'Pray Away' Documentary on Conversion Therapy
A new Netflix documentary explores the history of the “pray the gay away” movement. "Pray Away" features former leaders of "ex-gay ministries" who explain how the conversion therapy movement grew, the...
View ArticleTodd Stephens & Udo Kier on 'Swan Song'
Director Todd Stephens joins us to discuss his new film, "Swan Song," along with actor Udo Kier. Kier stars as former hairdresser Pat Pitsenbarger, who escapes his small-town Ohio nursing home after...
View ArticleEtiquette Expert, 'The Chosen and the Beautiful,' Finding 'Love After 50,'...
As New York City springs back to life and our public spaces fill back up, it's time to talk about some of the ways we may have forgotten how to be good neighbors. Etiquette expert Lizzie Post,...
View ArticleHow Actor Winston Duke Brought All of Himself to "Nine Days"
Actor Winston Duke has had standout roles in major movies including Black Panther and Us, but this summer he’s starring in a much more intimate film called Nine Days. Written and directed by Edson Oda,...
View ArticleAretha Franklin Biopic 'Respect'
Director Liesl Tommy joins us to discuss her debut feature film, “Respect,” an Aretha Franklin biopic starring Jennifer Hudson. “Respect” will be out in theaters on August 13.
View Article'The Lost Leonardo'
Director Andreas Koefoed joins us to discuss his new documentary “The Lost Leonardo,” which tells the story behind the infamous painting, “Salvator Mundi,” which some claim is a lost work by Leonardo...
View ArticleAretha Franklin Biopic, 'The Lost Leonardo,' Vegetarian Newsletter, 'The...
Director Liesl Tommy joins us to discuss her debut feature film, “Respect,” an Aretha Franklin biopic starring Jennifer Hudson. “Respect” will be out in theaters on August 13.[REBROADCAST FROM APRIL 2,...
View Article'The Green Knight' Film Based on the Arthurian Legend
"The Green Knight," a film starring Dev Patel and based on the medieval myth of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, has received universal critical acclaim and some early Oscars buzz. Writer and director...
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Deep Dive with Dorian Warren: Passing
This month, "Passing," a new film by writer and director Rebecca Hall premieres on Netflix. Adapted from Nella Larsen’s 1929 Harlem Renaissance novel of the same name, "Passing" is shot in black and...
View Article"Attica" Film Chronicles Dishonest Media Portrayal Of America's Largest...
50 years ago, in 1971, over a thousand prisoners took hold of the Attica supermax facility for five days in Western New York making it the largest prison rebellion in American history.Prisoners were...
View ArticleRiz Ahmed on "Encounter" and Making Space for His Own Identity Onscreen
This month, Riz Ahmed stars in “Encounter,” a film about an ex-Marine who takes his sons on the run, in an attempt to protect them from what he believes is an impending alien invasion. Ahmed is...
View ArticleKenneth Branagh on 'Belfast'
When actor, writer and director Kenneth Branagh was only 9 years old, his community in Belfast erupted in violence. Now, over 50 years later, Branagh has brought this story of his childhood to life in...
View ArticleAmerican Chestnut, ‘Don’t Look Up’ Movie, Aurora Electrons. December 24,...
The Resurrection Of The American ChestnutAt the turn of the 20th century, the American chestnut towered over other trees in forests along the eastern seaboard. These giants could grow up to 100 feet...
View ArticleDirector Janicza Bravo On 'Zola'
[REBROADCAST FROM July 1, 2022] Writer and director Janicza Bravo joins us to discuss her acclaimed film, "Zola," co-written by playwright Jeremy O’Harris. Zola is a Detroit waitress who befriends one...
View ArticleOscar-Nominated Docs: Flee
Jonas Poher Rasmussen, writer and director of the Oscar-nominated feature documentary Flee, talks about his film, which uses animation to tell the story of his friend Amin's journey from Afghanistan as...
