Someone really hates Clooney?!

Howell: Hollywood stars aren’t shining as bright

Who is George Clooney?” my cottage pal Dennis the Highwayman asked, during a recent festive evening at his Blackfish Bay rural abode.

“Is he a good-looking chap who gets himself into trouble?”

The question halted all conversation, one in which Clooney’s name had come up. I think even the deer flies stopped buzzing. All you could hear was the sound of ice tinkling in rum glasses.

“Are you serious?” I asked the Highwayman, who believes he thinks better when he’s sipping Appleton Estate. “You don’t know who George Clooney is?”

“No, and why should I?” he retorted, and I had to admit he had a point.

Why should anyone have to know about George Clooney? He may be frequently in the news — including this week’s announcement that he’s starring in two TIFF-bound movies, The Ides of March and The Descendants — but that doesn’t necessarily make him top of mind for every segment of the population beyond movie critics.

I hasten to add that Dennis is no dummy. He’s a recently retired big wheel in the province’s road-building division, hence the Highwayman nickname. He doesn’t go to that many movies, but when he does, it’s not based upon whether there’s a big Hollywood name in the cast.

And increasingly, the Highwayman is more on the path with regular moviegoers than even he could imagine. The hard fact is that Clooney may be a star to many people, but that could be based more on his troublesome good looks — just ask his expanding chain of ex-girlfriends — than on his dubious box-office appeal.

His name isn’t sufficient to “open” a movie, as witness the less-than-awesome ticket sales for The American and The Men Who Stare at Goats, or the 0-for-6 Oscar non-haul for Up in the Air, which did respectable but not stellar business.

Take Clooney out of his fading Ocean’s Eleven franchise, in which he has pals like Brad Pitt assisting with the marquee duties, and you’d have a hard time proving the case that he’s a genuine matinee idol.

But let’s not pick on Clooney. The fact is that very few stars today can draw audiences based on their names alone, Pitt among them.

Star power just isn’t what it used to be, as this summer’s movies are proving in spades.

Almost every major hit this blockbuster season has been without benefit of a name-brand star, while some of the biggest duds — I’m looking at you, Larry Crowne — have sunk despite or because of their A-list branding.

Think about it. Can you name any of the stars of Captain America: The First Avenger, last week’s No. 1 opener? How about the actors in Thor, the first big hit of the summer?

How many of the Harry Potter actors can you name, for a franchise that has lasted a decade and grown to eight movies? How many of the Transformers stars can you name, three movies in?

I don’t ask these questions to mock anybody or to imply any superiority on my part. It’s my job to know these things, and also a personal interest, but they may not necessarily matter to you.

Ask me to name the players on any of Toronto’s sport teams, or any teams for that matter, and I could do a convincing impression of a deer caught in the headlights.

People have been flocking to films this summer without caring about whose name is up in lights. The biggest surprise hit of the season, and possibly the year, is Bridesmaids, a comedy loaded with talent but not a lot of boldface. How many members of the Bridesmaids cast can you name, without resorting to Google or IMDb?

This weekend brings the blockbuster Cowboys & Aliens, which has A-list names in Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford. But you can bet your last popcorn kernel that the vast majority of people who will see it have been attracted by the title and the high concept of cowpokes fighting cosmic invaders. They’d have gone to see the film even if Joe Blow and Harry Nobody were the headliners.

It’s not like days of yore when people would go to the movies because they wanted to see stars like John Wayne, Cary Grant, Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor, stars who had a lot more mystery about them than today’s media-saturated celebs.

I first wrote on the fading of stardom a couple of years ago when The Hangover made major bank without a single A-list cast member. This year we had The Hangover 2, and the cast is slightly better known — quick, how many of the four principal players can you name? — but it was the sequel and not the stars that made the cash registers ring.

Meanwhile, films with name-brand talent have faltered. Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts look cute riding a motor scooter on the poster for Larry Crowne, but the movie couldn’t draw flies down at your local bijou.

And Ryan Reynolds may be fast becoming a household name, at least for those households that watch late-night talk shows, but Green Lantern fizzled faster than a flashlight with dead batteries.

The only movie this summer that I think was genuinely sold on star power alone was Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The movie sucked, but people love Johnny Depp, and they’ll always turn out to see him play wily Capt. Jack Sparrow.

Even my pal Dennis the Highwayman knows who Johnny Depp is, I’m sure. But Depp is a member of that vanishing breed known as the bankable actor, and he must be starting to feel a bit lonely.

