Like Minds, Out of Time Starting Out in the Evening is a rich, compelling drama by Steven Rosen 05-14-08

Stayin' Alive A chorus of seniors interprets Rock classics in Young@Heart by Steven Rosen 05-07-08

Blockbuster Nights Parsing the bombastic summer movie season by Jason Gargano 04-30-08

Aging Franchise Players Will Harrison Ford's return as Indiana Jones spur likeminded resurrections? by Steven Rosen 04-30-08

Brother from Another Planet Stephen Chow toys with family-friendly conventions in CJ7 by tt stern-enzi 04-23-08

Man on a Mission Morgan Spurlock is back with another entertaining quasi-documentary by Jason Gargano 04-16-08

Shining a Light on a Forgotten Film New Rolling Stones concert film brings back memories of Ladies and Gentlemen by Steven Rosen 04-16-08

Mean Streets David Ayer's Street Kings investigates modern big-city police work by Cole Smithey 04-09-08

Return of a Conquering Hero George Clooney brings Leatherheads home with mixed results by Steven Rosen 04-02-08

Good Rockin' Tonight John Sayles' Honneydripper mines old-school R&B and Blues by Steven Rosen 04-02-08

Angel of Authenticity David Gordon Green discusses Snow Angels and the brilliance of Sam Rockwell by Jason Gargano 03-26-08

Slaughter of the Innocents Nanking looks at Japanese brutality toward the Chinese during WWII by Steven Rosen 03-19-08

The Enchanter Amy Adams has many golden days ahead of her by tt stern-enzi 03-12-08

Head Games Michael Haneke remakes his own brutal satire, Funny Games, for U.S. audiences by Cole Smithey 03-12-08

The Documentarian Strikes Back Alex Gibney discusses his acclaimed documentary Taxi to the Dark Side by Jason Gargano 03-05-08

A Light in the Dark Alex Gibney's searing documentary investigates U.S. interrogation tactics by tt stern-enzi 02-27-08

Black Film from a Black Perspective Pamela Thomas' Midnight Ramble shines a light on black film history by tt stern-enzi 02-20-08

High-Concept Whimsy Michel Gondry's Be Kind Rewind suffers from a lack of focus by Scott Renshaw 02-20-08

More Than Meets the Eye Vantage Point is the first great thriller of 2008 by Cole Smithey 02-20-08

A Youthful Indulgence Youth Without Youth marks the return of Francis Ford Coppola by tt stern-enzi 02-13-08

Wild, Wild West Four modern-day jesters court the big time in comedy documentary by tt stern-enzi 02-06-08

Culture Clash Variety shows once had a large impact on popular culture by Steven Rosen 02-06-08

Graphic Oppression Animated Persepolis is a stark look at a girl's traumatic childhood by Steven Rosen 01-30-08

Flawed Mythology Woody Allen misfires again with the tedious Cassandra's Dream by Cole Haddon 01-30-08

Welcome Back, Diva Restored 1980s French film still makes a point today by Steven Rosen 01-23-08

Oil & Blood Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis team up for There Will Be Blood by Jason Gargano 01-16-08

Eye of the Beholder Julian Schnabel tells the extraordinary story of Jean-Dominique Bauby by Steven Rosen 01-09-08

Cinematic Pleasures CityBeat's film writers unveil the best of 2007 by Jason Gargano 01-02-08

Pitch Perfect Top musical moments in film in 2007 by Rodger Pille 12-26-07

The Golden Girl Keira Knightley takes another step in Atonement by Jason Gargano 12-26-07

Savage Love Tamera Jenkins' melancholic comedy shines by way of Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney by Steven Rosen 12-19-07

Horror Show Tim Burton paints Sondheim red in Sweeney Todd by Cole Smithey 12-19-07

Abstraction of Truth? Documentary My Kid Could Paint That raises myriad questions by Steven Rosen 12-12-07

Right Here, Right Now Documentary Darfur Now serves as a rallying cry to stop genocide in Sudan by Steven Rosen 12-05-07

The High Art of Adaptations Cracking open the holiday season's literary presents by tt stern-enzi 12-05-07

Not Dead Yet Sidney Lumet strikes again with the taut cautionary tale Before the Devil Knows You're Dead by Steven Rosen 11-28-07

Deconstructing Dylan Todd Haynes' I'm Not There is inspired by Bob Dylan's shifting personas by Steven Rosen 11-20-07

The Coens Go Country Coen brothers turn Cormac McCarthy's novel into a taut, nourish thriller by Cole Smithey 11-20-07

A Hollywood Manifesto Zach Helm's wonderful journey from screenwriter to director by tt stern-enzi 11-14-07

Magic Realism Revisited Love in the Time of Cholera almost hits the right note by Cole Smithey 11-14-07

Looking Back with Fondness American Gangster mines late 1960s and early 1970s cinema but still feels contemporary by Steven Rosen 11-07-07

When Lions Crash Lions for Lambs is a redundant cry in the media fray by tt stern-enzi 11-07-07

Unique Visions Wes Anderson continues to ride his stylized wave with The Darjeeling Limited by Jason Gargano 10-31-07

Documenting A Life Local filmmaker Steve Gebhardt's documentary on John Sinclair finds a life on DVD by Steven Rosen 10-31-07

Sights of the Season Halloween offers a host of scare-inducing options on DVD by Phil Morehart 10-24-07

Men in Transition Lars and the Real Girl charms, while The Darjeeling Limited falls flat by Reviews by Cole Smithey 10-24-07

Advancing the Game Justin Lin's indie comedy takes skillful aim at Asian-American stereotypes by Elena Stevenson 10-24-07

The Seeker Emile Hirsch mesmerizes in Sean Penn's Into the Wild by Jason Gargano 10-17-07

Amoral Authority Gone Baby Gone and Rendition stray off the moral high ground by Reviews by TT Stern-enzi 10-17-07

Taking a Stand George Clooney thriller takes aim on corporate malfeasance by Cole Smithey 10-10-07

Been There, Done That Julie Taymor's Across the Universe fails to distinguish itself from a bevy of like-minded projects by Steven Rosen 10-10-07

