Showtime Orders Season 2 of Homeland

Claire Danes Showtime's Homeland will return for a second season of 12 one-hour episodes, the network announced Wednesday.Is Showtime's Homeland TV's first post-post-9/11 show?The lavishly praised program - which marked Claire Danes' return to television since her starring role on My So-Called Life -- debuted Oct. 2 as the network's highest-rated freshman drama series ever, with 4.4 million viewers. Danes plays a CIA officer who suspects a returning POW (Damian Lewis) has been turned."Homeland is just getting started," David Nevins, Showtime's president of entertainment, said in a statement. "Clearly, the overall audience growth from Week 1 to Week 4 demonstrates that this show is hitting a nerve in the cultural zeitgeist ... in the post-9/11 world. I'm quite confident that its passionate audience will be riveted as the season unfolds and people discover where this story is going."Check out the rest of the day's newsProduction for Season 2 is set begin in spring 2012.What do you think of Homeland so far?

'Adventures of Tintin' will get early start overseas

Steven Spielberg's 'The Adventures of Tintin: The Key from the Unicorn' opens a few days ago in Europe, nearly two several weeks before its Christmas bow within the U.S.U.S. auds must hold back until Christmas to determine Steven Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin: The Key from the Unicorn," but overseas moviegoers can get first crack in the three dimensional motion-capture pic a few days ago, as Vital and The new sony launch the film in 18 marketplaces, mainly in Europe. "Tintin" opens today in France and Belgium, then Germany on Thursday. Pic's Friday bows include Italia, The country and also the U.K. Early overseas begins for major game titles aren't unparalleled -- they have get to be the new norm among summer time tentpoles like "Iron Guy 2" and "Fast Five." But individuals photos bowed worldwide merely a couple of days prior to the U.S., while family films are frequently postponed in overseas marketplaces until after Stateside berths. With "Tintin," wide European recognition (the initial comicstrip was produced in Belgium) always signaled strong foreign prospects. Include that to local summer break through November, and also the earlier-than-usual overseas bow of "Tintin" grew to become a no-brainer for Componen and The new sony. "We desired to take advantage of summer break this time around of the year in Europe, then unveil throughout November and December with the relaxation around the globe,Inch stated Componen Intl. prexy Andrew Cripps. Students in France and Blighty take presctiption vacation now students in other marketplaces, including Russia and Belgium, start in a few days. Contributing to the complex release, Componen and The new sony are splitting worldwide privileges -- Componen has distribution privileges within the U.S., all British-speaking areas and Asia (except India), while The new sony has got the relaxation around the globe. "Tintin" should see stellar returns throughout Europe, mainly in France, Belgium, The country and also the U.K., with three dimensional carrying out well in Asia. Cripps accepted that staggered releases increase the chance of piracy, but added, "You need to make the most of a release pattern such as this.Inch Stateside B.O. is a lot more hard to predict. Typically, American youngsters aren't acquainted with the greater than 80-year-old "Tintin" brand. However the mixture of Spielberg and producer Jackson, with reviews that are positive already trickling in, should help convince adult auds. "Tintin" has another major overseas push in a few days, growing to 24 additional marketplaces, including Russia, then such areas as South america and Taiwan the weekend of November. 11. and China on November. 15. Componen launches the film in Japan on 12 ,. 1 Australia and Mexico goes day-and-date using the U.S. within the Christmas holiday. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

The Dark Tower cuts $45m from its budget

It's been a good week for Stephen King fans. First Warner Bros. chooses Ben Affleck to adapt and direct The Stand and now it seems the movie version of The Dark Tower is back on track.The Dark Tower producer Brian Grazer (Tower Heist) is still busy pitching the project with director Ron Howard and writer Akiva Goldsman and some big changes have added a new lease of life."We found a way to cut $45m out of the budget without changing the scope and actually giving it a good ending," Grazer told The Playlist."In the $140m draft, the ending wasn't quite as satisfying. Now, we've got $45m, $50m out of the way and a really satisfying ending. It's gonna get made."Stephen King's epic multi-book story follows Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger in Mid-World, as he pursues the Man in Black on his journey to The Dark Tower.The plan is to shoot three films and follow that with twoseasons on TV. See, we told you it was epic.

