My new favorite thing ever.
This video actually made me cry...what the heck? Don't worry--you won't cry. I'm just oddly over-sensitive to Sigur Ros + clips from IRON MAN and MILK being mashed together.
And I've changed my mind--I do like WALL-E. The story kinda sucked, but the animation is awesome. I need to give Disney some credit.
Thanks to comedian Paul Scheer for having a website and posting this on there. And thanks to Wikipedia for telling me he co-stars in BRIDE WARS, which I'm writing about this week for Rope of Silicon. And thanks to me for not knowing who he was, which is why I went to his website. So really...thanks to me.
Affichage des articles dont le libellé est highest rated. Afficher tous les articles
Affichage des articles dont le libellé est highest rated. Afficher tous les articles
mercredi 7 janvier 2009
dimanche 16 novembre 2008
slumdog millionaire
THIS is a GREAT film. Go see it. Go, go, go. It is beautiful and revolting and wonderfully fresh like your favorite flavor of saltwater taffy found in the pocket of an old but comfy jacket, halfway out of its wrapper about four weeks after you went to the state fair. Whoa. Disgusting. Gotta eat it. Delicious.
Despite what reports are saying, SLUMDOG is *not* a film about a young man from Mumbai who goes on the hit show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" to impress his girlfriend. No. It's about a kid named Jamal who's been given shit to eat--at times literally--most of his life who goes on a game show to attempt to save the one girl he has ever loved. The part of his love interest, Latika, is clearly played by an Indian model (with some decent acting chops). Our main man has big ears and looks like a virgin. He definitely loves this girl.
SLUMDOG will pick you up, not right at the beginning, but about fifteen minutes in, when young Jamal jumps into the cesspool below a public potty hole (eww) as a sign of affection for his favorite celebrity. From there on, SLUMDOG is a ride you'll believe in. As one of the guards who questions Jamal later in the film intimates, this film makes it "bizarrely plausible" to believe love can conquer all. Oh, don't worry--I'm still a romantic cynic--but as far as cinematic cynicism is concerned, SLUMDOG has temporarily cured me of mine. FINALLY, a good movie. In an out. Not a hitch. Like my festy favorite, KISSES, it is artistically brilliant in its portrayal of "slum" life (or life in the "kiff" as the Irish kids would say), often relying on color to weave the tale on words' behalf. I loved it. And I'm officially expecting a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for Simon Beaufoy (it's adapted from the Swarup novel "Q and A"), and perhaps a director nod for Danny Boyle, who has officially redeemed himself in my book after the likes of SUNSHINE. Egads.
plot: Anyone can win or lose.
thought: Who doesn't love the underdog?
in five: 4.5/5
for twenty million rupees: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/slumdogmillionaire/
Despite what reports are saying, SLUMDOG is *not* a film about a young man from Mumbai who goes on the hit show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" to impress his girlfriend. No. It's about a kid named Jamal who's been given shit to eat--at times literally--most of his life who goes on a game show to attempt to save the one girl he has ever loved. The part of his love interest, Latika, is clearly played by an Indian model (with some decent acting chops). Our main man has big ears and looks like a virgin. He definitely loves this girl.
SLUMDOG will pick you up, not right at the beginning, but about fifteen minutes in, when young Jamal jumps into the cesspool below a public potty hole (eww) as a sign of affection for his favorite celebrity. From there on, SLUMDOG is a ride you'll believe in. As one of the guards who questions Jamal later in the film intimates, this film makes it "bizarrely plausible" to believe love can conquer all. Oh, don't worry--I'm still a romantic cynic--but as far as cinematic cynicism is concerned, SLUMDOG has temporarily cured me of mine. FINALLY, a good movie. In an out. Not a hitch. Like my festy favorite, KISSES, it is artistically brilliant in its portrayal of "slum" life (or life in the "kiff" as the Irish kids would say), often relying on color to weave the tale on words' behalf. I loved it. And I'm officially expecting a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for Simon Beaufoy (it's adapted from the Swarup novel "Q and A"), and perhaps a director nod for Danny Boyle, who has officially redeemed himself in my book after the likes of SUNSHINE. Egads.
plot: Anyone can win or lose.
thought: Who doesn't love the underdog?
in five: 4.5/5
for twenty million rupees: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/slumdogmillionaire/
vendredi 15 août 2008
VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
Maybe it's because I've travelled. Maybe it's because I wish, sometimes, that I was still travelling. Maybe it's because I've based so much of my current view of the world on the experiences I've had while traveling. It must be a melange of all these things that made me fall in love with this newest number from Mr. Allen of "I married my almost-adopted daughter, had to undergo psychoanalysis and eventually made fun of that in a movie" fame.
Ok, that isn't the only thing that's made the man famous.
Woody Allen has a knack for film like no other I've seen. How is he able to put out movie after movie, year after year, or to have so many of them actually be worth watching? Isn't his eye sight failing? His glasses are huge. And shouldn't his wit be fading? He really has been in psychoanalysis for years; apparently he's an agoraphobe. But I guess these things also add up somehow and make him a filmic genius. I do, though, find myself more likely to enjoy the films in which he doesn't write himself a part. MATCH POINT was a recent delight. And add a tally to the figurative chalkboard with tonight's screening of VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA.
The film, which centers on two friends (Vicky and Cristina) who summer in Barcelona (hence the title) is about the pitfalls and triumphs of both quick and lasting bouts of love. It is about romance when you run with it, and romance when it runs away with you. It is about being young and foreign, and about travel and wanderlust and hesitancy and complacency, and the trouble with it all. And something about these plot threads twining together really sang to me. When the credits rolled, tears sprang from my eyes (Did I just type that? Like a freakin Danielle Steele novel?), and I started clapping. I was *that* girl. The clapping girl. I was crying and laughing and clapping and remembering my 22nd birthday spent on the shores of Barcelona, in love, wildly in love, with Spain, paella and being far away.
But nostalgia was not the only conductor driving my admiration of this movie. Not only is this the first film I've seen in which I actually *kind of* liked Scarlett Johannsen's presence and performance, but it's also the first I've seen featuring Javier Bardem playing a part that seems to resemble his true nature--or what I hope his true nature is--a swarthy, Latin lothario with a penchant for wine, women and not much else. And shall we also mention the feisty Penelope Cruz? I've never been disappointed by Cruz in a film, but man, can she own a scene! Of course, we have to thank our writer for that: he wrote some of the best emotional dialogue for her character, and she held onto it well. It's the "z," I think. That must do it, because Tom Cruise...can't act. Penelope Cruz...can. It's all in the "z."
plot: One man changes love lives.
thought: Or was it the city?
in five: 4.5/5
infatuate yourself: http://www.vickycristina-movie.com/
Ok, that isn't the only thing that's made the man famous.
