movies

November 04, 2015

They had three chances to get it right. On the last night, Sebastian Schipper’s actors shined in what would be "Victoria," a thriller that was shot in one take. "I mean, honestly, I was crying," Schipper says. "I was overwhelmed." Critics agree.

Why do Americans love conspiracy theories so much?

November 02, 2015

The X-Files is coming back to TV for a limited run next January — and the Internet couldn’t be more excited. Every casting update, every teaser launches a hundred blog posts. Is this just a case of pop culture nostalgia? Or is something more sinister afoot?

Conflict

Sicario's dirty war on Mexican cartels is not yet reality

ProPublica

October 26, 2015

Denis Villeneuve’s movie, 'Sicario,' gets much right about the borderlands, but crosses the line into exaggeration. A veteran border correspondent compares the film’s underworld to the one he knows.

Bill Murray's latest Hollywood endeavor, 'Rock the Kasbah,' has roots in a true story

The Takeaway

October 26, 2015

In 'Rock the Kasbah,' Bill Murray stars as Richie Lanz — a washed-up rock band manager who finds himself without a band in Kabul, Afghanistan, and takes it as an opportunity to connect with an Afghan singer and turn her into a star. And that part of the movie is real.

Watching movies may help you build empathy

YES! Magazine

October 21, 2015

Can something as simple as watching movies — and empathizing with fictional characters — help generate more compassion and understanding in the real world? Roger Ebert thought so, and science agrees.

Media

What happened when a roomful of engineers watched 'The Martian'

Science Friday

October 13, 2015

In “The Martian,” Matt Damon plays an astronaut stranded, Robinson Crusoe-style, on the surface of Mars. Here’s what some real NASA engineers said when they saw the film.

9 actors of color who could totally replace Daniel Craig as the next James Bond

Sideshow

October 13, 2015

Daniel Craig will star again when Spectre, the 24th James Bond film is released Nov. 6. But when Craig's tenure as 007 is up — who's next?

Arts

The Pakistani film Dukhtar shows what a mother will sacrifice for her child

September 29, 2015

What will a mother do for her child? The Pakistani film "Dukhtar" explores the lengths that one mother goes for her daughter. The two flee to prevent the daughter's child marriage to a war lord.

Media

A new TV miniseries considers what would happen if Russia invaded Norway

September 18, 2015

"Occupied" is a new 10-episode drama airing on Norwegian TV this fall and it's caused quite a diplomatic stir. The show depicts a Russian invasion of Norway and they've taken over the Nordic country's oil supply. The Russian Embassy in Oslo has criticized the show for its Cold War scare tactics.

Pages

Monty Python ban ends

July 01, 2009

The Scottish city of Glasgow will finally be able to see Monty Python's "Life of Brian" on the screen now that a 30-year ban has been lifted.

Japanese film reflects economic crisis

March 17, 2009

The film "Tokyo Sonata" centers on a middle-class Japanese man who gets laid off from his job, then tries to hide it from his family.

Cambodian film up for Oscar

February 19, 2009

The documentary "The Conscience of Nhem En" is up for an Oscar this year; it is about a young soldier during the Khmer Rouge who took photos of thousands of people before they were tortured and killed.

French film "The Class" up for Oscar

February 21, 2009

Nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Language category, "The Class" looks so real, some might think it's a documentary.

Young Obama, the movie, premiers in Jakarta

July 01, 2010

The film "Obama Anak Menteng," or "Obama the Menteng Kid," is giving Indonesian audiences a fictionalized window in to the President's formative years.

"Sugar" a different kind of baseball story

The Takeaway

April 18, 2009

Feature film "Sugar" traces the path of Dominican baseball players -- like Sammy Sosa -- from South America to the Major Leagues in the US.

How to fake it as a cellist

April 19, 2009

Ben Hong taught Jamie Foxx how to play for the new film "The Soloist," and describes the challenges of teaching a movie star how to fake it as a cellist.

Pakistan's faltering film industry

May 20, 2009

Pakistani films used to provide an escape of sorts for those trying to forget about the troubles of the day, but now Pakistan's home grown cinema is struggling to survive.

Duncan Jones and his film "Moon"

June 20, 2009

The premise of the new movie "Moon" starring Sam Rockwell, involves mining the moon as the solution to our energy problems.