Are you still holding onto that list of possible Batman replacements? Superb. Because we just may need to consult it, as Christian Bale stated that if Chris Nolan doesn't come back to direct the next installment of the superhero saga, then he won't return to star in it -- although the airtight legalese in his contract negotiations mandates it. But even if Nolan does back out, the franchise has a willing and able villain in Johnny Depp, who is interested in stepping in as the Riddler, a role previously occupied by Jim Carrey and initially by a guy that more recently played a character named Reverend Love on General Hospital.

Last year was all about death. Be it physical (R.I.P Bettie Page, Eartha Kitt, and Radar) or metaphorical (Joaquin Phoenix's acting career), America's social conscience resembled the cratered ruins of ancient Rome. But a few celebrities -- Barack Obama, say -- inspired hope through revival. This leaves the better part of 2009 for us to learn how to cope with the state of things from their examples, making this year all about Darwinism. Survival tips after the jump!

“Patti Smith is such a goddess. I could never talk to her,” Parker Posey confided at a small cocktail reception for the legendary rock ’n’ roll poet last week in the outdoor sculpture garden at the Museum of Modern Art. At said moment, Smith came lunging in for Posey, lavishing praise on the indie queen for her hilarious roles in Christopher Guest movies. It couldn’t have been a better-scripted scene if Guest wrote it himself. Luckily, Posey overcame her goddess-shyness and lit right up in Smith’s presence. The occasion was a screening of Patti Smith: Dream of Life, a poignant biopic from fashion photographer Stephen Sebring that hit theaters this week, after eleven years of filming.