Thomas Rothman

Thomas "Tom" Edgar Rothman (born 21 November 1954 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American film executive.

Rothman is co-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fox Filmed Entertainment with Jim Gianopulos [ [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display...vnu_content_id=1000719357 Tom Rothman and Jim Gianopulos, Fox Filmed Entertainment] ] . He is a graduate of Brown University and Columbia Law School, and is married to former actress Jessica Harper. Rothman is the brother of actor John Rothman. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/09/arts/legacy.php Tom Rothman: A Hollywood executive and TV host - International Herald Tribune ] ]

Personal

He is a graduate of Brown University '76 and Columbia Law School, '80. He is father of two girls, and married to former actress Jessica Harper.

Criticism

Under Rothman's watch, Twentieth Century Fox has met criticism [ [http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=20443 An Open Letter To Tom Rothman And Fox Stockholders!!] ] for having their blockbuster films (e.g. the "Fantastic Four" [ [http://marvel.toonzone.net/retrospective/ff/part4.php With Marvel bringing nearly every big superhero they have to the big screen since X-Men in 2000, one would’ve thought their last big jewel, The Fantastic Four would truly be something special. Unfortunately, they decided to bring the movie to Fox, a studio famous for ruining movies by having them run far too short to fit more showings in. They then decided to bring Tim Story in to direct it. Between this and how rushed the whole damn thing was, I made it a point not to get too excited for the film, as it reeked of typical summer blockbuster fluff that you forget about the moment you leave the theatre.] ] and "X-Men" films) run under two hours [ [http://blogs.coventrytelegraph.net/thegeekfiles/2008/04/iron-man-movie-running-time-re.html Iron Man movie: Running time revealed - and the debate over film length...] ] [ [http://blogs.coventrytelegraph.net/thegeekfiles/2008/04/iron-man-movie-running-time-re.html Fox also made Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which was just 1hr 29mins despite having cosmic deity Galactus threatening the end of the world, and Fox's adaptation of dragon fantasy Eragon was 1hr 39mins. Both were savaged by fans online for lacking substance - and for not being long enough to give chance for that substance to be included.] ] [ [http://marvel.toonzone.net/xmen/movie/x1/ For such a short film, it has great pacing problems, moving far too slowly in some places. It’s a fault of all of Singer’s films, but with FOX cutting up the movie, it doesn’t help. I fail to see FOX insists on these short action films, I really do. After the number of critical complaints about this film’s length, it’s even more baffling that they’d do it again with Daredevil and Fantastic Four.] ] in order to fit in more theater showings.

"Kingdom of Heaven"

According to director Ridley Scott, the studio perceived "Kingdom of Heaven" as an action-adventure film when it really went much deeper than that. The film was marketed as such, resulting in mixed reviews and poor box-office performance. After presenting the film to 20th Century Fox, Scott had to cut the film down for release in theaters.

"X-Men: The Last Stand"

After Bryan Singer (who directed the first two "X-Men" films, "X-Men" (2000) and "X2" (2003), respectively) left the "X-Men" franchise to direct "Superman Returns", Brett Ratner became director of "" (2006). In mid-2004, Singer was in negotiations to direct "X-Men 3" for Fox. Fox and Singer could not meet an agreement and, after an extended period of nothing happening, Singer was offered the chance to direct the new Superman film, which was ready to go. On July 19, 2004, "Variety" reported that Singer had signed on to direct "Superman Returns" for Warner Bros. In retaliation, Fox terminated their production deal with Bad Hat Harry Productions, Singer's production company. [cite web | url=http://hollywoodreporter.com/thr/film/brief_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000601138 | title=Fox breaks off film deal with helmer Singer | author=Liza Foreman | work=The Hollywood Reporter | accessdate=2004-08-06 | quote=20th Century Fox has terminated its two-year deal with Bryan Singer and his Bad Hat Harry production company -- in the middle of its first year -- in the wake of the director's signing last month with Warner Bros. Pictures to direct a new "Superman" feature. ]

