It’s a car ad, but only in the sense that it calls to attention the rebound of the automotive industry in Detroit.

Instead, this is a shot in the arm, a call to arms for Americans to believe in each other again … and to believe in themselves.

Eastwood uses the halftime analogy, saying that our country is figuring out how to come back, how to win. It’s a stirring ad, perhaps more effective than Eastwood’s last few films. (Sorry, sir, but the truth is the truth.)

“This country can’t be knocked out with one punch. We’ll get back up again and when we do the world’s gonna hear the roar of our engines. Yeah. It’s halftime, America,” he said. “And our second half’s about to begin.”

Can the former politician run for president?

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HollywoodNews.com: Howard Stern is apparently a very loyal David Letterman guest as he has promised the late night host that he will not be promoting his new gig on ‘America’s Got Talent’ on Jay Leno’s show.

Stern was on the show for Letterman’s 30-year anniversary show when he told him he would stay loyal to his good friend, states RadarOnline.com. “I’m not interested in going on Jay’s show. I’m probably the only idiot in show business who picks sides in these late night wars,” Stern commented.

However, Letterman is pretty convinced that Stern will have to end up on Leno’s NBC show: “I know you’re going on that show, [NBC] will pressure you and pressure you.”

Do you think Stern will stay off Leno’s show?

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HollywoodNews.com: The Writers Guild of America, West has tapped Zooey Deschanel (New Girl, [500] Days of Summer) and Joel McHale (Community, The Soup) to co-host the WGAW’s 2012 Writers Guild Awards L.A. show on Sunday, February 19, 2012, at the Hollywood Palladium.

“I am excited to host the WGA awards. It should be a lot of fun! I am very honored to be included,” said Deschanel.

“I’m deeply excited to co-host the WGA Awards with Zooey Deschanel. She has that rare combination in that she’s beautiful, funny, and smells good. Without writers, movies and TV would be worse than untreated syphilis, so I’m thrilled to hand these fine people awards for their great work,” said McHale.

“I love that I’m working with the stars of New Girl and Community. As Abed might say on Community, ‘This is going to be the greatest sitcom crossover since The Jeffersons visited Fresh Prince of Bel Air,’” said 2012 WGA West Coast ceremony Executive Producer Spike Jones, Jr.

TV audiences have recently come to know Deschanel as the breakout star of this season’s hit Fox series, New Girl, which she also serves as a producer and recently received both Golden Globe (Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical) and Satellite Award (Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical) nominations.

Her most recent feature film roles include co-starring in the 2009 romantic comedy, (500) Days of Summer, 2008’s Yes Man, and 2011 ensemble comedy, Our Idiot Brother. This past year, she also lent her voice talents to Disney’s animated feature return of Winnie the Pooh, writing and performing the original song, “So Long,” for which she received 2012 Grammy (Best Song Written for a Motion Picture or for Television) and Annie (Music in a Feature Production) Awards nominations. Deschanel’s earlier screen roles include Mumford, Almost Famous, The Good Girl, Elf, and All the Real Girls, for which she received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Lead Actress.

In addition to her onscreen work as an actress, Deschanel has earned note as one half of the acclaimed musical duo She & Him, her alt-rock collaboration with M. Ward which has produced three best-selling albums: “Volume One” (2008), “Volume Two” (2010), which debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart, and, most recently, their holiday album, “A Very She & Him Christmas” (2011).

As the star of the NBC comedy series Community, as well as the host of E!’s The Soup, actor/comic Joel McHale is one of the busiest people in the industry. On Community, McHale plays “Jeff Winger,” a lawyer whose education his deemed void by the bar, forcing him to attend a local community college with an eclectic student body and staff alike – a role which recently earned McHale a 2011 Satellite Award nomination for Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical.

Satirizing pop culture and current events each week, his sharp wit and comedic timing have helped make The Soup (which triple-threat McHale writes, executive produces, and stars in) one of the network’s biggest hits, regularly skewering the most surreal, hilarious moments in “reality” and celebrity TV.

In addition to his stint hosting 2011’s Independent Spirit Awards telecast, McHale’s other TV credits include appearances on Will & Grace, Pushing Daisies, CSI: Miami, The IT Crowd, and Robot Chicken, as well as roles in feature films including The Informant!, Spider-Man 2, Lords of Dogtown, Open Season 2, Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D, and recent big-screen comedies What’s Your Number? and The Big Year.

