Peele uses comedy, horror to talk race

The film is outrageous and deadpan, a mixture that keeps audiences discombobulated throughout. Writer-director Jordan Peele classifies his low-budget $4.5 million directorial feature debut as a “social thriller.”

HBO’s Alan Ball Drama Adds Pair to Cast

The family drama has added Joe Williamson and Andy Bean to a cast toplined by Tim Robbins and Holly Hunter, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. This 10-episode, straight-to-series drama focuses on a contemporary multiracial family: a philosophy professor , his lawyer wife , their three adopted children from Somalia , Vietnam and Colombia , and their sole biological child .

Movie Minute: ‘Get Out, ‘Collide,’ ‘Rock Dog’ hit theaters

The Oscars are on Sunday, though you may have a tough time finding any future Academy Award contenders among the new releases this weekend. The early-year doldrums continue with just a trio of new films, including a long-delayed action movie, the well-reviewed directorial debut of comedian Jordan Peele and an animated feature strictly for the kids.

Best-sellers

2.”The Undoing Project,” by Michael Lewis A history of Daniel Kahneman, Amos Tversky and the birth of behavioral economics. 3.”The Hidden Life of Trees,” by Peter Wohlleben The case that trees in the forest are purposeful, social beings living in dynamic relationship with each other.

2016 was the year of the celebrity open letter, personal essay

Call them open letters, call them personal essays, call them whatever you want: this year has seen more female celebrities express their thoughts in 1000+ words of passionate letters and punctuation marks than ever before. From equal pay, to racism, to what was or was not currently inside their uterus, 2016 was the year famous women ditched publicist statements to find their voice in long-form pieces.

Best-sellers

“Hillbilly Elegy,” by J.D. Vance The investment banker’s account of growing up poor in Appalachia. “Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders,” by Joshua Foer & Dylan Thuras 700 of the world’s most curious places.

7 standout movie trends of 2016

… million). So here’s to well-executed righteous bunnies, forgetful fish, fluffy friends and disturbed birds. Entertainment was rocked by the return of a focus on O.J. Simpson in 2016, and those who put in the time for ESPN’s five-part documentary …