For awards, 'getting younger' comes at a price

The Oscars, with host Billy Crystal, was enjoyable to the 50-plus crowd, but theres a push to change the kudocasts. Before Oscar season gives way to Emmy voting, let's consider how the desire to invigorate these cobwebbed ceremonies has allowed one of Hollywood's uglier traits to creep into the discussion -- namely, ageism, usually via handy euphemisms like the membership being "stodgy" or "out of touch."In both cases, there are voices who advocate shaking up the entertainment industry's academies in the name of fostering bolder choices among the nominees. On its face, this certainly sounds like a good idea.Yet the primary concern here isn't necessarily about overlooking quality. Few would argue movies like "The Hurt Locker" and "The Artist," or series like "Mad Men," don't deserve accolades. It's the fact not enough people saw them, coupled with the arbitrary determination (in real-world terms, anyway) these titles don't attract enough people in the hallowed under-50 age group sought by sponsors.Now, never mind young adults weren't weaned on award shows and grew up amid a dizzying number of kudocasts, which makes marquee events less unique and special. Because they're where the money is -- and for whom summer tentpoles are designed -- that's whom the shows need to reach.Will choosing movies or TV programs dearer to this group's heart actually move the needle, ratings-wise? The evidence is far from conclusive, but hope springs eternal.Admittedly, there have been lapses in the academies' vision -- creative cataracts, if you will -- when it comes to certain genres. There is such a thing as a firstrate superhero movie or zombie drama, and there have been omissions in recognizing as much.For the most part, though, the issue isn't older people having lousy taste; it's because they've resisted honoring projects aimed at the key targeted demo. Or, as Los Angeles Times columnist Patrick Goldstein put it, "For years, we've suspected that the academy's aging membership was about as connected to today's turbulent pop culture as the Council on Foreign Relations."So what's the solution? According to Goldstein, retire members -- say, those over 85 -- to "open up the membership rolls to a younger, more vital constituency."But if that's truly the goal, why stop there? Ousting anybody over 65 would free up even more real estate, and potentially introduce more members who aren't burdened by unhelpful memories, like having seen often-superior original versions of movies the studios keep remaking.It's worth noting this lament is hardly unique to the Oscars. Last year, for example, producer Kurt Sutter skewered Emmy voters for overlooking his FX biker drama "Sons of Anarchy." Among the less colorful barbs via Twitter: "If my mom and dad were alive this Emmy snub would kill them. That's not true, they were too old to understand my show. Just like the Academy."OK, so I've mostly ignored this in the past. At times I've participated in the cheap laughs that come from teasing the academies' for possessing more than a touch of gray.Pursuing a youth-movement agenda, however, requires a few acknowledgements. One is understanding people with more experience are deemed acceptable judges well beyond Hollywood. Perhaps that's why you don't see a lot of 30-year-old CEOs or Supreme Court justices.The second is whatever the stated objective, seeking to revise the profile of these professional academies means prioritizing one constituency at the expense of another. So while I understand the desire -- even the need -- to be younger, and becoming more inclusive is always a laudable goal, there's no way to spray perfume on purging the old to make way for the new, or grading on a curve hoping your award rosters will suddenly become more "in touch."As it happens, the Oscars arose in conversation over the weekend with a friend's mother. She enjoyed this year's show, and wondered why they were so desperate to change it -- potentially alienating people like her -- to chase younger viewers who frankly don't give a damn (and probably have no idea that's a reference "Gone With the Wind").It's a perfectly reasonable question. And I didn't relish telling her given how the current winds are blowing, those gold-plated statuettes she professes to love are trying to let her and viewers like her down easy, in order to go out and find somebody younger. Contact Brian Lowry at brian.lowry@variety.com

VIDEO: The Bachelor Ladies Switch on One Another on Women Tell All Episode

Zachary Quinto has signed onto another season of yankee Horry Story, based on Deadline. Quinto, who recurred among the deceased former proprietors from the Murder House in Season 1, will return the coming year like a series regular, but playing a completely different character. Find Out More > Other Links From TVGuide.com Jessica LangeZachary QuintoHeroesAmerican Horror Story

