The New York Film Critics Circle met yesterday to vote on their “Best of” list for 2007; widely viewed as a barometer for the upcoming Academy Awards, the critics pride themselves as “a principled alternative to the Oscars, honoring esthetic merit in a forum that is immune to commercial and political pressures.” But if one anonymous member is to be believed, the meeting sounds more like a “principled” excuse for an Aint It Cool News-style......

A look at some noteworthy programs this week: Mystery: Foyle’s War: Invasion (Sunday, 9:00 p.m., WNET 13, Tuesday, 9:00 p.m., WLIW 21) The fourth series of this great British World War II period mystery drama makes its way to this side of the pond. The first of four episodes has Detective Foyle and his team investigation a murder on an American base. The 4400 (Sunday, 9:00 p.m., USA) This sci-fi series about people who were......

SIGNING: Child Magazine honored Julie Andrews with a Lifetime Achievement Award at their 6th Annual Best Children's Book Awards. Today you can meet her and other winning authors at a celebratory book signing. 5 to 6:30pm // Books of Wonder [18 W 18th St] // Free MOVIE: Screening Liberally is showing Hannibal Rising tonight (prior to its release). The movie brings us to Hannibal Lecter's formative years, during World War II at the medieval castle......

It seems lately that Canadian director Guy Maddin is determined to bring new meaning to the term "prolific." His second feature release for the year, Cowards Bend The Knee is now playing at the Film Forum through August 24. His earlier movie this year The Saddest Music in the World received much critical acclaim and he's the youngest recipient of the Telluride Film Festival's Lifetime Achievement Award. Maddin does this amazing thing wherein he takes......

Peter Rojas...

Hmm. "Chicago" director Rob Marshall won Directors Guild of America award for best direction of a film. Considering that Martin Scorsese, Oscar frontrunner, was scheduled to get the booby prize - a "Lifetime Achievement Award" - the site's press photo of Marty makes him look sad - maybe the DGA wanted to share the wealth. Who knows, it's not like any of this matters, as previously discussed on Gothamist. In great news, Bryan Gordon won......