'Homeland' scores 1.7 million for Sunday finale

The summer season finale of "Homeland" came 1.7 million audiences Sunday evening for Showtime. Combined having a later showing, the episode received a complete of 2 million audiences. That was enough making it most likely probably the most-seen season finale connected having a first-year Showtime series. When additional linear telecasts, additionally to Dvr so when Needed usage, are incorporated, "Homeland" is calculating 4.2 million audiences. "Homeland," using the Israeli series "Crooks of War," stars Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin as CIA agents, additionally to Damian Lewis just like a taken but recently released soldier suspected of turning against America. Professional producers are Howard Gordon, Alex Gansa, Avi Nir, Went Telem, Gideon Raff and Michael Cuesta. "Homeland" was preceded at 9 p.m. with the sixth-season finale of "Dexter," that have an aud of two.2 million due to its first telecast and two.7 for your evening. Show is calculating 5.4 million audiences across all platforms. Star and professional producer Michael C. Hall recently reupped his deal to follow along with the show for the next two seasons. Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com

TWC puts ball in MSG's court

Since the heated fight over NY sports teams careens toward a 12 ,. 31 deadline, Time Warner Cable late Sunday fired back at Monosodium glutamate, promising not to yank its channels in the air using the NHL and Basketball seasons. "That ball in MSG's court," mentioned Mike Angus, TWC's senior V . p . for content purchases. In the statement, he mentioned the cabler is sticking towards the original offer to continue moving channels Monosodium glutamate/Monosodium glutamate+ using the finish in the 2011-2012 Basketball and NHL seasons for just about any 6.5% increase in costs. Monosodium glutamate, he reiterated, wants a 53% hike plus carriage of music funnel Fuse "for approximately vast amounts.In . He's responding with a statement Friday by Michael Blair, the best choice of Monosodium glutamate Media, who mentioned, "Sadly, Time Warner Cable is not considering reaching an acceptable agreement, and, really, is not considering carrying out productive discussions regarding its clients." Blair advised TWC subs to alter companies "before Time Warner Cable pulls MSG's systems off its systems." Monosodium glutamate has mentioned the purchase with the Knicks of Anthony May, a rise in Knicks ratings and Time Warner Cable's deal with the Opponents inked early this year had changed the sports rights landscape. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

The Expendables 2 gets a poster

[brightcove]1330616608001[/brightcove]The first official poster for The Expendables 2 has landed online.Unlike the teaser trailer, which showcases every member of its beefcake cast, the poster keeps it simple with Sylvester Stallone's Barney Ross blowing a massive 2-shaped hole in some kind of wall.There was a (very convincing) fake Expendables 2 poster released a while back, and we have to say, we probably prefer that amateur effort.Check out the new one-sheet below:The team will be back in cinemas on 17 August 2012.

Real Talk: David Cross Hated Making Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked

Now that David Cross’s contractual obligations on the live-action/animation Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise are over — the third and final of which is this weekend’s Chip-Wrecked — the comic actor isn’t mincing words about the ordeal. “This last film was literally, without question, the most unpleasant experience I’ve ever had in my professional life,” he told The Playlist. (Funny, Movieline’s Michelle Orange, after reviewing the kid pic, might say the same.) Take in the spectacle of these burning bridges with more of Cross’s post-traumatic musings after the jump! “It’s safe to say I won’t be working with some of those people ever again,” Cross continued. “Not the actors. And the director [Mike Mitchell] was great. We got along. There were a couple of people, though…it was just a really awful, unpleasant experience.” Ironically, Cross dropped his Chipmunks truth bombs in an interview discussing the upcoming season of his IFC show The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret. The thing is, was it a poor decision on Cross’s part to take part in the Chipmunks franchise in the first place — let alone sign on to get locked into three movies, playing a terribly cartoonish record exec? I remember watching Cross in the last Chipmunks movie, the one with those chipper Chipettes (see image above), and thinking Cross looked far happier years ago playing a human-sized piece of shit pooped out by Michel Gondry. Now that’s work you can stand behind. David Cross Calls ‘Chip-Wrecked’ “The Most Unpleasant Experience” Of His Career [The Playlist]

