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The actor Formerly Known As Fez has a new mission. Wilmer Valderrama has joined the cast of “NCIS,” playing a NCIS field agent who’s been under deep cover for years – and has finally resurfaced.

“Many agents don’t know he’s still on the job or that he’s even alive,” according to CBS’ logline. “Now, he’s back and his dedication to job and country has left him an unpredictable, charismatic loose cannon.”

Valderrama helps fill a void left by departing “NCIS” castmember Michael Weatherly. The actor recently recurred on “Grey’s Anatomy” and also appeared on “Minority Report,” “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series” and “Awake.” He first came to fame as “Fez” on Fox’s “That ’70s Show.”

The actor’s film credits include the indie dramas “To Whom It May Concern,” from French director Manu Boyer, and “The Adderall Diaries,” opposite Amber Heard and James Franco,...

If you’re looking for a comprehensive overview of the not so distant future in American indie film, a reliable sampling is usually found in the bi-annual Sffs / Krf Filmmaking Grants finalist (and future winners) lists. Grants will be awarded next month, but this finalists’ list overviews a look into the 2016-17 pool of talent and feature films. Among the trio of items that are in various stages of production and we’re keeping tabs on, we have Ian Olds (docu helmer of Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi) who moved into fiction feature filmmaking with The Fixer. Produced by Caroline von Kuhn (Camden Int. Film Fest Managing Director and docu field expert), this is said to include supporting players in the shape of Melissa Leo and James Franco. And speaking of Franco…, Travis Mathews from Interior. Leather Bar. fame has Oscillate Wildly next in line. Beasts of the Southern Wild...

Misty Upham found dead in Seattle suburb (photo: Misty Upham and Juliette Lewis) Actress Misty Upham, who had gone missing since October 6, 2014, was found dead on Thursday, October 16, in a wooded area along the White River in suburban Seattle. The cause and time of death remain unclear. Best known for her roles in Frozen River, which earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination, and August: Osage County, Upham was 32. According to a statement her father, Charles Upham, sent to media outlets, Misty Upham was last seen on October 5, walking from her sister's apartment in Muckleshoot, Washington. Her father added that she suffered from bipolar disorder and had bouts of depression and anxiety — she had gone missing in the past — but said he didn't believe she was suicidal. "The truth is Misty is not stressed over money or career. Her career is going great," he wrote last Sunday, October 12. "As her...

★★★☆☆Ryan Piers Williams returns to Edinburgh with his sophomore feature as director (following 2010's The Dry Land) with X/Y (2014), a largely insightful and refreshing portrayal of relationships between several thirtysomethings in New York. Beginning with the break-up of Mark (Williams) and Sylvia (America Ferrara), played with an economy of dialogue by the two convincing leads, the film's cast of characters then expands beyond the central couple to their two friends, with a structure that gives equal weight to all four in sections titled by name; 'Mark', 'Jen', 'Jake' and 'Sylvia'. Communication is key between each of the characters and the lack thereof in Mark and Sylvia's relationship is seen as the cause of its collapse.

The Tribeca Film Festival hosted the premiere of X/Y, a film starring husband and wife duo Ryan Piers Williams and America Ferrera.

X/Y is the second feature collaboration for the couple – Ferrera starred in Williams’ directorial debut The Dry Land (2010) – but Williams said that he was surprised by Ferrera’s desire to play Sylvia, the film’s lead character.

“I didn’t write the role with her in mind, and I didn’t know whether I wanted to cast her, honestly. When America expressed interest in playing the role, I was really surprised and excited by that,” Williams told EW.

Ferrera added that, at first lead, she didn't like Sylvia, nor did she have any desire to play her.

"I judged her and I didn't like her. But I realized that if someone wrote the facts of the worst things I've done in my life, I might not come off as likeable.

Despite the age-old trend of real-life couples teaming up for films, actor/director Ryan Piers Williams insists that wife America Ferrera wasn’t the obvious choice as the lead for his film X/Y.

“I didn’t write the role with her in mind, and I didn’t know whether I wanted to cast her, honestly,” says Williams of his second feature film, following 2010’s The Dry Land. “When America expressed interest in playing the role, I was really surprised and excited by that.”

Ferrera — who recently starred in biopic Chavez – adds that when her husband of nearly three years...

Ryan Piers Williams currently lives in NYC and started making films when he was 12 years old in El Paso, Texas. Upon graduation he worked for Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney on several productions including "Ocean's 12," "Good Night and Good Luck," "The Good German," and "Ocean's 13." He wrote and directed "The Dry Land" (Sundance 2010), and "Kilimanjaro" (SXSW 2013). "X/Y" is his second feature.Biggest challenge in completing the film? I wrote, directed, produced, and acted in X/Y. The biggest challenge I faced in making the film was to perform all of my duties without sacrificing the integrity of the project. It required me to be extremely prepared and exercise a great deal of discipline - while at the same time being flexible and willing to embrace the imperfections in the process. I was also very fortunate to have a seasoned team of producers, crew, and actors who were very...

America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, Ryan Piers Williams, Melonie Diaz and Common explore the difficulties of falling in love and in lust in modern day New York City in “X/Y.” The steamy drama will make its worldwide debut at the Tribeca Film Festival this month, where it will compete in the world narrative category. It's written and directed by Piers Williams, Ferrera's husband. The couple previously worked together on the 2010 indie drama “The Dry Land.” It also reunites Ferrera with Tamblyn, her co-star from “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” Also read: 21 Summer Movies We're Dying to See – From ‘Transformers 4' to.

Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show, To Whom It May Concern) has been cast as enigmatic crime lord Carlos, in El Rey Network's highly anticipated Supernatural crime saga, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series. Based on Robert Rodriguez's cult classic film of the same name, the hour-long series will premiere on El Rey Network in Q1 2014, debuting as the first scripted original series on the new genre-busting cable network.

Valderrama joins the previously announced D.J. Cotrona (Dear John, G.I. Joe Retaliation) who plays Seth Gecko; Zane Holtz (Holes, The Perks of Being a Wallflower) as Richie Gecko; Jesse Garcia (Quinceanera, Sons of Anarchy) who plays Texas Ranger Freddie Gonzalez, a new character created for the series; Don Johnson (Django Unchained, Nash Bridges) who joins in a recurring role as Sheriff Earl McGraw; Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The X-Files) as Jacob Fuller; Madison Davenport (Save Me, Shameless) as...

He broke into the Sundance Film Fest U.S. Dramatic Comp back in 2010 with The Dry Land, and not surprisingly, shooting on his sophomore safely began in March of this year. For this time out, writer/director Ryan Piers Williams once again works with actress/wife America Fererra, and manages once again to pull in some of the better indie players on the circuit in Melonie Diaz, Dree Hemingway, Ann Dowd alongside Jon Paul Phillips, Adam Rapp, Maria Dizzia, David Harbour and the hiphop artist and not too shabby in his own right thesp, Common. Nowhere close to Texas, the NYC backdrop and a score via Fall On Your Sword, X/Y is the type of certified indie film that stands a good chance at breaking into the fest – especially when you have a team of four editors mashing up the interconnectedness of the plot.

Gist: The character-driven drama explores...

I love Paris! Serving on the jury of U.S. in Progress to judge five American independent films in post production, bonding with filmmakers, organizers and the beautiful city itself, being part of a larger festival which featured films I particularly enjoyed like Nina Simone, Love Sorceress… Forever, It Felt Like Love by Eliza Hittman, Umbrellas of Cherbourg, what’s not to love?

The friendly openness of everyone at the festival made the event special. Sophie Dulac, the festival’s founder (and distributor, producer and exhibitor) whom I interviewed last year and again, almost as old friends again this year (see upcoming blog!), the publicist and programmer, Maxine Leonard, the staff, the Us in Progress organizers – Adeline Monzier (now also Us representative for Unifrance), Ula Śniegowska, Artistic Director of Wroclaw, Poland’s American Film Festival and Mobile New Horizons, my fellow jury members for USinP, and of course, the filmmakers themselves created a fun and inspiring event. What a great international film business we are in!

As I write this, the mailman just delivered a book, entitled Titra Film, A Cinematographic and Family Chronicle, sent to me by my fellow jury-member, Isabelle Frilley, who now, along with her children, owns and operates Titra, now called TitraTVS, the sub-titling company founded by her grandparents in 1933 shortly after talkies made subtitling de riguer . Very involved in the world of cinema, and inspired by her literary tastes, Isabelle has also helped develop multi-lingual subtitling for cinema, subtitling for the hearing impaired, and audio-description for the visually impaired. For many years, Isabelle Frilley has been a member of the juries of “Ciné en Construction” (for Latin-American cinema, in Toulouse), of “Cinéma en Mouvement” (for Mediterranean cinema, in San Sebastian), and of the Caméra d’Or in Cannes. She is only one of the illustrious jury among whom I was honored to count myself. Others included Julie Bergeron who runs Cannes Marche’s Producer Network among other things, Europa Distribution Eve Gabereau of Soda Pictures, a London-based indie distributor, Ciné Cinéma’s Bruno Deloye, Firefly’s Philippe Reinaudo, Commune Image’s Michael Werner, Eaux Vives Production’s Xénia Maingot, and Matthias Lavaux, the cofounder of touscoprod, the French crowdfunding website dedicated to movies, launched in January 2009.

1982 by Tommy Oliver

USinP’s winner, Tommy Oliver, whose previous film Kinyarwanda was a favorite of mine at Sundance a couple of years ago which Roger Ebert ranked 6 on his top ten films of 2011, is now in post on 1982 and won Us$60,000 worth of post production services.

Tommy’s directorial debut, 1982, starring Hill Harper, Sharon Leal, La La Anthony, Bokeem Woodbine, Wayne Brady and Ruby Dee, tells the story of a black father whose wife succumbs to a crack cocaine addiction and his efforts to shield their 10-year old daughter from the ill effects of having a drug addicted mother while trying to wean her off of her addiction. It's set in 1982 in Philadelphia at the very onset of the crack cocaine epidemic and ultimately, it's a story about a father doing whatever he can to protect his family. It's semi- autobiographical story and inspired by true events.

He also wrote and produced 1982 which also received a prestigious San Francisco Film Society Krf grant .

Tommy himself is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, a Microsoft alum and founder of Seattle-based interactive media firm Viliv Studios as well as La- based production company Confluential Films, which he started with actor/ author/ speaker Hill Harper.

I can confidently predict that this film will be seen on the festival circuit as it brings a humanity to the issue we’ve seen dozens of time – crack in communities – but never like this. We don’t see the ugly community violated by violence. We see a loving family coping with a personal and private disaster. Hill Harper plays a loving, compassionate good man. Comparisons will be made with Fruitvale Station, another African American “issue” film (police brutally killing an innocent family man) which will be released July 12 by The Weinstein Company. We need more such films to create a consistent pipeline for audiences who will pay to see these films. AFor his film 1982, he has devised a super-sophisticated, break-the-record domestic marketing plan. I am eager to watch the trajectory of this one.

The runner-up film, Bfe was supported with great gusto by its director and producer, Shawn Telford and producer, Mark Carr who brought a special energy to the entire event and were full of fun throughout. Shawn charmed his French hosts with his French. Watch for the film and with it, watch for Shawn!

