By Mike Collett-White
CANNES, France (Reuters) - A lack of memorable movies means
the 2008 Cannes film festival has scored poorly among many
critics, who argue that after a solid start the main
competition faded.
Star power was sustained, however, with the red carpet
attracting big names like Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt,
Clint Eastwood, Penelope Cruz, Woody Allen, Steven Spielberg
and Harrison Ford and sports stars Mike Tyson and Diego
Maradona.
With two out of 22 films in the main competition this year
yet to screen, critics and journalists who have been through 10
days of movies, news conferences, interviews and parties
struggled to come up with many highlights.
The competition closes on Sunday evening when the
nine-member jury headed by Sean Penn hands out the awards,
culminating in the coveted Palme d'Or for best picture.
"Even before the halfway mark, the general mood has been
one of disappointment," said Jay Weissberg, a critic with trade
publication Variety.
"Coming off another weak Berlin festival, there is a sense
that 2008 is not going to be the best year for films."
He and several others highlighted "Waltz With Bashir" as a
potential winner of the top prize.
The animated documentary was seen as an innovative way of
exploring an Israeli draftee's memories of the 1982 massacre of
Palestinians living in Beirut's Sabra and Shatila camps.
