All Arts & Culture
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. 鈥淓verything Everywhere All at Once鈥� won seven Oscars, including best picture.聽
In a WordInsiders use 'jargon' to confuse the rest of usJargon's聽second sense is that of 鈥渙bscure and often pretentious language marked by circumlocutions and long words,鈥� as Merriam-Webster puts it.聽
Oscar or not, these were some of the best performances of 2022Ahead of the Oscars broadcast on Sunday, the Monitor鈥檚 critic weighs in on the award nominees, and his own.
鈥楥reed III鈥� is a hymn to redefine Black masculinity鈥淐reed III鈥� is more than a movie about two Black men tirelessly fighting each other. It offers a deeper, and deeply needed, view of manhood.
Is democracy worth fighting for? Argentine Oscar nominee inspires a 鈥榶es.鈥�Argentina has a track record of producing winning films about its dictatorship. But, Santiago Mitre鈥檚 鈥淎rgentina, 1985鈥� stands out for its focus on the aftermath.
In a Word鈥業ntersectionality鈥� 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鈥檚 an opportunity to learn a new skill 鈥� while also helping the environment.
鈥楢merica鈥檚 Arabia鈥�: 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 鈥榊ellowstone鈥� to 鈥楾he Chosen,鈥� boom times for small Texas townsTexas has long starred in film and TV 鈥� though in recent decades, the part of the Lone Star State has been played by New Mexico or Louisiana. Now, thanks in part to 鈥淵ellowstone,鈥� that鈥檚 changed.
First Look鈥楲ook at us now鈥�: SAG awards highlight Asian representation鈥淓verything Everywhere All at Once鈥� 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 鈥� and pigs may be involved, too.
Feeling seen: Saying goodbye to two decades of 鈥楾he Best Man鈥�Our writer鈥檚 journey started with the first 鈥淏est Man鈥� film in 1999 and ended with the recent streaming series, 鈥淭he Best Man: The Final Chapters.鈥澛�
In a Word鈥楩itting鈥� or 鈥榝illing鈥� the bill: Which one to use?From filling to fitting to footing, the English language has lots of "bill"聽idioms 鈥� but the bills involved are not the same.
Theater v茅rit茅: How 鈥楾he Jungle鈥� re-creates a refugee encampmentWhat role do the arts play in debates about immigration? With 鈥淭he Jungle,鈥� a pair of playwrights immerse people in the migrant camp experience.
In a WordWhen people find themselves 鈥榓t loggerheads鈥�Whether at "at sixes and sevens"聽or聽"at loggerheads,"聽these idioms both suggest being mired聽in the midst of a strong disagreement.
In a WordHow should we talk about artificial intelligence?It鈥檚 easier for the general public to grasp what is going on when complicated computerized processes are explained in terms of human cognition.
鈥業t鈥檚 where I belong鈥�: Black Belt Eagle Scout鈥檚 latest album celebrates homeThe pandemic offered more time to reflect on the spaces we inhabit. With her latest album, Black Belt Eagle Scout celebrates how her own perspective on a familiar place changed.
In a WordPanther, puma, cougar: All names for the same catVermonters have catamounts while Northwesterners have cougars. But, it turns out, there's only one wild cat in the New World,聽Puma concolor.
