Exhibs hit back at Sony

The National Association of Theater Owners has responded to Sony's decision to stop providing 3D glasses to moviegoers, calling the news "insensitive to our patrons." On Tuesday, word broke that the studio would cease to subsidize the eyewear, which can cost millions per stereoscopic pic. "Sony's actions raise serious concerns for our members who believe that provision of 3D glasses to patrons is well-established as part of the 3D experience," the org said in a statement issued Wednesday. "Since the onset of the digital 3D revolution in 2005 it has been understood that exhibitors would bear the weight of technological and facility modification costs related to 3D, while distribution took on the cost of 3D glasses. Any changes to that understanding must be undertaken through the mutual agreement of both sides of the business." Regal Entertainment CEO Amy Miles pointed to the success of 3D -- but also hinted at possible ramifications that a change in subsidizing 3D glasses could cause saying, "This could result in fewer screens exhibiting 3D films." "Under the current model, 3D has generated more entertainment options for our customers and helped exhibitors and studios generate incremental box office revenue," Miles said in a statement. "To the extent that Sony seeks to change the current model in a manner that shifts costs to exhibitors, we would be forced to evaluate this new economic model and program our screens accordingly." But the glasses aren't the only thing NATO's upset about. The release also cites the Warner Bros., Fox, Sony and Universal "failed" premium VOD experiment as evidence that both sides need to negotiate before making big exhibition decisions. Sony plans to stop subsidizing 3D glasses next May with "Men in Black III" and "The Amazing Spider-Man," bucking the trend that Disney started in 2005 when it provided them outright for "Chicken Little." "We are amenable to alternative models for distributing 3D glasses as long as the economics remain the same for exhibitors and our customers," Miles said. The nation's other largest exhib, AMC Theaters, deferred to the NATO statement. Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com

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Sorvino joins 'Class Project' cast

SorvinoMira Sorvino has joined the cast of the true crime tale "The Class Project," which just wrapped production under the direction of Stan Brooks. Abigail Breslin and Georgie Henley ("The Chronicles of Narnia") star as Canadian sisters who have been at the mercy of their alcoholic mother (Sorvino) and her abusive boyfriends for as far back as they can remember. The duo decides to take matters into their own hands and plot to kill her in order to collect the insurance money. Fabrizio Filippo and Adam Till adapted Toronto Star reporter Bob Mitchell's 2008 book "The Class Project: How To Kill a Mother: The True Story of Canada's Infamous Bathtub Girls." Michael Rotenberg ("Extract") produced the indie drama with Damian Ganczewski and Juliette Hagopian. Sorvino, who recently starred in Nancy Savoca's indie drama "Union Square," also just wrapped the sex slave drama "Trade of Innocents," which stars Dermot Mulroney. Sorvino is repped by ICM and Untitled Entertainment. Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com

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Hysteria Appears to Have Worked Out OK for Maggie Gyllenhaal

”[Hysteria director Tanya] Wexler said she gave everybody on set a vibrator. But getting them there caused a bit of embarrassment for a security guard at a Heathrow airport luggage checkpoint. ‘The officer said, “You have 20 or 30 small electronic devices in your luggage,” and I said, “Yes, they’re vibrators,” and the guy just said, “Move along,”’ she recalled. [Maggie] Gyllenhaal said she was awash with gift vibrators from friends by the end of filming.” Yowza! So, uh, why isn’t there more post-Toronto buzz? [NYDN]

MGM Names Dene B. Stratton as Its New CFO

Dene B. Stratton has been named chief financial officer at MGM, the company's co-chairmen and CEOs Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum announced today. Stratton, who spent nearly two decades at the Walt Disney Co., most recently served as CFO for the Internet start-up TRC Media Limited. During his tenure at Disney, he rose to the position of CFO, Jetix Europe. He also held such posts as senior vp, planning and control for ABC; senior vp and general manager for DIC Entertainment; senior vp, business development for Walt Disney Television International in Asia Pacific; and vp, finance, European controller, Walt Disney Studios Europe. Before joining Disney in 1990, Stratton was as business unit controller for Calcomp. "Dene has the solid foundation and the precise experience we were hoping to find in our new CFO. We are enthused by what we know he will bring to the table and look forward to a prosperous future together," Barber and Birnbaum said. Related Topics MGM

