The News: Mayor's Office Backs Off Permits

By S.T. VanAirsdale

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

--Score one for outrage this morning as the Mayor's Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting eased its prospective permit and insurance requirements for independent filmmakers. "We never wanted to be hurtful, we always want to be helpful," film commissioner Katherine Oliver told The Times, and whether or not you believe her, the revised regulations (to be published Tuesday on the MOFTB Web site) reflect few changes to the policy currently in place. Happy shooting, everyone.

--And happy Monday to Glenn Kenny, the Premiere critic and blogger who yesterday thwacked fellow critics David Edelstein, Matt Pais and Lawrence Levi for their facile comments about the fleshy Hoffman-on-Tomei sex opening Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. "I have to give the reliably smarmy Levi some bonus points for the putatively high-minded Contempt reference, which will be recognized by anybody who's seen both films as an absolute non-sequitur," Kenny notes, or noted, rather -- his post titled "The Thoroughly Mature Art of Film Criticism" is now gone, replaced by... kittens. This punch-pulling is no way to start the week, is it? (UPDATE: As mentioned in the comments below, Kenny has reinstated his post: "Let the micturition fly where it may," he writes. Indeed, let's.)

--Of course not! Instead, let's do what we always do this time of year: Deconstruct Bob Berney's wizardry once again, praise some token imports and gauge Picturehouse's chances for Oscar glory. Steve Zeitchik, take it away!

--A note we missed last week: The Adrienne Shelly Foundation will host its first Fundraising Gala Nov. 12 at NYU's Skirball Center to raise money for its programs supporting women filmmakers. Highlights include a staged reading of Shelly's screenplay The Morgan Stories featuring Matt Dillon, Edie Falco, Paul Rudd, Mary-Louise Parker and others, followed by a performance from Alanis Morrisette. Tickets start at $150 and are available at the foundation's Web site.

Posted at October 29, 2007 10:14 AM