It's so sad, I've been gone so long, I've considered not coming back. You see, it's time I explain my hiatus. As my long-winded soujourn in France dwindled to a close and I began hopping from apartment to apartment like bees to flowers, I just didn't have the TIME to keep up with all the movies I was seeing. But movies, I did see.
I never intended for this blog to be one of those online "this is my life" journals, but my life entered a sort of upheavel at the end of July (leaving one apartment to house-sit in another, to vacation in another, to finally, eventually leave Paris), and I got more caught up in that than the meat of this blog, so I just quit writing. The blog was started for me to document the movies I'd seen, and my life was turning into a movie. So the question became : to write or not to write ?
Well, here I am. And I will write, still, about movies. My life is a little steadier now--I'm back in the US and planning my Westward journey to the land of milk & money, so I again have the time to write. Limited, but it's something I want to do. Movies make my world go round (is that cheesy ?), so I have the express desire to remember which movies I've seen, when and why. It's my ego. Blame my ego.
During my last two weeks living down the street from the Louvre (or "up" the street if you consider walking away from the Seine heading up--which you should, because that's north) and attending the #1 movie theatre in France, UGC Cine Cite Les Halles, I saw seven films.
1. HOT FUZZ - British cops against the neighborhoood. - 4/5 stars
2. HEAD ON (rental, German, otherwise known as GEGEN DIE WAND) - Love is a car wreck. - 4/5 stars
3. A VERY BRITISH GANGSTER - This gay, British thug's life. - 3/5 stars
4. YOU KILL ME - Sir Kingsley is Sir Awkward. - 2.5/5 stars
5. TRANSFORMERS - Mmm, I heart Shea LeBoeuf. - 3.5/5 stars
6. SIMPSONS - Like the show, but longer. - 3.5/5 stars
7. RAISON D'ETAT (otherwise knows as THE GOOD SHEPHERD) - Made sense the second time. - 3.5/5 stars
During the month of August while living two streets over from the Bastille (one of Paris' most historical and most night-party-friendly hotspots), I saw four films, most at UGC Bercy Village, a beautiful, new theatre off the lovely line 14 metro.
1. MISE A PRIX (otherwise known as SMOKIN ACES) - Good until the feel-good ending. - 2.5/5 stars
2. LES FANTOMES DE GOYA (otherwise known as GOYA'S GHOSTS) - Art shouldn't be this boring. - 2/5 stars
3. CARAMEL - Sticky and sweet, like life. - 4/5 stars
4. RATATOUILLE - Mmm, that rat made me hungry. - 4/5 stars
I saw one last film at the end of August, again at UGC Les Halles, because I was living in the Marais, the gay/Jewish district of Paris...meaning it's the cleanest, safest and has the best food. Excellent. The movie of choice :
1. 3 AMIS (look, a French film !) - Where are my French friends ? - 3.5/5 stars
And finally, since returning to the good ol' US of A (I've been here two weeks), I've seen three films, all in the Dallas area.
1. HAIRSPRAY - Song and dance on sugar high. - 3.5/5 stars
2. SUPERBAD - Wedding Crashers meets American Pie - 3/5stars (I really wanted to like it more...but it just was too over-hyped for me)
3. THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM - Hey, Bourne, ya done yet ? - 4/5 stars
I'm still wanting to catch KNOCKED UP and ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. Anyone know where I can find 'em ? Anyone ? Anyone ?
Now that I'm back in the States, the movie-watching is sure to slow down. I mean, in Paris, it was "gratuit" (that means "free"), and here...well, I have no job. Maybe I'll turn to Netflix, Greencine or Blockbuster.com. Who knows ? But I still love a good movie. So I'll be back.
vendredi 21 septembre 2007
samedi 21 juillet 2007
HALF NELSON
http://www.halfnelsonthefilm.com/
plot : My teacher is a pusher.
thought : Not only in the 'hood.
The motivation to see this film was simple : what's that Ryan Gosling up to ? HALF NELSON garnered the once-NOTEBOOK star an Oscar nomination. I wanted to see why. From the poster, I figured he went into some project neighborhood and changed the lives of a few students, in a DANGEROUS MINDS meets SAVE THE LAST DANCE kind of way.
Sometimes I think I should start reading film synopses before watching the film.
For starters, the film is about a teacher named Dan DUNNE (Gosling) with a heavy drug problem who needs someone to step in and change his life. Gosling plays the part well, though I must admit I'm not quite sure why he got the Oscar nod. (Hollywood star playing a drug addict, does that qualify as acting ?...oh, did I go there ? I went there.) I was surprised, because I only believed him 75% of the time. But then again, when I did believe him, I was truley convinced.
