George Michael Launched From Hospital: "I am Lucky to become Alive"

George Michael George Michael was launched from an Austrian hospital Thursday after fighting pneumonia for over a month. "I am very weak however i feel amazing," the 48-year-old "Belief" singer told reporters on Friday outdoors his home, based on the Daily Mirror. "I am lucky to become alive." Take a look at photos of George Michael Speaking to reporters, Michael known as his medical ordeal "undoubtedly the worst month of my existence" and held back tears as he thanked doctors to keep him alive. "I'd say it had been touch and go for a few days," he stated. "We performed it lower because I did not wish to worry my fans an excessive amount of - I apologize I could not contact them prior to this however i wasn't in almost any condition to do this.Inch Michael first experienced health issues at the end of October as he needed to cancel a London date of his Symphonica tour because of a viral infection. On November. 21, he was accepted to some Vienna hospital after worrying of chest pains. It had been later confirmed that Michael had pneumonia and is at a rigorous care unit until 12 ,. 1. On Friday, Michael revealed he'd were built with a tracheotomy (an cut in the neck to spread out his airways) throughout his hospitalization. Watch music videos of George Michael "The very fact I have been so lucky cheap I have plenty to reside for - I've this unique, amazing existence and when I wasn't spiritual enough prior to the last 4 or 5 days i quickly certainly am now," he stated. "I must think that somebody thinks I have still got a bit of try to do here." Michael stated he plans to carry out a concert for that doctors in Austria who saved his existence, as well as intends to resume his Symphonica tour, that was formally canceled once Michael was put in the hospital. "I truly from the foot of my heart thank everybody for delivering messages, and everybody for the reason that ICU unit who saved my existence," he stated. "I am a new guy."

'Muslim' TV rankings dive among media craze

"All-American Muslim" might be disproving the old saying about bad publicity. Even though TLC series filled the head lines all a week ago after protests exploded within the withdrawal of marketers including home-improvement chain Lowe's, Sunday's episode really experienced a substantial rankings decrease. The 12 ,. 18 episode dropped over 30% versus the prior week's episode, which registered 900,000 total audiences. And rankings for that 12 ,. 11 episode itself might have achieved positive results from elevated visibility for "Muslim" because of the debate was beginning to collect steam, particularly on Twitter, a few days earlier, though did not truly explode in to the mainstream press the next week. Yesteryear two instances of "Muslim" are trending beneath the season average for that series, that is over a million total audiences. The series, an unscripted take a look at several Muslim-American families residing in Dearborn, Mich., released November. 13 to at least one.7 million. "Muslim" vaulted to the national stage earlier this year when Lowe's confirmed it yanked advertisements in the series after being approached by Florida Family Assoc., a business that belittled the series to be "propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda's obvious and offer danger to American protections and traditional values." Though Lowe's clarified that it is decision wasn't motivated by anyone group, the organization was inundated by complaints that leaking over from social networking to the stores, where picketers put together in metropolitan areas including Detroit and Brooklyn, N.Y. Choose political figures and celebs also have became a member of the chorus of protesters. Kayak.com, another marketer around the series that withdrew its advertisements, released your blog publish around the company's site recommending the cable network, possessed by Discovery Communications, was searching to milk publicity for "Muslim" in the debate. "Sadly, TLC has become taking pleasure in the interest out of this debate," authored Kayak chief marketing officer Robert Birge within the publish. The "Muslim" rankings recession is certain to go into the ongoing debate over whether social networking has any effect on TV rankings. While developers are investing growing assets to spreading the word for his or her shows on Facebook, studies have offered mixed messages whether there's a link between online chatter and viewing habits. It is possible that "Muslim" was impacted by the periodic lag that impacts many shows this time around of the year TLC's entire Sunday primetime schedule saw its rankings soften, based on a speaker. "Muslim" did really hold relatively steady within the 18-49 demo, ticking lower from .41 to .4 week over week. TLC has yet to point whether "Muslim," that was an eight-episode order, is going to be restored for an additional season. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

