I liked Ballet Russes a lot, and while I enjoyed all the political intrigue that always seems integral to any serious creative process, I certainly was not able to follow it all to the degree which Syd has. Syd, did you get all that history from your viewing, or have you supplemented it with outside sources?

I seem to be having an unofficial Nicolas Cage festival. Saw Knowing, this year's Cage science fiction epic, which is quite entertaining and suspenseful but pretty cheesy in general. I've neither read nor seen The Da Vinci Code, but Knowing seems to be similar. A bunch of random-seeming numbers are put into a time capsule in 1959 by a weird little girl with a blank stare. Fifty years later--i.e., now--the time capsule is opened up and bad things are predicted, a lot of which have already--gulp!--happened. What's next? That's Cage's puzzle. Bad things ensue. Close Encounters is referenced. Yawn, and occasionally shudder.

It's kind of fun without being in any way exceptional.

Btw, it's strongly reminiscent of the dreaded Signs, which I loved to distraction and which many, many (including many here) loathe. I didn't like Knowing as much, which may mean something or nothing, but it's similar. Both got four stars from Ebert.

Actually in all fairness the first half of Knowing might have been intriguing had it not been given away in the trailers. But once it hits about 1:20 it really jumps the shark. There were so many times I laughed out loud. But I can't say I wasn't warned. Thank goodness!

billy,

if you have the recently released NEAR DARK deluxe edition, there is a special documentary where all of the actors and Bigelow are interviewed on screen. You must see it.