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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Movie Interviews

Matt Damon On His Promising New Film

Steve (Matt Damon), a salesman for a large oil company, visits a small town in which he hopes to buy drilling rights.

December 29, 2012 Linda Wertheimer talks with Matt Damon, who co-wrote and stars in the new film Promised Land. The movie tells the story of a salesman for a natural gas company who seeks drilling rights in a small Pennsylvania farming town.

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On Weekend Edition SaturdayPlaylist

Friday, December 28, 2012

Oscars 2013: The 85th Annual Academy Awards

Tarantino On 'Django,' Violence And Catharsis

Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), a slave owner, holds Django's wife captive.

December 28, 2012 Quentin Tarantino's new Django Unchained stars Jamie Foxx as a freed slave turned bounty hunter. The writer and director discusses the film's violence with Audie Cornish and explains why he feels American history can withstand an approach that has more in common with Reservoir Dogs than with Roots.

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Movie Interviews

Doris Day: A Hollywood Legend Reflects On Life

Doris Day will celebrate her 88th birthday on Tuesday, April 3.

December 28, 2012 Day started singing and dancing when she was a teenager, and made her first film at 24. After nearly 40 movies, she walked away from that part of her life in 1968, and started rescuing and caring for animals. Here, she speaks to Terry Gross in a lengthy interview about her career in film and music.

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

Movie Reviews

Lies, Death And Redemption In 'Memphis'

Jessie Misskelley after his murder conviction.

December 27, 2012 West of Memphis treads well-worn ground: the story of three teenagers wrongly accused of murdering children in 1993. Critic Mark Jenkins says the detective story woven by this documentary is a welcome addition to the coverage. (Recommended)

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Movie Reviews

'Tabu': Virtuoso Style Heightens Romance

Santa (Isabel Cardoso) cares for an elderly woman as she slips into delusions, seeing her as a hunter, among other things.

December 27, 2012 Writer-director Miguel Gomes writes a love letter to old films in the Portugese film Tabu. A man's reminiscence about lost love, told by using film techniques of days past, lends itself to the charm critic Ian Buckwalter sees throughout the movie. (Recommended)

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Movie Reviews

'Promised Land': A Folksy Take On Fracking

Salesman Steve Butler (Matt Damon) faces a challenge from environmentalist Dustin Noble (John Krasinski) while trying to buy drilling rights in a small town.

December 27, 2012 Gus Van Sant's Promised Land, written by and starring Matt Damon and John Krasinski, explores the costs and benefits of natural gas extraction in rural Pennsylvania. Critic Jeannette Catsoulis says the plot takes a turn for the cliche, but the performances and style make up for it. (Recommended)

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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Movie Interviews

'Hyde Park': An FDR Portrait That's More Fiction Than Fact

President Franklin D. Roosevelt looks decidedly less jolly than Bill Murray makes him out to be in Hyde Park on Hudson.

December 26, 2012 Hyde Park on Hudson tells the story of a love affair between Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his distant cousin Margaret "Daisy" Suckley. Historian Geoffrey Ward evaluates the accuracy of the new film and finds it lacking. "It's a very odd film," he says.

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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Fact Checking 'Argo': A Great Escape That Takes Some Leaps

Jack O'Donnell (Brian Cranston) and Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) are tasked with saving six Americans during the Iran hostage crisis.

December 25, 2012 Ben Affleck's Argo chronicles a covert operation to rescue six Americans during the Iran hostage crisis. Some of it's true, and some is just inspired by real events. Matt Baglio, co-author of the book Argo, helps NPR's Robert Siegel separate fact from fiction.

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Monday, December 24, 2012

Movie Reviews

Tarantino's Genius 'Unchained'

Django confronts Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), the man who owns his wife.

December 24, 2012 Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained tells the story of a freed slave on a mission to save his wife. Critic Stephanie Zacharek says the dialogue and action — and performances from Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz — give the film an edge that could only come from Tarantino. (Recommended)

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