Miscast Roles: The Problem For Mark Ruffalo in Rise in the Planet in the Apes

You understand this movie, and chances are that you just loved this movie -- aside from your one role that almost destroyed everything. Miscast Roles is when Movieline which is site visitors swap out people roles making it right. Among last years surprise critical and commercial darlings, Rise in the Planet in the Apes, impressed audiences, stoked many an honours-season debate and vitalized an important sci-fi franchise - all while still controlling to draw in moviegoers new to the first 1968 film (or that film's 1963 source novel). As chief chimp Caesar, Andy Serkiss performative collaboration while using motion capture prodigies from WETA will be a great spectacle, showing audiences getting a superbly made CGI-animated character. Yet one consistent flaw in Rise left me itchiness my thoughts: James Francos oddly aloof performance as investigator Will Rodman. The film presents Rodman becoming an Alzheimers disease investigator who states have found an answer that necessitates extensive animal testing and, subsequently, results in a race of intelligent, self-aware chimpanzees, together with the titular rise in the primate-centered culture in which the relaxation in the series relies. Imagining Franco just like a brilliant investigator during the most effective of performances might be, enables be realistic, a bit of stretch. But add the fact this character is motivated having a have to cure their very own father in the debilitating outcomes of the problem in mind - in addition to Rodman's somewhat unhealthy attachment for the first subject of his animal tests - and you've got a complicated emotional palette that made an appearance to flat-out confuse Franco. A better choice for this role might have been the functional Mark Ruffalo, an actress in a position to interacting just what was needed in the Rodman character in this particular story. This is not to convey that Franco can be a bad actor, definately not it. His talents are merely misplaced here: Franco is much better at lengthening the emotional distance between character and audience, arresting audiences attention through enigma and idiosyncrasy, rather than connecting up through direct emotional appeal. He rarely enables the viewer into his mind space, which role really needed someone with whom everyone else could immediately connect. Ruffalo, meanwhile, has socialized strongly by 50 percent films particularly - You'll Be Able To Depend on Me and Shutter Island - that needed exactly the two traits most critical for the Rodman character: a palpable sense of sympathy plus an capacity to experience a straight-guy to more eye-catching lead. Rodmans psychology, hanging between helplessness plus an ambitious determination to produce things right, is built to parallel the emotional instability of his primate friend Caesar, since the latter scales from animal behavior within the steps of human cognitive development. Franco consistently hit an unacceptable notes within the interaction with Serkiss Caesar, and sometimes left John Lithgow, who carried out the dementia-stricken father, adrift in scenery eating overtures. The moments between father and boy didnt work like they couldve, as well as the possible ways to cast the conflicting motivations competing for Rodmans attention if this involves Caesars own dual character went unrealized. In Ruffalos breakthrough role inside you Can Depend On Me, he shown huge emotional range since the wayward brother to Laura Linneys maternally protective large sister character. You'll Be Able To Depend On Me highlights a young men staggering crisis of identity, as carried out out in the family drama. [Clip NSFW] The film is really a extended assurance by Ruffalos character that, wherever he might wander inside the greater world, the bonds of family holding him and also the sister together still remain. Appear familiar? Rise in the Planet in the Apes features a strikingly similar theme, though its identity crisis and settlement of familial loyalty covers an inter-species bond. Inside You Can Depend On Me, Ruffalo plays the Caesar role to Linneys large sister he's the primary one breaking out into new territory of self-determination, while its Linney who plays the concerned, yet ultimately quiescent protector. But Ruffalo reverses that relationship within the mentorship of Linneys youthful boy, carried out by Kieran Culkin, there he shows some very good Rodman-type characteristics. Meanwhile, Ruffalos pensive second fiddle to Leonardo DiCaprios go-for-broke investigator in Shutter Island also satisfies the appropriate qualifications for walking to the Rodman part. Ruffalo stays without anyone's understanding in the drama for a lot of of Shutter Island, enabling DiCaprio to be the fixed center for the films horrifically shifting sense of reality. The fact everyone else isn't stated to become searching too carefully at Ruffalo eventually eventually ends up being important, given plot developments. Yet when all is revealed, and Ruffalo is finally capable of communicate what his careful, subdued presence inside the film really entails, he sticks out. Watch Ruffalos eyes inside the final scene of Shutter Island inside the clip below, and imagine how using that level of cla of character contributing to Will Rodman in Rise in the Planet in the Apes may have accomplished good results the whole production. Nathan Pensky is certainly an connect editor at PopMatters together with a contributor at Forbes, among a number of other shops. He can be found on Tumblr and Twitter too.

