Clouds of Sils Maria (2015)

Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

Brilliant and touching

What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

Clouds Of Sils Maria3 And A Half Out Of 5Clouds Of Sils Maria is a character driven dramatic feature that takes place within a short span where an actress is preparing for a character and goes through emotional trauma that may be a bit gothic but is poetic too.The premise itself guides the sense of urgency that is wisely kept alive throughout the course of it where the ticking clock behind the screen might not create the anticipated impact but certainly makes the experience electrifying. Addition to that, it also depicts one of the most unexplored relationship (the actress and her assistant) which gives it a jump start on fresh material and perspective. Assayas' world in here is free from any habitual or satirical restraints; similar to its locations, which in fact is its strength and weakness on its own terms. The writing is adaptive and gripping if not anything out of the box, especially the cards it holds up the sleeve until the last act hits on screen. It is rich on technical aspects like metaphorical cinematography and fine editing whilst is short on background score. The camera work is up close and handled manually which works its way on helping to connect with the characters and stunning visuals and live locations that demands attention. Pragmatic conversation, intriguing concept and poetic tone are the high points of this feature. Binoche is poised, vulnerable and achingly good on her portrayal whilst Stewart is confident and a rigid supporter of hers in each frame. Assayas; the writer-director, may not be in his A game but is surely convincing on his execution and sharp script that cuts deepest in here. Clouds Of Sils Maria is more frizzier than clear due to the amount of time and characters that it consumes to set in a greater scene.

If this is "Birdman" for female actors, then we aren't paying attention. We're lazy, lazy people with no real respect for women. In "Birdman," the main character gets to talk about the pain of human life -- universal feelings amongst all of us. He gets to rail at a snobby critic for that critic not having ever created anything and been vulnerable to criticism. The conversations are about art, creating, acting, being judged, growing up, becoming irrelevant, finding relevance, relationships with wives and daughters and antagonizing co-workers, the list goes on. With "Birdman," the main character gets to have a second voice that is his -- another version of him -- which is so much more artfully and intelligently done. "Birdman" was a brilliant film. "Sils," by comparison, is limp and slow, not at all nuanced, and super lazy as a thought exercise. The Hollywood voice-over during the trailer would sound something like: "This one's old. This one's young. WHO WINS?" And to be clear, that's not what _I_ think of Juliette Binoche and KStew. That's how dumb and simplistic this move is. The currency of youth is the only value a woman offers, let's talk? Bah! That's a privileged, small man's view, and an old man's view from a culture that values women mostly as sex objects and mother/mystery-goddess blah blah blah. What a pointless way to see half of the population. Beyond the supposition that these two movies don't compare, this move was strongly peppered with problems, moments that make you roll your eyes, and a lack of clarity. Over and over again, I kept thinking, "Where did this conversation begin?" "Why is Maria laughing so hard and so fakely? Is that bad acting, or is it intentional to show her discomfort?" "Why is Val suddenly so angry? Did something happen?" Look, if Val had been her personal assistant -- and clearly an adept and experienced one -- for so long, she would _know_ who this woman was. Val would've been familiar with Maria. Their relationship wouldn't have been so burdened by a time alone. So, her sudden disgust with Maria made no sense. Any long term, mutually beneficial relationship involves understanding and accepting the other person's foibles. So, for Val to so quickly become irked at Maria to the point of abandoning her in the Alps without a map -- whaaaht? Where did that come from? They disagree, so Val tries to make Maria's life end like Helena's did in the play? Or, no wait. Maybe not, b/c now Maria is alive and being offered a part in a futuristic movie, b/c she's a "timeless" creature. Oh. okay. Why did Wilhelm's wife burn his scripts but save a couple pages? Why the intro of some past lover Maria hates, but she gives him her room number -- even though this actress should have more self-respect than that -- and then we never see him again? Why does Val go along with Maria if she finds Maria's opinions and condescension so annoying? What happened between Val and Ber(nt?)? Why focus on the new pages in the play if we're not going to see how they change the ending of the play? Oh, because the ending of the movie changed? Ugh. Really? The relationship stressors were forced and not shown. The story was scattered and created a totally forced sense of loneliness only when it needed to. The characters outside of Val and Maria were one-note. (And frankly, the advertisements for Switzerland were not very well masked to be enjoyable. Lord, the number of long scenes rolling over the mountains. It's not as pretty as it is in real life. Cut that out!)I feel sorry for Juliette Binoche and KStew. They were good. KStew is growing, and I hope she continues to hone her art. Juliette Binoche was kind of amazing running her lines as Helena. My heart flew into my chest when she cried out and cleared the kitchen table's contents onto the floor. I felt something in that one moment, where the rest of the movie made me feel nothing but a mild sense of resentment at a male dominated hierarchy.

