Lying Review

I sometimes lie to make myself sound smarter or more important than I really am. I lie out of discontent with my real life. I lie because sometimes the truth doesn’t sound cool enough. I lie to cover up some sort of wrong action. I lie to spare others’ feelings. I lie to get out of doing something I’d rather not do. The point is, I lie. We all do. I don’t generally tell any really big whoppers, but the lies are still there, even when I’m not saying anything. My hair lies about its natural color. With the help of eyeliner and tweezers, my eyes and brows lie about their natural shape. To some extent, lies exist all around us. How interesting it would be to explore this idea in a feature film. Interesting, of course, unless the film in question is M Blash’s latest, Lying.

In what was described as a “magical” and “inspiring” script by lead actresses Chloe Sevigny and Jena Malone, Blash manages to make lying seem the most boring activity in which a person could participate.

Megan (Sevigny) has invited four girlfriends to her country house for the weekend. She has recently lost her parents in a tragic accident and needed to get out of the city for a few days. Joining her are Grace (Malone), Linda (Maya Goldsmith), and Hella (Halley Wegryn Gross). Grace and Hella work with Megan. Linda met her in a yoga class.

Over the course of the weekend, the four women bond and share about their lives. Eventually, Grace discovers Megan has been consistently lying about almost everything (for example, her parents are still alive and kicking). Grace, Hella, and Linda are upset by this dishonesty and decide to leave early. When a neighbor (LeeLee Sobieski) stops by to ask why the guests have gone, Megan lies about the reason. Clearly she has a pathological problem.

I had the opportunity to hear M Blash talk about Lying on two separate occasions. He said he was fascinated by the fact that, even though we’re all probably good people, we all lie. Or, at least, we’ve all been lied to. He wanted to explore the different kinds of lying (outright lies, lying by omission, etc.), but also create a movie about silence. The two concepts seem contradictory and do not work well together on the big screen. Though the film clocks in at 92 minutes, the script was only 50 pages long. Considering the time-honored tradition where one page of script equals one minute of screentime, I had a hard time imagining what was going to happen in those other 42 minutes. Apparently, so did Blash. Much of that extra time is spent lingering on Sevigny’s face, or the view from the house, or the mundane movements of characters.

In addition to lacking dialogue, the film also lacks polish. In what seems like an attempt to be “arty” or “indie,” Blash allows shaky camera movement and terrible sound quality to make the final cut. The lines that do exist are so low and muffled, it is hard to make them out. On top of technical issues, the actresses staunchly refuse to enunciate, making it all the more difficult to understand what they are saying.

The film, shot using only natural light, is in many ways beautiful to watch. The palette is muted, even extending to the coloring of the actresses’ skin and hair. All of the characters are oddly dressed alike, but the wardrobe (coming primarily from the closet of Sevigny herself) contributes to the romantic, non-urban, dreamlike tone. The lowkey atmosphere could be complementary to a film with a more discernible plot or more interesting dialogue. Here, however, it only serves to reinforce the dullness.

Despite the title of the film, very little time is spent actually exploring the art of lying. Though the audience is clued in to the fact that Megan is a regular liar, no sense of her motivation is provided. Is she unhappy with her life? Is she seeking sympathy? She readily advises Linda to “just tell the truth” to her boyfriend, so she must understand the difference between lies and truths. So, does she lie for fun, then? I was left wondering.

Going into this film, I was so intrigued by the premise – we’re all affected by lies. I was caught up in a situation involving a lie told and was very interested in comparing my own circumstances to the characters’. I often view movies as catharctic and was looking forward to a free therapy session. The film was such a disappointment, however, I had to wonder if everyone involved had been lying about its brilliance as part of a weird promotional shtick. Surely Blash and the others could not truly believe this film was that spectacular.

Though there was great potential, the film could not live up to my high expectations. Lying is Blash’s first foray into feature film, and I can only assume things will get better from here. His first priority, however, should be surrounding himself with people who are not afraid to tell the truth about his work. Lying, after all, does no one any good.

Requiem for Billy the Kid Review

Some countries have tales of kings and knights. America has cowboys. Wild West stories are legendary. Almost every generation alive today has a great cowboy movie in their repertoire. Baby boomers have almost two whole decades of them. Names like Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday, and Jesse James evoke strong emotions. French director Anne Feinsilber chose the legend of Billy the Kid for this, her first film. Following the efforts of Tom Sullivan and Steve Sedarwall, the Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico, Requiem for Billy the Kid is an homage to the past set in the present.

When the film begins, Sullivan and Sedarwall have recently discovered that a town in Texas is claiming to have the remains of the “real” Billy the Kid. Lincoln County is rich in Old West history and has been renowned as the site of Billy the Kid’s death. Not only does Billy’s life and death provide tourism dollars for the small county, it is also a great source of pride for the locals. The Sheriff wants to exhume both bodies, along with the body of Billy’s mother, for DNA testing. He is convinced this will prove, once and for all, that Lincoln County is Billy’s true resting place.

