Venice Diary #9 - "Blonde"

by Elisa Giudici

Today was Blonde day, at least until one of the most iconic royal figure from the last century died, stealing attention and coverage away from Venice movies and all other events. Considering the reviews for the biopic (and the spike in views The Crown will get), Netflix should probably be relieved. So for today's diary, a controversial take on the life and death of Marilyn Monroe and two movies that reiterate how healthy French cinema is.

BLONDE by Andrew Dominik
Overlong, indulgent and hyper-focused on the most tragic aspects of the life of Marilyn Monroe, Blonde as a biopic is a thanks but no thanks...

Click to read more ...

Venice at Home – Day 5: Returning Champions

by Cláudio Alves

The fifth day of competition finds three award-winning filmmakers vying for more golden plaudits. Rebecca Zlotowsky's directorial works have left strong impressions across some of Europe's biggest festivals, and this is her first time in Venice. Her new film, Other People's Children, stars Virginie Efira and Roschdy Zem – he's also in competition as a director with a different film. Next, Italy's  Emanuele Crialese returns with L'immensità after nabbing nine prizes in past editions of the festival. Finally, there's Darren Aronofsky who is a former Venice champion whose new project, The Whale, is already enshrined in Best Actor Oscar buzz for Brendan Fraser.

So today we're looking back at Aronofsky's 2008 Golden Lion winner, Zlotowsky's sensual summer, and Crialese's voyage to the New World…

Click to read more ...

1951: The women of "La Ronde"

We're revisiting the 1951 film year in the lead up to the next Supporting Actress Smackdown. As always Nick Taylor will suggest a few alternatives to Oscar's ballot.

Each writer here at The Film Experience has our checklist of cinematic fetishes. Those qualities we look out for whenever we watch a film, a list of glories we breathlessly recite the way Nicole Kidman talks about going to the movie theater in her Nobel Prize-winning AMC ad. Cinematography so elegant the camera moves like silk. Depictions of sex that recognize it as a real human connection, something that can be playful and disatisfying, and is worth as much consideration in the buildup and the comedown as when it’s happening. Beautiful, immaculately assembled people gliding around gorgeous locales and gleefully succumbing to their libidos. Actresses fulfilling roles that are equal parts familiar archetypes and fleshy, hot-blooded individuals (you know I’m a sucker for this one). And on that note, let’s kick off our look of 1951’s alternate supporting actresses miniseries with a belatedly imported joint from France herself: the lovely ladies of Max Öphuls’ sexy, ephemeral La Ronde...

Click to read more ...

28 Years, 28 Films

by Cláudio Alves

It was on July 17th, 1994, when a most foul thing happened. In Lisbon, a baby was born destined to become an insufferable cinephile full of opinions and costume design trivia swilling around in his chronically depressed mind. That unfortunate creature was me, and today I celebrate my 28th birthday. Inspired by Nathaniel and Tim Brayton, I decided to mark the occasion with a special list that fully displays my movie passions. With a film for each year, this collection comprises titles that mean something to me, for one reason or another. Of course, they're not these years' best cinematic achievements, nor are they my outright favorites. However, I have a special place in my heart, in my memories, for them all. So come explore my life through a personal film odyssey and maybe get to know me better…

Click to read more ...

Cannes at Home: Days 10 & 11 – The End Is Upon Us

by Cláudio Alves

The last days of the 75th Cannes Film Festival saw the premiere of many buzzy titles, including some that were declared Palme d'Or frontrunners on the spot. Albert Serra celebrates his first stint in the Main Competition with Pacification, a film that might not be for everyone but will undoubtedly satisfy the director's fans. Hirokazu Kore-eda returns after Shoplifters with another found-family crowd-pleaser, Broker. Lukas Dhont's Close reduced many to tears, but I'm not convinced. His debut was similarly acclaimed in Cannes, only to receive much-deserved backlash when seen by wider audiences. Kelly Reichardt seems to have delivered a low-key marvel with the Portland-set Showing Up, starring frequent collaborator Michelle Williams. Finally, Léonor Serraille closed the competition screenings with her sophomore feature, Mother and Son.

Just hours before Vincent Lindon's jury announces its choices, the Cannes at Home miniseries comes to an end with Serra's The Death of Louis XIV, Kore-eda's After Life, Dhont's Girl, Reichardt's Wendy and Lucy, and Serraille's Jeune Femme…

Click to read more ...