Kathryn Bigelow

Credit: AP Photo/Stuart Ramson

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Kathryn Bigelow has long made it clear that she's not a filmmaker who particularly likes to speak for her own work, preferring to let her films do that on her own. She maintained that taciturnity through the early stages of the torture debate around "Zero Dark Thirty," but evidently felt it's escalated to a point where a lengthier response is warranted. Writing a guest column in the LA Times, the Oscar-winning director states: "I do wonder if some of the sentiments alternately expressed about the film might be more appropriately directed at those who instituted and ordered these U.S. policies, as opposed to a motion picture that brings the story to the screen. Those of us who work in the arts know that depiction is not endorsement ... On a practical and political level, it does seem illogical to me to make a case against torture by ignoring or denying the role it played in U.S. counter-terrorism policy and practices." [LA Times]   

Good news for discerning film fans: Bob Berney is relaunching Picturehouse, the specialist distribution company behind such films as "Pan's Labyrinth" and "La Vie en Rose" that followed in 2008. [Hollywood Reporter]

J. Bryan Lowder listens closely to Thomas Newman's score for "Skyfall," and concludes that it deserves the Oscar. [Slate]

David Cox wonders whether Quentin Tarantino, in "Django Unchained," has stripped the n-word of its power. [The Guardian]

Speaking of "Django," Benjamin Wright talks to Fred Raskin, the editor tasked with pulling this sprawling work into some sort of shape. [Slant]

Sasha Stone states why she believes "Lincoln" -- "a film about ideas" -- deserves the Academy's vote. [Awards Daily]

From "Silver Linings Playbook" to "Take This Waltz" to "Anna Karenina," Michael Cusumano reflects on the best dance scenes in film last year. [The Film Experience]

The good news: a new release date has been set for Alfonso Cuaron's long-delayed, long-awaited "Gravity." The bad news: you'lle have to wait until October 4. [Cinema Blend]

Kirk Douglas will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Publicists' Guild next month. [Variety]

Finally, in case you weren't aware, Sundance is a'comin'. We're all heading over there, so here are my, Kris's and the HitFix team's top festival picks. [HitFix]

Guy Lodge
Critic

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Guy Lodge is a South African-born critic and sometime screenwriter. In addition to his work at In Contention, he is a freelance contributor to Variety, Time Out, Empire and The Guardian. He lives well beyond his means in London.