The News:

Vanity Fair may have canceled its Oscar party, but odds for an real Oscars ceremony are looking pretty good now that striking writers will have a chance to look at a new contract tomorrow. More at Deadline Hollywood Daily, where Nikki Finke cautions us from getting too excited.

Opening this week:

In On Screen this week: The feature film debut of playwright Martin McDonagh, In Bruges (Brendan Kiley: “The comparisons to Tarantino are finally apt—In Bruges has cocaine, a dwarf, and exciting chase scenes and, despite its shortcomings, it is still smarter and richer than any gangster film you’re likely to see), the fantastic 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (me: “Ultimately, this film isn’t about abortion, any more than Juno was. It’s about ethics; and it is riveting”), the documentary The Rape of Europa (Jen Graves: It’s “the Nuremberg trials for what might be considered the misdemeanors of the Nazi regime: the theft and destruction of art and monuments across Europe”), Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show (David Schmader: “Vaughn surfs through the proceedings on a wave of self-regard that’s baffling”), and Fool’s Gold (Bradley Steinbacher: It’s “Romancing the Stone minus wit, intelligence, and, well, romance”).

Plus, lots of limited runs. A Black History Month screening of Charles Burnett’s Killer of Sheep at SAM tonight, a few more New Wave Finnish films at Northwest Film Forum, the SIFF alum The Violin also at NWFF, the “pierogi Western” Summer Love at Grand Illusion, a comedy video festival at Rendezvous, and the excellent torture doc Taxi to the Dark Side (by Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room director Alex Gibney) at the Varsity. Looking ahead to next week: Northwest Film Forum has Cool Hand Luke and Bullitt, Kenyon Hall in West Seattle has a 16mm double feature, and Cinerama has the opening night movie at Amnesty International’s Seattle Human Rights Film Festival, New Year Baby. Enjoy.