Tintin Passes $200M International; Will U.S. Audiences Board The Bandwagon?

Steven Spielbergs The Adventures Of Tintin has been winging through the world on its way to U.S. theaters since late October and has just flown to a $207 million international cume. Sony Pictures Releasing International and Paramount Pictures International are sharing most distrib duties abroad ahead of Paramounts North American release on December 21, four days before Spielbergs other Oscar hopeful, War Horse, goes out on Christmas Day. Tintin began its run in Belgium, the native land of the comics creator Herg, where its now taken $8.7 million. In neighboring France, the film jolted the box office in October with the best opening of any film this year, selling over 3 million tickets to leap ahead of the Harry Potter finale. Its cume there is $51.8 million. Sony has the pic in both territories. The UK and Ireland have also been big contributors to the effort for Paramount where the film now boasts a $24.3 million cume after falling just 24% in its 5th frame. Paramount also has China, where Tintin opened last weekend and just added $3 million for a $14.5 million total. Overall, the tally currently stands at $161.5 million for Sony and $45.5 million for Par releases across more than 50 territories. Given Tintins huge popularity outside America, its no surprise that the film has been tearing up the box office — nor is it a surprise the powers that be would want to capitalize on that popularity to build buzz as Tintin draws closer to U.S. shores. Im hardly the first to say it, but itll be interesting to see whether Spielbergs name alone will make up for any lack of awareness of the boy reporter and his dog Snowy for Stateside moviegoers. Personally, I tend to equate Tintin to football, another worldwide phenomenon that has traditionally eluded Americans. Some savvy soccer-playing pre-teens I know in the States recall seeing the Tintin previews recently but arent yet clamoring to see the film. So can Spielberg give Tintin the same kick in the pants that David Beckham and Landon Donovan have recently given soccer for some? Rotten Tomatoes today lists Tintin with 85% of about 20,000 users wanting to see the movie and 86% of 44 reviews skewing positive. Meanwhile, Tintin mania of another sort continued at an auction this weekend in Paris. Over 850 Tintin-related objets dart, paintings and books brought in more than $2.4 million on Saturday. A drawing of a battle scene from the original Unicorn comic had an estimated price tag of about 40,000 euros before going for more than four times that.

Netflix Antitrust Suit Tossed By Judge

Jin Lee/Bloomberg/Getty Images A federal judge in California has overlooked a category action against Netflix that alleged the web movie store hadstruck an illegal"market allocation" agreement with Walmart. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton handed Netflix a victory on summary judgment, finding the litigants couldn't show any collusive agreement.our editor recommendsNetflix Ex-CFO Works well with Venture Firm Associated with Company's Debt DealNetflix's Stock Drops as Company Alerts of Loss for 2012Netflix Stock Drops Below Year Low After Company Sells $200 Million in Bonds Accusations of Illegal Netflix-Walmart Agreement Lead To Both Funds And Coming TrialNetflix Makes Lionsgate U.K. Streaming Deal Official Experts: CW-Hulu Deal Will Further Strengthen Network's Primary Point Here After Recent Netflix Agreement The dismissal cuts short an attempt that was tentatively scheduled for that month of the month of january. The litigants introduced their states federal court this past year, pointing to have an agreement made between Netflix and Walmart four years earlier. PHOTOS: Netflix's 10 Most Leased Movies ever In those days, Blockbuster had just became a member of the DVD online rental market and gossips circulated that Amazon . com . com would soon perform same. Netflix approached Walmart in the purported effort to prevent the perceived Amazon . com . com threat. At first, the talks went nowhere, however Walmart made a decision to exit the DVD rental business. In 2005, the two companies showed up in an offer around the so-referred to as "Promotion Agreement," whereby existing Walmart DVD rental clients might be moved on to Netflix. Amazon . com . com didn't jump to the DVD business, and Blockbuster later flopped, leading eight individuals to guide a category action suit that alleged that antitrust behavior between Netflix and Walmart had introduced to greater prices. The litigants thought that damages might depend on $654 million. However, Judge Hamilton has limited an attempt that was scheduled to featureNetflix CEOReed Hastingsas well as former top media professionals from Amazon . com . com, Walmart and Blockbuster. She ruled the litigants simply couldn't demonstrate that the "Promotion Agreement" was illegal. In line with the decision: "The Promotion Agreement on its face uncovers an agreement by each side to try mix-marketing efforts regarding each other's complementary online DVD rental and customers services, thinking about Walmart's independent decision to exit the DVD rental market. Aside from the agreement particularly acknowledge the 'independent character of Walmart's decision to exit the trade, nevertheless it additionally particularly states that Walmart costs nothing to re-enter in the same market. Under these conditions, legal court cannot agree the agreement on its face reflects a blatant agreement to eliminate Walmart within the online DVD rental market like a type of market allocation." The course litigants cost nothing to appeal your final decision, but meanwhile, they won't leave empty-handed. Walmart made an unbiased decision about this past year to remain instead of trading money on lawyers. Searching back, due to the judge's decision yesterday, Walmart seems to own developed a $27.25 million error. That's the quantity that Walmart decided to spend to have the ability to avoid these types action fight. The retail giant can't even claim they can have saved much in legal costs. Walmart first showed up in a really complicated settlement while using litigants in December 2010that incorporated a pay-out range (between $29 million and $40 million regarding the amount of claims), that incorporated a sub-class of clients who leased Digital video disks online from Blockbuster, together with a provision where Wal-Mart had the legal right to "blow-out" the entire settlement in case your substantial a part of potential class people chosen-in the deal. The judge didn't similar to this deal greatly, and Netflix objected too, leading to seven several days of ongoing revisions before one last settlement was showed up at.Most considerably, the pay-out increased being fixed and Blockbuster class everyone was removed. In September, a judge fortunate the settlement, leading to an e-mail from litigants' lawyers about yesterday to numerous Netflix clients, letting them know in the settlement. Per the agreement,all thosewho leased Digital video disks from Netflix anytime between May 19, 2005 and September 2, 2011 possess the opportunity to assert a little from the $27.25 million pot as gift cards or cash. Initially, Walmart's settlement was belittled by clients who worried they were only getting pennies round the dollar of potential damages. The aggrieved people noted the category action suit lawyers would collect one fourth from the settlement fund, or nearly $7 million, in addition to be returned around $1.7 million in legal costs. Now, that remaining money looks a noticable difference on nothing. E-mail: eriqgardner@yahoo.com Twitter: @eriqgardner Netflix

