In an undated image provided by Devolver Digital, a scene from Baby Steps. Autobiographical stories and mystery games resonated in a chaotic year. (Devolver Digital via The New York Times) By YUSSEF COLE In its struggle to understand and make sense of life, art has a way of remaining relevant even when, in chaotic times as ours, it might feel more useful to march in the streets than plug into a video game’s digital distractions. Yet these worlds do contain value. Each of thes

Bad Bunny in New York, Dec. 27, 2024. Bad Bunny, Addison Rae, Audra McDonald, a cotillion class, Bing the dog and many more were subjects of the photographs commissioned by our photo editors this year. (Dana Scruggs/The New York Times) By MARIDELIS MORALES ROSADO, LAURA O’NEILL, JOLIE RUBEN and AMANDA WEBSTER Erykah Badu, Bad Bunny, George Clooney and Audra McDonald were among the many subjects of the images in culture that New York Times photo editors commissioned in 2025. S

Bardot in a publicity photo for A Very Private Affair in 1962 (Wikipedia) By ANITA GATES Brigitte Bardot, the pouty, tousle-haired French actress who redefined mid-20th-century movie sex symbolism in films beginning with “And God Created Woman,” then gave up acting at 39 to devote her life to the welfare of animals, died Sunday at her home in southern France. She was 91. Fondation Brigitte Bardot, which she established for the protection of animals, announced her death. Bardo

Eva Victor and Naomi Ackie in a scene from “Sorry, Baby” (A24) By JASON BAILEY In what has become an annual tradition, this month’s guide to the hidden gems of your subscription services spotlights indies, genre movies and documentaries released this year — potential critics’ list or even award season contenders, available to stream at this very moment. ‘Sorry, Baby’ Eva Victor (“Billions”) is a delightfully off-kilter screen personality, blessed with crackerjack comic timing

By MAYA SALAM Rob Reiner maintained a prolific career as a director, producer and actor until he and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were killed Sunday. A representative for Reiner, 78, declined to comment on his pending projects. But here’s what we know about some of them. ‘Spinal Tap at Stonehenge: The Final Finale’ A concert film follow-up to the rock mockumentaries “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” (2025) and “This Is Spinal Tap” (1984) was supposed to be released next

Barry Manilow at the Barrymore Theatre in Manhattan, where previews were underway for his long-in-the-works musical “Harmony,” Sept. 7, 2023. The singer has been diagnosed with lung cancer and will undergo surgery, he announced in a social-media post on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (Evelyn Freja/The New York Times) By DERRICK BRYSON TAYLOR Singer Barry Manilow has been diagnosed with lung cancer and will undergo surgery, he announced in a social-media post earlier this week. Manilo

“This Is Spinal Tap” By MANOHLA DARGIS Few movies take possession of you like “This Is Spinal Tap,” the delightful shaggy-haired 1984 rock-n-roll parody that turned Rob Reiner into a filmmaker. The movie, about a ridiculous group of heavy-metal rockers, didn’t set the world or entertainment industry on fire on its release. Yet it kick-started an unlikely career that rapidly picked up momentum with crowd pleasers that won love and sometimes awards, and often cleaned up at the

Donovan Omar Cruz Reyes and his cousin Ximena Domínguez camp in a tent for a Bad Bunny concert in Mexico City, Mexico, Dec. 16, 2025. The award-winning Puerto Rican artist, the most-streamed on the planet, is performing eight concerts in Mexico. People flocked from all over the world, including the United States. (Luis Antonio Rojas/The New York Times) By JAMES WAGNER Donovan Omar Cruz Reyes, his aunt and cousin were the first people to set up their tent outside of a Bad Bunn