Phoenix Owns The Night The ever-compelling Joaquin Phoenix propels James Gray's We Own the Night by tt stern-enzi 10-10-07

The Season of Dark Dreams A look at the box office potential and prestige factor of the fall movie lineup by tt stern-enzi 10-03-07

Blood & Sex Eastern Promises director David Cronenberg talks shop by Jason Gargano 09-26-07

A Love Supreme? Veteran director Robert Benton discusses his Feast of Love by tt stern-enzi 09-26-07

Curious Path to the Screen David Lynch's Inland Empire finally makes its way to Cincinnati -- on Rhino DVD by Steven Rosen 09-19-07

Playing It Safe Luke Wilson's The Wendell Baker Story needs more irreverence by Cole Smithey 09-19-07

Strangely Poetic Rhythms Considering the best of the Toronto Film Festival's offerings by Jason Gargano 09-12-07

Runnin' with the Devil Evil has a ticket to ride in 3:10 to Yuma by tt stern-enzi 09-05-07

Revisiting a Cinematic Corpse Filmmaker Rob Zombie puts his stamp on the Halloween franchise by Cole Haddon 08-29-07

Exodus of Good Taste David Wain's sassy feature debut takes on the Ten Commandments by Jonathan Kiefer 08-29-07

Humanity's Final Hour? Documentary The 11th Hour tackles a deep topic by tt stern-enzi 08-29-07

The War and the Damage Done Documentary No End in Sight dissects the mismanaged Iraq War by Steven Rosen 08-22-07

Growing Pains Arctic Tale needs grit, while Superbad is an incisive comedy by Reviews by TT Stern-enzi 08-15-07

Boys of (The End of) Summer Matthew Vaughn (Stardust) beats Brett Ratner (Rush Hour 3) in the battle of action directors by Reviews by TT Stern-enzi 08-08-07

Pomp and Controversy A new biography tackles the visionary career of filmmaker Ken Russell by Tim Lucas 08-01-07

Seamless Transition The Simpsons finally make their way to the big screen by tt stern-enzi 08-01-07

Staying Alive Werner Herzog mines a familiar story for the powerful Rescue Dawn by Phil Morehart 07-25-07

She's Bart Simpson, Who the Hell Are You? Cartwright promises The Simpsons Movie isn't the beginning of the end by Rodger Pille 07-25-07

Workin' on the Weekend Pizza Infinity makes a movie -- in 48 hours by Kendall Bruns 07-25-07

Spirited Away Hairspray is a summer movie pleasure by Steven Rosen 07-18-07

Oscars in July Would a mid-year Oscar playoff help us survive the summer movie blues? by Steven Rosen 07-11-07

Home Again John Dahl returns to his neo-noir roots with You Kill Me by tt stern-enzi 07-11-07

Crazy Little Thing Called Love Fascinating Crazy Love tracks our changing tabloid media landscape by tt stern-enzi 07-04-07

Ready to Dance British actor Hugh Dancy is poised to make a U.S. breakthrough by Jason Gargano 07-04-07

The Provocateur Lightning-rod filmmaker Michael Moore's Sicko looks at our broken health care industry by Cole Smithey 06-27-07

Resuscitation of a Singer Marion Cotillard's strong performance as Edith Piaf owns La Vie en Rose by Steven Rosen 06-27-07

The Heart of the Matter Filmmaker Michael Winterbottom is back with his most high profile film to date, 'A Mighty Heart' by Cole Haddon 06-20-07

Beautiful Music John Carney's organic 'Once' is propelled by sweet sounds by Steven Rosen 06-20-07

The Point of Torture Porn Eli Roth's 'Hostel: Part II' raises questions about a genre by tt stern-enzi 06-13-07

Wedding Crasher Susanne Bier's 'After the Wedding' tweaks the Dogme formula by Steven Rosen 06-06-07

To Keep or Not to Keep? 'Knocked Up' and 'Waitress' tackle unwanted pregnancies by ... dismissing abortion? by Steven Rosen 06-06-07

Boys Will Be Boys Judd Apatow strikes again with hilarious 'Knocked Up,' while Kevin Costner goes killer in Mr. Brooks by Reviews by TT Stern-enzi 05-30-07

Waiting on a Breakthrough Nathan Fillion shines in actress/writer/director Adrienne Shelly's swansong, 'Waitress' by Cole Haddon 05-23-07

Out from the Shadows Charles Burnett's underground classic, 'Killer of Sheep,' finally gets a proper release by Steven Rosen 05-16-07

The Evolution of Underneath The 'Best of Underneath' festival continues to thrive by Jason Gargano 05-16-07

Zombies and Viruses '28 Weeks Later' ably picks up where its predecessor left off by tt stern-enzi 05-09-07

Girls Will Be Boys Despite censorship, an Iranian film shows female discrimination by Jennifer Merin 05-09-07

In a Rut Zach Braff's latest, 'The Ex,' wallows in mediocrity by Jason Gargano 05-09-07

Third Time a Charm? 'Spider-Man 3' hopes to match the critical and commercial success of its predecessors by Cole Haddon 05-02-07

Deep Cover Director Paul Verhoeven probes both sides of the Dutch resistance in World War II by Cole Smithey 04-25-07

A Wise Man Veteran documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman discusses his long career by Douglas Vuncannon 04-18-07

Taking Liberties British spoof team sends up blockbusters by Cole Smithey 04-18-07

The Seekers Elegiac Old Joy centers on two men looking to connect by Steven Rosen 04-11-07

Rear Ended Disburbia apes Rear Window, but Hitchcock it ain't by David Luhrsson 04-11-07

Genre Vultures Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino pay homage to exploitation cinema with 'Grindhouse' by Interviews by Cole Haddon 04-04-07

Film or Fiction? Lasse Hallstrom nearly pulls off 'The Hoax' by TT Stern-ezni 04-04-07

What's in a Name? Strong performances power Mira Nair's intergenerational family drama, 'The Namesake' by Steven Rosen 03-28-07

Head Games 'The Lookout' tweaks familiar crime-drama formulas by tt stern-enzi 03-28-07

More Than Meets the Eye 'Pride' more than just sports movie formula, while 'The Host' transcends its B-movie origins by Reviews by TT Stern-enzi 03-21-07

