Film Review Six: "Beauty"

Beauty is the Beast

Director: Oliver Hermanus

Distributor: MK2 S.A

Lead Actors: Dean Lotz, Michelle Scott, Charlie Keegan

Running Time: 99 minutes

            Beauty, a South African film in majority Afrikaans, is by far one of the worst films I have ever seen. Director Oliver Hermanus creates a sick, twisted character who commits something unthinkable, and the film is a mere boring vessel to showcase his doings.  

François (Deon Lotz) is a working-class, married man with college-age children. He lives in an empty nest with his wife Elena (Michelle Scott), and the two seem about as interested in each other as a toddler is in reading the Wall Street Journal.

Snooze.

            There is a probable reason for their lackluster marriage. François is leading a life not fit for him, and is not able to express his true self in society. He settled for a life with a woman—traditional and acceptable. Yet, early in the film the viewer sees that François finds his ways of dealing with his unfit life. On his lunch break, François drives to a house where a group of men are drinking beer in the kitchen. It becomes apparent that this midday rendezvous is not your typical rugby game get together.

The camera cuts to the group having sex in the bedroom, and this scene is shown in great detail. There is porn playing on the television, lots of sound, and all sorts of sex. Although a few quick shots would have gotten the point across, the camera stays fixed upon the different couples far too long—it is gratuitous not for its content but for its lack of importance in the narrative. This drawn-out scene does not cause the audience to feel anything for François or to identify with him.

Hermanus makes more than clear the double life that he is leading.

            However, it is not only François who is seeking love in other places. The first instance of his voyeurism is when he discovers that Elena is having an affair as well—she leaves a man’s house laughing and beaming as she gets in her car, François watching from his truck. This is pointless, however, because it is never revisited or further developed. The scene’s only purpose is to add to the slow-moving, unimportant sludge that is this film. The often static camera focuses on what François is watching and his reactions, and they are not very intriguing.

            Unfortunately, his detective work continues. François goes on to stalk his “nephew” Christian (Charlie Keegan) who is the son of his good friends. He follows him to school, watches his interactions, and even aims to ruin Christian’s friendship with his own daughter. François radiates a heavy, aggressive desire for Christian that must be fulfilled, much to our chagrin. In so many words, François is a quasi-incestuous stalker who turns violent.

Just as the initial sex scene is too long, so is the rape scene—the film’s climax. 

François’ pent up desires lead to this portion of the narrative that is not so much the pinnacle of the work, but the only action in the movie. The sluggish pace makes the god-awful rape scene that much more jarring. Every minute of the rape is shown, and it is the most violent I have ever scene. The film gives nothing and then gives too much—an unwanted gift.

            The most frustrating aspect of the film is that it could have been meaningful; there are traces of substance. François’ inability to live his life as a gay man—who he was born as—leads to repression and rage, which could bring to light the ramifications of a restrictive, non-accepting society. An important issue worthy of much attention, this film is not a tool for raising consciousness. Hermanus botched the potential of the work by making it boring and repulsive. Replace the story with any other character and it would still be just as off-putting. Beauty came somewhat close to meaning something, but failed.

            While the film is a nauseating train wreck, it does have its few strong points. Every character’s acting is believable, especially the performance given by Lotz. His job was to play a demented rapist, and he sure delivers. He is broken, torn and warped. While we feel no sympathy, we understand exactly who his character is. Yet, I wish we had never had the displeasure of meeting.  

            Adding insult to injury, the concluding shot is beyond obvious and unnecessary: François drives down a spiral in a parking deck, blatant symbolism for his demented, unraveling state. The film follows right behind him in his downfall towards destruction—just as it should.      

Wrapping up the festival

-Saturday May 21

My Saturday began with one of the most disturbing movies I have ever seen. Beauty, a South African film by Oliver Hermanus, was uneventful and slow up until a horribly violent scene. I wish I had those two hours back in my life. Luckily for me, though, I was in for a much better film next. Drive, the film by Nicholas Winding Refn and starring Ryan Gosling, was being screened. It wasn't completely what I was expecting, but it was certainly entertaining and fun to watch. It was a breath of fresh air after all of the horribly depressing, disturbing films I had seen at the festival. Drive had its unexpected violent moments, but it was awesome and different. So glad I got to hear the director (and Ryan!) just a few days prior. 

After the rest of the day in Cannes, there was a surprise movie on the beach. They set a big screen up in the sand with lots of chairs, and they gave out warm blankets.

  

Here's Lily, Sophie and me bundled up waiting for the movie to start. Lot's of boats were lit up out on the water--very pretty.


There was an interview with Jane Fonda screened before the movie, Corman's World, was screened. It was a documentary on director Roger Corman. It was very interesting and had people like Jack Nicholson talk about working with him in the past.

After the movie these twin boys were entertaining people walking by. Here is one posing for me--afterwards he smiled, gave me a little salute and ran off with his brother. 

Even though some people were up for going out after the movie, I was exhausted. I headed back to JLP and kind of regret it--Chelsea got to meet Kirsten Dunst in the Majestic bar, and told her that she thought her dress was pretty. Kirsten replied with "thank you, you're so cute." 

