Wednesday, September 28, 2011

OSCAR: Figures Tuning Up For Big Animation Race And Frequently Will Spielberg Increase The Risk For Cut?

With today’s announcement that GKIDS (beneath the banner of Luma Films) will release Oscar-winning filmmaker Fernando Trueba’s (Belle Epoque from 1992) animated musicalChico and Rita for just about any being qualified run just before the conclusion of year, the animated feature race just heated. By my count this list of potential films is becoming 15, one missing triggering five nominees inside the category and definitely enough to produce way of 4 nominees (8-12 means 2-3 noms, 13-15 means a max of 4, and 16 means an entire house of 5). Final entry forms need to be into the Academy by November 1, after which it will probably be vetted with the Acad’s Short Films and also have Animation branch to determine when they fully qualify. If a year ago is any suggestion, the Academy will launched all of the qualified animated features by the middle of November. Clearly almost always there is debate in what istrue animation, particularly while using Motion Capture process including real performances by stars after which it essentially animates the moments. This year you will discover three potential nominees designed to use the Mo Cap process including Robert Zemeckis’ box office blast, Mars Needs Moms George Burns’s follow-up to his Oscar winning Happy Foot and several particularly Steven Spielberg’s extended anticipated entry into the animation world, The Adventures of Tintin (they also produced with Healing For Healing For Peter Jackson and Kathleen Kennedy). If you have been artists who've requested the chastity in the Mo Cap process since it relates for their talent and although such Mo Cap films as Zemeckis’ The Polar Express, Beowulf together with a Christmas Carol are actually qualified in past years, none werenominated. Really no film using Mo Cap either fully or partially helps make the ultimate list since 2006 when both Monster House and Happy Foot were competitors, while using latter really winning. Apparently keymembersin the Acad’s animationbranch met Tuesday evening for just about any meeting that made it four several hours. Among subjects mentioned later on up was the issue of motion Capture (also called Performance Capture) andan insider with understanding in the situationtold Deadline they “apparently” havedecided to deliver instructions for the filmmakers of Mars Needs Moms, Happy Foot 2 and Tintin asking them what their ‘intent’ reaches while using the Mo Cap process before identifying whether people films really qualify. Inside their formal rules the Academy states that “Motion Capture alone is not an animation technique” that the movies ought to be carried out frame by frame animation. Based onthe Academy’s past actions odds are that three would qualify and itwould appear unlikely the Academywould undertake Oscar individuals who win Zemeckis, Burns and Spielberg relating to this problem especiallysince their previousstated intentions are actually that they are workingfully inside the animated format. Even outdoors in the Mo Cap area filmmakers known mainly for live action films like people three are actually dabbling inother kinds of featureanimation including Trueba and Rango’s Gore Verbinski this year. If some artists obtain doubts people behind ‘Tintin’ certainly don't. Vital sources who've seen Spielberg’s film swear it qualifies in every single way, that despite usage of Mo Cap they tellmeit is strictly frame by frame if this involves its animation. One person concentrating on the film mentioned “ten in the past artists were worrying the CGI process wasn't pure animation. In my opinion after they observe this kind is marketing, particularly with ‘Tintin’ they will start to accept it more readily”. Ken Kamins who works carefully with Jackson which is an expert Producer round the film confirms, e-mailed Deadline: “Steven has always believed that Tintin is certainly an animated film. The Academy doesn’t for example, produce a distinction between hands attracted versus digital animation. ‘Tintins’ approach, using a combination of performance capture and digital animation is simply another position in the talent. Our current animated films use voice stars whose performances are directed. ‘Tintin’ is using stars that are delivering performance through voice, motion plus an capacity for connecting to one another, but everything you’re searching at within the design and conception is nonetheless , animated, “ according to him adding recent comments from Joe Letteri, among WETA’s entrepreneurs that “It all would depend the way you define animation, but in my opinion the equipment and techniques (of visual effects and animation) are identical. Performance (Motion) Capture is not an analog process it’s still an innovative process.” Another Vital source described the film is created with techniques that “completely animated” which “once everyone sees the film these complaints disappears”. People will start seeing the film soon needs to be fact because, in a really unusual move for just about any Spielberg film, The Adventures of Tintin continues to be folded out worldwide first beginning October 26 in Europe and throughout November before finally punching the u . s . states and Canada on December 21st. Columbia Pictures gets the film overseas while Vital is domestic distrib. Nickolodeon Films and Spielberg’s Amblin’ Entertainment may also be listed in the film’s credits while not Dreamworks so Spielberg will uncover themselves inside the potentially awkward position of competing for Oscar attention against his Dreamworks co-founder and ‘toon magnetJeffrey Katzenberg which has DWA’s Kung Fu Panda 2 as well as the Shrek spinoff Puss In Boots in contention. Really Vital is overloaded with ‘toon game game titles this season as there is also an innovator in Verbinski’s Rango the true homebred Componen product.With Componen’s agreement with Dreamworks Animation apparently going to an finish the studio will most likely make adirect foray into animation itself rather than based on its distribution contracts with others. So supposing they get became a member of andeverything eventually meets the Academy’s qualifications for consideration, the 15 guaranteed candidates right now (getting per month to go to) are Rango, Kung Fu Panda 2, Puss In Boots, Adventures of Tintin (be handled by Componen’s honours crew) Rio and Alvin as well as the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (both through Fox) Weinstein’s Hoodwinked Too Disney’s Mars Needs Moms and Winnie The Pooh Disney/Pixar’s Cars 2 The brand new the new sony’s The Smurfs and Arthur Christmas (within the highly regarded as as Aardman Animation too for the studio does special 30 minutes sneak peeks in LA, NY and London on Monday) Warner Bros. Happy Foot 2 and GKIDS’ Chico and Rita. Furthermore to people game game titles you will discover oddities just like a couple of Pokemon films introduced for specialweekend theatricalruns in Decemberand Lion Of Judah that might, but likely will not factor into the mix. You will discover numerous worldwide game game titles that may possibly show up but at this time around are this really is this is not on the horizon just before the November 1 deadline. In the last couple of years Disney has furthermore qualified among their Mess Bell straight -to-DVD feature game game titles to have the ability to swell the quantity of records and trigger several five nominees (therefore growing the probability of a nom for realistic competitors). This year I have learned they willNOT bequalifying the nextTink flick, Mess Bell as well as the Mysterious Winter Forest, even though it couldhave been a considerable aspect in acquiring your opportunity of qualified ‘toons for the miracle 16. While using race apparently morewide open this year (Pixar has folded inside the competition the ultimate four years straight), and Cars 2 not the kind of slam dunk potential nominee/champion Disney/Pixar has received formerly, every proper move could count in the race that promises to become real nail-biter.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Andy Rooney Ending Regular '60 Minutes' Segment

