'Obit' Documentary Follows Journalists Who Tell Lively Stories Of Death
NPR movie critic Bob Mondello reviews Obit, a documentary about obituary writing at The New York Times.
Movie Reviews
Film Adaptation Of 'The Circle' Is Part Satire, Part Moralistic Melodrama
Emma Watson and Tom Hanks star in the remake of Dave Eggers' novel about a giant social media company. Critic David Edelstein says he found much of the acting overheated and the ending confusing.
An Israeli Couple Haltingly Navigate Grief Over 'One Week And A Day'
They've lost their son. The shiva is over. Now, Eyal (Shai Avivi) and Vicky (Jenya Dodina) "veer off on separate tracks of crazed non-coping" says critic Ella Taylor.
'BANG! The Bert Berns Story': The Complicated Man Behind 'Twist And Shout'
A new documentary examines the short life — and shady business practices — of the songwriter/producer behind hits like "Tell Him," "Here Comes the Night" and "Hang On Sloopy."
A Behind-The-Scenes Couple Get Star Treatment In 'Harold And Lillian'
A new documentary charts the long and loving marriage of a production designer and a film researcher; critic Scott Tobias calls it "sublime and inspiring."
The Journalists Who Wring Life Out Of Death: 'Obit'
Critic Andrew Lapin says this documentary about the New York Times' Obituaries desk is "a touching inquiry on the nature of public legacy amid the ceaseless march of time."
5 Films Look At The Los Angeles Riots From (Almost) Every Angle
The documentaries attempt to complete the picture of what transpired in LA in 1992 after Rodney King was beaten by police, showing how the riots affected a wide swath of Angelenos.
City Planning As A Contact Sport In 'Citizen Jane: Battle For The City'
Citizen Jane: Battle for the City is a documentary about Jane Jacobs, whose 1961 book The Death and Life of Great American Cities changed urban planning.
'Quiet Passion' Captures The Wit And Vulnerability Of Poet Emily Dickinson
British filmmaker Terence Davies turns his attention to the gifted New England poet in his new movie. Critic Justin Chang calls the film a "sharp, sensitive portrait" of a woman ahead of her time.
A Gleefully Grisly 85-Minute Gunfight: 'Free Fire'
This "agreeably amoral comic thriller" about a weapons deal gone wrong might be, according to critic Chris Klimek, "the most realistic movie gun battle ever."