Screening Gotham: Adulterous, Guilt-Ridden Sex Wins Big with Women Critics

Some of today's (and yesterday's) movie news of note from around New York:

--The NY-based Association of Women Film Journalists, who recently earned close looks for its year-end short list of 2006's "Best Depiction(s) of Nudity or Sexuality," have awarded the prize to that avatar of healthy coupling, Little Children. It's impossible to know if this is for the angsty, doomed feel of all the film's sex or perhaps just a sort of career achievement award for the clothes-allergic Kate Winslet, but I don't think I'm going out on a limb to assume Jackie Earle Haley's date-ending playground onanism really put this steamy number over the top.

--In related news, the AWFJ has already awarded its 2008 hardware to the planned Sex and the City movie, details of which have trickled forth from the oracle that is Star Magazine.

--Jonas Mekas talks to Wired about his upcoming 365-film Web project: "As for myself, I'm not waiting for the money. And the dream in the '60s really wasn't about money. The filmmakers wanted to reach more people."

--Telegraphed notes from the editing room to Reeler HQ earlier this week indicated that Factory Girl is no closer to being done than The Day the Clown Cried, but Variety notes that the ever-resolute Weinsteins are staying the course, now booking their once and future awards hopeful in England in time for BAFTA qualification.

--I was thinking on the plane yesterday: "Wouldn't it be great if I had one more industry party to crash at Sundance?" I guess God listens closer when I reach 30,000 feet; The Hollywood Reporter announced Monday that it will fete Sony Classics' Michael Barker and Tom Bernard in Park City.

--Last weekend's Lebowski Fest seems to have been a success, writes NYM's Amos Barshad, with a series of sold-out events reinforcing its subject's vaunted status among history's most overrated films.

Posted at December 20, 2006 10:49 AM