Large preem 'Protocol'

Andre Nemec and J.J. Abrams flank Josh Appelbaum. Kaira Bird, Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner and Anil Kapoor spend a evening within the museum. Imax's Richard Gelfond and Viacom's Philippe Dauman Casting director April Webster and Skydance's David Ellison Paula Patton with Full Latifah Simon Pegg, Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader party at MoMA. Appropriate for any film that dangles Tom Cruise within the world's greatest building, Paramount's "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol" preem on Monday may have boasted the finest red-colored-colored-carpet plastic tent ever. The Versailles-sized behemoth outdoors the Ziegfeld extended in to a lane on West 54th Street to include three rows of bleachers for fans -- so that they might be situated opposite the press. Cruise, as they are now his tradition, posed for photos with people worshippers and signed each of their poster sheets.The Kaira Bird-directed thriller began only 75 minutes late, a multi-tiered buffet party at nearby MoMA. Round the red-colored-colored carpet, the pic's team people mused on their own personal missions impossible:"Just making movies, it's a dream be realized, something I i i never thought I'd achieve do," Cruise mentioned. "I don't think anything's impossible," Jeremy Renner mentioned. "You'll find items that take effort and time to deal with, like the amazing chance that's come my way. But it's fun.""Which makes it through this film," Bird mentioned."This red-colored-colored carpet, to some extent,Inch Simon Pegg mentioned. "The press tour remains immense.""Mowing and trimming the lawn,Inch Michael Nyqvist mentioned. "Once i had been 6, Cleaning it once a for quite some time -- that was in Stockholm." Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

'The Tree of Life' Wins Three San Francisco Critics Awards, Including Best Picture

A concert featuring hitmakers Bush, Sublime, Social Distortion, 311, and Blink 182 sounds like a dream bill -- for 1999. But that was the topline on night one of this year's KROQ Acoustic Christmas, held at its regular home Gibson Amphitheater at Universal. A stark contrast to the 22-year-old fest's usual standard of lining up talent that's representative of the cutting edge of rock, it was also a somewhat depressing reminder of the aging demographic that actually still listens to rock music, with many in the audience downing large amounts of nostalgia along with their Bud Lights.our editor recommendsSee a Little Light: A Celebration of the Music and Legacy of Bob Mould: Concert ReviewMetallica India Concert Cancellation Leads To Chaos as Fans Trash Stage (Video)The Big 4: Concert Review The outlook's not enitrely cynical: many of these bands have major current hits and could handily sell out a show of their own at a similarly sized (or bigger) venue, an arbiter of strength that gave the show a once-in-a-lifetime (or, at least, every couple decades) feel. For what it's worth, the second night's lineup, scheduled for this evening, skews far more current, with major artists like The Black Keys and Florence and the Machine playing alongside retro-faves Jane's Addiction, signaling that all is not lost for those who choose a guitar over a turntable or drum machine. STORY:Outside Lands: A Rock Festival Fit For Foodies Still, by far the biggest thrills of this first night came in the form of singalongs to songs that are old enough to drive. "Glycerine," Bush's 1994 hit, found still-youthful-looking frontman Gavin Rossdale soaked to the bone with water and sweat (mostly culled from a marathon crowd-run a few songs earlier), leading the audience in a crescendo that erupted when he was joined by the rest of his band for a few headbanging bars at the song's climax. "Smoke Two Joints," Sublime With Rome's opening ska-rocker, was accompanied by the sound of hundreds of lighters getting to work, just as it would have been had the band been arena-sized when they recorded it, in 1992 (the band was a last-minute replacement for Incubus, who backed out due to a member's illness). And headliner Blink-182 bounced through near-oldies like "Rock Show," "What's My Age Again," and "Dammit (Growing Up)" as well as recent hits like the smarter-than-you'd-think "Up All Night," pogoing and making sex jokes that keep them perpetually in their early '20s, despite forehead-wrinkles that would suggest otherwise. A few of the bands worked at least a bit of holiday cheer into their sets: Blink played not just one but two Christmas-themed