Stuart Klawans

Film Critic

Stuart Klawans was the film critic for The Nation from 1988 through 2020

The Dread of Failure: On Desplechin and Kaufman The Dread of Failure: On Desplechin and Kaufman

Reviews: Arnaud Desplechin's enchanted A Christmas Tale and Charlie Kaufman's brilliant Synedoche, New York.

Nov 6, 2008 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Panoramas: ’24 City,’ ‘Ashes of Time Redux,’ ‘Happy-Go-Lucky Panoramas: ’24 City,’ ‘Ashes of Time Redux,’ ‘Happy-Go-Lucky

24 City and Ashes of Time Redux, two stars of the New York Film Festival; plus Happy-Go-Lucky and Ballast reviewed.

Oct 8, 2008 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Reviews: ‘Burn After Reading,’ ‘Moving Midway’ Reviews: ‘Burn After Reading,’ ‘Moving Midway’

The Coen brothers' dark comedy and Godfrey Cheshire's story of plantation life.

Sep 18, 2008 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Closely Watched Water Closely Watched Water

Hurricane Katrina seen from an eye in the storm.

Aug 13, 2008 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

The Disasterplex The Disasterplex

Superstars and superheroes fight and flounder through Hollywood's season of wanton destruction.

Jul 31, 2008 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Review: ‘Full Battle Rattle,’ ‘Get Smart’ Review: ‘Full Battle Rattle,’ ‘Get Smart’

Reviewing a homegrown war documentary, a portrait of Native American life and a pair of spy comedies.

Jun 26, 2008 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Twilights Twilights

Who are films like Speed Racer, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and The Edge of Heaven really aimed at?

May 29, 2008 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Photo Ops Photo Ops

Errol Morris's new documentary Standard Operating Procedure lacks critical distance but produces masterful evocations of Abu Ghraib.

May 1, 2008 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Un Ballon Est un Ballon Un Ballon Est un Ballon

In Flight of the Red Balloon, filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien takes on an unmistakably Parisian story with unbridled creative abandon.

Apr 9, 2008 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Our Troubled Youth Our Troubled Youth

Exploring the unexpected: Chop Shop, Paranoid Park, Vantage Point.

Mar 6, 2008 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

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