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09 = Crushes
08 = Cult
07 = Pleasant
06 = Awkward
05 = Ok
04 = Interesting (but failed)
03 = Predictable
02 = Disappointments
01 = Not worth at all
About the ratings:
I have just tried to assess the emotion I went through (or what I remember feeling) seeing those films. I sensitivily rate a film from an intense emotion (10) to an absence of emotion (1). Details at the very bottom of this presentation.
About me:
I am French, polyglot, fanatic of cinema since I was a teenager. I have rated films mainly to keep track, and in order to find a way to recall names, directors and actors etc.
About the content:
I have rated solely full lenght pictures.
No tv shows, no shorts, just sound movies with a normal length.
Cartoons is way different. Completely another art to me so discarded from my ratings.
As far as silent movies, I do like them very much, but they can't be compared to long lenght film.
About cinema:
I like all kind of cinema. What matters the most to me is the emotion the spectator goes through. When I watch a film I expect to live either a "travel" into a specific mood, an investigation on mankind or an aethetic shock. One of these 3 or all of them at the same time. I don't really look for entertainment in itself, at least not necessarily. I like having a good time of course but most of all I like being taken by surprise, being brought to someone else's world, to be driven to consider someone else's opinion, taken to another country, another culture and most of all, I like thinking about the film several days or weeks after. The important thing is what the film triggers in you, and that is what I try to assess by giving all the marks (and grades) to all the movies I have seen.
About the interpretations or details related to my ratings:
10 = Masterpiece
The corresponding emotion to a 10 rate film is an overwhelming emotion.
A 10 rate film has "moments of magic", of great emotion you'd think of for several days/weeks or more.
10 rate films boarder perfection in their intention and in their direction. They are true pieces of art, they are beautiful, interesting, shocking sometimes all at the same time.
They could be classics done by the rules and admired for their technique or legendary scene(s) (and actors), but they could also belong to the category "one of a kind movie", the kind of one you'd think of for a long time because of its special feature.
All the 10 rate films can be seen (and even scrutinized) dozens of times without bore. I like re-watching them on and on.
09 = Crushes
Most of the 9 rate films are "love at first sight" kind of movie. They are what I call "huge crushes" specifically after the first viewing. Their main asset is to trigger a strong emotion. They feature a huge energy and a very striking style (quite far away from classic movies most of the time). However you'd not say they are perfect. They are far away from that actually. You can spot some drawbacks, some low moments in the film but it does not jeopardize the energy you felt in the first place.
You may not want to re-watch a 9 rate film because you are well aware it was a love at first sight and that is what differs them from 10 rate films.
08 = Cult
This category is more personal.
In this category you'll find the films I like to quote from (hilarious movies), films that count for the history of cinema (featuring a new style, a shocking experience) or films that count for a particular country (cult films).
The 8 rate films are cult but for a large audience they could look very weird. They are never done by the rules, or by the book. They carry something very original in their aethetic or in their content. These films match with either a turning point of the history of cinema or a turning point in the cultural references of one country or one civilisation (they sometimes are cultural phenomenon of their generation, generally linked with a pretty shocking emotion)
07 = Pleasant
The 7 rate films feature nice performances (actors, screenplay, direction and picture), they are very good films. There is nothing stopping you from recommending the 7 rate films (they usually are very pleasant to watch) however something will be missing. Probably a lack of originality.
06 = Awkward (but quite good though)
These films are rare and special, odd and freakish, maybe cult but one could argue with that. They upset, shock, disgust or scare even.
They are "special" which means "like no other ones" and you'll remember them all your life.
Nevertheless, you clearly feel there is something wrong or amiss with those films, maybe too much originality, maybe something offputting or some amateur aspect that prevented you from feeling a true crush. You will often need another viewing for those films but you might not want to do that because they were too odd.
05 = Ok
Ok means good or rather good. In fact, you would certainly say the director has reached his goals but with no emotion linked to it (except sympathy maybe).
Pretty common films with absolutely nothing standing out, you might easily forget them.
04 = Partially failed
The 4 rate films are interesting but they kind of fail in their quest. They carry a part of desilusion.
They usually are daring films (ambitious in their direction and/or a very interesting subject) from which you clearly acknowledge the merit of the director but you spot clear weaknesses (ungenuine dialogs, a failed screenplay, amateur aspects or an appalling way of filming or acting). You would certainly say there is something annoying about those films and you would probably think more about the bad feeling or taste you ended up feeling than the merit of the director that you wanted to aknowledge in the first place. THey are just partially failed, so you would acknowledge the merit and say it was worth the try.
03 = Predictable
Usually not interesting in terms of art, you can see them however, effortlessly . You can picture every scene before it happens (or by watching the trailers tell the whole film). It usually does not bring any emotion nor any surprise.
It's generally a type of movie you can clearly identify (action movie, romance, comedy). You will forget them.
02 = Disappointments
The 2 rate list carries a lot of desillusion because it started with an expectation.
Will enter in this category the "lousy films", the failed blockbusters, but most of all the "auteurs films" you did not understand or the very ambitious and costy film that you don't understand the spending.
You are upset with those films that's why you might remember them but it will leave a bad taste in your mouth, and you'll consider it's not worth seeing them.
01 = Waste of time
No art. No entertainment. No acting. No screenplay. No direction. Nothing. These films should quickly finish in the trash (physically on inside your head) and should not have passed the production stage.
One remark:
Most of the movies I have rated would deserve for sure another viewing, I am well aware of that (some of them were seen when I was a child ).
Even if I've done all this mainly for myself, I've recently decided to share this page and I'd be glad to chat, or exchange on cinema : [email protected]
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Reviews
Dane-ye anjir-e ma'abed (2024)
A plea for freedom
The seed of the sacred fig is the first relevant, powerful film about the Iranian rebelion that took place in 2022. The Woman, Life, Freedom's movement was born right after the arrest and death of Jina Mahsa Amini, a student that did nothing but remove her veil. The director takes us down to a family of an Iranian judge (working for the State and the Mollah 's regime) who is about to receive a promotion that is supposed to change his life right at the moment the 2022 revolution starts. We spectators somehow live this key period of Iran through the eyes of this middle class family which is about to upgrade its living conditions. We are emerged in their every day life until the gun of the father (the judge) disapears or gets stolen inside their home.
