Let’s bring in other entertainers and topics (but not politics!). In The Guardian, Ryan Gilbey traced the autobiographical loop-de-loop of “Bitter Christmas,” Pedro Almodóvar’s newest release: “Almodóvar, then, has directed a film about a director writing a film about a director writing a film. Keeping track of what is happening on screen becomes a case of mind over meta.” (Barbara Steinman, Montreal)

In The New Yorker, Justin Chang reviewed the movie comedy “Coyote vs. Acme,” about a lawsuit filed by the Road Runner’s frustrated nemesis: “More than once, the script references Sisyphus, one of the few characters in fiction who can rival its protagonist for bad luck with boulders.” (Bob Caceres, Bridgewater, Mass., and Nick Gregory, Fremont, Calif.)

In The Times, Alexandra Jacobs sized up “The Story of Your Life,” a nonfiction book in which Kathryn Jezer-Morton recounts the pivot from the early days of Friendster and Myspace to the hell of social media today: “All was sweet innocent fun for a while. Then the algorithm came along and ruined everything, like a drifter in a Cormac McCarthy novel.” (Chase Corum, Balboa, Calif.)

In The Washington Post, M. Carrie Allan rejected the Bloody Mary. “I’ve never been a fan, even before social media turned the drink into a garnishmaxxing battle,” she wrote. “The Bloody Mary has always seemed like alcoholic soup to me. When I want a drink, I want a drink.” (Lynn Hughes, Quakertown, Pa.)

And in The Globe and Mail of Toronto, Ian Brown discussed the phallic implications of aging. “Unplanned arousal used to plague me by the hour, on the hour,” he wrote. “At 70, it’s more like a special occasion. Oh, look who’s here! What a nice surprise. Why don’t you come in and have a drink? No? You have to go? So soon?” (Peter McLean, London, Ontario)