Madonna‘s latest effort behind the camera hasn’t exactly been the easiest of affairs. It was widely reviled after its premiere at the Venice Film Festival in August where our own reviewer called it “a royal disaster.” Last month word cropped up that Harvey Weinstein was sending Madonna back to the editing bay to trim ten minutes off the movie before its release later this year. Then when she recently took the movie to the BFI London Film Festival, she was roundly booed by by autograph hounds, but it was misreported as jeers coming from fans who felt she wasn’t spending enough time with them. Either way, it’s all about the work right? And with the Weinsteins presumably still holding hope they can get some kind of awards season play (think: Golden Globes perhaps) out of “W.E.” a few more peeks at the film have arrived.
Even those who haven’t been fans of the movie agree that at the very least, it looks good. And as these images bear out, there was no skimping on the set and costume design (which are the awards many believe Harvey and co. will be chasing). The narratively ambitious film stars Abbie Cornish and Oscar Isaac, as the movie tells parallel stories of the love affair between King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, which led to the royal’s abdication, and the 1998-set story of a woman, Wally Winthrop, with romantic problems of her own, in addition to an obsession with the life of the Duchess of Windsor. Again, the pics look great, so maybe we should just watch this with the sound off?
After running the festival gamut to mixed results (at best), “W.E.” is still slated for a December 9th release. After that, ever the glutton for punishment, Madonna will head to the Super Bowl where she will perform her new single which is unironically titled “Give Me All Your Love.” At a stab at relevance, M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj will pop up for guest appearances. Thank god we don’t watch football. And in case you missed it, here’s the sales trailer for the movie that recently made the rounds offering an extended look at “W.E.”
