Today on AirTalk, we break down the latest news on the election and voter turnout. Also on the show, we learn about your favorite candy; KPCC film critics Claudia Puig and Amy Nicholson review this weekend’s new movie releases; and more.
Heading Into The Final Weekend Before The Election, What Are Your Last-Minute Voting Questions?
Vote centers across Southern California are opening up this morning for registered voters to cast their ballots just four days ahead of the 2020 general election on Tuesday.
In Los Angeles County, some vote centers opened last Saturday, but as of 10:00 Friday morning all vote centers in the county are operational from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Monday, and on Tuesday will be open 7:00 a.m. until polls close at 8:00. In Orange County, vote centers opened this morning and will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. through Monday with the same hours as L.A. County on Election Day. And remember, if you are going to vote in person, if you’re in line before the polls close, law requires you be allowed to cast your vote.
Today on AirTalk, KPCC/LAist politics reporter Libby Denkmann joins Larry and AirTalk listeners for a final election check-in and to answer your last minute questions. Is it actually too late to vote by mail? Can I drop off my mail in ballot at a vote center? If you’re wondering about these or other questions, join our live conversation at 866-893-5722.
For more information on races, voting and to see your official ballot, visit KPCC and LAist’s Voter Game Plan at elections.laist.com
Guest:
Libby Denkmann, KPCC & LAist reporter covering politics; she tweets
Council District 10: One-On-One With Mark Ridley-Thomas
Los Angeles City Council District 10 is a sprawling district that covers southern Central Los Angeles and northern South Los Angeles, and includes Baldwin Village, Koreatown, Mid-City and South Robertston. It’s long time councilmember Herb Wesson is vacating his seat, and in the running to fill his spot are L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and attorney Grace Yoo.
We sit down with Mark Ridley-Thomas to discuss his platform and plans.
We spoke with Grace Yoo Thursday. You can hear the interview here.
Guest:
Mark Ridley-Thomas, candidate running for the Los Angeles City Council District 10 seat; outgoing L.A. County Supervisor; he tweets
Pour Some Sugar On Me: Tell Us Which Halloween Candy Is Superior
Let’s get straight to the point -- Halloween is Saturday and our sweet tooths are aching to talk all things candy. Today on AirTalk we want to hear from listeners about what they’re snacking on this holiday. What are your favorite and rarest candy finds? Maybe it’s even a regional or local candy. Tell us by calling 866-893-5722, and remember to be short and sweet with your answer.
FilmWeek: “His House,” “Madre,” “The Donut King” And More
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Claudia Puig and Amy Nicholson review this weekend’s new movie releases, including:
- "His House" on Netflix
- "Madre" on Laemmle's Virtual Cinema & VOD (Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes & Vudu)
- The Donut King" showing at the Regency Theaters in Santa Ana, Laemmle's Virtual Cinema & VOD (Google Play)
- For more on the film and Ted Ngoy's life story from LAist food editor Elina Shatkin, click here
- "Us Kids" on Alamo Drafthouse on Demand
- "Come Play" showing at the Van Buren Drive-in (Riverside) & select theaters in Orange County (check local listings)
- "Kaali Khuhi" on Netflix
- "The True Adventures of Wolf Boy" on VOD (FandangoNOW)
- "Radium Girls" on Laemmle’s Virtual Cinema & VOD (Google Play)
- "Spell" showing at the Mission Tiki Drive-in (Montclair) & VOD (Google Play, FandangoNOW, iTunes & Vudu)
Our FilmWeek critics have been curating personal lists of their favorite TV shows and movies to binge-watch during self-quarantine. You can see recommendations from each of the critics and where you can watch them here.
Guests:
Amy Nicholson, film critic for KPCC, film writer for The New York Times and host of the podcasts ‘Unspooled’ and the podcast miniseries “Zoom”; she tweets
Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) and senior programmer for the AFI Film Festival; she tweets
As Black Horror Enters Its Golden Age, Tracing The Genre’s History And How Contemporaries Are Pushing Its Boundaries
If the releases of Jordan Peele's critically acclaimed "Us," Justin Simien's "Bad Hair" or HBO's "Lovecraft Country" tell you anything about present-day Black horror, it’s that the genre has entered its golden age.
Throughout the lengthy history of horror cinema, Black people often had little representation in the genre’s films, both on and off-screen. Black actors mainly took on roles as background characters in the early to mid 20th century. While Black actors' roles in 1980s and 1990s horror films evolved to have more substance, they often played sidekicks, a casting decision informing the "Black characters die first in a preyed upon group" cliché.
But Jordan Peele's critical acclaim of his 2017 film "Get Out" and 2019 film "Us" shows the viability of Black horror cinema in engaging broad audiences. Peele's success is an example of a new wave of horror storytelling that shows films created by Black people and starring Black people as protagonists.
Today on FilmWeek, we talk with horror expert Robin R. Means Coleman and film critic Tim Cogshell about the history of Black horror and the circumstances that led the genre to enter its current renaissance.
Guests:
Robin R. Means Coleman, vice president and associate provost for diversity and professor of communication at Texas A&M University; she is the author of the book “Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present” (Routledge, 2011), which was the basis for the 2019 documentary “Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror”; she tweets
Tim Cogshell, film critic for KPCC, Alt-Film Guide and CineGods.com; he tweets