Ryan Coogler says 'Sinners' inspiration felt 'like a bolt of lightning' The Oscar-nominated filmmaker directed both Black Panther films and Creed. Coogler's latest movie is a vampire thriller about twins who open a juke joint in Jim Crow Mississippi. Tonya Mosley
AI eavesdrops on your sleep in this nightmarish 'Dream Hotel' Laila Lalami's dystopian novel centers on a woman who's been incarcerated because an algorithm flagged her as a crime risk. The Dream Hotel paints a grim picture about the ways our data can betray us. Carolina Miranda
Harvey Weinstein is on trial, again. Opening arguments start Wednesday Weinstein is facing sex crimes charges after his 2020 New York conviction was overturned last year. The #MeToo movement was catalyzed in part by the many women who came forward to accuse the disgraced producer of misconduct. Ilya Marritz
RFK's plan to phase out synthetic food dyes could face industry pushback The health secretary announced a push to eliminate petroleum-based colorants from the food supply. But he'll need to get food companies on board. Yuki Noguchi
Yiddish is making a comeback Yiddish, the historic language of Jews in Europe and Russia, was once nearly extinguished. But now Jews drawn to the language for different reasons are keeping Yiddish alive. Robin Estrin
Oscar voters actually need to watch the nominated movies now In an announcement Monday about rules for the next Oscars, the Academy also said that a film's use of generative AI and other digital tools "neither help nor harm the chances of achieving a nomination." Mandalit del Barco
'The Rehearsal' feels more surprising than ever as it returns for Season 2 The Max show uses actors and real people to stage elaborate recreations and imaginings of events. It's like a mystery tour, because you aren't given any clues about the final destination. David Bianculli
Harvard professor offers a grim assessment of American democracy under Trump Steven Levitsky studies how healthy democracies can slip into authoritarianism. He says the Trump administration has already done grave damage: "We are no longer living in a democratic regime." Dave Davies
A stranger swooped in with tea and compassion after a woman got in car accident In the late 1980s, Stephanie Garber was driving through downtown Silver Spring, Md., when a large pickup truck hit her car. A woman swooped in to offer her a cup of tea and compassion.
These 2 funny books give readers a reason to smile in tough times Dorothy Parker's posthumously published collection is Poems; Camilla Barnes' debut novel is The Usual Desire to Kill. Both affirm: sharp humor can be grounded in pain. Maureen Corrigan