I've noticed that you use the eeevil F-word quite often. I liked that'" Lars Dolkemeyer, via email

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This month: Wright versus Reitman Gary Buse/s artwork and The Thing about flops.

This month's host Ali Plumb

LETTEROF THE MONTH

PAY AND DISPUY

I Just moved into a new flat with a lot more space, and as a result I can now keep my favourite collection of my favourite magazine on display. While shelving them in chronological order, I realised that this month's Issue marks my ten-year anniversary of buying Empire - January 2002 Is my first copy - and Just wanted to thank you for the last ten years' worth of reading. You have continually fuelled my love of the film Industry and I look forward to the next ten years of it popping through my letterbox. Keep up the good work!

Alan Horsburgh, via email

At the risk of being overly sincere, let us say it's our absolute pleasure -just don't tell anyone. To thank you for your thank you (and your silence), here are some Zawi vouchers.

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Ypu've won 8 £100 voucher from trie guys at zswtcom - the orlane store with few prices and free UK detiveiyi Please ensure you include your fuH contea detate so we can arrange your prize.

BATS ENTERTAINMENT

Absolutely awesome subscribers' cover for The Dark Knight Rises/Bane issue. And damn, Petr Cech has· put on muscle for that movie - seriously, I wouldn't want to grab his arms in a darkened alley and call him a "girlie boy".

Chris Hall, via email

Um, nor would we. For a number of reasons.

DO THE RIGHT THING

Reading Issue 271 on December 1, 1 wondered whether Empire had a time machine. On page 29, you state that "The Thing mutated into a flop" one day before it opened in the UK! On one of your days off please could you put the time machine to better use and send me a copy of The Dark Knight Rises on Blu-ray? Cheers!

Andy Kerri, via email

I would like to request a favour for future issues. Don't spoil film reviews by telling your readers a film is a flop 13 pages before the review! Seriously, did you really need to put on page 29 that The Thing was a flop on Iy to then review It on page 42 in issue 271? I was looking forward to the review having read the article on the special effects five pages earlier.

Bryan Fletcher. via email

Andy - The Thing had been out In the US for ten days when Empir« went to press and so far has only recouped $17 million of Hs $35 million budget Bryan - good films can be flops at first See cult classics Office Space and Citizen Kane for details.

THE QUOTE THAT ROCKED

As somebody who doesn't always get the spine quotes, it's great when I do (incidentally it's Star Trek: Nemesis for Issue 271), but what's the deal with the ones at the bottom of page six? Do those have anything to do with movies? Could they even be extra nuggets of wisdom from Mr. Kirn Newman? Or are they just the best of the month's conversation in the Empire office?

James Young, via email

They are indeed "the best of the month's conversation in the Empire office". Seriously, the very best.

BIRTH OFANATION

Re: Issue 270's masterpiece. Passport To Pimlico. You'll find that the Canadians weren't the only ones wilfully giving away their territory to foreign nations. Winston Churchill was up to it as weil, declaring Suite 212 in Claridge's Hotel to be Yugoslav territory for the birth of HRH Crown Prince Alexander II. Whether or not this inspired any cinematic offspring is anyone's guess.

Simon Goff, via email

Rosemary's Baby, perhaps? Probably not Definitely not In fact

ENTOU-RAGE

First and foremost: big fan, long time subscriber. Down to brass tacks: you interview Gary Busey and didn't discuss his epic work in Entourage? Busey and Entourage went perfectly together, whether he's painting Johnny Drama or selling his 'art' - it was ail genius.

Dan Chera, York

We decided in the office that Gary may not have been acting in Entourage so it probably didn't count

THE REIT BROTHERS

Looking at the picture of Jason Reitman on page 30 of issue 271 makes me wonder... has anyone seen him in the same room as Edgar Wright? Is ReitMan a pooriy-spelied attempt at Edgar's childhood superhero fantasy character? Or should I perhaps get back to work instead of faffing about playing lookfellkie with directors?

Tone Hitchcock, via email

Only one man has seen Jason and Edgar in the same room together. He's dead now.

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FFS!

Being a German reader for almost two years now, f've noticed that in issue 270 you used the eeevil F-word quite often. I (iked that! I enjoy reading a truly honest rev lev/ with more emotion and thus also some use of bad language. I hope you continue to do that more often!

Lars Dolkemeyer, via email

You're fucking welcome.