Smoke
William Hurt, Harvey Keitel, Forest Whitaker, Harold Perrineau Jnr
Director: Wayne Wang
New York has played such a substantial supporting role in the history of cinema that it has become, more than any other city in the world, burned into the collective consciousness. Walk its streets, and you'll constantly find yourself doing double takes as you pass buildings, streets, and scenes that trigger memories, even if it's your first visit.
But what Wayne Wang's wonderfully quiet paean to the Big Apple also does is celebrate the characters - and the communities - that help make the city what it is. Much of the credit goes to Paul Auster's sparkling script, taken from one of his short stories. He wants us to feel part of this community and we do, instantly.
Set in a Brooklyn cigar shop, Wang for the most part trains his cameras on the comings and goings and the interaction between people working their way through everyday life. And the more we watch and listen, the more we learn about and feel for the characters.