SAG Honours Nominees Introduced

The casts of "The AssistanceInch and "Modern Family" were most likely probably the most honored since the nominees for your 18th annual Screen Stars Guild Honours were revealed Wednesday morning. Judy Greer of "The Descendants" and Regina King of TNTs "Southland" introduced the nominees utilizing a live webcast. Inside the film groups, "The AssistanceInch acquired most likely probably the most nominations with four: Viola Davis for lead female actor, Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer for supporting female actor, then one jerk for top ensemble. Rounding the very best ensemble category were "The Artist," "Bridesmaids," "The Descendants," and "Evening amount of time in Paris"all the which was honored despite getting received no nominations for individual performances. Films that did receive multiple individual nominations but missed on the best ensemble jerk incorporated "J. Edgar," "Moneyball," and "My Week With Marilyn."ABC's "Modern Family" introduced all television series with four nominations, including Ty Burrell for top male actor in the comedy, Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara for top female actor in the comedy, and greatest comedy ensemble. No drama series received greater than two nominations.Two stars received multiple nominations this yearGlenn Close on her performances inside the film "Albert Nobbs" as well as the DirecTV series "Damages," and Betty White-colored on her behalf turns in TV Land's "Hot in Cleveland" as well as the CBS television movie "Hallmark Hall of Fame: The Lost Valentine."The SAG Honours will probably be broadcast live Jan. 29 at 8 p.m. on TNT and also the best spinner's. The nominees are:FILM Outstanding Performance having a Male Actor in the Leading Role DEMIN BICHIR as Carlos Galindo - A Far Greater Existence (Summit Entertainment)GEORGE CLOONEY as Matt King - "THE DESCENDANTS (Fox Searchlight Pictures)LEONARDO DiCAPRIO as J. Edgar Hoover - "J. EDGAR" (Warner Bros. Pictures)JEAN DUJARDIN as George - "THE ARTIST" (The Weinstein Company)Kaira PITT as Billy Beane - "MONEYBALL" (Columbia Pictures)Outstanding Performance having a Female Actor in the Leading Role GLENN CLOSE as Albert Nobbs - "ALBERT NOBBS (Kerbside Sights)VIOLA DAVIS as Aibileen Clark - The Help (DreamWorks Pictures as Touchstone Pictures)MERYL STREEP as Margaret Thatcher - THE IRON LADY (The Weinstein Company)TILDA SWINTON as Avoi - We Must Discuss KEVIN (Oscilloscope Labs)MICHELLE WILLIAMS as Marilyn Monroe - MY WEEK WITH MARILYN (The Weinstein Company)Outstanding Performance having a Male Actor in the Supporting Role KENNETH BRANAGH as Mister Laurence Olivier - MY WEEK WITH MARILYN (The Weinstein Company)ARMIE HAMMER as Clyde Tolson - "J. EDGAR" (Warner Bros. Pictures)JONAH HILL as Peter Brand - "MONEYBALL" (Columbia Pictures)NICK NOLTE as Paddy Conlon - WARRIOR (Lionsgate)CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER as Hal - BEGINNERS (Focus Features)Outstanding Performance having a Female Actor in the Supporting Role BRNICE BEJO as Peppy - "THE ARTIST" (The Weinstein Company)JESSICA CHASTAIN as Celia Foote - The Help (DreamWorks Pictures as Touchstone Pictures)MELISSA McCARTHY as Megan - BRIDESMAIDS (Universal Pictures)Jesse McTEER as Hubert Page - "ALBERT NOBBS (Kerbside Sights)OCTAVIA SPENCER as Minny Jackson - The Help (DreamWorks Pictures as Touchstone Pictures)Outstanding Performance having a Cast in the Film THE ARTIST (The Weinstein Company)BRIDESMAIDS (Universal Pictures)THE DESCENDANTS (Fox Searchlight Pictures)The Help (DreamWorks Pictures as Touchstone Pictures)Evening amount of time in PARIS (The brand new the new sony Pictures Classics)PRIMETIME TELEVISION Outstanding Performance having a Male Actor in the Television Movie or Miniseries LAURENCE FISHBURNE as Thurgood Marshall - THURGOOD (Cinemax)PAUL GIAMATTI as Ben Bernanke - Too Big TO FAIL (Cinemax)GREG KINNEAR as Jack Kennedy - THE KENNEDYS (REELZ Funnel)GUY PEARCE as Monty Beragon - MILDRED PIERCE (Cinemax)JAMES Forest as Richard Fuld - Too Big TO FAIL (Cinemax)Outstanding Performance having a Female Actor in the Television Movie or Miniseries DIANE LANE as Pat Noisy - CINEMA VERITE (Cinemax)MAGGIE Cruz as Crimson, Dowager Countess of Grantham - DOWNTON ABBEY (PBS)EMILY WATSON as Jesse Leach - APPROPRIATE ADULT (Sundance Funnel)BETTY White-colored as Caroline Thomas - HALLMARK HALL OF FAME: THE LOST VALENTINE (CBS)KATE WINSLET as Mildred Pierce - MILDRED PIERCE (Cinemax)Outstanding Performance having a Male Actor in the Drama Series PATRICK J. ADAMS as Mike Ross - SUITS (USA)STEVE BUSCEMI as Enoch Nucky Thomson - BOARDWALK EMPIRE (Cinemax)KYLE CHANDLER as Eric Taylor - FRIDAY Evening LIGHTS (DirecTV)BRYAN CRANSTON as Walter White-colored - BREAKING BAD (AMC)MICHAEL C. HALL as Dexter Morgan - DEXTER (Showtime)Outstanding Performance having a Female Actor in the Drama Series KATHY BATES as Harriet Korn - HARRYS LAW (NBC)GLENN CLOSE as Patty Hewes - DAMAGES (DirecTV)JESSICA LANGE as Constance - AMERICAN HORROR STORY (Foreign exchange)JULIANNA MARGULIES as Alicia Florrick - The Truly Amazing WIFE (CBS)KYRA SEDGWICK as Dept. Chief Brenda Leigh Manley - THE CLOSER (TNT) Outstanding Performance having a Male Actor in the Comedy Series ALEC BALDWIN as Jack Donaghy - 30 ROCK (NBC)TY BURRELL as Phil Dunphy - MODERN FAMILY (ABC)STEVE CARELL as Michael Scott - Work (NBC)JON CRYER as Alan Harper - two and a half Males (CBS)ERIC STONESTREET as Cameron Tucker - MODERN FAMILY (ABC) Outstanding Performance having a Female Actor in the Comedy Series JULIE BOWEN as Claire Dunphy - MODERN FAMILY (ABC)EDIE FALCO as Jackie Peyton - NURSE JACKIE (Showtime)TINA FEY as Liz Lemon - 30 ROCK (NBC)SOFIA VERGARA as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett - MODERN FAMILY (ABC)BETTY White-colored as Elka Ostrovsky - HOT IN CLEVELAND (TV Land) Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in the Drama Series BOARDWALK EMPIRE (Cinemax)BREAKING BAD (AMC)DEXTER (Showtime)Wager On THRONES (Cinemax)The Truly Amazing WIFE (CBS)Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in the Comedy Series 30 ROCK (NBC)The Big BANG THEORY (CBS)GLEE (FOX)MODERN FAMILY (ABC)Work (NBC) SAG HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES Outstanding Performance having a Stunt Ensemble in the Motion PictureTHE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (UNIVERSAL PICTURES)COWBOYS & ALIENS (UNIVERSAL PICTURES)HARRY POTTER As Well As The DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 (WARNER BROS. PICTURES)TRANSFORMERS: DARK In The MOON (Vital PICTURES)X-Males: Top Quality (last century FOX)Outstanding Performance having a Stunt Ensemble in the Television Series DEXTER (SHOWTIME)Wager On THRONES (Cinemax)SOUTHLAND (TNT)SPARTACUS: GODS In The ARENA (STARZ)TRUE Blood stream (Cinemax)Existence ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Screen Stars Guild Honours 48th Annual Existence Achievement AwardMARY TYLER MOORE By Daniel Holloway December 14, 2011 The casts of "The AssistanceInch and "Modern Family" were most likely probably the most honored since the nominees for your 18th annual Screen Stars Guild Honours were revealed Wednesday morning. Judy Greer of "The Descendants" and Regina King of TNTs "Southland" introduced the nominees utilizing a live webcast. Inside the film groups, "The AssistanceInch acquired most likely probably the most nominations with four: Viola Davis for lead female actor, Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer for supporting female actor, then one jerk for top ensemble. Rounding the very best ensemble category were "The Artist," "Bridesmaids," "The Descendants," and "Evening amount of time in Paris"all the which was honored despite getting received no nominations for individual performances. Films that did receive multiple individual nominations but missed on the best ensemble jerk incorporated "J. Edgar," "Moneyball," and "My Week With Marilyn."ABC's "Modern Family" introduced all television series with four nominations, including Ty Burrell for top male actor in the comedy, Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara for top female actor in the comedy, and greatest comedy ensemble. No drama series received greater than two nominations.Two stars received multiple nominations this yearGlenn Close on her behalf performances inside the film "Albert Nobbs" as well as the DirecTV series "Damages," and Betty White-colored on her behalf turns in TV Land's "Hot in Cleveland" as well as the CBS television movie "Hallmark Hall of Fame: The Lost Valentine."The SAG Honours will probably be broadcast live Jan. 29 at 8 p.m. on TNT and also the best spinner's. The nominees are:FILM Outstanding Performance having a Male Actor in the Leading Role DEMIN BICHIR as Carlos Galindo - A Far Greater Existence (Summit Entertainment)GEORGE CLOONEY as Matt King - "THE DESCENDANTS (Fox Searchlight Pictures)LEONARDO DiCAPRIO as J. Edgar Hoover - "J. EDGAR" (Warner Bros. Pictures)JEAN DUJARDIN as George - "THE ARTIST" (The Weinstein Company)Kaira PITT as Billy Beane - "MONEYBALL" (Columbia Pictures)Outstanding Performance having a Female Actor in the Leading Role GLENN CLOSE as Albert Nobbs - "ALBERT NOBBS (Kerbside Sights)VIOLA DAVIS as Aibileen Clark - The Help (DreamWorks Pictures as Touchstone Pictures)MERYL STREEP as Margaret Thatcher - THE IRON LADY (The Weinstein Company)TILDA SWINTON as Avoi - We Must Discuss KEVIN (Oscilloscope Labs)MICHELLE WILLIAMS as Marilyn Monroe - MY WEEK WITH MARILYN (The Weinstein Company)Outstanding Performance having a Male Actor in the Supporting Role KENNETH BRANAGH as Mister Laurence Olivier - MY WEEK WITH MARILYN (The Weinstein Company)ARMIE HAMMER as Clyde Tolson - "J. EDGAR" (Warner Bros. Pictures)JONAH HILL as Peter Brand - "MONEYBALL" (Columbia Pictures)NICK NOLTE as Paddy Conlon - WARRIOR (Lionsgate)CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER as Hal - BEGINNERS (Focus Features)Outstanding Performance having a Female Actor in the Supporting Role BRNICE BEJO as Peppy - "THE ARTIST" (The Weinstein Company)JESSICA CHASTAIN as Celia Foote - The Help (DreamWorks Pictures as Touchstone Pictures)MELISSA McCARTHY as Megan - BRIDESMAIDS (Universal Pictures)Jesse McTEER as Hubert Page - "ALBERT NOBBS (Kerbside Sights)OCTAVIA SPENCER as Minny Jackson - The Help (DreamWorks Pictures as Touchstone Pictures)Outstanding Performance having a Cast in the Film THE ARTIST (The Weinstein Company)BRIDESMAIDS (Universal Pictures)THE DESCENDANTS (Fox Searchlight Pictures)The Help (DreamWorks Pictures as Touchstone Pictures)Evening amount of time in PARIS (The brand new the new sony Pictures Classics)PRIMETIME TELEVISION Outstanding Performance having a Male Actor in the Television Movie or Miniseries LAURENCE FISHBURNE as Thurgood Marshall - THURGOOD (Cinemax)PAUL GIAMATTI as Ben Bernanke - Too Big TO FAIL (Cinemax)GREG KINNEAR as Jack Kennedy - THE KENNEDYS (REELZ Funnel)GUY PEARCE as Monty Beragon - MILDRED PIERCE (Cinemax)JAMES Forest as Richard Fuld - Too Big TO FAIL (Cinemax)Outstanding Performance having a Female Actor in the Television Movie or Miniseries DIANE LANE as Pat Noisy - CINEMA VERITE (Cinemax)MAGGIE Cruz as Crimson, Dowager Countess of Grantham - DOWNTON ABBEY (PBS)EMILY WATSON as Jesse Leach - APPROPRIATE ADULT (Sundance Funnel)BETTY White-colored as Caroline Thomas - HALLMARK HALL OF FAME: THE LOST VALENTINE (CBS)KATE WINSLET as Mildred Pierce - MILDRED PIERCE (Cinemax)Outstanding Performance having a Male Actor in the Drama Series PATRICK J. ADAMS as Mike Ross - SUITS (USA)STEVE BUSCEMI as Enoch Nucky Thomson - BOARDWALK EMPIRE (Cinemax)KYLE CHANDLER as Eric Taylor - FRIDAY Evening LIGHTS (DirecTV)BRYAN CRANSTON as Walter White-colored - BREAKING BAD (AMC)MICHAEL C. HALL as Dexter Morgan - DEXTER (Showtime)Outstanding Performance having a Female Actor in the Drama Series KATHY BATES as Harriet Korn - HARRYS LAW (NBC)GLENN CLOSE as Patty Hewes - DAMAGES (DirecTV)JESSICA LANGE as Constance - AMERICAN HORROR STORY (Foreign exchange)JULIANNA MARGULIES as Alicia Florrick - The Truly Amazing WIFE (CBS)KYRA SEDGWICK as Dept. Chief Brenda Leigh Manley - THE CLOSER (TNT) Outstanding Performance having a Male Actor in the Comedy Series ALEC BALDWIN as Jack Donaghy - 30 ROCK (NBC)TY BURRELL as Phil Dunphy - MODERN FAMILY (ABC)STEVE CARELL as Michael Scott - Work (NBC)JON CRYER as Alan Harper - two and a half Males (CBS)ERIC STONESTREET as Cameron Tucker - MODERN FAMILY (ABC) Outstanding Performance having a Female Actor in the Comedy Series JULIE BOWEN as Claire Dunphy - MODERN FAMILY (ABC)EDIE FALCO as Jackie Peyton - NURSE JACKIE (Showtime)TINA FEY as Liz Lemon - 30 ROCK (NBC)SOFIA VERGARA as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett - MODERN FAMILY (ABC)BETTY White-colored as Elka Ostrovsky - HOT IN CLEVELAND (TV Land) Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in the Drama Series BOARDWALK EMPIRE (Cinemax)BREAKING BAD (AMC)DEXTER (Showtime)Wager On THRONES (Cinemax)The Truly Amazing WIFE (CBS)Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in the Comedy Series 30 ROCK (NBC)The Big BANG THEORY (CBS)GLEE (FOX)MODERN FAMILY (ABC)Work (NBC) SAG HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES Outstanding Performance having a Stunt Ensemble in the Motion PictureTHE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (UNIVERSAL PICTURES)COWBOYS & ALIENS (UNIVERSAL PICTURES)HARRY POTTER As Well As The DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 (WARNER BROS. PICTURES)TRANSFORMERS: DARK In The MOON (Vital PICTURES)X-Males: Top Quality (last century FOX)Outstanding Performance having a Stunt Ensemble in the Television Series DEXTER (SHOWTIME)Wager On THRONES (Cinemax)SOUTHLAND (TNT)SPARTACUS: GODS In The ARENA (STARZ)TRUE Blood stream (Cinemax)Existence ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Screen Stars Guild Honours 48th Annual Existence Achievement AwardMARY TYLER MOORE

'Modern Warfare 3' tops $1 bil in 16 days

Activision's "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3" has joined the billion dollar club -- after just 16 days on store shelves, setting yet another entertainment industry record. James Cameron's "Avatar" was the previous record holder for a property to hit the $1 billion sales mark. It took a day longer than the action/shooter video game to achieve that, however. ("Black Ops," the previous game in the "Call of Duty" series, took six weeks to hit the number.) "Engagement of our 'Call of Duty' audience continues to rise around the world," said Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard. "'Call of Duty' as an entertainment franchise has made an indelible mark on popular culture and its broad and continued success is further validation that audiences increasingly value interactive experiences over passive experiences." The $1 billion record is the second major sales kudo for the title. "Modern Warfare 3" previously set the industry record for the biggest product launch of all time by taking in $400 million in the first 24 hours. (It had previously set the bar for that record with the previous two "Call of Duty" installments.) Analysts expect "Modern Warfare 3" to sell 18 million-19 million units by the end of the calendar year, generating roughly $1.2 billion in revenue. The overwhelming success of the game is a vindication for the publisher. "Modern Warfare 3" is the first title from the company's Infinity Ward division since the abrupt dismissal of studio heads and series creators Jason West and Vince Zampella. Activision alleged they were meeting with competitor Electronic Arts about starting a new development studio. West and Zampella deny that accusation. Both parties are suing the other, with the cases expected to go to trial next year. West and Zampella have since launched a new company -- Respawn Entertainment -- and several key members of the Infinity Ward team have defected to it. Given the drama, "Modern Warfare 3" was a game under the microscope. "Every year, new people are drawn into 'Call of Duty'," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. "And while the franchise continues to set records, our fans still seem to want more." That demand is helping drive subscriptions for "Call of Duty: Elite," a subscription service for players that provides access to all downloadable content for the game as well as tournament, video content and social network functionality for players. To date, more than 6 million people have registered for the service. Within six days of its launch, it had topped 1 million paying customers. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

SF Critics: Tree Of Life Best Pic, Director; Gary Oldman, Tilda Swinton Best Actors

The Tree Of Life took honors for best picture and best director Terrence Malick when the San Franscisco Film Critics Circle announced their awards for 2011 on Sunday. Two actors who’ve generated a lot of buzz but have been largely overlooked, Gary Oldman and Tilda Swinton, were honored for best actor and actress in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and We Need To Talk About Kevin. Full list of winners follows: Best Picture: The Tree of Life Best Director: Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life Best Original Screenplay: J.C. Chandor, Margin Call Best Adapted Screenplay: Bridget OConnor & Peter Straughan, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Best Actor: Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Best Actress: Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks, Drive Best Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus Best Animated Feature: Rango Best Foreign Language Film: Certified Copy Best Documentary: Tabloid Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life Special Citation for underappreciated independent cinema: The Mill And The Cross Marlon Riggs Award for courage & vision in the Bay Area film community: National Film Preservation Foundation Since 1997, the San Francisco-based nonprofits fundraising and grant-giving programs have supported the restoration and preservation of hundreds of rare U.S. films. Led by director Annette Melville and assistant director Jeff Lambert, the NFPF makes this cinematic legacy available to the public through its Treasures DVD box sets, including the 2011 release The West, 1898-1938.”

VIDEO: Covert Affairs' Sendhil Ramamurthy: What Jai Does Is "Pretty Severe"

Sendhil Ramamurthy, Covert Affairs Exactly what is Jai's plan on Covert Affairs?After getting promoted to director of special projects - a result of blackmailing his dad, of course - Jai (Sendhil Ramamurthy) has since laid relatively low as far as his endgame is concerned. But that will all change in Tuesday's season finale when we learn who he's targeting.Covert Affairs' Kari Matchett: Joan won't try to get rid of Jai again"You really see at what lengths he's willing to go to to get what he wants," Ramamurthy tells TVGuide.com. "What he does is pretty severe, but he's literally kind of gone through and alienated everyone around him."Check out our interview below to see what's in store and who else Ramamurthy thinks ought to be in a dream ab-off with Christopher Gorham.Covert Affairs airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on USA.

