Following its decision to pull "The Interview" from most theaters, Sony reached out to Apple to distribute the movie on iTunes, according to a report by The New York Times.

Apple said no.

It's unclear from the Times report if Apple didn't want to show the movie because of hacking concerns, but the story does mention that the quick time crunch might have been a factor. Sony also asked the White House to help it find alternative methods of distribution.

From the Times report:

It remained unclear, however, whether any on-demand service would take “The Interview.” According to people briefed on the matter, Sony had in recent days asked the White House for help in lining up a single technology partner — Apple, which operates iTunes — but the tech company was not interested, at least not on a speedy time table. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.

Even though the major movie theater chains won't show the movie, about 200 independent theaters in the US will show "The Interview" on Christmas Day. 

SEE ALSO: All the theaters showing "The Interview" on Christmas

Join the conversation about this story »

ABC's hit show "Shark Tank" has made its six investors some of the most recognizable businesspeople in North America.

As 2015 approaches, offering the chance to start fresh and tackle new projects, we asked the Sharks about their goals for the New Year.

Mark Cuban plans on playing more basketball.

The owner of the Dallas Mavericks says he wants to "get back on the court playing pickup three times a week."

Barbara Corcoran wants to make time for friends.

"I'm going to make sure I see one friend every week," she says. "See them — not text, not email. I've turned them into friendships of texting. My closest friends — and I only have like five close friends in my life — I don't see them nearly like I used to. So I'm going to pre-schedule one date with one friend every week."

Daymond John plans on hitting the slopes.

"New Year's Day is when I like to reset my 10 goals. Let me think of a fun one..." he says. "I'd like to start to snowboard more. I'd like to try to start to do the half pipe."

Sony will release "The Interview" online Wednesday, the company announced.

The movie will be available at 1 p.m. Eastern on YouTube, Google Play, and Xbox Video.

It'll cost $5.99 to rent or $14.99 to own.

Sony's own site, SeeTheInterview.com, will also have the movie. Online payments company Stripe will be handling the transactions for Sony's site.

Google Play is Google's online store for apps, music, movies, etc. It comes included with Android devices. It's also available on iPhone, iPad, Roku, Nexus TV, and Chromecast.

You can also get the movie on YouTube Movies, YouTube's site for buying or renting movies.

Xbox Video is available on Xbox video game consoles along with computers, tablets, and phones that that run Windows 8. You can also access Xbox Video on its website.

Over the last few days, Sony has reversed its position that the movie will not be shown.

Last week, it decided to pull the movie's premiere in theaters after the five largest theater chains said they wouldn't show it. Sony also implied it wouldn't release the movie online or through a video on demand service.

But on Friday, President Obama told reporters at a news conference that Sony made a "mistake" by caving to the demands of hackers. Also on Friday, the FBI formally blamed North Korea for backing the hacker group that forced Sony to initially pull "The Interview" from theaters. The movie portrays the assassination of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un.

Since then, Sony has reversed its position and decided to release the movie in about 300 independent movie theaters. Now, it'll be released online too.

Sony was also exploring other online distribution options. According to The New York Times, Sony asked the White House for help convincing Apple to release the movie on iTunes. Apple reportedly declined.

Variety reports that Netflix is in talks to stream "The Interview" too.

Here's the full statement from Sony:

Sony Pictures Entertainment announced that The Interview will be available online across the United States starting today, Christmas Eve.

As of 10:00 a.m. PST, the film will be available to rent in HD on Google Play, YouTube Movies, Microsoft’s Xbox Video and the dedicated website www.seetheinterview.com at a price of $5.99. The film can also be purchased in HD for $14.99.

“It has always been Sony’s intention to have a national platform on which to release this film,” said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Entertainment. “With that in mind, we reached out to Google, Microsoft and other partners last Wednesday, December 17th, when it became clear our initial release plans were not possible. We are pleased we can now join with our partners to offer the film nation-wide today.

“We never stopped pursuing as wide a release as possible for The Interview.  It was essential for our studio to release this movie, especially given the assault upon our business and our employees by those who wanted to stop free speech. We chose the path of digital distribution first so as to reach as many people as possible on opening day, and we continue to seek other partners and platforms to further expand the release.”

“I want to thank Google and Microsoft for helping make this a reality. This release represents our commitment to our filmmakers and free speech. While we couldn’t have predicted the road this movie traveled to get to this moment, I’m proud our fight was not for nothing and that cyber criminals were not able to silence us.

“No doubt the issues we have confronted these last few weeks will not end with this release, but we are gratified to have stood together and confident in our future. I want to thank everyone at Sony Pictures for their dedication and perseverance through what has been an extraordinary and difficult time.”

 Fans can watch The Interview on several platforms including:

Google Play: the movie is available to buy or rent at play.google.com, and can be watched in the Play Movies & TV app on Android and iOS phones or tablets, or streamed in the living room via Chromecast, Roku or the Nexus Player.

