This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Review: These 3 short movies by these top directors, wasn't as good as I thought they would be. Scorsese's short movie with Nick Nolte and Rosanna Arquette, was the best of the three but I still expected better from him. The story follows a painter who is totally in love with his ex-partner, who keeps on using him, and he only seems to paint when she is in his life. Nolte put in a good performance, but the storyline didn't seem to go anywhere. The next short from Coppola was terrible. It followed a young girl who had rich parents and seemed to live by herself most of the time because of there busy work commitments. Personally, I found the little girl annoying and this was another storyline that was weak and uninteresting. Woody Allen's short wasn't that much better. Its about a man who has an annoying mother who just won't stop interfering in his life. I didn't find this short that funny and the whole woman in the sky thing was ridiculous. In all, I was disappointed with these short movies which centred around New York, but out of all of the directors, Scorsese is the winner. Disappointing!Round-Up: Once these directors heard that they were going to be making a movie together, based on 3 different stories, I expected them to pull out there best work, but the end results were quite poor. Coppola hasn't done anything that amazing since the Untouchables and the Godfather and Woody Allen hasn't done anything in the same calibre as Scorsese. I think that the whole film was based on there love for New York, hence the title, but the individual films haven't really got that much to do with the city. I know that it's obvious that they were filmed in New York but thats about it. Anyway, Scorsese latest movie, The Wolf Of Wall Street was brilliant and his work on this project put the other 2 directors to shame. As this film came out in 1989, I think that it would be totally different if the directors teamed up again to make another movie like this. Budget: $15million Worldwide Gross: $11millionI recommend this movie to people who are into there dramas about 3 different stories based in New York and directed by Coppola, Scorsese and Woody Allen. 4/10

"New York Stories" are three films from three directors, and not the least of them: Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and Woody Allen. What a premise! And what a disappointment! Maybe there should have been more than the setting to connect the stories; don't we expect a New York story from Allen anyway? They could have been set anywhere else without damaging the overall effect, but the question is why an anthology from the three greatest directors of their generation, sunk so lamentably into oblivion? And I guess the answer is obvious: Coppola's segment sucked. And it sucked big time. This is the first time I even use the word in a review, but I think it is for the right film. Scorsese and Allen's segments are no masterpieces, but "Life Without Zoe" is the worst film ever made by Coppola. In a nutshell, "New York Stories" failed because of Coppola.Have a quick look on its Wikipedia's page and compare the lengths of the three summaries. It's quite telling that the one in the middle is so thin. While Scorsese and Allen at least intended to tell us stories, you know, with characters, conflicts, with seemingly plots for Cinematic Gods' sake, "Life Without Zoe" is a lifeless, dull and shockingly thin film, relating in a fairy-tale format the adventures of a rich little girl, with her friends, and one obscure Arab Prince who speaks Oxford' English and still struggle to understand some basic words. Nothing much happens, which is acceptable for a character study or an introspective film, but "Life Without Zoe" can get away with such alibis. The film illustrates more of Coppola's nepotism (Papa Carmine composed the score, little Sofia wrote it and sister Talia starred in it) than any hint of the immense talent he once had.And "Life Lessons" is what "Life Without Zoe" should have been: it doesn't have a specific plot either, but it's lively, it doesn't have many characters but each one carries a strong emotional force allowing us to connect with it. It features Nick Nolte as an abstract painter, facing a mental block three weeks before the exhibition of his works, he must finish a giant canvas, certainly what has to become his masterpiece, but somewhere he lost the inspiration. The fuel instantly comes when he invites to his huge studio, Paulette, Rosanna Arquette as his former lover and student. He's obviously infatuated with her while she rejects him because she knows she doesn't get what she wants: a true opinion on her talent. The story is a fascinating tale of mental and emotional influences based on the mentor/disciple and lovers' relationships, and it is a visually dazzling film featuring the creative process in its most compelling form.Made of sensual movements of brushes caressing the canvas and more energetic uses of burning colors, we follow Lionel's movements while Scorsese maintains an interesting suspense on the final result. He plunges us into the beauty of art and the way it drains its best inspirations from our inner demons. It looks flashy like "The Color of Money" but the film borrows more from "After Hours" (starring Rosanna Arquette too), through the depiction of the artistic New York, a world made of venal interest and sincere passion, where talentless people use sex to fulfills their ambitions, and true artists translate the lack of it into their work. For Lionel, it's a mix of revolt, anger, passion and some rock'n'roll and sixties music highlighting Marty's talent to choose the right music for the right scene. Art fills art, and in forty minutes, "Life Lessons" stands alone among the highlights of Marty's career.Woody Allens' "Oedipus Wrecks" is not his riskiest or most revolutionary project, it's a comedy about a banker who can't stand the interferences of his typical Jewish mother, in his personal life and her constant disapproval of all his decisions, why would he marry a blonde woman with three kids from another marriage (Mia Farrow)? Why does he keep whining when she shows his baby pictures to random strangers? Given the film was made after the serious streak of "September" and "Another Woman", it's fun to see Allen getting back to his roots. And the gags work, climaxing with a formidable twist when the mother suddenly disappears after a magical trick (you'd recognize the Zitar theme from "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion"). The way her disappearance is involved is smart, her reappearance is even more surprising, especially that it introduces Julie Kavner at her most hilarious.What lacked in "Oedipus Wrecks" though is a satisfying ending; the last three minutes destroy the whole build-up. Surely, a screenplay with such a creative premise could have come up with a better conclusion, but it's like Allen was in a rush to finish the film, and threw away the most artificial and unsatisfying conclusion of his career. "Oedipus Wrecks" still benefits from the fact that it comes right after the horrendous "Life Without Zoe", and I suspect people would love any story coming after the plot less "Zoe". I wish "Zoe" wouldn't have existed if only to leave more room to the other films. I wish he could see Marty and Woody's films and look at "Zoe" and think "What have I done?" How can a man so capable of greatness like "The Godfather" let himself slipping that way? Hell, even his "Jack" is "The Godfather" compared to "Life Without Zoe". I even wonder if he didn't remove the last names in the opening credits out of shame.I've got to hand it to Scorsese to outshine two great directors and make a truly original piece of art, I wish Allen could make a worthy ending to a very promising comedy. And I simply blame Coppola for having ruined a great project. My advice: skip the second segment, start with the third, finish with the first, and it'll be fine.

