All Arts & Culture
Venus, Serena, and their father: 鈥楰ing Richard鈥� biopic is an aceA top-notch performance by Will Smith and an inspirational story combine for sheer pleasure in the biopic 鈥淜ing Richard,鈥� says the Monitor鈥檚 film critic.
Kitchen alchemy: Recipes to add to the repertoireWhether it鈥檚 holiday recipes or everyday meals, the season鈥檚 top cookbooks deliver flavor, a dollop of history, and rave reviews.聽
In a WordAuthors who made their mark with made-up words鈥淧andemonium,鈥� 鈥渃ritical,鈥� 鈥渁ssassinate,鈥� and 鈥渆ventful鈥� all came from written literature before being widely adapted in spoken English.
A foodie delight, 鈥楯ulia鈥� shows how one chef influenced AmericaFew people on the planet were more interested in food than Julia Child, says the Monitor鈥檚 film critic. Judging from the documentary 鈥淛ulia,鈥� he adds, few people are as interesting.
In a WordShe tabled the discussion of a 'moot point'In the U.S., labeling something a 'moot point' means it's no longer worth discussing. In England, however, that means it's open to further debate.
Here they go again: ABBA reuniting after 40 yearsThe pandemic has acted like a Bat-Signal of sorts for ABBA, which returns with a new album, 鈥淰oyage,鈥� at a time when fans say songs like the group鈥檚 are needed.
What more is there to say about Princess Diana? 鈥楽pencer鈥� offers a fable.Kristen Stewart delivers a fierce performance in 鈥淪pencer,鈥澛燼 film that intends to impart a more profound view of Princess Diana than a biopic could.
鈥楴omadland鈥� director brings her vision to Marvel鈥檚 鈥楨ternals鈥�Chlo茅 Zhao pivots from her indie roots to make a big-budget Marvel film, 鈥淓ternals.鈥� Can she make these heroes soar?聽
It鈥檚 bleak, bloody, and No. 1 on Netflix. How 鈥楽quid Game鈥� won the pandemic.What does the global popularity of the violent Netflix series 鈥淪quid Game鈥� say about the current cultural zeitgeist?
The ExplainerDiwali: Why the Hindu Festival of Lights is spreading around the worldDiwali has been celebrated in South Asia for 2,500 years. But in聽recent years, the Hindu Festival of Lights has resonated more broadly.
Difference MakerThis East St. Louis grocer tends an oasis of uplift in a food desertAn East St. Louis corner store is a lifeline for residents who have to travel far to a supermarket for food. It鈥檚 also a hive of social connection.
In a WordHave you tried 鈥榞ongoozling鈥� and other hobbies?Many hobbies 鈥� from gongoozling to scutelliphily聽鈥� have odd names. But there's also a linguistic reasoning behind them.
First LookDetails emerge showing safety negligence in 'Rust' shootingHow could an accidental, fatal shooting occur on a movie set with a budget of $7 million? Experts are speaking out about 鈥淩ust鈥� and the crew鈥檚 negligence of weapons management, raising questions about the film industry鈥檚 pursuit of profit at the cost of safety.
Sparked by 鈥楽anditon,鈥� author creates nuanced Black colonial charactersSparked by Jane Austen鈥檚 鈥淪anditon,鈥� Vanessa Riley features nuanced Black characters in British colonial times in her romances and historical fiction.
Identity and adoption: 鈥楩ound鈥� follows American teens as they return to ChinaThe Netflix documentary 鈥淔ound鈥� puts a human face on China鈥檚 one-child policy as three American teens return to their roots.聽- Identity and adoption: 鈥楩ound鈥� follows American teens as they return to ChinaThe Netflix documentary 鈥淔ound鈥� puts a human face on China鈥檚 one-child policy as three American teens return to their roots.聽
First LookIn wake of Baldwin's misfire, should CGI replace guns on set?After Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer on a film set by accident with a prop gun, a petition was launched over the weekend calling on Hollywood to replace聽live weapons聽with computer-generated imagery when filming.聽
In a WordA 鈥榟obby鈥� wasn鈥檛 always considered a good thingIn the 19th century, as middle-class leisure time increased, it became fashionable to pursue activities that would have previously seemed frivolous.聽
Sci-fi classic 鈥楧une鈥� returns to the big screen. Does it succeed?The novel from the 1960s influenced subsequent sci-fi epics like the 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� franchise. But 鈥淒une,鈥� by Frank Herbert, looks for its own movie magic.
In a WordHow 鈥榞aslighting鈥� became a common accusationInstead of two people discussing where their perceptions of reality might differ, accusations of "gaslighting"聽shut down the conversation entirely.
