We define ourselves, in part, by the discriminations we make. The value of what we love is enriched by our understanding of what we dislike.

Newman, with his clipped mustache and his whiskey-coated growl and his steely self-assurance, is an aristocrat of sleaze.

The world has lost its quintessential romantic icon.

The plethora of special effects -- some dazzling, some clumsy -- make "Harry Potter" at times resemble a generic Hollywood horror movie. That three-headed dog that stands guard over a treasure was better left to the imagination. . .

Superbly marketed, Pearl Harbor is the very model of a modern blockbuster. Will it matter that almost nothing about its human drama rings true?