‘Zero Dark Thirty’, Snuff Film ‘Zero Dark Thirty’, Snuff Film
The film’s torture scenes do not excuse or glorify torture; they do something worse: draw the audience into accommodating it.
Jan 30, 2013 / Books & the Arts / JoAnn Wypijewski
Crazy, Stupid, Guns Crazy, Stupid, Guns
Moussa Touré’s La Pirogue, Ruben Fleischer’s Gangster Squad
Jan 23, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans
Waltz Unchained Waltz Unchained
Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained; Béla Tarr’s The Turin Horse
Jan 9, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans
‘Django Unchained’: Quentin Tarantino’s Answer to Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln’ ‘Django Unchained’: Quentin Tarantino’s Answer to Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln’
In one film, grateful black people; in the other, the vengeful ones.
Dec 25, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Jon Wiener
Watching ‘The House I Live In’ on Rikers Island Watching ‘The House I Live In’ on Rikers Island
Filmmaker Eugene Jarecki is on a mission to show his Sundance-award winning movie, The House I Live In, to prisoners across the country. On a Friday in December, he went to New Yor...
Dec 21, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Liliana Segura
The Trembling Upper World: On Siegfried Kracauer The Trembling Upper World: On Siegfried Kracauer
The European émigré who became a philosopher of American cinema.
Dec 19, 2012 / Books & the Arts / J. Hoberman
Our National Torture Policy Our National Torture Policy
As Zero Dark Thirty reminds us, Americans have yet to face the torture committed on our behalf.
Dec 18, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Peter Van Buren
Exploring the Noir Forties: A Q&A With Richard Lingeman Exploring the Noir Forties: A Q&A With Richard Lingeman
Lingeman’s new book looks at postwar America through the lens of film noir.
Dec 17, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Richard Kreitner
‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Raises Dark Memories ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Raises Dark Memories
What's really bothering us is not whether torture works but that Americans are torturers.
Dec 14, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Michelle Dean
In Drug War, Small Victories Are Not the Revolution. Director Eugene Jarecki [VIDEO] In Drug War, Small Victories Are Not the Revolution. Director Eugene Jarecki [VIDEO]
November's victories at the ballot box show the drug war is vulnerable.
Dec 11, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Laura Flanders