I love New York. Unfortunately (even after being born in Chicago), I was raised in Texas. That’s right… number 1 in the country for illiteracy… rednecks… and bar fights. Nope, I was only raised to be a person of taste and culture because my parents, in spite of their poor choice in where to live, had taste and culture and instilled it in me. I’ve had the good fortune to visit New York twice and am still trying to convince my wife that we really need to settle there. Admittedly she loved it, too… but couldn’t stand the cold weather. So anytime I get to watch a movie that has anything to do with New York, I jump at the chance. Doesn’t matter if it is action, horror (even if it means the destruction of said city) or romance… I’m ready for any movie about the Big Apple. So it goes without saying (even though I appear to be saying it)… I loved “New York. I Love You.”

Is it a perfect film that everyone will embrace? Nope. It’s actually a rather odd film in that it is made up of short stories and segues, each directed by a different director. So it is a hodge-podge of love in New York, some pieces better than the whole itself.

The cast list for “New York, I Love You” reads like the guest list for an A-List Hollywood party. Natalie Portman, Orlando Bloom, Ethan Hawke, Chris Cooper, Andy Garcia, Christina Ricci, Shia LeBouf and on and on it goes. Even a ton of great older actors like James Caan, Julie Christie, Burt Young, John Hurt and Cloris Leachman found their way into this film. It is a veritable cornucopia of actors. And would you believe Natalie Portman even stepped up to direct one of the ‘segments?’

It would take too long to get into each segment, and quite honestly with so many styles weaving through this film, it would be difficult to really critique each one in a way that would help someone decide if it is a movie for them. What I can say is that for me, it was hit and miss. And I feel it would be that way for anyone who takes the time to check out this flick. With so many varying styles I can also say that there is something here for everyone, and I’d find it hard to imagine that there would be a single viewer who wouldn’t enjoy some part of the film. And taken together, this tapestry gives an interesting insight into various loves and lives in the greatest city in the U.S. I would also have to add however, that with so many stories to tell… every one of them involved heterosexual couples. To me, this was a plus…. Sorry but that’s me. To some this might feel like a slight.

Vivendi is releasing “New York, I Love You” on both DVD and Bluray, and the Bluray I checked out offered a stunning transfer. New York can be both a colorful and bland city, depending on where you look, and all of its color palettes are peppered though the film and the imagery is often as stunning as it is bleak. Same goes for the sounds of the city as they surround your senses with this terrific mix. As for extra features, there are two additional segments that were directed by Andrey Zyagintsey and Scarlett Johansson… of all people. Both are well directed, but I could see why they were excised from the final film. Transitionally, they just would not have worked. Additionally, there are interviews with 5 of the many, many directors.

“New York, I Love You” has an appeal that should cross generations and be able to reach even the hardest of hearts. We see relationships both good and bad, and even the lesser of the segments offer something to experience.

Directed by: Jiang Wen, Mira Nair, Shunji Awai, Yvan Attal, Brett Ratner, Allen Hughes, Shekhar Kapur, Natalie Portman, Faith Akin, Joshua Marston, Randy Balsmeyer
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Andy Garcia, Hayden Christensen, Rachel Bilson, Natalie Portman, Irrfan Khan, Emilie Ohana, Orlando Bloom, Christina Ricci, Maggie Q, Ethan Hawke, Anton Yelchin, James Caan, Olivia Thirlby, Olivia Thirlby, Blake Lively, Drea de Matteo, Julie Christie, John Hurt, Shia LaBeouf, Ugur Yucel, Taylor Greene, Carlos Acosta, Jacinda Barrett, ShuQui , Burt Young, Chris Cooper, Robin Wright Penn, Eva Amurri, Eli Wallach, Cloris Leachman
Extras: Bonus Segments Directed by Scarlett Johansson and Andrey Zyagintsey; Five Director Interviews; Theatrical Trailer
Specification: Widescreen; English 5.1
Studio: Vivendi
Release Date: 2/2/2010
MPAA Rating: R
http://www.NewYorkILoveYoutheMovie.com

We'll give New York, I Love You a B.