Film

Al Franken is a writer and actor on "Saturday Night Live." His characters have included the one-man mobile uplink unit, Pat Robertson, Paul Tsongas, and Stuart Smalley, host of "Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley." In 1992, Franken published a book under Stuart's name; Stuart's new project is an upcoming movie called "Stuart Saves His Family."

Milo Miles reviews an anthology of music by the original bluegrass pioneer. Monroe is also featured in the film "High Lonesome."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a five-cd set of all of the Oscar winning songs of the last 60 years.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new film starring Jessica Lange. He says its focus on message over narrative makes it a poor fit for the big screen, better suited for network TV.

Egoyan's newest movie won the International Critics Prize at the Cannes Film Festival at the 1994 awards. Exotica is considered his breakthrough movie. Andrew Sarris of the New York Observer says when the movie ended, "I sat stunned in the theater...Exotica [was] high on my ten best list."

Tamahori made the New Zealand film "Once Were Warriors." It takes a front-line look at an urban Maori family plagued by poverty, violence and alcoholism. The movie recently became the top grossing film in New Zealand history. Star Rena Owen joins the conversation later in this segment.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the Egyptian-born director's "Exotica," which centers on characters in a strip club.

Frank Cardon is one of three teenagers who was given a video camera for a year to record his daily life in North Philadelphia. His footage is part of the documentary Teen Dreams. Cardon says he wanted to show a world composed of a lot of angry people trying to survive.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews music from the recent films The Jerky Boys, Ready to Wear, and Boys on the Side.

Manchevski, now based in the U.S., went home to make his first feature film, "Before the Rain." One critic at the Venice Film Festival said the film is "written and directed with surprising skill and ability, wonderfully filmed." Manchevski is also well known for directing the music video, "Tennessee" by Arrested Development which won an MTV video award in 1992.

Thomas directed the new movie, "The Brady Bunch." The film is adapted from the TV series that ran from 1969-74. But there's a twist: the innocent family is transported with all its 70's values and fashion into the 90's. Thomas also directed "Only You" and "My Breast," and played Sergeant Lucy Bates on the TV series "Hill Street Blues."

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Mr. Payback," a new interactive film. He says that, despite multiple viewings and multiple outcomes, he had a hard time following the plot.

Raimi is best known for 1982's cult classic "The Evil Dead," which Steven King called "the most ferociously original horror film of the year." He has just directed his first big budget film, "The Quick and The Dead," starring Sharon Stone and Gene Hackman. It's a western with a touch of humor. He also directed 1990's hit "Darkman."

Berenbaum was afraid of bugs until she took a course on insects in college. Her new book is "Bugs in the System," which tries to show insects in a new light. Berenbaum demonstrates the importance of insects in everyday life and throughout history, and explores the lifestyles of some of the more than ten quintillion insects that inhabit the earth at any given moment. She also hosts the annual Insect Fear Film Festival, which will be held this weekend, February 25 & 26, at the University of Illinois.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Just Cause," the new thriller starring Sean Connery.

The Australian director made the new film based on the popular nineteenth century novel. In 1978, Armstrong's career took off with the critically acclaimed film "My Brilliant Career" -- the first in Australia directed by a woman. Armstrong has garnered many film awards since, including the Australian Film Institute Awards, U.S. National society of Film Critics Award, and a best film at the Festival International de Creteil, France.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new movie, "The Secret of Roan Inish."

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Boys on the Side," a new movie about the friendship among outlaw women in the vein of "Thelma and Louise."

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Slacker" director Richard Linklater's new movie, "Before Sunrise."

Parker has been acting for most of her life, including playing Annie on Broadway, the young bimbo SanDeE* in "L.A. Story," and a fed-up fiancee in "Honeymoon in Vegas." She is now starring in the film "Miami Rhapsody," playing a woman having second thoughts about marriage as she learns that everyone in her family has had an affair.