New Trailer: New York, I Love You

Paris, Je T'aime is one of my all-time favorite films - I may not like all the shorts but I love the concept. I remember declaring that it was the best film I've seen in the entire year when it came out. So I was super excited to hear that a New York version, New York, I Love You was in the works a few years back. And lo and behold, finally - a trailer!

Head over to Apple Trailers to check out the trailer for New York, I Love You. There are more stars in the movie than in the Milky Way (ok, maybe I'm exaggerating). Similar to Paris, Je T'aime, it's a compilation of short films by various directors but what's interesting is that besides Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, Vanity Fair, The Namesake) and Brett Ratner (X-Men: The Last Stand, Red Dragon, The Family Man), I don't know any of the other directors and a quick check on IMDB shows that most of them are international filmmakers/actors and New York, I Love You is probably their first foray into the Hollywood big screen. Besides starring in Mira Nair's segment, Natalie Portman is also directing a short. Pity that Scarlett Johansson directorial debut segment didn't make it to the final cut, at least that's what I've read, but that's why DVD/Blu-ray extras are for! So New York, I Love You is different from its French counterpart in the sense that Paris, Je T'aime had a who's who list of directors from Alfonso Cuaron, Wes Craven, Gus Van Sant to Gurinder Chadha -- although one could argue that most of the directors in the Paris list aren't big names either.


Anyway, back to New York, I Love You. The cast list is loooong although I have no clue why Shu Qi or Maggie Q is in the movie, except to give it a more "international" feel. The cast list reads as a catch-all to attract audiences of all ages. If you're older, James Caan, Andy Garcia and Robin Wright-Penn would probably be familiar faces. And if you're like me and in my late twenties (can't believe I'm in my LATE twenties), there's Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Christina Ricci and Ethan Hawke. Bradley Cooper's not really in my late twenties category even though he's a fogey because no one knew who he was until The Hangover and the rumor of him dating Jennifer Aniston. And then there are the "faces" to appeal to the fangirls - Orlando Bloom, Shia LeBouf, Hayden Christensen, Blake Lively, Rachel Bilson.

People I wish were in the film - Dustin Hoffman, Edward Norton, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, James Franco, Emile Hirsch, Rachel McAdams. People I'm sure glad aren't in the movie - the entire Twilight cast and Paris Hilton.

I don't know - just from the trailer alone, I don't think New York, I Love You will be as good as Paris, Je T'aime even though I really want New York, I Love You to be good. Check out the trailer and let me know. In US theaters October 16, 2009. No word on release dates outside of North/South America and Europe.

On a side note, I've seen three posters for the movie - not sure why the ugliest one (in red) is used on Apple trailers but I like the one with the Statue of Liberty the most. The horizontal poster looks too much like a film festival graphic.