'SNL's' Darrell Hammond Discloses Crack Addiction, Departing NBC 'in a Straightjacket'

Saturday Evening Live castmember Darrell Hammond discloses a disturbing crack habit, cutting themself and alcoholism in the new memoir, God Should You're Not Available Online For, I'm F--ked.our editor suggests Russell Brand Draws Mixed Responses From 'Saturday Evening Live' Debut'Community' Enrolls 'Saturday Evening Live's' Taran Killam Hammond -- who increased to fame impersonating Jesse Trump, former leader Bill Clinton along with a raunchy Sean Connery on Risk -- creates, "I stored a pint of Remy during my desk at the office. The consuming settled my nerves and quieted the disturbing images that sprang into my mind ... when consuming did not work, I cut myself." VIDEO: Emmy Roundtable: Comedy Stars Hammond -- who spent a long duration of any castmember on the program, 14 seasons and 270 looks -- states he used to be obtained from NBC "inside a straitjacket." When his wife found visit him at NY Hospital, "I did not recognize her," he adds. He creates he was hooked on cocaine in 2002, however in 2009 -- throughout his 14th and final season on the program -- "I'd the brilliant idea I ought to try crack." He wound up investing amount of time in a crack house in Harlem. He visited rehab that same year. This Year, he introduced he was hooked on vicodin and decreasing from the high while carrying out at comedy club Caroline's in NY City. He joined treatment again. "I'd began adding an obscene quantity of cocaine to my binges ... I needed to let the creativity flow about how exactly Used to do it without others increasing in popularity or allowing it to hinder the job. A minimum of an excessive amount of,Inch he creates. VIDEO: Emmy Roundtable: Comedy Showrunners He hasn't heard what his former co-employees consider it yet. "I do not have anything bad to say of anybody there," he informs the NY Publish. "All of them really went far above the phone call for me personally.Inch After beating his substance abuse, Hammond starred this summer time in Sag Harbor as Truman Capote in a single-guy play Tru. He's also involved with Will Ferrell's Funny or Die website. Related Subjects Saturday Evening Live

The Gang of Oss (De bende van Oss)

An Entertainment One Benelux release of a De Bende van Oss Filmfonds production, in association with NTR, with the participation of Entertainment One Benelux, Blauwe Schlenk, Sigma Pictures. Produced by Matthijs van Heijningen, Guurtje Buddenberg. Directed by Andre van Duren. Screenplay, van Duren, Paul Jan Nelissen.With: Sylvia Hoeks, Frank Lammers, Marcel Musters, Daan Schuurmans, Matthias Schoenaerts, Benja Bruijning, Theo Maassen, Pierre Bokma, Jaap Spijkers, Bert Geurkink, Maria Kraakman, Juul Vrijdag, Guido Pollemans, Mike Weerts. (Dutch, English dialogue)A criminal mob whose reach was so powerful that it brought down the last prewar government of the Netherlands is the nominal subject of "The Gang of Oss," though more than once, a leggy leading lady tries to steal their thunder. Dutch scribe-helmer Andre van Duren's impeccably styled period piece, set in the 1930s Catholic south, uncomfortably oscillates between grubby group portrait and sexy closeups, much as its characters are torn between crime and a life of God-fearing decency. Netherlands Film Festival opener bowed to OK numbers at home, while offshore, TV buyers should gang up. Much has been made locally of the fact that the film, based on actual events, shows the true face of the Low Countries in the late 1930s, a period that, at least in other onscreen iterations, had become a nostalgia-infested, theme park-ready utopia. Van Duren's latest, co-written by crime-pic specialist Paul Jan Nelissen ("Godforsaken"), doesn't shy away from the period's violence and poverty, though it's hard to see the film as a docu-like corrective, since it, too, traffics in familiar cliches; "Gang" at times feels like a Prohibition-set drama that took a wrong left turn and ended up among the windmills. Story is largely set in Oss, a midsized industrial town in the devoutly Catholic province of North Brabant, bordering Belgium. The soot-covered workers' town is ruled by a violent gang of thugs who congregate in the bar of Johanna (Sylvia Hoeks), who not only pours a stiff drink but occasionally satisfies gang members upstairs (her nickname is "Johanna the Slut"). Narrative proper gets rolling when Johanna's hubby, the scowling Ties (Flemish thesp Matthias Schoenaerts), is released from prison, and Johanna reveals she wants to turn their watering hole into a restaurant -- the screenplay's not very subtle way of telegraphing that the pretty gal has a mind of her own and wants to better her life. But the schematic screenplay isn't much more insightful than that. Ominously mustachioed mob boss Wim (Marcel Musters) sticks to his guns, while some gang members insist they'll leave their life of crime behind and go abroad. This simplistic binary -- should I stay or should I go? -- stifles any opportunity for character development or exploration of moral gray zones. By pitting the baddies as lapsed Catholics who fight the Protestant law-enforcers from the faraway Hague, forgiveness and redemption seem but a Hail Mary away, further defusing the tension. Supporting characters, including a lecherous local priest (Jaap Spijkers) and a sex-addict industrialist (Pierre Bokma), are also mere stick figures, though thesping, in the Brabantic accent, is generally fine. Pic seems unsure how to balance the story of the gang, whose inner workings remain vague, and their numerous exploits with the sexy but narratively tangential Johanna, who is pushed centerstage several times but never becomes a conduit for any larger underlying themes. Impressive period re-creation by production designer Dirk Debou and costume designer Manon Blom is aces. Het Paleis van Boem's grandstanding score injects some much-needed energy, though its operatic tone seems at odds with the pic's otherwise slightly more naturalistic feel.Camera (color, widescreen, HD), Piotr Kukla; editor, Ad Rietvelt; music, Het Paleis van Boem; production designer, Dirk Debou; costume designer, Manon Blom; special effects supervisor, Remco Smit; line producer, Berry van Zwieten; casting, Betty Post. Reviewed at Netherlands Film Festival (opener -- competing), Utrecht, Netherlands, Sept. 26, 2011. Running time: 110 MIN. Contact Boyd van Hoeij at news@variety.com

