PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE — THE CRITERION COLLECTION

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Céline Sciamma's lesbian romantic fantasy almost works on its own terms, but falters during crucial elements.

18th century French portrait painter Marianne (Noémie Merlant) travels by boat to paint a wedding portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) at an idyllic seaside estate surrounded by a community that consists solely of women.

Héloïse is bereft over the recent loss of her sister, and angry about her arranged fate of marrying a man she doesn't know.

Thus the table is set for a doomed lesbian tryst after Héloïse's mother leaves the women alone for a few days.

An abortion subplot, involving the mansion's servant, allows for a scene of artistically inspired exploitation that breaks the film.

"Portrait of a Lady on Fire" is Céline Sciamma's weakest film to date.

Rated R. 122 mins. 

THE TRUTH

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Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche, and Ethan Hawke; those three names should insure a marginal level of quality.

Sadly, that is not the case with writer/director Hirokazu Koreeda’s meepy pomo French drama about a deceased character we never even see.

Nothing ever happens in this movie, and no truths are revealed.

Ethan Hawke takes a bite of an apple, and makes it look like a good apple.

Deneuve smokes her signature skinny cigarette. Cool.

Binoche looks great. Sexy.

Paychecks.

FRANCE — CANNES 2021

   Groupthink doesn't live here, critical thought does.

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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.