Weinstein Co. circles 'War from the Buttons'

The Weinstein Clients are settling to get Christophe Barratier's recent French pic "War from the Buttons."Pic, created by La Petite Reine and Studio 37, is dependant on Louis Pergaud's 1912 novel. Story focuses on two rival gangs of youngsters from neighboring French towns who wage a cruel play-war against one another. "Buttons" was 1 of 2 projects according to Pergaud's tome launched in France this season. Another version directed by Yann Samuell unspooled in September -- exactly the same month because the Barratier-helmed pic. Barratier helmed "The Chorus" in 2004, which continued to become major box office hit in Gaul and beyond. Miramax launched "Chorus" when TWC's Bob and Harvey Weinstein still went the banner. The siblings also labored with production company La Petite Reine, on Michel Hazanavicius' "The Artist," which TWC bows Friday. Sales company Wild Bunch repped both that pic in addition to Barratier's "Buttons." Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com

Access Exclusive: Inside Katy Perrys Cosmic AMA Rehearsals

First Released: November 19, 2011 4:39 PM EST Credit: Getty Images Caption Katie Perry works on stage throughout a concert within the Rock in Rio Festival on September 23,2011 in Rio p Janeiro, BrazilLOS ANGELES, Calif. -- When Katy Perry takes happens at Sundays American Music Honours in La, its likely to be truly an out-of-this-world experience. Access Hollywood has solely found that Katy is going to be carrying out an acoustic version of her song, The One Which Got Away. Not simply will Katy supply the vocals, but spend be also playing your guitar herself, a resource has revealed to gain access to. She sounds fantastic, the origin told Access having seen Katys AMA testing. [She's revealing her talent like a music performer. For happens, Katy will work inside a cosmic setting on the circular platform in the heart of happens, the origin added. The set is going to be filled with laser effects along with a silver screen behind her full of asteroids and stars. Besides her performance, Katy can also be up for 3 honours on Sunday, including Artist of the season. The 39th annual American Music Honours is going to be held on Sunday, November. 20 in the Nokia Theatre in La. It'll air live at 8 PM on ABC. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Oscar Shake-up: Hollywood Weighs In on New Host Billy Crystal, Producer Brian Grazer

