Berlinale unspools Panahi film

"This Isn't a movieInchGermany -- The Berlin Film Festival continues its support of Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who's facing six years imprisonment following a Tehran appeals court upheld the sentence earlier this year. Inside a further show of solidarity with Panahi along with other jailed filmmakers, the Berlinale is joining the German Film Academy and Berlin public radio station Radioeins to recognition Panahi having a screening of his latest film, "This Isn't a movie,Inch on November. 9 in the KulturBrauerei in Berlin as "a kind of public protest and recognition for that courage of those Iranian filmmakers who continue their work despite constant danger." Co-directed by Mojtaba Mirtahmasb -- who had been arrested in September -- the film shows each day within the existence of Panahi because he waits for several weeks under house arrest for that results of his appeal, eating breakfast, contacting his lawyer, talking using the building's maintenance guy as well as enacting roles of the planned film he continues to be prohibited from making. "'This Isn't a Film' may be the defiance of the director who cannot desist from making films and is definitely the atrociousness to be banned from his profession with no self-pity whatsoever," the Berlinale stated. "Convicting artists and banning them using their professions violates human privileges, freedom of opinion and expression within the arts," added Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick. "We dramatically condemn such infringements and wish to demonstrate our solidarity with this particular screening." In September, Mirtahmasb and fellow Iranian filmmakers and stars Katayoon Shahabi, Hadi Afarideh, Naser Safarian, Shahnam Bazdar and Mohsen Shahrnazdar were also arrested included in the Tehran government's draconian attack on experts from the Islamic regime. In December 2010 Panahi and fellow director Mohammad Rasoulof were billed with distributing "propaganda from the system," and sentenced to 6 years imprisonment and banned from making films and travelling for the following two decades. Only at that year's Berlinale the fest expressed its support, calling focus on the plight of Panahi, along with other Iranian filmmakers with numerous initiatives. Additionally, it asked Panahi for everyone around the Berlinale's worldwide jury -- something the director was not able to complete because of his arrest. Moved by his plight, the German Film Academy has released the project "Filmmakers imprisonmentInch to aid politically persecuted filmmakers. Contact Erectile dysfunction Meza at staff@variety.com

Chinglish

Comedy Chinglish explores an American entrepreneur in China who feels lost without his native tongue.A presentation by Jeffrey Richards; Jerry Frankel, Jay & Cindy Gutterman/Cathy Chernoff, Heni Koenigsberg/Lily Fan, Joseph & Matthew Deitch, Dasha Epstein, Ronald & Marc Frankel, Barry & Carole Kaye, Mary Lu Roffe; the Broadway Consortium, Ken Davenport, Filerman Bensinger, Herbert Goldsmith, Jam Theatricals, Olympus Theatricals, Playful Prods., David & Barbara Stoller, Roy Gottlieb, Mary Casey and Hunter Arnold, in association with the Goodman Theater, of a play in two acts by David Henry Hwang. Directed by Leigh Silverman.Daniel Cavanaugh - Gary Wilmes Peter Timms - Stephen Pucci Minister Cai Guoliang - Larry Lei Zhang Xi Yan - Jennifer Lim Miss Quian, Prosecutor Li - Angela Lin Miss Zhao - Christine Lin Bing, Judge Xu Geming - Johnny WuDavid Henry Hwang puts a happy face on "Chinglish," his new play about a naive American entrepreneur who crashes head-first into language and cultural barriers when he tries to do business in China. But behind its cheerful facade, this well-made comedy takes a poignant view of the profound isolation and terrible vulnerability of people who are lost without their native language. Like the delicacy of Hwang's writing, the subtlety of that point tends to get lost in the broad comic spirit of this Broadway show -- which suggests a more intimate setting for any future productions. Director Leigh Silverman, who was also at the helm when show opened to kudos at the Goodman, takes every step -- from setting a brisk performance pace for the excellent cast to staging scenes along space-filling horizontal lines -- to assert the play's unpretentious charms. David Korins' witty scenic design, in particular, creates a cozy perspective for each of the multiple scenes set in the provincial Chinese city of Guiyang where a Cleveland businessman has gone to drum up trade for his sign company back home. Revolving setpieces (depicting hotel rooms, restaurants, lecture halls and the imposing offices of the town's cultural ministers) glide in on tracks from both sides of the stage and link up in the middle like the rooms of a reconstructed dollhouse. Daniel Cavanaugh (Mr. All-American Nice Guy, in Gary Wilmes' amiable perf) is pushing a product the Chinese can really use -- signage with English translations that don't make people double up with laughter. Much hilarity is made of public notices like "Fuck the Certain Price of Goods" (for "Dry Goods Pricing Department"), the unfortunate literary efforts of Chinese translators like the hapless specimen played so amusingly here by Angela Lin. With the help of Peter Timms (played with great comic verve by Stephen Pucci), a seedy-looking expat Englishman who speaks impeccable Mandarin and serves as his translator and cultural guide, Daniel is awarded the contract to supply the signage for a new Cultural Center. But after a series of hilarious meetings with the Minister of Culture (a bureaucrat to the bone, in Larry Lei Zhang's perf) in which everyone talks at cross-purposes and no one understands what anyone else is saying (unless they can read the droll supertitles above their heads), the precious contract is withdrawn. Suspicion for the double-cross falls on Xi Yan, the gorgeous but treacherous Vice Minister played with ferocious comic energy by the enchanting Jennifer Lim. But as Daniel comes to (mis)understand, from pillow-talk exchanges with this delightful creature, Chinese business practices are no less corrupt than those conducted in the States. They're just a whole lot funnier in the convoluted argot of "Chinglish." Looking back on his education-by-fire, Daniel comes up with the sobering moral that individuals (and perhaps nations) might never be able to learn the language and bridge the vast social divide between cultures. "You can see that we don't really understand each other too well," he says, a little wistfully. But at least he tried.Sets, David Korins; costumes, Anita Yavich; lighting, Brian MacDevitt; sound, Darron L. West; projections, Jeff Sugg and Shawn Duan; cultural advisers, Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith; Mandarin Chinese translations, Candace Chong; production stage manager, Stephen M. Kaus. Opened Oct. 27, 2011. Reviewed Oct. 26. Running time: 2 HOURS. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

H&M Selling 'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo'-Inspired Clothing

Because dressing like your favorite fictional characters isn't just for Halloween, H&M is set to unveil a new line of threads inspired by Lisbeth Salander -- better known as the girl from 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.' In anticipation of the David Fincher-directed adaptation of Steig Larsson's worldwide best seller, the Swedish clothing retailer has paired with 'Dragon Tattoo' costumer designer Trish Summerville to produce the quintessential Lisbeth look. Bleached eyebrows, tattoos and piercings not included. "We took her basic pieces that we used throughout the film and did a little more fashionable version for H&M," said Summerville, who apparently "scoured" Swedish shops to find Lisbeth's look for the film. In an interview with Vogue, star Rooney Mara -- who plays Salander in the Fincher film -- revealed that pre-production on 'Dragon Tattoo' involved two days of wardrobe tests with 26 different looks for the iconic computer hacker. The Lisbeth clothing line will debut on Nov. 28 in Paris, before going onsale at H&M stores worldwide on Dec. 14. 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' hits theaters on Dec. 21. [via The Telegraph UK] [Top Photo: Sony/Columbia Tri-Star] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

