Skip to main content

Phoenix Film Festival 23: Ray Romano's Directorial Debut SOMEWHERE IN QUEENS to Open Festival

Phoenix Film Festival

SOMEWHERE IN QUEENS, the directorial debut of Ray Romano, has been announced as the opening night film at the 23rd annual Phoenix Film Festival, premiering Thursday, March 23rd at Harkins Scottsdale 101 at 6:00pm. 

The film features Romano with co-stars Laurie Metcalf, Jennifer Esposito, Jacob Ward, Sebastian Maniscalco, and Tony Lo Bianco. Leo Russo (Romano) lives a simple life in Queens, New York with this wife Angela (Laurie Metcalf), their shy but talented son “Sticks” (Jacob Ward), and Leo’s close-knit network of Italian American relatives and neighborhood friends. Happy enough working at the family construction business alongside his father (Tony Lo Bianco) and younger brother (Sebastian Maniscalco), Leo lives each week for Sticks’ high-school basketball games, never missing a chance to cheer on his only child as he rules the court as a star athlete. 

When the high-school senior gets a surprising and life-changing opportunity to play basketball in college, Leo jumps at the chance to provide a plan for his future, away from the family construction business.  But when sudden heartbreak threatens to derail Sticks, Leo goes to unexpected lengths to keep his son on this new path. 

Tickets for Opening Night are available now for $60 per ticket as well as part of the Platinum Pass for $450. Opening Night tickets will also provide access to the party pavilion, featuring food & cocktails prior to the film showing.  

The 23rd Annual Phoenix Film Festival will run from Thursday, March 23 – Sunday, April 2 at Harkins Scottsdale 101 Theatre. 

For more information and to purchase tickets, call 480-513-3195 or visit: www.phoenixfilmfestival.com.  


Popular posts from this blog

MULHOLLAND DRIVE Ending Explained

MULHOLLAND DRIVE is a complex and surreal film directed by David Lynch, known for its non-linear narrative and dreamlike sequences. The ending is open to interpretation and has been the subject of much debate among viewers. Here's a breakdown of the ending: Diane's Dream vs. Reality: Throughout the film, there are two main narrative threads: one follows Betty/Diane's dreamlike experiences in Hollywood, and the other delves into Diane's harsh reality. The ending reveals that the majority of the film has been a dream constructed by Diane Selwyn, a failed actress, as a means to escape the guilt and pain of her actions. Betty/Diane's Descent into Madness: Betty, played by Naomi Watts, represents Diane's idealized self—a hopeful and innocent aspiring actress. However, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Betty's story is unraveling, and her identity begins to merge with Diane's. This culminates in the revelation that Betty is merely a construct of Di...

Final Destination Bloodlines Set to Bring Fresh Horrors to the Franchise

The long-running and fan-favorite horror series Final Destination is set to make its return with Final Destination Bloodlines, bringing a new chapter of supernatural terror to the big screen. Scheduled for a theatrical and IMAX release on May 16, 2025, in the U.S. (and internationally beginning May 14), the film promises to continue the franchise’s tradition of chilling premonitions and inescapable fate. The upcoming installment features a fresh ensemble cast, including Kaitlyn Santa Juana (The Friendship Game, The Flash), Teo Briones (Chucky, Will vs. The Future), Richard Harmon (The 100, The Age of Adaline), Owen Patrick Joyner (Julie and the Phantoms, 100 Things to Do Before High School), and Anna Lore (They/Them, Gotham Knights). Also joining the cast are Brec Bassinger (Stargirl, Bella and the Bulldogs) and horror icon Tony Todd, who reprises his role from the original Final Destination films. Todd, best known for his chilling portrayal of the titular character in the Candyman fra...

POPULATION PURGE Trailer and Release Info

In a dystopian world where a radical government has unleashed a deadly poison to control population, only those with blood type AB positive remain unscathed. But instead of outright death, the rest of the population is left to suffer in a state of chronic illness, causing widespread chaos and panic. As the majority slowly succumbs to the effects of the poison, their only hope lies in receiving transfusions of AB positive blood from the few immune survivors, like Charlie and his granddaughter Maya. Living in the decrepit remains of an abandoned amusement park, Charlie is a renegade supplier of blood to the underground market. But their sanctuary is threatened by the iron-fisted rule of District 22's ruthless warden, Onslow, who will stop at nothing to save his own dying son. As Charlie and Maya fight to defend their haven and their own sanity, the eccentric duo must navigate through a world of danger and betrayal. POPULATION PURGE was written by Brian Johnson and Toby Osborne and di...