-Sunday May 22

Sunday was a bittersweet day. While it was the last day of the festival, which was an amazing experience, I was ready for a little bit of R&R. My day started off with finally seeing The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick. Walking into the theater I was very excited, but also nervous because of the horror stories of the opening screenings: apparently, people walked out, booed and yelled at the premiere. This made me really upset--this film was the one I was most excited about seeing before coming to the festival. I took my seat in the back of the theater and waited for it to begin. Let's just put it this way: when I left the theater, I had tears streaming down my face. Not from sadness, but from amazement at how beautiful the film was (See trailer below) and what a personal impact it had on me. It is the best film I saw at the festival.

After watching The Tree of Life alone, which I'm glad I did, it was time to get in line for the new Pedro Almodovar film called The Skin I Live In. It was nothing like I had expected from the teaser trailer, but I really had no idea what to expect. It was such a cool, unusual movie to wrap up my time at the festival. Take a look:

After the film, a lot of people in the group decided to stay in Cannes to try to get into the closing ceremonies. Yet another possible regret, I decided to head back to JLP. I was seriously running on low battery and just needed to head back and sleep, and I figured I would learn of the winners of the festival anyway. Sure enough, as I was eating dinner I learned that The Tree of Life won the Palme d'Or, the top prize at Cannes. Kirsten Dunst won best actress, which I was happy about but a little surprised after seeing Tilda Swinton's performance in We Need to Talk About Kevin. Nicholas Winding Refn won best direction for Drive. All in all, I was happy with the winners and it was so great to have seen the films!

Class started the next morning, so I was in bed early to get ready for my 8:30am wake up. At the moment, I'm about to go get some soft serve ice cream. Stay tuned for updates from the last week of classes and my travel weekend! 

Here's a teaser, and my new French haircut!

I'm Determined...

...to catch up to present day in this post! So, here it goes.

First of all, there's something I forgot. On Wednesday before hearing Ryan Gosling speak, I snapped a picture of Faye Dunnaway at the American pavilion. This was just after the waiter had spilled drinks all over her table:

-Wednesday Night May 18
Wednesday night was my FIRST red carpet premiere. That's right...my begging finally paid off! I put on my dress my grandmother got me (Hi Mimi!), made my begging sign, and waited outside of the Palais. Ten minutes later, a man came up to me and gave me two tickets! It was the best feeling. Lily and I were in! Soon after, Sophie got a ticket as well. Then, it was off to the red carpet and into the Lumière to choose our seats

    

Sophie and Lily begging for their tickets.

The red carpet!

Photo Sophie took of me after walking the red carpet steps!

Kirsten Dunst walking the red carpet right outside the theater. 

Melancholia is certainly one of the best films I saw at the festival. It was so great to be in the theater with the people who made the film, and I was left blown away. It was beautiful and eerie, and can't wait for it's release in the U.S later in the year. After the premiere it was pretty late, so after catching a taxi back to the residence it was bed time!

-Thursday May 19
Thursday was another day filled with great speakers. Early in the morning (for a college student at least) at 10, we met with filmmaker Paul Cox in the solarium at the top of our residence. Going in expecting to hear about his films and his history, I was pleasantly surprised with something completely different from anything we had heard on the trip:

"Don't imitate life, invent life."

"Reality is riddled with dreams and unrealities."

-Paul Cox

These were just two inspiring, beautiful quotes he shared with us. He brought to light how we can make change in the world, especially through creation. I left with tears in my eyes from a story he shared not only of his kidney transplant that changed his life, but also of a personal experience he had while in the hospital. It made me realize how one's life experiences can be made into art, and how this art can go on to change the world. I hope to be this sort of filmmaker one day.

Next it was on to the American pavilion to hear from a writer at the Chicago Tribune, Michael Phillips. I had heard Michael speak in Athens before, so it was great to hear him again. He gave some great advice on writing a good film review, and shared a little about his favorites and least favorites at the festival. Even though he didn't like We Need to Talk About Kevin, one of my top 5 favorites, I cut him some slack seeing as he's a famous film critic and all.

Soon after a day filled with talks, I had a delicious pasta dinner at Casanova with Angelique and Chelsea, my future London buddies!

Thursday night it was off to the Majestic hotel, one of the more ritzy places to stay in Cannes. Big stars stay there, and I was hoping to spot one. On the last day of the festival, Chelsea talked to Kirsten Dunst and a couple years ago someone got caught in an elevator with Brad Pitt. Below are some photos at the hotel bar. I went with Will, Sophie, Lily and their friend Raven. You can see my enjoying my $30 drink (gotta splurge every once in a while!):

-Friday May 20

My second Friday at the festival began with by far the happiest movie I had seen--The Artist by Michel Hazanavivus. Want to know what's cool about this movie? It's silent. Done in ultimate 1920s style, the main characters act for as as they do in the pictures they make in the story. It was a great story, had great actors, and made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It also made me want to learn how to tap dance...

