Tonight
TV: VH1 Classic presents Matzo and Metal: A Very Classic Passover, starring Jewish hard rock artists Dee Snider and JJ French of Twisted Sister, Scott Ian of Anthrax and Leslie West, who will lead you through a traditional metal seder as well as kvetch about their music industry experiences. And the special’s sponsor? Only the most rock n roll of alcoholic beverages – Maneschewitz. 7pm, VH1 Classic.
Film: Comedian David Cross curates a film series on “movies he just plain likes.” At 7pm, Cross presents the obscure 1979 classic Chilly Scenes Of Winter, based on Beckett quote that there is nothing funnier than unhappiness and follows an obsessive love affair.Then at 9:00, Cross shows Terrence Malick’s critically acclaimed Badlands, which recounts the Starkweather-Fugate killing spree of the 1950's and stars Martin Sheen. “A fun thing to do is note how many ways TRUE ROMANCE ripped this movie off," suggests David. “I've counted 127!
Cross sends everyone off with On Deadly Ground, which is quite possibly one of the most unintentionally hilarious action flicks. “The level of absurdity reached, as well as the sheer number of ways in which it reaches it, will leave you with chills and possibly a fever. Mankind has not known a fool as loud and puffy as Sir Steven Segal in several centuries and his epic ego combined with a deep misunderstanding of his artistic abilities make for one of the worst/best movies of my generation.” Anthology Film Archives, 32 Second Ave. (212) 505-5181, $8 / $5 (AFA Members)
Matthew Vaughn's (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) gritty Layer Cake, about a drug dealer contemplating retirement until he's sucked back into the UK gangster underground, screens at the Tribeca Film Festival, @ 10pm.
The Lower West Side Film Festival "Hollywoodn't" has over 60 avanate garde and innovative short films and performances. 279 Church St. (@ White St.) $7–$15
Saturday
Film: Coen Brother's cult favorite The Big Lebowski plays at the MOMA, 8pm
Martin Scorsese’s bizarre quasi-comedy/tragedy After Hours, about an uptown yuppie computer consultant who finds himself lost and confused in Soho, plays at Landmark Sunshine Cinema at midnight.
Sunday
Film: One of Gothamist's favorite movies from the Tribeca FF is Mad Hot Ballroom, a documentary of NYC's fourth and fifth graders in the citywide ballroom dancing competition, which will be presented FREE at the Tribeca DRIVE-IN at 8:00 PM, North Cove @World Financial Center. Arrive early for seats.
Stella Comedian Michael Showalter's directorial debut - the romantic comedy The Baxter - plays at The Tribeca Film Festival, 6:00 PM, Pace Schimmel Center.
TV: Lucy Lawless, who plays a USDA entomologist in CBS' TV movie Locusts @9:00 PM, exposed that the biologically enhanced supersize swarm which invades America are not locusts, but actually crickets.
Staying In: If you're tired of such Passover classics as The Ten Commandments and A Rugrats Passover, we suggest renting Jerusalem Jones and the lost Afikoman which follows the Sesame Street gang through a “magical tour” of Israel with the help of Sarah Jessica Parker, who does what she does best: escapes the world’s largest matzah ball.