Bailey, Reynolds remember favorite moments

G.W. Bailey as Lt. ProvenzaCorey Reynolds as Sgt. David GabrielCorey Reynolds (Sgt. David Gabriel)Favorite episode: "It had been a chapter in which a young girl was kidnapped, raped and killed and my character required it hard and entered the road when meeting with the suspect to find the information from him. The crime am heinous and also the suspect this type of monster it would be a question of 'Is it wrong to conquer someone like this to obtain the thing you need?A "Favorite scene: "In season one there is a scene where Gabriel and Brenda have been in her office searching at evidence and she or he states to him something similar to, 'I know it is sometimes complicated, you getting stuck in the centre,A because at that time he was attempting to appease her and appease the squad and appease Pope and everyone. He states to her, 'It's really not too hard, since you do great work.A It's this type of small moment, but it is among the first connecting, genuine moments shared between individuals figures."Favorite off-screen moment: "Kevin Sausage arrived and directed a chapter. His director's chair stated 'Kevin Sedgwick.' It had been great to determine him are available in and type of be humbled for the reason that moment, however it really was funny and also got a large laugh in the crew."G.W. Bailey (Lt. Provenza)Favorite episode: "What we should call the Skybox Tickets episode ("To Safeguard & for everyone,Inch season 2) where Tony Denison, who plays Flynn, and that i look for a dead body during my garage and then leave it there to be able to visit a Dodgers game, so when we return your body obviously is missing."Favorite scene: "It had been a scene concentrating on Sanchez, where his brother continues to be wiped out but he holds his feelings to the very finish from the piece when he finally stops working in Provenza's arms. It is a very effective moment -- the type Provenza does not reach perform a large amount of, that we thought managed to get much more effective."Favorite off-screen moment: "Nearly every Friday evening whenever we finish filming, you will find there's large party and from individuals parties came some quite remarkable moments which i will definitely not discuss under any conditions.""THE CLOSER" 100TH EPISODE TNT's blue streak Sedgwick confides on 'Closer' implications 'Crime' an indication of new occasions Bailey, Reynolds remember favorite moments Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

How Lengthy Can 'Breaking Dawn' Keep Its Box Office Crown?

FROM MTV MOVIES: This area-office fight of Thanksgiving weekend originates and gone, and "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Beginning - Part 1" once more emerged because the victor. The penultimate entry within the vampire romance series drawn off a remarkable haul of the believed $62.3 million, based on BoxOfficeMojo.com. The weekend introduced the film's domestic total to roughly $221 million, and made it formidable competition from "The Muppets," which gained a decent $42 million. But exactly what do the approaching days hold for "Breaking Beginning - Part 1"? We consulted some box-office experts to discover. Browse the full story at MTV Movies!

Film Bazaar sees increased activity

GOA -- India's annual film market the Film Bazaar (Nov. 14-27), which is organized by the National Film Development Corp., saw a flurry of activity this edition. Sales agents Fortissimo Films will represent debutant helmer Anand Gandhi's "The Ship of Theseus" internationally, excluding South Asia, and has also boarded the film as co-producer. Pic, which is in post, stars Egyptian thesp Aida El-Kashef and Bollywood's Sohum Shah and Neeraj Kabi. "Lorna's Silence" associate producer Christoph Thoke has announced a January 2012 shoot for 2010 Bazaar alumnus "Television" to be directed by Bangladesh's Mostofa Sarwar Farooki. Thoke is producing through his shingle Mogador Film. France's Eaux Vives Productions are co-producing. The NFDC has joined helmer Q's "Tasher Desh" as co-producers. Pic is a production between India's Overdose Art, Anurag Kashap Films, Dream Digital and Belgium's Entre Chien Et Loup. The film has just wrapped principal photography. Bikas Mishra's "Chauranga" won the Indian tourism ministry's $20,000 cash award for the best film in the co-production market. And four Bazaar projects -- Khanjan Kishor Nath's "The Bicycle," Haobam Paban Kumar's "The Gun," Manjeet Singh's "Mumbai Cha Raja" and Satish Manwar's "What's Your Religion?" -- have been chosen to participate in the Rotterdam fest's Rotterdam lab in 2012. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

9 Milestones in the Evolution of Robin Williams

In this weekend’s Happy Feet Two, Robin Williams voices Ramn, a South American penguin lothario, and Lovelace, a deep-voiced love guru. So how did a self-described quiet child from Chicago transform himself into one of Hollywood’s most energetic Academy Award winners and skilled impressionists, who pulls double duty in Warner Bros.’s latest animated feature? You can always trace a direct line through a few important roles to illustrate what led to an actor’s current success. As such, let’s look at nine pivotal performances that track the evolution of Robin Williams. Mork & Mindy (1978) After graduating from Juilliard, Williams moved to Los Angeles where he honed his stand-up routine on the west coast comedy circuit and auditioned for television roles. One such guest part on Happy Days — as Mork, an alien from the planet Ork who helps abduct the Fonz — was such a hit with the show’s creator Gary Marshall that Marshall created a sci-fi sitcom for Williams’s character. Mork & Mindy proved to be the breakthrough project that made Robins a recognizable name and earned him a Golden Globe in 1979. Popeye (1980) Halfway through the four-season run of Mork & Mindy, Williams made his big screen debut as the titular character in Robert Altman’s adaptation of Popeye. (Yes, a live-action musical adaptation of Popeye in which Robin Williams squints and sings “I am what I am” with inflated forearms exists.) Williams reportedly won the role after Dustin Hoffman dropped out. In spite of a respectable effort to bring life to a two-dimensional comic character with a lopsided smile and an obsession with spinach, Popeye earned mixed reviews. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) Following one small success (The World According to Garp) and a trio of forgettable titles (The Best of Times, Club Paradise and Seize the Day), Williams established himself as a legitimate dramatic actor and a box office draw with Barry Levinson’s Vietnam war comedy-drama. As Armed Forces Radio Service DJ Adrian Cronauer, Williams was able to use his trademark rapid-fire monologue style and improvise extensively. Thanks in part to Levinson’s direction (which carefully pulled Williams out of his stand-up shell) and the well-formed script, Williams was able to shed his fast-talking persona for a fully-fleshed character by the end of the film. Good Morning, Vietnam earned Williams his first Academy Award nomination. Aladdin (1992) After solidifying himself as one of Hollywood’s most underestimated dramatic actors in Dead Poets Society and The Fisher King, Williams established his talent as a voice actor in Aladdin. Animator Eric Goldberg was reportedly so determined to get the actor on board as the Genie that he animated the Genie doing some of Williams’s stand-up routines. The actor was so impressed that he signed onto the project, even agreeing to participate for scale pay as long as his voice was not used for merchandising and his character took up less than 25% of the film’s promotional materials. When the studio reneged on some contractual stipulations that Williams had tried to enforce, the actor stopped supporting the project and refused to work with Disney again — until years later, after chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg had been fired. In addition to being a milestone for the actor, Aladdin proved to be a landmark for animated films in general as it was the first title to be advertised on the strength of its voice actors.

Rankings Corporate Jungle: CBS Series & NBCs Rock Center Rise, Fox Dramas Slide

CBS’ Monday selection published across-the-board gains for any second straight week. The Way I Met Your Mother (4.5/12 in grown ups 18-49, 10.4 million total audiences) was up a tenth in 18-49 from last Monday, 2 Broke Women (4.8/12, 11.7 million) was up 7% from the fast national a week ago to publish its best 18-49 rating within the 8:30 PM slot, 2 . 5 Males (5.3/12, 14.six million) was up 4% to once more rank because the top program from the evening in 18-49, and Mike & Molly (4.4/10, 12.two million) was up 5%. Hawaii Five- (3.3/8, 11.5 million) prospered without scripted broadcast competition within the 10 PM hour, up 10% within the demo from the fast national a week ago to publish its best demo and total viewer number because the season premiere. Hawaii will probably tie its season-high opener within the finals whether it’s modified up a tenth because it normally is. CBS (4.2/10, 12 million) easily won the evening in 18-49. NBC’s Rock Center With John Williams (1.3/3, 4.5 million) last evening boasted the greatest news “get” from the moment, a unique interview with former Penn Condition football coach and accused child molester Jerry Sandusky. The main one-on-one with Bob Costas increased the battling newsmagazine to the greatest rating up to now, up 30% in the 1. Rock Center published in the first couple of days. Still, the show was dwarfed within the 10 PM hour by another newsmagazine, ABC’s exclusive edition of 20/20 (2.8/7, 13.4 million) featuring Diane Sawyer’s interview with recuperating shooting victim U.S. Repetition. Gabrielle Giffords, in addition to CBS’ Hawaii Five-. Rock Center also rated because the cheapest-ranked program around the Large 4 systems, and it is fast national amounts might have been inflated with a local National football league pre-emption in Ontario, so an adjustment lower is really a strong possibility. Ditto for NBC’s The Sing-Off (1.5/4, 4.7 million). ABC’s Dwts (3.4/8, 18.5 million) was up a tenth within the demo from a week ago’s fast national, while 20/20 published ABC’s best rankings for any newsmagazine since Sawyer’s interview with another survivor, Jaycee Dugard, in This summer. ABC (3.2/8, 16.8 million) won the evening as a whole audiences. (The network had local National football league pre-emtions within 1% of the nation.) Each of Fox’s dramas published declines. Terra Nova (2.3/6) was lower 12%, while House (2.5/6) was lower 7% from the fast national. The declines were disproportionally bigger around the male side, that is a little puzzling because Monday Evening Football on ESPN (9.2 metered market average) seemed to be lower, by 21%, from a week ago. The CW’s Monday dramas held steady.

Netflix Makes Lionsgate U.K. Streaming Deal Official

TORONTO - Netflix will probably be streaming Lionsgate movie game game titles like Dirty Dancing and Blair Witch Project if the launches inside the U.K. and Ireland at the beginning of 2012, the web video streaming giant confirmed Monday.our editor recommendsITV Plays Lower Netflix Deal TalksMGM Signs With Netflix for Exclusive Streaming in U.K., Ireland But Netflix gave no indication of the prices or diary for its next worldwide unveil after Canada, showing basically a "low" bill every month due to its approaching U.K. and Ireland subscription service. The multi-year deal with Lionsgate U.K. will dsicover Netflix stream movie game game titles within the Vancouver-based small-studio on tv sets, pills, game titles and personal computers. Netflix introduced in October it expand for the U.K. and Ireland areas early next season, where it'll meet competition from residents Lovefilm and Blinkbox. Related Subjects Worldwide Lionsgate Netflix

Marathon, time change slows Broadway box office

Broadway sales downshifted a little in Week 23 (March. 31-November. 6), although two shows became a member of the selection, assisting to keep your cume on componen using the prior sesh.One reason behind the downtick could lie within the November. 6 switchover from daylight not waste time, which some legiters believe adversely impacts B.O. Also affecting biz was the NY Marathon, annoying vacationers and Gothamites.Primary Stem cume ended up, just, to $21.two million for 30 shows around the boards, with attendance rising slightly to 230,161.The 21 musicals made $17,142,682 for 80.9% from the Broadway total, with attendance of 180,467 as well as an average compensated admission of $94.99. The nine plays made $4,047,124 for 19.1% from the Broadway total, with attendance of 49,694 as well as an average compensated admission of $81.44. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

Dirty Dancing Remake Gets Release Date

Patrick Swayze and Cynthia Rhodes in Dirty Dancing Dirty Dancing fans will have to wait nearly two years for the remake to hit theatres. The updated version of the 1987 cult classic, being produced by Lionsgate, is scheduled for release on July 26, 2013, Deadline reports. Jennifer Grey says she's "excited" about Dirty Dancing remake In August, the film's original choreographer,Kenny Ortega, announced his plans to direct a remake of the unconventional love story starring Jennifer Grey and the late Patrick Swayze. Maria Maggenti (Monte Carlo) is writing the script with Ortega and Debra Martin Chase producing. Are you on board with the Dirty Dancing redux?

