All Arts & Culture
The snow is fake but the smiles are real: Welcome to Christmas ConFans of holiday movies gather to meet Hallmark actors, talk about the comfort of a good formulaic film, and reflect on their hopes for the genre.
In a WordWhat pasta has to do with Christmas carols"Macaronic" texts have been produced wherever cultures are bilingual or multilingual, and can combine any languages,聽not just English and Latin.
Remembering bell hooks, a beacon of light 鈥� for Black women and beyondBy imploring feminism to be something other than thin and white, she forced America to take a look in the mirror at how it treats the most vulnerable part of its population.
From 鈥楰ing Richard鈥� to 鈥楪unda鈥�: The 10 best films of 2021Monitor film critic Peter Rainer鈥檚 list of 2021鈥檚 best movies includes those that graced both big and small screens 鈥� and features some up-and-comers.
First LookWhy more women are taking on leadership roles in HinduismHindu priesthood is a domain largely populated by men.聽These women are working to open up space for change. 鈥淓very reform comes with some obstacles. But it is happening,鈥� said one female priest.
In a Word鈥楾hwart鈥� encompasses two opposing meaningsOn one hand, to聽thwart聽something is to hinder or prevent it. But in 1609, building a bridge over a river was described as 鈥渢hwarting a bank.鈥�
鈥楴ational Champions鈥� asks: Should college athletes be paid?How far would you go to stand up for a principle? The film 鈥淣ational Champions,鈥� about whether to pay college athletes, weighs the trade-offs of taking a firm stance.
Spielberg鈥檚 鈥榃est Side Story鈥�: A remake that鈥檚 a rethink, tooDirector Steven Spielberg mostly succeeds in his update of 鈥淲est Side Story,鈥� giving it new energy and authenticity, says the Monitor鈥檚 film critic.聽
First LookHow Native Americans are using video games to foster connectionIndigenous people are using a modern platform for conversations about culture: video games. As more reservations in the U.S. and Canada receive better internet connection, Native American gamers are hoping this virtual space will create connection and opportunity.
In a WordFairy tales give rise to colorful turns of phrase"Cinderella story"聽has referred to a rags-to-riches arc since the mid-19th century. It's a made-up phrase 鈥� but we all know what it means.
What made albums notable in 2021? Music that connects people.How did a pandemic year affect new music? Standout 2021 albums have forged a heart-to-heart connection that鈥檚 lifted up artists and listeners alike.
Cover StoryPulling punchlines: Comedy can be offensive. But should it be reined in?Amid the push and pull of cancel culture versus free speech, is it possible for humor to still be a uniting force, instead of a divisive聽one?
In a WordThe Greeks put the 'meta' in 'metaverse'In English, a聽metaphor聽is a figure of speech that asserts one thing 鈥渋s鈥� another.聽In Greek,聽metaphoreis聽are the people who move your furniture.
Thanksgiving in a can? The holiday鈥檚 edible controversies explained.We don鈥檛 know what the Pilgrims and Wampanoags ate 400 years ago. But we鈥檝e sure got opinions about what counts as a 鈥渞eal鈥� Thanksgiving dish now.
Early settlers loved the pumpkin. But it was Mexico鈥檚 favorite first.Looking for something different this Thanksgiving? Try this recipe for calabaza en tacha 鈥� Mexican candied pumpkin.
First LookJi-Young to make history as first Asian American muppet鈥淪esame Street鈥� will introduce Ji-Young, a Korean American muppet, during its special 鈥淪ee Us Coming Together鈥� on Thanksgiving day. The long-running show is developing new content and characters to help children talk about race, ethnicity, and culture.
Cover StoryCooking for 15,000: How Fort Bragg pulls off ThanksgivingChef聽Princido Texidor鈥檚 career has focused on bringing sophistication to military mess hall 鈥渟lop.鈥� For 15,000 Thanksgiving guests, he goes all out.
鈥楨ncanto鈥�: A tale of family and fitting in, set to musicAs the Monitor鈥檚 review notes, Disney鈥檚 cheery 鈥淓ncanto,鈥� about comparing oneself to others, seems tailored for today鈥檚 social media-minded teens.
In a WordWhat 鈥楤lack Friday鈥� and 鈥榬ed ink鈥� have in commonRed and black ink have been paired since ancient Egypt, where scribes carried writing palettes with styluses and two colors of ink.
Q&A with Mayukh Sen, author of 鈥楾aste Makers鈥�In 鈥淭aste Makers,鈥� Mayukh Sen profiles successful female chefs and cookbook authors 鈥� immigrants 鈥� who made an impact on American food culture.聽
