THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND (2020) Starring Pete Davidson, Marisa Tomei, Bill Burr, Bel Powley, Ricky Velez, Lou Wilson, Moises Arias, Maude Apatow, Carly Aquilino, Robert Vidal III, Angus Costello, Pauline Chalamet, Lynne Koplitz, Joseph Paul Kennedy, Nina Hellman, Jack Hamblin, Kevin Corrigan, Stephen Davidson, Keith Robinson, Giselle King, Pamela Adlon, Domenick Lombardozzi, Colson Baker and Steve Buscemi. Screenplay by Judd Apatow & Pete Davidson & David Sirus. Directed by

Nancy NANCY (2018) Starring Andrea Riseborough, Ann Dowd, Steve Buscemi, J. Smith-Cameron, John Leguizamo, Samrat Chakrabarti, Marinda Anderson, Jamie Angelle, Lorenzo Beronilla, Owen Campbell, Olli Haaskivi, René Ifrah, James Karpowicz, Virginia Kull, Linda Kutrubes, Ann Lucente and T. Sahara Meer. Screenplay by Christina Choe. Directed by Christina Choe. Distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films. 87 minutes. Not Rated. There are so many wounded and disturbed people who look for v

The Death of Stalin THE DEATH OF STALIN (2017) Starring Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Michael Palin, Paddy Considine, Rupert Friend, Jason Isaacs, Andrea Riseborough, Jeffrey Tambor, Olga Kurylenko, Adrian Mcloughlin, Paul Chahidi, Dermot Crowley, Adrian McLoughlin, Paul Whitehouse, Tom Brooke, Justin Edwards, Paul Ready, Yulya Muhrygina and Roger Ashton Griffiths. Screenplay by Armando Iannucci, David Schneider and Ian Martin. Directed by Armando Iannucci. Distributed

Wilson WILSON (2017) Starring Woody Harrelson, Laura Dern, Judy Greer, Isabella Amara, Margo Martindale, Cheryl Hines, Bill McCallum, David Warshofsky, Brett Gelman, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Lauren Weedman, Toussaint Morrison, Andrew Hawtrey, Chris Carlson, Rachel Weber, Bruce Bohne, Roxy Wood and James Saito. Screenplay by Daniel Clowes. Directed by Craig Johnson. Distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures.  94 minutes.  Rated R. The title character in Wilson is the type of guy who,

Bokeem Woodbine, Jesse Plemons, Jean Smart, Jeffrey Donovan, Kirsten Dunst, Noah Hawley and Cristin Milioti at the PaleyFest NY celebration of “Fargo” on October 16, 2105. Photo copyright Jay S. Jacobs. Kirsten Dunst, Jeffrey Donovan, Bokeem Woodbine, Jean Smart, Cristin Milioti and Warren Littlefield Goin’ Back to Fargo by Jay S. Jacobs Whatcha sayin’?  Fargo’s comin’ back? Oh, ya.  The second season is startin’ out real good. There are few stories in history that seemed les

Fargo FARGO (1996) Starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Harve Presnell, Peter Stormare, Kristin Rudrüd, Tony Denman, John Carroll Lynch, Larissa Kokernot, Melissa Peterman, Steven Reevis, James Gaulke, Steve Park, Bruce Campbell and Jose Feliciano. Screenplay by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen. Directed by Joel Coen. Distributed by Fox Home Entertainment. 98 minutes. Rated R. In the opening of Fargo there is one of those title cards that informs you that “This i

Chloe Sevigny stars in “The Wait.” Chloë Sevigny Is Totally Worth The Wait by Jay S. Jacobs We've been watching Chloë Sevigny since she was literally a kid: playing a standout role in Larry Clark's Kids, the hard-hitting 1995 cult drama about wasted youth.  Nearly twenty years later and the quirky actress still fascinates.  As an actress, she is an odd contradiction: pretty but not traditionally beautiful, somber but with an offbeat sense of humor, dead serious and yet playfu

Monsters University MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (2013) Featuring the voices of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Helen Mirren, Steve Buscemi, Peter Sohn, Charlie Day, Alfred Molina, Aubrey Plaza, Joel Murray, Sean Hayes, Dave Foley, Nathan Fillion, Tyler Labine, John Krasinski, Bonnie Hunt, Bill Hader, Bobby Moynihan, Julia Sweeney, Beth Behrs, Bob Peterson and John Ratzenberger. Screenplay by Robert L Baird, Daniel Gerson and Dan Scanlon. Directed by Dan Scanlon. Distributed by Walt Disn

