They came together today to launch the piece, which explores questions of love and relationships between men and women.

O amor é o grande tema deste magnífico filme do prestigiado diretor francês Patrice Leconte. Mas não um amor tradicional, não como estes que temos visto com tanta freqüência na tela dos cinemas. O roteiro de A Viúva de Saint Pierre nos apresenta três personagens centrais e a possibilidade de conflito entre eles. O diretor, no entanto, soube desenvolver brilhantemente a história, sem cair em nenhum clichê que poderia transformá-la em apenas mais um drama amoroso.

A história começa em 1850, na ilha de Saint Pierre, quando um homem é brutalmente assassinado e o responsável pelo crime, Neel Auguste (Emir Kusturica), é condenado à morte. Na pequena colônia francesa, porém, não há viúva (viúva, em francês veuve, que também significa guilhotina), e enquanto espera o instrumento chegar da metrópole, Neel é colocado sob a custódia do Capitão (Daniel Auteuil).

Madame La (Juliette Binoche), esposa do Capitão, preocupa-se com o destino do condenado e acredita que qualquer homem pode regenerar-se. Ela defende sua reabilitação e faz Neel realizar pequenos serviços à comunidade, os quais o tornam muito popular. O possível envolvimento amoroso da personagem de Juliette com o condenado parece preocupar todos na cidade, exceto o Capitão, que tem uma relação de total confiança e amor com a esposa.

O elenco dá vida aos personagens: cada um dos atores centrais soube entrar brilhantemente no papel e ajudar a construir um enredo atrativo e convincente. Juliette Binoque atua impecavelmente e forma com Daniel Auteuil um casal formidável: os atores nos convencem do amor de seus personagens, que exalam envolvimento e paixão. O diretor iugoslavo Emir Kusturica não decepciona em sua primeira atuação em papel de destaque e faz do condenado uma figura ingênua e cativante, digna de salvação.

Como na canção de Chico Buarque e Tom Jobim], o Capitão poderia dizer à esposa: “se entornaste a nossa sorte pelo chão” e, assim como o personagem da música, ele se rende ao amor, indo até as últimas conseqüências deste, lutando por seus ideais ao mesmo tempo em que procura agradar a esposa que tanto adora.

A trilha sonora e a fotografia também merecem destaque: as músicas e as belas tomadas completam o clima de envolvimentos e tensões - não só amorosas. Junte bons atores, um Canadá gelado e a música adequada: está feito um bom filme. Um luxo do começo ao fim. Sedutor e adorável – para saborear sozinho, ou ao lado da pessoa amada – o desafio é tentar não se envolver ou conter as lágrimas.

Ideas floating all around. The coffee is kicking in but in a fleeting moment all track of preceding thoughts is lost and the glass is empty again. After months of planning today I finally managed to drag my derriere out of the house have a coffee/lunch at a cafe on a Sunday, my idea of a perfect Sunday here, anywhere. So I woke up and looked at the watch, time for some father's day wishes, yup I am the cliched don't-forget-to-wish-papa-on-15th kinda person. Certain things are bigger than my strict non conformance to cliches

Rambling on, I packed some stuff including a lappy and the gun seller - I can't believe its taken me this long to read it...how lazy I can get even about things I seem to be so fanatical about, this time the thing being Mr. Laurie. It’s amazing he hasn't had even the slightest mention on my blog yet; I think I am gonna save him for a later post - and decided to walk to the city centre aka the CP of Baku.

Thirty minutes of chit-chatting with Dinkaa later in which I found out that that my parents have bought a fictitious dog just to humor Chinki far away in the big apple because she thinks it’ll help mom get over her daughters. In what messed up world can a dog be a replacement for not one not two but three (awesome) daughters?

I watched Dan in real life the other day. An ok movie which I mean as a compliment considering I’ve seen a million movies with the same theme as a kid and have hated them even as a kid but the guy’s a writer, is kinda philosophical et al and yours truly is almost always drawn to such wounded people who need to be mended again House being on top of the list. Juliette Binoche says in the movie that her perfect day would be a day in a country where no one knows her.. where she doesn’t speak the language.. where she’s completely out of her element. OK I couldn’t stop myself from empathising here for very obvious reasons. I don’t know if I am having a perfect day everyday here in this strange country but definitely anonimity is very valuable for me. After spending every day of the week talking to the same bunch of people about the same kinda shit and then going out in the evening with the same people again talking about the same kinda crap again none of which I enjoy at any time; I have started valuing the solitude of my apartment a lot more than I used to three months back and spending a Sunday afternoon in a café where noone knows me except for the waiters since I am a “regular” here is simply put, nice. Which reminds me of what I wrote approximately a year ago and it still makes so much sense /*proudly smiling*/. That’s the biggest drawback of working; each day is the same as the previous and the next one. Which brings me to the name of this page and it still makes so much sense if not more as it did last year /*proud smile extending*/. So I do agree with binoche a little though I can think of a lot of better things for my perfect day.

