Cannes Lightning Round: Basterds Trickles Out 30 Seconds at a Time

· Almost a full day after Ann Curry supplanted Antichrist as the Croisette's must-see horror show, dispatches from Cannes continue to summon little interest in anything but Inglorious Basterds. Among them are a fistful of clips thrust forth by Harvey Weinstein and Quentin Tarantino like so many bloody Nazi scalps; you'll find three here, and a new one -- with Tarantino introduction direct from the Riviera -- after the jump.

· And while Movieline's own David Bourgeois seems to be on the same ambivalent critical page as most of his fellow festgoers, Harvey can always count on one reliable supporter to get his back when he needs it most. "It's the most ambitious American movie at this year's Cannes Film Festival and definitely the best in competition," wrote Roger Friedman, perhaps not realizing Basterds had a 50-50 chance at that distinction (at least) opposite the flat Taking Woodstock.

· Ryan Phillippe reportedly celebrated Abbie Cornish's stirring turn in Bright Star by partying with three blonds who weren't her. But NeYo chaperoned, so hey. Nothing to see here!

· IFC Films made the biggest acquisitions news of the fest twice today -- most importantly with Antichrist, and even before that with Ken Loach's competition title Looking for Eric. The distributor last worked with Loach on his 2006 Palme d'Or-winner The Wind That Shakes the Barley.

· But don't get your hopes up for anything else, writes Forbes, offering the festival's 1,000th reminder of how crappy the market is.

· Pedro Almodovar offers a new film essay from Cannes entitled "Declaration of Love." Sorry, Harvey -- no Basterds celebration here, either. But! As promised, spend a few minutes of your own with QT as his big Wednesday winds down [via Yahoo!:]