In 'A Real Pain,' Jesse Eisenberg asks: What is the purpose of 'tragedy tourism'?
Eisenberg's film follows two cousins on a Jewish heritage tour of Poland, which includes a stop at the Majdanek death camp. The story draws on his own family history — and his struggle with OCD.
Met's 'Unfinished' Exhibit Offers A Glimpse Of The Artistic Mind At Work
The inaugural show at the Metropolitan Museum's Met Breuer branch raises the question of what makes a finished work of art. Critic Lloyd Schwartz calls it "an astonishing gathering of masterpieces."
Novelist Grapples With The Conflicted Feelings Of Caring For Aging Parents
Author Cathleen Schine says that living far away from an elderly parent can create feelings of guilt as well as those of relief. Her darkly comic new novel is They May Not Mean To, But They Do.
Jazz Pianist Dan Cray's 'Outside In' Features Slow Tempos, Meandering Melodies
Much of the music on Cray's new album stems from a year he spent teaching at the University of Nevada in Reno. Critic Kevin Whitehead says Outside In is a reminder of the power of open spaces.
Despite Its Charm, 'Ghostbusters' Remake Comes Up Short On Laughs
Paul Feig's remake of the 1984 hit stars four actresses as the ghostbusters. Critic David Edelstein says while the concept for the movie is solid, the film itself "has no satirical ideas of its own."
Alabama Shakes' Brittany Howard On Small-Town Life, Big-Time Music
Howard was raised on her father's junkyard in the small town of Athens, Ala. "It was a really interesting way to grow up," she tells Fresh Air. Originally broadcast Jan. 28, 2016.
An Opera Percussionist Traces Her Path 'From Juilliard to the Orchestra Pit'
Patti Niemi has been a percussionist for the San Francisco Opera Orchestra since 1992. She speaks with Fresh Air's Sam Briger about performance anxiety, muscle memory and her memoir, Sticking it Out.
'The War At Home' Recounts The Tension Of Being A Military Spouse
As the wife of a Navy fighter pilot, memoirist Rachel Starnes has had much of her life — including where she lives and how often she gets to live with her husband — determined by his career.