The 9 Best Women's Sports Movies In Honor of The Mighty Macs

This weekend, Carla Gugino and Ellen Burstyn storm the multiplex with The Mighty Macs, an inspiring action drama about how women’s basketball coach Cathy Rush (Gugino) trained a small Catholic college team to unlikely victory in the ’70s. In celebration of this upcoming show of cinematic she-sportsmanship, Movieline has compiled (what we consider to be) the nine best women’s sports movies. National Velvet (1944) Director: Clarence Brown Stars: Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney and Donald Crisp Sport: Horse racing Why It Is Awesome: A 12-year-old Elizabeth Taylor stars as Velvet Brown, a spunky tomboy who comes into possession of an equally vivacious horse, Pie, and trains him for the Grand National steeplechase with the help of a hired hand, Mi (Mickey Rooney). After an unexpected turn of events, Velvet takes the place of her jockey and wins the race to the delight of the public who declares her a national treasure. Although Taylor’s star-making film isn’t as high-impact as the other sports films on its list, it features a fearless female willing to risk injury and exhaustion for victory for her precious Pie. Ice Castles (1978) Director: Donald Wrye Stars: Lynn-Holly Johnson, Robby Benson and Colleen Dewhurst Sport: Figure skating Why It Is Awesome: Scoff all you want but if you can’t be inspired by a beautiful, figure-skating heroine who must re-learn her passion after losing eyesight — only to perform a flawless program thanks to the support of her loved ones — then, I don’t know what to do. Other than to say that a packed arena will probably never stomp their feet in unison to get you on the ice so that they can adoringly hurl flowers at you. A League of Their Own (1992) Director: Penny Marshall Stars: Geena Davis, Lori Petty and Tom Hanks Sport: Baseball Why It Is Awesome: Comedy, drama, sibling tension, Tom Hanks playing an alcoholic, historical significance, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell in a skirt — this charming Penny Marshall feature about the All-American Girls’ Professional Baseball League has it all. Even though we care more about spirit and fortitude on this list than actual “wins,” it’s worth noting that A League of Their Own is the most successful movie ranked here, having grossed over $130 million worldwide.

25 Things You Might Not Learn About 'West Side Story'

The film version of 'West Side Story' appears enjoy it happens to be a part of our collective reminiscences. The sounds and pictures in the street-gang update of 'Romeo and Juliet' have resonated around lower over time, as refracted in other movies (like Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Outsiders'), music videos (Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'), Bruce Springsteen lyrics ("There is a ballet being fought against in the alley") as well as tv shows (this year of 'Glee') to ensure that -- even when you haven't seen 'West Side Story' -- you are feeling you realize it. Still, there is lots concerning the classic movie musical, launched half a century ago today (on March. 18, 1961) that you might not know. Read onto find out about the real-existence gangbangers hired for that film, how star Natalie Wood almost got male lead Richard Beymer and herself fired in the film, and just how the co-director who had been fired in mid-shoot wound up winning an Oscar. 1. Regardless of the movie's NY street feel, the majority of it had been shot on the soundstage in Hollywood. The famous prologue, however, was shot around the gritty Manhattan roads, in the western world 60s (among tenements going to be torn lower to create method for Lincoln subsequently Center) as well as in The spanish language Harlem (around East 110th Street). Ballroom dancers sustained some injuries from jumping about around the hard pavement, but individuals were not the only real injuries they risked. Local people bothered the entertainers by tossing rocks and shedding objects off roofs before the filmmakers hired a real street gang to safeguard them. 'West Side Story' - Prologue 2. Some audiences who'd loved the 1957 Broadway musical were miffed that Ray Kert and Carol Lawrence were not even thought to reprise the roles of Tony and Maria within the movie. However the producers wanted a cast that looked youthful enough to become teens, and also the Broadway leads were both about 30. Nevertheless, when they wound up casting two 23-year-olds within the leads, the majority of the gangbangers and gals they hired were indeed near to 30. 3. Elvis was contacted to experience Tony, but Col. Tom Parker switched the studio lower, favoring the anodyne musicals his client had been making more than one that will have experienced him carrying a switchblade. (Though he'd already performed a street kid driven to violence such movies as 'Jailhouse Rock' and 'King Creole.') If Elvis tried the film, he'd have wound up playing opposite real-existence ex-girlfriend Wood. 4. Other people who almost performed Tony: Marlon Brando, Tab Hunter, Anthony Perkins, Russ Tamblyn, Burt Reynolds, Troy Donahue, Bobby Darin, Richard Chamberlain, Dennis Hopper, Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood. Hunter (age 30), Reynolds (26) and Chamberlain (26) counseled me considered too old. The versatile Darin was too busy. Brando wanted to get it done but figured that, at 34, he was far too old. Tamblyn wound up using the role of Jets leader Lick. Beatty was co-director Robert Wise's first choice, and that he even examined with then lover/'Splendor within the Grass' co-star Wood. Ultimately, the filmmakers opted for the small-known Beymer. 5. Stars considered for Maria incorporated Katherine Hepburn, Barbara Luna, Jill St. John, Diane Baker, Valery Harper, Elizabeth Ashley, and Suzanne Pleshette. Hepburn dropped out when she grew to become pregnant. 6. Wood wanted to complete 'West Side Story,' but she understood if she switched lower Warner Bros. forthcoming melodrama 'Parrish,' studio chief Jack Warner would not loan her towards the rival U . s . Artists. So she photoshopped a bout of tonisillitis. That trick got her from 'Parrish,' however it backfired when she contracted a significant situation of pneumonia and almost needed to give up of 'West Side Story' too. Fortunately, she retrieved over time. (Pneumonia also struck cast member Eliot Feld, who performed Baby John, throughout the NY shoot.) 7. Feld was one of many veterans from the Broadway production who arrived roles within the film. Others incorporated Tony Mordente (Action), Tucker Cruz (Ice), and Jay Norman (Pepe). George Chakiris, who performed Sharks leader Bernardo, had performed Lick around the London stage. 8. A couple of people from the Broadway cast ended up getting to reprise their roles within the movie: Carole D'Andrea (Velma), Tommy Abbott (Gee-Tar) and William Bramley (Officer Krupke). 9. David Winters performed Baby John on stage along with a-rab within the movie. On stage, it is a-rab whose beating through the Sharks sparks a rumble, whilst in the movie, it's Baby John. Had Winters' roles been corrected, he'd happen to be beaten up both occasions. 10. Stefanie Forces, then going through happens title Taffy Paul, was hired like a chorus dancer but needed to give up because she was underage and might have needed an on-set tutor along with a shorter time-table. Years later, obviously, she'd co-star with Wood's husband, Robert Wagner, on TV's 'Hart to Hart.' 11. The scope from the project am large the studio made the decision to separate the workload between two company directors. Jerome Robbins, who directed and choreographed the Broadway show was hired despite never getting directed a movie before. Veteran representative Robert Smart was hired despite never getting designed a musical. It had been made the decision that Smart would handle the drama moments and Robbins the musical amounts. But Robbins' perfectionism started to tug the film lower. His exacting demands and endless rehearsals required a toll around the ballroom dancers. ("They did not dance from pleasure, they danced from fear," stated music supervisor Saul Chaplin.") Soon the film was behind schedule and $300,000 over budget. Smart defended Robbins, but he was soon requested to complete the film by themself. Robbins' choreography continued to be, however the only completed amounts he shot that stay in the film were the prologue, 'America,' 'Cool,' and 'Something's Coming.' 12. Robbins labored Wood 16 hrs each day, until she begged to become fired in the film. She also wanted Beymer fired, worrying about his insufficient singing and dancing chops (despite the fact that her song-and-dance abilities were just like limited). Eventually, she determined ways to get together with both Robbins and Beymer, as the company directors determined how you can shoot round her dance restrictions. 13. For the stars' vocal restrictions, most fans realize that Wood's singing voice was named by Marni Nixon (who'd perform the same for Katherine Hepburn 3 years later in 'My Fair Lady'). Wood herself did not know, however. She'd assumed her very own singing voice could be used, a minimum of for that lower-register parts, and did not learn she'd be named before the shoot was over. Beymer was named by Jimmy Bryant. 14. There is other vocal doubling happening too. Tucker Cruz (Ice) also sang Tamblyn's part in 'The Jet Song,' though Tamblyn's own voice is heard throughout 'Gee, Officer Krupke' and 'Quintet.' 15. As Anita (Bernardo's sister and Maria's confidante), Rita Moreno sang on 'America,' but Betty Ward was hired to dub her lower notes on 'A Boy Like This.A At the time the vocals for 'Quintet' were recorded, however, both Moreno and Ward were sick, so Nixon walked in, singing for Anita and Maria. The like film, the song really was a quartet. 16. 'West Side Story' was no. 2 box office hit of 1961, behind only Disney's '101 Dalmatians.' The film, which cost $six million to create, has gained back $43 million in the box office during the period of multiple releases over time. 17. The film was popular overseas, too. It performed for 4 years straight at Paris's George V Theater, setting an archive. 18. In 1962, the film won 10 Academy awards, an archive for any musical that stands even today. One of the honors: Best Picture (a prize that visited Smart, like a producer), Best Director (shared by Robbins and Smart, who was adamant that his fired collaborator remain credited as co-director), Best Supporting Actor (Chakiris) and finest Supporting Actress (Moreno). The only real Oscar it had been nominated for your it did not win was Best Modified Script (Ernest Lehman). Smart and Robbins were the very first pair ever to talk about a pointing award (and also the last, until Joel and Ethan Coen won for 2007's 'No Country for Old Males.') Robbins may be the only director ever to win an Oscar for his sole feature pointing credit he never directed another film. Smart, however, continued to repeat his task 4 years later, winning Best Picture and finest Director for 'The Seem of Music.' 19. Rita Moreno, the only real actual Puerto Rican one of the principal cast, grew to become just the second Hispanic artist (after fellow Puerto Rican José Ferrer ten years earlier) to win an Oscar. However it did not help her career the way in which she expected. "', '. I demonstrated them. I did not make another movie for seven years after winning the Oscar," she remembered inside a 2008 interview. "Before 'West Side Story,' I had been always offered the stereotypical Latina roles. The Conchitas and Lolitas in westerns. I had been always barefoot. It had been humiliating, embarrassing stuff. However I made it happen because there is little else. After 'West Side Story,' it had been virtually exactly the same factor. Lots of gang tales." Today, Moreno is just one of only 10 stars who've won the EGOT grand slam of competitive entertainment honours (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) and it is the one that made it happen within the least length of time (14 years). 20. Leonard Bernstein, who composed the tunes, complained the movie was over-orchestrated. The film used some 90 music artists, around three occasions as much as the Broadway production. 21. The soundtrack album was extremely popular and won a Grammy for the best Soundtrack. Other near-synchronised instrumental versions from the score, by lounge pianists Ferrante & Teicher by jazz bandleader Stan Kenton, were large retailers too. 22. On her work dubbing Moreno's vocals, Ward went uncredited around the album. She prosecuted the film's producers and also the CBS record label for $60,000 in damages. The suit was settled from court. 23. Nixon was refused royalties too. She finally got a bit of when Bernstein decided to offer her some of his percentage. 24. Nowadays, Russ Tamblyn is much better referred to as father of Amber Tamblyn, from the 'Sisterhood from the Traveling Pants' movies and TV's 'Joan of Arcadia' and 'House.' 25. From the 'West Side Story' cast alumni, Wood had probably the most celebrated career, like a leading lady such films as 'Love Using the Proper Stranger,' 'Inside Daisy CLover,' 'This Rentals Are Condemned,' and 'Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.' Moreno has proven her flexibility in a number of media today, the first kind 'Electric Company' star is playing Fran Drescher's mother on TV's 'Happily Divorced.' Chakiris starred such movies as 'Diamond Mind,' 'Is Paris Burning?' and 'The Youthful Women of Rochefort" before embracing TV within the seventies and 1980s, retiring from acting and trying out jewellery design. Nearly 3 decades after 'West Side Story's release, Richard Beymer and Tamblyn were reunited as people from the ensemble cast of David Lynch's 1990 TV drama series 'Twin Peaks.' Beymer performed the sinister hotal magnate Ben Horne, while Tamblyn was the mysterious mental health specialist Lawrence Jacoby. Both still maintained flashes from the old mystique and menace. 'Cause when you are a Jet, you are a Jet completely. Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook Follow Gary Susman on Twitter: @garysusman RELATED

