Thursday, October 20, 2011

Spike strikes up CES partnership

Spike TV has partnered with the Consumer Electronics Show to provide coverage during the tradeshow, which is set to run Jan. 10-13 in Las Vegas. The guy-centric cabler is coordinating multiplatform coverage on several trade shows in 2012, including E3 in Los Angeles during June, and July's San Diego Comic-Con. Exclusive partnership covers five hours of live telecasts from the show on Tuesday and will cover about 12 hours of coverage altogether, much of it focused on gaming and pop culture developments. The net is continuing to use its "All Access Live" multiplatform programming model for CES; earlier events Spike covered with "All Access" include this year's E3. The model covers mobile devices, Facebook, and terrestrial television networks, with ads and PSAs made to shunt viewers between platforms. Spike's CES coverage will also reach the giant TV screens in Times Square. Contact Sam Thielman at sam.thielman@variety.com

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Anne Hathaway's Catwoman Has Michelle Pfeiffer's Meow of Approval

We’ve seen the goggles, the cycle-straddling, and the cat ears, but do any of us have an expertly informed inkling as to how well Anne Hathaway will don Catwoman’s iconic suit in The Dark Knight Rises? Sister site Hollywood Life went to the source to learn if Hathaway’s got what it takes: Michelle Pfeiffer, who purred her way through 1992’s Batman Returns as the dominatrix-like Selina Kyle. “I think [Anne] is going to be amazing,” Pfeiffer declared. “She has the darkness and the comedy — she’s got it all! She’s going to be great.” There you have it, folks. In the meantime, revisit Movieline’s look back at all the ladies who played Catwoman over the years and ponder where Hathaway will fit in… [Hollywood Life]

Friday, October 14, 2011

Housewives's Jill Zarin Calls Teen Mother Contraception in a Girl Scouts Panel

Jill Zarin As the Girl Scouts of America believe reality TV gives youthful women a skewed picture of what real existence ought to be, Real Average women of NY City star Jill Zarin thinks a minumum of one from the shows might have an optimistic effect. Within the situation of teenybopper Mother, she thinks it'll prevent women from getting knocked up too early. "Teen Mother... is much like contraception,Inch she stated in the "Behind the curtain: Women and Reality TV" panel held through the Girl Scouts of America on Wednesday, based on AdAge.com. Media strategist and author Jess Weiner countered that opinion, proclaiming that she's heard about many women who actively conceive to look on the program. Teen Mother's Farrah: I am not really a whore - I am a role model Zarin, who's frequently noted for feuding together with her Average women co-stars, was one of the panelists who have been discussing the results reality TV is wearing youth following a discharge of the 2011 study "Real in my experience: Women and Reality TV." The research discovered that most the women believed that the experience the truth is shows is reputable and unscripted. "Tween and teen women who regularly view reality TV accept and expect a greater degree of drama, aggression, and bullying in their own individual lives, and measure their worth mainly by their looks,Inch states the research. Do you consider reality TV has effects on the youth of America? If that's the case, could it be negative or positive... or neither?

Rapper Rick Ross Suffers Seizure, Forces Emergency Plane Landing

Rapper Rick Ross has reportedly suffered a seizure while on a plane headed to Memphis, Tenn.our editor recommendsWarner Bros. Records Partners With Rapper Rick Ross' Maybach Music GroupRick Ross to Walk Boxer Manny Pacquiao to Ring in Fight With Shane Mosley Ross reportedly fell unconscious immediately after takeoff and paramedics had to resuscitate him, reports TMZ. Emergency workers reported a seizure at around 12:55 PM est, and Ross' plane was forced to make an emergency landing. Ross was reported to be on a gurney, with EMT workers administering CPR. PHOTOS: Top 10 Highest Paid Music Artists Wale, who is part of Ross' Maybach Music Group, posted on Twitter at 1:41 PM, "I just talked to Ross...he's 100 pct ok...@tmz #dontpanic #dontpanic #mmg !!!!" DJ Sam Sneaker also posted on Twitter, "I'm wit @rickyrozy now he good..." Ross was heading to Memphis to open a Wingstop restaurant, the first in a planned chain of flavored wings eateries. "It's time for us to make it happen in Memphis," Ross said in an earlier statement. "With Wingstop, we are bringing in the food I like and adding jobs to the community. It's a double win." VIDEO: 10 Hip-Hop Songs Referencing Steve Jobs "God Forgives, I Don't," Ross' fifth studio album, is expected to be released Dec. 13. The rapper released two singles from the new full-length, the Just Blaze-produced "I Love My Bitches" and "You The Boss" featuring Nicki Minaj, last week. Ross was also scheduled to perform Friday at a free "Memphis Madness" event kicking off the University of Memphis' basketball team's first official practice of the 2011-12 season. Erika Ramirez and Jason Lipshutz are reporters for Billboard. Related Topics Nicki Minaj

