NBCs The Voice Wins Music Competition Series Grammy Showdown

NBC’s The Voice acquired boasting rights tonight as all 4 of the music artist coaches received Grammy nominations: 4 for Cee Lo Eco-friendly, 2 each for Blake Shelton and Christina Aguilera then one for Adam Levine’s band Maroon 5 (it's for your group’s collaboration with Aguilera Moves Like Jagger). In contrast, no idol idol judges in the other signing competition series, like the Voice‘s primary rivals The The American Idol Show Show as well as the X Factor, showed up only one nomination. The present crop of yank Idol participants also not successful to earn recognition even though series’ 2 best-selling alums, Barbara Underwood and Kelly Clarkson acquired a nom each, as did another star from the reality competition, Susan Boyle of Simon Cowell’s Britain’s Got Talent.

On Given Time

A Screen Australia, Screen Nsw presentation from the Frontline Films production, in colaboration with Australian Broadcasting Corp. (Worldwide sales: Frontline Films, Wilsons Creek.) Produced by David Bradbury. Executive producer, Jeni McMahon. Directed by David Bradbury. Put together by Bradbury, Mike Rubbo.With: Paul Cox, David Wenham, Gosia Dobrowolska, Philip Adams, Bob Ellis, Julia Blake, Terry Norris, Tony Llewllyn-Manley, David Stratton, John Clarke, Chris Haywood, Aden Youthful, Wendy Hughes, Bob Manley. Narrator: David Wenham.A premature eulogy becomes an engaging celebration of Euro-flavored, Oz-based vet auteur Paul Cox in "On Given Time." Helmed by Oscar-nominated documentarian David Bradbury ("Frontline," "Nicaragua: No Parasan"), pic captures both charmer as well as the curmudgeon behind the digital camera while representing Cox's watch for liver transplant. Multiple collaborators testify for the film-maker's genius, while clips of other nutritional foods from "Guy of Flowers" to "Innocence" catch the arty essence of his work. An all-natural setup for Cox retrospectives or Oz sidebars, the docu is guaranteed fest-circuit berths. Pubcasters may even need a look. Pic begins getting a withered Cox writing a memoir to feed time because they waits for an additional person along with his rare blood stream type to die and donate their liver. Getting a frank, apparent-eyed calm about his cancer, the Nederlander-elevated septuagenarian helmer cuts a dignified figure while he reflects on his past and also the impending dying. Monitoring his subject's visits with a Melbourne hospital for treatment over several several days, Bradbury unobtrusively augments the medical waiting game with celebratory interviews. Loyal thesps and regular players, including Wendy Hughes, Chris Haywood and longtime muse Gosia Dobrowolska, all marvel within the collision of order and chaos that characterizes Cox's shoots. Reminiscences focus much more about the man rather than on his work, though high-quality productions within the director's eighties heyday, including searing film a clef "My First Wife," are prominent. An appetizing number of clips nails the emotional intensity, trippy experimentation and austere great factor about Cox's capital-A arthouse features. Docu can get beyond pure hagiography with affectionate glimpses of Cox's cantankerous side. The gist in the auteur's personality is made clear by his onetime producer Philip Adams ("Lonely Hearts"), who recalls the director spoke of "integrity" as if he was really the only individual that been there. Cox's sole large-budget film, "Molokai," featuring David Wenham (who narrates the docu) alongside Peter O'Toole and Kris Kristofferson, is overlooked just like a debacle destroyed by philistine producers. Nevertheless the docu also discloses the director's hypersensitivity to critique longtime Cox supporter and former Variety critic David Stratton relates the fiery response he got after filing a bad summary of "Salvation," while thesp Aden Youthful (who edited "Salvation") laughs about being physically attacked by Cox when the two stood a disagreement while keeping focused on 1994's "Exile." Bradbury's contemplative sights of Cox's Melbourne milieu capture the city's gritty appeal and effectively mimic the helmer's Euro-styled eye. A 60-minute tube version is ready for Oz broadcast, nevertheless the enjoyable 87-minute length already seems short.Camera (color, HD), Bradbury editors, Lindi Harrison, Andrew Arestides music, David Lewis art director, Allan Moore appear, Bradbury. Examined at Cinema 1, Chauvel Cinema, Paddington, Sydney, November. 23, 2011. In Queensland Film Festival.) Running time: 87 MIN. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

'Shame' Red Band Trailer: Michael Fassbender Brings Sex to the Subway (Video)

Jojo Whilden/ Lionsgate Lionsgate has been sued by a consulting firm that alleges it is owed money for services provided to help its slate of films garner Academy Award nominations. The work is said to have resulted in an Oscar nod for Nicole Kidman in the best actress category for Rabbit Hole, and the firm says it is entitled to $61,500 plus interest.our editor recommendsNicole Kidman, Director Philip Noyce Set for 'My Wild Life' (AFM 2011) PHOTOS: 2011 Oscars Red Carpet The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court earlier this month by CBB Consulting, which says it was contracted in August 2010 to provide logistical services in advance of awards season. Per the agreement, CBB was to get $12,000 per month from August until the Academy Awards telecast in late February. The agreement provided a right to terminate with five days written notice. On November 1 2010, Lionsgate allegedly informed CBB of its intention to terminate. According to the complaint, the explanation given was "financial reasons." (At the time, the studio was battling investor Carl Icahn for control of the company.) PHOTOS: 2011 Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon However, CBB says that no written notice was given and that the reasons cited weren't permissible in the opt-out provision, which stated that the parties were allowed to cancel in the event of "any change in business form, management or organization or any other occurrences materially frustrates this intent." CBB now claims it is owed $42,000 for unpaid services. In addition, the firm claims $12,000 more damages as a promised fee for handing over an updated draft of an Academy members mailing list. Finally, CBB says it's due $7,500 as a promised bonus for Kidman's nomination. According to the agreement, CBB was to get $5,000 for an Oscar nomination (which Kidman got) and $2,500 for any Guild nomination (Kidman got a Screen Actors Guild nod as well). PHOTOS: Top 10 SAG Awards Red Carpet Looks We've reached out to Lionsgate for comment and will update with a response. E-mail: eriqgardner@yahoo.com Twitter: @eriqgardner PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 2011 Oscars Red Carpet Nicole Kidman Oscars Rabbit Hole

Parks and Rec: Kathryn Hahn to Recur Louis C.K. Coming back

Kathryn Hahn Kathryn Hahn is really a free agent no more. Under two several weeks after NBC axed her newcomer comedy, Free Agents, Hahn has nabbed a recurring role on Parks and Entertainment like a political operative, TVLine reviews. NBC cancels Free Agents Hahn's character works best for another candidate within the race for City Council, which includesLeslie (Amy Poehler).Additionally, Parks and Entertainment can also be getting backLeslie's cop ex-boyfriend, Dork, performed by Louis C.K. The Louie star made an appearance in a number of episodes at the start of Season 2 before his character was moved to North Park. Watch full instances of Parks and Entertainment Hahn's first episode will air at the begining of 2012, as will Louis C.K.'s return. Are you currently excited to determine Hahn and Amy Poehler go face to face? Are you currently glad Louis C.K. is returning?

Ask Matt: Parks and Recreation, The Office, Arrested Development, and More!

