Today on indieWIRE: The West Memphis 3, Ludivine Sagnier, Awards Season, and More

Today on indieWIRE, we spoke with French star Ludivine Sagnier about her thriller 'Love Crime,' we told you the 10 things that this fall's upcoming festivals can tell us about award season, and much more. For Your Consideration: 10 Things the Fall Fests Can Tell Us About Award Season: The Venice Film Festival begins Wednesday and that's as good as a starting gun: It means the awards season is here. INTERVIEW: Ludivine Sagnier on Impersonating the Late Alain Corneau in "'Love Crime': In the late Alain Corneau's final film, 'Love Crime,' French star Ludivine Sagnier plays a driven ingenue at a multinational who engages in a deadly battle with her ruthless mentor, played by Kristen Scott Thomas. Think of it as a Gallic mash-up of 'Working Girl' and 'Fatal Attraction,' with a twist to rival the best potboilers. Critic's Notebook | How the West Memphis 3 Release Transformed The 'Paradise Lost' Documentaries: When the trio of Arkansas men convicted of crimes they may not have committed 18 years ago suddenly found themselves free on Aug. 19, a significant chapter in the saga of the West Memphis 3 came to a dramatic close. However, for viewers familiar with their struggles, the story had already ended twice before. INTERVIEW | Joann Sfar on Serge Gainsbourg: "You have to understand what he sings.": Cartoonist Joann Sfar's name may not mean much in the U.S., but in France he's nearly as revered as the pop icon at the center of his directorial debut. 'Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life' delivers a playful, stylized rendition of French musician Serge Gainsbourg's wild and sultry adventures. Pedro Almodóvar to Serve as AFI Fest's Guest Artistic Director: For its 25th anniversary, the American Film Institute has announced that Pedro Almodóvar will serve as the Guest Artistic Director of AFI FEST. Watch: See Cannes Breakout Stephanie Sigman in 'Miss Bala' Trailer: One of indieWIRE's top picks out of the Cannes Film Festival was 'Miss Bala,' a Mexican thriller that features a breakout performance from newcomer Stephanie Sigman. Get a taste for what all the fuss is about by checking out the new trailer for the film, courtesy of 20th Century Fox, who release the film on Oct. 14 in New York. 2012 Oscar Predictions: The 2011-12 awards season is slowly falling upon us and indieWIRE will be updating a chart of predictions for the 84th Academy Award nominations on a regular basis between now and late January, when the nominations are announced. Each week a chart update will be supplemented by a weekly awards-related column, which will often work to provide context for the list. 'Hunger Games' Teaser: Thrilling or Disappointing?: Reaction has been tepid to this 'Hunger Games' teaser, introduced on video by a low-key Jennifer Lawrence at the Video Music Awards Sunday night, which reaches the film's teen demo. Josh Brolin Signs On for Spike Lee's 'Oldboy' Remake: It looks like Spike Lee has got the man he wanted for his gestating 'Oldboy' remake. With More Mainstream Acceptance, Is Queer Cinema in Trouble?: Anthony Kaufman wonders whether the lack of political urgency among today's filmmakers living in the age of Obama, rather than the infuriating Reagan-Bush 1980s, has hindered the boldness and fury that has often driven strong cinema. Read his ReelPolitik.

Watch Online X-Men: First Class

'Brother,' football strong on Sunday

NBC won Sunday's primetime ratings race with its preseason NFL game between the Saints and Raiders, but CBS staple ''Big Brother'' held up nicely and ABC's ''20/20: The Sixth Sense'' improved in its second week. According to preliminary national estimates from Nielsen, the football contest between New Orleans and Oakland averaged a 2.9 rating/7 share in adults 18-49 and 8.4 million viewers overall on NBC's stations from 8 to 11 p.m., with these numbers subject to notable revision due to time zone differences across the country. Regardless, the Peacock was poised to stand as the No. 1 broadcast network on the night in 18-49, 25-54 and total viewers. At CBS, following ''60 Minutes'' (1.0/3 in 18-49, 7.9 million viewers overall), ''Big Brother'' averaged a strong 2.9/8 in 18-49 and 7.7 million viewers overall during the 8 o'clock hour , down a bit vs. last week's season high but enough to be competitive with football in the preliminaries. The Eye didn't do much the rest of the way, though, with encores of ''The Good Wife'' (0.7/2 in 18-49, 3.7 million viewers overall) and ''CSI: Miami'' (0.8/2 in 18-49, 4.4 million viewers overall). ABC had its strongest Sunday of the summer with regular programming, as repeats of ''America's Funniest Home Videos'' (1.4/5 in 18-49, 6.3 million viewers overall) and ''Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'' (1.3/3 in 18-49, 5.5 million viewers overall) were both up a couple of ticks week to week. And from 9 to 11 p.m., the limited-run news series ''20/20: The Sixth Sense'' also improved (1.6/4 in 18-49, 6.0 million viewers overall), giving the Alphabet its strongest showing in demos with regular Sunday 9-11 p.m. programming in three years. Fox was on the low side of its summer range with repeats of ''American Dad'' (0.8/3 in 18-49, 1.8 million viewers overall), ''Bob's Burgers'' (0.8/3 in 18-49, 1.8 million viewers overall), ''The Simpsons'' (1.1/3 in 18-49, 2.7 million viewers overall), ''The Cleveland Show'' (1.1/3 in 18-49, 2.6 million viewers overall) and ''Family Guy'' (1.5/4 in 18-49, 3.2 million viewers overall) followed by original sketch comedy show ''In the Flow with Affion Crockett'' (1.0/2 in 18-49, 2.2 million viewers overall). Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: NBC, 2.5/7; ABC, 1.5/4; CBS, 1.4/4; Univision, 1.2/3; Fox, 1.1/3. In total viewers: NBC, 7.3 million; ABC, 6.0 million; CBS, 5.9 million; Univision, 3.3 million; Fox, 2.4 million. Contact Rick Kissell at rick.kissell@variety.com

Watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Online For Free

'Treme' actor found dead in New Orleans

Actor Michael Showers, who recurred on the HBO drama "Treme," was found dead off New Orleans' French Quarter on Wednesday morning. He was 45. Showers' cause of death has not yet been disclosed by police.His body was initially misidentified as that of a man who had jumped off a nearby bridge.In "Treme," a series about life in post-Katrina New Orleans, Showers played police captain John Guidry.Showers guested on the smallscreen in CW hit series "The Vampire Diaries" and AMC's "Breaking Bad." Film credits includce Steven Soderbergh's "Traffic" (2000); "I Love You Phillip Morris," starring Jim Carrey; Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life," currently in theaters; and "Colombiana," which opens Friday, Aug. 26. The actor had racked up minor roles in 20 films, some made for video, since 2007. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Film, TV Industry Worth $6.5 Billion to Australian Economy

SYDNEY -- The Australian film and tv industry was worth AUS$6.1 billion ($6.5 billion) towards the nation's economy last yearOr10, with $5.5 billion in direct contributions in the 40,000-plus people employed in the sector, based on a study launched on Wednesday by consultants Access Financial aspects and commissioned through the Australian Federation Against Copyright Thievery (AFACT).our editor recommendsAFACT: Australia Lost Over $1.3 Billion to Film Piracy in 2010AFACT appeals Oz Web service provider ruling The report evaluated the economical contribution from the film and tv industry in the whole - from small production companies to large distribution and exhibition companies, and from productions designed for online viewing to individuals for wide television network viewing. Based on Access, in fiscal 2009-10 the entire useful contribution of film and tv towards the Australian economy was over $6.5 billion and supported 48,667 jobs on the full-time equivalent basis. The worthiness added contribution rose 5.1% from $6.2 billion in 2006-07, based on Access. In comparison Access stated the aviation industry was worth just $4.4 billion within the same period. Film producer and distributor Andrew Mackie of Transmission Films, local distributor from the King's Speech, stated the report implies that "the film and tv industry is among the quickest changing industries in our economy, supplying jobs in the leading edge in our digital transition. Our professionals are not only seen designers of valuable intellectual property, but they are showing to become worldwide competitive in creative and technological fields. They're industries of great value to Australia and really worth supporting." "The Access Financial aspects Report is really a timely indication from the value the screen entertainment sector gives Australia. Content is paramount driver of digital economy growth and also the film and tv industry here's the main thing on delivering great content on a number of platforms, world-class innovation and first-rate careers. It's also the key reason why we're fully committed and devoted to marketing and safeguarding this community which makes a significant contribution towards the country in additional ways than a single,Inch Neil Gane, executive director of AFACT added. The report stated the figures were internet of $118 million in production subsidies compensated by all amounts of government around australia. Other highlights include: The produced an overall total creation of $21.6 billion The sector led an believed $2.08 billion in tax towards the Australian government last year-10, rising from $1.9 billion in 2006-07 The entire industry supported 48,667 full-time equivalent jobs Free-to-Air TV led almost $2 billion in useful The development sector led $911 million in useful The distribution sector led $890 million in useful and Digital contribution from the film and tv market is believed to become $4.4 billion. Related Subjects Worldwide Asia

