NPR People: Bob Mondello

NPR People: Bob Mondello http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3813466&ft=1&f=3813466 For NPR News listeners, a movie isn't a "must see" until NPR film critic and commentator Bob Mondello says it is. Each year, Mondello screens more than 150 new releases, assessing each on its cinematic merits, then sharing his critiques of the cream of the crop with NPR's award-winning newsmagazine All Things Considered. A connoisseur of the cinema and the stage, Mondello has also written about the arts for such diverse publications as USA Today, The Washington Post, and Preservation Magazine, as well as for commercial and public television stations in Washington, DC. Copyright 2009 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/thumbnail/npr_generic_image_75.jpg Bob Mondello http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3813466&ft=1&f=3813466 yes 'Avatar,' Family Films To Dominate Movie Screens Vampires and werewolves are so last weekend. Get ready for the blue-tailed navie in a special-effects blowout called <em>Avatar</em>. The movie's claim that its special effects will be an industry game-changer has scared away the season's usual sci-fi and sorcery flicks. This December features mostly down-to-earth stories about families, romance, crime-solvers and the occasional singing chipmunk. Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120872717&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120872717&ft=1&f=3813466 Vampires and werewolves are so last weekend. Get ready for the blue-tailed navie in a special-effects blowout called <em>Avatar</em>. The movie's claim that its special effects will be an industry game-changer has scared away the season's usual sci-fi and sorcery flicks. This December features mostly down-to-earth stories about families, romance, crime-solvers and the occasional singing chipmunk. 467 no Vampires and werewolves are so last weekend. Get ready for the blue-tailed navie in a special-effects blowout called Avatar. The movie's claim that its special effects will be an industry game-changer has scared away the season's usual sci-fi and sorcery flicks. This December features mostly down-to-earth stories about families, romance, crime-solvers and the occasional singing chipmunk.

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]]> 'Broken Embraces': The Very Picture Of Romance Brace yourself: Things are about to get meta. Pedro Almodovar's latest picture strings a colorfully knotty love story across layers of dark film-within-a-film intrigue. Complex of plot, deft in its blending of comedy and melodrama, and a treasure trove of golden-age movie references, the film is what you might call a lushly tragic lark — a heartfelt, if not quite heartbreaking, paean to romance and to the romance of cinema. <strong><em>(Recommended)</em></strong> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120452447&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120452447&ft=1&f=3813466 Brace yourself: Things are about to get meta. Pedro Almodovar's latest picture strings a colorfully knotty love story across layers of dark film-within-a-film intrigue. Complex of plot, deft in its blending of comedy and melodrama, and a treasure trove of golden-age movie references, the film is what you might call a lushly tragic lark — a heartfelt, if not quite heartbreaking, paean to romance and to the romance of cinema. <strong><em>(Recommended)</em></strong> 237 no Brace yourself: Things are about to get meta. Pedro Almodovar's latest picture strings a colorfully knotty love story across layers of dark film-within-a-film intrigue. Complex of plot, deft in its blending of comedy and melodrama, and a treasure trove of golden-age movie references, the film is what you might call a lushly tragic lark — a heartfelt, if not quite heartbreaking, paean to romance and to the romance of cinema. (Recommended)

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]]> In 'Blind Side,' A Tunnel-Vision Take On A True Story Based on Michael Lewis' acclaimed book, John Lee Hancock's julep-sweet screenplay turns a well-told true story into a feel-good fantasy for white liberals — a movie that doesn't dig deep and too often seems content to trade in stereotype. But as ever in Hollywood, the based-on-reality defense will provide a certain amount of cover, and Hancock will probably have an audience pleaser on his hands. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120456017&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120456017&ft=1&f=3813466 Based on Michael Lewis' acclaimed book, John Lee Hancock's julep-sweet screenplay turns a well-told true story into a feel-good fantasy for white liberals — a movie that doesn't dig deep and too often seems content to trade in stereotype. But as ever in Hollywood, the based-on-reality defense will provide a certain amount of cover, and Hancock will probably have an audience pleaser on his hands. no Based on Michael Lewis' acclaimed book, John Lee Hancock's julep-sweet screenplay turns a well-told true story into a feel-good fantasy for white liberals — a movie that doesn't dig deep and too often seems content to trade in stereotype. But as ever in Hollywood, the based-on-reality defense will provide a certain amount of cover, and Hancock will probably have an audience pleaser on his hands.

