Today’s specials: Richard Thompson. Fagin. Harry Potter. Pixar. And more.

Today’s specials:

• Richard Thompson’s first solo album in ages, Front Parlour Ballads, is earning a bunch of raves and a few surprisingly contrary complaints.

• Ho hum… here it comes. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire … the new international trailer. Hmmm. Some very nice effects on display here.

• Al Pacino to star in remake of Rififi, from the director of Sea of Love.

• Pixar blog features tributes to Joe Ranft, who died last week. If you explore this blog further, you’ll also see some truly incredible sand sculptures of The Incredibles.

• Does Brian Flemming really exist? In a few hundred years, I doubt that many will have enough evidence to prove it.

• Roman Polanski and Ben Kingsley dream up Fagin all over again for Oliver Twist.

• The fall movies are coming! Here’s one preview. Here’s another.