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Entertainment & Arts

SMART LIST: Pop culture talking points (week of Nov. 23-29)

Can we talk for a sec. about: Coldplay? The band is rereleasing its latest album, "Viva la Vida," just five months after it came out, this time packaged with an EP of songs that weren't ready in time for the release of "Viva" (in addition to three updates of existing tracks). Chris Martin even says on the group's website that the EP tunes are "a little more catchy" than the ones that clocked in on time. So I get to pay twice because they couldn't push the release date back? Or finish on time? Poo. (Tuesday)

Can we talk for a sec. about: Coldplay?

The band is rereleasing its latest album, “Viva la Vida,” just five months after it came out, this time packaged with an EP of songs that weren’t ready in time for the release of “Viva” (in addition to three updates of existing tracks). Chris Martin even says on the group’s website that the EP tunes are “a little more catchy” than the ones that clocked in on time. So I get to pay twice because they couldn’t push the release date back? Or finish on time? Poo.

(Tuesday)  (Alessandro Della Bella / Associated Press)

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Bottle Rocket

Criterion collectors can now talk about: “Bottle Rocket.”

Wes Anderson‘s directorial debut -- in fact, his best film -- is finally available as part of the Criterion Collection. Which means the DVD comes with a documentary about the making of the film, the original 13-minute black-and-white “Bottle Rocket” short, 11 deleted scenes, storyboards, behind-the-scenes photographs. Everything but Anderson.

(Tuesday)  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Australia

If you can get past the butt-numbing three-hour running time, you could talk about: “Australia.”

NIcole Kidman and Hugh Jackman star in Baz Luhrmann’s over-the-top epic romance adventure, complete with magic-casting Aboriginals. But can Luhrmann attain awards recognition without the whiz-bang production numbers of “Moulin Rouge”?

(Friday)  (James Fisher AFP/Getty Images)

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