Top Movie News provided by the LA Times©

• Appreciation: Critic Rex Reed had a savage streak, but when he loved something, his writing could reach greatness
  Rex Reed was known for a sensationalistic writing style and biting criticism, but he could write passionately about movies, TV and theater when they suited his tastes.
• One Shot: A look back at Cannes premiere and Oscar winner 'The Artist'
  15 years after its premiere, Oscar-nominated cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman looks back on the first silent best picture winner since 1929.
• Honorary Palme d'Or recipient Barbra Streisand has been golden for seven decades
  Barbra needs no introduction. But before she's honored by the Cannes Film Festival, let's look back at the 84-year-old multi-hyphenate's awards history.
• How Cannes supplanted the fall festivals as the place to launch an Oscar campaign
  Cannes didn't change, our columnist writes. The Oscars did.
• Diego Calva was asked to 'erase' his Mexican accent. He chose to embrace it instead
  With two films at Cannes and 'The Night Manager' in Emmy contention, the 'Babylon' actor keeps adding to his résumé. In his sights next? Almodóvar.
• How Route 66 inspired Disney's 'Cars' and Cars Land — and the ride that never came to be
  Former Imagineers talk about the roadside attractions in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas and California that sparked ideas for Disney's famous fictional town of Radiator Springs.
• Want to feel like you're at Cannes? Watch these 8 films set at the festival
  The list of films set at the festival is heavier on cult classics than Palme d'Or winners, but it's just the (cheap) ticket if you want to feel transported to the Croisette.
• Why Hollywood tentpoles are giving Cannes a pass this year
  Just as Cannes' influence on the Oscars has surged, the major studios' summer tentpoles will be absent from the Croisette this year. Here's why.
• To earn some countries' film tax incentives, you have to pass the test
  As film production goes global, many nations seek to balance benefit to the local film community with investment from abroad. 'Cultural tests' for incentives can help.
• Casting without borders: Inside top casting directors' global search for talent
  Thanks to technology, international production and audiences unafraid of subtitles, top casting directors can now find talent just about anywhere. Here's how they do it.
• Meet the interpreters who help make film press tours global
  You've seen them alongside luminaries such as Jafar Panahi, Marlee Matlin and Jacques Audiard. Now it's time for six interpreters to have their own turn in the spotlight.
• Nollywood's next act: How Nigeria's film industry is leveling up
  With streamers pulling back from a post-pandemic boom, Nigeria's film industry is looking to theatrical moviegoing, training programs and state support to keep leveling up.
• The 11 movies we're most excited to see at the Cannes Film Festival
  Film critic Amy Nicholson and film editor Joshua Rothkopf discuss the festival's muted American presence, the likeliest awards contenders and more in their Cannes preview.
• Pedro Almodóvar sounds off on refusing Saudi money, the apolitical Oscars and more
  At 76, the Spanish auteur arrives in Cannes with an autofictional new film, 'Bitter Christmas,' and the luxury of speaking his mind. Our columnist talks with Almodóvar, uncensored.
• For her first documentary, 'Our Land,' Argentina's Lucrecia Martel chases down a murder
  A fiction filmmaker known for obliquely powerful explorations of class, race and colonialism turns her eye to a local crime that exposes a deeper rift of ownership.
• A painful, provocative reunion demands your empathy in the daring 'Blue Film'
  Starring Tony-winner Reed Birney and 'Boots' star Kieron Moore, writer-director Elliot Tuttle's sex-work drama explores subjects that rarely make it to screen.
• With Valerie Bertinelli, 'Love, Again' explores the struggle of Alzheimer's and caregiving
  The actor-writer Nancey Silvers and director David I. Strasser discuss the themes of the Lifetime film and the heavy responsibility of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's.
• Paramount and Warner Music team up to make more music-focused movies
  After the box office success of biopics like 'Michael' and concert films like 'EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert,' Paramount has inked a new deal with Warner Music Group to expand its music programming.
