Arts
The Arts
Poetry Might Make The Perfect Gift (Especially For The Time-Crunched On Your List)
Poet Tess Taylor says a good poem can “reroute your day” in under five minutes. She offers suggestions for poetry that “takes you to a different place, and then allows you to return a little altered.” Continue Reading Poetry Might Make The Perfect Gift (Especially For The Time-Crunched On Your List)
Tacoma To Spokane To The World: New Biography Chronicles Bing Crosby’s Most Beloved Years
Crosby set the mold for the multimedia star: on radio, on the big screen and on record. The 1940s was the period when his star shone brightest and ‘Swinging on a Star’ by Gary Giddins tells that story. Continue Reading Tacoma To Spokane To The World: New Biography Chronicles Bing Crosby’s Most Beloved Years
New Documentary Paints A Picture Of The Contemporary Art Market Run Amok
HBO’s The Price of Everything calls into question the current price explosion and commodification of modern art “that’s fascinating, but it’s also terrifying,” says director Nathaniel Kahn. Continue Reading New Documentary Paints A Picture Of The Contemporary Art Market Run Amok
FILM REVIEW: Teens Sing Their Guts Out In The Zombie Christmas Musical ‘Anna And The Apocalypse’
The debt John McPhail’s tuneful horror comedy owes to Shaun of the Dead proves too deep to clamber out of, but the songs are fun and Ella Hunt’s feisty lead performance is charming. Continue Reading FILM REVIEW: Teens Sing Their Guts Out In The Zombie Christmas Musical ‘Anna And The Apocalypse’
FILM REVIEW ‘Outlaw King’ Is ‘Braveheart’ 2.0(ish), With Plenty Of War, But Not Much That’s Epic
Director David Mackenzie keeps the scale too small and the stakes too low in this retelling of the rebellion of Scotland’s Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine). Continue Reading FILM REVIEW ‘Outlaw King’ Is ‘Braveheart’ 2.0(ish), With Plenty Of War, But Not Much That’s Epic
BOOK REVIEW: ‘Death And Other Holidays’ Is A Perfect Literary Break
Marci Vogel’s new novella spans a year in the life of April, a young woman blindsided by loss. It’s the perfect length for a story, and the perfect balance of humor, anger, sorrow and beauty. Continue Reading BOOK REVIEW: ‘Death And Other Holidays’ Is A Perfect Literary Break
FILM REVIEW: ‘At Eternity’s Gate,’ Willem Dafoe Is Vincent Van Gogh (And You Should Go)
Julian Schnabel’s “bold, blissful and deeply sad” film about Vincent Van Gogh’s final days is as textured as the artist’s canvases; Willem Dafoe delivers “one of the finest performances of the year.” Continue Reading FILM REVIEW: ‘At Eternity’s Gate,’ Willem Dafoe Is Vincent Van Gogh (And You Should Go)
BOOK REVIEW: Michelle Obama’s Story Of ‘Becoming’ Herself, And The Struggle To Hang On
The former first lady’s new book is a story about her history, how that influenced who she is — and learning to adapt after agreeing to let that life be hijacked by politics. Continue Reading BOOK REVIEW: Michelle Obama’s Story Of ‘Becoming’ Herself, And The Struggle To Hang On
Dan Crenshaw, Navy SEAL And Congressman-Elect, Takes To ‘SNL’ For A Teachable Moment
On Saturday, four days after he won his race, Dan Crenshaw appeared next to Pete Davidson on SNL, and after roasting the comedian with a bunch of prepared jokes, he accepted his apology. Crenshaw then offered up a lesson about civility in politics. Continue Reading Dan Crenshaw, Navy SEAL And Congressman-Elect, Takes To ‘SNL’ For A Teachable Moment
FILM REVIEW: ‘The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs’ A Mixed Bag Of A Cohen Brothers Western Anthology
Joel and Ethan Coen have an erratic body of work but a remarkably consistent worldview. So it’s no surprise that their six-part Western anthology, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, feels like both an entirely coherent vision and something of a mixed bag. Continue Reading FILM REVIEW: ‘The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs’ A Mixed Bag Of A Cohen Brothers Western Anthology
‘King Kong’ On Broadway Is The 2,400-Pound Gorilla In The Room
In a new $35 million musical, the star attraction is 20 feet tall and requires 15 people to operate. He’s an engineering marvel — and also basically a giant monkey puppet. Continue Reading ‘King Kong’ On Broadway Is The 2,400-Pound Gorilla In The Room
Not His Job: ‘Wait Wait’ Host Peter Sagal Writes A Book About Running
He’s the voice of NPR’s comedy news quiz. He has also run a marathon in under 3:10. And now he has collected his thoughts about his avocation in “The Incomplete Book of Running.” Continue Reading Not His Job: ‘Wait Wait’ Host Peter Sagal Writes A Book About Running
