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.
A Dark Omen for the Future of Music
Pitchfork challenged a generation of music listeners. Is there still a place for it?
The Character That Breathed New Life Into Fargo
The series likes to complicate the politeness of midwesterners. Its terrific latest protagonist went even further.
Can Anything Stop Oppenheimer at the Oscars?
Many recent winners have lacked mainstream appeal—but this year, that changes.
The Dark-Horse Oscar Contender Everyone’s Watching
Society of the Snow is an often-nightmarish—but wildly absorbing—viewing experience.
The Uncanniest Influencers on the Internet
A new book brings stark clarity to the formulas that guide our behavior online.
The Message the Emmys Really Wanted You to Get
By paying tribute to the great shows of yesteryear, the ceremony argued for television as a shared culture.
The Most Truthful Moment of the Emmys
A rare appearance by the actor Christina Applegate, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021, brought heart and humor to the ceremony’s celebration of TV history.
The Return of TV’s Most Soulful Show
True Detective: Night Country pays tribute to its origins while charting new territory.
A Musical Reboot That Can’t Cross the Generational Gap
The reboot of the classic teen comedy Mean Girls sands off its source material’s edges, to mixed results.
Easy Mode Is Actually for Adults
Video games can be arduous. But real life is hard enough.