Movies

Joaquin Phoenix plays a radio journalist in the new film 'C'mon C'mon'

5:45am November 18, 2021

by Mandalit del Barco

Mike Mills wrote and directed the new film C'mon C'mon, inspired by his relationship with his own child. Mills says his work is about memory and capturing the essence of the people he loves.

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Sports

'King Richard' tells how a father raised his tennis icon daughters, Venus and Serena

5:11pm November 17, 2021

by Elizabeth Blair

King Richard tells how Richard Williams doggedly pursued professional tennis careers for his daughters, Venus and Serena. His methods may have kept them from the burnout that ends many careers.

Arts

'Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time' remains faithful to the author's spirit

1:25pm November 17, 2021

by David Bianculli

A new documentary bounces randomly, rather than chronologically, through Vonnegut's life, with music, editing, photography and sequencing that are fully in line with what, and how, Vonnegut wrote.

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The Navajo Nation Museum premiered a Navajo-dubbed version of Clint Eastwood's 1964 classic, A Fistful of Dollars this week.

Arts

Dubbing 'A Fistful of Dollars' to spread the Navajo language

8:28am November 17, 2021

by Vanessa Romo

The Navajo Nation Museum is bringing a newly voiced version of the classic spaghetti Western to the Navajo Nation.

'Star Wars' collector moves to Texas and takes his Vader Vault with him

5:50am November 17, 2021

Bill McBride's Vader Vault now includes about 70,000 pieces of Darth Vader memorabilia. Toys, paintings, helmets — and all sorts of other items — collected over the past 30 years.

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A young Daniel Radcliffe stars as Harry Potter in "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone," which premiered in 2001.

Arts

Yer a relic, Harry: The first Harry Potter movie premiered exactly 20 years ago

12:38pm November 16, 2021

by Rachel Treisman

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" premiered on Nov. 16, 2001. To celebrate, we're dusting off our Pensieve and revisiting NPR's coverage from 20 years ago.

Rachel Brosnahan has received raves for her performance in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but comedian Sarah Silverman says it's part of a trend of non-Jews playing emphatically Jewish characters.

A new question for an old religion: Should non-Jews play Jewish characters on-screen?

7:53am November 16, 2021

by Neda Ulaby

A new Apple TV+ show, The Shrink Next Door, seems to reflect a trend of non-Jewish actors playing emphatically Jewish characters, which recently caught the ire of comedian Sarah Silverman.

The family (CaitrÃÂona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench, Jude Hill and Lewis McAskie) goes to the movies in Belfast.

Arts

Kenneth Branagh's autobiographical 'Belfast' never quite finds its point of view

1:25pm November 15, 2021

by Justin Chang

In a rare dive into personal territory, Branagh details growing up amid the Troubles in Northern Ireland. But despite some lovely moments, Belfast feels guarded in its telling.

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Arts

Andrew Garfield is 'RENT' writer Jonathan Larson in new movie 'Tick, Tick... BOOM!'

11:14am November 13, 2021

Scott Simon speaks with Andrew Garfield, star of the new movie "Tick, Tick... BOOM!" from the musical by Jonathan Larson.

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William Jackson Harper and Jessica Williams in Love Life.

Books
Arts

What's Making Us Happy: A Guide For Your Weekend Watching, Listening And Reading

2:00pm November 12, 2021

Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: the show Love Life, the podcast The Shrink Next Door and more.