Argo received eight Oscar nominations and has grossed over $166.4 million at the box office worldwide and now Iran wants in on the action. But don’t expect the Islamic Republic to toe the line of how events transpired in the version directed and starring Ben Affleck . [ Related: Iran A Possible Oscar No-Show After Boycott Threat AND Ben Affleck Goes For Gracious Post-Oscar Passover ] Iranian director Ataollah Salmanian an Iranian news agency that he is making a counter-feature to Affleck’s film which is based on the true story of a C.I.A. plan to rescue six Americans from Tehran during the outset of the Iran hostage crisis in 1979. Titled The General Staff , Salmanian told the news agency his film “should be an appropriate response to the ‘a-historic’ film Argo ,” according to BBC. Not surprisingly, Argo has ruffled feathers in the Iranian hierarchy and Salmanian is hoping to receive funding from the Middle Eastern country’s government. Iran has long had a contentious relationship with its filmmaking community even as its filmmakers won awards around the world. Last year Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation won the Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language film. Despite praise for the win at the time, the country’s establishment banned its filmmakers from submitting to the Oscars race officially due to the controversy surrounding the anti-Islam video that hit YouTube last year, Innocence of Muslims . Others have faced persecution and silence including celebrated director Jafar Panahi who served house arrest and later prison. The director documented his house-arrest in This Is Not a Film , which was smuggled out of Iran in a Flash-Drive and hidden inside a cake. It later screened at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and other festivals. [ Source: The Guardian ] Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Controversy is swirling over a new CBS ad for Super Bowl XLVII, which stars Neil Patrick Harris and features a shot of him wearing a football player’s eye black with the date of the big game written across the front. Because mediocre quarterback Tim Tebow is known to scrawl bible verse references across his eye black , a writer for WND.com believes CBS is clearly making fun of the religion with this spot. The site quotes a viewer of the commercial as saying the network is ” pushing a gay agenda by using [Harris], and they’re mocking Christians at the same time.” Harris, of course, stars on How I Met Your Mother and came out of the closet in 2006. Do you agree with this connection? Is CBS making fun of Christians by having a famous gay person wearing eye black with letters across it? Yes, it’s so apparent! Wait… huh? Of course not! View Poll »
Worried that his son was spending much time online, a Chinese father recently hired some virtual “hit men” to hunt down and “kill” his offspring … in various games. The man, identified only as Mr. Feng, had grown concerned about the amount of time his 23-year-old unemployed son was spending with online gaming. He hoped his actions would deter his son from playing the games. According to the BBC, his son eventually asked one of the gamers why they kept targeting him. Was it effective? “It’s not going to do much for family relations.” Professor Mark Griffiths, a gambling and addictions expert at Nottingham Trent University, said. “I’ve never heard of that kind of intervention, but I don’t think these top-down approaches work. Excessive game playing is usually a symptom of an underlying problem.” Prof. Griffiths said he heard from many parents who had grown worried about their children’s gaming habits but often times it was not an addiction. “I’ve spent 25 years studying excessive video game playing,” he said. “I’ve come across very excessive players – playing for 10 to 14 hours a day.” “But, for a lot of these people it causes no detrimental problems if they are not employed, aren’t in relationships and don’t have any children.” “It’s not the time you spend, it’s the impact it has on your life.” Father and son are said to have reconciled but World of Warcraft expert Olivia Grace said she did not think Feng’s actions would act as a deterrent. “Being killed by someone happens all the time,” she said. “People are just like that online.”
