Brad Pitt's 'Moneyball' to Kick Off Italy's Turin Film Festival

Tim Burton's "B.Boy" balloon was unveiled to the public Thursday as part of Macy's annual Thanksgiving parade in NY City.our editor recommendsTim Burton to Create Float for Macy's ParadeTim Burton Talks Frankenweenie at the Opening of His Star-Studded Museum Retrospective in Los Angeles The Alice in Wonderland director created the stitched-together character as part of the event's "Blue Sky Gallery" series, which invites artists to enter flying wonders for the procession. PHOTOS: 10 Inappropriately Sexy Cartoon Characters The character's backstory is that he was cobbled together from rejects of birthday party balloons left over from children's parties at a hospital. B. Boy was not allowed to play with other kids so he withdrew to his basement home and into the world of his favorite film, The Red Balloon. He hoped that one day he too would be able to fly above the city and bring joy to one small child. The blue B. Boy was a hit online, with one fan tweeting "My hero Tim Burton got his own float!? I actually teared up. Über dork alert:)" and another declaring "The Tim Burton balloon was my favorite this year." Film blogger Harry Knowles noted, "TIM BURTON BALLOON!!!! And He's there with Helena [Bonham Carter] and his kid and I have a really big smile. Love Macy's Parade." The Paul Frank-created monkey Julius was also a new addition to this year's parade, which featured Spider-Man, Kermit the Frog, Mickey Mouse, Hello Kitty and Snoopy balloons and appearances by Mary J. Blige, Cee Lo Green and Avril Lavigne. Neil Diamond also took part in the proceedings, belting out "Sweet Caroline" and other hits as his float cruised the streets of Manhattan. The 80th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was broadcast on NBC. Rebecca Ford contributed to this report. Related Topics Mary J. Blige Neil Diamond Tim Burton Cee Lo Green The Muppets

Robert Forster on Dominic Cooper in 'The Devil's Double'

Published: Get married., November. 23, 2011, 12:00pm PTBy 'The Devil's Double'"I saw 'The Devil's Double' with a few buddies, and that i stored asking myself, 'Is it one guy playing both parts?' and that i told myself midway through, 'It's two.' And so the guy sitting alongside me stated, 'That's exactly the same guy!' And That I stated, 'No.' However it had been exactly the same guy. This can be a performance! Anyone who first viewed it needs to say this person Dominic Cooper was incredible because he performed individuals two, Uday Hussein and the double."Go back to the SAG Preview Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Approach to Paradise

An Journey Theater Ensemble presentation from the play by 50 percent operates by Juan Mayorga, converted by David Johnston. Directed by Ron Sossi. Sets, Frederica Nascimento costumes, Audrey Eisner lighting, Kathi O'Donohue appear, John Thompson videography, Marlon Duarte. Opened up up March. 1, 2011. Examined November. 18. Runs through 12 ,. 18. Running time: 110 MIN.Commandant Norbert - Weisser Gershom Gottfried - Bruce Katzman With: Hannah Cowley, Nicolas Francis, Inessa Guenther, Dylan La Rocque, Michael McGee, Joshua Moore, Nina Sallinen, David Valdes, Talyan Wright.Juan Mayorga's Holocaust-designed "Approach to Paradise" can be a bold but not successful employment of metatheatrical method to unearth a parcel of historic truth. It's one step to characterize the appalling deceptiveness at Theresienstadt concentration camping since the ultimate role-playing theatrical spectacle. The right response is another to worry the performance metaphor for the exclusion of other things. On the way, the victims' horror - genuine suffering, not figurative - is trivialized. For people with short recollections, within the mid nineteen forties the Nazis infamously created a Potemkin village at Theresienstadt to have the ability to mislead Red-colored-colored Mix personnel in regards to the Jews' treatment in captivity. Inmates were tidied and fitted up, given jobs and leisure activities, treated to obtain affordable, plentiful food and told to smile, smile, smile. (To supply the feeling of spacious barracks, excess camping population was shipped on Auschwitz.) Film footage to this day serves the poisonous reasons of Holocaust deniers. As Mayorga notifies it, the commandant (Norbert Weisser) can be a demented impresario which has created not just types, but individualized roles with full pages of dialogue to assist them. He obsesses like Max Reinhardt with proper casting and line bloodstream pressure dimensions, tapping Gottfriend (Bruce Katzman), the mayor in the inmate population, as reluctant stage manager/company. "Approach to Paradise" downplays or ignores the situation's specifics, which you'd think might be considerably fertile enough, meant for the unenlightening, self-conscious theatrical conceit. We never believe this officer is anxious about producing an ideal impression round the experts, or perhaps the effects if his superiors decide he's bungled it. He just preens and struts, chortling over this staging coup or worrying relating to this gesture's authenticity. Once the mayor is trying to tread a dreaded line between cooperation and contriving the best bargain for his people, it's all regulated controlled within the mind, for your portrayal is sheer numbness. Just before the show, audiences are requested to (basically) assume the Red-colored-colored Cross's function by studying the demonstrated prison trappings, faithfully re-created by designer Frederica Nascimento. However, if the museum labels are removed, implying we will start to see the truth behind the artifice, the expansion essentially changes to another amount of artifice. Mayorga has helmer Ron Sossi deploy the inmates as sleepwalking puppets, brainwashed to look at their lines over and over until they have the business right. Carrying out a curtain call come two minutes in the actual propaganda movies, not the best choice for an organization as abstracted as that certain. The heartbreaking images of captives playing out their designated parts, simultaneously beaming and desperate, essentially stress the irrelevance of Mayorga's windy duality-of-theater guff for the truly mournful legacy of Theresienstadt. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

