Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Modern Family Casts Gilles Marini in Season 3

Gilles Marini Siblings & Siblings alum Gilles Marini will guest-star around the year of contemporary Family, TVLine.com reviews. Fall Preview: Get scoop in your favorite coming back shows Marini, who also taken part on Dwts, will have Julian, a buddy of Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) and Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) who they assume is gay. A boys evening by helping cover their Claire (Emmy champion Julie Bowen) proves that he's really very, very straight. Modern Family returns Wednesday at 9/8c on ABC.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Oscar Time: Film Fests Preview Honours Prospects

TORONTO (AP) Since the summer time blockbusters happen to be hidden away, it's the perfect time for Hollywood's next large season: the marathon haul to Oscars evening.The Toronto Worldwide Film Festival that runs through Sunday and also the lately wrapped Telluride and Venice film fests would be the usual beginning points for honours season, with galleries trotting out challengers several weeks in advance to spark Oscar buzz.Unlike this past year, when eventual Oscar champion "The King's Speech" billed from the festival circuit because the film to conquer, a mixed bag has emerged to date this time around.Festival films have displayed great performances from past Oscar those who win and nominees, included in this George Clooney, Glenn Close, Vanessa Redgrave and Ryan Gosling.The Toronto festival also offers some searing performances from emerging stars, including Michael Fassbender's full-frontal turn like a sex addict in "Shame," which gained him the very best-actor prize in the Venice festival right before Toronto.Regardless of how everything plays on Oscar evening February. 26, the possibilities that lots of nominees may have become their start in the late-summer time festivals. Five from the last six best-picture those who win performed a number of from the Telluride, Venice and Toronto fests, including 2009's "The Hurt Locker" and 2008's "Slumdog Uniform."Galleries once revealed more honours challengers later around. However when the Academy awards moved from late March to late Feb a couple of in the past, Hollywood scrambled to have their prestige films within the pipeline sooner to find the honours hype going."Using the new Oscar dates, Toronto has truly get to be the starting ground for that Oscar season," stated Tom Bernard, co-leader of The new sony Pictures Classics.Clooney who had 2005 writing and pointing nominations for "Night, and Best Of LuckInch and won a supporting-actor Oscar for "Syriana" exactly the same year has returned with two films at Toronto that may compete for honours.He directed and co-starred within the political thriller "The Ides of March," featuring a effective performance from Gosling like a campaign press secretary who stumbles right into a scandal. And Clooney provides a heartbreaking turn like a neglectful father instructed to step-up his raising a child after his wife falls into any sort of accident-caused coma in "The Descendants," from director Alexander Payne ("Sideways").Two-time Oscar nominee Kaira Pitt already gained honours chatter last spring for "The Tree of Existence," filmmaker Terrence Malick's challenging family saga that won the very best prize at Cannes. Pitt found Toronto together with his baseball tale "Moneyball," investing in a flamboyant performance as iconoclastic Concord A's gm Billy Beane.Pitt likes the idea that honours attention might help films find a crowd, but he's uneasy in the prospect from the several weeks of glad-handing and public looks that accompany Oscar season."I'd rather not spend whenever considering it,Inch Pitt stated. "It is nice whenever your number pops up, and it is nice whenever your friends' amounts show up. Actually, that's even better. You have something to root for, and ultimately, it's not necessary to quit your Sunday."There is a reason they refer to it as a season now. If only they'd just mix all of them into one. Can't we simply allow it to be eventually? Everybody conglomerates, have it over, therefore we can also enjoy our way of life.InchOther festival films getting Oscar attention: Redgrave as Full Elizabeth I and Rhys Ifans being an aristocrat some think really authored Shakespeare's plays in "Anonymous" Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain for "Take Shelter," in regards to a family guy with visions of the coming apocalyptic storm Frederick Gordon-Levitt like a cancer patient in "50/50" and Close like a lady who hide herself like a guy to locate are expensive hotels butler in 1800s Ireland in "Albert Nobbs."Lots of potential challengers haven't yet screen, including Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar," a portrait of FBI boss J. Edgar Hoover that stars Leonard DiCaprio. Steven Spielberg has two films arriving December, the experience tale "The Adventures of Tintin" and also the The First World War epic "War Equine." Meryl Streep, the acting record-holder with 16 nominations, may be within the running for an additional as Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady."Summer time also created a potential honours contender using the hit literary adaptation "The Assistance.InchNear continues to be nominated five occasions for Academy awards for films for example "Harmful Liaisons," ''Fatal Attraction" And "The Planet Based on Garp." She's not keen on knowing one performance against another, but Close includes a nearly 30-year history together with her "Albert Nobbs" character, which she first performed on stage in 1982 before developing the film version like a producer and co-author."The way you really choose who's much better than who I have been just a little uncomfortable with," Close stated. "But this, to become so committed to something and also to be recognized for this, could be thrilling in my experience.InchInchThe Artist," a hangover from May's Cannes Film Festival, is constantly on the charm because it plays to Toronto crowds and may be probably the most unusual challengers for major awards the Academy awards has observed in decades.The film is really a black-and-whitened quiet movie in regards to a 20's Hollywood star (Jean Dujardin) whose career crumbles as talkies dominate the giant screen. Dujardin won the very best-actor prize for "The Artist" at Cannes, and also the film has honours prospects for the best picture and actress for co-star Berenice Bejo, who plays a rising star from the seem era and it is the wife from the film's author-director, Michel Hazanavicius.The filmmaker is attempting to disregard the honours talk, thinking about "The Artist" has not opened up in theaters."It is extremely touching for me personally and incredibly satisfying, but so what can I only say now? I am unable to really work hard at it, to tell the truth,Inch Hazanavicius stated. "It's OK individuals are speaking, but additionally maybe, I'd rather not be disappointed in three several weeks."Copyright 2011 Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Toronto 2011: IFC Films Builds up '4:44 Last Day on Earth'

