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.