All Culture
Verbal EnergyIn other words of the year: shirtfront?The Australian premier鈥檚 tough talk against Putin has snagged a 鈥榳ord of the year鈥� designation, but what was Tony Abbott really trying to say?
'Home Alone': Why it's a holiday classicYes, the slapstick antics of actors Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are great. But the story's deeper message about family gives the movie its heart.
Eggnog pound cakeCan't get enough eggnog this time of year? Bake it into a cake! Pound cake serves as a versatile base and makes this festive treat easy to transport.聽
Protests and prayers after another shooting: Will Christmas Eve be peaceful?Christmas Eve could offer a much-needed pause for reflection, but some are choosing protests over prayers for peace.
Diamond-edged, melt-in-your-mouth butter cookiesGive simple butter cookies some holiday sparkle by using red or green sugar. These cookies are easy to prep ahead of time and freeze until you need to bake them.
'Into the Woods,' starring Meryl Streep, stays true to stage versionThis movie musical never degenerates into a false wholesomeness and the large cast is for the most part up to the task, with actors James Corden, Emily Blunt, and Meryl Streep in particular turning in great performances.
'Unbroken': Angelina Jolie's direction is too conventional for such a harrowing storyThe story of Louis Zamperini, a former Olympic athlete who is imprisoned in a Japanese POW camp during World War II, is inspirational. But it would have been even more so without making Zamperini an almost saintlike figure.
Chipotle pot roast with onions and sweet potatoesBeef pot roast, a winter comfort-food stalwart, gets livened聽up with sweet potatoes, onions, and smoky, spicy chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.聽
The relentless search for snow on ChristmasA mom misses the frosty holidays of her youth and covers the miles, and the bed of her truck, to make snowy memories for her own sons.
'American Sniper' as taut as anything Clint Eastwood has ever directedBradley Cooper delivers a commendable performance as Chris Kyle, the most accomplished sniper in US military history, but the movie doesn't plumb Kyle's psychological state as much as it does the acuity of Kyle's marksmanship.
'Big Eyes' doesn't probe allure of the artWhen Margaret Keane (Amy Adams) finally challenges her husband Walter (Christoph Waltz), who claimed to have created her artwork, you feel like cheering, but the movie doesn't explore how art this banal captures us.
My floury legacy in AfghanistanAs NATO combat troops prepare to leave, I ponder my attempt to establish ... scones.
'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' animated special celebrates its fiftieth anniversary'Rudolph' first aired on television 50 years ago this month. The animated Rankin/Bass special tells the story of the title reindeer who is teased because he is different. However, when disaster strikes, the denizens of the North Pole soon discover that's not always a bad thing.
'Selma' shows Martin Luther King, Jr. was flawed, yet focusedThe film is more worthy than wonderful, but actor David Oyelowo's portrayal of King is the best thing about the movie.
Cranberry walnut breadCranberry and orange are the perfect Christmas combination. Bake this bread for a special Christmas morning treat, or to have on hand for extra holiday guests.聽
IKEA reminds parents to give kids their presence for ChristmasParents might think that their kids want only toys for Christmas, but a new IKEA ad shows the value of a parent's time above all other items on a wish list.聽
'Tis the season for mangling Christmas phrasesThe holiday season offers revelers countless opportunities to stumble over archaic English phrases, unlikely homonyms, and unexamined carol lyrics.
Orange sandwich cookiesTired of the old Christmas cookie classics? Brighten up the holidays with these orange sandwich cookies stuffed with an orange cream filling.
'Frozen': The top entertainment story of the year (again)'Frozen' has earned Disney more than $1.27 billion at the box office worldwide 鈥� the most successful animated movie of all time. Frozen opened in 2013, but according to an AP survey of editors, it was still the top entertainment story of 2014.
Violets for beginnersAfrican violets are beautiful, simple to care for, and now, much more diverse.