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Saturday

Saldana As Simone Resurfaces A Debate Beyond Black And White

In this composite image, a comparison has been made between Nina Simone and actress Zoe Saldana. David Redfern/Frazer Harrison/Redferns/Getty Images for Relativity Media hide caption

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David Redfern/Frazer Harrison/Redferns/Getty Images for Relativity Media

Opinion

Saldana As Simone Resurfaces A Debate Beyond Black And White

NPR's Lourdes Garcia-Navarro reflects on the debate over the casting of Zoe Saldana in the role of iconic jazz singer Nina Simone. Saldana wore makeup to darken her skin and look more like Simone.

Saldana As Simone Resurfaces A Debate Beyond Black And White

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Monday

Superlatives Notwithstanding, Even 'The Force' Has Its Limits

Gone with the Wind has sold more than 200 million tickets — most of them back when there were far fewer people on the planet. Hulton Archive/Getty Images hide caption

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Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Review

Movie Reviews

Superlatives Notwithstanding, Even 'The Force' Has Its Limits

NPR film critic Bob Mondello has been listening to the Star Wars hype train. Here's why he isn't climbing aboard.

Superlatives Notwithstanding, Even 'The Force' Has Its Limits

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Thursday

Even In A Film Category Full Of Global Issues, #OscarsSoWhite

An optometrist confronts the killers responsible for his brother's death during the 1965 Indonesian genocide in The Look of Silence. Courtesy Drafthouse Films and Participant Media. hide caption

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Courtesy Drafthouse Films and Participant Media.

Goats and Soda

Even In A Film Category Full Of Global Issues, #OscarsSoWhite

Nominees include globally-minded films set in places like Liberia and Pakistan. But a new study of nominated documentary directors does confirm: #OscarsSoWhite

Saturday

With Rich History And Tax Breaks, Berlin Lures American Filmmakers

A scene from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 takes place in the fictional capital city Panem, which was filmed in Berlin. Murray Close/Lionsgate hide caption

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Murray Close/Lionsgate

Parallels

With Rich History And Tax Breaks, Berlin Lures American Filmmakers

Berlin is a favorite among Hollywood's top directors and actors. In the past year, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2, Homeland and Bridge of Spies were all shot on location in the German capital.

With Rich History And Tax Breaks, Berlin Lures American Filmmakers

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Friday

Wednesday

Saturday

He's Shared 'Every Single Word' — But It's The Silence That Rings Louder
YouTube

Race

He's Shared 'Every Single Word' — But It's The Silence That Rings Louder

The video series by Dylan Marron lays bare the film industry's lack of diversity: By cutting all but the dialogue from nonwhite characters, the actor points out how little Hollywood gives them to say.

He's Shared 'Every Single Word' — But It's The Silence That Rings Louder

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Thursday

A Geek's Guide To Growing Up In Inglewood In 'Dope'

Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons and Shameik Moore star in the new film, Dope. Scott Falconer/Courtesy of Open Road Films hide caption

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Scott Falconer/Courtesy of Open Road Films

Code Switch

A Geek's Guide To Growing Up In Inglewood In 'Dope'

Film director Rick Famuyiwa drew from his own childhood in Southern California for this new comedy. It follows hip-hop loving high school geeks who get mixed up in a drug heist.

A Geek's Guide To Growing Up In Inglewood In 'Dope'

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Saturday

Science Of Sadness And Joy: 'Inside Out' Gets Childhood Emotions Right

Joy (left, voiced by Amy Poehler) and Sadness (voiced by Phyllis Smith) catch a ride on the Train of Thought in Pixar's Inside Out. The movie opens in theaters nationwide June 19. Disney/Pixar hide caption

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Disney/Pixar

Shots - Health News

Science Of Sadness And Joy: 'Inside Out' Gets Childhood Emotions Right

Pixar's animated fantasy takes viewers inside the mind of an 11-year-old girl named Riley. Psychologists say the film offers an accurate picture of how emotions and memories help make us who we are.

