2011's Best Episodes: Oprah's Last Lesson in Gratitude, the Housewives' Game Evening Goes Wild

The famous host oprah Winfrey From Oprah's remarkably low-key farewell towards the year's most soul-crushing break-on The Great Wife (Kalicia, no!), the entire year was full of fantastic hrs of television - virtually which we viewed. There have been teary goodbyes (Friday Evening Lights' Texas forever! Smallville's tights and plane tickets!), tense face-offs (why can't all CIA interrogations occur around the front porch of the cabin, like on Homeland?) not to mention we made room for any little Glee (because certain underdogs deserved it). Which made their email list. Stay tuned all week for the top 25. Here's the very first batch within our extended countdown of 2011's best episodes: 25. " The The famous host oprah Winfrey Show Finale," The The famous host oprah Winfrey ShowAfter two-and-a-half decades and 4,561 episodes, we figured the Full of Daytime would use her final hour around the air to guide a parade of celebs who'd sing her praises and remember all of the crazy occasions on her behalf couch. (But that, because it works out, was exactly what the second- and third-to-final hrs were for.) Rather, the final show was simply O, reading through a prepared speech from the bare set that reflected around the many training she'd learned which thanked her fans. "This show may be the great passion for my existence," she stated through tears. No visitors, keep surprises away, no refurbishments (not really one individual got a vehicle!) It had been simple, nostalgic, and a great way to finish popular chapter. 24. "Lysergic Acidity Diethylamide," FringeThe title alone established that this episode will be a trip. When Olivia tried to extricate William Bell's awareness from hers if you take LSD, the planet went topsy-turvy, and also the episode switched from live-action to animation. The twisty, Beginning-like hour also marked Leonard Nimoy's farewell towards the series. 23. "Melissa McCarthy," Saturday Evening LiveOn the heels of her large Emmy win, we'd high wants McCarthy's first hosting gig on SNL. She didn't dissatisfy. The Mike and Molly star shimmied her way over the stage for any amusing dance number together with her Bridesmaids buddy Kristen Wiig, made brazen, undesirable sexual advances toward Jason Sudekis as Arlene, a horny office manager, and taste-examined Hidden Valley Ranch dressing in a fashion that gave us the dry heaves - first from laughing so difficult after which with actual nausea. (Are you able to Garlic clove Ranch Blast me now?) 22. "Game Evening Gone Wild!," The Actual Average women of Beverly HillsAll we are saying is the fact that whenever you mix wealthy Beverly Hillsides average women, booze, Pictionary, along with a not-so-lucid Hilton sister, situations are certain to get interesting. It began accidently enough, because the ladies headed to Dana's house for game evening - however everybody got wasted, damaged-legged Brandi accused Kim to do very meth within the bathroom and Kyle found her sister's defense by calling Brandi a trashy slut. You remain classy, Beverly Hillsides. 21. "Not So Good News,Inch The Way I Met Your MotherMother didn't have shortage of shockers this year, but none of them was more surprising or poignant than when Marshall, who had been attempting to achieve his father to inform him great news, learned from Lily that his father died from cardiac arrest. Jason Segel's quick switch from jubilation to inconsolable heartbreak was Emmy-worthy - especially when you are aware he did the scene in a single take.

AMC renews 'Hell on Wheels'

AMC has given a second-season order to oater ''Hell on Wheels.'' Renewal marks another success story for the cabler, which has seen all of its first-year scripted series except one receiving new season. ''The Killing,'' ''Mad Men,'' ''The Walking Dead,'' and ''Breaking Bad'' all made it past their rookie season. Only ''Rubicon'' was canceled after one season. ''Hell on Wheels'' drew a healthy 4.4 million viewers for its Nov. 6 debut, with 2.4 million in the 18-49 demo. The season finale is set for Jan. 15. Show, which shoots in Alberta, Canada and centers on the building of the Transcontinental Railroad after the Civil War, stars Anson Mount, Colm Meaney and Common. Entertainment One produces, with creators Joe and Tony Gayton exec producing alongside Jeremy Gold of Endemol, showrunner John Shiban and pilot director David Von Ancken. Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com

Star Trek 2 Will Shoot In 2D

And be post-converted for 3DA very slight update from the Star Trek camp here: JJ Abrams has revealed to MTV that, while Star Trek 2 will be in 3D, it'll be a post-conversion affair.Not to worry though, because "We'll do a good high-end conversion," Abrams promises. "It'll be like the Harry Potter movie and all that. Luckilywe have the months needed to do it right because if you rush it, it never looks good." The director also reveals that IMAX is on the cards, although nothing has yet been confirmed: "IMAX is my favourite format; I'm a huge fan. I would love to do it."Aside from technical specs, there's not much new to report, since Abrams remains as tight-lipped as ever. He won't be drawn on the issue of the villain, but has confirmed that there will be no appearances from original-series cast members this time round.What he will say is this: "Damon Lindelof, Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman wrote the most amazing script, and I'm thrilled to get a chance to direct it. It's totally mine to screw up. If you don't like it, it's completely on me! Our sets are almost done, so we're going to start shooting next month..."

'Million Dollar Decorators' Star Kathryn Ireland's Holiday Gift Guide

Ray Mickshaw / FOX Fox's X-Factor remains consistent as it approaches the end of its freshman season. Fast affiliate numbers show the series topping all broadcasts among adults 18-49 last night, averaging a 3.4 rating during its 90-minute broadcast for the second week in a row. CBS won the night however, getting its best Wednesday showing among 18-49-ers since the second week of the season. It averaged a 3.1 rating in the key demo, with an audience of 11.86 million. Survivor's penultimate offering of the season brought in a 3.1 in the demo, followed by Criminal Minds (3.4) and CSI (3.0), which was up 20 percent from last week. PHOTOS: Fall TV Death Pool: Which New Show Will Be Axed? Fox was just a tenth of a point behind CBS with a 3.0. I Hate My Teenage Daughter continued to fall, dropping another two tenths for a 1.9 rating among adults 18-49, and losing more than half of its X-Factor lead-in in total viewers. The network averaged an audience of 9.3 million for the night. ABC repeated its comedy block, with the exception of Happy Endings, and ended the night with a 90-minute Barbara Walters Presents detailing her "Most Fascinating" people of the year. The special earned a 2.3 rating among adults 18-49 and was down 28 percent from 2010 -- though last year it benefited from Walters' much-touted interview with Oprah Winfrey. The network averaged a 2.1 rating for the night. NBC, with repeats of Up All Night, Whitney, Harry's Law and Law & Order: SVU, averaged a 1.0 in the 18-49 demo. And on the CW, an America's Next Top Model rerun and the network's encore of the Victoria's Secret Fashion show averaged 0.5 among adults 18-49. Wednesday, Dec. 14, Overnight Ratings: 8 p.m. Fox: The X Factor (10.3 million viewers, 3.2 rating among adults 18-49) CBS: Survivor: South Pacific (10.7 million, 3.1 ) ABC: The Middle (R) (6.2 million, 1.7) NBC: Up All Night (R) (3.7 million, 1.2) The CW: America's Next Top Model (R) (1.3 million, 0.4) 8:30 p.m. ABC: Suburgatory (5.2 million, 1.7) NBC: Whitney (R) (3.3 million, 1.1) 9 p.m. FOX: The X Factor (11.4 million, 3.7) CBS: Criminal Minds (12.7 million, 3.4) ABC: Modern Family (6.6 million, 2.3) NBC: Harry's Law (4.1 million, 0.8) The CW: The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (R) (1.6 million, 0.7) 9:30 p.m. ABC: Barbara Walters Presents (8.1 million, 2.3) Fox: I Hate My Teenage Daughter (5.2 million, 1.9) 10 p.m. CBS: CSI (12.1 million, 3.0) ABC: Barbara Walters Presents (8.45 million, 2.3) NBC: Law & Order: SVU (R) (4.4 million, 1.2) PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 'X Factor' Behind the Scenes: The Top 11 Work Out the Week's Performances TV Ratings

2012 Golden Globe Film Nominations: Artist, Help, Ryan Gosling Score Large

The nominations are out for that 69th Golden Globe Honours, plus they preferred virtually everybody front-and-center within the honours race up to now, using the requisite snubs, surprises along with other laughable curios (they needed to wedge War Equine inside somewhere, right?) that Ough Gervais will without doubt possess a fine time on Jan. 15. BEST Film - DRAMA The Descendants The Assistance Hugo The Ides of March Moneyball War Equine BEST Film - COMEDY OR MUSICAL 50/50 The Artist Bridesmaids My Week With Marilyn Night time in Paris BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS Inside A Film - DRAMA Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs Viola Davis, The Assistance Rooney Mara, The Lady Using the Dragon Tattoo Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady Tilda Swinton, We have to Discuss Kevin BEST PERFORMANCE BY An Actress Inside A Film - DRAMA George Clooney, The Descendants Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar Michael Fassbender, Shame Ryan Gosling, The Ides of March Kaira Pitt, Moneyball BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS Inside A Film - COMEDY OR MUSICAL Jodie Promote, Carnage Charlize Theron, Youthful Adult Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn Kate Winslet, Carnage BEST PERFORMANCE BY An Actress Inside A Film - COMEDY OR MUSICAL Jean Dujardin, The Artist Brendan Gleeson, The Guard Ryan Gosling, Crazy Stupid Love Frederick Gordon-Levitt, 50/50 Owen Wilson, Night time in Paris BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM The Adventures of Tintin: The Key from the Unicorn Arthur Christmas Cars 2 Puss In Boots Rango BEST Language FILM A Separation (Iran) The Flowers Of War (China) The Little One Using The Bike (Belgium) Within The Land Of Bloodstream and Honey (USA) Your Skin My Home Is (The country) BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS Inside A SUPPORTING ROLE Inside A Film Berenice Bejo, The Artist Jessica Chastain, The Assistance Jesse McTeer, Albert Nobbs Octavia Spencer, The Assistance Shailene Woodley, The Descendants BEST PERFORMANCE BY An Actress Inside A SUPPORTING ROLE Inside A Film Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn Albert Brooks, Drive Jonah Hill, Moneyball Viggo Mortensen, A Harmful Method Christopher Plummer, Beginners BEST DIRECTOR - Film Woodsy Allen, Night time in Paris George Clooney, The Ides of March Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist Alexander Payne, The Descendants Martin Scorsese, Hugo BEST Script - Film The Artist The Descendants The Ides of March Night time in Paris Moneyball BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - Film Ludovic Bource - The Artist Abel Korzeniowski - W.E. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - The Lady Using The Dragon Tattoo Howard Shoreline - Hugo John Williams - War Equine BEST ORIGINAL SONG - Film “Hello Hello” - Gnomeo & Juliet - Elton John “Lay Your Mind Lower” - Albert Nobbs - Sinead O’Connor “The Living Proof” - The Assistance - Mary J. Blige “The Keeper” - Machine Gun Preacher - Gerard Butler “Masterpiece” - W.E. - Madonna ###

Matt Damon talks The Bourne Legacy

Matt Damon has been talking about the upcoming continuation of the Bourne franchise, and according to the man himself, he won't be remotely involved with the project."No, I'm not in that one," he told MTV recently. "I haven't even read the script." However, he does seem to know enough to explain how the film will fit in to the rest of the canon."My understanding is that it's like if you think of X-Men and then Wolverine, the spin-off movie - just think of it in reverse," he explained. "There's the Bourne character, and then there's this whole world. It doesn't preclude Paul Greengrass and I from doing another one."And Damon was only too happy to give his successor, Jeremy Renner, the official seal of approval."When Paul Greengrass and I were talking about the character and maybe doing a fourth one a couple years ago and maybe passing it off to somebody, Renner was the guy we talked about. He's an obvious choice, because he's such a good actor and can carry a movie." "Those movies are really tough, because you need the guy to be internally tortured about something, and Jeremy's the kind of guy you could watch," continued Damon. "You could remove the action and watch Jeremy just angst over something for two hours, and it could be really compelling."The Bourne Legacy is released in the UK on 17 August 2012.

