Posts by Sophie Clearwater
Why the Outcome of Russia’s Elections Is All But Assured
And this year’s vote, says David Szakonyi, an expert on Russia and election fraud who is professor at George Washington University, is “occurring in the most repressive political environment in Russia’s post-Soviet history.” Here’s what experts have to say about how the Kremlin ensures elections result in its desired outcome—and why it continues to hold…
Read More‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story’ Has Nothing New to Say About Female Rage
But theirs are old stories, already told and retold in every conceivable media, and often, effectively, by women. Wuornos was, of course, most famously portrayed by Charlize Theron, in writer-director Patty Jenkins’ career-making, Oscar-winning 2003 film also titled Monster. Isabelle Huppert stars as Báthory in The Blood Countess, a new feature by German experimental cinema…
Read MoreSelena Gomez’s Rare Beauty Redefines Success with Purpose That Performs
Selena Gomez attends Fast Company Innovation Festival 2026 at Convene on Sept. 17, 2026 in New York City. Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Fast Company Selena Gomez has built a billion-dollar cosmetics brand anchored not just in celebrity power, but in empathy and a deeply personal mission. Launched in 2020, Rare Beauty is now valued at…
Read MoreTrump Announces Ban of CNN, Politico and MS Now From White House
Taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office later, Trump said there were no particular stories that prompted the decision. “It’s really just cumulative stories over the last few years, you get sick of it,” he said. “They purposely write negative news, and they do that because they want to try and diminish the Republicans…
Read MoreJoe Alwyn and Mary Beth Barone Step Out Together in New York City
Joe Alwyn is having conversations with Mary Beth Barone. In fact, the Conversations With Friends alum was engaged in a lively chat with the Overcompensating actress while walking across the Williamsburg Bridge in New York City on Sept. 17. For the outing, Alwyn, 35, sported a black T-shirt, baggy blue jean, dark sneakers and a…
Read MoreVance rips Dem ‘underwear model’ running for Iowa gov — and the ‘out and out lunatics’ backing him
WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance attacked Iowa Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand as a former “underwear model” while blasting his supporters as “out and out lunatics” during a Friday campaign trip to the state. Vance name-checked Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and ridiculed Brooklyn congressional candidate Claire Valdez for using the Fourth of July holiday…
Read MoreResident Evil Is a Fleet, Entertaining Reboot
Austin Abrams in Resident Evil —Dušan Martinček—Sony Pictures If Zach Cregger’s career tells us anything, it’s that starting out as a comedian might be the best training for becoming a horror filmmaker. Cregger’s 2022 surprise hit (and directorial debut) Barbarian paved the way for an even bigger success, 2025’s Weapons, a well-written, intelligently directed picture…
Read MoreIn ‘The History of Concrete,’ John Wilson Is an Affable Tour Guide Into Unknown Worlds
If you know anything about filmmaker John Wilson, you’ll intuit that his new documentary The History of Concrete is barely about concrete at all. Earlier this decade, Wilson’s HBO show, How To With John Wilson, provided a sometimes compelling, sometimes aggravating glimpse into the lives of ordinary New Yorkers, as well as into Wilson’s own…
Read MoreBreaking Down the Devastating Ending of ‘The Scandal’
Nana as Hui-yeon, Ji Chang-wook as Cho Won —Courtesy of Netflix It’s not easy to adapt a classic novel across cultures, but The Scandal does it beautifully. Like The Handmaiden before it, the Netflix series transposes a story originally set in the Western world—in this case, the frequently adapted 1782 French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses—into…
Read MoreSha’Carri Richardson’s Custom Nike Atelier Outfit Will Have Your Heart Racing
You’ll want to sprint to see this look. Before competing at the ATHLOS track and field event in London Sept. 18, Olympian Sha’Carri Richardson brought her A-game to the red carpet, wearing a head-to-toe custom Nike Atelier ensemble. Marking the brand’s red carpet debut, the 26-year-old’s look included a fitted rib-knit corset and matching micro…
Read MoreDemocratic Leaders Fear the New Russian Sanctions Bill Could ‘Harm’ Americans. Here’s Why
The legislation allows Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that make “new purchases of crude oil or natural gas” originating from Russia, or any country among the top five importers of Russian oil or gas over the last 12 months. According to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air…
Read MoreHeidi Klum Teases “Very, Very Bloody” Halloween Costume for 2026
Heidi Klum is going for an extra spooktacular look this year. The Queen of Halloween teased that her upcoming costume for her 2026 Halloween party will have a bit of extra gore to it—although she wasn’t revealing too much about the transformation. “It’s very, very bloody,” Klum told People in an interview published Sept. 17.…
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