Microsoft's attempts to turn Office into the plot of an action-adventure movie are definitely entertaining

I'm not sure "spell check this" has the same ring as "I'll be back," but I have enjoyed the series of promo videos for Office 2010 that try to cast the software as the plot of an action movie.

The latest installment shows the grave of Clippy, the oft-mocked help tool that has been absent from recent versions of the productivity software.

It also features an interrogation to find the missing font. However, the female captive will give up only that it is somewhere between "Arial" and "Wingdings." (I guess that rules out Zapf Chancery.)

Anyway, if you are into computer nerd fun like me, it's worth a watch.

For those who want more hard-core information on the next Office, you shouldn't have to wait too long. Microsoft has said it will have a technical preview of the software this month. The software maker says it is taking sign-ups for that invitation-only release on its Download Office 2010: The Movie Web site.

During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft