By Matthew Kassel 4/30 1:17pm

birding

Ken Kaufman (Photo credit: Michael Chen)

A Birder’s Guide to Central Park

It’s been a chilly spring so far, but that hasn’t delayed the parade of songbirds that migrate north through Central Park around this time every year.

Last week, the naturalist Kenn Kaufman led a birdwatching expedition through the tangle of trees and shrubs known as the Ramble, situated in the middle of Central Park. That giant rectangle of green that imprints Manhattan is a welcome retreat for avian passersby, who stop here to rest and feed as they make their way north. And birders flock to the park–in which more than 280 bird species have been recorded–to seek them out. Read More

By Rex Reed 8/18/09 10:17pm

What’s Troubling About The Troubles

Fifty Dead Men Walking
Running time 117 minutes
Written and directed by Kari Skogland
Starring Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, Kevin Zegers, Natalie Press, Rose McGowan

Five Minutes of Heaven
Running time 90 minutes
Written by Guy Hibbert
directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel
Starring Liam Neeson, James Nesbitt, Mark Davison

Is anyone as tired Read More

By Rex Reed 7/01/08 4:14pm

The Wackness is … Ack! Yes, Even with Sir Ben Kingsley

TheWackness
Running time 110 minutes
Written and directed by Jonathan Levine
Starring Josh Peck, Ben Kingsley, Olivia Thirlby, Famke Janssen, Mary-Kate Olsen

Not the least of the problems facing people who write about movies on a weekly basis is the deadlines. You can’t say, “I think I’d rather go to Read More

By Andrew Sarris 7/01/08 4:07pm

Hip-Hop Hooray

The Wackness
Running time 110 minutes
Written and directed by Jonathan Levine
 Starring Josh Peck, Ben Kingsley, Olivia Thirlby, Famke Janssen

Jonathan Levine’s The Wackness, from his own screenplay, takes place in New York during the summer of 1994, when the newly inaugurated mayor, Rudy Giuliani, was beginning his now notorious crackdown Read More

By Andrew Sarris 6/26/07 6:13pm

Killer Comedy Restores Rep of B-Movie Director

YOU KILL ME
Running time 92 minutes
Written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Directed by John Dahl
Starring Ben Kingsley, Téa Leoni, Luke Wilson

John Dahl’s You Kill Me, from a screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, reaffirms Mr. Dahl’s distinctive role as the Val Lewton of B movies Read More

By Staff 4/24/06 7:57pm

Move Over, Tony Soprano

My little brother says the Sopranos will end with Christopher, the lieutenant played by Michael Imperioli, knocking off Tony. One thing’s clear, Christopher is upstaging Tony. Last night Imperioli was the best thing on the Sopranos. His turn in Hollywood opposite Ben Kingsley had Sir Ben cracking up at the edges, and the Seinfeldian Read More

By Rex Reed 12/15/03 12:00am

The Finely Drawn Women Of Mona Lisa Smile

The holiday countdown has begun. The potpourri of new movies lining up to assault your senses and your pocketbook from now until New Year’s is like the good stuff–bad stuff you find every year crammed in your Christmas stocking: for every prayed-for diamond, a lot of nasty cashew nuts. I’m thankful for the rare treasures Read More