Coffin

An Artist View Entertainment release of a Skyrocket Prods. presentation of a Spencer Johnson production. Produced by David Stever, Derik Wingo, Kipp Tribble, George Maranville, David Lanham. Executive producer, Spencer F. Johnson. Co-producer, Unique Dowtin. Co-executive producer, Judie Rose Perry. Directed by Kipp Tribble, Derik Wingo. Screenplay, Tribble.With: Kevin Sorbo, Bruce Davison, Johnny Alonso, Sunny Doench, Patrick Barnitt, Kipp Tribble, Derik Wingo, Moksha McPherrin, Andrena Senola Johnson, Luke Barnett.Though its premise and title make no secret of "Coffin's" indebtedness to last year's "Buried," this barrel-bottom suspenser more closely resembles an unsuccessful "Law & Order" spec script, inflated to feature length by some stock horror tropes. The film's clearly limited means are no excuse for the way it applies such painfully languid energy to a real-time ticking-clock thriller, and its only chances for marginal attention will rely on the high billing given to supporting players Kevin Sorbo and Bruce Davison. Pic opens as businessman Jack (Patrick Barnitt) arrives home, where a masked baddie named Trick (Johnny Alonso) shows him a live video feed of his estranged wife (Sunny Doench) and her lover (Sorbo) trapped together in a pinewood box. The windy kidnapper dispenses a bit of Jigsaw-style moralizing before offering to reveal their location for a pricey sum; meanwhile, a pair of bickering odd-couple cops (co-helmers Derik Wingo and Kipp Tribble) follow their trail. Some possibly intentional metatextual humor creeps through -- Doench's character is described as a B-movie actress, while the mincingly unthreatening Trick is called a "real pro" -- but there's otherwise nothing much to see here.Camera (color, DV), Keiko Nakahara; editor, George Maranville; music, Roger Ryan, Jason Gaines; production designer, Gary Jones. Reviewed on DVD, Los Angeles, Oct. 26, 2011. Running time: 85 MIN. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Jennifer Contractor To Guest-Star around the Good Wife

Jennifer Contractor Jennifer Contractor, most widely known on her role as dirty-mouthed N Morgan on HBO's Dexter, will guest-star with an episode from the Good Wife, TVGuide.com has confirmed. Although Contractor is known for Deb's creative utilization of four-letter words, within the Good Wife she'll play a soft-spoken college professor who's axed over her conservative religious and political values, based on E! Online, which first reported the casting. Her character will hire Alicia (Julianna Margulies) and also the firm's recent hire Caitlin (Anna Camping) to represent her within the suit and go facing Louis J. Canning (coming back guest Michael J. Fox). Mega Buzz: A Glee showdown along with a Dexter dying "We loved Jennifer in Dexter and that we were especially thrilled doing play this type of different role: a committed believer who does not swear once," designers and executive producers Robert and Michelle King told the website. The episode is scheduled to air in the finish of the season. Interesting to notice: both shows air simultaneously (9/8c) on Sunday nights, and CBS and Showtime are possessed through the same parent company. Contractor, who plays Michael C. Hall's sister around the serial-killer drama, was married towards the actor in 2008, though they lately separated.