I Believe In Unicorns is the feature debut of director Leah Meyerhoff. It was nominated for a Calvin Klein grant at the 2012 Gotham Independent Film Awards and stars Natalia Dyer, Peter Vack, Toni Meyerhoff, Julia Garner, Joshua Leonard and Amy Seimetz.

As noteworthy as the film is and as talented as Leah is, the producers themselves are also notable and prolific! Allison Anders, Katie Mustard and Heather Rae who also produced the Academy Award nominated film Frozen River, starring Melissa Leo, which won the 2008 Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, opened the New York Film Society’s New Directors/New Film series and was acquired by Sony PicturesClassics. She won the 2008 Independent Spirit Award for her production work on Frozen River. Heather also produced Mosquita Y Mari (Sundance 2012), Backroads (Sundance 2000), Trudell (2005 Sundance Film Festival), Ibid (2008 SXSW), The Dry Land (Sundance 2010), Magic Valley (Tribeca 2011), and is currently in post-production on Five Thirteen (with Tom Sizemore), Ass Backwards (with Alicia Silverstone and Vincent D’Onofrio) and Plastic Jesus (with Paul Schneider and Mackenzie Foy). For six years she was a programmer for the Sundance Film Festival and ran the Native Program at the Sundance Institute and recently joined the Sundance Board of Trustees.

Ping Pong Summer

Michael Tully made his directorial debut, Cocaine Angel, world premiered at the 2006 International Film Festival Rotterdam, Michael Tully (Director) was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film. His follow-up, Silver Jew, world premiered at the 2007 South By Southwest Film Festival. In 2011, he wrote, directed, and acted in Septien, which world premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was picked up for distribution by Sundance Selects. He’s currently in post-production on his newest feature, Ping Pong Summer, which he wrote and directed. Since 2008, he has been the head writer/editor of HammerToNail.com, a website devoted to championing ambitious cinema.

Producers: George Rush, Brooke Bernard, Ryan Zacarias, Michael Gottwald, Billy Peterson, Jeff Allard

Main Cast : Susan Sarandon, John Hannah, Leah Thompson, Judah Friedlander, Amy Sedaris

Children

Director : Jaffe Zinn Producer : Jaffe Zinn and Sterling Hoch

Aside from the jury, the films were seen by members of Europa Distribution:

Alpha Violet - Keiko Funato & Virgine Devesa - France - Sales agent Bac Films - Crasset Véronique - France - Sales agent & Distributor Bankside - Alice Ramsey - UK Sales Agent Chrysalis - Camille Lopato - France – Distributor Content - Toby Melling - UK - Sales Agent Coproduction Office - Marina Perales & Philippe Bober - France - Sales Agent Distrib Films - François Scippa-Kohn - France - Distributor Equation - Didier Costet - France - Distributor Eurozoom - Manon Galibert - France - Distributor Film Republic Rashid Xavier UK sales agent Films Boutique - Jean-Christophe Simon - Germany - Sales Agent Hanway - Fabien Westerhoff - UK - Sales Agent Happiness - Isabelle Dubar - France - Distributor Heliotrope - Laurent Aléonard & Goldfain Philippe - France - Distributor Imagine - Bral Tinne - Benelux - Distributor Jour 2 Fête - Sarah Chazelle - France - Distributor K5 Intl - Oda Schäfer - Germany - Sales Agent Kmbo - Grégoire Marchal - France - Distributor Le Pacte - Nathalie Jeung - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Level K - Freja Johanne - Denmark - Sales agent Locarno Film Festival - Aurélie Godet - France - Festival Memento Film - Tanja Meissner & Ram Murali - France - Sales Agent & Distributor MK2 - Emmanuelle de Couesbouc / Juliette Shramek - France - Sales Agent Premium Films - Karwan Kasia - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Reel Suspects - Frederic Gentet - France - Sales Agent Rezo - Sebastien Chesneau - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Sacrebleu - Louise Bellicaud - France - Producer Soda Pictures - Eve Gabereau - UK - Distributor Sophie Dulac Distribution - Eric Vicente - France - Distributor The Works - Steve Bestwick - UK - Sales Agent Tribeca Film Festival - Frédéric Boyer - USA - Festival Trust Nordisk - Silje Glimsdal - Denmark - Sales Agent Urban - Claire Charles-Gervais - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Versatile - Violaine Pichon & Pape Boye - France - Sales Agent Wide Management - Loïc Magneron - France – Sales Agent Wild Bunch - Emmanuelle Fellous - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Zed - Martine Scoupe - France - Distributor...

Up-and-coming filmmaker Ryan Piers Williams has dabbled in a little bit of everything when it comes to putting a movie together. He's worked in post-production, has a couple of screenplays and acting gigs to his credit. Plus, he made his feature directorial debut in 2010 with the Edinburgh Film Festival prize-winning drama The Dry Land, which starred his long-time girlfriend America Ferrera (Ugly Betty, End of Watch). Yahoo reports these two love birds are reuniting for Williams' forthcoming follow-up X/Y, a relationship drama where the pair will play a recently split couple. Williams is producing, directing and starring in the movie as Mark; Ferrara is producing as well as playing Mark's newly minted ex Silvia. The drama centers on how their breakup impacts the group dynamic of their circle of friends. Production for X/Y has begun in New York, and its cast includes Hell on Wheels' Common, Ann Dowd...

  America Ferrera, Common, Ann Dowd and Melonie Diaz have joined the cast of "X/Y," the next film from "The Dry Land" director Ryan Piers Williams. Williams also stars in the film as Mark, who dates Silvia (Ferrara), two members of a group of friends that struggles to stay united as Mark and Silvia separate. Ferrera, the star of hit TV show "Ugly Betty," last appeared in David Ayer's "End of Watch," while Common was last in "Movie 43." Williams' "The Dry Land" was named Best International Film at the 2010 Edinburgh Film Festival, and...

