Next Iron Chef's Spike around the New Twist, "Culinary Assassin" Anthony Bourdain

Spike Mendelsohn Chef Spike Mendelsohn might have taken part on Bravo's culinary reality show Top Chef -- two times -- but he still did not be prepared to be employed for Food Network's Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs, which premieres Sunday at 9/8c. "I acquired the telephone call from nowhere. I had been really quite surprised," Mendelsohn informs TVGuide.com. "I did not expect these phones cast me included in this crew, alongside another ones. I had been certainly honored to achieve the chance. You will find lots of chefs involved which i idolize and that i follow their careers. To become standing alongside them, was type of like, 'OK, you managed to get.'" Anthony Bourdain on Paula Deen: "Her food sucks" Individuals other luminaries include current Food Network and Cooking Funnel stars Anne Burrell (Worst Cooks in the usa), Robert Irvine (Dinner: Impossible), Michael Chiarello (Easy Entertaining With Michael Chiarello), Alex Guarnaschelli (Alex's Day Off), Chuck Hughes (Chuck's Day Off). Adding much more warmth towards the competition are Top Chef Masters champion Marcus Samuelsson, Chopped competitor Geoffrey Zakarian and past Iron Chef America competitors Elizabeth Falkner and Love MacMillan. Mendelsohn may be among the more youthful chefs starting fight, but he already includes a following, including Michelle Obama who frequents his Washington, Electricity-based Nutrients Eatery and that we, the Pizza. But despite the fact that he's given the very first Lady and made it two Top Chef seasons, there's still one individual he finds intimidating if this involves knowing his food. "I believe everybody would agree that Anthony Bourdain is sort of a culinary assassin if this involves knowing people," Mendelsohn confesses. "He certainly allows you realize what's on his mind and just how he feels. He's the toughest judge I have experienced." Take a look at Mendelsohn's undertake the brand new twist within the competition, which chef's real personality surprised him, how wise Alton Brown is really and what he'd prefer to serve Obama if she were a guest judge on the program. Why did you choose to do Next Iron Chef after competing in Top Chef and Iron Chef America? Are you currently some kind of adrenaline junkie?Spike Mendelsohn: Some know I am an adrenaline junkie. I simply think I'd a lot success with my very first time at carrying out a reveal that it arrives with the territory nowadays. It relates to my companies. It is also something fresh and various constantly for me personally. It requires me from my everyday grind, that is coping with companies and restaurant employees. It causes it to be fun for me personally. Perhaps you have met your rivals before?Mendelsohn: I'd met many of them before at some point during my career. Some I used to be just familiar with, some I used to be buddies with plus some I'd just seen through food festivals and such things as that. It certainly was surreal standing there . There have been a few chefs which i personally think about the greater echelon of chefs just standing there within the stadium and merely being on the program. It had been a minute. Of all of them, whose food wish to consume the most?Mendelsohn: I believe Let me try Chuck's food because he's a Montreal kid, and I am from Montreal and that i haven't eaten his food before, so Let me see what he's doing. Have there been surprises meeting any man or woman who wasn't that which you expected?Mendelsohn: Well, as large and bad and muscular as Robert Irvine looks and comes off on tv, he's quite a sweet guy. And Anne Burrell is crazier than she seems. Nah, I am just kidding! What's the special factor you can include towards the selection? Could it be personality or perhaps a particular culinary perspective?Mendelsohn: I lead some entertainment, some up-and-coming talent. I am pretty versatile in a number of various kinds of cuisine. And So I lead what I am about, things i do as a living. Also, I do not possess a Food Network show and am not presently in "the household.Inch So perhaps I seem like I possibly could be a little of threat because they do not know an excessive amount of about me. What else could you inform us concerning the twist, the brand new format using the elimination challenge?Mendelsohn: They did away using the old elimination challenge format by which all of the rivals were facing one another. Now, that which you do first is you all go in internet marketing in some form of initial challenge and so the bottom two possess a mind-to-mind cookoff having a secret component to determine who will get began and who stays. Therefore the format is exactly what you'd expect from Iron Chef America's mind-to-mind battles. ... It simply causes it to be much harder. I type of love the brand new format. It is good. I usually enjoy mind-to-mind battles and i believe you are set for some surprises. The juicy benefit of Food Network Star's Bobby Flay Are you finding it more nerve-wracking this way?Mendelsohn: I really worked using the pressure better. Let us say you are up for elimination that old way, and there is 10 individuals you simply have no idea at that time. It can make you very anxious, it certainly is a speculating game, as well as your thoughts are playing methods you. A minimum of using the mind-to-mind fight, you are like, "Ok, it's either this person or me right now and I must put my life blood on the plate and find out where it lands. It is going my way, that's great, but when it does not, it does not." For me personally it had been a great deal simpler to cope with that type of pressure. Was there a secret component that you simply were searching toward while using most? It is possible to secret component you wouldn't like to obtain?Mendelsohn: I really like using offal meat, so any kind of sweetbreads or something like that like that might be good. I really like cooking with individuals kinds of things. I believe every chef does indeed. So far as elements which i wouldn't anticipate cooking with could be something strange like stinky tofu or possibly abalone. What's your undertake your humble host, Alton Brown? Is he really that wise?Mendelsohn: Alton Brown is really a genius. I was raised watching him and learning a lot of things and food science from watching all his different shows. He's certainly a properly-seasoned host also it was great to understand him a little better and to be with him. We'd just a little chatter behind the curtain in some places, but nothing too in-depth. He's a show to create and he's a really busy guy. Michelle Obama is keen on your cuisine, so she will be the ultimate guest judge. Should you needed to present a dish to her for judgment, what will it be?Mendelsohn: If she arrived like a guest judge, I'd perform some soulful dishes, like something really scrumptious and tasty but quite simple, even tho it's a roast chicken or steak and taters. I type of know nowadays what she likes eating so I'd certainly ensure that it stays for the reason that realm. The Truly Amazing Food Truck Race Season 2 champion is... So, no lie: you totally practiced your intimidating Iron Chef America entered-arm pose, right?Mendelsohn: (laughs) Yeah, for hrs on finish inside my house within the mirror. Now here's the truly real question: Should you be likely to stand available online for one of the old-school Iron Chefs, which vegetable will you be holding?Mendelsohn: I'd decide to hold a butternut squash. Here is a look at Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs: Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs airs Sundays a 9/8c on Food Network. Who do you consider has got the best chance at winning one of the super chefs?

