Cannes Kicks off

losthorizon

There looks to be some great films in the mix. Looking forward to seeing Asghar Farhadi's next film after A Separation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRR2KkYbDQk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk8EFWmmq8Y

Michael Douglas is going to play Liberace? Now, that will be interesting especially if he can pull it off.

Sad Professor

Some mixed reviews for Ozon's Young and Beautiful and Coppola's Bling Ring.

And there's the usual moaning about Coppola being rich and privileged, etc. Male directors never get so much hassle.

JP Liz V1

I thought Steven Soderbergh's Liberace film with Michael Douglas was to air on HBO in the US, is it getting a cinema release in Europe so?

Outkast_IRE

I think bling ring will ultimately get nearly all reasonable reviews, shes a good director, and with good (yet unimportant) material i think it will be a decent movie, nothing special.

Sad Professor

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I thought Steven Soderbergh's Liberace film with Michael Douglas was to air on HBO in the US, is it getting a cinema release in Europe so?

Yep. So really it is his "last" theatrical film, not Side Effects.

johnny_ultimate

The mixed response to the Bling Ring is interesting. I look forward to seeing it - although I kinda fear it will indulge in the same somewhat vapid excesses as Marie Antoinette - but Coppolla is a very divisive director to say the least, and there's definitely been a critical backlash in the aftermath of Somewhere. Heck, even Peter Bradshaw's quick review reads a little bipolar!

Like all festivals, though, critical response is always somewhat distorted - the excitement of the world premiere, the over-reactive crowd, the endless parade of press screenings, the plethora of different types of cinema and viewer interests. Countless films have completely split the early viewers. But it's still well worth keeping an eye on news and reactions, because there's always a few that emerge as definite ones to watch (Holy Motors was a big one last year that attracted a lot of attention from the Cannes crowd).

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Seeing all sorts of praise for Clio Bernard's The Selfish Giant today. Sounds interesting, if a bit bleak.

Sad Professor

Generally very positive reactions to Asghar Farhadi's The Past but with some reservations. A few complaints that it's contrived, heavy-handed and melodramatic at times, lacking the interesting socio-political background of A Separation.

Looper007

Sad Professor wrote: »

And there's the usual moaning about Coppola being rich and privileged, etc. Male directors never get so much hassle.

But isn't she? Her dad produced her work. She didn't have to work her butt off to get her big break.

Anyway not surprised by the sniffy remarks on her film. As I said before about her work nice to look at but very hollow inside. Plus the subject isn't exactly gripping.

I'm only really interesting in hearing how James Gray's The Immigrant (Two Lovers is one of the best films I ever seen), Alexander Payne's Nebraska and Nicolas Winding Refn's Only God Forgives go down. Plus Guilluame Canets Blood Ties (co written by James Gray) which is out of Competition.

Sad Professor

Looper007 wrote: »

But isn't she? Her dad produced her work. She didn't have to work her butt off to get her big break.

It's irrelevant. Many male directors and actors get into the business via family connections as well (see Jason Reitman), but they get very little if any flak for it. There's a sexist undercurrent to a lot of the attacks on Coppola and/or a decades old resentment due her casting in The Godfather III, which was her father's responsibility yet everyone blamed her. It was cruel and uncalled for. Critics should review the film and leave their imaginings about the director and their family out of it.

Sad Professor

I haven't found any reviews yet, but there's some very positive reactions to Koreeda's Like Father, Like Son on Twitter. Looks like another gem and an early frontrunner for the Palme d'Or. I Wish is my favourite film of the year so far, so I can't wait.

JP Liz V1

Looper007 wrote: »

I'm only really interesting in hearing how James Gray's The Immigrant (Two Lovers is one of the best films I ever seen), Alexander Payne's Nebraska and Nicolas Winding Refn's Only God Forgives go down. Plus Guilluame Canets Blood Ties (co written by James Gray) which is out of Competition.