Many in Hollywood are applauding the Academy's move to hire Billy Crystal and Brian Grazer as host and producer, respectively, of this year's Oscar telecast.our editor recommendsThe Scene: After Rough Week, Governors Awards Ceremony Gives Academy Reason to Celebrate The Ceremony: Academy Honors Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones and Dick Smith in Emotional EveningBilly Crystal's 5 Best Oscar Hosting Moments (Video)Brian Grazer: 5 Things to Know About Brett Ratners Oscar ReplacementBrett Ratner Breaks Twitter Silence Following Oscars ExitHow Much Will Eddie Murphy's Oscar Exit Hurt His Career? (Analysis)Related Topics•Oscars 2012•Billy Crystal The news of their hiring came last week after Brett Ratner departed Tuesday as producer amid a slew of controversial and offensive comments -- including saying that "rehearsals are for fags." Host Eddie Murphy, who is on the big screen in Ratner's latest movie,Tower Heist, announced his own departure the following day. The news instantly led to speculation that Crystal -- an eight-time Oscar host -- would be tapped to step into the hosting role once again. Crystal has been praised for his hosting work on the show in the past, but many critics called him and Grazer "safe" choices compared with the producer-host duo of Ratner and Murphy, which was seemingly intended to be more edgy and lure younger viewers. PHOTOS: Oscar Hosts Through the Years The Academy wasted no time in announcing Grazer as the new producer on Wednesday, followed by Crystal's announcement the next day. Academy president Tom Sherak quipped about the week's events at Saturday night's Governors Awards honoring Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones and makeup artist Dick Smith in Los Angeles. Dressed in a Darth Vadar costume (in reference to the character Jones voiced in the Star Wars movies), Sherak asked the audience, "How was your week?" But many in Hollywood were praising the Academy for their choices over the weekend, including Amy Adams, a three-time Oscar nominee. When asked by The Hollywood Reporter at the movie's premiere Saturday in Hollywood if she had any advice for Crystal, she replied: "It's Billy Crystal. He knows what he's doing." Director Adam Shankman (Rock of Ages, Hairspray), who previously produced the Oscar telecast, also praised the Academy. PHOTOS: Oscar Show Moments "Lesson learned," he told the Los Angeles Times. "They handled it well, made really smart choices." Don Mischer, who was set to produce the show with Ratner and now will work alongside Grazer, said he can't wait to work with Crystal. "I think it will be a great moment when Billy walks on stage ... something of a homecoming," he told the Times, adding that Ratner "felt really bad" about what transpired. "He's his own worst enemy." Some of the Academy's board of governors also were pleased with the organization's action to fill the vacancies in a timely manner. "It was an amazing week," Marvin Levy told the Times. "I'm very happy with the outcome, and I think the majority of the academy is too. I'm also happy with how they handled it. We have a problem. Let's fix it. Done. Moving on." Another governor who asked to remain anonymous praised Crystal, telling the NY Times that the actor is a "mensch" at the Governors Awards. According to the Times, the governor "pretty much spoke for the room." PHOTOS: Oscar Legends on Oscar Meanwhile, THR also spoke to Casey Stone -- who composed the music for Ratner's Tower Heist -- at the premiere of his most recent effort, The Muppets. Stone said he was "completely surprised by the whole thing" and came to Ratner's defense. Ratner "always likes to be funny and push things a little bit," he said. "I think he just made a big mistake with that one. He's honestly the least homophobic person I know." Stone, who admitted he hadn't spoken with Ratner since the new broke, added that Crystal and Grazer are smart choices to replace Murphy and Ratner. "I think [the telecast] is going to be great," he said. "They obviously went with a little bit of a safe choice. That isn't a bad thing considering the situation they're in." Adams' Muppets co-star Kristen Schaal echoed that sentiment. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Memorable Mea Culpas Crystal "does a good job and he's really funny," she told THR on the red carpet. "I think sometimes everybody sort of gives the Oscars a hard time. I think no matter what happens, the snark police are going to come out, so I hope he has a snark police shield. I love the Oscars, and I don't know why we have to be so picky about them." She also has a suggestion for the new producers: "I would love them to have Stalter and Waldorf [the Muppets characters who sat in the balcony and criticized all the ongoings] up in the balcony picking on the winners." Related Topics Adam Shankman Amy Adams Billy Crystal Brett Ratner Brian Grazer Eddie Murphy Oscars Red Carpet Oscars 2012 The Muppets

Josh Lawson In Warner Bros Dog Fight

EXCLUSIVE: Australian actor Josh Lawson has been cast in Warner Bros’ Dog Fight, the Jay Roach-directed comedy that stars Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis and begins shooting this month. Dylan McDermott also recently joined up, as did reportedly Jason Sudeikis. The plot revolves around a political candidate (Galifianakis), and Lawson will play his brother; the script originally called for two brothers, but the roles were combined after Lawson’s table read. Lawson starred in the Aussie improv show Thank God You’re Here and is set to appear in the Don Cheadle-starring Showtime series House Of Lies that premieres in January. He’s repped by UTA, Management 360 and Lisa Mann Creative Management in Australia.

Let George Clooney Tell You About His First Orgasm

Plenty of men and women may still consider George Clooney to be the sexiest man alive. But even those fans might be a little grossed out when they read the Descendants star’s account of his first orgasm — which also happens to be his first orgasm involving a rope. Proceed with caution. To promote the upcoming Alexander Payne drama The Descendants, Clooney agreed to participate in a Rolling Stone cover story for which he overshared the following tidbit: Clooney reveals that that while he lost his virginity at the age of 16 (“young, very young, too young”), he had his first orgasm when he was much younger. “I believe it was while climbing a rope when I was six or seven years old,” he says. “I mean, nothing came out, but all the other elements were there. I remember getting to the top of the rope, hanging off the rope, and going, “Oh, my God, this feels great!” Shiver. Not quite as skin-crawling of a revelation as Brett Ratner’s bedroom anecdotes, but still a little too TMI. The Descendants arrives in theaters November 16. · George Clooney Talks Sex, Politics and Fame [RollingStone]

Hammond: Oscars Post-Ratner What Now?

