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Finch wrote:Amazing how you can make sweeping statements about the Malick and snidely dismiss The Artist when you haven't seen either film yet to be in a position of passing judgement... yikyikyik

I find the speculation diverting, that's all. Nb. I wouldn't consider Kevin a frontrunner anymore, sorry. The frontrunners are The Artist, Tree of Life, Kid with a Bike and maybe Le Havre (should find out more on that one today).

re: The Artist, have you seen OSS 117?! It's the French Austin Powers, ffs. The Artist may be fine for what it is, a decent Saturday night out at the pictures or whatever, but it goes without saying that Beethoven's late string quartets have more longevity than the Spice Girls.

Anyway, Nigel Andrews weighs in here on Tree of Life - add him to the YES camp - and also offers a bravely negative critique of the Ramsay.

Nothing wrote: The frontrunners are The Artist, Tree of Life, Kid with a Bike and maybe Le Havre (should find out more on that one today).

Young still has the Kawase near the very top and that's where it's been since the beginning.

What about the Almodovar film?

Young has Kore-eda and Dumont's 'The Empire' at the top as far as I can see (astute choices there!).

Here's a pathetic, scornful review of the Dumont from the Hollywood Reporter that can't even get its facts straight. Are there any non-trade reviews out there yet, or was coverage completely obliterated by Tree?

Well, here's another but it's equally idiotically dismissive.

A better 'trade' review from Jonathan Romney

Using both longueurs and repetitions, Dumont has a way of holding our attention by refusing us the expected answers.

Manohla on Tree of Life:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/17/movie ... ref=movies

Manohla also thinks Kid on a Bike is the cats pajamas:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/movie ... ref=movies

Gus Van Sant says they shot a silent version of Restless and it may be on the dvd. That could possibly redeem it.
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/ ... ss&emc=rss

And has anyone pointed out that there's a huge movement in america that believes the world is gonna end on May 21st? I walk around manhattan and there are people holding signs everywhere. Is Lars Von Trier a practitioner of the dark arts? Having your movie about the end of the world precede the world ending has to be better than a palme.

Bradshaw loves Kaurismaki's LeHavre which is great news for fans of his work like myself. In the same capsule, Bradshaw is the latest critic to slam House of Tolerance which seems to give Polisse a run for the worst-reviewed film in competition; alas, he found the Techine, Unforgivable, in the Director's Fortnight a huge disappointment.

For whatever reason I have never taken to Kaurismaki and I'm not entirely sure why. I've seen a few of his films but have zero interest in seeing any more and no inclination to go back to the ones I've seen. I realize that's a limitation I have. Whatever the case, he remains a blind spot of sorts for me mainly due to my own confessed disinterest.

In other news, Wells and company pontificate briefly on the potential leanings of the Cannes jury (if Assayas does indeed wind up exerting a lot of influence here I wonder what that will likely mean).

Finch wrote:Bradshaw loves Kaurismaki's LeHavre which is great news for fans of his work like myself. In the same capsule, Bradshaw is the latest critic to slam House of Tolerance which seems to give Polisse a run for the worst-reviewed film in competition; alas, he found the Techine, Unforgivable, in the Director's Fortnight a huge disappointment.

LOTS of good press for Kaurismaki's film -- will try to provide more links tonight.

Glenn Heath from Slant on Day 7 with a mixed reaction to the Kaurismaki & Dumont

Slant wrote:He demands sympathy for the devil without thinking why.

Why not?

I love the way that the negative reviews just make me more convinced that I must see the film - the Dumont has jumped to the top of my list of must see films so far! (Although of course the von Trier is still to come [-o< )

Finch wrote:Bradshaw is the latest critic to slam House of Tolerance which seems to give Polisse a run for the worst-reviewed film in competition;

Polisse does look dire, but has had some rave reviews in the French and mainstream US press. I'm predicting a prize of some description.

The Kawase deemed predictably slight and obtuse.

Melancholia press conference

Guardian reports a stunned silence as the credits rolled. Dave Calhoun from Time Out reportedly called Melancholia a snoozefest but the Guardian's team seem to have liked it.

Most of the critics so far really didn't like it at all. Looking at Twitter the public seem to have really taken to it.

Geoff Andrew wrote:The end of the world according to Lars Von Trier: tedious, technically impressive, underwhelming. So what?

Nothing, 9th April '11 wrote:Looks like Shyamalan meets Festen to me...

Peter Bradshaw, 18th May '11 wrote:Melancholia is like a cross between Festen and M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening

:-k

How many threads are you going to post that in?

In nearly as many as you troll in.

Thanks, glad to know you appreciate my insight.

Yeah, I'm the one who's trolling

Positive reaction to Kawase's Hanezu from Peter Bradshaw

a beautifully made, quietist and contemplative work that, like her 2007 movie The Mourning Forest, has a passionate reverence for nature, combined with a delicately romantic and even subtly erotic love story.

Finch wrote:Positive reaction to Kawase's Hanezu from Peter Bradshaw

Not so positive comments by Stepanie Zacharek:

http://www.movieline.com/2011/05/cannes ... me-you.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hollywood Reporter reviewer not too enthused:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review ... iew-189017" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Screen Daily is mildly positive:

http://m.screendaily.com/5027750.article" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The film may not be great but surely we know better than to trust the judgement of Zacharek and the Hollywood reporter, no? Curious how the Miike has turned out. Think it's due to be screened tomorrow.

I'm a bit leary of Kawase (who I am predisposed towards liking) after her previous film (set in Thailand). Biggest cinematic disappointment of the year for me.

I haven't seen any Kawase beyond her short 'Koma' - part of the Visitors film - and really wouldn't want to after that....