Screening Gotham: Gratuitous Valentine's Day Edition

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

--The Daily News has compiled the top 100 most romantic NYC films for your browsing pleasure; When Harry Met Sally claims the crown over the top-five remainders Moonstruck, Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters and that famously sensual Dudley Moore affair Arthur. I don't know how seriously anyone can take such a collection that overlooks the enduringly sweet mating rituals of Taxi Driver or Kids (my own swoon-worthy favorite), but it's not like one of those empirical AFI lists or anything, right? Knocking a tabloid's coverage of cinema or love is like playing dodgeball with amputees.

--And anyway, David Edelstein and Lisa Schwarzbaum are on the highbrow tip at CBS News' site, citing The Lady Eve and Brief Encounter as their respective favorite romantic films. That is, as highbrow as one can get while referring to Barbara Stanwyck as a "skank." Still, you can't deny the romance of it all. (Hat tip: Talk to Me Harry Winston)

--Tuesday's love-in between "the Film Snob brain trust" of David Kamp and Lawrence Levi and NPR host Leonard Lopate nearly swiveled into hot three-way auteur action: "Seconds after we were finished with our segment," the Snobs noted on their blog, "a WNYC staffer alerted us that Martin Scorsese was listening, and had instructed his assistant to call in to tell us that the director of The Long Good Friday was John Mackenzie." Wow! A Scorsese trivia-settler: the ultimate valentine.

--Oh, and someone evidently (hearts) Deborah Kampmeier: The filmmaker behind the corrosive disaster that is Hounddog apparently has funding in place for her not-much-awaited follow-up Split. Meanwhile, Hounddog remains dateless for Valentine's Day, writhing on a bearskin rug in anticipation of a nice older boy to call with a dinner offer, or maybe concert tickets. Plus Kampmeier has offered to drive. That's love. (Hat tip: Lou Lumenick)

Posted at February 14, 2007 9:11 AM