Friday, April 26, 2013

Dracarys


Right through the middle of the first episode from Season 3 of Games of Thrones I remembered how often frustrating it is to watch this show. But then you have these moments. And without any shame, I confess this is ultimately the reason why I watch Games of Thrones. You may love the Games, you may love the intrigue, this is not just showing the human nature through the fantasy word and on and on…but for me, it comes to this, the evolution of a scared little innocent girl turning herself into a dignified home wrecker freeing of slaves…Even though I haven’t read any of the books, I know this story will grow, she will conquer and loose, and eventually maybe die, the author is still writing isn’t he? But it’s ok, because these five minutes are worth an entire season.


Don't you just love to hear "Dracarys"?


Sometimes watching justice being made in the fantasy world could be just what you need to finish your day. I’m glad I watch Game of Thrones.
*Also glad Emilia Clarke’s beautiful innocent big green eyes exist and that the creators of this show picked her (also I’m pretty sure I would like any other actor who would have played this role, because this is pretty much how this world works, right?), but anyway, love Emilia Clarke and she’s getting better and better in this role.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Blue Jasmine

Cannes Jury 13

Christoph Waltz.

Ang Lee.

Lynne Ramsay.
"Oh my God", my response.

Vidya Balan.
Indian Actress.

Daniel Auteuil.

Cristian Mungiu.

Naomi Kawase.
Director.

Nicole Kidman.

This line up barely needs any type of introduction.
They are, of course, joining the President Steven Spielberg.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Cannes Line Up


It is always exciting. It’s always an overwhelming feeling and it keeps growing until those crazy few days full of press conferences, flashes and on and on...so imagine being there, because I’m not! There are always a few films we except, it usually has to do with the name behind the film. There are also the ones left out of the so called expected names. There are the ones you knew, but just couldn’t know they would show up. Then there are the ones who come out of nowhere, because naturally there’s got to be world wide spread and also a place for new talent. And finally I’ll probably be seeing them maybe in a year, maybe two years from now…nonetheless they all sound great and exciting.

So here we go.
Opening Film – The Great Gatsby.

Official Selection: In Competition for Palm D’Or.
“Behind the Candelabra”, directed by Steven Soderbergh. The TV movie that is supposed to be his last project.
“Borgman”, directed by Alex Van Warmerdam.

“Un Chateau En Italie”, by Valeria Bruni-Tedeshi. This is how she’ll be referred to throughout her time in Cannes, the only female director in the official selection. Her film sounds so entertaining; it’s one of those films around a family. The storyline: A family is forced to sell their Italian home.

“La Grande Bellezza”, directed by Paolo Sorrentino.
“Grisgris”, directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun.
“Heli”, directed by Amat Escalante.

“The Immigrante”, by James Gray. How many times this film’s title changed? Hmm.

“Inside Llewyn Davis”, directed by Joel & Ethan Cohen.


“Jeune et Jolie”, directed by François Ozon.
“Jimmy P”, Arnaud Desplechlin.
Michael Kohlhaas", directed by Arnaud Despallieres.
“Nebraska”, directed by Alexander Payne.

“Only God Forgives”, by Nicolas Winding Refn.

“The Past”, directed by Asghar Farhadi.
"Soshite Chichi Ni Naru", directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda.
"Tian Zhu Ding", directed by Zhangke Jia.

"Venus In Fur", directed by Roman Polanski.


"La Vie D'Adele", directed by Abdellatif Kechiche.
"Wara No Tate", directed by Takashi Miike.


Out of Competition
“All is Lost”, directed by J.C. Chander.

“Blood Ties”, directed by Guillaume Canet.


Un Certain Regard:

"Anonymous", directed by Mohammad Rasoulof.

"As I Lay Dying" directed by James Franco.
"Bends", directed by Flora Lau.
"Death March", directed by Adolfo Alix Jr.
"Fruitvale Station", directed by Ryan Coogler.

"Grand Central", directed by Rebecca Zlotowski.
"L'Image Manquante", directed by Rithy Panh.

"L'Inconnu Du Lac", directed by Alain Guiraudie.
"La Jaula De Oro", directed by Diego Quemada.
"Miele", directed by Valeria Golino.
"Norte, Hangganana Ng Kasaysayan", directed by Lav Diaz.
"Omar", directed by Hany Abu-Assad.

