The Justice Department is investigating the FBI and DoJ’s handling of the Clinton email server; what recent storms mean for SoCal in terms of mudslides and the drought; plus, Larry and KPCC film critics discuss the week’s latest releases, as well as the backlash to ‘La La Land’ and the purpose of art house film. TGI-FilmWeek!
Making sense of the Inspector General’s investigation into the FBI, Justice Department
First, the Justice Department's Inspector General is investigating the Department and the FBI about controversial actions in the months before the Presidential election.
Michael Horowitz says he's responding to numerous requests that his office look into the unprecedented communications surrounding Hillary Clinton's private email server investigation. The Inspector General will look into FBI Director Jim Comey's public announcement that no criminal charges would be filed, as well as his later memo to a Congressional committee that the probe was being reopened in light of Clinton campaign emails found on Anthony Weiner's laptop. The Inspector General will also look at the email exchanges of the Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs, Peter Kadzik, with Clinton campaign head John Podesta. The Kadzik emails disclosing information about the Clinton investigation were revealed by Wikileaks as part of the hack of Podesta's email account.
Does this set up the same kind of "no win" scenario for Horowitz?
Guests:
Matt Apuzzo, New York Times reporter covering law enforcement and security; he has been covering the IG’s Office probe for the paper
Riley Roberts, Principal at West Wing Writers, a speechwriting and strategy firm with offices in D.C., New York, and San Francisco. He is the former chief speechwriter to Attorney General Eric Holder. Roberts’ recent piece for POLITICO Magazine is titled, “The Case Against James Comey”
Bre Payton, reporter for The Federalist, a conservative online news magazine
Recent storms push the dial on Southern California drought, but how much?
We’re not out of the woods yet, but thanks to this series of storms, more than 40 percent of California is seeing an end to the drought.
That’s according to a recent article from the Los Angeles Times, which has been following the U.S. Drought Monitor. The rain has considerably quenched much of the state, showing that 35 percent of the California has no unusual dryness. That’s an almost double increase from last week. While Los Angeles is still in the dry category, Northern California and the Sierra Nevada have been experiencing snow and blizzards. Needless to say, mudslides and floods can be an unwelcome companion to more rain and less drought.
Larry speaks to a team of water and weather experts today, to talk about the good, bad and ugly conditions that come with storms and what it means for the state.
Guests:
William Patzert, a climatologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Felicia Marcus, Chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board
Jeff Kightlinger, general manager for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
FilmWeek: ‘Bye Bye Man,’ ‘Sleepless,’ ‘The Ardennes’ and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Amy Nicholson and Andy Klein review this weekend’s new movie releases including: the wide-release horror “The Bye Bye Man;” Jamie Foxx as an embattled Vegas cop in “Sleepless;” Belgium’s Oscar submission “The Ardennes;” and more.
TGI-FilmWeek! Don't forget to subscribe to the Filmweek Podcast to get Filmweek downloaded directly to your favorite device every week, so you never miss another episode!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQGawWqJdfs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUzf7MEbG_A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKdXcvusCMg
Amy's Hits
Andy's Hits
Mixed Reviews
- Amy: "Sleepless," "The Bye Bye Man," "Bad Kids of Crestview Academy" & "100 Streets"
- Andy: "100 Streets"
This Week's Misses
- Amy: "The Snare"
- Andy: "Sleepless," "The Bye Bye Man," "Claire in Motion" & "The Snare"
Guests:
Andy Klein, Film Critic for KPCC
Amy Nicholson, Film Critic for KPCC and Chief Film Critic, MTV News; she tweets
On fraught times and 'frothy' films: 'La La Land' versus 'Moonlight'
Last weekend, just as the Golden Globes were shining on "La La Land," a backlash began bubbling against the film and its casting for being “naive,” “ill-conceived” and generally out of step with our time.
While movie critics have been nearly unanimous in their praise of the modern-day musical, some are wringing their hands at the spectacle of Hollywood's awards season celebrating "another intoxicating vision of itself."
To boot, some detractors are juxtaposing the musical's escapism against the realism and cultural currency of other awards-contenders such as "Moonlight," which emphasize less frequently told storylines about marginalized Americans, sexuality and identity.
Keeping in mind that both films were produced before the Sturm und Drang of the 2016 presidential election, how will history remember these and similar films? Do tumultuous times demand more escapist or thought-provoking film? How should filmmakers factor in society's mood, if at all? And what should award ceremonies highlight?
Guests:
Justin Chang, Film Critic for the Los Angeles Times; he tweets
Amy Nicholson, Film Critic for KPCC and Chief Film Critic, MTV News; she tweets