Tim Allen is both the exception and rule when it comes to being conservative in Hollywood.
Allen’s mega-fame began with 1991’s “Home Improvement,” one of the decade’s biggest sitcoms. His right-leaning views couldn’t stop his career ascent. He bounced from a beloved Christmas movie franchise to a second, openly conservative sitcom that ran for nine years. And his work voicing a beloved children’s toy helped change the face of movie animation.
The comic’s ideology, though, may have cost him even more fame and fortune over the years. Industry observers suspect it negatively impacted two career pivots.
Allen seemed an unlikely choice to even have a Hollywood career in the first place. The Denver native got arrested in 1978 for cocaine possession and <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/video/tim-allen-recalls-serving-time-prison-cocaine-charges-201655802.html">spent two years in a Federal Correctional Institution</a> for drug trafficking. After doing time, Allen started hitting stand-up stages, making a name for himself with his uber-masculine shtick. Those appearances, under his real name Tim Dick, pointed to a more creative future. And, certainly, a more lucrative one.
Allen forged his own Hollywood ticket by snagging a <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000741/awards">CableACE Award</a> for his appearance in the “Just for Laughs International Comedy Festival.” His 1990 Showtime special, “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259057/">Men Are Pigs,</a>” continued his career ascent. Seen today, Allen’s pro-male shtick would be considered problematic for acknowledging gender differences. At the time, however, both male and female fans howled at his observations. They certainly caught Disney’s attention.
The Mouse House figured Allen’s act was a perfect fit for the small screen. The vehicle in question? A sweet, sincere sitcom called “Home Improvement.” The series, and its show-within-a-show (“Tool Time”), made Allen a star.
The actor may have been a conservative at the time, but most celebrities kept their political views private back then. Allen more or less did the same.
He deepened his Disney ties with 1994’s “The Santa Clause,” a sleeper hit casting him as a dad who stumbles into a new side hustle — delivering toys the world over as ol’ St. Nick. The next year found him voicing a plastic astronaut figure in “Toy Story,” the <a href="https://www.pixar.com/our-story-pixar#:~:text=1995,in%20theaters%20on%20November%2022">debut</a> feature for the CGI animation company called Pixar. Allen’s boastful Buzz Lightyear, sweetened by his bond with fellow toys like Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) and Mr. Potato Head (voiced by Don Rickles), connected with crowds and critics alike.
Allen had yet another franchise on his hands, voicing Buzz in three more “Toy Story” smashes. Those family-friendly hits made him a bona fide movie star, and he spent the next decade-plus headlining a string of screen comedies.
“Galaxy Quest” (1999) didn’t wow audiences at the time of its release, but it quickly found cult status for its “Star Trek”-style parody. Movies like “Jungle 2 Jungle” (1997) and “Christmas with the Kranks” (2004) left critics cold but scored with Allen’s core audience.
Lesser fare, like “For Richer or Poorer” (1997) and “Joe Somebody” (2001) showed the superstar’s fame had its limits.
He remained a popular presence on large and small screens. By 2011, ABC cast him as an openly conservative father and grandfather in a female-dominated home in “Last Man Standing.” The show leaned on who Allen was in his private life, a conservative dad raising girls.
Allen started vocalizing his right-leaning views, mirroring elements from his fictional Mike Baxter character. The public soon realized he was one of the rare Hollywood conservatives, but his fame made any pre-cancel culture efforts futile.
He was too big to fail … until ABC unexpectedly canceled “Last Man Standing,” despite its ratings success on a night known for smaller crowds. According to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/why-last-man-standing-was-canceled-tim-allen-responds-1004414/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>: 
<blockquote>&#8220;For the uninitiated, Fridays are typically earmarked for programming with reduced viewership expectations, where a comedy like ”Last Man Standing” and its 1.7 rating among adults 18-49 and 8.3 million viewers is seen as impressive.&#8221;</blockquote>
The shocking move made many wonder if the show’s conservative leanings, and that of its star, made it ripe for cancellation. Allen had recently quipped that being a conservative in Hollywood was like <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/mar/21/tim-allen-urged-to-apologise-for-comparing-hollywood-to-1930s-nazi-germany-jimmy-kimmel">being Jewish in 1930s Germany</a>. That comment generated sizable heat in the media, even though <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/hollywood-trump-hitler-label/">nastier Nazi comparisons</a> were ignored by the same outraged souls … or praised.
ABC said otherwise, but even the veteran performer <a href="https://twitter.com/ofctimallen/status/864514490804523009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E864514490804523009%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hollywoodreporter.com%2Ftv%2Ftv-news%2Fwhy-last-man-standing-was-canceled-tim-allen-responds-1004414%2F">couldn’t hold back his anger</a> at the move, <a href="https://twitter.com/ofctimallen/status/864514490804523009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E864514490804523009%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hollywoodreporter.com%2Ftv%2Ftv-news%2Fwhy-last-man-standing-was-canceled-tim-allen-responds-1004414%2F">tweeting</a>:“Stunned and blindsided by the network I called home for the last six years.”
Allen had the last laugh, though.
Fox swooped in and added “Last Man Standing” to its existing lineup. The show thrived for three more seasons.
Allen remains steadily employed despite his right-leaning views. And, to be fair, he’s far less vocal, and political, than hard-left peers like <a href="https://deadline.com/2016/03/sean-penn-louis-ck-bill-maher-donald-trump-1201715202/">Sean Penn</a>, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/alyssa-milano-gets-slammed-saying-shes-fighting-all-americans-rights-1457443">Alyssa Milano</a>, <a href="https://www.ccn.com/why-did-mark-ruffalo-bring-politics-into-emmy/">Mark Ruffalo</a> and <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/samuel-l-jackson-blasts-trump-republicans-over-same-old-dirty-voter-suppression-tricks-4074500/">Samuel L. Jackson</a>.
He explained his approach to Marc Maron during a <a href="http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episode-1205-tim-allen">podcast interview</a> in 2021, stating:
<blockquote>“I literally don’t preach anything. What I’ve done is just not joined into — as I call it — the ‘we culture.’ I’m not telling anybody else how to live. I don’t like that. ‘We should do this,’ ‘We should do that.’”</blockquote>
He’s willing to put his celebrity cachet on the line when it counts, though. Allen shared his free speech support via “No Safe Spaces,” the 2019 docudrama detailing the First Amendment’s assault on college campuses.
He recently wrapped production on Disney+’s “The Santa Clause,” a small-screen extension of the popular film series debuting in late 2022.
Yet Disney, which has a long-standing and fruitful relationship with Allen, snubbed the star with its summer 2022 tentpole film. Pixar, now owned by Disney, created a “Toy Story” spin-off dubbed “Lightyear” but neglected to hire Allen to voice the character again.
The studio <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/why-tim-allen-doesnt-voice-buzz-in-lightyear/">explained</a> that the “Lightyear” character in question was from a movie that inspired the “Toy Story” figurine, and so another actor’s voice made more sense. That meta explanation <a href="https://consequence.net/2022/06/tim-allen-chris-evans-buzz-lightyear-movie/">didn’t appease</a> Allen’s fans, who once again suspected it was a political decision.
The new voice of Buzz Lightyear, actor Chris Evans, is one of Hollywood’s most vocal progressives. Ditching Allen for Evans made little sense and reminded many of the “Last Man Standing” debacle. Allen didn’t cry foul over the casting switch, perhaps not wanting to rock the Disney boat while a possible “Santa Clause” extension loomed before him.
Still, Allen came out on top once again.
“Lightyear” proved a box office disappointment with Evans in command, and Allen’s star continues to shine.
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en">@HollywoodInToto</a>. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Readers-Pass—Toto—The-Life-and-Career-of-Tim-Allen