Live! With Kelly Announces New Fill-In Co-Hosts

Jim Parsons Kelly Ripa will begin the completely new year on Live! alongside fill-in co-host - and husband - Mark Consuelos on Monday, Jan. 2, but he won't be sticking around for extended.8 possible competitors to switch Regis Philbin on Live!The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons will need over on Jan. 3, making his first co-hosting appearance around the program. On Jan. 4, David Duchovny will fill the chair, then Make the most of Lowe on Jan. 5-6, as Regis Philbin's permanent alternative has not been named.

Amy Winehouse's 'Lioness' Tops U.K. Charts 2011's Finest Music Sales Week

NY - Investment firm FMR LLC, parents of Fidelity Management & Research Co., has put in its stake in Discovery Communications now controls 18.2 percent in the cable systems company's Class A normal, with different Monday controlling filing.our editor recommendsDiscovery Communications Boss David Zaslav Urges Persistence For OWN LaunchLowe's Under Fire for Yanking 'All-American Muslim' Ads The filing shown the Boston-based firm possessed 25,699,140 shares of sophistication A normal, or 18.209 percent. An adult filing suggests that FMR held 24.5 million shares of Discovery, introduced by Boss David Zaslav, by Sept. 30. Buying more stock is generally seen as sign the investor sees upside in the stock. As they are common practice in such cases, a Discovery speaker declined comment. In October, FMR slashed its stake in the usa online to under 5 % after raising it to 10.32 percent within this summer time. A good investment company also has stock like the Wally Disney Co., Time Warner, Comcast, DirecTV, Apple, Google and Amazon . com . com.com, among others. Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Subjects Discovery Communications

Gene Simmons Criticizes Madonna's Selection to complete within the Super Bowl

Madonna Madonna is not the best selection for the Super Bowl halftime show, states KISS' Gene Simmons. "I like all karaoke entertainers," Simmons snarked to TMZ.com, when asked for how he feels about her selection. "I really like all the girl entertainers who awaken and sing with tapes. Shame you... I don't think it's appropriate." He added, "Madonna is terrific... Personally, i can't stand the tapes." The 53-year-old Material Girl, which has a film, W.E., being launched a couple of days just before the big game which is recording an album for spring release, follows inside the actions in the Moving Gems, Prince, Tom Petty as well as the Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen as well as the Who, all whom is just about the gig. (That it's worth, Hug required part in 1999's headliner-free halftime show, which incorporated Chaka Khan and Stevie Question.) Madonna will star in Super Bowl halftime show Madonna has not taken proper care of immediately Simmons' comments. Any idea what? Are you currently presently searching toward Madonna's halftime show?

'Cinderella' targets Broadway

Beane Goodman A brand new version of Rodgers and Hammerstein tuner "Cinderella" is focusing on a Broadway run, skedding a spring workshop staging in front of a suggested Rialto berth within the 2012-13 season.Scribe Douglas Carter Beane ("Xanadu," "The Small Dog Chuckled"), whose musical "Lysistrata Johnson" opens in a few days on Broadway, creates the all-new book, which includes the familiar story book elements but provides the tale a woman-energy twist. Robyn Goodman ("Avenue Q," "Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo") and her shingle Aged in Forest Prods. will produce.Composed for TV, the 1957 "Cinderella" hasn't performed Broadway, although legit adaptations started striking stages right after bow of TV tuner, which starred Julie Andrews. Subsequent tube incarnations incorporate a 1965 version toplined by Lesley Ann Warren along with a 1997 adaptation that starred Brandy.A Town Opera version most lately performed Gotham in 2004, while another adaptation -- having a book put together from multiple versions from the musical -- is playing at Seattle's fifth Avenue Theater.Since the original clocked in at under 80 minutes, most more recent versions interpolate other tunes in the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalog. The most recent version does exactly the same, although a number of them are tunes which were cut using their company tuners, such as the opening number, based on Goodman.Production targets the all-age range crowd which has assisted propel shows for example "The Lion King" to B.O. success, using the producer explaining Beane's adaptation like a balance between kid-friendly fairytale trappings along with a wise, satirical tone.Producers are preparing for any developmental workshop staging in April. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

Chuck Cast on Getting Naked and Community's Danny Pudi Interfering with Jeffster!

Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski Brainiacs and nudity. Also could an admirer want from a chapter of Chuck? Star Zachary Levi directed Friday's episode, "Chuck versus. the Hack Off" (8/7c on NBC), by which Chuck (Levi) and the team are attempting to find a possibly devastating trojan. "It's our nerdier episodes," co-executive producer Chris Fedak told reporters in a set visit this month. "There isn't as numerous hack off jokes as you'd think [there'd be]. We become familiar with a little about Chuck's backstory, who he was before he met Sarah, a bit concerning the hacker side of Chuck." Chuck designers share a common episodes And in some way at the time of the cyber chase, people get naked. "Initially when i first browse the script, I had been like, 'How the hell am I supposed to get this done?AInch stated Levi, who's directed Chuck two times before. "We have never carried this out on the program before. I've not really seen this done on tv before. I am talking about, I've, but it is on [premium cable network shows]. Bet on Thrones isn't tossing blur boxes on the stuff, and thankfully for your. It had been an enjoyable challenge." Fedak added, "Zach's robe was shorter than Yvonne [Strahovski]'s robe. I was like, 'We designed a mistake here.' It had been a really short robe." Elsewhere, within the more dressed area of the episode, the Buy More employs new worker Vali Chandrasekaren, performed by Community's Danny Pudi. "We are large Community fans and that we just thought there is a personality i was building that only Danny Pudi could do," stated Fedak. "And thus rather than going, 'Let's reconceive this and turn it into a different person,' we stated, 'let's try to get Danny Pudi to get it done.A It ties in to the Shaun and Lester story." Before we had Shaun (Scott Krinsky), he'd cleared up his act after receiving doctor's orders to prevent over sleeping his vehicle, which in fact had triggered his deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. "He's a bit cleaner and much more together, more psychologically aware," stated Krinsky. "She has his ability about him. It's nice to possess a little growth to him and to get at make a move different using the character within the last season. And also the dynamic between Shaun and Lester, which has been an enjoyable experience to experience too, kind of altering our roles with one another." In comparison, Lester (Vik Sahay), another 1 / 2 of Jeffster! was completed by his former friend and bandmate for attempted murder and was hauled off and away to jail. "He's been elevated poorly, clearly," stated Sahay. "He's a desperate, sad, dude who needs love and safety and acceptance very badly, and alone he first got it from was Shaun. So when [the deadly carbon monoxide] got removed out, Shaun wasn't there for him [any longer]. It produced a desperate mania within our boy Lester. He's a damaged boy sadly-- type of why I really like him. Personally i think his insides when i rage out from the world." It does not appear he stays in jail for lengthy though, like a plan is defined into motion using Vali. "There's a scenario by which they generate a smaller brown guy to mimic the Lester game," Sahay described. "Maybe it snags us a little, it reaches us a little. ... It's kind of a tactic that's utilized by others within the Buy More to lure me." Lester might not be too keen on the interloper, but Krinsky felt that Pudi your style in. "He appears like he's always labored in the Buy More when he the thing is him in the Nerd Herd costume. It's like, 'Oh God, he's labored here forever.'" Chuck airs Fridays at 8/7c on NBC.

ABC Orders More Castle

Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion ABC has bought yet another episode of Castle, Entertainment Weekly reviews. This could bring Season 4's order with a total of 23 episodes, in line with the site. Lost's Mark Pellegrino goes noir for Castle Castle clicked up 8.12 million audiences together with a couple. rating inside the grownups 18-49 demographic due to its fall finale on Monday. Up to now this season, the crime show has averaged 11.millions of audiences. Are you currently presently excited for further Castle?

Colin Firth on 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy': 'Everyone's Confused I'm Still Confused'

When 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' star Colin Firth was eleven years old, he spent yearly dwelling within the and surrounding and surrounding suburbs of St. Louis, Mo. It's a bit of trivia that we -- just like a native in the St. Louis area -- feel compelled to produce up anytime that we talk to the Oscar champion. (That's been two occasions.) This time around around, that subject drifted us with a conversation about baseball -- a task that Firth finds "aesthetically beautiful." Beyond that bit of St. Louis reminiscing, however, here's also this more valuable part of Firth's recent existence: the British actor won an Oscar in February for 'The King's Speech,' victory he never considered a formality -- even though everyone else did. In 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,' the reigning Best Actor champion plays Bill Haydon, the deputy for the chief of British Intelligence. The film, with various seminal spy classic by John le Carré (which was converted to a seminal spy classic miniseries with the BBC starring Mister Alec Guinness), might be the storyplot of intrigue and deceptiveness, because it is discovered there's a mole among the ranks -- leading ousted former deputy George Smiley (Gary Oldman) to analyze. Moviefone spoke to Firth about his small but normal part, his trek through Oscar season and St. Louis baseball. (Have belief, fellow St. Louisans relating to this day that Pujols leaves the Cardinals, no less than you now understand that Colin Firth still somewhat pays attention.) (Also, be informed of some spoilers.) Before we spoke before, pals of mine from St. Louis didn't have clue that you just familiar with live there. Is always that right? They now reference you as Florissant's own Colin Firth. [Laughs] Oh, OK. I will return sometime, discover if I am capable of finding anybody I realize. So when you didn't know, the Cardinals won the earth Series. I did so realize that, really. I'm speaking about, I don't follow any American sports, clearly -- any longer than Us citizens follow British sports. But it's funny it's the only team whose title I'd recognize. It's a hard city to exist in and not like baseball. You understand, I used to be arrived at baseball. It's Busch stadium, isn't it? I'm impressed that you just bear in mind that. I used to be come to a couple of games. Yeah, the initial baseball that we ever saw reaches St. Louis. I loved it. I still love baseball. It is not a game title title I'm very familar with -- therefore i do not see it often which i don't comprehend it fully -- but it's something you will get pleasure from without needing to be an aficionado. In my opinion something such as your football it's greatly harder to know unless of course obviously you understand what's happening. It's very intricate, and because of all people plays and techniques -- if you don't understand what they are, you don't know things to find and you don't understand what to buy. It's much more a difficulty with an outsider. Baseball is just an aesthetically beautiful factor. The basic principles from this, you don't need to know anything. You understand, you watch someone pitch and you also watch someone hit and you also watch someone run. That's something get ready to enjoy whether you understand all of the complex rules behind it or else. I'm we have to probably discuss your brand-new movie. Okay. Had you been interested in it or perhaps the Alec Guinness series? I'd never see the book. Clearly, I've make out the print now, more frequently than once. The series is among people items that had this type of impact that you just were alert to it even if you weren't watching it. It absolutely was just up. You probably know how each time a TV series is important, you just hear people discuss it? Like 'Seinfeld.' 'Seinfeld,' 'The Sopranos,' 'The Wire' -- you understand, in the event you haven't seen it, you're feeling overlooked. Because people are referencing it, people are talking about this. 'The Office,' you understand. People are calculating it. And 'Tinker Tailor,' only decided to be being spoken about constantly. Which Used to do watch a variety of it. I am unable to remember essentially seen everything, however remember being taken while using aura from this. But it's different to make it happen now, If the was carried out the '70s, it was not some time piece. It absolutely was a stat-of-the-art, innovative, current little bit of drama. There's lots happening in this particular movie. I'm not to imply that i'm the best guy in the world, however was confused throughout plenty of this movie. Everyone's confused. I'm still confused. OK, I'm better. No, no, In my opinion confusion is part of the mystique from this. In my opinion you have to tread very carefully if you'll probably use confusion or possibly you'll probably bamboozle people just a little. Since you will not wish to frustrate and alienate them. If you're planning to accomplish this, you have to magnetize them. My view, and what's been borne to date where the film's emerge, is always that it's labored. People are extremely attracted in it. You understand, in the event you execute a cryptic crossword, you have to be confused or there's pointless for the sport. You shot this prior to deciding to won the Oscar, correct? Yes. However you'd be the reigning champion, along with your role is much more compact in this particular movie, will there be any concern that could get individuals to question too intensely your work in this particular movie, plot wise? Maybe something of this character. I am unsure, but we should be careful about spoilers here. But wait, how much works this movie depend on unsure who it's? Simply how much does experiencing the film? And, just like you mentioned, the story can be obtained. It's been readily available for four decades. And a lot of individuals who've loved this movie most likely probably the most have either see the book or seen the series. To ensure that they are fully aware precisely who managed to get happen. Which releases you into focusing on alternative activities, that's really what's being talked about. Clearly, yes, we like to a mysterious. So when we could keep the "Whodunit?" factor going, great. But that is not really a Virtual Detective. It is, In my opinion, a portrait of loneliness and isolation and disappointed idealism. In my opinion Smiley is amongst the breathtaking attracted figures of dignified melancholy. He loves and trusts his wife, despite all of the betrayals. He loves and trusts his country, despite all in the betrayals. Inside the book, Bill Haydon and Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) are gay. Why isn't that relationship fully addressed in this particular film? We don't have plenty of time. We don't have plenty of time. The film is simply two several hours. All of individuals figures ... Roy Bland: much more crucial in it. You are able to really produce a whole movie about the subject. Particularly, you will not wish to cram this with information and [director] Tomas Alfredson understood this film required to breathe. You will discover great stretches inside the movie where there's no speaking under conditions where it is important that individuals get as much information as you can. That was a very bold strategy to use. And fortunately he needed that. The means by which honours season is defined due to a lot of honours just before the Oscar, you possessed to understand that you'd win. No, no. You can't know. It's too nerve wracking, the whole process, to go to walk around getting a certainty. It's foolish. You will discover lots of upsets. That's fair. However, you had been on the significant streak. Yeah, but I've come across people streaks falter. Look, 'The Social Network' was around the streak until around the Golden Globes. You understand? Also it might be an excellent film. Which may be the trouble with competition it's pretty difficult to look at the just desserts. It feels ... [extended pause] Being considered the best choice is definitely an very precarious feeling -- just request anybody in the political campaign. Things change very, very quickly. You understand, you appear like you are well on our prime wire generally. Even if you feel peaceful and cozy, more often than not there's someone alongside you always making certain you don't. You're ornamented by nerves -- everyone's got something at risk. Will there be an immediate specific change to the roles you're offered after winning? No. Not specific and certainly not immediately. In my opinion one will have to think back at everyone's existence and discover if things changed. It's tough to measure a large change because "a large changeInch rather than what. Which is nothing beats you weren't receiving specific roles before. Yeah, I'm speaking about, they were aimless before and so they can nevertheless be aimless. Some pay and several don't which remains the situation. Some films get started while others falter. Like something such as 'Main Street,' which was released after your Oscar win. But it absolutely was shelved for a while. Yeah. And, you understand, it's a hit-and-miss process. And become it your individual limitations or conditions or the fact the collaboration just didn't emerge -- or the fact it did -- you'll probably be going for a chance each time you are taking around the arena. So, certainly, one little bit of fortune like this does not guarantee that everything's great. It doesn't turn the earth into better authors, either. And so the material remains prone to -- you understand, you have to choose additionally to you'll be able to, given that which you have. [Photo: Focus] You'll be able to contact Mike Ryan on Twitter Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Cowboys & Aliens Sparks Texas Suit

The writer of the 1995 comic story with similar title because the movie Cowboys & Aliens has prosecuted producers from the movie along with a comics writer, alleging they stole his idea. Austin-based author Steven John Busti filed the suit in federal court in Texas. The suit namedDreamWorks Galleries, Universal Pictures and comic entrepreneur Scott Mitchell Rosenberg and the company Platinum Galleries as accused. Busti claims he emerged using the idea for cowboys fighting aliens in 1994 and released a tale the year after entitled “Cowboys & Aliens” inside a comic known as “Bizarre Fantasy.” The suit also claims that in 1994 the publicationComic Shop News went an element on his Cowboys & Aliens idea within the same problem that went a tale on Rosenberg. Rosenberg’s LA-based Platinum Galleries in 2006 released the graphic novel series Cowboys & Aliens — which Busti asserted within the suit has striking commonalities to his work.Universal and DreamWorks bought movie privileges from Platinum. Busti’s claim is yet another black markagainst the film which the galleries placed high hopes along with a large budget. A significant disappointment financially,Cowboys & Aliens made about $175 million worldwide, barely a lot more than it cost.

OSCARS: Screen Credits, Music Submission Forms Due 5 PM Thursday, December 1

Beverly Hills, CA Thursday, December 1, is the deadline to submit official screen credits (OSC) and music submission forms to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for 84th Academy Awards consideration. For a feature film to be considered for the 2011 Awards, the films distributor or producer must file an OSC form with the Academy by 5 p.m. PT on December 1. If a feature film is released in Los Angeles County in 2011 and the completed OSC form is not submitted by the deadline, the film will be ineligible for Academy Awards in any year. OSC forms are available online only, at http://aiwosc.oscars.org/aiwosc/. Information about submission and feature film eligibility can be obtained by contacting Credits Coordinator Howard Loberfeld at (310) 247-3000, ext. 1113, or via e-mail at hloberfeld@oscars.org. For an achievement to be considered in the Original Score or Original Song category, the principal music writer(s) for a feature film must submit an official music submission form and other materials by 5 p.m. PT on December 1. To request music submission materials, contact Dave Hanson at (310) 247-3000, ext. 1151, or via e-mail at dhanson@oscars.org. While the credits submission deadline is December 1, feature films have until midnight, December 31, to open in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days to be eligible for 2011 Oscar consideration. Entries in the foreign language, animated feature, documentary, and short film categories are subject to special rules and must meet other qualifying criteria. The entry deadlines in these categories have already passed. Complete 84th Academy Awards rules are available at http://www.oscars.org/rules/. The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academys Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

'Titanic 3D' Trailer: The Ship of Dreams Now Comes in Three Dimensions

One day after Paramount debuted the poster for 'Titanic 3D,' the studio has unveiled the first trailer for the re-release on Facebook, where 'Titanic' fans number 10 million strong. Will those devotees fall in love all over again with the 3D re-release of the second-highest grossing movie of all-time? You bet your Celine Dion CDs they will! "I want to share the new 'Titanic' trailer with you guys first," James Jim Cameron reads awkwardly off a cue card at the start of the trailer. "I hope you enjoy the trailer, and I can't wait for you to experience 'Titanic' like never before, when we release the film in 3D this April. I'm excited to be bringing 'Titanic' back to the big screen again, which is an experience you shouldn't miss." Indeed, Jim. Head over to Facebook to watch the trailer in glorious HD. Have some Kleenex handy in case, y'know, Celine gets to you. Hearts go on, folks! [via Facebook] [Photo: Everett Collection] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Lawsuit Says Patti LaBelle Threw Water And Cursed At Woman, Tot In NYC Lobby Run-In

First Published: November 14, 2011 9:02 PM EST Credit: Getty Images Caption Patti LaBelle attends the premiere of For Colored Girls at Ziegfeld Theatre, NYC, October 25, 2010NY, N.Y. -- R&B diva Patti LaBelle hurled curses and half a bottle of water at a woman and her 18-month-old daughter after a dust-up over parenting in an apartment building lobby, according to a lawsuit filed Monday and the familys lawyer. LaBelles publicists and lawyer didnt immediately respond to Kevin and Roseanna Monks lawsuit. The couple live in a Manhattan building where the Grammy Award-winning singer stayed for a time while appearing in the Broadway musical Fela! last year, said the Monks lawyer, Samuel L. Davis. He said LaBelle chastised Roseanna Monk for letting the toddler take some steps away from the mother as she grappled with some luggage and a car seat in the buildings lobby on the afternoon of Nov. 11, 2010. After Monk scooped up the child and told LaBelle it was none of her business, the singer threw water on them from a bottle she was carrying and then launched into an obscenity-filled tirade, he said. When the child started wailing, Roseanna Monk made a remark to LaBelle, and the singer charged at her and tried to hit her, Davis said. The Monks filed a complaint with police; no arrests were made. The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, comes five months after a U.S. Military Academy cadet sued LaBelle over a Houston airport scuffle with her bodyguards. He said they attacked him for no reason in March 2010. She countersued the cadet, saying he tried to get into her limousine and was drunk and using racial slurs, which he denied. Davis said Roseanna Monk had asked LaBelle for an apology and a donation to a childrens cancer charity but was rebuffed. The Monks feel someones got to teach her even a diva cant attack and frighten and assault regular people in the building, their lawyer said. LaBelles singing career has spanned more than four decades, two Grammys and several hits, including the 1974 disco smash Lady Marmalade. Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Howard Swartz to Discovery Funnel publish