'Avengers' Villain Tom Hiddleston Talks 'Thor 2'

"The Avengers" assembled at NY Comic Con last weekend, and we got to chat with many of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Not only that, we spoke with their primary nemesis: Tom Hiddleston, who stars as Loki in the Marvel team-up. Beyond chatting about "The Avengers," Hiddleston weighed in on his upcoming return to Asgard in "Thor 2," which is being directed by "Monster" helmer Patty Jenkins. The actor described his interactions with Jenkins thus far and where he thinks the story of "Thor 2" should go. Check out more comic book movie news courtesy of Splash Page! The Last Laugh Sad news in the geekosphere: "Star Wars" icon Mark Hamill, who has supplied the unforgettable voice of the Joker over two decades of fantastic Batman projects, is stepping away from Gotham City for good. Hamill announced his Joker retirement on Twitter, leaving his work on "Arkham City" as the last time he'll ever voice the Clown Prince of Crime. Here's hoping for a change of heart, but regardless, thanks for all of the fantastic Joker memories, Mark! "Akira" Moves Forward It's the ill-conceived adaptation that refuses to die: a live-action, Americanized "Akira" continues to move forward, receiving an official green light at Warner Bros. and locking in Jaume Collet-Serra as director. "Tron Legacy" actor Garrett Hedlund is reportedly the front runner to play Kaneda. "X-Men" Do Battle Speaking of anime, the "X-Men Anime" premieres on G4 tonight (October 21) at 11 PM ET, starring Scott Porter as the voice of field leader Cyclops. We've got an exclusive clip from the anime for you, featuring Cyclops, Wolverine and a whole mess of robot corpses. Enjoy! Tell us what you think of today's Splash Page roundup in the comments!

The Flowers Of War Trailer Online

Bale does his Christian dutyThough it doesn't yet have overseas distribution, Zhang Yimou's latest, war epic The Flowers Of War, is already being entered by China as its submission to the foreign-language Oscar category. Now the trailer has arrived online and can be watched below.Christian Bale stars as missionary John Haufman, who is caught up in the chaos in Nanking as the Japanese Imperial Army overran the Chinese capital city in 1937.Taking on the guise of a priest, Haufman helped a group of schoolgirls and prostitutes to escape the invading forces, at a time when many of them were being killed or captured to be used as escorts for the troops.Liu Heng adapted the script from Yan Geling's novel 13 Flowers Of Nanjing, and the film also stars Paul Schneider and Shigeo Kobayashi. From the looks of the final result, Zhang certainly didn't skimp on the visuals, and with Bale providing a solid core, this is one we're eager to see as soon as it finds some distribution.

