July 22, 2015

Colin Jost’s Staten Island Summer. Did They Get it Right?

Thank you, Colin Jost! With Staten Island Summer, America can finally see that "Gym-Tan-Laundry" is not, in fact, the motto of the place I was born and raised. What a thrill to watch a film that depicts the Island in a realistic way. And what better setting than the summer, by the pool? The place where some of my favorite memories of childhood reside. I imagine this is also true for Colin, which would explain the valentine to our hometown he has created.
February 19, 2015

The Comedic Performances That The Academy Overlooked

Reese Witherspoon knows. So does Steve Carell. It's an open secret that being funny on film will not bring you Oscar gold. If it did, Steve would have been billed as Academy Award Nominee Steve Carell for the last 10 years. His performance in The 40 Year-Old Virgin was a revelation. The guy you saw on The Daily Show every so often suddenly turned in this nuanced performance that was both hilarious and sweet. The entire movie hinged on the believability of his character Andy, and Carell very subtly had us in the palm of his hand the entire time. If Andy was dyslexic or had a harelip instead of being a virgin, Carell would have been making the rounds on the awards circuit in 2005, the way he is this year for Foxcatcher.
March 29, 2014

Steve Coogan Raises Silliness to High Art

Silliness raised to an art form. This is the brilliance of Steve Coogan. Anyone can be silly. It’s one of the first forms of humor that kids learn. To find silliness that is not simply immature or careless, but is nuanced and detailed, is rare. Steve Coogan has been bringing nuanced, detailed, silly humor, particularly in the form of his character Alan Partridge, for nearly 20 years in Britain.
March 6, 2014

Why Everyone Loves Gilda

For anyone who was a little too young to completely understand the humor of the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players when they premiered on Saturday Night Live, Gilda Radner was still able to reach out and touch you.