Subterranean shows amplify selection

As SXSW Music is continuing to grow, and so do the amount of unofficial shows. This past year, Jenny O. located an acoustic show in her own hotel roomAs the 26-year-old SXSW music festival develops ever bigger, the same is true the amount of unofficial satellite parties, hotel-room showcases, warehouse raves and off-site small festivals that shoot up around it, occasions that for many festivalgoers (especially individuals without passes) can often be more desirable compared to "official" music selection.This past year, for instance, stylish-hop star Kanye put an unofficial, Twitter-invite-only party in the Energy Plant, on the other hand of town in the official SXSW music occasions. So when indie artist Jenny O. tweeted that they was carrying out a morning acoustic show in her own accommodation in the Driskill, journalists from NPR and also the NY Occasions switched up for that experience."Unlike most SXSW shows, it had been quiet and incredibly intimate, since it had been in hotels with bagels and champagne, and also the artists looking at the mattress using their guitars," states Laurel Stearns, Jenny O.'s manager. This season, her artists are getting involved in another unusual, unofficial SXSW event: a show on Willie Nelson's ranch, about 25 miles from the official hub from the festival.With the majority of the hotels and venues in Austin fully reserved throughout SXSW, DIY event spaces like parking lots, warehouses and roofs are very popular by brands, magazines and outdoors event organizers, who're frequently prepared to pay bands a large amount of cash to do. Sometimes, brands insist the bands withhold from playing every other SXSW occasions included in the deal -- even their very own record label's showcase, for instance, something which can put cash-strapped bands within an awkward position."Oftentimes the unofficial occasions are essentially just getting large business in to the independent music game," states Heathcliff Berru, founding father of Existence or Dying PR, who signifies rap stars Odd Future. Berru is organizing two occasions only at that year's SXSW -Body official, one unofficial -- making certain to get SXSW's blessing for his daytime unofficial event.It may damage a band's relationship with SXSW when they insist upon playing a lot of competing unofficial occasions, states Berru -- something which just is not worthwhile over time, because it is known for that festival to drag hotels and cash from artists who don't abide by the guidelines.InchIt seems sensible to respect SXSW and also have them as the ally," he states.Go back to primary page >> Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Emma Watson selected for 'Bling Ring'

WatsonSofia Coppola has drawn on Emma Watson to star in "The Jewelry Ring," the real story of several teens who commit a string of celebrity robberies. Coppola will write and direct the pic, and can produce with brother Roman Coppola and Youree Henley. Executive producers are Fred Roos and Michael Zakin. "I am looking forward to the youthful cast we are putting together and I am searching toward shooting on location within La,Inch Coppola stated. Though Watson has stated she would like to dedicate additional time to her studies, thesp has still found time for work, focusing more about small-allocated projects publish-"Harry Potter." She was lately observed in The Weinstein Co.'s "My Week With Marilyn" and merely wrapped production on Fox Searchlight's "Perks to be a Wallflower." She's been drawn on to star in David Yates' "Your Voice during my Mind" for Warner Bros. Coppola makes a practice of giving rising female stars material that's permitted these to enter more adult, for example Scarlett Johansson in "Lost in Translation" and, more lately, Elle Fanning in Coppola'ss last pic, "Somewhere." Watson is repped by WME and Markham, Froggatt & Irwin. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com

Basketball Rankings Go Lin-sane!

Charlie Sheen's go back to television is imminent - his sitcom, Anger Management, will premiere at 9/8c on Thursday, June 28, Forex introduced Tuesday. Contributing to the thrillOrinsanity, comedian Russell Brand's talk show, Oddly Beneficial, will debut exactly the same evening at 11/10c. Find Out More > Other Links From TVGuide.com Charlie SheenSelma BlairShawnee SmithRussell BrandLouieWilfred

Pilot Season Exclusive: SNL's Rachel Dratch and Danny Comden Join NBC's Kari Lizer Comedy

Mira Sorvino Mira Sorvino is in final negotiations to star CBS' drama pilot, Trooper, Deadline reports. The complete pilot report: CBS has Greg Berlanti, Louis C.K. and Bridesmaids stars Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the project follows a sensible mother who becomes a NY state trooper. Heroes scribe Aron Eli Coleite will write and executive-produce. If Trooper is picked up, it would be Sorvino's first TV series. She won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 1996 for Mighty Aphrodite and is also known for Romy and Michele's High School Reunion. She last appeared on the small screen in House's post-Super Bowl episode in 2008.

