PARIS by Cédric Klapisch.

Pierre, Romain Duris , is a professional dancer who is suffering from a heart decease of which he needs a transplant.  Awaiting his heart transplant, Pierre spends his days people watching from his balcony in Paris, living his life through them. Following the lives of several different people we get experience their lives both from the inside and outside; from their happiest moments to their saddest and how all their lives somehow intertwine. From Pierre´s own sister (Juliette Binoche) struggling with a miserable love life to a 50 something professor who has a crush on one of his students. 

Cédric Klapisch, director of L´Auberge Espagnol and Chacun Cherche son Chat, has with Paris again managed to create a movie that captures the complex personalities of different people living in Paris as well as the complexity of Paris itself. It is a moving story of how to keep on living when it seems like your life and everything you had built up around you is ending. 

The film is charming, intimate, entertaining and sad all at the same time, combine that with an impressive cast, beautiful imagery of Paris and amazing music one realizes why french cinema is so praised by film critiques and people all over the world. You are bound to laugh, shed a tear but most of all walking out of the cinema with the feeling that it is never too late to seize the day, however cliché it might sound.

Pod koniec lat 70-tych pojawiło się sporo filmów, których akcja rozgrywa się w brudnych zaułkach Nowego Jorku, a ich głównymi bohaterami byli zupełni popaprańcy: wykolejeńcy życiowi, narkomani, przestępcy i brutalni policjanci. Sztandarowym filmem tego nurtu jest “Taksówkarz” Martina Scorsese z 1976 roku. Odrobinę mniej znane są niektóre filmy Briana de Palmy, Abla Ferrary czy Sidneya Lumeta. Stosunkowo najmniej znany z tego grona jest scenarzysta i reżyser James Toback i jego film “Fingers” z 1978 roku, zasługujący na zdecydowanie większą uwagę, bo to obraz nie mniej wstrząsający niż “Taksówkarz”.

Główny bohater filmu – Jimmy, rewelacyjnie zagrany przez Harveya Keitela, jest postacią nietuzinkową. Za dnia rozbija się po mieście z przenośnym radiem nastawionym na pełen regulator i ściąga długi dla swojego ojca – lokalnego gangstera, wieczorami zaś z pasją ćwiczy grę na fortepianie, by zostać sławnym muzykiem i spełnić przy okazji ambicje matki. Wieczna huśtawka emocjonalna i zawieszenie między dwoma odmiennymi światami powoli doprowadza nie do końca zrównoważonego Jimmy’ego do obłędu. Wyjątkowy obraz o przemocy, muzyce, pożądaniu, pasji i cienkiej granicy między nimi. Na tyle interesujący, że doczekał się niedawno francuskiego remake’u. Film “W rytmie serca” (oryginalny tytuł: “De battre mon cœur s’est arrêté”) Jacques Audiard’a z 2006 roku z Romain’em Duris w roli głównej, to dość wierna przeróbka “Palców” Tobacka .

by: Grzegorz Kruk 2009

Idag släpps filmen Paris på DVD. Jag tänker köpa den för att se om den. Och se om den igen. Och sedan bära den i handväskan bara för att veta att jag när helst kan se när den unga kvinnan tittar på sin till åldern komna älskare och säger “jag ville bara att du skulle se mitt liv”, eller när överklasstjejerna får åka truck mellan hangarerna på partihandeln eller när bageriägarinnan skäller på sin nyanställde expedit, eller när den hjärtsjuke tar in livet genom sidofönstret i taxin…..jag kan fortsätt i all oändlighet. För den här filmen gick rakt in i mitt hjärta.

PS. K Special hade förra veckan ett program om Juliette Binoche och här hittar du filmmusiken på Spotify. DS.

Juliette Binoche as Elise and Romain Duris as Pierre in PARIS directed by Cédric Klapisch. Photo credit: David Koskas. An IFC Films release

Seeing this movie, for me, was like having coffee with an ex-boyfriend.

I wasn’t sure how I’d react to watching yet another film about the immortal beauty of Paris.  Having gone back to visit this summer, I thought maybe it was too soon.  I considered bringing kleenex.  Would this merely be an exercise in enduring what I can’t have?

Buck up, it’s time to do it, I said to myself.

As the lights dimmed and the opening credits began, the memories began to flow.  ”That’s the Pont d’Alma, which I used to cross to go to the American Cathedral!  They’re having lunch at Palais Royale gardens!  Oh, remember what riding that metro used to be like?  How funny.”

A charming introduction.  To a forgettable encounter.

Romain Duris plays the film’s central character, Pierre, who’s in mortal limbo. Maybe he’ll get a heart transplant that might save his life. In the meantime, his sister, Élise (Juliette Binoche) is there to look after him as he waits.  Duris has a certain charm when he breaks out of Pierre’s dreary mindset.  However, for most of his performance he falls into complaining.

Pierre’s anger about the premature end to his life is understandable, and in a certain way, its serves our understanding of his relationship with Élise. But I expected to see a dying man who becomes utterly fascinated with day to day life.  That’s what the trailers had me believe, at least. Instead, Pierre  keeps whining about how he’ll never make love again, how this is his last Christmas, how his sister, his only confidant, is too picky and can’t throw a proper party.