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

OSCARS: 63 Films In Competition For Foreign-Language Film Academy Award

For the Academy’s official screening schedule, click here. EXCLUSIVE: Although the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has yet to release an official list or tally (look for that by Thursday or Friday), the screening schedule is out and now circulating among members of the Foreign Language committee. Itlists 63 films officially in competition for this year’s Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, and barring any last-minute changes or additions that will mean there will be two fewer than last year’s total of 65. Screenings begin this Friday night at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theatre with one of my favorite films out of the Cannes competition in May, Aki Kaurismaki’s delightful Le Havre, which although set in France is Finland’s official entry primarily due to the nationality of the film’s director. After welcoming remarks it screens at 7:35 p.m. on a double bill with the United Kingdom entry, Patagonia, a dramatic story in the Welsh and Spanish languagesthat tells of two parallel journeys to Patagonia and Wales. In the longthree-month process of whittling down nine finalists, the last film to be shown to the brave Academy committee volunteerswill be on Friday Jan. 13 with Argentina’s western Aballay screening at 9:25 p.m. following Romania’s Morgen, a relationship drama about the friendship between a security guard and illegal immigrant. Argentina won the Oscar two years ago with The Secret in Their Eyes. The early schedule is top-heavy with a lot of the most-anticipated and talked-about films including Israel’s Cannes Screenplay winner Footnote on Saturday morning Oct. 15 and Iran’s much-praised A Separation screening Monday night Oct. 17. Both films won high praise in Telluride and Toronto film fests. Other higher profile October entries include Agnieszka Holland’s harrowing In Darkness from Poland on Oct. 28, Denmark’s Superclasico Oct. 22 and Lebanon’s People’s Choice winner at Toronto, Where Do We Go Now? on Oct. 29. That’s a rich list that will get this competition off with a bang and keep this Academy committee happy I would think. Last year’s winner, Denmark’s In A Better World was actually one of the last films to screen in January. 2008 winner Departures was one of the earliest entries to screen that yearso it is hard to tell where the advantage is in what order the films are shown. One big difference from last year is the long running times of many 2011entries led by Taiwan’s 4-hour and 24-minute epic Warriors of the Rainbow screening Jan. 7. The Turkish selection, Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Cannes Grand Prize winner, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (screens Jan. 6) is second-longest at 2 hours and 37 minutes (and feels it) tied with the controversial Russianentry, Burnt by the Sun: Citadel (Nov. 4) , sequel to Nikita Mikhalkov’s 1995Oscar-winning Burnt by the Sun.Thenew film has already caused a bit of controversy in its homeland when the head of the Russian selection committee asked Mikhalkov to remove himselfand his film, a critical and commercial flop, from the competition. That clearly did nothappen and themovie remains in the contest. Other long sitsinclude In Darkness (143 min), The Netherlands entry Sonny Boy (140 min. – Oct. 31), Hungary’s Bela Tarr film, The Turin Horse (154 min. – Dec. 17), Serbia’s Montevideo: Taste of a Dream (145 min. – Nov. 14), and China’s epicZhang Yimou epic starring Christian Bale,TheFlowers of War (145 min. - Dec. 12). Although most entries are presented as double features, only the 2 hour and 20 minute Sonny Boy is being presentedas a twoferOct. 31. The Academy put their thinking caps on and scheduledthe shortest film in the competition as the second feature, Uruguay’s The Silent House which at 78 minutes won’t start until 10:05 that evening but is scheduled to end at 11:23 p.m. But hey it’s Halloween. Live it up, committee members. Hopefully they will both be treats. As I first reported here at Deadline there was controversy over the original Albanian entry, The Forgiveness of Blood largely due to the American nationality of its director JoshuaMarston (he was born and bred in L.A.) even though most of its other elements were purely Albanian. The Acad’s Foreign Language Exec Committee met last week andruled it ineligible, agreeing with other Albanian filmmakers who protested its initial selection.Marston was disappointed and has been vocal about what he feels is a wrong-headed decision to exclude his movie. The same thing happened to him in 2004 when his Colombian film,Maria Full Of Grace was disqualified for largely the same reasons. Albania instead will now besending Amnesty, a sexy drama from Bujar Alimani, the director whofiled the formal protest against Marston’s film. It will screen Jan. 9, near the end of the competition. Other entries and their screening dates worth noting are Sweden’s Beyond, the directorial debut of actress Pernilla August who is known for her work in Ingmar Bergman films including his Oscar-winner, Fanny and Alexander. The intense drama stars “it” girl from the original The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Noomi Rapace and won the International Critics Week award at last year’s Venice Film Festival. It screens Nov 18. Wim Wenders’ 3D dance film, Pina will have members donning their glasses Dec. 2. Mexico’s Cannes hit, Miss Bala screens Jan. 8. France’s Declaration of War unspools Nov. 12 while the Greek entry, Attenberg serves as the bottom half of that Saturday morning double bill. Italy’sTerraferma (Nov. 7)and Spain’s Black Bread (Dec. 10) were surprise entries over much higher profile possibilities from Nanni Moretti’s and Pedro Almodovar’s Cannes competition films. The Czech entry Alois Nebel screens Oct. 24 and is distinguished by being the only animated film in the foreignrace. It could also qualify for Animated Feature if entered by Nov. 1, a development the ‘toon crowd is hoping happens because it would increase the chances of 16 films qualifying in that category and therefore pushing the number of noms to five. The committees are divided into foursections that are identified by different colors, Red (which kicks things off on Friday), White, Green and Blue. Each has 16 films with the exception of Green which has 15 (but that includes that looooooong Taiwanese flick). Members must see at least 12 films from their section or another to be eligible to vote. To avoid embarrassing omissions the rules were changed a few years ago and now the top six vote getters from this larger committee (several hundred members usually)will be joined by three choices from the uber Foreign Language exec panel led by Mark Johnson. Those nine finalists then are judged by smallspecially selected Academygroups in NY and Los Angeles and whittled down to the five selections that will be announced on Jan. 24 with the rest of the Oscar nominations. Happy viewing committee members. Bring along some Murine.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Michael Fassbender To Re-Team With Director Steve McQueen for Third Time