After ‘Lightyear’ Snub, Tim Allen Is The Last Man Standing

Disney

Hollywood

Readers Pass

Tim Allen

Woke Culture

Baz Luhrmann’s “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3704428/">Elvis</a>” isn’t your standard-issue biographical film.
There have been other Presley biopics released over the years, including one starring Kurt Russell (1979) and a miniseries with Jonathan Rhys Meyers (2005). But the director of “Moulin Rouge!” and “The Great Gatsby” figured something … different was in order.
Luhrmann’s “Elvis” brims with razzle-dazzle sequences, concert recreations and those Presley hip gyrations that caused a societal stir. Anyone expecting conventional rags-to-riches storytelling, though, will be disappointed.
Co-star Tom Hanks, playing the duplicitous Colonel Tom Parker, gets so much screen time it’s almost like you’re watching “Elvis and the Colonel.”
Luhrmann doesn’t ruminate on the icon’s ’70s excess but digs into his formative years. That means showing a young Presley attending black churches and peeping into clubs where black musicians made music outside the cultural mainstream.
None of the presentation is woke. It’s a celebratory recreation of Presley’s backstory. And this “Elvis” doesn’t condemn its subject for cultural appropriation.
It honors that amalgam of music, culture, and style.
It’s undeniable that Presley allowed the music industry to elevate gospel and R&amp;B stylings via a white performer who captured their essence.
That doesn’t tell the whole story, though, since some black artists did <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/07/whats-so-great-about-elvis-he-didnt-invent-or-steal-anything/374081/">crack the mainstream</a> during the 1950s, including The Dominoes, who made a run at the pop music charts with “Sixty Minute Man” in 1951. With the lyrics &#8220;I rock &#8217;em, roll &#8217;em all night long,&#8221; the track is even considered by some as the origin of the &#8220;Rock and Roll&#8221; genre.
Plus, Bill Haley beat out Presley on the charts, albeit barely, with 1954’s “Rock Around the Clock.”
Presley, though, became a once-in-a-generation superstar.
Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, he spent his early days in a racially mixed community. His tight-knit family attended the Assembly of God Church, exposing him at a young age to gospel music.
The future star moved to Memphis, TN, in his teen years, where he absorbed the sounds of historic Beale Street. Teen Presley shopped on the celebrated street and soaked in the blues and gospel singers who called the region their second home.
<a href="https://www.graceland.com/">Graceland.com</a>, dedicated to keeping Presley’s legacy intact, <a href="https://www.graceland.com/biography">elegantly captures</a> how the singer incorporated those influences into his art. “[Presley] uniquely combined his diverse musical influences and blurred and challenged the social and racial barriers of the time.”
The movie finds him comparing creative notes with the likes of B.B. King (played by Kelvin Harrison Jr.), and it’s clear being a white star channeling blues and gospel notes let him rise beyond some black peers.
Presley’s mammoth talents did the rest.
He openly spoke of how black singers impacted his creative choices. A 1957 interview with Jet Magazine, <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-truth-about-elvis-and-the-history-of-racism-in-rock">recalled by The Daily Beast</a>, offers a window into his generous spirit:
<blockquote>“I always wanted to sing like Billy Kenny of the Ink Spots. … I like that high, smooth style. … I never sang like this in my life until I made that first record—‘That’s Alright, Mama.’ I remembered that song because I heard Arthur (Big Boy) Crudup sing it and I thought I would like to try it.” </blockquote>
Black musicians, in turn, embraced him as an artist, not merely a white colleague. James Brown, for example, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/elvis-presley-40-years-later-was-king-rock-n-roll-guilty-appropriating-black-651911">called him “his brother”</a> and upon Presely’s death said, &#8220;There’ll never be another like that soul brother.”
<a href="https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/sammy-davis-jr-turned-down-elvis-presleys-in-the-ghetto-wanted-king-of-rock-n-roll-sing.html/">Sammy Davis, Jr. similarly hailed</a> Presley and spoke openly of their respectful bond.
“Elvis” wisely ignores any cries of cultural appropriation. Luhrmann’s film honors Presley’s musical gifts while acknowledging his cultural influences. This shrewd approach to assessing the icon’s body of work is not only fair to the subject matter, but it’s also accurate to how Presley embraced those influences.
“Elvis” shows the superstar commiserating with Harrison Jr.’s B.B. King in scenes that lack the depth and details that haunt the rest of the superficial trappings. They reveal a musician willing to learn from his peers, no matter their skin color.
He worshipped music in all its wondrous shadings.
Not everyone signed off on Presley’s noble heart. Music impresario Quincy Jones dubbed Presley a racist based on what <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/quincy-jones-michael-jackson-elvis-presley-1234955138/">band leader Tommy Dorsey claimed about Presley</a>.
<a href="https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/shine-my-shoes/">Snopes.com debunked</a> one allegedly racist Presley quote which circulated in the late 1950s. Sun Records founder Sam Phillips similarly described an Elvis Presley who didn’t match Dorsey’s version: “The lack of prejudice on the part of Elvis Presley had to be one of the biggest things that happened to us …”
Presley’s story, as everyone knows, had a tragic ending. His medicinal addictions turned him into a sideshow — witness the “Fat Elvis” some impersonators evoke in their act. He died at 42 but remains an integral part of pop culture.
And his success, from his innate gifts to his ability to fuse cultural influences into one irresistible package sans hate, embodies the American dream in a way few others could replicate.
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en">@HollywoodInToto</a>. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Readers Pass – Toto – New ELIVS movie- Black roots are real, not woke16x9

‘Elvis’ Biopic’s Black Roots Are Real, Not Woke

Movies

Tom Hanks

Actors know their next gig could be their last in the fickle Hollywood arena.
Tastes change. Box office glory fades. A new, younger star suddenly snags the roles tailor-made for them.
It’s why most actors don’t trash their own films, no matter how bad they might be. Even Rebel Wilson <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8008483/Rebel-Wilson-defends-Cats-movie-reveals-cult-classic.html">defended 2019’s infamous stink bomb “Cats.”</a>
The following stars break that unwritten rule. They have happily mocked their past efforts, inadvertently shaming their co-stars, directors and screenwriters in the process. Some did so for artistic reasons. Others may have felt pressure to criticize their less-than-woke projects.
<h4>Tom Hanks</h4>
We’ve recently learned “Forrest Gump” isn’t proud of one of his two Oscar wins. Hanks <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jun/16/tom-hanks-says-couldnt-play-gay-role-today-philadelphia">has said</a> that nowadays, only a gay man could have played his role in 1993’s “Philadelphia,” even though he’ll keep that golden statuette.
Hanks has also attacked one of his most famous franchises, “The Da Vinci Code” series, including the two sequels “Angels &amp; Demons” and “Inferno.” Hanks starred as Robert Langdon in the successful saga, based on the best-selling books by Dan Brown. The saga, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/06/13/magazine/tom-hanks-interview.html">Hanks’ interview with The New York Times</a>, is “as cynical as a crossword puzzle.”
<blockquote>Yeah, those Robert Langdon sequels are hooey. “The Da Vinci Code” was hooey.
Those are delightful scavenger hunts that are about as accurate to history as the James Bond movies are to espionage. … All we were doing is promising a diversion.</blockquote>
<h4>George Clooney</h4>
The “Ocean’s Eleven” star is no stranger to clunkers, from his 2017 directorial dud “Suburbicon” to “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/jan/08/grizzly-ii-review-george-clooney-laura-dern">Grizzly II</a>,” shot before NBC’s “ER” made him a star.
Clooney saves most of his self-directed ire for “Batman &amp; Robin,” the 1997 film that crushed the Dark Knight franchise for 12 years. The film is a disaster, a tonal mishmash that attempts to summon the ‘60s TV show but fails miserably.
Clooney has mocked the film for years, zeroing in on his contributions to the franchise. In an interview with GQ, Clooney <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/george-clooney-icon-of-the-year-2020">expanded his apology</a> to the film itself.<a href="https://www.thewrap.com/george-clooney-admits-terrible-in-batman-and-robin/">.</a>
<blockquote>When I say “Batman and Robin” is a terrible film, I always go, “I was terrible in it.” Because I was, number one. But also because then it allows you the ability to say, “Having said I sucked in it, I can also say that none of these other elements worked either.” You know? Lines like “Freeze, Freeze!”</blockquote>
Clooney previously told “The Graham Norton Show” he <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/george-clooney-apologises-for-destroying-batman-robin-18-years-later-10276879.html">played a role in crushing a beloved superhero saga</a>.
<blockquote>Let me just say that I’d actually thought I’d destroyed the franchise until somebody else brought it back years later and changed it. I thought at the time that this was going to be a very good career move. Ummmmm, it wasn’t.</blockquote>
“Batman &amp; Robin” earned $107 million domestically, which was a far cry from “Batman Forever’s” $184 million haul two years earlier. 
<h4>Shia LaBeouf</h4>
The troubled star’s career is in limbo following allegations he <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2022/06/21/fka-twigs-looks-back-calling-abuse-ex-shia-labeouf/7695095001/">sexually mistreated ex-girlfriend FKA Twigs</a>, charges the actor denies.
Before those headlines, LaBeouf made some powerful enemies by trashing his work in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” … and the film itself. The actor slammed his own contributions to the film, a commercial smash — but one fans soured on after its 2008 release.
Talking to the Los Angeles Times, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/24-frames/story/2010-05-15/cannes-2010-shia-labeouf-we-botched-the-last-indiana-jones">LaBeouf felt their pain</a>.
<blockquote>I feel like I dropped the ball on the legacy that people loved and cherished. … You get to monkey-swinging and things like that and you can blame it on the writer and you can blame it on Steven [Spielberg, who directed]. But the actor’s job is to make it come alive and make it work, and I couldn’t do it. So that’s my fault. Simple.</blockquote>
He also claimed star Harrison Ford had similar misgivings about the finished product.
<blockquote>He wasn’t happy with it either. Look, the movie could have been updated. There was a reason it wasn’t universally accepted.</blockquote>
“Skull” director Steven Spielberg <a href="https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a399730/shia-labeouf-i-deeply-regret-criticising-steven-spielberg/">wasn’t pleased</a> that LaBeouf didn’t take one for the team.
<h4>Viola Davis</h4>
The Oscar winner is one of Hollywood’s most revered stars, but an early role continues to haunt her. 
The 2011 drama “The Help” drew critical acclaim and commercial success – its $169 million U.S. box office total is rare for a dramatic film. The story follows a young writer (Emma Stone) who interviews the black women charged with tending to wealthy white families in their southern community.
Davis played one of “the help,” but the actress now looks back with disdain on the film and her contributions to it. It’s worth noting Octavia Spencer, who is black, earned a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for her part in the film.
Davis <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/07/cover-story-viola-davis">complained</a> to Vanity Fair that the story was &#8220;created in the filter and the cesspool of systemic racism” and cared more about its “white audience.”
<h4>Robert Pattinson</h4>
“The Batman” may have made Pattinson a bankable superhero star, but the “Twilight” films put him on the map.
The unknown actor got the coveted role as Edward Cullen in the film franchise, which was dismissed by critics but adored by its fan base. That didn’t persuade Pattinson, who has mocked the movies repeatedly over the years. He <a href="https://www.wmagazine.com/story/robert-pattinson-good-time-subway">dissected the movies as a whole</a> to W magazine in 2017.
<blockquote>If it hadn’t been so successful, I think people would have thought it was really weird. It’s a really weird story. But I think once it becomes mainstream, it’s difficult for people to see how strange the story is.</blockquote>
Even creating promotional materials for the saga made Pattinson wince. The actor <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2011/04/robert-pattinson-201104">told</a> Vanity Fair he endured a lengthy photo shoot to help sell the series.
<blockquote>There&#8217;s nothing you can do about it. That&#8217;s the way it is. But it is weird being part of that, kind of representing something you don&#8217;t particularly like.</blockquote>
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en">@HollywoodInToto</a>. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Readers Pass – Toto – These Stars Denounced Their Own Films16x9 (1)