Woody Allen has a knack for film like no other I've seen. How is he able to put out movie after movie, year after year, or to have so many of them actually be worth watching? Isn't his eye sight failing? His glasses are huge. And shouldn't his wit be fading? He really has been in psychoanalysis for years; apparently he's an agoraphobe. But I guess these things also add up somehow and make him a filmic genius. I do, though, find myself more likely to enjoy the films in which he doesn't write himself a part. MATCH POINT was a recent delight. And add a tally to the figurative chalkboard with tonight's screening of VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA.
The film, which centers on two friends (Vicky and Cristina) who summer in Barcelona (hence the title) is about the pitfalls and triumphs of both quick and lasting bouts of love. It is about romance when you run with it, and romance when it runs away with you. It is about being young and foreign, and about travel and wanderlust and hesitancy and complacency, and the trouble with it all. And something about these plot threads twining together really sang to me. When the credits rolled, tears sprang from my eyes (Did I just type that? Like a freakin Danielle Steele novel?), and I started clapping. I was *that* girl. The clapping girl. I was crying and laughing and clapping and remembering my 22nd birthday spent on the shores of Barcelona, in love, wildly in love, with Spain, paella and being far away.
But nostalgia was not the only conductor driving my admiration of this movie. Not only is this the first film I've seen in which I actually *kind of* liked Scarlett Johannsen's presence and performance, but it's also the first I've seen featuring Javier Bardem playing a part that seems to resemble his true nature--or what I hope his true nature is--a swarthy, Latin lothario with a penchant for wine, women and not much else. And shall we also mention the feisty Penelope Cruz? I've never been disappointed by Cruz in a film, but man, can she own a scene! Of course, we have to thank our writer for that: he wrote some of the best emotional dialogue for her character, and she held onto it well. It's the "z," I think. That must do it, because Tom Cruise...can't act. Penelope Cruz...can. It's all in the "z."
plot: One man changes love lives.
thought: Or was it the city?
in five: 4.5/5
infatuate yourself: http://www.vickycristina-movie.com/
jeudi 31 juillet 2008
THE DARK KNIGHT
I'm so far behind, it's killing me. Like maybe literally; there are dark circles under my eyes. Or there would be, if I weren't dark, in general.
Maybe it's the fact that I have so much to write about here--following DARK KNIGHT, I'm still to type about dinner at KETCHUP, brunch at THE WAFFLE, a matinee of WICKED, dinner at CITIZEN SMITH, a screening of MAMMA MIA, followed a week later by the French film NE LE DIS A PERSONNE, brunch at KOKOMO, a screening of HUMBOLDT COUNTY, a Sunday night at AREA, another advance screening, this time of PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, and tonight, a viewing of the doc, AMERICAN TEEN--yeah, I'm cultured--or maybe it's the fact that I still have yet to recover from my midnight screening of the greatest superhero movie of all time. Christian Bale, I blame you. You beat up bad guys, your mom, and now I'm suffering, too. I feel like I haven't slept in over a week. Mostly because I barely have. But you know what, for Batman...it's worth it.
DARK KNIGHT unfurls like an envelope being pulled from a joker's sleeve. Maybe that analogy is hard to consider, but think about it. A joker pulls an envelope from his sleeve...and it's attached to a series of handkerchiefs that just keep coming out and coming out and unfurling and whirling, and you're going, "Where did all that come from," and he goes, "Uh, it's magic." Well, that's the DARK KNIGHT. Bale is magic, Caine is magic, Freeman is magic, and above all, Ledger is magic--and not like that Harry Potter wingardium business. This is the dark, twisty, sinewy magic that only an antihero with depth and a story with harmony, birthed from the tomes of DC Comics or written by the likes of Frank Miller, can incite. Well done, Christopher Nolan. You had me at "Hello." Unless the first word of the movie was something different, in which case, you had me at that word.
I'll get to the other movies, restaurants and nightclubs later.
THE DARK KNIGHT
Plot: Batman goes dark for good.
Thought: Seriously, Spidey, you've been pummeled.
In five: 5/5 (Is that a first for letop5? I'm going to have to check the archives. And I'm not saying there were no flaws. The Scarecrow--SPOILER ALERT!--just falling away less than half way in was one of them. The guy--GASP, AGAIN!--threatening to out Batman was another. But I don't believe in 3/4s of a star, so I had to round up.)
Maybe it's the fact that I have so much to write about here--following DARK KNIGHT, I'm still to type about dinner at KETCHUP, brunch at THE WAFFLE, a matinee of WICKED, dinner at CITIZEN SMITH, a screening of MAMMA MIA, followed a week later by the French film NE LE DIS A PERSONNE, brunch at KOKOMO, a screening of HUMBOLDT COUNTY, a Sunday night at AREA, another advance screening, this time of PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, and tonight, a viewing of the doc, AMERICAN TEEN--yeah, I'm cultured--or maybe it's the fact that I still have yet to recover from my midnight screening of the greatest superhero movie of all time. Christian Bale, I blame you. You beat up bad guys, your mom, and now I'm suffering, too. I feel like I haven't slept in over a week. Mostly because I barely have. But you know what, for Batman...it's worth it.
DARK KNIGHT unfurls like an envelope being pulled from a joker's sleeve. Maybe that analogy is hard to consider, but think about it. A joker pulls an envelope from his sleeve...and it's attached to a series of handkerchiefs that just keep coming out and coming out and unfurling and whirling, and you're going, "Where did all that come from," and he goes, "Uh, it's magic." Well, that's the DARK KNIGHT. Bale is magic, Caine is magic, Freeman is magic, and above all, Ledger is magic--and not like that Harry Potter wingardium business. This is the dark, twisty, sinewy magic that only an antihero with depth and a story with harmony, birthed from the tomes of DC Comics or written by the likes of Frank Miller, can incite. Well done, Christopher Nolan. You had me at "Hello." Unless the first word of the movie was something different, in which case, you had me at that word.
I'll get to the other movies, restaurants and nightclubs later.
THE DARK KNIGHT
Plot: Batman goes dark for good.
Thought: Seriously, Spidey, you've been pummeled.