But aside from Gosling--once I figured out the heart of the story, I naturally found it intriguing, because of my own obsession with this subject matter, i.e. the slow descent of an isolated individual under the eyes of a caring society. This happens in many forms : drug use, depression, eating disorders, etc. To see it happen, in this story, to a teacher who actively attempts to serve as a role model about 50% of his day, is very striking. And seeing the relationship this teacher thankfully establishes with one of his students, played by the spot-on young actress Shareeka EPPS (no relation to HOUSE MD's loveable Omar EPPS), renders the story that much more poignant.
Thank goodness for Gosling's Oscar nom, or HALF NELSON may have remained a completely overlooked gem of 2006. Lucky for me, France picked it up off the world market.
NOTE : I was also insanely PSYCHED to bear witness to the wonderful ear-gasm that is this movie's soundtrack. Broken Social Scene from start to finish. Amazing music matched to amazing footage makes for an amazing movie.
Overall rating : 4/5
plot : My teacher is a pusher.
thought : Not only in the 'hood.
The motivation to see this film was simple : what's that Ryan Gosling up to ? HALF NELSON garnered the once-NOTEBOOK star an Oscar nomination. I wanted to see why. From the poster, I figured he went into some project neighborhood and changed the lives of a few students, in a DANGEROUS MINDS meets SAVE THE LAST DANCE kind of way.
Sometimes I think I should start reading film synopses before watching the film.
For starters, the film is about a teacher named Dan DUNNE (Gosling) with a heavy drug problem who needs someone to step in and change his life. Gosling plays the part well, though I must admit I'm not quite sure why he got the Oscar nod. (Hollywood star playing a drug addict, does that qualify as acting ?...oh, did I go there ? I went there.) I was surprised, because I only believed him 75% of the time. But then again, when I did believe him, I was truley convinced.
But aside from Gosling--once I figured out the heart of the story, I naturally found it intriguing, because of my own obsession with this subject matter, i.e. the slow descent of an isolated individual under the eyes of a caring society. This happens in many forms : drug use, depression, eating disorders, etc. To see it happen, in this story, to a teacher who actively attempts to serve as a role model about 50% of his day, is very striking. And seeing the relationship this teacher thankfully establishes with one of his students, played by the spot-on young actress Shareeka EPPS (no relation to HOUSE MD's loveable Omar EPPS), renders the story that much more poignant.
Thank goodness for Gosling's Oscar nom, or HALF NELSON may have remained a completely overlooked gem of 2006. Lucky for me, France picked it up off the world market.
NOTE : I was also insanely PSYCHED to bear witness to the wonderful ear-gasm that is this movie's soundtrack. Broken Social Scene from start to finish. Amazing music matched to amazing footage makes for an amazing movie.
Overall rating : 4/5
HARRY POTTER V
http://harrypotter.warnerbros.fr/site/index.html
plot : Young Potter grows a pair.
thought : Guess I'll forgive your horse-humping.
As the fifth installement in the Harry Potter film franchise, HARRY POTTER ET L'ORDRE DU PHENIX (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, non ?) does not disappoint. The action is still building, the story surging forward, becoming darker, as promised, and hence, much more interesting. The biggest change--and a change for the better, I'd say--came from Harry.
In the first Potter film, I really found young Harry quite charming. Cute. Had that little scratch on his little forehead. Winced a lot. But every film since then, he has bored and annoyed me. I think I might be an isolated case, but I've consistently found the supporting cast of each Potter movie more engaging than its principal hero. Harry's mopey attitude made me think Daniel RADCLIFFE was feeling mopey about the contract he signed. But hark and lo and never say never : Phoenix's Harry has changed. Maybe it's just that Radcliffe has rediscovered the character. But perhaps it had something to do with is brief stint on the London stage earlier this year appearing in EQUUS when he humped that horse.
Phoenix's Harry has depth ; he's becoming a man. The film is dark and deals with some subject matter that, frankly, I'm not sure I'd want the original eight-year old Potter crowd to be watching--but this Harry can handle it, and he does. Without feeling too much like a financially-bloated commercial for the upcoming sequel (like a certain PIRATES movie that may or may not have come out summer '06), ORDER OF THE PHOENIX will leave you excited to see the continuation of what is becoming an epic fantasy adventure. And if you know how to read, you already know what happens next ! Lucky.
