The New York Film Festival ended a week ago and the elapsed time has enabled for reflection on the best films of the festival.
Latinos Post has already published on perspective on the top films at the festival from reporter Francisco Salazar. This list will follow different path that includes ten films. Here are this reporter's favorite films from the NY Film Festival.
10. "Omar" Directed by Hany Abu-Assad
Set in the midst of the West Bank conflict, this thriller analyzes betrayal and the tragedy it causes from the perspective of a character caught in between the two warring factions. Abu-Assad manages to create a number of shocking plot twists that not only have the audience constantly guessing, but also appear without any warning.
9. "The Immigrant" Directed by James Grey
"The Immigrant" is a soulful and potent examination of the difficulties of achieving the American Dream in the 1920s. Marianne Cotillard and Joaquin Phoenix team up for arguably the most complex love story of the year and Grey's operatic cues manage to imbue the film with passionate romanticism. The film may come off as too heavy for some, but those willing to accept the melodrama at its face value will likely leave the theater in tears.
8. "Gloria" Directed by Sebastian Leilo
Chile's submission to the Academy Awards is an intimate analysis of the mid-life crisis and coming to terms with loneliness. Paulina Garcia is fearless in her portrayal of the title character and manages to carry the film on her own.
7. "Blue is the Warmest Color" Directed by Abdellatif Kechiche
The 2013 Palme D'Or Winner will undoubtedly turn off many viewers due to its graphic sex scenes, but there is no denying the complex portrait of the search for identity that Kechiche and his leading lady Adele Exarchopoulos manage to create. Despite running for three hours, the film manages to hook the viewer with its stellar performances and brisk pacing.
6. "Captain Phillips" Directed by Paul Greengrass
The list enters a phase that is extremely tricky as arguably any of the remaining films could grab the top spot on the list; they are simply that good. Greengrass' best film to date is a powerfully tense recreation of the Somali pirate kidnapping back in 2009. Tom Hanks is at his best throughout the film, but will undoubtedly leave a huge mark on the viewer for his excruciating display of humanity in the final moments of the film.
5. "Nebraska" Directed by Alexander Payne
This writer is not a huge fan of Payne's work, but there is no denying the power and charm of his latest work. Headlined by Bruce Dern and Will Forte, the father-son journey manages to make the viewer laugh incessantly without distracting from the darker undertones of the characters' world.
4. "All is Lost" Directed by J.C. Chandor
The viewing experience is oftentimes tedious, but "All is Lost" works because of Robert Redford's electrical presence. He literally has nothing to say for 99.9 percent of the film, but his body language and ever expressive visage allow the viewer a tremendous amount of access to his character's thoughts and feelings. The film's final act works on an emotional and philosophical level making for riveting conversation thereafter.
3. "Her" Directed by Spike Jonze
"Her" is a deeply philosophical work that analyzes modern humanity's attachment to technology and social media in way that could be destructive. However, Jonze does not simply opt for a one-sided approach and manages to pose questions about the nature of love and whether it should simply be limited to humanity. Can artificial intelligence feel and if it did, would those emotions be accepted by humanity? Joaquin Phoenix is terrific in a surprisingly subdued performance.
2. "Inside Llewyn Davis" Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
The Coen brothers do not know how to disappoint a viewer and deliver one of their most intimate films to date. The central character, headlined by a riveting Oscar Isaac, is one of tremendous complexity and his plight epitomizes the struggles of artists past, present, and future.
1."12 Years a Slave" Directed by Steven McQueen
Civil Rights has been a huge topic this year with films such as "Fruitvale Stations" and "Lee Daniel's The Butler" but nowhere is the issue more powerfully portrayed than in McQueen's masterwork. The film showcases brilliant performances all around, but the most riveting of all may be McQueen's camera which manages to immerse the viewer in the action to uncomfortably powerful effect. This film will be talked about for years to come and was the best film showcased at the New York Film Festival.
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