Playful Pastiche Steven Soderbergh's 'The Good German' mixes old-school techniques with new-school candor by Review by David Wildman 03-14-07

Rock Does Rohmer Chris Rock's 'I Think I Love My Wife' inspired by French film by Cole Haddon 03-14-07

Pieces of a War 'Iraq in Fragments' looks at Iraq from three different perspectives by Steven Rosen 03-14-07

Graphic Greek Myth Director Zack Snyder and actor Gerard Butler bring Frank Miller's '300' to the screen by Cole Haddon 03-07-07

Dylan Revisited D.A. Pennebaker looks back for the deluxe edition of 'Don't Look Back' by Steven Rosen 03-07-07

Southern Blues Craig Brewer discusses his latest impassioned, music-laden movie, 'Black Snake Moan' by Jason Gargano 02-28-07

Aging Gracefully Cincinnati filmmaker takes on aging myths in new documentary by Jane Durrell 02-28-07

The Force Be With Him Ioan Gruffudd inhabits William Wilberforce in 'Amazing Grace' by tt stern-enzi 02-21-07

Junk Cinema Joel Schumacher's latest disaster finds Jim Carrey at career low by Cole Smithey 02-21-07

Shooting Star Factory Girl delves into the blazing, doomed life of Edie Sedgwick by Steven Rosen 02-14-07

World Wide Buzz The Internet is changing the Oscar hype game by Steven Rosen 02-14-07

A Performance of Beauty Oscar-nominated Peter O'Toole shines in 'Venus' by tt stern-enzi 02-07-07

Black Gold Are African-American actors globally viable at the box office? by tt stern-enzi 01-31-07

Nomad No More Cincinnati World Cinema finds a home at the Cincinnati Art Museum by Jane Durrell 01-24-07

Crit Lit Film literature hits critical mass by Steven Rosen 01-24-07

High Wattage Naomi Watts discusses The Painted Veil and the perils of working with apes by Jason Gargano 01-17-07

Bad Boys 'The Last King of Scotland' and 'Pan's Labyrinth' feature fascinating, often monstrous antagonists by Reviews by Steven Rosen 01-17-07

West Meets East Edward Norton's deep interest in China manifests itself in 'The Painted Veil' by Steven Rosen 01-17-07

Man of the Moment Director Alfonso Cuarón discusses his highly praised thiller, Children of Men by Jason Gargano 01-10-07

Scent & Sensibilities Perfume director Tom Tykwer discusses his pungent drama by tt stern-enzi 01-10-07

For Your Consideration CityBeat film writers declare their favorites of 2006 by CityBeat Staff 01-03-07

Suburban Life Todd Field's Little Children leaves a lasting impression by Steven Rosen 01-03-07

The Rest of the Story Films books are the ultimate director's cut by tt stern-enzi 12-27-06

Dynamic Duo Penélope Cruz and Pedro Almodóvar team up for the stellar Volver by Steven Rosen 12-20-06

Men at Work A subtle Matt Damon guides The Good Shepherd, while The History Boys opens up a successful stage play by Reviews by TT Stern-enzia 12-20-06

Motown Redux Entertaining Dreamgirls hits the right notes by Scott Renshaw 12-20-06

In Dramatic Pursuit Will Smith and son power The Pursuit of Happyness by tt stern-enzi 12-13-06

A Capote Carol On page, stage and screen the author is the ghost of Christmas past by Alan Scheidt 12-13-06

Local Goods The Greater Good showcases our deep local talent pool and resources by Rodger Pille 12-06-06

Behind the Bling Blood Diamond exposes the seedy side of the international diamond trade by Steven Rosen 12-06-06

Making a List Yes, Virginia, there are alternative Christmas flicks by Alan Scheidt 12-06-06

Searching for Bobby Emilio Estevez brings his longtime passion to the screen by Steven Rosen 11-29-06

The Third 'D'? Director Liam Lynch discusses his role in Tenacious D by tt stern-enzi 11-29-06

Unearthing the Underground Paul Rachman's documentary American Hardcore revisits the music scene's early roots by Steven Rosen 11-29-06

Picture This Steven Shainberg's Fur investigates the early inspiration of Diane Arbus by Steven Rosen 11-21-06

Love Across Centuries Visionary director Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain is too dizzy by Cole Smithey 11-21-06

Visceral Visions Babel is director Alejandro González Iñárritu's latest raw-nerved exploration by Jason Gargano 11-15-06

He's Baaack Daniel Craig injects life into the James Bond series by Cole Smithey 11-15-06

Strange Choices Life and art collide in Stranger than Fiction by TT Clinkscales 11-08-06

Menace to Society Christian Bale's commanding presence propels Harsh Times by Cole Smithey 11-08-06

No Holds Barred Satirical Borat delivers uproarious, politically incorrect laughs by Steven Rosen 11-01-06

Still Mad as Hell Network turns 30 but remains timely and prophetic by Alan Scheidt 11-01-06

Word Play Steve Anderson's documentary traces the evolution of the word 'fuck' by Steven Rosen 10-25-06

Songs of the Road Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou's latest is a parable of reconciliation by Mark Jenkins 10-25-06

Daydream Nation Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette is another languid trip into the female psyche by Jason Gargano 10-18-06

Double Vision Oscar season finds a number of actors working double duty by tt stern-enzi 10-18-06

No Ordinary Camp The documentary Jesus Camp conjures troubling questions by Steven Rosen 10-11-06

Toothless Barry Levinson's political satire, Man of the Year, lacks bite by Cole Smithey 10-11-06

Rats in a Cage Martin Scorsese's latest crime drama, The Departed, is a stunner by Cole Smithey 10-04-06

The Survivor Matt Dillon's resurgence continues with a strong performance in Factotum by Steven Rosen 09-27-06

Sleep to Dream Michel Gondry's imaginative The Science of Sleep casts a unique spell by tt stern-enzi 09-27-06

Serious Films for a Serious Time Toronto International Film Festival was awash in political statements by Jason Gargano 09-20-06

Comparing Borats to Lennons Trying to take in all the Toronto Film Festival's offerings by Jason Gargano 09-13-06