It is not exactly Tim Burton/The Actor-kaira Pitt, but actor Michael Fassbender and director Steve McQueen love cooperating. According to Variety, Fassbender is positioned to star in McQueen's approaching film, '12 Years a Slave,' a movie of a NY citizen (Chitwel Ejiofor) who was simply kidnapped in 1841, only to be saved more than ten years later in the cotton plantation in Louisiana. 'Slave' will be the third production that Fassbender and McQueen did, following 2008's 'Hunger' -- in regards to the 1981 Irish hunger strike -- and 'Shame,' which can be most likely probably the most taboo movie of year. Inside a publish-screening press conference for 'Shame' the other day, Fassbender mentioned he always aspired to link getting a director, very much the same Robert P Niro and Martin Scorsese have labored together frequently. It seems like he's well on his way. 'Shame' involves limited release on 12 ,. 2 from Fox Searchlight. You will see Fassbender play Carl Jung inside the non-McQueen movie, 'A Dangerous Method' (directed by David Cronenberg) if the hits theaters on November. 23. [via Variety] [Photo: Getty] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

MPAA to host Reagan centennial event

The MPAA is joining using the Taxation Foundation for any day's occasions to mark Reagan's centennial. On November. 14, the org will gather a panel in the MPAA's headquarters "how Leader Reagan's role within the film industry formed his role as leader and influenced modern political communication." Additionally they will host a reception with Reagan administration alumni and studio CEOs. MPAA chairman Chris Dodd stated, "Leader Reagan frequently pointed out that the abilities he coded in Hollywood like a negotiator and communicator offered him well when he found Washington. We anticipate exploring individuals communications gifts throughout our panel and also to then celebrate his contributions towards the film and tv industry." Contact Ted Manley at ted.manley@variety.com

