Movie Reviews : NPR

'The Fall Of The American Empire' Is An Intimate Crime Comedy With An Intellectual Twist

May 31, 2019 • A philosophical heist comedy, The Fall of the American Empire is the latest intellectual critique from Canadian auteur Denys Arcand.

'The Fall Of The American Empire' Is An Intimate Crime Comedy With An Intellectual Twist

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There Is Honor Among Thieves In 'The Fall Of The American Empire'

Quebec TV personality Maripier Marin makes her big screen debut in Canadian crime thriller The Fall of the American Empire. Van Royko/Sony Pictures Classics hide caption

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Van Royko/Sony Pictures Classics

There Is Honor Among Thieves In 'The Fall Of The American Empire'

May 31, 2019 • Director Denys Arcand continues a series about the discontents of Montreal intellectuals with The Fall Of The American Empire. While it elides some complications, its range of references feels fresh.

Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever play Molly and Amy in Olivia Wilde's directorial feature debute Booksmart. Annapurna Pictures hide caption

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Annapurna Pictures

A Wild Night With 'Booksmart'

May 31, 2019 • In the new movie Booksmart, two young women about to graduate from high school spend one last night trying to catch up on everything they missed. Starring Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever, it's the directing debut of actress Olivia Wilde. The cast also includes Jessica Williams, Billie Lourd, Jason Sudeikis, Lisa Kudrow and many more. And we really, really like it.

A Wild Night With 'Booksmart'

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Love Finds Ali Wong And Randall Park In 'Always Be My Maybe'

Randall Park and Ali Wong star in Netflix's Always Be My Maybe. Ed Araquel/Netflix hide caption

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Ed Araquel/Netflix

Love Finds Ali Wong And Randall Park In 'Always Be My Maybe'

May 31, 2019 • Randall Park and Ali Wong star in a Netflix romantic comedy about two young friends who grow up and grow apart, only to find each other again as adults. Also, there's Keanu Reeves.

Terrorism Is Filmmaking In Brian De Palma's 'Domino'

Game of Thrones actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau stars in crime thriller Domino, the latest from director Brian De Palma. Saban Films hide caption

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Saban Films

Terrorism Is Filmmaking In Brian De Palma's 'Domino'

May 30, 2019 • The director who has boomeranged from better-regarded films to ones treated much less kindly barely wants to own this crime thriller. But for fans of his work, there are sequences to admire.

This Time, Octavia Spencer Takes Something For Herself In 'Ma'

Octavia Spencer stars as the vengeful Sue Ann in "Ma," directed by Tate Taylor. Universal Pictures hide caption

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Universal Pictures

This Time, Octavia Spencer Takes Something For Herself In 'Ma'

May 30, 2019 • After a career often spent in roles of kind caretakers, Octavia Spencer sinks her teeth into the part of a woman who draws a group of teenagers into her basement.

You Won't Get Much Fire From 'Godzilla: King Of The Monsters'

Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown makes her big-screen debut in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Daniel McFadden/Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Daniel McFadden/Warner Bros. Pictures

You Won't Get Much Fire From 'Godzilla: King Of The Monsters'

May 30, 2019 • The sequel to the 2014 Godzilla finds two scientists and a bunch of monsters stranded in an undercooked story about an underdeveloped monster.

Elton John Biopic 'Rocketman' Is A Surprising Song-And-Dance Spectacular

Operatic excesses are balanced by a powerful sense of melancholy in the biographical musical Rocketman, starring Taron Egerton as Elton John. David Appleby/Courtesy of Paramount Pictures hide caption

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David Appleby/Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Elton John Biopic 'Rocketman' Is A Surprising Song-And-Dance Spectacular

Fresh Air

May 30, 2019 • Rocketman finds ways to buck convention, even in the familiar framework of the rock biopic. The operatic excesses are balanced by a powerful sense of melancholy in this marvelous biographical musical.

Elton John Biopic 'Rocketman' Is A Surprising Song-And-Dance Spectacular

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Disney's Live-Action 'Aladdin' Aims To Correct 1st Film's Problems, Replicate Success

May 24, 2019 • Disney's live-action version of its 1992 cartoon Aladdin features Will Smith in the Genie role originally played by Robin Williams.

Disney's Live-Action 'Aladdin' Aims To Correct 1st Film's Problems, Replicate Success

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'Booksmart' Tweaks Convention By Offering A Gentler View Of High School

Fresh Air

May 24, 2019 • Olivia Wilde's lighthearted, female-centric film charts the adventures of two brainy best friends who embark on a quest to reframe their high school identities 24 hours before graduation.

'Booksmart' Tweaks Convention By Offering A Gentler View Of High School

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Quentin Tarantino's Film Generates Buzz At Cannes Film Festival

May 24, 2019 • NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan about some of the best movies that are being featured at this year's Cannes Film Festival — including Tarantino's newest.

Quentin Tarantino's Film Generates Buzz At Cannes Film Festival

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A New 'Aladdin' Gets Caught In Its Own History

Aladdin (Mena Massoud) and Genie (Will Smith) in Disney's live-action Aladdin, directed by Guy Ritchie. Daniel Smith/Disney Enterprises, Inc. hide caption

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Daniel Smith/Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Pop Culture Happy Hour

A New 'Aladdin' Gets Caught In Its Own History

May 24, 2019 • Aladdin is the latest Disney live-action remake of an animated classic. The 1992 original starred Robin Williams as the genie, and this time it's Will Smith. The genie is still blue and there's still a mischievous monkey. But director Guy Ritchie has some ideas of his own, too.

A New 'Aladdin' Gets Caught In Its Own History

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'Diamantino': Portuguese Satire About Soccer, Nationalism And Cloning Scores Goal

A handsome, dim-bulb soccer star (Carloto Cotta) takes extreme measures to return to his former state of glory in Diamantino. Kino Lorber hide caption

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Kino Lorber

'Diamantino': Portuguese Satire About Soccer, Nationalism And Cloning Scores Goal

May 23, 2019 • Driven by a standout performance by Carloto Cotta, this Portuguese satire "sizzles with a comic energy rare for a movie with such blunt and weighty political commentary."

'Booksmart' Is A Wise And Warm Summer Comedy

Booksmart is the directorial debut of Olivia Wilde, starring Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever. Francois Duhamel/Annapurna Pictures hide caption

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Francois Duhamel/Annapurna Pictures

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Booksmart' Is A Wise And Warm Summer Comedy

May 23, 2019 • Director Olivia Wilde and leads Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever do wonderful work in a film about two high-school best friends who have one night to reverse course.

'Aladdin': A CGI World, Neither Whole Nor New

Shining? Sure. Shimmering? Yep. Splendid? Um ...: Aladdin (Mena Massoud) and Jasmine (Naomi Scott) in the latest live-action adaptation of the 1992 animated Disney film. Daniel Smith/Disney hide caption

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Daniel Smith/Disney

Culture

'Aladdin': A CGI World, Neither Whole Nor New

May 23, 2019 • Though some elements generate fresh sparks, the remake "mostly has the beat-for-beat quality of the live-action Beauty and the Beast, the current standard-bearer for pointlessness."