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Pop Culture

Thursday

'The Killing': 'Twin Peaks' Meets '24' On AMC

Joel Kinnaman and Mireille Enos star in The Killing, a new AMC drama based on a Danish miniseries. Chris Large/AMC hide caption

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Chris Large/AMC

Opinion

Television

'The Killing': 'Twin Peaks' Meets '24' On AMC

Fresh Air

The new AMC drama The Killing tells the story of the murder of a young girl from three different perspectives. TV critic David Bianculli says the show is "AMC's most depressing series yet" — and explains why it reminds him of The X-Files, 24 and Twin Peaks.

'The Killing': 'Twin Peaks' Meets '24' On AMC

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Wednesday

Movie Mutants Give A Face To Our Nuclear Fears

Radioactive monster Godzilla stomps through a city and eats a commuter train in a scene from Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, directed by Ishiro Honda and Terry O. Morse. The 1956 film was a re-edited version of the 1954 Japanese film Gojira, directed by Honda. Embassy Pictures/Getty Images hide caption

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Embassy Pictures/Getty Images

Movie Mutants Give A Face To Our Nuclear Fears

Within the first few days of the threefold tragedy in Japan, Wikipedia trend-spotters noticed a startling spike in searches ... for "Godzilla." The radioactive monster is just one on-screen incarnation of human anxiety in a nuclear age.

Movie Mutants Give A Face To Our Nuclear Fears

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Monday

Nuclear Radiation: Filmmakers Try To Make The Invisible Visceral

Jack Lemmon in "The China Syndrome" Associated Press hide caption

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Associated Press

Opinion

Rebuilding Japan

Nuclear Radiation: Filmmakers Try To Make The Invisible Visceral

Last summer, as the Gulf oil spill was finally being brought under control, I found myself thinking about Hollywood disaster movies — and how they differ from real-world disasters. In the last few weeks, as tragic events have played out in Japan, I realized I'd left something out: the menace that can't be seen.

Nuclear Radiation: Filmmakers Try To Make The Invisible Visceral

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Timothy Olyphant: 'Justified' In Laying Down The Law

Timothy Olyphant plays Raylan Givens, a present-day U.S. marshal with Wild West inclinations on the FX series Justified. Mark Seliger/FX hide caption

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Mark Seliger/FX

Television

Timothy Olyphant: 'Justified' In Laying Down The Law

Fresh Air

Actor Timothy Olyphant stars in the FX series Justified as Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, a present-day lawman with Wild West instincts. Olyphant also starred in HBO's Deadwood as sheriff Seth Bullock.

Timothy Olyphant: 'Justified' In Laying Down The Law

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Friday

Pop Culture Happy Hour: A PSA About Not Dating That Ethan Hawke Guy
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Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: A PSA About Not Dating That Ethan Hawke Guy

On this week's round-table podcast, we talk about Rebecca Black, the lesser-known works of Elizabeth Taylor, the things we once loved and no longer love, and the things that are making us happy this week.

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Ambitions Meet Quiet Noir In 'Mildred Pierce'

Kate Winslet stars in HBO's Mildred Pierce, from director Todd Haynes. Andrew Schwartz/HBO hide caption

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Andrew Schwartz/HBO

Opinion

Television

Ambitions Meet Quiet Noir In 'Mildred Pierce'

Kate Winslet stars in the new HBO miniseries, Mildred Pierce, a remake of the classic Joan Crawford film about an ambitious woman capable of anything — even murder. Director Todd Haynes discusses his version of the film on Morning Edition.

Ambitions Meet Quiet Noir In 'Mildred Pierce'

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Wednesday

Obituaries

Legendary Actress Elizabeth Taylor Has Died

Screen legend Elizabeth Taylor died Wednesday of complications from congestive heart failure. She was 79. Taylor was English by birth and became an American movie star after she was discovered by a talent scout at age 9. In her later years, Taylor put considerable energy and money into the fight to find a cure for AIDS.

Legendary Actress Elizabeth Taylor Has Died

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Tuesday

'Mildred Pierce': A Masterpiece Of Modern Film Noir

Kate Winslet plays the role that won Joan Crawford an Oscar in HBO's miniseries Mildred Pierce. Andrew Schwartz/HBO hide caption

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Andrew Schwartz/HBO

Opinion

Television

'Mildred Pierce': A Masterpiece Of Modern Film Noir

Fresh Air

The HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce is based on the 1941 novel by James M. Cain, replacing Joan Crawford — who won an Oscar for the 1945 film version — with Kate Winslet. TV critic David Bianculli says Winslet does wonders with her role — and will be tough to beat, come Emmy season.

'Mildred Pierce': A Masterpiece Of Modern Film Noir

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Fox Hunts For More Than Just Game As 'Rio' Hooks Up With 'Angry Birds'
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Opinion

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Fox Hunts For More Than Just Game As 'Rio' Hooks Up With 'Angry Birds'

The game Angry Birds is one of the most popular apps you can get for your smartphone. It's also teaming up with a new movie as 20th Century Fox tries out a partnership with game creator Rovio.

Fox Hunts For More Than Just Game As 'Rio' Hooks Up With 'Angry Birds'

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Monday

Japan Disaster Strikes Home Among Anime Fans

Artist Alley residents at Zenkaikon V Steven Schultz/Zenkaikon V hide caption

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Steven Schultz/Zenkaikon V

Japan Disaster Strikes Home Among Anime Fans

The Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of March 11 occurred nearly 7,000 miles from the annual Zenkaikon anime convention in Philadelphia — but for many of the passionate Japanese-culture devotees in attendance, the disasters and their aftermath feel intimately personal.

Japan Disaster Strikes Home Among Anime Fans

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