24 Things That Stuck With Us in 2023

Barkley Hendricks’s stunning ’70s portraits are on display for the first solo show by a Black artist at the Frick Museum. The Langston Hughes poem about a dream deferred comes to mind as I ponder what it would be like for Hendricks to see his work showcased in an institution he frequented. In a way, the exhibition serves as a reminder that a dream can live on forever. The Geffen Playhouse offers a delightful break from the current news cycle with Samuel Baum’s play, “The Engagement Party.” Killer Mike’s album, “Michael,” features a surprising collaboration with André 3000 and is well-balanced. The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art north of Copenhagen made a strong impression with an exhibition on Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson. De La Soul’s “DA.I.S.Y. Experience” at Webster Hall is a heartwarming gathering of rap peers to honor the group’s work. “Fellow Travelers” is a gripping political thriller and romance that is worth staying up for. Julie Byrne’s folk album, “The Greater Wings,” offers a healing and mournful experience. The film “Barbie” stands out as a delightful and joyous production in a difficult year. “Stereophonic” is a sexy and sneakily heartbreaking play by David Adjmi set in a Northern California recording studio in 1976. “Queenmaker,” a South Korean Netflix drama, presents delicious social commentary on class and entitlement. “Status and Culture” is a thought-provoking book that explores taste and cultural cycles. Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” delivers stunning hand-drawn animation. “ha ha ha ha ha ha ha” is a madcap show that offers comedic therapy and humor. The Met Opera’s “Dead Man Walking” leaves a lasting silence in a large space after a powerful performance. The horror-comedy film “M3gan” is testimony to the human fear of artificial intelligence. “Parade,” Jason Robert Brown’s musical, returns to Broadway with powerful performances that resonate. The depiction of A.I. in cover versions of songs sung by cartoon characters, particularly Plankton from “Spongebob Squarepants,” offers unexpected Entertainment. “2001: A Space Odyssey” remains one of the greatest movies ever made, as seen in 70-millimeter projection at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. Asi Wind’s Inner Circle showcases mind-blowing mind reading and close-up card trickery in a Greenwich Village church gymnasium.