Warning Shot Why We Fight arrives on DVD at a time when its contents have never been more vital by Jason Gargano 09-06-06

Hollywood Whodunit Hollywoodland is a compelling look at the life and mysterious death of George Reeves by Cole Smithey 09-06-06

Tower of a Man A new documentary celebrates the career of poet/novelist/singer Leonard Cohen by Steven Rosen 08-30-06

Man of Mystery Neil Burger's sumptuous The Illusionist casts a mesmerizing spell by Jason Gargano 08-30-06

Urban Ritual Quinceanera is an intriguing look at a Los Angeles neighborhood's Mexican-American community by Steven Rosen 08-23-06

Valley Boy Director David Jacobson's Down in the Valley works for a while, then doesn't by Chris Braiotta 08-23-06

Family Bonding A talented ensemble of actors powers Little Miss Sunshine by Steven Rosen 08-16-06

Short-lived Phenomenon Once in a Lifetime traces the rise and fall of a soccer team by Marc Savlov 08-16-06

Requiem for a Day Oliver Stone's World Trade Center delivers a respectful look at 9/11 by Steven Rosen 08-09-06

The Professional Consummate character actor John C. Reilly relishes his first high-profile comedy, Talladega Nights by Jason Gargano 08-09-06

Bad, Bad Girls The Descent succeeds via strong women, while The Night Listener is an unaffecting mystery by Reviews by TT Clinkscales 08-02-06

Young Wolves The Heart of the Game is a rousing basketball documentary by David Wildman 08-02-06

Gas Problem Who Killed the Electric Car? investigates our dependence on gasoline-powered cars by Steven Rosen 07-26-06

Road Dogs Clerks II's Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson hit the road to discuss their signature characters by tt stern-enzi 07-26-06

Blinded by the Muse Woody Allen cranks out an unpolished vehicle for Scarlett Johansson by Cole Smithey 07-26-06

Home Again Kevin Smith lets his freak flag fly with Clerks II by tt stern-enzi 07-19-06

Water Torture Lady in the Water drowns via director M. Night Shyamalan's clunky storytelling by Cole Smithey 07-19-06

Where Is My Mind? A Scanner Darkly deliciously mixes paranoia and reality by Jason Gargano 07-12-06

Toothless Sydney Pollack's documentary on Frank Gehry is a little too agreeable toward its subject by Marrit Ingman 07-12-06

Too Much Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest suffers from a case of overkill by Steven Rosen 07-05-06

Barely Holding On Twelve and Holding looks at the awkward days of youth by tt stern-enzi 07-05-06

Noir, Revisited Rian Johnson's visceral yet flawed Brick employs many a classic film noir technique by Steven Rosen 06-28-06

Hero Worship Bryan Singer's Superman Returns revives an iconic superhero by Jason Gargano 06-28-06

Return of the Iconoclast Robert Altman's long, singular career continues with the elegiac A Prairie Home Companion by Jason Gargano 06-21-06

Colonial Collapse Richard E. Grant's directorial debut chronicles a crumbling empire via a fractured family by Marc Savlov 06-21-06

Warning Shot Al Gore's compelling An Inconvenient Truth confronts our growing global warming crisis by tt stern-enzi 06-14-06

The Devil Inside Jeff Feuerzeig's documentary looks at the troubled yet creative life of Daniel Johnston by Steven Rosen 06-14-06

Working on the Weekend The 48 Hour Film Project returns for another year of creative mayhem by James Proffitt 06-14-06

Dark Thoughts Moody musician Nick Cave provides the screenplay for The Proposition by Steven Rosen 06-07-06

Elemental Images Water sheds light on the plight of India's many widows by tt stern-enzi 06-07-06

Fever Dreams If I were a studio executive for a summer by tt stern-enzi 05-31-06

The Big Green One The original, uncut Japanese version of Godzilla finally hits U.S. shores by Marc Savlov 05-31-06

Desperate Measures The Dardenne brothers' L'Enfant is a gripping story of desperation by Steven Rosen 05-24-06

New X-Factor Brett Ratner takes over the X-Men franchise with entertaining results by tt stern-enzi 05-24-06

Art School Rejects Director Terry Zwigoff and screenwriter Daniel Clowes discuss their latest collaboration by Dave Shulman 05-17-06

Badly Drawn Boy Max Minghella fails to compel in Art School Confidential by tt stern-enzi 05-10-06

Gorgeous People in Danger As mindless distraction goes, Poseidon is pretty unbeatable by MaryAnn Johanson 05-10-06

Return of a Pinup Queen Gretchen Mol takes the spotlight -- again -- via the The Notorious Bettie Page by Steven Rosen 05-03-06

Big Mamas, Sexless Queens & Kinky Boots Chiwetel Ejiofor is the latest black man to wear a dress on the big screen by tt stern-enzi 05-03-06

All of Us United Director Paul Greengrass' compelling United 93 revisits 9/11 by tt stern-enzi 04-26-06

Big-Sky Redux Sam Shepard and Wim Wenders reunite for the peculiar but rewarding Don't Come Knocking by Marrit Ingman 04-26-06

L.A. Women Friends with Money looks at the way (some) women live today by Steven Rosen 04-19-06

Water-Logged Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School is a soggy retread by Chris Braiotta 04-19-06

Courageous Resistance Sophie Scholl tells the shattering story of a principled woman in Nazi Germany by Steven Rosen 04-12-06

Serious Satire Thank You for Smoking provides Aaron Eckhart the breakout role he deserves by Steven Rosen 04-05-06

Lucky Leading Boys Hartnett and Brown find themselves in good company by Reviews by TT Clinkscales 04-05-06

Men of the City Veteran directors Spike Lee and Sidney Lumet return with a pair of powerful NYC-set dramas by Reviews by TT Clinkscales 03-29-06

Red Dust Glory Tsotsi ushers in a new era for South African cinema by Steve Ramos 03-29-06

Rite of Passage Bryce Dallas Howard fulfills a dream working with director Lars von Trier on Manderlay by Steven Rosen 03-22-06

New-Hollywood Yoda Robert Towne, writer/director of the new Ask the Dust, discusses his storied career by Steven Rosen 03-22-06

