Every Friday, Movie Date podcast co-hosts Kristen Meinzer and Rafer Guzman talk about the weekend's new releases. The biggest debut this weekend is a remake of a film that comes from a long line of remakes: "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" opens today. (The movie’s director and unconventional star, Andy Serkis will appear later this morning on the program.) Also opening this weekend is "The Change-Up" a new bro-mance starring Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds, and "Magic Trip," a documentary about Ken Kesey and the Merry Prankster’s drug-filled road trip in 1964.

International celebrity culture often feels like a very modern phenomenon, but the concept was not foreign to society in the 1860s, when there was one couple everybody wanted to meet: General Tom Thumb and his wife, Lavinia Warren. Both were famous because of their short stature — Lavinia was just 32 inches tall — and they toured the country as "curiosities." Their wedding in 1863 caused a national sensation that extended as far as the White House, where President Abraham Lincoln hosted a reception in their honor. Tom Thumb is now a household name, though most people have never heard of Lavinia. 

Child sex slavery and human trafficking are crimes often associated with international criminals. But what if the people behind these heinous activities were actually our friends and co-workers? A new film called "The Whistleblower" tells a real story in which this is the case.

Every Friday, The Takeaway looks at the week's new film releases. Hitting the multiplexes this weekend is "Crazy Stupid Love" is a romantic comedy starring Steve Carell as a recent divorcé navigating the dating world, and Ryan Gosling as source of romantic advice. Also out is "The Smurfs," a combination live-action and animated movie, based on the '80s cartoon about tiny blue creatures. And "Cowboys and Aliens" is a western meets alien invasion flick, starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and Olivia Wilde.

All this month, we're celebrating summer music at The Takeaway. Each week, a different musician is sharing his or her favorite songs of summer. Today's guest is Casey Spooner, of the Fischerspooner, a New York-based electronic duo. Spooner's solo album, "Adult Contemporary," is currently available. He's been working with a new group called Husk. You can download their first single, "Werque it Wow" for free here. Spooner has also been co-producing the "Ladies and Gentlemen" video blog series for Imagine Fashion.

The world knows Jenna Fischer best as the funny, quirky Pam Beesly on NBC’s "The Office." But today, movie-goers will see her acting range span beyond office flirtation and suburban boredom, and take a turn for the dark. In her new movie, "A Little Help," which opens today, Fischer plays a young wife and mother, whose unhappy marriage comes to sudden end when her husband unexpectedly dies.

This weekend two potentially big blockbusters are opening in theaters: "Captain America: The First Avenger," an action-packed comic book movie, and "Friends with Benefits," starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis as two friends who try to have a casual physical relationship.

In 1977, the British tabloid press was captivated by the story of Joyce McKinney, a former Miss Wyoming who seemingly kidnapped a Mormon Missionary named Kirk Anderson, and then raped him for three days straight. But, in a new documentary by Errol Morris, McKinney remembers things differently.

We're celebrating summer music here on The Takeaway. Throughout the month, we’ll be talking with different musicians about what songs say summer to them. Our guest today is New Jersey-raised and Brooklyn-based singer and songwriter Sharon Van Etten.

It's been 10 years since the first Harry Potter film, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," first debuted in cinemas, and 14 years since the novel first hit bookshelves. This weekend, the final installment of Harry Potter films, "Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows: Part 2," opens in theatres and — as is inevitable with a fanbase this immense and dedicated — anticipation for the film is high. It's already managed to sell out 2,000 screenings across the country.

Tonight at midnight, Harry Potter fans across America will be saying goodbye to their favorite bespeckled wizard, as "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," the final Harry Potter film, opens in theatres. What will the end of Harry Potter mean to the franchise’s loyal fans? Why has Harry Potter been so monumentally popular? And — from an academic point of view — why has Harry Potter been culturally important?

All this week, we’ve been talking with influential Americans about what patriotism and America means to them. We’re calling the series "My America." We’re wrapping up the series today, with actor, writer, and director John Turturro. Famous for his roles in movies like “Do the Right Thing,” “Barton Fink,” “The Big Labowski,” and the “Transformers” trilogy, Turturro's newest film is called "Passione."

We're celebrating summer music here at the Takeaway. Throughout the month we’ll be talking with different musicians about what songs say summer to them. Our guest today is Jim James, the lead singer and founding member of the band, My Morning Jacket. The band's latest album is called “Circuital.”

Plans for the troop drawdown in Afghanistan are underway. The Defense Department announced that the first regiments to head home will be finishing their tours of duty this month, and won’t be replaced. But after nearly a decade of combat there, how much do we really know about Afghanistan and what this will mean for the country? 

All week, we’ve been speaking with influential Americans about what patriotism and America means to them as part of our series "My America." Today’s guest is Dr. Abraham Verghese, professor of the theory and practice of medicine at Stanford University Medical School, and best-selling author of "My Own Country: A Doctor's Story" and "Cutting for Stone."

Our summer book club continues today with Celeste's first pick for July. Tea Obreht burst onto the literary scene this year with her first novel, "The Tiger’s Wife." The book explores one woman’s family history through historical myths and realities in the Balkans region.

At the age of 25, Obreht has already done what many authors hope to achieve a lifetime. In addition to critical acclaim for "The Tiger’s Wife," she also won the Orange Prize this year, making her the youngest person ever to do so.

We've been talking with influential Americans all week about what patriotism and America means to them in a new series "My America." Today’s guest is the Pulitzer Prize-nominated novelist Chang-Rae Lee.

In honor of July 4th we’re talking with influential Americans all week about what patriotism and America means to them. We’re calling the series “My America.” Today’s guests have views on America that are informed as much by their work as journalists as by their personal lives.

We’re kicking off a new series today; a summer music series. Throughout the month of July we’ll be talking with a different celebrity guest about what songs say summer to them. Our first guest is One Republic frontman Ryan Tedder.

"Terri"—which opens today—is the story of an introverted adolescent who likes watching hawks eat mice and prefers to wear pajamas to school. When his high school vice-principal, Mr. Fitzgerald, takes him under his wing, we learn more about both Terri’s vulnerabilities and Mr. Fitzgerald’s.