Monday, February 27, 2012

Lab Rats Invade Disney XD

They were given stuck on the damaged-lower bus, but married clowns Dork and Cherie Gregg were ultimately un-tied around the Amazing Race by... math. Assigned with calculating the typical weight of the mind of cattle inside a pen using lengthy division, Dork got so stuck the cattle were eventually removed out. "Not inside a million years [did I believe we'd be removed due to math]! Not in $a million even!" he informs TVGuide.com. Why could not he decipher it? And what went down for their bus? Discover below. Find Out More > Other Links From TVGuide.com Mark JacksonAmazing Race 20Cherie GreggDave GreggJoey LasallaKerri PaulStacy BowersWilliam Minton

Sunday, February 26, 2012

84th Annual Academy awards: Nominations and Individuals who win List

ART DIRECTION"Hugo" - Production Design: Dante Ferretti, Set Decoration: Francesca Lo SchiavoCINEMATOGRAPHY"Hugo" - Robert RichardsonBEST Movie From The SeasonInchThe Artist" (The Weinstein Co.) - Thomas Langmann, Producer"The Descendants" (Fox Searchlight) - Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers"Very Noisy & Incredibly Close" (Warner Bros.) - Scott Rudin, Producer"The AssistanceInch (Touchstone) - Brunson Eco-friendly, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers"Hugo" (Vital) - Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers"Evening amount of time in Paris" (The brand new the new sony Pictures Classics) - Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers"Moneyball" (The brand new the new sony Pictures) - Michael P Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Kaira Pitt, Producers"The Tree of Existence" (Fox Searchlight) - Nominees TBD"War Equine" (Touchstone) - Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, ProducersACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTINGMichel Hazanavicius - "The Artist"Alexander Payne - "The Descendants"Martin Scorsese - "Hugo"Woodsy Allen - "Evening amount of time in Paris"Terrence Malick - "The Tree of Existence."PERFORMANCE BY An Actress In The LEADING ROLEDemin Bichir - "A Far Greater Existence"George Clooney - "The Descendants" Jean Dujardin - "The Artist"Gary Oldman - "Mess Tailor Soldier Spy" Kaira Pitt - "Moneyball"PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS In The LEADING ROLEGlenn Close - "Albert Nobbs" Viola Davis - "The AssistanceInch Rooney Mara - "The Woman while using Dragon Tattoo" Meryl Streep - "The Iron Lady" Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn"PERFORMANCE BY An Actress In The SUPPORTING ROLEKenneth Branagh - "My Week with Marilyn"Jonah Hill - "Moneyball"Nick Nolte - "Warrior"Christopher Plummer - "Beginners"Max von Sydow - "Very Noisy & Incredibly Close"PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS In The SUPPORTING ROLEBerenice Bejo - "The Artist"Jessica Chastain - "The AssistanceInchBethany McCarthy - "Bridesmaids"Jesse McTeer - "Albert Nobbs"Octavia Spencer - "The Help.InchModified SCREENPLAYAlexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash - "The Descendants"John Logan - "Hugo"George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Love Willimon - "The Ides of March"Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin - "Moneyball"Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan - "Mess Tailor Soldier Spy."ORIGINAL SCREENPLAYMichel Hazanavicius - "The Artist"Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig - "Bridesmaids"J.C. Chandor - "Margin Call"Woodsy Allen - "Evening amount of time in Paris"Asghar Farhadi - "A Separation."BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM From The SeasonInchThe Cat in Paris" - Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli"Chico & Rita" - Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal"Kung Fu Panda 2" - Jennifer Yuh Nelson"Puss in Boots" - Chris Burns"Rango" - Gore VerbinskiANIMATED Video ClipInchDimanche/Sunday" "The Truly Amazing Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" "La Luna" "A Morning Stroll" "Wild Existence"BEST Language FILM"Bullhead" (Belgium)"Footnote" (Israel) "In Darkness" (Belgium) "Monsieur Lazhar" (Canada) "A Separation" (Iran)Appear MIXING"The Woman while using Dragon Tattoo" - David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson"Hugo" - Tom Fleischman and John Midgley"Moneyball" - N Adair, Ron Bochar, Dork Giammarco and Erection dysfunction Novick"Transformers: Dark in the Moon" - Greg P. Russell, Gary Summer time season, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin"War Equine" - Andy Nelson, Tom Manley and Stuart WilsonSOUND EDITING"Drive" - Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis"The Woman while using Dragon Tattoo" - Ren Klyce"Hugo" - Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty"Transformers: Dark in the Moon" - Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl"War Equine" - Richard Hymns and Gary RydstromORIGINAL SCORELudovic Bource - "The Artist"Alberto Iglesias - "Mess Tailor Soldier Spy" Howard Shoreline - "Hugo" John Williams - "The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams - "War Equine" ORIGINAL SONG"Guy or Muppet" from "The Muppets" - Bret McKenzie"Real in Rio" from "Rio" - Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown and Siedah Garrett.COSTUME DESIGN"Anonymous" - Lisy Christl"The Artist" - Mark Bridges"Hugo" - Sandy Powell"Jane Eyre" - Michael O'Connor"W.E." - Arianne PhillipsDOCUMENTARY FEATURE"Hell and AgainInch - Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner"In case your Tree Falls: An Account around the globe Liberation Front" - Marshall Curry and Mike Cullman"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" - Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky"Pina" - Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel"Undefeated" - TJ Martin, Serta Lindsay and Richard MiddlemasDOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)"The Barber of Birmingham: Ft Soldier in the Civil Rights Movement" - Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin "God Might be the larger Elvis" - Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson"Incident in New Baghdad" - James Spione"Saving Face" - Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy"The Tsunami as well as the Cherry Blossom" - Lucy Master and Kira CarstensenFILM EDITING"The Artist" - Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius"The Descendants" - Kevin Tent"The Woman while using Dragon Tattoo" - Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall"Hugo" - Thelma Schoonmaker"Moneyball" - Christopher TellefsenMAKEUP"Albert Nobbs" - Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle"Harry Potter as well as the Deathly Hallows Part 2" - Nick Dudman, Amanda Dark evening and Lisa Tomblin"The Iron Lady" - Mark Coulier and J. Roy HellandLIVE ACTION Video ClipInchPentecost" - Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane"Raju" - Max Zhle and Stefan Gieren"The Shoreline" - Terry George and Oorlagh George"Time Freak" - Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey"Tuba Atlantic" - Hallvar WitzoVISUAL EFFECTS"Harry Potter as well as the Deathly Hallows Part 2" - Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson"Hugo" - Make the most of Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning"Real Steel" - Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Serta Taylor and Swen Gillberg"Rise in the Planet in the Apes" - Joe Letteri, Serta Lemmon, R. Christopher White-colored and Daniel Barrett"Transformers: Dark in the Moon" - Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Walton to pen 'Water Rat' for Strada

