John Oliver’s Unique Position
John Oliver finds himself in an intriguing situation. Meanwhile, liberals appear to be annoyed by Stephen Colbert’s slow decline on CBS’s “The Late Show.” Perhaps it’s a strange strategy to keep dentists busy with all this chatter.
There’s also Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio, the “Aviator” star who’s still considered at the top of his game, and from what I gather, he’s not just good-looking but a pretty decent actor, too.
Oliver, on his “Last Week Tonight” show, seems to have concerns about the current political climate. He referenced how, in a hypothetical world, Trump could easily have picked him off the street. As an immigrant, Oliver recently opened up to Monica Lewinsky on her “Rebirth” podcast about how all these events have brought back memories of his own citizenship journey. “There’s this weight I thought I’d moved on from,” he reflected.
Despite his posh accent, Oliver is, of course, a legal citizen of the U.S., so he has little reason to worry about deportation. HBO has invested in his show, though some might question the wisdom of that given its low ratings.
The Decline of Ron Howard
Then there’s Ron Howard, whose career seems to have lost its spark. At 71, he’s tackled projects like “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” which didn’t exactly light up the box office. His latest film, “Eden,” is set to release this weekend, but buzz around it is, well, practically non-existent.
Howard’s earlier direction of “Hillbilly Elegy,” based on JD Vance’s memoir, has tied him to some controversial political notions, raising eyebrows more than enthusiasm.
In a candid moment, Howard admitted that criticism stung, especially since audiences often prefer lighter fare. He expressed that, looking back, he hadn’t entirely grasped the nuance of Vance’s messaging.
Reviving the Found Footage Genre
Switching gears, there’s a new project in the found footage genre—an angle I thought was long gone. “The Blair Witch Project” had popularized a shaky style, which many believed should rest in peace. But here we are again, with the upcoming “Found Footage: Creating the Patterson Project.”
It seems the trend might still have some life left in it. The upcoming film “Workout” features a pregnant woman caught in a violent scenario, followed by her husband seeking revenge. While it might be a fresh narrative, I can’t help but think we’re at our limit with those jittery cameras.
Hollywood’s Youth Obsession
Interestingly, there’s a rising trend around self-awareness in Hollywood, void of gimmicks like smoothies or past life therapies. Instead, it seems to circle back to the age-old issue of Leonardo DiCaprio’s relationships with significantly younger women.
Director Paul Thomas Anderson recently cheekily asked him, “How old are you if you don’t know how old you are?” DiCaprio playfully responded, “32.” This sparked a flurry of memes, with one particularly amusing quip noting that even in his mind, he’s still older than the women he dates.
