Theater and Film

Joan L. Cannon writes: Maybe what is required is for our culture to teach us how to know when the occasion legitimizes a free response. Tears still are the most common, even the most allowable demonstration of emotion, and nowadays some men can let them fall without feeling utterly shamed. On the other hand, joy, gratitude, tenderness, empathy seem to have built-in limits even now. more »

Wu, lead author of the study, explains that the plot behind a movie like Her (released in 2013) becomes increasingly realistic. The film involves a man who strikes up a relationship with an advanced computer operating system that promises to be an intuitive entity in its own right."The ability to judge personality is an essential component of social living — from day-to-day decisions to long-term plans such as whom to marry, trust, hire or elect as president," said Cambridge researcher Stillwell. more »

Think the actors get hungry sitting around the food hour after hour? While they usually only eat the foods like watercress or cucumber, Food Stylist Lisa Heathcote notes, "They do occasionally tuck in, depending upon how peckish they are, and where we are in the day." She describes a typical menu at a house party: "A clear soup to start with; a fish course; an entrée, a roast; a cheese and fruit course; a pudding; and "a savory, which is a tiny little mini morsel of something savory, a weenie little thing upon a plate. It's a lot of food." more »

The United Kingdom has its first Labor Party prime minister. Five new characters are introduced. Plot threads left dangling from the last season of Downton Abbey, including Lady Mary's courtship contest, Lady Edith's trials as a secret single mom, Thomas's scheming against Bates. A new Mystery! series includes a charismatic young clergyman and Robson Green as the Police Inspector as well as the series, Indian Summers, with Julie Walters more »