Filming in my Alphabet City neighborhood on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, The Smurfs Movie casting is superb, including Neil Patrick Harris, Hank Azaria, Jonathan Winters, Jeff Foxworthy, Paul Reubens, Alan Cumming and George Lopez.

Wow.

Raja Gosnell, the director, wasn't my first choice as his filmography is rather poor, but I'll hold out hope for it. He's also an editor which is good. Shooting should be efficient with low shooting ratios.

Kudos to Columbia Pictures for green-lighting a major movie in NYC. Not easy or cheap, and thanks for filming here and not Toronto.