The Knockturnal was on the scene Thursday night at a special screening for “The Nice Guys,” the latest Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe crime comedy hitting theaters May 20th.
Alexandra Finkel
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Glamour took center stage on the last day of fashion week with J. Mendel’s RTW Fall 2016 collection.
Fashion Week may have migrated down South, but Nautica’s latest line kept the city alive.
‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2’ Gets Darker as Katniss’ Battle Comes To An End
The final installment of the Hunger Games is far darker than we’ve seen before. It’s a darkness that is both refreshing and surprising.
Tell me if you’ve heard this story before. Three longterm best bros get together for one final hurrah, and in turn, spend the night on the craziest adventure of their lives with plenty of hijinks, a bad guy or two, and, of course, lots and lots of the green. And by the end, they find true love (platonic or romantic… usually both).
So yeah, add a Christmas tree and a hell of a lot of cameos (Miley Cyrus, Mindy Kaling, etc.) and you’ve got The Night Before, Seth Rogen and partner-in-crime Evan Goldberg’s latest comedy vehicle.
Directed and co-written by 50/50’s Jonathan Levine, The Night Before may be semi-predictable, but it’s fun nonetheless. The film tells the story of best buds Ethan (Joseph Gordon Levitt, Isaac (Seth Rogen) and Chris (Anthony Mackie) who have spent the night before Christmas together for the last decade. But things have changed. Isaac is starting a family, Chris is an insanely famous football player, and Ethan, well, he’s going nowhere. Their last night before takes a turn for the best when they attempt to make their way to a very exclusive party in the heart of Brooklyn.
So what happens on the way? Oh, you know, the usual. Drugs, lots of them. Weed. Coke. Shrooms. There’s karaoke, Michael Shannon, lots of dick pics, and even a rooftop chase.
The funniest parts of the movie are also the most surprising. Take, for instance, when a character is sort of crucified, which had the audience in stitches. Or there’s the moment when a manger comes to life. Kind of. That all sounds kind of insane, but it’s funnier than you think.
Tracy Morgan does a bomb ass job narrating the story, and the three leads do just enough for you to question whether you are watching them act or just hangout (this especially feels real when James Franco shows up). Gordon Levitt continues to shine as the guy who’s always a bit lost, Rogen spends most of the movie high out of his mind, but nails it as per usual, and Mackie is very appealing as a fame whore who’s obsessed with social media.
Sure, the ending is exactly what you assumed it would be, but it’s a crazy adventure getting there. There’s also something pretty realistic and heartwarming about the three leads’ friendship. Sure, things change, but your friends will always be there for you. The message may sound simple, but with comedies these days, it’s a dime a dozen.
The film hits theaters this Friday.
We had the opportunity to see the film at a special screening hosted by Joe Boxer on Nov. 16. A party followed at the DL, where guests enjoyed Serpent’s Bite Whisky, Budweiser, Red Bull infused cocktails and Dark Horse Wine. DJ Jonny was on the turntables. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie and co-writer/director Jonathan Levine were all in attendance.
PHOTO CREDIT: Dave Allocca, StarPix
If there’s one thing Justin Bieber shouldn’t be sorry about, it’s putting Carly Rae Jepsen on the map. Back in 2011, the Canadian popstar tweeted about Jepsen’s song, and in weeks, “Call Me Maybe” was a bonafide hit— the 2012 Song of the Summer and every millennial’s favorite Karaoke tune. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Jepsen was as charming as the song was catchy.
It’s been a long three years, but Jepsen has returned with one of the best follow-ups in recent history. Emotion has not only been a hit with critics (many have called it one of the best albums of 2015), but it’s resulted in a few chart-topping singles as well.
Jepsen, now decidedly grown up, has traded in her squeaky clean persona for one with a whole lot of raw edge and, yes, I’ll say it, emotion. And it was never more clear than at Irving Plaza on Wednesday night at the NYC stop for Jepsen’s tour. In just 90 minutes, Jepsen proved while she’ll never just be a one hit wonder.
It was a sold out crowd as Jepsen took the stage, clad in a lace-up deep V sequined jacket and short black jagged bob, showing how much she’s grown up since the days of “Call Me Maybe.” Jepsen began the night with Emotion’s “Run Away With Me” and “Making the Most of the Night” before going back in time with “Good Time,” her collaboration with Owl City. Next up, she barreled through a number of songs off Emotion, including the title track, “Warm Blood,” and “Boy Problems,” which elicited perhaps the largest singalong of the night (yes, maybe even more than “Call Me Maybe).”
On stage, Jepsen no longer seemed like a popstar still in the making. Now, she was was one. The 80’s beats of tunes like “Gimmie Love” and “I Didn’t Just Come Here to Dance” blended with her voice almost seamlessly, and as she performed, it seemed effortless.
And it was clear she knew her fan base, making fun of Los Angeles before “LA Hallucinations” and engaging with the crowd. The small venue was ideal for the singer, who easily commanded the crowd, during songs like “Favorite Color” and “Love Again.”
As the night started to wind down, she played ballad “All That” and closed with “Let’s Get Lost.” It was only a few minutes, however, when Jepsen returned with an acoustic version of “Curiosity.”
And finally, the moment the crowd, mostly made up of die-hard fans, had been waiting for. “I may need some help with this one,” Jepsen yelled into the mic as the tune for “Call Me Maybe” began. The crowd went wild, singing along and jumping as Jepsen left the stage to sing with her fans. The singer finished the night with the first single off Emotion, “I Really Like You” reminding us how far she’s come in three years.
And as you may have assumed, history almost always repeats itself. Back in April, Bieber helped his old friend out by recording a lip synch version of “I Really Like You” back in April. The thing is, Carly, we really, really like you too. And it’s pretty clear you aren’t going anywhere.
NYC’s movers and shakers gathered Tuesday night at Midtown’s Lavo Italian restaurant and nightclub for Bombay Sapphire’s World’s Most Imaginative Bartender Competition.