Stephen Kearse
Contributing Writer
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FilmApril 5, 2023
M. Night Shyamalan’s Strange Renaissance
After watching his latest, Knock at the Cabin, one can’t help but wonder: What is fueling his career revival?
Stephen Kearse
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FilmDecember 8, 2022
The Melancholy Return of “Black Panther”
After the death of Chadwick Boseman, the makers of the superhero movie had to reimagine the series. The result makes for a sobering and affecting sequel.
Stephen Kearse
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FilmSeptember 6, 2022
Jordan Peele’s Extraterrestrial Americana
Telling a tale of cowboys, aliens, and Hollywood, the director’s third feature film, Nope, is his most successful cinematic spectacle to date.
Stephen Kearse
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Cultural Criticism and AnalysisFebruary 14, 2022
The Immortal Influence of Greg Tate
His writing will be a touchstone for generations of critics to come.
Stephen Kearse
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FilmFebruary 9, 2022
Is “The Matrix Resurrections” About Authorial Anxiety?
At times myopic and contrarian, the latest entry in the series feels more like a copyright renewal than a narrative.
Stephen Kearse
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TelevisionNovember 9, 2021
Dave Chappelle’s Comedy of Bitterness
In his recent special The Closer, and his response to critics of it, he outlines a strange version of identity politics where comedians are always the victims.
Stephen Kearse
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MusicSeptember 28, 2021
All Eyes on Lil Nas X
His debut album, Montero, is attuned to the spectacle of celebrity, but doesn’t cohere into compelling music.
Stephen Kearse
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FilmJuly 27, 2021
Barry Jenkins’s American Saga
In The Underground Railroad, Jenkins focuses how people survived slavery rather than on its brutality.
Stephen Kearse
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MusicApril 21, 2021
Armand Hammer’s Guide Through History’s Underbelly
The New York rap duo’s searing songs shed light on outrages around the globe.
Stephen Kearse
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FilmMarch 18, 2021
Judas and the Black Messiah’s Stark Binaries
A new biopic of Fred Hampton poses a question: Will a film ever capture the radical spirit of the Black Panthers?
Stephen Kearse