All Culture
In a WordEvocative phrases borrowed from film and theaterWhile interrupting a chronological sequence to go back in time is an ancient narrative technique, the word "flashback" first appeared in 1916.
Popcorn and propaganda? Two Philippine films offer dueling histories.The battle over Philippine history has reached the silver screen, with a pair of films set during the martial law era blending fact and fiction.
With timeless masterpieces and modern riffs, Vermeer enduresWhat qualities make art enduring? For museumgoers and modern artists, examining the work of 17th-century painter Johannes Vermeer offers the opportunity to both reflect on, and shift, the narrative.
‘A sacred space’: Playwrights discuss the role religion plays on stageHow are themes of religion and spirituality explored on modern stages? Two playwrights discuss their work, and how human vulnerability – and hope – can share the same theater space.
On film: How a pinball wizard fought the law, and wonWhat do people do when they encounter well-intentioned laws they disagree with? A pair of filmmaking brothers found a message about freedom in the story of the man who helped legalize pinball.
First LookDrama, emotion was 'Everything Everywhere' for 95th Academy AwardsMichelle Yeoh made Oscar history Sunday as the first Asian woman to win best actress and the first best-actress win for a nonwhite actress in 20 years. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” won seven Oscars, including best picture.
In a WordInsiders use 'jargon' to confuse the rest of usJargon's second sense is that of “obscure and often pretentious language marked by circumlocutions and long words,” as Merriam-Webster puts it.
What’s to be done with a recliner in decline?Two cats and 35 years later, it’s lost some shine. OK, a lot of shine, our essayist writes. But it still works.
Oscar or not, these were some of the best performances of 2022Ahead of the Oscars broadcast on Sunday, the Monitor’s critic weighs in on the award nominees, and his own.
‘Creed III’ is a hymn to redefine Black masculinity“Creed III” is more than a movie about two Black men tirelessly fighting each other. It offers a deeper, and deeply needed, view of manhood.
It’s 19 below zero and the bird feeder is empty. What’s a birder to do?People who maintain bird feeders are trading seeds for delight. Sometimes that exchange is inconvenient, and sometimes it’s unexpectedly life-giving.
Is democracy worth fighting for? Argentine Oscar nominee inspires a ‘yes.’Argentina has a track record of producing winning films about its dictatorship. But, Santiago Mitre’s “Argentina, 1985” stands out for its focus on the aftermath.
I make peace with my procrastinationFor years I took pride in arriving on the dot – sometimes to the mild chagrin of my host, author Robert Klose writes in an essay.
In a Word‘Intersectionality’ pushes political hot buttonSometime in the 2010s, intersectionality left the ivory tower and got thoroughly wrapped up in the culture wars.
In a WordCan irony really be conveyed with punctuation?For centuries, wordsmiths have demanded punctuation marks that would convey irony and sarcasm the way verbal intonation does in spoken conversation.
Make do and mend: As landfills grow, people opt for needle and threadHow are people responding to measures like one in Massachusetts that bans putting textiles in the trash? For some, it’s an opportunity to learn a new skill – while also helping the environment.
‘America’s Arabia’: Dates, a desert town, and a county fairWhat turns an event into a tradition? In the Coachella Valley, a focus on the foreign origins of date crops became fairground folklore.
From ‘Yellowstone’ to ‘The Chosen,’ boom times for small Texas townsTexas has long starred in film and TV – though in recent decades, the part of the Lone Star State has been played by New Mexico or Louisiana. Now, thanks in part to “Yellowstone,” that’s changed.
First Look‘Look at us now’: SAG awards highlight Asian representation“Everything Everywhere All at Once” continued its winning streak at the SAG awards Sunday. The film picked up top accolades for acting, directing, and producing, which hints at a strong possibility of it winning best picture at the Oscars.
In a WordWhat it means to 'root' for the home teamDoes "rooting" for a sports team have to do with the underground parts of plants? Yes, etymology suggests – and pigs may be involved, too.
