Author: Max Rider

Kaitlyn Dever stars as Belle Gibson in Apple Cider Vinegar. Courtesy Of Netflix Discomfort lies at the center of Apple Cider Vinegar. Secondhand embarrassment from the early days of Instagram, squirm-inducing lies from a wellness influencer, the bleak reality of cancer diagnoses—the limited series is determined to confront it all, from Facebook comments to chemo treatments. Inspired by the story of Australian influencer-slash-scammer Belle Gibson, Apple Cider Vinegar takes some liberties and changes some names, but it sticks to the general sequence of actual events with a real sense of dedication. Belle (Kaitlyn Dever) is a young single mother with…

Marianne Jean-Baptiste in Hard Truths Courtesy of Bleecker Street Mike Leigh’s first movie in six years finds the writer-director back together with one of the stars of 1996 breakthrough, Secrets & Lies, Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Both Leigh and Jean-Baptiste earned Oscar nominations for Secrets & Lies (Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for him, and Best Supporting Actress for her), and smart money has them in contention for more of the same for Leigh’s latest. That would be Hard Truths, which emphatically elevates Jean-Baptiste to dazzling star status. A nostalgic tug got this particular film rolling. Almost three decades had elapsed…

The Oscar statue, on display inside the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Though the awards season calendar has been in flux due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, things seem to be back on schedule thanks to this morning’s Oscar nominations. In the midst of disaster and uncertainty, the show must go on—and Hollywood must stand strong. While the 97th Academy Awards are over a month away, current events are sure to shape the ceremony just as much as the nominees. Speaking…

The biggest night in music has arrived, and the recording industry is coming out in full force to celebrate. The 67th annual Grammy Awards kick off this evening (Feb. 2, 2025) at the Cypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, with Trevor Noah returning to host the ceremony for the fifth consecutive year. Beyoncé netted the most nominations—11—this year, which also makes her the most nominated artist of all time, with a staggering 99 nods to her name. She already holds the title for the most Grammy Awards (32), and could continue to make history this evening. Expect plenty of glitz…

From left: Pooya Mohseni, Hadi Tabbal, Marjan Neshat, Tala Ashe and Ava Lalezarzadeh in English. Joan Marcus A lifetime ago, I acted for an Iranian theater maker named Ashurbanipal Babilla who escaped Tehran during the revolution. Babilla’s blasphemous comedies were pretty unique even in the hurly-burly of the Off-Off avant-garde. He wrote and directed campy carnivals that pivoted from mythical to smutty with perverse glee: lurid titles, outrageous props, ample nudity. For years I socialized with Babilla and other members of the Iranian diaspora without ever picking up their language. Sure, I once performed a whole speech in Farsi (learned…

(L-R) Esven González, Carlos Valladares, Greta Yero, Daileidys Carrazana. Photo by Steven Pisano One of the most sought-after Cuban dance troupes, Havana-based Malpaso Dance Company, has returned to The Joyce Theater. This isn’t their first time performing at the prestigious venue—Malpaso is an associate company of Joyce Theater Productions and has been co-commissioning original works with them from big-time international choreographers and emerging Cuban artists for a decade. Malpaso was founded in 2012 by associate artistic Director Daile Carrazana, resident choreographer and artistic director Osnel Delgado and executive director Fernando Sáez. Carrazana and Delgado are former members of the world-famous…

Courtesy the publishers In 2025, the world of art publishing offers a remarkable lineup of books that invite readers to explore the lives and legacies of groundbreaking artists, visionary collectors and transformative movements. From John Singer Sargent’s formative years in Paris to Ruth Asawa’s pioneering sculptures, this curated list highlights stories that illuminate the personal, cultural and historical forces shaping the art world. These books blend scholarly insight with compelling narratives, offering fresh perspectives on icons like Georgia O’Keeffe, Caravaggio and Leonardo da Vinci, while celebrating the innovative spirit of contemporary figures such as Shahzia Sikander. As an avid reader…

Jake Hooker, Lorna Luft and Rex Reed watch Liza Minnelli perform at Luft’s 25th Birthday Bash on November 21, 1977. Ron Galella Collection via Getty No need to know the rest of it. One name says it all. There were other stars named Judy, but only one named Garland. With Liza, that’s all there is. This colorful, star-spangled documentary, assembled by director Bruce David Klein, begins with a quote: “Be yourself; everyone else is taken.” Who said it? Oscar Wilde? Truman Capote? If it wasn’t the one and only Liza Minnelli, it should have been, because it fits her perfectly.…

Sterling K. Brown stars as Secret Service Agent Xavier Collins in Paradise. Disney/Brian Roedel You’ll already be in too deep with Paradise by the time its worst moment rears its tone-deaf head, but maybe you need to get through the episodes to be truly floored by the beat that sees Secret Service Agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) inexplicably retake control of the story while a somber piano ballad cover of “Eye of the Tiger” plays. I nearly shut my laptop then and there, but unfortunately I still had more episodes to watch. Paradise is the kind of high-concept thriller…

Sadler’s Wells Theatre’s new London site, Sadler’s Wells East, is committed to fostering new ideas in dance and performance. Photo: Johan Persson After discovering natural springs on his land in the Islington area of North London in the eighteenth century, Richard Sadler opened his gardens to the public and allowed them to sample the mineral water from the wells he’d built. As visitors flocked to the Sadler residency in Rosebery Avenue, he added live entertainment for their engagement, including music recitals, dance performances and wrestling. The Sadler’s Wells Theatre that followed gained a reputation for showing audiences a good time,…