The first two films were highly praised due to their cerebral tone, but when Bryan Singer left many criticized his successor, Brett Ratner. Colin Colvert of the "Star Tribune" felt "Bryan Singer's sensitivity to [the discrimination themes] made the first two "X-Men" films surprisingly resonant and soulful for comic-based summer extravaganzas... Singer is adept at juggling large casts of three-dimensional characters, Ratner makes shallow, unimaginative bang-ups." [cite news | author = Colin Colvert | title = Movie review: 'X-Men' trilogy goes down in flames | publisher = Star Tribune | date = 2006-05-25 | url = http://www.startribune.com/412/story/455017.html | accessdate=2007-08-02] James Berardinelli felt, "X-Men: The Last Stand" isn't as taut or satisfying as "X-Men 2", but it's better constructed and better paced than the original "X-Men". The differences in quality between the three are minor, however; despite the change in directors, there seems to be a single vision." [cite news | author = James Berardinelli | title = X-Men: The Last Stand | publisher = Reelviews | date = 2006 | url = http://www.reelviews.net/movies/x/x-men3.html | accessdate=2007-08-02] David Denby of "The New Yorker" praised "the liquid beauty and the poetic fantasy of Singer’s work", but called Ratner's film "a crude synthesizer of comedy and action tropes." [cite news | author = David Denby | title = Violent Times | publisher = The New Yorker | date = 2006-06-05 | url = http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/06/05/060605crci_cinema | accessdate=2007-08-03]

Before Ratner came on board, Matthew Vaughn came on board as director in February 2005, [cite news | author = Sean Elliott | title = Exclusive Interview: SCREENWRITER SIMON KINBERG TALKS X-MEN: THE LAST STAND - PART 1 | publisher = iF Magazine | date = 2006-06-08 | url = http://ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=1525 | accessdate=2007-07-11] but left due to the rushed production schedule. [cite news | author = Steve Prokopy | title = Capone talks to Matthew Vaughn about STARDUST, Bobby De Niro, X-MEN, THOR and much more!!! | publisher = Ain't It Cool News | date = 2007-08-07 | url = http://www.aintitcool.com/node/33607 | accessdate=2007-08-07] Brett Ratner took over in June, [cite news | author = Michael Fleming, Claude Brodesser | title = New master for mutants | publisher = Variety | date = 2005-06-05 | url = http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117923934.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 | accessdate=2007-07-11] and filming began on August 2 2005. [cite web | author = Greg Dean Schmitz | title = Greg's Preview - X-Men: The Last Stand | publisher = Yahoo! | url= http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/preview/1808490829 | accessdate=2007-08-03]

"Alien vs. Predator"

Critics were not allowed to view the film in advance, and once they did the response was generally negative.cite web
title=It's an Underground Monster World Series
author=Kehr, Dave
publisher="New York Times"
date=2004-08-14
url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE0DD153FF937A2575BC0A9629C8B63&scp=1&sq=alien+vs+predator&st=nyt
accessdate=2008-01-24] Based on 132 reviews, the film scored a 22% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and 29 out of 100 based on 21 reviews on Metacritic.cite web
title="Alien vs. Predator" critic reviews
publisher=Rotten Tomatoes
url=http://au.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien_vs_predator/
accessdate=2008-01-13] Chief criticisms of the film included its dialogue, "cardboard characters", PG-13 rating, the "fast-paced editing" during fight sequences, and lighting. However, special effects and set designs received praise.

Rick Kisonak of "Film Threat" praised the film stating, "For a big dumb production about a movie monster smackdown, "Alien vs. Predator" is a surprisingly good time". Ian Grey of the "Orlando Weekly" felt, "Anderson clearly relished making this wonderful, utterly silly film; his heart shows in every drip of slime."cite web
title=Alien vs. Predator reviews Page 2
publisher=Rotten Tomatoes.com
url=http://au.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien_vs_predator/?page=2&critic=columns&name_order=asc
accessdate=2008-01-20] Staci Layne Wilson of Horror.com called it "a pretty movie to look at with its grandiose sets and top notch creature FX, but it's a lot like Anderson's previous works in that it's all facade and no foundation."cite web
title="Alien vs. Predator" Metacritic
publisher=Metacritic.com
url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/alienvspredator?q=alien%20vs.%20predator
accessdate=2008-01-13]

