The Other Woman

Honestly I was not expecting much from this film that decided to watch probably because Natalie Portman was on top of my mind after her honors in this award season. Before her amazing role in Black Swan I did not enjoyed much her performances and since this movie was done before -surely was released to take advantage of all the buzz- I assumed that film was going to be similar to her previous ones. On top Lisa Kudrow whom I also don’t enjoy much was also here. Still, I gave it a try as lately have the need to watch easy-to-watch movies.

With all the above out of my system let me share that you have no idea how wrong I was.

Natalie performance is one of her best –not as good as in Black Swan, but close- in a dramatic role as a troubled woman carrying too much baggage from her far and recent past which makes her today quite sarcastic, especially with her stepson William. Portman has an unattractive character maybe as unattractive as her character in Black Swan, which makes me think that probably she feels more comfortable playing this type of roles thus making them more believable. But Portman shines with this pas de deux between her and Charlie Tartan who plays young William; yes, is her movie but Tartan also shines and makes Portman shine. Then Lisa Kudrow character is awful, loud and even when was a bit overplayed, I did like her performance. Is the husband, Scott Cohen who was on the not good acting spectrum which was a true shame as could have made movie more compelling.

Film tells the story of Emilia (Portman) that recently lost her just born child, trying to make a family with her husband and his very special –and lonely- son; she’s the second wife and is seen as the home wrecker especially by William’s school moms; she’s a disaster with William, with her husband and with herself. You try to understand Emilia, sympathize with her but she will make it hard until slowly, very slowly more details are revealed and then you will be not only inside the story but also very shocked. Still it’s an American movie so yes, has a happy ending.

Does not hurt that story is set in Manhattan and New York City looks quite nice in many scenes; but this is a film to watch because Portman performance and the strong drama in a nice film by Don Roos.

I like the movie, a lot more than what I could expected and I do recommend it to those that enjoy surprisingly good dramas with the plus of a remarkable Natalie Portman performance that makes everything believable.

Enjoy!!

Watch trailer @MOC (please be aware that trailer tells story TOO MUCH and in order, which is not the case with the movie)

Largo Winch II (The Burma Conspiracy)

After my positive entertaining experience with the first Largo Winch I was looking forward to the sequel hoping to have a good escape moment again with this French comic-to-screen character that looks and feels so human which is refreshing for a change from typical Hollywood movies. But this time I did not enjoyed the film that much as in my opinion this film lacks many key entertaining elements that were present in the first installment, including the story, the amazing locations, the cinematography, the action, the car chases with the WOW cars, the “normal” fights, a remarkable evil character -like Kristin Scott Thomas character in the first- and yes, the raw sex scenes typical of French cinema.

Still have to admit that Tomer Sisley again had a good performance which helped me to watch until the end and most surprising was to see Sharon Stone looking good in the big screen and yes, in that scene with the white dress that absolute recalls her most famous film. Have to share that during her scenes I was looking at her lips and to my surprise seems like she was speaking French, but there were some moments where I could tell she was not; still according to Sisley, Sharon Stone speaks good French and that’s news for me (LOL!).

Seems that I was more interested in finding if Stone really speaks French than following the story that starts with Largo being W Group’s CEO and on the very day he announces his intention to sell his corporation and use the proceeds to create a humanitarian foundation, he’s accused by the United Nations of crimes against humanity. To prove his and his deceased adoptive father innocence he will retrace the steps of his past three years, which will take us mainly to the Burmese jungle. According to what I read this time producers decided to create an original story while keeping some of the graphic novels characters; surely because of this decision, story ended up being a lot less interesting and entertaining.

To watch only if you wish to see Sharon Stone speaking (?) French and looking a lot better than in her previous films; but if you skip it won’t be missing much.

Enjoy.

Watch trailer @MOC

Un Giorno Perfetto (A Perfect Day)

Thanks to a my dear photographer friend was able to watch this Ferzan Özpetek film that absolutely blew my mind thanks to a slow buildup (even if you knew the outcome as is the beginning), great style, interesting camera moves and the most outstanding performance by Isabella Ferrari as Emma. Ferrari is truly impressive performing but also her wardrobe and makeup are perfect for the character making the watching her experience quite unique for contemporary Italian cinema, as in a way made me recall great performances by the likes of La Loren and La Magnani from the Italian cinema glory days.

Based on Melania Gaia Mazzucco novel Özpetek’s tells about love; yes love… from kids’ love, to forbidden love, to love for your work and position, to unrequited love and most of all: obsessive love. Main story is about Emma and Antonio (Valerio Mastrandea) who are separated with Emma, her daughter and son living at her mother’s (great Stefania Sandrelli) home; the other stories are satellites that rotate around them and their children. In just 24 hours the life of this broken family will be not the same anymore.