songs ("Happy Holidays, You Bastard" and the written-for-KROQ rarity "I Won't Be Home For Christmas"), and workhorse punk stalwarts Social Distortion claimed they were going to break into a Christmas jam, before covering "Ring of Fire" to close their set. But major points are due to openers New Found Glory, the only band to embrace the "acoustic" part of "Acoustic Christmas," via a fine singalong of "Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire." Elsewhere on the bill, the chuff-rock of Chevelle and 311's approachable reggae rock came off as somewhat pose-y, despite each band's energetic push to prove otherwise. The only newcomers on the bill, Irvine's Young The Giant, brought indie-rock to the caravan, but outside of their two hits, "Cough Syrup" and "My Body," the band's intricate arrangements and vocals were enitirely lost on an audience antsy for the youngsters to finish up so that they could get busy reliving their own youth. Photo by Jeff Kravitz,InsideCelebPics.com PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Dollars After Death: 12 Albums That Got Big Posthumous Sales Boosts

Movie Moguls Spoken, Joked, Mused About Academy awards At Due dates The Challengers Event

I wished there'd be fistfights. Or at best a chair tossed or two. “I attempted but nobody desired to rumble,” Jeffrey Katzenberg explained later. Rather,Shaun Robinov,Tom Rothman, Take advantage of Moore, Stacey Snider, Harvey Weinstein, Take advantage of Friedman, and Katzenbergdemonstrated amazing restraint because they spoken, joked, and mused concerning the Academy awards process today. Everybody was ribbing everybody, along with a couple of zingers arrived too.There have been a lot of studio bigwigs at the very first day ofDeadline Hollywood’s two-day‘The Challengers’ event (which continuesSunday at 10 AM with still more moguls) thatit grew to become a running joke. Deadline Honours Writer Pete Hammond opened up in the 2 PM ‘Moguls Panel’ by saying, “This type of event hasn't been held before. It becomes clear that, if your explosive device dropped in here, Amy Pascal would own Hollywood.” (The The new sony Pictures chairmancouldn’t attend.) Another studio chiefs originated from hither and yon toattend ‘The Challengers’, and also the packed crowdwas clearly appreciative.”Just sayin’it doesn’t have any much better than that.So rare during these occasions to possess as august an organization get together and discuss,” among the participants e-mailed me later on.That’s why our venue, theLandmark Theatre, drawn out all of the stops, even reupholstering the seats awaiting the Academy Of Movement Picture Arts & Sciencesvoters and choose Hollywood Guild people who’d sit inside them.Should you attended today’s presentations, leave a comment and tell ushow it went. More particulars about ‘The Challengers’ a few days ago. In a few days we’ll be posting the uneditedvideo from the ‘Mogul’s Panel’which was moderated by Hammond and Deadline Film editor/NY Editor Mike Fleming. Here’s a few of the studio chiefs𔃻 1/2-hour-lengthy discussion: DEADLINE: “This is among the most available Oscars seasons. Does which make you more prone to launch a hostile campaign?” TOM ROTHMAN, Chairman/Boss Fox Shot Entertainment: “Yeah, you will find there's large amount of picturesbetween the studio and FoxSearchlight.But I'm a contrarian relating to this. I believe the entire perception of a race and spendingis greatly exaggerated. I believe voters know what they need to election at least theyve seen the films. Our responsibility is to buy these to begin to see the movies. To succeed positions to allow them to consider. Ultimately the Academy is gong to determine.And i believe as opposed to what's frequently stated,ultimately It comes lower towards the movies. Because it should.” DEADLINE: “Can a hostile Oscar”campaign hurt?” ROTHMAN: “Well, I have no idea, I suppose theres some truth into it. I guess it is dependent on which you mean by campaign. Academy Award those who win sometimes obtain a momentum due to a specific performance, and often for period of career and everything that's been done. Look lately at Paul Newman. You will possibly not say [1986'sThe Colour Of Money] washis best performance. But he won for his great body of nominations andwork.I dont think, standing on the stump as they say, much more the privacy from the voting booth that is their family room it always is important.” Shaun ROBINOV, Leader OF WARNER BROS: “Id say Mr. Weinstein proves him wrong each year.” HARVEY WEINSTEIN, CO-CHAIRMAN THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY: “That may be the only factor that counts, so Tom and To be sure a lot more than you believe.” ROTHMAN: “You have just observed an historic moment.” WEINSTEIN: “Ive stated