New York Film Festival 2022

[Chris Knipp]

DESCENDANT (Margaret Brown 2022)

Everything the right doesn't want kids to learn in school about the legacy of slavery. Seen through a community in Mobile, Alabama whose ancestors were brought on the last, illegal slave ship, whose concealed remains are found. One critic has called this wonderfully made documentary "not just essential but urgent."

[Chris Knipp]

CORSAGE (Marie Kreutzer 2022)

This radicalized portrait of Empress Elizabeth of Austria is a huge star turn by Vicky Krieps. Its originality includes various anachronisms but also elaborate period mise-en-scène, however, it pouily refuses to provide the satisfaction of a plot.

[Chris Knipp]

SHE SAID (Maria Schrader 2022)

The story of the New York Times investigation of Harvey Weinstein's long history of sexual abuse of young women and payoffs to keep them quiet is an essential one. German director Maria Schrader's film about it unfortunately turns out to be rather repetitious and flat.

[Chris Knipp]

BONES AND ALL (Luca Guadagnino 2022)

Newcomer Taylor Russell and skinny heartthrob Timothée Chalamet play teen cannibals, lonely and in love, roaming the country and feeding on human flesh. Somehow the director makes them real and sympathetic.

(Now in theaters since Nov. 18; also posted in General Film Forum.)

[Chris Knipp]

THE NOVELIST'S FILM 소설가의 영화 (Hong Sang-soo 2022)

Probably mainly for Hong completists, but you never know: a straightforward but well-populated little tale in black and white with a dash of final color about how an artist might escape a dry spell by turning to another medium.

[Chris Knipp]

STARS AT NOON (Claire Denis 2022)

Resetting a Denis Johnson novel set in Nicaragua in the Eighties to the present, early pandemic time, Claire Denis makes this film feel richly erotic, dangerous, and atmospheric, but loses some of the political logic. Anglophone critics have not liked this. But it won the Grand Prix at Cannes.
When it comes out in France in May 2023 local critics may appreciate the sensuality more. The fuzzy plot and long run-time began to pall during the last of the 135 minutes, but this . With Margaret Qualley, Joe Alwyn. Now available on Hulu.

[Chris Knipp]

THE INSPECTION (Elegance Bratton 2022)

Autobiographical feature about Marine boot camp for a Black gay man escaping from ten years living on the street after his mother kicked him out for being gay. Flawed but powerful debut. It debuted at Toronto but was featured as the Closing Night film at the NYFF. Now in theaters. Metascore 73%.