Ryan Gosling is stellar as a reluctant astronaut in 'Project Hail Mary'

Watching

• Project Hail Mary. The new film—directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and adapted by Drew Goddard from Andy Weir’s novel—is a large-scale movie with a modest heart, thanks in large part to Ryan Gosling’s stellar performance as a reluctant astronaut stranded in space. Read our review here.

• The Comeback. Each season of the Lisa Kudrow-led show—but especially the third and final one, which premieres March 22 on HBO—has been a perceptive snapshot of Hollywood’s discontents as well as a hilarious work of cringe comedy. The series has always squinted into the camera and wondered: “What are we doing?” If ever there was a time to pause for reflection on that point, it’s the present. Read more about it here.

Reading

• Almost Life. In 1978, Erica, an English student on holiday, encounters Laure, a Sorbonne doctoral candidate, outside the Sacré-Coeur, kindling a sapphic romance while exploring Paris. Yet more than the English Channel eventually divides them. Is their romance doomed or destined to endure? Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s winning prose and insights capture the legacy of a consequential affair. Read more.

• American Han. In Lisa Lee’s first novel, Korean American siblings Jane and Kevin Kim come of age in the Bay Area during the 1980s. They’re both high-achieving strivers spurred on by their working-class, immigrant parents, yet they diverge along different paths. When Kevin goes missing, the family members must confront their fragile bonds and the cultural expectations that have long tethered them. Read more.

Talking About

• Almost four years after they announced a hiatus in order to complete mandatory military service, BTS is finally back. Their fifth album, Arirang, is a musical statement about who they are in 2026, and where they might be going next. Read about every new track here.

• The highly anticipated 98th Academy Awards took place last weekend, crowning One Battle After Another as Best Picture and Michael B. Jordan as Best Actor. Read more about the night’s best, worst, and most memorable moments here.