Andy Serkis Signs For Further 'Planet In The Apes'

When "Rise in the Planet in the Apes" surprised with $453 million world-wide, the talk of Hollywood didn't target the on-camera leads James Franco and Freida Pinto, nevertheless the guy behind Caesar the ape, Andy Serkis. Very good news, then, the mo-cap wizard responsible for the existence-like ape as well as the legendary Gollum from "The Our god in the Rings" just signed for further "Apes" movies in the deal that Deadline Hollywood is verifying is more than seven figures. Serkis might be the very first cast member to enroll in nearly any more obligations, beating all the on-screen stars within the first hit film. Deadline's report also mentions that director Rupert Wyatt and screenwriters Ron Jaffa and Amanda Silver had already made the decision to some follow-up after they initially signed on for "Rise in the Planet in the Apes." Really the only guy to rocket to fame just for wearing a motion capture suit, Serkis' slate is a lot more than packed with further work behind CG figures. He's presently in the office on Peter Jackson's "Hobbit" films, reprising the role that made him famous. His work, both for motion capture and voice acting, inside the approaching "Adventures of Tintin" as Captain Haddock hits theaters this December. Because the discharge and subsequent success of "Rise in the Planet in the Apes," there is buzz about whether Serkis could garner serious honours attention early next season. Fox certifies to Deadline that they're going to make an Oscar push for Serkis come 2012. Will still be unclear what form more "Apes" movies will need, but it is certain Serkis will probably be there for whatever is always to come. Are you currently presently excited to find out more "Apes" movies with Andy Serkis? Inform us inside the comments below and also on Twitter!

As they'd appreciate it

Rhys Ifans and Joely Richardson spend some time. For starters evening only, the Tudors ruled again london within the March. 25 bow of "Anonymous." Speaking about whether Shakespeare did pen the entire shebang credited to his title, Rhys Ifans gave his take: "There's virtually no evidence to prove, to be able to qualify, that William Shakespeare of Stratford was the author of individuals plays." He found the final outcome that his character, the Earl of Oxford, "is definitely an very convincing candidate." "For me that you've a question mark," mentioned Joely Richardson, who plays Full Elizabeth I, pretending to ponder the issue. "The Oxfordians, the Baconians, the Stratfordians, lots of people say it absolutely was a girl, lots of people say it absolutely was this collaboration -- therefore i anticipate further analysis." Helmer Roland Emmerich grew to become an associate of his cast including Rafe Spall, David Thewlis and Jamie Campbell Bower for your festivities. Publish screening, site visitors ongoing with a whiskey-fueled afterparty within the May Fair Hotel. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Frederick Gordon-Levitt in talks for Django Unchained

If you have lately requested yourself if Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino's undertake the spaghetti western, might get any cooler, the odds are you'd have clarified yourself 'no'.Well prepare to revise that answer as news is available in that Frederick Gordon-Levitt is placed to become listed on the film, based on a study by Variety (through the Playlist).Gordon-Levitt is a in-demand actor at the moment. Cancer dramedy 50/50 continues to be generating him good notices, and also shooting The Dark Dark night Increases, he's courier-cyclist thriller Premium Hurry within the can.It's really a release date change of this film that may allow JGL to look in Django, as he'll reduce marketing responsibilities for early the coming year when Tarantino expects to shoot.And that is before he begins filming Spielberg's lengthy-gestating Lincoln subsequently.It isn't presently obvious who he'll play in Django Unchained, but we do not care: just sign him up already! If he comes aboard, he'll join Beginning co-star Leonardo DiCaprio, in addition to Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Kurt Russell, Samuel L Jackson, Don Manley and much more.

Moammar Gadhafi's Death: What Hollywood Is Saying

News that Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi had been killed by rebels Thursday was met with both serious and light-hearted responses within the industry.our editor recommendsCNN, MSNBC, Fox Air Gruesome Cell Phone Video of Dead GadhafiNews Organizations Defend Airing Gruesome Gadhafi Death VideoGadhafi's Son Fails in Attempts to Be Hollywood MogulPaul Scheer's 'NTSF:SD:SUV' Receives Second Season Pick-Up Harry Potter actor Michael Gambon wrote, "F**k me, they got Gadaffi; Bin Laden and Voldemort are dead. It's surely only a matter of time until Jeremy Kyle's reign of terror is over." Saturday Night Live's Seth Meyers alluded to the dictator's reported obsession with his looks, "Gadhaffi's last words were "How my hair look, Mike?" #Unconfirmed" and "And he was so close to making general #Gadhaffi." The Hollywood Reporter's Scott Feinberg also made note of Gadhaffi's appearance: "Hard to believe, but not a bad-looking guy... RT @TPM: Qaddafi in 1970. Take a look: tpm.ly/pdSzKA." Drive co-star Albert Brooks, whom Feinberg interviewed in Sept., highlighted Gadhaffi's hair as well, "Gaddafi killed. Libyans rejoice. Just For Men stock plummets." CNN personality Piers Morgan mixed fact and commentary in his post, "A Planet fails to mourn RT @TheEconomist Muammar #Qaddafi, ruler of Libya, died on October 20th, aged 69 econ.st/pw0GVk." Alyssa Milano stuck to the facts, "Head of Libya's Military Council Says Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi Is Dead /via @nytim" Rapper Talib Kweli expressed surprise, "Just seen pic of Gaddafi, killed by rebels. wow." Late Show With David Letterman co-head writer Justin Stangel joked about the multiple spellings of the man's name, "Lame conspiracy theory: They killed Gaddafi, but they didn't kill Qaddafi. Letterman's other co-head writer, Eric Stangel, kept if lighthearted as well, "A friend of mine in Libya told me Muammar #Gadhafi was eating at the Harley Davidson Cafe in Sirte when he was killed. Can anyone confirm?" Comedian Paul Scheer mused,"Now with Gadaffi gone the only dictators left are those free credit report guys." Related Topics

Second Tintin Trailer Arrives

Bikes, watercraft, fire and sandwichesIt's barely per week because the first first demonstrated, but here's another new trailer for your Adventures Of Tintin.That certain seems being for American audiences, who've to hold about until December for slice of Spielberg/Herge action, ultimately get it inside a couple of days. '! Take that, Yankees!Trailer another factor to consider isn't entirely different for the first, it ought to be mentioned. But many importantly it's one minute longer, enabling for a lot of much-extended seafaring Snowy being distracted from some important make use of a sandwich and Haddock identifying it's smart to start a fire place... In The BOAT.The Adventures Of Tintin, you will need no telling, stars Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in bleeding edge performance capture. It's directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by Jackson, and put together by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, based on Herge's The Crab While Using Golden Claws, The Important Thing In The Unicorn, and Red-colored-colored Rackham's Treasure.It's within the Uk on October 26, and you'll read Empire's world-first Tintin review here.

TV Guide Network Checks Hollywood's Infamous Urban Stories

Marilyn Manson, Josh Saviano, The Question Years TV Guide Network is considering 25 of Hollywood's urban stories inside a new special. Would be a dead munchkin hanging without anyone's knowledge of the Wizard of Oz scene? Did Marilyn Manson play Paul Pfeiffer on Question Years? And among the all-time long lasting questions: Did a mix of Pop Rocks and soda kill Mikey in the Existence cereal advertisements? Obtain the truth behind the crazy tales. Comics for example Penn Jillette and Gilbert Gottfried are featured, in addition to some people active in the stories like voice of Wendy's chihuahua Carlos Alazraqui. Crazy Hollywood Urban Stories airs Monday at 8/7c on television Guide Network.

FEINBERG FORECAST: 'Tintin' Triumphs in London, 'Descendants' Descends on New York, 'Rum' Hangover in Hamptons