Elisabeth Murdoch Cancels Edinburgh TV Festival Appearance

LONDON - Elisabeth Murdochhas backed from showing up in the Edinburgh Worldwide TV Festival in a few days within the wake from the deepening scandal around phone-hacking, it had been confirmed Monday.our editor recommendsElisabeth Murdoch Will not Join News Corp. Board Elisabeth Murdoch's Shine Group Grows into The country and PortugalElisabeth Murdoch's Shine Planning available Murdoch, the founder and creator of Shine Productions -- that was acquired earlier his year by News Corp for $680 million inside a move which had angered some investors -- had agreed to get familiar with attorney at law about building a worldwide production company in the United kingdom. The choice to bail out is made "several days ago" based on associates, after it had been felt that any appearance she attempted could be overshadowed through the ongoing fallout in the crisis affecting the Murdoch family and News Corp. PHOTOS: News around the globe's Top Ten Scams The annual conference begins Friday and includes an entire selection of professionals from over the broadcasting industries within the U.K. This season might find Google leader Eric Schmidt provide the keynote MacTaggart lecture on Friday evening. "The coordinators contacted Elisabeth a while back with the thought of a session around 'How to construct a worldwide Production Company in the United kingdom', which in fact had experienced discussion. This can no longer proceed only at that year's festival but it's wished could be revisited in subsequent ones," stated Shine spokesperson Patrick Keegan. Shine Group leader Alex Mahonis already confirmed discuss a nearly identical theme in the Royal Television Society conference in Cambridge in three days, alongside Fremantle Media Boss Tony Cohenand BBC Worldwide boss John Cruz. Earlier this year Murdoch told this news Corp board it would "inappropriate" on her to sit back in the news Corp board, as have been her intention captured, even though she's had no link with the telephone-hacking scandal and it is respected within the U.K. for creative and commercial savvy. Your decision was introduced by Viet Dinh, chairman of News Corp's corporate governance committee, and stated Elisabeth had "recommended towards the independent company directors some days ago that they felt it might be inappropriate" to incorporate her nomination towards the board of recent Corp. Her decision to back from the Edinburgh Worldwide Television Festival panel may come as attention within the phone-hacking scandal has moved to more harmful questions regarding the role performed by News Corp deputy COO James Murdoch, who's also chairman of BSkyB. James is anticipated to manage a recall to Parliament to reply to more questions regarding what he understood about a number of emails and documents that suggest phone-hacking was common in the News around the globe, together with a letter from jailed reporter Clive Goodmanwho stated he'd learned he'd keep his job in the paper if he didn't implicate the organization in the court situation. To start dating ? to recall James Murdoch is anticipated when Parliament reconvenes the following month following the summer time recess. Twelve reporters and former professionals in the paper happen to be arrested included in an analysis in to the criminal functions of phone message hacking and having to pay cops for information. The scandal has forced News Worldwide to shut lower among its most widely used, and lucrative, newspapers and it has forced parent company News Corporation to abandon its valued proper goal of finishing the $12 billion buyout of British pay-TV giant BSkyB. Related Subjects News Corp. BSkyB James Murdoch Phone Hacking Scandal

Box Office Report: 'The Help' Needs No Help Against Its Competition

DreamWorks and Participant Media holdover The Help is on course to win the weekend box office race and beat out a crowded pack of new films, including Conan the Barbarian and Fright Night.our editor recommendsBox Office Preview: 'The Help' Eyes No. 1 Box Office Report: 'Fright Night' Earns $400K on Thursday NightOne Day's Anne Hathaway: People Didn't Think I Could 'Pull Off' British Accent (Video)'Conan the Barbarian': How Jason Momoa Prepared for the Role (Video) Early estimates suggest The Help will earn $18 to $19 million for the weekend and place No. 1 in its second outing. It's rare for a film to open at No. 2 and then claim first position the next weekend (The Blind Side is a recent example). PHOTOS: How 'The Help' Was Cast Friday's race itself was looking like a mash-up between five films: The Help, 20th Century Fox's holdover Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Lionsgate's Conan the Barbarian, Dimension Films' Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D and DreamWorks' vampire pic Fright Night, which all looked to gross in the $4 million to $5.5 million range. PHOTOS: The Evolution of Film Vampires But Help and Apes are expected to pull ahead on Saturday and Sunday, and finish the weekend at No. 1 and No. 2. Conan the Barbarian and Spy Kids: All the Time in the World are looking to be in a close race for the weekend with a projected gross of $12 million to $13 million each, while Spy Kids is now projected to gross $12 million to $13 million for the weekend. COVER STORY: Producer Avi Lerner: The Most Unlikely Movie Mogul Fright Night, starring Colin Farrell and Anton Yelchin, appears to be trailing Spy Kids and Conan, but box office observers caution that the lineup could easily change if one of the films gains traction based on good word of mouth. Focus Features' Anne Hathaway-Jim Sturgess romantic drama One Day is starting off slow, but is still expected to hit its target goal of $6 million for the weekend. Related Topics Anne Hathaway Anton Yelchin Colin Farrell Jessica Alba Joel McHale Viola Davis International Box Office Emma Stone Conan the Barbarian The Help Fright Night One Day Octavia Spencer