Just to expand the readers’ movie horizons (assuming there’s more than one), I did see Sex and the city, the movie and I couldn’t have been more disappointed. Nah, that’s not true…it could’ve done a lot worse considering the plot. When you follow a series for six years religiously, it stands up for something, means something and the movie totally killed its essense for me which is a lot of damage. But still I HAD to watch it even though I knew this would happen.

I guess its time to ask for the check and leave and to end this almost perfect day I think I’ll buy season two & three of House as a sort of return gift for P’s birthday! Believe it or not, its one of those very few series where the re-runs are almost as exciting as the first time. More on it in my next post, or the post after that.

(Lettera di tale Filippo Testa al Corriere)

[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.609989&w=425&h=350&fv=]

Part 2 of Interview
[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.609992&w=425&h=350&fv=]

In this bit Graham questions the audience about funny pick up lines:
[redlasso id="309a8ead-c674-4d1c-87e0-35b253e5c1ff"]

Cloverfield. What have I got to say about this movie? On the positive side the film works a lot better on the small screen than it does at the cinema but unfortunately it is still not as good as some would have you believe. Whilst the concept of a monster movie as recorded by a citizen journalist is intriguing the film suffers from breaking the rules of the format (the camera man claims that he wants people to know 'how it all went down' but frequently ignores the 'great big once in a life time you ain't seen nothing like this event' in favour of the unconvincing domestic drama - in fact if you want to see this type of thing done really well check out Spanish horror film Rec. when it hits DVD in early August). I've said it before and I'll say it again - this is originality as defined by the self obsessed YouTube generation and maybe that is where it should have stayed.

Of the new releases that I have not yet had the pleasure of watching I am most intrigued by The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and River Queen. The first relates the story of a man who became paralysed everywhere apart from his left eye and used this one way of communicating to dictate a memoir and the second concerns a family in 1860's New Zealand who find themselves caught between opposing Maori and Colonial factions. Whilst both of these films sound slightly on the dour side of life they have both been highly praised for their bold visuals and compelling subjects.

Also released are the Eva Longoria starring Over Her Dead Body and Dan in Real Life (featuring Steve Carell) - the most interesting nuggets of info I can find about these two is that the former was, apparently, originally titled Ghost Bitch and the later features a nice performance from Juliette Binoche.

The first star I fell for, as far as I can remember is, beleive it or not,:
Julie Andrews in "The Sound of Music". I know it sounds kind of funny, but I just thought she was soooo coool

I don't think I can make a real order for the rest, I can't really trace the right time line. Some have come and go, and come back again... so here are some other girls I managed to fall for at some point of another

Jennifer Connelly: First in "Labyrinth" and then again in "Requiem for a Dream"

As a kid, Pascale Bussieres, a french canadian actress who also played in "When Night is Falling", was huge at home, back in Québec. I saved up 100$ when I was 12 in order to buy the VHS box set of a 12 episodes TV Show she did...

Beside Pascale Bussieres, I had lots of crushes on women from Québec, but I won't add them to this list.

Julianna Marguilies in ER back in the 90's

Kate Winslet

This is the only couple I've ever had a crush on... I love them together! Bette and Tina

Such a cute, sexy, pretty lesbian... Leisha Hailey

Piper Perabo in "Lost and Delirious", "Imagine you and me" and "Coyote Ugly"

The Matrix was never hot because of Keanu Reeves.... It's all about Carrie-Anne Moss

Jennifer Garner in "Alias"

Amy Brenneman

Courtney Cox Arquette

Portia De Rossi

Kelli Williams in "The Practice"

Juliette Binoche in "The English Patient"

Maria Bello in "Coyote Ugly" and in ER

Maura Tierney in "ER"

Jodie Foster

Jordana Brewster in "D.E.B.S."

