12/7 Oscarweb Round-up

• Pete Hammond reports on the week that was, including a lively “Seven Pounds” Q&A session. [Notes on a Season]

• Jeff Wells responds with a second-hand swipe at the film. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

• And Steven Zeitchik breaks embargo, writes up a positive assessment. [Risky Biz Blog]

• Tom O’Neil points out how Oscar success for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” could finally be F. Scott Fitzgerald’s warm Hollywood welcome. [Gold Derby]

• Hat-tipping A.R. Rahman’s collaboration with M.I.A. on the “Slumdog Millionaire” soundtrack. [Vulture]

• David Carr talks to “Doubt” scribe and helmer John Patrick Shanley. [New York Times]

• Heath Ledger wins his first award of the season. [New York Daily News]

• Roger Ebert offers up the 25 best films of the year. [Chicago Sun-Times]

• The Times goes longer. [The Times]