Screening Gotham: Kasell Kruises From Hamptons

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

--As recently as last week at the Gotham Awards, Hamptons Film Fest executive director Denise Kasell was still talking up her job and handing out business cards to her tablemates. Alas.

--Speaking of the Gothams, Filmmaker Magazine commissioned noted NYFF video diarist Jamie Stuart to chronicle his adventures at the nominees' reception preceding the show. Being Stuart, of course, "adventures" naturally means a lot of sitting and ruminating amid an orbit of public figures. But I mean that as a compliment; how this guy gets the shots he gets is a twin miracle of talent and unmitigated audacity.

--Lou Lumenick is in fine form today with his "review" of Inland Empire: Misspelling Grace Zabriskie's name, giving two stars to a movie he doesn't pretend to understand. But that ain't least of it -- he should take his headline writer out to lunch. And kick his ass.

--This has been a bit too long in coming: Paul Vandecarr's bittersweet story from the Sunday Times about filmmakers and their abandoned projects. Is it a lesson or a lament? I couldn't say, but Stranger Than Fiction maestro Thom Powers seems have a few thoughts on the matter.

--Hollywood Elsewhere's Jeffrey Wells is spending the months in New York. You know what that means.

--Apropos of nothing (except each film's dark horse Oscar odds, I suppose), Variety asks the seemingly age-old question: Was last summer too soon after 9/11 for United 93 and World Trade Center to flourish at the box office? At least one genius publicist thinks so: "How long had it been, two years?"

Posted at December 6, 2006 9:04 AM