Howard Swartz has leaped from PBS' "Nova" to Discovery Funnel, where he will act as Vice president of development and production having a particular concentrate on Discovery founder John Hendricks' "Curiosity" series. That series, which opened this fall, seeks to reply to large, philosophical questions (the very first episode was known as "Did God Produce the World?"). The show has much that is similar to "Nova," that also handled scientific difficulties with metaphysical aspects. "Howard is among the most skilled and highly respected professionals within the nonfiction space: an excellent commissioner, an excellent storyteller along with a great collaborator," stated the net's senior veep of development and production, Simon Andrae, to whom Swartz will report. Just before his time at "Nova," Swartz labored in the National Geographic Funnel, where he oversaw "Explorer" and created Emmy those who win including "5 Years on Mars" and "Within the Living Body." Contact Mike Thielman at mike.thielman@variety.com

CNN lays off 50, cites tech changes

CNN announced the elimination of at least 50 staff positions Friday as the company follows through on the results of a three-year review that found technical advances reduced the need for certain posts such as photographers and editors. Layoffs include CNN's Atlanta headquarters, Gotham, Washington, Los Angeles and Miami; at least a dozen cuts come from the news org's D.C. operation. The Turner news cabler has been "analyzing how we utilize and deploy photojournalists," senior VP Jack Womack wrote in an email to staff of the review. "Consumer and pro-sumer technologies are simpler and more accessible," he wrote. "Small cameras are now high broadcast quality. More of this technology is in the hands of more people. After completing this analysis, CNN determined that some photojournalists will be departing the company." A similar paragraph explained that higher-tech editing software allowed more remote editing, and thus called for fewer editors. Worldwide, CNN has had two zero-sum reorgs since August, neither of which resulted in headcount losses. But this latest round differs in that laid-off staffers have not been invited to apply for newly created jobs within the division. In October, the company's Atlanta office eliminated and then immediately hired for roughly the same number of positions -- slightly more, in fact -- and required staffers in flux to either accept severance or reapply for roles with broader job descriptions. A similar restructuring -- also with no resulting loss in headcount -- took place at CNN sister net HLN in August, as that network ramped up to the launch of web initiative HLNtv. HLN topper Scot Safon essentially told staff then not to worry: "(W)e are reorganizing the dayside editorial team to best meet the audience's multiplatform demands," he said in an email. "Those affected by this reorganization have been notified and new opportunities within this team will be posted shortly." A CNN spokeswoman said Friday that while she didn't want to minimize the difficulty of losing a job, the net planned to staff back up in the near future. "We anticipate the number of positions in the overall organization in the next six months will remain roughly flat with what we had this past year," she said. "We cannot begin to thank these individuals enough for their service to CNN," Womack said. "They leave with our respect and our sincere best wishes." Technology is causing newsrooms nationwide to shrink, or at least to require more workproduct from the people employed. Bridget Grogan, who runs the U of Florida's ABC News on Campus (which contributes reporting to the Alphabet's local news bureaus), told Variety last September that new TV reporters were expected to be multidisciplinary. "We're getting calls from newsroom directors who want students who are able to write, post to the web, and blog," she said, so her students are trained to shoot, edit and upload footage, as well. "Our students know how to be a one-man band." Thus, career photographers and video editors are finding that there's less demand for specialization and more jobs for jack-of-all-trades generalists. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Michael Jackson Estate Slams MSNBC Over Conrad Murray Documentary

On the heels of Dr. Conrad Murray's guilty verdict, MSNBC has readied a documentary that has Michael Jackson's Estate up in arms.our editor recommendsConrad Murray Addresses Michael Jackson's Death in NBC News InterviewMSNBC to Air Documentary About Conrad Murray Trial Four Days After Guilty VerdictConrad Murray Found Guilty in Death of Michael Jackson PHOTOS: 10 TV Trials That Shook the World "Like so many of Michael's fans, the Estate is also disgusted by MSNBC's irresponsible and inexplicable decision to air a Conrad Murray 'documentary,'" said the Estate in a statement, obtained by TMZ. "The Co-Executors, John Branca and John McClain, are sending a letter to the top executives at Comcast, NBC Universal and MSNBC to express their disdain for their actions," the statement continued. Michael Jackson and the Doctor: A Fatal Friendship is slated to air on Friday, Nov. 11 and focuses on the highly publicized trial from the defense team's perspective. The doc is said to give "an exclusive look into the past two years of Murray's life." PHOTOS: Hollywood's Notable Deaths The project is an October Films and What's It All About? Productions co-production in association with MSNBC. Zodiak Rights controls worldwide distribution rights to the documentary and has already secured pre-sales with broadcasters around the world, including Channel 4 in the U.K. and Nine Network in Australia. NBC also nabbed an exclusive interview with Murray prior to his Nov. 7 conviction, which is scheduled to air in two parts on Nov. 10 and 11 on the Today show. STORY: What Hollywood Is Saying About the Conrad Murray Verdict Jackson died June 25, 2009, of acute propofol intoxication after suffering cardiac arrest in his home. Murray, Jackson's personal physician, had been charged with administering the fatal dose. Following the reading of the verdict, Murray was remanded to custody without bail. He will be sentenced on Nov. 29 at 8:30 a.m. PT and could face up to four years in prison and lose his medical license. Related Topics Michael Jackson Conrad Murray

Werner Herzog on Acting, Americana, and Journeys Into the Abyss

The hardest-working filmmaker on Earth was back in NY last week, making the latest of what have basically become semiannual tours in support of his movies. Thus what felt like a continuation of last spring’s chat with Werner Herzog, whose latest documentary, Into the Abyss, finds the endlessly curious director exploring one of American society’s darkest. sparsest frontiers: Capital punishment. But don’t call it an issue film. Herzog doesn’t make those, and indeed, Into the Abyss is not without his customary wit, openness and inquisitive fervor. They abide throughout the story of condemned killer Michael Perry, who, along with his lighter-sentenced accomplice Jason Burkett, rended the fraying small-town fabric of Conroe, Texas, in 2001 with a brutal triple homicide. Herzog talks to parties on all sides of both the crime and its punishment — the convicts, the victims’ families, a police investigator, a death-row chaplain, a prison bride, a retired executioner and more — in search of his cherished “ecstatic truth” of nonfiction filmmaking. That’s not all he’s up to. Herzog’s forthcoming Hollywood acting debut as the villain in Tom Cruise’s One Shot follows another whirlwind of directing projects that would prostrate even Tyler Perry with fatigue. We spoke last week about his agenda, his ambition, and the grave urgency of Into the Abyss. Another press day already! Amazing. I am doing my duty. I wouldn’t complain. Does this get any easier over the years? No, but it is part of your duty as a filmmaker — to somehow bring across a film to an audience. That’s why the media are there. It’s a natural concomitant of what I’m doing. Let me say one thing: I hear filmmakers often complain about it, but I’m not in the culture of complaint. So we have about 15 or 20 minutes to talk, which isn’t a lot less than you had with some of the subjects of this film. How did you get what you needed to get for this film in that time? Well, I’m a filmmaker. I’m not just a fly on the wall. Sometimes you hear filmmakers postulating, “We should be like flies on the wall.” I don’t want to be the security camera in Wal-Mart and record hundreds of hours of something where nothing ever happens. We are storytellers. I get involved. I focus. By the way, when you have 50 minutes only with someone, you have to hit the right tone instantly. So, in a way, you have to know the heart of men to find the right tone. For example, I’m [interviewing] the death-row chaplain — who appears at the beginning of the conversation almost like a TV preacher — and I crack him open. All of the sudden he starts to unravel, and I ask him to tell me about an encounter with a squirrel. And he unravels. And all of the sudden you can look deep inside of him. So… How can I say it? That’s why I’m a filmmaker. The flipside are these long, silent, lingering shots that are so customary in your documentaries: The chaplain, the detective, the wife… The captain of the tie-down team. There’s a long moment of complete silence where he really looks anguished. There’s a written caption before that: He quit his job working in the death house as a tie-down captain at the cost of losing his pension. And I didn’t even put it under his face. I put it on black. Now you are watching his face and there’s nothing — only silence. But the silence is so significant and so anguished. Other filmmakers wouldn’t do that, but I do it. You see, I’m a storyteller, and this is in the story. All of the sudden you have a silent inner story — the parallel story that looks deep inside the human condition. You also chose not to apply your trademark narration to this film. What was your thinking behind that? You have to make your decisions according to the subject. The subject dictates the form. I think it wouldn’t have been right — me as the one who asks questions and has discourse, and then the same voice commenting. And it doesn’t need commentary. Sometimes you have a few written captions to let the audience know some fundamental things: that one of the inmates committed his crimes as an 18- or 19-year-old teenager, and now, 10 years later, he’s facing execution. It’s OK that you know that as audience, but that you know it through captions. What’s the perspective of the film? You state very early on that you are steadfastly against capital punishment, but— Which is OK! I also say I respectfully disagree with the practice of capital punishment. I am a guest of your country, I do not have voting rights. I have a different historical background, and I’m speaking of the Nazi [era] with the genocide and euthanasia and everything. And I would be the last one — I would be the last one — in the position to tell the American people how to handle criminal justice. So that’s why I say, “I have a different opinion, and I respectfully disagree with the practice.” Are you still trying to work out your feelings about America after all these years? Yes. In a way, it’s kind of about Americana — much of what I’ve done. Grizzly Man is Americana in a way, and that’s why it somehow struck a chord with audiences here in the United States. This film, I hope, will strike some sort of a chord, but of course I’m somebody from outside. I have a fresh and different look, but a fascination about Americana — about Conroe, Texas, about an American Gothic, about criminal justice, about families of victims of violent crimes, and on and on. I think the question comes up in another film I made on a death-row inmate. There’s Into the Abyss, which is a feature-length theatrical film, but parallel to that, I have filmed with other death-row inmates for a series of shorter films for television. Those are more focused on just one person. One of them, who was 23 minutes away from execution, got a stay. He tells me about his last trip from death row — which is in Livingston, Texas, but they don’t have a death chamber. So they’re transported 43 miles to Hunstsville, to Walls Unit, where they have a death house. And for the first time in 17 years, he sees trees. He sees other cars; he’s riding in this van. Actually, I did this trip now with a camera, because he says something very, very beautiful: Seeing an abandoned gas station, for example, or seeing a cow in a field is something very magnificent. And he says for him, it was like Israel — it was like the Holy Land. All of the sudden I look at America — the forlorn, kind of bleak part of Texas between Livingston and Huntsville — and everything appears like the Holy Land. You see, because of this project and talking to death-row inmates, my perspective has shifted somehow. And it’s not just America. If I travel from Munich to the village where I grew up, this is holy land. I’ve asked a few people about this recently, but what is it with the enduring preoccupation with America — particularly Texas, or these forlorn stretches — for foreign filmmakers? To visit, to explore— But I’m not a visitor; I live here in America. Of course, but before that. Or, say, something like Stroszek. I am a guest, but I am still a Bavarian deeply entwined in my culture. I have moved to a different country, but I’m still attached to my own culture. I guess I’m wondering if there’s something to reconciling the European experience with the American experience. I don’t have to reconcile with America. I love the country. Otherwise I wouldn’t live here. And I love my wife. Otherwise I wouldn’t live in America, let’s face it. Of course in some questions I have an ambivalent feeling, like probably every citizen has some ambivalence about his home country. And I respectfully disagree with certain things that I see. It’s as simple as that. And you can have a very civil discourse about capital punishment with people in Texas. It’s very easy, and the respectfully differ from my opinion. But America is such a fascinating country, and I’ve looked at it with more and more fresh eyes recently. What have you seen, aside from what’s presented in Into the Abyss? Well, for example, talking with every single death-row inmate, I ask them, “How should we conduct our lives — we outside? How should we do it right? You have not done it right.” And it always comes down to something I have almost overlooked in recent years: Family values. Small family values. In a way, almost like Hollywood movies are insisting on small family values. They prevail at the end of a movie; there has to be a happy end, and they prevail. I kept looking down at it a little bit, and all of the sudden, it moves dead center: These guys are right. Yes. And then I look at family values with great intensity — with much more sympathy, with much more attention than ever before. Does any of that have to do with your age? Getting older? No. No, it has nothing to do with age. It has to do with insight. And insight doesn’t come from me — from thinking. It comes because I have been in intense contact with men and one woman on death row.

