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What makes a good sex scene?

Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon star in the 1996 film Bound. Alamy hide caption

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Alamy

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

What makes a good sex scene?

It's easy to notice when a sex scene is bad. But what makes a sex scene good? Today, we are recommending films with good sex scenes, including Bound, Love & Basketball, Magic Mike's Last Dance, and Oppenheimer.

What makes a good sex scene?

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In a collection of 40+ interviews, author Adam Moss tries to find the key to creation

A sample of pages from chapter 9 of the book, which profiles poet and essayist Louise Glück. Penguin Press hide caption

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Penguin Press

Author Interviews

In a collection of 40+ interviews, author Adam Moss tries to find the key to creation

Author Adam Moss interviewed more than 40 creative minds to find out how they went from a blank page to finished work of art.

In a collection of 40+ interviews, author Adam Moss tries to find the key to creation

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USC cancels filmmaker's keynote amid controversy over canceled valedictorian speech

Students carrying signs on April 18, 2024 on the campus of USC protest a canceled commencement speech by its 2024 valedictorian who has publicly supported Palestinians. Damian Dovarganes/AP hide caption

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Damian Dovarganes/AP

Middle East crisis — explained

USC cancels filmmaker's keynote amid controversy over canceled valedictorian speech

USC announced the cancellation of a keynote speech by filmmaker Jon M. Chu just days after making the choice to keep the student valedictorian, who expressed support for Palestinians, from speaking.

Consider This from NPR

Is this fictitious civil war closer to reality than we think?

Civil War, the new A24 film from British director Alex Garland, imagines a scenario that might not seem so far-fetched to some; a contemporary civil war breaking out in the United States.

Is this fictitious civil war closer to reality than we think?

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'The Beast' jumps from 1910, to 2014, to 2044, tracking fear through the ages

Gabrielle and Louis (Léa Seydoux and George MacKay) meet in 1910 Paris, 2014 Los Angeles and again in 2044 in The Beast. Carole Bethuel/Kinology hide caption

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Carole Bethuel/Kinology

Review

Movie Reviews

'The Beast' jumps from 1910, to 2014, to 2044, tracking fear through the ages

Fresh Air

This wildly original adaptation of the Henry James novella The Beast in the Jungle follows human alienation and anxiety, asking why, in every era, we disengage from life and the people around us.

'The Beast' jumps from 1910, to 2014, to 2044, tracking fear through the ages

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'Rust' armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed sentenced to 18 months in prison

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the former armorer of the movie Rust, during her trial in Santa Fe, N.M., on March 6, 2024. Luis Sanchez Saturno /AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Luis Sanchez Saturno /AFP via Getty Images

Culture

'Rust' armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed sentenced to 18 months in prison

Gutierrez-Reed has been in custody since she was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March by a New Mexico jury. Her attorney asked for probation and will appeal the case.

'Civil War' is a doomsday thought experiment — that could have used more thinking

Kirsten Dunst plays a battle scarred photojournalist in Civil War. Murray Close/A24 hide caption

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Murray Close/A24

Review

Movie Reviews

'Civil War' is a doomsday thought experiment — that could have used more thinking

Fresh Air

This ambitious thriller comes across as an empty stunt — a democracy dystopia that sidesteps the politics of the present moment. But Kirsten Dunst is excellent as a battle scarred photojournalist.

'Civil War' is a doomsday thought experiment — that could have used more thinking

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'Civil War' envisions a too-near future

Kirsten Dunst as Lee in Civil War. A24 hide caption

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A24

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Civil War' envisions a too-near future

The new film Civil War depicts a contemporary America torn apart by a military conflict between the federal government and an alliance of secessionist states. Directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina), the film follows a small band of journalists led by Kirsten Dunst's jaded war photographer. They embark on a harrowing journey to the heart of the conflict, encountering brutality and bloodshed along the way.

'Civil War' envisions a too-near future

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'Girls State' provides hope and disappointment for the state of our democracy

Nisha Murali in the Apple TV+ documentary film Girls State. Apple TV+ hide caption

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Apple TV+

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Girls State' provides hope and disappointment for the state of our democracy

The new Apple TV+ documentary Girls State asks: how would high school girls do things if they were in charge? The film is a follow-up to 2020's Boys State, and this time, follows an annual high school program that gives hundreds of girls a chance to create a mock government, complete with elections and a Supreme Court. It was made during the 2022 session, which ended days before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and the case is very much on the minds of the girls in the program.