Speaking of warm and fuzzy, the best part of the day was getting to see the lead actor from one of my favorite films (A Clockwork Orange by Stanley Kubrick): Malcolm McDowell. It was truly a surreal experience. As Sophie and I rushed up the steps literally two minutes before the talk was supposed to begin, and not even knowing if we had permission to go in, we saw Malcolm standing in the doorway. We were told we could go take a seat, and I walked right past him on my way inside. Being inches away from the actor from a film I've seen nearly ten times was an out of body experience. Once seated on stage, the program began asking him his thoughts on acting and his personal experiences. They also showed clips from his films. He was charming, funny and engaging. Such a great experience. 

This experience was pretty hard to beat, and the screening of La Havre by Aki Kaurismaki didn't come close. It was an okay film and story, but it's not the best I have seen. Moving on.

That night I had a delicious pasta dinner, more than likely did some review writing, and then hit the hay. 

I know I sought out to catch up to present day in this post, but in order to give you folks something to read I think I'll save that for the next one (I've been slowly working on this for the past two days...). I'll leave you with a couple of videos: 1) Malcolm speaking about his first day of shooting for A Clockwork Orange 2) An angry French woman screaming at someone on the phone at the train station...she was peeved.

About to head to bed after an afternoon and delicious dinner in Italy. More on that later!

Film Review Five: "The Tree of Life"

The Tree of Life: A Reflection

Director: Terrence Malick

Distributor: Summit Entertainment

Lead Actors: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain

Running Time: 138 minutes

            As filmmaker Paul Cox states, “Reality is riddled with dreams and unrealities.” The reality within Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life is just this. The film’s intricate representations of dreams and memory blend together to form a surreal world. In fact, this world is solely dreams and unrealities.  

            Not a novice to directing or screenwriting, Malick’s newest film is truly a work of his own. The film has a rather loose narrative that deals with the dynamics of a southern family, flashing between decades of time. In present day, Jack O’Brien (Sean Penn) mourns on the anniversary of his brother’s death—he was killed as a soldier in the war when he was nineteen. When this news is first received, Mr. O’Brien (Brad Pitt) and Mrs. O’Brien (Jessica Chastain) face the difficulties and regrets of losing a child. Their worries and wishes compose much of the spoken word in the film, urging acceptance and peace.

Just as Mr. O’Brien explains to his three sons, the word subjectivity means it comes from your own mind. Terrence’s work is subjectivity defined: personal thoughts, prayers and memories are whispered throughout the film, played over such wondrous images as ocean tides, a boy swimming through his house underwater, and cavernous spaces. It is a series of the characters’ relflections.

Because the minimal storyline in the film focuses on a family tragedy, one may wonder as to why there is a lengthy sequence of nature shots towards the middle of the film. Comets crash into earth, cells form, exotic fish swim and dinosaurs roam. Dinosaurs?

Yes, dinosaurs.

However out of place this portion of the work may seem, it is an answer—an answer to Mrs. O’Brien’s questions of where we come from, and who is listening when we need them. Meaning aside, it is a wonderful series of natural beauty that one marvels at. Mrs. O’Brien asks and we are shown the answers—the beginnings of life as we know it.  

The most flooring aspect of the film is that it displays visions of the past as one imagines it in the mind, which is not an easy task. As I watched the film alone, I realized what a very personal experience I was having with The Tree of Life. Places from our childhood turn into distant, foreign yet all the while familiar realities; much like a dream, it is hard to discern between past truths and imaginations. This is the connection I made with the film, as well as why it brought me to tears. The work is a lovely visual representation of the relationship one has with the past, as well as to their personal thoughts.

Yes, it is a long film.  Many may argue that it should have been an hour shorter or not have been made at all. But, it is the work’s length that makes it that much more of a dream sequence. The reflections of four people are expressed throughout the film, something that certainly takes a great amount of time to express fully.

Another theme explored in Malick’s work is that of identity and how it changes over time. In the gorgeous final sequence of the film, on an unidentified beach Jack meets with his younger self (Hunter McCracken). They seem content with one another and Jack rejoices with his parents, and several others assumed to be from his entire life. They commune and comfort one another. They find release.

This release is finally found after a stream of consciousness journey. From the beginning of the world, the story jumps to Mr. O’Brien spraying his sons with the garden hose and to the young boys learning to talk—from dinosaurs to piano lessons. It is this fact that the film is not so much a story as it is a reflection, a scattered line of thought. It’s a work of art.

            The Tree of Life is riddled with dreams and unrealities, and we see it on every limb.

French Dog Takes a Dip

Here's a video I took of a dog playing fetch in a fountain--right in the heart of Cannes.

Catching Up...

After my delicious dinner on Monday, it was back to JLP to catch some Z's and rest up for another day at the festival. On to the next day...

-Tuesday May 17

My day began with a breakfast at Pan and Cake, a little cafe across the street from our residence. It's run by a sweet family that loves practicing English, and it has good food. Win-win!

Here's my typical breakfast. The best part: French bread. Lots of French bread.

