Film

Cartoonist Daniel Clowes. Drawn in 1950s pop culture style, his comics are darkly humorous satires of middle class America. His graphic novel Ghost World (first published in 1993) is the basis of the film of the same name. Ghost World has just been nominated for an academy award in the Adapted Screenplay division. Clowes' first comic book series was Lloyd Llewellyn, followed by Eightball

Film critic John Powers reviews Iris, about the life of Iris Murdoch. It stars Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent and Kate Winslet. All three actors have been nominated for Oscars.

Actor Nicolas Cage stars in the new film Windtalkers. A group of Navajo soldiers developed an unbreakable code based on their language for use during World War II. Cage plays Joe Enders, a Marine guard assigned to protect the Native American code talkers. Cage won an Academy award for his role in the film Leaving Las Vegas. He's starred in many other hit films, including Raising Arizona, Moonstruck and The Rock.

Film critic John Powers reviews the new film Road to Perdition directed by Sam Mendes, starring Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Film critic John Powers reviews 8 Mile, starring rap star Eminem.

Film director and writer Todd Solondz. His new film is Storytelling and it has already inflamed some critics more than his previous two features, Welcome to the Dollhouse and Happiness. Those films won prizes at Sundance and Cannes. Storytelling is two separate stories set in high school and college. In one, we meet three college students and their writing professor. The other is about a filmmaker who wants to make a documentary about a high school senior and his family.

Actor Mark Webber, 21, is currently starring in the new Todd Solondz movie, Storytelling. He got rave reviews for his performance in the London and New York stage productions of David Mamet's American Buffalo opposite William H. Macy and Phillip Baker Hall. He also appeared in Snow Day with Chevy Chase and The Animal Factory directed by Steve Buscemi. Weber grew up in Philadelphia where he was sometimes homeless with his mother Cheri Honkala. She is a homeless rights activist and founder of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union. In March Webber can be seen in HBO's Laramie Project.

He reviews the political documentary, Journeys with George, a behind-the-scenes look at the 2000 presidential race.

Film critic John Powers The Mothman Prophecies starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney, and Alan Bates.

Australian actress Cate Blanchett. In her latest film Charlotte Gray she plays a courier behind enemy lines during World War II, directed by Australian director Gillian Armstrong. She also in three films out now: The Shipping News, Bandits and The Lord of the Rings. Blanchett was nominated for an Academy Award for her starring role in Elizabeth. Her other films include Pushing Tin, Oscar and Lucinda, The Talented Mr Ripley, and The Gift.

Film critic John Powers reviews Black Hawk Down.

Actor, director, screenwriter Billy Bob Thornton. The 1996 film Sling Blade which he wrote, directed and starred in put him on the map and earned him an Academy Award for Best Adapted screenplay. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the 1998 film A Simple Plan. Last year he directed the film All the Pretty Horses. He currently starring in four films, the Coen Brothers The Man Who Wasn There, Bandits with Bruce Willis, and Monster Ball. Last fall he released a CD on which he sings his own songs, Private Radio.

Composer Jerry Goldsmith has been writing film and TV music since the 1950s. He won an Academy Award in 1976 for his music for The Omen. His film scores include: Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Sand Pebbles, Chinatown, and A Patch of Blue. His TV credits include: The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Dr. Kildare, The Waltons, and Barnaby Jones. Theres a new CD collecting his music, The Film Music of Jerry Goldsmith (Telarc).

Actor and producer Bob Balaban has appeared in over 50 movie and television spots, directed for television and produced three full legnth films. His latest project is Gosford Park, a Robert Altman whodunnit set in an English manor. The film is up for several Golden Globe awards. Balaban produced and appears in it.

Philip Furia is currently writing a book on Hollywood's musicals. He discusses the impact of Harry Warren on movie musicals. Furia is the author of The Poets of Tin Pan Alley, and Irving Berlin: A Life in Song. He is chair of the English department at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Today, as part of our series on American popular song, we continue our profile of Harry Warren (1893-1981), a successful but little known songwriter who produced a number of hits during the 1930's, 40's and 50's. Today in part two of our profile, we focus on Warren's songs of the 40's and 50's, including some of the most popular love ballads of the world war two years, one of Dean Martin's biggest hits, and the theme for a tv western.

Film critic John Powers talks with Terry Gross about the holiday movies coming out, and about his favorite films from the last year. Listen to the second half of the interview.

John Powers resumes his conversation with Terry about the years best movies. There are eight on his list: Apocalypse Now Redux, Mulholland Drive, Ghost World, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Gleaners And I, Lord Of The Rings, Gosford Park and Memento.

Will Smith is starring in the new film Ali as fighter Muhammad Ali. The film begins in 1964, the year that Cassius Clay became world heavyweight champion, announced his conversion to Islam, and took on the name Muhammad Ali. The film is directed and co-written by Michael Mann who also made The Insider. 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.