Linda Holmes
Stories
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Pop Culture
What the royal family doesn't understand about PR in 2024
The release of the Mother's Day photo was not meant as a proof of life. However, any clever communications person should have known it would be taken that way and closely scrutinized by the public.
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Pop Culture
The big takeaways from last night's Oscars
With the Oscars handed out, NPR critic Linda Holmes reflects on the night's big winners, takeaways, and telecast highlights.
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Pop Culture
Confessions of a continuity cop
You know that scene in Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts is eating a croissant that is suddenly a pancake? Continuity issues like that crop up all the time. Whether you let it distract you is your call.
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Pop Culture
If you love courtroom dramas, this Oscar-nominated film is not to be missed
The courtroom drama is a beloved and established film genre. Anatomy of a Fall is a Best Picture nominee that feels familiar at first but immerses audiences in a different kind of legal thriller.
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Pop Culture
Yes, a lot of people watched the Super Bowl, but the monoculture is still a myth
Super Bowl viewership isn't faltering in the same way broadcast, cable and awards shows are. But do we really need mass consumption of the same cultural work? Or just smart and connected consumption?
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Pop Culture
Time loop stories aren't all 'Groundhog Day' rip-offs. Time loop stories aren't all...
Here we go again: Time loop stories were around long before the 1993 movie Groundhog Day. So a friendly reminder that one person's discovery of something isn't the same as its invention.
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Pop Culture
Nicole Kidman leads an ensemble of privileged, disconnected American 'Expats'
The TV adaptation of the 2016 novel The Expatriates is set in Hong Kong and tells the stories of several women navigating expat ennui. The show is also a strangely displaced form of prestige TV.
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Pop Culture
Takeaways from the Oscar nominations: heavy hitters rewarded, plus some surprises, too
Oppenheimer led all films with 13 nominations. Barbie's Greta Gerwig was overlooked for best director. Many first-time actors were recognized, and international films performed well.
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Pop Culture
The year in review: 50 wonderful things from 2023
Pop culture critic Linda Holmes has been making this annual list since 2010. Big, small, inspirational, silly — what these items have in common is that they are all wonderful and brought her joy.
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Pop Culture
'The Challenge' is understanding why this 'Squid Game' game show was green-lit
Squid Game: The Challenge is a reality game show based on the sensational South Korean drama series. But this gruesome, creatively misbegotten concept should never have made it past the first meeting.