Theater

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews "X," the opera by composer Anthony Davis, about the life and times of Malcom X. It's just came out on CD. The opera is Wagnerian in scale and style, but it also has allusions to the music of Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Fats Waller, Cab Calloway, and John Coltrane, and others.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new telemovie on the HBO network. He says star Duvall gives an excellent performance, despite the poor script.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews Spike Lee's new movie, starring Denzel Washington. Schiff praises the film for how it gives each phase in X's life equal weight.

Newman joins Terry in the studio for music and conversation. Known for his satiric songs, he has sung from the perspective of a racist, a rapist and even God in songs like "Suzanne" and "Rednecks." He is currently working on a musical based on "Faust."

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new film version of Bram Stoker's novel. Schiff says the director's vision of the story dominates over the author's. The movie, he claims, is lacking in almost every respect -- except for a unique insight on love.

Actor and playwright Vernel Bagneris and pianist Morten Gunnar Larsen perform selections from their show, "Jelly Roll Morton: A Me-morial," with music written by Morton, and a script taken from Library of Congress tapes of Morton from 1938. The New Yorker calls it, "an experimental study, done within a traditional Broadway-musical framework, of the life and death of a black misanthrope. . . a psychomusical."

TV critic David Bianculli reviews "The Jacksons: An American Dream," about Michael Jackson and his family. He says it suffers from strange narrative choices and missed opportunities.

Film critic John Powers reviews the new movie about interracial friendships and relationships. He says the film's message is remarkably different from Spike Lee's recent "Jungle Fever," which explores similar themes.

Actor Rocky Carrol, who plays Joey Emerson on the popular sitcom, talks about the show's recent change to a live broadcast format. He says it works because Carroll and his costars have ample experience in theater.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new box set of Cole Porter's music--which Schwartz says remains fresh all these years later.

Just in time for Columbus Day, Paramount is releasing 1492: Conquest of Paradise, starring Gerard Depardieu as the legendary navigator and directed by Ridley Scott, who made Alien, Blade Runner, and Thelma and Louise. Film critic Stephen Schiff has this review.

Foley directed the movies "Reckless" and "After Dark, My Sweet." His newest film is the screen adaptation of David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross." The stage version won a 1984 Pulitzer Prize. The movie, starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon and Ed Harris, deals with men working in a real estate office who, because of the bad economy, must work in cut-throat conditions in order to survive.

Stephen Schiff reviews "Hero," directed by Stephen Frears and starring Dustin Hoffman, Joan Cusack, Geena Davis, and Andy Garcia. It's got a twisting plot reminiscent of films from the 1930s and '40s.

Sinise was a founding member of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater Company and is best known for his starring role in the Tony-award winning production of "The Grapes of Wrath." Sinise's latest project is as producer, director, and star of the new film "Of Mice and Men," which also stars John Malkovich. The screenplay, written by Horton Foote, is based on the John Steinbeck novel.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the grand, new movie "The Last of The Mohicans," starring Daniel Day Lewis, and directed by Michael Mann.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews Woody Allen's latest film, which draws inspiration from the director's troubled, real-life relationship with co-star Mia Farrow.

TV critic David Bianculli says that most of the over thirty shows premiering this season aren't worth watching; the ones that are don't fit neatly into the molds networks have been pushing this year..

Film critic John Powers reviews "Bob Roberts," directed by and starring Tim Robbins. Powers says it takes courage to make a political movie today, but Robbins' effort lacks nuance.

Television critic David Bianculli previews the new comedy-drama series, "Going to Extremes," by the same team that created "Northern Exposure," and "St. Elsewhere."

Film critic John Powers of the L.A. Weekly reviews "The Best intentions," a three-hour film based on Bergman's parents' troubled relationship.