All's Faire in Love: Film Review

NY - An astonishingly bad comedy that hardly merits booking on bottom-tier cable, Scott Marshall's All's Faire in Love sneaks into theaters a couple of years after production, presumably in hopes of grabbing a few quick bucks from star Christina Ricci's Pan Am exposure. One imagines Ricci's agents are praying for its quick disappearance. Their prayers will be answered. STORY: 'Pan Am' Star Christina Ricci Explains Why She Boarded the ABC Series We meet Ricci's Kate in a job interview that ends when, inexplicably, she strips out of her business suit and changes into a flowered dress. It seems she's always dreamed of working at a Renaissance Faire, and the capitalist intensity of a Wall Street interview has finally pushed her toward her destiny. At the Faire she meets Will (Owen Benjamin), a college jock whose English Lit professor (Cedric the Entertainer) has offered to give him credit for a class he never attended if he'll submit to a summer of mock-peasantry. Viewers who find that premise tough to swallow should head for the exit before Will meets his tormentor, Rank (a desperately unfunny Chris Wylde), and Rank's three sidekicks -- a French dwarf, a cartoonish Chinaman and a Mexican oaf named Jamón. PHOTOS: ABC's New Season TV Shows: 'Pan Am,' 'Charlie's Angels' and More From the opening credits -- an animated sequence so crude a junior-high art student would be ashamed of it -- to a climax in which Kate's dog is taken hostage with a crossbow, there's not an ounce of mirth in this parade of ghastly accents, tin-eared romantic montages and dime-store knavery. Even a director whose last film was the Jessica Simpson bomb Blonde Ambition might worry that this is a career-killer. Opens: October 28 (MGM, Regal Entertainment exclusive) Production companies: Patriot Pictures, Duke of York Pictures, That's Hollywood Cast: Christina Ricci, Owen Benjamin, Matthew Lillard, Ann-Margret, Chris Wylde, Nadine Velazquez, Cedric the Entertainer Director: Scott Marshall Screenwriters: Scott Marshall, Jeffrey Ray Wine Producers: Michael Mendelsohn, Ron Singer, Scott Reed Executive producers: Randy Mendelsohn, Mark Lindsay Director of photography: Mark Irwin Production designer: John Collins Music: Jeff Cardoni, Julian Jackson Costume designer: Gary Jones Editors: Josh Muscatine, Tara Timpone Rated PG-13, 107 minutes Ann-Margaret Christina Ricci

Damages Taps Ryan Phillippe for Season 5

Ryan Phillippe Ryan Phillippe has signed on for your fifth and final season of Damages, TVLine.com reviews. Phillippe may have a Julian Assange-esque character inside the year, which will pit Glenn Close's Patty Hewes against Rose Byrne's Ellen Parsons. In this situation, his character uses Ellen for help. See the relaxation of current day news Phillippe, whose film roles include Crash, I Realize Everything You Did Last Summer season and Cruel Intentions, hasn't stood a regular TV gig since his days as Billy Douglas on one Existence to reside in. Damages is predicted to premiere its final season next summer season on DirecTV.

UPDATE: Universal Halts Tower Heist VOD Plan As Participants Accept Further Talks

