Arts

Rat King: Harold Edmond goes to work in Rat Film.

Arts

'Rat Film': Superb, Formally Inventive Documentary Smells A Rat — And It Is Us

5:00pm September 14, 2017

by Andrew Lapin

The film examines many facets of Baltimore's social and political history "to drive a pointed, deliberate argument that is still firmly rooted in artistry rather than political message-making."

Shelf-Awareness: The Reading Room of the New York Public Library, featured in Ex Libris.

Arts

In Frederick Wiseman's 'Ex Libris,' The New York Public Library Gets Checked Out

5:00pm September 14, 2017

by Mark Jenkins

The prolific documentary filmmaker's latest project goes behind the stacks to offer a comprehensive, multi-faceted — and overdue — examination of the NYPL as an institution.

Please Clap: Troy (Austin Abrams) and father Brad (Ben Stiller) in Brad's Status.

Arts

A College-Bound Lad And His Unbound Dad In 'Brad's Status'

5:00pm September 14, 2017

by Ella Taylor

In Mike White's latest film, Ben Stiller plays a middle-aged man so consumed by envy that he fails to grasp how much his emotionally mature son (Austin Abrams) could teach him.

'Saturday Night Live' Stops Accepting Jokes From Freelancers

4:38pm September 14, 2017

by Elizabeth Blair

Freelancers are a bit of a trade secret when it comes to late night shows. They often send in pages of one-liners for the shows to use or reject. Now Saturday Night Live is telling freelancers it will no longer accept their submissions.

Drummer Grant Hart, Co-Founder Of Punk Band Hüsker Dü, Dies At 56

4:38pm September 14, 2017

by Andrew Limbong

Drummer Grant Hart co-founded one of the most influential punk bands of all time: Hüsker Dü. Hart played drums and wrote many of the trio's songs. He died of complications from liver cancer and hepatitis C Thursday night at the age of 56.

Books
Arts

In 'Forest Dark,' A Building In Israel Connects 2 Searching Souls

4:38pm September 14, 2017

by Lynn Neary

Nicole Krauss' new novel, Forest Dark, tells two stories concurrently: a man at the end of a financially successful life searching for meaning, and a younger woman writer searching for meaning as her marriage collapses. The only thing that connects them is a building on the other side of the world.

Actor Frank Vincent, Who Portrayed Mobsters In 'Goodfellas' And 'The Sopranos,' Dies

4:38pm September 14, 2017

by Mandalit del Barco

Actor Frank Vincent, who was best known for his portrayal of mobsters in Martin Scorsese's, Goodfellas and the HBO series, The Sopranos, has died.

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Arts

'Call Me By Your Name' Stands Out Among Dozens At Toronto Film Festival

4:38pm September 14, 2017

The Toronto International Film Festival wraps up this week and NPR's critics have seen dozens of movies. They provide a sneak peek at films getting early buzz for Oscars, some hidden gems and others to avoid.

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Musician Fred Hersch Recounts A Life 'In And Out Of Jazz' In His New Memoir

2:50pm September 14, 2017

Nearly 30 years ago, Hersch was among the first jazz musicians to come out as both gay and HIV positive. His memoir looks back on that time, as well as the time he spent in a medically induced coma.

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Ken Burns' 10-part, 18-hour series premiers Sunday. Above, an American Marine machine gun crew is poised for action.

Arts

New Ken Burns Series Remembers Vietnam War Through The Eyes Of Everyday People

1:49pm September 14, 2017

by David Bianculli

Burns made a name for himself by finding the small stories that lend perspective and emotion to larger narratives. Critic David Bianculli says his latest effort is "compelling from the start."