Ranking NYFF57

By Matt Neglia 

​​The 2019 New York Film Festival has now come and gone. There was a major premiere with Martin Scorsese's "The Irishman." There was the secret screening of the Safdie Brothers' "Uncut Gems." There were a number of foreign language film celebrating the best in world cinema including the Palme d'Or winner "Parasite." There was even a special screening and Q&A for "Joker" before its official release with heavy security from New York's finest. Suffice to say, it was a few weeks worthy of remembrance as always.

I saw 18 films in total this year at the festival which was a new record for me (crazy considering I thought this year would be my lowest output yet due to new day job commitments). Overall, I saw some films I loved, some films I enjoyed and some films that weren't for me. And that's the most important thing to remember with this ranking: even the lowest ranked film, might not have worked for me, but I have no doubt it worked for someone else. There is a degree of unpredictability with any film festival, of not know what it is you're going to walk into that is always exciting. This year's pleasant and unpleasant surprises were no different.

​Click below to see my ranking of the NYFF57 films I saw this year.

​18. Vitalina Varela

Listen, I'm sure Pedro Costa's latest film worked for a lot of people. It's certainly an acquired taste. Shot in almost complete darkness with barely any light shining through in a deprived part of Lisbon, the film follows Vitalina Varela (a non-professional actor who the film's name is based off of) as she returns home for her husband's funeral. It's an agonizing  watch, devoid of any strong momentum behind its narrative and features very little dialogue. There's a lot to project onto this film if that's your thing, but for me, this was not my sup of tea.

17. Synonyms

Speaking of not my thing, there were many moments during "Synonyms" where it almost had me. Wild, unpredictable and never boring, the film takes a lot of risks and big swings. As a result, not all of them pay off. Filmmaker Nadav Lapid's look at identity and patriotism through the eyes of a disenchanted Israeli living in Paris has many memorable moments. However, once again, the actual story is not that strong as it feels like a collection of random scenes which were put together to try and say something important. Once again, I know many who really enjoyed this film and there were certainly scenes where I did (the opening featuring a naked Tom Mercier frantically running through a large abandoned house immediately grabs your attention) but on the whole, "Synonyms" just wasn't for me.

16. Zombi Child

Somewhere between life and death, was my experience watching "Zombi Child." I went into this one at 9:15pm, very tired, hoping its genre elements would jolt me to life. Instead of a blood and guts zombie horror film told through the eyes of world cinema, I instead received a much more realistic look at bringing someone back from the dead using Haitian voodoo that both transfixed me, gave me a lot to think about and nearly put me to sleep. Traveling back and forth from Haiti in 1962 to present day France where a teenage girl befriends a schoolmate who has connections to the past that involve bringing one of her ancestors back from the dead, "Zombi Child" was not at all what I expected, but I didn't necessarily love it either.

​15. The Traitor

On paper, Marco Bellocchio's "The Traitor" should've been a slam dunk for me. I absolutely love gangster films (as you'll see in a bit). Diving into the world of crime around the Cosa Nostra, with a story that spans decades of a high ranking member who turns informant and rats on his closest confidants for protection, Bellocchio's film is sprawling and is packed with a lot of content. And that's exactly the problem. Even at nearly two and a half hours long, the story he's attempting to tell here is too big for one movie to hold and would've benefited from being a mini-series instead. Character development is all but extinct as the first act quickly introduces us to characters with little to no emotional attachment. Pierfrancesco Favino gives a great performance and the film really comes alive during its courtroom scenes. But oh, what could've been.

14. Bacurau

Oh this one was wild!! A tense and bloody modern neo-western set in Brazil, "Bacurau" for all of its genre thrills and action is a bit of a mess. But my oh my, what a bloody fun mess it was! Mixing social political commentary with dark humor and surprising twists, this film kept me riveted from beginning to end despite the switching character perspectives which made it difficult to invest further in the challenges the people of Bacurau faced. When the film changes tone and switches to actor Udo Kier and his mercenary team, that's where the film lost focus for me. Despite the drawbacks, this is an easy recommendation for genre fans.