Box Office Report: 'Paranormal Activity 3' Collects a Franchise Best $8 Mil in Midnight Shows

Paramount's Halloween horror pic Paranormal Activity 3 grossed a stellar $8 million in Thursday midnight grosses from 2,200 theaters in North America -- 30 percent higher than last year's Paranormal Activity 2, which earned $6.3 million.our editor recommendsBox Office Preview: 'Paranormal Activity 3' Expected to Open North of $30 MillionParanormal Activity 3: Film Review The prequel now has a strong shot at matching the $40.7 million opening of the sequel, bucking the overall downturn at the domestic box office. The midnight grosses were the best ever for an R-rated film after Hangover Part II, which earned $10.4 million in midnight runs this past summer. And Paranormal 3 also is off to a strong start overseas, where it's outpacing Paranormal 2 as well. The movie opened to $521K in France on Thursday, 13 pecent of Paranormal 2. In Russia, the $550K opening waas 45 percent higher than the sequel, while Australia turned in $516K, 14 percent ahead. The Paranormal franchise, produced by Jason Blum, Oren Peli and Steven Schneider, has been one of the most profitable film series in recent memory. The first Paranormal, which cost $15,000 to produce and opened in a limited run in September 2009, went on to gross $193.4 million worldwide. Paranormal 2 cost $3 million to produce, and grossed $177.5 million worldwide. The threequel's budget is pegged at $5 million. Related Topics Box Office Paranormal Activity 3

HBO's Bryant Gumbel Compares Basketball Commissioner David Stern with a 'Modern Plantation Overseer' (Video)

