Ryan Gosling Misses Premiere Of New Movie At Cannes

[webfact]

Ryan Gosling misses premiere of new movie at Cannes

by Helen ROWE

CANNES, France, May 22, 2013 (AFP) - Star Ryan Gosling on Wednesday stayed away from the Cannes premiere of his latest film, the ultra-violent "Only God Forgives", a blood-spattered revenge tale set in Bangkok.

Boos rang out after a press screening of the movie in which Kristin Scott Thomas also stars as a cross between "Lady Macbeth and Donatella Versace", but some critics later praised the film.

"Drive" director Nicolas Winding Refn's film left many in the auditorium wincing or unable to watch, although some lines sparked unintended laughter.

In one scene, Gosling's character Julian tells his crime boss mother (Scott Thomas) that his brother Billy has raped and killed a 16-year-old girl.

"I'm sure he had his reasons," Scott Thomas replies, unrecognisable in long blond wig, fake eyelashes and garish clothes.

Winding Refn's film is one of 20 in the race for the festival's top Palme d'Or prize.

In a letter read out to a news conference, Gosling apologised for missing Wednesday evening's premiere.

The Canadian star is in Detroit in the third week of shooting his directorial debut "How To Catch A Monster".

In another scene, Thai actor Vithaya Pansringarm playing an ex-cop on a mission to purge Bangkok of sleaze, pins a man to an armchair with knives and stabs him through the eye.

Even Scott Thomas, better known for playing upper-crust Englishwomen with plummy accents, admitted to queasiness.

Winding Refn, in production notes, says he was keen to see her play a mix of Shakespeare's bloodiest female character and fashion designer Versace.

"This kind of film is really not my thing," Scott Thomas told reporters after the press screening.

"Films where this kind of violence happens I don't enjoy watching."

But she said she decided to get involved in a film she considered "hyper violent and quite disturbing" to work with Winding Refn and "play this wild, savage person".

The trouble really begins to escalate in the movie when Billy's killing of the young prostitute also leads to his own murder.

Scott Thomas's character Crystal then arrives to collect the body of her favourite son and demand that Julian avenge his death.

Dane Winding Refn defended his movie, saying he felt powerless to resist a compulsion to depict violence on screen.

"Art is an act of violence. Art is about penetration. Art is about speaking to our subconscious and our needs at different levels," he said.

The film is his second collaboration with Gosling who starred in the equally blood-soaked "Drive".

The film won Winding Refn the best director prize at Cannes in 2011.

"I don't think about what I do very much. I approach things very much as a pornographer. It's about what arouses me and certain things turn me on more than others and I can't suppress that need," he said.

"But I surely have a fetish for violent emotions, violent images and I just can't explain where it comes from," he added.

A number of other films at the festival including China's "A Touch of Sin" (Tian Zhu Ding) and Japan's "Shield of Straw" (Wara No Tate) have been notable for their violence.

Mexican director Amat Escalante was also forced to defend his film "Heli" after it left many critics feeling ill at ease.

Some critics praised Winding Refn's film but said its violence would be a turn-off for many.

"'Only God Forgives' will, understandably, have people running for the exits," said British daily the Guardian.

"It is very violent, but Winding Refn's bizarre infernal creation, an entire created world of fear, really is gripping," it said.

Entertainment industry magazine Screen meanwhile called it "mesmerisingly moody and stylishly violent".

"While perhaps too bloody to attract substantial mainstream audiences its sheer sense of cinematic control, gripping sound design and its artistic look will find willing viewers," it said.

Winding Refn added in an interview with AFP that the whole point of art was to "combat a sense of unity".

"You're going to experience it one way; someone else is going to experience it another way," he said.

"If everyone agrees if they love or hate it, well then there's nothing but logic."

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-05-23

[Ragzilb]

As I Danish person I have to say something. The instructor is danish and I heard the movie is a hardcore extreme over the top action movie. The danish instructor is know to keep lines and dialog short but is almost non exsisting in the movie. He has tried to make it artistic, but to be honest I hate the way many western countries are portraying Thailand, as either being a yakuza, Chinese triad, chaotic, country, when I know Thailand is a country where life and balance actually can go hand in hand. I have never seen the underworld as portraid in the movie, and for me I feel ashamed to be danish. the movie might be good cause its action, but I hate the way many danish people see Thailand as.

Well just a little heads up Thanks for reading

the Danish/Thai Farmer

[lomatopo]

I really liked "Drive"; Albert Brooks, in a supporting role, was brilliant. Looking forward to seeing this latest collaboration between the Danish director and Canadian star.

Cannes 2013: Only God Forgives – first look review

Ryan Gosling and Nicolas Winding Refn re-team for an emotionally breathtaking, aesthetically brilliant and immensely violent thriller set amongst US expatriates in Bangkok

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/may/22/cannes-only-good-forgives-ryan-gosling-review

[chooka]

Might have to go and see it

[JetsetBkk]

Looks like typical Channel 3 violent rubbish dressed up as arty-farty with a few farangs thrown in.

But I'll save my final judgement until I've seen it.

(That should keep the "You don't appreciate real art" types off my back).