Elisha Cuthbert in "The girl next door"

Lena Headey in "Imagine Me and You"

Cate Blanchett in.. sooo many things...

Helen Hunt in "Mad About You"

Evangeline Lilly - You have to admit she is good looking....

Angelina Jolie

"Speed" was al about Sandra Bullock, at least for me!

I'll be hoping for some comments... Click here

• Earliest Movie Watching Memory: My first movie was Empire Strikes Back. My Dad and older brother went. I remember the Hoth sequence. There were some boys in the front row goofing that dad barked at to keep 'em quiet.

• Last DVD purchased: I'm not sure. I don't buy too many DVDs. Possibly Gus Van Sant's Elephant ($2)

• If you were a guest programmer for TCM what three movies would you choose to best represent your tastes: Were talking classics, like, from the 80s right? Since I watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off on TCM a couple of months ago I'm counting anything from the 80s and before. Casablanca (because it still holds up today as a compelling drama), Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (not just for nostalgic reasons), and The Jerk (for some nostalgic reasons, but also because it's hilarious).

• Last Movie in the Theatre: Iron Man, but before that (all rise) There Will Be Blood.
• Last Movie watched: Southland Tales by Donnie Darko. The movie was cloyingly ironic.

• Three Actors that Get You to the Theater: Believe it or not, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
• Three Actresses that Make You Want to Watch a Movie: how about two actresses that seem to find good movies and make them better and one that nearly ruins every movie she's in: Juliette Binoche, Renee Zellwigger and the opposite Midas: Julia Roberts (though I think Scarlett Johansson is quickly becoming that same actress).
• Movie You Often Quote: Big Lebowski, The Castle, The Princess Bride.
• Name Three Little Known Films that People Should Watch: Junebug, All the Real Girls, and State & Main
• What were the three foreign films that you wanted to put there but didn't: Bleu, The Decologue, Nobody Knows or possibly Yi Yi.
• Three Favorite Directors: Paul Thomas Anderson, Krystof Keislowski, and Andrew Niccol (Coen Bros & Danny Boyle are a near fourth).
• Favorite Three Woody Allen Films: Woody Allen represents nearly every single flaw that I despise in humanity and yet I love his films. Why is that? My favorites are his ampersand trilogy: Sweet&Lowdown, Husbands&Wives, and Crimes&Misdemeanors, but on a lighter note I'd take Small Time Crooks.
• Favorite Three Martin Scorsese Films: I dislike Scorsese, the man can't do a female character to save his life. Sharon Stone in Casino and Patricia Arquette from Bringing Out the Dead come close. But if I have to pick I would say Casino, Gangs of New York (if you cut out any scene with Camerone Diaz), and Raging Bull.
• Favorite Three Steven Spielberg Films: Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Terminal, and A. I. (if you stop it before that goofy ending).
• Three Films That Made You Shed Tears: Big Fish, Magnolia, House of Sand and Fog.
• Most Overrated Film: Without a doubt, American Beauty. A dreadful, dreadful film, but very pretty I suppose.
• Most Underrated Film: I thought The Number 23 was underrated, but a question like this indicates that the underrated film should be a great film, something The Number 23 was not. A Scanner Darkly was underrated (funny because Linklater is overrated), The New World (funny because Colin Farrell is overrated). Actually, the most underrated would be the film I mention first in the next question. How about a movie that's rated perfectly? The Beach is rated pretty dead on: not very good.
• Three Favorite Romantic Movies: The Family Man (most compellingly positive depiction of family life ever), Jerry Maguire (it's hard to watch now, b/c it's so iconic and parodied, but it's still strong because it eschews the "love you for who you are" crap), The Empire Strikes Back (no kidding, the scenes between Princess Leia and Han Solo are some of the greatest in cinematic history). When Harry Met Sally get honorable mention.
• Three Favorite Action Movies: No question, Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark. Any movie that ends with an act of God (especially one that melts the faces off Nazi's) automatically gets to be first on this list. Reign of Fire, brilliant. Matthew McConnaughey gets a free pass in my book for this movie, he is now free to do Ten Things I Hate About Losing Guys in Ten Days for the rest of his life. Those are the two that really stand out, the third would have to be M:i:III or T2 (note to future biographer: first R rated movie I saw in the Theatre) or Die Hard.