Bryant Gumbel, host of Cinemax's Real Sports, used some potentially questionable phrases to blast Basketball commissioner David Stern on his show Tuesday evening.our editor recommends'Dancing While using Stars'' Ron Artest Responds to Elimination (Video) Kobe Bryant To Produce His Movie Acting Debut in 'The Black Mamba'Endemol USA plans Kobe Bryant Web seriesKhloe Kardashian's Husband Lamar Odom Associated with Near-Fatal Vehicle Accident Attacking Youthful Boys MVP of Basketball All-Star Celebrity Game Gumbel places blame Stern for having less resolution inside the ongoing labor discussions involving the players and entrepreneurs that introduced for the league getting rid of the initial 2 days of the year. STORY: Opponents' Kobe Bryant to see in Italia Throughout Basketball Lockout "The Basketball's infamously egocentric commissioner seems more hell-bent lately on demeaning the players than fixing his game's labor impasse," Gumbel mentioned. But he didn't hang on a minute. Gumbel evoked images of slavery in further remarks. "Stern's version from the products remains happening nowadays has clearly been disputed, but his efforts were conventional a commissioner which has always made an appearance wanting to appear as some form of modern plantation representative, coping with Basketball males as if they were his boys," he mentioned. "It's part of Stern's M.O., like his past self-serving edicts on dress code or perhaps the questioning of government bodies. His moves were designed to just show how he's the primary one keeping the hired hands inside their place." STORY:Basketball Cancels Initial Few Times of Season Among Lockout Gumbel acknowledged that his comments may very well earn him some critique but he wasn't concerned about it. "Most clearly wince at this portrayal," Gumbel mentioned. "But Stern's disdain for your players can be as palpable and pathetic as his motives are transparent. Yes, the Basketball's enterprize model is broken. But to correct it, maybe the league's commissioner should concern themselves most while using solution, and stop joining the problem.Inch Meanwhile, the Basketball introduced the other day it had been getting rid of the initial 2 days in the regular season after entrepreneurs and players were not able to to attain a completely new labor deal and finished the lockout. MAP: Who Sits Where at Opponents Games In those days, Stern mentioned any time two straight occasions of discussions that every side were "very far apart on just about all issues. ... We just have a very gulf that separates us." The sticking reason behind the discussions was apparently how a team entrepreneurs in addition to their players would split the $4 billion in revenue created yearly with the league.The Basketball claims it's losing $300 million yearly, with 22 of the 30 teams also at an adverse balance. STORY: Union States Basketball Lockout Coming during the night time Meanwhile, Gumbel's comments aren't the initial potentially questionable remarks he's made. In 2006, he mentioned he doesn't like the Winter Olympics and won't watch them, adding: "So not laugh when someone states fundamental necessities world's finest sports sports athletes despite a paucity of greens making the winter season Games appear just like a GOP convention." That same year, he mentioned of outgoing Nfl commissioner Paul Tagliabue: "Before he cleans out his office, have Paul Tagliabue demonstrate where he keeps [then-Nfl Players Association executive director] Gene Upshaw's leash," Gumbel mentioned. "By considering making the docile mind in the players union his personal pet, your predecessor saved the peace without giving players the kind of guarantees other pros ignore. Attempt to make sure nobody competent ever replaces Upshaw inside your watch." Related Subjects Basketball David Stern Bryant Gumbel

Danny Masterson and Bijou Phillips Got married

Bijou Phillips and Danny Masterson After eight years of dating, That '70s Show's Danny Masterson and girlfriend Bijou Phillips have grown to be married, People reviews.Tuesday's ceremony happened before family and pals inside a private castle in Tipperary, Ireland. Phillips, the half-sister of Chynna Phillips and Mackenzie Phillips, used a Zac Posen gown. Masterson's brother Chris was the most effective guy.Photo gallery: Storybook celebrity romancesThe couple met inside a celebrity poker tournament in Las vegas in 2004. Masterson, 35, and Phillips, 31, starred together inside the 2009 drama The Bridge to Nowhere. He recommended in March 2009, according to People.