Courtesy of Paramount Among the things that factored into this week's projections (which appear further down on the page)... The highly-anticipated 3D motion-capture/animated film The Adventures of Tintin, which was directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Peter Jackson, was unveiled for the first time today in London, where it screened for the press in advance of its Paris premiere next week. The rollout couldn't have gone better, thus far -- to cite but just two raves, THR says that "Spielberg brings the slightly antique world of the famed European comic-book series to splendid, action-filled life as only he can," and Variety calls it "a rollicking return to action-adventure form... a whiz-bang thrill ride... [that] should do thundering typhoon biz globally." The film, which Paramount hopes to qualify for the best animated film (feature) Oscar category, to say nothing of the best picture category, will be released stateside on December 21. The 49th annual NY Film Festival had an eventful closing week. First, on Monday, it hosted a highly buzzed-about "surprise screening" of an unfinished film -- their first since Beauty and the Beast (1991) 20 years ago -- which turned out to be native NYer Martin Scorsese's 3D-flick Hugo. Scorsese introduced the Paramount film before the lights went down, and stars Asa Butterfield and Chloe Moretz took their bows after they came up. (Full reviews are being held until the film is complete, but initial "reactions" to the film have been respectful, if unenthusiastic, and its awards prospects seem pretty slim.) Then, it was Wim Wenders's turn to showcase a 3-D movie that he directed -- the dance doc Pina, which premiered at Berlin and previously in Telluride and Toronto. And now, virtually the entire team behind the Telluride/Toronto sensation The Descendants -- co-writer/director Alexander Payne and stars George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Judy Greer, Nick Krause, Amara Miller, Beau Bridges, and Matthew Lillard -- are in town for the fest's closing night screening later this evening. (Fox Searchlight has packed a lot of other promotional stops into their brief visit, as well, including Q&As for BAFTA, SAG, and the PGA -- one of which was moderated by yours truly last night.) In the wake of the world premiere of Simon Curtis's My Week with Marilyn at the NY Film Festival last Sunday, The Weinstein Company decided to push back the film's release date from November 4 to November 23, and also to screen the film at the 19th annual Hamptons International Film Festival. Both films suggest that Harvey Weinstein's awards outlook for the film -- and particularly for Michelle Williams's prospects in the best actress category for her performance as Marilyn Monroe -- was emboldened by its reception in NY. The aforementioned Hamptons International Film Festival may not be as high-profile or span as many days as the concurrently-operating NY Film Festival (five vs. 17), but the fest in the remote vacation spot for east coast Oscar voters played host to at least as many2011 awards contenders as the fest on the Upper West Side, including Another Happy Day, The Artist, Butter, Coriolanus, The Descendants, Le Havre, The Kid with a Bike, Like Crazy, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Melancholia, My Week with Marilyn, Shame, Undefeated, and We Need to Talk About Kevin -- many of which were accompanied by major talent. (It's not a coincidence that many of those films trace back to studios and PR firms with big presences on the east coast, such as The Weinstein Company, Fox Searchlight, and Strategy PR. The fest is too much of a schlep for most of their bigger west coast counterparts.). The biggest hit of this year's fest: The Artist, which was announced as the winner of the audience award on Sunday night. The Hamptons fest also further clarified the awards prospects -- or lack thereof -- of Bruce Robinson's Johnny Depp-vehicle The Rum Diary, which premiered at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Friday and then showed again in the Hamptons on Saturday and Sunday. The fact that the film has been given such a quiet rollout, as opposed to playing the festival circuit, was a clear sign of trouble. Now, Eric Kohn of IndieWire, who saw it in the Hamptons, confirms that it is "vividly average... a subpar comic adventure that's nonetheless admirable for its restrained vision of [Hunter S.] Thompson in his early gestation period." It sounds like FilmDistrict will be best served by focusing its awards efforts around Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive, which is a long-shot but does possess a passionate following, and perhaps Angelina Jolie's In the Land of Blood and Honey, which nobody has seen yet. I'm hearing that Warner Brothers, sensing that the best picture race is still wide open, will begin giving Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 -- the last installment in the decade-spanning blockbuster franchise that has collectively earned over $7 billion, more than any other franchise ever, including Star Wars -- a major awards push in the coming weeks and months. Will the strategy employed by the Lord of the Rings franchise -- to encourage voters to reward the entire franchise by rewarding the final installment -- work for this franchise, too? That one was the vision of a single auteur (Peter Jackson), whereas this one has featured contributions from a wide variety of people (including top-notch folks like Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell, and David Yates). Will that help or hurt it with the Academy? It will be interesting to see. A new report claims that The Weinstein Company has been "quietly putting on test screenings" of John Hillcoat's prohibition-era crime drama The Wettest County in the World, which stars Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pearce and Mia Wasikowska, among others -- this despite the fact that studio officials have insisted to me that it will not be snuck into the 2011 race as a last-minute surprise, a la Clint Eastwood's films Million Dollar Baby (2004) and Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), both of which wound up scoring best pic Oscar nods. (The former won). Is Weinstein, as this report suggests, "trying to ascertain if he needs to throw another film into the fray"? Between The Artist, The Iron Lady, My Week with Marilyn, Coriolanus, The Bully Project, and Undefeated, it seems to me that the little studio's plate is already quite full... but I suppose they could always make room for more. The Academy has released its short lists of the films that will be eligible for nominations in the categories of best foreign language film (63 countries submitted entries) and best documentary short (eight have been named, from which three to five will be nominated). This week marked the release of the first trailers for Fox Searchlight's Shame and Roadside Attractions's Albert Nobbs; a new clip of Phase 4 Films's Another Happy Day (which we exclusively debuted on The Race); and the DVD and Blu-Ray of Fox Searchlight's The Tree of Life. BEST PICTURE Frontrunners The Artist (The Weinstein Company, 11/23, TBA, trailer) War Horse (Disney, 12/25, TBA, teaser) Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Warner Brothers, 12/25, TBA, trailer) The Descendants (Fox Searchlight, 11/23, R, trailer) Midnight in Paris (Sony Pictures Classics, 5/20, PG-13, trailer) Moneyball (Columbia, 9/23, TBA, trailer) J. Edgar (Warner Brothers, 11/11, R, trailer) The Help (Disney, 8/12, PG-13, trailer) The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Sony, 12/21, TBA, trailer) The Iron Lady (The Weinstein Company, 12/21, TBA, teaser) Major Threats Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (Focus Features, 12/9, TBA, trailer) The Ides of March (Sony, 10/14, TBA, trailer) The Tree of Life (Fox Searchlight, 5/27, PG-13, trailer) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2 (Warner Brothers, 7/15, PG-13, trailer) Drive (FilmDistrict, 9/16, R, trailer) My Week With Marilyn (The Weinstein Company, 11/23, TBA, TBA) Carnage (Sony Pictures Classics, 12/16, R, trailer) The Adventures of Tintin (Paramount, 12/21, TBA, trailer) Possibilities We Bought a Zoo (20th Century Fox, 12/23, TBA, trailer) Like Crazy (Paramount Vantage, 10/28, PG-13, trailer) Young Adult (Paramount, 12/9, TBA, TBA) A Dangerous Method (Sony Pictures Classics, 11/23, TBA, trailer) Super 8 (Paramount, 6/10, PG-13, trailer) Hugo (Paramount, 11/23, TBA, trailer) 50/50 (Summit, 9/30, R, trailer) The Way (Producers Distribution Agency, 10/7, TBA, trailer) In the Land of Blood and Honey (FilmDistrict, 12/23, TBA, TBA) BEST DIRECTOR Frontrunners Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) Steven Spielberg (War Horse) Stephen Daldry (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Alexander Payne (The Descendants) Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris) Major Threats Clint Eastwood (J. Edgar) Bennett Miller (Moneyball) David Fincher (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) George Clooney (The Ides of March) Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life) Tate Taylor (The Help) Roman Polanski (Carnage) Phyllida Lloyd (The Iron Lady) Tomas Alfredson (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) Possibilities Steven Spielberg (The Adventures of Tintin) Martin Scorsese (Hugo) Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive) Cameron Crowe (We Bought a Zoo) Jason Reitman (Young Adult) David Cronenberg (A Dangerous Method) Simon Curtis (My Week With Marilyn) Angelina Jolie (In the Land of Blood and Honey) BEST ACTOR Frontrunners Jean Dujardin (The Artist) Brad Pitt (Moneyball) George Clooney (The Descendants) Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar) Michael Fassbender (Shame) Major Threats Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) Woody Harrelson (Rampart) Ryan Gosling (The Ides of March) Ryan Gosling (Drive) Anton Yelchin (Like Crazy) Michael Shannon (Take Shelter) Daniel Craig (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) Thomas Horn (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Jeremy Irvine (War Horse) Owen Wilson (Midnight in Paris) Possibilities Paul Giamatti (Win Win) Matt Damon (We Bought a Zoo) Christoph Waltz (Carnage) John C. Reilly (Carnage) Joseph Gordon-Levitt (50/50) Demian Bichir (A Better Life) Michael Fassbender (A Dangerous Method) Martin Sheen (The Way) Rhys Ifans (Anonymous) Tom Hardy (Warrior) Johnny Depp (The Rum Diary) BEST ACTRESS Frontrunners Viola Davis (The Help) Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn) Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady) Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs) Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) Major Threats Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) Felicity Jones (Like Crazy) Charlize Theron (Young Adult) Keira Knightley (A Dangerous Method) Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin) Jodie Foster (Carnage) Kate Winslet (Carnage) Possibilities Mia Wasikowska (Jane Eyre) Ellen Barkin (Another Happy Day) Michelle Yeoh (The Lady) Rachel Weisz (The Whistleblower) Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia) Vera Farmiga (Higher Ground) Adepero Oduye (Pariah) Saoirse Ronan (Hanna) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Frontrunners Christopher Plummer (Beginners) Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn) Jim Broadbent (The Iron Lady) Tom Hanks (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Major Threats Jonah Hill (Moneyball) George Clooney (The Ides of March) John Hawkes (Martha Marcy May Marlene) Albert Brooks (Drive) Viggo Mortensen (A Dangerous Method) Brad Pitt (The Tree of Life) Jeffrey Wright (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Possibilities Nick Nolte (Warrior) Armie Hammer (J. Edgar) Andy Serkis (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Ides of March) Patton Oswalt (Young Adult) Thomas Haden Church (We Bought a Zoo) Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin) Corey Stoll (Midnight in Paris) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Frontrunners Berenice Bejo (The Artist) Octavia Spencer (The Help) Vanessa Redgrave (Coriolanus) Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) Jessica Chastain (The Help) Major Threats Sandra Bullock (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Carey Mulligan (Shame) Emily Watson (War Horse) Judy Greer (The Descendants) Jessica Chastain (The Tree of Life) Evan Rachel Wood (The Ides of March) Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs) Possibilities Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) Bryce Dallas Howard (The Help) Judi Dench (J. Edgar) Naomi Watts (J. Edgar) Scarlett Johansson (We Bought a Zoo) Anna Kendrick (50/50) BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Frontrunners Richard Curtis, Lee Hall (War Horse) Eric Roth (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash (The Descendants) Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian (Moneyball) Tate Taylor (The Help) Major Threats Steven Zaillian (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) George Clooney, Grant Heslov (The Ides of March) Roman Polanski (Carnage) Hossein Amini (Drive) Cameron Crowe, Aline Brosh McKenna (We Bought a Zoo) Possibilities Pedro Almodovar (The Skin I Live In) James Ellroy, Oren Moverman (Rampart) John Logan (Hugo) Christopher Hampton (A Dangerous Method) Emilio Estevez (The Way) John Logan (Coriolanus) John Banville, Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs) BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Frontrunners Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris) Dustin Lance Black (J. Edgar) Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady) Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life) Major Threats Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy Mae Marlene) Asghar Farhadi (A Separation) Diablo Cody (Young Adult) Drake Doremus, Ben York Jones (Like Crazy) Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter) Tom McCarthy, Joe Tiboni (Win Win) Possibilities Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids) J.J. Abrams (Super 8) Adrian Hodges (My Week with Marilyn) Will Reiser (50/50) Rebecca Frayne (The Lady) Mike Mills (Beginners) Dee Rees (Pariah) Angelina Jolie (In the Land of Blood and Honey) BEST ANIMATED FILM (FEATURE) Frontrunners The Adventures of Tintin (Paramount, 12/21, TBA, trailer) Rango (Paramount, 3/4, PG, trailer) Happy Feet 2 (Warner Brothers, 11/18, TBA, TBA, trailer) Cars 2 (Disney, 6/24, TBA, trailer) Arthur Christmas (Sony, 11/23, TBA, trailer) Major Threats Puss in Boots (DreamWorks, 11/4, TBA, trailer) Rio (20th Century Fox, 4/15, G, trailer) Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked (20th Century Fox, 12/11, TBA, TBA) Winnie the Pooh (Disney, 7/15, G, trailer) Possibilities Kung Fu Panda 2 (DreamWorks, 5/26, PG, trailer) The Smurfs (Sony, 7/29, TBA, trailer) The Lion of Judah (Animated Family Films, 6/3, TBA, trailer) BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM (FEATURE) Frontrunners The Interrupters (The Cinema Guild, 7/29, TBA, trailer) Project Nim (Roadside Attractions, 7/8, PG-13, trailer) Buck (IFC Films, 6/17, PG, trailer) Senna (Producers Distribution Agency, 8/12, PG-13, trailer) If a Tree Falls (Oscilloscope, 6/22, TBA, trailer) Major Threats Hell and Back Again (Docurama Films, 10/5, TBA, trailer) Cave of Forgotten Dreams (IFC Films, 4/29, G, trailer) Into the Abyss (Sundance Selects, 11/11, TBA, TBA) Koran by Heart (HBO Documentary Films, TBA, TBA, trailer) Page One: Inside the NY Times (Magnolia, 6/24, TBA, trailer) Tabloid (Sundance Selects, 7/15, R, trailer) Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (Submarine Deluxe, TBA, trailer) Magic Trip (Magnolia, 8/5, TBA, trailer) Bill Cunningham NY (Zeitgeist Films, 3/16, TBA, trailer) Possibilities The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (Sundance Selects, 9/9, TBA, trailer) Pearl Jam Twenty (Abramorama, 9/20, R, trailer) Bobby Fischer Against the World (HBO Documentary Films, TBA, TBA, TBA) The Whale (Paladin, TBA, TBA, TBA) The Bully Project (The Weinstein Company, TBA, TBA, trailer) Revenge of the Electric Car (Westmidwest Productions, TBA, TBA, trailer) The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (Sony Pictures Classics, 4/22, PG-13, trailer) African Cats (Disney, 4/22, G, trailer) Life in a Day (National Geographic, 7/29, PG-13, trailer) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Bombay Beach The Carrier Footnote BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM Frontrunners A Separation (Iran) Where Do We Go Now? (Lebanon) In Darkness (Poland) Monsieur Lazhar (Canada) Postcard (Japan) Major Threats Le Havre (Finland) Declaration of War (France) Happy, Happy (Norway) Omar Killed Me (Morocco) Pina (Germany) Sonny Boy (Netherlands) Possibilities Black Bread (Spain) Montevideo: Taste of a Dream (Serbia) The Flowers of War (China) The Turin Horse (Hungary) Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (Turkey) Morgen (Romania) As If I Am Not There (Ireland) The Rum Diary The Adventures of Tintin The Descendants

Tom Savini will appear in Django Unchained

Special effects genius Tom Savini will appear in front of the camera in Quentin Tarantino's slave western Django Unchained.Savini's playing Elvis Brittle, one of the outlaw Brittle brothers who sell Django and his wife Broomhilda into a life of slavery, instigating the circumstances that lead to Django's rampage of revenge.Savini's worked with Tarantino before of course, acting alongside him in From Dusk 'Til Dawn, and appearing in Tarantino-related projects Planet Terror and Machete, but this is the first time QT will be calling action on his old pal.Savini joins an already impressive cast which includes Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L Jackson, Kurt Russell and Don Johnson.Django Unchained will be released in 2012, which is currently looking to be the greatest year in the history of cinema.