The Brett Ratner situation is a sad mess all around. Sad for Ratner, sad for the Oscar show which he was to co-produce, and sad for the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. The Academy in the past has weathered its share of nightmares surrounding the show. But never something quite like this.In 1967 an AFTRA strike nearly KO’d the telecast until the walkout was settled just 3 hours before showtime. Similarly a WGA strike in 2008 was threateninguntil it was settled a few days before the airdate. In 1968 the show was nearly cancelled after Martin Luther King’s assasination butpostponed for two days instead. In 1981, the Oscars was delayed a day after President Reagan was shot. As for participants, actors have refused to accept the statuette for a myriad reasons, and winners have gone to political extremes in their speeches, but the Ratner situation is a new one for the AMPAS. Ratner was an unorthodox choice to produce the Oscars, but he was paired with veteran Don Mischer who did the show last year with Bruce Cohen. Mischer also has vast experience, producing the Olympic Opening Ceremonies and the Emmys andPresidential inaugurations. Since Gil Catessoloed in 2008, the Academy has brought on producing duosincluding Bill Condon and Larry Mark in 2009, then Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic in 2010. The Academy likely willlook to replace Ratner with someone who can hit the ground running. Butfinding an available and experienced producerwon’t be easy onsuch short notice. It’s hard enough findingthe right producer in the best of circumstances, not the worst of circumstances like this is. Of course the Academy could just let Mischer handle the show on his own as he has done countless times and won countless Emmys for his efforts. But last year’s show was not critically well-received particularly for its choice of hosts, Anne Hathaway and James Franco and Mischer is also the director and that takes a lot of prep away from producing chores. Of course the natural choice would have been to turn to the unflappableman that produced a record 14 Oscarcasts, Gil Cates but his sudden death last week provides new irony and yet another reason why he will be so missed. Another two-time producer of the show who could quickly step in , Laura Ziskin , also died this year. Academy President Tom Sherak could turn to his friend and former business colleague Joe Roth who has experience since he producedthe show a few years ago, or they could look outside the usual suspects. No matter what happens Mischer will be the glue that holds it all together. I got the opportunity to work with him last year when I wrote the Governors Awards show and he is simply the best at what he does. No worries. The mechanics of the Oscars will still be in good hands. The staffing of the show was well under way and Ratner was shaking things up, even changing talent bookersand hiring Melissa Watkins Trueblood over 38 year Oscar booking veteran Danette Herman who is now just a consultant. The writing staff is also all new and since many of them are Ratner cronies they aren’t likely to stay on board. That’s not a huge problem since the Academy hasn’t officially announced the team yet, but that may be good news for Bruce Vilanche who didn’t appear to be one of them but now could get a reprieve as Oscar showexperience of any kindwould be a big plus. Host Eddie Murphy also has his writers attached and they will stay — IF Eddie stays. Murphy, a co-star of Tower Heist, has been on many talk shows lately saying how he is looking forward to hosting the Oscars and also giving props to Ratner who talked him into the gig. There is some media speculation that now that Ratner is gone , Eddie will also take a walk. I see that as highly unlikely and I also don’t think Ratner himself would let that happen. Ratner’s exit caused a big ripple in the industry where he is well known but Murphy’s exit would be a high profile PR nightmare creating a scenario where the show looks like it has been thrown into completechaos, at least to the general public who may not know Ratner but definitely know Eddie. Murphy’s no dummy. Just like Brad Pitt stayed on with Moneyball after his good friend Steven Soderbergh bolted just before production began , so will Murphy. After the story broke yesterday there was one comment to Mike Fleming’s piece that caught my eye. It was from an Academy member who imploredhis Academy to slow down and stop trying to become the “People’s Choice Oscar Show” and go back to the class it had when Gil Cates was the producer. Stability is something the Academy needs right now. All the talk about moving the Oscars up a month to the end of January in order to trump the other awards showsis not what’s needed. Just imagine what a panic would be on if they had done that for this year. The thing that will save the Oscars in the eyes of the public is nothing more than a good show and some good movies, not when it airs or whether its hip, young and different. If there’s a silver lining in any of this mess it may be that the Academy will put all of its focus and energy now on doing just that. Finally, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel with Brett Ratner for this year’s TCM Classic Movie Film Festival in April. He was exceptionally bright ,informed and showed himself to be very savvy, a real movie fan. I think he would have done a great show. I know he had great ideas for it. Despitehis really bad judgementand stupid actions this week, I am sorry we won’t get the chance to see what he might have done.

Spring/Fall Not Going Forward At HBO

EXCLUSIVE: HBO has passed on the half-hour comedy pilot Spring/Fall. Set in New York City against the backdrop of the fashion world, the project centered on the dysfunctional partnership between Margo (Tea Leoni) and Eden (Hope Davis), two women with different approaches to career, family and friendship. Kate Robin wrote the pilot, which was directed by Jake Kasdan, with R.J. Cutler executive producing alongside Leoni and Robin. Since doing Spring/Fall together, Robin and Kasdan have teamed for a new project, a female-driven drama, which sold to Fox last month with penalty. Meanwhile, Leoni has already been approached for new pilot lead roles.

