Is 'We Purchased a Zoo' So Sappy It Is Good? (And 24 Other Urgent Questions)

On Friday, a tale in regards to a family buying a zoo comes to theaters using the daring and bold title of 'We Purchased a Zoo.' Matt Damon ('The Rainmaker') stars as Benjamin Mee, a parent of two who buys the titular zoo. Is 'We Purchased a Zoo' so sappy it's good? Or are you going to drown within the sap and die? Like a service, we answer every question you could possibly have about 'We Purchased a Zoo.' Q: The number of occasions have you cry throughout 'We Purchased a Zoo'? A: Wait, what? Cry? I certainly did not "cry" throughout 'We Purchased a Zoo.' Q: So you are stating that you didn't, at any time, cry throughout 'We Purchased a Zoo'? A: OK, look, "cry" is really a powerful term... Q: Did moisture form within the general vicinity of the eyes at any time throughout 'We Purchased a Zoo'? A: Two times. (Also, I am only human.) Q: What's 'We Purchased a Zoo' about? A: It comes down to a current widower named Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) who purchases a zoo. Q: Wait, Benjamin Mee purchases that seventies PBS show? The main one using the kids within the candy striped t shirts? A: You are considering 'Zoom.' Q: How come Benjamin Mee purchase a zoo? A: Following the dying of his wife, Benjamin feels that the change is required -- especially following the bizarre behavior of his boy, Dylan (Colin Ford) -- and decides to maneuver. An ideal house is found, but, alas, additionally, it features a zoo. Q: What type of bizarre behavior? A: Dylan just been eliminated from his school for stealing and it has a inclination to attract pictures of decapitated physiques. Q: Did Matt Damon's wife in 'We Purchased a Zoo' died from Meningoencephalitis Virus One? A: No. The occasions that happened throughout 'Contagion' do not have anything related to the plot of 'We Purchased a Zoo.' Q: So how exactly does Benjamin Mee afford a zoo? Does he possess a high having to pay job? A: Really, he just quit his job like a journalist. Q: Even without giving up your work, would you afford a zoo? A: I am lucky to pay for Zoo Animal Crackers at this time. Fortunately for Benjamin Mee, he's a household inheritance. Q: Does Benjamin's family enjoy possessing a zoo? A: Benjamin's daughter, Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Johnson), is immediately smitten using the zoo. Dylan, however, is under thrilled and misses his buddies. But Dylan does create a crush on among the zoo's employees, Lily (Elle Fanning). Q: Who wouldn't wish to own a zoo? A: Me. Most likely you. Q: OK, what idealistic movie character wouldn't wish to own a zoo? A: The issue using this zoo is the fact that it isn't presently functioning and it is hemorrhaging money. So, with Mee's purchase, younger crowd needs to invest much more of their own time and expense into rebuilding the zoo -- and having to pay the salaries from the zoo's staff. Q: Does Kevin James, as Benjamin's zookeeper, keep your mood light -- even just in occasions of monetary despair? A: Kevin James isn't in 'We Purchased a Zoo.' You are considering 'Zookeeper.' Scarlett Johansson ('The Perfect Score') plays the zookeeper in 'We Purchased a Zoo.' Q: Should you needed to hire either Kevin James or Scarlet Johansson as the zookeeper, whom can you choose? A: This really is tough. Johansson's Kelly Promote appears better qualified, but James' Griffin Keyes is more amusing as he falls lower. I simply have no idea. Q: That which was the greatest surprise in 'We Purchased a Zoo'? A: It is good seeing Patrick Fugit in another Cameron Crowe movie, but, boy, did he get really tall since 'Almost Famous.' Q: Is 'We Purchased a Zoo' a great movie? A: Under most definitions from the word "good," I'd need to state that, no, it isn't particularly "good." Nevertheless its relentless goody-goody earnestness will win you over. It's really humanly impossible to face up to. Q: Must I see 'We Purchased a Zoo'? A: Sure, why don't you? Just make certain to create a tissue to wipe all the sap from the face. Honestly, this is actually the Gallagher of sappy movies -- people right in front row ought to be needed to defend themselves with plastic tarps. Q: Whether it's the Gallagher of sappy movies, must i also expect some racist and homophobic jokes? A: No, I had been just making an outdated mention of the the man who accustomed to smash watermelons having a hammer. Forget I pointed out that. Q: Is 'We Purchased a Zoo' probably the most serious movie being released a few days ago? A: Unbelievably, it isn't. 'War Horse' takes that one title. Q: What is the best factor about 'We Purchased a Zoo'? A: The background music. I am talking about, this can be a Cameron Crowe movie, in the end. Q: If there ever is really a follow up to 'We Purchased a Zoo,' what exactly are three possibly game titles? A: 'We Own a Zoo,' 'We Offered Our Zoo,' and 'We Purchased a Zoo 2: Goat Protocol.' Q: Do you know the odds that you simply lose your work over because you just authored what 'We Purchased a Zoo 2: Goat Protocol'? A: Forty-5 % chance. Q: Is either J.B. Smoove or Ken Jeong within this movie? A: Yes. Q: If I am in a party and I am requested what my opinions of 'We Purchased a Zoo' are, despite the fact that I've not seen 'We Purchased a Zoo', what should I only say? A: "Yes, this can be a sappy movie there's without doubt about this. Look, Nigel*, I understand this can be a cynical world, but Matt Damon's performance left me wanting that, a minimum of, every occasionally, we are able to just all take the time and relish the things in existence that people will have. For something new." (*I required the freedom of presuming that you'll be speaking having a guy named Nigel.) You are able to contact Mike Ryan on Twitter [Photo: Fox] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Bond Producer Wants Difficulties For Five More Movies

Hey, if he ain't broke, why cast another Bond? Producer Michael G. Wilson desires to take that position if the involves Difficulties since the legendary super spy. In the recent interview with people Uk, Wilson states he hopes to keep the newest Bond around for just about any record-breaking eight movies. With Craig presently filming his third Bond movie, "Skyfall," which will mean five more movies to destroy the record set by Roger Moore. "Filming went perfectly up to now and Id love Daniel to exceed Rogers record and do eight pictures," Wilson told People. "Daniels been an entire pleasure to get along with as they takes the role so seriously. Theres really nobody more passionate about creating these films work than him hes a film makers dream." Producer and star have observed no discussions about damaging the record, and Wilson mentioned that talks would only happen once Craig wrapped on "Skyfall." "Lots of people have mentioned Daniels been their favourite Bond since Sean Connery which i cant argue together. Hes doing an admirable job,In . Wilson mentioned. Producer also spoke about why he's so excited for "Skyfall." According to Wilson, Craig and director Mike Mendes are pointing a kind of Bond which has not been around lately. "The director Mike Mendes and Daniel go to some 60s feel more Sean. In my opinion that's exactly what the fans wanted," Wilson mentioned. "There's an enchanting 'Goldfinger' feel surrounding everything. It's all regulated controlled thrilling. I am unable to watch out for people to start to see the movie because In my opinion we're developing a special Bond." Aside from hosting the initial Bond film since 2008's "Quantum of Solace," next season also marks the 50th anniversary in the classic series. To commemorate the momentous occassion, Wilson would ideally would rather gather all of the males who've carried out Bond formerly. "We'd enjoy to acquire all six together. We're searching for a technique for fans to celebrate around because they've been the primary reason the written text films are actually the success they have,Inch he mentioned. Would you like to see Difficulties in five more Bond movies after "Skyfall"? Inform us inside the comments below and also on Twitter!

David Fincher on 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' and Working on 'Return of the Jedi'

