Robbers And Rangers Collide In ‘Hell Or High Water’

From HAL 9000 To Harley Quinn, Screen Villains Sow Chaos Because They Can
Movie heroes are fine. But let’s be real — it’s usually the bad guys we find most compelling.

Kids On Bikes: The Sci-Fi Nostalgia Of ‘Stranger Things’, ‘Paper Girls’ & ‘Super 8’
Three recent properties – a Netflix series, a comic book and a 2011 Hollywood film – borrow key elements from Steven Spielberg and Stephen King to comment on adolescence in very different ways.

‘Ghost’ Soprano Marni Nixon, Who Voiced Blockbuster Musicals, Dies At 86
You might not know Marni Nixon’s name, but you’ve probably heard her. Nixon dubbed the voices for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, Natalie Wood in West Side Story and Deborah Kerr in The King and I.

In Which We Learn Michael Caine’s Other Name
Airport security personnel often recognize Sir Michael Caine, just not the name on his passport — Maurice Micklewhite, his birth name. Tired of the confusion, he has legally adopted his stage name.

‘Lights Out’: A Scary Swedish Short May Become This Summer’s Sleeper Hit
A self-taught filmmaker and his wife made the terrifying film in just one evening, using IKEA lights and a homemade dolly. The 2 1/2 minute short has now been adapted for the big screen.

At 75, Wonder Woman Lassos In A New Generation With An Ageless Fight
As the launch of the upcoming film coincides with the heroine’s Comic-Con fandom, Wonder Woman appears to be hooking new fans for the same reasons she was birthed in 1941: justice, peace and feminism.

Comic-Con Fans Continue The Epic Battle Between Science And Fiction
Fans of science fiction have long wrestled with the question of just how much science should be in their fiction. Advocates of different approaches met at San Diego’s Comic-Con.

MPAA Argues Ban On Smoking In Movies Defies First Amendment
Should a child going to a G-rated movie be exposed to characters smoking on screen? The MPAA is defending itself from a lawsuit about that. NPR’ Scott Simon speaks with film historian David Thomson.

How Mike Birbiglia Applies ‘Yes, And …’ To Improv And Beyond
Birbiglia’s new film follows a fictional New York improv troupe. Don’t Think Twice explores the tension between personal ambition and being an “endlessly generous” team player.

What Happens When You Ask Celebrities What They’re Wearing … In Klingon?
Glen Weldon was with NPR’s Nina Gregory when she asked some of the stars of the new film on the red carpet a standard question in a non-standard way.

‘Star Trek Beyond’ Director Recalls Classic Show’s ‘Sense Of Family’
NPR’s Ari Shapiro talks to director Justin Lin about leading the third installment of the Star Trek reboot, directing popular movie series, and the growing importance of international movie markets.

‘Star Trek Beyond’ Is An Unapologetically Wild Ride, Steeped In Human Drama
The Enterprise has been destroyed and its inhabitants have been thrown to the winds in the latest of the Star Trek series. Critic David Edelstein calls it a well-made action-adventure film.

Turns Out, Fighting Fat Shaming And Racist Trolls Is Also A Ghostbuster’s Job
Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones quit Twitter this week after getting her fill of racist and sexist trolls. But, as the saying goes, every goodbye is not gone.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: ‘Ghostbusters’ And ‘Mr. Robot’
On this week’s show, we bust some ghosts — well, we don’t, but we watch those who do — and we address the beginning of the second season of USA’s Emmy-nominated conspiracy thriller.

‘Don’t Think Twice’ Scripts Improv With Ease
Sad sacks and stage hogs chase stardom in Don’t Think Twice. But rest assured writer/director Mike Birbiglia keeps it funny.

Bigger Budgets Boost ‘Star Trek: Beyond,’ But Small Screens Might Work Better
Chris Klimek says the fancy effects and swooping camera work of the new Star Trek film are fun to watch, but the story’s civilization-seeking imperatives might still be better served by TV.

A Love Story Set In France’s Heady Political Past
Director Catherine Corsini sets the story of two women in love against a moment in the early 1970s when France was in a period of leftist ferment.

The Enduring ‘AbFab’ Picks Up Right Where It Boozily Left Off
For Absolutely Fabulous to return as a movie 20 years after its sitcom phenom phase might seem absurd, but it’s in line with the show’s commitment to Patsy and Eddy’s timeless lack of cachet.

Comedy Really Is Hard Among Friends In ‘Don’t Think Twice’
Mike Birbiglia wrote and directed this affecting story of the members of an improv troupe whose commitment to working together is mixed with rivalries and jealousy.

‘Star Trek Beyond’ Premieres At San Diego Comic-Con
The latest movie in the Star Trek franchise opens on Thursday — though it premiered Wednesday night at the San Diego Comic-Con. Director Justin Lin was there to walk the fine line with fans.

Hollywood And The Middle Class: Selling Dreams Of ‘Somewhere That’s Green’
We don’t call Hollywood a “Dream Factory” for nothing. If you have a vision of the sort of place you’d like to live, Tinseltown can bring it to life.

Hollywood Legend Garry Marshall Dies At 81
Hollywood legend Garry Marshall died Tuesday at the age of 81. He was responsible for some of the biggest TV hits of the 1970s including The Odd Couple, Laverne & Shirley andHappy Days. He also made Julia Roberts a superstar with Pretty Woman.

Henry Winkler On Garry Marshall: ‘He Was An Unstoppable Creator’
NPR’s Audie Cornish talks to actor Henry Winkler, who starred in Happy Days, about his memories working with writer and director Garry Marshall.

