Blurb Attack! Go see "Carmen" (and more) this weekend

Congratulations to Abe Friedtanzer whose review of Carmen for The Film Experience is quoted in the trailer.

Sometimes studios ask about these things but in this case we were taken by surprise...

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Cannes Gown, Final Double-Sized Round: Vote!

Final chance to vote on the previous rounds!: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10

The 75th Edition of Cannes has closed. We've already shared the winners so here is the final double-sized "best dressed?" poll from the festivals final two days of premieres and ceremonies. Who will it be for you?

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Cannes Gowns, Round 7: Decision to Trend

Previous Cannes 2022 Fashion Polls: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6

Léa Seydoux has multiple films at Cannes which is the norm given how in demand she is both at home in France and abroad. This is the gown she wore to her Crimes of the Future premiere. Brilliant Chinese actress Tang Wei returned to the spotlight with Decision to Leave (which Elisa thinks is THE film of Cannes thus far). If you've been wondering where she's been that three year break was because she recently had her first child with husband director Kim Tae-yong (Late Autumn). Meanwhile the UK's Lashana Lynch and Spain's always memorable Rossy de Palma were right on trend; there have been a lot of metallic and/or disco ball gowns as well as an abundance of brilliant pink on the red carpet of late. 

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Beauty Break: Celebrity Halloween

Look it's Madonna as Harley Quinn.

Halloween is past (*sniffle*) but now we get to relive it vicariously since celebrities have been posting the pics from their spooky holiday night out on Instagram. Lupita Nyong'o, Naomi Watts, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Elliot Page, and more after the jump...

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Nathaniel in Venice: "Parallel Mothers" and city impressions

Nathaniel reporting from Venice - Day 1, Part 1

"Dont Look Now" .. the most famous Venice movie?

Dearest readers, what's the first thing you think of when you think of Venice? My first memory of the city,  vicariously, is Madonna's gyrating gondola ride in the "Like a Virgin" music video. Nothing as seismically sexy is likely to occur in pandemic 2021 (tourists and masks kinda kill that vibe) but I did witness the paparazzi chasing a celebrity the literal minute I exited the airport to board a boat to my airbnb. Seeing paparazzi in the country that invented the word was fun but I didn't recognize the celebrity (short girl with black hair and baggy clothing with heavily tatted tall boyfriend?). Auspicious beginnings. 

Venice is one of the most beautiful cities you'll ever see this side of Copenhagen, and that's surely due to all the canals; Oh to live on the water! Travelling to the movies each morning by boat is going to be heaven. Coming back to the main island at night to sleep, though, is as eery as any shot from Don't Look Now (1973), since every street feels like walking down a dark alley, even in the middle of the day. The buildings are uncomfortably close together  -- sometimes you have to turn sideways for other pedestrians -- and the streets are utterly mazelike. With the caveat that I have a terrible sense of direction, I was lost four times in the first 24 hours. 

My first screening was the opening night film Pedro Almodóvar's Parallel Mothers so the festival began, figuratively, with Penélope Cruz asking the audience to smize...

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