McHale recently finished work on Ted, Seth McFarlane’s live-action tale of a boy and his teddy bear, co-starring opposite Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, and McFarlane. In the live comedy arena, McHale continues to perform his stand-up act to sold-out audiences around the country.
Additional presenters and talent will be announced closer to show date.

The WGAW’s 2012 WGA L.A. awards show is executive produced by Spike Jones, Jr., along with a creative time that includes talent producer Carole Propp and head writer Guy Nicolucci.

For press photos, please click here: Zooey Deschanel and Joel McHale.

The 2012 Writers Guild Awards will be held on Sunday, February 19, 2012, simultaneously at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles and at the B.B. King Blues Club in New York City. For more information about the 2012 Writers Guild Awards, please visit www.wga.org or www.wgaeast.org.

For media inquiries about the 2012 Writers Guild Awards Los Angeles show, please contact Gregg Mitchell in the WGAW Communications Dept. at: (323) 782-4574, email: gmitchell@wga.org.

For media inquiries about the 2012 Writers Guild Awards New York show, please contact Jay Strell at Sunshine Sachs at (212) 691-2800 or email: strell@sunshinesachs.com; or visit online at: www.wgaeast.org.

The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) is a labor union representing writers of motion pictures, television, radio and Internet programming, including news and documentaries. Founded in 1933, the Guild negotiates and administers contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of its members. It is involved in a wide range of programs that advance the interests of writers, and is active in public policy and legislative matters on the local, national and international levels. For more information on the WGAW, please visit: www.wga.org.

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HollywoodNews.com: David Beckham and his family with Victoria Beckham will be staying in Los Angeles for now as he has re-signed with the L.A. Galaxy.

Beckham turned down a number of other deals including the possibility of playing with Paris Saint-Germain in order to stay in the U.S., states UsMagazine.com.

“I had many offers from clubs from around the world; however, I’m still passionate about playing in America and winning trophies with the Galaxy. I’ve seen first-hand how popular soccer is now in the States and I’m as committed as ever to growing the game here,” Beckham said about making the decision to re-sign.

Do you like his decision?

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HollywoodNews.com: The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in writing for the screen during 2011. Winners will be honored at the 2012 Writers Guild Awards on Sunday, February 19, 2012, during simultaneous ceremonies in Hollywood and New York.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

50/50, Written by Will Reiser; Summit Entertainment

Bridesmaids, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig; Universal Studios

Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics

Win Win, Screenplay by Tom McCarthy; Story by Tom McCarthy & Joe Tiboni; Fox Searchlight

Young Adult, Written by Diablo Cody; Paramount Pictures

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash; Based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemming; Fox Searchlight

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian; Based on the novel by Stieg Larsson, originally published by Norstedts; Columbia Pictures

The Help, Screenplay by Tate Taylor; Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett; DreamWorks Pictures

Hugo, Screenplay by John Logan; Based on the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick; Paramount Pictures

Moneyball, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin; Story by Stan Chervin; Based on the book by Michael Lewis; Columbia Pictures

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

Better This World, Written by Katie Galloway & Kelly Duane de la Vega; Loteria Films

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front, Written by Marshall Curry and Matthew Hamachek; Oscilloscope Pictures

Nostalgia for the Light, Written by Patricio Guzmán; Icarus Films

Pina, Screenplay by Wim Wenders; Sundance Selects

Position Among the Stars, Script by Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich, Leonard Retel Helmrich; HBO Films

Senna, Written by Manish Pandey; Producers Distribution Agency

Feature films eligible for a Writers Guild Award were exhibited theatrically for at least one week in Los Angeles during 2011 and were written under the WGA’s Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) or under a bona fide collective bargaining agreement of the Australian Writers Guild, Writers Guild of Canada, Writers Guild of Great Britain, Irish Playwrights & Screenwriters Guild or the New Zealand Writers Guild. Theatrical screenplays produced under the jurisdiction of the WGA or an affiliate Guild must have been submitted for WGA awards consideration.