In five: 5/5 (Is that a first for letop5? I'm going to have to check the archives. And I'm not saying there were no flaws. The Scarecrow--SPOILER ALERT!--just falling away less than half way in was one of them. The guy--GASP, AGAIN!--threatening to out Batman was another. But I don't believe in 3/4s of a star, so I had to round up.)
dimanche 11 mai 2008
THE FALL
There is something about Lee Pace's career choices that baffle and impress me. He is a man's actor; he plays a role as if he lives for it, whether he be a pre-op transexual (SOLDIER'S GIRL), a secret agent of the CIA (THE GOOD SHEPHERD), a suicidal stuntman (THE FALL) or a shy pastry chef with supernatural powers ("Pushing Daisies"). In my mind, actually, he doesn't play characters at all--he works. He works his way into a role, so much so that you forget he ever worked at anything else.
That's the first reason why I desperately fell in love with Tarsem Singh's THE FALL. The second reason was Catinca Untaru who embodies the role of Alexandria, the young girl who's acting chops at the age of eight speak loads for her cinematic future. You go, little girl!
This film is breathtaking in its artistry and compelling in story; both full of meaning and completely nonsensical. "Man in hospital tells little girl story that she vividly imagines as true," is the gist, but here, the pictures definitely speak louder than words.
PLOT: Fantasy and reality are interchangeable.
THOUGHT: And they should both be scored by Beethoven. (that's right)
IN FIVE: 4.5/5
THE FILM: http://www.thefallthemovie.com/
That's the first reason why I desperately fell in love with Tarsem Singh's THE FALL. The second reason was Catinca Untaru who embodies the role of Alexandria, the young girl who's acting chops at the age of eight speak loads for her cinematic future. You go, little girl!
This film is breathtaking in its artistry and compelling in story; both full of meaning and completely nonsensical. "Man in hospital tells little girl story that she vividly imagines as true," is the gist, but here, the pictures definitely speak louder than words.
PLOT: Fantasy and reality are interchangeable.
THOUGHT: And they should both be scored by Beethoven. (that's right)
IN FIVE: 4.5/5
THE FILM: http://www.thefallthemovie.com/
lundi 5 mai 2008
Absolutely ridiculous, I don't paint.
5 REASONS WHY IRON MAN IS THE BEST SUPERHERO MOVIE OF THE YEAR, NAY, THE DECADE:
1. Impeccable casting. Unlike ALL THREE SPIDERMAN MOVIES (Kirstin Dunst, you fraud!), this film nails it. From the sensational Robert Downey Jr., to Gwenyth Paltrow in her first blockbuster role since AUSTIN POWERS, to the over-the-top but actually kinda spot-on villain, Jeff Bridges, to the slightly useless but subtly humorous Terrance Howard, no role feels wrong. I'm even giving Clark Gregg a shout (Go SHIELD; you earned it).
2. Superior directing. Jon Favreau, WIMBLEDON was great...and so was ELF...and the even lesser known ZATHURA: A SPACE ADVENTURE...I'm being sarcastic. Congrats, this film will forever be your new calling card. It was funny where it needed to be, never heavy-handed and action-packed 'til the very end. And there was no f'ing Toby Maguire trying to sexy dance. Ugh. Get ready for the Jay Abrams big bucks, Fav, you're a member of the club. (And for the record, you're taking Brett Ratner's spot. X-MEN: THE LAST STAND, we're so over you.)
3. The dialogue is worth repeating, and the plot remains in tact throughout. There are a lot of good one-liners--probably more than a bit of ad-lib from RDJr, but if there's anyone who can run with it, he can. Did anyone see KISS, KISS, BANG, BANG? No? Well, you should have. And unlike superhero movies where plot holes are covered by a series of explosions (and/or dance numbers...) this movie gave adequate exposition without a two-hour long sequence in Siberia during which our hero hones his craft (yes, I slept through that, Christian Bale). You still have the back story, and as someone who didn't even know what or who Iorn Man was before seeing this movie, I jumped on board the plot (give or take a few errors in physics) very easily. The pace was steady, the humor consistent, all that. And in my opinion, that's how an action movie should unroll (PIRATES 3, I'm talking to you).
4. We root for the underdog. Not only is IRON MAN, like BATMAN, an unconventional superhero (i.e., he wasn't born on another planet or with birth mutations or bitten by something hairy), but his story is the fabulous stuff of fairy tale. Super rich super genius gets a heart and wants to save the world. Awwww. It's a pleasure to watch how a normal man (moulah and MENSA-status aside) begins leading a fantastic life (more fantastic than sleeping with super models every night?) and through that process, becomes more normal to us all. I like that he's smart. That's the bottom line. I'll root for the nerd, even if his movie is weighed down by constant product-placement.
5. The numbers don't lie. Just $10 million short of SPIDERMAN's opening ($104 as compared to the webbed private dancer's $114) on a standard three-day weekend, IRON MAN is making history. It's the second-biggest non-sequel opening ever, and the eighth-biggest three-day debut of all time. Eat that, skeptics. And then go see that. You will not be disappointed. Unless you're just a Debbie Downer who hates having a fantastic good time at the cinema. But I guess there's a superhero movie for you, too. It's called SUPERHERO MOVIE.
one more time for the kids: http://ironmanmovie.marvel.com/
1. Impeccable casting. Unlike ALL THREE SPIDERMAN MOVIES (Kirstin Dunst, you fraud!), this film nails it. From the sensational Robert Downey Jr., to Gwenyth Paltrow in her first blockbuster role since AUSTIN POWERS, to the over-the-top but actually kinda spot-on villain, Jeff Bridges, to the slightly useless but subtly humorous Terrance Howard, no role feels wrong. I'm even giving Clark Gregg a shout (Go SHIELD; you earned it).
2. Superior directing. Jon Favreau, WIMBLEDON was great...and so was ELF...and the even lesser known ZATHURA: A SPACE ADVENTURE...I'm being sarcastic. Congrats, this film will forever be your new calling card. It was funny where it needed to be, never heavy-handed and action-packed 'til the very end. And there was no f'ing Toby Maguire trying to sexy dance. Ugh. Get ready for the Jay Abrams big bucks, Fav, you're a member of the club. (And for the record, you're taking Brett Ratner's spot. X-MEN: THE LAST STAND, we're so over you.)
