The Reel Deal Goes to Cannes Update #8: Don't Go Back in the Water

Film festivals are a great place to catch films both new and old. Even if you've seen a film a million times before, a new setting can make a world of difference.

Last night, in perhaps one of the most perfectly planned events I have ever been to, "Jaws" was screened on the beach. If "Jaws" wasn't scary enough already, the beach element really helped. It made the horror of the man-eating shark much more intimate, and way too plausible for comfort. Spielberg's film has not aged a day since its release, and in fact gets better with each passing year. Despite its status as a classic,  a film like "Jaws" would have trouble getting made today. Unlike today's usual horror films, it is filled with long stretches of no action. Yet, the long stretches create more buildup and more suspense, which is why "Jaws" is still one of the scariest films ever made.

The audience also partly made this experience so special. Multiple moments garnered thunderous applause, including the moment when (SPOILER!) Quint (Robert Shaw) is eaten by the shark. Is that because everyone wanted him to go, or because it is such a memorable moment? I think it is much more of the latter. The reason a good theatrical experience can triumph any other way to watch a film is because audience participation means so much. It guides your expectations, and the laughter, cries, or applause act almost as a second soundtrack.

A memorable moment from the "Jaws" screening was meeting Benh Zeitlan, the very young director of the much buzzed about "Beasts of the Southern Wild." Clearly, he is not fully adjusted to fame and being recognized yet, as he was kind and even a little reserved. He told us that "Jaws" is his muse, and this screening was beyond  a special experience for him. Here lies the beauty of a great film festival: it is the intersection of films old, new, and future. It is a film convention, showroom, and marketplace. And Cannes is its king.

After the Jump: Jacques Audiard's "Rust & Bone," and Marion Cotillard's possible next chance of winning an Oscar.

The Reel Deal Goes to Cannes Update #7: Film Hopping

There is no middle ground in Cannes. If a film is bad, it is an insulting piece of trash. If it's good, it's a masterpiece that redefines cinema. At least that is how the critics feel.

The Cannes Film Festival is infamous for the "boos!" that greet a bad film. This only occurs during press screenings, as journalists at Cannes do not hold anything back. Also, and this goes without saying, it is rude to boo at a film in which the cast and crew is at attendence. I experience booing for the first time ever this morning at a screening of "The Paperboy," the new film from "Precious" director Lee Daniels. While I certainly wouldn't go as far as to boo with them, this didn't seem to occur without justification.

Next: My thoughts on "The Paperboy" and "On the Road."

The Reel Deal Goes To Cannes Update #6: There's a First Time For Everything

The less glitzy side of The Red Carpet.

"Hitting the wall" is the Cannes related phenomena in which a while's worth of no sleep comes together in spectactular fashion.

I have not quite hit the wall yet, but I feel that I am on course for collision.

Today was yet another rainy day, yet it was also a day of many lessons. I learned that Macedonia has a film industry, the Czech Republic gives out generous amounts of free wine, and that the end of "Inception" is (SPOILER ALERT) undoubtedly reality. This is a fact that most people probably knew about three years ago. More on that coming up. 

After the Jump: Meeting IMDB's creator, Col Needham, and walking out of a movie for the first time. 

The Reel Deal Goes To Cannes Update #5: Screenin' in the Rain

Some people say that Cannes is like the Florida of France. While I haven't found a shuffleboard court or an old Catskills comedian yet, i'm starting to think it is because of the unpredictable weather. The bright and sunny morning quickly morphed into, hyperbolically speaking, a mini Monsoon. It has been this way for the past few days, and it seems to be showing no signs of slowing down.

This means that it is perfect weather for a movie.

Unfortunately, the day got off to a bad start, as I was swiftly rejected from a screening of "Safety Not Guarenteed," despite having a ticket. This movie was a market screening, which is meant for buyers (usually from foreign markets) first, and patrons second. Guess I will have to deal with seeing it in the States when it opens later this summer.

Last night, however, was marked with a fantastic screening of the director's cut of Sergio Leone's gangster epic "Once Upon a Time in America." Unfortunately, I missed the screening in which Robert de Niro and Ennio Morricone introduced the film. But if attending film festivals has taught me anything, it is that life will be full of rejections and expectations not fulfilled, so it is best to relish what lies in front of us. And how beautiful this film looked on the big screen. This version contained a newly restored print, which looked as magnificent as ever.

The Reel Deal Goes To Cannes Update #4: Three Screenings

A hotel in Cannes decked out following a "Dictator" publicity stunt.

