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October 8, 2007
By Kevin Thomas
LACMA pays tribute to the Iranian writer-director with a series of his modern classics.
By Rafer Guzmán
MOVIE REVIEW:
The teen flick misses its chance to be the first meaningful exposé on the reggaetón culture.
The Week Ahead:
The playwright has written the screenplay for 'Sleuth,' opening Friday.
October 7, 2007
By Reed Johnson
More movies and arts are emerging from the cinder-block worlds of favelas, the communities pictured in 'City of God.'
By Monica Corcoran
SCREEN PRESENCE:
No more shrunken suits for trendsetting Wes Anderson. He and Marc Jacobs created a new look for his latest film.
By Chris Lee
Nearly 30 years after the death of leader Ian Curtis, pop culture is rediscovering the onetime gloom-rockers in a big way.
By John Horn
NONFICTION FILM:
Director Tony Kaye strives for balance in a jolting documentary.
By Patrick Day
Rereleases and recuts give directors multiple shots at happy endings (or not).
By Susan King
A SECOND LOOK:
Four fright films, including John Barrymore's 'Dr. Jekyll,' are in a new DVD set.
By Susan King
CINE FILE:
'Triumph' puts a lens on Lon Chaney's formative years.
Fashion Beauty Style Shopping Page 15 Marc Jacobs and Wes Anderson on their film, their friendship and the end of that funny little suit.
October 4, 2007
By Susan King
MOVIES:
In 'Michael Clayton,' Tom Wilkinson brings his low-key style to a complex role.
By Susan King
Screening Room:
If you like them, then you should love the Danish, Latino, Italian and Chinese film festivals.
By Lee Margulies
The International Documentary Assn. marks its 25th anniversary with the film rankings.
October 3, 2007
By Jay A. Fernandez
SCRIPTLAND:
The director's next possible project stalls as Warner Bros., Paramount battle over co-production
By Jay A. Fernandez
In the Farrelly Bros.' latest, Malin Akerman gets to do what the guys do: throw all physical comedy caution to the wind.
October 2, 2007
By PATRICK GOLDSTEIN
THE BIG PICTURE / PATRICK GOLDSTEIN:
Two films in, Craig Gillespie learns of Hollywood extremes.
October 1, 2007
By Amy Kaufman
XM's Cinemagic channel plays long passages of film scores and highlights music's power on the images on screen.
By Katharine Houreld
The African nation's nascent film industry is heating up despite rampant piracy and a dearth of funding.
By Robert W. Welkos
FILM:
Douglas, Eastwood, Lucas, Nicholson and others will participate in AFI event.
The Week Ahead:
Ben and dad Jerry costar in the family comedy, 'The Heartbreak Kid.'
September 30, 2007
By John Horn
He has nothing left to prove, but with 'Michael Clayton' and 'Leatherheads' the actor-director makes his case on both sides of the camera.
By Geoff Boucher
THE DIRECTOR'S CUT:
It was coolly received in 1982, but Ridley Scott's bleak science fiction film has undergone revisions, and this time he thinks they got it right.
By Borzou Daragahi
WORLD CINEMA:
Egyptian film was long a focal point of Arab culture. Today, it's mostly for the brave.
By Choire Sicha
THE SUNDAY CONVERSATION:
The former production assistant has parlayed a role on the NBC sitcom into a part in the big-screen comedy 'Good Luck Chuck.'
By Susan King
CINE FILE:
In 1927, Sam Warner pushed technology to the next level. It's anniversary time.
By Dennis Lim
A SECOND LOOK
September 26, 2007
By Robert W. Welkos
Critics say the film's portrayal of sex slavery in North America is at best exaggerated, and at worst, fabricated.
September 25, 2007
By PATRICK GOLDSTEIN
THE BIG PICTURE / PATRICK GOLDSTEIN:
U.S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush will head hearing into demeaning media images of women and African Americans.
By Susan King
THE EXTRAS FILE
By Paul Wilner
Brad Pitt's new film 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford' doesn't deviate much from Ron Hansen's book.
And that and that too. 'Good Luck Chuck' borrows heavily from the raunchy comedy genre. But does it work?
September 24, 2007
By Chris Lee
As an introduction to the road comedy, the director is unspooling the short, sexy 'Hotel Chevalier.'
By Kevin Crust
MOVIE REVIEW:
The latest (if not last) of the series, pumps up the zombies and Milla Jovovich's hybrid hunter.
By Sheigh Crabtree
She's a daring action heroine on screen, but the actress is now rounding into a new role.
September 23, 2007
By Paul Lieberman
WORLD CINEMA:
The director pushes his actors to the limit in 'Lust, Caution,' a tale of sexual roles, violence and deception. On the set, they believe in him.