3. The dialogue is worth repeating, and the plot remains in tact throughout. There are a lot of good one-liners--probably more than a bit of ad-lib from RDJr, but if there's anyone who can run with it, he can. Did anyone see KISS, KISS, BANG, BANG? No? Well, you should have. And unlike superhero movies where plot holes are covered by a series of explosions (and/or dance numbers...) this movie gave adequate exposition without a two-hour long sequence in Siberia during which our hero hones his craft (yes, I slept through that, Christian Bale). You still have the back story, and as someone who didn't even know what or who Iorn Man was before seeing this movie, I jumped on board the plot (give or take a few errors in physics) very easily. The pace was steady, the humor consistent, all that. And in my opinion, that's how an action movie should unroll (PIRATES 3, I'm talking to you).
4. We root for the underdog. Not only is IRON MAN, like BATMAN, an unconventional superhero (i.e., he wasn't born on another planet or with birth mutations or bitten by something hairy), but his story is the fabulous stuff of fairy tale. Super rich super genius gets a heart and wants to save the world. Awwww. It's a pleasure to watch how a normal man (moulah and MENSA-status aside) begins leading a fantastic life (more fantastic than sleeping with super models every night?) and through that process, becomes more normal to us all. I like that he's smart. That's the bottom line. I'll root for the nerd, even if his movie is weighed down by constant product-placement.
5. The numbers don't lie. Just $10 million short of SPIDERMAN's opening ($104 as compared to the webbed private dancer's $114) on a standard three-day weekend, IRON MAN is making history. It's the second-biggest non-sequel opening ever, and the eighth-biggest three-day debut of all time. Eat that, skeptics. And then go see that. You will not be disappointed. Unless you're just a Debbie Downer who hates having a fantastic good time at the cinema. But I guess there's a superhero movie for you, too. It's called SUPERHERO MOVIE.
one more time for the kids: http://ironmanmovie.marvel.com/
jeudi 1 mai 2008
IRON MAN
Dear Summer Movie Season,
You may now begin.
You might still be tired from last year, when the top seven MPA sudios all crossed $1 billion in international receipts for the first time ever and you made cinematic history, but you're smart enough to know three seasons of sleep is enough hibernation. And this weekend, the film IRON MAN is giving you the right to jump-start, man up and kick into high gear.
Here we are, on the first day of May 2008--that's actually a bit early for you, I imagine--it's not even that hot outside--but I hope you're listening, because it's time for you to heat up. Just ask Robert Downey Jr. who lit the movie theatre screen on fire with his performance as Tony Stark. IRON MAN may be a lesser known suited man of mystery, but he is surely striking a claim on the Marvel movie space now. And with the delightful Gwyneth Paltrow at his side, he's sure to score big. Sure, there are other superhero movies worth anticipating in the coming months--DARK NIGHT and (for the purposes of argument) HANCOCK both hit in July, and though I don't really want to mention it, THE INCREDIBLE HULK is also nigh--but I argue now that there is no movie this summer that will rival the movie I just watched tonight. And so, my dear Summer Movie Season, bide your time no longer. You're officially ON. Chug a Red Bull if you have to; I usually do before a long drive.
Looking forward to spending time with you!
Also, please tell AMC to start serving kettle corn.
Thanks a mil,
--letop5
the plot: RDJr rocks a red suit.
the thought: GO, GO SEE IT NOW.
in five: 4.5/5 (I'm taking off .5 for some physics flaws...'cause I'm a nerd)
THE FILM (also known as the best super hero movie of the DECADE):
http://ironmanmovie.marvel.com/
+special mad props to JON FAVREAU, the ham director who put himself in at least four scenes. We ran into on our way out of the early (8pm) screening (he was going in for the 11pm). We told him his film rocked, he told us, "Hey, thanks." *HEARTS*
You may now begin.
You might still be tired from last year, when the top seven MPA sudios all crossed $1 billion in international receipts for the first time ever and you made cinematic history, but you're smart enough to know three seasons of sleep is enough hibernation. And this weekend, the film IRON MAN is giving you the right to jump-start, man up and kick into high gear.
Here we are, on the first day of May 2008--that's actually a bit early for you, I imagine--it's not even that hot outside--but I hope you're listening, because it's time for you to heat up. Just ask Robert Downey Jr. who lit the movie theatre screen on fire with his performance as Tony Stark. IRON MAN may be a lesser known suited man of mystery, but he is surely striking a claim on the Marvel movie space now. And with the delightful Gwyneth Paltrow at his side, he's sure to score big. Sure, there are other superhero movies worth anticipating in the coming months--DARK NIGHT and (for the purposes of argument) HANCOCK both hit in July, and though I don't really want to mention it, THE INCREDIBLE HULK is also nigh--but I argue now that there is no movie this summer that will rival the movie I just watched tonight. And so, my dear Summer Movie Season, bide your time no longer. You're officially ON. Chug a Red Bull if you have to; I usually do before a long drive.
Looking forward to spending time with you!
Also, please tell AMC to start serving kettle corn.
Thanks a mil,
--letop5
the plot: RDJr rocks a red suit.
the thought: GO, GO SEE IT NOW.
in five: 4.5/5 (I'm taking off .5 for some physics flaws...'cause I'm a nerd)
THE FILM (also known as the best super hero movie of the DECADE):
http://ironmanmovie.marvel.com/
+special mad props to JON FAVREAU, the ham director who put himself in at least four scenes. We ran into on our way out of the early (8pm) screening (he was going in for the 11pm). We told him his film rocked, he told us, "Hey, thanks." *HEARTS*
samedi 19 avril 2008
COLCOA Film Festival
COLCOA stands for "City of Lights, City of Angels," and it's my favorite film festival of the year in Fire City--officially, I just decided--because it's the French Film Festival. Offering a fanfare of world, US, California and Los Angeles premieres, COLCOA graced me this year with two films "tres attendus" (that means "very awaited"): Cedric Klapisch's PARIS and Claude Lelouch's ROMAN DE GARE, the latter of which I'd missed seeing while living in Paris. I also caught Jan Kounen's latest mean feature, 99 FRANCS, and saw the slightly bland but harmless comedy, LA VIE D'ARTISTE. In order, from love to "bof" (that means "whatever"), I rate them....
1. J'adore ROMAN DE GARE. It's the film that introduced me to the genius of Claude Lelouch, the French director who has been making films for 50 years--who has made 41 films to date--and sadly whose films, for some reason, I hadn't previously seen. It beautifully combines four major film genres (psychological thriller, romantic comedy, drama and mystery...and AWESOME!) and keeps you guessing right up to it's suddenly cliche but somehow still delightful conclusion.