Overall rating : 4/5
plot : Young Potter grows a pair.
thought : Guess I'll forgive your horse-humping.
As the fifth installement in the Harry Potter film franchise, HARRY POTTER ET L'ORDRE DU PHENIX (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, non ?) does not disappoint. The action is still building, the story surging forward, becoming darker, as promised, and hence, much more interesting. The biggest change--and a change for the better, I'd say--came from Harry.
In the first Potter film, I really found young Harry quite charming. Cute. Had that little scratch on his little forehead. Winced a lot. But every film since then, he has bored and annoyed me. I think I might be an isolated case, but I've consistently found the supporting cast of each Potter movie more engaging than its principal hero. Harry's mopey attitude made me think Daniel RADCLIFFE was feeling mopey about the contract he signed. But hark and lo and never say never : Phoenix's Harry has changed. Maybe it's just that Radcliffe has rediscovered the character. But perhaps it had something to do with is brief stint on the London stage earlier this year appearing in EQUUS when he humped that horse.
Phoenix's Harry has depth ; he's becoming a man. The film is dark and deals with some subject matter that, frankly, I'm not sure I'd want the original eight-year old Potter crowd to be watching--but this Harry can handle it, and he does. Without feeling too much like a financially-bloated commercial for the upcoming sequel (like a certain PIRATES movie that may or may not have come out summer '06), ORDER OF THE PHOENIX will leave you excited to see the continuation of what is becoming an epic fantasy adventure. And if you know how to read, you already know what happens next ! Lucky.
Overall rating : 4/5
2 DAYS IN PARIS
http://www.rezofilms.com/rezo.html
plot : Meet the very French parents.
thought : Best viewed while speaking Fringlish.
In short, it unrolled like BEFORE SUNRISE (sunset ?), but with more interesting conversation.
In long, Julie Delpy's first stab behind the camera is a more-or-less enjoyable romantic comedy--especially for those who understand all the social nuances between the French and Americans, or even more specifically between Parisians and New Yorkers. I'm not quite that person, but I still followed rather well. What I loved most, in fact--blame me for being an American Studies major and a French minor--was this exchange between two iconic cultures played out through both body and oral language. At turns the film was distinctly French (feathery, pretty, but a bit hard to tolerate) and at other times pointedly American (coarse, complicated, and a bit hard to tolerate). By the end, even though I had laughed a few times and smiled and frowned a bit too, I was glad it was over. Perhaps that's the fault of Adam GOLDBERG and his heavy, heavy New York stereotype. But then again, maybe he was spot on. After all, I've never been to New York.
Overall rating : 3/5 for cultural sensitivity
plot : Meet the very French parents.
thought : Best viewed while speaking Fringlish.
In short, it unrolled like BEFORE SUNRISE (sunset ?), but with more interesting conversation.
In long, Julie Delpy's first stab behind the camera is a more-or-less enjoyable romantic comedy--especially for those who understand all the social nuances between the French and Americans, or even more specifically between Parisians and New Yorkers. I'm not quite that person, but I still followed rather well. What I loved most, in fact--blame me for being an American Studies major and a French minor--was this exchange between two iconic cultures played out through both body and oral language. At turns the film was distinctly French (feathery, pretty, but a bit hard to tolerate) and at other times pointedly American (coarse, complicated, and a bit hard to tolerate). By the end, even though I had laughed a few times and smiled and frowned a bit too, I was glad it was over. Perhaps that's the fault of Adam GOLDBERG and his heavy, heavy New York stereotype. But then again, maybe he was spot on. After all, I've never been to New York.
Overall rating : 3/5 for cultural sensitivity
CASINO ROYALE (rental)
http://www.casinoroyale.fr/
viewed 09 juillet 07
plot : This is how Bond began.
thought : Good action...but not Pierce Brosnan.
Overall rating : 3/5 as a "secret agent guy" movie, 2.5/5 as a Bond movie
viewed 09 juillet 07
plot : This is how Bond began.
thought : Good action...but not Pierce Brosnan.
Overall rating : 3/5 as a "secret agent guy" movie, 2.5/5 as a Bond movie
LAST KISS (rental)
http://www.lastkissmovie.com/
viewed 09 juillet 07
plot : Just sewing some wild oats.
thought : Romantically light and rather realistic.
Overall rating : 3.5/5
viewed 09 juillet 07
plot : Just sewing some wild oats.
thought : Romantically light and rather realistic.
