Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Short Review: "Aquarius"

By Ansley Walker

Veteran Brazilian actress, Sonia Braga, shines as Clara, the strong-willed, eccentric woman holding on tight to her dear apartment destined for destruction in Kleber Mendonca Filho's second feature Aquarius.

Aquarius tells the story of an apartment complex in Brazil that is set for renovation under new management. All the units have been bought out and emptied, except for one. Clara's not going anywhere, no matter the amount they throw at her.

The narrative structure is set up into three parts dividing the film by first looking into Clara's past battle with cancer, then moving to her current daily life as a music-loving wide and finally her fight to ride out the corporate hot-shots vying for her home.

The lengthy 2 hours and 40-minute film could use some editing to cut it down, but the movie is kept above water by Braga's performance. She fully dissolves herself into Clara with remarkable emotional conviction. Clara, the vintage-loving, hammock-swinging, stubborn, sex and awesome woman that she is remains in my eyes as the strongest and most compelling female lead from the Cannes line-up.

Aquarius


Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Writer:
Kleber Mendonça Filho
Producer:
Emilie Lesclaux, Said Ben Said, Michel Merkt
Cast:
Sonia Braga, Maeve Jinkings, Irandhir Santos, Humberto Carrao, Zoraide Coleto
Run Time: 145 min

Review and Guide to the Best Toilets in Cannes

By Ansley Walker



I say the following sentence and the entirety of this paper with complete honesty: I love a good toilet.

Upon arriving in France, I immediately felt inspired to produce a satirical review on the finest toilets to use at the Cannes Film Festival, mostly because toilet humor is fabulous and applicable to all. However, I quickly realized that this could really benefit women (and men) visiting Cannes. So, I present to you a review and guide to the best bathrooms in Cannes. As a lady, I am taking this from a female perspective with what we may be interested in when it comes to a respectable bathroom, but some crossover does exist with the many unisex toilettes here.

Overall, I maintain a positive perspective towards the toilets in Cannes. Why? Flushing power and privacy.

Flushing power is exactly as it sounds. Too often do I come across a toilet in America that belittles itself with the flushing power of a modern outhouse. There is an industry standard in France, and throughout Europe, in which toilets have immense flushing power. The flush lasts for nearly 10 full seconds and with a high velocity. The environmentalist inside me cringes at the idea, but almost all flushes have two power options to save water when needed.

The power of privacy is a real thing and probably the most important factor when examining bathrooms. Communal bathrooms are necessary for populated spaces, but private bathrooms are the ultimate situation. Consider the “Powder Room Thesis,” referring to a new wave of women who are calling on institutions to create a separate space for hand-washing and “powdering,” or in modern vernacular fixing makeup and chit-chatting with friends. With a modern movement suggesting all women can’t go to the bathroom alone, it has turned a place of privacy into something strangely social. Many women reject the idea of having to be surrounded by Chatty Cathy’s fixing their lip liner when they are trying to use the restrooms. So, good on you France. Private bathrooms are a norm here and it is for the better.

The Grading Scale: I used a structure similar to that of a school system.

Again, it is important to note that I view the toilets in Cannes with a very positive outlook, so even a lower grade within this review is simply relative to those around it.

Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic: A+
The reputation of the Majestic proceeds it, and it’s fitting that this is the crème de la crème of bathrooms in Cannes. Descend the spiral stairs into a marblesque bathroom alike a modern-day Versailles. While a communal style bathroom, the lighting, large stalls and pleasant floral aroma make this place special. A powder room-like area exists with couches, but it is attached to stall area, so c’est la vie. Clean, chic and centrally located the Majestic lobby bathroom reigns supreme.

Steak n’ Shake: A
In my opinion, the most pleasantly surprising bathroom I encountered. The Steak n’ Shake in Cannes is the only restaurant of its chain located outside the United States, and it is delicious and strongly similar to taste of any Steak n’ Shake in Athens. The layout is great. Go beyond the kitchen and up the stairs to a pleasing bathroom set up. Two unisex bathrooms exist to accommodate a crowd, but keeps things private. The bathrooms remain at a very nice temperature, something I appreciated during a late night snack when it was 60 degrees and raining outside. The restroom has a fresh scent and great flushing power.

Warner Café and Le Bar á Vin: B+
The bathroom lies on the bottom floor of the restaurant; only a short walk fro the door. It’s a little small and unisex, but very clean. It doesn’t hurt that this place, located behind the Gray Theatre, has the best 5-euro glass of rosé in Cannes and a charcuterie board that will make you cry.

La Boulangerie/Jean Luc Pelé: B
Jean Luc Pelé is a tasty, affordable lunch spot with boutique sandwiches and salads. Located between the festival area and the train station, it makes for an easy spot to pop in for a to-go croissant. The bathroom is fine, private, but unisex and with a low flushing power. Also, it’s small and upstairs in a crowded eating area. However, with many cafés in Cannes lacking a bathroom of any kind, it’s a well-located and relatively clean place to stop by.

