How good was Stanley Kubrick?

The ultimate 20th Century director: What made Stanley run?

Stanley Kubrick's films lacked a characteristic look; on the contrary, he seemed determined to explore every conceivable film genre. He may have been a genius, but precisely how?

Robert Zaller

Jan 05, 2013 · Articles · 10 minute read

Gun control lessons from "The Hobbit'

Can swords kill people? Oh my yes (and all by themselves, too)

When the characters in The Hobbit aren't waging battle against the masses of Mordor, they're delivering worshipful paeans to weaponry. But if you stick with this film to the bitter end, you'll discover that the rallying cry of the National Rifle Association wouldn't fly in Middle Earth.

Alaina Johns

Dec 29, 2012 · Articles · 4 minute read

Artistic freedom and Brazil's "Man of the Monkey'

The artist, the fascists and the jungle: A Brazilian mystery

On a Brazilian jungle island that housed a prison for political dissidents, inhabitants told tales of a shadowy "Man of the Monkey" who possessed multiple talents and exercised awesome powers. Was he real, or a figment of superstition? Under a government bent on driving its subjects crazy, who could say for sure?

Caroline Dunlop Millett

Dec 28, 2012 · Articles · 4 minute read

"Hyde Park on Hudson' (1st review)

Hands across the cartoon sea

It's role reversal time, as Britain's king and queen visit President Franklin D. Roosevelt, crowns in hand, to beg for his military support. Only in a Hollywood film would FDR's paramour wind up stealing the show.

David Woods

Dec 25, 2012 · Articles · 2 minute read

Grant Gee's 'Patience (After Sebald)'

The past slowly yields its secrets: W. G. Sebald and Germany's conscience

In the 11 years since his accidental death in 2001, the German writer W. G. Sebald has been acknowledged as one of the significant literary figures of the late 20th Century. Grant Gee's Patience (After Sebald) is a fine attempt to capture the textures of Sebald's elusive but compelling prose in cinematic terms.

Robert Zaller

Dec 18, 2012 · Articles · 7 minute read

"Killing Them Softly'

Crime doesn't pay (and it's not much fun, either)

In Killing Them Softly, terrible people do terrible things to each other for relatively small amounts of money. Films like this could give movie crime a bad name.

Jake Blumgart

Dec 15, 2012 · Articles · 2 minute read

"Anna Karenina' on film, again

Where have you gone, Greta Garbo? (Not to mention Leo Tolstoy)

Tolstoy's Anna Karenina has been filmed 13 times in the past century. The fussy, shallow current version, directed by Joe Wright from a Tom Stoppard script, reminds us again that great novels often make disappointing films. Maybe it's time to just read the book. Anna Karenina. A film directed by Joe Wright. For Philadelphia area showtimes, click here.

Robert Zaller

Dec 09, 2012 · Articles · 6 minute read

Spielberg's 'Lincoln' and his legacy

From Civil War to Steven Spielberg: The burdens of Abraham Lincoln

Steven Spielberg's Lincoln is, as usual with this director, a tract for the times, in this case plumping for a liberal vision of America and extolling the virtues of bipartisanship and compromise. As usual, too, a hero comes riding in to save an embattled community. If only history itself were that simple.

Robert Zaller

Nov 27, 2012 · Articles · 12 minute read

Romney as the "Twilight' candidate

Now it can be told: Where Romney went wrong with women

Millions of young American women who voted against Mitt Romney have nevertheless gone belly-up for a fictitious character who exemplifies Republican notions about marriage, family and rape. Who needs Karl Rove when you have a conservative vampire on your team?

Alaina Johns

Nov 25, 2012 · Articles · 4 minute read

The fog of "Cloud Atlas'

A mess with a message

As a novel, David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas is a work of sprawling, ambitious complexity linking six stories over three centuries. The film adaptation is equally sprawling and ambitious but makes little sense.

Jake Blumgart

Nov 20, 2012 · Articles · 5 minute read