Showcasing the sweeping landscapes of New Mexico and the weathered faces of local Lincoln County folk, Requiem is truly a beautiful movie. The faces of the interviewees particularly struck me. These are men who work hard and love every minute of it. In their faces, there are deep lines, thick creases, leathery patches. They look like cowboys. The effect is charming and endearing.

In addition to interviewing local people, the director sets up a sort of faux-interview with Billy the Kid himself. Using the voice of Kris Kristofferson, she directs questions to Kristofferson as if she were talking to Billy in the present, allowing him to reflect on his life. Kristofferson played the role of Billy in Sam Peckinpah’s “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid” (1973). Feinsilber interweaves clips of Kristofferson as Billy in the movie with the historical information being presented. Hearing the young Kristofferson in the movie clips and his older voice in the interview is a very creative and effective tool and sets this documentary apart from any other I’ve seen.

It’s hard to put into words how much I loved this film. Though my dad was brought up on cowboys and Indians and instilled a deep love of Westerns into my sister and me, I don’t know that I would have thought a documentary on Billy the Kid would be up my alley, so to speak. Requiem is so much more than just a documentary. Part history lesson and part cold case mystery, it is wholly captivating.

The film moves along at an extremely slow place. Those sweeping landscape shots stretch over several minutes. The music is haunting and lonely with a Western twang. It is the kind of film some might call boring. For me, however, it felt like an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It took me away to another time and place and allowed me to be swallowed up by the participants. What more could you ask for from a movie?

Immediately after the film, I phoned my father to tell him I had just seen a movie he would love. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before. I felt such a connection with him while watching it, though. The legend of Billy the Kid, presented in this way, was so interesting. Perhaps for the first time, I completely understood the fascination with cowboys and the Old West.

In the last scene, after being denied his request to exhume the bodies in question, Sheriff Sullivan reveals he is on his way out of office. His term is up and he is being replaced. In a line that sums up not only his term, but also the life of Billy the Kid, he says, “I’ll be history.” Won’t we all?

The rest...

The Festival ended Sunday and we're all anxiously awaiting the post-Festival depression that's bound to set in. Actually, I'm looking forward to the next leg of my trip. We'll be based more in Juan-les-Pins and have the chance to do some exploring here. Unfortunately, my digital camera was stolen, so I'll try to post friends' pictures when I can get them. If not that, I'll post some more when I get home (I'm carrying the brand new deluxe Kodak disposable these days...awesome!).

Here's a list of the other movies I saw during the Festival...

X-Men 3 - Which I hated. Okay, I didn't *hate* it because, if nothing else, it gave me the chance to look at Hugh Jackman for two hours. But overall it was pretty bad. Brett Ratner (Rush Hour 1 and 2) took over so Bryan Singer could do Superman. I'm convinced everything that's wrong with the movie is Brett's fault. He actually compared Magneto and Xavier's approaches to mutant rights to Malcolm X and MLK's to civil rights. I bet he thought all day about what he could say to make himself sound brilliant.

The movie has a great plot (a cure has been developed for mutancy), but the follow-through is just nothing to be proud of. The actors seem to be on auto-pilot (I feel like a better director would have recognized that and inspired them to greatness), the special effects looked hokey and unfinished, and there is absolutely no character development.

I had such high hopes after the second one and I was totally disappointed.

Hardcore - This was a mocumentary from the UK about a young director making an adult film in order to finance his "real" projects. As horrible as it sounds, it was actually the most laugh-out-loud film I saw in the whole festival. Despite the subject matter, there was very little nudity and no graphic sex scenes. The guy who played the director played it absolutely straight, even when everything around him was totally absurd. I can't say I would recommend it to everyone, but I found it completely hilarious!

Lying - This is the movie by M Blash that I was looking so forward to (see previous post "Directors" for more info). Unfortunately, it was the worst film I saw. Maybe the worst film I've ever seen. The filmmakers used only natural light which made the picture sort of grainy. It was actually a lovely visual effect. What was not lovely was the constant straining to hear the dialogue (what there was of it). One critic correctly guessed they used mics from the local Radio Shack for the production. The film was just utterly uninspired and boring. With such a compelling subject matter and such a great introduction from the director (M said he wanted to make it because, though he's sure we're all good people, we've all been lied to or done some lying of our own), I was so excited about this film. But it was so bad. I still heart M Blash because he's just so darn cute, but he made an absolutely horrendous movie.

2:37 - This Australian movie was made by a first-time director and with an entire cast of first-time actors. It was so good! Switching back and forth between the storyline and an interview-like setting with each character, the director really showed a lot of creativity and style. It's about a group of high school students all with varying teenage problems. In fact, my only critique is that it reads sort of like a checklist of teen angst (sexual abuse, teenage pregnancy, repressed homosexuality, relationship problems, parental approval issues, suicide). There's a twist at the end, however, that I never saw coming and that totally redeemed the film, in my opinion.

Free Jimmy - A Norwegian animated film starring the voices of Woody Harrelson, Jim Broadbent, and others, about a drug-addict elephant trapped in the circus. Sounds awesome, right? :) It was actually really funny, but very adult. A lot of parents had brought their children and were disappointed with the language and sex (yes, animated sex) in the first few moments. We watched this one on the beach, projected onto a huge screen, on a beautiful evening. It was lovely!

