A 'New Moon' Destined For A Quick EclipseNovember 20, 2009Stephenie Meyers' four-novel Twilight saga set off a rage for lovelorn teen vampires -—one that only escalated after the release of the first hit movie. The second film, New Moon, set box-office records for advance sales, but critic David Edelstein says it's too turgid for the excitement to last.NPR
Ambassador Vexed At Hollywood's British VampiresNovember 23, 2009The vampire romance The Twilight Saga: New Moon was No. 1 at the movie box office over the weekend. It's not just tween girls who are paying attention. Vampire flicks are having an impact on trans-Atlantic relations. Britain's ambassador to the U.S. Sir Nigel Sheinwald tells Renee Montagne he takes issue with so many British actors playing what he calls "the unholy ranks of the silver screen's undead."NPR
Broken Embraces November 23, 2009Celebrated director explores life through movies in this film-within-a-film.Paste
In 'Blind Side,' A Tunnel-Vision Take On A True StoryNovember 19, 2009Based on Michael Lewis' acclaimed book, John Lee Hancock's julep-sweet screenplay turns a well-told true story into a feel-good fantasy for white liberals — a movie that doesn't dig deep and too often seems content to trade in stereotype. But as ever in Hollywood, the based-on-reality defense will provide a certain amount of cover, and Hancock will probably have an audience pleaser on his hands.NPR
John Woo's 'Red Cliff': An Epic Cut Down To SizeNovember 19, 2009The director of Face/Off and Mission: Impossible II returns to his Hong Kong-cinema roots with a battle epic based on a war fought in China 18 centuries ago. Critic Mark Jenkins says that while Red Cliff's scope is certainly impressive, the edited-down U.S. release could use some psychological strife to go with its clanging swords and clashing ships.NPR
Herzog's 'Bad Lieutenant': He's Crescent City CrazyNovember 19, 2009"A man without a gun, that's not a man," says the pain-wracked, drug-addled anti-hero cop at the center of Port of Call: New Orleans. You get the feeling that director Werner Herzog, that dedicated chronicler of alpha-male lunacy, agrees — and you can't help but notice that his crime drama is every bit as over-the-top eccentric as its protagonist.NPR
'Broken Embraces': The Very Picture Of RomanceNovember 20, 2009Brace yourself: Things are about to get meta. Pedro Almodovar's latest picture strings a colorfully knotty love story across layers of dark film-within-a-film intrigue. Complex of plot, deft in its blending of comedy and melodrama, and a treasure trove of golden-age movie references, the film is what you might call a lushly tragic lark — a heartfelt, if not quite heartbreaking, paean to romance and to the romance of cinema. (Recommended)NPR
Under A 'New Moon,' A Surprising Lack Of PassionNovember 20, 2009If you have teenage girls in your life, you don't need to be told that New Moon, the second part of The Twilight Saga, hits movie theaters this weekend. Even though the world may have had enough of star-crossed sweethearts Edward and Bella by the series' end, critic Kenneth Turan says there's not enough of them in this installment.NPR
Fantastic Mr. FoxNovember 20, 2009Wes Anderson’s whimsical animated film features his familiar themes and undeniable fingerprints, but has broader-than-usual appeal.Paste
Marketers Sink Teeth Into 'New Moon'November 17, 2009New Moon, the latest movie in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight vampire saga, is sucking in marketers, who are using the franchise's characters to sell everything from bottled water to late-model luxury cars.NPR
Sexing Up The PG-13 Vampire ... But Not Too MuchNovember 18, 2009New Moon, the second movie installment in the hit Twilight saga, opens this Friday. With a target audience of teen and tween girls, the films straddle the line between sexy and chaste. Some fans say this can send mixed messages.NPR
Is The Small Screen Replacing The Silver Screen?November 17, 2009As DVD sales decline, Hollywood studios are looking for ways to get movies straight to consumers' living rooms. This has some industry insiders worried that Hollywood is jeopardizing its most valuable asset: the theatrical release date. The movie industry is looking to change the way it distributes content.NPR