 After eating, it was off to a screening in Cannes, but one unlike any of the films I had seen. An Israeli film called The Slut, I didn't have much expectations going in. Yet, I wasn't prepared for what a truly awful film it was. I nearly fell asleep, and it had a terribly disturbing ending that made me feel ill. Nothing that a delicious lunch and some souvenir shopping couldn't fix! After eating (which I seem to do a lot of over here), it was on to another Israeli movie called Footnote. It won best screenplay today (Sunday the 22nd) in the festival, and it seemed like a great film...but I ended up leaving early. I was dozing off and I guess just wasn't in the mood for its type of film. I will catch it on DVD in the states for sure!

After leaving the theater, I made a quick pit stop at the American pavilion to hop online. Here's what the pavilion looks like:

To the left of this there's a food stand and a conference room where speakers (one being Ryan Gosling...more on that later!) come. Out beyond the tables is the beautiful Mediterranean filled with yachts.

Although it's hard to remember for sure, the rest of my night was more than likely spent writing film reviews and catching up on emails, etc.

-Wednesday May 18
This day was one of the most exciting days of the festival. Here's why:

Yep, that's Ryan Gosling.

Nicholas Winding Refn: Director of "Drive" in competition at Cannes.

Who needs to see a movie when you can see a movie star? I didn't see any films on this day, but it was well worth it. The group heard from two directors early in the day, one being Oliver Schmidt who has directed/worked on many projects, including a vignette in Paris, Je T'aime. Director Jeff Nichols spoke to us as well, focusing on how he got a start in the industry and what's important in getting where you want to be. His movie screening at the festival was called Take Shelter. I didn't get a chance to see it, but it got great reviews. 

After the talks, I took a quick shopping break and got a new sun dress (which I needed like a hole in the head). After this, it was on to see Ryan Gosling! First in line in the hot sun at the American Pavilion, I got to see an actor I've been admiring for years. He and director Nicholas Winding Refn were talking about their film in competition at the festival called Drive. I saw the film a couple of days ago and really liked it--it was entertaining, but nothing like I expected. 

This song was played several times in the movie, and it will forever be stuck in my head. "A reeeeal humaaan beeeing, and a reeeal heeeero."

Film Review Four: "Melancholia"

*Disclaimer: Sorry for the font change halfway through, technical difficulties...

Melancholia: A Grand Finale

Director: Lars von Trier

Lead Actors: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland

Distributor: Trustnordisk

Running Time: 130 minutes

            The apocalypse has been portrayed in several films over time. An asteroid is headed toward earth and modern technology comes to the rescue—long live mankind. But, what happens when nothing is there to save the day?

Lars von Trier’s Melancholia.  

            Within the first ten minutes of the film, it is made clear how it is going to end. And, it is these opening moments that are the most extraordinary in the entire work. Justine (Kirsten Dunst) floats down a stream donning a wedding gown and veil, emptily staring into the camera. A horse kneels before a star-filled sky, Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) desperately tries to run on an empty golf course clutching her son. What gives one chills is that all of these images, along with others, are in extreme slow motion and combined with a haunting, epic score that is used throughout the film; there is a great sense of restraint, like trying to scream and not being able to utter a sound.

This sense of helplessness is repeated throughout the entire film—coping with the end of the world wouldn’t leave one empowered. The intro sequence is mesmerizing and beautiful, and just as the story is told during this time, so is the general feel of the film.

            It all begins with a wedding, and an unusual one at that. The bride would rather take a bath, roam the golf course or nap than dance and celebrate with her guests. Justine has just married Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) and something is off. She hides from the wedding party, ventures on the grounds of her sister Claire and brother-in-law John’s (Keifer Sutherland) massive property. Claire desperately tries to keep Justine from falling into a bout of panic and depression as Justine expresses that she feels trapped. On her happiest day, she is quite melancholy.

            Yet, this is only Part One.

            A complete role reversal occurs in the second half of the film, and the work takes a new direction. Mastered through the excellent performances of the actor’s, Part Two of the film shifts to Claire’s perspective. While at first the rational force in the sisters’ relationship, she turns into a nervous wreck as Justine takes on a calm attitude of indifference. Claire is frantic over the possibility of the planet, Melancholia, colliding with earth and the end of life as she knows it. John, a scientist, assures her time and time again that the planet is not going to hit. We want to believe his claims just as much as Claire wishes to.  

            The world in the film is an eerie one. Claire and John’s home, where most of the story takes place, is isolated and devoid of a specific location. The characters are distant from any sort of civilization—they are alone. Because of this isolation, the end of the world is that much more frightening. The camerawork creates this sense of alienation in many of the scenes; with almost a documentary feel, there are several zoom-ins on the action, especially character reactions. It’s as if we are visitors to a foreign planet other than our own. It is familiar, yet distant.

            This loneliness exudes from Kirsten Dunst in her excellent performance. She calls life on earth “evil,” and asserts that even planet earth is alone: she states there is nothing else in the vast universe other than human suffering. This gloom, apathy and then acceptance is easy to understand given the situation the characters face. 

This idea is woven into the film’s very structure, a mark of mastery for von Trier.

