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Screening at AMPAS reveals hard work of restoration team paid off; more films await repair.

Screening at AMPAS reveals hard work of restoration team paid off; more films await repair.

It may be too raunchy for some, but the new Drew Barrymore romantic comedy is a true artifact of this recessionary era.

It may be too raunchy for some, but the new Drew Barrymore romantic comedy is a true artifact of this recessionary era.

Zhang Yimou uses Chinese operatic humor to great effect in re-imagining the Coen brothers' 'Blood Simple.'

Zhang Yimou uses Chinese operatic humor to great effect in re-imagining the Coen brothers' 'Blood Simple.'

The annual event is a reliable gauge on which movies will screen well and stand the test of time. This year's festival includes some high-profile adult dramas.

The annual event is a reliable gauge on which movies will screen well and stand the test of time. This year's festival includes some high-profile adult dramas.

A daughter perpetually afraid of rape tries to raise money for her mother's burial in this allegorical film.

A daughter perpetually afraid of rape tries to raise money for her mother's burial in this allegorical film.

Hollywood is targeting three distinct audience segments on the traditionally slow Labor Day weekend at the box office.

Before she signed on to make "Machete," the campy celebration of the eponymous Latino legend, Michelle Rodriguez had pretty much decided she didn't want to make a movie about her own culture.

The veteran actor brings a career's worth of bad-guy swagger to a good-guy role in 'Machete,' Robert Rodriguez's new satiric-exploitation flick.

The veteran actor brings a career's worth of bad-guy swagger to a good-guy role in 'Machete,' Robert Rodriguez's new satiric-exploitation flick.

The 'Burn Notice' actor reflects on the horror franchise that launched his career.

The 'Burn Notice' actor reflects on the horror franchise that launched his career.

Any Trekkie worth his or her salt can tell a a Romulan from a Vulcan, much less a mugatu from a horta.

George Clooney plays a laid-back assassin in Anton Corbijn's minimalist thriller.

George Clooney plays a laid-back assassin in Anton Corbijn's minimalist thriller.

'A Thief Catcher,' which features Charlie Chaplin in one of his first screen appearances, is the centerpiece of the festival.

'A Thief Catcher,' which features Charlie Chaplin in one of his first screen appearances, is the centerpiece of the festival.

Canton: "Let's just keep this in mind Jim -- you did not invent 3D. You were fortunate that others inspired you to take it further."

Takers1 It was a photo finish at the top of the box-office chart this weekend, as final numbers showed that heist film "Takers" pulled in just slightly more money than horror movie "The Last Exorcism."

The original Steve Carell animated film had a lesser opening weekend than the fourth feature tale of Michael Myers' green ogre but is catching up.

With summer coming to a close, the season's animation underdog is poised to upset a king.

The actor will reunite with "Machete" costar Michelle Rodriguez in a new indie called "Skinny Dip."

Moviegoers wanted to get scared just as much as they wanted to enjoy a good crime caper this weekend, but very few were interested in a return trip to Pandora.

Moviegoers wanted to get scared just as much as they wanted to enjoy a good crime caper this weekend, but very few were interested in a return trip to Pandora.

The three self-contained but interlinked features about murders in the north of England are long on mood, short on solutions.

The crime drama has long been a specialty of British television, where the likes of "Cracker" and "Prime Suspect" enjoyed healthy runs. On paper, "The Red Riding Trilogy," adapted from a series of novels by David Peace that draw on real-life killings in the northern England county of Yorkshire, would seem to continue that storied tradition.

Also: 'Marmaduke,' 'Sons of Anarchy' and more.

Also: "Marmaduke," "Sons of Anarchy" and more.

The result is the lush, slapstick 'A Women, a Gun and a Noodle Shop.' The film highlights the rise of Chinese cinema.

In the autumn of 2008, China's best-known filmmaker, Zhang Yimou, found himself at a career crossroads.

The director of 'Head-On' and 'The Edge of Heaven' cooks up an acclaimed comedy.

With his funny, freewheeling new film, "Soul Kitchen," Fatih Akin discovered the truth behind the old aphorism that comedy is hard. He jumped to prominence on the international festival circuit with the films "Head-On" and " The Edge of Heaven," heavy-duty dramas that dealt imaginatively with the search for immigrant identity and evolving ideas of community and home, but Akin says "Soul Kitchen" was his toughest to make.

The filmmaking technique has largely catered to the hard-core gaming community but there's a push to develop more sophisticated stories and technology that appeal to a broader audience.

Video-game playing has become a mainstream activity, but gamer culture isn't quite opening up at the same pace.

Not even the nation's film critics, hiding from the heat in the cool comforts of the theater, can muster much enthusiasm for the films they have to review this weekend.

The Oscar-nominated team of Stephen J. Rivele and Chris Wilkinson will team up with director Antoine Fuqua, with production reportedly to begin mid-November.

Fighting fiercely to survive, the movie's most memorable aspects are its candid, disturbing views of life on the streets of Mexico City.

"Chamaco" (The Kid) is a boxing drama with an unusually high ring IQ. But its most memorable aspects are its candid, disturbing views of life on the streets of Mexico City, informed by a strong cast.

With some frights from demons, it stands up nicely to DIY-tinged shiver stalwarts "The Blair Witch Project" and "Paranormal Activity."

"The Last Exorcism" stirs up a caldron of handheld-camera technique, faith-challenged drama and solid acting for a suitably squirmy tale of demonic possession. It won't supplant " The Exorcist," but it stands up nicely to DIY-tinged shiver stalwarts "The Blair Witch Project" and "Paranormal Activity."

Bow ties, pizza, kids and many mouthed sound effects are some of the homemade tricks ad stunts used to reenact George Lucas' masterpiece.

Hollywood executives, in predicting weekend box office, admit they're mystified by "Avatar: Special Edition."

The director is looking for "repeat offenders" as "Avatar" returns to theaters Friday with nine minutes of additional footage, and somewhat uncertain ambitions.

This year, music documentarian Murray Lerner is saluted. Also this weekend, films by Michael Sheen and Romain Duris, avant-garde films and an early John Ford picture.

This year, music documentarian Murray Lerner is saluted. Also this weekend, films by Michael Sheen and Romain Duris, avant-garde films and an early John Ford picture.