Back Story
Our column on arts and culture distinguishes the back story from the foreground; the ephemera from what matters, and might last
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Culture
“The Perfect Couple” and the new map of Moneyland
Depictions of the super-rich on screen reflect the times
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Culture
Twenty-five years on, “Fight Club” punches harder than ever
Actually, the first rule of the cult film is that people never stop talking about it
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Culture
On some holidays, beauty and bloodshed are entwined
In grand old cities like Verona, your gelato comes with a moral education
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Culture
The drama of election night: a critical guide
In a bumper year for voting, elections are the top-billing show
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Culture
What a row over sponsorship reveals about art and Mammon
It betrays childish misconceptions about money, morality and power
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Culture
Jürgen Klopp’s masterclass in how to win—and lose
Two gestures capture the Liverpool manager’s method: the fist pump and the hug
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Culture
The trial of Donald Trump, considered as courtroom drama
Sensational witnesses, high stakes—it has the classic elements. Sort of
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Culture
Fed up with Biden v Trump II? Some succour from fictional rematches
From “Moby Dick”, “Star Wars” and “Rocky” to the presidential election
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Culture
Salman Rushdie’s gripping take on being stabbed
“Knife” is a memoir about the attack in 2022 but also a love story
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Culture
Kate Winslet explores how to be a good autocrat
“The Regime” is a silly show with a deadly serious point
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Culture
Infatuation, kids, adultery: marriage is the theme of the Oscars
Together the nominees sketch a composite picture of marriage. Here it is
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Culture
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” points to the future of theatre
A triumphant one-woman show relies on Sarah Snook, daring tech and your imagination
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Culture
The real message of Vladimir Putin’s chat with Tucker Carlson
Russia’s president is not a man to be trusted, still less to emulate or admire
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Culture
The meaning of the hysteria over Taylor Swift
It reflects the overlap of politics, conspiracy and celebrity
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Culture
A new “Mr & Mrs Smith” is about more than action, money and sex
In the TV version, the assassins’ mission is to make you think about marriage