Don’t Miss
The Visceral, Woman-Centric Horror of The Handmaid’s Tale—Sophie Gilbert dives into the new Hulu show, which has created a world that’s visually and psychologically unlike anything in film or television.
Television
The Leftovers: Meet Me in St. Louis—Spencer Kornhaber and Sophie Gilbert break down the second episode of the show’s final season.
Silicon Valley Looks to Reinvent the Internet—David Sims argues that the HBO series, now in its fourth year, has never been funnier.
Catastrophe and the Comedy of the Self-Aware Marriage—Spencer Kornhaber praises the hilarious Amazon show, back for a third season.
Why The President Show Might Just Work—David Sims considers the new Comedy Central parody hosted by the comedian Anthony Atamanuik, in character as Donald Trump.
What Does a Girlboss Look Like?—Sophie Gilbert examines two new television shows from 30 Rock alums that tackle the subject of female ambition.
Film
The Circle Is a Laughable Tech Thriller—David Sims bemoans James Ponsoldt’s new film, based on the eponymous novel by Dave Eggers.
An Uneven Tribute to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks—Lenika Cruz pinpoints the limitations of the HBO film starring Oprah Winfrey.
Sandy Wexler Isn’t Just Another Adam Sandler Film—David Sims explains why the third movie in the comedian’s contract with Netflix might just be part of a revolution in the movie-star system.
The Bizarre Spectacle of Casting JonBenét—David Sims watches Netflix’s new documentary that takes a look at the infamous 1996 murder case.
Remembering Jonathan Demme—David Sims looks back on the career of the Oscar-winning director, who died at the age of 73.
Food
The Why of Cooking—Joe Pinsker combs through multiple recipe books in the hope of figuring the most efficient path to kitchen wisdom.
Music
Gorillaz’s Drab Doomsday Dance Party—Spencer Kornhaber laments the dated and dreary sound of Humanz, Damon Albarn’s latest album as the animated band.
David Bowie’s 1987 Slump Held Its Own Weird Magic—Jason Heller believes the singer’s much-maligned album Never Let Me Down and the dazzling Glass Spider Tour it spawned were the work of a veteran artist in the throes of metamorphosis.
Feist’s Pleasure Reworks the Passage of Time—Spencer Kornhaber listens to the Canadian singer’s challenging but beautiful fifth album.
Books
The Fictional Country You Build When Your Home No Longer Exists—James Reith delves into the work of the Bohemian writer Johannes Urzidil, who fled his embattled birthplace just before World War II.
Are We Having Too Much Fun?—Megan Garber revisits Neil Postman’s 1985 book, which observed an America imprisoned by its own need for amusement.
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