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A well-intentioned priest returns home to the complex and compromised Campania region, around Naples, in Equilibrium (L’equilibrio), a sober and realistic fiction feature from Naples-born writer-director and occasional documentarian Vincenzo Marra. After shooting 2007’s The Trial Begins with Fanny Ardant and 2015’s First Light with local former heartthrob Riccardo Scamarcio, this feature represents in many ways a return to the incisive but modest modus operandi of his second and still best fiction feature, Land Wind (2004), a verite drama set in Campania that was shot, like this film, with very humble means and non-professional actors.

The non-pros in this Venice...

The Oscar Pistorius trial is less than two weeks away and newly leaked documents show startling revelations about the circumstances surrounding the shooting death of the Olympic star's girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. On Valentine's Day last year, security guards from Pistorius's South African luxury estate called him after the early morning shooting and asked if "everything was in order," according to a court document obtained by South African television station eNCA. [H]e indicated that he was fine," the document reportedly says, adding, "He never asked for their assistance and did not make a report about the shooting incident to them." Pistorius,...

Will and Sonny have to testify at Sami’s trial. At least they’ll look hot.

Will was on a non-liveblog day last week, briefly. Basically, here’s what happened.

“Blah Blah Blah I’m going to tell them I shot E.J. Blah Blah Blah Okay maybe I won’t Blah Blah Blah”

Oh, and here’s Sami in a happy mother-child reunion. That plaid shirt in the middle? That’s not Will, it’s Johnny. Yes, that’s right. Poor Johnny is now wearing Will’s hand-me-downs.

And we start with Will already on the witness stand! Devil In A Blue Dress is attacking Will, accusing him of lying under oath about the video. The judge orders that he be taken away for perjury, as Sonny looks on helplessly. He starts calling Will’s name … and eventually Will wakes up. Yes, it was all a dream! Dear God,...

The season finale of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia brings the Gang into an intense trial, maybe not as intense as the days of The World Series Defense, but much more involved considering it was all handled in house. The result, Reynolds vs. Reynolds: The Cereal Defense, is another great episode of the show.

The premise of a full trial episode had me excited for one simple reason: Charlie’s obsession with law. The majority of the funniest Charlie lines have something to do with law. From the early seasons where he proclaimed “Objection! Hearsay! See that’s lawyer talk,” all the way to “Mind you that heretofore document had dry ink on it for many fork-night,” there are few things better than Charlie doing his best Law And Order impression. So for this week’s episode to involve a trial, it was safely assumed that the episode would...

Prosecutors took their time bringing Conrad Murray to trial for involuntary manslaughter.

By Gil Kaufman

Dr. Conrad Murray

Photo: Getty Images

It's hard to believe that nearly 2 1/2 years have passed since Michael Jackson's death. But, because the wheels of justice grind especially slowly when it comes to celebrity trials, we are just now on the cusp of a verdict in the involuntary manslaughter case of Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray.

Murray, the Texas cardiologist handpicked by Jackson to be his personal physician in the lead-up to the pop icon's 2009 This Is It comeback shows, spent three weeks listening to prosecutors disparage his treatment of Jackson in the hours before the singer's death. But his path to infamy began years before that fateful June 25, 2009, morning when he called Jackson's assistant in a panic.

The pair first met in 2006, when Jackson was living in Las Vegas — where Murray has a clinic — and...

America's new obsession: the training program of the elite forces who got bin Laden. After hours of calisthenics and surf torture in cold water, you're certain to get buff, writes Tony Dokoupil. Plus, full coverage of Osama bin Laden's death.

Days after Osama bin Laden's demise, America's burning concern-the most urgent outstanding question, at least according to Google search trends-had nothing to do with al Qaeda, terrorism, or torture. No, the death of the world's most-wanted man has the country thinking about something else entirely: how to get buff.

Related story on The Daily Beast: The Hunt for Osama's Son Hamza Bin laden

"Navy Seal training," followed closely by "Navy Seal workout," were the only bin Laden-related search terms in the Top 10 on Wednesday, narrowly beating "Jesse James" (who opened up about his ex, Sandra Bullock) and "Flowers Online" (note: Mother's Day is Sunday). Surely, this says something unflattering about the national id,...

Michael Jackson was in such a weakened state before he died ... it's unfair to blame his death on Propofol ...and we've learned this is precisely what lawyers for Dr. Conrad Murray will argue to a jury. Sources familiar with the case tell TMZ ... Dr. Murray's team will argue that at the time of his death, Jackson's body was failing him ... partly because he  was "driven over the edge" by Aeg to rehearse for his upcoming tour.

Back in 2008, Demi Moore sued Australian magazine Pacific for publishing private photos of her daughter, Rumor Willis, and other stars who attended an Oscar party at her home.

The trial begins next Monday, the Melbourne Federal Court confirmed Wednesday to the Associated Press.

Attorneys for the actress would not confirm to the AP if she'll testify. Pacific Magazines also had no comment.

Moore claims she has copyrights to the photos and is seeking unspecified damages.

Venice International Film Festival

R&C Prods.

VENICE, Italy -- Rush Hour is a strange English title for Vincenzio Marra's languid and unintentionally amusing drama about a corrupt member of Italy's Financial Police who thinks he can outwit his boss, major financiers, building unions and two beautiful women.

The only thing rushed about it is the screenplay, which stumbles into so many silly pitfalls that it provoked laughter at a press and industry screening at the Venice International Film Festival.

With leading man Michele Lastella providing handsome looks but only two expressions -- surprise and self-satisfaction -- the picture, which was in competition at the festival, is likely to sink without trace even on home territory.

The young police officer joins the financial department full of brisk energy and eager to suck up to Capt. Salvi, played by Augusto Zucchi as if he were a mafia don. Despite having a lovely and caring fiance (Giulia Bevilacqua), Costa succumbs to the charms of an older woman, a rich widow (Fanny Ardant).

After a successful career taking bribes left and right, which he shares with the captain, Costa quits the department and gets into the construction business, which he knows nothing about. Banal and predictable, the film's one element of interest is in guessing what cliche will come next.

RUSH HOUR

R&C Prods., The French Connection, RAI Cinema

Credits:

Director, writer: Vincenzio Marra

Producers: Tilde Corsi and Gianni Romoli

Director of photography: Luca Bigazzi

Production designer: Beatrice Scarpato

Costume Designer: Daniella Ciancio

Editor: Luca Benedetti

Cast:

Caterina: Fanny Ardant

Filippo: Michele Lastella

Francesca: Giulia Bevilacqua

Captain Salvi: Augusto Zucchi

Donati: Atonio Gerardi

Anna: Barba Valmorin

Patrizi: Nicola Labate

Prisco: Maurizio Tesei

Running time -- 95 minutes

No MPAA rating...