pirtybirdy wrote:Down with the MPAA!!! They churn out shite movies, and charge huge prices for both the crappy movies and the goodies. Oooh they just burn my ass!!!!
:grr:
Burns my arse too, especially sitting on those cheap seats in the cinema
On a more serious note I agree with you completely. They do churn out complete shite and overcharge the public.
I think actors have a lot to do with it too though. They charge ridiculous amounts to be used in films :
TOM CRUISE
Age: 41
First big payday: $75,000 for "Risky Business" (1983)
Current Asking Price: $25 million (plus points)
Last Film: "The Last Samurai" (2003); U.S. box office: $110 million
Worth the money? Yes! Cruise's 26 films have grossed $2.5 billion worldwide. He knows his star vehicles will hit the essential $100 million mark in America alone, and his contracts now always include points: He made $75 million from "Mission: Impossible 2." But "The Last Samurai's" returns were disappointing, and if his next film, "Collateral," underperforms, too, the fallout could cost him his status as the world's highest-paid actor.
CAMERON DIAZ
AGE: 31
FIRST BIG PAYDAY: $2 million for "There's Something About Mary" (1998)
CURRENT ASKING PRICE: $25 million (some sources say more)
LAST FILM: "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" (2003); U.S. box office: $101 million.
WORTH THE MONEY? Yes! She's getting better all the time. Diaz was paid $20 million for the second "Charlie's Angels" film and, like Myers, $10 million to lend her voice to the "Shrek" sequel. If, as rumored, she will get $25 million-$30 million for starring opposite Jim Carrey in the "Fun With Dick and Jane" remake, she will not only become the highest-paid actress in the world but shatter the wage disparity between male and female stars.
TOM HANKS
AGE: 47
FIRST BIG PAYDAY: $70,000 for "Splash" (1984)
CURRENT ASKING PRICE: $25 million (plus points)
LAST FILM: "Catch Me If You Can" (2002); U.S. box office: $164 million
WORTH THE MONEY? Yes! He can do no wrong. Hanks hasn't had a flop since "The Bonfire of the Vanities" in 1990, which is a good omen for his latest movie "The Ladykillers" (opening Friday). He'll be hard-pressed, though, to match the $70 million (salary plus points) he made for "Forrest Gump" or the $40 million (same deal) he pocketed for "Saving Private Ryan." For the record, he doesn't always demand $25 million per picture.
JIM CARREY
AGE: 41
FIRST BIG PAYDAY: $350,000 for "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" (1994)
CURRENT ASKING PRICE: $25 million
LAST FILM: "Bruce Almighty" (2003); U.S. box office: $242 million
WORTH THE MONEY? Yes! All that and more. Jim Almighty is laughing all the way to the bank as his films continue to hit pay dirt. He took a pay cut for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," which opened Friday, presumably because he was looking for his Oscar moment in his most serious role yet. He has the "Lemony Snicket" movie opening just before Christmas and next year plays bionic Steve Austin in "The Six Million Dollar Man," which should make him feel like an invincible $25 million man.
MIKE MYERS
AGE: 40
FIRST BIG PAYDAY: $1 million for "Wayne's World" (1992)
CURRENT ASKING PRICE: $25 million (or 21% of the gross)
LAST FILM: "Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat" (2003); U.S. box office: $100.5 million
WORTH THE MONEY? So far! The bottom line counts. Though "Catin the Hat" received bad reviews and made less than half of 2002's "Austin Powers in Goldmember," it still passed the $100 million barrier. Myers is being paid a whopping $10 million for his voice alone in "Shrek 2."
MEL GIBSON
AGE: 48
FIRST BIG PAYDAY: $9,000 for "Mad Max" (1979)
CURRENT ASKING PRICE: $25 million (sometimes with points)
LAST FILM (AS ACTOR): "Signs" (2002); U.S. box office: $227 million
WORTH THE MONEY? Yes. Some viewers, though, may never forgive him for directing (and profiting from) "The Passion of the Christ" or accept him in an action hero role again. But don't bet against him reaping another fortune by starring in "Under and Alone," about an ATF agent who penetrates the notorious Mongols Motorcycle Gang.
ADAM SANDLER
AGE: 37
FIRST BIG PAYDAY: $1.7 million for "Billy Madison" (1995)
CURRENT ASKING PRICE: $25 million (or 25% of the gross)
LAST FILM: "50 First Dates"; U.S. box office: $106 million to date
WORTH THE MONEY? Sometimes! Sandler is like his character in "The Waterboy" - acting dumb, he just keeps scoring touchdowns. He's had a few box-office glitches along the way: "Little Nicky" and "Punch-Drunk Love" (which was admired more by critics than audiences). His fans love him, but as he approaches 40, can he go on dishing out puerile humor? "50 First Dates" indicates his future could be in romantic comedies - next up is "Spanglish" with T?a Leoni as his Latino girlfriend.
