfather Part II’, and ‘The Deer Hunter’, just to name a few. None of the films I mentioned could get made today, because the studio heads think filmgoers only want to see zombies, kinky sex, and comic book characters.
I agree. I’m all for encouraging women and minority directors, but what I want is for them to have equal OPPORTUNITY to prove themselves with their work, to not be shut out because they aren’t a white male. If you get that chance and the results aren’t good, especially for a few films in a row, then yes, studios or financiers shouldn’t continue to hand over millions (unless said bad films are raking in cash). Artificially bolstering directors who aren’t producing good work doesn’t do anyone any good, regardless of their gender or race.
Has anyone ever actually watched a David O. Russell film. His films are the most boring monotonous films ever made, yet he’s always nominated for an Oscar.
If his films had been directed by a woman, that person, and the film, would have been ripped to pieces by the critics.
Hate David O Russell films also. Totally overrated
By all accounts the studio had to rescue Unbroken in the editing room and even then its redeeming quality was the work of the Cinematographer. The reviews are saying the same thing happened with BTS, a poor director had her film salvaged for her by the cinematographer. On the one hand it really irks me that many naturally talented women and minority directors are trapped making toothpaste commercials because nobody will invest in them. Meanwhile, Angie will get try after try because she has the right studio relationships. On the other hand, most white male directors arent in the club by merit either….. so we should root for equality in mediocrity? Sigh. Sad times these.
The reality is that female and minority pioneers cant afford to be mediocre. They have to be twice as good as the boys and when they arent they effectively lock out future upcomers. A mediocre female director who gets shot after shot becomes the cautionary tale of why women cant direct. Its incredibly unfair but its a fact. We cant afford average pioneers and we cant afford public on-the-job training. So no, take Angies directors chair away and burn it stat.
Sad but true.
Good points and yes, sad.
“We cant afford average pioneers” is one of the best things I have heard all year. You nailed all my sentiments in your very articulate post. Thank you.
I prefer her directing because most probably these films would not have been made if it weren’t for her name being included in the poster.
Same for In the Land of Blood and Honey, same probably for Unbroken which would probably still be in some kind of limbo if it weren’t for her pitching to get it done.
She is not getting other’s people work, she is getting it herself, IMO. that money they gave them for these movies would be in a big fish’s wallet, not in another female’s director movie, I assure you that.
Now, if you want them (the JPs) to give the opportunity to someone else, that would be nice, but it does not have to only be “them”, but all rich and mighty production companies should too.
.
Drew Barrymore produces movies where she stars, Salma also produces films and shows where she acts, too, and there are other females, too, more daring, and with good and bad results.
AJ and her company, as Brad and Plan B , seem to have that idea of producing films that would not be approved, those films that are harder to sell. They are not Adam Sandler’s films, they might not be money makers, even.
Noone is criticizing them as they do Angelina.
@NAYA
@NAYA
Why I remember when you said the same thing about Katherine Bigelow right after her mostly ridiculed ‘Point Break,’ oh – wait. Maybe it was after ‘Blue Steel?’ No, wait. ‘Strange Days?!!’ That’s it -you read her the riot act after Stra–,no? Hmm??
Angelina’s made 3 films. Her last film, and only big budget wide releasing film was ‘Unbroken,’ a sleeper Christmas Hit that opened #1 and MADE money.
Her first film was a small Indie about a tough jarring subject (wartime RAPE) that earned her the Stanley Kramer award from the Producer’s Guild.
By the Sea, we’ll see what it does.
Point being, considering other female directors (in particular, the only Oscar winner and most reknowned female director we have) have been allowed to get their feet weight, learn and grow over the course of been several films (15 films in the case of Bigelow) before they make their ‘Hurt Locker,’ I would think Angelina should get more opportunities besides 3 films (2 tiny Indies and one big budget -that was a hit!) She deserves it.
But thanks for being pro-woman, and so empowering to us all – by implying Angelina didn’t even do the work on ‘Unbroken,’ and a man must have saved it for her in the editing room.
Ugh. so gross. Some women who like to call themselves ‘feminists,’ sound like misogynist wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Seriously, do you have to insult strangers because of another stranger who’ll never know you exist? It’s just another opinion, damn it!
@Josephine, where do you get the idea that In The Land of Blood and Honey made money? It lost a lot of money.
Budget $13 million plus promo and marketing costs.
Box office $303,877 domestically
I don’t know what internationally the box office was or if it was even played much anywhere, but for a small indie film, it still can’t have been much or it would be listed.
