Movies

Silent-film icon Charlie Chaplin, in character as the Little Tramp, takes aim with his walking stick circa 1925.

Arts

A Century Ago Today, Chaplin Made His Film Debut — In A Dud

6:42pm February 02, 2014

by Bob Mondello

The silent-film comic was a flop in the 13-minute Making a Living. But only a few days later, he'd introduce his iconic Little Tramp character — and take the first step toward immortality.

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Arts

Comedian's Career Is Central To 'Quality Balls'

12:00am February 02, 2014

Legendary comedian David Steinberg is the subject of a new Showtime documentary called Quality Balls. NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Steinberg, whose controversial routine was responsible for the cancellation of the Smothers Brothers' TV show in the 1960s.

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World News

'Return To Homs' Follows Cycle Of Syrian Demonstrations

7:58am January 31, 2014

A new documentary about the war in Syria follows the transformation of peaceful demonstrators into insurgents. Steve Inskeep talks to Orwa Nyrabia, the producer of the film, about the toll of the Syrian civil war on the besieged city of Homs.

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The Roxie Theater in San Francisco still has two 35 millimeter projectors, but the switch to digital is inevitable.

Arts

Small Cinemas Struggle As Film Fades Out Of The Picture

8:00pm January 30, 2014

by Laura Sydell

Paramount became the first big studio to distribute a major film in the U.S. only in digital, and others will probably follow. Small cinemas are struggling to raise money for the transition. Despite resistance from some major directors, the end of film is almost upon us.

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Arts

Middle-Aged And Divorced, 'Gloria' Takes On Life's Uncertainties

4:23pm January 24, 2014

by David Edelstein

Gloria is a new film from Chile that centers on a late-middle-aged divorced woman whose life is full of ambiguity. She's played by Paulina Garcia, who won the top acting prize — the Silver Bear — at the 2013 Berlin Film Festival, where the movie was a surprise hit. It opens this week in New York and Los Angeles, and wider next month.

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Arts

How Breakthrough 'Captain Phillips' Actor Connected To The Role

6:43pm January 19, 2014

This past week, Somali-born actor Barkhad Abdi received an Academy Award nomination for his role opposite Tom Hanks in the film Captain Phillips. The part was his first acting role. Abdi plays a Somali pirate who leads the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama. He spoke with NPR's Arun Rath in October about learning to relate to his character. (This story originally aired on All Things Considered on Oct. 20, 2013.)

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Chris Pine and Keira Knightley anchor Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, opposite Kevin Costner as a CIA veteran and Kenneth Branagh as the story's big bad.

Arts

Jack Ryan Gets A Makeover, And A Quick Trip To Moscow

3:05pm January 17, 2014

by David Edelstein

Tom Clancy's wonkish spy returns in a new thriller from Kenneth Branagh, with Star Trek's Chris Pine in the title role and the director playing a menacing Russian bad guy out to bring the U.S. to its knees.

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Arts

Snubs And Surprises Abound In Oscar Nominations

1:49pm January 17, 2014

by NPR Staff

Oscar nominations were announced on Thursday morning, and some notable names went missing. But, as NPR film critic Bob Mondello observes, in such a strong year for movies and performances, there were bound to be a few deserving ones that got snubbed.

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Arts

Oscar Nods Go To 'American Hustle,' 'Gravity,' '12 Years A Slave'

3:07pm January 16, 2014

Nominations for the 86th annual Academy Awards were announced Thursday. American Hustle and Gravity got 10 nominations each, including nods for best picture, best director and best actress.

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Chiwetel Ejiofor (left) plays Solomon Northup, a New York freeman kidnapped into slavery in 1841 and eventually resold to plantation owner Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender).

Arts

For A Free Spirit, A Grim '12 Years' In Chains

12:39pm January 16, 2014

by Bob Mondello

A brutal corrective to gauzy portrayals of the antebellum South, this true story of a man kidnapped into slavery took home the top audience prize at the Toronto Film Festival. NPR's Bob Mondello says it emphatically deserved the honor. (Recommended)

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