TIFF: Michelle, Andrea and Felicity in buzzy films.

Paolo here. Day 6 of TIFF brings movies about love and passion crossing borders and oceans or trying to, despite the difficulties. Ladies and gentlemen, bring your handkerchiefs or roll your cynical eyes.

THE LADY (Luc Besson)

Most of you must already know about detained Burmese President-elect Aung San Suu Kyi (Michelle Yeoh), but her unlikely entry into political life happened so long ago that we, especially the younger generations, forget a few facts. First, that she lived in Oxford and bore two boys for her husband Michael Aris (David Thewlis), a professor of Southeast Asian studies and that the reason for her untouchable status in a military dictatorship is her ties to England. Second, that the reason the university intellectuals have chosen her as the figurehead of the Burmese democracy movement is because her father, a general, fought for the same goals after World War II.

The story of her adult life is now adapted to the screen as The Lady directed by Luc Besson. This movie allows Besson to diversify his CV but I personally couldn't avoid looking for his trademarks. Suu is Besson's female heroine, Michael his the Tati-esque old man, and a superstitious general is the campy, quirky villain. Besson keeps the violence to a reverent level this time, even if Suu's father becomes a martyr in the film's first scene. The Lady also has a few montages which chronicle the news of Suu's planned rallies spreading throughout the streets of Rangoon. They went on a bit longer than necessary.

As biopics go, The Lady has a surprsing lack of naturalism. Take this paraphrasal of one of Suu and David's conversations:

'The world reveres you as someone with no negative qualities.'
'I will list my negative qualities right now.'
'Your negative qualities made me fall in love with you.'

But because I like this, I'll call it 'classic English dialogue', pulled off well by Thewliss and especially Yeoh who has perfected a politician-style elegance; in a festival full of misanthropy, characters who are 'too nice' are a welcome change.

W.E. (Madonna)

The title of Madonna's much-discussed new film, is an acronym for the most gossiped marriage in the past century between Wallis Simpson (Andrea Riseborough) and King Edward VIII (James D'Arcy). The couple belong to a story within the story, which is an obsession for  fairytale-stricken Wally Winthrop (Abbie Cornish), who comes close to the couple's property six decades after their exile. Wally is bored of her neglectful husband while befriending a foreign Sotheby's security guard (Oscar Isaac). I'll assume that Madonna took on this story in engender her own so-called feminist perspective, and she brings a sympathetic and sometimes humorous light to the maligned woman. I would have preferred to see a movie based on "Famous Last Words," Timothy Findley's novel about Wallis.

More on what I liked about W.E. and disliked about Like Crazy after the jump.

Click to read more ...

Wooooo(t). It's Link Time.

As you know if you're paying attention (there will be a quiz) I've been offline for 72 hours. GASP! So if some of the following links are GASP 72 hours old, you will forgive. For the record I highly recommend spending 72 hours in a cabin in the woods without internet, tv or cel phones (provided there are no serial killers nearby). Highly relaxing!

Let's catch up with pieces/stories you (by which I mean "I") might have missed! 

The Film Doctor on Contagion and the "die-off" scenario.
Go Fug Yourself succinct funny snappy boring Brangelina
Blog Stage will Broadway actress Mary Farber be a new SNL cast member? 
Towleroad the continuing antics of James Franco. This time painted pink for Woooo mag. 
My New Plaid Pants Kate Winslet... and Elizabeth Taylor 
Natasha VC remember a time via Pauline Kael when Nicolas Cage was sorta wonderful. I saw Moonstruck again recently and it was just ♥♥♥♥... well that's amore!

Empire Online Hugh Grant joins the already gargantuan name cast of Cloud Atlas which, if you'll recall, already has three directors. It sounds like a mess but Empire is feeling hopeful.
Awards Daily on Oscar and sex. Do they really take issue with explicit films? (in short: yes)
IndieWire Remember when I made that brief Oscar prediction about Shailene Woodley in The Descendants and people made fun? Well, her buzz isn't boiling or anything but it is simmering ever since Telluride.
WSJ Asia Scene Deanie Ip (A Simple Life) who just won the Venice Volpi Cup for Best Actress on why she took a long break from acting...

I think nobody wants me, because I’m very difficult.

Towleroad Clint Eastwood kicks off the UnOfficial (but not for long) Armie Hammer Best Supporting Actor campaign for J. Edgar while Hammer boasts of his own chest hair
The Telegraph interviews the ascendant Ryan Gosling

If I'm still acting at 46, I'll be surprised.

