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Ayn Rand based her theory of art on Aristotle’s maxim that fiction portrays people as they can and should be. Every work of art is “a selective recreation of reality according to an artist’s metaphysical value judgments.” (The Romantic Manifesto, Signet 1971, p. 19) An artist cannot present all of reality, so some aspect of ... (See the whole review)

Bridge of Spies - Directed by Steven Spielberg          Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ... (See the whole review)

There are two stars in Robert Zemeckis's new movie The Walk - Joseph Gordon-Levitt who stars as wire walker Philippe Petit, and the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center themselves. Undoubtedly, many people who have seen the trailer or an ad for the film will go just to see what sort of magic Zemeckis performs to bring the towers to life. ... (See the whole review)

I have not seen this movie and given my dislike of gore have no intention of seeing it.  That said, it has significance because of its skewering of the cultural left, especially "social justice warriors" or SJWs.  In this film, a group of SJWs saves a remote tribe in the Amazon that eventually proves made of cannibals who eat them!  Justice has bee... (See the whole review)

Schulman's 1979 classic dystopia finally made the screen. ... (See the whole review)

Saving Mr. Banks may be a new invention in modern cinema: a Romanticist biography. It is the story of conflict between Walt Disney and P. J. Traverse, author of the Mary Poppins books. At the end of her writing career, she is out of money. For 20 years, Disney has been offering her a lot of it. But she will not give up final rights to the artistic ... (See the whole review)

“Writing the check is the easy part.” Genentech, Apple, Intel, Cisco, Oracle, … none of them would exist, nor would hundreds of others that created billions of dollars worth of new wealth by delivering new inventions.  More than the money – though there was that – venture capitalists brought expertise in management and marketing, guiding start-ups,... (See the whole review)

This is a very, very good children's fantasy about "The Magisterium," an organization dedicated to ridding the world and universe of free will. The "sands" that percolate from other worlds into the consciousness of the inhabitants of our world threaten the existing, invested order of things and will undermine the authority of the establishment. Our... (See the whole review)

This psychological drama unfolds in a modern day, somewhat leftist, middle class German high school where a well-meaning teacher attempts to demonstrate how a fascist society could re-emerge in that country. At first, the movie just seems to be about some spoiled students and their casual approach to meaningful values but we soon see that these kid... (See the whole review)

A very strong finish for Christopher Nolan's trilogy of Batman movies. Bruce Wayne has withdrawn from public life in accordance with this new cinematic genre of "hero-realism" (where heroes are displayed naturalistically). But Bane is just the kind of villain to remedy that. In fact, it seems that the villains are who define Batman films. In that r... (See the whole review)

Link: ... (See the whole review)

Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade (Al Pacino): ... (See the whole review)

This documentary is being released on DVD on April 3, 2012. ... (See the whole review)

A modern silent motion picture, classic Shakespearean movie within a movie within a movie beginning. A story about the end of a silent motion picture star's career and the beginning of the 'talkies.' With musical soundtrack, some screen subtitles(just like old silent movies), and one comedic dream sequence where the protagonist has a night... (See the whole review)

"Jerry Sterner’s 1989 play, Other People’s Money, plays to different groups of people as key players battle for the principles on both sides of a corporate takeover attempt. Both the play, and director Norman Jewison’s 1991 film based on the play, present, in dramatized form, both the arguments for and against corporate takeovers." Edward Younkins ... (See the whole review)

Tells the story of a chimpanzee taken from its mother at birth and raised like a human child by a family in a brownstone on the upper West Side in the 1970s.

I just watched this HBO premiere. It looks down on businessmen and it makes an appeal to pity for bureaucrats. Bureaucrats are portrayed as innocent bystanders charged with responsibility to clean up the mess of free enterprise. At one point, Barney Frank and Chris Dodd are presented as not only very reasonable and moral, but as our literal saviors... (See the whole review)

I co-produced this film version of Ayn Rands 'Anthem'. It took 3 years to film this, at a cost of $40,000. Robert Bidinotto was the co-writer of the screen play.

I saw it when it opened, the first showing in Ann Arbor, 12:10 PM, Friday, April 15.   About 50 people were in the theater.  The film was fine, very well done on many levels, in many ways.  The special effects were credible, integrated into the sound and sight of the live action.  The people who created it did an excellent job of taking a challengi... (See the whole review)

I saw Inside Job. Both critics and viewers have rated it highly (A- on Yahoo, 97% and 86% on Rotten Tomatoes). It is nominated for Best Documentary at the next Academy Awards. It is described on Yahoo as: "A comprehensive analysis exposing the shocking truth behind the economic crisis of 2008. The global financial meltdown, at a cost of over... (See the whole review)

The discussion about education, elitism, elite universities, happiness, and success reminded me of this delightful and highly entertaining movie. It is not about parenting at all, but teachers, students, exams, and a lot more! From Amazon.com: From award-winning playwright Alan Bennett (The Madness of King George) comes this delig... (See the whole review)

The movie is the story of two men who overcome an obstacle by means of rationality and courage and who form a personal bond despite having nothing else in common.  The writing, acting and staging are uniformily excellent.  Bonham Carter is memorable as the smart-mouthed duchess, later queen (known to most of us as the late Queen Mum), holding her o... (See the whole review)

"George Westinghouse is considered America’s greatest industrialist ... The Westinghouse air brake is considered one of the most important inventions in history. Automobile shock absorbers, railroad signaling and the modern day weekend all owe their existence to [Westinghouse].  He was an honest millionaire in the days of robber barons, an optimist... (See the whole review)

Bittersweet. The funniest (comedic) documentary of a tragedy that I've ever seen. One of the most excellent, meant-to-be-mainstream illustrations of abstract ideas I have ever seen. It combines the simpleness of the "What is Capitalism?" documentaries of the 1950's with the attention-holding animations of a modern day "Shrek." We Objectivists shoul... (See the whole review)

I haven't seen this movie, an attack on New Jersey teachers' unions, but looks good.  It's getting a wide commercial release and respectful reviews from non-partisan sources. ... (See the whole review)

Art vs. Morality?