YouTube: the movie is available at youtube.com/movies and can be watched on the web, in the YouTube app, or on select living room devices like Chromecast, Apple TV, PlayStation and Xbox.

Microsoft’s Xbox Video: the movie is available to buy or rent on the Xbox Video app on Xbox One, Xbox 360, Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 and XboxVideo.com.

SeetheInterview.com: In addition, The Interview is available at the dedicated websitewww.seetheinterview.com, which is sponsored by Sony Pictures and powered by Kernel and with payments through Stripe, a secure payment platform.

In addition to Google Play, YouTube, Microsoft and www.seetheinterview.com, The Interview is also being released in more than 300 United States theaters on December 25th.

NOW WATCH: Sony's Full Trailer For 'The Interview'

Join the conversation about this story »

This year's box office was one of the worst in recent years.

A lack of really huge summer blockbusters resulted in the lowest domestic box-office since 2007. According to BoxOffice.com, this year's movies made an approximate total gross of $9.9 billion to date.

Superhero movies, family-friendly flicks, and high-profile book adaptations were big hits this year. Marvel did particularly well with several major releases. 

We know "Guardians of The Galaxy" was an unexpected summer blockbuster and that "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1" performed well, but which movie reigned supreme at the box office?

We've compiled the highest-grossing movies of 2014.*

*Grosses as of 12/24/14. We will continue to update this post accordingly.

15. "Lucy": $458.9 million

Studio: Universal
Release date: Jul. 25, 2014
Estimated budget: $40 million
Domestic gross:  $126.7 million

The critically divisive sci-fi indie starring Scarlett Johansson as a young woman who could unlock the full potential of the human brain exploded at the box office. It helped that the film made this out to be a female superhero movie starring a popular "Avengers" character. There’s been a lot of anticipation for Johansson to get her own spin-off Black Widow film. "Lucy" proved that even without the rest of the Avengers at her side, Johansson can bring in a large audience. After the film's success, both Warner Bros. and Marvel announced future female standalone movies.

(Source: Box Office Mojo)

14. "The LEGO Movie": $468.1 million

Studio: Warner Bros.
Release date: Feb. 7, 2014
Estimated budget: $60 million
Domestic gross: $257.8 million

"The LEGO Movie" debuted at number one on the box-office charts with a $69.1 million opening weekend, making for one of the biggest February openings ever.

The universal praise for the movie and a catchy theme song from the talented writer-director team of Christopher Miller and Phil Lord ("Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs," "21 Jump Street") helped prove everything about a LEGO movie is awesome. The film's combination of smart, subversive commentary about conformity, pop culture references and Easter eggs, along with top-notch voice talent (Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, and Elizabeth Banks) all made for an appealing movie for both kids and adults. Warner Bros. already has three sequels in the works including a Batman spin-off. 

With no Pixar film this year, "The LEGO Movie" has a good chance at taking home the Oscar for best-animated film. 

(Source: Box Office Mojo)

13. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles": $477.2 million

Studio: Paramount
Release date: Aug. 8, 2014
Estimated budget: $125 million
Domestic gross:  $191.2 million

Even though the movie was critically panned, it still managed to be a box-office success, showing nostalgia and sheer curiosity are powerful tools for bringing in audience members. The movie also starred Megan Fox.

"Ninja Turtles" debuted at number one opening weekend, knocking "Guardians Of The Galaxy" off its box-office throne with $65.6 million opening weekend. The film went on to be one of the highest-grossing movies of the summer. Paramount has no plans on retiring this franchise; it already has a sequel planned for June 2016.

(Source: Box Office Mojo)

Veteran actress Kim Dickens has taken the female lead in the The Walking Dead Companion Series: Cobalt.

She is known for her turns on the HBO drama Treme and FX's hit biker drama Sons of Anarchy, which just came to a close with its seventh season. She recently attracted attention as the police detective in this past fall's thriller Gone Girl.

Kim Dickens will play a guidance counselor who is in a relationship with a divorced teacher. A previous report calls the character Nancy Tompkins, but it is not known if that name has changed. She will have a dark past that comes back to haunt her. She also has two children from a previous marriage. Frank Dillane will play her son, a troubled teen with a drug problem named Nick Tompkins. And Alycia Debnam Carey is playing the daughter, Ashley, a mostly level-headed teenager whose ambition is in direct proportion to her older brother's failures.

Cliff Curtis will play Kim Dickens' love interest, a person trying to do right by everyone he loves. The show will serve as a prequel of sorts to The Walking Dead, explaining what happened at the start of the zombie outbreak. It will take place in Los Angeles, as opposed to The Walking Dead, which take place near Atlanta, Georgia.