No wonder he’s nice with the wand. “X-Men” and “Lord of the Rings” actor Sir Ian McKellen says his decision to be open about being gay was his best ever. Via Daily Mail reports McKellen was given the role of Gandalf soon after X-Men and spent over a year filming in New Zealand, which he fondly regards as a ‘home from home’. ‘It’s easy to grasp Kiwi society and they’ve got their priorities sorted,’ he says. ‘They’ve made so many social advances, with women at the top in government for a long time, and they got rid of their gay laws long before us.’ McKellen has been a high-profile campaigner for gay rights since he came out, at 49, during a BBC radio interview. He was in the vanguard of openly gay artists and in November 1990, Margaret Thatcher recommended him for a knighthood. ‘It was the last thing she did as Prime Minister,’ recalls McKellen. ‘I was in Paris doing Richard III and was watching TV over breakfast. They had a camera on the door in Downing Street waiting for her to come out for the final time, and at that moment the phone rang and it was No 10 saying you have a knighthood. I took that as a sign things were changing for the better.’ But one of his greatest regrets was never having the chance to tell his parents. His father died in a car crash when he was 24, a week after seeing his son’s West End debut. ‘When I came out, I told my stepmother Gladys, and she just said she had known for years and was glad I wasn’t lying any more,’ he says. ‘Before that, I presumed it would be bad for my career. ‘In the Fifties and Sixties, the life of a gay man was a secret. Being gay was illegal, so you didn’t draw attention to yourself. But coming out is the best thing I ever did and I’ve never met a gay person who didn’t think the same. ‘Even now there are young actors who want careers as romantic leading men and the best thing is not to reveal you’re gay. I suppose I used to wonder if I’d be allowed to play Romeo if I came out. ‘Eventually, I thought if you compromise to the extent of lying about yourself, is there any job in the world that’s worth that? I don’t think there is. It’s still a sensitive issue in Hollywood, though.’ Congrats to him for being brave enough to admit he’s gay. We can name plenty of Hollyweird actors *cough* Travolta *cough* Cruise who wouldn’t be able to do it.
Even as Zero Dark Thirty has come under fire by key Senators criticizing its depiction of torture in the hunt for Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, the film shrugged off the pressure, at least at the box office, in its initial limited roll out Wednesday. [ Related: Golden Globes Unveil 70th Edition Nominees ] The Sony release opted for a specialty-style roll-out Wednesday, opening in limited locations in New York and Los Angeles before it heads wide January 11, not so coincidentally, the day after Oscar nominations are unveiled. The pic, which re-teams Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow and writer-producer Mark Boal ( The Hurt Locker ), scored the biggest Wednesday limited opening ever (without a Disney-style stage show), according to Deadline.com . The film starring Jessica Chastain grossed a tremendous $124,848 in one day from just five theaters giving it a stellar mid-week $24,969 average. The numbers outstrip the likes of other Wednesday openers American Beauty which took in $73K with six theaters and Little Miss Sunshine with $66K from 7 runs. The film has been an early darling for critics with prestige organizations including the New York Film Critics Circle, the Chicago Film Critics Association and the National Board of Review giving the two-and-a-half-hour-plus feature its choice for Best Film of 2012. It also received four Golden Globe noms, including Best Motion Picture, Drama though others such as Lincoln , Django Unchained and Les Misérables scored more. Still, Zero Dark Thirty is expected to be a heavy-hitter come Oscar nomination morning. Some, however, have begun to speculate whether the percolating controversy over the film’s perceived suggestions that water-boarding, extreme isolation and other techniques were useful in ultimately locating Bin Laden and how that may affect Academy voters should the story hold staying power in the headlines. A report from A.P. yesterday said that former Vietnam War-era P.O.W. Senator John McCain slammed the film after viewing a screener earlier this week and BBC reports that McCain and two other Senate colleagues made their objections official in a letter to the head of Sony Pictures Entertainment. The letter said the pic is “perpetuating the myth that torture is effective” and that “the fundamental problem is that people who see Zero Dark Thirty will believe that the events it portrays are facts.” It goes on to say, “the film therefore has the potential to shape American public opinion in a disturbing and misleading manner,” and that the “use of torture in the fight against terrorism did severe damage to America’s values and standing that cannot be justified or expunged.” Also signing the letter, which was made public, were Senators Dianne Feinstein and Carl Levin, all of whom are members of the Senate Intelligence committee. Bigelow has said that her film depicts a “variety of controversial practices and intelligence methods.” She and Boal have also indicated their distaste for torture in statements last week. [Sources: Deadline , BBC ]
