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Appealingly preposterous biopic purports to explain what happened during a few lost months in the life of France's answer to Shakespeare; according to this sumptuously costumed comedy, his adventures inspired his best characters and plays.

After the biggest international opening weekend for any American comedy in history (more than $93 million), the picture is proving to have legs. For two weeks in a row, it has topped foreign box-office charts — trouncing Shrek, Spider-Man, even Harry Potter.

Max Roach, the pioneering jazz drummer and bebop innovator, died this week at age 83. Roach was considered the greatest drummer of all time by his peers. He played with Duke Ellington, Thelonius Monk and Miles Davis.

Robin Swicord is the writer and director of the new film The Jane Austen Book Club. She talks about being one of a relatively few female directors in Hollywood — and what it's like to make the transition from screenwriter to director.

Morning Edition and Los Angeles Times critic Kenneth Turan reviews the thriller Vantage Point. It's the story of an attempted assassination of the president told from the point of view of eight people. Turan says that it's trying to be like the classic Japanese film Rashomon, but it's more like the story of the blind men and the elephant.

Joel and Ethan Coen are celebrating a big win. Their crime saga No Country for Old Men was the big winner at Sunday's Academy Awards, taking home four Oscars, including Best Picture.

At the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival, Anat Cohen leads a small group at the Kennedy Center. The award-winning reed player's flowing performances make her one of the best reasons to see jazz today. Japanese pianist Mayuko Katakura opens the concert on JazzSet.

Director Brett Morgen joins Fresh Air's Terry Gross to discuss his new film, Chicago 10. The film mixes trial footage and animation to tell the story of the "Chicago 8" — protesters held accountable for violence that erupted with police outside the Democratic Convention in Chicago in 1968.

Fresh Air's film critic reviews The Other Boleyn Girl, a costume drama from director Justin Chadwick. Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson play sisters battling for the affection of England's King Henry VIII.

Morning Edition's film critic reviews The Other Boleyn Girl. The movie is based on Philippa Gregory's best-selling novel, set in 16th-century England. At that time, Henry VIII was king — and Anne Boleyn was looking to replace his queen.