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Saturday, November 21, 2009

Kenneth Turan, Film Critic

'2012': Audiences might be better off looking, not listening

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Even good actors can't punch up the dialogue and make plot contrivances believable, but oh, those special effects.

November 13, 2009

'Fantastic Mr. Fox'

By Kenneth Turan FILM CRITIC >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: The exhilarating stop-motion animation film, with George Clooney and Meryl Streep, shows director Wes Anderson at his best.

November 13, 2009

'The Men Who Stare at Goats'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: This kinda true story of an experimental Army unit is a showcase for George Clooney & Co.

November 6, 2009

Joe Papp's 'Championship' genius

By Kenneth Turan

BACKSTAGE: The story behind the production of the award-winning play 'That Championship Season.'

November 1, 2009

'Ong Bak 2: The Beginning'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Tony Jaa's graceful moves are the big attraction. The story, which begins in 1431, not so much.

October 23, 2009

Review: 'Where the Wild Things Are'

By Kenneth Turan FILM CRITIC >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: The adaptation of Maurice Sendak's book expands on the boorish Max -- to its detriment.

October 16, 2009

'An Education'

By Kenneth Turan FILM CRITIC >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: Carey Mulligan glows with a girl's innocence and insight and inhabits the role of Jenny in a way viewers will never forget.

October 9, 2009

Review: 'A Serious Man'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Joel and Ethan Coen make their most personal, most intensely Jewish film, which turns out to be one of their most universal as well.

October 2, 2009

With 'Bright Star,' director Jane Campion makes us feel unfulfilled longing

By Kenneth Turan FILM CRITIC >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: Poet John Keats fell in love with the girl next door, but it all ended too soon, and badly.

September 18, 2009

'The Baader Meinhof Complex'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: The film takes an exploitation approach to a socially conscious subject.

August 28, 2009

'The Cove'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Filmmakers assemble a team of experts to surreptitiously capture the events.

July 31, 2009

Review: 'Ballerina'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Bertrand Normand's documentary is a beautiful snapshot of ballet life, Russian style.

April 17, 2009

Review: 'Forbidden Lie$'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: She is, but are you? Norma Khouri's 'truth' gets complicated.

April 10, 2009

Review: 'Sugar'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: A young Dominican aspires to be a major league pitcher. But the film is about much more than balls and strikes. It's about self-discovery.

April 3, 2009

Review: 'Valentino: The Last Emperor'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: A documentary convincingly makes the case that designer Valentino's lavish lifestyle is matched only by the talent that has kept him at the top of the fashion industry for 45 years.

April 3, 2009

Video review: 'Watchmen'

By Kenneth Turan FILM CRITIC > > >

MOVIE REVIEW: With lesser superpowers, 'Watchmen' fails to live up to its graphic novel origins. But then, how could it?

March 5, 2009

Turan: Take your Oscar snark someplace else

By Kenneth Turan

CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK: Some of us -- who simply love the movies -- don't need all this endless gossip about the Oscars.

February 24, 2009

The Oscars: Best picture is best bellwether

By Kenneth Turan, Film Critic

OSCARS: Whichever of the five nominated films walks away with the academy's top prize tonight helps Hollywood gauge which way the biz blows.

February 22, 2009

Review: 'Coraline'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: 3-D melds with stop-motion to create a fantastical, magical world.

February 6, 2009

Review: 'Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Roberta Grossman's documentary tracks the tragic story of a young woman's ill-fated humanitarian quest into Nazi-held Hungary.

February 6, 2009

Review: 'Of Time and the City'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Terence Davies' poetic documentary looks at life, loss and Liverpool

January 30, 2009

Review: 'The Secret of the Grain'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Abdellatif Kechiche's film, which won France's Cesar for best picture, is an involving look at a Tunisian immigrant community on the French Mediterranean.

January 30, 2009

Academy Award voters opt for the sunny over the dark

By Kenneth Turan TIMES FILM CRITIC > > >

CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK: Maybe they decided there was enough doom and gloom in real life. Because buoyant films such as 'Slumdog Millionaire' clean up.

January 23, 2009

Review: 'Defiance'

By Kenneth Turan FILM CRITIC

MOVIE REVIEW: A great story fights its way through thickets of Hollywood banter and sentimentality.

December 31, 2008

Review: 'Gran Torino'

By Kenneth Turan MOVIE CRITIC > > >

MOVIE REVIEW: Clint Eastwood, at 78, shows he's still a formidable action figure.

