Essays & Criticism
I believe in in taking some time to think about it, then responding. By making a provocative argument about a book, film, or cultural trend, I hope to help readers reach a deeper understanding of this ever accelerating world.
Featured Reporting
The Nation, July 2024
“Over the course of the past 15 years, Kevin Feige has drained every bit of fun from the MCU, obsessing over interconnections, continuity, and IP Easter eggs instead of allowing his filmmakers to embrace their idiosyncrasies. In the process, Marvel has taken what was once a collection of standout genre films and drowned them in a faddish flood that is only now beginning to recede.”
The Rise and Fall of the MCU
The Baffler, August 2023
“Horror flicks, romantic comedies, courtroom dramas: these are the sorts of mid-budget movies that once formed the foundation of every Hollywood studio’s release calendar, bridging the months between Oscar season and summer blockbusters—that is, until they were decimated by sprawling franchises. Now, the likes of Air, BlackBerry, and Flamin’ Hot are reanimating the category, fusing the sensibility of the mid-budget model with the ethos of IP.”
Hanging in the Balance Sheets
Mountain Time is the Best Time Zone in America
New York Times Magazine, August 2020
“Rural grandeur is all that comes to mind when most outsiders think of the Mountain West. For the rest of the country, the fact that people actually live there seems somewhat inexplicable — especially when they find themselves in the improbable position of placing a call to Denver or Salt Lake City. ‘Wait,’ these coastal suits are forced to ask their assistants, ‘what time is it there again?’”
New York Times, August 2021
“Going to a National Park in 2021 doesn’t mean losing yourself in nature. It means inching along behind a long line of minivans and R.V.s on the way to an already full parking lot.”
Give the People What They Clearly Need: More National Parks
More Clips
“The New York Times Book Review at a Crossroads,” The Nation, April 2022
“Princes of Infinite Space,” The Baffler, January 2022
“The Alternatives to Instagram-Ready Desert Art,” High Country News, February 2021
“The Short Story Priesthood,” The Baffler, March 2021
“News of Life,” The Believer, October 2020
“Dinner with Schmucks,” The Baffler, March 2020
“This Website Was Free,” Real Life, February 2020
“Sinking In,” The Nation, September 2019