Culture

James Baldwin Was Right All Along

The writer and activist has the painful, powerful words for this political moment. America just needs to heed them.

• Raoul Peck
• July 3, 2020

Watching Hamilton Is Like Opening a Time Capsule

Disney+’s filmed version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical feels dated, timeless, and vital all at once.

• David Sims
• July 3, 2020

The Books Briefing: The Power of Friendship

The influential role of platonic intimacy: Your weekly guide to the best in books

• Myles Poydras
• July 3, 2020

Hip-Hop Won’t Stop Protecting Alleged Abusers

The industry has been proclaiming the importance of Black lives while continuing to ignore Black women.

• Hannah Giorgis
• July 2, 2020

The Last of Us Part II Tests the Limits of Video-Game Violence

The ambitious sequel once again forces players to confront their own brutality. But to what end?

• David Sims
• July 1, 2020

Pride Can’t Go Back to What It Was Before

New York’s Queer Liberation March extended its celebration of Stonewall to Black Lives Matter, ditching corporate sponsorships while retaining a sense of joy.

• Spencer Kornhaber
• June 30, 2020

How One Network Absolutely Nailed Its Virtual Awards Show

The nation isn’t in a celebratory mood. But the BET Awards struck a delicate balance between honoring black artists and reckoning with current events.

• Shirley Li
• June 29, 2020

Saying Goodbye to Law & Order

Growing up, police dramas were my favorite genre to watch. But the stories they told were always at odds with the world that I lived in.

• Jordan Calhoun
• June 28, 2020

Will Ferrell’s Best Comedy in Years Is Here

Netflix’s Eurovision Song Contest succeeds because it’s both sincere and satirical. Also, it has invisible elves.

• David Sims
• June 27, 2020

The Inequality of Summer Leisure

This season of social distancing will also be one of social closeness between neighbors—illuminating divides of race, class, and place.

• Spencer Kornhaber
• June 27, 2020

Why People Are Obsessed With a Terrible Polish Erotic Thriller

Thanks to the pandemic, Netflix’s first summer hit is a shallow movie full of sun, sex, and spit.

• Hannah Giorgis
• June 26, 2020

What Dixie Really Means

The band formerly known as the Dixie Chicks has changed its name in light of the growing rejection of racist symbols and phrases.

• Ben Zimmer
• June 26, 2020

One of America’s Fiercest Media Critics Is Back With a Warning

Jon Stewart on his new satirical film, Irresistible, and the simplistic narratives that fuel the U.S. political system

• David Sims
• June 24, 2020

The Encounter That Revealed a Different Side of Emily Dickinson

After eight years of letter writing, the author Thomas Wentworth Higginson finally met the reclusive poet face-to-face.

• Martha Ackmann
• June 23, 2020

What It Means to Understand Bruce Lee

The martial-arts legend looms so large in pop culture that the mundane details of his life feel like a rare treat.

• Danny Chau
• June 22, 2020

How Far Does the Apple Fall From the Tree?

In my case, it ripped off the branch and rolled all the way down the hill.

• Dave Grohl
• June 21, 2020

Will Sex Scenes Survive the Pandemic?

Intimacy coordinators became popular guides on TV and film sets during the #MeToo movement. But in this new socially distanced world, they run the risk of being sidelined.

• Shirley Li
• June 20, 2020