WILL SMITH
AGE: 35
FIRST BIG PAYDAY: $500,000 for "Six Degrees of Separation" (1993)
CURRENT ASKING PRICE: $20 million (plus 20% of the gross); some sources say $25 million
LAST FILM: "Bad Boys II" (2003); U.S. box office: $138 million
WORTH THE MONEY? Maybe. Smith's bread andbutter comes from fans who love to see him mix humor with action, as in "Independence Day" and the "Men in Black" and "Bad Boys" films. He fares less well when he strays from that formula, as he did in "The Legend of Bagger Vance" and "Ali." He'll be doing what he does best in his next film, "I, Robot," but then stars in his first romantic comedy, "The Last First Kiss." Question is, will his male fans want to see it?
BRUCE WILLIS
AGE: 49
FIRST BIG PAYDAY: $5 million for "Die Hard" (1988)
CURRENT ASKING PRICE: $22.5 million (sometimes with points)
LAST FILM: "Tears of the Sun" (2003); U.S. box office: $43 million.
WORTH THE MONEY? Yes and no! With the failure of "Hart's War" and "Tears of the Sun," Willis' reputation as an action hero took a pounding, but he made $100 million (salary, points and a percentage of video sales) from the supernatural drama "The Sixth Sense." This year's "Hostage" and "The Whole Ten Yards" will tell if he's over the hill, but the upcoming "Die Hard 4: Die Hardest" is the acid test.
HARRISON FORD
AGE: 61
FIRST BIG PAYDAY: $650,000 for "Star Wars" (1977)
CURRENT ASKING PRICE: $25 million (plus 20% of the gross)
LAST FILM: "Hollywood Homicide" (2003); U.S. box office: $31 million
WORTH THE MONEY? No! Ford's career is taking a dive. "K-19: The Widowmaker" made only $35 million domestically, just $10 million more than his salary. His "Homicide" buddy movie with Josh Hartnett also bombed. The fourth "Indiana Jones" film should stop the slump, but it probably won't be seen until summer 2006.
JULIA ROBERTS
AGE: 36
FIRST BIG PAYDAY: $50,000 for "Mystic Pizza" (1988)
CURRENT ASKING PRICE: $25 million.
LAST FILM: "Mona Lisa Smile"; U.S. box office: $64 million to date
WORTH THE MONEY? No! "Mona Lisa Smile's" poor opening weekend suggests her days as a box-office draw are numbered. Since 2000's "Erin Brockovich," Roberts has lost her box-office magic. Now married, she's no longer America's sweetheart. She recently switched from the ICM agency to CAA in a bid to get back on track before hitting 40. Mike Nichols is currently directing her in the romantic drama "Closer."
THEY'RE IN THE MONEY, TOO
# Chris Tucker was paid $25 million for "Rush Hour 2" and will apparently earn $30 million if "Money Talks 2" ever gets made.
# Arnold Schwarzenegger earned $30 million for "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines." But it would be unseemly for the governor of California to receive such a salary again.
# Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe could soon join the 10 highest-paid stars in Hollywood. DiCaprio, who stars as Howard Hughes in the upcoming "The Aviator," gets $20 million per film. Crowe is getting the same to star as boxer Jim Braddock in "Cinderella Man."
# Other $20 million earners are Eddie Murphy, Denzel Washington, Nicolas Cage, George Clooney and Vin Diesel.
# Tobey Maguire is getting $17 million for "Spider-Man 2" - a nice little raise from the $4 million he earned for the first film. Johnny Depp will also get a huge raise to star in next year's "Pirates of the Caribbean 2," bringing him close to the $20 million mark.
# Ben Affleck gets $17.5 million - but for how much longer?
# These seven actresses earn $14 million-$15 million per movie: Drew Barrymore, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Angelina Jolie and Jodie Foster. If her July movie "Catwoman" is a smash, Berry could join Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz as the top female earners. Ominously for Witherspoon, "Legally Blonde 2" disappointed. Barrymore, though, had a record February opening opposite Sandler in "50 First Dates." Jennifer Aniston is primed to join this group following back-to-back hits with "Bruce Almighty" and "Along Came Polly."
# Aniston's husband, Brad Pitt, is getting $17.5 million for "Troy" and a purported $20 million for "Mr. and Mrs. Smith."
# Keanu Reeves was paid $10 million for "The Matrix" and $15 million for each of the sequels, plus a hefty percentage of the profits.
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Greedy pricks!
