Todd Haynes Plays the SuperegoThe director is interested in people constrained by society’s rules. In his new film May December, he makes it harder to root for the rule-breakers.
All the Hottest Gossip From Virgin RiverBreak out the phone tree and prepare to be scandalized by season five’s secrets, dirty deeds, and weird glamping obsession.
The Curse(S1/E4)Zoltar SpeaksAsher, Whitney, and Dougie might be cursed might, but they’re certainly self-destructing.
The Golden Bachelor(S1/E9)A Goddamn Close SecondGerry manages to pull off a pretty serious heel turn, as Leslie looks quite the part for the first all-but-announced Golden Bachelorette.
bufferingHow the Networks (Barely) Survived the Fall TV Season “The networks all did what they needed to crawl through the tunnel of crap at the end of The Shawshank Redemption,” says one insider.By Josef Adalian
the industryRomeo and Juliet Was a Tragedy In 1968, Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting were the most famous teenagers in the world. Fifty-five years later, they sued Paramount for child abuse.By Lila Shapiro
book reviewHow Zadie Smith Lost Her Teeth Since her audacious debut, she has been moving toward character-driven realism. In the process, she’s become the least interesting version of herself.By Andrea Long Chu
profileThe Spectacular Life of Octavia E. Butler The story of the girl who grew up in Pasadena, took the bus, loved her mom and grandmother, and wrote herself into the world.By E. Alex Jung
performance reviewWhat Was Brangelina? The couple were always known for their image-making savvy. Now, as their divorce reenters the press cycle, we’re reminded of who’s better at it.By Angelica Jade Bastién
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first personThe Voice of New York Is Drill It’s the most captivating sound the city has heard in decades — and also the most misunderstood. Here, 19 NY drill artists set the record straight.By Camille Squires