Film

In June the Writers Guild Foundation held its 2002 Film and Television Writers Forum, called "Words into Pictures." The forum focused on the role of the writer in film and television. We feature highlights from the forum. Participants included David Milch of NYPD Blue, Stephen Gaghan of the film Traffic and Aaron Sorkin of The West Wing.

Film critic John Powers reviews the new French thriller Read My Lips.

British actor Terence Stamp is best known for his roles in the 1960s films Billy Budd and The Collector. He also was in Far from the Madding Crowd. After working with Fellini in Italy and with other Italian directors, he took a nine-year hiatus. He returned to the screen in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and recently in The Limey and Star Wars: Episode One. His latest film is My Wife Is an Actress.

Film critic Henry Sheehan reviews K-19.

Bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley. He came to fame late in life when his music was featured on the triple-platinum soundtrack of the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? Stanley sings and plays banjo. He won two Grammys this year for his performance of "O Death" on the O Brother record. At age 75, Stanley has just released a self-titled CD and continues to tour. He's recorded over 170 albums in total, and has been performing continuously since 1946.

Actress Catherine Keener was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in Being John Malkovich. She starred in the independent films The Real Blonde, Walking and Talking, Living in Oblivion and Lovely and Amazing.

Writer/director Nicole Holofcener. Her new film Lovely and Amazing is a comedy about the insecurities that many women have about their appearance. It stars Catherine Keener, Brenda Blethyn and Dermot Mulroney. Holofcener also wrote the screenplay for the film Walking and Talking.

Film director Barry Sonnenfeld. His latest movie is Men in Black II, the sequel to his film Men in Black. Both films star Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Sonnenfeld's other films include Wild Wild West, Get Shorty and The Addams Family. Before directing, he worked as a cinematographer. He did three films with the Coen brothers - Blood Simple, Raising Arizona and Miller's Crossing. He also worked on Misery, When Harry Met Sally and Big.

We remember film director John Frankenheimer. His films include The Manchurian Candidate, French Connection 2 and The Birdman of Alcatraz. He died this past Saturday, at the age of 72.

Film critic Henry Sheehan reviews Mr. Deeds, starring Adam Sandler and Winona Ryder.

Film critic John Powers reviews "Minority Report," the new Steven Spielberg film starring Tom Cruise.

He is touring the country promoting his new film, The Bourne Identity, a thriller about a man with amnesia flushed out of the Mediterranean sea, riddled with bullet holes. Damon has been in many hit films, including The Talented Mr Ripley, Saving Private Ryan and Good Will Hunting, which he co-wrote with close friend Ben Affleck.

Film critic Henry Sheehan reviews Windtalkers, directed by John Woo and starring Nicolas Cage.

Writer John Ridley wrote the screenplay for the new film Undercover Brother, which began life as a Web site animation. The film is an action comedy replete with 1970s fashions. Ridley has also just published a novel, A Conversation with the Mann, about a black comic in the civil rights era of the early 1960s.

Film critic John Powers reviews Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.

Directors Chris and Paul Weitz. Their new film, About a Boy is based on the novel by Nick Hornby and is playing in theaters now. The Weitz brothers, born to fashion designer John Weitz and actress Susan Kohner, first became famous for directing the 1999 teen comedy, American Pie. They also wrote the screenplay for the animated movie Antz and directed the Chris Rock movie Down to Earth. They live in New York.

Guest film critic Armond White who writes for the New York weekly, New York Press, reviews The Sum of All Fears.

Actor and rapper Will Smith. His film Ali in which he stars as fighter Muhammad Ali is now out on video and DVD. This summer he stars in Men in Black II. Smith also starred in the films The Legend of Bagger Vance, Men In Black, Independence Day, and Six Degrees of Separation. Smith got his start as a rapper, making his first record in high school. Known as the Fresh Prince he and his friend DJ Jazzy Jeff went on to make several albums and won two Grammys and three American Music Awards. He also starred in his own TV sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Film critic John Powers