The Personal Stories Behind Ben Is Back

Writer/director Peter Hedges on family, alcoholism, and going home

"...it comes to his latest project, AFF 2018 centerpiece film Ben Is Back, Hedges is very precise in his use..."

Dec. 14, 2018 Screens Feature by Richard Whittaker

The Teacher

This prize-winning novel's tale of a student piecing together the hidden life of her teacher, a Holocaust survivor who killed herself, is haunting

"...page of this haunting novel by Israeli author Michal Ben-Naftali, which won that nation's prestigious Sapir Prize in 2016..."

Feb. 14, 2020 Arts Review by Jay Trachtenberg

Ben McKenzie on Uncle Robert

"...boner only a real teenager could make. Back when Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan was 16, his school decided to honor..."

Nov. 4, 2005 Arts Feature by Kate X Messer

Boiler Room

"...Directed by: Ben Younger. Starring: Ben Affleck, Bill Sage, Taylor Nichols, Jamie..."

Feb. 18, 2000 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Prime

With genuine sparks between its two lovestruck leads and a delightfully flinchy performance from Meryl Streep, this comedy is just what its title implies: prime.

"...Directed by: Ben Younger. Starring: Uma Thurman, Meryl Streep, Bryan Greenberg, Jon..."

Oct. 28, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Bleed for This

A boxer returns to the ring in this conventional drama

"...Directed by: Ben Younger. Starring: Miles Teller, Aaron Eckhart, Katey Sagal, Ciarán..."

Nov. 18, 2016 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Captain Fantastic

Viggo Mortensen and family go off the grid

"...some unspoken possibility in the future. At times a benevolent papa, other times a dictatorial cultist, an unbending Ben..."

July 22, 2016 Movie Review by Steve Davis

Solitary Man

In this small-scale drama, Michael Douglas plays a disgraced businessman and inveterate skirt-chaser who makes one bad decision after another.

"...DeVito, Mary-Louise Parker, Jenna Fischer, Imogen Poots, Jesse Eisenberg, Ben Shenkman, Richard Schiff and Olivia Thirlby. Ben Kalmen (Douglas)..."

June 18, 2010 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Wonderstruck

Two lives intertwine across time in the latest from Todd Haynes

"...the first Haynes film that will play well for younger audiences as well as their elders. Two discrete stories,..."

Nov. 3, 2017 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Halfaouine: Boy of the Terraces

"...Directed by: Férid Boughedir. Starring: Selim Boughedir, Rabia Ben Abdallah, Mohammed Driss, Helene Catzaras, Mustapha Adouani and Carolyn..."

Aug. 2, 1996 Movie Review by Alison Macor

Landline

The team behind Obvious Child is back

"...job and living with her new fiancé and boyfriend Ben (Duplass) of many years, feeling a little stuck already..."

Aug. 4, 2017 Movie Review by Steve Davis

My Blind Brother

Indie romantic comedy has plenty of bite

"...arrived after Scott’s Parks and Recreation run as dream-dork Ben Wyatt. But let’s cram down those cuddlesome feels and..."

Sept. 23, 2016 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Song of the Sea

From the director of The Secret of Kells comes this lovely work of animation about the Celtic selkies.

"...under the age of 10. Two children, the restless Ben and his mute younger sister, Saoirse, live atop a..."

Feb. 20, 2015 Movie Review by Steve Davis

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

Alvin, Simon, and Theodore have good reason to squeak: Girl chipmunks enter the picture.

"...Squeakquel might be appreciated by filmgoers ages 10 or younger, the rest of us should be investing heavily in..."

Dec. 25, 2009 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Orange County

"...Chevy Chase, Kevin Kline, Harold Ramis, a wonderfully deadpan Ben Stiller, and Jane Adams, who's a welcome addition to..."

Jan. 11, 2002 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

The Tender Bar

Affleck gives life to this listless coming-of-age drama

"...Directed by: George Clooney. Starring: Ben Affleck, Tye Sheridan, Lily Rabe, Christopher Lloyd, Daniel Ranieri..."

