Cannes - winners

Palme d’Or:
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Thailand)
Grand Prix (runner-up):
Des Hommes Et Des Dieux (Of God and Men), directed by Xavier Beauvois
Prix de la Mise en Scene (best director):
Mathieu Amalric for “Tournée” (On Tour)
Prix du Scenario (best screenplay):
Poetry by Lee Chang-dong
Camera d’Or (best first feature):
Año Bisiesto directed by Michael Rowe
Prix du Jury (jury prize):
A Screaming Man directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
Prix d’interpretation feminine (best actress):
Juliette Binoche for “Certified Copy” (directed by Abbas Kiarostami)
Prix d’interpretation masculine (best actor – a Tie):
Javier Bardem for “Biutiful” (directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu)
and
Elio Germano for “La Nostra Vita” (directed by Daniele Luchetti)
Palme d’Or (short film):
Chienne d’Histoire directed by Serge Avedikian

Special Award for ‘faux pas ‘ on the red-carpet : Bollywood stars ( as usual ! )

movie review : AVATAR

AVATAR ...I see you
by DJ Synth-bach

Finally after a long wait , I saw the super-blockbuster movie 'Avatar'. Eversince its release early this year I 've been trying to watch this movie but did n't succeed. At the time of its release I was in a location where they didn't have the 3-D system. When I got back to the city , my busy schedule deprived me from finding a spare time to watch the movie. Finally when I managed to get a break, the show was confined to the mornings. Thus last month (April) I went to watch 'Avatar' but the film changed and I saw instead 'Clash of the Titans'. By then I was trying to convince myself that I may never see 'Avatar' at the theatres. But the following week 'Avatar' is back again for its post-Oscar release !

James Cameron fetes the audience with a wonderfull new experience and the surprise factor starts even before entering the movie-hall. At the ticket-counter, you gets a 3-D specs along with the ticket. But it's worth all the trouble & gadgets . The film turned out to be a brilliant spectacle. I had the initial apprehension that the movie may not match its hype and publicity. On the contrary its brilliance exceeds than what has been expected. The first-half may be a bit dragging but gets a steady momentum in the second-half. The action-sequences are brilliant and special-effects are breath-taking. The story-line may have some resemblance with The Last of the Mohicans(1992) but the similarity ends there. James Cameron is a seasoned customer and 'Avatar' can be aptly called his magnum-opus. Sam Worthington gives a credible performance as opposed to his 'Clash of the Titans' -the film I saw a week earlier- in which he gave a lack-luster performance.

Unlike the standard Hollywood sci-fi theme where 'aliens' are always agressors and humans the poor victims, 'Avatar' breaks this stereotype. The movie has the message of truimph of love & comraderie over hate & war. It stands by the under-dog and supports a lesser culture against the dominence of another culture. It effectively contrasts the beautifull things in nature against the onslaught and brutality of technology. Though 'Avatar' is made with the aid of latest technology, the movie highlights the danger of misuse of technology - for the purpose of greed , wealth and power. Infact by making 'Avatar' , James Cameron demonstrates that instead of misusing technology for war & agression, it should be used for peacefull purposes such as making a movie.