The 60-year old actor kills in virtually every role that he has found himself in during a career filled with iconic roles in 1971′s The Last Picture Show, 1988′s Tucker: The Man and His Dream, 1998′s The Big Lebowski (my personal favorite, as The Dude), 2003′s Seabiscuit and so many other performances that stand out (and stand the test of time) in his nearly 40 years of movie-making. 

But yet, despite four Oscar nominations, the man has not been so duly honored with an actual statuette.

And while it is likely that his claims that the matter is irrelevant are true, this may actually be the year that the tides turn.

He is a virtual lock for a 5th nomination for his buzz-worthy performance in the soon-to-be-released Crazy Heart (see the official trailer here).

Bridges, playing a washed-up country singer who goes by the name Bad Blake, appears to have found another perfect role to lose himself in completely while bringing the audience along for the ride.

Crazy Heart opens in limited release this week and will find its way to an art-house near you soon.  Go see it.

For a little added incentive, check out this Bridges’ interview in the Wall Street Journal and this USA Today feature.  Both recent pieces are a great place to start to get introduced to Bridges and reminded of his fantastic career.

Certainly, there will be additional press as the movie continues to open wide and as more get exposed to this little story that brings Bridges into the musical world for the second time in his career – the first being 1989′s The Fabulous Baker Boys – odds are good that movie fans will be referring to this movie and the role of Bad Blake as the one that gives Bridges a shot at cinematic history.

But don’t wait for critics to start anointing the role as laudatory before checking out Crazy Heart for yourself.  Remember that Hollywood needs to be reminded that we need more actors like Bridges and more movies for his ilk to spread their wings in.  Your vote – in the form of a ticket purchase - counts.

And should Bridges not win his Oscar, it doesn’t lessen his career in the slightest.  His resume speaks for itself.

As deep as the well has been over the years, it’ll be interesting to see how he looks to round out his career as he continues to maintain relevance for years to come.  Crazy Heart clearly shows that he’s still going strong as he starts his seventh decade.

Because the spirit of the ’60s is definitely not and many purveyors of pop culture point to Altamont as the event that changed everything. 

For those of you unfamiliar with the concert or the tragic events that unfolded throughout the evening, including the stabbing death perpetrated by the Hell’s Angels in charge of security, Wikipedia does its typically fine job recapping all of the details.

The Rolling Stones - and the Hell's Angels - at Altamont on December 6, 1969

As for the anniversary itself, Rolling Stone offers up a few great links, including the magazine’s original report immediately after the festival.

Entertainment Weekly’s Owen Gleiberman remembers the day by focusing on the documentary by David and Albert Maysles – Gimme Shelter – which captured everything that day. 

While the filmmakers could not foresee the story arc when they began following the Stones during their 1969 tour, the Maysles’ brilliantly presented the magnitude of it all in their well-regarded film.

Gleiberman makes the point that while it is easy and correct to note that Altamont is the ultimate analogy to the end of the ’60s, it also brought about the dawn of a new age in which the audience – us – “become a drama unto themselves”.

So much has changed in 40 years, of course, but the Stones keep going (new album and tour, anyone?) and Altamont remains a cultural milestone from which we still feel the effects today in so many ways.  For better or worse.

Fortunately, the director’s legacy will live on with a collection of movies that could only have been attributed to him: M.A.S.H., Nashville and Short Cuts perhaps among the most notable.

For a true appreciation of the man behind the camera, check out Robert Altman: The Oral Biography. 

The New York Times has a detailed review of Mitchell Zuckoff’s fantastic new study of what drove this great auteur.

And go fire up the Netflix account to catch up on some of the great catalog of Altman films that you may have missed the first time.  Nobody will ever again make the movies like he did.

But if you have not yet seen the movie (the seven-year chronicle of American rock bands Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols) for yourself, now is your time.

For this week only, Pitchfork is streaming the movie free of charge.  Be sure to check it out.  You might just need to pick up your own copy of this all-time classic rock n’ roll masterpiece.

But fall typically brings a greater degree of sophistication and – quite frankly – quality for the discerning moviewatcher.  This year is no exception and Peter Travers of Rolling Stone previews the most notable of the current lot of scheduled openings this autumn.

In a semi-related vein, The Onion’s A.V. Club uses the opening of “Oscar season” to feature a list of 27 movies about the difficulty of making movies.  Clearly a mixed bag, but interesting throughout, and any list that gives me an excuse to link to the trailer to American Movie is all right by me.

As for this fall, I’ll be checking out reviews & showtimes for Pirate Radio, The Invention of Lying, and A Serious Man - at least for starters. 

Go explore some headier fare soon for yourself too.  No advance purchase necessary.

Take your pick of major events happening today – everything from the release of The Beatles: Rock Band (a date chosen as an obvious homage) to a major “rock and roll” event for Apple in San Francisco to the theatrical release of the movie “9″ to A Day Without Cats on the Internet (and, yes, you did read that correctly).

