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Cannes Video Day 4: Liza Johnson’s Return
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.
2011 Cannes Critics’ Panel: Day 4 – Markus Schleinzer’s Michael
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.
2011 Cannes Critics’ Panel: Day 4 – Joseph Cedar’s Footnote
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.
2011 Cannes Critics’ Panel: Day 3 – Maiwenn’s Polisse
Following 2006's Pardonnez-moi and 2009's The Actress' Ball, in her third outing as a filmmaker, Maïwenn goes for the socially-minded type of a film packaged as a ensemble comedy with her misspelled titled Polisse.
2011 Cannes Critics’ Panel: Day 3 – Nanni Moretti’s Habemus Papam
The only film in the Main Competition to have premiered outside the festival, back on its home turf it, Nanni Moretti's Habemus Papam received mixed reviews. The remaining question was, would international critics warm up to the hypothetical proposition: what if the Pope (formidably played by Michel Piccoli) wasn't apt for the job and what if a shrink (a watered down performance by Moretti) were asked to help solve the situation? The soul-searching tale about a man unwilling to take the lead in one domain of his life, but going full throttle in a whole new direction whimpered into this festival as the duelling tones might have turned off some and it comes packaged lacking Moretti's usually biting and satirical criticism. The panel's grades reflect this. Click on the image below.