By Swati Pandey
Film spins a timeless tale at a 21st century pace.
By Patrick Goldstein
THE DIRECTOR'S CRAFT:
Robert Benton's keen insight into the human condition has served him well for 40 years -- and counting.
Who knew global politics would figure in Ashraf Barhom's career?
By Choire Sicha
THE SUNDAY CONVERSATION:
The actress gets defensive about the city of her birth.
By Susan King
CINE FILE:
Cinematheque will sample the current output of a vital filmmaking scene.
September 21, 2007
By Kenneth Turan
MOVIE REVIEW:
Writer-director Sean Penn focuses on the best aspects of Chris McCandless, played wonderfully by Emile Hirsch.
By Kenneth Turan
MOVIE REVIEW:
Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck pull their weight, but the long, ambitious, indulgent epic is only occasionally successful.
By Carina Chocano
MOVIE REVIEW:
Gothic horror rises in the Arctic
By Susan King
The outlaw has taken many forms through the years. At the moment, he's Brad Pitt. Here's who he was before.
Quick Takes:
He is working on the film version of the group's play 'Water & Power'
MOVIE REVIEWS:
Also, 'Sea of Dreams' and 'Over the GW'
By Carina Chocano
MOVIE REVIEW:
Robin Swicord's first feature, with Maria Bello and Emily Blunt, is a clever look at modern life and love.
By Mark Olsen
MOVIE REVIEW:
The French film is a suspenseful mind game.
By Michael Phillips
MOVIE REVIEW:
Vulgarity can be funny if done right. Here, though, it's witless and creepy.
By Deborah Netburn
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
By Jan Stuart
MOVIE REVIEW:
A dwarfish fairy-tale update.
September 20, 2007
By Susan King
Movie story 20:
Women are the focus of Robin Swicord's film, but that doesn't mean the men in it can't be persuasive.
By Susan King
Screening Room:
'River Kwai' and '2001' are showing tonight, then there's 'Trail of the Screaming Forehead.'
September 19, 2007
By Jay A. Fernandez
SCRIPTLAND:
Hollywood just loved the writer's work last year. Now it's starting to look like the scripts could actually get made.
By Mark Olsen
'Donnie Darko' director knows from experience that a film can overcome a poor showing at Cannes.
By Susan King
A SECOND LOOK:
The director's turbulent yet formative tenure with the studio is captured in eight films in a new DVD set.
September 18, 2007
By PATRICK GOLDSTEIN
THE BIG PICTURE / PATRICK GOLDSTEIN
To promote its 25th anniversary DVD release, the horror film will play in theaters on Oct. 4.
September 17, 2007
THE WEEK AHEAD | MOVIES:
A quick look at how Jesse James' murder turned him into the stuff of legend.
By Robert Abele
MOVIE REVIEW:
Forget the mystical story. The movie is for young boys who might relish seeing a reptilian creature ravage L.A.
September 16, 2007
September 14, 2007
MOVIE REVIEWS:
Also reviewed: 'Fierce People,' 'Moving McAllister,' 'What's Up, Scarlet?,' 'The Dead One'
By Gina Piccalo
MOVIE REVIEW:
Oscar-winning writer-director casts Iraq war veterans to give an authentic feel.
By Sheldon Chad
TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL:
France's Paolo Barzman directs a story of camp survivors and the importance of remembrance and the right to forget.
By Kenneth Turan
MOVIE REVIEW:
Father must find AWOL son, but script makes it difficult to care
By Carina Chocano
MOVIE REVIEW:
In David Cronenberg's London-set thriller, evil must be battled, often with evil.
MOVIE REVIEW:
The film tries for nuance but comes off like 'Death Wish' or a sequel to 'Ms. 45.'
By Carina Chocano
MOVIE REVIEW:
Michael Douglas and Evan Rachel Wood shine as a father and daughter who rediscover each other.
By Carina Chocano
MOVIE REVIEW:
A young girl is caught in the swirl of '70s politics in Julie Gavras' assured directorial debut, 'Blame It on Fidel.'
By Allyn Fisher-Ilan
An Israeli film shows human factors driving a fictional Palestinian youth's attack.
By Jessica Reaves
MOVIE REVIEW:
The vivid, vivacious film basks in putting references here, there and everywhere.
By Kevin Crust
MOVIE REVIEW:
Daniel Radcliffe leads the way in a gentle coming-of-age movie.
By John Anderson
MOVIE REVIEW:
Director Neten Chokling tells the tale of the 11th century mystic.
By Sid Smith
MOVIE REVIEW:
An Indian Cinderella tale without a glass slipper
By Kevin Crust
MOVIE REVIEW
By John Anderson
MOVIE REVIEW:
The movie has its moments, but it could have used more Billy Bob.
