Expertise Movies, especially classic movies, current movies, family movies, and movies for children.
Experience I am the movie critic for Beliefnet and radio stations across the country. I have written about movies for USA Today, Parents, Family Fun, Child, Slate, and Daughters, and am the weekly movie critic for twenty radio stations across the US and in Canada and write weekly parental advisories and some movie reviews for the Chicago Sun-Times and the Kansas City Star. I have appeared on Fox Morning News, the ABC Evening News, CBS This Morning, and NPR, and been profiled in the NY Times, Washingtonian, Chicago Magazine, and the Chicago Tribune. My book, The Movie Mom's Guide to Family Movies, was published by Avon in April 1999 and is now in its second edition. I can answer questions about movies for special interests, especially family concerns, handling questions from kids like "What do I do when he says everyone else has seen it?" to "My daughter got nightmares from a movie --how can I help her?" or "Why does my child want to see the DVD over and over?" to "What's the deal with Pokemon?" I am pretty good with trivia questions about movies, too, not as good with made-for-TV movies or miniseries.
Organizations Broadcast, Online, and Washington DC film critics associations, Internet Entertainment Writers Association
Q: So I saw a black and white movie a while back. It's about a man who loves a women, but he ends up ... A: This sounds like one of the many versions of Cyrano, based on the real-life character Cyrnano de ...
Q: I love the blue room that Richard Gere stayed in for his weekend trip in "Nights in Rodanthe" with ... A: It is often very difficult to track down the items used in a movie soundstage, but you can try the ...
Q: I'm trying to remember a movie I saw on PBS a while back (I'm sure it was a wide release... wasn't ... A: That wonderful movie is "What a Way to Go!" with an all-star cast including Shirley Maclaine, Dick ...
Q: I saw a black and white movie a few years ago. A married man and married woman meet at a hotel? and ... A: I wonder if you are thinking of "Same Time Next Year." It is not black and white but it is about a ...
Q: I'm not sure when it was made but say 5-10 years back, I saw a movie on television and really liked ... A: I believe you are thinking of "Great Expectations." If it is the modern-day version you are ...
Q: I asked Valorie the same question, but she wasn't able to answer... so I'm hoping you can help me. ... A: I do not know the film you are thinking of, sorry. But along those lines you might try "Love Among ...
Q: Nell Minow could you please explain to me what generic elements distinguish a romance film (pre ... A: Is this for a homework assignment? "Iconic imagery" is a term that refers to the painted icons, ...
Q: Nell Minow could you please explain to me what generic elements distinguish a romance film (pre ... A: There's no simple answer to that one! Romance is often an element of other kinds of genres: comedy, ...
Q: Minow, Isabel couldn't answer this and suggested I write you. I was wondering if you could help ... A: I wonder how clearly you remember the film. "Sophie's Choice" has a scene just like the one you ...
Q: i just watched the movie Barnyard with my grandkids. why do Otis and Ben(both males)have ... A: There is no good reason! The film-makers got a lot of questions about this when the movie was ...
Q: i no this movie isnt a romantic movie but it has that guy from romeo and juliet lenardo decapreo i ... A: Is it set in the past? Could it be "Gangs of New York?" Here is a list of his films -- let me know ...
Q: im trying to find out the name of a film i seen on tv, i think it was back in the late 80's, or ... A: Mikey! That movie is "Some Kind of Wonderful" from 1987. The girl is Mary Stuart Masterson and she ...
Q: I was wondering if you know of any films with good examples of 'love at first sight'. Thanks Nathan A: One good example is "Romeo and Juliet" (several versions). Romeo comes to the party at Juliet's ...
Q: I watched a movie on tcm (turner classic movies) aroiund oscar times and they were playing movies ... A: Erica, you are asking about one of my favorite movies ever! It's called "Ball of Fire" with Gary ...
Q: This movie is about a married woman who meets a married man in Grand Central Station. They arrange ... A: I wonder if you are thinking of the British film "Brief Encounter?" Other than that, it sounds a ...
Q: I was wondering if you had ever seen the classic silent film "Seventh Heaven"? If so, what idea's do ... A: This sounds like a homework question, and we're not supposed to do homework, but I can suggest you ...
Q: recently i saw many movies like A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, TROY, etc. In such movies, i see the her and ... A: Just like when actors in movies appear to be fighting with each other, shooting each other, smashing ...