Wetlands Preserve, the beloved neo-hippy jam band club down by the Holland Tunnel, has been given a funny film tribute by Dean Budnick, senior editor of Relix magazine. His film Wetlands Preserved features ample archival footage and interviews with artist ranging from Bob Weir to Dave Matthews. The documentary was actually completed two years ago, but it took Budnick forever to find his keys and get out of the apartment. more ›

As noted earlier today, a number of consumer activists, sweatshop protesters and anti-capitalist agitators have for years been working to turn Black Friday into Buy Nothing Day. Spearheaded by the anti-advertising gadflies at Adbusters, the event calls on individuals to suspend purchases for 24 hours and engage in creative activism to highlight the unsustainable patterns of mass consumer culture. Naturally, New York’s anti-corporate performance icon Reverend Billy is all over this. We spoke with... more ›

HEADS UP!: We love Daniel Kitson, it's been documented, so we wanted to give you a heads up that our favorite British comedian is coming back to the States! He has three shows in December at Union Hall (the 2nd, 3rd and 4th), and tickets are ON SALE NOW for two of those dates. It'll be the best $8+fees that you ever spent. ART: The Brothers Grimm fairytale Hansel and Gretel has taken over the... more ›

is the project that really encouraged his brilliant madness. It's one of the greatest potential disaster stories in film making and it won Herzog a best director prize at Cannes. more ›

With the mid-week Fourth of July holiday, an abbreviated work week practically demands an afternoon at the movies complete with giant tub o' fatty snacks and subzero air conditioning. New York is a real haven for movie theater aficionados, and we all have our favorites. Here's a brief breakdown of what to see, and where, this holiday. In the comments feel free to weigh in on the best and/or worst places to see giant alien vehicles attack earth or betrothed couples acting goofy. more ›

We noticed a short NY Times review of documentary film that instantly intrigued us. The Cats of Mirikitani is about Jimmy Mirkitani, an elderly homeless Japanese-American man, who filmmaker Linda Hattendorf meets when he is drawing cats under the awning of a SoHo grocery. The two become friends and Hattendorf started shooting the documentary about him in 2001. more ›

You know it's the fall movie season because it's all about actors and their performances. In the noir-lite period film, prequel, and now he's trying his hand at horror targeted towards the myspace demographic. Should be chilling, but not really in a good way. more ›

THEATER: Less than a week post-Fringe, another festival is upon us: the Brick's new Clown Theater Festival, which starts tonight with a subway parade and "free-for-all pie-fight." Some of the participating local and international performers wear big red noses but these aren't the sort of clowns that kids get scared of at birthday parties, but rather the promoters of and participants in a vibrant physical format that's re-energizing theater; there are performances like Chiche Capon's Cabaret out of France and Fools Mass by NYC's own Theatre Group Dzieci, plus workshops for aspiring clowns. Even if the Fringe has you tuckered out, these will be different and delightful enough to get you going again. - Mallory Jensen more ›

to find out. more ›

Last night, Gothamist and Palm Pictures arranged an advance screening of at Cinema Village near Union Square and we wanted to thank everyone who came out to see the film. Watching it on the big screen with an audience filled with people on the edge of their seats for this French thriller was tons of fun. more ›

and why indie movies and New York go as well together as peanut butter and jelly. more ›

This week the box office juggernaut that is the new , there's still tons of repertory to take in instead this weekend. more ›

Whether you are overdosing on matzos, chocolate bunnies or just the stunning spring weather, taking in a weekend movie can be a great break from it all. Okay, maybe you don't want a break from the 70 degree weather but still. A movie could be good too. more ›

This week’s new movie releases are all about men behaving badly, and of course the women who put up with their crap. Though if that's not what you're into there's always some good Irish beer or Korean kimchee to tempt your movie palate. more ›

This week at the movies, there's good news and bad news. The bad news is that the new releases are seriously scrapping the bottom of the quality bucket. How many weeks now has it been that we've had this complaint? The good news is that, as per usual, there's load of other fascinating movie related events In New York to sink your teeth into with relish. more ›

26 year-old Adam Bhala Lough has achieved critical acclaim with his feature debut, Bomb the System, a gritty portrayal of NYC’s underground graffiti culture, now playing at the Cinema Village. Shot entirely in the streets of NYC, the film follows Blest – a talented, sensitive, and rebellious graffiti artist emotionally haunted by his dead brother’s graffiti legacy – and his frustrated friends as they struggle to express themselves through tagging while battling corrupt policemen. You don't have to know anything about graffiti writers or their lifestyle to appreciate the film’s sincere and poignant depiction of their lives; the characters offer plenty of insightful explanations and commentary, portraying New York like a scarred, torn battlefield where urban kids are determined yet conflicted in performing their criminal art. more ›

cast member from his lack of Academy Award accolades this year, but really the continually overlooked one is Sandra Oh. more ›

Alfred Portale Simple Pleasures: Home Cooking from the Gotham Bar and Grill's Acclaimed Chef, by Alfred Portale (Morrow, 2005) more ›

, screens tonight at Cinema Village. more ›

Joel Sherman, Professional Scrabble® Player more ›

action flicks one rainy, rainy night. more ›

This summer has been one docu after another in the art house theaters. If you've seen enough talking heads, soft money and political intrigue to last you until the next election cycle, might we recommend a documentary on a topic near and dear to the Gothamist heart: New York restaurants. more ›

we have been big fans of Howard Zinn. Yes, fans, of an historian. more ›

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Thanks Ben, lia, and our own Mindy. Ben also highly recommends Pak's spoof, Asian Pride Porn, where Pulitzer-winning playwright David Henry Hwang shills porn (watch at Atom Films). more ›

Charlotte Sometimes finally opens in New York with a theatrical run at Cinema Village on East 12th Street starting today. Gothamist first caught it in February, and it is a beautiful, subdued character driven film about four young people in L.A.: An introverted mechanic; his tenant, a sexy actress; her boyfriend; and a mysterious woman. The Times' Dave Kehr calls it "a tiny film that reflects a large talent." Kehr also says that director Eric Byler's style recalls that of French master, Eric Rohmer "fascination with courtship rituals" and "complex interaction of two actors sharing the same frame." Roger Ebert was an early advocate for the film. more ›

Aaron at 601am inspired us with his suggestions for an indoor Memorial Day weekend for guests. Since lousy weather makes getting past the front door even harder, we have included many things that are great stay-at-home activities: more ›

Hipsters and indie rock fans (Gothamist is not sure if these are the same people; working on the Venn diagram), rejoice: I Am Trying To Break Your Heart is on DVD today. The Sam Jones directed documentary of Wilco recording Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was critically well-received. But of course, you hipsters and indie rock fans don't care and already know the documentary is good. more ›

A producer here at work also produced a film about animators John and Faith Hubley. It is screening at Cinema Village on December 9, 6PM. John and Faith were these experimental animators who were independent before independent film was the rage. (Fun fact: One daughter is Georgia, drummer for Yo La Tengo.) Anyway, this PBS site about the film is really interesting...being more familiar with Faith's work, I never knew that John was a Disney animator and worked on many seminal films like Bambi, Pinocchio, Dumbo and Fantasia. Independent Spirits more ›