Dec. 31, 2021 Movie Review by Trace Sauveur

Crucial Concerts for the Coming Week

The Point, Ben Buck, and some holiday options highlight this week's recommended shows

"...Kimura leads the house band (pianist Ryan Davis, bassist Ben Triesch, drummer Jeremy Bruch, plus guest singer Jennifer Johnson)..."

Dec. 23, 2022 Music Column by Kevin Curtin

Red Joan

Based-on-true-life spy drama can keep its secrets to itself

"...Campbell Moore, Tom Hughes, Laurence Spellman, Tereza Srbova and Ben Miles...."

May 3, 2019 Movie Review by Richard Whittaker

Goat

Alpha-male fraternity bullying sparks revenge in this true story

"...Directed by: Andrew Neel. Starring: Ben Schnetzer, Nick Jonas, Gus Halper, Danny Flaherty, James Franco,..."

Sept. 23, 2016 Movie Review by Josh Kupecki

Self/less

The film starts off as promising sci-fi, but turns into a disappointing shoot-’em-up

"...Tarsem Singh. Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Natalie Martinez, Matthew Goode, Ben Kingsley, Victor Garber, Derek Luke, Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen, Michelle Dockery..."

July 10, 2015 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Easy Virtue

In this adaptation of an early Noël Coward play, Jessica Biel is the American newcomer whose brash attitudes disrupt the British decorum of her new mother-in-law (Kristin Scott Thomas).

"...Elliott. Starring: Jessica Biel, Kristin Scott Thomas, Colin Firth, Ben Barnes, Kimberley Nixon, Katherine Parkinson, Kris Marshall, Charlotte Riley..."

June 19, 2009 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep

This adventure fantasy about a boy's involvement with a mysterious animal is also a period story about childhood anxieties.

"...Directed by: Jay Russell. Starring: Alex Etel, Emily Watson, Ben Chaplin, David Morrissey, Priyanka Xi, Marshall Napier and Brian..."

Dec. 21, 2007 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

High School Sophomore Fundraises to Feed Hungry Students

Many students are especially food insecure during pandemic holidays

"...time raising money to help kids facing food insecurity. Ben Hofer, 15 years old, is in his third year..."

Nov. 25, 2020 Food Post by Jessi Cape

Interview with JNL Barbecue Pitmaster: “A Lot of Fire and A Lot of Meat”

Former Franklin BBQ cook opens his own trailer at Buzz Mill Shady

"...Buzz Mill Shady location, will present to the world Ben and Sarah Lambert’s vision of what Texas’ tradition of..."

Nov. 8, 2019 Food Post by Rod Machen

TV Eye

As a breakout film for Kathie Lee, E! Entertainment's original movie Spinning Out of Control misses the mark. Also, the upcoming Independent Spirit Awards and Oscar-related programs.

"...Best First Feature: Boiler Room (dir., Ben Younger); Girlfight (dir., Karyn Kusama), Love & Basketball (dir.,..."

March 16, 2001 Screens Column by Belinda Acosta

Short Cuts

Upcoming events and workshops of interest to the Austin film community.

"...are still tickets available for the Austin premiere of Ben Younger's new film Boiler Room, (see review) benefiting AFS,..."

Feb. 18, 2000 Screens Column by Marc Savlov

SXSW Film Announces 2015 Lineup

Circling the Thunderdome

"...Scott Christopherson’s Peace Officer, while in the Visions category, Ben Powell sets sail with Barge, about tugboat workers, and..."

Feb. 3, 2015 Screens Post by Kimberley Jones

The Graduate

"...films were being imported from abroad. But with 20-year-old Benjamin Braddock's (Hoffman) plaintive whine about his future (“I want..."

March 28, 1997 Movie Review by Alison Macor

Film Reviews

Recommended

"...the visit of an esteemed father and his new, younger wife. Blakemore updates his version by placing the family..."

Jan. 5, 1996 News Feature

Film Reviews

Recommended

"...Carpenter, Robert Gossett. (R, 90 min.) From the Lawrence Bender production company A Band Apart (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction,..."

Dec. 8, 1995 News Feature

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