That said, Duris is obviously talented, and quite an intelligent actor. When he gets to strut his dancing chops a bit, we experience his poetry.

Juliette Binoche, as Élise, does thorough job of playing a woman reticent to expose her inner desires.  So reticent, in fact, that I didn’t feel connected with her until nearly the end of the film, when she had her (predictible) getting-my-groove-back moment.  I would be lying, though, if I didn’t say that I was cheering for her when she finally accelerated into her vixenhood.

Not to downplay the tantalizing chemistry between Binoche’s Élise and her admirer, Jean, played by Albert Dupontel. For me, Albert Dupontel could be flirting with a lampost and I’d be turned on. Dupontel exhibits a great generosity of heart in this performance.  When Jean falls in love, Dupontel’s humility helps articulate Jean’s desires for his audience. To milk my “date with the ex” metaphor, Dupontel was the attractive man sitting behind our table at whom I’m trying not to stare too much.

The film winds through the lives of white middle and upper class Parisians, with a few actors of African descent sprinkled in whom you’ll get to see if you don’t blink too much. There are some scenes in which people of color get actual lines, but these are generally conversations in which a black man is pursuing a white woman, and he’s being lead on shut down.  In the world of this film, African seems to be synonymous with “naive,” and while racial issues are an increasingly hot topic in Parisian life, Cédric Klapisch’s film explores the white urban perspective nearly exclusively.

Oh yeah.  Someone sends someone else a postcard.  And someone has an affair with someone that doesn’t turn out well. Some immigrants may or may not have died while trying to cross the Mediterranean. Okay.

This film has been praised for leaving certain crucial plot questions unanswered, giving the audience the opportunity to fill in their own blanks.  It makes me wonder if the director, Cédric Klapisch, had trouble finding a workable ending for the multi-faceted progression he worked so hard to establish.  On one hand, yes, I get it, life goes on, with or without us.  On the other, I didn’t need to sit in a theater for 2 hours to figure that out.

Check, please.

What I will take away from Paris is that Albert Dupontel is the first man in probably seven years who’s allowed me to see his eyes red and swollen from sobbing.

-Margaretta Lantz

PARIS (estreno  9 de octubre)

Género: Drama-Comedia
Producción: Francia
Director: Cédric Klapisch
Intérpretes: Juliette Binoche y Romain Duris

Sinopsis:  Esta es la historia de un parisino que está enfermo y cree que va a morir. Su enfermedad le hace ver a toda la gente que encuentra de una nueva forma. Imaginar su muerte de repente le da un nuevo significado a su vida, a las vidas de otros, y a la vida de toda la ciudad. Los vendedores de frutas y verduras, una mujer que regenta una panadería, una trabajadora social, una bailarina, un arquitecto, un vagabundo, un profesor de universidad, una modelo un inmigrante ilegal de Camerún. Todas estas gentes tan diferentes entre si, se encuentran en esta ciudad y en esta película. Se podría imaginar que no tienen nada de especial, pero para cada uno de ellos su vida es única. Podrías pensar que sus problemas no importan, pero para ellos, son las cosas más importantes del mundo. Más información.

Si hace apenas unos pocos meses cantábamos alabanzas al tándem James Ivory-Ruth Prawer Jhabvala al referirnos a la magnífica Lo que queda del día, en esta ocasión cargamos contra uno de los más lamentables trabajos del director, esta vez fuera del marco decimonónico que le es propio y por el que ha conseguido cimentar su sólida reputación de cineasta especializado en dramas de época, la insoportable Le divorce, elogio de la frivolidad, drama sobre los pasatiempos de las aristocracias ociosas. Contra lo que suele ser habitual, Ivory adapta la novela (que no hemos leído pero que adivinamos un tostón) de Diane Johnson y nos traslada al París contemporáneo para introducirnos en el drama de dos familias, una francesa y una norteamericana, ambas ricachonas a más no poder, que se ven afectadas por la separación de la pareja formada por Charles-Henri de Persand (Melvil Poupaud), de profesión aristócrata forrado, y Roxeanne Walker (Naomi Watts), escritora de libros infantiles de fama mundial, faltaría más.

La trama arranca con el viaje de Isabel (que no Elizabeth, curiosamente), interpretada por Kate Hudson, la hermana de Roxeanne, a París para ayudarla ahora que se encuentra en los meses finales de su embarazo. Así, mientras, aprende francés y busca un trabajillo con el que además de matar el tiempo pueda alternar con la bohemia parisina, lo que finalmente consigue empleándose como secretaria de la famosa escritora norteamericana afincada en Francia Olivia Pace (Glenn Close). Nada más llegar, se encuentra la tostada del recién decidido divorcio, pero claro, la chica es joven y lozana y pese a todo se enrolla con el tío de Charles-Henri (Thierry Lhermitte), lo que aquí llamaríamos “de profesión tertuliano”, provocando la incomodidad a ambas familias, ya que mientras una pareja se está separando, la que se une no cuenta precisamente con la confianza de ninguna de las partes, ni siquiera de ninguno de sus miembros (él, mujeriego declarado, antiguo amante de Olivia entre muchas otras; ella una trepa en toda regla, ansiosa de éxito social y mucho dinero que gastar en bolsos y zapatos). La cosa se complica más cuando la familia de Charles-Henri, de naturaleza arpía, y la de Roxeanne, que viaja desde Estados Unidos (Sam Waterston y Stockard Channing) meten baza en el asunto y organizan una especia de cumbre del G-8 (G de gilipollas) para resolver el entuerto, con el concurso imprescindible de la ex-pareja de la nueva esposa de Charles-Henri (Matthew Modine), un ser desquiciado de sesera hueca, y con el problema de una antigua pintura, posesión de la familia de Roxeanne pero que había sido regalada al matrimonio que formaba con Charles-Henri, que se revela como obra de un gran pintor y que, mientras la familia francesa busca hacerse con la mitad de su valor, la americana pretende vender en una casa de subastas de Londres para llenarse la bolsa y que sus rivales no vean un duro. Mejor dicho, un euro (lo que cambia de valor una letra…).

