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Fresh Air features daily reports and reviews from critics and commentators on music, books, movies, and other cultural phenomena that invade the national psyche.
Last Updated: November 20, 2009 02:20 pm
A 'New Moon' Destined For A Quick Eclipse
November 20, 2009 12:28 pm
Stephenie Meyers' four-novel Twilight saga set off a rage for lovelorn teen vampires -—one that only escalated after the release of the first hit movie. The second film, New Moon, set box-office records for advance sales, but critic David Edelstein says it's too turgid for the excitement to last.
Judd Apatow On The Alchemy Of 'Funny People'
November 20, 2009 09:53 am
Judd Apatow, known for films like The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, was the guiding force behind the comedy Funny People, out now on DVD. The movie focuses on a comedian (Adam Sandler) who reassesses his life after a dire medical diagnosis. Apatow, a former comic himself, talks about why he made the movie — and what he finds funny.
After Obama Visit, Assessing U.S.-China Relations
November 19, 2009 12:00 pm
China expert Orville Schell explains to host Terry Gross how the fates of the United States and China are connected, and how the protectionist policies of the past are no longer viable.
Celebrating The Johnny Mercer Centennial
November 18, 2009 12:04 pm
Lyricist and composer Johnny Mercer — born Nov. 18, 1909 — wrote or co-wrote more than 1,000 songs, including American Songbook standards like "Skylark," "That Old Black Magic" and "Come Rain or Come Shine." His Academy Awards tally includes a statue for what's possibly his most famous tune, "Moon River." Fresh Air marks the anniversary of his birth with an in-studio concert starring Rebecca Kilgore and Dave Frishberg.
Sacha Baron Cohen And Larry Charles Talk 'Bruno'
November 17, 2009 01:59 pm
When Sacha Baron Cohen grants an interview, it's usually in character — as Borat, the clueless faux-Kazakh journalist; or as Bruno, the outrageously shallow, ostentatiously gay Austrian fashionista at the center of Cohen's most recent film. Today, though, Cohen joins Fresh Air as himself, for a conversation with Terry Gross and Bruno director Larry Charles.
Geoffrey Nunberg: 'The I's Don't Have It'
November 17, 2009 10:19 am
Counting words has become a popular new device in assessing political speech. The number of first-person singular pronouns in a speech can turn a modest public figure into a pompous politician. Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg suggests that counting words isn't very revealing unless we consider their context as well.
Joshua Kosman, Predicting The Next Credit Crisis
November 16, 2009 01:26 pm
In a new book, journalist Joshua Kosman predicts a coming credit crisis, and assigns blame to private equity firms. While such firms make a fast profit from buying companies, improving them and reselling them, the companies take on the debt incurred from the purchase, leaving them in danger of financial collapse.
Woody Harrelson, Part 2: When War Comes Home
November 16, 2009 10:30 am
This month Woody Harrelson stars plays Capt. Tony Stone in a new movie about the costs of war. His character notifies the families of fallen soldiers. Harrelson's performance is already generating Oscar chatter.
Cinematographer Gordon Willis, Setting the Scene
November 13, 2009 12:00 pm
The Academy Awards aren't until February, but cinematographer Gordon Willis is receiving his honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement award this fall. Willis is the visual mastermind behind classic films like Annie Hall, The Godfather, and Pennies From Heaven. We tip the hat in his direction with a rebroadcast of a 2002 conversation about his life behind the lens.
With Its Limp Remake, AMC Breaks 'The Prisoner'
November 13, 2009 11:02 am
AMC's newest miniseries is an ill-advised attempt at a reboot of the cult-hit '60s spy series: A man known as Six (Jim Caviezel) finds himself trapped in a strange desert village, dogged by a mysterious watcher (Ian McKellen's elusive Two). Critic David Bianculli says that despite McKellen's captivating performance, the remake has none of the curious genius of the original.
Between Albums, Rivers Cuomo Digs Up Solo Work
November 13, 2009 09:29 am
Since Weezer's debut in 1994, the band has released six more albums, gone through a re-organization, and earned a devoted following. Their new album is called Raditude. Last year, Rivers Cuomo, Weezer's lead singer, guitarist and principal songwriter, released two solo CDs of songs that didn't make it onto the band's albums.
The (Surprisingly) Real Feel of 'Fantastic Mr. Fox'
November 12, 2009 11:18 am
Director Wes Anderson's first animated film is based on Roald Dahl's cheerfully wicked children's book about a wily fox who wages war on three farmers. Critic David Edelstein says the film — with its stop-motion animation, big-name voice talent and quirky mannerisms — achieves a degree of realism that isn't always apparent in the cult director's work.
How Safe Is It? Seymour Hersh On Pakistan's Arsenal
November 12, 2009 10:22 am
Pakistan has an estimated 80 to 100 nuclear warheads. How secure are they? Veteran investigative journalist Seymour Hersh talks with host Terry Gross about Pakistan's nuclear arsenal and what Pakistan and the U.S. are doing to keep it safe.
Tito x 2: Celebrating The Kings Of Mambo Again
November 11, 2009 10:43 am
Music critic Milo Miles reviews two new collections of tunes from the late Latin pioneers Tito Rodriguez and Tito Puente. The two were rivals on the bandstand of the Palladium, the epicenter of the 1950s mambo craze.