'Separation' 'Anatolia' lead Asia Off-shoreline noms

"A Separation""Not such a long time ago in Anatolia"BUSAN, Columbia -- Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi's "A Separation" and Turkish pic "Not such a long time ago in Anatolia" by Nuri Bilge Ceylan have acquired four nominations each in this year's Asia Off-shoreline Screen Honours.The nominations was revealed in Busan on Monday evening, and both were round the candidate for top film, which incorporated Mohammad Rasoulof's "Goodbye," Jiang Wen's "Permit the Bullets Fly" as well as the Indian movie "Wedding Coordinators."Greater than 240 films from 43 nations are competing just in case, including, the first time, films from Samoa and Cyprus, with 37 honours within the 13 honours groups."A Separation," which won the Golden Bear within the Berlinale this year, appeared to become nominated inside the author and helmer groups for Farhadi, too for thesp Peyman Moadi."Anatolia" featured inside the best director category for Ceylan, cinematography for Gokhan Tiryaki and script (Ceylan, Ercan Kesal and Ebru Ceylan).Hong Kong film producer Nansun Shi remains named as prexy in the jury, as well as the prize will probably be introduced inside a ceremony round the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, on November. 24.Also round the jury will probably be Cameron Bailey, co-director in the Toronto Film Festival, Japanese helmer and actress Kaori Momoi, Israeli director Samuel Maoz, and mind in the China Film Producers Association, Ming Zhenjiang.There's an apparent Middle Eastern and North African presence inside the candidate, and Iranian films feature strongly. Shayesteh Irani remains nominated inside the actress category for "Facing Mirrors," with Leyla Zareh nominated for "Goodbye." Judy Davis may also be inside the running in this category for Australian pic "The Interest in the Storm." Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Monday, October 10, 2011

Has Oprahs Star Energy Decreased? Relaunch Of OWN Will Put That For The Test

The famous host the famous host oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications Boss David Zaslav have exhaust excuses: Utilizing their unofficial relaunch today of OWN, they’ll haven't any anyone to blame but themselves if their fighting partnership doesn't show a sizable improvement inside the ratings undertaking a dismal 3Q. Within the specific demo, women 25-54, OWN shipped a rating of .16 — lower 16% versus. the identical period a year ago when the funnel used to be Discovery Health. OWN may have set a stealthily low bar alone word could it be reduce marketing when planning for your relaunch. Still, the funnel is betting everything around the famous host the famous host oprah’s star energy — and, with a lesser extent, Rosie O’Donnell’s — which will probably be provide the testbeginning today while using launch ofThe Rosie Show (7-8:00 PM) and also the famous host the famous host oprah’s Lifeclass (8-9:00 PM). Winfrey’s program, built on clips from her syndicated talk show, begins and among her classics: with an episode about “ego,” she'll include scenesfrom the show where she outlined simply how much weight she lost in the liquid protein diet by wheeling in the wagon filled with 70 pounds of body body fat.Discovery will air both shows today on TLC, Analysis Discovery, Discovery Fit & Medical health insurance and Planet Eco-friendly additionally to possess. The partnership can also be trading greater than $10M for marketing, excluding free ad time on Discovery-possessed systems. The cash goes for ads on hit shows such as the X Factor and Dwts, additionally to radio and ads, and Websites includingYahoo, Google, People.com, Technorati, and TVGuide.com. The stakes are high. OWN’s greater than four occasions more pricey to program than Discovery Health was, that could cause a loss of profits of$53.4M this year and $57.5M in 2012, research firm SNL Kagan estimations. Nevertheless the funnel should certainly become lucrative in 2013. That looked unlikely taken as Winfrey and Zaslav acknowledged that OWN’s ratings had fallenshort of anticipation. That brought for an business nightmare just before This summer time when Winfrey increased being OWN’s Boss, altering Christina Norman who was simply axed in May as well as the interim Boss, Discovery COO Peter Liguori, who forget about features a day-to-day role within the funnel. The business’s mantra is always that OWNwill change because the famous host the famous host oprah’s investing her full concentrate on it, and having a nightly fixture about it.Winfrey introduced in Harpo Art galleries presidents Erik Logan and Sheri Salata. They’re trying to help keep anticipation modest: “Everybody sees that this is often a extended, extended journey,” Logan states.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Sundance Selects Picks Up Bess Kargman's Ballet Documentary