David Fincher is not happy with the trailer for his new movie, 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.' He feels it gives off too much of an 'Inception' vibe, which is not conducive to the movie that he made. "I had screaming fights with Sony," he admits. His opinionated stance wasn't always the case. "I was much more collaborative then," Fincher reflected when discussing some of the concessions he made while shooting a George Michael video in the early 1990s. Today, Fincher has a reputation for being the feisty director of some of the most stylized films of the last 16 years -- from 'Se7en' to 'The Social Network' -- and he doesn't particularly like doing press, which, when you're sitting in a room with Fincher, is evident. Not in any sort of "I'm above this" disposition. What I found was a genuinely interesting person who, at least in this type of situation, could almost be described as shy. Fincher was manic at times, restrained at others, but always full of surprises. Put it this way: during the course of this interview, I certainly didn't expect to hear Fincher do an impression of Scooby-Doo. Yet I did. Three times. In 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,' Fincher gives us his version of Stieg Larsson's now famous Swedish best-seller. The story of, as Fincher was told, "a bisexual hacker in Stockholm who rides a motorcycle and fights misogyny and Nazis," is a pretty unlikely story to be translated into a Christmastime blockbuster -- but here we are. Fincher explained how 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' came to his attention in the first place (and how a certain Enya song will now forever be associated with one of the more horrific scenes from this movie), reflected on some of his more popular music videos -- which include artists Rich Springfield, Billy Idol and George Michael -- and broke down exactly what his job was on the set of 'Return of the Jedi.' [Warning: some spoilers about 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' follow] I was told you weren't eating lunch and I felt bad, but I'm happy to see that you are eating something. No, no. Never feel bad. Certainly one only need to take one quick look at me and know that I'm well fed. What are you talking about? You appear to be a very much in-shape person. Hardly. This is what happens when you watch a TV for a living. I've had Enya stuck in my head for the last week. I'm not sure whether to be happy or upset about that. Well, let's say that you had Enya stuck in your head for the right reasons. And nothing against "Orinoco Flow"... It's funny, we were sitting in a hotel room -- ironically just like this one, because it was a sister hotel in Soho. And we were saying that Martin [Stellan Skarsgard's character] should be this audiophile. But what song should he play? And Daniel Craig piped up and said, "Orinoco Flow!" And everyone in the room was like, "What is he talking about?" And he says, "No, no, no, and he went and grabbed his iPod [at this point Fincher runs across the room to simulate Craig's actions] and he went, "play." And we all just burst into laughter. I didn't know that's what it's called. If he had said "Sail Away"... I enjoyed that you acted that out for me. I felt like I was there. The funny thing was with his scamper across the room ... he was so pleased. I would have never guessed that song idea came from him. Daniel Craig is a fucking funny man. Before you got involved with this, what did you know about the books? Nothing. In 2005 or 2006 I was trying to get 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' made. Kathy Kennedy brought me an English language translation of the first book and said, "I want you to read this." I said, "Kathy, it's 600 pages. I don't have time to read a 600-page book right now. Tell me what it's about." She says, "It's about a bisexual hacker in Stockholm, rides a motorcycle and fights misogyny and Nazis." And I said, "Why are you doing this to me? I'm not getting this movie made." So I didn't read the book. And it was my bad and it was stupid and I apologized to her many, many times. But, five years later, the book has sold 25 million copies and a Swedish language movie was about to come out. I had just finished 'The Social Network' and I turned the movie in and Scott Rudin and Amy Pascal came to me and said, "We're making this movie. We want it to come out next Christmas. Can you do it after you finish 'The Social Network'? I read the book and I thought, Oh my God, what do you cut? You changed some things from the book. What didn't you like that you felt needed to be changed? Well, we needed to distill it as much as possible. I mean, how many Vangers can you keep in your mind at any given time. I mean, why see flashbacks when a film had already been made where you don't see the flashbacks? I like putting a face to Harriet. I like living through that day and seeing what Sweden was like in 1966. I liked all of those things that Steig chose to do and I like how it made this odd parallel between the girl who didn't fight back -- the girl who ran -- and the girl who does fight back. Also, in the Swedish version, when Henrick Vanger shows Mikael the flowers that he assumes are coming from the killer, I remember my first thought was, Why does it have to be the killer? I didn't feel that way with your version. It felt more subtle. Well, you don't know when you're reading subtitles, you don't know if that's how it plays out. I have seen interviews that I've given in Sweden, written in Swedish, and translated back into English and I don't recognize what I'm saying. So I think a lot gets lost in translation. There may be that kind of subtlety, I don't know. I know in the translation into English of the Swedish film I think there's some stuff in it that you go, "Why would you put it that way?" But I only saw it once. Now you've made two movies in a row in which watching people type on a computer is somehow enthralling. All day at work I watch people typing: not exciting at all. That seems like a very monotonous thing to do... [Laughs] Incredibly monotonous. Well, it's also ... Look, you just have a rule of thumb: It's got to be as short as you can possibly make it and make the point. And you have to ask yourself, "Am I asking the audience to conclude something from what they've seen? Or am I asking them to simply watch somebody who's masterful at interfacing with this technology?" If I have to have something take place on a screen and then I have to make it land -- it has to drop nine stories and land on its feet -- I've got to go to somebody's reaction. And as goofy as it is to ask actors over a 140 day shoot, or whatever, to go, "I need another Scooby-Doo"... Scooby-Doo? We'd call them Scooby-Doos [in a Scooby-Doo voice], "Huh?" You know, "We're going to need a Scooby-Doo from you here!" I just heard David Fincher do a Scooby-Doo impression. Yeah. But we were joking about that on the set and Rooney would be there and she'd ask, "At the end, do I [in a Scooby-Doo voice] 'Huh?'" And I'd be like, "Yeah, you've got to Scooby-Doo the ending." I'll never watch those scenes the same again. You have to ask yourself what you're doing, and then you have to go and get the pieces that it's going to take to do that. You had a quote recently where you said... Holy shit. I don't even know if it's true. You mentioned how if it were up to you, you wouldn't screen movies early. You're David Fincher, couldn't you just not screen them if you don't want to? I just assumed it was up to you. We didn't screen this movie. We didn't screen 'The Social Network,' we didn't go to a mall and recruit an audience and show it to them. We didn't. But you screened it for press. I was under the impression that's what you were talking about. No. I'm talking about the whole thing. I don't have it in for [NYer critic] David Denby [who ran a review early, breaking studio embargo]. I don't really care. I agree. That whole thing was nonsense. I just thought what you said about not screening movies early was interesting. What I care about is, in this day and age -- to the extent that this has bothered me in the past and to the extent that it has had to be addressed with me by other people -- I have had to sit with people from Sony and Scott Rudin's people who will show you studies done at major universities as to whether or not spoilers are bad. And the work being done now in that area would lead you to believe that spoilers don't actually hurt a movie to go in and experience. And part of this has to do with Pavlovian response people have to movie that have "2s" and "3s" after them. We're trying to turn audio and visual content into fast food. How has that affected you? The reason all trailers look the same ... you know, I had screaming fights with Sony. I loved the trailer for 'Inception.' I just don't want to make the trailer for 'Inception.' I appreciate what it was, but I don't want my trailer to go, "Whomb ... Whomb!" I feel that's their thing. They did it beautifully, more power to them. They branded a sound. They branded a way of this sort of throbbing call to action. Great. 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' is not that. It's a very different thing. You know, it's a much different experience. And I felt like we had bequeathed them when we handed over Karen O singing 'Immigrant Song' in this drive up to the Vanger manor in the snow and this flash cutting of sort of the highlight scenes from book you may love. There are similarities between the 'Inception' trailer and the first 'Dragon Tattoo' trailer. We had sort of given them a roadmap. Then when the trailer started being cut, all of a sudden it was 'Inception' and the television spots look like 'Inception.' Part of that is just the world that we live in. There's this wanting to make the promise of a Friday night experience. "How do we go to the thing that you last loved?" Well, that would be fine, but it precludes all of the hard work that [starts hitting the table] this specific story which is very different from that other story. Speaking of movies with "2s" and "3s," if 'Dragon Tattoo' does well, is it a done deal that you will direct the next two movies? No. Not a done deal. And, you know, this has to do well at a scale that ... a big scale. Let's make the assumption that you don't do another one, for whatever reason. OK... If another director asked you, "Should I do the sequel?" what advice would you give them? Because from what I've read, you didn't have the best experience taking over an established franchise when you did 'Alien 3.' It was a tough thing on 'Alien 3' because there was no need to make a movie for any other reason than it was a sound business decision. There was no story that everybody felt, "Wow, this is worth getting out of bed early for." It was simply, "We could do this or we could do that or we could do this." I don't think you have that with this. You have books that are beloved. Let me put it this way, you have a jumping off point. So it's just a completely different situation? Yeah. You had a different thing with 'Alien.' In 'Alien' you have one sort of returning cast member who desperately wanted the movie to be amazing. I desperately wanted the movie to be amazing. Even the guys who wrote it and produced it wanted the movie to be amazing. The degree to which we would all go to make the movie amazing was different. Sigourney and I had a lot to lose and we worked really, really hard not to embarrass everyone. And, in the end, it wasn't enough. The first thing that I ever saw you do, that was quite amazing when you're a 10-year-old kid... Uh-oh. The video for Rick Springfield's 'Bop 'Til You Drop.' All of a sudden Rick Springfield was in a 'Star Wars'-type video. That one got me out of ILM. I mean, I would make that video very differently today. That doesn't surprise me, but, come on it was 1984... Yeah. And for a 22-year-old and the first $150,000 I've ever had to spend ... yeah, we did the best we could with what we had. Rick was incredibly sweet to me to give me that opportunity, but I honestly don't know what any of that had to do with that song. At least it was different. I really didn't want to see Rick Springfield bop 'till he dropped, I wanted to see him run around with lasers. Well, there you go. You also directed the video for Billy Idol's 'Cradle of Love,' which, if I remember correctly, was challenging because Idol had just been in a serious accident. He couldn't stand. He was on crutches. We shot him from the waste up and put him in a bunch of different Warhols, or whatever. Did that almost give you more freedom with his limitations? I knew Billy. I liked that 'Rebel Yell' album -- it is a fucking amazing record, still, to this day. I didn't want to do a tie-in to a movie... 'The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.' Yeah. I didn't want to do that. And neither did he. He liked the sort of salaciousness of what that song was talking about. And we knew he would be limited to the amount of hours he could be on set. We had to build a little brace that he could kind of hold on to and move himself around. He was fucked up. His leg was really, really atrocious. So they came to me and said, "What's it going to cost to get you to do a movie tie-in video?" and I said, "There's not enough money in the world." They said, "Well, it's Billy Idol." And I said, "Oh, I might reconsider that." They game me the song and I liked the song. And I gave him my ideas and he thought they were funny. So we did it and then I think somebody came in later and cut the scenes from 'Ford Fairlane' into it. The clips of 'Ford Fairlane' don't flow with the rest of the video. Yeah, and there was that thing at the time with MTV where they were like, "Wait, we want to put MTV all over it, but we don't want you to be able to market anything else on the back of this high quality content." Then you did George Michael's 'Freedom! '90,' and Michael isn't in that video at all. Did he tell you that he wouldn't do it? No. He said, "I don't need to be in a video again." Yeah, there's a better cut of that. Our first cut of that was actually better. And it's one of those things that, you know, it is what it is. I was much more collaborative then. Something that I've always wondered, and you've mentioned ILM, what exactly was your role on 'Return of the Jedi'? I was loading cameras. Were you around ['Jedi' director] Richard Marquand? I met Marquand, but I was one of 9000 people getting the movie made. I did the Chicken Walkers [a.k.a. AT-ST Scout Walkers] -- I was working on the Chicken Walkers. They had a lot of shots that were panning and tilting in the Redwood Forest in Crescent City and my job was to figure out a way to match move that stuff, which hadn't been shot in motion control at all. So I was doing a lot of sitting in the dark and taking a mirror and taking registered interpositives and projecting them out of this vision cameras using ... fuck, it was like a -- I think we used little tiny leekos. It was crazy. I mean, when you think of ILM, you always think of this thing where it's like NASA, or something: this is so thrown together and so half-ass. And I would projectile the camera on to these big cards -- these big circular cards -- and I would put a line on a tree. I would sit there with Jerry Jeffress' early, early, early field motion control unit and program match move. I'd match move the plates for the pan and tilt, then I'd bring in the blue screen, bring in the go-motion unit, match the lighting, and put the Chicken Walkers into the shot. That was my job, I was 18 or 19 years old. Not a bad gig at that age. No. I was a pig in shit, man. That was as much fun as I could imagine standing up. I appreciate the time, and I will never listen to Scooby-Doo quite the same way again. [In a Scooby-Doo voice] Huh? You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

The new sony, Warner join Grooveshark complaint

The new sony Music Entertainment and Warner Group have became a member of Universal Group inside a legal complaint against online music streaming service Grooveshark and parent company Escape Media. The amended complaint, filed Thursday inside a NY district court, brings the 3 from the major label groups together in alleging that they have "willfully infringed" upon the companies' copyrights. Grooveshark, a Florida-based streaming service that enables customers to publish their very own music towards the site for other customers to stream, has heretofore contended its protection underneath the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which exempts the organization from damages for violation perpetuated by customers on its site, provided the infringing material under consideration is taken lower upon request. The complaint, however, alleges the site's proprietors knowingly are making money from unlicensed music, as well as that employees might have themselves personally involved in posting unauthorized music. The complaint cites internal emails from Escape Media executives, including one where a senior director states have "wager the organization on the truth that it's simpler to beg forgiveness than request permission." The suit also quotes an anonymous comment published on website Digital Music News, allegedly from the Grooveshark worker, explaining practices which include bonuses for workers who upload certain levels of music in to the system. The initial action filed by UMG recently wasn't the very first legal complaint against the organization. An early on suit from EMI eventually result in the label certification its catalogue towards the site, which makes them the only person from the then four major label groups to do this. (Indie label group Merlin has additionally decided to certification terms with the organization.) Music artists for example King Crimson and Pink Floyd also have openly reported difficulty to get their music taken lower in the site. When arrived at for comment, Grooveshark provided the next statement: "We can't discuss lawsuit we haven't seen, and can strongly defend our privileges in the court. ... We respect the intellectual property of artists, and our strict guidelines are made to make sure that our customers only upload content that they're titled. This can be a policy which we intensely enforce within DMCA needs." Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