Getting a Family

Shot in Vancouver by Entertainment One Television in colaboration with Patriarch Pictures. Executive producers, Tom Patricia, Ira Pincus, John Morayniss, Noreen Halpern, Mary Martin co-executive producers, Kim Delaney, Margaret O'Brien supervisory producer, Suzanne Berger producer, Randolph Cheveldave director, Mark Jean author, Pamela Wallace.Ileana - Kim Delaney Alex Chivescu - Jared Abrahamson Suzanne Bante - Sarah-Jane Redmond Jim Bante - Paul McGillion Henry - Dee Jay Jackson Attending Harvard, it works out, is the best feel-good finale for youth movies, which describes why they behind "Destitute to Harvard" was behind this latest inspiring true story, "Getting a Family," for Hallmark Movie Funnel. Although suspense is not area of the Hallmark formula, the storyplot of Alex Chivescu -- a ward from the condition who satisfied the dream developed in him by his mother of joining the Ivy League -- lumbers along pretty uneventfully, including what comes down to a long cameo by star/producer Kim Delaney. Unlike its protagonist, the film barely will get by like a pass-fail proposition. "Education is sort of a miracle answer to open any door," Delaney's Ileana informs her youthful boy, Alex, in the start, before a vehicle crash and related mind injuries yield unpredictable bouts of depression and anger which make her unfit to boost him. Seven years later, Alex (Jared Abrahamson) escapes her custody of the children, then performs exceptionally well in school while bouncing with the promote-care system. Confronted with having to relocate, Alex takes it upon themself to locate a family that will permit him to remain at his current school -- keeping his college ambitions alive -- and ends up using the too-good-to-be-true Bantes (Sarah-Jane Redmond, Paul McGillion), who've to help keep reassuring him he's worthy of their love and support. And that is about this. Apart from the inevitable payback, the whole exercise feels as though it's simply marking time. Delaney vanishes car midsection, and Abrahamson -- while wide-eyed and fresh-faced -- is not interesting enough to keep the screen, though he can not be faulted for the possible lack of pace or emergency in Mark Jean's direction of Pamela Wallace's script. There is nothing wrong, always, with movies that begin with a contented ending and work backwards, however they require creating a little of dramatic tension to be able to result in the beneficial finale resonate. Out of the box, while it's swell things exercised for that real-existence Alex, his triumphant march to some first-rate education, alas, has led to another-rate TV movie.Camera, David Pelletier production designer, Paul Joyal editor, Stein Myhrstad casting, Donna Rosenstein, Candice Elzinga. 120 MIN. Contact John Lowry at john.lowry@variety.com

James Cameron on Why You May See 'Terminator 2' and 'Aliens' Converted to 3D Soon

