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

In back-to-basics 'The Batman,' Robert Pattinson shines in the darkness

Even in a cowl that blocks his peripheral vision, The Batman (Robert Pattinson) can still serve side-eye. Jonathan Olley/Warner Bros. hide caption

toggle caption

Jonathan Olley/Warner Bros.

Review

In back-to-basics 'The Batman,' Robert Pattinson shines in the darkness

February 28, 2022 • Matt Reeves' approach to the venerable hero is more emo than goth, and Robert Pattinson brings a haunted quality to the role.

Five big takeaways from the SAG Awards — and what they might mean for the Oscars

Ariana DeBose accepts the SAG Award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role. She played Anita in "West Side Story." Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP hide caption

toggle caption

Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Five big takeaways from the SAG Awards — and what they might mean for the Oscars

February 28, 2022 • The Screen Actors Guild Awards happened on Sunday night, and a couple of big wins might have implications for the rest of the awards year.

'Belfast' views The Troubles through a child's eyes

Caitriona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench, Jude Hill, and Lewis McAskie in a scene from Kenneth Branagh's Belfast. Rob Youngson/Focus Features hide caption

toggle caption

Rob Youngson/Focus Features

Review

'Belfast' views The Troubles through a child's eyes

February 28, 2022 • Belfast is nominated for seven Oscars, including best picture and best director for Kenneth Branagh. The film is loosely based on Branagh's own childhood as he came of age during The Troubles in 1969 and 1970. Judi Dench and Ciarán Hinds are up for best supporting actress and best supporting actor, respectively, and it's also nominated for best sound and best original song for Van Morrison's "Down To Joy".

'Belfast' views The Troubles through a child's eyes

Listen · 16:26 16:26

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1081467758/1083035354" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

We love the Oscars – but we need to talk about those awards ceremony changes

February 27, 2022 • The scene: a high school cafeteria. The subject: the Oscars' decision to deliver eight prizes prior to the live awards ceremony.

'Finding Fellowship' depicts 3 racially-segregated Methodist churches coming together

February 27, 2022 • Sarah McCammon speaks with filmmaker Jason Green about his new documentary "Finding Fellowship," which tells the story of how three racially segregated churches in rural Maryland merged.

'Finding Fellowship' depicts 3 racially-segregated Methodist churches coming together

Listen · 5:37 5:37

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1083361178/1083361179" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Review

Review: Peter Dinklage impresses in 'Cyrano,' despite the writing lacking

February 27, 2022 • Peter Dinklage stars in the new movie "Cyrano," Joe Wright's musical version of Edmond Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac."

Review: Peter Dinklage impresses in 'Cyrano,' despite the writing lacking

Listen · 4:41 4:41

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1083361136/1083361137" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Jennifer Hudson wins top honor at 53rd NAACP Image Awards

February 27, 2022 • Hudson wins entertainer of the year at the 53rd annual NAACP Image Awards honoring work by entertainers of color, beating out Regina King, Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion and Tiffany Haddish.

Sally Kellerman, known as Margaret Houlihan in 'MASH,' dies at 84

Sally Kellerman, the Oscar-nominated actor who played Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the 1970 movie "MASH," died of heart failure, according to her publicist. She was 84. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP hide caption

toggle caption

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Obituaries

Sally Kellerman, known as Margaret Houlihan in 'MASH,' dies at 84

February 25, 2022 • Kellerman died of heart failure at her home in Los Angeles, her publicist said. She had a career of more than 60 years in film and television.

'Cyrano' infuses an oft-told tale with disarming sincerity and operatic passion

Haley Bennett stars as Roxanne in Joe Wright's Cyrano. Peter Mountain/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. hide caption

toggle caption

Peter Mountain/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.

Review

Movie Reviews

'Cyrano' infuses an oft-told tale with disarming sincerity and operatic passion

Fresh Air

February 25, 2022 • Peter Dinklage aches with unrequited love in this musical retelling of the famous Cyrano de Bergerac story. Cyrano isn't always the most graceful retelling, but it's hard not to admire its conviction.

'Cyrano' infuses an oft-told tale with disarming sincerity and operatic passion

Listen · 6:01 6:01

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1082805475/1083333234" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

How the many pairs behind 'Cyrano' made music for the movie's lovelorn couples

Haley Bennett stars as Roxanne and Peter Dinklage as Cyrano. Peter Mountain/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. hide caption

toggle caption

Peter Mountain/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.

How the many pairs behind 'Cyrano' made music for the movie's lovelorn couples

February 24, 2022 • The National frontman Matt Berninger and his wife Carin Besser wrote the lyrics, and twin brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner scored the movie.

How the many pairs behind 'Cyrano' made music for the movie's lovelorn couples

Listen · 4:54 4:54

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1082551276/1083421288" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

'Kimi' is the perfect paranoia thriller for our pandemic times

Zoë Kravitz stars in Steven Soderbergh's latest film, Kimi, on HBO Max. HBO Max hide caption

toggle caption

HBO Max

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Kimi' is the perfect paranoia thriller for our pandemic times

February 24, 2022 • In the HBO Max film Kimi, Zoë Kravitz plays a woman with high anxiety and agoraphobia, who may or may not have observed a murder via a Siri-like voice assistant. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the film is a tight, 90-minute surveillance thriller that takes its cues from some classics of the genre, including Rear Window and The Conversation. Yet it feels contemporary and fresh, particularly as it plays against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

'Kimi' is the perfect paranoia thriller for our pandemic times

Listen · 17:18 17:18

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1081785602/1082512052" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

The Oscars will leave 8 awards off the telecast to combat slumping ratings

An Oscar statue appears outside the Dolby Theatre for the 87th Academy Awards in Los Angeles in 2015. Matt Sayles/Invision/AP hide caption

toggle caption

Matt Sayles/Invision/AP

The Oscars will leave 8 awards off the telecast to combat slumping ratings

February 23, 2022 • The presentation and speeches of those eight winners will be edited and featured during the three-hour live broadcast. They'll receive their awards before the telecast starts.

In theaters this spring: multiverses, Bat-men, action stars and more

Michelle Yeoh (front), Ke Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All at Once. A24 hide caption

toggle caption

A24

Review

In theaters this spring: multiverses, Bat-men, action stars and more

February 21, 2022 • A look at the would-be blockbusters and prestige pictures Hollywood has in store as the weather warms and audiences come out of pandemic hibernation.

In theaters this spring: multiverses, Bat-men, action stars and more

Listen · 7:57 7:57

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1082172604/1082172605" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Hollywood relies on China to stay afloat. What does that mean for movies?

Audience members sit separately for social distancing at a cinema in China's eastern Zhejiang province in July 2020. AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

AFP via Getty Images

Asia

Hollywood relies on China to stay afloat. What does that mean for movies?

Fresh Air

February 21, 2022 • Wall Street Journal reporter Erich Schwartzel says that film studios increasingly need Chinese audiences to break even — which can result in self-censorship. His new book is Red Carpet.

Hollywood relies on China to stay afloat. What does that mean for movies?

Listen · 44:17 44:17

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1081435029/1082142787" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Two new books revisit the legacy of silent film comic Buster Keaton

Buster Keaton in a promotional still for 'The Cameraman', which came out in 1928. Hulton Archive/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Books

Two new books revisit the legacy of silent film comic Buster Keaton

February 20, 2022 • Two new books about a legendary silent film comic — Dana Stevens' Camera Man and James Curtis' Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker's Life — give fans new reason to revisit Keaton's work.

Two new books revisit the legacy of silent film comic Buster Keaton

Listen · 5:42 5:42

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1082012476/1082012477" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript