Bill Cunningham New York (2011)

That was an excellent one.

Sadly Over-hyped

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

This is a very touching portrait of a most talented individual. It is shot well and considering the tiny budget presents as outstanding viewing.The structure and presentation flows very well and Bill is frankly captivating. The guy and the relationships he has with those around him of all ages is captured in a very candid manner.I don't know that I have ever seen a documentary where the needs and sensitivities of the subject get conveyed so well. From the on stage awards to the truly intimate trip around the most captivating of (his) apartment.In the end you feel like you a know a guy so well, if you bumped into him in downtown NY, you'd be able to walk up and strike a conversation.Sensitive, touching, intimate and what a great American.

I can't positively gush about this movie more than any other viewer can. This documentary warms the heart and allows people to see a side of life not many seem to slow down enough to view. I had never heard of him before watching this, but Bill truly is a great man. This movie makes me want to slow down and appreciate the everyday styles that people choose. I loved the various side-interviews with notable subjects of his photographs and colleagues, many of whom have similarly quirky yet important stories to tell. The music was so well grafted into the scenes that you may overlook it, but it guides the times and New York-living so well that it shouldn't be overlooked, either. If you're looking for a heart-warming documentary about a very important figure and artist in modern fashion photography, you'll enjoy learning about Bill as much as I did.

This feature about one of the worlds leading photographers is something not to be missed. It paints the portrait of a man who see's the world from a different view than most. It shows the beauty in the mind of one who's view on fashion is something that comes from a deeper place. We get to see snip-it's of Bill Cunningham's deepest emotions and also the vision of a true visionary. These moments captured are charming, slightly funny, and relevant. Of all the documentaries scoping the life of one person I've seen, they really don't get much better than this. This film, which does have much critical acclaim now, is one that is deserving of it's praise, and at the same time is not in any way pretentious. It is not only one of the most heartfelt films of the year, but also one of the very best.

Once upon a time this reviewer was a photographer who rode a bicycle for work. I carried a camera always. Film, until digital became cheaper. Here we have a man in love with his city and his camera. Director Press (what an apt name!), who also photographs and cuts, sets out to draw a man. In doing so he puts a tiny figure into a broad panorama of what some would say is the cultural capital of the world. Could a Bill Cunningham exist anywhere else? OK, we spend a little time in Paris, but the flavor is New York. This reviewer knows New York, has been influenced by Paris with but fleeting visits. This film alludes to the work of Jean Luc Godard, a director of imagination. Amongst photographers, Paris and New York evoke images that stimulate and provoke.In my reviews I've been critical of hand-held camera work. Otherwise fine films, I believe, have suffered because the cinematographers have forgotten that viewers expect to see steady images. This film uses hand-held wisely, intercutting it with fixed scenes. There is a rhythm of busy, noisy shots interspersed with quiet, even contemplative material. This is an absorbing, thoughtful motion picture, telling a story of a "stills" master.As I walked out of the cinema, people chatted animatedly with strangers about what they had seen, a reaction I had not before seen. My own reaction was envy and admiration. Here was an octogenarian riding a bike, when I had had to give it up; a photographer productive and imaginative. Lovely and exciting.