Articles in Entertainment
‘Dr. Phil’ Will Not Be Missed
As the 20-year run of ‘Dr. Phil’ comes to an end, reflecting on how the show combined pop psychology, the sleaziness of ’90s talk shows, and misleading culture war debates.
In Defense of South Park
Reflecting on a hilarious, problematic, iconic show.
The Beast Within Capitalism
The success of YouTuber “MrBeast” tells us a lot about who we are and what kind of world we live in.
Godard Without the Politics
American filmmakers have been heavily influenced by Godard’s aesthetic contributions but ignore his radical political messages.
Elvis Like You’ve Never Seen Him Before
How Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” took one of the most familiar stories in music history and somehow made it fresh again.
The Anti-Imperialism of ‘Avatar’ Should be Celebrated
For all its faults, Avatar: The Way of Water does a service by bringing an anti-militaristic message to American cinemas.
U.S. Empire and the Marvel Moral Universe
Comic book stories shape and reaffirm cultural and political attitudes. We shouldn’t settle for the imperialist propaganda put out by the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
We Are All Spartacus
Why has the story of Spartacus become important to leftists over the years? Because Spartacus showed what it would take for people to liberate themselves from violent systems of oppression.
Entering the Twilight Zone
Even though television is a highly commercialized art form, The Twilight Zone still managed to offer innovation and politically incisive commentary.
The People’s Tramp
Charlie Chaplin’s films are insightful explorations of poverty, homelessness, and the callous moneyed classes. They also show cinema’s capacity to act as a small empathy-generating machine.
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