New Training of Fall TV: Comedy Rules

This informative article initially came out inside the November. 4 problem in the Hollywood Reporter.our editor recommends'New Girl': Behind the curtain of Fox's New Comedy10 Tv Shows Canceled Faster Than 'The Playboy Club'Fall TV Preview 2011: 10 Fresh Faces To KnowFall TV Preview 2011: The Completely New ShowsThe Sorry Condition Of '2 Broke Girls': Racism and Lame Sex Jokes 5 days into the new television season, together with a consensus has emerged: Comedy rules. Whatever has sent audiences for the tube searching for fun -- the dire economy and stubbornly high unemployment or simply the cyclical character of primetime programming trends -- a preponderance of newcomer shows getting full-season orders are actually sitcoms. Fox and CBS, the Nos. 1 and two systems, quickly bought full seasons of latest Girl and two Broke Women, correspondingly. NBC adopted suit with Whitney or even more With The Evening. ABC already has given Suburgatory an entire-season order, and Tim Allen's pricey Last Guy Standing -- which bowed to strong ratings March. 11 and introduced males for the female-skewing network around the evening when Fox had Game 3 of Major league baseball's American League Championship Series -- can be a shoo-straight into score a pickup. PHOTOS: Fall TV's 12 Most Anticipated Shows However, only three dramas result in the cut: ABC's cheesy cleaning cleaning soap Revenge and CBS' J.J. Abrams/Jonathan Nolan drama Person of curiosity and Memorable, starring Poppy Montgomery. NBC also provides bought additional scripts in the Maria Bello starrer Prime Suspect. But no new dramas remains depleting the ratings charts, and ABC canceled its ill-advised reboot of Charlie's Angels while NBC axed its derivative The Playboy Club after three episodes. Clearly, don't assume all comedy the systems make the wall stuck. CBS' considerably excoriated How to be a Gentleman was shunted to Saturdays, where it broadcast for just about any week just before getting yanked. Together with a Twitter campaign by star Hank Azaria did Free Agents bad NBC attracted it after four episodes. PHOTOS: Fall TV Preview 2011: 10 Fresh Faces To Know SHOW BY SHOW 2 Broke Women:The Michael Patrick King comedy accomplished good success in the massive Two anda Half Males lead-in (nearly Thirty Dollars million audiences) due to its premiere, nevertheless it's also winning its regular time slotfollowing Generate An Earnings Met Your Mother. New Girl:The comedy gave Fox its best fall sitcom bow in 10 years and returns November. 1 after theWorld Series. The X Factor:It will not draw the 9 demo The The American Idol Show Show averaged last season, but a 4-plus rating might be worth singing about. Revenge:With ratings that acquired it an entire-season order, the soapy thriller can be a vibrant perfect ABC's fall drama slate. Person of curiosity:It's holding its own inside the tough 9 p.m. Thursday slot, nevertheless the Abrams/Nolan drama is definately not the barset by NCIS. STORY: The Hollywood Reporter's 10 Showrunners to check out Terra Nova:Steven Spielberg's epic dinosaur drama incorporated a sizable budget and anticipation, making its 3-plus rating something from the disappointment. Last Guy Standing:The Allen comedy was lower double amounts due to its second episode March. 18, nevertheless it still snagged a great 3 rating inside the demo. Whitney:The Thursday evening comedy has handled to outrate Community and Parks and Entertainment, but ratings come in free fall since itsbig Sept. 22 bow. Prime Suspect:Despite ratings nearly less than Playboy Club's, NBC honcho BobGreenblatt is dedicated to making the highbrow drama work. Ratings SCORECARD*: Fox will receive a foothold this fall, while fourth-place NBC is constantly sink. Fox: 2.4 rating [+21% from 2010] CBS: 3.3 [no change] ABC: 2.7 [-4%] NBC: 2.5 [-14%] Uni: 1.6 [no change] CW: .9 [-25%] *Source: Nielsen, most-current ratings in 18-49 demographic Related Subjects Terra Nova The X Factor New Girl 2 Broke Women Revenge Up With The Evening

