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Adam Sandler's all-potent Israeli hero is a Biblical warrior, a sex god, and a take-no-prisoners hair-burner with a Paul Mitchell fetish. Juvenile he may be — but there's something mesmerizing about him, too.

Four years after Sex and the City's TV finale, Carrie Bradshaw and her posse return — a little older, a little more settled, but with Cosmos still in hand. If you loved the TV show, the movie will fly by; if you hated it, brace yourself.

Fresh Air's film critic reviews Cloverfield, a disaster film featuring a monster that attacks Manhattan; the nightmare is captured by shaky Blair Witch-style camerawork.

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 David Bianculli reviews 30 Rock the new NBC sitcom created by and starring Tina Fey, former head writer and "Weekend Update" anchor on Saturday Night Live. It's the second NBC show about a behind-the-scenes look at a fictional late-night live variety show.

Fiction writer Claire Messud has twice been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner award. Our book critic says Messud's just-published novel, The Emperor's Children, might just be the one to propel her out of the "finalist" category and win her the gold.

Oliver Stone's new film World Trade Center, starring Nicolas Cage and Michael Pena, follows two Port Authority policemen trapped in the rubble of the towers. Our critic says the film raises a lot of questions about how we grieve.

Our film critic has a review of Edmond, a thriller directed by Stuart Gordon, with David Mamet adapting his own stage play.

In summer, lots of readers like to tackle complex works of non-fiction. Our book critic tells us why this summer, she turned to two ambitious works of historical fiction: Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky and Triangle by Katharine Weber.

The new film version of King Kong, the story of a lovelorn giant ape taken from his island home, was directed by Peter Jackson. It's the first release for Jackson since his trilogy of Lord of the Ring films.

Actress Claire Danes is starring in the new film Shopgirl opposite Steve Martin, who wrote the screenplay for the film and the novel it's based on.

We remember director Robert Wise, who won Oscars for West Side Story and The Sound of Music. Wise also worked as the editor of Orson Welles' Citizen Kane. He died last week at 91. This interview first aired March 7, 1989.

The aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks revitalized New York City's mafia organizations. That's one of the revelations of former 'New York Times' crime reporter Selwyn Raab's new book, 'Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires'.

The latest album from legendary tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins is Without a Song: The 9/11 Concert. Rollins, who turned 75 last week, talks about the album, the Sept. 11 attacks and the death of his wife Lucille.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews the Walt Whitman-inspired, time-traveling novel Specimen Days by Michael Cunningham. He is also author of the best-seller The Hours.

Writer, actor, lawyer Edwin John Wintle has written his first book, a memoir about what happened when his 13-year old niece came to live with him. His book is Breakfast with Tiffany: An Uncle's Memoir.

Film critic David Edelstein reviews Mad Hot Ballroom, a new documentary about 11-year-old kids who compete in a New York City ballroom dance competition.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Them: A Memoir of Parents, by Francine du Plessix Gray.

Film critic David Edelstein reviews Melinda and Melinda the new Woody Allen film, starring Will Ferrell.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Downtown: My Manhattan, by Pete Hamill.