POMO

A step-sister of Crimes of the Future, this time set in the realistic present and more oriented toward high-tech gadgets. The stylish Vincent Cassel in a Tesla, scenes of his deceased, scarred wife Diane Kruger following an amputation, her alive-and-well sister Diane Kruger seducing her widowed brother-in-law Cassel, progressive VIP cemeteries with a video system monitoring the dead, a possible political conspiracy to misuse those systems on the part Russia and China…and so on. Not enough? Cronenberg once again takes a stab at a mysterious conversational detective flick with a great atmosphere, original ideas, mysterious-sounding scientific terms that no one understands and intimate sex shrouded in the bizarre. And of course with laughably absurd plot development around all of the characters, which seems to be terribly serious, but beneath the surface it’s nothing more than the fragile fantasy of a frightened boy. Judging from the feeble applause of more than a thousand journalists, there aren’t many of us left who will still tolerate such a thing. [Cannes FF]

An “agrarian” feel-good drama about rural youths who raise cows, make cheese and ride dirt bikes. A family scarred by tragedy, rivalry, tractors, sex in the barn, love and friendship, responsibility for a little sister. For a debut by a young director, Holy Cow is pleasantly authentic, with a feel for the setting and well-directed non-actors. [Cannes FF]

Brilliant wide-angle compositions in dark, discomfited filters. Not only of the desolate desert landscape, but especially the dilapidated industrial city framed by that landscape in the background. The story of a reclusive outsider, who doesn’t speak through the entire film, and the emerging friendship between him and a stray dog doesn’t offer anything new or substantially emotional, but the visual storytelling and flawless directing of the dog are fascinating. It’s a shame that the film lacks a more powerful ending that would be richer in thought. With that, I can’t give it four stars. [Cannes FF]

A nicely outlined western epic with a large number of characters having a diverse palette of conflicts as well as family and romantic relationships. And of course natural locations from multiple corners of America that are a joy to see. Every inch of the film (including Debney’s music) gives us a sense of Costner’s love for the classic genre, which may seem almost kitschy to less knowledgeable young viewers. Horizon doesn’t aim for artistic achievements or creative innovations and is “only” a pure romantic western that, thanks to the planned lengthy runtime, can incorporate marginal scenes of everyday life from the given period, which are something that we have never seen in westerns before. That adds value to the film and – together with the “coming next” at the end – confirms that Horizon is rather a series in film form. Albeit a series in whose case it would be a shame not to see it on the big screen (which means that the spoilerish insert at the end is not a slap in the face). I’m not giving Chapter 1 a star rating for now, since it is only the first quarter of the project and the final impression will depend on the development, integration and outcome of the individual stories.

A wacky feminist “horror” comedy with three hysterical women, a severed penis, a corpse in the refrigerator, the ghosts of dead men and sizable portions of blood and, mainly, female nudity, the amount of which we’re not used to seeing in the French mainstream (or elsewhere). That nudity interestingly enhances the openness of expressing femininity in the film, which is obviously a metaphor for the difficulty that suffering women have in dealing with men (swine). Though this almost hallucinogenically chaotic genre mish-mash is packed with admirable energy, it lacks functional dramaturgy, which would have made it an objectively good Film with a capital F. [Cannes FF]

The first quarter of an hour likably introduces the characters and is pleasing due to the presence of well-liked actors. After the situation has been dramatized, however, the film descends to the level of an infantile TV production, with humour that I perhaps just don’t get and political allusions that I didn’t find clever enough for the given ensemble of actors, not even on an allegorical level. On the other hand, if such names signed off on the screenplay, maybe I’m wrong and you will find it appealing. Rumours seems to have been inspired by the “forest weirdness” of Albert Serra’s Liberté, which won the Jury Prize at Cannes a few years ago. [Cannes FF]

The substantial motif of opening up and purging hidden truths about oneself, publicly on camera and in the presence of one’s surprised wife. With sincere self-reflexive monologues from the character played by Richard Gere, who is great as usual and is supported by the precise Uma Thurman. The film is given a distinctive theatrical patina by the incredibly pleasant music (songs) and the attractive retro visual aspect in the flashbacks. However, its ending is unsatisfying. The theme with revealing the main character’s past with the relativity of what is and isn’t true of that past had greater potential. [Cannes FF]

Can it really be so bad in India? The transformation of pure feminine innocence into the only possible form of existence that is not submissive to the laws of the patriarchal jungle. In some poor Indian social classes, family values are not the same as they are with us. And what initially seems tempting to take the wrong path can eventually turn out to be a life preserver. Though it is inhumanely sad. The Shameless is a brutal, powerful drama with a screenplay rich in the depiction of cultural nuances, excellent acting and uncompromising directing. [Cannes FF]

A procedural analysis of the actions of Eastern European villagers – the family of the injured party, the police and the father of those who are responsible – during the investigation of a crime and the subsequent handling of the facts that are brought to light. Though incomprehensible to the point of absurdity in the context of Western civilisation, those actions are well intentioned at the core of the characters’ limited way of thinking – albeit with a veil of nagging remorse. And even though the screenplay does not revolve explicitly around tragedy, the film holds the viewer’s attention with the brilliant structure of the dialogue and uncomplicated examination of the characters, while stimulating curiosity as to how it will develop. The same story with the same characters and dialogue could work just as well in the conditions of Poland or Slovakia. [Cannes FF]

Icelandic teenagers and a tragic event that they did not anticipate. The modifier “intimate” takes on even greater significance here than is usual. The detailed depiction of the rising fear of losing a loved one and subsequently dealing with the resulting pain. The main character goes through that mostly in secret, without the understanding of those around her and thus all the more intensely. Though thin in terms of story, this small drama is sufficiently packed with emotions and psychology, and offers a nice, poetic ending. [Cannes FF]