Sundance Selects has picked up North American rights to director Bess Kargman's documentary First Position, which follows six young dancers as they compete in the Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition.Related Topics•Toronto International Fil... The film, which Kargman also produced, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it was named runner-up as the audience choice for best documentary. It also will be screening in the Vancounver International Film Festival, the Hamptons International Film Festival and DOC NYC. "This is a touching and inspirational documentary with great suspense that will keep audiences riveted. Bess Kargman has made a beautiful film that captures the grace of these phenomenal performers," Jonathan Sehring, president of Sundance Selects, said. The deal was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, senior vp of acquisitions and productions, and Betsy Rodgers, senior vp of business and legal afffairs, for Sundance Selects with Josh Braun at Submarine on behalf of the filmmaker. Related Topics Toronto International Film Festival International

Monday, October 3, 2011

By the Fire (Sentados frente al fuego)

An El Remanso Cine, Pandora Films, Astronauta Films production. (International sales: El Remanso, Santiago.) Executive producers, Eduardo Villalobos Pino, Christoph Friedel, Luis Angel Ramirez. Directed, written by Alejandro Fernandez Almendras.With: Daniel Munoz, Alejandra Yanez, Daniel Candia, Tichi Lobos. (Spanish dialogue)The dying embers of a love affair are delicately raked over to haunting effect in "By the Fire," a gentle, carefully observed drama. Helmer Alejandro Fernandez Almendras revisits the rural Chilean setting of his well-received debut, "Huacho," a visually stunning background against which his characters play out their quiet personal tragedy with as much dignity as they can muster. Similarly concerned with unearthing the transcendental hidden within the everyday, pic is elliptical, oblique and wary of easy emotion, making for demanding but rewarding viewing. Like "Huacho," "Fire" could raise sparks at fests. Pic is structured into narrative blocks that correspond to the seasons of a single year. Daniel (Daniel Munoz) and his partner, Alejandra (Alejandra Yanez), are leaving the city for the countryside and are faced with moving out of a house they have been looking after. Formerly a taxi driver, Daniel trades in his cab for a pickup truck and restarts life as a rural laborer, his dreams of city life having faded. It is pretty clear they are living near the poverty line; the only real pleasure in their lives is a stray kitten Daniel brings home. The two aim to buy a small plot of land from a businessman who is interested only in selling it for profit. But the biggest shadow looming over their lives is Alejandra's terminal illness, and Daniel's pressures begin to mount after she becomes bedridden and increasingly demanding. Lacking a TV set with a remote control, Daniel has to go upstairs every time she wants a channel changed. The pic is full of such details, revealing an entire way of life. Away from the main drama, "By the Fire" reps a quiet study of day-to-day life in rural Chile, and of the stoical manner in which people go about their routines. But as Daniel hacks away at undergrowth with a sickle, the image starts to look like a metaphor for someone working too hard and getting nowhere. It's a testament to the helmer's success in creating compassion for his characters that even when Daniel starts avoiding Alejandra's calls from the hospital or sleeps with someone else, the viewer accepts and understands his reasons. There are false notes, particularly in a lengthy bedroom scene in which Daniel and Alejandra recall key moments in their emotional development; it's handy for the viewer, but it's implausible thatthey wouldn't have already talked this stuff through. Pic's episodic structure also means that dialogue tends to supply heavy doses of plot information before vanishing altogether for extended periods. Auds will have to be particularly alert over the first 15 minutes to make sense of what comes later. Munoz is present in practically every scene, and does fine, understated work as a quiet, tolerant man entering middle age whose patience is slowly being chipped away. Yanez, who established her thesping credentials in "Huacho," also does good work. Other perfs, mostly from non-pros, are likewise understated and credible, fitting smoothly into the generally low-key mood. The gentle piano score kicks in at appropriate times to accompany moments of lyricism, which become increasingly frequent as events below the surface pull things inexorably to their expected conclusion.Camera (color), Inti Briones; editor, Almendras, Jeronimo Rodriguez; music, Los Jaivas, George Gurdjeff; art director, costume designer, Mary Ann Smith; sound (Dolby Digital), Pablo Pinochet. Reviewed at San Sebastian Film Festival (Zabaltegi New Directors), Sept. 18, 2011. Running time: 95 MIN. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

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