2011 CMT Awards

The CMT Music Awards went down last night in Nashville and it was one for the ages. The country music show was filled with big winners, a big fall, a wardrobe malfunction, and more. Check out the most buzz worthy moments from the show:

1. Justin Bieber wins his first country award! The Bieb is clearly a pop star, but everything he touches turns to gold, even in the country world. He collaborated with Rascal Flatts for his song "That Should Be Me" and took home the prize for Collaborative Video of the Year last night. "First of all, I just want to say how honored I am to be here ... with Rascal Flatts," Bieber said on stage. "How amazing are Rascal Flatts, everybody? I want to thank my mom. I want to thank my family. And I want to thank Rascal Flatts for even jumping on the song with me."

2. Sheryl Crow has a wardrobe malfunction. This singer learned a hard lesson about
sitting on a stool in a short skirt last night when she accidentally flashed her underwear to the cameras while singing a duet with Kid Rock. She addressed the matter when she got back onstage to present and pointed out that things could have been worse: "I was wearing underwear," she said. "Cause I am good, clean family entertainment."

3. Shania Twain takes a spill. Shania Twain also learned a hard truth last night: Slick floors and high heels don't mix well. The songstress approached the stage to give Blake Shelton his Male Video of the Year prize when she fell. Hard. But, she quickly got up and brushed herself off and carried on with the show. "I just made a complete fool of myself and experienced one of life's most embarrassing moments," she said about the incident. "I don't need a stunt double." She added that she's getting rid of those shoes ASAP. "I never want to see those shoes again!" Shania said.

4. Ludacris goes country. We definitely didn't see this pair-up coming! The rap guru took the stage with country star Jason Aldean last night to sing Aldean's "Dirt Road Anthem." And, the collaboration was totally awesome. "History has been made, baby," Luda said at the end of the performance.

5. Nicole Kidman wears a weird dress, Keith Urban rocks out. Nicole usually shows up to support her hubby on the red carpet at these types of events -- and she typically looks totally gorgeous. The actress has had some big fashion hits this year, but last night was a loss. She wore a Proenza Schouler number, with blue and green stripes, a sheer, asymmetrical hemline, and funky lilac sandals. The critics were harsh about this number, but the two looked totally in love and cute, so you can't really be too mean. Keith hit the stage for his hit "Long Hot Summer" and his awesome voice and beautiful hair made us forget his wife's funky fashion.

Ang Lee's Son Mason in Hangover II

Oscar-winning director Ang Lee played an important role in "The Hangover Part II" — at least off-screen. He is the father of one of the actors. The filmmaker's younger son, Mason Lee, plays Teddy, the teenager the lead characters try to rescue as they struggle to piece together what happened during a crazy night in Bangkok.

Ang Lee was clearly a proud dad speaking to reporters after catching a showing with his younger brother and mother earlier this week in Taiwan, his home country. "My son's performance was quite good," Lee told reporters outside a Taipei theater in footage posted on the website of the Taiwanese newspaper Apple Daily. "He is quite a serious actor but this is just a comedy."

Asked by an overeager reporter whether Mason was a future Oscar winner, the elder Lee responded with a smile, "He only has a small role in the movie." Lee demurred when asked if he would cast Mason in one of his movies. "I don't know. Kids should do whatever they want to do," he said.

Lee's older son, Haan, played the toddler son of the family featured in Lee's 1992 directorial debut, "Pushing Hands." The Associated Press didn't touch on Mason Lee's performance in its largely critical review of "The Hangover Part II." It gave the sequel one-and-a-half stars out of four, saying it was too much of a rehash of the first installment.

However, the movie has been a big international hit. It was the No. 2 film outside North America behind "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" last weekend, raking in $63.8 million on its second weekend.

Its total take as of last weekend was just over $347 million.

Lee, who won a Best Director Oscar for the gay romance "Brokeback Mountain," was in the Taiwanese capital shooting his adaptation of the award-winning Yann Martel novel "Life of Pi."

50/50

Based on an incredible real-life experience, 50/50 is a funny, touching and original story of friendship, love, and survival starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Anjelica Huston.

In theaters September 30, 2011

SUPER 8

In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local sheriff's deputy tries to uncover the truth -- something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined. On IMAX screens at select locations June 10th.

Scene: CANNES

Costume Institute Gala

It was the year's biggest fashion event: Monday night's 2011 Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala in New York City. And this year, the gala honored late designer Alexander McQueen with an exhibition dedicated entirely to his designs. Some of Hollywood's biggest fashionistas rocked the red carpet including Beyonce in a Pucci design, Renee Zellweger in Carolina Herrera, Rihanna in a skintight black Stella McCartney number, Madonna in Stella McCartney, Sarah Jessica Parker (a former muse of the late designer) in a form-fitting Alexander McQueen, Demi Moore in Prabal Gurung, Jennifer Lopez in a red Gucci gown and Kate Hudson in Stella McCartney.

Hazz-Been by Johnny Hazzard

Johnny Hazzard has always loved fashion and he began creating unique clothing at an early age. While taking a glass blowing class at Kent State at the age of 16 Johnny met a hippie that taught him how to tie dye. In a weird twist of fate, pop music star Boy George saw Johnny in a club and ask him to be “the face” of his new clothing line, B Rude. Suddenly Johnny became Boy George’s muse for the fashion brand and was appearing in international campaigns for the clothing line around the globe. Hazzard also became sought out by other designers and has appeared on the runway for other design houses such as New York underground favorite, Heatherette.