TORONTO -- Scribe Karen Walton ("Gingersnaps") will adapt Ian Hamilton's Ava Lee crime novel series for that bigscreen, Toronto's Strada Films introduced Friday. "Water Rat of Wanchain," featuring the youthful globe-trotting Asian forensic accountant Ava Lee, would be the first title within the planned franchise. Strada's Sandra Cunningham ("Moth Journals") and Robin Cass ("Amal") will make the photos and therefore are going after worldwide financing and creating partners. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Naomi Watts to play Princess Diana

Naomi Watts has been set to play the late Princess Diana in upcoming pic ''Caught In Flight,'' directed by ''Downfall'' helmer Oliver Hirschbiegel. Pic, which is produced by U.K. shingle Ecosse Films, is based on a screenplay by Stephen Jeffreys. Story focuses on the last two years of the Princess' life and charts how finding true personal happiness for the first time allowed her to achieve her successes evolving into a major international campaigner and humanitarian. Production on the pic is expected to begin in Blighty later this year. Watts, who will next be seen starring in ''The Impossible'' alongside Ewan McGregor, said: ''It is such an honor to be able to play this iconic role -- Princess Diana was loved across the world and I look forward to rising to the challenge of playing her on screen.''Ecosse Films, headed up by Douglas Rae and Robert Bernstein, recently produced Andrea Arnold's adaptation of ''Wuthering Heights.''The duo are currently working on another royal pic, ''Girls Night Out,'' toplining Juno Temple and Alexandra Roach, which HanWay Films is selling at EFM. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

The 31st Oscar nominess 'class photo'

