Venice: Opposing Views on "Contagion"

Gwynnie expires in the first scenes of Contagion

Ferdi from Italy, reporting from Venice for TFE and, for Italian readers, longer pieces at Loud Vision.

Soderbergh remains one of the most influential and crafty American filmmakers but he has won my love only on one occasion, with Erin Brockovich (perhaps thanks to Julia Roberts). Soderbergh knows how to use star power but how all these stars agreed to make this movie is beyond reason, especially the beautiful Marion Cotillard who seems to be asking what she's even doing there, she's so out of place. (Did the stars infect each other?)

After the first few minutes you realize that this is all very serious stuff which is not always a good thing. If the movie had turned into a sort of "guess who’s going to die next?" thriller, it might have been a smart and fun, if cruel, meta cinematic exercize about killing off your stars.  If you imagine a movie like Contagion without all these flashing names over the title, it would be much more realistic, poignant and affecting.  Blindness, for example, was scarier and more artistically cohesive with a similar subject.

The problem with Contagion is that it tries to be a disaster movie, a thriller, a drama and a documentary; it doesn’t work as any of these genres. From an ideological point of view, too, especially when it comes to the Jude Law character, it's contradictory and stiff. Contagion plays more like a little b-movie or a television series, with a straight narrative line and a visual style that is simple, clear and very very flat. Perhaps this was just a transition project between other movies the director cares much more about. But if you’re looking for a simple message, here you are: Remember to wash your hands carefully every time you touch other people or you could spread a new mortal disease. Thanks, Steven. 

Damon, Paltrow, Fishburne and Soderbergh at the Contagion Photo Op in Venice

[Editor's Note: Manolis, our other Venice correspondent had back to back to back to back screenings yesterday and was unable to write much. But I thought it would interest you to know that he called Contagion a "crowd pleaser" and found it to be "a fully satisfying thriller". So it's a split vote from our Venice team if we imagine them as Siskel & Ebert or Statler & Waldorf. Manolis did send two noteable bits from the press conference. -Nathaniel.]

At the press conference, Soderbergh said that he was happy to have a protagonist (the virus) which has no lines but everyone else in the movie talks about him. He also addressed the ongoing rumors of his retirement: he does intend to take a break from directing, but is not planning to quit entirely. 

Reason #6,391 to Love Viggo Mortensen

He doesn't just wave to his fans or sign autographs, he leans into it with a huge genuine grin. 

Viggo with fans in Venice (you can see they attracted him with that sign... wonder what it says?) at the premiere of A Dangerous Method

I was lamenting on Twitter earlier that I can't imagine TIFF being as exciting as Venice this year. Perhaps it was the mad desire to welcome prestige movie season in but doesn't it feel explosively exciting right about now? So much possibility. So many beloved faces. So many movie stars that aren't wearing spandex in front of a green screen.

Jessica Chastain Receiving Her First Award...(of Hundreds?)

Though we've been as curious as any cinephile about the overnight sensation* that is Jessica Chastain (see previous post), allow us to register vaguely mild surprise that it took just 109 days in the public eye in a major way (starting with the Cannes premiere of The Tree of Life) before she's already standing at podiums thanking people for giving her shiny things! In this case the Gucci Women in Film prize.

In reality this is Chastain's second award, one click of research indicates that she won a best actress festival prize in 2008 (Seattle International Film Festival) for a film called Jolene though that didn't see the inside of movie theaters until late 2010 (Have any of you seen it?) But what a whirlwind these past few months must have been.

Madonna presents the Gucci Women in Film Award to Jessica Chastain

What a summer. It starts with a Cannes trip alongside Brad Pitt and three months later she's part of a $100 million hit and Madonna (that's right, Madonna) is handing her trophies. From Brad Pitt to Madonna all in the same summer. Hopefully her eyes have adjusted to travelling in these blinding megawatt circles. 

This news hit me courtesy of luxury style expert Jessica Michault who is trying to make us all jealous with her tweet droppings. Consider this one:

And for what it's worth Ms. Michault thinks Keira Knightley is Oscar-worthy in A Dangerous Method. Not that luxury fashion experts vote on Oscars but they do hobnob with those who do.

*"overnight sensation" is nearly always an oxymoron. Obviously Jessica Chastain put in a lot of acting hours prior to this weird explosion of film releases... 

