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Day 7: Live from Cannes: Children take War Games to the next Level in ‘Johnny Mad Dog’
A portrait of what is occurring in certain geographical pockets of today's Africa, place a gun in a minor's hand and their childhood is instantly taken away from them - and we aren't talking about the plastic, cops and robbers toy guns here but the a range of weapons that fill the streets with roting corpses. Un Certain Regard's Johnny Mad Dog fires off several rounds of bullets, doesn't bother bringing in too many diversions - this is a full course meal comprised of cruelty, savagery, looting, murder, rape and everything else that falls under the umbrella.
Day 7: Live from Cannes: Lost souls in ‘Los Bastardos’
Day 7's following screening was a film that I had wanted to see even before they announced the selections for the Un Certain Regard - while I'm a huge fan of his first feature Sangre (which also played in the section), unfortunately Amat Escalante's second film
Day 7: Live from Cannes: Many changes needed for ‘Exchange’
8:30 a.m screening for an odd title change forty-eight hours before the screening. This won't be the only things that needs to be changed before this is released commercially in the U.S. With a running time that goes past the two hour mark, Changeling is another formulaic endeavor from Eastwood - nice looking, expensive film that fails to stick (although I expect fans of Million Dollar Baby and Mystic River will love this kind of period placed drama that is based on a true story and like the Sean Penn's Oscar winner in Mystic River sees another child go missing. Another characteristic trait is Jolie's Collins character who puts up a heroine-like fight versus LAPD corruption - more vocal that the Swank in Million Dollar Baby.
Day 6: Live from Cannes: A Menage a Trois that works in ‘Two Lovers’
Last night's Debussy theater was filled to capacity for the 10:30p.m. screening for Two Lovers (James Gray quick to release project coming off the heals of We Own the Night which played here last year) and midday today (Tuesday) was the follow up press conference and photographer frenzy. I have to say (though I've yet to see Gray's debut film Little Odessa)
Day 6: Live from Cannes: France invades Sweden in ‘Les Grandes Personnes’
One of my last screenings at this year's Critic's Week sidebar, Grown Ups is a sappy story about an imperfect father/daughter relationship that geographical takes place in the roughage offered in some Swedish connecting islands. Anna Novion's Swedish-French co-production had all the players in attendance including Jean-Pierre Darroussin.
