In Alexander Payne’s films, not much happens but whole worlds change. The director and Oscar-winning screenwriter is hardly prolific, directing six features since 1996, including “Sideways,” “The Descendants,” and now “Nebraska.” Yet each bears his distinct imprint: regular people forced…
He’s got our attention, all right, all right, all right
Matthew McConaughey once embodied the laid-back good-old-guy: living in an Airstream on the beach, playing bongos naked, and choosing light action films (“Sahara”) and forgettable romantic comedies (“The Wedding Planner”) that showcased his suave, easy charm. Fast forward to…
A Mother’s Work Is Never Done
Although Kate Winslet calls her children “absolutely my everything,” the mothers she brings to life onscreen often struggle to put family first. I’ve had my eye on her since her film debut as a teen bludgeoning a friend’s mother in…
The Many Facets of Kenneth Branagh
Since his 1989 breakthrough “Henry V,” Kenneth Branagh has built a reputation for esteemed Shakespeare adaptations and performances, including a recent run performing “Macbeth” in a deconsecrated church in Manchester, England. Yet his career also crackles with pop culture, from…
Let’s Resolve to Go to the Movies
With so many book-inspired films headed our way in 2014, we lit lovers can’t help but resolve to go to the movies. Sure, the next chapters in “The Hunger Games” and “The Hobbit” sagas won’t arrive till year’s end, but…
Joaquin Phoenix and the Lost Souls Club
I really enjoyed pulling together this profile of Joaquin Phoenix, who has an affinity for lost souls. His Oscar-nominated turns as a conniving Roman emperor in “Gladiator,” country-music legend Johnny Cash in “Walk the Line,” and a disturbed World War II…
The Evolution of David O. Russell
Known for his quirky revamps of genres like screwball comedy, writer-director David O. Russell now has reinvented himself: from an on-set hothead to a filmmaker with a compassionate approach and a golden touch. His own dry spell made filmmaker David…
Hollywood Hams for the Holidays
Even though Thanksgiving is behind us, we film fans are thankful for ham … acting, that is. Often synonymous with the showiness of William Shatner (“Khaaaaaaaaaaan!”), hams aren’t bad actors per se; they just know when to exaggerate. A glint…
Christian Bale Dives Into His Characters
Christian Bale has earned a standout reputation as an actor by disappearing thoroughly into his characters, whether by losing weight, learning sleight-of-hand, eating worms, or spending hours with someone to absorb his mannerisms. “I like the idea of movies having…