Red Carpet: Mildred vs. Veda, Madonna vs. World

With world luminaries hitting the red carpet from here until, oh, late February, it's time for the high season of Red Carpet Convos. Once again I'm chatting with Jose from Movies Kick Ass. This week we travel to Venice with a brief layover in China.

Nathaniel: ‪Shall we start with Madonna or the "Pierces"?‬ ‪
Jose: ‬ As you wish‬. I was just so happy to see Madge in a pretty dress that all the awful things people have been saying about "W.E" slipped my mind.
Nathaniel: Then that's where we start.

MADONNA, VALERIA, ABBIE, ASIA, and MARISA

Nathaniel: Of all the things people could fault her for, I hope this look isn't one of them. Every thing about it is working.‬ It's memorable. The glasses are a fun diva choice.
Jose: They so are. She looks so happy.
Nathaniel: If this look were a single I'd say it's definitely "Take a Bow"
‪Jose: ‬ The dress actually reminds me of "Love Profusion" now that you bring up her singles.
Nathaniel: You've just named the single that describes me looking at her in this.

Jose: The gown also reminds me of this ...which makes sense because the dress is Vionett as well‬. 
Nathaniel:  I never care about "who" people are wearing but I'm glad you always know. I care only about "who" they are presenting themselves as while they're wearing it, you know?
Jose: Don't make me do Meryl's cerulean monologue...‬   Do you think Madonna was on meds. She looks TOO happy given the reviews earlier in the day.
Nathaniel: ‪I'm guessing no celebrity has a thicker skin at this point.‬
 Jose: ‬ ‪Cher maybe but for all the wrong reasons.

Did you see the slutty Catholic librarian thing Madonna had been doing earlier that day? She looked fantastic.  ‪
Nathaniel: I'm a huge fan of slutty librarians; promote literacy however you can!
‪Jose: ‬ ‪Now I'm thinking of "Spanish Lesson"...but sigh Madge can spank me whenever she wants‬ and FYI dear Madge lovers, almost everything she says in that song is inaccurately translated.  ‪
Nathaniel: ‪This is an Italian lesson, actually. I threw two actual Italians in so this Venice red carpet lineup would feel more at home. But the Italians just aren't trying as hard this time. Valeria Golina looks classy but it's so black sheath plain.
Jose: Maybe she's trying to go for "I'm a serious actress, stop staring at my boobs"?
Nathaniel: And Asia Argento is a crazy person so why is she wearing such a normal dress... and black too!
Jose: Maybe Madonna stole her happy meds?

Nathaniel: And I can't even start on Monica Bellucci (not pictured, but obvs one of the most beautiful women in the world) who just wore a black pantsuit to her photocall.‬ She better turn it out when she hits her premiere tonight.
 ‪Jose: ‬ Although Ms. Ciccone is representing Italy quite well, I think.
Nathaniel: Oh right. Madonna Ciccone. We keep coming back to her because she wiped the floor with the other divas the dress is so great. I'm glad we're back to her because she's distracting me anyway. ‪Now I'm remembering those doves exploding from her gown in "Bedtime Stories"... translated to butterflies here. Though now I'm lamenting AGAIN that she isn't desperate enough for attention to walk the Venice red carpet in a wedding dress with a lion by her side. Because that would be... I would die. Dead. Do not resuscitate.

Jose: I'd make her perform an exorcism to "Like a Prayer" to bring you back to life‬  
Nathaniel: Cruel! But this is the only time I've ever wished "has-been" status on Madonna  because only an attention starved diva would attempt to relive their über iconic breakthrough in its original locale you know?
Jose: Ha. But "Madge" and "has-been" will never go together.
Nathaniel: True. Moving on. ‪I think Abbie Cornish looks fab. Great styling choice with her hair and the dress has so much texture and structure. And I'm thrilled that she looks womanly in it and not stick-like the way so many young rising stars try for.
Jose: ‬When I first saw Abbie's pic I thought to myself "my does Jennifer Coolidge look fantastic". What is wrong with her makeup people? They overdo her ALL the time. Dress is fab I agree, love the curves.