'X Factor' strong for Fox

Fox introduced primetime among teens Tuesday just like a special, 150-minute edition of ''The X Factor'' produced the show's best amounts since its bow lately. CBS held strong having its ''NCIS'' combo, as both dramas elevated week to week. Also of note, a visit by Leader Obama introduced for the finest overnight score for just about any Tuesday edition of NBC's ''The Tonight Show With Jay Leno'' since March 2010. For just about any second straight week, ''The X Factor'' gone to live in Tuesday each week when the World Series was scheduled due to its two regular nights, plus an extended episode averaged a effective 4.3 rating/11 participate grownups 18-49 and 11.8 million audiences overall from 8 to 10:30. It absolutely was up about 10% from last week's two-hour episode and chances are it will match the show's premiere demo score of 4.4 when the same-day excellent are released by Nielsen later today. ''X Factor'' won its final three half-several hours in many key demos, peaking getting a 4.9/13 in 18-49 from 10 to 10:30, which certainly aided its program average. Fox introduced the evening in 18-49 and 25-54. CBS, second round the evening in demos and first in general audiences, saw both ''NCIS'' (4./11 in 18-49, 19. million audiences overall) and ''NCIS: Los Angeles'' (3.7/9 in 18-49, 15.9 million audiences overall) publish week-to-week gains, while using original rising 2% from the other day, beating ''X Factor'' in 18-49 and 25-54 while standing since the night's most-seen program overall. ''NCIS: La,'' facing reality shows on ABC, NBC and Fox, was up 9% in 18-49. And holding steady at 10 p.m. was rookie drama ''Unforgettable'' (2.5/7 in 18-49, 11.3 million audiences overall), which CBS has acquired for your relaxation of the year. At ABC, Tim Allen comedy ''Last Guy Standing'' dipped a bit more within the third outing (2.8/8 in 18-49, 9.8 million audiences overall) but remains at many for your internet inside the timeslot. The Alphabet again lost 3 share points, though, at 8:30 p.m. with ''Man Up'' (1.9/5 in 18-49, 6.7 million audiences overall), which was lower about 20% week to week. The half-several hours were then your ''Dancing While using Stars'' results show (2.5/6 in 18-49, 13.8 million audiences overall) and ''Body of Proof'' (1.9/5 in 18-49, 9.6 000 0000 audiences overall), both in line with the other day. NBC's ''The Finest Loser'' (1.9/5 in 18-49, 5.4 million audiences overall) maintained its week-ago rating, and ended up being a distinctive repeat of first-year drama ''Prime Suspect'' (1./3 in 18-49, 2.9 million audiences overall), the internet is trying to show with a bigger audience by airing multiple airings in the show now. At 11:35 p.m., Leader Obama's appearance on ''The Tonight Show'' created a 4.1 household rating/11 participate Nielsen's 56 metered areas , the most effective for your show in 19 several days. Inside the same latenight hour, CBS' ''Late Show With David Letterman'' did d 2.7/7 inside the overnights, and ABC's 25-minute ''Nightline'' acquired a 3.6/9, then single.8/6 for ''Jimmy Kimmel Live'' during the night time. CW broadcast repeats of ''Ringer'' at both 8 (.4/one out of 18-49, 1. million audiences overall) at its regular time at 9 (.3/one out of 18-49, .8 million audiences overall). Preliminary 18-49 earnings for your evening: Fox, 4.3/11 CBS, 3.4/9 ABC, 2.3/6 NBC, 1.6/4 Univision, 1.5/4 CW, .3/1. In general audiences: CBS, 15.4 million Fox, 11.8 million ABC, 10.6 000 0000 NBC, 4.6 000 0000 Univision, 3.3 million CW, .9 million. Contact Ron Kissell at ron.kissell@variety.com

BREAKING: Lindsay Lohan Sent Back to Jail For Violating Her Probation

This just in: Lindsay Lohan was handcuffed in court this morning and escorted back to jail after a judge revoked the actress’s probation for failing to meet her community service requirements. The judge accused Lohan of blowing off her sentence of 360 hours of community service at a women’s center in downtown Los Angeles. According to TMZ, the actress claimed that she did not find her work there “fulfilling.” After not showing up for nine scheduled appointments, the women’s center asked that she not return. The county probation department in turn sent the actress to log community service hours with Red Cross. This morning, the judge determined that the department had no authority make that decision and Lohan’s hours with the Red Cross would not count towards her sentence. Lohan’s attorney, Shawn Holley, defended the actress’s absence from the women’s center by claiming Lohan “had to earn a living to support herself and her family” and her opportunities are in Europe. TMZ reports that the judge responded by saying, “She’s supposed to be an actress, from what I hear.” Lohan’s bail was set at $100,000. The judge told the actress that she must complete 16 hours of community service at the county coroner’s office before her November 2 probation violation hearing to avoid further punishment. Developing… · Lindsay Lohan taken away in handcuffs after probation is revoked [LAT] · Lindsay Lohan Probation Revoked HANDCUFFED in Court [TMZ]

