Nyff 2013

[cinemabon]

Loved your review of "Her" - sort of taking the computer voice (talking cars, navigators, Siri, etc) one step further as companion, which in my mind has always smacked of "be careful what you wish for..." Plot sounds more satire than sci-fi (although set in future). I can see how 30-somethings would want this aspect of their electronic devices as they become more and more isolated into their cell phones as refuges from loneliness (my subterfuge). Having an electronic "someone" to talk to instead of engaging others may the dream of the extremely introverted but nothing substitutes reality, no matter what shape it comes. Hope the comedy worked at least.

You must be exhausted after that marathon. Excellent work as always, Chris. Your devotion to film and cinema as art is one of the most admired and appreciated from this quarter. I would suggest a good meal, followed by a good stiff drink and a long walk on the beach with your favorite non-electronic person.

"Afternoon of the faun" anything to do with Debussy?

[Chris Knipp]

Yes, I agree, that is the implication, that the young may confuse the electronic device with the human, and cyber life with real life. But the film sucks. I felt is blew the sci-fi opportunities. And it was not funny. There were some funny films though in the festival.

I'll put up my list of favorites and recommendations.

Tonight I went to the new Broadway production of Terence Rattigan's 1946 play THE WINSLOW BOY with a friend I know from the screenings who gets comp tickets to every play, and used to go to every opening night, when he worked for Playbill; that was my walk on the beach. I also saw James Gray today, who may have grown up at Brighton Beach. That's in Queens. I'm not really tired, because the last week was much easier. The play tonight kept me from feeling let down now it's over. But it is a letdown because it's intense and fun, meeting people, seeing interesting new films under nearly ideal conditions, and all for free.

Tanqquil LeClercq is a famous ballet dancer and Afternoon of a Faun is the ballet with Debussy's music, yes. I think Nijinsky first danced it. But as I said I didn't see that film. My loss; maybe I'll get a chance to see it later.

[Chris Knipp]

New York Film Festival 2013
September 27 - October 13, 2013


Links to reviews:

12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen 2013)
About Time (Richard Curtis 2013)
Abuse of Weakness (Catherine Breillat 2013)
Alan Partridge [Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa] (Declan Lowney 2013)
All Is Lost (J.C. Chandor 2013)
American Promise (Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson 2013)
At Berkeley (Frederick Wiseman 2013)
Bastards (Claire Denis 2013)
Blue Is the Warmest Color (La vie d'Adèle; Abdelatif Kéchiche 2013)
Burning Bush (Agnieszka Holland 2013)
Captain Phillips (Paul Greengrass 2013)
Child of God (James Franco 2013)
Club Sandwich (Fernando Eimcke 2013)
Gloria (Sebastián Lelioa 2013)
Her (Spike Jonze 2013)
Immigrant, The (James Gray 2013)
Inside Llewyn Davis (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen 2013)
Invisible Woman, The (Ralph Fiennes 2013)
Jealousy (Philippe Garrel 2013)
Jimmy, Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian (Arndau Desplechin 2013)
Last of the Unjust, The (Claude Lanzmann 2013)
Like Father, Like Son (Hirakazu Koreeda 2013)
Missing Picture, The (Rithy Panh 2013)
My Name Is Hmmm... (agnès b. 2013)
Nebraska (Alexander Payne 2013)
Nobody's Daughter (Hong Sang-soo 2013)
North, the End of History (Lav Diaz 2013)
Omar (Hany Abu-Assad 2013)
Only Lovers Left Alive (Jim Jarmusch 2013)
Real (Kiyoshi Kurosawa 2013)
Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The (Ben Stiller 2013)
Square, The (Jehane Noujaim 2013)
Stranger by the Lake (Alain Guiraudie 2013)
Stray Dogs (Tsiai Ming-liang 2013)
Touch of Sin, A (Jia Zhang-ke 2013)
Week-End, Le (Roger Mitchell 2013)
When Evening Falls on Bucharest or Metabolism (Corneliu Porumboiu 2013)
Wind Rises, The (Hayao Miyazaki 2013)

[Chris Knipp]

13 October 2013. The final day of the NYFF (though last night was the closing night film - Spike Jonze's HER). On this day they are showing as a promotion the most popular films of the fest judging by ticket demand. They are shown above from the SFFS website. Ciick on the image to go there.

Noujaim's excellent and moving documentary of the Egyptian revolution of 2011, THE SQUARE (NYC release later this month)

English directo Steve McQueen's powerful 12 YEARS A SLAVE (which is coming out)

Abdellatif Kechiche's lesbian love story BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR, the Cannes top prize winner (which is coming out)

Agnieszka Holland's Czech TV miniseries THE BURNING BUSH

GLORIA, the Mexican film about a 50ish divorcee who looks for love (the Berlin Best Actress winner)

Two docs, THE DOG and TANAQUIL LECLERCQ

[Chris Knipp]

Both 12 YEARS A SLAVE and ALL IS LOST opened in NYC today with big reviews in the NY Times. Both have very high Metacritic ratings but 12 YEARS A SLAVE has the edge, 92 vs. 89. I would put my ratings the other way around, but SLAVE brings out the political correctness and to some, the solitary struggle to survive of a well-off white man gets no points.

