Bonus Feature: Book

As a fan of film criticisms, it's not often I find a book that celebrates film for being epic-ly entertaining. We could discuss at length the finer points of Kubrick, Pollack, or Bergman--but that would be lame. I'd rather debate which Michael Mann film is more thrilling: Collateral or Heat. (Pst! It's Collateral)

Kenneth Turan's book, Now in Theaters Everywhere celebrates intelligent entertainment. It's what he calls the most endangered film species. Breaking down just what makes Air Force One so great (IMHO, it's Gary Oldman, but Turan disagrees).The book is segmented into different genres with a quick explanation of plots. Casting, scripting, director's notes are also examined, not for technical reason; but more for the why behind the film's success. He also validates some of my favorites that I simply love (Elf, The Truman Show, Starship Troopers).

The author/critic is easily relatable; the man unabashedly loves movies--even the more questionable ones. This book is a great read that celebrates the main reason we all go to the movies: entertainment.