NPR People: Mark Jenkins
Mark Jenkins reviews movies for NPR.org, as well as for reeldc.com, which covers the Washington, D.C., film scene with an emphasis on art, foreign and repertory cinema.
From Korea, A Thriller Hitchcock Would Admire
In Mother, Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho turns in a taut mystery about a woman who takes it upon herself to investigate the murder of a teenage girl in the effort to prove her son's innocence — and ends up uncovering much more than she bargained for.
'Stolen': Dark, Yet Prim And Proper
Stolen is a small-time mystery-thriller about two men who struggle to find out the truth about their kidnapped sons. First-time director Anders Anderson tells a heartfelt tale, but critic Mark Jenkins says it feels inauthentic.
Changed By Their Journeys, But Headed Home
Filmmaker Kimberly Reed — born Paul McKerrow — documents her return to the Montana town she grew up in, and the estranged adopted brother she left behind. Prodigal Sons chronicles Reed's reunion with the friends who once knew her as Paul, but the focus is on her effort to reconnect with her brother — and on his own extraordinary transformations.
He Is 'Khan,' And He Shall Overcome
An Indian melodrama set mostly in the U.S., My Name Is Khan transplants Bollywood's audacious style and brazen sentimentality to Hollywood's America. The movie features a hero who could have ambled out of Forrest Gump, and even takes "We Shall Overcome" as its musical theme.
A 'Wolfman,' With Nary A Vampire To Fight
Think werewolves are sweet, sexy protectors? Think again, gentle Twilight fan: The Wolfman wants to rip your throat out. Critic Mark Jenkins says Joe Johnston's retro-horror spectacular has some old-school strengths — and a few glaring weaknesses.
Looking Again At America's 'Most Dangerous Man'
Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers to The New York Times — and set in motion a chain of events that would eventually lead to Watergate, a president's resignation and an end to the war in Vietnam. Filmmakers Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith explain why they were drawn to him for their Oscar-nominated documentary.
Ellsberg's 'Dangerous' Decision: To Tell The Truth
In their Oscar-nominated feature, documentarians Rick Goldsmith and Judith Ehrlich explore the anti-war awakening of Daniel Ellsberg, the former Marine and military analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers in 1971. Critic Mark Jenkins says it's an unexpectedly gripping account of a pivotal episode in an explosive era.
Back In Paris, A Hectic 'Ultimatum' In District 13
The greedy French ruling class gets a good thrashing in District 13: Ultimatum, a gravity-taunting sequel to Pierre Morel's 2004 actioner District B13. But as anyone who saw the first movie would expect, the physical kicks are a lot more convincing than the political jabs.
In 'For My Father,' A Bridge-Building Too Far?
A Palestinian suicide bomber becomes just another outcast in a shabby Tel Aviv neighborhood in this Israeli fable of cross-cultural empathy. Director Dror Zahavi doesn't go so far as to contrive a happy ending — but he does put an awfully cheerful spin on conflicts that don't usually inspire much optimism.
A Daughter, 'Off And Running' In Pursuit Of Herself
Avery Klein-Cloud doesn't come from your typical American family, which is probably why director Nicole Opper made a documentary about it. Distanced from her African-American heritage and drawing away from her Jewish adoptive moms, the track star spirals into an identity crisis — which ultimately raises more questions than Opper's film answers.
'The Girl On The Train': A One-Way Ticket To Trouble
A young Parisian's report of an anti-Semitic attack snarls her family and friends in a web of lies and public outrage. Critic Mark Jenkins says Andre Techine's film, based on an actual event, is a freewheeling, expansive take on the many ways people miscommunicate. (Recommended)
'Book of Eli': The Diligent Pursuit Of The Word
Dusty, dark and with its fair share of firearms, the Denzel Washington vehicle follows a lonesome pilgrim on a holy quest. But for all its Old Testament dread, it's finally just another Hollywood hymn to a loner and his guns.
'Youth' Fake: Michael Cera, Down With His Bad Self
Hollywood's dweeb prince plays against type in Youth in Revolt, a deadpan comedy based on a cult novel. But because his nebbishy character invents a bad-boy alter ego to get the girl, Cera also plays the type he usually plays against — and Youth becomes a dual-role showcase with a divided soul, half Juno cute, half Year One dumb.
Innocence In Question, Bound Up In 'White Ribbon'
Something is amiss in the German village of Eichwald, and the problem isn't an isolated one: The White Ribbon is a film from Cache director Michael Haneke, so the something that's wrong is, well, everything. (Recommended)
Gilliam's Mad 'Doctor' Spins An Elusive Tale
If our storytelling styles suggest the way we see the world, Terry Gilliam's view is a true blur of fantasy and reality. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus leads audiences through a cramped contemporary London and into worlds of open, crystalline fantasy, and if the narrative gets a little knotty, Gilliam's eye-teasing, mind-tickling tale is worth the wild ride.
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- Rep. Lynch To Vote Against Health Care Bill
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- Stomach Virus Is Surging In Boston
- A Mural Of Many Colors Is One High School’s Lingua Franca
- Why We Gain Weight As We Age
- Senate To Take Up Unemployment Insurance Extension
- Rep. Gutierrez On Why The Health Bill Has His Vote
- House Opts For Straight Vote On Health Bill
- A Mural Of Many Colors Is One High School’s Lingua Franca
- Live Video: House Debates Health Care Bill
- In Season 3, ‘Breaking Bad’ Characters Get Badder
- Why We Gain Weight As We Age
- Mom-And-Pop Site Busts The Web's Biggest Myths
- Abraham Lincoln Reborn As A Vampire Slayer
- Invasive Plants Spreading As Climate Warms, Study Says
- Is The Bible More Violent Than The Quran?
- Profit And 'Peril' In The Secret Nuclear Trade
- A Cop And Her Dog
- Texas Textbook Tussle Could Have National Impact
- Rep. Gutierrez On Why The Health Bill Has His Vote
- Why We Gain Weight As We Age
- Bluff The Listener
- Prediction
- Who's Carl This Time?
- A Mural Of Many Colors Is One High School’s Lingua Franca
- Jail Hosts Exclusive SXSW Concert
- Lightning Fill In The Blank
- Thousands To Rally For Immigration Overhaul
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Petrie-Flom Center Health Law Policy, Biotechnology and Bioethics Workshop; Glenn Cohen
March 22, 2010
At Harvard Law School, Hauser Hall -
The Three Hour, Learn Everything, Breastfeeding Class
March 22, 2010
At Crunchy Granola Baby -
ENCOUNTERING SLAVERY AND RACE IN NEW ENGLAND lecture at Myrtle Baptist Church
March 22, 2010
At Myrtle Baptist Church -
Bruce Marshall Monday Night Open Mic
March 22, 2010
At Smoken' Joes's