In one of the more relaxed traditions of awards season, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences held its 31st annual Nominees Luncheon on Monday at the Beverly Hilton. The democratic seating arrangement gives first-time nominees the chance to rub elbows with AMPAS governors and Oscar veterans. "This is the last time you will be rooting for each other," Academy prexy Tom Sherak joked in his opening remarks. "In this room, all the nominees are equal (and) all of the films are equal." Show producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer, who said this year's ceremony will recall the look of a classic movie house, made the traditional appeal to potential winners to deliver short, memorable acceptance speeches. Academy governor Tom Hanks reinforced the plea with advice via tape, pointing out that the audience wants to see the joy in winners' eyes. "If you are staring at a piece of paper, all the audience can see is your bald spot," Hanks said. The 84th Academy Awards will be presented Feb. 26 at the Kodak Theater and televised live by ABC. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Isn't It Romantic? Romance Author Teresa Medeiros On Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey NY Occasions best-selling author Teresa Medeiros has written greater than 20 books, including Goodnight Tweetheart and her latest historic romance, The Pleasure from the Hug, out now. Here she produces in what helps to make the PBS hit Downton Abbey so completely irresistible: You'll find two words that send romance authors into spasms of rapture: Downton Abbey. Because of its glorious costumes and smattering of history, we like to to pretend watching this is an intellectual exercise. However that Downton can be a cleaning cleaning soap opera inside the grandest tradition in the genre. We've essentially abandoned soaps inside our own culture. I lost my beloved Guiding Light last season then one Existence to reside in was only the newest casualty to fall beneath the programming axes. We may have mislaid Erica Kane forever but due to Downton, we could now agonize over Mary and Matthew's averted passion and sigh with tender yearning as Anna the maid pines on her behalf noble valet Bates. The show has handled to exhibit muddy, miserable The Very First World War to the best conflict since the Moldavian massacre on Empire. And could there be some thing tasty than booing the dubious doings of ladies' maid O'Brien and her sneering minion, Thomas the Evil Footman? The show has mastered commonplace in the classic cleaning cleaning soap - high high cliff-wardrobe wardrobe hangers that stop us panting breathlessly for an additional week's installment. Others may prefer mindless entertainment but on Sunday nights, you'll find me parked in front of my television, munching popcorn and improving my intellect by watching Masterpiece Classic. Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now! -Teresa Medeiros

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

'Rust and Bone' towards the new the new sony Pictures Classics

The brand new the new sony Pictures Classics has acquired U . s . States, Latin American and Eastern European rights to Jacques Audiard's romance-suspenser "Rust & Bone," which recently wrapped production. "Rust" stars Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenarts which is produced by Pascal Caucheteux. The film was co-put together by Audiard and Thomas Bidegain -- who teamed on 2009's "A Prophet" -- and modified within the book of short tales by Craig Davidson. Pic was allotted at $22 million, which causes it to be one of the finest films being launched of France a year ago. Celine Sallette ("House of Tolerance") and Bouli Lanners ("Nothing to Declare") co-star. "A Prophet" needed the Cannes Festival's Special Jury Prize last season. Hengameh Panahi's Celluloid Dreams, which offered and co-produced "A Prophet," offered "Rust & Bone" towards the new the new sony Classics. Caucheteux's credits include Audiard's "The Beat That My Heart Skipped" and "A Prophet," additionally to "Of Gods and Males" and "Assault on Precinct 13." UGC is distribbing in France. In pre-sales, "Rust" remains licensed to Studiocanal for your U.K,, Bim Distribuzione for Italia and Lumiere for your Benelux areas. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Moody key art set tone for kudo contenders

