After avoiding it scrupulously for months, as is my custom, I was finally faced with the trailer for David Fincher’s “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” when I paid good money to see “Immortals” last night. (More on that later.) Though the film looks as dourly impressive as I’d expect, any number of reasons why it doesn’t look like a major Oscar play ran through my head: too cool, too hot, too genre, too done. One I didn’t think of was “too much anal rape,” but Fincher himself offers that as a strike against its Academy Award chances in this chat with EW. He’s willing to campaign, but the overall impression you get is of a man who really doesn’t give a shit. And cheers for that. [Entertainment Weekly] 

Scott Feinberg offers his latest Oscar forecast, and seems to think “Margin Call” is primed to receive three Best Supporting Actor nominations. Okay. [The Race]

Margaret Thatcher will not be watching “The Iron Lady.” (Word has it she thought “Mamma Mia!” was poorly constructed.) [The Telegraph]

With Brad Pitt conveniently announcing his retirement plans just in time for his Oscar campaign, Julie Miller implores him not to. [Moveline]

Anthony Kaufman on the challenges of marketing arthouse wolves like “Drive” in multiplex-friendly sheep’s clothing. [indieWIRE]

Introducing Vanity Fair’s new film critic: five-time Oscar nominee Paul Mazursky. He helpfully tells us to see “J. Edgar” because it’s “made by serious people.” [Vanity Fair]

Dennis Lim talks to Paddy Considine, Olivia Colman and Peter Mullan about the work on the harrowing British indie “Tyrannosaur.” [New York Times]

Werner Herzog talks capital punishment, woodland creatures and his acclaimed new documentary “Into the Abyss.” [The Odds]

Anne Thompson interviews “Albert Nobbs” star Janet McTeer, who it seems to me keeps getting better notices than the film’s much-buzzed leading lady. [Thompson on Hollywood]

Finally, as a helpful distraction from the here and now of awards season, The Guardian is live-streaming perhaps the greatest of all cinematic trilogies. [The Guardian]