These Stars Trashed Their Own Movies

George Clooney

Celebrity and addiction often go hand in hand. The music industry holds the most shocking tales — think Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse and others passing away at the peak of their careers.
But Hollywood is also rife with horror stories about stars doomed by their addictions. We’ve lost plenty of actors too soon, including big names like Heath Ledger and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Many stars, however, survive their addictions. And some even go on to greater creative heights after getting clean and sober. Here are some Hollywood addiction success stories:
<h4>Robert Downey, Jr.</h4>
The “Chaplin” star made headlines by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2cf7dc630a00b76159e541c09913087e">passing out in the bed</a> of his neighbor’s son in 1996. That same year he got <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2014/09/robert-downey-jr-talks-about-addiction-and-passing-them-to-his-son">stopped by the police</a> for speeding, and officers found an unloaded gun plus cocaine, heroin and crack cocaine in his car.
He tried rehab twice, escaping both times, and eventually landed a 36-month jail sentence for repeated parole violations. He served less than a year, but incarceration nudged him toward recovery. It still took more brushes with the law for the actor to try rehab again, but this time it stuck.
He’s been sober since 2003, and, in 2008,  kickstarted the biggest movie franchise of the 21st century with “Iron Man.” Despite the high-profile 2020 dud “Doolittle,” Downey remains one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
<h4>Bradley Cooper</h4>
The “Star Is Born” actor/director has touched upon his addiction issues over the years, but he dug deeper into the matter during the “SmartLess” podcast co-hosted by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. Why expand on the subject via a comedy podcast?
The 47-year-old <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2022/06/15/bradley-cooper-addiction-sobriety-journey-will-arnett/7632383001/">Cooper credits Arnett</a> with pointing him in the right direction.
The Oscar nominee says he suffered from low self-esteem when he moved to Hollywood in his 20s, and he used a mean-spirited sense of humor to compensate. Drugs and alcohol fueled that false sense of security, and it eventually spiraled out of control.
Except the future “Hangover” star didn’t realize it at the time. But Arnett did.
The “Arrested Development” star gave Cooper some tough love advice that helped push him toward sobriety. Being a father, Cooper added, <a href="https://www.wdsu.com/article/bradley-cooper-shares-will-arnett-helped-him-get-sober/40302260">keeps him from going back to that lifestyle</a>.
&#8220;Every single thing is absolutely shaded by or brought out in glorious colors by the fact that I get to be a father to a wonderful human being. It&#8217;s just the absolute greatest thing.&#8221;
<h4>Ben Affleck</h4>
The Boston native seems to have it all: an Oscar-winning career, a beautiful fiance (Jennifer Lopez) and steady gigs since the mid-90s. But Affleck has let fans know about his battles with the bottle over the years, and the role it played in <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/ben-affleck-alcohol-played-part-ending-marriage-jennifer-garner-rcna8845">sinking his marriage</a> to actress Jennifer Garner. 
Most recently, he used those experiences to fuel his powerful performance in 2020’s “The Way Back.” The critically-hailed film cast him as a former basketball coach trying to stay sober long enough to resurrect his life and career.
Affleck opened up in dramatic fashion during a 2020 interview with The New York Times, the kind of candor that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/18/movies/ben-affleck.html">went beyond Movie Promotion</a> 101.
“This is Ben Affleck, raw and vulnerable, talking extensively for the first time about getting sober (again) and trying to recalibrate his career (again).”
Affleck’s directorial career temporarily stalled with the 2016 flop “Live by Night,” but he’s still one of the most in-demand actors today. Next up? Directing himself and longtime pal Matt Damon in the upcoming, as-yet-unnamed Nike-themed film.
<h4>Alec Baldwin</h4>
It doesn’t take a psychology degree to suspect the “30 Rock” alum struggles with anger. What many don’t know is Baldwin battled other demons earlier in his career, long before his <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2018/11/02/alec-baldwin-arrest-temper-voicemail-flight-bike/1860480002/">public meltdowns</a> and last year’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/alec-baldwin-shooting-investigation.html">accidental shooting</a> on the set of “Rust.”
He <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/alec-baldwin-opens-family-career-past-addiction-memoir/story?id=46528397">shared</a> his early, painful struggles with “Good Morning America” in 2017.
&#8220;I got sober when I was just about to turn 27 … and those two years that I lived in that white-hot period, as a daily drug abuser, as a daily drinker&#8230;to my misery, boy, that was a tough time.&#8221;
Baldwin expounded on that chapter in his life in his 2017 memoir, “Nevertheless.” Like Cooper, Baldwin battled back his addictions before fame and fortune struck.
<h4>Drew Barrymore</h4>
The little girl from 1982’s “E.T.” could have been just another child actor statistic. Young Barrymore enjoyed a string of high-profile roles as a child, including the Stephen King adaptations “Firestarter” and “Cat’s Eye.”
She also became <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/oct/25/drew-barrymore-mother-locked-up-in-institution-interview">addicted to alcohol, and then drugs</a>, before her 13th birthday, thanks to lax parenting and an acting career that began when she was just 11 months old. Her <a href="https://www.elle.com/fashion/celebrity-style/interviews/a30581/drew-barrymore-studio-54/">infamous trips</a> to Studio 54 made all the wrong headlines.
Young Barrymore went to rehab as a pre-teen and probably wondered if her career had ended before she could legally vote. She focused on her sobriety and her show business work resumed.
And then some.
She revisited her party girl days, to a certain degree, in her 20s. She famously <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFSgqXLaTmk">flashed David Letterman</a> during an appearance on his late-night show and <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/drew-barrymore-steven-spielberg-playboy/">took it all off for Playboy Magazine</a>.
She eventually settled down, establishing herself as an in-demand actress, producer and even film director (“Whip It”).
She’s been one of the steadiest working actors over the past 30 years, co-starring in monster comedy hits (“The Wedding Singer”), edgy streaming shows (“Santa Clarita Diet”) and horror classics (“Scream”), all the while producing feature films (“Never Been Kissed,” “Charlie’s Angels”).
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en">@HollywoodInToto</a>. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Toto – These stars got clean…and thrived

These Hollywood Stars Got Clean – And Thrived

Alcohol

Drugs

The ‘80s are back thanks to the success of “Top Gun: Maverick,” but did they ever go away?
Adam Sandler unofficially kicked off ‘80s nostalgia with “The Wedding Singer,” a film that’s now 24 years old. That’s a long time for any decade’s resurgence, but the ‘80s offer such a tapestry of style, music, and movies to recreate that it’s no wonder we can’t shake the Reagan era.
Think:
“Stranger Things”
“The Goldbergs” 
“Sing Street”
“Bumblebee”
And that’s a very partial list.
The triumph of “Top Gun: Maverick” likely has Hollywood contemplating other ‘80s-era extensions, remakes, and reboots. Some could work, of course, with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/six-80s-classics-that-deserve-the-top-gun-treatment">the right imaginative flourishes</a>. The following films, though, should be left alone.
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981)
Yes, we’ll be seeing Dr. Jones one more time in 2023. The as-of-yet untitled sequel, the fifth in the franchise, will star a late 70s Harrison Ford. Even if the superstar defies Father Time, the original should be left alone.
It’s a near-perfect movie from start to finish, and what modern filmmaker could lap what director Steven Spielberg has already brought to the screen? That’s not all. Ford’s natural charisma has yet to be equaled. Even Chris Pratt, the most logical choice to play a younger Indiana Jones, can’t compete with Ford then &#8211; or even now.
There’s a reason we revere Indy, Han Solo, and Deckard from the “Blade Runner” films. 
Should the fifth “Indiana Jones” score big at the box office next year, Hollywood will itch to reboot the series. If they try revisiting “Raiders,” they’ll rue the day they made that choice.
“E.T.” (1982)
Yes, the special effects aren’t as “special” as they once were, and part of us would love to see an adult Elliot reunite with his childhood chum. However, it&#8217;s still a magical part of pop culture that shouldn’t be disturbed. Spielberg, again, resisted churning out sequels to this box office sensation in the ‘80s, even though the studio would have gobbled them up. It made “E.T.” even more special, an event film to be shared with future generations.
Compare it to “Elf,” the 2003 Christmas classic that stands even taller because Will Ferrell refused to make the obligatory sequel.
Plus, a new “E.T.” would be CGI, of course, but there’s something about that rubbery original that left an indelible mark on audiences.
“Mr. Mom” (1983)
There’s a practical reason to resist a new take on this classic Michael Keaton comedy. More men these days are staying home and watching the kiddos while their wives bring home the bacon. It’s no longer a novelty, and stay-at-home dads will tell you that straight up.
So, a new “Mr. Mom” already makes little sense. Plus, the concept is so ripe for woke lectures and virtue signaling that any possible reboot seems doomed to fail.
“The Beastmaster” (1982)
Audiences love bad movies, but they love cheesy films even more &#8211; especially those made with the best of intentions. “Flash Gordon” fizzled at the 1980 box office, but in the years since, it’s become a cult classic for its silly sequences and earnest storytelling. The same is true for “The Beastmaster,” a sword and sorcery lark that few would confuse with a good film. Just try turning it off once it’s on, though.
Hollywood attempted two sequels with star Marc Singer and even a TV series based on the main character, Dar. It’s been quiet on the “Beastmaster” front since then, as well it should be. The original is perfectly imperfect, and its place in cable history is secure. Channels like HBO played it so aggressively during the ‘80s that it was unavoidable. How can you top that legacy?
Most John Hughes Movies
We could use a follow-up to “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” if only to see Ferris break free from his middle-aged shackles. Most John Hughes comedies, though, should be left alone.
No one writes teen angst better than Hughes, and few young adult movies have stood the test of time quite like “Sixteen Candles,” “Pretty in Pink,” and an even lesser-known Hughes entry, “Some Kind of Wonderful.”
The thought of Hughes’ iconic characters transformed into woke, virtue signaling drones is enough to put anyone off the reboot train, and films like 1985’s “Weird Science” couldn’t be attempted today. Hollywood might try a gender swap version with two teen girls creating the “perfect” man, but anything close to the Kelly LeBrock original, though, would be savaged as the “Male Gaze” on steroids.
“Back to the Future” (1985)
It’s a near-perfect popcorn movie, brimming with nostalgia and hard lessons about growing up. Laughter, tears, and the best joke ever written around Calvin Klein underwear, this “Future” has it all. Plus, the casting couldn’t be more on-point, from Michael J. Fox’s crackly-voiced hero to Christopher Lloyd’s daffy Doc Brown.
When Hollywood creates pop culture gems, they need to be left as is. Luckily, original producer and co-writer Bob Gale insists <a href="https://movieweb.com/back-to-the-future-remake-not-happening-bob-gale/">we won’t be seeing a reboot</a> if he has any say in the matter.
“Predator” (1987)
The beach volleyball sequence in “Top Gun” takes plenty of ribbing for the shirtless men on display. Something similar applies to director John McTiernan’s action-sci-fi classic, “Predator.” A who’s who of uber-macho men (Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, and more) clash with a creature from outer space.
It’s a testosterone fest, but that’s part of what makes the film so very 1980s.
The jungle setting strips the usual ‘80s baggage (shoulder pads, mullets, etc.) from the film, leaving an invigorating action romp. We’ve already seen several “Predator” films since 1987, and none have approached the original’s thrill factor. Hulu’s “Predator” spinoff has a woke whiff, which could turn off franchise fans. Either way, the original hasn’t aged a minute, and the tale’s masculine energy could never be repeated today. So why even try?
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