Film premiered in competition at 2008 Venice fest where Isabella Ferrari won the Best Actress award and in 2009 she was nominated for a Nastro d’Argento that after watching the film -and with my almost blind adoration for Giovanna Mezzogiorno- I say that this award should have gone to Ferrari instead of Mezzogiorno’s performance in Vincere. That’s how good Ferrari is in this role; but also Mastrandea and the supporting cast –including the children- give compelling performances.

Strongly suggest not to miss this movie that’s perfect for those that enjoy great films by Özpetek, very good European cinemas and strong performances in strong dramas in films that tend to be noir.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

64th Festival de Cannes Short Film Lineup

The Short Film Competition, composed of previously unreleased works, has in the past led to the discovery of more than one auteur director who has gone on to achieve fame: Jane Campion or Xavier Giannoli, for instance, as well as Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Lynne Ramsay and Catalin Mitulescu, who are in the 2011 Official Selection, all drew notice when they made their debuts with a short film in the Cannes competition.

Completing the list of the Official Selection of the 64th Festival de Cannes, and composed this year of nine films from nine different countries, the 2011 competition brings together a great variety of cinematographic concepts, differing in style, genre, length and national origin.

The Selection

Badpakje 46 (Swimsuit 46), Wannes Destoop, Belgium, 15’
Bear, Nash Edgerton, Australia, 8’
Ce n’est Rien (It Is Nothing), Nicolas Roy, Canada, 14’
Cross (Cross-Country), Maryna Vroda, France and Ukraine, 14’
Ghost, Dahci Ma, Korea, 10’
Kjøttsår (Cold), Lisa Marie Gamlem, Norway, 11’
Meathead, Sam Holst, New Zealand, 10’
Paternal Womb, Megumi Tazaki, Japan, 15’
Soy Tan Feliz, Vladimir Durán, Argentina and Colombia, 14’

Jury (also jury to Cinéfondation competition)
President: Michel Gondry, Director, France
Corneliu Porumboiu, Director, Romania
Jessica Hausner, Director/producer, Austria
João Pedro Rodrigues, Director, Portugal
Juliet Gayet, Actress/producer, France

To check press release go here. To check info, synopsis, photos, etc. go here.

Please remember that in 2011, the Festival has created Cannes Court Métrage, which combines the Short Film Competition and the Short Film Corner, to foster the promotion of short films. Designed as a showcase for films and a meeting place for directors, producers and international buyers, Cannes Short Films will provide professionals with a complete panorama of young creative talent from around the world.

To round out the offering of short films and give the greatest possible number of emerging filmmakers access to the Festival de Cannes, the Short Film Corner was created in 2004 to offer producers and directors the opportunity to present their films and engage in meetings and initiatives that could be decisive for their future careers. Gathered in a single location in the heart of the Palais des Festivals, the Short Film Corner facilitates access to short films and offers an annual programme that can be tailored to individual needs, combining workshops and conferences. This year again, registrations from around the world reveal a growing interest in the short film format, with over 1,900 films registered, representing every continent. To check official site go here.

Watch some trailers, info, photos @MOC

43rd Quinzaine des Réalisateurs Lineup

A few minutes ago the last selection of Cannes 2011 was announced and this year the Directors’ Fortnight selection has some (in my opinion is very European or shall I say French?) geographic diversity while still being eclectic. There are eight first film -that still have to identify- and from all the films that still was hoping to see in Cannes this year only Ruben Östlund’s Play landed in this parallel section; so yes there are some inexcusable omissions in the complete Cannes selection but will talk about it in another post.

The Quinzaine selection includes some interesting films that surely will be controversial after their screening like for example Sion Sono’s Koi no Tsumi that’s a special screening and was described by Frédéric Boyer, Quinzaine Artistic director, as “kind of a sexual thriller”. The excellent news are that according to Boyer “this is a very good year for France, with some amazing films” as if true this year will also be another year with unbearable waiting time until I’m able to watch those “amazing films” and confirm my true love for French Cinema. Sigh.

These are the twenty-one (21) films in the main selection.

