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By Ed Lejano
The
recently-concluded Berlin Film Festival had its share of stars with
the Rolling Stones, Ben Kingsley and Madonna, among others, treading
the red carpet. ”Shine a Light,” a concert film on the Stones’
2006 tour opened the film with director Martin Scorsese in
attendance with the veteran rockers in a glittering festival
opening.
Filming a special performance at the Beacon
Theater in New York with the Clintons in attendance, Scorsese makes
his third venture into
the genre worthwhile. Its dazzling visuals, captured by various
award-winning cinematographers, help lend an added edge to this
rollicking rockumentary.
Penelope Cruz added stellar quality to the
frigid climes of the German capital to grace the world premiere of
her competition entry, Elegy. She plays a student who becomes the
object of obsessive desire of her much older professor that can only
bring bad news to the film’s hapless aging protagonist.
Newly-awarded Oscar Best Supporting Actress
winner, Tilda Swinton, was there too for the arthouse drama Julia.
It is easy to turn the role of an alcoholic into
a tired cliché but she manages to pull it off. As follow-up to
“Michael Clayton” from where she just won her golden statuette,
its a fitting acting vehicle to show her range.
The material girl makes her directorial debut in
Filth and Wisdom which was included in the Berlinale’s Panorama
section. And no, Guy Ritchie did not codirect, as Madonna adds
another slash to her growing list of credentials.
Critics were divided on their verdict for this
semi-autobiographical film that she also cowrote, with one reviewer
cattily advising her not to give up her day job just yet. While
success in films has been quite elusive for the pop icon, it is
actually as bad as the initial reviews have said.
These stars helped make the 10-day event studded
with enough gems, and more.
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