It's been a hectic, overwhelming, and exciting week so far at Cannes. I wish I could get a post out everyday, but it's not as easy as it seems. I have three films to talk about, all in one post, so I'll keep this introduction brief. The last few days have included another walk down the red carpet, some delicious baguettes, and a lot of movie related business. Today, I present three films. You will definetly get to see one of these films in America. Another one could come our way. And one you probably shouldn't see even if it does.

Celebrity Encounters:

• Gael Garcia Bernal- Bumped into the Latin American star today, perhaps best known for "Amores Perros" and "Y Tu Mama Tambien." He was nice enough to take a quick photo with us, and I was a bit too much in shock to even get a word out.
• Sean Penn- He walked the red carpet for "Reality." No paparrazi were hurt in the process. Haha good one, talk show host from 1987.

Read after the jump for the film breakdown:

The Reel Deal Goes To Cannes #3: There's Quirkiness in the Air (Must Be a New Wes Anderson Movie!)

Today, The Reel Deal walked the red carpet.

Nobody asked me who I was wearing. Sacha Baron Cohen didn't try to dump ashes on me. Something I learned when I went to Sundance that has come back to mind now that in order to live some of the most glorious moments, some of the glory must be sacrificed. However, the price was well worth it.

Thanks to something called positive thinking (it's amazing what it actually can do), I ended up with a ticket for "Moonrise Kingdom." It wasn't the flashy premiere that Wes Anderson, Bill Murray, Ed Norton, and Bruce Willis would be at, but something a little quieter also in the one-of-a-kind Lumiere Theater. It is hard to review a movie totally objectively, as one's experience outside of the movie always impacts the experience of the movie itself. While the excitement of Cannes might have added to my opinion of "Moonrise Kingdom," it will definetly stand the test of time (more on that in a minute).

Cannes is the kind of place where dreams meet stark reality. There will be more people surrounding a red carpet, hoping to get just one glimpse of a celebrity, than actual celebrities. And you won't always get what you want, but if you try some time you'll find that you can get something just as good. When attending a film festival, know that you might see some things that you never imagined you would see in your life, but also remember to set your expectations to a realistic level.

Celebrity Encounters:

• P. Diddy standing on the ledge of a balcony over his V.I.P. party at the "Famous Club." I put Famous Club in quotations because the title of the club is in quotations, implying it either isn't famous or that it isn't actually there. I can only imagine Kanye wanting to yell "I am golden God!" before jumping, only to have Kanye once again point out that he wrote the Bible.
• Harvey Weinstein walking down the street. At this point, he is the de facto King of Cannes.

Check out a brief review of Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom" after the jump:

The Reel Deal Goes to Cannes Update #2: This is Just a Taste

Inside the Lumiere Theater. Apologies for "Britta'ing" this photo.

Well, the Festival officially begins tomorrow, but today, I got a good taste of what I will be taking in for the next two weeks.

I saw it all in the Palais, which is pretty accurately nicknamed "The Death Star." It is an expansive place which has just about every theater where movies are shown. Most notably is the Lumiere theater, which puts every American multiplex to shame. The Lumiere is where the opening night screenings happen, and the stars walk the red carpet. It is where tomorrow night, "Moonrise Kingdom" will open the Festival.

What movies I will see, and when, is still a mystery. The beauty of film festivals lie in the unpredictability. You could be going to a screening one minute, and then end up in someone's yacht party the next.

Even though the Festival has yet to begin, new things are to be learned just by looking around and listening. Perhaps the highlight of my day (I am still in awe from it all) was the hall of foreign movie posters lining the Palais. I would like to share a few of the highlights:

This is for an Indian movie. I'm not sure if the title is "House 2 Full" or "House Full 2." If so, I still have no idea what this movie is about, and if it is either a Tyler Perry rip-off, or an Indian version of "Full House." Either way, when does John Stamos show up?

On display here are two equally fascinating displays of poster art. The one to the left is "American Hangover," which looks like some kind of "Scary Movie" type movie. It stars Joey Fatone. Fatone is known by some as a member of NSYNC, by others as an actor in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," and by everyone as that guy who stopped being famous. The poster on the right is for a movie called "Bro" which stars Danny Trejo. I mention this movie both because Danny Trejo is awesome and because I am afraid he will track down and kill me if I don't mention it.

Without seeing a single movie yet, I have already discovered some of the great mysteries of Cannes. And there are still more to come. Here is a set of goals I have for the rest of the Festival. Some of these goals may be hard to meet, but as a wiser man than myself (MacGruber) once said, "never ever say never ever." (List after the jump)