An up-and-coming comic’s big screen debut and one of the masters of American cinema. Lots to rent and stream this weekend. First up, the new comedy The King of Staten Island: Cowritten and starring Pete Davidson, The King of Staten Island feels … Continue reading This week in Film — THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND and Spike Lee at home
Modern celebrity is a hard concept to parody. The 24-hour news cycle and websites operating via click-bait headlines drive the madness while social media shoulder the personal aspect of the downfall. But these are merely the instruments that over-bloated egos hoist themselves with. Give someone enough rope, and they are bound to hang themselves. And they do, time and time again. Making the question behind Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping not why parody it, but how? Childhood friends cum comedic rap/pop group, The Lonely Island — Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone — broke through on Saturday Night Live with … Continue reading POPSTAR: NEVER STOP NEVER STOPPING
Barbara – Germany’s official submission for the Foreign Language Academy Award, written and directed by Christian Petzold and starring his muse, Nina Hoss as Barbara. Set in Cold War Germany, Nina is banished to a rural East Germany hospital when she applies for an exit visa. While her lover is working on a way to get her to West Germany, Barbara lies low and tries not to entangle with anyone. Andre (Ronald Zehrfeld), the head physician of the hospital, takes a liking to her, and she to him, but she can’t be certain if he is a spy or not. … Continue reading Movie Beat – 12.21.12
