The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews
The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews |
| Seven celebs who want your money for their projects Posted: 16 Mar 2014 10:25 PM PDT As Veronica Mars the movie hits cinemas in the US, other celebrities are now jumping on the crowd-funding bandwagon. There had been other celebrity-driven Kickstarter campaigns, but it was the wild, US$5.2mil (RM16.64mil) success of Kristen Bell and Rob Thomas' drive for a Veronica Mars movie adaptation that really clued in Hollywood to the fiscal might and possibilities of crowdfunding. Now, a year later, it seems like everyone is asking fans for cash. Zach Braff got much attention for his request that fans kick in US$3mil/RM9.6mil (of a US$5mil/RM16mil budget) for Wish I Was Here, which debuted at Sundance and sold to Focus Features for a reported US$3mil or so. Spike Lee, too, used the site for his next joint, just passing his US$1.25mil (RM4mil) goal. In recent weeks, several more big names have humbled themselves in pitch videos and brief explanatory notes in order to flatter and entice fans into funding their ambitions. Shaquille O'Neal The all-time great NBA centre and multimedia personality made over US$300mil (RM960mil) in his career, when playing contracts and endorsements are tallied up, and he continues to cash cheques by appearing on television and pitching products. But the big Diesel is still asking fans and gamers to pitch in US$450,000 (RM1.44mil), via Indiegogo, toward the development of a sequel to his 1994 fighting console game. "Let's get one thing straight. It's going to take more than US$450,000 to fund the game. Yes, I am putting my money into the game. And the fans have always been my partners," O'Neal told The Wrap at SXSW. "We just wanted to use it as a measuring source, to see if there's some excitement, and there has been a lot of excitement." With 38 days left, the campaign has raised about US$90,000 (RM288,000). If you donate US$600 (RM1,920), Shaq will follow you on Twitter. Zachary Levi A favourite amongst geeks for his role in Chuck and obvious love for nerdy things otherwise, Levi is asking his adoring fans for US$1mil (RM3.2mil) to stage another Nerd HQ festival adjacent to San Diego Comic-Con. It is an event thrown by his company, The Nerd Machine, at Petco Park every year, where they hold four days of dance parties and panel discussions and other activities that can be built by a giant machine of nerds.  Zachary Levi as the lovable nerd in Chuck. It is a free event, but it costs a pretty penny, and apparently they couldn't get the funding to make it happen this year. So, in order to keep the spirit of the nerd burning, Levi and his machine need US$1mil, for "venue, staging, production crew, event lighting, video, audio, staff, security, and activations", according to the Indiegogo page for their campaign. The event raises money for Operation Smile, a popular charity, so basically, donations are being made toward raising money (and doing fun stuff, too). There are no prizes for people who donate, other than getting their names written on a big wall of people who donated, but the nerd machine will keep on chugging! Katherine Heigl The principal photography on the ZZZquil pitchwoman and ZyZZyx Road actress' next movie, a romantic dramedy called Jenny's Wedding, is already complete. But the film, which co-stars Alexis Bledel, needs an additional US$150,000 (RM480,000) to get through post-production. And so, the Jenny's Wedding crew is turning to Indiegogo for the cash. So far, they've taken in US$48,000 (RM153,600) and have 15 days left to get the money. Matt Walsh A founder of Upright Citizens Brigade and a hero to all comedy nerds, Walsh is finally getting recognition for his on-screen talents, with a regular role in Veep and a starring turn in David Cross' Sundance film Hits. Now, he's in the filmmaking business, and is looking for just a little over US$52,000 (RM166,400) to finish post on his improv-driven movie, A Better You. So, why should fans donate? "One, I'm not truly famous, I'm more of a 'Hey, I know that guy' celebrity," he wrote on his Indiegogo page. "Two: I'm not rich and my wife and I have three kids so the money I make – I can't tell you where it all goes, but it's not for champagne or tropical vacations." Neil Young It took just one day for the rock legend to raise almost double the stated goal of US$800,000 (RM2.56mil) to launch Pono, his high-quality digital music player and marketplace. It didn't hurt that he had a slate of other leading lights – including Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Kid Rock, Dave Grohl, T-Bone Burnett, Rick Rubin, and Eddie Vedder – vouching for the sophisticated audio experience that Young is promising. With 32 days to go, he's now up to over US$3mil and counting. More like knocking on heaven's safe, am I right? Scott Ian The guitarist of the heavy metal band Anthrax went on a spoken word tour, and now he's looking to fans to bankroll the DVD release of his act, which is creatively titled Speaking Words. He's up to 31% of an unspecified goal, but it must be somewhat sizable; he's offering to take a fan out for a wild night in Las Vegas for a US$25,000 (RM80,000) pledge. For the more frugal Anthrax enthusiast, a guitar built from wood from the church in Night Of The Living Dead is available for a mere US$12,500 (RM40,000). So, get it while it's hot, if you're into Henry Rollins and/or fake church guitars. Matthew Modine The veteran actor is looking for US$5mil for a movie called The Rocking Horsemen, a coming-of-age stories set in the 1960s. But instead of just asking calling for some generosity and offering some small prizes in return, he's offering them a stake in the possible profits, through a site called Slated. It's not all that often that films that size make much money, but at least there's a shot. — Reuters |
| Chris Pine admits New Zealand drink driving charge Posted: 16 Mar 2014 06:55 PM PDT Actor's licence suspended for six months. Star Trek actor Chris Pine pleaded guilty on March 17 to drink driving in New Zealand and had his licence suspended for six months, reports said. Pine, 33, was charged after he failed a breath test this month in the South Island town of Methven, where he had been attending a party after completing the science fiction film Z for Zachariah, New Zealand Newswire reported. Judge Joanna Maze denied an application from the American's lawyers to discharge him without conviction, saying she was "obliged to treat offenders alike". She suspended Pine's New Zealand driver's licence for six months and fined him NZ$93 (RM260) Fairfax New Zealand reported. Pine, who is best known for playing Captain Kirk in director J.J. Abrams's Star Trek reboot, declined to speak to media outside the Ashburton courthouse before being driven away. – AFP |
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