  America Ferrera, Common, Ann Dowd and Melonie Diaz have joined the cast of "X/Y," the next film from "The Dry Land" director Ryan Piers Williams. Williams also stars in the film as Mark, who dates Silvia (Ferrara), two members of a group of friends that struggles to stay united as Mark and Silvia separate. Ferrera, the star of hit TV show "Ugly Betty," last appeared in David Ayer's "End of Watch," while Common was last in "Movie 43."  Production has begun in New York on the film, a character drama that also features...

Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Jan. 22, 2013

Price: DVD $24.98, Blu-ray/DVD Combo $34.98

Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Jake Gyllenhaal (Love and Other Drugs) and Michael Pena (Everything Must Go) try to serve and protect in End of Watch.

The crime movie delves into the gritty, dangerous world explored in another movie written by writer/director David Ayers, Training Day.

In End of Watch, Gyllenhaal and Pena play young, enthusiastic cops Brian Taylor and Mike Zavala, respectively, who form a brotherhood to ensure they both go home at the end of their watch. But that gets more difficult after they perform a routine traffic stop and confiscate some money and firearms. Turns out, the items belonged to a notorious drug cartel, and they put a price on the cops’ heads.

The thriller film also stars Natalie Martinez (TV’s Detroit 1-8-7), Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect), Frank Grillo (The Grey) and America Ferrera (The Dry Land...

By Rachel Bennett

Television Editor & Columnist

***

Movies used to be gold standard for actors, with George Clooney, Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio leaving the small screen for the big to achieve great professional and financial success.

However, times are changing, and many actors who left TV to work in movies are coming back, including Eddie Murphy, Robin Williams and Michael J. Fox. Due to the addition of cable and subscription-based original programming, better roles are being created that will give actors a chance for the recognition, awards and job security that movies no longer provide. Just look at Claire Danes, who returned to TV to star in Showtime’s Homeland, for which she’s nominated for an Emmy.

There are several actors who should return to TV, but not all of them will. Take a look at the top 10 TV stars who’ve left TV but should return:

10. America Ferrera...

(Repeats Sept 2 story without changes to headline or text)

* Popcorn companies concerned as yield forecasts shrink

* Wholesale prices grow, grocery stores may follow

* Suppliers look to the U.S. South, South America to boost supplies

By P.J. Huffstutter

Chicago, Sept 2 (Reuters) - For more than half a century, the Shew family has harvested mountains of popcorn kernels to be buttered, salted and munched by movie fans.

But as a crippling Midwestern drought sends commodity soybean and grain prices soaring, the family's farmland in west-central Indiana is suffering. Plants are listing, stalks are spindly and corn ears small.

It's an ill portent for the snack food world. All across the Midwest, where rows of popcorn normally thrive alongside fields of soybeans, U.S. popcorn farmers have watched in horror as stifling, triple-digit temperatures and weeks without rain withered crops.

"This is the worst season we've ever had," said third-generation popcorn purveyor Mark Shew,...

"We should start a band together. I booked all the dates already - all we've got to do is show up!" Meet the Brooklyn Brothers. Today's trailer is for a quirky buddy flick titled Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best, starring Ryan O'Nan (The Dry Land, Eat Pray Love, The Iceman, "The Unusuals") who is also making his directorial debut. Co-starring is another recognizable face, Michael Weston. As one of the quotes in the trailers says, this is kind of a "bro-matic" drama almost in the vein of Once, if it was directed by Cameron Crowe. The cast includes Arielle Kebbel, Wilmer Valderrama and Andrew McCarthy. Take a look! Watch the first trailer for Ryan O'Nan's Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best, in high def from Apple: Recently broken up with his girlfriend, underachiever Alex (O'Nan) embarks on an impromptu road trip with his new bandmate, the eccentric Jim (Weston). By...

Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Los Angeles Film Festival and the Spirit Awards, announced on Sunday the jury and audience award winners for the 2012 Festival at the Awards Brunch, hosted by Chaya Downtown for the third year. Actors Jon Heder and Ari Graynor were on hand to present the awards. The La Film Fest, presented by Film Independent and Host Venue Regal Cinemas L.A. Live Stadium 14 and presenting media sponsor Los Angeles Times, ran from Thursday, June 14 to Sunday, June 24 in downtown Los Angeles.

“Every single filmmaker in this year’s Festival deserves kudos for their artistry and compelling stories. Our juries had such gems to choose from in each competition and the winners truly represent what we hold dear.diversity and uniqueness of vision,” said Festival Director Stephanie Allain.

The two top juried awards of the Los Angeles Film Festival are the Narrative Award and Documentary Award,...

HollywoodNews.com: Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Los Angeles Film Festival and the Spirit Awards, announced the jury and audience award winners for the 2012 Festival at the Awards Brunch, hosted by Chaya Downtown for the third year. Actors Jon Heder and Ari Graynor were on hand to present the awards. The La Film Fest, presented by Film Independent and Host Venue Regal Cinemas L.A. Live Stadium 14 and presenting media sponsor Los Angeles Times, ran from Thursday, June 14 to Sunday, June 24 in downtown Los Angeles.

“Every single filmmaker in this year’s Festival deserves kudos for their artistry and compelling stories. Our juries had such gems to choose from in each competition and the winners truly represent what we hold dear—diversity and uniqueness of vision,” said Festival Director Stephanie Allain.

The two top juried awards of the Los Angeles Film Festival are the Narrative Award and Documentary Award,...

Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: June 19, 2012

Price: DVD $24.98, Blu-ray $29.98

Studio: Mpi

Two law-breaking goofballs are forced to turn into responsible grownups in the 2011 independent comedy A Bag of Hammers.

Buddies Ben (Jason Ritter, The Dry Land) and Alan (Jake Sandvig, Easy A) are twenty-something L.A. slackers who make money through a valet-parking scam (they park cars at funerals, then steal them) and by leasing their rental house next door. Their new tenant is a stressed-out single mom, Kelsey (Carrie Preston, TV’s True Blood), who’s struggling to pay her bills and support her precocious, street-smart 12-year-old son (Chandler Canterbury, Knowing).

Ben and Alan strike up a friendship with Kelsey, but Alan’s sister Mel (Rebecca Hall, The Town) comes to believe that the boy may be a neglected latchkey kid. Mel’s intervention to remedy that situation sets off a chain of events that leads the guys to invent...

Director and co-writer Benh Zeitlin's debut feature Beasts of the Southern Wild is a film best experienced without preconception, expectations or advanced warning. Unfortunately for me and anyone that wasn't at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival the cat is out of the bag and we can't unlearn what we already know, but that isn't to say this film doesn't have a few lessons left to teach us. I may not ultimately adore the final product on the same level as those that saw it without any prior knowledge, but I enjoyed it on a high level all the same.

Most who watch Beasts of the Southern Wild won't likely find common ground with the film's lead characters, most important of which is a six-year-old girl who goes by the name of Hushpuppy played by Quvenzhane Wallis who is going to move you to your very core. Her soft features, untamed hair,...

The Dallas International Film Festival has announced 15 of the films in its 2012 lineup, and not only does Texas make a great showing, but Austin is well represented. I'm hoping to attend the festival this year, the selections look so good so far. Some notable non-Texas films include Lawrence Kasdan's Darling Companion, which has former Austinite Mark Duplass in the cast; The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best, the directorial debut of actor Ryan O'Nan (The Dry Land), and Takashi Shimizu's Tormented.

Cinema Six, the latest feature from filmmakers Mark Potts and Cole Selix (S&M Lawn Care), will have its world premiere at the festival, which takes place from April 12-22 (corrected from original text). Jenn and I visited the set in Lockhart last year (when the movie was called A Splice of Life). The filmmakers aren't from Austin, but many of their cast and crew are: producer Kelly Williams,...

America Ferrera, the award-winning actress who is best known for her portrayal of Betty Suarez in the hit comedy Ugly Betty, will speak at Bunker Hill Community College on Thursday, February 16, 2012.

Ferrera’s role in this TV show landed her some of the highest accolades in the entertainment industry: an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as Alma and Imagen awards.

Her starring role in Real Women Have Curves resulted in numerous other honors, including a Sundance Jury Award for best actress. Ferrera both starred in and was executive producer of The Dry Land, the story of a soldier returning home to Texas after the war in Iraq, which won the award for Best International Film at the 2010 Edinburgh Film Festival.

Read more...

Dir. Sheldon Candis and actor Michael Rainey Jr

Writer/director Sheldon Candis and producer Jason Berman talk with Josh Welsh, Film Independent’s Director of Artist Development, about their feature film Luv, which tells the story of William “Woody” Watson, a shy 11-year old boy who is forced to face the unpleasant truth about his only father figure during one harrowing day on the mean streets of Baltimore. Luv will have its world premiere in the narrative competition at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

First off, congratulations on finishing Luv, and of course for getting into Sundance! Sheldon, what’s your background and how did you get into film?

Sheldon Candis: I was born in Baltimore. Half of my childhood was there and the other half in Statesville, Nc. My love for movies came from two places: One, my father would religiously take my mom and me to see movies...

Chris Evans (Captain America: The First Avenger) has signed on to topline Millenium Films’ The Iceman, replacing James Franco (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), who exited the project last month.

Evans will star opposite Ray Liotta (Identity), Michael Shannon (Take Shelter), Maggie Gyllenhaal (Sherrybaby), David Schwimmer and Ryan O’Nan (The Dry Land) in the gritty indie drama.

The Iceman will tell the true story of Richard Kuklinski, the notorious contract killer and family man.

Ariel Vromen will direct from a screenplay he wrote with Morgan Land.

Production is due to start next month.

Source: Deadline...

Sports movies can be tricky beasts, and none moreso than the valiant, but generally in vain, effort that is the golf-related movie. Another shot at it comes your way September 2nd, and this one may have what it takes. The trailer looks solid at any rate, and the fact that it's based on David L. Cook's book, "Golf's Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia," isn't going to hurt either.

Lucas Black and Robert Duvall are joined by a very solid cast, including Melissa Leo, to bring you a quirky golf film about one man's effort to "find his game," after he parts ways with his father. It may appear a little more syrupy than necessary, but I think it may be onto something, not least because it seems to be both more and less about golf than most of the, admittedly few, efforts in the genre.

Check...

Today we have a new trailer, 15 hi-res photos and poster for “Seven Days In Utopia”, starring Academy Award winners Robert Duvall and Melissa Leo, and produced by Academy Award winner Mark Mathis (Precious).

The inspirational film is based on David L. Cook’s best-selling book Golf’s Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia.

Seven Days in Utopia follows the story of Luke Chisolm (Lucas Black), a talented young golfer set on making the pro tour. When his first big shot turns out to be a very public disaster, Luke escapes the pressures of the game and finds himself unexpectedly stranded in Utopia, Texas, home to eccentric rancher Johnny Crawford (Duvall). But Johnny’s more than meets the eye, and his profound ways of looking at life force Luke to question not only his past choices, but his direction for the future.

