Weekend Box Office: 'Puss in Boots' Sets Halloween Record

These 'Boots' were made for walking -- all over the box office competition. 'Shrek' spinoff 'Puss in Boots' easily won the weekend, not only outpacing two other new wide releases by a wide margin, but also setting a record for the biggest Halloween weekend opening ever. The fencing feline voiced by Antonio Banderas purred his way to an estimated $34 million opening. That was a lot less than expected, given the popularity of the 'Shrek' franchise, the fanbase the character earned in three previous installments, a boost from 3D surcharges and decent reviews and word-of-mouth. But a World Series whose clinching seventh game was played on Friday night and a Northeastern snowstorm on Saturday threw a wet blanket on predictions that had been in the $40 to $44 million range. Still, if Sunday's estimate holds, 'Puss' will beat the Halloween weekend record of $33.6 million set by the debut of 'Saw III' five years ago. By opening earlier than initially scheduled (the DreamWorks Animation film was slotted for Nov. 4 before moving up one week), 'Puss' may have dealt a fatal blow to last week's winner, 'Paranormal Activity 3,' which lost a hefty 65 percent of its business in its second weekend. The horror prequel slipped to second place with an estimated $18.5 million -- about $2 million more than 'Paranormal Activity 2' earned in its second weekend, but with a much greater depreciation (65 percent to 59 percent). Like the previous two installments, the movie is earning love-it-or-hate-it response from moviegoers. In two weekends, it's scared up $81.3 million. Opening in third place was 'In Time' with an estimated $12.0 million. That's not far below the $13 million or so that pundits predicted for the Justin Timberlake/Amanda Seyfried sci-fi thriller. Despite only so-so reviews, distributor 20th Century Fox must be pleased; the film did even better overseas, earning $14.5 million. In its third week, 'Footloose' stepped down one rung to fourth place. Losing nearly half of last week's business, the dance remake walked off with an estimated $5.4 million, for a total so far of $38.4 million. Just behind 'Footloose' was 'The Rum Diary,' opening in fifth place with an estimated $5.0 million. Johnny Depp's labor-of-love comedy, based on a semi-autobiographical tale that his friend Hunter S. Thompson left unpublished for nearly 40 years, was expected to open around $6 or $7 million, with its literary eccentricity trumping Depp's usual box office appeal. With a per-screen average of $2,205 on just 2,272 screens, 'Rum' isn't likely to have sturdy legs. With its release plan scaled back to just 265 screens, the speculative period drama 'Anonymous' opened outside the top 10 and earned an estimated $1.0 million. That's a modest $3,774 per screen; jury is still out on whether the Shakespeare-didn't-write-Shakespeare drama can drum up strong interest once it opens wider. A movie that should have a stronger wide-release future is long-distance romance 'Like Crazy,' which debuted on just four screens but earned a huge $30,000 on each, for an estimated total of $120,000. The other big box office story this weekend also happened out of sight of the domestic top 10. It was the international opening of 'The Adventures of Tintin.' We won't see the much-anticipated Steven Spielberg motion-capture saga until Christmas, but overseas, it picked up an estimated $55.8 million in 19 countries. By the time it drops down our chimney on Dec. 21, it'll already be a huge international hit. 'Puss in Boots' - Trailer No. 3 The full top 10: 1. 'Puss in Boots,' $34.0 million (3,952 screens), new release 2. 'Paranormal Activity 3,' $18.5 million (3,329), $81.3 million total 3. 'In Time,' $12.0 million (3,122), new release 4. 'Footloose,' $5.4 million (3,224) $38.4 million 5. 'The Rum Diary,' $5.0 million (2,272), new release 6. 'Real Steel,' $4.7 million (2,914), $73.9 million 7. 'The Three Musketeers,' $3.5 million (3,017), $14.8 million 8. 'The Ides of March,' $2.7 million (1,572), $33.5 million 9. 'Moneyball,' $2.4 million (1,631), $67.4 million 10. 'Courageous,' $1.8 million (1,134) $27.6 million [Photos: DreamWorks Animation, 20th Century Fox, FilmDistrict] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook Follow Gary Susman on Twitter: @garysusman RELATED

Stuntman Dies after Explosion on 'Expendables 2' Set

One stuntman was killed and two other stunt people were injured following an accident with an explosion on the Bulgarian set of "The Expendables 2," according to the Bulgarian Sofia News Agency's website. The accident took place during shooting at the Ognyanovo reservoir near the town of Elin Pelin, near the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, the report said. Bulgarian television confirmed the casualties but did not identify them, saying only the stuntman killed was "a foreigner," although a separate report by the "Sofia Echo"newspaper said that both men were "of Chinese origin."There was no word if any of the film's stars were involved in or present at the accident."The Expendables 2"is filming at Nu Boyana Studios in Sofia, and features action legendsArnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris andJason Statham.The Lionsgate sequel is set for release Aug. 17, 2012. The Hollywood Reporter