UPDATE, 12:25 PM: The resolution from the spat between Universal and theater proprietors uses per week of the items we’re told were “dozens and tons” of phone conversations exhibition company chiefs had with Universal Galleries leader Ron Meyer and chairman Adam Fogelson.Some theater proprietors were surprised today once they learned ofUniversal’s decisionto scrap the premium video-on-demand test out Tower Heist. The exhibition companies hadn't made aspecific concession, though Cinemark was became a member of by a number of more compact circuits and National Activity in saying it wouldn't screen the film when the VOD plan — looking for two metropolitan areas, Atlanta and Tigard, Ore. — went forward. However it’s considered significant the statement in the National Association Of Theatre Proprietors states the trade group “recognizes that galleries must find new models and possibilities in your home market, and appears toward marketers and participants cooperating for his or her mutual benefit.” each side decided to keep speaking: (Washington, D.C. and North Hollywood, Calif. October 12, 2011) In reaction to Universals decision to cancel its planned discharge of Tower Heist towards the home on Video when needed just three days after its theatrical debut, National Association of Theatre Proprietors leader and Boss John Fithian mentioned, NATO want to thank Universal for reacting to numerous theater proprietors’ concerns and rescheduling the PVOD test drive it was considering. They've been engaged with individual participants about this test, even though it had been something which many theater proprietors couldn't ultimately support, outdoors and collaborative character from the dialogue is appreciated. NATO sees that galleries must find new models and possibilities in your home market, and appears toward marketers and participants cooperating for his or her mutual benefit.” EARLIER: La, CA, October 12, 2011Universal Pictures today introduced that in reaction to some request from theater proprietors, it's made the decision to obstruct its planned premium home video when needed (PVOD) experiment by which Comcast digital customers in Tigard and Atlanta might have had the chance to rent TOWER HEIST when needed just three days after its theatrical release on November 4, 2011. Universal is constantly on the think that the theater experience along with a PVOD window are business models that may coincide and thrive and that we anticipate dealing with our partners in exhibition to try to experiment in this region later on.

Keith Olbermann's Current TV Announces Show With Former Michigan Governor

Current TV is beginning a completely new primetime program situated by former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm.our editor indicates Rob Zucker Praises Keith Olbermann Unveils Their Very Own Plans Keith Olbermann Jams 'Very Stupid' Sarah Palin, Jokes About Anthony Weiner PHOTOS: Keith Olbermann's Famous Feuds The War Room With Jennifer Granholm premieres within the month of the month of january 2012. PHOTOS: The Hollywood Reporter Cover Tales It'll air after Countdown With Keith Obermann at 9 p.m. ET. and also have election commentary. PHOTOS: Most likely Probably The Most Spoken-About TV News Faces Related Subjects Keith Olbermann

Cinemark goes nuclear, boycotts 'Tower Heist'

'Tower Heist'For the first time since the premium-video-on-demand debate flared up in March, an exhibitor is fighting back with the nuclear option: Cinemark on Thursday announced it would not show "Tower Heist" over Universal's decision to offer the film on PVOD three weeks after its theatrical bow.U announced Wednesday that it had partnered with Comcast to offer "Tower Heist," which opens Nov. 4, on PVOD less than 30 days later for $60 in two markets: Portland, Ore., and Atlanta. While U didn't specify the date Comcast customers could watch the film, the three-week window that Cinemark specified would make the title available over the Thanksgiving holiday."If Universal Pictures moves forward with its 'Tower Heist' premium video-on-demand offering as announced, Cinemark has determined, in its best business interests, that it will decline to exhibit this film in its theatres," Cinemark Holdings, Inc., said in a statement.Presuming Cinemark plans to boycott the title across its entire chain, that would represent about 10% of total screens in the U.S. U declined to comment on the development.It's not clear how much impact Cinemark alone would have on the film's B.O., though a chain-wide boycott could lead to other exhibs, specifically AMC and Regal, to threaten the same. (Regal and AMC are the nation's top two theater chains, respectively; neither immediately responded to requests for comment.)While no exhibitor has yet followed through with an outright boycott over PVOD, some overseas theater owners previously threatened to pull "Alice in Wonderland" from plexes when Disney announced last year it would offer the film on DVD after 12 weeks, rather than the traditional 16 or 17 weeks.Those exhibs, primarily in the U.K., eventually backed down; Disney compromised with a 90-day window instead.According to sources, U plans to compensate exhibs for any losses incurred due to the PVOD trial; compensation will be limited to those two markets where Comcast will make the film available. It did not, however, specify how the amount of those losses might be determined. (Marc Graser contributed to this report). Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

