The Culture
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James Baldwin novel receives gauzy treatment in ‘Beale Street’
Director Barry Jenkins goes for atmosphere over story.
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'Ben is Back' is compelling at first but falls apart
Julia Roberts works well with actor Lucas Hedges, who knows how to be volatile without chewing the scenery.
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Top Picks: Amazon Studios' 'Vanity Fair,' Ingrid Michaelson’s 'Songs for the Season,' and more top picks
See how the robot InSight's successful landing happened with a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory video, the movie 'Eighth Grade' stars Elsie Fisher as Kayla, a teenager navigating middle school, and more top picks.
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What are you watching? Readers recommend 'The Princess Bride,' 'Christmas in Norway with the St. Olaf Choir'
Monitor TV and movie fans share what they've been watching lately.
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Test Your KnowledgeCould you pass a US citizenship test? Find out.
Photos of the Week 12/17 Photos of the Week
Female inmates dressed as guards pose for a photo during Nelson Hungria Prison's annual Christmas event for inmates and jail staff in Rio de Janeiro on Dec. 13. Inmates serving time for offenses from burglary to homicide spent weeks decking out their cell blocks with handmade Christmas decorations and planning Bible-related p...
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Last-minute fruitcake
A classic recipe from the Monitor's archives is making the rounds again.
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In a Word A Renaissance fruit has its climacteric moment
While researching medlars I discovered that there’s a wonderful old word, dating back to Shakespeare as well, that’s still employed by botanists to categorize fruit: climacteric.
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Why I talk to dogs
Their tethered humans might think I’m crazy, but I can’t help it.
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In a Word Where to stress words in pronunciation
Stress isn’t only important for proper pronunciation – sometimes it actually distinguishes the meaning of words.
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To 'aitch' ... or not to 'haitch'?
The thing is this: For as long as I can remember, the eighth letter of the alphabet has been spelled and pronounced “aitch.” But now it is frequently being pronounced “haitch.”
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'Shirkers' is a one-of-a-kind reclamation project
The documentary, directed by Sandi Tan, is a charming, wistful movie.
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'Mary Queen of Scots' has sharp cast but is dull overall
The movie is about the oft-chronicled rivalry between Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots.
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Energy of the streets gives ‘Capernaum’ authenticity
The film is the Lebanese entry for the Oscar for best foreign film.
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Top Picks: 'Mission Impossible: Fallout,' Mark Knopfler’s 'Down the Road Wherever,' and more
The Transit app provides schedules and possible routes for public transportation, curators reveal the processes behind restoration and curation on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s YouTube channel, and more top picks.
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What are you watching? Readers recommend 'The Big Bang Theory,' 'Olive Kitteridge'
Monitor TV and movie fans share what they've been watching lately.
