Essential Workers Are the New “Magical Negro”
How understanding this cinematic trope can illuminate COVID-era exploitation
Jun 16 - Dali Adekunle
culture
essays
The History of Losing Your Grip
We may fear losing control under lockdown, but giving up control has been a transformative experience for centuries
May 19 - Lindsay Merbaum
culture
“Normal People” Is the Perfect Show for People Who Miss Being Touched
Like the Sally Rooney novel it's based on, the show demonstrates that "touch" is much more than physical contact
May 1 - Manuel Betancourt
culture
Every Pixar Movie Is Really About How We Tell Stories
From "Toy Story" to its most recent offering "Onward," the studio makes films about trying to figure out what kind of narrative you're in
Apr 24 - Manuel Betancourt
culture
The Horror at the Heart of the Island Paradise Fantasy
Social distance used to be a luxury—but it's always had a dark side
Apr 23 - Chelsea Davis
culture
The Eternal Return of “The Turn of the Screw”
Why we’ll never stop adapting Henry James’s century-old novella
Apr 9 - Chelsea Davis
culture
“Little Fires Everywhere” Asks Whether Art—Or Parenthood—Is Theft
The Hulu adaptation of Celeste Ng's novel wrestles with questions of appropriation, in art and life
Apr 3 - Abby Manzella
culture
“Teen Mom” Reality Entertainment Has Been Around for 600 Years
Why do we have such an enduring fascination with the lives of the young and pregnant?
Mar 26 - Carissa Harris
culture
The Urethra-Crushing Meaninglessness of Death
BoJack Horseman, Eugene Onegin, and our desperate attempts to make life and loss feel like they matter
Mar 12 - Olivia Giovetti
culture