I just reread the Q and A and it was sad that she said the women in her family start getting sick in their 40’s. To lose so many you love to that dreaded disease has to change your entire way of living…..obviously for Angelina it did with her surgeries, which saved her. That statement alone made stop and think and appreciate my life.
http://www.hollywoodtake.com/ryan-gosling-cannes-debut-panned-critics-laugh-lost-river-fans-boo-ryan-reynolds-and-nicole-kidman
So sorry Nancy, I replied on the wrong thread.
“To be clear: we have fights and problems like any other couple. We have days when we drive each other absolutely mad and want space”
that must be when Pitt runs out crying, right?… 😉
what she said about turning 40 was so touching. everyone hates getting older but it’s better than the alternative, right? looking at it that way, I don’t mind getting older…
“that must be when Pitt runs out crying, right?… ;)”
LMAO
LOL!
But seriously, yes, I think it can really affect ones views on aging. I’ve had a few people in my life pass away way too young, and it makes you appreciate each year you get.
I absolutely love what she said about how she loves getting older because I am the exact same way too.
I never thought I would live past the age of 24, so every day, every year on my birthday I get super elated.
Her comments about getting older are really nice- Obviously, Brad doesn’t have that same family history of getting sick but he also has always said that he likes getting older.
As for her directing career, I don’t think her directing is bad. I think she could direct a really good movie. Its her seeming inability to recognize when a script works and when it doesn’t. That’s not exactly surprising considering her acting filmography but it is as frustrating as ever for a fan like myself. Take Unbroken. Unbroken was not, in my opinion poorly directed. However, Unbroken’s script was shockingly weak, considering what a powerful story its based on. It should have been extremely emotional, and instead I felt zero personal connection with the characters beyond the almost compulsory, ‘Oh wow, what a horrible situation for someone to be in’. I haven’t seen By The Sea, but I’m willing to bet the issue there is the script and not the direction too.
well she wrote the script.
Yeah, unsurprisingly, I don’t think script writing is her forte.
@Catelina I don’t think it is either. Admittedly I haven’t seen any of her directed films :/ (but I do plan on seeing BTS no matter how bad it might be).
I’ve read some of the reviews and the script is the biggest problem. Some critics said Brad and Angelina did a great job acting and a few others said they thought her directing is getting better, but the script was weak. It was too slow and boring.
Well if you like staring at the two of them together slow and boring would be perfect.
@meme
Angie didn’t write Unbroken’s script, someone wrote it, and then the Coen brothers did a rewrite. And what the critics didn’t like was the script.
The few that saw BTS, some didn’t like the script, they thought it slow, and drawn out. Some loved the film. No one said Angie didn’t do a good job directing the film.
Angie has a co-writer with her new film, they are adapting the script from the book.
Angelina said herself she is a student and learning. If the studio has confidence she will grow then I as an audience member belive that too. I definitely feel there is an agenda within the media when it comes to angelina. Ryan gosling film literally got booed but I don’t see his film review with articles written about him and that goes with hundreds of directors who have awful reviews but where are they with their articles or interviews?
http://www.hollywoodtake.com/ryan-gosling-cannes-debut-panned-critics-laugh-lost-river-fans-boo-ryan-reynolds-and-nicole-kidman
Gosling’s film was not going to be released in theaters after that critical flop I think. And yeah, there were articles though, it was panned.
Loads of films get panned, just go to Rotten Tomatoes. Or vloggers make a ‘top 10 of worst actor to director debuts’. I don’t know, you aren’t looking for it I suppose.
Jolie took a big creative risk on this and the bad reviews have to be on her as the writer, director, producer and star. It’s unfortunate the reviews are so bad, but she is a big girl and will handle it.
But what you wrote is one of my major pet peeves – the “others don’t get treated like this” defense. I’ve said it on other threads and I will say it again, if you make a bad movie, you will be called out on it.
You brought up Ryan Gosling and maybe you missed how he was skewered, but just the first page of a Google search will show you some examples:
The Wrap: “Ryan Gosling’s Directorial Debut Is Just as Bad as You’ve Heard”
AV Club: “Ryan Gosling’s Lost River blurs the line between homage and theft ”
The Guardian: “With shades of David Lynch and Night of the Hunter, Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut lacks imagination or identity”
Variety: ““Lost River,” a risible slab of Detroit gothic that marks an altogether inauspicious writing-directing debut for Ryan Gosling.”
