New York Film Festival Line-Up

The 51st New York Film Festival has announced its official line-up.  Captain Phillips will open the festival, while The Secret Life of Walter Mitty will be the centerpiece gala and Her will close the prestigious film festival.

OPENING NIGHT
Captain Phillips (US)- Tom Hanks stars as in Paul Greengrass' latest intrigue-a-real life about the hijacking of of a US cargo ship by Somali pirates.  One of Sony's high button Oscar contenders.

MAIN LINE-UP

About Time

About Time (UK)- Domhall Gleeson (Anna Karenina) does the time warp in Richard Curtis' latest romantic fantasy co-starring Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy.
Abuse of Weakness (France)- Catherine Breillat, director of Romance and Fat Girl, introduces her latest provocation starring Isabelle Huppert.
Alan Partridge (UK)- Declan Lowney's comedy starring Steve Coogan.
All is Lost (US)- J.C. Chandor's Margin Call follow-up is the one-man survival drama starring Robert Redford, a role that's had major awards talk since debuting in Cannes.
American Promise (US)- Docuementary by Joe Brewster and Michele Stephenson that follows two African American families.
At Berkeley (US)- Frederick Wiseman's documentary is a study of the famed University of Berekely.
Bastards (France)- Claire Denis' contemporary film noir makes it's North American premiere after debuting at Cannes this past May.
Blue is the Warmest Color (France)- The controversial Cannes Palme D'or winner from director Abdellatif Kechiche will continue to polarize in it's hopes of gaining awards traction.
Burning Bush (Czech Republic)- Czech mini-series from Europa Europa director Agnieszka Holland.

Child of God (US)- James Franco's Cormac McCarthy adaptation comes to NYFF after famously premiering at Cannes.

My Week with Marilyn joins New York Film Festival slate

It's announced that the eagerly awaited My Week with Marilyn (at least by me) will be making its world premiere and be the centerpiece film of this years New York Film Festival.  Starring Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe, the films revolves around her relationship with Laurence Olivier (played by Shakespeare vet and Thor director Kenneth Branagh) will shooting The Prince and the Showgirl.  Whatever eventually comes from the films quality, I can't help but be excited for the prospect of what could be a grand, in-Hollywood tale revolving around two great Golden Age movie stars.  The rest of the slate at this year's New York Film Festival, celebrating it's 50th anniversary, is yet to be announced, except that the opening film will be another juicy looking looking film: Carnage, based on the Tony-winning play God of Carnage, directed by Roman Polanski, who for obvious reason will likely not be present for the films premiere.  Carnage stars Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, John C. Rielly and Christoph Waltz.  Why must I live in Los Angeles?