Documentaries eligible for a Writers Guild Award featured an onscreen writing credit and were exhibited theatrically in Los Angeles or New York for one week during 2011. Credited documentary writers were required to join the WGAW’s Nonfiction Writers Caucus or the WGAE’s Nonfiction Writers Caucus to be considered, but scripts need not have been written under WGA jurisdiction for consideration.

The 2012 Writers Guild Awards will be held on Sunday, February 19, 2012, simultaneously at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles and at B.B. King Blues Club in New York City. For more information about the 2012 Writers Guild Awards, please visit www.wga.org or www.wgaeast.org.

For media inquiries about the 2012 Writers Guild Awards Los Angeles show, please contact Gregg Mitchell in the WGAW Communications Department at: (323) 782-4574, email: gmitchell@wga.org, or visit online at: www.wga.org.

For media inquiries about the 2012 Writers Guild Awards New York show, please contact Jay Strell at Sunshine Sachs at (212) 691-2800 or email: strell@sunshinesachs.com; or visit online at: www.wgaeast.org.

The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) are labor unions representing writers in motion pictures, television, cable, digital media, and broadcast news. The Guilds negotiate and administer contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of their members; conduct programs, seminars, and events on issues of interest to writers; and present writers’ views to various bodies of government. For more information on the Writers Guild of America, East, visit www.wgaeast.org. For more information on the Writers Guild of America, West, visit www.wga.org.

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By Scott Mendelson

HollywoodNews.com: This time, it’s the best of the best. Of course ‘best’ is a subjective term, so you might want to consider these my ‘favorites’. Despite what everyone likes to whine about at the end of every year, 2011 was in fact one of the better years in a good long time. Maybe it was the effects of the 2007 WGA strike wearing off, maybe it was just dumb luck, but on the whole, movies, especially mainstream movies, were pretty on-spot more often than they weren’t. But just as important, most of the year-end Oscar bait was actually quite good, so this is a year where I don’t have to half-heartedly apologize for having a list filled with movies nobody saw and mainstream pictures that no one admits to liking. Even if it took 1/3 of the year to really get cooking, 2011 was an uncommonly solid year for all forms of cinematic entertainment. And of course, there are at least a few films that might have made the cut if they hadn’t come out so close to the end of the year (mainly A Separation, Shame, and Pariah). But they merely become contenders for the 2012 Black Book award (IE – great films that you saw too late to include in your best-of list, named after Paul Verhoeven’s fantastic 2006 World War II thriller that I saw in mid-2007). And thus, without further ado, here are the very ‘best’ films of 2011. As always, the list will be alphabetical order, with a final paragraph at the end for my very favorite film.

50/50
This was a complete and total surprise, one that I wish I had seen earlier in its release so that I might have been able to give it the proper attention. Unfairly written off as a Judd Apatow-wannabe comedy purely due the appearance of Seth Rogen, this fantastic comedic drama from director Jonathan Levine and writer Will Reiser is a loosely non-fiction telling of Reiser’s diagnosis with cancer and how it affected him and those around him. I can’t speak to the medical accuracy of every onscreen moment, but the film feels bitterly real and it is never less than emotionally honest. Joseph Gordon Levitt reaffirms that he is one of the better actors of his generation, and he is surrounded by a wonderful supporting cast (Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Phillip Baker Hall, etc). The picture is relatively restrained, dealing with its subject matter with a morbidly comic touch, which makes the emotional pay-offs all the more powerful. The movie is raw when it needs to be, cynical when it has to be, and just a bit uplifting when it has earned it. It also contains one of the biggest emotional gut-punches of the year, arguably the most moving scene involving a book since Carl found his wife’s scrapbook in Up.

A Better Life
This fine and observant drama from Chris Weitz (plus writers Eric Eason and Roger L. Simon) basically plays out like a loose variation on The Bicycle Thief set on the streets of East Los Angeles. It is a character study of a single Mexican day-laborer and his attempts to rise up the theoretical economic ladder while keeping his son from straying off course. Demián Bichir delivers one of the best performances by any actor this year. Without getting into the politics of legal and illegal immigration, this is a powerful and provocative little drama that has justifiably stayed with critics since its release in May.

