• Director Mary Harron has had a fascinating journey on her way to the Tribeca Film Festival. Her earlier film “American Psycho” tells the story of a demented killer. “The Notorious Bettie Page” was a historic period piece. With “Charlie Says,” a historic period piece about a demented killer, she’s completed the circle.The story of Charles Manson and his infamous crimes has been told before, most notably in the 1976 made-for-TV

  • When the documentary “Love, Gilda” premiered at last year’s Tribeca film festival I got left out in the cold. No ticket, it was a sellout. But after taking in the film’s premiere on CNN recently, I could see why “Love, Gilda” would garner such success. This tribute of the life of late comedienne Gilda Radner (1946-1989) is filled with warmth, cheer and heart. I was incredibly fortunate to be able to chat with Lisa D’Apolito about this

  • Hosting the Academy Awards used to be the hottest gig in Hollywood. Bob Hope made it classy, Johnny Carson made it fashionable and Billy Crystal made it hip. Unfortunately, of late it has become a job with as much reward and negativity as working in the Trump White House. The latest victim of its recent controversy is comedian Kevin Hart. Hart recently withdrew himself from the 2019 gig when homophobic tweets he made almost

  • The film “Woman Walks Ahead” opens this weekend but I was fortunate enough to see it at the Tribeca Festival. It is an honor to finally review it and therefore close out my festival coverage by indeed saving the best for last. Like many films this year it was directed by a woman and judging by the response of the audiences, it’s proof that female directors are certainly on an even playing field with their male counterparts.

  • One of the best films to come out of Tribeca this year was “Mary Shelley.” The period biopic about a woman was not only directed by one, Haifaa Al Mansour, but also but produced by one. For over two decades Amy Baer has been a creative force in entertainment. The former President and CEO of CBS Films spent seventeen years at Sony Pictures Entertainment where she helped develop various films, some that went on to gross

  • There were many films at the Tribeca Festival, many about women, and many others directed by women. “Mary Shelley,” starring Elle Fanning, is not only both, but perhaps was one of the best films at this year’s Tribeca Festival, which ended recently. As the title suggests, "Mary Shelley" tells the story of the nineteenth century-author who penned the horror classic “Frankenstein.” And in a case of irony as poetic

  • Among all the films at this year’s Tribeca festival, the most stunning one was “State Like Sleep,” a modern-day film noir with all the suspense of a Hitchcock movie.  The story, set in the underbelly of Brussels, follows the widow of a deceased Belgian actor who one-year after his death decides to investigate the mystery behind his apparent suicide. The film’s heroine, Katherine Waterston (“Alien: Covenant,” “Fantastic