Even in the midst of what may or may not be a backlash against 3D -- "may" if you wasted your hard earned money on a poor up-conversion; "may not" if you happen to be James Cameron -- the aforementioned James Cameron still stands defiant. To be fair, he has the right to do so: 'Avatar' may have spawned clones of rip-off 3D suitors, but that's certainly not Cameron's fault, and no one has questioned Cameron's painstaking attention to 3D detail. James Cameron was presented with the Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Leadership Award in NY City on Monday night, and the Oscar-winning director spoke to Moviefone one-on-one about the 3D backlash, his rerelease of 'Titanic' in 3D in April of 2012 (more on that here), and why the success of 'Titanic' just may lead to 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' and 'Aliens' getting the 3D treatment as well. It seems like with every blockbuster 3D movie, the reports are that more and more people are opting for the 2D version. This happened with 'Pirates 4.' After the good will of 'Avatar,' how do you win back an audience that feels tricked? I don't think that's the case at all. I don't think the audience feels tricked, I think the audience occasionally feels like they're not getting their money's worth when they go to see a film where they're paying for a premium ticket price and it's sort of sloppily converted to 3D and it's not delivering. And that usually happens because the studio imposes 3D on the filmmaker and the filmmaker says, "Look I'm making the movie, you all do with it what you want." Which is really a bad attitude because if you're not shooting for 3D, it's not going to look as good. So I'm not in favor of conversion. I think that's potentially a way to do minor damage to the marketplace. So is there a backlash? I think this whole story is trumped up by the media. You know, they built it up, it's this fantastic new thing, and now we're going to tear it down. You seem frustrated by this. Are you frustrated by this story? No, no. I'm not frustrated at all. I think it's a natural course of the evolution of any new thing. But I think people need to understand and remember: 3D revenues for movies have grown 40 percent a year, year over year, for three years. And are projected to do that next year. This business is not going away. You're not going to put that toothpaste back in the tube. We've gone from one percent of the market four years ago to 21 percent of movie revenues now. So, I think it's being very broadly accepted on a global basis -- much more so internationally than domestically. So, 3D is going to be with us forever. The question is: When does it reach the same levels of broadcast? We've got about 110 camera systems right now that are out all of the time -- the trucks are out all of the time. We've done 160 sporting events and it goes up 20 of new ones every couple of months. So that's now starting to explode. You mentioned that you're not in favor of conversion, but you are converting 'Titanic.' Was that process more difficult than you expected? Are you happy with the results? I expected it to be really hard to get high quality results. And that proved to be accurate. Including the mastering of the film and the 3D conversion, we're spending 18 million dollars in one year -- and it will barely be done in time, in February -- to do it up to a standard equal to having shot it in 3D. Which, of course, would have been my first choice. Short of having a time machine available, I don't know a way to do that. Will we see other films from the James Cameron catalog converted? We are exploring a new market here for classic library titles that are much beloved films that may or may not have a new life in the theatrical marketplace. We're just going to have to see. I mean, do the numbers support the idea of a 'Terminator 2' or 'Aliens'? I don't know, those would be cool movies to convert. But I don't know -- we have to see how much we make off of 'Titanic.' You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter. Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

Hugh Jackman: What's Next for that Actor

Using the robot fighting feature Real Steel in theaters a few days ago, star Hugh Jackman has several movies decreasing the pipeline.our editor recommendsBox Office Report: Hugh Jackman Starrer 'Real Steel' Wins Weekend with $27.3 Mil'Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway' Coming back to NY StageHugh Jackman's 'Real Steel': Exactly what the Experts are Saying'Real Steel': Hugh Jackman Talks Robot Boxing, Possible Follow up (Video)'SNL': Hugh Jackman Constitutes a Surprise Appearance Although Not Playing Themself (Video) Real Steel snagged no. 1 place within the domestic box office, generating a lot more than $27 million, however the Shawn Levy-directed film has brought mix reviews, most referencing the Transformers and Rocky franchises. PHOTOS: 'Real Steel' Premiere "Rocky the Robot could have been probably the most accurate title with this bot-boxing melodrama, which feels as though a mashup of spares from Transformers, The Champion, The Exorcist and Sylvester Stallone's series, among other cash cows of numerous vintages," creates The Hollywood Reporter's Todd McCarthy. Here's what Jackson has within the works: STORY: 'Real Steel': 5 Things Been sent around the Red-colored Carpet Jackman co-stars in Butter, starring Jennifer Garner, as Boyd Bolton. The indie film focuses on a youthful girl who finds out that they includes a talent for making sculptures from butter. Butter is anticpated to be launched March. 21. Following Butter, Jackman can next be observed in the ensemble feature, Movie 43, by which he co-stars with Elizabeth Banks, Emma Stone and Kate Winslet, simply to title a couple of. Banks directed the film too, that will emerge the coming year. Jackman also provided his voice for that approaching animated film, Rise from the Parents, which involves Father Christmas, the Easter time Bunny, Jack Frost along with other childhood figures joining as much as safeguard children's imagination. Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin and Jude Law are probably the other voice stars. Additionally towards the lengthy-gestating follow up to Wolverine, the Australian actor will have Jean Valjean within the large-screen adaptation of L'ensemble des Miserables, alongside Russell Crowe. It had been introduced recently that Jackman could be creating a go back to Broadway together with his show, Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, for any 10-week stint in the Broadhurst Theatre. Performances are slated to start March. 25 and undergo Jan. 1, 2012, with opening evening happening on November. 10. Related Subjects Hugh Jackman Worldwide Asia Real Steel