NEW YORK -- After more than 1000 broadcasts, Andy Rooney will make his last regular appearance on this Sunday's 60 Minutes.our editor recommends'60 Minutes' creator Don Hewitt dies Rooney has been a fixture on the newsmagazine since 1978. And he'll make the announcement himself in a quintessential show-wrapping segment. It will be preceded by a career retrospective interview with correspondent Morley Safer. "There's nobody like Andy and there never will be," saidJeff Fager, CBS News chairman and 60 executive producer. "He'll hate hearing this, but he's an American original. His contributions to 60 Minutes are immeasurable; he's also a great friend." PHOTOS: The Faces of Broadcast and Cable News: Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric and More Rooney is not likely to be replaced. And Fager said that Rooney is always welcome on the broadcast. "It's harder for him to do it every week," said Fager. "But he will always have the ability to speak his mind on 60 Minutes when the urge hits him." Rooney has been at 60 Minutes since Don Hewitt conceived the show in 1968; he wrote and produced segments for Harry Reasoner. Rooney's first essay was about the reporting of automobile fatalities on Fourth of July weekend 1978. That fall, he became a regular essayist on the show. He alternated weeks with James J. Kilpatrick and Shana Alexander. But a year later, hegot the end slot to himself. Rooney joined CBS in 1949 as a writer for Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts and also wrote for The Garry Moore Show (1959-65) CBS News public-affairs broadcasts including The Twentieth Century, News of America, Adventure, Calendar and The Morning Show with Will Rogers, Jr. Related Topics 60 Minutes

Watch Transformers 3 Dark Of The Moon Megavideo

Watch Jennifer Garner Get Irritatingly Enthusiastic About Milk Products within this Butter Clip

Many people feel strongly about Rachelle Lefervre, torture porn and humanitarianism. Others, like Jennifer Garner in Jim Area Cruz’s approaching comedy Butter, feel strongly about lard-like substances. Watch because the former Alias action star is gone to live in tears while talking about her local butter-toning competition for an audience which includes Ty Burrell (as her champion dairy-toning husband), Olivia Wilde, Alicia Silverstone, Kristen Schaal, Take advantage of Corddry and Ashley Greene. Butter stars Yara Shahidi (Suppose) like a youthful orphan who finds out her uncanny talent for butter sculpture within an Iowa town where her adoptive family lives. The talent starts her from the ambitious wife (Garner) from the reigning champion (Burrell) within the annual butter sculpture competition. Hugh Jackman also co-stars within the film, due in theaters October 21. [ComingSoon.internet]

Ringer's Nestor Carbonell: Bridget "Is My Island"

