Movies

Gal Gadot plays the titular superhero in Wonder Woman, which just broke the opening-weekend domestic box office record for a film directed by a woman.

Arts

'Wonder Woman' Smashes Domestic Box Office Record For Female Directors

3:05pm June 05, 2017

by Camila Domonoske

As the first woman to direct a big-budget superhero movie, Patty Jenkins says she felt extra pressure to succeed. Her movie grossed more than $100 million in its opening weekend.

Actor Alan Alda poses for a portrait during the International Film Festival in Toronto.

Alan Alda's Experiment: Helping Scientists Learn To Talk To The Rest Of Us

8:11am June 04, 2017

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

The actor's new book, If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?, is all about communication — and miscommunication — between doctors, scientists and civilians.

Superhero movies are everywhere, but superhero music is in decline. Who will help us? Who?

Music & Culture

Can 'Wonder Woman' Offer A Superhero Soundtrack That Sticks?

6:27pm June 03, 2017

by Chris Klimek

As Wonder Woman makes her triumphant big-screen debut this weekend, she brings something that's been missing from years of superhero films: a memorable cue.

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Arts

Wonder Woman Shows Girls That Men Aren't The Only Superheros Who Rescue People

6:27pm June 03, 2017

The original Wonder Woman film takes place during WWI, but Jill Lepore, author of The Secret History of Wonder Woman, says the Princess of the Amazons has also been fighting a "war" off-screen.

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Sonata Director Aparna Sen is a veteran of the small, artistic cinema. She says while mainstream films often "commodify" women, "the good news is that many different films are now being made about women" and by women who are starting their own productio

Feminist Films Push Boundaries In India

6:26pm June 03, 2017

by Julie McCarthy

Bollywood tends to portray women as sex objects or subservient sidekicks to male leads. But a few female directors of independent films have begun depicting women with complex or unconventional lives.

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Arts

'When Time Was New': 'Wonder Woman' Brings Sunlight To The DC Universe

4:55pm June 02, 2017

Wonder Woman is the first superhero film to be headed by a woman both in front of and behind the camera. Star Gal Gadot and director Patty Jenkins worked together to make Diana Prince relatable.

Totoro and the Catbus, the forest king's preferred mode of transportation, on display at a London comics convention in 2016.

Beloved Hayao Miyazaki Film Set To Get A Theme Park Of Its Own

3:53pm June 02, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

My Neighbor Totoro has inspired a cult international following since its 1988 release. Now, Miyazaki's anime has inspired plans for a theme park, too — set to open in Japan in 2020.

Arts

Gal Gadot Shines As 'Wonder Woman,' Despite The Film's By-The-Numbers Plot

1:56pm June 02, 2017

by David Edelstein

DC Comics' new Wonder Woman adaptation centers on a trained warrior who hates war. Critic David Edelstein says the heroine is the best part of the film's "tacky superhero universe."

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Mayor of Austin, Texas, Steve Adler responded to a shrill letter writer on his website today. Above, Adler during the 2017 SXSW Conference in March.

National

Austin Mayor Responds To Man Angry About 'Wonder Woman' Screening

6:17pm June 01, 2017

by Laurel Wamsley

"I hope every man will boycott Austin," the man wrote. The mayor's response? "Your email account has been hacked. ... this person's uninformed and sexist rantings give you a bad name."

A Wonder Woman display at Comic-Con International 2016 shows the evolution of her incredible shrinking costume.

Remember That Time When Wonder Woman Was A U.N. Ambassador?

5:33pm June 01, 2017

by Nurith Aizenman

It wasn't that long ago. Just last fall. Nearly 45,000 people signed a petition in protest. Then again, the Amazon warrior has always been a controversial figure.