mtss is a 1000 occasions. The most crucial job gets voters to determine the film. When they dont begin to see the movie, they wont election.” DEADLINE: “But it’s less good to determine these movies on the small screen via screeners.” ROTHMAN: “Its challenging these to see movies around the giant screen. Planet From The Apes isn't as good on the small screen.Alsothe other factor I believe 's time. It’s hard due to the crush of films that are available in in the finish. Voterstry to become responsible, but sometimes they’re seeing multiple movies [in a single day]. To be sure with Harvey completelyon the necessity to see films within the theater because they were intended.” KATZENBERG: “We could finish track of a equine against an ape this season.” DEADLINE: “Isn’t that particularly true of three dimensional films?” JEFFREY KATZENBERG, Boss DREAMWORKS ANIMATIONS: “Yeah, simply to kind of cut towards the chase about this, we spend four years and $150 million on attempting to make a great experience of the cinema. And employ tools one of these is three dimensional. Therefore we be satisfied with the truth that several lots of people won't ever view it by doing this.” DEADLINE: “Is it better to release anOscar contender earlier around and obtain out early such as the Hurt Locker did in June?” Take advantage of FRIEDMAN, CO-CHAIRMAN/Boss SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT: “I think what everybodys saying is it’s vital to find the movies seen. Within this situation getting the film in June gave additional time to construct critical and audience response.” DEADLINE: “How did The Hurt Lockermanage to compete since its revenue cycle was over when large Avatar arrived on the scene?” FRIEDMAN: “By the way in which, Used to do offer Tom [Rothman] and Jim [Gianopulos] the sale to trade revenue streams.” ROTHMAN: “We considered it.” FRIEDMAN: “Actually we'd not completed our revenue cycle. It wasn't on DVD yet. It carried out massively in individuals revenue conditions. We understood that any type of Middle East/Iraq film was challenging at best. It found its level theatrically, but was enormous in your home market.” DEADLINE: “Tom, would you've been pleased to forget honours for Avatar as lengthy as couldcount the cash?’ ROTHMAN: “I guess the technical response to that might be fuck, yes. [Large LAUGH] Yes, i was disappointed to get rid of. I believe Robbie and that i found ourselves awaiting our cars through the heater that evening, and that i congratulated him mightily. However I made my career being honest, and when I stated I wasnt extremely disappointed it might be an understatement. It is really a prevalent problem thathappens. David and Goliath is an extremely good narrative. You can easily root for that little guy.I realize that psychologically.Fox Searchlight’s Slumdog Uniform was small , won. The Academy giveth, and also the Academy taketh away. We'd a great year with Fox Searchlight’s Black Swan and finest Actress before. Individuals unexpected things happen. I actually do think, basically jump on my bully pulpit for any couple of seconds, thatsometimes I believe the craftsmanship and artistry with what is regarded as commercial cinema isn't necessarily given its proper place.Hurt Locker was ultimately thought the greater film that year, which i understand. However when you look lower groups, sometimes I believe that other crafts get taken along.I had been surprised and that i would also say disappointed that thehard-working creative folks on Avatar weren't recognized.” DEADLINE: “Which other of the films were unfairly overlooked through the years?” ROBINOV: “I think the standard of Harry Potter films continues to be somewhat reduced. Particularly the 4g iphone. It feels as though the kind of movie that typically would receive some Oscar attention. Also Beginning would be a very bold movie, yet it wasn't compensated for risk-taking, I actually do think there's some prejudice against Hollywood and also the assets it has. Nice whenever a movie like Titanic really will get what it really warrants.” DEADLINE: “How difficult could it be getting several film in serious contention.” STACEY SNIDER, PARTNER, CO-CHAIRMAN, AND Boss DREAMWORKS Galleries: “We deeply love both movies, The Assistance and War Equine, and you will find commonalities to each of them. What we should centered on was getting audiences to determine each of the films. The Assistance had a comprehensive word-of-mouth campaign all summer time to construct enotion round the movie. It had been left to audiences to remark on these remarkable performances. The film has had with an honours-worthy patina. With War Equine, we’re getting audiences to determine it especially on thebig screen. It brought us this time around around to something