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Good points in the article, but did he ask Dennis if he knew who Johnny Depp was? no...he just screwed up his own article by not backing up his final point and showed he is biased towards some actors...

the article sound he is only attacking clooney in persone he is not focusing on his point and bring clooney as example no he is attacking clooney and bring another names aside to bring what he means what's his probleme

and totally agree with u louis

He's just jealous cuz' he AIN'T George Clooney!!

Everyone has their favourites. I am surprised the Highwayman has never heard of George with all the blokey type movies he has done. Perfect Storm, Three Kings, Out of Sight he hasn't heard of any of them but Johnny Depp playing the same character three times he has heard off! It isn't unusual especially with men I just don't think they pay attention unless they have a wife or girlfriend who likes a bloke and makes them take notice. The movies he mentions are summer blockbusters and it isn't unusual for them to be more glitter then substance none of these movies will win an oscar! It is always this way over summer and I can name several of the actors in the Harry Potter movies not just the main three kids and I would bet a lot of others could as well.

It sounds to me like an outdoor type guy who goes hunting, fishing, and doesn't have a TV. He has a cabin in the woods and could care less about Hollywood. Which is fine, but for his friend to release an article concerning their conversation just makes the writer look desperate for recognition. Especially since he said it was his job to follow acting careers. He knew there would be releases concerning the festivals this week. So, he accomplished two things. He got his name out there in the middle of the foray and used George and Johnny in the process. Sounds like a real great guy… NOT!

Even my pal Dennis the Highwayman knows who Johnny Depp is, I’m sure.

meaning he didn't ask, he is assuming Dennis, his pal, knows Johnny Depp. By the way, blockbuster doesn't mean great movie, award nomination, respect and recognition from your peers. It only means money... A-list stars are avoiding blockbusters these days looking for roles and stories that are more meaningful + they are spreading their activities as producers, screenplay writers, directors, etc.
Yes, Johnny Depp is bankable, POC is not a award winning movie, but I understand and recognize that Jack Sparrow would not be Jack Sparrow if it was another actor playing it, it is a challenging role. However, I don't see Johnny Deep producing, writing or directing anything. Correct if I am wrong, but he solely acts.

ps: I love Johnny Depp since 21 Jump Street, I was little, but I remember him,

do anyone else think elisabetta and her team are involve in this ?maybe she don't know the critic directly maybe there's six or four or two degrees
separations "i admit i don't buy her silence it doesn't suit her but if there is another bul*s*** like this again in next weeks i think it's her behind it"

This isn't an article attacking George Clooney; it's an article about how stars and star power doesn't exist any more the way it used to. He uses George as an example of a greater trend.

Whether or not his huntin' shootin' fishin' friend does or does not know who George Clooney or Johnny Depp are isn't the point, that's just the intro to get you into the story.

The point the writer is making is that most of the top movies in the past few years have had movie stars in them and the we wouldn't be able to name the actors in most of the top movies of recent years because they're largely unknowns.

George is probably a particularly good example of a star who doesn't have huge hit films (although I'd debate that) but is a massively famous movie star.

There are many film critics who don't like George. There's one who even George has pointed out as never giving him a good review.

Please don't buy the imdb nutcase kookaid! Canalis doesn't have the clout to have any influence on articles written by Canadian film critics. The only people who pay her any attention at all are Clooney fans, and we give her way too much power.

no i don't give elisabetta canalis much power may be others and the article wasn't professional the critic was just mention GC name in the places he wanted to understate him like saying "His name isn’t sufficient to “open” a movie, "or"Take Clooney out of his fading Ocean’s Eleven franchise" why to use such words . it's not objective because there is no film for clooney in cinemas no it's before the time of his scheduled two movies about to saw in theaters
may be elisabetta canalis is not behind that but that's a thing would she do and her assistant is able to that's why there's such "social connections "

another thing yes The American wasn't a big hit but clooney can open a movie as i recall he was top one in first week right ,
i suppose that critic write for high school not for real world unless already some one have agenda or did pass some notes

Clooney to be hated and envied because few actors have the charisma, personality, sympathy, courage and beauty that he does. Gee is a person uncomfortable for Hollywood, where the film is above all glitz and real problems it is better to hide them. He is an actor and director involved in social problems, I hope to be wrong, but never win an Oscar as a director, can win in Europe in Canada but not in Hollywood, but then again, I hope I am wrong.

lolo wrote:saying "His name isn’t sufficient to “open” a movie, "or"Take Clooney out of his fading Ocean’s Eleven franchise" why to use such words .