Fresh Air Remembers Garry Marshall, Creator Of ‘Happy Days’ And ‘Laverne & Shirley’
Marshall, who died yesterday at the age of 81, was a noted writer and director of both television and film. He spoke to Fresh Air in 1991, shortly after the release of his movie,Frankie and Johnny.

Garry Marshall, Director Of Big And Small Screen Projects, Dies At 81
Writer-director Garry Marshall, who had a string of TV hits that included Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley and the box-office smashes Pretty Woman and Runaway Bride, has died. He was 81.

Garry Marshal, Director Of Big And Small Screen Projects, Dies At 81
Writer-director Garry Marshall, who had a string of TV hits that included Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley and the box-office smashes Pretty Woman and Runaway Bride, has died. He was 81.

Writer-Director Garry Marshall Dies At 81
Marshall, whose deft touch with comedy and romance led to a string of TV hits that included Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley and the box-office successes Pretty Woman andRunaway Bride, has died.

Despite Controversy, ‘Ghostbusters’ Opens With $46 Million
After considerable online hubbub about its all-female leading cast, the reboot of Ghostbusters brought in $46 million in its opening weekend.

Comic Mike Birbiglia On His Best Failure And The 3 Rules Of Improv
Birbiglia says the failure of his sitcom pilot is the best thing that could have happened to him, artistically. His new film, Don’t Think Twice, tells the story of an improv comedy group.

‘Aliens’ Turns 30: Celebrating The Iconic Sci-Fi Sequel
NPR’s Audie Cornish interviews NPR contributor and critic Chris Klimek about the Aliens sequel and the 30th anniversary of the film.

‘Zero Days’ Documentary Exposes A Looming Threat Of The Digital Age
Filmmaker Alex Gibney’s new documentary focuses on the large-scale implications of computer malware. Critic John Powers calls Zero Days an important — and chilling — film.

In ‘The Fixers,’ A Glimpse Of Cleveland That Goes Deeper Than The Guide Book
Kate Spoko created a documentary series called The Fixers. In it, she asks Clevelanders what tour of the city they would give to Republican National Convention delegates.

What Makes A Comedy Funnier? Music With A Straight Face
When tapped to write the score for the Ghostbusters reboot, composer Theodore Shapiro knew the trick to getting laughs: a soundtrack of serious music.

Despite Its Charm, ‘Ghostbusters’ Remake Comes Up Short On Laughs
Paul Feig’s remake of the 1984 hit stars four actresses as the ghostbusters. Critic David Edelstein says while the concept for the movie is solid, the film itself “has no satirical ideas of its own.”

‘Ghostbusters’ Review: Reboot Has Winks To The ’80’s Franchise
Renee Montagne talks to Rebecca Keegan of the Los Angeles Times about the new Ghostbusters movie. A generation later, much has changed — this time it’s an all-female cast.

What Do Contested Conventions Look Like? Ask Hollywood And Sinclair Lewis
Thanks to movies, novels and TV, Bob Mondello knows what a contested convention would be like: raucous crowd, oppressive din and (if movies are any guide) Angela Lansbury scheming in the corner.

I Ain’t Afraid Of No Fanboys: Quirky Performances Enliven New ‘Ghostbusters’
The all-female remake of the 1984 blockbuster is dutiful, workmanlike, a bit clumsy — and sort of fun.

‘The Money Was The Soft Spot’: ‘The Infiltrator’ On Taking Down Pablo Escobar
NPR’s Robert Siegel talks to Robert Mazur, the federal agent who went undercover as a money launderer to take down the banks behind Pablo Escobar’s Medellin Cartel. Bryan Cranston plays Mazur in the new movie, The Infiltrator, which dramatizes the years long operation.

‘The Infiltrator’ Offers A Familiar But Stylish Look Inside A Drug Kingpin’s Empire
Breaking Malo: In a film based on Robert Mazur’s 2009 memoir, Bryan Cranston plays a U.S. Customs agent who goes undercover with the Escobar drug cartel.

Familiar Science Fiction + Dull Romance ‘Equals’ Disappointment
A new film imagines a dystopian future where feelings are forbidden — but never manages to generate an emotional response in the viewer.

‘Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru’ Fawns Over Its Charismatic Subject
A new documentary about motivational speaker Tony Robbins falls helplessly under the coal-walking life-coach’s magnetic, intoxicating sway.

1984: The Year We Unwittingly Stopped Watching Movies And Started Watching Franchises
With the arrival of Ghostbusters this weekend, every single top 10 movie of 1984 has been rebooted — or become a franchise.

A Mouse Watches Film Noir And Offers Clues To Human Consciousness
Researchers in Seattle have created a public observatory for studying the visual circuitry in a mouse’s brain. Among the attractions: watching 18,000 neurons respond to Orson Welles’ Touch of Evil.

‘Just Another Version Of You’ Celebrates Norman Lear’s TV Legacy
NPR’s Robert Siegel talks to legendary television producer Norman Lear about some insights into his character featured in a new documentary about his life called Just Another Version of You.

‘He Had Many More Films To Make’: Remembering Iranian Director Abbas Kiarostami
Kiarostami began making films in 1970 and continued after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. His work helped make Iranian cinema a major international force. The director died Monday in Paris at age 76.

A Boy With Autism Makes Connections Through Cartoons In ‘Life, Animated’
A new documentary tells the story of Owen Suskind, a boy with autism whose love of Disney helps him navigate the world. David Edelstein calls Life, Animated “heartbreaking and exhilarating.”