Screening Gotham: Knowing You Love Us is Enough

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

--Building on the creative experiment that has left audiences around the world fleeing theaters in terror, disappointment and deeper-than-ever loathing for Elijah Wood, New York, I Love You will follow the franchise model of the recent train wreck Paris, Je T'aime by commissioning an international selection of filmmakers' work romanticizing the city. Unlike its messy Paris analogue, however, which at least boasted diverse, creative powerhouses including the Coens, Alfonso Cuaron, Isabel Coixet, Gus Van Sant, Wes Craven and Christopher Doyle, the New York version -- at its best -- caps out with Mira Nair, Park Chanwook and Fatih Akin. That's not even top billing, though: Zach Braff is the anchor here. They might as well call it Blandhattan.

--In other coming-to-NYC news, Spike Jonze met the Cannes press to talk about Synecdoche, New York, his producing collaboration with writer and first-time director Charlie Kaufman. The film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as a theater director wrangling with life issues as he attempts to build a replica of NYC in preparation for his new play. Production begins today in the city.

--NY Post newsbutcher Sara Stewart is at it again: "No offense to Johnny Depp, but Geoffrey Rush was the one who really put the stamp of quality on the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise." OK, so Disney wouldn't play ball with Depp, Keira Knightley or Orlando Bloom interviews. But even Post readers can smell the bullshit here. I want my 25 cents back!

--The Hollywood Reporter has word about this year's National Board of Review student film grants, which, at $55,000 for the year, have more than doubled since 2005. NBR will disburse the money to schools around the New York region, including NYU, Hunter College, SUNY Purchase and Wesleyan; winners will be announced in the weeks ahead.

Posted at May 21, 2007 8:45 AM