Always like Gray's collaborations with Joaquin Phoenix and with Marion Cotillard lead here should be good

johnny_ultimate

Mark Cousin's Story of Film and Children gets a glowing review from Peter Bradshaw. Sounds along the same kind of free-wheeling 'cine-essays' Chris Marker crafted, which isn't bad company to be in!

Sad Professor

Shots Fired During Christoph Waltz Interview at Cannes

The typically festive Croisette in Cannes was the scene of a chaotic incident Friday after a man was arrested for allegedly firing a gun and brandishing a fake grenade outside the taping of a French TV show.

Christoph Waltz, along with fellow Cannes Film Festival juror Daniel Auteuil, were being interviewed on French news program “Le Grand Journal” when gunshots were reportedly fired, causing the audience and Waltz to flee the scene.

FFS!

Sad Professor

Sad Professor wrote: »

Shots Fired During Christoph Waltz Interview at Cannes



FFS!

Million dollar jewel theft and some nutter with a gun full of blanks and a dummy grenade, certainly the most interesting day at Cannes in a long time.

Looper007

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Always like Gray's collaborations with Joaquin Phoenix and with Marion Cotillard lead here should be good

Him and Phoenix certainly have a great working relationship. He's the best thing in We own the Night and Two Lovers. I hear he's playing a right bastard in the Immigrants, Phoenix is turning into America's best actor.

bnt

losthorizon wrote: »

Michael Douglas is going to play Liberace? Now, that will be interesting especially if he can pull it off.

I don't know that I want to see Liberace pulling it off (!), but the trailer shows some strong acting from both Douglas and Matt Damon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqAC1yiIROw

I suppose most young folks today won't know who Liberace was: a talented Classical pianist who turned it in to a high camp show, especially in Las Vegas, which afforded him a very lavish lifestyle. He collected grand pianos the way a normal rich person collects shoes. He was probably the originator of the phrase "laughed all the way to the bank", writing in response to a bad review. :cool:

Da Shins Kelly

Looper007 wrote: »

Him and Phoenix certainly have a great working relationship. He's the best thing in We own the Night and Two Lovers. I hear he's playing a right bastard in the Immigrants, Phoenix is turning into America's best actor.

Apparently he plays a pimp who dupes Marion Cotillard's character into a life of prostitution. Sounds interesting. Looking forward to seeing Marion Cotillard in it too. She is a great actress.

johnny_ultimate

Like Father Like Son is, like all films this week, getting a mix of glowing and more middling responses. But it's been picked up by Arrow Films for UK distribution (and it follows Ireland too) so we can find out ourselves

Hopefully it doesn't fall victim to the minefield of licensing restrictions plaguing Japanese exports at the moment. No good reason a film should take over year after domestic release to show up internationally.

Looper007

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Apparently he plays a pimp who dupes Marion Cotillard's character into a life of prostitution. Sounds interesting. Looking forward to seeing Marion Cotillard in it too. She is a great actress.

She is, I do think Americans haven't quite got the best out of her quite yet and under use her a little. But her French films she's always top notch and this seems like a great role seen as she's the lead.

Sad Professor

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Apparently he plays a pimp who dupes Marion Cotillard's character into a life of prostitution. Sounds interesting. Looking forward to seeing Marion Cotillard in it too. She is a great actress.

Sounds like Kim Ki-duk's Bad Guy, but presumedly without the hard to shake misogynistic subtext.

Da Shins Kelly

Sad Professor wrote: »

Sounds like Kim Ki-duk's Bad Guy, but presumedly without the hard to shake misogynistic subtext.

I haven't seen that, so I wouldn't be able to tell if it's quite the same plot. I read a little about it, and it does sound very good from the general synopsis. Jeremy Renner plays a magician, and the brother of the pimp. I'm not sure if he's meant to be some kind of love interest, but from the synopsis it seems that he acts as a friend to Marion Cotillard's character anyway. There also seems to be some kind of sub-plot involving the sister of Cotillard's character who has fallen ill and is quarantined on Ellis Island after arriving in the US.

A clip was shown at Cannes involving Phoenix and Cotillard that apparently went down very well, and James Gray himself reckons it's the best thing he's ever done.