13. Motherless Brooklyn

Edward Norton's vanity project (I don't care if it's not one, it most certainly feels like one) is an audacious film for the actor to try and pull off. Adapting a crime novel for 1950's New York (the novel is set in the present day), directing and starring in the lead role of a detective with tourette's syndrome, Norton goes big with his second directed feature film. With a cast that includes Bruce Willis, Alex Baldwin, Willem Dafoe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bobby Cannavale, Leslie Mann, and Cherry Jones and a special homage to neo-noir crime thrillers of the past (a genre we rarely see on screen any more), you can tell that Norton is genuinely putting everything he can into this film. It's a movie that I admired more than liked, as Norton's period re-creation is great, the score is lovely, the performances from the supporting cast are great but the story gets bogged down by a long runtime and convoluted narrative with an uneven lead performance from Norton himself. Still worth checking out if you're a fan of the long lost genre.

​12. Martin Eden

A film that everyone told me I would despise, actually turned out to be an overall positive experience for me. "Martin Eden" begins with such promise as we follow Pietro Marcello's protagonist Martin Eden (with a charismatic and passionate lead performance from Luca Marinelli) through Italy from pure poverty, to the successful writer elitist he always wished to become. A romantic rags to riches character study, the film is shot in the style of 1970's cinematography that truly made it feel like it was not made in this time. It definitely loses steam by the end and becomes a bit too melodramatic but overall, I was genuinely surprised by "Martin Eden."

11. First Cow

However, my biggest overall surprise at this year's NYFF belonged to Kelly Reichardt, a filmmaker whose movies I most of the time have been unable to get on the same wavelength as due to her slow pacing. It definitely works for many, but for the first time ever, it truly worked for me with "First Cow." A touching story about friendship, set in the Pacific Northwest during the 19th century, Reichardt's film shows its cards early on, giving the film a melancholy feeling and inevitability of how her story will unfold. However, by the time we reach the climatic final moments, the movie does not end with a bang, but a whimper. And this is one of those rare cases, where that's a compliment! Watch out for this film from A24 during March 2020.

10. Uncut Gems

I knew I needed to give it another shot. I was one of the few people who could not stand the Safdie Brothers' latest film "Uncut Gems." I have adored their previous films, so why with a bigger budget, career-best performance from Adam Sandler and so many other elements working in their favor, could I not wholly embrace this New York jeweler thriller? Much like how Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" sparked some debate over its sound mixing, the Safdie Brothers use an overwhelming amount of sound to smother the viewer and bring about the tension and stress needed to feel the plight of their protagonist. I wanted to get down with it and enjoy the ride but there came a point where I felt more tired than engrossed, more annoyed than awed by what I was seeing and (mostly) hearing on screen. I'm happy to report that this film has moved up a few notches since my first viewing and I cannot wait to finally see it again with subtitles so I can make out 60% of the overlapping dialogue.

​9. The Whistlers

Beginning with Iggy Pop's "The Passenger," I knew I was in slick, comfortable hands with Corneliu Porumboiu's latest in terms of style and tone. His double agent crime thriller features a lot of elements that I loved (genre homages, thrills, off-kilter moments of humor and suspense), however there were (especially early on) many moments where the narrative was a little tough to decipher. Eventually, it settles in and we are simply along for the ride as police detective Cristi (Vlad Ivanov) learns how to whistle to communicate with his crime buddies as they smuggle hash around the country with the cops on their tales. Shifting allegiances, a femme fatale, a burning climax and always entertaining.

8. Beanpole

This one was heavy. Like a crushing weight on top of my chest that slowly pressed the life out of me, "Beanpole" was emotionally devastating. Shot with exuberant color and an eye for performance (Viktoria Miroshnichenko and Vasilisa Perelygina are incredible), 28-year-old Russian filmmaker Kantemir Balagov imbues this period film with subtextual LGBTQ elements that feel bold. My only gripe was the film's pacing, as I typically don't care for waiting 5-10 seconds at a time for one character to reply to another with a simplistic line of dialogue. Transfixing, frustrating but always fascinating.

7. Atlantics

Talk about a film operating on multiple levels. Mati Diop's directorial debut balances a coming of age story, a ghost story, a love story and a story on class divide in Senegal, all under a confident and watchful eye. When the film switches gears towards the supernatural, it truly takes you by surprise. I was under this film's spell from the first frame, all the way until the last. Shoutout to the cinematography by Clair Mathon who also shot another film on this list coming up.