Look I’m a Gos girl and let me tell you, there WERE articles about his directorial fail. I wept through every single one (nah, not really), thats how I remember. We cant really play a misogyny card here. A superstar actor who turns out a mediocre vanity project with their spouse, written and directed by himself/herself will get this kind of attention. Perhaps if she hadnt gone on this high profile promotion tour. I mean the woman is talking to major news outlets, of course that raises the films profile and by extension the films criticisms. This isnt sexism, this is cause and effect.
Also, I’m guessing the publicity plan was set before studio execs realised what a mess they were sitting on. It doesnt make sense to talk to Vogue and Brockaw and NYT about incredibly personal things for a movie with such limited release. It definitely doesnt make sense to have your kids in a photoshoot if you arent even going for moderately wide distribution.
Give me a break. George Clooney had three strong movies out of the gate as a director as far as the critics go. His last two (maybe three) have been panned mostly and critical. Actually some of the same criticism I’ve read on Angie’s movie is the same as George’s last one, that he wrote and directed weak script. Tom Hank’s didn’t do well with Larry Crowne. They aren’t babied.
Angie’s script is weak, and at this stage she probably should have had some help on it , a co-writer. But she wanted to do it all, so she has to take the full brunt. A good script is essential. She is treated actually decently in the reviews I think because she is Angie. Rotten Tomatoes was up from 13 percent to 38 percent the last time I looked. Guy Ritchie’s Swept Away was 5 percent. LOL
If she really wants to be a director I think she should find “her thing”, and not doing projects over projects, start with small stuff instead of big productions, try to work with the best entourage and go on.
I agree completely. Lots of actor-turned-directors start out with smaller things (tv episodes, small indie movies) to hone and develop their directing style and artistic voice. I think its great that Angelina has so much ambition and passion for directing, but you gotta walk before you can run.
I think she should write her scripts with somebody. I hope she’s not writing the Cambodia movie script all by herself. It would only benefit her and make her a stronger director because she would have a stronger script and learn from someone more experienced by co-writing with them.
The comments about the kids is kind of weird. I don’t get their parenting style but whatever. It won’t be long before they will be bossing everyone on the set LOL!
This whole PR tour has been quotes about her kids, health and marriage. It’s odd. Normally people are interviewing primarily on the movie with personal anecdotes thrown in here and there. Like, I don’t see how her health decisions and family health history are relevant to the movie. I think she is starting to wear her marketing and branding strategy thin at this point. Fir years it was enough to t a lk about her personal life. But now it’s beginning to seem manipulative and trite.
I don’t get it either. Especially since she made the switch to directing rather late, I think people would generally rather hear about her process of developing and directing the film. Though I’m sure she gets tons of questions about her private life, and feels she has to answer some, still she could have better articulated, and stressed, her artistic vision for this film. Since this is a small limited-release indie, and thus not so much about selling it per se, I would think that would also be more strategic in terms of establishing her directing credibility.
Actually, she has spoke to several magazine publications about the directing process and the characters in the film EW, NYT, WSJ, etc. Most people don’t know unless they read them because gossip sites would rather recycle the quotes she made about her personal life, instead of the film. I have seen the same interview from a different magazine recycled at least three times.
That makes sense. But it’s such a constant meme, I think it might also be a conscious PR strategy.
@Tracking –
Do u really think Angelina has to have a ‘conscious PR strategy,’ to MAKE the press focus on her personal life?
You believe they wouldn’t do it otherwise? REALLY??!! Bahaha.
The press paid 4 million for her kids baby pictures, they paid 3 million for candids of she and Brad…you, are on a site, that took her throwaway answer to a press question about her marriage being turbulent like the film (we have our issues, but no, we are not like this couple) and ran for click bait: ANGELINA: BRAD AND I HAVE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS!!
YET you think she orchestrated that?
That she somehow has to PR strategize to get them to cover her relentlessly and inquire about her family life? LOL Right, mmkay.
I don’t know why some women find it so difficult to believe the most famous movie stars in the world are really really REALLY effing famous and get blanket coverage by the press whenever they step out their door. That’s why they don’t have PR flacks. They don’t need to call the press and announce they’re going to The Ivy. Weird you believe kstew, or Courtney Cox get tailed but Angelina and Brad are the ones…’strategizing,’ hoping the press takes their bait.
Please.