Babel - Other than X-Men, this is probably the only movie on this list that will get any real play in the US. It stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett as an American couple on holiday in Morocco. Cate is accidentally shot on a tour bus by some youngsters playing with a rifle in the hills. The US government assumes it's a terrorist attack and things escalate from there. The movie is sort of along the same lines as Crash, but not nearly as effective. Brad Pitt does an absolutely amazing job acting in it and the music and direction is really great. However, the convoluted story lines are confusing and unneccessary.

So, those are the movies I saw at the Cannes Film Festival. Most were ones I liked and ones I may not have otherwise had the chance to see. I still can't believe I was priveleged enough to be here.

Peace. Out.

Volver Review

Pedro Almodovar is one of those directors whose name I have heard many times, but whose work I had never experienced. His latest film, Volver, is quite an experience indeed.

Penelope Cruz is being touted as the star of the film, but if ever there was an ensemble cast, this is it! Carmen Maura, Lola Duenas, Bianca Portillo, and Yohano Cobo round out the cast. Their interdependence on one another lends a believability to the family ties.

Cruz will be the only familiar name to most American viewers, but even her biggest American fans may not recognize her onscreen. I had only ever seen her in American films which required her to speak English. Watching her act in Spanish, her native tongue, was like watching someone completely different. This Cruz is confident, aggressive even, in her choices. She absolutely pops. Not to mention she has never looked more beautiful. Dressed in fitted pencil skirts, lowcut blouses, and with a bouffant hairdo, she is the epitome of a Spanish beauty.

In the movie, Raimunda (Cruz) and her daughter, Paula (Cobo), find themselves in a sticky situation involving Raimunda’s husband. In the midst of this turmoil, Raimunda’s beloved Tia Paula (Chus Lampreave) dies. Raimunda’s sister, Sole (Duenas) goes to the wake to represent the family and comes home with an unexpected guest – the ghost of her dead mother, Irene (Maura).

Any woman who is a daughter, a mother, or a sister will be able to relate to Volver. Raimunda and Sole’s relationship, though different in many ways from mine and my own sister’s, still captures the dynamic of the sisterly bond. Raimunda and Sole are very different creatures. Raimunda is the beauty, the one in charge, the people-person. Sole is quiet, shy, plain. She has lived for a long time in Raimunda’s shadow. These two people would never find each other in life were it not for a shared set of parents. Yet they have a bond that overcomes any obstacle, and when one is in need, the other is there.

Irene’s and Raimunda’s relationship in many ways mirrors that of Raimunda’s and Paula’s. Paula is the same age Raimunda was when the rift between Raimunda and her mother was formed. It is clear Raimunda does not want the same thing to happen between her and Paula. Their relationship brings up an interesting question – are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of our mothers with our own children?

It is interesting to me that a male director is able to capture the intricacies found within the range of female relationships. Almodovar is renowned for his depictions of femininity. This being the only one of his movies I have seen, I believe the hype. Volver is simply a beautiful and delightful movie. The colors and style of shooting are almost retro, recalling movies of the 1960’s. The music is intense and suspenseful. The pleasure of watching, along with the superb performances have inspired me to look for other works by Almodovar.

Though Volver deals with some very weighty life issues, the perfect comedic timing of the cast and Almodovar’s sharp and witty script keep it from becoming too heavy. The twists and turns of the relationships between these women kept me interested and anxious to see what would happen next. Family secrets are revealed and old wounds are healed. Even in the face of death, Raimunda, Sole, and even their mother Irene finally wake to the true joys of life and love.

Nothing to do with Cannes...

This post has absolutely nothing to do with my experience here, but I feel a certain responsibility to the public...

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have had their baby. (And the crowd goes wiiiiiiild!!) It's a girl, born Saturday night, and her name is Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt. Hmm. Shiloh. I think I like it. Congratulations to the happy family and best wishes.

Peace. Out.

Directors...

Monday - Got to attend the Directors Press Conference, mediated by Roger Ebert, at the American Pavilion (all the major countries have pavilions set up as promotion for their movies and places for their citizens to hang out...we generally boycott the American one because you have to pay to get in, but we got special passes for this event, so it was ok!). Present were Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, School of Rock, showing Fast Food Nation and A Scanner Darkly in Cannes), Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, showing Mala Noche in Cannes), M. Blash (first-time director showing Lying in Cannes), Larry Clark (Kids, showing a short film about pornography and how it shapes children's perspectives about sex in Cannes), Brett Ratner (Rush Hour movies, showing X-Men 3 in Cannes) and some others.

I heart Richard Linklater! He stayed after the press conference (which was really just a mediated conversation with only a few questions from the audience) to talk to our class and is awesome! He talked a lot about his experience and why he thinks FFN and ASD are important.

Brett Ratner is absolutely the most "LA" type I've seen yet. As soon as he walked in the room, you could read the Hollywood all over him!

