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Movies: Movie Reviews and Commentary on New and Classic Films NPR Movies podcast, movie reviews, and commentary on new and classic films. Interviews with filmmakers, actors, and actresses.

Movies

Wednesday

Better Stunts & Actors, Just As Derivative: 'Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw'

Bald-faced fury: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Jason Statham team up as Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw in this Fast & Furious spinoff directed by David Leitch. Daniel Smith/Universal hide caption

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Daniel Smith/Universal

Review

Movie Reviews

Better Stunts & Actors, Just As Derivative: 'Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw'

The "genial flexfest" of a spinoff is the "most agreeable" of the franchise, which once again slickly repackages set pieces from other, better, more innovative action films.

'Double Indemnity' Is 75, But Anklets (And Film Noir) Are Forever

Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray in a scene from Double Indemnity. Donaldson Collection/Getty Images hide caption

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Donaldson Collection/Getty Images

'Double Indemnity' Is 75, But Anklets (And Film Noir) Are Forever

Double Indemnity is classic film noir: Men in fedoras walk mean streets shrouded in shadow and women are sometimes the sirens to beckon them to their doom. It's a film — and a genre — that endures.

'Double Indemnity' Is 75, But Anklets (And Film Noir) Are Forever

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'Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood': Tarantino's Fairy Tale Turns Grim

Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) and Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) in Quentin Tarantino's film Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. Andrew Cooper/Sony Pictures Entertainment hide caption

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Andrew Cooper/Sony Pictures Entertainment

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood': Tarantino's Fairy Tale Turns Grim

Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood is writer-director Quentin Tarantino's ninth film. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a fading western actor named Rick Dalton and Brad Pitt as his loyal stuntman Cliff Booth. It's set in the changing Hollywood of 1969, and in many ways, it's a breezy romp through studio backlots and makeup trailers — but hanging over every frame is the threat of violence, in the form of a very real historical tragedy — the brutal Manson family murders in the Hollywood Hills. It's glossy L.A. nostalgia laced with grisly violence — it's peak Tarantino, but does it work?

'Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood': Tarantino's Fairy Tale Turns Grim

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Monday

'Motion Smoothing' Makes Films Look Different On Your TV And Hollywood Is Not Happy

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Bilge Ebiri who writes about a digital process called motion smoothing, a technical component of TV that "makes movies today, by and large, look like crap."

'Motion Smoothing' Makes Films Look Different On Your TV And Hollywood Is Not Happy

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Sunday

Russi Taylor, Voice Of Minnie Mouse For Over 30 Years, Dies At 75

Russi Taylor and her husband, Wayne Allwine, pose with their characters, Minnie and Mickey Mouse, at the 2008 Disney Legends Ceremony at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images hide caption

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Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images

Obituaries

Russi Taylor, Voice Of Minnie Mouse For Over 30 Years, Dies At 75

Taylor also played Martin Prince on The Simpsons and a number of other iconic animated characters. Her husband, Wayne Allwine famously portrayed Mickey Mouse and died in 2009.

When The Kids Grow Up, Motherhood Becomes A State Of 'Otherhood'

Carol (Angela Bassett) shows up unannounced in New York City for a surprise visit with her adult son, Matt (Sinqua Walls) in the new Netflix film Otherhood. Linda Kallerus/Netflix hide caption

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Linda Kallerus/Netflix

Movie Interviews

When The Kids Grow Up, Motherhood Becomes A State Of 'Otherhood'

The new Netflix film stars Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette and Felicity Huffman as three best friend moms who decide to show up unannounced in New York City to pay their adult sons a surprise visit.

When The Kids Grow Up, Motherhood Becomes A State Of 'Otherhood'

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Friday

Review

Movie Reviews

'Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood' Is Tarantino's Most Personal Film In Years

Fresh Air

Set in Hollywood in 1969, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt star as a TV actor and his stunt double. The movie's low-key hangout vibes may test your patience, but every moment pulses with feeling.

'Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood' Is Tarantino's Most Personal Film In Years

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What Made The 'Muppet Movie' Stand Out From The Pack?

"The Muppet Movie" is 40 years old. It was one of the highlights of childhood for many members of Generation X, but it may not have been given all the attention it deserved.

What Made The 'Muppet Movie' Stand Out From The Pack?

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Thursday

Tarantino's Turned-On, Tuned-In Tinseltown: 'Once Upon A Time In ... Hollywood'

A bloody business: Cliff (Brad Pitt), Rick (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Marvin (Al Pacino) meet at Musso & Frank in Once Upon a Time in ... Hollywood. Andrew Cooper/Columbia Pictures hide caption

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Andrew Cooper/Columbia Pictures

Review

Movie Reviews

Tarantino's Turned-On, Tuned-In Tinseltown: 'Once Upon A Time In ... Hollywood'

Call it peak Tarantino: The writer/director's ninth film — about a Manson-family-adjacent actor and his stuntman — is an ode to the grimy, neon-lit place and time that shaped him.

Wednesday

Actor Rutger Hauer Dies At 75, Played Complex Android In 'Blade Runner'

Rutger Hauer has died at 75 after a seven-decade acting career highlighted by his portrayal of a murderous android in the movie Blade Runner. He is seen here in 2013. Victoria Will/Invision/AP hide caption

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Victoria Will/Invision/AP

Actor Rutger Hauer Dies At 75, Played Complex Android In 'Blade Runner'

He was best known for his portrayal of Roy Batty, who is hunted down by a cop played by Harrison Ford, and expires with a sad soliloquy ending "Tears in the rain. Time to die."

Movie Interviews

Filmmaker Lulu Wang Based 'The Farewell' On Her Family's Real-Life Lie

Fresh Air

When Wang's grandmother was diagnosed with terminal cancer, the family flew to China to see her, but decided not to tell her the prognosis. "I turned out to be a surprisingly good liar," Wang says.

Filmmaker Lulu Wang Based 'The Farewell' On Her Family's Real-Life Lie

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