I've been a terrible host this week, and I apologize.

Blogging is a very different discipline than just running a website or editing part of a website or even writing a column.  Blogging is a marathon of marathons, and it requires a constant pace, something I'm not used to maintaining.  That's not an excuse or even an explanation... just an observation.  I'm still learning how to keep that rhythm going, and as long as you guys are willing to indulge me a few stumbles, I think I've got it in me to get good at this.

It's been a week of heavy embargoes, so I find myself looking at playing catch-up as I put all of this week's screenings on the back-burner as far as writing about them right now.  We'll be able to discuss some of them soon enough, and until then, there's plenty of other stuff happening.  In fact, skipping Thursday means we've got an almost ridiculous amount of material out there worth digging into, so let's get right to it.

[more after the jump]

First, have you checked out Harry's set report on "Inglourious Basterds" yet?  I know people who give Harry a hard time over strangled syntax or his own personal brand of punctuation, but honestly... you're missing the point.  Harry remains one of the most engaging guys writing about the process of film, as a head-over-heels enthusiast, who is writing anywhere right now.  A copy editor would only serve to set that enthusiasm at a remove, and that wouldn't serve anyone.  Harry's the only press who was allowed anywhere near that set, and the fact that he was there for the totally insane climax of the film makes this a must-read.  Personally, I am getting ready to tune out all the whiny "waaaaaaaaah, Tarantino's over" fanboys out there.  I love that Tarantino isn't remaking Enzo's original "Inglorious Bastards."  Instead, he's remaking WWII itself, and this time, it's gonna end the right way.  It sounds like ridiculous fun.

Have you seen the trailer yet for "Tales Of The Black Freighter"?  I would imagine that to the uninitiated, this is just plain confusing.  "What the hell does a cartoon about pirates have to do with a superhero movie?"  I'm dying to see this one on BluRay and also check out the "Under The Hood" documentary that's on the same disc.  The ephemera is what distinguishes "Watchmen" from almost anything else, and it's encouraging to see just how deep all this stuff goes.  Of course, I'm sure there will be plenty of people just rarin' to fill their diapers over this nitpick or that, but I guess I just don't have the energy to complain about whatever hairsplitting mundanity has Planet Nerd up in arms when I see a trailer this groovy.

After reading that insane list of possible Cannes titles that Jeff Wells posted this morning, I am officially depressed that I do not have the money to go to Cannes.  I'm sure the south of France in May is lovely, but who gives a shit?  I'd just want to mainline that incredible line-up, one movie after another.  There's no other festival in the world with a powerhouse schedule like that this year.  And then "Basterds" on top of everything else?  Fuggetaboutit.

Jeff (and everyone else on the web) also ran the new "Taking Of Pelham 123" trailer.  I talked with someone at Sundance who had seen the film, and they thought it was a very solid, clean Tony Scott thriller with some very good performances.  It's a decent trailer.  I still don't see the point, though.  The original rules.  See that one.

There's a fantastic one-hour interview with Mickey Rourke that's been posted on the Charlie Rose website.  Not only was "The Wrestler" my favorite film last year, the entire story of Rourke's resurrection is my favorite entertainment story of the moment.  For anyone who was a fan of Mickey Rourke, Round One, it is a remarkable thing to see him come roaring back to life, and to see the public embrace him again.  It makes me happy in the simplest of ways.

Scott Foundas writes from the Berlin Film Festival with an interesting piece on how an edited cut of the new Tommy Lee Jones movie "In The Electric Mist" ended up being what we're going to see here in America.  I think I've got a DVD of this one coming to me soon, and I found the article quite illuminating.

Hammer's making a play for a comeback right now.  But what about Amicus?

Oh, Art Of The Title, you rascals... posting "Lolita" as your Valentine's entry.

My buddy Scott was here the other day, looking at my copy of the Cinefex that covers "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button."  As he realized just how much of Benjamin's performance was completely CGI, he couldn't believe it.  It would appear to me that Benjamin crossed the Uncanny Valley and is climbing out the other side right now.  Now there's an official website dedicated to explaining exactly how that worked.  It's a fantastic site, both in layout and content, and I'd advise anyone who is remotely interested in the film's groundbreaking FX work to check it out and spend some time with it.

Peter over at /film has been on top of all the new Scott Pilgrim photos that Edgar Wright's been posting, and so far, I love the cast.  Ellen Wong and Mary Elizabeth Winstead look perfect.  In fact, I can't believe that's Winstead.  She just looks like Ramona Flowers now.  And Satya Bhabha looks pretty great, too.  Overall, I'm getting the feeling Edgar is going to deliver something really wonderful with "Scott Pilgrim," and I can't wait.

The biggest rumor AICN ran this week has to do with the possibility of a Wachowski-helmed "Superman" trilogy.  Considering how much of "Matrix: Reloaded" already plays like a Superman film, it's an interesting rumor.  But for now... that's all it is... a rumor.

I love how cranky Glenn Kenny's gotten these days.  Ever since he left "Premiere," he's loosened up, and his already-great writing has gotten better.  And nothing makes me laugh harder than when he struggles to suffer fools and fails.

On the other hand, Roger Ebert seems to be getting more and more mellow, even when writing about something he's as passionate about as evolution.  And his reader's comments are exceptional, one of the best commenting communities online.

Kim Morgan, the Joan Jett of LA film writers, has prepared a special look back at "Harold and Maude" for Valentine's Day, and if you needed proof that her site is worth a bookmark, this would be it.

And finally, if you're in LA right now and you want something to do this rainy weekend that's special, I've got the perfect suggestion.  This gallery exhibition is for one of the best designers of film poster art in Hollywood, and it should be an amazing treat for fans.  I'm definitely going... I just haven't worked out when yet.

Have a great weekend, folks, and I'll see you back here for the Morning Read on Monday, and with various treats all weekend long.

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