Just two years ago Ken Loach was in Cannes (as he so often, thankfully, is) with a wonderful gift of a film called “The Angel’s Share”. So it was with great anticipation that I walked into the theatre to watch “Jimmy’s Hall”. But it’s just not the same. And nor, I suppose, should it be. Loach […]
Lost River Gets a Little Lost
I so wanted to love Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut ‘Lost River’…but it gets a little lost along the way. The cinematography is incredible, soaked in colours that are so Ryan Gosling you can almost sense his presence in every frame. But, almost disappointingly, he never appears. The film is definitely watchable. But somehow disappointing, and […]
Maps to the Stars…and to Fame, Family and a Powerful Film
Fans of movie stars can become dangerously obsessed. But when those fans are family…the obsession can become even more lethal. ‘Maps to the Stars’ is brilliantly and savagely executed. It’s raw and sophisticated. At times almost pornographic. Julianne Moore is insanely awesome in the role of an actress who is past her prime and desperate to cling […]
Catching Foxcatcher
‘Foxcatcher’ has to be one of my favourite movies so far in this Festival, thanks mainly to the surprise of seeing the usually comedic Steve Carell portray John du Pont, a man who lacks any humour. I knew beforehand that Carell was in the movie, but didn’t recognise him when he first appeared on the […]
Hmmm, If Only Eleanor Rigby Had Disappeared
Not Happy. I’ve just come out of ‘The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby’…and I really can’t even spoil the end for you, because I have no idea what it was meant to mean. Oh this is the kind of movie that’s so frustrating. It could have been so good. The beginning was so beautiful. It could […]
South Africa Celebrates Freedom in Cannes
South Africa has brought its 20 years of freedom celebrations to Cannes this year with a record four movies and one South African Showcase to be screened during this year’s Film Festival. Unfortunately none of the SA films have been selected for competition this year, but with these screenings they are being exposed to international buyers, agents, distributors and […]
Cannes Stars React to ‘Sugarman’ Director’s Suicide – “Life is a Beautiful Gift”
The start of the Cannes Film Festival 2014 was dominated yesterday by the sad news of the death of Malik Bendjelloul, the talented Swedish director who won an Oscar last year for his documentary about two South Africans fans searching for musician Rodriguez. A South African journalist who had interviewed 36-year-old Malik last year, was in tears […]
Nicole Kidman Responds to Monaco’s Disapproval
Australian actress Nicole Kidman has described the reaction of the Palace of Monaco to her new movie about the late Princess Grace as “awkward”. Speaking to the press today at the Cannes Film Festival, where “Grace of Monaco” will officially open the Festival tonight – but without Prince Albert II and his South African wife […]
Day 12 – Congratulations to the Award Winners!
Oh sob. I hate it when the Film Festival ends. You know this becomes your life, your world. And it’s fascinating. You’re interviewing creative people at the peak of their careers who are living their lives to the full, who are not too scared to follow their dreams. And you’re watching movies about life. Life. […]
Day 10 – A little Drained by Immigration
I wanted to love The Immigrant more than I did. Sorry. It was good. Well made. But it dragged a little. Perhaps the lighting was a little too dark. Or perhaps the subject just was so harrowing and so well portrayed that I left feeling drained. And typically, this is the one film that I […]