Like so much else in 2020 that doesn't involve a couch and a remote, American moviegoing has become a hotly debated matter of risk and reward in a seriously flattened segment of the escapism economy.

The time-inversion Christopher Nolan thriller "Tenet," which opened in the U.S. Sept. 3, was supposed to be the cavalry riding, in reverse, to the...Read more

Showtime's two-part drama "The Comey Rule" follows former FBI director James Comey (Jeff Daniels) through the chaos and disruption of the 2016 election and the early days of Donald Trump's presidency.

I know, an inside-the-Beltway miniseries is just what you want to see while you're hunkered down at home waiting out the pandemic with less than ...Read more

Bryan Callen is suing the husband of a woman who claims that the comedian raped her, arguing her spouse is out to ruin his career.

On Wednesday, Callen filed a complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging that Gabriel Tigerman has launched an "ongoing campaign to destroy (the comic's) livelihood" via "threats, harassment and intimidation of...Read more

Zoom theater is an oxymoron, but substitutes for live performance will have to do until we can safely gather again as an audience.

The Old Vic's In Camera program demonstrates what can be done with an actor on stage alone or physically distanced from a scene partner. The offerings, scratch productions with topnotch performers, recall Peter ...Read more

Henry Cavill uncovered a different side of detective Sherlock Holmes.

The British actor plays the iconic sleuth in "Enola Holmes," a film about Sherlock's younger sister working to solve a mystery of her own.

But in this movie, Sherlock is portrayed as never before, with Cavill drawing out the steely detective's empathy through his ...Read more

Here are three recent albums that are definitely worth spinning:

"Work Hard and Be Nice," Michael Franti & Spearhead

The Bay Area act, which draws from folk, hip-hop, reggae, pop, jam rock and other musical styles, serves up another big dish of positive vibes with its 11th studio album. So consider putting on "Work Hard and Be Nice" the next ...Read more

CHICAGO - At a time when COVID-19 is isolating, young artists of Emcee Skool are using their skills to bring communities together. Emcee Skool is a grassroots community organization created by hip-hop artist Teh'Ray Hale (aka "Phenom") in 2018 to train the next generation of artists to become community leaders and peace ambassadors.

On March 9,...Read more

When Harry Shearer is not busy working on "The Simpsons," where he is the voice of characters including Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner and Waylon Smithers, he's often making music for his radio show, "Le Show."

"The writing part came out of necessity and habit," Shearer said. "I pay attention to the news because that's what I make ...Read more

Amid ongoing scrutiny of the lack of diversity in Hollywood, AGC Studios has tapped Ron Howard to direct a film about Chinese classical pianist Lang Lang.

Many, including "The Farewell" director Lulu Wang, questioned the project Tuesday on Twitter after the Hollywood Reporter released details about the biopic, which will be produced by Brian ...Read more

LOS ANGELES - In another setback for theaters, Walt Disney Co. has delayed the release of its highly anticipated Marvel Studios film "Black Widow" until next year, amid concerns about the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on moviegoing.

Burbank-based Disney on Wednesday said the Scarlett Johansson superhero blockbuster is now set to hit ...Read more

CHICAGO - Sometimes it seemed as if Ira Sullivan could play anything that had a mouthpiece.

Tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, trumpet, fluegelhorn, flute, alto flute - the man applied his comprehensive virtuosity and pervasive musicianship to all of them, switching from one to the next with seeming effortlessness, often during a single set.

...Read more

Sophia Loren might have a new man in her life soon - and his name is Oscar.

The 86-year-old, silver-screen legend is generating serious awards buzz for her performance in "The Life Ahead," her first major film role in 11 years.

The Netflix feature, directed by her son Edoardo Ponti, has Loren playing Madame Rosa, a Holocaust survivor who ...Read more

Like thousands of artists, Nashville singer and songwriter Emma Swift faced a reckoning in March after all of her gigs were scrapped.

"When the pandemic hit, I lost my job as a touring musician. And in losing that job, I lost my primary income stream," she said during a recent phone call. Pondering the prospect of releasing "Blonde on the ...Read more

The charismatic singer, songwriter and guitarist Shamir has had a busy 2020 despite the circumstances. In March, as the COVID-19 pandemic tore through America, the 25-year-old released the distorted rock album "Cataclysm." He followed that up with a series of singles - "On My Own" to celebrate Pride Month in June, the exuberant synth-rock anthem...Read more

Landing a one-on-one interview with President Trump would put the startup "NewsNation" "in the big time," an executive for the network crowed before the interview aired in Tuesday's first hour of the WGN America national cable newscast.

After seeing the questions anchor Joe Donlon lobbed at the president and the unchallenged assertions and ...Read more

Q. I just read your column about automatic backup generators in my local newspaper. Thank you for that very useful and intelligent summary of the issue. It would be extremely useful to have a detailed comparison of backup generators to solar panels and battery installations in homes. It is hard to find independent analyses such as you could ...Read more