Interview INTERVIEW (2007) Starring Steve Buscemi, Sienna Miller, Michael Buscemi, Tara Elders, David Schecter, Molly Griffith, Elizabeth Bracco, James Villemaire, Jackson Loo, muMs, Doc Dougherty, Donna Hanover, Wayne Wilcox, Danny Schecter and Philippe Vonlanthen. Screenplay by David Schecter and Steve Buscemi. Directed by Steve Buscemi. Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics. 83 minutes. Rated R. The celebrity interview is not as glamorous most people think.  A lot of my fr

Gil Kenan GIL KENAN MAKES A MONSTROUS HOUSE by Brad Balfour What a break for first-time feature animation film director Gil Kenan. After Executive producers Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis saw his live-action/animated horror-fantasy short, The Lark he was awarded the directing seat for Monster House – and now is nominated for a Best Animated Feature Oscar. The story goes something like this: three kids DJ (Mitchel Musso), Chowder (Sam Lerner), and Jenny (Spencer Locke) d

Lonesome Jim LONESOME JIM (2006) Starring Casey Affleck, Liv Tyler, Mary Kay Place, Kevin Corrigan, Mark Boone Junior, Seymour Cassel, Jack Rovello, Rachel Strouse, Sarah Strouse, Jake La Botz, Jude Barger, Pam Angell, Michael Buscemi, Don Strouse and Rick Duplissie. Screenplay by James C. Strouse. Directed by Steve Buscemi. Distributed by IFC Films. 91 minutes. Rated R. As an actor, Steve Buscemi has a sort of beaten-down, desperate charm. He has a generally nice, but just s

Scarlett Johansson in “The Island.” SCARLETT JOHANSSON ESCAPING THE ISLAND By Brad Balfour When 20 year-old actress Scarlett Johansson joined director Michael Bay in making The Island, it didn’t seem the pairing would work Though Johansson has been known for starring in quirky small-scale character driven films (such as Ghost World, Lost In Translation and The Girl with the Pearl Earring), Bay had been established as a provider of splashy explosion and car cash laden action f

Coffee and Cigarettes COFFEE AND CIGARETTES  (2004) Starring Roberto Begnini, Steven Wright, Steve Buscemi, Joie Lee, Cinque Lee, Tom Waits, Iggy Pop, Joseph Rigano, Vinny Vella, Vinny Vella Jr., Renée French, E.J. Rodriquez, Alex Descas, Isaach De Bankolé, Cate Blanchett, Mike Hogan, Jack White, Meg White, Alfred Molina, Steve Coogan, Katy Hansz, GZA, RZA, Bill Murray, Bill Rice and Taylor Mead. Screenplay by Jim Jarmusch. Directed by Jim Jarmusch. Distributed by MGM Communi

Big Fish BIG FISH  (2004) Starring Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Alison Lohman, Robert Guillaume, Marion Cotillard, Matthew McGrory, David Denman, Missi Pyle, Loudon Wainwright III, Ada Tai, Arlene Tai, Steve Buscemi and Danny DeVito. Screenplay by John August. Directed by Tim Burton. Distributed by Columbia Pictures.  125 minutes.  Rated PG-13. I had a rather complicated reaction to Tim Burton’s latest film Big Fish. The wor

Ghost World GHOST WORLD   (2001) Starring Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, Brad Renfro, Illeana Douglas, Bob Balaban, Teri Garr, Debra Azar, Brian George, Tom McGowan and David Cross. Screenplay by Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff. Directed by Terry Zwigoff. Distributed by United Artists Pictures.   111 minutes.   Rated R. In recent years, a strange, bullying mentality seems to have taken over Hollywood comedy. Any time they make a film about characters who are

Big Daddy BIG DADDY (1999) Starring Adam Sandler, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Stewart, Cole Sprouse, Dylan Sprouse, Josh Mostel, Rob Schneider, Kristy Swanson, Joseph Bologna and Steve Buscemi. Screenplay by Steve Franks, Tim Herlihy and Adam Sandler. Directed by Dennis Dugan. Distributed by Columbia / Tri Star Pictures.  93 minutes.  Rated PG-13. I don’t ever dismiss a movie out of hand. After all, even the worst movies come from hard work and sweat of dozens of people… And who a