Movies

There's A Razzie For That: Awarding The Worst Of American Cinema

Virginia Prescott — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:05:53 +0000

On Sunday, tens of millions of people worldwide will watch the dazzling gowns, jewels, and strained smiles on display at the eighty-fifth annual Academy Awards. On Saturday, a much, much, much smaller audience will watch the Razzies! For the 33^rd year, film buffs and industry professionals gather to recognize the biggest flops, lamest performances, and most tired screenplays of the year. It’s a dubious honor, but still, some, uh, winners do show up at the Razzies to accept their dis-honor...like Halle Berry for her worst-actress worthy performance in 2004's Catwoman (*note: the video contains some expletives).

The Curse Of The Golden Oscar

Virginia Prescott — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:12:44 +0000

Grab your ballots, Oscar weekend is coming up. This year's category for best actress includes a then-six-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis in "Beasts of the Southern Wild" and eighty-six-year-old "Amour" actress, Emmanuelle Riva. Neither is considered a front-runner, but could that save their careers? It might, if you believe in...THE OSCAR CURSE.

Word of Mouth 01.05.2013

Virginia Prescott — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 17:18:29 +0000

Word of Mouth's weekly show...the best of the best of Word of Mouth.
Part 1:
A new study shows that the act of holding a gun changes perception, as participants saw guns that weren't actually there. And Clay Wirestone wraps up the latest in video game trends, and looks forward to what's coming in 2013
Part 2:
TED cracks down on pseudoscience at local spinoff TEDX conferences. And film critic Garen Daley tells us what we can expect on the big screen in 2013
Part 3:

What Will the Blockbusters Be in 2013?

Virginia Prescott — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:28:04 +0000

2012 was a banner year for big-screen comic book adaptations – Marvel’s The Avengers, was the top grossing film of the year, followed by the latest in the Batman franchise, The Dark Knight Rises.

Is Die Hard A Christmas Movie?

Bill Barry — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 12:13:56 +0000

What doesn't say Christmas like a terrorist plot foiled by Bruce Willis? - Author Kevin Flynn, Die Hard die-hard
To many, any best-of action film list would ring hollow with the exclusion of Die Hard - but each year, as the holiday season approaches, it begins to fly under a different flag: an admittedly less warm, less traditional Christmas classic.

Word of Mouth 12.15.2012

Virginia Prescott — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:53:15 +0000

An anthropologist embeds herself with hackers. Santa opens shop in Hooksett. A Hobbit scholar explains why Tolkien fascinates. Women comedians find success on through podcasts. And the very interesting history...of boredom.

Word of Mouth 12.15.2012

Virginia Prescott — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:53:12 +0000

An anthropologist embeds herself with hackers. Santa opens shop in Hooksett. A Hobbit scholar explains why Tolkien fascinates. Women comedians find success on through podcasts. And the very interesting history...of boredom.
Part 1:

The Hitchcock Revival

Virginia Prescott — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:38:26 +0000

Alfred Hitchcock’s film “Vertigo” recently knocked Citizen Kane off its 50-year perch as the best film of all time. That’s according to the Sight & Sound poll, a survey of critics and film industry pros published every ten years.

Finding Ourselves in 007

Virginia Prescott — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:27:40 +0000

Adjusted for inflation, the Bond series is the highest-grossing film franchise of all time, pulling in more than five billion dollars to date. Skyfall – 007’s 25^th outing – took in 87.8- million dollars this past weekend ; it was the highest domestic opening ever for a Bond film.

Are Re-Runs Good For You? Are Re-Runs Good For You?

Virginia Prescott and Taylor Quimby — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 14:59:17 +0000

With the glut of content available on Netflix, cable, and even YouTube, summertime TV longer has the monopoly on re-runs. Well, a new study reveals that watching reruns doesn’t only kill time. It may actually be good for you. Tom Jacobs is a science writer with Pacific Standard.
Plus...we did a little man-on-the-street survey about re-runs, asking regular folks, "What show or movie can you watch over and over again?"

Smart films for Grownups

Virginia Prescott — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:28:03 +0000

Looking for smart scripts and stellar performances among summertime's usually SFX-laden fare? Here are some suggestions.

You might not know his name, but you DEFINITELY know his voice...

Virginia Prescott — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:53:10 +0000

Tom Kane is the man behind thousands of video games, commercials, and yes, movie trailers.

Fresh Air Weekend: Carl Zimmer, The Three Stooges

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 07:08:00 +0000
Fresh Air Weekend highlights some of the best interviews and reviews from past weeks, and new program elements specially paced for weekends. Our weekend show emphasizes interviews with writers, filmmakers, actors, and musicians, and often includes excerpts from live in-studio concerts. This week:
The Race To Create The Best Antiviral Drugs: Researchers want to create a widely effective drug that targets viruses much in the same way that penicillin kills a wide range of bacteria.

Italian Critics Don't 'Love' Allen's Roman Holiday

Sylvia Poggioli — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:46:00 +0000
After shooting in London, Barcelona and Paris, Woody Allen made his latest European backdrop Rome. To Rome With Love opens Friday in Italy — in Italian.
The movie is a magnificent postcard of the eternal city — a carefree romp along cobblestone streets nestled between ancient ruins and Renaissance palaces. A soft yellow glow pervades every scene.

An Inspiring Teacher, Exactly When He's Needed

Bob Mondello — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 02:18:39 +0000
At the start of a bright, sunny day that seems otherwise like any other day, a popular teacher is found dead in her classroom. It was suicide.
The school is traumatized, especially that teacher's students. By the next day, the principal is at her wits' end trying to find someone willing to take the class.