December 12, 2008

Review: 'Milk'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: History steps in -- in the form of the Proposition 8 battle -- to make this seem more than a standard-issue biopic.

November 26, 2008

Review: 'Quantum of Solace'

By Kenneth Turan MOVIE CRITIC > > >

MOVIE REVIEW: After the strong 'Casino Royale,' Bond gets chilly under director Marc Forster in the emotionless, bang-bang 'Quantum of Solace.'

November 13, 2008

'The Universe of Keith Haring'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW

October 31, 2008

Review: 'W.'

By Kenneth Turan

Oliver Stone's film is satirical and critical but not scathing. Josh Brolin's empathetic portrayal of the president helps make for a pleasing, effective film.

October 17, 2008

Review: 'Happy-Go-Lucky,' directed by Mike Leigh

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Sally Hawkins stars as a thoroughly sunny, centered person -- hardly the usual Leigh character.

October 10, 2008

Review: 'Rachel Getting Married'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Jonathan Demme's film weds bitter and sweet in a fraught family situation, Hathaway shines.

October 3, 2008

'The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe,' Gershon David Hundert, editor in chief

By Kenneth Turan

BOOK REVIEW: A comprehensive and illustrative look at shtetl life.

July 27, 2008

'Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson.'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: 'Gonzo' is stuffed with Hunter S. Thompson minutiae but shies from the tough questions.

July 4, 2008

'Tell No One'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A top-notch thriller so twisty you may forget to breathe.

July 2, 2008

'Hancock'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The Will Smith vehicle is as self-destructive as its superhero.

July 1, 2008

'Wall-E'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Groundbreaking yet familiar, part romance, part sci-fi, Pixar's latest work is wonderful and full of wonder.

June 27, 2008

'There Will Be Blood'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: An intense actor and director make for a fiery combination in 'Blood.'

December 26, 2007

'The Great Debaters'

By Kenneth Turan

Movie Review: The Film harnesses the power of persuasion for social change

December 25, 2007

'American Gangster'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: 'American Gangster' has it -- just look at the title -- and pulls it off with verve.

November 2, 2007

'Things We Lost in the Fire'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Costars Benicio Del Toro and Halle Berry do much of the stoking it.

October 19, 2007

'Lars and the Real Girl'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The movie centers a delightful, Capra-esque story around a most prurient prop.

October 12, 2007

'Lust, Caution'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The much talked about sex scenes that earned an NC-17 rating are an important part of the Ang Lee film's psychology.

October 5, 2007

'Michael Clayton'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: George Clooney has the answers in 'Michael Clayton'

October 5, 2007

'The Rape of Europa'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The documentary details the fate of artworks during and after World War II.

September 28, 2007

'Great World of Sound'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Offbeat 'Sound' looks at the underbelly of the music industry.

September 28, 2007

'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck pull their weight, but the long, ambitious, indulgent epic is only occasionally successful.

September 21, 2007

'Shadow Company'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A 'Shadow Company' of mercenaries

September 14, 2007

'In the Valley of Elah'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Father must find AWOL son, but script makes it difficult to care

September 14, 2007

'3:10 to Yuma'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The movie is rife with genre standards but delivers them with gusto.

September 7, 2007

'Le Doulos'

By Kenneth Turan

REVIEW: The 1963 gangster thriller, mixes American elements into a Parisian setting, creating a stylish, gripping milieu.

September 7, 2007

'In the Shadow of the Moon'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The NASA documentary is a fabulously fresh take on a special group of audacious men called astronauts.

September 7, 2007

'Manda Bala'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: In unflinching fashion, 'Manda Bala' documents seemingly disparate aspects of violence and poverty in Brazilian life.

August 31, 2007

'Private Property'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Terrifying bonds exist between a mother and her sons in this fearlessly performed French-language film with Isabelle Huppert.

August 31, 2007

'King of Kong'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A Donkey Kong rivalry between two obsessive competitors makes for a lively 'King of Kong.'

August 17, 2007

'The Invasion'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A horror classic is replicated again, but the result is no clone: With top talent, it's stylish and smart.

August 17, 2007

'12:08 East of Bucharest'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: '12:08' gives comic tone to Ceausescu's quiet fall as villagers dispute whether anyone showed at a rally before he left.

