Other films to see this season

Nov. 21 “Red Dawn.” Otherwise known as “Before They Were Stars.” A young Chris Hemsworth (“The Avengers”) and Josh Hutcherson (“The Hunger Games”) remade this ’80s flick several years ago, and it’s just now reaching theaters. Once again, American kids have to take to the …

Holiday movie preview: The six must-have tix

The big screen might not be big enough this holiday movie season. A tsunami is churning, Hugh Jackman is crooning, Kerri Washington is swooning. Oh, and Gollum is getting precious again with the jewelry. Barbra Streisand, Jamie Foxx and Bette Midler are back under the …

Ang Lee needed another dimension to show the ideas of ‘Life of Pi’

ROGER EBERT: The great director, schooled in Urbana, uses 3-D like you’ve never seen before to add visual appeal to Yann Martel’s novel. “You sort of have to disguise a philosophical book as an adventure story,” he says.

Sally Field plays Mary Todd Lincoln, an ‘underappreciated’ first lady

While Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” was packing in crowds over the weekend, one person stayed away from the theaters telling the story of Honest Abe. That would be his Mrs. Sally Field, who plays Mary Todd Lincoln, says she really doesn’t like watching herself on the …

Chicago man Royko dubbed ‘the best crime researcher in America’ dead at 67

Jimmy Agnew didn’t need Google. Before the Internet, Mr. Agnew plucked literary gold from mountains of obscure resources to provide research to some of the nation’s top true-crime authors. Legendary Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko once dubbed Agnew “the best crime researcher in America.” Mr. …

Taylor Lautner enjoyed taking a beating in ‘Breaking Dawn 2’

As the other “man” in the “Twilight” triangle, Taylor Lautner can be counted on to shed his shirt at some point in every new movie. In “Breaking Dawn — Part 2,” he doesn’t disappoint. “It’s always uncomfortable for me when I take off my shirt,” …

Kristen Stewart loves Bella, now emerging as a butt-kicking vampire

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — There is one delicate question that you really shouldn’t ask Kristen Stewart.

Not that question.

She bristles a bit when you ask her what it feels like to shed her screen alter ego, Bella Swan. “People keep asking me, ‘What does …

Daniel Craig finds ‘Skyfall’ perfect blend of action and plot

While the latest James Bond takes his roles seriously, Daniel Craig doesn’t call himself a serious actor. “It’s just that term — serious actor — it comes across with such a sense of pretension,” he said.

‘Wreck-It Ralph’ racks up some serious coin

NEW YORK — The weekend box office was not only undeterred by aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, it was buoyed by it. “Wreck-It Ralph” opened strongly with $49.1 million and “Flight,” starring Denzel Washington, soared to a $25 million debut. Both opened above expectations, capitalizing on …

Catherine Keener’s movie role came with strings attached

Catherine Keener’s new film, “A Late Quartet,” is about a world-renowned string quartet’s 25th anniversary. The group’s beloved cellist Peter (Christopher Walken) is diagnosed with the early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and announces that this season is his last, leaving a violinist (Philip Seymour Hoffman) …

Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson ready for ‘Twilight’ curtain call

Robert Pattinson says his farewell to Edward Cullen “was actually quite lovely,” a sunrise swim with Kristen Stewart in the gorgeous waters of St. Thomas.

Cusack developing Rush Limbaugh film

LOS ANGELES — Actor and outspoken liberal John Cusack is developing a movie about conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, Cusack’s production company said Friday. The working title is “Rush,” Cusack’s New Crime Productions confirmed, offering no other details. Hollywood director Betty Thomas, who’s set to …

Polish film festival shows a solidarity of cinema

Back for its 24th annual edition, the Polish Film Festival in America bills itself as the world’s largest annual showcase of Polish cinema outside Poland. Presented by the Chicago-based nonprofit Society for Arts and sponsored by the Polish Film Institute and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, the festival consists of 21 features, 31 documentaries and shorts screening at five area venues.

Mostra III film series puts Brazil in focus

Mostra III: Brazilian Film Series offers social insight into Brazil via cinema. Now in its third year, this non-profit event features recent Brazilian dramas and documentaries that address power, race and culture.

In Portuguese, “mostra” means “a show,” and this series indeed focuses on diverse …

Steven Spielberg excited by a president of and for the people

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Not many things make director Steven Spielberg nervous to the point where his hands tremble. Abraham Lincoln’s hat did that to him. Before shooting “Lincoln,” Spielberg took his star Daniel Day-Lewis through a tour of Gettysburg, where they got a bit …