Behind the Lights (Tralas luces)

A Festival Films (in Spain) release of a Tic Tac Producciones, Lagarto Cine, Ukbar Filmes production with the participation of TVG, RTP. (International sales: Tic Tac, A Coruna, Spain.) Produced by Fernanda del Nido, Hugo Castro Fau, Pandora da Cunha Telles. Directed, written by Sandra Sanchez.(Spanish, Galician dialogue)Life is a bumpy ride for the family portrayed in "Behind the Lights," Sandra Sanchez's affecting fly-on-the-wall study of a gypsy woman's struggles to keep things from falling apart. Having spent nine months traveling around fairgrounds with protagonist Lourdes, her family and their bumper cars, Sanchez has edited down 200 hours of footage into an item to be cherished. Striking just the right balance between detachment and intimacy, the docu does full justice to the extraordinary stories hidden inside these unusual lives. "Lights" looks set to shine at fests. Shot in Galicia in northern Spain, the docu began as a document of the disappearing way of life of itinerant owners of fairground attractions. Soon it became a character study of 34-year-old Lourdes, who, when not surrounded by demanding children, is surrounded by men more noted for brawn than brains. The film tracks their lives from fairground to fairground through the good months of summer and the bad months of winter. A complex mix of fragility and resilience, Lourdes was married at 17 to Jose and became a mother at 18. Jose has lost his driver's license, so it's up to Lourdes to motor their 40-ton truck from town to town, struggling to shift through the gears. Jose seems none too pleased to have a camera following him, perhaps because he knows his wife is nonchalantly revealing his failings to camera. The team of workers on the bumper cars includes Rui, who spends a lot of time on his cell phone fending off girls he's met in various towns; burly Felipe, who is filmed happily reading a comicbook of "Beauty and the Beast"; and, most affectingly, Arturo, a silent ghost of a man who joined the family after becoming friends with Jose, and whose terminal illness becomes one of the film's subjects. Lourdes' strongest emotional attachment appears to be with him. By the end, the docu has built up a fair head of emotional steam, largely due to Sanchez's warts-and-all access to the family's private life, which takes "Behind the Lights" far beyond a mere study of the secret life of gypsies. Indeed, during shooting, Sanchez seems to have become practically part of the family, or a protecting eyewitness. "Life should be lived twice," reflects Lourdes. "The second time to avoid mistakes." World-weary and disillusioned, occasionally exploding into rage, she is given plenty of time to express herself here in voiceover musings, enjoying a presumably rare chance to talk to a sympathetic listener. At one point, she says she doesn't feel like a good mother; at another, she says she doesn't care if her kids don't attend school, since by 16 they know everything anyway. But Sanchez makes it pretty clear that being a good mother is tough under such demanding circumstances. Visually, the pic takes its cues from the work of another Spanish femme helmer, Mercedes Alvarez, featuring lengthy, static shots that seem to be the result of Sanchez letting the camera roll and hoping something interesting will happen, which it often does. Strikingly composed images of the fairground at night, or of a child dancing in the rain, combine with handheld footage of seemingly endless moments of crisis. Acho Estol's simple, guitar-based score is pretty and evocative, but overused.Camera (color), Sanchez; editors, Sanchez, Nahum C. Fiuza; music, Acho Estol; sound (Dolby Digital), Claudio Canedo, Diego S. Staub. Reviewed at San Sebastian Film Festival (Zabaltegi New Directors), Sept. 17, 2011. Running time: 112 MIN. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

From Up on Poppy Hill (Kokurikozaka kara)

