‘Oppenheimer’ is a disappointment − and a lost opportunity
For all its praise, the film furthers the dominant narrative of the bombs as a morally fraught but necessary project, with American anxieties playing a starring role.
Today: April 27, 2024
Arts
How ‘Dune’ became a beacon for the fledgling environmental movement − and a rallying cry for the new science of ecology
When Frank Herbert sat down in 1963 to start writing ‘Dune,’ he wasn’t thinking about how to leave Earth behind. He was thinking about how to save it.
$50K per year for a degree in a low-wage industry − is culinary school worth it?
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay recently pilloried these institutions for saddling students with debt prior to sending them off into a low-wage industry. But many graduates have no regrets.
From shrimp Jesus to fake self-portraits, AI-generated images have become the latest form of social media spam
Visually appealing and cheap to produce, AI-generated images allow scammers and spammers to post high volumes of engaging content − and Facebook’s algorithm may be promoting these posts.
Why luck plays such a big role in hockey
With low-scoring games and a preponderance of deflected shots, randomness is much more likely to color NHL teams’ records than those of squads in the other four major US pro sports leagues.
‘The former guy’ versus ‘Sleepy Joe’ – why Biden and Trump are loathe to utter each other’s name
Both politicians are exploiting some tried and true rhetorical and psychological tactics.
Indian protesters pull from poetic tradition to resist Modi’s Hindu nationalism
Thanks to a strong oral Urdu literary tradition in South Asia, poems from the past linger in the popular imagination.
Taylor Swift’s homage to Clara Bow
The star of the 1920s silver screen who appears on Taylor Swift’s new album abruptly left Hollywood at the height of her success – a middle finger to the men whom she had made rich and powerful.
Has the media learned anything since the O.J. Simpson trial?
Since the ‘trial of the century,’ the lines between news and entertainment have become increasingly blurred.
Is this the dawn of a new era in women’s sports?
Sports media has typically operated under a ‘one and done’ model: focus on women’s sports during high-profile events, before returning to routine coverage of men.
Bollywood is playing a large supporting role in India’s elections
Ahead of elections in India, a series of films that promote the ruling party’s right-wing ideology are seeking to influence voters. An art historian explains how the trend started.
Why the Chiefs and Royals couldn’t convince Kansas City voters to foot the bill for their stadiums
It turns out that handing over taxpayer dollars to billionaire owners tends to be far less popular among regular citizens than among well-connected government officials.
Beyoncé’s ‘Blackbiird’ breathes new life into a symbol that has inspired centuries of Black artists, musicians and storytellers
To truly appreciate the track, it’s important to go beyond the long shadow of the Beatles’ version.
The most important voice on Beyoncé’s new album
Confinement was the essence of Linda Martell’s brief career as a country star in the 1970s – and it’s the exact sort of fate that Beyoncé has sought to avoid.
For over a century, baseball’s scouts have been the backbone of America’s pastime – do they have a future?
Even with teams’ embrace of analytics, the number of scouts employed by MLB teams had stayed remarkably consistent. That all changed with the COVID-19 pandemic.
James Clavell’s ‘Shōgun’ is reimagined for a new generation of TV viewers
Compared to its 1980 predecessor, the new FX series presents a more authentic portrayal of early modern Japan.
As the US government and record labels go after TikTok, musicians get the squeeze
For some musical artists, TikTok has become a beacon in an otherwise dismal digital streaming landscape.
How AI is shaping the music listening habits of Gen Z
In the past, adolescents’ musical palettes were dominated by the Top-40 artists, creating a widely shared – if perhaps narrow – repertoire of musical knowledge.
The failures of ‘Oppenheimer’ and the ascent of the foreign film - 6 essential reads for the Oscars
Before you tune into Hollywood’s biggest night of the year, check out our coverage of the stars of this year’s show.
Centuries after Christine de Pizan wrote a book railing against misogyny, Taylor Swift is building her own ‘City of Ladies’
By compiling stories about the accomplishments of women, Christine set out to build an allegorical city where women and their achievements would be safe from sexist insults and slander.
How the Academy Awards became ‘the biggest international fashion show free-for-all’
Through their media savvy, two consultants were able to make the Oscars as much about the attire as the gold statuettes.
Scorsese’s gods of the streets: From ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ to ‘Silence,’ faith is rarely far off in his films
Though only a few of Scorsese’s films focus on religious stories, deeper questions about faith, doubt and living in a violent world tend to haunt his movies.