Igielko-Herrlich & Granath: Outsiders searching in

RUBEN IGIELKO-HERRLICHTwo decades ago, Ruben Igielko-Herrlich showed up at his professional apex just like a luxury-goods internet internet marketer, getting labored together with your legendary brands as Tiffany, Bulgari and Chopard.Accidentally, an MGM professional contacted the Havana-born Swiss native about scoring some free products for your film, "Harley as well as the Marlboro Guy." The Hollywood overture sparked an idea that increased being the genesis of Propaganda Jewel.He teamed round the venture with Anders Granath, an unlikely candidate understandably given Granath's background in manufacturing. The Two set to overcome Hollywood utilizing their perch in Geneva."Our initial insufficient skill increased being our strength," states Igielko-Herrlich, who acquired an Master of economic administration from Atlanta's Emory U. which is fluent in five languages. "Our fresh eye, with no anticipation, enabled us to identify and anticipate gameshifting forces, (like the development of) social media.InchANDERS GRANATHAs a Paris-born Swede getting experience in manufacturing, Anders Granath's outsider status couldn't be solid. Nevertheless, the first sort Caterpillar marketing professional put lower in 1991 to alter Hollywood's nascent product-positioning landscape.Granath co-founded Propaganda Jewel getting a mandate to develop upon the short-term vision that ruled, in which the modus operandi in those days was "strictly to produce product visibility, without any proper factors or alignment in the bigger, longer-term brand strategy." Being an advertising strategy consultant for Marks & Spencer inside the late eighties, the Geneva U. grad saw the chance in centralized brand-image building activities."Our vision of then is nearly the truth nowadays,Inch states Granath, who now calls Geneva home. "It's rather the communication and marketing landscape which has been altering -- progressively -- to get together with this visions of 2 decades ago."Propaganda Jewel at 20A positioning on the planet Savvy auds drive requirement of seamless show stuffers Outsiders searching in Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Iron Guy 3 To Shoot In NC

First Released: October 27, 2011 5:28 PM EDT Credit: Caption Robert Downey Junior. in Iron Guy 2 WILMINGTON, N.C. -- The following installment within the Iron Guy super hero film franchise will shoot inside a New York soundstage starting in a couple of days. Marvel Galleries will film Iron Guy 3 starring Robert Downey Junior. in Wilmington, with pre-production beginning soon and operate in the condition lasting about 10 several weeks, Gov. Beverly Perdue and Wilmingtons EUE/Screen Gems Galleries stated Thursday. The development is anticipated to produce 550 jobs for trades-people, specialists along with other crew people and most 1,000 spots for stars along with other talent. This is the biggest production to shoot in New York, condition film office mind Aaron Syrett stated. The prior films within the series, with different Marvel Comics character, featured Downey like a billionaire weapons-maker who fights criminals putting on a higher-tech suit of armor he produced. Iron Guy 2 co-starred Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle and Samuel L. Jackson. Professionals at Marvel Galleries also considered locations in La, Michigan and New Mexico before determining Wilmington had the best mixture of space, talent, and citizen incentives, EUE/Screen Gems stated. New York this season elevated its regulations for movie and tv productions to as much as 25 %. Which means movie producers could discount as much as a quarter of their in-condition investing as much as $20 million using their condition taxes. The tax break is refundable, meaning a producer who qualified for any $20 million write-off but didnt owe much in New York taxes could collect the main difference having a multi-million-dollar check from citizens. The incentive has assisted make 2011 a large year for that states film industry. Twenty-nine productions had setup offices in New York by early September, investing a lot more than $200 million and a minimum of temporarily employing 3,000 crew people, Perdues office stated. Time productions range from the feature film The Hunger Games and also the television series Homeland, 'Eastbound and Lower and something Tree Hill. Copyright 2011 through the Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

'Once Upon A Time' Stars Talk New Mythic Series

FROM MTV MOVIES: The figures inside the favorite anecdotes you was elevated hearing are people too. This can be a large part of the story behind ABC's fantasy series "Not such a long time ago." Within the minds of former "Lost" authors and producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, "Not such a long time ago" follows the lives of several storybook figures who finish up locked in the actual existence carrying out a curse is situated inside it. Jennifer Morrison ("Warrior") stars as Emma Swan, the woman designated with saving the fairy-tale world and coming back the happy being. Morrison states that you will find much more for the series in comparison to familiar faces, like Snow White-colored, that the show is about something bigger and even more relatable. "It's relationship driven. There's this type of underlying universal factor," Morrison mentioned. "We're presently inside our lives where the economy's kind of tough and jobs are tough, plenty of struggles people are facing. In by doing this, our show really ensures that inside the curse that's round the figures as well as the hope that you have a means out, you could band together and uncover a means out." See the full story at MTV Movies!

New 'Muppets' Trailer: Now With More Celebrity Cameos

.post-content img {display:none;} We have yet to be disappointed by anything 'Muppets'-related. Parodies, infomercials, festival appearances -- as long as Kermit is involved, we will be there. The newest trailer for the upcoming 'Muppets' movie not only shows off more plot, but features a few of the no-longer surprise celebrity cameos (Jack Black and Neil Patrick Harris among them). Also included? Miss Piggy dancing with Pepe the King Prawn, chickens singing Cee-lo and Statler and Waldorf making a timely, self-aware joke. You can see it all in the trailer, or when 'The Muppets' hits theaters on Nov. 23. [via Yahoo!] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