Australias Southern Star Names TV Industry Vet Janeen Faithfull To CEO Post

Endemol owned Southern Star, one of Australias largest independent production companies, today announced that it has appointed Janeen Faithfull as Chief Executive Officer. Janeen is a leading executive with 28 years international experience in television industry including 15 years at Australias Seven Network. She is currently Head of Content & Rights Management at Seven, responsible for the exploitation of IP across all platforms, domestically and internationally. Her role at Seven also includes the commercial responsibilities of her former position as Head of Network Production, which she first took up in 1996. In this capacity she led Sevens in-house production business, which included the creation, development and production of new programming, significantly growing Sevens in-house production business during her tenure. Her previous positions have included Vice-President of Business Affairs, Columbia Tristar Television in the USA and a senior business affairs role at Nine Network in Australia. Janeen takes up her role as CEO at a time of continued growth at Southern Star. The companys line up for 2012 includes the return of Big Brother launching on the Nine Network this Autumn, a number of key drama commissions confirmed across the year, including Puberty Blues on Ten and World Series Cricket (aka Howzat!) on Nine alongside further series of Offspring and Paper Giants; and a wide range of new and returning entertainment series including Deal or No Deal on Seven. As CEO of Southern Star Janeen will report to Martha Brass, Managing Director, International Operations at Endemol Group. Martha Brass comments: Janeen is an outstanding executive with over two decades of senior management experience in commercial television. Her expertise spans broadcasting, development, production, distribution and exploitation, working both in Australia and the US and across both scripted and non-scripted genres. We are thrilled to have someone of her calibre to take Southern Star into its next chapter of growth. Janeen Faithfull comments: I feel very excited and extremely fortunate to be taking on this role for Endemol and I look forward to leading the very successful, creative and motivated Southern Star team into the future. I am thankful for the challenges, experiences, successes and most importantly the support I received during my years at the Seven Network. Endemol is a world leader in television programming and I look forward to ensuring that Southern Star continues to contribute to the shared goals and successes of the Group. Janeens appointment as CEO of Southern Star follows the recent announcement that Rory Callaghan is stepping down from the role. Rorys departure date and Janeens start date will be announced in due course.

WBZ broadcaster Dork Maynard dies

Veteran Boston broadcaster Dork Maynard, who loved lengthy operates on WBZ on tv and radio, died February. 9 in Citrus Hillsides, Florida following a lengthy fight with Parkinson's Disease.Born in Larchmont, NY, he graduated from Emerson College and Boston College, teaching in the latter. He started his broadcast career like a disc jockey within the nineteen fifties, joining WBZ because the host from the public "Community Auditions" - a nearby talent show - within the sixties. He was using the show in to the eighties.In 1979 he started broadcasting on WBZ-AM. Throughout his newbie around the overnight change, he required a phone call from somebody that introduced he'd taken a drug overdose. Maynard stored him around the air nearly an hour or so as police located the caller and intervened. The year after Maynard was handed the plum morning drive-time place, that they held for 2 decades. Within the eighties he was the very best ranked morning guy in the area. He upon the market in 1991, but made an appearance frequently filling out for some individuals for an additional many years.He was honored by his peers because the 1999 Massachusetts Broadcast Association "Broadcaster of the season,Inch and was later awarded with a Massachusetts Broadcaster Hall of Fame.Made it by his wife, Patricia Early, three sons, three kids, a stepdaughter, a stepson, nine grandchildren, one step-grandchild, and 2 great-grandchildren. A memorial services are being planned. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Fringe's Astrid Drinking Game: This Week, You'll Be Sober