Amy Poehler Send questions to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter!Question: Now that we are about at the mid-season break for shows, I have been thinking about which returning shows are having the best, most satisfying seasons. Fringe, Castle, Community and Bones are at the top of my list, but I have to single out Parks and Recreation as the best returning show. I wasn't sure Parks and Rec could sustain the consistently funny run it had last season, but it has easily lived up to the expectations of Season 3. I think what has made this season even better is the addition of truly touching moments that were not showcased in past seasons. I think it has grounded the show and highlighted just how big-hearted it is (overlooking the treatment of Jerry, of course). Also, Parks and Recreation has accomplished something few shows can do: making fans unanimously root for the show's main couples: Ben and Leslie, Andy and April. I don't think I can heap enough accolades onto this wonderfully written and acted show.The show that has surprised me the most is The Office. I thought it was going to be as horrible as the end of last season was. But the addition of James Spader, and Andy becoming regional manager, seem to have breathed new life into this show. I really enjoy Robert California and his spot-on view of the Dunder-Mifflin folks. The speech he gave during the Halloween episode was fantastic. Andy was a great choice to succeed Michael Scott because he is (slightly) more adept at being regional manager, but we still get the goofball nature of classic Michael Scott. What are your picks for best returning shows? Do you think The Office is much better than you thought? - Amy CMatt Roush: Community is still my favorite NBC Thursday comedy - congrats by the way on winning the Fan Favorite contest! - but Parks and Rec isn't far behind. The turning point for me came with the addition of Adam Scott and (to a lesser degree) Rob Lowe. Ben in particular, as a love interest for Leslie who gives us an outsider's perspective on Pawnee without giving up his nerd cred, has been a huge plus. And much like life itself, the show has figured out pairings that make the most comedic sense, including Andy and April and even former golden-girl Ann's awkwardness around Chris since he moved on. But I wasn't that keen on Tom's subplot for the first part of the season - he's like the Dwight of this show; he irritates more than amuses me - and the whole Entertainment 720 misadventure felt like such extreme pandering it once again made me wonder where in the world of Indiana a town like Pawnee is supposed to be. Which brings me to the returning show that I feel is having the best (if much less heralded) season: ABC's The Middle, which feels so authentic in its comedy about the hectic messiness of a working-class family's life, where there's never enough to get by, and yet they do, despite their kids' aggravating eccentricities (and Poor Sue's inability to succeed at anything) and the parents' inclination to just let things slide. As who doesn't? The Middle is brilliantly funny, but apparently not "hip" or ironic enough to factor into many critics' discussion of TV's best comedies.As for The Office, I'm afraid I'm not on board these days. It feels awfully played out to me on just about every level. There are clever moments, as there always have been, and I appreciate that James Spader hasn't been allowed to take over the show, instead insinuating himself into the group with perversely sly mind games. No slight on Ed Helms, but Andy as the new manager just seems to be striking the same note of needy insecurity every week. This is a case where I feel NBC needs the show more than we do anymore.Want more Matt Roush? Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!Question: Well, Matt, the big news seems more official the more of it we get. They're actually going to make more Arrested Development. And it's even better news than we could have dreamed of! There's been movie talk forever, but we actually get a short season in addition to the film? It's incredible! It's amazing! It's got me filled with apprehension! Yes, apprehension. See, I'm of the camp that Arrested Development is probably the greatest sitcom of all time. It rewards repeat viewings like crazy and it never stops being hilarious. I love the show. I eagerly started following the career of Mitch Hurwitz, so eager to see what he might come up with next. Then I saw what he came up with next. Sit Down, Shut Up, for one example. Running Wilde for another - I actively awaited its death so that the talented cast could be free again to do something quality (yay for Up All Night). So, we're getting more AD, and I should be thrilled, but I am scared that whatever magic happened during those three great seasons was nothing more than a fluke. Maybe I'm putting too much on Hurwitz' shoulders, and the success of the series was truly collaborative, which makes sense. In that vein, I hope they get everyone back on this production, down to the slightest grip. That grip may have been magic. What do you think, Matt? I know you think the series ended perfectly, which may make this return to the world superfluous, but I doubt we'll be griping if it's also excellent. Are you excited? Any trepidation there? - BradMatt Roush: First, thanks for a very amusing take on the situation. Insightful, too, because what you see in following Hurwitz' post-Arrested career is just how difficult it can be to line up all the elements to create magic again. Arrested Development is one of those rare happenings where everyone was working on such a high level of deranged genius that it's hard not to be apprehensive about the long-delayed next chapter. Still, from all we hear, the passion for everyone to get their Bluth on again is what's driving this never-ending story of cult resurrection. I would like to think they wouldn't be doing it if they couldn't do it right; they certainly aren't doing it for the money, given that most everyone (in the cast, anyway) has moved on to much more success elsewhere. Far be it from me to rain on their parade at this juncture, so let's root them on for now. I honestly never thought it would get to this point, and I suppose given the nature of the beast it makes sense for the show to be returning under the experimental auspices of this out-of-the-box Netflix deal.Question: Person of Interest is a different kind of show and I am hooked. Paige Turco as Zoe opposite Jim Caviezel's Reese intrigued me. Will we see her again on the show? I hope so. I enjoyed their matching personalities and thought the chemistry was great. - BillMatt Roush: The episode with Paige Turco (which was repeated Sunday night) was my favorite to date of the season as well, for many of the same reasons. Loved her character and attitude, but the way the instantly smitten and understandably impressed Reese responded to her made it even more enjoyable. (And made him seem a little more human, which was a bonus.) There's no confirmation yet about her return to the show, but I would think it's inevitable. It's clear they're building a world of characters - some good like Turco, some bad like Enrico Colantoni's deceptively lethal Elias - who will likely recur along the way, which seems necessary for a show with so few regular characters.Question: I have a question regarding CSI: NY and Blue Bloods. Have the producers of the shows thought about doing a crossover episode? Since both take place in NYC and are on back-to-back, it would be really cool to see. - MarniMatt Roush: I haven't heard of any such plans, which doesn't mean it won't happen, but should it never come to pass, there are a few logical explanations. One being that they are produced on separate coasts: Blue Bloods on location in and around NY City, and while CSI: NY does on occasion shoot in the city, its primary base of operations is Los Angeles. Plus the shows are run by completely separate production/writing teams, and coordinating these kinds of crossovers are complicated, even for shows within the same franchise. But most essentially, given the prominence of Blue Bloods' Reagan family within the NYPD establishment, it's probably best for CSI: NY to pretend they don't exist, so on those occasions when the crime lab interacts with the top brass, we're not presented with unnecessary continuity problems.Question: I do enjoy watching Terra Nova most of the time. It is still on my DVR, and considering my shows have decreased off my DVR dramatically, I am keen on wonder what is going to happen next with Lt. Taylor and his "past" as we found out a lot last week. However, there is something about Terra Nova that is missing. It might be the lame "family"-oriented parts or the "build-up" to certain situations that never actually live up to it. I like how the show does answer some questions already like "What were the drawings on those rocks from the premiere?" which was answered last week. Overall, though, I am slightly disappointed on the outcome of the show and hope it excels better in the second half of the season. I will keep watching it for now, but is there any push for a second season as of now or do you believe ratings are too bad right now to even consider it? Also, I see there is a lot of "hype" I am reading regarding Alcatraz. Considering it is from the producers of Lost, and an all-star cast, would you recommend this show to give it a try? - MikeMatt Roush: Just to make things clear, there won't be a "second half" to Terra Nova's season, which wraps Dec. 19 with a two-hour finale, comprising 13 hours in all. I still think, given how long it took to get this show on its feet and how much they've invested in it, that Fox will give it a second full season to figure out such things as tone (balancing family schmaltz against sci-fi adventure, for instance) and the mythology that bridges the prehistoric settlement and what's going on back in 2149. I thought last week's episode, with all of its reveals about Taylor and his son, was one of the season's strongest, so maybe these last few episodes will continue to turn things around creatively. As for Alcatraz, it's been several months since I viewed the very high-concept pilot, but it is intriguing and different enough for me to say with confidence that if you're curious to check it out, you probably should.Question: After reading the Nov. 21st "Ask Matt" column, I had to respond to Dorothy's surprise at NCIS: LA's Sam having a wife and family. As a viewer since the beginning, I remember Sam's family being mentioned before, so seeing them wasn't a surprise to me. What surprised me, however, was the emotional punch in seeing Sam go home to his wife after the mission. Seeing