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 Megalopolis That Francis Ford Coppola Wanted to Make
The director’s fantasy of film’s technological potential is still far from a reality.
Five Books That Conjure Entirely New Worlds
The best-written stories can make readers feel as if they have passed through mundane states of being and been brought over to another universe.
Malcolm Gladwell, Meet Mark Zuckerberg
The writer’s insistence on ignoring the web is an even bigger blind spot today than it was when The Tipping Point came out.
What Ellen DeGeneres Isn’t Hearing Over All the Applause
In her new—and reportedly last—stand-up special, the comedian struggles to find the humor in her mistakes.
The Quinceañera’s Midlife Remix
Many Latina women hitting 50 aren’t just throwing a big party—they’re determined to redefine what it means to age.
Why Katy Perry Can’t Get Her Groove Back
The pop singer is stuck in a rut—and her soulless new album doesn’t get her moving.
Dear James: I Hate My Post-college Life
I’m utterly lost.
The Most Vital Marvel Series Yet
Disney+’s Agatha All Along is great fun—and fits almost too neatly with 2024’s key plotlines.
The Particular Pain of the Middle-Aged Millennial
The 35-year-old hero of Hulu’s How to Die Alone is figuring out her life, and running out of time.
Trump’s Offensive Spin on Sex
He of all people should avoid making light of assault allegations.