Another week down at Movieline HQ, your redoubtable nexus for cultural heroism big and small. Revelations and reputations were made within these pages, bringing smiles to our faces and warmth to our hearts. Except for the Scientologists among us, I suppose -- you'll rebound next week, though. Reflect with us after the jump, and have a great Halloween weekend!
· Kenny Ortega's "honor project This Is It" finally arrived in theaters, spurring feverish first impressions of Michael Jackson's farewell and an FAQ for the doubting moviegoer.
· Scientology had a bit of a rough time, with Paul Haggis making a very public departure and while Kirstie Alley and embattled church spokesman Tommy Davis were left with the mess.
· Peter Graves, Jared and Jerusha Hess, Lawrence Bender, Troy Duffy, Cougar Town's Dan Byrd, Cold Case subject Fred Dekker and My Favorite Scene contributor Mike White all paid us a visit.
· Top Chef guest judge Natalie Portman didn't let us down, and even if she had, we'll have a year with the Voltaggio Brothers to help make things right.
· Just when David Cross's Obama-coke challenge signaled that the world might be ending, Microsoft helped correct things by pulling out of Seth MacFarlane's variety show. Then a celeb swine-flu epidemic screwed everything up again.
· Gabourey Sidibe shimmied and shook her way to the front-runner spot in the Best Actress Oscar race and our hearts.
· Project Runway, The Hills and a turbulent week of Mad Men all were recapped.
· Paranormal Activity co-stars Micah Sloat and Katie Featherston talked to us from their perch in the box-office stratosphere.
· Lists! Lists! Lists! How about the nine most cringe-inducing programs on basic cable? Or five implications of the Fantastic Mr. Fox Happy Meal? Or five wonderfully horrible TV-to-video game adaptations?
· Green Zone, Invictus, and Avatar all withstood the Two-Minute Verdict.
· Our Man in London, Alex Godfrey, made his sterling Movieline debut. Tally ho, bitches!