Lee Allport, 12/17/12

Blogger, MySentimentExactLee.com

Is it wrong to want to live a rom-com? Do movies like this give us an unhealthy expectation of the men in our lives?

Jon Patricof, 12/17/12

President and COO, Tribeca Enterprises

I wrote earlier this year that despite the predictions of the demise of movie theaters from market analysts, it looked like that the movies were set for one of their biggest years ever at the box office and the second-half hasn't let moviegoers or the movie industry down.

Liz Smith, 12/17/12

Columnist

Most insiders think the GG's really make an impression on Academy voters. The Globes are handed out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. They can be a bit strange and we've never heard of most of them, but once a year they are a power in Hollywood.

Scott Mendelson, 12/17/12

Film critic at Mendelson's Memos, Valley Scene Magazine

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey basically opened like a Lord of the Rings film, give or take various variables. Its $84.7 million estimated debut clobbered the December record.

Tom O'Neil, 12/14/12

Founder of GoldDerby.com

What a difference a few days makes. On Dec. 12, Les Miserables had a cozy lead in Oscar's Best Picture race, according to a poll of experts conducted by Gold Derby. Just two days later, Lincoln has surged ahead.

Chris Jancelewicz, 12/14/12

Lead Entertainment Editor, Huffington Post Canada

The Hobbit is enjoyable on every level -- from story to cinematography to the performances -- and despite the inherent nerdiness of the franchise, even the non-geeks among us can identify with the triumphs of a small man over big foes. If you still have no desire to see it, here are 26 reasons why you should re-consider and give it a chance.

Aaron Zelinsky, 12/13/12

Adjunct Professor, Peking University School of Transnational Law

Kathryn Bigelow's new film, Zero Dark Thirty, has reignited the debate over the role torture should play in U.S. counterterrorism policy. Here's the CliffsNotes answer: none.

Dan Persons, 12/14/12

Film Journalist

Donnie Yen not only stars in the film, but also was responsible for the action sequences, and the combination of intriguing storyline and eye-dazzling martial arts action makes this one of the best entertainments to come out of Hong Kong in a while.

Brett Foster, 12/14/12

Author, 'The Garbage Eater: Poems' and 'Fall Run Road'

As excitement builds for the opening of Peter Jackson's new film "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," it just may be that DuPage County, Ill., and the city of Wheaton in particular, will briefly become the center of the universe, or at least the sleepy capital of Middle Earth.

Robert J. Benz, 12/13/12

Founder & Executive VP, Frederick Douglass Family Foundation

Last night I saw Lincoln. Not the Spielberg movie, I saw a vision of Abe Lincoln sitting at the foot of my bed. Of course, I became nervous and out from my mouth came the silliest question anyone has ever asked Abe Lincoln, "Why so sad?"

Annette Bourdeau, 12/13/12

Entertainment Reporter

Before the age of the Internet and text messages, it was a heck of a lot easier for politicians to get away with affairs. Just look at the number of ladies wheelchair-bound Franklin D. Roosevelt managed to romance without detection. Somehow, though, Hyde Park falls flat.

Charlotte Robinson, 12/13/12

Broadcast journalist and host, 'OUTTAKE VOICES'

This week I talked with Laverne Cox, an actress, producer and transgender advocate who is currently appearing in Musical Chairs, a must-see film. I talked with Laverne about the film, as well as about "I AM: Trans People Speak," a national campaign that she is involved in.

Ken Furer, 12/12/12

Comedy writer/producer; Funny or Die contributor

Out of the Loop: A struggling filmmaker who wishes he made Looper is visited by his future self who travels back in time to give him the idea for Looper.

Dwight Brown, 12/12/12

Film Critic and Travel Writer

This film will spark debate. Is it hideously demeaning? Does it trivialize slavery? Should Hollywood introduce one of America's most heinous, genocidal institutions to this generation as a 180-minute joke?