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Movie Reviews Reviews of new movies, classic and art films, foreign films, and popular movies. Featuring Bob Mondello, Kenneth Turan, David Edelstein, and Mark Jenkins.

Movie Reviews

Saturday

Culture

'The Queen': Tragicomedy of Post-Diana Royals

The new film The Queen looks at England's royal family following the death of Princess Diana. It's directed by Stephen Frears and features Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II. The movie opened the New York Film Festival on Friday. NPR critic Bob Mondello has a review.

'The Queen': Tragicomedy of Post-Diana Royals

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Friday

Culture

Summary Judgment: 'School For Scoundrels,' 'The Last King of Scotland,' 'The Guardian'

Slate contributor Mark Jordan Legan sums up what the nation's critics are saying about this week's new movie releases -- School For Scoundrels, The Last King of Scotland and The Guardian.

Summary Judgment: 'School For Scoundrels,' 'The Last King of Scotland,' 'The Guardian'

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Wednesday

Culture

Idi and Me: 'The Last King of Scotland'

The Last King of Scotland stars Forrest Whitaker as charismatic -- and unfathomably murderous -- ruler Idi Amin. In the film adapted from a bestselling book by Giles Foden, the Ugandan dictator's bloody reign is seen through the eyes of a young Scottish doctor who finds himself thrust into Amin's inner circle.

Idi and Me: 'The Last King of Scotland'

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Friday

Movies

'Science of Sleep' Straddles a Dreaming Life

The new film The Science of Sleep is director Michel Gondry's fantasy tale about a young man who begins to lose himself in the area between waking life and his dreams.

'Science of Sleep' Straddles a Dreaming Life

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Culture

Summary Judgment: 'All the Kings Men,' 'The Science of Sleep,' 'Flyboys'

Slate contributor Mark Jordan Legan reviews what critics are saying about this weekend's major new movie releases: All the Kings Men, The Science of Sleep and Flyboys.

Summary Judgment: 'All the Kings Men,' 'The Science of Sleep,' 'Flyboys'

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Culture

'All the King's Men': Oscar Bait?

Fresh Air

A new film of Robert Penn Warren's novel All the King's Men stars Sean Penn as political boss Willie Stark, a role that won Broderick Crawford an Oscar in 1949. The remake also features Kate Winslet, Mark Ruffalo, Patricia Clarkson, and James Gandolfini. It's directed by Steven Zaillian, who won his own Oscar for the screenplay of Schindler's List.

'All the King's Men': Oscar Bait?

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Culture

'King's Men' a Masterful Retelling of an Old Favorite

All the King's Men is a Hollywood remake that may be even better than its Oscar-winning predecessor of 1949. Sean Penn, Jude Law and Kate Winslet star in this wrenching tale of populist politics based loosely on the life of Louisiana Gov. Huey P. Long.

'King's Men' a Masterful Retelling of an Old Favorite

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Friday

Culture

DePalma's Disjointed 'Black Dahlia'

Director Brian De Palma's Black Dahlia is based upon James Ellroy's fictional take on a real-life 1947 L.A. murder case. Ellroy's novel L.A. Confidential was turned into a great movie, but don't expect the same of Dahlia.

DePalma's Disjointed 'Black Dahlia'

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Culture

Summary Judgment: 'The Black Dahlia,' 'The Last Kiss,' 'Gridiron Gang'

Slate contributor Mark Jordan Legan offers a round-up of what the nation's critics are saying about the weekend's new movies releases -- The Black Dahlia, The Last Kiss and Gridiron Gang.

Summary Judgment: 'The Black Dahlia,' 'The Last Kiss,' 'Gridiron Gang'

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Culture

Documentaries View the Iraq War from Two Sides

Two new documentaries are out about the Iraq war: The Ground Truth and My Country, My Country. My Country shows what the war has been like for Iraqis, while Ground Truth concentrates on the personal traumas U.S. soldiers have to deal with when they return home. Both movies offer compelling views of the costs of war.

Documentaries View the Iraq War from Two Sides

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Friday

Culture

Summary Judgment: 'Hollywoodland,' 'Protector' 'Covenant'

Writer Mark Jordan Legan reviews what critics are saying about this weekend's movie releases. He delivers the critical verdicts on Hollywoodland, The Protector and the horror flick The Covenant.

Summary Judgment: 'Hollywoodland,' 'Protector' 'Covenant'

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Culture

'Mutual Appreciation,' New from Director Bujalski

Fresh Air

Funny Ha Ha, the first film by 29-year-old director Andrew Bujalski, made a lot of critics top 10 lists in 2004 -- quite a feat for a film made with a minimal crew, a loose script, and the director's friends. Bujalski’s new film, Mutual Appreciation, features Justin Rice, lead singer for the indie pop band Bishop Allen. Now playing in New York and Los Angeles, it will open in more cities this fall.

'Mutual Appreciation,' New from Director Bujalski

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Culture

'Hollywoodland' Doesn't Quite Measure Up

Hollywoodland is an ambitious film that succeeds up to a point, but no further. It's a reasonable facsimile of film noir, but it's also an overly derivative piece of work that thinks it is doing and saying more than it is. And this despite a subtle and effective performance by, of all people, Ben Affleck.

'Hollywoodland' Doesn't Quite Measure Up

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Friday

Culture

Slate's Summary Judgment: 'Crossover,' 'Crank, 'Lassie'

Slate contributor Mark Jordan Legan reviews what critics are saying about this weekend's major movie releases: the "underground" basketball film Crossover, the action flick Crank and a remake of Lassie.

Slate's Summary Judgment: 'Crossover,' 'Crank, 'Lassie'

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