Wow. I have been almost afraid to watch this story play out. Too much heartbreak for me already this year, just couldn't allow myself to get too emotionally invested and watch these freedom fighters get crushed.

Sure was hoping, though. The idea that ordinary men and women can demand democracy in a country that routinely laughs at the idea, and then pour into the streets and make it true . . .

I'm tempeted to say that idea sends shivers down my spine, because that's literally what happened the past few weeks, same as it happened in Russia for Yeltsin and Romania when they drove out Ceausescu, and in a somewhat different manner, in Berlin, when they busted down that wall.

But it's a lot more than tingling going on, even for a person like me, thousands of miles away and not directly affected by any of it. I am indirectly affected. Profoundly. Of all the intellectual experiences I am aware of, these distant street surges have been the most powerful. They give me hope that I live in a glorious time. The possibilities seem endless. People do have the power to overcome. To be heard. To dispense with tyrants who assume they're above us. Anything is possible.

Now I'm still willing to be we're not completely out of the woods on this ordeal, nor especially has democracy been firmly ensconced in this country.

But it's a pretty dramatic win for the good guys. (I try to avoid that good-guys terminology, as it nearly always merely equates to "my guys," but now and then, it hard to argue with.)

From AP:

The sometimes goofy National Board of Review named their top films, etc. this week.

Finding Neverland took first place. Interesting choice. Been looking forward to that one. Kind of odd choices for actors, based on what I've read: Jamie Foxx for"Ray," and Annette Bening for "Being Julia." Biopic impersonataion? OK, maybe. And that other film . . . well, haven't seen either, so can't say much, but my instincts advise me not to spend time on either.

And I did see the artistically bankrupt Vera Drake, and they kind of discredit themselves by including that piece of garbage in the top ten. (No, really, they're crazy, not me. heeheehee. Followup from me here.)

Hennyway, here's their top ten, in order: in order: "Finding Neverland," "The Aviator," "Closer," "Million Dollar Baby," "Sideways," "Kinsey," "Vera Drake," "Ray," "Collateral" and "Hotel Rwanda."

 Maybe not a bad starting place for a list of films to consider, though it looks kinda cheesy to me, this year. And film critics getting hoodwinked by vacuous pretenders like Vera kind of dims my hope for mankind.

And only a screenwriting award for my fave of the year by far, so far, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. What an amazing fillum. And of course not a mention for my #2 pic, A Home at the End of the World. Your day will come, Colin.

I usually find the Spirit Awards to be a much better bet for great pix. They released nominations this week. From AP:

"Sideways" led contenders this week for the Independent Spirit Awards with six nominations, including best film, lead actor for Paul Giamatti and director for Alexander Payne.

"Maria Full of Grace" was second with five nominations for the awards, which honor movies whose financing comes at least partly from independent sources outside the Hollywood studio system.

The drug-running drama "Maria Full of Grace" joined "Sideways" in the best film category, along with "Baadasssss!," Mario Van Peebles' re-creation of father Melvin's struggle to make the 1970s black-power flick "Sweet Sweetback's Baad Asssss Song"; "Kinsey," a film biography of sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, with Liam Neeson in the title role; and "Primer," a twisting techno-thriller that won the top dramatic honor at last winter's Sundance Film Festival.