‘80s Movies We Should Leave Alone

Entertainment

Whether they like it or not, comedians are on the front lines of the culture wars. Gone are the days when rebels like George Carlin and Richard Pryor pushed stand-up in bold new directions.
Today, comedians who tell the “wrong” jokes or pick the “wrong” targets face immediate cancellation. Just ask Shane Gillis, Kevin Hart, and Dave Chappelle &#8211; three stars who found out the hard way. It’s why comedians from different political backgrounds – think Adam Carolla (libertarian), Dennis Miller (conservative) and Ricky Gervais (liberal) &#8211; unite over free speech principles.
For them, Cancel Culture is an existential threat to their livelihoods.
A select group of comics, though, see things differently. They see their peers being punished and essentially shrug. A subset even say they had it coming, while others pretend Cancel Culture doesn’t actually exist.
Let’s meet these comedy traitors, the artists who undo the work left behind by Lenny Bruce, Carlin, and more.
<h4>Jon Stewart</h4>
&#8220;The Daily Show&#8221; alum has always been on the Left, but he&#8217;d occasionally use his Comedy Central perch to also tweak progressives. That&#8217;s no longer the case with his low-rated Apple TV+ showcase, &#8220;The Problem with Jon Stewart.&#8221;
He recently shocked longtime fans with an episode entitled, “The Problem With White People,” showcasing his embrace of his new woke agenda. That’s sad to see &#8211; even for his right-leaning admirers &#8211; but Stewart also pretends that<a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/jon-stewart-believes-cancel-culture-is-a-myth"> Cancel Culture doesn’t exist</a>, according to his interview with The Daily Beast:
“Like, there’s more speech now than ever before. It’s not ‘you can’t say it,’ it’s that when you say it—look, the internet has democratized criticism. What do we do for a living—we talk s***, we criticize, we postulate, we opine, we make jokes, and now other people are having their say. And that’s not cancel culture, that’s relentlessness. We live in a relentless culture. And the system of the internet and all those other things are incentivized to find the pressure points of that and exacerbate it.”
Ironically, a few weeks later<a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/jon-stewart-dave-chappelle-cancel-culture/"> Stewart rushed to Chappelle’s defense</a> after the Cancel Culture movement came for him in connection with his Netflix special, “The Closer.”
<h4>Marc Maron</h4>
The “WTF with Marc Maron” podcaster is one of many stand-ups who could be canceled if his old material suddenly “resurfaced.” He even admitted it during an<a href="https://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episode-1278-canceled-comedy-w-kliph-nesteroff-and-david-bianculli"> episode released Nov. 11</a>. Maron claims he’s grown since those times, and that he wouldn’t tell those jokes today.
In doing so, he essentially championed Cancel Culture and its impact on comedy. “Free speech is an American right. You can say whatever the f*** you want…You just have to shoulder what comes back at you, what you reap after you’ve slung your garbage.”
Is he trying to protect himself from woke scolds digging through his old material? Perhaps. Or, is he just part of the comedy minority who think stand-ups should follow a certain set of rules &#8211; or face the consequences? Either way, he’s happy to attack fellow comics like Ricky Gervais for blazing their own trails, rules be darned.
<h4>Stephen Colbert</h4>
Colbert once took time away from his GOP taunts to<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4qN-478bYw"> chortle over Dr. Seuss’s cancellation</a>. Yes, the host of CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” finds it a real knee-slapper when a beloved children’s author gets targeted by the woke mob.
Colbert himself was nearly canceled earlier in his career for a comedy sketch some Asian viewers found insensitive. Since then, he’s faithfully towed the progressive line in his work, partially insulating himself from any future cancellations.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJopQ3vPmkk">Crooked Media pressed Colbert</a> on the topic last year, and the professional Trump hater took all sides of the issue before suggesting Cancel Culture is a net plus. Consider:
“I wanna be able to say anything I want about anything, and I think that you should have the ability to say anything you want about anything … that doesn’t mean you get the response you want … there are consequences.”
“I never hide behind, ‘it’s just a joke,&#8217;” … It’s a joke, and those are hard. Try to do them thoughtfully.”
“I have come to believe that saying to historically marginalized people … ‘y’all gotta take a joke,’ is a little Olympian … you can say it, but I think it might be … a little solipsistic to think your intention is more important than the effect of your work.”
<h4>Bobcat Goldthwait</h4>
 The scratchy-voiced comic is better known for his sly directorial efforts these days, think “World’s Greatest Dad” (2009) and “Willow Creek” (2013). He’s still a stand-up comic, though, and the progressive Goldthwait told The Guardian, flat out <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/oct/25/bobcat-goldthwait-interview-police-academy-joy-ride">“There is no Cancel Culture.”</a>
“People love to say, ‘George Carlin couldn’t do his act today! What would he say about all this?’” Goldthwait says. “You know what he’d say? I know exactly what he’d say. He’d say something hilarious and cutting about your f***ing bulls***. There is no cancel culture. It only exists if you’re a whistleblower or a victim.”
<h4>Dan Aykroyd</h4>
When “Saturday Night Live” alum Garrett Morris <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/snl-veteran-garrett-morris-dave-chappelle-comic-genius-1235036790/">gave an elegant defense of free speech</a> to the far-Left Hollywood Reporter, you’d think other members of the original “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” would also be willing to fight the good fight for free speech. 
 
As Morris told the Reporter, “Relax, everybody, this is comedy. Everybody can be the butt of a joke. And why should it be that if we joke about you, it’s sacrilege? You sit in the audience and laugh at jokes about everybody else. If we make a joke about trans [people] or gays, suddenly it’s sacrilege…and if you can’t understand that this is comedy coming at you, then don’t live in a society that’s multicultural.”
 Not “Doctor Detroit” himself.
Aykroyd, ignoring how much of his past work could be canceled today, told The Hollywood Reporter he’s happy with the<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/dan-aykroyd-ghostbusters-afterlife-snl-cancel-culture-1235036791/"> new rules that limit modern comedy</a>.
“There is enough range in humor where you don’t have to go scatological and you don’t have to go pulling any divisive cards to get a laugh. There is so much in the world to comment on that is outside the realm of offensiveness. As a writer, you can go to other areas and have successful creative endeavors. Scatological humor is fun. It’s easy laughs. But there is more intelligent writing that can happen if you stay away from the offensive material that should be rightly canceled for its hurtfulness.”
<h4>Jerrod Carmichael</h4>
The “Carmichael Show” alum calls Cancel Culture the “Boogeyman,” meaning it doesn’t actually exist. He expounded on that theme during a comedy roundtable chat with The Hollywood Reporter.
“Like, if you do something wrong in your personal life, you should go to jail. Like, actual jail. And then everything else is like, “What are we talking about?” If you make art and it causes some contention or it causes some whatever, I mean, that’s part of it, but the cancellation thing, I think that’s just to give boring people something interesting to talk about, like a ghost villain.”
Tell that to Joe Rogan, Dave Chappelle, Ricky Gervais, Roseanne Barr and countless lesser known stars who fear their next edgy joke might be their last.
The views expressed in this piece are the author&#8217;s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

_Toto – Comedians Who Betrayed Their Fellow Comedians By Supporting Cancel Culture