After years of working in and around the fashion and entertainment scene, Johnny decided he wanted to develop his own fashion brand. In late 2009 Johnny launched plans for his own clothing line called Hazz Been. Johnny’s commitment to the Green Movement has played a major role in developing this new eco-friendly organic clothing line.

Hazz Been is a retro and vintage inspired eco-friendly organic clothing line that is one part hippie, one part grunge with a large dose of southern California cool. Johnny launched the brand with a line of T-Shirts and will continue to grow this line with plans to eventually launch an accessories category underneath the brand umbrella.

Plans are underway to expand Hazz Been into retail chains across America. At the moment you can purchase Johnny Hazzard’s Hazz Been in boutiques in Washington DC, Los Angeles and New York City.

The Hollywood Bureau caught up with Johnny and got to sit down with the designer to get to know him better:

Q: What is your background in Design?

A: When I was a wee lad I used to cut up my school clothes and sew patches on the knees and elbows of my pants and shirts. I would take paint markers and draw cartoon characters anywhere that I could. My Mother was an expert seamstress and was always in her “craft” room where I would often hang out going through her endless supply of thread and different colored bobbins. In high school I learned to tie dye and after that was off and running taking anything light colored and turning it into a brilliant colored garment.

Q: What inspires you with regards to your collection?

A: Many things inspire me to do different things at any given time but what I find the most inspiring is other people and their vision; art is about inspiration. I also like to do designs that have a message but at the same time I like taking a break from thinking so much and put some random, meaningless animated figure holding a kitten with horns just to break it up a bit.

Q: Who are your favorite designers?

A: There are so many fashion designers out there and in some way, all of them provide me inspiration, so I don't really have a favorite. I have always found it interesting to learn about other's experiences and how these experiences inspire them in different ways to create their collections. To me fashion design is just exactly that....inspiration through experiences.

Q: Who is your customer/demographic?

A: As of the moment, due to my background and current line of work, my customer base tends to be the gay male and their friends but I’m hoping to include not only them but their straight and bi-sexual friends, co-workers and family members.

Q: Where do you see the line in 5 years?

A: I of course see my line(s) in department stores but I also see myself having a string of real hip boutiques with not only my stuff but also works both functional and not from local artisans. I think it’d be really cool to also teach classes on candle making, knitting and screen printing given by the local artists themselves; not only can you buy the art directly from the artist him/herself but also be taught by them.

Q: What is your favorite shirt in the line?

A: I would have to say that “Hollyweird” is my favorite only because I have spent so much time here and find that word to be so incredibly accurate.

Q: Where are the shirts produced? From what?

A: The shirts are supplied by a company based in Atlanta, Georgia called alternative Apparel. They produce apparel in developing countries with a strong commitment to fair trade practices and environmental responsibility. Their vendor guidelines and principles are in line with the Fair Labor Association and the majority of their factories are WRAP certified (Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production). In addition to operating in a “Fair Trade” spirit AA also has pioneered the recycled material movement by creating their Eco line; a line consisting of 100% Organic cotton, recycled polyester and using rayon, a very sustainable plant material. As of today my shirts are not made of organic cotton but with the support of the people and my fans, I, like AA, hope to be able to put my profits into buying 100% organic cotton shirts and supporting the Green Movement one shirt at a time.

Q: What are the retail prices?

A: The shirts sell for $18.75 plus shipping

Q: Where can I get one?

A: Hazz-been.com baby!

Q: What is one thing about you that nobody knows?

A: Hm. I love heavy metal; Godsmack is one of my most favorite bands.

To shop and purchase some of Johnny's latest t-shirts from his Hazz-Been Collection at http://www.hazz-been.com/

Jeremy Renner forms Production Company to Develop Steve McQueen Bio Pic

Jeremy Renner continues his march toward Hollywood domination.

The two-time Oscar nominee, who has been on an upward trajectory since starring in best picture winner The Hurt Locker, has formed The Combine, a production company he will run with partner Don Handfield. And the company is hitting the ground running, developing a Steve McQueen biopic that will serve as a starring vehicle for the actor.

James Gray, who wrote and directed We Own the Night, is attached to write the McQueen screenplay, which will be based on the two books by Marshall Terrill: Portrait of an American Rebel and The Life and Legend of a Hollywood Icon. Video director Ivan Zacharias is attached to make his directorial debut on the project.

Renner and Handfield will produce the McQueen project with Hurt Locker producer Greg Shapiro, Cross Creek Pictures’ Brian Oliver (one of the producers of Black Swan), and Zacharias’ producing partner Nick Landon.

CAA packaged the project, repping Renner, Grey, Zacharias and the producers, and will also rep the North American distribution rights.

Renner seems like a great fit for the iconic '70s star, with the right rugged looks and all-man attitude (even if his reputation isn't as messy as McQueen’s). But the project is in the development stage and Renner, who’s become one of the most sought-after and busiest actors in Hollywood since his back-to-back Oscar nominations for Hurt Locker and The Town, has plenty on his plate to keep him occupied until it’s ready.

With Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol already in the can, he is currently in Berlin shooting Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters for Paramount, after which he will segue to Marvel’s The Avengers, which just got under way in New Mexico with Joss Whedon directing. He's also weighing an offer to star in The Bourne Legacy for Universal, which would shoot in the fall, and then he may next go into Sheldon Turner's By Virtue Fall in February. Additionally, he just signed on to lend his voice for Fox’s latest installment of the Ice Age animated franchise.