August 10, 2007

'Sunshine'

By Kenneth Turan , Times Staff Writer

MOVIE REVIEW: Though its credibility eventually falters, the space adventure should please fans of the genre.

July 20, 2007

'My Best Friend'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The French film is a good bet.

July 13, 2007

'Lady Chatterley'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Marina Hands stars as the lady who can't and won't deny her feelings for a servant.

July 13, 2007

'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The magic is gone: As the story gets darker, the momentum get muddier.

July 10, 2007

'Ratatouille'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The film is audacious and its unlikely hero is hard to resist.

June 29, 2007

'Sicko'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Michael Moore takes withering aim at ailing healthcare system.

June 29, 2007

'Live Free or Die Hard'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The actor is at his best in the implausible yet entertaining action film.

June 27, 2007

'A Mighty Heart'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: 'A Mighty Heart' moves the heart and head.

June 22, 2007

'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: 'Fantastic Four' is a retro, coolly unhip sequel. And that Surfer!

June 15, 2007

'Casting About'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: 'Casting About' pays tribute to audition process

June 15, 2007

'Ocean's Thirteen'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The new movie surpasses 'Twelve' (not much of a feat) but lacks the elan of the first film.

June 8, 2007

'Once'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: An unpretentious story out of Ireland rediscovers the charms of saying it with song.

May 16, 2007

'Zoo'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The skillfully made documentary examines bestiality as a lifestyle.

May 4, 2007

'Spider-Man 3' shows a dark side

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A huge budget buys more villains but not a better chapter of the franchise.

May 2, 2007

'Stephanie Daley'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A disturbing study of marriage and motherhood

April 27, 2007

'Jindabyne'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Social fissures reopen in this immediate, powerful tale.

April 27, 2007

'In the Land of Women'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: In Jonathan Kasdan's 'In the Land of Women,' a man puts his life back together, and helps women do the same.

April 20, 2007

'The Valet'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Parking yourself at 'The Valet' is recommended.

April 20, 2007

'Perfect Stranger'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Halle Berry and Bruce Willis both do what they're supposed to do in this routine thriller.

April 13, 2007

'The Ritchie Boys'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: An untold war story

April 13, 2007

'The Hoax'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: This smart film captures the psyche of Clifford Irving, a man who told the world tall tales.

April 6, 2007

'Killer of Sheep'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Three decades after it was finished, the drama still has the power to touch the heart.

April 6, 2007

'Black Book'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: In Paul Verhoeven's film about a Jewish spy infiltrating the Nazis, heroism and treachery are hard to tell apart.

April 4, 2007

'The Lookout'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: First-time director Scott Frank pulls off an enjoyable thriller thanks to his strong script.

March 30, 2007

'The Page Turner'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A woman seeks revenge on the pianist who thwarted her career in 'The Page Turner.'

March 30, 2007

'After the Wedding'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Emotions run high in the Oscar-nominated film, but the talented director and actors don't flinch.

March 30, 2007

'Offside'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The film by Iran's Jafar Panahi, grippingly depicts a national pastime denied to women.

March 23, 2007

'Shooter'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Mark Wahlberg gives 'Shooter' its considerable firepower.

March 23, 2007

'The Wind That Shakes the Barley'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: 'The Wind That Shakes the Barley' goes beyond zealotry.

March 16, 2007

'Into Great Silence'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: 'Into Great Silence' explores lives of monks.

March 9, 2007

'300'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The visually arresting '300' gets bogged down in blood and bodies.

March 9, 2007

'Grbavica'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A widowed mother strives to rebuild her life in 'Grbavica,' a story about postwar Sarajevo.

March 2, 2007

'Avenue Montaigne'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A fine cast and a realistic touch give the charming farce a sweetness and emotional intimacy.

March 2, 2007

'Amazing Grace'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The inspiring ‘Amazing Grace’ tells the story of William Wilberforce, who worked passionately to abolish slavery in Britain.

February 23, 2007

'Our Daily Bread'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: 'Our Daily Bread' provides food for thought as well as the eye.

February 22, 2007

'Breach'

By Kenneth Turan , Times Staff Writer

MOVIE REVIEW: In a tense, crackling tale, Chris Cooper turns a double life into an intense whole.

February 16, 2007

'The Situation'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: 'The Situation's' fictional tale is no match for the real-life events occurring in Iraq.

