Friday, Dec. 26 Box Office: Hobbit 15.6, Unbroken 12.3, ITW 12.2, NATM 7.4 (full BOM weekend #s on p14)

[The Futurist]

Mockingjay finally make exactly same weekend that Catching Fire (10,06m$)

 

Go Catnip, take that first spot from Groot, you can do it.

[riczhang]

You're forgetting heartland America is very conservative and many are very anti anything gay (sad truth). That will be what will hurt it quite a bit. However I am skeptical about how much it'll hurt it because TIG does a good job handling the theme and the anti-gay audience may not take too much offense since it's not like they can change the fact that this real life figure wasn't gay.

My screening of TIG was sold out and I live in Texas so maybe (hopefully) in wrong about it and the heartland does support it.

 

It's barely mentioned tho. So i doubt it makes enough of a difference?

[Noctis]

His gayness is barely mentioned?

[BoxOfficeFangrl]

TIG mentions Turing being gay but shies away from displays of affection; there was probably more action on Will & Grace. I saw it this weekend in a military-heavy area and the theater was packed.

[CoolioD1]

His gayness is barely mentioned?

I mean they have to bring it up in the last act, but there's a feeling they'd rather not dwell because they don't want to gross out the 90 year old academy members the film was made for.

[Noctis]

I mean they have to bring it up in the last act, but there's a feeling they'd rather not dwell because they don't want to gross out the 90 year old academy members the film was made for.

 

*sigh*

 

That's really upsetting.

[BoxOfficeFangrl]

I mean they have to bring it up in the last act, but there's a feeling they'd rather not dwell because they don't want to gross out the 90 year old academy members the film was made for.

 

That and this is probably "safe" enough for a school to show to HS kids (Weinstein getting that field trip box office a la Lincoln). But I would say Turing's sexuality is mentioned in more than just the third act. Is anything shown? Not really, unless you count

teen boy knee touching and one-sided "I love yous"

as a PDA-fest. Even US network TV is more risque these days. But no one making genuine Oscar bait wants to risk what happened to Brokeback.

[riczhang]

The word gay isn't mentioned and homosexual is mentioned I think only twice.... Once by Turing himself and once in text. I haven't seen the film since TIFF so I don't remember it particularly clearly but that's the extent of it I believe. And Turing has a conversation with one other person about it but it skirts around the issue as I imagine people would in the 30s and 40s. And there's no action of any sort as far as I can remember. 

 

But, like even though people complain about how it is such a shame or outrageous that his gayness isn't addressed head-on, I completely disagree. The main chunk of the story is more than just about Turing. It's about him and his team breaking the enigma code and from the group dynamics and challenges they face both before breaking the code and after breaking it. It is more than just a bio-pic; it is much more like The Queen than The Iron Lady or another film that examines the person's life on a grand scale. So, I feel like given what it was, it would be inappropriate to discuss his homosexuality more than it was discussed in the film. The film makes no attempt to hide that he is homosexual and like in the context, time-period, and story of the film there really isn't an opportunity to discuss it more. Would you have a discussion of your gayness in a group/work environment, especially in those days? No. 

[TalismanRing]

It's a common refrain when dealing with sexuality in films that it's never important or intrinsic unless it's heterosexual.  To narrow the scope of Turing's story to such an extent that his homosexuality is a footnote is indeed a story decision but not one I can agree with.

 

His story is not just that of brilliant codebreaker but of a man betrayed by the country he helped save and how he was driven to suicide when he was arrested, stripped of his position and security clearance and chemically castrated for the crime of being homosexual.  How can that not be significant?

[riczhang]

His story is not just that of brilliant codebreaker but of a man betrayed by the country he helped save and how he was driven to suicide when he was arrested, stripped of his position and security clearance and chemically castrated for the crime of being homosexual.  How can that not be significant?

That is true, but that is the point. His Story is his story, but TIG isn't exactly his story, it's the story of breaking the code. 

[Ogsean77]

He also talks explicitly about his homosexuality with the cop (

something about the boy touching his penis

). The early criticism was not because they hidden his homosexuality, he is clearly gay in it, but because they didn't shown a physical romantic scene during his adult life. The film centers in his work during the war, tho.

Ironically the heart of the film is IMO the tragic but platonic romance with his male classmate during his childhood. It's clear in the final scenes

with Cumberbatch and the computer.

