Dear Bob and Harvey,

Greetings from Minnesota, gentlemen. I am writing to you today because, as I understand it, you're both in search of a name for your new film company you formed after your "divorce" from Disney, which still boggles my mind why they didn't want such a powerhouse as Mirimax under their flag. But, as it were, the Mouse House wants to do it all on their own, since they dropped animation powerhouse Pixar as well, for some ungodly reason, so, it's time to move on, I suppose. Bob, you were quoted in Entertainment Weekly as saying at the Cannes Film Festival, "And, hey, if you have an idea for a name of a film company, e-mail me." Well, Bob, I don't have your email address, but what I do have is a name for your new company: Backlash Films.

Why Backlash Films, you might ask? Well, for one, WeinsteinCo just isn't cutting it, as you both have acknowledged. But Backlash Films just fits for this situation. Webster's Dictionary defines "backlash," in this context, as "a strong adverse reaction (as to a recent political or social development)." Every action has a reaction, or so the saying goes, right? Make your reaction to this Disney nonsense strong and adverse. Shoot it right back in their faces and say, "We're still here, and this is what you're missing." Disney doesn't like being in the Oscar hunt every year? They don't want to put out movies that actually have their finger on the pulse of the American moviegoer? Fine, show them the backlash of their ridiculous decision.

What I really didn't get out of this whole mess is that Disney had the audacity to KEEP the Mirimax name, that you named after your parents Miriam and Max. Now, I don't know you guys at all, and I could be wrong, but that just had to piss you off. You guys were Mirimax, not Disney. You formed the company, you named it, you made it successful, and then they come in only to force you out and keep your name? What kind of crap is that? Harvey, there is a quote from you on your IMDB page that says, "We have 65 BAFTAs, 75 Oscars, $2 billion in assets and hundreds of millions in profits. And, still, Michael Eisner won't renew my contract." Right. How many Oscars and BAFTAs is Michael Eisner responsible for? Well, I'm sure they have much more than $2 billion in assets, but that's beside the point. Eisner hopped on YOUR bandwagon, not the other way around. You didn't come begging to work for Disney because you loved Fantasia, did you? You have some of the most talented filmmakers of my generation that have sworn loyalty to both of you, such as Robert Rodriguez, Kevin Smith and Quentin Tarantino. I own every single one of all three of these directors' movies...well, except the Spy Kids series, and there are many more like me. Take their edgy films and throw an edgy name on top of it: Backlash Films. People will come, Bob and Harvey. People will come...

What is funny about all of this is Eisner no longer calls the shots now, since he stepped down. Bob Iger is the new boss, apparently an Eisner underling, but it appears that he's trying to throw water on the Pixar burning bridge by going into negotiations to bring them back into the stable. I have to wonder if Mr. Iger will start throwing some water your way in the near future. Perhaps. But for now, you need a name for your company that shows your intense passion for filmmaking and that you don't need no frickin' Mouse to be successful: Backlash Films. Take this name and come out firing with the style and flair that made the world remember the name Weinstein.

Sincerely,

Brian Gallagher