Am I sorry to miss the Cannes Film Festival this year?
No.
Everyone’s favorite festival has picked up a negative vibe despite many Americans and loads of celebrities. The buzz is not happening. That’s a surprise.
So far, it’s been hard to find a film everyone likes just a little bit. The big news is that Mubi, the small distributor of “The Substance,” just paid $24 million Lynne Ramsey’s “Die My Love.”
The movie has mixed to good reviews. With just 17 critics posting, the consensus is that Jennifer Lawrence lights up the screen in a film that no one can agree on. Sounds like Demi Moore in “The Substance.” Robert Pattinson also stars. The Hollywood Reporter gave the cast a nice party sponsored by Longine’s.
Some big ticket films have arrived with distributors already involved. But Focus’s Wes Anderson movie, “The Phoenician Scheme,” is getting roasted by critics on first look. Anderson has not changed course as his films have gotten more and more self indulgent. A24’s “Eddington” with Joaquin Phoenix et al is sitting at 69% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Some good news: Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague” got swell reviews. A tribute to French new wave cinema, the little gem is — a la Woody Allen — black and white, and in French. Voila! It needs a distributor. Linklater’s last film, “Hit Man,” would have been a box office hit but Netflix kept it on the platform.
Also, Kristen Stewarts’ “The Chonology of Water” got high marks — 92% so far. It’s also looking for a US distributor.
Meanwhile, the party scene has been very blah evidently. Vanity Fair skipped its annual party at the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc despite so many stars hanging around town. The magazine’s editor, Radhika Jones, is out and no one’s been named to take her place. Circulation is minimal. They also blow their cash wad on the Oscars.
The Hotel — one of the great stations of wealth and privilege in the world — must be pretty sore that they lost that booking as well as a much downsized dinner organized by London flack Charles Finch — at a small restaurant in town — for Benicio del Toro in “The Phoenician.” (Celebrity guests were Robert De Niro and Cuba Gooding, who’s still dating De Niro’s ex-daughter-in- law.)The great era of the big Finch soirees at the famed hotel is over. Now they wait for the Eurotrash to wash up with amFAR later in the week.
I know everyone hates him now, and a lot for good reason (obviously), but Cannes swung under Harvey Weinstein. His enthusiasm for the place, its history, and films gave Cannes a buzz it hasn’t regained. His sense of showmanship upped everyone’s game. Alas, there’s obviously much less money to go around, and Netflix — which isn’t allowed to show movies at Cannes — stays quiet. Will the fun ever come back? I’m glad I was there when it was hot!
