NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Cinematically-inclined New Yorkers, rejoice: The 57th New York Film Festival kicks off its two-week run on Thursday -- that's a lot films.
The festival's opening night film will be Martin Scorsese’s "The Irishman," which is one of Netflix’s Oscar hopefuls.
It’s based on a 2004 memoir about organized crime in post-war America, and it has an incredible cast.
The film stars Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci.
The film follows hitman Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran – played by De Niro – as he recounts his alleged hits for the Bufalino crime family, led by mob boss Russell Bufalino, played by Pesci. And Pacino plays iconic Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa.
There’s been some drama with Mickey Rourke involving this film: It started when Rourke told an Italian TV show last week that De Niro blocked him from a part in "The Irishman," claiming De Niro refused to work with him because of an old feud.
But De Niro’s rep denied this, saying in a statement, “Mickey Rourke was never asked to be in 'The Irishman,' nor was he ever even thought of, discussed, or considered to be in the movie."
Jumping ahead to the closing night film, it's "Motherless Brooklyn." Edward Norton directed, produced, wrote and stars in it.
Set in 1950s New York, it follows Lionel Essrog, a lonely private eye with Tourette’s syndrome, played by Norton, as he tries to solve the murder of his boss and only friend, Frank Minna, played by Bruce Willis.
Also in it are Alec Baldwin, Willem Dafoe, Leslie Mann, and Bobby Cannavale.