Bridesmaids
First let’s point out what Paul Feig’s Bridesmaids is not. It’s not “Hangover for girls”. Despite it’s single (one/01) moment of bathroom humor, it is not a gross-out comedy or a raunch-fest. It’s an uncommonly observant character study of one seemingly normal woman basically staving off a nervous breakdown as she attempts to participate in the wedding of her best friend. Kristen Wiig (who also wrote the screenplay with Mumolo) gives a fantastic lead performance that damn-sure should result in an Oscar nomination, as she anchors the film and keeps it from descending into farce. Melissa McCarthy delivers most of the bawdy punchlines and makes her theoretically clownish supporting character into more than just a caricature. Rose Byrne does subtle work here, presenting a character who is perfect on the outside but has her own set of self-esteem issues that bubble up. And Chris O’Dowd is the best romantic foil of the year, arguably the ‘perfect would-be boyfriend’ but capable of error and willing to hold a grudge if the reason is just. Regardless of what boundaries it did or did not break, Bridesmaids is the best comedy of the year and a finely tuned portrait of one woman trying to come to terms with her failures.

Captain America: The First Avengers
Inside a needless prologue and a rather terrible epilogue (via studio-mandate) are about 105 minutes of near-super heroic perfection. Joe Johnston’s dynamite action-adventure picture finally gives Steve Rogers the cinematic treatment he has long deserved. Chris Evans delivers a genuine portrait of America at its best: unquestionably decent and open-hearted, willing to fight but not itching to kill. It’s a bravura star turn that helps make this the best Marvel Studios movie ever and perhaps the best film based on a Marvel character outside of maybe X2: X-Men United. Stanley Tucci does a supporting turn every bit as grounded and sympathetic as Gary Oldman’s work in The Dark Knight, while Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, and Hayley Atwell (as the year’s coolest ‘love interest’) deliver top-notch support. Johnston’s splendid World War II action picture uses nostalgia in a tricky fashion, making us yearn for a time when America was unquestionably good and an absolute moral authority. With great acting, strong writing, and terrific action, Captain America is a comic book adventure that ennobles the sub-genre. Chris Evans as Steve Roges does more than just save the world from the Red Skull. His most super-powered feat is finally making me excited for The Avengers next summer.

The Descendants
Alaxender Payne returns with a bit of a switch. While most of his films have been dark comedies about seemingly light subjects, this George Clooney vehicle tells a dark and somber story with a light touch. Clooney sinks his teeth into a great role, as a man who finds out that his wife was cheating on him right after she ends up in a life-threatening coma, and Shailene Woodley (already solid on The Secret Life of the American Teenager) becomes a movie star as his resentful but empathetic older daughter. The film gives terrific material to Judy Greer and Matthew Lillard, as it asks whether ‘doing the right thing’ is really the right thing when it threatens the happiness of others around you. This is just a terrific little drama that hits almost all of the right notes.

Fast Five
The fifth time is inexplicably the charm as this fourth sequel (and third entry from director Justin Lin) in an otherwise unremarkable series blasted off the summer season with uncommonly high style. The stunts are all practical, the locations are gorgeous, and the action sequences are all the more eye-popping for being able to believe your eyes. More importantly, the caper plot actually works, as the ‘franchise all-stars’ of the previous Fast/Furious pictures all team up to rob a drug kingpin while evading a US Marshall played with pure overacting gusto by Dwayne Johnson. No one will accuse this film of being high art, but the emotional stakes are established just well enough to matter when the action heats up (Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Jordanna Brewster sell the material as much as they need to). Unlike so many sequels in long-running sequels, this one doesn’t ignore every prior sequel but uses the character histories to add a rich emotional subtext to this fifth film. The events of the prior films are not only referenced this time around, but they actually matter in regards to how the characters act and the choices they make. This is a top-notch action picture and, along with another film on this list, will hopefully mark a return to big-budget action pictures involving mortal Earthbound heroes performing very real acts of daring do right before our very eyes.

Hugo
Keeping in mind that I don’t think Scorsese necessarily walks on water, this is probably my favorite Martin Scorsese film since… I dunno… Bringing Out the Dead? Which I suppose is a backwards way of saying I enjoyed Hugo more than The Departed, The Aviator, and Gangs of New York. The first act is slow-going, but Martin Scorsese and writer John Logan’s loving plea for film preservation absolutely kills in the last 2/3. This was one of several films about nostalgia, although it differed from the others in that it concerns a once-great artist who wants to forget his former glories because he can’t reconcile them with his disappointing present. With fine turns by Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz (I can think of no better child actor currently working), Ben Kingsley, and Christopher Lee among others, this enchanting and shattering family adventure film also boasts the finest live-action 3D you are likely to see for a long time.