'Harry Potter' And The MTV Movies Live-Blog

As previously announced here on the blog, we're celebrating the release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" on DVD and Blu-ray this Friday with the most obsessive and wonderfully nuts way we could think of: watching all eight movies in sequence in a single day. Thanks to the good people at Warner Bros. I've got all of them here, ready to go. It's roughly twenty hours of magic, so there's no time to waste. Let's get to it! Year One: "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001), Running Time: 2:32 5:20am: Oh my it's early. But I realize that it's actually an hour earlier than I thought. Never before has daylight savings time worked so fortuitously in my favor. Score. 5:25am: We're off and running with the Chris Columbus-directed first film. If one could say Professor Dumbledore ever looked young, this is it. 5:28am: Oh yeah, the Dursleys. I hate the Dursleys. 5:29am: We get our first look at Daniel Radcliffe, who appears to weigh about 90 pounds, including his ill-fitting outfit. One certainly could not see "Equus" coming here. 5:31am: First bit of accidental magic at the zoo, and the foreshadowing of Parseltongue. Happy birthday indeed, Dudley. 5:35am First real magic as the Durleys' house is swarmed with thousands of copies of Harry's Hogwarts invite. It always seemed illogical to me that Mr. Dursley didn't want Harry to leave to go to school. Like, doesn't he hate Harry and want to be rid of him? His later threats to keep Harry out of Hogwarts as punishment seem oddly misplaced. 5:38am: World, meet Rubeus Hagrid. 5:30am: "You're a wizard, Harry!" 5:40am: Cauldron shopping and our first look at the magical world. 5:43am: Oh, that Professor Quirrell seems nice. 5:45am: First real special effects shot as Hagrid and Harry open up the brick wall to Diagon Alley. By today's standards it looks a little flat. At the time this flick was visually ground-breaking. I recall seeing the first trailer a decade ago and thinking "wow, this movie is going to make a billion dollars." If you add up both foreign and domestic gross, it comes to $974,755,371. Partial credit, then. 5:48am: The Sorcerer's Stone is very briefly revealed. Commonly known fact among "Potter" fans: In England it's called the Philosopher's stone. Less-known fact: In France it's called the large delicious hunk of roquefort cheese. 5:50am: OK, not really. First lie of the live-blog. 5:52am: The wand chooses Harry and Olivander makes first reference to the Dark Lord. I always felt a connection to big V. Can't wait for his return in movie #4. 5:56am: Hey its the Weasleys! Don't worry, Ginny, you'll matter in a few years. 5:58am: Chocolate frog. Love. 6:00am: Emma Watson sighting. She's sporting the kind of hairstyle many 11-year-old girls grow up to regret. Sadly, most other girls don't have motion picture evidence to live down. Still, she turned out all right. 6:03am: Momentarily get distracted by my Facebook for the first time. Meantime, we've arrived at Hogwarts. 6:04am: Tiny Malfoy wants to be friends with Harry. That would have been interesting. 6:06am: Original Dumbledore, the late Richard Harris welcomes us to school and the sorting ceremony begins. 6:08am: Did anything good ever come out of Hufflepuff? Twitter punchlines don't count. 6:10am: As Harry is sorted into Gryffindor, I check the time for the first time. We're at 46 minutes. It's going to be a long day. 6:11am: Nearly Headless Nick! Where'd he go in the later movies? John Cleese was great in this role, small though it was. 6:18am: Missed some first class / first broomstick lessons there when I snuck off to the men's room. But hey, it's like the theater. The show must keep going. 6:22am: First Malfoy/Potter broomstick battle. And we're playing Quidditch in 3....2....1..... 6:25am: Sweeping shot of the moving staircase. Still remember seeing that for the first time. Killer shot. 6:27am: First magical creature: The children discover Fluffly, the three-headed dog guarding the Sorcerer's Stone. 6:28am: Wood teaches Harry to play Quidditch. Wood has both the best accent and the best name in the movie. 6:32am: Halloween feast. Quirrell bursts in and panics everyone about a troll in the dungeon. I trust him. He seems nice, with no ulterior motives whatsoever. 6:35am: The children battle the troll in the girls' washroom. Brilliant. 6:38am: Snape finally says something. Alan Rickman was the best casting in the entire series. And that's not just my opinion. You agreed in the Harry Potter World Cup! 6:41am: We're playing Quidditch! I often thought Quidditch was the great failing of the movies. They could have done so much more with it, even if the game's rules are so illogical. I think we get the most in this first movie though. 6:45am: Snape's first questionable action at the Quidditch match. Was he jinxing Harry or trying to save him? I'll keep watching to find out. 6:50am: Christmas at Hogwarts! Wow, I'd totally forgotten the Invisibility Cloak comes in this early. 6:53am: Filch nearly busts Harry in the library restricted section. Does that guy ever sleep? Or do ... anything else? Speaking of which, we've been at this for 90 minutes and I haven't eaten anything. Accio breakfast! 7:05am: First dragon! Baby Norwegian Ridgeback. 7:10am: Kinda sorta Voldemort sighting in the dark woods, as Quirrell dines on Unicorn blood. He looks more like a Dementor at this point. Scary. 7:15am: First caffeinated beverage (mine): Hot green tea. Pumpkin juice was not available. 7:25am: Giant Wizard's Chess! It's your moment, Ron! 7:31am: Quirrell is revealed as the villain, not Snape as the children thought. And his turban is removed to reveal.... 7:33am: The Dark Lord! He lives! I never doubted you, my lord. What is thy bidding? 7:37am: Harry melts Quirrell with his bare hands. "You have chosen...poorly." No. Wait, wrong movie. 7:41am: All is well as Harry recovers, Dumbledore ties up loose ends in the story and eats a gross Bernie Bott's every flavor bean. 7:43am: End of year feast and the awarding of the House Cup. With their formal pointy black Wizard hats, the children look like garden gnomes. Especially Malfoy. 7:45am: Dumbledore totally fixes the House Cup by awarding 170 points to Gryffindor for no reason. Other than they totally saved the day and defeated the most powerful evil wizard ever. 7:47am: Hagrid swoops in and makes the end of the movie a tear-jerker with photos of his parents. Which is then totally balanced by his encouragement of magical threats towards Dudley. Which I endorse! 7:48am: Hey that's a wrap for movie number one. Seven more to go. On to year two! >>> Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