Scarlett Johansson was too sexy for Fincher's Dragon Tattoo

Director David Fincher says Scarlett Johansson was too sexy to play Lisbeth Salander in his remake of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo."The thing with Scarlett is, you can't wait for her to take her clothes off," Fincher said.To put that into context (and to make it sound a bit less weird), we think Fincher was trying to say that the character has to be boyish and vulnerable before she shows her other side.Let's try that again..."Look, we saw some amazing people. Scarlett Johansson was great. It was a great audition, I'm telling you. But the thing with Scarlett is, you can't wait for her to take her clothes off," Fincher told Vogue."Salander should be like E.T.," he added. "If you put E.T. dolls out before anyone had seen the movie, they would say, 'What is this little squishy thing?' Well, you know what? When he hides under the table and he grabs the Reese's Pieces, you love him! It has to be like that."OK, he made it weird again.

Vampire Comic 'In the Dust' Specific for Film Adaptation (Exclusive)

Stephen L'Heureux's Solipsist Films has preemptively acquired the privileges towards the approaching Top Cow graphic novel Within the Dust, produced by George Mahaffey and Christian Duce. Mahaffey will write the variation. L'Heureux will produce with Top Cow's Matt Hawkins and Marc Silvestri executive creating. PHOTOS: 10 Greatest Book-to-Giant Screen Adaptations from the Last two-and-a-half decades The storyline is placed from the Dust Bowl from the nineteen thirties, when "black snow storms" hidden the Area and prairies. The plot sees a G-Guy looking into the disappearances of entire families from small cities throughout these storms, discovering the presence of an military of vampires of the underworld which are with them as cover to ravage the countryside. The representative is instructed to synergy with remains of Al Capone's gang in order to save Chicago once the vampires of the underworld turn their focus on the Windy City. The 165-page graphic novel arrives out the coming year. PHOTOS: Comic Figures in Dispute Mahaffey, repped by Gersh and Generate, is definitely an attorney-switched-scribe who this past year offered the spec Warmth Searchers to Vital with Platinum Dunes and Chris Morgan creating. Younger crowd offered a spec entitled Bots to Blumhouse and done Drone, a sci-fi project being produced by Solipsist and Benderspink. L'Heureux lately setup vampire thriller Great Love, with different comic produced by Tomm Coker and Daniel Freedman, at Warner Bros., and it is creating A Dame to Kill For, the Las Vegas follow up being co-directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Burns. The helmers do a spread the lately posted William Monahan draft and therefore are eying an finish of the season start. Top Cow is the organization behind Wanted, that was modified in to the 2008 Julia Roberts action vehicle. Captured its comic Crosshair was setup at Summit with Mandeville creating. Email: Borys.Package@thr.com Twitter: @Borys_Package

Twilight Stars Stewart, Pattinson and Lautner Getting Grauman's Chinese Honors

Every day, thousands of visitors brave the costumed impersonators of Hollywood Blvd. to ogle the foot and handprints of filmdom’s greatest celebrities, immortalized in cement in front of the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Come November 3, expect that tourist foot traffic to multiply; that’s when Twilight stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner will add their pawprints alongside those of folks like Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, The Marx Brothers, and Judy Garland. [Hollywood Life, @ChineseTheatres]

