From Berlinale

Watching the queen live from Berlinale. You want to? Click here.
It is so great that she keeps coming to these world class festivals, with different films so often. It is just great how she keeps working and working so well.

Off topic:

I'm tired of watching this man in every single press conference! Part of it it's because it's annoying because I want to be there too the other reason is because sometimes he's pretty silly. Like mentioning the fact that soon is Valentine's Day...like what's the point? Toni Colette, I mean actors, need to be patient sometimes...

Babylon

"Tell him to tuck his dick up his ass and fill himself with piss."

Liz Garvey.

Brit Marling plays Liz Garvey and to see her say these words is a treat.

Five minutes in and I was cracking up. I like it.

 

Closure

I saw Blue is the Warmest Color for a second time and for some closure. It is pretty much how I remember it.

Here’s to a perfect case of how hype and expectations can destroy a film and its film experience. Though I don’t really think I’ve changed my mind.

It’s a love story. Though I know love isn’t simple, you could say Blue is a simplistic film. It’s about living, it’s about society. I can’t say what makes this film so great but rather Adèle and Léa make this film. It would be wrong to say what makes this film so great. And that’s the trick. The film has exceptional moments because of them. They are the ones that bring a few of the most heartbreaking, raw and passionate scenes I’ve ever seen. It’s like you can’t breathe like them, or you’re speechless like them, or you can identify completely with what they’re feeling at a particular moment. That’s what they do. If it wasn’t for them, the DP’s work, the production design, the co-stars, it wouldn’t probably have been the same. It’s all about them. So I still struggle whether to consider this film great or not mostly because it isn’t. This film had many unnecessary scenes, or too long scenes. For three hours, it could have said more. It is just beautiful disguised by the performances. And there are a few worth scenes. Like their first glance. Like when they meet for the first time. When they fight and break up and when they see each other again for some closure.

Blue is a simple film that lives breathes and moves by Adéle’s and Léa’s forces. That’s what Abdelatiff Kechiche brought out of them, whether skillfully or not, intentionally or not, consciously or not, for whatever he did and didn’t do, this film is exceptional on its performances and often beautiful scenery. You fall in love, you love, you struggle, you break up. Maybe you get back together maybe you don’t. Maybe you stay friends, maybe you don’t. And with every case, comes a different example.

Blue has the performances for the ages.

Bottom line – I have made a huge film, about this film. I need to learn how to not take films so seriously sometimes. I can say I am at peace with Blue.

Next obsession – Carol.

Pic of the Day

From Berlinale:

Enough!

Please, please, please, stop it.

Stop with the question "But will it hurt her Oscar chances?" I know it is the job of most of Oscar pundits, but please stop. Don't even start with it, actually. It's absolutely off the point right now. It's freaking me out.

One thing is a family conflict, a big one. Something so large, fragile, difficult, and delicate that to be between a 'regular' family or a 'famous' family must all be the same pain, though adding the fact that the 'famous' creates other lines of conflict. Like watching your abuser on posters, on the Time Magazine, being celebrated. Then the attention - attention that comes from many sides and with a great number of questions to be asked about the questions alone - about what questions ask, what questions not to ask, or how to approach it, which is probably the question. How to approach it.

Is it a believe or not believe, who to defend or how to defend - No, these are not the questions either, I think.

The thing about the internet, is that makes people be entitled of an opinion about everything. And I think this can be quite irritating and wrong.

I don't know but you probably start realizing I am speaking about the Open letter Dylan Farrow wrote about her childhood and sexual assaults she suffered from her father, Woody Allen.

You can read it it here.

I've read it.

I think, mostly, with this letter, she evokes some kind of internal debate within us. Also for some kind of closure.

To another extent, she calls on American society (and possibly every other society) to take a moment to consider how sexual assault survivors' stories are taken upon society and law.

Then finally, she asks what's our favorite Woody Allen film.

Should we hate his films?

Should we not watch them?

How hard is it for you or for you to separate the film and the person who makes the film? The art and the artist? Do you even separate both?

I don't have a strong formed opinion about this, but I can read the debates.

Right now I do feel one thing quite clear - I feel pretty sick about him and even his films.

But then there's another thing - which is movies. Movies! Actresses. Cate Blanchett.

Ok, Cate Blanchett. It's so unfortunate for her, and OK, any other actor for that matter, to be in this position, because she has nothing to do with this. Nothing. Unless you believe actors shouldn't accept working with Woody Allen in the first place. But still, she's an actress in a movie. Of course actors have an opinion, but my point is that I think it is ridiculous to be talking about OSCARS CHANCES when there's a bigger and quite delicate matter that is way beside the point "Oscars" and film business. You know?

So this is why I'm freaking out, because it's awards season, and it happens that Cate Blanchett is in it with a Woody Allen film.

So, the question freaks me out. Stop it, stop with the question if the Allen-Farrow controversy will hurt her Oscar chances. Yikes.

P.S.

Why not? Let's do this:

Do you really think so? He did just got a nomination for Blue Jasmine. He has been nominated one hundred times more over the past thirty years, so has been his actresses. The most recent Academy Award winning Actress was in this very decade. So, please, one last time, do you really think it will hurt her chances? 

And now quoting Jared Leto, "...only in America."

Phillip Seymour Hoffman

Or Phillip Hoffman Seymour, as Alan Arkin once put it at an Academy Awards show.
I just can't believe it.
Utter denial.

No no no no no no.

Carol, I love you

Therese and Carol.

Call me dramatic, but my heart just skipped a bit.