Cannes sucks

A lack of memorable movies mean the 2008 Cannes film festival is unlikely to live long in the minds of many critics, who argue that after a solid start the main competition faded.

Star power was sustained, however, with the red carpet attracting big names such as Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Clint Eastwood, Penelope Cruz, Woody Allen, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford and sports stars Mike Tyson and Diego Maradona.

With three out of 22 films in the main competition this year yet to screen, critics and journalists who have been through 10 grueling days of screenings, press conferences, interviews and parties struggled to come up with many highlights.

The competition closes on Sunday evening when the nine-member jury headed by Sean Penn hands out the awards, culminating in the coveted Palme d’Or for best picture.

“Even before the halfway mark, the general mood has been one of disappointment,” said Jay Weissberg, a critic with trade publication Variety.

From Reuters