Film

Film producer Christine Vachon's new book is A Killer Life: How an Independent Film Producer Survives Deals and Disasters in Hollywood and Beyond. She has produced more than 30 feature films, including Infamous, Far From Heaven, One Hour Photo and Boys Don't Cry. This book is a follow-up to Vachon's best-selling first book, Shooting to Kill.

Film critic David Edelstein presents his top ten movies of 2006, and also discusses the best of the holiday options.

Critic at-large John Powers reviews Preston Sturges: The Filmmaker Collection, a new DVD set of classic 1940s Preston Sturges films. Titles include The Palm Beach Story, The Lady Eve and Christmas in July.

The New York Times called Peter Boyle "one of the most successful character actors of his time." He died Tuesday at the age of 71. Boyle had roles in many films, including Young Frankenstein and Monster's Ball, and played the father on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. His breakthrough role was the 1970 film Joe, in which he plays a factory worker on a rampage against hippies and the counterculture. This interview originally aired on May 25, 1995.

Film critic David Edelstein reviews the new animated feature Happy Feet. As the film's domestic earnings approach $100 million, the musical has started to pop up on lists of prospective Best Picture nominees.

The controversial new hit film Borat provides insight into how documentary and reality TV are really made. These programs all shape and color their characters, whether their intention is farce or sober assessment of a serious subject.

Film director Robert Altman died Monday night at age 81. We play back a 1990 interview with Altman, whose work includes M*A*S*H, The Long Goodbye, Nashville and this year's A Prairie Home Companion. This interview originally aired on Dec. 20, 1990.

With writer-director Christopher Guest, Parker Posey has poked fun at small-town theater, overzealous dog owners, and folk singers. Now, she takes on the Oscars, co-starring in Guest's fourth parody film, For Your Consideration. Posey has also appeared in films such as Dazed and Confused, Kicking and Screaming and The Daytrippers.

Nicholas Proffitt, who covered the Vietnam War for Newsweek magazine and wrote the book Gardens of Stone, died Nov. 10 at age 63. Gardens of Stone was later made into a film directed by Francis Ford Coppola. This interview originally aired on May 25, 1987.

Film critic David Edelstein reviews Casino Royale the new James Bond film starring Daniel Craig.

Actor Greg Kinnear stars in the new film Fast Food Nation, based on the non-fiction book about the fast food and meatpacking industries. Kinnear's other films include Little Miss Sunshine As Good As It Gets, AutoFocus and Nurse Betty. KINNEAR got his start as host and executive producer of Talk Soup on E! Entertainment. He subsequently hosted his own late-night talk show, Later with Greg Kinnear.

Funny Ha Ha, the first film by 29-year-old director Andrew Bujalski, made a lot of critics top 10 lists in 2004 — quite a feat for a film made with a minimal crew, a loose script, and the director's friends. Bujalski’s new film, Mutual Appreciation, features Justin Rice, lead singer for the indie pop band Bishop Allen.

Film critic John Powers reviews a new 50-movie DVD collection, Essential Art House: 50 Years of Janus Films. Titles include The Seventh Seal, Pandora's Box, The 400 Blows and The Lady Vanishes.

Film critic John Powers reviews Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, starring Sacha Baron Cohen.

For his new book, Walt Disney: The Triumph of American Imagination, entertainment expert Neal Gabler was given complete access to the Disney archives. His biography begins when Disney was just a glimmer of an idea, and ends at the entrance to the Walt Disney mausoleum.

Film critic David Edelstein reviews Infamous, a new film about Truman Capote based on the book by George Plimpton. Toby Jones and Sigourney Weaver star in the film, which covers the same ground as last year's Oscar-winning film Capote.

Film Critic David Edelstein reviews "Flags of Our Fathers," directed by Clint Eastwood. The film is about the six men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima.

Forest Whitaker played jazz musician Charlie Parker in Bird, a British soldier kidnapped by the IRA in The Crying Game, a mafia hit man who models himself after a Samurai warrior in Ghost Dog, and an internal-affairs detective on the FOX TV show The Shield. In his latest film, The Last King of Scotland, he plays Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.

Director Stephen Frears. His new film The Queen explores the tension between Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister Blair in the days following the death of Princess Diana as they struggle to come up with the appropriate official response. Frears's other films include My Beautiful Laundrette, Prick up Your Ears, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid, Dangerous Liasons, The Grifters, The Hi-Lo Country, High Fidelity and Dirty Pretty Things.