Kim Dickens will next be seen taking on a key role in House of Cards Season 3. Her feature film work includes The Blind Side and the Footloose remake. The Walking Dead co-creator Robert Kirkman is writing the The Walking Dead Companion Series: Cobalt pilot script alongside Dave Erickson, with Erickson serving as the showrunner. The premiere does not have a set date at this time, but we can expect to see the spinoff in late 2015.

SEE ALSO: Why 'The Walking Dead' Changed An Iconic Line From The Season 4 Finale

Join the conversation about this story »

Microsoft and Sony announced on Wednesday that "The Interview" will be available via Microsoft's Xbox Video platform.

This means that anyone with an Xbox gaming console, Windows Phone, or Windows 8/8.1 computer or tablet will be able to watch the controversial film starting at 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

"A cyber-attack on anyone’s rights is a cyber-attack on everyone’s rights, and together we need to defend against it," Microsoft wrote in a statement on its official blog.

"After substantial thought, we decided to stand up with Sony and work with others to ensure that freedom of expression triumphs over cyber-terrorism."

The move comes just as Google announced that "The Interview" will be available via YouTube. Numerous theater chains, including Texas-based Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, have also announced that they will be showing the movie on Dec. 25.

Here's the full statement from Microsoft that we pulled from its blog:

Today, in partnership with Sony Pictures, we announced that Xbox Video customers would have access to either buy or watch the movie “The Interview” starting at 10 a.m. PT today. The movie will be available to our customers in the United States who have an Xbox console, a Windows Phone, or a PC or tablet running Windows 8 or 8.1.

As has been widely reported, Sony was the victim of a sophisticated cyber-attack with the intent of preventing the distribution of this film. Despite the effort to block this movie, it will now be shown in many theaters and will be available online. This is good news. A cyber-attack on anyone’s rights is a cyber-attack on everyone’s rights, and together we need to defend against it.

In the United States, freedom of expression is a fundamental principle that is protected by law. Our Constitution guarantees for each person the right to decide what books to read, what movies to watch, and even what games to play. In the 21st Century, there is no more important place for that right to be exercised than on the Internet. After substantial thought, we decided to stand up with Sony and work with others to ensure that freedom of expression triumphs over cyber-terrorism.

We of course appreciate that there are varied views regarding this film. That’s true of many works and many issues. We’re not endorsing this movie or any other. We are supporting the Constitutional right of free expression, and we hope that by acting together, we will help deter other attacks.

We’re glad our customers can make this choice, as can viewers on Google’s YouTube service and Google Play.

SEE ALSO: Google Explains Why It's Showing 'The Interview'

Join the conversation about this story »

The Interview was put back into theaters Tuesday, December 23 when Sony Pictures Entertainment announced a limited Christmas Day theatrical release for the comedy that provoked an international incident with North Korea and outrage over its cancelled release. 

The unusual release will give indie theaters a chance to debut the most talked-about movie in the country. 

Produced by Devan Joseph. Video courtesy of Associated Press.

Follow BI Video: On Twitter

Join the conversation about this story »

Now here’s an interesting partnership: Samsung and Sony are working together to create a new line of smart televisions that can play PlayStation games without an actual PlayStation console. Sony issued the press release Tuesday.

In the first half of 2015, Samsung’s smart TVs will be able to access Sony’s fledgling PlayStation Now service, which allows you to stream games right from the cloud without needing a console.

The only extra you’ll need to buy is a Sony DualShock controller.

Now before you get carried away and start thinking you can buy a TV instead of a PS4, this is far from a full PlayStation experience: It’s PlayStation Now, which is still in open beta, and to put it lightly, it’s not a service many are recommending.

First of all, keep in mind PlayStation Now is a streaming service, so you’ll need at least a 5Mbps internet connection to achieve what Sony considers “good performance.” Hopefully you don’t have too many other wireless devices in the house that are streaming video, because it might affect your gameplay.

Once you get past that small hurdle, PlayStation Now is also extremely limited in terms of games: The service only offers about 200 PlayStation 3 titles, and while Sony plans to offer PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 4 titles soon, there’s no announced dates for that yet. 

Lastly, and most important for consumers to know, is the fact that you’re still paying for this service, which is far from a bargain. You’re basically paying to rent certain games for a certain period of time — and as Kotaku points out, purchasing games over PlayStation Now is still currently more expensive than picking up those old games off the rack at a GameStop or Best Buy.

The bigger picture here is that Sony is willing to bring its services to other platforms and devices. But if you’re looking for a TV that currently offers the service, you don’t have to wait for Samsung’s 2015 models; Sony already sells a select line of Bravia TVs that currently support PlayStation Now.

SEE ALSO: Why Nintendo’s Next Console Needs A Great Controller

Join the conversation about this story »

Sony decided to release "The Interview" online Wednesday following its initial decision to pull the movie after threats from a hacker group.

