Movies

Arts

2 smart, entertaining films revisit the horror of Pinochet's 1973 coup in Chile

1:56pm September 11, 2023

by John Powers

Fifty years ago, the U.S. government backed a coup that ousted Chile's democratically elected socialist president. Rotting in the Sun and El Conde offer subversive glimpses into the coup's legacy.

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Arts

'Invisible Beauty' explores Bethann Hardison's role as a fashion trailblazer

1:56pm September 11, 2023

by Tonya Mosley

Hardison, who started modeling in the late '60s, describes herself the first "Black, Black" model. She went on to own her own modeling agency. A new documentary tells her story.

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This 1:24 scale miniature was used to film pivotal scenes from the first Star Wars film. It's now at the center of a auction of items collected over decades by Greg Jein, a master model-builder for film and TV.

'Star Wars' Red Leader X-wing model heads a cargo bay's worth of props at auction

1:51pm September 11, 2023

by Bill Chappell

More than 550 items from the late Greg Jein are heading to auction, from Nichelle Nichols' iconic knee-high boots and red tunic as Lt. Uhura to a hairpiece for William Shatner's Captain Kirk.

John Chiti is a Zambian musician and police commissioner. He also has albinism, a pigmentation condition that has shaped his life. His story inspired the film "Can You See Us?" — now streaming on Netflix.

Health & Safety

He's a singer, a cop and the inspiration for a Netflix film about albinism in Africa

8:59am September 10, 2023

by Ari Daniel

"Can You See Us?" is the story of a boy growing up with albinism in Zambia. His father spurns him, his peers attack him. It's based on the life of John Chiti, who spoke to NPR about his experiences.

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Encore: Strikes kick Hollywood side hustles into high gear

6:09pm September 09, 2023

by Mandalit del Barco

As the Hollywood strike stretches on, we check in with strikers about what they're doing to make ends meet.

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Godzilla is coming back! Here's how the monster became a symbol for real life crises

5:27pm September 09, 2023

NPR's Nathan Rott speaks with William Tsutsui about Godzilla Minus One, the latest entry into one of the most iconic movie monster franchises.

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World News

Amid a crumbling Indian media landscape, journalist Ravish Kumar remains resolute

5:17pm September 08, 2023

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with filmmaker Vinay Shukla and journalist Ravish Kumar about the new documentary While We Watched.

Blair Penner, left, Chloe Bennet and Anthony Konechny in Married by Mistake.

Arts

What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing and listening

5:01pm September 08, 2023

Each week, Pop Culture Happy Hour guests and hosts share what's bringing them joy. This week: the Made in Heaven series, the movies Married by Mistake and Gran Turismo and the 50 MPH podcast.

Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, is the top grossing movie of 2023, generating more than $1.3 billion at the international box office so far.

'Barbie' music producer Mark Ronson opens up about the film's 'bespoke' sound

4:18pm September 07, 2023

by Tonya Mosley

Ronson spent a year creating Barbie's music, with the help of artists like Nicki Minaj, Sam Smith and Billie Eilish. "Everyone ran with it and did something different," he says.

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SAG-AFTRA leader Fran Drescher has some choice words for Hollywood studio heads.

'You could be the hero': Fran Drescher tells NPR how the Hollywood strikes can end

10:10am September 07, 2023

Fran Drescher, president of the actors' union SAG-AFTRA, says the Hollywood strikes are at an inflection point.

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