Screening Gotham: Heath and Michelle Have a Friend in Mr. Blackwell

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

--Mr. Blackwell's annual list of best- and worst-dressed celebrities singled out a handful of New York cinema figures for this year's honors. Or rather, in the case of Brooklyn settlers Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams, dishonor: "Heath and Michelle want only to blend in here, which can be the only explanation for why they've begun to dress like streetside trash." Christ, even I'm wincing.

--It's getting ugly in the scrum for a Best Picture nod: Fox Searchlight has taken to guerilla warfare on YouTube in its push for Little Miss Sunshine. Low-cost, high-yield -- these guys are winning the marketing war if nothing else.

--My favorite news story of the day not involving Andrew Sarris addresses Apocalypto's most appalled critic: "Ricardo Cajas, Guatemala's presidential commissioner on racism, said yesterday the film had set back understanding of the Mayan people by 50 years and compared its impact to that of the negative images of Native Americans in US movies from the 1950s." For a little more contextual picture of the Mayan legacy, Cajas might have added, check out Guatemala's contemporary reputation for peace. Mel Gibson should be ashamed.

Posted at January 10, 2007 9:51 AM