Margin Call
This film was arguably the Video On Demand success story of the year, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a great film detailing the last 24 hours before the utter collapse of a Lehman Brothers-type financial firm whose chief qualities – terrific acting and finely-tuned dialogue – play just as well at home as on a big screen. It features a host of wonderful actors (Stanley Tucci, Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Demi Moore, Paul Bettany, Zachary Quinto, etc) in terrific character turns for a story that has obvious social relevance. Fictionalized as it may be, the film works as a chillingly plausible ‘as it happened’ account of the bankruptcy that kick-started the current financial crisis. This is simply a terrific drama that is as delicious as it is nutritious.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Along with Fast Five, this dynamite action thriller may help revive the art of practical magic. Brad Bird’s live-action debut may not have much emotional renascence and the script may have a few holes here and there, but it does have unmatched showmanship that takes you back to a time when the very idea of action sequences were magical in and of itself. The sheer quality and imagination of the action sequences on display, the sheer thrill of how real they all seem to be, and the looks of sheer horror on the faces of the actors who have to perform them, reminds us, once again, how wonderful it is when you can believe what you’re seeing. Tom Cruise re-establishes himself as a preeminent entertainer, as he jumps, climbs, and runs (and runs and runs!) to remind you why he was once the biggest star on the planet. He may be a little crazy, but damned if he’s not absolutely determined to give you your money’s worth even if you’re paying $20 per IMAX ticket. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is the best action thriller of the year and one of the most purely entertaining movie-going experiences of 2011.

The Muppets
In a weird and surprising way, this would-be exercise in childhood nostalgia operates as a rebuttal to the constant need to revive and relive the entertainment properties of our youth. Oh sure, we still love the Muppets, but must our kids also worship them as we did? The film isn’t so sure, and that self-doubt gives the picture an air of pathos behind the surface-pleasure delights. It operates not just as a joyous and hilarious celebration of Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the gang, but also a fond farewell and most-fitting finale (if need be) to these iconic entertainers who never really got that ‘one last show’. With James Bobin, Jason Segel, and Nicholas Stoller’s celebration of all things Muppet, the film gives us a chance to finally make our peace with Jim Henson’s unexpected passing just over 20 years ago. This film is the closest we’ll ever get to be able to thank Mr. Henson in person.

Rango
Gore Verbinski’s visually dazzling and endlessly inventive ode to film noir and the spaghetti western is unlike any cartoon you’ve ever seen. Johnny Depp gives his best performance since, I dunno, the first Pirates of the Caribbean film, and you can feel the obvious attention being lavished on this labor of love for all involved. It’s basically Chinatown in the old west with anthropomorphic animals, but the construction is so breathlessly exciting and funny that it stands on its own as a wonderfully quirky piece of adult entertainment that is nonetheless appropriate for (most) kids.

Take Shelter
Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain deliver two of the year’s very best performances in Jeff Nichol’s devastatingly intense slow-burn drama. The film concerns a family man who is suddenly besot by visions telling him to build a giant shelter to protect his family from an oncoming storm, but it’s really a powerfully subtle and observant study of mental illness and how economic difficulties can prevent families from dealing with critical problems before they implode. Shannon barely rises above a whisper and is all the more engrossing because of it, while Chastain (in the best of her seven 2011 performances) takes what could have been a stock ‘supportive wife’ character and invests her with a character arc and poignancy all her own. This is just an awesomely compelling drama that is every bit as intense as the most gripping thriller.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
This terrifically engaging and openly mournful period-piece espionage thriller operates on several levels. It is an acting treat, with a terrific lead performance by Gary Oldman, with several fine supporting turns by Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Kathy Burke, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Mark Strong. It works as a pinpoint precise spy thriller, where even the most rapt viewer will have to use their little grey cells to put the puzzle together along with Mr. Smiley. And, on a darker note, it is a condemnation of a generation that spent their lives protecting and stealing arbitrary pieces of now-irrelevant information, regardless of the collateral damage. Tomas Alfredson’s drama uses its period-piece setting to reflect every so poorly on the present.