With Combine, Renner and Handfield, an actor-turned-filmmaker, are trying to create entertainment from an artist-based perspective. According to sources, “the company will provide a framework to create, develop and support the vision of actors, writers and directors across all platforms.”

HBO's Game of Thrones

George R.R. Martin’s books are among my very favorite. And not just my favorite fantasy – they are, quite literally, some of the best books I’ve ever read. I remember years ago – probably six or seven years ago – thinking that really I hope they never turn these into films. The third book alone is as long as all of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy combined.

I remember thinking to myself: “I hope HBO turns them into a series instead.”

So it was with no shortage of enthusiasm when, in 2007, I first caught word that an HBO series was being planned by David Benioff and Dan Weiss, and that Martin himself would have a hand in the production. Martin, a long-time television writer, had written the perfect fantasy series for TV. From the beginning, the books read like they were written for television – and apparently, if you have a big enough budget, they were.

The first episode is everything a Game of Thrones fan could want: elaborate sets and costumes, stunning cinematography, and excellent acting, all wrapped up in as honest a representation of the books as possible. Sean Bean (Boromir from the Lord of the Rings films) plays Eddard Stark. Peter Dinklage plays Tyrion Lanister. The rest of the casting is just as pitch perfect.

Key to my enjoyment of the first episode is the fact that very little of my imagined version of the story was damaged. So often you see a film or a television adaptation of one of your favorite books and think “That’s not how I pictured it!” but I didn’t really feel that way watching HBO’s Game of Thrones. No, I had not pictured Eddard Stark looking just like Sean Bean, but then again Sean Bean isn’t so far off from my imagined Eddard either. Perhaps Dinklage is more handsome than I imagined the Imp to be, but Dinklage is also a marvelous actor, and plays a fantastic Tyrion Lanister.

The series is being filmed in Northern Ireland, Malta, Scotland, and elsewhere, and includes a cast of hundreds. The first season alone is estimated to cost upwards of $60 million. And while some initial reviews by the usual anti-fantasy set have been negative, I expect the show to not merely ride the wave of rising popularity for the fantasy genre, but to push that envelope even further.

Martin’s books are serious works, full of complex characters who are hard to categorize. The simple fable of good vs. evil is simply not present, and the heroes and villains of the stories are far more amorphous and complicated. I think audiences often hunger for a challenge, for a show that will not spoon-feed them, for a viewing experience that asks audiences to do some of the work for themselves. A Game of Thrones promises to be a challenge, full of mystery and just a hint of magic.

If you come in expecting a straightforward fight between good and evil, you’ll be sorely disappointed. If you come in expecting morally questionable characters, complicated plots, intrigue, and no shortage of sex and violence – well then judging by the screening of the series premiere, you have a lot to look forward to.

OSCAR Winners

The Oscars have come and gone, and handed out all the statues on the biggest night of award season. Just as it led with the most nominations, The King's Speech dominated the awards with four victories, which included best director, best actor, and best picture. Still, there weren't a ton of surprises this year, especially in the acting categories, as we saw the same actors who've been sweeping the season take home their Oscar and join the triple-threat club.

BEST PICTURE
The King's Speech

BEST DIRECTOR
Tom Hooper, The King's Speech

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Melissa Leo, The Fighter

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale, The Fighter

BEST ACTRESS
Natalie Portman, Black Swan

BEST ACTOR
Colin Firth, The King's Speech

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
David Seidler, The King's Speech

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

BEST FOREIGN FILM
In a Better World

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Toy Story 3

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION
Alice in Wonderland

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Inception

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
Alice in Wonderland

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Inside Job

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
Strangers No More

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter, The Social Network

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP
Rick Baker and Dave Elsey, The Wolfman

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Social Network

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"We Belong Together" from Toy Story 3, music and lyrics by Randy Newman

Tonight the Sundance Institute announced the award winners for the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Like Crazy won the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize, and Circumstance won the dramatic audience award. You can find the full list of winners in the press release after the jump.

2011 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES AWARDS

Happy, Happy, Hell and Back Again, How to Die in Oregon and Like Crazy Earn Grand Jury Prizes

Audience Favorites Include Buck, Circumstance, Kinyawaranda and Senna

to.get.her Awarded Best of NEXT! Audience Award

Park City, UT–The Jury, Audience, NEXT! and other special award-winners of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival were announced tonight at the Festival’s Awards Ceremony hosted by Tim Blake Nelson (star of Flypaper which premiered in this year’s Premieres section) in Park City, Utah. Highlights from the Awards Ceremony can be seen on the Festival website, www.sundance.org/festival.

Films receiving Jury Awards were selected from four categories: U.S. Dramatic Competition, U.S. Documentary Competition, World Cinema Dramatic Competition and World Cinema Documentary Competition. All films in competition were also eligible for Sundance Film Festival Audience Awards as selected by Festival audiences. The U.S. Audience Awards presented by Acura were announced by Ray Liotta, and the World Cinema Audience Awards were announced by Joshua Leonard. Vera Farmiga announced the Best of NEXT! Audience Award.

Jury Prizes in Shorts Filmmaking were awarded to American and international short-form films on Tuesday, January 25. Other awards recognized at the ceremony included the inaugural Sundance Institute/Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award, in recognition and support of emerging independent filmmakers from around the world, the Sundance Institute/NHK Award, created to honor and support emerging filmmakers with their next screenplays, and the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, awarded to a film which excels in addressing compelling topics in science or technology.

