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Acclaimed screenwriter Aaron Sorkin is in the director's chair for 'Molly's Game'Idris Elba as Molly Bloom's lawyer,聽Charlie Jaffey, is a highlight of the film. At 140 minutes, 鈥淢olly鈥檚 Game鈥� is a long sit, made to seem even longer because of Sorkin鈥檚 flashback structure.
Top Picks: Ryuichi Sakamoto鈥檚 'Async,' the Pod Wrangler app, and more'Loving Vincent'聽required more than 100 artists to hand-paint frames of film, a聽masseuse/healer and a billionaire encounter one another unexpectedly in the film 'Beatriz at Dinner,' and more top picks.
Meanwhile... in Detroit, a social studies teacher has completed his goal to visit all the countries in the worldAnd in Chiang Mai, Thailand, a nonprofit group called Urban Light is offering alternatives to get teenage male prostitutes off the street, while in聽Lahore, Pakistan,聽members of the Jane Austen Society of Pakistan meet for high tea to discuss the works of their favorite author.
We seek peace in the toothpaste warI squeeze; my husband rolls. Was there room for compromise?
New year, new music: the acts to watch in 2018Among many other acts preparing new work,聽we welcome back the always interesting David Byrne, the always unpredictable Kanye West, the always amusing John Prine, and the always danceable Jennifer Lopez.
鈥楶hantom Thread鈥� is reportedly final film for Daniel Day-Lewis, our greatest living actorIn addition to the terrific ensemble acting and the pleasures of watching an expertly designed human board game being played out, director Paul Thomas Anderson is showcasing the self-immolation of an artist who is both inspired and undone by his muse.
Top Picks: U2's 'Songs of Experience,' 'Battle of the Sexes' on DVD and Blu-ray, and moreThe History of England podcast聽by David Crowther is sure to delight Anglophiles, enjoy the beauty of Earth from your iPad or other tablet with the app聽Brian Cox鈥檚 Wonders of Life, and more top picks.
Meanwhile... more than 1.5 million South Koreans will have their debts paid off or restructured by National Happiness FundAnd in Ntagacha, Tanzania,聽young women are being taught to sew in order to give them a path to economic independence, while in Dubrovnik, Croatia,聽tourists are flooding into the medieval city, hoping to see some of the noteworthy sites where HBO blockbuster 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥� was filmed.聽- I鈥檓 encouraged to go higherA lesson I learned at a gym is one I hope my daughter will learn, too.
'The Post' is least successful when it鈥檚 glorying in its own righteousnessIf the movie has any shelf life beyond the current historical moment, it will likely be because of Meryl Streep鈥檚 performance as Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham.- In 'Downsizing,' confounding expectations only goes so far'Downsizing' stars Matt Damon as a man living in a world where聽scientists have come up with a way to shrink humans as a way to save the planet from overconsumption.
Cookie history: from George Washington's house to US holiday f锚tesChristmas cookies date back hundreds of years and are tied to immigrants, especially the Dutch. Modern cooks are encouraged to elevate the original ideas, combining ingredients such as chocolate and rosemary in their holiday treats.
First LookA suspended sculpture in London reminds viewers of the plight of refugeesArtist Arabella Dorman created a giant chandelier out of the clothing of refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos. The chandelier is now hung in St. James's Church in London over the Christmas season, highlighting the journeys of current-day refugees.
Top Picks: The movie 'Stronger,' the XE Currency app, and moreThe聽1Weather app will give you聽the most updated weather information for your holiday drive, a聽new PBS 'American Masters' program 'This is Bob Hope'聽looks at the entertainer's legacy, and more top picks.- Meanwhile... in Morocco, a group is experimenting with a new approach to the problem of abandoned childrenAnd in New Zealand,聽a few determined聽broadcasters have refused to stop using Maori words in their reporting, while in Uganda,聽comfort dogs are being used to help treat people with post-traumatic stress disorder.
My cupboard runneth overI was suddenly mugless, until friends pitched in. Then something else unexpected happened.
The 10 best movies of 2017Jordan Peele's 'Get Out' was the most astonishing writing-directing debut in years, while 'The Florida Project,' about wayfarers living week to week in run-down budget motels outside Disney World, is one of the most lyrical evocations of childhood our critic has ever seen.
Top Picks: Smithsonian Channel's 'America鈥檚 Badlands,' the movie 'Marjorie Prime,' and more top picksThe Radiolab podcast 'More Perfect'聽is a compelling and educational look at the US Supreme Court, 'Tajmo' is聽the inspired pairing of blues circuit vets Taj Mahal and Keb鈥� Mo鈥�, and more top picks.
'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' is, like the other films in the series, a soap opera in spaceThe latest installment is about on par with the enjoyable 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens.'聽Writer-director Rian Johnson does a creditable, if uninspired, job.
Meanwhile... in Gabon, scientists are asking concerned citizens around the world to help save elephantsAnd in Sweden,聽some girls are saying no to traditional Santa Lucia pageants, while on St. Helena,聽an ancient tortoise is looking forward to a new crowd of admirers.