Ratings: Guy Up! Is Gloomier X Factor Will get near Series High

Guy Up! For Guy Up!, ratings are lower!The half-hour ABC sitcom rousted 6.75 million audiences - lower about 13 percent within the 7.80 million who up-to-date in last week's debut. Plus it sank among the industry-valued 18-to-49-year-old demographic, posting single.9 rating versus. 2.4 yesterday.Final Guy Standing, which precedes it at 8/7c, happened a tad, enticing 9.82 million people and notching a few.8 demo rating for Week 3 - a decline of 3 %. (That's much better than last week's 21 percent drop. Some 10.20 million up-to-date for Week 2 of Tim Allen's new sitcom, which first demonstrated to 12.95 million furthermore, it received a 3. demo rating, lower from three.5 due to its premiere.)Photo timeline: The emasculation of males on TVAlso inside the first hour of Tuesday's prime time, CBS' NCIS attracted 19.05 million audiences (4. demo rating) because the first several hours of Fox's The X Factor and NBC's The Finest Loser attracted 10.99 million (3.8) and 5.34 million (1.8), correspondingly.The X Factor: Humble Simon, Paula versus. Nicole and 11 alternative activities you didn't see on TVAt 9/8c, NCIS: La attracted 15.88 million versus. Dancing while using Stars' results (13.76 million) as well as the second part of Loser (5.57 million). The X Factor, which went for just two-and-a-half several hours, clicked up 11.88 million audiences within the second hour and averaged 11.78 million (4.3 demo rating, equaling a collection high) overall.Back-to-back Ringer repeats - the CW is marketing by airing numerous reruns - averaged 923,000 (.3)CBS orders full seasons of Memorable and Person of InterestThis season's most-seen new drama, Memorable, justified the whole-season order it received now, winning prime time's final hour Tuesday with 11.29 million audiences versus. Body of Proof (9.64 million) together with an excellent Suspect rerun (2.89 million).

Christophe Beck's eco-friendly phase

Christophe BeckBeck's acquired 'The Muppets.''Tower Heist' was produced as 'the essential NY heist movie.'The broad comedy 'Date Night' demonstrates Beck's range.'Waiting for Superman' was Beck's first doc just like a composer. Director Brett Ratner was hunting for a completely new composer for his approaching action comedy "Tower Heist." Universal professionals recommended Montreal-born Christophe Beck, the composer of those high-grossing comedies as "The Hangover" and "Date Evening."Ratner visited Beck at his Santa Monica studio and was stunned at the quantity of movie posters round the walls. "The guy looked youthful than me, and i'm like, 'You've done every one of these movies?' " Ratner made a decision to audition Beck: If he could create a primary theme, the job was his."I desired to ensure that it's the essential NY heist movie, a la 'Taking of Pelham One Two Three' or 'The Hot Rock,' " Ratner states. "I desired to make sure it absolutely was urban it's Eddie Murphy and Gabourey Sidibe. As well as in the very first bass line, I'm recommending, he knocked it in the park. He handled to obtain '70s without sounding dated. It's a huge score, but it's awesome, sophisticated, emotional, it is a lot color. It's one of the better scores I've ever suffered.InchBeck, 42, has acquired greater than 70 movies formerly 15 years. Despite the fact that nearly all his large hits are actually comedies -- from "Cheaper with the Dozen" to "Garfield: The FilmInch -- the labeling might be deceitful. Comedy points aren't any much more about while using the trombone to produce laughing noises."Comedies are, For me, harder than some other type of movies because of there being really an anything-goes feeling in regards to the music," states Beck. "Plenty of occasions you're playing it entirely straight. Part of your projects just like a comedy composer is exploring every one of these different genres for comedy effect, nevertheless the music is dead serious."He cites a scene in "I Like You, Jesse Cooper," through which he carried out a towel fight with swashbuckling sailing-adventure music that would not be abnormal inside an Errol Flynn film. "Date Evening," another example, has as much suspense and action material because so many thriller scores.Shawn Levy, who directed "Date Evening" (and four other films with Beck), states the composer's scores "vary extremely from awesome to poignant to regal. More youthful crowd features a critical skill for just about any film composer: He listens. He learns just what the filmmaker is searching depict which he translates people intentions into musical notes."Beck's versatility may be the consequence of musical background including from rock to opera: He started playing piano at 3, completed in the band within the teens, written an opera at Yale and -- although he considered publish-grad be employed in musical theater -- wound up inside the USC film-scoring type in 1992."It had been something I really could be considered a master at,Inch Beck recalls thinking. "It absolutely was a really easy way to make music with other people. I didn't are afflicted by stage fright, writing lyrics or identifying generate an earnings preferred to appear. It absolutely was a enjoyable, behind-the-moments music job, plus it suited me perfectly."He showed up his first series (the Canadian-produced "White-colored Fang") because they used to be at USC, interned for just about any year with TV legend Mike Publish and did several American series ("Two," "F/X," "George & Leo") until landing his breakthrough show, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."It absolutely was after quitting TV in 2001 that things started happening for Beck round the feature side. "Beneath the Tuscan Sun" director Audrey Wells, who calls his storytelling capabilities "transcendent," recalls their 100-piece orchestra giving him a five-minute standing ovation within the finish in the periods.Todd Phillips hired Beck for "School for Scoundrels" in 2006 and states he's not searched for out another composer since, including "DeadlineInch and a pair of "Hangover" movies. "We start talking about tone and designs in prep, so he's already writing music when we are shooting, that's great because we rarely want to use temp tracks."As crazy since it sounds, with my comedies we are opting for reality," states Phillips. "The situations may be absurd, nevertheless the figures and everybody who are around you they live in should always feel just like real as you can. Christophe's music always takes that into consideration. He treats our comedies as stylishly while he would treat any drama."Despite the fact that Beck doesn't consider themselves as especially political, when documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim asked for him gain his Obama short films right before the 2008 election, Beck needed the job. Guggenheim then asked for him gain "Waiting for Superman," the broadly acclaimed doc in regards to the failures in the American educational system."It had such a number of tone," Guggenheim states, "his stuff was brilliant, it labored perfectly. His music is gorgeous, beautiful, plus it makes me cry."Furthermore to "Tower Heist," Beck recently finished "The Muppets" which is now in the office around the Micrograms movie ("This Means War") as well as the Disney toon feature "Paperman," "a composer's dream," according to him, since the artists are really illustrating to his music.States Ratner: "He's a high profile.InchMillion-DOLLAR COMPOSER: CHRISTOPHE BECK Beck's eco-friendly phase Resurrecting 'Muppets' in Disney tradition Beginning in the undead Beck's music within the own words Beck, private school grad, gives back Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Belen Rueda toplines thriller 'Body'

