Movies

'Dunkirk' Is A Harrowing War Movie, Muddled By A Convoluted Timeline

2:12pm July 21, 2017

by David Edelstein

A new film dramatizes the '40 Allied retreat from the beaches of France as the Nazis close in. Despite strong action sequences, Dunkirk relies too much on fragmented storytelling and obvious plotting.

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In the 28th century, Agents Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) maintain order in the human territories.

Arts

Besson's Dazzling But Dull 'Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets'

5:00pm July 20, 2017

by Mark Jenkins

French writer-director Luc Besson mounts a hugely imaginative sci-fi spectacle, but builds it around papier-thin characters and dialogue.

Tommy (Fionn Whitehead), a British soldier desperate to escape the beaches of Dunkirk, is safe — for now.

Arts

Wartime Terror And Valor Thread Together In Nolan's Gripping 'Dunkirk'

5:00pm July 20, 2017

by Chris Klimek

Christopher Nolan's taut, suspenseful film tells three interwoven stories of a massive troop evacuation during World War II.

Sisterhood on parade (L to R): Sasha (Queen Latifah), Ryan (Regina Hall), Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Dina (Tiffany Haddish) step out in Girls Night.

Arts

Filthy, Freewheeling 'Girls Trip' Features The Summer's Breakout Performance

5:00pm July 20, 2017

by Scott Tobias

Meanwhile, Back at the Raunch: This tale of four women letting loose in the Big Easy hits familiar beats, but Tiffany Haddish's "incandescently filthy" turn as Dina proves a revelation.

Alejandra (Ruth Ramos) visits a certain cabin in the woods in The Untamed.

Arts

'The Untamed': A Tale of Sexual Repression And Violence With Sci-Fi Trappings

5:00pm July 20, 2017

by Andrew Lapin

Don't focus on the space-squid: In Mexican director Amat Escalante's harrowing film, it's only a device to expose and explore the rifts in his characters' relationships.

Arts

Fresh Air Remembers Oscar Award-Winning Actor Martin Landau

1:58pm July 20, 2017

Landau, who died Saturday, appeared in the films Crimes and Misdemeanors and Ed Wood, as well as in the 1960s TV series Mission Impossible. Originally broadcast in 1990.

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Fionn Whitehead plays Tommy, a British soldier awaiting evacuation, in Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk.

'Dunkirk' Director Christopher Nolan: 'We Really Try To Put You On That Beach'

5:03am July 20, 2017

by David Greene

Nolan's latest film marks the first time he has tackled a true story: the heroic evacuation of British troops by civilians in small boats at the beginning of World War II.

Arts

Step Inside A Movie Projection Booth To See What's Changed Since Film

4:28pm July 18, 2017

by Bob Mondello

Before digital projectors in movie theaters, projectionists had to quickly move from one film reel to the next. NPR takes a look at what's changed since the days of film as part of our series, "Backstage Pass."

Arts

'Film' And 'Notfilm' Showcase The Collaboration Of Buster Keaton And Samuel Beckett

2:27pm July 18, 2017

by Lloyd Schwartz

Beckett wrote the screenplay for only one film, a 1965 silent short starring Keaton. Film has recently been re-released, along with a documentary called Notfilm. Critic Lloyd Schwartz has a review.

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Kermit The Frog Actor Fired Over 'Unacceptable Business Conduct'

10:24am July 18, 2017

by Doreen McCallister

Steve Whitmire had been the voice of Kermit the Frog for 27 years when he was fired in October by Disney executives. Whitmire is speaking out now on why he was let go.