All Culture
First LookSeven Oscars for ‘Oppenheimer,’ a fittingly foreboding film for the timesChristopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” swept the Academy Awards show with seven wins, including the Oscar for best picture. The awards show was shadowed by the backdrop of wars in Gaza and Ukraine, with pro-Palestinian protests outside the Dolby Theatre.
‘The Lily Gladstone effect’: Will Native actors get boost at Oscars?If Lily Gladstone wins an Academy Award for her performance in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” she would be the first Native woman to receive an Oscar. Before her, there was a century of work that tended to go unrecognized.
A cult classic album gains new life, and new meaning, onstageA new stage adaptation of “Illinoise” opens March 7 at New York’s Park Avenue Armory. It is not quite a musical, not quite a ballet, not quite a concert – but an experience all its own.
First LookHat trick: How Oppenheimer’s iconic topper made it to the screenTo fans of the film, nothing quite says “Oppenheimer” like the porkpie crown on Cillian Murphy’s head. That piece of Hollywood history came courtesy of the hat whisperer Mark Mejia, who has been working with costume designers for more than 30 years.
Stars and strife: Who gets to decide what appears on state flags?The recent wave of flag redesigns reflects awareness that a strong visual identity can bring residents together. The challenge states face, though, is how to agree on symbols that represent everyone.
Zen and the art of automotive maintenanceWhat do you get when four of five children reach driving age? A collision course in car chaos.
Back of the box recipes from Great-Grandma? Family treasure.I longed for sentimental family heirlooms – until I learned that pragmatism is inheritance, too.
In a year of meaningful roles, who deserves an Oscar?These actors fully embodied their roles, from an Osage survivor to a grieving mother to ... Ken.
‘American Fiction,’ Black culture, and the nature of joyWhether it’s Blaxploitation, blackface, or navigating the arts space in a country and world not truly honest about their racial past, the duality of being funny and sad – think the iconic comedy and tragedy masks – means something different in the Black experience.
‘Dune: Part Two’: Sandworms, slick villains, and a would-be savior“Dune: Part Two” arrives almost 2 1/2 years after the first installment. With the possible exception of “Lawrence of Arabia,” our film critic writes, he’s never seen so much sand in one movie.
The unexpected bounty of winter gardeningIn nature and in life, some seasons, like winter, are less celebrated. Under the surface, however, lies growth.
Preserving culture, one textile at a timeFocus is often put on preserving disappearing languages, but what of other traditions? For some, vitality rests with maintaining a culture’s visual representations, too.
An indie publisher finds its future – with a public libraryAngel City Press in Los Angeles has long published local authors. In a bold move, its founders are now giving the press to the city’s public library.
The actor and the ironing board: An unlikely lesson in improvisationIn our middle school musical, an eighth grade star averted disaster – and imparted valuable lessons in improvisation.
Robert Smalls lived an action-hero life. Why isn’t he a household name?The founder of the first free public schools in America was born enslaved and won freedom not only for himself, but also his family, by commandeering a Confederate gunship. How is Robert Smalls not a household name?
Hygge season: Learning to winter like the DanesIn exploring hygge, the Danish art of coziness, I learned to rest and savor the season. It’s a counterintuitive lesson in slowing down.
Lyrical, harrowing ‘Io Capitano’ offers epic immigration taleHow far would someone go to have a better life? Italy’s Oscar nominee offers an immigration story that features searing realism – and resilience.
A small town, public art, and the First AmendmentWould no public art be better than art someone found objectionable? In New Hampshire, a town has been roiled for months over that question.
First LookConductor Seiji Ozawa remembered as a kind and thoughtful humanitarianSeiji Ozawa, who died Feb. 6 in his native Japan, was a world-renowned conductor with a 29-year career with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The BSO described Mr. Ozawa as “a musical genius” with “a balletic grace at the podium.”
Beauty and the feast: Savoring ‘The Taste of Things’What happens when you combine sumptuous food with a tender drama? French film “The Taste of Things” features one of the most romantic movie moments our critic has ever seen.
