Is “Asteroid City” Wes Anderson’s Greatest Film? Is “Asteroid City” Wes Anderson’s Greatest Film?
In his latest film, Anderson asks us how art and storytelling give our lives meaning.
Jul 5, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Jorge Cotte
Our Supreme Court Reactionaries Still Fear the French Revolution Our Supreme Court Reactionaries Still Fear the French Revolution
In John Roberts’s America, it’s good to be the king.
Jul 3, 2023 / Jeet Heer
The Great Collapsing Culture Bubble The Great Collapsing Culture Bubble
From classic movies to documentaries, the foundations of film culture are under siege from cost-cutting executives.
Jun 29, 2023 / Ben Schwartz
Julian Assange and Arnon Milchan: The Lopsided Scales of American Justice Julian Assange and Arnon Milchan: The Lopsided Scales of American Justice
One has boasted of espionage. The other revealed massive government wrongdoing. So why is the whistleblower in jail?
Jun 27, 2023 / James Bamford
Paul Schrader’s Unlikely Optimism Paul Schrader’s Unlikely Optimism
Master Gardener seems designed to provoke. But in his late age, the filmmaker has settled into an earnest style, fixated on love and second chances.
Jun 15, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Vikram Murthi
The Swiss Village That Made Kropotkin an Anarchist The Swiss Village That Made Kropotkin an Anarchist
Cyril Schäublin’s Unrest may be the most orderly movie about anarchists ever made.
Jun 14, 2023 / Books & the Arts / J. Hoberman
Raging Bullshit: Credits and the Hollywood Economy Raging Bullshit: Credits and the Hollywood Economy
The Max streaming platform debuted a credit system that obscures the actual work done by film writers and other creative workers.
Jun 8, 2023 / Ben Schwartz
Kelly Reichardt’s Cinema of Class Conflict Kelly Reichardt’s Cinema of Class Conflict
In her latest film, Showing Up, she continues a career-long project of examining the bitter resentments produced by inequality.
May 31, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Alex Kong
What Makes Special Effects Work? What Makes Special Effects Work?
In Empire of Effects, Julie Turnock examines how George Lucas and Industrial Light & Magic transformed the way we make and view movies.
May 30, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Malcolm Harris
The Indulgences of Rainer Werner Fassbinder The Indulgences of Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Ian Penman’s study of the German filmmaker’s work elucidates his “cocaine communism”—an aesthetics and politics of revolution and pleasure.
May 18, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Andrew Marzoni