• James Cameron once said 'Avatar' Neytiri design began with a young Q'orianka Kilcher. Now, she's suing
  Q'orianka Kilcher is suing James Cameron, his production company, Disney and several others, saying they used her likeness in the "Avatar" films without her permission.
• Pressure grows on California attorney general to try to block Paramount's deal for Warner Bros.
  The congressional Democrats want California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta to closely examine how the Paramount-Warner Bros. deal would affect jobs and competition.
• Blake Lively to pursue damages after Justin Baldoni settlement, as both sides claim victory
  Just days after settling the sprawling 'It Ends With Us' legal battle, Lively's lawyers now say Baldoni and other defendants still face liability under California law.
• Billie Eilish, intimate in even James Cameron's eye: Our critics weigh in on 3D concert doc 'Hit Me Hard and Soft'
  For all the hugeness of an arena show, the singer establishes remarkable closeness with her fans, a rapport captured by the "Avatar" director's hi-def cameras.
• In 'Remarkably Bright Creatures,' Sally Field's co-star is an octopus. She thinks you'll like it too
  The 79-year-old actor who stars in Netflix's adaptation of Shelby Van Pelt's 2022 novel remains committed to her craft, but would like to see more roles for older women.
• She's an art-house giant. But Lucrecia Martel sometimes feels the lure of Hollywood
  The Argentine director is revered at home and abroad — and even took a meeting with Marvel. Her first documentary, "Our Land," investigates a murder.
• AMC is bringing a new live concert experience to local movie theaters
  Artists such as Paris Hilton and Kim Petras might be making an appearance at your local AMC. With interactive technology, the theater chain is introducing a new type of live concert experience.
• Beanie, baby. Feldstein and film producer wife Bonnie-Chance Roberts await new addition
  Beanie Feldstein is expecting a baby with wife Bonnie-Chance Roberts. The "Booksmart" actor and the producer, who married in 2023, shared the news on social media.
• Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni resolve bitter legal dispute ahead of trial
  Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have reached a settlement, ending a sprawling legal fight tied to 'It Ends With Us' just weeks before a trial was set to begin in New York.
• Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden welcome baby No. 3: 'We love life with our family'
  Cameron Diaz and rocker Benji Madden have added one more piece to their family: another baby. They are now the parents to a third child, named Nautus Madden.
• 'All the President's Men' is 50 years old. A former Post staffer tells us why that matters
  Ann Hornaday, former film critic for the Washington Post, explores the journalism classic from the inside, along with its lessons for publishers.
• Another Oscar win for 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin': Filmmaker's missing statuette located after TSA dispute
  "Mr. Nobody Against Putin" filmmaker Pavel Talankin will soon be reunited with his Oscar after it went missing amid his recent travels. Lufthansa confirmed that the coveted golden statuette has been located.
• Oscars tighten AI rules, emphasizing human authorship
  New Oscars guidelines say screenplays must be human-authored and performances must be delivered by humans with consent.
• An oppressively dumbed-down 'Animal Farm' has little use for George Orwell's ideas
  Originally a kid-friendly entry point into political allegory, the novella has been reduced to a cloud of animated fizz, with little nuance remaining.
• In 'Omaha,' a father and his girls hit the road, with tensions along for the ride
  John Magaro, an actor who excels in tricky parts (he played the third wheel in "Past Lives"), tunnels inward for a portrayal of a father who can't look back.
• Righteous fury comes to a racist town in RZA's 'One Spoon of Chocolate'
  The Wu-Tang Clan's sonic architect steps behind the camera for his fourth feature, an action-drenched throwback to the '70s-era revenge flicks he loves.
• Granderson: What the audience has learned since the first 'Devil Wears Prada'
  Gen X identified with the protagonist 20 years ago. After two bruising decades in the job market, we might see her actions as more foolish than heroic.
• Charlize Theron's stylist outs herself as the real-life Emily from 'The Devil Wears Prada'
  As 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' hits theaters, the stylist who knows she inspired the Emily character confirms her identity — and claims one classic quote from the film.