Viacom Replaces Superstar Lawyer on Eve of YouTube Appeal

Getty ImagesTed Olson The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday heard Viacom's arguments whya judge wrongfully dismissed its billion-dollar copyright infringement lawsuit against YouTube. The federal courthouse was packed with Viacom employees, Google lawyers and others in expensive suits who had shown up to witness a hearing that might shape the future of the Internet. STORY:Viacom, Google Face Off in Appeals Court Over YouTube Copyright Issues But there was one person not in attendance: Ted Olson, the superstar attorney from Gibson Dunn & Crutcher who Viacom had hired with much fanfare to handle its appeal in front of a three-judge circuit panel. On the eve of the hearing, Olson had been replaced as the lead litigator by Paul Smith, chair of the appellate practice at Jenner & Block and another member of the Viacom team. Why? The Hollywood Reporter attended the hearing Tuesday and spoke with several people in the viewer's gallery who are connected to the case. Here's what they said: EXCLUSIVE: Google Answers Viacom in YouTube Appeal In the weeks leading up to the case, both sides conducted mock hearings to get ready for this important appeal. Google's team expressed confidence after watching the meticulous preparation of its lead litigator, Quinn Emanuel's Andrew Schapiro. Meanwhile, while several folks seemingly connected with Viacom expressed their own faith in the case, the big talk surrounded Olson, who, according to one individual who claimed to have been privy to the rehearsals, had been replaced for not being adequately prepared to talk about a key issue: how YouTube had derived "direct financial benefit" from hosting copyrighted material on its servers -- one of the prongs in establishing vicarious liability under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. THR reached out to Viacom, Olson and the Gibson firm to explain his absence from Tuesday's hearing and to respond to the chatter in the gallery. ANALYSIS: Viacom's Appeal in the YouTube Case Gibson declined to comment. Viacom's general counsel Michael Fricklas tells THR in a statement: "Ted Olson and his team have been and will continue to be a key part of our appellate strategy. I was fortunate to have two great appellate lawyers that could argue the case, and decided that Paul Smith, who was involved in the earliest days of this litigation, would appear for Viacom today." Olson, the former solicitor general of the United States, is one of the most prominent attorneys in the country. His range of cases involve winning Bush v. Gore, the landmark Supreme Court decision that put an end to recounts in the 2000 presidential election, and finding some success in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the case that challenged the constitutionality of a California ballot proposition prohibiting same-sex marriages. STORY: Viacom Friends Back Appeal of YouTube Decision Viacom points out that while Olson did not attend the hearing, one of his fellow Gibson colleagues was there. But the company doesn't dispute that a conscious decision was made to have someone other than Olson handle oral arguments Tuesday. "Viacom is fortunate to be represented by exceptional counsel that includes experienced attorneys from Gibson Dunn, Jenner & Block and Shearman & Sterling," the company says in a statement. "Paul Smith was selected to present Viacom's arguments today because of his outstanding experience on these issues and his qualifications as a highly respected appellate lawyer." E-mail: eriqgardner@yahoo.com Twitter: @eriqgardner Viacom YouTube

The Future of IMAX is... Lasers!

