Monthly Archives: May, 2011

It was the world premiere night in the Directors' Fortnight section for Liza Johnson and her debut feature film, Return. Starring Michel Shannon in a minor supporting role and focusing on Linda Cardellini in what could be her ticket to a more interesting array of indie parts, this isn't a major mood-swinging piece and comparatively its a tame when compared to the dozen others and is obviously the point -- Johnson spins this without any cliches, something that appeared co-joined to the hip in this dramatic sub-genre.

Ramos' Version of 'Joan' Is Quiet Indeed, As Will Be Its Legacy

About half of our critics managed to see the unique screening for Michael earlier today -- it was given less screenings perhaps because it is the other film in this year's Main Competition from a newbie filmmaker. While Julia Leigh comes from a book author background, this import from Austria comes from a veteran casting director. Info was mum on the film beforehand, and there was a reason for it.

Neither as risqué as To Die For, nor as disposable as Finding Forester, Restless sits as a sensitive curio in respect to Van Sant's oeuvre. With his award-winning 'death trilogy' still clearly visible in the rear-view mirror, this is a more syrupy spoonful of that same theme - one he seems ready to apply to just about any genre, no matter the artistic merit.

I'm not sure if it built into the buzz for wanting to see the title, but when Sony Pictures Classics picked up domestic rights to Joseph Cedar's Footnote hours before the early press screening to a film about a bitter father-son rivalry tagged with academic jealousy my thoughts were this could be a contender.