Tim Brinkhof
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Writes about art and history for @bigthink. Also seen in @vulture, @jacobin, @JSTOR_Daily, @newlinesmag + more. Opinions my own.
Articles by Tim Brinkhof
25 years later, “Donnie Darko” is finally getting a sequel
PhilosophyCreativityStorytellingScience FictionFilm By all accounts, Donnie Darko shouldn’t exist. The film, which turns 25 years old this year, ran into numerous obstacles both before and during its storied production. For one, the script centers on a troubled teen ultimately driven toward gun violence — a topic most Hollywood executives at the time stayed well away from, especially in the wake of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre.
Joanna Stern spent a year testing the AI future. Here’s what she learned.
Science and TechArtificial IntelligenceJob Automation In the introduction to her new book, I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything, Joanna Stern describes a typical day in what could conceivably be all of our futures. Autonomous robots mow your lawn, fold your laundry, and drive you to your favorite restaurant. Algorithms monitor your vitals, write bedtime stories for your children, and whisper personalized positive affirmations as you fall asleep. Or maybe not.
The Jazz Legend Amy Winehouse Said Taught Her How to Sing
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The Jazz Legend Amy Winehouse Said Taught Her How to Sing
Considering her originality and inimitability as a performer, it should come as no surprise that Amy Winehouse was selective about the musical influences that shaped her short but hugely successful career. Of course, some of these influences were stronger than others. The musicians who shaped Amy Winehouse Born in Enfield, London, England in 1983, Winehouse was first introduced to music via her family, including her father, brother, and grandmother.
The Beatles movie that helped inspire 'The Monkees'
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Beyond the Odyssey: A beginner’s guide to Greek mythology
A literature column to feed your curiosity. History and SocietyClassic LiteratureMythology StudiesLiteratureLiterary Analysis The success of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey (2026) has motivated many moviegoers to pick up their own copy of the ancient poem. But while Homer’s take on the tale of Odysseus is one of the most famous classical texts to have survived into modern times, it’s hardly the only one worth reading.
The Beatles Movie That Helped Inspire 'The Monkees'
During the 1960s, then-aspiring filmmaker Bob Rafelson spent years trying to pitch a television sitcom about an American pop band, but network executives couldn’t see the concept working—until The Beatles proved them wrong. A Beatles movie makes waves In 1964—at the same time they released their third studio album A Hard Day’s Night—the Fab Four starred in a musical comedy of the same name.
The beautiful reason roses appear on names at the 9/11 memorial
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The Beautiful Reason Roses Appear on Names at the 9/11 Memorial
If you've ever visited the 9/11 Memorial in New York City, you've surely noticed flowers sticking out of the engraved names of some of the victims. They’re brought by visiting loved ones, except for the white roses. Those are placed there by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Every morning, a member of the museum's Visitor Services staff consults a document that contains the birthdays of all 2,983 victims in chronological order.
The Beatles album that helped inspire Otis Redding's biggest hit
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The Beatles Album That Helped Inspire Otis Redding's Biggest Hit
After an exhausting touring season, the Georgia-born singer-songwriter Otis Redding spent a week in August 1967 living on a houseboat in Sausalito, California, overlooking the Bay of San Francisco. It was here that he composed what would prove the biggest and most celebrated song of his career, "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay." The houseboat, which Redding rented along with his promoter, Bill Graham, was an obvious inspiration for the song—but not the only one.
The medieval court cases that put animals on trial
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The Medieval Court Cases That Put Animals on Trial
In 2008, a bear in North Macedonia was convicted for stealing honey from a beekeeper, who in turn received financial compensation from the state. Once upon a time, such court cases were not uncommon. Legal records show that between the late Middle Ages and early Enlightenment, various European countries prosecuted and punished animals just as they would human culprits. But why?
The Medieval Court Cases That Put Animals on Trial
In 2008, a bear in North Macedonia was convicted for stealing honey from a beekeeper, who in turn received financial compensation from the state. Once upon a time, such court cases were not uncommon. Legal records show that between the late Middle Ages and early Enlightenment, various European countries prosecuted and punished animals just as they would human culprits. But why?
