plot : Don't poke your shrink's wife.
thought : If it weren't French...maybe.
It's just so French. A man obsessed with healthcare finds the woman of his dreams, and she's married, but he romances her anyway. The twist ? She's married to his shrink.
This harmlessly boring romantic comedy, directed by Bernard JEANJEAN (nice name, John John) has so much going for it. The idea is pretty original. But the full realisation of this idea...never really occured on film. Why wasn't Julien Boisselier's character (the "mental" patient, Raphael) a real crazy person ? Why was Carla (played by the perfectly, almost creepily pleasant-looking Judith Godreche) so pissed when her hubby tried to give her gifts ? Why did Paul (Richard Berry) get so much flak for gaining weight ? Are their marbles in Judith Godreche's head ? Is that why she always looks so blank and yet slightly confused ?
What I think should have happened is this : Raphael is really crazy. He goes off the deap-end when he loses Carla to her husband. And then the husband, in a sick need to reaffirm his power as a doctor, tries to get his wife to stay with Raphael so he doesn't lose yet another patient. Matchdotcom meets INDECENT PROPOSAL. Go picture.
Overall rating : 2.5 out of 5
lundi 30 avril 2007
mardi 24 avril 2007
LA VIE DES AUTRES
original title - DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN
http://www.movie.de/filme/dlda/
plot : "Big Brüder is always listening !"
thought : "Of course I liked it."
It's a German movie. It's a movie made by Germans about Germans acting badly. And our heartstrings are, appropriately, pulled.
As one of the most hyped movies of the new year, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN did not disappoint. I expected to like it, because everyone (sighing, with hadn to heart and eyes rolled heaven-ward in poignant pain) told me I would--and I took forever to see it for this very reason--but alas, I fell in line. I loved it.
Ulrich Muhe as Gerd Wiesler was captivating (and so...German) ; the plot was suspenseful and provocative, and the historic potency...uh...potent. And the score ! Oh, the heartstrings yet again pulled. Amazing for building tension, the soundtrack to this film moved the story and moved the viewer twofold.
The only thing stopping DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN from a solid 5/5 is its rushed (and unfortunately cheesy) ending. Did I just ruin it for you ? I hope I didn't ruin it. Oh, wait, you already saw it.
Scene that sings : Weisler listens while Georg Dreyman, his subject, plays THE GOOD MAN on the piano. Automatically, you sense a change. Automatically, you change.
Rating : 4/5
http://www.movie.de/filme/dlda/
plot : "Big Brüder is always listening !"
thought : "Of course I liked it."
It's a German movie. It's a movie made by Germans about Germans acting badly. And our heartstrings are, appropriately, pulled.
As one of the most hyped movies of the new year, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN did not disappoint. I expected to like it, because everyone (sighing, with hadn to heart and eyes rolled heaven-ward in poignant pain) told me I would--and I took forever to see it for this very reason--but alas, I fell in line. I loved it.
Ulrich Muhe as Gerd Wiesler was captivating (and so...German) ; the plot was suspenseful and provocative, and the historic potency...uh...potent. And the score ! Oh, the heartstrings yet again pulled. Amazing for building tension, the soundtrack to this film moved the story and moved the viewer twofold.
The only thing stopping DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN from a solid 5/5 is its rushed (and unfortunately cheesy) ending. Did I just ruin it for you ? I hope I didn't ruin it. Oh, wait, you already saw it.
Scene that sings : Weisler listens while Georg Dreyman, his subject, plays THE GOOD MAN on the piano. Automatically, you sense a change. Automatically, you change.
Rating : 4/5
LE PRIX A PAYER
plot : "I'll pay you for sex."
thought : "Doesn't that make them prostitutes ?"
The critics are still saying, "No," to this one. And I understand why. Between all the gratuitous references to the manliness of one of our stars (the rakishly handsome Gerard "I (probably) snacked on steroids as a child" Levin), and the drastic illusions to the ugly side of long-term matrimony--as well as some badly concealed attempts to beg comparison to the Catherine DENEUVE classic BELLE DU JOUR--Alexandra LECIERE's follow up to LES SOEURS FACHEES kind of falls short. But still, I vote yes.
It's a damn good quasi-realistic ride into the pit of financial/midlife crisis with a wonderfully appropriate score composed by Philip EIDEL padding the bumpy ride. I'll even take Levin's muscles. Fun, fun.
Rating : 3 out of 5
thought : "Doesn't that make them prostitutes ?"
