Clouds of Sils Maria

While traveling in the Swiss Alps en route to accept an award on behalf of her mentor in Zurich, an actress (Juliette Binoche) learns that the recipient and great playwright has died. Soon she finds herself reluctantly accepting an offer to return to the stage in one of his productions she appeared in twenty years prior, now portraying the older role. She is quickly forced to confront certain truths, feeling threatened by her underestimated costar (Chloe Grace Moretz) and as the lines blur between fantasy and reality in her relationship with her personal assistant (Kristen Stewart) during line reading. Olivier Assayas’ Clouds of Sils Maria is beautifully shot, and although pretentious and often haughty, is intelligently written and occasionally magical. Binoche is lovely, typically elegant and emotive, Moretz is quite good too arriving fairly late in the picture, although Stewart, who is getting some awards notice, doesn't quite come off as authentic. *** out of ****