[BoxOfficeFangrl]

The word gay isn't mentioned and homosexual is mentioned I think only twice.... Once by Turing himself and once in text. I haven't seen the film since TIFF so I don't remember it particularly clearly but that's the extent of it I believe. And Turing has a conversation with one other person about it but it skirts around the issue as I imagine people would in the 30s and 40s. And there's no action of any sort as far as I can remember. 

 

But, like even though people complain about how it is such a shame or outrageous that his gayness isn't addressed head-on, I completely disagree. The main chunk of the story is more than just about Turing. It's about him and his team breaking the enigma code and from the group dynamics and challenges they face both before breaking the code and after breaking it. It is more than just a bio-pic; it is much more like The Queen than The Iron Lady or another film that examines the person's life on a grand scale. So, I feel like given what it was, it would be inappropriate to discuss his homosexuality more than it was discussed in the film. The film makes no attempt to hide that he is homosexual and like in the context, time-period, and story of the film there really isn't an opportunity to discuss it more. Would you have a discussion of your gayness in a group/work environment, especially in those days? No. 

 

The Queen managed to show the Queen and Tony Blair in affectionate scenes with their spouses, even though the main plot was about how they reacted to the death of Princess Diana. I doubt many were asking for/expecting long philosophical discussions about homosexuality in the WWII workplace or a threesome while the Enigma machine was warming up, but I think when your protagonist is (do I have to spoiler? This is Turing's actual life, it's on Wikipedia, but so I don't get yelled at)

arrested for (offscreen) gay sex, given hormone therapy to suppress his sexuality and ultimately kills himself because of this

for the film to avoid PDA completely is kind of a copout? Or at least as a filmmaker/studio, you leave yourself open to that allegation, no matter how much you try to deny that AMPAS's homophobic history and wanting to maximize box office played no role in the decision. Show him making eyes at some guy in a pub during a break or leaving a park with a smile on his face, or something, if two grown men kissing is "too much".

Edited December 30, 2014 by BoxOfficeChica

[iceroll]

I haven't seen TIG yet but I think it was a perfect opportunity for Hollywood to take that step forward and portray a gay relationship as a meaningful part of the story (which it was in real life).

 

I mean we're in 2015 now, it'll be 10 years since Brokeback Mountain, are we still in a stage of stepping on eggshells to appease homophobes just because it's the easier thing to do?

[John Marston]

I haven't seen TIG yet but I think it was a perfect opportunity for Hollywood to take that step forward and portray a gay relationship as a meaningful part of the story (which it was in real life).

I mean we're in 2015 now, it'll be 10 years since Brokeback Mountain, are we still in a stage of stepping on eggshells to appease homophobes just because it's the easier thing to do?

There are also entire countries that do not approve of homosexuality so the studio doesn't want to potentially risk international dollars

[Rthmessiah]

Top thr Engagements 

26-28/12

1-Pac Arclight Hollywood, Los Angeles CA       (AS)

2-AMC Northpark 15, Dallas TX                       (AS)

3-CPLX Scotiabank Chinook, Calgary AB       (BOFA)

4-El Capitan, Hollywood CA                            (ITW)

5-AMC Empire 25, New York City NY              (ITW)

6-AMC Lincoln Square 13, New York City NY  (AS)

7-Regal Union Square 14, New York City          (AS)

8-AMC Empire 25, New York City NY               (BOFA)

9-CPLX Langley, Langley BC                           (BOFA)

10-Regal Atlantic Station 18, Atlanta GA          (Selma)

11-CS Warren 14, Moore OK                           (BOFA)

12-CPLX South Edmonton common 16, Edmonton AB (BOFA)

--

13-CPLX North Edmonton 14, Edmonton AB       (BOFA)

14-AMC Alderwood 16, Lynnwood WA               (BOFA)

15-CPLX Scotiabank Edmonton, Edmonton AB (BOFA)

16-CPLX Silvercity Riverport 18, Richmond BC  (BOFA)

17-CPLX Scotiabank 9 Vancouver BC                 (BOFA)

18-AMC Garden State 16, Paramus NJ               (ITW)

19-AMC Lincoln Square 13, New York City NY   (BOFA)

20-AMC Downtown Disney 24, Orlando FL          (ITW)

--

21-CPLX Brossard 16, Brossard QC                (BOFA)

22-AMC Metreon 16, San Francisco CA           (BOFA)

23-CPLX Queensway 18, Etobivoke ON         (BOFA)

24-AMC Lincoln Square 13, New York City NY (ITW)

25-AMC Tysons Corner 16, Mclean VA           (BOFA)

Edited December 30, 2014 by #hashtagRth

[iceroll]

There are also entire countries that do not approve of homosexuality so the studio doesn't want to potentially risk international dollars

Oh boo hoo, like tolerating ignorance is ever a good reason to stray from doing something meaningful that can actual have a big impact on how people. Lots of controversial issues like terrorism, adultery, murder etc. are portrayed on film but when it comes to homosexuality, why is it suddenly "not worth the financial risk?"

