‘New York’, New York

Tristan Carne conceived of 2006’s Paris, je t’aime as a multi-textured love letter to his city, and the resulting anthology of amorous, 5-minute short films directed by the likes of The Coen Brothers, Alfonso Cuarón and Gus Van Sant and starring actors like Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Natalie Portman and Elijah Wood among others made enough of an impression on another constellation of Hollywood creatives and critics to warrant a sequel set in the Big Apple. New York, I Love You gets a limited release this Friday, and invites new directors like Mira Nair and Allen Hughes to traverse the five boroughs and join in on the fun. Though New York, I Love You, like it’s Parisian forebear, showcases a wide and gorgeous swathe of its host city, the slate of directors feels short-changed. How can this be made without contributions from Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, or even Noah Baumbach? Where’s Mr. Tribeca, Robert De Niro? We do however get warhorse veteran actors like Kevin Bacon, James Caan, Julie Christie and Andy Garcia mixed in with those who are either talented up-and-comers or over-hyped tabloid stars depending on your take. People like Transformers star Shia LaBeouf, Gossip Girl Blake Lively and the Gen Y Darth Vader himself, Hayden Christensen. These kinds of patchwork films are not for everyone, but when done right they can be a lot like New York City and offer a little something for everyone. Rated R.