Review: James Retells Huckleberry Finn From Jim's Perspective
Author Percival Everett reimagines Mark Twain's novel from the enslaved character's point of view.
Entertainment
Review: The Women Entrepreneurs of Impoverished Countries
She Rises Up manages to be inspirational without being sappy, like so many documentaries are.
Review: Is Fallout Actually a Good Game-to-TV Crossover?
Staying true to the game, producers of the Amazon show even leave room for side quests and open-ended exploration.
Federal IOU: August/September 2024 Puzzle
"Period during which America's national debt was about $75 million"
Review: A Drug Reformer Makes the Case for Harm Reduction
The Harm Reduction Gap argues for individual autonomy and meeting drug users where they're at.
Review: Blowback Podcast Exhumes the Seeds of the Afghan Conflict
Hosts Noah Kulwin and Brendan James explain how proxy war fighters can become America's enemies.
Review: Documenting Julian Assange's Legal Battles
Kym Staton's documentary also tries to debunk several accusations against the WikiLeaks founder.
A Brief, Biased History of the Culture Wars
Kliph Nesteroff's book Outrageous turns into a screed against conservatives.
Review: An Arkansas Jail Unlocked the Cells. Did it Work?
A new Netflix documentary series shows what happened when inmates were free to roam the cellblock with no guards in sight.
Review: How a Catholic Sister Resisted an Oppressive New York City Government
A new film depicts Mother Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants.
With Ride or Die, the Bad Boys Movies Become Referendums on Masculinity
The fourth Bad Boys film is an uninspired retread.
Review: This Netflix Drama Depicts North Korean Refugees' Tribulations
My Name is Loh Kiwan dramatizes the experiences of refugees escaping oppressive regimes.
Review: An Anime Murder Mystery With an AI Twist
In Netflix's Pluto, a serial killer targets the world’s most advanced robots.
Super Size Me Was Not Groundbreaking Journalism
Morgan Spurlock's death and legacy are a reminder that skepticism is a necessary part of any balanced diet.
Review: The Terminator: The Original Killer AI
Arnold Schwarzenegger's classic role colored our perception of AI, for better or for worse.
Review: South Park's Take on ChatGPT
The long-running satirical show turns its animated sights on AI and ChatGPT.
How Free-Range Kids Became an Answer on Jeopardy!
It took a lot of work to clear this quiz show milestone.
Review: Understanding AI Helps Separate the Sci From the Fi
Like it or not, AI is here to stay. In his newsletter, Timothy B. Lee helps explain what comes next.
Review: Klara and the Sun Tackles AI Regulation
Kazuo Ishiguro's beautiful meditation on the parameters that constrain robots and humans alike
The Fall Guy Is a Crowd-Pleasing Homage to Silver Screen Stunt Work
It's not a great movie. But it is a great time at the movies.
Review: The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress Underscores How Technology Supports Freedom
According to Grok, Robert Heinlein's novel reminds us that even a supercomputer can have a heart—or at least a well-programmed sense of humor.
Review: Mrs. Davis Tests the Limits of Science and Faith
When does a sufficiently advanced algorithm start to mimic our conception of God?
Review: Here There Are Blueberries Investigates a Nazi Photo Album
"Where is the line between complacency, complicity, and culpability?” asks producer Matt Joslyn.
Review: Fun Police Podcast Exposes the Nanny State
Don't trust the do-gooders campaigning against drinking, smoking, and gambling.
Review: An Anime Reboot About Japan's Transition From Feudalism
The protagonist's adversaries eventually embrace modernity.
Review: What the Cities: Skylines II Flop Tells Us About Urban Planning
It turns out that making video games and making cities are both really hard.
Review: It's Cloned Mammoths vs. Billionaire Hunters in This New Sci-Fi Novel
Ray Nayler's The Tusks of Extinction explores the value of nonhuman intelligence.
Review: This Young Podcaster Is Channeling Adam Smith
A locked-down high schooler started asking libertarian thinkers what people in her generation should know.
Review: Apple Vision Pro's Magic Is Short-Lived
Apple's pricey new headset ends up feeling clunky.
Review: Violation Podcast Dissects the Broken U.S. Parole System
How do we decide who is worthy of a second chance?
Review: Musical Movie Doesn't Recapture Mean Girls' Genuine Meanness
The audience's tolerance for the truth about bullying has diminished in our oversensitive age.
New Georgia Law Limits Film Tax Credits. But Marvel Would Still Qualify.
While the state senate's bill would cap tax credits at 2.3 percent of the state's budget, any production filming at a big enough studio would be exempt.
Review: How Ray Trapani Scammed the Crypto World and Got Away With it
Netflix's Bitconned explores Centra Tech's scammy business dealings.
Pornhub Pulls Out of Seventh State
The company leaves Texas over an “ineffective, haphazard, and dangerous” age-verification law.
Review: Fargo's Self-Identified Libertarian Is No Libertarian
Will Sheriff Roy Tillman replace Ron Swanson as TV's most notable libertarian character? Hopefully not.
Review: Is Saltburn an Eat-the-Rich Comedy? Not Quite.
Critics are misreading the movie. The wealthy are not the villains in this story.
Review: For All Mankind Offers an Alternate History of Moon Exploration
What if Russia had landed on the moon before the United States?
States Try To Strip Sex From Literature in Libraries, Schools
These aren't outright bans. But they still can chill free speech and academic freedom.
Review: Cyberpunk 2077 Explores Another Lawless Dystopia
In the game's Phantom Liberty expansion, those who make the laws rarely follow them.
Review: HBO's Comedic Take on Pirate Life
The pirates in Our Flag Means Death end up more interested in skirting imperial powers than in plundering.
Review: Netflix's Real-Life Spinoff Can't Recreate Squid Game's Allure
In Squid Game: The Challenge, contestants don't really risk their lives.
