Hello all! Cinemagnetic here. Just like biting into a juicy watermelon on a hot, sunny day, we're here to quench your thirst for the coolest updates in the world of entertainment.

Let's slice it:

• Israel-Russia Filmmaking Deal 🇮🇱🇷🇺

• Rotten Tomatoes' Pay-for-Positives Scandal 🍅

• Warner Bros. Suspending Projects 🚫

• Challenges in Hollywood 🏋️

Daily US Box Office: September 5, 2023 💸

Israel-Russia Filmmaking Deal 🇮🇱🇷🇺

Have you heard about that filmmaking deal between Israel and Russia? Apparently, they've been working on it for a whopping fifteen years, but it's stirring up some controversy. Basically, they've agreed to collaborate on making films, sharing experiences, and working with film archives.

Well, here's the twist – this news has raised quite a few eyebrows in the Israeli filmmaking community. Why, you ask? Because Russia is currently dealing with sanctions from most of Western Europe due to its Ukraine conflict. Remember when Netflix, Amazon, and WarnerMedia suspended trade with Russia last year? Yep, that's the same deal.

Some folks in Israel's entertainment industry are far from thrilled about this partnership. They argue that it's not exactly a good time to cozy up to a regime facing international backlash. They'd much prefer to see Israel collaborate with countries and producers that share their values and aren't caught up in these kinds of sanctions. It's definitely sparking a heated debate in the Israeli film scene.

What's coming? 🤔

Rotten Tomatoes' Pay-for-Positives Scandal 🍅

So, Rotten Tomatoes is in hot water over a scandal involving a PR firm called Bunker 15. Here's the scoop: Bunker 15 paid some critics to write positive reviews for the 2018 film "Ophelia," starring Daisy Ridley. Initially, the movie got a lackluster 46% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is below the 60% threshold for a "fresh" rating.

To boost the film's image, Bunker 15 shelled out 50 bucks to lower-tier critics on the platform for each positive review they posted. They even managed to convince one critic to switch their negative review to a positive one. As a result, "Ophelia" miraculously jumped to a 62% rating and earned the coveted "fresh" label. Not surprisingly, this caught the attention of IFC Films, which promptly snatched up the film for distribution.

Bunker 15's founder, Daniel Harlow, denied any wrongdoing, insisting that only a handful of their writers allowed filmmakers to sponsor or pay for their reviews. Rotten Tomatoes, on the other hand, claims to take its rating integrity seriously and doesn't tolerate manipulation.

This whole incident shines a spotlight on how easily the system can be gamed, raising concerns about the credibility of Rotten Tomatoes' ratings and the influence it wields in the film industry and among viewers.

Famous Birthdays on September 7th 🎂

Warner Bros. Suspending Projects 🚫

Warner Bros. TV decided to hit pause on overall deals with some big-name producers like Greg Berlanti, Bill Lawrence, John Wells, Chuck Lorre, Mindy Kaling, and even J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot.

This move is all tied to that ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike that kicked off in May. Some of these deals got suspended a while back, but others were allowed to continue as long as their ongoing projects were in the works.

Warner Bros. TV isn't alone in doing this. Other major studios had already stopped a bunch of first-look and overall deals due to the strike.

Just to clarify, suspending these deals doesn't mean they're canceled; it's more like hitting the pause button. When production gets back on track, these deals will too, with the time that got suspended added to the end of the agreement.

But here's the thing – while these deals are on hold, it affects the finances and salaries of folks working on projects. So, it's a bit of a bumpy ride in the entertainment world right now with the strike causing all these disruptions.

Movies and TV Shows Released on September 7th 🎞️

Challenges in Hollywood 🏋️

Some interesting insights came out of a recent workshop for aspiring screenwriters. Filmmaker Charlie Kaufman didn't hold back when discussing the state of Hollywood. He basically said the business is in a pretty bad place and needs to change. He's all about supporting unique voices and original storytelling because he thinks we need more of that in society.

Boots Riley, another filmmaker, chimed in, saying he's not into playing it safe either. He's all about making the stuff he wants to make, even if it doesn't fit the industry's mold.

They also talked about how tough it can be in an industry that's becoming increasingly risk-averse. It's not easy to stay true to your unique voice when the market is all about playing it safe.

But here's the silver lining: Ed Solomon, also part of the workshop, pointed out that being original and having a unique perspective is super valuable in screenwriting. So, there's still hope for those who want to bring something fresh to the table.

Oh, and there's a buzz about some discussions in the industry about creating new independent studios that could give more power to creators. Pretty cool, right?

New Trailer / The Bikeriders ▶️

Still of the Day ⏸️