Films Divide Critics Ahead of Awards Weekend
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lifestyle SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2015 Movies Films divide critics ahead of awards weekend s the Cannes Film Festival bears down on its weekend Trees” tells the story of a depressed American man’s voyage awards ceremony, a look at the movies seen so far and into, and then out of, a Japanese woodland known for sui- Atheir reviews reveal deep divisions among the critics. cides. Whatever the critics might say, the decisions rest with Some are polarised on the basic question of whether cinema this year’s Cannes jury. The nine-person panel is jointly head- is more entertainment or art, while others show cultural bias. ed by American sibling director duo Joel and Ethan Coen and Another faction gives more weight to pedigree, politics or including actors Jake Gyllenhaal, Sienna Miller and Sophie aesthetics. Marceau, and directors Guillermo del Toro and Xavier Dolan. So far, broadly, US and British press and industry types are plumping for “Carol”, an American period lesbian romance lift- Hard to predict ed to Oscar heights by a flawless performance from Australian The Coen brothers could be tempted by “Sicario,” a taut star Cate Blanchett. Vanity Fair magazine said the movie “tran- thriller about a CIA anti-drug operation on the Mexican bor- scends” and achieves “something rather mighty”. But many der, where their Oscar-winning “No Country for Old Men” was continental Europeans are more seduced by “My Mother,” an set, and with the same actor, Josh Brolin. Or maybe their odd- Italian film that packs an emotional wallop as it explores a ball sensibilities will lean towards “The Lobster,” a strange, well- director’s personal and professional crises. “Able to move and received movie starring Colin Farrell in which single people raise laughter, it seems able to take the Palme d’Or,” Italian have 45 days to find a mate or be transformed into an animal. magazine Panorama wrote. Fantasy director Del Toro could be drawn to “The Tale of Tales,” an Italian movie that compiles three dark fairytales US vs European tastes powered by special effects reminiscent of his “Pan’s Labyrinth”. Two other Cannes movies-”Youth,” another Italian-directed And the actors on the jury might appreciate the leisurely per- film starring Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel and Jane Fonda formances in “Youth,” Blanchett’s tour de force in “Carol” or a ruminating about ageing, and grim Hungarian Holocaust dra- generation-spanning Chinese movie, “Mountains May ma “Son of Saul”-are also seen as worthy leading contenders. Depart”. European reviewers said they were wary of American Past juries have proved notoriously unpredictable, howev- movies that seemed too obviously to be seeking Oscar pres- er, and Cannes-lovers are left to guess for clues as to who tige, at the expense of offering a fresh or unusual perspective. might win the Palme d’Or, its runner-up Grand Prize, and the British and Americans “are maybe more sensitive to the look trophies for best director, best actor and best actress. of a film,” David Elbaz, of Radio Campus Paris, told AFP. “For Sometimes-as in 2004, when the anti-Bush documentary European critics, it’s a little more suspect.” “Fahrenheit 911” won the Palme-politics triumphs. This year, The French are showing particular affection for one of their though, the race looks more likely to be decided on the merits five films in the competition, “The Measure of a Man,” which and quality of the contenders. The Cannes Palme d’Or closing looks at home-turf unemployment. In a strong line-up, only ceremony will be held late on Sunday. — AFP one movie has been unanimously panned. Starring Matthew Actress Cate Blanchett poses for photographers as she arrives for the screening of the film Sicario at the 68th inter- McConaughey and directed by Gus Van Sant, “The Sea of national film festival. — AP Michael Fassbender on making ‘Macbeth’: ‘The Scottish film’ ichael Fassbender doesn’t know if the “Macbeth” curse carries over to movie adaptations, but he’d Mrather not test it. “The Scottish film” is what Michael Fassbender calls his “Macbeth” adaption, which is set to pre- miere Saturday at the Cannes Film Festival. He’s maintaining the theatrical superstition of not speaking the name of Shakespeare’s play - at least he wasn’t in an interview ahead of the festival. “Sometimes I say it, sometimes I don’t,” Fassbender said. “It depends on the day.” “Macbeth,” usually referred to by the euphemism “the Scottish play” by actors wary of its leg- endary spell, will be the final film to screen in competition at Cannes. Directed by Australian director Justin Kurzel and co- starring Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth, it has been eagerly awaited