Movie Reviews : NPR

'Heaven Knows What' Adds New Wrinkles To The Street Junkie Narrative

Heaven Knows What stars Arielle Holmes and is based on her experience as a homeless heroin addict in New York City. Courtesy of Radius-TWC hide caption

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Courtesy of Radius-TWC

'Heaven Knows What' Adds New Wrinkles To The Street Junkie Narrative

May 29, 2015 • The film slightly fictionalizes the experience of Arielle Holmes, a young homeless addict whom filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie first encountered in Manhattan's Diamond District.

'Heaven Knows What' Adds New Wrinkles To The Street Junkie Narrative

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Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Tomorrowland,' The Future And The Past

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Film Frame/Disney

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Tomorrowland,' The Future And The Past

May 29, 2015 • On this week's show, we tackle Tomorrowland and consider pop culture looks at both the future and the past. And as always, we chat about what's making us happy this week.

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Movie Review: 'San Andreas'

May 29, 2015 • Earthquakes in California have always interested moviemakers, from San Francisco in 1936 to Earthquake in 1974. Now comes San Andreas, which stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Movie Review: 'San Andreas'

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'Gemma Bovery': Retelling A Classic With A Light Touch

Hervé (Niels Schneider) and Gemma (Gemma Arterton) in Gemma Bovery. Jerome Prebois/Music Box Films hide caption

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Jerome Prebois/Music Box Films

'Gemma Bovery': Retelling A Classic With A Light Touch

May 28, 2015 • Based on a graphic novel, this updating of Madame Bovary almost manages to maintain its feather-light touch in spite of the heavy source material.

Self-Improvement Gets Romantic In 'Results'

May 28, 2015 • The delightful romantic comedy Results, from mumblecore director Andrew Bujalski, has sympathy for the earnest aspirations of its gym-dwelling characters.

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Jasin Boland/Warner Bros.

Rocks Versus The Rock In 'San Andreas'

May 28, 2015 • Gorgeous people flee peril in the dopey disaster flick San Andreas, but perhaps Dwayne Johnson can bring some ... um, gravitas? Maybe?

'Aloha' Brings A Muddled Romance To Hawaii

Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone in Aloha. Neal Preston/Columbia Pictures hide caption

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Neal Preston/Columbia Pictures

'Aloha' Brings A Muddled Romance To Hawaii

May 28, 2015 • Cameron Crowe's Sappy Period continues with this imperfect but compelling film starring Bradley Cooper as a military contractor colliding with old and new loves.

A Critic Takes On Cannes: Highlights (And Lowlights) Of The 2015 Festival

May 27, 2015 • Critic John Powers returns from the French film festival to talk about this year's new international films. Top among his picks is The Assassin, a martial arts film by director Hou Hsiao-Hsien.

A Critic Takes On Cannes: Highlights (And Lowlights) Of The 2015 Festival

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Movies

Hollywood Promises Summer Of Blockbusters, And Could Deliver

May 25, 2015 • NPR's Bob Mondello offers a preview of some of the summer's potential blockbusters, including Jurassic World starring Chris Pratt and several show business documentaries.

Hollywood Promises Summer Of Blockbusters, And Could Deliver

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Just Like Its Theme Park Namesake, 'Tomorrowland' Celebrates Optimism

May 22, 2015 • NPR's Bob Mondello reviews Tomorrowland starring George Clooney and directed by Brad Bird.

Just Like Its Theme Park Namesake, 'Tomorrowland' Celebrates Optimism

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The Future Is Bright In The Time-And-Space Twisting 'Tomorrowland'

Casey (Britt Robertson) experiences a fantastic futuristic world in Tomorrowland. Disney hide caption

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Disney

The Future Is Bright In The Time-And-Space Twisting 'Tomorrowland'

May 22, 2015 • Brad Bird's new sci-fi adventure film features George Clooney, Britt Robertson and an endless sense of possibilities. David Edelstein says the film makes a "near-hysterical case" against pessimism.

The Future Is Bright In The Time-And-Space Twisting 'Tomorrowland'

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In 'The Seeds Of Time,' One Man's Quest To Save Our Food Supply

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Hungry, INC. /Kino Lorber

In 'The Seeds Of Time,' One Man's Quest To Save Our Food Supply

May 21, 2015 • Sandy McLeod's documentary is a portrait of Cary Fowler, an agriculturalist who is building a biological archive to maintain crop diversity.

A Journey Of Self-Discovery In 'When Marnie Was There'

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2014 GNDHDDTK

A Journey Of Self-Discovery In 'When Marnie Was There'

May 21, 2015 • The latest film from the beloved Studio Ghibli weaves a tale of a girl learning to face her past.

'Aloft': A Haunting Family Drama Ripe With Magical Realism

Jennifer Connelly as Nana in Aloft. Jose Haro/Sony Pictures Classics hide caption

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Jose Haro/Sony Pictures Classics

'Aloft': A Haunting Family Drama Ripe With Magical Realism

May 21, 2015 • Claudia Llosa's film features strong performances from Jennifer Connelly and Cillian Murphy and a vivid sense of place.

Tom Hardy as Max Rockatansky and Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa. Jasin Boland/Warner Bros. hide caption

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Jasin Boland/Warner Bros.

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Small Batch: 'Mad Max: Fury Road'

May 21, 2015 • Glen Weldon and Chris Klimek discuss Mad Max: Fury Road, director George Miller's cinematic return to a post-apocalyptic wasteland that boasts a weirdly thriving car culture.

Small Batch: 'Mad Max: Fury Road'

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