London Film Fest Opens With Law, Weisz in '360'

LONDON (AP) The London Film Festival, an international cinema showcase, opens Wednesday with "360," a fittingly globe-spanning drama that moves from London to Vienna, Rio de Janeiro and Denver, Colorado.The film by "City of God" director Fernando Meirelles stars Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law and Rachel Weisz in a daisy chain of interlinked love stories based on Arthur Schnitzler's century-old play "La Ronde."The two-week festival features more than 300 features and shorts from 55 countries. It promises something for cinephiles and celebrity-watchers alike including two star turns from George Clooney. He directed and stars in political thriller "The Ides of March" and plays a detached father thrust into a caring role in Alexander Payne's "The Descendants."Stars expected on the red carpet range from funnyman Seth Rogen to dramatic powerhouse Michael Fassbender playing both a sex addict in Steve McQueen's "Shame" and Carl Jung in David Cronenberg's psychoanalytic drama "A Dangerous Method."Films with literary roots include Ralph Fiennes' directorial debut, "Coriolanus," Andrew Arnold's brooding "Wuthering Heights" and "Trishna," and Michael Winterbottom's India-set take on Thomas Hardy's "Tess of the D'Urbervilles," starring Freida Pinto.Founded in 1957 to show the best of the year's world cinema to a British audience, the festival has in the past few years tried to carve out a place on the international festival calendar with bigger pictures and more glittering stars.While most of the films have already made their debuts at Sundance, Cannes, Toronto or Venice, there are 13 world premieres in the lineup, most of them new British features.Highlights include "The Kid With a Bike," a drama from Belgium's Dardenne brothers; Nanni Moretti's Vatican satire "We Have a Pope"; Sundance hit "Martha Marcy May Marlene," starring Elizabeth Olsen as a traumatized cult runaway; and French director Michael Hazanavicius' delightful silent-film homage "The Artist."Controversy may be provided by "W.E." Madonna's take on the romance between King Edward VIII and American divorcee Wallis Simpson, critically derided at its Venice debut and Roland Emmerich's Shakespeare-bashing "Anonymous," which stars Rhys Ifans as the putative true author of the Bard's plays.On Oct. 26, the festival will hand out a best-picture prize, from a shortlist that includes "The Artist, "The Descendants," Aleksandr Sokurov's Venice Film festival winner "Faust" and Lynne Ramsay's high school massacre drama "We Need to Talk About Kevin."The festival closes Oct. 27 with "Deep Blue Sea," which stars Rachel Weisz, Tom Hiddleston and Simon Russell Beale stiff upper lips a-quiver in Terence Davies' adaptation of Terrence Rattigan's play about a postwar love triangle.Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

IMG Letter Removed Mike Ovitz From Board

Michael Ovitz And IMG World And Teddy Forstmanns Brain Cancer: The Actual Story, As Well As What Ovitz Explained About This There won't be any formal announcement because IMG frantically wants all of the harmful speak with quiet lower.Therefore the unsavory Michael Ovitz situation was handled in privatethis week having a formal IMG letter getting rid of him from owner Teddy Forstmann’s advisory board. (One insider informs me that three other board people who backed Ovitz’s allegedtakeoverattempt were removed too. However I don't have any additional confirmation so won’t get into detail.)Thus ignobly finishes another of Ovitz’s longest personal and professional associations after hewas charged with maneuveringto run and/or own the worldwide management and production giantwhile 71-year-old Teddy fought brain cancer.The accusations against Ovitz incorporated that hewas bothering management by demanding IMG financial records pressuring leader/COO Mike Dolan and senior IMG professionals to are accountable to him by trying to setup a so-known as executive committee inside the board to supervise IMG activities due to Forstmanns illness and treatment and approaching Forstmann, Little & Co partners and traders letting them know he was thinking about purchasing IMG using the backing of Greg OHara, the controlling director of 1 Equity Partners LLC. Ovitz strenuously refused tome all of the allegationsand was adamant that running Teds clients are not something Im thinking about at this time. My job would be to support my pal who's really sick.” On the other hand, with buddies such as this around the eve of Yom Yippur, who needs opponents?

Watercooler: Gossip Girl's Best Non-Couple

Penn Badgley, Leighton Meester OK, we all know we have stated it before, but this bears repeating: Serta and Blair take Gossip Girl to another level.Despite the fact that they might not be couple-ant like these were last season, the authors have sensibly restored the pairing by reducing them in to the type of friendship the show needed. Honest, humorous and, obviously, peppered with La Waldorf's haughty Upper East snide commentary regarding their class variations, the mismatched buds would be the realest factor moving in a global where Serena can land employment in Hollywood simply by getting read a magazine and Elizabeth Hurley really wants to do Nate inside a stairwell.Last evening, we've got another dose of Penn Badgley and Leighton Meester's engaging dynamic after Serta hauled themself from Brooklyn to provide Blair an assist as she battled together with her secret pregnancy. Should she tell Prince Snoozy, despite the fact that the infant may be Chuck's? Or should she keep quiet and risk a royal scandal giving birth to some Bass-tard? You will find very difficult solutions, without a doubt, however when she confessed to Lonely Boy that they was "afraid to get rid of everything" and that he responded, "you will still have me," there is no question that people XOXO both of these as part of your.How about you? Are you currently digging Serta and Blair as besties?Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

The Five Primary Motivations for Releasing an Oscar Hopeful in December

Sony Pictures The vast majority of this year's awards hopefuls have already played at least once on the festival circuit (Sundance, Berlin, Cannes, Telluride, Toronto, and/or NY) and/or gone into general release. Most of those that have not are set for October or November releases. But a select few others are being held until December, the last month in which they are eligible to qualify for Oscar consideration this year, and are being screened for the press only selectively before then, if at all. PHOTOS: Oscars Party Pics We all know that it is generally imprudent to release awards hopefuls early in the year -- though there have been exceptions (most recently The Hurt Locker), early releases tend to be forgotten and/or drowned out by the end of the year rush, when invitations to screenings and screeners of newer films with fresher hype start to pile up and the strategic challenge and cost of reviving interest in earlier films can be enormous. But why wait until so late in the awards season to unveil a contender? PHOTOS: Backstage at the 83rd Academy Awards I had my own suspicions, but decided to reach out to several top awards strategists for their take, and have come up with five different motivations. As you can see below, I believe that each of this year's end-of-the-year releases falls under at least one of them. "The Last Man Standing" Definition: A film that has the on-paper pedigree of a major contender and hopes to swoop in and take over the conversation after everyone else has already shown their hands. Past Examples: A Beautiful Mind (12/21/01); Gangs of NY (12/20/02); Cold Mountain (12/25/03); The Aviator (12/17/04); Dreamgirls (12/15/06) 2011 Examples: Young Adult (12/9), a dramedy written by Oscar winner Diablo Cody, directed by Oscar nominee Jason Reitman, and starring Oscar winner Charlize Theron; Carnage (12/16), a dramedy adapted from a hit Broadway production, co-written for the screen/directed by Oscar winner Roman Polanski and starring Oscar winners Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, and Christoph Waltz, plus Oscar nominee John C. Reilly; We Bought a Zoo (12/23), a dramedy adapted from a best-selling novel, co-written for the screen/directed by Oscar winner Cameron Crowe and starring Oscar winner Matt Damon; War Horse (12/25), a drama adapted from a best-selling novel-turned-hit Broadway production, directed by Oscar winner Steven Spielberg, and with contributions from an Oscar-winning team of collaborators including producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, film editor Michael Kahn, and composer John Williams. Upside: The "old-school model," it allows a film to avoid the festival circuit (where it would be just one of many films being discussed, could get knocked down a notch, and, even if it survives intact, would have to try to maintain momentum for months thereafter), and to instead drop in like a shiny new toy right before the end of the eligibility period. Downside: As other contenders fall short of expectations, anticipation only builds for those that have not yet been seen. High hopes -- and particularly the "frontrunner" label -- can prove very hard to live up to. * * * "The Opportunist" Definition: A film that is primarily aimed at making money over the holidays, and for which any awards attention will be seen as icing on the cake. Past Examples: Titanic (12/19/97); The Great Debaters (12/25/07); The Lovely Bones (12/11/09); It's Complicated (12/25/09); Avatar (12/18/10) 2011 Examples: The Adventures of Tintin (12/21), Steven Spielberg's animated/motion-capture 3D adaptation of a popular series of comic books, produced by Spielberg, Peter Jackson, and Kathleen Kennedy and featuring the work of the master of motion capture, Andy Serkis, among others; The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (12/21), David Fincher's adaptation of Stieg Larsson's blockbuster novel-turned-Swedish film, which up-and-comer Rooney Mara (The Social Network) as the title character opposite James Bond himself, Daniel Craig. Upside: When it comes to the end of the year, making money and garnering awards attention often go hand-in-hand, so if a studio can accomplish its primary objective of connecting in a big way with the general public then it will also only improve its chances of connecting with awards voters. Downside: Not crafting an awards strategy early on can put you at a great disadvantage when going head-to-head with films that have. With the money that Avatar wound up making, Fox could have afforded to hire every awards strategist out there, but because the studio was so focused on making back its huge investment at the box-office (understandably), they didn't really have any pros working on awards strategy until The Hurt Locker's "David vs. Goliath" and "ex-wife vs. ex-husband" narratives had already taken hold, costing it the best picture Oscar. * * * "The Late Scramble" Definition: A film that was only recently completed and is being quickly turned around in time to qualify for eligibility this year. Past Examples: Million Dollar Baby (12/15/04); Letters from Iwo Jima (12/20/06); The Reader (12/10/08) 2011 Examples: The Iron Lady (12/21), Phyllida Lloyd's biopic of Margaret Thatcher, which stars Lloyd's Mamma Mia! (2008) star Meryl Streep as the title character, only wrapped post-production days ago; Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (12/25), Stephen Daldry's adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer's best-selling novel, which stars Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, among others, and which was only shot earlier this year, and which is still being finished. (I have heard rumors that The Weinstein Company might surprise people with John Hillcoat's star-studded The Wettest County in the World before the year comes to a close, but the studio, which already has its hands full with numerous other awards hopefuls, insists that it has no such plans.) Upside: As Clint Eastwood films have proven on numerous occasions, dropping a quality film into a race that few ever thought it would ever be a part of can reap great rewards. Downside: Strategists' hands are largely tied, in the sense that even they themselves can't see the film until only shortly before everyone else has to, leaving them little time to reframe expectations, drum up interest, book screening rooms, and get the film and talent in front of the various critics and awards groups. * * * "The Titillator" Definition: A film with controversial/risque content is given early screenings on the festival circuit and then goes away for a while, hoping to ride early festival buzz/curiosity late into the season. Past Examples: Brokeback Mountain (12/16/05); Atonement (12/7/07); Blue Valentine (12/29/10) 2011 Examples: Shame (12/?), Steve McQueen's sure-fire NC-17 film starring Michael Fassbender, in the performance that won him the best actor award at September's Venice Film Festival, as a sex addict (who spends much of the movie completely nude and engaged in sexual acts) and Carey Mulligan as his troubled sister (who is also shown nude in an extended full-frontal scene); Pariah (12/28), Dee Rees's semi-autobiographical film, which impressed at Sundance, starring Adepero Oduye as a young semi-closeted lesbian (who is shown engaging in sex acts, playing with sex toys, and dancing to sexually-explicit songs); We Need to Talk About Kevin (12/?), Lynne Ramsey's disturbing drama about a mother (Tilda Swinton) whose son (Ezra Miller) goes on a killing rampage at his school, which played at Cannes, Telluride, and Toronto, and raises difficult questions about whether an evil person is born or becomes that way. Upside: The early screenings get people talking -- "The movie is so crazy/disturbing/realistic... I wouldn't be surprised if Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams actually had sex in it" or "The movie is fascinating... and Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan both have scenes of full frontal nudity!" -- causing interest to spread like wildfire ("I've heard it's unlike anything else out there!"). These sorts of films often result in acting nominations (which are chosen by actors, who tend to admire and reward risk-taking), but not much else. Downside: Titillating content, in and of itself, is never enough to get a movie into phase two, so it better have more to it than just that. * * * "The Chris Christie" Definition: A film that few really expect to be in the running this year, but that could still surprise us. Past Examples: Breaking and Entering (12/15/06); Factory Girl (12/29/06); Miss Potter (12/29/06) 2011 Examples: Butter (12/?), an entertaining light comedy starring Jennifer Garner that screened at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals and is set to be distributed by The Weinstein Company; In the Land of Blood and Honey (12/23), a low-budget indie written and directed by Angelina Jolie and set to be distributed by little FilmDistrict; The Lady (12/?), a quiet, understated historical drama directed by Luc Besson and starring Michelle Yeoh that played at Toronto, where its distribution rights were purchased by the Cohen Media Group; Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (12/?), a drama written by Oscar winner Simon Beaufoy, directed by Oscar nominee Lasse Hallstrom, and starring Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, and Oscar nominee Kristin Scott Thomas that premiered at Toronto and was acquired there for a considerable sum by CBS Films. Upside: Low expectations. Downside: Low profile. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Lionsgate To Adapt YA Series 'Chaos Walking'