Part One: marriage. Part Two: paranoia and dread. The union of these two different stories in the same film parallels the idea of union throughout. Justine and Michael’s marriage ends in disaster, just like the collision of Melancholia and planet earth.

Perhaps the best way to describe my personal experience with Melancholia would be of great impact. During the film, I sat awestruck by its sheer magnitude as well as its uniquely beautiful imagery.

The theater was rumbling upon the film’s conclusion, as if the apocalypse was upon the audience members—it was certainly a visual as well as physical experience. I thought about the film for hours—and then days—after I left the theater. The performances given made me contemplate how I would personally deal with the end of the world, and if I agreed with the film’s statements on life. It made me wonder.

 Looking up at the sky upon exiting the theater, Melancholia raced through my mind and on into my dreams. The end of the world, a rather terrifying idea, was brought to the forefront of my thoughts. Lars von Trier, despite his more than questionable statements, made a wonderful film. I never could have imagined the end of the world as being so beautiful.

Film Review Three: "Oslo, August 31st"

Oslo, August 31^st: An Urban Vignette

Director: Joachim Trier

Lead Actors: Anders Danielsen Lie

Distributor: The Match Factory

Running Time: 96 minutes

            One of the most beautiful aspects of film is that, in such a brief amount of time, an intricate story may be told. Writer and director Joachim Trier’s Oslo, August 31^st is the quintessential example of this phenomenon.

A quick glimpse into the life of one man, Anders (Anders Danielsen Lie) Trier’s second feature film gives us a mere ninety-six minutes of one day. This life is one riddled with thoughts of suicide and struggling with addiction, but full of hope and pleasantness. Trier gives us a lovely quasi-vignette that takes the audience through feelings of happiness, sympathy and disheartenment. One traverses across this spectrum of emotions scene by scene, while being able to fully connect with the main character.  

Anders is a man in his early thirties who has just come out of rehab. He is looking for a job and to reconnect with family and friends with whom he has lost touch. During the course of this rediscovery of past relationships, one theme becomes apparent: no one is perfectly happy in the life they lead, no matter what kind it may be. Anders finds that his friends are struggling, just as he is, with finding themselves and what they want; recovering drug addict or middle-class father of two (a friend Anders visits), everyone has their trials and tribulations in the city. It is as if Oslo is another character in the film, providing the backdrop for these people to interact as well as being the one true connection between them and all of their problems.

 The film opens with several different shots of Oslo paired with off-screen voices speaking about their relation to and memories of the city. The shots appear handheld, amateur and grainy, adding an individual feel to the opening moments of the work. Juxtaposed with the rather calm aesthetic of the rest of the film, these opening images serve to show that the film is a personal narrative. From the onset, memories, experiences and environment are introduced and remain throughout.

            Just as the beginning of the film illuminates the city’s importance, the film’s conclusion does so as well. Several shots of the city with its various sounds conclude the film. Oslo—the city—is a place where several people have stories to tell everyday, one of which comprises Trier’s work.

            Amongst the masses, there are individuals.

Leaving near death behind in nature, in the countryside, the city seems to breathe life into Anders. Oslo urges him to push through the day-long journey we are shown, and he marches on.   This march is to the rhythm of Anders’ own beat because the city, like most of those he comes in contact with, is an old, encouraging friend.

One of the most poignant elements of the film is the soundtrack. Filled with youth and spirit, the selected compositions bring an air of vivacity to the images displayed on screen. As Anders takes a cab into the city, an upbeat song plays over the radio as the camera scans the skyline through the window from his point of view. As if it were gradually coming to life, the music becomes louder and louder, mirroring Anders’ condition upon re-entering the life he used to lead. The chosen music allows the audience member to connect with the main character and allows Anders to seem like a real, everyday person.

While the film does not have the appearance of the French New Wave at first glance, Trier’s work is rather reminiscent of Agnes Varda’s Cleo From 5 to 7. Not only does music play an important role in both films in illuminating the characters’ situations, but the two works also follow one day in the life of the main character. This day is filled with gradual self-discovery and awareness, the characters finding out what is best for them, and how they wish to continue living their lives. Much like Cleo, Anders roams the city attempting to map out where he is headed.

Oslo, August 31^st is the French New Wave meets modern Norway, and it is done very well. 

 While the ending may leave one dismayed or confused with Anders’ ultimate decision, we are left wondering and are enthralled along the way. One of the most remarkable effects the film had on me is that it allowed me to partake in the life of someone very different than myself. Like many films, it allowed me to escape my own life and dive right into another’s.

Yet, Oslo August 31^st is not like many films. It is its own creation. I felt that I was given a believable, beautifully simplistic portrayal of someone struggling in ways that I might not be able to empathize with, but that I can be fascinated by.

The production elements of the film add to this sense of realism in that the story is simply told; no fancy camera movements, no flashy editing—just story. There is nothing particularly striking about the techniques implemented in the film other than that they do not distract. The cinematography is smooth, the editing is logical and the locations are true to the narrative. The simplistic approach taken by Trier allows the audience to be enveloped by the film and to forget that they are watching a movie.

