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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

Movies

'Moneyball' Revolutionizes How Baseball Is Played

The new film Moneyball opens in theaters this weekend. It is a rare sports movie that deals with more than wins and losses. It follows the entertaining, real-life quest of a sports revolutionary who wanted to rethink how baseball is played.

'Moneyball' Revolutionizes How Baseball Is Played

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'Contagion' Spreads To No. 1 At The Box Office

Contagion starts with a cough and ends with death on an unimaginable scale. The movie shows 30-something days in the life of a global pandemic, a lethal virus that travels like the wind and kills without a trace of mercy. This may not sound like entertainment, but it certainly keeps your eyes on the screen.

'Contagion' Spreads To No. 1 At The Box Office

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'Gainsbourg' Brilliantly Depicts The French Musician

The new film Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life is an unconventional biopic about French musician Serge Gainsbourg. He is celebrated in France for the songs he wrote, and the affairs he had with beautiful women like Brigette Bardot.

'Gainsbourg' Brilliantly Depicts The French Musician

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Gleeson Shines As Irish Anti-Hero Cop In 'The Guard'

Los Angeles Times and Morning Edition film critic Kenneth Turan has a review of The Guard, a black comedy starring veteran Irish actor Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle.

Gleeson Shines As Irish Anti-Hero Cop In 'The Guard'

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'Captain America' Unexpectedly A Humble Hero

It was just a few months ago that comic book superhero Thor had a movie, and now Marvel Entertainment teammate Captain America has one too. Captain America: The First Avenger is not the best of the Marvel comics movies — but it does have something the others do not: Chris Evans in the title role.

'Captain America' Unexpectedly A Humble Hero

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Movies

Last 'Potter' Movie Is One Of The Best

Harry Potter has headlined seven films over 10 years, and brought in $1 billion in domestic box office sales. The eighth film opens at midnight, and it already has sold more than $32 million in tickets.

Last 'Potter' Movie Is One Of The Best

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'Larry Crowne' Is 'Hollow And Unconvincing'

Larry Crowne stars Tom Hanks, who also directed and co-wrote the movie. It co-stars Julia Roberts. This movie's love connection between student and teacher is one of the most unconvincing in memory.

'Larry Crowne' Is 'Hollow And Unconvincing'

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'Cars 2' Uses 3D Better Than Most Live Action Films

It's the 25th anniversary of Pixar Animation and the studio is marking the occasion with a new Cars film. The original came out five years ago and was very successful. Cars 2 is so close to the heart of John Lasseter that he carved out time from being the creative czar of both Pixar and Disney animation to direct it himself.

'Cars 2' Uses 3D Better Than Most Live Action Films

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'Green Lantern' Is A Far-Fetched Superhero Flick

Green Lantern is the latest superhero movie out in theaters. The new film is directed by Martin Campbell who did The Mask of Zorro and "Casino Royale.

'Green Lantern' Is A Far-Fetched Superhero Flick

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'Super 8' Leaves Little To Get Excited About

Super 8 is the story of what happens when half a dozen middle school kids from Ohio set out to create a student short and end up enmeshed in something much bigger and scarier. Steven Spielberg is the film's producer and it was written and directed by J.J. Abrams.

'Super 8' Leaves Little To Get Excited About

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'Submarine' Examines Teenage Boy's Coming Of Age

In Hollywood, now is the time summer blockbusters start being released. But some good smaller films work their way into the mix too. The coming of age story, Submarine, may be one of the best.

'Submarine' Examines Teenage Boy's Coming Of Age

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Werner Herzog's 'Cave Of Forgotten Dreams'

There's an underground cave in the south of France with contents so valuable a big steel door guards the entrance. Director Werner Herzog's new documentary, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, is about that treasure. The Chauvet cave paintings are the oldest cave paintings on record.

Werner Herzog's 'Cave Of Forgotten Dreams'

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Romance Doesn't Show Up In 'Water For Elephants'

Water For Elephants gives off an air of self-satisfaction. It's got a best-selling book as source material, a circus as its setting, and actors like Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson and Oscar winner Christoph Waltz as its stars. While the visual spectacle of a Depression-era circus is splendid, the romance that sold all those copies of the book is not there.

Romance Doesn't Show Up In 'Water For Elephants'

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