The Real Story Behind Britain's Rock 'N' Roll PiratesNovember 13, 2009In the '60s, the British airwaves were largely controlled by the BBC — which had all but barred rock 'n' roll from the radio. Then a small flotilla of ships dropped anchor off the coast of England and began broadcasting the illicit tunes of The Hollies and The Rolling Stones. The film Pirate Radio takes its inspiration from a time when Britannia's rock ruled the waves.NPR
'Disturbing the Universe': William Kunstler 101November 13, 2009Lawyer William Kunstler famously took on controversial cases: from radical Abbie Hoffman to mobster John Gotti to Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, Kunstler's clients earned him both praise and loathing. In a new documentary, his own daughters ask whether his choices made Kunstler a great man — a question critic Mark Jenkins says they never really answer.NPR
Pirate RadioNovember 18, 2009Raucous ’60s retrospective adrift in simplistic plot: a radio ship broadcasts primitive rock ’n’ roll in international waters to avoid government regulationPaste
The (Surprisingly) Real Feel of 'Fantastic Mr. Fox'November 12, 2009Director Wes Anderson's first animated film is based on Roald Dahl's cheerfully wicked children's book about a wily fox who wages war on three farmers. Critic David Edelstein says the film — with its stop-motion animation, big-name voice talent and quirky mannerisms — achieves a degree of realism that isn't always apparent in the cult director's work.NPR
'Pirate Radio' Tunes Into Rock-Revolution NostalgiaNovember 12, 2009The latest film from British writer-director Richard Curtis (Notting Hill, Love Actually) is a true-story-inspired comedy about the bawdy crew of an oceangoing rock-music radio station in '60s Britain. Critic Ella Taylor calls the film "endearingly inept," and suggests that the soundtrack might be its saving grace.NPR
'The Messenger': After The Battle, Brothers In ArmsNovember 13, 2009A soldier returns home from Iraq, his mind is on his own griefs. Assigned to notify families about war casualties, he finds wise counsel in the person of his more experienced partner. Critic Bob Mondello says that for a film that comes bearing sad reminders about the costs of war, The Messenger is peopled by characters who seem gratifyingly alive. (Recommended)NPR
In 'Fantastic Mr. Fox,' The Dazzle Is In The DetailsNovember 13, 2009Director Wes Anderson's first foray into animation, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, is based on the charmingly wicked children's book by Roald Dahl. The film follows a battle of wits between the sly fox (voiced by George Clooney) and three formidable farmers. Critic Kenneth Turan says the film's stop-motion animation is tailor-made for the sort of quirky details that Anderson employs.NPR
For Would-Be Dahl Movie Adapters, A Critical TestNovember 13, 2009Roald Dahl's stories have proved irresistible for movie makers as well as children. But before they can start shooting, filmmakers must get permission from Dahl's widow and live up to her rigorous standards. NPR
'2012': Disaster Strikes (And Strikes, And Strikes)November 13, 2009Roland Emmerich's latest cinematic apocalypse posits that the end of the world is due in a little over three years from now. Critic Bob Mondello says it's surprisingly convincing — at least in the sense that by the time it's over, you'll feel like it is 2012 already, and you'll have such a headache that it'd be kind of nice if the whole world went away.NPR
From The Vaults, A Look At Early Indie-Movie HistoryNovember 11, 2009Independent cinema is as old as movies themselves: For as long there have been major studios, there have been smaller rivals pushing back against the conventions of the system. Most of those little startup studios are all but forgotten — but one man has spent the past quarter-century trying to salvage that part of his family's history.NPR
Jared HessNovember 12, 2009Director Jared Hess walks through the memories that inspired him and describe the process of being a left-field comedian in a mainstream marketPaste