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]]> 'The Messenger': After The Battle, Brothers In Arms A soldier returns home from Iraq, his mind is on his own griefs. Assigned to notify families about war casualties, he finds wise counsel in the person of his more experienced partner. Critic Bob Mondello says that for a film that comes bearing sad reminders about the costs of war, <em>The Messenger</em> is peopled by characters who seem gratifyingly alive. <strong><em>(Recommended)</em></strong> Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120164385&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120164385&ft=1&f=3813466 A soldier returns home from Iraq, his mind is on his own griefs. Assigned to notify families about war casualties, he finds wise counsel in the person of his more experienced partner. Critic Bob Mondello says that for a film that comes bearing sad reminders about the costs of war, <em>The Messenger</em> is peopled by characters who seem gratifyingly alive. <strong><em>(Recommended)</em></strong> 161 no A soldier returns home from Iraq, his mind is on his own griefs. Assigned to notify families about war casualties, he finds wise counsel in the person of his more experienced partner. Critic Bob Mondello says that for a film that comes bearing sad reminders about the costs of war, The Messenger is peopled by characters who seem gratifyingly alive. (Recommended)

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]]> '2012': Disaster Strikes (And Strikes, And Strikes) Roland Emmerich's latest cinematic apocalypse posits that the end of the world is due in a little over three years from now. Critic Bob Mondello says it's surprisingly convincing — at least in the sense that by the time it's over, you'll feel like it <em>is</em> 2012 already, and you'll have such a headache that it'd be kind of nice if the whole world went away. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120125624&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120125624&ft=1&f=3813466 Roland Emmerich's latest cinematic apocalypse posits that the end of the world is due in a little over three years from now. Critic Bob Mondello says it's surprisingly convincing — at least in the sense that by the time it's over, you'll feel like it <em>is</em> 2012 already, and you'll have such a headache that it'd be kind of nice if the whole world went away. 184 no Roland Emmerich's latest cinematic apocalypse posits that the end of the world is due in a little over three years from now. Critic Bob Mondello says it's surprisingly convincing — at least in the sense that by the time it's over, you'll feel like it is 2012 already, and you'll have such a headache that it'd be kind of nice if the whole world went away.

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]]> When Life Is This Hard, Stubbornness Is A Virtue Claireece "Precious" Jones is living a nightmare: she's morbidly obese, twice impregnated by her father, mentally and physically abused by her mother. But just as her life seems entirely untenable, fate offers a way out — and slowly, with a mulish persistence, Precious starts to come into her own. <strong><em>(Recommended)</em></strong> Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120058151&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120058151&ft=1&f=3813466 Claireece "Precious" Jones is living a nightmare: she's morbidly obese, twice impregnated by her father, mentally and physically abused by her mother. But just as her life seems entirely untenable, fate offers a way out — and slowly, with a mulish persistence, Precious starts to come into her own. <strong><em>(Recommended)</em></strong> 187 no Claireece "Precious" Jones is living a nightmare: she's morbidly obese, twice impregnated by her father, mentally and physically abused by her mother. But just as her life seems entirely untenable, fate offers a way out — and slowly, with a mulish persistence, Precious starts to come into her own. (Recommended)

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]]> For A Fallen Star, One Final Chance To Shine Kenny Ortega's hastily assembled concert movie-cum-Michael Jackson memorial recuts 100 hours of rehearsal footage to give fans VIP access to what might be the greatest show that never was. Movie critic Bob Mondello says <em>This Is It</em> might be short on backstage drama, but it's not hurting for onstage razzle-dazzle. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:50:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114088223&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114088223&ft=1&f=3813466 Kenny Ortega's hastily assembled concert movie-cum-Michael Jackson memorial recuts 100 hours of rehearsal footage to give fans VIP access to what might be the greatest show that never was. Movie critic Bob Mondello says <em>This Is It</em> might be short on backstage drama, but it's not hurting for onstage razzle-dazzle. 255 no Kenny Ortega's hastily assembled concert movie-cum-Michael Jackson memorial recuts 100 hours of rehearsal footage to give fans VIP access to what might be the greatest show that never was. Movie critic Bob Mondello says This Is It might be short on backstage drama, but it's not hurting for onstage razzle-dazzle.

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]]> Famous Faces, Look-Alike Stars: The Biopic Dilemma As your parents no doubt told you, looks aren't everything. But when a film bio focuses on famous faces — as with the new drama <em>Amelia</em> — it can help to have an actor who looks the part. Even apt casting and accurate costumes can't save a bad story, though; critic Bob Mondello surveys some recent hits and misses. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:17:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114036730&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114036730&ft=1&f=3813466 As your parents no doubt told you, looks aren't everything. But when a film bio focuses on famous faces — as with the new drama <em>Amelia</em> — it can help to have an actor who looks the part. Even apt casting and accurate costumes can't save a bad story, though; critic Bob Mondello surveys some recent hits and misses. 258 no As your parents no doubt told you, looks aren't everything. But when a film bio focuses on famous faces — as with the new drama Amelia — it can help to have an actor who looks the part. Even apt casting and accurate costumes can't save a bad story, though; critic Bob Mondello surveys some recent hits and misses.

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]]> 'Amelia' Runs Into More Than A Little Rough Air The story of a pioneering, iconoclastic aviator is presented predictably and without risk in Mira Nair's biographical drama — a handsome studio picture that keeps insisting its heroine is a boundary pusher, even as it curls up cozily within the familiar limits of big-budget Hollywood hagiography. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113881404&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113881404&ft=1&f=3813466 The story of a pioneering, iconoclastic aviator is presented predictably and without risk in Mira Nair's biographical drama — a handsome studio picture that keeps insisting its heroine is a boundary pusher, even as it curls up cozily within the familiar limits of big-budget Hollywood hagiography. no The story of a pioneering, iconoclastic aviator is presented predictably and without risk in Mira Nair's biographical drama — a handsome studio picture that keeps insisting its heroine is a boundary pusher, even as it curls up cozily within the familiar limits of big-budget Hollywood hagiography.

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]]> 'Food Beware': Vive La (Local Food) Revolution! Every food documentary has a message, but despite its title, Jean-Paul Jaud's gentle polemic isn't just a warning of dietary doomsday. Critic Bob Mondello says that if this story about one French village's struggle to go organic is about anything, it's about hope. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113747629&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113747629&ft=1&f=3813466 Every food documentary has a message, but despite its title, Jean-Paul Jaud's gentle polemic isn't just a warning of dietary doomsday. Critic Bob Mondello says that if this story about one French village's struggle to go organic is about anything, it's about hope. no Every food documentary has a message, but despite its title, Jean-Paul Jaud's gentle polemic isn't just a warning of dietary doomsday. Critic Bob Mondello says that if this story about one French village's struggle to go organic is about anything, it's about hope.

