'The Chamber' Keeps the Drama and Suspense Going

The Chamber is the filmic equivalent of a fairground ride, the stimulation of emotion over ideas.

                                      
Politics
    
        Even Orwell Can't Get Us Through a Trump Presidency
    
Chris Barsanti

        12 Feb 2017
    
Film
    
        Pre-POTUS Love: Tika Sumpter, Parker Sawyers and 'Southside With You'
    
Bernard Boo

        06 Sep 2016
    
Books
    
        In Brodsky's 'The Immortals', Greek Mythology Is a Sculptural Tool (Sponsored Article)
    
Imran Khan

        03 Mar 2016

Recent

Film

Betsy Palmer: The Ultimate Horror Badass

In remembrance of her amazing career and importance to horror fans everywhere, we offer this look back at Betsy Palmer (1926 - 2015) and the film that made her a legend.

Film

As the Death Knell for the Oscars Resounded in Our Ears, the Academy Did Little to Stop the Eulogy

Oscars 2015 reminded everyone that while there's room for massive improvement, the AMPAS is at least capable of some self-reflection and response to criticism.

Politics

The 2009 Book that Foretold the (Possible) Collapse of Post-American Iraq

Thomas Ricks's 2009 book The Gamble predicted that the 'surge' was far from the end of the Iraq War.

Books

Joe Strummer: Punk-Rock Shapeshifter

Joe Strummer cycled through a wardrobe's worth of personas in his career; but it never changed his fundamental authenticity or optimism.

Books

Dublin Writers Festival 2014: Where the Disappeared Lie

These two events grappled energetically with Ireland’s scruffily banging-through post-Celtic Tiger present and the not-so-buried wounds of its terrorized past.

Books

Dublin Writers Festival 2014: The State of Crime

This packed-room symposium quickly turned from three writers talking about their novels to a thoughtful state of the union on the purposes and thrills of modern crime fiction.

Books

Dublin Writers Festival 2014: On Making Artful Fiction Out of History

Little can put you more in the proper mood for book-minded conversation than the faint drizzle and grey skies of Ireland.

Film

A Not So "Fantastic" Four?

The announced casting of the new Fantastic Four reboot has Messageboard nation in a tizzy. So what else is new?

Film

No Direction in the Home Stretch

Both the DGA and PGA have made this year's Oscar race even more unpredictable, for good and for bad.

Film

Guilded and Given: The 2014 Academy Award Nominations

Are there Oscar contenders here who could mix things up with a win? Sure. Will it happen? Probably not.

Film

Where Do We Go From Here?: The 2014 Golden Globes

The Golden Globes have proven once again that, instead of clarifying the year-end Best-ofs, the HFPA does a decent job of muddying already cloudy waters, just like they do every year.

Film

Seeking Direction: The 2014 DGA Nominees

The Directors Guild of America has announced its nominees for their 2014 Awards, and as usual, there are insights and snubs o' plenty.

Film

Tom Laughlin (1931-2013): The Inventor of Billy Jack, and the Blockbuster

With his passing on 12 December, writer/ actor/ director/ activist Tom Laughlin leaves behind a complicated legacy filled with maverick moves and industry defiance. Here is the truth behind his role in bringing what we now call "the blockbuster" to movie screens across America in the early '70s.

Film

The Dumbing Down of International Films (So You Don't Have to Think)

Like a nosy parent who swears only they know what's best for you, Harvey Weinstein is once again telling established, award winning filmmakers what HE believes an American audience will tolerate.

Film

Why Do We Care How Much Movies Cost to Make?

Money matters to audiences because you made it matter to them. You thrust dollar signs and the discuss of same like it's an important part of the artistic process.

Film

Money Men Are Ruining Hollywood? Say It Ain't So, George Clooney

Sony will survive. Gone are the days when a box office bust could take down an entire company in one fell swoop. Indeed, when it comes to money, Tinseltown has it all figured out. Why else would Loeb invest there?

Books

What’s in a Pseudonym? J. K. Rowling Unmasked

Why would as popular an author as J.K. Rowling feel the need or desire to publish under a different name?

Film

'Pacific' Hmmm...

