Contributing writer
Joy C. Ashford
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Arts Vanity: Bad Queer Art: A Sampling
I have decided to come clean: There have been points in my life where I have indulged in some bad queer art. Sometimes, at the end of a long day, I just want to cradle the $3 lesbian flag that I got from some horrifying Target pride sale.
Editors' Note: Bye Bitches
It is with profound joy — and a tinge of sadness — that we present the ninth edition of The Crimson Arts’ Year-in-Review.
From Cannes: ‘Red Rocket’’s Portrayal of an Aging Porn Star is Rich, Intricate, and Socially Irresponsible
Baker fully immerses viewers into his subjects’ everyday lives to the point that you feel like you’re a part of them, and he brings that same level of research and immersion to “Red Rocket” — the story of a broke, aging porn star who returns to his small Texas town.
From Cannes: ‘Women Do Cry’ is a Part Moving, Part Tone-Deaf Portrayal of Womanhood in Bulgaria
Though “Women Do Cry” has its strengths — genuine, intimate moments between female family members, moments of excellent acting from Bakalova and Stoyanova in particular — it shows a blatant disrespect for the LGBT community at every turn.
From Cannes: ‘A Feleségem Története’ (‘The Story of My Wife’) is All Shimmer and No Substance
In nearly three hours, “The Story of My Wife” gives the audience only one developed character (who’s not particularly compelling), a strange relationship that hardly seems worth saving, and a confused and undercut message on trust and control.
From Cannes: ‘Les Intranquilles’ is a Moving, Bleak Portrayal of Bipolar Disorder
“Les Intranquilles” is a film that aims to walk that difficult line as it tackles one of the most deadly and complicated mental illnesses: bipolar disorder.
From Cannes: Oliver Stone Argues JFK’s Murder is Still Unsolved in ‘JFK Revisited’
“JFK Revisited” is a part-gripping, part-didactic watch that makes a strong case that the murder of President Kennedy is still very much unsolved.
From Cannes: Portrait of an Artist: Eva Lanska
The Harvard Crimson sat down with Lanska at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival to discuss her path to directing, advice for young filmmakers, and what it takes to succeed as a woman in a notoriously difficult industry.
From Cannes: ‘Titane’’s Horror Will Dazzle and Liberate You
With “Titane,” Ducournau doesn’t just venture deeper into the disturbing and grotesque than most directors would dare. Rather, she breaks every possible rule about how to exist in a female body — and creates a glamorous, gory exploration of gender and gender fluidity that is unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
From Cannes: ‘Ghahreman’ (‘The Hero’) is a Heavy-Handed Maze of Impossible Choices
Farhadi's latest Cannes entry, “The Hero,” is his most elaborate and least realistic maze of impossible choices to date.
From Cannes: ‘Drive My Car’ Uncovers the Secrets of the Guilt-Ridden Soul
In “Drive My Car,” Hamaguchi guides viewers into the depths of grief and guilt with the careful understanding of someone who has been down those same roads — and, perhaps, has truly found a way out.
Cannes Par Jour: Days 4 & 5
I awoke the next day to yet another travesty: a theater that, unbeknownst to me, was a 20 minute bus ride away from the Palais. As you can likely guess, that was a little too much to ask of your favorite transportation-challenged lesbian.
From Cannes: ‘Flag Day’’s Artful, Empty Vignettes of Childhood Trauma
The film’s portrait of the pain of loving someone who repeatedly lets you down is certainly compelling, but beyond that pain, “Flag Day” ultimately has little to say.
From Cannes: 'La Fracture' (The Divide) is a Jumbled Mess of Attempted Social Commentary
The film feels more like a self-gratifying absolution of the French elite than a genuine attempt to problem-solve the issues that led to the gilet jaunes protests.
From Cannes: ‘Benedetta’ is a No-Holds-Barred Sexual Fantasy
Without a doubt, “Benedetta” excavates the homophobia, sexism, and sexual repression attached to Christianity in visceral, wildly-imaginative detail. But the film’s empathy for queer Christians stops there.