Having first heard of New York Stories many moons ago, I was pleased to see it scheduled on TV last night. Eager to see it, an interesting collaborative project between three key directors of the New Hollywood movement, I even rushed home from a prior engagement.Three shorts banded together with the unifying setting of New York, New York Stories consists of: Life Lessons, Scorsese's tale of the relationship between an artist and his apprentice; Life Without Zoë, Coppola's take on the life of a child of wealthy parents, left to live alone in a luxurious hotel; Oedipus Wrecks, Allen's exploration of mother-son relationships.A distinct danger with films of this sort is in the directorial differences which can vastly disrupt the overall film's flow. Monumental shifts in tone can be quite disconcerting and often do a lot to detract from the effect of the piece as a whole. Lucky, then, that these directors all come from the same period, each counted among the upper echelons of those filmmakers who graduated from the 60s/70s "movie brat" generation. Not, that is to say, that there is a homogeneity to the shorts—each offers something distinct in terms of both narrative and tone—but rather that they are at least of similar minds and sensibilities. Scorsese's contribution is perhaps the most interesting of the three, a look at the artist culture that is so key to the New York of fiction. Nolte's artist is a classic tortured soul, channelling his torment into his canvas and creating a work that evolves and develops just as he fails to do so, trapped in a cycle of depression and dependency. Intelligently structured and driven by character depth, Life Lessons is a very solid start. Coppola's follows, showing us the life of the wealthy and privileged and seeming to comment upon the laissez-faire parenthood of the rich which develops their children so early into adulthood. What sounds an interesting idea with room for probing into a social issue turns into a ridiculous story of princesses and parties, set in a fairytale world complete with a happy family ending. It drags, it sags, and it asks us to fall in love with hideously uninteresting characters. Life Without Zoë is an appropriate title for what the audience will come to desire by the time it all ends. No thank you Francis, get off the stage. When he does, at last, it is Allen's turn. Having never before experienced the supposed wonders of Allen's comedic efforts, Oedipus Wrecks was the most highly anticipated of the three for me, and brought some very welcome laughs into the mix. Fantastic situational humour coupled with Allen's sublime comedic timing quickly steered it toward becoming the best of the bunch. It takes a rather disappointing bad turn along the way, but still maintains enough of a laugh factor to keep it from sinking. Not masterful, but quite, quite funny, and with a nice dash of comment on the issue at hand.The kind of idea that's interesting to see played out, New York Stories is neither as bad as its worst nor as good as its best. The Scorsese and the Allen each make for entertaining viewing, the former more substantial in its thematic depth, the latter more immediately thrilling in its hilarity. The Coppola pulls the standard down a stretch, really testing audience patience between the two infinitely better pieces. Much more three shorts banded together than a feature film, it's worth watching, but only just.

The anthology that include three short films that take place in New York City was made by three great American directors, Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, and Francis Ford Coppola."Life Lessons" directed by Martin Scorsese, literally took my breath away - it made me want to rewatch all Scorsese's films (with the one exception, GONY, though). What a magnificent work - visually it is as powerful as the painting Nolte's Lionel was painting. Combining in one short film Procul Harum's "A whiter shade of pale" and Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" from "Turandot" was a stroke of genius. This film is an ode to the power of talent; it is about greatness and curse of the gift, not about love to the woman. The best scene of the film and I'd say one of the best ever made about the Artist's work is Nolte triumphantly painting his masterpiece - his love, desire, lust, cries, whispers, tears, and humiliations magically transform with every stroke of his brush into the immortal, triumphant, brilliant work of art. By the time the painting is finished, he would need a new source of inspiration and self-torture, and the cycle will repeat over again. Devilishly clever portrait of an Artist as Not a Young Man. 9.5/10 I loved Woody Allen's "Oedipus Wrecks" and I think it is very funny and touching. Looks like Allen has met mothers or grandmothers like Mrs. Millstein in real life and his little gem is his love-hate letter to them. In the end, mom always knows what is best for her little boy. Mae Questel and Julie Kavner (Marge Simpson) were wonderful. Woody's face after his mom "disappears" and the scene when he practically makes love to the chicken drumstick are pure delight; also the commentary that New York is used to everything and readily accepts the crazy situation - it is so true. One of the best Allen's films I've seen lately - I am very glad that I finally saw it.Larry David ("Seinfeld", "Curb Your Enthusiasm") plays the Theater Manager. It made me think if Estelle Costanza created by David and Mrs. Millstein (Woody's omnipresent mother) have a lot in common in making the lives of their sons miserable and smothering them with their merciless love? 9/10 Coppola's "Life Without Zoë" was much weaker than Scorsese's and Allan's stories and paled in comparison - this episode "from the lives of the reach and beautiful" was pretty and cute but you can skip it. 5/10