Culture
Beyond the screen
Hollywood studios are finding new ways to bring stories to life
Watch “Stranger Things” on stage, eat at a Batman-themed restaurant—or take your chances at “Squid Game”
Back Story
A cultural guide to new year’s resolutions
Lots of writers and fictional characters make them. Fewer keep them
Home Entertainment
Paganism is on the rise. It all started with “The Wicker Man”
Human sacrifice apart, the film made a life shaped by ancient traditions seem rather appealing
Battle of the GOATs
The contrasting paths of Michael Jordan and LeBron James
Two books show the basketball greats’ differing attitudes to racial politics
Product replacement
“Ferrari” is the latest example of Hollywood’s love of brands
Like superhero franchises and sequels, films about famous products are safe choices
Back Story
Holding out for a hero in 2024
In a jaundiced age, screen heroes are often coated in irony. That is a shame
Holiday history
“’Twas the Night Before Christmas” turns 200 this year
How a poem created our modern Christmas customs
World in a dish
For a Christmas drink, eggnog does not have a heartwarming history
The creamy tipple inspired a riot in the 19th century
The sports page
A problem at the heart of Formula One
How can any sport combine fun, spectacle and viewers’ demand for more greenery?
Pandemic fiction
Some thought covid would change literature. It has not
Two new novels by Michael Cunningham and Sigrid Nunez offer proof
A hymn for all seasons
“Amazing Grace” is a 200-year-old song with a surprising history
It is sung an estimated 10m times each year