John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival said, “Success at Sundance can be measured in terms of attendance, sponsorships, acquisitions, even the weather. Ultimately, it’s about the films themselves – were they well received? Did they resonate with the audience enough to have a life beyond these 10 days? And this year, the answer is a resounding yes.”

Added Sundance Institute Executive Director Keri Putnam, “For an artist to make it to the Festival among 10,000 submissions is an incredible achievement in his or her own right. We are so appreciative of all who shared their work with us this year, and we commend audiences and juries alike for selecting such a wide range of outstanding films.”

The 2011 Sundance Film Festival Juries consisted of:

U.S. Documentary Competition: Jeffrey Blitz, Matt Groening, Laura Poitras, Jess Search, Sloane Klevin; U.S. Dramatic Competition: America Ferrera, Todd McCarthy, Tim Orr, Kimberly Peirce, Jason Reitman; World Cinema Documentary Competition: José Padilha, Mette Hoffmann Meyer, Lucy Walker; World Cinema Dramatic Competition: Susanne Bier, Bong Joon-Ho, Rajendra Roy; Shorts Competition: Barry Jenkins, Kim Morgan, Sara Bernstein; Alfred P. Sloan Award: Jon Amiel, Paula Apsell, Sean Carroll, Clark Gregg.

For the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, 118 feature-length films were selected, representing 29 countries by 40 first-time filmmakers, including 25 in competition. These films were selected from 3,812 feature-length film submissions composed of 1,943 U.S. and 1,869 international feature-length films. 95 films at the Festival were world premieres. This year the Festival’s Short Film Program was comprised 81 short films from U.S. and international filmmakers selected from 6,467 submissions.

2011 Sundance Film Festival Award Winners:

The Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to How to Die in Oregon,directed by Peter D. Richardson. In 1994 Oregon became the first state to legalize physician-assisted suicide. How to Die in Oregon gently enters the lives of terminally ill Oregonians to illuminate the power of death with dignity.

The Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to Like Crazy, directed by Drake Doremus; written by Drake Doremus and Ben York Jones. A young American guy and a young British girl meet in college and fall in love. Their love is tested when she is required to leave the country and they must face the challenges of a long-distance relationship.

The World Cinema Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to Hell and Back Again, directed by Danfung Dennis. Told through the eyes of one Marine from the start of his 2009 Afghanistan tour to his distressing return and rehabilitation in the U.S., we witness what modern “unconventional” warfare really means to the men who are fighting it. U.S.A./United Kingdom

The World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to Happy, Happy (Sykt Lykkelig), directed by Anne Sewitsky; written by Ragnhild Tronvoll. A perfect housewife, who just happens to be sex-starved, struggles to keep her emotions in check when an attractive family moves in next door. Norway

The Audience Awards are presented to both a dramatic and documentary film in four competitions as voted by Sundance Film Festival audiences. The 2011 Sundance Film Festival Audience
Awards are presented by Acura.

The Audience Award: Documentary was presented to Buck, directed by Cindy Meehl, for her story about the power of non-violence and master horse trainer Buck Brannaman, who uses principles of respect and trust to tame horses and inspire their human counterparts.

The Audience Award: Dramatic was presented to Circumstance, directed and written by Maryam Keshavarz, in which a wealthy Iranian family struggles to contain a teenager’s growing sexual rebellion and her brother’s dangerous obsession.

The World Cinema Audience Award: Documentary was presented to Senna,directed by Asif Kapadia; written by Manish Pandey, about legendary racing driver and Brazilian hero Ayrton Senna, taking us on the ultimate journey of what it means to become the greatest when faced with the constant possibility of death. United Kingdom

The World Cinema Audience Award: Dramatic was presented to Kinyarwanda, directed and written by Alrick Brown, which tells the story of Rwandans who crossed the lines of hatred during the 1994 genocide, turning mosques into places of refuge for Muslims and Christians, Hutus and Tutsis. U.S.A./Rwanda

The Best of NEXT!: Audience Award was presented to to.get.her, directed and written by Erica Dunton about five girls who come together for one fateful night where anything goes. They all had secrets, but their friendship was the only thing they knew to be true.

Directing Awards recognize excellence in directing for dramatic and documentary features.

The Directing Award: Documentary was presented to Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles, directed by Jon Foy. An urban mystery unfurls as one man pieces together the surreal meaning of hundreds of cryptic tiled messages that have been appearing in city streets across the U.S. and South America.

The Directing Award: Dramatic was presented to Martha Marcy May Marlene, directed and written by Sean Durkin. Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult.

The World Cinema Directing Award: Documentary was presented to Project Nim, directed by James Marsh, who explores the story of Nim, the chimpanzee who was taught to communicate with language as he was raised and nurtured like a human child.United Kingdom

The World Cinema Directing Award: Dramatic was presented to Tyrannosaur, directed and written by Paddy Considine. For a man plagued by self-destructive violence and rage, a chance of redemption appears in the form of Hannah, a Christian charity shop worker with a devastating secret of her own. United Kingdom

The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award was presented to Another Happy Day, directed and written by Sam Levinson, about a pair of reckless siblings who are dragged into a chaotic family wedding by their overwrought mother.