The film features a fantastic script, wonderful actors and images of an unknown Iran. You can see Iran like we can rarely see it, with its modernity, its rich history and ancient monuments, its poverty as well as its drawbacks. Like in many Iranian films, the spectator is plunged into complex situations with ethical questions which oblige to choose between moral, personal values and loyalty to the regime: Shall I wear this veil or another (less provokative one) ? Should I go the university despite of the strikes ? Shoulld I ask a favor to my neighbor and take the risk of revealing my family's problems? The ethical questions are everywehre, and they are direct consequences of the heavy oppressive regime that has ruled Iran for now decades. All these questions are faced with dignity and sense of duty by the characters , with sometimes even loyalty towards a regime who could not care less about its people. Through these situations are revealed the lack of freedom, the oprression over women, the complicity of those who take profit of this regime and of course the brutality of a regime condemned to sacrifice its own people in order to survive.
The latter will be perfectly depicted through the fate of the father willing to do his job respectfully but obliged to corrupt himself and sacrifice his people in order to survive to this revolution no matter how painful it is.
I particularly enjoyed the insight into the Iranian middle class. Being able to see and imagine what is an every day life for women in Iran is difficult to figure from the Western World. The more the film lenghts the better it gets as you can clearly see the impasse into which the country has plunged, and with it its inhabitants (and in this case this family) condemned to find a guilty among them.
Little by little, we can spot the seeds of discord germinating in this family, into the society, among students, and throughout the world thanks to social networks. That's the other revelation of this film. Social network is the key; that's the tool through which the song Baraye resonates, as well as images of police violence are spread, proofs of the oppression are accumulated, they are the hopes of Iran. The regime can no longer hide behind outrageous lies, the seeds of rebellion are now spread everywhere and the complice of the regime can no longer hide.
A promising outcry and a promising motto for the future Iranian society: Woman, Life, Freedom that we hope, will eventually change Iran for good.
Volveréis (2024)
Awaiting the fall, upside down.
"Volveréis" is a film whose characters don't want to make a fuss about their separation and therefore decide to take it all the other way around by organizing a joyful divorce party on the very first day of automn.
The film features a revolutionary take on the couple as it turns the mores, habits and stereotypes of a break-up as well as it brings diferent shades of thoughts towards many subjects such as love, friendship and family relations.
It's a beautiful, complex thinking over separation summed up in one sentence : "Volveréis" like a statement: "For sure, you are going to get back together" OR the same sentence but with a question mark: "Volveréis ? Like " Are you going to get back together after all?". Just like the verb "volver" which has two meanings: to turn (a page, a leaf) or to return (to go back).
Beyond the modern posture, there is a declaration of love to things that matter most in life . There are many references to Bergman, Truffaut in the direction but also a wink to the proper director of Volvereis (Jonas Trueba) as he directs his own father (Fernando Trueba, a well-known director) who happens to be a key character in the film.
To me, this film is very touching because it looks very sincere and personal. For instance, it seems that the director shares his own doubts towards the edit and the relevance of his film (the film we, spectactors are watching !) by sharing the main characters' doubts on their fate through the edit of THEIR film that they are both struggling to finish...just like their relationship that is coming to an end !
It's also a very anti-conflictual movie, as its main characters barely ever fight or argue. It's an anthem to dialogue, to love, to respect. It's very modern in its approach of the couple. The two of them just share their thoughts with sincerity, they somehow love each other at every step of their thinking despite the doubts that are everywhere, in one look, on word or one take.
This melancholic tone matches with the turning point of their lives, right at the moment when they must turn over a new leaf, start a new chapter, begin a new season just like this rather sad, uncertain and ending summer in Madrid.
It's also a film about uncertainty, about being a couple after 15 years of relationship, about the middle-age crisis and the doubts it brings along. To the question: are you happy ? One answers yes and the other says no, but both seem to regret his own answer right after prononcing it.
We then understand that our life in general is like editing a film, and everything could be turned upside down, the beginning can become and end, and with one's decision it can be the other way around.
A beautiful, witty film, with lots of winks. I recommend !
À son image (2024)
Disembodied film, goalless and poorly directed
I'm warning you, I'm going to be very harsh. However, I do like the director of this film. I have always defended him. For instance I wrote a positive review about his previous film called "Une Vie Violente" which was also about the fate of the independentist struggle in Corsica. Maybe that is why I was so disappointed this time.
Thierry De Perretti falls into several shortcomings during that film and it does not help his goal which is I think to reveal the history of the independentist's struggle. First and foremost, the main drawback of this film is that it is disembodied. Its main character is cruelly lacking in charisma and coherence. The actress delivers a very poor performance. She appears detached from her character, as if she was waiting for the script to give her a reason to take her destiny into her own hands. The character of Antonia, a young Corsican who dreams of being a reporter keeps doing unexplained choices throughout the film. We never understand if she has a relevant political opinion nor if she approves or disapproves the independentist struggle. The same questions happen when it comes to her personal life choices: Why does she remain faithfull to her first love ? Why does she decide to go to Yougoslavia all of a sudden ? Why does she keep seeing friends that she does not seem to get along with? She is also forced to stage extremely poor, unrealistic dialogue, which does not help. She seems to have no charisma at all which does not help to like the story which is being told.
Secondly, the director delivers muddled explanations of the independentist conflict. We just don't understand the main stages of the struggle, who are those men who decide to kill, to kidnap and to struggle. We barely see their face ,we barely understand their motivations.
It seems to me that the director wanted to adapt a book which was complex and probably better pictured than his film. We clearly don't appreciate the photography of this film (not very well shot either !), nor its scenario, as we really don't understand the principle motivations of the main charachter (who she loves, what are her main goals) and it's the same for the Corsican struggle which is never clearly explained . Such a pity and such a bore for us, spectators of a disembodied fail.
Vacas (1992)
You'll remember the first scene...
A lumberjack cutting a tree trunk with an axe at a few inches to his own toes in a Basque competition you have never heard of is the first scene of the very first movie of Julio Medem. This first scene can sum it all up, and it will for sure give you the willies as well as intrigue you so much ! Quite an introduction and quite a way to mark history, and mark with a special touch as a signature of a very special director for European cinema.
Vacas (Cows) is a movie which has acompanied me for many years.
