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