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Surviving “The Graduate”
It was the film that made me famous. On set, all I could think about was how I was failing.
A Song of Grief and Union in “Lincoln in the Bardo”
Missy Mazzoli’s operatic adaptation of George Saunders’s novel “Lincoln in the Bardo” is a charismatic, openhearted work.
The Best Mystery Novels of the Twenty-First Century
Most of the best mysteries deal with the imperfect fit between the law and justice.
Shaken and Stirred by the Search for the Next James Bond
In recent years, all too many names have drifted in and out of the conversation of who will be the next James Bond. Conversations in…
Maria Bamford Asks for the Check
The comedian Maria Bamford on being the subject of a Judd Apatow documentary, her passion for open-book accounting, and dating in her…
The Fragile Unions of “Possible Love”
In Lee Chang-dong’s brilliantly acted new film, “Possible Love,” a community’s devastation plays out through a documentary lens—and…
A Philosopher of War Changes His Mind
Michael Walzer wrote “Just and Unjust Wars” half a century ago. The war in Gaza made him rethink one of its fundamental principles.
“Fatherland” Cleans Up the Rough Edges of History
“Fatherland” dramatizes the novelist Thomas Mann’s 1949 return to Germany. Its filmmaker, Paweł Pawlikowski, also tweaks the facts to fit…
The Danger of Getting Too Close to a Source
Richard Darman was my source in the Reagan and Bush Administrations—and my best friend.
We Can Never Understand Elizabeth Holmes, or Nathan Fielder
Unlike Nathan Fielder’s past work, “You Can See Everything” isn’t very funny, according to Naomi Fry. Instead, it’s a haunting exploration…
The Toxic Logic Behind the Shaming of Cornell’s Jane Doe
One of the biggest failures of the post-#MeToo moment is our collective inability to provide a confident, humane account of sex as a basic…
Dr. Becky and Emily Oster on Thirteen Books for Parenthood
The experts recommend favorite titles for kids and their grownups.
Encountering the Past in “Music Against the Night”
John Field and Adelaide Percheron, the protagonists in my new book, were born in the eighteenth century. Was I writing a historical novel?
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Betty Gilpin Is Having a Moment
On the heels of her Emmy win for “Widow’s Bay,” Betty Gilpin reflects on growing up with actor parents, taking on Cole Escola’s role in…
How I Became a Lock Picker
For those who appreciate “locksport,” a well-crafted lock may be more interesting than whatever it locks up.
“Fjord” Keeps the Faith
In Cristian Mungiu’s Palme d’Or-winning drama, starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve, a family of conservative Christian immigrants…
What to Read if You Loved “East of Eden”
Our TV critic on how the original compares to the adaptation.
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MacKenzie Scott’s Substack Novel Can’t Escape the Amazon Juggernaut
Scott’s decision to self-publish could be seen as a protest against her ex-husband’s company—or as a sign of how profoundly it’s altered…
Restaurant Review: Trudie’s Tavern
The new spot in Brooklyn joins its siblings, Gertrude’s and Gertie, as a bastion of playfully Ashkenazi-ish cooking.
Jeremy Strong on Playing Mark Zuckerberg and Other Unpopular Characters
Jeremy Strong on finding sympathy for Mark Zuckerberg, Kendall Roy, and Roy Cohn—and why the New Yorker Profile of him still stings.
Zoe Kazan’s Heady and Bighearted “East of Eden”
While Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist duke it out as John Steinbeck’s Trask brothers, Florence Pugh’s Cathy is a gothic villain you…
Is What We’re Watching True or False?
A.I. is everywhere, and it’s often hard to tell what’s even real. Vinson Cunningham writes about the rise of A.I. in advertisements.
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Caleb Hammer’s Humiliation Economy
Caleb Hammer, the host of the popular YouTube series “Financial Audit,” claims that his goal is to make his viewers more financially…