By the year 2013, IMAX theaters and Kodak will bring digital theatrical projection to the next level with a single, exciting, futuristic-sounding concept: LASERS! The companies announced their partnership today in a statement promising advances in quality projection in large-scale IMAX and dome theaters in the coming years to benefit moviegoers, theaters, and investors. Win-win-win? “This Kodak intellectual property is truly cutting edge,” said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond in a press release today, “and will be used by IMAX’s esteemed Technology Group to enhance the cinematic experience for consumers, enable the application of digital technology in our larger and institutional theatres, and make being in business with IMAX even easier and more profitable.” IMAX is exclusively licensing over 50 Kodak laser and digital projection-related patents and technologies that promise to enhance the visual experience and light quality of the IMAX experience, as well as make content distribution within the IMAX network easier. “Because this technology produces the deepest blacks, and the brightest 3D of any system demonstrated to date,” said Kim Snyder of Eastman Kodak Company, “it will truly make the movies more exciting for consumers, and that creates a strong value proposition for the studios and exhibitors as well.” Meanwhile, Kodak has in recent years been developing laser projection technology, which previously fell under separate laser-specific regulations. In February, the company got the go-ahead from the FDA to bring their technology to cinema theaters (vs. specialized laser shows, etc.). According to Kodak’s website, the features of their Laser Projection Technology include combined 2-D and 3-D projection,” 3-D images “twice as bright” as those used in standard industry practice, and 2K resolution scalable to 4K. In a statement last spring, Kodak explained the initiative: Typically, digital projection systems using high power lasers fall under the definition of a “demonstration laser” and must follow existing regulations for conventional laser projectors, such as those used in laser light show displays. Kodak has been working in conjunction with laser safety consultants and the FDA to address potential safety issues.KODAK Laser Projection Technology promises to bring vastly improved image quality to theater screens, including significantly brighter 3D viewing, and to dramatically reduce costs to digital projection in cinemas through the innovative use of long-life lasers, lower-cost optics and more efficient energy usage. Could lasers be the key to the future of theatrical moviegoing? Will it make the sucky peripheral IMAX seats you get when you arrive late suck any less? Would Jim Cameron approve? Stay tuned… [Press release, Kodak]

Gross! The Brains Behind The Walking Dead Dissect the Premiere's Zombie Autopsy

The Walking Dead [Warning: The following story includes spoilers within the Season 2 premiere in the Walking Dead. Read in the own risk.]AMC's The Walking Dead has not been for your squeamish, so that it shojuld 't be an unexpected the growing season 2 premiere would attempt what executive producer Robert Kirkman calls "one of the grossest things we have develop."The Walking Dead looks for existence after Frank DarabontLed by Deputy Sherriff Ron Grimes (Andrew Lincoln subsequently subsequently), the show's gang of zombie-apocalypse children left Atlanta behind in hopeful search from the rut within an abandoned military fort. However, the gang was postponed simply because they showed up at a bit of interstate that was blocked with abandoned automobiles. When Ron and Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) spotted a "herd" of ramblers approaching, everyone quickly hid under cars prior to the mob had passed. But soon after that, a couple of straggling zombies chased little Sophia (Madison Lintz) into the forest.Despite Rick's best efforts to be able to save her - including bashing two zombies' brains together with a rock - Sophia never returned for the group, which instantly produced in to a search party. When Ron and Darryl (Norman Reedus) discovered a spook who had just given, they feared Sophia had become breakfast, but there's only a good way to know certainly: They gutted the zombie and checked the products in the stomach."In my opinion I'd the idea of doing as being a CSI study of fingernails and examining the zombie's mouth," Kirkman, who written the graphic books in which the series relies, notifies TVGuide.com. "Later on, it simply increased being a pleasurable spit-balling session inside the writer's room. [Author Scott Gimple] made the suggestion of really cutting the main one factor open and diving inside. ... [It's] one of the grossest things we have develop."The Walking Dead: Creator weighs in at in at in on Season 1's finest mysteryNewly installed showrunner Glen Mazzara states the scene was a lot more disgusting. However when it absolutely was edited, the scene also increased being darkly funny. "I made a decision to operate lower and very play plenty of appear effects," Mazzara states. "Then you definitely certainly enter the gore and Andy Lincoln subsequently subsequently does such an admirable job of playing the fact he's nauseous. We just like it. We feel it's fun and memorable."While Mazzara and Kirkman agree that chuckling using the grossness is ok, they hope everyone else realizes the stakes facing the figures nowadays. "It's this type of absurd situation ... however they'd decide to,In . Mazzara states. "Hopefully everyone else will say, 'Well, yes, essentially was there, clearly I'd stomach that zombie.' They're people dealing with existence and dying situations each day. ...They live in terror they might not survive your entire day.InchTo that one finish, the episode finishes getting a doozy from the high high cliff-hanger. While admiring a deer inside the forest with Ron and Shane (Jon Bernthal), Carl (Chandler Riggs) was shot with a mystery assailant. Mazzara states the accident might have major impact on the comfort of the year, particularly for his mother, Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies).Have a look at photos in the Walking Dead cast"She becomes a really major character, not just Rick's wife," according to him. "Once I was place in my new position, that was a thing that I immediately started to develop with techniques that individuals had not formerly planned. The higher pressure we are in a position to positioned on our central character, the higher. Ron is not just facing questions of leadership, but he's also facing marital problems, together with an individual crisis."Adds Kirkman: "It's really a focus of the year. Carl getting shot really kind of turns everyone's attention toward the reality that might be lots of dangers nowadays you'll be able to hardly keep close track of them. He certainly wasn't shot having a zombie. [Ron and Lori] have to be aware it doesn't matter the way you strive, you just can't safeguard a youthful child from everything. ...You learn to survive nowadays, however when you really start to examine it, it starts to look like it's kind of impossible."Whoever else consider The Walking Dead's season premiere?

