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New York Film Festival · 2017

New York Film Festival 2017

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Programme

25 films · 22 reviews

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120 BPM (Beats Per Minute) (120 Battements Par Minute, 120 Beats Per Minute)

Review preview for 120 BPM (Beats Per Minute)

Campillo has a weakness in not knowing when to trim all the talking.

Richard Mowe · 3 out of 5
Portrait of the ACT UP activist group, a direct action collective aiming to impact the lives of people with AIDS.

(Country: France; Year: 2017; Director: Robin Campillo; Writer: Robin Campillo; Stars: Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Arnaud Valois, Adèle Haenel, Yves Heck, Emmanuel Ménard, Rahim-Silvioli Mehdi, Antoine Reinartz, Caroline Piette, Marco Horanieh, Pascal Tantot, François Rabette, Naelle Dariya, Ariel Borenstein, Coralie Russier, Saadia Bentaïeb)

Full review See: 120 Beats Per Minute award-winner Nahuel Biscayart on sexuality, activism and the pink condom , Robin Campillo on AIDS drama 120 BPM, writing from the heart and collaboration

Before We Vanish (Sanpo suru shinryakusha)

Review preview for Before We Vanish

Sometimes absurd, sometimes bone-chilling, strikingly original.

Jennie Kermode · 4.5 out of 5
Narumi and her husband Shinji are going through a rocky patch when Shinji suddenly vanishes, returning several days later, utterly transformed. At the same time, a family is brutally murdered, and the town beset by strange phenomena. Journalist Sakurai begins to investigate the mystery…

(Country: Japan; Year: 2017; Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa; Writer: Tomohiro Maekawa, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Sachiko Tanaka; Stars: Masami Nagasawa, Ryûhei Matsuda, Hiroki Hasegawa, Mahiro Takasugi)

Full review

Call Me By Your Name

Review preview for Call Me By Your Name

It is fundamentally a film about the workings of infatuation with a charmed fever that contaminates its characters.

Anne-Katrin Titze · 4.5 out of 5
First love blooms over a long, hot summer for a teenager in Italy.

(Country: Italy, France, US, Brazil; Year: 2017; Director: Luca Guadagnino; Writer: James Ivory, based on the book by André Aciman; Stars: Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar, Esther Garrel, Victoire Du Bois)

Full review See: Luca Guadagnino in conversation on the costumes for Call Me By Your Name

The Day After

A woman whose boss recently ended an affair gets mistaken for the girlfriend by his wife.

(Country: South Korea; Year: 2017; Director: Hong Sang-soo)

Faces Places (Visages, Villages)

Review preview for Faces Places

Whether she is probing at the ideas of the ties that bind us to a home or considering the morality of goat horns, she constantly nudges us to move around and, perhaps, get a better view.

Amber Wilkinson · 4.5 out of 5
The director and photgrapher travel through France as their friendship blossoms.

(Country: France; Year: 2017; Director: Agnès Varda, JR)

Full review See: Agnès Varda on Faces Places, honours, outsiders and Demy , Early bird highlights of DOC NYC 2017

Félicité

Review preview for Félicité

The film’s most gripping aspect is the delicacy with which it handles its extraordinary emotional depth

Evelin Toth · 3.5 out of 5
Story of a singer who finds herself in desperate circumstances after her son has an accident.

(Country: France, Belgium; Year: 2016; Director: Alain Gomis; Writer: Alain Gomis, Olivier Loustau, Delphine Zingg; Stars: Véro Tshanda Beya Mputu, Gaetan Claudia, Papi Mpaka, Nadine Ndebo, Elbas Manuana, Diplome Amekindra, Célestin Mokono, François Kasonga, Prince Mbasi, Ferdinand Minga, Aziza Kengumbe, José Lusala, Plaisir Mumbula, Nathan Mulumba, Claudine Lumbu)

Full review

The Florida Project

Review preview for The Florida Project

The script doesn't patronise its characters, showing they're just as capable of the best of actions and the worst as anybody else, but makes sure we understand the additional pressures they face.

Amber Wilkinson · 4.5 out of 5
The story of a precocious six-year-old and her rag-tag group of close friends whose carefree lives contrast with those of their struggling parents.

(Country: US; Year: 2017; Director: Sean Baker; Writer: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch; Stars: Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince, Valeria Cotto, Bria Vinaite, Christopher Rivera, Caleb Landry Jones, Macon Blair, Karren Karagulian, Sandy Kane, Cecilia Quinan, Betty Jeune, Lauren O'Quinn, Giovanni Rodriguez, Carl Bradfield, Gary B. Gross)

Full review

Ismael's Ghosts: Director's Cut

Review preview for Ismael's Ghosts: Director's Cut

How does Ismael have the derring-do to believe that all these women are there, like a bouquet, for him to choose from? He is an artist, of course, who creates his own reality.