This first first scene, the whole mood throughout the film bring relevance to the strange rivalry pictured as well as it highlighs the tragedy. The weirdness of some scenes are huge features in this film, they keep the suspense alive, you feel intrigued you want to know more, and that is what defines best Julio Medem's cinema in his first films (intrigue, suspense and weirdness).
So let's get started, and what is it all about ?
Well, it's mainly about the rivalry between two families from a same village, but it also an insight on Spain, its rural world, country side's habits, ane the heartbreaking legacy of the civil war.
It's an atmosphere you will retrieve in almost all Julio Medem's film but for sure in no other director's film. Julio Medem is indeed a unique and fantastic Basque director (Spanish), with a cinema full of poetry, full of misteries and with his cultural heritage spreading through his filmography. The Basque Country will never seem more beautiful than in Julio Medem's film you can take it for granted !
A must-see one indeed for anyone who wants to know a bit more about Spanish cinema.
Le procès Goldman (2023)
A trial to change French society for good ?
This film takes its audience back to the 70s and the political struggles that took place in the aftermath of the 1968's revolution in France.
As a young man accused of a double murder and numerous hold-ups, Pierre Goldman is depicted as a terrorist, radicalised by his communists parents (jews from Poland who left the pogroms back in the 20's) and by the people he met "along the way" in Poland, Cuba and Venezuela. As stubborn as impulsive, he seems to hold a grudge against the whole world, the cops and the heirs of aristocracy above all.
Will this be a enough to declare this man guilty of a murder ?
Will the French society of the seventies will decide to bury the values of the revolution of 1968 with this trial ?
Is he the scapegoat that everyone was expecting to blame the 68 revolution or a dangerous murderer ?
The fantastic adaptation of this trial will give some anwers for sure on that matter.
Beyond the suspense concerning the character, this film is to me a fantastic depiction of the French society of the 70's with the opposition betweeen conservatism ( those who clearly lean right and who are represented by DeGaule's supporters very keen to defend patriarchy and old bourgeois way of life) and some revolutionary's aspirations of the lefties (inspired by French intellectuals like Simone DeBeauvoir or other communists's supporters also present in the court).
Tensions, and moral values will pull their weight in this trial . The main character interpreted by Arieh Worthalter who definitely deserves an award for his performance (he finally got the Cesar) as well as the other actors (the lawyers, the witnesses, attorneys and prosecutor) are just perfect in the way they express themselves, in the tension and the moral stake they put in the middle of the room. The whole trial looks perfectly genuine and it's highly interesting to see what was at stake morally speaking back in those days.
In Europe, the 1970's are years of rebellion, violences and massive opposition between liberalism and communism. It is this struggle of ideas that is portrayed in this film.
A fantastic adaptation and reproduction of a trial that most of us have forgotten but that could have changed France for good.
Hawaii (2023)
Embarassing plot, embarassing jokes
First thing you need to know is that the trailer is quite disappointing and highly misleading. This film is not surprising at all, nor funny, nor well written.
All the jokes, all the so called suspense is in fact in the trailer. The whole film is in fact a never ending analysis of this very first scene with the bombing alert and the revelation of hidden secrets among this bunch of friends. And that will be it.
When the one and only idea of your film is a false bombing alert in Hawai, for a bunch of French middle aged tourists who are (because of their approaching death) obliged to reveal their so called "secrets" to one another (each secret is as boring as their pity lives), you know what you should expect with this film.
Sorry for being blunt but it's boring, absolutely pointless, and very rarely funny. A f.... waste of time ! (and money of course) .
Do not be mislead by the fact there are a lot of good actors in this film. It's part of the marketting isn't it? Many of them come with their comedy backgrounds and help to maintain the expectaction of a funny moment (that will never arrive) like Berenice Bejo (known for her part in OSS 117 Le Caire Nid d'Espions), Manu Payet and William Lebghill from whom we would expect much much much better scenes... Some others have surprisingly their part in this cast like Elodie Bouchez (fantastic actress but with a very poor role), Pierre Deladonchamps (used to very daring parts and probably the most surprising of them all) or the good-looking Nicolas Duchauvelle who is by far the most disappointing actor in this film with his (very classical) character of sporty macho that will never convince its audience.
A lot of very simple questions remain:
Why does it take place in the States ? What's the point ? Is it because it looks cooler ?
Why are there so many characters ?
Are we sure it brings something funny to the movie to pose nude on every scene ?
Is speaking bluntly about sex, drugs in front of teenagers a very original idea?
Does it bring anything new ? Did they need so many famous actors to deliver this piece of... ?
The answer to all these questions is: No.
I am afraid.
Pacifiction (2022)
Boring like hell (in the tropics)
Pacifiction could look like a thriller when you watch the trailers however this plotless story will end up deceiving you on several aspects. As a matter of fact, you quickly realize there is no lesson to extract from this aimless story whose director seems to have had fun deceiving his spectators. All in all, it's a massive disappointement, for a total of 2h45 minutes of soulless and unattractive filming.
When you read the synopsis, one would expect a political explanation about Tahiti, this French "département" with special rules, and let's say an atypical population. Or maybe one would expect a focus on the problems of the islanders or some sort of a a criticism towards this new colonialism represented by this high commissioner called Monsieur De Roller (the main character of the film). However, nothing happens as expected in this film; worse; nothing happens AT ALL !
The so called high commissioner wanders around the island, speaks to his mates, argues with some unions guys, seduces some travestite dancer who is as admirative as suprisingly dumb, but the worst is that you just can't find out any logic to all his actions. You feel left in the lurch, and abandoned by the director after an hour or so as you clearly understand the film is going nowhere.
You never end up understanding who is this Monsieur De Roller (I believe he was a politician for real, but I have never found out his legacy), you never find out why he drives around the island aimlessly, by himself, without any goal, without any vice even (except the one of listening to himself), without charisma except his megalomania and narcissism. The film is full of scenes with long silences punctuated by De Roller's long speeches which are after the second one a massive bore.
Did you say suspense? There is NONE ! We understand quite quickly that the hallucinations of the high commissioner are only the results of his excesses and the contempt of the French government towards the natives.
A real pity if you think about the expectations one could have after having seen the trailers. I wonder if the director did not feel a bit of contempt towards his spectators by leading them astray on purpose with no taste for aesthetics what so ever.
I would keep one scene though... the surfers contest with impressive (one scene only) waves and impressive landscape. Don't waste your time please !!!!