Nestor Carbonell and Sarah Michelle Gellar Nestor Carbonell went from safeguarding a tropical on Lost to doing exactly the same factor for Sarah Michelle Gellar's runaway twin on Ringer. "She's my island, that's without a doubt," Carbonell informs TVGuide.com of Agent Machado's obsessive have to find Bridget to be able to safeguard her from the vicious killer he's attempting to take lower. Have more scoop on Ringer and Bridget's secret Regrettably for Machado, Bridget has had around the identity of her presumed-dead twin sister Siobhan and she's not going to stop her secret in the near future. Carbonell talks about Machado's motivations, the emotional side of Ringer and whether he'll determine who "Siobhan" is really: Do you consider Agent Machado has any concept that Siobhan is really Bridget?Nestor Carbonell: I do not think he's made the leap, but they know something's amiss. I've got a feeling he isn't not even close to doing that. But she's quite good she is really. There's a few twists approaching within the next couple of episodes in which you think he really has her, and she's just handled to evade everyone. He isn't not even close to kind of cracking that bit of the situation. Exactly why is Bodaway's situation essential to him? It is possible to much deeper connection we'll arrived at learn? Carbonell: I believe there is a strong back story that describes why it is so vital that you me. I've been told that... there is something personal there that's past the professional. Actually I am shooting a scene [now] - we are on Episode 107 - where again, I am trying every position to obtain this person, therefore it is clearly something that's personal for him. At first glance, everyone has a duplicitous character and so i certainly think that there is something fishy there. What lengths is he going to take this analysis? Carbonell: He's basically gone to live in NY. He isn't after that, but he's moved here until he cracks the situation or until he finds Bridget. We will have him return to Wyoming sooner or later, but he's virtually around NY. 5 things to anticipate from Ringer -- besides Sarah Michelle Gellar Exactly what does he think he is able to get from "Siobhan," really? Carbonell: Siobhan, at this time, may be the last individual who allegedly saw Bridget or spoke to Bridget. So this is the best lead they have at this time. You'll discover he will get a large clue, something which he's been searching for a bit of evidence that actually implicates Siobhan in some manner. He'll eventually develop something which he's been searching for and that he thinks they have her, and we'll find out if he is doing. Might "Siobhan" be utilising him in exchange? Carbonell: Absolutely. I truly seem like she's very wise. She understands how to deal with what the law states she's tried it before and she's now hiding in plain sight in her own sister's identity. She's using everything she will to patch together her very own sister's existence and again, regarding me, she absolutely uses me to discover details about Bodaway or Malcolm [Mike Colter]. How's she likely to always keep this secret? Carbonell: As each episode progresses you'll notice that tales decelerate substantially and you will see her kind of travel through her new identity. The authors really sustained the storyline to the stage where we are like, "Not again. We are purchasing it. We are along with you. We are with Bridget around the ride." We'll see where it requires us. But to date, I do not believe it has been extended thin whatsoever. Fall Preview: Get scoop in your favorite coming back shows Where's the growing season heading? Carbonell: Really, in the centre from it is Bridget's dynamic with Andrew [Ioan Gruffudd], which is among the most fascinating things and also the most compelling things. Is she, strangely enough, likely to save this marriage? Like a viewer, you are most likely rooting on her to achieve that within an odd way. That becomes possibly among the bigger emotional components. Her relationship with Juliet [Zoey Duetch] is essential. Malcolm can come in to the mix too he's a classic real love of hers. It simply gets to be more personal and emotional. So how exactly does Machado's devotion to Bridget and also the Bodaway situation rival Alpert's devotion towards the island? Carbonell: She's my island, that's without a doubt. I'm chained to that particular island I'm chained to Bridget. As the goal is really to place Bodaway in jail, she is paramount to that particular goal. Ringer airs Tuesdays 9/8c around the CW.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Netflix, Discovery Communications Achieve Deal

Netflix and Discovery Communications have completed a 2-year content deal to create the cable conglomerates programs towards the streaming service, the businesses introduced Wednesday. The non-exclusive deal covers only episodes and special offers from prior seasons.our editor suggests CBS, Netflix Sign Two-Year Content Agreement ICMs Chris Silbermann on New Network Chiefs, Netflixs Impact and also the Quite Interesting Pilot Season4 Ways Amazon . com versus. Netflix is nice The flagship funnel in addition to TLC, Animal Planet, Analysis Discovery and Science and Military channels are incorporated within the deal encompassing such popular series including as Guy versus. Wild, Sister Spouses and River Monsters. It doesn't include content from OWN or even the Hub, that are joint endeavors with The famous host oprah Winfrey and toy-maker Hasbro, correspondingly. Financial terms weren't revealed. However the deal marks something of the departure for Discovery Communications, which heretofore hasn't broadly offered full instances of its series and special offers online. "With tv shows playing a more and more natural part for Netflix, Discovery is a our finest providers of high quality programming," Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos stated inside a statement. "We anticipate getting our people the number of the extra episodes and series covered within this deal." Discovery's previous agreement with Netflix incorporated only partial seasons of Discovery Funnel series. The brand new deal adds complete seasons on more systems in addition to use of Discovery's 25-year programming library. Added Rebecca Glashow, senior v . p ., Digital Distribution, Discovery Communications: "Discovery Communications happens to be platform agnostic and devoted to satisfying curiosity on all consumer distribution platforms based on a powerful economic model. We're very happy to renew this agreement with Netflix, which gives us programming versatility and allows loyal and potential fans get caught up and uncover content." The offer comes in a difficult moment for Netflix, that is being compelled by content companies to pay for more for movies and Television shows. Simultaneously, it finds itself fending off rival services from Amazon . com, Apple and Google. The organization was excoriated by customers for the actual way it handled a current announcement that splits its streaming and DVD services. And Tuesday saw its stock tumble 9 % to some 52-week have less Tuesday closing at $130.03. Related Subjects Netflix

