NYFF 51 Day 7: Camera Doesn't Very Much in 'Stray Dogs'

Lu Yi-ching, Chen Shiang-chyi and Li Yi-cheng in "Stray Dogs." Photo courtesy of New York Film Festival.

HEAD’S UP: The 51st New York Film Festival is off to the races, and so are we. This year, we borrow a page from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York coverage, which borrowed a page from Twitter (http://www.ow.ly/pmqvr). To that end, all film reviews / comments will be 100 words or less. Yes, 100. Or less. Ready? Lights. Camera. ACTION! ...

“HE didn’t film it,” a cinematographer remarked after screening Tsai Ming-liang’s “Stray Dogs.” The film has its U.S. premiere tonight at The 51st New York Film Festival.

“He shot it digitally. You can’t hold a scene in one frame for 15 minutes.”

The latest from the Chinese director is haunting. It is also boring, owing mainly to his tendency to capture scenes for an interminable period. It thwarts the impact of his tale of a homeless Taipei family. Mercifully, “Stray Dogs” does not seem as long as its 138 minutes. (See video below).

Let’s hope this won’t be ML's last film, as he indicated in Venice.

Visit http://www.filmlinc.com/nyff2013 to learn more about The 51st New York Film Festival, including tickets and showtimes.