Arts and Culture

Fresh Air

• A 'New Moon' Destined For A Quick Eclipse
  Stephenie Meyers' four-novel <em>Twilight</em> saga set off a rage for lovelorn teen vampires -&mdash;one that only escalated after the release of the first hit movie. The second film, N<em>ew Moon, </em>set box-office records for advance sales, but critic David Edelstein says it's too turgid for the excitement to last.
• Judd Apatow On The Alchemy Of 'Funny People'
  Judd Apatow, known for films like <em>The 40 Year Old Virgin</em> and <em>Knocked Up</em>, was the guiding force behind the comedy <em>Funny People,</em> out now on DVD. The movie focuses on a comedian (Adam Sandler) who reassesses his life after a dire medical diagnosis. Apatow, a former comic himself, talks about why he made the movie &mdash; and what he finds funny.
• Judith Fox Turns A Close-Up Lens On Alzheimer's
  
• After Obama Visit, Assessing U.S.-China Relations
  China expert Orville Schell explains to host Terry Gross how the fates of the United States and China are connected, and how the protectionist policies of the past are no longer viable.
• Celebrating The Johnny Mercer Centennial
  Lyricist and composer Johnny Mercer &mdash; born Nov. 18, 1909 &mdash; wrote or co-wrote more than 1,000 songs, including American Songbook standards like "Skylark," "That Old Black Magic" and "Come Rain or Come Shine." His Academy Awards tally includes a statue for what's possibly his most famous tune, "Moon River." <em>Fresh Air</em> marks the anniversary of his birth with an in-studio concert starring Rebecca Kilgore and Dave Frishberg.
• Sacha Baron Cohen And Larry Charles Talk 'Bruno'
  When Sacha Baron Cohen grants an interview, it's usually in character &mdash; as Borat, the clueless faux-Kazakh journalist; or as Bruno, the outrageously shallow, ostentatiously gay Austrian fashionista at the center of Cohen's most recent film. Today, though, Cohen joins <em>Fresh Air</em> as himself, for a conversation with Terry Gross and <em>Bruno</em> director Larry Charles.
• Geoffrey Nunberg: 'The I's Don't Have It'
  Counting words has become a popular new device in assessing political speech. The number of first-person singular pronouns in a speech can turn a modest public figure into a pompous politician. Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg suggests that counting words isn't very revealing unless we consider their context as well.
• Joshua Kosman, Predicting The Next Credit Crisis
  In a new book, journalist Joshua Kosman predicts a coming credit crisis, and assigns blame to private equity firms. While such firms make a fast profit from buying companies, improving them and reselling them, the companies take on the debt incurred from the purchase, leaving them in danger of financial collapse.
• Woody Harrelson, Part 2: When War Comes Home
  This month Woody Harrelson stars plays Capt. Tony Stone in a new movie about the costs of war. His character notifies the families of fallen soldiers. Harrelson's performance is already generating Oscar chatter.
• Cinematographer Gordon Willis, Setting the Scene
  The Academy Awards aren't until February, but cinematographer Gordon Willis is receiving his honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement award this fall. Willis is the visual mastermind behind classic films like <em>Annie Hall, The Godfather,</em> and <em>Pennies From Heaven.</em> We tip the hat in his direction with a rebroadcast of a 2002 conversation about his life behind the lens.
• With Its Limp Remake, AMC Breaks 'The Prisoner'
  AMC's newest miniseries is an ill-advised attempt at a reboot of the cult-hit '60s spy series: A man known as Six (Jim Caviezel) finds himself trapped in a strange desert village, dogged by a mysterious watcher (Ian McKellen's elusive Two). Critic David Bianculli says that despite McKellen's captivating performance, the remake has none of the curious genius of the original.
• Between Albums, Rivers Cuomo Digs Up Solo Work
  Since Weezer's debut in 1994, the band has released six more albums, gone through a re-organization, and earned a devoted following. Their new album is called <em>Raditude.</em> Last year, Rivers Cuomo, Weezer's lead singer, guitarist and principal songwriter, released two solo CDs of songs that didn't make it onto the band's albums.
• The (Surprisingly) Real Feel of 'Fantastic Mr. Fox'
  Director Wes Anderson's first animated film is based on Roald Dahl's cheerfully wicked children's book about a wily fox who wages war on three farmers. Critic David Edelstein says the film &mdash; with its stop-motion animation, big-name voice talent and quirky mannerisms &mdash; achieves a degree of realism that isn't always apparent in the cult director's work.
• How Safe Is It? Seymour Hersh On Pakistan's Arsenal
  Pakistan has an estimated 80 to 100 nuclear warheads. How secure are they? Veteran investigative journalist Seymour Hersh talks with host Terry Gross about Pakistan's nuclear arsenal and what Pakistan and the U.S. are doing to keep it safe.
• Tito x 2: Celebrating The Kings Of Mambo Again
  Music critic Milo Miles reviews two new collections of tunes from the late Latin pioneers Tito Rodriguez and Tito Puente. The two were rivals on the bandstand of the Palladium, the epicenter of the 1950s mambo craze.

Driveway Moment

• This American Life
• Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen
• BBC Arts in Action