Monday, September 19, 2011

Ratings Pit Of Debt: Emmy Overnights On Componen With Past few Years

UPDATE 10:15 AM: Fox just released time-modified fast good for last evening’s Emmy Honours. The ceremony came a 4.2 rating in grownups 18-49, up a tenth from a year ago’s telecast on NBC. In grownups 18-34, the show released a 3.7 rating, the finest in four years, since the last time the Emmys broadcast on Fox. PREVIOUS: Will still be early, nevertheless the ratings performance of last evening’s Primetime Emmy Honours seems being good last three years. Inside the metered-market household ratings, the ceremony on Fox situated by Jane Lynch came a 8.5/13. It faced plenty of competition within the Sunday Evening Football game on NBC, which drenched a 12.2/19, up 3% from a year ago’s Week 2 game. A year ago, when the Emmys broadcast on NBC in August before the start of the football season, the show averaged a 8.4/14 household rating. In grownups 18-49, early predictions peg the Emmys rating at about 4.1, much like a year ago. Fox has bought time-modified fast excellent, that is available within the hour. I'll update the story after they come. Meanwhile, this can be a tracker of household and 18-49 ratings in the last four Primetime Emmy Honours. 8/28/10 (NBC) 8.4/14 (HH) 4.1/12 (18-49) 9/21/09 (CBS) 8.7/14 (HH) 4.2/11 (18-49) 9/21/08 (ABC) 8.2/13 (HH) 3.8/9 (18-49) 9/16/07 (Fox) 8.4/14 (HH) n/a

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Box Office Report: 'The Lion King' Roars Again, Taking $29.3 Million

