TRAILER: Here Is Your Best Consider the Avengers Yet

Marvel's The Avengers has got the pressure of just living as much as many years of hype sitting on its shoulders, but a brand new trailer for that May 4 super hero pic looks promising, otherwise terribly complicated. Plot particulars, like what Loki's as much as and why? Save it for that movie. This is actually the opportunity to give each of the Avengers their close-up. Well, aside from you, Hawkeye. Of course, Jeremy Renner's archery expert -- minimal-well-known character from the bunch, searching such as the loner weirdo hiding round the popular children at school -- does obtain a neat falling-backwards-through-the-air-while-shooting-an-arrow moment within the trailer, so there's that. Everybody else, though, reaches reveal a smidge of character within the length of two minutes: Nick Fury is worried! Captain America is exacerbated! Tony Stark is bitchy! Black Widow is suggestive! We know our heroes will bicker before they unite to battle evil, blah blah blah. It is quite touching to determine Hulk leap in to the air in order to save Iron Guy from eating pavement. I am just awaiting fans to shout about how exactly superior Ruffalo's Hulk comes from the Erectile dysfunction Norton and Eric Bana versions, because men? His Hulkface does not look much better, will it? Verdict: Oh, who am I kidding? We are all seeing that one, aren't we? Anyway, mind to Apple to look at a clip in high definition. The Avengers hits theaters on May 4.

New Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Clip

Judi Dench & Bill Nighy versus phoneIt's out tomorrow, but when you are still determining whether or not to begin to see the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, here is a fresh clip that provides you with a concept what you are set for. And OK, yes, it will occur inside a hotel, which means you maybe were built with a clue already.This bit sees Judi Dench's Evelyn, lately widowed and off and away to Jaipur to test something totally new, wrestling using the phone in her own room and using the aid of Bill Nighy's Douglas to try and repair it. It's fair to express that he's no technological whizz.The film also stars Maggie Cruz, Celia Imrie, Tom Wilkinson and Dev Patel(find out more about him within this month's problem), and it is directed by Shakespeare InLove's John Madden. The Very Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has gone out here on Feb 24 or, because the kids refer to it as, tomorrow.

Oscar Predictions: Stephanie Zacharek on Who Will (and Who Should) Win on Hollywood's Biggest Night