The Colbert Are accountable to Return Monday After Sudden Hiatus

Josh Charles [WARNING: This story consists of spoilers from Sunday's episode from the Good Wife. Read at the own risk.] He made it the wrath of Peter Florrick and also the State's Attorney office, and can Gardner (Josh Charles) wasn't any match for that Illinois Condition Bar Association on Sunday's episode from the Good Wife. Confronted with the potential of losing his law license forever, Will required responsibility for your $45,000 loan and decided to a six-month suspension. So what's next? The way his time from the law change Will? The way Lockhart Gardner Lockhart and Affiliates, and Alicia (Julianna Margulies), change without him? TVGuide.com spoken with show bosses Robert and Michelle King to obtain our burning questions clarified. Matthew Perry joins the cast from the Good Wife How lengthy has this experienced the whole shebang? Robert King: We began this season thinking the theme could be about risk. It switched fairly rapidly into being about effects. Our individuals have lots of close scrapes and obtain off. That one felt enjoy it should come lower like lots of bricks on Will's mind. And that we did not wish to just disbar him completely. Why maybe it was essential for Will particularly to type of face more severe effects? Michelle King: It felt real. There have been large risks against Will and that we desired to reveal that yes, actually he would have the discomfort and there have been likely to be alterations in his existence as well as in the show.Robert King: It's such as the newbie when there is a contest between Cary and Alicia. There is a term TV authors known as 'Schmuck Bait,' the concept that you will find some plots you know aren't going to take place, like Superman won't die. Getting Cary really be fired in Season 1 felt like i was taking these risks very seriously and staying away from 'Schmuck Bait'. For Will, it felt like there really must be consequences from this. The way Will still be an element of the show if he can't practice law or visit the firm?Robert King: He's in each and every episode, but it's a fragile dance. There's the dance of what you're permitted to complete like a business partner for the reason that firm, and what you are avoided from doing like a lawyer. This really is hard for Will and that he desires to recognition the suspension too. The Great Wife start looking: Meet Will's siblings! Will audiences just see him both at home and is he going to occupy new hobbies or simply a job?John King: We are likely to see his home and meet his siblings. This enables us to spread out up a bit more of Will's private existence. How's he going handle getting away from what the law states within the lengthy-term?Robert King: Within the episode, Diane states, 'You can't take six several weeks. It'll kill you.' There's part of Will that really wants to prove people wrong. That there's items that he's reserve. He desires to take this seriously and rebuild his private existence and who he's. It provides for us a brand new flavor in who'll is.But however, our prime intensity operate in what the law states is really a drug. You will find distributions connected with this. There's something included in Will that's competitive which is another corner cutter. A few of these things can not be exercised of him and they are just likely to find other shops. Since he's more spare time, maybe there is new someone special in the existence?Michelle King: You will need to stay tuned to determine. Watch full instances of The Great Wife The way Will's absence affect Alicia?Robert King: It will likely be interesting to determine just how much they are able to pivot to a different level within their relationships/working associations particularly with this monkey wrench tossed into Will's existence. Alicia feels guilty, but she doesn't wish to stoke fires that may take her inside a harmful direction. You are able to prevent yourself from being place in places in which you obtain that type of emotional connection.Michelle King: Additionally to that particular, Alicia's existence will get more difficult because among the primary partners is on suspension and all of a sudden everybody within the firm needs to undertake more work including Alicia. How else will his suspension modify the relaxation from the firm?Robert King: Will was somebody that transported a great deal from the load for that firm. Lots of that will get disbanded and gleam energy vacuum which attracts lots of interlopers. It can make things a lot more complicated. ... We are likely to see David Lee, Julius Cain and Eli Gold fight constantly because we simply appreciate it. The 3 of these playing together is much like watching the Marx Siblings. How lengthy will this suspension last on the program? Will this continue into next season? Robert King: I believe we are likely to claim that the six several weeks takes us with the finish of the season. The way the firm change throughout his sabbatical?Robert King: The truth is you need to fight the right path back through because, in lots of ways, you've lost your customers with other lawyers. You do not just return with the clout that you simply playing. The Great Wife airs Sundays at 9/8c on CBS.

