Sarah Ball

  Ahh, commemorative tchotchkes.  So universally bad, and yet, so politically divisive.  As President Obama made himself at home last week (to a full fridge of Honest Tea, Black Forest Berry and Green Dragon flavors), he apparently said of a Bush-era decorative display, "I've got to do something about these plates.

Maybe you haven't seen the five Best Picture contenders, and maybe you don't want to.  Maybe you're also at ease in cufflinks, and know what a collateralized loan obligation is.  If any of those things are true, and you still feel like gambling on the events of Feb. 22, chances are you'll enjoy the Wall-Streetification of Oscar betting over at Intrade. (They'll probably yelp at our use of betting,  so to use their terms, it's "trading in the prediction market.") The thing that makes it...

In honor of our Q&A-ing perennial film spy Clive Owen--who outlines his spotted dick preferences for your perusal, here--we present a (mostly) informed, (kind of) strenuously assembled bracket of the top 16 spies ever on film. (Newsweek critics Marc Peyser, Devin Gordon, Jennie Yabroff, Mark Coatney, Ramin Setoodeh and Patrick Enright--hats off). Now, the power to advance winners to an Elite Eight round is up to YOU--as well as the criteria by which you do so.

More Miley Cyrus Photos Offending More People.  Michael Phelps, you had your day in the sun -- let's welcome back regular guest Miley Cyrus to the Embarrassing Internet Photos Hall of Fame.  This time, old Hannah Montana is using her fingers to slant her eyes while standing next to a young Asian guy, causing (justifiable) outrage from an Asian activist group as the photo makes the rounds online.  Ugh.  This is what happens when you raise a child in front of rolling film. [MTV]Al Pacino Gets...

  War, unemployment, 3D glasses -- and now, a spate of hats in high places.  Seriously, have we time-traveled back to 1954?  We owe the hat thing in part to Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the Kate Moss of modest attire, who put "pillbox" back in the lexicon when she donned Dior last March.

50 Years Since the Music Died.  Half a century ago to the day, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper died in an Iowa cornfield when their four-seat airplane crashed.  It was the day the music died -- until the Beatles came on the scene five years later.

Pure genius, video department: NEWSWEEK gives a red, white and blue makeover to "The City," the goes-down-easy MTV reality show about beautiful people taking over Gotham.  Follow Whitney Barack as he moves into sprawling new digs in Gramercy Northwest D.C, battles machinating socialites Republicans and plays host to a bitchin' gallery inaugural party in this installment of (girl-rock crescendo; pregnant pause)..."The District."UPDATE: Check back next Tuesday for an all-new episode!!

So, Six More Weeks Of Winter.  Surprise.  Not swayed by the local team's Super Bowl victory, the greater-Pittsburgh-area groundhog saw his shadow this morning -- meaning we're in store for more long winter weeks.  If you can't remember the last time he didn't see his shadow, you're not alone -- since 1887, he's predicted more winter on 97 occasions. [Associated Press] Nailbiter Game and Cheesy-Sweet Commercials Make for Super Sunday.  Super Bowl ads garner good reviews -- except for the...

Men of the world: Does this convince you?

This year's Super Bowl match-up has at least a few football fanatics disappointed.  But if the on-field sparring fails to capture your interest, there'll still be millions worth of ads to amuse.

NEWSWEEK International Editor Fareed Zakaria and "Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle chat about the Indian protests surrounding the Oscar-nominated film -- here's an excerpt: ZAKARIA: Do you think part of the resonance and appeal of the movie stems from people's fascination with India, and Mumbai in particular?BOYLE: I think so.

Despite Piven's Best Efforts, 'Speed-the-Plow' Will Break Even. The Broadway revival of the David Mamet play has recouped its $2.25 million in start-up costs -- something that looked unlikely with star Jeremy Piven's sudden sushi departure.  William H.

The Osmonds Are Going (Back) to Hollywood!  Two members of the Osmond family separately announced yesterday their intentions to appear on the two most popular reality shows in America.  Yesterday Donnie Osmond let slip on a daytime talkshow that he will head to "Dancing With The Stars."  And down at the Salt Lake City auditions for "American Idol," 29-year-old David Osmond -- son of original Osmond Alan -- wowed judges and got a ticket to Hollywood.  The younger member of the famous...

Who would YOU tap to play Barack Obama? The "real" roles of various Obama administration officials have barely been filled, and already we're determining who'd play their fictional counterparts.

At least five female friends have sent me today either this story from yesterday's New York Times, this direct blog link, or this spitting Gawker post about Dating A Banker Anonymous, a support group of distressed girlfriends-of-bankers who are finding their social calendars more Netflix-and-takeout-based than, say, tasting-menu-inclusive.  Here's how the recession affected one member:"[A]ll of a sudden, [my boyfriend] couldn't focus.

Read the below-reproduced statement from the AMPAS, announcing that the full four producers of "The Reader" -- rather than the customary three -- will be listed as the nominees in the Best Picture category.  Two of those producers -- Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack -- died during the post-production.  This is the second time in a week that "The Reader" is associated with upending Academy precedent; when Kate Winslet nabbed a surprise Best Actress nomination for her role in the film,...

