The Fans Own the Magic
By MANOHLA DARGIS and A. O. SCOTT
Josh Haner/The New York Times
A fan in costume at a book release party.
Others may control the copyrights, the royalties and the theme park receipts, but they can’t keep Harry Potter’s wizardry out of millions of hearts.
Timeline: Harry Potter and the Billion-Dollar FranchiseThe Team Player Who Blends Into the Comedy
By JONAH WEINER
John P. Johnson/Warner Brothers
Jason Bateman, right, with Jason Sudeikis, left, and Charlie Day, in a scene from “Horrible Bosses.”
A former sitcom star and Teen Wolf, Jason Bateman has become a consummate ensemble player.
Trailer: 'Horrible Bosses'An Experiment That Evolved Into a Tragedy
By NICOLAS RAPOLD
Harry Benson
Seeking to disprove Noam Chomsky's contention that only humans could make sentences, Columbia researchers in the 1970s taught sign language to Nim Chimpsky.
A new documentary, “Project Nim,” retells the sad, absurd story of Nim Chimpsky, neither human nor ape.
News & Features
We’re Holding Your Plot Device. If You Want It Back, Send Us ...
By FRANZ LIDZ
Lucas Belvaux’s French-Belgian hostage drama “Rapt” is the latest assignation in the film industry’s long, dark romance with ransom notes.
An Influential Director, Two Distinct Directions
By DAVE KEHR
The new Blu-ray releases of two films directed by Robert Aldrich are very different: “Vera Cruz,” and “Kiss Me Deadly.”
Love and Inheritance: A Family Feud
By JOHN LELAND
A five-year legal battle between the actress Celeste Holm, 94, and her sons has drained her trust and has left her 48-year-old husband bitter.
Movie Reviews
MOVIE REVIEW 'LARRY CROWNE'
Stymied in Middle Age, Reaching for a New Life
By STEPHEN HOLDEN
In “Larry Crowne” Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts are grown-ups who more or less act their age as they overcome monetary and emotional setbacks.
MOVIE REVIEW 'MONTE CARLO'
Cinderella Goes to Europe, and Cute Meets Culture
By MANOHLA DARGIS
In “Monte Carlo,” Selena Gomez plays a Texas Francophile who travels to France and Monte Carlo with her eager friend and reluctant older stepsister.
MOVIE REVIEW | ‘TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON'
One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Autobots
By A. O. SCOTT
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon” is among Michael Bay’s best movies and by far the best 3-D sequel ever made about gigantic toys from outer space.
Graphic: Welcome to Chicago, Just Don’t Kill UsMOVIE REVIEW 'TERRI'
Another Teenage Misfit Trying to Like Himself
By A. O. SCOTT
In “Terri,” directed by Azazel Jacobs, an isolated, misunderstood teenage boy finds a way to accept himself.
MOVIE REVIEW 'THE PERFECT HOST'
A Welcome to His World Is Accepted at Your Peril
By STEPHEN HOLDEN
In “The Perfect Host,” David Hyde Pierce plays a gentleman whose elegant dinner party is hijacked by a bank robber.
MOVIE REVIEW 'SMALL TOWN MURDER SONGS'
Violence Close at Hand Shakes a Bucolic Setting
By STEPHEN HOLDEN
“Small Town Murder Songs” follows a born-again police officer with inner demons in rural Ontario.
MOVIE REVIEW 'AURORA'
Following in the Shadows of a Very Shadowy Man
By MANOHLA DARGIS
Cristi Puiu stars in and directs “Aurora,” an enigmatic feature about human relations in present-day Romania.
MOVIE REVIEW 'POLYTECHNIQUE'
A Fictional Killer of Women Who Is All Too Familiar
By A. O. SCOTT
In “Polytechnique,” the director Denis Villeneuve reconstructs events from 1989, when a disturbed young man went on a rampage against women at a Montreal technical school.
MOVIE REVIEW 'CRIME AFTER CRIME'
Seeking a Path to Justice
By JEANNETTE CATSOULIS
“Crime After Crime” favors the personal over the political, creating a no-frills portrait of a stoic and remarkably unembittered woman.
MOVIE REVIEW 'DELHI BELLY'
Indian Cinema With an Indie Sensibility
By RACHEL SALTZ
Starting with the pride of place given the digestive problem of the title, “Delhi Belly” thumbs its nose at propriety.
MOVIE REVIEW 'LOVE ETC.'
Exploring Love’s True Nature
By MIKE HALE
“Love Etc.” tries to explore the true nature of love in the city through the lives of eight New Yorkers.
More Reviews
News & Features
A Rogue Film Festival Earns Respect (Sort Of)
By MIKE HALE
Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the New York Asian Film Festival offers a solid blend of high-quality movies along with the hyperbolic and fantastic.
COMMON SENSE
A Collision of Creativity and Cash
By JAMES B. STEWART
While Disney focuses on lucrative franchises, Pixar maintains it is devoted to the story. In “Cars 2,” Disney won.
More News & Features
Q&A: David Hyde Pierce Will Be Your Host
Elaine Stewart, Sultry 1950s Actress, Dies at 81
This May Be Something Completely Different
Catch That Reference? There’ll Be a Quiz
GRAPHIC: Dissecting a Frame From ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’
Creating an Adolescence for the Ages
A Lord of Fright Reclaims His Dark Domain
Welcome to Chicago, Just Don’t Kill Us
The Italian Potboiler’s Master Chef
How to Succeed in Hollywood Despite Being Really Beautiful
Peter Falk, Rumpled and Crafty Actor in Television’s ‘Columbo,’ Dies at 83
Main Course: Growing Up With Two Icons
Randall Adams, 61, Dies; Freed With Help of Film
People, You Will See This Film. Right Now.
Photos & Video
Harry Potter and the Billion-Dollar Franchise
A look at how Harry Potter evolved from a figment of a teacher’s imagination into the foundation of an entertainment empire.
Artsbeat - June 30, 2011
Mike Hale interviews Grady Hendrix of the New York Asian Film Festival and Charles Isherwood reviews "Zarkana," the latest from Cirque Du Soleil.
Critics' Picks: 'Sweet Smell of Success'
A. O. Scott looks at Alexander Mackendrick's 1957 film starring Burt Lancaster as a powerful gossip columnist and Tony Curtis as an ambitious press agent.
Box Office Top 5
Photos & Video
Design for the Road in ‘Cars 2’
By MEKADO MURPHY
Pixar’s film takes the race-car Lightning McQueen and his tow-truck pal, Mater, to great world cities.
Mid-Century Mutants
A look at some of the sets of “X-Men: First Class” with commentary from the production designer Chris Seagers.
Anatomy of a Scene
In this series, directors discuss ideas and techniques behind moments in their films.
Summer Movies
The critics' take on girls in action movies, Maria Bello's tough dramas, Michael Fassbender on his rise from bit player to leading man and more.
