As part of its September lineup, the Criterion Channel just launched New York Stories, a dazzling tribute to New York City celebrating its boroughs and byways, its idiosyncrasies, struggles and triumphs.
Just the trailer made my heart leap with joy, then brought me close to tears as I realized what the series also commemorates.
I love New York. So much so I once tried writing a year-long series of posts about films set in the Big Apple, only to find it overwhelming. How do you capture the sheer exhilaration of the city in just a dozen films? Criterion’s answer is: you don’t. It takes at least 61, plus nearly two dozen shorts.
I’m going to watch as many films in this series as I can. But here are 10 of my favourites from what’s on offer:
- After Hours
- The Clock
- The Crowd
- Do the Right Thing
- Metropolitan
- Moonstruck
- The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
- The Panic in Needle Park
- Speedy
- West Side Story
And these are 10 of the films I’m most looking forward to seeing:
- The Angel Levine
- The Daytrippers
- Eyes of Laura Mars
- Just Another Girl on the I.R.T.
- King of New York
- Little Murders
- The Naked City
- The Out-of-Towners
- Shadows
- Town Bloody Hall
Long live New York!
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