The French educational system will be in the spotlight come late September. The Class, a fictional look at a French high school featuring a real-life teacher, will open the New York Film Festival, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Directed by Laurent Cantet, The Class won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in May and was picked up for distribution by Sony Pictures Classics in June.

Critical notices, including one from our own James Rocchi, were quite positive. James wrote in part: "Chronicling a year in the life of a junior high school class in a rougher section of Paris, there's something undeniably French about the film ... But at the same time, these kids and their teacher (Francois Begaudeau) are going through a series of challenges and opportunities that will be familiar to anyone who's ever gone to school." The film is inspired by a novel Begaudeau wrote, based on his own experiences as a teacher.

The festival will also showcase the work of Japanese director Nagisa Oshima (In the Realm of the Senses) and will feature a 30th anniversary presentation of We Spin Around the Night Consumed by the Fire, by Guy Debord, in their "Views From the Avant-Garde" sidebar.

As if often the case with certain festivals, there is no additional information at the official NYFF web site, but eventually I'm sure something will appear. The New York Film Festival runs from September 26 to October 12.

In January, we brought you word of Brian De Palma's newest film, the Iraq war drama called Redacted. Coming from the term used to describe text that has been edited with black bars, the drama details the Al-Mahmudiyah Incident -- where soldiers murdered a young Iraqi girl's parents and younger sister before gang-raping and murdering her as well. The film is currently surfing the film fest circuit, and our Ryan Stewart reviewed it at TIFF. Now the film is being redacted itself.

At the end of his film, the director included disturbing images that were never published by the press, which he had found online. Mark Cuban and Magnolia want them removed. During a recent press conference at the New York Film Festival, IFC captured an argument between De Palma and Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles over the dispute. When De Palma starts to discuss the removal of the images, and his fight to keep them, Bowles jumped in from the back row to argue with him over them, before the film's producer, Jason Kliot, also came on stage to give his two cents. De Palma, meanwhile looks like he can't wait to get out of there and explode.

Ex-Cinematical head and current Spout blogger Karina Longworth contacted Mark Cuban about the argument, and he says: "The film is going to be 'redacted' before we release it. He is using images that have not been cleared... he can absorb 100 percent of the risk and release the film as he sees fit. If he chooses not to, then we will release the movie without the images." But it's not only business, Cuban also swears he won't include them so that family members could accidentally stumble upon the disturbing pictures and see a murdered loved one. I see where he's coming from, but in that case, why would you give De Palma the money to do whatever he wants? It's not like the guy is all about cinnamon hearts and puppies -- this is just like Casualties of War.

Pictured Above: Two of the hottest men on the planet -- Cinematical's Erik Davis and actor Javier Bardem.

And that's Josh Brolin in the background lowering his shades to check us out ... because we're just that cool. This past Saturday, I attended the New York Film Festival press screening of No Country for Old Men, which is a film that will most likely be featured among several others in the Best Motion Picture category at the Academy Awards in February. It's truly an amazing piece of filmmaking -- easily one of my favorite films of the year so far -- and one that's sure to be recognized as the Coen Bros. best film in years. I'm not going to write a full review (you can check out James' from Cannes, and we'll post another one as the release date approaches), but I will give my initial reactions.

Essentially, No Country for Old Men is a morality tale about an older man (Tommy Lee Jones) and a younger one (Josh Brolin) who get all mixed up in a drug deal gone wrong. Brolin plays a quiet hunter who stumbles upon a group of dead bodies and a bag full of money out in the middle of nowhere, while Jones plays the should've-retired-last-week Sheriff who's itching to help save the hunter before a psychotic killer (Javier Bardem) catches up to him ... and the money. The film offers up plenty of edge-of-your-seat chills, with equal parts blood and guts, but it also slows up and surprises you -- just when you think it's heading in one direction, you're off on another, bumpier path. For those that have read Cormac McCarthy's novel, you already know where this thing is heading from the get-go, so I recommend settling in for some beautiful cinematography (from Roger Deakins) and a plethora of top-notch performances (particularly from Brolin and Bardem).

If you haven't read the novel and you're going into this one fresh, you might find it hard to connect with some of the choices made (if only because the film doesn't go where you think it's heading after act one). There's no clear hero here; all of these men have faults, they make bad choices and their actions will ultimately catch up to them. But do they have it in them to walk away before the water boils over? That's the question. And only the Coen Bros. can make you laugh out loud during even the most dramatic (and chilling) sequences. No Country for Old Men arrives in theaters on November 21. Below, I've included a photo gallery with pics from the No Country screening, as well as from The Darjeeling Limited screening and the Before the Devil Knows You're Dead screening. Additionally, you can check out some exclusive stills from the movie here. Enjoy.

There are a couple different ways to approach reviewing The Darjeeling Limited. I can look at it from the mainstream audience's point of view, or I can look at it from the point of view of a long-time Wes Anderson fan -- which, coincidentally, I happen to be. The first thing my friend said to me as the credits began to roll: "Loved it ... but the film won't make a dime at the box office." Unfortunately, and most likely, that will be the case -- The Darjeeling Limited is a tough film for audiences to grasp, in that there's not much of a story to hang onto. Sure, there's a beginning, a middle and an end, but when you look back on it, everything sort of mushes together. There's also not a lot of physical action; a majority of the film takes place on a moving train, in one compartment, which subsequently leads to a very claustrophobic feel; albeit one that was intentional. And there's dialogue -- lots of it.

But this is a Wes Anderson film, and those of you out there who appreciate his sense of humor -- his quirky characters, his hipster soundtracks and his extraordinary attention to detail -- will most likely find a lot to love in The Darjeeling Limited. Essentially, it's a meditative piece about three brothers who reunite while on a train in India, having not spoken to one another for a year following the death of their father. In that time, Jack (Jason Schwartzman) was holed up in a hotel room in Paris, unaware of how long he'd actually been there. Peter (Adrien Brody) kept busy tending to his marriage, which he always expected would end in divorce, even though he really loves his wife. And Francis (Owen Wilson), who's the reason why all three are in India, has been recovering from a terrible motorcycle accident that left him near-death, which, afterwards, inspired him to take on this spiritual journey with his two estranged siblings.

"May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead."

It comes from an Irish toast, that quote, and it's also the first thing we see as director Sidney Lumet begins his latest film, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. It's open for interpretation, in the way that it's used here, however Lumet chose to follow up the quote with a graphic opening shot of a barenaked Andy (Philip Seymour Hoffman) on his knees, and a naked Gina (Marisa Tomei) bent over on all fours in front of him. They're having sex. Some of the best sex they've had in years. If only life was always like this for Andy and Gina; unfortunately, it's not. This is vacation sex for a married couple -- away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, where the most important decision of the day revolves around which swanky restaurant to eat dinner at. They're in Brazil; Rio to be exact. And this is heaven. Both enjoy their brief, passionate encounter -- and discuss how great it would be to move to Rio and live out their days on a beach -- but then, eventually, return home to New York City ... where all hell breaks loose.

See, Andy is having money problems. He's got a great job, sure -- as head of payroll for a real estate firm -- and lots of cash to boot, but he's a sneaky crook with an expensive drug habit. Money-wise, his younger brother Hank (Ethan Hawke) is in a similar situation. He's a few months behind on child support payments to his ex-wife, and as much as he loves his daughter -- and would do anything to provide for her -- his drinking problem, a lack of motivation and the fact that he's sleeping with his brother's wife isn't helping put money in the bank. As more and more funds disappear, and as both brothers are forced into a corner they're not sure how to escape from, Andy comes up with a full-proof plan to fill their pockets: rob a Mom & Pop jewelry store. Except, there's one problem -- that Mom & Pop jewelry store is owned and operated by -- you guessed it -- Andy and Hank's own mom and pop.

Part of me loves attending the New York Film Festival every year, and part of me doesn't. Since it's a pain in the ass to get from Queens to Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the part of me that hates to use up five hours of my time to see one film is always nagging in my ear: "Skip it this year, man. It takes up too much time. And you're lazy." Then again, when on your first day of screenings you get to watch an exceptional new film from Sidney Lumet, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, and then get to stick around for a Q&A with the legendary director, the part of me that loves attending NYFF ultimately wins out.

Since I've only seen one film so far (mainly because, this year, time just doesn't allow me to snort up every little piece of filmmaking), instead of writing a dispatch I thought I'd place my initial thoughts here. NYFF is a strange festival, because the press screenings begin a good week before the fest officially opens, and they're fairly spread out across four weeks. Since the fest also takes place within the confines of, say, a block or so, that summer camp, community aspect is not really there. You see a press screening, stick around to chat with another NYC-based writer about Marisa Tomei naked (more on that in a bit), and then you go home to write about it. That pretty much sums it up. All the NYC regulars are there, there's always some old smelly guy sitting either next to me, in front of me or behind me, and no matter when I go to the bathroom, I always wind up standing next to someone I know at the urinal. Last year it was actor Patrick Wilson, and this year it was Andrew Grant (aka Filmbrain). Thus, I'm thinking about starting a urinal interview series for folks I run into -- if, ya know, they don't think that's awkward.