Each Wednesday for the past five months, my colleague S.T. VanAirsdale has fearlessly navigated the ever-shifting Academy Awards tides with his weekly Oscar Index, a gig thats enough to make even the most intrepid seafaring mortal long for dry land. Its in sight, Stu! By this coming Monday morning, all of our meticulously calibrated predictions, as well as our wayward hopes for our own personal favorites, will amount to little more than scraps of speared whale blubber, receding in the distance as we move toward next years Oscar broadcast. But lets not get ahead of ourselves. Theres still time to savor the last-minute glitter wave. To that end, here are my own Oscar predictions for each category, followed by the candidates I wish would win. BEST PICTURE I loved The Artist when I first saw it last May, and Ive seen it twice since. It has, of course, become de rigueur to adopt the Its not so great stance when talking about the picture. But thats not where my heart lies, and Ive already spent ample time, both publicly (over at Slate Movie Club) and privately, defending the movie from the Meh Brigade. So, yeah, I hope it wins. But I also have a great deal of fondness for both Moneyball and Midnight in Paris, as well as for War Horse, whose old-school movie grandness appears to be sorely out of fashion, and mores the pity. Will win: The Artist Should win: The Artist BEST DIRECTOR I still dont understand how you can have nine Best Picture nominees and only five Best Director nominees. What, does the Academy think these pictures direct themselves? Of course, in the case of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, youd be forgiven for thinking so, but never mind. Woody Allen has given us his best movie in years many years with Midnight in Paris, so I would probably quaff an extra dose of Champagne if he were to win. But my Best Director choice nearly always aligns with my Best Picture choice, which leads us to Hazanavicius. Will win: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist Should win: Michel Hazanvicius, The Artist BEST ACTOR As I voted in numerous critics' groups at the end of 2011, I put the same three names on every Best Actor ballot: Jean Dujardin, Gary Oldman and Brad Pitt (the latter for Moneyball only, though I concede that in The Tree of Life, he works his ass off for a director who cares little for actors). I would be thrilled if any of the three were to win, with perhaps a slight edge about the width of a pencil mustache going to Dujardin. Will win: Jean Dujardin Should win: Jean Dujardin or Brad Pitt or Gary Oldman please dont make me choose! BEST ACTRESS Although Michelle Williams gave my favorite female performance of the year, in My Week with Marilyn, for so many years now Ive been watching Viola Davis doing superb work always the quiet, unflashy kind that I would be thrilled to see her win for The Help. Poor Glenn Close I dont want to look at Alberts or anyone elses nobbs, thanks very much. And while I greatly dislike Meryl Streeps high-toned mimicry in The Iron Lady, the one thing that would really drive me round the bend is another trilling, faux-gracious acceptance speech from La Streep. Oh God, no, please. Will win: Viola Davis, The Help Should win: Viola Davis, The Help BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR This is the category for which I have the least enthusiasm: These performances are all fine, but I dont see any sparks of mad genius in them. (Not even Branaghs amusing channeling of Olivier qualifies.) I can live with a Christopher Plummer win, if only because its about time for Old Mr. Grouchypants. Will win: Christopher Plummer, Beginners Should win: Christopher Plummer, Beginners BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Octavia Spencer is the real charmer in this category, and she has the benefit of being both an unknown and the underdog. Jessica Chastain is lovely in The Help, but shes even better in a little-seen movie from a few years back called Jolene, in which she played a forerunner of the same character. Brnice Bejo is extremely winning in The Artist, but Id still prefer to see Spencer win. While its laudatory that the Academy should nominate a comedic actress for this award, Id prefer it not to be the brassy McCarthy. And while McTeer is quite moving in Albert Nobbs, I truly am looking forward, as I said earlier, to a nobb-free Sunday evening. Will win: Octavia Spencer, The Help Should win: Octavia Spencer, The Help BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY I have my fingers crossed for either Guillame Schiffman for The Artist or Janusz Kaminski for the unfairly maligned and gorgeous - War Horse. (I wish Kaminski could follow me around with a key light every moment of my life Id kill to look as luminous as that horse does.) But I fear the winner will be Emmanuel Lubezki for The Tree of Life. I love Lubezski, but not The Tree of Lifes brand of sterile, calculated beauty. Will win: Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life Should win: Guillame Schiffman for The Artist or Janusz Kaminski for War Horse. BEST ANIMATED PICTURE Generally, Im with Mark Harris: I dont much care about this category. Except when I do. And this year, I found what I thought was a firm favorite in Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscals lovely, mostly hand-drawn Latin jazz romance Chico & Rita.. Then I saw Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Feliciolis A Cat in Paris another hand-drawn adventure, this one about a winsome and mysterious cat burglar padding his way through the worlds most mysterious and beautiful city and I fell even more deeply in love. I would be thrilled to see either picture win, though I suspect the honor will go to Gore Verbinskis Rango, which is at least clever and lively. Will win: Rango Should win: A Cat in Paris or Chico & Rita Follow Stephanie Zacharek on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Dissecting Alcatraz's Mysteries: Will the '63s Ever Age?