Why 'The Thing' Is Everything Wrong With Modern Hollywood

Usually, when covering a brand new movie, it's customary use a plot summary and then any other information towards the top of your piece. When speaking relating to this weekend's 'The Factor,' however... right, what is the point? If you are really thinking about seeing 'The Factor,' you are able to remain in a few days ago watching it on DVD it had been produced in 1982 by John Contractor (itself a completely radical new interpretation of 1951's 'The Factor From Another World'). If you have seen the 1982 version, then remain in watching it again. Like a B-level sci-fi horror movie, the brand new 'The Thing' -- technically a prequel towards the 1982 classic -- is serviceably fine. As soon as you hook it up towards the John Contractor version though, it collapses underneath the weight of their own pointlessness. To place it candidly, 'The Thing' signifies everything wrong with modern Hollywood. (WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW) What's most frustrating concerning the new 'Thing' is the fact that by selecting to become a prequel to some pre-existing film, it appreciates the world built by John Carpenter's project is really interesting, it's worth exploring and growing upon again. But rather than attempting to tell a brand new story within that world or make the most of that movie's brains, 'The Thing' takes whatever originality was possessed within the original and crams it in to the generic template for "frightening movie" that we have seen again and again again. Here's only one example: Once the youthful American researcher (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) hides within the air-duct from the Thing's spaceship, and also the monster jumps to scare her and gradually walk toward her before she grabs the grenade she's dropped, it is a dull and lifeless moment. Because despite creating that the truth is a parasitic creature able to cellular transference, still it loves to meander to its prey. And despite it being 100s of 1000's of years of age and predatory on the microscopic level, still it can't crawl right into a vent by itself spaceship. And despite it's ship being so advanced that it may mix many years of dead space, still it takes 7 minutes to warm-up the engine -- sufficient time for that researcher to create her escape. But, hey: that's how these moments were completed in 'Friday the thirteenth Part 6' or 'The Relic' or 100s of other indistinguishable horror movies why alter the formula? Gone may be the systematic cinematography bathed within the darkness of the Antarctic wasteland this time around your camera is static, ensuring to record everything, so no shadow remains hanging within the scene. The acclaimed effects from the original by Take advantage of Bottin (with the aid of Stan Winston) are changed mainly by CGI -- giving the stars absolutely nothing to respond to within the scene. It may seem this can be a minor detail, however when we are able to identify the monster on-screen to be cartoon and never a strange, slimy, tangible factor standing near the stars, it produces a disconnect within the audience telling us "this really is fake." Watch a clip for 'The Thing' (2011)' This new movie removes all of the quiet, sneaking dread from the original and replaces it with crashes, bangs and explosions. Are you going to jump from your chair? Obviously you'll it's not hard to create a horror movie full of "jump scares" whenever you blast the audio to the greatest level and assault your audience without having-of-nowhere screams. You can't really not flinch in individuals moments. Even when it had been involuntary, still it counts like a jump apparently. And despite the fact that it's designated like a prequel, it upright lifts memorable set pieces in the first movie, which makes it so two separate categories of people -- who've never met one another and are available from different cultural skills -- so occur to interact with the identical type of behavior to indescribable extraterrestrial phenomena. The coincidental synchronicity isn't performed for just about any type of cosmic irony apart from "Hey, it labored within the first movie, therefore we can try it again without them losing any impact." The entire factor is a large labored find it difficult to get us towards the opening moments from the original movie, meaning everybody dies and absolutely nothing has transformed. It's ultimate goal would be to revoke any gains it can make, so it completes small particulars in the original and offers a "wink" to fans from the first. The driving pressure behind the film would be to answer the question of "What went down prior to the first movie started?" But what everybody associated with this production unsuccessful to think about was that real question is better left as rhetorical. Watch a clip for John Carpenter's 'The Thing' Trailer #1 The One Thing - MOVIECLIPS.com A prequel may be the worst type of horror movie you can make, and essentially misses the purpose of the genre. The main reason horror remains so timelessly effective is the actual way it plays with an audience's fears of both unknown as well as losing control. However, the best goal of the prequel would be to answer residual questions and explain how everything labored. Why must a crowd be frightened of the one thing getting around within the shadows, if you're attempting to reveal everything about this? What most boggles your brain is that if Universal wanted to revisit the field of 'The Factor,' did they believe it was a great way? To strip it of its originality and transform it into another generic "scare each week,Inch that audiences will ignore after opening weekend? At that time, why don't you just re-release the initial in theaters for any special Halloween run? 'The Lion King' has proven that audiences will go back to a classic movie around the giant screen when they like it enough. Should you reason that John Carpenter's movie is simply too dated for modern audiences, then why did they choose to create a new movie that really happens before it? The main reason 'The Thing' is everything wrong with modern Hollywood happens because it's set up-line movie making. Even with the remakes and prequels and sequels and adaptations, each one of these varied causes of inspiration get churned in to the same kind of final product. You could have probably the most exotic elements on the planet, however when whatever you do is shove these questions blender and using them as mush, individuals will get frustrated using the meal. To accomplish the meals example: when the original 'Thing' would be a gourmet meal crafted with a gifted chef, this really is cheap unhealthy foods you will get from the box. Don't we deserve a much better menu? Images from 'The Factor' (2011) See All Moviefone Art galleries » [Photos thanks to Universal Galleries] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

Seth MacFarlane Independently Wants 'Family Guy' to complete Relaunch 'Star Trek' for TV

