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The movies, shows, books, and music we couldn’t stop thinking about this year The movies, shows, books, and music we couldn’t stop thinking about this year 
Culture

Vox’s cultural obsessions of 2024.

By Vox Staff
Japan’s cherry blossoms are a marker of natural time — and how climate change is altering itJapan’s cherry blossoms are a marker of natural time — and how climate change is altering it
Climate

The age-old Japanese tradition of hanami has become a harbinger of change.

By Bryan Walsh
The movies to watch for this fallThe movies to watch for this fall
Your guide to the 2024 Oscars

It’s a great time to be at the movies.

By Alissa Wilkinson
Priscilla and Sofia Coppola’s lonely girlsPriscilla and Sofia Coppola’s lonely girls
Culture

Solitude and wisdom at the movies.

By Alissa Wilkinson
The wisest choice in Killers of the Flower MoonThe wisest choice in Killers of the Flower Moon
Your guide to the 2024 Oscars

Martin Scorsese knows that who gets to tell the story matters as much as the story that gets told.

By Alissa Wilkinson
Why you should be watching more short filmsWhy you should be watching more short films
Culture

Wes Anderson’s new Netflix shorts are the latest case for the form.

By Alissa Wilkinson
2023’s best books (so far)2023’s best books (so far)
Culture

From shipwrecks to hijackings to sex comedies, these are the best books of the first half of 2023.

By Constance Grady
Shiny Happy People is a great reminder of why cult documentaries should existShiny Happy People is a great reminder of why cult documentaries should exist
Culture

The Duggars, Bill Gothard, and me.

By Alissa Wilkinson
Beef is the best show Netflix has had in recent memoryBeef is the best show Netflix has had in recent memory
Culture

Netflix and A24’s Beef is astounding, anti-ambient TV.

By Alex Abad-Santos
In Showing Up, Michelle Williams is an artist desperately trying to get anything doneIn Showing Up, Michelle Williams is an artist desperately trying to get anything done
Culture

Kelly Reichardt’s latest film turns the frustration of mundane distractions thwarting art into gentle comedy.

By Alissa Wilkinson
10 new documentaries to watch for, from Thomas Kinkade to Y2K10 new documentaries to watch for, from Thomas Kinkade to Y2K
Culture

The best nonfiction of the spring festival circuit is on the way.

By Alissa Wilkinson
The shadowy puzzle-box pleasures of Chinese spy thriller Hidden BladeThe shadowy puzzle-box pleasures of Chinese spy thriller Hidden Blade
Culture

Satisfyingly cerebral, Hidden Blade features a masterful Tony Leung and a breakout performance from Wang Yibo.

By Aja Romano
The best movie you didn’t see last year is finally outThe best movie you didn’t see last year is finally out
Culture

Return to Seoul is an exquisite meditation on finding yourself between worlds.

By Alissa Wilkinson
17 movies to watch out for in 202317 movies to watch out for in 2023
Culture

From the sinister to the exuberant, the films you don’t want to miss.

By Alissa Wilkinson
We can’t grieve what we can’t rememberWe can’t grieve what we can’t remember
Your guide to the 2024 Oscars

Two blistering, beautiful new docs show the brutality of repressing our collective memories.

By Alissa Wilkinson
What gets lost when comedies go straight to streamingWhat gets lost when comedies go straight to streaming
Culture

Movie theaters are the most fun place to watch a comedy. What if that goes away?

By Alissa Wilkinson
It’s best you know nothing about the new greatest movie of all timeIt’s best you know nothing about the new greatest movie of all time
Culture

The movie “Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles” was recently declared No. 1 in the prestigious Sight and Sound poll. Go in as cold as possible.

By Alissa Wilkinson
All of the 2022 National Book Award finalists, read and reviewed
Culture

A look at this year’s best in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translated literature, and young people’s literature.

By Vox Staff
What the film Women Talking loses (and preserves) from the 2018 novelWhat the film Women Talking loses (and preserves) from the 2018 novel
Everything you need to know about the 95th Academy Awards

The plot is based on a horrifying true story from 2011, but the resistance philosophy goes back to St. Augustine.

By Alissa Wilkinson
One Good Thing: A food memoir about love, grief, and lockdownOne Good Thing: A food memoir about love, grief, and lockdown
Culture

In The Year of Miracles, Ella Risbridger cooks through the end of the world.

By Constance Grady
One Good Thing: A new classic of country heartbreakOne Good Thing: A new classic of country heartbreak
One Good Thing

Carly Pearce’s 29: Written in Stone turns a tumultuous year of her life into a near-perfect divorce album.