Stevie’s not afraid to tell it like it is ; even if it means getting some criticism for standing up for what he believes in . While he’s pulled out of the concert (which raises money for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces), some are questioning why he agreed to do it in the first place. According to BBC News , Stevie released a statement explaining exactly why he was backing out: …”I am and have always been against war, any war, anywhere.” A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is currently in place, after a week of violence in Gaza last month. But tensions still run high. On Friday, Israel announced it would authorize the construction of 3,000 more housing units in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The decision followed a UN General Assembly vote to upgrade the Palestinians’ status to non-member observer state. Next week’s gala concert supports an organization which raises money for Israeli soldiers and their families. Wonder said the United Nations (and other organizations) had recommended cancelling his performance because he is an official UN “Messenger of Peace”. In his statement, the 62-year-old said he had made the decision with a heavy heart. “Given the current and very delicate situation in the Middle East, and with a heart that has always cried out for world unity, I will not be performing,” he added. The musician said he would make contributions to charities that support Israeli and Palestinian children with disabilities. While the FIDF organization is seemingly for a good cause, you’ve got to admit that seeing Stevie sing at a charity event raising money for Israeli anything would have left a bad taste in some of our mouths; even Former President Jimmy Carter has compared Israel’s actions to apartheid. We’re glad he did what he thought was right and his new donation towards children with disabilities is for the better cause. Images via tumblr
The biggest question surrounding Peter Jackson ‘s Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey , has nothing to do with its strength of story, its Oscar chances, or whether or not Tolkien fans will embrace yet another uber-ambitious adaptation of their beloved fantasy world, but rather: How does it look? Specifically, how will Jackson’s 48 frames-per-second gamble play after months of talk and one particularly disastrous Cinema Con debut ? I’ll tell you this: The grumblings and rumblings after my screening of The Hobbit – in bold, daring, frustrating 48 frames-per-second 3-D – were decidedly not raves. And that’s a very bad sign for Jackson & Co. One colleague couldn’t believe how poor the 48 fps presentation looked, insisting – or hoping, more like it – that something must have been wrong with the projection. Jackson’s big, game-changing crusade for a frame rate that would part the heavens and open humankind’s hearts and minds and brains to a new way of watching film couldn’t possibly look so unpleasant. Could it? I was curious if, back in April when The Hobbit ‘s 48 fps preview bombed at Cinema Con, the journalists and industry folk who recoiled from the hyper-clarity of the picture onscreen were just overreacting to Jackson’s new cinematic order. “After a minute or two of adjusting,” wrote The New York Daily News’ Ethan Sacks in his embargo-skirting first review , “the higher resolution is eye-popping, similar to discovering HD television for the first time.” HD TV did look rather freaky at first, I’ll give him that, and there’s a shared quality of too much visual information that The Hobbit ‘s 48 fps shares with high-def television. But it didn’t take a few minutes of adjusting to get used to it; even two hours and 40 minutes later my brain was rejecting the look of it. It felt like watching daytime soaps in HD, terrible BBC broadcasts, or Faerie Tale Theater circa 1985, only in amazingly sharp clarity and with hobbits. Part of the problem is there’s too much detail in every frame that the magical filter of cinema that makes most 24 fps film so pleasing to the eye is gone; every prop on a set too clear, and even a performance by someone like the very fine Ian McKellen looks embarrassingly, unnaturally theatrical. Moving images, especially walking Hobbits and dwarves – not as much the CG creatures, for what it’s worth – flit at odd speeds that just never look right. With the exception of a handful of scenes, mostly enhanced by CG vs. shot on interior sets, the 48 fps had me imagining how gorgeous everything might look in 24fps. Those who’ve seen it in 24fps seem much happier with the visual presentation, even if 3-D feels superfluous. As Bilbo made his way along his adventure through Middle Earth, the look of The Hobbit and the accelerated barrage of information prompted a flurry of other films and shows to pop into mind, none of them flattering comparisons. Here, in no particular order, are some of them: Fraggle Rock Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood of Make-Believe Shining Time Station Star Trek colony planets The opening POV shot of Dinosaurs (On the plus side, The Hobbit also inspired me to Google “Galadriel-Gandalf fan fiction,” which I guarantee will be a thing after The Hobbit comes out.) As early reviews continue to hit the web, it appears that I’m not in the minority on the frame rate issue. 