Getting a mighty roar, Disney's 17-years of age The Lion King mentioned the weekend box office crown, easily conquering three new wide releases on the way. Freshly up-to-date to a different 3d version, the classic animated movie needed inside an thought $29.3 million within the U . s . States, an incredible number.our editor recommends'Drive' Star Ryan Gosling's 11 Most Memorable Roles (Photos)Drive: Cannes 2011 ReviewHow 'The Lion King 3D' Differs Within the Original Film'The Lion King 3d:A Just what the Experts Are SayingRelated Subjects•Box Office STORY: 'The Lion King 3d:' Just what the Experts Say In the new arrivals, FilmDistrict's Drive, the neo-noir thriller starring Ryan Gosling shown most likely probably the most gas, consuming $11 million, despite the fact that still it checked inside the third position, unable to go through Steven Soderbergh's medical thriller Contagion, which, within the second weekend, needed the second place with $14.5 million. The brand new the new sony/Scream Gem's remake Hay Dogs, directed by Fly fishing rod Lurie, settled for just about any fifth place showing getting a $5 million opening, because the Weinstein Co.'s femme-centric comedy I am Unsure How She'll It, with Nicole Kidman, was sixth with $4.5 million. PHOTOS: 'Drive' Star Ryan Gosling's 11 Most Memorable Roles Since the weekend began, Disney had modest anticipation for King. The re-release, designed to promote a completely new Packages edition in the film striking stores March. 4, was prone to collect about $12-13 million. But buoyed by strong want-to-see from family audiences, without any immediate competition off their kid-friendly game game titles, the film, directed by Roger Allers and Make the most of Minkoff, once again taken the imagination of movie goers since it needed over 2,330 theaters with a combination of 3d and 2D screens. King already ranked since the top-grossing, hands-attracted animated film ever. In the earlier incarnations, it had made more then $328.5 million in your area, and $788.2 million worldwide, including greater than $hundreds of an incredible number of in the 3d re-release in Latin America. "Certainly our anticipation were exceeded," saidDave Hollis, Disney's evp, theatrical distribution. "You've revisit the circle of existence idea. Teens who first seen it 20 years ago are really parents and introduced their kids. Parents who first seen it if the first showed up in this area are really grandmother and grand daddy and introduced their grandchildren. It absolutely was an chance to look for the film with techniques they hadn't seen it before. Plus it's some a perfect storm." Disney had expected a sizable family play, as well as 74 percent in the audience were families. Though 18 percent of the business coming initially from from couples, the studio also reported strong business at evening tests. Youngsters age two to 11 composed 34 percent in the audience, and girls outnumbered males by 55 to 45 percent. Coming the wake of several movies where moviegoers averted within the 3d option, King remedied that trend. Because the studio didn't have a very break-lower on the quantity of 3d versus 2D screens that the film ultimately carried out, it did think that 92 percent in the toon's business came from from 3d ticket sales. The studio's promotion had stressed seeing the film in 3d -- theaters even provided kid-sized "Simba" glasses -- which push certainly paid out off. While King happen to be scheduled to see theaters for 2 primary days to produce its Packages launch, the interesting big issue is if this may now stay in theaters even longer. "We've not had that conversation yet, nevertheless it's the initial factor we'll be speaking about tomorrow as we've become responses in from exhibition," Hollis mentioned. "Though In my opinion we're changing the wording inside the ads from 'two-week run' to 'limited engagement'." Meanwhile, Kinghas already released numerous new stats inside the record books: It's the initial re-problem to start at # 1 in 14 years: The ultimate time it happened was Return in the Jedi - Unique in 1997. The film's bow appeared to become the fifth finest September opening ever, and Disney's second finest, following 2002's Sweet Home Alabama, which bowed to $35.6 000 0000. Elsewhere, a couple of major holdovers handled to obtain harder for that completely new films to gain traction. Warner's Contagion, which opened up up in to start with last weekend with $22.4 million, fell simply by 35 percent. Moving for the second slot, it acquired $14.5 million to produce its domestic tally to $44.2 million. Disney also mentioned the fourth place for your weekend with DreamWorks' period drama The Help. Within the sixth weekend of release, the film came just by 28 percent, collecting another $6.4 million, which introduced its domestic gross to $147.4 million. Drive, Nicolas Winding Refn's R-rated foray into La crime territory, demonstrated most likely probably the most muscle among the freshmen movies. The film, through which Gosling shares the screen with Carey Mulligan and Albert Brooks, carried out 2,886 theaters, made $11 million and therefore ranked third for your weekend. Bob Berney, FilmDistrict's leader of theatrical distribution, mentioned, "We're really happy. It's a significant film. Reactions in it are extremely polarizing." The distributor carried out a difficult double follow pursuing arthouse audiences -- experts spoken in regards to the movie at both Cannes and Toronto film festival -- as well as the testosterone-fueled genre crowd. While Cinemascore returned a C- rating, Berney mentioned, "I'm unsure where they did their polling." Watching the film did particularly well in urban centers like La and NY, Berney reported Friday evening's returns within the Arclight Hollywood, where Drive needed in $48,000, because the next best film, Contagion, attracted $9,000. Playing mainly to youthful males together with a far more compact section of older moviegoers responding to reviews, the film released an 11 percent uptick from Friday to Saturday, which, Berney mentioned, signifies good word-of-mouth continue. Hay Dogs, directorRod Lurie's remake ofSam Peckinpah's 1971 original, found harder going. Opening in fifth place, it offered just $5 million cost of tickets by 50 %,408 locations. The R-rated drama, starringJames Marsden,Kate BosworthandAlexander Skarsgard, attracted an amount male-female split (49-51 percent), while 54 percent of moviegoers were over 25. It's CinemaScore rating was C. "It's a movie we're pleased with. It's an extremely great ensemble, well-socialized and well-directed," Rory Bruer, The brand new the new sony leader of worldwide distribution, mentioned. With numerous multi-tasking moms most most likely taking their kids toLion King, the Weinstein Co. didn't attract as the majority of the older women it absolutely was trying to find toI Don't Know How She'll It. The PG-13 rated movie, directed byDouglas McGrathand good novel byAllison Pearson, carried out 2,476 theaters, were it made $4.5 million, for just about any sixth place showing. Obtaining a B- CinemaScore, the film's audience was eighty percent female, with fifty percent in the audience over the age of 35. " "It absolutely was disappointing. We went in a freight train calledThe Lion King," mentioned Erik Loomis, the Weinstein Co.'s leader of theatrical distribution. "Overall, women enjoy[I Don't Know] a good deal. It plays compared to that audience. So hopefully they'll find more hours with this within a couple of days. Rounding the very best were: Focus Features'The Debt,at number seven, grossing $2.9 million, to produce its domestic tally to $26.5 million Lionsgate'sWarrior, eighth, $2.8 million, $9.9 million Fox'sRise in the Planet in the Apes, ninth, $2.6 000 0000, $171.6 000 0000 and also the new the new sony'sColombiana, tenth, $2.3 million, $33.3 million. Round the niche film front, The brand new the new sony Pictures Classics' opened up up Gus Van Sant's offbeatRestless, starringMia WasikowskaandHenry Hopper, on five screens for the tune of $17,285 together with a per-screen average of $3,457. Cohen Media Group, the completely new distributor that merely acquired two films in Toronto,The LadyandAwakenings, bowed Jean Becker'sMy Days with Margueritte, by 50 percent theaters, where it collected $20,914, for just about any per-screen average of $10,457. Paladin debutedTiffany Shlain's documentaryConnectedon three screens in San Francisco Bay Area, where it acquired $17,100 for just about any per-screen of $5,700. Tribeca Films opened up in the documentaryShut Up Little Guy, which formerly carried out San Francisco Bay Area, in exclusive engagements in NY and La, where it attracted in $8,500 for just about any per-screen average of $4,250. While Focus is not opening the spy dramaTinker Tailor Soldier Spyin the U.S. until 12 ,. 9, Studio Canal Uk launched the film, based on theJohn le Carrenovel, inside the U.K., where it absolutely was # 1 for your weekend, grossing 1.2 million pounds. Related Subjects Box Office Drive The Lion King

