The Israeli Artist Who Offends Everyone
Long a fearless critic of Israel, Zoya Cherkassky-Nnadi has made wrenching portraits of her nation’s suffering since October 7.
Your Individuality Doesn’t Matter. Industry Knows Why.
Ever feel like your life is determined by powerful forces beyond your reach? HBO has a show for that.
More Evidence That Celebrities Just Don’t Like You
The Joker sequel has nothing interesting to say about the challenges of fame.
The Enlightenment Is Just One Side of the Story
In her latest novel, Olga Tokarczuk champions a world governed by myth, not reason.
My Deepest Condolences. Signed, ChatGPT.
When a friend’s in need and you’re at a loss for words, why not use AI?
Not All Men, but Any Man
The mass-rape trial in France exposes a case that’s both wholly unprecedented and dully familiar.
What’s the Appeal of Indie Rock’s New Golden Boy?
The singer-guitarist MJ Lenderman has been hailed as his genre’s next big thing—probably because he’s offering more of the same.
Cold Showers Are Free
So is meditation. And push-ups. And breathing.
Game Change Knew Exactly What Was Coming
The movie seems much more complicated now than it did in 2012.
Country Music’s Philosopher King
Kris Kristofferson’s songs couched intimate moments in cosmic terms, pushing country in an existentialist direction.
Lost Bullied Its Unlikeliest Hero
Twenty years after Lost’s premiere, the show’s mistreatment of Hurley has become only more obvious.
The Playwright in the Age of AI
Ayad Akhtar’s new play, McNeal, starring Robert Downey Jr., subverts the idea that artificial intelligence threatens human ingenuity.
Even SNL Is All About the Vibes
The show’s Season 50 premiere set the tone for how it will cover the presidential election’s final weeks.
The Ghosts of Wannsee
A short story
The Megalopolis That Francis Ford Coppola Wanted to Make
The director’s fantasy of film’s technological potential is still far from a reality.
Five Books That Conjure Entirely New Worlds
The best-written stories can make readers feel as if they have passed through mundane states of being and been brought over to another universe.
Malcolm Gladwell, Meet Mark Zuckerberg
The writer’s insistence on ignoring the web is an even bigger blind spot today than it was when The Tipping Point came out.
What Ellen DeGeneres Isn’t Hearing Over All the Applause
In her new—and reportedly last—stand-up special, the comedian struggles to find the humor in her mistakes.
The Quinceañera’s Midlife Remix
Many Latina women hitting 50 aren’t just throwing a big party—they’re determined to redefine what it means to age.
Why Katy Perry Can’t Get Her Groove Back
The pop singer is stuck in a rut—and her soulless new album doesn’t get her moving.