Last month, it crushed me to learn that Ari Aster’s “Disappointment Blvd” was only going to be released in 2023.
This is a film that even the actors who worked on it can’t seem to properly describe. What exactly has Ari Aster created here? The film sounds unique, dreamy, surreal and unexplainable. Oh, and it stars the ever-fascinating Joaquin Phoenix, an actor whose unpredictability, on and off the screen, has turned him into one of the most important actors of the 21st century.
Nathan Lane, who has a supporting role in “Disappointment Blvd,” was questioned by Deadline about the film. The way he describes this movie only whets our appetites further.
“I think they’re aiming for Cannes next year, and I’m told that it may not be called “Disappointment Blvd” anymore, that it’s going to have a different title. I saw Ari just last week and what I saw looked pretty interesting funny and scary. It’s a unique project. It’s like he’s invented a whole new genre, and it’s all anchored by Joaquin Phoenix, who’s just extraordinary.”
The new title, I’ve been told, might be “Mona’s Choice,” which is what Aster’s film was originally called before production began.
Also, if a Cannes premiere occurs then that would mean the film would finally be seen almost two years after it’s production began back in June of 2021.
The film is said to be a black nightmarish comedy about a son, his mother and guilt. Phoenix’s character goes on a Kafka-esque Journey after learning of the death of his mother. During this tumultuous time, he learns of the unusual way his mother died, and makes an alarming discovery about his past. I’m hearing the film has supernatural elements to it as well.
A24 seems happy with the latest cut Aster submitted to them. Add this one to your Cannes 2023 predictions.