TRAILER: True Story

Most Major Theater Chains Pull The Interview Over Terrorist ThreatsUPDATE: Sony Has Pulled The Film

Via the Los Angeles Times:

The nation's leading theater chains are pulling the plug on screening "The Interview." Regal, AMC and Cinemark -- the three largest chains in the United States -- have decided not to screen “The Interview” when it debuts on Christmas Day in the wake of threats made by Sony hackers, said people familiar with the decision. The chains have asked Sony to postpone the release date of the controversial film. The decision represents a major blow to Sony Pictures Entertainment, which has been under siege by a hack attack that became public Nov. 24. A representative of Sony Pictures Entertainment declined to comment. Late Tuesday, Carmike Cinemas, the fourth-largest theater chain, with 2,917 screens in 41 states, became the first major exhibitor to scrap plans to screen "The Interview."

More from the Associated Press:

The fallout from the Sony Pictures Entertainment hack that began four weeks ago exploded Tuesday after the shadowy group calling themselves Guardians of Peace escalated their attack beyond corporate espionage and threatened moviegoers with violence reminiscent of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The Department of Homeland Security said there was "no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot against movie theaters," but noted it was still analyzing messages from the group, dubbed GOP. The warning did prompt law enforcement in New York and Los Angeles to address measures to ramp up security.

UPDATE: Sony has pulled the film entirely.

In light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors not to show the film The Interview, we have decided not to move forward with the planned December 25 theatrical release. We respect and understand our partners’ decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theater-goers. Sony Pictures has been the victim of an unprecedented criminal assault against our employees, our customers, and our business. Those who attacked us stole our intellectual property, private emails, and sensitive and proprietary material, and sought to destroy our spirit and our morale – all apparently to thwart the release of a movie they did not like. We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to our company, our employees, and the American public. We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.

Sony could lose $100M.

Franco & Rogen Spoof Vogue Cover

Via Gothamist:

They had to do it. After Kim Kardashian and Kanye West appeared on the current issue of Vogue, backlash has come from everyone from Sarah Michelle Gellar to Buzzfeed, USA Today reports. But Seth Rogen and James Franco went a step further, reenacting the cheesy cover shot with their own tender rendition that Franco tweeted out.

Last year Franco and Rogen also spoofed a Kanye West music video that features Kardashian.

Seth Rogan & James Franco Make Out In Parody Of Kayne West Video

For comparison, here's the original with Kim Kardashian, which is so insanely, horribly, stupendously, mind-blowingly bad that I just can't even.

(Tipped by JMG reader Douglas)

TRAILER: Kink

Also from James Franco and also debuting this weekend at Sundance. Via press release:

Director Christina Voros and producer James Franco pull back the curtain on the fetish empire of Kink.com, the Internet’s largest producer of BDSM content. In a particularly obscure corner of an industry that operates largely out of public view, Kink.com’s directors and models strive for authenticity. In an enterprise often known for exploitative practices, Kink.com upholds an ironclad set of values to foster an environment that is safe, sane, and consensual. They aim to demystify the BDSM lifestyle, and to serve as an example and an educational resource for the BDSM community. In kink, we discover not only a fascinating and often misunderstood subculture, but also, in a career far from the mainstream, a group of intelligent, charismatic, and driven people who really, truly love what they do.

Possibly not work-friendly.

TRAILER: Interior. Leather Bar.

Clip description:

The 1980 film Cruising, starring Al Pacino as an undercover cop investigating a murder in the New York City gay, leather, bar scene, was plagued with controversy, and its director was forced by the Motion Picture Association of America to cut 40 minutes of sexually explicit material. Those 40 minutes have never been screened publicly. Filmmakers James Franco and Travis Mathews set out to reimagine what might have transpired in those lost scenes in this intriguing film about the making of a film.

The film opens at Sundance this weekend.

TRAILER: Oz The Great & Powerful

James Franco For Candy Magazine

Copyranter points out James Franco's cover shot for the first issue of Candy Magazine, "the first transversal style magazine." One thousand copies only, street date October 24th.

HomoQuotable - David Mixner

"[W]e laughed Brokeback Mountain right out of an Academy Award. Please lets not allow the same thing to happen to Milk this year.

"Milk is a movie about our history, our heroes, our struggle and the power of one individual to create change. The movie is a universal story to inspire and give hope to everyone. The movie depicts how hatred can lead to assassination of not only, Supervisor Harvey Milk, but also Mayor George Moscone, because of their ideas and courage. There is nothing funny about this powerful and well done drama.

"So what did David Letterman and James Franco talk about on the Letterman show the other evening. Almost the entire interview was about Franco and Penn kissing. Letterman even left the impression of "ugh" when they talked about two men sharing an intimate moment. This is not acceptable from Letterman and GLAAD should be all over it. Also the producers of Milk should better brief their stars, like Franco, about not falling into the Brokeback Mountain trap. Franco's response should have been to Letterman, "This is not a comedy. It tells the story of an assassinated leader of a civil rights movement and the epic struggle for freedom." Trust me, that would have ended the discussion of kissing.

"If this kind of treatment of Milk continues, we will once again lose the powerful message of an amazing film, lose the awards and lose our history. It is not too late to speak out. Watch the Letterman segment below." - Gay rights activist and author David Mixner, complaining that jokes cost Brokeback Mountain its Oscar and that it may happen again with Milk. Read the entire piece.