You can also watch the movie in about 300 US theaters starting Christmas Day.

The hacker group, Guardians of Peace (GOP), was backed by North Korea, the FBI said on Friday. The movie depicts the assassination of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un.

So, what's all the fuss about? I rented "The Interview" on Google Play and watched the whole thing. Here's my quick take:

First of all, the movie is terrible. I wasn't expecting a masterpiece, but for a guy as funny as Seth Rogen, it's pretty bad. Lots of fart jokes and gratuitous swearing. You shouldn't feel some sort of nationalistic obligation to watch "The Interview." It's that bad.

But it's also easy to see why GOP and North Korea went to war against this movie. It paints Kim Jong Un as a childish playboy. He listens to Katy Perry. He dances with strippers. He's obsessed with margaritas and American culture.

He poops in his pants. 

Here's a breakdown of what I saw watching the movie. There are obviously a few spoilers, but I mostly stuck to the plot points that likely angered the GOP and North Korea.

We start with this modified Columbia Pictures logo. It gives the sense of an old propaganda film.

More propaganda-type stuff in the opening credits.

The first scene is this little girl in North Korea singing about how the country wants the US to explode in a ball of fiery hell.

NBC News Anchor Brian Williams has a cameo, with a report that North Korea built a new missile that can reach the US.

But while the rest of the world is freaking out, James Franco's character is interviewing Eminem about the lyrics in his latest song. This is mostly just exposition though.

Franco and Seth Rogen's characters are celebrating their 1,000th episode. The show mostly covers celebrity gossip though. Still, it's clear the two want to be hard-hitting journalists.

At the party, Rogen meets an old friend, a producer for 60 Minutes. The friend makes fun of Rogen for running a celebrity gossip show and not a serious news show.

There are a lot of cameos in this movie. Here's Rob Lowe.

Plot twist! A news report comes out that Kim Jong Un is a big fan of Franco's character's gossip show. Rogen and Franco see this as a chance to finally land a serious interview.

Rogen tries to call Kim Jong Un's office for an interview. Eventually they call back. But Rogen is drunk in a cab and does a really bad, offensive Asian accent.

Rogen goes to a secret location in China to meet with Kim Jong Un's representatives to set up the interview.

He finally meets them on a mountain in China. They set up the conditions for the interview.

Another cameo: Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Before the guys go to North Korea, this CIA agent shows up and asks them to assassinate Kim Jong Un.

The guys agree, and the CIA tells them that the assassination can't be tied to the US.

Things finally get interesting when they make it to North Korea. For example, Franco's characters asks if it's true everyone in the country is starving. Their chaperone drives them by a grocery store and a kid with a lollipop to prove them wrong.

There are a lot of silly hijinks and butt jokes after the guys get to North Korea. Almost an hour into the movie, we finally see Kim Jong Un. He comes off as a silly fanboy who has a crush on Franco's character. It's almost like watching a cartoon.

The two of them sit in a tank and listen to Katy Perry. Kim Jong Un acts like a teenage girl.

Then they hang out with a bunch of strippers.

But their friendship is short. Franco learns Kim Jong Un is a bad guy. And the grocery store he saw earlier was fake.

Finally, Franco interviews Kim Jong Un. Franco has a change of heart halfway through the interview and asks Un tough questions like why he can't feed his people and why he puts them in concentration camps. Un's people freak out and start attacking Rogen's character. There's a lot of over-the-top violence. The interview continues, but ends with Kim pooping in his pants.

A long action scene follows the interview. It ends with Kim Jong Un getting blown up in a helicopter. It's pretty graphic. Oh, and Katy Perry's "Firework" is playing as Kim dies.

SEE ALSO: How to watch "The Interview" online

Join the conversation about this story »

Christmas is one of the biggest movie days of the year.

This year, nine movies will come out on Dec. 25.

If you're heading to theaters, and aren't sure what to see, we've compiled which films are worth checking out and which you should wait for on DVD. 

1. Pass: "Unbroken"

What it's about: Based on a true life story, the World War II movie follows former track star Louis Zamperini (Jack O'Connell) as he spends over two years in Japanese prisoner of war camps after surviving a plane crash.

Why to see it: The survival story is Angelina Jolie's third time behind the director's chair with a script from the Oscar-winning team of Joel and Ethan Coen ("Fargo").

Why to pass: While the film covers a lot of ground, reviews suggest the movie doesn't completely capture the essence of Zamperini while shortchanging on a few significant scenes from Laura Hillenbrand's book of the same name.

The film failed to gain any big nods at the Golden Globes which doesn't bode well for the film at the Oscars.

2. Must See: "The Imitation Game"

What it's about: The World War II film follows mathematician Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) as he leads a secret team on a mission to crack a code that will allow the British to decipher secret German codes and help win the war. The film is getting its wide release on Christmas.