Sunset 5 To Seal As Laemmle Exits Sundance Cinemas To Reopen After Update

Robert Redford’s Sundance Cinemas will need inside the Sunset 5 complex in West Hollywood after Laemmle Movie theaters was unable to be ready for the dog owner around the new lease. The theater will near the coast the conclusion of November, the LA Occasions reported, and will also reopen in the finish of spring after dealing with refurbishments.The venue happen to be a typical feature of indie and art movies for two-and-a-half decades, nevertheless the glossylure of Off-shoreline’s Grove, Arclight Hollywood as well as the Landmark in West L.A. progressively siphoned specialized fare in the Sunset 5.Laemmle leader Greg Laemmle conceded “we started seeing much less” indie and arty hits because “distributors were pressurized to find yourself in the Arclight. It'll be interesting to determine which Sundance does having its entrance to the La market. Its other venues in San Francisco Bay Area, Houston and Madison, Wisconsin, present alternative programming, lectures and special screening series that match while using Sundance Film Festival and related activities. The brand new the new sony Pictures Classics’ Tom Bernard lamented the departure of Laemmle as “the finish in the era. Our movies eventually experienced the Sunset” but suggested that”a facelift round the theater may attract new audiences and transform it into a place to become.”

Report: Taylor Lautner and Gus Van Sant to Make Indie Film Together

It looks like the Australian edition of GQ finally knows why Taylor Lautner and Gus Van Sant were having dinner together. THR reports that the two will team up for an unknown indie based on a NYer article that Lautner himself optioned. Mysteries! Also: great career move, Tay-tay! Per THR, Lautner is determined to only work top directors and writers in his quest to "define himself as an actor." So far, so good. Both parts of 'Breaking Dawn' were directed by Bill Condon -- Oscar nominated as a director for 'Dreamgirls' and a winner for Best Adapted Screenplay for 'Gods & Monsters' -- and Van Sant is an Oscar nominee as well. Said Condon to Moviefone last week, "[Lautner] is as serious an actor as anybody I've ever worked with." High praise considering he's also worked with Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, Sir Ian McKellan, Laura Linney and Liam Neeson among others. This new project will reportedly be announced in full later this week; the idea is to get it in front of cameras sometime in the first quarter of 2012. [via THR] [Photo: Getty] 'The Twilght Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1' Image Gallery From weddings to werewolves, Moviefone has the complete collection of images from the upcoming romance saga. See All Moviefone Galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

Corey Stoll joins 'Annie Parker'

StollCorey Stoll has joined the cast of the indie drama-comedy "Decoding Annie Parker" opposite Samantha Morton, Helen Hunt, Aaron Paul, Maggie Grace and Rashida Jones. Stoll appeared as Ernest Hemingway in "Midnight in Paris" and recently wrapped in "The Bourne Legacy." He's portraying a young doctor who befriends Samantha Morton's character and tries to help her achieve her medical goals. "Annie Parker" is currently filming in Los Angeles with Steven Bernstein directing. The story centers on the irrepressible Parker, a breast-cancer patient who stops at nothing to solve the mystery behind her illness despite the beliefs of the medical establishment. "Annie Parker" is produced by Clark Peterson, Stuart Ross, Keith Kjarval, Mary Vernieu and Ron Senkowski with Jonathan Brownlee and Sahil Chanana exec producing. Stoll is represented by Suskin Management and Talent Works. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

'Allen Gregory': TV Review

So many rules don't apply to animation that it's almost impossible to predict what will work in the genre. More importantly, it's impossible to predict which new offerings will become big-tent hits. Cult-fave, critically acclaimed bits of irreverence shot through with screw-you mentality? All over the place, particularly on Adult Swim. PHOTOS: Fox's New Season TV Shows: 'Terra Nova,' 'The X Factor' and More But what's the next Simpsons or Family Guy? Well, probably Archer on FX. And HBO's The Life & Times of Tim should be more popular. Beyond that, candidates come from Fox because it's about the only net in the game. So you have to forgive whomever listened to Jonah Hill's pitch about a precocious 7-year-old (voiced by Hill). His or her thought process must have gone like this: 1. It's Jonah Hill; 2. Pretty much anything Jonah Hill says is funny, sometimes even in a baseball movie; 3. I love it already. The problem with that scenario is that the pilot for Allen Gregory isn't very good. It can be funny, but it's got no real point, looks cheap, has a crazy, vague ending and will make pretty much any TV critic who likes NBC's Community get totally distracted by how the title character's gay dad, Richard (French Stewart), looks exactly like the Dean Pelton character. (Jim Rash and Dan Harmon, get the lawyers on the line). Small problems, mostly, except the part about the pilot not being very good (and that's all Fox sent to critics; apparently it takes as long to make Allen Gregory as it does to make Terra Nova). PHOTOS: Fox Official Comic-Con 2011 Posters The series centers on Allen Gregory De Longpre, who has lived a life of luxury under Richard and Richard's life partner, Jeremy (Nat Faxon), who has home-schooled Allen Gregory (he's never just called Allen, for some annoying reason). Richard and Jeremy have spoiled Allen Gregory endlessly, overlooking that the result is the child acts like he's 35, dresses like a patron of the arts and ladles out cultural snobbery in heavy doses. And Hill, in the preshow hype, keeps calling the character "adorable." This could be a fatal perception problem. Allen Gregory is obnoxious; not liking him seems to be the point. As Richard begins to have money woes, Allen Gregory must go to public elementary school, and of course he doesn't fit in. When Hill riffs as Allen Gregory -- alerting the teachers he's a peer, forcing kids to schedule lunch with him -- it's funny. Except Hill never convinces us that Allen Gregory's delusions are something to pity or that we should care about him. Q&A: 'Allen Gregory' Boss David A. Goodman Talks Crossed Lines, Dark Places and Finding Funny in Death With no other likable characters and a thin premise, Allen Gregory seems as one-dimensional as the animation. After seven episodes, Fox will next try to turn the Napoleon Dynamite film into a TV series, but that doesn't sound remotely promising. Maybe Bob's Burgers, a recent Fox animated series that is infinitely more enjoyable, will return to save the day. Airdate 8:30 p.m. Sundays (Fox) Related Topics

American Horror Story Hits Series High

Part one of the two-part Halloween episode of Forex’s American Horror Story came 2.two million audiences in grown ups 18-49 in Live+24 Hour, up 16% from a week ago along with a series high, surpassing the series premiere, which published 2. million in Live+24 Hour. AHS was assisted by its lead-in last evening, the broadcast premiere of Twilight, which shipped 1.5 million 18-49 audiences. It had been the 2nd greatest lead-set for AHS behind the Transformers broadcast debut (two million), which preceded the series premiere. AHS grew to become Forex’s second series whose 4th episode surpassed the premiere, together with co-creator Ryan Murphy’s previous series for that network, Puppy nip/Tuck.

Darrell Hammond Reveals Dark Moment Behind The Scenes At SNL

First Published: October 24, 2011 11:39 PM EDT Credit: WireImage NY, N.Y. -- Caption Darrell Hammond attends the 2010 Annual REX Event at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, NY, on March 16, 2010Darrell Hammond is known for his hilarious impressions, but the Saturday Night Live veteran has shown a very serious side, revealing details about his traumatic past including a very difficult moment that occurred during his time on the show. There was cutting backstage, Hammond, who has a new book, God, If Youre Not Up There, Im F***ed, told CNN in an emotional interview. I was once taken to a psych ward. The week that I did the [Al] Gore debates, I believe I was taken away in a straight jacket. And theres no way you people would know about that, Hammond continued. But SNL is a place where if Lorne [Michaels, SNLs Executive Producer] judges if you can hit the ball over the wall that night, then youre gonna go out and step up to the plate. I didnt want to let Lorne down. Hammond claimed he was abused as a child by his mother, who passed away two years ago. When I was a child, I was a victim of systematic and lengthy brutality, I mean, stabbing, beating, being electrocuted, stuff like that, he told CNN. On Monday, Horatio Sanz, one of Hammonds former SNL castmates, Tweeted his support for the funnyman. Im proud of my friend Darrell, Horatio wrote. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Magnolia accumulates '360' for U.S.