Friday, September 16, 2011

Showtime Set to employ PR Vet Trisha Cardoso

Within the wake of Richard Licata's departure, Showtime is near to tapping Trisha Cardoso to operate its PR department. For Cardoso, this can be a returning home of sorts, since she released her career in the premium cable network within the eighties.Throughout that tenure, she done the publicity campaigns for such projects because it's Gary Shandling's Show and Dionne Warwick and Buddies. Other early stints incorporated time as Vice president of entertainment marketing at Burson-Marsteller, managing such shows as Cheers, The Arsenio Hall Show and Wings, after which inside a prominent role at Vital Television Group. More lately, Cardoso has resurfaced like a PR consultant after time off work to boost a household. This news comes days following the official announcement that Licata would follow former Showtime entertainment chief Bob Greenblatt to NBC. Related Subjects Showtime

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Bullets over MoMA

Ryan Kavanaugh with Gerard Butler Michelle Monaghan takes a pointer written by michael Childers within the Royalton. Benefits and bullets filled the atmosphere within the Tuesday preem of Relativity's "Machine Gun Preacher" in Gotham. "Some fights might be avoided by praying to God. Others, sometimes, require guns and rocket launchers," mentioned Mike Childers, the inspiring sinner-switched-saint whose mind-coming encounters function as film's backbone. Childers, who recognized to themselves since the first hillbilly allowed inside the MoMA theater, isn't the only person unafraid to get ammunition in occasions of trouble. "I'm certainly a device gun kind of guy," mentioned the film's star, Gerard Butler. "I'm not a real large fan of speaking. Things tend not to have completed by doing this.Inch Childers' story of redemption, including saving hundreds of kids caught inside the crossfire from the ongoing war inside the Sudan, triggered Butler's co-star Michelle Monaghan as well as the film's author, Jason Keller, to wipe back tears enroute for the afterparty within the Royalton. "I would not look for guns concerning the subterranean community, however can do whatever I am in a position to to enhance awareness for people children in the peaceful way," Keller mentioned. "Think of it as the Gandhi approach." Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Thursday, September 8, 2011

'Warrior' Villain Kurt Angle on MMA, Playing a Russkie & Acting Rough With His Co-Stars

