An oral history of PM Entertainment, a low-budget high-octane American dream

In 1989, a Syrian émigré founded PM Entertainment, producing action movies on a shoestring budget. This is their story, as told by Joseph Merhi, Cynthia Rothrock, Cole McKay and more.
The life, death and rebirth of "New York's Coffee Cup" Anthora
In 2006, the iconic Anthora paper coffee cup was discontinued. Nine years later, it's back due to popular demand. Here is its product life cycle, from design roots to the waste dump.
I played every game by the worst video game company ever

LJN specialized in turning blockbuster movies into unrelated, unplayable video games, and is often considered to be the worst of all time. We made a friend play all of its games so you don't have to.
Beyond Netflix: Can small curated film sites survive in a big streaming world?

Hopes&Fears talks with the founders of Fandor, MUBI, Shudder, and the Tribeca Shortlist about alternative business models for streaming content and the value of the critics' pick.
This synth is not a bomb

Hopes&Fears talks with touring electronic musicians about flying with gear, where they’ve had the biggest issues, and what you need to do to catch your flight.
The underappreciated art of furniture in video games

Furniture has often been a part of games, but for players, it's easy to ignore. Even if the home is the next frontier of gaming environments, will players ever stop to feel the velvet drapes?
The appropriation artist who can't get George Lucas to sue him

In 1996, the Sucklord released an album of breakbeats made up entirely of sounds from Star Wars. We caught up with the artist to see what he's been up to since.
An apology to Shia LaBeouf

There isn't a doubt in my mind that LaBeouf is performing for the camera while he's live streaming himself watching his films. But it's the best kind of performance.
Racist conceptual joke discovered in Malevich’s Black Square

A team of art historians and researchers from Moscow's Tretyakov Gallery have found handwriting in Kazimir Malevich’s Black Square. And it’s not good.

Into the future with YACHT's Claire Evans and Jona Bechtolt
YACHT is not just a band. They're an idea and a belief system long concerned with philosophical inquiry. Hopes&Fears spoke with Claire Evans about the latest chapter in YACHT’s journey of discovery.

Meet the designers of NYC’s Latin club night posters
Latin club night posters are a ubiquitous feature of New York City's Hispanic neighborhoods. We looked into how they're made, who makes them, and why.

Dungeons & Dragons and the ethics of imaginary violence
“Right” is a relative concept in Dungeons & Dragons. But can in-game violence actually teach people morality?
From Halloween to Home Alone: how John Hughes made the slasher movie safe for kids

What do Michael Myers and Kevin McCallister have in common? We make a case for Home Alone as a slasher movie.

The dubious relationship between Lego and the art world
While plenty of people use Lego to implement their ideas, most of these ideas aren't art. So when is Lego art and what's at stake for the toy's corporate empire?

Drugs, death and that wig: An oral history of 'Vampire in Brooklyn'
We talk to the people involved in Eddie Murphy's 1995 flop Vampire in Brooklyn about the actors' on-set tantrums, drug use and the many other difficulties the film encountered.

Why horror movies are obsessed with creepy kids, dolls and clowns
We asked filmmakers, actors, writers and professors of horror what makes innocence lost such a compelling horror genre staple.

How eSports are saving the PC industry
The makers of the world's most elite graphics hardware explain the ways that eSports have caused the industry to explode.