Say it ain't so. Of course it isn't. I wish I had kept a spreadsheet of all the alarmist things celebrities have said over the years because no one ever remembers... including me. As I typed this sentence I was about to share this anecdote about what Matt Damon said this one time in a magazine about making ridiculous amounts of money and how that would mean he would... but I've already forgotten what he said he wouldn't do anymore. It was something about quitting or not doing any press. Something silly. Because of course he went on to make gazillions and still works in front of the camera and plays to it in interviews. 

Today's Must See Video
Madonna on the whole silly Venice Film Festival loathing hydranges "story"

There really is nothing better than Madonna with a sense of humor about herself. It's always been her saving grace and if she doesn't locate it as often as she once did, at least it's still there! And it's great timing since she's hitting the publicity circuit with such gusto. Two of my friends/acquaintances, fraquaintances? even interviewed her: Peter and Scott. I can't imagine how either got through it. Honestly, I can't. 

Finally...
if you're as interested in editing as I am, you might enjoy this very thorough analysis of a key action sequence in The Dark Knight (2008).

In the Cut, Part I: Shots in the Dark (Knight) from Jim Emerson on Vimeo.

I highlight it because, like Jim Emerson, I have always been thrown by that film's editing (the Oscar nomination is baffling to me) as it doesn't make coherent sense, spatially or time-wise. (If you don't share this pet peeve -- I realize many people enjoy contemporary cinema's rule-free freneticism of editing -- you might not enjoy this video. This is actually the #2 most prominent reason as to why I have never been a Christopher Nolan convert. I prefer action filmmakers like James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow who never (or very very rarely) sacrifice coherency for thrills.

Stars... They're Just Like Us!

They also have to deal with obnoxious people walking backwards or stopping suddenly when everyone else is moving forwards!

This post is brought to you by Nathaniel's hatred of tourists in Times Square where he unfortunately found himself once this weekend. Tourists can magically transform a breezy 8 minute walk to a subway to a 35 minute nightmarish ordeal of erratic human movement. Turning 8 minutes to 35 is a feat as miraculous as feeding thousands with five loaves of bread ...only way less altruistic.

P.S. This amusing gif comes to us via my friend Matt's blog where he runs to Madonna's defense (as he do) about the gleeful takedowns of W.E. in Venice. Matt also shared an incredible video of previously unseen "Vogue" video footage. Lots of blooper-like stuff after the two minute mark. It's always so fun (though rarer than it used to be) to see Madonna laugh at herself / her surroundings.

Jessica Chastain Receiving Her First Award...(of Hundreds?)

Though we've been as curious as any cinephile about the overnight sensation* that is Jessica Chastain (see previous post), allow us to register vaguely mild surprise that it took just 109 days in the public eye in a major way (starting with the Cannes premiere of The Tree of Life) before she's already standing at podiums thanking people for giving her shiny things! In this case the Gucci Women in Film prize.

In reality this is Chastain's second award, one click of research indicates that she won a best actress festival prize in 2008 (Seattle International Film Festival) for a film called Jolene though that didn't see the inside of movie theaters until late 2010 (Have any of you seen it?) But what a whirlwind these past few months must have been.

Madonna presents the Gucci Women in Film Award to Jessica Chastain

What a summer. It starts with a Cannes trip alongside Brad Pitt and three months later she's part of a $100 million hit and Madonna (that's right, Madonna) is handing her trophies. From Brad Pitt to Madonna all in the same summer. Hopefully her eyes have adjusted to travelling in these blinding megawatt circles. 

This news hit me courtesy of luxury style expert Jessica Michault who is trying to make us all jealous with her tweet droppings. Consider this one:

And for what it's worth Ms. Michault thinks Keira Knightley is Oscar-worthy in A Dangerous Method. Not that luxury fashion experts vote on Oscars but they do hobnob with those who do.

*"overnight sensation" is nearly always an oxymoron. Obviously Jessica Chastain put in a lot of acting hours prior to this weird explosion of film releases... 

Red Carpet: Mildred vs. Veda, Madonna vs. World

With world luminaries hitting the red carpet from here until, oh, late February, it's time for the high season of Red Carpet Convos. Once again I'm chatting with Jose from Movies Kick Ass. This week we travel to Venice with a brief layover in China.

Nathaniel: ‪Shall we start with Madonna or the "Pierces"?‬ ‪
Jose: ‬ As you wish‬. I was just so happy to see Madge in a pretty dress that all the awful things people have been saying about "W.E" slipped my mind.
Nathaniel: Then that's where we start.

MADONNA, VALERIA, ABBIE, ASIA, and MARISA

Nathaniel: Of all the things people could fault her for, I hope this look isn't one of them. Every thing about it is working.‬ It's memorable. The glasses are a fun diva choice.
Jose: They so are. She looks so happy.
Nathaniel: If this look were a single I'd say it's definitely "Take a Bow"
‪Jose: ‬ The dress actually reminds me of "Love Profusion" now that you bring up her singles.
Nathaniel: You've just named the single that describes me looking at her in this.

