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"And you know what? Things are looking good." -Dr. K

Mark, don't forget to spit three times over your left shoulder after making claims like that! Otherwise you'll jinx yourself :D

Here's hoping everything gets even better,

-Juhan

It's a shame, but I don't think Kermode is going to have a Cannes induced breakdown this year.

The prospect of an induced insanity was a prospect more exciting than the films itself.

There you are see, it's not all bad. Sunshine and getting to meet a hero... what more could you want.
Pleased to hear that Alejandro González Iñárritu's Biutiful lived up t its expectations. I wouldn't expect anything less than a brilliant performance from Bardem. He even managed to rescue Vicky Cristina Barcelona from being completely dire.
Can the Cannes experience get any better for you I wonder?

Does anyone remember Javier Bardem's performance in the movie Perdita Durango (aka, Dance with the Devil)? He was charismatic even then but I'm sure if you told him, at that time, that he'd win an Oscar and come to be taken seriously as an arthouse actor he would have told you to get out of town. Perdito Durango is an underrated strange gem of a movie, check it out.

I think Mark Kermode should do a Moviedrome style show on the Ö÷²¥´óÐã and show films, not only cult movies, but movies such as Mad Monkey, and various other foreign movies that people might not have seen.

The only thing more charismatic in Perdita Durango than Bardem were his hair extensions. It was like he was the symbiotic host to a sentient life form occupying his scalp. Neat movie.

Cannes looks better when one views it from a yacht, apparently. Or several yachts.

Dr K
You seem to be getting into this Cannes Caper ;-).....Bardem is just mesmerizing to watch, the performance he gave in "Los lunes al sol" as Santa was so masterful and very poignant. And I agree with MargeGunderson he singlehandedly ' saved ' Vicky Christina Barcelona from abject mediocrity. Any chance of you grabbing Mr B for a few words of wisdom?

Given your anti-censorship stance Dr K, any thoughts on Serbian Movie (Srpski film), a movie that is unlikely to ever see a release in the UK?

looking back at Javier Bardems cv, its hard to find a film that he hasn't won an award for.

Fernando Trueba is the best spanish director. Have you seen La niña de tus ojos? It is the perfect depiction of spanish culture and soo funny! our best spanish actors are on it! And Penelope Cruz has her best role.

#7 & #3

I disagree with Rourkesdrifter & MargeGunderson. To say that Javier Bardem single-handedly saved Vicky Christina Barcelona is to totally overlook Penelope Cruz who was deserving of her Oscar and BAFTA and 9 other awards. Javier Bardem was nominated but won nothing except an ensemble award which was not given for single-handedness.

I didn't say he single-handedly saved it, I just implied he was one of the good things about it...I would agree that Penelope Cruz was also good, it's just that the topic of discussion was Bardem.

Yes fair point Antimode though I too was very much targeting Bardem in my comments. Ms Cruz is enchanting to watch and her performance in Volver was just wonderful. Though I do feel she's fares far better in films made in her native language. I understand she also has to do hollywood mainstream,but film fodder like Sahara for instance wastes her natural talent.