Filmmaker Danny Boyle came by the KPBS Studios last week for an interview about his latest film Slumdog Millionaire (now playing at Landmark's Hillcrest Cinemas). Boyle proved to be a lively interview with great passion for filmmaking. He also revealed how the city of Mumbai inspired and energized him. Hope you enjoy this interview feature with clips from the film and behind the scenes footage. And go see the film, it's brilliant!

Kristen Stewart is Bella and Robert Pattinson is Edward in the eagerly anticipated adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight (Summit)

By Lily Canones

Twilight (opening November 21 throughout San Diego), one of the top selling books across America, is written by Stephenie Meyer. Now it has become a major motion picture. Twilight is a story about a pair of star-crossed lovebirds, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) who, at first, become friends and then happens to fall deeply in love with each other. It's that typical romance story between two teenagers. The only odd thing about it is that Edward is a vampire. Even though that is a factor that Bella discovers about him, she doesn't care one bit who or what Edward really is, the only thing that matters to her is that she is "unconditionally and irrevocably" in love with him.

I'm not much of a bookworm, so reading books is a rare thing for me to do. When I first heard of Twilight, I just said to myself, "Oh, it's just another book." But when a lot of people began buying and reading the book, it made me want to read it too. I have read only a portion of the first book because of a busy schedule but so far Twilight has completely drawn me in.

Because I haven't finished reading Twilight, there's very little I can compare to the movie. So far, the scenes from the book are the same in the movie, as is the storyline. I do know for a fact that there are some parts in the movie that are added while others are taken away from the book.

The movie Twilight was absolutely amazing! I personally give it two thumbs up and highly recommend it for everyone. While watching the film, I felt so drawn into it just like the book. The audience too was also drawn in, and added some enthusiasm with their squeals and screams at various points in the movie. But since I was so into the movie, the noise didn't bother me at all. I felt a rush of excitement while watching the movie and that made me more excited about reading the rest of Twilight and the rest of the Twilight Saga. I do want to say that the director, Catherine Hardwicke, has done an excellent job in choosing the actors for Edward Cullen and Bella Swan. She has also done an excellent job in making the book into a film. I really do consider Twilight as now my most favorite vampire romance movie of all time. Go watch it, it's totally worth some cash.

--Lily Canones is a senior at Mount Miguel High School. She became a Teen Critic because she wanted to share her perspective and opinions on new movies. She loves horror movies and Asian movies. Most of the horror movies she watches are originally from Asia and she counts the original Thai version of Shutter as one of her favorites of all time.

Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight)

Filmmaker Danny Boyle may be best known for his dark drug story Trainspotting. But now he delivers what might best be described as something of a gritty romantic fairy tale. Slumdog Millionaire (opening November 21 at Landmark's Hillcrest Cinemas) is something of a kindred spirit to Boyle's Millions as it spins a narrative rooted in the real world but able transcend reality. You can listen to my radio feature or check out the web video feature on Slumdog Millionaire tomorrow.

Ever since I met a group of Twilight Moms waiting in line at Comic-Con I have been intrigued by the new teen vampire film. Based on a successful series of books, Twilight has moms and their young daughters in a mad frenzy for the film. Here's the second trailer. the film opens on Friday with fans probably already starting to line up (or at least buying their tickets) for the Thursday midnight show. Trailer courtesy of Summit films.

The youngest filmmaker at FSC, Jonathan Jackson, with honoree Larry Zeiger (Tony Weidinger)

At last night's Film School Confidential showcase, former Point Loma High School teacher Larry Zeiger received the San Diego Film Critics Society's Kyle Counts Award. The award is given in recoginition of significant contribution to the film community in San Diego. Although Zeiger has retired from teaching he's still involved with students, and he helped me find one video this year from Jonathan Jackson, a senior at Point Loma High School. Jackson was the youngest filmmaker represented at this year's festival. In the audience were a number of Zeiger's former students. With looming budget cuts, arts are likely to be even more difficult to teach in public schools. But last night people saw that providing students with access to the arts can lead not only to fine works but also to careers.

Larry Zeiger receives his Kyle Counts Award. (Tony Weidinger)

Daniel Craig returns as agent 007 in Quantum of Solace (Sony)

Listen to my KPBS Film Chat about Quantum of Solace (opening November 14 throughout San Digeo) and listen to a montage of clips from the previous Bond films at the end. Bottom line on the new Bond: Casino Royale set the bar very high and this one doesn't reach those heights. Quantum offers more action, less character and plot. Craig is still hot, and the film's still worth seeing. More on the film Monday after I present my student film festival.