KK&P flies with ' White Crow'

Independent financier and production company Kerry, Kimmel and Pollack has acquired feature film rights to Marcus Sedgwick's novel "White Crow" and will co-finance and co-produce the picture.Psychological thriller centers on a 16 year-old girl who moves to a sleepy seaside town with a deadly past, and discovers what's on the other side of death.KK&P's CEO Michael Pollack and prexy Mark Morgan ("The Twilight Saga") will produce with Brett Hudson and Kami Garcia. Production is skedded to start in fall 2012 on Isle of Man, located within the British Isles.Sedgwick has been nominated for the Carnegie Medal, an Edgar Allan Poe award, and the Guardian Children's Book Prize.KK&P's most recent project is "Quattrocento," an independently-financed miniseries that is currently in prep in Budapest. Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com

Watch X-Men: First Class The Movie

Yahoo beefs up original programming

Internet giant Yahoo has introduced a selection of eight new web show focusing on women because it ramps up original programming -- brings total output to 34 shows either around the network or perhaps in production. They will be released from the refurbished destination site known as Yahoo! Screen.Some shows are weekly, some daily. They range long from three-to-5 minutes, to longer form. Two shows have been in-house productions from Yahoo Galleries, others developed together with companies including Electus/Principato-Youthful Entertainment, FishBowl Worldwide Media, Prime Content and Warrior Poets. In a press briefing in NY Tuesday morning, Mickie Rosen, senior Vice president of Yahoo Media Network, presented the selection like a slate, similar to broadcast systems. She stated marketers be capable of buy over the slate of shows. ''Original programming is when we make our mark and accelerate our brand building,'' she stated.The brand new choices include ''Reluctantly Healthy'' with Judy Greer (''The Descendants,'' ''Arrested Development'') about living healthy on the run, ''Let's Discuss Love'' with Niecy Nash of ''Reno 911'' and ''The Failure Club,'' located by Morgan Spurlock (''Supersize Me''), about adopting the worry of failure to modify your existence.In ''Your Buddies Won't Ever Believe You'' with Ryan Rottman (Nickelodeon's ''Gigantic''), brief moments of random celebrity interaction are taken on hidden cameras and targets attempt to convince their buddies what just happened. ''Ultimate Proposal'' shows host Cameron Mathison (''All The Kids,'' ''Good Morning America'') along with a team of experts helping males provide the ultimate marriage proposal. ''omg! NOW'' is really a celebrity fest with host Kristen Aldridge. ''Blue Ribbon Hunter,'' with food author Allison Fishman, offers a mix of local flavor and cooking instruction at food festivals across America. And celebrity chef Fabio Viviani hosts their own cooking program ''CHOW CIAO!'' ''This is next generation television, available anytime, anywhere, with something for everybody,'' Rosen stated.Despite turmoil within the executive suite and constant gossips it's up available, Yahoo is clearly on the go. The 2009 week, the organization introduced a sweeping alliance with ABC News. Traders appear to love the things they see. Yahoo shares were up in midday buying and selling Tuesday, beating the general market. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