JP Liz V1

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Apparently he plays a pimp who dupes Marion Cotillard's character into a life of prostitution. Sounds interesting. Looking forward to seeing Marion Cotillard in it too. She is a great actress.

Jeremy Renner is also in it (he seems to be in every film now :P) hope he too has a decent role and shows his acting chops that garnered him two Oscar nominations

johnny_ultimate

Inside Llewyen Davis is getting a lot of wildly positive reviews. 'Best of the festival' is being suggested by quite a few (although there's still a few biggies left to premiere).

We have to wait until December

JP Liz V1

Benicio del Toro's movie Jimmy P not going down too well at Cannes

Looper007

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Inside Llewyen Davis is getting a lot of wildly positive reviews. 'Best of the festival' is being suggested by quite a few (although there's still a few biggies left to premiere).

We have to wait until December

Well it is the Coen brothers, i'm hardly surprised. The French love 'em.
No doubt it's a great movie, it sounds interesting.

Looper007

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrnvwXy64VM

Trailer for Blood Ties, looks interesting. Some cast too.
Guillaume Canet's English speaking debut film too.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

"Irish" film Last Days on Mars premieres today. Not sure how Irish it actually is other than the director being Irish. IFB are pimping it on twitter though. I'm quite interested in this one, we'll see what the critics make of it.

Looper007

Shield of Straw, Takashi Miike's new film, has been getting a ton of bad reviews. Not surprised Miike makes some awful films but some great ones too.

JP Liz V1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6_9Hnmh3P0

Not sure what to make of it tbh

losthorizon

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Inside Llewyen Davis is getting a lot of wildly positive reviews. 'Best of the festival' is being suggested by quite a few (although there's still a few biggies left to premiere).

We have to wait until December

I cant wait for this film for two main reasons (a) Its the Coen brothers and (b) Its about Folk music from the 60s which I have a great liking for I have to admit.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Interesting tweets from Lenny Abrahamson...

n fairness only 'Last Days on Mars' is actually in Cannes - others are in the market which you buy a place in!

Not being pedantic - all the media guff about how many Irish films are in Cannes devalues real selections.

sorry if I seemed narky. It's just none of those films are in the Cannes festival (including mine!).

It's a fair point. I've been seeing stuff all week from the IFB and others about how many Irish productions were in Cannes and how great it was for Irish film, but in reality they're there because they bought their place.. other than Last Days on Mars.

Sad Professor

Only God Forgives was booed. A lot of negative reactions on Twitter - looks nice but self-indulgent, boring, etc. I'm still looking forward to it, but it's probably fair to say it won't have the same mainstream appeal as Drive.

mike65

That Liberace film is interesting, made for tv as the Hollywood studios wouldn't touch it - "too gay". It is getting a limited theatrical release in Europe, no doubt it'll become a Film 4 favourite in the coming years. Michael Douglas looks good as the ivory tinkler.

Looper007

Sad Professor wrote: »

Only God Forgives was booed. A lot of negative reactions on Twitter - looks nice but self-indulgent, boring, etc. I'm still looking forward to it, but it's probably fair to say it won't have the same mainstream appeal as Drive.

I read its very violent, very arty and self indulgent but that's what makes Refn a great director. Drive was a foot in for Refn to get his more artistic and stranger work made. As Mark Kermode says they are very sniffy at Cannes so I rather have my own look at the film.

johnny_ultimate

There's also some very positive reports. Peter Bradshaw gave it a glowing five star review. Many others have called it an empty bore, some a stupid action film, others a full on art film.

Can't wait :pac:

Sad Professor

I don't understand the all style no substance complaints. Did these people see Drive and Vahalla Rising? What were they expecting?

Anyway Dave Poland just described it as a Wong Kar-wai/David Lynch/Takashi Miike lovechild. There's no way it isn't a little bit awesome.

Looper007

Sad Professor wrote: »

I don't understand the all style no substance complaints. Did these people see Drive and Vahalla Rising? What were they expecting?