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New Study Shows Kaira Pitt's 'Moneyball' Producing Major Buzz Online (Exclusive)

The new sony Pictures I've found that BoxOffice.com, a well known and broadly reliable website that is an expert in forecasts and analysis of movie box office figures, will to produce special are accountable to its customers later today about Moneyball, the baseball drama starring Kaira Pitt which will open in theaters this Friday. Based on the release, Moneyball is producing much more buzz on social-networking sites compared to Social Networking, another Scott Rudin-created film that hit theaters almost exactly last year (Moneyball will open 1 week earlier) and ended up grossing nearly $225 million and scoring eight Oscar nominations, three which led to wins. BoxOffice.com editor Phil Contrino informs me that they have been monitoring Twitter and facebook activity since May 2010, and based its conclusions -- that they states are statistically significant -- on stats collected from monitoring the 2 sites over the past weekend prior to the films opened up. On Facebook, The Social Networking received 34,645 "likes" within that period, whereas Moneyball received 64,073. On Twitter, meanwhile, the first kind was the topic of 4,120 Tweets, whereas the second was pointed out in five,264. STORY: 'Moneyball': Exactly what the Experts Say Exactly what does everything mean? "It implies that Moneyball has genuine breakout potential," states Contrino, who forecasts the audience for your film will skew over the age of it had been for that Social Networking. "Grown ups are clearly hungry for serious-minded movies with Oscar buzz following a summer time filled with movies targeted at teens. Just take a look at how well Night time in Paris and also the Help did in the box office." FILM REVIEW: 'Moneyball' He adds, "The thought of putting Pitt inside a sports movie could turn to be considered a brilliant one. Ladies who normally wouldn't get a smart baseball flick will not get pulled to that one kicking and screaming." Kaira Pitt Moneyball

Charlie Sheen Says Hes Not Mad At Men Anymore

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Charlie Sheen seems to have buried the hatchet. Appearing on Thursdays Tonight Show, the former star of Two and a Half Men radiated a forgiving mood toward his old workplace. Asked by host Jay Leno if hes still angry at the sitcoms producers and network, he said no: He would have fired himself had he been in their shoes. Then he added with a laugh, Well, maybe not like they did. Sheen was dumped last March after the actor railed against his bosses, and they blasted him for his unpredictable behavior as a drug-abusing, reckless playboy. It was bad, Sheen said, summing up the clash, and I own my part in that, and I just want to make everything right. Asked why he thought he should have been fired, Sheen explained, I should have been a little more responsible about the condition I was showing up in. He told Leno he has not had any contact with his former castmates, but said he felt no animosity toward them. His formerly strained relationship with his father, actor Martin Sheen, is totally repaired, he said. Were buddies again. On Monday, the hit CBS comedy returns for a new season with Ashton Kutcher as Sheens replacement. He praised Kutcher as being accomplished, and when asked if he had any advice for his successor, he said hed like to give him a hug and tell him, Make me proud, dude. Sheen is also being interviewed on Fridays edition of Today. These appearances plug a Comedy Central roast of him airing on Monday. Copyright 2011 by Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Rhianna, Bono and Usher to Headline Celebration of Bill Clinton

Rhianna, U2's Bono as well as the Edge, and Usher works inside a party for Leader Bill Clinton that Yahoo will stream live on the web, the parties are likely to announce Tuesday.our editor recommendsUsher: Changing the facial skin of Charitable organization One Child at any time Lady Gagas Style Cover Released, Additional an hour or so Footage LeakedU2's '360' Tour Will Gross $736.millions of STORY: U2 to provide $7.2 million to Music Education The concert, scheduled for March. 15 within the Hollywood Bowl, is billed just like a celebration in the 10-year anniversary in the William J. Clinton Foundation, which has elevated some $10 billion for your former president's favorite causes, for instance Helps/Helps treatment and reducing hunger. It's also a late special birthday for Clinton, who switched 65 on August. 19. STORY: Usher: Changing the facial skin of Charitable organization One Child at any time Particulars in the concert continued to be to be hammered out early Tuesday, but a extended report on movie and TV personas will most likely appear, together with a speaker mentioned tickets will probably be available to everyone, unlike a party invitation-only Moving Gems concert that was organized to celebrate Clinton's 60thbirthday. As opposed to a conventional TV partner, the planners have granted exclusive broadcast rights to Yahoo, which must stream it worldwide to have an audience of numerous million, and sponsors continued to be to be arranged Tuesday. EXCLUSIVE: Leader Obama Sets Two Hollywood Fundraiser The show, a charitable event that's being produced by Control Room, is known as 10 Years of Difference: A Concert Praising 10 years in the William J. Clinton Foundation. Related Subjects Rhianna Usher Bill Clinton U2 The Benefit

