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'Battle Of The Sexes' Revisits Billie Jean King's Historic Win Against Bobby Riggs

2:18pm September 22, 2017

by John Powers

Emma Stone stars as King in a breezy new film that carries us back to '73, and the heyday of the women's lib movement. Critic John Powers says the message of Battle of the Sexes still resonates today.

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(From left) Timothée Chalamet in Call Me by Your Name; Jason Mitchell in Mudbound; Emma Stone in Battle of the Sexes; and Idris Elba in Molly's Game.

Arts

NPR's Movie Preview: 16 New Films To Watch This Fall

1:59pm September 22, 2017

As summer gives way to fall, blockbusters give way to award contenders. Here are some of the best, buzziest and otherwise noteworthy films coming to theaters.

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Taron Egerton stars in Kingsman: The Golden Circle as Eggsy.

Arts

'Kingsman' Sequel: This Time, A Flat 'Golden Circle'

7:00am September 22, 2017

by Chris Klimek

The new chapter in the spy franchise ramps up the first film's caustic, violent cynicism but leans even harder into the artifice; a reliance on soundstages and CGI dampens the excitement and energy.

Emma Stone stars as the famous professional tennis player and gender equality activist, Billie Jean King, in Battle of the Sexes.

Arts

A Competitor And A Clown Walk Onto A Tennis Court In 'Battle Of The Sexes'

5:00pm September 21, 2017

by Linda Holmes

The new film, starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell as the players facing off in one of the most famous tennis matches in history, shows how easy it is to paint a trailblazer into a corner.

If It's Not Brick, Don't Fix It: Lloyd, voiced by Dave Franco, and his father Garmadon, voiced by Justin Theroux, in The LEGO Ninjago Movie.

Arts

Plastic Less-Than-Fantastic: 'The LEGO Ninjago Movie'

5:00pm September 21, 2017

by Glen Weldon

LEGO films have become their own genre, and despite stellar voice work from Justin Theroux as the evil Lord Garmadon, the genre is — surprisingly — already showing its age.

Amusing, But Not Amused: Judi Dench stars as the Queen of England and the Empress of India in Victoria and Abdul.

Arts

'Victoria And Abdul': Part Satire, Part Love Story, All Charming

5:00pm September 21, 2017

by Ella Taylor

Judi Dench returns to the role of Queen Victoria — this time in her dotage — for Stephen Frears' film about the monarch's eyebrow-raising friendship with a young Indian man (Ali Fazal).

Arts

'Trophy' Reveals The Convoluted Economics Of African Big Game Hunting

4:54pm September 21, 2017

by David Edelstein

Shaul Schwarz's new documentary explores the complex relationship between hunters and conservationist. Critic David Edelstein praises the "tangled sympathies" Trophy elicits.

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Work It, Make It, Do It: In Stronger, Jake Gyllenhaal plays Jeff Bauman, who was injured in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.

Arts

'Stronger' Does The Hard Work To Earn Its Every Inspiring Moment

5:01pm September 20, 2017

by Scott Tobias

Director David Gordon Green's film stands out from others like it because it prizes "understanding Bauman's perspective and the private burdens of being a hero" over simple uplift.

Arts

Self-Aggrandizing, Interminable 'Mother!' Mixes Fantasy And Reality

3:43pm September 15, 2017

by David Edelstein

Writer-director Darren Aronofsky's new film is set in a large country house where a young woman, played by Jennifer Lawrence, finds herself under siege by unwanted guests.

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Review: Ken Burns' 'The Vietnam War'

5:06am September 15, 2017

by Eric Deggans

Filmmaker Ken Burns and collaborators turn their lens to the Vietnam War in a 10-part, 18-hour documentary. It was six years in the making and includes rarely seen footage.