an hour Icon Andy Rooney Dies At 92

First Released: November 5, 2011 1:24 PM EDT Credit: Getty Images Caption Andy Rooney in the last regular appearance on 60 MinutesNY, N.Y. -- Andy Rooney so dreaded your day he needed to finish his signature an hour commentaries about lifes small and big absurdities he stored going until he was 92 years of age. Even so, he stated he wasnt retiring. Authors never retire. But his existence following the finish of the Couple of Minutes With Andy Rooney was short: He died Friday evening, based on CBS, merely a month after delivering his 1,097th and final public commentary. Rooney choose to go towards the hospital to have an undisclosed surgery, but major complications developed and that he never retrieved. Andy always stated he desired to work before the day he died, and that he handled to get it done, save the final couple of days within the hospital, stated his an hour friend, correspondent Steve Kroft. Rooney spoken on an hour by what was in news reports, and the opinions from time to time got him in danger. But he only agreed to be as prone to discuss that old clothes in the closet, why airline travel had become uncomfortable and why banks required to have important-sounding names. Rooney won among his four Emmy Honours for any piece on whether there is a genuine Mrs. Cruz who made Mrs. Smiths Pies. Because it switched out, there is no Mrs. Cruz. I clearly possess a knack for making paper what many people have thought and didnt realize they thought, Rooney once stated. Plus they say, Hey, yeah! Plus they like this. Searching for new things to punctuate its weekly broadcast, an hour broadcast its first Rooney commentary on This summer 2, 1978. He were not impressed with individuals who keep an eye on the number of people die in vehicle accidents on vacation weekends. Actually, he stated, the 4th of This summer is among the most secure weekends of the season to become going somewhere. A lot more than 30 years later, he was railing about how exactly uncomfortable airline travel had become. Allows create a statement towards the air carriers just to have their attention, he stated. Well choose a week the coming year and well all agree to not go anywhere for 7 days. At the begining of 2009, because he was going to turn 90, Rooney looked ahead to Leader Barack Obamas approaching inauguration with a glance at past inaugurations. He told audiences that Calvin Coolidges 1925 promising-in was the first one to be broadcast on radio, adding, That might have been probably the most interesting factor Coolidge ever did. Words cannot adequately express Andys contribution to everything about journalism and also the impact he earned like a friend along with a friend upon everyone at CBS, stated Leslie Moonves, CBS Corp. leader and Boss. Shaun Fager, CBS News chairman and an hour executive producer, stated its tough to imagine not getting Andyaround. He loved his existence and that he resided it by himself terms. We'll miss him greatly. an hour will finish its broadcast Sunday having a tribute to Rooney by veteran correspondent Morley Safer. For his final essay, Rooney stated that hed live a existence luckier than most. If only I possibly could do that forever. I cant, though, he stated. He stated he most likely hadnt stated anything on an hour that many of his audiences didnt know or hadnt thought. Thats such a author does, he stated. A authors job is in truth. In keeping with his periodic crotchety character, though, he were not impressed with being famous or bothered by fans. His last desire in fans: If you notice him inside a restaurant, just allow him to eat his dinner. Rooney would be a freelance author in 1949 when he experienced CBS radio star Arthur Godfrey within an elevator and using the bluntness huge numbers of people discovered later told him his show can use better writing. Godfrey hired him by 1953, when he gone to live in TV, Rooney was his only author. He authored for CBS Garry Moore throughout the first sixties before settling right into a partnership with Harry Reasoner at CBS News. Given challenging to create on any subject, he authored An Essay on Doorways in 1964, and ongoing with contemplations on bridges, chairs and ladies. The very best work I ever did, Rooney stated. But nobody knows I'm able to get it done or ever made it happen. Nobody recognizes that Im a author and producer. They believe Im this person on tv. He grew to become such an element of the culture that comic Joe Piscopo satirized Rooneys squeaky voice using the refrain, Have you ever Rooney never began some of his essays this way. For several years, an hour improbably was typically the most popular program on tv along with a dose of Rooney was what individuals found expect for any knowing smile around the evening before they needed to return to work. Rooney left CBS in 1970 if this declined to air his angry essay concerning the Vietnam War. He continued TV the very first time, reading through the essay on PBS and winning a Authors Guild of America award for this. He came back to CBS 3 years later like a author and producer of special offers. Notable included in this was the 1975 Mr. Rooney Would go to Washington, whose lighthearted but serious take a look at government won him a Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting. His words sometimes arrived Rooney in serious trouble. CBS suspended him for 3 several weeks in 1990 to make racist remarks within an interview, that they refused. Rooney, who had been arrested in Florida whilst in the Military within the nineteen forties for declining to depart a chair among shades of black on the bus, was hurt deeply through the control of racism. Gay privileges groups were mad, throughout the Helps epidemic, when Rooney pointed out homosexual unions in saying most of the affilictions which kill us are self-caused. Indians protested when Rooney recommended Indigenous Peoples who made money from casinos werent doing enough to assist their very own people. The Connected Press learned the possibility of making Rooneys cranky side. In 1996, AP Television Author Frazier Moore authored a column recommending the time had come for Rooney to depart the broadcast. On Rooneys next an hour appearance, he asked individuals who could not agree to create their opinions known. The AP switchboard was flooded by some 7,000 telephone calls and numerous postcards were delivered to the AP mail room. Your piece helped me mad, Rooney told Moore 2 yrs later. Among my major weak points Im vindictive. I have no idea why that's. Even just in petty things during my existence I am inclined to strike back. Its much more enjoyable a sensation than feeling threatened. He was among televisions couple of voices to strongly oppose the war in Iraq following the George W. Rose bush administration released it in 2002. After nov Baghdad in April 2003, he stated he was chastened byits quick fall but didnt regret his an hour commentaries. Im ready of feeling secure enough to ensure that I'm able to say things i think is appropriate and when a lot of people think its wrong which i get fired, well, Ive got enough to consume, Rooney stated at that time. Andrew Aitken Rooney was created on Jan. 14, 1919, in Albany, N.Y., and labored like a copy boy around the Albany Knickerbocker News during senior high school. College at Colgate College was cut short by The Second World War, when Rooney labored for Stars and Stripes. With another former Stars and Stripes staffer, Oram C. Hutton, Rooney authored four books concerning the war. They incorporated the 1947 book, Their Conquerors Peace: A Study towards the American Stockholders, recording offenses from the Spanish people by taking up forces. Rooney and the wife, Marguerite, were married for 62 years before she died of heart failure in 2004. They'd four children and resided in NY, with houses in Norwalk, Conn., and upstate NY. Daughter Emily Rooney is really a former executive producer of Basic steps World News Tonight. John would be a longtime ABC News correspondent, Ellen a digital photographer and Martha Fishel is chief from the public service division from the U.S. National Library of drugs. Services is going to be private, and it is anticipated CBS News holds a public memorial later, John Rooney stated Saturday. Copyright 2011 through the Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Gabourey Sidibe on Tease with Eddie Murphy and Doing Whatever Sherrrd Like

