BENEDETTA — CANNES 2021

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Daring, and bristling with bold artistic license, this social satire burns at the stake.

It's dizzying.

Virginie Efira is electric as Benedetta, a 17th century lesbian nun living in a convent in Renaissance Italy.

Fearless.

Catherine Deneuve's baton has successfully been passed down.

Based on Judith C. Brown's book "Immodest Acts: The Life of a Lesbian Nun in Renaissance Italy," "Benedetta" juggles religion, politics, and sexual identity like so many electrons in a social atom attempting to split.

Holy fucking hell.

Paul Verhoeven's cinematic mastery just gets sharper.

This is a high-wire act that not many seasoned filmmakers would attempt, lest they fall flat on their blushing faces.

Long live Paul Verhoeven.

No prisoners taken. Many gifts given.

Not Rated. 131 mins.

FRANCE — CANNES 2021

Repetitive satirical poke at the Anderson Coopers of the world, comes up short.

French auteur Brunot Dumont runs out of steam in sending up media manipulation of human misery (vis a vis war) as staged by Léa Seydoux's celebrity journalist France de Meurs. 

Journalism, my ass.

This film's saving grace may reside in putting off its audience from all manufactured (corporate) media, i.e. anything you can watch, listen to, or read.

Not Rated. 133 mins.

Groupthink doesn't live here, critical thought does.

This website is dedicated to Agnès Varda and to Luis Buñuel.

Get cool rewards when you click on the button to pledge your support through Patreon. Thanks a lot pal!

TITANE — CANNES 2021

Julia Ducournau clearly deserved the Palme d'Or she won for "Titane."

Unpredictable, and simmering with pure dynamic sexual tension, "Titane" is a visceral experience you will not soon forget.

Ducournau milks unfathomable drama and suspense with fundamental rules of dramaturgy that she effortlessly turns on their heads.

Automobile safety, people.

Julia Ducournau is the new Cronenberg. 

All-you-can-eat French erotic social satire body horror. Yum. 

Genius.

Groupthink doesn't live here, critical thought does.

This website is dedicated to Agnès Varda and to Luis Buñuel.

Get cool rewards when you click on the button to pledge your support through Patreon. Thanks a lot pal!