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.

MERRILY WE GO TO HELL — THE CRITERION COLLECTION

You'll discover a glimpse of how great Hollywood could have been if not for the Hays code (1934 to 1968) that permanently fucked up Studio filmmaking in America. 

Doroty Arzner is the baddest ass Hollywood woman director you've never heard of.

Lesbian to boot.

Fuck with that.

Socially pointed satire aimed squarely at Roaring '20s culture of booze and sex, takes a running start at the Depression that fell on the country as this 1932 drama was released into theaters.

You don't know acting until you've seen Sylvia Sidney and Fredric March.

Criterion collectors rejoice; this baby has legs.

Not Rated. 83 mins.

Groupthink doesn't live here, critical thought does.

This ad-free 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!