The critics are still saying, "No," to this one. And I understand why. Between all the gratuitous references to the manliness of one of our stars (the rakishly handsome Gerard "I (probably) snacked on steroids as a child" Levin), and the drastic illusions to the ugly side of long-term matrimony--as well as some badly concealed attempts to beg comparison to the Catherine DENEUVE classic BELLE DU JOUR--Alexandra LECIERE's follow up to LES SOEURS FACHEES kind of falls short. But still, I vote yes.
It's a damn good quasi-realistic ride into the pit of financial/midlife crisis with a wonderfully appropriate score composed by Philip EIDEL padding the bumpy ride. I'll even take Levin's muscles. Fun, fun.
Rating : 3 out of 5
SUNSHINE
http://www.sunshine-lefilm.com/
plot : "Sun going down in smoke."
thought : "A beautiful, depressing, amazing voyage."
I had high hopes for Danny Boyle's newest flick--he being the same director who brought us TRAINSPOTTING and 28 DAYS LATER (the latter of which, out of fear, I never saw). I can't say they were thoroughly dahsed...but it also took very long to shake the sudden, saddening, "Oh, no, what have I walked into ?" feeling that rose up and hit me about 40 minutes in. It's a visual ride, a sci-fi thrill of sunshine and stardust that will leave your eyes burning for more...until a plot twist turns sci-fi into scary and the characters you haven't even had the time to learn to love yet struggle to keep their mission alive.
Well, at least they're good-looking.
Though he's delivered better than we get to see in this pciture, Cilian Murphy (BATMAN BEGINS et LE VENT SE LEVE (the wind that shakes the barely) among others) is always a pleasure for the eyes and, in this case, the plot. Despite his presence, SUNSHINE may still leave you blue. I sure was. So if you don't have the patience for a Sunday afternoon downer, just go see a romantic comedy, sneak into SUNSHINE right before the credits, and enjoy the whole film in 4 minutes--thanks to Boyle's apt decision to stream the more visually stunning images from the film in sequential order alongside the credits--underscored by a lovely, fantastically depressing song by UNDERWORLD. That basically sums up the whole experience.
Rating : (I have to split this one up) 4/5 directing, 2/5 overall
plot : "Sun going down in smoke."
thought : "A beautiful, depressing, amazing voyage."
I had high hopes for Danny Boyle's newest flick--he being the same director who brought us TRAINSPOTTING and 28 DAYS LATER (the latter of which, out of fear, I never saw). I can't say they were thoroughly dahsed...but it also took very long to shake the sudden, saddening, "Oh, no, what have I walked into ?" feeling that rose up and hit me about 40 minutes in. It's a visual ride, a sci-fi thrill of sunshine and stardust that will leave your eyes burning for more...until a plot twist turns sci-fi into scary and the characters you haven't even had the time to learn to love yet struggle to keep their mission alive.
Well, at least they're good-looking.
Though he's delivered better than we get to see in this pciture, Cilian Murphy (BATMAN BEGINS et LE VENT SE LEVE (the wind that shakes the barely) among others) is always a pleasure for the eyes and, in this case, the plot. Despite his presence, SUNSHINE may still leave you blue. I sure was. So if you don't have the patience for a Sunday afternoon downer, just go see a romantic comedy, sneak into SUNSHINE right before the credits, and enjoy the whole film in 4 minutes--thanks to Boyle's apt decision to stream the more visually stunning images from the film in sequential order alongside the credits--underscored by a lovely, fantastically depressing song by UNDERWORLD. That basically sums up the whole experience.
Rating : (I have to split this one up) 4/5 directing, 2/5 overall
LES BERKEMAN SE SEPARENT
(THE SQUID AND THE WHALE)
"Weird never looked so normal (welcoming ? inviting ? weird ?)."
rented, 9/avril 2007
3.5 out of 5 stars
"Weird never looked so normal (welcoming ? inviting ? weird ?)."
rented, 9/avril 2007
3.5 out of 5 stars
J'ATTENDS QUELQU'UN
J'ATTENDS QUELQU'UN
"...and/or I'm a stalker."
"First boring then suddenly...not."
Must admit, had little to no desire to check this one out ; ran to the theatre and thought, "What's playing now ?" Jérôme Bonnell's new film starring Emmanuelle Devos (from 2004's ROIS ET REINE) won the hypothetical coin toss.
The plot is not solid, and the characters not wholly developed. Their faces aren't even that fun to look at (I recall specifically (unfortunately) Sylvain DIEUAIDE who plays a young vagabond trailing his ex-girlfriend), but the images of these average French lvies in transit somehow touch the heart. With the usual silence and lingering camera-on-facial-close-up maneuvers for which contemporary French directors are known, this film does not immediately impress. We're just bored. But slowly, like a candle rising to flame, it all makes sense. It's so average, it's so normal, it's so...real.
