Culture

Kenneth Lonergan, the Apolitical Bard of Service Workers

The Oscar-nominated Manchester by the Sea director has a long history of portraying the lives of doormen, janitors, and waiters. But he seems uninterested in social change on their behalf.

• Daniel Levinson Wilk
• 2:40 PM ET

The Maddening Media Obsession With Female Feuds, Katy Perry Edition

She can’t seem to get her music or politics evaluated without a mention of her supposed rival Taylor Swift.

• Spencer Kornhaber
• 1:59 PM ET

Why Netflix Will Release Martin Scorsese’s Next Film

A $100 million gangster epic starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci has become too risky a proposition for major studios.

• David Sims
• 1:39 PM ET

Kiki Revisits the Power of New York’s Ball Culture

The new documentary returns to a safe haven for LGBTQ youths of color first examined in the landmark film Paris Is Burning.

• David Sims
• 10:22 AM ET

Escaped Alone Finds Comfort at the End of the World

Caryl Churchill’s newest work explores the solace of community amid an apocalypse.

• Sophie Gilbert
• Feb 21, 2017

The South African Building That Came to Symbolize the Apocalypse

Ponte City, Africa’s tallest apartment block, is a mainstay of movies about the end of the world—but it was once an apartheid-era architectural triumph.

• Ryan Lenora Brown
• Feb 21, 2017

How a True-Crime Podcast Became a Mental-Health Support Group

Listening to stories of grisly murders allows some people to exorcise their fears, and the community built around the show encourages listeners to take care of themselves.

• Andrea Marks
• Feb 21, 2017

Using Historical Fiction to Connect Past and Present

The novels offer more than a good story—they can also be integral to critical-thinking skills, especially during periods of political turmoil.

• Anna Diamond
• Feb 21, 2017

The Case for Shyness

Joe Moran’s book Shrinking Violets is a sweeping history that doubles as a (quiet) defense of timidity.

• Megan Garber
• Feb 20, 2017

Your 2017 Oscars Crash Course

A roundup of all our best stories to get up to speed with the 89th Academy Awards

• Arnav Adhikari
• Feb 19, 2017

Fences and Fake News: The Week in Pop-Culture Writing

Highlights from seven days of reading about arts and entertainment

• The Editors
• Feb 18, 2017

The Atlantic’s Week in Culture

A roundup of our recent writing on arts and entertainment

• The Editors
• Feb 17, 2017

Crashing Is an Antidote to Cynical Comedy Shows

Pete Holmes’s new HBO series is a refreshing break from the darkness of similar prestige shows about the lives of stand-ups.

• Robert O'Connell
• Feb 17, 2017

Steve McQueen's Unblinking Look at Life and Afterlife

The 12 Years a Slave director’s video installation Ashes highlights that death is narrative but existence is not.

• Spencer Kornhaber
• Feb 17, 2017

Jimmy Fallon Tries to Take On Trump

The Tonight Show host, long derided for his lack of hard-hitting political material, is struggling to stay relevant in 2017.

• David Sims
• Feb 17, 2017

The Disappointments of The Great Wall

Zhang Yimou’s CGI epic again demonstrates the downside of movies tailored to a “global audience.”

• Christopher Orr
• Feb 17, 2017

Big Little Lies: Sex and Murder in Monterey

HBO’s compelling new mystery gives desperate-housewives melodrama an artistic sheen.

• Sophie Gilbert
• Feb 16, 2017

How Hans Zimmer Became a Rock Star

The composer of films like Gladiator, Inception, and The Dark Knight has become so ubiquitous, he’s playing at Coachella.

• David Sims
• Feb 16, 2017

How The Blood of Emmett Till Still Stains America Today

A new history of the most famous lynching in the country provides context on how racism continues to work in the present.

• Vann R. Newkirk II
• Feb 16, 2017

Music to Celebrate the
30-Something Blues

Sweden’s Jens Lekman brings a writerly eye and disco uplift to a new decade on Life Will See You Now.

• Spencer Kornhaber
• Feb 16, 2017