We Need to Talk About Kevin
Tilda Swinton gives one of her very best performance in this horrifying and haunting drama about the pain caused when your own child doesn’t love you. This devastating picture can be read on multiple levels, depending on whether you choose to take the climactic events at face value or as some kind of righteously-indignant fantasy that justifies a mother’s inexplicable inability to connect with her own offspring. However you read it, it is a painfully intense and gripping film that will leave you scarred.

Young Adult
This partially inspired an essay about how audiences judge complex and potentially unsympathetic female characters differently than their male counterparts, and the film’s box office failure and likely Oscar shutout more-or-less proved me correct. Jason Reitman directs from the best script of Diablo Cody’s short career, crafting a dark and uncommonly sympathetic portrayal of the kind of person who would have been the stock villain in a more conventional ‘chick flick’. Charlize Theron turns in another great leading turn as a genuine female anti-hero in the kind of complex character drama usually reserved for the Paul Giamattis and Phillip Seymour Hoffmans of the world. Like so many other films this year, it is a commentary on nostalgia, as its embittered lead returns to her home town to try to recapture her glory days of high school by stealing back her old boyfriend. Cody, Reitman and the team never justify Mavis’s actions, nor do those actions exist in a vacuum. It is a sometimes painful but always funny and authentic little slice of life that also features exceptional supporting work from Patton Oswalt. Like Bridesmaids, it may count as some kind of ‘progress’, but it stands first as a terrific film on its own merits.

And now, at last, my absolute favorite film of 2011…

Kung Fu Panda 2
On the surface, this unexpectedly terrific sequel is a dynamic action film, a riotously low-key comedy, and a rare sequel that respects the journeys its characters took in the previous film and expands upon their world rather than replaying the first adventure. On a purely visual level, the film is an absolute treasure trove of gorgeous sights of ‘old-world’ China that reminds us just how much visual splendor we take for granted in modern animated films. But beyond the pitch-perfect action, witty and moving character beats, and eye-candy on display is a somber and reflective tale of, ironically enough, letting go of the past. In a year when so many films good and bad are dealing with characters who are stuck in the past, Kung Fu Panda 2 is about accepting and letting go of the scars of the past. Written by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger and directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, this moving character journey pits Jack Black’s Po against a Gary Oldman’s tortured peacock Shen who continues to do evil because he can’t confront the initial horrors that he committed as a child.

The film unblinkingly deals with heavy issues in a way that’s taken for granted at Pixar, and it tells a terribly sad story in a surprisingly lively fashion, with minimum onscreen bloodshed. There are moments of unexpected emotional power and unexpected grace, as characters (like Dustin Hoffman’s wise but dryly sarcastic teacher and James Hong’s endlessly loving father) we have only begun to know become characters we have grown to love. This is the second film in what is supposed to be a six part saga. Seeing how well the universe is expanded and developed, and seeing exactly where the series plans to go from here (the cliffhanger is a stunning good news/bad news twist), this is the one ongoing franchise that I desperately want to see be continued until its natural end. For being a near-perfect sequel and a near-perfect film, for giving me a new franchise to become truly excited about as Harry Potter and Batman end or head toward their finale, for being the most unexpectedly satisfying cinematic experience of the year, Kung Fu Panda 2 is my favorite film of 2011.

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HollywoodNews.com: Howard Stern will soon be taking on a very new role as he has landed a spot as a judge on ‘America’s Got Talent.’

Stern will be replacing Piers Morgan on the show after he decided to leave, states TMZ. Producers reportedly wanted Stern so badly that they did everything they could to get him despite the Parents Television Council thinking he was an inappropriate choice.

Now, the show will reportedly be moving to New York to work with the rest of Stern’s commitments.

Howie Mandel has already commented about how excited he is for the change: “I couldn’t be happier. As my Mom always says, you can never have enough Howies.”

Do you think Stern is the right choice?

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HollywoodNews.com:The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced today the Television Series nominees that will advance in the voting process for the 23rd Annual Producers Guild Awards.

The television nominees, listed below in alphabetical order, are as follows:

The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy:

“30 Rock” (NBC)
“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
“Glee” (FOX)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“Parks and Recreation” (NBC)

The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama:

“Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
“Dexter” (Showtime)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“The Good Wife” (CBS)
“Mad Men” (AMC)

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment &Talk Television:

“The Colbert Report” (Comedy Central)
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (Syndicated)
“Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
“The 64th Annual Tony Awards” (CBS)

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Competition Television:

“The Amazing Race” (CBS)
“American Idol” (FOX)
“Dancing with the Stars” (ABC)
“Project Runway” (Lifetime)
“Top Chef” (Bravo)

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:

“American Masters” (PBS)
“Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” (Travel Channel)
“Deadliest Catch” (Discovery Channel)
“30 for 30” (ESPN)
“Undercover Boss” (CBS)

Producers Guild arbitrations for individual producer credit determination for all film and television categories are still underway. All other nominations for the 2012 Producers Guild Award categories will be announced January 3, 2012, along with the individual producers.

All 2012 Producers Guild Award winners will be announced on January 21, 2012 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. This year, the Producers Guild will also award special honors to Steven Spielberg, Leslie Moonves, Don Mischer, and Stan Lee, among others. The 2012 Producers Guild Awards co-chairs are Paula Wagner and Michael Manheim.

In 1990 the PGA held the first-ever Golden Laurel Awards, which were renamed the Producers Guild Awards in 2002. Richard Zanuck and Lili Fini Zanuck took home the award for Best Produced Motion Picture for DRIVING MISS DAISY, establishing the Guild’s awards as a bellwether for the Oscars. Last year, the PGA awarded THE KING’S SPEECH with its Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures, marking the fourth consecutive year the Producers Guild has presaged The Academy of Motion Picture’s choice.

To cover the 2012 Producers Guild Awards, a completed press credential application form MUST be received no later than Friday, January 13, 2012 to receive consideration. To request a Producers Guild Awards Credential application, please email Mackenzie.Smith@42West.net. All other PGA and PGA Awards media inquiries should be directed to Kelly Mullens at (310) 477-4442 or KKMullens@42West.net or Brittany Geldmacher at (424) 901-8738 or Brittany.Geldmacher@42West.net.

About the Producers Guild of America
The Producers Guild of America is the non-profit trade group that represents, protects and promotes the interests of all members of the producing team in film, television and new media. The PGA has over 4,750 members who work together to protect and improve their careers, the industry and community by providing members with health benefits, employment opportunities, the creation of fair and impartial standards for the awarding of producing credits, as well as other education and advocacy efforts such as promoting sustainable production practices. Visit www.producersguild.org and www.pgagreen.org for more information.

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By Carlos de Abreu

Hollywoodnews.com: Happy Thanksgiving from Hollywood Film Awards, Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywoodnews.com. We want to thank all of our friends, associates, filmmakers and supporters for their continuous support and hard work. Without you we could not pursue our quest of discovering emerging filmmakers, honoring excellence in the art of filmmaking, and helping others through our “Hollywood Gives Back(r)” initiative.

Special thanks to our sponsors: Starz Entertainment, American Cinema Editors, American Society of Cinematographers, ArcLight Cinemas, Art Director’s Guild, The Casting Society of America, Celebrity Services, Columbia Pictures, Creative Artists Agency, DreamWorks SKG, Entertainment Tonight, Focus Features, Fox Searchlight, Gerry Turnbull, The Hollywood Network, HollywoodNews.com, ICM, ILM, Johnny Crawford Orchestra, Los Angeles Times, Motion Picture Editors Guild, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics, Sony Pictures, Summit Entertainment, Universal Pictures, Variety, Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., The Weinstein Company and YAHOO! Movies, Inc., among others.

“We greatly appreciate all you have done for us through the Hollywood Awards and our “Everybody Can Save a Life!” video contest. Your efforts have saved many lives.” – Paul Dooley, CEO- MatchingDonors.com

“Because of the generosity of The Hollywood Awards, we have just opened our new building at the Academy for Peace and Justice, the first free secondary school serving the very poor in Port-au-Prince… It is because of YOU that we are able to help change the lives of the poorest children of Haiti — children whose names I would love you to get to know, and whose faces I would love you to see.” – Director Paul Haggis for Artists for Peace and Justice.

