This has been a tough year. Pop culture let us down in many ways, even as our political system and our social institutions revealed a deeper seam of ugliness. But speculative fiction still offers us hope: not just optimism about human ingenuity, but actual reasons to look forward and keep our heads up.
I’ve seen two decent comedy films this summer. Melissa McCarthy’s Spy and Amy Schumer’s Trainwreck were both fun, but the movie about a magazine editor with a substance-abuse problem was much better than the one about the assistant spy who’s forced to go out into the field. Why is that?
At long last, we get a peek at Paul Feig's Spy, starring Melissa McCarthy as an unlikely (and possibly unqualified?) James Bond. On the basis of this new red-band trailer, I continue to nurse the hope that it will combine the charm of Bridesmaids with zany Archer-like shenanigans.
She may look innocent, but Hello Kitty could be a lot sneakier than we could have ever dreamed. The tiny white cat—whose iconic cheerful face is plastered on everything from notebooks to vibrators—has invaded our consciousness to such an extent that we accept her unquestioningly.
Well it's here, the 22nd James Bond installment, Quantum of Solace, opens today nationwide. Starring every American woman's Secret Boyfriend, Daniel Craig, this installment bears little resemblance to the Bond films of the past. Craig has been both praised and criticized for his portrayal of Bond as a less campy 007,…
