“The Fourth Kind” may not be a particularly good movie, but its fact-based packaging (which is, again, total bollocks) has sparked some conversation, and put the alien-abduction genre back in play.

Ever the opportunist, I made it the subject of my latest MSN Movies gallery … and yeah, I know, it’s all the usual suspects, but in my defense there just aren’t that many alien-abduction movies.

If you’re in a more serious mood, I’ve also got a piece up on the NOW site about Cinematheque’s essay-film series, which is screening some very rare titles over the next few weeks.

Sure, you could pick up the Criterion DVDs of “Sans Soleil”, “Night and Fog” and “F for Fake” — come to think of it, why don’t you? — but good luck finding “Je Tu Il Elle” or “Letter to Jane” on this side of the Atlantic. Best to see ’em with a crowd.