THE BEST:
1) The Tree of Life
Terrence Malick's latest movie was the darling of the festival, getting the most wanted prize of Cannes: the Palme D'Or. It was called a "motion picture for audiences with patiente", but it was also acclaimed for being such an unique masterpiece about the meaning of being alive and the meaning of death, being also a wonderful visual treat (great cinematography, great edition and beautiful shoots and visual effects). The Tree of Life fulfilled expectations and it's the proof that cinema is a "sacred" thing, being the one of the most acclaimed movies of the festival by far and it promises to be one of the best movies of the year.
2) Midnight in Paris
The latest Woody Allen movie is his return to what made him special. After doing sexy movies like Match Point and Vicky Cristina Barcelona (the only Allen's movies that were critically sucessful last decade), the Master is back on fire with a more classic picture, something more "Woody Allen". Reviews praise the light tone of the movie, the flawless dialogue, the comedy and Paris itself (who seems to look great inn this movie!). In spite of not being in competition, Midnight in Paris was one of the critics' darling of the latest edition of the festival.
3) Kirsten Dunst in Melancholia
Most people (including me) had doubts about the acting capacities of Dunst, but when she was casted to work with Von Trier, I thought it would mean something and now she won the Cannes Best Actress prize. If you exclude her acting works as a child actress and her Sofia Coppola's movies (The Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette), her body of work don't show talent, but Melancholia may be a ticket to better and meaty roles that may challenge her as an actress, making her pull great performances and gain the respect of the cinema industry. She's one of the most surprising things in this year's Cannes Film Festival, but she also was one of the best!
4) Drive
An indie feature by a Danish director that promises to be one of the best pictures of the year. The movie collected raves at Cannes and it was in competition for the Palme D'Or, alongside great movies such as The Tree of Life, The Source, The Skin I Live In, The Artist or The Kid with a Bike. The movie was distinguished with the Best Director prize of the festival. The acting was really praised, specially Gosling's, and so was the visual style of the movie, with a great editing and an interesting cinematography. One of the best of Cannes and one of the best of the year as the critics' almost said.
5) Tilda Swinton in We Need to Talk About Kevin
An amazing actress that was in serious contention for the Best Actress prize of Cannes Film Festival. The role of a suffering mother is always a meaty one and it seems that Swinton did wonders with her part, delivering a raved performance. I think there's no role in which she was "bad"... She might not won anything in the festival, but Cannes was just the first drink of the award season that promises something to her.
6) The Artist and Jean Dujardin
A movie full of style, full of grace, full of charm! The black&white style and the silence made it unique and "awesome" according to the critics. The central figure of the movie, a silent movie star, was well-played by Dujardin (who won the Best Actor prize of Cannes) and the subject of the whole movie is pertinent and really nice. The Artist was one of the most praised movies of this year's festival edition and it was seen as the biggest threat to taking the Palme D'Or from The Tree of Life. A great french movie that I'm really curious to see...
THE LESS GOOD:
1) Lars von Trier's "banishment" (Nazi related comments are always "not cool at all")
2) Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (where's the first movie's style?)
3) This Must Be the Place (Sean Penn was amazing, but there's something missing...)
THE SURPRISES:
1) Thomas Doret in The Kid with a Bike (a great performance by a child actor)
2) Emily Browning in Sleeping Beauty (she proved that she's more than a beautiful: she showed she can deliver a great performance and work outside far away from big studio productions)
3) The Source (more than a feminist movie, it was a movie about women)
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