Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, February 9,2006

The Return of Dune

David Lynch's much-maligned excursion into sci-fi weirdness was an aberration

The extended edition of Dune (1984) arrives on DVD with little fanfare, an expected reaction to an unfairly maligned film. The source of derision is David Lynch’s adaptation of Frank H

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, February 2,2006

Malick’s nature

Though he’s four-for-four, Terrence Malick surely is an acquired taste

By Marc Sigoloff

The films of Terrence Malick are an acquired taste, and The New World is not likely to gain him any new fans. The New World is only Malick’s fourth feature in a career that s

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, January 26,2006

The new gay cinema

Brokeback Mountain caused a sensation, but there are better gay films

By Marc Sigoloff

Many films with gay characters and themes, from the sanctimonious Philadelphia to the incendiary Cruising, have played in local theaters, but few have caused the sensation of Brokeback Mount

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, January 19,2006

Mega Watts

Her decade of mediocrity ended with the magnificent Mulholland Dr.

By Marc Sigoloff

Fay Wray appeared in 96 feature films, but she is so closely linked to King Kong (1933) that the other 95 could be missing from her résumé. Naomi Watts may be following in Wray

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, January 12,2006

Asian buffet

Experience South Korea's film renaissance

By Marc Sigoloff

Memoirs of a Geisha brings the Asian cinema to America. Well, not exactly — a Hollywood view could never take the place of homegrown product. Why not see an authentic Asian film i

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, January 5,2006

Families for adults

Why do so many family movies have to be family movies?

By Marc Sigoloff

Why do so many family movies have to be family movies? Why does the presence of children in Cheaper by the Dozen 2 and Yours, Mine & Ours mean the films must be dumbed down for chil

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, December 29,2005

Retail hell

A handful of films present the story of America’s disenfranchised class

By Marc Sigoloff

Christmas may the most eagerly awaited time of year for retailers, but generally it is hated by their employees. I spent nine years of my life in that quagmire, and I certainly don’t m

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Wednesday, December 21,2005

Rosemary’s nephew

How George Clooney became a star

By Marc Sigoloff

It was obvious that George Clooney belonged in movies as soon as he burst upon the scene as Ace, an emergency-room technician, in E/R. Have I confused anyone yet? This was back in 1984,

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, December 15,2005

Slick companies

All of sudden, it’s great fun bashing big business

By Marc Sigoloff

The political tide has shifted back to ’60-style disenchantment, which could open the door to a return of activism in the movies. Some stars have always spoken their minds, but mo

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, December 8,2005

Partners in crime

The premise of odd-couple criminals is an old one

By Marc Sigoloff

Mr. & Mrs. Smith depicts the fantasy world of hired killers in what approaches comic-book silliness. John (Brad Pitt) and Jane (Angelina Jolie) Smith are the world’s deadliest