'Ellen' Producer Sues Claiming Rabid Fans Were Targeted In Facebook Scam (Exclusive)

Getty Images Last month,Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino from Jersey Shore sued Abercrombie & Fitch over what he saw was a less-than-amusing publicity stunt. The retailer had offered him a "substantial payment" to stop wearing its clothes, and introduced a line of clothing that seemingly aped Sorrentino's famous catch phrases. In response, MPS Entertainment, the company owned by Sorrentino and his brother, filed a $4 million lawsuit alleging trademark violations, deceptive advertising and misappropriation of his publicity rights.our editor recommendsTHR's 5 Worst Celebrity Books of 2011: Jersey Shore, More Jersey Shore and the Levi Johnston-Bristol Palin Feud'Jersey Shore' Season 5 Trailer: Keeping Security Guards Employed Since 2009 (Video)'Jersey Shore's' The Situation Sues Abercrombie & Fitch for $4 MillionAbercrombie & Fitch Offers 'The Situation' Compensation to Not Wear Its Clothes PHOTOS: 'Jersey Shore's' Quotable Situation On Monday, Abercrombie & Fitch responded in court with a very detailed motion to dismiss. The clothing company tells a slightly different story of what happened. Additionally, the defendant attacks Sorrentino for weak trademark claims and says the Jersey Shorecastmember is interfering with its First Amendment right to make light of a troubling situation. Here's A&F's side of the story, which begins on an episode of Jersey Shorethat aired on August 11. Throughout the episode, A&F says that Sorrentino wore green Abercrombie sweat pants bearing its logo. PHOTOS: The Best and Worst Moments of 'Jersey Shore' The retailer says it was concerned that "the prominent display of its A&F logo would be viewed as an endorsement by A&F of the raucous behavior on the show." Reality TV shows often blur out brand names. Not this time, allegedly. So A&F sent a letter to MTV with a request that its marks be pixilated out of future episodes.Along with the demand allegedly came an offer that MTV, Sorrentino and other castmembers would be paid money for not wearing its products. Sorrentino's camp says it never got such an offer, but here's a look at the letter to MTVco-general counselGeorge Cheeks, revealing that the "substantial" offer to stop wearing A&F clothing was for $10,000: In his lawsuit, Sorrentino says that A&F's efforts to contact MTV were all part of a "marketing ploy." Even if MTV was contacted, the star says that such an offer was never conveyed to him. A&F responds that it doesn't matter. "Whether the offer letter went directly to Sorrentino is immaterial, and does not establish the falsity of the offer that Plaintiffs allege was made," the company writes in its motion to dismiss. Sounds good. Here's the problem: Was this a sincere and timely offer? The letter above is dated August 15, yet A&F had already had put out a press release three days earlier noting that it had offered compensation to Sorrentino to cease wearing A&F products. Additionally, although one presidential candidateis getting slammed as being out-of-touch for casually offering up a $10,000 bet in a recent debate, we'll wager that "up to $10,000" wouldn't impress many Hollywood dealmakers as being very "substantial." PHOTOS: Crazy Cases! 18 of Hollywood's Outrageous Entertainment Lawsuits A&F does somewhat better in attacking Sorrentino's claims that certain A&F clothing infringed his trademarks. A&F says it had placed an order in January 2010 for two t-shirts featuring phrases that parodied Jersey Shore. The company says that Sorrentino was aware of the parody t-shirts for almost a year and never objected. The retailer goes on to dispute Sorrentino's trademark dominion over "The Situation" and "GTL," saying the evidence shows merely that the reality star has applied to register those marks. The applications have not yet been granted by the U.S. Trademark Office. Additionally, the use and "good will" of the mark is questioned. It's noted that MPS supposedly acquired rights to a stylized upside-down "Situation" mark and design from a retailer named Yak Shoes, but A&F questions the validity of this assignment since there has been no transfer of business nor evidence that the mark and design has been used. Besides, A&F points out that the asserted trademark registration and A&F's clothing aren't very similar and its products are unlikely to confuse consumers. The clothing retailer provides some good reasoning to doubt whether Sorrentino will eventually succeed in registering GTL. It's pointed out that Viacom (parent company of MTV) actually holds a trademark registration for "GYM TANNING LAUNDRY" and has been offering on its website t-shirts for sale bearing "GTL." "Based on both MTV's and other Jersey Shore castmates' use of 'GTL', Plaintiffs cannot establish that they are the single source of goods being offered under the alleged mark 'GTL', and their unfair uncompetition and false designation of origin claim under 1125(a) must fail," says the brief. Perhaps most important is the question whether A&F's use of Sorrentino and his catch-phrases is constitutionally-protected free speech. A&F says that its shirts and use of the star's likeness was parody -- clearly a joke, not intended to convey sponsorship: "A&F's t-shirt bearing the phrase 'The Fitchuation' was a pun or turn of phrase, parodying Sorrentino's nickname for himself as 'The Situation'. As Plaintiffs plead, Sorrentino has appeared on several nationally televised programs and as such is a public figure, subject to being parodied by virtue of his presence in the public eye. Additionally, the t-shirt bearing the phrase 'G.T.L. (You Know The Deal) Fitch', was poking fun at the Jersey Shore castmates self proclaimed habit of doing the 'GTL', i.e. 'gym, tanning laundry.' We have no idea what makes the average guido in Jersey laugh, and we know the old saying that the best way to kill a joke is to explain it, but was this actually humorous? Whether the judge chuckles and chucks....stay tuned. E-mail: eriqgardner@yahoo.com Twitter: @eriqgardner PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 'Jersey Shore': The Quotable Situation

Oprah's Large Return to TV Marred by Struggle, Deep Financial Worries at OWN (Analysis)

The 18th Slamdance Film Festival, which runs from Jan. 20-26 in Park City, Utah, will showcase 18 feature length films -- 10 narrative films and 8 documentaries -- from first-time company company directors within the feature competition programs. 13 in the movies, culled from nearly 5,000 distribution, are world premieres. In announcing the options Wedneday, Peter Baxter, Slamdance leader and co-founder, mentioned, "Our competition showcase reflects new techniques to filmmaking that mirror the cruel occasions through which we presently live. These films showcase filmmakers who've a substantial capacity to innovate, experiment, and produce us strongly into not able to independent filmmaking. The Slamdance line-up includes: NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION PROGRAM: Bindlestiffs Director: Andrew Edison, Screenwriters: Andrew Edison, Luke Loftin. (USA) Three smart-mouthed secondary school virgins, suspended from practice around the graffiti charge, flee for the inner city to reside in the plot in the Catcher inside the Rye. Cast: Andrew Edison, Luke Loftin, John Karna Comforting Skin Director: Derek Franson, Film author: Derek Franson. (Canada) US Premiere A lonely youthful lady's desperate requirement of emotional and physical companionship draws her in to a surreal and ultimately destructive relationship getting a shifting and whispering tattoo she's willed to existence on her behalf account skin. Cast: Jane Sowerby, Tygh Runyan, Victoria Bidewell Doppelgänger Paul (or possibly a movie About How Precisely Much Personally, I Can't Stand Myself) Director: Dylan Akio Cruz, Kris Elgstrand, Film author: Kris Elgstrand. (Canada) US Premiere The unlikely relationship of two lonely males whose connection sparks a number of occasions inducing the possible lack of a thumb, the robbery from the manuscript, and a pair of looks around the popular morning talk show. Cast: Kaira Dryborough, Tygh Runyan Belief, Love and Whiskey Director: Kristina Nikolova, Screenwriters: Kristina Nikolova, Paul Dalio. (Bulgaria) World Premiere A young Bulgarian lady, engaged with a well-off American, panics and runs home, fixing your relationship together with her drifter pals as well as the wild information on her past and falling deeply deeply in love with her passionate but alcoholic nearest friend. Cast: Ana Stojanovska, Valeri Yordanov, John Keabler, Lidia Indjova, Yavor Baharov Heavy Women Director: Axel Ranisch, Screenwriters: Axel Ranisch, Heiko Pinkowski, Peter Trabner. (Germany) US Premiere Sven lives along with his senior citizens mother Daniel is her medical expert. When she wanders off, their misadventure to discover her leads those to uncover their confusing affection for each other. Cast: Heiko Pinkowski, Peter Trabner, Ruth Bickelhaupt OK, Good Director: Daniel Martinico, Screenwriters: Hugo Remedy, Daniel Martinico. (USA) World Premiere Numerous demoralizing auditions together with a cultish movement workshop push a fighting actor inside the edge. Cast: Hugo Remedy Curler Town Director: Andrew Rose rose bush, Screenwriters: Andrew Rose rose bush, Mark Little, Scott Vrooman (Canada) US Premiere Within the peak of disco-mania, three pals attempt to stop a close crime syndicate from turning their beloved curler rink in to a video arcade. Cast: Kayla Lorette, Mark Little, Scott Vrooman The Appear of Small Things Director/Film author: Peter McLarnan. (USA) World Premiere Mike and Cara's try to navigate their youthful marriage is complicated by miscommunication, suspicion and her deafness. Cast: Cara Krippner, Mike Hoolihan Sundowning Director/Film author: Frank Rinaldi. (Singapore/USA) World Premiere An account in regards to the relationship from the youthful lady which has lost her memory and her mysterious medical expert. Cast: Shannon Fitzpatrick, Susan Chau Thank you for going to Pine Hill Director/Film author: Keith Burns. (USA) World Premiere A awesome drug dealer, now a claims insurance provider throughout your day and bouncer by evening, receives earthshattering news that obliges him revisit his past and seek transcendence beyond the Brooklyn concrete. Cast: Shannon Harper, Mary Meyers, David Williams DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION PROGRAM: Zoysia Women Director: Todd Kellstein. (Thailand/USA) World Premiere Two eight years of age women fight in rural Thailand's undercover child boxing economy to make money to assist their loved ones. Danland Director: Alexandra Berger, Screenwriters: Ann Husaini, Alexandra Berger. (USA) World Premiere Amateur porn producer Serta Leal, also called 'Porno Serta,' searches for closeness despite his industry and no matter themselves. The Initial Season Director: Rudd Simmons. (USA) World Premiere To achieve their version in the American dream, the Van Amburg family struggle simply because they combat relentless toil, financial ruin as well as the harsh reality of dairy farming. Escaping . Of Mattress Director: Caskey Ebeling, Film author: Tempt. (USA) World Premiere After being recognized with Lou Gehrig's disease making almost completely paralyzed, Tony "Tempt" Quan, popular L.A. graffiti artist, regains his voice through technology that reads the movement of his eyes and enables him to create art and write once again. I'd Like My Title Back Director: Roger Paradiso. (USA) Utah Premiere 30 years following a historic recording in the legendary mega-hit "Rapper's Delight," Master Gee & Question Mike go back to reclaim their particulars and rightful devote Stylish Hop history. Kelly Director: James Stenson. (USA) World Premiere Getting fled a provincial past, a young, transgender prostitute searches for love and acceptance in the landscape of broken Hollywood Dreams. No Ashes, No Phoenix Director/Film author: Jens Pfeifer. (Germany) World Premiere A locker room expose about youthful basketball players in Hagen, Germany who face their fears of losing and challenge enormous odds to be successful. We are Legion: The Story in the Hacktivists Director/Film author: John Knappenberger. (USA) World Premiere An intimate look within the area of Anonymous, the radical "hacktivist" collective that has transformed civil disobedience for your digital age. Related Subjects