Of course, there's still word of mouth and relatively weak competition in the upcoming days, but for the most part, it seems like Pacific Rim reached out to its prime demo (the geek) and then, strangely enough, stalled.

Film

An Open Letter to J. J. Abrams: 'Star Wars' Ain't 'Star Trek'

Just a reminder that revamping the Star Wars universe won't be as simple as tackling the once tired Star Trek franchise. One's for thinkers. The other's for doers.

Film

PR, Paramount, and the 'Star Trek' Disaster

Paramount's decision to not screen Star Trek: Into Darkness for critics signals a troubling turn of events for the film industry.

Film

Bombs Away: Predicting the Summer 2013 Flops

Our choices for five Summer films that (probably) won't live up to expectations, artistically or commercially.

Film

Requiem for Roger Ebert: 1942-2013

Roger Ebert's death is very complicated for me. There's as much sadness as there is misplaced anger.

Film

Sloppy Sci-Fi and Premature Product Placement... That's 'The Host'

If ever a film was manufactured by committee, it is The Host.

Film

'Spring Breakers' and the Fine Art of Cinematic Free Association

A clever combination of MTV, sordid social commentary, and couture crime spree, this masterpiece of a film...does one of the greatest jobs of dissecting post-postmodern youth culture ever.

Film

Selling the Splatter: 'Evil Dead' Is Back

Some could argue that we already worship at the altar of atrocity, but there is a difference between dozens of bullet holes erupting on a body and someone taking a knife to their own tongue or smile line.

Film

The Academy Awards Are Decadent and Depraved

If the 2013 Oscars ceremony is the best that Hollywood can do, it's no wonder that movies like 'Life of Pi' and 'Silver Linings Playbook' took home awards.

Film

Surprises... and Stumbles: The 2013 Oscars

In fact, 2013 may go down in history as the most 'democratic' of all Academy Awards, with no one film dominating the overall take.

Film

A Good Day... To Ruin a Perfectly Decent Franchise

With Die Hard, the hero is as proactive as he is reactive. Here, he's just a sideshow, and a worn out one as well.

Film

The "Fat" Joke

Three decades ago, John Waters called it bad taste. Today, it's been embraced as part of mainstream moviemaking.

Film

'Argo' F-Yourself, Oscar!

In what many pundits believe is an indictment of the Academy's recent snub of Argo helmer Ben Affleck, the Director's Guild of America has honored the film, and its maker, with its 2013 recognition as the year's best.

Film

AMPAS = WTF? (and the Same Goes for You, Golden Globes)

Two award season stalwarts. Two examples of exasperating oddness.

Film

The '2016' "Snub"

Dinesh D'Souza's complaints about the Academy "snubbing" his Obama documentary for political reasons would be worthy of note...were his film any good.

Film

"F" Marks the Flop

Brad Pitt's latest earns one of the lowest ratings ever from audience polling service Cinemascore. So what does it mean?

Film

May the Mouse Be With You

For now, fans can rejoice in knowing that there is more Star Wars -- much more -- on the way. Where it's coming from, however, could be a whole new world of worries.

Film

(Why) Alex (Can't) Cross (Over)

Tyler Perry has no established persona. He's not a star, per se. He's a brand. An industry. A debated media topic... but he's not a star in the true sense of the word.

Reviews

Collapse Expand Reviews

BROWSE ALL ALBUM REVIEWS

Features

The 50 Best Songs of 2007

How the Template for Modern Combat Journalism Developed

10 Key Tracks From the British Synthpop Boom of 1980

Collapse Expand Features

PM Picks

Collapse Expand Pm Picks

The Chamber is the filmic equivalent of a fairground ride, the stimulation of emotion over ideas.

In remembrance of her amazing career and importance to horror fans everywhere, we offer this look back at Betsy Palmer (1926 - 2015) and the film that made her a legend.

Oscars 2015 reminded everyone that while there's room for massive improvement, the AMPAS is at least capable of some self-reflection and response to criticism.

Thomas Ricks's 2009 book The Gamble predicted that the 'surge' was far from the end of the Iraq War.

Joe Strummer cycled through a wardrobe's worth of personas in his career; but it never changed his fundamental authenticity or optimism.