Helena Bonham Carter features a penchant for playing oddball figures, and he or she sure finds one inch her next project: Carter is positioned to see Miss Havisham inside the approaching adaptation of 'Great Anticipation.' For people people who haven't see the book, Miss Havisham can be a spinster who sits in their mansion day and evening wearing the wedding dress she was created to got married in before her fiance left her within the altar. This describes why Carter looks so kooky inside the first photos within the film, which you can examine out below. This version in the Charles Dickens classic also stars Take advantage of Fiennes, meaning 'Great Expectations' is really a small-'Harry Potter' reunion for that almighty Voldemort and Bellatrix LeStrange. 'Great Expectations' is presently searching for an fall 2012 release date inside the Uk the film remains hunting for a U.S. distributor. [via Deadline] [Photos: Lionsgate Uk] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Brett Ratner 'Banged' Olivia Munn, and Other Stories You'll Be Talking About Today

Happy Friday! Also in Today’s edition of The Broadsheet: Darren Aronofsky to team with Lou Reed and Metallica… the hits keep on coming for Hilary Swank… Melissa McCarthy looks ahead… Errol Morris gets sued… and more. · Remember that bit from Olivia Munn’s memoir about the nameless director — rumored to be Brett Ratner — who confronted her with his underendowed penis in one hand and a jumbo shrimp in the other? Turns out it was Ratner, but… Uh, take it away, Brett: “I used to date Olivia Munn, I’ll be honest with everyone here,” Ratner said Thursday on Attack of the Show. “But when she was ‘Lisa.’ She wasn’t Asian back then. She was hanging out on my set of After the Sunset, I banged her a few times, but I forgot her. Because she changed her name. I didn’t know it was the same person, and so when she auditioned for me for a TV show, I forgot her, she got pissed off, and so she made up all these stories about me eating shrimp and masturbating in my trailer. And she talked about my shortcomings.” Great. Glad we got that cleared up. [AOTS via Gawker] · Ugh. Time for a shower. Quickly though: Darren Aronofsky will direct the “music” video for Lou Reed and Metallica’s “Iced Honey,” from the artists’ new collaboration LuLu. It will be available to watch on mute by the end of the month. [Press Release] · Not such a good week for Hilary Swank, whose attendance at the birthday party of Chechen despot Ramzan Kadyrov has cost her one fired manager, a trail of agent roadkill and now her publicist. She reportedly parted ways with 42West over differences in how to handle the controversy; no word on which of the parties had the thwarted idea to handle it, you know, correctly. [EW] · Melissa McCarthy has options these days, but I’m kind of hoping she teams with The Help director Tate Taylor on Tammy. McCarthy wrote and would lead the “hard R” comedy about “a woman who gets laid off from her fast-food job and finds her husband is cheating, and chucks her life to take a road trip of self-discovery with her foul-mouthed diabetic grandmother.” Jacki Weaver for the grandmother! Just throwing that out there. [Deadline] · The subject of Errol Morris’s wild documentary Tabloid is making good on her threats of the last few months: Joyce McKinney is suing the Oscar-winner, his producer and distributor, alleging everything from defamation to misrepresentation to fraud and beyond. [Deadline] · Good news for fans of Sean Durkin and Martha Marcy May Marlene, which should be, like, everyone: The filmmaker and his Borderline Films partners Antonio Campos and Josh Mond have officially signed a first-look deal with MMMM distributor Fox Searchlight. Congrats! [Press release]

South america: Indies use local photos

