How to fix the Met
Books and Arts‘It’s impossible to predict hits,’ said the man paid $1.4 million a year to, well, predict hits
Culture
The good, the bad and the ugly in books, exhibitions, cinema, TV, dance, music, podcasts and theatre.
Witnessing Humanity: The Art of John Wilson is a must-see show
Books and ArtsThe Met’s show is tribute to a fine artist of boundless talent
The closest look yet at David Bowie’s mind and imagination
Books and ArtsThe much-missed musician is the beneficiary of a new, bespoke space inside the Victoria & Albert Museum’s East Storehouse outpost
New York Fashion Week’s shimmer feels noticeably dimmed
Books and ArtsThe week has evolved into a content-driven machine
Spinal Tap II is an amusing, honorable successor to the original film
Books and ArtsAbove all, Reiner proves his vim and vigor by the very quality of the film
October 6, 2025
What can we expect from the Simpsons sequel?
It’s gotta be really, really good if it wants to stay even slightly relevant
October 2, 2025
Will Trump’s tariffs trash the film industry?
The shock and awe is done – the details are not
September 29, 2025
Is Slow Horses slowing down?
It might be time to take the show out to pasture
September 24, 2025
You can’t get rid of Kanye West
As his new documentary shows, he’s not going anywhere
Kimmel makes the case for free speech
Just like that, America was great again
September 23, 2025
Trump is right to take on the Smithsonian
Books and ArtsThe curators’ political peacocking has long carried no risk
Ben Shahn’s work remains as timely as ever
Books and ArtsThe artist’s unflinching vision of a world gone awry is as powerfully direct as his late-in-life compositions of compassion and hope
Eyes of the Storm revisits an era
Books and ArtsIn early photos, the crowds – and the band members – are eager, curious and frank
Nick Drake’s explosive creativity
Books and ArtsThe first comprehensive repackaging of any of Drake’s albums does justice to the musician
Viola’s Room is beguiling
Books and ArtsEvery detail, every sound, every object feels intentional
Over the Moon renders the present with an eye toward the timeless
Books and ArtsThe play rises from social commentary to legitimate art piece, avoiding mere parody and ax-grinding
September 22, 2025
Jason Bateman breaks bad in Black Rabbit
The actor follows in Bryan Cranston’s footsteps
September 18, 2025
Don’t cry for Jimmy Kimmel
His schtick wore thin a long time ago, and his continued presence owed as much to a lack of imagination as it did genuine talent
September 17, 2025
Splitsville defends monogamy
The movie knows we long for monogamy even as we court licentiousness
September 15, 2025
The superficial edginess of the Emmys and The Studio
The awards were perfectly entertaining, but had absolutely nothing to say about bigger, more serious issues
September 14, 2025
Please let this be the end of Downton Abbey
Grand? Probably not. Finale? Hopefully.
September 12, 2025
Stephen King, The Long Walk and Charlie Kirk
King feels too much and thinks too little
September 9, 2025
Why Jane Austen is still the queen of romance
Books and ArtsThe writer remains supreme in part because women don’t merely want dazzling men, we want to be dazzling ourselves.
Vermeer’s Love Letters is something of a riddle
Books and ArtsThe paintings become mysteries, enticing and deserving of attention precisely because there are so few
How Esther inspired the imagination of Rembrandt
Books and ArtsThe enchanting and historically haunting show consists of more than 120 objects
The problem with Heathers: The Musical
Books and ArtsThe musical flirts with nonconformity and then, scared, retreats into its own shadow
The Phoenician Scheme is Wes Anderson at his most transparent
Books and ArtsEverything is a dolly shot of dolled-up people in a doll’s house
September 7, 2025
Is Hilma af Klint overrated?
Her show at the Museum of Modern Art is a head-scratcher
September 5, 2025
The Paper is really, really bad
It’s not the worth the paper it was written on
