All in the Foreplay

Even though I didn't much care for the movies I saw yesterday, the afternoon was unexpectedly redeemed by some very curious events that took place before the movies started but after the lights went down:

* For the first time in history, I actually enjoyed the winner of the latest Coca-Cola New Filmmaker's Award—scroll down to "The Line Starts Here" by Matthew Pope. Savor its easy, funny, unassuming superiority to last year's winner, guaranteed to provoke insulin shock. (I haven't watched any of the runners-up yet, but now I'm unexpectedly moved to do so.)

* That horrible Gap ad where customers turn into vigilantes and ransack the store, however absorbing as a form of cultural Tourette's—do chain stores really acknowledge the kinds of revulsion they inspire?—was, after weeks and weeks, gone.

* The trailer for Rumor Has It, a movie whose Graduate-derived premise has always sounded strained to me, and whose Christmastime release has inspired 0% anticipation, completely turned me around. Yeah, Mark Ruffalo is again playing the incredulous and oft-abused straight man in a romantic comedy, but Jennifer Aniston was remarkably fun and inviting, Kevin Costner and Shirley MacLaine seem to be keeping their 2005 hot streaks alive, and need I add... Kathy Bates doing comedy. Huzzah!

* Speaking of trailers, even having seen it at least 12 times now, I still want The New World the way dead people want life, the way Oprah wants world dominion. I want it bad. Surely that Cinematography Oscar is all sewn up? Vivat, vivat, Emmanuel!