Jose: The gown also reminds me of this ...which makes sense because the dress is Vionett as well‬. 
Nathaniel:  I never care about "who" people are wearing but I'm glad you always know. I care only about "who" they are presenting themselves as while they're wearing it, you know?
Jose: Don't make me do Meryl's cerulean monologue...‬   Do you think Madonna was on meds. She looks TOO happy given the reviews earlier in the day.
Nathaniel: ‪I'm guessing no celebrity has a thicker skin at this point.‬
 Jose: ‬ ‪Cher maybe but for all the wrong reasons.

Did you see the slutty Catholic librarian thing Madonna had been doing earlier that day? She looked fantastic.  ‪
Nathaniel: I'm a huge fan of slutty librarians; promote literacy however you can!
‪Jose: ‬ ‪Now I'm thinking of "Spanish Lesson"...but sigh Madge can spank me whenever she wants‬ and FYI dear Madge lovers, almost everything she says in that song is inaccurately translated.  ‪
Nathaniel: ‪This is an Italian lesson, actually. I threw two actual Italians in so this Venice red carpet lineup would feel more at home. But the Italians just aren't trying as hard this time. Valeria Golina looks classy but it's so black sheath plain.
Jose: Maybe she's trying to go for "I'm a serious actress, stop staring at my boobs"?
Nathaniel: And Asia Argento is a crazy person so why is she wearing such a normal dress... and black too!
Jose: Maybe Madonna stole her happy meds?

Nathaniel: And I can't even start on Monica Bellucci (not pictured, but obvs one of the most beautiful women in the world) who just wore a black pantsuit to her photocall.‬ She better turn it out when she hits her premiere tonight.
 ‪Jose: ‬ Although Ms. Ciccone is representing Italy quite well, I think.
Nathaniel: Oh right. Madonna Ciccone. We keep coming back to her because she wiped the floor with the other divas the dress is so great. I'm glad we're back to her because she's distracting me anyway. ‪Now I'm remembering those doves exploding from her gown in "Bedtime Stories"... translated to butterflies here. Though now I'm lamenting AGAIN that she isn't desperate enough for attention to walk the Venice red carpet in a wedding dress with a lion by her side. Because that would be... I would die. Dead. Do not resuscitate.

Jose: I'd make her perform an exorcism to "Like a Prayer" to bring you back to life‬  
Nathaniel: Cruel! But this is the only time I've ever wished "has-been" status on Madonna  because only an attention starved diva would attempt to relive their über iconic breakthrough in its original locale you know?
Jose: Ha. But "Madge" and "has-been" will never go together.
Nathaniel: True. Moving on. ‪I think Abbie Cornish looks fab. Great styling choice with her hair and the dress has so much texture and structure. And I'm thrilled that she looks womanly in it and not stick-like the way so many young rising stars try for.
Jose: ‬When I first saw Abbie's pic I thought to myself "my does Jennifer Coolidge look fantastic". What is wrong with her makeup people? They overdo her ALL the time. Dress is fab I agree, love the curves.

Nathaniel: I learned a new word on Project Runway... "ombré"  It's the color gradation how it changes as it goes along. I love the ombré on this dress but the only problem with this new favorite word o' mine is the other night I mispronounced it as "Hombre" and my friends all laughed at me.
Jose: ‬ ‪lol‬.
Nathaniel: ‪‪Abbie has no trouble attracting beautiful hombre, either.‬  ‪Please note Oscar Isaac on her arm.
Jose: ‬ ‪In my mind she will always belong to John Keats...  ‪
Nathaniel: As well she should.‬ 

Anyway... I keep wanting peope to go ALL OUT with the color but the trending in Venice so far is definitely "classy"... lots of whites, blacks, creams, and such. Tasteful.
Jose: And this is freaking Venice! God knows what people will wear to the Oscars...muumuus?‬
Nathaniel: But we do have some color. What do we think of the mustard on Marisa Tomei?
Jose: It reminds me of Sandy Powell's costumes for Cate as Kate in "The Aviator" kinda has that retro thing going for it, no?

