Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader Reflects On The Year, Self-Driving Cars For Snowy Conditions, Best Movies Of 2017

Air Date:
Heard On Central Time

We invite the Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader to talk about the key events of 2017 and look ahead to 2018, we find out how researchers are working to make self-driving cars perform well in snowy conditions, and we look at the best movies of 2017.

Featured in this Show

  • Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader Looks Back At 2017, And Ahead To 2018

    As the year draws to a close, we check in with legislative leaders on the big issues of 2017, including the Foxconn deal, transportation funding, and the #MeToo movement. And we ask what their priorities are for 2018. Today, we visit with Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz.

  • Self-Driving Car Designed For Snow

    Researchers in Finland have tested a new self-driving car designed specifically for snowy, low visibility conditions. We talk with a technology reporter about these advances that could benefit Wisconsin winter drivers.

  • Critic Shares His Favorite Movies Of 2017

    For film critic Reggie Ponder, 2017 marked a good year for movies.

    Whether you are a superhero fan or documentary geek, there were plenty of standout big-screen options — many of which crossed genre boundaries.

    Ponder, known as “Reggie the Reel Critic,” said one of the themes that stood out in the years’ dramas was survival.

    Topping his list is the drama/horror/comedy film “Get Out,” which Ponder called one of the most provocative films of the year. When a young black man visits his white girlfriend’s parents for a weekend, what begins as a friendly meeting, turns into a nightmare.

    “The fact that they encased this film in the horror genre I think is ingenious,” Ponder said. “For many African-Americans who have to traverse the social landscape, that is a horror tale.”

    “Dunkirk” which is about the United States Allied troops’ evacuation from the beaches of Dunkirk, France during World War II, also stood out to Ponder for its character development and suspense.

    “What I like particularly about it was that there wasn’t a lot of dialogue … yet you felt the characters, you identified with the characters and their whole plight of survival,” he said.

    Coming in at number two on Ponder’s list of favorites is the “fantastic” film “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” It centers around a mother seeking justice for her daughter who was raped and murdered.

    “It is told in such a different way that it will surprise you,” Ponder said. “Some people call it a comedy, but it is a dramedy.”

    The list wouldn’t be complete without a superhero movie. Six of the top 11 films at the box office in 2017 fell into this category, some even crossing over into comedy.

    “You can really only go so far with blow ’em up, bang ’em up … when you start to have some humor and character development, you actually expand your audience,” he said.

    Ponder loved “Wonder Woman,” based on the DC Comic and set during World War I.

    “I loved it for a couple of reasons,” he said. “If you’re going to do a superhero film, obviously the action has to stand up, and it does in this move bar none, but the story also holds up.”

    Rounding out Ponder’s list is the documentary “Step” about high school girls from an impoverished community in Baltimore that are on a step dancing team. Step is a form of dancing where the performers use their entire body to create sounds and rhythms with spoken word, hand claps and footsteps.

    “They’re just trying to make it through life,” he said. “You are absolutely invested when you watch this, I totally recommend it.”

  • The Best Movies Of 2017

    We look back at the top movies of 2017. Whether you’re a superhero fan or a documentary geek, there were plenty of options for entertainment this year. We talk to Reggie the Reel Critic about what movies made top lists for critics.

    What do you think was the best movie of the year? What do you think should get Oscar buzz? What are you kicking yourself that you didn’t see when it was in theaters?

    Let us know by emailing ideas@wpr.org

    You can also contact us here:

    Tweet: @centraltimewpr

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theideasnetwork/

    Call during showtime: 1-800-642-1234

Episode Credits

  • Rob Ferrett Host
  • Judith Siers-Poisson Producer
  • Natalie Guyette Producer
  • Amanda Magnus Producer
  • Gordon Hintz Guest
  • Michael J. Coren Guest
  • Reggie Ponder Guest

Related Stories