Movies: Movie Reviews and Commentary on New and Classic Films : NPR

5 Sisters Struggle With The Shackles Of A Conservative Culture In 'Mustang'

Tugba Sunguroglu, Ilayda Akdogan, Doga Zeynep Doguslu, Elit Iscan and Günes Sensoy play five orphaned teen sisters who live with their grandmother in the film Mustang. Cohen Media Group hide caption

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Cohen Media Group

Review

Movie Reviews

5 Sisters Struggle With The Shackles Of A Conservative Culture In 'Mustang'

Fresh Air

November 30, 2015 • Five Turkish teens are censured by a culture threatened by their burgeoning sexuality in Deniz Gamze Ergüven's debut film. Critic John Powers says Mustang brims with "the zing and energy of life."

5 Sisters Struggle With The Shackles Of A Conservative Culture In 'Mustang'

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'Purple Rain' — As Retold In A Language Without A Word For Purple

Mdou Moctar is a local star among the Tuareg, based in the city of Agadez. Happily, Prince's iconic purple motorcycle also survived the translation. Courtesy of Christopher Kirkley hide caption

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Courtesy of Christopher Kirkley

Music Interviews

'Purple Rain' — As Retold In A Language Without A Word For Purple

November 28, 2015 • Prince's '80s-era classic has gotten a modern update — in Niger. Directed by Christopher Kirkley, starring the nomadic Tuareg people, this Purple Rain remake drops the kissing but keeps the attitude.

'Purple Rain' — As Retold In A Language Without A Word For Purple

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With Rich History And Tax Breaks, Berlin Lures American Filmmakers

A scene from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 takes place in the fictional capital city Panem, which was filmed in Berlin. Murray Close/Lionsgate hide caption

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Murray Close/Lionsgate

Parallels

With Rich History And Tax Breaks, Berlin Lures American Filmmakers

November 28, 2015 • Berlin is a favorite among Hollywood's top directors and actors. In the past year, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2, Homeland and Bridge of Spies were all shot on location in the German capital.

With Rich History And Tax Breaks, Berlin Lures American Filmmakers

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'Tis The Season For Coming Attractions: What To Watch For At The Multiplex

November 26, 2015 • NPR film critic Bob Mondello offers a selective preview of the likely blockbusters and Oscar contenders that Hollywood has in store for the end of the year.

'Tis The Season For Coming Attractions: What To Watch For At The Multiplex

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'We All Have To Do Something': Nina Jacobson On Diversifying Hollywood

November 25, 2015 • No one knows the struggles and successes of women in Hollywood better than Nina Jacobson, the producer of the Hunger Games movies. NPR catches up with one of the most powerful women in the business.

'We All Have To Do Something': Nina Jacobson On Diversifying Hollywood

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A Great-Looking If Underpowered Adventure With A 'Good Dinosaur'

An Apatosaurus named Arlo meets a human boy on his adventures in The Good Dinosaur. Courtesy of Pixar hide caption

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Courtesy of Pixar

Review

Movie Reviews

A Great-Looking If Underpowered Adventure With A 'Good Dinosaur'

November 25, 2015 • Pixar's second film of 2015 is no Inside Out story-wise, but its visuals and wonderful score make the time spent in its dino-packed alternate universe a pleasure.

Vital And Tear-Jerking, 'Creed' Is The Best Rocky Movie Since 'Rocky'

Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa and Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Johnson in a scene from Creed. Barry Wetcher/Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Barry Wetcher/Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Review

Movie Reviews

Vital And Tear-Jerking, 'Creed' Is The Best Rocky Movie Since 'Rocky'

November 25, 2015 • Terrific chemistry between Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan fuels the fine and stirring story of Apollo Creed's son, who takes after his dad.

'Janis: Little Girl Blue' Goes Beyond Cliches Of A Sad Childhood

Janis Joplin smoking a cigarette in Denmark. Jan Persson/Courtesy of Getty Images hide caption

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Jan Persson/Courtesy of Getty Images

Review

Movie Reviews

'Janis: Little Girl Blue' Goes Beyond Cliches Of A Sad Childhood

November 25, 2015 • Amy Berg's new documentary talks to friends and lovers of the iconic singer to say more about her complicated life than what's been said in many rock-star docs.

A Lively 'Victor Frankenstein' Gives Igor The Spotlight

Victor (James McAvoy) and Igor (Daniel Radcliffe) in a scene from Victor Frankenstein. Alex Bailey/Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox hide caption

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Alex Bailey/Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

Review

Movie Reviews

A Lively 'Victor Frankenstein' Gives Igor The Spotlight

November 25, 2015 • It doesn't have much of an ending, but Victor Frankenstein is a livelier updating of a British classic than, say, the latest from James Bond.

Music

The Music Of 'Creed' Puts A Modern Character Into Rocky Balboa's World

November 25, 2015 • Filmmaker Ryan Coogler and composer Ludwig Goransson were planning to create an ambient, urban score, but found they couldn't get away from Bill Conti's iconic Rocky theme.

The Music Of 'Creed' Puts A Modern Character Into Rocky Balboa's World

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Review

Movie Reviews

High Glamour Infuses A Forbidden Love Affair In 'Carol'

Fresh Air

November 25, 2015 • Todd Haynes' new film chronicles a lesbian affair between a middle-aged married woman and a young store clerk. Critic David Edelstein says Carol captures the thrill of a once-forbidden subculture.

High Glamour Infuses A Forbidden Love Affair In 'Carol'

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Review

Movie Reviews

Not Just Another Boxing Movie. 'Creed' Has Cred

November 25, 2015 • Creed is billed as a Rocky spinoff but it's actually something more interesting. It's a spiritual remake of the 1976 film that retells the original story in an unexpected and involving way.

Not Just Another Boxing Movie. 'Creed' Has Cred

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Rapid Learners: How Pixar Animators Created A Very Scary River

Arlo, an 11-year-old Apatosaurus, is swept away by a raging river in the Pixar film The Good Dinosaur Pixar hide caption

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Pixar

Movie Interviews

Rapid Learners: How Pixar Animators Created A Very Scary River

November 24, 2015 • What would a small dinosaur look like in Class V rapids? That's the question Pixar filmmakers had to answer for their film The Good Dinosaur. So they piled into a raft to figure it out for themselves.

Rapid Learners: How Pixar Animators Created A Very Scary River

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Dorothy Dress From 'The Wizard Of Oz' Sells For More Than $1.5M

Judy Garland is seen as Dorothy in Wizard of Oz, wearing her blue and white dress, and one of the dresses made for the movie is displayed in London. AP hide caption

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AP

Barbra Streisand On 'Fresh Air' (2012)

45:29

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Monday November 30, 2015

Review

Fresh Air

5 Sisters Struggle With The Shackles Of A Conservative Culture In 'Mustang'

Saturday November 28, 2015

'Purple Rain' — As Retold In A Language Without A Word For Purple

With Rich History And Tax Breaks, Berlin Lures American Filmmakers

Thursday November 26, 2015

'Tis The Season For Coming Attractions: What To Watch For At The Multiplex

Wednesday November 25, 2015

'We All Have To Do Something': Nina Jacobson On Diversifying Hollywood

Review

Review

Review

Review

The Music Of 'Creed' Puts A Modern Character Into Rocky Balboa's World

Review

Fresh Air

High Glamour Infuses A Forbidden Love Affair In 'Carol'

Review

Not Just Another Boxing Movie. 'Creed' Has Cred

Tuesday November 24, 2015

Rapid Learners: How Pixar Animators Created A Very Scary River

Monday November 23, 2015

Barbra Streisand On 'Fresh Air' (2012)