Porno PORNO (2019) Starring Evan Daves, Larry Saperstein, Jillian Mueller, Glenn Stott, Robbie Tann, Peter Reznikoff, Bill Phillips and Katelyn Pearce. Screenplay by Matt Black and Laurence Vannicelli. Directed by Keola Racela. Distributed by Evoke. 98 minutes. Not Rated. Screened at the 2019 Philadelphia Film Festival. There is something nice about good-natured DIY productions, so you tend to overlook some of the problems you may point out in bigger films. Take Porno, a surp

Wetlands WETLANDS (2014) Starring Carla Juri, Christoph Letkowski, Marlen Kruse, Meret Becker, Axel Milberg, Peri Baumeister, Edgar Selge, Harry Baer, Edgar Selge, Clara Wunsch, Ludger Bökelmann, Bernardo Arias Porras, Selam Tadese and Pia Röver. Screenplay by David Wnendt and Claus Falkenberg. Directed by David Wnendt. Distributed by Strand Releasing.  105 minutes.  Not Rated. There is nothing new about making films about the sexual awakenings of young girls – particularly i

Gregg Daniel at the New York City Public Library. Photo © 2014 Mark Doyle. All rights reserved. Gregg Daniel The Gospel According to True Blood’s Reverend Daniels by Jay S. Jacobs Whether he is treading the boards of the Great White Way (or it’s Los Angeles equivalent) or saving souls in the fictional Louisiana town of Bon Temps, Gregg Daniel demands attention. Not in some harsh and insistent way.  No, Daniel is much more is much more subtle in his approach.  Daniel is a long

Terri Nunn of Berlin Terri Nunn of Berlin Embraces Her Animal Instincts by Jay S. Jacobs Berlin rode the synthesized new wave to pop stardom in the early 80s.  The band was formed in Santa Monica, California, in the late 70s when songwriter and producer John Crawford hooked up with former actress and model Terri Nunn to take on the just about-to-explode synth pop world. For a few years they gained little traction – and Nunn briefly left the band in a personnel dispute, leadin

Dom Hemingway DOM HEMINGWAY (2014) Starring Jude Law, Richard E. Grant, Demian Bichir, Emilia Clarke, Kerry Condon, Jumayn Hunter, Madalina Ghenea, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Richard Graham, Nick Raggett, Katiana Taylor, Collette Morrow, Philippe Pierrard, Claire Viville, Jordan Nash and Grant Russell. Screenplay by Richard Shepard. Directed by Richard Shepard. Distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures. 93 minutes. Rated R. Antiheroes definitely have a place in movies.  Let’s face

The Wolf of Wall Street THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (2013) Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin, Joanna Lumley, Cristin Milioti, Christine Ebersole, Shea Whigham, Katarina Cas, P.J. Byrne, Kenneth Choi, Brian Sacca, Henry Zebrowski and Ethan Suplee. Screenplay by Terence Winter. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Distributed by Paramount Pictures. 179 minutes. Rated R. In 1987, th

Nymphomaniac: Volume I NYMPHOMANIAC - VOLUME I (2014) Starring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgård, Stacy Martin, Shia LaBeouf, Christian Slater, Uma Thurman, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Connie Nielsen, Clayton Nemrow, Tomas Sinclair Spencer, Katharina Rübertus, Inga Behring and Lisa Matschke. Screenplay by Lars von Trier. Directed by Lars von Trier. Distributed by Magnolia Pictures. 118 minutes. Not Rated. Leave it to controversial director Lars von Trier to make a film called

About Last Night ABOUT LAST NIGHT (2014) Starring Michael Ealy, Joy Bryant, Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, Chris McDonald, Adam Rodriguez, Joe Lo Truglio, Paula Patton, Catherine Shu, David Greenman, Bryan Callen, Paul Quinn, Hailey Boyle, Hailey Boyle and Terrell Owens. Screenplay by Leslye Headland. Directed by Steve Pink. Distributed by Screen Gems. 100 minutes. Rated R. This movie is kind of a rarity in the new Hollywood.  There is a worldview that it is good business to reboot

Lady Gaga Lady Gaga Winning the Fame Game by Jay S. Jacobs “I’m a hustler, you know?” Lady Gaga says.  “I just keep going.” She is going… and she’s planning on going far. Growing up in New York, Stefani Gabriella Germanotta – who now goes by the stage name Lady Gaga – was steeped in the celeb culture, watching famous classmates going to all the best parties and dodging paparazzi. Wanting a little of that glamour herself, Gaga threw herself into music – a giddy marriage of dan

Peter Stickles Peter Stickles Something in the Lair by Ronald Sklar Photography by Eugene Gallegos When New-York-based actor Peter Stickles yearned for a role he could sink his teeth into, he wasn’t just whistling “Dixie.” As the lead vampire in the new Here TV drama The Lair, Stickles plays a vampire so evil that his name is Damian. And yet, he doesn’t play it straight. It’s all about this premium cable TV channel’s new original scripted drama, which premieres this summer. “

Zoe Saldana in Haven. Zoë Saldana Finds Creative Shelter in Making Haven by Brad Balfour For actress Zoë Saldana making the indie film Haven had a lot to do with confronting her roots as being of Caribbean descent. While she’s been through the drill of characters of her age and ethnicity such as Center Stage and Drumline which put the spotlight on her career, Haven gave her a chance to really grapple with the nitty gritty of a character and a culture. Working with first time

Liz Phair liz phair exile from indieville by jay s. jacobs Okay, indie snobs, lay off of Liz Phair already, would ya? Yes, I know she was your poster girl back in 1993 when she released the rightfully celebrated alt-rock album Exile in Guyville, a lo-fi celebration of classic riffs and low life.  Here was a cute alt chick that was sensitive enough to write an extraordinarily insightful dissection of her life like “Canary” and wild enough to do a down-and-dirty grinder (in mor