Film offers 'Hard Truths' about why some people are happy — and others are miserable
Marianne Jean-Baptiste gives a phenomenal performance as a profoundly unhappy woman. There isn't a lot of plot, but director Mike Leigh builds his stories from the details and detritus of daily life.
Journalist Says Lax Policing Allowed NFL Player To Get Away With Serial Rape
Former NFL player Darren Sharper pleaded guilty to rape charges involving nine women in four states. ProPublica reporter T. Christian Miller says local police weren't sharing information.
Daniel Romano's Eccentric 'Countrypolitan' Sound Blends Sincerity And Irony
Canadian musician Daniel Romano specializes in country music that's a throwback to a bygone era. Rock critic Ken Tucker calls his new album, If I've Only One Time Askin', a "moving collection."
'Dragonfish' Offers A Noir Vision Of An 'American Dream Gone Rancid'
The debut novel by Vu Tran is a crime drama involving a white cop, his Vietnamese-born ex-wife and her new husband, a violent crime boss. Maureen Corrigan calls Dragonfish a "haunting literary novel."
Jon Stewart, Faking It and Making It
As host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, Jon Stewart is a funny man with a serious message. Originally broadcast July 22, 2005.
For Key And Peele, Biracial Roots Bestow Special Comedic 'Power'
Comics Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele satirize people of all races on their Comedy Central sketch show. Originally broadcast Nov. 20, 2013.
'The End of the Tour' Offers A Hint Of David Foster Wallace's Inner Struggle
A new film revisits a five-day interview that took place between writer David Foster Wallace and a reporter for Rolling Stone in 1996. Critic David Edelstein calls it a "very good movie."
Ashley Monroe's 'Blade' Blends Country Sentiment And Delicate Phrasings
Rock critic Ken Tucker says the third studio album from country star Ashley Monroe "is a collection of deceptively pretty songs that cohere as a strong, serious piece of work."