Sam's heaviness of heart as he slipped back into his real life created an incredibly poignant ending. It was a reminder of the stakes that governmental agents face during these missions, and it's nice to see a character who has progressed into a relatable phase of life, even though that is not the focus of the show. We rarely see characters in these types of shows (White Collar excluded) that have spouses and families. Although I don't want these shows to delve too deeply into the personal lives of their agents, it was nice to have that little nugget. It's something Shane Brennan and his team at both of the NCIS shows do well, and as a fan of both, I appreciate those little moments that give depth to the shows. - GinaMatt Roush: I don't expect everyone to have an encyclopedic knowledge of every show they watch - since I know I don't - so it's understandable when there's confusion or an unexpected emotional response when something like this aspect of a character's life is shown so directly for the first time. Your reaction is testimony to the fact that restraint can be a good thing and leads to effective payoffs when the timing and story are right.Question: OMG what a game changer on Showtime's Homeland. When the man walked in and saw Brody on the couch ... holy cow, that was 10 different types of amazing. I am pleased Homeland seems to be getting so much correct in keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. It reminds me of the early days of Lost where we didn't know where it was going and when it took a turn, we held on to our seats like we were on Space Mountain. I just hope they don't mess it up by trying to do too much. Cause this is something I can see getting into for the next few years. Damian Lewis, Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin are incredible. - JessicaMatt Roush: Hoping you liked this week's episode revealing more of Brody's back story, which didn't have as many shocking twists as some of the more recent episodes, but sustained the ambiguity of Brody's character and intentions very nicely. Homeland seems to know what it's doing, but I have no idea how far they're going with the story by the end of the first season, though if they haven't "messed it up" by now, I think we're OK at least in the long term. Agreed on the actors. They're living up to the writing, which is already pretty astonishing.Question: I just wanted to let you know that I completely agree with your feelings on Bones. I have loved the show since the beginning, and while I was nervous about the pregnancy angle, I find myself enjoying this season much more than I had been lately. I think it adds a new dimension to these characters both individually and with how they relate to each other. I think it opens up many more storylines and I'm excited to see where it goes, hopefully on to an eighth season. - MeganMatt Roush: Given how well Bones is performing this season, I can't imagine it not returning for at least another year or more. Wanted to lead with this letter, given that we're just coming off a long Thanksgiving weekend. Because we're also heading into what sounds like a winter of discontent. Read on.Question: I have been a big fan and follower of your column. I may not always agree with you, but your response to a fan's question really bothered me. In regards to Bones, I have to say that this is not about the "pregnancy" or the shipper aspect of the show. My primary concern is with the character of Brennan. You stated in your response about Brennan being too weird to be in a normal relationship but that she has a steep learning curve. This is what has annoyed me about the show this past year and why I now watch something else. Brennan is now clueless and used more as comic relief than anything else. Each episode Brennan has to learn a lesson. She is portrayed as "heartless" in some instances, insensitive almost always, and seems to have no connection with anyone. This was not the case when the show started. Yes, she has issues but she did have relationships. Her scenes with the professor in the first season and her relationship with Sully both show that she connected emotionally with people. She has empathized with children over the seasons and developed a bond with the baby in that one episode. Last season in the episode with the deaf girl, it was true Brennan.However, Brennan now has to learn every week and change to be worthy of love from Booth, and apparently everyone else. Even this past episode, Brennan kept referring to Baby Michael as Angela's son when she was talking to Booth. Brennan always uses names, even with all of the suspects and victims so why would she not use a name when talking about her best friend's son. She is now being written as this robotic scientist who has to be told how to be human. I watched this show because Brennan was a strong, independent, intelligent, sometimes flawed woman. However, now she is almost cringeworthy at times. I no longer enjoy watching this Temperance Brennan because she has regressed even further beyond what she was when the show started. Critics just think that fans are unhappy with the show because they missed out on the romance. Many of the original fans are just as upset about the characterization of Brennan. Not every woman watches the show to gush over David Boreanaz or watch for the shipper scenes. Having them together is great. But to do this only by sacrificing the essence of Brennan is depressing. Hart Hanson will blame it on the "Moonlighting Curse." For me the downfall of the show is making the lead actress fit more in with The Big Bang Theory or even Michael Scott from The Office. This show has really turned into more of a comedy, and the lead is usual the biggest "joke" of the episodes now.To be really fair, they need to balance the show. Booth has many issues and could stand to change some of his views. Yes, there is more story to tell. It just seems like that story is about Brennan "coming around" to Booth's normal view of life. From the way the show is written now, what would he even see in her? So I guess you too have been entertained and won over by the producers. If you read the boards, you will learn that the "dumbing" down of Brennan has cost this show some original viewers. I guess this is what their market research indicates is what viewers like. It is just not the Temperance Brennan that was so respected in earlier seasons and the character that Emily Deschanel speaks about in her interviews. I don't think this is the character she worked so hard to develop. I don't think this is the message she was sending to young girls. Unfortunately, I can't sit back and laugh at this new Brennan. I can switch to The Office for that. Actually, the women on Grey's Anatomy are now much stronger female characters. As soap opera as it is, they at least stay true to who they are. - ElaineMatt Roush: You make some interesting and fair points, but for the record, I was responding to a question specifically about the relationship aspect of the show. My opinion on Bones is general has nothing to do with being "won over by the producers" and certainly nothing to do with what's being written in the echo chamber of message boards. And as for the character of Brennan, it's entirely possible my memory of the show from its earliest days way back in 2005 is cloudy, but there have always been anomalies and inconsistencies with the character, including her introduction as a best-selling author who seemed to have absolutely no clue about anything in the popular culture and an anthropologist who seemed as detached from ordinary human behavior and interaction as (to borrow one of your analogies) Big Bang's Sheldon Cooper. She has grown on me over the years, and while it's hardly surprising that some fans have drifted away from the show for any number of reasons - only NCIS seems to be able to hold onto its massive base year after year - I don't see all that much erosion, especially considering its challenging time period. The wisdom of the pregnancy storyline is open for debate, of course, but how they're handling it doesn't bother me.Question: Twice in a recent American Horror Story, the show cut abruptly to commercial in the middle of a scene. It first happened when the burned dude came to the Open House, and then later when Constance visited the not-Persian guy. Both times, there was an abrupt cut to commercial in the middle of the scene and when the show returned (abruptly), it was in the middle of a different scene. It happened at least once during the Halloween episode (when Violet was on the beach with Tate), and in the "Piggy Piggy" episode as well, when Violet was down in the basement. What's going on? - TamelaMatt Roush: You've got me. I have the luxury (if that's the word) of getting advance screeners of most episodes of this series, so I think I've only watched one episode this season as it actually appeared on air, and that in DVR time delay. But from the pilot onward, I've found this to be a terribly and indulgently disjointed show that takes pride in its herky-jerky borderline incoherent editing - they probably see it as surreal - so it's possible these abrupt cuts were intentional. The screeners do indicate when the built-in commercial breaks are intended, and I don't remember them cutting the action off mid-scene or mid-sentence or whatever, although with this show, who can tell. So unless they're adding more breaks that disrupt the flow, your guess is as good as mine.Question: I enjoyed watching Flashpoint for the past two summers on CBS. Then I saw a TV Guide ad for the show saying "New network, New episodes." The ad said it would be on Ion Television, and I was surprised, because I noticed that CBS had put its studio name in Flashpoint's credits, so I thought that they were helping in producing Flashpoint. I don't know if they did or why CBS Studios was in the credits at the end of the show, if they weren't helping with Flashpoint. Will CBS still air another season of Flashpoint next summer, regardless of the show airing on Ion Television? Or is Ion Television taking the show's U.S. rights and CBS is done with Flashpoint altogether? I haven't seen any news on this, so the advertisement is my first learning of this news. - JustinMatt Roush: For the time being, you should consider Flashpoint an Ion exclusive. I don't entirely understand the logistics of the distribution or production deal for this show, but regarding its future on CBS, from all indications that has yet to be determined.That's all for now. Keep sending your comments and questions to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com, and in the meantime, follow me on Twitter!Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

