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There were no clear Oscar signals coming out of the 31st Hamptons International Film Festival. Still, there were some admirable stats for the eastern Long Island event that’s a favorite with filmmakers and locals. This year Hiff screened a lineup of films that were 49% female-directed and represented 42 countries from around the world. The festival had a record number of submissions this year and screened 72 features and 46 shorts with eight world premieres, three North American premieres, 12 US premieres, 13 East Coast premieres, and seven New York premieres.

SEEJennifer Esposito (‘Fresh Kills’): First-time director brings feminist mob movie to 31st Hamptons Film Festival

Best Narrative Film went to “20,000 Species Of Bees,” directed by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren (watch the trailer above). “Tell Them You Love Me,” directed by Nick August-Perna, nabbed the Award for Best Documentary Feature. Hiff audiences selected narrative feature “Fresh Kills,” by first time director Jennifer Esposito, and documentary feature “Angel Applicant,...

“Good Night Oppy” lived up to its name. The space doc about rovers on Mars took the top honors at the 7th Annual Critics Choice Awards in midtown Manhattan. The move from Brooklyn (where the show had been produced for the last six years) was an upgrade. “Take a look around the Edison Ballroom,” ‘Oppy’ filmmaker Ryan White said. “It was a theater for over 60 years and did ‘Oh Calcutta’ for 13 years. Totally nude with sex-related sketches written by Sam Shepard, Samuel Beckett, Jules Feiffer and John Lennon.” Okay, yes, this place in the Edison Hotel is cooler.

Comic Wyatt Cenac hosted. “Keep making good stuff,” he told the audience. “So next year we don’t have to turn this thing into an awards show for TikTok explainer videos.” The star power was amped up for the new digs. Paul Shaeffer gave “The Beatles: Get Back” its Best Musical Doc award.

Roll the credits. The 30th Annual Hamptons Film Festival concluded Sunday night in East Hampton with an out-of-competition sneak of “Glass Onion,” the “Knives Out” sequel. Expanded to 10 days from the usual long weekend, the tony east end Long Island event that draws a large number of local academy members saw Lukas Dhont‘s “Close” named Best Narrative Feature by the competition jury. Best Documentary Feature went to “Pray For Our Sinners” about the Catholic Church.

“The challenge for the last three years has been Covid,” Artistic Director David Nugent says. This year was in-person, no drive-ins, and masks were suggested, not mandatory. Most wore them into theaters and then took them off.

“I think ‘Living’ could do well at the Oscars,” Nugent told me. “I think ‘The Son,’ ‘The Whale,’ ‘Banshees of Inisherin‘ and ‘Empire of Light.’ We’ll see where everything lands in two months.”

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Michael Moore was “in awe” of Robert DeNiro. Get in line, pal. And of the members of the Broadcast Film Critics Association on hand, Neil Rosen had laryngitis (his wife looked relieved). Steve Oldfield was pitching his second documentary, Mike Sargent was an hour late, his date was not. And Jeffery Wells (Hollywood Elsewhere) had a better seat than I did. He’s in the second row. I’m way in the back balcony control booth as the evening’s announcer.

The third annual Critic’s Choice Awards came back to the low-key Brooklyn setting, Bric, and the show was a “well-organized, briskly paced — by any measure an agreeable, fraternal family affair,” according to Wells. I think most would agree.

Here are some of the highlights on and off stage.

DeNiro was there to give the “Fahrenheit 11/9” director a Lifetime Achievement Award. “He’s on ‘Saturday Night Live’ tonight and...

The Avengers Initiative

Wired the physics of the Hulk's jump

Monkey See suggests some other team-up films that should follow The Avengers. Love the ending. Hee!

Guardian have you heard this ridiculously whiny Samuel L Jackson story? He's incensed that Ao Scott gave The Avengers a thumbs down. I like Ao Scott. The New York Times critic was at my screening and patiently waited in line. NY 1's Neil Rosen thought himself way too important to wait and just walked to the front. How do you like them apples? 

Scanners Jim Emerson sounds off on this same controversy (the Jackson vs Scott thing not Rosen's apples!) 

Not Relation

Empire Joseph Gordon-Levitt may headline a remake of Little Shop of Horrors (1986). Uh, good luck finding another Ellen Greene.

Coming Soon Sharlto Copley (District 9) is lining up a lot of movies. He next stars in Old Grave then Old Boy (the...

Sony/Columbia The cast of “Just Go With It,” from left, Bailee Madison, Adam Sandler and Griffin Gluck.

The new comedy “Just Go With It” features such stars as Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston and swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker. But the performance in the movie that’s won over some critics comes from a relative unknown–11-year-old Bailee Madison.

“[T]he hands-down find of ‘Just Go With It’ is 11-year-old Bailee Madison, as Aniston’s daughter, who is bubbling with energy, wit and invention,...