Tuesday - Paul Cox, who has directed a documentary about a leper colony in Hawaii, came to talk to our class and give us a private screening of the film. It was still a rough cut, but very beautiful. Hearing the people in the colony talk was amazing. Paul entertained us by feeling so very sorry for us for having to grow up in America...he was dead serious! :)

Wednesday - Geoff Gilmore, director of the Sundance Film Festival, talked to our class and answered any and all questions we had. I was going to ask how he felt about Paris Hilton coming to Sundance, but another girl beat me to a similar question (she asked more nicely than I would have, though). He said he feels like the purpose of Sundance hasn't changed, regardless of all the celebrities and free stuff they get while there. Riiiiight.

Just after that, I went to a "conversation" in the American Pavilion with M. Blash and some people from his movie, Chloe Sevigny and Jena Malone. I also heart M. Blash! He seems like such a cool guy and I'm so interested to see his movie when it screens tomorrow. He said he feels like everyone has lied and been affected by lies at one time or another, so it should be a movie everyone can relate to.

Jena Malone (who, I know, is not technically a director, but she was there!) is the consummate actress. She was so metaphorical ("It's like you're doing a dance with the camera...") and wacky. She seemed like a nice girl, but after a while, her answers were just hysterical. Asked to give advice to people who want to get started in the business, she said: "Imagine your favorite animal. Your very favorite animal from the whole animal kingdom. Now imagine you have to be swallowed by that animal and have digestive juices and other disgusting things happening to you inside the belly. There you are in the belly of the beast you love so much, but you have to find a way to be true to yourself while getting hit on all sides from the other junk." I'm serious. She really said that! It was very "Inside the Actor's Studio" of her!

Peace. Out.

Oliver Stone's World Trade Center...

Last night I got to attend the screening of Platoon in honor of its 20th anniversary. Oliver Stone, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, and Tom Berenger were all there to celebrate. I didn't stay for the whole film because I had some other plans and it started really late. Before Platoon played, though, Mr. Stone had brought 20 minutes of footage from his upcoming film "World Trade Center" starring Nicolas Cage. It wasn't the film, it was all in high def video, and it was still a bit rough, but he was very excited (or as excited as he gets) to show it.

Watching it was sort of like a little test for myself. United 93 is playing later this week and I've been undecided as to whether I would see it. I figured if I could handle 20 minutes, I might could handle a full-length film.

I was a wreck.

The first few shots are of firemen getting up at 3 am to head into work. As the sun comes up, there are some stunning beauty-shots of the old NYC...the one with two twin towers at the end of her skyline. Seeing them there and knowing what was going to happen, I found myself with tears in my eyes. The footage continues through the firemen finding out "something" has happened at the Trade Center. They are hearing rumors and misinformation, but run to do what they can with what they know. As they get inside the tower, it starts to collapse. Even though the effects were rough, the use of sound and light for those scenes is amazing. The footage ends with a close up of Nicolas Cage, covered in rubble, breathing heavily.

The audience was very quiet while WTC played and when it ended, there was a hesitation in the applause. I don't think it was because people didn't like it, but because they were unsure of what to do. I know I was. How do you applaud something like that? It was a brilliant piece of film-making, but I think everyone feels as I do...are we ready for movies about September 11?

Apparently I'm not.

Celebrity sightings...

I saw Bai Ling and Charlie Sheen yesterday at the Majestic hotel. They weren't together. :)

Charlie Sheen was in town to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Platoon, which screened last night. Seeing him up close was a real experience. Most of you reading know that I have a, um, slight fascination with celebrities. I'm an Us Weekly subscriber, I read People.com, etc. Because of that, I've read all about the crap that's (allegedly) going on in Mr. Sheen's life right now. Even if everything that's in the magazines right now is totally fabricated, there are people reading it and talking about it. For him to have to come to such a public place and do publicity was, I'm sure, a little uncomfortable. He was much more a real person and much less celebrity tabloid fodder to me yesterday.

I've been feeling for a while that perhaps my celebrity obsession is out of control. I mean, I love movies, tv, music, all of that. And I greatly admire and respect many of the people involved in those industries. All of the gossipy (is that a word?) stuff seems a little crazy, though. Seeing Mr. Sheen sort of brought all of that into focus. I mean, here's this guy, trying to live his life, knowing everyone is talking about the most private things he's going through. How awful.

Gee, look at that...I think I just matured a little. :)

Peace. Out.

Movies so far...

This is what I've seen so far...

WEDNESDAY, May 17
The Da Vinci Code - see review below

THURSDAY, May 18
Hamaca Paraguaya - a beautiful movie from Paraguay that opened the Un Certain Regard portion of the festival (those are movies that did not get selected for competition, but were chosen as stand-outs). You never saw any dialogue in the movie, it was all in voiceover. Even when the two main characters were talking to each other. This worked because they were very old and it made it seem they didn't even need to talk audibly to communicate.

FRIDAY, May 19
Fast Food Nation - one of two Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, School of Rock) films showing at the festival. This one is in competition and was amazing! A little disturbing in its depiction of the fast food meat industry, but both fun and thought-provoking to watch.

