The 49th New York Film Festival, 2011

[NickGlass]

Tickets went on sale today, and no one posted the slate. I know there are at least of you who live in the NYC area. Check it out--their films are usually the cream of the film festival crop.

Opening Night Gala Selection
CARNAGE
Director: Roman Polanski
Country: France/Germany/Poland

Centerpiece Gala Selection
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
Director: Simon Curtis
Country: UK

Special Gala Presentations
A DANGEROUS METHOD
Director: David Cronenberg
Country: UK/Canada/Germany

THE SKIN I LIVE IN
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Country: Spain

Closing Night Gala Selection
THE DESCENDANTS
Director: Alexander Payne
Country: USA

4:44: LAST DAY ON EARTH
Director: Abel Ferrara
Country: USA

THE ARTIST
Director: Michel Hazanavicius
Country: France

CORPO CELESTE
Director: Alice Rohrwacher
Country: Italy/Switzerland/France

FOOTNOTE
Director: Joseph Cedar
Country: Israel

GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD
Director: Martin Scorsese
Country: USA

GOODBYE FIRST LOVE
Director: Mia Hansen-Løve
Country: France/Germany

THE KID WITH A BIKE
Director: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Country: Belgium/France

LE HAVRE
Director: Aki Kaurismäki
Country: Finland/France/Germany

THE LONELIEST PLANET
Director: Julia Loktev
Country: USA/Germany

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
Director: Sean Durkin
Country: USA

MELANCHOLIA
Director: Lars von Trier
Country: Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany/Italy

MISS BALA
Director: Gerardo Naranjo
Country: Mexico

ONCE UPON A TIME IN ANATOLIA
Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Country: Turkey

PINA
Director: Wim Wenders
Country: Germany/France/UK

PLAY
Director: Ruben Östlund
Country: Sweden/France/Denmark

POLICEMAN
Director: Nadav Lapid
Country: Israel/France

A SEPARATION
Director: Asghar Farhadi
Country: Iran

SHAME
Director: Steve McQueen
Country: UK

SLEEPING SICKNESS
Director: Ulrich Köhler
Country: Germany/France/Netherlands

THE STUDENT
Director: Santiago Mitre
Country: Argentina

THIS IS NOT A FILM
Director: Jafar Panahi and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
Country: Iran

THE TURIN HORSE
Director: Béla Tarr and Agnes Hranitzky
Country: Hungary/France/Germany/Switzerland/USA

[number8]

Once again, weekday morning press screenings. The bane of my existence.

[NickGlass]

Once again, weekday morning press screenings. The bane of my existence.

When this used to happen to me (I don't have press credentials this year), I would just take vacation/personal days--and half-days--from my 9-to-5 job on the days when I really wanted to catch screenings. It was annoying, but I never really regretted it; the people at my full-time job were really reasonable.

Are you going to get the chance to see many, then?

[NickGlass]

Oh, and due to absurdly high ticket costs, I'm only seeing these:

GOODBYE FIRST LOVE
Director: Mia Hansen-Løve

THE KID WITH A BIKE
Director: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne

THE LONELIEST PLANET
Director: Julia Loktev

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
Director: Sean Durkin

SHAME
Director: Steve McQueen

[number8]

When this used to happen to me (I don't have press credentials this year), I would just take vacation/personal days--and half-days--from my 9-to-5 job on the days when I really wanted to catch screenings. It was annoying, but I never really regretted it; the people at my full-time job were really reasonable.

Are you going to get the chance to see many, then?

That's exactly what I did last year. I can do it, and I will, but it sucks having to use my personal days. I just wish they'd set it up more like Tribeca. Or shit, have some damn DVD screeners.

[number8]

Saw 4:44. It was shit.

[number8]

Abel Ferrara was in the audience and I was tempted to yell out "Herzog would have done it better!"

[B-side]

Saw 4:44. It was shit.

No. Not possible.

[number8]

Also saw Pina. My favorite use of 3D so far.

Next week is high-profile week for me.

