Start Your Modems!
Marinate your modem in these B-Movie websites. [3]
Jerry Renshaw

Crucifried
Joe Christ's films about fantastical people and mutilated maniacs are the kinds of stories that creep into your subsconscious and spawn urban legends. [4]
Chris Davis

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Show Quality
Director Barry Levinson can't decide if his audience is smart enough to get good, strong political satire. So he waters down his latest film, "Wag the Dog." [9]
Stacey Richter

If the Tail Was Smarter ...
Barry Levinson's vicious new satire bites Washington in the butt. [10]
Angie Drobnic

Movie Guru
The Movie Guru soaks up the cynicism of "Wag the Dog." [11]
Zak Weisfeld

Wagging Public Sentiment
Review of "Wag the Dog." [12]
Mary Dickson

On With the Show
"Wag the Dog" makes good by making war; "The Boxer" lacks punch. [13]
Susan Ellis

Cold Comfort
Alan Rickman's directorial debut, "The Winter Guest," is a funny snow globe of a movie that's both cozy and insidiously unsettling. [14]
Peter Keough

Still Life
Martin Scorsese's "Kundun" is long on pageantry -- if a little short on messy feelings. [15]
Gary Susman

Flickering Light
Alan Rudolph's "Afterglow" is at its best when co-stars Nick Nolte and Julie Christie are together. [16]
Peter Keough

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Videos a Go-Go
Each week, we explore a movie genre for your enhanced rent 'n' view pleasure. This week's genre: presidential satires. [21]
Jesse Fox Mayshark

Scanlines
Staving off the holiday funk by watching the miserable, drug-addled lives of others on video: "Less Than Zero"; "Bright Lights, Big City"; and "River's Edge". [22]

Vamp It Up
Why "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" has bitten into such good ratings. [23]
Devin D. O'Leary

TV Eye
Austin Stories' "fictional" alterna-weekly is an exacting portrayal of life here at the Austin Chronicle. Kind of. We're better looking and have more sparkling personalities. [24]
Margaret Moser

Now What?
What's the matter, couldn't find a review of that blockbuster film you're excited about? We certainly don't want to leave you disappointed -- why not try some of these larger-than-life movie links? [25]

ronic, isn't it, that at the same time everyone's buzzing about those self-congratulatory, big-budget popularity contests known as the Golden Globes (why does that name always sound like a breast joke?) and the Oscars, the Sundance Film Festival is quietly displaying some of the best independent productions in the world. Thank heavens for balance. This cover story salutes the festival's 20th anniversary, examining its impact on what sorts of films will be winning those shimmering awards in the years to come.

In other news, Roger Ebert recently gave his top picks for Internet movie sites -- and none of his awards went to Weekly Wire's excellent film-review resource, the Film Vault! Why I oughtta! This article about Web pages doesn't mention the Film Vault either, but that's okay, since its focus is B-movies. Sure, the Film Vault contains reviews of kajillions of B-movies, but that's okay, the author made a slight oversight. I'm calm, I'm calm.

Let's move along to less maddening subjects, like this interview with the stars of the new comedy "Half Baked." They claim the experience of making their first film was really, shall we say, dope. We've also got an interview with criminal actor Christian Slater, whose action movie "Hard Rain" opened concurrently with his doing hard time. That's one way to get publicity. And for fans of "Jackie Brown" or "L.A. Confidential" or even "Get Shorty," take a crack at this interview with Elmore Leonard.

There's plenty more to keep you busy, including numerous reviews of "Wag the Dog," video and TV reviews, and endless other entertainments. Scroll down and have a ball.

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Where There's Smoke
Dave Chappeell and Jim Breuer team up to talk about their new feature file "Half Baked." [5]
Susan Ellis

Pulp Fiction
The creator of "Get Shorty" and "Jackie Brown" is a man of many words. [6]
Devin D. O'Leary

Hard Time
Christian Slater talks about "Hard Rain" and deep water. [7]
Ray Pride

Film Tip of the Week
An interview with Alan Rudolph, director of "Afterglow." [8]
Ray Pride

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Chicago NewCityNet

• Deep Crimson
• Fallen
• Jour de Fete
• Kundun
• The Winter Guest

Austin Chronicle

• Fallen
• Hard Rain
• Kundun
• Sick
• Star Kid

Tucson Weekly

• The Boxer
• Firestorm
• Good Will Hunting
• Titanic

Boston Phoenix

• Black & White & Red All Over
• The Empty Mirror
• Firestorm
• Hard Rain
• The Knowledge of Healing

Curious about a particular director's work? Not sure what to rent at the video store? Enjoy reading several contrasting opinions of the same film? This is the place for you. One of the all-time best film-review resources on the Web. Sort alphabetically or by publication, genre, director, or date. Check it out!

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