Mickey Rourke: Life Imitates Art.  The star of "The Wrestler" may join the 25th anniversary of "Wrestlemania," or so he told Access hollywood on the red carpet at the SAG awards.  Reportedly, Rourke said, "The boys at WWF asked me to do it." [The Boston Herald]Daniel Craig Goes Dark.  The Bond actor will try his hand at a villain come 2011, when he'll play the evil seamen Red Rackham in "Tintin," the Spielberg-helmed Belgian comicbook adaptation (Peter Jackson will head up the sequel, and...

Another nugget from our chat with the Oscar-winning (and -nominated!) writer/director of "Wall-E," "Finding Nemo" and "A Bug's Life." He's been toiling away on his first live-action project -- "John Carter of Mars," about the Edgar Rice Borroughs character from his 20th-century novel series -- and he's given Pop Vox the scoop on how it's faring.  As of last week, he'd chatted with a half-dozen actors during pre-production; he'll finish up some visuals, solidify Draft No.

I love movie reviews -- which is why a key perk of my day is plopping down in any given Newsweek critic's office and getting the scoop on what's out. "Revolutionary Road: riff."  Their opinions almost never overlap ("Road" was, varyingly, "uggghhh-two-hours-of-fighting" and "mesmerizing"), but the lack of consensus only makes me want to see a film more.

SAG Awards!  The Screen Actors Guild rewarded the predictable (Tina Fey for "30 Rock," the first couple in "John Adams") but there were a few surprises: Sean Penn for "Milk" over Globe-winner Mickey Rourke, for example, or Meryl Streep for "Doubt" -- though, it is Meryl Streep.  She was shocked to win, and while showing off her black pants, said, "I didn't even buy a dress!"  The cast of "Slumdog Millionaire" took home the top cast prize.  Full list of winners here: [Associated Press]There...

We talked to 'Wall-E' director Andrew Stanton last week about his film and the increasing blurring of the line between animation and live-action movies -- plus, what makes the gun-wielding probe EVE a sleek, feminine mynx in WALL-E's eyes.  Excerpts: You talked about 'breaking the glass ceiling' in your speech after winning Best Picture from the L.A.

Movie About Gritty Boston Followed Up By Movie About Gritty London.  When "The Departed" scribe William Monahan makes his directorial debut, Colin Farrell and Keira Knightley will be on hand as the leads.  Monahan is helming a film adaptation of the Ken Bruen novel "London Boulevard," about a reformed Brit gangster and a young English actress.  Are they playing themselves? [Variety]Clooney, Scrub In!  Will he or won't he?  At this point, we're sick of guessing whether George Clooney is, in...

So, things looked grim for this season of "Grey's Anatomy" in the plausibility department when Sandra Oh was pierced in the gut by a falling icicle in the first episode.  And now, as of 8 minutes ago, McSteamy just broke his... er, yeah.  That.  Snapped by Meredith's younger sister in the saddle.  First there was jumping the shark.  Then nuking the fridge.  What could we delicately call this lowpoint??

So appropriate for today.  3:30 in -- but NSFW, be advised!

The Boss.  Wow.  After a supremely confident win at the Golden Globes, Bruce Springsteen and his Dylan-style troubadour theme from "The Wrestler" found themselves without an Academy nod.

Best PictureThe ReaderThe Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonFrost/NixonSlumdog MillionaireMilk Best ActorSean Penn (Milk)Richard Jenkins (The Visitor)Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)Brad Pitt (Benjamin Button)  Best ActressKate Winslet (The Reader)Melissa Leo (Frozen River)Angelina Jolie (The Changeling)Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)Meryl Streep (Doubt)  Best Supporting Actor Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)Josh Brolin (Milk)Michael Shannon (Revolutionary...

The last sleeveless, ivory, intricately appliqued frock seen on a First Family member? Jenna Bush Hager's wedding dress, by Oscar de la Renta.  The irony is that the 27-year-old twin chose de la Renta, a time-honored first-lady favorite and experienced inaugural gown maker -- while the first lady's gown was created by Jason Wu, age 26, who heard about Obama's choice while eating pizza with friends.  Overnight a household name, the New York-based Wu told US Weekly that he thought "white would...

So "Lost" is back for a fifth season of sermonizing on how you should perceive the afterlife--or numerology, or arctic wildlife migration patterns, or Evangeline Lilly's turquoise eyes, depending on how you interpret the teachings of the Church of J.J.

Michelle Obama's Hair Secrets to Get Their Own TV Show.  Johnny Wright, the First Lady's personal stylist, has inked a deal with reality show production company 44Blue.  The L.A.-based stylist has also styled Vivica A.

Television analysts are predicting today's inaugural speech and ceremony set a television ratings records -- at the very least, smashing the old most-watched-inauguration record that was set at Ronald Reagan's 1981 swearing-in.  That audience numbered nearly 42 million.  Guesses on how many people tuned in today?