A Studio Ghibli production. Produced by Toshio Suzuki. Executive producer, Koji Hoshino. Directed by Goro Miyazaki. Screenplay, Hayao Miyazaki, Keiko Niwa, based on the original graphic novel by Chizuru Takahashi, Tetsuro Sayama.Voices: Masami Nagasawa, Junichi Okada, Keiko Takeshita, Yuriko Ishida, Rumi Hiiragi, Jun Fubuki, Takashi Naito, Shunsuke Kazama, Nao Omori, Teruyuki Kagawa.Suggesting all that is lost when people rush to replace the old ways with shiny new alternatives, Studio Ghibli's gorgeously hand-drawn period romance "From Up on Poppy Hill" tells the story of how a young couple intervene in the demolition of a classic building on their school campus. Though relatively successful in its native Japan, this dramatic, somewhat grown-up entry reps a startling break from the fantastical tales for which the toon studio is known -- to the extent that the classically animated tale could have been told via live-action -- which should put a serious pinch on its export prospects. For director Goro Miyazaki, son of celebrated Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki (who co-wrote the screenplay), "Poppy Hill" feels like an about-face after the disappointing debut of "Tales From Earthsea." Where that film lost its way along a sprawling, ambitious sci-fi plot, this one feels small enough to cup in one's hands. Adapted from a vintage manga series by Tetsuro Sayama and Chizuru Takahashi, pic reps a safe, sentimental choice as follow-ups go, trading on the fact that Japanese auds would appreciate a nostalgic, lovingly rendered glimpse of themselves circa 1963, just as the country was reinventing itself for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. A wide-eyed example of the postwar generation, Umi lives with her grandmother on a scenic hill above Yokohama, where she keeps the memory of her war-hero father alive by raising flags for the passing ships each morning. Unknown to her, a boy from Umi's school passes below daily and notices the signal, harboring a secret crush on his shy classmate. But dating is more complicated than the two teens imagine, especially after the boy, Shun, recognizes a photograph of Umi's father in her house -- it matches the only relic he has of his own dad, suggesting the budding sweethearts may in fact be related. When the details of Shun's family history come to light, they reveal the painful traces World War II left on ordinary citizens, a recurring motif in a tale whose central theme concerns the tension between Japan's past and future. At times, the pic's focus feels disappointingly simplistic, as Umi rallies her classmates to save an old French-style mansion the students use as a clubhouse. But the efforts of the young characters' Latin Quarter Anti-Demolition League represents something larger than the fate of the building itself, though the point may well be lost on foreign auds. Breathtaking in their own right, "Poppy Hill's" beautiful vistas and bustling cityscapes reflect the effects of modernization on Japan itself, especially during the students' trip into Tokyo to plead their case directly to the school board's chairman. Whereas Hayao Miyazaki looked upon the country's boat- and pollution-clogged harbors with grim reproach in "Ponyo," father and son alike see them as a symbol of national pride and progress in this context. And yet, "Poppy Hill" argues the need to maintain one's ties to the past, even for a nation shamed, demoralized and eager to erase its recent history. Certainly the young characters cannot move forward without untangling the specifics of their own family histories. The same principle applies to the country as a whole, and it seems somehow fitting that the increasingly antiquated medium of hard-drawn animation would serve to make the point here. The jury's still out on whether Goro Miyazaki can sustain his father's legacy as storyteller, though with its beautiful visuals and songs, "Poppy Hill" finds a deserving, if modest, place among its Studio Ghibli peers.Camera (color), Atsushi Okui; music, Satoshi Takebe; character designer, Katsuya Kondo; sound design, Koji Kasamatsu. Reviewed at Toronto Film Festival (Contemporary World Cinema), Sept. 8, 2011. Running time: 91 MIN. Contact Peter Debruge at peter.debruge@variety.com

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VIDEO: Andy Rooney Signs Removed From an hour

Tonight 92-year-old Andy Rooney made his 1,097th and final regular appearance on an hour. If only I possibly could do that forever, he stated in the final essay entitled My Lucky Existence, by which he thanked his audiences and, in the trademark curmudgeonly style also become a huge hit for them, “If you find me inside a restaurant, please, just allow me to eat my dinner.” This is actually the video:

31 Good reasons to Purchase a Movie Ticket in October

The start of September might have been a little of the drag (remember 'Shark Evening 3D'?), but that does not mean you ought to be concerned about October. Most likely. Hopefully. Nearly 40 films are scheduled for release the following month, including features from Hugh Jackman, Ryan Gosling, George Clooney and Steve Martin. Pretty good! In the event that does not convince you of October's bona fides, don't be concerned: your friendly Moviefone editors have put together a listing of 31 good reasons to purchase a movie ticket in October. Enjoy! 31 Good reasons to Purchase a Movie Ticket October You will find 31 reasons that October might be Rocktober in the box office. These are. Rock 'Em Sock 'Em RobotsGeorge Clooney gives Ryan Gosling his Michael Clayton moment with 'Ides of March'We'll finally understand what this means for that Human Centipede to visit "full sequence"An amount have happened if Butch Cassidy made it? Discover when Mike Shepard kicks ass as an adult Cassidy in 'Blackthorn'President Bartlett around the Large ScreenHarvey Weinstein Will get 'Dirty'Yet another Jessica Chastain performanceIt's been two-and-a-half decades since Peggy Sue attended her 25-year senior high school reunion after which travled in time for you to senior high school in 'Peg'The Large Year' might be your brand-new 'City Slickers'Opportunity to complain noisally regarding your recently discovered great fascination with the initial 'Footloose'/'The Factor'You reach sneak Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins to your screening of 'The Factor'Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman designed a home invasion thriller with Joel SchumacherThere's a brand new Pedro Almodovar movie being released!The 'Catfish' company directors' eerie, "bloody Mary" implanted-undertake 'Paranormal Activity 3'You can load on Mike Adams Octoberfest and attend a screening of 'The Three Musketeers'The now-annual opportunity to get scared with a VHS tapePTA designed a 'Three Musketeers' MovieAfter three full many years of staying away from the topic, you'll finally have the ability to speak semi-smartly concerning the financial crisisYour start looking at 2011 It-Girl -- and possible Best Actress nominee -- Elizabeth OlsenChance to determine for good if Kevin Cruz has talentRemind yourself heavyweight boxing still is available using the Klitschko siblings documentary known as, er, 'Klitschko'Regret not implementing Puppeteer 101 attending college using the Sesame Street documentary, 'Being Elmo'Arguing the question "Who authored Shakespeare's plays?" hasn't been a lot funTo discover when the trailer for 'The Double' really did spoil the whole movieJustin Timberlake's attempts to go all action star upon us in 'In Time'Another opportunity to watch The Actor-brad Pitt embody Hunter S. ThompsonYour start looking at 2011's other It-Girl -- and perhaps Best Actress nominee -- Felicity JonesSee exactly what the relaxation around the globe already lovesA ton of horror movie revival tests over the countryDude, Hershey's Air Delight!It's the films! See All Moviefone Art galleries »

