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Movies: Movie Reviews and Commentary on New and Classic Films NPR Movies podcast, movie reviews, and commentary on new and classic films. Interviews with filmmakers, actors, and actresses.

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Tyrese Gibson

Tyrese Gibson in 1992 Courtesy of Lionsgate hide caption

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Courtesy of Lionsgate

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

Tyrese Gibson

Tyrese Gibson is a renaissance man. He's a Grammy-nominated singer, blockbuster actor, an accomplished author, and model. His latest project is a crime drama–1992. It's set in Los Angeles, the day four police officers charged with beating Rodney King were acquitted. We talk about the film and the commercial that jump started his career. Plus, Tyrese presses pause mid-interview to take an important call from a rap legend.

Tyrese Gibson

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Movie Interviews

Celebrating movie icons: Spike Lee

Lee's first film, 1986's She’s Gotta Have It, helped make him a central figure in independent and Black cinema. In 2017, he talked about adapting that film into a 10-part Netflix series.

Celebrating Movie Icons: Spike Lee

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'American Pie', and the bygone era of raunchy teen comedies

Jim (Jason Biggs) Is Caught In An Embarrassing Moment By His Mom (Molly Cheek) And Dad (Eugene Levy) In "American Pie." (Photo By Getty Images) Getty Images/Getty Images hide caption

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'American Pie', and the bygone era of raunchy teen comedies

Raunchy sex comedies had a moment at the end of the 20th century. And perhaps the king of them all, was American Pie. Even people who have never seen the movie probably know the most memorable scene has something to do with a sex-obsessed teenage boy doing something unseemly with a homemade apple pie.

'American Pie', and the bygone era of raunchy teen comedies

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'Afraid': A not-OK computer

John Cho in Afraid. Glen Wilson/Sony Pictures hide caption

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Glen Wilson/Sony Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Afraid': A not-OK computer

The new movie Afraid is latest in the well-established genre of "the computer is alive" stories. John Cho plays a dad who has a chance to try out a very advanced AI system at his home — and it does a lot more than talk back.

'Afraid': A not-OK computer

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Movie Interviews

Celebrating movie icons: Western stunt double Hal Needham

Needham, who died in 2013, worked as a Hollywood stuntman for over 40 years. In this 2011 interview, he detailed some of his most death-defying feats — and why he disliked modern special effects.

Celebrating movie icons: Western stunt double Hal Needham

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'The Crow' puts the ick in gothic

Bill Skarsgård in The Crow. Larry Horricks/Lionsgate hide caption

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Larry Horricks/Lionsgate

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'The Crow' puts the ick in gothic

In the new film The Crow, Bill Skarsgård plays a man who gets brutally murdered alongside his soulmate (FKA twigs). He returns to life as an unstoppable figure of vengeance, hunting down their killers. It's not a remake of the 1994 cult classic; the filmmakers are pitching it as a brand new reimagining of the comic book series that inspired the original film. But how does this new movie stack up?

'The Crow' puts the ick in gothic

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Movie Interviews

Celebrating movie icons: Meryl Streep

In 2012, the Oscar-winning actor talked about shifting accents for various roles, including her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady: "It's work, but it's not a struggle; it's fun."

Celebrating movie icons: Meryl Streep

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This photo shows two actresses from the movie

Critics have said the promotional materials for the film It Ends With Us glamorize domestic violence. Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

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The movie 'It Ends With Us' faces criticism for glamorizing domestic abuse

Critics say the film, an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel of the same title, paints a love story — not a picture of domestic abuse as portrayed in the original work.

The movie 'It Ends With Us' faces criticism for glamorizing domestic abuse

Movie Interviews

Celebrating movie icons: Molly Ringwald

Ringwald represented teen angst in '80s films like Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club. She's also worked as a jazz musician, an author and a translator. Originally broadcast Feb. 12, 2024.

Celebrating movie icons: Molly Ringwald

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When celebrities portray themselves

Martin Short and Zach Galifianakis in the fourth season of Only Murders in the Building. Eric McCandless/Hulu/Disney hide caption

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

When celebrities portray themselves

It's practically a tradition for famous people to portray a really offbeat version of themselves in TV and movies. The latest season of Only Murders in the Building features Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis, and Eva Longoria all playing fictional versions of themselves. So we thought it would be the perfect time to talk about about the many ways actors portray themselves on screen, and why it does and doesn't work.

When celebrities portray themselves

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José Coronado as Julio Arenas in Close Your Eyes.

José Coronado plays film star Julio Arenas in Close Your Eyes. Film Movement hide caption

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Film Movement

Review

Movie Reviews

Quietly transcendent 'Close Your Eyes' may be among the best films you see all year

Over the past 50 years or so, Spanish filmmaker Víctor Erice has directed just four features. His latest, about a filmmaker who revisits a past project, has the pull of a well-crafted detective story.