This story appears round the cover in the new Hollywood Reporter magazine. Inside an era of fractured viewership and difficult-to-come-by hits, Seth MacFarlane, 37, reaches the white-colored-hot center from the multibillion-dollar empire, the one that is constantly deliver youthful audiences, hefty distribution revenue as well as the kind of merchandise studio heads drool over. A year ago alone, his programming created nearly $200 million in ad revenue, according to Kantar Media. That empire includes American Father!, The Cleveland Show, an update in the classic animated series The Flintstones, a update in the eighties PBS series Cosmos: A Place-Time Journey, an untitled animated series he's likely to pitch, a component film likely to be out next summer season referred to as Ted, an incredibly well-examined large band album (Music Is More suitable To Words), a recurring gig as Comedy Central's celebrity roast master (latest victim: Charlie Sheen) as well as the series that built them into all possible, Family Guy. PHOTOS: Behind the curtain With Top Showrunners "This is often a business where hyperbole -- 'genius,' 'whiz kid' -- might be thrown around, but Seth is really one a from the kind," states Fox entertainment leader Kevin Reilly, who takes care of a presented picture in the Family Guy figures signed by MacFarlane at work. The scope of MacFarlane's ambition is revealed by people he counts as heroines: Woodsy Allen, George Lucas, Frank Sinatra and mentor Norman Lear. Like MacFarlane, are all one-guy industries. PHOTOS: Within the Mind of Seth MacFarlane "I must clone him 10 occasions over," jokes MacFarlane's longtime agent, WME's Greg Hodes, who regularly fields requires him to accomplish from pointing or starring in films to making live-action shows or digital series to coping with Broadway. Probably the most surprising things senior television author Lacey Rose switched up in their cover story on MacFarlane, turning up in THR's Showrunners Problem: THR'S Complete Report on 2011 Energy Showrunners HE'S AMBIVALENT ABOUT 'FAMILY GUY'S' Ongoing SUCCESS "Part of me thinks that Family Guy should have already ended. In my opinion seven seasons is among the right lifespan for just about any TV series," according to him from the demonstrate that launched its tenth season lately. "I consult with the fans and with techniques I'm kind of independently wanting to enable them to say we're finished with it. You will discover many individuals who the show is kind of inside the hill... but nevertheless the large majority go pale hard once i mention the opportunity.In . While he sees it, there's something being mentioned for overall the series and undertaking a film once every couple of years. "Creatively, that could be the easiest method to have it accomplished for myself. Execute a really fantastic final episode because the show remains strong," according to him, acknowledging that might be plenty of effective reasons -- like the viewer demand and the amount of people employed by the series, some 300 people in general -- to supply him pause. (There's a deal in place for just about any Family Guy movie, they is writing with series co-producer Ough Blitt it's now determined by finding in time MacFarlane's schedule to make it happen.) HE'S Not Really A DISNEY FAN Though he dabbled in theater after which it stand-up comedy (an effect of Bill Clinton talking with Scooby Doo will be a standout) throughout his time at Rhode Island School of Design, MacFarlane was there becoming an animator. Work on Disney, that have just released Beauty as well as the Animal, was his dream job. "That's until I came across it had been essentially Theresienstadt," he cracks, referencing the Nazi concentration camping recognized for what appeard to become thriving cultural scene. Throughout people college years, he increased being concentrated getting a far more recent series referred to as Simpsons, they thought was spinning all of the rules in the primetime animation genre. (He still watches from time to time.) Among the draws was its less-is-more visual style, which MacFarlane claims might be the key for the genre. "It's the peace of,Inch he describes, fighting once the Simpsons was animated by Disney, it may be "a hundred occasions" less funny. VIDEO: Behind the curtain of Seth MacFarlane's THR Cover Shoot HE'D Prefer To REBOOT 'STAR TREK' MacFarlane is particularly attempting to reboot among his favorite franchises, Star Trek, for TV. "I don't know who produce the secrets compared to that vehicle," he jokes, acknowledging the flicks are actually so lucrative for Vital he isn't so sure there's a lot of fascination with engaging in the television business. "But Let me realize that franchise elevated for television in the way it's in the the 19 nineties: very thoughtful, smartly written tales that transcend the sci-fi audience." 'THE FLINTSTONES' Is Among MANY PROJECTS Inside The WORKS Furthermore to approaching projects The Flintstones and Cosmos, both prone to premiere on Fox in 2013, MacFarlane will remove another animated project for the systems, this time around around with Family Guy's Alex Borstein (also called the voice of Lois Griffin) and may & Sophistication executive producer Gary Janetti, which has written to a family event Guy. You will discover also live action series projects in preliminary stages, including one with fellow Family Guy and Ted authors Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild. STORY: Seth MacFarlane: From Doodles to Fame The Completely New 'FLINTSTONES' WON'T BE TOO Different Then The Old 'FLINTSTONES' To hear MacFarlane tell it, there isn't a substantial amount that needs remodeling while using Flintstones, outdoors of such things as the figures' items, they signifies were prehistoric versions of sixties technology inside the original version. (Expect iPads inside the MacFarlane version.) The updates may well be more apparent inside the series' writing: "Fred missing around the opera to go to the lodge is a factor that many likely must be considered just a little fresher this season,In . according to him from the series efforts which will be bigger plus much more accessible, a la The Simpsons, rather than the bawdier, more irreverent Family Guy. HIS BROADWAY AMBITION Does not MATCH Individuals From The 'SOUTH PARK' Males MacFarlane remains approached about doing Broadway, an idea he's not removed. Do not expect a theater visit appear like Book of Mormon from South Park designers Trey Parker and Matt Stone. "Essentially did a Broadway musical, I'd probably might like to do something a little classical,Inch according to him, themselves a Broadway junkie. "I wouldn't always take action that was as edgy as what they have done. The job in my opinion might be a lot more like, 'Gosh, can somebody write Oklahoma for 2011?' " DON'T EXPECT ANY 'SIMPSONS'-STYLE SHOWDOWNS WITH FOX MacFarlane doesn't anticipate getting Simpsons-esque troubles along with his voice stars, whom he sights close pals. "They do know I have their backs, which i understand they're not likely to gouge us to have an excessive degree," he laughs. "Therefore I don't anticipate us obtaining the standoffs the Simpsons have observed.In . (The Simpsons was recently restored for just about any 24th and 25th season undertaking a public contract fight between Fox as well as the show's voice cast.) HE GOT HIS START DOING WEEKLY NEWSPAPER CARTOONS FOR $5 Each MacFarlane remains drawing -- the Flinstones, Woodsy Woodpecker, whatever he saw on television -- since he was two-years-old. Maturing the boy from the butchers in Kent, Connecticut, he got his practice writing cartoon figures on clients' grocery bags. "It absolutely was the and surrounding suburbs so everybody understood everybody else as well as the residents tolerated it," he shrugged, acknowledging that some saved his doodlings, which unquestionably hold value now. (His recently widowed father has several more pieces locked in his nearby La home.) By nine, he was hired to carry out a weekly cartoon strip titled Walter Crouton for your local newspaper, The Kent Good Occasions Dispatch. The gig, they saved until he stopped to college at Rhode Island School of Design, initially paid out him $5 per strip, but was later upped to $10. To determine the whole cover story on Seth MacFarlane, follow the link. Related Subjects Seth MacFarlane The Cleveland Show American Father Family Guy

