The Ghosts of “Irma Vep” The Ghosts of “Irma Vep”
Olivier Assayas's clever and beguiling HBO miniseries responds to the state of cinema in the age of streaming.
Oct 19, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Vikram Murthi
The Real Butt of Nathan Fielder’s Joke The Real Butt of Nathan Fielder’s Joke
His awkward social comedies always leave you wondering: Whom should you be laughing at?
Sep 29, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Vikram Murthi
“The Kids in the Hall” Stands the Test of Time “The Kids in the Hall” Stands the Test of Time
In a recent reboot, the comedy troupe’s work remains as trenchant as ever.
Jul 6, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Vikram Murthi
Does “Severance”’s Workplace Satire Work? Does “Severance”’s Workplace Satire Work?
On the ups and downs of the year's most talked-about office drama.
Jun 15, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Vikram Murthi
The Oscars: Awkward Spectacle The Oscars: Awkward Spectacle
The Academy Awards felt like a hyperactive fever dream, but really it was just a terribly engineered event that reeked of neediness and obsolescence and that was given its sole mom...
Mar 30, 2022 / Vikram Murthi
The Wonder and Horror of Delayed Adulthood The Wonder and Horror of Delayed Adulthood
With Worst Person in the World, Joachim Trier completes a trilogy of films that interrogates an aging generation facing a murky future.
Mar 10, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Vikram Murthi
Theater Kids and the End Times in “Station Eleven” Theater Kids and the End Times in “Station Eleven”
The HBO adaptation of Emily St. Mandel’s postapocalyptic pandemic novel examines, with mixed results, the endurance of art after society collapses.
Jan 31, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Vikram Murthi
The Ardor of “Licorice Pizza” The Ardor of “Licorice Pizza”
Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film is his most personal work yet.
Dec 29, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Vikram Murthi
Who’s to Blame in “The White Lotus”? Who’s to Blame in “The White Lotus”?
In the weeks since the release of Mike White’s latest HBO series, debate has centered on the show’s politics. Is it liberal satire or spectacle?
Sep 15, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Vikram Murthi
The Unfinished Evolution of Aziz Ansari The Unfinished Evolution of Aziz Ansari
With the latest season of Master of None, the comedian and director’s attempt at a reboot of his creative approach reveals the limits of his perspective.
Jun 23, 2021 / 2021 Year in Review / Vikram Murthi