MADRID -- Top Spanish B.O. draw Belen Rueda is attached to star in "The Body," the latest thriller from Barcelona's Roday y Rodar, producers of "The Orphanage" "Julia's Eyes" and "PX3D." Rueda toplined "Orphanage" and "Eyes." Directed by Oriol Paulo, who wrote "Julia's Eyes," the Euros 4.6 million ($6.4 million) "Body" turns on a detective who investigates the disappearance of a woman's body from a morgue. A storm traps him there with the deceased's husband -- whom he suspects of foul play -- as strange phenomena occur. Rueda plays the woman in flashbacks. Jose Coronado -- who was applauded for his visceral perf in B.O. hit "No Rest for the Wicked" -- limns the inspector. Hugo Silva ("Sex, Parties and Lies") is the husband. Rodar and Antena 3 Films produce. DeAPlaneta Intl. has acquired international rights outside Spain. Sony Pictures Releasing de Espana will distribute the pic in Spain. "'The Body' is a mystery thriller reviving classic genre elements that are given a highly contemporary tone and treatment," said Rodar y Rodar producer Joaquin Padro. Pic rolls Jan. 16. "Body" heads DeAPlaneta's AFM slate alongside "Blind Alley," which is directed by "The Devil's Backbone" scribe Antonio Trashorras. Another new title on the company's slate, Harvard-set frat pack gross-out pic "Brain Drain 2," has been acquired by France distrib Zylo. The original pic, "Brain Drain," grossed $9.6 million in Spain in 2009, and closed France, South Korea, Latin America and Brazil. Acquired for Spain by UPI, which releases it Dec. 2, "Brain Drain 2" guest stars David Hasselhoff. Another DeAPLaneta pick up, "Operation E," went into production Oct. 20. The thriller from director-writer team Miguel Courtois and Antonio Onetti ("Wolf," "GAL") toplines Luis Tosar ("Miami Vice," "Even the Rain") as a Colombian peasant who risks being shot for exiting the FARC guerrilla zone and incarceration by the government, so as to get a small boy to a hospital. Tosar and Farruco Castroman's ZircoZine produces with Cristina Zumarraga's start-up Tormenta Films and Ariel Zeitoun's Ajoz Films in France. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Meet the "Hipster Cop" of the Occupy Wall Street Protests

