Is Emma Stone a growth commodity? In the latest issue of New York magazine, Kyle Buchanan and Claude Brodesser-Akner assess the monetary value of her star "stock," polling insiders on whether they view her as a buy, a sell, or a hold. This is mainly an excuse to collect colorful quotes from anonymous Hollywood executives ("[Emma] has, as they say, that 'approachable' beauty -- sort of like Jen Aniston had in the early nineties"; "She has the C word. With Sharon Stone, it means something else, but with Emma Stone, it means 'charisma.' "), but in the end the authors compile enough evidence to convincingly declare Stone a strong buy. After seeing 'The Help,' we tend to agree.


Also in this week's New York, Vera Farmiga doesn't just want to direct -- she actually pulled it off. The Oscar-nominated actress makes her directorial debut August 26 with the film 'Higher Ground.' Farmiga found the script in 2008 and took it to Debra Granik, her director on 'Down to the Bone,' only to be turned down. So she took matters into her own hands, even casting her youngest sister, Taissa, and her own three-year-old son, Fynn, in the film. Elsewhere in Jim Windolf's profile, we learn the inescapable truth that Farmiga absolutely adores ... pierogis.


In other news, Will Russell, the man behind the annual Dude gathering known as Lebowski Fest, spoke to Variety about this year's event. So why is 2011 different from all other years? Mainly because the actual stars of the 1998 cult hit 'The Big Lebowski' will be showing up to celebrate the release of the film on Blu-ray. "It's been really great to work with (Universal)," Russell says. "They said, 'the Blu-ray's coming out, we'd like to get the cast back together -- are you interested?' And I said, 'I'm trying not to explode with joy.' " John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro, Julianne Moore and, the Dude himself, Jeff Bridges, will all be in attendance tomorrow night at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom to drink white Russians and bowl -- at least, that's what we hope.
Moviefone will have full coverage of Lebowski Fest, so be sure to check back tomorrow for updates.

Images courtesy of Touchstone and Sony Pictures Classics