Nonsense and Nonsensibility Director Michael Winterbottom makes a clever comedy out of an un-filmable 18th-century novel by Steve Ramos 03-15-06

Bang, Pow, Hmmm Chancy V for Vendetta fails at becoming a thinking man's comic book movie by Steve Ramos 03-15-06

Looking for a Sign The concert film Neil Young: Heart of Gold finds the longtime troubadour in a reflective mood by Steven Rosen 03-08-06

Double Vision Nominees for this year's Independent Spirit Awards and Academy Awards were remarkably similar by Steven Rosen 03-08-06

Boy (Just Visiting) the Hood Music pushes aside the comedy in Dave Chappelle's feel good concert film by Steve Ramos 03-01-06

Independent Spirit A new biography puts the spotlight on John Cassavetes, but which filmmakers are following in his footsteps? by Steve Ramos 03-01-06

Beneath the Underneath The annual Best of Underneath Cincinnati spotlights area independent filmmakers by tt stern-enzi 02-22-06

Son of the Blackboard Jungle Adapting his novel Freedomland for the movies gives author Richard Price a chance to go home again by Steve Ramos 02-22-06

Women on the Verge Freedomland is too noisy, while Imagine Me & You is a formulaic girl-meets-girl romance by Steve Ramos 02-15-06

Behind Closed Doors Cache is Austrian director Michael Haneke's most powerful film to date by Steve Ramos 02-15-06

Breaking Down Doors Is Brokeback Mountain the breakthrough for tolerance on the big screen? by Steve Ramos 02-08-06

Snow Gets Its Close-Up Sundance Film Festival madness means happy endings and sad-sack stories on Awards Night by Steve Ramos 02-01-06

A New Direction Something New director Sanaa Hamri moves from videos to the big screen by tt stern-enzi 02-01-06

The Revolution Is Here Steven Soderbergh attempts an industry shift with his new film Bubble by Steve Ramos 01-25-06

Old Dog, New Tricks Woody Allen strays from his longtime formula with the London-set Match Point by Steven Rosen 01-25-06

Divine Interventions The New World is a love story for the ages by Steve Ramos 01-18-06

Dreaming of a New World Reclusive director Terrence Malick re-emerges with his fourth film in three decades by Steven Rosen 01-18-06

Less Is More In the age of blockbusters, B-movie maven Roger Corman survives by Steve Ramos 01-11-06

Fractured Fairy Tale Swordfights trump love in passionless Tristan & Isolde by Steve Ramos 01-11-06

Tainted Love Brokeback Mountain speaks to a divided America by By Steve Ramos 01-04-06

Where Are We? Mid-decade musings on fear and loving in the new millennium by tt stern-enzi 01-04-06

Big Screen's Best CityBeat film writers present their 2005 Top 10 lists by Steve Ramos 12-28-05

Does Your Mother Know? Sarah Silverman combines an angelic face and foul mouth with success by Steve Ramos 12-28-05

What Matters Most The Squid and the Whale's cultural guideposts by Steven Rosen 12-21-05

Bloody Patriotism Steven Spielberg tells a thrilling espionage tale with Munich by Steve Ramos 12-21-05

Family Affair Noah Baumbach mines his own life for the acclaimed family drama The Squid and the Whale by Steve Ramos 12-14-05

Jungle Boogie Peter Jackson's King Kong is the most extravagant B movie in history by Steve Ramos 12-14-05

Black Gold, Blacker Hearts George Clooney is the social conscience of the sweeping Syriana by Steve Ramos 12-07-05

Lit Flicks Film adaptations offer lots of ideas for the reader on your gift list by tt stern-enzi 11-30-05

God Only Knows Terrorists or martyrs? Paradise Now considers the lives of two suicide bombers by Steve Ramos 11-23-05

The Lightness of Bee-ing Bee Season addresses spirituality in subtle ways by tt stern-enzi 11-23-05

Back in Black Director James Mangold honors Johnny Cash in the biopic Walk the Line by Steven Rosen 11-16-05

Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll Prolific British filmmaker Michael Winterbottom is back with the sexually frank 9 Songs by MARITT INGMAN 11-16-05

Isn't It Romantic? Period details mean a lot when it comes to adapting Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice by Steve Ramos 11-09-05

Cellophane Kings Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. make Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang bearable by Steve Ramos 11-09-05

It's Hard Out There for a G Christopher Scott Cherot's Hip Hop drama finally hits theaters by tt stern-enzi 11-02-05

Wild and Crazy for Love Steve Martin puts heartbreak above laughs in bittersweet Shopgirl by Steve Ramos 11-02-05

Just Bawl for God's Sake Cynics be damned -- movie sentimentality is a leading theme this fall by Steve Ramos 10-26-05

The Happy Avenger Antonio Banderas is a classic swashbuckler in Legend of Zorro by Steve Ramos 10-26-05

The Big Chill Clooney emphasizes the quieter moments in his McCarthyism drama Good Night, and Good Luck by Steve Ramos 10-19-05

Reel Music Filmmaker John Parker looks at the local music scene via his documentary, Dead On by Sara Beiting 10-19-05

Thumbs Up Artist Mike Mills adds filmmaking to his already impressive resume with Thumbsucker by Steve Ramos 10-12-05

Dream Sister Director Tony Scott takes on the troubled life of model-turned-bounty hunter Domino Harvey by tt stern-enzi 10-12-05

A Shit Brown World First-time filmmaker Liev Schreiber discusses his adaptation of Everything Is Illuminated by Steve Ramos 10-05-05

Kings and Queen of Comedy Wallace & Gromit deliver laughs aplenty, while Cameron Diaz misses with In Her Shoes by Steve Ramos 10-05-05

Rewriting History Filmmaker David Cronenberg puts his distinctive stamp on a graphic novel by tt stern-enzi 09-28-05

Clay Queen Helena Bonham Carter shows her diversity with Corpse Bride and Wallace & Gromit by Steve Ramos 09-28-05

'Round the Clock Festival madness means seeing everything before separating the good films from the bad by Steve Ramos 09-21-05

Shoot the Filmmakers Lord of War and Paradise Now shine a light on the dark side of human nature by Steve Ramos 09-21-05