Comedians Who Betrayed Their Fellow Comics By Supporting Cancel Culture

Cancel Culture

Comedy

Hollywood loves to copy success stories until the ink runs dry on the studio printer.
After  “Halloween” made horror history in 1978, “Friday the 13th” emerged among dozens of inferior slasher clones. Similarly, the 1981 classic “Raiders of the Lost Ark” gave way to “Romancing the Stone,” “Firewalker” and “King Solomon’s Mines.”
So Hollywood will likely try to replicate the runaway success of “Top Gun: Maverick” the only way it knows how – bringing other ’80s classics back from the cinematic grave. In fact, it’s already doing so with 1987’s “Dirty Dancing.” Only, it’s not that easy – and not just because two “Dirty Dancing” projects already crashed and burned (a prequel and TV remake, to be exact).
“Top Gun” has a special place in the hearts of many movie goers, and star Tom Cruise refuses to age as he stares down his upcoming 60th birthday on July 3. Still, the following ’80s classics could be updated with the right cultural finesse.
<h4>“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”</h4>
Creator John Hughes is gone, but a sequel built around Matthew Broderick’s iconic character could work if the studio gets creative. What if Ferris was now a middle-aged worker drone, pummeled by a brutal mortgage and loveless marriage? Picture Broderick’s antihero summoning that ol’ Ferris spirit one more time, rekindling his former self in the process.
Teens gravitated toward Ferris in the ’80s because he was the ultimate rebel – smart, sassy and eager to blaze his own trail. Today’s 40- and 50-somethings could use their own Ferris Bueller, especially at a time when simply sharing the wrong joke on Twitter can bring both doom and gloom.
<h4>“Major League”</h4>
Baseball looks very different than it did in this 1989 comedy smash. Sure, there were a couple of sequels back in the day (&#8217;94 &amp; &#8217;98), but why not give the kids of these classic characters a chance at World Series glory? And, along the way, satirize just how much the game, and the culture around it, has changed?
Think of Willie Mays Hayes, Jr. balancing his bustling Instagram account and outfield duties. Imagine an older, wiser Wild Thing (Charlie Sheen) giving the new pitching prospect tips on closing out games – and handling groupies. Picture Juan Cerrano, son of Pedro (Dennis Haysbert), getting heat for cultural appropriation with his pre-game rituals.  
Social media meltdowns. Triple-digit contracts. Kneeling superstars. There’s plenty of hay to be made with a new “Major League.”
“The ’Burbs”
In this 1989 film, Tom Hanks gets spooked by his neighbors, a ghoulish clan with murky intentions. The movie captured the cloistered nature of the modern suburb, where middle-class types get a tad too nosy about their neighborhood.
How can Hollywood bring this story into the 21st century you ask? Enter Karen: the modern menace who does more than snoop and peep. The rise of Karens nationwide is perfect fodder for a new “Burbs” installment – one loaded with Nextdoor-fueled arguments, Ring doorbell videos and, once again, snoopy neighbors.
And, yes, 2021 already delivered a movie literally called “Karen.” That film ranks among the worst of the year, and for good reason.
<h4>“Footloose”</h4>
The 2011 remake with rising, and falling, star Kenny Wormald went nowhere. Why? The 1984 original, as raw as it remains, captured the essence of dance corralled by a fire and brimstone preacher (John Lithgow). The remake couldn’t capture that same soul, and audiences reacted accordingly.
Why revisit a franchise based on an antiquated premise? Let’s update it for the modern era. A Libertarian college group wants to start a freewheeling dance club on campus, but the usual woke subjects won’t let that happen.
Enter a progressive talk show host backing the censorial forces and a small-town student ready to fight the liberal power at all costs.
Voila! “Footloose” for the Cancel Culture age.
<h4>“The Outsiders”</h4>
S.E. Hinton’s timeless novel inspired a 1983 drama directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The film couldn’t eclipse the source material, but it did introduce a new generation of stars, including Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruise, and Matt Dillon.
The story focused on young white males navigating ’60s culture, but adolescents of any generation could relate. Why not revisit the concept with a 21st-century spin? These young white males are under attack from a culture eager to paint them as privileged predators. What’s a rebellious teen to do under that microscope?
Or, perhaps change up the setting. The original centered on Oklahoma teens in turmoil. Why not take teens from the same midwestern state and have them stuck in a progressive big city, ready to rumble with urban teens from a very different culture?
<h4>“Caddyshack”</h4>
The film’s 1988 franchise extension might be the worst comedy sequel of all time. That stain is hard to remove, but the snobs vs. slobs motif in the 1980 original is both eternal and sorely missing from today’s pop culture landscape.
The modern-day snobs are the scolds telling us how to act and what causes to promote. Celebrate Pride Month &#8211; or else!
The slobs? Rebels willing to stick a thumb in society’s eye for making them do as told. They’ll do as they please and derive pleasure from driving others to distraction.
Rodney Dangerfield is irreplaceable – something Jackie Mason found out the hard way in the sequel – but perhaps someone like comic podcaster Tim Dillon could summon some of Dangerfield’s counter-culture rage?
The views expressed in this piece are the author&#8217;s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Toto – 6 Classic Movies from the’80s Worth Revisiting After Maverick

Six ’80s Classics That Deserve the ‘Top Gun’ Treatment 

Top Gun

Summer doesn’t officially start until June 21, but don’t tell that to Doctor Strange and Tom Cruise.
The MCU’s spellcaster extraordinaire and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/20/business/media/tom-cruise-top-gun-maverick.html">America’s last real movie star</a> already rocked the season’s box office in May with their respective hits: “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and “Top Gun: Maverick.”
“Maverick” has the edge as it’ll have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-gun-maverick-highlights-the-greatness-of-the-reagan-era">a larger impact on the cultural conversation</a>.
The duo will be followed by the usual array of popcorn fare, family-friendly animation and, of course, documentaries posing as progressive op-eds (Hello, “Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down.”)
Here’s a look at other films heading our way. Let’s see if any are worth marking down on your calendar.
<h4>“Hustle” (June 8)</h4>
Adam Sandler never stops working, be it on goofy man-child comedies or more sobering tales like his 2020 film “Uncut Gems.” This Netflix original leans in the latter direction, casting him as a sports scout who stumbles upon an unlikely athlete who could be a star, assuming he can escape his closet’s skeletons. 

<h4>“Jurassic World Dominion” (June 10)</h4>
The third film in the second “Jurassic” trilogy reunites the new cast (Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard) with the original trio (Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern and Sam Neill). Nostalgia, along with the enduring spectacle of CGI raptors screeching across the screen, should make this movie a safe bet for a worthy summer escape.
One caveat: Early marketing for the film promotes the <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/jurassic-world-dominion-woke-blockbuster/">sequel’s woke bona fides</a>. Will that be obvious to movie goers, or is that a figment of the progressive stars’ imagination? We’ll soon find out.
<h4>“Terror on the Prairie” (June 14)</h4>
Gina Carano is officially uncanceled this Summer. The MMA star and “Mandalorian” alum leads a powerful cast in this old-school western from Daily Wire. Carano plays a frontier woman in the cross hairs of an outlaw mob featuring Nick Searcy and rising comic star Tyler Fischer.
The Daily Wire original offers another example of a strong female character unburdened by woke theatrics.
<h4>“Official Competition” (June 17)</h4>
This Spanish language farce follows elitist filmmakers vying for festival glory with less than grand intentions. Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas star in a film cutting the artistic community down to size. How welcome.
<h4>“Lightyear” (June 17)</h4>
It’s hard not to notice Disney kicking original Buzz Lightyear voice artist Tim Allen to the curb for this prequel. Still, the Pixar magic is strong, and the “Toy Story” franchise remains one of Hollywood’s enduring treats. Chris Evans steps in for Allen, voicing the heroic astronaut who inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy seen in the “Toy” series. Since this is a Disney production, audiences can expect a same-sex kiss in between the CGI wonders.
<h4>“Elvis” (June 24)</h4>
He’s ba-ack, but are today’s audiences interested in the King of Rock anymore? We’ll soon find out via director Baz Luhrmann’s take on the musical legend, played by newcomer Austin Butler. Tom Hanks is on board as the enigmatic Colonel Tom Parker, but the spotlight belongs to the King. Early reviews suggest Luhrmann’s razzle dazzle style (think “Moulin Rouge” and “The Great Gatsby”) is a perfect match for the material. Plus, the story connects Presley’s formative years with the black musicians who helped pave his way to superstardom.
<h4>“Minions: The Rise of Gru” (July 1)</h4>
Remember the lovable yellow critters who stole 2010’s “Despicable Me?” They’re back, even though they’ve long since worn out their creative welcome. The second film to focus on the babbling creatures incorporates a young, wannabe evil Gru (Steve Carell) into the mix. It’s the furthest thing from Oscar bait, but it will do if parents need to employ an A/C-controlled babysitter.
<h4>“Thor: Love and Thunder” (July 8)</h4>
The Marvel Cinematic Universe ain’t what it used to be, but the mind behind “Thor: Ragnarok” could deliver a welcome course correction. Writer/director Taika Waititi is back, and his second “Thor” film introduces Natalie Portman as a new superhero alongside Chris Hemsworth’s God of Thunder. Will Waititi submit to the woke prime directive now guiding the MCU? Or can he set aside feminist lectures to do what he does best, deliver deliriously silly stories with plenty of panache? Christian Bale could be the game changer as a reportedly ferocious villain, Gorr the God Butcher.
<h4>“Nope” (July 22)</h4>
Comic turned auteur Jordan Peele’s third film comes with plenty of mystery and few details. “Get Out” returnee Daniel Kaluuya stars in a tale set at a horse ranch where mysterious forces threaten the locals. Peele is like a progressive M. Night Shyamalan, a director whose work evokes plenty of interest, sight unseen. His 2017 breakout “Get Out” leavened the messaging with sharp thrills and intrigue. Can he repeat that formula with “Nope?”
<h4>“Bullet Train” (August 5)</h4>
Oscar-winner Brad Pitt plays one of five assassins traveling aboard a Japanese train, each unaware that their missions will overlap in surprising fashion. Director David Leitch of “Deadpool 2” can corral an action scene better than most of his peers, and the film’s deep cast includes Sandra Bullock, Brian Tyree Howard (“Eternals”) and Zazie Beetz.
<h4>“Easter Sunday” (August 5)</h4>
Comedian Jo Koy takes a swing at movie stardom playing a fictionalized version of himself going home for the big holiday. Expect plenty of faith, family and comical dysfunction along with a rare closeup of the Filipino culture. Koy avoids the culture wars with his act, focusing on observational humor and the elements that unite us all. He’s clearly the driving force behind the film. Witness this revealing chat about <a href="https://ew.com/movies/jo-koy-easter-sunday-comedy-movie-first-look/">the film’s ultimate goal</a>.
“One thing I try and express a lot is when we turn off the light, we&#8217;re all the same color. We&#8217;re all laughing at the same thing. My story is relatable to you no matter what color you are.”
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are the author&#8217;s and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Toto – Summer Movie Preview – From Top Gun- Maverick to Jordan Peele’s Nope

From ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ to Jordan Peele’s ‘Nope’ Here Is Your 2022 Summer Movie Preview

Marvel

Pixar

Tom Cruise

Horror movies have always routinely slipped social messages betwixt the bloodshed.
Just recall 1968 the George A. Romero classic “Night of the Living Dead,” which touched on racism and toxic groupthink in between the zombie flesh gnawing. The genre is particularly suited for commentary given its extreme nature which dominates, but doesn’t camouflage, the themes lurking at the edges.
But the rise of “woke” changed all of that.
Today, some horror films pack in not-so-subtle progressive messages, forcing audiences to confront issues instead of escaping everyday life.
Hollywood has a spotty track record on this front, leaning heavily toward films that put their priorities in the wrong place. Here are the best–and worst–of modern “woke” horror.
<h4>“Get Out”</h4>
The 2017 smash hit introduced comedian Jordan Peele as a rising star behind the camera. The progressive comic didn’t hold back on the film’s take on modern racism, focusing on an uber-liberal family meeting their white daughter’s black beau for the first time. The family harbors a terrible secret, putting the young man’s life in jeopardy. Peele shrewdly packaged those elements in an original thriller that felt both raw and invigorating regardless of one’s political baggage.
The film’s runaway success, including an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay  for Peele, paved the way for some tepid imitators.
<h4>“Fresh”</h4>
This 2022 Hulu original doesn’t shy away from its feminist trappings. A single woman (Daisy Edgar-Jones) meets a handsome stranger (Sebastian Stan) at the supermarket, but his motives are far from noble. A battle ensues, highlighting the power imbalances between men and women.
It’s a shrewdly-paced thriller that gives audiences a resourceful heroine. The subject matter isn’t for the faint of heart, but the production leaves most of the grisly business to our imagination. And when the feminist dialogue finally emerges, you’re so invested in the story even staunch conservatives may grin at its arrival.
<h4>“Men”</h4>
Director Alex Garland, known for 2014’s brilliant sci-fi feature “Ex Machina,”  explores the emotional chasm between men and women with this 2022 shocker. The title is a dead giveaway as to who deserves the lion’s share of the blame, but Garland showcases his skill  in how he delivers that information.
It’s a shame the film’s vicar character, who arrives mid-film, pushes too hard on the film’s obvious intentions.But, even so, “Men” is unconventional from start to finish. It’s also one of the scariest films in recent memory, keeping the standard horror tropes off screen. And, best of all, it’s just opaque enough to allow audiences to draw their own conclusions during the delirious third act, brimming with bodily horror shocks.
<h4>“The Invisible Man”</h4>
This 2020 update on the classic monster yarn focuses on the “Man’s” girlfriend, making it woke right out of the gate. But not so fast. While the story follows Elisabeth Moss’s character as she realizes her abusive ex has the power to make himself invisible, that gimmick gives way to a remarkably tense thriller that grabs us in the opening sequence and never lets go.
Best of all, the film is bereft of lectures. It’s just one woman’s fight for survival and the toxic beau who will do almost anything to win her back.
<h4>“Us”</h4>
Peele gave himself a can’t-win challenge with this 2019 thriller. Could he top “Get Out”? He didn’t exactly, but his second feature still spits out some wild horror beats and a story that’s both intriguing and inscrutable. 
A black family goes on a beach vacation and encounters something that scares them silly–a dangerous version of themselves.
“Us” isn’t as scary, or as powerful, as “Get Out.” Still, Peele keeps the messaging on the periphery, letting audiences pick and choose what they want from its woke framing on American privilege.
<h4>“The Purge” Franchise</h4>
This low-budget series is as profitable as it is left-leaning. It’s  mediocre at best, delivering ham-fisted messages on race, guns, conservatives, and Christianity. The series  grew more obvious and less effective as it piled on the sequels.
The most galling installment? “The Purge: Election Year” (2016) cruelly attacking Christians with neither nuance nor empathy.
<h4>“Wrong Turn”</h4>
The original “Wrong Turn” franchise delivered guilty pleasures for genre fanatics. The saga grew increasingly cheap over time, with special effects resembling what you’d find at a second-tier Halloween party.
Still, the shocks were in-your-face and the plotlines were streamlined. But the 2021 reboot lost much of that lo-fi appeal. It also focuses on an uber-woke band of Millennials eager to mock flyover country.
<h4>“Antebellum”</h4>
Peele’s “Get Out”  looms large over this debacle of a film. Janelle Monae stars as both a successful author who pushes intersectional politics and a slave trying to break free from her oppressors. The film lamely attempts to connect her two worlds, resulting in a stilted lecture on Racism 101 that delivers few jolts.
<h4>“Candyman”</h4>
The 1992 original teased some potent questions about inner-city USA, so it’s only natural to think that the remake would do the same. Still, 30-plus years ago, storytellers weren’t as compelled to finger wag at the audience–something the new “Candyman” does without hesitation.
The reboot boasts a creepy soundtrack and slick cinematography. Otherwise, this tale of a hook-handed fiend can’t compete with the source material, and its BLM-approved dialogue is the wrong kind of scary.
<h4>“Black Christmas”</h4>
So. Much. Empowerment. This horror remake, the second for the 1974 shocker, ladled on the woke so crudely even liberal film critics cried, “Uncle!” The Guardian perfectly captured the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/dec/12/black-christmas-review-remake-unscary-mess">progressive take on this clunker</a>: “it’s ultimately less of a horror film and more of a think piece, a hodgepodge of buzzwords and ideas, aiming high but crashing into the snow.”
<h4>“Karen” </h4>
This 2021 stink bomb united critics across the political aisle. To paraphrase Jay Sherman from “The Critic”: “it stinks!” The uber-woke tale focuses on a busy body named (what else?) Karen, played by Taryn Manning, who terrorizes her middle-class black neighbors. Every progressive trope gets a close-up here, and had the movie leaned even harder into its silly story, it might have emerged as a cult classic.
As it is, it’s just an embarrassment.