The underdog sports movie 'Warrior,' opening this weekend, tells the story of two brothers (played by Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton) that must confront their troubled family history, all while both men are competing for a desperately needed cash prize in a mixed martial arts tournament. In addition to tough discussions about their feelings, the threat of bone-shattering hits and painful submission holds looms over the heads of the two men. One of the biggest obstacles standing in the brothers' way is Koba, the undefeated MMA champion. As if the character of Koba wasn't intimidating enough, the man behind the role is Kurt Angle, a gold medalist for amateur wrestling in the 1996 Olympics, who then moved on to the larger-than-life world of pro wrestling -- main-eventing WrestleMania against current UFC beast Brock Lesnar -- and is now is trying his hand at the (relatively safe) job of Hollywod actor. Moviefone spoke with Angle about 'Warrior''s grueling training schedule, why the movie is better than 'Rocky' and what would happen if the stars of the film switched careers with Lesnar. Moviefone: There's been a lot of movies covering the world of mixed martial arts, but the sport hasn't had its 'Rocky' yet. Do you think 'Warrior' could be that? Kurt Angle: I believe it will be. Going to the premiere at the Marine base down at San Diego Comic-Con, I was very taken aback; it was just... wow. I must've cried four different times. I was very proud to be part of the movie and Gavin O'Connor, the director, and Greg O'Connor, the producer, did a tremendous job, as did J.J. Perry, the stunt coordinator. Honestly, I think it is the best fight movie, as far as realism. As a professional competitor, how would you describe the intensity of the fight scenes, compared to classics like 'Rocky' or 'Raging Bull'? In boxing, all you hear are the punches. The first fight when Tom Hardy slams that guy down in that fight club and the impact of the slam, the whole crowd just went "wow" and you heard the cheers. It was like it was a real fight! I don't think it's like 'Rocky'; that'll always be the greatest movie ever but you have to admit, when Apollo Creed beat the crap out of him, the ref would've stopped him probably twenty-five different times. In 'Warrior' it was very real to the sport of MMA. And that's what I liked about it. Watch the trailer for 'Warrior' What kind of fight training did the cast need? They required three months of MMA training. I can tell you Gavin O'Connor really pushes you to work when you're in there. You do twelve hour days in the octagon, but it was well worth it -- I had different people who trained St-Pierre showing me different techniques. It was a lot of fun and if I wanted to go into MMA, I learned a lot just from that movie alone. They searched about fifty different people for the part of Koba. And they were looking for a Fedor Emelianenko type, a guy with no emotion. Who he was and the power he brought to MMA a few years ago, they wanted that type of character, and they wanted that type of guy -- a guy with a wrestling background. I just happened to be an Olympic gold medalist and they wanted the movie to have an Olympic gold medalist in Russia. It was very ironic. In pro wrestling, you've always played an all-American superhero and now you're playing the Russian bad guy. I was the Russian "bad guy," but in the movie the people come to see Koba, they don't come to the brothers. They come to see the best fighter in the world, Koba's first time in the United States to fight. I thought I was gonna be like Dolph Lundgren of 'Rocky IV' so when I come out of the entrance, every fan is cheering my name and it's like, "wait a minute, this [movie] is a different animal." This is MMA, they want to see the undefeated guy. It was a different twist to it. It wasn't the Cold War thing. What kind of challenges do you encounter filming a fight scene, that you don't get in a real match? To me it was all in the same. The only thing I had to turn off was my emotion. In pro wrestling, you have to show emotion in order to get emotion from the fans. In 'Warrior' I had to focus on one guy and not worry about the crowd. But it brought me back to the way I was in amateur wrestling in the Olympics, I had to focus on one guy. A lot of these fighters that are in the movie are really in UFC and MMA and they all did a tremendous job. I come from both worlds, the world of amateur wrestling and the world of pro wrestling, which is entertainment, so I know how to do the choreography. The hard part is when you're a fighter and you go by instinct and by reaction and then they're telling you exactly what you have to do. When you're bobbing, when they want you to weave and you're really not supposed to do that, you have to turn your instincts off. I thought the fighters did a really great job. If you were a Hollywood producer and you cast Brock Lesnar in a movie, what kind of role would it be? Oh my god, just look at him, 300 pounds, 6-foot-3. He's a perfect man-eater. I would have him be what Dolph Lundgren is in 'Rocky.' He has that athletic ability. you wouldn't believe how athletic Brock is. He would've made the NFL if he stuck with it. He just didn't want to go to Europe. Brock could do anything he wants, he's that good. He can play basketball, he can play football, he can wrestle, he can fight. He's just that type of kid, he has a god-given gift. No matter if he wins or loses, there isn't an athlete like him, not his size. Now that you've done both worlds and now that you've trained with Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, how well do you think they would fare in the world of competitive fighting? [Laughs] As much as I love them and they're my good friends and I respect them and I think they're both going to be up for Academy Awards, they wouldn't last a minute in MMA. No way! Tom Hardy would not quit eating. They had to keep him on a diet because he kept eating and gaining weight. They'd try to keep his weight down, he was hilarious. Joel was just terrified of me. There were stunt doubles that I really threw around quite a bit, but Joel did all of his scenes. I told Joel I would take care of him, and didn't do it as hard. But he suffered a knee injury, he tore his MCL partially. And then Tom got the flu. Things were pushed back and I felt really bad for those guys cause they were working both sides -- acting and the fighting -- and god bless them, they came through, but it wasn't without some setbacks. They did a tremendous job; as far as fighting, they learned the techniques well. But naw, I wouldn't gamble on those guys getting in the octagon any time soon.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Postcard from Venice: Time to Say Goodbye, But First: Could Polanski Win a Golden Lion?

