Movies

Barkhad Abdi (middle) plays Muse, the leader of a band of Somali pirates who take over a freighter in Captain Phillips.

Arts

A Pirate Saga More Sobering Than Swashbuckling

1:52pm October 11, 2013

by David Edelstein

Tom Hanks stars as the title character in the gripping Captain Phillips, opposite the compelling Somali-born actor Barkhad Abdi as the leader of a pirate band that attacks his freighter in the Gulf of Aden. (Recommended)

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Daniel Radcliffe tells Fresh Air that his parents were initially hesitant about letting him play Harry Potter.

Arts

From Child Actor To Artist: Radcliffe Reflects On Post-Potter Life

12:11pm October 11, 2013

Since wrapping up the last Harry Potter film, Daniel Radcliffe has taken on roles you may not have expected from the former boy wizard. He tells Fresh Air that starting his acting career so young gave him a sense of purpose he wasn't finding in the British school system, and he hasn't looked back since.

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'Captain Phillips' Review And Why Boston's Accent Isn't Easy

11:02am October 11, 2013

Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks, is based on a real-life case of a freighter overtaken by Somali pirates in 2009. You might know the story, but critic Kenneth Turan says this film will exceed your expectations. Plus, Morning Edition investigates what it takes to have a convincing Boston accent.

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Prior to filming, director Paul Greengrass kept the pirate crew and the boat crew separate to make the hijacking scenes feel more authentic. "The hair did stand up on the back of our heads," says Tom Hanks, above.

Arts

Tom Hanks Is 'Captain Phillips' In High-Seas Hostage Drama

3:24pm October 07, 2013

The film tells the true story of Richard Phillips, whose container ship was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. Navy SEAL sharpshooters eventually freed the captain from the small lifeboat where he was held hostage for five days. Tom Hanks stars in the film, which is directed by Paul Greengrass.

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Jeremy Lin fans cheer during a game between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers in March 2012.

Sports

'Linsanity': For Asian Fans, It Felt Just Like 'Young Love'

12:44pm October 05, 2013

by Hansi Lo Wang

The new documentary Linsanity retells the unlikely rise of Jeremy Lin as an Asian-American NBA star. Now playing for the Houston Rockets, Lin generated global buzz and a large Asian-American fanbase last year as a high-scoring point guard for the New York Knicks.

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Many of the special effects in the action-adventure film Gravity were generated by computers — but star Sandra Bullock also had to put in a good deal of work, with choreographed movements simulating weightlessness.

Arts

Sandra Bullock, Boxed In On The Set Of 'Gravity'

5:24pm October 04, 2013

by NPR Staff

For her new film, the actress submitted to a singularly intense shooting regimen to achieve the movie's weightless visuals. She talked with NPR's Melissa Block about the filming process, which kept her alone inside a box for long stretches, listening to strange music and sounds.

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In Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity, Sandra Bullock plays Ryan Stone, an astronaut careening through space after an accident.

Arts

Houston, We Have A Space Flick: A Sentimental Mission In Zero 'Gravity'

2:51pm October 04, 2013

by David Edelstein

Director Alfonso Cuaron puts you in orbit with novice astronaut Sandra Bullock and veteran-on-his-last-mission George Clooney as their space shuttle gets demolished by debris from an exploded Soviet satellite. Critic David Edelstein says that you should watch this movie on the biggest screen you can find.

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Joseph Gordon-Levitt -- in his writing and directing debut -- plays Jon, a porn addict with no interest in relationships until Barbara (Scarlett Johansson) changes things.

Arts

Gordon-Levitt's 'Don Jon' Is An Openhearted Directorial Debut

2:15pm September 27, 2013

by David Edelstein

Joseph Gordon-Levitt also wrote and stars in the film, about a prolific seducer and porn addict who changes his ways when Scarlett Johansson's character enters the picture. Critic David Edelstein says Don Jon is smart, with a subversive touch.

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Disney Experiments With 2-Screen Experience Involves iPads

5:35pm September 24, 2013

by Elizabeth Blair

The Little Mermaid Second Screen Live has opened in select theaters across the country. Children are encouraged to bring their iPad to the theater, and during the movie they become part of the story, play games and compete with the audience.

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Stuart Blumberg has written several films, but Thanks for Sharing is his first directorial effort.

Arts

Stuart Blumberg Really Wants To Talk About Sex

5:28pm September 20, 2013

by NPR Staff

The director, who also co-wrote the 2010 indie hit The Kids Are All Right, joins NPR's Audie Cornish to chat about his film Thanks for Sharing, a romantic comedy that follows three men (and one woman) through stories of sex addiction and recovery.

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