AVATAR The film Avatar has finally been released this month after being in development since 1994. I have not seen it yet, but I have read about it and discussed it with several people who have. This prose-poem tries to encapsulate some of my initial thoughts on this blockbuster, its initial reception and some of its meaning. James ... (See the whole review)

If we like to see the rebirth of reason, should not we learn what went wrong the last time. Germany was one of the most civilized and educated countries; some of the brightest minds were teaching in their universities; German theaters, operas, museums, philosophy, science, engineering were the best in the world. Yet, their deeds were evil. ... (See the whole review)

The conflict between the philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria and her executioner, Bishop Cyril of Alexandria is known only from fragments of texts.  This is a fictionalized retelling of that story. This movie will be released soon.  It already has captured the attention of Objectivists because of the subject.  You can find several trailers on ... (See the whole review)

This series deserved the PEABODY AWARD it was granted.  The show does highlight ethical challenges, but resolutions are few and far between.  Therein my wife and I find the intrigue of plot, theme and character development -- subject, as always to the limitations of the writers.  ... (See the whole review)

This is the most blatant of Moore's anti-capitalist films to date, I believe.  (I've missed a few, somehow...)  The fortunate thing that I noticed first at one of the very first showings, at the only theater in the OC actually showing the flick, was how very few people were in attendance.  Clearly Regal Cinema expected a massive turnout, as the att... (See the whole review)

This is not a recent movie, though it is on cable right now. It is an action/suspense movie involving an experimental deep-water drilling rig facility that gets commandeered for a military rescue/salvage operation gone wrong. The main characters are experts forced to respond to a whole series of problems/disasters with knowledge, courage, and creat... (See the whole review)

A no compromising bloodfest of bad guys. Some over the top stupidity and insanity, but overall a great movie. My favorite scenes are were the guy was expectantly blown up, and the Jesus saves -> Punisher saves clip.

To be released in theaters 03/06/09 -- based on the graphic novel that Time magazine called one of the 100 best English-language novels since 1923.  ... (See the whole review)

I began watching this film with little to no expectation, and ended up very pleasantly surprised. Instead of focusing purely on action, as many environmental disaster movies do, this film focused on the character's psychological experience of their mission. It had both elements of a good SciFi action adventure, and an eerie psych thriller. ... (See the whole review)

Reviewed by Larry Elder at: ... (See the whole review)

During World War II more than 75% of combat troops chose not to fire at the enemy. ... (See the whole review)

Romantic, screwball comedy at its finest...

Good versus evil.  ... (See the whole review)

While Americans tend to see WWII as the seminal event of the last century, in actuality, it is merely one of the many events set in motion by the true great tragedy of our age, the Great War. This ten hour video series, available on DVD or airing on the Military Channel, is a splendid introduction to the facts and the reasons behind the fact... (See the whole review)

The year is 2053 and everyone in America is equal. not just under the law, but de facto by "handicapping."  Athletes wear sandbags. Golf clubs are hinged  at the head. Everyone wears headbands that interfer with brain activity. C is the morally best grade you can get in school. Harrison Bergeron is an A student, despite his headband.  Via h... (See the whole review)

In the midst of one of the most cynical and repugnant Presidential campaigns in our nation’s history—a campaign which features three candidates for whom expediency and pragmatism have taken the place of principle—HBO has chosen to air a seven part miniseries on John Adams, deemed by Objectivist Professor C. Bradley Thompson as America’s greatest fo... (See the whole review)

The phrase "high concept" is used often by Hollywood writers and producers. In plain English, it means "doubly plagiarized." Ever since the disintegration of the studio system (because of antirust laws), the only way to get a feature film made by the so-called majors (Warner Bros; Paramount; MGM; 20th Century Fox; etc.) is to (i) "package" ... (See the whole review)

Lush cinematography and fine acting talent wasted on a puffball of a story -- and one that ultimately doesn't even make sense. ... (See the whole review)

Capitalism Cooked Correctly Unfortunately, there are not many TV programs that positively demonstrate the virtues of capitalism like "Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares." And after watching a single episode, you will understand why. The program follows celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay in his attempts to bring sound business practices to failing ... (See the whole review)

I have just finished watching the first of three PBS DVDs of Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy and was impressed. I expect the following two disks to be just as good. The first DVD details the struggle over the years between Keynes and Hayek for pre-eminence. I was surprised with the degree of impartiality in the presentation fro... (See the whole review)

Much talked about, based on His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, this is the story of a girl who holds the key to passage between parallel "universes."  Her ability is contrary to the rules of The Magisterium which seeks to rule not only its world, but the others if it can.  Like the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings stories, this is a ta... (See the whole review)

This film is an incredible integration of music, drama, comedy, horror, and stunning visual artistry.  The real stars of Sweeney Todd are the unquestionably brilliant composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim,and Tim Burton, whose masterful direction and original artistic vision bring this classic stage masterpiece to life as a bold, daring and wildly ent... (See the whole review)