From Maid to Manhattan to this I saw the new film, Spider, from the strange yet compelling David Cronenberg last night, with Cronenberg giving a Q&A afterwards. He's very smart and funny, two important qualities in a director. He was talking about his technique and then confessed "I only get to say this now in hindsight - I don't know what I'm doing while I'm filming." Yes, charming is another important quality, though not necessary - just critical if one wants to get the film financed. He seems a little unhinged too, or at least enough to write Dead Ringers among other things and put the fear of gynecologists into many women. Anyway, he also praised Patrick McGrath's screenplay from McGrath's own book because there's "no direct translation for books to screen." Which makes sense and is probably why I hated The Hours - too literal a translation. Anyway, Spider itself subtly sucks you into the main character's fevered mind. Ralph Fiennes does a fine job playing insane and Miranda Richardson needs more high-profile gigs - she's too good not to be seen more.