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The Conspiracy Code Conspiracy

Sir Ian McKellen Explains It All For You in "The Da Vinci Code." As a species, we humans are designed to connect the dots. But so many of our problems and mistakes arise from: 1) not knowing (due to misunderstanding…

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The conspiracy against movie critics

Look at these numbers: "Mission: Impossible III" gets a 70-percent critical approval rating on the RottenTomatoes.com TomatoMeter (fresh!), and yet takes in a devastatingly disappointing $48 million in its opening weekend at the domestic box office. Two weeks later, "The…

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Darkness for 'Donnie Darko' director?

Buffy Barko. Sarah Michelle Gellar in Richard Kelly's "Southland Tales." When "Donnie Darko" sank without a trace after its theatrical release in October, 2001, writer-director Richard Kelly feared his (potential) career had gone down with it. Then, the movie became…

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'Da Vinci Code': O, the theology!

Is this scene from "The Da Vinci Code" historically accurate? OK, this is what I was talking about: Dr. Ted Baehr, chairman of the Christian Film and Television Commission and founder of Movieguide.org, has a piece in USA Today (and…

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Wal-Mart and the Priory of Lyin'

"Wal-Mart? I'd like to order another copy of 'The Da Vinci Code.'" Alfred Molina plays Cardinal Fang a bishop with a cell. The protests against "The Da Vinci Code" are expected to reach their peak this opening weekend. And in…

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"Trapped in the Closet" screened in UK

Ani-Tom throws his hands up in the air. The infamous, mysteriously suppressed "South Park" episode that poked fun at Scientology and Tom Cruise (sacrilege!) still hasn't been shown on TV in the UK -- but the prestigious National Film Theatre…

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'The Da Vinci Code': Faith in fiction?

A scene from "The Da Vinci Code" -- or, possibly, one of the "Hellraiser" movies, it's kinda hard to tell. My favorite headline of the week (so far) comes from Reuters: "Reading 'Da Vinci Code' does alter beliefs: survey." According…

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The Cruise-ible

Tom Cruise with his "Miiii" squeeze. What do we talk about when we talk about Tom Cruise? What are our images of him really based upon, besides his own publicity stunts and some headlines? And just how did the top…

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A Concise History of the Made-For-TV Issue Movie

Pandemic flu expert and television historian Dr. Rob Corddry. Rob Corddry on "The Daily Show," explains how Monday's "in-depth investigative report on ABC" called "Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America" served to inform American citizens of the life-or-death options available…