The Atantic's Week in Culture

Don’t Miss

The Case for Shyness—Megan Garber traces the history of timidity via Joe Moran’s fascinating new book Shrinking Violets.

Chris Pizzello / Invision / AP

Oscars

Your 2017 Oscars Crash Course—Arnav Adhikari rounds up all the best stories from Atlantic writers to get you up to speed for the 89th Academy Awards.

My 2017 Oscars Predictions—Christopher Orr considers the top contenders for the biggest awards at the ceremony.

In Fire at Sea, Tragedy and Normalcy Live Side by Side—Anna Diamond reviews the Oscar-nominated documentary, which offers a compelling portrait of how the migration crisis affects a tiny Italian island.

On Denzel Washington’s Enduring Stardom—David Sims explores the reasons behind the Fences actor’s remarkable longevity.

A Common Theme For This Year’s Oscar-Nominated Documentaries—Sarah Feldberg explores the films focused on the migrant crisis and Syrian conflict at this year’s Academy Awards.

Sundance Selects

Film

Kiki Revisits the Power of New York’s Ball Culture—David Sims praises the new documentary, which looks at a safe haven for LBTQ youths of color, first examined in Paris Is Burning.

The South African Building That Came to Symbolize the Apocalypse—Ryan Lenora Brown shares the architectural history of Ponte City, Africa’s tallest apartment block which has become a mainstay of movies about the end of the world.

Why Netflix Will Release Martin Scorsese’s Next Film—David Sims unpacks the reasons behind why the streaming service will produce the director’s next gangster epic.

Get Out Is a Funny and Brilliantly Subversive Horror Film—David Sims relishes Jordan Peele’s excellent directorial debut.

I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore Is a Dark, Goofy Neo-Noir—David Sims watches Macon Blair’s directorial debut, which swerves between indie comedy and ultra-violence.

Wikimedia Commons

Books

The Politics of Retelling Norse Mythology—Lisa L. Hannett unpacks Neil Gaiman’s remarkable new book, which has triggered a debate about who owns pagan tales.

Simon & Schuster’s Completely Avoidable Milo Yiannopoulos Disaster—Sophie Gilbert criticizes the publisher’s delayed cancelling of the former Breitbart editor’s book deal.

Brooklyn Academy of Music

Theater

Escaped Alone Finds Comfort at the End of the World—Sophie Gilbert analyzes Caryl Churchill’s new play, which finds solace amid an apocalypse.

Universal

Music

The Maddening Media Obsession With Female Feuds, Katy Perry Edition—Spencer Kornhaber discusses the problems with how the singer’s supposed rivalry with Taylor Swift is portrayed.

Frank Ocean’s Surprising Slide Back to Pop—Spencer Kornhaber listens to the enigmatic singer’s new collaboration with Calvin Harris and Migos.

Eric Miller / Reuters

Media

Scenes From the Mall of America—Megan Garber weighs in on the massive shopping center’s announcement of a writing residency in honor of its 25th anniversary.

Why Are They ‘Stars’?—Megan Garber connects the history of why celebrities are considered celestial to Shakespeare, Chaucer, and movie cameras.