Mission Impossible Star Difficulties Jams The Kardashians

First Released: November 29, 2011 5:08 PM EST Credit: Access Hollywood Caption Difficulties On Cowboys & Aliens: It Had Been An Opportunity To Make A Move SpectacularLOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Difficulties has had are designed for the Kardashian clan. Within an interview with Britains GQ magazine, as excerpted through the Daily Mail, the Mission Impossible franchise star blasted the truth TV brood. Consider the Kardashians, theyre worth millions. I dont think these were that badly off to start with, however take a look at them, he apparently told playboy. The thing is might you believe, What, you mean all I must do is become a f***ing idiot on tv after which youll pay me millions? I am not knowing it well, I'm clearly, he apparently added. The actor, whose new film, The Lady using the Dragon Tattoo opens on December 21, blasted celebs who share their personal lives after which plead for privacy. I believe theres a great deal to be stated to keep your personal counsel, he apparently told British GQ. It is not about being afraid to become public together with your feelings or about what you are and that which you are a symbol of. But when you market it off its gone. You cannot purchase it back you cannot purchase your privacy back. Ooh I wish to be alone. F*** you, he apparently ongoing. Weve experienced your family room. I was at the birth. You shot it for all of us and demonstrated us the placenta and you want some privacy? Craig also addressed his recent wedding to Rachel Weisz, his Dream House co-star, whom he married inside a private ceremony captured. We didnt need it f*****d up, because that might be discussing a secret, the actor described of why the big event wasnt public understanding. Younger crowd stopped lacking divulging many particulars about his relationship together with his fellow actor-switched-wife. Look, Im for each other. Im happy. Which is so far as Im ready to go. Existence is lengthy, existence goes completely wrong and that i shouldn't say something now that could be tossed back later, he apparently added. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Lake Bell Compares the Best (and Worst) Options From L.A. Auto Show

