Laugh, cry, or gasp -- in horror, delight, or incredulity -- but chances are you won't be bored by Darren Aronofsky's sui generis extravaganza, "Black Swan." He feels pretty good about it, anyway: he's relaxed, dapper looking with his new moustache, and cracking jokes as he answers questions at a press conference for the film at the appropriately rococo, near kitschy lobby of Hollywood's Pantages Theatre.

Quite the contrast between interviewing Danny Boyle, promoting "127 Hours," and the other big name British director I chatted with last month, Stephen Frears, promoting "Tamara Drewe." One is vibrant, engaged, enthusiastic, candid, friendly, informative, and illuminating. The other is Stephen Frears.

The 34th Montreal World Film Festival (August 26-September 6), proved most heartening for those of us anxious about the state of global cinema. I saw splendid works from all over the world, from both first-time and veteran filmmakers. Over several days, I watched eight movies in a row that I really liked.

PREVIOUSLY: Part I | Part II

PK: So did you have particular filmmakers that inspired you to want to make movies?

ABL: Yeah, I had Werner Herzog.

PK: I would guess Herzog actually.

ABL: Yeah, I like his films, narrative or documentary. I watch a lot of documentaries.

PK: It feels sort of "Grizzly Man" in a way.

In which Pvt. Tillman Meets Pvt. Lynch and Bar-Lev sees religion in everything. (Read Part I of my interview here.)

PK: Also, military service was a tradition in his family.

ABL: Yeah, part of my reading list was stuff about Wittgenstein. It's not uncommon that people who live very safe lives volunteer to fight because.

Now that the Iraq War is over we can focus more of our anxiety, outrage, and depression on another flummoxed and bloody miscue, the war in Afghanistan. Already Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington's "Restrepo" has recounted with harrowing detail of the day-to-day trials and heroism of an American outpost in one of the country's deadliest frontiers.