Yet, Oslo, August 31^st calls for the utmost attention. Anders and the city are one, are alive, and this simple yet creative representation of a normal life of one man is a true mark of merit. Trier makes ordinary extraordinary by simply letting a story be told.  

Film Review Two: "The Slut"

The Slut: A Filthy Bhore

Director: Hagar Ben-Asher

Lead Actors: Hagar Ben-Asher, Ishai Golan, IchoAvital

Distributor: Films Distribution

Running Time: 87 minutes

            Imagine a film that moves at the pace of a snail. Now, imagine one that is gratuitous and has no clear purpose.The Slut by Hagar Ben-Asher is this film and so much less.

A poorly executed filmnot only because of Ben-Asher’s direction, but because of her screenplay—as well as her acting—The Slut follows Tamar (Hagar Ben-Asher) who works at a chicken farm throughout her several sexual exploits. The film is slow, and tries desperately to be artistic when it has no substance behind it. Artistry may never be confused with unnecessary sex scenes and a lacking story.

The film begins with the camera tracking over a barren rural landscape of dirt hills anddung heaps, stopping on the massive legs of a horse. The horse starts to run and is suddenly hit by a car, foreshadowing the direction the film goes on to take: something rather ordinary ending in disaster. It is in this same bleak landscape where we are introduced to Tamar, with a man, and from the onset it is shown what she does best. She pleasures the village’s men time and time again, to the point where they come to expect it from her. She pays the man who fixes her bicycle with sexual favors, and does so for every man she seems to come in contact with. These exploits compose the majority of the film, and they are just as uninteresting and uncomfortable as they are pointless.

Painfully blatant and obvious, Tamar is the film’s title.

These males that she services are not her only company, however: she also has two daughters. Instead of adding depth to her character, the young girls demonstrate just how vapid she is. Tamar casts them to the wayside, letting them raise themselves for the most part—except when Shai (Ishai Golan) comes into the picture. A presumedflame from the past, Shai the veterinarian returns to the village to deal with his mother’s passing and the two seem to fall in love. A common progression of story in many films—the rekindling of old romance blossoming into a lasting relationship—The Slut takes this common idea in a ridiculous, disturbing direction that does anything other than offer an interesting take on the idea.

Despite the film’s negative points, there could be a glimmer of hope in this dung heap of a movie. Perhaps attempting to posit a feminist argument, the film does seem to demonstrate elements of female sexual freedom and independence, Ben-Asher being a female director possibly supporting this claim. Tamar is a working single mother, and she does exercise her right to reproductive choices and controlling her own body. She looks out for her own interests, but maybe too much so.

Even the female audience member cannot possibly empathize with or feel for Tamar’s character. She is selfish and ungrateful, especially for the role Shai assumes in her family. The positive representations of female power are thrown out the window when she not only chooses to sleep with the village’s men over Shai, the almost father of her unborn child, but when she thrusts her daughters upon him—the unsuspecting babysitter.

Tamar is not empowered; she is pathetic and destructive.

The feminist façade is ruined not only by Tamar’s actions, but also by the sickening ending that comes out of left field. We are left stunned after a slow hour and a half and walk away totally disturbed beyond belief. We are bored into submission and then slapped in the face with the film’s conclusion, as if Ben-Asher intended to assault her unsuspecting audiences. The film is so void of meaning that the twist, nausea-inducing ending is unwarranted and only adds to its mediocrity.

While Tamar’s character evokes no emotional attachment, Golan’s performance does help create some amount of complexity in the film. The viewer feels for his struggle because, from what is shown of him, he is kind and patient with Tamar’s family. Tamar betrays him, and it is the closest one comes to an emotional reaction to the film. However, this connection to his character is also ruined by the storyline demanded of Ben-Asher’s script; any amount of merit Golan adds to the film is discredited overall.

The production value, like the other elements of the film, is also lackluster. While the repeated slow tracking used in almost every scene is at first intriguing, leaving one waiting for a payoff or for revelation(as well as a possible mark of authorship), it is erased by the horrible storyline: nothing is ever revealed. For example, in one moment Shai leaves the frame to reveal his empty front yard, the camera tracking slowly in on nothing—pointless, and this occurs in almost every scene. The camera captures the drab scenery that mirrors the miserable experience the characters, as well as the audience, have during the course of the film. There is little dialogue, and no striking shots or imagery.

Not the most pleasant of titles, perhaps I should not have been surprised when it left me more than displeased. The film may have even lived up to its title, whoring itself out to audiences by costingthem money, time and their appetite. Upon leaving the theater I was floored by a grab bag of negative emotions that were not worth the cost.

The Slut is a filthy bore. 

As of Late

The past several days have been a complete blur. Keeping busy and having a great time really does make you lose track of time! Since my last post, I've seen quite a few films, a few celebrities and lots more in between. Let's go day by day:

-Saturday May 14: Nighttime 

Saturday night was spent out on the town in Cannes. After I got off the train from Juan-les-Pins, I took a walk up to the castle that overlooks the entire city. It was such a gorgeous view! 

