Veteran Italian screenwriter Cecchi D'Amico dies (AP)

AP - Screenwriter Suso Cecchi D'Amico, who emerged from the male-dominated post-war Italian cinema to become a celebrated artist and contribute to such milestones as "Bicycle Thieves" and "The Leopard," died Saturday at age 96.
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Terrence Howard to join `Law & Order: Los Angeles' (AP)

FILE - In this May 15, 2010 file photo, actors Terrence Howard poses for a photo call for 'Winnie', at the 63rd international film festival, in Cannes, southern France. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)AP - "Law & Order: Los Angeles" is getting another big-name prosecutor.



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Gibson's ex-girlfriend urges him `tell the truth' (AP)

FILE - In this April 19, 2010 file photo, Mel Gibson's ex-girlfriend, Russian-born singer, songwriter Oksana Grigorieva, talks during a news conference in Moscow.(AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel, file)AP - Mel Gibson's ex-girlfriend says she's the victim of a "smear campaign" and never tried to extort money from the Oscar-winning star.



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Disney selling Miramax to investors for $660M (AP)

FILE - Disney corporate headquarters in Burbank, Calif., is seen in this Feb. 6, 2006 file photo. The New York Times and Los Angeles times report that Disney signed an agreement to sell Miramax Films for about $660 million late Thursday July 29, 2010with Filmyard Holding. The investor group is led by construction magnate Ronald Tutor (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)AP - The Walt Disney Co. is selling Miramax Films to a group of investors for $660 million, marking a new phase for a studio that helped launch the career of Quentin Tarantino and push independent movies into the mainstream.



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Sarajevo becomes biggest regional film market (Reuters)

Reuters - Romanian film director Florin Serban was overwhelmed after showing his debut film this week to 2,000 spectators at the Sarajevo film festival, where he had shopped around his script as an unknown three years before.
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Box Office Preview: 'Inception' vs. the 'Schmucks' (AP)

In this film publicity image released by Paramount Pictures, Christopher O'Dowd, left, and Zach Galifianakis are shown in a scene from 'Dinner for Schmucks.' (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, Merie Weismiller Wallace)AP - Chris Nolan's "Inception" has been the No. 1 film every day since it opened earlier this month. Yet it could face a formidable challenge from the debuting comedy "Dinner for Schmucks" for the top spot at this weekend's box office.



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Branagh: Shakespeare's superheroes are like `Thor' (AP)

Actor and director Kenneth Branagh arrives at a press conference for his feature film 'Thor' at Comic Con in San Diego, Calif. on Saturday, July 24, 2010. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)AP - Kenneth Branagh is directing "Thor" for Marvel Studios, and some think it's a stretch for him to take on a superhero movie. He's more Shakespearean, having adapted several of the Bard's films for the big screen.



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Hugh Hefner: Rebel with a cause (Reuters)

Reuters - At 84 years-old, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner embodies the lifestyle of sexual freedom that his men's magazine has espoused since it was founded in 1953, featuring a nude centerfold of Marilyn Monroe.
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"Charlie St. Cloud" a silly failure (Reuters)

Reuters - Every now and then a brave filmmaker can't resist the temptation to make a metaphysical movie that somehow will manage to portray everlasting love on the screen, that will somehow show a romantic idealism so great that it transcends even the boundaries between the living and dead.
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Sid Vicious absolved in erratic documentary (Reuters)

Reuters - The title of "Who Killed Nancy" -- a new documentary opening Friday about the death of Nancy Spungen -- is a little misleading.
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Movie tax cuts 'help struggling California economy' (AFP)

A year-old program granting movie studios tax breaks for filming in California has saved jobs and should yield two billion dollars in direct spending, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger -- seen here in June -- said.(AFP/Getty Images/Michael Buckner)AFP - A year-old program granting movie studios tax breaks for filming in California has saved jobs and should yield two billion dollars in direct spending, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said.



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Second woman sues Casey Affleck for harassment (Reuters)

Casey Affleck, best supporting actor Oscar nominee for 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,' arrives at the 80th annual Academy Awards, in Hollywood, February 24, 2008. REUTERS/Lucas JacksonReuters - Another female worker on Casey Affleck's upcoming Joaquin Phoenix documentary is suing the filmmaker/actor, this time claiming Affleck climbed into bed with her and groped her as she slept.



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Rob Lowe an investor in Miramax deal (Reuters)

Reuters - Actor Rob Lowe has confirmed that he is involved with the acquisition of Miramax Films from Walt Disney Co. by construction magnate Ronald Tutor, investment firm Colony Capital LLC and others.
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"Inception" set to fend off three box office rookies (Reuters)

Reuters - Leonardo DiCaprio is set to remain king of the North American box office for a third weekend, despite the arrival of three new films led by the 3D sequel "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore."
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STAGE TO SCREENS: "The Extra Man" Starring Tony Winner Kevin Kline and Paul Dano (Playbill)

Playbill - Two-time Tony winner Kevin Kline and Paul Dano discuss their work on "The Extra Man," the new film comedy about New York City eccentrics. Theatre actors populate the picture.
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Large-Cast 'Stage Door' Will Swing Open at DC-Area American Century Theater; Season Announced (Playbill)

Playbill - The American Century Theater in Arlington, VA, has announced its 2010-11 season, to open with Paddy Chayefsky's The Tenth Man (1959), by the Emmy and Academy Award–winning writer of the screenplays for "Marty" and "Network."
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Mark Wahlberg: God most important part of my life (Reuters)

Reuters - Actor Mark Wahlberg received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday as part of the promotion for "The Other Guys."
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Paparazzo gets his due in "Smash His Camera" (Reuters)

Reuters - One of the more memorable lines from "Chinatown" said something to the effect that, with enough time, old whores, politicians and ugly buildings become respectable.
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"Underworld" director eyes "Total" remake (Reuters)

Reuters - Len Wiseman, the filmmaker behind the "Underworld" movies, is in negotiations to direct "Total Recall," a remake of the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi action movie.
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Capsule reviews: `Dinner for Schmucks' and others (AP)

In this film publicity image released by Sony Pictures Classics, from left, Robert Duvall, Lucas Black and Bill Murray are shown in a scene from 'Get Low.' (AP Photo/Sony Pictures Classics, Sam Emerson)AP - Capsule reviews of films opening this week:



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