Why it's a must-see: See the film for Cumberbatch and co-star Keira Knightley alone. Both are masterful on screen. Cumberbatch has a knack for playing awkwardly humorous geniuses on screen.

The story of Turing and how he helped win the war was a long held government secret that took a tragic turn due to the mathematician's homosexuality which was illegal at the time. This part of the film feels slightly rushed through.

Both Cumberbatch and Knightley received Golden Globe nominations for their roles. Cumberbatch is almost certainly a lock for an Oscar nomination.

3. See: "Selma"

What it's about: The film follows Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) as he attempts to lead a voting march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.

Why to see it: Powerful and emotional, it's impossible to watch this film without thinking of the parallels between the protests today in light of the Eric Garner and Ferguson cases. David Oyelowo is the perfect embodiment of Dr. King.

One scene that sticks out in particular is a hard-to-watch portrayal of Bloody Sunday in which 600 marchers were brutally attacked.

As our reporter Brett Arnold points out in his review, it's an important film not only to see where we came from but to help show how much farther we need to go as a nation. 

4. For the family/musical lover: "Into the Woods"

What it's about: The adaptation of the book and musical of the same name follows a group of fairy-tale characters from "Cinderella," "Jack and the Beanstalk," "Rapunzel," and "Little Red Riding Hood" after a curse is placed upon a baker and his wife by an evil witch (Meryl Streep).

Why to see it: Anna Kendrick, Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, and more singing. Need we say more?

Disney not only has an all-star cast, but composer Stephen Sondheim, the lyricist behind plays including "West Side Story," "Sweeney Todd," and "Into the Woods."

5. Go out and find: "The Interview"

What it's about: When two journalists (Seth Rogen and James Franco) get invited to North Korea to interview dictator Kim Jong Un, the CIA asks the duo to assassinate the leader in a secret mission.

Why to see it: Sony announced Tuesday the controversial comedy will get a limited release Christmas Day in select theaters. The studio originally pulled the film's release after the five big US theater chains canceled screenings following threats to theaters showing the movie.

Although wildly inappropriate, the movie is hands-down one of the funniest films we've seen this year. 

You can view the theaters showing the film here.

The four other movies coming out Christmas Day:

6. "Big Eyes": Tim Burton's comedic drama based on the true-life story of artist Margaret Keane (Amy Adams) whose husband Walter (Christoph Waltz) started taking credit for her successful paintings of characters with big eyes. Both actors were nominated for Golden Globes. See it.

7. "The Gambler": Mark Wahlberg stars as a professor who has a double life as a gambler and gets involved with a student. Skip.

8. "American Sniper": Clint Eastwood's second film this year ("Jersey Boys") is based on the New York Times' best-seller of the same name starring Bradley Cooper as United States Navy SEAL Chris Kyle who was known as the deadliest sniper in US history. See it.

9. "Leviathan": The Russian drama is about a man fighting against a corrupt mayor to retain ownership of his property. The film is currently sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes with over 30 positive reviews.  The film won best screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival this year. A good alternative from the ordinary.

Other films to check out:

If you don't want to see any of those movies, here are a few recent releases you should consider seeing over the holidays.

"Top Five"

Release date: Dec. 12

Chris Rock's return to theaters is both funny and and an introspective look at fame. Rock plays Andre Allen, a washed-up actor known for a franchise in which he plays a cop in a bear suit called "Hammy the Bear." Years later, Allen tries to rejuvenate his career with a more serious role; however, most reporters just want to talk about his old franchise. In many ways, the film echoes this year's earlier film "Birdman," starring Michael Keaton but without the feeling of a dramatic one-shot. 

Fans hoping to see Kevin Hart, who has been a regular in promos for the film, will be disappointed by a short cameo from the comedian. However, there are a few other big cameos in the film to make up for it.

"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"

Release date: Dec. 17

The best of "The Hobbit" trilogy, director Peter Jackson's final installment takes us back to Middle Earth one last time to battle a dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) and a handful of armies who descend upon a mountain filled with treasure.

While not perfect, this is the movie with the majority of the action that fans have been waiting for through two other installments. The film is already performing very well overseas and should end up with one of the largest hauls at the box office this year by the end of its run.

"The Theory of Everything"

Release date: Nov. 7

Eddie Redmayne's magnificent portrayal of Stephen Hawking not only earned him a Golden Globes nomination, but also wowed Hawking himself. As a result, he allowed filmmakers to swap out a synthetic voice they created for Hawking's character with his own trademarked version.

Redmayne trained for four months to play the cosmologist, reading everything and watching every video he could find on the theoretical physicist. He also regularly worked with a choreographer and visited a neurology clinic where he spoke to patients. 

Not only does the film narrates Hawking's life, but also the hardships it brought upon his relationship with wife Jane, beautifully played by Felicity Jones.