PLOT: Nothing is what you expect. (Vague, but that's the plot.)
THOUGHT: Start thinking and enjoy it.
IN FIVE: 4.5/5
2. Je veux achete 99 FRANCS. This film is dark, twisty and wonderful, right from its greasy opening shots: move from fabulous overblown street advert, to man attempting suicide (and succeeding), to washed up ad exec recovering from a bad drug trip--and the journey has just begun. It hates the ad industry it extols from start to finish, and it isn't scared to stab itself in the eye. And I don't even know what that means, but that's the truth. Oh, and the soundtrack was off the hook.
PLOT: Everything is definitely for sale.
THOUGHT: Might as well buy it.
IN FIVE: 4.5/5
3. Comme la ville soi-meme, PARIS m'a vraiment boulverse. Maybe that's because I'd wanted to see it for so long. I first caught the trailer from the L'AUBERGE ESPAGNOLE director about two months ago online, and I'll admit, it made me cry. I longed to go back to that city the minute she appeared on scene. And naturally, the film lived up to the fantasm (is that a word?) of images I'd conjured in my head based on the romantic trailer alone. Like a bittersweetly un-violent version of CRASH, Oscar winner of '06, PARIS pans a city and its regulars with an unflinching eye, catching them at their best, their worst, their most alive. And yes, it made me cry. Again, great music.
PLOT: There is nowhere like here.
THOUGHT: So can I get there?
IN FIVE: 4.5/5 (notice a trend? perfection is hard to attain)
4. Je ne veux pas etre coincee dans LA VIE D'ARTISTE. No thank you. The one "bof" of the weekend, the Fitoussi film chronicled the sadly depressing lives of a number of struggling artists fumbling towards failed ecstasy in the City of Lights. That's not why I wasn't that intrigued--I can deal with a depressing movie, don't worry--it's simply this film...had no salt, no spark. It was a little typical, a little too French. It was a cornucopia with no fruit. And again, I don't know exactly what that means, but it's the truth.
PLOT: Being famous is mostly luck.
THOUGHT: The rest is probably fruit.
IN FIVE: 2.5/5
THE FESTIVAL: http://www.colcoa.org/2008/home/index.asp
THE FILMS (in the order i saw them):
99 francs - http://www.99francs-lefilm.com/
roman de gare - http://www.lesfilms13.com/romandegare/
paris - http://www.lefilm-paris.com/
la vie d'artiste - http://www.hautetcourt.com/fiche.php?pkfilms=129
1. J'adore ROMAN DE GARE. It's the film that introduced me to the genius of Claude Lelouch, the French director who has been making films for 50 years--who has made 41 films to date--and sadly whose films, for some reason, I hadn't previously seen. It beautifully combines four major film genres (psychological thriller, romantic comedy, drama and mystery...and AWESOME!) and keeps you guessing right up to it's suddenly cliche but somehow still delightful conclusion.
PLOT: Nothing is what you expect. (Vague, but that's the plot.)
THOUGHT: Start thinking and enjoy it.
IN FIVE: 4.5/5
2. Je veux achete 99 FRANCS. This film is dark, twisty and wonderful, right from its greasy opening shots: move from fabulous overblown street advert, to man attempting suicide (and succeeding), to washed up ad exec recovering from a bad drug trip--and the journey has just begun. It hates the ad industry it extols from start to finish, and it isn't scared to stab itself in the eye. And I don't even know what that means, but that's the truth. Oh, and the soundtrack was off the hook.
PLOT: Everything is definitely for sale.
THOUGHT: Might as well buy it.
IN FIVE: 4.5/5
3. Comme la ville soi-meme, PARIS m'a vraiment boulverse. Maybe that's because I'd wanted to see it for so long. I first caught the trailer from the L'AUBERGE ESPAGNOLE director about two months ago online, and I'll admit, it made me cry. I longed to go back to that city the minute she appeared on scene. And naturally, the film lived up to the fantasm (is that a word?) of images I'd conjured in my head based on the romantic trailer alone. Like a bittersweetly un-violent version of CRASH, Oscar winner of '06, PARIS pans a city and its regulars with an unflinching eye, catching them at their best, their worst, their most alive. And yes, it made me cry. Again, great music.
PLOT: There is nowhere like here.
THOUGHT: So can I get there?
IN FIVE: 4.5/5 (notice a trend? perfection is hard to attain)
4. Je ne veux pas etre coincee dans LA VIE D'ARTISTE. No thank you. The one "bof" of the weekend, the Fitoussi film chronicled the sadly depressing lives of a number of struggling artists fumbling towards failed ecstasy in the City of Lights. That's not why I wasn't that intrigued--I can deal with a depressing movie, don't worry--it's simply this film...had no salt, no spark. It was a little typical, a little too French. It was a cornucopia with no fruit. And again, I don't know exactly what that means, but it's the truth.
PLOT: Being famous is mostly luck.
THOUGHT: The rest is probably fruit.
IN FIVE: 2.5/5
THE FESTIVAL: http://www.colcoa.org/2008/home/index.asp
THE FILMS (in the order i saw them):
99 francs - http://www.99francs-lefilm.com/
roman de gare - http://www.lesfilms13.com/romandegare/
paris - http://www.lefilm-paris.com/
la vie d'artiste - http://www.hautetcourt.com/fiche.php?pkfilms=129
dimanche 13 avril 2008
Do I please easy?: Friday night's dinner at DOLCE
When it comes to restaurants, you grade them essentially how Johnny Drama grades talent agencies on the HBO series "Entourage." Pick a few categories and rate them all according to a bar of standard excellence. My categories are:
1. decor
2. wait staff
3. food
4. drinks (yes, I separate food and drinks)
5. ambiance
Well, Friday night, out with Connecticut and a group of her friends from back home, Dolce set the bar high. This "enoteca e ristorante" gets just about a "FIVE" (as in an A+) in all categories! Crazy?
The restaurant, backed, like Geisha House, by the previously punk'ing, presently restaurant-mogul'ing Ashton Kutcher, outshines Geisha by ten. Where Geisha is trendy-meets-kitsch with its predominantly red day-glo-esque lighting and phony, wandering geishas, DOLCE is purposefully upscale. It is dark and lovely inside, with cool textured tables and all-mirrored bathrooms (yes, you have to watch yourself pee). The wait-staff, however, does not have a lick of the upturned nose that annoyed me at Geisha. Except for the women at the door who seem to be skeptical of anyone claiming to have a reservation, the staff overall was friendly, brighter than the lighting and worthy of a generous tip. Our waitress, a British girl who whispered the prices of everything to one of the frugal lawyers in our group, even laughed when we cracked an Ashton "Did I just get punk'd?" joke--even though she must get them ALL the TIME.
