The Frame

After the 2016 Presidential election, the singer/songwriter took a cross-country train trip and then wrote a song cycle of character sketches and personal reflections; Taylor Swift's recording contract is about to expire, giving her a world of options; Boots Riley's "Sorry to Bother You" is one of the year's biggest critical hits.

Director Chris Weitz's film 'Operation Finale' tells the amazing story of the capture of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann; fans begin to pay their respects to the Aretha Franklin at the Museum of African American History in Detroit; and Cuban jazz pianist Dayramir Gonzalez is a rising star.

Breaking down the scene between Michelle Yeoh and her would be daughter-in-law, Constance Wu; documentary filmmaker Steve James spent a year inside a Chicago high school for the series, “America to Me”; remembering playwright and screenwriter Neil Simon, who died at the age of 91.

The former "Gilmore Girls" co-star has an Emmy nomination for her role in the dystopian world of "The Handmaid's Tale"; Harvey Weinstein's legal woes seem to be mounting; Aneesh Chaganty, director and co-writer of the film, "Searching," has created a hyper-modern day thriller.

On Today's Show:

The co-star and Emmy nominee says she isn't daunted by challenges being faced by the cast; ever seen James Corden and friends performing a musical on the streets outside CBS on Fairfax? That's the work of Emmy-nominated choreographer Chloe Arnold.

The Emmy-nominated director of "Atlanta" talks about his collaborations with Donald Glover, his love of the Coen brothers and how the show set out to accurately portray life in urban Georgia; in the documentary, "What Haunts Us," Paige Goldberg Tolmach examines multiple suicides at her prep school alma mater; director Jesse Peretz and actor Chris O'Dowd talk about their movie, "Juliet, Naked."

Sarah Paulson has a lead actress Emmy nomination for "American Horror Story: Cult" — the seventh season of the anthology series; Bing Liu's videos of his skateboarding pals turned into the intimate documentary, "Minding the Gap."

Wayne Kramer, guitarist and leader of the Detroit rock band MC5, discusses his new memoir, "The Hard Stuff: Dope, Crime, the MC5, and My Life of Impossibilities"; Amazon is in the running to buy Landmark Theatres.

The iconic singer has died at the age of 76. We hear from her longtime bass player, Chuck Rainey; why has a documentary about her landmark 1972 performance at a Baptist church in Los Angeles never been released?; Daphne Brooks, a professor of African American Studies and Theater Studies at Yale University on the transcendent power of Aretha's voice.

Chiwetel Ejiofor plays a scientist in “Z for Zachariah,” an apocalypse movie unlike any you’ve seen; Jenny Yang and Keiko Agena created a comedy festival as a showcase for Asian-American performers; actors really get tipsy on "Drunk History," which is exactly what creator Derek Waters wants.

Jeffrey Tambor and the "Transparent" cast and crew are shooting the second season of the hit show, which has garnered 11 Emmy nominations; a scene in the postponed season finale of "Mr. Robot" rekindles the debate over gun violence on television.

Lili Zanuck worked decades to produce her biopic of blues singer Bessie Smith, and to make sure Queen Latifah got the lead role; Sony bought the rights to 33 Van Morrison albums and will make many available digitally for the first time; Rob Cordrry and David Wain on making their spoof of medical dramas.

José Padilha tells the story of Pablo Escobar in the new Netflix series, "Narcos;" The indie band Gardens and Villa has an artist compound near Dodger Stadium; Warner Bros. is in talks to co-finance a slate of movies made in China; 40 years ago today, Bruce Springsteen released his landmark album, “Born to Run.”

Yo La Tengo's new album has the trio reimagining songs they love by other artists; Regal Cinemas steps up security measures at movie theaters; Emmy-nominated actor Titus Burgess from "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"; Neil Young's Pono needs money

Jim Reid says he couldn't imagine the band's 1985 debut album, "Psychocandy," remaining popular 30 years later; "Sneakerheadz" is a documentary about obsessive sneaker collectors; writer Steven Johnson says the digital age has not brought on the expected apocalypse for the creative class.

Doug Aitken didn't want a traditional documentary about his music and art-filled train project, so he instead made 62 one-minute films; FYF founder Sean Carlson talks about the music festival's growing pains; for bands like Lower Dens and The Drums, FYF is another stop on a never-ending road trip.

"Jackass" stunt master Johnny Knoxville made a documentary, "Being Evel," about his childhood hero; Mac Quayle went from producing dance music for the likes of Donna Summer to composing music for TV shows such as "American Horror Story"; a vote by SAG-AFTRA members could chart the future for Hollywood's biggest union.

“Straight Outta Compton" received rave reviews, but some critics say the movie minimizes the misogyny and violence against women at the heart of N.W.A.’s music; The L.A. band Health continues to rise in the music scene, but is the band at its peak?; poet Claudia Rankine’s book on racism and prejudice gets adapted to the stage.

Ice Cube is played by his son in "Straight Outta Compton" and the father/son duo tell us how they wanted the performance to be authentic; Guy Ritchie's "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." isn't your average, everyday spy movie; Star Wars Land and other Disney-related news from D23; Tracy Morgan to return as host of SNL.

OITNB's Crazy Eyes actress Uzo Aduba embraces her Nigerian looks; African-American artist Mark Bradford puts a unique South L.A. spin on abstract art; How we watch TV today hurts the market value of traditional media companies.

Cinespia lures Angelenos to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for outdoor movies; The 50th anniversary of the Watts Riots inspires a new play; Sarah and Sean Watkins make an album with Fiona Apple and other friends who play in their Watkins Family Hour stage show