After this, I walked around the streets surrounding the castle (which is now a venue and a museum) that were what I expected European streets to look like. They were narrow, filled with cafes and houses, and very steep. It was the Europe I've always seen in the movies. Pretty hungry, I then went to grab a bite by the beach where they were just finishing the screening of a Fellini film. I walked on the beach some and saw a woman recording her dog walking around in the sand on her phone for a good 10 minutes. Bootsie was having her close-up. The American pavilion was having another party that night, so I went to it next. There was music and dancing, and I didn't end up getting to sleep until 5am. When in Cannes...

-Sunday May 15

Sunday was my day to catch up on sleep. I didn't wake up until 2:30 in the afternoon, and settled for the fact that I wasn't going to see many movies that day. I took the train into Cannes soon after I got up, and met up with some people to watch, get ready for it, 3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy. It was as ridiculous as it sounds, and I got up to leave 30 minutes into the movie.

After lounging at the American pavilion for a spell, I then came back to JLP to change for the premiere of Sean Durkin's Martha Marcy May Marlene. On the way back into Cannes, there was a train attendant on board and I hadn't bought a ticket (as I never do, and no one else does either). I quickly darted to the bathroom and spent the 10 minute ride in hiding.


Once at the Debussy theater, I joined the line with the other students and marched on in to the premiere. Elizabeth Olsen, Mary Kate and Ashley's younger sister, is the star of this film and gave a great performance. The film is about a girl who leaves a cult and struggles with the repercussions and memories of what she went through there as she comes back to the real world. It was an excellent film, and the director and actors were at the premiere! Below are Elizabeth Olsen and Brady Corbet applauding after the screening.

-Monday May 16

Monday brought yet another great screening--this time, it was The Kid with a Bike, a French film by Jean Pierre Dardenne starring Cecile De France. It's about a young boy who struggles with rejection from his father, played by Thomas Doret. It was a beautiful film and I really enjoyed it. I watched the film in one of my favorite theaters at the festival, the Salle du 60. It's on top of the Riviera building near the international pavilions and seats 400 people. The press conferences are held directly next to this theater, so in a few screenings I've heard the press being rather rowdy when a celebrity was being interviewed. I was probably next door to Brad Pitt!

The next part of the day was spent listening to female Iranian director named Marjan. It was such an interesting perspective to hear from: she emphasized what a huge influence the government has on film making in Iran, and that expression is more or less controlled. Not just any film may be shown at the festival, the government decides, and she told us that while at the festival she had to wear her hijab (even though she doesn't wish to). It was great to hear from not only a female director, but from a director of a very different culture. 

Here's I am at the top of the hotel where we've heard from several speakers. The view is beautiful!

 

A big part of the Cannes experience at the festival is begging for tickets. I thought that there would be no night more important for this than the Tree of Life premiere. I held up my sign for about an hour and a half with no luck, which left me pretty disappointed since the film was at the top of my list of ones I wanted to see--I have been drooling over the trailer for months and months. However, I settled for the fact that I would have to catch it later (besides, it got booed and people walked out of the screenings). As I was walking to meet up with people, I passed a woman doing portraits. I stopped, had one done, and ended up with a pretty great souvenir. 

 

After I had accepted defeat, I figured it was time to stuff my face--with delicious pizza. I went to one of my favorite restaurants so far in Cannes called Cafe Roma. Even though the waitress got my order wrong, walked away when I told her and didn't apologize, it still hit the spot.

It's time for bed here, so I will post more tomorrow!

Film Review One: "Sleeping Beauty"

Here is the first film review I've written for my film criticism course here in France:

Sleeping Beauty: A Viewer’s Own Dream

Director: Julia Leigh

Lead Actors: Emily Browning, Ewen Leslie, Rachael Blake

Distributor: Entertainment One Films International

Running Time: 101 minutes

            Upon viewing Julia Leigh’s first film, I was left confused. Not able to wrap my head around what I had just seen, I could not figure out whether this confusion was intentional or without purpose. The Australian director’s work, Sleeping Beauty, demonstrates a defined, visually pleasing style with a lacking story. Not lacking in creativity, but in plot details and clear direction. If her following films continue on in the footsteps of her debut picture, her audiences will more than likely remain lost in a fog, a fog of bewilderment. I was not sure what I had just seen, or if I liked it overall.

In any case, Sleeping Beauty is a beautiful lullaby, with its silent score and dreamlike aesthetics that lull the viewer into a subdued state just like the main character.  

Lucy (Emily Browning) is a college age girl who is in need of money; aside from other aspects of the storyline, this we know for certain. Much different from Browning’s role in Lemony Snicket’s a Series of Unfortunate Events, Browning plays a much more mature, mysterious character. Lucy is late on rent, and may be supporting an alcoholic mother. Working in a restaurant as well as a copy room, Lucy then goes on to be a lingerie model-waitress upon responding to an advertisement in the school newspaper. This job, offered by Clara (Rachael Blake), then leads Lucy to work as somewhat of an unconscious prostitute who is not used for sex, but for the odd pleasures of older men. This is perhaps the most uncomfortable aspect of the film in that we are forced to witness a childlike woman, played to a tee by Browning, be powerless to the whims of these unusual clients. She is small, with an innocent appearance of purity. Lucy peacefully sleeps (after willingly drinking a drugged cup of tea) unbeknownst as to what is being done to her. It’s difficult, uncomfortable, yet captivating because of its mystery. We want to know more.