Jasika Nicole Finally, after four seasons of Fringe, Astrid is stepping into the spotlight when the Astrids from both universes come together. Early in Fringe's run, Astrid's conspicuously minimal dialogue became the topic of many a wager -- with fans betting how many lines she'd have in an episode -- and even spawned a drinking game in which viewers would take a drink every time Astrid was in a scene, but never spoke a word. "It's a great drinking game," portrayer Jasika Nicole jokes, but cautions that her juicy story line in Friday's episode won't be offering opportunities for audience inebriation. "You are going to be so sober by the end of [Friday's] episode, you might even be disappointed." TVGuide.com caught up with Nicole to find out what's in store for the Astrids' meeting, the David Robert Jones (Jared Harris) showdown and Peter's timeline troubles. Fringe Scoop: Joshua Jackson teases David Robert Jones' return and Olivia's fate What can you tell us about the Astrids coming face to face? Jasika Nicole: They're so fundamentally different than each other, more so than the rest of the characters on the show. I thought that them meeting would be really just incredible and beautiful and weird, because I couldn't imagine what it would be like. The Astrid that we're familiar with, the over-here Astrid, she's really personable, charming, emotional and she's a caretaker. The other Astrid from the alternate universe is none of those things. They serve as lovely foils for one another. The alternate-Astrid comes to this universe because something really traumatic had happened to her in her home universe, and she has no idea where to go from there. Interestingly enough, I think that alternate Astrid and Walter (John Noble) are also very similar because they're really uninterested in what other people think about them. They're super-focused people, they're really smart, and they're completely in their own world. What do the two Astrids learn from each other? Nicole: I wonder if the alternate-Astrid assumed that the Astrid over here was "more normal," you know, didn't have Asperger's the way that she does. Some part of me thinks that she probably assumed the other Astrid was different from her, but I don't think that this Astrid had any idea that alternate-Astrid was as different from her as she is, so it's really shocking for her to see her that way. They also have different relationships with the people in their lives, and that's another reason that they end up being brought together. Exclusive: Michael Massee tapped as Fringe's best bad guy Now that the two universes must work together to take down David Robert Jones, what will we see in the coming episodes? Nicole: He is still a part of what's going on, and as soon as we think that we've got his number, and that we know how to move on from that, something else ends up happening that kind of takes us two steps back. So it becomes really integral to both of the Fringe teams to be able to work closely together and not let ego stuff get in the way, and this ends up becoming really significant between the two Lincolns (Seth Gabel). We're starting an episode that's filmed heavily with the two Lincolns and their relationship with each other, and trying to pinpoint how different the humanoid shapeshifters are: Why they're different in both worlds and how we can get a handle on all of them, so that we can stop all the death and devastation that's happening. Peter (Joshua Jackson) is so desperate to get back to his time line. What will we see for the resolution of that story line? Nicole: We actually are in a point in our season right now that deals with this very specifically, and I think that the resolution is going to surprise a lot of the fans because it definitely surprised me. There is this kind of push and pull with the two time lines, with which one is better, which one has characters that the audience members relate to more. We ended up solving this problem in a really creative, interesting way, and I can't wait to find out how everybody reacts to it. I don't want to say that everything merges together, but there's going to be a balance between the time lines that I think will probably be pretty satisfying for people. Fringe airs Fridays at 9/8c on Fox.

Rankings: Touch Posts Second-Greatest Drama Debut of year

Kiefer Sutherland They are able to obsess about these amounts on Touch: Wednesday night's preview from the series that starts March 19 drawn within the second-greatest audience associated with a prime-time premiere this year. It had been second simply to ABC's Not so long ago, which reeled in 12.79 million audiences along with a 4. rating among industry-valued 18-to-49-year-olds on March. 23, and Kiefer Sutherland's TV comeback surpassed the debut of two other ballyhooed Fox shows this year, Alcatraz (9.97 million/3.3 on Jan. 16) and Terra Nova (9 million/3.1 on Sept. 26), based on preliminary Nielsen figures. Obviously, Touch had the advantage of following The American Idol Show, that was the night's most-viewed show undoubtedly (despite its relatively lagging amounts), and stored 61 percent of their lead-in's viewership. Read our The American Idol Show recap In prime time's final hour, the departure of Marg Helgenberger's Catherine from CSI: Crime Scene Analysis gave the show an uptick of nearly 20 % in comparison with a week ago. Browse the relaxation from the day's news on TVGuide.com 8 p.m.CBS: Criminal Minds [rerun] 7.91 million audiences (1.7 demo rating)ABC: The Center [rerun] 5.26 million (1.5) Suburgatory [rerun] 4.21 million (1.4)Fox: The American Idol Show 19.51 million (6.4)NBC: Whitney 4.50 million (1.4) Are You Currently There, Chelsea? 3.90 million (1.4)CW: One Tree Hill 1.47 million (.7) 9 p.m.CBS: Criminal Minds 13.70 million audiences (3.6 demo rating)ABC: Modern Family [rerun] 6.49 million (2.5) Happy Being [rerun] 4.02 million (1.7)Fox: Touch 11.87 million (3.9)NBC: Law & Order: Special Sufferers Unit [rerun] 3.75 million (1.2)CW: Renovated [rerun] 659,000 (.3) 10 p.m.CBS: CSI: Crime Scene Analysis 14.03 million audiences (3.3 demo rating)ABC: Revenge [rerun] 3.12 million (.9)NBC: Law & Order: Special Sufferers Unit [rerun] 4.01 million (1.4)

