Arts & Life

Kim Su-an plays a little girl trying to get to her mother on an ill-fated train.

S. Korea's Hit Zombie Film Is Also A Searing Critique Of Korean Society

8:25am September 01, 2016

by Elise Hu

The film's themes reflect the strains of modern Korea: distrust of government and institutions, disdain for corporate leaders and a sense everyone's in it for themselves.

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Old-school villains like Dynasty's Alexis Carrington Colby Dexter Rowan (Joan Collins) could always be counted upon to bring some melo- with the drama.

Arts

Where Did TV's Villains Go? Monsters, Anti-Heroes And Alexis Colby Carrington

11:13pm August 31, 2016

by Glen Weldon

TV has a bad guy problem. The rise of morally ambiguous anti-heroes like Tony Soprano has pushed chewier, more melodramatic villains aside. What we gained in nuance, we lost in sheer, hiss-worthy fun.

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Encore: Glen Campbell Documents Farewell Tour In 'I'll Be Me'

4:28pm August 31, 2016

Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me follows the country singer's goodbye tour and his decline from Alzheimer's disease. NPR's Robert Siegel talks to director James Keach and Campbell's wife, Kim Campbell.

The cover of Marvel's Civil War II features Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a boxing ring.

Can A Canadian Prime Minister Be An Action Hero? Marvel Comics Thinks So

11:04am August 31, 2016

by Jackie Northam

Justin Trudeau has had a varied career — bouncer, snowboard instructor, Canada's prime minister. Now he's a Marvel Comics action hero.

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The Nix by Nathan Hill (Emily Bogle/NPR)

Books
Arts

'The Nix' Is A Vicious, Sprawling Satire With A Very Human Heart

10:26am August 31, 2016

by Jason Sheehan

Historical events both real (the 1968 Democratic Convention, Occupy Wall Street) and imagined come to life in this novel. Reviewer Jason Sheehan says it will make you laugh and break your heart.

Curioddity by Paul Jenkins (Emily Bogle/NPR)

Books
Arts

'Curioddity' Needs More Curiosity, More Oddity

7:00am August 31, 2016

by Jason Heller

Award-winning comic book writer Paul Jenkins tries his hand at the novel with Curioddity, but this quirky tale of imagination and innocence regained is smothered in smirking self-consciousness.

Check Out This 1999 Profile Of The Late, Great Juan Gabriel

7:20pm August 30, 2016

by Leah Donnella

Juan Gabriel stayed true to his roots, even when it wasn't easy. This Los Angeles Times piece takes a look at why that was.

Arts

With A Little Magic, Small Budget Horror Films Pack A Big Punch

6:24pm August 30, 2016

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Jason Blum, founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions, about the magic of micro-budget horror films.

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Jollof rice likely originated in Senegal. But Senegal's as-good-as-national dish is thiebou dieun, a mix of rice, fish and vegetables that — except for red rice — bears little resemblance to what the rest of West Africa calls jollof. This tempting-loo

Jollof Rice: West Africans Dish It Up With A Hefty Serving Of Smack Talk

5:54pm August 30, 2016

by Ofeibea Quist-Arcton

Jollof rice is a celebration dish in West Africa. Each country in the region has its own take — and the rivalry over which version reigns supreme is constant fodder for a delicious war of words.

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Actor Gene Wilder, who entertained audiences with his performances in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, The Producers and Blazing Saddles, died Monday. He was 83 years old.

Arts

In This 2005 Interview, Gene Wilder Explains How He Learned To Get Laughs

3:50pm August 30, 2016

When he was 8, Wilder's mother had a heart attack, and he took it upon himself to cheer her up. We'll listen back to a Fresh Air interview with the comic actor, who died Monday at age 83.

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