Topic: Peter Rainer

Opinion: Harry Potter's true service to my generation: Muggles united

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" is more than the end of a great saga. Translated into 67 languages, the Harry Potter series united my generation around the globe.

Top Picks: James Bond reboot, Bill Moyers on faith, Franz Liszt at 200, and more

Ian Fleming's 007 in a new novel, Bill Moyers looks on church and state, a tribute for Franz Liszt's 200th birthday, and more recommendations.

The best movies to watch this summer with your family.

For some quality bonding time with your family this summer, pop in one of these family classics from the last decade that are sure to delight toddlers, teens, and parents alike.

Oscar night: At the movies, we all get a vote

Best film? Best actor? There are dozens of ways of ranking films besides the Academy Awards. But the most important way is how you rank them.

Oscar predictions 2011: Keep your eye on The King's Speech

Oscar predictions 2011: The Monitor's film critic Peter Rainer picks which movies, and which actors, should win in five major Oscar categories. Best picture, best director, best actor, best actress, and best documentary. Do you agree?

Oscar party: Celebrate each Best Picture nominee with a dish

Oscar party delights: Serve up these dishes inspired by the 10 Best Picture nominees.

Oscar nominations: Social Network earns 8 nods

Oscar nominations have been announced, and things are looking pretty good for The Social Network, a flick about the founding of Facebook. The movie did not grab the most Oscar nominations this year, but landed in several key categories.

The Social Network hits top slot at box office

The Social Network racked up $23 million in ticket sales over the weekend. What does that mean for the world's most popular social network – and Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's CEO?

What are critics saying about "Eclipse"?

For some, this is the best of the "Twilight" movies.

The Warlords: movie review

Set in 19th-century China, 'The Warlords' is crammed with gritty, exciting battles scenes as three flawed heroes overcome the odds.

Waking Sleeping Beauty: movie review

'Waking Sleeping Beauty' documents Disney animation studio's successes – and very public blowups – in the 1970s and '80s.

Ajami: movie review

A crime film set in an Israeli town, 'Ajami' captures with great honesty and energy some of the ethnic snarls between Muslims, Christians, and Jews.

'Pirate Radio' – movie review

The DJs in 'Pirate Radio' thwart a government ban on playing rock 'n' roll and create a bit of gleeful anarchy along the way.

Review: 'Disney's A Christmas Carol'

A 3-D animated take on Charles Dickens's classic story, with Jim Carrey voicing Scrooge – and the Ghosts.

Movie review: 'Art & Copy'

Documentary falls for advertising's first trick.

Review: 'Amreeka'

A charming, humorous spin on the classic immigrant story, as a Palestinian mother negotiates small-town America with her teenage son.

Review: 'Extract'

From the creator of "Office Space," a new workplace comedy set in a factory where management wins slightly more of our sympathy.

The science behind 'Time Traveler's Wife'

Review: 'Gomorrah'

True to the bloody, mundane realities of Mafia gangsters' lives, this film often devolves into incomprehensibility.

Review: 'Must Read After My Death'

An unsettling portrait of a broken family, culled from tapes and transcripts.

Review: 'Cherry Blossoms'

Throughout this story of a German man's travels come small, rapturous moments.

Review: 'Seven Pounds'

Even with Will Smith's star power, this film is still a long sit.

Review: 'Nothing But the Truth'

This film has the immediacy – but also the shallowness – of an extended TV episode.

Review: 'What Doesn't Kill You'

Crime drama features a full-scale performance from Mark Ruffalo.

Review: 'Bolt'

Clever casting in Disney's latest animation brings wit and energy to the tale of a self-deluded dog.