'Cars 2' Toys, Disney Princesses Help Drive Mattel's Third-Quarter Results

our editor recommends'Toy Story 3' boosts Mattel profitsCarl Icahn Unloads Yahoo Stock, Buys Mattel Shares NY - Toy giant Mattel on Friday reported a 6.2 percent gain in third-quarter earnings helped by sales of toys tied to Cars 2and the company's Disney Princess line. Quarterly profit amounted to $300.8 million, in line with Wall Street expectations. Revenue exceeded projections, rising 9 percent to $2 billion. Stifel, Nicolaus analyst Drew Crumsaid that was "well ahead" of his estimate of $1.94 billion. "Not only have we continued to benefit from the strength of our core brands, but this year's big entertainment property, Cars 2, is also fueling momentum," said Robert Eckert, chairman and CEO of Mattel. "As we enter into the all-important holiday season, we remain keenly focused on execution and delivering growth in our core brands, working to expand and leverage our international footprint, optimizing our entertainment portfolio, and building our newest franchise, Monster High." Entertainment segment revenue increased 14 percent, driven "primarily" by Cars 2sales, the company said. Barbie sales rose 17 percent, and the company recorded a 32 percent gain in its "other girls brands" segment driven by Monster High and Disney Princess sales. Related Topics Cars 2

ABC Gives Full Seasons to 'Revenge,' 'Suburgatory' Orders More 'Happy Endings'

ABC"Revenge" ABC is making its first moves throughout this television season, obtaining the rear nine on two Wednesday evening choices: Revenge and Suburgatory. Additionally, the network has purchased six additional scripts for sophomore comedy Happy Being. Revenge, loosely in line with the Alexandre Dumas book The Count of Monte Cristo, continues to be given a complete 22-episode season. The series, brought by Emily Van Camping and Madeleine Stowe, continues to be holding firm in the 10 p.m. slot, calculating 8.8 million total audiences along with a 2.8 rating among grown ups 18-49 in the first three days. Its newest episode won the hour within the demo, topping veteran CBS procedural CSI along the way. PHOTOS: Fall TV Dying Watch: Which New Shows Is Going To Be Axed? Revenge, produced by Mike Kelley, focuses on Emily Thorne (Van Camping), or Amanda Clarke, who returns towards the Hamptons to consider revenge on those who destroyed her family, including her father's (James Tupper) dying. Gabriel Mann, Henry Czerny, Ashley Madekwe, Josh Bowman, Nick Wechsler, Connor Paolo and Christa B. Allen complete the ensemble cast. The entire order is anticipated for Suburgatory, because the rookie series notched a powerful rankings performance in the debut on Sept. 28, calculating 9.8 million total audiences along with a 3.3 rating among grown ups 18-49, becoming a powerful lead-directly into Modern Family. PHOTOS: ABC's New Fall Television Shows Starring Jane Levy, Jeremy Sisto and Cheryl Hines, Subugatory involves just one father (Sisto) and teenage daughter (Levy) who proceed to the and surrounding suburbs after residing in NY City. Produced by Emily Kapnek, the Warner Bros. TV-created series airs at 8:30 p.m. following a Middle. The extra script order for Happy Being may come as the comedy notched an 18 percent increase from the previous week, although the evening saw less competition without any X Factor on Fox. The David Caspe-produced half-hour series has seen a rankings bump within the plum publish-Modern Family slot. This past year, Happy Being adopted a less strong lead-in, Cougar Town -- and saw a number of its episodes broadcast from order. Using the pick-ups of Revenge and Suburgatory, ABC's newcomer series join Whitney, Up Through The Night, 2 Broke Women, New Girl, Ringer, Hart of Dixie and also the Secret Circle in receiving full seasons. The network comes out its ambitious fairytale drama Not so long ago later this month and new comedy Guy Up! on Tuesday. This news mark ABC chief Paul Lee's first moves so far this year. Revenge Suburgatory

Jeffrey Katzenberg, J.J. Abrams Leading the Control of Hollywood's Super PAC Spenders

Inside a town that loves its blockbusters, Hollywood's political fund-raising scene is turning out to be a large-budget drama, because of the super PAC.our editor recommendsStephen Colbert's Super PAC Supports Ron Parry, Not Perry, in First Ad (Video)As Obama Comes to Hollywood, Showbiz Heavies Plan More Democratic Party FundraisersDisappointed Hollywood Giving Obama Cold ShoulderRick Perry: The Strange Reason Hollywood is Disappointed in Him Political action committees built around industries or causes happen to be an element from the political landscape for a long time, however the "super" variety -- technically, they're known as "independent expenditure-only committees" -- was produced following a bitterly divided U.S. Top Court struck lower the McCain-Feingold campaign-reform act this year. The premise: Super PACs can accept limitless funds for they want political candidates, as lengthy because the money isn't directly funneled right into a campaign. PHOTOS: 10 Artists Dems and Republicans Like to Hate That ruling has motivated a totally free-for-all attitude in fund-raising circles. Hollywood political associates say reps from the super PACs have walked up calls to set up conferences and fall into line potential contributor. Three from the Dems' major entertainment industry givers curently have been generous to Focal points USA, an excellent PAC run by former Obama Whitened House aides Sean Sweeney and Bill Burton. Jeffrey Katzenberg has given $two million towards the committee which will offer the leader's re-election campaign, and J.J. Abrams and the wife, Katie McGrath, have led $100,000. Producer Steve Bing has contributed $400,000 towards the Democratic PACs American Bridge twenty-first century and quite a few PAC. (The utmost donation it's possible to give straight to a presidential campaign is $2,500 per election, plus $30,800 annually to some national party committee. Contributor may also give $5,000 yearly holiday to a political committees.) "Every moment we now have viewed Republican extremists inch our nation nearer to the catastrophe of default, People in america have felt the impact from the last election cycle and the prosperity of Karl Rove and also the Koch siblings," stated Katzenberg during the time of his donation in May. "The stakes are extremely high for all of us to merely permit the extremism of the small but well-funded right-wing minority to visit unchallenged." PHOTOS: Dems and Republicans' Favorite Movies Demand around the Republican side is especially heavy due to the unsettled GOP area heading into primary season. Rove, the Rose bush Whitened House political mastermind whose American Crossroads committee spent $38 million helping Republicans recapture the home this year, has elevated a lot more than $25 million throughout the present cycle, a minimum of $a million which has taken care of advertisements attacking Leader Obama's jobs proposal. Since Rove created the PAC, Jerry Perenchio, the first kind Univision executive whose huge fortune makes him among the GOP's most prolific givers, has contributed $3 million to American Crossroads, including $two million this season. Texas Gov. Ron Perry is backed through the super PAC Make Us Great Again, run by his former chief of staff Mike Toomey. Make Us Great apparently would like to invest $55 million to assist Perry gain the Whitened House. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is backed with a super PAC, Restore Our Future, that has elevated a lot more than $20 million to aid his campaign. Minnesota Repetition. Bachmann Wanted has got the super PAC Keep Conservatives U . s . in her own corner. Even Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert has released an excellent PAC, raising money from audiences (considered "heroes" within an onscreen scroll featured nightly around the Colbert Report). Colbert hasn't revealed just how much he's elevated, but it's regarded as a substantial number. The show's super PAC funded an amusing ad advocating voters in Iowa's August hay poll to back "Ron Parry." Burton, who has worked with Katzenberg and top Hollywood fund-raiser Andy Spahn, states he and Sweeney will visit La and talk with the's Democratic heavy players throughout the approaching days. Spahn states contributor is going to be told that after it involves super PACs, "it's obvious that Focal points USA may be the one." The mission, describes Burton, "would be to answer what Rove does, especially with regards to the presidential race." To that particular finish, Focal points USA has elevated about $3.two million to date. "Individuals have been encouraging round the country," adds Burton. "People realize that there's a necessity as well as an emergency to reply and be prepared for 2012." Nevertheless, another experienced Democratic operative in Hollywood states the super PACs will dsicover themselves operating inside a town whose usual contributor are already on overload. "I don't know anybody who would like to write millions of-dollar check at this time,Inch states one industry politico. "People aren't saying no thanks, however they want more details. They would like to obtain a better feeling of who Obama is facing. They should also determine where their cash might be best placed." Further complicating the problem, most super PAC costs could be for negative advertising that certainly continues to be the pattern to date, and because of the character of recent politics, there's little chance which will change. Actually, experts from the 2010 Top Court decision lament that it'll turn campaigns nastier because "independent" advertisements frequently go negative. Greater than a couple of industry political givers might balk at financing the broadcast attacks certain to saturate the airwaves throughout the following year, thanks to the super PACs. Among the Dems' greatest contributor, L.A.-based mogul Haim Saban, informs The Hollywood Reporter he hasn't made the decision "who to offer to and just how much yet." Saban echoes a sentiment pervasive in Hollywood. Still, because of the pivotal role these massively funded organizations will probably participate in the presidential and congressional elections and also the try to sell you that's visiting gracious living spaces through the Westside, the super PACs could give new meaning to pocketbook politics. Related Subjects J.J. Abrams Jeffrey Katzenberg Stephen Colbert

