When the MPAA relented a while back and changed its absurd NC-17 rating for "Blue Valentine" to an R, it looked like the insidious studio self-regulating group might be trying to reform. But never underestimate the power of studio greed, cowardice, and hypocrisy when it comes to covering its assets and infantilizing mainstream commercial movie-making.

The opening Best Picture montage bit in the 83rd Oscars Broadcast, satirically visiting each Best Picture nominee within an "Inception" framework, almost had me thinking that they'd pull it off, with James Franco and Anne Hathaway filling the roles of genial, energetic, funny, hip hosts without the squirmy mordant edge of Ricky Gervais.

The turmoil in Egypt dominates the news from the Middle East, overshadowing the recent oppressive measures imposed by the Iranian despots. Apparently in an attempt to stifle any anti-regime resistance inspired by the events in Cairo, the Tehran government has hanged at least 73 people in recent weeks, many of them political prisoners.