Toto – Woke Horror- The Good, The Bad and the Awful

Woke Horror: The Good, The Bad, And The Grotesque

Horror Movies

We can thank Meghan Markle for alerting us to a new, corrosive trend in celebrity interviews.
Markle’s 2021 publicity tour proved that being insanely rich, powerful, and privileged doesn’t equal the power of victimhood.The estranged duchess positioned herself as the victim of a racist monarchy, suicidal tendencies, and the weight of a country’s elitist power structure.
The former actress’ Oprah Winfrey interview inspired <a href="https://www.spiked-online.com/2021/03/08/the-unbearable-victim-complex-of-meghan-markle/">Spiked Online to call out</a> her victimhood crusade, but Markle is far from alone. 
Today’s stars do a variation of Markle’s pose, suggesting that their current fame and fortune barely makes up for the suffering they’ve endured.
It’s a palpable disconnect from the people who made them rich and famous in the first place – the American public. Remember the blowback Gal Gadot and friends received when they <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jan/05/gal-gadot-imagine-video">warbled</a> “Imagine” from their mansions at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Still, they understand that victimhood status matters in modern Hollywood, and on the Left, so they embrace their pain in the hopes it’ll boost their career status.
And it just might.
Amy Schumer is a perfect example. The far-Left comic enjoys bountiful positive press for her progressive posturing and female empowerment shtick. That’s not enough, apparently. In recent months she’s regaled us with her battle with trichotillomania as a child, and how it left her feeling “ugly and unlovable,” she told shock jock Howard Stern. The problem plagues her to this day, she noted, and she incorporated it into her Hulu series “Life &amp; Beth.”
Minnie Driver has worked steadily in Hollywood since her breakout role in 1995’s “Circle of Friends.” Her hits include “Good Will Hunting” and “GoldenEye,” and she bounces between TV and film work.
<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/minnie-driver-good-will-hunting-producer-matt-damon-split-1235141201/?fbclid=IwAR1mJPLA-MhbOo7NUCtmwf-3RJFzxYPrwwXEiRg2WcHQWufm7gOSD0oBRC0">She still shared</a> how being called not “hot enough” all but broke her earlier in her career. That came from a “Good Will Hunting” producer she won’t name.
<blockquote>“It was devastating. To be told at 26 that you’re not sexy when you maybe just got over all your teenage angst and started to think, you know, ‘Maybe, in the right light and the right shoes and the right dress, I’m all right.&#8217;”</blockquote>
Show business is brutal and looks matter a considerable amount in many projects. Looks, in fact, helped Driver become an internationally recognized star, something she probably won’t complain about anytime soon.
Busy Philipps knows all about working the woke movement to her advantage. <a href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/busy-philipps-slams-chris-pratts-controversial-instagram-tribute/">She previously attacked Christian actor Chris Pratt</a> on the flimsiest of charges, knowing his faith would make the media take her side.
Philipps also makes sure to portray herself as a victim whenever possible, like <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2022/05/busy-philipps-tv-exec-blocked-directing-career-1234722279/">this recent exchange regarding her directing gigs</a>. The actress previously helmed an episode of her series, “Cougar Town,” and someone suggested she do the same for another high-profile series.
Then, an executive who she refused to name shot down that possibility.
“The studio won’t approve it, the network won’t approve it. It’s not going to happen,&#8217;” Philipps told Insider. 
Of course, she alleged that the instance had everything to do with her being a woman.  There could be no other reason not to offer her the role. “Meanwhile, obviously any dude who’s spent 10 minutes on a television show manages to parlay their career into directing.”
Jada Pinkett-Smith could use some positive press following her husband’s attack on Chris Rock during the March 27 Oscars ceremony, presumably to protect her honor against a joke. The actress recently revealed a new discovery about herself. She suffers from anxiety.
The first clue? She bit her nails, <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/04/27/jada-pinkett-smith-recently-discovered-she-has-anxiety/">according to her comments on her “Red Table Talk” showcase</a>. That didn’t get her mother’s full attention, though.
<blockquote>“It was rough,” Smith told guest Ireland Baldwin, 26. “I feel like when I was growing up, [my mother] didn’t understand my anxiety. Because she, growing up, had seen her friends die … she had been through so much stuff that my issues, to her, kind of felt like … [smaller].”</blockquote>
Oscar winner Viola Davis seems to have it all, Hollywood wise. She’s the toast of the town, always in demand and the recipient of fawning celebrity profiles. Except when online critics found fault with her take on Michelle Obama. That prompted <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-61213761">Davis to erupt</a> into full victimhood mode.
Davis’ work in Showtime’s “The First Lady” series sent her into a rage, which she shared with the BBC. She acknowledged criticism comes with the job, but she still couldn’t contain her outrage that some found her take on the former First Lady mannered and over the top.
&#8220;How do you move on from the hurt, from failure?&#8221; the 56-year-old asked. &#8220;But you have to. Not everything is going to be an awards-worthy performance.&#8221;
<blockquote>&#8220;Critics absolutely serve no purpose. And I&#8217;m not saying that to be nasty either … They always feel like they&#8217;re telling you something that you don&#8217;t know. Somehow that you&#8217;re living a life that you&#8217;re surrounded by people who lie to you and &#8216;I&#8217;m going to be the person that leans in and tells you the truth&#8217;. So it gives them an opportunity to be cruel to you … But ultimately I feel like it is my job as a leader to make bold choices. Win or fail it is my duty to do that.&#8221;</blockquote>
One way to lead, of course, is to graciously accept criticism.
Megan Fox can thank her God-given looks for some of her early success. Hollywood repeatedly cast her in roles that played up her beauty, like her work in the early “Transformers” films. Now, she not only calls out the alleged misogyny of those earlier experiences, she says critics carped on her work due to sexism.
She said critics of her 2009 horror film “Jennifer’s Body” were wrong to call her character “shallow,” for example, and blames sexism for the weak points that prompted such critique. <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/megan-fox-metoo-ridiculed-hollywood-misogyny-1235253777/">Fox adds</a> her fellow starlets didn’t even have her back during that period.
<blockquote>“I’ve never felt completely included in the feminist community and I do still think that it’s tricky in an awful way,” Fox said. “Whatever I provoke in them is not something that they can digest very well. And so that comes back on me, as they reject me for those reasons. And I just don’t think that I was a very sympathetic victim.”</blockquote>
Michael Douglas got in on the victimhood act in a recent conversation. <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/04/29/michael-douglas-says-debra-winger-bit-him-and-made-him-cry/">The Oscar winner recalled</a> how Debra Winger missed out on co-starring with him in “Romancing the Stone.” The two had dinner with that film’s future director, Robert Zemeckis, and a bit too much alcohol got consumed. 
The pair left dinner and Winger reportedly playfully took a bite out of Douglas’ arm. Except she broke the skin, and the son of acting legend Kirk Douglas wasn’t happy about it. And he said so to his director-to-be.
“I break down in tears, ‘I can’t go into the jungle with her, she bit me, look! She bit me in the arm.&#8217;” 
Joan Jett is the ultimate rock outlaw. She broke gender boundaries with her punk outfit, the Runaways (later, the Blackhearts), in the late 1970s and ‘80s, and now is considered part of rock royalty. <a href="https://www.nme.com/features/music-features/joan-jett-blackhearts-new-album-changeup-ted-nugent-miley-cyrus-taylor-hawkins-3215547">Yet a single snub from fellow rocker Ted Nugent sent her into full victim mode</a>. Nugent’s thought crime? He didn’t think Jett belonged in Rolling Stone’s list of Top 100 guitarists of all time.
<blockquote>“Is that his implication,” she asks, “that he should be on the list instead of me? Well, that’s just typical – it’s what I’ve dealt with my whole life, being written off. Ted Nugent has to live with being Ted Nugent. He has to be in that body, so that’s punishment enough.”</blockquote>
The scribe at NME ate it up, of course. That’s another reason the victim mewling is served up so often. Modern journalists are eager to wave the Victim Card, too.
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

When Hollywood Stars Play The Victim Card

These days it seems like the most daring stance an actor can take is to avoid politics altogether.
Immigration? Roe v. Wade? Inner-city crime? Defund the police? I’d rather not comment on any of the above, thank you.
In today’s Hollywood, that’s subversive. But, sadly, it’s also increasingly rare. The press often <a href="https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/news/a49739/celebrities-who-have-stayed-politically-neutral/">bullies stars into being political</a>–only to support one particular party.
Actors are free to flex their First Amendment rights, of course. And the vast majority do from awards show stages to their social media accounts.
And, at a time when every element of our public lives has become political, it’s exhausting.
The following 12 stars offer a break from the nonstop politics. They may have deeply held views, but they’d rather keep them private. They focus on the movies and entertainment and leave politics for the pundits. 
<h4>Gal Gadot</h4>
The moment Gadot grabbed that Lasso of Truth we knew she was the perfect Wonder Woman. And while the Israeli superstar can’t be blamed for the horrific “Wonder Woman 1984” sequel, she has kept her off-screen chatter away from the political fight. The closest she came to talking politics was her role in the tone-deaf “Imagine” cover song meant to cheer up fans imprisoned by COVID-19 lockdowns.
<h4>Denzel Washington</h4>
You only have to say his first name to evoke this Hollywood icon. And, at 67, few celebrities enjoy the respect and adulation that Washington generates. He could use that cache to weigh in on any number of issues, but he steers clear of political infighting. He’ll talk openly about his Christian faith but in a way that’s positive and uplifting.
<h4>Chris Pratt</h4>
A small, but vocal minority of movie goers loathe the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Star Lord. The “Guardians of the Galaxy” star is openly Christian but his spirituality generates suspicion and hate. Like Washington, Pratt speaks of his faith in the most optimistic way, never denigrating those who may not share his world view. And, even though he hunts without apology, Pratt isn’t telling us who to vote for or what legislation to support.
<h4>Sandra Bullock</h4>
“Miss Congeniality” has been in the public eye since she and Keanu Reeves outwitted Dennis Hopper in her 1994 breakthrough film “Speed.” Through the years she’s kept up a busy work pace, adopted two children, and made more than a few headlines tied to her love life. But you won’t see her in those awful, repetitive celebrity PSAs, nor will you see her  preaching to the masses from various award show pulpits. In fact, she recently admitted she’ll take some <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sandra-bullock-on-why-shes-taking-a-break-from-acting/">time off from acting</a> so she can be more present in her life. How  refreshing!
<h4>Keanu Reeves</h4>
No one messes with John Wick, but the star who plays him is reportedly one of the nicest actors around when the cameras shut off. Every few years a new wave of stories about Reeves’ nice guy persona flood the internet. He shrewdly lets his work and generosity speak for themselves and he doesn’t sully those good vibrations with partisan attacks.
<h4>Nicolas Cage</h4>
This “Massive Talent” spent too many years scrapping with the IRS to get political. It also seems like he’s  working ‘round the clock on films that lean into his scenery-chewing tics. Cage knows actors are expected to get political but he’s leery of that game. He politely rebuffed The Guardian in 2013 when it asked him his <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jul/20/nicolas-cage-frozen-ground">position on gun control</a>. 
&#8220;It&#8217;s something I would love to be able to answer. But I&#8217;ve been very neutral. By design. I know some people look down on my quietude, but I feel it would impact my ability to be an artist.”
<h4>Mark Wahlberg</h4>
The erstwhile Marky Mark is leaning into his Christian faith these days, with projects like his latest movie “Father Stu.” But that doesn’t mean he’s telling fans how to vote or talking about which legislation means the most to him. Just the opposite. He avoids the political spotlight, focusing on both his films and the greater meaning behind them. His taunting of fellow stars who endure <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/mark-wahlberg-slams-tom-cruise-comparison-acting-armed-forces-article-1.1515456">Hollywood-style boot camps</a> leaps to mind. Still, his <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/mark-wahlberg-id-share-burger-trump-135643061.html">apolitical stance isn’t accidental</a>.
“Look, I’ve never gone out and talked about politics. I’m an actor … both Republicans and Democrats buy movie tickets.”
<h4>Kevin Hart</h4>
The comedy superstar is quick to shred racism–and racists–when they cross his path. He’s far less eager to engage in the political scrum. Hart bubbles with optimism on social media and his comedy material avoids the usual “Orange Man Bad” theatrics. “I don’t speak on politics, never have. I speak on what I know,” <a href="https://www.essence.com/entertainment/only-essence/kevin-hart-confronts-disgusting-racism/">Hart once told Essence magazine.</a>
That apolitical stance likely hurt him when old, homophobic gags resurfaced after he was (<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/kevin-hart-steps-down-as-oscars-host-1167336/">briefly) tapped as the Oscar host</a> in 2018. Had he been a rock-ribbed progressive, he might have been allowed to keep the gig.
<h4>Jack Nicholson</h4>
The “Shining” icon may be 85 and semi-retired but for the bulk of his career he has kept much of his musings to himself. Nicholson wasn’t a regular on any late night show couch and he didn’t open himself up to magazine journalists for every film project.
He admitted to the “Today” show in 2007 he’s an Irish Democrat through and through, but he also refused to <a href="https://www.today.com/popculture/jack-nicholson-goes-public-his-politics-1C9486971">engage in public mudslinging</a>:“I support every president. Period.”
<h4>Kurt Russell</h4>
Because of his gritty screen work and willingness <a href="https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/263824-kurt-russell-founding-fathers-had-very-strong-reason-for-second/">to defend the Second Amendment</a>. Conservatives have considered Russell one of their own. That’s where his political musings end, at least publicly. He calls <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/kurt-russell-politics-christmas-chronicles-b1742633.html">himself a Libertarian</a>, but he doesn’t weigh in on hot-button issues so he can engage us with his work.
“As far as I’m concerned, you should step away from saying anything so that you can still be seen by the audience in any character.”
<h4>Goldie Hawn</h4>
Russell’s long-time partner similarly eschews political scrums. She told Megyn Kelly why she embraces that point of view after 50-plus years in the public eye. She’d rather entertain than lecture, and her peers aren’t <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10431311/Goldie-Hawn-opens-staying-politics-interview-Megyn-Kelly.html">exactly well positioned on the latter front</a>.
“I think it&#8217;s why it drives people crazy when Hollywood tries to act holier than thou and starts lecturing middle America about morality and so on,&#8217; she said. &#8221;And you know, these people sitting in Iowa who have never done any, they&#8217;ve never tried to put someone on a casting couch … They&#8217;re like, you could save your lectures for somebody else.”
<h4>Dolly Parton</h4>
The singer and actress is an icon full-stop, and as such could leverage that affection for her pet causes. And she’s done no such thing for decades. She explained her rationale to The Guardian in 2019, and it’s both <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/feb/24/dolly-parton-on-sexual-politics-ive-probably-hit-on-some-people-myself">personal and pragmatic</a>.
I’ve got as many Republican friends as I’ve got Democrat friends and I just don’t like voicing my opinion on things. I’ve seen things before, like the Dixie Chicks. You can ruin a career for speaking out.”