The 2010 La Auto Show folded into downtown's L.A. Convention Center the other day, debuting the normal (and unusual) new suspects in the automobile industry. I'm particularly nostalgic of those occasions since they represent the foremost and many consistent recollections I have of connecting track of my motorhead father, Harvey Siegel.our editor recommendsLake Bell Test Drives the Fiat 500Lake Bell Test Drives the 2012 Bentley Continental GT PHOTOS: Lake Bell together with other Stars at GQ's Males of year Party As well as, since I've been attending auto shows since i have have will be a youthful girl, I believed it fitting to remain juvenile throughout my account in the visit. Let's tell the truth, the whole factor can be a recognition contest anyway, well, i harken to my childhood by passing judgment inside the purest form: Senior Superlatives -- Automotive Edition. STORY: La Auto Show Preview: Ford, Fiat, BMW, Mitsubishi For people people who've been sufficiently fortunate to get avoid this secondary school tradition, "Senior Superlatives" is all of the sweeping labels that some kid who's mind in the yearbook reaches assign to individuals in the senior class. If you're 17 years old, it's the stuff of bad dreams or nightmares -- unless of course obviously you're presented coveted title of all Vulnerable to Succeed. OK, why don't we get lower in it (so when you are scoring in your house, the show runs through November. 27): Finest FLIRT: 2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder I'm never confident that i'm tease while using R8 or possibly it's tease with me at night. Likely the first sort, since the R8 is simply a vehicle and should not convey complex feelings. Regardless, an appreciation affair has extended since ensued between me which naughty-searching V-10. Even though I miss the R8 coupe's signature side intakes, its sexy squinty vehicle car headlights as well as the 5.2L V-10 still makes me weak inside the knees. Finest WALLFLOWER : 2012 Coda Aw, poor Coda. What this means is well, but visually couldn't be less enticing. In the event you investigated "vehicle" inside the dictionary, it could picture a nondescript four-door vehicle. That's exactly what a Coda seems like. Part of the advantage of getting an electric vehicle is driving something that's full of Jetsons design -- otherwise you aren't getting credit in order to save the earth. Zero contaminants? Great! But zero charisma? I'd rather snag a Prius in a lower cost and acquire the whole extra credit. That Seems To Become COMPLETELY MEDIOCRE: 2012 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet I'm speaking about, why buy a Murano Vehicle to begin with, as well as a convertible version? A harsh question, to make certain, though an expense more than $40,000, how do i search for an objective with this particular cumbersome and somewhat unattractive vehicle? I have to CrossCabriolet this off my list because of there being almost no time for mediocrity if the requires the competitive arena of Sports utility automobiles. CLASS CLOWN: 2012 Nissan Juke Getting a title basically a vowel from like a "joke," the Juke is shateringly over-designed -- before you decide to tick el born area for your "Ensure It Is Yours" exterior personalization option. Sorry, Juke, I'd rather "ensure it is someone else's.In . But awesome your jets, Nissan fans: Japan's reaction to muscle vehicle, the GT-R, easily easily wiped the Juke smile off my face having its sticking out body and twin-turbocharged V-6 that produces 530 horsepower. Most likely TO Result In JAIL: 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 With 700 horsepower together with a V-12, without getting a run-together with regulations it's just embarrassing. Once I asked for a real estate agent of Lamborghini, "Who the hell can buy this mid-engine monsoon with nearly a $400,000 vehicle or truck?" he responded: "Mostly brain surgeons." I am unsure additionally terrifying: the fact it offers to 62 miles per hour by 50 %.9 seconds or even the world's best surgeons are joyriding in the vehicle that, due to their better judgment, they should not be driving whatsoever. BEST BODY: 2012 Aston Martin One-77 Good master this factor has more curves than Sofia Vergara in the push-up bra. MOST Memorable: BMW i8 Concept A few vegas drunk driving attorney can't appreciate this fully electric racecar out just in case your mind are must be) it seems like space and b) it's inside the new Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol trailer, which airs on tv every seven seconds. Indeed, the i8 does not appear easy to disregard. Its half-translucent spend is regarded as the exotic design I've ever noticed in an electric vehicle, that is really beginning production in 2014. When they visit you proud for connecting. (Sorry, Coda.) Most likely Being Leader: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gull-Wing This regal coupe goes past other candidates within the class. I'd pass any bill written with this particular 563 horsepower roadster, except the total amount that is included with really purchasing it. But that's only because I'm a liberal and pay plenty of taxes. Filthiest MIND: 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 I would have grown to be somewhat pregnant from using this animal. With tuning from Dodge's Street and Racing Technology division enhancing the Challenger's already testosterone-oozing body for the tune of 470 horsepower and 470 pound-foot of torque, the Challenger makes me nervous in many the very best ways. Most likely To Be Successful: 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid No, I wasn't wooed to award Kia this honored title because its booth had an interactive computerized dancing gerbil in the windbreaker. However, that element did warm me around you should consider their stellar spontaneity, which introduced me being amazed with the Optima Hybrid. This fuel-efficient sedan is really affordable -- it starts at about $26,000 -- and extremely looks, dare I believe that, kind of awesome. Don't knock it 'til you are trying it. Kia should change its slogan to: "Kia. Who understood?" Related Subjects Lake Bell

The planet pandora Posts Surprise Third-Quarter Profit

NY - The planet pandora Media on Tuesday reported enhanced third-quarter financials and published an unexpected profit. The internet music company reported a small quarterly profit of $638,000, in comparison having a $1.8 million loss around-ago period. Wall Street experts had forecast a loss of revenue. Revenue rose 99 % to $75 million, doubling this past year's $37.7 million. Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Subjects Earnings

Natalie Wood's Boat Captain Confesses to Lounging, States Robert Wagner 'Responsible' on her behalf Dying (Video)

