Philip Pullman and ‘The Golden Compass’ movie, opening Dec. 7, are sparking sharp emotions from both friends and foes of his fantasy trilogy. To many Christians, the story is an anti-religious fable aimed at instilling atheism in children, while the book’s many dedicated fans see a rich epic filled with spiritually meaningful themes. But whether…

When I ask Laura Linney if getting the green light for a movie set extensively in nursing homes was easy, she leans forward and lets out a loud, disbelieving “God no!” She’s meeting with journalists at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Boston, and she follows with a qualifier. “It’s the dreaded topic,” the actress says.…

Ah, the holidays, time for family feasts, parties, and rock-radio countdowns of the greatest songs of all time. At Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, classic-rock stations traditionally turn to these listener-driven stunts (“You picked ’em, we’re playing ‘em”) to salvage some ratings oomph while their audience is distracted by football and family lore. More traditionally…

While adults on TV seem to be romancing each other with nary a kiss, high schoolers on the other hand, are hopping into bed left and right on the CW’s new smash hit “Gossip Girl.” Oh, and doing burlesque night club strip teases. And having sex in limos. And having more in the back room…

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