Following on its acquisition of Evening time Madness title The Incident, IFC Films has acquired north of manchester American rights to 4:44 Last Day in the world, the newest pic from Abel Ferrara.Related Subjects•Toronto Worldwide Fil... The film opened up within the Venice Film Festival and may screen within the approaching NY Film Festival the sale was introduced at TIFF. The ensemble drama stars Willem Dafoe, Shanyn Leigh, Paz p la Huerta and Natasha Lyonne and evaluates how people would react knowing Earth¹s final hour was approaching. It has been known to love a "mournful valentine" to NY. The film was produced by Fabula, Funny Balloons and Wild Bunch. Ferrara written the script. Wild Bunch repped the film inside the deal. IFC's genre arm IFC Evening time acquired north of manchester American rights for the horror movie The Incident. The film opened up Monday evening, in which a couple of audience people apparently fainted due to the intense violence inside the movie. Directed by Alexandre Courtes, the film follows a trio of cooks who get trapped with inmates within an asylum for your criminally insane throughout bad weather. Related Subjects Toronto Worldwide Film Festival Worldwide

Sunday, September 11, 2011

'Contagion' Propagates in Theaters: Box Office Report September 9-11

The mighty housemaids of 'The Help' were finally felled with a microscopic bug. Steven Soderbergh's new all-too-plausible pandemic thriller 'Contagion' ended the 3-week reign of 'The Help,' debuting at No. 1 and generating an believed $23.a million. The all-star disaster movie beat three other new wide releases to assert the very best place in the box office. With forecasts running within the $22 to $24 million range, 'Contagion' did about in addition to expected. Enhancing the film coast for an easy victory were such elements like a star-studded cast, a director having a solid history, good reviews, a large release (on 3,222 screens), strong adult appeal (81 percent from the audience was over 25, based on studio polling) - and weak competition. 'Contagion' required lots of grown-ups from 'The Help,' which experienced a 41 percent decline a few days ago for an believed $8.7 million. This is a steeper fall than expected, as commentators had predicted a take of approximately $tens of millions of. Nevertheless, it had been adequate for second place along with a five-week total of $137.a million. The most powerful of 'Contagion's' fellow beginners was 'Warrior,' which opened up in third place by having an believed $5.six million. Using its double-underdog plot, decent reviews, evaluations to such brawler-with-a-heart faves as 'Rocky' and 'The Fighter' and strong word-of-mouth, the mma saga have been likely to go foot-to-foot with 'The Help' around $tens of millions of. However it opened up on only one,869 screens, as well as for almost all their rising-star buzz, Tom Sturdy and Joel Edgerton aren't box office draws yet. Rounding the top 5 were holdovers 'The Debt' and 'Colombiana.' In 4th place, 'The Debt,' underperformed slightly, sliding 51 percent in the second weekend for an believed $4.9 million, for any two-week total of $22. million. The spy drama have been likely to pull around $six million a few days ago, nevertheless its adult appeal resulted in, like 'The Help,' it had been hit hard by 'Contagion.' Revenge thriller 'Colombiana,' however, did about in addition to expected, losing 46 percent of last weekend's business and generating an believed $4. million, for any three-week total of $29.8 million. This weekend's other two wide releases barely registered neither cracked the very best 10. 