Report On 84th Annual Academy Award Nominations

First Launched: The month of the month of january 24, 2012 9:44 AM EST Credit: Fox Searchlight Caption George Clooney and Shailene Woodley in Fox Searchlights The Descendants, 2011LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Complete report on 84th Annual Academy Award nominations introduced Tuesday: 1. Best Picture: The Artist, 'The Descendants, 'Extremely Noisy & Incredibly Close, 'The Help, 'Hugo, 'Midnight in Paris, 'Moneyball, 'The Tree of Existence, 'War Equine. 2. Actor: Demian Bichir, A Far Greater Existence George Clooney, The Descendants Jean Dujardin, The Artist Gary Oldman, Mess Tailor Soldier Spy Kaira Pitt, Moneyball. 3. Actress: Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs Viola Davis, The Help Rooney Mara, The Woman While using Dragon Tattoo Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn. 4. Supporting Actor: Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn Jonah Hill, Moneyball Nick Nolte, Warrior Christopher Plummer, Beginners Max von Sydow, Very Noisy & Incredibly Close. 5. Supporting Actress: Berenice Bejo, The Artist Jessica Chastain, The Help Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids Jesse McTeer, Albert Nobbs Octavia Spencer, The Help. 6. Pointing: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist Alexander Payne, The Descendants Martin Scorsese, Hugo Woodsy Allen, Evening amount of time in Paris Terrence Malick, The Tree of Existence. 7. Language Film: Bullhead, Belgium Footnote, Israel In Darkness, Belgium Monsieur Lazhar, Canada A Separation, Iran. 8. Modified Script: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, The Descendants John Logan, Hugo George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Love Willimon, The Ides of March Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin, Moneyball Bridget OConnor and Peter Straughan, Mess Tailor Soldier Spy. 9. Original Script: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids J.C. Chandor, Margin Call Woodsy Allen, Evening amount of time in Paris Asghar Farhadi, A Separation. 10. Animated Feature Film: The Kitty in Paris Chico&Rita Kung Fu Panda 2 Puss in Boots Rango. 11. Art Direction: The Artist, 'Harry Potter as well as the Deathly Hallows Part 2, 'Hugo, 'Midnight in Paris, 'War Equine. 12. Cinematography: The Artist, 'The Girl While using Dragon Tattoo, 'Hugo, 'The Tree of Existence, 'War Equine. 13. Appear Mixing: The Woman While using Dragon Tattoo, 'Hugo, 'Moneyball, 'Transformers: Dark in the Moon, 'War Equine. 14. Appear Editing: Drive, 'The Girl While using Dragon Tattoo, 'Hugo, 'Transformers: Dark in the Moon, 'War Equine. 15. Original Score: The Adventures of Tintin, John Williams The Artist, Ludovic Bource Hugo, Howard Shoreline Mess Tailor Soldier Spy, Alberto Iglesias War Equine, John Williams. 16. Original Song: Guy or Muppet within the Muppets, Bret McKenzie Real in Rio from Rio, Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown and Siedah Garrett. 17. Costume: Anonymous, 'The Artist, 'Hugo, 'Jane Eyre, 'W.E. 18. Documentary Feature: Hell and Again, 'If a Tree Falls: An Account around the globe Liberation Front, 'Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, 'Pina, 'Undefeated. 19. Documentary (short subject): The Barber of Birmingham: Ft Soldier in the Civil Rights Movement, 'God Might be the larger Elvis, 'Incident in New Baghdad, 'Saving Face, 'The Tsunami as well as the Cherry Blossom. 20. Film Editing: The Artist, 'The Descendants, 'The Girl While using Dragon Tattoo, 'Hugo, 'Moneyball. 21. Makeup: Albert Nobbs, 'Harry Potter as well as the Deathly Hallows Part 2, 'The Iron Lady. 22. Animated Online Video: Dimanche/Sunday, 'The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, 'La Luna, 'A Morning Stroll, 'Wild Existence. 23. Live Action Online Video: Pentecost, 'Raju, 'The Shoreline, 'Time Freak, 'Tuba Atlantic. 24. Visual Effects: Harry Potter as well as the Deathly Hallows Part 2, 'Hugo, 'Real Steel, 'Rise in the Planet in the Apes, 'Transformers: Dark in the Moon. Copyright 2012 with the Connected Press. All rights reserved. These elements may not be launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ROLL CALL: Ryan Reynolds & Blake Lively Spotted Getting Cozy In New Orleans