Here’s the official plot synopsis...

By Sean O’Connell

Hollywoodnews.com: When does breakfast turn into potential Armageddon? We’re going to have to check out “It’s a Disaster” to find out.

The literal-titled comedy just added Julia Stiles and America Ferrera in a movie about “four couples who meet for Sunday Brunch only to discover they are stuck in a house together as the world may be about to end,” according to a release. Todd Berger will direct from his own script, and will feature members of the comedy troupe The Vacationeers, including Kevin M. Brennan, Jeff Grace, Blaise Miller, and Berger, himself.

“It’s a crazy story and I was convinced Julia and America would think I’m crazy too, but I’m thrilled they get my sense of humor. I’m excited to have them on board,” said Berger.

From the release:

Julia Stiles’ most recent project is Showtime’s critically acclaimed series Dexter,...

Universal Studios Home Video will release the television show The Event: The Complete Series on DVD on Aug. 23 for the list price of $59.98.

The principals takes their places for The Event.

A mix of science fiction, adventure and political allegory, the series revolves around everyman Sean Walker (Jason Ritter, The Dry Land) who goes looking for his missing girlfriend and inadvertently stumbles upon a massive government conspiracy involving the existence of human-like extraterrestrials who have been living among the Earth’s population for years.

Created and produced by Nick Wauters, The Event also stars Sarah Roemer (The Con Artist), Zeljko Ivanek (TV’s Big Love) and, as the President of the United States, Blair Underwood (TV’s The New Adventures of Old Christine).

Described by Ok! Magazine as “a Lost meets 24 thrill-ride,” The Event premiered on NBC-tv last fall and was canceled in May after the broadcast of its...

The movie From Prada to Nada, a Latina reworking of Jane Austen’s classic novel Sense and Sensibility, comes to Blu-ray and DVD from Lionsgate on May 3. (Clever title! But not as cute as The Devil Wears Nada, which is on late night Cinemax every friggin’ night of the week.)

The eyes have it in From Prada to Nada.

A fish-out-of-water romantic comedy (who woulda thunk it!?), From Prada to Nada explores the relationship of spoiled Beverly Hills sisters Nora (Camilla Belle, Push) and Mary (Alexa Vega, Broken Hill). When their loving father unexpectedly dies, leaving them penniless, the girls embark on their biggest adventure yet: to live with an estranged aunt on the other side of town — East L.A. — and embrace their long denied heritage… without their designer labels.

The feature film directorial debut of Angel Garcia, From Prada to Nada also stars Wilmer Valderrama (TV’s The Dry Land...

This month, "Extra" is spotlighting the top 2011 Academy Award nominees, beginning with the Best Supporting Actress category. After seeing "The Fighter," many asked, "Who was the actress who played Mark Wahlberg's mom?" The answer is Melissa Leo, a character actress with a long and illustrious career in Hollywood, with appearances in many highly acclaimed films.

Here's the "Extra" scoop on this talented actress!

Oscar Nominee Trivia File: Melissa LeoHer Early Years

Melissa always knew...

Actor Tim Blake Nelson will host the awards ceremony at the Sundance Film Festival, which also announced Tuesday the members of the five juries that will determine the winners. The festival runs from Jan. 20-30; the awards will be handed out the evening of Jan. 29. (The Short Film Awards will be named earlier at a ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 25, at Park City’s Jupiter Bowl.)

The complete list of jurors follows, with bios provided by the festival.

U.S. Documentary Jury

Jeffrey Blitz

Jeffrey’s film career started in 2002 with the Oscar-nominated, Emmy-winning documentary “Spellbound.” His fiction feature debut, “Rocket Science,” became his first to play the festival (Sundance, 2007; Dramatic Directing Award). He has also directed the documentary “Lucky,” (Sundance, 2010) and multiple episodes of NBC’s “The Office.” In 2009, he won the Emmy for comedy directing.

Matt Groening

Matt Groening created the longest-running comedy in television history, “The Simpsons.” As a cartoonist,...

Melissa Leo, The Fighter David O. Russell's boxing melodrama The Fighter has won its third Critics Choice Award: Best Supporting Actress for Melissa Leo. The other winners were Best Supporting Actor Christian Bale and an award for Best Ensemble. (Mark Wahlberg and Amy Adams are the other two principals.) Also in 2010, Leo could be seen in the Hilary Swank vehicle Conviction; playing opposite Kristen Stewart and James Gandolfini in Welcome to the Rileys; and in two lesser-known efforts, The Space Between and The Dry Land. No wonder Leo made a point of telling the crowd at the Hollywood Palladium that even though she was told her career was over when she turned 40 ten years ago, it has flourished since then. At this stage, Leo is also the favorite for the Academy Awards, though some claim that the Oscar statuette may go to either True Grit's Hailee Steinfeld or...

Today the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that 241 screenplays (134 original and 107 adapted) are eligible for Best Screenplay nominations and 77 films are eligible for Best Original Score (not including Black Swan, The Fighter or The Kids Are All Right).

Earlier we shared the 248 films eligible for Best Picture. Even though there are great deal of films that were amazing movie going experiences, Academy voters are likely only to concentrate on the films that have garnered awards from other organizations.

Below are the front runners for each of the categories thanks to Awards Daily:

Best Original Screenplay

Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg -The Kids Are All Right David Seidler – The King’s Speech Christopher Nolan – Inception Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, John J. McLaughlin – Black Swan Mike Leigh – Another Year Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson – The Fighter Derek Cianfrance – Blue Valentine

Best Adapted Screenplay

Aaron Sorkin – The Social Network...

