movie reviews

Keanu Reeves and Martin Scorsese in 'Side by Side'

Chris and Keanu’s Not-So-Excellent Adventure: Side by Side Zooms in on Role of Digital Techonolgy in Film

Have you ever wondered what your favorite director thought about shooting on digital film? How about actress Greta Gerwig? Have you even considered what the indie actress thought the first time she heard the whirring sound of an actual celluloid camera? What of cinematographers and colorists—how interested are you in exploring their relationships? (Are they adversaries? Do they work as a team? Did they start out adversaries, but thanks to advances in technology, now work as a team?) Have you ever wondered how Keanu Reeves would sound saying such profound phrases as “film has helped us share our experiences and dreams,” or “by the 1980s, Avid had developed digital editing into a cost-effective, computer-based system”?

If the answer to any of the above is “yes—but only if fed to me through a 90-minute documentary”—then you are exactly the niche audience longtime production manager and part-time documentarian Chris Kenneally had in mind for his second feature-length film, Side by Side. Read More

Manhattan Transfers

There's a working fireplace and a grand piano. Everything you need... except for furniture.

And… Scene! Money Man Cuts Out Of Martin Scorsese’s Former Home

You know those movies that you can watch over and over again? The ones that you can never get enough of until suddenly, one day, you’re done? You just want to see something, anything, different? We assume a similar thing happened to Rodney Schiffer, who’s selling his townhouse at 217 East 62nd Street after five years.

Mr. Schiffer, the former managing director of Column Financial, bought the 3,750-square foot house from Martin Scorsese back in 2007. Mr. Scorsese departed from his home of 20 years for a $12 million townhouse on E. 64th Street, apparently figuring that he and his long-overdue Oscar deserved some fancier digs. Read More

Viral Video

Video

Martin Scorsese in the new iPhone ad (YouTube)

‘Are you talking to Siri?’: Martin Scorsese Slips Taxi Driver Reference Into iPhone Spot (Video)

Zooey Deschanel orders tomato soup. John Malkovich demands a joke. Samuel L. Jackson makes his own tomato soup (Hot-spacho!)

The iPhone 4S ads have drawn some A-list names to promote its new feature: indentured robotic servant Siri. Because Apple won’t rest until the singularity is here and everything Isaac Asimov predicted comes true.

The latest spot, released yesterday, stars director Martin Scorsese in the back of a taxi cab. In 1976′s Taxi Driver, it was Mr. Scorsese himself who made the cameo as a creepy backseat passenger. Now, he’s returning the favor.

See if you can spot the Taxi Driver shout-out in the iconic director’s commercial. Read More

Shindigger

39th Annual Chaplin Award Gala honoring CATHERINE DENEUVE

The Film Society of Lincoln Center Honors Catherine Deneuve

But I am French!” a tourist announced at the door of Alice Tully Hall Monday evening. His name was not on that most sacred Excel spreadsheet, the guest list, for the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s gala tribute to Catherine Deneuve. “This actress is French! I am French!” he told the doorman. His face showed that singular Gallic disdain, exasperated that Americans should be privy to an icon as beatific as Madame Deneuve. A security guard intervened, sending the fuming Frenchman on his way.

Inside the atrium, however, a reverent group was congregating, awaiting the entrance of the filmic doyenne. In true French fashion, she kept them waiting. Read More

The Oscars

Viola Davis (Getty Images)

The Most Exciting Oscar Races

Best Actress

In the past few weeks, this race–long led by Viola Davis–got a lot more interesting with Golden Globe wins for Meryl Streep and Michelle Williams. Ms. Williams’s film may feel too slight, but she’s gone on the PR offensive with an in-character GQ cover; Ms. Streep’s film has its detractors, and Read More

The Oscars

Academy Award Nominee Rooney Mara

Hugo Leads Oscar Race With 11 Nominations

This morning, thousands upon tens of New Yorkers are realizing they have to go see Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, as that film was announced as one of nine Oscar Best Picture nominees.

Big surprises of the morning included that film’s nomination for Best Picture, the inclusion of Best Actor nominees Demian Bichir and Gary Read More