Overall rating : 3.5/5
vendredi 13 juillet 2007
THE LOOKOUT
http://thelookout-movie.com/
plot : How (not) to rob a bank.
thought : Joseph Gordon-Levitt...'nough said.
"What's THE LOOKOUT ?" I thought as I bought my ticket at the local UGC. I'd never heard a thing about it, which made me think it would be bad and that it probably bombed in the States, but since I had recognised Mr. JGL on the poster, I didn't care. JGL is to me what John Cusak was to me about five years ago. Doesn't matter what movie he's in, I'll go. Ever since I first saw JGL in HOLY MATRIMONY opposite Patricia Arquette (hahahaha), I've been interested. I even watched a few episodes of "3rd Rock from the Sun" for him. I couldn't stand more than a few, but for him, it was worth it. And the material he chooses may dissappoint me (ref : 3rd Rock from the Sun), and even his performance may not always be stellar (ref : 3rd Rock from the Sun), but he always has presence, he is always charming, and he always makes me think, "Oh that little JGL, look how far he's come !"
THE LOOKOUT, however, went beyond my expectations. Joseph was fantastic. This is the best role I've seen him play to date, and that's including BRICK. JGL plays a once-golden youth who has suffered a serious head injury, and hence has had most of his promising life stripped from him. A group of local thugs (headed byMatthew GOODE--who played opposite Jonathan Rhys Meyers in Woody Allen's MATCH POINT) trick him into robbing the bank where he works...and then things get sticky as Joseph's character, Chris, tries to get out of it. With strong support from Jeff Daniels and the quickly-but-unfortunately-becoming-forgettable Isla Fisher, the film comes together quite nicely, the tension mounting and continuing to its finish.
Hard to believe it's Scott FRANK's feature directorial debut (he's the writer man behind OUT OF SIGHT and GET SHORTY, as well as THE INTERPRETER and MINORITY REPORT). The film unfolds slowly, at times even feeling slow. But it is beautiful, some of the shots surprising in their artistry. The opening shots especially, undertoned with a great song from a band I don't know (forgot to write it down during the credits), took my breath away.
So America can't handle serious movies about the physically and mentally challenged doing bad things, I guess ? I don't know...I liked it. Maybe it was the JGL factor. But maybe it was actually quite good and unfortunately just overlooked.
Overall rating : 3.5/5
plot : How (not) to rob a bank.
thought : Joseph Gordon-Levitt...'nough said.
"What's THE LOOKOUT ?" I thought as I bought my ticket at the local UGC. I'd never heard a thing about it, which made me think it would be bad and that it probably bombed in the States, but since I had recognised Mr. JGL on the poster, I didn't care. JGL is to me what John Cusak was to me about five years ago. Doesn't matter what movie he's in, I'll go. Ever since I first saw JGL in HOLY MATRIMONY opposite Patricia Arquette (hahahaha), I've been interested. I even watched a few episodes of "3rd Rock from the Sun" for him. I couldn't stand more than a few, but for him, it was worth it. And the material he chooses may dissappoint me (ref : 3rd Rock from the Sun), and even his performance may not always be stellar (ref : 3rd Rock from the Sun), but he always has presence, he is always charming, and he always makes me think, "Oh that little JGL, look how far he's come !"
THE LOOKOUT, however, went beyond my expectations. Joseph was fantastic. This is the best role I've seen him play to date, and that's including BRICK. JGL plays a once-golden youth who has suffered a serious head injury, and hence has had most of his promising life stripped from him. A group of local thugs (headed byMatthew GOODE--who played opposite Jonathan Rhys Meyers in Woody Allen's MATCH POINT) trick him into robbing the bank where he works...and then things get sticky as Joseph's character, Chris, tries to get out of it. With strong support from Jeff Daniels and the quickly-but-unfortunately-becoming-forgettable Isla Fisher, the film comes together quite nicely, the tension mounting and continuing to its finish.
Hard to believe it's Scott FRANK's feature directorial debut (he's the writer man behind OUT OF SIGHT and GET SHORTY, as well as THE INTERPRETER and MINORITY REPORT). The film unfolds slowly, at times even feeling slow. But it is beautiful, some of the shots surprising in their artistry. The opening shots especially, undertoned with a great song from a band I don't know (forgot to write it down during the credits), took my breath away.
So America can't handle serious movies about the physically and mentally challenged doing bad things, I guess ? I don't know...I liked it. Maybe it was the JGL factor. But maybe it was actually quite good and unfortunately just overlooked.
Overall rating : 3.5/5
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