As Cannes Hits Midway Point, What Films Stand Out?

As the Cannes hits the midway point, only a handful of films either in or out of competition have excited critics. And some big-name directors who were supposed to excite instead left their audiences racing for the exits.

Some along the Croisette are blaming the weak showing of films on the still-lingering global financial crisis. Though festival attendance looks to be solidly higher than last year's -- when skittish media and film companies were unsure if their capital reserves would be zapped due a plunging economy -- the number of available films in the market seems lower. It helps to remember many of the films screening at Cannes now were likely getting at least some rounds of funding right as the economy hit rock bottom.

Nonetheless, buyers and journalists alike are scouring the festival in hopes of finding that one hidden gem -- the one film they can blog about that no one's seen or the one film that can be purchased for a song. To that end, here's a smattering of what's been shown so far in the festival, heretofore unmentioned:

IN COMPETITION

Outrage, directed by Takeshi Kitano. Though the film's title refers to the feeling shown by many of the Japanese gangsters (yakuza) in the film, it could just as well refer to what many critics felt after watching the uber-violent, shoot-'em-up. Unfortunately, the film lacks the originality found in Kitano's other works, most notably the wonderful Sonatine.

The Housemaid, directed by Im Sang-soo. A remake of the 1960 Korean film of the same name, this updated version reminds us that it's never a good idea to have an affair with your kid's nanny. And if she gets pregnant? Even worse. The overwrought drama has its moments -- specifically the ending -- but it's a bloated, one-note sexual romp through Korea's class system.

Chongqing Blues, directed by Wang Xiaoshuai. A father hopes to find out exactly what happened when his emotionally disturbed son got shot after he took a hostage in a mall. He interviews everyone on scene and who was involved in his son's life. After a promising opening, the film descends into folly.

OUT OF COMPETITION

Tamara Drewe, directed by Stephen Frears. (Photographed at top.) The film based on Posy Simmonds's graphic novel proved much-needed comic relief in a festival overrun with emotionally heavy, violent fare -- perhaps Frears's best film since High Fidelity. A particular high point comes with the terrific performance by 17-year-old Jessica Barden, who plays a fierce, whip-smart schoolgirl obsessed with a teen rock-star drummer.

Abel, directed by Diego Luna. The actor Luna (Y Tu Mamá También, Rudo y Cursi) makes his narrative directorial debut in this portrayal of a struggling family in Mexico, where the behavioral problems of Abel, a 9-year-old boy, are manifested in his belief that he's not his mother's son, but her husband.

Chatroom, directed by Hideo Nakata. Wow. Destined to have little relevance to anyone over the age of 30, Nakata's film centers around five British teens who meet in a chat room. Since watching the kids type "ROTFLMAO" leaves little room for cinematic drama, the director creates a real room, where the kids hatch their plans of torment and rebellion. "A" for originality, "C" for execution.

Tuesday, After Christmas, directed by Radu Muntean. A searing look at a Romanian man who leaves his wife for his daughter's dentist. Muntean has some piercing long takes, and the film features an excellent performance by Mirela Oprişor, who plays the spurned wife.