[Ezen Baklattan]

I haven't seen TIG yet but I think it was a perfect opportunity for Hollywood to take that step forward and portray a gay relationship as a meaningful part of the story (which it was in real life).

 

I mean we're in 2015 now, it'll be 10 years since Brokeback Mountain, are we still in a stage of stepping on eggshells to appease homophobes just because it's the easier thing to do?

Considering the LoK finale, it's kind of embarassing that prestige Hollywood pulled behind a young adult's cartoon.

[riczhang]

I haven't seen TIG yet but I think it was a perfect opportunity for Hollywood to take that step forward and portray a gay relationship as a meaningful part of the story (which it was in real life).

 

I mean we're in 2015 now, it'll be 10 years since Brokeback Mountain, are we still in a stage of stepping on eggshells to appease homophobes just because it's the easier thing to do?

 

But Turing didn't really have any gay relationships tho... So, are we expected to just make stuff up for the sake of social progressiveness? 

[iceroll]

But Turing didn't really have any gay relationships tho... So, are we expected to just make stuff up for the sake of social progressiveness? 

From wiki:

 

In January 1952, Turing, then 39, started a relationship with Arnold Murray, a 19-year-old unemployed man. Turing met Murray just before Christmas outside the Regal Cinema when walking down Manchester's Oxford Road and had invited him to lunch. On 23 January Turing's house was burgled. Murray told Turing that the burglar was an acquaintance of his, and Turing reported the crime to the police. During the investigation he acknowledged a sexual relationship with Murray. Homosexual acts were criminal offences in the United Kingdom at that time,[102] and both men were charged with gross indecency under Section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885.[103] Initial committal proceedings for the trial occurred on 27 February, where Turing's solicitor "reserved his defence".

 

 

 

 

 

The Tom Daley/Dustin Lance Black teas though 

Edited December 30, 2014 by iceroll

[Ogsean77]

I think gay representation in film is very important theme and it's great this film is created a discussion about it.

Some years ago a movie like TIG would be considered daring nowadays that it's very common, at least on cable TV, to show explicit scenes when the main characters are gay people are talking if the movie needed them.

There's a long tradition in no showing romantic gay scenes but in the other hand the excuse about the structure of the film has some logic

the frame of it is the arrest so it begins after it then we have flashbacks to his childhood and his life during Bletchley Park

Also I found interesting how a good number of people in the gay community seem to enjoy the film. Even some commenter and leaders defended it:

The human rights activist Peter Tatchell said this aspect of “a brilliant, moving film” did not worry him. “Although the absence of any depiction of Turing’s gay life is disappointing to modern eyes, it is perhaps an appropriate symbolic reflection of his secretive attitude towards his own homosexuality and of the sexually repressed atmosphere at the time.”

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/nov/14/alan-turing-name-restored-the-imitation-game-film

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/11230676/The-Imitation-Game-Homophobia-is-still-with-us-60-years-after-the-death-of-Alan-Turing.html

http://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2014/oct/09/the-imitation-game-alan-turing-gay

I recently read a review of this movie by an American critic and he said something really disturbing. He said that the movie was very good but it didn't dwell enough about his homosexuality and it was clear because it was rated PG-13. Criticizing it because it didn't show enough romantic scenes between two men is valid but citing the rating is just stupid. There's nothing bad with a PG-13 movie with a gay hero in the center of it. Actually it's great if Weinstein is thinking in school trips to go to see this film (by the way, in 1993 he famously did a very successful Oscar campaign based in a gay sex scene for a small Irish film called The Crying Game). I'm sure there will be more daring, complex and better films about Turing but I'm not sure they will have the scope of this movie so I'm happy with its success. And we will know things have changed not when we see a gay film with explicit content win the Oscar but when we have gay movies for all family.