First Published: January 23, 2012 2:28 PM EST Credit: Getty Images LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds arrive at the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures Green Lantern held at Graumans Chinese Theatre on June 15, 2011 in Hollywood, California.Your Daily Dispatch of Celebrity Shenanigans Ryan & Blake Hit The Big Easy: In more star couple news, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds appear to be going strong. According to People, The Green Lantern co-stars were spotted this weekend in New Orleans, the location where they filmed their superhero movie. They seemed to want their privacy and sat close together in a corner of the store while they were eating and talking, an eyewitness, who saw the pair at the Creole Creamery, told the mag. They did leave the store holding hands, though super sweet! Miley Chops Her Hair: Miley Cyrus was spotted sporting a new look this weekend in Los Angeles. Check out the star, who cut five inches of hair off, HERE! Star Spangled Banner Showdown: Steven Tyler and Kristin Chenoweth both belted out The Star Spangled Banner this weekend at various football games with the American Idol judge taking a bit of heat for his rendition. Check out Stevens rendition, HERE, and Kristins, HERE, and tells us which one you liked better! Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sundance 2012: Gina Rodriguez in 'Filly Brown'

Gina Rodriguez got her hands on the script for "Filly Brown," it felt serendipitous. The character on the page was a tough, sexy young Latina with a big narrative arcand she was, like Rodriguez, a spoken-word artist. Jackpot. But the character that will appear on screen on Friday when the film premieres at the Sundance Film Festival is a rapper, not a street poet. That transformation happened by chance, and was driven by Rodriguez's standoffish encounter outside the audition room with another actor reading for the part.Directors Youssef Delara and Michael D. Olmos had seen Rodriguez's comic supporting turn in the indie "Go for It!" In the audition, they had her to read a prepared spoken-word piece. Then they asked if there was anything else she wanted to do."Yeah, I'd like to rap," she told them. "I want to rap about that chick in the hallway that was nasty to me."Rodriguez "was just joking around [and] being a little badass." When she finished her freestyle, the room was silent, and the actor went home certain that she'd just committed audition-room self immolation. But she was called back in the next day, and shown a clip that the filmmakers had slapped together of her rap and spoken-word piece. Sitting in the room was Edward James Olmos, the movie's executive producer. When the clip finished playing, Olmos turned to the filmmakers and said, "I think you've found your Filly Brown." The character of Filly was changed from a spoken-word artist to a rapper, and Rodriguez's career is now on a big upswingas evidenced by the news this week that she has signed a talent-holding deal with ABC. "Filly Brown," meanwhile, enters Sundance with plenty of buzz behind it.Rodriguez is determined to enjoy her moment, and unlike most actors at Sundance, she is staying through the festival's very end. The parties and swag suites and general madness have usually cleared out by this time, and the happenings in Park City are limited to movie watching and skiing. Rodriguez isn't much inclined toward the latter."Oh, I'm not messing with skiing," she says. "You can't get this Puerto Rican on the slope. Uh-uh."You can't blame her for being cautious. The last thing that an actor having the kind of year that Rodriguez is having needs is a ski injury.

