the new york film festival 2004

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from http://www.indiewire.com/onthescene/onthescene_040823nyff.html

NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL LINEUP

Opening Night: "Look At Me," directed by Agnès Jaoui (France)

Centerpiece: "Bad Education," directed by Pedro Almodóvar (Spain)

Closing Night: "Sideways," directed by Alexander Payne (USA)

"The 10th District Court: Judicial Hearings," directed by Raymond
Depardon (France)

"The Big Red One," directed by Samuel Fuller (USA) 1980 (Restored
2004)

"Cafe Lumiere," directed by Hou Hsou-Hsien (Japan/Taiwan)

"The Gate Of The Sun," directed by Yousry Nasrallah (France/Egypt)

"The Holy Girl," directed by Lucrecia Martel (Argentina)

"House Of Flying Daggers," directed by Zhang Yimou (China)

"In The Battlefields," directed by Danielle Arbid (Lebanon/France)

"Keane," directed by Lodge Kerrigan (USA)

"Kings And Queen," directed by Arnaud Desplechin (France)

"Moolade," directed by Ousmane Sembene (Senegal)

"Notre Musique," directed by Jean-Luc Godard (Switzerland/France)

"Or (My Treasure)," directed by Keren Yedaya (Israel)

"Palindromes," directed by Todd Solondz (USA)

"Rolling Family," directed by Pablo Trapero (Argentina)

"Saraband," directed by Ingmar Bergman (Sweden)

"Tarnation," directed by Jonathan Caouette (USA)

"Triple Agent," directed by Eric Rohmer (France)

"Tropical Malady," directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Thailand)

"Undertow," directed by David Gordon Green (USA)

"Vera Drake," directed by Mike Leigh (UK)

"Woman Is The Future Of Man," directed by Hong Sang-Soo (South
Korea/France)

"The World," directed by Jia Zhangke (China)

SPECIAL SCREENINGS AND PROGRAMS

"Infernal Affairs Trilogy," Andrew Lau and Alan Mak (Hong Kong)

"Macunaima," Joaquim Pedro De Andrade (Brazil)

"Miles Electric: A Different Kind Of Blue," Murray Lerner (USA)

"Selling Democracy: Films Of The Marshall Plan," 1947-55

"Elegance, Passion, And Cold Hard Steel: A Tribute To Shaw Brothers
Studios"

"Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson," Ken
Burns (USA)

"Views From The Avant-Garde"

― amateur!!st, Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:18 (twenty-one years ago)

very nice. Payne, Almodovar, Yimou, Gordon Green, Weerasethakul = wow

― adam. (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:27 (twenty-one years ago)

sadly, I am on the wrong coast for this.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh and Mike leigh too!

― adam. (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:27 (twenty-one years ago)

i am looking forward to nearly all of these. exceptions: the desplechin (his last film was utterly, utterly horrible), the solondz, and uh the three of four i know nothing about. and the rohmer, because i've seen it already (it's good).

― amateur!!st, Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:31 (twenty-one years ago)

three or four

― amateur!!st, Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Are you going to NYC for this, amateur!!st?

― adam. (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:35 (twenty-one years ago)

i might actually make some of it, depending on a number of circumstances (sorry to sound so mysterious, it's just too complicated/boring to delve into).

― amateur!!st, Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:36 (twenty-one years ago)

An interesting bill, useful to me mostly so I know what some of the high-profile fall/winter releases will be.

Without knowing anything except the directors for most of these, I'm looking forward to the Almodovar, Green, and Leigh films most. Also Payne maybe, if he can redeem himself after the unfocused About Schmidt. And I have to admit I'm at least curious about the Solondz, even though I know it will be shit.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually, that's unfair, knowing nothing about the film. But I sort of hate that Solondz is such a ridiculous figure that I end up being more interested in his films than some lower-profile director who's better, even if I ultimately hate Solondz's work.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Is there not a Chicago film festival of any substance for you fellows to attend?

― adam. (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:41 (twenty-one years ago)

there is a chicago festival, which overlaps with the n.y. festival and is ok. they don't tend to get many premieres, the awards they give out often make little sense, but they always screen a bunch of interesting films (many of which do not make it to chicago afterward, like oliveira's uncertainty principle).

― amateur!!st, Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I need to find out what this new Solondz is about.

