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'Appropriate Adult' Wins Big at BAFTA TV Awards

Lucas Shaw — Mon, 28 May 2012 00:24:04 +0000

"Appropriate Adult," an ITV miniseries about serial killer Fred West, took home three of the top four acting prizes at Sunday's BAFTA TV awards, edging out nominees from "Sherlock" and "Downton Abbey."

Forget 'Patton' - Here Are 6 Underrated War Movies to Watch on Memorial Day

Brent Lang — Sun, 27 May 2012 22:35:48 +0000

This Memorial Day, you don't have to watch, again, as George C. Scott address the troops beneath a massive American flag or quote along as Robert Duvall rants about the smell of napalm in the morning.

Here are six films that belong among the most compelling and emotionally involving cinematic portraits of war.

JARHEAD

'The Dark Knight Rises' Teases Audiences with Kinky Catwoman Poster

Brent Lang — Sun, 27 May 2012 21:45:49 +0000

It looks like Catwoman wants to stamp out Batman in "The Dark Knight Rises" with a stiletto and a kiss.

A new poster for Christopher Nolan's upcoming superhero sequel contains a provocative, slightly kinky nod to the tortured relationship between the notorious cat burglar and the caped crusader.

Based on trailers for "The Dark Knight Rises," Anne Hathaway's Catwoman is a person of conflicting loyalties and seems to be both friend and foe to Bruce Wayne and his costumed alter-ego.

Cannes 2012: Michael Haneke's 'Amour' Wins Palme d'Or

Steve Pond — Sun, 27 May 2012 23:19:54 +0000

Michael Haneke's quiet and emotional "Amour" has won the Palme d'Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, the Cannes jury announced on Sunday.

A favorite of Cannes viewers from the moment it debuted at the festival a week ago, "Amour" was considered one of the favorites for the Palme. Haneke won in 2009 for his previous film, "The White Ribbon"; this victory makes Haneke only the second director to win the top Cannes award for back-to-back films.

'Men in Black 3' Powers to $202M at Worldwide Box Office

Todd Cunningham — Sun, 27 May 2012 17:54:02 +0000

The agents of "Men in Black 3" save the world from aliens, and the world may be returning the favor for the Sony sequel.

The Will Smith comedy was at $202 million at the worldwide box office Sunday, after opening No. 1 in 104 foreign countries. That includes $19 million from both China and Russia.

It will finish the Memorial Day weekend on top in the U.S. too.

Cannes 2012: Sundance Selects Acquires 'Like Someone in Love'

Todd Cunningham — Sun, 27 May 2012 16:01:58 +0000

Sundance Selects has acquired U.S. rights to "Like Someone in Love," written and directed by former Palme d'Or winner Abbas Kiarostami, the company announced Sunday.

Cannes 2012: Indomina Acquires Wild and Weird 'Holy Motors'

Steve Pond — Sun, 27 May 2012 15:58:06 +0000

The Indomina Group has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Leos Carax's "Holy Motors," one of the strangest, most divisive but most acclaimed films to screen in the main competition at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

Cannes 2012: Oscilloscope Acquires Matteo Garrone's 'Reality'

Steve Pond — Sun, 27 May 2012 17:00:05 +0000

Oscilloscope Laboratories has acquired U.S. rights to Matteo Garrone's "Reality," a film in the Cannes main competition about an Italian fishmonger whose life is turned upside-down when he thinks he's going to appear on a reality-television show.

Cannes 2012: IFC Midnight Acquires Erotic Korean Drama 'Taste of Money'

Steve Pond — Sat, 26 May 2012 18:33:25 +0000

IFC Midnight has acquired the North American rights to "The Taste of Money," a film from Korean writer-director Im Sang-soo that premiered this week in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.

Cannes 2012: 'Despues de Lucia' Wins Top Prize in Un Certain Regard

Steve Pond — Sat, 26 May 2012 18:27:28 +0000

"Despues de Lucia," a drama from Mexican director Michel Franco, was named the best film of Cannes' Un Certain Regard section at a ceremony on Saturday night.

The film deals with a young woman and her father who move to a new town, leaving their old lives behind.

Cannes 2012: 'In the Fog,' 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' Win Critics Awards

Steve Pond — Sat, 26 May 2012 17:17:08 +0000

FIPRESCI, the International Federation of Film Critics, has given its top Cannes prizes to Sergei Loznitsa's "In the Fog," Benh Zeitlin's "Beasts of the Southern Wild" and Rachid Djaidani's "Rengaine" ("Hold Back").