Jude Law and Rachel Weisz star in Fernando Meirelles' relationship drama '360.'Magnolia Pictures has acquired U.S. privileges to Fernando Meirelles' "360" six days after its premiere in the Toronto Film Festival. Magnolia introduced the offer Monday and stated it plans a theatrical release in 2012 in most major U.S. marketplaces, bolstered with a prominent film festival presence prior to release. "360" may also be distributed through Magnolia's Ultra VOD program. Pic, composed by Peter Morgan, is really a circular study of contemporary couplings that grows the inquiry of Arthur Schnitzler's 1897 play "La Ronde" to some global scale. Rachel Weisz, Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law, Ben Promote, Jamel Debbouze and Moritz Bleibtreu star, and "360" weaves together the tales of a range of people from disparate social skills through their intersecting associations. The film was created by Andrew Eaton and David Linde with Chris Hanley, Danny Krausz and Emanuel Michael. The Ecu premiere happened earlier this year in the London Film Festival, where it had been the outlet-evening gala film. Pic was shot on location in Vienna, Paris, London, Bratislava and Rio p Janeiro. Law plays a travelling businessman who's considering a liaison having a prostitute while Weisz is really a married lady who's breaking off rapport having a more youthful guy. Hopkins is really a guy trying to find his missing daughter, and Promote plays a sex offender lately launched from prison. The offer was discussed for Magnolia by senior Vice president of purchases Dori Begley and mind of legal and business matters Chris Matson with UTA Independent Film Group for that filmmakers. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Good Our god! Hollywood Out of the blue Hot for your Bible (Analysis)

Are Moses, Noah and Judah Maccabee the next Bella, Batman and Harry Potter?our editor recommendsParamount, New Regency to Back Darren Aronofsky's 'Noah'Gibson's Maccabee Movie Latest Twist In Star's Tortured History With Jewish CommunityMel Gibson Describes His Judah Maccabee InterestMel Gibson's Judah Maccabee Project: Bottom Feeding in the base Line (Opinion)Mel Gibson's Maccabee Rival Producer Bruce Nash Discusses Project (Exclusive)Make Room, Mel Gibson: New Judah Maccabee Project inside the Works (Exclusive)Why Mel Gibson Went Forward While using Judah Maccabee Project With six film projects according to classic Bible tales in development, it may look like that Hollywood has (amen!) found God. Not since the 19 fifties, when Vital and Cecil B. p Mille trotted out numerous Old Testament tales, has there been a great deal Bestseller round the books. Vital and New Regency are building the big-budget Noah with Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky Relativity has Goliath inside the works together director Scott Derrickson Warner Bros. features its own questionable Judah Maccabee/Hannukkah movie with Mel Gibson creating (that film is rivaling another Maccabee project) Steven Spielberg thinks about the problem about pointing Gods and Nobleman, a Moses story plus an adaptation of John Milton's Paradise Lost starring Bradley Cooper as Lucifer is pursuing any The month of the month of january shoot. It's a veritable ton. "'What are people items that have huge pre-awareness that are huge spectacles you could exploit our contemporary filmmaking abilities to accomplish a good deal bigger?AInch states Goliath producer Wyck Godfrey, who saw comic-book, video-game and fairy-tale cycles running their course. "We now have spent our whole lives hearing sports analogies of David versus Goliath. Well, before every David and Goliath story there's David and Goliath. That's generate an earnings offered it." PHOTOS: L.A.'s Energy Synagogues In Hollywood parlance, Bible-inspired storytelling has great global construct your status, as super-effective films such as the Ten Rules (1956) as well as the Passion in the Christ (2004) have proven. Rules made $60 5 million domestic in 1956, which means greater than $1 billion in current day dollars, while Passion made $476 million, modified for inflation. According to Godfrey, Old Testament tales involve less questionable archetypes that attract a wider audience than New Testament tales that split faiths, especially if they'd like to be fitted up in modern technological spectacle. That previous heyday of religious-designed films --Samson and Delilah (1949), David and Bathsheba (1951), Rules (1956), Ben-Hur (1959), The Best Story Ever Told (1965) -- also came at any time of great technoligical advancement, as widescreen cinema was elevated in 1953. Recent boundary-pushing epics such as the Our god in the Rings and Avatar have requested the completely new crop of Bible-related projects to see people grand tales with equally epic new tools -- the arc as well as the ton in Noah, the war in the angels in paradise in Paradise Lost, the parting in the Red-colored-colored Sea in Gods and Nobleman can take full advantage of condition-of-the-art visual effects. PHOTOS: Dems and Republicans' Favorite Movies But that spectacle must still please the actual fans who demand fealty for the spiritual text. "There is a choice: Can we perform a fascinating take that involves unorthodox options, or can we attempt to differ and interesting within the restrictions of orthodoxy?" states Paradise Lost and Gods and Nobleman film author Stuart Hazeldine. "My modus operandi was: stick within the bounds of orthodox theology." The apparent devotion in the filmmakers can perform or die a film, too. Whatever its artistic merits, Gibson's Passion was inserted with righteous belief, whereas The Nativity Story, which was greenlighted because film's aftermath, postponed inside a $37.6 000 0000 domestic gross in 2006, possibly because it felt opportunistic in Passion's wake. "It labored, it really didn't work because everyone-has-to-go-see-this-movie," states Godfrey, who also produced Nativity. He highlights the brand new films in development have the benefit of more apparent genre elements, whether adventure (Noah) or action/violence (Maccabee, Moses, Goliath). STORY: L.A.'s Energy Synagogues: Where the Industry Visits Worship Recent small-scale feature accomplishments such as the belief-based Fireproof and Courageous also provide aided boost fascination with with skittish TV professionals, who've largely abandoned the type of candidly spiritual fare that CBS had success exceeding about 10 years ago together with your shows as Touched By an Angel as well as the Guaranteed Land. Though none remains granted a collection order, ABC is presently reworking last year's passed over pilot Hallelujah from Desperate Housewives' Marc Cherry and developing a spiritual drama from Lost's Carlton Cuse and pastor-author Make the most of Bell, while Lifetime is working up an hour or so approximately-extended series from Angel producer Martha Williamson devoted to some hospital chaplain. "The eyeballs exist,Inch demands Paradigm agent Michael Van Dyck, who's creating a company dedicated to getting belief brands, including established authors, professionals and musical functions, to TV and film. "Inflexible economy, people are depriving to find out real figures that link to God round the air. And also the moment among people shows hits, whichever executive is behind it'll appear like genius." STORY: Box Office Surprise: How Moviemaking Georgia Chapel Behind 'Courageous' Outperforms Hollywood These films or series features a huge potential upside whether or not this handles the fragile balance of adoring the devout while still delivering modern-day storytelling spectacle. "Driving under the influence it wrong, a person finishes tabs on protesters outdoors the cinema, a la Last Temptation of Christ," states Hazeldine. "Driving under the influence it right, they are returning and back and back and so they're bussing from from condition." God willing. Email: Jay.Fernandez@thr.com, Lacey.Rose@thr.com Related Subjects Carlton Cuse Darren Aronofsky Mel Gibson Steven Spielberg Marc Cherry

Matt Damon to Direct Warner Bros. Drama He Co-Wrote With John Krasinski

Matt Damon has lined up another potential directing vehicle, setting up an untitled drama at Warner Bros. that he wrote with actor John Krasinski.our editor recommendsAaron Sorkin, 'The Office's' John Krasinski Team for Chateau Marmont Mini Matt Damon: Next 'Bourne' Role Might Have to Wait Five Years'Big Miracle' Trailer: John Krasinski, Drew Barrymore Save the Whales (Video) Krasinski also will star in the project, which is eying a spring start. The movie is said to be in the vein of Erin Brockovich, the 2000 legal drama that won Julia Roberts her best actress Oscar. While plot details remain scarce, the story centers on a salesman (Damon) who arrives in a small town only to have his life changed. The project will be produced under Krasinski's Sunday Night banner. Damon and Chris Moore will also produce. PHOTOS: Fall Movie Preview: Warner Bros. Krasinski came up with the idea for the script and developed the idea with author Dave Eggers. Krasinski then pitched the idea to Damon for the two to write and star. Damon has been itching to find a directing vehicle and is working on a couple tracks. He last year set up Father Daughter Time: A Tale of Armed Robbery and Eskimo Kisses, a script by Matthew Aldrich. Warners is the home for that project. It is unclear which project will go first, although some insiders say Damon will be in the helmer's chair with the untitled drama in the spring. He is juggling a schedule that includes Liberace, Steven Soderbergh's biopic of the flamboyant pianist for HBO Films, and another possible film role. Krasinski, best known for his work on TV's The Office, last starred in the romantic comedy Something Borrowed. Damon and Krasinski are repped by WME. Jesse Ehrman is overseeing for Warner Bros. Email: Borys.Kit@thr.com Twitter: @Borys_Kit Related Topics Ben Affleck John Krasinski Matt Damon

New Agent Coulson Short Online

One-shot in order to Thor's hammer...The 2nd within the number of "Marvel One-Shots", made to bridge the gaps between your individual Avengers movies, just showed up online, this time around giving Clark Gregg's Agent Coulson a slice of their own action. You can view "An Interesting Factor Happened In Order To Thor's Hammer" the following.Prior One-Shot The Consultant would be a recycling excercise composed of speaking heads inside a diner and also the publish-credits sting with Robert Downey Junior and William Hurt in the Incredible Hulk. We may have expected the finish of Iron Guy 2 here, but remarkably what we should get rather is entirely original material. We learn that Coulson might be a ditherer if this involves selecting raspberry braid, but that he's badass once the moment requires it.Gregg is silently making Coulson a significantly-loved fixture in Marvel's movie world, consider he's always a supporting player within the franchise it is good to determine him given center stage here, although briefly. Here's wishing for additional One-Shots in the future, as well as an broadened Avengers role.The director of both One-Shots up to now is "Leythum", an animation director at Ridley Scott Affiliates. These shorts are Blu-ray extra supplies: The Consultant includes Thor, along with a Funny Factor Happened In Order To Thor's Hammer will bolster the Captain America package, that is on December 5.