'Bruna Surfistinha'With the collapse from the homevideo DVD market, local indie distribs are progressively embracing the distribution of Brazilian photos to be able to pay the bills.The entire B.O. in South america arrived at 1.1 billion real ($627 million) within the The month of january-September period, up 19% in the same period this past year. But indie distribs possess a small slice of the market that's centered by Hollywood.Meanwhile, last year the us government released the Sector Fund incentive, and among its aims to stimulate local indie distribs to distribute Brazilian photos. Within the 2009-11 time period, indie distribs have obtained $34.7 million to purchase equity in local photos and distribute them."Nov the DVD market symbolized a significant blow for that distribution of independent films in South america," states Marcio Fraccaroli, general director of local indie distrib Paris Filmes. "Because the galleries rule the theatrical market, we needed to seek a choice to outlive. Because of the Sector Fund, we discovered that option within the distribution of Brazilian films."All top three indies photos this year are Brazilian and were written by local people: "P pernas professional ar" (Upside Lower), handled collectively by Downtown/Paris distribution "Cilada.com," distribbed collectively by Downtown/Paris/RioFilme and "Bruna Surfistinha" handled collectively by Imagem/RioFilme.Regardless of the unfavorable market, it's still easy to make a nice income using the distribution of foreign indie photos in South america. For example, Paris, which since 2007 comes with an output cope with Summit Entertainment, has are making money in the three payments from the "Twilight" films. General director Marcio Fraccaroli states Paris Filmes will open "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Beginning -- Part 1" November. 18 on 1,100 screens here -- the biggest theatrical release ever in South america. Film seemed to be partly shot in South america."We intend to sell over 7 million tickets making 'Breaking Dawn' the film using the greatest B.O. this season in South america. However the 'Twilight Saga' is actually the best within this market," Fraccaroli states.Meanwhile, several local production companies released Nossa, an indie distrib by having an alternative business design, in October. Nossa will give you distribution services for any fixed fee, and producers will need to cover P&A costs. But, when the release is effective, producer will pocket the majority of increases. Under this model, producer holds pics' privileges with other home windows.Nossa was produced by helmer Jose Padilha, in line with the highly effective distribution of "Elite Squad: The Enemy Within" this year, when Padilha's Zazen shingle hired vet distributor professional Marco Aurelio Marcondes release a the pic, which grew to become greatest-grossing Brazilian pic ever.Quantity of screens: 2,314Number of three dimensional screens: 467Top indie distribs and B.O. with the first 1 / 2 of 2011: Imagem ($38.4 million) Paris ($20.5 million) Downtown/Paris joint distribution ($15.8 million) Playarte ($6.7 million) Imovision ($3 million)Typical gross split for theatrical between distribs and exhibs: 50/50Top exhibition chains for indie films: Espaco p Cinema screens all kinds of photos, but concentrates on foreign and native indie photos. It's Brazil's fifth biggest exhibitor, and it has 21 plexes with 90 screens, which signifies 4% from the country's screens. Grupo Estacao has nine multiplexes with 24 screens in Rio.5 Best indie films: "P pernas professional ar" (Upside Lower), Downtown/Paris ($17.9 million) "Cilada.com," Downtown/Paris/RioFilme ($16.a million) "Bruna Surfistinha," Imagem/RioFilme ($11.4 million) "Gnomeo and Juliet," Imagem ($7.8 million) "Season from the Witch," Imagem ($7.7 million)Approaching indie pick-ups: "Underneath the Hawthorn Tree" (Serendip Filmes/ Art Films): "Sarah's Key" (Imagem) "The Great Physician" (Playarte) "Late Bloomers" (Serendip Filmes/Art Films) "Your Skin My Home IsInch (Paris) Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com