never done before: to screen it broadly to regular audiences and allow them to view it using their hearts.” ROTHMAN: “Movies are just like children, and my mother treated all of her children such as the favorite. In order to’t pick onefilm over another to favor.” KATZENBERG: Im calling a technical. You arent designed to invoke your mother or father until following the nominations. DEADLINE: “Do Academy awards matter towards the box office from the large studio movies? ROBINOV: “Every time weve gone to make an Academy movie, its unsuccessful.” Take advantage of MOORE, VICE CHAIRMAN Vital: “I think that which you find at this time around of the year is, the films that will get this recognition, they get noticed with filmgoers. The greatest bits of this really is movies that you might not have the ability to sell in thirty seconds but have great performances. While you start getting attention in the Academy, people begin to say, ‘Thats a film which i should see.’ It’s simple to sell large effects films. However when you possess a film in regards to a girl returning to steal her married ex-boyfriend from his pregnant wife [Youthful Adult], thats harder to express to a person in thirty seconds.” KATZENBERG: “Its tough to state that in 2 hrs.Harvey may be the wisest among us. He makes use of the honours seasons to promote his movies. He makes use of all this competition, and that he makes money.” WEINSTEIN: “Not that we obtain to create some good movies and inspire other galleries to invest in some good movies rather than a few of the movies that galleries sometimes do. [Plenty of laughs].Harry Potter is really a seminal franchise. Im likely to accept Shaun: that franchise isn't obtaining the respect it should. A whole generation was raised into individuals films. For that youthful generation, it had been a seminal experiencesaying goodbye to some franchise. [Harry Potter And Also The Deathly Hallows Part 2] is just like any movie thats in competiton this season.” DEADLINE: “You all defendthe concept that studio filmmaking is not bad just since it is large budget and will get large promotion.” ROTHMAN: “Jeffrey, as sharp because he always is, put his finger around the essential dynamic.There's a split nowadays in this movie business, which split has reduced, and i believe oversimplified. It's more related to the technique of promoting the films compared to the films themselves. Audiencesjust dont care exactly what a movie costs. They are concerned the way it means they are feel. However they do react to how its given to them. So large commercial movies that could venture out high, wide and handsome with millions in TV advertising, I believe its fair to express that honours for films like this are validation.” SNIDER: “I think the little/large, independent/studio comparision is really a factor of history. Galleries may bring like to storytelling and focus on quality, however they shouldn't be punished since they're availing themselves of large marketing budgets.” ROTHMAN: “All I had been saying is, within the existence cycle of the picture, the need for very good differs.” DEADLINE: “Is the Oscar season too lengthy?” KATZENBERG: “I think beginning the coming year on Martin Luther King weekend,January14th orwhatever it's, on that weekend everyone will get their evening. The very first evening we've the Golden Globes. The following evening another honours. Completely with the week. Everyone will get their evening. The whole honours season is going to be 9 days lengthy. Well get it done together within this theater. [Large LAUGHS]The reply is yes, without a doubt. For many movies that's an enormous help to them. They require that point, need that taking care of. The extension of the four several weeks enables the flicks to appear. However I believe that the numerous honours, the lengthy season, has managed to get anticlimactic. For me personally, I've found that deeply disturbing. It's lost its patina. Oscars would be the defacto standard. I’m afraid it will not be as vital to my boy because it ended up being to me.” DEADLINE: “Do you've got a seminal Oscar moment? KATZENBERG: “On another hands, the one thing for me personally, you request will we have memorable moments, I know after i showed up here after i was 24 years of age from NY, I greatly keep in mind that the only most inspiring factor for any youthful PA is you might have some connection to something worth the Oscars.” WEINSTEIN: “When Rain Guy wonon Oscars evening I had been awaiting my vehicle with this film’s producer Mark Manley. Also it required 2 hrs for Mark to obtain his vehicle, and a 1/2 hrs that i can get my vehicle. It had been an excellent equalizer.And tomorrow well be telling Attacking Young Boys, ‘Do you need to look at this script?’”