One may wonder why Lucy decides to comply with such a thing, why she does not find money elsewhere. In fact, in one of the more perplexing scenes, she burns her earnings from a night’s work, gazing into the flame. By this, it is made clear that Lucy might not be in her “careers” for only the money and might suggest a depth to her character that we are never treated to. This is the most striking aspect of the film: it makes us actively think. As soon as the credits rolled, my mind was reeling with theories and questions. The beautiful film was the foundation for intense—almost personal—reflection on our experience with Leigh’s work. Perhaps there is no complete answer, and this open-endedness is intriguing and thought provoking. Sleeping Beauty calls for participation from the audience, something few films today require.

While there are few clues in the storyline, there is an important piece to this intricate puzzle. Lucy has a rather strange relationship with the character deemed Birdmann (Ewen Leslie). She pours him cereal with vodka, she drinks vodka, they talk. They share a mysterious history. And, like the rest of the film, we must accept mere wonderment at what is happening between the two. However, there is great importance to his character, and he could be the key to the film mysteries. Lucy, devoid of much emotion at all, reacts to Birdmann and feels for him. She becomes animated when she visits his apartment and, most importantly, she cries for him. Browning unleashes pure sadness and emotion in her performance, highlighting Birdmann’s importance. However, Lucy’s strange ritual with his character ties in with the overarching feel of the film: nothing may be understood from what we are given.

            The structure of the film is disorienting, yet effective. The constant fades to black and fade ins create a sense that the viewer themselves are simultaneously waking and drifting off to sleep. Yet, one does not want to miss a thing. With each fade I was left yearning for more story, more clues as to what was happening behind the creamy cinematography. Along with this stylistic technique, a facet of the film that cannot be ignored is its extreme silence. It is as if Leigh was attempting to create an environment ideal for sleeping in the theater itself, as the film makes one hesitant to even breathe so as not to break the silence.

The film is barren. The rooms, much like the characters, are sterile. They are stark and devoid of color, all subdued to an eerie soft glow. The appearance reflects the storyline. It lures us in and tempts us relentlessly.

While Leigh may have been a bit too vague in writing the screenplay and directing for her first film, it does demonstrate great artistry and originality—it is left up to interpretation, the story able to be formed by the thoughts of the viewer. Sleeping Beauty is a baffling dream we do not want to wake from.   

Is This Real?

The last couple of days have been quite a rush! I'm currently coming down off of a complete happiness high. More on that later...

Thursday after I rode into Cannes I saw a three films: a Spanish film called Cousinhood, a documentary by Werner Herzog called Cave of Forgotten Dreams, and a film by Gus Van Sant called Restless. In short, Cousinhood was cute and entertaining, Cave of Forgotten Dreams was visually stunning and Restless was okay. I thought the beginning was weak (as well as the story overall...too sappy) but the ending had me tearing up and made up for my initial reaction. However, the best part of the Restless screening was this:

Gus Van Sant, Mia Wasikowska, Henry Hopper, Jason Lew (writer) and Bryce Dallas Howard (producer) were at the premiere. Adrien Brody and Rachel McAdams were also in attendance, both of whom I saw. Such a great night!

After a Friday filled with seeing Sleeping Beauty (disturbing, confusing, but beautiful) and We Need to Talk About Kevin, last night I was at the same party as John C. Reilly and Ezra Miller, both actors in Kevin. This film completely crushed me and was pretty difficult to get through, but it was beautifully done. It should be coming to the states soon if it gets picked up, and I would see it again in a heartbeat.

Here's John C. Reilly soon after he arrived to the "Queer Party" at the American Pavilion in Cannes (he wasn't taking photos with people, but seemed very nice):

Here I am with Ezra Miller. He was a crazy dancer!

After the party, a group of the other girls and I caught a cab back to Juan-les-Pins. It was very late, and I didn't get to sleep until 4am. Six hours later, I was up and ready to head back into Cannes! 

The day started off with seeing a French film called Iris in Bloom. It was very short, yet a little slow. Overall I enjoyed it. Lunch at a cafe followed, then the rest of the students and I attended a talk by filmmaker Jonathan Caouette. He was very down to earth and was great to listen to. Right after hearing him speak, we all headed over to the U.K pavilion to hear Tilda Swinton speak right on the beach, which was amazing! It was especially great because I had seen her most recent film just the day before. She emphasized how important people are in the film industry, and told us that collaborations are of the utmost importance to her when choosing projects. She was a great person in the industry to get to see.

After the talk, it was off to do some shopping. I'm about to head back into Cannes for dinner and nightlife even though there is so much left to tell. I will do so as soon as I can! Before I go, here is a photo of me with one of the several yachts in Cannes. Behind me is a beautiful church that looks like a castle up on the hill: