Johnny Kitagawa’s death in 2019 made front-page news. Photo: Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images For decades, Johnny Kitagawa’s name was synonymous with success. His talent agency Johnny & Associates, more commonly known as Johnny’s, launched Japan’s most famous boy bands. He was undeniably the most powerful man in Japan’s entertainment industry — before his death in 2019, Kitagawa… Continue reading J-Pop Titan Johnny Kitagawa’s Sex-Abuse Scandal, Explained
Tag: Explained
‘Who Is Erin Carter?’ Ending Explained on Netflix
The hit UK thriller about a seemingly normal substitute teacher with a shady past doesn’t skimp on answers. Photo: Daniel Escale/Netflix/Daniel Escale/Netflix Over the past week you may have noticed that some show called Who Is Erin Carter? shot up to the top of the Netflix Most Popular TV Shows list and stayed there. For… Continue reading ‘Who Is Erin Carter?’ Ending Explained on Netflix
Olivia Rodrigo’s Hitmaking Methodology, Explained
Olivia Rodrigo’s 2021 album, Sour, was one of the biggest hits that year. She had numerous singles and more than a billion plays. It made her a sensation. Part of the story around that time was a narrative that emerged about where she found inspiration: There were accusations of intellectual theft of riffs from Elvis Costello, of… Continue reading Olivia Rodrigo’s Hitmaking Methodology, Explained
‘One Piece’: Netflix’s Live-Action Series, Explained
Photo-Illustration: Vulture Yo ho, me hearties! August 31 will see the debut of Netflix’s live-action adaptation of One Piece, a series that’s spent years in development and even longer as the white whale of a fanbase that awaits this type of project with an equal mix of excitement and trepidation. Whether it was the disappointing… Continue reading ‘One Piece’: Netflix’s Live-Action Series, Explained
City Primeval’ Ending, Reviewed and Explained
Spoilers follow for the entirety of Justified: City Primeval, including the August 29 finale episode, “The Question.” FX’s Elmore Leonard adaptation Justified was a nearly perfect six-season show about U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, the town in which he grew up, the family he couldn’t wait to escape, and the frenemy, Boyd Crowder, with whom he… Continue reading City Primeval’ Ending, Reviewed and Explained
Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun Drama, Explained: A Timeline
Photo: Micah Smith/Getty Images Most great music managers want to get out of the spotlight to make room for their clients. Scooter Braun, though, thinks there’s room for everyone. Even before he became one of the most powerful figures in the music business, he craved attention — like when he appeared on the cover of… Continue reading Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun Drama, Explained: A Timeline
‘The Flash’ Ending and George Clooney Cameo, Explained
This piece was originally published in June. We are recirculating it now timed to The Flash’s streaming debut on HBO Max. Warning: many spoilers ahead! One of the major selling points of The Flash is the return of Michael Keaton, who last played the Caped Crusader in Batman Returns more than 30 years ago. Of… Continue reading ‘The Flash’ Ending and George Clooney Cameo, Explained
The Flash’s Nicolas Cage Superman Cameo, Explained
An image from the 2015 documentary The Death of “Superman Lives”: What Happened? Photo: Super Skull Ship This piece was originally published in June. We are recirculating it now timed to The Flash’s streaming debut on HBO Max. Warning: many spoilers ahead! Superhero movies are all seemingly multiverse-centric these days, which means they are also… Continue reading The Flash’s Nicolas Cage Superman Cameo, Explained
The Early Backlash to Michael Keaton as Batman, Explained
There was a time when Batman fans rejected Keaton’s wiry energy, thinning hair, and modest stature, making his return in The Flash a kind of vindication. Photo: Warner Bros. This piece was originally published in June. We are recirculating it now timed to The Flash’s streaming debut on HBO Max. “I’m Batman,” Michael Keaton declares… Continue reading The Early Backlash to Michael Keaton as Batman, Explained
‘Talk to Me’ Ending and Sequel Potential, Explained
Talk to Me directors Michael and Danny Philippou name-check Bong Joon-ho as an influence on their A24 horror hit, which makes sense when you think about its tone. Like Bong’s films, Talk to Me careens between volatile emotions. It’s part giddy, vicious teen-horror romp and part Ari Aster–influenced trauma horror. These moods shift throughout the… Continue reading ‘Talk to Me’ Ending and Sequel Potential, Explained