Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, August 17,2006

Literary twist

The classics aren’t always boring

Classic novels were once a primary source of material in Hollywood back in its more original days. The moguls had a penchant for raiding everyone from Brontë (Wuthering Heights) to Tolstoy (Anna

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, August 10,2006

Cops

To find truly gritty police stories, go back to the ’70s

By Marc Sigoloff

No occupation has commanded more attention in movies and television than the police officer, but there has been a wide chasm between the two mediums. The Golden Age of cop movies, in the 1970s, aimed

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Wednesday, August 2,2006

Good Night Shyamalan

Few directors are as skilled at creating unique worlds

By Marc Sigoloff

His obsessive fans have labeled him the new Hitchcock; his detractors vilify him as a hack who relies too heavily on tired old twist endings. M. Night Shyamalan, whose latest film is Lady in the Water

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Wednesday, July 26,2006

Reliable Dillon

Teen idol comes into his own as a respected adult actor

By Marc Sigoloff

Overnight sensations often experience quick burnout, whereas those who build their careers over long periods enjoy sustained success. Matt Dillon definitely falls into the latter category, despite his

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Monday, July 24,2006

Modern Families

Acceptance isn’t easy, when culture and attitudes clash

By Marc Sigoloff

Stanley discovers that he has a teenage son at the most inopportune time — just as he’s about to undergo sex-change surgery. The title of Transamerica (2005) refers to Stanley’s tran

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Wednesday, July 12,2006

Missing Reeve

Superman Returns isn’t as promising as its predecessors

By Marc Sigoloff

Is it possible to breathe new life into a story as overused as Superman? Apparently the makers of Superman Returns couldn’t answer that question, either. The problems lie in the s

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, July 6,2006

King Sandler

As long as he sticks to the formula, box-office gold is guaranteed

By Marc Sigoloff

Click continues Adam Sandler’s reign as the king of movie comedy, a position he inherited from Jim Carrey. Being the contemporary Jerry Lewis does have its drawbacks. As long as h

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, June 29,2006

Newman's own

A look back at some of the veteran actor’s best work

By Marc Sigoloff

Paul Newman recently announced that he would star in one more movie before ending his extraordinary career. What a relief! No screen legend should end his career as a cartoon voice. He’s upped t

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, June 22,2006

All Altman

Ridiculing society’s foibles a joy to behold

By Marc Sigoloff

I listened to Garrison Keillor’s radio show once, many years ago, and I found it dull. The miracle of Robert Altman’s new film, a fictional depiction of the program’s final

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, June 15,2006

Breaking up

It’s easy and sometimes funny -- on the big screen

By Marc Sigoloff

Breaking up is easy to do if you try hard enough. Just make a clean break and be done with it. Gary (Vince Vaughn) and Brooke (Jennifer Aniston), the sparring couple in The Break-Up, ca