Stephanie Zacharek

Pauline Kael (1919–2001) was undoubtedly one of the greatest names in film criticism. A Californian native, she wrote her first review in 1953 and joined ‘The New Yorker’ in 1968. Praised for her highly opinionated and feisty writing style and criticised for her subjective and sometimes ruthless reviews, Kael’s writing was refreshingly and intensely rooted in her experience of watching a film as a member of the audience. Loved and hated in equal measure – loved by other critics for whom she was immensely influential, and hated by filmmakers whose films she trashed - Kael destroyed films that have since become classics such as The Sound of Music and raved about others such as Bonnie and Clyde. She was also aware of the perennial difficulties for women working in the movies and in film criticism, and fiercely fought sexism, both in her reviews and in her media appearances.

Underage sexual activity is one of the most taboo subjects on screen. The film traces the history and representation of adolescent love and sexual behavior from Splendor on the Grass to Thirteen. It examines both the sensational teen films of the 1980s and more modern youth cinema as mediums through which teen movies play a central role in adolescent sex education.

Featuring commentary from surviving participants, as well as other filmmakers and critics, this documentary chronicles the career of director John Boorman and the tumultuous production of his film Exorcist II: The Heretic, exploring its critical and commercial failure, how it changed the industry, and the importance of risk-taking in art.

Roundtable discussion of the films of Quentin Tarantino with four film critics.

Indie Sex is a 2007 American television documentary film directed by Lesli Klainberg.