Ornstein, Kuryak cover coasts for TLC

TLC has named a VP for each coast: The net has upped Alon Ornstein to VP of production and development for the East Coast, based in parent company Discovery Communications' Silver Spring, Md. HQ. Simultaneously, former OWN exec Timothy Kuryak has been moved to the net, where he will be VP of production and development for the West Coast, based in L.A. and reporting to Howard Lee (as will Ornstein). Ornstein has worked on shows at TLC including "19 Kids and Counting," "Dr. G.: Medical Examiner" and "Hoarding: Buried Alive," among others. At OWN, Kuryak oversaw "Searching For...," "Enough Already! With Peter Walsh" and other shows, and served as head of West Coast p&d during the launch of Planet Green. Contact Sam Thielman at sam.thielman@variety.com

Hero Shots Galore: The Avengers Trailer Assembles!

This morning Disney released the first full trailer for Joss Whedon’s Marvel superhero party The Avengers, and ZOMG guys — have there ever been two minutes of action more packed with hero shots, zingers, and things blowing up before this very moment? (Michael Bay might give Whedon a run for his money, but the Avengers trailer has what even his robot spectaculars don’t: copious slow-mo superhero booty shots. Consider the bar raised.) In fact, the trailer doesn’t even bother with explaining plot and set-up; it assumes (correctly) that you already know what The Avengers is all about, why Sam Jackson’s corralling a bunch of A-listers to his cause and who that pale, long-haired Shakespearean looking fellow is that’s tearing up the streets of America. Which means: Cut to the assembling, already! Let’s take a look. “What do we do?” “We get ready.” Oh, that Sam Jackson. Always prepared. In fact, the only nagging thing about this trailer, which I kind of love because of the aforementioned butt-shots, the fiery set pieces, and the sight of Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr., and Scarlett Johansson looking bad ass in their spiffy costumes, is the strangely conspicuous verbiage this super-team throws around. “Assemble” is their battle cry? What are they, Voltron? Putting a puzzle together? Building IKEA furniture? “But it’s from the comics!” you say. Yeah, yeah. Well, it sounds funny. Also see the line, “”If we can’t protect the Earth, you can be damn sure we’ll avenge it,” spoken by a serious RDJ, in contrast to the rampage of witty one-liners he’s on during the rest of the trailer. Of course you will. You’re the Avengers. Verdict: I’m nitpicking. This looks pretty badass, and who am I kidding? They had me at [explosion]. [Apple]

Cable sets blue plate special offers

As the prospect of cable operators offering a la carte prices in the near future remains slim, the reduced tier is clearly taking root.Within the wake of the wave of customer deficits that cable operators contend are largely driven through the shaky economy, Comcast has silently broadened a minimal-cost trial offering in choose marketplaces that does not only provides less channels than fundamental cable but additional options that group together choose channels by programming genre.The package, referred to as MyTV Choice, started testing in Charleston, S.C. a week ago, after being used in western Colonial and Dallas within the summer time.The development occurs the heels of your time Warner Cable's announcement recently of intends to expand its very own reduced tier, TV Necessities, across its New England footprint. Like MyTV Choice, the tier is created affordable by departing out a few of the channels which are probably the most costly to operators in monthly costs compensated to developers, including Disney-possessed ESPN. While these tiers have experienced minimal traction available on the market up to now, their growing visibility in the nation's two greatest MSOs boosts new questions. The chance of even slight growth for reduced tiers could impact tha harsh truth at content companies given that they get compensated on the per-customer foundation for the channels that will get left off. As well as for customers, Comcast's variation around the reduced tier with MyTV Choice might be as near to some la carte as they are getting. "To visualize that that's not to consider these packages is fairly naive, especially because Time Warner Cable examined the package with a minimum of some success with limited marketing," stated Michael Morris, media analyst with Davenport & Co.The deployment of recent tiers is supposed to give cost-sensitive customers an alternate throughout tough financial aspects occasions towards the progressively pricey standard monthly subscriptions. Cable operators experienced huge sub deficits within the second quarter of the year. Recently, a Reuters report elevated the specter that cable-industry worries were compelling some more compact operators introducing a la carte programming -- a questionable possibility considering the fact that developers and MSOs have lengthy held this kind of arrangement would destroy their current business design. Another factor was an costly new lengthy-term ESPN deal for National football league privileges that spurred reviews Dish Network was searching to ditch the all-sports network from the funnel selection instead of pass onto customers the price of expected fee hikes.ESPN charges MSOs an believed $4.69 per sub monthly, based on SNL Kagan -- roughly four occasions the 2nd-most costly network, Time Warner's TNT ($1.16), also is unavailable on Comcast or TW Cable's low-cost tiers. Nor is News Corp.-possessed Fox News Funnel (78). Every dollar allocated to reduced tiers will not visit content-company coffers, argues Morris, who calculated that a 1% drop in ESPN's sub base might cost Disney $60 million in affiliate costs."Traders are unlikely to bother with 1% or 2%," stated Morris. "But let's say it increased to 10% or 12%? That might be real financial impact." Nevertheless, sources acquainted with affiliate contracts observe that tiers are only able to become very popular before they violate MSOs' contractual contracts with developers. Most channels require positioning around the 1st or 2nd most permeated funnel packages an MSO offers. An excessive amount of traction for any tier would trigger the re-insertion from the funnel, which may avoid the very discounting that fuels the tier's appeal.While TV Necessities has become lots of attention since its rollout last November, reduced tiers have been in existence for a long time. Comcast, Cox, Cablevision and Dish Network are among individuals that provide all of them with minimal returns.Some saw TV Necessities being an empty gesture to impress Wall Street, where cable operators happen to be roundly belittled because of not being nimble enough against upstart rivals like Netflix. But unlike typical discount tiers, Comcast's new tier is made to attract customers searching for cost in addition to versatility. MyTV Choice provides a "My Starter" tier for $25 or perhaps a "My Starter Plus" tier for $45, the second retaining various ESPN channels taken off the first kind package. Additionally, there's $10 supplements for funnel packages designed around kids, news, movies and entertainment. The offering varies a little city to city as Comcast understands a great way.Busting the cable bundle up into discrete blocks is not a brand new notion Comcast even consulted with cable companies abroad that employ the model before going after its very own, including Canada's Shaw Communications and Australia's FoxTel, based on a speaker.But Comcast's model may represent the only real realistic middle ground between your unlikely prospect of customers cherry-picking channels and also the existing bundles of channels that leave little room for versatility. Even operators desired to perform a la carte -- with no major MSO is on record as saying such -- they don't have the privileges and technology to implement it in the near future. Stated Morris, "I do not think true a la carte occasion to happen. At this time it seems structurally impossible." Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

