Welcome to our 61st issue. Is it really 61? Or are we dreaming? Perhaps we are. It wouldn't be the first time. We had this crazy dream awhile back that a fratboy sociopath would be elected president, that we'd invade and occupy (oh, and destroy) Iraq, that we'd dump habeas corpus and the 4th Amendment and start waterboarding prisoners. Thank god it was all a dream.

And speaking of dreams, we at Bright Lights are happy to do our part to keep you in the Land of Nod, metaphorically speaking. That's the best place to be these days. Remember, when you're reading Bright Lights, you're not worrying about those little irritants like fascist takeovers that happen in the so-called real world. So bolt the door, don your glad rags, snatch a smart cocktail, repeat your mantra ("Fuck it!") a few times, and get cozy with the sparkly new bauble that is Bright Lights 61!

The features foyer gets things going with two ambitious entries: Joseph Aisenberg waxing eloquent on Kubrick and Burgess and A Clockwork Orange, and new contributor Noah Berlatsky offering a heady analysis of women-in-prison films. In the articles antechamber, our beloved Dave Saunders riffs on Misery and more. Newbie Jay Poole happily excavates the queer elements of Psycho, and another recent émigré, Jon Lanthier, uses Pickup on South Street and dame-slapping as a springboard for a brilliant, wide-ranging discussion of cultural and cinematic motifs.

Two films get the VIP treatment this time with two articles each. BL warhorse Alan Vanneman (whose blog you should be reading daily) gives Iron Man the once-over, while BL virgin Cristobal Giraldez Catalan uncovers those wacky racist and hegemonic impulses in this inexplicably popular film. And since it's the 40th anniversary of Faces, John Cassavetes gets a double nod with fine tributes to that film (by new arrival Ara Corbett) and to The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (by Jason Mark Scott).

Four recent films got our writers' blood pumping this time, with Alan Jacobson feting Across the Universe; Damon Smith alternately cheering and booing Boarding Gate; newbie Daniel Hui taking on Haneke's Funny Games; and Ian Johnston happily visiting Wonderful Town.

We at Bright Lights pride ourselves on our inability to shut up, which reaches Tourette's-like levels in this issue's interrogation alcove. You'll thrill as Damon Smith accosts Larry Clark; Karin Luisa Badt detains Terence Davies; new writer Matthew Sorrento nails Stuart Gordon; Damien Love waylays Alejandro Jodorowsky; and Tony Macklin buttonholes James Caan.

The revival room is also a veritable beehive. Erich Kuersten, one of our busiest bloggers, puts his gimlet eye on Barton Fink and Blade Runner. Robert Ecksel checks out the unfortunately timely A Face in the Crowd. A new denizen of this space, Imogen Sara Smith, offers fresh takes on Force of Evil and The Lusty Men.

Festival fans should find much to love in Megan Ratner's survey of the 2008 Tribeca fest, while Gordon Thomas weighs in with his always exciting survey of some recent DVD releases. Yours truly turns his nose or thumb up on some recent queer TV and cinema, and old-school fans of "books" can catch our recent revival of book reviews with Matt Sorrento's discussion of Harlan Ellison's Watching. Who says we're in a post-literate society? Don't answer.

To the BL stalwarts contributing their time and talent to this issue, loving thanks. To the gifted new writers this issue, a hearty welcome. To our beloved readers, sweet dreams. You'll need them.