Science Of Sadness And Joy: 'Inside Out' Gets Childhood Emotions Right

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Thursday

Rome's Cinematic 'Dream Factory' Ramps Up Production Once Again

The famous chariot race in Ben-Hur was filmed on a movie set at Cinecittà in 1958. AP hide caption

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AP

Parallels

Rome's Cinematic 'Dream Factory' Ramps Up Production Once Again

Blockbusters like Ben-Hur were filmed at Cinecittà, a 100-acre movie metropolis, during its heyday. After decades of hard times, a tax credit has sparked a revival of "Hollywood on the Tiber."

Rome's Cinematic 'Dream Factory' Ramps Up Production Once Again

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Saturday

'Furious 7' Races To New Record, Quickly Hitting $1 Billion Mark

Furious 7 has hit the $1 billion worldwide box-office mark, two days faster any other film. Earlier this month, stars Sung Kang, left, and Ludacris attend the film's Los Angeles premiere. Michael Kovac/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Kovac/Getty Images

The Two-Way

'Furious 7' Races To New Record, Quickly Hitting $1 Billion Mark

Universal says the movie is the studio's first to cross the billion-dollar mark during its first run in theaters, putting it above films such as Jurassic Park and Despicable Me.

Sunday

Yes, Real Cars Fell From Real Planes For That 'Furious 7' Stunt

The beloved Dodge Charger of Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) launches off Pikes Peak, Colo., followed by a member of the security force of Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham). Stunt coordinator Jack Gill planned and coordinated these stunts for Furious 7. Courtesy of Jack Gill hide caption

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Courtesy of Jack Gill

Movies

Yes, Real Cars Fell From Real Planes For That 'Furious 7' Stunt

The movie avoided CGI for the bulk of its action sequences. That meant stunt coordinator and longtime stunt driver Jack Gill had to figure out how to toss cars out of a flying airplane.

Yes, Real Cars Fell From Real Planes For That 'Furious 7' Stunt

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Saturday

People With Disabilities, On Screen And Sans Clichés

From left, Bastian Wurbs (as Titus), Joel Basman (as Valentin) and Nikki Rappl (as Lukas) star in Keep Rollin', a coming-of-age drama featured in the seventh annual Reelabilities film festival. Courtesy of EastWest Film Distribution hide caption

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Courtesy of EastWest Film Distribution

Movies

People With Disabilities, On Screen And Sans Clichés

Films that focus on disability are frequently overlooked by festivals and audiences. Reelabilities, a 15-city festival, is bucking the trend, showcasing films by and about people with disabilities.

People With Disabilities, On Screen And Sans Clichés

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Saturday

Movie Chains Balk At Netflix's Plan For Simultaneous Release

Idris Elba stars as an African warlord in the forthcoming film Beasts of No Nation. Netflix recently purchased distribution rights for the film for nearly $12 million. Jac Cheairs/Red Crown Productions/Participant Media/Netflix hide caption

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Jac Cheairs/Red Crown Productions/Participant Media/Netflix

Movies

Movie Chains Balk At Netflix's Plan For Simultaneous Release

The streaming service plans to release Beasts Of No Nation, starring Idris Elba, in theaters and online at the same time. But at least four major movie theater chains won't be showing it.

Movie Chains Balk At Netflix's Plan For Simultaneous Release

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Wednesday

Acclaimed Documentary Filmmaker Bruce Sinofsky Dies At 58

Co-director Bruce Sinofsky attends the Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory press day at HBO Studios on Jan. 6, 2012, in New York City. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

The Two-Way

Acclaimed Documentary Filmmaker Bruce Sinofsky Dies At 58

Sinofsky and his longtime co-director, Joe Berlinger, are perhaps best known for Paradise Lost, a trilogy of films about three teenagers convicted of killing three little boys in West Memphis, Ark.