The Rise of CliffsNotes Cinema
Oversimplified literary remakes miss the point of the works they are adapting.
Culture
Why Justin Bieber Played YouTube Onstage for Thousands of People
The pop star transformed the normal act of browsing your laptop into something interesting—and unsettling.
The New Age of Performance Anxiety
With the rise of screen culture, all the world has stage fright.
Where Did ‘Let Them’ Come From?
Years before Mel Robbins published her best-selling self-help book, a struggling writer posted a poem with a similar message.
The Queerest Thing About Taylor Swift
She’s something different to everyone.
Seven Books That Earn Your Tears
Getting a cheap rise out of readers is easy. Faithfully representing life on the page takes more skill.
A Vision of Russia as a Country That Runs on Violence
A 1929 Soviet novel shows how dangerous ideas can destroy a society.
What Was Jo Koy Thinking?
Hosting awards shows is a truly thankless job.
American Fiction Is More Than a Racial Satire
The film dramatizes the quotidian absurdities that many Black writers face during their career.
Nine Underrated Movies That Are Worth Your Time
Hollywood’s awards shows will overlook these films—but you shouldn’t.
Ferrari Puts You Right in the Driver’s Seat
“People are either down for what this movie is or they’re not.”
What to Read If You Want to Reinvent Yourself
Whether you’re starting over or discovering a new identity, these works can help reset your perspective.
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The 25 Best Podcasts of 2023
The shows that kept listeners refreshing their apps this year
The New The Color Purple Finds Its Own Rhythm
The movie musical is a tear-jerking and exultant epic that also works as a companion piece to the 1985 original.