Two Thumbs Up

Film critic Peter Rainer, whose work appears in the Houston Press, was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism, the Columbia University School of Journalism announced Tuesday. Rainer, who is based at the Press's sister paper the L.A. New Times, is a longtime Los Angeles film writer and chairman of the National Society of Film Critics.

He was the only film critic among hundreds of book, theater, television, dance, architecture and movie critics nominated by their publications to be so honored for work published in 1997. His submission of ten pieces included reviews of such films as Titanic, L.A. Confidential and Good Will Hunting.

Rainer was one of three journalists to reach the Pulitzer committee's first circle in the prestigious criticism category. The winner of the $5,000 award was Michiko Kakutani of the New York Times for book reviewing. Besides Rainer, the other finalist was Dorothy Rabinowitz of the Wall Street Journal for TV commentary.