En corps (2022)
Into the body, into the mind,a dive and a rise in the dance world again and again (encore et en corps)
What a fantastic tribute to dance, to creation, to the fact of reinventing oneself after a hard blow ! Cedric Kalpisch delivers a beautiful film reinventing his own cinema, making it "rise" to a high standard of aesthetics, which was not his best point so far.
First of all, let me underline the fact there is a clear pun in the French title "en corps" which would mean "into the body" or "by the body"... and again and again which is said "encore" in French.
For those who don't know much about the director of "en corps", Cedric Kalpisch has been a huge and popular French director of funny comedies in the 90's and the 00's. Some of Cedric Klapisch's main films became cult movies for my generation: The Good Old Daze, Family Ressemblances, or the Erasmus cult film called "Pot Luck" in 2002. Since then, it has been very difficult for him to renew his style, and reach his prime again.
For the first time in two decades, he's managed to find a new theme, a new style and has made a pleasant, interesting and beautiful film. That's why I allow myself a little review about it because it's really worth this time.
The film focuses on the physical, mental and sentimental reconstruction of its heroine, Elise, an injured dancer who must invent herself again at the age of 26. One of the feature of the film is the portrait of this heartbroken dancer, who is wisely played by Marion Barbeau who is quite convincing as a beginner actress . Another feature is of course the way he depicts the dance and the creation of contemporary dance, the energy of the dance itself, the freshness of the young dancers and their relation with classical dance. It's really fascinating and the participation of the Israeli dancer, Hofesh Shechter, is really a brilliant input.
The complex and suprising recovery of the main character reminds us that Cedric Klapisch knows how to portray complex, sensitive characters with broken and disturbed destinies. Despite a rather simple plot, you get surprises along the way and genuine laughters.
Her bleak fate (at the beginning) is enlightened by funny appeareances and the help of experienced actors such as François Civil (her physiotherapist) who is just hilarious,but also Pio Marmaï (the cooker) or Bruno Podalydès, (her father) who provide welcome humour, as well as depth in the story and above all they allow to have some hope for the rest of the film.
Klapisch really surprised me with the way he depicts the art of choreography (it's absolutely magnificient) in its various forms, aestitically speaking but most importantly respecting a fluidity in the film that allows us to be captivated by Eloise's fate throughout the film and understand it through dance moves.
En corps ("rise) is a fine way for Klapisch to renew himself, without denying himself. I am convinced it will be remembered as one of his most important films.
Madres paralelas (2021)
Another post-card, another good advertising that sounds hollow
A few years ago I wrote a review about Julieta, and reckoned that Pedro Almodovar lost his "magic", this elctrifying spark of his, lost his imagination and craziness that had made him so much different from the others, but I added as well that maybe he did not lose all his personal touch, and praised the way he kept filming women, sexual appealingness and Spain in general. I was underlining the fact that what he does best now is post-cards of himself, taking key ingredients of his, such as a colorful salad bowl, a nice piece of jam and a gorgeous glass of wine or any typical Spanish habit and with all that he makes films which lack coherence and result to be a bit hollow. Unfortunately, Madres paralelas is a good example of this tendancy.
Paradoxically, it works. I can't say the contrary. A lot will like this film, many will be moved and sensitively touched by these two mothers at a different age. Pedro masters drama, her actresses are always very very good. However,you may doubt a little that a 40 years old mother let her child go away with another mother 20 years younger than her, you may wonder she ever feels anything more (love ?) than sympathy for a 18 years old girl that has little to do with her, you may not believe in the fate of this older mother (another touching characater) who prefers her job opportunity over the new motherhood of her daughter but in the end you accept being deceived because you enjoy Penelope Cruz (so much better in Spanish), you enjoy Rosie Di Palma (always funny, accurate) and you enjoy Pedro Almodovar's world (life in Madrid is fun with Pedro ).
What I personnally dislike and find ethically incorrect it is the historical excuse he takes to make a nice advertising of his film. I am talking about this terrible injustice that suffered loads of Republicans in Spain during Franco's dictatorship with the hidden mass graves that still exist in many places of Spain and that Predro Almodovar uses as a introduction and a conclusion to his film. I think it is a serious subject, it's something so unfair that he should not pretend to do a film about it if in the end his story has nothing to do with it. Apart from that it's an entertaining film but I wish he had the "cojones" to go deeper in the topic of the mass graves and the judicial impunity.
Verdens verste menneske (2021)
You will fall in love
Indescribable film that reveals all the magic of cinema in the simplest way possible, talking about life with all its complexity, with all its heartbreaks, with all its joys and sorrows.
If you want to have an idea of the style of the movie I would say it has a bit of Woody Allen, a bit of the French Nouvelle Vague and a lot of a Scandinavian wit and crudness (especially in its dialogs). Without a shadow of a doubt, this film is at the very least, very original. I would even say it has some genius in its direction and I would probably call it a masterpiece (even if like many others here I would have prefered if the ending did not sour the magic - but what does represent 10 to 15 minutes of a film which lasts 2 hours ?). I prefer to recall all the rest, remind the good vibes it transmited and keep my good, very good memories of three quarters of the film.
So: What is it all about ? Well it is just about LIFE with capital letters (isn't it what cinema is all about after all ?): choices that you make, choices you don't make, doubts that you have, love that you live (cry or abandon), social pressure you suffer from and time that is passing by. It's marvellous, subtle, complex, and at the same time light, simple, funny, heartbreaking and... beautiful !
The form of the film is to me the most original feature. It's inventive at every shot, at every camera movement, it's very dynamic in the story telling despite the presence of a narrator; you never know if the director talks about the present or about the past, but you know for sure that things are changing fast in Julie's life while you try to piece the puzzle. As a viewer, you are left to guess what a look, a stare or a grimace means in July's life. Who know it goes fast in her head, that she's indecisive, sometimes unstable, but when she decides to do something she does it for good.
The focus is always on her, Julie, you pass from one period of her life to another, the transitions are fast, and you live her thirty years old life as if you were in her shoes.
I would definitely stress the importance of the Scandinavian touch which lies in its "crudness of words and thoughts" (so ahead of their time these Scandinavian people !...), that enables to tackle the major issues of our Western modern society without taboos, but most importantly without being too didactic (feminisim, environemental issues and other topics).
