As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of film-watching under my belt, I can confidently say that this year’s Venice Film Festival lineup is nothing short of tantalizing! With the likes of Pedro Almodóvar, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and Brady Corbet gracing our screens, it’s like a dream come true for cinephiles everywhere.
On Wednesday, the 81st installment of the prestigious Venice Film Festival commences, drawing the attention of the global film community to the picturesque Lido region.
As an ardent admirer, I’m excitedly sharing my anticipation for this year’s festival, masterfully curated by Alberto Barbera and his talented team. The lineup they’ve revealed is absolutely stellar, with potential awards season frontrunners that have left me in awe. However, amidst the bustling program, there are a few premieres I simply can’t afford to miss!
The main film critic for THR, David Rooney, examined the array of movies at the major Italian festival and identified some of the most captivating possibilities.
The Brutalist
At age 16, while in Venice with the film “Mysterious Skin”, Brady Corbet chose to extend his stay by a few days instead of returning home with director Gregg Araki and co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt. This was to watch Claire Denis’ latest film, “The Intruder”. The same passion for cinema is visible in the directors he has collaborated with, such as Michael Haneke, Sean Durkin, Lars von Trier, Olivier Assayas and Mia Hansen-Løve. His upcoming third directorial project, which has been generating buzz (after “The Childhood of a Leader” and “Vox Lux”), is co-written with Mona Fastvold. The film titled “The Lost Soul” stars Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, and Joe Alwyn. It’s an immigrant drama about László Tóth, a Hungarian Jewish architect who survived the Holocaust. In 1947, he and his wife embarked on their journey to pursue the American Dream, but they struggled in poverty until a lucrative contract altered the trajectory of their future.
Cloud
Kiyoshi Kurosawa is one of the standout voices in the modern Japanese horror scene, gaining global recognition with his 1997 film “Cure“, a chilling detective story filled with suspense. Since then, he has explored various genres, ranging from psychological crime dramas to ghost stories, philosophical science fiction, historical enigmas, contemplative explorations of the afterlife, romance and family narratives, all infused with elements of mystery. His latest work revolves around a young man who works in a factory and sells goods online as a side gig. He decides to leave his job and rent a lakeside house outside the city. There, a chain of strange occurrences escalates into a potentially deadly situation.
I’m Still Here
I’m excited to share my thoughts on Walter Salles’ latest work, a deeply personal and powerful film set against the backdrop of Brazil’s military dictatorship in 1971. This film is an adaptation from Marcelo Rubens Paiva’s book, drawing heavily from his own life experiences. The story unfolds as a mother is compelled to transform into an activist after her family’s world is shattered by a senseless act of violence.
Queer
Last year, due to an actors’ strike and a change in release date, the film “Challengers” was removed from its opening night spot at Venice. Now, director Luca Guadagnino returns, this time taking on William S. Burroughs’ groundbreaking transgressive gay literature. Given his expertise in portraying desire, it seems fitting that he would be the one to adapt Burroughs’ work. In Guadagnino and screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes’ second collaboration, Daniel Craig delivers a striking performance as Burroughs’ character, immersed in Mexico City in the late 1940s, battling his heroin addiction and connecting with a group of gay American expatriates. Among them, a former military prep school student played by Drew Starkey captures his attention, igniting a passionate romantic journey. The cast also includes Lesley Manville and Jason Schwartzman, and the score is composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
The Room Next Door
Following my initial dips into the captivating worlds of “The Human Voice” and “Strange Way of Life,” I’ve been eagerly anticipating Pedro Almodóvar’s leap into English-language films, and now it’s finally here with this adaptation of Sigrid Nunez’s 2020 novel, “What Are You Going Through.” As two writers who were once close colleagues at a magazine during our youth, Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton reconnect after years apart, one having become an auto-fiction novelist, the other a war reporter. The talented ensemble also includes John Turturro, Alessandro Nivola, and Juan Diego Botto. I can hardly wait to immerse myself in this melodramatic masterpiece!
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2024-08-27 18:24