Rick Lee: Wall Street Protest Hipster Cop Hipster and cop are two words that don't usually go together. But at the Occupy Wall Street protests in NY, the two words have become synonymous with a plainclothes NYPD detective named Rick Lee. Why is he known in the blogosphere as "The Hipster Cop" you ask? Because he can be seen sporting fashion brands like Ralph Lauren and J. Crew every day on the protest lines (his best friend works at Ralph Lauren, natch) as part of his style that he describes to GQ as "traditional English country." Catch up on today's latest news "This is how I always dress. I've always been into fashion. Since high school," he says. "Since I got my first job and was able to buy my own clothes. Though maybe I'll wear a top hat to work tomorrow." Lee admits his clothes isn't exactly what most people associate with policemen, but since he serves as a liaison between the community and the precinct, his sophisticated sense of style has helped (even if he gets teased about it "a bit" by co-workers down at the station). "When they see that I dress kinda cool, wear thin ties, look trendy, it breaks a lot of walls down initially to get the bridge building started. It actually works," he says. "People go, 'Wow! You wear Burberry. You wear Ralph Lauren. That's cool.'" It doesn't help that - according to Lee - TV hasn't really accurately portrayed cops since the '70s series Barney Miller. "That's as close as it comes. Otherwise I watch Mad Men, I watch Boardwalk Empire. I watch the History Channel a lot. That's more my thing."

Lotus Eaters

A McGuinnesslee, Fastnet Films presentation with the participation of the Irish Film Board. Produced by Mark Lee. Co-producers, Morgan Bushe, Macdara Kelleher, Kyle Blanshard. Directed by Alexandra McGuinness. Screenplay, McGuinness, Brendan Grant.With: Antonia Campbell Hughes, Benn Northover, Cynthia Fortune Ryan, Johnny Flynn, Amber Anderson, Liam Browne, Daisy Lewis, Alex Wyndham, Gina Bramhill, Jay Choi, Katrena Rochell.Irish helmer Alexandra McGuinness' debut "Lotus Eaters" wants desperately to be a portrait of the beautiful and the damned, with its tale of West London rich kids doing drugs and shagging each other, but it's more like a spectacle of the spoiled and annoying. Pic has some redeeming features, like its glossy, fashion-shoot-inspired black-and-white look, and a clutch of respectable perfs among some very poor ones from the toothsome young cast, but the script is a mess, the characters barely sympathetic. Only niche auds are likely to get high on this. Bony clotheshorse Alice (Antonia Campbell Hughes, pretty good) longs to transition from model to actress, but is hobbled by a staggering lack of talent, revealed in a droll audition scene. She spends much of her time hanging out with her rich, super stylish friends like sassy Saskia (Daisy Lewis), flaky Lulu (Jay Choi) and needy Suzi (Amber Anderson) and their assorted boyfriends, and has an on-off relationship with junkie Charlie (Johnny Flynn, another standout, along with Lewis). Action fluctuates between ultimately monotonous semi-improvised scenes of the kids partying hard and hoary melodrama that reaches a preposterous climax.Camera (B&W, Super 16-to-35mm, widescreen), Gareth Munden; editor, Bert Hunger, Emer Reynolds; music, Birger Clausen; production designer, Richard Hudson; art director, Noam Piper; costume designer, Ruth Higginbotham. Reviewed at London Film Festival (New British Cinema) Oct. 19, 2011 . Running time: 78 MIN. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com