as the blood-soaked finale of the French Riviera festi- val, which concludes Sunday with the presentation of the Palme d’Or top prize. Although interpreting Shakespeare is a traditional rite of passage for any British Isles actor of ambition, it wasn’t a priori- ty for Fassbender, the Oscar-nominated actor of “12 Years a Slave,” “Shame” and the “X-Men” films. The film marks the first entry into Shakespeare, on stage or screen, by the German- German-Irish actor Michael Fassbender poses for a (From left) Actors Beatrice Mancini, Giulia Lazzaroni, director Nanni Moretti, actors Margherita Buy and John born, Ireland-raised Fassbender. portrait to promote his film. — AP Turturro pose for photographers as they arrive for the screening of the film Mia Madre (My Mother). — AP But the “Othello” villain Iago is his favorite Shakespeare character and “Macbeth” his favorite Shakespeare play. impressed with his French co-star, Cotillard. “For me to take it “(‘Macbeth’) wasn’t necessarily on the list, but when the oppor- on, it was, ‘OK, Shakespeare.’ But she’s French-speaking,” said tunity came up, I felt like I couldn’t turn it down,” said Fassbender. “I just thought it was incredible bravery.” No release Fassbender. “I guess it wasn’t always something I felt naturally date has yet been set for “Macbeth” in the US, but the Italy hails best Cannes Weinstein Co will release it sometime this fall. — AP comfortable, but I always thought that I could find something in it that I would have a relationship to it.”However difficult it lineup in two decades was for Fassbender to work up to “Macbeth,” he was more taly is hailing its best turnout of homegrown cinema at Cannes candidate films in English and cast international Cannes in 20 years as a sign of new life in an industry stars like Salma Hayek and Michael Caine, Leone said. “We Ithat had lost luster since the days when Rome was need to make international films like Garrone’s and dubbed “Hollywood on the Tiber”. Four Italian films are in Sorrentino’s. They have all the trappings of international competition at the world’s most prestigious film festival, cinema,” Leone said. “We need to start to export our films, which closes on Sunday. The culture ministry says this is just like they did in the golden years of our cinema.” Italy’s strongest showing since 1994. Leone said people will go to see good films in any lan- Culture minister Dario Franceschini said the selection guage, but filming in English made it easier to appeal to a showed Italian cinema was regaining the power it had dur- bigger audience because dubbing films is uncommon in ing the country’s economic boom after World War Two, large English-speaking cinema markets like the United when a generation of directors including Federico Fellini States and Britain. But amid the celebration, Moretti was won worldwide acclaim and Cinecitta’ studios brought quoted saying the turnout at Cannes was thanks to individ- stars to Rome. ual directors and producers, and Italy’s cinema industry Matteo Garrone’s action fantasy “Tale of Tales”, Paolo was “distracted”. Sorrentino’s sonorous old-age flick “Youth” and Nanni Culture minister Franceschini said the director was right (From left), Actor Riley Osborne, director Mark Osborne, actors Rio Suzuki and Mackenzie Foy pose for pho- Moretti’s semi-autobiographical “My Mother” are in the that “in Italy there have been years and years of negligence tographers during a photo call for the film The Little Prince. — AP main competition, while Roberto Minervini’s “The Other and scant interest in Italian cinema” but tax incentives and Side” shows in the Un Certain Regard section. The country state funding for the arts promoted by his government is now well-supplied with talented filmmakers and the have turned the tide. The new incentives raised the overall challenge is to export their work effectively, said Andrea tax credit for the cinema and audiovisual industry by 5 mil- Leone, who runs the film company founded by his father, lion euros ($5.58 million) and the tax credit ceiling for inter- ‘Little Prince’-inspired Spaghetti Western pioneer Sergio Leone. national productions filmed in Italy from 5 million to 10 “During the past couple of years, we have had a rebirth,” million euros. — Reuters said Leone, citing Sorrentino’s Academy Award for 2013’s “The Great Beauty” as a moment of international recogni- animation soars at fest tion. Garrone and Sorrentino were right to shoot their new animated film based on the best-selling French the Little Prince-he’s a very old man but he has all the wis- book “The Little Prince” was to premiere in Cannes dom of the Little Prince.” Making the nine-year-old girl a Aon Friday, adding a touch of childhood magic to the small adult who has to rediscover her inner child helped red carpet of the movie festival.