With 200,000 people in Cannes for the festival attending the screenings has proven to be quite a trial. The red carpet premieres are only open to those with invitations & the requisite black tie suit. I opted for the more accessible 'day after' screenings but this entails standing in line for an hour or more in the baking sun with 300 other fatigued film fans. There is a profound respect amongst the French for cinema & it's great to be part of an enthusiastic, vocal audience.
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
The best movie by the Coen brothers in years. Nail-biting suspense as Josh Brolin's modern-day cowboy is relentlessly hunted by Javier Bardem's ruthless hitman Anton Chigurh. One of the all time great cinematic bad guys.
WE OWN THE NIGHT
Conventional thriller from James Gray worth seeing for smokin' hot Eva Mendes & Joaquin Phoenix on even better form than in
WALK THE LINE.PARANOID PARK
More teen-angst from Gus Van Sant. Skater kid's slacker lifestyle complicated by parental divorce, virginal girlfriend & accidental murder!
DEATH PROOF
CRAP!! So disappointed in this, the Weinsteins really must stop indulging Quentin.
DEATH PROOF is his weakest movie & at times just plain boring. The film was presented in a longer cut to the
GRINDHOUSE version to gain some kind of respectability as a stand alone piece (inexplicably making it into the Official Competition) but I have a feeling it probably works better doubled up with Robert Rodriguez's
PLANET TERROR?
MR.LONELY
Harmoy Korine's latest has a commune of celebrity lookalikes on a Scottish farm, sky-diving nuns, Samantha Morton as Marilyn Monroe, Diego Luna as Michael Jackson &
Werner Herzog in an acting role. Perfect!
MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS
As the Opening Night film the 'Wongster's' English language debut had a great buzz but proved to be a total snooze-fest! Notable only for Darius Khondji's exquisite photography & solid performances from David Strathairn & especially Natalie Portman's sassy poker ace.
Anton Korbijn's first feature kicked off the Director's Fortnight in style. His biopic of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis brought the house down & deserves much success. One of the festival's best so far.
ZODIAC
I was enthralled by ZODIAC's intricate puzzle solving & tight narrative construction. Fincher's best film to date & career best performances from all involved, even Charles 'Roger Rabbit' Fleischer!
SICKO
Michael Moore's latest docu-rant lambasts the US healthcare 'industry' & posits the 'free' systems offered by the UK, Canada, France, Cuba as ideal models. The only free healthcare available on US territory is apparently for prisoners at Guantanamo Bay!
ZOO
Dream-like, recreation documentary film ZOO is the warming tale of a man who loved his horse TOO much! A contoversial subject dealt with in style & good taste.