Period pics invite wide spectrum of styles

Woody Allen and d.p. Darius Khondji on the set of 'Midnight in Paris'Janusz Kaminiski shot 'War Horse'From Tom Stern's bloodless, monochromatic palette on Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar" to Janusz Kaminski's vibrant, painterly images in Steven Spielberg's "War Horse," filmmakers took radically different approaches to capturing historic periods in their work this year, whether based on real-life figures or simply grounded in a certain time and place.For Peter Suschitzky, who shot David Cronenberg's early 20th century Freud/Jung drama, "A Dangerous Method," the very idea of altering his style to suit a particular epoch is specious at best. For the d.p., subtle differences are more visceral than strategic."I'm not going to change my camera style radically just because it's a period movie," he says. "But something obviously does happen inside of myself, and style shifts naturally. We took into account that the film is set before (everyone had) electricity. My compositions were based more on place. In the mental hospital scenes, I wanted strong compositions. Freud's apartment has a completely different feel from Jung's by virtue of the sets. I shoot on those sets organically, reacting instinctively to what I see."I do think the period speaks to you and influences you in ways you are not conscious of," he adds. "Just seeing the actors in period clothes has an effect on the work."Tomas Alfredson's "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," by contrast, was shot specifically to illustrate a particularly lonely Cold War ambiance. The cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, who has been tackling period films for years, feels it's easier than contemporary work, because "time gives you perspective -- you can be a little bit more analytical about certain things. The time is well defined in a visual sense."The goal was to bring viewers into what the filmmakers perceived to be the real "atmosphere of the Cold War" in Eastern Europe, far from glamourized notions. "This is the darker side of the Cold War, the painful side -- people locked in small rooms lit by artificial light, going through the motions," van Hoytema says."MI6 (operatives) in this time were hard-laboring, lonely men who had secrets they could not tell anyone. We wanted to show how lonely and dreary it was. I wanted a scruffy finish to the cinematography -- real texture in the frames."To accomplish this, van Hoytema used an old, grainy Fuji Reala 500D film stock that is now discontinued. He then enhanced grain via a 4k digital intermediate workflow at a Swedish facility called the Chimney Pot."I got more grain with that stock, and also by slightly underexposing it," he says. "(The 4k process) meant that we could work at a much better resolution. This way, we lost less of the structure of the original negative, which was important to me. A 2k process can interfere with original film noise, and grain can get filtered, making its roughness appear digital. Here, we were able to get back that organic sense."Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris," meanwhile, moves back-and-forth between contemporary and period visuals. The mission was all about romanticizing Paris at night during a famous historical period, and distinguishing it from contemporary chunks of the film.To achieve this, for the period sections, d.p. Darius Khondji used old Taylor-Hobson Cooke lenses from the 1960s and '70s, and sharp, modern Cooke S5 lenses for contemporary pieces."The modern period also has a wider lens and more camera moves to be sharper with more depth of field," says Khondji, "while we used longer lenses for period work."In the 1920s, they didn't have a wide-angle lens, so I shot that period without one. We tried to glamourize it with longer lenses and less movement -- more classical. Also, more backlight. I don't use a lot of backlight for modern stories, but it's an iconic, vintage look that works to (represent) older photography."The filmmakers attempted to differentiate vintage Paris at night through a distinct lack of exterior light. "We turned out the lights in Paris," Khondji says. "In modern cities, there is too much light. I imagined that back then, there were bubbles of light only around cafes and restaurants, wherever there was activity.""War Horse," which takes place during World War I, appears to reference the kind of fiery sunsets and dramatic vistas of classic epics like "Gone With the Wind" and "Duel in the Sun."These rich, light-intensive compositions -- achieved almost totally in camera -- are, in a sense, characters in the film, reminding viewers of a simpler era compared to what's coming."We talked about amazing exteriors, beautiful skies, and great clouds," Kaminski says. "To maintain the beauty of the sky, you have to light actors at certain levels so they don't blend in with the landscape. If it were a contemporary movie, I would have had a different approach. I wouldn't light people as much as I did on this movie, and the importance of deep skies would not be emphasized as much."The period nature is particularly accentuated during the battle sequences. An iconic cavalry charge inspired by historic paintings descends into the dark, graphic reality of trench warfare. Spielberg and Kaminski are certainly no strangers to visualizing the battlefield after "Saving Private Ryan," but this time around, the camera highlights a different kind of a war."This movie has fewer camera tricks, fewer manipulations (for battle sequences) -- it's more straightforward," Kaminski says. " 'Private Ryan' relied on manipulated camera speeds and lenses a lot more. 'Private Ryan' was handheld and, here, we are usually away from the actors -- we're more objective about it, less personally involved."Meanwhile, Stern's dark, shadowy look on "J. Edgar" accentuated the period costumes and sets. As such, Stern says he was generally more focused on lighting and lensing for the evolving state of Hoover's mind, given that the film is a psychological drama."He was going between the frustration of his emotions and his yearning for power, and he descends into a sort of tragic isolation," Stern says. "That's what we were trying to capture. At times, he's a couple molecules short of bonkers, and we lit accordingly. The period is mostly taken care of with design. A friend recently accused me of having it look old mahogany, but I guess that was the sense and (palette) of high-end federal buildings back then."The same sets in the Department of Justice and Hoover's office are used across many decades, so lighting fixtures were swapped out. Gaffer Ross Dunkerley, for example, used practical 250-watt bulbs to light all the 1920s scenes in the main corridor. In the 1960s, that same corridor is lit with practical fluorescent lights to make it look brighter during daylight hours.Such subtle tricks are all over "J. Edgar," but perhaps the most overt attempt to distinguish one era from another took place during the digital intermediate process. There, Eastwood and Stern had Technicolor Hollywood colorist Jill Bogdanowicz radically desaturate the 1920s imagery to make it look like it was closer to how film looked back then. Bogdanowicz even added soft vignettes to 1920s shots to keep eyes focused on the center of frames to mimic the look of darker, vintage lenses.EYE ON THE OSCARS: THE CINEMATOGRAPHERLensers aren't afraid of the dark | For 'Hugo,' depth adds to character | Period pics invite wide spectrum of styles | Projecting turmoil Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

'American Psycho' Author Encourages 'Kardashians' Star Scott Disick For Reboot

"Kardashians" star and Kourtneys baby father Scott Disick remains due to the co-sign by "American Psycho" author Bret Easton Ellis to inhabit the skin of Patrick Bateman, employment made famous by Batman themselves, Christian Bale. After news broke from the recommended remake in the 2000 film, reported by Variety now, Scott, who virtually might be the living embodiment in the The The Big Apple yuppie/murdererOrexpense banker in look, charisma and magnificence, needed to Twitter to pitch themselves since the perfect leading guy for your leading role. just heard there undertaking a remake of yank Psycho! he tweeted. best news i have heard! i am hoping they call me! While Ellis hasnt been reported to get a part within the building from the remake, he did give Scott the thumps up, if he should land the role. (Full disclosure: we dont think hell get it, even though he totally should.) I have informed Lionsgate which i will not approve a completely new version of 'American Psycho' unless of course obviously it stars SCOTT DISICK or MILES FISHER, he written, later tease, I am waiting for Scott Disick to request: Who inside the hell is Bret Easton Ellis? But, Scott being the always awesome TV personality he's, quickly put Ellis within the place, telling him, Not likely to occur, I realize who u r! Presently the script, which was recently changed into the studio after being pitched taken, continues to be helmed by Noble Manley, who done David Finchers The Social Media, and may explore how Bateman would fare in modern-day Gotham. Regardless of simply what does happen, Scott did win something now. He placed at #14 on our listing of the extremely best 50 TV figures of 2011. Got married would rather think its a worthy consolation prize! Are you able to watch Disick inside an "American Psycho" reboot? Reveal what you consider inside the comments section and also on Twitter!

Neil Marshall To Direct Hellfest For CBS Films

EXCLUSIVE: Neil Marshall is in early talks to direct Hellfest, the CBS Films horror project about a costumed killer who systematically slaughters the unsuspecting visitors who come to a theme park on Halloween night. The plan is for this to be his next movie and start production by summer next year. The hope is to launch a horror franchise. Scripted by William Penick and Chris Sey, Hellfest is produced by Gale Anne Hurd through her Valhalla Entertainment banner. Marshall last helmed Centurion, and before that Doomsday and The Descent. He’s currently in post production on Blackwater, an episode in the second season of HBO’s Game of Thrones. He’s repped by Principato-Young, ICM and Carlos Goodman.

