Venice Film Festival: Schrader's 'The Basics of Philosophy' Praised, Malkovich in McDonagh's 'Wild Horse Nine'

At the 2026 Venice Film Festival, the competition lineup is in full swing. Martin McDonagh's 'Wild Horse Nine' received a triumphant reception, with John Malkovich delivering a monumental performance and Tom Waits making a cameo in the Grand Canyon. However, critic Ago (author of 'La Bussola di Ago') expresses mixed feelings, criticizing McDonagh as a 'wordy' filmmaker whose dialogue feels contrived, though he acknowledges the film's entertainment value and potential awards. In the Venice Open section, Paul Schrader's 'The Basics of Philosophy' premiered to high praise, with Ago calling it 'superb' and 'magnificent,' highlighting its ideological and moral depth, exceptional cinematography, and strong performances by Richard Gere and Bill Pullman. The film explores guilt surrounding homosexuality and pedophilia in Western ethics, and Ago compares its rigor to Dreyer and Manoel de Oliveira. Additionally, Shinya Tsukamoto's 'Nelson San, Anata wa Hito wo Koroshimashitaka?' (inspired by the true story of Allen Nelson) impressed with Rodney Hicks's intense performance, and Cédric Kahn's '15/18 A Place to Heal' was noted as a solid French drama set in a psychiatric ward for adolescents. Ago also mentions an upcoming Italian film, 'La città dei vivi' by Edoardo Gabbriellini, to be discussed the next day.