Quinceanera - a movie in Spanish and English, set in LA, depicting the events leading up to a Latin girls' 15th birthday (the equivalent of our sweet 16). Very light and sweet...a great choice after FFN!

Volver - probably the best movie I've seen so far. Directed by Pedro Almodovar and starring Penelope Cruz, it is a black comedy that strikes just the right balance between heavy drama and comic relief. It's the first time I've seen Penelope Cruz act in her native tongue and she was amazing! So confident and aggressive. She was perfect. This film is getting rave reviews and will be hard to beat. The audience was on their feet clapping for 15 minutes after the credits!

SATURDAY, May 20
The Secret Lives of Happy People - a really interesting French Canadian film, but with a ridiculous happy ending slapped on the end. The filmmakers were obviously trying to make it more commercial, but it actually felt odd.

The Wedding Director - an Italian romantic comedy with very little comedy and even less romance. My least favorite so far.

Requiem for Billy the Kid - the only documentary I've seen as of yet. It was brilliant! It was totally charming and enchanting to watch with sweeping landscapes and a beautiful soundtrack. It follows the attempts of two Lincoln County, NM, police officers who want to prove, once and for all, where Billy is buried (there's a competing gravesite in Texas). Their request to exhume the bodies is denied, but the history the viewer receives in the process is great. It's worth watching just to hear the locals who are interviewed about all of the Billy the Kid myths.

Peace. Out.

I'm officially referring to myself as a celebrity now...

I think I mentioned in a previous post that lots of people were taking pictures of and with those of us begging for DVC tickets Wednesday night. Though I didn't make it into the NY Times like one of my fellow students, I did make "Matt Dentler's Blog" and the Metro daily paper here in Cannes.

I'm officially referring to myself as a celebrity now because when I was back out begging for Volver tickets Friday night, several people recognized me from the Metro. I even signed a few autographs...Okay, no, I didn't do that, but I so would have if someone would have asked!! One lady did rush up to me, though, and said "Oh! You're here again, I have a ticket for you!" So, I got into my second premiere of the festival. I had also gotten into Fast Food Nation that morning using the same tactic. Who would believe this actually works???

Peace. Out.

Journal Entry...

Sitting at the fountain by the carousel beside Croisette Corner, these are my observations.
From May 18, 1:45 p.m.

1. There are naked breasts staring at me from across the street – an ad for the heavily advertised short film “Cashback” – on the magazine cover, the title covered the breasts – on the street, they are bare for everyone to see. That seems odd to me that public nudity is okay. Not because I’m a prude, but nude bodies seem to be private things, shared only with those you choose to share them with – perhaps I am an American prude after all.

2. Thought I have my iPod earbuds in (listening to Itzakh Perlman play movie themes of course!), outside noise comes in – the oh-so-French music of the carousel, bits of converstaion in languages I don’t understand, the click-clack of heels and the scrape of tennis shoes.

3. My phone buzzes – it is the buzz I’ve come to recognize as the indicator for a text message – so much cheaper than actually calling. A new friend wants to meet for lunch.

4. I stare at badges, not faces (just as our program coordinator Allison said I would) – I can tell by the lanyard who has a better badge than I. I struggle to read the words “Presse” (Press) or “Marche du Film” (Film Market). I still don’t quite understand the hierarchy, but I’m learning.

5. The sun is heating up on my back. It was cool enough for my sweatshirt this morning, but now it’s warm. I’m hoping I don’t get tan lines – the next dress I’m planning to wear is strapless.

6. A new sound has entered my environment. Apparently, you can rent remote-controlled boats to putter around the fountain. A little boy has rented one and I hear it’s motor. It’s annoying, but not nearly on the same level as the scooters which roar through JLP at all hours of the day and night.

7. The greenery is amazing and lush. Palm trees, potted plants, bright green grass. I know much of it is brought in just for the festival (I saw the trucks and workers putting them in place earlier this week), but it still has the desired effect. It is beautiful.

8. Despite what some may say about the Festival itself, this area does not discriminate against age, race, language, nationality, or gender. I have seen and heard everything – tiny children, elderly adults, French, Spanish, Asian, black, white, American, English, men, women. It’s only a small space, but it is perhaps the most multi-cultural space I’ve ever inhabited.

9. A scooter roars through and I’m reminded of my hatred for them.

10. The carousel has stopped. People are leaving, having had their lunch and siesta. I have just under an hour before my next film – actually, my first of the day. I shall read some more in my new Donald Miller book, and observe some more of my surroundings. But this shall be the last observation put to paper.

The Da Vinci Code Review...

Go ahead, believe whatever you want.

That seems to be the theme of the movie version of The Da Vinci Code, which opened worldwide May 19. Though the book hinted at this sentiment, the movie brings it sharply into focus.

The Da Vinci Code, based on the mega best-seller by Dan Brown, stars Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist called upon by the “French FBI” to decode a mysterious murder scene. Langdon’s findings lead to a modern-day quest for the Holy Grail. Helping Langdon are Sophie Neveu, a French cryptologist, and Leigh Teabing, a British Grail enthusiast. Audrey Tautou and Ian McKellan star in these respective roles.

