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Before Peter Jackson emerged as the successful director of the Lord of the Rings movies, most of his early films were low-budget efforts that offered a mixed bag of characters and scenarios. Hear NPR's Neda Ulaby and Washington, D.C., video-store clerks Scott Mueller and Adam Robinson.

House of Sand and Fog is the first feature film from director and screenwriter Vadim Perelman. Though inexperienced, Perelman was able to persuade the author of the novel -- Andre Dubus III -- to sell him the rights by telling Dubus the story of his own emigration from the Soviet Union. Perelman speaks with NPR's Michele Norris.

The film House of Sand and Fog tells the story of an Iranian immigrant whose legal struggle over a home purchase escalates into tragedy. NPR's Bob Mondello has a review.

A new feature film about serial killer Aileen Wuornos stars Charlize Theron as the rough-and-tumble drifter who was executed in Florida in 2002. Critics are praising Theron's portrayal of a woman whose story has inspired at least two documentary films in addition to a Hollywood studio picture. NPR's David D'Arcy reports.

Actor Will Geer is perhaps best remembered as grandpa on The Waltons. But in the 1950s, he founded an outdoor theater in California. Iris Mann reports.

After a record-setting Christmas, Hollywood wraps up the year with more than $9 billion in the till -- the second biggest box office total in its history. Film critic NPR's Bob Mondello says a large part of that money was well-earned: some of 2003's most popular movies were also among the year's best. He offers a list of his top movie picks for the year.

The bipartisan announcement comes after months of negotiations in the chamber. The legislation offers resources for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence.

Western culture has long romanticized the image of the young artist, but for some people, creative inspiration comes at the other end of life. A new exhibit at Baltimore's American Visionary Art Museum pays tribute to the late onset of creativity, showcasing the works of 50 elderly artists. NPR's Steve Inskeep reports.

Astronomer Ian Griffin of Baltimore, Md., is the guest on a new edition of "What Are You Listening To?" His musical selections range from Bruce Springsteen to themes from 1960s British TV shows. NPR's Steve Inskeep listens along.

Hollywood studios back away from a ban on sending promotional videos to Oscar voters. The ban was meant to stop piracy, but it angered many who said it would have given studio films an advantage over smaller, independent features. NPR's Rick Karr reports.