Thing is, there was a credible article (that I’m sure someone will try to paint otherwise on here) that talked about her ballsy career strategy early on, and how she’s perfectly capable and unafraid to shut down any and all questions she’s not willing to answer. Her decision to undergo her surgeries was kept completely in the dark until they were able to release info the way they wanted it. Of course, the tabloids have been claiming for years that she’s had serious health problems, so I still think that where there’s smoke there’s fire. When you’re a public persona, it’s safe to say you won’t be able to trust many people….I digress. She has some control, if not most control, to keep things under wraps if that’s how she wants them. If the scoop is big, it’s likely that we’ll hear a bunch of misinformed rumors. But we won’t know the full story until she releases it. Everyone in hollywood has that power. If you keep your head down and stay out of scandals and let your work speak for itself, you can keep your private life relatively private. She is NOT more famous than some of her female counterparts, nor is she more popular or more talented. The difference between her and them is that she’s a celebrity in every sense of the word. A star. An affected, posturing, star. She probably learned early on, if she wasn’t told, that she isn’t talented. And that if she wanted to survive and thrive in hollywood she’d have to rely on other tactics. So she’s been selling her personality and her crazy life ever since. People can say that she’s changed, and I believe that to be true. The drug-obsessed, shock-value Jolie of the nineties eventually had to go because even that angle was starting to feel burned out. She may care deeply about the issues she now advocates for, but don’t think for one second that her every move isn’t for public consumption. Her kids, her life, her sex life, and everything else has basically been made available to us from day one. If she wanted it otherwise, she could have it her way. Where she really deserves more than average credit is the ways in which she’s learned to project and reflect things she doesn’t want to be known for either onto someone else or to by wholly deflecting the topic. I continue to be amazed at how she handles criticism. She is truly a ninja master at controlling her image. And oversharing about her life has always been a way for her to handle what’s thrown at her. I don’t know that that makes her unlikeable or evil. She has bravado and definite skills with smoke and mirrors. In the right profession (say, working for the government) she’d fit right in.
@nirvana love this comment and totally agree. I think AJ is a master of PR. Good at selling an image and keeps tight control over what is seen
I saw Spectre over the weekend and I hated it. Spectre BO was $73M with a budget I read of $300m now that IMO is a total waste of money. I’m going to see BTS this weekend. Im sure I will like it more than 007, James Bond, I wasted 2+ hours on Friday. I wanted to walk out so many time but decided to see it it would get better but it never did.
I tried hard to like Spectre, but it was a silly soap opera.
Well, darn. I had intended to go to see Christoph and Ralph. Maybe I should re-evaluate.
There are scenes worth seeing, like the opening, while some parts of the movie seem silly and an homage-but sillier than the original bond movies. I think script was lacking, or it was a different Bond that I was getting used to, and then there was a throw back to comedy (or unintended comedy)
Yeah I’ve heard it wasn’t good. But it’s already made just shy of $300 mil worldwide, I would think it’ll turn a profit.
I think it’s just a matter of taste – I was ok with Casino Royale. Didn’t care about Quantom of Solace but gave it a pass because the writers went on strike in the middle. I loved Skyfall and really liked Spectre too. They have the same director, so maybe I just like his style better.
Interesting, that’s how I felt about the first 3 Daniel Craig Bond films also, so maybe I’ll like Spectre as well. I generally like Sam Mendes films too.
The whole angle of their troubles and issues now to promote the movie and be relatable to the average person and the characters. The promotion i s strong.
Shiloh is sketching the sets. She said in some red carpet interview or somewhere that she and Maddox are producing the movie. Come on, Angie. He will be your assistant after school. LOL
I don’t mean to laugh at what she said, but I chuckled for sure.
But I can imagine how 40 seems so great to Angie with the history of her family and long battles with cancer.
That photo of her at the airport in stiletto boots and the stunning long black belted coat and designer sunglasses and hair swept back and beautiful in the back was pure movie star at its best. Glamour with a capital G. Now that’s how you do it.
I always love her daily style more than her red carpet style.
I don’t think there is anything strange about her preference for war stories. She’s still new at the directing thing, but at least she knows her strengths. Similar to Michael Bay and his OTT pop corn films. Can you imagine Michael Bay directing a war film with any degree of sensitivity?
“Maddox is working with me in production so when I have my production meeting he is sitting right next to me and we go though our notes. Pax is going through the photography and Shiloh is sketching the sets.”
I probably shouldn’t have responded to some people on this thread. If you can’t get everything you need to know about how Jolie perceives the importance of herself and her family from those quotes…I can’t really help. 🙂 Have a great day anyway!
Uh, where does it show she perceives her own importance? That is you reading that into it. How you got all that, from those quotes, is beyond me. All it shows is a proud momma who is saying her kids are taking an interest in the field. That is all.
Replied to the wrong person. Not a fan of her hair but definitely a fan of the color of the dress. 🙂