Ricky Gervais Golden Globes return planned

Ricky Gervais' controversy-packed presentation of this year's Golden Globes was one of our favourite moments of 2011.And it looks like we'll be getting more of the same in 2012, albeit in a very different format.Writing for the Wall Street Journal, Gervais revealed: "I don't think I should host the Golden Globes again, even if I'm asked and that is very unlikely, to be honest..."But because of the greatest thing about our society, freedom of speech, I can still host the Golden Globes, or any event on the planet."I am working with a Californian technology company on a live webcast idea."People watch their TV at the same time as listening to me and a few chums provide our own alternative commentary.""This is not to steal anyone's thunder, or disrupt pleasant society. It's simply a new horizon. And for its own sake."I have no idea if it will work but I didn't know if podcasting would work back in 2005 when I launched The Ricky Gervais Show."I didn't particularly care either. I was doing it for a laugh. There are not many better reasons to do anything."We can't wait. After all, Gervais had to run his jokes past the Golden Globes producers last year, and he still made headlines around the world.What will he come out with if he's completely unfettered by any kind of censorship?Also, 'me and a few chums' makes us think that Karl Pilkington will be involved in the webcast at some point.Karl Pilkington hosting the Golden Globes? Now that's something we'd pay to see. Or listen to.

'A Bird of the Air' Star Jackson Hurst Soars Toward His Dreams

'A Bird of the Air' Star Jackson Hurst Soars Toward His Dreams By Melinda Loewenstein October 5, 2011 Photo by Vanni Natola Jackson Hurst Slow and steady wins the racethat is the philosophy businessman-turned-actor Jackson Hurst, currently starring in Lifetime Television's "Drop Dead Diva," used to launch his second career. A Texas native, Hurst began acting in junior high and continued until he found himself pulled in too many directions in college. "I decided the 'smart' route would be to pursue academics and get my business degree, and if I still couldn't stay away from the acting, then I would pursue it," he reveals. After graduation, he began his career in business, but he also immediately started doing independent films. He juggled the two careers as long as he could, but when he was offered a role in Frank Darabont's "The Mist" and he had used up all his vacation time working on other films, he met a fork in the road. He "realized it was a sign that [he] had to pursue acting." So he quit his job, packed up everything that fit in his car, and moved to Austin.Patience Pays Off Working regionally wasn't always easy. "You're not going to be able to make a living in theater and film and television living in Texas or living in a lot of regions," he says. In addition to the economic struggle, Hurst was frustrated by the lack of satisfying roles. "Roles that would cast in the area would be the smaller roles that they had budgeted for scale or for regional actors. So that's the toughest part, because you wouldn't get the best roles and you wouldn't make that much money," he notes. Hurst feels that's one of the hardest things about acting for a beginner: "When you're not able to pay your bills and you are struggling for moneythat is a tough place to be in when you constantly doubt yourself. As a struggling actor, the toughest thing [is] constantly keeping confidence in yourself, to push forward even though you know that you may not be able to pay the bills next month."Even though working regionally was challenging, Hurst feels the ease of his transition from regional to L.A. was due to his patience. He says, "I didn't want to be another statistic coming out to L.A. Sometimes it was very difficult to stay patient staying in Austin, but I made myself do it before I got some good projects under my belt, like 'The Tree of Life' and 'Living Proof.' " Hurst stresses that gaining experience on set is invaluable: "I would just sit back, close my mouth, and observe." Working regionally gave him opportunities that he might not have had in L.A., like working with directors Terrence Malick and Robert Rodriguez.The experience led to more work. His producers on "Living Proof," Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, approached Hurst about the role of the love interest Grayson on "Drop Dead Diva," a legal fantasy-drama for Lifetime. After shooting the pilot and seeing the finished product, he had a great feeling about it and decided it was time to make the leap to L.A.Thriving on Challenges Early in his work on "Drop Dead Diva," which just completed its third season, Hurst had a discussion with the producers about his character: "They absolutely had a vision for where they would take him. He was going to go through hell, and that's what I liked. I like the challenge." And if Grayson isn't evolving from episode to episode, Hurst figures out a way to make him evolve. "I hate that feeling of being stagnant," Hurst explains. "Because getting in here and doing a badass scene where everything comes together, you can't duplicate that feeling. It's the best feeling on the planet. And I'd say [for] most people the reason they do [act] is because of that."While doing press for "Drop Dead Diva" in NY, Hurst met with Amanda Mackey, who was casting "A Bird of the Air" (formerly "The Loop"), a quirky romantic comedy about a solitary man breaking out of his shell by connecting with a parrot. She pitched him the project and sent him the script, which he fell in love with. " 'A Bird of the Air' was a life-changing experience," says Hurst. Initially, there's not a lot of dialogue for Hurst's character, Lyman, but he says, "I liked the fact that he didn't talk a lot because I wanted to be able to express what Lyman was going through just in the eyes. I think that's crucial, and I don't feel like you see a whole lot of that these days. It's a natural inclination for an actor to want to overdo it and want to talk a lot and want to express a lot of facial expressions. It was difficult at times, but once I really got into Lyman's skin it started to come a little easier. It's a role that made me really look at myself and dig really deep within myself and also take a collection of so many facets of other people's lives and make them part of my own." Another great aspect of the film was working with the birds. "It was fun; it was sometimes even easier than working with the humans," he notes. "There were actually three different birds. Each one was able to do different tricks." Hurst prepared by hanging out with birds and getting used to handling them. "An animal respects you if you are very much in control, and it's the same thing with the bird. I definitely bloodied up my hands a few times, but it's all part of the fun."Lessons Learned When Hurst was starting his acting career, he didn't get a lot of tips. He says he mostly heard " 'Why would you quit a high-paying corporate job to go pursue something that's completely unreliable?' " But that taught him to ignore the negativity and figure things out for himself. One of the most important things he learned was to stay focused. He says that "means you study and you stay away from stuff that is going to distract you. Everything that you do should be moving you towards your goal." And don't give up: "If it's truly what you're meant to do and what you feel is your destiny, you cannot give up. You do whatever it takes to make it happen because the odds of it eventually happening are very high. It's like the more you play the lottery, every time you play, the probability of you winning goes up. I'm a perfect example of that. I was in dire straits; I was in a bad placeemotionally, mentally, physicallyfor a while, and I cleaned my shit up and I went after it and made it happen. And I think anybody can do it." 'A Bird of the Air' Star Jackson Hurst Soars Toward His Dreams By Melinda Loewenstein October 5, 2011 Jackson Hurst PHOTO CREDIT Vanni Natola Slow and steady wins the racethat is the philosophy businessman-turned-actor Jackson Hurst, currently starring in Lifetime Television's "Drop Dead Diva," used to launch his second career. A Texas native, Hurst began acting in junior high and continued until he found himself pulled in too many directions in college. "I decided the 'smart' route would be to pursue academics and get my business degree, and if I still couldn't stay away from the acting, then I would pursue it," he reveals. After graduation, he began his career in business, but he also immediately started doing independent films. He juggled the two careers as long as he could, but when he was offered a role in Frank Darabont's "The Mist" and he had used up all his vacation time working on other films, he met a fork in the road. He "realized it was a sign that [he] had to pursue acting." So he quit his job, packed up everything that fit in his car, and moved to Austin.Patience Pays Off Working regionally wasn't always easy. "You're not going to be able to make a living in theater and film and television living in Texas or living in a lot of regions," he says. In addition to the economic struggle, Hurst was frustrated by the lack of satisfying roles. "Roles that would cast in the area would be the smaller roles that they had budgeted for scale or for regional actors. So that's the toughest part, because you wouldn't get the best roles and you wouldn't make that much money," he notes. Hurst feels that's one of the hardest things about acting for a beginner: "When you're not able to pay your bills and you are struggling for moneythat is a tough place to be in when you constantly doubt yourself. As a struggling actor, the toughest thing [is] constantly keeping confidence in yourself, to push forward even though you know that you may not be able to pay the bills next month."Even though working regionally was challenging, Hurst feels the ease of his transition from regional to L.A. was due to his patience. He says, "I didn't want to be another statistic coming out to L.A. Sometimes it was very difficult to stay patient staying in Austin, but I made myself do it before I got some good projects under my belt, like 'The Tree of Life' and 'Living Proof.' " Hurst stresses that gaining experience on set is invaluable: "I would just sit back, close my mouth, and observe." Working regionally gave him opportunities that he might not have had in L.A., like working with directors Terrence Malick and Robert