Philip Seymour Hoffman

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Review: Norman

Cancer seems to be the breakout star of indie films this season. In Jonathan Segal's Norman , it gets its hands on the title character's father and is the catalyst for his emotional turmoil and social alienation, though you get the feeling he was never
Suburban settings
By NINA MASHUROVA | October 21, 2011

Review: The Ides of March

Though more contemporary than Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005), George Clooney's new directorial effort seems less topical.
George Clooney's new directorial effort
By PETER KEOUGH | October 07, 2011

Jonah Hill straightens up

The Superbad star has embraced his inner math geek for his role in Moneyball, the film adaptation of Michael Lewis's best-selling book on Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane, who turned the baseball world on its head in 2002 when he cast aside his sc
Money man
By SEAN KERRIGAN | September 23, 2011

Review: Jack Goes Boating

Always a meticulous, quirky, and sometimes revelatory actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman in his directorial debut nurtures his splendid cast into similar performances.
Philip Seymour Hoffman's in ship-shape
By PETER KEOUGH | September 24, 2010

Review: Pirate Radio

A rusty, red-painted trawler bobs in the waves of the North Atlantic. Inside is a claustrophobic warren of rooms: tiny, brine-smelling bunks, a well-stocked bar, and, crucially, a broadcast booth, its shelves crammed with the latest 45s and LPs, its turn
Richard Curtis’s boat rocks
By MIKE MILIARD | November 13, 2009

Face off

If you were an ordinary Catholic boy in parochial school, giving nuns as hard a time as you were getting, you probably ended up with the usual stories of ruler-rapped knuckles. If you grew up to be talented playwright John Patrick Shanley, you ended up w
Doubt explores the quicksand of certainty
By BILL RODRIGUEZ | September 18, 2009

October lite

We expected the vampires, the werewolves, the zombies, and the homicidal maniacs. Same thing with the android doubles, the alien abductors, the sexually abused pregnant teenager, the Apocalypse, and the post-Apocalypse. But kids' movies?
The outlook is still gloomy, but film finds time for childish things
By PETER KEOUGH | September 18, 2009

Martyr complex

This year the Oscars will honor the men who suffer for our sins and the women who don't wear make-up.
Oscar suffers for our sins
By PETER KEOUGH | January 13, 2009

Crossword: ''The worst of 2008''

Hey, at least I avoided talking about the economy
By MATT JONES | January 07, 2009

Review: Doubt

John Patrick Shanley's Doubt on screen
Nun story
By CAROLYN CLAY | December 09, 2008

Word play

The end of the world has always appealed to movie audiences, no more so than now that the prospect is looking more and more likely.
Doomsday is just a state of mind in Synecdoche, New York
By PETER KEOUGH | November 04, 2008

Interview: Charlie Kaufman

People either love or hate Charlie Kaufman.
Straight poop
By PETER KEOUGH | November 04, 2008

New blood

The famously adventurous American Repertory Theatre is soon to be taken over by a woman who spent her summer directing . . . the vintage Broadway hits Kiss Me, Kate and Hair ?
ART and the Huntington (and Boston theater) get a youth transfusion
By CAROLYN CLAY | September 10, 2008

Autumn peeves

With pundits already reading political significance into summer blockbusters like The Dark Knight (“Is Batman a stand-in for George Bush? Discuss.”), the meatier movies of fall arrive not a moment too soon.
Films with a full agenda
By PETER KEOUGH | September 08, 2008

Crossword: ''A little bit of everything''

More random words in a mesh
By MATT JONES | July 09, 2008

The Boston Phoenix–Alumni Film Critics’ Poll

It’s true, the Boston Phoenix has never won an Oscar.
Our first-ever round-up of the past year’s best movies, with a little help from our friends
By PHOENIX STAFF | February 13, 2008

Are we grading on a curve?

It’s a solid B, which isn’t bad considering the vagaries of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences.
Peter Keough’s Oscar Scorecard
By PHOENIX STAFF | January 23, 2008

The Oscars go to Hell

Maybe it’s just as well if the writers’ strike forces a cancellation of the Oscars show.
The Devil knows what the nominations will be for this year’s Oscars
By PETER KEOUGH | January 18, 2008

Charlie Wilson's War

The supporting players are splendid.
Waged by amiable actors
By GERALD PEARY | December 19, 2007

The Savages

I’m glad to see the return of director Tamara Jenkins, idle since her wonderful Slums of Beverly Hills (1998).
Fear and self-laceration
By PETER KEOUGH | December 18, 2007

Family plots

Sidney Lumet may be 83, but his new film makes Quentin Tarantino and even the Coen Brothers look geriatric.
Sidney Lumet shows how it’s done
By PETER KEOUGH | November 07, 2007

Paler than thou

Comic-book-style superheroes have been a staple of TV since George Reeves put on Superman’s red cape and blue tights in 1951.
Jim Gaffigan’s off-white superheroes
By TED DROZDOWSKI | September 19, 2007

Yankee know-how

Back from the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado, I proclaim a renaissance of American cinema.
Telluride’s new American wave?
By GERALD PEARY | September 12, 2007

Betting your brain

It's no surprise that it feels good to win money.
You just think you’re going to win
By SAMANTHA HENIG | April 25, 2007

The 100 unsexiest men 2007: 20-11

These guys couldn't turn on a radio
By | April 12, 2007

Worst in breed: Movies

Who are the unsexiest movies men of 2007?
The Unsexiest men 2007
By PHOENIX STAFF | April 12, 2007

Infamous

Comparisons are invidious but also inevitable, especially in this camp follower to last year’s lauded Capote . Watch the trailer for Infamous (QUickTime)
Where's the story?
By PETER KEOUGH | October 11, 2006

Fall back

If you cannot remember the past, so Santayana said, you’re condemned to repeat it. Watch trailers for this fall's new releases.
This season, Hollywood lives in the past
By PETER KEOUGH | September 13, 2006

Strangers With Candy

Upon reading the cast of supporting players in this prequel to the short-lived Comedy Central series starring Amy Sedaris (David’s sister) as recovering crack whore Jerri Blank, I couldn’t help but get excited. Watch the trailer for Strangers With Can
A lot of famous people like it; we're not sure why
By BRETT MICHEL | July 05, 2006

Mission implausible

Like the adrenaline shot that invigorates one of his characters, television wunderkind J.J. Abrams’s stab at the billion-dollar Tom Cruise spy franchise briefly gets your heart pounding, only to ultimately fail at bringing much-needed life to the latest
Mission: Impossible III will self-destruct in 7500 seconds
By BRETT MICHEL | May 05, 2006

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