All Culture
- 鈥楲oving Vincent鈥 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鈥檛 possibly match the originals鈥 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鈥檚 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,'聽the classic film 'The Princess Bride' returns to聽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鈥檚 been part聽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鈥檚 happening against the backdrop of a tough summer for Hollywood.聽
- 鈥楤attle of the Sexes鈥 is a barely muted rallying cry for our timeThe movie, which聽centers on the tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs聽and stars Steve Carell and Emma Stone, is best when it鈥檚 not preaching to the audience.
- 'Stronger' actor Jake Gyllenhaal is better than the movieGyllenhaal聽plays Jeff Bauman, who lost his legs during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and shows us the full effects of Bauman鈥檚 trauma.
- Top Picks: 'The Wedding Plan' on DVD and Blu-ray, Ralph Towner's album 'My Foolish Heart,' and moreThe app聽Any.do聽brings together a calendar and a to-do list to make sure you鈥檙e on top of everything,聽be prepared for future weather emergencies聽with the聽Hurricane聽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鈥檚 wilds.
- Verbal EnergyRuth Walker, member of the Monitor familyMs. Walker has passed on. Here鈥檚 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聽The Elements by Theodore Gray聽makes the periodic table interactive, musician聽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 鈥渂allistic鈥 that makes a missile even more dangerous?
- Why every writer needs a treeMine is just outside my window. Without it, I鈥檇 be forced to stare into a blank computer screen instead.
- J.D. Salinger biopic 'Rebel in the Rye' falls back on banalitiesBoth as a writer and as a man, Salinger was nothing if not unconventional. 'Rebel in the Rye' is so tasteful that it practically slides off the screen.
- 'Trophy' explores moral intertwining of hunting and conservationismThe documentary, which is directed by Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau, is riddled with ambiguities.
- 'Dolores' could have explored subject's life more sharplyDolores Huerta, the co-founder, with the far more recognized Cesar聽Chavez, of the United Farm Workers union, is the subject of Peter Bratt鈥檚聽documentary 'Dolores.'
- Top Picks: The Seasonal Food Guide app, 'The Lost City of Z' on DVD and Blu-ray, and more top picksDocumentary master Ken Burns returns with his latest work, 'The Vietnam War,' a NASA video has聽even more about the Aug. 21 solar eclipse that captivated the United States, and more top picks.