Actually the interesting new movie today is the controversial (if you are a WikiLeaks/whistleblower supporter) film about Julian Assange, which he has strongly opposed from the get-go for clear reasons. I cannot comment further because I have not seen it. THE FIFTH ESTATE is the name of it and it is by a director of no particular prior merit, Bill Condon. Benedict Cumberbach evidently does a decent job at what he took on to do and did with what he considered clean motives. You can see Assange's long-winded letter to Cumberbach refusing to meet with him and opposing the film and Cumberback's well-meaning, not very educated-sounding reply. There is nothing wrong with Cumberbach's education: he attended Harrow, the most prestigious public school after Eton, and went to Manchester University, one of the old brick universities, and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/10/1...ulian-assange/

[Johann]

Cumberbach's performance in The Fifth Estate has been praised, but the film itself is considered weak- I've read three separate reviews that say the story wasn't very cinematically handled and that it's weak in a lot of ways.
I haven't seen it either Chris.
Not sure if I want to. Julian Assange is a man I have no feelings for, pro or con.
I'm all for exposing governments for evil behaviors, but Assange is a pretty mild character to "step up" and do it in a way that gains worldwide attention.




Look for 12 Years A Slave to be showered with Oscar nominations.

[Chris Knipp]

Yes, Cumberbach is talented, and has played all sorts of characters, wherever his lean, tall, slightly odd look would work. I've read the NY Times review of THE FIFTH ESTTE by A.O. Scott, who has had a good week. His admiring review of ALL IS LOST is fine. I think he says Assange is a polarizing figure, but one can also be ambivalent about him. Well, one can be "polaried" within oneself about Assange: one can respect what he has accomplished in shaking up governments and goosing the press into action, and one can dislike or feel uneasy about his pomposity, self-importance and paranoia (the latter not unwarranted given the personal danger he lives but perhaps a trait before the danger grew to a high pitch). I have watched and listened to Julian Assange a lot.

It's hard to separate Wikileaks accomplishments from Assange's personal issues. He IS Wikileaks. The same problem comes in Alex Gibney's WE STEAL SECRETS: THE STORY OF WIKILEAKS, which I reviewed earlier this year. I might point out that that phrase "we steal secrets" which sounds obviously like a reference to Wikileaks, is actually a phrase spoken by a US government official referring to what a branch of government like the NSA does. Gibney does a good job, but he also indulges in sensationalism about Bradley Manning and Assange, presumably to sell tickets to his film. It is NOT just the "story of Wikileaks," in the end, at all.

Assange is a control freak, not the less for being in a situation that is out of his control. Hence he would want to block any film that did not depict him in the most favorable terms, and given what has happened, the number of toes he has treaded upon, that could never happen. But isn't it a tad soon to make a feature film about these events?

[Johann]

Yes it is.
I actually wondered if the wikileaks story deserves a whole movie.
Assange seems to be a guy who wants to be a revolutionary but has skeletons in his closet that prevent him from being on a Shepard Fairey poster.
He is polarizing, much like Edward Snowden, who I think does and did a much better job of exposing big government.

[Johann]

Assange looks eerily like Pierre Poilievre with white hair.

And did you know that Ian Curtis of Joy Division is almost a dead-ringer for Stephen Harper?
I wonder if Harper does those wild jerky movements with his arms when he dances, like Ian did.....

[Chris Knipp]

These titles from the NYFF are showing in New York presently (Halloween 2013):

At Angelika Film Center:

All Is Lost (J.C. Chandor)
‎1hr 40min‎‎ - Rated PG-13‎‎ - Action/Adventure‎ - Trailer - IMDb
‎10:00‎ ‎11:30am‎ ‎12:30‎ ‎2:00‎ ‎3:00‎ ‎4:30‎ ‎5:30‎ ‎7:00‎ ‎8:00‎ ‎9:30‎ ‎10:30pm‎

All at IFC Center:

Blue Is The Warmest Color (La Vie d'Adèle, Abdellatif Kechiche)
‎2hr 59min‎‎ - Rated NC-17‎‎ - Drama‎ - Trailer - IMDb
‎10:30‎ ‎11:30am‎ ‎12:30‎ ‎1:45‎ ‎2:45‎ ‎4:00‎ ‎5:15‎ ‎6:15‎ ‎7:30‎ ‎8:45‎ ‎9:45‎ ‎11:00pm‎

American Promise (Brewster & Stephenson)
‎2hr 20min‎‎ - Documentary‎ - IMDb
‎10:40am‎ ‎1:00‎ ‎3:00‎ ‎7:35pm‎

