Cannes Reviews
(2011/05/20) Dear All, I was lucky enough to attend the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
From there, I've sent you exclusive reviews of films that may hit the screens in the next months. Don't forget to leave your comments in the "Your Say" section. Arnaud Trouvé, Your Minister for Foreign Affairs |
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Footnote
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Writer: Joseph Cedar Director: Joseph Cedar Starring: Lior Ashkenazi, Yuval Scharf and Shlomo Bar-Aba |
Aa light-hearted comedy about a father-and-son relationship. They both study the Talmud and religious matters, but in very different ways. Conflict arises when the winners for the prestigious Prize for Israel are announced, and the father and his son both fight for recognition.
Summary: I think this is an enjoyable film, a likely selection for Israel in the Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars. The screenplay is great. Good ideas of directing and fine performances keep the film vivid throughout, despite a rather abrupt ending.
Rating: 6/10
Summary: I think this is an enjoyable film, a likely selection for Israel in the Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars. The screenplay is great. Good ideas of directing and fine performances keep the film vivid throughout, despite a rather abrupt ending.
Rating: 6/10
Martha Marcy May Marlene
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Writer: Sean Durkin Director: Sean Durkin Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson and John Hawkes |
A young woman struggles against paranoia after fleeing from an abusive cult.
I was lucky enough to discover director Sean Durkin's short "Mary Last Seen" on Canal+ last week. His directorial debut is the following of this short, and it's an amazing piece of filmmaking. No wonder he won a Director Prize in Sundance.
Elizabeth Olsen (the younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley) is astounding. I hope her performance will get noticed at least in the Spirit Awards. The supporting cast is equally brilliant, with the intensely scary John Hawkes (Academy-Awards nominated for "Winter's Bone").
Summary: The film is a little too long maybe, but this is a common trend in first films. Sean Durkin will gain confidence with his next features. Overall, it is a disturbing and affecting film.
Rating: 7/10
I was lucky enough to discover director Sean Durkin's short "Mary Last Seen" on Canal+ last week. His directorial debut is the following of this short, and it's an amazing piece of filmmaking. No wonder he won a Director Prize in Sundance.
Elizabeth Olsen (the younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley) is astounding. I hope her performance will get noticed at least in the Spirit Awards. The supporting cast is equally brilliant, with the intensely scary John Hawkes (Academy-Awards nominated for "Winter's Bone").
Summary: The film is a little too long maybe, but this is a common trend in first films. Sean Durkin will gain confidence with his next features. Overall, it is a disturbing and affecting film.
Rating: 7/10
Outside Satan
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Writer: Bruno Dumont Director: Bruno Dumont Starring: David Dewaele, Alexandra Lematre and Aurore Broutin |
The new film by Bruno Dumont, two-time Grand Prix winner in Cannes, for 1999's "L'Humanité" ("Humanity") and 2006's "Flandres". No major changes in his filmmaking : same places (North of France), few dialogues and no music. It works (or not), depending on your aptitude and will to grab as much as you can/want on this demanding story (in short, a girl meets a man living as an outcast and practising magic). About 30 people left the theatre.
Summary: What can I say about this film...it's about a miracle. A film you have to experience.
Rating: 5/10
Summary: What can I say about this film...it's about a miracle. A film you have to experience.
Rating: 5/10
Take Shelter
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Writer: Jeff Nichols Director: Jeff Nichols Starring: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain and Shea Whigham |
Dear all, I had the privilege to watch Take Shelter in cinema Studio 13, here in Cannes. What an exhilarating ride, that I'm happy to share with you.
Michael Shannon becomes increasingly paranoid, urging his wife (Jessica Chastain) and deaf daughter to hide with him in their tornado shelter.
With this basic plot, director Jeff Nichols succeeds in building a suspenseful thriller, that every audience can relate to. Not only are the performances by the cast very natural and engaging, but the plot knows how to deliver the goods until the end. The score and the sound effects are really immersive. While not a visual effects-driven film, Take Shelter does offer impressive sequences where nature reveals both mysterious and menacing. However, perhaps the film's pace could have been more tense. With a 2 hours runtime, the films drags along sometimes, but it is always while digging into the soul of his protagonist. Michael Shannon is a tremendous actor whose performance in this film will be remembered for years to come.
Summary: Strong performances by Shannon and Chastain, as well as an interesting plot, keep the film vivid throughout, until a nerve-wrenching twist ending.
Rating: 7/10
Michael Shannon becomes increasingly paranoid, urging his wife (Jessica Chastain) and deaf daughter to hide with him in their tornado shelter.
