The annual Cannes Film Festival is nearing its end, with only the closing ceremony and awards presentation left. However, it's precisely this period before the awards are announced that is the most nerve-wracking and lively—
Everyone is defending their personal favorite for the Palme d'Or.
Literally, everyone.
As the saying goes, "There's no first place in literature, no second in martial arts." Artistic works are often difficult to judge for a champion, but everyone has their own preferences and hopes their favorite can win the Palme d'Or.
Undoubtedly, it's a moment of glory.
The jury's decision hasn't been revealed yet, and all of Cannes is buzzing with speculation; however, the official magazine ratings have been announced, sparking a heated debate.
This year, the Cannes Film Festival's main competition featured the global premiere of twenty films, each evaluated by ten professional critics from the official magazine.
"Dogville," ranked first in the magazine, scored an average of 3.1 out of a possible 4 points.
Despite the controversy and provocation, Lars von Trier once again ignited a heated debate with his work, making "Dogville" a strong contender for the Palme d'Or.
Who knows? Perhaps after three years, Lars von Trier might win the Palme d'Or again.
"Distant," a film by director Nuri Bilge Ceylan, scored 3.0 in the official magazine, also receiving high praise and applause from critics.
These two films are the only ones in this year's Cannes Film Festival to score over three points.
Frankly, it's disappointing—
At least from the perspective of the official magazine.
Of course, Cannes primarily focuses on artistic works, which are often controversial and difficult to judge. Therefore, the official magazine tends to be more stringent, and scoring above three is not easy.
However!
Even so, in previous years, there would have been at least three or four, if not more, films scoring above three. This year, there are only two, and they just barely made it, indicating that the main competition at this year's festival has been generally lackluster and unsatisfactory.
Not only the official magazine but also the media attending Cannes share this sentiment—
Overall, the reviews have fallen below expectations.
As a result, the explosive discussions sparked by "Dogville" and "Elephant" have stolen the spotlight, becoming the focus everyone at Cannes can't miss.
Similarly, the official magazine's score of two points doesn't seem that bad in this context. Picking the best among the average isn't the worst outcome.
Here are the official magazine ratings from highest to lowest:
"Mystic River," 2.9.
"The Barbarian Invasions," 2.7.
"At Five in the Afternoon," 2.5.
"Swimming Pool," 2.4.
"Elephant," 2.1.
Wait, is this ranking correct? "Elephant" is actually ranked seventh?
Seventh out of twenty films isn't remarkable, but it's not terrible either—it's at the forefront of the middle pack, which is far better than expected.
A few days ago, when "Elephant" received its 2.1 score, many were shocked, with netizens quickly condemning Anson and mockingly suggesting he stick to being a "flower vase" rather than attempting a transformation.
But now, "Elephant's" rating doesn't seem so bad.
Everyone was stunned—
So, is "Elephant" good or not?
Moreover, the real disappointment lies elsewhere when compared to "Elephant."
"Mystic River."
Directed by Clint Eastwood, "Mystic River" has been highly anticipated, featuring a star-studded cast. Undoubtedly, it was the most awaited film at this year's Cannes.
However, the reaction to the film seems... lukewarm.
Not that it's bad.
The film received praise and a standing ovation at the Lumière Hall, and it sparked heated discussions after its premiere. But the acclaim didn't turn into a frenzy, and the discussions didn't extend further—it was just... average.
With an official magazine score of 2.9, it ranks third.
It's a solid result, but that's all—no more, no less.
When people talk about "Mystic River," the praise and approval are mostly positive. But when discussing all the films at Cannes, it's easy to forget this one even exists.
Its position is rather awkward.
It might have been better to provoke some controversy, like "Elephant."
"Controversy, after all, is still a form of recognition."
That's why "Dogville," despite its controversy, took the top spot in the official magazine ratings. It has buzz, acclaim, focus, and flair, making it the biggest winner at this year's Cannes, with the call for it to win the Palme d'Or growing stronger.
However, there's a film that swept through Cannes like a hurricane, causing an uproar that even "Dogville" and "Elephant" couldn't match, dominating the festival inside and out—
"The Brown Bunny."
Controversy isn't always recognition, as the debate surrounding "The Brown Bunny" has exceeded all expectations, turning into a full-blown disaster.
Directed and starring Vincent Gallo, "The Brown Bunny" was screened in its full 118 minutes at Cannes, uncut.
The film tells the story of a motorcycle racer, played by Vincent Gallo, who is unable to form stable relationships with others because he can't get over his ex-girlfriend.
Near the end, there's a close-up scene where the ex-girlfriend, played by Chloë Sevigny, performs a "BJ" on Vincent Gallo, followed by an explicit action.
Controversy erupted at Cannes.
First, "The Brown Bunny" itself is not a great film. It's an almost plotless minimalist work, using barren minimalism to depict a man's loneliness and pain after losing his true love. However, the film's emotional portrayal is unrestrained, with self-indulgent sentimentality, failing to achieve the minimalist effect of "thunder in silence."
Secondly, the film's bold ending scene dropped a bombshell.
The latter stole all the discussion from the former, leading critics to lash out in a tirade—
Chloë Sevigny agreed to the role herself, despite her agent's repeated objections. After agreeing to perform the explicit scene, her agent ended their collaboration.
Chloë defended herself as "dedicating herself to art" and used Andy Warhol to justify herself and the film. But clearly, her agent disagreed.
At this year's Cannes, Chloë starred in both "Dogville" and "The Brown Bunny," thrusting her into the spotlight.
After "The Brown Bunny's" premiere, the criticism was overwhelming, with Roger Ebert even losing his temper and cursing.
He not only called it "the worst film in Cannes history" but also said, "I'd rather watch my colonoscopy than this film," openly expressing his disdain.
And Roger wasn't alone.
The Cannes official magazine gave "The Brown Bunny" five ones and five zeros, averaging 0.5.
Breaking all records.
Objectively, critics felt the film was bad. However, the shocking ending quickly became the focus of all discussions, leading people to believe that the critics were hypocrites, giving low scores just because of the final scene's impact.
Even Vincent Gallo thought so, and in his anger, he exchanged insults with critics and journalists, creating quite a spectacle.