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 Dark Weirdness of R. Crumb
The illustrator dredged the depths of his own subconscious—and tapped into something collectively screwy in America.
The SNL Parody That Captured the Tariffs Chaos
The show found an ideal vehicle for satirizing the country’s economic anxiety.
A Film That Throws Out the War-Movie Playbook
In Alex Garland’s new military drama, soldiers spend as much time waiting around as they do in battle.
The Box-Office Smash That Left Me Cold
The new Minecraft movie ignores what makes the video game so special.
When Young People Stop Imagining a Future
At its best, The Teacher captures the intimate horrors of life under harrowing circumstances.
When Your Dream Job Is a Lie
Hacks paints a deflating picture of what it’s like to reach the top of your field.
Dwyane Wade’s Greatest Challenge
The Hall of Famer reached the highest heights of the basketball world. Now he’s figuring out the type of man and father he wants to be.
Why I Played the Kennedy Center
How our band made the decision to perform—and why we probably won’t be welcomed back
Dear James: I Can’t Stop Thinking About Death
Is this just a midlife crisis?