One following day from the La County Sheriff's Department introduced that it may be reopening its situation inside the dying of actress Natalie Wood, the captain in the boat the actress drowned three decades ago spoke on NBC's Today.our editor recommendsNatalie Wood: A Hollywood Icon RememberedNatalie Wood Dying Analysis ReopenedNatalie Wood: 5 of Her Most Memorable Roles (Video)Robert Wagner Responds to Natalie Wood Analysis Dennis Davern mentioned he lied to scientists in regards to the actress' mysterious dying thirty years ago, after which it alleged that Woods' husband in those days, Robert Wagner, had something connected to her dying, that have been classified just like a tragic accident. "I made some terrible options and mistakes," Davern mentioned around the program. "I did so lie around the report previously.Inch "I made mistakes by not telling the candid truth in the police report," Davern make the meeting with NBC News' David Gregory. Wood died three decades ago at 43 while boating off Santa Catalina Island, in the La shoreline. She was with Wagner and Christopher Walken. The trio had dinner and drinks at Doug's Harbor Reef after which it ongoing consuming aboard the boat, where Wagner and Walken began fighting. PHOTOS: Best Pictures of Natalie Wood Through the argument, Wood visited bed mattress, then when Wagner came lower to convey goodnight, she disappeared. Speculation has it they accidentally wound up and fell overboard. However, others have believed that the lover's quarrel between Wood and Wagner which in fact had associated with Walken happened just before the accident. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Finest Deaths and Surprises "Was the ideal between Natalie Wood and her husband Robert Wagner what ultimately introduced to her dying?" NBC host Gregory asked for throughout the interview on Friday. "Yes," Davern responded. "How so?" "Like I mentioned, that's apt to be around the scientists to find out,In . he mentioned. Davern alleged that Wagner positively saved the analysis of her dying low-profile and did not try everything he could to discover Wood once she went missing. Gregory then pressed the reason, asking, "Was he [Wagner] responsible for her dying for some reason?In . "Well, like I mentioned, In my opinion many of us made mistakes your evening and --," Davern responded. "Mr. Davern, that wasn't my question. Was he responsible for her dying? I'm not asking relating to your story," mentioned Gregory. "Yes, I'd inform them. Yes," Davern mentioned. An agent for Wagner released a disagreement for the Hollywood Reporter proclaiming that your family fully sports ths efforts in the L.A. County Sheriff's Department and "trust they'll evaluate whether any new information relevant for the dying of Natalie Wood Wagner is applicable so it evolves from the credible source or sources aside from people simply trying to earn money in the 30-year anniversary of her tragic dying." PHOTOS: Who Counts just like a Hollywood Legend Davern was asked for why he anxiously anxiously waited this type of very long time later on forward using this information. "Why now's because I've been trying to inform particulars relating to this for a number of, a very long time, but there wasn't really anybody listening to date,Inch he mentioned. STORY: Robert Wagner Responds to Natalie Wood Analysis "I've been searching to ask somebody to give consideration for just about any very very long time now somebody is listening and so they're likely to continue using this analysis. I'm to not imply anything different. All of the particulars that we've revealed formerly, it's all because book, now it's nearly as much as the scientists to accomplish an analysis," he mentioned. He written the sunday paper, Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Beauty, along with his friend Marti Rulli. It absolutely was launched in September 2009. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news in regards to the economy Related Subjects Natalie Wood Robert Wagner