'Bucky Larson: Born to become a Star,' the most recent juvenile-but-raunchy comedy from Adam Sandler's set up line, opened up on 1,500 screens but drawn in only an believed $1.4 million, debuting at No. 15. Not too anybody was expecting much, but forecasts the movie would earn about $3 million demonstrated excessively generous. Weak reviews, middling promotion, and also the untested star energy of rising comic and Sandler friend Nick Swardson within the lead did not help. Faring a whole lot worse was 'Creature,' which loved an strangely wide opening on 1,507 screens. The horror film, a tongue-in-oral cavity throwback towards the days when drive-in-movie monsters were just men in rubber suits, 'Creature' opened up in 26th place and obtained an abysmal $331,000, based on estimations, or about $220 per screen (that's about a couple of ticketbuyers per screening), which makes it the 5th-worst wide release opening ever. Only for comparison's sake, 'Laugh inside my Discomfort,' Kevin Hart's chronicle of his greatly effective recent comedy tour, opened up on just 97 screens but drawn within an believed $2. million, opening in thirteenth place. This is a huge $20,619 per screen, nearly three occasions the per-screen average of 'Contagion.' All in all, it was the poorest weekend of 2011 to date, with only $82 million as a whole receipts. 'Contagion' - Trailer No. 1 The entire top ten: 1. 'Contagion,' $23.a million (3,222 screens), era 2. 'The Help,' $8.7 million (2,935), $137.a million total 3. 'Warrior,' $5.six million (1,869), era 4. 'The Debt,' $4.9 million (1,874), $22. million 5. 'Colombiana,' $4. million (2,354), $29.8 million 6. 'Rise from the Planet from the Apes,' $4.9 million (2,887), $167.8 million 7. 'Shark Evening three dimensional,' $3.5 million (2,848), $14.8 million 8. 'Apollo 18,' $2.9 million (3,330), $15. million 9. 'Our Idiot Brother,' $2.8 million (2,396), $21.4 million 10. 'Spy Kids: Constantly on the planet,A $2.5 million (2,544), $34.two million Follow Gary Susman on Twitter: @garysusman. Photo credits: Lionsgate ('Warrior')

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Rumor: Henry Cavill's Too-Sexy 'Man of Steel' Suit Could go

There's plenty of discuss how hot Henry Cavill influences skintight 'Man of Steel' suit, but his pants-less look is yanking focus for that wrong reasons. Showbiz Spy reviews the exact same thing many comments about Superman's super package are generating producers re-think the entire costume. Doubtful, but let's enjoy yourself. "All everyone's talking about is Superman's crotch and people missing pants," an not named movie insider notifies the web site. "The completely new look was created to produce new fascination with a classic character nevertheless the way the situation is going Superman may be expected to get his pants back on. It's either that or 'Man of Steel' might be the very first R rated Superman movie!" Uh-huh. Which is really the part where we avoid riffing wrongly concerning the film's title. We'll just realize that the location seems rather plainly lit. (We're not searching. We swear.) Whatrrrs your opinion? Might be the suit too sexy for Superman? [via Showbiz Spy] Photos because of Warner Bros. as well as the 'Man of Steel's' Facebook page.

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Thursday, September 8, 2011

Matt Damon: Liberace Movie With Michael Douglas Will Be Great

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Matt Damon is busy with his latest movie, Contagion, but hes already looking ahead to one of his next projects, Liberace. Access Hollywood caught up with the star at the Contagion New York premiere on Wednesday, where he talked about the upcoming biopic with Michael Douglas in the title role. [Its] gonna be great, he said of the movie, where hell play the famous singer/pianists partner, Scott Thorson. Despite some prodding by Access, Matt made it clear that he and Michael havent rehearsed any of the movies more intimate moments. We just get together on weekends and make out? No, Matt said, when asked if there has been any private time for him and Michael to get into character. We were talking about getting together and reading some of the scenes, the parts are fantastic Its really, really wonderful and we want to get it right, he added. Liberace is slated for a 2013 release and Contagion spreads into theaters on Friday. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Toronto biz could be brisk