By their posters, ye shall know them.The key art for 2011's nine top Oscar nominees drops hints about the films in contention, and may even seem to offer commentary on the best picture race itself.A quick scan, let alone a close study of the nine instantly confirms these are class acts -- serious, important-looking pix on a mission. Yet these attractions don't want to call too much attention to themselves. They're content to make modest statements through shadowy figures and muted colors, as if going too gaudy might jinx their chances.The cheeriest of the bunch, "The Help," has the only obvious tag line in "Change begins with a whisper." So, evidently, does movie marketing, because you have to squint to find out that "Hugo" is an "extraordinary adventure" shepherded by a "legendary director," or that a boy and his "War Horse" were "separated by birth, tested by battle, bound by friendship."It's even a strain to discover "Moneyball" is based on a true story, though they're certainly not shy about announcing Brad Pitt's presence. Yet how lonely the star himself appears, sitting in that big empty stadium! Even though these movies have starpower to spare, most of the folks depicted are pint-sized, distracted, alienated or all of the above.The "Big Head" approach to advertising has ruled key art for a decade or more, but for "The Descendants," George Clooney sits in shadowy profile as if trying to avoid the paparazzi. The only nominee to fill its space with face is "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," and most of that mug is covered up.(Interestingly, touted Big Head attractions "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," "The Ides of March," "J. Edgar" and "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" all failed to make the cut. Now there's something for Oscar mavens, or Price Waterhouse or J. Edgar, to investigate.)If the posters tend to miniaturize their characters' physical presences -- a wee row of "Help," dangling little "Hugo," diminutive Owen Wilson -- "The Tree of Life" goes practically bonsai. Of course, as the most esoteric work of the bunch, it logically boasts the artiest visuals, all those delicate Emmanuel Lubezki images in a 14x5 grid like so many museum postcards. Actually, it's sort of suggestive of a highfalutin "Hollywood Squares," with teeny Brad Pitt (again), Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain assigned comfortable spots and the title taking Paul Lynde's center seat. (You might find Rose Marie and Charley Weaver in there if you look hard enough.)When a film is in the running for best picture, its viewers are thereafter always aware of its extra cachet. The poster, too, can start to look different, suggesting new and unintended symbolic content. Is the "Extremely Loud" kid expressing surprise at its mere two nominations? Are Joey and Albert distractedly, wistfully wondering why Steven Spielberg was snubbed for "War Horse"? If the Van Gogh starry sky of "Midnight in Paris" makes you think of Academy Award hoopla, what does it mean to have Woody Allen surrogate Wilson pointedly striding away without giving the spectacle a second thought?And then, of course, there's the elephant in the room, the most unassuming key art of all. Modestly underselling the Cannes best actor prize, setting one little red blip against a sea of black and white, shimmering Art Deco lettering barely catching your eye, "The Artist" sets its stars gazing at each other in heedless self-absorption, confidently lost in l'amour. This is a picture that's sure of itself. You start to wonder what Clooney is moodily mulling as he looks over at that couple relaxing at the shore. Does he, just for a second, think they might be Jean and Berenice, celebrating in advance of Feb. 26? Peut-etre!Poster children for a year of reflection, uncertaintyTHE ARTISTOther nominations: Actor, supporting actress, director, original screenplay, cinemato-graphy, original score, editing, art direction, costume designWhy it might win: To put it punnily, its silence has almost been deafening. It's hard to deny movie love when it's wrapped up in an audience-pleasing pastiche of nostalgia, aesthetic imitation and performance pizzazz, most notably from smiling, dancing French star Jean Dujardin.Maybe not: Despite its desire to enchant and evoke an era of cinematic innocence, it's a movie with a fair share of detractors who aren't swept away by its charms.Oscar clip: Devastated by the stock market crash, fading silent film star George Valentin (Dujardin) burns personal copies of his films. -- Robert Abele * * * THE DESCENDANTSOther nominations: Actor, director, adapted screenplay, editingWhy it might win: Supremely adult in theme and feelings, Alexander Payne's bittersweetly funny film about death, family and legacy fits nicely into the Academy's love of heartfelt contemporary stories. It also features George Clooney in what many believe is his best performance.Maybe not: Though dealing specifically with its characters' emotional limbo, its lack of outsized drama might make it not exciting enough of a choice for voters.Oscar clip: Finally stripped of any reason to prolong his hope or stave off his grief, Matt King (Clooney) says goodbye to his comatose wife.