I miss many things about living in New York -- the people, the restaurants and bars, Central Park, the smell of baked ass that overtakes the city this time of year (OK, not that last one). But what I miss the most has got to be the film "scene." Getting a coffee and taking the subway to a movie on a Sunday morning always filled me with happiness. NYC also puts on one of the best film festivals in the country -- the cleverly named New York Film Festival. Showcasing 28 films, the fest will be held this year at Frederick P. Rose Hall in the Time Warner Center. Screenings are set for September 28 through October 14th, and this year's lineup is a real doozy. It includes new films from Sidney Lumet (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, with Ethan Hawke and Philip Seymour Hoffman), Catherine Breillat (The Last Mistress, just grabbed by IFC), Todd Haynes (I'm Not There, his Bob Dylan movie), Abel Ferrara (the promisingly titled Go-Go Tales, starring Willem Dafoe), Noah Baumbach (following up the excellent Squid and the Whale with Margot at the Wedding), the ascotted Peter Bogdanovich (profiling one of my favorite bands with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream), and Brian DePalma (an Iraq war drama called Redacted).

Wes Anderson's new film (can't wait!) The Darjeeling Limited will open the NYFF. The Coen Brothers' new one No Country for Old Men (really really can't wait!) will be the "centerpiece" of the festival. And Cannes '07 jury prize-winner Persepolis, an "animated coming-of-age" story directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, will close the fest. Also showcased will be Cannes favorites like Gus Van Sant's Paranoid Park, Julian Schnabel's French-language The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and Palme d'Or winner 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. In addition, there will be five classic films screened, including John Ford's first major film -- The Iron Horse. Probably the most anticipated of that bunch is Ridley Scott's "definitive cut" of Blade Runner, in honor of that film's 25th anniversary. An evening called "The Technicolor Show" should be a major attraction, as it's introduced by Martin Scorsese. Head over to Yahoo Movies for the full roster.

Netscape's Karina Longworth gamely edited down 40 minutes of Warren Beatty talking at the New York Film Festival into nine minutes of fascinating commentary on why contemporary audiences are better able to appreciate Reds, his 1981 epic drama about John Reed, the American journalist, Communist and American war activisist who was buried in the Kremlin Wall than audiences when the film was made. You can watch the video right here, above, or pop on over to Netscape if you want to download it.

This Friday marks the triumphant opening of the 44th Annual New York Film Festival, which yours truly has been placed in charge of covering for Cinematical. Though the fest is not open to the public until September 29, I've spent the past week and a half attending press screenings for the many films included within its fantastic lineup. Yes, very fun stuff indeed.

As I repeatedly drag my lazy ass onto a train and commute into the city from my new apartment in Queens, I try to remind myself that, while most of the people around me are probably heading towards some boring corporate job, I'm going to see a movie. However, that thought usually lasts for about five minutes, and then I'm once again the grumpiest person in the world -- the guy you don't want to ask for directions -- until I'm eventually able to inject some much-needed caffeine directly into my brain. (Which reminds me: isn't it about time we start up a "Just Say No to Starbucks" campaign? After a few more screenings, I'll be officially giving them more money per month than I pay to my landlord. Scary, ain't it?)

The powers that be behind the New York Film Festival have announced their full lineup for 2006, a list that features 28 films unfolding over a relatively leisurely two weeks of screenings. In addition to the previously-announced The Queen, Volver, Reds and Pan's Labyrinth, the slate -- like that of any good small festival -- is a mix of high-profile and obscure; domestic and foreign. The full list can be found here, but some highlights include: David Lynch's The Inland Empire (Can you imagine how many people will flip out if this thing is bad? We've been waiting for it for so damn long.), Johnnie To's Election Election 2, South Korea's smash-monster-hit The Host, Marie Antoinette, Poison Friends, Egyptian street kids doc These Girls and Offside (It's about soccer! And Iranian!).

The festival opens on September 29; watch the NYFF website for ticket info.