Father Geek here with Edgard and crew's 6th report on the wonderful Cannes Film Festival... Be prepared... there's lots of coooooolness below, so lets get on with it...

EURO AICN - CANNES FESTIVAL DAY 6

Edgard here with... well you know...it has become almost usual to bring you a report from Cannes... in your plate today you will get Grozilla with some words on a drinking game with Michelle Yeoh, the new film from Michael Hanneke ("The Piano Teacher"), "Blood", "Camera Obscura", "Almost Blue" and "Transparent"... Then a brief "hello, it's sunny out here and the food is good" from Solamen (thanks for reminding us you're having a good time while others are working). Last but not least check out the links to the Premiere website with pictures of the "Ghost Rider" pre-poster and Van Damme's "The Monk", with also clips from "Human Nature" and "Storytelling"...

Thanks again to the deadly Grozilla and the happy Solamen for these reports...

Enjoy...

GROZILLA Stomping on Cannes - Report 4

Still rambling on the Croisette. One the most stunning thing here is that everything can happen. I managed to get an invitation to the Media Asia party made in honor of Mythical films, the newborn company of Michelle Yeoh, and also to celebrate the huge pre-sales of The touch. I guess you all remember the scene in Raiders of lost ark, when we discover Marion Ravenwood in a drinking contest ? Well, it happens for real at this party. Yeoh took part on this kind of contest by the sound of Chinese drums with many many people. I now know that mixing Sake and Vodka isn't a good idea. I was so drunk, that I can't tell who won the contest...

Some hangover later, I went to the screening of Michael Haneke's new film, The piano teacher. Haneke. One of the most ambiguous director. A few years ago he presented here Funny games, a film he mentioned was made against filmmakers like Tarantino or Stone and their use of violence. But Funny Games was in fact more pervert than those two guys' films. This year he's here with some hot material, a film adapted from a very very dark polish -I guess- book. A tale of a middle-aged woman (Isabelle Huppert) still living with an overprotective mother (Annie Girardot) , she escapes this sort of prison by having sexual fantasies, going to sex shop and sniffing handkerchief used by men for jerking off, and other weird stuff. She's a piano teacher and meets one guy (Benoit Magimel) who desesperately loves her. I'm not sure what to think about this film. At the press screening, we were all too embarrassed by it, always hesitating between laughing and being affected by strong scenes with heavy sexual tension. I've always been certain that Haneke is a manipulator. It's what make him as interesting as despicable. This film is for me the hugest proof that he is one perverse filmmaker, that said in a good way. Be sure this film will be the hot topic in the next days here. As sure as it will be on the palmares at least for being very daring.

I was the glad to hear there's a new cut of Blood, not the japanimation film, but the fantastic Charley Cantor's film. I've seen last year the previous cut. I won't find the time to go to the two screenings. Too bad. A scientist creates a woman. Trouble is that people are becoming addicted to her blood. Yes just as a dope. That the first great idea. Second one is when the scientist gets back from some kidnappers who sell the blood as drug and install her in his family. She's gonna to destroy it. Sorry, I don't get the time and my English isn't good enough to explain how brillant is this film. So I just try to make it by a comparison, this low budget film is kind of Dead Ringers for the vampire film genre. Go see it ! I've heard Cantor has trouble to find a distributor for this film. Shame, because this guy is obviously so talented.

As much as Hamlet Sarkissian whose terrific thriller, Camera Obscura which was screened last year at the market, is screened again this year with also some re-edit. But I praise other AICN guy who are here to see this film. Those guys really deserve it. On the opposite, just run away for Almost blue, a giallo by Alex Infascelli screened at the critic's week which only got one good idea by showing inner worlds of a blindman and a killer who keeps listening to music by headphones, as in some prison. On other hands, this film is just some copycat of 70's films. I guess there's another screening to come of Argento Sleepless (non ho sonno). Even if pals told me it was bad, he only can be better that Almost blue.

Last film for today, Transparent (satorare), a very sweet Japanese comedy who mixes Truman show and What woman want. The Japanese governement discover that some people are mutants. Everyone can hear what they think. But as these people are genius, they build a protection program. One of them is being held in a village, like in Peter Weir's film. Everyone around him fakes not to hear his thought. Sorry again ( I am late to go to Pal "Junkmail" Sletaune new film) I have not enough time to say how nice this comedy is, but I bet my head than in very short time, Hollywood studios and biggest stars sure will be interested of making a remake of it. I really need to go... Until then...

Grozilla

SOLAMEN's SIXTH DAY IN CANNES

Well, today I was kind of "à côté de mes pompes" we would say in french, which means that I was just in another world, not thinking of what I was doing ! Well, the other world was Middle Earth of course !

Anyway, I did my duty as a festival goer and I went to see one of the two films in competition screened today. The one I saw was "Roberto Succo" by Cedric Kahn. Long, boring, uninteresting. I think I've said it all ! The other one is "The piano teacher", "La Pianiste", a french film by Michael Haneke. I've heard good reports of it by people I know and who went to see it. So, today was just, well a day like this. I went to eat at some pavilions (festival sport : eat for free at the pavilions. Best pavilion for food : Hong-Kong pavilion ! Great food, nice people !). Nevertheless, tomorrow I'll wake up : three films to see, including "The Pledge", the latest Sean Penn film, very awaited here. About the weather : I'm sorry for people living in rainy, cloudy, cold countries, cause in Cannes summer's here !

PS : Well, I've read all your remarks you posted. So, first I have to answer that my opinion about the movies is personal and subjective and I never pretended that you have to agree. It's just an opinion and a way to see a film. If you don't agree with what I said, I'm sorry but the best is still just wait till you see the movie and make your own opinion. Then about my grammar and syntax, that's true I'm not a native English speaker, I'm French. Anyway, even if my text is not always very grammatically correct, I'm sure that you quite always understand me. By the way, how many of you speak french besides "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi" and "Bonsoir Mademoiselle ?" ? And, last thing, if you find me over enthusiastic about LOTR, well I think on the other hand that it's a pity that you should be so blasé and bored. It is something that struck me at the LOTR party : most of the people where bored VIPs or bored journalists. There was maybe four or five proper fans. And maybe we looked stupid being so happy but we thought of all the others proper fans in the world who would have die to see that instead of all those guys who did not even ever read the book. Being bored is a typical Cannes illness and it's the most despicable of all. So when you assist to something really unique you cannot allow yourself to be bored.

Sincèrement vôtre,

Solamen

LINKS TO PREMIERE WEBSITE

Cannes update!

Check out the "Ghost Rider" poster Click Now

three clips from "Human Nature" (great ones, especially the first) Click Here

and two clips from the controversial Todd Solondz film "Storytelling" Just Click

And finally, a special feature on the redesigned Carlton hotel, covered with giant Van Damme posters! Go Here Now

Take care, and watch out for some video of the LOTR party tomorrow...