"Inherent Vice"

Release date: Dec. 12 (limited). Wide release is Jan. 9

Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon reunite in a wacky detective tale where Larry "Doc" Sportello (Phoenix) investigates the disappearance of an ex girlfriend.

Based on the novel by Thomas Pynchon, our own Brett Arnold says the film is worth a watch for Phoenix's performance alone as a "pot-smoking hippie who obliviously stumbles from one major clue to the next."

Phoenix received a Golden Globe nod for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical.

SEE ALSO: 14 movies to see this winter

AND: These will be the 12 biggest movies of 2015

Join the conversation about this story »

In 1985, two British climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, became the first to ascend the west face of Siula Grande, a 21,000-foot peak in the Peruvian Andes.

What happened next is one of the most remarkable and inspiring survival stories ever. It's also an extraordinary example of self-reliance, decision-making under duress, and force of will.

One of the climbers, Joe Simpson, wrote a book about the experience called "Touching The Void." In 2003, the story was made into a movie directed by Kevin Macdonald. The movie was narrated by Simpson and Yates, with actors re-enacting the events in Peru and the Alps.

Using screenshots from the movie, I've told an abridged version of the story below. You can also buy the book or movie here, or watch the movie on Netflix.

The approach to Siula Grande is a two-day hike from the nearest road.

The climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, establish a base camp about 4-5 miles from the mountain. Then they set off...

The route to the mountain passes a glacial lake, followed by a long hike up a valley and over the glacier itself.

Today, Sony released "The Interview" in about 300 theaters in the US.

If I were you, I wouldn't go see it.

I rented the movie online yesterday, and wasted nearly two hours watching the movie just to see what all the fuss was about. I think I laughed twice, and both times were at the beginning when Eminem makes a cameo and comes out as gay. (He was really good by the way, very deadpan and totally aware of the gag.)

The rest of the movie stinks though. It's poorly written, childish, and predictable. Seth Rogen and James Franco use the c-word a lot. North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un poops in his pants. 

But that's not stopping people from showing up in droves to watch "The Interview" on Christmas Day.  That's not stopping members of Congress from trying to hold screenings in the Capitol. That's not stopping the local TV stations here in Houston (where I'm visiting my parents for the holiday) from running real-time polls asking viewers if they plan to see "The Interview" on Christmas day.

It seems to come from a sense of nationalism or patriotic duty. "North Korea hacked Sony, so we're going to show them by seeing the movie, no matter how bad it is," the sentiment goes.

But you don't have to see it. It's too late to prove a point to the hackers.

That's because Sony caved last week and canceled the premiere of "The Interview." It also declined to explore alternative methods of distribution either online or through video on demand services. It wasn't until President Obama told the world that Sony made a mistake that Sony began to change its tune and say it was looking into ways to release "The Interview."

The hackers or terrorists or cyber warriors or whatever you want to call them already won this round, and it's because Sony let them. It let them run Hollywood from the glow of their computer monitors and set a dangerous precedent: As long as you threaten to leak some embarrassing emails, you can make even the biggest corporations bend to your will.

Seeing "The Interview" this week doesn't make you a hero. It doesn't tally another win for America. It just means you wasted a few bucks and two hours of your life to see a bad movie.

See the "The Interview" because you want to see it. See it because you like Seth Rogen and James Franco comedies. See it because you need an excuse to get away from your family. But don't see it because you think it sends the hackers a message.

Sony already sent the message. And the message was: "We give up."

Join the conversation about this story »

Hackers don't take a holiday, it seems.

Hours after Microsoft’s Xbox Live went down Wednesday, Sony’s PlayStation Network went down, too.

These are two giant networks that console gamers access to play their games online. It's especially bad timing since a lot of people are probably getting new PlayStations and Xboxes for Christmas.

Since early Wednesday, the notorious hacker group“Lizard Squad” has claimed responsibility for taking down PlayStation Network on Twitter, saying it has downed both networks with denial of service attacks. That means the hacker group is flooding Sony and Microsoft's servers with bogus traffic.

Lizard Squad has been tweeting about these outages incessantly, boosting its number of Twitter followers by promising to restore the downed game networks if people favorite and retweet their messages a certain number of times.

As of Thursday afternoon, very little new is happening. It's an endless cycle: Lizard Squad claims it is DDoSing Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, it asks for retweets and favorites on Twitter to put the services back online, and those networks come back up for air only to get attacked again.

Sony’s “AskPlayStation” Twitter account has acknowledged the service issue, but has not stated whether or not it’s the result of a DDoS attack. Sony later tweeted that service was returning to normal, but we're still seeing a lot of complaints on Twitter. Xbox Live is still down.

Meanwhile, another hacker gang called “The Finest Squad” had apparently exposed several Lizard Squad identities online, and it also learned that Lizard was taking the big game networks using denial of service attacks. 

