Jackie: After Dealey Plaza

Caspar Phillipson and Natalie Portman. Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures Chilean director Pablo Larraín was about to make his first American film, but had doubts. He had been offered a biopic…

Michael Moore in TrumpLand 

Michael Moore usually takes his time getting a movie into theaters, but this one was a surprise release just a few weeks before the presidential election where voters decided between…

All the King’s Men: A Populist Menace

Broderick Crawford. Photo: Columbia In other reviews I’ve previously used the example of John Wayne at his most reactionary. Well, this is no exception. He was considered for the lead…

The Newsroom 

Aaron Sorkin’s return to television was touted as a classic network drama made for cable, taking us behind the scenes of ACN, a fictional cable news network, where a legendary…

Sarah Palin: You Betcha! 

Nick Broomfield, the filmmaker who inspired Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock, takes on former Alaska Governor and GOP vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, portraying one side of her by talking with…

In the Loop: My Way or the Fucking Highway

Peter Capaldi and James Gandolfini. Photo: BBC Film Every mild-mannered leader needs a brutal enforcer, a man prepared to walk over corpses to achieve goals. President Barack Obama has Rahm…

All the President’s Men: Exposing a CREEP

Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford. Photo: Warner When I was in journalism school, I took a course in investigative journalism. That particular genre is still the finest you can do…

Frost/Nixon: A President’s Disgrace

Michael Sheen and Frank Langella. Photo: Universal Ladies and gentleman, welcome to a bout not easily forgotten. In one corner we have David Frost, a TV presenter looking to enter…

John Adams: The Reluctant VP

Laura Linney and Paul Giamatti. Photo: HBO Sometimes there are discrepancies between filmmakers and the people hired to market their work. The tagline of this ambitious HBO miniseries has nothing…