A dire vrai, the ending wom me over. The film was going for a rating of 2/5, but the ending won me over. Very French. fery charming. Unfortunately, I can't remember the music, but I think I liked it. Best scene : when vagabond meets housewife (Devos). When vagabond meets ex-girlfriend. When vagabond meets...anyone. Best character : the woman with the 3 dogs. Oh, and the big, random black dog. Wait for it.
Overall : 3.5 out of 5
"...and/or I'm a stalker."
"First boring then suddenly...not."
Must admit, had little to no desire to check this one out ; ran to the theatre and thought, "What's playing now ?" Jérôme Bonnell's new film starring Emmanuelle Devos (from 2004's ROIS ET REINE) won the hypothetical coin toss.
The plot is not solid, and the characters not wholly developed. Their faces aren't even that fun to look at (I recall specifically (unfortunately) Sylvain DIEUAIDE who plays a young vagabond trailing his ex-girlfriend), but the images of these average French lvies in transit somehow touch the heart. With the usual silence and lingering camera-on-facial-close-up maneuvers for which contemporary French directors are known, this film does not immediately impress. We're just bored. But slowly, like a candle rising to flame, it all makes sense. It's so average, it's so normal, it's so...real.
A dire vrai, the ending wom me over. The film was going for a rating of 2/5, but the ending won me over. Very French. fery charming. Unfortunately, I can't remember the music, but I think I liked it. Best scene : when vagabond meets housewife (Devos). When vagabond meets ex-girlfriend. When vagabond meets...anyone. Best character : the woman with the 3 dogs. Oh, and the big, random black dog. Wait for it.
Overall : 3.5 out of 5
Time to buy a new journal (also known as "Put the bitch to work")
ENSEMBLE C'EST TOUT - http://www.ensemblecesttout-lefilm.com/site.html
"Accurate, if life were perfect."
This film, based on a book by Anna GAVALDA and directed by Claude Berri (who has brought us other pictures such as MANON DES SOURCES--a classic--and UNE FEMME DE MENAGE--what?), is flawlessly predictable. I know it stars Audrey Tautou, but for some reason, I was still expecting more depth. Fat chance. Much like her other recent films (HORS DE PRIX, for example, co-starring the charmingly goofy but poorly utilized Gad Elmeleh), this one hands the plot to the viewer ina picnic basket complete with a big, family-colored bow tied by a dying, old granny who wants her charming, devil-may-care grandson (director of the French Cesar hit NE LE DIS A PERSONNE, Guillaume CANET, oh la la) to hook up with the sweetly confused cleaning lady-turned-live-in-nurse (Audrey). Everyone cries at one point, but all end up smiling...and shrugging, leaving the theatre, more or less forgetting the film, but eventually still wondering, "Does Guillaume Canet really like Hard-Fi AND Vivaldi ?? Wonder if he'd like the Arctic Monkies..." 'cause then we'd just love him even more. Best shot in the film : he and Audrey smoking together in the kitchen. And the music is great. And French ! Those don't usually go together...
Overall : 2.5 out of 5
"Accurate, if life were perfect."
This film, based on a book by Anna GAVALDA and directed by Claude Berri (who has brought us other pictures such as MANON DES SOURCES--a classic--and UNE FEMME DE MENAGE--what?), is flawlessly predictable. I know it stars Audrey Tautou, but for some reason, I was still expecting more depth. Fat chance. Much like her other recent films (HORS DE PRIX, for example, co-starring the charmingly goofy but poorly utilized Gad Elmeleh), this one hands the plot to the viewer ina picnic basket complete with a big, family-colored bow tied by a dying, old granny who wants her charming, devil-may-care grandson (director of the French Cesar hit NE LE DIS A PERSONNE, Guillaume CANET, oh la la) to hook up with the sweetly confused cleaning lady-turned-live-in-nurse (Audrey). Everyone cries at one point, but all end up smiling...and shrugging, leaving the theatre, more or less forgetting the film, but eventually still wondering, "Does Guillaume Canet really like Hard-Fi AND Vivaldi ?? Wonder if he'd like the Arctic Monkies..." 'cause then we'd just love him even more. Best shot in the film : he and Audrey smoking together in the kitchen. And the music is great. And French ! Those don't usually go together...
Overall : 2.5 out of 5
dimanche 22 avril 2007
Avant que ça...
Forgot to describe how/why this blog...is. Here's the entry from my (old school, non-electronic) travel journal that made me decide to do this
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
MY NEW TOY - 05 avril 07
I did an impulsive, (hopefully) wonderful thing yesterday. I bought myself my March "me" present. January's was my screenplay notebook; Febraury's was my trip to the salon and now March ? The UGC Cinema Illimite Carte. A prelevement of 18euro per month and I get to see as many movies as I want ! WHY doesn't this exist in the States ? They could charge like $50/month for it in California, and I bet people would still purchase it.