The Five Primary Motivations for Releasing an Oscar Hopeful in December

Sony Pictures The vast majority of this year's awards hopefuls have already played at least once on the festival circuit (Sundance, Berlin, Cannes, Telluride, Toronto, and/or NY) and/or gone into general release. Most of those that have not are set for October or November releases. But a select few others are being held until December, the last month in which they are eligible to qualify for Oscar consideration this year, and are being screened for the press only selectively before then, if at all. PHOTOS: Oscars Party Pics We all know that it is generally imprudent to release awards hopefuls early in the year -- though there have been exceptions (most recently The Hurt Locker), early releases tend to be forgotten and/or drowned out by the end of the year rush, when invitations to screenings and screeners of newer films with fresher hype start to pile up and the strategic challenge and cost of reviving interest in earlier films can be enormous. But why wait until so late in the awards season to unveil a contender? PHOTOS: Backstage at the 83rd Academy Awards I had my own suspicions, but decided to reach out to several top awards strategists for their take, and have come up with five different motivations. As you can see below, I believe that each of this year's end-of-the-year releases falls under at least one of them. "The Last Man Standing" Definition: A film that has the on-paper pedigree of a major contender and hopes to swoop in and take over the conversation after everyone else has already shown their hands. Past Examples: A Beautiful Mind (12/21/01); Gangs of NY (12/20/02); Cold Mountain (12/25/03); The Aviator (12/17/04); Dreamgirls (12/15/06) 2011 Examples: Young Adult (12/9), a dramedy written by Oscar winner Diablo Cody, directed by Oscar nominee Jason Reitman, and starring Oscar winner Charlize Theron; Carnage (12/16), a dramedy adapted from a hit Broadway production, co-written for the screen/directed by Oscar winner Roman Polanski and starring Oscar winners Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, and Christoph Waltz, plus Oscar nominee John C. Reilly; We Bought a Zoo (12/23), a dramedy adapted from a best-selling novel, co-written for the screen/directed by Oscar winner Cameron Crowe and starring Oscar winner Matt Damon; War Horse (12/25), a drama adapted from a best-selling novel-turned-hit Broadway production, directed by Oscar winner Steven Spielberg, and with contributions from an Oscar-winning team of collaborators including producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, film editor Michael Kahn, and composer John Williams. Upside: The "old-school model," it allows a film to avoid the festival circuit (where it would be just one of many films being discussed, could get knocked down a notch, and, even if it survives intact, would have to try to maintain momentum for months thereafter), and to instead drop in like a shiny new toy right before the end of the eligibility period. Downside: As other contenders fall short of expectations, anticipation only builds for those that have not yet been seen. High hopes -- and particularly the "frontrunner" label -- can prove very hard to live up to. * * * "The Opportunist" Definition: A film that is primarily aimed at making money over the holidays, and for which any awards attention will be seen as icing on the cake. Past Examples: Titanic (12/19/97); The Great Debaters (12/25/07); The Lovely Bones (12/11/09); It's Complicated (12/25/09); Avatar (12/18/10) 2011 Examples: The Adventures of Tintin (12/21), Steven Spielberg's animated/motion-capture 3D adaptation of a popular series of comic books, produced by Spielberg, Peter Jackson, and Kathleen Kennedy and featuring the work of the master of motion capture, Andy Serkis, among others; The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (12/21), David Fincher's adaptation of Stieg Larsson's blockbuster novel-turned-Swedish film, which up-and-comer Rooney Mara (The Social Network) as the title character opposite James Bond himself, Daniel Craig. Upside: When it comes to the end of the year, making money and garnering awards attention often go hand-in-hand, so if a studio can accomplish its primary objective of connecting in a big way with the general public then it will also only improve its chances of connecting with awards voters. Downside: Not crafting an awards strategy early on can put you at a great disadvantage when going head-to-head with films that have. With the money that Avatar wound up making, Fox could have afforded to hire every awards strategist out there, but because the studio was so focused on making back its huge investment at the box-office (understandably), they didn't really have any pros working on awards strategy until The Hurt Locker's "David vs. Goliath" and "ex-wife vs. ex-husband" narratives had already taken hold, costing it the best picture Oscar. * * * "The Late Scramble" Definition: A film that was only recently completed and is being quickly turned around in time to qualify for eligibility this year. Past Examples: Million Dollar Baby (12/15/04); Letters from Iwo Jima (12/20/06); The Reader (12/10/08) 2011 