On The Road
Why It’s Great: Given the sprawling nature of the source material, it’s perhaps to be expected that Walter Salles’ adaptation is a little on the bloated side, while the plot never really shakes the feel of a series of vignettes. However, a pair of sparkling performances from Sam Riley and particularly Kristen Stewart really lift proceedings, the latter shedding her sulky Twilight persona to play the sexually adventurous Marylou. Garrett Hedlund’s Moriarty isn’t quite so successful, but the total package remains a beautifully shot, intoxicating hit of Americana.
Chances Of Winning The Palme d’Or: There are more deserving films at this year’s festival, although Stewart and Riley deserve recognition for their contributions.
Lawless
Why It’s Great: John Hillcoat doesn’t quite manage to reinvent the western with this blood-spattered tale of prohibition-era America, but for fans of the genre, this is still a rollickingly entertaining tale of ruthless outlaws, crooked lawmen and smouldering dames. Guy Pearce’s turn as bent copper Charlie Raikes tips a little too far into panto territory, but Tom Hardy is reliably excellent as gruff, tough bootlegger Forrest Bondurant.
Chances Of Winning The Palme d’Or: Extremely unlikely. Lawless is a highly enjoyable couple of hours, but it’s distinctly mainstream entertainment.
Holy Motors
Why It’s Great: Leos Caraz’s utterly bizarre film ticks the “something completely different” box at this year’s festival, taking the audience on an eerie trip around what are nominally the streets of Paris, but soon transform into the bizarre landscapes of somewhere else entirely. Eva Mendes and Kylie Minogue are among the talent involved, but the real star is Caraz’s seemingly boundless imagination.
Chances Of Winning The Palme d’Or: It has been talked up as a potential winner, but the jury may consider this one a mite too obscure to land the trophy. A win however would certainly reestablish the festival’s reputation for recognising truly “out-there” filmmaking.
The Hunt
Why It’s Great: Thomas Vinterberg presents his best movie since Festen with this disconcerting tale of a kindergarten assistant accused of inappropriate behaviour by a young child. Mads Mikkelsen plays the accused, and is a revelation as the increasingly desperate man at the centre of what swiftly becomes a witch hunt. Lean, mean and incredibly tense, it’s one of the finest thrillers on show at this year’s festival.
Chances Of Winning The Palme d’Or: The familiarity of the subject matter might prevent The Hunt from winning the Palme d’Or, but Mikkelsen should be among the favourites to lift the award for best actor. It’s an electrifying piece of work.
Rust And Bone
Why It’s Great: Jacques Audiard’s moving love story establishes an unlikely relationship between a bare-knuckle fighter and a killer whale trainer and runs with it to surprising and remarkably heartfelt places. Boasting a pair of powerhouse central performances from Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts, don’t be surprised to see this one scoop at least one of the acting awards, if not the Palme d’Or itself.
Chances Of Winning The Palme d’Or: Audiard is among the bookies’ favourites to lift the prize, having missed out to Michael Haneke’s White Ribbon back in 2009. However, with Amour the toast of this year’s festival, don’t bet against history repeating itself…
The Paperboy
Why It’s Great: Lee Daniels’ follow-up to Precious is this sweaty, sexy and frequently hilarious noir, based on Pete Dexter’s pulpy thriller. Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron are decent enough as a pair of brothers attempting to expose a miscarriage of justice, but its the supporting players who really sparkle, with John Cusack smarmily repellent as a convicted crook and Nicole Kidman outstanding as his blowsy fiancée. A steamy treat that crucially never takes itself too seriously.
Chances Of Winning The Palme d’Or: The top prize will probably go to something a little more affecting than the pure entertainment on show here.
Killing Them Softly
Why It’s Great: This bloody, brutal crime film has been dubbed “this year’s Drive“, thanks to its minimalist plot, wince-inducing violence and impossibly cool leading man. Brad Pitt is the killer in question, and his greasy-haired gun-toting performance is right up there with his best work. Pulpy, hard-boiled and utterly gripping, Killing Them Softly has cult classic written all over it.
Chances Of Winning The Palme d’Or: Despite Pulp Fiction scooping the prize back in 1994, the jury tend to reward more artsy fare than American-made crime films. An unlikely winner then, but the buzz generated at the festival will be prize enough for Andrew Dominik and his crew.
The Artsy Film Blog 