A Touch Of Sin (Jia Zhang-ke)
‎2hr 13min‎‎ - Drama‎ - IMDb
‎9:50pm‎

Bastards (Claire Denis)
‎2hr 0min‎‎ - Drama‎ - Trailer - IMDb
‎10:35am‎ ‎3:30‎ ‎5:35‎ ‎7:40‎ ‎10:15pm‎ ‎12:25am‎

Regal Union Square:

12 Years a Slave
‎2hr 13min‎‎ - Rated R‎‎ - Drama‎ - Trailer - IMDb
‎11:50am‎ ‎12:50‎ ‎2:10‎ ‎3:00‎ ‎4:00‎ ‎6:10‎

Captain Phillips
‎2hr 14min‎‎ - Rated PG-13‎‎ - Drama‎ - Trailer - IMDb
‎11:40am‎ ‎12:40‎ ‎2:50‎ ‎3:50‎ ‎6:00‎ ‎7:00‎ ‎9:15‎ ‎10:15pm‎

[oscar jubis]

I'm posting for the first time in 8 or 9 weeks, having successfully defended my dissertation. I finally have time to catch up on what I've missed since summer. Will watch 12 Years a Slave and Gravity soon, but I started last night with Palme d'or winner Blue is the Warmest Color, a film guaranteed to finish in the top 5 in any best-of poll this year. "Blue" enters the canon of coming-of-age films immediately. What makes the film stand out and distinguish itself is the camera's devotion to capture the extraordinary performances by the principals and the recognition that the performances deserve and demand the contemplative, long-take treatment. The realist aesthetics of Bazin and Mizoguchi have a skillful and faithful adherent in Abdellatif Kechiche.

[Chris Knipp]

Welcome back and congratulations. You are always missed. I wouldn't qquestion that it's a very notable coming of age film, but don't think LA VIE D'ADELE: CHAPITRES 1 ET 2 aka BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR is only notable for capturing the performances of the two women. I was particularly impressed by Kechiche's staging of group or crowd scenes and how fluid the camerawork is on them. It's the fluidity of all the staging and of the camera work covering it that impressed me most. I think it's too long, but who cares? It's still a great film.

I would not advise 12 YEARS A SLAVE and GRAVITY as the important films to lionize by worshipful viewing before all others. I really prefer NEBRASKA and ALL IS LOST by a mile to either of those. I'm behind on making my Best Lists though.

I'm kind of disappointed by the NYFF this year, especially given that its main slate was 8 films bigger than any previous year's. Hope you get to see some of the outstanding French films in it, BASTARDS, ABUSE OF WEAKNESS, and STRANGER BY THE LAKE. You'll probably want to see Jia Zhangke's A TOUCH OF SIN -- more fluid staging and beautiful cinematography. I didn't warm to INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS but I can see it is very well put together.

[oscar jubis]

Thank you very much. I am still quite busy but I have some time to watch new movies. I still have some work on the dissertation: a final read-through, formatting, citations, placement of screen captures, etc. and I have to deliver a 1500-word piece on Guitry's La poison to Film International journal by December 1st. I am also applying for academic positions that begin next Fall. It's very time-consuming.
We showed Bastards at the Cosford and I simply did not have time to watch it. I will make sure I do. as well as other films you recommend. I second your comments about Kechiche's staging and camera coverage, which you made initially in your review of the film but merit reiteration. I plan to attend a press screening of Inside Llewyn Davis.

[Chris Knipp]

You do indeed sound very busy. I see LA POISON came out on Blu-Ray early this year; I've never seen it though. Look forward to your reactions to any of the new films. INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS is one of the NYFF films I plan to rewatch, and BASTARDS is another, since while it may be "fairly straightforward" (Mike D'Angelo), it's pretty disorienting the first time through. Don't forget NEBRASKA and ALL IS LOST.

Another one I recommend but neglected to mention -- now in US release -- is Sorrentino's LA GRANDE BELLEZZA. Not to be missed.

Hope to be in NYC again before year's end to catch the best of the final new releases as they come out. Let's hope there will be some good new US ones by the end of the year, maybe Scorsese's and David O. Russell's. . . I need to see THE ARMSTRONG LIE. That's Gibney; he's good, most of the time. Hopefully IS THE MAN WHO IS TALL HAPPY will still be showing, Gondry + Chomsky = a must-see, for me. Film Forum is showing Sokurov's FAUST -- you've seen it? Did you see WADJDA?

[oscar jubis]

No. I have seen very few 2013 movies. I've re-watched everything directed by Antonioni, Resnais, Haneke (even Funny Games, urgh) and Martel in the past 6 months. Two of my favorites I haven't mentioned in earlier posts are the Mexican docu-fiction Here and There and Museum Hours. Guitry's La Poison is my least favorite film I have ever reviewed for publication. The fact that this black comedy is extraordinarily mean to women is unpleasant to me, and quite dated.