At the EU’s external border in Bulgaria, the refugee horror story continues | Refugees
“She was about to die. It took six hours last time we dug a grave for one of the Syrian refugees we found in the…
Los Angeles’ best classical music, art and theater in 2025
Happy New Year, Essential Arts readers! 2025 is already shaping up to be a feast of a year in terms of arts and culture in…
Oscar-winning Aardman is back with more ‘Wallace & Gromit’
The cheese-loving English inventor Wallace and his loyal dog Gromit have been stars since the beginning.In the 35 years since Nick Park introduced the world…
Review: Peacock’s tedious ‘Lockerbie’ wastes star Colin Firth
On Dec. 21, 1988, a bomb exploded on Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, traveling from London to New York, breaking it apart and…
Will The Rig return for a third season? Iain Glen and Emily Hampshire tease 'more story to tell'
The Rig season 2 is available to stream now on Amazon's Prime Video, but will the maritime horror series return for a third season? Source…
The week’s bestselling books, Jan. 5
Hardcover fiction1. James by Percival Everett (Doubleday: $28) An action-packed reimagining of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” 412. All Fours by Miranda July (Riverhead Books:…
Oscars 2025: Who’s in for supporting actor and actress?
A month before our December awards vote, the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. launches a group email thread for members to advocate for their favorite…
Jimmy Carter tried to fix the planet. The oil industry fought back
In the renewable energy arena, Jimmy Carter is perhaps best known for having solar panels installed on the roof of the White House — panels…
Documented norovirus cases rising but might not tell full story on total infections
1 of 2 | The CDC advises people with norovirus symptoms to wash their hands often for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.…
L.A. County’s annual holiday celebration and a Velázquez masterpiece
Dear Essential Arts Readers,This has been a tough year for many of us. I don’t need to list the challenges we have faced as a…
Denis Villeneuve is not at peace. And he’s OK with that
Denis Villeneuve just ordered a short espresso, enough to reinvigorate his mind but not interfere with the nap he wants to take in a couple…
Latinx Files: 4 media trends that stood out to me in 2024
It’s the waning days of December, which means it’s time to look back at the year that was. For this week’s newsletter, here are four…
Los Angeles welcomes New Year’s Eve at Disney Hall and Grand Park
If you’re reading this, thank you. Taking over the Essential Arts newsletter from our wonderful former colleague Carolina A. Miranda remains a daunting task, and…
The Los Angeles Times’ favorite sports stories from 2024
Las Amazonas de Yaxunah play a softball game during a visit by actor Yalitza Aparicio. Women don’t typically play sports in their community and took…
I feel like a failure for only getting my 9-year-old cheap bits off TikTok for Christmas, but trolls slam my ‘sob story’
A WOMAN has revealed how she was left feeling like a "terrible mum" due to the presents she got her daughter for Christmas. Lauren insisted…
The week’s bestselling books, Dec. 29
Hardcover fiction1. James by Percival Everett (Doubleday: $28) An action-packed reimagining of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” 2. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (Farrar, Straus &…
‘Shrinking’ boss on Season 2 finale, ‘Scrubs’ reboot and more
Bill Lawrence has been around long enough to hear the comedy, the multicam sitcom — everything, really — declared dead. And for just as long,…
Let’s get real about climate change, affordable energy
Aliso Canyon is here to stay.After eight years of study, the California Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously last week not to close the San Fernando…
‘Bad Sisters’ creator Sharon Horgan on Season 2’s twist-filled finale
This story contains spoilers about the Season 2 finale of Apple TV+’s“Bad Sisters.” When Season 1 of “Bad Sisters” ended in 2022, the story of…
‘Dune: Prophecy’ finale: Showrunner Alison Schapker on Valya’s secret
The first season of “Dune: Prophecy” came to a close on Sunday with a few gasp-inducing revelations and a lot more questions. HBO’s prequel series,…