Hollywood.com’s resident movie guru has the answers to your burning film and celebrity questions. This week: Is it OK to show a little love for George Clooney and Brad Pitt? How do you start your own movie theater? And why won’t someone please make a sequel to the 1993 Super Mario Bros? Get the answers to these and other questions from our readers, right here, right now.
Subject: George and Brad
I just wanted to say that I think the George Clooney and Brad Pitt combo is one that needs to be repeated. They are like the modern day Redford and Newman. I am 41 (married 22 years) and still can pick the keepers. There is a combined strength, sexuality, charm, chemistry and charisma with the two actors and putting them together is like fireworks! I have yet to see two leading men that can hold it together with egos and all as these two can. The only other movie star that comes close is Mel Gibson. These men are too self-confident to show arrogance or a need to compete. I’d love to meet them.
–Connie
Movie Guru: Wouldn’t we all.
Subject: Starting a movie theater
I need some help finding a place to start a movie theater. The one here in my town is closed down and the closest one is about 80 miles away. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
–Jennifer Foxhoven
Movie Guru: There may be a very good reason why your local theater closed down. Mom-and-pop theaters are hard to come by these days. The huge multiplexes have all the studio deals for first-run releases–they essentially have exclusive rights. This relegates the independent movie theaters to running art house and foreign films–and that’s not going to bring in the masses. Also, you’ll need more than one screen playing a film if you want to see any kind of profit, as the cost of showing movies keeps skyrocketing. I’ve probably talked you right out of this idea, but if you’re really serious about trying to get some form of movie entertainment in your town, I would think about starting up a drive-in. Studios recognize them separately and will give you the first-run releases. It’s still only one screen, but with a rich investor and a true entrepreneurial spirit (open up a go-cart track and arcade next door), you might be able to make it work.
Subject: Movie pre-screening tickets
Your Web site is great and very informative. I wanted to know if there is a way I can be a test-audience member for upcoming movies. I am not sure what the process is on selection or if there is a Web site to visit in order to qualify. I live in Chicago and am wondering if there is a local film office that handles requests like this.
–Melissa Mondro
Movie Guru: Gathering audiences for promo screenings isn’t an exact science, so there are a variety of ways the studios go about filling the seats. Your best bet is to ask the manager of your local theater if they do advance screenings of films, and if they are, he or she may have information about the marketing or public relations firm that’s handling the screening for the studio. Usually free passes are given out through radio stations, local newspapers and/or local television shows. In Los Angeles, often times marketing reps from the studios will hand out passes as moviegoers are leaving the theaters. Their only qualification is that the person not be affiliated in any way with the entertainment industry. Hmmmm.
Subject: Award Shows
I was wondering how I would get tickets to an awards show.
–Angie
Movie Guru: It ain’t easy. Even if you’re willing to shell out major bucks, you still might not be able to get a ticket if you aren’t a celebrity or a friend of a celebrity. For the average Joe or Josephine, the best way to get into the theater for the show is to be a seat filler. See, celebs sometimes have to go to the bathroom or leave their seat to present an award, and when they do, a seat filler fills their seat. That way if the television cameras pan the audience, it always looks full. Neat trick, eh? Now, if you can’t get inside the theater, even as a seat filler, you’ve got one more shot at seeing some stars on the red carpet. Most major awards shows and premieres have bleachers set up for fans–you can find out more about this option on the Academy Awards Web site.
Subject: Weird Al
Is Weird Al Yankovic dead? I’ve heard rumors but haven’t found any articles about it.
–C. Young
Movie Guru: Uh, no, I believe he is alive and well, living in California. The mock songster is currently working on his 11th album but no release date has been set.
Subject:Mario Bros. Movie
I, along with a few friends of mine, think that there should be a second Super Mario Bros. movie. The end was a cliffhanger, so I was a little upset when there wasn’t a second one. I thought, “What will Bowser do now?” I really want to know. I would love to see a second Super Mario Bros. I would love to see what happened. Thanks! P.S. If you decide to make this, could you make Bowser actually look like he’s supposed to?
–Michele
Movie Guru: Wow, not sure how to respond to this. Could it be perhaps because the first Mario Bros. movie, which starred Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo, tanked? It only made $18 million dollars. That’s considered a big giant flop out in Hollywood, and no studio in their right mind is going to make a sequel from those numbers. Sorry about that. Bowser (for those non-Nintendo slobs out there, he’s the mean-spirited turtle with spikes on his shell) will have to be forever remembered with the wrong look.