The drinks were especially of note: the bartender at the firelit bar (no, really, there's a fire behind him) had a dashing smile and was talkative about his favorite cocktails. One friend got the signature Dolce cocktail, and its fruity flavor inspired her to sip on a second soon after. I had a Veev ginger something-or-other that was giggly good, and later the forty-page wine selection did not disappoint. But a round of cocktails and two bottles of some Italian red later (sorry, I don't remember which wine), our conversation still contained favorable commentary on the great food.
I started with the tuna tartare, which was IMMACULATE (the crispy wantons were a delicious touch), and I entree'd on the mushroom risotto. The risotto was large enough that I took half of it home, and trust me, even Saturday morning cold from the fridge, it was ridiculously good. Our waitress, at our behest, dusted all the food with fresh ground pepper and grated Parmesan there at the table. Nice touch.
So once again:
1. decor - 4.5 (it is just a touch too dark in there)
2. wait staff - 5
3. food - 5
4. drinks - 5
5. ambiance - 5
Final note on this gushing, long-winded tale: Go for the creme brulee for dessert. Oh so right.
THE RESTAURANT: http://dolcegroup.com/dolce/
1. decor
2. wait staff
3. food
4. drinks (yes, I separate food and drinks)
5. ambiance
Well, Friday night, out with Connecticut and a group of her friends from back home, Dolce set the bar high. This "enoteca e ristorante" gets just about a "FIVE" (as in an A+) in all categories! Crazy?
The restaurant, backed, like Geisha House, by the previously punk'ing, presently restaurant-mogul'ing Ashton Kutcher, outshines Geisha by ten. Where Geisha is trendy-meets-kitsch with its predominantly red day-glo-esque lighting and phony, wandering geishas, DOLCE is purposefully upscale. It is dark and lovely inside, with cool textured tables and all-mirrored bathrooms (yes, you have to watch yourself pee). The wait-staff, however, does not have a lick of the upturned nose that annoyed me at Geisha. Except for the women at the door who seem to be skeptical of anyone claiming to have a reservation, the staff overall was friendly, brighter than the lighting and worthy of a generous tip. Our waitress, a British girl who whispered the prices of everything to one of the frugal lawyers in our group, even laughed when we cracked an Ashton "Did I just get punk'd?" joke--even though she must get them ALL the TIME.
The drinks were especially of note: the bartender at the firelit bar (no, really, there's a fire behind him) had a dashing smile and was talkative about his favorite cocktails. One friend got the signature Dolce cocktail, and its fruity flavor inspired her to sip on a second soon after. I had a Veev ginger something-or-other that was giggly good, and later the forty-page wine selection did not disappoint. But a round of cocktails and two bottles of some Italian red later (sorry, I don't remember which wine), our conversation still contained favorable commentary on the great food.
I started with the tuna tartare, which was IMMACULATE (the crispy wantons were a delicious touch), and I entree'd on the mushroom risotto. The risotto was large enough that I took half of it home, and trust me, even Saturday morning cold from the fridge, it was ridiculously good. Our waitress, at our behest, dusted all the food with fresh ground pepper and grated Parmesan there at the table. Nice touch.
So once again:
1. decor - 4.5 (it is just a touch too dark in there)
2. wait staff - 5
3. food - 5
4. drinks - 5
5. ambiance - 5
Final note on this gushing, long-winded tale: Go for the creme brulee for dessert. Oh so right.
THE RESTAURANT: http://dolcegroup.com/dolce/
mercredi 2 avril 2008
I do well on sofas: brunch at TOAST
Last weekend, I had the joy of hosting a great friend here in Fire City; we'll call her Curly Beast. Curly Beast was scheduled to fly in at 10pm on a Friday, out at 9am on the Monday following, and since Sunday was already relegated to a full-day journey to our youth at Disneyland, we really just had about 24hrs to see the sights. Believe you me, we hit the ground running.
Friday night straight from the aeroport, we met up with my boyz and partied til early morning, and though the Tanqueray in our veins (er, livers) told us to stay on the down-low, we woke up that hazy Saturday needing good eats. No time like post-booze time to try the mid-town brunchy hotspot, TOAST.
Despite Toast's mid-high ratings online (where its reviews OFTEN involved LOTS of caps, evidently to communicate only the highest order of TRUE LOVE), I was still a notch skeptical. There were rumors of celebrity sightings, long lines and longer waits that smacked of nightclubs I tend to avoid. But the eyebrows of everyone to whom I tentatively revealed our tentative plans earlier in the week went skyward in appreciation once I uttered the name of the restau. And then their eyes would widen, their mouths would drop open and they would speak in all caps: "Oh, I LOVE Toast. You'll LOVE Toast. You should DEFINITELY eat AT TOAST."
It was like hypnosis. And so we ate at Toast.
TOP FIVE REASONS WHY TOAST IS WORTH ALL THE HYPE
1. Exterior decor - outside, there are uncovered tables, tables under canopies, tables almost dumping into the street--but not in a bad way. And yeah, there is a long line but it clumps so happily between all these tables, it's less akin to a bouncer's nightmare than to a bunch of kids trying to see into a candy shop. Cute.
2. Interior decor - the chair situation inside varies from barstools and long-legged round tables to your standard connect-four to comfy, earthy-colored couches with low coffee tables buckled against them. It feels like your living room, if your living room were a cafe.
3. Wait staff - Friendly, jovial, helpful and knowledgeable about all the food--and not in a "please tip me" way, but as if they're your friends. Or my friends. They're not your friends. They're mine.
4. The egg scrambles.
3. The omelettes.
4. The never-ending hot coffee.
5. The generous fruit salad.
'Cause shouldn't eating be about the food?
the restaurant: http://www.toastbakerycafe.net/
(But early warning: arrive before 11am, or you might get so hungry waiting, you end up eating your arm before you get a table)
Friday night straight from the aeroport, we met up with my boyz and partied til early morning, and though the Tanqueray in our veins (er, livers) told us to stay on the down-low, we woke up that hazy Saturday needing good eats. No time like post-booze time to try the mid-town brunchy hotspot, TOAST.
