The late 19th century period piece “Princess Kaiulani” is based on the true story of diplomacy in defense of a nation, and at many times, it comes across as trite.

Even during the infancy of “Bollywood” in Mumbai, the center of India’s local film industry in the ’30s, many other sub-regions of India were producing their own feature films.

Having already proven his ability to make a quirky TV comedy with “Malcolm in the Middle,” “Sons of Tucson” director and executive producer Todd Holland proves that, even as a fairly experienced filmmaker, he’s not ashamed to make half-baked work for network audiences.

Author Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series bears major similarities to that of J.K. Rowling, but “Jackson” screenwriter Craig Titley faces a challenge that those adapting Harry Potter series never faced. This screenwriter must strike the right balance between entertainment value, faithfulness to Greek mythology and faithfulness to a book.

During this winter quarter, UCLA students can take European and American film history courses to bone up on influential films, directors, film movements and filmmaking techniques.

Prospective viewers can get insight into the intellectual quality of this new action series on Fox by thinking for a small moment about its title: “Human Target.”

Eighty-five minutes of real-time video reporting in the middle of a violent protest has been packaged in the documentary “Burma VJ: Reporting From A Closed Country,” which will be screened as part of the UCLA International Institute’s second annual Human Rights Film Series.

A film directed by the singer of Fall Out Boy, action sports documentaries, and an award for trendsetting in film are just some of the elements that are combining to make the 2009 Bel Air Film Festival veritably tailored to the MTV2 generation.