There are so many reasons to like this film. First, the cast includes two of the lead actresses of two different generations - the priceless and prize covered Juliette Binoche and one of the top performers of the younger generation Kristen Stewart, who after having started and made herself a name in blockbusters took a turn into her career to more profound and fulfilling roles. Then, it's a story with multiple threads and subtext, but centered around the show (more specifically theater) business where the two actresses live and breathe. Last but not least, it's a movie that while well told as a story leaves enough room for mystery and imagination. I am just surprised by the relative low impact the film had in festivals and even with the public - and I suspect that some distribution problems were involved.The story written and brought to screen by Olivier Assayas is said to have been tailored and designed for Juliette Binoche, and these fine actress really deserves it and makes the best of it. It's a story about a theater actress who debuted two decades before the action takes place as the younger pole of a feminine couple in a play that is about power fight between ages and a love story built out of that confrontation. She's now the age of the older woman in the couple and is asked to play the other other on stage, just after the playwright and mentor has passed away. She accepts half-heartily and starts repeating the role in the cottage located in the Swiss mountains that belonged to the author, together with her young assistant (Stewart). Is the relation in life a replica of the one in the play? The borders between the two are blurred away more and more as the story advances ... and I will tell no more in order to avoid spoiling any ounce of the pleasure of watching one of the most intelligent and sensitive dialogues and intriguing story line I have seen recently on screens. I will just say that both actresses are magnificent and that the film tells a lot about relations, friendship, art, the borders between art and life, show business cruel rules and the role that 'smart' communications play in our lives.And then we have Switzerland, and its landscapes which play such an important role in the aesthetics and in the drama, maybe exactly because of their beauty and apparent tranquility. I loved the threatening metaphor of the snake that gives the name of the play-in-the-film and shows up only once at a key moment. Or maybe it does not, because there is much that is not told in this movie which is exactly the reason some may not like it, and some other will love it and will continue to be haunted by it after the screening ends. I belong to the later category.

As soon as I noticed that Juliette Binoche was teaming up with Kristen Stewart for this movie, I was enticed. Two talented actresses with the opportunity to bring a great script to life. It was highly naturalistic at places, which I think played to the strengths of the performers.Juliette's "Maria Enders" was a complex, fascinating character who is faced with an opportunity to take part in a revival of the very piece that made her career...only in a role that is completely opposite. During a personal tragedy, she begins working on her character, even though she already dislikes her. It's a wonderful performance by a seasoned actress and I expected nothing less from her.As for Kristen Stewart, I was blown away by how much she has grown as an actress. As with somebody tied to a popular literary figure, Kristen hadn't quite managed to make it out of the Twilight spotlight...until now. She plays Maria's assistant "Valentine", who gives Maria a youthful outlook on life, as well as her honest opinions. Val should have been two-dimensional, if not for the incredibly authentic portrayal by Kristen Stewart. It wasn't a performance which fought for the spotlight, but it was a fully fleshed out supporting turn which is arguably the best of her career so far. She shows a lot of promise for her future now that Twilight is behind her.Some of the landscaping shots were incredibly beautiful, showing the scenery at its finest.One of my few complaints was with Chloe Grace Moretz in the role of Jo-Anne Ellis. In a part that wasn't particularly highlighted, Moretz didn't do a lot to make it memorable, as with the likes of other performers who do a lot with little material. Her portrayal of the controversial Hollywood starlet Jo-Anne didn't bring a lot to the screen. It merely seemed like she was playing herself at times. She was severely outclassed by Binoche and Stewart.Overall, I enjoyed this movie a lot more than I thought I was going to and I recommend it, even just to see Binoche and Stewart as a proficient on-screen duo.