A Monster in Paris (Not monstre a Paris)

A EuropaCorp, Bibo Films, France 3 Cinema, Taking a stroll co-production, in colaboration with UFilm and UFund, using the participation of Canal Plus, France Televisions, Cinecinema. (Worldwide sales: EuropaCorp, Paris.) Executive producers, Eric Goossens, Toon Roebben. Directed by Bibo Bergeron. Script, Stephane Kazandjian, Bergeron, according to an authentic story by Bergeron.Voices: Adam Goldberg, Jay Harrington, Danny Huston, Bob Balaban, Sean Lenon, Vanessa Paradis, Madeline Zima, Catherine O'Hara, Matthew Geczy. (British dialogue)A terrifyingly overgrown flea works out to become harmless and pleasant in "A Monster in Paris," and thus does French animator Bibo Bergeron's funny valentine to retro horror and musical conventions. Evincing a warmer, more personal touch than his splashy Stateside characters "Shark Tale" and "The Street to El Dorado," this homegrown production warbles its way via a bevy of excellent-natured Gallic cliches along with a sweet if scarcely inspired story about unpredicted friendship and also the infectious energy of song. Still, it is a decently created kidpic unlikely to attain monster-hit status outdoors Gaul, where it opens March. 12. Unfolding inside a grey, mist-enshrouded Paris circa 1910, the film takes excellent benefit of its turn-of-the-century setting by tipping its beret to numerous technological improvements from the period. The outlet reels pay brief, affectionate tribute towards the era of quiet cinema having a peek at the black-and-whitened reels proven by film projectionist Emile (voiced by Jay Harrington). Bergeron and Stephane Kazandjian's script experiences some leisurely exposition before presenting the eponymous monster, a flea magnified to gargantuan proportions because of a freak accident overseen by Emile's zany inventor friend, Raoul (Adam Goldberg). Fallout out of this unfortunate incident involves Paris' mayor, Victor Maynott (Danny Huston), a rotten bully wishing to exterminate the animal and boost his political cachet and Raoul's frenemy/love interest, Lucille (Vanessa Paradis), a nightclub chantoosie who befriends the misinterpreted monster, names him Francoeur, helping unlock his latent musical gifts. A spontaneous lounge act, by which angel-winged Lucille supplies the vocals while a whitened-masked Francoeur comes with on guitar, provides among the film's two hummable highlights, another as being a bewitching number entitled "La Seine" (the tunes and score were composed by M and Patrice Renson). These interludes prove more consistently directing compared to story, which tosses off a number of twists, deceptions and chase moments as Lucille and her buddies attempt to hide Francoeur from Maynott it's all regulated engaging enough, but never kicks some misconception a notch to create the preferred amounts of narrative invention or excitement. Facial animation favors the kind of comic exaggeration that causes it to be simple to disregard the characters' clearly scanned features and artificial-searching hair around the non-human side, obvious care continues to be come to make Francoeur look benign although not exactly affectionate. While no d.p. is credited, the painterly skills and delicate modulation of lighting and color tonalities from scene to scene betray a cinematographer's sensitivity, proven to get affordable effect in three dimensional. Images from the Eiffel Tower, the Sacre-Coeur along with other Parisian landmarks blend using the film's wet weather designs to create this an abnormally lovely, melancholy mash note towards the Town of Lights. Voicework around the British-language version examined was topnotch, with Paradis' musical perf the obvious standout. (Color/B&W, three dimensional) editor, Pascal Cheve music, M, Patrice Renson music supervisor, Alexandre Mahout production designer, Francois Moret art director, Neil Ross animation director, Fabrice Joubert primary figures designer, Carlos Leon set design supervisor, Sebastien Piquet primary figures modeler, Michel Guillemain seem (DTS/Dolby Digital), Samy Bardet, Thierry Lebon, Nicolas Stretta seem designer, Bardet effects supervisor, Laurent Gillet visual effects supervisor, Jo Plaete stereographer, Rodolphe Chabrier assistant director, Bertrand Schutz. Examined at Toronto Film Festival (TIFF Kids), Sept. 10, 2011. (Also in Busan Film Festival -- Open Cinema.) Running time: 90 MIN. Contact Justin Chang at justin.chang@variety.com