Despite Toast's mid-high ratings online (where its reviews OFTEN involved LOTS of caps, evidently to communicate only the highest order of TRUE LOVE), I was still a notch skeptical. There were rumors of celebrity sightings, long lines and longer waits that smacked of nightclubs I tend to avoid. But the eyebrows of everyone to whom I tentatively revealed our tentative plans earlier in the week went skyward in appreciation once I uttered the name of the restau. And then their eyes would widen, their mouths would drop open and they would speak in all caps: "Oh, I LOVE Toast. You'll LOVE Toast. You should DEFINITELY eat AT TOAST."
It was like hypnosis. And so we ate at Toast.
TOP FIVE REASONS WHY TOAST IS WORTH ALL THE HYPE
1. Exterior decor - outside, there are uncovered tables, tables under canopies, tables almost dumping into the street--but not in a bad way. And yeah, there is a long line but it clumps so happily between all these tables, it's less akin to a bouncer's nightmare than to a bunch of kids trying to see into a candy shop. Cute.
2. Interior decor - the chair situation inside varies from barstools and long-legged round tables to your standard connect-four to comfy, earthy-colored couches with low coffee tables buckled against them. It feels like your living room, if your living room were a cafe.
3. Wait staff - Friendly, jovial, helpful and knowledgeable about all the food--and not in a "please tip me" way, but as if they're your friends. Or my friends. They're not your friends. They're mine.
4. The egg scrambles.
3. The omelettes.
4. The never-ending hot coffee.
5. The generous fruit salad.
'Cause shouldn't eating be about the food?
the restaurant: http://www.toastbakerycafe.net/
(But early warning: arrive before 11am, or you might get so hungry waiting, you end up eating your arm before you get a table)
dimanche 23 mars 2008
Amy Winehouse: BACK TO BLACK
I recently bought Amy Winehouse's second album, the Grammy Award-winning "Back to Black." I bought it, not because I particularly cared more for her music than, say, Lupe Fiasco's (If you are what you say you are...), but because I realised last week I have something incredibly in common with her. If you know me and you know her, you'll know what it is--and no, it isn't the crack itch. Once I realised we shared two initials, I decided I had to buy her CD. Sounds silly, but it's the absolute truth.
I knew the song "Rehab," but none of the others, and I only recently grew aware of the fact it swept the Grammy's with four wins (four right?). It's only 10 tracks long, but it was on sale at Target for $11.58, so I said, "SCORE! I still hate the radio, and I'm tired of my mix CD's!" and gave it a buy.
Upon first listen, I easily determined there were four songs that stood out, and I immediately grew skeptical as to why all ten songs garnered the win for album of the year. Four songs is less than half. And since my opinion on her music was obviously identical if not superior to the entire Recording Academy's, I couldn't see why they voted on her so favorably.
But much like the crack-album release of last year (Justin Timberlake's FUTURE SEX/LOVE SOUNDS, if you didn't know--not because he necessarily did crack, but because his music IS like crack), this album got better with every listen.
5 Reasons Why Amy Winehouse's BACK TO BLACK is worth repeat audio exposure:
1. The songs "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good," "Back to Black," and "Tears Dry on Their Own," not necessarily in that order.
2. The record is produced by Mike Ronson, who we (and by "we," I mean "I") also love.
3. It's her singing. No electronic gizmos altering her voice to make it sound like it's coming through a space heater. Sometimes there are warbles, but there's always emotion, and she's mostly all divine.
4. It's great driving music. It's great shower music. It's great cooking music. It's great lounge music. It's great eating, talking, hanging out and listening music. It's great music.
5. Even though she originally said "No, No, No," she did, eventually, go to rehab. And we should support that.
THE ARTIST: http://www.amywinehouse.co.uk/
I knew the song "Rehab," but none of the others, and I only recently grew aware of the fact it swept the Grammy's with four wins (four right?). It's only 10 tracks long, but it was on sale at Target for $11.58, so I said, "SCORE! I still hate the radio, and I'm tired of my mix CD's!" and gave it a buy.
Upon first listen, I easily determined there were four songs that stood out, and I immediately grew skeptical as to why all ten songs garnered the win for album of the year. Four songs is less than half. And since my opinion on her music was obviously identical if not superior to the entire Recording Academy's, I couldn't see why they voted on her so favorably.
But much like the crack-album release of last year (Justin Timberlake's FUTURE SEX/LOVE SOUNDS, if you didn't know--not because he necessarily did crack, but because his music IS like crack), this album got better with every listen.
5 Reasons Why Amy Winehouse's BACK TO BLACK is worth repeat audio exposure:
1. The songs "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good," "Back to Black," and "Tears Dry on Their Own," not necessarily in that order.
2. The record is produced by Mike Ronson, who we (and by "we," I mean "I") also love.
3. It's her singing. No electronic gizmos altering her voice to make it sound like it's coming through a space heater. Sometimes there are warbles, but there's always emotion, and she's mostly all divine.
4. It's great driving music. It's great shower music. It's great cooking music. It's great lounge music. It's great eating, talking, hanging out and listening music. It's great music.
5. Even though she originally said "No, No, No," she did, eventually, go to rehab. And we should support that.
THE ARTIST: http://www.amywinehouse.co.uk/
samedi 15 mars 2008
Staight men don't wear Prada: my Feb issue of GQ
Imagine this: a straight man wearing Prada. It's like a gay man wearing Sketchers. It's sweetly intriguing, but otherwise revolting. Not to be done. A straight man sporting Prada is like a straight man donning Dolce & G.
February GQ with Rachel Bilson on the cover = way too many Prada ads. And by "way too many," I mean the first one that's about five pages in. Too many slimly fit obviously viscose-blend cardigans. I'm over you.
Sure, you'll argue, "Is GQ intended for straight men? I mean, really. Really. (pause) No, really."
And you know, suddenly I'll realise...I guess you've got a point. The "Q" on the cover of the month of March is pink, after all.
Five reasons why GQ is still my favorite magazine:
1. There are no waif-like girls selling me their phony slim-down secrets. (I KNOW the recipe for the ultimate slim down, okay? It's a diet of Evian water and Columbian nose candy!)
2. Its writers are very obviously pretentious, left-wing, ex-frat boy alcoholics.
3. The intern who writes Editor-in-Chief Jim Nelson's monthly letter is really witty.
4. The intern who writes the magazine's closer "Open Letter" is also a notch above droll. (Give that kid a RAISE already!)