Woody Harrelson Goes To War In 'The Messenger'November 10, 2009This month Woody Harrelson stars in a powerful new movie about the costs of war. He plays Capt. Tony Stone, a veteran of the Army's Casualty Notification service, charged with the task of notifying the families of fallen soldiers. The film opens Nov. 13, but Harrelson's performance is already generating Oscar chatter.NPR
Michael Ruppert, Explaining The Coming 'Collapse'November 5, 2009In Collapse, former Los Angeles Police Department officer and noted conspiracy theorist Michael Ruppert states things that are clearly true, makes claims that are fairly plausible and delivers predictions that no viewer without a time machine can adequately evaluate.NPR
Disney Kicks The Dickens Out Of 'Christmas Carol'November 5, 2009The new film of the classic cautionary tale marks director Robert Zemeckis' third foray into motion-capture animation. Movie critic Scott Tobias says the movie turns Dickens' gritty London into a snow-globe scene — and buffs the harsh truths out of the story.NPR
When Life Is This Hard, Stubbornness Is A VirtueNovember 5, 2009Claireece "Precious" Jones is living a nightmare: she's morbidly obese, twice impregnated by her father, mentally and physically abused by her mother. But just as her life seems entirely untenable, fate offers a way out — and slowly, with a mulish persistence, Precious starts to come into her own. (Recommended)NPR
'Turning Green,' Longing For Red, White And BlueNovember 5, 2009Set in 1979, this black comedy tracks the adventures of an Irish-American teenager sent back to the Old Sod after his mother's death. Desperate to return to the U.S., James (Donal Gallery) ditches school, collects debts for a pair of bookies and otherwise cuts corners; critic Mark Jenkins says the film's just inventive and perceptive enough to be lively.NPR
'Fourth Kind': She Can See Aliens From Her HouseNovember 5, 2009In an Alaska town, a series of mysterious disappearances leads a psychologist (Milla Jovovich) to conclude that extraterrestrials have been interfering with the locals. Olatunde Osunsanmi's faux-documentary thriller has its share of effective shocks, says critic Ian Buckwalter, but the truth is, it's kinda out there.NPR
'Men Who Stare At Goats': GIs Use Their Third EyesNovember 6, 2009A quirky comedy based on the true story of "psychic warriors" in the '70s and '80s, Goats stars George Clooney and Kevin Spacey as offbeat officers turned fearsome foes when their hippie leader (Jeff Bridges) goes missing. Critic Kenneth Turan says watching these practiced farceurs at work can't help but provide some laughs.NPR
Z DVD ReviewNovember 6, 2009Repressed Greek political thriller builds slowly but remains powerful and relevantPaste
We Live in PublicNovember 4, 2009Cautionary documentary looks for social media lessons in the story of a dot-com “visionary”Paste
Nominate Your Favorite Monster MoviesOctober 29, 2009Halloween is around the corner, and our much-loved movie buff Murray Horwitz screams about his favorite monster movies. Which movies — from Frankenstein through Zombieland — make up your horror film fest must-see list?NPR
'House of the Devil,' Steeped In '80s-Gore NostalgiaOctober 30, 2009Ti West's retro-horror film The House of the Devil looks back wistfully at the gory days of '80s horror. But its fond homage is considerably better than most of its inspirations, indulging in the sweet torture of unopened doors, shadowy staircases and the teasing menace of whatever might lurk around the next corner.NPR
'This Is It' Offers Rare Peek At The King Of PopOctober 30, 2009What This Is It lacks in tactful timing, it makes up for with perspective on Michael Jackson's backstage life. Although Jackson's star persona stays front and center, critic David Edelstein says director Kenny Ortega makes a real effort to show us the performer's human side — a treat that makes the King of Pop all the more stellar.NPR
For A Fallen Star, One Final Chance To ShineOctober 28, 2009Kenny Ortega's hastily assembled concert movie-cum-Michael Jackson memorial recuts 100 hours of rehearsal footage to give fans VIP access to what might be the greatest show that never was. Movie critic Bob Mondello says This Is It might be short on backstage drama, but it's not hurting for onstage razzle-dazzle.NPR
