Men Who Stare at Goats opens in Tri-Cities on Friday, Nov. 6.

Michael Jackson’s This Is It screened for promotional audiences and most critics on Tuesday night. Depending on where you live that’s either the night it opened or the night before. The turnout — at least in Portland — was rather light.

Hilary Swank stars in this biopic about the 1920s feminist flyer Amelia Earhart.

What happened to Clive Owen?

I love basketball. There was a time in my life when if you told me I could meet one-on-one with the Steven Spielberg or some other celebrity or play some hoops for a couple of hours, the decision would have been tough. And I’m not convinced that the celebrity would win the decision.

The first film in Carmike Cinemas Independent Film Series was the outstanding My Sweet Misery. Like last year’s offerings, Carmike is bringing in the lowest of low-budget ditties.

Studios start marching out the horror around Halloween.

The reinvention of vampires isn’t working.

The son of a famous scientist in Metro City dies in a tragic accident.

Don’t get this wrong. The September Issue is a very good movie.

Animation isn’t always kid-oriented fluff.

Fairchild Cinemas is going to do two showings of the Humphrey Bogart classic The Maltese Falcon next week at 7 p.m. on the Oct. 27 and the 29.

Max Records plays Max — an angry young boy. You are not told why.

Vicious thugs break into Clyde Shelton’s home and rape and kill his wife and child.

My Sweet Misery is an independent film that is opening this week in just 16 cities.

About once a year, someone turns a Jane Austen book or one of her clones into a movie.

A better title for Couples Retreat — Couples Retread.

Martin Ritt’s 1963 black and white classic Hud shows off three of the great talents of the 1960s: Paul Newman, Patricia Neal and Melvyn Douglas.

Ricky Gervais makes Pinocchio proud. No lie.

Zombieland is unexpectedly funny.

Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut takes a serio-comic look at teen angst girl style.

What a treat. Pixar’s first and third films, 1995’s Toy Storyand 1999’s Toy Story 2in 3D and as part of a double-feature.

PORTLAND — A few weeks ago, I wrote some public comments for the executives at Paramount Studios.

Textbook teeth, gorgeous smile, perfectly coiffed, tan, fit and decent acting chops, George Hamilton had it all.

Seeing 1975’s Barry Lyndon again reminded me that skills such as those possessed by writer/director Stanley Kubrick are rare.

PASCO — Amateur filmmakers and those interested in the unique business of filmmaking should check out the Filmmaker's Forum on Monday, Sept. 28 at Columbia Basin College.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Aaron Eckhart's (The Dark KnightBurke Ryan wrote the best seller A-Okay to ease the pain of the death of his beloved wife three years before. He gives seminars to help others unable to deal with the loss of a loved one.

The Informant is about corporate espionage and corporate espionage is serious business. It involves price-fixing and embezzlement. Consumers get creamed, shareholders are scammed and then creamed as well and everyone loses.

Forget Jennifer's body. This is all about Megan's body. That's Megan as in Fox, tabloid charmer and former Transformers leading lady. She now has a movie of her own and shows off her—uh—considerable skills. None of them are acting.

Two hours. No sentences. No paragraphs.

Is irony at work here or what?

Food, Inc. contends that very large, profit-centered corporations produce almost all of the food in the nation and for most of the world.

RICHLAND — The Battelle Film Club’s opening Fall Season flick is from France.

Mike Judge is funny. His TV is the stuff of legends.

It’s not all about Steve. And even if it was all about Steve, it still isn’t a good story.

A miscommunication with Regal Cinemas led to there not being a review of Taking Woodstock last week when the film opened.

Who doesn’t love dolphins?

Set in World War II, Inglourious Basterds has no real focal point.

Kids find boogers and farts irresistible.

The 3-D effects of the ESPN produced documentary on last year’s X Games are eye-popping.

District 9 has moments of brilliance.

Eric Bana’s Henry DeTamble is a time traveler.

Told in brilliantly written non-linear clumps, (500) Days of Summer is more of a falling-out-of-love story than a traditional tale of boy-meets-girl and they struggle but live happily ever after.

Ponyo is a magical little female fish that loves a little boy.

Bandslam is a predictable but non-typical teen angst flick.

This is a classic case of strike while the iron is hot.

In 2002, Julie Powell cooked and then wrote a blog about every recipe in Julia Child’s best seller, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Paramount refused to screen G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra for critics.

Steve Zahn (Sunshine Cleaning) and Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil) are honeymooning in Hawaii.