Ian Buckwalter

Ian Buckwalter is a freelance film writer based in Washington, D.C. He contributes regularly to NPR, Washingtonian, and DCist.

Ever Wanted to Murder a Reality TV Star? This Movie's For You

Ever Wanted to Murder a Reality TV Star? This Movie's For You

The dark new comedy 'God Bless America' feeds on disgust with pop culture, but also turns its aim on its audience. More »

'Safe': Everything That's Wrong With Today's Action Movies, in One Film

'Safe': Everything That's Wrong With Today's Action Movies, in One Film

What's the point of having your main character be an MMA fighter if he's going to rely so much on a gun? More »

Was 'American Pie' More Influential Than 'Titanic'?

Was 'American Pie' More Influential Than 'Titanic'?

The epic marked the end of one era, while the teen-sex comedy arrived at the start of another. More »

'Bully' and the Plight of the Well-Intentioned Documentary

'Bully' and the Plight of the Well-Intentioned Documentary

The new films tells a compelling tale about kids picking on kids, but will it have a lasting impact? More »

'Casa de Mi Padre': One Dumb Joke Stretched Into Pretty Hilarious Movie

'Casa de Mi Padre': One Dumb Joke Stretched Into Pretty Hilarious Movie

Will Ferrell's latest feels like an 'SNL' sketch turned into a movie. Amazingly, though, it works. More »

How to Film a Nightmare

How to Film a Nightmare

'Silent House' imparts genuine scares by telling its story in one continuous camera shot. More »

'The Secret World of Arrietty': Will Japan's Pixar Have Its Big U.S. Hit?

'The Secret World of Arrietty': Will Japan's Pixar Have Its Big U.S. Hit?

A beloved studio makes its most ambitious play for American audiences with a gentle, well-made adaptation of 'The Borrowers.' More »

The Refreshingly Mundane Scares of 'The Innkeepers'

The Refreshingly Mundane Scares of 'The Innkeepers'

Filmmaker Ti West says his new horror film is in the vein of 'The Shining,' not 'Saw.' More »

The Impossible Question of 'We Need to Talk About Kevin': Nature or Nurture?

The Impossible Question of 'We Need to Talk About Kevin': Nature or Nurture?

A mother grapples with grief and shame after a son's act of violence in the spellbinding new film. More »

In 'Carnage,' the Characters Are Trapped but the Viewers Aren't

In 'Carnage,' the Characters Are Trapped but the Viewers Aren't

Roman Polanski's trademark obsession with enclosed spaces doesn't quite pay off in his latest film. More »

The Biggest Story in Photos

Early Monsoon Rains Flood Northern India

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