by Joanna Orland Cannes Film Festival (Festival de Cannes) is not only the most famous of film festivals, but it is also considered to be the most prestigious in the world.  From my extensive experience, I am fairly certain that it is also one of the largest. Boasting a fine selection of films in various […]

  Palme d’Or Dheepan (dir Jacques Audiard)   Grand Prix Son of Saul (dir László Nemes)   Prix de la mise en scène (Best Director) Hou Hsiao-Hsien (The Assassin)   Prix d’interprétation féminine (Best Actress) Emmanuelle Bercot (Mon roi) and Rooney Mara (Carol)   Prix d’interprétation masculine (Best Actor) Vincent Lindon (Measure of a Man) […]

Directed by Amy Berg by Joanna Orland Labeling An Open Secret as “the movie Hollywood doesn’t want you to see” is more than sensationalism, it is truth.  Having been rejected by various film festivals and struggling towards its imminent 20-cities release, the documentary by Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg is treading a fine line by taking […]

Directed by Peter Docter Starring Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan and Richard Kind by Joanna Orland Never has sadness been so joyful. In Pixar’s latest film Inside Out, emotions rule the mind.  Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger and Disgust live inside young Riley’s head.  Each […]

Directed by Denis Villeneuve Starring Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin by Joanna Orland French Canadian director Denis Villeneuve takes a page out of Michael Mann’s book to create the finely made action thriller Sicario. In Mexico, ‘Sicario’ means ‘Hitman’.  Set near the U.S. and Mexico border, Sicario the film focuses on idealistic […]

Directed by Asif Kapadia Starring Amy Winehouse In UK Cinemas July 3rd, 2015 by Joanna Orland Asif Kapadia’s Amy Winehouse documentary is a devastating look at the British singer’s rise to fame and ultimate demise in 2011 at age 27. Kapadia has humanized Amy Winehouse more than any other media to date.  He has gained […]

Directed by Todd Haynes Starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara by Joanna Orland Todd Haynes beautifully directs this adaptation of author Patricia Highsmith’s 1950’s lesbian love story. The visuals are stunning, with Carol clearly being an excellent companion piece to Haynes’ other works Far From Heaven and Mildred Pierce.  The visuals alone provide enough of […]

Directed by Joachim Trier Starring Gabriel Byrne, Isabelle Huppert, Jesse Eisenberg, David Strathairn and Devin Druid by Joanna Orland Louder Than Bombs is an elegant piece of filmmaking.  It is subtle, complex and most of all affective in its storytelling. Isabelle was a famed war photographer who perished in a car crash years before we meet her family.  […]

Directed by Mark Osborne Starring in English: Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Mackenzie Foy, James Franco, Marion Cotillard, Benicio Del Toro, Ricky Gervais, Riley Osborne and Albert Brooks Starring in French: Florence Foresti, André Dussollier, Marion Cotillard, Vincent Cassel, Guillaume Gallienne, Vincent Lindon and Laurent Lafitte by Joanna Orland Director of Kung Fu Panda, Mark Osborne […]

Directed by Guillaume Nicloux Starring Gérard Depardieu and Isabelle Huppert by Joanna Orland With a contrived premise working against it, Valley of Love manages to withstand the heat due solely to heartfelt performances by Isabelle Huppert and Gérard Depardieu. Long-divorced couple Isabelle and Gérard have reunited to honour their dead son Michael, who has committed […]