Heroes' Zachary Quinto: I'm a Gay Man

Zachary Quinto Zachary Quinto came out in an interview with NY magazine, unambiguously citing his sexual orientation for the first time while addressing different topics. When discussing his recent eight-month stint playing Louis Ironson - a man who abandons his AIDS-stricken boyfriend - in Angels in America, the former Heroes star called the role "the most challenging thing I've ever done as an actor and the most rewarding," but also says it opened his eyes. "And at the same time, as a gay man, it made me feel like there's still so much work to be done, and there's still so many things that need to be looked at and addressed." Check out photos of Zachary Quinto Quinto refers to himself as a gay man later in the interview when asked about the bullying and subsequent suicide of gay teenager Jamey Rodemeyer. "And again, as a gay man I look at that and say there's a hopelessness that surrounds it, but as a human being I look at it and say 'Why? Where's this disparity coming from, and why can't we as a culture and society dig deeper to examine that?' We're terrified of facing ourselves." Speculation about his sexuality has been rampant since the 34-year-old actor rose to stardom on Heroes. However, an interview in The NY Times last year said that Quinto "prefers not to feed the rumor mill with either substantiation or dismissal." Quinto, also known playing for Spock in the rebooted Star Trek franchise, currently plays a gay man (albeit, a dead one) on FX's American Horror Story. He can also be seen in the romantic comedy What's Your Number?

Disney Channel's Brenda Song and Trace Cyrus Are Engaged

Brenda Song and Trace Cyrus Brenda Song, most widely known for playing fortunate yet neglected wealthy girl London Tipton within the Suite Existence of Zack & Cody, is engaged to Miley Cyrus' older brother Trace Cyrus, the rocker tweeted Friday. "I'm very excited to express, a week ago I requested my girlfriend Brenda Song to marry me and she or he stated YES!" Cyrus authored. "We're both very excited to become engaged!" Report: Disney Channel's Brenda Song and Trace Cyrus expecting Miley was quick to openly congratulate her brother, welcoming Song in to the family. "Can't watch for Brenda to become a Cyrus... could not become more looking forward to my 'sister in law to be' yay," she tweeted. Song, 23, and Cyrus, 22, made their first public appearance together in May in the Nylon material party but they have apparently been seeing one another for several weeks. In August, a study stated the couple was expecting their first child. Browse the relaxation of present day news Aside From The Suite Existence and it is spin-off, Suite Existence on Deck, Song has additionally made an appearance on Disney's Hannah Montana (starring her boyfriend's famous sis), The Magicians of Waverly Place and also the TV movie Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior. Around the giant screen, she lately performed the clingy, fire-loving girlfriend to Eduardo (Andrew Garfield) within the Social Networking. Cyrus may be the adopted boy of Billy Ray Cyrus and when performed within the band Metro Station before it split up. The website for his clothing company, Southern Made Hollywood Compensated, features Song like a model.

Universal Backs Off 'Tower Heist' Premium VOD Test

Universal has scrubbed expects to create Brett Ratner's action-comedy Tower Heist accessible in houses only 72 hours after it debuts in theaters on November. 4, following risks by theater entrepreneurs to boycott the film altogether.our editor recommendsBrett Ratner Not Associated with $59.99 VOD 'Tower Heist' TestGiant Theater Chain Cinemark Expects to Boycott Universal's 'Tower Heist' Universal to supply 'Tower Heist' on Early VOD for $59.99 Nevertheless the studio stessed it'll still pursue premium VOD. "Universal Pictures today introduced that responding with a request from theater entrepreneurs, it's made a decision to obstruct its planned premium home video if needed (PVOD) experiment through which Comcast digital clients in Tigard and Atlanta may have had the opportunity to rent Tower Heist if needed just 72 hours after its theatrical release on November 4, 2011. "Universal is constantly believe that the theater experience together with a PVOD window are business models that could coincide and thrive which we anticipate coping with our partners in exhibition to try and experiment in this area afterwards,Inch the studio mentioned in the statement." The announcement sparked an immediate response from National Association of Theater Entrepreneurs leader Boss John Fithian. "NATO wish to thank Universal for responding to several theater entrepreneurs' concerns and deleting the PVOD test that was thinking about. They have been engaged with individual participants relating to this test, despite the fact that it absolutely was a thing that many theater entrepreneurs could not ultimately support, outdoors and collaborative character in the dialogue is appreciated. NATO sees that art galleries have to get new models and options in your house market, and seems toward entrepreneurs and participants cooperating for mutual benefit," Fithian mentioned. Related Subjects

Gigandet joins Paquin in 'Free Ride'