With this basic plot, director Jeff Nichols succeeds in building a suspenseful thriller, that every audience can relate to. Not only are the performances by the cast very natural and engaging, but the plot knows how to deliver the goods until the end. The score and the sound effects are really immersive. While not a visual effects-driven film, Take Shelter does offer impressive sequences where nature reveals both mysterious and menacing. However, perhaps the film's pace could have been more tense. With a 2 hours runtime, the films drags along sometimes, but it is always while digging into the soul of his protagonist. Michael Shannon is a tremendous actor whose performance in this film will be remembered for years to come.
Summary: Strong performances by Shannon and Chastain, as well as an interesting plot, keep the film vivid throughout, until a nerve-wrenching twist ending.
Rating: 7/10
Q&A with writer/director Jeff NicholsFollowing the projection, I have been lucky enough to assist a Q&A with Jeff Nichols. Here are some details revealed by the director:
About the ambiguous ending: "It is open, I have my version of what is true and what is not, but I don't want to reveal it." About the schizophrenia: "It is not the main theme. The film deals with universal themes, that I hope will appeal to everyone. [...] I like the idea of nature as an antagonist. It has no distinction of bad people or good people, it has no motivation, it just exists." |
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The Skin I Live In
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Writer: Pedro Almodovar Director: Pedro Almodovar Starring: Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya and Jan Cornet |
"La piel que habito" is a dark story, much darker than I expected. It deals with lost love, surgery and art as a way of surviving.
The trailer that was revealed last weeks offers you a glimpse of the sophisticated world of the film, and the wonderful score by Alberto Iglesias.
Antonio Banderas is really good. Elena Anaya must have handled one of the most difficult roles I can think of for an actress. Marisa Paredes is always marvelous.
Please do not let anyone spoil you the ending. The final sequence is shatteringly good and deeply moving. I could not say a word while leaving the theatre.
Summary: There's such a standard level of quality in Almodovar's cinema, it's worth mentioning it again. A truly brilliant film.
Rating: 8/10
The trailer that was revealed last weeks offers you a glimpse of the sophisticated world of the film, and the wonderful score by Alberto Iglesias.
Antonio Banderas is really good. Elena Anaya must have handled one of the most difficult roles I can think of for an actress. Marisa Paredes is always marvelous.
Please do not let anyone spoil you the ending. The final sequence is shatteringly good and deeply moving. I could not say a word while leaving the theatre.
Summary: There's such a standard level of quality in Almodovar's cinema, it's worth mentioning it again. A truly brilliant film.
Rating: 8/10
The Day He Arrives
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Writer: Sang-soo Hong Director: Sang-soo Hong Starring: Sang Jun Kim and Jun-Sang Yu |
The new film by prolific Korean director Hong Sangsoo was met with cheers and laughs. What a joy to discover a truly inspiring comedy, after the torments of the Almodovar.
The film is about a man in his 30's who comes back to Seoul, which he left some years ago. He is a film director, looking for love and inspiration.
The plot is a succession of encounters and dinners, it seems the characters spend half of the movie smoking and drinking, talking about love, ambition and fate. The light-hearted tone is a pleasure, while "Melancholia" could also have been an alternative title for the pic. What do we hide from others ? What can we expect from life ?
Summary: Sure, it's better if lengthy dialogue is your cup of tea, but you should check out the film however, for its subtle reflexion on our lives, ourselves, and the amazing performances by the whole cast. The 80-minute runtime is also a good argument.
Rating: 5+/10
The film is about a man in his 30's who comes back to Seoul, which he left some years ago. He is a film director, looking for love and inspiration.
The plot is a succession of encounters and dinners, it seems the characters spend half of the movie smoking and drinking, talking about love, ambition and fate. The light-hearted tone is a pleasure, while "Melancholia" could also have been an alternative title for the pic. What do we hide from others ? What can we expect from life ?
Summary: Sure, it's better if lengthy dialogue is your cup of tea, but you should check out the film however, for its subtle reflexion on our lives, ourselves, and the amazing performances by the whole cast. The 80-minute runtime is also a good argument.
Rating: 5+/10
And the Palme d'Or goes to...
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(2011/05/19) Waiting for the closing ceremony on Sunday, I make my final predictions.
