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A Shortage of Villainy

While director Abrams' handling of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman's propulsive screenplay is sleek and spiffy, to say the least, it ultimately hews far closer to his television work than might have been wise for a big-screen reboot.

Film

Summer of Same: May 2009

May's titles include the fourth films in two aging franchises, more Pixar perfection, and the reboot of a TV series from 40 years ago. And they say there are no new ideas.

Film

Off the Radar - The Top 30 DVDs of 2008

Oddly enough, while the major studios continue scratching their heads over how to sell yet another new format (Blu-ray) to disinterested consumers, several outside distributors made sure that this would be a digital year to remember.

Film

I’m Not There, and Neither Are You

The Bob Dylan film, I’m Not There, shows that the main puzzle behind pop music’s most enigmatic personality resides right here, within us all.

George Reisch, Peter Vernezze and Paul Lulewicz

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A Gallery of Good Works: The Best Films of 2007

From Julian Schnabel's artsy The Diving Bell and the Butterfly to the legendary Coen Brothers splendid adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men, PopMatters counts down the 30 best films of 2007.

Features

Performance Art: The Best Acting of 2007 - Female

From the most sweetly nuanced performance of Jennifer Jason Leigh's career to Cate Blanchett's revelatory portrayal of Bob Dylan in I'm Not There, the women of 2007 were stellar.

Features

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

The primary draw in the National Treasures is Nic Cage, odd and spasmodic, undeniably charismatic.

Reviews

I'm Not There

Dylan Per Se is a trip, an embodiment of potential meanings for fans and detractors, a performative opportunity for movie stars.

Film

John from Cincinnati

John Monad looks to be John the Baptist by way of Rain Man, with supernatural gifts and virtually unlimited credit.

Jesse Hicks

Television

Déjà Vu (2006)

The movie's leap from contemporary coppish thriller into science fiction is initially jarring.

Film

Capote (2005)

As Miller and Kimmel finish one another's sentences and demonstrate a charming sort of sync, the artists here suggest how Capote came to be such a tight, complex, and elegant film.

Cynthia Fuchs

Reviews

Capote (2005)

Capote reveals the dangers of journalism in search of authenticity and based in intimacy. It also reveals the monster Capote sees in himself -- or more accurately, the monster the movie sees him seeing.

Cynthia Fuchs

Film

I, Robot (2004)

'It's harder and harder to make straight-ahead sci-fi and straight-ahead comic book movies,' says Akiva Goldsman.

Cynthia Fuchs

Reviews

I, Robot (2004)

These green-screen jamborees are utterly summer-blockbustery (or maybe just Will-Smithy), but they also tend to substitute for ideas.

Cynthia Fuchs

Film

Hollywood Homicide (2003)

My intention was to make a picture that on one level was a genre movie, summer movie, kind of a cop movie, whatever that genre is, and at the same time, to serve different gods.

Cynthia Fuchs

Reviews

The Core (2003)

While the film probably can't be recuperated, Jon Amiel's commentary on the DVD works some wonders of its own.

Cynthia Fuchs

Reviews

Pop Ten

Smoking Popes on Faith, Politics, and Judy Garland

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