• Three Favorite Comedies: The Jerk, one of the more respectable movies that I've seen 10+ times. The Big Lebowski is a movie I could watch the rest of my life (the Coen Bros are always good for a laugh, Hudsucker Proxy, Intolerable Cruelty, Fargo). Like Jerry Maguire, Napoleon Dynamite suffers for the same reasons, but I would still rank it high, the problem with that one is that I think all good movies you should be able to watch multiple times and I'm not sure I'll ever need to watch Napoleon again. I've seen Dumb & Dumber more times than I care to admit (ditts for Ferris Bueller's Day Off), but I wouldn't rank it top three either. The Castle gets pulled out every two or three years at my parent's house and we howl our way through that one.
• Three Favorite Mafia Movies: We all know it's Godfather II, Casino, and Goodfellas. That's boring. How about a Favorite Mediocre Mafia movie: that would be Bugsy. Directorially it's awful, but the script is solid and Warren Beatty does it up fine. Eastern Promises is a very competent movie about the Russian mob.
• Three Favorite Horror Movies: I'm not big on horror so I don't have a lot to draw on here. 28 Days Later is the only horror movie I would defend. Blair Witch Project worked for me because I didn't have those cinematic clues to push me out of the movie, like music telling me to get scared, and you didn't have starlets with nice hair running around saying all sorts of cogent dialogue. But that's a movie I will never have to watch again. I find movies like Ang Lee's The Ice Storm or Noah Baumbauch's The Squid and the Whale to be far more "horrible" in the T.S. Eliot sense.
• Three Favorite Sci-Fi Movies: The first movie I ever saw in a theatre would have to lead the way, The Empire Strikes Back. The Matrix. I don't know…Sunshine? I thought the movie up until the last 20 minutes was amazing, but the ending killed it for me, but it's growing on me. I'll need a 2nd viewing.
• Three Favorite Superhero Movies: Batman Begins, Unbreakable…I love Chris Reeves as Clark Kent in his Superman (watching Routh do his best Reeves impersonation almost made the new film watchable),
• Three Favorite Sports Movies: Jerry Maguire, Hoosiers (though I haven’t seen it in years I'll rely on its reputation), and Chariots of Fire.
• The Worst Movie You Like: It's embarrassing, but I really enjoyed The Big Hit back in the day. I haven't seen it since, but I think I might still enjoy it. The other one would be The Mexican. I've rented that movie three times just to fastforward every scene without Brad Pitt. Julia Roberts is horrendous, the story itself isn't very good, but Pitt is absolutely 100% entertaining. The best one man show since Tom Hanks in Cast Away (though Wilson the Volleyball is four times the actor that Julia is).
• Worst Movie to Win the Oscar for Best Movie: It would almost be easier to pick the best movie to win Best Movie…
• Best Kept Secret about Your Movie Passion: I like Jerry Lewis. I own The Nutty Professor and I want to own The Family Jewels.
• Do You Keep a Movie Blog: It's not public, but I've kept a list of every movie I've seen for the last three years.
• Favorite Fight Sequence: Without a doubt, the ladder scene in Jackie Chan's First Strike.
• Favorite Beginning to a Film: I'm not a person who can recall these sorts of things very easily, so I'll go with something I've seen recently. The opening scene in Rescue Dawn was great. Bombs being dropped on the jungle from the back of a plane, the slo-mo-explosions, it was all nicely done.
• Favorite Ending to a Film: Raiders of the Lost Ark would have to win that one, but an ending that made me want to see more was The Matrix. Obviously Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions made me regret that. But if I could nominate my favorite scene from those movies it would be the scene where Neo reaches into Trinity's chest and restarts her heart with his matrix-magic. The scene is marred by the horrendous line "I love you too damn much." but otherwise it's a rad scene.
• Three Movies You Want To See Again: I want to see Harvey again. I also want to rewatch Τριλογία 1: Το Λιβάδι που δακρύζει (Triology: The Weeping Meadow) because it was one of the most beautifully shot films I've ever seen.
• Three Movies You Will Never See: The Sound of Music, Gone With the Wind, and probably Laurence of Arabia.
• Three Movies You Want To See: Obvs I'm wanting to see Indy J and Crystie Skull. And since I've enjoyed the cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender with my sons I'm looking forward to M. Night Shamalamadingdong's adaptation (even though his talents for narrative are de-evolving before our very eyes). I'd love to see a movie on the Siege of Malta, but I'm not sure it could be done well in the current climate.

It stars Steve Carell, who is good in it. Dane Cook is also in it. A lot of people can't stand him. He doesn't bother me. He doesn't really affect me either way. He doesn't do much in this movie, he's just kind of in it.