Nathaniel: I learned a new word on Project Runway... "ombré"  It's the color gradation how it changes as it goes along. I love the ombré on this dress but the only problem with this new favorite word o' mine is the other night I mispronounced it as "Hombre" and my friends all laughed at me.
Jose: ‬ ‪lol‬.
Nathaniel: ‪‪Abbie has no trouble attracting beautiful hombre, either.‬  ‪Please note Oscar Isaac on her arm.
Jose: ‬ ‪In my mind she will always belong to John Keats...  ‪
Nathaniel: As well she should.‬ 

Anyway... I keep wanting peope to go ALL OUT with the color but the trending in Venice so far is definitely "classy"... lots of whites, blacks, creams, and such. Tasteful.
Jose: And this is freaking Venice! God knows what people will wear to the Oscars...muumuus?‬
Nathaniel: But we do have some color. What do we think of the mustard on Marisa Tomei?
Jose: It reminds me of Sandy Powell's costumes for Cate as Kate in "The Aviator" kinda has that retro thing going for it, no?

Nathaniel: Yes. What do you think of the necklace being part of the dress? It feels like you're supposed to yank her towards you with it for a mad embrace? It's... weird.‬ But i'm not saying I don't like it.
 ‪Jose: ‬ It's a bit weird but I guess if you're going to go for pearls you might as well try to spice 'em up a bit?‬ maybe she was afraid of losing the necklace those festival parties are insane and that's her way of keeping it safe.
Nathaniel: Sure. I'm probs projecting anyway since I always want to yank Marisa into a mad embrace. LOVE HER.
Jose: ‪Haha. I want to drink with her!‬  ‪

Nathaniel: I want to leave Venice behind -- very briefly -- for China.  
‪Jose: ‬ ‪What were these awards?‬  ‪

TANG WEI, KARA HUI, ZHANG ZIYI, GONG LI

Nathaniel: ‪I included a lineup of Asian superstars since they were all at the Huabaiao Awards in Beijing earlier this week.  
‪Jose: ‬ ‪oh is that where the awesome Crouching Tiger reunion happened?‬  ‪
Nathaniel: ‬ ‪YES!‬  So I was reading up on these awards because I love three of these women muchly (not as familiar with Kara Hui) and I'm like how did they get ALL the superstars there? And it turns out it's a movie awards show that only happens once every other year.  
‪Jose: ‬ ‪like an eclipse‬  ‪

Nathaniel: like an abomination! A crime against cinematic nature. It has to be every year. So then i lost interest.  Biannual is just... I'm not sure it even exists. Like bisexuality.‬  ‪
Jose: ‬ ‪LOL‬.
Nathaniel: ‬ ‪So they all look lovely, agreed?‬
Jose: ‬ ‪Yes, I love how Asian women aren't afraid of bringing on the sparkles in dresses‬.

Nathaniel: Yes. though it's weirdly lacking in color.‬ Also check out this headline from the awards show. I sincerely hope that is just an English as a second language problem and not a joke cuz it's just so wrong.
‪Jose: ‬ ‪LMAO‬.
Nathaniel: All because he stepped on Gong Li's glamour train, poor thing.
Jose: Ugh she's too amazing and graceful for me to laugh but that headline is sick‬ and then the first picture with the statuette is just wrong  ‪
Nathaniel: Yes. This is neither here nor there but Andy Lau is a fox.‬ I've rarely enjoyed a bow tie more. He turns 50 this year. just saying. OKAY.... moving on. Back to Venice to wrap up.  ‪

Jose: ‬ ‪Veda and Mildred time‬.

Kate Winslet, Kate Winslet, Evan Rachel Wood, Evan Rachel Wood, Mildred, Mildred, Veda, Veda

Nathaniel: ‪Since both actresses had two premieres to attend I thought we should have a total throwdown here.‬ From left to right that's Kate representing CARNAGE and MILDRED PIERCE and then Evan representing MILDRED PIERCE and THE IDES OF MARCH.
Jose: ‬ ‪I'd no idea they were showing Mildred in theaters, but Venice does love Todd Haynes, right?‬ Not that I blame them.
Nathaniel: ‬ ‪Yes. and he's on the jury this year‬.
Jose: ‬ ‪Oh true! Hopefully Kate will get a Volpi Cup.
Nathaniel: I laughed at what Manolis wrote about his response when a journalist asked him if he could be impartial about judging Kate's performance in Carnage... "He answered politely and predictably and persuaded nobody."
 ‪Jose: ‬ Haha‬  ‪

Nathaniel: ‬ ‪So who wins the fashion sweepstakes for you here?
‪Jose: ‬ ‪I'll have to go with Evan this time.‬ I absolutely adore Kate but I'm sick, SICK I tell you, of her tight fitting "look how hot I am" looks.
Nathaniel: She's gone with very severe beauty lately, huh. It's always very structural, very stiff... I've forgotten what she looks like in something flowy and more girlish. Not that she ever totally favored that look exactly.
‪Jose: ‬ ‪I totally dig the Metropolic robot look Kate is doing in the first number but it bores me...I have had enough of her calves‬.‪I like movement, perhaps I'm just favoring her because Kate's dresses feel like tattoos and I love the way in which fabric moves‬. I've always loved how adventurous Evan is and the Alessandra Rich dress (the white shirty one) is just perfect‬.