At this point, it is unlikely anyone will enter this film without some preconceived notions. Either they will have read the book, they will have heard about the book, or they will have read or heard about the tepid reviews already submitted by the global press. I certainly went in with my own presuppositions. I assumed the book would capture the excitement of the chase while honoring the informative nature of the conversations among characters. I assumed, mostly because of Ron Howard and Tom Hanks’ involvement, that it would be well made, tasteful, interesting, and satisfying. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

When The Da Vinci Code, the novel, came out, I had a friend say it was the greatest action novel ever where nothing really happened. It seems the makers of the film version agreed with my friend. The dizzying camera movement, quick cuts between characters in conversation, and overpowering, overly dramatic music seem to be attempts to convince the viewer that there is, indeed, something going on. In actuality, the book was more historical fiction and exposition than action. For the movie, those characteristics are abandoned in favor of CGI effects and cheap cinematic trickery.

The absolute lack of subtlety within the story was another disappointment. Not only does the camera point like an eager child to the things that will be important later, but the revelations of the plot have been dumbed down to a comedic level. I had the privelege of attending the world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this week. When perhaps the most important line of the film was delivered, the crowd audibly snickered. Not because it was a humorous line, but because the information contained within was so obvious, stating it seemed a bit overt.

Though the film as a whole was a let down , there were two very bright spots. First, Paul Bettany, in the role of Silas the monk, handles what could be a difficult role with aplomb and grace. His performance is believable and sympathetic. Second, Ian McKellan as Leigh Teabing is delightful. Written in the book as an American’s Englishman, Teabing could have come off as campy and ridiculous. Instead, McKellan hits the nail on the head, playing into every delicious English stereotype that exists within the minds of Americans.

What most Christians want to know about before seeing this film, of course, is how the information about Jesus’ relationship to Mary Magdalene is handled. Though the book delivers a very straight-forward, very one-sided, very definite version of that relationship, the movie takes a less confrontational position. In a key speech, Langdon tells Sophie that “the only thing that matters is what you believe.” Moving this speech from its original placement in the book to the final scene of the movie seems almost like a white flag from the filmmakers. It is as if they are saying, “We know some of you may be offended by our version of these events, so we want to remind you that relativism is the only real truth in the world today.” So go ahead, believe whatever you want. You officially have Tom Hanks’ permission. Or, at least, Robert Langdon’s.

Though book purists will be disappointed by the changes made to the movie, and newcomers to the story may feel confused, The Da Vinci Code should make plenty of money in its opening weeks. The book has remained on the bestsellers list (usually at number one or two) every week for the past three years. Curiosity alone will initially bring plenty of people into the theatres. In the long run, however, the unfortunate choices made by all involved will prevent this movie from becoming a future classic.



Imagine Entertainment
Directed by: Ron Howard

Primary Cast:
Robert Langon – Tom Hanks
Sophie Neveu – Audrey Tautou
Bezu Fache – Jean Reno
Leigh Teabing – Sir Ian McKellan
Bishop Aringarosa – Alfred Molina
Silas – Paul Bettany

Pictures...finally!

You can't tell, but that's Tom Hanks in that car!

From Tuesday, arriving at the train station.

Paul Bettany arriving...hello, gorgeous!

I wasn't lying when I said I looked desperate! :)

Success, at last! That's *the* red carpet behind me!

Cinephile...

I have a Cinephile badge for the Festival. This allows me certain access, but is pretty much the lowest of the low. I am a step above the bourgeoise, but still have to, as we say, “make the festival work for me.” Toward the end of the festival, I’ll get a special 3-day pass to the film market where I’ll have the opportunity to attend the New Directors press conference hosted by Roger Ebert (whom I saw out and about twice today!). This is something I’d be excited about anyway, but we just found out Richard Linklater will be there, so I can’t wait!

But back to the evening premieres. In order to go to any of the red carpet premieres, we have to basically beg for tickets. Here’s how it works: We get all dressed up as if we were already going to the premiere (the Festival has a strict dress code, so you must look your best!). We head out to the Palais where all the premieres happen and post ourselves somewhere out front. We hold up signs asking for anyone with extra tickets to share them with us. If someone does indeed give us a ticket, we may go in and watch the movie with everyone else. If they don’t, we’re out of luck. The key is finding the right place to stand and smiling in desperation at everyone that walks by.

A word about the extra tickets: Each year large companies are alotted a certain number of tickets for each premiere. If they do not use all of those tickets, their alottment will be cut for the next year. So, rather than taking that chance, they give away the extra tickets to the poor (but nicely dressed) beggars on the street.

Last night was my first attempt at this whole process. I was, of course, hopeful to get into any premiere, but last night was particularly special. The Da Vinci Code (DVC) opened the Festival and had its world premiere here last night. As I’m sure you know, it opens worldwide on Friday. I did not have high hopes about getting in, but figured it couldn’t hurt to try. I looked my best and posted myself in front of the theatre at around 4:30 pm.