The 68th Annual Golden Globe Winners

Best Picture, Drama:
The Social Network

Best Picture, Comedy/Musical:
The Kids Are All Right

Best Actress, Drama:
Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Best Actor, Drama:
Colin Firth, The King's Speech

Best Director:
David Fincher, The Social Network

Best Supporting Actress:
Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Best Supporting Actor:
Christian Bale, The Fighter

Best Actress, Comedy:
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right

Best Actor, Comedy:
Paul Giamatti, Barney's Version

TV Series, Drama:
Boardwalk Empire

Best Actor, TV Drama:
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire

Best Actress, TV Comedy:
Laura Linney, The Big C

Best Actor, TV Comedy:
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Best Actress, TV Drama:
Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy

Best Screenplay:
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

Best Original Song:
"You Haven't Seen the Last of Me," by Diane Warren, Burlesque

Best Original Score:
The Social Network, by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Best Supporting Actor, TV:
Chris Colfer, Glee

Best Supporting Actress, TV:
Jane Lynch, Glee

Best Animated Film:
Toy Story 3

TV Series, Comedy:
Glee

Best Foreign-Language Film:
In a Better World

Best Mini-series:
Carlos

Best Actor in a Made for TV Movie or Mini-Series:
Al Pacino, You Don't Know Jack

Best Actress in a Made for TV Movie or Mini-Series:
Claire Danes, Temple Grandin

Make-A-Wish Foundation Movie: Wish Wizard

Morgan Freeman is donating his time to star in the philanthropic film Wish Wizard. The picture is being made in connection with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to fulfill the Hollywood dreams of four children. Producer and director Garry Marshall came by the set to give advice to the Foundation kids (from left) Matthew, Kimberly, Daria and Kabrina about the movie-making process and also got behind the camera to help with production for a day.

Water for Elephants

When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her. Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford.

Water for Elephants hits theaters on April 15, 2011.

The Rite

Inspired by author Matt Baglio's nonfiction book of the same name, director Mikael Håfström's supernatural thriller traces the experiences of a young seminary student who discovers the true power of faith after being drafted into the Vatican's Exorcism School and confronted by the forces of darkness. Starring Anthony Hopkins. The Rite hits theaters January 28th, 2011.

OSCAR Buzz Circles Black Swan

Black Swan – the Natalie Portman film is creating quite a buzz ahead of its expanded release at the box office next weekend. Sellouts in limited release and early awards-season forecasts have elevated Fox Searchlight’s Black Swan into a major Oscar best picture contender.

Black Swan follows the story of Nina (Portman), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously supports her daughter’s professional ambition. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

Universal's Short List for Snow White Role

[Pictured clockwise from top left: Keough, Jones, Heathcoat and Vikander]

There's big movement on Snow White and the Huntsman, Universal's take on the suddenly hot fairy tale, which is the subject of several competing movie projects. The studio, clearly angling to beat Relativity's version, is in talks with Charlize Theron to play the evil queen and is having conversations with Michael Fassbender's reps to take on the titular huntsman. But who will nab the starring role of Snow White? The studio initially thought of going with name actresses in that age bracket, making entreaties toward Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning and Saoirse Ronan, but is nowleaning toward going with a relative unknown and is holding screen tests in the next few days to find its leading lady. The stakes are high because, similar to Disney's recent Alice in Wonderland adaptation, there will be stars in key roles, but the main pillar is going to be whoever ends up as the orphaned girl on the run.
 Sources caution that depending on how the tests go, the studio can still reverse course and continue reaching out a bigger name. But for now, the actresses who have made Universal's shortlist are:


-- Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley and daughter of
Lisa-Marie Presley. She made her film debut playing Marie Currie in The
Runaways and recently wrapped a vampire flick with Kylie Minogue titled Jack
& Diane.


-- Felicity Jones, an English actress currently seen as Miranda in Julie
Taymor's The Tempest. She also played Margot Frank in BBC's 2009 miniseries
The Diary of Anne Frank.


-- Bella Heathcoat, whose major credit is the Australian soap opera
Neighbours.


-- Alicia Vikander, a Swedish actress with mostly TV work under her hood.
Apart from Keough, who is tethered to WME, none of the girls is known to
have American representation. So get to it, agents and managers!

Golden Globe Nominees Announced

The British monarchy tale "The King's Speech" led Golden Globe contenders Tuesday with seven nominations, including best drama and acting honors for Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush. Other best-drama nominees were the psychosexual dance thriller "Black Swan," the boxing saga "The Fighter," the sci-fi blockbuster "Inception" and the Facebook chronicle "The Social Network." Nominees in the Globes' other best-picture category, for musical or comedy, are the Lewis Carroll fantasy "Alice in Wonderland," the song-and-dance extravaganza "Burlesque," the lesbian-family tale "The Kids Are All Right," the action tale "Red" and the romantic thriller "The Tourist."

"The Social Network" and "The Fighter" tied for second with six nominations each. Among nominations for "The Social Network" were Jesse Eisenberg as best dramatic actor, Andrew Garfield as supporting actor and David Fincher as director. "The Fighter" earned four acting nominations, best actor for Mark Wahlberg and supporting honors for Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo. Its nominations also included a directing slot for David O. Russell. Johnny Depp earned two nominations, as best musical or comedy actor for "Alice in Wonderland" and "The Tourist."

Along with Eisenberg, Firth and Wahlberg, best dramatic actor contenders are James Franco for the survival story "127 Hours" and Ryan Gosling for the marital tale "Blue Valentine." Nominees for best dramatic actress are Halle Berry for the multiple-personality drama "Frankie and Alice," Nicole Kidman for the grieving-parent tale "Rabbit Hole," Jennifer Lawrence for the Ozarks crime yarn "Winter's Bone," Natalie Portman for "Black Swan" and Michelle Williams for "Blue Valentine."