Bronfman shifts to chairman at Warner Music

Warner Music Group is shuffling a pair of top executive roles, as former CEO Edgar Bronfman, Jr., has been named chairman of the board of directors and ex-chairman Stephen F. Cooper has been elected as WMG's CEO.Flip in duties comes in the wake of Access Industries' acquisition of WMG for $3.3 billion (Daily Variety, July 21).Bronfman explained in a statement, "Given my desire to focus on growth opportunities and Steve's extensive background in management across a wide array of companies and industries, I am grateful that Steve accepted the offer to change roles and to serve as our CEO.I look forward to continuing our successful partnership."Cooper is also a member of the supervisory board of Lyondell/Basell Industries, the Dutch petrochemical firm owned by Access Industries, and a managing partner of equity firm Cooper Investment Partners.Additionally, Thomas H. Lee, previously a WMG board member, has been elected as a new director of the company, increasing the board's size from nine to 10 members. Lee's private equity firm, Thomas H. Lee Capital, was a partner in the 2004 purchase of WMG from Time Warner.The music firm also announced Friday that Lyor Cohen and Cameron Strang would remain in place as chairman-CEO of recorded music and chairman-CEO of Warner/Chappell Music. Both men will report directly to Cooper. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

AFTRA launches recordings contract talks

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has launched negotiations with the major record labels on a successor agreement to the sound recordings contract.AFTRA announced Tuesday that the opening round was held in New York City between its sound recordings negotiating committee and reps from Sony, UMG, Warner, EMI, Disney and most of their subsidiary labels. AFTRA National Executive Director Kim Roberts Hedgpeth is chief negotiator.The sound recordings pact expires Dec. 31 and covers singers, royalty and non-royalty artists, announcers, actors, comedians, narrators and sound effects artists who work on recordings in all new and traditional media and all music formats, in addition to audiobooks, comedy albums and cast albums. The contract generates more than $140 million annually in earnings and benefits for artists and session singers.AFTRA had announced last month that it would launch the talks this week after its national board approved its package of proposals on July 20. The union said Tuesday that negotiations are expected to continue through this month with bargaining sessions in both New York and Los Angeles.The current contract was negotiated in 2007 with a June 2010 expiration but the pact was extended by 18 months. That extension provided for an increase in the labels' contributions to the AFTRA Health and Retirement Funds; "improved communications" between AFTRA and the record labels to inform newly signed royalty artists of their guaranteed health insurance benefits and AFTRA member services; re-defining the length of a "side" or a recorded song from 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 minutes; and creation of the AFTRA/Recording Industry Committee to resolve contractual issues.A start date for the network code talks has not been set with that pact -- AFTRA's largest contract with over $400 million in annual earnings -- expiring Nov. 15. The net code covers work outside primetime and includes "Good Morning America," "The View," "The Price is Right," "Days of Our Lives," "Saturday Night Live," "Dancing With the Stars," "American Idol," "Monday Night Football," "Survivor," "20/20," "Deal or No Deal" and "The Late Show with David Letterman." Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Patti Cruz Adapting Autobiography 'Just Kids' for that Giant Screen

Because who easier to co-write a script about transitional phase in New You are able to City throughout the '60s and '70s compared to guy who authored 'Star Trek: Enemy,' Deadline is confirming that film writer John Logan is joining track of punk rock icon Patti Cruz to evolve her award-winning memoir 'Just Kids' for that giant screen. For individuals who haven't browse the book, 'Just Kids' is one of the relationship between Cruz and Robert Mapplethorpe because they started finding their particular careers in music and photography throughout the '60s and '70s in New You are able to City. For individuals who haven’t heard of Logan, he's the author behind 'Gladiator,' 'The Last Samurai,' and also the approaching, yet-to-be-named Mission Impossible movie, 'Bond 23,' amongst others. Certainly not the likeliest screenwriting duo available, but when it eventually ends up being anywhere near just like Smith's National Book Award-winning memoir, we'll be mighty happy. What exactly would you think about the writing team behind 'Just Kids?' [via Deadline]