This is where it really gets interesting! There were about 15 people from our group doing the same thing. We were all smiling and holding our signs and basically competing for tickets. I don’t mean to be crude, but I think I have a better idea now of what it must be like for a prostitute working her corner. If another girl starting getting too close to me, I would move away or jokingly ask her to move out of my territory. We were all laughing about it, but we were also really competitive.

We became something of a tourist attraction. Emily and I were interviewed by at least five different international papers (What are you doing? You have a badge, why can’t you get in? Do you think this will really work?) and countless tourists walking by took our picture. It was hilarious!

Emily and I were trying to get in together so we finally moved away from the group to the other side of the Palais. We were standing on the side where everyone staying in the major hotels down the street had to walk past us to get into the theatre. I noticed that people would look at us when they were about 10-15 feet out, but as they got closer, they would refuse to make eye contact. They either looked straight ahead or would give us the “I’m sorry, I can’t help you, please don’t bother me” smile and look down. Emily said she now felt like she knew what homeless people go through. (So now we feel like prostitutes and bums…this night keeps getting better and better!)

Finally, at about 6:00 pm, we were ready to give up. We weren’t having any luck (hardly anyone from our group was), so we thought we would station ourselves along the barricade to try and get some good red carpet photos.

Right then, though, an older lady came around from the side, opened her purse, and handed me two tickets. I looked at her like an idiot because I couldn’t believe it was actually happening! I said “Really?” And she said, “Yes, have a good night” and walked away. I looked at Emily. She looked back. I handed her her ticket and we started freaking out! The system had worked!! Not only had it worked, it had worked for us!! However much I had tried to convince myself that it didn’t matter if I got in or not, that I wasn’t going to be disappointed if I didn’t get a ticket, I knew in that moment that it had actually mattered a great deal! We were thrilled!

Tickets in hand, we waited a few more minutes with our signs to try and help out some other students. Finally, we had to go in because our section closed at 6:30 pm. We made our way around behind the press and started down the red carpet (!!!). As we were walking, we saw some of the tourists who had taken our picture and they cheered for us. We didn’t get to walk the length of the red carpet, but walked on a portion of it and up the grand steps to the main entrance. Of course, the press wasn’t interested in us, but it didn’t matter. There was carpet under my feet and it was red!

We took some great pictures (which I will try my best to upload…I’m having some difficulty with that!) and made our way into the theatre. We were sitting in the absolute nosebleed section in a theatre that would hold maybe 1,000 people, but we didn’t care. We were in! We saw two other girls from our group who made it in and we all sat together.

On the screen in front, we could watch as the bigger stars walked the red carpet and entered the theatre. In addition to the stars of the DVC and the Festival judges, Andie Macdowell, Tim Burton, and Michelle Yeoh were there. It was like I was watching E! at home, but those people were actually coming into the place where I was!

Before the movie started, we got to see the official opening ceremony of the Festival. The judges (including Monica Bellucci, Samuel L. Jackson, Helena Bonham Carter, and Zhang Ziyi, along with others I didn’t know) were introduced and then Sidney Poitier (!!!) came out to “respectfully declare as open the 59th Cannes Film Festival.” It was amazing!

After a short intermission, the movie started. But that is another post in itself. For now, I’ll end by saying last night was easily one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life. I’ve used a lot of words in this post, but they don’t even hardly do it justice. It was an actual dream come true.

Peace. Out.

First Impressions...

Monday night Emily and I went into Cannes for dinner and a little sightseeing, but Tuesday I spent my first full day there. What a difference 12 hours makes! Monday night Cannes was still a quiet little resort town in the French Riviera. By Tuesday afternoon it was buzzing with activity! I decided to go into town alone that day for some "me" time and had a blast!

On the train ride in, I met two guys who have two films in market at the Festival. They are only in town until Friday to basically make sure their agent is doing his job, but they were really excited and hopeful that their movies will be picked up.

Once I got into town, I did some window shopping and walked the length of the Croissette (the main thoroughfare for the Festival). Everything is so beautiful here! The architecture, the beach, the people!

As I was wondering around, though, I started to notice that everyone wears this really cool look and walks as if they're headed to an important meeting. It's like they don't even notice where they are. Like they're too cool for the Cannes Film Festival, you know? I was walking and thinking to myself, "Holy cow, I can NOT believe where I am!", but I tried to keep my face neutral so as not to look like out of place. Maybe that's what everyone else was doing too. Surely they aren't really all that unaffected by their surroundings.

I ran into the guys from the train in the afternoon and we spoke for a few minutes. I also met an American couple outside of the Palais. It turns out the wife has a film showing at the Toronto Film Festival and is here doing publicity for it. They were the nicest couple! I saw them again later that night at the restaurant where I ate and we exchanged numbers. They are new to the Festival as well and don't have great access. I shared what I know about having to beg for tickets (more on this in the next post) and we agreed we would call each other if we got into any great parties.

All in all, it was a wonderful day. The best part, however, was on my way back through town, I noticed a commotion at the train station. There were people and media everywhere and police directing traffic. I went over to check it out. I decided something was definitely about to happen (even though I had no idea what it was) and I was going to see it (whatever it was!).

Sure enough, about an hour later (yes, I waited for an hour...what else was I going to do?), the stars from The Da Vinci Code pulled into the train station for their official entrance into Cannes. It was awesome! I saw Tom Hanks, Jean Reno, Paul Bettany, Ian McKellan, and Ron Howard. The crowd cheered the loudest for Jean Reno who is a huge star here. Tom Hanks' hair is still long and, I have to say, it looks even more odd in person. Paul Bettany is totally gorgeous. I didn't really see Ian McKellan that well at the time, but I got a great look up close when he passed me on the street late that night! He looks older in person, but very distinguished.

So, yesterday was a good day. :) The Festival officially begins tonight with the premier of The Da Vinci Code. I will write again ASAP about the experience at the premier and whether or not we got in!

Peace. Out.

Siesta...

WARNING: I am about to make one of those “well, yeah, you idiot” statements that Americans frequently make, but I promise to elaborate and hopefully keep at least a little of your respect. Ready? Here goes? Living in France is very different from living in America. Whew, I said it. It kind of felt good. :)

Not only are the small things different, but the French’s approach to life differs greatly from that of Americans. Things are slower and take longer in France. Not because the people are slow or there’s a huge crowd, but because they prefer it that way. There are no rushed meals and hardly any fast food. The people are not in a hurry to, well, to do anything.

A great example of this way of life is the siesta. I currently have a love/hate relationship with siesta. In theory, it sounds like a dream come true. For two to three hours every afternoon, all of the shops and businesses close down so that the employees may enjoy their long lunches and afternoon rests. I’m sure it’s absolutely wonderful for those employees. And again, in theory, I love the idea. But in reality, for this spoiled American who is accumstomed to getting things when I want, whenever I want, siesta is a total pain. If you lose track of time and try to hit up a store in the middle of the afternoon, you’ll be out of luck.

Realizing how frustrating this has been for just the past few days has made me recognize that my Americanization is at an all-time peak. Here I am, in a beautiful town in a foreign country, and rather than appreciate the fact that I can take advantage of an afternoon break, I complain because I can’t get things exactly when I want them. How spoiled am I?

I am slowly learning to love the siesta more and hate it less. It is an amazing experience to be in a place where people value spending time with other people above almost everything else. It is such a habit to rush through a meal in order to get to the next thing. It was wonderful, though, when we were with Marie-Noelle and Jean-Pierre, for example, to linger around a table and share stories.

Traveling abroad is always an adventure (or it should be) and one of the goals is to stretch yourself and learn new things (or it should be!). I feel like I’m already accomplishing both of those. It has been a wonderful adventure so far and I can’t wait to see what the next few weeks hold.

It is now 5 minutes to 4:00 pm, so siesta should be ending. I have a few things to pick up at the drugstore, so I’m off.

Peace. Out.

Juan-les-Pins...

Uploading pictures is very slow, but here's one of the town where I'm staying. This is not the view from my building (unfortunately!), but we are only one block from the beach. Welcome to the French Riviera! :)

Bonjour!

***Luckily, my friend Jean-Luc was nice enough to correctly translate "rognons" for me. It is not goat testicles, as I thought, but goat kidney. Very different! However, I thought I was eating the former, so you can read my reaction below.***

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Hello, all. I am slowly getting settled in Juan-les-Pins (between Antibes and Cannes). I'm actually writing from the laundromat around the corner from my apt. It's one of the only places in town with free wireless Internet. For some reason that strikes me as funny! :)

Emily (my travel buddy and roommate here in JLP) enjoyed three wonderful days in Paris with my friend Marie-Noelle. Marie-Noelle was a foreign exchange student 14 years ago and stayed with my family in NC. I was so happy to see her again! She looks very much the same. Marie-Noelle, along with her boyfriend Jean-Pierre and his daughter Elodie, welcomed us as if we were family.

We arrived in Paris Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. Marie-Noelle picked us up from the airport and we stayed very busy all day. We were trying to get over the jetlag as quickly as possible, but ended up being awake for 40 straight hours! Needless to say, Emily and I slept very well that night!

Friday, we slept late and spent the day at Jean-Pierre's. We had a lovely afternoon sharing cheese and bread. That night, Jean-Pierre made us a home-cooked meal of chicken breasts with cream and mushrooms (champignons!) and escargots. Everything was delicious!

Saturday, we ate lunch at a very nice French restaurant with Marie-Noelle and her brother, Lionel. Emily had a fish dinner and I had rognons...that translates as, um, goat testicles. :) I have to admit I felt a little awkward eating them, but they were very delicious.

We flew into Nice Saturday night and caught the bus to JLP. We arrived at our new home around 11 pm. After dropping our stuff off, we ventured out for some quiche and pizza from a nearby convenience store.

Today we have done some exploring. We have a welcome dinner tonight on the roof of our apt building. It has been a wonderful trip so far. Everyone in JLP is very nice and very accomodating to American tourists who speak only a little French! It is beautiful and looks exactly as I would want the French Riviera to look.

I will post pictures asap. Peace. Out.