Computers Make Actors Younger and Prettier — Do They Help Them Act?

Posted on March 20, 2016 at 3:32 pm

The Washington Post reports on the use of computers to make Paul Reubens look almost as young in his new movie, “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday,” as he did in his first Pee-wee movie, 36 years ago.

In postproduction, artists digitally retouched his face to turn back the clock. It’s called beauty work, and it’s been around for more than a decade. But it’s a hidden craft, practiced by artists who make every frame look sublime by toiling for long hours — while remaining invisible….According to multiple artists, a popular job is to take care of those pesky eye bags. Artists can also add muscle definition, zap blemishes, fix teeth and tame rogue strands of hair. The request can come from a record label, a director, a producer or a movie star, depending on the situation.

We are all too used to seeing the effects of plastic surgery on famous faces in movies, and all too often seeing the way the artificial stiffening and smoothing impairs actors’ ability to show emotion. Paul Reubens joked that he could have had a facelift and saved the production $2 million in computer “beauty work.” Pee-wee is a comic character who is known for being expressionless. But what happens when this tweaking is used in dramas and comedies? An adjustment of an eyelid or the corner of a mouth can make a big difference in expression. If it impairs a performance, will actors agree to it? And if it improves the performance, will the coders be thanked at the Oscars?

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Behind the Scenes Special Effects

“The Passion” — Tonight on Fox

Posted on March 20, 2016 at 2:55 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owOr6zDP8rM

Tonight on Fox (and later streaming on Netflix) “The Passion,” the story of the crucifixion and resurrection, told with contemporary music, musical stars, and a parade of 1000 through the streets of New Orleans. Tyler Perry hosts and narrates the story, and the cast includes Trisha Yearwood as Mary, Chris Daughtry as Judas, and “Telenovela’s” Jencarlos Canela as Jesus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSbDnVs6oHE
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Musical Spiritual films Television

Movies With the Biggest Critics/Audience Disagreement

Posted on March 19, 2016 at 3:39 pm

PrettyFamous found the top 30 films with the largest disparity between critics and the audience, from “Boondock Saints” (audience 91%, critics 20%) to “Because I Said So” (audience 65%, critics 5%). You can read my F review of that one here. Then there’s “Spy Kids,” which 93% of critics liked, but which got only 46% favorable from audiences. I gave it a B+.

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Critics

Trailer: Jane Wants a Boyfriend

Posted on March 19, 2016 at 8:00 am

A woman on the autism spectrum begins to make a tentative effort towards a relationship in “Jane Wants a Boyfriend,” starring Louisa Krause, with Eliza Dushku as her sister.

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Disabilities and Different Abilities Trailers, Previews, and Clips
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