Movies

Nolan's thriller 'Oppenheimer' is a monument to science and the arrogance of genius

4:38pm July 20, 2023

by Bob Mondello

Christopher Nolan's historical thriller Oppenheimer — based on American Prometheus, the biography of theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer — chronicles the creation of the atomic bomb.

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Christian thriller 'Sound of Freedom' faces criticism for stoking conspiracy theories

4:25pm July 20, 2023

by Shannon Bond

Sound of Freedom is a surprise box office hit. But the Christian thriller is also fueling controversy over conspiracy theories and its depiction of human trafficking.

Netflix shows steady growth amid writers and actors strikes

8:30pm July 19, 2023

by Chloe Veltman

The streamer said it added 5.9 million customers during the second quarter. Its share price has almost doubled over the past year.

The story behind the real 'Dial of Destiny' featured in the new Indiana Jones film

4:42pm July 19, 2023

Honorary professor at University College, London, Tony Freeth talks about his studies on the Antikythera Mechanism, which was just featured in the film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Based on one of America's most emblematic pieces of intellectual property, Greta Gerwig's Barbie starring Margot Robbie, above, was never going to be just a movie, because Barbie was never just a doll.

Arts

Is 'Barbie' corporate propaganda or Malibu Metacommentary™? Why not both!

1:31pm July 19, 2023

by Aisha Harris

Based on one of America's most emblematic pieces of intellectual property, Greta Gerwig's Barbie was never going to be just a movie, because Barbie was never just a doll.

Mira Sorvino and Tim Ballard attend the premiere of Sound of Freedom on June 28 in Vineyard, Utah. Ballard is a former federal agent who went on to found the controversial anti-human trafficking organization depicted in the film.

QAnon supporters are promoting 'Sound of Freedom.' Here's why

9:37am July 19, 2023

by Shannon Bond

The movie is being criticized as a vehicle for conspiracy theories and misleading depictions of human trafficking — landing it in the middle of the country's politically polarized culture wars.

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Dogs trained for movie roles get ready to march in a SAG picket line around Disney Studios in Los Angeles on Aug. 21, 1980.

3 lessons past Hollywood strikes can teach us about the current moment

5:04am July 19, 2023

by Rachel Treisman

Hollywood actors and screenwriters are on strike simultaneously for the first time since 1960. When — and how — might things resolve this time? Experts tell NPR what recent history can teach us.

Jane Birkin, British actress, singer and French icon, dies at 76

4:53pm July 16, 2023

by Emma Bowman

The London-born star, whose British accent and natural style charmed her adopted country of France, died on Sunday. Her fame rivals the Hermès luxury handbags named after her.

Below the Belt is a documentary about endometriosis.

Health & Safety

Endometriosis, a painful and often overlooked disease, gets attention in a new film

11:54am July 16, 2023

by Andrea Muraskin

'Below the Belt' highlights patients' stories and the push for new research dollars for this poorly understood disease. Here are 7 surprising facts from the film.

Tom Cruise returns again (and again, and again, and again) as Ethan Hunt in the latest Mission: Impossible film — Dead Reckoning Part One.

Arts

Cruise control: An homage to the relentless reliability of 'Mission: Impossible'

7:01am July 16, 2023

by Linda Holmes

The Mission: Impossible franchise runs on its ability to meet expectations. Not just any expectations — high expectations. And through all seven films, it has remained remarkably stable at its core.