Rodriguez.The experience led to more work. His producers on "Living Proof," Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, approached Hurst about the role of the love interest Grayson on "Drop Dead Diva," a legal fantasy-drama for Lifetime. After shooting the pilot and seeing the finished product, he had a great feeling about it and decided it was time to make the leap to L.A.Thriving on Challenges Early in his work on "Drop Dead Diva," which just completed its third season, Hurst had a discussion with the producers about his character: "They absolutely had a vision for where they would take him. He was going to go through hell, and that's what I liked. I like the challenge." And if Grayson isn't evolving from episode to episode, Hurst figures out a way to make him evolve. "I hate that feeling of being stagnant," Hurst explains. "Because getting in here and doing a badass scene where everything comes together, you can't duplicate that feeling. It's the best feeling on the planet. And I'd say [for] most people the reason they do [act] is because of that."While doing press for "Drop Dead Diva" in NY, Hurst met with Amanda Mackey, who was casting "A Bird of the Air" (formerly "The Loop"), a quirky romantic comedy about a solitary man breaking out of his shell by connecting with a parrot. She pitched him the project and sent him the script, which he fell in love with. " 'A Bird of the Air' was a life-changing experience," says Hurst. Initially, there's not a lot of dialogue for Hurst's character, Lyman, but he says, "I liked the fact that he didn't talk a lot because I wanted to be able to express what Lyman was going through just in the eyes. I think that's crucial, and I don't feel like you see a whole lot of that these days. It's a natural inclination for an actor to want to overdo it and want to talk a lot and want to express a lot of facial expressions. It was difficult at times, but once I really got into Lyman's skin it started to come a little easier. It's a role that made me really look at myself and dig really deep within myself and also take a collection of so many facets of other people's lives and make them part of my own." Another great aspect of the film was working with the birds. "It was fun; it was sometimes even easier than working with the humans," he notes. "There were actually three different birds. Each one was able to do different tricks." Hurst prepared by hanging out with birds and getting used to handling them. "An animal respects you if you are very much in control, and it's the same thing with the bird. I definitely bloodied up my hands a few times, but it's all part of the fun."Lessons Learned When Hurst was starting his acting career, he didn't get a lot of tips. He says he mostly heard " 'Why would you quit a high-paying corporate job to go pursue something that's completely unreliable?' " But that taught him to ignore the negativity and figure things out for himself. One of the most important things he learned was to stay focused. He says that "means you study and you stay away from stuff that is going to distract you. Everything that you do should be moving you towards your goal." And don't give up: "If it's truly what you're meant to do and what you feel is your destiny, you cannot give up. You do whatever it takes to make it happen because the odds of it eventually happening are very high. It's like the more you play the lottery, every time you play, the probability of you winning goes up. I'm a perfect example of that. I was in dire straits; I was in a bad placeemotionally, mentally, physicallyfor a while, and I cleaned my shit up and I went after it and made it happen. And I think anybody can do it."

Netflix And Showtime Eye Potential New Arrested Development Limited Series

Up-to-date: Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurtwitz dropped another bombshell today, telling a panel within the NYer Festival he expects to create the Emmy-winning series to television for just about any limited 9-10 episode run before proceeding while using extended-gestating Arrested Development movie. He didn’t specify where the potential series would air since it doesn’t always have to work on Fox, which moved the mothership series. I have discovered that last century Fox TV, which co-produced Arrested Development with Imagine TV, has received talks with Netflix, that's been around the quest for original programming, and Showtime, whose new entertainment leader David Nevins shepherded Arrested Development when he went Imagine TV. 20th TV declined comment. According to participants within the panel, where Hurwitz was grew to become an associate of by series stars Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Portia p Rossi, Michael Cera, Tony Hale, Jeffrey Tambor, David Mix, Alia Shawkat and Jessica Walter, Hurwitz organized his plan to have each installment focus on someone else within the Bluth clan. Bateman later considered in round the announcement on Twitter. “It’s true,” he written. “We can do 10 episodes as well as the movie. Probably shoot these together next summer season for just about any release noisy . 󈧑. VERY excited!” Which will mean beginning the follow-up limited series round the tenth anniversary in the original, which opened up in 2003.