Tag: venezia 71

VENICE REPORT 4

VENICE -Our man on the Lido has been roaming the 71st Venice Film festival which means that almost by accident he has seen some films. Here is that.

So here are my reviews from the Venice Film Festival so far.

The Look of Silence

Do not go on holiday to Indonesia until they fess up to the shit they been doing.

The Humbling

Al Pacino plays Philip Roth playing Al Pacino.

Far from Man

Aragorn is French and living in Algeria during the 1954 war of liberation. Very beautiful landscapes and a pretty good Western when it comes down to it.

Manglehorn

Al Pacino plays Manglehorn, a lock smith who needs to find the key to his heart. Yep. Get through the style and quality acting and it is kind of that trite.

Fires on the Plain

Japanese retreat in the Philippines turns into madness and cannibalism. Brutal, bloody and brilliant.

Three Hearts

Merde.

The Cut

Should have been.

99 Homes

Spider-man tries to make a bomb on the housing market.

A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence

Swedish remake of The Kentucky Fried Movie

VENICE REPORT 3

VENICE – The festival moves on  and now everyone else is on their way to Toronto our man can spill the beans about the doings of the film folk.

A wise man (it was Al Pacino) once said to me you never know what’s going to happen next. Then he punched me in the face. So when I met Al again I felt I was prepared for anything. He’s on the Lido to promote two films: The Humbling and Manglehorn, one of which (and I’m not telling) is in competition for the Golden Lion.

Al’s one of the most relaxed superstars you can hope to meet. We met for a quick lunch in-between interview junkets and red carpet strolls.

‘So Al,’ I said easing into my subject. ‘Jack and Jill? What the f*ck?’

‘What can I say?’ said Al. ‘The money was good and Adam had kidnapped my kids until I signed on.’

‘Jesus that’s terrible.’

‘I know. I love my kids.’

‘No I wasn’t thinking about your kids, I was still thinking about Jack and Jill.’

‘Oh come on,’ says Al. ‘It wasn’t that bad.’

So I punched him in the face.

As security piled onto me, the last thing I saw was Al holding his bleeding nose, but I swear to God, there was a devilish twinkle of admiration in his eye.