Lionsgate, already in production on the high-profile adapation of book sensation The Hunger Games, has picked up the feature rights of another award-winning young adult novel series, Chaos Walking by Patrick Ness. Doug Davison, the one-time partner at Vertigo Entertainment whose credits include How to Train Your Dragon and The Grudge, will produce via his new label, Quadrant Pictures. The trilogy is set in a dystopian future against a backdrop where humans are colonizing a distant Earth-like planet. When a phenomenon called the Noise allows everyone's thoughts to be heard, wiping away all privacy, the corrupt mayor of the colony makes a play to seize power and wipe out the indigenous alien race, with only a young man being the only one to stop him. STORY: Lionsgate Developing 'Dead Island' Zombie Pic The books, published by Candlewick Press in the US and Walker Books in the UK, have won critical praise and numerous awards; the series was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, one of the highest honors in the kidlit world, with the final book winning the prize this past June. Some critics have compared the dark tone to Hunger Games, something not lost on Lionsgate. "Apart from the story elements, the world in the stories is so vividly imagined," said Lionsgate co-COO and motion picture group president Joe Drake. "These are books, much like The Hunger Games, that we feel truly beg to be brought to life on film." Ness, an American who lives in the UK, is repped by Michelle Kass Associates in London and Berh Abramson in LA. Lionsgate

Amy Baer exits CBS Films

BaerFour years after joining CBS Films, Amy Baer is ankling her post as president and CEO, and plans to segue into a producer role.Her departure corresponds with the end of her contract, which concludes at the end of October. CBS topper Leslie Moonves, who created CBS Films as a home for mid-budget mainstream titles, confirmed the departure via a statement issued Thursday."We thank Amy for her important role in building CBS Films," he said. "Going forward, we remain fully committed to the division's focus on a targeted slate of smart acquisitions and quality homegrown productions in all genres."CBS did not indicate who will succeed Baer. A CBS Films insider indicated Thursday that the current top execs are expected to remain in place, including chief operating officer Wolfgang Hammer, VP of acquisitions Scott Shooman and distribution topper Steven Friedlander.Additionally, the basic aim of CBS Films -- filling the gap left by the majors for moderately priced titles with wide appeal -- isn't expected to change. The company plans to release about six pics a year with about half being produced internally and half being acquisitions.Baer's first role as a producer will be on CBS Films' comedy "Last Vegas," with Jon Turteltaub directing.CBS Films made the largest acquisition at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival earlier this month with a $5 million deal for Lasse Hallstrom's "Salmon Fishing In The Yemen." The company is also working on horror thriller "7500," which will launch production next month with Takashi Shimizu (''The Grudge'') directing. It's developing "Hellfest," with Gale Anne Hurd producing, and spy thriller "American Assassin" with Edward Zwick directing an adaptation of the Vince Flynn novel about counterterrorism agent Mitch Rapp.CBS Films' first released "Extraordinary Measures," which performed poorly, followed by "The Back-Up Plan," "Faster," "Beastly" and "The Mechanic." It also acquired a reboot of "Gambit" and "Woman in Black," due out Feb. 3.Baer took the CBS Films job after serving as one of Sony's longest-serving executives, rising to exec VP in 1998. During her time at Sony, she oversaw production on "My Best Friend's Wedding," "The Mask of Zorro," "SWAT," "Something's Gotta Give" and "The Pursuit of Happyness."Baer worked at TriStar Pictures from 1992-97. She was also director of development at Guber-Peters Entertainment Co., where she helped develop "Jumanji" and "Single White Female" and began her career at CAA in 1988 as an assistant to the late Jay Moloney. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

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'Butter': Jennifer Garner Campaigns like a Bachmann Wanted Clone (Video)

In the Toronto Film Festival, Harvey Weinstein launched an argument inviting Republican presidential candidate Bachmann Wanted towards the Iowa premiere of his approaching film Butter inside a very finely veiled poke in the Tea Party and Republican party. Now, audiences are becoming their first consider the Weinstein Co. film, which stars Jennifer Garner as Laura Pickler, an uptight housewife from who aims to win a butter carving championship, but her win is threatened with a youthful, adopted African-American girl with natural talent. STORY: Toronto 2011: Harvey Weinstein Pokes Fun at Bachmann Wanted and Tea Party Before 'Butter' Screening Within the clip, Garner's character is giving an address prior to the outcomes of your competition are introduced. As the film's premise should be a metaphor for that 2008 presidential race of Hillary Clinton and Obama (Pickler's husband has already been a proficient butter carver), Garner's character comes off like a more Sarah Palin/ Bachmann Wanted character. VIDEO: Toronto 2011: Olivia Wilde on Celebrity Mania, Most sexy Lists, and Playing a Bisexual Stripper in 'Butter' "Many people appear to consider this levels of competition are about who's probably the most disadvantaged," Garner's character states in her own speech. "I apologize which i was created whitened and tall and pretty." TELLURIDE REVIEW: Butter The Weinstein Co. film, that also stars Yara Shahidi, Ty Burrell, Ashley Greene and Olivia Wilde, may have a 1-week Oscar run in October before a wider release in 2012. Harvey Weinstein Jennifer Garner Ty Burrell The Weinstein Company Butter

Southwest Air carriers Declines Incident With 'L Word' Actress Was Discrimination

After a little backwards and forwards between Southwest Air carriers and L Word actress Leisha Hailey and her partner, Uh Huh Her band mate Camila Gray, the organization has launched an up-to-date statement around the incident following an analysis from the claims. STORY: 'L Word's' Leisha Hailey Responds to Southwest Air carriers: Our actions Weren't 'Excessive, Inappropriate or Vulgar' "Additional reviews from your employees and clients onboard flight 2274 throughout an end in El Paso on Sunday now confirm profane language had been used noisally by two people," the up-to-date statement reads. "A minumum of one family who had been upset through the noisy profanity gone to live in another part of the cabin." "Although we now have reviews of the items clients characterize being an excessive public display of love, ultimately their aggressive reaction brought for their removal in the aircraft," the statement continues. "We don't tolerate discrimination against anybody unconditionally. In cases like this, their removal was directly and exclusively associated with the increased conversation that developed onboard the aircraft." This up-to-date statement and also the one launched by Hailey and Gray previously Tuesday really agree with the reality that the verbal exchange grew to become elevated. The pair admit they grew to become "vocally upset" once they claim the flight attendant said excitedly the organization is really a "family oriented air travel." STORY: Southwest Air carriers Sparks Outcry After Kicking 'L Word' Actress Off Flight for Kissing Girlfriend The 2 claims also appear to agree the couple was contacted initially according to customer complaints proclaiming that the display of love was "excessive." Which might be the purpose of contention for Hailey and Gray who condition, "I was not making out or creating any type of spectacle of ourselves, it had been one, modest hug." Southwest Air carriers didn't immediately return a request clarification. Nonetheless, the air travel continues to condition its "tenets of inclusion and celebration of diversity among our clients and employees, including individuals within the LGBT towns, anchor the west of mutual respect and following a Golden Rule." The air travel states its "Customer Advocacy Team arrived at to extend goodwill along with a 100 % refund to have an experience that fell lacking the people' expectation." PHOTOS: 12 Hollywood Air travel Controversies Hailey and Gray appear at first sight filing a proper complaint using the air travel with the hope that "when all is stated and done a larger tolerance without prejudice will evolve." Related Subjects Leisha Hailey The L Word

Surprise 8-Minute Girl while using Dragon Tattoo Trailer Comprises A Scenario for your Fincher Remake

Inside the summer season, audiences got their first taste of David Fincher’s British-language version in the Girl while using Dragon Tattoo like a “leaked” trailer that was either stolen and placed online or (more likely) a fantastically secretive little bit of marketing posed becoming an accidental viral phenomenon. Now something referred to as Mouth Recorded Shut (http://mouth-recorded-shut.com/) first demonstrated announcing a distinctive surprise installed on numerous “secret” regional tests of approaching The brand new the new sony films Hay Dogs and Moneyball. That surprise switched to become an eight-minute preview trailer for Fincher’s Dragon Tattoo. I caught the surprise sneak preview before a Screen Gems screening of Hay Dogs on Wednesday evening in La. The big thought here isn’t a great deal the Dragon Tattoo blitz is, really, quite organized in the new the new sony (someone over there's an advertising genius, even if the studio never takes credit with this particular campaign — no less than, until Oscar time) but that Fincher’s version of Stieg Larsson’s novel The Woman while using Dragon Tattoo really seems to warrant its own existence just like a remake of Swedish director Niels Arden Oplev’s already pretty great 2010 film adaptation. That film version of Dragon Tattoo starred Swedish actress Noomi Rapace in the star-making role as Lisbeth Salander, the damaged, cyber-punk heroine of Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy. Rapace’s feral, coldly distant portrayal of Salander made an appearance unmatchable when the idea of a Hollywood film adaptation, striking screens stateside within couple of years in the Swedish version, was sailed. Despite the fact that that first teaser trailer was intriguing alone — flashes of images and seems at American actress Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander, based on Trent Reznor’s highly-charged score — the completely new, “secret” (read: designed to become viral) eight-minute preview supplies a so much much deeper, much more convincing argument for why Fincher’s version will stand completely alone. One reason: Mara’s Lisbeth seems to become different creature than Rapace’s Lisbeth. To start with, there’s her appearance. Mara’s Lisbeth feels and appears a lot more alien than her predecessor her eye eyebrows are bleached, the kind of detail that leaves an unsettling impression even when you're able to to’t quite place your finger on why. Her makeup is smokier, her physique more angular inside the trailer, someone even highlights how skinny she's, which she waves off. Mara seems more fragile than Rapace in manners, but there’s another quality in their eyes. Not better, just different — enough to convince that yes, this new Lisbeth might offer something totally new that’s worth watching, extending its love to people who’ve seen the Swedish version. For the uninitiated, the eight minutes of connected plot and intrigue and photographs won’t look like much more than an elaborate mystery tale, that's what Dragon Tattoo will there be’s enough plot in Larsson’s trilogy-beginning novel to fill multiple hundreds of minutes of runtime, as well as convey the gist from this all-in-one trailer. That's where the eight minutes prove helpful it’s time enough presenting your two protagonists, Salander and her journalist counterpart Mikael Blomkvist (Difficulties), explain the wealthy guy named Vanger (Christopher Plummer) has hired the pair to check out the decades-old disappearance of his beloved niece, meet Vanger’s respectable searching but suspect family people, explore handsomely-shot flashbacks, show the duo finding strange Spiritual clues for the mystery and dip into the separate backstories of Salander and Blomkvist in addition to their particular personal lives and provides flashes of thrills and action sequences. More to the stage, the eight minute trailer allows the individual performances to breathe, showing the film’s identifiable cast of stars can easily disappear into the material although speaking lilting, Swedish-outlined British. This achieves another Hollywood remakes of language films frequently don't: it proves there’s an advantage in remaking a film in British for British audiences. I’m usually in the “just read subtitles, people” camping, where Hollywood versions of great foreign films appear redundant once the original versions are perfect themselves Let the most appropriate one In, for example, will be a language film (Swedish too, coincidentally) that we didn’t feel tips from being remade by getting an Americanized setting or possibly in British for simple understanding. Here, however — even just in a preview — the text adjustment seems to produce the performances and story more immersive. Combined having a charging, tinkling score that crescendos and Fincher’s deft visual work, which evolves palpable atmosphere in just snatches of full moments, this feels as if another animal from Oplev’s film. Same story, same figures (minor diversions still appear, for example having a scene showing Lisbeth’s run-together with her abusive counselor that may restrain in which the Swedish film went), slightly different mood and temperature. It’s unknown setup eight-minute preview will probably be installed on theatrical The brand new the new sony/Screen Gems tests beyond the Mouth Recorded Shut promo occasions, but consider this to debut online inside the future, possibly like a shrewdly timed “leak.”