FEINBERG FORECAST: 'Marilyn' Divides, 'Ides' Disappoints, 'Hugo' May Be Monday's Surprise

The Weinstein Company Among the things that factored into this week's projections (which appear further down on the page)... Simon Curtis's My Week with Marilyn had its first press screening at the NY Film Festival this morning, and the early reviews are decidedly mixed. Moviefone's Christopher Rosen writes that Michelle Williams "is perfection" as Marilyn Monroe and compares the film to last year's Oscar winner The King's Speech. IndieWire's Eric Kohn, however, calls it a "tolerably superficial crowdpleaser" and says Williams gives a "one-note performance," merely "offering her best Marilyn voice and grin." Someone from The Playlist (there is no byline), meanwhile, falls somewhere in-between, suggesting that the film is "not terrible... engaging enough... and tolerable enough," and Williams gives "an admirable but certainly not spectacular performance... in a role she's arguably not very suited for," but that it is Judi Dench who gives "a stand-out" turn. (He or she also gets the film's title wrong in the opening paragraph, though, calling it My Life with Marilyn, so I'm not sure how much stock I'd put in that assessment.) George Clooney's The Ides of March opened on Friday and -- despite starring "It" guy Ryan Gosling and Clooney for stumping it on Charlie Rose and in an interview with Time, among other things -- delivered only so-so numbers at the box-office (roughly $10.4 million), finishing in second place way behind Real Steel and only slightly ahead of holdover Dolphin Tale. Less than enthusiastic reviews from the NY Times, Los Angeles Times, and Wall Street Journal didn't help its launch. Multiple sources suggest that tomorrow night's "surprise screening" at the NY Film Festival will be Martin Scorsese's Hugo, which apprently is still not 100% finished but is far enough along that Scorsese and Paramount are willing to unveil it at the director's hometown fest in advance of its November 23 release date. (The Telluride Film Festival is well known for surprise screenings of this sort, but it is, to the best of my knowledge, an unprecedented occurence at the NYFF.) The NY premiere of Emilio Estevez's The Way, which stars his father Martin Sheen, was an unusually hot ticket last Wednesday thanks to the attendance of former president Bill Clinton, a friend of Sheen's and of the founders of the organizations for which the premiere was raising funds. Clinton offered a hearty endorsement of the film ("I thank the people who made this beautiful movie"), which went into limited release on Friday and grossed more per theater -- $4012 in 33 theaters -- than all but four other films (Real Steel, Take Shelter, The Ides of March, and The Women on the 6th Floor). Over the past week, we got our first look at the posters for Shame (which debuted exclusively on The Race) and for J. Edgar; trailers for War Horse and for Young Adult; and new trailers for The Adventures of Tintin, for Arthur Christmas, and for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (for international audiences). BEST PICTURE Frontrunners War Horse (Disney, 12/25, TBA, teaser) The Artist (The Weinstein Company, 11/23, TBA, trailer) Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Warner Brothers, 12/25, TBA, trailer) J. Edgar (Warner Brothers, 11/11, R, trailer) Moneyball (Columbia, 9/23, TBA, trailer) Midnight in Paris (Sony Pictures Classics, 5/20, PG-13, trailer) The Help (Disney, 8/12, PG-13, trailer) The Descendants (Fox Searchlight, 11/23, R, 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 Tree of Life (Fox Searchlight, 5/27, PG-13, trailer) My Week With Marilyn (The Weinstein Company, 11/4, TBA, TBA) The Ides of March (Sony, 10/14, TBA, trailer) Drive (FilmDistrict, 9/16, R, trailer) Carnage (Sony Pictures Classics, 12/16, R, trailer) Like Crazy (Paramount Vantage, 10/28, PG-13, trailer) 50/50 (Summit, 9/30, R, trailer) We Bought a Zoo (20th Century Fox, 12/23, TBA, trailer) Possibilities Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2 (Warner Brothers, 7/15, PG-13, trailer) The Adventures of Tintin (Paramount, 12/21, TBA, trailer) Hugo (Paramount, 11/23, TBA, trailer) Young Adult (Paramount, 12/9, TBA, TBA) A Dangerous Method (Sony Pictures Classics, 11/23, TBA, trailer) The Lady (Cohen Media Group, 12/?, TBA, trailer) The Way (Producers Distribution Agency, 10/7, TBA, trailer) Coriolanus (The Weinstein Company, 12/2, TBA, trailer) Super 8 (Paramount, 6/10, PG-13, trailer) In the Land of Blood and Honey (FilmDistrict, 12/23, TBA, TBA) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Take This Waltz BEST DIRECTOR Frontrunners Steven Spielberg (War Horse) Stephen Daldry (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Clint Eastwood (J. Edgar) Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris) Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) Major Threats Bennett Miller (Moneyball) Alexander Payne (The Descendants) David Fincher (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life) Roman Polanski (Carnage) Tate Taylor (The Help) George Clooney (The Ides of March) Tomas Alfredson (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) Phyllida Lloyd (The Iron Lady) 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) Luc Besson (The Lady) Ralph Fiennes (Coriolanus) Angelina Jolie (In the Land of Blood and Honey) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Sarah Polley (Take This Waltz) BEST ACTOR Frontrunners Brad Pitt (Moneyball) Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar) Jean Dujardin (The Artist) George Clooney (The Descendants) Michael Fassbender (Shame) Major Threats Woody Harrelson (Rampart) Ryan Gosling (The Ides of March) Ryan Gosling (Drive) Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) Anton Yelchin (Like Crazy) Michael Shannon (Take Shelter) Joseph Gordon-Levitt (50/50) Thomas Horn (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Christoph Waltz (Carnage) John C. Reilly (Carnage) Daniel Craig (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) Possibilities Owen Wilson (Midnight in Paris) Matt Damon (We Bought a Zoo) Jeremy Irvine (War Horse) Demian Bichir (A Better Life) Michael Fassbender (A Dangerous Method) Paul Giamatti (Win Win) Martin Sheen (The Way) Rhys Ifans (Anonymous) Johnny Depp (The Rum Diary) Sam Shepard (Blackthorn) Tom Hardy (Warrior) Eddie Redmayne (My Week with Marilyn) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Christopher Plummer (Barrymore) BEST ACTRESS Frontrunners Viola Davis (The Help) Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady) Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs) Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn) Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) Major Threats Felicity Jones (Like Crazy) Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) Charlize Theron (Young Adult) Keira Knightley (A Dangerous Method) Jodie Foster (Carnage) Kate Winslet (Carnage) Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin) Possibilities Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia) Mia Wasikowska (Jane Eyre) Michelle Yeoh (The Lady) Ellen Barkin (Another Happy Day) Adepero Oduye (Pariah) Rachel Weisz (The Whistleblower) Vera Farmiga (Higher Ground) Saoirse Ronan (Hanna) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Michelle Williams (Take This Waltz) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Frontrunners Christopher Plummer (Beginners) Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn) Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Jim Broadbent (The Iron Lady) Albert Brooks (Drive) Major Threats George Clooney (The Ides of March) Jonah Hill (Moneyball) Nick Nolte (Warrior) Viggo Mortensen (A Dangerous Method) Tom Hanks (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Armie Hammer (J. Edgar) John Hawkes (Martha Marcy May Marlene) Brad Pitt (The Tree of Life) Possibilities Andy Serkis (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) Patton Oswalt (Young Adult) Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Ides of March) Thomas Haden Church (We Bought a Zoo) Jeffrey Wright (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin) Corey Stoll (Midnight in Paris) Tom Hardy (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Terrence Howard (Winnie) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Frontrunners Berenice Bejo (The Artist) Octavia Spencer (The Help) Vanessa Redgrave (Coriolanus) Jessica Chastain (The Help) Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) Major Threats Evan Rachel Wood (The Ides of March) Carey Mulligan (Shame) Judi Dench (My Week with Marilyn) Sandra Bullock (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Emily Watson (War Horse) Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs) Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) Possibilities Naomi Watts (J. Edgar) Scarlett Johansson (We Bought a Zoo) Judi Dench (J. Edgar) Anna Kendrick (50/50) Charlotte Gainsbourg (Melancholia) Charlotte Rampling (Melancholia) Judy Greer (The Descendants) Kim Wayans (Pariah) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Judy Davis (The Eye of the Storm) Charlotte Rampling (The Eye of the Storm) BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Frontrunners Richard Curtis, Lee Hall (War Horse) Eric Roth (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian (Moneyball) Tate Taylor (The Help) Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash (The Descendants) 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) Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life) Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady) Major Threats Adrian Hodges (My Week with Marilyn) Drake Doremus, Ben York Jones (Like Crazy) Will Reiser (50/50) Diablo Cody (Young Adult) Asghar Farhadi (A Separation) Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter) Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy Mae Marlene) Possibilities Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids) Tom McCarthy, Joe Tiboni (Win Win) Rebecca Frayne (The Lady) J.J. Abrams (Super 8) Dee Rees (Pariah) Mike Mills (Beginners) Angelina Jolie (In the Land of Blood and Honey) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Sarah Polley (Take This Waltz) BEST ANIMATED FILM (FEATURE) Frontrunners Rango (Paramount, 3/4, PG, trailer) The Adventures of Tintin (Paramount, 12/21, TBA, 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) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution The Dreaming Machine The Rabbi's Cat Tales of the Night 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 Footnote