"Les Salauds", directed by Claire Denis.
"Sarah Prefere La Course", directed by Chloe Robichaud.

Special Screenings
"Max Rose" (dir. Daniel Noah)
"Weekend Of A Champion" (dir. Roman Polanski)
"Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight" (dir. Stephen Frears)
"Stop The Pounding Heart" (dir. Roberto Minervini)
"Seduced & Abandoned" (dir. James Toback)
"Otdat Konci" (dir. Taisia Igumentseva)
"Bombay Talkies" (dir. Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Karan Johar).

Closing Film
"Zulu", directed by Jérôme Salle.

Plenty to chew on, or better, plenty of time to build anxiety, even more because what I can wait for are words about the films, its stills and clips, maybe trailers, and finally the stars of such films. Until then, waiting and waiting.

Monday, April 22, 2013


Critics' Week 13

It was just released the film selection for the Critics' Week for the Cannes Film Festival.
In Competition we have:

Feature Films
The Lunchbox Dabba Ritesh Batra (India/France/Germany) 

For Those in Peril Paul Wright (UK) 
Le Démantèlement The Dismantlement Sébastien Pilote (Canada) 
Nos héros sont morts ce soir David Perrault (France)
Los Dueños Agustin Toscano & Ezequiel Radusky (Argentina)
The Major Yury Bykov (Russia)
Salvo Fabio Grassadonia & Antonio Piazza (Italy/France) 



Short Films:
Vikingar Magali Magistry (France/Iceland) 
Agit Pop Nicolas Pariser (France) 
Pátio Ali Muritiba (Brazil)
Come and Play Komm und Spiel Daria Belova (Germany) 
The Opportunist David Lassiter (USA)
Pleasure Ninja Thyberg (Sweden) 
Océan Emmanuel Laborie (France) 
Tau Seru Rodd Rathjen (India/Australia)
La lampe au beurre de Yak HU Wei (France/China) 
Breathe me HAN Eun-young (South Korea)


And for my own personal pleasure Adèle Haenel is indeed once again coming to the Festival. This time, for the critics' week, as a special screening and the Opening Night film Suzanne, by Katell Quillévéré.
Part of this week are also the special screenings of 'Les Recontres d'après minuit', by young french director Yann Gonzalez and the american film 'Ain't Them Bodies Saints', by director David Lowery. For more information visit the official site Semaine de la Critique.



Here's the story of 'Suzanne':
Suzanne and Maria are sisters who are extremely, indeed intensely close. They have a happy childhood despite the absence of their mother, who passed away when they were still little girls. Nicolas, their at times clumsy but loving father runs the household the very best he can, until the day that Suzanne gets pregnant...
Suzanne is played by Sara Forestier but I honestly can't say yet if Adèle Haenel is playing her sister, which is very likely to be the case. Update: Indeed, Adèle Haenel will play Maria.
Storyline from here.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Randomness

So I turn on the TV the other day and an episode of Masterchef Australia is on. It is first season and the competitors are on their way to the final. I don't mind watching because, first, SHIT look at the cake they're doing:


Can you see all those layers? Good god. Anyway, there's also Abbie .2 there:


I don't know which I would like to have more. Off course I know, what the hell, both would be great!
Coming to the end of the episode and Abbie, I mean, Justine is the one going out of the competition. Tears  sadness and more tears. In the farewell speech by one of the Judges, he says something like: "And thank you so much for being one of the brighter stars of this show."

This is not Abbie Cornish...just another Australian Bright Star.
P.S: 
I feel like watching the entire first season of Masterchef Australia just to watch Abbie .2.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Some Gang in Cannes


The Bling Ring - Un Certain Regard.
This will definitely be challenging, especially with the above picture. Right???

La Vie D'Adele


Ahhhhhhh.
Cannes' Official Selection came out! And although there's no Adèle Haenel in this year's edition there is 'La Vie D'Adele' which I'm presuming is the now changed title of 'Blue is the Warmest of Colour'.
Needless to say, I'm dying to see this film.
More to come shortly!

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

The Winning Season


I giggled throughout the entire film. It is mostly a light and amusing view at the women's game.
Rooney Mara is in this film and she looks like a kid, little young girl. She makes a couple of indies, couple of minor roles, an horror film... three years later:

BOOM. Academy Award nominee working with Soderbergh, Malick, Spike Jonze and other promising American filmmakers.

Happy 28, Rooney.