Misa and Maiya Tanaka had the final Top 10 spot locked up on The Amazing Race 20. After engineering yet another comeback, the sisters were 80 yards from the Pit Stop - except they inexplicably missed seeing Phil Keoghan, the Pit Stop greeter and the production team. While they frantically searched the grounds of the Patios de Cafayate winery in Salta, Argentina, friends Joey "Fitness" and Danny checked in. Months later, they still can't explain completely how they didn't see Keoghan, but they tried their best below. Read More > Other Links From TVGuide.com Phil KeoghanJennifer HoffmanLakisha HoffmanAmazing Race 20Danny HoralJoey LasallaMaiya TanakaMisa Tanaka

Eureka Star Colin Ferguson Can get Lead In Bill Lawrences Fox Comedy Pilot

Carrying out a six-year stint since the lead of Syfy’s departing drama series Eureka, Colin Ferguson is switching to comedy since the lead in Bill Lawrence’s Fox pilot Like Father. The project, from Warner Bros. TV, is inspired by Lawrence’s real-existence experience and concentrates on a parent or gaurdian-boy relationship. Ferguson may have the dad Van Lyons, nicknamed “The Hurricane” for his bombastic personality. After his wife dies, Van moves into his boy Will’s campus apartment. Also cast inside the pilot are Phill Lewis (repped by Abrams Artists & KLWGN) as Van’s nearest friend and Kevin Michael Martin (TalentWorks & Sweeney Entertainment) as Will’s roommate and nearest friend. Like Father reunites Lewis with Lawrence after doing an arc as Hooch on Lawrence’s medical comedy Scrubs. Furthermore to writing/executive creating, Lawrence may also be pointing the pilot. Ferguson, who also offered just like a producer on Eureka, is repped by manager Perry Zimel and attorney Rob Bernstein.

L.A. lensing up but aircraft pilots lag

Offlot TV production in La continues to be lagging as production for that pilot season has not yet began. Production in La remained solid a week ago with 636 times of shooting -Up a lot more than 10% from 2011 weekly average -- but TV was lower 25% in the year-ago period with 338 days. Overall production in La was lower 6% in comparison with similar week this past year, based on figures provided Tuesday through the FilmL.A. enabling agency. "Really the only trend of note is the fact that we've not seen pilot production for pilot season start working yet this season,Inch stated FilmL.A. spokesperson Philip Sokoloski. "Ordinarily, we'd start to see some come online by mid-Feb, but situations are searching just a little postponed. We drenched only one pilot production day a week ago versus 36 within the same week the entire year prior. Searching forward, we do not really anticipate pilot production to get before the week after next." Indie feature "Directing" was probably the most active film shooting a week ago with fourteen days with lensing at qualities at a condominium downtown along with a warehouse in East L.A. Other films presently shooting offlot in La include "Burt Wonderstone," "Item 47," "Wise Ass," "Susie Chambers" and "The Lone Ranger." Top TV shoot was tallied up by reality show "Swing" with a 3 week period. Other shows shooting in your area incorporated "Bones," "Southland," "The Customer List," "Damaged Minds," "Flipping Out 6," "Melissa and Tye," "Overtones," "The Glee Project," "Suburgatory" and "Up Through The Night." Advertisements demonstrated robust activity a week ago with 231 days, up 42% over same week this past year. A Local cafe place was probably the most active with 20 days. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Social TV: Cougar Town Creator Offers Ponies, Drunken Raves to Loyal Fans