"You're Next" (above) and "Rampart" are expected to draw bidders at the Toronto Film Festival. Among the eclectic mix of pics at the fest is laffer "Peace, Love and Misunderstanding." Woody Harrelson in "Rampart" An optimistic Amber Entertainment and Haxan Films fully financed their horror film "Lovely Molly" rather than sell off foreign rights. The 36th Toronto Film Festival will launch Thursday with a brighter outlook than at the prior three iterations. Riding a wave of strong sales that began earlier this year, folks headed to Toronto are notably more upbeat -- a sharp turnaround from 2008 and 2009. A flurry of developments tied to Toronto will be unveiled this week, on the heels of the Weinstein Co.'s Tuesday announcement that it is creating a new label to bring content to digital and traditional platforms simultaneously, hiring former Magnolia execs Tom Quinn and Jason Janego to head the initiative. The duo will attend Toronto with an eye toward acquiring films for the fledging label. Company expects to debut its first title under the new label in the first half of 2012."People are realizing that Toronto is a great place to start selling new films," said FilmNation Entertainment topper Glen Basner. "Equity is coming back after being on (the) sidelines, and that's a double-edged sword, as while it allows more movies to get made, it doesn't necessarily mean more good movies. For now, the financial crisis made buyers much more conservative, but the cycle will change."As the major studios have dramatically cut back on their production slates, distribution pipelines have opened to indies proffering low- to midrange-budgeted films. Sundance, Berlin and Cannes already saw better-than-expected markets, and after the stunning successes of "Black Swan" and "The King's Speech," the summer B.O. tallies for Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" have bolstered the general sense that this is a good time to be an indie. An eclectic mix of titles has emerged with elevated expectations for sales during Toronto: horror projects "You're Next" and "The Awakening"; relationship dramas "360," "Shame," "Take This Waltz" and "Winnie"; police drama "Rampart"; enivronmental thriller "The Hunter"; and comedies "Peace, Love and Misunderstanding" and "Friends With Kids."Amber Entertainment and Haxan Films -- the banner behind "The Blair Witch Project" -- believe buyers can't get enough horror, and rather than sell off foreign rights, they've fully financed "Lovely Molly," formerly dubbed "The Possession.""It's a calculated risk, but we think we'll come out much better with an unencumbered film," said Amber's Jane Fleming. "We think that we can do far more on international sales than we saw in the estimates."Amber and Haxan shot "Lovely Molly" in Maryland last fall, with "Blair Witch" director Eduardo Sanchez helming from a script he co-wrote with Jamie Nash. Story explores the thin line between demonic possession and psychosis. Alex Walton, prexy of international sales for Exclusive Media, agreed that there's a real appetite for product at Toronto this year. "Buyers are hoping there will be a wealth of new material," Walton said. "The buoyant mood from Cannes should continue."The key reasons for optimism: As studios focus more of their resources on tentpoles, more viable buyers have emerged for independent midlevel-budget projects. Besides the traditional names (TWC, Fox Searchlight, Focus, Sony Classics, Summit and Lionsgate), several others are expected to be in the mix, including FilmDistrict, CBS Films, Open Road, Relativity and Millenium. "There's going to be a lot of competition for finished films, with five, six or even eight buyers," said UTA's Richard Klubeck. "The market's robust. I don't think either side has the upper hand, though." Equity's coming back."The market and public are embracing these films, and banks are getting more comfortable providing gap (financing) again," said Rena Ronson, co-head of UTA Independent Film Group. "We're seeing more high-net-worth individuals coming onto the scene investing wisely as well." Overseas entities such as Studiocanal are stepping up with commercial projects, such as "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.""It has real potential in the U.S.," said Studiocanal topper Olivier Courson, "and it's clearly a European film." Digital coin is on the upswing. "Though they haven't offset the decline in DVD sales, digital revenues are rising," said Hal Sadoff, ICM's head of international and independent film. "Over the past two years, VOD and streaming services such as Netflix are generating revenue and subscribers at a much faster pace than anyone expected."CAA's Micah Green said digital is a better arena for independent distributors to compete with the major studios vs. fighting with them for retail shelf space. "VOD and digital are the great equalizers in indies," Green said. Indies are able to access Hollywood's talent pool much more readily."Agencies have become very good at creating smart deals and getting their clients to share in the backend revenues, which enable independent films to get made," said Basner. Investors have a plan."We want to really be involved in production," Courson said, adding that there's a real audience for character pieces.Courson cited "True Grit" and "Black Swan" as examples of international hits that found auds who, he posits, "are really bored with bigger, CGI blockbusters."Sadoff noted that the studios' focus on tentpoles doesn't mean an emphasis on star vehicles."You're seeing a significant drop in studio films," Sadoff said. "And those films are more of an event rather than being focused on actors." Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

