My 2014 Cannes Film Festival Watchlist
Tis' the season for film royalty to frolic on the Riviera decked out in their finest gowns and tuxes, seeming to nearly float above a wave of film buzz, champagne bubbles and paparazzi camera flashes. The 67th Cannes Film Festival, which takes place May 14-25, has much to offer this year with an expansive line-up of hundreds of films from all over the word. Many young Hollywood stars are expected on the Croissette this year, including Robert Pattinson (who is supporting two films) and Kstew (most likely NOT walking any red carpets together), Channing Tatum and Ryan Gosling. An exciting lineup of timeless films including PARIS, TEXAS and Fellini's 8 1/2 will be showcased in the Cannes Classics section this year. Also notable is the record-setting number of films by female directors (perhaps in response to criticism that too few films in competition at Cannes over the last several years were directed by women). With all of that said, here is a list of the films I'm most eager to see at Cannes 2014:
1.
The Rover
(2014)
10 years after a global economic collapse, a hardened loner pursues the men who stole his only possession, his car. Along the way, he captures one of the thieves' brother, and the duo form an uneasy bond during the dangerous journey. (103 mins.)
Director: David Michôd
“ The film I MOST want to see at Cannes -- a thriller starring Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson set in the Australian outback. ” - EmilyGlassman
2.
The Search
(2014)
A woman who works for a non-governmental organization (NGO) forms a special relationship with a young boy in war-torn Chechnya. (149 mins.)
Director: Michel Hazanavicius
“ Michel Hazanavicius, writer/director of THE ARTIST (which premiered at Cannes and went on to win Best Picture in 2011) re-teams with his wife, the luminous Bérénice Bejo, to take on a talkie. Written and directed by Hazanavicius, this highly anticipated drama also stars Annette Bening. ” - EmilyGlassman
3.
Two Days, One Night
(2014)
Sandra, a young Belgian mother, discovers that her workmates have opted for a significant pay bonus, in exchange for her dismissal. She has only one weekend to convince her colleagues to give up their bonuses so that she can keep her job. (95 mins.)
Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
“ Honestly, I'll see anything starring Marion Cotillard (who is returning to Cannes for the fourth consecutive year). Her Cannes film premiere track record (which includes RUST AND BONE, one of my all-time favorite films) is flawless. Written and directed by Cannes royalty, Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne. ” - EmilyGlassman
4.
Lost River
(2014)
A single mother is swept into a dark underworld, while her teenage son discovers a road that leads him to a secret underwater town. (95 mins.)
Director: Ryan Gosling
“ Written and directed by last year's most prominent Cannes no-show, Ryan Gosling, and starring real life girlfriend Eva Mendes and MAD MEN's Christina Hendricks (who plays Joan on MM). ” - EmilyGlassman
5.
Bird People
(2014)
In an airport hotel on the outskirts of Paris, a Silicon Valley engineer abruptly chucks his job, breaks things off with his wife, and holes up in his room. Soon, fate draws him and a young French maid together. (127 mins.)
Director: Pascale Ferran
“ Two words: Josh Charles. (Spoiler alert) I'm still reeling from the unexpected turn of events on the current season of THE GOOD WIFE (on par with GOT's "The Red Wedding" in terms of shock value) and will welcome Josh Charles' handsome face and equally appealing acting chops to the big screen in Cannes. The plot is also intriguing ; ) ” - EmilyGlassman
6.
Foxcatcher
(2014)
The greatest Olympic Wrestling Champion brother team joins Team Foxcatcher led by multimillionaire sponsor John E. du Pont as they train for the 1988 games in Seoul - a union that leads to unlikely circumstances. (134 mins.)
Director: Bennett Miller
“ A real life story about Olympic wrestlers, I've heard lots of good buzz about this film, which stars Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo and Steve Carell. Carrell might be the one to watch during awards season with insiders saying that his creepy, unexpected performance in this film could make him 2015's Matthew McConaughey. ” - EmilyGlassman
7.
The Homesman
(2014)
Three women who have been driven mad by pioneer life are to be transported across the country by covered wagon by the pious, independent-minded Mary Bee Cuddy, who in turn employs low-life drifter George Briggs to assist her. (122 mins.)
Director: Tommy Lee Jones
“ Written by, directed and staring Tommy Lee Jones, this 19th-century Western has one of the (inadvertently?) funniest film descriptions I've seen in awhile ("A claim jumper and a pioneer woman team up to escort three insane women from Nebraska to Iowa"). Tommy Lee Jones' directorial debut, THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA, played well at Cannes where it won best actor and best screenplay prizes. ” - EmilyGlassman
8.
Grace of Monaco
(2014)
The story of former Hollywood star Grace Kelly's crisis of marriage and identity, during a political dispute between Monaco's Prince Rainier III and France's Charles De Gaulle, and a looming French invasion of Monaco in the early 1960s. (103 mins.)
Director: Olivier Dahan
“ Starring Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly, GRACE OF MONACO is this year's opening night film. Originally slated for release in time to be considered for last year's award season, premiering the film in such close proximity to Monaco just feels right. ” - EmilyGlassman
9.
Maps to the Stars
(2014)
A tour into the heart of a Hollywood family chasing celebrity, one another and the relentless ghosts of their pasts. (111 mins.)
Director: David Cronenberg
“ Starring Robert Pattinson and a large ensemble cast of Hollywood heavy weights, this film has been referred to as director David Cronenberg's answer to Robert Altman's THE PLAYER. ” - EmilyGlassman
10.
Clouds of Sils Maria
(2014)
A veteran actress comes face-to-face with an uncomfortable reflection of herself when she agrees to take part in a revival of the play that launched her career 20 years earlier. (124 mins.)
Director: Olivier Assayas
“ Reportedly, the story of an aging actress who is threatened by a newcomer who successfully reinterprets the role that made her famous. Starring Juliette Binoche (as the established star), Kristen Stewart (as her assistant) and Chloë Grace Moretz (as the emerging star). ” - EmilyGlassman
11.
Goodbye to Language
(2014)
The idea is simple: A married woman and a single man meet. They love, they argue, fists fly. A dog strays between town and country... (70 mins.)
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
“ The famed 83 year-old Swiss director Jean-Luc Godard returns to Cannes competition for the first time since 2001 (he has never won a Palm D'Or). Not much is known about this 3-D film which Thierry Fremaux described as follows: "It's an act of cinema, it's a poem, it's a cry or it's a sigh." ” - EmilyGlassman
12.
Mr. Turner
(2014)
An exploration of the last quarter century of the great, if eccentric, British painter J.M.W. Turner's life. (150 mins.)
Director: Mike Leigh
“ Written and directed by Mike Leigh. How could this film about British artist J.M.W Turner NOT make my Cannes Watchlist? ” - EmilyGlassman
13.
The Captive
(2014)
Eight years after the disappearance of Cassandra, some disturbing incidents seem to indicate that she's still alive. Police, parents and Cassandra herself, will try to unravel the mystery of her disappearance. (112 mins.)
Director: Atom Egoyan
“ The plot is eerily familiar to anyone who saw PRISONERS: A father is trying to track down his kidnapped daughter. But it's a premise that generally works (at least for me) and the cast is interesting (the film stars Ryan Reynolds, Scott Speedman and Rosario Dawson). ” - EmilyGlassman
company.