New York, I Love You, you suck (1)

Any cultural inferiority the United States feels toward the French will only be exacerbated by New York, I Love You. The anthology film follows the same model as 2008’s art house hit Paris, Je t’aime in offering a series of tales, mostly about love, on the streets of a cosmopolitan city. Both films showcase directors from around the world, but where Paris features work from such luminaries as the Coen brothers, Alexander Payne and Gus Van Sant, New York gets Brett Ratner.

Granted, New York, I Love You’s roster includes filmmakers more esteemed than the Rush Hour director, including Mira Nair, Fatih Akin and Yvan Attal. But New York has half as many contributors — 11 to Paris’ 21 — and comes across as a more modest film in all other ways as well.

(Photo courtesy Vivendi Entertainment)