Opening Film: La Fée, Fiona Gordon, Domique Abel and Bruno Romy, France and Belgium
Closing Film: Les Géants, Bouli Lanners, Belgium, France and Luxembourg

(*)Après le sud, Jean-Jacques Jauffret, France
(*)Atmen (Breathing), Karl Markovics, Austria
Blue Bird, Gust Van den Berghe, Belgium
Busong (Palawan Fate), Auraeus Solito, Philippines
Chatrak (Mushrooms), Vimukthi Jayasundara, India and France
Code Blue, Urzula Antoniak, Netherlands and Denmark
(*)Corpo Celeste, Alice Rohrwacher, Italy, Switzerland, and France
(*)Eldfjall (Volcano), Rúnar Rúnarsson, Denmark and Iceland
(*)En Ville (Iris in Bloom), Bertrand Schefer and Valérie Mréjen, France
Impardonnables, André Téchiné, France
Jeanne Captive, Philippe Ramos, France
(*)La Fin du Silence (End of Silence), Roland Edzard, France
O Abismo Prateado, Karim Aïnouz, Brazil
Play, Ruben Östlund, Sweden, France and Denmark
Porfirio, Alejandro Landes, Colombia, Spain, Uruguay, Argentina and France
(*)Return, Liza Johnson, USA
Sur la Plance, Leila Kilani, Morocco, France and Germany
The Island, Kamen Kalev, Bulgaria and Sweden
(*)The Other Side of Sleep, Rebecca Daly, Netherlands, Hungary and Ireland

(*) First Film, competes for Camera d’Or

Special Screenings
Des Jeunes Gens Mödernes, Jérôme de Missolz, France and Belgium
El Velador, Natalia Almada, USA, Mexico and France
Koi no Tsumi (Guilty of Romance), Sion Sono, Japan
La Nuit elles dansent, Isabelle Lavigne and Stéphane Thibault, Canada

Also the selection includes fourteen (14) short films that you can check in the list here that also includes links with information, photos, etc for all films in the selection.

Yesterday was announced that the Carrosse d’Or this year will go to imprisoned Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi. There will be an empty chair symbolizing his absence and other activities including the screening of his film Offside.

Most interesting (because opens the festival to "normal" audiences) is La Quinzaine à la Bocca (the The Fortnight in the Bocca's district) a project that aims to try out an original dynamic in cultural activism aimed at an outlying quarter of Cannes that is part of a wider policy of democratization and access to culture. Linked with the Directors’ Fortnight, it aims to extend the reach of the event to the district of la Bocca.

This outreach project consists of screening films from the Directors’ Fortnight in two local cinemas (the Licorne and the Raimu) for the kinds of audiences that are often excluded from the festivities. So these audiences are not only given access to screenings but also an opportunity to meet Fortnight filmmakers and take part in screen education workshops. It is a matter of familiarizing such audiences with challenging cinematic forms, encouraging their appreciation of the films, and getting them more involved throughout the year in following the films.

Watch trailers @MOC

50th Semaine de la Critique Lineup

This year the infamous parallel section is 50 years old and their motto, 50 years of discoveries, truly describes the many extraordinary directors that made their debut at this section with the likes of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Amores Perros to Wong Kar-Wai’s As Tears Go By, Erice’s L’Esprit de la ruche, Crialese’s Respiru and so many more that you can read here.

A few hours ago organizers announced the films that this milestone anniversary conform the Selection and even when they are not yet at the site here are the seven (7) films (only first or second film) that made the Selection plus the other films that are Special Screenings and the Short Films.

The Selection

17 Filles, Delphine and Muriel Coulin, France
Avé, Konstantin Bojanov, Bulgaria and France
Las Acacias, Pablo Giorgelli, Argentina and Spain
(*) הנותנת Hanotenet, Hagar Ben Asher, Israel and Germany
Sauna on Moon, Zou Peng, China
(*) Snowtown, Justin Kurzel, Australia
Take Shelter, Jeff Nichols, USA

(*) First Film, competes for Camera d’Or (not sure about the others, so will wait to confirm)

Jury
President: Lee Chang-dong, director, South Korea

Special Screenings
Opening Film: La Guerre est déclarée, Valérie Donzelli, France
Closing Film: Pourquoi tu pleures?, Katia Lewcowicz, France
Walk away Renée, Jonathan Caouette, USA, France and Belgium
(*) My Little Princess, Eva Ionesco, France (with Isabelle Huppert!)
Mourir auprès de toi, Spike Jonze and Simon Cahn, France (short film)

Short Films

Alexis Ivanovitch vous êtes mon héros, Guillaume Gouix, France
Black Moon, Amie Siegel, USA
Blue, Stephan Kang, New Zealand
Boy, Topaz Adizes, USA
Bul-Myul-Ui-Sa-Na-Ie, Moon Byoung-gon, Korea
Dimanches, Valérie Rosier, Belgium
In Front of the House, Lee Tae-ho, Korea
La inviolabilidad del domicilio se basa en el hombre que aparece empunando un hacha, Alex Piperno, Uruguay and Argentina
Junior, Julia Ducournau, France
Permanencias, Ricardo Alves Junior, Brazil

Jury
President: Jerzy Skolimowski, actor, producer, scriptwriter and director, Poland

To check films at official site please go here. Suggest to watch video as has photos from films and also, English subtitles!