GigandetPaquin"Twilight" thesp Cam Gigandet is set to join "True Blood" star Anna Paquin in Shana Sosin's indie drama "Free Ride."Pic marks the first production for Paquin's production company SCAMP, whose other principals include Cerise Hallam Larkin, Mark Larkin and Paquin's husband and "True Blood" co-star Stephen Moyer.Based on a true story, "Free Ride" finds Paquin playing an abused single mother who moves to Florida with her two daughters to make a life for herself amid the colorful yet turbulent culture of the late 1970s.Gigandet will play Paquin's love interest in the film, which co-stars Drea De Matteo ("The Sopranos"), Liana Liberato ("Trust"), Ava Acres ("Five"), Jeff Hephner (Starz's "Boss") and another "True Blood" thesp, Brit Morgan.Sosin ("Girls! Girls! Girls!") is writing and directing "Free Ride," which is being produced by Cerise Hallam Larkin, Susan Dynner and Paquin. Moyer will exec produce with Mark Larkin and production is skedded to start Oct. 24 in Sarasota, Fla.Brian Dreyfuss of Featured Artists Agency reps Sosin and was heavily involved in packaging the project.Paquin, who stars alongside Ryan Phillippe and Luke Wilson in Nu Image/Millennium Films dramedy "Straight A's," most recently starred in Kenneth Lonergan's "Margaret" and Wes Craven's "Scream 4."Gigandet is coming off a trio of genre pics including "The Roommate," ""Priest" and Joel Schumacher's "Trespass." Thesp was recently cast as one of the leads in TNT's Western drama pilot "Gateway."WME reps both Paquin and Gigandet, who are also repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Luber Roklin Entertainment, respectively. Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com

Last Man Standing's Nancy Travis: I Get to Be a Buffoon Too

Tim Allen, Nancy Travis Tim Allen's new ABC sitcom Last Man Standing may present the former Home Improvement star as yet another dopey sitcom husband, but Allen's co-star Nancy Travis says that she gets to be dopey too.Fall TV: Get the lowdown on this season's must-see new shows"They are unlike a traditional sitcom couple, where he's the buffoon and she's the patient wife," Travis tells TVGuide.com. "We toss that ball back and forth. There are episodes where [I'm] just fumbling around and he comes off as the voice of reason. They're both kind of trying to find their way."Allen plays Mike Baxter, the director of marketing for an outdoor sporting goods store. When Mike's boss (Hector Elizondo) puts him in charge of focusing on the company's Internet sales - and his wife Vanessa (Travis) gets promoted in her job - Mike finds himself spending more time at home with his three daughters: single mom Kristin (Alexandra Krosney), dim, self-centered teen Mandy (Molly Ephraim) and tomboy Eve (Kaitlyn Dever).Travis, who also recurred in the first few episodes of the CW's freshman drama Hart of Dixie, insists that it's the family dynamic that will emerge as the heart of the show. "It's not going to be as black and white as 'a guy surrounded by girls,'" Travis says. "Part of launching a show is you need a hook or gimmick, and that happens to be the gimmick. But we've shot eight episodes and what is evolving is a show about a real family in the middle of this country where both parents are working. ... It's not your cookie-cutter family - it's a family that is just trying to get through the day and make it work."Photo timeline: The emasculation of men on TVThe setup will certainly feel a bit familiar to viewers of Allen's previous ABC sitcom, Home Improvement. While Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor used to grunt and scream for "more power" on Tool Time, Mike takes to YouTube to berate a generation of young men who can't change their own tires."Tim is still going to have that point of view of a guy's guy and [come] at it from a more traditional place of 'Men were meant to have guns!'" Travis says. "But he's going to have counterpoints to that point of view within the family. ... Tim is invested in making every scene work and not just going for the obvious joke. He really wants this show to be rooted in something that is real."As for her character, Travis says Vanessa will deal with everything from being called out for greeting trick-or-treaters in a too-sexy pirate costume to coming to grips with being a young grandmother. Meanwhile, the youngest daughter will feel disconnected because of Vanessa's long work hours while the eldest laments losing the life she planned to have after getting pregnant.Last Man Standing: Is Tim Allen's character a buffoon?"We're just trying to find the nuances and break away from the stock ideas and the broad jokes," Travis says."We want to know what makes this family tick and make it really relatable. And I think once you unearth all of that, you find a really funny show."Last Man Standing premieres Tuesday at 8/7c on ABC.

Simon Cowell: Well End Up 20 Million Audiences For That X Factor

First Released: October 3, 2011 11:03 PM EDT Credit: Getty Images La, Calif. -- Caption X-Factor judge Simon Cowell seems around the Tonight Show With Jay Leno at NBC Galleries in Burbank, Calif., on September 19, 2011 Simon Cowell informs Access Hollywood he was misinterpreted when he told a trade magazine hed contemplate it a disappointment when the X Factor didnt pull in 20 million audiences on its first outing on FOX. Which was a small misunderstanding. I wasnt saying I would like 20 million for that first episode. I stated we wanna hit 20 million, Simon told Access, trying to cast a brand new light on his previous comments towards the Hollywood Reporter. Obviously that went there and that i thought, I've really opened up my large mouth here because anything now under 20 is really a disaster, he added. Around people would like you to achieve success, theres a lot of people who would like you to fail and that i required a little within the neck that first day. Simon did, however, tell Access he forecasts The X Factor will attract 20 million audiences sooner or later. I do think over time, because In my opinion within the show were gonna hit individuals amounts, he told Access. Youve gotta remember this can be a new show, he added. Additionally to leaving comments on individuals number forecasts, Simon also offered an additional description of the items D.O.A., that they lately combined with L.A. Reid throughout the audition models, means. We make use of this expression on the program D.O.A. Accurate Arrival. Anybody younger than 21 whos cute, whos got talent [and it is] female [is] not gonna cope with, he stated, mentioning as to the he and L.A. say between themselves when Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger veto a lady contestant. The X Factor returns because of its third week of episodes on Wednesday at 8/7 on FOX. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Century of Birthing (Siglo ng pagluluwal)

A Sine Olivia Pilipinas presentation. Produced by Lav Diaz, Ricky Gallardo. Directed, written, edited by Lav Diaz.With: Angel Aquino, Perry Dizon, Joel Torre, Hazel Orencio, Angeli Bayani, Betty Uy-Regala, Roeder Camanag. (Tagalog, English dialogue)Filipino maestro Lav Diaz continues to push, prod and reinvent his personal yet universal cinema with "Century of Birthing." A relatively short film for Diaz at two minutes shy of six hours, this saga follows the parallel stories of a procrastinating filmmaker artist (Perry Dizon) and a woman in a quasi-Christian cult (Angel Aquino), serving up ideas on matters of belief, creation and freedom that ultimately skew in a more hopeful direction than some of the helmer's recent epics. Brave fests will sign up. What sets "Century of Birthing" apart from Diaz's other films about the Filipino national consciousness is how he incorporates his impending feature "Woman of Wind" into the narrative. In the context of this fiction, that film is the work of Homer (Dizon), shown editing the low-res video images on his computer. Crucially, however, Homer isn't meant to be seen as Diaz's doppelganger, and easy comparisons with Fellini's alter ego Guido in "8 1/2" would be simplistic and wrong-headed. There are two obvious differences: Homer appears to have never had, and never will have, a feature in the Venice and Toronto film festivals, where "Century of Birthing" launched its international fest circuit travels; and Homer can't seem to finish what he starts, the polar opposite of the highly productive and prolific Diaz. Homer is befriended and somewhat hounded by a female poet friend (Betty Uy-Regala), whose pretentiousness makes Homer's stated belief in the power of cinema sound comparatively modest. As he sweats over "Woman of Wind," "Birthing" also focuses on Sister Angela (Aquino), one of a tight circle of women around cult leader Father Tiburcio (Joel Torre). Diaz films their various religious rites, one of which provides the pic's opening scene, without irony or intended ridicule; while Father Tiburcio turns out to be a vain madman and harsh autocrat, the pic observes the group with a striking neutrality that allows viewers to arrive at their own conclusions. More pointedly, a nosey photographer (Roeder Camanag) has weaseled his way onto the cult's property (this is far from Waco, Texas, and there's nary a guard or gun in sight), and the film uses him to ask uncomfortable questions about the use of the camera to depict human beings, and how close the observer can rightfully get to the observed. More than in any previous Diaz film, the presence of the camera becomes a rather dark symbol of the uses and abuses of cinema, as does Homer's editing suite. Ever so gradually, these opposite worlds eventually intersect in a surprising and satisfying denouement set in the countryside under an enormous sky. Once Homer decides to get away from his rather shoddy studio, and encounters some characters outside of the city, the film shifts to large tableaux and time-bending sequences that turn the characters into mythic characters a la Diaz's "Death in the Land of Encantos." The DCP projection in Toronto was marred by an especially raw, fairly unmixed soundtrack, with much intrusive outside and ambient sound muddying the audio; filmmakers noted this will be rectified in future screenings. Diaz's black-and-white lensing is well composed, with his signature wide-angle long shots firmly intact; while nothing in Diaz's movies ever moves terribly fast, the individual shots here are generally more briefly held than those in his previous work. Unconfirmed reports circulated in Toronto that Diaz is planning an eight-hour version, though the narrative seems quite complete and fully rounded at nearly six.Camera (B&W, DV), Diaz; music, Diaz; production designer, Perry Dizon, Hazel Orencio, Dante Perez; sound (stereo), Diaz. Reviewed at Toronto Film Festival (Visions), Sept. 15, 2011. (Also in Venice Film Festival -- Horizons.) Running time: 358 MIN. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Transformers 3 Full Movie

Moneyball #1 Friday But Dolphin Tale Will Take Weekend; Courageous #4, Dream House #5, 50/50 #6, Whats Your Number? #7

SATURDAY AM, 3RD UPDATE: Still on vacation in a different time zone. Yes, the newest numbers have changed the order yet again. (Oh no, not another confused weekend like the last one!) North American box office analysis coming. Here’s the latest North American Top 10: 1. Moneyball (Sony) Week 2 [2,993 Theaters] Friday $3.8M (-43%), Estimated Weekend $13.5M, Estimated Cume$39M 2. Dolphin Tale (Alcon, Warner Bros) Week 2 [3,515 Theaters] Friday $3.4M (-33%), Estimated Weekend $15M, Estimated Cume $39M 3. Lion King 3D (Disney) Week 3 [2,340 Theaters] Friday $3.3M, Estimated Weekend$12M, Estimated Cume $80.6M 4. Courageous (Sony) NEW [1,161 Theaters] Friday $3.1M, Estimated Weekend $9M 5.Dream House (Universal) NEW [2,661 Theaters] Friday $2.9M, Estimated Weekend $7.8M 6. 50/50 (Summit) NEW [2,458 Theaters] Friday $2.8M, Estimated Weekend $8.6M 7.What’s Your Number? (Fox) NEW [3,002 Theaters] Friday$2M, Estimated Weekend $5.5M 8.Abduction (Lionsgate) Week 2 [3,118 Theaters] Friday $1.7M (-54%), Estimated Weekend$5.3M, Estimated Cume $18.8M 9.Killer Elite (Open Road) Week 2 [2,986 Theaters] Friday $1.5M (-57%), Estimated Weekend$4.5M, Estimated Cume $17 10. Contagion (Warner Bros) Week 4 [2,744 Theaters] Friday $1.4M, Estimated Weekend $4.7M, Estimated Cume $64.4M FRIDAY 1 PM: These are very early numbers based on matinees. Therefore the order could change dramatically by tonight. My sources say that according to noon averages, this is simply a snapshot of where the North American box office is right now: 1. The #1 film at this time is Sony’s Courageous which is running 55% ahead of where Fireproof was at this time of day. (Fireproof went on to gross $6.8m for its first weekend. Estimates are for Courageous to earn $5M Friday and a weekend in the mid-teens. Not surprising that it’s trending in front right now because faith-based movies engender a lot of pre-sales as church groups bus to the theaters. 2. Right now it’s too close to call for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place as Alcon Entertainment/Warner Bros’ Dolphin Tale, Sony Pictures’ Moneyball, and Disney’s Lion King 3 are all ranking close together. 5. Summit’s 50/50 is estimated at $3M for Friday with a weekend of $9M. Note that this film is R-rated so matinees are not a good barometer of its strength at the box office. 6. Based on noon averages, Universal’s Dream House is trending toward a Friday estimated gross of $4M with a weekend of $11M if the box office picks up significantly tonight as predicted. 7. Fox’s What’s Your Number is a tough call this early. It could go to $3M today and $9M this weekend.

Watch The Hangover 2 Free