Big Screen: Memories Of Raiders Panel

'It's not the years, it's the mileage'One of the joys of Empire Presents.... Big Screen came in the much-storied shape of Raiders Of The Lost Ark producer Roberts Watts. The Raiders, Star Wars and Bond man took to the stage with an Ark's worth of recollections to delight the full house packed into the nostalgic 'Memories of Raiders' session. "We were shooting pick-ups on Star Wars and George (Lucas) brought me this script, Watts told a captivated crowd. I took it away and read it that night, thinking, 'Wow, this a busy film!' George told me I was going to have to meet Steven Spielberg in LA. Strangely enough I knew someone who'd worked with him on 1941 and he said, 'Expect him to go 40 percent over [schedule]'. So I thought, 'Oh God'. I told Steven that I'd laid it out over a 23 week period and he looked at me and said, 'No, I don't need that long. Take six weeks out of it. ' We shot in 15 weeks. It'd have never happened to me before. Coming off [commercial flop] 1941, Steven was out to prove something, and I think that speed and energy is reflected in the energy of the film. I've never seen anyone work so fast on such complex material. "The first thing I noticed is that pyramids aren't in it and the Nile's not in it. Shooting in a big country like Egypt is much harder than somewhere like Tunisia, where we'd shot Star Wars. " Watts told rapt audience that the canyon where Indy springs his Nazi ambush is the same ravine in which Jawas pulled a similar trick with R2-D2 and C-3PO in Star Wars. Utinni!There were other fascinating movie overlaps. The Nazi U-Boat Indy clambers aboard, boasting surely the best CV of all movie submarines, was used on Wolfgang Petersen's Das Boot. Watts remembered travelling to Bavaria Studio to negotiate its use and onto La Rochelle for filming. Add 'U-Boats' to 'children' and 'animals' on that list of filming no-no's. "It had a Volvo engine in it," laughed Watts, "and we weren't allowed to take it out if the waves were higher than one metre. I can't tell you how many people were getting seasick. George Lucas's face was bright green. "The Well of Souls was the next stop-off on the magical memory tour. Watts explained that he'd organised 2500 snakes for the scene but Spielberg, a lot less snake-fearing than Indy, demanded 7500 of the little slivery blighters. So where do you go about sourcing 5000 snakes in a hurry? "Funnily enough, Amsterdam," grinned Watts. "It's a place where people trade with animals. We went for the tapirs at the beginning of 2001: A Space Odyssey too. " If, like us, the scene makes you shiver, rest assured that the snakes weren't, for instance, taipans and mambas. "We used glass snakes mainly," explained the producer, "and they'd wriggle around a lot but they couldn't hurt you. We had some pythons too. The cobra was behind glass. "There was one a particularly awesome reveal. It turns out that Watts was the first man to be chased by that rolling stone. "Steven said 'Robert, go up there, we'll roll the ball and you run away from it. ' So I started running, chased by this giant ball when suddenly I was confronted by this wall made from a piece of two-by-four with this big ball in pursuit. Somehow I managed to scramble over it. I enquired afterwards if they'd have been able to stop the boulder. "No," was the answer. "The questions cames thick and fast from the audience, including one doozy gently enquiring exactly how good Tom Selleck's Indy would have been. "Personally, I think Harrison Ford was born to play Indiana Jones," straight-batted Watts. "I'm not saying Tom Selleck wouldn't be fantastic but he did a TV pilot (for Magnum, P. I. ) - one in ten of those gets picked up - and suddenly we'd lost our Indiana Jones. Then something suggested that we might have Indy in our own back yard, and I'm glad it was Harrison, he was an old friend. "

V. Good News! Bridget Jones 3 Movie in the Works

Renee Zellweger Everyone's favorite British singleton is back! Working Title Films is moving forward with a third installment to the Bridget Jones films, which are based on the novels by Helen Fielding, EW reports. When can you next catch Renee Zellweger on TV, online or on demand? Add her to your Watchlist and you'll know for sure In Bridget Jones's Diary and its sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Renee Zellweger plays the working-class heroine who has a fondness for food, drinking and smoking and laments about the "Smug Marrieds" who plague her singleton life. The original was very loosely based on the plot of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, while the second has elements of Austen's Persuasion. In both films, Colin Firth played the "good guy" love interest, Mark Darcy, while Hugh Grant portrayed the "bad boy," Daniel Cleaver. Although no other details about the third film are available, Firth had once told Access Hollywood one possible plot: Bridget has trouble conceiving children with Mark, and thus turns to Daniel for help, which of course, does not end well. Fielding began writing a third book in the series earlier this year.