In addition to the perfect cast and the sharped, well written dialogs, the film features amazing scenes such as all the party scenes (which are just hilarious), and of course the one of the film's poster when Julie who recently felt in love with a stranger runs towards him with her surrounding standing still as if for a minute or so the director would allow his main character to wander and walk around the set of the film.
Joachim Trier's cinema is just like this scene, just like a video clip, the music lulls you from beginning to end, you're being emerged in a mood, in an epoch, in another country. You end up in Oslo (Norway), in a Scandinavian middle class woman's life, you share the issues of the 21st century in a liberal democracy and you start living in Julie's feet, in Julie's mind, you like sharing her doubts, her concerns, her loves, her fears and you will end up falling in love with the "worst person in the world".
Illusions perdues (2021)
Winks to our epoch
Lost illusions is for many critics, the best Balzac's novel and the adaptation that Xavier Giannoli (the director) delivers is not only fairly pleasant, dynamic and very well interpreted, it also has a special resonance in our world controled by social networks, search for buzz, influencers, fake news and a few rich media owners.
However, the story seems quite far from our world as it takes place in the first part of the 19th century (around 1820-1830) during the period of "Restauration", when monarchy came back to power in France but also when the liberals were pushing for changing the regime or at least experimenting new liberties such as parliamentarism and freedom of the press.
Lucien de Rubempré is this young man full of dreams who comes from the French country side eager to live from his literary talents, driven by his forbidden love to a rich aristocrat . Sent away to Paris, little by little Lucien will lose his illusions to discover a world full of greed, machiavellianism and dishonesty.
Xavier Giannoli tackles lots of topics in what we understand is a very rich novel. One of the topic is the transformation of literature into merchandise. The depiction of the book publishers is machiavellian. The depiction of a new kind of journalism based on sensacional news is quite shocking. In fact, Xavier Giannoli doesn't make a plea for journalists, on the contrary, he even tries to discredit them and presents them as filthy people, greedy for money. It's sometimes a little bit too much but we understand that the new liberties conceded by the government back in those days have a repercussion on different fields of the society and we also understand it concerns a certain type of journalism and not all journalisms. However the resonence in our 21st century world is quite obvious concerning the search of buzz.
We clearly understand that what the director wants to make us some winks thoughout his film, winks that the attentive spectator cannot miss. There is notably the explanation of how the buzz is created among the press, but also how the media (for the time, mainly newspapers) are controlled and owned by rich entrepreneurs or by the big bosses of advertising agencies and how these influencers of the 19th century try to invade the parliament and get the hold of the main positions among the government. The sentence "there will be a time a bankier will be president of the republic" is clearly a wink to our French president Macron, former banker himself.
All in all, Xavier Giannoli makes a great adaptation, with a lot of characters and a fine depiction and understanding of the changes that were at stake back in the 19th century and that have a special resonance nowadays.
Adieu les cons (2020)
Another inventive and meaningful goodbye by Dupontel
Goodbyes are meaningful with Albert Dupontel. After "Au-Revoir Là-Haut" (See You Up There) (2017), "Adieu les Cons" (Bye Bye Morons) (2020) is another farewell full of sense that Dupontel delivers with poetry, humour and a rebel spirit.
Bye Bye Morons takes place nowadays in France, a country he describes as crippled by its heavy bureaucracy, drowned in a consumer society that promotes individualism as a great value. Don't be mistaken. The film is in fact way less agitator than his first movies. I would call it a feelgood movie about people in need having their revenge on what the society imposes on them. It's trivial enough to entertain without needing to be too focused and at the same time, clever and inventive enough to catch all our attention and get the message behind it .
Albert Dupontel, the director, is a former stand-up comedian (who used to play outsiders of the society who did not adapt to the consumer society and who were ready to blow up the place for it), he's also a long time punk and anarchist sympathizer (it might help to understand the screenplay and the end of the movie) and now, he is an internationally recognized director (after his previous film See You Up There who was unquestionably a must see film of 2017). This film is a continuity with what he has always done, another farewell of his own to criticize our material society, individualism and the state repression of the most needing people. Beyond the story that is rather classical (a death diagnosized woman who wants to make a last good action before she dies ), what is joyful in this film is the constant humour Albert Dupontel resorts to, the hints to our perverted society and a colorful poetry that he disseminates throughout the film . One will recognize the nods to the recent police violence in France, to our over connected habits, our deshumanization in several places of our society . In this film, Dupontel shows a great sense of drama, with camera effects that serve the sense he wants to give , with a thin skinned sensitivity. All this sensitivity aspect would not have been possible without the amazing in-put of Virginie Effira, the "in fashion actress" of the French cinema over the last 5 years. Her work is once again remarkable in this movie. I believe the film would have lost part of his credits without her. However, to me, the main features of every Dupontel's film are his camera and graphics inventions. I guess the best example would be what he resorts to show the dehumanization of the administration, with the never ending spiral staircase as a representation of the vicious circle in which the characters find themselves and the never ending process that is required in a state administration. Another example is the rotating camera on several portraits of important managers at several levels of the administration to show how resortless are the characters of the movie. The reflection over the time passing by and the changes on the landscape in modern cities will certainly speak to many of us too. It is to me, this kind of details, all the camera effects and the graphics inventions that allow him to turn a rather classical story into a moving portrait of our individual consumer society. In that sense, this film is a success . I am more skeptical about the end of the movie (very foreseeable) and the photography of the film which has something to do with Amelie Poulain but which did not make that much effect on me. The red light through the film looks unreal, almost cheesy. Despite these little drawbacks, the film has the merit of bringing you into a special mood, a very Dupontel's atmosphere in which the two main characters (or the three, with the blind person who has got the funny part) kind of float over this colorful society that does not have time nor space for them. Bye Bye Morons has it all in its title, it is indeed a very good movie, well thought, done with creative effects and for this we hope it was just a good-bye and not an "adieu" from Dupontel who looks like he's got a lot to say left.
Mektoub, My Love: Canto Uno (2017)
Khechiche's awakening of desire
I am surprised with the marks given by Imdb's users. Three years after seeing this film I still think about it, its music, its caracters, its mood accompany me.
Mektoub My Love is a great movie, maybe not a masterpiece you would re-watch on an on but it's a great film, with a proper mood and a sensitive artistic touch. Among other things, it features a great sensuality and some brilliant actors (most of them are beginners and turn out to be really good especially Ophelie Bau who delivers a promising performance).