Sean Penn Calls Tea Party the 'Get the N-Word In the White-colored House Party' (Video)

Sean Penn originates out swinging in the Tea Party, accusing the ultra-conservative moment to become motivated mainly having a racist agenda.our editor recommendsSean Penn Carried out Role in aiding Free Two American Hostages in IranMorgan Freeman Sparks Outcry After Calling Tea Party RacistMatt Damon Jams Republicans, Tea Party To Deal With of Debt Ceiling Crisis (VIDEO) Throughout his appearance Friday on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight, the actor accused the Tea Party to become a "distraction" inside the approaching presidential elections. PHOTOS: Sean Penn's Humanitarian Be employed in Haiti "Yet there's another problem,Inch he began. "You've a few things i call the 'Get the N-word in the White-colored House party,' the Tea Party. This kind of sensibility, which is much more from the distraction." Penn mentioned he thinks the Tea Party can be obtained only to get Leader Obama in the White-colored House which its people don't know much in regards to the issues themselves. PHOTOS: Box Office Politics: The Flicks and Stars Dems versus. GOPers Love (And Prefer to Hate) "I don't think there's question relating to this: In the event you request any connected using the Tea Party, 'OK, Social Security, socialist, avoid it?'' they're getting very confused. Within the finish throughout your day, there's a sizable bubble being launched from the heads, saying, 'Can we just lynch him?" PHOTOS: Stars Who've Carried out People in politics Penn's remarks echo similar comments created by Morgan Freeman lately, also on Piers Morgan Tonight. The Dolphin Tale star then mentioned the Tea Party's "pointed out policy, freely pointed out, is always to do whatever needs doing to make sure that Obama only serves one term. What ... underlines that? Screw the country. We're prone to do whatever all of us caused by obtain this black guy ... from here." THR COVER STORY: Sean Penn in Haiti The Truly Amazing Wife's Alan Cumming also provides accused the Tea Party to become motivated by "homophobia and racism." Related Subjects Alan Cumming Morgan Freeman Piers Morgan Sean Penn CNN Piers Morgan Tonight Politics

Collaborators Discuss Their Craft

Great conversations and experience are an essential component of the items makes Back Stage's content stick out. In recognition in our 50th anniversary, Back Stage paired artists to discuss their craft, their working (and perhaps personal) associations, as well as their advice for stars. We thank these amazing participants for his or her generosity of your time and spirit.Longtime Buddies Allison Janney and Octavia Spencer Share Success Though Janney and Spencer don't have any moments together, "The AssistanceInch is 3rd movie they've made an appearance within the direction of Tate Taylor, friends with them and Spencer's former roommate.Julianna Margulies and Dylan McDermott Transformed Early Struggles With Smart Moves The 2 buddies in comparison a couple of notes around the occasion of Back Stage's 50th anniversary, searching back by themselves growing achievements.Vanessa Redgrave and Joely Richardson Have Acting within their Bloodstream It's intimidating for anybody to find the existence of the actor, never certain what the next job is going to be and knowing only a tiny proportion of artists earn a living on their craft.Father-Boy Duo Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez Like to Collaborate The estranged father and boy in "The Way In WhichInch are performed by real-existence father and boy Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez, who're as near as possible.Joe Alda and Daniel Sullivan Collaborate with 'Radiance' Alan Alda is famous by much around the globe from his starring role on "M*A*S*H." He is another film actor ("Teasing With Disaster"), a theater actor ("Art"), a author-director ("Betsy's Wedding"), and quite the raconteur.Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman Embrace Love and Laughter On The Watch's Screen and Off The 2 met in 2000 when cast inside a manufacture of "The Berlin Circle," by Charles Mee, in the Evidence Room theater in La.Mariska Hargitay and Her Former Coach Joanne Baron On Meisner's Impact Before she was referred to as tough but understanding Det. Olivia Benson on "Law & Order: Special Sufferers Unit," Mariska Hargitay analyzed Meisner technique with acting coach Joanne Baron.

Sony Pictures in Negotiations for Rights to Steve Jobs Biography

Hollywood is wasting no time in bringing the life story of Steve Jobs to the screen.our editor recommendsSteve Jobs Dies at 56What Is Steve Jobs' Hollywood Legacy?Apple CEO Tim Cook on Steve Jobs: 'No Words Can Adequately Express Our Sadness'Apple Honors Steve Jobs With Homepage Takeover of Official SiteRelated Topics•Steve Jobs Just days after the Apple co-founder's death, Sony Pictures is in negotiations to pick up the screen rights to Steve Jobs, the authorized biography written by Walter Isaacson. Mark Gordon is in negotiations to produce the big-screen adaptation as is MG360, the film production partnership between Gordon and Management 360. PHOTOS: Steve Jobs: 10 Memorable Milestones of the Apple Co-Founder's Career Isaacson is the former managing editor of Time and the author of previous best-sellers about Benjamin Franklin and Henry Kissinger. He was reportedly given complete access to Jobs, even getting a personal tour of the technocrat's childhood home. The book was scheduled to be released by Simon & Schuster Nov. 21 but has been moved up by almost a month to Oct. 24. VIDEOS: Remembering Steve Jobs In the day after Job's death, the book's pre-sales increased by 42,000 percent since Apple announced Jobs' death: it moved from No. 424 to No. 1 on Amazon's overall sales rankings. Billed as the only authorized biography, Steve Jobs is based on more than 40 interviews with Jobs as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, colleagues, and competitors. Gordon is a veteran producer whose feature credits range from Speed to Saving Private Ryan to Source Code. In recent years, he has become one of TV's biggest players, exec producing shows like Grey's Anatomy, Criminal Minds and Private Practice. Sony would not confirm details. Isaacson is repped by ICM. Related Topics Steve Jobs

'Soup' scribe tests 'Water'

Rafferty Tess Rafferty ("The Soup") provides comedy feature script "Thicker Than Water," with director-producer Scott Freeman and the partner Adam Grossman. The storyline handles a dysfunctional group of social climbers conquering infidelity and divorce to get together. It will likely be created by Grossman and Wayne Carmona ("Entourage"). Rafferty's also offered publication privileges to "Quality recipes for Disaster," an accumulation of comedy tales about existence within an industry town and exactly what it way to entertain, to Katie Gilligan at Thomas Dunne Books. It will be released in fall 2012. Carol Root in the Waxman Literary Agency handled the offer. Rafferty may be the only female author-supervisory producer on E! Entertainment's comedy show, "The Soup." She works stand-up comedy around La, including her recent show in the Comedy Central Stage "Why I am Not Married." Rafferty is repped by New Wave Entertainment, and attorney Chad Christopher at Stone, Meyer, Genow, Smelkinson & Binder. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Hugh Grant Calls Himself a 'Bad Actor' Who 'Squandered His Life'

Got to love those Brits. Even as he's meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron about the News of the World scandal, phone hackee Hugh Grant is as charmingly self-deprecating as always. Asked by the Guardian if he's wasted his life by just now turning political at the age of 51, the actor joked, "You are right. I have squandered my life." He added that instead of advocating for press accountability, "I wish I picked a cause that had more natural public sympathy, something to do with animals perhaps, or assisted dying." Grant, who memorably played a booty-shaking PM in 'Love Actually,' had a high-profile meeting with Cameron last night to discuss the scandal. After the sitdown, Grant said that Cameron made "the right noises but I expected him to make the right noises." He revealed to The Times of London that he had warned UK Chancellor George Osborne ahead of time that it would be a "catastrophic mistake" to hire controversial editor Andy Coulson and had even caused such a stir about it at a dinner party, he had to be calmed down. The star critiqued Rupert Murdoch's hazy testimony about the hacking scandal in July as "phony." As he explained, "Speaking as a bad actor, it was easy to spot a bad performance ... my sources tell me he was as a sharp as a tack when they saw him a week or two before." The "bad actor" recently joined the cast of 'Cloud Atlas' with co-stars Tom Hanks and Halle Berry and the Wachowski Brothers and Tom Tykwer directing. [via The Guardian, Deadline] [Photo: Getty Images] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

"Inception," "Dark Knight" Casting Director to Speak at Actorfest LA

The list of well-known and respected casting directors who will speaking at Actorfest LA continues to grow. The latest addition: Casting director John Papsidera will participate in the Feature Film Casting panel. His credits include such Hollywood blockbusters as Christopher Nolan's "Inception," "The Dark Knight" and upcoming "The Dark Knight Rises" as well as "Zombieland," "Colombiana" and Sam Raimi's next project, "Oz: The Great and Powerful." He joins Laray Mayfield, casting director of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," who was previously announced.Actorfest LA, which is brought to you by Back Stage, the Actor's Resource, will take place on Saturday, November 5th at the California Market Center in downtown Los Angeles.To help kickstart your career, Actorfest offers more than two dozen exclusive Workshops; Casting Calls; Meet & Drops with Top Casting Directors; a Networking Caf; and an enormous Exhibit Hall, at which you can meet with acting teachers, coaches, schools, headshot photographers, and many more vendors who will help you succeed in your career.To register for Actorfest LA, please visit actorfestla2011.eventbrite.com. For more information, visit www.ActorfestLA.com. Actorfest NY will take place on Sunday, October 23rd at the Metropolitan Pavilion. To register for Actorfest NY, please visit actorfestnyc2011.eventbrite.com. For more information, visit www.ActorfestNY.com. As you register, take advantage of our special limited-time subscription offers.Enjoy your day at Actorfest!

Watercooler: Parks and Recreation Strikes Gold

Parks and Recreation This show is so damn good, it can even make tax audits a joy. Even though it lost out at the Emmys, by pairing the bro-com-that-could-be of Ben helping Tom Haverford balance Entertainment 7twenty's books with the Ron's impending audit at the hands of his "hellacious nightmare" of a first ex, Parks and Recreation still brought home comedy gold last night: A staggeringly funny script. Patricia Clarkson in Emmy-worthy shape as the soulless, gold-digging control freak that is Tammy One. Megan Mullally, ever sharp as Tammy Two. Just enough bits with Tom's asshat sidekick Jean-Ralphio. And the deeply unsettling history of Ron's sexual awakening - complete with a visit to the Swanson homestead and the debut of Tammy Zero (his mother, played by SNL writer Paula Pell). It was, as Rob Lowe's Chris Traeger would say, litch-er-ally perfect. In fact, the only thing this episode was missing was perhaps a viewer warning about the graphic content - we really do need to be prepared before seeing Nick Offerman's alpha-male mustachioed god as a clean-shaven "neutered wimp"! But even that had us laughing our assets off. What about you? Think P&R an embarrassment of comic riches last night? Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

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Tom Everett Scott Joins Fox, Walden Comedy 'Us & Them' (Exclusive)

Tom Everett Scott is set to play Marisa Tomei's husband in 20th Century Fox and Walden Media's Us & Them, a comedic tale about old-school versus new-school parenting. Billy Crystal came up with the original idea for the comedy, which he's producing with Chernin Entertainment's Peter Chernin. PHOTOS: Billy Crystal and Other Oscar Hosts Through the Years Crystal also stars in the movie, along with Bette Midler and Bailee Madison. Director Andy Fickman (The Game Plan) begins shooting this fall in Atlanta. Crystal and Midler play grandparents left alone to care for their grandkids. But grandpa's old-school methods soon clashes with their daughter's more modern parenting style. STORY: Writer Elizabeth Chandler Working on 'Savvy' for Walden Media Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, the writing team behind City Slickers, penned the current draft of the script; Lisa Addario and Joe Syracuse were the original writers. Scott's feature credits include Race to Witch Mountain and Tom Hanks' That Thing You Do! Scott is represented by Paradigm. Related Topics Billy Crystal Marisa Tomei