- It is a good festival, with very few disappointing films ("Sleeping Beauty", "Michael"). - Another Palme d'Or for the Dardenne brothers ("The Kid with a bike") is possible. Same can be said for "Melancholia", despite Von Trier's reaction during the press conference, and his ban from the Festival. - I take a big gamble and think that the politic fake documentary "Pater" takes the big prize. - However, word-of-mouth is still strong for "Polisse" and "The Tree of Life". "Drive" could also pull a big upset. On the right, my paparazzi pic of Pedro Almodovar who nicely agreed to sign autographs. Thank you Pedro, one day you'll win the Palme d'Or :) |
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My Cannes predictions
Palme d'Or: "Pater" Grand Prix: "Once upon a time in Anatolia" Jury Prize: "The Artist" Best Director: Lars Von Trier, "Melancholia" Best Actress: Tilda Swinton, "We need to talk about Kevin" Best Actor: Michel Piccoli, "Habemus Papam" Best Screenplay: "Footnote" |
The Real Palmares
Palme d’Or: “The Tree of Life” Grand Prix (tie): “Once upon a time in Anatolia” & “The Kid with a bike” Jury Prize: “Polisse” Best Director: Nicholas Winding Refn,“Drive” Best Actress: Jean Dujardin, “The Artist” Best Actor: Kirsten Dunst, “Melancholia” Best Screenplay: “Footnote” |
Cannes Preview
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(2011/05/05) Hello, I'm Arnaud, your Minister for Foreign Affairs.
I'm here for everything related to the world of foreign film, from latest news to reviews of recent or classic oddities. I am glad and thrilled by this new opportunity, so thank you Movie Parliament's Prime Minister for allowing me to be a part of your government and share this experience with you. Let's start with a preview of the Cannes Film Festival, which opens next Wednesday. I will describe the movies I am most looking forward to, their chances to get the Palme d'Or, and how this could translate to Oscar potential. From Saturday the 14th, I will also bring you live coverage from Cannes. I'm pretty excited as it is my first time there: I will try to see as many films as I can ! So here we go, this is what we can expect from the 64th edition of the biggest film festival in the world: NB: (2011/05/06) This Cannes Preview has been directly quoted in Awards Daily, one of the most influent movie blogs on the Web. Thank you so much to Ryan Adams and Sasha Stone for considering my work. |
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Official Selection
- "Midnight in Paris": the yearly Woody Allen opens the Festival, out of competition (as usual for Woody). Will some of the girls (McAdams ? Cotillard ?) pull a "Vicky" and get an Oscar ? The trailer doesn't say that much.
- "Pirates 4" and "Kung Fu Panda 2" will be there too: not much to say about them, as their release dates will follow soon enough.
Competition
- "La Piel que habito" (The Skin that I inhabit): the latest Almodovar, starring Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya and long-time friend Marisa Paredes. Trailer is not available yet, but the stills suggest a creepy tale of revenge in the world of plastic surgery. Watch out ! It sounds quite nasty for the Academy, but they embraced "Talk to her" so who knows.
- "The Tree of Life": time to welcome Terrence Malick with his highly anticipated story about a family and how its history resonates through the origins of the world. The trailer gave me goosebumps. Everybody seems at the top of their game and the film could definitely follow the steps of "The Thin Red Line" and earn Oscar Nominations for Picture, Director, Screenplay and Cinematography. In less than a month, we will see if the film lives up to its stratospheric expectations.
- "Ichimei" (“Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai”): Takashi Miike is a prolific director, offering up to 4 films a year. I'm glad to see him in Competition, with a 3D remake of a 1962 samurai movie. It is the first 3D film ever to compete for the Palme d'Or.
- “Melancholia”: every Lars Von Trier film is an experience. This one goes no further than the end of the world, told through the eyes of a bride (Kirsten Dunst). Surely a career-defining turn for Dunst, who already proved her acting chops with Sofia Coppola and Michel Gondry. She could earn Cannes Best Actress prize like Von Trier's heroines Emily Watson, Björk and Charlotte Gainsbourg did before her.
- "Drive": Nicolas Winding Refn ("Valhalla Rising"). Ryan Gosling. Carey Mulligan. Mafia. Car stunts. Need I say more ?
Other contenders for Best Actress are Tilda Swinton ("We Need to Talk About Kevin") and Emily Browning ("Sleeping Beauty"). Best Actor seems chewed up for Sean Penn, not in "Tree of Life", but in "This Must Be the Place", as an ex-rock star fulfilling his dad's revenge.
Surprises could come from Cannes veterans such as the Dardenne, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Aki Kaurismaki, Nanni Moretti, or newcomers like Joseph Cedar ("Beaufort").
The shock of the Festival could be "Michael", a directorial debut by Michael Haneke's casting director, inspired by the Natascha Kampusch affair.
I think Naomi Kawase's film about the Japanese city of Asuka through the ages will offer peace and relief, in contrast with the devastating recent news of Fukushima.
I also have a feeling that Maiwenn's "Polisse" (about a special police section taking care of youngsters) might get the favors of Robert de Niro's jury.
Finally, a last minute entry to the Competition might indeed be very surprising: "The Artist" is a silent black-and-white film about two movie stars in the 20's. Shot in Hollywood and co-starring John Goodman, this French production comes from the creators of Gallic comedy hits "OSS 117" (a kind of James Bond parodies).
