It remains to be seen whether the global credit gloom will have a negative effect on the parties, the glamour and the excessively large yachts that tend to provide entertaining if diversionary colour from the Cannes Film Festival. But, certainly, in terms of heavyweight talent on display at this year's festival, you might be hard pressed to think of a more Cannes-like line-up. In fact, it's difficult to think of a year when I've been more excited about the films showing. Lately, it's sometimes felt like the serious matter of showcasing important movies has been obscured by big studios unveiling their Spring/Summer blockbusters -- Star Wars and Indiana Jones spring to mind -- films that have been bolted on to the festival, simply because half the world's media will be there to give them a publicity boost. This year, though, it looks like Cannes is, well, back on track. Highlights include new films from festival veterans like Quentin Tarantino, Ken Loach, Jane Campion, Lars von Trier, Terry Gilliam, Michael Haneke, Ang Lee and Pedro Almodóvar, as well as relative newcomer Andrea Arnold, whose debut Red Road was one of my favourite films of the last few years. Anyway, here's 5 that deserve a heads up in UNCUT's world: INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. Tarantino's latest, a WW2 movie with Brad Pitt leading a group of Jewish-American soldiers into occupied France to dish out bloody revenge against the Nazis. All, presumably, in appallingly bad taste. Tarantino, of course, won the Palm D'Or in 1994 with Pulp Fiction. [youtube]9TadvFY3rA8[/youtube] THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS. Heath Ledger died while filming this fantasy with Terry Gilliam about a travelling theatre troupe who make a deal with the Devil, his role taken up by Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law. In shoe-in casting, Tom Waits plays Satan. Of course. [youtube]jRYXNk-qZAs[/youtube] TAKING WOODSTOCK. Ang Lee's comedy follows aspiring Greenwich Village interior designer Elliot Tiber, who becomes involved in organising a small music festival outside New York in 1969. [youtube]7Iq8z2WDbKo[/youtube] ANTICHRIST. Horror from Lars von Trier, with Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Ginasborg as a couple who, following the death of their child, retreat to a remote cabin only to find something extremely unpleasant in the woods. [youtube]8kFnO4hyhO8[/youtube] FISH TANK. From British director Andrea Arnold. A 15-year old girl's life is turned on its head when her mother brings home a new boyfriend. Anyway, you can read the full line-up here.
It remains to be seen whether the global credit gloom will have a negative effect on the parties, the glamour and the excessively large yachts that tend to provide entertaining if diversionary colour from the Cannes Film Festival. But, certainly, in terms of heavyweight talent on display at this year’s festival, you might be hard pressed to think of a more Cannes-like line-up.
In fact, it’s difficult to think of a year when I’ve been more excited about the films showing. Lately, it’s sometimes felt like the serious matter of showcasing important movies has been obscured by big studios unveiling their Spring/Summer blockbusters — Star Wars and Indiana Jones spring to mind — films that have been bolted on to the festival, simply because half the world’s media will be there to give them a publicity boost.
This year, though, it looks like Cannes is, well, back on track. Highlights include new films from festival veterans like Quentin Tarantino, Ken Loach, Jane Campion, Lars von Trier, Terry Gilliam, Michael Haneke, Ang Lee and Pedro Almodóvar, as well as relative newcomer Andrea Arnold, whose debut Red Road was one of my favourite films of the last few years.
Anyway, here’s 5 that deserve a heads up in UNCUT’s world:
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. Tarantino’s latest, a WW2 movie with Brad Pitt leading a group of Jewish-American soldiers into occupied France to dish out bloody revenge against the Nazis. All, presumably, in appallingly bad taste. Tarantino, of course, won the Palm D’Or in 1994 with Pulp Fiction.
[youtube]9TadvFY3rA8[/youtube]
THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS. Heath Ledger died while filming this fantasy with Terry Gilliam about a travelling theatre troupe who make a deal with the Devil, his role taken up by Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law. In shoe-in casting, Tom Waits plays Satan. Of course.
[youtube]jRYXNk-qZAs[/youtube]
TAKING WOODSTOCK. Ang Lee’s comedy follows aspiring Greenwich Village interior designer Elliot Tiber, who becomes involved in organising a small music festival outside New York in 1969.
[youtube]7Iq8z2WDbKo[/youtube]
ANTICHRIST. Horror from Lars von Trier, with Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Ginasborg as a couple who, following the death of their child, retreat to a remote cabin only to find something extremely unpleasant in the woods.
[youtube]8kFnO4hyhO8[/youtube]
FISH TANK. From British director Andrea Arnold. A 15-year old girl’s life is turned on its head when her mother brings home a new boyfriend.
Anyway, you can read the full line-up here.
