Screening Gotham: New Year, Same Roger

Some of today's movie news of note from around New York:

--Roger Friedman sneaks up and sniffs "the Dakota Fanning 'rape' movie" Hounddog (right) around the ass today, suggesting that its subject matter could creates rights problems with the music of Elvis Presley -- an integral part of Fanning's character's experience growing up poor and abused in the South. Apropos of nothing, Friedman also trolls a finger down the budgetary paper trail, tracing some of Hounddog's funding to deported ex-con NYC club king Peter Gatien. Um, gasp?

--The gracious Matt Zoller Seitz looks back on a year of his film-blog-turned-film-community The House Next Door. Happy anniversary -- it's a knockout.

--Logan Hill saves you from having to watch the Simpsons trailer: "It distills the appeal of The Simpsons into one slapstick joke: Homer carefully aims for a nail, and just when you think he’s going to hammer his finger, he gouges his eye out instead." I could give or take the show, the family and its influence, but you know, that's kind of funny.

--When Bad Oscar Ploys Happen to Good People, Vol. MCXXI: Now featuring Bill Condon.

Posted at January 2, 2007 12:05 PM