Kate Winslet - goddess

I must say that I agree with Dana Stevens:

For Kate Winslet is indeed a goddess, one whose special power is to descend among us in manifold human forms. Even in this hopelessly silly role—half dominatrix, half victim, devoid of legible motivation—she finds moments of truth. (On a bike excursion with Michael, you can see Hanna trying, and failing, to rediscover her carefree prewar self.) Yes, Kate is grubbing for an Oscar this year with the near-simultaneous release of two Important Dramas (this and Revolutionary Road). But she may be the finest actress of her generation, and (unlike her only real competitor, the other Cate) she's also a five-time nominee who's never won. I say give her the gold guy already, Academy, if it means so much to her. Maybe it will free her up to stop acting in movies like this.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Via Kieran Healy:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies -- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies features the original text of Jane Austen's beloved novel with all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie action. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield as Elizabeth wages war against hordes of flesh-eating undead. Complete with 20 illustrations in the style of C. E. Brock (the original illustrator of Pride and Prejudice), this insanely funny expanded edition will introduce Jane Austen's classic novel to new legions of fans. [Link]

Jamie Bell is Tintin - and other assorted things

I have to say that the news that Jamie Bell has been selected to give voice (and movements) to Tintin in the new Spielberg-directed movie is oddly heartening. For some reason, I can almost picture Bell as Tintin, with the tuft of hair and all.

The article had one other surprise for me:

The Secret of the Unicorn is the most popular of the 24 Tintin books written by Georges Remi, the Belgian cartoonist who wrote under the name Hergé. It is the first of a two-part story written in 1943 that concerns the clashes between Sir Francis Haddock, Captain Haddock’s ancestor, and Red Rackham, a seaman of low moral fibre.

I did not know that! My own favorite has always been the Land of Black Gold -- although Unicorn and Red Rackham's Treasure are both very good. Does anyone has any theories about why Unicorn is the most popular of the Tintin books?

And when I clicked over to imdb, I found that Steven Moffat (writer and creator of Coupling, as good a farce as they come) is the screenwriter (note the "the", he's not one of the screenwriters, he's the sole screenwriter!). Interesting! I'm not sure what this means really but just putting it out there.