Palais des Festivals
Palais I: A
This restroom is perfectly located right outside the theatre door. I had to run out of Clash to relieve myself and to my astounding surprise, there was this bathroom less than 5 meters from the door. I missed almost none of the film I was watching. A very useful toilet that is clean and private with large stalls.

Lerins: B+
This is the closest bathroom to the American Pavilion, but up a few flights of stairs and communally styled. It’s clean enough, but always very populated with a queue. The saving grace here is some great flushing power.

Downstairs by the Registration Area: C
I tried to change for a premiere in this communal bathroom, which may have been my worst decision at the festival aside from watching Basmati Blues. The insanely small stalls are claustrophobic worthy, and with a prominent location inside the Palais, the wait time for such a half-assed series of toilets leaves you angry.

Un-gradable:
As one of most populated places inside the Cannes Film Festival, the American Pavilion has no bathroom and it is befuddling.



Review: "The Neon Demon"

By Ansley Walker


Danish hot-shot director, Nicolas Winding Refn, brought to the screen a bizarre, surrealist take on the modeling industry in Los Angeles. Meant to expose the dog-eat-dog, or more acutely the model-eat-model world of fashion, The Neon Demon promised a thrilling and horrific tale about a naïve new model and her ultimate doom. Despite the grotesque inclusion of blood, necrophilia and vampiric activity, the film unfortunately failed to evoke true fear. Refn did succeed on other fronts by creating a visually stimulating phenomenon and highly metaphorical look inside the insipid world of fashion.

The Neon Demon is a difficult film to review, mostly because I’m not sure if I fully understand it. With another three viewings I could possibly form some more concrete criticism, but as for now here is an immediate catharsis: What the f**k did I just watch? Why was it necessary? Wait, why did I like it?

The film tells the story of Jesse (Elle Fanning), a young, orphaned teen from rural Georgia who moves to LA to pursue a dream modeling career. Her pink cheeks and Bambi eyes pose a stark contrast the mega tall, bronzed, exotic models she’s surrounded by. As her star power begins to rise, she becomes a muse for high power designers and a target for competing girls.

Starting out as a clueless babe, Jesse transforms into an egotistical, slightly insane individual obsessed with her looks. She possesses a love interest for a hot minute, but her real icon of stability lies within Ruby (Jena Malone), a makeup artist Jesse befriended at the film’s open. However, when Jesse rejects Ruby’s very forward advances, she essentially seals her fate. Ruby, and two model friends, Gigi and Sarah, scheme to take Jesse down. The remainder of the film shifts from theatrical build up to a thrilling and horrific series of plot twists.

In theory, Refn holds nothing back to thrill and evoke fear from his viewer, but only halfway succeeds. Horror scenes in no way felt legitimate; either unrealistic in thought or execution. However, certain scenes were thrilling. The most successful moment of terror is drawn out from a dream Jesse conjures in which her dirty motel manager (played convincingly by Keanu Reeves) forces a knife upon her in a newly imagined fashion. She awakes from the nightmare from the sound of someone trying to break into her room. They fail to enter, but quickly move onto her neighbor. The walls begin to close in on Jesse, literally, complete with the sounds of rape and murder from next door. This was the one time in the movie I felt myself actively trembling.

The dialogue between characters is nothing short of vapid. The script felt so meaningless at some points that as serious as I tried to approach the film, I couldn’t help but conceal chuckles under my breath. Refn chose to highlight his cinematic vision and over the top effects rather than develop some sound writing. However, if taken with the perspective that the shallow, awkward dialogue is meant to reflect the same sentiments in the fashion industry, I loosely concur that it works as a metaphor.

Despite every misstep within the film, there is something to be said about Refn’s directorial style. When the screenplay failed to bring about fear, Refn’s intense and striking directing still managed keep his viewer interested. While I struggle to separate the artist from his work, because Refn frustrates and annoys me with his obvious God complex. The room got noticeably claustrophobic within the giant 2,000 seat theatre when his ego entered the room, but damn, that man creates compelling visuals.

Refn is a creative vision. The lighting, score, and supernatural framing made my tongue swell and it was like my skin was dripping with acid. I felt myself fully immersed within his very purposeful psychedelic trip of a movie. The concept is intriguing as well, but simply poorly written.

The film entertains above all, and at nearly two hours long, nothing felt unnecessary. Is it a revelation for the decades to come? Sorry Refn, but no. Will I watch it again? If not solely to bring about more understanding, yes to relive the cinematic light spectrum that is The Neon Demon.

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Writer: Nicolas Winding Refn, Mary Laws, Polly Stenham; story by Nicolas Winding Refn
Producers: Lene Borglum, Sidonie Dumas, Vincent Maraval
Cast: Elle Fanning, Karl Glusman, Jena Malone, Bella Heathcote, Abbey Lee, Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves

Run Time: 117 min