• With 'Mad Bills to Pay,' Joel Alfonso Vargas aims to rep the real Dominican Bronx
  "Mad Bills to Pay" opens at the Los Feliz Theatre on May 2. Special screenings at Laemmle locations May 4-6, before playing at the Laemmle NoHo 7 and Monica Film Center starting May 8.
• Ving Rhames released from hospital after collapsing in a Los Angeles restaurant
  'Mission: Impossible' actor Ving Rhames has been released from the hospital and is feeling fine after a health scare at a Los Angeles-area restaurant.
• Sinbad just celebrated his 'homecoming' in Pasadena years after a debilitating stroke: When to catch him next
  Sinbad, after he suffered a debilitating stroke in 2020, announced his comedy comeback on Wednesday — with Pasadena's historic Ice House the site for his 'homecoming.'
• 'Hokum' finds fresh scares lurking in the shadows of an old Irish hotel
  Writer-director Damian McCarthy breathes new life into the well-worn haunted house story, which ain't broke and needs no fixing if you have actors like Adam Scott.
• The hellishly hot trend in 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' is pink slips for the media industry
  Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, Emily Blunt and an icy Meryl Streep return for a sequel that's less about fashion, more about the horrors of keeping a magazine alive.
• Move over, Elsa. The hottest entertainers at L.A. kid parties are 'KPop Demon Hunters'
  Entertainers inspired by Rumi, Mira, Zoey and the Saja Boys from 'KPop Demon Hunters' are the hottest kids' birthday party offering in Los Angeles right now.
• '90s star Samuel Monroe Jr. is on life support after meningitis 'repeatedly misdiagnosed'
  Samuel Monroe Jr., star of 'Menace II Society,' and other films from the 1990s, is on life support after contracting meningitis in Las Vegas while filming. His wife says his condition was 'repeatedly misdiagnosed' by doctors.
• 'Dances With Wolves' actor Nathan Chasing Horse gets life sentence for sexual assault
  Nathan Chasing Horse, best known for 'Dances With Wolves,' gets life in prison a month after he was convicted of sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls.
• Gerry Conway, comic book writer who co-created the Punisher and Ms. Marvel, dies at 73
  Gerry Conway, a comic book writer who co-created Marvel and DC characters such as the Punisher, Ms. Marvel and Jason Todd, has died at age 73.
• 'Wicked' star Marissa Bode says airline that denied her boarding wants to make things more accessible
  'Wicked' star Marissa Bode says the airline that denied her boarding for being disabled has reached out and is trying to make things more accessible.
• NFL goes Hollywood: Inside its plan to conquer streaming and movies
  The NFL is working on its first scripted streaming series and it's exploring ways to incorporate the sport into more scripted TV shows and movies.
• What we know about 'White Lotus' Season 4, from Laura Dern casting to Cannes backdrop
  Executive producer David Bernad teases Season 4 of HBO's hit murder mystery, with the glamour of the Cannes Film Festival as a backdrop.
• Two prisoners perfect a delicate dance of appeasement and self-interest in 'Wasteman'
  David Jonsson and Tom Blyth, two English actors of promise, bring to life a tricky prison relationship based on power and protection in a movie directed by Cal McMau.
• In 'Over Your Dead Body,' a couple that plots violent marital separation meets its match
  As cooled marrieds, Samara Weaving and Jason Segel hate each other, but they hate home invaders even more in director Jorma Taccone's vicious, derivative comedy.
• In the wake of war, a German boy finds a way forward in the arresting 'Amrum'
  As World War II comes to a close, a Nazi-associated family eases into a brave new world in this unusual, empathetic drama, originated by late German legend Hark Bohm.
• 'I Swear' tells a true story of Tourette's syndrome and someone hoping to make a change
  The real-life story of John Davidson, an activist for Tourette's syndrome awareness, becomes a sincere, effective drama, well-acted by star Robert Aramayo.
• Memories of a troubled brother come to sensitive life in the exquisite 'Blue Heron'
  Using elements of documentary, personal reflection and fiction, filmmaker Sophy Romvari turns a painful part of her family's past into a vital act of remembrance.
• Why the new Michael Jackson biopic is on track to break box office records
  Despite some production hurdles and mixed reviews, the film is on track for a record-breaking opening weekend.
• Fast, clever and satisfying, 'Fuze' is a throwback thriller with a ticking time bomb
  Scottish director David Mackenzie ("Hell or High Water," "Relay") specializes in tough, tight genre films and his latest — a bomb plot plus a heist — doesn't disappoint.
• Warner Bros. shareholders approve controversial $111-billion Paramount takeover
  The massive merger still needs approval by regulators in the U.S. and abroad; industry opposition has been growing.
• In a digital world, VHS tapes are cool again. Meet the crazy faithful, including my roommate
  There's a serious fandom growing around videocassettes, one that includes such directors as Jane Schoenbrun and Alex Ross Perry. Is it retro nostalgia or something deeper?
• 'Michael' drama: Which Jacksons said 'no thanks' and why the film cut the sexual abuse claims
  Janet Jackson isn't portrayed in the 'Michael' biopic and she skipped the premiere along with Paris Jackson. Here's why they both bowed out and what the cast is saying about leaving sexual assault allegations on the cutting room floor.
• 'Clayface' trailer teases DC Studios' first proper horror movie
  The 'Clayface' trailer teases DC Studios' first foray into horror. Everything to know about the film starring Tom Rhys Harries as the iconic Batman villain.
• Dancing around controversy, the empathetic 'Michael' bows out before getting dark
  Jaafar Jackson, nephew of the biopic's subject, makes an uncanny King of Pop, but the movie about his rise, directed by Antoine Fuqua, leaves a lot unspoken.
• The best looks from 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' press tour
  Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt embraced method dressing without going overboard at red carpet premieres and other press tour stops for 'The Devil Wears Prada 2.'
• Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman's witches are back in the 'Practical Magic 2' trailer
  Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock return in the trailer for 'Practical Magic 2,' which will hit theaters 28 years after the first film.
• Patrick Muldoon, 'Days of Our Lives' and 'Melrose Place' actor, dies at 57
  Patrick Muldoon, an actor and producer known for his roles on 'Days of Our Lives,' 'Melrose Place' and 'Starship Troopers,' has died. He was 57.
• Christina Applegate says she is 'getting stronger and better every day' amid hospitalization reports
  Christina Applegate is thanking fans and friends for their well wishes after the 'Dead to Me' star was reported to be hospitalized in L.A.
• Civil case against Alec Baldwin, 'Rust' movie producers advances toward a trial
  A judge set an October trial date for Serge Svetnoy, gaffer on the ill-fated western "Rust" and friend of victim Halyna Hutchins who filed a negligence suit against the producers and Baldwin years ago.
• 'Lee Cronin's The Mummy' is less passion project than embalming by committee
  His name in the title, the director isn't especially distinctive as a stylist, but his tale of child possession sometimes hits the right gory notes.
• A pop star needs a makeover in 'Mother Mary' but one dress keeps getting in the way
  Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel play a diva and her designer, one of them with a score to settle, in a movie that could have used less exposition and more drama.
• The town may be called 'Normal,' but Bob Odenkirk's unlikely action hero isn't
  Director Ben Wheatley returns to the hyperviolent mode of "Free Fire" with a movie set in Minnesota, where the sheriffs are no longer as gentle as the one in "Fargo."
• Passion spills over in the loose-limbed 'Erupcja,' starring Charli XCX
  When two old pals reconnect, volcanoes spew and current romantic partners fear the worst in Pete Ohs' transporting tale of female friendship and release.
• Never too deep, 'Lorne' approaches the myth of a comedy sphinx known for inscrutability
  Even though Lorne Michaels is the subject of Morgan Neville's dutiful profile, he remains something of an elusive mystery, burnished by famous friends.
• Hegseth recites 'Pulp Fiction' speech at Pentagon prayer service
  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recited dialogue drawn from the film "Pulp Fiction" at a Pentagon prayer service, using it to frame the war in Iran as an act of divine justice.
• 'Spaceballs 2' has an official title. Everything we know so far about 'The New One'
  Mel Brooks announced that 'Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money' is not the sequel's official title. Here's everything to know about 'The New One.'
• 'Top Gun 3' is in the works with Tom Cruise and Jerry Bruckheimer
  'Top Gun 3' is in the works with Tom Cruise and Jerry Bruckheimer returning.
• Travel aboard a real-life Hogwarts Express at a new SoCal 'Harry Potter' experience
  A new Hogwarts Express experience will let you live out your 'Harry Potter' dreams aboard a real moving train at the Southern California Railway Museum.
• Bob Odenkirk survived the worst and came out the other side an action hero
  Nearly five years after an almost-fatal heart attack, Odenkirk returns to the action genre with "Normal," marking the latest twist in an unpredictable career.
• The original 'Faces of Death' has a twisted past at Southern California high schools
  The original 'Faces of Death' left high school students of the 1980s and 1990s so traumatized that they took their teachers to court.
• Hollywood stars line up against Paramount's Warner Bros. acquisition
  The letter was signed by nearly 1,000 artists and movie creators, including Ben Stiller, Bryan Cranston, Noah Wyle, Joaquin Phoenix, Kristen Stewart and Jane Fonda.
• A new take on Camus' 'The Stranger' by a veteran French stylist digs unto the unspoken
  Director François Ozon, better known for lighter soufflés, takes on a demanding piece of literature and serves it well, with absorbing pools of isolation and detachment.
• 'Exit 8' traps moviegoers in a video game's puzzle — for good and ill
  It's not impossible to translate a video game to the big screen, but Genki Kawamura's film version of a Japanese puzzle achieves a monotony that may be intentional.
• 'You, Me & Tuscany' is an Italian rom-com fantasy, empty carbs but delicious
  Two extremely charming leads, Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page, play out a specific kind of romantic dream narrative, effectively mounted even if we know it well.
• A new 'melancholy Dane' is now a part of a South Asian dynasty in Riz Ahmed's 'Hamlet'
  Updated to modern London and a family of real estate developers, this gritty take on Shakespeare's classic tragedy is energized by its star's total commitment.
• BAFTA says review of racial slur scandal found 'structural weaknesses' but no malicious intent
  BAFTA Board of Trustees says it is 'determined to learn from what happened' in the racial slur scandal that overshadowed its annual awards celebration in February.
• A new immersive 'Superman' experience is bringing Gary and Krypto to the Warner Bros. lot
  Superman Experience: Defenders Unite, a walkthrough attraction with gameplay elements, will include an original storyline set in the world of the DC film.
• Ian McKellen is at his gasbag best in the art-world dramedy 'The Christophers'
  Swiftly directed by Steven Soderbergh, the chamber comedy creates a fascinating partnership of opposites played by Michaela Coel and Ian McKellen.
• 'Faces of Death' is a gory, clever satire for horror audiences who've seen everything
  The original was a trashy videocassette phenomenon, but director Daniel Goldhaber and screenwriter Isa Mazzei have hatched a remake for a new era of viral violence.
• Still spellbinding, Ian McKellen turns inward for the delicate 'The Christophers'
  He has 'Avengers: Doomsday' on the horizon as well as another 'Lord of the Rings,' but the Oscar-nominated actor dreams of a return to the stage after a scary fall.
• John Early dreamed of playing a troubled ingénue. 'Maddie's Secret' is the wrenching result
  Opening the third annual edition of the Los Angeles Festival of Movies, the comedy darling's sincere melodrama is also bracingly funny.
