Culture Slate's Summary Judgment: 'Beyond the Sea,' 'In Good Company,' 'The Merchant of Venice' December 31, 2004 • Writer Mark Jordan summarizes what the critics are saying about the final film releases of 2004. Legan considers the films Beyond the Sea, In Good Company and The Merchant of Venice.
Bob Mondello's Favorite Movies of 2004 December 31, 2004 • NPR's Bob Mondello looks back at the films released in 2004, and finds a handful that prove to filmmakers that you can create films that deal with politics, memory and religion and not suffer at the box office.
Kenneth Turan: Film Trends for 2004 December 31, 2004 • Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan says that while 2004 was a relatively poor year for quality films, there were some documentaries and animated films that stood out — and some of the best films were also the most controversial.
Opinion Jonathan Freedland: Shakespeare's Anti-Semitic 'Merchant' December 30, 2004 • Jonathan Freedland of Britain's The Guardian newspaper offers his opinion of the new film adaptation of The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino as a long-suffering Jewish moneylender seeking revenge -- and a pound of flesh -- from a rich Christian merchant played by Jeremy Irons. Freedland says the film fails to overcome the play's anti-Semitic undercurrents.
Obituaries Orbach Conveyed Humor, Frustration of Daily Life December 30, 2004 • From Broadway to Dirty Dancing to Law and Order, Jerry Orbach became one of modern America's favorite authority figures. Orbach died Tuesday of prostate cancer. Hear NPR's Steve Inskeep.
Culture Classic Films Added to National Film Registry December 29, 2004 • The Library of Congress adds another 25 films to the National Film Registry, including Ben-Hur, Jailhouse Rock and the 1992 Clint Eastwood western, Unforgiven. The selections are made by the librarian of Congress from nearly 1,000 films nominated by the public, the library staff, and film experts. Hear NPR's Renee Montagne.
Culture Jeremy Irons Takes On the Bard's 'Merchant' December 29, 2004 • Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons talks about his latest role as the title character in a film adaptation of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice -- a play some consider to be anti-Semitic for its portrayal of the vengeful Jewish moneylender Shylock.
Obituaries 'Law and Order' Star Jerry Orbach Dies December 29, 2004 • Actor Jerry Orbach died Tuesday at age 69 of prostate cancer. Orbach spent years on the New York stage as a song man in hit musicals, but he was perhaps best known for his role as acerbic New York homicide detective Lennie Briscoe in the long-running hit series Law and Order.
Culture A 'Merchant of Venice' of Its Own Time, for Our Time December 29, 2004 • NPR's Bob Mondello reviews the first full-length feature film of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. He says director Michael Radford's adaptation features stunning performances from Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons.
Culture Scenes I Wish I Had Written December 28, 2004 • We all have scenes in our minds from television, film and theater, moments that just seem to stick. For a Morning Edition series, Scenes I Wish I Had Written, NPR's Susan Stamberg asks some major stage and screenwriters to pick their favorites.
Scenes I Wish I Had Written Spiders, Relationships and 'Sex and the City' December 28, 2004 • Writer Jenny Bicks has been busy ever since she began working on Sex and the City in the show's first season. For our series Scenes I Wish I'd Written, Bicks chose to discuss a scene from a Woody Allen classic, Annie Hall. Hear NPR's Susan Stamberg.
Culture Senegal Holds Sixth-Annual Film Fest December 27, 2004 • Proud of its reputation and humble beginnings in Dakar's smaller suburbs, Senegal's "Neighborhood Film Festival" has become part of an evolving film industry in Africa. NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports.
Bardem Portrays Quadriplegic's Struggle in 'Sea' December 27, 2004 • In the new film The Sea Inside, Spanish actor Javier Bardem plays Ramon Sampedro, a 55-year-old quadriplegic who fought the Spanish government for 30 years for the right to die. NPR's Renee Montagne talks to Bardem about the mental and physical challenges of the role.
Culture Christmas Movies: What to Watch December 25, 2004 • Weekend Edition entertainment commentator Elvis Mitchell tells NPR's Scott Simon what new release he recommends seeing on Christmas Day, after the gifts have been opened and the meal has been eaten. Mitchell also suggests a few of his favorite movies to rent at Christmas time, including Die Hard.
Culture Slate's Summary Judgment: 'Million Dollar Baby,' 'The Life Aquatic,' 'The Aviator' December 24, 2004 • -- Writer Mark Jordan Legan has a second roundup this week of what the reviewers are writing about this weekend's big movie releases. This edition looks at the films Million Dollar Baby, The Life Aquatic and The Aviator.