Nathaniel: Yes. What do you think of the necklace being part of the dress? It feels like you're supposed to yank her towards you with it for a mad embrace? It's... weird.‬ But i'm not saying I don't like it.
 ‪Jose: ‬ It's a bit weird but I guess if you're going to go for pearls you might as well try to spice 'em up a bit?‬ maybe she was afraid of losing the necklace those festival parties are insane and that's her way of keeping it safe.
Nathaniel: Sure. I'm probs projecting anyway since I always want to yank Marisa into a mad embrace. LOVE HER.
Jose: ‪Haha. I want to drink with her!‬  ‪

Nathaniel: I want to leave Venice behind -- very briefly -- for China.  
‪Jose: ‬ ‪What were these awards?‬  ‪

TANG WEI, KARA HUI, ZHANG ZIYI, GONG LI

Nathaniel: ‪I included a lineup of Asian superstars since they were all at the Huabaiao Awards in Beijing earlier this week.  
‪Jose: ‬ ‪oh is that where the awesome Crouching Tiger reunion happened?‬  ‪
Nathaniel: ‬ ‪YES!‬  So I was reading up on these awards because I love three of these women muchly (not as familiar with Kara Hui) and I'm like how did they get ALL the superstars there? And it turns out it's a movie awards show that only happens once every other year.  
‪Jose: ‬ ‪like an eclipse‬  ‪

Nathaniel: like an abomination! A crime against cinematic nature. It has to be every year. So then i lost interest.  Biannual is just... I'm not sure it even exists. Like bisexuality.‬  ‪
Jose: ‬ ‪LOL‬.
Nathaniel: ‬ ‪So they all look lovely, agreed?‬
Jose: ‬ ‪Yes, I love how Asian women aren't afraid of bringing on the sparkles in dresses‬.

Nathaniel: Yes. though it's weirdly lacking in color.‬ Also check out this headline from the awards show. I sincerely hope that is just an English as a second language problem and not a joke cuz it's just so wrong.
‪Jose: ‬ ‪LMAO‬.
Nathaniel: All because he stepped on Gong Li's glamour train, poor thing.
Jose: Ugh she's too amazing and graceful for me to laugh but that headline is sick‬ and then the first picture with the statuette is just wrong  ‪
Nathaniel: Yes. This is neither here nor there but Andy Lau is a fox.‬ I've rarely enjoyed a bow tie more. He turns 50 this year. just saying. OKAY.... moving on. Back to Venice to wrap up.  ‪

Jose: ‬ ‪Veda and Mildred time‬.

Kate Winslet, Kate Winslet, Evan Rachel Wood, Evan Rachel Wood, Mildred, Mildred, Veda, Veda

Nathaniel: ‪Since both actresses had two premieres to attend I thought we should have a total throwdown here.‬ From left to right that's Kate representing CARNAGE and MILDRED PIERCE and then Evan representing MILDRED PIERCE and THE IDES OF MARCH.
Jose: ‬ ‪I'd no idea they were showing Mildred in theaters, but Venice does love Todd Haynes, right?‬ Not that I blame them.
Nathaniel: ‬ ‪Yes. and he's on the jury this year‬.
Jose: ‬ ‪Oh true! Hopefully Kate will get a Volpi Cup.
Nathaniel: I laughed at what Manolis wrote about his response when a journalist asked him if he could be impartial about judging Kate's performance in Carnage... "He answered politely and predictably and persuaded nobody."
 ‪Jose: ‬ Haha‬  ‪

Nathaniel: ‬ ‪So who wins the fashion sweepstakes for you here?
‪Jose: ‬ ‪I'll have to go with Evan this time.‬ I absolutely adore Kate but I'm sick, SICK I tell you, of her tight fitting "look how hot I am" looks.
Nathaniel: She's gone with very severe beauty lately, huh. It's always very structural, very stiff... I've forgotten what she looks like in something flowy and more girlish. Not that she ever totally favored that look exactly.
‪Jose: ‬ ‪I totally dig the Metropolic robot look Kate is doing in the first number but it bores me...I have had enough of her calves‬.‪I like movement, perhaps I'm just favoring her because Kate's dresses feel like tattoos and I love the way in which fabric moves‬. I've always loved how adventurous Evan is and the Alessandra Rich dress (the white shirty one) is just perfect‬.

Nathaniel: ‬ Really?‬ ‪Maybe I'm just not a fan of her new hair. It's throwing me. Though I like it with the retro eye makeup like in her Mildred premiere dress.‬
‪Jose: ‬  I've gotten used to the hair by now and she's working it nicely.
Nathaniel: I'm a huge fan of Kate's fashion robot look myself. I think she looks utterly sensational and that color which should be boring is somehow perfect with what she's been aiming for so much lately. This fierce mature beauty.‬ So for me the winner of all of these is Kate's Carnage dress.  ‪
Jose: ‬She sure looks like she could cut a bitch with those heels, she's fierce, but I'm still siding with Veda‬.
Nathaniel:  ‪Split opinion. We'll have to let the readers decide.‬

poll by twiigs.com

Jose: ‬ ‪Or wait, if it was a fave of ALL, I'll go with Madge, just looking at her makes me smile.
Nathaniel: Oh, yup, Madonna wins it all. "Love Profusion" on loop.