- The lovely NYTS wordsmith Mahnola Dargis run downs the New York Film Fest and Ang Lee's Lust, Caution. Her colleague AO Scott reviews Darjeeling.

- Yes, you're right. TV stars are paid an ungodly amount of $$$$$$$$$$$$.

- Scott Weinberg of Cinematical checks in with a kick-ass review of PT Anderson's There Will Be Blood: "Easily one of the year's best films (so far), There Will Be Blood presents a side of Paul Thomas Anderson that we haven't really seen yet -- but it's proof positive that he's still one of the finest directors out there right now. You probably won't believe that this film came from the same man who directed (the awesome) Boogie Nights, and I mean that as a big compliment. It's just that different -- and just that damned good." Can't wait.

- Finally, Steven Boone on The Kingdom for The House Next Door : The Kingdom is a two-faced liar. It promotes the idea of bloody American exceptionalism in the same breath that it sings We Are the World. Just like those CNN reports that show U.S. soldiers high-fiving Iraqi kids while giving out candy, it uses sentimental music and editorial sleight of hand to insist that whatever our servicepeople and intelligence agents do Over There, they do it with love." Ouch.