Parallel sections
I will definitely look for the following pics:
- Un Certain Regard: Gus Van Sant's "Restless" starring Mia Wasikowska, Bruno Dumont's "Hors Satan", "Tatsumi" by Eric Khoo, and the new film by Hong-jin Na ("The Chaser").
- Critics' Week: "Snowtown" (the new "Animal Kingdom" ?), and "Take Shelter" starring Michael Shannon and Jessica "Tree of Life" Chastain.
- Director's Fortnight: "Busong", the first film from Palawan (island of the Philippines). I'll also try to check out “Guilty of romance”, that some describe as a dark and sexy thriller. No wonder it is only screened around midnight !
Well, that's about it.
Feel free to comment in the "Your Say" section.
Take care,
Your Minister.
- "Midnight in Paris": the yearly Woody Allen opens the Festival, out of competition (as usual for Woody). Will some of the girls (McAdams ? Cotillard ?) pull a "Vicky" and get an Oscar ? The trailer doesn't say that much.
- "Pirates 4" and "Kung Fu Panda 2" will be there too: not much to say about them, as their release dates will follow soon enough.
Competition
- "La Piel que habito" (The Skin that I inhabit): the latest Almodovar, starring Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya and long-time friend Marisa Paredes. Trailer is not available yet, but the stills suggest a creepy tale of revenge in the world of plastic surgery. Watch out ! It sounds quite nasty for the Academy, but they embraced "Talk to her" so who knows.
- "The Tree of Life": time to welcome Terrence Malick with his highly anticipated story about a family and how its history resonates through the origins of the world. The trailer gave me goosebumps. Everybody seems at the top of their game and the film could definitely follow the steps of "The Thin Red Line" and earn Oscar Nominations for Picture, Director, Screenplay and Cinematography. In less than a month, we will see if the film lives up to its stratospheric expectations.
- "Ichimei" (“Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai”): Takashi Miike is a prolific director, offering up to 4 films a year. I'm glad to see him in Competition, with a 3D remake of a 1962 samurai movie. It is the first 3D film ever to compete for the Palme d'Or.
- “Melancholia”: every Lars Von Trier film is an experience. This one goes no further than the end of the world, told through the eyes of a bride (Kirsten Dunst). Surely a career-defining turn for Dunst, who already proved her acting chops with Sofia Coppola and Michel Gondry. She could earn Cannes Best Actress prize like Von Trier's heroines Emily Watson, Björk and Charlotte Gainsbourg did before her.
- "Drive": Nicolas Winding Refn ("Valhalla Rising"). Ryan Gosling. Carey Mulligan. Mafia. Car stunts. Need I say more ?
Other contenders for Best Actress are Tilda Swinton ("We Need to Talk About Kevin") and Emily Browning ("Sleeping Beauty"). Best Actor seems chewed up for Sean Penn, not in "Tree of Life", but in "This Must Be the Place", as an ex-rock star fulfilling his dad's revenge.
Surprises could come from Cannes veterans such as the Dardenne, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Aki Kaurismaki, Nanni Moretti, or newcomers like Joseph Cedar ("Beaufort").
The shock of the Festival could be "Michael", a directorial debut by Michael Haneke's casting director, inspired by the Natascha Kampusch affair.
I think Naomi Kawase's film about the Japanese city of Asuka through the ages will offer peace and relief, in contrast with the devastating recent news of Fukushima.
I also have a feeling that Maiwenn's "Polisse" (about a special police section taking care of youngsters) might get the favors of Robert de Niro's jury.
Finally, a last minute entry to the Competition might indeed be very surprising: "The Artist" is a silent black-and-white film about two movie stars in the 20's. Shot in Hollywood and co-starring John Goodman, this French production comes from the creators of Gallic comedy hits "OSS 117" (a kind of James Bond parodies).
Parallel sections
I will definitely look for the following pics:
- Un Certain Regard: Gus Van Sant's "Restless" starring Mia Wasikowska, Bruno Dumont's "Hors Satan", "Tatsumi" by Eric Khoo, and the new film by Hong-jin Na ("The Chaser").
- Critics' Week: "Snowtown" (the new "Animal Kingdom" ?), and "Take Shelter" starring Michael Shannon and Jessica "Tree of Life" Chastain.
- Director's Fortnight: "Busong", the first film from Palawan (island of the Philippines). I'll also try to check out “Guilty of romance”, that some describe as a dark and sexy thriller. No wonder it is only screened around midnight !
Well, that's about it.
Feel free to comment in the "Your Say" section.
Take care,
Your Minister.