CAA Video Game Co-Head Jumps To UTA

EXCLUSIVE: Im hearing that CAAs top video game agent has just informed the tenpercentery that hes heading for rival UTA.Ophir Lupu is one of the video game industrys top agents and co-head of the video game department at Creative Artists Agency. He’ll head UTAs Video Games practice.Lupu represents leading developers in console gaming as well as in the fast-growing social, casual and mobile gaming sectors. Lupu was named co-head of CAAs video game department in May of this year. He has spent his entire career at CAA, which he joined in 2000 after graduating from George Washington University.At CAA, Lupu represented such industry leaders as Ken Levine (BioShock), Patrice Desilets(Assassins Creed), Warren Spector (Disneys Epic Mickey), Cliff Bleszinski (Gears of War), That Game Company (Flower), Crytek (Homefront 2), KleiEntertainment (Shank), Trapdoor, Inc. (Warp) and Tomonobu Itagakis Valhalla Studios (Devils Third), among others.Lupu earlier this year orchestrated the acquisition of client Area/Code by Zynga.

Bob and Jeanne Berney depart FilmDistrict

Above: Jeanne and Bob Berney with 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark' producer Guillermo del Toro (middle). Bob and Jeanne Berney are departing as the top distribution execs at FilmDistrict, which is consolidating all operations to Los Angeles.The Berneys, who joined Graham King's operation a year ago, said they want to remain in NY. FilmDistrict made the announcement Friday. The Berneys will continue handling FilmDistrict releases until March 1 including that of "The Rum Diary," which bowed softly last weekend, and Angelina Jolie's "In the Land of Blood and Honey," which bows Dec. 23.Bob Berney will continue in his post as prexy of theatrical distribution as will spouse Jeanne R. Berney in her slot as exec VP of marketing."It's been a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the good news in the independent film business over the last year," Bob Berney said in a statement. "While I believe in the strategy of FilmDistrict, I remain committed to my roots and family in NY, where there is a vibrant film community. The team Jeanne and I assembled in NY and Chicago are second to none and we all are proud of the work we've done and the great successes we've had. I wish my colleagues at FilmDistrict good luck in the years to come."FilmDistrict saw success with its first releases "Insidious" and "Soul Surfer" (via Sony) earlier this year.Bob Berney exited from short-lived specialty distribber Apparition in May 2010 on the eve of the Cannes Film Festival and moved over to FilmDistrict a few months later as King's distribution operation aimed to seize the opportunity created by the major studios' shift away from handling smaller pics in recent years. Berney is best known for overseeing the distribution of "The Passion of the Christ," "Memento" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." He later headed specialty distrib Picturehouse, which was shuttered by Warner Bros. two years ago.The NY employees have been offered the opportunity to stay in their current jobs through the end of the year. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Box Office Preview: Brett Ratner's Star-Packed 'Tower Heist' Hopes to Steal $30 Mil Opening