Anyway Dave Poland just described it as a Wong Kar-wai/David Lynch/Takashi Miike lovechild. There's no way it isn't a little bit awesome.

His films always split opinion when they are released and are now seen as cult classic's (Bronson was one and Bleeder was another). Cannes is very snotty at times and Only God Forgives is going to be the film that splits opinion like Irreversible (with the walk out, booing and critical slamming)which went on to get praised by critics outside the Cannes circuit.

dark crystal

mike65 wrote: »

That Liberace film is interesting, made for tv as the Hollywood studios wouldn't touch it - "too gay". It is getting a limited theatrical release in Europe, no doubt it'll become a Film 4 favourite in the coming years. Michael Douglas looks good as the ivory tinkler.

I cannot wait to see this film! It's airing on HBO on Sunday night, so will have to watch it then, as it's extremely doubtful they'll be showing it in my local cinema.

Sad Professor

Looper007 wrote: »

His films always split opinion when they are released and are now seen as cult classic's (Bronson was one and Bleeder was another). Cannes is very snotty at times and Only God Forgives is going to be the film that splits opinion like Irreversible (with the walk out, booing and critical slamming)which went on to get praised by critics outside the Cannes circuit.

Yeah the divisively received films are often the best. I'm very suspicious of the films that get universal praise and adoration. Most critics are in such a rush to file their reviews that don't give the film a chance to settle in.

Anyway Little White Lies have given it another very positive review. Suggests it's Refn's most complete film.

http://www.littlewhitelies.co.uk/features/festivals/cannes-2013-only-god-forgives-review-23871

JP Liz V1

Any word yet on James Franco’s film As I Lay Dying?

losthorizon

Ryan Goslings Film "Only God Forgives" was booed because of the violence in the film.

http://www.euronews.com/2013/05/23/stars-are-again-out-in-force-in-cannes

And Michael Douglas got fairly emotional at his press conferece. The more I see of this film the more interesting it looks

http://www.euronews.com/2013/05/23/liberace-film-behind-the-candelabra-and-in-bed-with-michael-douglas/

JP Liz V1

http://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/cannes-film-review-the-immigrant-1200487067/

^ Bad review for Joaquin's performance :eek:

missingtime

Da Shins Kelly

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

http://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/cannes-film-review-the-immigrant-1200487067/

^ Bad review for Joaquin's performance :eek:

From what I've read so far, a lot of criticism seems to be being levelled at the script. The characters are pretty one-dimensional, it seems.

Looper007

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

From what I've read so far, a lot of criticism seems to be being levelled at the script. The characters are pretty one-dimensional, it seems.

Plus they are saying its very very slow movie but they say the first hour is very good.

Looper007

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Any word yet on James Franco’s film As I Lay Dying?

Not good sadly they say it takes itself very serious.

losthorizon

Pity as it sounds like a good story which has a lot of resonance in Ireland.

dark crystal

Blue is the Warmest Colour (Abdellatif Kechiche) has won the Palme D'or.

Inside Llewyn Davis (Coen Brothers) won the Grand Jury prize and Like Father, Like Son (Hirokazu Kore-eda) won the Jury prize.

http://www.digitalspy.ie/movies/news/a484759/blue-is-the-warmest-colour-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes-film-festival.html

johnny_ultimate

Not too surprised, had been hearing good things about Blue... (although Nick James of Sight & Sound is theorising reaction to it was amplified in the aftermath of Only God Forgives :P). Looking forward to seeing it, and many of the other films that premiered, whenever it gets released. Happy to see Koreeda get some kudos too!

unreggd

As I Lay Dying, I was watching As I Lay Dying. There's way too much going on in general, the plot, and on a technical level. Prob the only film I saw at the festival I disliked.
Also, the accents are so strong, I had to read the French subs to figure out what they were saying :P

I really enjoyed Blood Ties. Apart from the dodgy accents, the story is kept goin, and they do well to bring it full circle. Mixed opinions from others though

Behind the Candelabra was brilliant. Great performances all round, good insight to the overall story.

Also enjoyed Miele, Last Days on Mars and Magic Magic