The Way They Kiss in ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’
Julie Andrews’ 1960s musical Thoroughly Modern Millie does its anti-authoritarian, anarchic-chaotic thing in a different key.
comedy
Seaton’s What’s So Bad About Feeling Good? Thumbs Its Tucan-Size Nose at the Establishment
An airborne virus infects the cogs in the capitalist machine in George Seaton’s What’s So Bad About Feeling Good? and makes people subversively happy.
Nida Manzoor’s Comedy ‘We Are Lady Parts’ Shatters Muslim Stereotypes One Punk Song at a Time
Nida Manzoor’s punk rock comedy We Are Lady Parts beautifully captures that the performance and expression of Muslim identity are complex and multifaceted.
‘In the Cards’ Actress Eleanore Pienta on Pushing Back Against Correctness
Actress Eleanore Pienta talks with PopMatters about the challenges of indie film work, the appeal of broken characters, and our era of political correctness.
Tribeca 2021: ‘India Sweets and Spices’ Offers Familiarity
Geeta Malik’s India Sweets and Spices is peppered with familiarity, from the settings to the snacks, in an enjoyable but incomplete package.
Bo Burnham’s Pandemic Comedy Special ‘Inside’ Is the Krapp’s Last Tape of Our Times
Like Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape, Bo Burnham’s Inside offers rich insights into how our psyches and sense of self get warped by ever-advancing technologies.
Director Emma Seligman on Sex and Insecurity in Her Dark Comedy, ‘Shiva Baby’
Emma Seligman talks with PopMatters about her dark comedy about sex work and anxiety, Shiva Baby.
Frank Perry and Jerry Schatzberg Show Us How to Be a Woman in the ’70s
Frank Perry and Jerry Schatzberg jolted audiences who weren’t used to unsatisfied and belittled housewives starring in a film, or to the concept of such people existing.
Director Adam Rehmeier on His Abrasive Punk Comedy with a Sweet Heart, ‘Dinner in America’
Director Adam Rehmeier talks with PopMatters about the making of his subversive punk comedy, Dinner in America, produced by Ben Stiller.
René Clair’s ‘It Happened Tomorrow’ Is the First Great Film About Time Paradoxes
Meant to divert wartime audiences with sheer escapism, René Clair’s ‘It Happened Tomorrow’ dives into a past where tomorrow looks troublesome.
In TV Comedy ‘Rutherford Falls’ History Is Personal
As viewers have come to expect from co-creator Michael Schur, Rutherford Falls uses sly humor and flawed, lovable characters to tackle serious issues.