h. nazan ışık—
12 October, 2013—
This year’s NYFF has plenty of good movies in its program: the movies that we’ll definitely see among the Oscar nominees. Even though I did say “Opening, Closing and in Between Films”, as a title, I’d like to talk about the Opening Night Film and the films which I liked the most, Her, Nebraska and Omar.
Her
© h. nazan ışık
Actor Joaquin Phoenix (left), and Writer/Director Spike Jonze at the press conference of Her at the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
Writer/Director Spike Jonze ‘s Her is a love story about Theodore (a brilliant performance by Joaquin Phoenix) and Samantha (wonderfully portrayed through the voice of Scarlett Johansson). Theodore is a heartbroken, lonely man who is about to finalize his divorce from his childhood sweetheart. For a living, he writes personal letters for other people who are unable to express themselves. Samantha is a computer operating system. She is not just an OS voice, but also a fast learner, very funny, bright, sensitive and a good friend to him. Samantha and Theodore develop a relationship.
Nebraska
The black and white film Nebraska, directed by Alexander Payne, is a very touching take on the “road movie” genre. It doesn’t have a big cast. Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) an old man, his son David (Will Forte) and Woody’s wife Kate (June Squibb) – performances by all three are remarkable! — are the main characters of this film, along with some relatives and old friends of Woody. Woody, from Montana, believes that he has won a million-dollar prize in Nebraska, and wants to go there to claim it, no matter how –if necessary even on foot! His son finally agrees to drive him. The trip and the relationship between father and son are full of humour, intimacy and tenderness.
Omar
Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad’s film Omar is a very multi-layered film, including Palestine-Israel conflict, being a freedom fighter, working as an informant. But basically another beautifully done love story, involving trust, deception, betrayal, and self-sacrifice.
Captain Phillips
Captain Phillips, directed by Paul Greengrass, was the opening-night movie of the New York Film Festival 2013. It is based on a true story: a cargo ship, the Maersk Alabama, was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009 in the Indian Ocean, and pirates took Captain Phillips as a hostage. The film is a big budget action movie showcasing efforts of a U.S. Navy destroyer and SEAL team to rescue Captain Phillips.
Last year at the New Directors/New Films 2013 festival, organized by MoMA and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, there was another movie, directed by Tobias Lindholm, called A Hijacking (Denmark) with the same subject. Somali pirates hijacks MV Rozen cargo ship in the Indian Ocean and ask money from the freight company in Denmark. In this film there is no Navy, there is no SEAL team, just intense negotiations between pirates who wants to get as much money as they can and the freight company authorities who want to pay as little as they can and bring the crew back home safely. It is a beautiful movie, and –I say –much better than Captain Phillips.
Photo © h. nazan ışık / NKENdiKEN
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