By Jan Stuart
MOVIE REVIEW:
Personalities clash and cultural worlds collide in a Manhattan setting, but Jennifer Westfeldt's comedy cleans up the mess in one tidy script.
By Lee Margulies
Eleven films will be introduced by their stars or filmmakers at an ArcLight event Oct. 3.
By Kenneth Turan
MOVIE REVIEW:
A 'Shadow Company' of mercenaries
'Dragon Wars' to be reviewed later
September 13, 2007
By Susan King
MOVIES:
In directing 'I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With,' the 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' actor wraps his comedy in pathos in the tradition of his favorite directors.
By Susan King
SCREENING ROOM:
LACMA screens film versions of the duo's musicals. Wolfgang Petersen talks about recutting 'Troy.'
By Susan King
American Cinematheque tunes in to Riot on Sunset Strip
By Lee Margulies
Eleven films will be introduced by their stars or filmmakers at an ArcLight event Oct. 3.
September 12, 2007
By Susan King
CINE FILE:
UCLA Film and Television Archive honors legendary screenwriters with 'Nothing Sacred.'
September 11, 2007
By PATRICK GOLDSTEIN
Patrick Goldstein
By Cristy Lytal
After 10 years, writer-director Mike Cahill delivers 'King of California,' with a little help from and UCLA pal Alexander Payne.
September 10, 2007
By Susan King
SECOND LOOK:
Four of the silent-era film star's digitally restored movies, which had been feared lost, arrive this week on disc.
By John Horn
Andrew Dominik's take on Jesse James is psychological, with nary a genre cliché in sight.
By Desson Thomson
It's lewd and it's crude, but as one father discovers, it also really speaks to teenage boys.
The Week Ahead:
In her new project, she shifts from documentarian to feature director to tell the story of a family's politics in the 1970s.
A fall coda to the Mods & Rockers Film Festival includes Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding and Nick Drake.
September 9, 2007
By Irene Lacher
BRIEF ENCOUNTER:
'The Devil Wears Prada' was Emily Blunt's breakthrough. The actress is busy now -- but she hasn't gone Hollywood.
By Sheigh Crabtree
THE CONCEPT:
Two crews of animators, a high-tech videoconferencing hookup and a whole lot of the comic go into the making of 'Bee Movie.'
September 7, 2007
By Reed Johnson
Director says a verbal pact to distribute his film about last year's Mexican presidential race was reneged upon. Warner Bros. says it was a business decision.
By Charles Taylor
With a wider-than-ever U.S. release for 'Exiled,' filmmaker Johnnie To is finally getting a bigger piece of the action.
By Kenneth Turan
MOVIE REVIEW:
The movie is rife with genre standards but delivers them with gusto.
By Kenneth Turan
MOVIE REVIEW:
The NASA documentary is a fabulously fresh take on a special group of audacious men called astronauts.
By Kevin Crust
MOVIE REVIEW:
'Shoot 'Em Up' is just what it says
By Kenneth Turan
REVIEW:
The 1963 gangster thriller, mixes American elements into a Parisian setting, creating a stylish, gripping milieu.
By Carina Chocano
MOVIE REVIEW:
Black comedy turns preachy in a somewhat-true story of journalists who are out to get a Balkan war criminal.
By Robert Abele
MOVIE REVIEW:
'The Bubble,' an erotic, lightly comic gay love story between a Jew and a Palestinian in Tel Aviv, takes a turn toward the tragic.
By Kevin Crust
MOVIE REVIEW:
High-caliber acting and choreographed action sequences are strengths of Johnnie To's gangland flick, set in 1998 Macao.
By Michael Ordoña
MOVIE REVIEW:
Awful plot plus terrible acting equal a painful experience for all.
By Carina Chocano
MOVIE REVIEW:
Spirit of J.D. Salinger hangs heavy in the French film about two brothers exploring love and loss ad nauseam.
By Robert Abele
MOVIE REVIEW:
Unsuspecting consumers show up for a grand opening of a store that doesn't exist.
By Michael Phillips
MOVIE REVIEW:
With its 'SNL' and 'Arrested Development' pedigree, it should be laugh-out-loud funny. But, alas, it is not.
September 5, 2007
By Carina Chocano
MOVIE REVIEW:
In 'Flying: Confessions of a Free Woman,' she examines what it means to be a woman today.
September 2, 2007
By Charles McNulty
The actor, known for his film work, adds stage writing and directing to his résumé with "Expedition 6" in San Francisco.
August 27, 2007
By Mark Swed
CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK:
Gustavo Dudamel's youthful zest flows in a DVD. It's a hint of what L.A. can expect when he takes over the Phil.
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