One down and one to go. I hope you folks have had a nice holiday so far. Laughcalvin is just recovering from a trip up the central coast of CA to Big Sur, home of the Henry Miller library and stunning scenery. And if you are into hiking and heavy drinking, I would advise choosing one at a time. Both can be arduous. Let's get to it.

- Manohla Dargis has a review of the English film "Notes on a Scandal" with Cate Blachette as a sexual predator and  the women who wants her, Julie Dench. So English.

- Michael Koresky reviews a film that should NOT get lost in the shuffle: Tom Tykwers's adation of Patrick Suskind's Perfume. It's better than Pan's Labyrinth, he writes.

- Sujewa has a list of DIY Distributed Film of 06 and those that were pretty close. Also what sounds like an excellent  free service for indie filmmakers,  My Movie Network.

- Salon's Stephanie Zacharek puts her finger on the real problem with list and entertainment in our lives in general: Not enough time.