Con tan reputado director y tan renombrado reparto, la película tendría que ser un caramelo para degustar, cargado de tensión, garra, dinamismo, buenas interpretaciones y momentos dramáticos reseñables, pero no es así. Ni mucho menos, porque todo está copado por una estética más bien televisiva, Ivory se limita a situar la cámara en grandilocuentes escenarios cuya belleza supera por entero cualquier dramón lacrimógeno que nos quiera contar, el cual además es relatado con frialdad y distancia a pesar de los enormes esfuerzos de Naomi Watts por transmitir algo del profundo abismo interior que se abre en su personaje al ser abandonada en plena recta final de su embarazo. El personaje de Hudson, mal delimitado, oscila constantemente entre la sensibilidad y agudeza de la chica americana sencilla fascinada por la cultura y el modo de vida francés y el esnobismo y el materialismo más extremos; el de Modine como amante despechado es probablemente uno de los más disparatados despropósitos que jamás haya incluido un guión con pretensiones; el de Close está completamente desaprovechado, y su aparición queda reducida a lo testimonial, al Pepito Grillo del cuento cuando probablemente ganaría muchos enteros si poseyera la clave de la trama, y por último, Charles-Henri carece de encanto, carisma y personalidad como para justificar semejante tormenta familiar.

En cuanto al drama en sí mismo, éste queda sepultado bajo la capa de estupideces más grande que cabe en una película de casi dos horas. La película se convierte en una oda al capitalismo exclusivo: marcas y más marcas, trapitos, bolsos, zapatos, abrigos, sombreros, guantes, cuadros, alfombras, jarrones, pinturas, coches, revistas, cafés, restaurantes, vinos, chefs… No falta nada en un catálogo de exaltación de la mercadotecnia asociada a los multimillonarios y que en realidad parece una competición de cretinos en una doble vía: los franceses, por un lado haciendo gala de su habitual y ridículo chovinismo, mientras por otro pretenden sacar los colores a los “bárbaros” americanos que para ellos son lo más cercano a nuevos ricos descendientes de los indios sin estilo para apreciar dónde está la verdadera clase; los americanos, mientras se ríen de las chorradas que sueltan los gabachos por su boca cada vez que la abren y critican sus constantes ínfulas de superioridad y sus aires de importancia, babean y se arrastran cada vez que abren una botella de vino de Burdeos, entran en un salón bellamente decorado al estilo Luis lo que sea o se asoman a una ventana desde (como siempre en París cuando de yanquis se trata) la que se ve la torre Eiffel. En este aspecto, quizá se la película que más marcas comerciales cita, a cual más cara y exclusiva, además en la estúpida costumbre tan extendida últimamente de referirse a ellas como si de obras de arte se trataran, por el nombre del autor (y de verdad, a la quinta o sexta vez que esto ocurre, que se alardea de la marca asociada al estatus social e incluso, en cierto modo, a la pureza de sangre, dan ganas de vomitar).

Pero, con todo, el gran problema es la tibieza con la que se desarrolla el drama. A medida que más personajes se introducen en ella, su esencia, el amor perdido de Roxeanne, su situación de abandono y las consecuencias que a raíz de ello parecían abrirse para ella, queda diluido, entregándose la trama a esa especie de reto constante entre los finolis de París y los de América para ver quién pede más en botija, pasando por encima, por ejemplo, del hecho de que Roxeanne termine rehaciendo su vida. Así, el único elemento que podría rescatar el lento pero incesante declinar del interés de la película, la comisión de un crimen pasional que trastoca decisivamente el fondo de la relación entre las dos familias, ocurre tan tarde y se le atribuyen consecuencias tan irrelevantes que uno no sabe para qué demonios ha asistido a dos horas de puro y pornográfico exhibicionismo mercantil para multimillonarios si va a desembocar en la nada más absoluta y que no vale la pena ni siquiera para contemplar las bellezas de París: éstas están retratadas de manera tan tópica (torre Eiffel, barquitos, cafés, frutería callejera, restaurantes y champagne), que parece la Guía Michelin, haciendo que uno desee ver una película normal, de gente normal, que cuente un divorcio en Sabiñánigo.

En resumidas cuentas, un truño de película que pretende oler a Channel y que atufa cual bomba fétida, para más inri, con Carla Bruni en la banda sonora. Más que nada, para que suene algo de francés…

Acusados: todos
Atenuantes: quizá la labor de Naomi Watts al principio de la película, luego desaparece
Agravantes: la exaltación de la frivolidad consumista, del clasismo que representan las marcas
Sentencia: culpables
Condena: una lavativa de realidad con un trabajo de ocho horas o más diarias, hipoteca, hijos, mileurismo, y teniendo que soportar a un montón de cretinos en televisión recordándonos que se pegan la gran vida a su costa

professors get all the cute chicks...

