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

Scott Haze stars in Child Of God, an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy directed by James Franco. Well Go USA hide caption

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Well Go USA

Review

A 'Child Of God,' Or Maybe Not

July 31, 2014 • The very prolific James Franco directs a Cormac McCarthy adaptation that struggles to overcome a repulsive main character with whom it's almost impossible to empathize.

A 'War Story' With Big Ambitions And Mixed Results

Catherine Keener plays a traumatized journalist in War Story. IFC Films hide caption

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IFC Films

Review

A 'War Story' With Big Ambitions And Mixed Results

July 31, 2014 • The drama War Story is trying to wrap itself around both a personal story of a traumatized journalist and some larger social issues. Despite a strong central performance, it succeeds only partially.

"The 'Asian accent' tells the story of Chinese-American assimilation in a nutshell," Arthur Chu writes. Ida Mae Astute/Getty Images hide caption

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Ida Mae Astute/Getty Images

Breaking Out The Broken English

July 31, 2014 • Voice-over work often demands that Arthur Chu, recent Jeopardy! champ, feign speaking English in a "Chinese accent," rather than the meticulously practiced American English that now comes naturally.

'Guardians Of The Galaxy': Let's Hear It For F.U.N.

Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) have some adventures together in the terrific new Guardians Of The Galaxy. Jay Maidment/Marvel hide caption

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Jay Maidment/Marvel

Review

'Guardians Of The Galaxy': Let's Hear It For F.U.N.

July 31, 2014 • The most surprising thing about the latest film in the Marvel Universe may be as simple as its genre: while it certainly has your space battles and big fights, it's a straight-up comedy.

Who's The Man? Hollywood Heroes Defined Masculinity For Millions

John Wayne — seen here in 1956's The Searchers — was an icon of traditional Hollywood manliness. AP/Warner Bros. hide caption

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AP/Warner Bros.

Who's The Man? Hollywood Heroes Defined Masculinity For Millions

July 30, 2014 • From silent stars to John Wayne to Iron Man, film critic Bob Mondello looks at the role that Hollywood has played in defining manliness, and how that definition has changed over several decades.

Who's The Man? Hollywood Heroes Defined Masculinity For Millions

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Box Office Wallows In A Summer Slump, And Some Seek To Find Out Why

July 28, 2014 • Only one movie in July, Transformers: Age of Extinction, has broken the 100 million mark during its opening weekend. Box office receipts all summer have proven anemic. Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst with RENTRAK, talks to Audie Cornish about the box office slump.

Box Office Wallows In A Summer Slump, And Some Seek To Find Out Why

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From 'Star Trek' To LGBT Spokesman, What It Takes 'To Be Takei'

George Takei's personal story is illuminated in the new, funny documentary To Be Takei. Victoria Will/AP hide caption

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Victoria Will/AP

From 'Star Trek' To LGBT Spokesman, What It Takes 'To Be Takei'

Fresh Air

July 28, 2014 • George Takei is famous for his role as Mr. Sulu on Star Trek. Now a new documentary, To Be Takei, delves into his personal story — including growing up in Japanese internment camps, and coming out.

From 'Star Trek' To LGBT Spokesman, What It Takes 'To Be Takei'

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Director Says Hoffman Inhabited 'Most Wanted Man' Role

Anton Corbijn directed Philip Seymour Hoffman in one of his final roles — playing a haggard German intelligence agent in the film adaptation of the John le Carré spy thriller A Most Wanted Man. Roadside Attractions hide caption

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Roadside Attractions

Movie Interviews

Director Says Hoffman Inhabited 'Most Wanted Man' Role

July 26, 2014 • Anton Corbijn directed Philip Seymour Hoffman in one of his final roles — playing a haggard German intelligence agent in the film adaptation of the John le Carré spy thriller A Most Wanted Man.

Director Says Hoffman Inhabited 'Most Wanted Man' Role

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'Purple Rain' Taught Me How To Be In A Band

"I never wanted to be your weekend lover": Prince and his Purple Rain costar Appolonia Kotero. Warner Bros./Getty Images hide caption

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Warner Bros./Getty Images

Music News

'Purple Rain' Taught Me How To Be In A Band

July 26, 2014 • For Eric Deggans, Prince's movie wasn't just a spectacle. Sitting in a theater packed with kids his age, he saw Purple Rain as "a validation of the musical world I was already seeking out."

'Purple Rain' Taught Me How To Be In A Band

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Silent Film Fans Make Some Noise To Help ID Forgotten Treasures

All Is Lost (1923), in which two lovebirds struggle to get the bride's family's approval to marry, was screened and identified at 2013's Mostly Lost workshop. Nitrate Film Interest Group/Flickr hide caption

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Nitrate Film Interest Group/Flickr

Silent Film Fans Make Some Noise To Help ID Forgotten Treasures

July 26, 2014 • At the Library of Congress' Mostly Lost workshop, viewers are encouraged to yell out possible settings, actor names and even car models — anything that might put a name to an unidentified film.

Silent Film Fans Make Some Noise To Help ID Forgotten Treasures

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In Which Colin Firth Debunks Some Myths About Working With Woody Allen

Woody Allen directs -- that's right, directs -- Colin Firth and Emma Stone in Magic in the Moonlight. Jack English/Sony Pictures Classics hide caption

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Jack English/Sony Pictures Classics

Movie Interviews

In Which Colin Firth Debunks Some Myths About Working With Woody Allen

July 25, 2014 • Allen doesn't rehearse, and he isn't a big talker. But Firth pooh-poohs claims that he doesn't direct. He says Allen was a "very involved and meticulous director" while making Magic in the Moonlight.

In Which Colin Firth Debunks Some Myths About Working With Woody Allen

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Review

Movie Reviews

Philip Seymour Hoffman Leaves Indelible Bond In 'Most Wanted Man'

Fresh Air

July 25, 2014 • The late actor hit his peak in the adaptation of John le Carre's 2008 novel. The movie isn't a clean piece of storytelling, but Hoffman connects with viewers on a level most actors never approach.

Philip Seymour Hoffman Leaves Indelible Bond In 'Most Wanted Man'

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'Lucy': Hot Buttered Popcorn, With Plenty Of Nuts

Universal Pictures

Review

Movie Reviews

'Lucy': Hot Buttered Popcorn, With Plenty Of Nuts

July 25, 2014 • Luc Besson's Lucy isn't a smart movie, but you have to respect — sort of — the high energy and commitment it puts into being ridiculous.

Widely considered one of the best surfer movies in American history, The Endless Summer celebrates its 50th anniversary this week. Monterey Media Inc. hide caption

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Monterey Media Inc.

Revisiting An 'Endless Summer'

July 24, 2014 • While corny and dated and even offensive in places, the seminal surfing film The Endless Summer, now getting a 50th anniversary re-release, remains a rich visual exploration of the freedom of a wave.

Maturity And Improvisation In 'Happy Christmas'

Cast members including Anna Kendrick (center) and Lena Dunham (left), seen here with filmmaker Joe Swanberg's son Jude (right), improvised many of the film's scenes. Magnolia Pictures hide caption

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Magnolia Pictures

Review

Movie Reviews

Maturity And Improvisation In 'Happy Christmas'

July 24, 2014 • Joe Swanberg's Happy Christmas perhaps chooses the wrong character to focus on, but the story has loose, improvisational charm.