Read: Apollo’s Angels. I’m only part way through Jennifer Homans’ magisterial cultural history of ballet, but it’s off to a jeté of a start. I never knew that ballet originated in the court of French King Louis XIV, an avid performer himself, who used dance to create new courtly norms that would break the old nobility and reinforce his power. Centuries later, ballet and geopolitics did another stunning pas de deux, as some of the greats fled the Russian revolution for the West, making the ballet stage a Cold War battlefield of its own. Homans, a talented historian and ballet dancer in her own right, gives us a fascinating look at the life, meaning, and possible death of one of the world’s most rigorous and transcendent art forms. – Alex K
Watch: Birds. I went bird watching with a group in New York City’s Riverside Park this weekend and had a blast. Grab your binoculars and buckle up for the most exciting two hours of your week. – Lizzy
Watch: “Vermiglio.” An Italian film set in the high mountains of northern Italy in the closing days of World War II, Vermiglio tracks the arrival of a wounded soldier en route to faraway Sicily into a home that centers on the emerging lives of three daughters. This movie threatens to tip into melodrama at every moment – and it never does. Beautifully shot, masterfully acted, and a story that refuses to compromise, this is a gem of a film. – Willis
Hot Take: “Cheaper by the Dozen 2” is better than the first “Cheaper by the Dozen.” You get all the best of the Baker family and their adventures from the first film but the addition of the Murtaugh family, including Eugene Levy and a young Taylor Lautner. Plus, the sequel takes place during the summer, adding a “Grown Ups”-esque vibe that makes it an annual watch. Overall, it takes all of the best parts of the original and adds some more, making it the stronger film. I recommend a rewatch just in time for the Fourth of July weekend!– Hannah
