Arts & Life 'Knocked Up' May 31, 2007 • A rising-star TV reporter has a one-night stand with a guy who won't grow up; Judd Apatow's comedy is a kind of Peter-and-Wendy-get- preggers story for the 21st century.
Arts & Life 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' May 24, 2007 • Haven't had your swash sufficiently buckled? Cap'n Jack's back, and there's three hours' worth of him this time. But Pirates isn't light and clever anymore; it's bigger, noisier, and all about effects.
Arts & Life Pirates' 'End': More Depp, More Noise, Less Jolly May 24, 2007 • Haven't had your swash sufficiently buckled? Cap'n Jack's back — three hours' worth of him this time. But Pirates isn't light and clever anymore; it's bigger, noisier and all about effects. Pirates' 'End': More Depp, More Noise, Less Jolly Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/10378968/10380510" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript
Pirates' 'End': More Depp, More Noise, Less Jolly Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/10378968/10380510" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript
Arts & Life 'Golden Door' May 24, 2007 • Director Emanuele Crialese is a neorealist with a touch of magical realism to him; he takes his cues from the great art films of the '60s, and this gorgeous coming-to-America picture offers up a feast of imagery to match the almost boundless optimism of its characters. (Recommended)
Arts & Life 'Bug' Out: Friedkin's Latest Scratches Thriller Itch Fresh Air May 23, 2007 • Bug, the new psychological thriller from Exorcist director William Friedkin, got its start as a paranoia-driven stage play by actor-writer Tracy Letts. The film version features Ashley Judd as well as Michael Shannon, who starred in the Off-Broadway production. 'Bug' Out: Friedkin's Latest Scratches Thriller Itch Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/10347272/10347275" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
'Bug' Out: Friedkin's Latest Scratches Thriller Itch Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/10347272/10347275" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Arts & Life 'Shrek the Third': Crack Comedy, and Plenty of Gas Fresh Air May 18, 2007 • Shrek the Third isn't a great hand-hold movie (action for the kiddies, pop-culture cleverness for the folks), but it's a flat-out triumph of comedy writing, and its slob-happy world view still has appeal. 'Shrek the Third': Crack Comedy, and Plenty of Gas Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/10266180/10266181" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
'Shrek the Third': Crack Comedy, and Plenty of Gas Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/10266180/10266181" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Arts & Life 'Once' With Feeling: Small Musical Has a Big Heart May 18, 2007 • John Carney's unpretentious musical romance is completely winning — with appealing characters, an unforced sense of intimacy and a light-fingered way of mixing music and story. 'Once' With Feeling: Small Musical Has a Big Heart Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/10243088/10243589" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript
'Once' With Feeling: Small Musical Has a Big Heart Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/10243088/10243589" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript
Arts & Life 'Shrek the Third' May 17, 2007 • The jolly green ogre goes searching for a new king to rule the kingdom of Far Far Away — but he's been so domesticated that he's not much of an ogre anymore.
Arts & Life 'Once' May 17, 2007 • So this is how you make a low-budget musical these days! John Carney's unassuming romance seems almost a found object — sweet and unassumingly authentic. (Recommended)
Arts & Life 'The Wendell Baker Story' May 17, 2007 • An episodic loser-makes-good comedy from the brothers Wilson (Luke, Owen, and Andrew) that can't decide whether it wants to be a romance, a con-man flick, or a feisty-old-coots comedy. The parts are funnier than the whole.
Arts & Life Behind the Music: Rap, Broadway, Life and Art May 14, 2007 • Two documentaries — one about big-budget Broadway musicals and one about a Brooklyn program aimed at high-school rappers — make it clear that art isn't easy. Behind the Music: Rap, Broadway, Life and Art Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/10142894/10170385" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript
Behind the Music: Rap, Broadway, Life and Art Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/10142894/10170385" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript
Arts & Life '28 Weeks Later' May 11, 2007 • An unnecessary if jump-inducing sequel to Danny Boyle's neo-zombie frightfest 28 Days Later; new director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo keeps the first film's panicky, low-budget aesthetic intact.
Arts & Life 'ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway' May 9, 2007 • Show business can be cutthroat, as this Broadway documentary proves. It follows four musicals (Wicked, Avenue Q, Taboo, and Caroline, Or Change) as they head for the Rialto — dodging mishaps, rewrites and critics at every turn.
Arts & Life 'The Hip-Hop Project' May 9, 2007 • Rapper Chris "Kharma Kazi" Rolle proves an intriguingly troubled mentor for aspiring rappers in this surprisingly affecting documentary.
Arts & Life 'Away From Her': Into Blankness, Beautifully May 5, 2007 • Sarah Polley's debut film is a generous, deceptively simple portrait, simply brought to life: Gordon Pinsent's Grant is gruff and bearish, Julie Christie's Fiona gorgeous and exquisitely blank. 'Away From Her': Into Blankness, Beautifully Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/9924935/10016306" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript
'Away From Her': Into Blankness, Beautifully Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/9924935/10016306" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript