Lady Gaga Is Back and Smaller Than Ever
The sometimes-dazzling dance pop of Chromatica is a return to form, but she’s not overselling it.
The Double Standard of the American Riot
The nationwide protests against police killings have been called un-American by critics, but rebellion has always been used to defend liberty.
What One Woman’s Shattered Career Reveals About the Music Industry
HBO Max’s On the Record details sexual-assault allegations against the rap mogul Russell Simmons—and homes in on the lives derailed by sexism.
Space Force Tells a Terrible Joke About America
And the timing couldn’t be worse.
The Creepy, Clever Sci-Fi Thriller You Need to Watch
The Vast of Night, now on Amazon Prime Video, is a sharp debut from a filmmaker you should pay attention to.
Books About Kids, for Adults
The changes wrought by children: Your weekly guide to the best in books
How Is Jeffrey Epstein Still So Elusive?
A new four-part Netflix documentary strains to handle a subject who’s always out of reach.
Larry Kramer Knew That an Honest Debate Was a Rude One
With his debut novel, Faggots, the legendary AIDS activist, who died yesterday, demonstrated the profane morality that would define his career.
Refusing to Wear a Mask Is an Empty Act of Defiance
Those who reject facial coverings during the pandemic do so amid broad consensus about what public safety demands.
The Secret Lives of Teenage Sidekicks
Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever joins a handful of new coming-of-age films that break with history to put young women of color at the center of the story.
25 Half-Hour Shows to Watch Now
If your attention span is frazzled, explore the compact joys of the 30-minute format.
The Advice That Most 2020 Commencement Speakers Won’t Give
Here’s the speech that graduates need to hear.
30 Movies That Are Unlike Anything You’ve Seen Before
These films, each unforgettable in its own way, are essential viewing.
The Books Briefing: Your Socially Distanced Summer-Reading List
Twenty titles for all your warm-weather moods: Your weekly guide to the best in books
What The Great Reveals About Trump’s Pandemic Denial
Hulu’s new satire may be set in 18th-century Russia, but it understands the theatrical and nearsighted politics of the current moment.
Athletes During the Pandemic Are Learning What Fans Have Always Known
As players return to empty arenas, they are discovering a basic truth: Live sports is an act of social imagination.
Charli XCX Captures the Weird Intimacy of Quarantine
The pop star’s daring album How I’m Feeling Now tries to make online hedonism match the real thing.
The Big Story: The Day the Live Concert Returns
Dave Grohl and Jeffrey Goldberg discuss the unique magic of live music, live at 4 p.m. ET today.
An Old-School Crime Drama That’s Thoroughly Modern
Hightown deepens the procedural genre by expanding its focus beyond a singular murder to the opioid epidemic at the edges of its story.
Tree Beyond Your Window
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