Nathaniel: ‬ Really?‬ ‪Maybe I'm just not a fan of her new hair. It's throwing me. Though I like it with the retro eye makeup like in her Mildred premiere dress.‬
‪Jose: ‬  I've gotten used to the hair by now and she's working it nicely.
Nathaniel: I'm a huge fan of Kate's fashion robot look myself. I think she looks utterly sensational and that color which should be boring is somehow perfect with what she's been aiming for so much lately. This fierce mature beauty.‬ So for me the winner of all of these is Kate's Carnage dress.  ‪
Jose: ‬She sure looks like she could cut a bitch with those heels, she's fierce, but I'm still siding with Veda‬.
Nathaniel:  ‪Split opinion. We'll have to let the readers decide.‬

poll by twiigs.com

Jose: ‬ ‪Or wait, if it was a fave of ALL, I'll go with Madge, just looking at her makes me smile.
Nathaniel: Oh, yup, Madonna wins it all. "Love Profusion" on loop.

A Dangerous Method: Frozen Surface, Dangerous Interior

[Editors Note: We have two correspondents from Venice this year. And I feel the need to remind everyone that these opinions do not reflect the opinion of management; Nathaniel is without opinion as he is not in Venice. But he is enjoying reading these reports. Here is Ferdi from Italy, critic for, offering us bite sized opinions again. Enjoy. - Nathaniel]

I love David Cronenberg unconditionally and I know from past experience that his movies are not what they seem at the very first. We have to recognize that they always need more viewings, they are so complex. A Dangerous Method is a beautifully shot period piece. It's wonderfully acted movie especially by Michael Fassbender (heartbreaking) and Viggo Mortensen (Brilliant and should be in the supporting actor race). It's about the relationship between Carl Jung, patient-psychotic Sabina Spielreinand Sigmund Freud. Cronenberg has directed period pieces before (M Butterfly, Spider, Naked Lunch) and he's not new to melodrama either (in many of his movies there's a deep melodramatic soul). The origin of psychoanalysis, which explores what is inside the body and invisible to the eye fits his radical cinematic world perfectly. Still, A Dangerous Method seems the least Cronenberg-esque of his movies. Although the score and the  visuals are stunning -- lighting, sets, costumes, all gorgeous and perfect -- there's something missing here. If this frozen, crystallized surface is marvelous, maybe the inside world must be a dangerous place, crowded with demons: sexual repression, animal instinct, guilt, death, desire. And this is the place where Croneberg wants to go. 

Viggo in Venice © Fabrizio SpinettaFassy as shot by our correspondent Ferdi himself!

The first section is the best, powerful and alarming, with Keira Knightley sadistically used by Cronenberg as a shouting beast; she vomits out all her inner demons in a physical acting style that's sometimes difficult to watch. When the therapy and the love affair take root, everything begins to slow down. The narrative style normalizes and the movie changes into a beautiful restrained drama packed with visual elegance. There are still some moments blessed with the typical, disturbing Cronenberg-touch but my first impression is that the auteur could have gone further and deeper with this material. 

Madonna uses the camera as a little girl who has just received a toy she wants so badly that she forgets to read the instructions. W.E., her second directorial effort, tries to emulate the flourishing visual style of Tom Ford's A Single Man (and even abuses the melodramatic violins of Abel Korzeniowski). It also too closely resembles the narrative structure of Julie & Julia insisting parallelism between two stories: the romance between King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson and a never convincing contemporary story about a bored and depressed young woman who becomes obsessed with the American adventuress.

Let's be clear: W.E. is not a truly bad movie. Last night Un Eté Brulent by Philipp Garrell, which screened in the official selection, was much more awful. It's just that W.E. is very easy to attack. Abbie Cornish is beautiful to watch although her character is ridiculous and Andrea Riseborough is really very good as Wallis , but W.E. seems only a long commercial spot from start to finish. It's empty, superficial and naive and maybe also a little dishonest. It's all about Madonna's obsession with fashion, beauty, richness, music, and British Royals. That's it.