February 9, 2007

'Becket'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Peter O’Toole and Richard Burton are incandescent in 1964’s ‘Becket.’ Fortuitously, a restored print is handy.

February 2, 2007

'Mafioso'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Alberto Lattuada's "Mafioso," newly restored, is a long-lost gem that deftly fuses comedy and drama.

January 26, 2007

'Pan's Labyrinth'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: In "Pan’s Labyrinth," it’s no easy escape from Franco’s Spain through fairy tale land.

December 29, 2006

'The Good Shepherd'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A spy whose soul goes undercover. RECOMMENDED

December 22, 2006

'Children of Men'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The intense "Children of Men" is set in a near future to give us pause today. CRITIC'S CHOICE

December 22, 2006

'Rocky Balboa'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Punch drunk and down for the count.

December 20, 2006

'Letters From Iwo Jima'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Clint Eastwood presents the Japanese view in the remarkable "Letters." CRITIC'S CHOICE

December 20, 2006

'Venus'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The witty, timeless drama takes a poignant look at the things that matter most in life: love and friendship. CRITIC'S CHOICE

December 20, 2006

'Dreamgirls'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: "Dreamgirls" hits high notes of emotion and adds social context in its bracing renewal as a Hollywood musical. RECOMMENDED

December 15, 2006

'Blood Diamond'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: "Diamond" wants to be an action thriller with serious political overtones and to be as much position paper as “Zulu Dawn.”

December 8, 2006

'Apocalypto'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Another bloodbath, Mel Gibson’s "Apocalypto" doesn’t miss an impalement or a dismemberment.

December 8, 2006

'Days of Glory'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The powerful "Days of Glory" deftly tells the story of four men from North Africa who fought for France.

December 6, 2006

'The Lives of Others'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A society under suspicion.

December 1, 2006

'The Nativity Story'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A "Story" told with too much naiveté.

December 1, 2006

'Déjà Vu'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Beneath the average potboiler facade of "Déjà Vu" lies classic noir.

November 22, 2006

'Iraq in Fragments'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Iraq war documentary amounts to ravishing portrait.

November 17, 2006

'Happy Feet’

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Unusual and impressive animated film taps into issues too. RECOMMENDED

November 17, 2006

'Casino Royale'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEWS: Daniel Craig rings true as "Casino Royale" shrewdly remakes 007.

November 17, 2006

'Sweet Land'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Delicate "Sweet Land" is a type of American independent we don't see often enough.

November 15, 2006

'A Good Year'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe make a fine team, but this romantic comedy is too conventional.

November 10, 2006

'Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Photographer Diane Arbus' life is seen through a filter that distorts her realities in favor of glossy fantasy and conjecture.

November 10, 2006

'Stolen'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A magical mystery tour that is well worth taking.

November 3, 2006

'Cocaine Cowboys'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A film on dealings in Miami years ago makes some interesting points but is sabotaged by its focus on sleaze.

November 3, 2006

'Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: "Borat" will probably make you cringe as much as laugh, but you'll do a lot of both.

November 3, 2006

'Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A documentary on the mass murder-suicide, with interviews of its few survivors, is calm, thorough and utterly harrowing.
RECOMMENDED

October 27, 2006

'The Bridge'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Though unsettling, "The Bridge" is an earnest meditation on the nature of suicide.
RECOMMENDED

October 27, 2006

'Catch a Fire'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Derek Luke does justice to tale of wronged man.

October 27, 2006

'Flags of Our Fathers'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Clint Eastwood's war drama grippingly tells the tale behind that photograph from Iwo Jima.
CRITIC'S CHOICE

October 20, 2006

'The Prestige'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: They've got something up their sleeves.
RECOMMENDED

October 20, 2006

'Infamous'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Douglas McGrath’s ambitious ‘Infamous,’ which covers the same territory as last year’s ‘Capote,’ leaves an unpleasant aftertaste.

October 13, 2006

'Le Petit Lieutenant'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: French police investigate human complexity.
CRITIC'S CHOICE

October 13, 2006

'The Departed'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: It's police spy versus mob mole as Scorsese brings it all to a boil.
RECOMMENDED

October 6, 2006

'The Queen'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The royal drama after Di's death.
CRITIC'S CHOICE

October 6, 2006

'Jesus Camp'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Children learn to roast hot dogs and "devils" at a different sort of camp.

September 29, 2006

'All the King's Men'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A complex tale of power, aims higher than others, and hits.