Right Place, Wrong Time Love is the answer behind epic Brokeback Mountain by Steve Ramos 09-14-05

Wanted: Surprises The best summer movies are the ones that come out of nowhere by Steve Ramos 09-07-05

A New Day The podcasting revolution offers up some worthwhile film-related programming by Jason Gargano 09-07-05

Honoring of Loves Past Ralph Fiennes shines as the troubled hero in The Constant Gardener by Steve Ramos 08-31-05

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels The filthiest joke in showbiz gets the royal treatment in The Aristocrats by Steve Ramos 08-24-05

The Hard-Luck Auteur Visionary filmmaker Terry Gilliam makes his long-awaited return with The Brothers Grimm by Steven Rosen 08-24-05

Love Tears Us Apart Bill Murray fuses perfectly with Jim Jarmusch's deadpan style in the stellar Broken Flowers by Steve Ramos 08-17-05

Trivia Pursuit CityBeat film writers show their skills at IFC trivia by Rodger Pille 08-17-05

Cinema of Allusions Indie icon Jim Jarmusch returns with Broken Flowers, another ode to mysterious characters with deadpan deliveries by Steven Rosen 08-17-05

Tuneful Television The Dick Cavett Show: Rock Icons DVD package revisits the music of the Woodstock generation by Steven Rosen 08-17-05

Devils and Dabblers Skeleton Key unlocks hoodoo secrets by tt stern-enzi 08-10-05

Truly, Madly, Lewdly Wedding Crashers is making real movie romance a thing of the past by Steve Ramos 08-03-05

Beautiful Fascination Erotic, witty My Summer of Love is a summertime gem worth discovering by Steve Ramos 08-03-05

Ordinary People Happy Endings is a sloppy ensemble drama; Murderball is the summer's best superhero tale by Steve Ramos 07-27-05

Humor and Pathos Writer/director Don Roos is back with another diverse ensemble comedy, Happy Endings by Steven Rosen 07-27-05

Man of Summer Michael Bay is back with an intriguing new movie, The Island by Jason Gargano 07-20-05

Monday Morning Fever After wowing Sundance audiences, Hustle & Flow looks to become a summertime hit by Steve Ramos 07-20-05

Beguiling Breakthrough Multitalented writer/director Miranda July's debut feature is garnering much attention by Steven Rosen 07-13-05

Hanging Together March of the Penguins documents the solidarity of a species by Steven Rosen 07-13-05

Cinematic Synergy How to create a fantastic superhero soundtrack by tt stern-enzi 07-06-05

Cinema's Great Dark Hope Three DVDs celebrate Hungarian master Bela Tarr by Steve Ramos 07-06-05

On the Fly Cincinnati 48 Hour Film Project offers a creative reprieve from large-scale filmmaking by Jason Gargano 07-06-05

Apocalypse Now Competent Tom Cruise can't save a lumbering War of the Worlds by Steve Ramos 06-29-05

Straight Out of Flushing Director Alice Wu and costars Michelle Krusiec and Lynn Chen break out with Saving Face by Steve Ramos 06-29-05

Pimp My Ride Herbie needs comedic gas, but Bewitched has plenty thanks to Will Ferrell by Rodger Pille 06-22-05

Man Behind the Plastic Wookie Local action figure sculptor Paul Brooke carves a career niche by Lisa Mckenzie 06-22-05

Man Behind the Mask Batman Begins exceeds expectations via Christian Bale's standout performance by Steve Ramos 06-15-05

Rare Bird Mark Bittner's love of wild parrots fuels director Judy Irving's unique documentary by Steven Rosen 06-15-05

Horror Internationalist Frenchman Alexandre Aja melds classic American horror with European sensiblities in High Tension by Steve Ramos 06-08-05

Takes Two to Tango Swing kids documentary Mad Hot Ballroom is funny and inspirational, while dull action squelches the laughs in Mr. & Mrs. Smith by REVIEWs BY STEVE RAMOS 06-08-05

Macho Man vs. Z-Boys Ron Howard gets sentimental yet again, while Lords of Dogtown is the surprise hit of the summer by Steve Ramos 06-01-05

The Lads Director Matthew Vaughn and star Daniel Craig attract plenty of attention with their crime drama Layer Cake by Steve Ramos 06-01-05

Singing a Looney Tune DreamWorks supplants Disney as king of cartoon culture by taking an edgier approach by Steve Ramos 05-25-05

Groove Tube Z Channel director Xan Cassavetes remembers an influencial Los Angeles cable channel by Steve Ramos 05-25-05

Greed & Indifference Alex Gibney discusses his illuminating documentary Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room by Steven Rosen 05-18-05

The Empire Strikes Out Revenge of the Sith brings the Star Wars saga to an anti-climactic close by Steve Ramos 05-18-05

L.A. Story Writer/director Paul Haggis discusses the origins of his provocative new film, Crash by Steven Rosen 05-11-05

Off the Shelf Jane Fonda is the best thing about predictable Monster-in-Law; Mindhunters borrows badly from Agatha Christie by Steve Ramos 05-11-05

God Is in the Details The creators of period epic Kingdom of Heaven strive for accuracy by Steven Rosen 05-04-05

Grand Plans, Good Intentions Crash's crosscutting L.A. narrative falters while Kingdom of Heaven is a rousing look at the Crusades by REVIEWs BY STEVE RAMOS 05-04-05

Divine Intervention Actor Jim Caviezel takes a trip to God's country by Steve Ramos 04-27-05

The Gardener's Story Anthony LaPaglia shines as the head of a troubled family in Winter Solstice by Steve Ramos 04-27-05

Anything Goes Stephen Chow looks to conquer America with Kung Fu Hustle by Steve Ramos 04-20-05

Laughing at Herself Dear Frankie actress Emily Mortimer is all jokes when it comes to self-promotion by Steve Ramos 04-20-05

Sean Penn on Holiday The Interpreter is forgettable fluff by Steve Ramos 04-20-05

Divine Comedy Director Danny Boyle shows his inner child with the lively fantasy Millions by Steve Ramos 04-13-05