For a 15th consecutive year, the Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards continue their mandate of bridging the gap between emerging filmmakers and the film industry, as well as recognizing excellence in established Hollywood, both in front and behind the camera.

In addition to celebrating accomplishments on screen, the Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards established the “Hollywood Gives Back(r)” initiative to expand and continue highlighting and assisting important local and national causes. Over the years, the Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards have contributed to such organizations as: The Art of Elysium, Artists For Human Rights; Artists for Peace and Justice; Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; the Enough Project; and the children’s charity Variety SoCal among others.

Further, the Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards selects individuals to be recipients of their “Hollywood Humanitarian Awards (TM)” in recognition of their contribution to the betterment of their communities or society at large. Prior recipients include Nobel Peace Prize winner and President of East Timor, Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta, Nobel Laureate Jody Williams, Father Rick Frechette and actor and activist Sean Penn.

Called the “first mandatory stop in the awards season” by the “New York Times,” the Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony, held respectively at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood, and at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills, honor the brightest talents from some of the year’s best films.

The “Los Angeles Times” recognized the Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony as a “pre-Oscar showcase,” while the laid-back atmosphere in the Beverly Hilton has helped the gala earn the description of “the Oscars without the angst.” (Also from the L.A. Times.). The Gala is a celebration of Hollywood and the art of filmmaking. In the past eight years a total of 73 Oscar nominations and 27 Oscars were given to the honorees of the Hollywood Film Awards.

Founder Carlos de Abreu at the 2011 Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony

This year should be no different. Special honors went to Glenn Close for career achievement; George Clooney, Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer, Carey Mulligan, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Felicity Jones, Berenice Bejo, Jean Dujardin, Elle Fanning, Amber Heard, Andrea Riseborough, Shailene Woodley, Anton Yelchin, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janey, Ahna O’Reilly, Octavia Spencer, Mary Steenburgen, Emma Stone, and Cicely Tyson for acting; Bennett Miller for directing; Michel Hazanavicius for directing; Letty Aronson for producing; Diablo Cody for screenwriting; “Rango,” directed by Gore Verbinski, for animation; Alberto Iglesias for film composing; Emmanuel Lubezki for cinematography; Stephen Mirrione for editing; Scott Farrar (“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”) for visual effects; and James J. Murakami for production design.

Celebrities and Hollywood notables who attended the Hollywood Awards included Chris Albrecht – President and Chief Executive Officer of Starz LLC, Stephan Shelanski – Executive Vice President of Starz Entertainment, Timothy Sean Phillips – head of Yahoo!Movies, Ben Affleck, Craig Brewer, Beau Bridges, Michael Barker, Jerry Bruckheimer, Ted Danson, Drake Doremus, Tom Felton, Paul Haggis, Anne Hathaway, Jonah Hill, Julianne Hough, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Ray Liotta, Ewan McGregor, Penelope Ann Miller, Don Murray, Christoph Waltz, Harvey Weinstein and Owen Wilson, to name a few. The gala awards presentation last October 24 was hosted by Nancy O’Dell of “Entertainment Tonight” and attendees were treated to the music of Johnny Crawford and his Orchestra.

Michelle Williams received the “Hollywood Actress Award” at the Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony

The winners of the festival’s film competition were announced Sunday night, Oct 23, at the “Hollywood Discovery Awards®” Presentation Ceremony at ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood. This year’s winners are: “Dorfman” by Brad Leong – Best Feature Film; “The World of Z” by Brad Besser and Vince Clemente – Best Documentary; and “Clear Blue” by Lindsay MacKay – Best Short Subject.

For complete Oscar and Film Festival coverage, visit our Awards Alley for the latest news items, reviews and interviews all season long.

Photos by Hollywood Film Festival® and Hollywood Film Awards®

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HollywoodNews.com: Piers Morgan is reportedly making some changes and is officially done with his judging role on ‘America’s Got Talent.’

Morgan made the announcement on his CNN talk show, states RadarOnline.com. Morgan admitted that he loved his time on the show, but has struggled to balance it with his talk show.

And, as an election year is coming up, Morgan reportedly wants to focus on his CNN show.

Morgan has been with ‘America’s Got Talent’ since 2006.

Will you miss him from the show?

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