The organization selects winners from two of the main sections at Cannes, and a third winner from two independent sections.

Cannes 2012: 'Mud' Director Jeff Nichols Steals the Spotlight from Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon

Dana Kennedy — Sat, 26 May 2012 18:52:02 +0000

Indie director Jeff Nichols hardly seems like the kind of guy to grab attention from Reese Witherspoon and Matthew McConaughey, but that's exactly what the young filmmaker did at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday.

Nichols, 33, was at Cannes for the second time with only his third film, "Mud," and the aw-shucks director so captivated the media at the film's news conference that they almost totally ignored the two gorgeous Hollywood A-list stars in his film.

'Men in Black 3' $18M Friday On Track to Whack 'The Avengers' at Box Office

Todd Cunningham — Sat, 26 May 2012 17:32:52 +0000

"Men in Black 3" got off to a fast start with $18 million Friday at the box office, positioning itself for a four-day Memorial Day weekend in the $75 million to $80 million range.

That will enable Sony's second sequel in the franchise to knock Disney's "The Avengers" out of the top spot for the first time in a month. "MIB 3" is on 4,248 screens this weekend, 278 of them Imax and 3,000 in 3D.

Cannes 2012: Does the Palme d'Or Race Come Down to Naughty vs. Nice?

Steve Pond — Sat, 26 May 2012 15:37:19 +0000

"Amour" or "Holy Motors?" Michael Haneke or Jacques Audiard? Marion Cotillard or Nicole Kidman?

Relativity Media CEO's Father Ordered to Pay Damages in Art Fraud Case

Lucas Shaw & Brent Lang — Sat, 26 May 2012 03:15:32 +0000

A Los Angeles jury on Friday found that Jack Kavanaugh, father of Relativity Media CEO Ryan Kavanaugh, defrauded his former friend Victor Sands in the sale of a phony Picasso. It awarded Sands close to $3.5 million in damages.

Jack Kavanaugh was ordered to pay Sands $250,000 in punitive damages, and the jury awarded Sands an additional $3.2 million in compensatory damages.

'American Idol's' Phillip Phillips Had 8 Kidney Surgeries on His Way to Victory

Kasia Anderson — Fri, 25 May 2012 23:53:01 +0000

"American Idol" winner Phillip Phillips had kidney surgery eight times during his journey to victory, his father revealed after Wednesday's finale. And he's not done with the doctors just yet.

Phillips was plagued by kidney stones as he strummed and sang his way to the "Idol" title, though his chronic health issues nearly knocked him out of the running.

Cannes 2012: Sharon Waxman & Steve Pond Debate the Contenders (Video)

Sharon Waxman — Sat, 26 May 2012 17:14:02 +0000

The Cannes Film Festival heads into its final weekend with people on the Croisette buzzing about Jeff Nichols' "Mud" and Leo Scarax's "Holy Motor" -- but are they good enough for the Palme d'Or? That buzz is still circling around Michael Haneke's love story "Amour."

Wrap editor Sharon Waxman and columnist Steve Pond debate the contenders at the august film festival.

We're All Worker Ants in Facebook's Ad Scheme

Edward Jay Epstein — Fri, 25 May 2012 21:48:47 +0000

The brilliance of Facebook is its ability to beguile its 900 million-odd users into building digital heaps. Some of them are called "fan pages" and are devoted to celebrities, TV programs, political causes, commercial products, and so on. (Brands do this as well, but that's another column.)

'Chernobyl Diaries' Review: Creepy, Spooky and Altogether Nuke-y

Alonso Duralde — Fri, 25 May 2012 20:56:30 +0000

"Chernobyl Diaries" isn't going to do the Russian National Tourist Office any favors, but it's a solidly suspenseful (if somewhat disposable) horror movie that makes a haunted house out of a real-life disaster area.

Jon Favreau Won't Direct 'Iron Man 3,' But He Will Play Happy Hogan Again

Brent Lang — Fri, 25 May 2012 20:31:06 +0000

Jon Favreau may have ceded directing duties on "Iron Man 3" to Shane Black, but the man who helped launch Tony Stark onto movie screens will still be involved in the upcoming sequel.