12 Comments
User's avatar
Anthony Rafael Worman's avatar

I remember hearing Ari Aster on a podcast proclaiming he doesn't make horror films. Also, is Phoenix becoming the best actor at acting as a "sad man lying in a bed?" Starting to feel like this needs a montage.

Expand full comment
Tom Barrie's avatar

Fair play to him, he doesn't – his films are a good reminder that genres are adjectives, rather than nouns.

As for Joaquin, yeah, though I kinda think he's the best actor at acting, full stop, so...

Expand full comment
Harry Schiller's avatar

Two period movies set in New England! I didn't realize. This list is made for me

Expand full comment
Alphonse's avatar

Is Merlant’s Les Femmes au Balcon in the running because that’s a terrific film and she’s due that Sean Baker ‘we really should have praised your previous films more’ kudos.

Expand full comment
Tom Barrie's avatar

She's great and I agree with Sean! Though I think it showed at the last Cannes so I assume it's not eligible?

Expand full comment
Aaron Nolan's avatar

With Binoche leading the jury, do you think Eddington even has a shot at the Palme? Seems like it is Trier’s to lose

Expand full comment
Tom Barrie's avatar

I think you're right, I'd put Trier in the lead. I don't think Eddington is quite the right sort of film for the Palme either, really.

Expand full comment
Aaron Nolan's avatar

Agreed. I was a bit surprised it was even in competition. Then again, Cannes seems to always try and minimize the number big films not in competition & they’ve already got Mission Impossible this year

Expand full comment
Quiara Vasquez's avatar

Absolutely no offense to you, because your bad opinion is the majority one, but praising Challengers for the Reznor/Ross score in particular is so crazy to me. Movies are not improved by having the boss theme from the Super Nintendo title "Plok!" blasted at full volume over 50% of the dialogue!

Having gotten that out of the way, I concur that O'Connor is great and I'm really looking forward to the Reichardt film.

Expand full comment
Tom Barrie's avatar

But surely then you’re objecting to the sound mixing/editing rather than the score itself?

Expand full comment
Quiara Vasquez's avatar

Yes. Unfortunately the score is also bad!

Challengers just made me sort of sad, because it's a very good, subtle, smart movie that optimized itself for social media by being frequently bad, loud, and stupid. (Good god, the churros scene!)

Expand full comment
Tom Barrie's avatar

Can't argue with that! I loved how camp it was but it was definitely full-on and ridiculous

Expand full comment