Universal's broad PG-13 action-comedy Tower Heist is poised to top the domestic box office in the debut, however the large real question is whether or not this can hit $$ 30 million.our editor recommendsTower Heist: Film ReviewA Very Harold & Kumar three dimensional Christmas: Film ReviewEddie Murphy in 'Tower Heist': Exactly what the Experts Say Eddie Murphy States John Grazer Saved 'Tower Heist' (Video)Universal Backs Off 'Tower Heist' Premium VOD Test The $85 million pic has lots of star energy inside a cast brought by Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy and Matthew Broderick. Murphy, whose live-action career has experienced recently, particularly should see better amounts than normal. Casey Affleck, Alan Alda, Tea Leoni, Michael Pena and Gabourey Sidibe also star within the film, about several non-crooks who set to take advantage of the guy who conned them from their pensions. PHOTOS: Where Would be the 'Ben Stiller Show' Alumni Now? Imagine Entertianment's John Grazer and Kim Roth created the film with Murphy, while Relativity Media assisted finance. Last year on a single weekend, Warner Bros.' comedy Deadline opened up to $32.7 million in the domestic box office, even though Universal is applying that film like a comp, the studio is lowering its weekend estimate to between $25 million and $$ 30 million due to the soft marketplace. Rivals suggest Universal needs the film to spread out to a minimum of $$ 30 million. COVER STORY: Exactly Why Is Funnyman Ben Stiller Not Laughing? Tower Heist also opens day and date in 21 nations overseas, such as the U.K., Germany, The country, Hong Kong and India. Within the U.S., monitoring -- that has sprang in recent days, because of a flurry of publicity by Stiller and Murphy -- is strong among males of any age then older women. Tower Heist should also play well with African-American and Hispanic audiences due to Murphy and Pena, based on Universal. However, Tower Heist could lose teenagers to Warner Bros. and New Line's more decently allocated A Really Harold & Kumar three dimensional Christmas. Conservative estimations show the R-ranked stoner comedy opening within the $18 million range, however it could hit $20 milion, thanks simply towards the three dimensional factor. (Harold and Kumar Avoid Guantanamo Bay opened up to $14.9 million in April 2008.) Performed by John Cho and Kal Penn, Harold and Kumar continue the quest for an ideal Christmas tree after Kumar destroys the initial. The film, also starring Niel Patrick Harris, comes complete with three dimensional gimmicks (think smoke rings). A Really Harold & Kumar three dimensional Christmas cost within the low $$ 30 million range to create. DreamWorks Animation and Vital's three dimensional toon Puss in Boots includes a good shot of besting Harold & Kumar for that No. 2 place locally, and it is predicted to gross within the low $20 million range in the second weekend. The pic opened up to $34.a million last weekend after losing business due to the freak storm around the New England. Puss in Boots has made just north of $40 million through Wednesday in the domestic box office, and nearly $20 million overseas, where it loved an archive-breaking debut in Russia last weekend. But large story worldwide will still be Steven Speilberg's The Adventures of Tintin: Strategies of the Unicorn, which first showed to some dazzling $56 million last weekend because it folded in its first key areas, smashing records in France and Belgium, home country from the beloved comic character. The new sony and Vital are partners on Tintin, and discussing foreign distribution responsibilities. Vital releases the film in The United States over Christmas. In the niche box office, Anchor Bay opens The Boy of Nobody in 10 theaters in choose U.S. metropolitan areas. The Sundance Film Festival title stars Channing Tatum, Al Pacino and Katie Holmes. The Weinstein Co. is re-delivering Kristin Scott Thomas indie hit Sarah's Type in 300 theaters over the U.S. a few days ago inside a proceed to drum up attention as honours season will get going ahead. The film has made north of $7 million locally up to now. Related Subjects Brett Ratner Eddie Murphy Ben Stiller Puss in Boots Matthew Broderick Tower Heist A Really Harold & Kumar three dimensional Christmas

Is 'Tower Heist' the Sarlacc Pit of Plot Incongruencies? (And 24 Other Urgent Questions)