We know you were losing sleep over it, so we're happy to be the first to tell you that Furry Vengeance and Yogi Bear are both eligible to be nominated for Best Screenplay Oscars on January 25. Also that Marmaduke score that has been wearing out your iPod? It's eligible too. However, the inclusion of these 2010 masterpieces really isn't that big a surprise. With final nominations just over a month away the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that 241 screenplays - 134 original and 107 adapted - are eligible for a Best Screenplay nomination and that music from 77 films is eligible for Best Original Score (not including Black Swan, The Fighter or The Kids Are All Right [1]). Add those to the 248 films eligible [2] for Best Picture and Oscar voters have a lot of work to do in the coming weeks. Kind of. See the full lists, the favorites and read the rules after the jump.

The AMPAS have named 241 scripts eligible for the Academy Awards — 134 original, 107 adapted. Unlike the WGA, Winter’s Bone, King’s Speech, Toy Story 3, Never Let Me Go, and How to Train Your Dragon will be considered.

The AMPAS have also released the list of nominees for best score. The list was narrowed down to 77 scores, which makes Best Original Score the 2011 Oscar the category with the least number of films under consideration. The scores for Black Swan, True Grit, The Kids Are Alright and The Fighter will not be eligible to compete this year. Clint Mansell‘s Black Swan score and Carter Burwell‘s True Grit score were disqualified attributed to a designation within Rule 16 of the Academy’s Special Rules for Music Awards (5d under “Eligibility”), which excludes “scores diluted by the use of tracked themes or other pre-existing music.” Meanwhile, the scores for The Kids Are All Right,...

There was a minor kerfluffle last night when it was announced only 76 screenplays from 2010 are eligible for the WGA Awards, leaving out such quality films as Toy Story 3, The King's Speech, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.  No need to fret over Oscar consideration: the AMPAS named 241 scripts eligible for the Academy Awards -- 134 original, 107 adapted. The AMPAS is a bit pickier about original scores, though -- Black Swan, True Grit, The Kids Are All Right, and The Fighter were deemed ineligible last week.  The list was narrowed down to 77 scores, which makes Best Original Score the 2011 Oscar the category with the least number of films under consideration.  Hit the jump to see the full list of films up for the original screenplay, adapted screenplay, and original score categories. Via TheWrap: Original Screenplays Agora All Good Things Alpha And Omega Animal Kingdom Another Year Aparoris Applause Biutiful Black Swan...

So far I've collected six separate 2010 compilation videos looking back at the this year's collection of films. To the best of my knowledge, these six videos include clips from 303 films and together they total 34:34. I have included the complete list of films on the second page if you are interested. Let me know if I'm missing any, but I think it's pretty safe to say if you liked a film in 2010 one of these following videos will feature it.

So, have a watch and leave your thoughts on which one is your favorite in the comments below and if you find another one online that I should add to the collection shoot me an email.

By: Zack Young

By: The Sleepy Skunk

By: Matthew Shapiro

By: Gen I

By: Kees van Dijkhuizen

On the next page is one final compilation piece, but it plays automatically once the page is...

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences have announced that 248 feature films are eligible for best picture at the 2010 Academy Awards. According to THR, 274 films were eligible in 2009, and 281 in 2008. If I had to guess which films will be selected I would have to say Inception, Black Swan, Social Network, King’s Speech, Winter’s Bone, The Fighter, True Grit, 127 Hours, Toy Story 3 and Rabbit Hole.

To make the cut, feature films must open in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County by midnight, December 31, and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days.

Under Academy rules, a feature-length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes and must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format.

Feature films that receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion...

tEver look at the Oscar nominations and think, “Seriously how did that get nominated?” Well, a little peak behind the curtains reveals how your Best Picture sausage is made.

The Academy looks over all the feature films released in the present year and then breaks them down for eligibility under the following:

Films must be at least forty minutes long, which is the designation for “feature length.”Films must have their first public exhibition/distribution as a theatrical motion picture; no more than 10 minutes or 10% (whichever comes first) can be displayed in a “nontheatrical medium” prior to the film’s theatrical release.The publicly exhibited film must be within the following specs: 35mm or 70mm film, or in a 24- or 48-frame progressive scan Digital Cinema format with a minimum projector resolution of 2048 by 1080 pixelsAnd finally, the film must be available for paid admission in a commercial theater in L.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences have announced that 248 feature films are eligible for best picture at the 2010 Academy Awards. The number is down from previous years -- According to THR [1], 274 films were eligible in 2009, and 281 in 2008. The list of 248 eligible films have been sent with a nominations ballot to all active and life members of the Academy "who shall vote in the order of their preference for not more than ten pictures." The ten films receiving the highest number of votes shall become the nominations for final voting for the Best Picture award. The nominations will be announced live on January 25th 2011 at 5:30am psd. The rules for eligibility is as follows: Films must be feature length (defined as over 40 minutes) Publicly exhibited by means of 35mm or 70mm film, or in a 24- or 48-frame progressive scan Digital Cinema format with a minimum projector resolution...

Filmmaker David O Russell has released a short audio commentary excerpt for a fighting sequence of The Fighter, his new film which stars Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale. Russell discusses how he employed a recreation of an early-90?s HBO Sports camera crew to shoot the in-ring sequences. Watch the clip embedded after the jump thanks to The Carpetbagger [1]. Official Production Notes: Inspired by an incredible true story, comes the gritty, affectionately humorous, yet stirring comeback tale of the unlikely boxing hero, “Irish” Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), and his half-brother, Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale), who had to come apart as opponents before coming together as brothers in a scrappy fight to win a long-shot championship and strengthen the bonds of their family. Years in the making, The Fighter was shot in just 33 days on the blue-collar streets of Lowell, Massachusetts. Early on, producers David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman fell in...

