Consider the culture of the twenty-first century: Each morning, you hear a half-dozen ads on the radio before your feet touch the floor. By the end of the day, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of marketing messages have targeted you. And yet little is understood about how marketing affects our lives and society. Enter the two authors of this book, the ad men behind The Age of Persuasion, the popular radio show broadcast on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation...

"In her writing for Harper's, the London Review of Books, The New Yorker, and elsewhere, Lauren Oyler has emerged as one of the most trenchant and influential critics of her generation, a talent whose judgments on works of literature--whether celebratory or scarily harsh--have become notorious. But what is the significance of being a critic and consumer of media in today's fraught environment? How do we understand ourselves, and each other, as space...

The worlds of narrative feature and documentary film are skillfully melded to capture this portrait of a broken man obsessively pursuing personal redemption in a world where many think he’s gone mad in his quest to find the elusive cryptid.

This classic documentary by Errol Morris showcases workers in the animal burial industry while dealing with heavier existential questions regarding mortality and the afterlife. The first pet mortician featured is Floyd "Mac" McClure, who believes that a graceful burial is as important for pets as it is for people. The film chronicles his struggles to keep his niche business afloat, and interviews several of his associates and one of his competitors,...

The film uses physics, which explains how the universe works, to explain our metaphysics, the story of our values, our institutions, our interactions. Using her own experience and a custom blend of insight and humor, provocation and inspiration, personal story and social commentary, Emily takes her audience through its paradigm shift: from the Fear of Change to the Edge of Chaos. Emily Levine, like her film, was one-of-a-kind. She was a television...

Journalist Seth Mnookin presents a searing account of how vaccine opponents have used the media to spread their message of panic, despite no scientific evidence to support their claims.

This documentary follows conceptual artist Jill Magid as she develops a radical project to explore artistic legacy. At its heart is the work of the Pritzker Prize-winning Mexican architect Luis Barragán, which is aggressively “protected” and kept from the public by its copyright holders. By cultivating relationships with Barragán’s family, admirers, institutions, and the rights holders—including extensive correspondence with the director...

Now in her late 80s, Broadway legend Elaine Stritch remains as ferociously funny as ever. The uncompromising Award-winner is showcased with candid reflections about her life, thoughtful words from friends and archival footage. Whether dominating the stage, tormenting Alec Baldwin on the set of 30 Rock, or sharing her struggles with aging, diabetes and alcoholism, ELAINE STRITCH: SHOOT ME reaches beyond the icon's brassy exterior and reveals an inspiring...

"PERFECT BID: THE CONTESTANT WHO KNEW TOO MUCH" is an award winning documentary film from CJ Wallis about a math genius from Texas named Ted Slauson and his life of memorizing and documenting the prize amounts on "The Price Is Right." Keeping track of items and their prices began as a hobby for Slauson, until age 18 when he became eligible to be selected as a contestant on the show. The film explores Slauson's experience as a 37-time audience member,...

Shines a light on the 100-year-old 'Operation Santa' Program of the United States Postal Service. Each year, hundreds of thousands of letters to Santa arrive at Post Offices around the country. Through Operation Santa, the United States Postal Service makes it possible for the public to safely adopt these letters and make children's dreams come true. The film invites audiences along for the magic of this massive endeavor.