Christian Bale strikes me as a complete enigma. Yes, his acting chops are prodigious, but he seems to me to be all technique and no heart; we get buckets of perfectly formed ice, but very little fire.

Crime has not just been good to the criminals; it's been awfully good to Hollywood as well.

The story of Gene Hackman, who quietly turned eighty just two months ago, is one of raw will and talent overcoming a host of limitations that would have defeated most people.

There are plenty of films out there that make us hopeful about life and living. Film noir is a guilty pleasure where we witness the denizens of society's bottom rungs stamping on each other's feet for a higher, safer position.

I look at the new action movies coming out, and I have to wonder: Where's our new Lee Marvin? The manly man, the bad guy turned good guy, the guy who's so ugly he's almost beautiful, the guy who takes no prisoners?

While Hollywood continues to dominate the global film market, the most original, intelligent, and enduring movies today are being made outside this country.

The animation in Kung Fu Panda is slyly amusing, the storyline witty and sweet and -- here's the kicker -- the action set pieces are probably the best I've seen all year.