Nicholas Barber

2 weeks ago | bbc.co.uk | Nicholas Barber

After years of imprisonment and travel bans in his native Iran, Jafar Panahi returns to Cannes with a furious but funny revenge thriller that takes aim at oppressive regimes and could scoop the Palme d'Or.The film opens with a long, unbroken, deceptively charming shot of a genial man (Ebrahim Azizi) and his happy, pregnant wife driving in the countryside one evening, with their playful daughter in the back seat.

2 weeks ago | bbc.co.uk | Nicholas Barber

In this period drama, premiering at Cannes, two of Hollywood's buzziest male actors play lovers making music together – but the film could do with far more passion and urgency. Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain was released 20 years ago, but there haven't been many period dramas about same-sex romances since. In a way, then, The History of Sound must count as a daring project: an expensive Hollywood film in which two of cinema's buzziest male actors are cast as gay lovers.

2 weeks ago | bbc.co.uk | Nicholas Barber

After winning the Palme d'Or for the shocking Titane, out-there French director Julia Ducournau is back at Cannes with another nightmarishly weird film – but it's an unsatisfying watch. One of the most anticipated titles at this year's Cannes Film Festival was Alpha, written and directed by Julia Ducournau.

2 weeks ago | bbc.co.uk | Nicholas Barber

Featuring Benicio Del Toro, Michael Cera, Scarlett Johansson and many more, the director's latest A-lister-filled farce has premiered at Cannes – and it's daft but fun.

2 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Nicholas Barber

Wes Anderson says Gene Hackman was 'furious' about Royal Tenenbaums salary: 'He left without saying goodbye'"He didn't want to do the film anyway," added the director, who didn't stay in touch with the late actor. "I talked him into it — I just didn't go away." Early in his career, Wes Anderson adopted a flat-fee salary system in which his actors were paid the same rate. • Gene Hackman was "furious" about …