• Oscars and SAG's Actor Awards set dates for 2027 and 2028 ceremonies
  The Academy Awards will bid ABC farewell with their 2028 centennial, while the Actor Awards set their 2027 and 2028 dates on Netflix.
• Sony Pictures Entertainment to cut hundreds of film and TV jobs
  Under the new leadership of CEO Ravi Ahuja, Sony Pictures Entertainment will emphasize franchises and next-gen content. With these changes, the company plans to lay off a few hundred employees across its film, TV and corporate divisions.
• Puppeteer James Ortiz on becoming Rocky, the adorable alien in 'Project Hail Mary'
  Released in March, the new sci-fi flick 'Project Hail Mary' features Puerto Rican puppeteer James Ortiz, who stars opposite Ryan Gosling.
• Grassroots Cinerama Dome campaign on pause following incident at theater
  A protest at the historic Cinerama Dome was shut down by police Friday, causing a grassroots campaign seeking the theater's reopening to hit pause on further demonstrations.
• Popcorn saved movie theaters a century ago. Now the industry is betting on collectible popcorn buckets
  Struggling movie theaters have turned to selling increasingly elaborate novelty popcorn buckets to increase fans' concessions spending.
• She made one album in 1974. Now her song is playing in a new A24 movie
  In 1974, Shira Small recorded an album as a teen. Now, with her song opening A24's "The Drama," she may finally be getting her moment in the spotlight.
• In the glittering satire 'Yes,' the party rages on in Israel, while guilt is optional
  Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid takes on the wartime compromises of two entertainers, dancing away the pain and getting into bed with the enemy, often literally.
• A good soul seeks absolution in the irreverent, savagely cynical 'Kontinental '25'
  Romanian satirist Rade Jude throws another pipe bomb of a movie, this one about a religious woman drowning in a cesspool of nationalism and finger-pointing.
• Imagination beats budget in 'The Blue Trail,' a scrappy sci-fi dystopia about an elder on the run
  A stubborn grandmother flees a fascist retirement camp in Gabriel Mascaro's stunner, a master class in making inspired high-concept science fiction on the cheap.
• 'Fantasy Life' is a dream come true for fans of bracingly adult relationship comedies
  The deft directorial debut of actor-writer Matthew Shear foregrounds a sensitive portrayal of aging neurosis by a revelatory Amanda Peet, never better.
• Blake Lively's sexual harassment claims against Justin Baldoni dismissed by judge
  A federal judge has dismissed Blake Lively's sexual harassment claims against her 'It Ends With Us' co-star and director Justin Baldoni, sharply narrowing a case that has become one of Hollywood's most closely watched legal battles.
• A rom-com veteran and a newbie director, Amanda Peet and Matthew Shear found 'Fantasy Life' together
  For the tale of an emotional affair touching on issues of mental health, a first-time filmmaker gives Peet what could be the meatiest role of her career.

NY Times©

• Watching ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ as an Elegy for Magazines
  The film may be about fashion, but for some editors and writers, it gets a lot right about the dire state of fashion journalism.
• Cannes Film Festival Preview: 4 Story Lines to Watch for
  The lineup isn’t very starry, but changes in the Oscar rules could affect the Palme d’Or choice. That’s one development we’re tracking.
• How ‘The Sheep Detectives’ Brought its Ovine Sleuths to Life
  The filmmakers behind this adaptation of a best-selling novel were adamant that their ovine sleuths not seem like humans in, well, sheep’s clothing.
• A Reporter Shares His Secrets to Covering the Cannes Film Festival
  Kyle Buchanan, who has attended the annual launchpad for Oscar contenders in France since 2013, subsists on Red Bull and around four hours of sleep.
• At the Cannes Film Festival, French Cinema is Front and Center
  Frenchness is a common theme among the films selected to open the festival. The opener also premieres in hundreds of theaters across France the day the festival begins.
• New Che Guevara Documentary at Cannes Shows There Is More to Know
  The film “Che Guevara: The Last Companions,” premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, tells the story of Guevara’s last surviving comrades in arms.
