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Tribeca Festival · 2009

Tribeca Festival 2009

Spotlight

“This year’s Spotlight series brings ten independent films front and center for New York audiences," explains Senior Programmer Genna Terranova.

Programme

9 films · 7 reviews

Jump to a film

Black Dynamite

Review preview for Black Dynamite

The key to Black Dynamite’s success is that the film-makers know the difference between a good-bad movie and a bad-bad movie.

Keith Hennessey Brown · 4.5 out of 5
Blaxploitation spoof.

(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Scott Sanders; Writer: Byron Minns, Scott Sanders, Michael Jai White, Michael Jai White; Stars: Michael Jai White, Nicole Sullivan, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Arsenio Hall, Phil Morris, Kym Whitley, Kevin Chapman, Cedric Yarbrough, Lauren Kim, Bokeem Woodbine)

Full review See: Sundance Film Festival 2010: Day Two Diary (Part One)

New York Premiere. Narrative

Departures (Okuribito)

Review preview for Departures

Director Yojiro Takita isn't afraid to give you an emotional punch as well as a punchline.

Amber Wilkinson · 4.5 out of 5
A cellist comes to terms with love and loss after he switches professions to deal with the dead.

(Country: Japan; Year: 2008; Director: Yojiro Takita; Writer: Kundo Koyama; Stars: Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ryoko Hirosue, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Kimiko Yo, Takashi Sasano, Tôru Minegishi, Tetta Sugimoto, Yukiko Tachibana, Tatsuo Yamada)

Full review See: Tribeca Film Festival Diary and Film/Movie reviews: Departures, The Eclipse, Timer, Fish Child

New York Premiere. Narrative

Easy Virtue

Review preview for Easy Virtue

This 1920s play by Noel Coward still dances along like a sprightly flapper, defying the passage of the years, thanks to Stephen Elliott’s energetic direction.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
When a young Englishman takes his American bride to meet his family sparks soon fly.

(Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Stephan Elliott; Writer: Stephan Elliott, Sheridan Jobbins, based on the play by Noel Coward; Stars: Jessica Biel, Ben Barnes, Kristin Scott Thomas, Colin Firth, Kimberley Nixon, Katherine Parkinson, Kris Marshall, Christian Brassington, Charlotte Riley, Jim McManus, Pip Torrens) , Official site

Full review

US Premiere. Narrative

Fear Me Not (Den du frygter)

A man finds his life spiralling out of control after he enlists in a drug trial.

(Country: Denmark; Year: 2008; Director: Kristian Levring; Writer: Anders Thomas Jensen, Kristian Levring; Stars: Ulrich Thomsen, Lars Brygmann, Bjarne Henriksen, Emma Sehested Høeg, Paprika Steen, Stine Stengade, Bodil Udsen)

New York Premiere. Narrative

The Girlfriend Experience

Review preview for The Girlfriend Experience

There’s nothing particularly radical about what Soderbergh is doing here.

Keith Hennessey Brown · 3.5 out of 5
Pornography is made subject to philosophy in this speculative art film.

(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Steven Soderbergh; Writer: Brian Koppelman, David Levien; Stars: Sasha Grey, Christopher Santos, Peter Zizzo, Jeff Grossman, Timothy J. Cox, Bridget Storm, Kimberly Magness, Ken Myers, Timothy Davis, Ted Jessup) , Official site

Full review

World Premiere. Narrative

In The Loop

Review preview for In The Loop

Line after line proves infinitely quotable... suggesting cult status as well as critical acclaim beckons.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
Politicians spin while they're winning on the brink of a Middle East war. Plus read our interview with .

(Country: UK; Year: 2009; Director: Armando Iannucci; Writer: Jesse Armstrong, Armando Iannucci; Stars: Peter Capaldi, Tom Hollander, Chris Addison, James Gandolfini, Mimi Kennedy, Anna Chlumsky, Steve Coogan, David Rasche, Gina McKee, Olivia Poulet) , Official site , Trailer

Full review See: Interview with Peter Capaldi, Armando Iannucci and Chris Addison about In The Loop. , James Gandolfini and Mimi Kennedy interview about In The Loop , Diary feature about the Glasgow Film Festival 2009 , Sundance Diary: Day Six , Sundance Day Four

New York Premiere. Narrative

Moon

Review preview for Moon

Moon represents a return to a more sedate and thoughtful science fiction of the Seventies and Eighties.

Tony Sullivan · 4.5 out of 5
An astronaut starts to lose the plot at the end of a mission to the moon - but is there something else going on? Plus read our exclusive interview with

(Country: UK; Year: 2009; Director: Duncan Jones; Writer: Duncan Jones, Nathan Parker; Stars: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Matt Berry, Kaya Scodelario, Benedict Wong, Malcolm Stewart, Dominique McElligott, Robin Chalk) , Official site , Trailer

Full review See: Duncan Jones interview on Moon , Sundance Diary: Opening night and day one... the sequel , Sundance Diary: Opening Night and Day One

New York Premiere. Narrative

Rudo And Cursi (Rudo Y Cursi, Rudo & Cursi)

Review preview for Rudo And Cursi

Bernal and Luna bring the same casual and endearing spontaneity they showed in Y Tu Mama Tambien to the fore again here.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
Two siblings rival each other inside the world of professional football.

(Country: US, Mexico; Year: 2008; Director: Carlos Cuarón; Writer: Carlos Cuarón; Stars: Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, Guillermo Francella, Dolores Heredia, Adriana Paz, Jessica Mas, Salvador Zerboni, Tania Esmeralda Aguilar, Joaquín Cosio, Alfredo Alfonso, Fermín Martínez, Eduardo Von, Jorge Zárate, Axel Ricco, Harold Torres) , Official site , Trailer

Full review See: Sundance Diary: Day Two

New York Premiere. Narrative

Still Walking (Aruitemo Aruitemo)

Drama chronicling the 24-hour reunion of a family.

(Country: Japan; Year: 2008; Director: Hirokazu Koreeda; Writer: Hirokazu Koreeda, Hirokazu Koreeda; Stars: You, Hiroshi Abe, Yoshio Harada, Ryôga Hayashi, Haruko Kato, Kirin Kiki, Yui Natsukawa, Hotaru Nomoto, Kazuya Takahashi, Shohei Tanaka)

New York Premiere. Narrative