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 13 Best TV Shows of 2024
The year’s most essential series
Read These Six Books—Just Trust Us
Each title richly rewards readers who come in with little prior knowledge.
Nikki Giovanni’s Wondrous Celebrations of Black Life
The poet’s work crackled with revolutionary fire but also contained jubilation and gentleness.
My Friend Outed Me to Her Conservative Parents
Now they think I’m a “bad influence”—and it hurts.
August Wilson’s Histories of Black American Life
A new adaptation of The Piano Lesson updates the playwright’s convictions about how legacies are passed down through generations.
Walk on Air Against Your Better Judgment
What Seamus Heaney gave me
The 10 Best Movies of 2024
Another year of existential crisis for Hollywood, and an excellent year for cinema itself
When a Father Chooses His Politics Over His Family
The Seed of the Sacred Fig transforms from a quiet drama into a harrowing thriller.
The Surprising Comedy of a ‘Serious’ SNL Host
Gladiator II star Paul Mescal found the darker emotions that elevated some of the night’s best sketches.
