Review: "The Sisters Brothers" is One of the Smartest, Funnest Takes on the Western in Some Time

John C. Reilley in The Sisters Brothers

The world of director Jacques Audiard's English-language debut The Sisters Brothers is one that's immediately disorienting. In the opening scene, brother Eli Sister (John C. Reilley) proudly declares his intention to open fire. The only issue is that, somewhere in the middle of night, it's impossible to see anything. By the end, their robbery is foiled by foolish decisions that leaves a barn on fire and the proud declaration as the title card appears that Eli and Charlie (Joaquin Phoenix) have messed up another mission. This mismatched sibling story is a tale of screw-ups amid a reputation for being two of the deadliest shooters in the west (Oregon and Northern California to be precise), which is what sends them on a bounty hunter mission. However, the tale is far more than a farcical tale. The further that things go, the more it blends humor with drama in effective ways that establish Audiard's lofty new vision of what a western can be. It may not always be successful, but it's an astounding achievement nonetheless.

Films to Watch Out For From This Year's Cannes Festival

As the case with every year, the Cannes Film Festival remains the peak of international cinema. More than Sundance or Toronto International Film Festival, the award embodies a prestige that few other awards can get. In a long and storied run, the festival has awarded some of the finest in world cinema including last year's winner Winters Sleep and the previous year's more successful Blue is the Warmest Color. With the festival now wrapped up, it feels like as good of a time as any to look back on the few films that may likely be worth checking out when they finally arrive stateside. 

Is "Rust and Bone" Capable of Competing with American Films?

Left to right: Matthias Schoenaerts and Marion Cotillard

Anyone who has been following The Oscar Buzz will be aware that I have referenced director Jacques Audiard's Rust and Bone multiple times. This is notably in contrast to Marion Cotillard in the Best Actress category. While the film is in limited release and impossible for most people to see, it is still getting some impressive traction, including participating in the annual event of sending Academy voters DVD screeners. While it has widely been regarded as one of the year's best, it is ineligible for Best Foreign Film (France submitted the more acclaimed The Intouchables instead), it is still looking to reap some nominations at the Oscars. Is the film capable of competing against the more popular American films, or will it be lost in translation?