Exex get turn at N.Y. Comic Disadvantage

An admirer poses as Spiderman in the 2009 NY Comic Disadvantage this year's event begins Thursday. It's not hard to mock the fans that flock to Comic-Cons across the nation. However it works out executives in the firms that concentrate on the Comic-Disadvantage crowd are simply as socially awkward.When NY Comic Disadvantage begins Thursday, another gathering will occur within the same halls from the Javits Center from the professionals that produce the flicks, Television shows, videogames, comicbooks, toys and mobile applications being over-blown in the show.Online e-newsletter GeekChicDaily, Chris Hardwick's Nerdist Industries, worldwide TV market MipTV and ReedPop will host Whitened Space like a summit for executives within the popular culture biz to satisfy and discuss methods to collaborate on future projects and find out more about the crowd they are attempting to entertain."Popular culture and genre continues to be so prevalent but there's still difficult to figure out ways to have interaction among aspects of the,Inch GeekChicDaily founder and Boss Peter Levin told Variety. "We felt like assembling senior level professionals who might not mix each other peoples pathways within the biggest media market, with NY Comic Disadvantage like a backdrop, will be a compelling offer. It is a Comic-Disadvantage for that industry."For instance, Whitened Space's coordinators want comicbook marketers to think about growing their game titles by hooking up with mobile application designers or game marketers, or have toy producers discuss dealing with content designers previously within the development process."You will find a myriad of methods of the exploitation of qualities that are not happening," Levin stated.For a long time, Levin have been urged through the development of occasions like North Park Comic-Disadvantage, which now tops 126,000 participants every year, and also the buzz and head lines produced through the fanfest. But he's also seen how brands have overspent to increase over the noise and obtain their marketing messages heard.Exactly the same industries "also have become a tad too fraternal and incestuous," Levin stated. "The idea that digital comics posting continues to be seen as an promotion of retail sales of graphic books and comicbooks is old thinking."NY Comic Disadvantage, running Thursday through Sunday, is anticipated to draw in around 100,000 participants.ReedPOP is really a division of Reed Displays, operated by Reed Elsevier (which is the owner of Variety), while MipTV is possessed by Reed Midem, also a part of Reed Displays. Contact Marc Graser at marc.graser@variety.com

Sky Italia hits 5 mil customers

ROME -- News Corp.'s Italo paybox Sky Italia has surpassed 5 million customers, a milestone recommended as boding well for more growth, because the satcaster steps up competition with local rival Mediaset. Since starting in 2003, as Italy's single pay TV player, Sky Italia continues to be broadening its content to incorporate more local productions, and walking up innovation. It lately began streaming live TV to tablet products and released Sky3D, the nation's first 24-hour three dimensional funnel. Sky Italia competes with Mediaset's Premium pay TV offering on digital terrestrial, released strongly, cheaper, in 2008. Mediaset this past year had revenue of two.77 billion pounds ($3.7 billion), while Sky Italia had sales of two.63 billion pounds ($3.5 billion), based on the country's telco regulator. However Sky Italia surpassed Mediaset in revenue in the earlier 2 yrs, the regulator stated. Both Sky Italia and Mediaset lately restored their three-season handles Italy's Serie A soccer league. "Inside a challenging market, Personally i think certain that we could grow by ongoing to purchase creativeness and innovation," stated Sky Italia Boss Andrea Zappia inside a statement. News Corp. in August named Zappia as Sky Italia topper to exchange Tom Mockridge, the manager who been successful Rebekah Brooks as mind of their U.K. newspaper division, News Worldwide, following a phone-hacking scandal. "Sky happens to be a forward-searching company and that we stand today better placed to develop than in the past,Inch stated James Murdoch, who's Sky Italia chairman and News Corp.'s deputy chief operating officer. Contact Nick Vivarelli at nvivarelli@gmail.com