48 fps may be D.O.A. even before The Hobbit opens in wide release on December 14. Maybe that’s a good thing; save your dollars and see it in regular ol’ 24 fps. The future may well be 48, but it hasn’t arrived yet. READ MORE: ‘The Hobbit’ 3-D Early Review: Back Again, But Not Quite There ‘Hobbit’ First Review: 48 FPS Is ‘Eye-Popping,’ But Watch Out For The Jar Jar Binks Of ‘LOTR’ The Hobbit 48 FPS Preview Divides Audiences at CinemaCon Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Also in Friday’s early round-up of news briefs: Oscar winner Javier Bardem gets a Hollywood Honor ahead of Skyfall release; A Royal Affair , Chasing Ice and Starlet are among this year’s look at new Specialty Releases; And Harold & Kumar writers are eyeing their next gig. Twilight Fans Set Up Tent City for Monday’s Breaking Dawn – Part 2 Premiere Distributor Summit is offering camping spots to 2,200 Twi-hards, making this the franchise’s largest camp to date and almost double last year’s. The final Twilight premiere takes place at LA Live on Monday, Deadline reports. Lindsay Lohan’s Barbara Walters 20/20 Interview Stopped By Lohan’s New PR Team Dissatisfied with “the direction ABC wanted to take the interview,” Lohan’s new PR reps, Rogers & Cowan, have said that the actress will not appear on 20/20 for an interview with Walters on a scheduled slot set to air November 16th, Deadline reports. Specialty Release Preview: Chasing Ice , Citadel , Coming Up Roses , In Another Country , A Royal Affair , Starlet Bernadette Peters and French actress Isabelle Huppert will open their latest respective films Coming Up Roses and In Another Country ,. Starlet with Dree Hemingway has a San Fernando Valley adult film industry bent, while Citadel won SXSW Festival’s Audience Midnight section prize. Film sales outfit Submarine releases the climate-change documentary Chasing Ice via its distribution label Submarine Deluxe, scoring talk show attention as a result of Hurricane Sandy’s devastation, while Magnolia’s A Royal Affair will get a traditional theatrical rollout, Deadline reports. Javier Bardem Nabs a Hollywood Star Academy award-winning actor Javier Bardem has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Bardem, who plays villain Silva in the latest Bond movie Skyfall , was joined by his female co-stars Naomie Harris and Berenice Marlohe. Bardem received a best supporting actor Oscar for his role in the Coen brothers film No Country for Old Men in 2008, BBC reports. Harold & Kumar Writers Set to Direct Cherries The story centers on three dads who come together to stop their daughters from fulfilling their sex pact to lose their virginities on prom night. Cherries would be a reunion of several key Harold & Kumar behind the camera talent, THR reports.
The people behind The Hobbit are no fans of what they perceive as imitators. Warner Bros., New Line Cinema and MGM as well as Hobbit producer Saul Zaentz are taking backers of low-budget pic Age of the Hobbits for trademark infringement. The plaintiffs say that movie label The Asylum, which is behind a slate of “mock-busters” that spoof Hollywood movies, is “free-riding on the marketing campaign of Peter Jackson’s upcoming string of Hobbit pics, beginning next month with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey . Producers of the Jackson film called Age of the Hobbits an “international and willful attempt to trade on the popularity and goodwill” of the filmmaker’s The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, according to BBC. And producers are not looking for any compromise either. They are asking for all “infringing and ad materials and packaging for The Asylum’s Hobbit to be destroyed, claiming it may “divert customers and potential customers away from the Hobbit films.” The Zaentz Co which controls the trademark rights to the Tolkien book has also threatened legal action. Age of the Hobbits is due for a DVD and online release December 11th, just three days before the U.S. opening of Jackson’s Hobbit . “Age of the Hobbits is about the real-life human subspecies, Homo Floresiensis, discovered in 2003 in Indonesia, which have been uniformly referred to as ‘Hobbits’ in the scientific community,” noted Asylum in a statement, adding that it is therefore “protected under the legal doctrines of nominal and traditional fair use.” Aylum also said a Google search of ‘hobbits’ and archaeology would turn up a dozen of disparate articles. Asylum’s previous “mock-busters” include Transmorphers , based on Michael Bay’s big budget movie Transformers , and The Da Vinci Treasure , which took its name from The Da Vinci Code , directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks. [Source: BBC ]
Clive Dunn, star of the BBC#39;s World War II show Dad#39;s Army, is surrounded by photographers at the Imperial War Museum in London July 31. He died in Portugal on Tuesday from complications following an operation. Dunn – whose famous catchphrases included “Don#39;t panic, don#39;t panic” and “They don#39;t like it up #39;em” – became a recording star in 1971 when his record, Grandad, reached number one. Frank Williams, who played the Vicar on Dad#39;s Army, said he was always “great fun” t
