Yesterday, Emily ran down the competition titles playing at the Cannes Film Festival, which is officially underway in the ugly, cold, and unglamorous French Riviera. However, some of us (me) really like to geek out about the coverage of the most prestigious film festival in the world. The festival can launch Oscar winners, box office sensations, and all-time classics or it can kill promising movies in the crib. So we're here to help you keep track of what's up and what's down with our Cannes Power Rankings. Just to make it perfectly clear, these rankings are completely unscientific and are based on a mix of critical responses, pre-screening buzz, any sort of trailers or clips that are available, and my own opinion. Here we go:

1. Moonrise Kingdom

Wes Anderson is taking the coveted Opening Night slot (a tear-streaked Woody Allen could not be reached for comment) and, as the only movie that has actually been screened so far, pretty much makes it to Number 1 by default. The Hollywood Reporter calls Moonrise Kingdom “a highly idiosyncratic, impeccably made portrait of young love” and everyone indicates that the movie is a worthy addition to the Anderson oeuvre. Given the fact that Moonrise Kingdom is relatively late in its promotion cycle (the movie opens in just a couple of weeks!), it could be vulnerable to being overtaken by a surprise film, but for now, Wes is on top.

2. Cosmopolis

This has pretty much everything you could want in a movie: R-Patts, crazy sex, weird violence, David Cronenberg adapting a novel from Don DeLillo. I sincerely hope that Cronenberg has gotten over his bland, stodgy phase and can bring back some of the weirdness (oh, and as for that other Twilight cast member with a movie there, I'm giving a very big wait-and-see to On the Road).

3. Killing Them Softly

I didn't even realize how excited I was for this movie until last week. That clip was amazing and Andrew Dominik is amazing and the cast is amazing and, actually, I'm so excited for this that I'm starting to get kind of nervous that it may not be able to live up to my expectations. Either way, I'll be watching the reviews for this very closely

4. Mud

I had some problems with the last twenty minutes or so of Take Shelter, but director Jeff Nichols is still one of the most talented young filmmakers working right now and its pretty awesome that he's already got a film in competition in Cannes. With Matthew McConaughey's comeback going on strong here and a talented cast, Mud is my darkhorse pick to win it all and maybe emerge from the festival with a ton of buzz.

5. Amour

Cannes for director Michael Haneke (the dude with the white beard in that picture) is like Lambeau Field for the Packers, so whenever the filmmaker has a movie in the festival, attention needs to be paid. By all accounts, Amour is a bit divergent from his usual dark, violent, implicating-the-audience work, a much softer but, perhaps, no less devastating work about an aging couple and their daughter.

6. Lawless

I was a little disappointed in how actiony the trailer was, but clearly Cannes was impressed with Tom Hardy and Shia LaBeouf's Prohibition movie, since it is debuting in competition. Can John Hillcoat bounce back from his somewhat disappointing adaptation of The Road? Honestly, this feels a little to me like the American movie that will be savaged by the international press, but we'll see.

7. Beasts of the Southern Wild

Not every Cannes breakout debuts in competition and Beasts of the Southern Wild seems poised to take the Martha Marcy May Marlene slot as the Sundance movie that dominates Cannes' Un Certain Regard (basically, its AAA division). It could also end up coming away from the festival with the most Oscar buzz of anything, so keep your eyes peeled for this.

8. Dracula 3D

INT. Ology Office

Jonah Gardner opens the Wikipedia page for 2012 Cannes Film Festival and begins scrolling. His eyes glaze over at the list of prestigey, austere, festival bait. Then, suddenly, something catches his attention. Cut to the screen. It says “Dracula 3D. Directed by Dario Argento. Starring Rutger Hauer as Van Helsing.” Cut back to Jonah. His eyes get wider. His head starts shaking. Then this happens. Fade to black.

9. Laurence Anyways

Another Un Certain Regard film, Laurence Anyways is the new film from precocious Canadian wunderkind Xavier Dolan who, being born in 1989, is two years younger than I am. And sure, he has a movie in Cannes, but is he publishing Cannes power rankings on a film blog? I think not! My life isn't a dismal failure compared to Xavier Dolan's, right? RIGHT? Anyway, Dolan's previous movies were extremely well-received and he seems poised for a breakout.

10. Rust and Bone

I feel like, this being Cannes, I have to put at least one French movie on here, so I'm giving to edge to Jacques Audiard's follow up to the taut prison thriller A Prophet, ahead of Alain Resnais' latest. However, I'm skeptical that either can match last year's French breakout (and eventual Best Picture winner) The Artist.

Just Missing: On the Road, The Paperboy, The Angels' Share, Ai to Makoto, 

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Comments (1)

Diss Infectant: Hmm, your commentary re your #2 pick, Cosmopolis is strange: You say "..it's got everything you could want in a movie, R-Patts..," using the tween girl nickname for the young actor, then there's an oh-so-sly dig at his girlfriend actress Kristen Stewart who you can't even mention by name referring to her as ("as for that other Twilight cast member..."). Who's writing this, a 13 yr old girl, mad because "R-Patts," has a girlfriend? Grow a pair, or stop tucking them away, either one.

May 17, 2012

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