[Razzler1973]

If Ryan Gosling is in it I am gonna go out on a limb and say it's won't really be that hardcore and stuff

[ivan96822]

This film is already receiving horrible reviews in the press.

Coincidentally, I just watched DRIVE for the first time last night and was unimpressed.

I will see this based on the fact that it takes place in Bangkok, but HANGOVER II was also filmed in LOS and that was not enough to make me like the film...

[drdoom6996]

Can't wait to see it. Does anybody know, will it be like watching TV in Thailand in May of 2010?

[drdoom6996]

As I Danish person I have to say something. The instructor is danish and I heard the movie is a hardcore extreme over the top action movie. The danish instructor is know to keep lines and dialog short but is almost non exsisting in the movie. He has tried to make it artistic, but to be honest I hate the way many western countries are portraying Thailand, as either being a yakuza, Chinese triad, chaotic, country, when I know Thailand is a country where life and balance actually can go hand in hand. I have never seen the underworld as portraid in the movie, and for me I feel ashamed to be danish. the movie might be good cause its action, but I hate the way many danish people see Thailand as.

Well just a little heads up Thanks for reading

the Danish/Thai Farmer

Where have I ever been where my boss won't let me fly because of a Military Coup? Thailand, several times.

Where have I ever been where a Prime Minister is chastised by the King on TV for shooting Thai citizens that don't like him. Thailand.

Where have I ever been where a protester goes up on a stage and says, "burn the whole place down"? Thailand.

Thailand is Thailand. You don't have to go to the movies to see stuff like this that you don't like. Just turn on the news in Thailand. TIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chooka]

This film is already receiving horrible reviews in the press.

Coincidentally, I just watched DRIVE for the first time last night and was unimpressed.

I will see this based on the fact that it takes place in Bangkok, but HANGOVER II was also filmed in LOS and that was not enough to make me like the film...

Maybe so but does anyone remember a movie called the "blues brothers", totally canned but became a huge movie. Flopped at the big screen because of all the expert reviews then made 100's of millions on video. Was screened again on the big screen years later.

[LingLek]

As I Danish person I have to say something. The instructor is danish and I heard the movie is a hardcore extreme over the top action movie. The danish instructor is know to keep lines and dialog short but is almost non exsisting in the movie. He has tried to make it artistic, but to be honest I hate the way many western countries are portraying Thailand, as either being a yakuza, Chinese triad, chaotic, country, when I know Thailand is a country where life and balance actually can go hand in hand. I have never seen the underworld as portraid in the movie, and for me I feel ashamed to be danish. the movie might be good cause its action, but I hate the way many danish people see Thailand as.

Well just a little heads up Thanks for reading

the Danish/Thai Farmer

Where have I ever been where my boss won't let me fly because of a Military Coup? Thailand, several times.

Where have I ever been where a Prime Minister is chastised by the King on TV for shooting Thai citizens that don't like him. Thailand.

Where have I ever been where a protester goes up on a stage and says, "burn the whole place down"? Thailand.

Thailand is Thailand. You don't have to go to the movies to see stuff like this that you don't like. Just turn on the news in Thailand. TIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you even vaguely familiar with what happens in countries other than Thailand? I suggest you Google Boston bombings, USA, or Woolwich, UK, or Baghdad, Iraq, or Syria, or, or, or, wherever you care to swivel your jaundiced eyeball. Interesting that you don't mention the one place in Thailand where civil disturbances don't inconvenience people like you. I find Thailand to be a tranquil and gracious place in comparison with the region you hail from. You're not a TIT. You are a malodorous area of the male anatomy.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Judging by the boos received - this one may end up as a cult classic.

[DP25]

Getting horrible reviews everywhere. And sounds like yet another movie to make Thailand look like an absolute hellhole. As one reviewer put it, "Bangkok glimmers with almost incomprehensible seediness."

I don't understand why they keep approving these kinds of films, surely the tiny bit of money they spend making them here can't be worth permanently fixing in the minds of tens of millions that Thailand is hell on earth.

[chooka]

Getting horrible reviews everywhere. And sounds like yet another movie to make Thailand look like an absolute hellhole. As one reviewer put it, "Bangkok glimmers with almost incomprehensible seediness."

I don't understand why they keep approving these kinds of films, surely the tiny bit of money they spend making them here can't be worth permanently fixing in the minds of tens of millions that Thailand is hell on earth.

TAt will shortly produce a media release stating that the premiere at Cannes "Had No" effect on tourism.

[lomatopo]

Of course "Hangover 2" portrayed Thailand so positively. As do most Thai gangster films.

Thai actress Yayaying ( Rhatha ) Phongam at Cannes, who I'm guessing plays a hooker in the film.

A lot of movies have gotten panned at Cannes - this is a movie industry event after all - and then go on to critical and commercial success. Maybe best to wait and see the film before passing judgement?

[Jimjim]

Looks like typical Channel 3 violent rubbish dressed up as arty-farty with a few farangs thrown in.

But I'll save my final judgement until I've seen it.

(That should keep the "You don't appreciate real art" types off my back).

I'd hazard a guess that the Danish director has never directed violent rubbish for Channel 3.

It's probably quite different in tone, style and quality than anything on Channel 3.