Review: "The King of Staten Island" is a Perfect Exploration of Millennial Ennui

Pete Davidson

On the surface, it's hard to see why director Judd Apatow chose to land his latest directorial effort on the shoulder of Pete Davidson. At best, the amount of marijuana smoke flowing from his mouth could rival Seth Rogen in his prime. You can smell it leeching through the frame as a tattooed 24-year-old man-child wanders life aimlessly. Those who have followed the comedian's public persona will find it difficult to find any nuance in his small acting career, mostly getting by on the charming loser persona who means good but couldn't deliver on the simplest of promise. It's the type of mentality that you would never expect Apatow, one of studio comedy's premier voices in scouting future megastars, to have when choosing the unproven, untapped potential of Davidson.

Much like Rogen before, the collaboration with Apatow has turned out to be the best thing that happened to their respective careers. This is the director feeling electrified, finding ways to take the stoner archetype further than he ever could with Knocked Up. Here is a filmmaker who has matured into a father and has a cautious eye out for the next generation, desiring to explore their personal anxieties and understand why this new generation is so depressed. Given Davidson's openness in his stand-up, it suddenly begins to make sense why he was chosen for The King of Staten Island: a pseudo-biographical film that finally realizes the comedian's potential while also producing a film that explores millennial ennui with clarity and heart not often seen before. While it may have rocky patches (it is an Apatow movie after all), it's one of the most honest and focused works that the director has ever made. After decades of being compared to James L. Brooks, this may be the first time that he's matched his underlying charm. 

A24 A-to-Z: #63. "Lean on Pete" (2018)

Scene from Lean on Pete

In case you didn't know, A24 is one of the great purveyors of modern cinema. Since 2013, the studio has found a way to innovate independent cinema by turning each release into an event. As a result, A24 A-to-Z will be an ongoing series that looks at every release from the studio by analyzing its production history, release, criticisms, and any awards attention that it might've received. Join me on a quest to explore the modern heroes of cinema by exploring every hit and miss that comes with that magnificent logo. They may not all be great, but they more than make A24 what it is and what it will hopefully continue to be for years to come.

Top 10 Actors Who Have Worked with The Coen Brothers Multiple Times

From Hail, Caesar! poster

If there's one thing that directors Joel and Ethan Coen love, it's a strong ensemble. With today's release of their latest Hail, Caesar!, it feels important to remember the many actors that they have worked with to make such iconic cinema for over 30 years. The following is a ranking of the Top 10 repeat offenders all between their debut Blood Simple and 2013's Inside Llewyn Davis. While this list is subject to change as more members join their weird little stable, the following reflects an insurmountable group by which The Coen Brothers would be nothing without. Along with ranking, the list will include their greatest credit, for which it would be impossible to not see them as when talking about their greatest work.

Review: "Monsters University" is a Great Welcome Back to the Fun Side of Pixar

If forced to poll a random group of people what their favorite Pixar movie was, there would be little doubt that Monsters Inc. ranked near the top. Its whimsical look into a world of monsters who scare for a living has become one of the studio's most successful both with audiences as well as tonally. It made Billy Crystal a star to a whole new generation and created a universe of wonderment. It only seemed logical that 12 years later they would want to revisit the characters with a trip to Monsters University: a film that saw these characters meet and even bond over their love of scaring. With the voice talents who made the first successful, is it possible that they managed to create another hit?