Salon Conversations

Daddy on board

Today's fathers spend more time with their children than ever. One of them talks about why that's a good thing

By Katharine Mieszkowski Jun 20, 2009

Defusing bombs at 115 degrees

Action queen Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal talk about "The Hurt Locker," their pulse-elevating Iraq drama

By Andrew O'Hehir June 26, 2009
Why we can't eat just one

We do it for the buzz. Like drug addicts. How do we stop the constant craving?

By Katharine Mieszkowski June 18, 2009
Behind the food industry's iron curtain

Michael Pollan and director Robert Kenner talk about "Food, Inc.," the movie agribusiness doesn't want you to see.

By Andrew O'Hehir June 12, 2009
The dark side of the moon

Sam Rockwell and Duncan Jones talk about their new space movie and the pleasures of 1970s science fiction films.

By Caitlin Shamberg June 11, 2009

Climbing out of a midlife crisis

How couch potato Mark Obmascik changed his life, and his body, summiting dozens of Colorado mountains in one summer

By Katharine Mieszkowski May 25, 2009
Steven Soderbergh and Sasha Grey deliver "The Girlfriend Experience"

The indie film legend talks about his latest experiment: Casting a real-life porn star as a high-class call girl

By Andrew O'Hehir May 22, 2009
The virginity fetish

Why is our culture so obsessed with girls' chastity? Author Jessica Valenti talks about how purity balls and "barely legal" porn both feed the same idea: That a woman's worth is between her legs.

By Tracy Clark-Flory May 16, 2009
Inventing a family

French director Olivier Assayas talks about the temporary intimacy of filmmaking and his new movie, "Summer Hours."

By Stephanie Zacharek May 15, 2009
Behind Washington's closet door

Closeted gay politicians like you-know-who and hm-hm aren't just personally screwed-up, says filmmaker Kirby Dick. They're hopelessly distorting democracy.

By Andrew O'Hehir May 7, 2009
Stop worrying about your children!

Kids today are just as safe as they were in the '70s, says "Free-Range Kids" author Lenore Skenazy, and what's really distressing is an alarmist culture that refuses to let them grow up.

By Katharine Mieszkowski May 4, 2009
Rorschach "Rachel"

An Israeli film explores the ambiguous death of Rachel Corrie, peacenik angel to some and "terrorist-loving swine" to others.

By Andrew O'Hehir May 3, 2009
Jim Jarmusch takes control

The independent film icon talks about making a ravishing action movie with no action -- and why he'll never direct a Hollywood blockbuster.

By Andrew O'Hehir April 30, 2009
Don't have a cow!

Famous animal lover Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, the author of "The Face on Your Plate," talks about why you should consider giving up the burgers -- and the fromage.

By Katharine Mieszkowski April 18, 2009
What you never knew about Columbine

As a Salon reporter, Dave Cullen exploded myths about the tragic school shooting, now the subject of his new book. He talks about what the media bungled -- and what still surprises him.

By Joan Walsh April 6, 2009
"Sugar": Best baseball movie ever

OK, so the bar is pretty low. But this moving Dominican-American odyssey (from the makers of "Half Nelson") casts new light on the national pastime.

By Andrew O'Hehir April 3, 2009
"The Real World's" Ryan speaks

As he prepares to return to Iraq, the MTV reality show star discusses how it feels to be redeployed -- and to learn about it on camera.

By Caitlin Shamberg April 1, 2009
Isabella Rossellini gets it on with sea animals

The actress discusses "Green Porno," the online series in which she has sex (yes, sex) with bugs and barnacles.

By Katie Rolnick April 1, 2009
The genius of Yogi Berra

Biographer Allen Barra talks about his new book, in which the lovable, quotable old catcher comes off as intelligent, shrewd and decent.

By King Kaufman March 25, 2009
Death hops a Mexican freight train

Director Cary Fukunaga talks about his debut film, "Sin Nombre," a crackling blend of crime thriller and docu-realism that dazzled Sundance audiences.

By Andrew O'Hehir March 19, 2009
"I rode the train with immigrants"

Andrew O'Hehir interviews director Cary Fukunaga about the making of his first feature, "Sin Nombre."

March 19, 2009
Truth vs. power, 40 years later

Costa-Gavras talks about "Z," the electrifying Cold War political thriller that unmasked the Greek dictatorship, and shaped movie history.

By Andrew O'Hehir March 13, 2009
Tracy Ringolsby on the death of his newspaper

The Hall of Fame baseball writer quickly fires up a blog in the wake of the Rocky Mountain News' demise. "I never felt the Internet was a threat."

By King Kaufman March 13, 2009
Costa-Gavras on "Z"

Andrew O'Hehir talks to the director about his classic political thriller and whether it would be possible to make the movie today.

March 13, 2009
"Every role I take, I take because I'm not sure I can do it"

Ex-pirate lass and Austen heroine Keira Knightley talks about the Dylan Thomas three-way at the heart of her steamy new wartime drama, "The Edge of Love."

By Andrew O'Hehir March 12, 2009