CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA
Written and Directed by Oliver Assayas
Starring: Juliet Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloe Grace Moretz

I was planning to review the new AVENGERS movie but after seeing it, decided that there was no sense spoiling it with faint praise (at best) for those who wanted to see it. So instead, an art movie, which few of you will probably have access to or care to see.

Juliet Binoche plays Maria Anders, a seasoned actress who is asked to star in a play. It’s a revival of a play where she had the ingénue role many years earlier. Now she will play the older female role and Chloe Grace Moretz will play the part she once played to great acclaim.

The movie is about her wrestling with this dilemma, wrestling with being an aging actress, and talking through this dilemma with her personal assistant, Valentine, played wonderfully by Kristen Stewart. This is a slow, difficult movie. The viewer is rewarded with wonderful acting, beautiful scenery and a deeply felt plot. But it is not for everyone. And it even took me a few days to say it was for me.

Patti Abbott
In addition to being the Crimespree Senior Film Critic, Patti has penned numerous short stories and her debut novel, CONCRETE ANGEL, will be published on June 9th . She hosts a look at Forgotten Books every Friday with readers, writers and reviewers at pattinase.blogspot.com. She hopes you’ll join in.