I didn't know any of Ackerman's work until a few years ago but now I've seen this and the Hotel Monterey. The Hotel Monterey is claustrophobic and, frankly, spooky but also makes it hard to avert your eyes. News from Home is mainly outdoors and doesn't have the same effect but the scenes are still small in their own way.
I first went to the city in the 70s with my father. We'd mainly go to the spots you'd expect: baseball games, the twin towers, midtown. I think this creates a fascination about life back then because I have hazy memories of a very different city. If you like getting drawn in by a certain nostalgia you'll be immersed by this to a certain extent. Even though I was however I couldn't help but feel like the scenes went on several beats too long. If anything I wanted a more extensive videologue of the city from that time.
It's tough to make it through in one sitting unless you're only partly paying attention. If you're the right audience it's worth it. If you aren't you'll either hate it as you get through or turn it off early on. I kind of straddle that, but can't deny that Ackerman's films (the two I've seen) have the quality of living through the time. When in the right mood I love this stuff.
I first went to the city in the 70s with my father. We'd mainly go to the spots you'd expect: baseball games, the twin towers, midtown. I think this creates a fascination about life back then because I have hazy memories of a very different city. If you like getting drawn in by a certain nostalgia you'll be immersed by this to a certain extent. Even though I was however I couldn't help but feel like the scenes went on several beats too long. If anything I wanted a more extensive videologue of the city from that time.
It's tough to make it through in one sitting unless you're only partly paying attention. If you're the right audience it's worth it. If you aren't you'll either hate it as you get through or turn it off early on. I kind of straddle that, but can't deny that Ackerman's films (the two I've seen) have the quality of living through the time. When in the right mood I love this stuff.