Why all the hubbub?  LiveScience contributor Heather Whipps takes on the task of explaining “Why 09/09/09 Is So Special”, noting that today is “the last set of repeating, single-digit dates that we’ll see for almost a century (until January 1, 2101), or a millennium (mark your calendars for January 1, 3001), depending on how you want to count it.”

Whipps also discusses the beliefs of “modern numerologists” and the special rank that they give to the number nine – as do the Chinese and Japanese, though for much different reasons.

Magical or not, I’ll find some way to commemorate the date.  Perhaps nine hours, nine minutes, & nine seconds of meditation – nope, too hard.  Nine 9-lb curls? – yep, that I can pull off.  Ninety-nine consecutive viewings of the 99 Luftballons video?  Hmmm…

You get the point.  At least nine times over.  Enjoy today’s last of a lifetime event.

And his name recognition has gone up considerably since the days of the brutally funny (and sadly underwatched) “Mr. Show with Bob and David”.

The Georgia native has penned his first book, “I Drink for a Reason”, and as part of the publicity for this week’s release, Cross sat down for a great interview with The Onion’s A.V. Club.

David Cross

Check it out – not much to report on the state of the Arrested Development movie (other than the fact that Cross and the members of the cast of the defunct television show remain committed) but good insight into where Cross’s head is at otherwise.

And, sorry David, nobody’s really buying the excuses for that big paycheck from Alvin and The Chipmunks.

A look at the electric guitar and an exercise in collaboration between world-class guitarists Jimmy Page, Jack White, and U2′s The Edge, the reviews have been stellar. 

Now open in a scant seven theaters in New York and Southern California, those fortunate enough to catch this production on the big screen will vouch for the reviews written up by such critics as A.O. Scott of the New York Times, Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times, and Entertainment Weekly’s Owen Gleiberman.

Should you exist on terra firma somewhere outside the entertainment bubble, fret not.  The full list of theaters and opening dates nationwide can be found here.

And be sure to check out the official trailer in the meantime.  It’s probably wise to set aside any feelings you may have about the recorded output of Messrs. Page, White, & Edge and just enjoy this movie for what it is.  As Scott points out:

…“It Might Get Loud” is more than a narrowly focused fan artifact. It gives us a chance to linger in the presence of serious artists with formidable chops and big, if not always clearly expressed, ideas about what they do. And it will put you in the mood to listen.

While I highly recommend the link for synopses, photos, and trivia regarding the top 25, I’ll also cut to the chase and provide the entire list here:

1. Raging Bull
2. Hoosiers
3. Rocky
4. Slap Shot
5. Bull Durham
6. The Natural
7. Caddyshack
8. Breaking Away
9. Major League
10. Field Of Dreams
11. A League Of Their Own
12. The Hustler
13. Hoop Dreams
14. Chariots Of Fire
15. Eight Men Out
16. The Pride Of The Yankees
17. The Bad News Bears
18. Miracle
19. The Longest Yard
20. Remember The Titans
21. Brian’s Song
22. Heaven Can Wait
23. Rudy
24. Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby
25. Jerry Maguire

I have a few comments.  Of course.

First of all, Jerry Maguire was just not all that interesting.  Personally, I always thought that The Rod Tidwell Story (centering the story on Cuba Gooding, Jr.’s character) would have made a much better movie.

Secondly, some of these movies are among the greatest of all-time, regardless of their sports inclination.  Personal favorites of mine from the list include classics like Caddyshack, Major League, Slap Shot, Hoosiers, The Bad News Bears, and The Longest Yard.

The original, of course. Not some crappy remake.

And, finally, there are the omissions.  Perhaps the most overlooked sports movie of all-time, and one that deserves its place high on this list, is Fast Break.  A major reason for its status as an under-the-radar nominee is due to the fact that it has never been released on DVD.  A small consolation to this criminal development is that fact that you can stream the video on demand.  A highly recommended (if not exactly realistic) view of the college basketball experience of the 1970s.

Others missing from the list include the threesome of Victory, He Got Game, and the underrated We Are Marshall, in which Matthew McConaughey surprisingly carries the movie as the head ballcoach resurrecting Marshall football from the dead. 

And two other fantastic movies deserve honorable mention, as they have significant sports subplots.  Buffalo ’66 is a mind-blowing oddball epic that gets better upon each viewing and The Big Lebowski has staked its claim as the best movie of all-time (period) in my book. 

The former includes insight into the world of obsessed Bills’ fans from the vantage point of Buffalo native Vincent Gallo while the latter mythologizes the bowling experience, despite the fact that we never actually see Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) throw a ball down the lane himself.

All things told, a good opportunity to revisit (or discover) some of the best cinematic moments from an industry that continues to green-light movies based on timely topics in the sports arena.  As the staffers at the Daily News call it, “Let the water cooler debate begin.”

And none of our lives will be the same when Cemetery Junction hits the big screen.   It was only a matter of time before these two conspired on a feature film.  Thankfully, this is that time.

I for one cannot wait.  Check out this Entertainment Weekly interview with these comic geniuses for the scoop.

Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant

And remember to accept no substitutes.  A Gervais-Merchant production is the real deal.