'Paranormal Activity' and the Best Found Footage Films

Anne Hathaway famously sang a parody of the song "On My Own" from 'Les Miserables' at the Academy Awards in February, but in the coming big-screen adaptation of the classic musical, she won't get the chance. That's because instead of playing Éponine, Hathaway has reportedly closed a deal to co-star in 'Les Miserables' as Fantine, a single mother forced into prostitution to care for her child. Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe co-star as Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert, respectively; Tom Hooper, who won an Oscar at the Hathaway-hosted ceremonies for 'The King's Speech,' directs. 'Les Miserables' hit theaters on Dec. 7, 2012, so you might want to watch Hathaway's "On My Own" performance at the Academy Awards a few times to sate your 'Les Mis' appetite. [via Deadline] [Photo: GF/bauergriffinonline.com] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

GSN Taps Amy Introcaso-Davis to Lead Programming Department

Amy Introcaso-Davis has been tapped as head of programming at Game Show Network.our editor recommendsOxygen Programming Chief Amy Introcaso-Davis Steps Down (Exclusive) She'll join GSN as executive vp programming beginning Nov. 1, reporting to president and CEO David Goldhill and based in Los Angeles. PHOTOS: 'Glee' Season 3: The Episodics At GSN, she'll be responsible for developing and acquiring programming designed to grow GSN's core audience of adult females. "Amy has an impressive track record of creating phenomenally successful and culturally relevant content. We're particularly pleased to have her join GSN in a year when we've substantially increased our original programming and acquired some exciting series to engage our audience," Goldhill said in a statement. "Amy's creative vision and leadership will be critical as we continue to enhance our programming choices for our viewers." STORY: Oxygen Programming Chief Amy Introcaso-Davis Steps Down (Exclusive) Added Introcaso-Davis: "As a fan, I have loved watching updates of such iconic series as The Newlywed Game on GSN. I am energized by the network's commitment to increasing original production and am excited by the prospect of leading the charge to redefine the game show for this multiplatform world." Introcaso-Davis led programming and development at Bravo and Oxygen during transformational periods at both networks. At Bravo, she developed and executive produced Queer Eye for the Straight Guy --the series that helped re-define Bravo -- as well as Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List and the Real Housewives franchise. She segued from Bravo to Oxygen in 2008. Her three-year--plus tenure as head of programming at Oxygen was marked by ratings growth in the network's core demographic of young women. But Oxygen's ratings surge may have plateaued. And Introcaso-Davis left Oxygen last summer in the wake of disappointing runs for heavily hyped series The World According to Paris and Glee reality spinoff The Glee Project. Related Topics Bravo Oxygen

Chord Overstreet To Return To Glee

That was quick. After turning down Fox’s offer this past summer to continue on Glee as a recurring because a regular gig was not in the offing, Chord Overstreet has changed his mind and is now in final negotiations to rejoin the show as a recurring. Per our sister site TVLine, which broke the story, Overstreet will make his return in the eighth episode of Glee in December. He recently guest starred in an episode of ABC’s The Middle.

SAG Hosts Nigerian Actors' Union

The Screen Stars Guild located leaders from the Stars Guild of Nigeria in a reception Wednesday in the Marmalade Caf in La. The AGN people travelled to Hollywood to switch ideas with SAG leaders along with other entertainment industry professionals. "Be it championing the audiovisual performances treaty at WIPO or trying to exchange ideas and finest practices, the guild's collaboration with unions such as the Stars Guild of Nigeria is vital to evolving the reason for all stars," stated Duncan Crabtree Ireland, deputy national executive director and general counsel for SAG. "Screen Stars Guild values our associations with this sister unions all over the world, and joins them within the battle to enhance the work lives of stars everywhere."Based on a 2009 study through the Un Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Nigeria may be the second most prolific country when it comes to film production. A current story within the Washington Occasions noted the film industry utilizes more Nigerians than every other industry besides agriculture.

