This week’s announcement of the Oscar nominations means Hollywood is less interested in opening new movies than in expanding the runs of the nominees, and films expected to be nominated. Thus, “The Dark Knight” returns to IMAX venues, and “Slumdog Millionaire” becomes inescapable. And as for the extra screens for “Revolutionary Road” and “Rachel Getting Married” … well, oops.

If I were you, and I lived in Toronto, I’d hie me down to the Cinematheque and check out the Terence Davies retrospective that’s starting tonight, framed around a limited run of his excellent documentary “Of Time and the City”. I cover it all at length in this week’s NOW. (Have I mentioned how much I love having a job that lets me spend 600 words discussing the films of Terence Davies? Because I do, I really do.)

And there’s new stuff, too:

“Examined Life”: Consisting of seven monologues (and one conversation) from nine philosophers, social theorists and political scientists, Astra Taylor’s DV feature is a cross between a documentary and a symposium — uneven and long-winded, but when it hits on a good idea, it’s mesmerizing. And she shot most of it in my favorite parts of New York, so points for that. Jason and Susan felt about the same way.

“Inkheart”: Brendan Fraser does the fantasy thing again as a family man cursed with the power to … bring whatever he reads aloud to life? Wait, that can’t be right. Can it? It sounds awfully weird. Apparently it’s based on a children’s book. Anyway, Andrew liked it.

“Underworld: Rise of the Lycans”: Neither director Len Wiseman nor slinky star Kate Beckinsale could be coaxed back for this third go-round, but that’s okay: It’s a prequel, so they can concentrate on the backstory between Bill Nighy and Michael Sheen! No press screenings, so I’m catching it this afternoon.

“Welcome to the Sticks”: Dany Boon’s city-souris/country-souris comedy is apparently the most successful French film ever … though Barrett found it to be a the kind of cultural work that doesn’t really translate.

That’s plenty for today; check back tomorrow for more on the Oscars, if you can stand it!