By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
Reeler Rates at 'Rated' Fête
For a while there, I really did think the coolest thing that I was going to hear on Monday would be the voice of the outraged publicist who shrieked into a cell phone: “Eight Touaregs? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Someone needs to remind him he’s Justin Timberlake.” But then I wandered over to the party IFC and Netflix hosted for Kirby Dick’s documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated, where I finally had the opportunity to meet oft-discussed IFC TV boss Evan Shapiro (far left in the photo, with Dick, Rated producer Eddie Schmidt and Netflix CCO Ted Sarandos) in person. And when Shapiro introduced me to a friend as his “favorite blogger,” well, you know. It is all downhill from here.
Favorite blogger or not, Shapiro was a true gentleman, and the party was a nice chance to catch up with some of IFC’s New York contingent at the base of Main Street. Rated executive producer Alison Palmer Bourke and I toasted the film with my red wine and her Airborne, and IFC News stud Matt Singer recalled the great time he has had at Sundance despite not having seen any films. Efforts to organize a jailbreak on Singer’s behalf failed when publicists staged the event’s only photo op in the middle of our plot. Alas, Singer and crew will return to NYC Wednesday, well before the hotly anticipated 9:30 premiere of Rated.
With any luck, I should have a little more about the film and its late-night after-party Thursday. Wait a second–luck has nothing to do with it. I am Evan Shapiro’s favorite blogger! Maybe I’ll even wind up in that cool “reserved” section at the front of the Eccles. It is not like I am asking for eight Touaregs or anything.