Barbie dolls dolls beaming in homevid spotlight

Barbie dolls dolls and her brothers and sisters in Barbie dolls dolls: A Perfect Christmas. Mattel launched a product line for Skipper, Chelsea and Stacie last spring. Barbie dolls dolls will expend a lot more in time the makeup chair.Though Universal Pictures is developing a theatrical feature starring Barbie dolls dolls, Mattel can keep the within the forefront round the small screen since it takes note of the tenth anni of the direct-to-DVD animated film series, whose 22nd installment, "Barbie dolls dolls: A Perfect Christmas," is at stores now.The homevid figures have offered greater than 100 million models since the first installment, "Barbie dolls dolls inside the Nutcracker," was released in 2001 in order to introduce the toy to a different generation of three- to 6-years of age women while spinning off a completely new kind of merchandise.The overall game game titles, whose dvd disks are compiled by Universal Art galleries Entertainment, consistently rank since the top non-theatrical children's franchise, selling hundreds of countless Digital video disks worldwide each year. And Mattel thinks still has more room to build up the franchise.At any time when Hollywood is passionate about benefiting from brands, Mattel's Barbie dolls dolls films be the illustration of techniques producers can monetize well-known characteristics outdoors in the megaplex (although Mattel did land Barbie dolls dolls a fancy role in Pixar and Disney's "Toy Story 3," which has extended to numerous short films)."For people it's all about making emotional connections with females, and storytelling can be a large method that," mentioned Lisa McKnight, senior V . p . of Barbie dolls dolls Marketing and Entertainment at Mattel.Mattel will launch its first DVD follow-up next season with "Barbie dolls dolls in the Mermaid Tale 2," based on last year's hot seller.InchWe've enough game game titles and tales inside our library that people want at sequels," McKnight mentioned. "It's a new way of us."Initially, Mattel which is toon partners at Rainmaker Entertainment and Technicolor, released one pic each fall. But following a films found an audience, Mattel added another spring release in 2005, and added another holiday title in 2008. Make the most of Hudnut may serve as professional producer in the Barbie dolls dolls Digital video disks.InchBarbie dolls dolls of Swan Lake" ranks one of the top merchants, while "Mermaid Tale" was the initial spring pic to still still outsell an fall release.In 2012, Mattel will introduce new films that focus on Barbie's brothers and sisters -- Skipper, Chelsea and Stacie -- carrying out a items for your sibs was launched the 2009 spring."Obtaining the products culminate in the movie was exciting for people,In . McKnight mentioned.In 2013, the toymaker will set the very first Barbie dolls dolls films on Blu-ray -- a format that Mattel remains slow to embrace due to the earlier production occasions required to transform films. Blu-ray is really a slow seller with families, due to the fact Blu-ray players aren't as ubiquitous in houses and inside automobiles as DVD. "The transmission just is not as great," McKnight mentioned.The movies will even become available as digital downloads, thinking about the truth that more families own apple apple ipods and iPads. The movies already experience kids cable channels for instance Nick Junior.Over time, Mattel found the key factor to making the movies effective was putting Barbie dolls dolls with her very own Malibu digs in fantasy and storybook designs where she'll play a mermaid, a princess or fairy -- essentially the identical elements that labored for Disney's princess and fairies line, now a $4 billion yearly industry.Mattel launched Barbie dolls dolls inside the underwater arena of "Mermaidia" in 2006, which introduced to "A Mermaid Tale." In 2007, Barbie dolls dolls found herself in "Fairytopia." The business thought we would launch the film series with "The Nutcracker" because the property have been familiar to families and moms.The completely new designs enabled Mattel to pair tabs on certification partners to produce bath toys, for example, that match while using underwater designs, or possibly a kind of role-playing products like dresses, tiaras and shoes for your fairy-tale world. The movies also provide aided launch a effective posting business, and, clearly, enabled Mattel to produce more dolls good onscreen figures."Women watch our movies over and over again and understand these figures well," which enables Mattel create more products to advertise on their behalf, McKnight mentioned. "We're thrilled this is often a franchise that has experienced," the professional added. "We're so appreciative to own this fanbase that's always waiting for an additional movie." Contact Marc Graser at marc.graser@variety.com

China continues piracy attack

BEIJING -- China is trying to underline that it's seriously interested in cracking lower on piracy by establishing a unique office to assist the campaign against violation of intellectual property privileges and counterfeit items. Filmmakers, both domestic and foreign, regularly complain that rampant piracy in China causes it to be a harmful sell to be employed in. This means, for instance, that movies have little chance to create revenue streams apart from box office takings because IPR thievery is really common. Work is going to be setup underneath the Secretary of state for Commerce, the federal government stated inside a statement. "China faces a difficult task fighting IPR violation along with the production and purchase of fake items, so greater administrative and police force work is needed," it stated. Police were being urged to determine a mix-regional enforcement system to facilitate research. A attack released in November this past year saw good success, and most 28,000 criminal cases of violation of IPR and selling shoddy goods have been cracked. Over 6,700 criminal gangs who have been involved with wholesaling and marketing the products were destroyed. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