Watch Trailers @MOC

I know is extraordinary news but the more I learn about the movies in this year Cannes the more women directors I find; still it’s starting to look as if it was done “on purpose”. I really hope that’s just my twisted imagination and that all selected directors (no matter the genre) truly deserve to be in the many selections. Sigh.

Tribute Series

As we know in May, La Semaine de la Critique will celebrate its 50th year. Since 1962, La Semaine de la Critique has been unwavering in its dedication to discovering new talent through showcasing directors’ first and second feature films from all over the world. This anniversary gives us the perfect opportunity to pay tribute to all of the filmmakers who made their debuts with us.

All around the world, Festivals and Cinemas have agreed to help celebrate our 50 years of discovery, by presenting tribute series or retrospectives of important films originally selected by La Semaine de la Critique.

The tour started on March 18th at Los Angeles County Museum of Art and will travel to Lebanon, Thailand, South Korea, India, Belgium, Peru, USA, Brazil, and many cities in France. But most interesting is that MUBI will be part of the event by programming some films selected at La Semaine de la Critique over the last 20 years. Films will be available from May 12th all over the world at MUBI site. I really hope that “all over the world” means exactly what it says and MUBI has the rights to all countries and not just some.

The Posters

This year for a change I really like the posters with scenes from movies, so the poster that opens the post comes from Barbet Schroeder’s More and the following are from Bernardo Bertolucci’s Prima della Rivolozione, Wong Kar-wai’s Wang jiao ka men (As Tears Go By), Jaques Audiard’s Regarde Les Hommes Tomber and, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s Amores Perros. Enjoy!

ノルウェイの森 Noruwei no mori (Norwegian Wood)

Maybe is me and my mood, maybe are the movies I’ve choosing lately or maybe there are many movies that start so “normal” that you start to wonder why you decided to watch that much talked about movie; then suddenly out of the blue in the most unexpected moment movie and story becomes intense, takes your breath away with the most magnificent visuals and cuts right inside your self with the most spectacular original music score.

Not often have the opportunity to watch movies that so successfully use music to generate emotions but the outstanding Jonny Greenwood score plus the extraordinary use of music at the right moment by Anh Hung Tran made music score to literally go inside me, grab everything that found inside and squeeze it! That’s how good the music score could be when used at the right moment, truly extraordinary use of music in film.

When movie changes so does story that moves to the country to show the most dramatic beauty in the most outstanding framing compositions that are kept when story comes back to Tokyo making your visual, narrative and score listening very but very intense. Definitively is one of the few movies that really touch me not only from what my eyes are watching, the words and most of all, the music my ears are hearing all merged into one magnificent cinematic moment that continues one moment after the other. Superb.

But the beginning is so normal that if you start to wonder why are you watching the movie please stay as will change when you least expect it.

Outstanding performance by Rinko Kikuchi as Naoko, a role that gave her a nomination for Best Actress at the 2010 Asian Film Awards but also Kenichi Matsuyama gives a splendid performance in his normal university student moments as in his most dramatic instances. It’s not my first Anh Hung Tran film as a long time ago I discovered his magnificent The Scent of Green Papaya and if any of you have watched this movie you will recall his particular narrative rhythm while watching first part of film, but nothing prepares you to when he moves story to the country that perhaps because story happens in Japan, his style absolutely recalls the style of contemporary Japanese directors like for example, Naomi Kawase. Beautiful but very beautiful to watch.

According to what I read story is not the same as the one told in the book that inspired Anh Hung Tran’s screenplay, so maybe it’s better to say that Haruki Murakami’s novel gave Hung Tran an idea to create a different tale. Film tells about three young kids that grew and went to school together; we have Kizuki that knows Naoko since they were 3-years-old, kiss in 6th grade and now older teenagers are in love. The third is Kizuki’s best friend Toru Watanabe and the three do almost everything together. Story is told by Toru and when Kizuki commits suicide Toru leaves town, as far as he could; cut to the sixties, the Vietnam war, Tokyo, with Toru being at university, see his everyday life, the student protests, his love of books, his solitary attitude, and his sex experimenting. Everything is flat, robot-like life until one day he sees Naoko and yes, everything changes in the story and in the movie. Is a love story, a beautiful told not really happy but with a happy ending (maybe?) story.

Movie premiered in competition at 2010 Venice and traveled the fest circuit but surely the most deserved honor is winning Best Cinematography at the 2011 Asian Film Awards. A must be seen film for those that enjoy Japan set beautiful art cinema done by a renown French Vietnamese director and in my opinion seems that film will be more enjoyable if you haven’t read novel by Muramaki as story will be new which will allow to more easily admire the complete package of narrative, visuals and music score.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC