In (Envious) Praise of Australia

Tomorrow, I'll be back on my usual beat, joining the party for another Supporting Actress Smackdown over at StinkyLulu's, and shortly afterward spilling the beans about a major surprise in my filmgoing routine. Consider, for now, that one of these things is true — which do you think it is?:

• Oscar nom be damned, Days of Glory confuses itself into a failing grade
  
• Everything works in Enchanted except Amy Adams' ballyhooed performance
  
• Grbavica: The Land of My Dreams, now on DVD, trumps all comers as the year's best film
  
• I'm Not There reveals itself as an interesting but maddening letdown
  
• The Mist sets a new bar as the best movie of the holiday season

I'm not telling, but I'll fess up soon enough.

Meanwhile, however, the news from the real world is simply too good to ignore. Read this and tell me if you can even imagine the day when an American politician will commemorate a moment of victory with such a cascade of progressive priorities, responding to climate change, refusing the war, insisting on the maintenance of national education and health care for all. The grass looks extremely green from this barren side of the fence, and I'm sure it's all more complicated and ambiguous than it looks, but THREE CHEERS TO AUSTRALIA! May you set the standard for more of the world's democracies! (Stale Popcorn is celebrating in his new digs, with beautiful art on the walls... go drop by and share in the Aussie joy of it all.)