Best animated film contenders include "Tangled," "Toy Story 3," "How to Train Your Dragon," "Despicable Me" and "The Illusionist." Hollywood's second-highest film honors, the Globes traditionally were a solid weather vane for predicting which film might triumph at the Academy Awards. But the Globes have provided murky forecasts in recent times. In the last six years, only a single recipient of one of the Globe best-film prizes has gone on to win best picture at the Oscars — 2008's "Slumdog Millionaire." That came after a stretch of eight-straight years when a Globe winner in either the dramatic or musical-comedy category went on to claim the best-picture Oscar.

Like the Globes, the Oscars will feature 10 best-picture nominees, but in a single category, after academy overseers doubled the number of contenders so a broader range of films could compete. With two acclaimed dramas — the British monarchy tale "The King's Speech" and the Facebook story "The Social Network" — considered front-runners this time, there are prospects of another divergent year between the Globes and the Oscars, whose nominations come out Jan. 25, nine days after the Globes are presented.

"The Social Network" already has snagged two key prizes as both Los Angeles and New York film critics groups picked it as the year's best movie. The National Board of Review, a group of film historians, educators and students, also picked "The Social Network" as best of the year.
The Globes and Oscars typically line up better on acting winners. Last year, "Avatar" won best drama at the Globes and "The Hurt Locker" took best picture at the Oscars. But all four Oscar acting recipients — Sandra Bullock for "The Blind Side," Jeff Bridges for "Crazy Heart," Mo'Nique for "Precious" and Christoph Waltz for "Inglourious Basterds" — also won prizes at the Globes first.

Clear favorites have emerged this season for best actor (Firth in "The King's Speech") and supporting actor (Bale in "The Fighter"). Musical or comedy actress nominee Annette Bening for "The Kids Are All Right" and Portman for "Black Swan" could wind up in a two-woman race for best actress at the Oscars, while the supporting-actress category is up for grabs among prospects that include Adams and Leo for "The Fighter," Bonham Carter for "The King's Speech" and 14-year-old newcomer Hailee Steinfeld for "True Grit."

No matter how the two awards shows line up on winners, the stars generally can count on a good time at the Globes, a more laid-back, dinner-and-drinks affair than the stately Oscars.
The Globes are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a group of about 85 critics and reporters for overseas outlets. Actors Katie Holmes, Blair Underwood and Josh Duhamel will announce nominees. Robert De Niro, an eight-time Globe nominee who won a best-actor prize there for "Raging Bull," will receive the group's Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement.

Ricky Gervais is returning as host of the Globes ceremony, which will air live Jan. 16 on NBC.

iTunes Releases Top Album Sellers of 2010

On Thursday, iTunes released its year-end “Rewind 2010” roundup, and Train’s radio-friendly single “Hey, Soul Sister” was the best-selling song and Eminem’s Recovery topped the albums list. No. 2 on the song list was Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” feat. Snoop Dogg, with Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie” rounding out the top three.

B.o.B’s “Airplanes” (feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore) was fourth, “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz was No. 5, Usher’s club track “OMG” (feat. will.i.am.) took sixth, No. 7 was Taio Cruz and Ludacris’ “Break Your Heart,” Ke$ha’s “TiK ToK” took the No. 8 spot, country group Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” was ninth and Eminem’s “Not Afraid” slid in at No. 10.
On the latest

Digital Songs chart, the No. 1 track, Katy Perry's "Fireworks" with 212,000 downloads, down 9% from the previous year, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Ke$ha’s Animal and Lady Gaga’s The Fame albums followed close behind Eminem’s Recovery. Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now, Taylor Swift’s Speak Now, Drake’s Thank You Later, Mumford & Sons’ Sigh No More, The Black Eyed Peas’ The E.N.D. (The Energy Never Dies), Jack Johnson’s To the Sea and Sade’s Soldier of Love rounded out the top 10 iTunes albums.
In addition, Eminem was named artist of the year, The Black Keys’ Brothers (Deluxe) snagged the album of the year honor and best new artist went to B.o.B.

In the alternative genre, Beach House’s Teen Dream was named best album, Sleigh Bells’ “Infinity Guitars” was best single and Best Coast’s Crazy for You was breakthrough album. For Christian and gospel, TobyMac’s Tonight (Deluxe Edition) was top album, MercyMe’s “All of Creation” was best single and breakthrough CD went to Audrey Assad’s The House You’re Building. Trey Songz was named best r&b/soul album and also had the best single of the year, according to iTunes.

For country, Lady Antebellum’s latest disc was tapped the best album and Taylor Swift’s “Mine” was best single. Drake’s Thank Me Later was the best hip-hop/rap album, Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie” was best single and Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday (Deluxe Version) was the beakthrough disc. In the pop category, Animal by Ke$ha was best album, Mike Posner’s “Cooler Than Me” was best single and Bruno Mars’ Doo-Wops & Hooligans (Deluxe Version) was named breakthrough album. In rock, Deftones, The Dead Weather and The Virginmarys snagged honors.

iTunes named the Crazy Heart soundtrack the best, while Hans Zimmer’s Inception score was deemed the best of the year.

Mike Lang Named New CEO of MIRAMAX Films

Mike Lang has been officially named CEO of Miramax, the new company formed by the Filmyard Holdings group, it was announced by Richard Nanula, who is now officially chairman of Miramax while remaining a principal at Colony Capital. Colony Capital and its founder Thomas Barrack were investors in the $663 million acquisition of Miramax from Disney which closed earlier this week, along with construction exec Ronald Tutor, the Qatar Holdings fund, actor Rob Lowe and others. “I have known and worked closely with Mike for almost 20 years and have always respected his talents,” said Nanula in a statement. “We are confident that he is the right person to lead Miramax in its next phase of growth.”