Why we call unwanted email "spam"
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Why We Call Unwanted Email “Spam”
The digital world has become such a ubiquitous part of modern life that many of us have never stopped to wonder why certain features, applications, or devices are named the way they are. But that’s a shame, because many of these stories are surprisingly interesting. The word “digital” itself comes from the Latin “digitus,” meaning finger.
Black Myth: Zhong Kui Doesn’t Look As Epic as Wukong – and That’s Great
This is an IGN opinion piece from writer Tim Brinkhof, who loves challenging video games and has bested all of Black Myth: Wukong’s bosses (except Erlang, who continues to stand in the way of ultimate victory). Black Myth: Zhong Kui is still years away. But if the recently released gameplay trailer provides an accurate impression of the final product, it seems we should expect the game to be a lot less epic than its predecessor, Black Myth: Wukong.
Black Myth: Zhong Kui Doesn’t Look as Epic as Wukong – and That’s Great
This is an IGN opinion piece from writer Tim Brinkhof, who loves challenging video games and has bested all of Black Myth: Wukong’s bosses (except Erlang, who continues to stand in the way of ultimate victory). Black Myth: Zhong Kui is still years away. But if the recently released gameplay trailer provides an accurate impression of the final product, it seems we should expect the game to be a lot less epic than its predecessor, Black Myth: Wukong.
How Charles Manson Permanently Changed the Legacy of a Beatles Song
One of the many strange and disturbing things about the 1969 Tate-LaBianca murders – in which members of the Manson Family cult tragically murdered model and actress Sharon Tate and supermarket executive Leno LaBianca, among several others – was the graffiti they left behind inside their respective Los Angeles residences.
The strange history behind the word nightmare
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The Strange History Behind the Word Nightmare
A lot of people think that the “mare” in “nightmare” refers to a horse—like the one ominously poking its head past the curtain in Swiss painter Henry Fuseli’s 1781 painting The Nightmare, one of the most iconic (and appropriately nightmarish) depictions of the subject ever created. However, this is not the case.
The Strange History Behind the Word Nightmare
Tim Brinkhof Wed, August 19, 2026 at 2:00 PM EDT 3 min read Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.
Why owls were once considered omens of doom
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Why Owls Were Once Considered Omens of Doom
The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters, a 1799 etching by the great Spanish artist Francisco Goya, depicts a man asleep at his writing desk, a swarm of ominous-looking bats and owls emerging behind him. The bats make sense. The owls, less so. At least to modern Western audiences. While bats carry connotations similar to those of witches and vampires, owls are generally associated with wisdom – even though they too have been connected to scary and foreboding historical anecdotes.
Why Owls Were Once Considered Omens of Doom
The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters, a 1799 etching by the great Spanish artist Francisco Goya, depicts a man asleep at his writing desk, a swarm of ominous-looking bats and owls emerging behind him. The bats make sense. The owls, less so. At least to modern Western audiences. While bats carry connotations similar to those of witches and vampires, owls are generally associated with wisdom - even though they too have been connected to scary and foreboding historical anecdotes.
Why ancient Romans feared the number 17
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Why Ancient Romans Feared the Number 17
Things that are normal or polite in one culture can be considered strange or rude in another. In Iraq, giving a thumbs up is seen as an insult. You also shouldn’t shake hands with your left hand while in India, or show the bottom of your shoes to someone in South Korea. Many European countries consider 13 an unlucky number. But in Italy, 13 has no negative connotations whatsoever. There, it’s 17 that makes people uneasy.
The surprising historical job of waking people up before alarm clocks existed
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The Surprising Historical Job Of Waking People Up Before Alarm Clocks Existed
Humanity has been devising clever ways to wake itself up throughout history for as long as there have been reasons to have to rise at a specific hour. Examples include the water clock, an invention of the Greek philosopher Plato that whistled like a tea kettle, and the medieval candle clock, nails stuck into a wax candle that would, as the candle was consumed by its flame, drop onto a metal pan below.
The Surprising Historical Job Of Waking People Up Before Alarm Clocks Existed
Humanity has been devising clever ways to wake itself up throughout history for as long as there have been reasons to have to rise at a specific hour. Examples include the water clock, an invention of the Greek philosopher Plato that whistled like a tea kettle, and the medieval candle clock, nails stuck into a wax candle that would, as the candle was consumed by its flame, drop onto a metal pan below.
