If you want to see Munich, read no further.

I think Ms. Zacharek's review is somewhat harsh. I understand completely the impulse to be harsh with Spielberg - he has been infuriating in the past, but lately I think he's really been cutting down on the schmalz, and in "Munich", he's done many things right, regardless of the movies few missteps.

Outside of the subject matter, Speilberg has revived what is best about spy movies; he has returned the focus to the paranoia and pervasive sense of danger that made movies like "3 Days of the Falcon" and the early James Bond movies so good. What made these movies compelling was not good vs. evil with gadgets and babes, but a main character who is utterly exposed, and who does not know where the nest threat will come from. It's really rare to see a spy movie that treats the audience as adults.

"Munich" is not meant to be just a thriller; I think Speilberg does a good job throughout addressing the consequences of the agent's actions - 3 of them are killed, Avner himself becomes into a paranoid wreck and a virtual exile, and Speilberg balances the action with a naturalistic and unflinching look at physical violence. In this case, I think that Speilberg is really using his skill at pushing the audience's buttons to good effect.

Finally, I certainly wouldn't recommend that someone who lost a loved one in the Munich kidnapping run out and see this movie. But where do we draw the line? Does this mean that no-one should make a movie about a traumatic event that might adversely affect someone who experienced it? Ms. Zacharek might suggest that Speilberg tone it down, but I think that would erase the point of the movie. "Munich" is not only about the Isreali-Palestinian conflict, at it's core, it's about murder, and the consequences of murder. Speilberg goes somewhat easy on Avner, but I think he makes his point.

You know what, anonymous? Get over it. You and everybody else like you. We live in the richest country in the world, and we live in one of the safest countries in the world. Furthermore, in the past 50 years or so, we have experienced historically unprecedented levels of material comfort and safety. So enough already. The 9/11 attacks were really bad, and shocking, and scary. But. It is time to start acting like adults again. She's his half-neice, for Christ's sake, born and raised in America, and trying to be a pop star, no less. I sure as hell don't know all my half-neices, and I wouldn't expect them to be arrested if I knocked over a 7-11. So drop it. Relax. Get a grip on yourself. Stop acting like every tiny action by every person or organiation in the world has an enormous effect on terrorism. As Ms. Dafour says in the article you probably didn't read “At the end of the day, I believe that the American people understand things and they have compassion and they see what’s fair,” she says. “They’re very fair, and that’s why I love America, and that’s why my mom loves America.” Start acting fair.

...not to click links for mail order bride outfits while I'm at work. Mainly because I can't jump into a shower and cleanse off the pathetic.

Earlier in this coloumn, an article from "Dear Abby" was mentioned where part of the advice was something to the effect that there are worse things thing being single. I think mail order brides and husbands definitely fall into that category.

...the similarities between these hardcore animal activists and hardcore anti-abortionists? The articale says this of Jerry Vlasic; "...he implied that he wouldn't mind if a few vivisectionists got knocked off, considering how many animals would be saved." Just replace "vivisectionists" with abortion doctors and and "animals" with babies, and you have a quote fit for the mouth of Terry Randall (who, incidentally, has logged a few hours behind a bullhorn himself).

Most people do not consider animals or foeti to have the same rights as people. Try to imagine a casual opponent of abortion simply flipping a coin when asked to sacrafice either a two month old foetus or her 6 year old son because they are equally human, or a vegetarian forsaking life-saving medication because it was tested on animals.

On a more practical plane, the anti-abortionists have proven themselves a greater terrorist threat; they have actually attacked abortion clinics and killed the people working there. The protestations of the SHAC are disingenious at best, and animal activists who threaten people and vandalize property should be prosecuted, but to call them a serious terrorist threat is hyperbole.