Cannes, France - As the Cannes Film Festival bears down on its weekend awards ceremony, a look at the movies seen so far and their reviews reveal deep divisions among the critics.
Some are polarised on the basic question of whether cinema is more entertainment or art, while others show cultural bias. Another faction gives more weight to pedigree, politics or aesthetics.
So far, broadly, US and British press and industry types are plumping for "Carol", an American period lesbian romance lifted to Oscar heights by a flawless performance from Australian star Cate Blanchett.
Vanity Fair magazine said the movie "transcends" and achieves "something rather mighty".
But many continental Europeans are more seduced by "My Mother," an Italian film that packs an emotional wallop as it explores a director's personal and professional crises.
"Able to move and raise laughter, it seems able to take the Palme d'Or," Italian magazine Panorama wrote.
AFP