Examples: The Iron Lady (12/21), Phyllida Lloyd's biopic of Margaret Thatcher, which stars Lloyd's Mamma Mia! (2008) star Meryl Streep as the title character, only wrapped post-production days ago; Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (12/25), Stephen Daldry's adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer's best-selling novel, which stars Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, among others, and which was only shot earlier this year, and which is still being finished. (I have heard rumors that The Weinstein Company might surprise people with John Hillcoat's star-studded The Wettest County in the World before the year comes to a close, but the studio, which already has its hands full with numerous other awards hopefuls, insists that it has no such plans.) Upside: As Clint Eastwood films have proven on numerous occasions, dropping a quality film into a race that few ever thought it would ever be a part of can reap great rewards. Downside: Strategists' hands are largely tied, in the sense that even they themselves can't see the film until only shortly before everyone else has to, leaving them little time to reframe expectations, drum up interest, book screening rooms, and get the film and talent in front of the various critics and awards groups. * * * "The Titillator" Definition: A film with controversial/risque content is given early screenings on the festival circuit and then goes away for a while, hoping to ride early festival buzz/curiosity late into the season. Past Examples: Brokeback Mountain (12/16/05); Atonement (12/7/07); Blue Valentine (12/29/10) 2011 Examples: Shame (12/?), Steve McQueen's sure-fire NC-17 film starring Michael Fassbender, in the performance that won him the best actor award at September's Venice Film Festival, as a sex addict (who spends much of the movie completely nude and engaged in sexual acts) and Carey Mulligan as his troubled sister (who is also shown nude in an extended full-frontal scene); Pariah (12/28), Dee Rees's semi-autobiographical film, which impressed at Sundance, starring Adepero Oduye as a young semi-closeted lesbian (who is shown engaging in sex acts, playing with sex toys, and dancing to sexually-explicit songs); We Need to Talk About Kevin (12/?), Lynne Ramsey's disturbing drama about a mother (Tilda Swinton) whose son (Ezra Miller) goes on a killing rampage at his school, which played at Cannes, Telluride, and Toronto, and raises difficult questions about whether an evil person is born or becomes that way. Upside: The early screenings get people talking -- "The movie is so crazy/disturbing/realistic... I wouldn't be surprised if Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams actually had sex in it" or "The movie is fascinating... and Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan both have scenes of full frontal nudity!" -- causing interest to spread like wildfire ("I've heard it's unlike anything else out there!"). These sorts of films often result in acting nominations (which are chosen by actors, who tend to admire and reward risk-taking), but not much else. Downside: Titillating content, in and of itself, is never enough to get a movie into phase two, so it better have more to it than just that. * * * "The Chris Christie" Definition: A film that few really expect to be in the running this year, but that could still surprise us. Past Examples: Breaking and Entering (12/15/06); Factory Girl (12/29/06); Miss Potter (12/29/06) 2011 Examples: Butter (12/?), an entertaining light comedy starring Jennifer Garner that screened at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals and is set to be distributed by The Weinstein Company; In the Land of Blood and Honey (12/23), a low-budget indie written and directed by Angelina Jolie and set to be distributed by little FilmDistrict; The Lady (12/?), a quiet, understated historical drama directed by Luc Besson and starring Michelle Yeoh that played at Toronto, where its distribution rights were purchased by the Cohen Media Group; Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (12/?), a drama written by Oscar winner Simon Beaufoy, directed by Oscar nominee Lasse Hallstrom, and starring Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, and Oscar nominee Kristin Scott Thomas that premiered at Toronto and was acquired there for a considerable sum by CBS Films. Upside: Low expectations. Downside: Low profile. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

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Infomercial Pitchman, Facing Charges of Controlling a gimmick, Commits Suicide

Jesse Lapre Jesse Lapre, an infomercial pitchman who was simply facing charges of controlling a gimmick to promote useless companies, has died inside an apparent suicide, in line with the Hollywood Reporter. The Phoenix-based Lapre reaches federal custody of the children from the children and situated dead within the cell Sunday morning. He was indicted in June on 41 counts of conspiracy and fraud. Lapre was billed with marketing firms that defrauded nearly $52 million from greater than 220,000 sufferers. Lapre's trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday. Watch among his advertisements: