INSIDE

3UNCHARMED LIFE

Will Smith seems to have no trouble

playing the role of fortunate

movie star. Playing a homeless man was

a different story.

20IN A WEB OF HIS OWN DEVISINGThe sheep fought with the geese, the

pigs outgrew the children and, yuck, that

spider. No wonder the director of

‘Charlotte’s Web’

vows not to

make another

movie like it.

Ever. 42BELIEVERS OF THE BUZZ

Christopher Guest sets his sights

on the community of

the red carpet.

By DAVID CARR

AT the beginning of last month a small

group of journalists dropped by theGramercy Park Hotel for a lightlunch and some wine with PedroAlmodóvar and Penélope Cruz, the di-

rector and star of “Volver,” one of the more an-ticipated films of the holiday season. There wasno specific agenda, just a chance for press andtalent to share pleasantries with a side of crudi-tés.

Reporters and editors from EntertainmentWeekly, Premiere, Elle and The New YorkTimes were chatting amongst themselves when

its size, but it is home to the culture-and-celebri-ty media, where momentum or certain deathcan be bestowed with a few keystrokes.

An army of local public relations peoplemake sure that absolutely nothing is left tochance, peppering reporters, editors and televi-sion producers with invitations and story hooksfor the holiday movie season. Event specialistsmake sure their projects genuflect at the variousstations of the cross. It might be a screening atthe Museum of Modern Art with A-list talent inattendance, a particularly exclusive lunch at Mi-chael’s on West 55th Street or opening night at

brighter because it is a charming film or be-cause its principals are charming the Manhattanmentionocracy, a heaving mass of critics, re-porters, film geeks and gossip columnists? Atthis time of year, when the chill in the air is ac-companied by a huge industry assault on NewYork, it is always hard to tell.

Films may be produced and made in Holly-wood, but come October and November the cen-ter of gravity shifts, and they are remade in thecrucible of New York. With just 600 members ofthe Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sci-ences in New York, compared with about 4,000 inLos Angeles, the city might seem to play big for

Mr. Almodóvar and Ms. Cruz came in. Pausingat the entrance, Mr. Almodóvar turned andfluffed Ms. Cruz, smoothing down her hair andpatting her cheek. At the sight of this quaint littledomestic between the director and his longtimemuse, the battle-hardened press visibly melted.

No doubt the scene also warmed the heartsof Michael Barker and Tom Bernard of SonyPictures Classics, who have big hopes for theirlittle movie. “Volver,” which opened Friday, haswon excellent critical notices and is now amongthe whispered as a contender for the best-pictureOscar.

Are the prospects for “Volver” getting

Photo-illustration by Andy Chen/The New York Times; carpet, Getty Images; Times Square, Michael Nagle for The New York Times

Oscar Town EastThis time of year, Hollywood aims its publicity blitz at New York.

There aren’t many academy voters, but there are plenty of reporters, critics and gossipmongers.

Continued on Page 28

3SMILE FOR THE CAMERA

She’ll put warts on her face or even

spit. Emma Thompson doesn’t mind:

‘Acting simply cannot be about how

you look.’

6BREAKTHROUGHS

Carmen Maura as a ghost with

terrific comic chops and other

noteworthy performances from the

season ahead.

Sunday, November 5, 2006

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