http://dir.salon.com/topics/critics_picks/?source=rss&aim=critics_picks en-us Copyright 2007 Salon.com. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT Salon's culture gurus tip you off to their favorite things this week By Andrew O'Hehir Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/28/il_divo/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/28/il_divo/index.html?source=rss Paolo Sorrentino's dazzling, daring "Il Divo" brings the cinematic bravado of Coppola and Scorsese back home By Jed Lipinski Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/20/michael_chabon_manhood/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/20/michael_chabon_manhood/index.html?source=rss In "Manhood for Amateurs," Michael Chabon recounts the glories and embarrassments of fatherhood -- and man purses By Judy Berman Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/14/critics_picks/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/14/critics_picks/index.html?source=rss Conservatives may be mangling the Scriptures, but the Mountain Goats' musical take on the Good Book is inspired By Tommy Wallach Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/12/how_to_be_a_man_woman/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/12/how_to_be_a_man_woman/index.html?source=rss A new collection of vintage educational shorts offers a peek into the anxieties and hopes of earlier generations By Mary Elizabeth Williams Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/08/danny_pudi_community/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/08/danny_pudi_community/index.html?source=rss As Abed on "Community," Danny Pudi is overeager, offensive, exasperating -- and hilarious By Heather Havrilesky Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/07/meshell_ndegeocello/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/07/meshell_ndegeocello/index.html?source=rss Meshell Ndegeocello's unpredictable eighth album curses the darkness, then dives right in By Andrew O'Hehir Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/01/trotsky/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/10/01/trotsky/index.html?source=rss A gripping new account captures the October Revolution's great intellectual facing doom (and feeding bunnies) By Stephanie Zacharek Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/09/30/marchesa_casati/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/09/30/marchesa_casati/index.html?source=rss "The Marchesa Casati" celebrates an eccentric European siren who led her pet cheetahs through the streets of Venice By Stephanie Zacharek Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/09/16/frankly_my_dear/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/09/16/frankly_my_dear/index.html?source=rss A new book illuminates why "Gone With the Wind" endures, on the page and on film By Mary Elizabeth Williams Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/09/15/the_brady_bunch_variety_hour/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/09/15/the_brady_bunch_variety_hour/index.html?source=rss Was "The Brady Bunch Variety Hour" the worst TV show ever? A new book makes a convincing (and charming) case By Tommy Wallach Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/09/11/gourmet_rhapsody/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/09/11/gourmet_rhapsody/index.html?source=rss Muriel Barbery's follow-up to "Hedgehog" makes for a delicious meal: One part novel, one part foodie fantasia By Laura Miller Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/09/09/the_lost_room/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/09/09/the_lost_room/index.html?source=rss Forget the latest from J.J. Abrams. The six-part miniseries "The Lost Room" is a cult hit waiting to happen By Heather Havrilesky Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/tv/review/2009/09/08/glee/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/tv/review/2009/09/08/glee/index.html?source=rss Between the off-color jokes and the show-choir version of "Gold Digger," this bubbly dramedy has razor-sharp teeth By Alex Koppelman Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/09/02/beatles_rockband/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/09/02/beatles_rockband/index.html?source=rss "The Beatles: Rock Band" -- finally, a video game even old people can get excited about By Heather Havrilesky Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/tv/feature/2009/09/01/community/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/tv/feature/2009/09/01/community/index.html?source=rss A mean-spirited comedy about a "loser" college features dropouts, middle-aged divorcees and Chevy Chase. Hurray! By Mary Elizabeth Williams Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/31/a_d/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/31/a_d/index.html?source=rss Josh Neufeld's haunting account of one of the worst disasters in U.S. history gives new meaning to graphic tragedy Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/27/kagemusha/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/27/kagemusha/index.html?source=rss How George Lucas and Francis Coppola helped the Japanese master create the greatest spectacle of his late career By Heather Havrilesky Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/17/modest_mouse/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/17/modest_mouse/index.html?source=rss Modest Mouse's new album captures their bitter wisdom and ragtag sound By Andrew O'Hehir Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/14/earth_days/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/14/earth_days/index.html?source=rss Robert Stone's documentary feels like a Pynchon-style alternate history of the U.S. -- except it really happened By Stephanie Zacharek Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/13/it_might_get_loud/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/13/it_might_get_loud/index.html?source=rss A lively new documentary brings together Jack White, Jimmy Page and the Edge -- and lets the legends be people, too By Laura Miller Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/12/magicians/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/12/magicians/index.html?source=rss "The Magicians" is a ravishing adult novel that shines a new light on the fantasy tales we read as kids By Thomas Rogers Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/11/nycprep_parody/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/11/nycprep_parody/index.html?source=rss How cartoonish are Bravo's reality TV shows? A series of animated parodies lets us laugh with (and at) them By Andrew O'Hehir Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/10/speech/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/10/speech/index.html?source=rss An eye-opening collection of essays revisits the legendary campaign-trail moment By Mary Elizabeth Williams Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/07/dollhouse_dvd/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/07/dollhouse_dvd/index.html?source=rss The first season DVD of Joss Whedon's drama offers an extra episode -- the show's darkest and most promising yet By Stephanie Zacharek Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:10:00 PDT http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/06/prada/index.html?source=rss http://www.salon.com/ent/critics_picks/2009/08/06/prada/index.html?source=rss Prada and Rem Koolhaas collaborate on a magical look book