Movie News

Jolie, Eastwood Take Cannes by Storm

AOL
Posted: 2008-05-22 11:15:46
Filed Under: Brangelina, Movie News
(May 22) - Forget Brangelina -- "Cannes-gelina" is all the rage these days.

With twins in her belly, a pair of films debuting on the big screen and chatter of an Oscar for her heartrending turn in "The Changeling," Angelina Jolie was the undisputed belle of this year's Cannes Film Festival.

The actress got the buzz going at the prestigious French Riviera-set festival last week, when her "Kung Fu Panda" co-star Jack Black accidentally confirmed to the world that Jolie is carrying twins.

She continued to endear herself to festival-goers by good-naturedly mugging with Black, Dustin Hoffman and a legion of gargantuan plush pandas on the red carpet for that animated children's romp.

And now Jolie has people talking again, thanks to another, darker film -- Clint Eastwood's "The Changeling," which had its red-carpet premiere at Cannes on Tuesday night. The film received a rousing standing ovation and buzz of possible Oscar nominations for the 33-year-old actress and her 77-year-old director.

Based on a true story and set in 1928 Los Angeles, "The Changeling" follows single mom Christine Collins (Jolie), who battles incompetent bureaucrats and corrupt police in her crusade to discover what happened to her son after he vanished in 1928.

Critics are hailing Jolie's turn as powerful and the film as another triumph for Eastwood. AP's David Germain called Jolie's performance "heartbreaking," while Variety reviewer Todd McCarthy compared the role to her critically acclaimed turn in 2007's "A Mighty Heart," raving that her "performance here hits home more directly."

As for the film, Germain said that "'The Changeling' could be the latest Academy Awards entry for Eastwood." And McCarthy describes it thusly: "A thematic companion piece to 'Mystic River' but more complex and far-reaching, 'The Changeling' impressively continues Clint Eastwood's great run of ambitious late-career pictures."

"The Changeling" is set to open in the U.S. on Nov. 7, just in time for Oscar consideration.

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2008-05-20 16:17:32
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