Chinese film star Zhang Ziyi is suing Hong Kong’s largest circulation daily, Apple Daily, for an article published at the end of last month in which it asserts that the star sold her “services” to senior Chinese officials. In its May 29th edition the Apple Daily claimed that Zhang Ziyi was a prostitute and provided sexual favors in exchange for money to Bo Xilai, a former high Chinese official disgraced this spring, as well as his partner Ming Xu. The article

Who better than Michel Gondry (The Green Hornet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) to convey the visual soarings of Boris Vian? Stills from Mood Indigo, an upcoming film adapted by Gondry from a Vian novel were recently released in France. Shooting began this past April and is still ongoing. Mood Indigo stars Audrey Tautou as well as French humorist Gad Elmaleh and the star of Intouchables Omar Sy. The French essayist

Thirty years ago today at the Cannes Festival the closing film got a ten-minute ovation, its director later commenting that “this was the best welcome I’ve ever gotten in my life.” The film was E.T. and the words were by Steven Spielberg. E.T. was a personal film, Elliot’s room is based on Spielberg’s own when he was growing up, and the character of E.T. is a fully-realized version of an imaginary friend a traumatized Spielberg had conjured

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What is there about social climbers that makes their stories irresistible? Guy de Maupassant’s Bel Ami, published in installments in nineteenth century-France, enthralled readers and has been adapted for the screen a number of times. The present version stars Robert Pattinson as Georges Duroy. It is filled with descriptions of the world of journalism, politics and banking which Duroy skims for maximum profit in his ascent

Shaggy-haired legends like Def Leppard and Poison rocked the stage [...]

Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus” raises some interesting questions, "where do we come from, how did we get here, and what future is there for mankind?" and other, unintended ones: can sharp, entertaining cinema ever thrive in an industry which allows this much money to be thrown at a failed film like this one? When so many filmmakers in need of funding abandon their ambitions it is dismaying that Mr. Scott can raise $130M. I also ask myself