At any rate, I haven't actually gone to the movies since I got it (whoops), but I definitely am making plans. So many movies...
And it led me to thinking. I should document this. Like, I always write on my calendar what movies I see, but what about opinions ? Ratings ? I will be seeing, over the next months that I'll be staying in France, many movies.
And so, a new idea. This journal is almost full. Started primarily as a travel journal, I have since (mostly due to lack of funds) stopped traveling. I'm not VISITING Paris. And though I make jokes about being on vacation here, I actually do LIVE here. In Paris. Most likely not forever, but most definitely, yes, for now.
Journals--"life" journals--have always been difficult for me. But a movie journal ? A film diary ? I think I could do this. I take my journal with me to the cinema, and immediately after the film, give it a rating of 1-5, a one line thought and then...a brief disection ? Five lines or less ? Characters, plot, directing, acting, music. 5-5-5.
For instance :
ALPHA DOG - http://www.alphadogmovie.com/
"This film makes you think."
Possibly because ALPHA DOG is based on a very current true tale, the characters in Nick Cassavetes' newest number (following THE NOTEBOOK, oddly enough) are realistic, and the story swerves along at an excellent pace until you're almost holding your breath by the end. Beware of a certain Karate Kid's overacting (Ben Foster, remember, the angel from X-MEN III ???), and be impressed by (hot) Justin Timberlake's (hot) performance. No really. He's really (hot) talented. Surprisingly so, dare I say it. Cassavete's style is cool, at times miming documentary or almost a home video feel, completely connecting with the realism, and at others using stop-frame action to not only connect you to but immerse you in the authentic police drama/unfolding court case. The music is appropriate to the teenage/young adult angst, though it sometimes--unfortunately--gets annoyingly oppressive. But one word for the song that plays over the end credits : awesome.
Overall rating - 3.5 of 5
Okay, that was way more than five lines. But whatever. I think I like this idea, despite my wordiness.
A new journal, thus, is born. First, though, I have to buy it. April gift ???
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
And so I "bought" a blog.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
MY NEW TOY - 05 avril 07
I did an impulsive, (hopefully) wonderful thing yesterday. I bought myself my March "me" present. January's was my screenplay notebook; Febraury's was my trip to the salon and now March ? The UGC Cinema Illimite Carte. A prelevement of 18euro per month and I get to see as many movies as I want ! WHY doesn't this exist in the States ? They could charge like $50/month for it in California, and I bet people would still purchase it.
At any rate, I haven't actually gone to the movies since I got it (whoops), but I definitely am making plans. So many movies...
And it led me to thinking. I should document this. Like, I always write on my calendar what movies I see, but what about opinions ? Ratings ? I will be seeing, over the next months that I'll be staying in France, many movies.
And so, a new idea. This journal is almost full. Started primarily as a travel journal, I have since (mostly due to lack of funds) stopped traveling. I'm not VISITING Paris. And though I make jokes about being on vacation here, I actually do LIVE here. In Paris. Most likely not forever, but most definitely, yes, for now.
Journals--"life" journals--have always been difficult for me. But a movie journal ? A film diary ? I think I could do this. I take my journal with me to the cinema, and immediately after the film, give it a rating of 1-5, a one line thought and then...a brief disection ? Five lines or less ? Characters, plot, directing, acting, music. 5-5-5.
For instance :
ALPHA DOG - http://www.alphadogmovie.com/
"This film makes you think."
Possibly because ALPHA DOG is based on a very current true tale, the characters in Nick Cassavetes' newest number (following THE NOTEBOOK, oddly enough) are realistic, and the story swerves along at an excellent pace until you're almost holding your breath by the end. Beware of a certain Karate Kid's overacting (Ben Foster, remember, the angel from X-MEN III ???), and be impressed by (hot) Justin Timberlake's (hot) performance. No really. He's really (hot) talented. Surprisingly so, dare I say it. Cassavete's style is cool, at times miming documentary or almost a home video feel, completely connecting with the realism, and at others using stop-frame action to not only connect you to but immerse you in the authentic police drama/unfolding court case. The music is appropriate to the teenage/young adult angst, though it sometimes--unfortunately--gets annoyingly oppressive. But one word for the song that plays over the end credits : awesome.
Overall rating - 3.5 of 5
Okay, that was way more than five lines. But whatever. I think I like this idea, despite my wordiness.
A new journal, thus, is born. First, though, I have to buy it. April gift ???
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
And so I "bought" a blog.
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