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.
Please See Twisters in Theaters
The film might seem like an unnecessary sequel, but it squeezes a lot of juice out of the weather-driven disaster flick.
The Cheapness of Luxury
In Yasmin Zaher’s new novel, the promise of exclusivity is a facade.
Simone Biles and the Limits of ‘Work Ethic’
A new documentary examines the gymnast’s difficult decision to exit the 2021 Olympics, and the lessons she’s taking to the upcoming Summer Games.
Not Your Typical Prison Drama
The soulful generosity of Sing Sing
The Church of Saint Richard
The late fitness legend believed that everyone deserved to feel good and move with abandon.
Seven Bedside-Table Books for When You Can’t Sleep
These titles can offer another voice in the darkness, ready to soothe a restless mind.
The Remarkable Charisma of Shelley Duvall
The late Duvall was made for the screen—and for playing quietly resilient female characters.
Dr. Ruth, Richard Simmons, and the Joys of Eccentricity
The deaths of two inimitable 1980s figures are a reminder that our world needs more cheerful weirdos.
Sorry/Not Sorry and the Paradox of Louis C.K.
A new documentary explores the comedian’s return, asking the still potent question of who commands power in his industry—and who doesn’t.
If the Moon Landing Were a Romantic Comedy
Fly Me to the Moon is a surprisingly charming movie that speaks to our era of AI anxiety.