Venice is a city of lions. There’s the ubiquitous winged lion, the symbol of Saint Mark, seen everywhere in statuary and on banners. Last night, outside the Casino, one of the main buildings of the festival complex, I saw a winged lion statue, about 12 feet off the ground, with a single wine glass perched delicately if a bit precariously atop one of his meaty paws, left behind by some meticulous reveler. Other lions have no wings but appear not to mind much, standing guard at church entrances, outside restaurants or at the center of neighborhood squares. And everywhere you look, there are smaller lion faces gazing back at you: Some have important and obvious jobs to do, holding door-knockers or doorbells in their mouths. Others are free to simply be themselves, but all seem intent on keeping an eye on things. Then there are the festival prizes, the Golden and Silver Lions, which will be announced on Saturday. Today is my last day at the festival (though I’ll be reporting back on the prizes over the weekend), which means it’s time to look back at the movies I’ve seen in the past seven days and suggest some possible winners — though remember, there’s no such thing as a sure thing. The movie my English-speaking friends seem to like the best so far is Alps, an intriguing picture from Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos (who gave us another festival favorite, Dogtooth, a few years back). In Alps, a disparate group of people — a nurse, a paramedic and a gymnast and her coach — have banded together to form a little crew whose purpose isn’t immediately clear. Nor do they have a name, until their leader, the paramedic, played by Aris Servetalis, proposes that they call themselves the Alps — they constitute a stalwart and reliable presence in a world where there’s always the risk of loss. Eventually we learn that the Alps provide a strange but possibly invaluable service: They approach individuals who have lost loved ones and impersonate the deceased, in some cases acting as a receptor for all sorts of cathartic behavior, in others simply acting as a stand-in to assuage grief. Alps is an intellectual exercise first and foremost, a stark puzzler with modest production values (that means lots of handheld camera work and washed-out colors) that’s engaging enough for the questions it asks in its sly, sidelong way: Chiefly, who are these people? And by extension, who is anyone? Are the people we know really the people we know, or are they all impostors? And so forth. I’m not sure Alps cuts as deeply as so many of my colleagues seem to think it does, but it’s still an intriguing piece of filmmaking that could attract some love from the jury here, possibly the director’s prize, the Silver Lion. Variety has been publishing a special festival edition each day this week, the official publication of the festival, which features a chart in which a selection of international critics assign a score to each movie. As of Wednesday, the picture with the highest score is Roman Polanski’s Carnage, with an 8 out of 10. The next highest scores go to George Clooney’s The Ides of March (7.5) and Steve McQueen’s Shame (7.4), which may be my personal favorite of this festival (although I was also impressed by the craftsmanship and emotional resonance of Tomas Alfredson’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy). I wasn’t able to see Carnage here in Venice, but it certainly has a strong chance of winning the Golden Lion, depending, perhaps, on how preoccupied the jury is (it’s headed this year by Darren Aronofsky) with Polanski’s personal reputation. European critics and moviegoers have tended to be more forgiving of Polanski than American ones, choosing to focus on the work rather than the fairly certain fact that he committed a crime for which he was never punished. Politics often play a huge role in festival prizes, and this one could go either way. I’m also pleased to see that Ann Hui’s tender and beautifully crafted Tao Jie, or A Simple Life, has also found some favor among critics here. (It currently has a 7.2 on the Variety scorecard.) Andy Lau, perhaps best known to American audiences from his roles in the Hong Kong Infernal Affairs movies, plays a movie-biz accountant named Roger who takes it upon himself to look after his family’s elderly housekeeper, Au Tao (Deanie Ip, a revered actress in Hong Kong cinema and Lau’s real-life godmother), who has asked to be put in a nursing home. The picture is surprisingly unsentimental, and Hui has a gift for zeroing in on the telling detail. In one sequence, we watch as Au Tao prepares to attend a movie premiere with Roger: She puts on her nicest clothes — simple items that have clearly been cared for and treasured for years — and slips two modest gold and jade rings on her fingers. She takes out a tube of lipstick that’s almost completely worn down — this, too, may have been cherished for years — and in a moment that speaks volumes about the complex relationship between economy and vanity among the aged, smudges a bit on her lips with her fingers. We see her reflection in the mirror; she looks adequately pleased. It’s the kind of quiet detail we go to the movies for, the whisper that speaks louder than a shout. I’m not sure there will be a prize for A Simple Life, but it’s one of those movies I’m grateful to have seen here, and I hope it finds a larger audience worldwide. And as always, I’m sad to leave Venice, a city I’ve grown to love. But Toronto — which will feature some of the films I’ve missed here, including The Ides of March, beckons. So once again, I say arrivederci, Venice! And starting Friday, hello, Toronto. Read all of Stephanie Zacharek’s coverage of the 2011 Venice Film Festival here.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Battleship behind the scenes video lands online

A behind the scenes video for next summer's blockbuster hopeful Battleship has pitched up over at Entertainment Weekly (thanks to Slashfilm for the heads-up).All the major players speak, including Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgård, Brooklyn Decker and director Peter Berg.We also get our first proper look at Rihanna in action in her first movie role: she wields all sizes of gun with conviction, but this footage still doesn't show us whether she can actually act or not.On top of that, there are explosions galore: will this be one of 2012's guilty pleasures?Check out the video for yourself below:Battleship opens on 18 May 2012.