Reuters - A powerful Chinese film on the plight of political prisoners condemned to forced labor camps in the late 1950s wooed critics in Venice on Monday, with some tipping it as a strong contender for the festival's top prize.

Reuters - Whether a hoax or not, a new documentary about Joaquin Phoenix and his transition from acclaimed, brooding actor to bearded, shambolic hip-hop wannabe has captivated viewers at the Venice film festival.

AFP - Paul Hogan, the actor made famous by the "Crocodile Dundee" films, said the bad publicity surrounding his dispute with the Australian tax office had forced it to lift travel restrictions on him.

Reuters - Christie's expects a major work called "Ordination" by French master Nicolas Poussin to fetch 15-20 million pounds ($23-31 million) when it goes under the hammer in London on December 7.

AFP - Spy thriller "The American" rocketed to the top of the North American box office to beat out crime action flick "Takers," preliminary figures showed Sunday.

Reuters - George Clooney outgunned his rivals at the Labor Day holiday weekend box office in North America with a low-caliber opening for his assassin drama "The American," as the lucrative summer moviegoing season wound down on a traditionally weak note.

Reuters - George Clooney outgunned his rivals at the Labor Day holiday weekend box office in North America with a low-caliber opening for his assassin drama "The American," as the lucrative summer moviegoing season wound down on a traditionally weak note.

AP - There's been intense competition going on at the U.S. Open, and it has nothing to do with aces or foot faults.

AP - "Post Mortem," a film by Chilean director Pablo Larrain, recreates the autopsy of Chilean President Salvador Allende during the 1973 coup.

AP - French director Francois Ozon's says he was inspired to go ahead with his latest film, a battle-of-the-sexes comedy, after the presidential election pitting Nicolas Sarkozy against Segolene Royale.

AP - Lost wandering in the Oregon desert for five weeks when the journey should have taken two, low on water, food and patience, a young emigrant played by Michelle Williams says of the group's ego-driven guide: "Is he ignorant, or just plain evil? That's my quandary."

AFP - Chinese megastar Maggie Cheung, in Venice for the screening of Isaac Julien's art film "Better Life", has shunned the celluloid since becoming the first Asian actress to win in Cannes in 2004.

AP - Hip-hop star Kanye West is still feeling the pain over his trophy grab from Taylor Swift last year — and he's expressing his pain all over Twitter.

AP - What would you do if your entire city was taken over by flesh-eating zombies and communist leaders insisted it was nothing but a plot by U.S-backed dissidents to destabilize the government?

Reuters - Martin Scorsese's latest film pays a personal tribute to Elia Kazan, one of Hollywood's and Broadway's most influential directors but also a controversial figure who turned anti-communist informant in the McCarthy era.

AP - Guest lineup for the Sunday TV news shows:

AP - Kara DioGuardi is following Ellen DeGeneres and Simon Cowell out the door at "American Idol."

AP - Bristol Palin said she didn't think twice before waltzing into "Dancing with the Stars," though she's barely danced in her life.

AP - A lawyer for Taylor Lautner says the "Twilight" star has settled a lawsuit with an RV dealership he claims didn't deliver a $300,000 coach in time for a movie shoot.

Reuters - Fox announced Friday what media reports have speculated for weeks: Kara DioGuardi is leaving "American Idol."

Reuters - The Capitol release bowed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, thanks to first-week sales of 192,000 units in the United States, the ninth-best debut week so far this year, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

AP - From the mixture of hurt, anger and embarrassment on his face, Gordon seems like one of the last people who would want to open his life to cameras for a reality television show.

AP - John Woo built his reputation with stylish Hong Kong action thrillers, then moved to Hollywood where he directed such big-budget blockbusters as "Mission Impossible II."

Reuters - The Venice film festival on Friday honored Hong Kong director John Woo, one of the few Asian filmmakers to enjoy box office success in Hollywood as well as at home.

AP - "American Idol" is expanding the talent search for its next season with an audition in Los Angeles later this month.

Reuters - NBC might have summer's most-watched show in "America's Got Talent," but the network's late-night ratings aren't so hot.

Reuters - NBC might have summer's most-watched show in "America's Got Talent," but the network's late-night ratings aren't so hot.