"New York Stories": Scorsese Carries, Coppola...Well...

Alright, alright, alright, movie buffs! scottscreens here, back with another deep dive. This time it's "New York Stories". Okay, so it's an anthology, technically. Three directors, three stories, all about, you guessed it: New York. Scorsese's "Life Lessons" is the clear standout, hands down. Nick Nolte's performance is chef's kiss. The raw emotion, the artistic torment... "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown," but make it about a struggling painter and his muse. The energy in that studio is insane, the way he uses painting to cope...it's mesmerizing. I swear, the man bleeds art. Coppola's "Life Without Zoë", though? Oof. "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn," because that was a mess. It feels like a rich kid's fever dream of New York, and not in a good way. I get it, it's trying to be whimsical, but it just comes off as...pretentious, almost. I mean, the whole plot with the jewelry and the Sheikh? It's "Hasta la vista, baby," but for my attention span. I started checking my watch halfway through. Now, Woody Allen's segment is...Woody Allen. You either love him or you hate him, and I fall somewhere in between. I chuckled a few times, and some of the jokes landed. But overall, kinda forgettable, right? Diane Keaton is great, as always. but man... it's like, okay Woody, we get it, you have issues. "You talking to me?" Yes Woody, I'm talking to you, and I'm saying lighten up a bit. Seriously, it's "May the Force be with you," but only for the Scorsese bit. That one's going on the 'quotable moments' list for sure. So yeah, tl;dr: Scorsese saves it, Coppola should've stayed home, and Allen is, well, Allen. Anyone else feel the same? Hit me with your thoughts!