G.M. Offers to Buy Back Chevy Volts

NY - Yahoo has decided to shutter four entertainment blogs, the online company said Friday.our editor recommendsBids for Yahoo Minority Stake Value Company at $20 Billion-PlusYahoo Exec Touts Success of 'Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1' Premiere Coverage Movie blog The Projector and TV blog The Set, music-focused The Amplifier and gossip site The Famous are the sites on which Yahoo is pulling the plug. Mark Lisanti, a former Movieline.com writer and Defamer editor who joined Yahoo last year to oversee new entertainment blogs as deputy editor, tweeted: "Yeah, so: Yahoo's shutting down our blogs. (Oh, and us.) Couldn't be more honored and proud to have worked with such talented people..." Sibyl Goldman, vp Yahoo Entertainment, said in a statement: "We are continuing to invest in original content and expert voices on the entertainment topics the fans want most, such as Awards Season, first looks at blockbuster movies and Red Carpet Fashion, including welcoming Oscars expert Thelma Adams earlier this week." Yahoo has also continued to invest in premium video content, such as female-targeted online video series announced this fall. "With over 80 million users across all of Yahoo's entertainment properties, we remain committed to delivering the highest quality, premium experiences for both users and advertisers," Goldman said, citing comScore data. It was not immediately clear how many staffers were affected by the shutdown of the sites. Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Topics Yahoo

Ken Russell and the Naughty-Boy Impudence Appreciated By THR Film Critic Todd McCarthy

Director Simon West, presently shooting The Expendables 2, is within discussions to board Dust and Glory, a vehicle racing movie being individually created by Top Cat Media and Blue Star Entertainment.our editor recommendsStuntman Hurt in 'Expendables 2' Accident in Stable Condition PHOTOS: Lights, Camera, Accident! 20 Hollywood Stunts Gone Wrong With different novel by Evan Eco-friendly, the romance adventure project is placed throughout the 1950s' Redex tests, which covered a lot more than 10,000 miles of a few of the most difficult racing terrain around australia, otherwise the planet. Referred to like a mix between Mad Max and Jewel from the Earth, the Robert Lewis Galinsky-written script follows the competition between a united states hotshot as well as an Australian legend Galinsky is creating with Elizabeth Howatt-Jackman and David Parker through the trio's Top Kat. Blue Star Entertainment's Jason Shuman and William Sherak will also be creating. Jib Polhemus of Simon West Productions will join Geoffrey Edelsten as executive producers. The producers are thinking of getting a summer time begin in Australia and aspire to go to cast before year's finish. STORY: Arnold Schwarzenegger Shares Photos In the 'Expendables 2' Set West, repped by CAA and attorney Craig Tyerman, counts movies for example Disadvantage Air, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and also the recent Jason Statham-starrer The Auto technician as his credits. He's also focusing on Thunder Run, a CG/hybrid Iraqi War movie which has Gerard Butler, Mike Worthington, and Matthew McConaughey attached. Email: Borys.Package@thr.com Twitter: @Borys_Package PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Lights, Camera, Accident! 20 Hollywood Stunts Gone Wrong The Expendables

Adam Sandler and Six More Stars Safe from Bad Reviews

The final several Adam Sandler movies happen to be torn apart by experts -- but that has not stopped them from making piles of money. For instance, 'I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry' and 'Click,' two films which were significantly panned, made $186 million and $237 million, correspondingly. Apparently, Sandler's box office appeal is safe from negativity, something which the Hollywood Reporter has confirmed within their new Teflon Actor Honours: 6 Stars Safe from Bad Reviews. So apart from Sandler, cure made their email list? First of all is Jennifer Aniston, who got the Teflon Award for "America's Sweetheart." Based on THR, "What's fascinating is when little quality matters to [Aniston's] drawing energy. 'Marley & Me' and 'Horrible Bosses' were just like 'Just Opt For It' was bad -- 'If these were showing this with an plane, I'd request for any parachute,' authored Richard Roeper -- plus they all made a lot more than $100 million." Ashton Kutcher got the "Mr. Consistency Award," since all his movies have obtained negative reviews but still handled to gross money. Katherine Heigl, meanwhile, received the "Rom-Com Full Award" (clearly). You should check out the whole list over on THR. [via THR] [Photo: Getty Images] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Whos Faking Mirror Mirror Praise? Hmm

We all know Hollywood galleries fake film reviews andmovie advertisements. Now a clear, crisp-eyedblog lately observed some “strangely positive comments” in the same Ip inside a 2-hour span after posting Relativity’s Mirror Mirror trailer.Turns outMovieMavericks.com found the identical comments positioned on a number of other blogsthat published theMirror Mirror trailer. “The large real question is whos behind this ‘astroturfing’? Could it be someone in Jennifer Aniston camping? Tarsem Singhs, Armie Hammers or Lily Collins people? Has Relativity Media hired some gray area marketing agency? Or perhaps is it really a passionate fan?” the web site requested.Oh puh-leeze: galleries regularly hire trollsto publish comments on the web.

Box Office Report: 'Twilight: Breaking Dawn' Eyeing Franchise Best $73.5 Mil Friday

Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 1 is on course to score the second-best opening of 2011, but it remains to be seen whether it can match the $142.8 million debut of The Twilight Saga: New Moon on the same weekend two years ago.our editor recommendsBox Office Report: 'Twilight: Breaking Dawn' Earns $30.3 Mil in Midnight RunsNew Movie Reviews: 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 1,' 'The Descendants,' 'Happy Feet Two' Hitting Theaters'Twilight: Breaking Dawn' Wedding Invitation Designer Revealed (Exclusive)Box Office Report: 'Twilight-Breaking Dawn' Rakes in $8.9 Mil in Its First Foreign Foray PHOTOS: 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part I' Black Carpet Premiere For Friday itself, Breaking Dawn is looking at a gross of $73.5 million, which would represent a franchise best. New Moon grossed $72.7 million on its first Friday. The weekend's other new entry, Warner Bros.' Happy Feet Two, got off to a slower-than-expected start, grossing an estimated $6 million on Friday for a projected weekend gross of $22 million to $24 million. The 3D family toon hopes to make up ground during Thanksgiving week. PHOTOS: 'Twilight' and the Top 15 Grossing Threequels of All Time Breaking Dawn began playing in 3,251 theaters at 12:01 a.m. Friday, earning $30.3 million in midnight grosses before moving into a total of 4,061 locations by mid-morning. Until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 came along this summer, the last two Twilight pics set records for best midnight performance. This summer, Deathly Hallows earned a massive $43.6 million in midnight grosses on its way to grossing north of $160 million in its first weekend. Breaking Dawn now stands at No. 2 in terms of all-time midnight best. PHOTOS: New Images of 'Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn' Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, Breaking Dawn was directed by Bill Condon. As of Thursday, Breaking Dawn had already earned $8.9 million from a handful of foreign markets. Related Topics Robert Pattinson Taylor Lautner Twilight Saga Box Office Happy Feet 2 Kristen Stewart

Make the most of Kardashian on His Unlikely Journey for the Dwts Finals

Make the most of kardashian His mother made him perform show. He preferred to stop the initial week. As well as the first times of testing, he couldn't even look his professional partner, Cheryl Burke, inside the eye. Sources inside Dwts say Make the most of Kardashian which causes it to be completely for the finals remains simply miraculous. He cops to reluctant to do the show whatsoever, and being pressed by his mother, Kris Jenner, the particular reality show puppeteer who pulls your family strings. "My mother assisted me perform show," states Kardashian, 24. "She forced me to make it happen. I'd the very best decision, but it's something I never pictured myself doing, nor did eighty percent around the world think I really could do." Request him if he preferred to stop the initial week, which according to him this didn't go that far. "I didn't really wish to quit," according to him. "I merely didn't think I really could take action. I understood I desired to make it happen. I'm doing something that's completely outdoors my rut. I'm not a real artist. Though Cheryl's help, I merely kind of built confidence, each week, after which it eventually I recognized, you know what happens? I am able to perform that. The fact we're inside the position that people have been in? I shocked myself." Burke states so in the beginning, Kardashian am shy and undecided about themselves he couldn't look her inside the eye. "Not for more than dependent on seconds,Inch she states. "It absolutely was just that whole confidence problem, but he's certainly progressed into that." Now, despite rising in the very competitive Ricki Lake and J.R. Martinez, according to him he really thinks he's a try at winning. "We have got a ten for your samba last evening, which everyone states might be the most difficult dance," states Kardashian. "To make sure that just generates for me a substantial volume of confidence, beginning the finals." Simply how much confidence? States Burke, "They can look me throughout my eyes, now." Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine today!

Maksim & Hope On Why They Showed A Softer Side On Dancing

First Published: November 8, 2011 4:59 PM EST Credit: ABC LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Hope Solo and Maksim Chmerkovskiy on Dancing with the Stars, Nov. 8, 2011Maksim Chmerkovskiy showed off a softer side on Monday nights Dancing with the Stars as the program featured footage of the professional dancer having a nice family meal with his partner, Hope Solo, and the two said it was all on purpose. Have you seen the seven weeks of our packages? It was all negativity lots of curse words, me kicking the wall, us being very physical and intense, and thats not really fair to our fans, Hope told Access Hollywood on Monday night after DWTS. This is a dance show, and people want to see you happy and having fun. Were competitors, so we got really intense. Maks noted, however, that the intensity is real. Its not a line, Maks added. Were still intense about wanting to do well in this competition. We kind of did not take into consideration that theres cameras in the room. A lot of things that we understand between each other, people dont, because theyre not with us, Maks continued. They just see a little snippet. We just had to be a little politically correct, but once again, we are incapable of putting on a show as far as acting were not lying to anybody. DWTS continues on Tuesday at 8/7 C on ABC. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Hacking Update: News Around The Globe Hired Private Agent To Spy On Sufferers Lawyers

Here's more fodder for that United kingdom parliamentary committee that's scheduled to listen to testimony from News Corp deputy COO James Murdoch on Thursday: It appears such as the conglomerate’s now-defunct News around the globe hired an investigator to tail a set of lawyers which were representing sufferers from the United kingdom tabloid’s phone-hacking scandal. The BBC reported the surveillance of Mark Lewis and Charlotte now Harris happened throughout the 18 several weeks that James was executive chairman of News Worldwide, the United kingdom newspaper arm of News Corp and also the parent company of NOTW. The practice incorporated getting Derek Webb, an old officer who went a personal-eye agency, follow and film Lewis’ family — including his teenage daughter — in order to search up grime around the lawyer and prevent him from taking more cases because the scandal increased (Lewis symbolized the household of Milly Dowler, the killed schoolgirl whose voicemails were compromised into by NOTW, a thought that many directly brought towards the tabloid’s demise). Stated News Worldwide inside a statement: “While surveillance isn't illegal, it had been clearly deeply inappropriate during these conditions. This course of action wasn't condoned by any current executive at the organization.” The BBC stated Webb is talking concerning the practice because News Worldwide hasn't compensated him for his services he'd been employed by the tabloid for eight years.

Peter Liguori Mulling Exit From Discovery

The month of january 19 would mark Peter Liguori’s second year anniversary at Discovery Communications but he might not be there to celebrate it. I've found that the veteran TV executive is thinking about departing Discovery, where he can serve as COO, prior to the finish of the season. A repetition for the organization rejected comment beyond observing that Liguori “is a professional up to date and dealing hard for the organization across numerous areas.” Liguori indeed has handled multiple areas since joining Discovery. As COO, he's oversight of selling, Discovery Galleries, Corporate Communications and Corporate Matters, Business Matters, and Media Technology, Production and Procedures for the organization and it has offered because the lead executive representing Discovery Communications in the 2 joint endeavors, OWN: The The famous host oprah Winfrey Network, and also the Hub. Liguori was hands-on active in the launch of OWN as well as in May, he was named interim Boss from the battling cable network following a departure of Christina Norman. Two several weeks later, Winfrey required within the Boss position, and Liguori participation decreased to some extent of him getting no each day-to-day role in the funnel.