No, it's not offensive unless you find the truth offensive. He can't open a big movie and his last big hit were the Ocean's 11 films.

His films have all been successful and I don't think any have lost money (not sure about Fantastic Mr Fox?) but films like Up in the Air, Michael Clayton etc were intended as big films and their box office could have been hoped to have been better than they were.

I don't think any of his films - if they even reached number 1 in the box office - have stayed in that position for more than the first week. I can't be bothered to look this up, so could be wrong.

Yes, you can make the argument that George isn't trying to be number one any more but then why call him a star if he can't perform as a star? That's what the critic is asking. And again, the point isn't about George, it's about all current Hollywood stars. He's just using George as an example.

As far as I know, this guy is writing for one of the country's main newspapers with a lot of experience behind him.

The comparison is years ago, people went to see movies with the big stars for that reason (Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne, etc.). Today it doesn't matter, he is using George in addtion to Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, to prove his point. It doesn't take an A list star to have a hit movie.

Snoopy wrote:The comparison is years ago, people went to see movies with the big stars for that reason (Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne, etc.). Today it doesn't matter, he is using George in addtion to Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, to prove his point. It doesn't take an A list star to have a hit movie.

Agreed. I don't think he's bashing anyone in particular. Everyone has their own opinions about actors, directors, and movies in general and why they should or shouldn't be considered A list. He's just expressing his opinion.

Re: Howell article from above:

"Is he a good looking chap who gets himself into trouble?
The question halted all conversation, one in which Clooney’s name had come up. I think even the deer flies stopped buzzing. All you could hear was the sound of ice tinkling in rum glasses."

IMO Funniest comment I've heard yet. LOL

I wrote a huge comment and i deleted by mistake, lol.
Anyway, I still stand by my previous opinion that he didn't write his article well, he didn't develop his points well. In my understanding, blockbusters movies are good for their wallets and for exposure to better projects. Most actors don't want to be associated with Blockbuster movies because they are concerned it will reflected badly in their career. There are actors who are A-lis stars and are not doing great in their movies, he mentioned Tom Hanks- that movie wasn't great you know?! He failed to mention Reese. Most of the movies that she was the leading lady failed on the box office, but she didn't lose her A-list. I think the industry has changed quiet a bit in the past few years. Leo was not huge when he did Titanic and I doubt he made a lot of money out of it because he was not all that back then. But Titanic opened many doors to him. Well, I don't want to talk about this anymore, lol

Sadly, what the article says is true, and I don't think it's a slam against George in particular either, just the Star system. I think he uses George's name because he IS one of the biggest stars in the industry, so it's inconceivable that someone on the planet wouldn't know who he is.
Unfortunately, because we have "STars" these days who've done nothing but shone their hooch, or yak at each other on reality tv, it's kinda muddied the word "Star".

@LL....I'm going to disagree with you on the Blockbuster thing. I can't think of an actor that doesn't want to be in one. As you said, besides money, it gives them great exposure, and therefore, bank-ability, and so even more work. And let's face it, most blockbusters are really good movies - that's why they're blockbusters. People see them, love them, see them again, tell their friends...etc. The Ocean's series were blockbusters...do you think any of that cast regrets doing them? I can't really think of a blockbuster that wasn't a good movie also, or one that I've ever heard an actor regretting doing...

There are good ones and bad ones. Nobody would regret doing pirates of caribbean or ocean's. But what about green lantern?

Of course they won't regret, at the end of the day they got paid really well. But yeah, if the movie is bad stays in their "cv" forever and ever. They are good for entertainment, but they are not masterpieces.

Ah, but there's a difference between a masterpiece and a blockbuster.....lot's of masterpieces never become blockbusters. That's the trick, you can have a great story, and great actors in it, but it still never becomes a blockbuster, like The Green Lantern - although everyone expected that one to go big. And look at the last Pirates - it was officially a blockbuster, yet the critics didn't like it, and I know alot of friends that saw it, and didn't like it (I personally did). I don't think anyone knows what the public is really going to go for or not these days. But as the article says, just because you're putting an A-list star in it, isn't going to guarantee that the public will love it too. Ask Julia and Hank...

Good ol' Toronto Star.

You're right Katie, the Star is one of the biggest newspapers in Canada and he doesn't seem to be attacking Clooney personally. I think he used his name to get people to read his article, since GC has been in the news lately. I have to admit, he does have a point about star power and Hollywood in general.

On a side note, he doesn't know any players on any Toronto sports teams??? Including the Leafs? As a Torontonian, and not a Leaf fan, I'm disgusted.