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]]> 'Damned' Discord (And Humor) On the Soccer Field It took just 44 days for Brian Clough, the brand-new manager of Britain's top football club, to crash and burn in that job. Based on David Peace's bestselling novel — a fictional interpretation of Clough's real-life tenure with the team — <em>The Damned United</em> scores goals with cynicism and style. <strong><em>(Recommended)</em></strong> Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:03:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113495949&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113495949&ft=1&f=3813466 It took just 44 days for Brian Clough, the brand-new manager of Britain's top football club, to crash and burn in that job. Based on David Peace's bestselling novel — a fictional interpretation of Clough's real-life tenure with the team — <em>The Damned United</em> scores goals with cynicism and style. <strong><em>(Recommended)</em></strong> no It took just 44 days for Brian Clough, the brand-new manager of Britain's top football club, to crash and burn in that job. Based on David Peace's bestselling novel — a fictional interpretation of Clough's real-life tenure with the team — The Damned United scores goals with cynicism and style. (Recommended)

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]]> 'Good Hair': Untangling A Knotty (But Big) Business Spurred by a wistful question from his daughter — "Why don't I have good hair?" — Chris Rock sets out to explore the booming black hair-care industry. The comic doesn't exactly take a fine-toothed comb to the question of why some African-American men and women go to such lengths to keep their 'dos done just so — but he has a good time with the process. Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113429227&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113429227&ft=1&f=3813466 Spurred by a wistful question from his daughter — "Why don't I have good hair?" — Chris Rock sets out to explore the booming black hair-care industry. The comic doesn't exactly take a fine-toothed comb to the question of why some African-American men and women go to such lengths to keep their 'dos done just so — but he has a good time with the process. 226 no Spurred by a wistful question from his daughter — "Why don't I have good hair?" — Chris Rock sets out to explore the booming black hair-care industry. The comic doesn't exactly take a fine-toothed comb to the question of why some African-American men and women go to such lengths to keep their 'dos done just so — but he has a good time with the process.

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]]> Ricky Gervais Discovers The Truth About 'Lying' <em>The Invention of Lying</em> imagines a world where untruths are unknown and art is almost impossible. Until Ricky Gervais discovers both. Although white lies can be a blessing, critic Bob Mondello observes that silence, also, has its virtues. Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:41:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113283399&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113283399&ft=1&f=3813466 <em>The Invention of Lying</em> imagines a world where untruths are unknown and art is almost impossible. Until Ricky Gervais discovers both. Although white lies can be a blessing, critic Bob Mondello observes that silence, also, has its virtues. 235 no The Invention of Lying imagines a world where untruths are unknown and art is almost impossible. Until Ricky Gervais discovers both. Although white lies can be a blessing, critic Bob Mondello observes that silence, also, has its virtues.

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]]> Fashion, A La Mode Again At The Multiplex Hollywood and haute couture have always been a good fit: From the cinematic runways of Stanley Donen's <em>Funny Face</em> to the behind-the-scenes tastemaking of <em>The September Issue</em>, fashion and the business of it have long been favorite topics on film. Bob Mondello charts the trend. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:16:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113171306&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113171306&ft=1&f=3813466 Hollywood and haute couture have always been a good fit: From the cinematic runways of Stanley Donen's <em>Funny Face</em> to the behind-the-scenes tastemaking of <em>The September Issue</em>, fashion and the business of it have long been favorite topics on film. Bob Mondello charts the trend. 342 no Hollywood and haute couture have always been a good fit: From the cinematic runways of Stanley Donen's Funny Face to the behind-the-scenes tastemaking of The September Issue, fashion and the business of it have long been favorite topics on film. Bob Mondello charts the trend.

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]]> 'The Informant!' Lies. What A Surprise! Steven Soderbergh's <em>The Informant!</em> is based on the true story of a corporate executive turned whistle-blower, played by Matt Damon. Critic Bob Mondello says the film is "hardly a disaster" but adds that the exclamation point isn't quite deserved. Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112641028&ft=1&f=3813466 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112641028&ft=1&f=3813466 Steven Soderbergh's <em>The Informant!</em> is based on the true story of a corporate executive turned whistle-blower, played by Matt Damon. Critic Bob Mondello says the film is "hardly a disaster" but adds that the exclamation point isn't quite deserved. 252 no Steven Soderbergh's The Informant! is based on the true story of a corporate executive turned whistle-blower, played by Matt Damon. Critic Bob Mondello says the film is "hardly a disaster" but adds that the exclamation point isn't quite deserved.

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