View ArticleThe Big Picture: Screenwriter Jon Spaihts on 'Dune'
We continue our series "The Big Picture," highlighting Oscar nominees who aren't directors or actors. Today, we speak with Jon Spaihts, who had the monumental task of adapting Frank Herbert's "Dune"...
View Article'The Day After' for a New Generation
In 1983, 100 million Americans watched an ABC made-for-tv movie called The Day After, depicting the immediate fallout from a nuclear exchange between the US and the Soviet Union. Tensions between the...
View ArticleDirector Owen Kline and Star Daniel Zolghadri on 'Funny Pages'
"Funny Pages” is an off-beat new movie, currently in theaters and on demand, about an aspiring illustrator who drops out of high school to pursue a career in comics in Trenton, New Jersey. Indiewire...
View ArticleFall Movie Preview
Many of the year's most hotly anticipated movies have premiered in Venice and Toronto, setting the stage for an interesting awards season packed with star performances and fascinating new films. New...
View Article"God's Creatures" Explores the Limits of a Mother's Love
A new film explores the lengths a mother will go to in order to protect her son, even in the wake of disturbing allegations. Emily Watson stars as Aileen, a woman from a small Irish fishing village...
View Article‘The Woman King’ Isn’t a Biopic. So What?
‘The Woman King’ sits somewhere between the cringe of 'Coming to America' and the fantasy of 'Black Panther' in Hollywood’s troubled history of stories about Africa.Dr. Aje-Ori Agbese, professor in...
View ArticleIn Todd Field's 'Tár,' Cate Blanchett is a Conductor Come Undone
In the latest film from writer and director Todd Field, Cate Blanchett stars as Lydia Tár, a pioneering and domineering conductor at the top of her game, an EGOT winner and the head of a major Berlin...
View Article30th Annual African Diaspora Film Festival
It's the 30th anniversary of the African Diaspora Film Festival, and this year the festival has another great lineup of movies to showcase. Diarah N'Daw-Spech, co-founder and co-director of the...
View ArticleBrian Lehrer Weekend: She Said Movie Context; DA Alvin Bragg; E-Bike Batteries
Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Context and a Movie: She Said (First) | Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg on Election Results and More (Starts at 28:20) | What to Do About...
View ArticleA Donkey's Journey in 'EO'
Director Jerzy Skolimowski's latest film follows a donkey named EO on a journey across European borders, through various owners and caretakers, encountering kindness and violence along the way....
View ArticleStephanie Hsu on Being the Villain, and the Hero, of 'Everything Everywhere...
The film "Everything Everywhere All At Once" has become one of the highest grossing indie films of all time, attracting a dedicated fan base due to its inventive storytelling, excellent action...
View ArticleReplay: All Hail 'The Woman King'
One of the Fall’s highly anticipated films is The Woman King starring Viola Davis. It’s the story of the Dahomey empire and their elite fighting force, the Agojie, made up entirely of women. We talk...
View ArticleAnna Kendrick on 'Alice, Darling'
Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick stars in the new film,"Alice, Darling," as a woman trapped in an abusive relationship. The Guardian calls it "a career-best performance." Kendrick joins us. "Alice, Darling"...
View ArticleJesse Eisenberg on His Directorial Debut, 'When You Finish Saving the World'
Jesse Eisenberg joins us to discuss his feature film directorial debut, "When You Finish Saving the World," which stars Julianne Moore and Finn Wolfhard as a mother and son with a complex and...
View Article'The Wanderers', Christian McBride, 'Bruiser', 'The Inspection'
For transcripts, see individual segment pages.The new play "The Wanderers" tells the story of Abe (Eddie Kaye Thomas) and Sophie (Sarah Cooper), two married writers whose relationship is tested when...
View ArticleThe Big Picture: Cinematographer Mandy Walker on Capturing 'Elvis'
In continuing our Big Picture series, we speak with Mandy Walker, the only female cinematographer nominated for an Oscar this year. She is nominated for her work on "Elvis," and joins us to discuss.