Recasting British history & accents

Hathaway and Scherfig with Jim Sturgess on set of "One Day" Lone Scherfig didn't suffer any Danish angst to find a follow-up to her sleeper hit "An Education." When the "One Day" script, adapted by David Nicholls' from his bestselling romance, "arrived from Focus, two hours later I said yes," Scherfig said during the Waldorf Towers press junket Tuesday.Casting American Anne Hathaway as the English Emma Morley was hardly a given."I could have insisted on someone English, but she's an actress," Scherfig said. "Actors always play something they're not, vampires or scientists or people who are older than they are."As for Hathaway's accent, "I let Anne do her thing," said co-star Jim Sturgess. "It was weird, she stayed in her accent most of the time so I got used to it after a week. We filmed over a period of months so I didn't think about it. Then in a bar she might have one too many -- and the American accent would come flying out."* * *The legit version of David Seidler's "The King's Speech," due on Broadway in fall 2012, will be notable for a number of reasons, chief being what the Weinstein Co. powers had the scribe cut out of his screenplay. During press chores for the pic last year, Seidler groused a bit about having to delete some of the monarchy's pro-German leanings, none of which made the screen lest auds turn against the royal characters played by Colin Firth (King George VI) and Guy Pearce (King Edward VIII). Stage producer Michael Alden told CNN that the play "delves a little bit more into some of the political backdrop of the time." Unless, of course, legit auds also don't like Nazi sympathizers. * * *Precocious Bailee Madison, whose poise makes her seem like 11 going on 20, appreciated the challenge of starring in "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark." In the Guillermo del Toro-produced horror remake, the petite Florida native plays lonely Sally, who's terrorized by hideous vermin-like sprites who live in the basement of a mansion her dad is renovating."Dark" allowed Madison to "grow as an actor," she said at the Miramax-FilmDistrict's Waldorf Towers press junket Tuesday. "Because it was my first scary film and this was my first time having to be scared with nothing that was there. That was very different for Bailee," added the young thesp, switching to the third person.Even though she "got to be scared for four months," Madison "never had nightmares. Sometimes it was hard to leave Sally on set but I'd have a hot fudge sundae and I'd be fine." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

The Film Lover's Help guide to a Effective Journey

There is something so quintessentially American about driving mix-country throughout the summer season. The road, the endless nights, the mountain sights, the desert at beginning ... It is the type of factor that appears great in pictures, and also the Great American Journey includes a lengthy, storied, wealthy history in film. We are approaching the midway point of summer time, therefore we thought we'd comb through some particularly memorable road movies to determine what training we're able to glean -- both how to proceed and more do whenever you end up buying that sky-blue convertible you have been fantasizing of striking Route 66 on the magical trip of discovery, Americana and, obviously, crazy hijinks. Listed here are seven ideas to build your journey the very best it may be. Tip 1: Plan in advance. Movie: 'National Lampoon's Vacation' One principle we have to condition immediately: A journey is one of the journey, not the destination. However, it's essential that you know where you are headed which where you are headed will, actually, be there and become open when you turn up. When Clark Griswold (performed by Chevrolet Chase, in a single of his Mt. Rushmore roles) and the family finally reach Walley World only to discover it's closed for repairs, the disappointment is palpable. It's enough to help you wish to punch a moose within the mouth: Tip 2: Learn to read a roadmap. Movie: 'Dumb and Dumber' Yes, we all know you most likely possess some kind of Gps navigation-enabled smartphone, but technology is not always everything reliable the farther you receive into the center of nowhere. (Also, finding the center of Nowhere is a great goal for just about any proper journey.) Certain areas of the nation will invariably have terrible cell-phone reception, should they have any whatsoever, so it is best to bring that 20th-century relic known as the "map" together with you just for individuals situations. The sense-of-direction-impaired can grasp that, on maps, as with real existence, mountain tops are usually simple to place making good landmarks to goal for. If you're able to follow fundamental rules like this, you will not finish up driving a sixth of how across the nation within the wrong direction: Tip 3: Be prepared to spread out as much as your buddies. Movie: 'Almost Famous' This is among the harder training on our list, because it requires some personal confidence along with a comfortability level you might have together with your fellow road-tripper(s) at the beginning of your travels. An excellent journey that you simply be part of a vehicle with someone will in the end be among connecting and discussing, and after a while it's only natural that you should feel less guarded, more prepared to reveal areas of yourself you normally close up out of your fellow guy. A journey has an optimal time for you to unburden yourself associated with a secrets you have been securing inside for such a long time which have yearned to unfetter themselves: Tip 4: Eat something you haven't attempted before. Movie: 'Road Trip' It is a large country -- with a variety of cuisines to complement, from Southern-fried to Tex-Mex towards the finest fish you can actually find. While you build your way from condition to condition, make sure to employ this. People in america are usually very happy with their unique region's culinary areas, and it might be a dreadful mistake to not indulge. You never know, you may uncover that you are an enormous fan of bison steak or alligator sausage. But do take this into account: Always, continually be nice to individuals serving you -- both ought to be simple manners and also to avoid potentially undesirable seasonings: Tip 5: Be considered a respectful travel partner. Movie: 'Midnight Run' Everybody has personal habits that risk impinging upon individuals around them. Possibly you are a nail biter, perhaps you have an especially noisy on-the-phone voice. Regardless, make certain that what you are doing -- as innocuous since you may believe so that it is -- is not gradually driving other people within the vehicle right into a homicidal rage. You are in a tiny, limited space together, without any real outlet aside from the periodic relaxation stop, so even minor irritations are usually magnified. Most importantly, should you smoke, do be sure to obvious by using individuals relaxing in your immediate closeness: Tip 6: Don't lose your rental agreement. Movie: 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' Should you ever traveled abroad like a student, your folks most likely reminded you ad nauseam: Don't lose your passport! Along individuals lines, if you are leasing a vehicle for the large trip, you are likely to wish to hold onto all of the necessary documentation. Rental car agencies are usually not probably the most user-friendly places to start with, and when you in some way lose tabs on your documents -- even just in present day Internet age -- it can result in elevated amounts of frustration: (Warning: Clip is extremely NSFW for language.) Tip 7: Good music helps to make the difference. Movie: 'The Blues Brothers' We can't stress this enough. It does not matter in case your trip includes a noble purpose (like, say, saving an orphanage), without having a great soundtrack, you're going to get bored. So take some time before leaving to construct a good, extended playlist. Actually, encourage everybody within the vehicle to organize one which way, you will have many occasions the amount of tunes, plus you'll most likely hear something you haven't heard before. And like we stated about testing out new meals, a journey is an ideal time for you to dabble within the glorious musical variety that's among America's finest treasures: Enjoy your vacation!