Transformers 3 Online Free

CBS Will not Make A Move After Ashton Kutcher's 'Two . 5 Men' Plugs

CBS provided several tech companies with free product positioning in their latest broadcast.our editor recommends'Two . 5 Men' Premiere Draws Nearly 28 Million ViewersAshton Kutcher on 'Two . 5 Men': Audiences Weigh in on His Second Episode'New Year's Eve' Second Trailer Showcases Star Energy (Video)TV Ratings: 'Terra Nova' Launches Half way decent, '2 Broke Girls' Dips 37% PHOTOS: Chuck Lorre & His TV Empire Round the series' Sept. 26 episode, Ashton Kutcher's character -- Internet billionaire Walden Schmidt -- was seen concentrating on a laptop, which was covered in remove peel off stickers marketing Foursquare, Flipboard, Hipmunk, GroupMe and Chegg. Coincidentally, they're firms that the actor holds personal possibilities in. PHOTOS: Fall TV's 12 Most Anticipated Shows Carrying out a broadcast, reviews made an appearance the network was seeking compensation for your free plugs, and may be clouding the graphics from future episodes when the companies will not pay. An agent for CBS notifies The Hollywood Reporter nonetheless comments are false, which it's CBS' policy to show any financial interests, for instance Kutcher's, within the finish in the broadcast. Due to the smoothness of Kutcher's character, the decorative remove peel off stickers appear to become a natural addition to his laid-back and tech-savvy personality. PHOTOS: Ashton Kutcher's Career With time "Have a look at @aplusk showing some @foursquare & @GroupMe laptop-sticker love on Two & half Males," tweeted Foursquare Boss Dennis Crowley, plus a screenshot within the show, which showed up at 20 million audiences. Related Subjects CBS two and a half Males

'The Walking Dead': Dying Is Existence (Exclusive Video)

Hope survives. Belief is examined. Fundamental essentials styles which will be looked into when Season 2 of AMC's zombie drama The Walking Dead returns the next month due to its second season. In the new clip only in the Hollywood Reporter, Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) mulls why anybody may decide to live in a worldwide where "dying is existence." PHOTOS: 'The Walking Dead': Season 2 Preview Meanwhile, the group's apparently courageous leader Ron (Andrew Lincoln subsequently subsequently) reassures his wife that "there's still a existence for people, we should be sufficiently strong enough to consider that." Season 2, premiering Sunday, March. 16 at 9 p.m., will dsicover Ron, Lori and company mind for completely new ground inside the wake in the CDC explosion within the finish in the series' newcomer run. Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com Twitter: @Snoodit RELATED: 'The Walking Dead' to start Second Season With 90-Minute Premiere It's Official: AMC Orders 'The Walking Dead' Talk Show 'The Walking Dead': Glen Mazzara on Frank Darabont and also the Fears since the Drama's New Showrunner (Q&A) AMC The Walking Dead

Bad Movies We Love: Cool World

What do you get when you take the cartoon/live-action interplay of Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, remove the classic WB/Disney characters, and replace them with loud, gurgling, predatory sexual freaks? You get goofy gonorrhea and the 1992 bomb Cool World starring Moneyball-er Brad Pitt, a perverted young Gabriel Byrne, and Kim Basinger, an Oscar winner who exhibits the dramatic range of Claudia Schiffer. This movie’s bad because it’s drawn that way. The idea of Cool World is intriguing, particularly in the hands of pioneering animation director Ralph Bakshi, who gave us the X-rated coup Fritz the Cat in ‘72. We’re dealing with an underworld where cartoons and live-action humanoids (called “noids” here) interact, saunter about suggestively, and exhibit a frightening horniness unseen since Alan Alda announced he had a “terrific hard-on” in Same Time Next Year. Yikes. In Treatment star Gabriel Byrne plays incarcerated cartoonist Jack Deebs, a kook who is zapped into the very cartoon world he created, “Cool World.” There, he encounters his curvaceous, nymphomaniac heroine, Holli Would (Kim Basinger, who shifts in and out of cartoon form) and a hard-bitten detective named Frank Harris (Brad Pitt), who is about as emotive as a sleep-deprived Kellan Lutz. The rest of the plot is anyone’s guess. I think the raunchy toons take over? The cartoonist is in trouble? Kim Basinger is wearing an awful pink, pleated outfit? Jessica Rabbit dismisses the whole movie with a flick of her mane? The freakshow of Cool World becomes so random and ridiculous that it all blends together like runny paints on a palette, but there’s no mistaking the lovable badness when it jumps on-screen. Here are Cool World’s five stupidly great moments. 5. Did I mention that Gabriel Byrne wants to nail his drawings? In the following sequence, Byrne lands in Cool World and reaches madly for Holli, who is undulating like a teenage runaway on MTV’s The Grind. If the frenetic, synchronized dancing of the other cartoon characters doesn’t give you nightmares, the hair-raising music should disturb your subconscious with the fury of a possessed chainsaw. The idea of wanting to screw a cartoon — particularly one drawn by the artist himself — is confounding. Can you picture Jack Dawson finishing his sketch of Rose Dewitt-Bukater, dropping the sketch on the floor, and humping it in front of her? Or Paula Abdul writhing atop a cocky, suspendered MC Skat Kat? Straight-up, this movie is twisted. 4. Naughty animation innuendo! Cool World should win hundreds of Oscars, Saturn Awards, and Purple Hearts for its insistent use of drawing puns. The terms “pencil dick” and “doodles” are whipped around like racquetballs. I hope real cartoonists appreciated this. I can just picture Garry Trudeau experiencing a sexual rush as Holli salaciously traps other toons in a pen, or Charles Schulz surrounding himself with Pigpen clouds of pheromonal incense. 3. David Bowie creates an actually cool world — with song! No slick, hypersaturated blockbuster is complete without a high-profile theme song, and David Bowie’s “Real Cool World” adds bad-ass, Batdance-ian flair to Cool World. “High-profile” is a relative term, of course, as this came nowhere near the Billboard charts; America had far too much Vanessa Williams music to buy at the time. I assume David is singing about a for-real cool place where Iman, Ziggy Stardust, and some Labyrinth dwarfs hang out and play gin until it’s time for a futuristic fashion show. I can’t imagine he’s crooning about a horny cavalcade of cartoon characters, for some reason.

Cheers & Jeers: Sending a Playboy to Do a Man's Job

Eddie Cibrian Jeers to Eddie Cibrian for exposing his acting shortcomings on The Playboy Club. Want more Cheers & Jeers? Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine. The role of Nick Dalton - a politically ambitious Chicago attorney with gangland ties on NBC's overheated period drama - requires an actor with a Jon Hamm-esque heft. Cibrian, who's arguably better known for his tabloid-magnet romance with LeAnn Rimes than his work on previous Monday-at-10 pm dramas like CSI: Miami, Third Watch, and Chase, is more like a ham-and-cheese sandwich. Cibrian is far from The Playboy Club's only problem: Revising history so that scantily clad, sexually harassed nightclub waitresses are now portrayed as some kind of proto-feminist trailblazers is a reach, to say the least (ABC's new Pan Am makes a far more convincing case for stewardesses as pioneers). And Hugh Hefner's croaking narration makes Club feel like a particularly deadly episode of Tales from the Crypt. What did you think of Eddie Cibrian - and The Playboy Club? Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

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Will The Lone Ranger Ride? Guarded Optimism Disney Film Is Alive Again

EXCLUSIVE: The very first time since Deadline broke the shocking news that Disney had drawn the plug due to an enormous budget about the Gore Verbinski-directed The Lone Ranger with The Actor-brad Pitt and Armie Hammer, associates let me know that situations are beginning to find information about for that film and there's now optimism the picture might really get made. Back on August 12, Disney derailed a movie which had a December 21, 2012 release date since the budget choose to go towards the stratosphere. Associates feared the film might cost $275 million, though my sources in those days stated the filmmakers had already taken $tens of millions of out and first got it to $232 million. Whichever of individuals amounts you embrace, that’s lots of dough for any Western, also it’s most likely not coincidence this standoff happened following the mega-budget Cowboys & Aliens tanked, and demonstrated to become among the summer time’s greatest debacles. Disney drawn the plug and initially required the film be introduced lower to $200 million producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski happen to be trying for any number nearer to $215 million. Deadline has reported Depp won’t result in the movie without Verbinski, his director about the first three Pirates from the Caribbean films and Rango, so it's an exciting or free proposition as this film would not get made with no world’s most bankable male star. Verbinski’s difficult challenge is to pare costs while retaining the spectacle that made the film worth making to begin with. Bruckheimer, Depp and Verbinski have made salary credits to find the film made. We ought to come with an answer shortly, but don’t be amazed when the Lone Ranger rides again. Disney Dilemma: The Actor-brad Pitt Won’t Make ‘Lone Ranger’ Without Gore: Verbinski & Bruckheimer Bring Lower Budget To Studio Disney’s Wealthy Ross Wants ‘Lone Ranger,’ But Is His Gore Verbinski Omission Telling? Surprise! Disney Halts The Lone Ranger With The Actor-brad Pitt And Gore Verbinski

Jack Black, Conan to Salute Will Ferrell in Electricity

WASHINGTON (AP) Jack Black, Conan O'Brien and Ray King will recognition Will Ferrell using the nation's top humor prize, together with Maya Rudolph and Molly Shannon from his "Saturday Evening Live" days.On Wednesday, the Kennedy Center in Washington introduced a selection of star comics who'll perform in Ferrell's recognition for that Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. They'll salute him March. 23 inside a performance recorded for broadcast March. 31 on PBS stations countrywide.Ferrell's longtime collaborator Adam McKay in the films "Anchorman," ''Talladega Nights" and "Another Men" can look, in addition to Lorne Michaels, Paul Rudd, John C. Reilly and also the rock-band Eco-friendly Day.Ferrell starred on "Saturday Evening Live" for seven seasons, perfecting his character, "Leader George W. Rose bush." He continued to produce FunnyorDie.com with McKay in 2007 and required his Rose bush character to Broadway in 2009's "You are Welcome America: Your final evening with George W. Rose bush."His other impressions have incorporated Jesse Reno, Alex Trebek and Neil Gemstone.Ferrell got his begin in comedy using the La improv group, The Groundlings, when he is discovered by "SNL."The Objective Twain prize, now in the 14th year, recalls the social commentary and satire of Samuel Clemens, the author referred to as Mark Twain. Past those who win include Tina Fey, Bill Cosby, Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin.Copyright 2011 Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.