Arts & Culture

Oedipus the King has been considered a masterpiece for two and a half millennia. No less a luminary than Aristotle called it the ideal tragedy. But today’s readers are often disturbed by its apparent injustice. How is it fair that the gods consign Oedipus—a genuine hero who strives to avoid committing the sins for which he is damned—to such an awful fate?

Margaret Thatcher is one of the most controversial figures in modern history. Some consider her to have been a cruel, heartless villain who destroyed jobs and livelihoods, whereas others revere her as a valiant defender of liberty and the free market who saved her country’s economy.

If we want a color-blind and merit-based classical music industry, then merit is the only thing we should consider. Such an industry would enable musicians to thrive and foster a culture in which they can create and perform the best quality music.

Wonder Woman 1984 is a dark film that reflects writer/director Patty Jenkins’s sense of life and her confusions concerning morality and capitalism.

If you have a youthful soul or are a parent looking for the rare story that shows that heroism is not inborn or altruistic but the result of one’s choices and rational values, Hercules belongs on your watchlist.

If you want to have a good time, meet interesting people, and learn powerful practices for flourishing, then I highly recommend TOS-Con.

For those wanting to see the epitome of determination and willpower in action, few stories provide such a visceral experience as The Revenant.

I love the holiday vibe during the few weeks before Christmas: the fir-scented candles, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra holiday music, Christmas lights, hot chocolate, and ads. Wait, what? Yes . . . advertisements.

Chernobyl explores the reasons for a monumental catastrophe and illustrates how it was magnified by the evasion and denial of those in charge.

As mental health issues abound in America and beyond, this Academy Award-winning film remains as relevant today as it was when released forty years ago.