Give A Gift
MOST RECENT ARTICLES BY:

Jason Bailey

See all their articles from across New York Magazine
  1. disreputable art
    A Forgotten Chapter in the Rowdy History of Bad-movie LoversIt Came From Hollywood may be long forgotten and hard to see, but it helped shape film culture, where “bad” movies are now often celebrated.
  2. vulture lists
    Every Movie in the Halloween Franchise, RankedFrom John Carpenter’s original Halloween to David Gordon Green’s latest, Halloween Ends.
  3. getting away with murder
    The Bloody History Behind Those Moving Pictures in NopeJordan Peele’s Nope invokes thematic parallels to the story of the man who photographed the impossible — and was a stone-cold murderer.
  4. tribeca festival
    11 Films You Should See at This Year’s Tribeca FestivalA.k.a. where you’ll see Ashton Kutcher as a villain in a cowboy hat opposite Ryan from The Office.
  5. awards season
    If No One Is Around to Watch the Golden Globes, Do They Matter?With no telecast (or even a livestream!) this year, will the Globes have any impact on the Oscars? We can take an educated guess, with some precedent.
  6. movie review
    Being the Ricardos Isn’t a Biopic, It’s a Filmed Wikipedia PageIt’s not just that Sorkin is a better scripter than director — it’s that he’s kind of a lousy director.
  7. reasons to love new york
    The First Great New York City Chase SceneIn the climax of Harold Lloyd’s Speedy, Lloyd — driving the city’s last “horse car” taxi — barrels through town.
  8. new york in your bones
    The 101 Best New York City Movies, RankedSome movies reflect the perilous reality of living here, others the urbane fantasy. The greatest do both.
  9. deep dives
    A Guide to Every Easter Egg in Coming 2 America“This is true about sequels. If something is good, why ruin it?”
  10. deep dives
    How Coming to America Flipped the Script on Eddie Murphy’s CareerThe film would influence so much of what Murphy did in the years to follow — and continue to have a hold on contemporary audiences.
  11. the art of ending things
    A Brief History of the Alternate Movie Endings Lost to TimeThat is, until a few of them made their way onto DVDs as bonus material.
  12. hillbilly elegy
    Can We Leave Ron Howard Out of This?Seriously, that’s a real question.
  13. ask an expert
    Is It Safe to Go to a Movie Theater Right Now?Dr. Robert Lahita attempts to answer all of our questions about cinema’s grand reopening this August.
  14. study guide
    A Pop Culture Guide to the Many, Many References in Spike Lee’s Da 5 BloodsFrom the cinematic influences to the historical references to the music cues to the inside jokes, here’s a guide to Spike Lee’s Netflix joint.
  15. blackout tuesday
    12 Documentaries You Should Watch About Racism and Police Brutality in AmericaThey are worth watching today and always.
  16. in memoriam
    A Wake for Lynn SheltonThe late indie director’s closest friends and collaborators mourn the loss of a beloved experimental artist.
  17. coronavirus
    Independent Movie Theaters Across the Country Brace for the WorstTheater owners say COVID-19 poses the biggest challenge since 9/11. Some worry they’re facing a breaking point for theatrical distribution entirely.
  18. coronavirus
    The Ending of Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion, RevisitedNearly ten years later, in the midst of our own potential pandemic, the disaster movie is less horror and more comfort food.
  19. chat room
    Bobcat Goldthwait Is Totally Okay With You Not Liking His Comedy“There’s a lot of extremely wealthy comedians who are not used to anyone criticizing what they’re saying.”
  20. ahem
    Guys, Blockbuster Wasn’t That GreatNostalgia for video stores is fine, but come on, Blockbuster Video was absolute trash.
  21. reunions
    Ethan Hawke Roasts Ben Stiller at Reality Bites Cast ReunionAnd credits Winona Ryder with getting him the part of Troy.
  22. reunions
    Spinal Tap Reunites 35 Years After the Band’s Rock Mockumentary Hit TheatersRob Reiner, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer got the (fictional) band back together to perform at Tribeca Film Festival.
  23. vulture reports
    The Stop-motion Animation Studio That Created Coraline Is Still Toiling AwayIt takes Laika animators a week to produce 4.3 seconds of footage. Even in the age of Pixar, the “necromantic” company says Missing Link is worth it.
  24. deep dives
    A Guide to the References and Easter Eggs in Jordan Peele’s UsEven the throwaway minutiae of Us warrants pause, deliberation, and some attempt at analysis.
  25. movies
    The Story of Hands Across America, the Failed Fundraiser in Jordan Peele’s UsHow a sweaty attempt at ’80s activism made its way into a horror movie.
  26. christmas horror
    How Silent Night, Deadly Night Inflamed a NationIn 1984, a grimy Santa slasher movie raised the ire of parents and film critics, scaring a multimedia conglomerate into pulling it from theaters.
  27. vulture lists
    A Look Back at Penny Marshall’s Best Film and TV WorkFrom Laverne & Shirley to The Preacher’s Wife.
  28. movies
    The Most Nicolas Cage Moments From Nicolas Cage’s Master ClassThe infinitely meme-able actor on taking risks, working with David Lynch, and going for “that Super 8 feeling.”
  29. deep dives
    A Brief History of the X RatingFor a brief but potent period, moviemakers were able to make legitimate movies that were sexy and dangerous. It was good while it lasted.
  30. pam grier
    Pam Grier on Orgasms in Your 60s, Jackie Brown, and What’s Next“You try to have an orgasm at my age? It’s seven hours! It’s gonna hurt, to your teeth!”
  31. chat room
    Martin Starr on Freaks and Geeks and the ‘Bummer’ of Leading Roles“I don’t love the attention [of a leading role]. I don’t know if you can tell! I like just being able to pop in and pop out.”
  32. halloween
    Every Easter Egg in the New HalloweenHalloween is peppered with references to its predecessor: visual homages, character callbacks, and inside jokes, some obvious and some nearly buried.
  33. deep dives
    The Story Behind the Original HalloweenHow John Carpenter crafted a film that transcended its meager roots to become a game-changer in the horror genre.
  34. movies
    A Brief History of Pulp Fiction KnockoffsPulp Fiction prompted its own cinematic formula, inspiring the likes of this weekend’s Bad Times at the El Royale, Boondock Saints, and more.
  35. vulture lists
    Every Episode of Sports Night, RankedAaron Sorkin’s first TV show turns 20.
  36. vulture lists
    The 10 Best Mission: Impossible Action Sequences, RankedIn advance of Mission: Impossible – Fallout, we look at the most death-defying set pieces in Tom Cruise’s never-ending franchise.
  37. movies
    How Die Hard Changed the Action GameThey said an overpaid TV comedy actor didn’t stand a chance against Stallone, Schwarzenegger, and Eastwood. They were wrong.
  38. Susan Seidelman on Madonna, Roseanne, and Her Punk Classic SmithereensSeidelman talks directing two of the great New York movies of the ‘80s — Smithereens and Desperately Seeking Susan.
  39. How Big Beat the Odds to Become One of the Most Beloved Movies of the ’80sNobody expected much from Tom Hanks’s 1988 film — and yet Big became the third-biggest hit of the season.
  40. Revisiting the Controversy Surrounding Scarface“I told Marty, and Marty said, ‘We’ll go to war with these people.’ And that’s what we did.”