5. The photo spreads are fabulous. Prada ads and all.
the magazine: http://men.style.com/gq
February GQ with Rachel Bilson on the cover = way too many Prada ads. And by "way too many," I mean the first one that's about five pages in. Too many slimly fit obviously viscose-blend cardigans. I'm over you.
Sure, you'll argue, "Is GQ intended for straight men? I mean, really. Really. (pause) No, really."
And you know, suddenly I'll realise...I guess you've got a point. The "Q" on the cover of the month of March is pink, after all.
Five reasons why GQ is still my favorite magazine:
1. There are no waif-like girls selling me their phony slim-down secrets. (I KNOW the recipe for the ultimate slim down, okay? It's a diet of Evian water and Columbian nose candy!)
2. Its writers are very obviously pretentious, left-wing, ex-frat boy alcoholics.
3. The intern who writes Editor-in-Chief Jim Nelson's monthly letter is really witty.
4. The intern who writes the magazine's closer "Open Letter" is also a notch above droll. (Give that kid a RAISE already!)
5. The photo spreads are fabulous. Prada ads and all.
the magazine: http://men.style.com/gq
lundi 10 mars 2008
Movie of the Moment: STEP UP 2 THE STREETS
09march08
STEP UP 2 THE STREETS
Five reasons why:
1. The tag line, which has two dangling prepositions. Count em: "It's not where you're from. It's where you're at."
2. The lack of a colon in the title, leaving the viewer/reader to question, "Is the title 'Step up 2: the streets' or 'Step up TO the streets'?" We may never know.
3. The deeply intriguing and emotionally riveting plot.
4. No, now here's a real reason: the dancing. It is sic, and I am jealous. Who needs a plot when you're pop-and-locking in the rain?
5. "Boots with the fur." Those four words really say everything I mean to say.
the plot: Dance...then rain...more dance....
the thought: I really don't have one.
out of five: 5/5!!!!!
the movie (4.9/10 stars on IMDB): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1023481/
STEP UP 2 THE STREETS
Five reasons why:
1. The tag line, which has two dangling prepositions. Count em: "It's not where you're from. It's where you're at."
2. The lack of a colon in the title, leaving the viewer/reader to question, "Is the title 'Step up 2: the streets' or 'Step up TO the streets'?" We may never know.
3. The deeply intriguing and emotionally riveting plot.
4. No, now here's a real reason: the dancing. It is sic, and I am jealous. Who needs a plot when you're pop-and-locking in the rain?
5. "Boots with the fur." Those four words really say everything I mean to say.
the plot: Dance...then rain...more dance....
the thought: I really don't have one.
out of five: 5/5!!!!!
the movie (4.9/10 stars on IMDB): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1023481/
lundi 11 juin 2007
LA MOME
http://www.tfmdistribution.com/lamome/lamome.htm
plot : Edith Piaf is a legend.
thought : Edith Piaf is a legend.
I cannot instantly recall any other French biopic. Oh wait, here are a couple recents--Jean de la Fontaine, and also MOLIERE (with my favorite French actor, Romain DURIS, cutie). I bet I could search on Google and eventually find a few more--but I also have a feeling Gerard Depardieu as CYRANO DE BERGERAC would probably come up first. So I'm just going to put out there that, perhaps, LA MOME is going to be the first wide-release French biopic. And it is a sensation. I don't expect it to do nearly as well abroad, of course, as it has done here in France, but I do hope and believe it will be well-received. We have used RAY and WALK THE LINE as our biopic measuring bars for anything the 2007 box office will attempt to throw (and appropriately, it has thrown nothing), but I aruge that this film again will raise the bar.
You may not have heard of Marion COTILLARD before this film. She plays Russell Crowe's love
interest in A GOOD YEAR. Yeah, didn't see it. But in this movie, I can't even say she "plays" the role of Edith Piaf, the most admired, renowed female French singer of the past century (in my opinion). Cotillard, in fact, is Edith Piaf so precisely, so wholly, she swept me away into believing I was watching "la môme" herself on screen.
The story, as well, is phenomenal. I admire the research and study that the makers of this film, particularly our director and chief writer Olivier DAHAN, obviously persued to create a film that seems to so accurately depict the emotional pitfalls and professional triumphs of this woman's musical career. It is delivered in an effectively engaging non-chronological style with fast editing and none of the typical French cinematic silence. It's a movie about a musician, after all ! The music is weep-worthy. The power in Edith Piaf's voice and the emotion of every note is enough to make this movie a classic, but Cotillard's sensational acting drives it home. An unforgettable life captured on screen.
Scene that sings : Immediately after Piaf reencounters her lover, Marcel, in her apartment after he takes a plane to see her.
Overall rating : 4.5/5
plot : Edith Piaf is a legend.
thought : Edith Piaf is a legend.
I cannot instantly recall any other French biopic. Oh wait, here are a couple recents--Jean de la Fontaine, and also MOLIERE (with my favorite French actor, Romain DURIS, cutie). I bet I could search on Google and eventually find a few more--but I also have a feeling Gerard Depardieu as CYRANO DE BERGERAC would probably come up first. So I'm just going to put out there that, perhaps, LA MOME is going to be the first wide-release French biopic. And it is a sensation. I don't expect it to do nearly as well abroad, of course, as it has done here in France, but I do hope and believe it will be well-received. We have used RAY and WALK THE LINE as our biopic measuring bars for anything the 2007 box office will attempt to throw (and appropriately, it has thrown nothing), but I aruge that this film again will raise the bar.
You may not have heard of Marion COTILLARD before this film. She plays Russell Crowe's love
interest in A GOOD YEAR. Yeah, didn't see it. But in this movie, I can't even say she "plays" the role of Edith Piaf, the most admired, renowed female French singer of the past century (in my opinion). Cotillard, in fact, is Edith Piaf so precisely, so wholly, she swept me away into believing I was watching "la môme" herself on screen.
The story, as well, is phenomenal. I admire the research and study that the makers of this film, particularly our director and chief writer Olivier DAHAN, obviously persued to create a film that seems to so accurately depict the emotional pitfalls and professional triumphs of this woman's musical career. It is delivered in an effectively engaging non-chronological style with fast editing and none of the typical French cinematic silence. It's a movie about a musician, after all ! The music is weep-worthy. The power in Edith Piaf's voice and the emotion of every note is enough to make this movie a classic, but Cotillard's sensational acting drives it home. An unforgettable life captured on screen.
Scene that sings : Immediately after Piaf reencounters her lover, Marcel, in her apartment after he takes a plane to see her.
Overall rating : 4.5/5
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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