― dean? (deangulberry), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I wasn't expecting a semi-romantic comedy out of Payne next (but I haven't seen About Schmidt)

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:48 (twenty-one years ago)

re: solondz

Disabilities will play a factor in the story. In addition to casting a vision-impaired actress to play the seventeen-year-old Barbara, the production is looking for a number of children from seven to seventeen with disabilities of all kind, preferably with some kind of musical ability, although that ability or previous acting experience is not required. Additional characters include Mama Sunshine, a mid-western lady, warm, emotional, maternal and big-hearted, real salt of the earth type, Bo, Mama Sunshine's husband, mid western, the head of the family, rugged but kind-hearted, Judah, sixteen year old friend of Aviva’s, luggish and serious, and Doctor Dan, another Midwesterner, a friendly family doctor who loves children and they love him, especially when he clowns around with them, very respected by his community.

― dean? (deangulberry), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Does anyone know anything about Notre Musique?

― adam. (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:52 (twenty-one years ago)

From allocine (trans):

Three parts, entitled respectively: Kingdom 1 - Hell, Kingdom 2 - Purgatory, Kingdom 3 - Paradises.
"the hell" is made up of various images of war, without chronological order nor historical. The images remain dumb, accompanied by 4 sentences and 4 musics.
"the purgatory" proceeds nowadays in the town of Sarajevo at the European Meetings of the Book. They are conferences or simple conversations in connection with the need for poetry, the image of oneself and other, for Palestine and Israel, ect., and which is the fact of real people like imaginary characters. A visit with the bridge of Mostar in rebuilding symbolizes the exchange between culpability and forgiveness.
"the paradise" shows a young woman who, being sacrificed, finds peace on a small beach at the edge of the water - which is kept by some Marines of the USA.

― dean? (deangulberry), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't get the Solondz hate. Happiness is indulgent greatness, and Storytelling is smug and self-hating and disgusting and too-clever-by-half and perfect. What's not to like about the little worm?

― Harold Media (kenan), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:58 (twenty-one years ago)

'welcome to the dollhouse' is good.

― cºzen (Cozen), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I actually enjoyed Happiness when it came out. I haven't seen any Solondz after that.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:03 (twenty-one years ago)

The Selma Blair/CP-boyfriend half of Storytelling was fun. The self-hating Jewish family not so much.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:08 (twenty-one years ago)

dawn from 'wttd' turns up in the later episodes of roseanne as cj's film-buff girlfriend.

― cºzen (Cozen), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:09 (twenty-one years ago)

*dj

― dean? (deangulberry), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:11 (twenty-one years ago)

that isn't annoying at all.

― cºzen (Cozen), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:14 (twenty-one years ago)

*is

― dean? (deangulberry), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:20 (twenty-one years ago)

should I pick up 4?

― cºzen (Cozen), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Tell me about "Sideways," as I am a big Alex Payne fan.

― n.a. (Nick A.), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:25 (twenty-one years ago)

It's got Pig Vomit in it. That's always a good thing.

― Harold Media (kenan), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:26 (twenty-one years ago)

some friends saw the new godard and liked it, but no one really knows what they think about a new godard film anyway.

― amateur!!st, Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:03 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/sideways/

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, Happiness is another movie I tolerated when I saw it (and maybe even admired Solondz's envelope-pushing) but now I think it just kinda blows. If the movie had been about any one of those characters, separately, it might've been interesting. But as an ensemble it mostly comes off like, "YOU THOUGHT THIS GUY WAS FUCKED UP?? WAIT'LL YOU SEE THIS OTHER GUY!!"

-- jaymc (jmcunnin...), June 9th, 2004.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Based on that trailer, Sideways looks like it might be good in that soul-searching indie-film kind of way. As long as he doesn't try to make it wacky. (I mean, wacky was great in Election, since the whole thing was so broad and funny; wacky was not great in About Schmidt because we're somehow supposed to "care" about Schmidt, too, and sorry dude, you can't have it both ways.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, and I liked Welcome to the Dollhouse when I saw it, too, but that was almost 10 years ago now, and it didn't leave that big of an impression. (My mom on the way out of the movie: "That's the kind of movie that critics like because it's 'different.'")

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:18 (twenty-one years ago)

xx-post - oh, that's simplifying a bit, don't you think? despite the irony, i think Solondz is making a real effort to see the (wounded, twisted, monstrous) humanity of the characters. I think Happiness is an excellent movie.

xxxpost - that trailer for Sideways is charming. I'm there.

― Harold Media (kenan), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:19 (twenty-one years ago)

opening scene of happiness = high point of jon lovitz's career.

― Harold Media (kenan), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:20 (twenty-one years ago)

The opening scene was really good, I admit.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Happiness is terrible. And simply the creepiest movie I have ever seen. That's not what makes it terrible, it's just the shit frosting on the poison cake.

I can't watch the Sideways trailer at work. Does anyone want to give me a brief rundown (who's in it, what's it about)?

― n.a. (Nick A.), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:28 (twenty-one years ago)

despite the irony, i think Solondz is making a real effort to see the (wounded, twisted, monstrous) humanity of the characters.

I know what you mean by this, I just wished the "(wounded, twisted, monstrous)" wasn't SO pervasive. Like I said, if Solondz had chosen one of the characters to follow, I think it'd be a more interesting movie. You'd see it as an interesting character study, not as a thesis about HOW EVERYONE IN THE GODDAMN WORLD IS FUCKED UP.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:30 (twenty-one years ago)

trailer synopsis: looks like Giamatti ia a struggling writer who has highly cultivated tastes but is ashamed at his lack of success, and the dumb guy from "wings" is getting married in a couple of weeks, and they're old friends, and they set out on a road trip and meet some girls and teach other how to have fun again.

I know that sounds kinda lame, but I imagine any movie trailer would if you wrote it out like that.

― Harold Media (kenan), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:31 (twenty-one years ago)

jaymc -- I don't think "everyone in the world is fucked up" is such a shaky premise.

― Harold Media (kenan), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I know this is an x-post, but I like the differences in our synopses (yeah, Wings, that's where I know him from!):

Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church go on a road trip to the California wine country a week before Church is due to get married. They drink some wine, talk about life (Giamatti is a struggling novelist), and meet a couple of women (Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen).

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:33 (twenty-one years ago)

The dumb guy from Wings, the guy from American Splendor in California wine country. Guy from Wings is getting married, Guy from AS is an unsuccessful novelist. They meet two women, GFW wants to party before getting married, truth comes out and then GFAS tries to make nice with one of the women.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:33 (twenty-one years ago)

jaymc -- I don't think "everyone in the world is fucked up" is such a shaky premise.

I guess I don't object to that premise per se, but I object to the way it comes off in the film as a statement, with the characters merely vehicles for that statement.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Thanks for the summaries. The plot sounds meh but I like those actors and I'm pumped for it simply as the next Payne film.

― n.a. (Nick A.), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:38 (twenty-one years ago)

exactly.

― Harold Media (kenan), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:38 (twenty-one years ago)

have you ever listened to the commentary on the conan the barbarian dvd? it's two hours of john milius relating production andecdotes and philosophy and arnold schwartzenegger saying "exahhctly" over and over again.

― amateur!!st, Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:42 (twenty-one years ago)

I like it. lemme try...

exahhctly.

haha that *is* better.

― Harold Media (kenan), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:44 (twenty-one years ago)

ten months pass...

I'm intrigued by how long it takes stuff at the NYFF (and Toronto) to open in NYC these days. Here it is nearly a year later, and "Tropical Malady" and "The World" are just hitting theaters. "Woman Is The Future Of Man" still hasn't. "Saraband" and "Cafe Lumiere" are imminent.

I was disappointed in "The World" at the Fest; ditto in recent viewings of "Look at Me" and "Holy Girl." "Kings and Queen" is admirably ambitious and crafty (and God knows miles better than"Esther Kahn"), but would've irritated me without the Amalric zaniness; I thought Emanuelle Devos (?) was more of a cipher than necessary.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Friday, 1 July 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

'05 lineup:

http://www.filmlinc.com/nyff/nyff.htm

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 17 August 2005 22:30 (twenty years ago)

This link on that page is pretty interesting:

http://www.filmlinc.com/nyff/nyfffestlist.htm

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 17 August 2005 22:33 (twenty years ago)

The poster for Capote makes it look awesome.

― The Original Jimmy Mod: Kind Warrior (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Wednesday, 17 August 2005 22:39 (twenty years ago)

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