Twenty Cigarettes Might Be the Best Movie Ever

“I wanted to do a portrait film with extended takes. Smoking came into it later, as the ploy to get people to stand still and not be totally conscious of being filmed, although a big part of Twenty Cigarettes is that very self-consciousness of a person in front of a camera and how that changes over time. Cigarettes also have this built-in duration and people will smoke at a different rate, and they’ll smoke the whole cigarette or part of the cigarette. Smoking has such a stigma now, especially in the U.S., so I thought it would be interesting to make a film where I won’t have any value judgment at all on smoking.” Sorry! This has NC-17 written allllll over it. [NYT] [Photo: TIFF]

'Kate Plus 8' Series Finale: Kate Gosselin Faces the Firing Squad (Exclusive Video)

We're sure even Kate Gosselin couldn't have imagined that her series, Kate Plus 8, would finish together with your debate. But, it's. And also on the best episode airing Monday at 9 p.m. on TLC, Kate will face the music activity as everyone talks their mind in what went lower concerning the vacation and through the epic pizza stress. The Hollywood Reporter posseses an exclusive sneak try looking in the ultimate episode through which everyone involved, including babysitter Ashley, bodyguard Steve, and Kate's friend, Jamie, hash the conflict that introduced to Ashley departing your family concerning the last episode. VIDEO: Kate Gosselin Announces Publish-'Kate Plus 8' Plans Fans first met the Gosselin family about the one-hour special referred to as Which makes it through Sextuplets and Twins in 2006. Yearly later, your family began the right path which will become Jon & Kate Plus 8. After an very public divorce this past year, Kate made a decision to do-it-yourself. Then, TLC passed on the show's cancelation the 2009 August. While using finish finally here, Kate introduced on Monday that fans could stay with the travails in the Gosselin bunch about the new website, KatePlusMy8.com.Before she'll proceed, Kate will have to answer for last episode's disastrous visit to Monday's final episode. VIDEO: Jon Gosselin to Kate: 'Reality Television is not work' Watch our exclusive preview above. You think Ashley have been overdramatic? Will you miss Kate Plus 8? Reveal inside the comments section below. Email: Jethro.Nededog@thr.com Twitter: @TheRealJethro RELATED: Kate Gosselin Describes Why She Referred to as Jon 'Mediocre' on 'Today' Show Kate Gosselin to begin Wendy Williams' Third Season Kate Gosselin on 'Kate Plus 8's' Cancelation: 'I'm Losing It' More 'Kate Plus 8' Coverage on THR Discovery Communications TLC Kate Gosselin Jon & Kate Plus 8

Tim Roth signs holding pact with 20th TV

Roth Former "Lie to Me" star Tim Roth may be headed back to primetime courtesy of the studio that delivered his series to Fox.Twentieth Century Fox Television signed actor to a combo talent and development deal for TV, the studio announced Tuesday.Pact calls for 20th to find another series vehicle for the Brit thesp, who may end up creating said vehicle himself though he could produce something in which he wouldn't star. A Roth-fronted project could be for broadcast or cable.The agreement does not cover film, where Roth is free to find work outside the studio.Twentieth TV chairman Dana Walden cited her experience with Roth on "Lie" as an impetus for the deal. "He was very creatively involved in the direction of that show, with good ideas about stories and character," she said.Roth starred on three seasons of "Lie," which began in 2009. He also served as a producer on the drama series.Some development component is fairly standard in studio talent deals as an incentive to retain their exclusive acting services. Twentieth has a first-look option on projects developed by Roth. Tim Roth was repped in the deal by CAA and attorney Geoff Oblath. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com