Film
An Epic Fantasy About a World Plagued by Disease in The Deer King
Directed by Studio Ghibli alumni Masashi Ando and Masayuki Miyaji, the film grounds the supernatural in realistic-feeling details.
Kambole Campbell
Film
How the Marvel Cinematic Universe Exploits Comic Book Artists
Films based on Marvel Comics superheroes have made billions. Yet the artists and writers who created these characters get a pittance, if that.
Film
The Comics That Influenced The Batman
Though superhero movies are Hollywood’s biggest moneymakers, too often we forget their source material.
Film
Ava DuVernay Tells Colin Kaepernick’s Life Story with a Mix of Documentary and Sitcom
The Netflix miniseries Colin in Black & White takes an unusual approach to the controversial football player’s biography, but ends up more odd than anything else
Film
How Do the Right Thing Recreated Greek Tragedy in Bed-Stuy
Spike Lee’s landmark film is often remembered for its still-relevant social commentary, but its formal brilliance should not go overlooked.
Film
The Forgotten “Black Woodstock” of 1969
Summer of Soul, Questlove’s directorial debut, seeks to resurrect the memory of the Harlem Cultural Festival, a vital touchstone of Black music.
Film
El Planeta, Amalia Ulman’s Transportive “Comedy About Eviction”
Ulman’s feature debut chronicles a mother-daughter pair in post-recession Spain with a restrained style and hints of amusing deception.
Film
With Soul, Pixar Attempts to Make a Radically Different Kind of Animation
Warm depictions of Black life and music-making aside, Soul ultimately shortchanges itself with what feels like a lack of confidence in its core character.
Art
After Viral Racist Encounter, Central Park Birder Shares Experience in Comic Form
A semi-fictionalized account of Christian Cooper’s own experiences, It’s a Bird takes on racist dog whistles with necessary straightforwardness.
Film
From MLK to Whistleblowers, the FBI’s Trouble with Dissidents
The films MLK/FBI and Enemies of the State offer contrasting looks at government oppression.
Film
David Byrne and Spike Lee Consider the Oxymoron of "American Utopia"
American Utopia, Lee's film of the stage show, recontextualizes some of Byrne's greatest hits as musings on modern life.
Opinion
Black Squares Don't Save Black Lives
If you consider yourself an ally to Black people, it shouldn’t just be about you or how you feel; it should be about how you can help.