Does James Franco Lose an Arm Throughout 'Rise from the Planet from the Apes'? (And 24 Other Urgent Questions)

SAG Releases Candidate List

The Screen Actors Guild on Thursday released the official list of candidates for its upcoming national officer and national board elections. National president and national secretary-treasurer positions are up for election, both of which carry two-year terms. Approximately 1/3 of the total 69 national board seats are open for election this year.Related Topics•Labor The candidates for national president are David Hillberg, incumbent Ken Howard, Asmar Muhammad and Sharon Rubin. The candidate for national secretary-treasurer is Amy Aquino, running unopposed. The only slate fielding candidates in Hollywood is Unite for Strength, which issued a press release at the same time as SAG's. As before, Howard, and 1st Vice President Ned Vaughn are running under the UFS banner. The pro-merger group will also field a full slate of 34 candidates to run for positions on the guild's national and Hollywood boards of directors. MembershipFirst, the historically anti-merger group which effectively controlled the guild from 2005 through early 2009, ran a slate as recently as last year, but did not do so this time. The UFS slate features 27 incumbent or returning candidates, including sitting board member Adam Arkin, and 7 first-time candidates, including Tony Shalhoub (Monk), Stephen Collins (No Ordinary Family), Kate Flannery (The Office), Lisa Vidal (The Event), and Iqbal Theba (Glee). In New York, candidates are being fielded by established slate United Screen Actors Nationwide and breakaway group One Strong Union, both of which are pro-merger. "I'm proud to be running with these candidates," said Howard in reference to his UFS colleagues. "Two years ago, I promised members I would do everything possible to bring SAG and AFTRA together. . . Members have made it clear they need action as soon as possible, and I'm committed to delivering a formal merger plan by January." Aquino and Vaughn echoed Howard's assessment. Shalhoub said, "I grew up in a union town, and as an actor I've always known there was a union behind me. We must never take our union protections for granted and we must never be divided." Other candidates did not immediately release statements. All candidates and slates are listed below. National officer ballots will be mailed to all eligible SAG members nationwide on August 23 with a return deadline and tabulation on September 22. Election results are expected to be announced that evening. The same schedule will apply to the Hollywood and New York Division elections. The Hollywood Division will elect 12 national board members and 22 alternates. Eleven (11) candidate positions will be seated for a three (3) year term and one (1) candidate position will be seated for a one (1) year term (all national board alternates serve for one year). The New York Division will elect 5 national board members and 9 alternates. Each seat is for a three-year term (all national board alternates serve for one year). Candidates for New York Division president are Sam Robards and incumbent Mike Hodge. Directors holding seven other national board seats will be elected from SAG Branches outside Hollywood and New York. Only one of those seats, in Nevada, is contested. jhandel@att.net Twitter: @jhandel 2011 SAG Hollywood Division Board Election Candidates (Candidate names are listed in random order, as they will appear on the ballot.) 1. D.W. Moffett 2. Mimi Cozzens 3. William Mapother 4. Tony Shalhoub 5. Assaf Cohen 6. Scott Pierce 7. Ken Howard 8. Arye Gross 9. Michael O'Neill 10. Ned Vaughn 11. Mandy Steckelberg 12. Bertila Damas 13. Rene Aubry 14. Robert Elliott 15. Jane Daly 16. George T. Woods 17. Jon Huertas 18. Allen Lulu 19. Bob Bergen 20. Scott Bakula 21. Stephen Mendel 22. Stacey Travis 23. Amy Aquino 24. Peter Antico 25. DeWayne Williams 26. Esai Morales 27. Valerie Harper 28. Tara Radcliffe 29. Stephen Collins 30. Lisa Vidal 31. George Coe 32. Woody Schultz 33. Christine Lakin 34. John Solari 35. Adam Arkin 36. Donal Logue 37. Parvesh Cheena 38. Kate Flannery 39. John Tremaine 40. Conrad E. Palmisano 41. Michelle Allsopp 42. Vivicca A. Whitsett 43. Ellen Crawford 44. David Dorfman 45. Iqbal Theba 46. Mobin Khan 47. Sarayu Rao 48. Ron Ostrow 49. Patrick Fabian 50. Tony Santoro 51. David Hillberg 52. John Carroll Lynch 53. William Charlton 54. James Paradise 55. L. Scott Caldwell 56. David Jolliffe 57. Nicholas Stankevich 2011 SAG New York Division Board Election Candidates (Candidate names are listed in order by randomly selecting a letter and then listing candidate names alphabetically by last name starting with the letter selected. The letter "K" was randomly selected. Following is the order in which they will appear on the ballot.) 