View ArticleOscar Nominee Hong Chau's Big Year
Actor Hong Chau has had a big year, with scene stealing performances in "The Menu" and "The Whale." The latter has earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Chau joins us to discuss...
View ArticleIn 'Inside,' Art Becomes Tools for Survival
In the new film "Inside," a renowned art thief (Willem Dafoe) becomes trapped in a luxury penthouse when an art heist goes awry. Dafoe, director Vasilis Katsoupis, and art curator Leonard Bigazzi join...
View ArticleAri Shapiro's New Cabaret Residency, In 'Inside,' Art Becomes a Tool for...
For transcripts, see individual segment pages.NPR's Ari Shapiro is scheduled to join Alan Cumming for a residency at the Carlyle Hotel in April, but before that, he's on tour promoting his memoir, The...
View ArticleStephanie Hsu on 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'
[REBROADCAST FROM December 1, 2022] The film "Everything Everywhere All At Once" has become one of the highest grossing indie films of all time, attracting a dedicated fan base due to its inventive...
View ArticleActor Bill Nighy and Writer Kazuo Ishiguro on 'Living'
[REBROADCAST FROM December 7, 2022] A new film from an adapted screenplay by Kazuo Ishiguro, titled "Living," finds Bill Nighy as a 1950s civil servant who, after a fatal cancer diagnosis, endeavors to...
View ArticleKe Huy Quan and James Hong on Oscar-Winning Film, 'Everything Everywhere All...
[Rebroadcast from 4/5/2022] "Everything Everywhere All At Once" is a mind-bending action comedy movie from music video-turned-feature film directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert that has swept...
View ArticleRevisiting 'The Way.'
It took years for Emilio Estevez to regain the rights to "The Way," a 2010 film he directed. The project is especially personal because it stars his father, Martin Sheen. Now, "The Way" is being...
View ArticleThe Director Rob Marshall on Halle Bailey as “The Little Mermaid”
The live-action remake of Disney’s classic “The Little Mermaid” is out this weekend. The performance of Halle Bailey as Princess Ariel has been widely praised, but some on the right lambasted the...
View ArticleThe Director Rob Marshall on Halle Bailey as “The Little Mermaid”
The live-action remake of Disney’s classic “The Little Mermaid” is out this weekend. The performance of Halle Bailey as Princess Ariel has been widely praised, but some on the right lambasted the...
View ArticleYour 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Reviews
This weekend marks the release of two long awaited movies -- "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer". Brian Lehrer Show listeners who ventured to the theaters over the weekend share their reviews of the films.
View ArticleThe History Behind the New Movie 'Oppenheimer'
Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), draws on his...
View ArticleRandall Park's Directorial Debut, 'Shortcomings'
Randall Park joins us to discuss his directorial debut, "Shortcomings," a romantic comedy following a trio of west-coast based characters as they navigate their relationships and head to New York City....
View ArticlePregnancy goes high-tech in "The Pod Generation"
In the new movie The Pod Generation, a wife named Rachel, played by Emilia Clarke, and her husband Alvy, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, want to start a family. In the movie’s near future, you don’t have...
View ArticleA New Teen Sex Comedy Pulls No Punches
A new film titled "Bottoms" tells the story of two unpopular high school lesbians who attempt to gain popularity by forming a fight club. It stars Ayo Edebiri of "The Bear" and Rachel Sennott and is...
View ArticleCan Osage Citizens Revive Fairfax?
Killers of the Flower Moon, a new film directed by Martin Scorcese based on the bestselling book of the same name, tells the story of how greed and profound injustice took the lives of so many Osage....
View ArticleEmerald Fennell’s Anatomy of Desire
For the follow-up to her acclaimed and controversial début feature film, “Promising Young Woman,” the writer and director Emerald Fennell (also well known as an actor on “The Crown”) has made a dark...
View ArticleYour Film and TV Recs
Since awards season in Hollywood is now officially underway, listeners call in to recommend a film or television show from 2023 -- or a notable actor's performance.
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