 “Lizard Squad” issued a threat last week saying it would take down the PlayStation and Xbox Live networks over Christmas.

NOW WATCH: Why 32 Million People Are Obsessed With 'PewDiePie' — The Biggest Star On YouTube

SEE ALSO: Notorious Hacker Gang ‘Lizard Squad’ May Have Taken Down Xbox Live

SEE ALSO: How A Hacker Gang Literally Saved Christmas For Video Game Players Everywhere

Join the conversation about this story »

Adam Savage, co-host of the popular "MythBusters" television show, soured on the plot of "Interstellar". But when it comes to the newest films in the Star Wars franchise, he has nothing but high hopes.

Produced by Justin Gmoser

Follow BI Video: On Facebook 

Join the conversation about this story »

Astrophysicist and StarTalk Radio host Neil deGrasse Tyson saw 'Interstellar' and then came by Business Insider to explain what the ending means – and if it's scientifically sound.

Produced by Will Wei. Additional camera by Devan Joseph.

StarTalk Radio is a podcast and radio program hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, where comic co-hosts, guest celebrities, and scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Follow StarTalk Radio on Twitter, and watch StarTalk Radio "Behind the Scenes" on YouTube.

Follow BI Video:On Facebook

Join the conversation about this story »

Xbox Live and PlayStation Network are still down, as of Friday.

Both game networks have been experiencing regular outages since Wednesday.

And during this 48-hour period, the hacker gang “Lizard Squad” has been tweeting incessantly, announcing every time one of the networks goes down and asking for Twitter follows, favorites, and retweets to restore service. In fact, one Lizard Squad Twitter account has grown from under 30,000 followers on Wednesday to more than 150,000 followers on Friday.

Lizard Squad is apparently launching massive distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks that overload the servers with bogus requests. 

Sony and Microsoft have both been very responsive on Twitter, but they’ve only mentioned “network issues.” They have not confirmed that these outages are the result of DDoS attacks, online or to Business Insider.

A separate hacker group, called “The Finest Squad,” is trying to offset these attacks by DDoSing Lizard Squad’s own servers to stop these attacks at the source. But The Finest Squad has also complained that Sony and Microsoft aren’t doing enough to protect their own servers. 

Sony and Microsoft are scrambling to protect their networks from these constant attacks — but it sounds like both networks need a security upgrade.  In an interview with WinBeta, Lizard Squad said Microsoft has “almost nothing” in terms of security, and even though Sony apparently upgraded its security recently, it only took “a bit of time to work around.” 

We’re continuing to reach out to Sony and Microsoft and we’ll update this story when we hear back.

SEE ALSO: Why Hacker Gang 'Lizard Squad' Took Down Xbox Live And PlayStation Network

SEE ALSO: PlayStation Network And Xbox Live Are Down, And The Notorious Hacker Gang 'Lizard Squad' Is Taking Credit

SEE ALSO: How A Hacker Gang Literally Saved Christmas For Video Game Players Everywhere

Join the conversation about this story »

"The Theory of Everything" had a $15 million production budget, but has gone on to earn over $23 million worldwide since its November release.

The film — about the relationship between the famous physicist Stephen Hawking and his wife — is also already getting Oscar buzz.

Much of the film's success is due to its lead actor, Eddie Redmayne, who landed the coveted role of Hawking in the love story biopic.

But getting into character wasn't exactly easy for the 32-year-old "Les Misérables" and "My Week With Marilyn" actor.

Redmayne spent four months studying Hawking’s life, which he recently explained to Variety was "a process that required so much research, it was like writing a doctoral dissertation."

Since the role called for Redmayne to portray the now 72-year-old Hawking at different ages of his life and stages of his motor neurone disease, the actor watched every single documentary and YouTube video he could find on the man.

“I tried to read literally everything I could get my hands on,” Redmayne told Variety. “It became hilarious, because I would get 40 pages in, and I was like — ‘Eddie, none of these words make any sense to you.’ ” So the actor began to work with a physics teacher at Imperial College London who was able to explain things more simply.

Redmayne also worked with a choreographer, Alexandra Reynolds, for four hours a day. “We put what we knew into picking up a pen, drinking, walking, existing,” Reynolds told Variety, adding that she would film the young actor on an iPad and they would then study the footage.

To better understand Hawking's paralyzing motor neuron disease, Redmayne visited a neurology clinic in London every two weeks, where he spoke with over 30 patients. 

Redmayne compiled his findings on a sheet of paper he carried with him everywhere during shooting. “It was like the Magna Carta,” the film’s director, James Marsh, told Variety. “It became the most important document beyond the script.

Redmayne's physical transformation became more intense when he played Hawking during the later years of his life.