​6. Joker

The year's most talked about film. "Joker" had a special screening at NYFF with cast and crew present a day before its theatrical release, with heavy security to boot due to the film's controversy surrounding its themes and real world implications. I cannot say more than what has already been said, suffice to say, I recognize the movie has problematic elements (all centered around the screenplay) but also elements which I cannot deny (Joaquin Phoenix's tormented performance, the cinematography & score). For more of my thoughts, check out our podcast review where we go into great length about the film, flaws and all.

5. Pain And Glory

Pedro Almodóvar late career reflection, "Pain and Glory" is autobiographical, incredibly personal and sincere filmmaker from the 70-year-old director. Featuring a career best turn from Antonio Banderas standing in for the aging filmmaker as he deals with many physical ailments but none no greater than an emotional ailment of the heart, this artistic look at an artist was a truly great viewing experience. However, it's not until the film's final shot that the experience became a transcendent one. One which I cannot wait to revisit again and I dare not spoil here.

4. Portrait Of A Lady On Fire

Wow oh wow oh wow! This film is gorgeous! Everything you've heard about Céline Sciamma latest film is true and then some. Set in the 18th century, a young painter is commissioned to paint a portrait of another woman. As their relationship grows, it begins to develop into something more. Superbly acted, shot incredibly well with images that will not leave your mind any time soon and done with a painterly quality that feels authentic and pure, this love story has lingered on in my mind days since I finally saw it at NYFF. It may start off a little slow for my taste but it really picks up as it moves along, where by the end I was left speechless and stunned. A must watch!

​3. Marriage Story

The centerpiece film of the 57th New York Film Festival, is easily one of my favorite films of the year. Noah Baumbach's latest and best feature to date, "Marriage Story" is as equally dramatic as it is hysterical. Shot from the two different perspectives of Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) and Charlie (Adam Driver), this divorce drama lends equal weight to both character's feelings and viewpoints making for one emotionally engaging film. Baumbach has never been better here as his writing his refined, his performances pitch perfect and his directorial instincts operating on a higher level than they ever have before. An all-around Oscar contender with great performances across the board (with Driver and Johansson deliver career-best work), down to even the smallest supporting roles, "Marriage Story" will undoubtedly be a 2019 standout.

2. The Irishman

Martin Scorsese. Robert De Niro. Al Pacino. And Joe Pesci. Need I say anything more? In what was probably my most anticipated film of the decade, NYFF's opening night film features an all-star reunion of talent (with Pacino's first collaboration with Scorsese as Jimmy Hoffa), who collectively gave us one last masterpiece in the genre they all helped build. "The Irishman" is a three and a half hour epic, told by a director who is entering the final stage of his life, as he, his characters and the actors portraying them, reflect on their lives and legacy. Its some of the most mature filmmaking we have ever seen from Scorsese within the crime drama as he continues to find new ways to surprise us, while also employing the latest technological leaps in filmmaking (de-aging the actors using visual effects to tell the decades long story) to tell his story. This is a film to be cherished within the careers of all involved, including Joe Pesci who specifically came out of retirement for this. Featuring the best performances from Robert De Niro and Al Pacino is decades, brisk editing, captivating moments of drama, tension and humor, "The Irishman" is a swan song that will go down in history just as Jimmy Hoffa did, only this time, we know how this one will turn out.

1. Parasite

I almost couldn't believe that NYFF57's opening film "The Irishman" couldn't dethrone this but here we are: my favorite film of the festival, my favorite film of the year and one of my favorite films of the decade. South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho's masterful "Parasite" represents everything I love about the art of cinema. Great performances, wonderful technical aspects, an engaging story with something to say, no fat on its bones and packed with surprises that make the experience worth re-visiting. I dare not spoil anything for you, as "Parasite" deserves to be seen as blindly as humanly possible. Watch and be amazed as Bong Joon Ho has fun with his audience and also subtly creeps up on us with his urgent message on class. Trust me, you will not regret this one.

And that does it for all of the films I saw at this year's New York Film Festival. A festival that is near and dear to my heart, in a city that I love, with a community that adores film as much if not more than I do, I cannot recommend this festival enough. Have you seen any of these films? If so, what did you think? Were you at this year's NYFF? Do you plan on going in the future. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our Twitter account.

You can follow Matt and hear more of his thoughts on the Oscars and Film on Twitter at @NextBestPicture