Ty Pennington Jumps On Board The Revolution for ABC Daytime

Ty Pennington Ty Pennington will make it work alongside Project Runway's Tim Gunn on ABC's upcoming daytime show The Revolution, the network announced Monday. The longtime host of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition also joins fitness and nutrition expert Harley Pasternak on the daily program about health and lifestyle transformations. Specifically, The Revolution aims to help viewers in the areas of family, fashion, home design, personal finance, food, jobs and overall well-being. Can The Revolution work the same magic? Check out the most dramatic celebrity weight loss "Ty's passionate and deep connection to everyone he helps makes him the perfect choice to join The Revolution," Disney/ABC television group's president of daytime, Brian Frons, said in a statement. "The energy he brings with him is an excellent complement to our previously named hosts, Tim Gunn and Harley Pasternak. Our goal is to include inspiring and informative motivators as we build The Revolution team and continue to evolve our lineup with the type of lifestyle programming that daytime viewers are interested in seeing." The Revolution is produced by 3Ball Productions, the same company behind The Biggest Loser and Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition. The show will replace departing soap One Life to Live on ABC's daytime schedule and is set to premiere in January 2012. Will you tune in for The Revolution?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Full Movie

Italian Appeals Court Clears Amanda Knox Of Murder

First Released: October 3, 2011 4:59 PM EDT Credit: AFP/Getty Images Caption Amanda Knox responds in the announce from the verdict of her appeal trial within the Meredith Kercher murder, Perugia, Italia, on October 3, 2011PERUGIA, Italia -- An Italian appeals court put out Amanda Knoxs murder conviction Monday and purchased the youthful American freed after nearly 4 years imprisonment for that dying of her British roommate. Knox flattened in tears following the verdict knocking over her 2009 conviction was read out. Her co-defendant, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, also was removed of killing 21-year-old Meredith Kercher in 2007. The Kercher family looked on grimly and a little dazed because the verdict was read by the judge after 11 hrs of eliberations through the eight-member jury. Outdoors the courthouse, a few of the 100s of experts yelled Shame, shame! Yet within the frescoed court docket, Knoxs parents, who've regularly traveled using their home in Dallas to Perugia to go to the 24-year-old in the last 4 years, hugged their lawyers and cried with pleasure. Weve been awaiting this for 4 years, stated among Sollecitos lawyers, Giulia Bongiorno. The judge upheld Knoxs conviction on the control of slander for accusing bar owner Diya Patrick Lumumba of undertaking the killing. He set the sentence at 3 years, meaning for time offered. Knox has been around prison since November. 6, 2007. Prosecutors can appeal the acquittal to Italys greatest court. There is not sure late Monday when they planned to do this. In Dallas, in regards to a dozen Knox supporters were overjoyed that they continues to be removed from the murder conviction. Shes free! and that we made it happen! they yelled in a hotel where they viewed a legal court proceedings on television. Earlier Monday, Knox tearfully told a legal court she didn't kill her roommate. Knox frequently paused for breath and fought against back tears as she spoke in Italian towards the eight people from the jury inside a packed court docket, but handled to keep her composure throughout the ten-minute address. Ive lost a buddy within the worst, most brutal, most inexplicable possible way, she stated from the 2007 murder of Kercher, who shared a condo with Knox once they were both students in Perugia. Im having to pay with my existence for stuff that I didnt do. Knox and Sollecito, Knoxs former boyfriend from Italia, were charged last year of sexually attacking and killing Kercher, who had been stabbed to dying in her own bed room. Knox was sentenced to 26 years imprisonment, Sollecito to 25. Both of them deny wrongdoing. I never hurt anybody, never during my existence, Sollecito stated Monday in the own speech towards the jury. 100s of eager experts collected outdoors the courthouse in front of the long awaited announcement, joining television vans which have been camped out for over a week. A hundred reporters were being permitted in to the undercover court docket. Experts lined the road resulting in the courthouse, taking photos because the two vans transporting Knox and Sollecito in the prison towards the court went by. Kerchers mother, sister along with a brother traveled to Perugia for that verdict. They'd expressed worry over the potential of an acquittal but told reporters as deliberations were arrived they wished the jury would perform the right factor and never be affected through the medias target the situation. As lengthy because they decide today based purely around the information at hand plus they dont consider the media hype, I believe justice is going to be found, the sufferers sister, Stephanie Kercher, told reporters. She stated the household was pleased with the initial decisions. She lamented that Meredith have been most forgotten in media circus all around the situation, with news photos more often showing Knox and Sollecito than Mez the sufferers nickname. Its tough to keep her memory alive in most of the, she stated. The household, however, stated it might comprehend the Knox familys media campaign. They fully have confidence in her innocence. You cannot blame them for your, stated Lyle Kercher, the sufferers brother. Nevertheless its clearly hard for all of us. Because the verdict was broadcast live, 100s of reporters and camera deck hands filled the subterranean, frescoed court docket before Knoxs address, while police outdoors cordoned from the entrance towards the tribunal. The trial has fascinated audiences worldwide: Knox and Sollecito have been charged of killing Meredith with what the low court stated had begun like a drug-fueled sexual assault. Knox was adamant Monday that they had nothing related to the murder which Kercher would be a friend who had been always nice to her. Gesticulating, sometimes gripping her hands together, the American stated she's always wanted justice for Kercher. She'd her bed room alongside mine, she was wiped out within our own apartment. If I used to be there that evening, I'd be dead, Knox stated. But I wasn't there. I didn't kill. I didn't rape. I didn't steal. I wasnt there, Knox stated. Following the morning court session, Knox was using the prison chapel, playing guitar and singing as she looked forward to the verdict, based on an Italian lawmaker who visited her imprisonment Monday. They are clearly probably the most difficult hrs, Rocco Girlanda, that has headed an offer in Italia meant for Knox, told The Connected Press. Time never appears to pass through. Also charged in separate proceedings was Rudy Hermann Guede, a little-time drug dealer and drifter who spent the majority of his existence in Italia after coming here from his native Ivory Coast. Guede was charged inside a separate fast-track procedure and saw his sentence cut to 16 years in the final appeal. Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito believe Guede was the only killer, however the prosecution along with a lawyer for that Kercher family state that bruises and deficiencies in defensive wounds on Kerchers body prove that there is several aggressor holding her into submission. Knox stated she'd simply a passing acquaintance with Guede, who performed basketball in a court close to the house, and didnt know his title. Sollecito, who addressed a legal court before Knox, told jurors he would never know Guede whatsoever. Sollecito was anxious because he addressed a legal court, shifting because he spoke and preventing to sip water. He stated just before the November. 1, 2007 murder would be a happy time for him, he was near to protecting his thesis to finish college coupled with just met Knox. The weekend Kercher was killed was the very first the happy couple planned to invest together in tenderness and cuddles, he stated. In the finish of his 17-minute address, Sollecito required off a whitened rubber bracelet imprinted with Free Amanda and Raffaele he stated he's been putting on for 4 years. I have not taken them back. Many feelings are concentrated within this bracelet, he stated. Now I wish to pay homage towards the court. As soon as to remove it has showed up. Copyright 2011 by Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Century of Birthing (Siglo ng pagluluwal)