Readers Pass – Toto – 13 Apolitical Actors Worth Cheering_116x9

12 Hollywood Stars Who Keep Their Politics Private

What Do Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, and Dolly Parton Have In Common?

Politics

Hollywood went woke and never looked back.
It doesn’t matter how many woke projects disappoint at the box office, the industry keeps cranking out more. A rare few, like 2019’s “Booksmart,” actually rose above to make us smile. Most, though, sink under a crush of finger-wagging moments and ham-fisted woke lectures.
So, in no particular order, here are 10 woke movies with little, if any, entertainment value to cushion the messaging blow.
<h4>“Ghostbusters” (2016)</h4>
This franchise reboot (don’t call it a sequel) unofficially kicked off the industry’s woke manifesto. Letting four comic actresses take the baton from the 1984 film’s male quartet told audiences this wasn’t just a franchise extension. It was a broadside against the PatriarchyTM.
The attack proved aggressively mediocre. The comedy’s gender swap mania extended to the ghostbusters’ office clerk, now played by Chris Hemsworth in full “himbo” mode. The film’s first trailer crashed the Internet in all the worst ways, and the film reportedly <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/ghostbusters-box-office-loss-sequel-unlikely-918515/">cost Sony $70 million.</a>
The studio licked its wounds, jettisoned the gender-empowering cast and brought the franchise back from the dead via last year’s “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.”
<h4>“Antebellum” (2020)</h4>
“Get Out” delivered a rare woke treat. Jordan Peele’s 2017 smash fused progressive messaging with slick genre shocks, and audiences rallied to its side. This slavery-themed shocker tries a similar tactic but fails miserably. Janelle Monae stars as both a powerful author and a slave trying to escape her master’s chains. 
The film clumsily stitches those two character sides together, delivering woke lectures and a painfully predictable story arc. The film’s creepy score was its sole selling point.
<h4>“Charlie’s Angels” (2019)</h4>
“I believe a woman can do anything,” Kristen Stewart’s “Angel” says in the very first line of this franchise reboot. Let the eye rolls commence.
The TV source material had little on its brain beyond titillation and skin-deep stories, but it showcased three strong women saving the day each week. The first film adaptation, starring Lucy Liu, Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore, souped up the action but retained the sexy spirit.
Director Elizabeth Banks surgically removed the pulchritude from the reboot, focusing on Empowerment 101. It flopped spectacularly at the cineplex, crushing the franchise for the foreseeable future. Even the <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2019/11/charlies-angels-2019-movie-reboot-kristen-stewart.html">far-Left Slate.com</a> mocked these “Angels” for being so ”concerned with its messaging that it fails to be fun.”
<h4>“Captain Marvel” (2019)</h4>
This MCU origin tale crushed the box office, period, with an eye-popping $426 million stateside. The MCU’s bulletproof brand at the time, not the film itself, can be credited for that.
MCU films typically nail the critical casting calls – think Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). Oscar winner Brie Larson is too smug and charmless as the title character, a Kree warrior trying to crack her identity issues.
The film flounders when it should be soaring, and the comic moments don’t land as they normally do in other MCU romps. “Captain Marvel” introduced woke elements to the franchise, from our heroine’s victim status to feminist dialogue that lands with a thud.
<h4>“Wonder Woman 1984” (2020)</h4>
What happened? How could 2017’s “Wonder Woman” deliver on almost every level, while the ‘80s era sequel stumbles from start to finish? It’s one of the biggest mysteries in recent years, considering the creative team from the original returned for the obligatory sequel.
Gal Gadot remains the quintessential Wonder Woman, but she’s adrift in a sea of campy gags, stiff action sequences and stupefying villains. You can hate Donald Trump all you want, but the Trumpian baddie (the usually reliable Pedro Pascal) crushes the film’s modest momentum.
And, of course, woke flourishes abound, particularly with Kristen Wiig’s pre-villainous character.
<h4>“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising” (2016)</h4>
Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne, a seriously underrated comic star, powered the surprise 2014 hit about new parents living next to a sorority house from Hell. A sequel made economic sense, but the minds behind the original had something else in mind for round two.
Female empowerment.
Rogen and co. even hired <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/meet-women-behind-neighbors-2-sorority-rising-article-1.2637136?utm_content=buffer0602c&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=esacks+twitter">two female screenwriters</a> to oversee the project. Why? To ensure an R-rated comedy delivered gender positive characters. They should have spent more time on the jokes. 
This resulted in a disappointing comic dud that hauled in only a third of what the original earned, killing the young franchise in the process.
<h4>“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017)</h4>
The middle film in the final Skywalker trilogy remains one of the most debated sequels in modern memory. And for good reason, since it marked Disney’s attempt to woke-ify the beloved brand.
Writer/director Rian Johnson insults “Star Wars” canon, delivering a maddening sequel which stops mid-film for a lecture on wealth inequality. Johnson also emasculates the saga’s Han Solo stand-in (Oscar Isaac) and delivers the ultimate Mary Sue character, Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose Tico.
The film made a mint at the box office ($620 million) but proved far less successful than its predecessor, “The Force Awakens” ($936 million).
<h4>“Downsizing” (2017)</h4>
Writer/director Alexander Payne could do no wrong on the big screen … until this woke belly flop. Payne’s enviro-satire stars Matt Damon as a man who voluntarily shrinks himself to help save the planet. Smaller people, less resources required to sustain them.
The plan goes awry, and the smart setup and lo-fi effects give way to grating supporting characters, the obligatory “wall” reference and other progressive tropes which interrupt the opportunity for enjoyment.
The initial gimmick opened up a world of satirical potential. That Payne couldn’t lean into any one idea captures just how badly “Downsizing” squanders its potential.
<h4>“The Hustle” (2019)</h4>
Duck! It’s yet another gender swap reboot. To be fair, the 1988’s “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” was itself a remake of 1964’s “Bedtime Story.” The ‘80s version became a comedy staple thanks to the chemistry between Steve Martin and Michael Caine.
Suffice to say Rebel Wilson and Anne Hathaway lack that duo’s comic chops. To be fair, they never had a chance given the atrocious screenplay which hits a false note in the opening scene and never recovers.
The remake doesn’t flood the zone with woke elements, but it doesn’t take a Gender Studies degree to spot them.
<h4>“Suburbicon” (2018)</h4>
Woke has been very bad to Matt Damon. Not only did the #MeToo movement pummel him for not <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/01/matt-damon-hollywood-reckoning-apology">reciting the proper talking points</a>, he’s also starred in at least two woke bombs. (“Promised Land” deserves an honorable mention here…)
George Clooney directs not one but two ‘50s-era storylines that never coalesce into something coherent, let alone engaging. Damon stars as a family man whose home is invaded by thugs. Meanwhile, a kindly black couple endures endless harassment for daring to move into a mostly white neighborhood.
Yes, Clooney is waving the era’s racism in our faces, but his approach is neither delicate nor engaging. 
Kudos to Oscar Isaac for stealing a few scenes outright, but the moment he leaves the screen the film reverts back to room temperature.
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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Christian Toto