Abdellatif Khechiche has this capacity to take the best out of his actors, he is also capable of captivating and bewitching his audience in a multi sensory journey. Khechiche does not make entertainment, it's not an action movie you should be looking for, it's a travel into his adolescence in the South of France, an ode to the youth, the non-endind summer and the awakening of desire.
I think this film, a bit like "La graine et le mulet" which also took place in Sète (France), is very personal for the director. In fact, the heroe, Amin, looks like Abdelatif Khechiche himself (a young French man with arab origins who studies cinema...), the seaside resort he depicts really exists and you can't help thinking he's put some of his personal affairs in this story.
What is interesting in Khechiche's cinema is how he shows the awakening of desire and the aesthetics chosen. I believe critics define it as naturalist cinema, a cinema that focuses on the flesh, the bodies, the lips sometimes even the driblle with an unmissable focus on the curves of women ; it's a cinema with a strong eroticization of the body but it's also a cinema that requires time, some scenes can be very long and Khechiche does it on purpose to insist on the desire felt, the games of seduction or to insist on the lenght of the night. Mektoub my love is a brilliant example of what Khechiche does best in that sense.
Along with all that, the film features a social accuracy that gives a true insight to the film. It's not only about the birth of desire at the age of 20, it's also about a certain category of youth and summer loves. His cinema is always very realistic, you can feel the mood of a seaside resort, you understand its youth, its seduction games and you feel so comfortable that you would appreciate being part of the film actually.
Like in "La vie d'Adèle", Khechiche goes very far into the eroticization of the bodies and the scenes at the beach (so beautiful...all of them), in the night club (slightly long I admitt) and the never ending approches between young adults reflect so well his cinema and the theme chosen : the birth of desire and sexuality at a young age.
If you take your time (I think it's the key) and let you drift by Khechiche's poetry, you will certainly fall in love and enjoy being young (again) for the length of the movie.
Les misérables (2019)
Warning cry for French suburbs
This movie deserves a round of applause for tackling such a big issue as the misery and social and ethnical diversity in the treacherous suburbs of France with neutrality, intensity and emotions. The fact Ladj Ly (the director) does that with a refine style and a cautious but reasonable neutrality makes this film even greater.
This film is a shock, a love at first sight and the well deserved heir of the masterpiece La Haine shot in 1995.
It may lack a bit of laughters, a bit of moral to the story, but it's a great great discovery.
The story focuses on Stéphane, a cop who recently joined an anti-crime brigade of a town next to Paris called Montfermeil. Stephane quickly discovers the tensions between the different ethnical and social groups of the neighbourhood . He also discovers the curious methods of his team mates that he disapproves in the first place. During an arrest, one of them gets overwhelmed by the events and made a terrible blunder but a drone has filmed all the scene - they must find that drone at all cost.
Beyond the police blunder, it's a denonciation of several misconducts in those areas and the complete state of neglect that all inhabitants suffer from that is tackled in this film.
The movie is in fact a real whistle blower of a latent conflict. A bit of a bolt out of the blue. In short: a warning cry.
Don't get it wrong. The film does not call for civil war. It's just a depiction of what happens every day in some cities of France.
The Victor Hugo's reference is just a wink, a little tribute as Monfermeil (the city where the story takes place) is also where the Thenardier family in Les Misérables (the book) lives. The movie is more about what the word "Les Misérables"' means than about the story of the book. The film focuses on the miserable people living , working, growing in Montfermeil, their interractions and conflicts in those abandoned lands of the French republic. The director wanted to send a message to the authorities and make them realize what are the feelings of the people living there who had been left in the lurch after so many political promises and this for so many years.
The fact that the director tackles this issue through the policemen' eyes is daring and intelligent since we quickly realize that the policemen are part of these miserable people.
Right after the blunder, starts on a vicious circle which leads to the final phrase of Victor Hugo himself: there is no bad seeds, or bad men but just bad growers.
In terms of rythm, intensity and style the film is a great success . You never lose the tension, you never want to take sides but you want to know where and how it will end up even if you presume it will end up badly. The amateur actors and profesional actors are all of them very genuine especially the bad and the good cop..
I highly recommend it. It's a great film and a fantastic suprise in the French film panorama.
La douleur (2017)
Very emotional movie, doomed to fail on paper but beautifully interpreted and directed
On paper, this film is condemned and doomed to failure. A story about a writer (Marguerite Duras) and her internal dialogs about the waiting of her husband's return (member of the French resistance) could only be seen as something rather repellent. However, the fact that Emmanuel Finkiel delivers a heartbreaking film about this waiting is in itself astonishing and makes this film valuable, rare and beautiful for sure among the must see films' list of 2017.
So how come did Emmanuel Finkiel end up with such a good movie ? Well there are several ingridients of course , but one of the secrets leans on the fantastic actors the film features and the way the characters were written: Melanie Thierry as Marguerite Duras of course, way above all the rest, so unsettling and seductive, torned apart and brave, but also, quite surprinsgly Benoit Magimel (recently so deep and good actor in recent years) with a deep twisted role of a cop you never end up to decipher completely. All this is accompanied by a beautiful and genuine reconstruction of the ocuppied Paris back in the early forties and the creative camera inventions the director resorted to during the film actually allow to maintain the supense you would not have expected from such a movie by revealing little by little the diferent feelings Marguerite Duras (the writer) came through (specially her twisted feeling towards her lover and the husband she must wait). Thanks to all this we can comprehend the unexpected turns of the historical events through the eyes of a "resistante" (Marguerite Duras), we live the waiting, the environment, the mood o the people in the ocuppied Paris, the suffering of the people, the watershed of history when the fear suddenly changed sides, the political commitment that some people decided to have and the one that others decided to avoid at all cost, all this is perfectly pictured, illustrated, narrated described and depicted with a true authenticity that never bore us despite the theme of the film.
Melanie Thierry once again is just amazing (quite unfair not to give her the Cesar award for that utterringly good performance), we suffer with her, and never abandon her pain (the real title in French means pain). A great adaptation on screen and a very emotional moment . I recommend !
