Emma Watson tells Vanity Fair that her attempts at having a typical freshman experience included attending a frat party where she discovered that the iconic red kegger cups are really real. So she can check that one off.  According to the piece her first week here was “just awful”. But she has since met a musician named Rafael, and maybe the news that a converted double decker bus from London will soon be rocketing around town as a ‘Julian’s on wheels’ will make her feel at home. . . although I suppose it’s the last thing in the world she could ever be seen getting on or standing near. (I sure hope Julian is investing in some serious shock absorbers.) And in conclusion — I do not understand the British Parliamentary system even one little bit. Cheers.

‘Liquid’ has evaporated. In its place is an English pub with fish-and-chips, and darts and billiards, and scotch eggs, and 150 types of beer. Okay, so they went a little overboard with the union jacks, but it does make it easier to find. Their website has corrected some of the idiosyncrasies (bangers and mashed?) found on the hard copy of the menu (after the jump). Tell me they haven’t actually let a Brit into the kitchen.

Angell Street just up from Thayer.

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Here’s an unbeatable combo — smoking and French movies. Two days left of the French Film Festival at the Cable Car Cinema.

Saturday and Sunday, Cable Car, 204 South Main Street, 272.3970

In the interest of moving the words ‘Seacrest’, ‘Clarkson’ and ‘Lite’ at least a little further down the page, and because I have not put up a video in while, I give you the Upper Crust who performed at Jerky’s recently and brought down the house.  I love these guys.

The tween years are so difficult, but Oskar and Eli have a special set of challenges. The Avon is holding its own vampire weekend with midnight-ish showings of the Swedish movie Let the Right One In. (If that sounds familiar, the title is derived from a Morrissey song, the screenwriter being a fan.) The curious white poodle that shows up in an early scene is the first indication that visually, this is going to be an interesting show. In fact, there are at least 5 or 6 scenes of such disturbing originality that the audience (okay, me) gasped out loud. In fact, do not watch the trailer for the movie — it gives away too many surprises.  Film school students will have a field day with the symbolism and layers of meaning in this one. (How is this not nominated for one single Academy Award?) All I can say is — best creepy blond kid since The Bad Seed. And one last thing, in that nanosecond of frontal nudity, did I see what I think I saw? My companion did not see what I saw.  A simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ will do. No spoilers please.  [The New York Times]

11:30pm Saturday, $9.25, 114 minutes, Avon Cinema, 260 Thayer Street

Things to do today — buy a calendar.  Things to look forward to in the new year — the new season of Flight of the Conchords starts January 18th, 10pm on HBO.

Christmas in Whoville… Dr. Who-ville.  Robots, lasers, spaceships and the Hawkins Brothers.  I love this song.

What are the odds that two Dosers would need to write about Scrabble on exactly the same day? This is a little vexing since I actually have some news to report and the other guy just wanted to say ‘Butts’. In the future, Matthew, why don’t you stick to reviewing your clinically-depressed techno-vikings and leave the Scrabble beat to the professionals.  (The assignment editor will be hearing from my union rep.)  To be honest, I don’t have much on this story yet, but according to a brief write-up in the ProJo business digest, Hasbro has filed papers in the U.S. District Court of New York withdrawing its complaint against the creators of Scrabulous.  Neither party is talking, but I believe we can expect a statement from Hasbro sometime soon.

The court documents don’t specify a reason for the withdrawal of the case. Hasbro and the Agarwalla brothers did not immediately return messages left seeking comment.

My best guess is that both parties realized they were whizzing this thing down their leg and figured out a way for everyone to make big piles of money. Hasbro’s replacement game was not well-received — why didn’t they listen to me?

(Other celebrity Scrabble players include Jack Black and Jon Bon Jovi.)

‘Australian Beatles’ they ain’t– but perhaps the Easybeats deserve a bit more cred than they get/got? (Eric — ever consider an Australia-only Loaded?)