Entertainment Unions Increase Support for Occupy Wall Street

Decrying "gross earnings inequality and crazy Boss compensation" and pointing to some backdrop of unemployment and house foreclosures, Authors Guild of America East leader Michael Winship became a member of Occupy Wall Street protesters inside a march Wednesday included in a WGAE contingent that incorporated executive director Lowell Billings contributing to three dozen guild people and staff.our editor recommendsL.A. County AFL-CIO Encourages Occupy La and Occupy Wall Street Protests (Exclusive)Occupy Wall Street: What Hollywood Says Concerning the ProtestsWGA East Encourages Occupy Wall Street Protests (Exclusive)Occupy Wall Street: NY Occasions Reporter Arrested Throughout ProtestHollywood Chefs Join Occupy Wall Street Protests The American Federation of Music artists Local 802 also took part in the march. AFM national leader Ray Hair became a member of the march included in that contingent, stating he was doing this "in order to focus attention around the economic plight of America's employeesInch and raging "the cash males of Wall Street, who blew the economy, (and) walked away untouched, bailed by helping cover their their large bonuses, bringing together their energy." PHOTOS: Dems and Republicans' Favorite Movies "Capital has cleared up on American employees during these hard occasions, very nearly cleaning us out," Hair added. At this time around in La, a march by Occupy LA is happening using the participation from the SEIU, among other unions. Rosanna Arquette was spotted in the event. Also Thursday, Leader Obama stated "The protesters are giving voice to some more broad based frustration about how exactly our economic climate works." The NY march attracted wide media attention, using the NY Occasions confirming the participation of 1000's of union people and unanimous support through the AFL-CIO's executive council. The AFL-CIO was considered to be taking part a march in Washington Thursday. PHOTOS: Box Office Politics: The Films, Stars Dems versus. GOPers Love (and Like to Hate) The WGA West became a member of the chorus of critique today, with guild leader Christopher Keyser saying "The wealthy are becoming much, much more potent (while) the center class . . . is vanishing, and our poor and our unemployed have been in free fall." Keyser added, "The companies and those who gambled with this future, who designed a killing on that wager after which got bailed out by us, have returned with robust profits and unconscionable salaries. Nobody has compensated a cost for your however the American worker." Younger crowd condemned both political parties, stating that "neither appears to achieve the guts or even the independence to keep anybody accountable in order to demand significant safeguards to safeguard us from all this happening again." To date, Stars Equity, AFTRA, the DGA, IATSE, the entertainment Teamsters and SAG have continued to be quiet, possibly reflecting labor union hesitation the Occasions story spotlighted, caused by the Occupy movement's anti-capitalist roots and roots outdoors at work. Indeed, the clearly class-based claims in the entertainment unions seem to be the very first such language they've utilized in a long time. The entertainment unions are occasionally seen to be organizations from the wealthy, but nearly all their people, both above and below the road, make earnings more precisely referred to as middle-class or below and frequently need to find it difficult to find work. Just the most visible people of individuals unions, for example top stars, result in the kind of salaries considered high as well as astronomical by regular standards. Some of the entertainment unions stressed that they're not anti-capitalist, with Winship saying "None people are against profit" and Keyser remarking "there's no requirement that everybody benefit equally." But Keyser added that "the overall game (shouldn't be) rigged." Email: jhandel@att.internet Twitter: @jhandel Related Subjects Obama Labor

The brand new the new sony Utilizes Matthew Federman & Stephen Scaia To Pen Zorro Reboot

EXCLUSIVE: The brand new the new sony Pictures has attracted on television scribes Matthew Federman & Stephen Scaia to produce the studio’s reboot in the Zorro franchise, which won’t be described as a remake but an origin tale in the comic icon good 2005 Isabel Allende novel. It'll be the newest undertake the sword-transporting do-gooder following a new the new sony’s 2005 pic The Legend Of Zorro, starring Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Manley and directed by Martin Campbell. Federman and Scaia provide TV work — their credits include Jericho, Warehouse 13 and Human Target and so they presently work as supervisory producers on ABC’s Charlie’s Angels. Furthermore they simply finished writing a Paris-set World War Ii action drama being created by Chernin Entertainment and Fox Television Art galleries for cable. Zorro will probably be their second feature effort after adapting River Of Doubt, about Teddy Roosevelt’s 1914 trip lower the Amazon . com . com River, for Jon Turteltaub’s Junction Entertainment. They are repped by CAA and Variety.

Jesse Trump, Junior. and Wife Welcome Another Choosing

Jesse Trump Junior. and Vanessa Haydon Trump Jesse Trump Junior. and wife Vanessa welcomed their third child on Sunday, the Celebrity Apprentice judge introduced on Twitter. Tristan Milos Trump was created at 2:59 a.m. on March. 2, weighing 8 lb., 4 oz.. He joins older sister, 4-year-old Kai Madison, and older brother, 2-year-old Jesse John Trump III. Take a look at our fall preview for art galleries, scoop, premiere calendars and much more! "Mother and baby doing great! He can't wait to satisfy his your government & sister," Trump Junior., 33, authored on Monday. "I'm delighted that Don and Vanessa possess a beautiful participant of the growing family," grandfather Jesse Trump told People. The pair, who've been married since 2005, introduced these were expecting in March.