By Emily St. James
This summer’s movies are all about loveThis summer’s movies are all about love
Everything you need to know about the 95th Academy Awards

Loneliness, longing, and love in the third pandemic summer.

By Alissa Wilkinson
Fire of Love, about married volcanologists, is this summer’s must-see docFire of Love, about married volcanologists, is this summer’s must-see doc
Everything you need to know about the 95th Academy Awards

Director Sara Dosa explains why it’s a love triangle and a guide to life, all in one.

By Alissa Wilkinson
One Good Thing: A Danish drama lets its girlbosses failOne Good Thing: A Danish drama lets its girlbosses fail
One Good Thing

The latest season of Borgen is a political thriller for the Great Resignation.

By Anna North
The best movies of 2022 (so far) — and how to watch themThe best movies of 2022 (so far) — and how to watch them
Culture

From great blockbusters to a mockumentary about a talking inch-high shell.

By Alissa Wilkinson
One Good Thing: Two ’90s Asian films that capture the loneliness of modern lifeOne Good Thing: Two ’90s Asian films that capture the loneliness of modern life
One Good Thing

In Chungking Express and Rebels of the Neon God, the vibes are melancholy but incredibly aesthetic.

By Terry Nguyen
Join the Vox Book Club!Join the Vox Book Club!
Culture

Our pick for November 2021 is Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid.

By Vox Staff
One Good Thing: Musician Ethel Cain nurses Gen-Z America’s broken heartOne Good Thing: Musician Ethel Cain nurses Gen-Z America’s broken heart
One Good Thing

A gothic album, soaring with gorgeous darkness.

By Emily St. James
One Good Thing: A French reality show with high-end homes and low-stakes dramaOne Good Thing: A French reality show with high-end homes and low-stakes drama
One Good Thing

Netflix’s The Parisian Agency is a luxury real estate show featuring a family that actually gets along.

By Terry Nguyen
One Good Thing: 107 minutes of Wall Street traders behaving badlyOne Good Thing: 107 minutes of Wall Street traders behaving badly
One Good Thing

Help, I can’t stop rewatching this 11-year-old corporate thriller nobody saw in theaters.

By Dylan Matthews
Two Good Things: Sad kids’ movies about magical sealsTwo Good Things: Sad kids’ movies about magical seals
One Good Thing

Why the Irish legend of the selkie endures in cinematic form.

By Emily St. James
15 unmissable movies from this year’s Cannes15 unmissable movies from this year’s Cannes
Everything you need to know about the 95th Academy Awards

The films that scandalized and enchanted audiences at the world’s most prestigious film festival — and how to watch them soon.

By Alissa Wilkinson
One Good Thing: The Jane Campion film that captures spring euphoriaOne Good Thing: The Jane Campion film that captures spring euphoria
One Good Thing

“Bright Star” manages to bottle the fleeting feeling of spring bliss.

By Valerie Lapinski
Saving Face is a delightful queer rom-com — and a love letter to Asian momsSaving Face is a delightful queer rom-com — and a love letter to Asian moms
One Good Thing

The 2004 film, directed by Alice Wu, attempts to give equal weight to the foibles and fantasies of an Asian mother and daughter.

By Terry Nguyen
One Good Thing: The cartoon dog who taught me how to be a dadOne Good Thing: The cartoon dog who taught me how to be a dad
One Good Thing

Bluey opened up my imagination and made the most boring part of parenting fun.

By Bryan Walsh
One Good Thing: The Two Fat Ladies proved pleasure was for every bodyOne Good Thing: The Two Fat Ladies proved pleasure was for every body
Culture

The late-’90s cooking show was a revolution before we knew much about body positivity.

By Keren Landman, MD
One Good Thing: Conversations with strangers, which I missed so muchOne Good Thing: Conversations with strangers, which I missed so much
One Good Thing

The pandemic took away my weak ties. I’m so glad they’re back.

By Alissa Wilkinson
One Good Thing: Have you heard of this Shakespeare guy? Pretty good!One Good Thing: Have you heard of this Shakespeare guy? Pretty good!
One Good Thing

Juliet and her Romeo are dead, but Romeo and Juliet lives forever.

By Constance Grady
One Good Thing: Les Mis is here to complicate your joyOne Good Thing: Les Mis is here to complicate your joy
One Good Thing

Why sewer systems are the key to understanding Les Mis.

By Siobhan McDonough
One Good Thing: Garlic, a perfect foodOne Good Thing: Garlic, a perfect food
One Good Thing

The fiery vegetable I almost forgot.

By Alissa Wilkinson