October 9th 2015. Pick of the Day.
New York City's premiere resource for classic film screenings in the metropolitan area. Offering reviews, recommendations, venues and a host of links keeping classic film and the silver screens alive.
Continuing series today include Film School 101: Canon Fodder at IFC Center, Modern Matinees: In the Beginning at MoMA, New York Film Festival - Revivals at The Film Society, and the leg-room luxurious Cabaret Cinema at the Rubin Museum. Onto the opulent ocular occupations;
IFC Center
THE GODFATHER (1972) Dir; Francis Ford Coppola
THE SHINING (1980) Dir; Stanley Kubrick
Film Forum
ROCCO & HIS BROTHERS (1960) Dir; Luchino Visconti
MoMA
Modern Matinees: In the Beginning
BROKEN BLOSSOMS (1919) Dir; D. W. Griffith
Film Society of Lincoln Center
New York Film Festival - Revivals
THE BOYS FROM FENGKUEI (1983) Dir; Hou Hsiao-hsien
Museum of the Moving Image
FIVE CORNERS (1987) Dir; Tony Bill
Rubin Museum of Art
BADLANDS (1973) Dir; Terrence Malick
Landmark Sunshine Cinemas
TAXI DRIVER (1976) Dir; Martin Scorsese
Nitehawk Cinema
BLUE SUNSHINE (1978) Dir; Jeff Lieberman
Today's Pick? Much to celebrate on the slate today, particularly the screening of Tony Bill's underrated FIVE CORNERS follwed by a live Q&A with star John Turturro and screenwriter John Patrick Shanley, yet most of the lineup this Friday the 9th is made up of films that, while undoubtedly masterpieces, routinely unspool in our movie mad metropolis; titles like Coppola's GODFATHER, Malick's BADLANDS, Scorsese's TAXI DRIVER, and especially, especially Kubrick's SHINING (we really need a vacation from Stan's ski resort!). So as the 53rd annual iteration of the New York Film Fest draws to a close this weekend, I can't help but choose what will be my final screening of the soirée.
I admit the gaps in my film knowledge freely. You really have to, there's no way around involving yourself in a conversation about Abbas Kiarostami and knowing nothing about his work. I've seen it happen, it's not pretty, and I still know nothing about Abbas Kiarostami. So it is that I say with no shame attached that I only even heard of Hou Hsaio-hsien only last year, when Moving Image presented an extensive career recap. Sadly I never made it out to that series, because I can be a knucklehead sometimes when it comes to experiencing filmmakers new to me. Unsadly, I get to correct that error slightly tonight, as his first really important film, one considered the vanguard of the Taiwan New Wave of the 80's, which I ALSO only found out about last year, is presented in a brand-spankin' new DCP iteration. A coming of age tale akin to Fellini's I VITELLONI, it marks the director's youth from a close vantage point, something he admits would be quite the task at his current distance. I'm really excited to be viewing this fir the first time tonight, and even more excited by the prospect of hearing the filmmaker discuss the film in person. So Taiwan, here I come.
Hou Hsaio-hsien's THE YOUNG BOYS OF FENGKUEI unspools its digital 1's and 0's in a new DCP resto tonight as part of the Revivals section of the unfortunately windin- down 53rd annual New York Film Festival. The filmmaker will appear to discuss his film. Once more my thanks to the folks at the Film Society who so graciously accomodated all of my requests, chiefly publicist Austin Kennedy and George Nicholis and Stephanie Friedman at PMK-BNC. My thanks also to the people who painstakingly undertook the task of restoring these films to something close if not exact to their original release versions. Lastly my gratitude to everyone involved in the NYFF, from newbie intern to Kent Jones, the fest's director. It ain't easy organizing something this monumental year in and year out, and they do it seemingly without a sweat, and because they love the medium and its fans so. Same time next year, guys 'n gals?
For more info on these and all NYC's rep film screenings in October '15 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. For reviews of contemporary cinema and my streaming habits (keep it clean!) check out my Letterboxd page. And be sure to follow me on both Facebook, where I provide further info and esoterica on the rep film circuit and star birthdays, and Twitter, where I provide a daily feed for the day's screenings and other blathery. Back soon with new Picks 'n perks, til then safe, sound, make sure the next knucklehead is too!
P. S. The warmer, fiercer cuddle of the sun's sunnier disposition has begun its annual wane, but believe it or not some of our fellow NY'ers have still yet to be made whole in the wake of the 2012 storm. Should you be feeling charitable please visit the folks at OccupySandy.net, follow their hammer-in-hand efforts to restore people's lives, and donate/volunteer if you have the inclination and availability. Be a collective mensch, Stockahz!
