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Kenneth Turan Kenneth Turan is the film critic for the Los Angeles Times and NPR's Morning Edition, as well as the director of the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes.
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Kenneth Turan

Review

Movies

'Forbidden Kingdom' Is a Doofy Union for Chan, Li

Jackie Chan and Jet Li, two well-known martial arts film stars, just finished their first collaboration. Morning Edition and Los Angeles Times critic Kenneth Turan says their new movie, The Forbidden Kingdom, was not worth the wait.

'Forbidden Kingdom' Is a Doofy Union for Chan, Li

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Review

Movies

Elderly Rock Singers Put on a Good Show

Los Angeles Times and Morning Edition film critic Kenneth Turan reviews the film Young at Heart. It's a documentary about a choir made up of senior citizens who perform songs by rock, punk and soul music artists.

Elderly Rock Singers Put on a Good Show

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Review

Movies

Emotional Intensity Propels 'Stop-Loss'

The story of a young soldier home from the war in Iraq is the subject of the movie Stop-Loss. Los Angeles Times and Morning Edition film critic Kenneth Turan says the movie has a propulsive emotional intensity.

Emotional Intensity Propels 'Stop-Loss'

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Culture

A Thriller of a Documentary: 'The Unforseen'

A new documentary tracks a 30-year battle over land use in Austin, Texas. The Unforseen focuses on a real-estate development project threatening a spring-fed swimming area. Robert Redford and Terrence Malick are the film's executive producers.

A Thriller of a Documentary: 'The Unforseen'

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Review

Culture

Into the Past, and the Preposterous, in '10,000 B.C.'

Writer-director Roland Emmerich, who is responsible for Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, has taken audiences to a lot of strange places. Not one of them was as strange as his 10,000 B.C.

Into the Past, and the Preposterous, in '10,000 B.C.'

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Review

Movies

Color, Pageantry Can't Save 'Boleyn Girl'

Morning Edition's film critic reviews The Other Boleyn Girl. The movie is based on Philippa Gregory's best-selling novel, set in 16th-century England. At that time, Henry VIII was king — and Anne Boleyn was looking to replace his queen.

Color, Pageantry Can't Save 'Boleyn Girl'

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Review

Culture

Plot Tricks in 'Vantage Point' Make It Implausible

Morning Edition and Los Angeles Times critic Kenneth Turan reviews the thriller Vantage Point. It's the story of an attempted assassination of the president told from the point of view of eight people. Turan says that it's trying to be like the classic Japanese film Rashomon, but it's more like the story of the blind men and the elephant.

Plot Tricks in 'Vantage Point' Make It Implausible

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Review

Culture

'Definitely, Maybe': Hardly the Charmer It Might Be

Clever premise, winning cast compete with contrived situations and a script that doesn't trust it's warmer impulses. Ultimately, this romantic comedy is a mixed box of chocolates.

'Definitely, Maybe': Hardly the Charmer It Might Be

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Culture

Lost, Artfully, in Israel: 'The Band's Visit'

Sweet-natured and sharply pointed, The Band's Visit follows the adventures of an Egyptian musical group meant to be on a goodwill tour in Israel. Through a mishap, the band is stranded in a remote desert town.

Lost, Artfully, in Israel: 'The Band's Visit'

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Culture

In Beirut, a Beauty Salon that Feels Like Home

The Cannes Film Festival is known for its highbrow fare, but every once in a while a crowd-pleaser sneaks into the mix. Caramel, a new film from Lebanon, was one such delight at the last festival.

In Beirut, a Beauty Salon that Feels Like Home

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The 80th Annual Academy Awards

'No Country,' 'There Will Be Blood' Top Oscar List

The list of nominees for the 80th Academy Awards are announced. No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood both earn eight nominations, leading the field.

'No Country,' 'There Will Be Blood' Top Oscar List

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Review

Movies

'Taxi to the Dark Side' Examines Torture by U.S.

Taxi to the Dark Side is as shocking and disturbing as its title. Its subject matter is torture as a weapon of choice in the war against terror. There are pictures and videos from Abu Ghraib. But most distressing is how readily the U.S. government turned to torture.

'Taxi to the Dark Side' Examines Torture by U.S.

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Culture

Oil, Money, Religion and 'Blood' in California

There Will Be Blood, a new film starring Daniel Day-Lewis, is a morality play set in the early days of California's oil boom. It involves the unholy trinity of oil, money and religion.

Oil, Money, Religion and 'Blood' in California

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Culture

Film Version of 'Kite Runner' Faithful to Book

Children in Afghanistan are at the center of The Kite Runner, the film adapted from the bestselling book by Khalid Hosseni. Like the novel, the film breaks into two parts: childhood friendship and betrayal in pre-war Afghanistan, then how that relationship changes in adulthood.

Film Version of 'Kite Runner' Faithful to Book

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Culture

Romance Amid the Sweep of History in 'Atonement'

The film Atonement, based on the novel by Ian McEwan, is a rich, old-fashioned love story and a potent meditation on the power of fiction to destroy and create.

Romance Amid the Sweep of History in 'Atonement'

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