'This Is It': Michael Jackson's Last ActOctober 29, 2009Late pop superstar Michael Jackson's last stage moments are captured in the new film, This is it. But will the film return Jackson's name to the all-time ist of legendary performers? Host Michel Martin speaks with Ronda Racha Penrice, author and pop culture critic, for more.NPR
Capitalism's Paradoxes, Writ Personal On FilmOctober 26, 2009Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story made a splash, but critic John Powers says its critique of capitalism is "the kind of scattershot tirade I used to hear in my college dorm." Better object lessons: New documentaries, Schmatta and American Casino, that do far more to explain how grand economic forces shape our daily lives.NPR
'Amelia': A Biopic With Very Little LifeOctober 23, 2009Director Mira Nair's Amelia attempts to capture the free-spirited life of famed pilot Amelia Earhart. But with a flat script and shallow story, says critic David Edelstein, the movie is more of a blueprint—it never breathes.NPR
Famous Faces, Look-Alike Stars: The Biopic DilemmaOctober 23, 2009As your parents no doubt told you, looks aren't everything. But when a film bio focuses on famous faces — as with the new drama Amelia — it can help to have an actor who looks the part. Even apt casting and accurate costumes can't save a bad story, though; critic Bob Mondello surveys some recent hits and misses.NPR
For A Harried Mom, A Real Fairy Tale Of An EndingOctober 22, 2009Katherine Dieckmann's Motherhood details a day in the life of a New York writer and mom. Critic Ella Taylor, who does both of those jobs herself, says the film is 90 minutes of privileged complaint, spiced with a sort of muddled retro-feminism — and a too-tidy ending that reeks of authorial bad faith.NPR
From A Tortured Artist, A High-Concept TormentOctober 22, 2009Danish director Lars von Trier always goes too far with his cinematic insurgencies, though at his best he'll circle back to something like lucid territory. Not in Antichrist, which just keeps pressing deeper into a conceptual thicket. Critic Mark Jenkins says it seems designed to provoke ambivalence — beautiful yet assaultive, sometimes smart but often silly, both insightful and glib about the mysteries of desire, grief and fear.NPR
In '(Untitled),' A Portrait Of The Artist As A Smug ManOctober 22, 2009Director Jonathan Parker takes aim at the insular New York arts world with a satire full of the usual suspects — a sellout painter, an avant-garde sound artist, a sleek Chelsea gallerist — but the parodies pack little punch. Behind the mocking, says critic Ian Buckwalter, the film is little more than a 90-minute debate on aesthetics and artistic integrity, with arguments as broadly drawn as that painter's tepid canvases.NPR
'Amelia' Runs Into More Than A Little Rough AirOctober 22, 2009The story of a pioneering, iconoclastic aviator is presented predictably and without risk in Mira Nair's biographical drama — a handsome studio picture that keeps insisting its heroine is a boundary pusher, even as it curls up cozily within the familiar limits of big-budget Hollywood hagiography.NPR
'Ong Bak 2': In Ancient Thailand, A Bang-Up FightOctober 23, 2009If business as usual at the theaters is getting you down, how about a hot new martial-arts adventure from Thailand? Film critic Kenneth Turan says Tony Jaa's astonishing physicality is the signal attraction in Ong Bak 2.NPR
Rough 'N' Ready Screen Scares Prove Potent AgainOctober 19, 2009A microbudget "hand-made horror" flick called Paranormal Activity has been cleaning up at the box office over the past three weeks, boosted by an online-marketing campaign that has raised its ticket take to more than $30 million. Neda Ulaby says it's just the latest in a series of claustrophobic fright flicks that prove a stripped-down style can make a movie that much scarier for audiences.NPR
Prank You Very MuchOctober 24, 2009The Yes Men document their anti-corporate hijinks in The Yes Men Fix the World: Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno take on some of the most notorious corporations Paste
