Trapped—And Lavishly Rewarded—For Playing a Part
The protagonists of Babygirl and Black Doves are stuck in their “perfect” lives—and find illicit fulfillment outside them.
Frontiers of Sports
Women’s Soccer Won the World Cup
Spain won the tournament. The whole women’s game will benefit.
The Agony of Indulging in Squid Game Again
The Netflix hit’s second season can’t quite break out of its own vicious cycle.
Bob Dylan Broke Rules. A Complete Unknown Follows Them.
The biopic turns its subject’s independence and idiosyncrasies into the stuff of bland summary.
The Darkest Movie of the Year
Even the camera seems to fear the grunting, shadowy demon in Nosferatu.
Why Are My Neighbors Screaming at Me?
Everyone seems so on edge.
The 20 Best Podcasts of 2024
The shows that kept listeners refreshing their apps this year
The Atlantic’s Favorite Images of the Year
Six Books to Read by the Fire
Each of these titles is a perfect companion while the days grow imperceptibly longer.
Two Different Ways of Understanding Fatherhood
Recent entries into the literature of parenting offer disparate visions of dadhood as part of a man’s private, or public, life.
Martin Short Deserved Better
The host of the SNL Christmas episode brought his irrepressible dynamism to the set, but other guest celebrities stole the spotlight.
Every Woman on This Show Is Loathsome. That’s By Design.
Dune: Prophecy allows its female leads to play both hero and villain.
Even Barry Jenkins Can Only Do So Much
Mufasa: The Lion King, from the Moonlight director, doesn’t transcend its cynical origins as a Disney product.
A Biting Satire of the Art World’s Monstrousness
Ella Baxter’s new novel explores why creative genius so often seems to be at odds with being a good person.
The Luxury Makeover of the Worst Pastry on Earth
How panettone, the once-reviled Italian Christmas treat, became a high-end commodity
You Are Cordially Invited to an Event That Could Ruin Your Life
How could any woman resist Senator Lindsey Graham’s generous summons to speak publicly about her claim of sexual assault?
Why Can’t Robots Stay Robots?
A hit animated film is the latest work to imbue machines with the primacy of human values.
I’ve Been Left Off My Friends’ Group Chat
How do I get over feeling excluded?
The 10 Best Albums of 2024
This year’s most exciting artists rejected consensus and did things their way.
Bob Dylan’s Carnival Act
His identity was a performance. His writing was sleight of hand. He bamboozled his own audience.
Can the Rodeo Save a Historic Black Town?
One woman’s quest to rescue Boley, Oklahoma
The Technology That Actually Runs Our World
The most dominant algorithms aren’t the ones choosing what songs Spotify serves you.