A couple of days ago, a movie starring Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy that may make virtually no sense to sentient creatures continues to be released into theaters. This movie remains named 'Tower Heist.' 'Tower Heist' is about an apartment tower where a heist happens, so no less than the title is smart. But that's it. Very little else is smart. Just like a service, here's an reaction to every question you might have about 'Tower Heist.' Q: What is a better title for 'Tower Heist'? A: Possibly 'A Very Puzzling and extremely Improbable Heist.' Q: What really continues to be heisted in 'Tower Heist'? A: Twenty million dollars that Alan Alda's character might have hidden in the safe, that could be hidden in the wall within the penthouse apartment. Q: Are people his 'M*A*S*H' residuals? A: No. Alda plays Arthur Shaw, a Wall Street magnate who's billed with a few type of fraud that's never quite referred to. Shaw also has a residential tower on Manhattan's Upper West Side. (He probably didn't own the tower, it absolutely was difficult to tell. He earned a hire, however. I believed he possessed it.) Q: Who's trying to steal Arthur's money that may maintain his penthouse apartment? A: Josh, the manager in the apartment building. Josh, carried out by Ben Stiller, is fired after reacting psychologically for the discovery that Arthur has lost all of the tower employees' pensions. Josh then devises an idea to steal the money back. Q: Does Josh act alone? A: No. Josh recruits the also-fired Charlie (Casey Affleck), the also-fired Enrique (Michael Pena), the laid-off broker and very soon-to-be-started out tenant Mr. Fitzhugh (Matthew Broderick), the still-employed Odessa (Gabourey Sidibe), together with a long-term criminal named Slide (Eddie Murphy). Q: When does the crowd plan to execute the heist? A: The heist is scheduled at the time that since the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Q: Last December, monthly following a real Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, perhaps you have accidentally occur to encounter the audience of Tower Heist and also have a picture from the fake float along with your phone? A: Yes. Q: Oh, wait, this sounds kind of like 'Oceans 11'? A: 'Tower Heist" may be the just like 'Oceans 11' if Brett Ratner had also directed 'Oceans 11.' Q: Can I laugh throughout 'Tower Heist'? A: Yes. A good deal, really. Q: How's Eddie Murphy's performance in 'Tower Heist'? A: Eddie Murphy channels the Eddie Murphy who starred in 'Trading Places' and 'Beverly Slopes Cop' for his performance as Slide. Brett Ratner, who has turned into a fan of eighties Eddie Murphy, undoubtedly stood a lot associated with this performance, too. Q: Can the problem be created that "Tower Heist' might be worth seeing just for Eddie Murphy alone? A: That situation could be produced. Q: Can I like 'Tower Heist'? A: Here's what's really amazing about 'Tower Heist': It moves along so quickly and effectively that, with the finish in the movie, your brain has misled you into believing that everything you just observed was enjoyable. Q: What's our advice you'll be able to give someone who's likely to determine 'Tower Heist'? A: Let's condition that help with see 'Tower Heist' having a couple of your pals. Just before the film starts, produce a pact that never, under any conditions, will the three people a great deal as consider 'Tower Heist' again -- as well as discuss the film. The second that a person asks a suitable question regarding the plot of 'Tower Heist,' that each might have opened up up an inevitable wormhole of shit. 'Tower Heist' might be the Sarlacc Pit of plot incongruencies. Q: If you'll probably be blurbed in this weekend's ads for 'Tower Heist,' what quote you think will probably be used? A: "'Tower Heist' resembles 'Return in the Jedi'!" -- Mike Ryan, Moviefone Q: But is 'Tower Heist' no less than fun? A: Oh, sure, it's fun. May I would suggest another activities that are fun: Utilizing a swing set, eating vanilla wafers, consuming Capri Sun, self pleasuring. Q: What's the best scene in 'Tower Heist'? A: Slide, work criminal, won't accept profit the others unless of course obviously these first commit a criminal offence. Inside a mall, each individual within the audience must shoplift greater than $50 cost of merchandise. Q: Why 'Tower Heist' make no sense? A: Well, to start with, as stated, the entire plan to steal Alan Alda's money -- a very elaborate plan -- is founded on crazy presumptions. Q: Exactly what are people presumptions? A: Alda's character -- who's under house arrest inside his penthouse, that's under constant FBI surveillance -- may have one more $20 million floating around that is not taken care of for by yet. Josh just assumes that (a) the money influences penthouse, (b) the money is at a safe and secure and (c) that safe is hidden in the wall that serves few other purpose. There is no evidence whatsoever that a number of this is, however, these people all risk serious incarceration based on these presumptions. Q: OK, people do silly things when they're desperate, so possibly that is not bad ... A: That doesn't explain why, through the heist, several things just ... happen. There's an enormous twist prior to the heist starts. A twist that puts the entire heist into motion. A twist that seems really elaborate and fairly tough to accomplish, the only real reason behind this comes when Ben Stiller states, "It labored." What? How did that really work? How have you accomplish this, Ben? Just like a viewer, I really need to know. Q: What had you been written by Universal within the screening for 'Tower Heist'? A: For reasons uknown, a pack of 'Tower Heist' purchasing and selling cards. Q: May be the existence complete you now own a Casey Affleck 'Tower Heist' purchasing and selling card? A: Yes. Q: Seriously, can i spend my money to purchase a ticket to 'Tower Heist' or else? A: Honestly, as extended when you promise to not consider what's happening on-screen or make an effort to seem sensible whatsoever by using this movie ... sure. Q: A sum make 'Tower Heist' better? A: If there has been just one scene that referred to how a heist labored. Honestly, through the whole heist, I seen while using assumption that, "Yep, all of this is going to be referred to within the finish and I'm going to be impressed by the way it was attracted off." Not really a chance! It really finishes. No explanation. Q: How will you think the conversation elected for Brett Ratner when the ending was made a decision? "Hey, Brett, this movie doesn't really appear sensible. No everyone else might have a few pre-determined questions after it's over? "Fuck Them." Q: After this piece runs, are you aware the chances that Brett Ratner Tweets for you again in many caps? A: ten percent. You'll be able to contact Mike Ryan (along with your caps lock off) on Twitter. Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook [Photo: Universal] RELATED