On a Magical Night
“Why awaken the past?”
Chambre 212 opens comedically with Maria (Chiara Mastrioanni), à law professor that gets entangled in an extramarital affair. On the walk back home to her husband, she blatantly checks out a much younger man, hinting that this is just who she is.
Richard (Benjamin Biolay), is devastated when he finds out about his wife to an extreme degree. Maria exiles herself to a hotel across the street to room 212, where she can spy on her husband, Rear Window style.
Using Les Bien-Aimés/Beloved as a springboard, Honoré continues his experiment with showing characters at different stages of their lives often being in the same room with each other. The young versions mirror the old: both Irènes sit down with a hot cup of tea and both Richards cross their arms at the same time and smoke while at the piano.
Like a modernized version of A Christmas Carol, spirits living and dead come to haunt Maria to help her make a decision about whether or not she should return to her husband. It is complete with a phantom baby, reference to a past threesome, and kissing cousins.
With a brief but beautiful flashback of Richard in black and white, it only confirms that this is pure cinema. Honoré proves that cinema is a place for dreaming, yet I had the pleasure of viewing this selection from Un Certain Regard while completely awake, having the the time of my life.
Some criticisms: Young Irène (Camille Cottin) looks nothing like Older Irène (Carole Bouquet). Young Richard looks nothing like Older Richard (Benjamin Biolay).
Note: Honoré thanks a slew of filmmakers in the end credits including Woody Allen, Ingmar Bergman, and Bertrand Blier. Despite being at the master level, he graciously thanks those who have come before him.
Note 2: Chiara Mastrioanni and Benjamin Biolay have a child together, from a past relationship, so it was interesting to see them play a tumultuous couple.
Vegan alert: Maria’s mother wears a leopard print jacket.
Liberté
Congratulations to Albert Serra for creating the worst film at Cannes I’ve seen so far this year, hands down. I wasn’t eager to see it, yet it was playing at a convenient time.
It’s a journey into total depravity. It starts out as if it’s a film that will give us some historical perspective, but then it devolves into a libertines gone mad at night in the woods type of story. Some people walked out, some people laughed at the absurdity of the urination / excretion / masturbation featured, and some people politely clapped at the end. Not really relating to the characters with vomit fantasies, though, I couldn’t enjoy it at all. I gently said “boo” while some faint applause lingered, but I was ready to go into a full-fledged booing mode if literally anyone else would have joined me.
Vegan alert:
There is a reference to bestiality.
Additional note:
There is extreme violence toward and humiliation of human beings.
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I was excited to see this, as I enjoyed Pippa Bianco’s short film, Picturing Barbara Kruger. Unfortunately, it was a bit slow and could have been a lot tighter. The setup was done well, with all the teenagers texting and sharing. The dad character got angry enough for all the characters combined. Mandy (Rhianne Barreto) didn’t want to do anything about her circumstances. Such a passive character left me wanting a whole lot more.
Introduction with Pippa Bianco (director) and Rhianne Barreto (actress).
Vegan alert:
There’s a discussion on spraying ants.
Land of Ashes
The lead actress (Smashleen Gutiérrez) is beautiful, especially in her green dress. She has a peaceful yet engaging presence that evokes Monica Vitti from The Red Desert or Magaly Solier from The Milk of Sorrow. The movie is quiet and slow and doesn’t really stand out, but there are quiet moments in the journey like dancing and breathing that make this a competent film, at least.
Vegan alert:
There are some dead snakes.
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