movies


The Un-Flattened View of Richard Nixon

Documentarian Penny Lane delved into an archive of amatuer insider footage never seen by the public - and came away with a different image of Richard Nixon and his cronies than we have generally seen.


Anna Gunn Ponders Breaking, Bad Romances

Actress Anna Gunn plays Skylar White - wife to Bryan Cranston's suburban meth kingpin - on AMC's "Breaking Bad." We asked her to list some other depictions of dysfunction...that worked.


“Blackfish” Director on Captive Killers

In her new documentary "Blackfish," Gabriela Cowperthwaite tells the story of Tilikum, a killer whale who killed his own trainer and two other humans, and raises questions about the ethics and safety of holding orcas in captivity. She tells Rico why she took on the story, and how these non-whales got their name.


Filmmaker Andrew Bujalski Speaks Up

Andrew Bujalski, the "Godfather of Mumblecore," took a break from making films about the romantic lives of young people to make "Computer Chess" -- his new film about '80s software engineers in love with computers. Bujalski tells Rico about shooting a movie about the '80s with cameras from the '60s, setting limits on those new-fangled wheels, and the consequences of repeating an innocent joke to a journalist.


Lucy Walker on Comebacks … with Complications

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lucy Walker's newest documentary, The Crash Reel, is about snowboarder Kevin Pearce who was side-lined from the sport after a devastating crash. Pearce desperately wants to get back on a board - even though it could mean risking his life. We asked Ms. Walker to list some other come-back stories.


Kevin Hart on Freeway Babies and Zebras

Actor and comedian Kevin Hart has had scene-stealing small roles in big films like "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Little Fockers." And he had a big role in the big film "Think Like a Man." But he's best known for his stand-up comedy. This week "Let Me Explain" -- a movie about his recent comedy tour -- hits theaters. It was filmed mainly during a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden. Brendan chats with Kevin about his penchant for leather, his international fame, and his recent growth spurt.


David Lynch and Lykke Li – ‘I’m Waiting Here’

While he is best-known for creating Twin Peaks and films like Blue Velvet, all-around creative David Lynch has a new project on the horizon: his second album, The Big Dream. The record, coming out July 15, is a collection of songs he has written (and one Bob Dylan cover) - and some versions will include this special bonus collaboration with Swedish pop darling Lykke Li.


Jason Wise captures the ballet of wine tasting on film in ‘Somm’

Filmmaker Jason Wise follows the process of preparing for the insanely difficult examination required to become a certified Master Sommelier in his new documentary SOMM (in select theaters, and on iTunes). He tells us how making the film taught him about the seriousness and non-BS-ness, of becoming a true “wine surgeon.”


The National Lampoon and reshaping American comedy

Journalist and cultural critic Ellin Stein’s newest book, That’s Not Funny, That’s Sick: The National Lampoon and the Comedy Insurgents Who Captured the Mainstream could be called The Funny Pages. Rico gets the lowdown - and some laffs - from Ellin.