Toward the end of Paul Verhoeven’s "Black Book," the heroine, Rachel — a young Jewish-Dutch chanteuse whose entire family has been killed by the Nazis and who has herself experienced unbelievable horrors — discovers that her lover has been executed. "Will it never end?" she moans.My sentiments exactly, but not because the movie, set in Holland, is almost 2½ hours long. Actually, I was never bored. Read More

Is Ryan Phillippe behaving boorishly since his split from Reese Witherspoon? A source told the New York Post that last Thursday at L.A.’s Chateau Marmont, while knocking back beverages with actor pal Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ryan "was really obnoxious. He started screaming at these girls, ‘Hey, you’re hot! Get over here!’ The girls just ignored him." Wonder why. J.Lo: Split rumors are ‘disgusting’ liesJennifer Lopez is furious over a tabloid report that she and husband Marc Anthony are on the train to splitsville. Read More

An investigative journalist assumes two false identities to collect evidence on a suspected murderer and feels more real in either pose than when being herself, or something like that, in "Perfect Stranger," a dim thriller presented as an astute look at life’s masquerade. A promising beginning, a surprise ending and lots of ludicrousness in between make up this clunker. Read More

About the series: In a saloon town such as San Francisco, the bartender plays a crucial role. Confessor, friend, sounding board — the man or woman behind the plank sees to it that our needs are met with elegance, grace and often wit. They see humanity at its best and most convivial, but also offer a nod and a welcome to the lonely. But what do they see when they look at us? What are the tricks of their trade? And what lessons have they learned along the way? In this new Examiner weekly feature, we talk to some of our local bartenders to find out. Read More