Marsh said that Redmayne was "really suffering, but he never complained" when he was forced to sit in a wheelchair for hours with his legs crossed and his head tipped over, in a position that made it harder for him to breathe. 

Large prosthetic ears were used to make Redmayne appear smaller and older.

"When we wanted to get him thinner and smaller, do you know what we did?" revealed screenwriter Anthony McCarten. “You make the ears bigger and the whole body seems smaller.”

Redmayne took every detail seriously, down to his fingernails.

"I learned when he [Hawking] was 21 he decided to grow his nails as an act of defiance," Redmayne told E! Online, adding that he kept his nails long throughout filming despite "only one shot in the film where you see the nails."

Ultimately, the intense mental and physical preparations paid off for Redmayne.

After Hawking first screened the movie, he was moved to tears.

Watch "The Theory of Everything" trailer below:

Read Variety's full interview with Eddie Redmayne here >

SEE ALSO: Stephen Hawking Gave Filmmakers A Priceless Gift After Watching The New Movie About His Life

MORE: Here's How Jake Gyllenhaal Lost 20 Pounds For His New Movie 'Nightcrawler'

Join the conversation about this story »

Seth Rogen's latest comedy, "The Interview," was released online on Dec. 24 — and in about 331 independent theaters nationwide on Christmas Day.

It reportedly raked in $1 million in box office sales for Sony.

That's about $3,000 per theater, a decent opening day turnout. A number of theaters reported sold-out showings.

The $1 million estimate does not include online rentals and purchases of the movie, which cost $5.99 and $14.99 respectively. "The Interview" remains the top rental on both YouTube and Google Play.

"I think it will do even better online," says CNN's Brian Stelter, who estimates "many millions more" in sales via users who access the movie via Wi-Fi. Stelter points out that if just 1 million people rent the flick online, Sony will earn an additional $6 million. The movie was illegally downloaded 750,000 times yesterday, according to TorrentFreak.

Sony hasn't announced online sales, and it's possible it never will. While you can't see how many people have actually watched "The Interview" on YouTube, the flick has more than 110,000 upvotes on the platform and about 20,000 downvotes.

Join the conversation about this story »

Kim Dotcom, an internet entrepreneur who became famous after authorities raided his New Zealand mansion in 2012 for running a file-sharing site called MegaUpload, attempted to restore service to Sony and Microsoft's online gaming networks Thursday night — by bargaining with the hacker collective allegedly attacking the networks.

Sony's PlayStation Network and Microsoft's Xbox Live service have been down for over a day. A hacker group called "Lizard Squad" has claimed responsibility for the attack. Lizard Squad is supposedly flooding Sony and Microsoft's servers with bogus traffic in what's called a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack.

Kim Dotcom tweeted he'd give members of Lizard Squad a free premium subscription to his new encrypted file-sharing service MegaPrivacy if they agreed to end the DDoS attacks. The tactic worked, but only for a few hours.

Here's how it all went down:

On Thursday night, Dotcom tweeted that he would give a free lifetime premium subscription to MegaPrivacy to members of Lizard Squad if they agreed to stop the attack.

Lizard Squad agreed.

Kim Dotcom then boasted he ended the attacks in a series of tweets.

But a few hours later, Lizard Squad was back at it. Both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network are still down as of Friday morning.

SEE ALSO: Why Lizard Squad keeps attacking Microsoft and Sony

Join the conversation about this story »

Valve is one of the world's greatest computer game developers, making groundbreaking titles like "Half-Life," "Portal," and "Left 4 Dead."  

It also runs Steam, the hyper-successful software distribution platform.

As a private company, Valve doesn't disclose financials. But in a 2011 Fortune profile, founder Gabe Newell said that Valve was "tremendously profitable," with estimated revenues in the hundreds of millions of dollars. 

In fact, he claimed that Valve is more profitable per employee than Apple or Google. 

The key, of course, is the employees themselves. 

The increasingly famous Valve handbook for new employees says that since Valve has a non-hierarchical or "flat" structure, "adding a great person can create value across the whole company," while "missing out on hiring that great person is likely the most expensive kind of mistake we can make." 

What makes for a great Valve employee? 

They're "T-shaped." As in: 

The handbook defines T-shaped employees as: 

People who are both generalists (highly skilled at a broad set of valuable things — the top of the T) and also experts (among the best in their field within a narrow discipline — the vertical leg of the T). This recipe is important for success at Valve.

If either side of the T is missing, then a candidate won't make it at Valve. 

"An expert who is too narrow has difficulty collaborating," the handbook states, while "a generalist who doesn't go deep enough in a single area ends up on the margins, not really contributing as an individual." 

As we've talked about before, having that combination of a special skillset and broad interests is a surefire way to become super impressive. 

SEE ALSO: 9 Proven Ways To Get People To Take You Seriously

Join the conversation about this story »