'The X Factor' Restored for Second Season

"Glee" Fox came back to the regularly scheduled programming following a couple of days off for baseball and it is entire selection was lower. Glee (7.4 million total audiences, 2.9 rating in grown ups 18-49 demographic), featuring the very first appearance from the Glee Project co-champion Damian McGinty, published a 19 percent decline from the last original four days ago, using the hourlong capped by CBS' NCIS in the time slot. The episode seemed to be the cheapest-ranked for that series. New Girl (7.5 million, 3.5) saw a 19-percent dip and Raising Hope (5.5 million, 2.5) sank 14 %. Nevertheless, the first kind won its 9 p.m. half-hour among grown ups 18-49 and also the more youthful 18-34 demos. Fox notes that it is programming more often than not posts declines after baseball and needs its selection revisit "normal" inside a couple of days. PHOTOS: Fall TV Dying Pool: Which New Shows Is Going To Be Canceled? CBS' dramas also saw a dip overall, although the network still arrived on the scene on the top in viewership (15.4 million) and also the 18-49 demo (3.2) for primetime. NCIS (19.4 million, 3.9) and NCIS: LA (15.six million, 3.4) were both lower 5 and 8 percent, correspondingly, while rookie procedural Memorable (11.3 million, 2.3) dipped 8 percent hitting its cheapest-ranked telecast to date. Particularly, NCIS capped Glee at 8 p.m. to win the hour in coveted 18-49 demo, while NCIS: LA and Memorable also won their particular cycles. ABC's guy comedies Last Guy Standing (9.3 million, 2.6) and Guy Up! (6.4 million, 1.8) both published their cheapest-ranked telecasts to date within their youthful seasons, lower 10 %. Dwts (15.two million, 2.8), meanwhile, rose 8 percent because of its latest elimination episode, which saw David Arquette obtaining the boot. That increased Body of Proof (10.a million, 2.) 11 percent at 10 p.m. NBC saw double-digit growth for that Greatest Loser (6.4 million, 2.2), which hit a season full of viewership, and Being a parent (5.3 million, 2.2), that has greatly enhanced on its rankings performance in comparison to last season. The CW's 90210 (1.5 million, .7) increased 6 % as a whole audiences in comparison to the last original episode on March. 18. Ringer (1.8 million, .8) held steady as a whole audiences and 18-49, but enhanced 14 % within the more youthful 18-34 category to publish b .8. CBS -- 3.2 · NCIS: 19.4 million, 3.9 · NCIS: LA: 15.six million, 3.4 · Memorable: 11.3 million, 2.3 Fox -- 3. · Glee: 7.4 million, 2.9 · New Girl: 7.5 million, 3.5 · Raising Hope: 5.5 million, 2.5 ABC -- 2.3 · Last Guy Standing: 9.3 million, 2.6 · Guy Up!: 6.4 million, 1.8 · Dwts results: 15.two million, 2.8 · Body of Proof: 10.a million, 2. NBC -- 2.3 · The Greatest Loser: 6.4 million, 2.2 · Being a parent: 5.3 million, 2.2 The CW -- .7 · 90210: 1.5 million, .7 · Ringer: 1.8 million, .8 TV Rankings

Report: Rachelle Lefervre and Gus Van Sant to produce Indie Film Together

It seems like the Australian edition of GQ finally knows why Rachelle Lefervre and Gus Van Sant were getting dinner together. THR looks at the two will synergy with an unknown indie with various NYer article that Lautner themselves optioned. Mysteries! Also: new career, Tay-tay! Per THR, Lautner is made the decision to merely work top company company directors and authors within the pursuit to "define themselves becoming an actor." Up to now, so excellent. Both regions of 'Breaking Dawn' were directed by Bill Condon -- Oscar nominated just like a director for 'Dreamgirls' together with a champion for top Modified Script for 'Gods & Monsters' -- and Van Sant is certainly an Oscar nominee too. Mentioned Condon to Moviefone the other day, "[Lautner] can be as serious an actress as anybody I've ever labored with." High praise considering he's also labored with Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, Mister Ian McKellan, Laura Linney and Liam Neeson among others. This new project will apparently be introduced entirely inside a couple of days the idea is to find it before cameras between the initial quarter of 2012. [via THR] [Photo: Getty] 'The Twilght Saga: Breaking Beginning - Part 1' Image Gallery From wedding events to werewolves, Moviefone gets the full-type of images within the approaching romance saga. See All Moviefone Galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

James Mangold Compares The Wolverine to Chinatown and The Outlaw Josey Wales

James Mangold was just as apprehensive as the rest of you when the idea of a Wolverine movie fell into his lap — so much so that he spoke with predecessor Darren Aronofsky, who was originally set to direct, before taking on the project. So what enticed him to take the helm on the Hugh Jackman-starring X-Men spin-off, anyways? And how exactly will it evoke such American classics as Chinatown and Clint Eastwood’s The Outlaw Josey Wales? From The Playlist: “I think part of the reason I’m doing this picture has been because it isn’t to me a conventional superhero movie. It isn’t an origin story, so I’m freed from that burden, and it also isn’t a save-the-world movie, which most of them are. It’s actually a character piece; I actually think it has more in common with The Outlaw Josey Wales and Chinatown, what we’re doing, than the conventional, ‘Will Wolverine and his compatriots save the world from this thermonuclear device’ question.” And further: “…The fact that half of the characters in this movie speak Japanese, this is like a foreign-language superhero movie that’s as much a drama and a detective story and a film noir, with high-octane action as it is anything like a conventional tentpole film.” So, Mangold’s Wolverine is an unconventional foreign language superhero detective noir-actioner character piece, set in Japan, with shades of Chinatown and The Outlaw Josey Wales. Gotcha. Another way to look at it: Wolverine will finally reunite the star and director of Kate & Leopold! Rejoice or lament as you will. James Mangold Calls ‘The Wolverine’ A Dark Character Piece Like Eastwood’s ‘The Outlaw Josey Wales’ [The Playlist]

Jim Ladd, the muse for Tom Petty's 'The Last DJ,' Release From Radio Gig

Lay offs hit r / c industry very challenging to Wednesday as reviews emerged that Apparent Funnel was letting go hundreds of employees in up-and-coming small to mid-sized areas meant for "Premium Choice" content format-specific programming syndicated to stations around the regional and national basis (like On Air with Ryan Seacrest).our editor recommendsFormer Tribune Co. Boss Randy Michaels Billed With DUIHoward Stern Bids Goodbye to Radio Alma Mater WYSP With Half-Hour Mobile Call (Audio)Why Podcasts Are Comedy's Second Coming: Adam Carolla, Marc Maron and Greg Proops Weigh In (Q&A) Now comes word that Cumulus Media, new entrepreneurs of Citadel Broadcasting's popular La stations KABC (talk) and KLOS (classic rock) have let around 27 people go, incorporated within this: legendary disc jockey Jim Ladd, who's recognized since the last freeform jock working inside the U.S. known as the topic of Tom Petty's 2002 song "The Ultimate DJ," itself an indictment in the radio industry which was eventually banned by Apparent Funnel. STORY:Michele Norris Steps Lower From NPR Ladd began his radio career in 1969 at Extended Beach rock station KNAC. He spent greater than 14 years at KLOS, where his show broadcast from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays, consistently leading in ratings due to it is time slot. He released the sunday paper, Radio Waves, in 1992. "My disappointment is I didn't have a very farewell show," Ladd told the Oc Register."I used to be very stunned which i still am. I have experienced this before, but it is always distressing." His last song was Pink Floyd's "Shine You Crazy Gem." STORY:New Study Finds Top Hits Centered by Synths, Lyrics About 'Hooking Up' In 2003, Petty referred to this really is in the song "The Ultimate DJ," in the album of the title, telling journalist Jim DeRogatis it's "of a DJ who becomes so frustrated along with his failure to see what he wants he moves to Mexico and can get his freedom back." According to radio tipsheet RAMP(Radio and Music Pros), Jack Silver has walked in as PD for KABC and KLOS, with Uncle Joe Benson overpowering the mid-day slot and Gary Moore growing to evening time. Tom Petty as well as the Heartbreakers are likely to play two nights advantageous shows within the Performance Theater at Cal Condition Northridgefor L.A. public radio station KCSN's fall pledge drive. Give consideration to Ladd's 1974 interview with John Lennon below and study the lyrics toPetty's "The Ultimate DJ" following a jump... Related Subjects 1 2 next last

Hathaway As Catwoman Joins 'Les Miserables'

Remember when Hathaway As Catwoman required towards the Academy awards stage to great acclaim? No, the whole of her hosting gig wasn't successful, however when she sang "By MyselfInch opposite Hugh Jackman only at that year's show, she impressed everybody together with her Broadway-ready vocals and moves. Well, Anne is able to reunite together with her Oscar partner (Jackman, not Franco) as Deadline reviews the star has signed on as Fantine within an approaching giant screen adaptation of "L'ensemble des Miserables," with Jackman showing up as Jean Valjean. The film promises to become a star-studded affair Besides Hathaway and Jackman, Russell Crowe will star Inspector Javert. Names like Emma Watson, Hayden Panettiere, Geoffrey Hurry and Helena Bonham Carter happen to be thrown around for that roles of Eponine, Cossette and also the Thenardiers. Tom Hooper, fresh off his Oscar success for that Nobleman Speech, will direct. 2012 promises to become a banner year for Hathaway: as fans know perfectly, shes presently busy kicking butt in skin-tight leather gear as Selina Kyle in "The Dark Dark night Increases." Once filming on that summer time release systems, she'll switch gears and move onto focus on L'ensemble des Miserables, with a scheduled launched date of December 7, 2012. Theres without doubt Hathaway has got the musical capability to accomplish the role from the tragic Fantine. Shes made an appearance in several stage productions, including an acclaimed turn as Viola inside a 2009 Central Park staging of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Evening." Do you consider Hathaway As Catwoman can make a great Fantine in "L'ensemble des Miserables?" Inform us what you believe within the comments section as well as on Twitter!

