•  Gregg Kilday catches up with the notion that voters might cling to something up-beat in the midst of 2007's downer slate.  Ya think? [The Hollywood Reporter]

•  Anthony Breznican talks to Best Actor hopeful John Cusack about the failure of war films this year and his role in the upcoming "Grace is Gone." [USA Today]

•  David Halbfinger reports that "'The Kite Runner' boys are safely out of Kabul." [New York Times]

•  Who says the "Atonement" campaign is quiet?  Mark Salisbury talks to star James McAvoy. [Los Angeles Times]

•  So does Tom O'Neil. [Gold Derby]

•  Ramin Setoodeh, meanwhile, chats with Keira Knightly. [The Gold Digger]

•  And Sasha Stone counts herself a fan, says the tables are finally turned with a man being "the object of lust and desire."  Easy, now... [Awards Daily]

•  David Carr attends the New York premiere of "The Golden Compass." [The Carpetbagger]

•  David Poland reviews "Sweeney Todd" again. [Movie City News]

•  Nathaniel Rogers sits down with the great Max von Sydow, who's working it hard for "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly." [The Film Experience]

•  New York Magazine points out dire box office potential found in Variety's recent revelations. [Vulture]

•  Peter Knegt smacks down a recent Hollywood Reporter story announcing the year of the independents. [indieWIRE]

•  Lou Lumenick rocks out a list of the year's 25 best.  Whatever happened to top TEN lists? [New York Post]

•  Scott Feinberg talks to "La Vie en Rose" star Marion Cotillard. [And the Winner Is...]