September 22, 2006

'The Ground Truth' and 'My Country, My Country'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEWS: Documentaries continue to find fresh perspectives while focused on the different faces of a war zone.

September 15, 2006

'The Bridesmaid'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: An attraction that becomes unnervingly all-consuming.

September 8, 2006

'Iraq for Sale'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: In his "Iraq for Sale," Robert Greenwald slams U.S. companies for endangering lives while making millions.

September 8, 2006

'Hollywoodland'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A wannabe star's tale fizzles out.

September 8, 2006

'Fanfan la Tulipe'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Return of a bygone force in action farce.

August 25, 2006

'Half Nelson'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: In this cinematic season of vacuity and ineptitude, "Half Nelson" has to be seen.
CRITIC'S CHOICE

August 25, 2006

'Factotum'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: "Factotum" is true to the grit, poetry of Charles Bukowski.

August 18, 2006

'Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: On this East-West "Bridge," music spans global influences.

August 18, 2006

Señor Almodóvar looks back

By Kenneth Turan

WORLD CINEMA: The man from La Mancha discusses the roots of his work, new and old.

August 20, 2006

'World Trade Center'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Ghastly events forced into a feel-good formula — it's not the memorial Sept. 11 needs.

August 9, 2006

'Favela Rising'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW

August 4, 2006

'Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEWS: "Talladega Nights" may skid some, but it's got Will Ferrell. Relax and enjoy the ride.

August 4, 2006

'Changing Times'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu are once again paired as old flames.

August 4, 2006

'Miami Vice'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The big-screen "Miami Vice" has attitude to spare. Story and character, not so much.

July 28, 2006

Some real eye-openers

By Kenneth Turan

CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK: Preservation fest at UCLA returns in gorgeous style, with a bouquet of unusual finds.

July 20, 2006

'The Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIES REVIEW: New land, same guilty pleasure. "Tokyo Drift" is full of — what else? — fast cars and preening women.

June 16, 2006

'Giuliani Time'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: His actions surrounding 9/11 made him a hero to many. Documentary takes a critical look at his career and concludes he's no hero.

June 16, 2006

'Cars'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: It's the purring heart and not a load of clanking gags that gives "Cars" its smooth ride.

June 9, 2006

Under their influence

By Kenneth Turan

HOLLYWOOD | MOVIE MILESTONES: A select sprinkling of some of the films that changed Hollywood.

May 21, 2006

'The Da Vinci Code'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Director Ron Howard's film adaptation of the bestselling book premieres at the Cannes Film Festival.

May 17, 2006

'Army of Shadows'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Heroism through a cool, reserved eye.

May 12, 2006

'The Death of Mr. Lazarescu'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: "Mr. Lazarescu's" death says a lot about life.

May 5, 2006

'Sir! No Sir!'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The documentary "Sir! No Sir!" recalls how some Vietnam GIs opposed the war.

May 5, 2006

'Mission: Impossible III': Can he keep ahead?

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: In "M:i:III," Tom Cruise tries to outrace a bad guy who's really, really good.

May 5, 2006

Belgian filmmakers take top prize at Cannes

By Kenneth Turan

CANNES FILM FESTIVAL: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's "The Child" wins the Palme d'Or.

May 22, 2005

'What is this thing called Cannes?'

By Kenneth Turan

CANNES FILM FESTIVAL:
From 'Sundance to Sarajevo: Film Festivals and the World They Made'
(University of California Press, 2003)

'Akeelah and the Bee'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: This genuinely sweet and determinedly inspirational family film features charming young actress Keke Palmer in the title role.

April 28, 2006

'United 93'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: "United 93's" director went to great lengths to make the film as accurate as possible. So it's difficult to watch.

April 28, 2006

'Look Both Ways'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: "Look Both Ways" is a fearless movie about a fearful subject, an unusually empathetic and quite funny film that deals with death and dying in the most offbeat and casually life-affirming way.

April 28, 2006

'The Syrian Bride'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Cross-border nuptials are fraught with complexity in the stirring "Syrian Bride."

April 21, 2006

'The Sentinel'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Skill and experience mark "The Sentinel," in which Secret Service agents clash as the president is imperiled.

April 21, 2006

'Iron Island'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Only countries under duress turn out motion pictures quite like the new Iranian film "Iron Island."

April 21, 2006

'Mountain Patrol: Kekexili'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The Tibetan location brings a gritty spirit to China's "Mountain Patrol: Kekexili."

