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Is it time to kowtow to threats? Franco and Rogen in "The Interview." (Photo by Ed Araquel - © 2013 CTMG, Inc.)

'The Interview' and the Sony hack (two)

Free the film!

If the answer to threats about The Interview is “surrender,” then there is no doubt that more attacks will follow.

Susan Beth Lehman

Dec 19, 2014 Essays 3 minute read

Dude!: Rogen and Franco. (Photo by Ed Araquel - © 2014 CTMG, Inc.)

'The Interview' and the Sony hack (one)

'The Interview' will not be released: Good news or bad?

Sony is withdrawing The Interview not because it wants to censor the subject matter of the movie, but because a backward but violent minority has scared it into submission. By withdrawing The Interview from general circulation, though, Sony may have had a good case, but it is setting a very bad precedent.

Armen Pandola

Dec 19, 2014 Essays 5 minute read

Following the car with the antlers. (photo by judy_and_ed, via Creative Commons/Flicker)

Merry Christmas to all

Seeing a car with reindeer antlers evokes thoughts of the meaning of Christmas.

Kile Smith

Dec 16, 2014 Essays 5 minute read

A&F models meeting their fans in Hong Kong. (photo by Natalitiameom via Creative Commons/Wikimedia)

The commercialization of Christmas is nothing new

Bought and sold

It would be easy to skewer all this as one more sick sign of commerce gone amok. But hold on just a moment, and think of your grandmothers. Or mine.

Anndee Hochman

Dec 14, 2014 Essays 5 minute read

(Photo by Pablo Vazquez, via Creative Commons/deviantart.com)

Remembering a rape

Leaving the deserted alley

After being raped as a teenager, I got on with my life and the decades slid past. Occasionally, some news story or Facebook post would trigger my memories, and I’d be right back in that room, waiting for it to end, but mostly, I shoved them away. Except now, the memories shoved back.

Wendy Rosenfield

Dec 09, 2014 Essays 7 minute read

America's beloved father figure: Bill Cosby in "The Cosby Show." (© NBC)

Considering Cosby

The artist and the criminal

I wish people who break the law could be prosecuted, ideally without regard to their fame. And that we, as a society, could stop worshipping the extremely talented and giving them privileges they don't deserve along with the deserved adulation for their gifts.

Maria Thompson Corley

Dec 09, 2014 Essays 5 minute read

A bust of Homo neanderthalensis by artist John Gurche in the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

Reconsidering the Neanderthals

I’m a Neanderthal, you’re a Neanderthal

We’re the Borg of the primate world. We assimilate, not just knowledge, but whole societies — like that of the Neanderthals.

Paula Berman

Nov 25, 2014 Essays 5 minute read

"The Beverly Hillbillies" meets "Downton Abbey"

Beverly Abbey

Though 50 years apart, these two TV favorites share many of their family values.

Roz Warren

Nov 22, 2014 Essays 4 minute read

Changing the nature of comedy: Elaine May and Mike Nichols

Remembering Mike Nichols (two)

Expressing the angst of a generation

Of course not every project was a home run, but overall Mike Nichols's batting average was stellar. It’s okay to forget Regarding Henry because we also have Working Girl.

Susan Beth Lehman

Nov 21, 2014 Essays 4 minute read

Mike Nichols during the making of “The Birdcage” (© 1996 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.)

Remembering Mike Nichols (one)

Who’s afraid to take a chance?

Mike Nichols never developed a style in the traditional sense. His style was the truth. Whether on the screen or on the stage, Nichols found that moment of truth in the story and the characters.

Armen Pandola

Nov 21, 2014 Essays 4 minute read