The big reveal of the weekend was Ben Stiller’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” which was unveiled at the New York Film Festival to a mixed reception. Audiences seemed to respond to the whimsical romantic fantasy; perhaps unsurprisingly, critics were, on balance, a little cooler. David Hudson, as usual, does a good job of rounding up reactions to the film so far, which include warm (if not ecstatic) reviews from the trades, while the likes of IndieWire, Slant and Film.com are less convinced. (HitFix’s own Drew McWeeny offered muted approval.) Too early and inconclusive, then, to draw any conclusions about its awards-season future; it may well come down to how it plays with the public. [Fandor]

Mark Harris talks to Spike Jonze about making “Her,” “the most timely romance of the year.” [Vulture]

Quentin Tarantino names “Gravity,” “Blue Jasmine” and (yes!) “The Lone Ranger” on his list of 2013’s 10 best films so far. [Tarantino Archives]

Fox’s low-key Oscar hopeful “The Book Thief” debuted over the weekend; Pete Hammond contemplates its prospects. [Deadline]

Steve Pond on how studios are muscling back into the Oscar race — which, until “Argo”‘s win earlier this year, had been very much indie-ruled of late. [The Wrap]  

The cost of Peter Jackson’s “Hobbit” trilogy has been revealed. Well, $560 million doesn’t get you much these days. [The Guardian]

Scott Feinberg wonders which of this year’s Oscar hopefuls will benefit (or suffer) from being viewed on screeners. [The Race]

Australia’s two most recent foreign-language Oscar submissions, “The Rocket” and “Lore,” won top honors at the country’s Writers’ Guild Awards. [Variety]

Filmmaker, Oscar-nominated screenwriter and former Venice Film Festival director Carlo Lizzani died this weekend after falling from his balcony. R.I.P. [The Independent]