74th Cannes. Un Certain Regard, Special Screenings, and More...

by Nathaniel R

Todd Haynes' first documentary is about the seminal band, THE VELVET UNDERGROUND

We've already looked at the competition lineup so here are the other key sections. It's worth noting that though the press mostly focuses on the Competition films, sometimes the buzziest titles come from other sections. There are some juries that pull from multiple sections too like the Camera d'Or jury (which honors first films), as well as two unofficial but exciting competitions, the Queer Palm and the fan favourite the Palm Dog (which names the best dog in the festival... and it's often much more competitive than you'd think with some years offering multiple win-worthy candidates). Director's Fortnight and Critics Week lineups haven't been announced yet but here are the rest of them...

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74th Cannes. The Competition Lineup!

by Nathaniel R

The official lineup for the 74th Cannes Film Festival has been announced. It's always an exciting time for cinephiles, doubly so this year since the festival had to be cancelled last season due to COVID-19. This year four actors have multiple films in contention: Tilda Swinton, Charlotte Rampling, Anders Danielsen Lie, and the probably queen of the festival France's Léa Seydoux who has three films in the main competition and another in Un Certain Regard!  We already know that Spike Lee will be presiding over the jury, since he was supposed to do that last year (though we don't know who will be on the jury with him yet).

Cannes has been criticized for years for their lack of gender parity in direction. They're likedly to be criticized again with only 4 of the 24 competition films from female auteurs but that's actually a huge improvement for the world's most famous film festival. As per usual French and English language films dominate though there are actually only three films from the USA in competition this year (Flag Day, The French Dispatch, and Red Rocket) Anyway let's look at the official lineup. More to come since there are other sections, too.

24 Official Competition Films
Who will win the Palme D'Or, Director, and Acting prizes. Care to place any bets?

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Almost There: Gena Rowlands in "Opening Night"

by Cláudio Alves

It's fair to say that Gena Rowlands is one of the most important screen actors of the 20th century. Her films made with husband, director, and costar John Cassavetes helped usher in a new kind of immersive realism that would thrive in the American indie scene for decades after the pair's heyday. To honor this acting genius, the Criterion Channel curated a collection of 10 films that feature some of Rowlands' most acclaimed work. For the Almost There series, I'm interested in those achievements that got some awards glory while not scoring any recognition from the Academy. After her Oscar nomination for 1974's A Woman Under the Influence, Gena Rowlands returned to the awards discussion with 1977's Opening Night…

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Streaming Roulette, June: Streets of Fire, Primary Colors, and The World to Come

Yes it's time for another round of streaming roulette where we point out titles that are new(ish) to streaming and just for fun, freeze frame them at totally random places in the scroll bar and whatever comes up we share. Let's go...

I think 'Oh, if I'm self aware about being a douchebag, it... it... it... will somehow make me less of a douchebag.' But it doesn't. Self awareness does not absolve anyone of anything. Am I balding?

Bo Burhnam Inside
A new comedy special from the writer/director of Eighth Grade and the co-star of Promising Young Woman. We've heard good things but haven't yet screened...

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Doc Corner: Sundance hit 'All Light, Everywhere'

By Glenn Dunks

For an essay film, it makes a lot of sense for All Light, Everywhere to be full of ideas. It’s been a long time since my essay writing days, but I generally think that a lot of ideas is a good place to start. But also like an essay, it could probably have used another go around the editing block. There are a lot of promising threads in Theo Anthony’s film, but the director of Rat Film can’t quite weave them together into something that transcends its (very smart in theory) concept.

In many ways, Anthony’s film comes across as a traditional documentary about the rise of technology in community policing—predominantly bodycams and surveillance drones. At least initially. This segment, the doc’s most prominent through-line, is often very interesting if maybe a little repetitive...

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