Weekend Movie Forecast: Pirates Vs. Parisians

In certain circles, Cannes' Palme d'or holds a hell of a lot more weight than the best picture Oscar ever could. It's the most prestigious award in arguably the most prestigious film awards ceremony in the world right now. Which is why the past two years have left many film buffs scratching their heads. It seems that when Up opened the fest back in '09, it started a new trend for opening films to be Hollywood blockbusters. Now, we understand why Up was chosen (ahem, Pixar), but the following year the festival was opened by the abysmal failure Robin Hood and this year Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides which opens today. In a festival where directors describe certain kinship they feel with the Nazi party while standing next to Hollywood starlets, it seems like a perverse collision of the international art world and American popcorn movies. Kind of keeps things spicy though. Then again, the film does star some Cannes favorites like Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, Geoffrey Rush, and Dame Judi Dench, and is directed by (for the first time in the series not Gore Verbinski) Rob Marshall, who made his name with Chicago and Nine. But then again again, it bombed at the festival. Summary: Jack meets and old flame is brought onto Blackbeard boat in order to find the Fountain of youth. Arrrrrrrrr.Maybe it got bad reviews at Cannes because of all those hoighty toighty French critics hating on Amurrrrica. But it didn't do so well with our critics either. Take Joshua Rothkopf from Time Out New York, for one: "On Stranger Tides, the fourth and final migraine, removes franchise director Gore Verbinski (Rango) from the helm, replacing him with Chicagoâs Rob Marshallâas if weâre supposed to forget the hash he made of Bob Fosseâs dance numbers. The new movie is simpler plotwise (a race to the Fountain of Youth), while at the same time being somehow more deadening."After defying the odds with a now-classic character, Disney has finally arrived at oceanâs bottom: an automated money-minter that hardly requires its audience to stay awake." — Gothamist

Robert Horan

Published May 20, 2011

Modified May 20, 2011

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Click on the film stills for more details and reviews of this week's new releases and repertory screenings, which include: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Midnight in Paris, Louder Than A Bomb, Lost Bohemia, Life 2.0, The Big Uneasy, Cost of a Soul, Jaws, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Elizabeth: The Golden Age.