Cannes Film Festival Round-up
David Mahmoudieh reviews the best and the worst from the 59th annual Cannes Film Festival 2006.
The Wind that Shakes the Barley (winner of the Palm D’Or)
(Ken Loach's The Wind That Shakes The Barley took
the top gong, the Palm D'Or at this year's festival)
Ken Loach finally serves up a winner at Cannes with this violent tale of the events that led up to the Irish Free State in 1921.
Loach has had seven previous films in the official selection – a record for any director – and the jury finally proved that good things come to those who wait.
No, not a pint of Guinness – rather the most prestigious filmmaking honour in Europe – the illustrious Cannes Palm D’Or. Similar to the Oscars’ Best Picture gong, only the finest internationally-appealing films find themselves worthy of such a widely coveted mantle. Killian Murphy (28 Days Later, Batman Begins) stars.
Zidane, Uu Portrait Du 21 Emme Siecle (Zidane, a 21st Century Portrait)
(Observe a genius at work in this truly
majestic piece of experimental cinema)
Zinedine Zidane, the French midfield wizard, takes centre stage and — quite literally —never leaves our sight in this riveting docudrama from filmmakers Phillippe Parreno and Douglas Gordon.
Using 17 cameras, the entire film tracks the World Cup winner throughout a Spanish La Liga match for his club, Real Madrid.
Think Sky Sports’ Player Cam, only from a multitude of angles with super-stylised slow motion and a haunting score. 90 minutes of pure footballing genius.
Babel
(The cast and crew of Babel, attending the
premier of their widely-received film)
In the vein of both of his earlier works, Amores Perros and 21 Grams, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu unleashes his latest fable of fate and the forces of life with this compelling tale of three interwoven stories spread out across the globe, all linked by a single gunshot emanating from a rifle in the Moroccan desert.
Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett give great performances in this ensemble piece which was hotly tipped to lift the Palm D’Or.
Southland Tales
(Richard Kelly, Sarah-Michelle Gellar and Dwayne
Johnson attended the film's World lumiere at Cannes)
Writer/Director Richard ‘Donnie Darko’ Kelly follows up his 2001 cult classic with this, his second film, a futuristic drama about a July 4 street party on the eve of the end of the World.
Sound familiar? As far as content, yes; there are definite shades of project Darko and similar themes on the impending threat of Armageddon.
However, in terms of delivery Kelly misses the mark somewhat, and the finished product resembles a vision too internalised and personal for anyone to understand just what Kelly’s message actually is. Critically panned, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Sean William-Scott and Sarah Michelle-Gellar star.
Les Flandres
(A still from the anomalous Flandres)
A surprise winner of the Grand Prix award, this was expected to bow out in shame following a poor reception by audiences and critics alike.
Crowds booed begrudgingly at the film’s Grand Premiere in the Palais Des Festival, and it wasn’t any wonder, too.
French filmmaker Bruno Dumont handles a very interesting story in a careless manner, touching upon sensitive subjects in quite an irresponsible and gung-ho method.
The film follows a male farmer and his two friends who are called up by their nation to fight a nameless war in the Middle East. A harrowing assault on a defenceless woman in a small village ultimately leads to their demise as the enemy track them down with vengeance.
A great story and some grand individual performances, but a complete absence of music and meaninglessly long, static takes make this film quite repulsive and too selfaware of its own pompous memorandum.
© David Mahmoudieh 2006
David Mahmoudieh reviews the best and the worst from the 59th annual Cannes Film Festival 2006.
The Wind that Shakes the Barley (winner of the Palm D’Or)
(Ken Loach's The Wind That Shakes The Barley took
the top gong, the Palm D'Or at this year's festival)
Ken Loach finally serves up a winner at Cannes with this violent tale of the events that led up to the Irish Free State in 1921.
Loach has had seven previous films in the official selection – a record for any director – and the jury finally proved that good things come to those who wait.
No, not a pint of Guinness – rather the most prestigious filmmaking honour in Europe – the illustrious Cannes Palm D’Or. Similar to the Oscars’ Best Picture gong, only the finest internationally-appealing films find themselves worthy of such a widely coveted mantle. Killian Murphy (28 Days Later, Batman Begins) stars.
Zidane, Uu Portrait Du 21 Emme Siecle (Zidane, a 21st Century Portrait)
(Observe a genius at work in this truly
majestic piece of experimental cinema)
Zinedine Zidane, the French midfield wizard, takes centre stage and — quite literally —never leaves our sight in this riveting docudrama from filmmakers Phillippe Parreno and Douglas Gordon.
Using 17 cameras, the entire film tracks the World Cup winner throughout a Spanish La Liga match for his club, Real Madrid.
Think Sky Sports’ Player Cam, only from a multitude of angles with super-stylised slow motion and a haunting score. 90 minutes of pure footballing genius.
Babel
(The cast and crew of Babel, attending the
premier of their widely-received film)
In the vein of both of his earlier works, Amores Perros and 21 Grams, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu unleashes his latest fable of fate and the forces of life with this compelling tale of three interwoven stories spread out across the globe, all linked by a single gunshot emanating from a rifle in the Moroccan desert.
Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett give great performances in this ensemble piece which was hotly tipped to lift the Palm D’Or.
Southland Tales
(Richard Kelly, Sarah-Michelle Gellar and Dwayne
Johnson attended the film's World lumiere at Cannes)
Writer/Director Richard ‘Donnie Darko’ Kelly follows up his 2001 cult classic with this, his second film, a futuristic drama about a July 4 street party on the eve of the end of the World.
Sound familiar? As far as content, yes; there are definite shades of project Darko and similar themes on the impending threat of Armageddon.
However, in terms of delivery Kelly misses the mark somewhat, and the finished product resembles a vision too internalised and personal for anyone to understand just what Kelly’s message actually is. Critically panned, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Sean William-Scott and Sarah Michelle-Gellar star.
Les Flandres
(A still from the anomalous Flandres)
A surprise winner of the Grand Prix award, this was expected to bow out in shame following a poor reception by audiences and critics alike.
Crowds booed begrudgingly at the film’s Grand Premiere in the Palais Des Festival, and it wasn’t any wonder, too.
French filmmaker Bruno Dumont handles a very interesting story in a careless manner, touching upon sensitive subjects in quite an irresponsible and gung-ho method.
The film follows a male farmer and his two friends who are called up by their nation to fight a nameless war in the Middle East. A harrowing assault on a defenceless woman in a small village ultimately leads to their demise as the enemy track them down with vengeance.
A great story and some grand individual performances, but a complete absence of music and meaninglessly long, static takes make this film quite repulsive and too selfaware of its own pompous memorandum.
© David Mahmoudieh 2006
posted by David Mahmoudieh at 8:19 AM
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