Saturday, February 16, 2013

2013 Berlinale: Day 9 Report

Berlinale Palast

Recap of day 9 of the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival (Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), which runs until February 17.

Friday was the final day of premieres, with the last two competition films and one non-competition film screening at the Berlinale Palast.

Nobody's Daughter Haewon - The latest from South Korean festival darling Hong Sang-soo, is another of his signature offbeat comedic tales, this one about an affair between a young dreamer and her married professor.

The Croods - Screening out of competition, is the latest DreamWorks animated 3D extravaganza; a Flintstones-like story that follows the adventures of a stoneage family, with voice acting from Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener.

On My Way - From French director Emmanuelle Bercot, comes a road movie starring legendary actress Catherine Deneuve, about a woman in her sixties who goes out for cigarettes and decides to keep on driving, leaving her old life behind.



  • Day 9 - Friday, February 15

  • Competition Film
    누구의 딸도 아닌 해원 • Nobody's Daughter Haewon
    directed by Hong Sang-soo
    South Korea


    Critical response:
    "It’s hard to characterize “Nobody’s Daughter Haewon” as either slight or heavy. It’s somewhere in between, a wry little comedy that carries a sack of loneliness on its fragile shoulders." - Stephanie Zacharek (Film.com)

    "It seems even more light-weight than his other recent work, and is a long shot for any kind of commercial release." - Deborah Young (The Hollywood Reporter)

    Lee Sun-gyun, Jung Eun-chae and director Hong Sang-soo
    (Source: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Europe)

    Out of Competition
    The Croods
    directed by Kirk DeMicco, Chris Sanders
    USA


    Critical response:
    "The main problem with the film is that the script simply isn't very funny, and its various subplots never quite mesh satisfyingly together." - Leslie Felperin (Variety)

    "Further back on the evolutionary chain than the Flintstones, and also lagging in the comedy stakes, this sweet Stone Age clan nonetheless will captivate the youngsters." - David Rooney (The Hollywood Reporter)

    "Perhaps younger children will be amused enough by the day-glo fluorescent colors, fantastical landscapes and zany antics to not mind the lack of the kind of story coherence and more sophisticated humor we've come to expect from big-budget studio animation. " - Jessica Kiang (The Playlist)

    Uwe Ochsenknecht, Janin Reinhardt, Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Kostja Ullmann
    (Source: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Europe)

    Competition Film
    Elle s'en va • On My Way
    directed by Emmanuelle Bercot
    France


    Critical response:
    "Despite the fact that Bercot often dabbles in the cliches of many a Gallic movie here, there’s a freshness to some parts of the storytelling, while the performances tend to feel raw and lived in." - Jordan Mintzer (The Hollywood Reporter)

    "Unabashedly steps into every single cliché it can find on its way, jumps with both feet - like a delighted little child in a puddle of water - and yet manages to come out dry." - Dan Fainaru (Screen Daily)

    "Gracefully unfurls thanks to a tender and comical screenplay, beautifully composed, melodic photography and delightful supporting actors." - Bénédicte Prot (Cineuropa)

    Catherine Deneuve, Emmanuelle Bercot
    (Source: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Europe)

Our other coverage of the 63rd Berlinale:

4 comments:

The Angry Lurker said...

I feel sometimes like doing a Catherine, good idea!

filmnohito said...

Nobody's Daughter Haewon looked to be one of the better films at the festival. Hong Sang-soo is a good director who is only just gaining recognition with mainstream western critics so I'm expecting it to be good.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Don't we all?

Bonjour Tristesse said...

It does look good. My only complaint about Hong is that he always keeps to his set formula that he doesn't really stray far from.

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