Ines Efron plays an intersex child and Ricardo Darin is her understanding father in XXY (Film Movement)

The Argentine film XXY (opening today at Ultrastar Mission Valley Theaters at Hazrd Center as part of the San Diego Latino Film Festival's Cinema En Tu Idioma Film Series) marks the feature directing debut of Lucia Puenzo. The film is based on a story by her husband and produced by her father, director Luis Puenzo. The close relationships behind the camera may have helped the film achieve its onscreen intimacy with a difficult subject. I spoke with the director about her coming of age film with a twist. (Be listening Monday for my radio feature.)

XXY refers to males born with a second X chromosome; a condition known as Klinefelter's Syndrome. Filmmaker Lucia Puenzo says she chose XXY as the title for her film in part, for its visual impact.

Rodrigo Gudino's Demonology of Desire screens Sunday at MoPA. (Rue Morgue Cinema)

Dissent. Revolt. Liberate. It's Film School Confidential 2008! That's right, it's time again to celebrate the passion, dedication and fresh young talent found right here in San Diego and Tijuana. The festival takes place at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park on Sunday November 16 at 6:00 pm. Film School Confidential is an event sponsored by the Media Arts Center San Diego, the Museum of Photographic Arts, and the San Diego Film Critics Society. Film School Confidential is now in it's seventh year. Unlike other student festivals, FSC is a curated event. There are no calls for entries and filmmakers do not have to pay a fee to submit their films. Instead, the films are chosen based on recommendations by teachers, professors, and other filmmakers. This year the festival offers something of a descent into darkness. There are a few bright, even fanciful films early on but by evening's end the tone grow exceeding dark with a trio of Latin horror shorts. We will also be honoring retired Point Loma teacher Larry Zeiger with the Kyle Counts Award for his years of encouraging and showcasing young talent.

Here's the line up:

Hellboy II: The Golden Army, inspired by Mike Mignola's comics and graphic novels, arrives today on DVD and Blu-ray. The film is one of my favorites from this year. The fabulous Ron Perlman returns as the big-hearted and big-fisted red demon working for a secret paranormal government agency. This time out he's trying to announce himself to the world while he fights Prince Nuada (a beautifully tragic Luke Goss) from the underground elf world. Once again filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro creates a vivid fantasy world where we feel the greatest connection to the monsters and creatures.

The Blu-ray edition captures the elegant production design and fantastical fairy world with gorgeous clarity. The bonus disc features some great behind the scenes footage. As a fan of action I loved seeing how the fights and stunts were choreographed. Since Del Toro wanted to avoid CGI whenever possible this meant that many of the actors and stuntmen had to engage in fights wearing more than a hundred pounds of costuming or standing a top stilts. The on-set footage of Brian Steele as Mr. Wink is truly impressive. Del Toro, like Terry Gilliam, is a delight to watch on the set. He takes such pleasure in the tiniest of production details and seems like a kid just given enough money to buy all the toys he wants.

The Blu-ray disc offers interactive features but I needed my fifteen-year-old son and his Playstation to try and figure out how to access them. The "U-Control" feature allows you to access additional information - concept art (like the image above), the director's notebook, set visits - as you watch the film. That's a nice idea but make sure you watch the film on its own first and enjoy it fully before delving into any of these extras. There is also a commentary track by the always enthusiastic and engaging Del Toro. All in all a fine disc to add to your collection. If you are a real Del Toro fan you might want to try and track down the three-disc collector's edition that comes with a director's notebook and Golden Army statue.

The new James Bond film opens on Friday and features Daniel Craig in his second outing as the British 00 agent. But in what seems to be an effort to not be solely associated with that iconic role, Craig can also be seen this fall in a World War II drama based on true events, Defiance. The story concerns three Jewish brothers who escape from Nazi-occupied Poland into the Belarussian forest. There they hook up with Russian resistance fighters and try to help local villagers. The role looks to be more conventionally heroic than Bond and Craig takes on an accent as well. So if you are a fan of Daniel Craig's, you'll have two opportunities to see him this holiday season. Trailer is courtesy of Paramount Vantage. The film is directed by Edward Zwick.