Movies
HOT
“The Two Towers” Despite an unfortunate name, the second film in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy is the one guaranteed hit of 2002
NOT HOT
Movies with exploding skyscrapers They’ll still taste of ashes six months or a year from now.
HOT
Foreign Language Films Many of 2001’s better films were from abroad, and current events will make Americans more interested in foreign fare.
NOT HOT
Anti-American films
It’s going to be a while before domestic conspiracy movies, anti-American war films, or those about operatives getting past elaborate security to cause havoc – are hot again.
HOT
New Zealand
Audiences got a taste of this country’s spectacular alpine regions in “Vertical Limits” and “Lord of the Rings”
NOT HOT
Other exotic locations
Given the notorious reluctance of many big stars to travel anywhere amid the slightest unrest, expect to see fewer films shot in exotic locations
HOT
Unimaginitive recycling
Hollywood dump even more remakes, sequels and copies (eg. “Scooby Doo”, “Rollerball” “Men in Black2” etc.) on an audience that continues to fork over at the multiplex.
NOT HOT
Certain overexposed actors
For instance Kevin Spacey, who seemed to lose his critical and box-office magic touch in 2001: eg. “K-Pax,” “The Shipping News”
HOT
Nudity and sex
In place of violence and cruelty – well, you can always hope.
NOT HOT
Smart, humane, well-written films
They’re no likelier to be hot this year than last.
THEATER
HOT
One-woman shows
Elaine Stritch, Bea Arthur, Barbara Cook all on Broadway in the spring.
NOT HOT
Half-time shows on Broadway
So long, “Blast!”
HOT
Strindberg The Dance of Death, with Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren, drew crowds and returned its $1.5 million investment
NOT HOT
Ibsen
His “Hedda Gabler,” despite rave reviews for star Kate Burton, was a bust.
HOT
Old Stephen Sondheim musicals: Into the Woods is coming to Broadway; Pacific Overtures is a hit in Chicago; and the Kennedy Center is doing a retrospective.
NOT HOT
New Stephen Sondheim shows: As long as “Gold!” is tied up in the Sondheim-Rudin lawsuit, nobody will touch it.
HOT
Play revivals
“Noises Off!” is a big hit, “The Crucible,” “The Elephant Man,” “Morning’s at Seven,” “Frankie and Johnnie in the Claire de Lune” are on the way.
NOT HOT
Musical revivals
“Oklahoma!” and “Into the Woods” excepted, producers have pretty much exhausted the a-list of old shows.
MUSIC
HOT
Satellite Radio
NOT HOT
Napster-style MP3 file sharing
HOT
Deejays who become celebs Big draw in clubland… Paul Oakenfeld, Junior Vasquez…
NOT HOT
Celebs who become deejays Boy George and Perry Farrell… have no street cred…
HOT
Post-punk, led by the Strokes, …
NOT HOT
Dinosaur rockers
HOT
Bubblegum rap
Bubblegum music with rap added for authenticity
NOT HOT
Boy bands…