Courteney Cox, Cougar Town Cougar Town creator Bill Lawrence can do nearly everything to get people to look at his show, which returns to ABC on Feb. 14 after an eight-month hiatus. He's presented to buy fans ponies and throw drunken raves at Disneyland once they promise to check out a ten-minute spoiler reel for your approaching season. OK, so he was clearly kidding (we feel), but all joking aside, Lawrence themselves launched a substantial social-media push to spread the word in regards to the low-rated Cougar Town when traditional marketing strategies - like ads and talk-show looks - weren't doing enough to find out any significant alteration of ratings. Throughout the past few several days, he's used both Facebook to reward fans with swag, exclusive content, and viewing parties, with the expectation it could really involve some impact on the fate in the show. "The exciting part would be to determine if we could gradually slowly move the dial just a few little ticks," according to him. "The primary difference personally from the 2.4 together with a couple.6 rating might be the excellence between being restored immediately, and requiring to have to wait until May to determine which continues.Inch Do i think the his over-the-top social media campaign lead to better ratings? We asked for Lawrence to weigh in on his anticipation for his social-media gamble.The facts about social media you want?Costs Lawrence: The very best factor about social networks are you are able to immediately see first-hands that people are actually configuring it. Someone sent us an image from the vehicle they saw round the freeway which in fact had "Cougar Town returns Feb. 14 at 8:30 on ABC" colored on its home home windows, once we asked for people to accomplish this on Twitter. It's so far better to offer the visual representation.Aside from telling people to remain updated, what message can you hope illustrate?Lawrence: The show isn't canceled! Every single day I buy people who say, "I'm so annoyed out Cougar Town is canceled," and that i must respond and say, "It is not really. It's just been horribly handled by ABC." Also: It's the worst titled show inside the good status for television. It is not a traditional lady chasing after following a youthful guy for three years.Sociable TV: Will White-colored Collar use Twitter to permit fans decide the show's ending?But how will you attempt to describe that to individuals who've never seen?Lawrence: We develop a sizable clip reel in the show, which is full of spoilers. I'm not a real large spoiler guy, but it's something which somebody can show their pals and say, "Hey, it is not about cougars. Watch this clip so when you laugh whatsoever, you might really search it." Just like a group, the cast is delivering the issue an e-mail to all or any our acquaintances. We're asking those to do us a great, and other alike to some series email, send it to 10 others.Too for individuals who're already Cougar Town fans - what is happening to make sure that they are hooked?Lawrence: Since the occasions of Scrubs, I've always felt that you need to reward loyalty with extra content and ease of access cast and crew. Therefore we are delivering do-it-yourself party kits to anyone who posts a picture of by themselves Twitter or Facebook with 25 others holding a sign saying, "We Wish a Cougar Town Party." We're shipping them swag and episodes using this season that haven't broadcast. I'm certain that people released them online I'd be arrested. Within the finish in the evening, a cast member can get on Skype together for a quarter-hour to resolve questions.Social TV: Realise why Nathan Fillion will receive a remove of TwitterIs there any sort people that worries all this can be a large total total waste of time?Lawrence: It is simple to increase the risk for argument, "I would have convinced a few hundred 1000 people to have a look show out, however when undertake and don't will be in Nielsen, then who cares? I have not met a Nielsen family throughout my existence." However when fans of Cougar Town are buzzing relating to this a great deal to make sure that a few Nielsen families watches it when it's on tv, then... Get It Done works? I am unsure. However might be annoyed out once the show didn't survive which i didn't appear like we'd attempted everything. The primary distinction between remaining on and achieving canceled is actually slight nowadays, and there's an chance you could really use social media to move a dial. I'm not nervous though. I've been transporting this out forever.All of this crazy campaigning that you're doing - did the network supply you with a hard time relating to this?Lawrence: Once we started, ABC was careful about that which you i did so, however they have since become very encouraging, but that they like a network, they'd enjoy it if their showrunners counseled me out marketing their unique shows.Social TV: How Survivor's Rob Probst bridged the area between CBS which is audienceDo you are convinced that eventually all showrunners is going to be utilizing social media similar to this?Lawrence: It'll either gradually slowly move the dial just a little, and will also be awesome, and people will endeavour it afterwards... reely can alter, we'll disappear, without any you'll ever have to do it again.See the 10-minute spoiler reel for Season 3 of Cougar Town. Bill Lawrence on WhoSay Cougar Town premieres Tuesday, February 14 at 8:30/7:30c on ABC.

Cruise, Hanks added as Oscar presenters

Halle Berry, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks and Jennifer Lopez have been added to the list of presenters for the 84th Academy Awards ceremony.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the cast of "Bridesmaids" as the show's presenters last month.The Oscar ceremony, hosted by Billy Crystal, will be broadcast live on ABC on Feb. 26. Contact Christy Grosz at christy.grosz@variety.com