Film/TV

Actress Janet Leigh in the shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 classic thriller "Psycho." (YouTube)

The Day That Nana And I Went 'Psycho'

At the end of the movie I remember my grim-faced grandmother saying, “Well, that isn’t what I expected.” Nor did anyone else in America, writes Ed Siegel.

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Oct 23, 2018

This image released by Warner Bros. Entertainment shows Constance Wu in a scene from the film "Crazy Rich Asians." (Sanja Bucko/Warner Bros. Entertainment via AP)

Stop Holding 'Crazy Rich Asians' To Such An Impossible Standard

To be sure, the movie is imperfect with its frivolities and clichés. But for once, writes Ying-Ju Lai, let’s just have some fun.

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Aug 30, 2018

Fred Rogers, pictured here with a young fan, is the subject of the new documentary, "Won't You Be My Neighbor?' (Courtesy Focus Features)

The Mister Rogers Documentary Is Exactly What You Need Right Now

Fred Rogers modeled an approach that emphasized the virtue of empathy, writes Sharon Brody, and the need for open hearts and open minds.

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Jul 2, 2018

Roseanne Barr arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of "Roseanne" on March 23 in Burbank, Calif. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

The 'Roseanne' Reboot Should Never Have Happened

The idea, which should never have made it out of the boardroom, instead took off and enabled Barr’s worst tendencies.

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May 30, 2018

Television personality Samantha Bee speaks during the Women in the World Summit at Lincoln Center in New York, Thursday, April 6, 2017. (Mary Altaffer/AP)

Who's Laughing Now? Samantha Bee And Robin Thede Skewer With Wit And Fury

Women have been silenced from public speaking for millennia, writes Anita Diamant. But now, Bee and Thede have ended the reign of all-male, nighttime comedy talk-show hosts.

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Jan 11, 2018

When Great Books Become Very Bad Movies

Munro Leaf's “The Story of Ferdinand" is brilliant, sly and humane. Its movie counterpart is all overkill, all the time.

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Jan 3, 2018

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree stands lit, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, in New York. The 75-foot tall Norway spruce is covered with more than 50,000 multi-colored LED lights and will remain lit until Jan. 7, 2018. (Diane Bondareff/AP)

Move Over, Dickens. Americans 'Invented' Christmas

The modern Christmas had sunk roots long before Scrooge strolled dyspeptically across the printed page, writes Rich Barlow.

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Dec 19, 2017

Harvey Weinstein arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Weinstein was fired after a bombshell New York Times report published Oct. 8 detailed decades of sexual harassment accusations and settlements against the film producer. (Vince Bucci/Invision/AP)

I Know Why Women Do Nothing When They're Harassed — Because I'm One Of Them

Hollywood is not the only business where sexual harassment goes unreported, writes former financial analyst Sharissa Jones.

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03:36Oct 11, 2017

This image released by HBO shows Lena Headey, left, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in "Game of Thrones," which premiered its seventh season on Sunday, July 16. (Helen Sloan/AP)

No, I Don't Watch 'Game Of Thrones' — And Here's Why It's Good To Be Culturally Clueless

Am I a snob? A victim of adult-onset ADD? Just reflexively averse to zombies, wizards, magic and men in armor? None of the above, writes Julie Wittes Schlack.

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03:04Jul 24, 2017

Author Dav Pilkey seen at DreamWorks Animation and Twentieth Century Fox "Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie" Los Angeles Premiere at Regency Village Theater on Sunday, May 21, 2017. (Eric Charbonneau/ AP)

Why I'm An Unapologetic Middle-Aged 'Captain Underpants' Fangirl

Sharon Brody on motherhood, potty humor and the new film reboot of Dav Pilkey's best-selling books.

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Jun 22, 2017

President-elect Donald Trump attends a meeting at Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Fla., Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Heavy Lies 'The Crown': What Donald Trump And Queen Elizabeth Have In Common

The loosely-biographical Netflix series, “The Crown,” is shockingly relevant today, writes Joanna Weiss. It’s about how to deal with power you expected, but aren’t prepared to assume.

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Jan 4, 2017

In this March 1, 2016 photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign stop in Columbus, Ohio. (John Minchillo/AP)

Why The Idea Of A Trump Media Empire Is Terrifying

Steve Almond on how the death of the Fairness Doctrine gave way to the birth of Trumpism.

