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Home Archives for new york film festival

November 13, 2018 By iluvcinema Leave a Comment

The Favourite (2018)

Where do I start with this latest outing (The Favourite) from director Yorgos Lanthimos?

I guess one place is to categorically state that the subjects – Queen Anne, Sarah Churchill and Abigail Masham (nee Hill) and the intrigue of the latter two’s battle for the Queen’s affections and good graces. Being unfamiliar with this period in English history, my go-to normally involves an obligatory Google or Wikipedia search.

But nope, not this time. I decided to go into the film relatively blind save for the knowledge of The Favourite winning honors at this year’s Venice Film Festival.

The Favourite
Rachel Weisz and Olivia Colman in the film THE FAVOURITE. Photo by Yorgos Lanthimos. © 2018 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

[Read more…]

Filed Under: film festival, Reviews Tagged With: new york film festival, Period Pieces, Queen Anne, the favourite, venice film festival, Yorgos Lanthimos

October 19, 2016 By iluvcinema Leave a Comment

NYFF54 Feature: I, Daniel Blake (2016)

Ken Loach‘s brilliant I, Daniel Blake is a scathing portrait of a welfare system drowning in a sea of bureaucracy.

idanielblake_02

Our way into this story is through “everyman” Daniel Blake (Dave Johns), a 59-year-old Geordie (hailing from Newcastle). Recently disabled by a medical condition and unable to work, Daniel is getting nowhere in his efforts to get relief from the government services, which are allegedly put in place to help someone in his situation. He finds himself in a nightmarish, Groundhog Day scenario that involves an endless stream of paperwork, ambivalent government officials and roads that lead absolutely nowhere. It feels like a scene out of some far-flung dystopia – but no – it is this world,  this England, circa now.

During one of his fruitless expeditions to the Benefits office, Daniel meets recently-arrived-to-Newcastle single mother Katie (Hayley Squires) and her two young children, Dylan and Daisy, who were forced north due to affordable housing shortages in her London hometown.

Through the tears, there are still those precious nuggets of joy and the occasional laughter to be found in the film. But overall, this is a story about an extremely vulnerable segment of modern British society which by and large has been (cynically) left behind.

There is one moment involving Katie that absolutely took my breath away. Even as I recount it now, my eyes are welling up. In a scene that can’t last more than 15 seconds (if that), I was overcome by an avalanche of emotions. Kudos to Ms. Squires for her performance, which doesn’t feel like a performance as much as a channeling of the plight endured by many women who are struggling to make a way for themselves with some dignity and self-worth.

And that is the thing – not for one moment do you see these people as taking advantage of a social safety net or being “skivers,” as they are often portrayed in much of the press. They are people that through circumstances (i.e. LIFE) find themselves in a place where they need a helping hand to get through a rough patch. Thanks to a script from long-time Loach collaborator Paul Laverty, I, Daniel Blake subtly keys the audience into the fact that the system in place seems to be doing quite the opposite of helping those in need. By hassling and creating unbelievable obstacles in their path, the establishment succeeds in stripping away as much of individual’s self-worth as possible, to the point of making many resign themselves to their lot in life, ultimately and simply giving up. It is a powerful message to be presented in such a gentle manner.

Even as the film came to an end and I could sense where it was going, the tears continued to fall down my face. Life is not a fairy tale and even when given a cinematic treatment, it can deliver the most painful of punches to the gut.

That said, it is clear why I Daniel Blake took home the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. It is a memorable film that must be seen.

I, Daniel Blake is scheduled for release in the UK this Friday (October 21). And after making a few more film festival stops on this side of the pond, the US will get a limited release starting on December 23rd – just in time for major awards consideration.

Filed Under: film festival, Reviews Tagged With: i daniel blake, ken loach, new york film festival, paul laverty

September 26, 2014 By iluvcinema Leave a Comment

On Now: NYFF52

Oh yeah there is the tiny little matter of the 52nd Annual New York Film Festival kicking off this weekend.

Hopefully it will not be as confrontational as last year, when I attended a screening of Blue is the Warmest Color and post-screening was ‘approached’ by someone questioning why I was watching the film and what did I think about the misogyny contained therein. Actually, that reminds me – Pro-Tip: Even if I agree with your argument(s), accosting me and bellowing questions at me is not the way to sell your POV.

Mini-rant over.

Anyways, better forward planning this year means that my NYFF dance card will be a little more full and allow me to provide a slightly more adequate level of coverage.

LifeofRiley1

Life of Riley

Among the films that will be attended (and subsequently covered) are:

  • Maps to the Stars
  • Mr. Turner
  • Life of Riley
  • (possibly and part of the Joseph L Mankiewicz Retrospective) Guys and Dolls.

GUYS AND DOLLS

Guys and Dolls

 

In addition, I will be attending the panel Women’s Impact: Producing in a Convergent World.

You may be asking yourself: Why no Gone Girl? If I am honest, I never got caught in the frenzy that the source material caused in the bibliophile community, so even with Fincher at the helm, this has a wait until later … vibe for me.
Overall, scheduling conflicts this year mean that I have had to massively scale back my moviegoing ambitions and stick mostly to the Friday night – Sunday screening window, which means I miss out on films such as:
  • The 50-Year Argument
  • The Blue Room
  • Saint Laurent
  • All About Eve
  • Two Days, One Night
  • National Gallery
  • Jauja
(visit the NYFF52 Main Slate page for film details)
Lastly, are you going to be the Big Apple for any of the film fun? What are you looking most forward to?
Photo credit: Film Society of Lincoln Center, host of the New York Film Festival.

Filed Under: film festival Tagged With: new york film festival, nyff52, nyff52 new york film festival lincoln center

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