• Rex Reed, Film Critic Known for Acerbic Reviews, Dies at 87
  He fawned over Old Hollywood stars and sparred with Frank Sinatra. Nora Ephron marveled at his ability to get his subjects to say the things they did.
• At the Cannes Film Festival, This Hotel Celebrates With a Drink
  For the past decade, the Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic, close enough to the action that guests can see stars arrive, has offered a colorful cocktail to honor the event.
• In Italy, a Link Between the Cannes Film Festival and the Far East Film Festival
  FEFF, in Udine, Italy, has become a partner with Marché du Film, one of the world’s most important film markets and a parallel event at Cannes.
• Officers Sue Affleck and Damon’s Company Over ‘The Rip’ Portrayal
  Two Miami law enforcement officials say the Netflix crime drama uses real-life details and portrays them in a negative light.
• ‘Paranormal Activity’ to Haunt Broadway This Summer
  Inspired by the popular film series, the play has already run in Britain and in four U.S. cities. It arrives in New York in August after a Boston stop.
• At Netflix Is a Joke, the Attention Economy Rules the Festival
  Though stand-up by stars like John Mulaney and Dave Chappelle were on the program, roasts, podcasts and other shows that incorporated comedy were hot.
• In ‘Should I Marry a Murderer’ and ‘Trust Me,’ Informants Risk Almost Everything
  In two new Netflix docuseries, women put their lives, safety and sanity on the line to help law enforcement bring down the bad guy.
• Kevin Hart Roast: Highlights From Tom Brady, the Rock, Katt Williams and More
  Tom Brady, the Rock, Chelsea Handler and even Hart’s longtime rival Katt Williams told jokes at Hart’s expense at a Netflix roast.
• Lost Movie Music? On CD? La-La Land Is an Anomaly. (And a Success.)
  The California record label scours movie studio archives and composers’ personal collections to locate music from older films or TV recordings.
• ‘The Lost Boys’ Helped Define the ’80s in More Ways Than One
  The film that’s been adapted into a new musical created a memorable aesthetic with its cast and outfits. Its ideas about the nuclear family also made it a movie for its time.
• Rocky Has Entered the Building
  The statue has long drawn fans to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, but now it’s inside, anchoring an exhibition that investigates race, activism and violence.
• Hugh Jackman in a Truly PG-Rated Murder Mystery
  Our movie critic Alissa Wilkinson reviews “The Sheep Detectives” and asks: Why aren’t more movies like it?
• Blake Lively Settlement Had No Financial Payout, Filing Confirms
  Justin Baldoni’s company did not agree to make a payout as part of the deal that ended Ms. Lively’s lawsuit, but she is able to seek compensation through a separate legal avenue.
• Five Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now
  Among this month’s picks: a zombie road movie, an alien action movie and Gerard Butler in a postapocalyptic sequel.
• 5 New Movies Our Critics Are Talking About This Week
  Whether you’re a casual moviegoer or an avid buff, our reviewers think these films are worth knowing about.
• After a Fire, a Director Finds a Lifeline in ‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’
  Olivia Newman lost her home in the 2025 California wildfires. Telling the story of a woman who connects with an octopus after a major loss proved a balm.
• ‘The Python Hunt’ Review: A Real Contest as Riveting as Fiction
  The Florida Python Challenge brings out a fascinating cast of characters, all captured by the director Xander Robin’s camera.
• Billie Eilish and James Cameron on ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour’
  The musician and director teamed up to bring Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour — with poignant moments onstage and off — to theaters.
• After 43 Years, an Unproduced Larry David Script Surfaces Online
  “Prognosis: Negative” was too dark for its time, but its title became a running “Seinfeld” joke and its premise set the table for “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
• ‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’ Review: Their Octopus Teacher
  Sally Field and Lewis Pullman get help from an eight-tentacled friend in this bland adaptation of a hit novel.