Seeing A Dangerous Method on Tuesday, Martha Marcy May Marlene on Wednesday, Shame on Thursday, and then My Week with Marilyn on Sunday.

[NickGlass]

Also saw Pina. My favorite use of 3D so far.

Next week is high-profile week for me.

Seeing A Dangerous Method on Tuesday, Martha Marcy May Marlene on Wednesday, Shame on Thursday, and then My Week with Marilyn on Sunday.

Once you see it, you'll realize there's nothing high-profile about My Week with Marilyn. It's essentially a TV movie.

[dreamdead]

Once you see it, you'll realize there's nothing high-profile about My Week with Marilyn. It's essentially a TV movie.

Is Williams at least good in it? Or does it suffer in design and execution that not even that matters?

[NickGlass]

Is Williams at least good in it? Or does it suffer in design and execution that not even that matters?

Well, she's one of my favorite actresses and I was so curious how she would handle the role. She tries hard, and what at first seems inauthentic becomes more believable if you change your focus towards the character instead of the icon (which Williams tries, but the film around her never really lets her).

I imagine the problem is mostly in the source material, though, which is just a self-aggrandizing memoir or someone who was close to Marilyn for a small period of time and got a fame (and likely real) boner. It's also possibly the least subtle film I've seen in a while. It really could have used some subtext.

I'll talk more about it once people see it. Don't want to say much yet.

[Boner M]

Do the Slant crew ever disagree on NYFF titles? Seriously, I wonder if they negotiate a uniform opinion after screenings.

[Rowland]

Do the Slant crew ever disagree on NYFF titles? Seriously, I wonder if they negotiate a uniform opinion after screenings.What gives you that impression? I've noticed plenty of dissenting opinions amidst the Slant staff, especially since they've expanded their roster a bit the last few years.

[Boner M]

What gives you that impression? I've noticed plenty of dissenting opinions amidst the Slant staff, especially since they've expanded their roster a bit the last few years.
I'm mostly talking about Ed/Nick/Keith. Seeing their reactions to Melancholia reminded me of their uncannily aligned opinions on NYFF titles over the years.

[Li Lili]

THE SKIN I LIVE IN
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Country: Spain

A SEPARATION
Director: Asghar Farhadi
Country: Iran


I saw those 2 films, both very good, The Skin I Live In was very well played, the story was very well told (a non linear narrative) and less "extravagant" I found than his previous films, kind of more sober (except the story itself), A Separation was also very well played, very interesting, rather ambiguous without giving any kind of judgments.

I'm going to see This is not a Film this week.

[TripZone]

Ooh, a new Hansen-Løve.

[Bosco B Thug]

I'm mostly talking about Ed/Nick/Keith. Seeing their reactions to Melancholia reminded me of their uncannily aligned opinions on NYFF titles over the years. Hmm, I never realized Gonzalez panned Antichrist. Well, at least he liked Melancholia half a star better.

[Stay Puft]

Ooh, a new Hansen-Løve.

It's the bee's knees.

[number8]

Martha Marcy May Marlene is the best of the festival so far. Fantastic acting, impeccable tension, and one of the creepiest final shot ever.

What's going to be depressing is that I can see Hollywood recruiting Sean Durkin to do "gritty" horror remakes after this.

[Ezee E]

Guess Hugo was a "secret screening."

[Boner M]

Match-cut's very own Jaime N. Christley really doesn't like (http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/martha-marcy-may-marlene/5829) MMMM. I disagree entirely, but it's a good pan. Mega lolz at this part:


The film seems almost to have been produced spontaneously, by gears of a larger system as they mesh together right this instant, culled from the ether with the words "Customers Who Also Liked Dogtooth and Winter's Bone Liked This…"

[number8]

Met Pedro Almodovar today. That was neat.

[Grouchy]

Met Pedro Almodovar today. That was neat.
I imagine he must be a pretty intelligent, talkative guy.

[B-side]

Met Pedro Almodovar today. That was neat.

Lucky ass.