This movie is in French, with English subtitles.

R

Juliette Binoche, Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini

Pierre: What blows my mind most is looking out the window.
Elise: Meaning…?
Pierre: I watch other people live.  I wonder who they are…where they go.  They become the heroes of my little stories.  I like that.

Pierre (Duris) learns that he has a potentially fatal heart problem, and his single-mom sister Elise (Binoche) comes to stay with him.  Meanwhile, in other loosely connected stories, various characters deal with love, loss, and loneliness amid the streets of Paris.

Paris is usually over-romanticized in movies, but in this one, it seemed to look a little bit different to me.  More realistic, run down, and old, yet still beautiful.  We see old, classic architecture, but there’s also new, more modern, buildings under construction.  I’m sure this is meant to echo the various attitudes of the characters, like the brothers Phillipe and Roland.  One is married architect, expecting his first child, and working on those new buildings.  Meanwhile, the other, Roland, is single and obsessed with the history of Paris.  But soon, his eye is caught by a much younger student in his class, played by Mélanie Laurent (recently seen in Inglourious Basterds), and his focus starts to shift from old to new.

That’s just one example of the various stories that are told throughout the movie.  We see the stories that Pierre can only imagine as he looks from his window at the people outside.  He dreams of being able to reconnect with society like that, rather than being stuck at home, weakened by his condition.  In his pain, he has the more romanticized vision of Paris that outsiders often have.  When he spots a stranger, Roland, walking down the sidewalk, seemingly happy, Pierre wishes he could be just like that, “carefree in the streets of Paris,” not realizing that he’s talking about a lonely lonely man who just had his own heart broken.

This is a mostly interesting movie, with good performances, but as is often the case in movies with so many characters, there are some I liked and others I was a little bored with.  So while certain story lines are being played out, I’m wishing they’d end so we could go back to the more interesting ones.  The overall effect is good though, even if a little underwhelming.  The feeling of the randomness of life (and death) is captured fairly well, but sometimes the random things can be a little dull.  Such is the case with portions of this movie.

Apparently helmets won’t always save you in a motorcycle accident…

10 – .8 for some dull portions – 1.9 for a few story lines I could have done without + .1 for good performances = 7.4

Paris: opening in limited release in theaters Sept. 18, 2009
Directed by: Cédric Klapisch
Starring: Juliette Binoche, Romain Duris and Mélanie Laurent

Having already opened abroad last year, this French film has finally made it the US. Not only does it provide a scenic Parisian backdrop, but also a melancholic Parisian narrative. The film is directed by Cedric Klapisch the same man who brought us L’auberge Espagnole, one of my personal favorites. And with talents like Juliette Binoche, Romain Duris (also in L’auberge Espagnole) and Mélanie Laurent (of recent Inglourious Basterds fame) the film is sure to have stellar performances.

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men: opening in theaters Sept. 25, 2009
Directed by: John Krasinski
Starring: Julianne Nicholson, Timothy Hutton, John Krasinski and Dominic Cooperbr

Based on David Foster Wallace’s darkly humorous novel of the same name, this film already looks bizarre. It was directed and adapted for the screen by John Krasinski, or as he is most commonly known as, Jim from The Office. His first directorial endeavor should be a sight to see.

New York, I Love You: opening in limited release in theaters Oct. 16, 2009
Directed by: Allen Hughes , Shunji Iwai, Wen Jiang, Shekhar Kapur and others
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Shia LaBeouf, Natalie Portman, Orlando Bloom, Ethan Hawke, Andy Garcia and Christina Ricci

This homage to the big apple is brought to you by the producers of international hit Paris, Je T’aime and retains its format: a hodgepodge of short films. With an ensemble cast that would rival any feature film, these shorts already look like they have the same sense of sentimentality that made it’s Parisian counterpart so memorable.

Recuerdo que Romain Duris se casaba con una pianista china al final de ‘De latir mi corazón se ha parado’.

Voto: 6 (su 10)

Si chiama Persécution, persecuzione, il film di Patrice Chéreau presentato in concorso a Venezia. Ma potrebbe chiamarsi benissimo Lasciami entrare. Sarebbe un titolo adatto. Perché la storia tra Daniel, giovane uomo che lavora come muratore, e Sonia, la sua fidanzata, con cui ha un rapporto tormentato, è fatta di continue, disperate, richieste di ingresso. Lasciami entrare nella tua vita, nel tuo mondo, nella tua anima, nel tuo corpo. È questo che si chiedono, si negano e si concedono i due amanti. È questo che chiede a Daniel un uomo misterioso, che appare all’improvviso e sembra perseguitarlo. E a livello visivo Persécution riesce a rappresentare bene questa necessità di entrare nella vita di chi ci è prossimo, di chi amiamo. È un film fatto di continui ingressi, nelle case, nelle stanze. Case in costruzione, come quelle in cui lavora Daniel. Come sono in costruzione i rapporti tra le persone, le personalità di ognuno. È un film fatto di porte lasciate aperte, oppure chiuse e poi forzate, come l’intimità di ciascuno, condivisa, o negata e poi violata.

