2015 Cannes Film Festival: Inside Out and Sicario Impress at Fest

Inside Out is Pixar's first since 2013, and apparently it has been worth the wait. Inside Out's reviews are nothing short of raves, most reviewers commenting on how it is not only an entertaining film, but also a vital piece of creative art that hopefully will continue to push the art and storytelling of animation further into the future. Basically, it looks like Inside Out may get Pixar back on track in terms of its prestige and its impact on the industry. It also begs the question: can it join Up and Toy Story 3 as another Best Picture nomination for the studio? Obviously it is ridiculous to say 100% yes or no in May, but I do think that if the raves continue once it is rolled out to the masses next month, and the box office is stellar (which is most likely will be), then I definitely think it will be in the minds of Academy voters. After suffering from declining ratings, and complaints that after four or five years of including some more populist choices (Avatar, District 9, Up, Toy Story 3, Inception, The Help, Django Unchained, Life of Pi, etc.) this year there was really only American Sniper, and then mostly indie fare. If they want to reach audiences as well as reward the best then films like Inside Out, and Mad Max should be high on their lists going into fall.

The other premiere that I was personally interested in was Denis Villeneuve's Sicaro, the drug-war action thriller starring Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro. His last film Prisoners did well at the box office, but despite some initial buzz, only ended up with the one Oscar nomination for Cinematography (and let's face it, that had more to do with Roger Deakins than with the film). Apparently Sicario is another bruiser of a film, slowly building its tension and its suspense. It is also getting rave reviews. Like Prisoners, this one may be too dark for audiences and the critics, but if the film is half as good as early word suggests, then I hope that it gets more recognition than it probably will. I am personally rooting for Emily Blunt, who is said to be great in the lead role. She has been churning out great performances for almost a decade now (The Devil Wears Prada, Into the Woods, Edge of Tomorrow, Looper, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Sunshine Cleaning, etc), but has failed to earn an Oscar nomination. Maybe the well-reviewed Sicario is her ticket? As always, we'll have to wait and see...