April 14, 2006

'Our Brand Is Crisis'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Documentary details the hush-hush truths of geopolitics and the challenges of "exporting democracy."

April 14, 2006

'The Notorious Bettie Page'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: "Bettie Page" gives the details of a fascinating life but renders its icon in two dimensions.

April 14, 2006

'The Fallen Idol'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Ralph Richardson's assessment of "The Fallen Idol," a 1948 Graham Greene-Carol Reed collaboration, holds true today.

April 7, 2006

'The Devil and Daniel Johnston'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A documentary about Daniel Johnston is just like the cult musician: self-absorbed.

March 31, 2006

'Inside Man'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Changing pace, "Inside Man" director Spike Lee takes the crime-film genre for a spin and viewers for a wild ride.

March 24, 2006

'L'Enfant'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's heartbreaking film follows the reprecussions of one thoughtless, horrible act.

March 24, 2006

'Thank You for Smoking'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Aaron Eckhart's turn as a sleazy tobbaco lobbyist is the heart of this wry, black-lunged comedy.

March 17, 2006

'Duck Season'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: One award-winning lazy Sunday in the lives of two 14-year-old Mexico City boys.

March 10, 2006

'Trudell'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW

March 10, 2006

'Howl's Moving Castle'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Master animator Hayao Miyazaki takes audiences on a trip to a different magic kingdom.

June 10, 2005

'Jarhead'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Respected source. Good intentions. Yet "Jarhead" doesn't add up.

November 4, 2005

'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: After three attempts, the latest film in the series finally captures the magic that made J.K. Rowling's books such a phenomenon.

November 17, 2005

'Dave Chappelle's Block Party'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The musical lineup is formidable, but the comedian's ability to make people laugh at anything stands out.

March 3, 2006

'In Cold Blood'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Made nearly 40 years ago, Richard Brooks' film version of Truman Capote's book has been reissued just in time for Sunday's Academy Award festivities.

March 3, 2006

'CSA: The Confederate States of America'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Mockumentary techniques, a 'what if' historical approach and ferocious satire come together in the film by Kevin Willmott.

February 24, 2006

'Sophie Scholl'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Julia Jentsch shines as an anti-Nazi activist in "Sophie Scholl," nominated for a foreign language film Oscar.

February 24, 2006

'Night Watch'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The most successful film in its homeland, Russia's "Night" gives the dark fantasy genre new life.

February 17, 2006

'Firewall'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: It's always good to see Harrison Ford get the upper hand, but 'Firewall' is just an ordinary thriller.

February 10, 2006

'Darwin's Nightmare'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: One fish sparks a chain of social ills.

February 10, 2006

'Neil Young: Heart of Gold'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW

February 10, 2006

'Darwin's Nightmare'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: One fish sparks a chain of social ills

February 10, 2006

'A Good Woman'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Based on a classic work by Oscar Wilde, setting "A Good Woman" in Italy during the 1930s undercuts it.

February 3, 2006

'Brokeback Mountain'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: In director Ang Lee's groundbreaking film, two cowboys realistically struggle with their love.

December 9, 2005

'Munich'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: "Munich," about the hunt for the murderers of Israeli Olympians, is a call for peace.

December 23, 2005

'Good Night, and Good Luck'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Edward R. Murrow once took a stand, and "Good Night" stands tall in his honor.

October 7, 2005

'Syriana'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Stephen Gaghan's breathless oil-intrigue saga "Syriana" tackles real-world issues under its guise as Hollywood genre entertainment.

November 23, 2005

'William Eggleston in the Real World'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A revealing look at a man who prefers to remain out of the spotlight.

January 27, 2006

'The Boys of Baraka'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW

January 20, 2006

'Tristan and Isolde'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Dashing and romantic, "Tristan and Isolde" provides a pleasantly old-fashioned spectacle of doomed passion.

January 13, 2006

'Classe Tous Risques'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW

January 6, 2006

'Fun With Dick & Jane'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: The remake plays like the setup for a movie that never materializes.

December 21, 2005

'The Family Stone'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Family versus fiancée: It proves engaging.

December 16, 2005

'Mrs. Henderson Presents'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: Judi Dench gives a star turn as a London theatrical matriarch during World War II, and Bob Hoskins is a perfect foil in Stephen Frears' polished film.

December 9, 2005