Leto (2018)
In honnour of the ideal of rock
Leto is to me the best film of 2018 as its direction is so original, unique and magnificient. The story is rather simple. A confirmed rock star of the early eighties (Mayk) struggles to promote rock music in the declining Sovietic Union when another musician (Viktor Tsoi) arises as a new promising talent. His wife, Natalia can't help to be attracted to this new talent...and so does he.
This film almost has it all. It features fantastic actors, an interesting story (who would not like to know what was being a rock star in the Soviet Union in the 80's ?), a great soundtrack, and some developments in the film you do not expect. I would definitely take on the direction of this film as its main feature, as Serebrennikov films so well, invents moments of magic, and has so much inventions that you can feel the soul of rock. Quite early in the film, you understand the movie is not just all about following the emergence of Viktor Tsoi the Kurt Cobain of Russia (or the Jim Morisson of Russia back in those days), but also about giving pride of place to the ideal of rock. Serebrennikov pays tribute to what rock and roll meant for his generation, what it inspired and what it felt to listen to this music in this oppressive atmosphere of Russia in the 80's. I believe that many many directors tried this before him, but Serebrennikov may be the only one to have succeeded in this initiative of linking music to political protest. The long take at the beach and several musica clips are simply fantastic ! For this and for his fantastic direction, the film has already become a must-see film to me.
Une vie violente (2017)
Unique film about political commitment, and the independentists of Corsica
Despite being threatened to death, Stéphane decides to come back to Corsica and attend his friend's and fellow fighter's funeral. Why is he sentenced to death ? How can a nice fellow, bourgeois of Bastia end up to be threatened by the mafia ? What was his journey, from a vague interest in independentist theories to political radicalism ? Thierry de Peretti the director, native from Corsica, tries to give an explanation, and delivers a subtle description of Coriscans, independentists and others, old fighters of the 70's and the new generation of 90's, full or realism and rythm.
It brings out a very intersting story of a youngster (Stéphane) of the 90's, slightly lost, and slightly rebel at his age, craving to have a cause to live and to stand up for, who ends up militating for an alternative independentism whose values seem to be nobler than the old independentism.
A descent into the depths of militancy, enlistment and fanatism, full of realism, simplicity. A modern tale of our youth craving for ideology - a really good surprise !
Que Dios nos perdone (2016)
May god forgives us !
Que Dios nos perdone could be described as a classic, or even a filthy thriller but it is in fact a film directed in a superb manner. What is this all about ? Well at first, you've got a very unlikely pair of work, Alfaro (charismatic, self-confident, seducer but violent) and Velarde (starmmerer, quiet and witty), the two detective inspectors who are in charge of the investigation. Both under pressure at work and urged to prove their qualities in the Spanish police, the detectives will need to overcome their faults to resolve this investigation with the utmost discretion. From then on, a thrilling race against time and serial rape crimes starts with the eternal doubt whether the policemen they are, are that different (or not) to the murderer of these old women. To me, and above all, the film features a rare description of its characters, of the mood of Madrid during this summer 2011. You feel the heat, the smells of bodies and of the corpses(!) the tension at work, in the society, the hatred against and amongst policemen . It has all the ingredients that are needed in such a film: the crimes are definitely filthy, the detective inspectors are weirdos in their own way which make them plausible suspects, the rythm is relentless. You end up suspecting everyone, and you crave for someone to arrest the murderer. A very gripping film, with a fantastic direction. Most likely, the best or one of the best of 2016 so far.
Julieta (2016)
Post-card of himself
Julieta is definitely not the best, but for sure not the worst of Almodovar either. It's a good story, with very good actors, good characters but the scenes Almodovar put all together are stereotypes of his own cinema and his own world. It's a bit like Tarantino who exaggerates what he does (or did) the best. Is it because he gets older and older ? Is it because he lacks inspiration ? I loved his cinema, I don't want to lash out at him but this film is not enough to resuscitate Almodovar's genius. Almodovar masters the dramatic art, the seriousness of scenes, the desire on screen but he mainly made a postcard of his own, a postcard of his own world. The salad bowl is beautiful, full of fresh vegetables and Spanish specialties, the house on the North coast features an outstanding view over the sea, the Spanish village in the south is authentic and calm, the kitchen's wall paper reminds the eighties but it is mainly "beautifully cheesy". It requires no effort to watch it, you can let you drive by his eternal love towards Madrid, the women, the Spanish country side, sexual desires and you can lie to yourself saying it's agreat one... it may work for some time and you'll have a good moment. The end of the film is just a non-ending story... and we (his fans) will wait for the next one.
Mon roi (2015)
How far can we go for love ?
Tony (Emmanuelle Bercot) tries desperately to recall the tempestuous relationship she had with Giorgio (Vincent Cassel). Why did they fall in love? Were they both in love or was it just her ? Who was Giorgio for real ? Was he himself at every moment or was he manipulating her ? How could she be so blind and how could she let this passion submit herself that much and that far into a circle of destruction ?
The controversial French director, Maïwenn, ex wife of Luc Besson has now proved (if she ever had to) she has reached maturity and mastery in every aspect of directing a movie from filming and directing actors to writing dialogs and a subtle scenario. The performances of the actors are just astonishing. Vincent Cassel seems he is like himself, smooth talker and bold, Emmanuelle Bercot gives it all showing restraint with huge pain,just like her character who cannot believe she has to go through that much but who needs to cope with every single situation. Anchored in reality, the cinema of Maiwen confirms it is based on genuine dialogs and a rough reality.
What is new and different from her other movies, it's that this time she tackles a very common theme: Love, passion, maybe with something less personal, but still with her rough way always at the limit of physical violence. Fortunately, there are light-full moments that make this drama pleasant to watch.
I was really surprised because I was not sure I liked the cinema of Maiwenn. I would even dare to say that this movie is not far from perfect (except the first scene with the psychologist that sounds so fake ! What a pity!). The strength of the film lies in its ability to hold the attention all the way through. It's indeed a breathless and thrilling experience to watch this film, because you expect the situation to worsen even more, you expect the character to realize what she is going though, you expect the director to make this passion a nightmare but she does not.
The film features an astonishing performance from the two actors (the actress received the prize for her performance in Cannes). It features as well intense moments of emotion interrupted from time to time with light-full and hilarious moments, especially thanks to the character of the brother. I would spot this as something new in Maiwenn's cinema, because she was not used to allowing us to take our breath... Very well done Maïwenn this time, can't wait to see the next one !