Each year around this time we get a mash-up of the best (and worst) cinematic offerings of the past 12 months. First out of the gate is YouTube’s Genrocks, with a great video mix. See it below and then check out the long list of films it uses, in order from Iron Man 2 to Hubble 3D, as well as the musical choices.

Music:

1. Ratatat – Nostrand

2. Kanye West – Power

3. Rooney – Not In My House

4. Apartment – Fall Into Place

5. Civil Twilight – Letters from the Sky

6. Sunbears! – Little Baby Pines

Films in Order of Appearance:

01. Iron Man 2

02. The Social Network

03. Saw 3D

04. Tron: Legacy

05. Never Let Me Go

06. Legion

07. The Book of Eli

08. Easy A

09. The Runaways

10. Farewell

11. Kick-Ass

12. Jonah Hex

13. Harry Brown

14. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

15. Percy Jackson & The Olympics: The Lightning Thief

16. Despicable Me

17. Stone

18. Dinner For Schmucks

19. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

20. Hereafter

21. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World...

If you were trapped under a rock this year (it happens) take six minutes to watch this YouTube short. Half music video, half trailer remix, “Filmography 2010″ cuts together the year’s hits, flops and everything in between to catchy music.

Even if you’re a jaded movie buff who hates year end schmaltz, the recap should pluck your heartstrings. So many great and touching moments this year, it’s enough to make you wonder how the Golden Globes managed to totally blow their nominations.

But we digress. Check out the video after the jump.

How many films do you recognize? Below is full list of the films in the order that they appear. Enjoy!

Music:

1. Ratatat – Nostrand

2. Kanye West – Power

3. Rooney – Not In My House

4. Apartment – Fall Into Place

5. Civil Twilight – Letters from the Sky

6. Sunbears! – Little Baby Pines

Filmography 2010

Films in Order of Appearance:

01. Iron Man 2

02. The Social Network...

Every December these ‘best of the year’ video montages make the last 12 months of cinema seem infinitely more pleasant to sit through than they actually were. Here’s the first of many that are sure to be made before the sand in the hourglass runs out on 2010, this one from a gal going by the name of Gen I, who sent in this effort to /film.

There’s 270 movies in this montage below ranging from all the well known blockbusters, to smaller docs, foreign fare and even some Japanese anime! I can’t begin to imagine how long or how much skill it takes to put something as high-quality as this together…

Full list of the tracks and films shown are below;

Music:

1. Ratatat – Nostrand

2. Kanye West – Power

3. Rooney – Not In My House

4. Apartment – Fall Into Place

5. Civil Twilight – Letters from the Sky

6. Sunbears! – Little Baby Pines

Filmography 2010

Films in...

Now that we're about two weeks till the end of 2010, the film industry will be looking back to figure out the best movies of the year and will pick winners during the many awards shows. Today, we have a video that captures 2010 pretty well by showing scenes from the year's 270 films, including some that have yet to hit theaters. There will likely be plenty more of these montages in the next few weeks, but the video is definitely one of the better ones that I have seen. Check out the six-minute video below, in addition to a full list of all the films that were used. Questions: How many of the films listed did you actually see in full? Video: Films in Order of Appearance: 1. Iron Man 2 2. The Social Network 3. Saw 3D 4. Tron: Legacy 5. Never Let Me Go 6. Legion 7. The Book of Eli 8. Easy A 9. The Runaways 10. Farewell 11. Kick-Ass...

It's getting closer and closer to the end of the year, and we've already seen a couple top 10 lists and critic choice awards announced. Since we began posting "best of the year" video montages a few years back, it seems a lot of new wannabe video editors have emerged. Maybe the software has become cheaper or more accessible, or maybe the coverage on sites like /Film and other movie blogs garnered interest in the task. Last year I received a dozen or so best of videos, most of them were not anything we would share on the site. I think we posted three in total last year, two of which were created by video editors we've featured in previous years [1]. Today I was sent the first "best of 2010" video montage of the season, from a video editor named Gen I. I'll admit that while I was expecting the worst, I came out pleasantly surprised.

Grown Ups: "Congratulations, Adam Sandler! After a decade or so of trying in earnest, you've finally achieved what must be your ultimate goal: to make a completely unwatchable movie. The problems in the past -- and the reasons that your movies have been mostly unwatchable instead of completely unwatchable -- have finally been eradicated. Turns out that before you were trying too hard. In Grown Ups, you've finally figured out the formula: Don't try at all! It's brilliant! All that effort is what's been holding you back all these years. As it turns out, laziness really is the best way accomplish the lifelong pursuit that has eluded you until now." - Dustin Rowles

Ramona & Beezus: "With Ramona and Beezus, the filmmakers have not merely adapted the first novel, Beezus and Ramona, in Cleary's series. Instead, this movie is a dumping ground for various misdeeds from several books, including Ramona and Her Father,...

There's plenty of stuff hitting DVD and Blu-ray today, some of it "game changing", and some of it not so much. The two major new releases this week are Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (trying to make up for its weak theatrical run) and Adam Sandler's Grown Ups (simply adding to its coffers), but we've also got Charlie St. Cloud starring Zac Efron, Beverly Cleary's Ramona and Beezus, and Love Ranch starring Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci. For the more adventurous, Criterion unleashes Lars Von Trier's controversial Antichrist on DVD and Blu-ray, and the large assortment of television releases include Season 1 of BBC's Sherlock, the third seasons of Californication, The Boondocks and Metalocalypse, and a 25th Anniversary Collection of The Golden Girls that comes in Sophia's purse! Amazing. What will you be buying or renting this week? Scott Pilgrim vs. The World [1] (+ Blu-ray [2]) Grown Ups...