Dancing With The Stars Sends Another Celebrity Home

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The battle for the mirrorball has one less celebrity competing for the glittering prize (SPOILER: This story contains the elimination results from Dancing with the Stars.) Despite landing in the middle of the pack following Monday nights competition with a score of 21 out of 30 for their well-received quickstep Val Chemerkovskiy will not be turning his Italian partner, Elisabetta Canalis, into a dancing stallion. The pair was forced to say arrivederci to the competition on Tuesday. For me, it was a gift every day staying here, really. It was a great adventure, Elisabetta said, offering her thanks to those who voted for the duo. Val, who had hoped to be the first Chmerkovskiy brother to bring home a mirrorball, was hard on himself and apologized to Elisabetta for not taking her further in the competition. Im sorry. I wish I did better for you, he told Elisabetta. But Im very lucky to be here, and I really appreciate the opportunity. Before they left, however, viewers got one more glimpse of Maksim Chmerkovskiys younger brother without his shirt. (His first dance as a competitor on the show in Week 1, began without a shirt). During a pre-taped package for Tuesdays results show, filmed in the style of MTVs Cribs, a shirtless Val, dressed only in a bowtie and boxer briefs, presented Elisabetta with a drink, as she sat next to an inflatable pool at the DWTS rehearsal compound. Elisabetta and Val were in the Bottom 2 alongside David Arquette and Kym Johnson. AH Nation Poll: Did the right pair go home on Dancing with the Stars? Click HERE to vote Chaz Bono and Lacey Schwimmer were the third and final group left until the end of the show to hear their fate, however, they were not singled out as having received the lowest judges score, plus viewer votes, unlike the other two pairs. The viewers clearly pushed Chaz and Lacey through as the judges penalized the pair for their slow quickstep on Monday, a result of the activists right-side ankle and knee injuries. There is a likeability about you, Chaz, Bruno Tonioli said on Monday, as the pair earned the lowest score of the night 17/30. It was like watching a little Ewok dance with Princess Leia. Its cute and its lovely, the problem is the quickstep has to be fast. The contestant told Brooke Burke Charvet on Tuesday that his injuries were less painful. Im feeling better today, just having the day off and icing [it], he said. Dancing with the Stars returns for Week 3 on Monday at 8/7 C on ABC. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Its Official: Comedy Save Me Can get Cast-Contingent Pilot Order At NBC

NBC Will get near Cast-Contingent Pilot Order To John Scott Shepherd/Neal Moritz Comedy NBC has closed the sale for just about any cast-contingent, off-cycle pilot order to comedy Save Me. The only real-camera project arises from author John Scott Shepherd, The brand new the new sony Pictures TV and Neal Moritzs studio-based Original Films. Save Me concentrates on a girl who, after an accident, starts to consider they is pointing God. The project was initially created by NBC’s mind of comedy Tal Rabinowitz while she was SVP comedy in the new the new sony TV. Save Me was setup at Showtime much like current NBC entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt was departing the pay cable network last summer season. Shepherd is executive creating with Original Films Moritz and Vivian Cannon additionally to Scott Winant (Californication). Save Me reunites many key auspices who labored together round the Showtime comedy series The Big C, including Greenblatt, who developed and greenlighted the series at Showtime Rabinowtz, who developed it in the new the new sony TV additionally towards the new the new sony and Original Film, which are creating the dark comedy starring Laura Linney.

Nina Dobrev States She Experienced Concussion on Vampire Journals Set

Glee, Matthew Morrison He functions, he sings, he dances and today he'll direct. Matthew Morrison will direct an approaching episode of Glee, Entertainment Weekly reviews. Fall Preview: Get scoop in your favorite coming back shows Morrison, 32, told the crowd in a special acoustic set at Los Angeles' Grammy Museum on Saturday he would step behind your camera for that eighth episode of Season 3. The episode is placed to air in November. A show repetition couldn't immediately be arrived at for comment. Are you currently excited to determine Morrison's episode?