How ‘The Odyssey’ Was Lost In Translation
Christopher Nolan’s new adaptation of the Odyssey, which opened in theaters worldwide on July 17, sparked controversy during its production for filming in Western Sahara, an independent territory that has been under occupation by Morocco for more than fifty years. As critics like Eoghan Gilmartin have rightly noted, Hollywood’s presence in Western Sahara would have been unthinkable before 2020, when Donald Trump forced U.S. recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the territory.
Ryse: Son of Rome sollte eigentlich das Assassin's Creed für die Xbox werden
Was sind einige der grafisch schönsten Spiele aller Zeiten? Viele Beispiele, die mir in den Sinn kommen, stammen nicht aus dieser Generation, sondern eher aus den frühen 2010er Jahren: Metal Gear Solid 5, The Witcher 3 und Batman: Arkham Knight sahen bei ihrer Veröffentlichung alle atemberaubend aus – und tun das auch heute noch.
How Bruce Springsteen turned one of America's darkest crimes into a haunting classic
Between January 21 and 29, 1958, a 19-year-old garbageman from Lincoln, Nebraska, called Charles Starkweather went on a killing spree with his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate. Described as a "swaggering good-for-nothing in blue jeans and a black motorcycle jacket" known to yell "go to hell" at strangers, Starkweather killed 11 people-including Fugate's mother, stepfather, and half-sister-before he was caught and sent to the electric chair.
How Bruce Springsteen Turned One of America's Darkest Crimes Into a Haunting Classic Original
Between January 21 and 29, 1958, a 19-year-old garbageman from Lincoln, Nebraska, called Charles Starkweather went on a killing spree with his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate. Described as a "swaggering good-for-nothing in blue jeans and a black motorcycle jacket" known to yell "go to hell" at strangers, Starkweather killed 11 people—including Fugate’s mother, stepfather, and half-sister—before he was caught and sent to the electric chair.
Why The World Still Can’t Agree About Alcohol Original
Last month, my home country of the Netherlands published new health guidelines advising people to not just limit their alcohol intake, but to avoid it entirely. There is no such thing as drinking responsibly or in moderation, one researcher said: “Each glass is harmful, for yourself and others.” To be clear, I am neither a doctor nor a scientist. I will not downplay alcohol’s negative health consequences.
Why The World Still Can’t Agree About Alcohol
Last month, my home country of the Netherlands published new health guidelines advising people to not just limit their alcohol intake, but to avoid it entirely. There is no such thing as drinking responsibly or in moderation, one researcher said: "Each glass is harmful, for yourself and others." To be clear, I am neither a doctor nor a scientist. I will not downplay alcohol's negative health consequences.
The creepy historical job that required you to eat someone else's sins
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The Creepy Historical Job That Required You to Eat Someone Else's Sins
Though often associated with Christianity, sin-eating was never endorsed by church officials. A 18th-century engraving of a funeral wake in the United Kingdom, the era and region where the bizarre practice of sin-eating flourished. | DEA/G. DAGLI ORTI/Getty Images In the fifth and final season of FX’s hit TV show Fargo, we are introduced to a character called Ole Munch. While the overall story is set in modern-day Minnesota, Munch’s seems to date back centuries.
What developers can learn from this generation of game criticism
The landscape of online gaming journalism has changed dramatically over the past decade. Between esteemed publications being shut down or absorbed into content mill portfolios, it's tempting to conclude that serious, in-depth game criticism is going extinct. In written form, at least at scale, it largely is. On YouTube, though, things look different.
Why Do Judges and Barristers Wear Wigs in Britain?
Wigs are a staple of courtroom iconography, right up there with gavels and the blindfolded face of Lady Justice. This is especially true of the U.K., where they are still worn by many judges and barristers to this day. But where did this practice originally come from? Though it is difficult to imagine one without the other, wigs were historically not always part of English judicial system.
Why Do Judges and Barristers Wear Wigs in Britain?
Wigs are a staple of courtroom iconography, right up there with gavels and the blindfolded face of Lady Justice. This is especially true of the U.K., where they are still worn by many judges and barristers to this day. But where did this practice originally come from? Though it is difficult to imagine one without the other, wigs were historically not always part of English judicial system.