Three More Pitches Find Broadcast Houses

Up-and-coming feature authors Chris Shafer and Paul Vicknair, whose film script A Many Splintered Factor was lately named among the ten Nicholls Fellowship runners up, have offered a comedy project to CBS. Entitled Girlfriend Season, it's an observational romantic comedy that follows 6 people, a youthful husband and wife as well as their buddies. UTA-repped Shafer and Vicknair are writing, with Generate creating. Fox has purchased a drama pitch from Aaron Stockard who co-authored Ben Affleck’s Gone Baby Gone and also the Town. Entitled Thick as Thieves, the drama is really a blue collar cleaning soap occur Boston. Stockard, repped by WME and three Arts, is writing, 20th TV and Chernin Entertainment creating. NBC has purchased a character-driven procedural drama from veteran Law & Order: SVU author Judith K. McCreary whose primary character is patterned after Tony Ciaglia whose real-existence story is told within the approaching book The Serial Killer Whisperer: How One Guys Tragedy Assisted Unlock the Most harmful Secrets from the Mobile phone industry's Most Terrifying Murders. Universal TV is creating. McCreary is by using ICM and manager Darryl Taja.

VIDEO: iPhone 4S's Siri Responds to 2001: A Space Odyssey, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Prompts

Ok gadget hounds, so this Siri thing is pretty neat. AND she/it has a built-in sense for movie geekery, so if you happen to ask her, say, what the meaning of life is. (Answer: 42, duh.) Or slyly refer to the shenanigans of that uber-intelligent, all-knowing other futuristic supercomputer, HAL 9000. Watch video of Siri in action (at the 5:15 mark) after the jump and stick around for more Buzz Break. [MacWorld via Slashfilm] “I spent most of my life just trying to humor people.” Sipping lemonade and puffing on a cigar circa 1998, the late, great Hunter S. Thompson explains how his first manuscript, The Rum Diary (written in his youth, published decades later, and made into this week’s Johnny Depp starrer) was eclipsed by his Hell’s Angels gonzo reportage and languished in his basement for years. [Movie City News] National Amusements is actually not amused by Universal’s Tower Heist VOD plan and has joined the fast-growing exhibitor boycott of the film. This thing’s picking up more steam than Occupy America. [Reuters] Samuel L. Jackson has joined Twitter, muthaf***ers. [@SamuelLJackson] The celeb hacker suspected of breaking into Scarlett Johansson’s email account and exposing her naughty self-portraits to the world has been arrested by the FBI in an operation apparently called, I kid you not, Operation Hackerazzi. [THR] Terry Gilliam, 70, is still trying to put Don Quixote together. “I’ve actually reached the point of not believing I’ll ever make a film again.” Sadface. [Independent]

Kusturica to head Marrakech jury

LISBON -- Serbian helmer Emir Kusturica will be jury prexy at the 11th Marrakech Film Festival, following in the footsteps of Roman Polanski, Milos Forman, Barry Levinson and John Malkovich.Fest's competitive Official Selection -- dedicated to debut and sophomore features -- awards four prizes: Gold Star, jury prize and best actor and actress.Kusturica, who received a career tribute at Marrakech in 2009, will also give a masterclass.Sigourney Weaver will preside over the Cinecoles short film competition, showcasing upcoming talent from Morocco.Marrakech will also organize a tribute to Mexican cinema.Fest runs Dec. 2-10. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Teresa Giudice: I'd No Clue These Were Bashing Me Like This

Teresa Giudice Teresa Giudice, unaware? She required to her Bravo blog after Sunday's The Actual Average women of Nj to create: "The entire time i was filming, I'd no clue the other everyone was saying about me. I simply assumed these were my buddies."Teresa expressed shock upon seeing another women say she was "dropped on her behalf mind like a baby" and call her "cuckoo." "I'd no clue these were bashing me like this,Inch she authored.Bravo: Jacqueline Laurita and Caroline Manzo not departing Real Average women of recent JerseyThe tension one of the cast continues to be building in the last week. On Saturday, Giudice's former closest friend (and co-star) Jacqueline Laurita tweeted, "Teresa is scum!"But considering the fact that the show's season finale airs Sunday, do you consider the drama is a little coincidental? One factor is for certain: we can not wait for a reunion.