New-media firms make tracks to audience buzz

Individual to individual that drives box office via social networks might be the brand new large factor for studio entrepreneurs, a development that Internet sites SocialGuide after which Movie's Movie Tracker have hopped onto. Both sites change from traditional movie sites like MovieFone and Fandango, whose mission is always to sell tickets, although delivering content about films. SocialGuide recently began monitoring movies based on public comments on Facebook, after creating the identical type of dimensions for television systems and programming taken. The Brooklyn, N.Y.-based company states it's created the initial such real-time guide that ranks all firstrun films from pre-release through theatrical runs, which it'll still track those to DVD and video-on-demand. "We're feeling this social word-of-mouth will finish up another significant aspect in how clients decide where one can spend their funds laminator tl901 office," states Sean Casey, founder and Boss of SocialGuide. "We feel the data we are collecting around movies might be instrumental to know a movie's failure or success laminator tl901 office." Chasing after after similar ground is Movie Tracker, launched March. 31, some Viacom Systems as well as on its new movie site, Next Movie (nextmovie.com/movietracker). Furthermore to comments on social networks, its metrics also think about the dunia ngeblog. Unlike SocialGuide, furthermore, it offers related articles about each movie. "We start monitoring a project just we view people starting to discuss it, which may also be a title round the NY Occasions bestseller list or something like that like this inside the production pipeline," states Scott Robson, V . p . and gm of Next Movie. "The main one factor we're going after is always to enable people to experience a snapshot of what's buzzing now. It's being an interactive, highly engaged Billboard chart, getting a trending up minimizing view that's constantly up-to-date." For instance, the arrival 2012 release "The Avengers" occupies a higher slot on Movie Tracker, inside the wake from the recent panel at NY Comic-Disadvantage. On SocialGuide, buzz is measured by the quantity of comments the film is putting on Facebook, featuring a "social exit poll" that shows only comments from moviegoers who've really seen the film, while another metric unveils "intention to find out.In . Made available are friends' comments, most likely probably the most re-tweeted comments and strained social streams of critics' assumes the film, frequently with links for the reviews. Each film's page inside the SocialGuide online database (socialguide.com/movies) features information that other sites list, for instance show occasions, cast and synopsis, its ranking the last week together with a trailer, it logs the quantity of people speaking in regards to the film formerly 24 several hours and the quantity of people who intend to notice, plus a graph that shows the share of buzz as time passes according to the discharge date. "The amount of people need to visit a film can be a unique metric that individuals think is a factor art galleries might be considering,In . Casey states. The business expects to to create proprietary movie data product inside the first quarter of 2012 -- and license it to art galleries and agencies -- that may make correlations between intent-to-see and box office results. Movie Tracker's format includes particulars in regards to a movie, but allows clients to write their tweets in regards to the movie in the website. Furthermore, it uses an formula provided by Trendrr, a social intelligence platform that crunches real-online time activity, measures the share of negative and positive buzz and denotes its peak position, period of time round the chart and volume of comments counted. Robson states you will discover expects emigrate Movie Tracker along with other MTV Systems programs and websites also to create programs for iPad, apple apple iphone, and Android. n Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

John Grazer Replaces Brett Ratner as Academy awards Producer [UPDATE]

UPDATE: It's official. John Grazer has changed Brett Ratner as Academy awards producer, and -- unlike earlier rumblings -- will not hold a candlelight vigil for Eddie Murphy to come back as host. "Associates let me know that Imagine Entertainment co-founder John Grazer has managed to move on this mid-day," authored Nikki Finke at Deadline concerning the Murphy-return gossips she initially revealed. "'We aren't returning to him. Not a way,A they are saying.Inch Noted! "It is extremely satisfying to participate a reveal that honors excellence within the medium to which i've devoted a lot of my career," stated Grazer within the Academy of movement Picture Arts & Sciences pr release about his hire. "John Grazer is really a famous filmmaker who in the last two-and-a-half decades has created an assorted and remarkable body of labor,Inch stated AMPAS leader Tom Sherak. "He'll certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativeness and associations towards the Oscar." Now all that's left is getting a host. EARLIER: That which was rumor mere hrs ago has become apparently almost fact. Deadline's Nikki Finke reviews that John Grazer has recognized the Academy of movement Picture Arts & Sciences offer to create the Academy awards telecast, following a resignation of Brett Ratner. So why do you care that Grazer, the super producer behind 'J. Edgar' and 'Tower Heist,' has had the gig? Because he will try to convince Eddie Murphy to not-quit as Academy awards host. You heard right: per Finke, the Academy wants Murphy to host and Grazer's first duty as producer is to buy him back! Hey, why don't you? Only at that rate, maybe Ratner can return to cater the Academy awards or something like that. (Shrimp cocktail, natch.) Just hire Neil Patrick Harris already, AMPAS. RELATED 10 Possible Oscar-Host Substitutes Ough GervaisRobert Downey Junior.The MuppetsMeryl StreepTina FeySteve Martin and Alec BaldwinNo OneNeil Patrick HarrisHugh JackmanBilly Very See All Moviefone Art galleries » [via Deadline] [Photo: Getty] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

