Arts & Life

Arts

'Madaya Mom' Tells The Story Of A Mother Of 5 Living In A Syrian Town Under Seige

8:29am October 08, 2016

Scott Simon speaks with ABC News producer Rym Momtaz and comic book artist Dalibor Talajic about Marvel's new comic, "Madaya Mom." It's the story of a woman in a Syrian town that has been held by rebels since July 2015.

The Angel of History by Rabih Alameddine (Raquel Zaldivar/NPR)

Books
Arts

'Angel Of History' Is A Heartfelt Cry

7:00am October 08, 2016

by Michael Schaub

Rabih Alameddine's new novel begins with Satan and Death arguing, in the mind of a poet on the verge of a breakdown. Satan wants him to remember those lost to AIDS; Death preaches forgetfulness.

Thomas Haden Church and Sarah Jessica Parker star as Robert and Frances, a couple in a crumbling marriage in HBO's Divorce.

Arts

'Divorce' Finds The Comedy In Calling It Quits

6:44pm October 07, 2016

by NPR Staff

Sarah Jessica Parker and Thomas Haden Church are a middle aged couple in a crumbling marriage. Show creator Sharon Horgan says she thought it would make "funny and sad and terrifying viewing."

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Experts Puzzled Over Significant Drop In NFL TV Ratings

6:44pm October 07, 2016

The NFL's TV ratings dominance was once bulletproof. But this year, they are down 10 percent across the board. And experts are struggling to find a reason why. NPR's Kelly McEvers talks to reporter Joe Flint, who wrote about this for the Wall Street Journal.

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Armie Hammer, Nate Parker and Jayson Warner Smith in The Birth of A Nation

Arts

A Man And An Amendment Are Re-Examined In 'The Birth Of A Nation' And '13th'

4:32pm October 07, 2016

by Bob Mondello

Nate Parker's rebellion film The Birth of A Nation and Ava DuVernay's documentary 13th tackle America's racial history, but intersect in complicated ways.

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Arts

'Birth Of A Nation' Conforms To Hollywood's Standard Revenge Template

1:41pm October 07, 2016

by David Edelstein

The new movie, which tells the story of Nat Turner's 1831 slave revolt, is a righteous-vigilante tale — and an answer to D.W. Griffith's 1915 film of the same name.

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In Insecure, Issa Rae plays a character who's just an everyday woman — not a high-powered lawyer or music executive.

Arts

Issa Rae Turns Basic Into Revolutionary With 'Insecure'

1:35pm October 07, 2016

by Eric Deggans

Rae's new HBO show is the first premium cable scripted series created by and starring a black woman. She plays an ordinary, sometimes-awkward character, not a high-powered lawyer or music executive.

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Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in La La Land, which won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Arts

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Fall Movie And TV Preview

1:16pm October 07, 2016

by Linda Holmes

Bob Mondello joins us for a look at the fall films from the Toronto International Film Festival, and we jump into our annual fall television pool.

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Arts

You're The Only Ten I See

12:56pm October 07, 2016

In honor of the classic pick-up line involving "Tennessee," the answer to every clue in this game is either more than ten or fewer than ten.

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Arts

Band-ing Together

12:56pm October 07, 2016

NPR music critic Ann Powers lends her expertise by leading an extra difficult music game. We made a word game out of artist names hidden in other musical act names.

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