1911 (Xinhai geming)

'1911'A Well Go USA, Variance Films (in U.S.)/Huaxia Film Distribution (in China)/Media Asia (in Hong Kong) release of a Changchun Film Studio Group, Shanghai Film Studio Group, Beijing Alnair Culture & Media, Jiangsu Broadcasting, Jackie Chan Intl. Cinema Cultural Holdings, Xiaoxiang Film Studio, China City Construction, Hebei Film Studio, Tianjin North Film Group, Huaxia Film Distribution, Media Asia Films presentation of a Changchun Film Studio Group, Shanghai Film Studio Group, Hubei Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Dept., Beijing Alnair Culture & Media, Jiangsu Broadcasting, Jackie Chan Intl. Cinema Cultural Holdings, Xiaoxiang Film Studio, China City Construction, Hebei Broadcasting Film & TV, Tianjin North Film Group, Hillcas Film, Huaxia Film Distribution, Hebei Film Studio, Nanjing Broadcasting, Langfang Guohua Film Base, Media Asia Films production. (International sales: Jackie Chan Intl. Cinema Cultural Holdings, Beijing.) Produced by Wang Zhebin, Wang Tianyun, Bi Shulin. Executive producers, Ren Zhonglun, Liu Lijuan, Guo Bin, Zhou Li, Qi Jianhong, Zhou Pixue, Yu Lian, Shen Xiaoyi, Wang Dafang, Peter Lam, Gu Guoqing. Directed by Zhang Li. General director, Jackie Chan. Screenplay, Wang Xingdong, Chen Baoguang.With: Jackie Chan, Winston Chao, Li Bingbing, Sun Chun, Joan Chen, Jiang Wu, Jaycee Chan, Hu Ge, Ning Jing, Yu Shaoqun, Dennis To, Huang Zhizhong, Mei Ting, Xing Jiadong, Hu Ming, Huo Qing, Qi Da, Tao Zeru, Wang Ziwen, Ye Daying, Chen Yiheng, Wei Zongwan, Duobujie, Xie Gang, Sun Jingji, Li Dongxue, Zhang Xiaolin, Wang Ya'nan, Xu Wenguang, Jiang Jing, Vivi Wang, Wang Luyao. (Mandarin, English, French dialogue)The revolutionaries who fought to free China from nearly 3,000 years of dynastic oppression deserve a worthier cinematic monument than "1911." Equally enervating as spectacle and history lesson, this war epic exemplifies the sort of depressingly committee-driven filmmaking presently in vogue on the mainland, though poor local returns (pic opened Sept. 23 with a three-day $1.8 million) suggest that, after "The Founding of a Republic" and "Beginning of the Great Revival," Chinese audiences are losing their appetites for star-studded, po-faced propaganda. While Jackie Chan's marquee presence could boost the film's profile in the West, crossover potential looks as limited as usual for this type of fare. Co-directed by lenser-turned-helmer Zhang Li and Chan (credited as general director), "1911" was commissioned to honor the centenary of the Xinhai Revolution led by Sun Yat-sen and his military deputy Huang Xing, ending an era of Chinese monarchy and feudalism. In re-creating the crumbling opulence of the waning Qing dynasty and the heavy-duty firepower of the 1911 uprisings at Guangzhou and Wuchang, the filmmakers have spared little expense with their physically imposing vision of this chaotic and violent period (which directly precedes the birth of the Communist Party recounted in "Beginning of the Great Revival"). But the script by Wang Xingdong and Chen Baoguang (who co-wrote "Founding of a Republic") is unable to shape these events into a coherent narrative, or to present a stirring depiction of the revolutionary fervor sweeping through China. Resulting mish-mash of exposition and speechifying opts to summarize rather than dramatize; one spends nearly as much time reading indigestible lumps of onscreen text as one does listening to the often distractingly post-dubbed dialogue. Providing an anchor of sorts is the relationship between Sun (Winston Chao) and Huang (Chan), who lead the Tongmenghui resistance movement on two different fronts. While Sun spends much of the film abroad, rallying financial support from Chinese expats and laying diplomatic foundations for a new republic, Huang is an active fighter at home, losing some fingers in the failed Guangzhou uprising and, for reasons ill explained here, pretending to be the husband of resistance member Xu Zonghan (Li Bingbing). A proper portrait of how this phony union flowers into a real marriage is one of many onscreen casualties here; when Xu mentions sometime later that she's carrying Huang's child, you wonder if you've missed a paragraph of plot somewhere. While the filmmakers have clearly marshaled their resources on a grand scale, they haven't figured out a workable, let alone intelligent, dramatic strategy; individual sequences seem to halt midway through, giving the impression of a pageant with intermittent bursts of movement rather than a sustained piece of moviemaking. The disjointed editing scheme frequently pauses for monochrome slo-mo interludes or idyllic flashbacks of martyred hero Lin Juemin (Hu Ge) running along the beach, all accompanied by unsubtle violin plucking. Much of the film's midsection is devoted to a bloody restaging of the Wuchang uprising, as the resistance gains the upper hand but winds up in a protracted stalemate with the armed forces commanded by shrewd tactician Gen. Yuan Shikai (Sun Chun). The scenario does possess a layer of interest in its examination of economic underpinnings, as the impoverished Qing court finances its advanced weaponry by ceding large sections of China to foreign imperialists, auctioning off its sovereignty to wage war against its own people. The republic's fragile beginnings in 1912, as Sun Yat-sen returns to China and negotiates with Yuan to force the abdication of the Qing empress (Joan Chen) and her young heir, similarly provide flickers of dramatic life far too late in the game. Chan is fine but colorless as Huang, breaking character at one point to indulge in a wink-wink martial-arts display; Chao makes Sun Yat-sen (a role he's essayed many times before) a figure of estimable dignity and decency; and Sun Chun impresses as the dangerously unpredictable Yuan. The three are surrounded by an enormous cast of bit players and extras, many identified with onscreen titles that seem at once meticulous and arbitrary. The most cringe-inducing of the real-life personalities here is American adventurer-author Homer Lea, trotted onscreen every so often to utter gee-golly exclamations ("You're making history!") presumably for the benefit of a Western audience. The mealy-mouthed fadeout dutifully extols the virtues of revolution as a force that "seeks eternal happiness for everyone in the world," gingerly sidestepping the decades of war, famine and slaughter that will follow under different but no less misguided regimes. Title was translated onscreen as "1911 Revolution."Camera (Technicolor/B&W, widescreen), Huang Wei; editor, Yang Hongyu; music, Ding Wei; production designer/art director, Zhao Hai; costume designer, Chen Minzheng; sound (Dolby Digital), Shen Jianqin; special effects coordinator, Wang Xi; action choreographer, Wu Gang; stunt coordinators, Wu, JC Stuntmen. Reviewed at Clarity screening room, Beverly Hills, Oct. 3, 2011. (In Tokyo Film Festival -- opener.) MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 120 MIN. Contact Justin Chang at justin.chang@variety.com

