Hey folks, Harry here with a brief little chat between our man, NoZeanderthal and Michael Moore in Cannes. Michael has probably made the film that the most people should see this year. Hopefully United Artists will get it out there and market it and release it WIDE.... W-I-D-E.... WE!!!! Of course that's only like my opinion. Ahem...
K. I have to type this fast, so as not to forget everything. No tape recorder was available, so just know, this will be as close as I can remember and as true to the source as I can get, but not word for word.
Michael has been sitting around doing press interviews for a few hours now. He's an easy going man who doesn't mind talking to anyone, and is really happy to speak with someone from AICN. He's humble. When he was given a 20 minute standing ovation after his competition screening, he was visably moved yet uncomfortable with the attention. During a lull between interviews, I walk over and start talking, he invites me to sit down, and this is where the questions went.
AICN: Are you surprised with the tremendous following this film ahs built so far at the festival?
Michael didnt even think he was going to be in the festival. The admissions info said, NO DOCUMENTARIES. but he decided to send it anyway. Then when they called him and asked to put it into competition, he had to say yes. And now, the amount of talk that the film has generated is even more amazing. He asked what was the last time i spent even 20 minutes talking about a film afterword. He said he and his friends talked about Memento afterward, but only to figure out what just happened. He is blown away by the response. Its more than he could ever have imagined or hoped for.
AICN: Was there anything that you wanted really wanted in the film that didnt get in?
Michael has a self-imposed 90 minute "butt rule." All of his movies thsu far have been an 90 minutes, so this one was breaking his own rule. But he couldnt bring himself to go over 2 hours. he is hoping that the DVD will be able to have everything else added on. He really wants to include the entire Charlton Heston interview, if only for the strangeness. Heston told Moore about the day he became a Republican, and how it was like a divine revelation. But there was definetly alot that he couldnt fit in that hopefully will be with a DVD.
AICN: How do you feel the response will be in the States now that the film has been picked up?
Michael knows that the NRA is going to be coming after him with "both barrels." He hopes that it will be as accepted in American as it is at Cannes, but he knows the controversy that will come with it. I mention I'm from Texas and I associate with his film. He tells me that of the millions of guns in America, Texas has a majority. Unfortunatly, that is no surprise.
At this point, the next press group showed up and I had to skeedaddle. I thanked him for his time and it was out. So in follow up to my review. See this film. If you hate it or not. See this film. Pro-gun or Gun Control. SEE THIS FILM. it is relevant to our society, out times, and our love for this beautiful art known as cinema. see this film. especially if you are from Texas.
Im NoZeanderthal, and Im out.
Im standing here in teh American Pavilion with my next set of Cannes
reviews. Michael Moore is doing interviews riht behind me, so hopefully Ill
have something on that to send in a bit. But here we go with yesterdays
screenings.
Bowling for Columbine
I know this has been hit on before, but I feel that I need to add my two
cents. This film is powerful. Incerdibly powerful. I dont want to get
into the details of what happens in the film, you know the basic premise.
Go into this film with as little knowledgte about the content, then you can
be as wowed as I was. I laughed and cried at the images that Moore was able
to capture on the screen. This is a film that is important to our times and
couldnt have come sooner. Everyone needs to see this, whether you agree
with Moore or not. If only becuase you love film. This shows you how the
art form can be used for good and not just for greed. Unfortunately, the
people who need to see this movie the most are going to be the ones who will
dimiss it as liberal propganda. sigh...
Scorched
K. This stars Racheal Lee Cooke, Alicia Silverstone, John Cleese, Woody Harrelson, and the guy from Road Trip and 40 Days and 40 Nights (name slips from me). The movie's weak point is the script. Its the same no plot, various side stories coming together, bank heist film. Its about three unhappy bank workers who plot to rob their own bank behind each others back.
Most of the jokes fell flat, but the performances were good. The actors were skilled and did what they could with the script. The aptly named "Road Trip Guy" was funny as he usually is, as a guy who robs the bank and hits Vegas for one game of roulette with $100000. Cooke really serves no purpose in the film, cept to play a D&D playing girl who has fantasies about becoming her character and stabbing guys in the balls. Alicia wants to rob the bank to get her exboyfriend/manager fired. And Woodey plays a nature/duck loving desert boy who wants to steal John Cleeses safety deposit box. CLeese plays an infomercial guru who loves to eat duck and killed the mother of Woodey's duck. So Woody is out for revenge. Overall, the movie is forgetable except for a great edit sequence toward the end of the film when the bank is being robbed and the Vegas game is going down. Actors good. Script bad. See it if you want. Maybe its your cup of tea.
Tomorrow Punchdrunk Love is showing so here's hoping for all you PT and Sandler fans out there. But until then...Im NoZeanderthal. And Im out.
