TRY ’BECA FEST

New flicks, ‘Goodfellas’ reunion, ‘Monty Python’

Finally, the Tribeca Film Festival has defeated its own effort to be unmanageable .

The film festival created after 9/11 to promote battered downtown had grown increasingly bloated with unnecessary Hollywood blockbusters and far-flung locations. There was almost too much to it for average festgoers.

But as it begins its 14th event Wednesday, Tribeca is now a svelte rite of spring with refocused energy.

That’s partly a result of co-founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal re-embracing the nabe it’s named for. Most of the fest’s flicks can again be seen at two downtown sites: the Regal Battery Park Stadium 11 and at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center.

Only some major events — such as the opening night film, “Live From New York,” about the early days of “Saturday Night Live” — will be held at the Upper West Side’s Beacon Theatre.

The film lineup itself — heavy on documentaries, many centered on local issues — also better reflects the original spirit. Even DeNiro seems to be enjoying the new approach, as he becomes more visible during the fest’s 11-day run.

“Yeah, it’s a little more fun,” the iconic actor tells the Daily News.

There’s also a new HQ for the press and public: The Spring Studio, at Varick and Laight Sts. There’ll be a Frank Sinatra event there with performances by Tony Bennett and Savion Glover, among others. “To have a place for everyone is a gamechanger,” says Rosenthal. “We wanted a real home.”

With more than 100 features screening this year, here are some to watch for:

MEDIA-SAVVY DOCS

Both “Mary J. Blige: The London Sessions” and “Monty Python — The Meaning of Live” will include appearances by their subjects. There’s also “As I AM: the Life and Times of DJ AM” and “Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck.”

NEW YORK STORIES

“Thought Crimes” is a documentary about the NYPD’s “Cannibal Cop,” Gilberto Valle. “A Ballerina’s Tale” is a glimpse inside New York’s American Ballet Theatre.

FEATURES

“Aloft,” with Jennifer Connelly, and “Anesthesia,” with Kristen Stewart, use the city as a backdrop. There’s a lighter touch in the NYC comedies “Hungry Hearts,” (l.) with Adam Driver, “The Wannabe” with Patricia Arquette and “Sleeping with Other People,” (r.) starring Jason Sudeikis. There’s also Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Maggie” and Adrien Brody in “Backtrack.”

RETRO

The closing-night film is a restored copy of “GoodFellas,” to mark its 25th anniversary. A post-screening discussion will feature Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta and Lorraine Bracco, moderated by Jon Stewart.