Quietly transcendent 'Close Your Eyes' may be among the best films you see all year

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Zoë Kravitz's 'Blink Twice' is a very weird and ambitious big swing

Channing Tatum stars as Slater King in Blink Twice. Zachary Greenwood/Amazon MGM Studios hide caption

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Zachary Greenwood/Amazon MGM Studios

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

Zoë Kravitz's 'Blink Twice' is a very weird and ambitious big swing

In the new psychological thriller Blink Twice, Naomi Ackie plays a woman who is invited to the private island of a tech billionaire, played by Channing Tatum. He's recently re-entered public life after a scandal and has gathered his friends for a long party. But as the party stretches on, it's clear that something is seriously amiss. Blink Twice is the directorial debut of Zoë Kravitz, and the vibes are definitely pretty weird.

Zoë Kravitz's 'Blink Twice' is a very weird and ambitious big swing

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"The Squad" loses two members; plus, Colman Domingo shines in 'SING SING'

U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., and U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo. Michael B. Thomas/Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images hide caption

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It's Been a Minute

"The Squad" loses two members; plus, Colman Domingo shines in 'SING SING'

As the dust settles on the DNC, host Brittany Luse takes a look at the challenges facing a group of progressive democrats commonly known as "The Squad." Incumbent Reps. Cori Bush in Missouri and Jamaal Bowman in New York lost their seats this summer to candidates whose campaigns received funding from pro-Israel PACs. Brittany is joined by POLITICO Congress reporter Sarah Ferris and Capital B News national politics reporter Brandon Tensley to understand how these PACs are impacting progressives in Congress.

"The Squad" loses two members; plus, Colman Domingo shines in 'SING SING'

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Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood is on borrowed time. A film is documenting it all

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Music Box Films

National

Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood is on borrowed time. A film is documenting it all

Mountains, the first feature by filmmaker Monica Sorelle, focuses on a Haitian American family struggling to get ahead in a South Florida neighborhood targeted by developers.

Endangered Little Haiti

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John Cena

Noel (John Cena) and Katie (Awkwafina) in JACKPOT! Daniel McFadden/IMAGE COURTESY OF AMAZON MGM STUDIOS hide caption

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Daniel McFadden/IMAGE COURTESY OF AMAZON MGM STUDIOS

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

John Cena

Entering the studio with Jesse Thorn on the latest episode is John Cena. The wrestler turned actor talks about his path to the ring and Hollywood. John recently announced his imminent retirement from wrestling – he talked with us about that decision. Plus, John's always wanted to learn how to play piano, and he's thought of a way to make that happen. His latest project is an action comedy called Jackpot! in which he stars alongside Awkwafina. You can stream it now on Amazon Prime.

John Cena

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The physical media we still treasure
Mikhail Dmitriev/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The physical media we still treasure

The vinyl record, the CD, the DVD, the VHS tape — even the paper book has been the subject of debate and concern over its future. But we haven't given up our collections just yet. Today, we're revisiting our conversation about the physical media we still treasure.

The physical media we still treasure

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'The Sixth Sense' and a career of plot twists

1999 Haley Joel Osment And Bruce Willis Star In "The Sixth Sense." (Photo By Getty Images) Getty Images/Getty Images hide caption

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'The Sixth Sense' and a career of plot twists

Twenty-five years ago this month, one film, and one filmmaker, became synonymous with the big plot twist.

'The Sixth Sense' and a career of plot twists

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Xenomorph in Alien: Romulus.

Alien: Romulus is the latest movie in the long-running Alien sci-fi/horror series. But it actually takes place shortly after the events of the very first film: Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic, Alien. 20th Century Studios hide caption

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20th Century Studios

Review

Movie Reviews

'Alien: Romulus' is another franchise movie that brings more nostalgia than novelty

Fresh Air

The latest installment of the "Alien" series is an efficient and reasonably entertaining thriller. But dwelling too obsessively on the past won't guarantee a franchise's future.

Alien

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'Alien: Romulus' goes deep (space) into the horror

Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson in Alien: Romulus. Murray Close/20th Century Studios hide caption

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Murray Close/20th Century Studios

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Alien: Romulus' goes deep (space) into the horror

Alien: Romulus is the latest entry in the venerable Alien sci-fi/horror film franchise, and it leans hard into the horror. The new movie stars Cailee Spaeney as one of a young crew of space miners, along with David Jonsson as her android brother. You'll never guess what species of slimy extraterrestrial evil they encounter. Faces get hugged, chests get burst, and acid blood eats through everything.

'Alien: Romulus' goes deep (space) into the horror

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