For the entire middle of the movie I felt super tense, which is not an enjoyable feeling. I rented this movie to mindlessly relax, not to get anxiety from Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche falling in love but not knowing what to do because she's dating his brother (Cook).

It's drawn out for a while, until finally Binoche dumps Cook. Then she and Carell make out at the bowling alley and get caught by his entire family, followed by Cook punching Carell in the face.

Then Cook goes off to bang some ho bag, which morally frees up Carell and Binoche to be together. His three daughters (the mother is dead) are psyched; they love Binoche; she's great. The movie ends with Carell and Binoche getting hitched.

(Spoiler alert).

How is this a satisfying ending? Wouldn't it bother Carell that his wife used to date his brother? Wouldn't it bother Cook that his brother stole his girlfriend and made her his wife? What the heck is going on? This movie is not relaxing at all.

I rented this movie from iTunes. Renting movies from iTunes is fantastic. Will I rent from iTunes in the future?

Answer: Yes.

Rating for Dan in Real Life: one and a half stars.

Rating for iTunes movie rental service: four stars.

I couldn't agree more with a title. I've always been fascinated by Paris. And now there is a whole film dedicated to the city of love! It is a compilation of eighteen short films by twenty-one leading directors. There are quite a few famous actors in it as well. (Such as Juliette Binoche, Natalie Portman, Elijah Wood, Emily Mortimer and many others). It's really fun to watch and because there are so many little stories, there is something in it for everyone. Most of the stories are (of course!) about love, or the lack of love. I couldn't even say which sequence I like best, there are just too many...

In my view the film is like the city itself: diverse, romantic and beautiful.

(Photo: Paris/Ness 2008 )

haciendo zapping llego a las primeras imágenes de la película, que de inmediato me dicen algo: imágenes veloces, contenidas, estéticas y densas de gente trepando por el techo de un loft y rompiendo cristales (breaking & entering debe venir de eso) en medio de escenografías o maquetas arquitectónicas.... disfruté mucho de la película, pero cuando terminó me fui a internet a ver si era buena o no, y es que los entendidos cinematográficos siempre me convencen desde su displicencia, mientras yo tiendo a encontrar todo bueno (o todo malo, según la tarde). Bueno, ellos tampoco sabían mucho, porque la película es rara y en el intertanto el director Minghella se murió de un derrame. Lo que yo ví es que Jude Law, que es un galán británico cool, se viste muy cool con ropa gris-beige-blanca-negra y vive en un piso cool que es de los mismos colores, con una mujer sueca madura pero aún bonita y también cool. Law es buena persona, educado, contenido, pero en el fondo su pelo medio despeinado y medio canoso apunta hacia la búsqueda de dos cosas: que la sueca no sea tan helada con él, y además quiere ser malo. La maldad lo ronda, porque la sueca tiene una hija medio autista y la locura está instalada en esa casa tan cool; aparte de ello, como él y su socio son arquitectos exitosos y modernos, han instalado la oficina en un loft industrial de King Cross, barrio malacatoso de Londres donde hay delincuencia, problemas con la inmigración, etc. Por eso es que unos kosovares emigrados le entran a robar, y la figura estelar es allí un joven que da saltos hasta el techo y se desliza como un animal hasta la alarma, la desconecta y luego entran sus primos y tíos a llevarse los computadores. Esos primos y tíos sí que son malos. Además Jude Law, que no se irrita por los robos porque está asegurado y en el fondo está de parte de los ladrones, vigila igual su loft en la noche y ahí se hace amigo de una puta oriental que le ofrece inútilmente sus servicios, le pone música, le roba el auto y después se lo devuelve.... en fin, es una lucha entre lo educado y lo salvaje, entre la frialdad de lo correcto y la simpatía espontánea y depredadora de lo delincuencial. Para llevar este trato con ambos mundos, por cierto, es indispensable mentir, y en eso se lo lleva el bueno de Law que tras mandarle a arreglar como cien ternos y chaquetas logra afilarse a la costurera Binoche (madre del joven ladrón trepador que en el fondo es un buen chico) y recalentar de paso a la sueca, a la que él quiere de verdad pese a que es una rubia realmente pálida, depresiva y latosa. Además se las arregla bastante bien sin trabajar mucho porque tanta historia no le deja tiempo, el socio se le queja un poquito pero no demasiado y ganan mucha plata al parecer. La policía también está dudando entre lo primitivo y lo educado, especialmente a través de un gordo filósofo policial que anda disfrazado de motonetista con casaca de cuero. Londres se ve bonito, y de paso la oficina de los arquitectos es convincente. Los críticos dijeron que Minghella acertaba en unas cosas y en otras no lo lograba, etc. Le pongo tres estrellitas, aunque no sé cuantas estrellas son el máximo.

Steve Carell plays 'Dan' a likable but lonely widow and newspaper columnist, who takes his three daughters to a family gathering/ holiday in Rhode Island. The family casting is perfect and all roles large or small are interesting. The fun starts when Dan meets an intelligent beauty (Juliette Binoche), who then turns out to be his brothers new girlfriend!

There were so many hilarious scenes from the shower, to the bowling, aerobics, bar dancing - OK 90% of it. It was just great. I loved the family dynamics (reminded me very much of my own family) from the games, to the integration of new boyfriends/ girlfriends - to the 'special room', the makeshift area (closet/laundry) that becomes a 'sleeping' area when there are so many family members all in the house at one time. Also a very humorous cameo by Emily Blunt (Devil Wears Prada).

This is an intelligent, mature women's film and I just loved it, loved it, loved it...like fine wine and cheese that you just want to savour - I enjoyed every minute of this soul-food chick flick (second only to Lars and the Real Girl).

Steph's rating: 8.75/10

After eavesdropping on other festivalgoers, I've learned that making innane comments are essential. They will display you ability to assess Art and Culture.

I've compiled a list of good examples below. Each comment has been said by real life bourgey festivalgoers. Followed by my succinct review of how they can service your street cred. Use them wisely by slipping them into conversation nonchalantly.

Uggh. Look at that neon sign they've got for the logo of the festival, the neon light really shows up the scum of the city.

Don't like the catalogue this year, they've changed it, cept this A4 size is inappropriate, look, it doesn't even fit in my hand bag.

I recommend shoving the catalogue into your handbag to validate your complaint.

I reckon the new catalogue size is an improvement. And it fits perfectly into my black laptop friendly manbag. But whatevs, you can't please everyone.

The New Zealand International Film Festival will be the the longstanding highlight of my Arts Calendar.

Lets go see Paris, its a French movie, I love those French movies because the French are never crass, this one has that Juliette Beenosssh in it, and I just loved her in Chocolat!

Over emphasize the French accent on Juliette's name, many run the mistake of slipping into the New Zealand cadence.

I don't like it when they all clap, who are they clapping for, the usher, or, the projection guy?

No. They're clapping at all the elderly festivalgoers who left the cinema safely despite the dark. Because for some reason festivalofficials are not putting up the house lights during the credits. WTF.

This festival is so disorganized. This would never happen at somewhere like Cannes.

Make sure you compare the local and the global at any opportunity.

Don't get me wrong. The New Zealand International Film Festival will be the 'the longstanding highlight of my Arts Calendar. I just can't resist quietly mocking the festival goers. And the sad thing is, I'm exactly like them, truly detestable.

Find this post interesting? Digg it here.

Hektik, Chaos, Gegensätze, Größe, Masse, Unüberschaubarkeit - all das vermag Cédric Klapisch, der Regisseur von "So ist Paris", am Beginn seines Films in ausdrucksstarke Motive zu übertragen. Schnelle Schnitte, verzerrte, flimmernde Bilder und dynamische Musik vermitteln den lebhaften Eindruck einer Großstadt, einer Metropole. Doch dann verliert Klapisch jegliches Zeitgefühl und der Zuschauer fragt sich nach gefühlten fünf Stunden "Nimmt das denn gar kein Ende?".

