We've laid down our lorgnette, poured ourselves a fresh cordial, and sauntered from the eyrie from which we've been viewing the continuing unraveling of our government via the Bush Borg. We had a good reason for abandoning the most balefully entrancing spectacle in post-millennial America — it was time for a new issue of Bright Lights. Now it's your turn to pick up the lorgnette, and there's plenty to see this time around.

In the features foyer, you'll espy a pair of in-depth pieces sure to distract you from the dust of a culture in collapse: Julian Upton's detailed, simpatico profile of Richard Pryor's tragic last years, and David Pike's exhaustive tour of Canadian cinema and its cultural identity in the shadow of its 50-Foot-Woman-like southern neighbor.

A peep into the articles antechamber presents further diversions for those who wisely prefer cinema's confections to reality's "fresh hells." Lesley Chow riffs dazzlingly on Kirsten Dunst, fashion, and Coppola's Marie Antoinette. Robert Castle offers new insights on Hitchcock's much-maligned "mothers." Erich Kuersten deftly unearths the curious subtexts in Hawks' underrated Man's Favorite Sport? New contributor James Corbett nails Tron as an allegory of American triumphalism in the face of an Olympic defeat. And Dave Saunders performs his subtle sleight-of-hand on everything from Pasolini to Turtles Can Fly to the Wife of Bath.

For those who can't resist the here and now (however much they might ultimately prefer the there and then), there's a wealth of new reviews to ponder. Alan "Leo" Vanneman as always takes the lion's share. This issue he waxes witty on Blades of Glory, Breach, Colour Me Kubrick, Letters from Iwo Jima, Music and Lyrics, and the cheesy thrills of Magnum P.I. Anya Meskin joins AV in "the moment" by taking Black Snake Moan to task, while newbie Charles Lord finds much to love in Casino Royale. Ian Johnston presents sensitive readings of The Free Will and Time of the Wolf, and Tony Macklin explains Zodiac as a brilliant policier.

Watching the body politic on life support inspired us to publish two fascinating articles on the failures (and fetishized pleasures) of the human body as seen in cinema: Jesse Stommel's revisiting of some "body horror" classics and Amy Nolan's deep sea dive into American Psycho and its singular take on flesh.

In the interrogation alcove, two of cinema's great subversives, Roger Corman and Ken Loach, speak, thanks to the artful proddings of, respectively, Damien Love and Damon Smith. Meanwhile, Bright Lights bows to the romantic past with Dan Callahan's thoughtful tribute to the unmatchable Jean Arthur; and Gordon Thomas's cruise into the roiling waters of Louise Brooks, G. W. Pabst, and Pandora's Box. Gordon has also kindly rounded up a number of worthy films on DVD in his continuing "Bright Sights" column. In the documentary dormer, Megan Ratner handily probes the failures of the (idealized) family in her review of 51 Birch Street. And Bob Keser and Karin Badt get the goods on, respectively, Chicago's EU Fest and Thessaloniki's Documentary Fest in the film festivals flying buttress.

Did we forget anything? No? Then it's back to the eyrie to observe the continuing carnage. Igor — a drink!