GOOD REVIEWS FOR HANY ABU-ASSAD'S OMAR IN CANNES

The last time Hany Abu-Assad made a Palestinian feature, it was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. His first since then, Omar, screened at Cannes earlier this week and was greeted with warm reviews from critics.

The Hollywood Reporter's Deborah Young praises the filmmakers for rarely needing to 'go overboard to convey a strong emotion'. The plot of Abu-Assad's film is its strongest asset, according to Liam Lacey at The Globe and Mail, Toronto. And Variety's Jay Weissberg calls it a return to form for the director.

CANNES REVIEWS OF MAX ROSE ARE SCATHING

If this is the best the 'great' Jerry Lewis can do, I wonder what the best a female comedian could do is? Lewis has a large fanbase in France, and received a standing ovation after the premiere of his return to the screen, Max Rose, but critics have been less than complimentary.

The story of a man who comes to question the state of his marriage after the death of his wife, the dreadful reviews have come from critics such as David Rooney at The Hollywood Reporter, Craig Skinner at Hey U Guys and Rob Nelson at Variety, who brands Lewis' return to film acting 'excruciating.' A fitting tribute, then, wouldn't you say?

NEEDLE TAKES CANNES CINEFONDATION FIRST PRIZE

This year's Cinefondation and Short Films jury at Cannes was headed by former Palme d'Or recipient Jane Campion. 18 short films competed, and the jury was reportedly unanimous in their choices. Here are the results:

First Prize

Needle (Anahita Ghazvinizadeh) - The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, USA

Second Prize

Waiting for the Thaw (Sarah Hirtt) - INSAS, Belgium

Third Prize

In the Fishbowl (Tudor Cristian Jurgiu) - UNATC, Romania

Pandy (Matus Vizar) - FAMU, Czech Republic

THE SELFISH GIANT WINS BEST EUROPEAN FILM AT CANNES DIRECTORS' FORTNIGHT

Clio Barnard's The Selfish Giant, which so impressed the critics when it screened at Cannes last week, has won Best European Film from the Europa Cinemas Label. The Europa Cinemas jury bestows this award to films at Venice, Berlin, Karlovy Vary and, now, Locarno film festivals as well as Cannes. The four jurors voted unanimously for Barnard's sophomore British film.

LAV DIAZ'S NORTE: THE END OF HISTORY IS A BIG HIT AT CANNES

Filipino director Lav Diaz is not known for his marketability, but his four-hour 'mini-epic' Norte: The End of History has been drawing raves from critics at Cannes. Published reviews are scarce atm, but reactions across the internet have been very good.

The only report of any length online thus far comes from Jonathan Romney at Screen Daily, who does note the film's increased salability compared to Diaz's previous works. And check out how well the film has been received by a collection of critics on critic.de - all reviewers rate it 'outstanding.' On Twitter, Kenji Fujishima describes it as 'one of his highlights.'

SALVO WINS CRITICS' WEEK GRAND PRIX AT CANNES

Salvo (Le Demantelement), the debut feature from Canadian director Sebastien Pilote, has won the Grand Prix in the 52nd Critics' Week section of the Cannes Film Festival. The film is a story of family farm life mixed with Mafia drama, and stars Sophie Desmarais, who plays the lead in another film showing at Cannes this year, Sarah Prefers to Run, screening in the Un Certain Regard section.

THE IMMIGRANT'S CANNES RESPONSES ARE STRONG

James Gray has few fans, it seems, beyond Joaquin Phoenix and Thierry Fremaux, but his latest film to show in competition at Cannes, The Immigrant, is winning many critics over.

Todd McCarthy is very complimentary of the film, particularly lead Marion Cotillard, in his The Hollywood Reporter review, and also singles out Joaquin Phoenix. Less impressed by Phoenix, although still largely positive about the film, is Variety's Peter Debruge. Jessica Kiang, though, in her B+ review in The Playlist, notes that Phoenix is the 'ace up the film's sleeve', and also praises Darius Khondji's cinematography. And another B+ review in IndieWire, this one from Eric Kohn, who mentions the film's divisiveness. John Bleasdale, on Twitter, considers Phoenix Oscar-worthy in the film. The Weinstein Company will be handling US distribution, so awards consideration (for the first time in Gray's career) may not be beyond the realm of possibility, nor may Palme consideration on Sunday.

DISAPPOINTING REVIEWS AT CANNES FOR MICHAEL KOHLHAAS

Arnaud des Pallieres' adaptation of Heinrich von Kleist's novella has marked one of the biggest disappointments of the Cannes Official Competition in this year's festival, with poor reviews coming in from all sources.

Variety's Jay Weissberg initially doesn't seem too troubled by Michael Kohlhaas, but his list of complaints only expands as his review progresses. Jordan Mintzer writes that des Pallieres seems 'less interested in pulling off a Frecnh-language Game of Thrones than in creating a moody and atmospheric costume drama' in The Hollywood Reporter, and doesn't come across impressed at the results. And Screen Daily's Jonathan Romney is one of many to lament the lack of interest in Mads Mikkelsen's lead performance. CineVue's Twitter account does praise Mikkelsen, though, but not the film, and The Guardian's Xan Brooks' mentions 'so much wasted nobility.'

MICHAEL KOHLHAAS - CLIP

This clip is from Arnaud des Pallieres' Michael Kohlhaas, which was screened for critics today in Cannes. Its official premiere will take place tomorrow. And if you think the above clip is boring, don't worry, because the critics seem to have found the whole film boring. More on that asap.

NEW STILL FROM DIANA

I probably wouldn't bother with this one new image from a film that's quite possibly not all that good. But it's Naomi. And anyone who's familiar with me around these parts will likely know the following: I #LIVE FOR NAOMI WATTS