The Perfect-Length Movie

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Welcome back to The Daily’s Sunday culture edition, in which one Atlantic writer or editor reveals what’s keeping them entertained. Today’s special guest is Evan McMurry, the senior editor on our audience team.

Evan’s latest project has been finding 100-minute films to watch—in part a reaction to today’s bloated budgets and run times. He also enjoys reading anything by John le Carré, listening to Future Islands’ synth-rock arrangements, and visiting the two fart machines on display in Baltimore.

First, here are three Sunday reads from The Atlantic:

• July/August cover story: What will become of American civilization?
• A wild plan to avert catastrophic sea-level rise
• The decline of streaking

The Culture Survey: Evan McMurry

Future Islands, an emotive synth-rock band from my …” I think that the band’s crossover appeal comes from the combination of simple, sticky melodies and the honed arrangements, which are all bouncy bass lines and just-right tambourine accents. The sum of the sound is more analog than you’d expect, and more fun.