In the last three years, there has been a real shakeup in terms of film distribution. Many companies have folded (most particularly, Wellspring, ex-Winstar, ex-Fox Lorber), and many have reorganized, and there are now companies with day-and-date deals... in which the films are given a (brief) theatrical run, at the same time that they are offered as video-on-demand, so that they can have a theatrical run in the "big" centers (New York City, Los Angeles) and also be available in other markets.

But the other day, Damian Bona came up with the master list of 2007 releases in New York City, and the list came to 635 titles! 635! In the 1960s, the average number of releases was less than 300. So the number of films getting some sort of theatrical run in New York City is now more than double what it was in other decades. (This list is for the IRAs; for more about the IRAs, check the blogs of George Robinson - http://www.cine-journal.blogspot.com/ - or Michael Giltz - http://www.popsurfing.blogspot.com/ - and find out about this most singular of critics awards.)

And how are people supposed to see even half of these movies?

So it's not my imagination, there really are too many movies out there!

(And now, so many people i know are in Sundance, looking for the next big thing in film.)

Will have to write about some things that i've seen lately, including Pere Portabello's "The Silence Before Bach" (which was quite delightful).