Anne-Katrin Titze · 4 out of 5
A filmmaker's life is sent into a tailspin by the return of a former lover just as he is about to embark on the shoot of a new film.

(Country: France; Year: 2017; Director: Arnaud Desplechin; Writer: Arnaud Desplechin, Léa Mysius, Julie Peyr; Stars: Mathieu Amalric, Marion Cotillard, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Louis Garrel, Alba Rohrwacher, László Szabó, Hippolyte Girardot)

Full review See: Ismael's Ghosts star Marion Cotillard on freedom, family and #MeToo , Arnaud Desplechin in conversation on Lacan, Rilke, Hitchcock, Philip Roth, and Ismael’s Ghosts: Director’s Cut (Les Fantômes D'Ismaël) , Arnaud Desplechin and Mathieu Amalric in conversation on Ismael’s Ghosts: Director’s Cut (Les Fantômes D'Ismaël)

Last Flag Flying

Review preview for Last Flag Flying

Carell is extremely impressive here.

Jennie Kermode · 3.5 out of 5
A Vietnam veteran goes to collect the body of his son, who has been killed in war in Iraq.

(Country: US; Year: 2017; Director: Richard Linklater; Writer: Richard Linklater and Darryl Ponicsan, based on the book by Darryl Ponicsan; Stars: Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell, Laurence Fishburne, Yul Vazquez, J. Quinton Johnson, Kate Easton, Tammy Tsai, Samuel Davis, Brian Wolfman Black Bowman, Chris Drexel, Lee Harrington, Mark Falvo, Richard Robichaux, Adam Hicks, Dontez James)

Full review

Lady Bird

Review preview for Lady Bird

Her honesty cuts through you like an Arctic storm

Angus Wolfe Murray · 4.5 out of 5
Teenage traumas in Sacramento, Cal, for 17-year-old Lady Bird who has love issues, sex issues, mom issues, when what she wants most is to be out of there, anywhere, especially New York because it's a long way away and packed with artistic promise.

(Country: US; Year: 2017; Director: Greta Gerwig; Writer: Greta Gerwig; Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet, Beanie Feldstein, Odeya Rush, Lois Smith) , Trailer

Full review

Let The Sunshine In (Dark Glasses, Un Beau Soleil Interieur, Bright Sunshine In)

Review preview for Let The Sunshine In

Denis and Binoche take a perceptive and light approach to what could have been hackneyed material.

Richard Mowe · 4 out of 5
Isabelle, single mum, divorced artist with one child, is looking for love. True love at last.

(Country: France; Year: 2017; Director: Claire Denis; Writer: Christine Angot, Claire Denis; Stars: Juliette Binoche, Gérard Depardieu, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Nicolas Duvauchelle, Josiane Balasko, Claire Tran, Xavier Beauvois, Alex Descas, Bruno Podalydès, Paul Blain)

Full review See: Interview with Juliette Binoche about Let The Sunshine In, Claire Denis and winning awards

Lover For A Day (L'Amant d'un jour)

After a woman's relationship breaks down she heads to her fathers house - only to discover he is dating a woman her age.

(Country: France; Year: 2017; Director: Philippe Garrel; Writer: Jean-Claude Carrière, Caroline Deruas-Garrel, Philippe Garrel, Arlette Langmann; Stars: Éric Caravaca, Esther Garrel, Louise Chevillotte, Paul Toucang, Félix Kysyl, Michel Charrel, Nicolas Bridet, Marie Sergeant, Raphaël Naasz, Justine Bachelet, Christian Bouillette, Laetitia Spigarelli, Manon Chircen, Maïa Foucault, Louise Guillaume)

The Meyerowitz Stories (New And Selected)

Review preview for The Meyerowitz Stories (New And Selected)

The balance of the super real with intricately timed artifice and how they collapse into each other is Baumbach's crown achievement.

Anne-Katrin Titze · 4.5 out of 5
Comedy drama about a family who gather in New York to celebrate the work of their dad.

(Country: US; Year: 2017; Director: Noah Baumbach; Writer: Noah Baumbach; Stars: Adam Sandler,Emma Thompson, Ben Stiller,Dustin Hoffman, Elizabeth Marvel, Candice Bergen, Danny Flaherty, Rebecca Miller, Jared Sandler, Adam David Thompson, Lyne Renee, Cindy Cheung, Sakina Jaffrey, Mickey Sumner, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Adam Driver, Grace Van Patten, Judd Hirsch, Michael Chernus)

Full review See: Conversation with Dustin Hoffman, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller and Emma Thompson on The Meyerowitz Stories , Tribeca Talks: Dustin Hoffman takes on Noah Baumbach

Mrs Hyde (Madame Hyde)

Review preview for Mrs Hyde

Although we alight at many points of interest throughout the journey, we never stop long enough anywhere to explore.

Jane Fae · 3.5 out of 5
After a teacher is struck by lightning, she discovers a powerful and dangerous alter ego.

(Country: France; Year: 2017; Director: Serge Bozon; Writer: Serge Bozon; Stars: Isabelle Huppert, Romain Duris, Patricia Barzyk, José Garcia, Charlotte Véry)

Full review See: ‪Serge Bozon on Romain Duris, Bertolt Brecht, superheroes, and Mrs Hyde (Madame Hyde) , Isabelle Huppert in conversation on Mrs Hyde (Madame Hyde) , Interview with Serge Bozon about Mrs Hyde (Madame Hyde) and his First Encounter at the Quad Cinema

Mudbound

Review preview for Mudbound

Both Hedlund and Mitchell deliver strong performances and balance well against one another.

Jennie Kermode · 3.5 out of 5
Two families clash when Mississippi youths return from the Second World War with new perspectives on race relations.

(Country: US; Year: 2017; Director: Dee Rees; Writer: Hillary Jordan, Dee Rees, Dee Rees, Virgil Williams; Stars: Carey Mulligan, Garrett Hedlund, Jonathan Banks, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell, Rob Morgan, Mary J. Blige, Kerry Cahill, David Jensen, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Lucy Faust, Rebecca Chulew, Joshua J. Williams, Henry Frost, Jason Kirkpatrick)

Full review

On The Beach At Night Alone (Bamui haebyun-eoseo honja)

After an affair, an actress decides to travel to a far-flung destination to consider her life.

(Country: South Korea; Year: 2017; Director: Hong Sang-soo; Writer: Hong Sang-soo; Stars: Kim Minhee, Seo Younghwa, Jung Jaeyoung, Moon Sungkeun, Kwon Haehyo, Song Seonmi, Ahn Jaehong, Park Yeaju)

The Other Side Of Hope (Toivon tuolla puolen)

Review preview for The Other Side Of Hope

The director has a flare for encapsulating a world of emotion in a single moment.

Amber Wilkinson · 4.5 out of 5
A middle-aged restaurateur befriends a young refugee.

(Country: Finland; Year: 2017; Director: Aki Kaurismäki; Writer: Aki Kaurismäki; Stars: Sherwan Haji, Sakari Kuosmanen, Simon Al-Bazoon, Janne Hyytiäinen, Nuppu Koivu, Ilkka Koivula, Kaija Pakarinen, Kati Outinen, Tommi Korpela, Ville Virtanen, Hannu-Pekka Björkman, Taneli Mäkelä, Sulevi Peltola, Maria Järvenhelmi, Antti Virmavirta)

Full review

The Rider

Review preview for The Rider

The craft, the knowledge, the deep communication with the animal, shown without words - this is breathtaking, transcendent cinema.

Anne-Katrin Titze · 5 out of 5
A young cowboy tries to carve out a new identity.

(Country: US; Year: 2017; Director: Chloé Zhao; Writer: Chloé Zhao; Stars: Brady Jandreau, Tim Jandreau, Lilly Jandreau, Cat Clifford, Terri Dawn Pourier, Lane Scott, Tanner Langdeau, James Calhoon, Derrick Janis)

Full review See: Chloé Zhao and Brady Jandreau in conversation on Brady's family, autism, training horses, and cinematographer Joshua James Richards for The Rider , Chloé Zhao and Brady Jandreau in conversation on Werner Herzog and filming The Rider

The Square

Review preview for The Square

While satirically entertaining in places it has too many threads competing for attention and ultimately runs out of steam.

Richard Mowe · 3 out of 5
An art exhibit invites passers by to altruism, but things don't go as planned for its curator.

(Country: Sweden, Germany, France, Denmark; Year: 2017; Director: Ruben Östlund; Writer: Ruben Östlund; Stars: Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West, Terry Notary, Linda Anborg, Claes Bang, Annica Liljeblad, Christopher Læssø, Emelie Beckius, Sarah Giercksky, Jan Lindwall, Marina Schiptjenko, John Nordling, Denise Wessman, Lilianne Mardon, Peter Diaz)

Full review See: Interview with Ruben Östlund, Claes Bang and Elisabeth Moss about The Square in Cannes

Spoor (Pokot)

Review preview for Spoor

It has the ungainly but attractive ambience of an old fairy tale being passed down through the generations, becoming more and more embellished on each retelling.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
An elderly woman is convinced she knows what lies behind a spate of mysterious crimes... but nobody will believe her.

(Country: Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Sweden, Slovakia; Year: 2017; Director: Agnieszka Holland, Kasia Adamik; Writer: Agnieszka Holland, Stepán Hulík, Olga Tokarczuk; Stars: Agnieszka Mandat-Grabka, Wiktor Zborowski, Jakub Gierszal, Patrycja Volny, Miroslav Krobot, Borys Szyc, Tomasz Kot, Andrzej Grabowski, Katarzyna Herman, Marcin Bosak, Andrzej Konopka, Sebastian Pawlak, Katarzyna Skarzanka, Monika Anna Wojtyllo, David Ali Hamade)

Full review

Thelma

Review preview for Thelma

Thelma appears aloof on the surface, but her constant choice of statement lipsticks, despite her otherwise conservative dress code, hints at the emotions screaming from within.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
Strange things happen to a religious young woman when she starts to fall in love.

(Country: France, Sweden, Denmark, Norway; Year: 2017; Director: Joachim Trier; Writer: Joachim Trier, Eskil Vogt; Stars: Eili Harboe, Okay Kaya, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Henrik Rafaelsen, Vanessa Borgli, Stian Werme, Anders Mossling, Marte Magnusdotter Solem, Ingrid Giæver, Peter Ekedahl, Steinar Klouman Hallert, Grethe Eltervåg, Jonas Jörgensen, Johannes Wike, Ian Twedmark)

Full review

Wonderstruck

Review preview for Wonderstruck

This creative and visually arresting adaptation of Brian Selznick’s critically acclaimed novel marks a filmmaker at the top of his game.

Richard Mowe · 4 out of 5
Ben and Rose are children from two different eras who secretly wish their lives were different. Both set out on quests.

(Country: US; Year: 2017; Director: Todd Haynes; Writer: Brian Selznick, based on his novel; Stars: Amy Hargreaves, Michelle Williams, Julianne Moore, Oakes Fegley, Tom Noonan, Cory Michael Smith, James Urbaniak, Marko Caka, Damian Young, Hays Wellford, Morgan Turner, Ekaterina Samsonov, Brian Berrebbi, Michael Wren Gucciardo, Jaden Michael)

Full review

Wonder Wheel

Review preview for Wonder Wheel

When Allen foregoes his crutches, any kind of movie seems possible.

Anne-Katrin Titze · 4 out of 5
On Coney Island in the 1950s, a lifeguard tells the story of a middle-aged carousel operator and his beleaguered wife.

(Country: US; Year: 2017; Director: Woody Allen; Writer: Woody Allen; Stars: Jim Belushi, Juno Temple, Justin Timberlake, Kate Winslet, Max Casella, Jack Gore, David Krumholtz, Robert C. Kirk, Tommy Nohilly, Tony Sirico, Steve Schirripa, John Doumanian, Tom Guiry, Gregory Dann, Bobby Slayton)

Full review

Closing Night Film

Western

Review preview for Western

It quite subtly toys with the iconography of the genre - poking at the outlying parts of it, the parts dealing with "foreigness" and "home" rather than the more dependable elements of right and wrong.

Rory Ford · 3.5 out of 5
A group of German construction workers on a job in Bulgaria begin to compete for the approval of the locals.

(Country: Germany; Year: 2017; Director: Valeska Grisebach; Writer: Valeska Grisebach; Stars: Meinhard Neumann, Reinhardt Wetrek, Waldemar Zang, Detlef Schaich)

Full review

Zama

Review preview for Zama

This is a very particular film - one where particles of detail crystallise into observation, meaning and import accreting like nacre around grit, producing a pearl, a natural jewel.

Andrew Robertson · 4 out of 5
A 17th century army officer in Ascuncion, awaits transfer to Buenos Aires.

(Country: Argentina, Spain, France, Netherlands, US, Brazil, Mexico, Portugal, Lebanon, Switzerland; Year: 2017; Director: Lucrecia Martel; Writer: Antonio Di Benedetto, Lucrecia Martel; Stars: Daniel Giménez Cacho, Lola Dueñas, Matheus Nachtergaele, Juan Minujín, Rafael Spregelburd, Nahuel Cano, Daniel Veronese, Mariana Nunes, Carlos Defeo)

Full review