How Long Would It Really Take to Sail Odysseus' Route Today?
Ever since Homer wrote the Odyssey, people have been trying to see if they can transpose Odysseus’ journey from Troy to Ithaca onto a real-world map. Considering the poem was written thousands of years ago and contains numerous supernatural elements, this is easier said than done. However, it’s not impossible.
Was Odysseus in 'The Odyssey' based on a real person?
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Was Odysseus in 'The Odyssey' Based on a Real Person?
Christopher Nolan is bringing Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, to modern audiences. Thanks to state-of-the-art CGI, Odysseus’ escapades have never looked more realistic. But this appearance of realism also begs the question: did this famous hero from antiquity, who outsmarted sorcerers and monsters, actually exist? It’s a difficult question to answer.
Was Odysseus in 'The Odyssey' Based on a Real Person?
15 hours ago The Odyssey is not, strictly speaking, a children’s book. I thought my son might enjoy it anyway. In Book 12 of Homer’s Odyssey, a band of war-weary sailors is navigating home when a narrow strait appears on the horizon. The ship, captained by their king, Odysseus, is blocked on one side by a high …
Was the Trojan Horse Real? What Historians Actually Think
In Greek mythology, when Paris, a prince of Troy, abducted—or, as some sources say, eloped with—Helen, Queen of Sparta, an alliance of Greek city-states sailed across the Aegean to lay siege to the great eastern city. As this siege dragged on with no end in sight, a Greek soldier of high cunning, Odysseus, devised a plan: they would build a giant wooden horse, present this horse to the Trojans as a peace offering, hidden inside so as to take the city from within.
Comment l’IA va sonner le glas de l’art humain
Heureusement, les annales de l’histoire de l’art brossent un tableau différent, plus optimiste. Avec du recul, la pression que l’IA exerce sur les artistes humains s’inscrit en réalité dans un processus évolutif qui précède de loin sa propre invention. À travers l’histoire, l’innovation technologique a permis, en développant notre capacité à créer, de prioriser la manière dont est réalisée une œuvre et les raisons de sa création plutôt que son aspect.
엑스박스 진영의 어쌔신 크리드를 꿈꿨던 라이즈: 선 오브 로마
역대 최고의 그래픽을 자랑하는 게임은 무엇일까? 필자의 머릿속을 스치는 수많은 명작들은 놀랍게도 현세대가 아닌 2010년대 초반에 등장한 작품들이다. 메탈 기어 솔리드 V, 더 위쳐 3, 배트맨: 아캄 나이트는 출시 당시 압도적인 비주얼로 세상을 놀라게 했고, 그 감동은 지금까지도 유효하다. 이 화려한 목록에 기꺼이 추가하고 싶은 이름이 또 하나 있다. 바로 독일의 개발사 크라이텍이 야심 차게 선보였으나 끝내 비운의 엑스박스 원 런칭 타이틀로 남은 '라이즈: 선 오브 로마'이다. 죽은 가족의 복수를 위해 검을 든 로마 백부장의 서사를 다룬 이 게임은, 웬만한 실사 영화를 가볍게 뛰어넘을 만큼 숨 막히도록 화려하고 압도적인 시네마틱 연출을 자랑한다. 안타깝게도 플레이 타임은 6시간 남짓으로 상당히 짧은 편이었다. 당시 개발에 참여했던 직원들의 증언에 따르면, 런칭 일정에 맞추기 위해 애초 기획했던 콘텐츠의 무려 3분의 2를 덜어내야만 했다.
Ryse: Son of Rome Had Plans To Be Xbox’s Assassin’s Creed
What are some of the best-looking games of all time? Many examples that come to my mind are not from this generation, but rather the early 2010s: Metal Gear Solid 5, The Witcher 3, and Batman: Arkham Knight all looked stunning upon release, and still do today. To this list I would also add Ryse: Son of Rome, German developer Crytek’s ill-fated Xbox One launch title in which you play as a Roman centurion seeking to avenge his dead family.
El arte perdido: así fue como el CGI asesinó al talento que dibujaba a mano en Disney
"Lo he estado haciendo todo al revés", dice el animador Aaron Blaise entre risas.
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