52nd New York Film Festival opens
NEW YORK (WABC) -- For more than half a century the New York Film Festival has introduced us to some of the year's best films during the season when Oscar is watching.
"It's a spotlight on excellence in cinema and as such it becomes a good launching point for certain kinds of movies," said Kent Jones, director, NYFF.
Serious movies like "Precious" which brought Mariah Carey, Oprah Winfrey, and Tyler Perry here five years ago. He's on the big screen at Lincoln Center Friday night playing a defense attorney opposite Ben Affleck who plays a guy suspected of killing his wife in "Gone Girl".
"'Gone Girl' is a whodunit. 'Gone Girl' is a deeper kind of mystery. 'Gone Girl' is an explanation of marriage. 'Gone Girl' is a snapshot of a part of America you just don't see in movies," Jones said.
Middle America, but their marriage begins in the city and the festival's closing film takes place here in its entirety.
"'Birdman' is a wow of a New York movie because it's built on Broadway energy," Jones said.
Michael Keaton who once played "Batman" plays "Birdman".
He is a star playing a star. So is Julianne Moore in "Maps of the Stars".
Robert Pattinson's costar from "Twilight" Kristin Stewart is featured in another film and there are documentaries about the likes of NSA leaker, Edward Snowden.
Foreign films and old films are all part of this festival.
Check out the lineup HERE.