Walter Doniger dies at 94

Writer, director and occasional producer Walter Doniger, who helmed numerous episodes of ABC's 1960s primetime soap "Peyton Place," died Thursday in Los Angeles. He was 94 and had Parkinson's disease. During the 1964-69 run of "Peyton Place," Doniger directed 64 episodes of the show, based on the successful movie of the same name and starring a young Ryan O'Neal. Doniger began his career working in film starting in the early 1940s, first penning "Mob Town," "Danger in the Pacific" (both for Universal) and Edgar G. Ulmer's "Jive Junction." During WWII the NYer helped make training films for the military. In 1949, after an absence of six years, he return to bigscreen work by writing Burt Lancaster starrer "Rope of Sand" and adapting Humphrey Bogart film "Tokyo Joe." Over the next several years he scripted films including Raoul Walsh's "Along the Great Divide," with Kirk Douglas; "Desperate Search"; Korean War re-creation "Cease Fire!"; and "Alaska Seas," with Robert Ryan. He also wrote, directed and produced "Duffy of San Quentin"; directed, co-scripted and co-produced "The Steel Cage"; wrote and helmed "The Steel Jungle." His last bigscreen script was for the 1957 Audie Murphy Western "The Guns of Fort Petticoat." By then he had transitioned to the smallscreen and was spending more time directing than writing. During the late 1950s Doniger helmed multiple episodes of "Cheyenne," "Conflict," "The Web," "Tombstone Territory," "Bold Venture," "The Rough Riders," "Bat Masterson" and "Men Into Space." In 1962 Doniger returned briefly to feature directing with a pair of films: "House of Women" and the baseball-themed "Safe at Home!," featuring Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris as themselves. With much of the next decade largely spent on "Peyton Place," Doniger directed episodes of "Kung Fu," "McCloud," Marcus Welby, M.D.," "Ellery Queen" and "Black Sheep Squadron," among other shows, during the 1970s. In 1983 he wrote, directed and produced the CBS telepic "Kentucky Woman," starring Cheryl Ladd and Ned Beatty. Doniger's last credit was as writer-exec producer of the 1991 action feature "Stone Cold," starring Brian Bosworth. He is survived by his wife, Susan Stafford Doniger. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Artist Director Michel Hazanavicius on Auteur Pride, Hollywood and Surviving the Awards Marathon

