Movie Reviews

Greta Gerwig, May Nivola, Adam Driver, Samuel Nivola and Raffey Cassidy appear in Noah Baumbach's White Noise.

Arts

Noah Baumbach's 'White Noise' adaptation is brave, even if not entirely successful

1:24pm January 06, 2023

by John Powers

The 1985 novel has been described as "unfilmable." Baumbach wasn't deterred — and though the movie brims with terrific moments, his White Noise doesn't hold together as well as Don DeLillo's.

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Bill Nighy plays a bottled-up bureaucrat who embarks on a quest for meaning in Living.

Arts

Sleekly sentimental, 'Living' plays like an 'Afterschool Special' for grownups

2:09pm January 03, 2023

by John Powers

Bill Nighy plays a bottled-up bureaucrat on a quest for meaning in Kazuo Ishiguro's adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's 1952 film Ikiru. The first film felt inventive and urgent — Living doesn't live up.

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All appears idyllic in 'Women Talking,' except for what none of the women has said — until now

5:28pm December 25, 2022

by Bob Mondello

Director Sarah Polley's adaptation of the novel by Miriam Toews is about women in an isolated religious colony who break the silence about abuse at the hands of the colony's men.

Movie Review: 'Living' and 'A Man Called Otto'

4:10pm December 23, 2022

by Bob Mondello

Two new films about men who find flexibility late in life, "Living" and "A Man Called Otto," are remakes of acclaimed foreign films: Director Akira Kurosawa's "Ikuru" and Sweden's "A Man Called Ove."

Movie Review: 'Babylon'

4:05pm December 22, 2022

by Bob Mondello

Director Damien Chazelle's "Babylon" is a comically over-the-top look at scandal-ridden 1920s Hollywood. It's a celebration of an art form in turmoil as silent films give way to talkies.

Critic Justin Chang's picks for the best movies of 2022 include (clockwise, from top left): The Eternal Daughter, Crimes of the Future, EO, Tár, Decision to Leave and No Bears.

Arts

Justin Chang pairs the 10 best movies of 2022, and picks 'No Bears' as his favorite

1:32pm December 22, 2022

by Justin Chang

Fresh Air's film critic says it was a terrific year for movies but also a dispiriting one. Blockbusters brought audiences back to theaters, but romantic comedies and grown-up dramas often struggled.

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Clockwise from top left: The Banshees of Inisherin, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Only Murders in the Building, Nope, This Is Going to Hurt and The Dropout

Arts

The best movies and TV of 2022, picked for you by NPR critics

7:00am December 20, 2022

Whether you plan to head out to the theater, or binge from the couch, our critics have gathered together their favorite films and TV shows of the year. Happy watching!

Arts

A critic revisits his list of the TV and movies he wished he covered in 2022

1:27pm December 19, 2022

by John Powers

Every year, John Powers looks back on the great features he never got around to talking about. This year's list includes White Lotus, The Menu, Nanny and Dark Winds — plus one vodka commercial.

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Arts

Take the plunge: Avatar's underwater scenes are immersive and extraordinary

2:05pm December 16, 2022

by Justin Chang

Avatar: The Way of Water may not be one of the best movies of the year, but it is one of the best movie-going experiences of the year. (Think: Jacques Cousteau on shrooms.)

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Movie Review: 'Avatar: The Way of Water'

4:19pm December 15, 2022

by Bob Mondello

Filmmaker James Cameron's sequel to the biggest worldwide box office hit of all time, "Avatar: The Way of Water," has been in the works for more than a decade.

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