Dark Knight Rises Preview Revealed; Chris Nolan Swears This Is His Last Batman Film

Warner Bros and director Christopher Nolan revealed the six-minute prologue of their summer blockbuster-in-waiting The Dark Knight Rises, plus acouple ofminutes of random teaser trailer-type stuff, at a special press screeningThursday night at the Universal CityWalk IMAX theater. With this being the most anticipated fanboy flick of 2012 — and the last Batman film from Nolan and star Christian Bale, the director told me later in the evening — there was a good turnout of that group to check it all out. Although brief, it seemed to play well. One geek fanboy told me he was “overwhelmed” with anticipation, and the footagelived upto it. No, Batman wasn’t in the prologue, which revolved around some sort of heist on a small plane and attempted getaway by the franchise’s new “masked”villain Bane(played by Tom Hardy) and some cronies. Warners, trying to maintain some secrecy around the project,asked the press not to give away too much minutedetail, butthe public will get to see this starting December 21 when it will play in select IMAX theaters in front of Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol. Nolan also showed the samefootage to a VIP group of filmmakers earlier in the evening in an effort to show off his experience in IMAX. The Dark Knight Rises opens July 20. At the reception following the presentation, which was introduced by Nolan as basically an endorsement of the whole IMAX experience, I reminded him of a similar IMAXouting he and Warners did four years ago when theyhad a super-early event like this to reveal the first six minutes of The Dark Knight — the first chance anyone had to see Heath Ledger’s Joker. Of course, Ledgerwent on to win a posthumous Academy Award. Will Hardy’s introduction as the evil terrorist leader Bane spark similar talk? Probablynot.For some reason, looking at him with that mask I kept thinking ofDennis Hopper in Blue Velvet, and it wasn’t always easy to understand him. But from the pulse-pounding in-flightfootage shown, it is hard to tell where the character goes from here,and Nolan admits he barely is into editing the film right now for its July release. There were also some intriguing, if fleeting, shots shown of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, but nothing substantial. Nolan said he is very happy with the results of the shoot mainly because it gives him a great opportunity to work with such remarkable colleagues in front of and behind the scenes. Nolan told me he basically wanted to do this kind of promoevent again to show off the magic of IMAX and what it can look like when you shoot in that format, as he did with several sequences in The Dark Knight. The idea of seeing an optimum experience on a bigtheater screen is key for the director, and this promotional kickoff is one way to emphasize the glory of it all. In other words, try not to watch this movie on your iPads, kids. I asked Nolan about Bale’s recent remarks that this film will be his last as the Caped Crusader. Nolan echoed that and said it would definitely be his last, as well. “Christian and I sat down and agreed there was still an exciting place to take this story and then move on to different things,” he told me about the reason he took this one on and why it is the absolute last one for him and Bale. I recall Nolan saying similar things after previewing footage from The Dark Knight, but this time he clearly means it. Even though itreceived a couple of Oscars in 2008 and won Nolan a DGA nomination, The Dark Knight (2008′s top grosser)failed to crack the Best Picture race, and that omission was widely regarded as the catalyst for the move to 10 nominees in the category the next year. Nolan’s Inception wonfour 2010 Oscars and did get him his first Best Pic nomination, but again, despite another DGA nom, he was overlooked by the Academy’s directors branch. Still, that hasn’t soured him on this awards season. Hesaid he loves this time of year and wanted to talk Oscar contenders with me. His favorite?Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, which starsGary Oldman, who has played Jim Gordon in all three of Nolan’s Batman movies. When I mentioned Oldman had never been nominated for an Oscar, Nolan was shocked and said, “hopefully that will change this year.It should. The movie is great and so is Gary.”

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol: Film Review

It may not be The Incredibles, but there is some fairly incredible stuff to be found in Mission: Impossible -Ghost Protocol, animation ace Brad Bird's first live-action film and a good continuation of the now-16-year-old series. The impact of spectacular action on striking international locales is moderated somewhat by the repetitive nature of the challenges faced by this rebooted team of American agents trying to thwart a villain who believes that a nuclear winter would be in the natural order of things. With Tom Cruise in top form here and IMAX presentation enhancing some of the key sequences, this Paramount release should add substantially to the grand total of a franchise that has hauled in $1.4 billion to date.our editor recommends'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' Dubai Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals'Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol' Dubai Premiere Delayed Two Hours, But Worth the Wait'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' Full Trailer Debuts (Video)Why Tom Cruise Still Matters in the Film Industry (Analysis) PHOTOS: 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' Dubai Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals At least two different constituencies will be curious about this fourth installment of a series which, if not taken to heart by the masses on the level of Bond, Harry Potter or even Indiana Jones, has reliably supplied enough lavish, high-voltage excitement to keep international audiences coming back for more about twice a decade. First will be the mainstream action and Cruise fans, who will get their money's worth from the eye-popping set pieces staged in Moscow, Dubai (with the star dangling from and traversing the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building) and Mumbai, for starters. Then there are those who will be curious about how Bird, the force behind three superb, unusually smart animated features, Iron Giant, The Incredibles and Ratatouille, fares behind the camera of a big live-action feature. Given the demands of working within a strict and narrowly defined format that encourages imagination but allows for little deviation, he's done a fine job, perhaps nowhere better than in the first protracted set piece. Accomplished with very little dialogue and unexpected humor under the circumstances, it's an escape from a Russian prison by Cruise's Ethan Hunt (first seen throwing a ball against a wall, in likely homage to Steve McQueen in The Great Escape) orchestrated electronically from the outside by the one other holdover from the last film's team, Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg). Conceived entirely visually, the sequence boasts perfect timing, framing and movement, with some brutal action offset by the inspired musical overlay of Dean Martin singing "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" and the general perspective of not really understanding what's going on, as Ethan and a Russian cohort outmaneuver the authorities and other prisoners to make the break. Q&A: 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol 's' Anil Kapoor on Balancing Bollywood and Hollywood Another tense but, for contrast, quiet scene quickly follows, in which disguised Ethan and Benji must do no less than penetrate the innermost sanctum of the Kremlin to retrieve the file Kurt Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist), who they know is getting very close to being able to trigger a nuclear holocaust that would oblige the world to start over again from scratch. The moment they get out, a huge explosion blows up an entire corner of the edifice. Ethan's boss (an unbilled Tom Wilkinson) shortly informs him that, as the incident will eventually be blamed on the United States, the president has declared "ghost protocol," meaning that the IMF team, which also includes tough babe Jane Carter (Paula Patton) and will soon add agent William Brandt (Jeremy Renner), is being disowned and hung out to dry. Which is exactly where Ethan finds himself at his next stop, clinging with suction gloves to the windows 123 floors up on the Burj Khalifa, which, approached from a desert road, is first seen rising like Oz on the horizon. For no doubt excellent reasons, this is the spot where the team hopes to nail Hendricks and, in the bargain, a crafty and sexy assassin (Lea Seydoux) Jane gets to fight hand-to-hand. Ethan spends quite a bit of time making like Spider-Man on the side of the building and much has been made of how Cruise insisted upon doing this himself. It's riveting, with some shots shortening the breath and likely to induce vertigo in the susceptible. But a question arises: Since CGI has now become so convincing that it's often impossible to know if what's onscreen is real or artificial (as the Kremlin exterior during and after the explosion obviously is), how necessary was it for Cruise to actually get outside more than a thousand feet up? Are there, in fact, some computer-generated images mixed into this fine, thoroughly concocted sequence? VIDEO: Tom Cruise Defies Gravity in 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' Clip By this time, and as the action moves along to India, the patterns in the script by veteran Alias