It was probably just a matter of time before French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius broke through in the United States: His OSS 117 diptych of spy spoofs had already acquired something of an international audience, and his curiosity about Hollywood has grown alongside his reputation. But no one — least of all Hazanavicius himself — likely foresaw him breaking through with The Artist. Which says more about our culture’s lack of vision than Hazanavicius’s own. After all, he was the one who conceived and executed an honest-to-goodness black-and-white silent film about George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a silent-era Hollywood superstar relegated to obscurity as talkies — led notably by George’s erstwhile co-star Peppy Miller (Brnice Bejo) — surge to the fore. The rest is history — or it will be history, anyway, if The Artist’s devotees continue mobilizing on its behalf in the awards race. Hazanavicius just made it look easy, though. He recently talked to Movieline about the untold challenges before, during and after making his masterpiece, up to and including what’s next for the artist behind The Artist. How are you holding up in the Artist marathon? It’s not so easy day after day from a personal point of view, because I have kids, and they’re in Paris, and I don’t see them enough. And a lot of the time you say the same kinds of things, and there’s just one subject of discussion — your own movie. It’s not so easy. But in another way, I don’t feel I have the right to complain, because it’s a good story for the movie. And the movie goes well. So I feel like a soldier serving the movie. A soldier for The Artist! Yes, in a way. So what’s the one question you’ve never been asked about The Artist that maybe you wish you’d been asked? Well, it’s not a question, but I feel like… To me, it’s really a director’s movie. And I could spend hours talking about how the line of the story is conceived — which image is important to understand, [or] how to understand at the end why we did that. All the complexity! It’s a very complex device, this movie. I know that the people who see it once, first they get the format. It’s a really strong experience of the format; they love everything because of the format. But I really don’t think they see the movie. I think they really enjoyed the experience of the silent movie. And that’s great. But I feel like I could spend more time talking about the complexity — the directing. It’s complex. How fundamentally different is making a silent film from making a sound film? They’re ultimately both visual storytelling, right? Yeah, but usually you try create some images when you’re doing a normal movie, yet you’re not attached to that. Sometimes you don’t need images. You know that a character can explain something. At one point in the movie, the action stops and people explain what’s going on. For example, there’s the professor in Back to the Future who says, “OK, this is where we are in the script.” You can’t have that [in a silent film]; you’re attached to images. It’s very different to have just that tool. It’s very freeing in a way, because I think the audience is really ready to accept some illustration of conflict, of feeling, of something — a visual illustration that they would not accept in a normal movie. For example, at one point, the character has a problem with himself. He thinks he acted bad. In the silent movie, he can argue with himself. You don’t usually do that in a normal movie. This is different. Your freedom is different. The limits are also different. You have to take another path to tell the story. George is also very proud, both as an actor and a filmmaker — which interferes with his ability to work and create. Is that an obstacle you’ve ever battled as a director, on set or otherwise? I think pride is a motivation… I don’t have the good word in English. An engine? A bad engine. Pride makes people move, and usually they make bad moves. In this case, pride moves him to create, but it also moves him to love. But in my case? I guess I’m like everybody. It makes me do some things. I try to fight against it, but, yeah. To what degree to you relate to George’s struggle against pride, if at all? Not too much, because [the reason] why George doesn’t want to do talking movies is about fear. I think he’s afraid of doing something else. He’s afraid of what might happen to his small enterprise. He’s selling himself — everything works well, and suddenly… [Hazanvicius’s mobile phone alights with a call from Bejo.] Annnnd right on cue! [Answering] Brnice? [Deploys a French phrase and hangs up.] I love it. So I think he’s afraid of changing. I can consider myself maybe proud, but I’m not afraid. Fear is really not something I consider when I’m working. My motivations are more about pleasure and desire. That’s what I’m looking for. I don’t really care about fear. Going back to the complexity of making this film, was there ever a specific scene moment where you thought, “Yes! We’ve got it!” Or on the contrary — a crisis of faith on the set, perhaps? Not on the set. During the writing process, yes. It’s the same every time. I don’t know anybody strong enough to not doubt. I mean, the only thing is what you do with the doubt. I think doubt can be very constructive, but it can also be destructive. So script after script, I try to use the doubt in a constructive way. For this it was a little different because all the markets say, “It’s not a doable movie. You cannot make this movie.” So you really feel alone for a long time with that kind of movie. Fortunately I met this wonderful producer, Thomas Langmann, who really has some panache. He’s been very supportive, and he gave me his confidence and pushed me in a good way. So I feel so overwhelmed. But when I was writing, this was really new — to write a silent movie. But I was watching things like City Lights by Charlie Chaplin, and that helped me a lot. When I was watching the movie, I thought, “I have to continue. There is a movie to make here.” How much of the struggle of making this movie is actually getting it to audiences? Is the principle struggle behind you, or is there more to come? The movie opened in France, and the figures are excellent. We don’t count in money, we count in seats. So to give you an example, for my last movies we did 2.3 million for the first one and 2.5 million for the second one. And that is a really big success. For this one I think we’re going to do between 1.8 million and 2 million — which is huge for any kind of movie. Imagine for a black-and-white silent movie! It’s just incredible. So I want it behind me, but in a way, everything that comes now is a plus. A plus, a plus, a plus. I have to say, I’m a really lucky guy, because there’s a lot of plus. I mean, I never pretended it would be the hugest success of the year. I can’t fight with Tintin. I can’t fight with some big, popular current comedy or some more easy movies. But the people who come into theaters, that’s the most important thing. When we are talking about the audience, we are talking about two kinds of audiences: The real audience is the person who is in the theater watching the movie. That’s the audience. And the other audience are the people in the street who potentially could come. But if they don’t, then they are not the audience. They are people. So what’s important for me is the audience — people who are in the theater. And so far, people who see the movie really enjoy it. For me, that’s important. I cannot force people to come. I know you have to make an effort to come see a black-and-white, silent, French movie with two unknown actors. I know you have to make an effort. But I can’t force people, and I can’t blame them if they decide not to come. What’s important to me is that people who come to see the movie, they enjoy it. What’s your favorite movie of this year? Or what have you seen that you really love? There are some. I really loved A Separation — the Iranian movie? I saw it in Paris. I think it’s a Hitchcockian drama, but so special and so accurate. Everything is so fantastic. The actors are fantastic. I was really impressed. I also loved Drive, I loved The Descendants. There are a lot of good movies. This year I didn’t have an opportunity to see a lot of them, because… You’ve been running around. Yeah. At least you’re running around at festivals, where conceivably, if you’re there long enough, you have a pretty good chance of seeing something good. I remember when I was at Cannes, I stayed three days, and it was three days of press. And when I was in Telluride, I saw Footnote, which is really good, and Descendants. But for other ones… Like, I had a chance to see Shame, but I’d have to leave the theater 20 minutes before the ending of the movie. So I said, “No way; I can see it later.” Toronto’s the same way; the schedule doesn’t always fit. Is that frustrating? Yeah, sure. Festivals are good for that: You see movies, and you meet people, and you meet the other directors. Usually you never meet. When you work, you meet D.P.’s and members of the crew, but they work with me. The director’s don’t. And I really love directors. I love to talk to them, to discuss. Having technically worked in Hollywood now, is returning your next step? Working in America, working on studio productions? Or do you want to just keep it small? I don’t have these kinds of geographic goals. I really love to work here, and I really loved to make this movie here, because this movie had to be done here. But I didn’t make it to come here and make another movie. It really depends what movie. I have some propositions here; some of them are interesting, some of them are not. It really depends on what movie. I don’t have a career plan. It’s a lot of investment for me to make a movie — a lot of time. You immerse yourself in something, and I have to feel more than comfortable. I have to feel like there’s a good movie at the end of the process. So it’s not the question of being in Hollywood or in France. It’s really a question of which movie are we talking about? The Artist opens today in NY and Los Angeles, with more locations to come in the weeks ahead. Read Stephanie Zacharek’s review here. Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Live! Solid In First Post-Regis Philbin Show

In its first episode, Live! With Kelly, with guest co-host Jerry Seinfeld, posted a 4.0 household rating and a 2.2 rating in women 25-54 in the metered markets on Monday. That was down from the big 7.3/23 Live! scored on Friday with the farewell show of Regis Philbin but up 38% and 57%, respectively, from the talk show’s November 2010 averages.

Roseanne Barr: Menopause Makes Us a Better Person

Roseanne Barr A lot of women dread menopause. Roseanne Barr isn't among individuals women. "Menopause had indeed helped me right into a better person," the 59-year-old former sitcom star creates inside a column for Newsweek. "After menopause, I came across the pleasure of consuming wine, as well as sinking deeply into writing and privacy. This stuff changed the libido I'd completely cruised lower like a youth, exploring one stalemate, detour, and unpaved dirty road to another.Inch NBC goes Downwardly Mobile with Roseanne Barr Losing her libido, Barr states, has really been a relief due to the discomfort it triggered. She also recognized her current partner, Johnny Argent. "I no more fear moving onto a much better existence than that one, that is, obviously, no existence whatsoever. Oblivion is going to be f---ing sweet following a lifetime subject to my the body's hormones and my biological clock and also the twisted logic that created the longing for a dominant male partner for sex. I am quite thrilled to express that only at that late hour, during my fall years, I've finally found a guy who's more savant than idiot, with whom the sparse occasions of physical enjoining of souls is very sublime." Since dealing with menopause, the comedian stated she's had additional time to meditate and harder for herself. "My loved ones is close, however i convey more me time-there, I stated this too! And exactly what do I actually do with a few of the time I do not spend being whipped around through the desperate procedure for staving off the look of aging and all sorts of the relaxation from the garbage we are offered 24/7? To begin with, I meditate, as well as for another, I believe. Allow me to elaborate (once i meditate, after which think for a little)." Lifetime no more serving Roseanne's Nuts After decades of needing to be worried about that point from the month, she stated since she's "sailing on much calmer seas" without such concerns. "I still realize the amount of my existence I spent firmly underneath the thumb of Nature, that inscrutable Boss Lady. I'm able to still hear my biological clock ticking, but it is a calmer rhythm. Without having to be among individuals happy-speaking, sugar-coating types I can not stand, I have to say it is so much simpler living about this side of menopause, despite my high-mileage body."