Gregorio Gonzalez sets new projects

GonzalezChile's Gregorio Gonzalez, producer of "The Maid," has unveiled two productions at Toronto: thesp Alvaro Viguera's "Perez" and Isidora Marras' "R. Lorena." Written by actress Elisa Zulueta, adapting her own hit stage play, "Perez" turns on a father's conflicted re-encounter with a 22-year-old daughter he's long ignored. Produced by Antonia Santa Maria, pic toplines Santa Maria, Luis Gnecco, a star of HBO Latin America series "Profugos," and Natalia Grez ("Metro cuadrado"). Forastero, Gonzalez's shingle, has taken co-production equity in "Perez," covering post-prod costs. "R. Lorena," an identity thriller, follows a young woman whose mother suffers Alzheimer's and is suddenly hounded by collection agencies, which mistake her for someone else. Produced by Forastero exec Josefina Undurraga, and co-produced by 1.90 Cine Digital and Don Quijote Films, "R. Lorena" shoots early 2012. Meanwhile, Dominga Sotomayor's "From Thursday to Sunday" is in advanced post-prod, and Sebastian Brahm's "Roman's Circuit," screens Monday and Tuesday at Toronto's Discovery section. "Circuit" is a tale of academic ambition and the past's weight on the present. "Circuit" is sold by Shoreline Ent., "Thursday" by Urban Distribution Intl. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Watch Transformers 3 Dark Of The Moon Online Free

Exactly What Do Tyler Perry, Jerry Bruckheimer, Steven Spielberg, Elton John And Simon Cowell Share? $$$

Forbes has come forth with its annual listing of the greatest-compensated males in entertainment. Tyler Perry leads those this season with $130 million gained between May 2010 and could 2011, with five movies and 2 TV series to his credit on the two-year period. Here’s the very best 5: Perry, Jerry Bruckheimer ($113 million), Steven Spielberg ($107 million), Elton John ($100 million) and Simon Cowell ($90 million).

'Contagion' could infect grown ups at B.O.

Steven Soderberghs thriller Contagion is riding a Venice fest berth and reviews that are positive because it opens Friday. Adult-skewing fare should still reign n the domestic B.O.'s first fall frame: Having a forecasted launch north of $20 million, Warner Bros. ensembler "Contagion" looks set to wage germ warfare on three-week B.O. champion "The Assistance.Inch "Contagion," from Participant Media and Imagenation Abu Dhabi, bows alongside a set of photos specific at individuals under 25: "Warrior" and "Bucky Larson: Born to become a Star." Late August and publish-Labor Day box office is usually driven by adult fodder (e.g., 2010's "Red-colored" and "The CityInch) as well as an increase of niche game titles. A few days ago, indies bowing include Anchor Bay's Rooney Mara starrer "Tanner Hall" and IFC's Brit period laffer "Burke and Hare." Monster movie "Creature," self-written by Sid and Jon Sheinberg's Bubble Delivering, also opens wide at 1,507 locations.Overseas, Sony's "The Smurfs" could win again (cume is approaching $300 million), though game titles including "Rise from the Planet from the Apes" ($189 million) and "Final Destination 5" ($61 million) keep headway worldwide. "Contagion" bows day-and-date in Italia and more compact Asian marketplaces. It isn't surprising to determine high-profile photos like "Contagion" bow after Labor Day weekend -- in the past among the slowest weekends in the box office. Due to that stigma, some distribs steer clear of the Labor Day frame so they won't discourage filmmakers or studio executives. However the first weekend following Labor Day typically is not that busy, either. The upside is the fact that while children are busy settling into school, over-25 moviegoers tend to be more active at multiplexes and hungry for mature fare following a box office's blockbuster season. Think about "The Assistance,Inch that has made $127 million locally. "Contagion," helmed by Steven Soderbergh, sports a topnotch cast including Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Marion Cotillard. The thriller opened in the Venice Film Festival and it has tallied up largely reviews that are positive. Lionsgate stated it hopes "Warrior," starring Tom Sturdy and Joel Edgerton, will broaden to adult auds, according to positive person to person. Pic, which opens at 1,869 engagements, should play best (in the beginning) to core more youthful males, driving a forecasted opening of $six million-$8 million. The prosperity of "Warrior," allocated in a reported mid-$20 millions, will hinge about the extent from the recognition of mma. Lionsgate made the decision to sneak the pic last weekend, with a lot more advance person to person tests to segments including belief-based auds. Meanwhile, Sony's "Bucky Larson: Born to become a Star" should figure lower in overall weekend standing, by having an believed launch around $4 million. Fortunately for The new sony, the Nick Swardson laffer, in regards to a Midwesterner who moves to Hollywood to become porn star, cost under $ten million to create. The new sony mainstay Adam Sandler co-authored the script with Swardson and Allen Covert. Sandler created through his Happy Madison banner. A set of foreign niche photos also bow a few days ago within the U.S.: Bollywood film "My Brother's Bride," being distribbed by Yah Raj Films, opens at 75 engagements, while China Lion's "Love in Space," which Fox Intl. bows today in China, launches at 15 Stateside engagements. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

Faust

A Proline Film production. (International sales: Films Boutique, Berlin.) Produced by Andrey Sigle. Directed by Alexander Sokurov. Screenplay, Sokurov, Marina Koreneva, Yuri Arabov.With: Johannes Zeiler, Anton Adasinskiy, Isolda Dychauk, Georg Friedrich, Hanna Schygulla, Antje Lewald, Florian Brueckner, Sigurdur Skulasson, Maxim Mehmet. (German dialogue)Alexander Sokurov brings his singular vision to "Faust," though it's difficult to categorize the accomplishment. Forget Marlowe, Goethe, Gounod and Murnau, or rather, lay them aside, since the idiosyncratic helmer adds his own spin on the classic legend, and an over-familiarity with Faust's previous incarnations will likely hinder understanding. Sokurov conceived the film as the final part to his tetralogy of power ("Moloch," "Taurus," "The Sun"), and established fans -- the only audience for this largely impenetrable though undeniably impressive indulgence -- will fill many pages discussing how the unholy trinity became a foursome. The basic concept of Faust (Johannes Zeiler) the man is here: a professor and alchemist, craving knowledge yet incapable of being satisfied with the limitations of human understanding. He falls in love with Margarete (Isolda Dychauk, Lucrezia Borgia in the French-German TV series), for whom he signs away his soul. Sokurov's Mephistopheles however owes little to any other manifestation: He's known in the film as the Moneylender (Anton Adasinskiy), and unlike most literary embodiments, this devil is no charmer. He's a snivelly creature, quick with words but the opposite of Goethe's jocular and sensual beguiler. Perhaps Sokurov chose to make his Mephistopheles this unappealing so he could highlight Faust's bald opportunism. Not for him a wily tempter with a bag of tricks but instead a disagreeable coot who simply makes possible the lust for power that was already well established. Faust doesn't have an excuse to hide behind, but then again, neither does he in Goethe. But in painting a man who doesn't need to be seduced toward his downfall, Sokurov also creates greater parallels with the characters of his history films: Hitler, Lenin and Hirohito. In the end, though they're stylistically similar, the four films contain protags whose use and understanding of power are markedly different, and it's probably best to leave it to the elliptical helmer to elucidate this particular quartet. Which leaves "Faust" as film with a maddeningly opaque narrative and a brutalizing cascade of nonstop verbiage. The superabundance of subtitles doesn't help, impeding the eye's ability to take in the visual richness and hampering the mind's capacity to connect what's going on with the scenes before and after. About 80 minutes in, the camera stops on the silent faces of Faust and Margarete, and the audience feels they can momentarily breathe again before the next plunge. The influence of Flemish and Dutch painting on Sokurov's work has never been clearer than in "Faust," with its deep debt to the witchcraft paintings of artists such as David Teniers and Herri met de Bles. Zeiler's face comes straight out of a work by Adriaen Brouwer, and Dychauk's is pure Vermeer, especially in a ravishingly lit close-up that takes full advantage of the actress' girl-woman features. Similar to the other films in the tetralogy, "Faust" uses a sophisticated post-synch dubbing technique that plays with layering and aural planes. The device continues to fascinate, but it's used to greater effect in the earlier pics, whose more measured dialogue is better suited than the barrage of words here. Sokurov forgoes his penchant for fog-bound scenes (perhaps it was too obvious given Faust's supernatural element), and creates a world restricted to lichen tonalities, whose lack of differentiation can be tiring. Bruno Delbonnel wouldn't seem the obvious choice for a Sokurov d.p. -- "Amelie" and "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" probably don't make the Russian helmer's list of faves -- and while the stillness that marks the first films of his quartet (self-lensed) is little in evidence, visuals here are striking in their mottled gray tonalities. The opening CGI sequence feels oddly like the camera is coming down to Middle Earth, but luckily that sense soon passes, and the final sequence on an Icelandic glacier has a scope not limited by the square 1:1.33 aspect ratio, which is to be pillar-boxed and screened through a 1:1.85 lens. Less understandable than the format is the lens distortion of certain sequences, which perhaps makes sense after multiple viewings, though few will bother to find out. "What glitters, lives but for the moment; what has real worth, survives for all posterity" wrote Goethe, and only time will tell whether this "Faust" is more pyrite than gold. Art direction and costume design are derived from the Flemish and Dutch old masters, and clothes worn by Hanna Schygulla, in a brief role as the Moneylender's purported wife, provide a necessary bit of visual fun. Andrey Sigle's music, indebted in parts to Gounod, forms a near constant accompaniment.Camera (color), Bruno Delbonnel; editor, Joerg Hauschild; music, Andrey Sigle; production designer, Elena Zhukova; costume designer, Lidia Krukova; sound (Dolby Digital), Hauschild; special effects supervisors, Kamil Jaffar, Eggert Ketilsson; casting, Kristin Diehle. Reviewed at Venice Film Festival (competing), Sept. 7, 2011. (Also in Toronto Film Festival -- Masters; London Film Festival -- Film on the Square.) Running time: 133 MIN. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com