#BART OF DARKNESS PIXA CLUB MOVIE#
#BART OF DARKNESS PIXA CLUB TV#

Cruise has had his commercial stumbles, like Rock of Ages (2012) or The Mummy (2017) and his stalwart advocacy of Scientology has opened him to criticism, especially in Europe. He has thrown his clout behind mainstream hits like Jerry Maguire and A Few Good Men, and also behind risky ventures like Born on the Fourth of July or Tropic Thunder. As Mel Ottenberg, the new editor of Interview Magazine, puts it: “People still want superficiality in filling the narcissistic void - hence TikTok.”Īlthough his movies may be delayed, Cruise still symbolizes a more traditional version of stardom: a celebrity whose business is entertainment, not product pitching.

#BART OF DARKNESS PIXA CLUB MOVIE#

The new celebrities may be stock pickers or fashionistas, but not movie stars.

While celebrities outside of China don’t confront an aesthetics test, their handlers are keenly aware of another cultural phenomenon: Stars and influencers of the moment trace their clout to TikTok or Instagram and their revenues to YouTube, not to traditional media.

#BART OF DARKNESS PIXA CLUB TV#

As part of President Xi’s “national rejuvenation,” censors have also been instructed to put an end to “sissy men” or other figures in movies or on TV that suggest “abnormal aesthetics.” The names of top stars like Zheng Shuang or Zhao Wei are being scrubbed online. The mandate of the moment in China is to rein in “celebrity worship.” Its Cyberspace Administration now bars any sites promoting fan clubs or ranking celebrities by popularity. Indeed, the outlook for entertainment in general had returned to gloom – especially in China, whose government weirdly views entertainment as a cultural enemy. To be sure, other studios seem to be following suit, a repeat of the ritual pushbacks of a year ago. Paramount had earlier canceled Cruise’s deal because of an ego war with chairman Sumner Redstone, but the studio had now decided to give him whatever he wanted.Ĭhinese President Xi Jinping in a gala show ahead of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party - Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan That was 15 years ago and he’s never let it happen again, sustaining his successive hits, promoting each with unrelenting zeal. Suddenly, the unthinkable had happened: Tom Cruise seemingly now had nothing to do. His own company had funded and released the movie, and its failure was a blow to Cruise’s ego as well as to United Artists, the company he had newly acquired with manager Paula Wagner. Robert Redford had directed and co-starred. He had just produced and starred in Lions for Lambs, a courageous anti-war movie about two young soldiers who’d served in Afghanistan. “I need the action,” Cruise once told me, a semi-crazed look in his eyes. Could others follow suit? (More on that below.)Ĭelebrity narcissism is normally cringe-inducing, but this time I empathize with Cruise for both his candor and tenacity. Apart from movie delays, China now has declared war on celebrities and pop stars in general. Star egos drift into paranoia even in the best of times and these are the worst, with celebrities worldwide finding themselves parked on the sidelines. Can Hollywood survive another year without Cruise? Or can Cruise?

Bart of darkness pixa club