Films to See in 2012: July

We are, rather officially as it turns out, in the full storm of summer, though it really feels like its dying throes at this point. Of course, we do have the most ridiculously anticipated film of the year, but besides that the gems are rather wide spread. Don't read me the wrong way, since from the very start we have some potentially fantastic cinema on our hands. "The Amazing Spider-Man" is only days away, and seems all the more like a nice, if relatively minor, superhero escapade. Less optimistically on the roster is Oliver Stone's "Savages", which seems like a misfire in the same degree as "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps". Even far less promising is "Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D", the latest in a run of concert films that really do not need to happen.

The following week gives us both something more, and something less. On the former side is "Ice Age: Continental Drift", and given that franchise has proven guiltily quite fun, I wouldn't be disinclined to experience this latest adventure. There's also "Red Lights", which looks extremely pointless, much like the career of Robert De Niro at this point. We know what comes the following week, and we'll get more on that later. The last week of the month is a full serving of mainstream comedy ("The Watch"), pointless franchise retread ("Step Up Revolution"), and dark comedic plant ("Killer Joe"). And then there's...

VENICE: "Faust" takes the Golden Lion

So how can we be surprised that the Golden Lion went to something I didn't really put much interest into? Aleksandr Sokurov's "Faust" somehow didn't gain my attention, but it got enough passion from the jury to grab the top prize. I guess I may have to check this one out, but my eyebrow hasn't even been raised yet, so no promises. Similarly, the Silver Lion prize went to something I hadn't heard the slightest bit of news on, "Ren shan ren hai". I can make a pretty solid promise I probably won't end up seeing that one, because as much as I go for things off the beaten path, I'm also kind of lazy.

That confusion ridden first response may make it seem like I'm disappointed, but there's enough to be pleased about here. "Alps", from director Yorgos Lanthimos, took the screenplay prize despite his typically brazen subject matter, or perhaps because of it. I suppose what may have repelled others is what benefited from Aronofsky's jury. Cinematography went to "Wuthering Heights", and there's no surprise there. Same goes for Michael Fassbender's Best Actor win, but it certainly got a more favorable response. The rest of the awards are many in number, and far too time consuming, so see those after the jump!

Golden Lion

“Faust”

Silver Lion

“Ren shan ren hai (People Mountain People Sea)”

Vopli Cup (Best Actress)

Michael Fassbender, “Shame”

Volpi Cup (Best Actress)

Deanie Yip, “Tao Jie (A Simple Life)”

Special Jury Prize

“Terrafirma”

Osella for Best Screenplay

“Alps” (Giorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou)

Best Cinematography

“Wuthering Heights” (Robbie Ryan)

Marcello Mastroianni Award

Shota Sometani, Fumi Nikaido, “Himizu di Sion Sono”

FIPRESCI Award

Best Film, Venezia 68: “Shame”

Best Film, Orizzonti and International Critics’ Week: “Two Years”

VENICE: "Alps" Reactions

If you were worried when you heard about people walking out of the Venice screening of Yorgos Lanthimos' "Alps", you clearly don't know the Lanthimos. That is very much the expected reaction to material such as this. As such, there honestly aren't that many reviews abounding, considering some are in no place to review the film in its entirety. The few that are out there are serving as an earnest recommendation. Rest assured, there will likely be plenty more negatives as the days go on, but for now there's at least one strikingly different film out there. I'll update as further reviews arrive.

Oliver Lyttelton (The Playlist; A): "Lanthimos continues to prove himself a supremely controlled, disciplined filmmaker: his use of focus alone could form the basis of a film school class, and it’s always interesting to note what he doesn’t show, frequently cutting off or obscuring faces and relying on body language. “Alps” has proven Lanthimos to be one of the most fascinating filmmakers anywhere right now, and, while there’s no immediate news on when it’ll hit on the U.S., or anywhere outside Greece, we’re confident it’ll be one of the most talked-about films of the next year: with so much to talk about, how could it not be?"

Guy Lodge (In Contention; ****): "After this description, you’d probably struggle to believe me if I told you "Alps" is a slightly warmer film than its predecessor, but in its cockeyed, proudly foot-in-mouth way, it is: the comedy is sometimes broader and more patiently, zanily observational (as in a cryptic running motif where a couple feed each other lines of stiff English-language dialogue on everything from light fittings to orgasms), which is, admittedly, cold comfort alongside its most heart-stoppingly brutal interruptions."

Venice stacks favorites big and small

Toronto is a massive canvas, but you do suffer sensory overload with all those films playing against one another. I prefer the smaller and more tightly knit atmosphere around Cannes and Venice, because it just seems so much more homely. Festivals are best suited to beautiful cities, and Venice is putting together what seems like a perfect list of competitors. Of course there will be quite a few that don't stack up, and I'm getting ready for that bitter sting of disappointment. Many are making their sophomore attempts, which is usually when the one hit wonders are cut apart from rest.

Of course there's the debut film of the festival, George Clooney's The Ides of March, but that trailer seems a bit too clean for a tale of hubris. It looks like the sort of sophisticated film that will get Academy attention more than most. I'm obviously not looking for the films that will play better with the Academy. I'm looking for quality, and it's better found in other places. Tomas Alfredson's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy has been gaining interest over the past month, and it still looks pretty intense and visually dynamic like Alfredson's last film. Maybe not a huge awards play, but definitely one I'm willing to follow.