Scintillating Synthesis The duo behind Sin City's wicked beat by tt stern-enzi 04-13-05

Laughs, Inc. Woody Allen stumbles again, while the Farrelly brothers get romantic by Steve Ramos 04-06-05

The Quiet Man Kevin Bacon gives the most powerful performance of his career in The Woodsman by Steve Ramos 04-06-05

Beautiful Losers Sin City looks like a classic film noir, but its story lacks punch by Steve Ramos 03-30-05

Outside/Inside Art Myth of the self-taught artist grows with In the Realms of the Unreal by Steve Ramos 03-30-05

Life During Wartime Gunner Palace director Michael Tucker shows an Iraqi War seldom seen on the nightly news by Steve Ramos 03-23-05

Tales of Tolerance Paper Clips is a story of red-state tolerance; Gunner Palace lets the soldiers show the real Iraq by Steve Ramos 03-23-05

Industrial Light & Magic While American cartoons focus on gags, Japanese anime Steamboy is all about adventure by Steve Ramos 03-16-05

Film's Humble Poet Hirokazu Kore-eda's reputation as Japan's greatest working filmmaker grows with Nobody Knows by Steve Ramos 03-16-05

Tales of Could-Have-Been Be Cool fails despite Travolta's youthful swagger; Born into Brothels thrives on its message of hope by REVIEWs BY STEVE RAMOS 03-09-05

What the Children Taught Us An amazing year continues for Born into Brothels filmmakers by Steve Ramos 03-09-05

Shake Your Moneymaker Can a movie have a Hip Hop vibe? Ask the makers of Be Cool by Steve Rosen 03-02-05

One Industry; Two Ceremonies Awarding Sideways a record-tying six awards, the Indie Spirits proved itself better than the Oscars by Steven Rosen 03-02-05

Oh ... Pedro Bad Education is Pedro Almodovar's most mainstream drama; emotions empower The Sea Inside by Steve Ramos 02-23-05

Tears for Scares Alejandro Amenábar and Javier Bardem team up for the melodrama The Sea Inside by Steve Ramos 02-23-05

L.A. Stories The City of Angels glitters in The Aviator, but Los Angeles Plays Itself focuses on its underbelly by Steve Ramos 02-16-05

Devil Dull Keanu Reeves returns to his wooden ways as the sullen demon fighter at the center of Constantine by Steve Ramos 02-16-05

Old and Grey Vera Drake is a breakthrough for actress Imelda Staunton by Steven Rosen 02-09-05

Boxcar Marty Martin Scorsese might receive a Best Directing Oscar for The Aviator, but Boxcar Bertha is the more honest film by Steve Ramos 02-09-05

Happy Sundance Ending Marcos Siega expected his high school comedy Pretty Persuasion to be the hit of Sundance by Steve Ramos 02-02-05

The Sundance Films Most Likely Sundance Film Festival by Steve Ramos 02-02-05

Pop-Up Sundance Interested in the latest festival happenings? Here's a guide by Steve Ramos 01-26-05

Punk Critic On his new show, Henry Rollins proves to be a surprisingly intellectual film critic -- with an edge by Steve Rosen 01-19-05

A Meaningless Assault The legacy of the B movie is squashed by forgetful Assault on Precinct 13 by tt stern-enzi 01-19-05

Don Cheadle is Top Dog Hotel Rwanda brings attention to the acclaimed character actor by Steve Ramos 01-12-05

January Rebound Don Cheadle shines in Hotel Rwanda; House of Flying Daggers is romantic and exciting by Steve Ramos 01-12-05

Oscar Talk Current Oscar campaigns replace gifts with intellect by Steven Rosen 01-05-05

Chasing Phantoms Celebrated director Tsaï Ming-liang pays homage to the movies with Good Bye, Dragon Inn by Steve Ramos 01-05-05

The Year of Men in Tights CityBeat critics sum up 2004 movies and offer their top film choices by citybeat film staff 12-29-04

Beyond the Typical Kevin Spacey is a singing and dancing maniac in Beyond the Sea by Steve Ramos 12-29-04

Macho Men (and Women) The Aviator soars, while Phantom of the Opera stumbles into syrupy clutter by Steve Ramos 12-22-04

All Scares Big and Small Lemony Snicket creeps out the young; Machinist frightens the old by Steve Ramos 12-15-04

Hey, Huckleberry Filmmaker David Gordon Green remains the arty outsider with Undertow by Steve Ramos 12-15-04

From Hunted to Hunter Blade: Trinity star Jessica Biel says, "Look what I can do" by Rodger Pille 12-08-04

Mad Love New DVD shows David Lynch's Wild at Heart to be as edgy and erotic as ever by Steve Ramos 12-08-04

Some New Tricks Closer is a passionate relationship drama; Oliver Stone fumbles Alexander by Steve Ramos 12-01-04

Woman on Top Annette Bening stays in the spotlight (and enters the Oscar race) with Being Julia by Steve Ramos 12-01-04

Life's Brighter Side After tales of death and despair, Marc Forster spends time with Peter Pan in Finding Neverland by Steve Ramos 11-24-04

Michael Moore vs. Santa Claus The world famous filmmaker provocateur and Kris Kringle might share big bellies, but they see the world differently by Steve Ramos 11-24-04

Finding Neverland Johnny Depp shows a youthful touch as Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland by tt stern-enzi 11-24-04

Sad Sack Chronicles Paul Giamatti gives the performance of a lifetime in Sideways by Steve Ramos 11-17-04

Showgirls' Sister Who to blame -- or thank -- for today's scantily clad heroines? Look no farther than Paul Verhoeven's 1995 camp classic Showgirls by Jessica C. Adams 11-17-04

Tomorrow's Heroes With Christopher Reeve gone, who will step in his heroic boots? by tt stern-enzi 11-10-04

The Most Beautiful Girl Onstage: Billy Crudup For an actor known for eclectic roles, donning a dress in Stage Beauty make sense by Steve Ramos 11-10-04

Hey, Lucy! Rene Zellweger shines in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Steve Ramos 11-10-04

Sex and the Single Boy Handsome, charismatic Jude Law holds Alfie together by Steve Ramos 11-03-04

