MovieChat Forums > The Sea of Trees (2016) Discussion > A more sober reaction to Cannes critics'...

A more sober reaction to Cannes critics' reaction

posted 9 years ago by jack_celliers
35 replies | jump to latest

http://deadline.com/2015/05/cannes-critics-boo-gus-van-sant-film-sea-of-trees-1201427858/

The boos (not sure from who or where – certainly not my section) came afterwards giving critics here, many who follow the pack, license to kill and it's already begun with some unmerciful pans from trades and tweets. With the internet it can just be deadly. I totally disagree and was moved by the film so I am thankful there was no rude outburst during it to ruin it for me. People sat intently throughout the nearly two hour running time and there were no walkouts that I noticed. Walkouts are a sure sign a film is in trouble with this crowd, so I have to admit I was surprised by the boos at the end. (...)

But the damage is clearly done and the movie is likely to be tainted by misleading consumer headlines saying 'McConaughey's movie booed at Cannes'. Those headlines will conveniently leave out the fact that it was critics booing at a press screening. The fact is this film doesn't launch here until Saturday. I can't show you any photos yet because there aren't any photos of its stars and director walking the carpet, at a press photo call or conference. It hasn't happened yet. But the critics want their kill now.

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[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jack_celliers 9 years ago

All creators have their highs and lows. Hence the joy of film watching. And, happily, people like different things.

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[–] workbumpf 9 years ago

How disappointing. Though I'm reserving judgment till I see the movie. The Cannes critics are like lemmings. The movie apparently is NOT cool, not edgy and not cynical and is too new-agey mysticism. I've read a lot of the reviews. MM's reviews are not bad and Naomi Watts comes out intact. Can't find much positive said about Watanabe and I love Watanabe. It seems like Van Sant was too enamored with close-ups of MM to pay much attention to him.

Jeff Wells hates MM and he gave MM a good review. Little White Lies said MM gives a "powerhouse performance". So it looks like, even if Sea of Trees gets trounced (and maybe unfairly?) MM's rep is intact for good performances if not for a faultless choice of director/material.

[–] fatalframe80 9 years ago

I don't know about Cannes critics specifically but I will agree that critics tend to have a sheep mentality. That's why I generally don't pay much attention to what critics say. A lot of movies that they rave about leave me stone cold and others that are trounced, dismissed or otherwise ignored turn out absolutely wonderful.

[–] jack_celliers 9 years ago

That's true - currently I'm sort of perplexed by the universal praise raining on Mad Max.

I have hard time maintaining a valiant position re SoT though, because these reviews quite accurately echo my own reservations.

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[–] RKharlamov2001 9 years ago

Surely with a movie like Mad Max you can understand why people like it? Even if it's not to your own taste? I.E, it's pretty hard to say it's not fantastic for what it set out to do, and for it's genre. I'm never too fussed on action movies/car chases but when something like this comes along, way different to anything that came before it, the universal praise still perplexes you?

I had the bonus of sitting in a DBOX chair to watch the movie, and I think it was perfect for a 2 hour car chase. So that helped my experience no doubt.

As for SoT, i'm really hoping I disagree with the critics on this one - was hoping for a good one.

[–] jack_celliers 9 years ago

Oh I do understand. Had a great time watching the film, but I left it in the cinema. Out of sight, out of mind. Going by the reviews it's supposed to be some kind of once-in-a-century epiphany.
Almost every new sci-fi sets the bar higher and higher these days - but it takes much more than technical badassery to really become a milestone.
Hence the shrug.

SoT, I agree with them about a couple of things, and that doesn't help.

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[–] shamis-881-25789 8 years ago

everyone has a different taste
i loved mad max
i just liked sea of trees

but definitely, sea of trees doesnt deserve the rating it has.

[–] danallen-57704 8 years ago

What didn't you like about the film?

[–] jack_celliers 9 years ago

Yeah. This unanimous decision to ditch goodwill, even if the film is not that bad, yes, it probably means some significant glitches in judgement from the film's creators. (And Watanabe's character could've been so easily repaired.)

Will they steady ship? I don't know. Priorities get skewed when a PR war is on.

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[–] spkeck 9 years ago

Well why don't you ask someone who likes his films? Then you will understand. Different people like different films, nothing wrong with that. Unless you want everyone to be exactly like you, which is just not going to happen.

I only enjoyed Elephant & Good Will Hunting.

You're also forgetting his film Gerry. This film haunts me.

[–] bluesy 9 years ago

My Own Private Idaho, Mala Noche, Drugstore Cowboy are all great movies. There is a reason why Van Sant has such a reputation among cinephiles (which no booes at Cannes can change, plus they have booed many great directors in Cannes throughout history including movies that eventually ended up on lists of greatest movies of all time, that doesnt say anything) Some of his movies might not be as great, but some of his work is absolutely terrific and sets him as one of the greatest American directors. I find his work certainly more interesting than recent Scorcese or even Nolan. Some are overhyped, he is underrated judging by some reactions.

"Cinema is the most beautiful fraud in the world."

[–] ultiwar1000 9 years ago

Good Will Hunting was amazing but that was mostly because of Affleck, Damon and Robin Williams

Nothing has been amazing cause of Affleck....EVER

I`m only paranoid `cause they`re trying to kill me

[–] theunopeneddoor-697-442391 9 years ago

Nothing has been amazing cause of Affleck....EVER

Except Chasing Amy, Argo, The Town and Gone Baby Gone. Hell even though I didn't like Gone Girl he ALMOST saved it.

Joseph Chastainme
www.twitter.com/sinnersbible

[–] workbumpf 9 years ago

Affleck is like Clooney - if he gets a decent script he can do a workmanlike job. But he doesn't actually have any charisma onscreen or any range. Neither of them can play character leads which are the most interesting roles. Stolid leading men are their specialty.

Though I didn't like Argo (and Affleck gave one of his least compelling performances), as a director I'll certainly give him The Town and Gone Baby Gone.

But I get the impression he only wants to direct so he can get himself leading roles. He's the case of the director who "really wants to act".

While we're discussing Affleck, have you seen To the Wonder? He kept one facial expression through the whole damn thing. Some kind of record I think.

[–] theunopeneddoor-697-442391 9 years ago

ut I get the impression he only wants to direct so he can get himself leading roles.

Then why wasn't he the lead in Gone Baby Gone? Plus he doesn't need to direct to get leads. He's A-list.

Joseph Chastainme
www.twitter.com/sinnersbible

[–] workbumpf 9 years ago

Don't know why he cast his brother and not himself. Maybe he realizes Casey's a better actor. He is going to direct another Lehane adaptation and has cast himself in the lead again.

I'm not sure he really is getting his pick of the lead roles. He's competing with Matt Damon, McConaughey, Pitt, Bale, Phoenix, etc. for the same roles. And they are all better actors than he is. He doesn't have built-in box office like Di Caprio and Cruise (at least internationally) do either. Beyond the Batman stuff for which no acting is required, he only has one film listed on the IMDb which presumably comes out this year. It's directed by a guy who is basically a TV director. Not a good sign of a prestige project.

The fact that with Argo, Gone Baby Gone and The Town he showed that he is a good director may not endear him to directors either - maybe afraid he'll be hard to handle? Fincher, being the diva he is, obviously wasn't intimated though.

[–] theunopeneddoor-697-442391 9 years ago

Most people in Hollywood don't care how good of an actor someone is. They care if you're a box office draw and Affleck certainly is that. I also think he's way better than McConaughey, DiCaprio or Cruise.

Joseph Chastainme
www.twitter.com/sinnersbible

[–] cmy13 9 years ago

Will have to at least wait for a trailer and more reviews to decide whether to go into theatres for this movie, but if the critics' reactions are mostly like this, I reckon there might not be a theatrical release.

[–] jack_celliers 9 years ago

Same factors that got it sold will be used to buoy it.
(They surfaced Lost River, after all.)

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[–] vspeller013 9 years ago

Sounds like Sea of Tress ain't gonna get no Oscar nominations by far, huh? Maybe only by MM. Sometimes even a movie critics hate get nominations. Movie's only hope is for the critics to lighten up, mixed reception. Maybe it'll still get some nominations, if so.

[–] josephdutra 9 years ago

Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain was booed at Cannes and look how phenomenal that film was.

[–] terrytsilvester 9 years ago

One of my favourite films.

[–] KarLorWil 9 years ago

I won't let the Cannes' booers deter me from watching this film. I love M. McConaughey and I love K. Watanabe. And if I can sit and watch Haggis' Crash, M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening, and Noyce's The Saint (and survive!) I can sit through anything. Those were pretty bad.

[–] Kerryblue80-945-639432 9 years ago

LOL!

[–] kkevinn6 9 years ago

currently 0% at Rottentomatoes

Reviews Counted: 7
Fresh: 0
Rotten: 7

[–] jack_celliers 9 years ago

There aren't other reviews than those from the press night yet.

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[–] HaloFett 9 years ago

I'm gonna take Hammond's word on this one. He's a critic, himself, so it's good to hear he's not oblivious to the "follow the pack" mentality his colleagues have. That same mentality has become even more egregious thanks to the internet and everyone trying to build a quick consensus and come up with the most clever pun-filled tweets.

I have a hard time believing a Gus Van Sant film is that bad.

[–] jack_celliers 9 years ago

We'll see when it's released. Adjustments are probably being made; they would've ploughed on with the fall release otherwise.

Regarding the critics btw, I've read one largely unrelated industry article about the colour coded journalist badges at Cannes. One of the examples was that due to the whites and pinks skipping the SoT press conference, the lower hierarchy blues had unusually easy access.

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[–] workbumpf 9 years ago

I'm sure Sea of Trees is not nearly as bad as some of the more hysterical critics claimed just as I'm sure Carol is not nearly as good as the equally hysterical critics claimed. In Cannes, the critics compete for attention.. on twitter. 140 characters only really allows for "disaster!" or "masterpiece!", not a lot of room for an in-depth analysis. In any case, web critics (this was very notable with Interstellar) don't review a film for the audience, they review it to impress their fellow critics with the fact that they are cool, man.

I think Sea of Trees may well be a sentimental tearjerker (a no-go in Cannes) but it might well be a box office success. Van Sant has sometimes had a tendency in the past toward sentimentality.

[–] jack_celliers 9 years ago

There's nothing new in taking the reviews, both positive and negative, with a truckload of salt (and folks on twitter can be amazingly clever, all within the character limit). I'm not letting the creatives off the hook until I've seen the film.

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[–] jack_celliers 9 years ago

Although Variety maintains fall release is still on.
(http://variety.com/2015/film/news/broad-green-pictures-michael-b-jordan-short-term-12-director-1201537808/)

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[–] Deathchronology 8 years ago

i absolutely cannot *beep* stand booing. it is one of the most immature ways to criticize a movie

[–] the-author 7 years ago

Is there a valid reason for the boos it received. the flaw, despite a very likable film, is in the writing and presentation. While the ending relates to the twist in The Sixth Sense, it is poorly constructed and carried. The characters have too much physical interaction. Helping Tamuri, having the stick removed, getting his wrists bandaged; all work directly against the eventual reveal of his true character/nature. Thus, it is viewed as a poor cheat. In a terrible film, it is not entirely unexpected. But in a film so wonderfully acted, filmed, and written; this is understandably rejected by some. I understand the disappointment in this aspect of an otherwise outstanding film. The truck crash was a poor stunt as well. It seemed amateur writing at best for this scene.

[–] ficoce 7 years ago

Those are all things I liked about the film. Seems like half the films out there are criticized for being predictable, and most rightly so. This film was unpredictable. I've seen worse cheats - namely any CGI used that injects itself as part of the story - the worst cheat.

This wasn't a stereotypical McConnaughey part. A lot of viewers tend to get pretentious when this happens and it shows up in the ratings. This film showed an unusual number of 5's compared to 8's. Don't understand it - this was an original screenplay. Maybe it would have rated higher if everyone would have lived - a ghost story with no ghosts.