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Movie Reviews
New 'Trek' Goes 'Into Darkness,' But Not Much Deeper
NPR's Bob Mondello says J.J. Abrams' latest Star Trek film knows how to make the sparks and feelings fly, but doesn't bother making the sparks and feeling matter very much.
Movie Reviews
Polley's 'Stories': A Family Saga Strikingly Spun
May 10, 2013 A director's film memoir of her theatrical family is transformed by surprising discoveries about her parents' past — and her own heritage. Sarah Polley's film becomes a superb meditation on how we dramatize memory. (Recommended)
Movies
At The Movies, A Swirl Of Style And Substance
May 9, 2013 Special effects date back to the dawn of film, but with today's tools moviemakers can put pretty much anything on-screen — which has NPR film critic Bob Mondello thinking about how movie style affects movie substance.
Movies
In 'Iron Man 3,' A Metalhead Gets The Blues
May 2, 2013 Wiseacre billionaire Tony Stark, uncharacteristically anxious since the events of 2012's The Avengers, must face down a domestic terrorist without backup from his buddies in the latest installment of the Marvel franchise.
Theater
On Broadway, One Runt To Rule Them All
April 25, 2013 Bob Mondello looks at Broadway's new child-friendly musical Matilda through the prism of his very first commentary for NPR 29 years ago today — a piece about how Annie was really Oliver! in drag.
Movie Reviews
Digging Into Ricky Jay's 'Deceptive' Card Tricks
April 17, 2013 It's been said that to properly understand a magician, you have to get right on stage and watch how the act is done. NPR's Bob Mondello had that chance once with card whiz Ricky Jay — subject of the new film Deceptive Practice — and has a few words about how the showman works.
Movies
On The Big Screen, The Tax Guy Can Be Your Buddy
April 15, 2013 On Tax Day 2013, NPR's Bob Mondello surveys the cinematic landscape for films that tackle that most reliable of requirements: the paying and collecting of taxes. One surprising discovery: Hollywood doesn't always make the IRS the heavy.
Movie Reviews
Earnest '42' Buffs Up A Golden Baseball Moment
April 12, 2013 The tale of Major League Baseball's first African-American player is already a legend — so while this by-the-numbers biopic, with its heavy-handed score and righteous performances, doesn't add much to the story, it doesn't hurt it either.
Monkey See
Home Video Review: 'Badlands'
April 2, 2013 Bob Mondello reviews the Criterion Collection's Blu-ray release of Terrence Malick's first feature film, Badlands. It's a movie that put Malick and his two stars, Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek, on the map.
Movie Reviews
A Film So Sumptuous, 'Renoir' Himself Might Have Helped Out
March 29, 2013 The slow, silky pace of Gilles Bourdos' biopic Renoir might burden a lesser subject. But the beauty of the cinematography suggests the aesthetic of the Impressionist master, lending the whole film a surreally beautiful air. (Recommended)
Same-Sex Marriage And The Supreme Court
Hollywood's History Of Putting Gay Rights On Trial
March 27, 2013 With the Supreme Court hearing arguments this week on same-sex marriage, film critic Bob Mondello observes a parallel evolution in what he calls a Hollywood mini-genre: films in which gay characters are either taken to court or seek redress in court for issues involving their sexuality.
Movie Reviews
'The Croods': 3-D Cartoon Cavemen For The Whole Family
March 22, 2013 What's a road trip comedy without roads, cars or cities? The Croods is a good guess. An all-star cast and arresting 3-D graphics show this fun family film with Neanderthal roots is ultimately meant to launch a new franchise —which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Movie Reviews
'Ginger & Rosa': Life And Times In Cold War London
March 15, 2013 Cold War tensions and the sexual revolution artfully frame Sally Potter's thoughtful historical drama Ginger & Rosa. With plenty of room for its two young leads to stretch, the film takes a careful look at coming-of-age crises in a time of epic change.
Movie Reviews
From 'Oz,' A Less Than Magical Prequel
March 8, 2013 Director Sam Raimi and star James Franco can't provide enough pizzazz to carry Oz the Great and Powerful aloft. Their effects-heavy prequel to 1939's Wizard of Oz serves up a long-winded answer to a question most probably weren't asking.
Movies
Fairy Tales For Grown-Ups? More Are On The Way
March 1, 2013 A slew of new fairy tale films is on the way to your nearest cineplex, but the intended audience might not be what you'd think. Bob Mondello explains how these movies, like their audiences, are growing up, taking on adult themes and dealing with the fears of a new generation of young adults.