È un film che gira volutamente a vuoto, quello di Chereau, fatto di personaggi che girano su se stessi, di parole che dicono tutto e niente, come spesso accade nella vita, e che non svelano mai completamente il senso di quello che accade. Perché è un film che non vuole raccontare una storia, ma trasmettere un disagio, uno stato d’animo. Per entrarci dentro si tratta di andare al di là delle parole, e cercare i movimenti, gli sguardi, le sensazioni. La fotografia sui toni del blu contribuisce a raffreddare tutto, imbrigliando e raggelando il film, che non sfocia mai nel mélo ma si mantiene sui binari del thriller dell’anima, che punta alla testa e mai al cuore. È un film inquietato e incompiuto, con un’inevitabile monotonia di fondo che non riesce a sollevarlo oltre la mediocrità dei titoli visti sin qui alla Mostra di Venezia.

È un film d’attori, e non poteva essere altrimenti. Nell’incontro/scontro tra Romain Duris e Jean-Hugues Anglade, rispettivamente Daniel e l’uomo misterioso, spicca l’affascinante Charlotte Gainsbourg, ancora una volta alle prese con una prova intensissima, opposta e complementare al ruolo estremo di Antichrist, ancora una volta completamente a nudo, nel corpo e nell’anima. È nudo anche l’uomo misterioso che affianca e perseguita Daniel. Se fossimo in un film americano ci sarebbe qualche twist ending a svelarci qualcosa che possiamo solo intuire. Ma niente risposte, siamo francesi. Così i rapporti tra i personaggi sono misteri, quei misteri dell’amore, come cantano Antony and the Johnsons in una struggente Mysteries of love, remake del pezzo scritto da David Lynch e Angelo Badalamenti per Velluto Blu, che da sola vale la visione del film. Chi è allora l’uomo misterioso? Non lo sappiamo. Provate solo a pensare che a volte la persecuzione peggiore è quella che infliggiamo a noi stessi.

Da vedere perché: è un raggelato e raggelante thriller dell’anima (con una canzone che vale da sé la visione) anche se è inevitabilmente monotono

(Pubblicato su Movie Sushi)  

Kino par to, vai ir iespējams ar vienām un tām pašām rokām dauzīt ar beisbola nūju citus cilvēkus un pēc pāris stundām spēlēt klavieres – drīzāk nevis Džeimsa Tobaka 1978.gada filmas “Fingers” rimeiks, bet tāds brīvs pārstāsts, lai cik arī tas dīvaini nebūtu, vismaz Tobaka gadījumā. Centrā Francijas jaunās superzvaigznes režisors Odijārs (kas šogad Kannās paņēma galveno zaru) un aktieris Romēns Durī (kas iet Kasela, V. pēdās, taču netracina tik ļoti). Pārfrāzēt “Pirkstus” vispār ir ļoti nepateicīgs darbs – Tobaka filma ir kosmiska mēroga šedevrs, lieta lietā un vakuuma zirgs, taču tieši uz Francijas reāliju fona (kur multikulturālisma momentu var vienmēr iepīt, utt) izskatās pat pārsteidzoši labi, būtu jānodzer jau pēdējās sirdsapziņas paliekas, lai pateiktu, ka nebija kļova un interesanti. Jā, Odijārs ir patiešām ļoti labs režisors, gaidām , kad mums beidzot rādīs “Pravieti”.

in 2009 martcore says
apm. ņurd

Agora há pouco, do nada, me lembrei dessa música do filme Dans Paris, que passou por aqui no começo de 2008.

Além de me interessar muito por Cristhophe Honoré (perdi As canções do amor ainda não vi A bela Junie, espero que role amanhã à noite), gosto muito de Louis Garrel (Amantes constantes) e de Romain Duris (Albergue espanhol, Bonecas russas e, principalmente, o muito sensível De tanto bater meu coração parou). Essa música é linda, linda…a letra segue abaixo.

E a letra: http://letras.terra.com.br/romain-duris-joanna-preiss/1136362/

by The Great White Gypsy

Amreeka – Written and Directed by Cherien Dabis
We’ve seen this kind of thing on TV and in movies before. Actually, a lot recently. But this story of a single mother emigrating from Palestine and working at a White Castle in Illinois looks interesting. If you liked The Visitor, you’ll probably enjoy this, and it’s gotten a lot of positive reviews from Cannes and Sundance.
Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muellam, Alia Shawkat
September 4

Carriers – Written and Directed by Alex and David Pastor
Chris Pine (Star Trek, Bottle Shock) has already proven himself to be a versatile actor. Looks like your typical virus-ends-mankind thriller, but since when is that a bad thing? The Pastor brothers are new, but the preview is enticingly vague and eerie.
Chris Pine, Piper Perabo, Lou Taylor Pucci
September 4

Extract – Written and Directed by Mike Judge
The creator of Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill has been sadly absent from cinema since Office Space in 1999 (save 2006’s Idiocracy). About an Extracts plant owner who thinks his wife is cheating on him, the fact that the preview and the tagline compare it to Office Space could spell trouble, but Judge, Bateman, and J.K. Simmons haven’t let me down so far.
Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, Mila Kunis, J.K. Simmons, Kristen Wiig, Clifton Collins Jr.
September 4

Gamer – Written and Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
Pro: It’s good to see Gerard Butler in an action movie after being in bullcrap like P.S. I Love You, Nim’s Island, and The Ugly Truth.
Con: The Writer/Director team is the same guys who did Crank and Crank 2.
Futuristic story about convicts who are players in a live action video game, controlled by real people. The winner is set free…everyone else dies. Granted, it appears to be a solid movie, but Crank 2 didn’t do anything for Jason Statham’s career (especially after Transporter 3), and after movies like Death Race, The Condemned, and Running Man, don’t expect to see anything groundbreaking.
Gerard Butler, Ludacris, Michael C. Hall, John Leguizamo
September 4

9 – Directed by Shane Acker, Written by Shane Acker and Pamela Pettler
Sure, 9 little rag dolls running around in a post-apocalyptic world might not rattle your cage, but after seeing Sebastian’s Voodoo at the Ashland Festival last April, I can’t wait to see Shane Acker’s animated short come to life as a full length feature. Not only is the voice casting solid, but it’s being produced by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. I feel like I’ve been waiting for this for 9 years (don’t worry, I already punched myself for that one.)
Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, Crispin Glover
September 9

The Other Man – Written and directed by Richard Eyre
Liam Neeson suspects his wife is cheating on him. Then she disappears, which makes him…slightly more suspicious. So he sets out to find and meet the man she’s seeing. Then they play a game of chess (if only Ingmar Bergman was alive to collect royalties on that). Kinda looks like Taken 2, but Neeson, Banderas, and Linney are all solid, and Eyre directed Notes on a Scandal, which got a lot of Oscar attention. Also based on a short story by Bernhard Schlink, who wrote The Reader. Unsure about this one.
Liam Neeson, Antonio Banderas, Laura Linney
September 11

The Burning Plain – Written and Directed by Guillermo Arriaga
Kicking off Oscar pre-season is Guillermo Arriaga’s (writer: 21 Grams, Babel) poignant drama about three women searching for happiness. Not only are Theron and Basinger involved, but composer Hans Zimmer (Frost/Nixon, The Dark Knight), cinematographers Robert Elswit (There Will Be Blood, Michael Clayton) and John Toll (Gone Baby Gone, The Last Samurai, Almost Famous), and Production Designer Dan Leigh (The Last Kiss, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) are all present and accounted for. Could be a contender.
Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, John Corbett, Jennifer Lawrence, Joaquim de Almeida, Robin Tunney
September 18

Disgrace – Directed by Steve Jacobs, Written by Anna Maria Monticelli
Adaptation of Nobel Prize winning author J.M. Coetzee’s (Elizabeth Costello, Waiting for the Barbarians) novel about a professor in post-apartheid South Africa who has an affair with a black student. When he is dismissed, he goes to live with his lesbian daughter, and they are attacked by a group of black teenagers. Films like this are hard for Americans to swallow, because they often forget that apartheid really didn’t start to disappear until 1994. Rookie director and writer, but Malkovich is always brilliant.
John Malkovich
September 18

The Informant! – Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Written by Scott Z. Burns
I’m trying very hard to forget about Ocean’s 11-13, and Soderbergh’s love affair with George Clooney. If I focus really hard on films like Out of Sight, Traffic, and Sex, Lies, and Videotape, then maybe I’ll give this Kurt Eichenwald (Conspiracy of Fools) adaptation of an agricultural businessman turned government informant a chance. I make no promises.
Matt Damon, Scott Bakula
September 18

Paris – Written and Directed by Cedric Klapisch
About a Parisian man with heart disease who is waiting for a transplant. He observes the city, and the people around him as they struggle through life and love. Klapisch looks fairly prolific in France, and I’m a Juliette Binoche fan. Looking forward to it.
Juliette Binoche, Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini
September 18

Jennifer’s Body – Directed by Karyn Kusama, Written by Diablo Cody
A hot high school girl takes a plain jane under her wing. Turns out she’s possessed, and trying to kill everyone. Normally I won’t even mention high school horror films like this. However, the people involved have me interested. Diablo Cody wrote Juno, which was amazing. Kusama directed Girlfight (good), but she also did Aeon Flux (not good). Probably won’t see it on the big screen, but I’ll look for it on On-Demand.
Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, J.K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris, Adam Brody
September 18

Splice – Directed by Vincenzo Natali, Written by Vincenzo Natali and Antoinette Terry Bryant
Again, normally I wouldn’t hype a film that appears to be a rip off of Species. But it also reminds me of Mimic, which was directed by Guillermo del Toro and, interestingly enough, del Toro is producing this sci-fi thriller. I like Adrien Brody, and I liked The Orphanage. Enough said.
Adrien Brody, Sarah Polly
September 18

The Blue Tooth Virgin – Written and Directed by Russell Brown
As an aspiring writer, I’m always a sucker for a film about aspiring writers. Two such people in L.A. have their friendship thrown into turmoil when one of them doesn’t like the other’s new screenplay. I’m interested, but most of you might wait until you see it on cable.
Karen Black, Roma Maffia, Lauren Stamile, Lance Aaron, Amber Benson, Bryce Johnson
September 25

The Boys are Back – Directed by Scott Hicks, Written by Alan Cubitt
The director of Snow Falling on Cedars and Hearts in Atlantis is teaming with Clive Owen for this dramedy about a man trying to raise his young son and reconnect with his older son after his wife dies suddenly. Looks more dramatic-family-dynamic than feel-good-comedy, a good departure for Owen as of late.
Clive Owen
September 25

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men – Written and Directed by John Krasinski
Krasinski’s directorial debut portrays a woman (Nicholson) interviewing men about their relationship patterns. Might not be really innovative, but after The Office and Away We Go, I’ll shell out $10 to support Johnny K. Not only that, it’s based on a short story by David Foster Wallace (Infinite Jest), who is freaking brilliant. Good luck finding this anywhere, though; I can’t even find an actual preview yet.
John Krasinski, Julianne Nicholson, Timothy Hutton, Lou Taylor Pucci, Josh Charles
September 25

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell – Directed by Bob Gosse, Written by Tucker Max
I’ve picked up Tucker Max’s book several times from the discount table at Borders, but, funny as it sounds, it’s not my kind of literature. However, the subject matter should make for an entertaining movie, and the outlandishly misogynistic things this guy says should be good for a laugh (the first line of the preview had me laughing out loud.)
Jesse Bradford, Matt Czuchry, Geoff Stults, Traci Lords
September 25

The Invention of Lying – Written and Directed by Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson
As much as I respect Ricky Gervais (The Office…no no, the original one), this inside-out Liar Liar has the potential to be esoterically dull. That being said, anything with Jeffrey Tambor has my initial approval.
Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Patrick Stewart, Jeffrey Tambor, Jason Bateman, Tina Fey
September 25

Pandorum – Directed by Christian Alvart, Written by Travis Malloy
Unknown meets The Descent meets Event Horizon in this sci-fi thriller about two crewmen aboard a large transport spaceship. They wake up alone, without any memory, and start to see weird monsters and crazy visions. Ben Foster is creepy all by himself, but this film looks dark and tense. Director, cinematographer, and editor each have a respectable body of work in Germany, but few successes in the US. I’ll definitely see it.
Ben Foster, Dennis Quaid, Antje Traue, Norman Reedus
September 25

Surrogates – Directed by Jonathan Mostow, Written by Michael Ferris and John D. Brancato
This is an almost Aasimovian story about a future where everyone just stays home on the couch, and controls a robot surrogate in the outside world with their mind. No one’s supposed to die. Then someone does. How do they never see that coming? Unfortunately, Mostow directed Terminator 3, which, along with Terminator Salvation, was also written by Farris and Brancato. If I see Schwarzenegger once, I’m throwing popcorn.
Bruce Willis, Rosemund Pike, Ving Rhames, Radha Mitchell, James Cromwell
September 25

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Dorian Gray – Directed by Oliver Parker, Written by Toby Finlay
Oscar Wilde’s original novel may have been a bit dry, but it’s a classic. Like most classics, however, this one is yet again being twisted and exploited by the film industry. The effects look cool, but the story seems a bit off, and the shameless addition of lurid sex scenes, while generally enticing, is just corrupting another good book, so today’s teens can read the smutty film novelization instead of the real thing. Not sure when it’s hitting the states, but the UK gets it next month.
Ben Barnes, Colin Firth
September 9 (UK)

Creation – Directed by Jon Amiel, Written by John Collee
The story of Charles Darwin in the midst of his controversial theories on evolution. It’s supposed to be based on a biography, but it appears to have a little church propaganda slant to it. Nevertheless, Bettany and Connelly are generally good, and the genuine emotions in the preview look solid. Not sure when we’ll see this one, but once again the UK gets it next month.
Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly, Jeremy Northam
September 25 (UK)

“Molière”, 2007. Rež Laurent Tirard, osades Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini, Laura Morante, Edouard Baer, Ludivine Sagnier, Fanny Valette jt

Selles Molière’i elu käsitlevas kostüümikomöödias võib näha kolme väga head Prantsuse komöödianäitlejat. Romain Duris ja Fabrice Luchini saavad küll sama hästi hakkama ka draamadega, Edouard Baeriga (“Ma olen alati tahtnud gangster olla”) käib aga alati kaasas mingi huumoriaura, nii et ta isegi draamades kuidagi koomilisena mõjub. Näib, et aeg-ajalt on vist kohustus oma kultuuri suurkujud kapist välja võtta ja nad tolmust puhtaks kloppida, kuid õnneks pole “Molière’i” näol tegemist mingi tõsismeelse kummardusega suurele geeniusele, vaid puhtakujulise fiktsiooniga tema elu ainetel, mistõttu jääb mulje, et ka näitlejad tunnevad end vabamalt. Lugu algab raamjutustusega, kus Molière (Romain Duris) naaseb pärast 13 aastat kestnud ringsõitu provintsides Pariisi , kus ta Louis XIV loal ühes teatris komöödiaid võib etendada. Tagasi jõudnud, kutsutakse ta külastama surevat pr Jourdaini (Laura Morante), kelle voodi juurde jõudes meenub talle 13 aasta tagune aeg, kui nad kohtusid. Tollal 22-aastane Molière kadus siis mitmeks kuuks ning tema käikudest ja tegemistest nende kuu jooksul pole midagi teada. Film täidab selle lünga, ja nüüd algab puhas väljamõeldis: Molière satub võlavanglasse, kust ta päästab rikas, kuid tiitlita Jourdain (Fabrice Luchini), kes palkab ta endale näitlemisõpetajaks. Nimelt on Jourdain armunud noorde leske (Ludivine Sagnier), kelle võlumiseks ta nüüd kõvasti trenni teeb: maalib, luuletab, näitleb, ratsutab, vehkleb jne, kõike umbes üks minut päevas.  Nüüd on ta võtnud nõuks kirjutada näidendi, mille ta kavatseb lese salongis ette kanda, ja selleks ta Molière’iga lepingu sõlmibki. Oma abikaasale pr Jourdainile ütleb ta seletuseks, et Molière on vaimulik õpetaja, kelle ta nende nooremale tütrele palkas. Tark pr Jourdain näeb aga Molière’i teeskluse kohe läbi ja nende vahel tärkab armastus…

Filmi tuleks kiita heade näitlejatööde ning teemasse vabalt suhtumise eest. Dialoogides ja süžeekäikudes on sageli kasutatud karaktereid ja fraase Molière’i näidenditest: näiteks Jourdain on tegelaskuju “Tartuffe’ist” ja Tartuffe’i nime all esineb ka Molière ise Jourdaini pool viibides. Kaunis luuletus, mida Jourdain ette kannab, on pärit “Naeruväärsetest eputistest”. See on niivõrd suurepärane, et pean selle siinkohal ära tooma: “Oi-oi! Kui ettevaatamata, / jäin teid ma vahtima nii pahaaimamata, / ja teie pilk südame mult salamahti haaras: / Oh, võtke kinni varas! Varas! Varas! Varas!” (A. Sanga tõlge)

Sääraselt üles ehitatud komöödiaga käib Tirard sama teed, mida alustas John Madden mitmete Oscaritega pärjatud “Armunud Shakespeare’is“. Molière’ist on tehtud tegelane tema oma näidendites, justkui oleks kõik, millest ta kirjutas ja mida ta pilas, tema endaga juhtunud. Kuid sealjuures ei tohi ära unustada, et ajalooliselt sel tõepõhja all pole, kuna Molière’ist on vähe säilinud – kaasaegsed temast palju ei kirjutanud ja tema oma käega kirjutatust on alles vaid mõnikümmend allkirja. Niisiis polegi see muud kui müstilisele suurkujule kaasaegses võtmes eluvaimu sisse puhumine, millele lisatakse puhuti mitte väga sügavaid arutlusi kõrge kunsti (tragöödia) ja madala kunsti (komöödia) vahekorrast ning jõutakse järelduseni, et ka komöödia võib olla kõrge kunst. Kuid eelkõige on Tirard’i “Molière’i” näol tegu meelelahutusega, mis ülihea komöödia mõõtu siiski välja ei anna.

Hai să-nnebunim la noapte într-un dans al lumilor ce ştiu să se sărute! Hai să uităm de noi în noaptea asta, să dansăm ca flăcările şi ca sufletele în regasirea de dincolo de morminte! Hai să udăm cu noi florile împlinirii din dorinţele cele mai turbate! Danseaza cu mine, să uitam cine suntem şi unde ne-am născut, să uităm că există pământ şi aer, paşi şi vorbe; să uităm de oameni şi de palpabil! Hai să ne regăsim în noaptea asta într-un dans frenetic al tuturor  dorurilor ce-au existat vreodată, al tuturor valenţelor din întregurile nespuse!

Hai să sfâşiem iremediabil la noapte într-un dans drăcesc toate barierele lumeşti ale refulării! Hai să pictăm tablouri nemuritoare într-un dans al timpurilor ce nu mor! Lasă-mă să sorb cu ochii dulcea sudoare ce-ţi va cotropi trupul şi hainele şi astfel să-mi amplific toate poftele dureroase de contopire a tuturor lumilor în mine! Hai să dansăm în noaptea asta ca şi cum toate existenţele ar depinde de dansul nostru!

]]> http://itpworld.wordpress.com/2009/08/10/french-crime-thrillers-%e2%80%93-the-polar/ Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:31:02 +0000 venicelion http://itpworld.wordpress.com/2009/08/10/french-crime-thrillers-%e2%80%93-the-polar/ http://neizlesem.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/barcelonada-1-sene-lauberge-espagnole/ Sun, 09 Aug 2009 14:48:40 +0000 lordlothar http://neizlesem.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/barcelonada-1-sene-lauberge-espagnole/ http://gabtor.wordpress.com/2009/09/20/paris/ Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:27:00 +0000 gabtor http://gabtor.wordpress.com/2009/09/20/paris/

A Parisian is sick and thinks he may die. His condition makes him look at all the people he meets in a new and different way. Imagining his death suddenly gives new meaning to his life, to other peoples’ lives, and to the life of the whole city. Fruit and vegetable sellers, a woman who runs a bakery, a social worker, a dancer, an architect, a homeless person, a university professor, a model, an illegal immigrant from Cameroon… All these very different people come together in this city and in this film. You might imagine there’s nothing special about them, but for every single one of them, their life is unique. You might believe their problems don’t matter, but to them, they are the most important things in the world