-- Robert Abele * * * EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSEOther nominations: Supporting actorWhy it might win: At heart this is an adventure film, an epic search for unknowable answers by an innocent that uplifts even as it scrapes at Americans' raw memories.Maybe not: Many consider the film manipulative, exploiting a horrific terrorist attack as peripheral catalyst for a quirky, go-nowhere story. Thus far, 9/11 films have had limited traction on Oscar night.Oscar clip: Oskar (Thomas Horn) and his mother (Sandra Bullock) reconcile as they reminisce over their loss -- or, reflecting the film's other nomination, the explosion of frustration and grief Oskar hurls at the Renter (Max von Sydow) when their search seems ended.-- Randee Dawn * * * THE HELPOther nominations: Actress, two supporting actressesWhy it might win: The combination of a crowdpleaser, a potent ensemble of strong actors led by nominees Viola Davis, Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer and a civil-rights fable designed to warm liberal hearts proves too irresistible for Oscar voters.Maybe not: The fact that "The Help" scored only four noms, with three in the acting category and none in any other, doesn't bode wonderfully for its prospects on Oscar night.Oscar clip: The movie's turning point, when determined, no-nonsense Minny Jackson (Spencer) changes her mind and sits down in front of fledgling writer Skeeter (Emma Stone) to tell her story.-- Robert Koehler * * * HUGOOther nominations: Director, adapted screenplay, cinematography, sound mixing, sound editing, original score, costume design, art direction, film editing, visual effectsWhy it might win: Hollywood loves a film that references movie history with this brand of stylish panache and nostalgia for George Melies' inventive silent cinema, especially when that style is applied by Martin Scorsese in a broad-appeal mood.Maybe not: A high number of nominations doesn't always translate to a best picture win -- just look at "True Grit" and "Avatar" in the past two years.Oscar clip: Although it doesn't feature the determined orphan hero Hugo, the clip would surely have to be Ben Kingsley as a young Melies creating fantastic silent films in his busy atelier-studio.-- Robert Koehler * * * MIDNIGHT IN PARISOther nominations: Director, original screenplay, art directionWhy it might win: Woody's back, many feel, offering a fantasy premise that resonated with the old-school romanticism, literate humor and enjoyable performances that were hallmarks of his regularly Oscar-nommed heyday.Maybe not: Its easygoing lightheartedness may be too airy to warrant the top prize for voters looking to honor something weighty and dramatic. It also may not compare favorably in the Academy's eyes to Woody's previous Oscar nominees.Oscar clip: Present-day Paris wanderer Gil (Owen Wilson) is escorted to a bar late one night, where he realizes he's meeting F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Cole Porter and Ernest Hemingway.-- Robert Abele * * * MONEYBALLOther nominations: Actor, supporting actor, screenplay, sound mixing, film editingWhy it might win: The Oscar pedigree of various nominees (including Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill and year-ago adapted screenplay winner Aaron Sorkin), plus the combination of smart entertainment based on a widely discussed nonfiction source, makes "Moneyball" a talking-point type of entry in the field.Maybe not: It's also this year's "The Social Network," which came up short on Oscar night. The Academy may perceive the movie as too inside baseball.Oscar clip: When Pitt, as Oakland A's ace general manager Billy Beane, starts banging the phones to make trades and wowing his assistant, Peter Brand (Hill).-- Robert Koehler * * * THE TREE OF LIFEOther nominations: Director, cinematographyWhy it might win: The Academy voters may sense that this is the time to finally acknowledge Malick, one of the most legendary and highly respected filmmakers in the art form. They also may consider the film's Palme d'Or win in Cannes a form of permission to go for an acknowledged outside choice.Maybe not: Very likely, too outside. The film's unconventional narrative structure, dense poetics and lack of dramatic tension have a good chance of boring more voters than they entrance. Instead, as a consolation prize, Emmanuel Lubezki's cinematography may be favored.Oscar clip: Brad Pitt sternly reprimands his sons, triggering a schism in the family unit.-- Robert Koehler * * * WAR HORSEOther nominations: Art direction, cinematography, original score, sound editing, sound mixingWhy it might win: In a nostalgia-heavy race, Steven Spielberg's lushly photographed, epic ode to animal tearjerkers of years past and studio system-era pageantry could unite voters who split on the category's quirkier, quieter entries.Maybe not: Without an Oscar nomination for Spielberg's direction, the screenplay or the acting talent, it sits apart from those nominees that carry more buzzworthy heat and galvanizing performances.Oscar clip: Fleeing a tank, Joey tears through no-man's-land during the battle of the Somme, narrowly escaping harm until he's agonizingly trapped in barbed wire.-- Robert Abele Eye on the Oscars: Best Picture PreviewTrippin' to yesteryear | Moody key art set tone for kudo contenders | Poster children for a year of reflection, uncertainty Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com