Which film did Quentin hate?

For the first time in Cannes history, a press conference was held with the entire jury where they were asked to defend their award decisions. During the questioning, Quentin said something interesting that got Filmbrain thinking. He said that every film in competition had a defender, save for two. He then went on to single out one film with the following:

"But there's one, I wanna tell you, [laughter] I promised the jury I wouldn't go off on it [more laughter]."

Filmbrain is dying to know which film he is referring to. His immediate thought was Walter Salles' The Motorcycle Diaries. Salles' earlier film, Central Station, is the very type of "crowd pleasing art-house film" that Quentin has complained about in past interviews. Was it perhaps Stephen Hopkins' The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, or maybe even Hong Sang-soo's Woman is the Future of Man? (Though Quentin is a big fan of Asian cinema, Filmbrain can't imagine him digging Hong-sang Soo's brilliantly honest portrayals of male-female relationships all that much.)

What's your guess as to the film that upset Quentin?

Comments

[JoJo the Chimp]

Has to be the Olsen Twins movie, right? JoJo can see it for the masterwork it is, but not Quentin.

[Filmbrain]

JoJo --

Nice guess, but NY Minute was not at Cannes.

[katherine]

I'm not artsy-fartsy knowledgeable about films, just know what I like, am moved by, am not. What's wrong with Central Station? Almost no oneI I knew had seen it much less heard of it...it didn't get a wide release in N. America. I don't see how it's an "art house" film. Not even sure what the hell that means which must mean I'm a real dope. I loved it, didn't find it manipulative in the least and couldn't believe that Life is Beautiful beat it for the Oscar for best foreign flick in whatever year it came out. So tell me why is Central Station one of the worst films you've ever seen?

[Filmbrain]

I really hate the expression art-house as well. I think all film should be (or at least strive to be) art.

That said, it is an irrefutable fact that there is such an animal, and companies like Miramax thrive from them. These are the films that won't make it to the multiplexes, but will play in the smaller theaters. They are often foreign, but safe enough for those that don't like foreign films.

Central Station is one of those films, in my opinion. The old woman and the little boy. The story, the direction, even the score -- all highly manipulative. Tired old cliches in an unfamiliar landscape. Overly sentimental and forced. But that's just my opinion.

There are a load of films that fall into this category. Off the top of my head -- Chocolat, Under the Tuscan Sun, Strawberry & Chocolate, A Month by the Lake, etc. etc. Uplifting feel-good films that sometimes make you weepy.

Many people really love these films, so who am I to judge? My personal taste flows in another direction, that's all.

[Neil T.]

Shrek 2?

[FIlmbrain]

Perhaps....but judging by his reaction I think it was something else. Shrek 2 is what it is. Shrek 2.

[Erin]

a movie about a woman contemplating selling a child off for its organs is a feel-good film? Are we this cynical?

[Filmbrain]

Yeah...but by the film's end the boy has taught the old lady the true meaning of christmas.

Or are you talking about Shrek 2?

[Katherine]

I share your opinion of films like Chocolat, Under the Tuscan Sun, etc. These formulaic feel good, syrupy and sentimental adult-Disney stories make my skin crawl. Life is Beautiful is another in that category. I still can't believe that piece of sh*t won best picture and that viewers weren't offended by its sanitized portrayal of the kampz, never mind childhood. Somehow I can't place Central Station in the same category. I could be completely off base. But I was truly bowled over by it. Certainly it has sentimental elements but it offers much more. I didn't feel bamboozled by this movie as I have others. It didn't come across as a safe feel good flick. But anyway, to each his own. I really appreciate your site for the information it contains about films that are rarely available except through the repertory theaters and "artsy farsty" film houses. Or festivals.

[Katherine]

P.S. If Tarantino meant Drek2, good on him. (It's too bad the jurors can't name the films they think are bad if only to counterbalance the ravers.) Compared to movies like Spirited Away and even Pixar's Monsters Inc., Shrek's lacklustre animation and lame story-line (that donkey made me want to pull out an Uzi) reminded me of cheap and effortless Hana-Barbara cartoons from childhood.

[FIlmbrain]

Ah yes...Spirited Away is such a great film. The Disney folks should hang their heads in shame when watching that.

I still don't think QT was talking about Shrek 2. Again, judging by his facial expressions at the press conference, it seems like it was something that really took him by surprise as to how bad it was.

[Ian]

well maybe it was 2046?, after all the waiting, a disappointment [at least to QT?]

the mystery thickens!?!

[Mindy]

Since it wasn't just QT who disliked the 2 films, but the whole jury, since the films had "no support," my guess would be Assassination of Richard Nixon and Life and Death of Peter Sellers.

The first got barely any attention at all despite staring Sean Penn. The few reviews it did get were pretty bad. Same goes for "Peter Sellers." I think it got slightly more mention only cuz of the mild controversy with Britt Ecklund.
I'm assuming De-Lovely wasn't in competition since it was the "closer."

On a jury where several people are moved by Tropical Malady, I can't imagine that Woman Is the Future of Man didn't have at least one supporter.

[FIlmbrain]

Good point about Woman is the Future of Man.

True about the Nixon film -- it hardly got any press.

[Rodney Welch]

The question as to why Central Station is an "art house" film is a no-brainer; I saw it in an "art house." Beyond that, I didn't think it was all that artistic, really, just a typical weepie that was made in another land and therefore is seen as a "foreign film" that has a higher-than-average dose of emotional or intellectual or indeed artistic fiber.

[FIlmbrain]

Fair enough Rodney, but it's pretty sad that subtitles = art house = art film. Glad that Crouching Tiger at least attempted to change all that.

But your assessment of the film is spot on.

[Rodney Welch]

Thanks -- another point occurs to me. I've noticed with the advent of DVDs that any film appears to be more intelligent than it really is if it's in French. When I turned on the French soundtrack for Ferris Bueller's Day Off I was half-convinced I was watching some brilliant semi-Godardian hymn to rootlessness and spontaneity and the revolutionary impulse.