A Sine Olivia Pilipinas presentation. Created by Lav Diaz, Ough Gallardo. Directed, written, edited by Lav Diaz.With: Angel Aquino, Perry Dizon, Joel Torre, Hazel Orencio, Angeli Bayani, Betty Uy-Regala, Roeder Camanag. (Tagalog, British dialogue)Filipino maestro Lav Diaz is constantly on the push, push and reinvent his personal yet universal cinema with "Century of Birthing." A comparatively video clip for Diaz at two minutes shy of six hrs, this saga follows the parallel tales of the waiting filmmaker artist (Perry Dizon) along with a lady inside a quasi-Christian cult (Angel Aquino), serving up applying for grants matters of belief, creation and freedom that ultimately skew inside a more hopeful direction than a few of the helmer's recent epics. Brave fests will register. What sets "Century of Birthing" aside from Diaz's other films concerning the Filipino national awareness is when he includes his impending feature "Lady of Wind" in to the narrative. Poor this fiction, that film may be the work of Homer (Dizon), proven editing the reduced-res video images on his computer. Most importantly, however, Homer is not intended to be viewed as Diaz's doppelganger, and simple evaluations with Fellini's alter ego Guido in "8 1/2" could be simplistic and wrong-headed. You will find two apparent variations: Homer seems to have not had, and not may have, an element within the Venice and Toronto film festivals, where "Century of Birthing" released its worldwide fest circuit travels and Homer can't appear to complete what he begins, the polar complete opposite of the highly productive and prolific Diaz. Homer is befriended and somewhat hounded with a female poet friend (Betty Uy-Regala), whose pretentiousness makes Homer's mentioned belief within the energy of cinema seem comparatively modest. Because he sweats over "Lady of Wind," "Birthing" also concentrates on Sister Angela (Aquino), among a good circle of ladies around cult leader Father Tiburcio (Joel Torre). Diaz films their various religious rituals, one of these offers the pic's opening scene, without irony or intended ridicule while Father Tiburcio works out to become a vain madman and harsh autocrat, the pic observes the audience having a striking neutrality that enables audiences to reach their very own conclusions. More pointedly, a nosey digital photographer (Roeder Camanag) has weaseled his way to the cult's property (this really is not even close to Waco, Texas, and there is nary a guard or gun around the corner), and also the film uses him to request uncomfortable questions regarding using your camera to illustrate people, and just how close the observer can rightfully arrive at the observed. A lot more than in a previous Diaz film, the existence of your camera turns into a rather dark symbol from the uses and abuses of cinema, along with Homer's editing suite. Very progressively, these opposite mobile phone industry's eventually intersect inside a surprising and satisfying denouement occur the countryside under a massive sky. Once Homer decides to escape his rather shoddy studio, and encounters some figures outdoors from the city, the film changes to large tableaux and time-bending sequences that turn the figures into mythic figures a la Diaz's "Dying within the Land of Encantos." The DCP projection in Toronto was marred by a particularly raw, fairly unmixed soundtrack, with much intrusive outdoors and ambient seem muddying the audio filmmakers noted this is fixed later on tests. Diaz's black-and-whitened lensing is well composed, together with his signature wide-position lengthy shots firmly intact while nothing in Diaz's movies ever moves terribly fast, the person shots listed here are generally more briefly held than individuals in the previous work. Unconfirmed reviews circulated in Toronto that Diaz is planning an eight-hour version, although the narrative appears quite complete and fully rounded at nearly six.Camera (B&W, DV), Diaz music, Diaz production designer, Perry Dizon, Hazel Orencio, Dante Perez seem (stereo system), Diaz. Examined at Toronto Film Festival (Visions), Sept. 15, 2011. (Also in Venice Film Festival -- Horizons.) Running time: 358 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com