Pamela Anderson Deserves a 'Break' to Play Virgin Mary, Canadian TV Host Tells Catholics

TORONTO - Canadian funnyman Russell Peters remains defiant about casting Pamela Anderson to play the Virgin Mary in his upcoming Christmas TV special, despite stirring up heavy criticism from the Catholic media.our editor recommendsPamela Anderson to Play Virgin Mary in Christmas TV ShowPamela Anderson And Russell Peters In Xmas Sketch Comedy Routine "I didn't even think of the other side of Pam Anderson which is so long ago, it's like come on, give the chick a break already," Peters told the CTV News Channel Monday, referring to the former Baywatch star's nude photo shoots and homemade porn videos with Tommy Lee. Anderson is to play mother Mary holding baby Jesus in her arms, opposite Peters as Joseph, in the CTV and The Comedy Network's A Russell Peters Christmas Special. Predictably, the Canadian TV show, called "irreverent" by CTV in its publicity, has unleashed a flood of opinion pieces from Catholic publications that criticize Anderson for playing the Virgin Mary. But Peters said the casting conforms to the 1970s-style variety show he plans for Canadian TV. "We had written the sketch and we didn't know who we were putting in it and we thought, hey, Pam Anderson is Canadian, we can use more Canadian people in this show," he said. Related Topics Pamela Anderson International

Quincy Jones to chair Asia Acad of Music

JonesThe Asia Academy of Music Arts & Sciences, launched in June as a kind of Far Eastern counterpart to NARAS based in Singapore, has named Quincy Jones as chairman of its board of governors. "I have developed some wonderful relationships with the music and business communities in the region," said Quincy Jones, who told Variety that he's been traveling to Asia and the Pacific Rim since the late '50s. "When I was approached to join the board of the AAMAS, I felt it was a wonderful opportunity to continue to collaborate with the artistic community there and mentor their young musicians," added the 27-time Grammy winner, who served as artistic director for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing with Ang Lee, and co-wrote the theme song of the recent World Expo in Shanghai with Tan Dun. In addition, Jones will serve as exec producer of "Come Together," AAMAS's maiden event designed to bring together the best talent from different countries in Asia to perform together. The show will be taped live in Hainan, China and broadcast throughout Asia in April. Beverly Hills-based management company ROAR, which reps Jones and AAMAS, introduced the parties. "The music and talents of Quincy Jones have defined multiple generations of artists and fans around the world," said Robert Farina, co-founder of AAMAS, in a statement. "His leadership and counsel as chairman of our board of governors will be invaluable and we are honored by his commitment and passion to the growth and expansion of the music industry throughout Asia." AAMAS -- comprised of approximately 11,000 recording artists, composers, producers, label execs and technicians -- calls itself Asia's "first-ever peer driven Academy established to honor and award excellence in the arts and sciences of music, and to foster collaboration between all sectors of the music industry across Asia and the world." Headquartered in Singapore, AAMAS' make-up encompasses Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam. Contact Steve Chagollan at steve.chagollan@variety.com

Why the News Corp. Scandal May Have a Silver Lining

This story originally appeared in the Nov. 25 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.our editor recommendsNews of the World's Top 10 ScandalsPrinces William, Harry, Daniel Radcliffe Family Emerge as News Corp. Surveillance VictimsMurdochs Still Believe They Can Run News Corp. Despite Hacking Scandal (Report) When the phone-hacking scandal sent shock waves through the News Corp. universe this past summer, some feared Rupert Murdoch's empire could implode. The daily headlines have been damaging, including a recent hearing at which Labour MP Tom Watson told News Corp. deputy COO James Murdoch that he "must be the first Mafia boss in history who didn't know he was running a criminal enterprise." But despite the stench of something rotten at its newspapers, there's no sign a News Corp. collapse is imminent. PHOTOS: News of the World's Top 10 Scandals In fact, a view is forming that, far from triggering the demise and breakup of the global media conglomerate, the scandal could leave it stronger than ever before. Sure, the company now must grind through years of reputational damage and legal consequences related to official inquiries and the courts. But the negative press also handed power to those who want News Corp. to modernize its governance and scale back the family's control. STORY: Documents Show 'A Culture' of Illegal Phone-Hacking At The News of The World "The company has had to accept a much more modern structure of the kind they have never had with Rupert as the unquestioned decision-maker," says Claire Enders, head of London-based Enders Analysis. But the overall effect for the company has been far from negative, she notes: "The irony is that because of the crisis, the company has become much more shareholder-friendly." David Becher, a corporate governance expert and associate professor at Drexel University, points to a slew of personnel exits at News Corp. that have cleared out many longtime Murdoch associates. STORY: New Shocking Details of 'News of the World' Hacking Operation Revealed At Leveson Inquiry It has been rewarded with a steady stock price and a recent investment by British hedge fund Children's Investment Fund, which bought $855 million worth of stock. Says Becher, "If the scandal forces News Corp. to adopt adjustments to its governance structure and provide greater transparency, this could be beneficial to shareholders." NEXT IN LINE: Who will fill James' role if he decides (or is forced) to 'move on'? With speculation about the junior Murdoch's future at News Corp.,attention has turned to a range of experienced executives who reportto him and run key businesses around the world. Should James depart,these three could step in and increase their roles in the company Tom Mockridge CEO of U.K. newspaper unit News International Mockridge is a former CEO of Sky Italia who helped News Corp. navigate the fallout after the phone-hacking scandal broke. He replacedRebekah Brooks, the News of the World editor who resigned in July. Brian Sullivan CEO of 49 percent-owned German satcaster Sky Deutschland Sullivan was managing director of the customer group at BSkyB. He was put in charge of the German operation in 2010. In more than 13 years at BSkyB, Sullivan was part of the team that developed its strategy, including the launch of an HD service. Andrea Zappia CEO of Italian pay TV platform Sky Italia Zappia also was customer-group managing director at BSkyB, overseeing sales, marketing and customer relations. He took his current role in the summer, replacing Mockridgewhen he moved to oversee News Corp.'s U.K.newspaper operations. Related Topics Rupert Murdoch News Corp. Phone Hacking Scandal