Charlie Saxton Cast inside the Indie Drama 'The British Teacher' (Exclusive)

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Charlie Saxtonhas been cast inside the indie dramaThe British Teacher, joiningJulianne Moore,Nathan Lane,Greg KinnearandMichael Angarano. Craig Ziskis pointing a script byDanandStacy Charitonabout a respected British teacher (Moore) whose existence is thrown into turmoil each time a student (Angarano) returns to town after failing just like a playwright in NY City. Saxton may have Will, a snobby, preppy actor who is probably the teacher's students. Naomi Despres,Robert Salerno,Matthew E. ChausseandBen LeClairare creating the project from Artina Films, which producedWe Need to Discuss KevinandA Single Guy. Repped by CAA and Station 3 Entertainment, Saxton has came out inside the moviesTwelveandBandslamand round the Cinemax seriesHung. Greg Kinnear Julianne Moore Nathan Lane

Cabezas to helm 'Mr. Right'

The the spanish language language helmer Paco Cabezas ("Neon Flesh") is installed on direct "Mr. Right," produced by David Alpert and Lawrence Mattis' Circle of Confusion (AMC's "The Walking Dead," "Forces").Max Landis ("Chronicle," "Good Time Gang") has written the script.Cabezas' third feature, "'Right' is about a lady falling deeply deeply in love with a perfect guy whose only flaw is always that he kills people for living," Cabezas told Variety at Spain's Sitges Festival.Occur just a little U.S. town, the British-spoken movie "Right" could have a completely U.S. cast and crew. Feature is presently casting.Speaking at Spain's Sitges Festival, Cabezas referred to as "Mr. Right" "a romantic comedy with many different action and highly aesthetic, choreographed violence."The film author of David Pinillos' "Bon Appetit" and Javier Ruiz Caldera's "The the spanish language language Movie," Cabezas is among a building wave of gifted The the spanish language language helmers registered by U.S. companies alongside Gonzalo Lopez Gallego ("Apollo 18"), Luis Berdejo ("The Completely New Daughter") and brothers and sisters Alex and David Pastor ("The Ultimate Days").Produced by Spain's Morena Films, and provided by France's Rezo, Latino crime caper "Neon Flesh," Cabezas' latest feature, established Cabezas just like a talent to follow.Cabezas is repped by WME's Wealthy Prepare and David Karp. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Jobs Bio Could Set New Sales Records

Despite the fact that it doesn't hit book stores for 3 days, Jobs, the approved biography by former Time controlling editor Walter Isaacson, is poised being the best-selling book of 2011. Since Apple founder Jobs died on March. 5, presales from the book have skyrocketed. It's a triple No. 1 -- topping the iTunes books, Amazon . com, and Barnes & Noble bestseller lists. Within the first couple of hrs after Jobs' dying it leaped 42,000 percent on Amazon . com, going from 424 to No. 1.our editor recommendsSteve Jobs' Dying Prompts His Biography Release To Become Moved With a MonthSony Pictures in Discussions for Privileges to Jobs BiographySteve Jobs' Biography Sales Jump 42,000 Percent Upon Dying Jobs Dies at 56Related Subjects•Steve Jobs Writer Simon & Schuster seems poised to interrupt the its opening day sales record, set on This summer 12 whenever a Stolen Existence, it by Jaycee Dugard about her 18 years in captivity, offered 175,000 copies, including 100,000 e-books. Sales of Jobs may also exceed the sales of the greatest-selling non-fiction book of 2010. Decision Points, George W. Bush's memoir of his presidential years, offered 2.six million print copies and 307,000 digital copies this year. With Jobs No. 1 on Apple's digital book list, No. 2 on Amazon . com, with no. 9 on Barnes & Noble's Nook list, it will easily exceed digital sales of Decision Points. Apple's iTunes book shop also seems to become a beneficiary of Jobs dying. PHOTOS: Jobs: 10 Memorable Key events from the Apple Co-Founder's Career Apple's digital book shop has lagged behind its rivals. Amazon . com, for instance, provides a Kindle application for that iPad that enables customers to see their e-books across multiple products, cutting into the requirement for iTunes customers to consider the later-to-the-market iBooks format. However the strong sales of Jobs around the Apple book shop in accordance with the Kindle and Nook indicates that Apple is drawing new clients who decide to purchase Jobs' biography at their own company's book shop. In reaction towards the public interest, Simon & Schuster advanced the publication date from November. 21 to March. 24. The writer had already increased the date once before. On August. 15, nine days before Jobs introduced he was walking lower as Boss, the organization knocked the date from March 6, 2012 to November. 21. Additionally, it transformed the title in the awkward iSteve: It of Jobs up to the more straightforward Jobs: A Biography. PHOTOS: Recalling Jobs Beyond announcing the brand new publication date, Simon & Schuster didn't provide any extra particulars concerning the release, including how big the first print run or sales anticipation. Simon & Schuster is decided to avoid early copies from the book from seeping out. One posting insider known as the efforts to embargo copies of Jobs just before publication the smallest ever observed in posting. A business representative didn't react to a request to acquire more information. Isaacson's book agent Binky Urban also didn't react to a request a comment. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Notable Deaths Time magazine, which bought "first serial" privileges -- the exclusive to a pre-publication excerpt -- rushed to incorporate an excerpt in the March. 17 problem featuring Jobs around the cover. Time's sister publication, Fortune, will operate a publish-publication second serial excerpt. Other guides are apparently thinking about rarely-offered third serial privileges. Related Subjects George W. Rose bush Jobs

'Gangster Squad' Is 'Funky' And 'Cool,' States Star Anthony Mackie

There is something regarding the subject of gangsters that never will get old. Specially the Hollywood variety, as portrayed in films like "The Departed," "Get Shorty," "Snatch," "Donnie Brasco," HBO's "The Sopranos," not to mention "The Godfather." They are all so awesome, clever, watchable. It's that legendary allure which had us excited for Ruben Fleischer's next flick, "Gangster Squad," as soon as it had been introduced. The film is dependant on the L.A. Times' seven-part series, "Tales In The Gangster Squad," by author Paul Lieberman, which revolved round the LAPD's fight against infamous mobster Mickey Cohen. Heavy-hitter Sean Penn will have Cohen, and Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling will have a couple of the cops who attempt to bring him lower, and try to pleasant Emma Stone is incorporated in the mix like a sassy "siren" caught inside a love triangular with Gosling's character and among the gangsters. Another familiar face within the cast is Anthony Mackie, who could not inform us much about his role within the film, but guaranteed we will not be disappointed. We requested Mackie for his ideas on Gosling's large year, in addition to what might engage in between your two stars onscreen. "Ryan is a friend for any very long time, since 'Half Nelson,' Im glad hes finally ready where hes getting his just due while he is actually probably the most gifted stars of his generation," Mackie told us in the "Real Steel" premiere. "'Gangster Squad' is simply a couple of great men. Ruben is a superb director and also the story is type of funky and it is part of LA history that many people have no idea. Its likely to be a awesome movie." Isn't it time to determine "Gangster Squad?" Inform us within the comments or on Twitter!

Jobs Appreciated By Disney, Pixar Executives

Following a dying of Jobs on Wednesday, March. 5, Hollywood is discussing reminiscences from the beloved Apple Boss.our editor recommendsSteve Jobs: 10 Memorable Key events from the Apple Co-Founder's CareerRemembering Jobs (Video)What's Steve Jobs' Hollywood Legacy?Jobs Dies at 56Steve Jobs' Dying: Hollywood Honors the Visionary PHOTOS: 9 Greatest Compensated Entertainment CEOs The mastermind behind Apple's apple iphone, iPad, ipod device, iMac and iTunes, were built with a lengthy have a problem with failing health after fighting a unique type of pancreatic cancer, as well as in 2009 obtaining a liver transplant. "Jobs would be a great friend in addition to a reliable consultant. His legacy will extend far past the items he produced or even the companies he built. It will likely be the huge numbers of people he inspired, the lives he transformed, and also the culture he defined," stated Disney Leader and Boss, Robert Iger, inside a statement. "Steve was this kind of 'original,' having a completely creative, imaginative mind that defined a period. Despite all he accomplished, it feels as though he only agreed to be getting began. " PHOTOS: Hollywood's Notable Deaths "Together with his passing the earth has lost an uncommon original, Disney has lost an associate in our family, and that i have forfeit an excellent friend," the statement ongoing. "Our ideas and hopes are together with his wife Laurene and the children throughout this hard time.Inch Inside a joint statement, Pixar's John Lasseter and Erectile dysfunction Catmull stated: "Jobs was an remarkable visionary, our very dear friend and also the guiding light from the Pixar family. He saw the potential for what Pixar might be prior to the relaxation people, and beyond what anybody ever imagined." "Steve required an opportunity upon us and supported our crazy imagine making cartoon films the main one factor he always stated ended up being to simply 'make it great.' He's why Pixar switched view we did and the strength, integrity and passion for existence makes all of us better people," the statement ongoing. "He'll forever take part in Pixar's DNA. Our hearts go to his wife Laurene as well as their children throughout this incredibly hard time.Inch STORY: What's Jobs' Hollywood Legacy? Jobs known as Pixar "probably the most effective and reliable brand in animation." When Iger bought Pixar in The month of january 2006 for around $7.4 billion, Jobs was handed a 7.4 % stake in Disney along with a chair on its board of company directors. Before Jobs became a member of Disney, he was benefiting from the conglomerate's close connection to Pixar to enhance the potential for iTunes, which started supporting video in 2005. Together with music videos, a few of the earliest content available were Television shows from Disney's ABC and Disney Funnel systems like Desperate Average women, Lost, That's So Raven and also the Suite Existence of Zack & Cody. Related Subjects Bob Iger Jobs Pixar

Miramax CEO on UltraViolet: We Have No Choice

our editor recommendsUltraviolet Launches Licensing Program Leading to Digital Locker in the CloudConsortium of Studios, Manufacturers Throws Weight Behind UltraViolet Management SystemCould Steve Jobs' Resignation Impact UltraViolet?Related Topics•MIPCOM Failure to attract consumers' interest in the cloud-based digital locker could spell doom for the home entertainment industry and movie production going forward, said Miramax CEO Mike Lang. In a Q&A session (ironically with sellthrough opponent Ted Sarandos, CCO of Netflix) at MIPCOM in Cannes, France, Lang said consumer access to digital content has been confusing, with studios pushing sellthrough and rental, despite the fact that the separate business models compete with one another. Studios such as Warner Home Video and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, among others, this fall are rolling out initial home entertainment sellthrough titles (on disc and electronically) capable of being stored virtually in the UltraViolet cloud-based digital locker and playable on myriad compatible devices. "As an industry, we really have to believe it," Lang said. "We really don't have choice. If the home entertainment business as we know today, in terms of the transaction business, goes away, that's not good for anyone in this room." Lang said failure to reinvigorate the sellthrough model could adversely affect studios' ability to finance movies going forward. Sales of DVD/Blu-ray Disc/electronic sellthrough movies have historically affected whether a title was profitable or not. The CEO said he has found the digital transaction model to be poorly executed. "It's very difficult for the consumer to know that when they buy something that it works on any device," Lang said. "It's either tied into an Apple ecosystem or best of luck trying to make it work." He said the ease of streaming on myriad devices such as a Blu-ray player and video game console is what has made Netflix so popular. "Clearly, if we can create a digital locker experience that is as easy for the consumer and interoperable, then at least [it would be] an opportunity," Lang said. He said there needs to be discussion among studios regarding pricing of packaged media, including the fact that DVD prices currently are too high at retail, especially for library product. Lang also said studios should not advocate the transactional VOD rental model. "If you really want that film, you should buy it and not rent," he said. "It doesn't make any sense to rent it for 24 hours." The CEO said Miramax is working through the issues - issues he said that are complicated and difficult. "I don't know how many people use photo sharing software, but that is 90 percent cloud-based," Lang said. "Ninety-five percent of the software industry in the world is now through cloud-based transactions. I'm hopeful that the movie business gets there." He said studios need to partner with technology companies and retailers to see what they think will work and then develop a cohesive plan going forward. "Hopefully that will create a purchase-transaction market," Lang said. Related Topics MIPCOM

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Hedge Fund Places Large Wager On Netflix

Hedge fund manager John Thaler seems to think about Netflix remains beaten up enough. He recently elevated his stake close to 4M shares, or 7.6% of Netflix’s total, according to an SEC filing today from his JAT Capital Management. Within the finish of June he'd 467,812 Netflix shares. Ever since then the business’s market cost has fallen nearly 57%shares closed today at $113.16, lower three cents. Thaler is experienced in tech and media possibilities. His other major holdings on tv include Cablevision and IMAX.

