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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 27, 2009 01:58 pm
A Messenger For The Marines: Steve Beck's Story
November 27, 2009 10:00 am
The Messenger tells the story of a man assigned to one of the toughest jobs in the military: notifying the families of the fallen. Col. Steve Beck does that job for the U.S. Marine Corps, and his story is at the center of Final Salute, a book by Jim Sheeler. Sheeler (pictured) and Beck join Fresh Air to talk about a duty that's both an honor and a burden.
An Animated Chat With 'Up' Director Pete Docter
November 27, 2009 10:00 am
Up, the smash-hit animated adventure about a grouchy elderly man, a chubby scout, a 13-foot bird and a house borne aloft by balloons, is now out on DVD. Director and screenwriter Pete Docter talks about the joys of researching and creating animated films.
Loudon Wainwright Looks 'High' For Inspiration
November 26, 2009 10:00 am
Loudon Wainwright's new double album, High Wide and Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project, is a tribute to the old-time country banjo player who died in 1931. The singer-songwriter explains the motivations behind the project — and why Poole was such an influential country pioneer.
'40/40' Celebrates The Carpenters' 1969 Debut
November 25, 2009 12:43 pm
Forty years after siblings Richard and Karen Carpenter signed with A&M; Records, Richard Carpenter is releasing a 40th-anniversary compilation CD, Carpenters: 40/40. The two-disc set includes 40 tracks with hits including "Top of the World" and "We've Only Just Begun."
At The End Of The World, Another 'Road' To Trudge
November 25, 2009 12:35 pm
In an apocalyptic-movie age, The Road is the doomiest. A close translation of Cormac McCarthy's novel, the film tracks a father and son as they fight to survive in an ash-gray world haunted by death and global destruction. Critic David Edelstein says that in its depiction of unbearable extremity, John Hillcoat's film achieves a kind of sublimity. (Recommended)
Sam Fuller, Embodying The Best Of Pulp Fiction
November 24, 2009 12:30 pm
Martin Scorsese said of Sam Fuller's work, "If you don't like the films of Sam Fuller, then you just don't like cinema." The maverick screenwriter and director died in 1997, but a new 7-disc selection of his work embodies what's most enjoyable and enduring about pulp fiction.
The Secret Political Reach Of 'The Family'
November 24, 2009 09:55 am
A secretive fellowship of powerful Christian politicians includes some names that have recently been prominent in the headlines: Sen. John Ensign, Rep. Bart Stupak and Rep. Joe Pitts. Writer Jeff Sharlet describes the men's involvement with the Family, and discusses recent developments within the group.
Larry David's Dysfunctional Family Reunion
November 23, 2009 01:00 pm
The seventh season finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm capped a year-long storyline about Larry finally agreeing to a produce a reunion episode of Seinfeld which he co-created with Jerry Seinfeld. TV critic David Bianculli explains how both programs — the show and the show within the show — were a comedic coup and a perfect end to the season.
Wes Anderson Covers New Ground With 'Mr. Fox'
November 23, 2009 10:07 am
Director Wes Anderson has worked on a lot of film projects, but with his latest film, Fantastic Mr. Fox, he ventured into new territory: animation. Anderson says that making a stop-motion picture is the most involved filmmaking he's ever done, but he also says that the process has "a sort of magic."
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.
Judith Fox Turns A Close-Up Lens On Alzheimer's
November 19, 2009 01:00 pm
Judith Fox's new book of photographs is an intimate portrait of a loved one's submergence into Alzheimer's. I Still Do is a chronicle of her husband's journey with the disease.
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.
