The 61st Cannes Film Festival Awards
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Universal, Documentary, Drama, Period, Political, Awards, Lists, Upcoming Releases
At yesterday’s closing of the Cannes Film Festival, a French film - the first since 1987 - walked away with this season’s Palme d’Or (Best Movie). The Class, a true story about a group of Parisian teachers and students, rose to the top of what has been widely-considered a disappointing crop of films. A pair of Italian films - Gomorra and Il Divo - nabbed the Grand Prix and Jury Prize respectively.
Two names well known to American audiences were also honored at the 61st annual event. Actor Benicio Del Toro was deemed Best Actor by the nine-member jury for his work in Che, another project with Traffic‘s Steven Soderbergh. (The movie about Latin American revolutionary Che Guevara rang in at a whopping four hours.) Meanwhile, Clint Eastwood received a ‘Special Prize’ for his body of work (one of two handed out this year). Although his latest film, Changeling, received a heaping of praise, it was unfortunately left out of the major prizes.
A full list of the winners can be found here.
Read More 
| Hollywood Reporter
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Spike Lee Criticizes the Coens, Eastwood
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Drama, Period, Celebrity Gossip, Upcoming Releases
While working to promote his own movie, director Spike Lee recently spent a little time making jabs at some of his fellow comrades.
Lee was at the Cannes Film Festival to talk about his upcoming project, Miracle at St. Anna. The Italian-set war film - currently in post-production - focuses on four black American soldiers during WWII.
While discussing the film, Spike chose to compare his artistic choices to those of three Academy Award winners. When the topic of violence came up, Lee told the press that unlike Joel and Ethan Coen, he treats death respectfully:
“I always treat life and death with respect, but most people don’t. Look, I love the Coen brothers; we all studied at NYU. But they treat life like a joke. Ha ha ha. A joke. It’s like, ‘Look how they killed that guy! Look how blood squirts out the side of his head!’ I see things different than that.”
Click to continue reading Spike Lee Criticizes the Coens, Eastwood
Read More | Hollywood Reporter
Mixed Reviews for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Paramount, Action, Adventure, Sequels, Upcoming Releases
The U.S. premiere of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is still 3 days away, but an audience at Cannes got its first glimpse yesterday. Here’s a sampling of the reviews being posted by critics today:
- Associated Press: “Except for the opening — which literally starts the film off with a bang — and a couple of dazzling chase sequences, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is about as unfocused and meandering as the title itself.”
- Entertainment Weekly: “There’s joy and a middle-aged playfulness to the best of Steven Spielberg’s unlikely sequel. And I mean that as a full compliment: All the movieman’s themes are here, his interests, obsessions, trademark strengths as a cinematic storyteller, and Spielbergian ‘tells,’ too, with hubcap and sideview mirror reflections dating back over 35 years to Duel.”
Click to continue reading Mixed Reviews for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Quentin Tarantino Plays Film Guru at Cannes
Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Drama, Period, Awards, Celeb News, Filmmaking, Scripts
Just when legendary filmmaker Quentin Tarantino had seemed to have had enough with Cannes, organizers of the event announced last Thursday that he will be teaching this year’s Cinema Masterclass.
It is no doubt that the living icon will have more than enough to teach upcoming directors, for he himself has not only won the 1994 Palme d’Or award for Pulp Fiction, but also appeared as a judge for the festival in 2004. Along with his overwhelming accomplishments, Tarantino’s affinity and love for film have always made his interviews and speaking events quite memorable for fans everywhere.
Previous teachers of the Masterclass include Sydney Pollack, Stephen Frears and most recently, Martin Scorsese.
Who knows, perhaps this will push him to finish Inglorious Bastards, eh?
Read More | Hollywood Reporter
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