All Culture
A revealing Russian tourMy cabdriver shows me Moscow’s sights and soul.
Postal diplomacyI joined half a million others in a reassuring grass-roots endeavor.
Can immersive theater draw theatergoers?A recent local stage show was different from anything one young theatergoer had experienced before. She was no longer a passive member of the audience, but an active participant in the play.
'American Made' depicts drug cartels as occasion for blithe derring-doThe nefarious entanglements of real-life figure Barry Seal’s operations, jauntily detailed in the film, are depicted as high-flying fun.
‘Loving Vincent’ prompts respect for the effort that went into hand-painted film, if not the resultIn the movie about Vincent Van Gogh, the reproductions of the artist's paintings can’t possibly match the originals’ emotional fervor.
'Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House' leaves Felt's motivations ambiguousAs written and directed by Peter Landesman, the movie is a straightforward nuts-and-bolts affair of no particular consequence, except for Neeson’s performance.
Top Picks: Journeys of Invention app, 'Last Emperor of Mexico,' and moreAdd to the list of intriguing Hollywood romances the behind-the-scenes couple featured in the film 'Harold and Lillian,' the classic film 'The Princess Bride' returns to the big screen, and more top picks.
Meanwhile... how Sicily is showcasing refugees' cultures and artIn the tiny rural town of Sutera, locals now host a 'festival of hospitality' each August, which allows recent arrivals from Africa and the Middle East to showcase their cuisines and to entertain visitors (who come from all over Sicily) with their music and dance.
The castles of my imaginationThe fortresses were built to project power, but they intrigue me for vastly different reasons.
Steven Soderbergh's release plan, MoviePass program shake up movie businessIt’s been part of American life for decades: Consumers pay to see films and movie studios and movie theaters profit. But that process is being disrupted, and it’s happening against the backdrop of a tough summer for Hollywood.
‘Battle of the Sexes’ is a barely muted rallying cry for our timeThe movie, which centers on the tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs and stars Steve Carell and Emma Stone, is best when it’s not preaching to the audience.
'Stronger' actor Jake Gyllenhaal is better than the movieGyllenhaal plays Jeff Bauman, who lost his legs during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and shows us the full effects of Bauman’s trauma.
Top Picks: 'The Wedding Plan' on DVD and Blu-ray, Ralph Towner's album 'My Foolish Heart,' and moreThe app Any.do brings together a calendar and a to-do list to make sure you’re on top of everything, be prepared for future weather emergencies with the Hurricane app from the American Red Cross, and more top picks.
Of moose and manAn early test of our vows to stick by each other arrived in Canada’s wilds.
Verbal EnergyRuth Walker, member of the Monitor familyMs. Walker has passed on. Here’s a brief bio and a link to some of her best columns.
FocusCan Hollywood learn to tell stories about women above a size 4?The character Kate in the Emmy-nominated 'This Is Us' has won acclaim for Chrissy Metz. But body image advocates say Kate also personifies a principal narrative for the fat person in Hollywood: In order for a character of size to be worthy, he or she needs to be trying to lose weight.
Toronto International Film Festival report: Fewer movies but still front-loaded with Oscar bait'The Florida Project' and 'Ex Libris: The New York Public Library' were highlights at the 42nd edition of the festival in Toronto.
Top Picks: Fantastical 2 app, 'Tommy's Honour' on DVD and Blu-ray, and moreThe app The Elements by Theodore Gray makes the periodic table interactive, musician Mondo Cozmo sounds like the grandson of Bob Dylan circa 'Like a Rolling Stone,' or the gifted offspring of 'The Spider from Mars'-era David Bowie, on 'Plastic Soul,' and more top picks.
Ballistics: What goes up must come downIs there something about “ballistic” that makes a missile even more dangerous?
Why every writer needs a treeMine is just outside my window. Without it, I’d be forced to stare into a blank computer screen instead.
