New York, New York

Judy Garland's genes are simply undeniable. Liza Minnelli was, in my humble opinion, an even better singer and actress than her famous mother; she was so interestingly, unassumingly beautiful (Slasher, you're an idiot) and she had massive talent. The film, shot mostly in studios, beautifully lit so the eyes popped, was unfortunately one of Scorsese's biggest flops, as a tsunami called Star Wars swept through the cinemas at the time, and audiences preferred an uncomplicated fairytale to a nostalgic, psychologically complex trip to the post-war era when jazz still ruled. My eyes and ears perked up too, the only problem I could see is De Niro's character, who is too much of a boor for my taste (and especially in the first half hour he makes it clear he deserves to be hit with a baseball bat) and then the runtime, which just doesn't justify the rather thin plot, cut it by half an hour and it would be perfect. (01.11.2020)

Martin Scorsese has shown that he has no problem filming anything. However, the film is not for everyone. Firstly, it is a film that dangerously approaches three hours in length. When you realize that it is primarily a drama between two characters, it might scare you a bit. I think that here and there you might find yourself getting slightly bored. Maybe some people more so than others. Personally, however, I was captivated by the relationship between Jimmy and Francine. They are perfect contrasts. She is emotional, almost naively in love, whereas he is a bundle of anger ready to explode. He considers himself inferior and cannot stand it when someone suggests that it might actually be true. He cannot handle anyone being more successful, no matter who it is. It is a fantastic musical that doesn't push the story to the background, but rather brings it to the forefront. Liza's performance of the famous song "New York, New York" is truly the climax of the film, where you can see the destruction that has affected their relationship. (29.10.2013)