1. Ezra Knight 2. Gy Mirano 3. Joe Narciso 4. Jay Potter 5. Sam Robards 6. John Rothman 7. Kevin Scullin 8. Matt Servitto 9. Manny Alfaro 10. Corey Anker 11. Dave Bachman 12. Marc Baron 13. Justin Barrett 14. Lewis Black 15. Mark Blum 16. Rebecca Damon 17. Kelly Deadmon 18. Andrew Dolan 19. Traci Godfrey 20. Jeff Gurner 21. Phoebe Jonas 2011 SAG Regional Branch Division Board Election Candidates (Candidate names are listed in alphabetical order, as they will appear on the ballot. In Regional Branches where candidates ran for office unopposed, the candidates may be declared elected without the necessity of a membership vote*.) Boston Bill Mootos* (elected) Dallas* Suzanne Burkhead* (elected) Detroit Ed Kelly* (elected) Houston Robert Nelson* (elected) Nashville Cece DuBois* (elected) Nevada Art Lynch Rick Rockne Washington, D.C./Balt. Stephen F. Schmidt* (elected) Unite for Strength's 2011 Screen Actors Guild officer and board candidates are: President Ken Howard Secretary Treasurer Amy Aquino Board of Directors (with ballot number) Michelle Allsopp - 41 Amy Aquino - 23 Adam Arkin - 35 Bob Bergen - 19 L. Scott Caldwell - 55 William Charlton - 53 Parvesh Cheena - 37 Assaf Cohen - 5 Stephen Collins - 29 Mimi Cozzens - 29 Ellen Crawford - 43 Bertila Damas - 12 Patrick Fabian - 49 Kate Flannery - 38 Arye Gross - 8 Ken Howard - 7 Jon Huertas - 17 Christine Lakin - 33 Donal Logue - 36 Allen Lulu - 18 John Carroll Lynch - 52 D.W. Moffett - 1 Michael O'Neill - 9 Conrad Palmisano - 40 Tara Radcliffe - 28 Sarayu Rao - 47 Woody Schultz - 32 Tony Shalhoub - 4 Mandy Steckelberg - 11 Iqbal Theba - 45 Stacey Travis - 22 Ned Vaughn - 10 Lisa Vidal - 30 Vivicca Whitsett - 42 New York USAN candidates seeking New York board positions are Manny Alfaro, Dave Bachman, Marc Baron, Lewis Black, Marc Blum, Rebecca Damon, Traci Godfrey, Ezra Knight, Jay Potter, Jon Rothman, and Kevin Scullin. The group also endorsed incumbent Mike Hodge for New York Division President. OSU candidates seeking New York board positions are Sam Robards, Matt Servitto, Joe Narciso, Justin Barrett, Andrew Dolan, Corey Anker, Kelly Deadmon, Jeff Gurner, Phoebe Jonas and Gy Mirano. Robards is also running for New York Division President. Related Topics Labor

Cowboys & Aliens

That Old West.. in which a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond the world. 1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger without any memory of his past stumbles in to the hard desert capital of scotland - Absolution. The only real hint to his history is really a mysterious shackle that circles one wrist. What he finds out would be that the people of Absolution don't welcome other people, and nobody constitutes a move ahead its roads unless of course purchased to do this through the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It is a town that lives in fear. But Absolution is going to experience fear it may scarcely comprehend because the desolate city is assaulted by marauders in the sky. Screaming lower with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless 1 by 1, these monsters challenge everything the citizens have seen. Now, the stranger they declined is the hope for salvation. Because this gunslinger gradually begins to consider who he's and where he's been, he realizes he holds a secret that may provide the town a fighting chance from the alien pressure. By using the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse composed of former competitors-townsfolk, Dolarhyde and the boys, outlaws and Apache players-all at risk of annihilation. U . s . against a typical enemy, they'll get ready for a legendary showdown for survival.