Watch Transformers 3 Free

Watch Darth Vader Record the Enormously Hated Alien Blu-ray 'Noooo!'

· In the event you thought that watching Darth Vader scream “Nooooo!” round the Return in the Jedi Blu-ray was painful, you need to have experienced it studio while using Alien villain throughout that voice-over. Laugh using the George Lucas-triggered tears ahead after which it stay for further Buzz Break. · Lionsgate follows-in the Hunger Games by adapting another dystopian youthful adult series for your screen. Chaos Walking tales the tests and struggles of countless humans who colonize a distant Earth-like planet. [THR] · Nerve.com compares Ryan Gosling and Ernest Gordon-Levitt’s best and worst projects to find out who's the bigger Hollywood contender. [Nerve.com] · Finally, a definitive timeline for Primer. [Unrealitymag.com] · Just just in case you haven’t heard yet…Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz features he desires to shoot another season in the beloved series before filming the extended-await Bluth movie. [EW] · Do you realize who is not keen on George Clooney-style pranks on set? Steve Martin. [Buzzsugar] · For anyone who is interested in Roland Emmerich’s 1992 sci-fi film Universal Soldier starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren, very good news: FremantleMedia The U . s . States is adapting the film for television. [indieWire] · Finally, congratulations to Seth Rogen to get married to his longtime girlfriend Lauren Burns a couple of days ago! [People]