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Oct 18, 2016

Single Screen Unites Family? 'Stranger Things' Have Been Known To Happen

All of a sudden, writes Jack Cheng, instead of parent culture and tween culture, we had a family cultural moment.

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Sep 21, 2016

Jose Hernandez, right, cries as he looks at a photo of his friend Amanda Alvear, who was killed in the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub, as he visits a makeshift memorial with friends, Monday, June 13, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. (David Goldman/AP)

The Last Season Of America? Horror, Hope And Orlando

Orlando is America. It's time to write ourselves a new script.

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Jun 14, 2016

Johanna Pittman: "One evening every week, their anticipation in high gear, my parents turned off the living room lights... And I was told to leave the room." (Bryan Costin/flickr)

What Price Convenience? Twin Peaks, And The Rewards Of Delayed Gratification

One evening every week, their anticipation in high gear, my parents turned off the living room lights... And I was told to leave the room.

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Jun 9, 2016

Hodor is played by Kristian Nairn. (HBO)

Seeing My Son In Hodor: A Look At The Depiction Of Disability In 'Game Of Thrones'

In its portrayal of people with disabilities, GoT shines as a beacon of inclusion.

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May 27, 2016

Steve Almond: "What scares me about all this isn’t just that the Presidential front-runner of the Republican Party appears eager to foment civil unrest, but that the networks are so desperate for ratings that they’ve become his de facto enablers." Pictured: Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, face off with protesters after a rally on the campus of the University of Illinois-Chicago was cancelled due to security concerns Friday, March 11, 2016, in Chicago. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)

Bring It, Donald: Why The Media Love The Trump Tape Loop

What scares me about all this isn’t just that the Presidential front-runner of the Republican Party appears eager to foment civil unrest, but that the networks are so desperate for...

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Mar 15, 2016

Yolanda Hadid, right, and her daughter Bella attend the Global Lyme Alliance Inaugural Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015, in New York. (Evan Agostini/AP)

The Real Stigma Of Beverly Hills: Why The Controversy Over Yolonda's Illness Matters

Much about Bravo's "Real Housewives" franchise may be fake, but Yolanda Hadid's chronic Lyme disease is very real.

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Feb 19, 2016

A Risk Worth Taking? In Spite Of 'Concussion,' Football Remains Vital As Ever

Some thought the new football drama, “Concussion,” might do real damage to the sport. That appears to be a very unlikely outcome.

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Jan 7, 2016

Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca, left, and Harrison Ford as Han Solo in the original 1977 "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope" film. The new film, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," opens in U.S. theaters on Dec. 18, 2015. (AP/Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment)

'Star Wars,' And The Force It Awakened In Me

“Star Wars” and its sequels were touchstones, mind-bending fantasy movie experiences into which I poured my longings for escape, creativity and adventure.

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Dec 18, 2015

Morning Edition

The Day That Nana And I Went 'Psycho'

Stop Holding 'Crazy Rich Asians' To Such An Impossible Standard

The Mister Rogers Documentary Is Exactly What You Need Right Now

The 'Roseanne' Reboot Should Never Have Happened

Who's Laughing Now? Samantha Bee And Robin Thede Skewer With Wit And Fury

When Great Books Become Very Bad Movies

Move Over, Dickens. Americans 'Invented' Christmas

I Know Why Women Do Nothing When They're Harassed — Because I'm One Of Them

No, I Don't Watch 'Game Of Thrones' — And Here's Why It's Good To Be Culturally Clueless

Why I'm An Unapologetic Middle-Aged 'Captain Underpants' Fangirl

Heavy Lies 'The Crown': What Donald Trump And Queen Elizabeth Have In Common

Why The Idea Of A Trump Media Empire Is Terrifying

Single Screen Unites Family? 'Stranger Things' Have Been Known To Happen

The Last Season Of America? Horror, Hope And Orlando

What Price Convenience? Twin Peaks, And The Rewards Of Delayed Gratification

Seeing My Son In Hodor: A Look At The Depiction Of Disability In 'Game Of Thrones'

Bring It, Donald: Why The Media Love The Trump Tape Loop

The Real Stigma Of Beverly Hills: Why The Controversy Over Yolonda's Illness Matters

A Risk Worth Taking? In Spite Of 'Concussion,' Football Remains Vital As Ever

'Star Wars,' And The Force It Awakened In Me