I've not been to NYC but have seen loads of films based in and about the City and like any great cities, there's a core of people that make up a group that champion its community and identity. After 9/11, this spirit found an even higher plateau.
Look beneath the surface of noise, bustle and showbiz, are the people of course and as with any multi-ethnic and diverse population, there's a labyrinth of stories about them.
Some are going to be strange and some straightforward. It might seem a bit misty-eyed and sentimental to try and convince us that eleven directors each producing a snapshot can make up a mural that depicts all of the Big Apple but that's what seems to be the intention.
Blessed with a good number of very recognisable actors, that adds a connectivity and gravitas we should be bowled over. But, largely, we're not. It must all come down to the quality of the actual stories, which mostly are unmemorable. Perhaps they're just too short for us to get under their skin and allow us to appreciate them. Maybe, we're supposed to be in love with this movie enough to want to watch it over and again, to fully 'get' it.
My 6/10 is because it's "OK". My viewing was pleasant enough. I wasn't repelled or confronted by bad acting and the time passed satisfactorily. But that's like having a 'nice' shepherds pie and I can always buy another of those from Sainsbury's again tomorrow.
Since John Hurt is one of my very favourite actors, my enthusiasm increased enormously seeing him halfway through. Though he says only two lines, it was the most beautiful and sad chapter of them all, with Shia LeBeouf and the radiant Julie Christie, playing a crippled hotel porter and opera star respectively.
Unless you really want to buy the DVD, catch it on TV. I watched it on Sky Arts.
Look beneath the surface of noise, bustle and showbiz, are the people of course and as with any multi-ethnic and diverse population, there's a labyrinth of stories about them.
Some are going to be strange and some straightforward. It might seem a bit misty-eyed and sentimental to try and convince us that eleven directors each producing a snapshot can make up a mural that depicts all of the Big Apple but that's what seems to be the intention.
Blessed with a good number of very recognisable actors, that adds a connectivity and gravitas we should be bowled over. But, largely, we're not. It must all come down to the quality of the actual stories, which mostly are unmemorable. Perhaps they're just too short for us to get under their skin and allow us to appreciate them. Maybe, we're supposed to be in love with this movie enough to want to watch it over and again, to fully 'get' it.
My 6/10 is because it's "OK". My viewing was pleasant enough. I wasn't repelled or confronted by bad acting and the time passed satisfactorily. But that's like having a 'nice' shepherds pie and I can always buy another of those from Sainsbury's again tomorrow.
Since John Hurt is one of my very favourite actors, my enthusiasm increased enormously seeing him halfway through. Though he says only two lines, it was the most beautiful and sad chapter of them all, with Shia LeBeouf and the radiant Julie Christie, playing a crippled hotel porter and opera star respectively.
Unless you really want to buy the DVD, catch it on TV. I watched it on Sky Arts.