Film

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new documentary The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: the Metal Years. He says the compelling movie is a revealing look at how fans and musicians participate in the decadent culture of heavy metal music.

Critic Ken Tucker's disappointment in a VHS guide to blackjack dashed his dreams of becoming a professional gambler. At least he can recommend some solid home video releases to watch this summer.

Actor Clint Eastwood is known for finishing movies quickly and under budget -- that way, he can focus his energies on his pet projects. Film critic Stephen Schiff says the new Dirty Harry movie, The Dead Pool, is an example of Eastwood's sometimes slipshod work.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews A World Apart, about a white anti-apartheid activist whose family needs her more than the movement does. While the film has a few missteps, Schiff says it's directed with a steady hand.

Film Critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Coming to America," the new Eddie Murphy film that co-stars one-time TV talk show host Arsenio Hall. The movie is a comic fable about a pampered African prince who travels to the slums of New York to find the perfect woman.

Film Critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new Disney film, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"

Ken Tucker reviews a new series of video cassettes that solve the problem of watching subtitled foreign films at home. The series is a joint venture by Sony and the Japan Society, and the films are classics of Japanese cinema, including the thriller "Stray Dog" and the comedy of manners "Early Summer."

Film Critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Bull Durham," a film about baseball and other matters of the heart, starring Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon.

Walter Hill, the producer, director and writer of "Red Heat," the new cop/action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Belushi. Hill's other directorial credits include "48 Hrs.," "Hard Times," "The Driver" and "Streets of Fire."

Film Critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Big," a fantasy about body switching starring Tom Hanks and Elizabeth Perkins and veteran character actor Robert Loggia.