Cannes 2010 hopefuls
According to the Cannes Web Site, tomorrow (March 16th) is the absolute deadline for feature films to apply for “Official Selection” as part of this year’s south of France gathering in May.
So I’m starting to wonder if we are days away from hearing what movies have made the deadline, and which ones we have wait a little longer to see.
Unlike last year when we were constantly assured that Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds would play in competition and a few others; this year we don’t really have much to go on, at least not with the high stake pictures anyway. Sylvester Stallone previously mused that he wanted to bring The Expendables to the fest and I’m hopeful there’ll be a chance for a midnight showcase screening similar to Drag Me To Hell last year, but I just have a sneaking suspicion that Comic-Con will birth that movie.
Disney/Pixar’s Up opened the festival last year and it’s an easy prediction to pencil in Toy Story 3 as a potential opener this year. It would be a gigantic sign of confidence if they were to bring it to the fest, with critics likely to already be sharpening their knives to gut Pixar for going to the well for a third time, so if it does go, I’m certain it’ll be one of the years best.
Last week saw the delay of Oliver Stone/Michael Douglas‘ re-visit to the world of Gordon Gekko with Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps reportedly so it would have a place at the fest, and again, I would love the confidence sign if it makes the cut.
One movie I’m absurdly dying to see is The Rum Diary. I just can’t imagine that with Tim Burton on the jury, that Johnny Depp won’t be at the party also and it has to play, not least because it’s Depp with Hunter S. Thompson material once again but because it’s a welcome back picture for Withnail & I helmer Bruce Robinson after a while in the shadows. I think with Burton on the jury, it’s gotta play out of comp for conflict of interest.
Woody Allen’s London set ensemble You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger I would predict will be part of some kind of showcase screening, especially with Woody attempting to sell his forthcoming Paris set rom-com starring Owen Wilson and Marion Cotillard with distributors. 
Other movies I’m certain of, probably all in competition;
Mike Leigh’s Another Year, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Biutiful Kai Wai-Wong’s The Grand Master, Guillaume Canet’s Little White Lies Julian Schabnel’s Miral, Peter Weir’s The Way Back, Julio Medem’s Room in Rome and Susanne Bier’s The Revenge.
Sadly – Terrence Malik’s Tree of Life, Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere, Doug Liman’s C.I.A. thriller Fair Game aren’t likely to be completed in time but I would have very much liked to have seen all three. And I’m begging the Cannes selectors that Prince of Persia: Sands of Time isn’t given the nod to play.
12 Comments
LOL Tim Burton on the jury!!
Do you think he’ll sit there the whole time muttering to himself, “Pssshhh … these films aren’t remakes! They’re, like, made for adults or something …”
Given that the first two Toy Story films have been critical darlings (both at above 90% on Rotten Tomatoes) I would have thought Pixar have got another hit on their hands, critically as well as financially.
Looks like a good year for cinema btw – new films from Weir, Coppola, Malick, Robinson, Leigh, Innuriti. All good news.
lol last nite me and my friends made prank calls to some guys we no!!!!!!!!!! it was hilarious!!! But before this happened we watched Dear John in the theaters and it was good before the end what happened!!!?????????!!!!!!!!!! they hugged and it ended?????? wtf they were supposed to end up together and instead she runs off with another guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i even cried a bit and my WONDERFULL!!!!!!! friends totaly laughed at me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tim Burton isn’t just on the Cannes jury, he was selected to be president of the jury months ago http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/jan/26/tim-burton-heads-cannes-jury The whole front page of the Cannes film festival site is a tribute to Burton and has been for months. http://www.festival-cannes.com/en.html Do you people actually know anything????
LOL, you people at Cannes!! You’ll have to educate them that Burton is actually a “fat-cat idiot savant” as Ray described him recently. You’ve got your work cut out for you, the poor dumb festival president thinks this about Burton:
“”It’s the first time an artist whose origins are in animation will preside over the jury of the Festival de Cannes. A filmmaker with a heart of gold and silver hands, Tim Burton is first and foremost a poet. He’s a magician of visual delights who turns the screen into a faery wonder. We hope his sweet madness and gothic humour will pervade the Croisette, bringing Christmas to all. Christmas and Halloween…” promises Gilles Jacob, Festival President.” http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/article/56993.html
And just out of curiosity, how does a little free site like this afford to send 5 people to the French Riviera, as you’ve reported you’ve gotten 5 tickets to Cannes Film Festival? US bloggers have a duty to disclose conflicts of interest, anything like that in the UK?
Hi
Interesting thoughts on the Rum Diary. I look forward to it too with great anticipation!
Website:
http://www.rumdiaryfilm.com
Cheers,
S
Vermont,
Yes we know about Tim Burton and him being President of the Jury. Why would you think we didn’t?
I’m really struggling to understand your conflict of interest quote. What do you mean?
The site makes enough money on advertising to fund our travel and attendance at festivals across the globe. That’s how this “little site” (which is actually a leading U.K. film criticism site, thank you!) makes enough money to do so.
You go Matt, vermont i have just one question for you, “Are you really this full of negativaty???”
Based on a conversation with a high-ranking marketing exec, Disney will not have official participation at Cannes this year. Unless she BS’ed me, don’t expect Toy Story 3 as the opener.
adsalesguy i had the same convo with their euro team. they will have no official participation as it stands now…i think the only big hollywood film will be Wall Street 2 and i do think tree of life will be there along with woody allen’s film and biutiful and sofia coppolas movie.
@Stu Massie, Stop promoting your crappy Rum Diary website. The official Website for The Rum Diary is http://rumdiarymovie.net/
Retort at Jake: You can do if for me then mate, thanks! Consider yourself promoted.
Stewie, builder of crap. No pub is bad pub