writers Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec become all to familiar, as Ethan sets the objectives and does the lion's share of the heavy lifting, Jane and William do their things and Benji races his fingers over his keyboard and amongst ridiculously complicated wiring systems so as to break into the most impenetrable computer files within seconds. At a lavish Mumbai bash, Jane does get to go glam in order to distract a local gazillionaire (Anil Kapoor, from Slumdog Millionaire), but the main action here is Ethan battling Hendricks for a crucial metal briefcase in a high rise car park, with elevators and cars rising up and down creating an ever-changing set of levels and opportunities. Mild encroaching signs of physical maturity are becoming to Cruise (he'll turn 50 next year), who's obviously in great shape but doesn't strut and preen at all in this film. He's quite appealing, in fact, without asking to be admired or liked. While continuing to be able to do films like this, he might be on the verge of entering a new phase of his career by taking on some quite different sorts of roles. VIDEO: 'Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol': New Clip Features Girl Fight Between Paula Patton, Lea Seydoux As for Renner's character, he starts as a suit-and-tie functionary. But it turns out he and Ethan have a history, one that comes home to roost at the end but doesn't open up as much personal exchange between the two or ultimate meaning as might have been. Renner's potential for danger, intensity and violence, so evident in The Hurt Locker and The Town, goes largely untapped, which is a shame in that there are momentary hints he and Cruise could have cooked with some material tailored to their strengths. Pegg and Patton are fine as far as they go but just a couple of personal shadings should not have been out of the question even in a film as straight-ahead and streamlined as this. Unquestionably, the film moves like crazy but could have used some variations of rhythm and some different moves in the second half, especially as the Mumbai material is not as impressive or enticing as what went on at points west. Technically, the film is immaculate, with incredible photographic clarity, at least as presented in IMAX (full top-to-bottom images account for a reported 27 minutes of the running time). Michael Giacchino's active, imaginative, nearly ever-present score nicely incorporates Lalo Schifrin's original TV theme, as the previous films also did. Venue: Dubai Film Festival Opens: December 16 (IMAX), 21 (wide) (Paramount) Production: Paramount, Skydance Pictures, Tom Cruise, Bad Robot Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michel Nyqvist, Vladimir Mashkov, Josh Holloway, Anil Kapoor, Lea Seydoux Director: Brad Bird Screenwriters: Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, based on the television series created by Bruce Geller Producers: Tom Cruise, J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk Executive producers: Jeffrey chernov, David Ellison, Paul Schwake, Dana Goldberg Director of photography: Robert Elswit Production designer: Jim Bissell Costume designer: Michael Kaplan Visual effects supervisor: John Knoll Editor: Paul Hirsch Music: Michael Giacchino PG-13 rating, 133 minutes PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' Dubai Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals Jeremy Renner Paula Patton Tom Cruise Paramount Pictures Brad Bird Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Kanye West Tops Grammy Nominations

Kayne West Kanye West led the field with seven Grammy nominations, including Song of the Year and Best Rap Performance, as the Recording Academy announced the nominees with a live, music-filled special Wednesday night. NCIS: Los Angeles star (and Grammy winner) LL Cool J hosted the celebration for a fourth time. Following West in nominations were Adele, Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars with six apiece. Lil Wayne and Skrillex each received five nods.Check out the rest of today's news Highlights from CBS' The Grammy Nominations Concert Live! - Countdown to Music's Biggest Night included performances from Lady Gaga, Jason Aldean, Rihanna (via satellite from London), Ludacris, The Band Perry and Sugarland joining Lady Gaga. Usher, joined by Valerie Simpson and Mike Stoller, also performed a moving tribute to two of the industry's most beloved songwriting teams: Ashford & Simpson and Lieber & Stoller. Both Nick Ashford and Jerry Lieber died earlier this year. Common, Grandmaster Flash, Lupe Fiasco and LL Cool J also rocked it old school with "The Message." Among the nominees in the general categories announced on air: Album of the Year: 21, Adele Wasting Light, Foo Fighters Born This Way, Lady Gaga Doo-Wops & Hooligans, Bruno Mars Loud, Rihanna Record of the Year: "Rolling in the Deep," Adele "Holocene," Bon Iver "Grenade," Bruno Mars "The Cave," Mumford & Sons "Firework," Katy Perry Song of the Year: "All of the Lights," Kanye West, et al "The Cave," Mumford & Sons "Grenade," Bruno Mars "Holocene," Bon Iver "Rolling in the Deep," Adele Best New Artist: The Band Perry Bon Iver J. Cole Nicki Minaj Skrillex For a full list of nominees, check out the Grammys website. The 54th annual Grammy Awards ceremony will air live on Sunday, Feb. 12 (8/7c) on CBS.