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| Left to right: Kristen Stewart and Juliette Binoche |
Welcome to the weekly column Trailing Off in which I take a look at a trailer from the past week and analyze its potential. This will be done using an obnoxious amount of analyzing and personal thoughts on the cast and crew as well as expectations. Coming every Sunday (it's called Trailing Off for a reason), I will attempt to highlight films ranging from new blockbusters to lesser known indies and give them their due. Partially to spread awareness, I do believe that there is an art to the sell and will do my best to highlight why these trailers matter or don't with approval (trove) or disapproval (trash). So please stop by, recommend some trailers, and I will see you next time.
Trailer in Discussion
Directed By: Olivier Assayas
Written By: Olivier Assayas
Starring: Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloe Grace Moretz
- Preamble -
With my growing fascination in the Cannes Film Festival and world cinema in general, I have gathered quite a rap sheet of films that I have been eager to see. For one reason or another, these films that don't seem to stand any chance of being release stateside catch my attention, with endless buzz surrounding them. The list grows every year and unfortunately, some get forgotten while others will be seen at some point down the line. There isn't much really to say other than this is the basis for why I chose to look at The Clouds of Sils Maria in this week's Trailing Off.
In general, I feel that Juilette Binoche may be one of the more underrated actresses of her generation. While everyone is hyped on Meryl Streep, I feel like Binoche actually does challenging and varying work that shows female complexity in far more interesting facets. Sure, she barely existed in Godzilla, but she still made the brevity into a heart wrenching moment in one of 2014's best blockbusters. Almost simultaneously, this film was playing at Cannes and featured two other compelling actresses in Kristen Stewart and Chloe Moretz, the latter of whom I feel has potential to grow into an interesting actress.
It may seem ridiculous to hold interest on a film solely because of its leads, two of which haven't necessarily become the premiere performers that many want. Still, between Camp X-Ray and Still Alice last year, Stewart blatantly proved why she's in need of reconsideration. Between the three, I feel compelled to see this film, if just because of how much buzz it has been receiving. Going into this trailer, I know absolutely nothing and can only hope that it does the trick. Fingers crossed, I guess.
- Dissection -
And just like that, it reveals itself to be a sort of All About Eve type movie in which it looks at age, beauty and relevance in ways that we've seen in Joseph L. Mankiewicz's iconic film. This is the first impression and one that seems to stick. It is about being in a play and reflecting on life in emotional ways that bleed off of the screen. I cannot really figure out much more, but this seems to be a more dramatic version of these ideas with Moretz playing a younger version of Binoche's character. There's a lot of solid subtext that in an era where Birdman is one of the leading Best Picture nominees can stand to give the film quite a few chances.
There isn't much else to get out of this than a lot of melodrama and meta commentary on Binoche's career. There are three women that the film centers around, including Stewart as a publicist of sorts, and they all embody something that is relevant to the aging process. I am not entirely sure what, but with everyone climbing up the side of mountains that look gorgeous, I can only think that there's a meditative undertone to specific moments that will drive the force into uncomfortably exploitative ways and reveal a more profound performance by Binoche than the average audience member has come to expect.
Still, the trailer manages to do everything necessary to get me to care. It introduces concepts and gives me blatant messages of why it's great. It's one of Binoche's best performances? Sure, I'll let you have this one. Otherwise, there's a lot of trailer conventions that make it feel too typical and simply feel there to pad out the running time. I am at a conflicted middle ground coming out of it because it makes me aware of the film in a clear way, but it doesn't have the excitement that is supposed to grab me. I was going to see it prior to this trailer and my opinion hasn't shifted. At most, it has been reaffirmed positively. This is a good thing, but I don't know if that necessarily makes it a great trailer for a potentially great movie.
- One Sentence Sell -
A contemporary take on the All About Eve themes with Juliette Binoche tackling her long and storied career with Kristen Stewart and Chloe Grace Moretz.
- Trove or Trash -
TROVE
In this decision, I go with my heart, which is that the trailer gives away enough to make me care and understand the film's concepts. There isn't much else that necessarily grabs me and considering the hype around the film is enough to make me see it anyways, this one gets a pass because it reaffirms my interest despite not doing much else. Had it been more vague, I likely would be shifting my vote to the other way.
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