Tian zhu ding (2013)
Puzzling
Do not focus on the rate. The film is worth watching even if it could have been much better and some of the details in the scenario are clearly a fail beginning with the lack of coherence of the characters. In clear, it's hard to follow them and to understand them. A Touch of Sin turns out to be a hell of a lot of sins, of violence, of crimes and of desperation. During the film I hesitated between skepticism, bewilders or admiration for this rough and tough portrait of China through different stories that are not necessarily linked together. A touch of sin is about four characters in four different regions in China who are going through hard times, because of globalization, corruption or a closed system. All these things will lead them to crime, suicide and the metaphor of the collapse of the system. It is always better to make a critic out of a movie you have fancied but not all of it is to throw away, and I would recommend to watch that movie for its originality and the ambitious scenario of the director. In short it was a great project and maybe some mistakes could have been avoided, but in the end it's indeed an interesting director to follow in the upcoming years.
Nos jours heureux (2006)
Happy Days
Nos Jours Heureux is a definitely worthwhile film for many reasons. Of course, it has a lot of rhythm, authenticity, typical and hilarious diaglogs and a lot of good and now very famous actors in France (despite what some of us wrote here). I would even dare to say it will (or it has already) become a cult movie for the generation born between 2010-2020.
Nos Jours Heureux is a comedy with famous phrases that will stick in your head, it appeals to everyone's childhood and the summer camp we used to attend to. Morever, the eccentricity and the authenticity of the characters allow them to have hilarious freak-outs that for sure will make quite an impression to the audience. In addition to thatm the film describes perfectly the mood of such places. Anyone that has attended a summer camp like that would recall a camp counselor, a child or a chef De cuisine and for sure one or several of them who would have have been freak, violent, lady killer or simply misplaced and inappropriate. This film sums up it all. The stupid activities, the dishonesty of adults, the freak-outs, kids' tricks, adults' obsession for sex and maybe a subtle analysis of what is in an early-thirty year old adult's mind when it comes time to make decision and change his way of life. I found that last thing very subtle and very interesting in addition to all the laughters it provided. Enjoy !
La squale (2000)
Denunciation of gang rapes
I like this film because it's a true, genuine and realistic denunciation of gang rapes. When it was shot, the phenomena was not clearly known, and most of the people did not know these kind of acts could happen in certain neighborhoods. Recently in France (in October 2012), some gang rapers were sentenced to one year jail (only) for these kind of acts. The scandal is not finished yet but this film deserves credit for making light on an awful, misogynous practice in french treacherous suburbs. The actors are inhabitants of these kind of neighborhoods and they talk the same way these people are used to talking. In that sense it's a genuine reproduction of reality.
Before Night Falls (2000)
Ambitious casting turns to be pointless
As many here, I am a big fan of Javier Bardem's acting. As many here, I was sadly frustrated by the lack of dialogs in the movie. As a matter of fact, I think Javier Bardem is not as good as he is used to be because of that. Indeed, the film has mainly a sad tone, and is made with good narrator's comment but scenes of repression are not well contextualized I reckon. For instance, many times a repression takes place after some homosexual community organizes a gathering; but even then, we don't understand how, when nor with whom the party has ever taken place nor why the police got informed. Excluiding the details, I think the movie is quite a bad biography. It does not show enough of Reinaldo Arena's achievements, as it does not show how the revolution transformed itself in a huge machine of repression. Everything is suffered by the characters without any organized dialogs nor helpful situation for us. How can we, viewers, understand the changes? For instance, I didn't get a thing when Reinaldo eventually succeed in going out from jail. How come? Why? How can he recover that fast after that? Another drawback is probably the language chosen. Come on, why should the actors speak English in Cuba ? I always find ridiculous and pointless to match a cultural or historical event with another language that the one originally spoken. What about talking about American civil war with French actors in French or Spanish? That would be pointless don't you think ? Why did he chose English-American, French, Italian and Spanish actors when many Cuban excellent actors exist. At the very least, he could have picked up some Spanish actors (like Bardem)who would have imitated Cuban accent but even like that that would have been pathetic. That's too bad cause I would have loved to know a bit more about this artist.The film is somehow disappointing even if it draw my attention and caught my eye from time to time.
Mes meilleurs copains (1989)
The last worth tribute to our imperfect 1968's generation
With "Les Babas-Cool" and the master-piece: "Les Valseuses", let's say "Mes Meilleurs Copains" remains the last very good cult movie about the controversial 1968 generation.
So what happens really?
Five middle age musicians meet their first love during a concert in Paris(a famous Québecois singer called Bernadette Legranbois) and decide to spend the week-end together. There,each one tries to deal with their own problems, about the past and the present, doing the last bereavement of the 1968 period to go and get further in their lives.The numerous flash-backs remind us how silly, ridiculous and hypocritical they were and they have always been. The characters are at the same time funny and ridiculous. The development of the story show us how they have changed their own idea about themselves, about life and how they have evolved towards old bourgeois kind of people. What is really joyful in this movie is not only the dialogs and the acting which are not far from perfect but to see all the 1968 people's portrait of nowadays in French society: You've got the frustrated artist(Philippe Khorsand as Antoine Joubert, definitely the best character in that movie!),still very much convinced crazily jealous,self-centered and amazingly deaf to what his friends say to him. You've got the irresponsible hippie (Jean-Pierre Daroussin as Dany), who has not changed anything from what he was when he was young,an idealistic freak, who makes love in front of his child and lives off his friend.You've got a frustrated homosexual who has not clearly gone out of the closet, who makes sport all the time to calm down his frustration and the lack of sex he's been supporting all the time since 1968(Jean-Pierre Bacri as Guido). And at last, you've got the right-wing "bourgeois" who changed his mind radicaly about society and ideologies and who tries to convince himself he's done the right choice choosing the "family way of life" (Gerard Lanvin as Richard). Christian Clavier (Jean-Michel) is the narrator "bourgeois" but more intellectual, who tries to give weight and credibility to his change of mind. He tries to remain cool, to convince himself he's overcome his first love deception with the Canadian singer in the 1970's by writing a book! I tell you, the film's characters are so pathetic you laugh all the time and you'll figure quite well the portrait of french middle class society who could have emerged during these decades, the very same generation who has tried to deal with the bereavement of their "ideological years". Simply hilarious !!!