ICM film lit trio to exit

The shakeout at ICM ongoing now as word made an appearance in the pending departures of three agents in the movie lit wing. Nick Harris, Aaron Hart and Ava Jamshidi will leave the organization when their contracts expire within the finish of March. Harris happen to be co-mind in the percentery's department dedicated to adapting books into features Josie Freedman remains becasue it is solo topper. ICM, beneath the direction of prexy Chris Silbermann, is certainly going via a high-to-bottom summary of methods since it transforms in to a partner-possessed structure. Among much industry chatter from the major housekeeping later on, sources the company is predicted to merely make numerous changes (like the film lit trio) prior to the the partnership are situated. Next, ICM may be searching for new utilizes, that is already grooming its next-generation ranks while using promotions of eight organizers to agent status (Daily Variety, Feb. 14). The pending departure of Hal Sadoff, the agency's longtime indie and worldwide film topper, appeared to become confirmed now. Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com

After Navy SEAL Pic Act Of Valor, Bandito Brothers and sisters Rev High-speed Racing Pic

EXCLUSIVE: Bandito Brothers and sisters, the expansion partnership that produced and funded the arrival Navy SEAL action drama Act of Valor, will target undercover racing for next large film. Scott Waugh, who co-directedAct of Valor, will helm High-speed, a gritty, stylized vehicle chase film that's being put together by Greg Russo. Like Act of Valor, the film will probably be created with the Bandito Brothers and sisters and produced by Bandito partners Waugh, Max Leitman and Jay Pollak. The story centers across the best high-speed police pursuit drivers within the u . s . states, come up with just like a unit to avoid and elusive, high-finish undercover racing circuit hellbent on running deadly point-to-point races through major American Urban centers. Bandito Brothers and sisters is shaping around be an intriguing operation. Like the Kurt Johnstad-scripted Act of Valor–an action adventure featuring real active duty Navy Shuts coping with terrorism–High Speed will probably be funded and fully self-created through Bandito Brothers and sisters. This is a complete service article promotion studio whose eight partners hatch, produce and finance immersive content different from features to documentaries and ads and programming for TV and digital. Waugh directed Act of Valor with fellow Bandito Brother Mouse McCoy. They elevated the $12 million budget and travelled individually distinct until they were prepared to accept finished film for the marketplace. Relativity Media won a investing in an offer fight and paid out $13 million for distribution. Once the picture becomes a success, Bandito Brothers and sisters in addition to their traders stand to produce a fortune, simply because they own 50%. They intend to continue self-creating their films, aided with the 50,000 sq foot . facility they own in Culver City including publish production, VFX and appear stages. It isn’t apparent yet if High-speed will probably be sought out distribution before its production start, nevertheless the script needs to be ready by Cannes and they're going to likely shoot a demo reel to enhance financing. Waugh is obviously good at action while he can be a former stuntman. Production on High-speed likely won’t start until 2013, because Waugh and McCoy have a very summer season start date on Black Sands, a film funded by QED that will star Arnold Schwarzenegger. ICM reps both Bandito Brothers and sisters and Russo, who's spinning Heatseekers for Vital and Platinum Dunes, and whose action spec Autobahn fka I-95 has Mark Steven Manley installed on direct. His spec Lower has Marcel Langenegger pointing for Relativity Media, which releases Act Of Valor on February 24. Besides being populated by Navy Shuts inside the starring roles, Act of Valor will get an incredible volume of cooperation within the elite pressure. The amount of film premieres possess a phalanx of Shuts parachuting as you're watching theater on Sunset Blvd? (video below).

Malin Akerman Tapped For Smart One Lead, Eamonn Walker Joins Chicago Fire

Malin Akerman, who had been pursued for multiple comedy pilots this season, is set to star opposite Portia de Rossi in ABC’s dueling sisters comedy pilot The Smart One. The project, written by Don Todd, centers on a brilliant and successful woman (de Rossi) who has to go to work for her less brainy but more popular sister (Akerman) a former beauty queen, weather girl and now big-city mayor. Jean Smart was just cast as the sisters’ mother. DeGeneres, Todd and Lauren Corrao are executive producing for Warner Bros TV. Akerman, who co-starred on Lisa Kudrow’s cult HBO series The Comeback, has been focused primarily on features for the past few years. She will next be seen in Wonderlust and Rock Of Ages. Eamonn Walker (Oz) is the first actor cast in NBC’s ensemble drama pilot Chicago Fire, executive produced by Dick Wolf. In the action-driven drama exploring the complex and heroic men and women of the Chicago Fire Department, Walker, repped by ICM and Joan Fields Management, will play Chief Walter Boden, a former Golden Gloves champ who is mulling retirement. Jeffrey Nachmanoff is directing the pilot from a script by Derek Haas and Michael Brandt.