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Che Needs It
The Village Voice's Jim Hoberman has called Steven Soderbergh's Che a "single-minded meditation on the practice of guerrilla warfare, the creation of militant superstardom, and the nature of objective camera work[that] is at once visceral and intellectual, sumptuous and painful, boldly simplified and massively detailed.
"Despite this, as well as a commendable performance by Benicio Del Toro, Che may require its own miracle -- or at least a few angels -- to reach an audience in the form Soderbergh intended. While the first half could certainly be tightened, the movie demands to take its time and be taken in at a single sitting. One can only hope that the world beyond Cannes will get the opportunity to do so at something approaching the original running time."
One thing discussed yesterday about Che's chance of winning the Palme d'Or (but which I didn't mention in my same-day riff about same) is that everyone on the jury knows that Che, in part because certain humbuggers are saying it's not releasable in the U.S. in its current form, really needs the Palme d'Or to give it a psychological leg up. Which is why I suspect they'll act accordingly.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on May 24, 2008 at 6:54 AM
comment #1
PaulKolas
says ...
That Spanish trailer for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" has me a lot more excited than your OCD mania for "Che".
Posted by PaulKolas
at May 24, 2008 7:29 AM
comment #2
erniesouchak
says ...
This description makes "Che" sound like "Jeanne Dielman" for Marxist revolutionaries.
Posted by erniesouchak
at May 24, 2008 7:50 AM
comment #3
David Ehrlich
says ...
yeah, the reality is that jeff is in the minority with his opinion about che, and it won't win the palm d'or. i just don't see that happening.
is the benjamin button trailer eligible for the palm?
Posted by David Ehrlich
at May 24, 2008 7:58 AM
comment #4
Josh Martin
says ...
One thing discussed yesterday about Che's chance of winning the Palme d'Or (but which I didn't mention in my same-day riff about same) is that everyone on the jury knows that Che, in part because certain humbuggers are saying it's not releasable in the U.S. in its current form, really needs the Palme d'Or to give it a psychological leg up. Which is why I suspect they'll act accordingly.
There are probably a dozen films in the main competition more "unreleaseable" in the U.S. than Che -- if we're going to hand out Palme d'Ors based on who needs a "psychological leg up", I'm not sure a Steven Soderbergh film starring Benicio del Toro should even be in the running. (And you can rest assured that Che won't be released "in its current form" in the U.S. or anywhere else, with or without the Palme -- it was screened unfinished, after all.)
Posted by Josh Martin
at May 24, 2008 10:16 AM
comment #5
filmfan
says ...
With names like Soderbergh and del Toro attached to it Che does not need to win the Palm. Waltzing with Bichar needs it more. And so do many of the other films. So let's see what the jury comes up with tomorrow.
Posted by filmfan
at May 24, 2008 2:35 PM
comment #6
Ogami Itto
says ...
There are probably a dozen films in the main competition more "unreleaseable" in the U.S. than Che -- if we're going to hand out Palme d'Ors based on who needs a "psychological leg up", I'm not sure a Steven Soderbergh film starring Benicio del Toro should even be in the running.
From each according to his ability, to each according to his need -- isn't that what Ernesto "Che" Guevara and Fidel Castro stood for? And wouldn't it be ironic (and pathetic, really) if two multimillionaire artists like Soderbergh and del Toro where to benefit from that mindset?
Posted by Ogami Itto
at May 24, 2008 7:11 PM
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