The 2009 Cannes Film Festival runs, on paper, from May 13-24, but in reality it, really runs from the 14-23, as that’s when the in-competition screenings begin and end. So today is really the mid-way point of the festival and so far, it’s feeling like a weak crop this year (it’s already Tuesday here, we’re in the future). One of the film’s expected to make a mark at the festival, Lars Von Trier’s “Antichrist,” did make a splash, but it sounds like it polarized everyone into love or hate it experiences. Still, that’s potentially something Cannes panels like, voting for daring films, but it still feels like an outside shot [ed. our correspondent Sam Mac says he neither loved or hated it, I see it tmw].
We haven’t written all our reviews yet (or most of them), but Jane Campion’s “Bright Star” sounds like the forerunner so far (it’s beautiful and fully realized) and word of mouth is very strong for Jacques Audiard’s prison drama, “Un Prophete” which we unfortunately missed.
So far everything in the Out Of Competition section has been ungood to say the least which does not augur well for Terry Gilliam’s “The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus” which is also featured in this section. The goofy “Drag Me To Hell,” is a lark that shouldn’t even be at Cannes, “Agora” is an overlong history lesson of on the rise of Christianity in 391 AD (they’re gonna have to market it as “Gladiator” to be at all successful) and the amnesia/doppelgänger mystery, “Don’t Look Back” (“Ne Te Retourne Pas”) by Mariana de Van and starring Monica Belluci and Sophie Marceau was pretty ridiculous and laughable – like a French made for TV movie (and god, there’s sleep to be had and reviews to be written, what are we doing?)
As you’ve read from us already, Bong Joon-Ho’s “Mother” was strong, but is out of competition, Park Chan-Wook’s “Thirst” was a mild-to-heavy disappointment depending on your standards, “Tetro” had a charming, nostalgic hue, but was far from perfect and “Taking Woodstock” was semi-soulful, but mild, mostly ineffectual entertainment.
Almost all Cannes films, even some at a decent one hour and forty five minutes have been marked by films that go on for too long. Johnny To’s balletic, violence opera, “Vengeance” was mostly solid, but it felt about two scenes too long. “Thirst,” “Taking Woodstock,” and Mother” were all too as well; and note it’s nothing to do with running time itself, we could’ve probably watched another hour of the Fanny Brawne story of “Bright Star,” it’s that most films felt like their story was completed, but persisted anyhow. Also, what’s up with all the car crashes? We’ve seen about 4-5 films with prominent car crashes in them.
We have a hunch that Ken Loach’s celebratory dramedy, “Looking For Eric,” is going to get some kind of award at Cannes. It’s probably too light for the Palme, but a jury prize or the Grand Prix? As of right now it feels in reach. Not so much for Brillante Mendoza’s neo neo-realist/cinema verite-like, “Kinatay,” about a young Phillipino drawn into the ruthless underworld of Manila for seemingly no reason – we walked out of it after an excruciatingly laborious hour that put the plot in motion, but was seemingly a one-track, murky shot on the road to nowhere. We don’t feel bad either. Life is too short for poor movies when you’re constantly sleep-deprived. Our only wish is we would have walked out sooner.
Let’s not be too hasty though. Still to come to maybe raise the festival above a luke-warm grade are “Inglourious Basterds,” Michael Haneke’s “The White Ribbon,” Gasper Noe’s “Enter The Void,” and Gilliam’s ‘Doctor Parnassus’ (early Spanish reviews have already suggested that “Broken Embraces” is minor Almodovar), but unfortunately, we’re probably going to miss all those aside from Tarantino’s sure-to-be at least audacious WWII film [ed. Though Sam will still be here]. Here’s hoping our last few days are covered with richer material.