“I have always admired the Miramax library, which includes many respected titles and award-winning films,” said Lang, who will be based at headquarters in Santa Monica, California. “Based on the quality of these assets, I believe bringing new life to this library–by working with traditional and new partners–will be an exciting and unprecedented story of growth and innovation. I am honored by this opportunity, and I look forward to working with my partners as we build a new kind of media company.”

The new Miramax is not going to be making any movies, at least initially. However it is expected to staff up with sixty to eighty employees in the coming months to pursue deals to distribute the film library on multiple digital and online platforms, as well as through traditional home video and international sales opportunities.

Lang, who is 45 years old, consulted on the sale of Miramax to Filmyard after leaving his position as EVP, Business Development and Strategy at Fox Entertainment earlier this year. At Fox he oversaw strategic initiatives for the film studio, broadcast network, sports and cable channels and more. He is credited as playing a role in the acquisition of MySpace and creation of Hulu, as well as Fox’s mobile, digital and video game initiatives. Before joining Fox in 2004, Lang worked on various investments and was involved in strategic planning at Disney. He has an MBA from Harvard and a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital website Wednesday, Lang said, “Our goal really want to send a signal that we are a different company, not only about digital, but in being an innovative company.”

An Inside Look at Michael Jackson's New Kingdom

In an exclusive five part series on http://www.thewrap.com/, Journalist Johnnie L. Roberts explores the tangled web of Michael Jackson’s finances and the super lawyer who currently rules his estate. Here is a sneak peek at this revealing report:

John Branca has never embraced the limelight. But in a months-long investigation by this reporter, comprising of secret documents and two dozen interviews, including a lengthy taped interview with Branca himself, The Wrap reveals the complicated relationship between the singer and the lawyer that Jackson would hire for the last time within a week of his death. In that short final tenure, Branca was left permanently in charge of one of the most important music legacies of our time. Branca's roller-coaster relationship with Jackson unfolds over 30 years of hiring and refiring. It is punctuated by moments of brilliance, such as when the lawyer orchestrated Jackson's purchase of the Beatles' song catalogue, ATV Music, perhaps the most important deal of Jackson's life. But some might conclude that Branca is no hero at all. A deal in 2003 to sell Jackson's interests in the Beatles and Mijac catalogues to the investment bank Goldman Sachs may lead some to question Branca's role in Jackson's business affairs. Either way, his importance in the constellation of Michael Jackson's firmament cannot be dismissed.

The release of Jackson's first posthumous album in December comes on the heels of record-setting income of $275 million in the year since Jackson died. According to Forbes magazine, the sum topped the year's list of entertainer's posthumous earnings. This summer, however, Branca became preoccupied with Jackson's massive $300 million bank debt, due this month, against the estate's crown jewel -- one-half interest in Sony/ATV Music Publishing that comes due next month. At the core of Sony/ATV's enviable collection of rights to songs such by artist such as Elvis, Bob Dylan and Emimen, is the Beatles song catalog, a 20th century musical treasure that Branca once famously arranged for Jackson to own outright. Today, Sony/ATV, which Sony Corp. co-owns, is worth at least $1.6 billion, a valuation substantially attributable to the Beatles. The due date for the mammoth loan loomed this month, and missing it might have meant a loosening of the estate's grip on its half of Sony/ATV. But Branca beat the clock by months, arranging to refinance the loan in September through the Swiss financial services giant, UBS. Branca had a previous encounter with the songs and the debt.

From 2003 to 2004, virtually the identical financial crisis -- almost $300 million of debt, with the songs at stake -- was met with a momentous initiative by a powerful cast of financial players that included Wall Street-savvy Goldman Sachs, veteran music entrepreneur Charles Koppelman and a Florida entrepreneur dogged by mob suspicions, Alvin Malnik. A cache of confidential documents from the seven-year-old episode -- a copy of which was provided to this reporter by a member of the group -- reveals an intriguing inside look at this momentous effort, which long has been an object of media fascination and Internet-based conspiracy theorists. The documents range from trust materials and loan records, to papers bearing on facets of Jackson's dealings with Sony, where his music career was anchored. As best can be determined, few, if any, outsiders have had access to the nearly 300-page paper trail. Coupled with some two dozen interviews, the materials help paint a panoramic picture of Jackson's precarious financial status. They also offer a sharper portrait of the complex relationship between Jackson and Branca. In the documents, Goldman's master financial alchemists began proposing a venture to position Jackson as "the Bill Gates of the music industry" and described how not only the $300 million debt might be whittled, but also detailed how the beleaguered legend could walk away with perhaps $1.3 billion -- with the Wall Street firm exiting even richer.

But only if he would sell his interest not only in Sony/ATV but in Mijac, the catalogue of Jackson's own hits. According to the secret documents, Goldman was even poised to "drag" Jackson along into a deal to sell them. As the proposal evolved, its fundamental flaw -- that Jackson would forfeit the rights to his songs -- remained clearly apparent to Branca. More than anyone, Branca knew that owning the songs was one of Jackson's great passions and that the singer worried greatly about them slipping from his grasp. So why, then, had Branca worked so hard, as the secret files to indicate, for an outcome most feared by his client? According to entrepreneur Malnik, Branca stood to collect $17 million from the Goldman dealings for the 5 percent that he owned in Jackson's stake in the Beatles catalog.

In a July 2003 missive on his firm's letterhead, Branca essentially put Goldman on notice that it ultimately must ensure Jackson's ongoing obligation -- including "direct payment of this firm's 5%" -- if the proposal progressed. Alas, the Goldman proposal, more than a year in the making, got no further than the paper on which it was written. Rather, it was scuttled by Jackson against a backdrop of behind-the-scenes hijinks that seemed to mirror his final, sad decade, which roiled with scandals, a criminal trial, epic debt and an ever-rotating inner circle.In a statement, Goldman Sachs confirmed its role, noting that its private equity arm was involved. "Several years ago, GS Capital Partners engaged with Mr. Jackson's advisers when they were trying to generate liquidity under difficult circumstances," Goldman said. "At the time, we were broadly interested in acquiring music publishing assets, and this was one of many deals we looked at."

The bank, which wouldn't comment specifically on its intent to "drag" Jackson into a transaction, concluded: "We ultimately decided not to pursue the acquisition of these assets." As for Branca, by the time the deal collapsed, the super-lawyer had been fired. It was not the first time.

Jackson repeatedly fired Branca, whose firm Ziffren, Brittenham, Branca, Fischer, Gilbert-Lurie, Stiffelman, Cook, Johnson, Lande & Wolf is one of the entertainment industry's most powerful. Indeed, in June 2009, within a week of Jackson's death, Branca returned to the fold after a three-year break up. Six days after Jackson's drug-fueled death -- and having spoken to him only once in three years -- Branca, along with longtime Jackson family friend John McClain, emerged as co-executor of the tragic icon's extraordinary estate.

ART BASEL Photo Wrap Up

Nicole Miller Makes Wishes Come True

We love Nicole Miller!! She has always been one of our favorite fashion designers at Fashion Week, and every woman looks amazing in her clothes. She is one of the best designers in the fashion industry today. We were so impressed to hear about Nicole's latest endeavor -- Nicole hosted an exclusive cocktail party and evening of in-store shopping to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida at her Collins Avenue Boutique during Art Basel in Miami.

There is not a whole lot of philanthropy going on at Art Basel. Basel can feel very prententious at times, so it is thrilling to hear that there is actually someone creating a great art event that actually gives back, especially to a great cause.

A percentage of the evening’s profits will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida to grant wishes to children with life threatening medical conditions -- to date the foundation has granted 7000 wishes.

Guests attending the event were given the opportunity to participate in live and silent auctions with many outstanding items, including a trip to New York City to attend Nicole’s February fashion show at Lincoln Center during NY Fashion Week.

The event featured four renowned artists -- Romero Britto, Noel, Ronnie Greenspan and Purvis Young.

Shareef Malnik and Nicole Miller

Tracy Mourning and Katrina Campins

SOMEWHERE

World-premiering at the 2010 Venice International Film Festival. From Academy Award-winning writer/director Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation, The Virgin Suicides, Marie Antoinette), “Somewhere” is a witty, moving, and empathetic look into the orbit of actor Johnny Marco (played by Stephen Dorff). You have probably seen him in the tabloids; Johnny is living at the legendary Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood. He has a Ferrari to drive around in, and a constant stream of girls and pills to stay in with. Comfortably numbed, Johnny drifts along. Then, his 11-year-old daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning) from his failed marriage arrives unexpectedly at the Chateau. Their encounters encourage Johnny to face up to where he is in life and confront the question that we all must: which path in life will you take? Filmed entirely on location, “Somewhere” reunites the writer/director with Lost in Translation editor Sarah Flack and production designer Anne Ross. Stacey Battat (Broken English) is the costume designer, and Harris Savides (Elephant) is the director of photography “Somewhere.”

Film hits theaters on December 22nd.

2010 Art Basel Kicks Off in Miami Beach

Art Basel has been filled with A-List Celebrities this year, Isabella Rossellini, Calvin Klein, Alex Rodriguez with Guy Oseary have already toured the booths at Art Basel Miami Beach, and the parties are in full swing. Although the New York weather grounded many planes stalling the arrival of many, including Eddie Borgo, who was co-hosting a cocktail party for The Last Magazine at The Webster last night.

Kelly Talamas, VOGUE Latin America -- Fashion Editor

Editor Magnus Berger was presiding over a one-night exhibition of materials featured in the latest issue, from cover pieces by Graeme Armour and Altuzarra to a racing suit and helmet belonging to 12-year-old go-kart phenom Santino Ferrucci. In attendance were Camilla Staerk, Arden Wohl and Cecilian Dean.

Jeffrey Dietch and Lance Armstrong

The Raleigh was the place to be last night; Chef John DeLucie celebrated the opening night of his newest adventure in food with the opening of The Royal. Every table was taken and full of life and festivity – Nicole Miller was holding court along with Clif Loftin, Brian Long and Tobi Tobin. Also, in attendance was Ben Stiller, Benedikt Taschen, Michael Stipe, Kenny Scharf and Tony Shafrazi.L.A.'s MOCA was throwing a party behind The Raleigh Pool sponsored by Maybach and Grey Goose. The museum's new director, Jeffrey Deitch, was busy greeting guests that included Lance Armstrong, Lady Fag and Dasha Zhukova. The entertainment for the evening was the band-of-the moment LCD Soundsystem that rocked the crowd for over an hour.

Michael Stipe

LADY FAG

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM