One of the nation’s best film-centric events, the New York Film Festival brings the best filmmakers to the Lincoln Film Center for its 62nd year. The festivals bring together the best of cinema against the backdrop of NYC’s rich and iconic landscape. Dating back to 1963, NYFF has been a hub of cultural and film importance with many up-and-coming actors and filmmakers on the road to Hollywood. Produced by Lincoln Film Center, NYFF offers a vast creative selection of cinematic offerings from all across the globe.
From September 27-October 14th, film critics and film lovers gathered on the island in a flurry of artistic vision. This year’s Main Slate selection included Sean Baker‘s Cannes Festival winner Anora, the rising star on the festival circuit Nickel Boys, Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore‘s The Room Next Door, and the North American debut of Steve McQueen‘s Blitz.
NYFF kicked things off with the gripping adaptation of a thrilling iconic novel. RaMell Ross directed Nickel Boys, which was the festival’s Opening Night selection. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name, Nickel Boys follows two Black teens, in Jim Crow-era Florida, who become entrenched in juvenile reform. Inspired by actual events, the film is a gripping look into the state of a nation deeply in hatred of itself. As two young men facing hardships in a White America, actors Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson give their performance of a lifetime. The heartfelt film is elevated with the supporting cast of Daveed Diggs, Hamish Linklater, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor. While emotional at moments, the film does a great job of balancing the drama and subtle moments of comedy.
The film marks Ross’ first feature film debut and showcases his bright future in the industry. The pacing and narrative linear plot make for enjoyable watching. Ross manages to capture the blight of America during a historic period. Using the backdrop of the abuse within the halls of real “Nickel Academy” (Dozier School for Boys,) the film paints a broad image of a system built to hinder Blacks.
NYFF’s Centerpiece film comes in the form of director Pedro Almodovar‘s first English-speaking film, The Room Next Door. Actress Swinton and Moore give solid performances in such a compelling drama that asks for everything and more from the women. Based on the book, What Are You Going Through? by Sigrid Nunez, the story revolves around two estranged women who rekindle their relationship in the face of tragedy.
Throughout a short time, the audience sees a tennis match between Moore and Swinton as they confront their characters’ rich history and look toward the future. The fallout of a war journalist and writer is vaguely implied in their past of being coworkers at a magazine company. As the two grow into their respective career paths, they are brought back together when Swinton’s character decides to commit suicide by pill.
The climax of the film comes as the two are confined to an upstate New York minimalist house. Almodovar displays a creative tightrope for which these two actors walk with finesse. The film does enough justice with the two leads to propel a lacking supporting cast forward.
The film everyone is talking about this year is director Sean Baker’s Anora. Already generating award buzz, the dramedy coming-of-age film is every bit as gut-wrenching and laughter-filled as one may think. Mikey Madison shines in her breakout role as the titular stripper who becomes enamored by a young wealthy Russian customer, Ivan (Mark Eidelstein.)
What starts as a courtship of sorts, soon brings the audience in for a wild ride. For many familiar to Baker’s previous work such as Tangerine and The Florida Project will find the same creative craftsmanship in Anora. It speaks to how Baker views the lives of sex workers and their impact on film. Baker’s balance of a stripper’s struggling chaos makes for a launching pad for Madison to flex her comedic chops outside of her previously known work in FX’s Better Things, where she played the angst older of three kids opposite Pamela Aldon.
A few of Baker’s previous projects have seen their characters grapple with the weight of human emotions and the overall grand scheme of things, Anora is no different. Sex, drugs, more drugs, and lust follow our young Romeo and Juliet as they are swept up in the realms of romance with no regard for the comedown.
The high of the whirlwind romance suddenly catches up to the couple. Reality sets in as a Las Vegas marriage brings in Ivan’s parents to sort out his wild behavior. From there, the film takes a dramatic turn with Anora struggling for dear life. The end of the film leaves the audience speechless and wondering just how far Mikey Madison’s star will burn.
The New York Film Festival wraps up with Steve McQueen’s Blitz as its Closing Night selection. The visionary filmmaker enlists Saoirse Ronan and newcomer Elliott Heffernan to help tell a story of a mother’s fight to save her son.
McQueen weaves a narrative drama as a working-class mother seeks to reunite with her son during the height of WWII as Germans lead a blitzkrieg in London. To keep her son safe from the constant bombings, Rita sends her son George, along with other kids to get out of the country. Only George never arrives at his destination. From there, the audience is placed into the eyes of a young kid in the wake of destruction. Similar, in a sense to Jojo Rabbit, the adolescent viewpoint of war strikes home that gives an eerily sense to the film.
Back with Rita, life is just as chaotic and mundane all at once. Both Rita and George are forced to reckon with their current situation as they try to find their way back to each other. McQueen does a fine job trying to branch both plotlines side by side.