Expendables 2 Is Going To Be PG-13

Chuck Norris instructions it!Chuck Norris is really a guy credited with lots of special capabilities. Now it seems younger crowd has got the energy to convince producers that-action sequels to R-Ranked movies boasting plenty of 1980s action stars ought to be PG-13 and steer clear of naughty language. Because that is what he's handled using the Expendables 2.Everything began more like a rumour flung round the 'net in the speed of gossip because of fan website Expendables Premiere obtaining comments Norris produced in a Polish magazine interview. "In Expendables 2, there is lots of vulgar dialogue within the script," he describes. "Because of this, many youthful people wouldn't have the ability to watch this. However I don't play in movies such as this. Because of which i stated I will not take part in when the hardcore language isn't removed. Producers recognized my conditions and also the movie is going to be classified within the group of PG-13." We are confident he designed to say "I do not play in movies such as this now." How about The Delta Pressure? Hellbound? The Cutter? The Missing For Action trilogy? We're able to continue...Now, however, Sylvester Stallone has arrived at to Ain't It Awesome news to verify the rating. Still, he appears convinced it will be great even when everybody walks about calling one another melon maqui berry farmers. "The film is fantastic with Van Damme submiting an inspired performance... Our final fight is a for that age range. The PG-13 rumour holds true, before your visitors pass judgement, believe me when I only say this film is big in each and every way and provides on every level. This movie touches on many feelings that you want to tell the largest audience possible, BUT, have no fear, this Bbq of Grand scale Ass Bashing won't leave anybody hungry..."The proof, obviously, come in the excessively muscled pudding, that will arrive later this season. And when you believe what this means is it will be a sanitised explode-o-thon, odds are we'll have an unexpurgated version on DVD, full of all of the muddy funsters you are able to handle. Browse the teaser below.

Keith Urban Returning To Stage After Vocal Surgery

First Launched: The month of the month of january 12, 2012 3:38 PM EST Credit: Getty Images NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Caption Keith Urban works within the 49th Annual ASCAP New Bands Honours within the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn., on November 6, 2011Keith Urban will return to the stage on Feb. 3 within the Grand Ole Opry following vocal surgery. The country celebrity stood a polyp removed a vocal cord at Vanderbilt College Clinic late a year ago and contains experienced vocal relaxation. His appearance within the Ryman Auditorium later will probably be his first public performance since he recorded a sound lesson for your CMA Country Christmas television special in mid-November. He was expected to postpone his All For Your Hall benefit concert for your New Bands Hall of Fame that was initially scheduled for Jan. 18. More youthful crowd rescheduled the tail finish of his 2011 concert tour for later this year. The Grand Ole Opry also introduced Urban works in March. __ Online: http://internet.keithurban.internet Copyright 2012 with the Connected Press. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The New Yorker's David Denby: Turns Out the Movie Critic Liked 'We Bought a Zoo'

Last month, NYer critic David Denby, published his review of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" one week before the embargo date. This drew the ire of both the studio and director David Fincher, creating a terse back-and-forth between Denby and "Tattoo" producer Scott Rudin. However, caught in the crossfire of this film-critic hullabaloo was poor old Cameron Crowe's new movie, 'We Bought a Zoo.' In one of the emails to Rudin, Denby defended his actions, complaining about the large number of movies coming out around Christmas. "What to put in the magazine on December 5? Certainly not 'We Bought the Zoo,' or whatever it's called," he said. Crowe and Damon later weighed in on Denby's dis themselves, with the director stating, "He should see the movie. I'm actually anxious for him to see the movie. ... It's a time filled with cynicism, and there's a lot of movies about that, and this one is a little bit about hope and a lack of cynicism." As for Damon, he directed his comments toward critics as a whole: "I think it probably takes more guts for a critic to admit that this movie gets to them than it will for them to bash it." It turns out that Cameron and Matt were right! In the latest issue of the NYer, Denby compliments -- a bit backhandedly -- Crowe's script, and how "moving" it is. (Point to Damon.) After his misadventures with 'Vanilla Sky' and 'Elizabethtown,' Crowe has recovered the sure commercial hand that he demonstrated in 'Jerry Maguire.' Nothing that happens in this movie is in the least surprising, but it's all quite pleasant and even, at times, moving. McKenna and Crowe have produced the kind of hardworking script in which everyone has a problem to overcome." See, some movie critics can be (sort of) non-cynical. Denby even takes the time out to recognize the great romance in 'Zoo' and Damon's performance. (Another point to Damon.) Along with Tom Hanks, [Damon] is one of the most likable actors in contemporary movies. It takes forever for Benjamin to notice that the pretty, down-to-earth woman with the keys is staring at him in a certain way. Crowe gives Johansson enough yearning closeups to ignite a pile of damp leaves, and, at last, Damon responds. There are so few examples in the movies of normal romantic behavior --once the heart of Hollywood filmmaking -- that the slow, hesitating, unremarkable but warming courtship of Damon and Johansson feels like a revelation. And so ended the greatest headline-grabbing movie critic debate in the past year or so. You can read Denby's full review of "We Bought a Zoo" -- plus his thoughts on "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" -- over at the NYer. [via NYer] [Photo: 20th Century Fox] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook