Screening Gotham: Game On at Tribeca '07

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

--Say what you want about Tribeca's relentless sponsorships and cross-collateralization, but this new Sports Film Festival offshoot it's planning with ESPN is like a nuclear bomb of branding: The network will promote the festival on the air and host a "Sports Saturday" event matching up stars, athletes and independent, sports-themed cinema. As such, at least until Rocky VII co-opts it, any no-budget filmmaker with a halfway doable sports flick in his or her head has the chance to to break in pretty big. Demand never hurt anyone -- get while the getting's good.

--Speaking of demand, the Museum of the Moving Image will bring back the cine-thon Out 1 next March, thankfully restoring the opportunity for shut-in New York cinephiles to sacrifice literally an entire weekend at the altar of Jacques Rivette. Insert wheezy sigh of relief here.

--Today in scurrilous Jennifer Hudson gossip: Former American Idol peer Fantasia Barrino drops an untoward H-word and the Dallas Voice gets her on the "homosexuality is a sin" tip. Thus Defamer's priceless retort: "(A)ll it will take is one such slip-up before she learns the hard way of just how quickly the Gays can taketh away whatever squealy adulation they choose to give."

--The Walter Reade Theater is having a one-day sale or something, with tonight's appearance by Oscar-winning director Robert Benton and his 1972 film Bad Company now buy-one-get-one free.

--Jeff Wells chimes in with the latest about Factory Girl, i.e. it's dead for '06: "The Weinstein Co. would rather that the extra-tough New York-area critics see a film that's 100% finished rather than one that's 97% or 98% there. Bullshit, bullshit....a line like this is always a cover for something else." I think I know exactly what he means; Harvey has always been nitpicky this way.

Posted at December 7, 2006 10:23 AM