With Cannes film festival in full swing, now is the moment to launch some of the biggest and most Oscar buzz worthy film contenders of the year. One particular film many had their eye on was the Gus Van Sant directed Sea of Trees starring Matthew McConaughey, a film set in a mystical Japanese forest to which people travel with the purpose of committing suicide.
This had the makings of something wonderful but unfortunately the film debuted to a chorus of boos at its first Cannes screening. I’m not going to lie this was pretty devastating news, with the McConaissance in full swing, this seemed like a sure fire bet to not only carry on that oh so awesome momentum, but become a real star of this year’s awards season. The reviews, to be frank, have been awful but having not seen the film myself, I, like you, should refrain from judging until we see it ourselves.
The crowd at Cannes have a very particular taste and if something isn’t quite right with what they’ve seen then a tidal wave can quickly pick up and take a movie apart before it’s even got going. I also have a history for loving films that have been despised at Cannes, Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives for example. So perhaps this rather frosty reception means Sea of Trees might still have life yet, and if anything, the intrigue around what has them turning away in despair is something we should all see for ourselves.
#Peace.Love.SeaOfTrees
