We’re due for a bunch of news out of New York so let me get in a few smaller news items first…

– Natalie, being a fan of Italian author, Elena Ferrante, has agreed to read the audiobook of her new picture book, The Beach At Night. It’s a children’s book, but a very dark one, as you will be able to hear with a preview excerpt of Natalie’s reading here.

– Let’s move on to another rave for Jackie, this time from Awards Daily.

Portman fulfills every expectation, then goes beyond, as she nails every precise emotion imaginable in this unimaginable tragedy. She never loses her grasp on Jackie’s renowned poise, refinement and her perfectly inflected voice. And she never shies away from the horrors she is called upon to witness. I cannot praise her enough. She was astonishing. Revealing depths that one could never guess that she possessed, her performance is one for the ages, certain to land her another Oscar nomination.

– Finally, a French friend of the site saw Planetarium and she shared three points:

* It was a lot better than she had expected.
* Natalie’s French was very solid.
* Natalie has rarely looked more beautiful on film.