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Emily St. James

Emily St. James

Los Angeles
Emily St. James is a writer and critic whose work has appeared in Vox, The A.V. Club, and the New York Times. She is the co-creator of the podcast Arden and a writer on the TV series Yellowjackets.
Aug
11
Tommy Lee Jones and Sissy Spacek star in Coal Miner's Daughter.

Pop culture weekend (Aug. 11): Country music and hierarchies

5 min read
Aug
09
Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore (in a Steelers jersey) watch some TV on the couch in This Is Us.

You are not smarter than the art you critique

Here's my best advice for young critics: Don't presume you know better.
8 min read
Aug
04
A screengrab from the lyrics video for Taylor Swift's "August": "Back when we were still changing for the better."

My pop culture week, your pop culture weekend - August 4 edition

4 min read
Aug
03
The Kens from the Barbie movie grasp ad hoc weapons as they go to battle.

I was busy thinkin' 'bout boys

What if your sexuality transitions too? What then?
7 min read
Jul
28
The Baker and his wife hold hands onstage and sing in front of shadowy trees in Into the Woods.

My pop culture week, your pop culture weekend - July 28 edition

4 min read
Jul
21
Murph, leans against a pickup near her father, Coop, in Interstellar. They are by a cornfield.

My pop culture week, your pop culture weekend - July 21 edition

3 min read
Jul
19
Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy overlook the New York skyline. Upside down. Almost holding hands. Not quite.

Across the Spider-verse is not half a movie. C'mon, now.

(Since I published my last newsletter, SAG-AFTRA joined the WGA in a strike against the AMPTP. SAG-AFTRA has asked its
9 min read
Jul
14

What's your pop culture weekend? July 14 edition

1 min read
Jul
12
The Guardians of the Galaxy -- Star Lord, Drax, Rocket, Gamora, Groot, Nebula, and Mantis -- stride toward camera.

The Trauma Plot and the Abuse Plot

More than a few reviews of director James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 damned it with
11 min read
Jul
03
The cast of Bob's Burgers crowds outside of the titular restaurant during its grand "re-re-re-opening."

Welcome back

The last time I wrote anything for this newsletter, I was writing on a different platform. (Best of luck to
2 min read