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Tuesday, September 6, 2011

True Blood Episode Recap: "Soul of Fire"

On Sunday's episode of True Blood, the war between the witches and the vampires comes to a tentative resolution, with Bill and Eric narrowly avoiding the true death. Debbie and Marcus make a terrible pair. Andy makes a new friend... and a new vow. Jason and Jessica are, of course, still in love. Lafayette and Jesus' relationship, unfortunately, just became a threesome. "F---IN' SOOKIE!" So... that was it? The much-anticipated stand-off at Ye Olde Shoppe of Sandalwood Candles and Reanimation between Marnie/Antonia and the vampires was kind of a bore. First of all, with Marnie's force field surrounding the shop, there wasn't much direct contact between the opposing sides. Second, the vampires didn't really do much. Hell, Bill and Eric even agreed to commit suicide if Marnie released Sookie, which, well, as Pam pointed out, that was just ridiculous. In the end, it was Jesus the brujo who saved the day, by forcibly expelling Antonia from Marnie, thus reducing her power enough to knock out the force field. The vampires then entered the shop and made quick work of shooting Marnie through the forehead, just as her prophetic pool of blood told her they would. So... R.I.P, Marnie? (Actually, no? See below.) THE BRIEF, MISGUIDED COURTSHIP OF DEBBIE AND MARCUS Since Debbie's relapse last week, she hasn't made too many great decisions, including hitching her star to Marcus' wagon. You see, Marcus is a delusional deadbeat dad who thinks that Debbie would make a great stepmom for little Emma, so he kidnaps his daughter and makes plans to start a new life with Debbie at his side. Meanwhile, Sam is looking for Marcus, not to rescue Emma (that happens to be an unintended side effect), but to avenge the accidental death of the brother he hated. But when Sam is in the clutch - and has Marcus in his clutches - he decides instead to let Marcus live with himself. Alcide, on the other hand, is kind of miffed that Marcus has stolen his "bitch," so he chokes him to death. He also "abcures" Debbie, which I think is wolf-speak for "banish." She is naturally very sad about this development, but I'm guessing that by next week, she'll be back to her old treacherous self. It's funny, now that Tommy is gone, I don't really mind if Alcide and Sam hang out together. ANDY = "HANDSOME AND MUSCULAR"? After Terry's tough-love intervention, Andy has a long walk back to civilization. Along the way, he meets a faerie named Maurella, who thinks he's handsome and muscular. (Cue Andy's awkward grunting.) He is, naturally, spellbound by Maurella, so when she asks him to "swear to the light," he does so without question. Then they make love. He tells Arlene what happened, but she doesn't believe him, going as far as to suggest a trip to the same booby hatch that Terry once enjoyed. Where are they going with this? I thought we were done with the faeries? Why Andy? JS + JH 4-EVA Hey, guess what? Just when Jason regained enough strength of character to turn down Jessica for the sake of his friendship with Hoyt, he got caught in the crossfire of Pam's shoulder-mounted assault on the shop, necessitating yet another vampire-blood transfusion. Guess who's going to be all moony-eyed for Jessie again next week? Poor Hoyt. "YOU IN DANGER, GIRL." "You may hear and see things you really don't want to," Jesus warns his boyfriend as they begin the process to separate Marnie and Antonia. "That ship has f---ing sailed," Lafayette replies. And how! In the final moments of the episode, while Jesus and Lafayette snuggle in bed, a spectral Marnie appears and appears to "enter" Lafayette's mouth, suggesting that she now possesses him. (This is a development that - ask my friends, I swear - I predicted might happen before the season's end.) So what happens in next week's finale? Are there more twists and turns to come? Or will it be more like the Season 3 finale, a quiet hour that looked ahead to this season's central story lines? What do you think of this season so far? Let me know in the comments section below. show less

Al Pacinos Wilde Salome Defies Description

FIRST PUBLISHED: September 4, 2011 11:35 AM EDT VENICE, Italy -- Not even Al Pacino is sure what to call Wilde Salome, his film making its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Pacino says its neither documentary, nor film. He calls it a much more ambitious and complicated gesture in cinema. The movie is Pacinos examination of Oscar Wildes once-banned play Salome, which tells the story of Herods obsession for his wifes daughter, culminating with Salomes vengeful demand for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. The movie is premiering out of competition Sunday. It weaves together a documentary on Wildes life, footage of a reading of the play in Los Angeles and a film version of the play. Pacino also is to receive an award for his contribution to contemporary cinema. Copyright 2011 by Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.