'Girls State' provides hope and disappointment for the state of our democracy

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'A masterclass in how to give terrible answers': Inside that Prince Andrew interview

Prince Andrew's 2019 BBC interview is now the subject of a Netflix film. Steve Parsons/AP hide caption

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Steve Parsons/AP

Interview highlights

'A masterclass in how to give terrible answers': Inside that Prince Andrew interview

Sam McAlister was the BBC booker who persuaded Prince Andrew to go on record about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It's the subject of new Netflix movie Scoop.

'A masterclass in how to give terrible answers': Inside that Prince Andrew interview

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A guide to Stephen King

Stephen King at a press conference in 2013, in Paris. Eric Feferberg/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Eric Feferberg/AFP via Getty Images

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

A guide to Stephen King

Stephen King is one of the most successful living writers. He's written more than 50 books that have sold hundreds of millions of copies. And his works have been adapted into a number of classic films, including The Shining, The Shawshank Redemption, and It. This month marks the 50th anniversary of his first novel, Carrie, so we are revisiting our guide to Stephen King.

A guide to Stephen King

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'Wait Wait' for April 6, 2024: With Not My Job guest Chris Pine
Phillip Faraone/Getty Images

Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!

'Wait Wait' for April 6, 2024: With Not My Job guest Chris Pine

Chris Pine has done it all, from Star Trek to Wonder Woman to The Princess Diaries. Now, he's written/directed his own movie, Poolman, but can he answer our questions about crisp pine air fresheners?

'Wait Wait' for April 6, 2024: With Not My Job guest Chris Pine

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Chris Pine tells us where he ranks on the list of Hollywood Chrises
Phillip Faraone/Getty Images

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Chris Pine tells us where he ranks on the list of Hollywood Chrises

This week, Chris Pine joins us to talk his new movie Poolman, imitating William Shatner, and where he ranks on the list of Hollywood Chrises.

Chris Pine tells us where he ranks on the list of Hollywood Chrises

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In 'Monkey Man,' Dev Patel gets revenge through gorilla warfare

Dev Patel in Monkey Man. Akhirwan Nurhaidi/Universal Pictures hide caption

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Akhirwan Nurhaidi/Universal Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'Monkey Man,' Dev Patel gets revenge through gorilla warfare

The new action film Monkey Man is Dev Patel's film – he serves as star, director, and co-writer. He plays a young man whose village was destroyed and mother murdered by elite members of society. He sets out to infiltrate their corrupt, rarified existence and seek his bloody, bloody revenge. There's plenty of gunplay, knife-play, ax-play, bone-crunching, tuk-tuk chases, and gouts of blood.

In 'Monkey Man,' Dev Patel gets revenge through gorilla warfare

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'Coup de Chance' is a typical Woody Allen film — with one appalling final detail

Niels Schneider and Lou de Laâge star in Coup de Chance. GRAVIER PRODUCTIONS hide caption

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GRAVIER PRODUCTIONS

Review

Movie Reviews

'Coup de Chance' is a typical Woody Allen film — with one appalling final detail

Fresh Air

Set in France, Allen's latest film covers familiar territory, including an adulterous romance, a premeditated murder and a darkly cynical consideration of the role that luck plays in human affairs.

'Coup de Chance' is a typical Woody Allen film — with one appalling final detail

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'La Chimera' is marvelous — right up to its most magical ending

Carol Duarte and Josh O'Connor in La Chimera. Neon hide caption

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Neon

Review

Movie Reviews

'La Chimera' is marvelous — right up to its most magical ending

Fresh Air

An archeological tomb robber wanders Italy, haunted by the memory of lost love. La Chimera is a playful fable that builds to not one but two thrilling scenes of underground exploration.

'La Chimera' is marvelous — right up to its most magical ending

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Why haven't NCAA fans always followed the WNBA? Sue Bird has her theories

Women's college basketball is hot, says now-retired WBNA player Sue Bird (shown here in 2022). "If you liked us in college, why didn't you follow us to the WNBA? It is probably one of the more interesting and maybe more difficult questions to answer." Steph Chambers/Getty Images hide caption

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Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Sports

Why haven't NCAA fans always followed the WNBA? Sue Bird has her theories

Fresh Air

Bird notes that WNBA players represent society's most marginalized groups. "We're Black, we're women, we're gay," she says. "And those are the groups that are held back in our society."

Why haven't NCAA fans always followed the WNBA? Sue Bird has her theories

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Revisiting the movies of 1999

Ron Livingston in Office Space. Getty Images hide caption

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Getty Images

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Revisiting the movies of 1999

Movies had a big year in 1999. Today, we're going back 25 years to talk about some of the most interesting movies released in 1999 — including Drop Dead Gorgeous, Office Space, and The Talented Mr. Ripley. In this encore episode, we'll talk about what holds up, what looks really different, and what we miss the most.

Revisiting the movies of 1999

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