Steve James honored at IDFA

James'The Times of Harvey Milk''Grey Gardens''Hoop Dreams''28 Up''The Staircase'"It is this 8,000-pound gorilla," Steve James says of his 1994 landmark docu, "Hoop Dreams. "It has forced me to have perspective about my career. People are always going to judge what I do against that film and I'm OK with that."And so are IDFA programmers. Fest will honor James' work, which includes "Dreams" and his six subsequent docus, in a retrospective.Following in the footsteps of maverick docu filmmakers including Werner Herzog and Krzysztof Kieslowski, the Chicago-based, 56-year-old helmer will also present his 10 favorite docus of all time as part of IDFA's annual Top 10 program. (See story this page.)James is no stranger to the Amsterdam fest. He's been attending on and off since 1994, when he brought "Hoop Dreams" to the fest. In 2002, his "Stevie" won the Joris Ivens Award for docu, he returned a year later to screen "The New Americans," and was back in 2008 to host a masterclass and present "At the Death House Door," co-directed by Peter Gilbert. His latest film, "The Interrupters," will screen in the Reflecting Images: Masters section."What's not to like about IDFA?" James says. "It's in Amsterdam and the people who run it are always looking to stretch the boundaries and program provocative films."Regarding his top 10 docu list, James says, "The films I chose are each influential (to me) in terms of making my own films and the way I think about documentary. That's why a number of them are older docs. They hit me around the time when I was trying to figure out what kind of filmmaker I wanted to be."James says it was Apted's "28 Up" (part of the "7 Up" series) that "planted the seed" for what would become the iconic "Hoop Dreams," which was shot over a 4 1/2-year period."I was blown away by '28 Up' -- blown away that Apted had been able to make a film that had this concept of following people over time. To chart a person's life and how it changed and didn't change. What a brilliant idea!""Dreams" won every major critics award as well as a Peabody and Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award in 1995 and was recently selected for the Library of Congress' National Film Registry.Although James tried his hand at narrative filmmaking after "Dreams," including writing-directing Disney's 1997 "Prefontaine," he ultimately decided to focus solely on his doc career. Now 14 years later, he is reconsidering the genre."I'm interested in pursuing narrative film again. I haven't made a narrative that I feel as good about as some of the docs I've made. I'm ready to try it again and do it better. I will continue to make documentaries without question. That is something I don't see ever changing."Steve James' Top 10 Docus"28 Up," Michael Apted, UK, 1984"American Movie," Chris Smith, USA, 1999"Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson," Barbara Kopple, USA, 1993"Golub: Late Works Are the Catastrophes," Jerry Blumenthal & Gordon Quinn, USA, 2004"Grey Gardens," Albert Maysles & David Maysles, USA, 1976"Le joli mai," Chris Marker, France, 1963"Our Trip to Africa," Peter Kubelka, Austria, 1967"The Staircase," Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, France, 2004"The Times of Harvey Milk," Robert Epstein, USA, 1984"Tongues Untied," Marlon Riggs, USA, 1989RELATED LINKS Docus' Dutch landing Contact Addie Morfoot at news@variety.com

Brett Ratner Spoofed by 'Happy Endings' Actor for Funny or Die (Video)

Previously week, Brett Ratner has offered lots of vulgar and offensive quotes to supply comedy fodder for the days. Soon after his sudden exit as Academy awards producer, Happy Being actor Adam Pally channeled Ratner inside a Funny or Die spoof.our editor recommendsBrett Ratner's Oscar Exit Sparks Passionate Responses Round the WebBrett Ratner Out as Oscar Show Producer (Exclusive) PHOTOS: Oscar Show Moments "I'm not sure why I stated the term faggot," Pally states within the video. "I'm not sure, it simply sprang into my mind. It's strange. It's like, anytime I want a thing, the very first factor that jumps into Brett Ratner's mind is faggot." PHOTOS: Hollywood's Memorable Mea Culpas The actor is referencing, obviously, Ratner's infamous quote from the recent Tower Heist screening: "Rehearsal's for fags." Through the 2 . 5 minute clip, the actor seems to become battling together with his computer, constantly shouting for an assistant for help. STORY: Brett Ratner's 10 Offensive Quotes That Led to Oscar Trouble "I am just gonna quit,Inch the short concludes. "Who cares? No a person's gonna worry about this. It's gonna blow over... this really is old news." Watch the entire video below, that also references Ratner's decision to in excess of-share on Howard Stern's show. Brett Ratner's Video Apology - watch more funny videos Related Subjects Brett Ratner Academy awards Academy awards 2012 Happy Being

'Brooklyn Brothers' Filmmaker Books Two Acting Gigs (Exclusive)

Ryan O'Nan, who wrote and directed the Toronto Film Festival movie Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best, is putting on a parka and a bulletproof vest for two movie roles, The Frozen Ground and The Iceman. Frozen Ground tells the true story of the capture of serial killer Robert Hansen in Alaska and stars Nicolas Cage as an Alaska state trooper tracking Hansen, played by John Cusack. Randall Emmett andMark Ordesky are producing the indie, which is shooting in Alaska. O'Nan is playing a state trooper helping Cage. In Iceman, the true story of suburban dad by day, hitman by night Richard Kuklinski, O'Nan will play a young hustler caught up in the web of murder and deception. The movie stars Michael Shannon as Kuklinski and also counts Ray Liotta and Maggie Gyllenhaal in its cast. Ariel Vroman is directing the movie, which is due to begin shooting in January. On top of the filmmaking aspects of Brooklyn Brothers, O'Nan also starred in, wrote and performed the music in the rock-and-roll tale of a defeated songwriter who meets a self-appointed music revolutionary. Upcoming for the triple threat is Freelancers, a thriller in which he will share the screen with Robert De Niro and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. O'Nan is represented by ICM and Principal Entertainment. Email: Borys.Kit@thr.com Twitter: @Borys_Kit Related Topics Nicolas Cage The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best

War in the Arrows (Choejongbyungki hwal)

A Lotte Entertainment relieve a Dasepoclub Co., DCG Plus Co. production. (Worldwide sales: Lotte Entertainment, Seoul.) Produced by Kim Sang-hwan, Jang Won-suk. Executive producers, Sohn Gwang-ik, Park Hyun-tae. Co-producer, Jung Ji-hoon. Directed, put together by Kim Han-min.With: Park Hae-il, Ryu Seung-ryong, Moon Chae-won, Kim Mu-yeol, Lee Kyeong-yeong, Ryohei Otani, Kim Ku-taek, Lee Han-wi, Park Gi-woong, Lee Da-wit, Jeon Min-seo. (Korean, Manchu dialogue)After whizzing along nicely with an hour, Korean costume spectacle "War in the Arrows" enables fly getting a partner of nonstop action and excitement. Toplining Park Hae-il ("The Host") becoming an archer whose prowess puts Robin Hood to shame, this rip-roaring yarn has hit the bull's-eye in your town, with 7.4 million admissions since August. 11. Reissued March. 21 in the director's cut, "Arrows" has edged out "Sunny" as South Korea's finest domestic hit of 2011, and acquired respectable amounts in limited U.S. release March. 7. Fests seeking high-energy crowdpleasers should have a look ancillary will probably be robust. Eliminating the ponderous plot development that frequently hampers South Korean period actioners, scripter-helmer Kim Han-min cracks the narrative whip immediately. Attention-getting 1623-set prologue finds kid Nam-yi (Lee Da-wit) and little sister Ja-in (Jeon Min-seo) narrowly avoiding dying when their father is high quality a traitor and destroyed by rivals inside the Chosun empire court. Cut to 1636, and Nam-yi (Park Hae-il) as well as the beautiful Ja-in (Moon Chae-won) remain in the correct proper care of Kim Mu-seon (Lee Kyeong-yeong), a wealthy family friend whose slightly nerdy boy, Seo-gun (Kim Mu-yeol), has asked for Ja-straight into marry him. Badly luck might say, the couple's large day coincides while using Manchu invasion of Korea, resulting in Ja-in and Seo-gun being taken and held prisoner near to the Korea-Manchuria border. Perfectly fine entertainment up to now, the pic becomes full-on exhilarating when Nam-yi, which has evaded capture, determines in order to save his sister. Formerly seen as gifted archer with no concentrate existence, Nam-yi springs fantastically into action as some type of superman with Ph.D-level knowledge of bow-and-arrow the guidelines of the rules of aerodynamics, plus an opportunity to hear enemy missiles and take split-second evasive action. Using these talents proven in dazzling p.o.v. and slo-mo images, Nam-yi picks off a lot of enemy soldiers in order to saving Ja-in within the lecherous advances of Manchu prince Doreukon (Park Gi-woong). But that's just half your dream to obtain Ja-in and Seo-gun to safety. Nam-yi's cat-and-mouse game with fearsome Manchu warrior Jiusinta (Ryu Seung-ryong) and also the uber-macho hit squad is extremely staged and packs real emotional punch when the final arrow hits its target. A substantial change from his previous features, psychodrama "Handphone" and murder mystery "Paradise Broken," helmer Kim marshals large-scale action with considerable flair. Thesping, a variety of it inside the almost extinct Manchu language, is tops: Park shades his guy-of-action heroics with warm notes of quiet contemplation, Ryu is things rugged since the dominant heavy, and tv star Moon is terrific since the feisty girl along with her own number of combat capabilities. Topnotch cinematography by Kim Tae-seong (not to be mistaken using the composer of the title here) includes thrilling chase moments in misty forests together with a riot of carnal colors inside the randy royal's boudoir. Excellent CGI blends very easily to the action, as well as the Manchu mma fighters look good in fur-lined heavy leather costumes. Other tech tasks are first-class.Camera (color), Kim Tae-seong editors, Kim Chang-ju, Steve Choi music, Kim Tae-seong production designer, Jang Choon-sub costume designers, Jung Suk-ho, Im Seung-hee appear (Dolby Digital), Choi Tae-youthful visual effects managers, Han Youthful-woo, Lee Dong-hoon visual effects, Digital Ideas action choreographers, Oh Se-youthful, Choi Tae-hwan stunt coordinator, Kim Sang-youthful second unit director, Shin Sun-youthful second unit camera, Park Jong-chul. Examined at Busan Film Festival (Korean Cinema Today), March. 12, 2011. Running time: 122 MIN. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Hollywood Courts Wall Street Protesters in String of New Movies