These two events grappled energetically with Ireland’s scruffily banging-through post-Celtic Tiger present and the not-so-buried wounds of its terrorized past.

This packed-room symposium quickly turned from three writers talking about their novels to a thoughtful state of the union on the purposes and thrills of modern crime fiction.

Little can put you more in the proper mood for book-minded conversation than the faint drizzle and grey skies of Ireland.

From album covers to motion pictures, H.R. Giger offered up a singular, inspiring vision. Giger was also one of the most influential surrealists of all time.

The announced casting of the new Fantastic Four reboot has Messageboard nation in a tizzy. So what else is new?

Both the DGA and PGA have made this year's Oscar race even more unpredictable, for good and for bad.

Are there Oscar contenders here who could mix things up with a win? Sure. Will it happen? Probably not.

The Golden Globes have proven once again that, instead of clarifying the year-end Best-ofs, the HFPA does a decent job of muddying already cloudy waters, just like they do every year.

The Directors Guild of America has announced its nominees for their 2014 Awards, and as usual, there are insights and snubs o' plenty.

With his passing on 12 December, writer/ actor/ director/ activist Tom Laughlin leaves behind a complicated legacy filled with maverick moves and industry defiance. Here is the truth behind his role in bringing what we now call "the blockbuster" to movie screens across America in the early '70s.

Like a nosy parent who swears only they know what's best for you, Harvey Weinstein is once again telling established, award winning filmmakers what HE believes an American audience will tolerate.

Money matters to audiences because you made it matter to them. You thrust dollar signs and the discuss of same like it's an important part of the artistic process.

Sony will survive. Gone are the days when a box office bust could take down an entire company in one fell swoop. Indeed, when it comes to money, Tinseltown has it all figured out. Why else would Loeb invest there?

Why would as popular an author as J.K. Rowling feel the need or desire to publish under a different name?

Of course, there's still word of mouth and relatively weak competition in the upcoming days, but for the most part, it seems like Pacific Rim reached out to its prime demo (the geek) and then, strangely enough, stalled.

Just a reminder that revamping the Star Wars universe won't be as simple as tackling the once tired Star Trek franchise. One's for thinkers. The other's for doers.

Paramount's decision to not screen Star Trek: Into Darkness for critics signals a troubling turn of events for the film industry.

Our choices for five Summer films that (probably) won't live up to expectations, artistically or commercially.

Roger Ebert's death is very complicated for me. There's as much sadness as there is misplaced anger.

If ever a film was manufactured by committee, it is The Host.

A clever combination of MTV, sordid social commentary, and couture crime spree, this masterpiece of a film...does one of the greatest jobs of dissecting post-postmodern youth culture ever.

Some could argue that we already worship at the altar of atrocity, but there is a difference between dozens of bullet holes erupting on a body and someone taking a knife to their own tongue or smile line.

If the 2013 Oscars ceremony is the best that Hollywood can do, it's no wonder that movies like 'Life of Pi' and 'Silver Linings Playbook' took home awards.

In fact, 2013 may go down in history as the most 'democratic' of all Academy Awards, with no one film dominating the overall take.

With Die Hard, the hero is as proactive as he is reactive. Here, he's just a sideshow, and a worn out one as well.

Three decades ago, John Waters called it bad taste. Today, it's been embraced as part of mainstream moviemaking.

In what many pundits believe is an indictment of the Academy's recent snub of Argo helmer Ben Affleck, the Director's Guild of America has honored the film, and its maker, with its 2013 recognition as the year's best.

Two award season stalwarts. Two examples of exasperating oddness.

Dinesh D'Souza's complaints about the Academy "snubbing" his Obama documentary for political reasons would be worthy of note...were his film any good.

Brad Pitt's latest earns one of the lowest ratings ever from audience polling service Cinemascore. So what does it mean?

For now, fans can rejoice in knowing that there is more Star Wars -- much more -- on the way. Where it's coming from, however, could be a whole new world of worries.

Tyler Perry has no established persona. He's not a star, per se. He's a brand. An industry. A debated media topic... but he's not a star in the true sense of the word.