China's Nicole Kidman Actress Gong Li looks ahead with Zhou Yu's Train by Steve Ramos 11-03-04

Risk -- and How to Get It Birth is a laughable melodrama; Ray shines solely on Jamie Foxx's performance by Steve Ramos 10-27-04

Movie Love Affair A new DVD set celebrates one of the most thrilling directors, Wong Kar-wai by Steve Ramos 10-27-04

Tokyo Chills Already a hit in Japan, Columbia Pictures remakes The Grudge for American audiences by Steve Rosen 10-20-04

Laughter and Nothingness Huckabees director David O. Russell strives for something different, but still fails by Steve Ramos 10-20-04

Dancing By Himself Richard Gere finds romance in his feet with Shall We Dance by tt stern-enzi 10-13-04

The Foreigner: Tadanobu Asano Already a celebrity in his native Japan, Tadanobu Asano looks to build his U.S. audience with Zatoichi by Steve Ramos 10-13-04

Rebel Cinema After a string of successful hot topic documentaries, political dramas come to the forefront by Steve Ramos 10-06-04

Sentimental Journey The Motorcycle Diaries matches the myth of 'Che' Guevara with heart, soul and sentimentality by Steve Ramos 10-06-04

Mixed Variety Pack Troublemaker Lars von Trier turns the camera on himself and his mentor for The Five Obstructions by Steve Ramos 10-06-04

A Hero's Journey Going Upriver director George Butler celebrates the anti-Vietnam War activism of John Kerry by Steve Ramos 09-29-04

The SuperVixens Next Door Dirty Shame director John Waters finds the funny in fetishes 09-29-04

Time of Discovery Finding something new, like the Australian film Somersault, makes the Toronto Festival worthwhile by Steve Ramos 09-22-04

24-Hour Filmmaker Winterbottom shows his versatility with the sci-fi drama Code 46 by Steve Ramos 09-22-04

Two Against the World Director Zhang Yimou and actress Zhang Ziyi conquer hearts and minds with House of Flying Daggers by Steve Ramos 09-15-04

Monster Mash Battle lines blur as heroes and monsters duel by tt stern-enzi 09-15-04

Back Behind the Counter After 10 years, Clerks shows how much has changed with indie film by Steve Ramos 09-08-04

Yawn-Yawn Sisterhood Dull Vanity Fair strips the unstoppable Becky Sharp bare by Steve Ramos 09-01-04

Kill the Laughs How did politics become summer's comedy king? by Steve Ramos 09-01-04

Heroic Actor Hong Kong star Donnie Yen looks to America with costume epic Hero by Steve Ramos 08-25-04

Ghosts of Movies Past We Don't Live Here Anymore mishandles short stories, Exorcist: The Beginning offers few scares by Steve Ramos 08-25-04

Who's Afraid of Sharks? The team behind Open Water emphasizes drama as much scares 08-18-04

Jersey Shores and Beyond Open Water offers cold chills; Garden State mixes comedy and drama aimlessly by Steve Ramos 08-18-04

In the Company of Men Grim I'll Sleep When I'm Dead and heartfelt A Home at End of the World are welcome alternatives by Steve Ramos 08-11-04

A Home Behind the Camera Stage director Michael Mayer breaks out with A Home at the End of the World by Steve Ramos 08-11-04

Been There, Seen That The Village lacks originality; Brittany Murphy sputters in Little Black Book by Steve Ramos 08-04-04

The Director Who Came In From The Cold Mike Hodges is the comeback kid with I'll Sleep When I'm Dead by Steve Ramos 08-04-04

Spy vs. Spy Manchurian Candidate soars with Denzel Washington; Matt Damon sizzles in Bourne Supremacy by Steve Ramos 07-28-04

Stairway to Happiness Aging rockers seek counseling in Metallica: Some Kind of Monster by Steve Rosen 07-28-04

The Tent Pole Outsider Highfalutin' Paul Greengrass remakes the summer blockbuster with The Bourne Supremacy by Steve Rosen 07-21-04

Timeless Conspiracy Tale Before its Hollywood remake, Manchurian Candidate returns on DVD by Steve Ramos 07-21-04

Brief Encounters Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy reunite with director Richard Linklater for soulful Before Sunset by Steve Ramos 07-14-04

Hey, Napoleon! The summer's new, new comedy belongs to a teenage underdog named Napoleon Dynamite by Steve Ramos 07-14-04

Golden Boys, Young & Old Robert Redford could be a role model for Notebook star Ryan Gosling by Steve Ramos 07-07-04

Bigger Than Christ? Fahrenheit 9/11 is the liberals' Passion of the Christ by Steve Ramos 06-30-04

Heartfelt Hero Its believable characters make Spider-Man 2 dazzling by Steve Ramos 06-30-04

Georgie Boy Provocative, entertaining Fahrenheit 9/11 will be impossible for Bush to ignore by Steve Rosen 06-23-04

Fighting the Summer Sequel Buzz Kill Films boasting numerals reign supreme in Hollywood by tt stern-enzi 06-23-04

Women on Top Nicole Kidman works hard in Stepford Wives; Jehane Noujaim makes her mark with Control Room by Steve Ramos 06-16-04

Looking at War From Both Sides Jehane Noujaim takes a fair look at the Iraq War with Control Room by Steve Ramos 06-16-04

The Road Home Nathaniel Kahn's emotional journey of discovery brings My Architect alive by Steve Ramos 06-09-04

Whatever Happened to Counter Programming? After May's lousy blockbusters, June's releases offer hope for film-starved adults by Steve Ramos 06-09-04

Older, Wiser and Duller Director Alfonso Cuarón makes Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban dark and dreary by Steve Rosen 06-02-04

OutFoxxing Hollywood Jamie Foxx is Hollywood's under-appreciated treasure by tt stern-enzi 06-02-04

Onscreen Politics Latest documentaries break out of cinemas to make headlines by Steve Ramos 05-26-04

Pretty Dull Woman Kate Hudson's shine fails to carry heavy Raising Helen by Rodger Pille 05-26-04

Bold, Brave and Green Super Size Me fascinates; Troy loses steam; Shrek 2 is more of the same by Steve Ramos 05-19-