Friday, September 10, 2010

Venice Red Carpet: The Town, Potiche, Meek's Cutoff

Toronto kicked off last night but before we get to our coverage there -- we'll be hearing from the same folks who covered Toronto for The Film Experience last year -- Venice is starting to wrap up. Awards will be announced before you know it.

The most 'Hollywood' Venice premiere was probably The Town which brought out the happy familiar faces of Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm and last year's Best Actor nominee Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker).


Is it just me or is it always a bit odd to see Jon Hamm smiling? He's smiling so much lately and with that career you'd be smiling too. But it's so UnDraper! These townies had prophetic reason to be happy. Reviews were kind. Here's a sampling:
  • Cinema Blend "bigger by nearly every measure" [than Gone Baby Gone]
  • Newsweek "Affleck’s heist movie is part of a career turnaround so amazing that he looks like the new Clint Eastwood"
One of the most exciting things for cinephiles about film festivals is that they tend to be more auteur-focused than any other movie event.

Tykwer, Miike, Ozon and Guadagino

Tom Tykwer was promoting his latest Drei, a film about a bisexual love triangle between a long time couple and the man they both fall for (unbeknownst to each other). Obsessed With Film called it "punchy and inventive" but wasn't completely bowled over. Tykwer has yet to recapture the type of international enthusiasm that greeted his breakthrough Run Lola Run (1998) but every few years or so we get another good looking movie like Perfume or The International.

Takashi Miike
makes a new movie as often as I write a blog post. At least it seems that way. He's twice or thrice as prolific as Woody Allen. The man behind violent sensations like Audition and Ichi the Killer (and many others with less staying power) was premiering 13 Assassins.

François Ozon is one of the best directors of eye candy movies in the world with a gorgeous filmography that includes 8 Women, Water Drops on Burning Rocks and 5x2 among other gems. He's also sweet to look at offscreen. I'm just saying. The gay auteur was in Venice to premiere Potiche, his latest confection starring a starry buffet for hungry francophiles: Catherine Deneuve, Karin Viard, Sergi Lopez, Gerard Depardieu, Judith Godreche among others. Yum yum. Ultimate Addict was totally entertained citing its "snappy, hilarious dialogue" and calling Deneuve "a joy to watch" though you can cut and paste that description into every Deneuve review, n'est-ce pas?

Luca Guadagnino, Tilda's I Am Love director was also in town. He's on Tarantino's competition jury. I include him because I am nuts for I Am Love and his proposed Auntie Mame remake with Tilda in the lead is the greatest movie ever made that doesn't actually exist yet. Ohmygod I want to see that like three years ago. Please make it. If only I were a multi-millionaire and could fund the project myself. This is why I should have been born rich instead of poor. I could have supported so many worthwhile creative endeavors. (Sigh)

Michelle, Tilda, Paz and the immortal Deneuve

But we mustn't forget the actresses beautifying the red carpet.

Michelle Williams is sharing a closet with Carey Mulligan? They're like twin pixie fashionistas. Michelle was in town for her role as Kelly Reichardt's (Wendy & Lucy) main muse, this time in the western Meek's Cutoff.
  • Time Out London "just as rich, nuanced, mysterious and low key as anything she's made."
  • Guardian "far from action packed, but still gripping."

Tilda Swinton appears magically wherever there are A list festivals. It's a rule of the cinema nature ...a benevolent one, too.

Paz Vega. Remember her? Would Spanglish jog your memory or have you tried to forget it?
She's in town with the Italian drama Vallanzasca.

Anyway... we could do this all day. But the question is now who will take the prizes from Tarantino's jury? Guy Lodge has predictions. Will Natalie Portman's psycho ballerina win her the Best Actress prize? Will a non-English language picture rise to the top, forcing the media to note that not all movies are from Hollywood? Venice pulls the curtains closed tomorrow.

11 comments:

Joe said...

A few things:

1. Rebecca Hall looks stunning, especially surrounded by all the boys. I hope to see big things from her this decade.

2. It always surprises me to see how short Jeremy Renner is.

3. Very excited about Potiche. Hope it arrives in the state (near me anyway) before 2011.

4. How I love Tilda, and how right you are that the "Auntie Mame" remake with her as the star is the best film that has never been made. I mean, this needs to happen now even if it is only in my dreams.

James T said...

Speaking of remakes, Deneuve reminded me of Kathleen Turner in the movie's poster. I want her to be the new Serial Mom.

Renner just seems to be thinking "Hey, I KNOW there is a bomb around here! Where are you biatch??" :p

NicksFlickPicks said...

Isn't Guadagnino on the competition jury?

I think Miike will win Best Director and Portman Best Actress, but otherwise I'm not sure. And obv, I'm not even sure about that.

Marci said...

I'm glad that Blake Lively is too busy filming Gossip Girl to promote The Town that much. She just doesn't belong in that amazing group.

IslandLiberal said...

I'm quite enjoying Ben's comeback, because I thought the backlash against him went way overboard.

Andrew R. said...

I'm the only person who thinks The Town looks really bad despite its director, am I?

SoSueMe said...

Paz Vega made Adam Sandler sexy in Spanglish.

lax airport hotels said...

This film looks good, but at the same time I think many people are not going to compare the Town Michael Mann's Heat the pan. Preheat really set the gold standard of movies robbery: robbery design, chess any more cops and robbers, Shootout, a love story, etc.

john said...

Nathaniel, Luca Guadagnino is at Venice since he is in the official competition jury along with Tarantino. On opening night he wore a rather fetching, fuschia pink jacket!

NATHANIEL R said...

john -- thanks.

Venice hotels said...

Adam Sandler sexy? I have to watch Spanglish. Sometimes I feel I miss a lot of good movies.