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Don't criticize George Clooney's movies unless you are a moviemaker.

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Old 02-08-03, 07:18 PM
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bhk
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Don't criticize George Clooney's movies unless you are a moviemaker.

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/030208/af...537people.html

Above: Clooney's face on being told he has to watch Solaris.

George Clooney takes on reporter at Berlin film festival

BERLIN (AFP) - An angry George Clooney blasted a Turkish journalist who found his sci-fi love story "Solaris" "boring".
"I find you fascinating," Clooney told the journalist sarcastically when the latter volunteered his opinion at press conference after a screening of the picture, which is currently in competition at the Berlin film festival.
"You crack me up, man. You just wanted to get up and be a rat, you know that? You just wanted to get up and say something rotten. What a jerk. I mean honestly, you know, what a shitty thing to say," he said, laughing bitterly.
"You make a lot of films, do you? You make a lot of films yourself? Yeah, I'd like to see you make a film first before you get to talk about it. What a jerk," he said.

"Solaris," one of 22 film vying for the festival's Golden Bear prize, is a drama set in the future about love beyond the grave and brought the eagerly awaited Hollywood heartthrob to the German capital.

Hundreds of fans began began lining up outside the press center in the blustery cold hours before Clooney's appearance, hoping to catch a glimpse of the star before he was whisked from his limousine and into the building.

The film features Clooney as psychologist Chris Kelvin, who travels to the Prometheus space station after he receives a report that the crew appears to be suffering under the influence of strange forces emanating from the nearby planet Solaris.

There Kelvin finds a traumatized and depleted group and soon beings to encounter mysterious developments himself, culminating in the reappearance of his dead wife Rheya, played by Britain's Natascha McElhone.

McElhone took her turn at the journalist when Clooney was finished.

"Can I just say one thing about the boredom factor? Whatever movie I'm involved in, I'm very open to criticism of me or of the film," she said.

"But to say that something is boring is surely only indicative of the person watching it. Because it's up to you to get something out of the film," she said.

"Solaris" was first filmed in 1972 by Andrej Tarkovsky and based on a novel by Stanislav Lem. The film reunited Clooney with his frequent collaborator, filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, who won an Oscar for directing "Traffic".

Soderbergh joked throughout the press conference after the Berlinale moderator twice called him Steven Spielberg by mistake.

"I'd actually like to talk about 'Minority Report'," he deadpanned, referring to Spielberg's 2002 hit.

He said his studio Twentieth Century Fox was confident that "Solaris", which flopped in the United States, would do better in European and Japanese markets.

"More than any other film that I've made I thought this may get a very divided reaction," he said.
"Of the films I've made I think it's the most European in its aesthetic. So you may find that people over here find it too American and people in American find it too European," he acknowledged.
Clooney is also in town to promote his directorial debut "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind", which will enter the competition Monday.
The February 6-16 Berlinale is among the world's top three film festivals and has already drawn stars including Richard Gere, Catherine Zeta Jones, Renee Zellweger -- promoting the Hollywood musical "Chicago" -- and Nicolas Cage.
Nicole Kidman is expected to back "The Hours" in which she plays Virginia Woolf.
Also appearing in competition were Italy's "I'm Not Scared" and a surrealistic Hollywood comedy, "Adaptation" starring Cage.
"You make a lot of films, do you? You make a lot of films yourself? Yeah, I'd like to see you make a film first before you get to talk about it. What a jerk," he said. So according to this idiot, he should not criticize any politician unless he actually holds public office. But I forget, according to people like Clooney, rules and ethics are for the little people.
Old 02-08-03, 07:20 PM
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Re: Don't criticize George Clooney's movies unless you are a moviemaker.

Originally posted by bhk
"You make a lot of films, do you? You make a lot of films yourself? Yeah, I'd like to see you make a film first before you get to talk about it. What a jerk," he said. So according to this idiot, he should not criticize any politician unless he actually holds public office. But I forget, according to people like Clooney, rules and ethics are for the little people.
The problem is, Clooney is stupid.
Old 02-08-03, 07:37 PM
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Eh.. I'm no Clooney fan, but this journalist guy said it at a press conference and probably deserved to be blasted for it.
Old 02-08-03, 07:51 PM
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Asinine Observation: George Clooney looks like CIA Director George Tenet in that pic.

Seriously, though, the "Oh yeah? Well.....I'd like to see you do better!" defense is always pretty lame. I mean, by that logic, we wouldn't be able to make fun of Anna Kournikova's tennis game either, and the late-night comedy industry would fold overnight.
Old 02-08-03, 08:02 PM
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Well you really don't know the pain it is to make a film. Good lord you have to deal with a lot of hoops and a lot of creative decissions to make a film that a lot of times you can work your ass off and make it the best you could only to have some total jerkoff say "Eh, it looks stupid".

I understand constructive crticizim, but a lot of the nay says resort to "It sucks" before:

1.) Watching it
2.) taking time to understand it
3.) Dealing with the issues in film making yourself.
Old 02-08-03, 08:12 PM
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Originally posted by Jackskeleton
I understand constructive crticizim, but a lot of the nay says resort to "It sucks" before:

1.) Watching it
2.) taking time to understand it
3.) Dealing with the issues in film making yourself.
I agree for most films, one should see it before recommending or disparaging a movie. In this situation, the person actually did see the film.

As for taking time to understand it, how much time is needed? I suppose I can take as much time as the UN inspectors to understand a movie, but if I don't like it, I don't like it.

As for dealing with the issues in film-making, this is a weak argument. If Jon Gruden told some fat guy third stringer on the Tampa Bay offensive line to hustle more and that fat guy responded with, "Well let's see you block a 300 pound guy rushing to sack the quarterback," he will be ridiculed.

Yeah, it's pretty hard to throw a 98mph slider, but if a pitching coach sees why Randy Johnson is in a funk, I doubt Randy would say, "Why don't you try throwing 98mph?"
Old 02-08-03, 08:15 PM
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Re: Don't criticize George Clooney's movies unless you are a moviemaker.

Originally posted by bhk

So according to this idiot, he should not criticize any politician unless he actually holds public office. But I forget, according to people like Clooney, rules and ethics are for the little people.
I can see that you, like that Turkish journalist, are a big fan of constructive criticism...
Old 02-08-03, 09:08 PM
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aww, poor baby can't take criticism
but he doesn't mind saying people deserve alzhimers
Old 02-08-03, 09:33 PM
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Cool movie, recommended.
Old 02-08-03, 09:52 PM
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Maybe someone should tell him to shut his mouth if he wants to keep his career
Old 02-08-03, 09:59 PM
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What a dumbass.
Old 02-08-03, 11:50 PM
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Hell, if I was making 10-20 million per film, I'll say screw the critics.
Old 02-09-03, 12:03 AM
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Originally posted by blakader
Maybe someone should tell him to shut his mouth if he wants to keep his career
I think his career is very safe considering how much star power his name has even if his last film (solaris) didn't do to well.
Old 02-09-03, 12:18 AM
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Was the original boring too?
Old 02-09-03, 04:02 AM
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Originally posted by BigPete
Was the original boring too?
I didn't think either of them were boring, but the original certainly moved at a slower pace and there was more storyline involved.
Old 02-09-03, 11:01 AM
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what in the hell do you expect him to do? Someone stands up in a press conference and gives you such pointed critiques like "i thought it was boring".....I'd call him names and tell him to shut up too....i mean come on. THAT guy is the moron. Clooney is right - if you're going to offer criticism, something a tad more thoughtful than 'it's boring' might be a good idea.
Old 02-09-03, 11:12 AM
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Originally posted by brizz
what in the hell do you expect him to do? Someone stands up in a press conference and gives you such pointed critiques like "i thought it was boring".....I'd call him names and tell him to shut up too....i mean come on. THAT guy is the moron. Clooney is right - if you're going to offer criticism, something a tad more thoughtful than 'it's boring' might be a good idea.


If the problem with a movie is that it is boring, how are you supposed to convey that in a "more thoughtful" way? I can think of many movies where that would be my main criticism (and that would include much of Tarkovsky's work, as well as that of his mentor, Bergman).
Old 02-09-03, 12:05 PM
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what in the hell do you expect him to do? Someone stands up in a press conference and gives you such pointed critiques like "i thought it was boring".....I'd call him names and tell him to shut up too....i mean come on. THAT guy is the moron.
I expect him to say something along the lines of "...not everyone thought so" etc.... Berating some guy who is doing his job, albeit in a over-the-top way is not very nice.
I can see that you, like that Turkish journalist, are a big fan of constructive criticism...
People with these kind of huge egos cannot differentiate between types of criticism. To them, any kind of criticism is a kind of a personal attack. That is why people who interview big stars have to sign an agreement beforehand that they will not bring up certain subjects during the interview.
Old 02-09-03, 12:39 PM
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Originally posted by Jackskeleton
I think his career is very safe considering how much star power his name has even if his last film (solaris) didn't do to well.

what about confessions of a dangerous mind?

[bubble boy]how is that one doing? not too good [/bubble boy]
Old 02-09-03, 04:12 PM
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Looney Clooney is a typical liberal in every way.......He's with you 100% unless you're against him or the party line.

"Liberals, the most intolerant people on the face of the earth."


BTW: I remember a thread in which it was asked if there was an actor / actress you wouldn't watch because you dislike them so much. I noted Hanoi Jane "The Traitor" Fonda. Add Lefty Looney Clooney to that list. I will never watch another movie in which he's in. He disgusts me.

Good post bhk




Old 02-09-03, 04:20 PM
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So does this mean that average people cannot criticize his movies? If I was making his paychecks on his movies(10-20 million) a movie i'd keep my month shut!
Old 02-09-03, 04:24 PM
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I love a lot of Clooney's films. I think he's a great actor. Whether its action(Out of SIght) or Comedy(One FIne Day) or horror(From Dusk Till dawn). But i've seen interviews with him on several shows and magazines, and he does come off like a huge A-Hole. I mean i hate Alec Baldwin, but at least when he speaks about his political beliefs he makes a lot of sense(sometimes)even if i do disagree with them. Clooney and some others (coughjuliarobertscough) come off like bullys on the playground who will beat up any kid who happens to disagree with them.
Back to the point, Clooney just makes himself out to be a jerk.
Old 02-09-03, 05:22 PM
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Originally posted by bhk
I expect him to say something along the lines of "...not everyone thought so" etc.... Berating some guy who is doing his job, albeit in a over-the-top way is not very nice.
But the guy wasn't doing his job. His job as a reporter is to stay nuetral, not bash the film during a press conference. If I were Clooney, or one of the other reporters at the conference, I would have ripped into him too.
Old 02-09-03, 05:35 PM
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I have to agree with Clooney on this one. He's gotten plenty of bad reviews and how many critics has he ripped into for it? This guy sounds like he really was there just to start some trouble. Whatever you think of Clooney's talent, if you met him would the first thing you say to him be "you suck"?
Old 02-09-03, 06:08 PM
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I love Clooney. I think the last 8 years or so have been nearly perfect( I even liked Perfect Storm), but he should put down the vodka for a minute. Who made him pope of the arthouse anyway? This is the same guy who sank the Batman franchise. And I"m still trying to wash the taste of his bland Facts of Life character out of my mouth. All that Soderlooney touches will not turn to gold.


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