A 'Wild' Trek Made A Bit Too Neatly
The film adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's memoir about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail takes Reese Witherspoon into new territory but never quite achieves the fierceness to which it aspires.
Arts & Life
After Decades Acting, Josh Brolin Still Wonders If He's 'Good Enough'
Brolin co-stars in an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's novel Inherent Vice. He says as an actor he's always wondering: "Can I live up to what this person has written? There's always a fear around that."
Pop Culture Happy Hour: Holiday Encores Edition
This week, we have two past segments to revisit: a look at our favorite and least favorite holiday pop culture, and a listen to some seasonal music.
I'm Not Scary, I'm Just Drawn That Way: Great Comics For Halloween
Ready for a Halloween scare? Reviewer Etelka Lehoczky says these graphic novels and compilations — packed with creepy cults, alien monsters, gravediggers and ghosts — are just the ticket.
Set In Appalachia, This Rewarding Story Collection Is 'Rich And Strange'
Ron Rash's best short stories from the past 20 years take you to a land apart psychologically and geographically. His writing is powerful, stripped down and very still.
Hate The Idea Of 'Peter Pan Live'? NBC Is Counting On It
NBC's Peter Pan Live! production seems to be utterly in earnest — but TV critic Eric Deggans wonders if the show will need a viewership boost from critics snarking on Twitter to really succeed.
How Private Collectors Helped Make Miami An Art Destination
Every December, tens of thousands of visitors descend on Miami. But they aren't there for the beaches; they're there for Art Basel, a giant art fair that private collectors helped lure to the city.
Hey, College Kids: You Really Can Minor In Craft Beer Studies
Paul Smith's College, in upstate New York, is among a handful of higher ed institutions offering coursework in craft beer. Be forewarned: The classes are heavier on the science than the partying.
Historian Illustrates Racial Intolerance In The Northeast In Post-War U.S.
In his new book All Eyes Are Upon Us, Jason Sokol writes about how Northerners were blind to patterns of segregation, discrimination and racial violence in such states as New York and Massachusetts.
Fill 'Er Up: The Joys Of Good Gas Station Food
Forget dried-out doughnuts and creepy-looking hot dogs. In cities across the U.S., patrons can fill up on gourmet grub and top off their tanks in one stop.