ASC existence award to Dante Spinotti

Italian d.p. Dante Spinotti, most broadly noted for his use Michael Mann on such films as "All the the Mohicans" and "Warmth," can get the American Society of Cinematographers' 2012 lifetime achievement award, following inside the actions of those revered lensers as Conrad Hall, Vilmos Zsigmond and Vittorio Storaro. The kudo is going to be provided within the 26th ASC honours Feb. 12 within the Hollywood & Highland Grand Ballroom. Spinotti's "visual style is inserted using the kind of playful experimentation and consummate craft leading to legendary imagery," mentioned Michael Goi, leader in the ASC in the statement. "He's one why great cinematographers are truly timeless." The 68-year-old Spinotti remains nominated for just two Oscars: for Mann's "The Insider" too for Curtis Hanson's "L.A. Private." More youthful crowd labored with Hanson on "Question Boys" which is the d.p. behind recent release "Tower Heist." Additional ASC honors would go to 2-time Emmy nominee William Wages, who'll draw the career achievement in television award, and Francis Kenny (the Presidents Award). Fred Godfrey can get the inaugural ASC Bud Stone Award of Distinction, named carrying out a founding part of the ASC Outstanding Achievement Honours who offered as chairman for 17 years. Stone died in 2008. Contact Steve Chagollan at steve.chagollan@variety.com

Chinese box office surges

China's B.O. continues to storm ahead and is expected to top 13 billion yuan ($2.05 billion) this year, after exceeding $1.5 billion in 2010. But senior Chinese biz figures are fretting that domestic movies are not doing well enough to hold their own against fierce competish from Hollywood, despite quotas on overseas pics and various other hurdles facing foreign movies. "Avatar" made $210 million in China, while "Inception" did $69 million, and even though the studios' cut of takings in China is half what it is elsewhere in the world, the figures are appealing enough for Hollywood to take notice. This, combined with the spectacular growth outlook in China, is the reason why China is so hot at American Film Market this year. "The numbers are soaring, China has become hot and there is heat surging through the new market. Building movie theaters, making films, suddenly these are popular options for wealthy Chinese. However, 90% of domestic movies are losing money," Gao Jun, veep of the exhibition circuit New Film Association, told local media. All of the cinema chain operators are complaining about falling B.O. in recent months. Wanda in Guangzhou expected 14 million visitors during the National Day holiday, traditionally one of the busiest cinemagoing periods, but only sold 11 million tickets. The manager of the Guangzhou Jinyi cinema said that during the National Day holiday, the number of people watching movies was down 30%. This has been blamed on the less-than-stellar performances of local pics. Domestic big-budget pics like "Shaolin," "The Lost Bladesman" and "The Warring States" failed to match expectations at the box office. As in most markets in the world, they find it difficult to compete with tentpoles like "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," but even when there are no foreign competitors around, as in September this year, the domestic pics failed to ignite passions. The roughly 20 foreign pics that enter China each year on a revenue-sharing basis make up nearly half of total B.O., with 500 or so domestic movies competing for the rest. And a big percentage of the B.O. for those domestic movies came from Hong Kong co-productions. "Of last year's smaller movies, (Zhang Fanfan's horror pic) 'Lost in Panic Room' is always quoted as a good example of how a small investment can make big returns. The investment was four million yuan ($630,000), but the B.O is about 25 million yuan ($3.94 million), which is six times the investment. Everyone presenting an investment plan now uses it as an example," Wu Hehu, deputy chief manager of Shanghai's SFG United Circuit, which accounts for 10% of the Chinese cinema market, told Xinmin News. Between January and September this year, 630 new cinemas opened in China, which is seeing nearly two new cinemas every day, resulting in 2,563 new screens. It would appear that China is ripe for the plucking by domestic filmmakers, given the fact that there are so many restrictions on foreign movies coming in and so much effort goes in to boosting domestic product. "But the reality is less beautiful. With Zhang Zhiliang's 'Rest on your Shoulder,' investors put in more than 50 million yuan ($7.9 million), but it only took 15 million yuan ($2.4 million) or so at the box office," said Wu. Wu said that so many movies these days are financed by "day trippers," or laymen working outside the biz. Producer Yang Zi, who made "The Sorcerer and the White Snake," said the investors are there, but they are impatient. "To investors, this is not a gradual learning process, they want fast returns," said Yang. Also the funding structure remains opaque in the absence of adequate regulation of how the industry works. It's not just about the quality of the producers. The movies are also facing challenges from the censors. The country's most bankable helmer, Feng Xiaogang, constantly complains that making good work is difficult because of the restrictions imposed by the censorship system. Another major theme at AFM this year has been co-production, and perhaps this offers a way forward, combining local expertise at dealing with the regulatory hurdles and Hollywood's experience. Hopes are high in China that this combination can help keep B.O. buoyant in 2012 and make sure that those plush new seats in the scores of multiplexes in Chinese cities don't go empty. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com