After a much needed day of rest and relaxation, we come back to the fest with a stylish yet divisive genre film and a colorful, biting introspective work by a veteran auteur. With no more brisk winds to cool things off, things are heating up the in Cannes, and in the festival competition.
Her Private Hell ★★★★
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn / Out of Competition
Ten years after The Neon Demon proved divisive at Cannes, Nicolas Winding Refn comes back swinging with another bold piece, that has already got some people reeling. Elle (Sophie Thatcher) is prepping for her next film shoot as a mysterious killer known as The Leather Man is hunting girls in the thick mist of a futuristic metropolis. Her Private Hell is a neon-drenched kaleidoscope of Giallo homages. Drawing clear inspiration from works like Deep Red, Blood and Black Lace and Planet of the Vampires, fans of this era of filmmaking will be appreciative of Refn’s references. Although drawn out slightly by its pacing, this is a dazzling sight to behold.
Bitter Christmas (Amarga Navidad) ★★★★
Directed by Pedro Almodóvar / In Competition / Queer Palm eligible
After his first English language film with The Room Next Door, Almodóvar is back on form with Bitter Christmas (Amarga Navidad). The dual narrative follows two screenwriters, Elsa (Bárbara Lennie) and Raúl (Leonardo Sbaraglia), drawing from their real lives to inspire their writing. The lead performances are excellent, but the real highlight is the film’s supporting cast. Patrick Criado as Elsa’s under-appreciated boyfriend Bonifacio is a delight, while Aitana Sánchez-Gijón gives a towering turn as Mónica, especially in her final scene.
Bitter Christmas is a dauntingly meta but beautifully crafted. Almodóvar has set a high bar for himself, which the new film meets, including some standout moments that bring it over the edge. Within the last thirty minutes a biting critique of artist’s ambitions builds in a way that feels profoundly introspective.
By Andrew Pankey
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