When cops, cold weather and boredom encourage the Occupy Wall Street protesters to pack up their belongings and head for more traditional shelter than a park tent, they might want to consider the local cineplex.That's because a few new movies are being touted or disparaged, depending on your political perspective as perfect stories for driving home the OWS message that income disparity and corporate greed should give way to greater wealth redistribution."In Time," which opened last Friday, was the first title that bloggers, film reviewers and others presumed would appeal to the OWS movement, which has targeted the top 1 percent of wealthiest Americans. Now, the same sorts of things are being said about "Tower Heist" and "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas," both of which open today.While the Hollywood studios likely aren't trying to specifically target the Occupiers with their marketing efforts, those involved with the making of the films aren't shy about associating the films with the movement."Tower Heist" director Brett Ratner, for example, joked that right after his interview with NextMovie.com he was heading to an OWS rally. More seriously, though, he said that even though the film was in the works long before OWS, "It just happened that we're the film for the 99 percent of the world. The other 1 percent who's screwing over the 99 percent is probably not happy about it, but we're excited.""Tower Heist," from Universal, stars Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Matthew Broderick and Casey Affleck as hard-working schlubs who strike back against a super-wealthy bad guy played by Alan Alda. "There's plenty of simmering class resentment to go around," conservative movie blogger Christian Toto writes in a piece titled, "Hollywood's Occupy Wall Street-themed films: As unfocused as OWS itself.""The people behind 'Tower Heist' had to be loving the Occupy Wall Street protests as their movie taxied toward theaters this week," wrote reviewer Matt Soergel in the "Florida Times-Union." "Can you say timely?"An Associated Press review says: "Following 'In Time,' this is the second week in a row with a new release that plays like Robin Hood for the Occupy Wall Street crowd."As for the New Line/Warner Bros. release "Harold & Kumar," it stars John Cho and Kal Penn as stoners who seemingly want to dismantle anything smacking of a Christmas tradition."The third 'Harold & Kumar' movie opens with what seems to be a direct address of the Occupy Wall Street movement," says a writer at IndieWire.com. "Harold, now employed in some manner of financial profession, is attacked by an angry mob of anti-Wall Street protesters. They throw eggs, splatter feces and urinate in the direction of the character (and the audience it's 3D after all)."As with "Tower Heist" and "In Time," "Harold & Kumar" was already underway before OWS, but the actors nevertheless seem anxious for their project to piggyback on the movement."I was excited to see you guys address (OWS) in the movie, but was that coincidence?" the pair were asked at 8Asians.com."Was it? Or did we engineer the whole economic collapse to bump a joke?" Cho said."I was going to go a little lighter and say that we orchestrated all the protests for the movie. Honestly, though, I wish (OWS) was getting more coverage in the media," says Penn, who recently returned to acting after working on "outreach" and other initiatives for President Obama."I think the energy is so great, especially the young people out there," Penn says of OWS. "It would be cool to see a concrete set of things that they are for as opposed to just what they are against."It's no surprise that films are being linked to the latest political action. The independently-released "Atlas Shrugged: Part 1" was pitched to Tea Partiers and some even stretched to make the claim that Paramount's "True Grit" was the perfect Tea Party movie. Hollywood seems much more comfortable, though, making movies where the wealthy are the bad guys and the poor are the heroes, a nice fit for OWS.The movie making the most obvious connection to OWS is "In Time," a Fox/New Regency film starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried as underclass heroes taking on rich villains in a dystopian future where wealth buys you a longer life."'In Time' really is Occupy Wall Street: The Movie," a review from io9.com says.The cast agrees. "The movie is a comment on the inequalities that are crushing 99 percent of the people in our society," co-star Olivia Wilde told Fox411. "The movie really makes a statement that it's not right, and that in order for that to be dismantled, there's going to have to be a change at the kind of basic core moral level of society."And Timberlake added: "It's very serendipitous that this movie's coming out right now with the Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Los Angeles, Occupy the World, as it were."Serendipity is great. But it doesn't necessarily mean your political brethren will support your movie. "Atlas Shrugged," for example, took in only $4.6 million at the domestic box office even while there are an estimated 45 million Americans who are sympathetic to the Tea Party movement, and "In Time" opened soft with $12 million last weekend when OWS was all the rage.Maybe "In Time" will get a boost when the protesters leave the parks and head to the movies again. The Hollywood Reporter

Exclusive Sneak Peek Video: Grimm Takes On Goldilocks

David Giuntoli In the world of Grimm, everyday crimes like breaking and entering can unlock some surprising dangers. On Friday's episode (9/8c, NBC) Nick and Hank (David Giuntoli and Russell Hornsby) investigate a home-invasion case and run across a family with a cultural background including a barbaric history perhaps best left in the past. Ratings: Grimm's debut is anything but Check out this first look: Hmmm. The episode is titled "Bears Will Be Bears" and features a blonde named Gilda (Amy Gumenick) who's just been in a house that's obviously not hers. It sure sounds like "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," but since this is Grimm, we're expecting a few twists. Porridge may not be involved! Grimm airs Fridays at 9/8c on NBC. Are you looking forward to this episode? How did you like the premiere?