Is Faith-Based Courageous Shaping Up to Be the Sleeper Hit of the Fall?

Here we go again: Almost three years to the day after Sherwood Pictures — the filmmaking enterprise of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga. — uncorked its self-funded Christian drama Fireproof to a shocking $6.8 million opening weekend, along comes the church’s faith-based follow-up Courageous. And while no one should necessarily be surprised to hear that the film’s early box-office estimates are strong, its potential hardly ceases to amaze. A report from Fandango yesterday had Courageous carrying 22 percent of the site’s advance weekend ticket sales — a majority over mainstream Hollywood offerings like the new releases 50/50, What’s Your Number?, Dream House and even muscular holdovers like The Lion King 3D and Moneyball. Despite the ticket retailer’s notoriously self-serving data set, the brisk business across that platform and others are significant (and significantly quantifiable) enough for Sherwood and its distribution partner TriStar Pictures to issue a press release this afternoon claiming $2 million in advance ticket sales. This for a $1 million picture about cops struggling with fatherhood — one with the bulk of its marketing limited to grassroots Christian constituencies. Well, and this trailer: “Pre-sales numbers for Courageous more than double that of Sherwood Pictures’ most recent film, Fireproof, which opened at $6.8 million and went on to gross more than $33.4 million at the box office,” says the release, to which executive producer Michael Catt added: “Such great advance momentum reaffirms that the topic of fathers is universal and that Courageous touches a nerve. […] Present or absent, fathers shape lives and we’re excited to use drama, adventure, humor… to inspire men to the high adventure of full-on parenting.” Meanwhile, Sherwood associate pastor-turned-actor/filmmaker Alex Kendrick opened up a bit to Big Hollywood’s Christian Toto about the church’s biggest screen gamble to date: Kendrick can point to his own family history to show how faith can break patterns which might otherwise linger for generations. His grandfather’s alcoholism could have shaken his father’s ability to raise a family. “When my dad was college age he made up his mind … this junk wasn’t going to go to his kids,” he says. “My two brothers and I didn’t grow up in a family with all that junk there. We saw a conviction in him to guard himself and his family. My dad broke the chain.” Today’s young, fatherless men don’t even have pop culture examples to follow. “There are very few shows now where the dad is an honorable man,” says Kendrick, who pines for a modern version of The Cosby Show. […] “We’re the first to admit we’re a South Georgia church in a fairly rural area,” he says. Church volunteers still help flesh out the cast and crew. “We didn’t go to school for this, We’re learning by trial and error. We want to continue improving the craft of filmmaking.” Courageous debuts Friday on roughly 1,100 screens; stay tuned for more about the film’s projected opening in today’s Weekend Forecast.

This Type Of Friday Brawl! Moneyball Wins #1, Lion King 3d #2, Dolphin Tale #3, Abduction #4, Killer Elite #5

FRIDAY11 PM, 2NDUPDATE: Finally, I have some clarityfollowing Rentrak hiccups throughout your entire day and early evening. Not to mentionevery studio’s confusion inside the ordering in the 5 top because of fierce fights happening within the U . s . States box office throughout today. And, geez,I’m stated to become on vacation: 1. My sources the new the new sony’s newcomerMoneyball remains rising since the evening continues for maybe the most effective baseball-designed opening ever. It’s definitelyNo. 1 Friday with roughly $6.8M from 2,993 theaters. (Just like a The brand new the new sony professional described, “$6 000 0000 might be great. $7 million amazing. $8 million is a triumph.”) Getting a proper adult bump tomorrow, it’s searching inside a $20M weekend. That solid number helps to keep Kaira Pitt’s star wattage shining and also the honours chances climbing because ofthis well-examined male-centric sports movie.Audiences really loved this pic: it received all A’s — male, female, youthful, old — from CinemaScore. 2. Even Disney is surprised that it's Lion King 3d is at second place tonight from 2,330 theaters which offered mostly greater listed tickets.But rival art galleries tell me itgot a good start today while it is raining backEast for just about any $6.1M Friday, oran excellent holding -31% in the opening yesterday.While using normal kiddie matinee bump, that’s a $20M weekend too.This re-release’s projectedis $60M by Monday. Here’s my question: so why do in many the marketing hype I’ve been sent with the studio relevant for this pic, nobody at Disney says because of Jeffrey Katzenberg for micro-manipulating the initial? C’mon, Mouse House, give credit where credit arrives. Even if Jeffrey can be a large discomfort ineveryone’s ass. 3. Some distance behind is Alcon Entertainment’s Dolphin Tale in 3,507 theaters.Distributor Warner Brossaid it opened up track of $5M today but rival art galleries think the Friday number iscloser to $5.5M.Alcon thinks that,unlessitsmaimed mammal handles to get rid of to Moneyball by more than a mil today, the heartstrings-yanking pic should jump 60% on Saturday because of your family film bump striking $24M and win the weekend.Hmm. Remember,it’s also playing inside the most theaters.And, for the days, it wastracking strong. In line with the CinemaScores, parents and kidsin everyone else are creating a b+. 4.Lionsgate’s Abduction in 3,118 theaters may finish uparound $4.2M Friday and what's mid-teens but furthermore just $11M for your weekend for that way front-loaded it may be. (That’s what went lower to Zac Efron in Charlie St Cloud.)However, I’velearned that Rachelle Lefervre’s $36M-budget action thriller was outspent 4-to-one out of marketing dollars by both new the new sony and Warner Bros just before a couple of days ago. Shame on Lionsgate’s Jon Feltheimer for tying everyone’s hands despite powerless Alli Shearmur pleaded.So anyone who mentioned this Twilight kid couldn’t open an envelope is wrong: you will discover major stars who still might be thrilled with this particular outcome, specifically in as rotten a examined movie as that certain. Audiences didn’t think it absolutely was badly as experts, creating a B- CinemaScore.Bad Lionsgate can’t appear to produce a decent movie or market one any more. 5.Remains to look if Abduction can edge out Killer Elite whichmay be $10M for your weekend from 2,986 theaters. Open Road Films is expressingoptimism that itspic will most likely go upon Saturday after its $3.5M debut today. Here’s the comfort in the Top (Full analysis coming) 6. Contagion (Participant/Warner Bros) Week 3 [3,136 Theaters] Friday $2.8M, Thought Weekend $9M, Thought Cume $57.5M 7. Drive (FilmDistrict) Week 2 [2,904 Theaters] Friday $2M (-50%), Thought Weekend $6M, Thought Cume $21.6M 8. The Help (Participant/DreamWorks/Disney] Week 7 [2,695 Theaters] Friday $1.3M, Thought Weekend $4.5M, Thought cume $154.5M 9. I Don’t Know How She'll It (Weinstein Co) Week 2 [2,490 Theaters] Friday $700K (-55%), Thought weekend $2M,Thought Cume $8M 10. Hay Dogs (The brand new the new sony) Week 2 [2,408 Theaters] Friday $600K (-62%), Thought Weekend $1.8M, Thought Cume $8.5M FRIDAY 4 PM: On vacation. So box office is introduced for you personally in the sunny climate where the palms sway with time for the dancing trade winds… But home there’s a fierce fight happening. They're very early grosses, and my sources say Rentrak remains dealing with problems today — this provides Hollywood a lot more Maalox moments than usual. The brand new the new sony’s Moneyball starring Kaira Pitt will not be any. 1 with roughly $8M Friday and possibly mid-$20sM for your weekend. That solid number helps Kaira Pitt’s honours chances in this well-received male-centric sports movie. At this time around Alcon Entertainment/Warner Bros’ Dolphin Tale and Lionsgate’s Abduction are fighting for No. 2 with around $6M today and what's high teens for your weekend. Interesting, because the heartstrings-yanking pic was monitoring much better. However, Rachelle Lefervre’s action thriller is playing in 389 less theaters. So anyone who mentioned this Twilight kid couldn’t open an envelope is wrong, wrong, wrong: you will discover major stars who be thrilled with this particular outcome, specifically in as rotten a examined movie as that certain. Open Road’s Killer Elite looks a notch lower – maybe $5M today, and low teens for your weekend. Frequent updates coming with full analysis.

Rankings: X Factor Holds Steady Angels and Person of great interest Start Decently

The X Factor The X Factor's debut might possibly not have been Idol-like, however the show's Thursday evening airing held steady, leading Fox to win the evening.Fall Preview: Get scoop in your favorite coming back showsSimon Cowell's latest singing competition was virtually flat versus the prior evening, calculating 12.a million audiences over its two hrs and sinking only slightly within the grown ups-18-to-49 demo.Meanwhile, many newcomer network dramas first showed decently. CBS' Person of great interest came 13.two million audiences at 9/8c, but placed 4th within the demo behind X Factor, the very first hour of Grey's Anatomy (10.a million audiences) and NBC's combo from the Office (7.six million audiences) and new comedy Whitney (6.3 million audiences).ABC's Charlie's Angels and NBC's Prime Suspect also unsuccessful to create huge impacts using their premieres. At 8/7c, Angels came 8.8 million audiences and placed third within the demo while Suspect drawn only six million audiences coming to last devote the demo at 10/9c.Work: Did the best person obtain the manager job?CBS required second place overall for that evening, because of a large one-hour premiere from the Large Bang Theory. The 2 episodes averaged 14.4 million audiences, also it was the night's greatest-ranked hour. At 10/9c, The Mentalist's return enhanced slightly on its Person of great interest lead-in, generating 13.4 million audiences.With X Factor taken care of, Grey's Anatomy's second hour enhanced to 10.5 million audiences, winning the demo for prime time's final hour and lifting ABC to 3rd place overall for that evening.NBC required 4th put on the evening, since it's non-Office comedies set up pretty harsh amounts. Community came 3.9 million audiences while 4.a million updated set for Parks and Entertainment.Around the CW, The Vampire Journals and also the Secret Circle were both lower considerably using their premieres the other day, drawing 2.4 million audiences and a pair of.a million audiences, correspondingly.