Stuart Klawans

Film Critic

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

Polanski’s Holocaust Polanski’s Holocaust

I can think of no picture of recent years, other than Roman Polanski's The Pianist, that has won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and yet stirred neither controversy nor excitement.

Dec 17, 2002 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Adeptations Adeptations

Even without the aid of Smell-o-Vision, Charlie Kaufman's bedroom comes across as dank.

Dec 5, 2002 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Almodóvar’s World Almodóvar’s World

November has been melodrama month at the movies. First Todd Haynes brought us Far From Heaven, which he ought to have called Imitation of Imitation.

Nov 21, 2002 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Renoir All Over Again Renoir All Over Again

Like a kid at an ice-cream counter, urging his friends to try the chocolate--like a writer of travel guides, warning tourists not to miss the Eiffel Tower--I come before you to p...

Nov 14, 2002 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Heaven Can Wait Heaven Can Wait

It's rude of me to speak of Todd Haynes's new picture as if it were a symptom; but then, he's the one who's always consulting doctors.

Nov 7, 2002 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Love, Sandler Style Love, Sandler Style

Although I'm mad for Paul Thomas Anderson's new picture, Punch-Drunk Love, I also suspect it's made me a little crazy.

Oct 24, 2002 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

License to Kill License to Kill

The closest thing you get to a dull moment in Michael Moore's latest picture, Bowling for Columbine, is an interview with Marilyn Manson.

Oct 10, 2002 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Haunted Hermitage Haunted Hermitage

While going about their business, great artists often make monkeys of the people who write about them.

Sep 25, 2002 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Chile Reception Chile Reception

Walking at a good New Yorker's clip, you would need about fifteen minutes to go between Film Forum and the World Trade Center site: a straight shot down Varick Street from thre...

Sep 12, 2002 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Auteur, Auteur! Auteur, Auteur!

The streets of lower Manhattan are deserted--also spotlessly clean and glowing in the light of the golden hour--when the studio head takes the movie director outside to tell hi...

Aug 29, 2002 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

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