• ‘Blue Film’ Review: The Sex Is Expensive. The Talk Is Priceless.
  An older man pays a camboy $50,000 for a night that goes to difficult, existential places in this breakout feature from Elliot Tuttle.
• This Film Provides a Trapezoidal Window into Former Pizza Huts
  A documentary about the popular chain presents its repurposed buildings as protective shells where new businesses can grow.
• Is the Blake Lively v. Justin Baldoni Legal Fight Over? Not So Fast.
  Lawyers for Ms. Lively and Mr. Baldoni have said the two sides settled much of the contentious dispute. But one major disagreement remains.
• ‘Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard and Soft’ Review: 3-D Is What She Was Made For
  The pop superstar teamed up with James Cameron to create a concert movie that, playing with shiny camera technology, reinvigorates the concert experience.
• Tony Leung Doesn’t Want a Challenge. He Wants a Compatible Director.
  The star often refuses roles unless he clicks with the filmmaker. That’s how he came to work with Wong Kar-wai, Hou Hsiao-Hsien and now Ildiko Enyedi.
• ‘Silent Friend’ Review: What a Ginkgo Can Teach Us
  Starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Léa Seydoux, this cerebral drama explores the mysteries of plant and human connection.
• ‘Mortal Kombat II’ Review: Eye-Popping Pyrotechnics
  The movie, directed by Simon McQuoid and based on the cult video game, unleashes another gruesome fighter tournament to determine the fate of the universe.
• ‘The Sheep Detectives’ Review: A Murder Most Fleecy
  A flock of sheep and Hugh Jackman star in a delightful Agatha Christie-style mystery set in an English village.
• ‘Serial Mom’: The Mother’s Day Movie for Our Times
  In this parody of the true crime genre, a mother with murderous tendencies reflects on the hard work and thankless sacrifices that go into parenting.
• In ‘Rocky Horror,’ Luke Evans Finds His Ballad of Sexual Liberation
  What does it take to play Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Show” on Broadway? Luke Evans transforms in five-inch heels and an endless supply of glitter.
• ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ Then and Now: Why It Hits Differently
  The film’s portrait of the work lives of a young journalist and a top editor holds lessons for us. It’s just that the lessons have changed with time.

NPR©

• 'Marty, Life Is Short' reveals the losses endured by comedy legend Martin Short
  After a long career in comedy, Martin Short shares his story of "love, loss and survival" in a new Netflix documentary, Marty, Life Is Short.
• Cineplexity: the best female action stars in the movies
  NPR staff share their favorite female action stars, their surprising attributes and best scenes.
• 'Blue Film' is a disquieting sit for both characters and audience
  Blue Film is clearly designed to be unsettling. Its performances are haunting.
• Rooted in nature, 'Silent Friend' will change the way you see the trees
  A new art-house drama tells three stories that span the century — and connect to one tree. Silent Friend will open your eyes to the beauty of the natural world.
• Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settle dispute weeks before scheduled trial
  In a joint statement, lawyers for the actors said they hoped the settlement would bring "closure."
• As the Devil Wears Prada 2 struts into theaters, NPR staffers discuss fashion in film
  NPR's fashionistas talk about how their favorite films have influenced what we wear, and the power of costumes to transform character.
• Academy announces major overhaul to rules
  The new rules focus on areas such as AI protections for writers and actors and expanded eligibility for international films.
• 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' is a fizzy sequel -- with more to say than the original
  Like any good sequel, this movie feels like a reunion. Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep return in a cleverly written film that will delight anyone who loved the 2006 original.
• This 'Devil Wears Prada' wants to save journalism
  Andy Sachs returns to Runway in a timely but unconvincing story about saving the magazine.
• What 'The Devil Wears Prada' got right about the fashion industry
  NPR's Michel Martin speaks with fashion critic Robin Givhan about the fashion industry's opinion of "The Devil Wears Prada" movie and what it's hoping to see -- and not see -- in the sequel.