‘Beware the Cat’: The First English Horror Novel
In the first English horror novel, Beware the Cat, William Baldwin satirizes and mocks the Catholic Church’s naïve superstitions and alleged pagan practices.
satire
‘Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World’ Is a Stinging Comedy of Banal Chaos
Radu Jude’s gonzo satire of post-Soviet Romania, Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World, hits a sweet spot between Luis Buñuel and Béla Tarr.
Men Are So Lovely and Dry: Saltburn’s Queer Narrative Failures
Saltburn sparked discussion for its shocking sex scenes, but for all its stylized images and clever gendered trope inversions, its queer promises are empty.
The Old Days Were Outrageous – You Couldn’t Say Anything
History of offense, protest, and censorship Outrageous is more of a clip show but also a riotous reminder that nothing in the cancel culture wars is new.
Todd Solondz’s Satire ‘Happiness’ Still Unsettles
Todd Solondz’s 1998 satire, Happiness, is a savage takedown of the family-focused, banal sitcoms of the decade with a message that resonates to this day.
Modern-Day Minstrelsy in Cord Jefferson’s ‘American Fiction’
Cord Jefferson’s provocative satire on race and literature, American Fiction, skewers modern-day minstrelsy and performative allyship.
Lenny Bruce vs. Lenny Bruce: The Real and the Imagined
There are two Lenny Bruces: 1. the real-life subject of thoughtful documentaries and biographies, and 2. the TV/movie hip mentor and accidental deity.
Satirical Miniseries ‘White House Plumbers’ Is an Uneven Glimpse into Proximity to Power
HBO’s satirical miniseries on the Watergate affair, White House Plumbers, entertains but struggles to find emotional and political footing.
Succession’s Final Season of Satire and Calamity Offers No Parting Panacea
Succession, HBO’s most lauded release of the decade solidifies its place as one of TV’s best dramas, even though it shares nothing positive about our capitalist world.
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It’s Time We Hung Out at Joe’s Garage with Frank Zappa Again
As extremist minorities corrode social liberties, it’s time to take our rusting democratic values to Joe’s Garage where Frank Zappa waits with his sleeves rolled up.
Bo Burnham’s ‘Inside’ Mixes Comedy with Anxiety and Sets It to Music
Bo Burnham creates a warm and inviting mood and ironic comfort when he sings “That Funny Feeling” in his comedy special, ‘Inside’.
Sarah Gailey’s ‘Eat the Rich’ Cuts to the Horror at the Heart of Capitalism
Marx’s death pact is made literal in Sarah Gailey’s Eat the Rich, a remarkably fun comics series given its subject is the horror of capitalism.