However, with the majority of critics awarding the film a negative review, Michael Wilmington of the "Chicago Tribune" commented it was full of "monster movie clichés that leave you praying for most of the cast to get killed off fast, to put them (and us) out of our misery." Jack Mathews of "New York Daily News" panned the movie, stating that "Writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson has created the darkest, if not worst, sci-fi movie since "Battlefield Earth"." Gary Dowell of "Dallas Morning News" called the film, "a transparent attempt to jumpstart two run-down franchises".cite web
title=Alien vs. Predator reviews Page 2
publisher=Rotten Tomatoes.com
url=http://au.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien_vs_predator/?page=2&critic=columns&name_order=asc
accessdate=2008-01-20] Ed Halter of "The Village Voice" described the film's lighting for fight sequences as, "black-on-black-in-blackness",cite web
title=Slime Pickings
author=Halter, Ed
publisher="The Village Voice"
date=2004-08-13
url=http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0433,halter,55968,20.html
accessdate=2008-01-29] while Ty Burr of "The Boston Globe" felt the lighting "left the audience in the dark".cite web
title="Alien vs. Predator" is an enjoyable schlockfest
author=Burr, Ty
publisher="The Boston Globe"
date=2004-08-14
url=http://www.boston.com/movies/display?display=movie&id=2693
accessdate=2008-01-29] The film received a Golden Raspberry (Razzie) nomination 2005 in the category of "Worst Remake or Sequel".cite web
title=25th annual Razzie awards - Worst remake or sequel
publisher=Razzies.com
url=http://www.razzies.com/asp/directory/25thNoms.htm
accessdate=2008-01-13]

"Live Free or Die Hard"

The past three installments in the "Die Hard" series have all been rated R by the MPAA. "Live Free or Die Hard", however, sparked controversy because it was edited to obtain a PG-13 rating. Director Len Wiseman commented on the rating, saying "It was about three months into it [production] , and I hadn't even heard that it was PG-13...But in the end, it was just trying to make the best "Die Hard" movie, not really thinking so much about what the rating would be."cite video|title=Live Free or Die Hard-(Commentary by Bruce Willis, Director Len Wiseman, and Editor Nicholas De Toth)|medium=Collector's Edition DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox|year=2007] Bruce Willis was upset with the studio's decision, stating, “I really wanted this one to live up to the promise of the first one, which I always thought was the only really good one.” to "Vanity Fair". “That’s a studio decision that is becoming more and more common, because they’re trying to reach a broader audience. It seems almost a courageous move to give a picture an R rating these days. But we still made a pretty hardcore, smashmouth film.”cite news | url = http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/05/02/live-free-or-die-hard-to-be-cut-for-pg-13-rating/ | title = Live Free or Die Hard to be cut for a PG-13 Rating?! | date=May 2 2007 |last=Sciretta |first=Peter |publisher= [http://www.slashfilm.com SlashFilm.com] |accessdate =2007-11-13] Willis later confirmed that it was PG-13, but thought that viewers unaware that it was not an R-rated film would not suspect it in watching it, due to the level and intensity of the action, and the usage of some amount of profanity, albeit less than the previous films.cite web | url = http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/05/07/confirmed-live-free-or-die-hard-is-rated-pg-13/ |first=Peter|last=Sciretta|publisher= [http://www.slashfilm.com/ SlashFilm.com] | date=May 7 2007| title = Confirmed: Live Free or Die Hard is Rated PG-13 | accessdate =2007-11-13] He said that this film was the best of the four by saying "It’s unbelievable. I just saw it last week. I personally think, it’s better than the first one."cite web | last=Sciretta |first=Peter | url = http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/05/04/bruce-willis-says-live-free-or-die-hard-is-better-than-die-hard/ | title = Bruce Willis says Live Free or Die Hard is better than Die Hard|publisher= [http://www.slashfilm.com SlashFilm.com] |date=May 4 2007|accessdate=2007-11-13]

References

External links

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* [http://www.tom-rothman.com/ Tom Rothman (Official Site)]
* [http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/tom-rothman/475360/main Tom Rothman - Moviefone]