*Film and television* news features Jafar Panahi's defiant illegal filming, Jim Downey's long-awaited spotlight moment, and multiple reviews of new and streaming films, alongside analysis of shows like 'Abbott Elementary' and late-night political commentary.

• How Prison Inspired Jafar Panahi to Double Down on Filming Illegally — New York Times Arts -
• Jim Downey, SNL’s Secret Weapon, Finally Gets His Spotlight Moment — New York Times Arts -
• ‘After the Hunt’ on Dark Ivy League Style, Salehe Bembury and More News — New York Times Movies -

• Five International Movies to Stream Now — New York Times Arts -
• On ‘Abbott Elementary,’ Tyler James Williams Shows His Work — New York Times Arts -
• Five Free Movies to Stream Now — New York Times Arts -
• Watch Jennifer Lopez Dance in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ — New York Times Arts -
• 7 New Movies Our Critics Are Talking About This Week — New York Times Arts -
• ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ Review: Netflix’s Heart-Pounding Documentary Raises Some Ethical Concerns — New York Times Arts -
• ‘Good Fortune’ Review: Aziz Ansari’s Socially Conscious Comedy — New York Times Arts -
• ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ | Anatomy of a Scene — New York Times Arts -
• Trump’s Dinner for Ballroom Donors Leaves a Bad Taste in Kimmel’s Mouth — New York Times Arts -

*Music and pop culture* highlights include Taylor Swift's fading cinematic universe magic, the passing of Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley, Lady Gaga's perfected gothic tour, and a protest at the Israel Philharmonic concert.

• Taylor Swift Is Our Biggest Cinematic Universe. But the Magic Is Fading. — New York Times Music -
• Ace Frehley, Kiss Guitarist and Founding Member, Is Dead at 74 — New York Times Arts -
• In 10 Years at Met Opera, Nadine Sierra Keeps Getting Better — New York Times Arts -

• Brandi Carlile Climbed Music’s Peak. Then She Had to Start Over. — New York Times Arts -
• Lady Gaga Was Always Gothic. Now the World Has Caught Up to Her. — New York Times Music -
• How Kiss’ Ace Frehley Made ‘New York Groove’ His Own — New York Times Arts -
• Israel Philharmonic Draws Protests as Fragile Cease-Fire Holds in Gaza — New York Times Arts -

*Visual arts and museum exhibitions* cover the revival of the Portland Art Museum, a Gerhard Richter retrospective in Paris, and diverse new exhibitions at U.S. museums exploring Latino, Native American, and mystical art, plus **a solution to the CIA’s Kryptos sculpture**.

• Bringing the Portland Art Museum Back to Life — New York Times Arts -
• Review: Gerhard Richter at Fondation Louis Vuitton — New York Times Arts -
• Covering an Artist With Unconventional Materials: Strict Rules and Time — New York Times Arts -

• In Chicago, Two Museums Explore the City’s Latino Communities — New York Times Arts -
• At the Detroit Institute of Art, an Exhibition Connects Native American Artists — New York Times Arts -
• The Smithsonian American Art Museum Offers a Fresh Look at Grandma Moses — New York Times Arts -
• The High Museum in Atlanta Charts the Mystical Art of Minnie Evans — New York Times Arts -
• Solution to CIA’s Kryptos Sculpture Is Found in Smithsonian Vault — New York Times Arts -

*Literature and publishing* mourns the passing of Bigfoot scholar Jeffrey Meldrum and South Korean author Baek Sehee, celebrates Oscar Wilde's symbolic library card return, and reviews Stephen King's non-horror works alongside various new book releases.

• Jeffrey Meldrum, Scholar Who Stalked Bigfoot, Dies at 67 — New York Times Books -
• Let’s Remember, Stephen King Isn’t Always Scary — New York Times Books -
• Oscar Wilde Gets His Library Card Back, 125 Years After His Death — New York Times Arts -

• Baek Sehee, South Korean Author of ‘I Want to Die, but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki,’ Dies at 35 — New York Times Arts -
• Picture Books About Friendship by Joshua David Stein, Matthew Diffee and Jane Godwin — New York Times Books -
• Caroline Palmer Was Proud To Be a Magazine World ‘Workhorse’ — New York Times Books -
• Book Review: ‘The Harlem Book of the Dead,’ by James Van Der Zee — New York Times Books -

*Performing arts* features Twyla Tharp's commanding return to American Ballet Theater with an all-Tharp program and a review of the inspiring Broadway revival of 'Ragtime'.

• Review: At Ballet Theater, Tharp Comes to Push and Conquer — New York Times Arts -
• Review: At Ballet Theater, Tharp Comes to Push and Conquer — New York Times Arts -
• Her Play Pulls on the Fashion Industry’s Threads — New York Times Arts -

• ‘Ragtime’ Review: Checking the Status of Our American Dream — New York Times Arts -

*Gaming* focuses on the review of 'Little Nightmares III', praising its tastefully morbid aesthetic and clever cooperative puzzles.

• Little Nightmares III’s Clever Puzzles Are Tastefully Morbid — New York Times Arts -