Der Film zeigt den Querschnitt durch die Bewohner einer Weltstadt: Singles, Ausländer, Arbeiter, Akademiker, alleinerziehende Mütter, Menschen unter Vielen und doch alles Anonyme, alles Einsame. Pierre (Romain Duris), ehemaliger Revuetänzer, erfährt von seiner schweren Herzerkrankung und reißt uns mit in sein tiefes schwarzes Loch. Für ihn ist das Leben zu Ende, einzige Sinnerfüllung erfährt er durch den Blick aus dem Fenster auf Paris. Paris hält jedoch noch weitere Melancholische  bereit, zum Beispiel den allein gealterten Historiker Roland Verneuil (Fabrice Luchini). Er philosophiert sich auf dem Weg der Selbstfindung alla Woody Allen vorbei an einer jungen Geliebten bis zum Psychiater. Sein Bruder Philippe Verneuil (Francois Cluzet), ein kleiner Lichtblick des Films, weil ausnahmsweise glücklich und zufrieden, will aber gar nicht glücklich und zufrieden sein. Was heißt Normalität und ist es denn gut, normal zu sein? Wohl nicht. Jegliches positive Lebensgefühl taucht Klapisch in eine Flut von Depressivität. Pierres Schwester Elise (Juliette Binoche) erlebt keinerlei Unterstützung als sie ihre Kollegen bittet, etwas mehr Zeit für sich zu bekommen, die scheinfreundliche Bäckerin (Karin Viard) demütigt regelmäßig ihre Mitarbeiterinnen und, und, und. Nichts mehr von der Leichtigkeit eines Films wie "L'auberge espagnole".

Nach der Glücksdosis durch "Happy-Go-Lucky" folgt nun das Gegengift, für diejenigen, denen Poppy zu viel wurde. Wer Fröhlichkeit und Lebensfreude lieber meidet, fühlt sich in "So ist Paris" wohler. Doch will man 129 min. lang so viel geballte, schlechte Stimmung ohne Tempo, ohne Anfang und Ende wirklich sehen?

Cast:

Direction: Peter Hedges

Review: This is a nice movie to watch for the ones who like romance and comedy. Personally i like this combination second best to the unique and exhilirating. The movie revolves around a widower with three kids who meets a girl in a bookstore and realizes he is very comfortable with her. Only to find out later that she is his brother's girlfriend. How they spend the family gettogether and fight the love that springs up between them forms the story.

Mit Juliette Binoche, Carrie-Ann Moss, Judi Dench, Alfred Molina, Johnny Depp, Peter Stormare u.a.

Regie: Lasse Hallström

Ende der 50er Jahre weht der Nordwind die zauberhafte Vianne und deren kleine Tochter Anouk in das französische Dörfchen Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, das seit dem Mittelalter allen Modernisierungsbestrebungen erfolgreich widersteht. Dort wünscht man sich nichts sehnlicher als seine Ruhe. Doch genau die bekommt man mit der resoluten Frau gerade nicht, die mitten in der Fastenzeit in Kirchennähe eine Chocolaterie eröffnet. Die bigotte Dorfgemeinde geht auf die Barrikaden - aber Vianne versteht sich mit geradezu magischem Geschick zu wehren...

Ein fantastischer und fantastisch gemachter Gute-Laune Film, der mit einem riesigen Staraufgebot Schauspiel in Reinkultur auf den Bildschirm bringt. Herrausragend sind vor allem Alfred Molina als bärbeißiger Bürgermeister, der sich mit Juliette Binoche, bzw. ihrer Chocolateriebesitzerin schon ein Don Camillo & Peppone-artiges Duell liefert, dann natürlich Johny Depp, der -für viele weibliche Fans sicherlich vorher zu erwähnen- hier weder die Hauptrolle spielt, noch in der ersten Hälfte des Films auftaucht, und dennoch wie immer eine Präsenz hat, die viele andere blass aussehen lässt.
Und ja, man muss Judy Dench Respekt zollen. Wie die den meisten wohl nur als "M" aus den Bond-Filmen bekante Darstellerin die alte "Schrulle" spielt, flucht, zickig ist und trotzdem keinesfalls als schlechter, sondern eher, ja fast schon gebrochener Charakter rüberkommt, ist beeindruckend und am Ende schlicht bewegend.

"Chocolat" war einer der Filme, die nicht mal in der Nähe meiner "Unbedingt sehen"-Liste sind, und trotzdem muss ich sagen: Gut, daß ich ihn sehen durfte, ansonsten wäre mir dieses Juwel der Schauspielerei und Erzählkunst sicherlich "durch die Lappen gegangen".

The Killer

Mit Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh u.a.

Regie: John Woo

Profikiller Jeffrey fühlt sich für die Nachtclubsängerin Sally verantwortlich, die ein Feuerstoß aus seiner Waffe blendete. So nimmt er einen letzten Auftrag an, um mit der Prämie für den Großgangster Tony Weng der Frau seiner Träume die dringend notwendige Netzhauttransplantation zu finanzieren. Dabei kommt ihm der engagierte Jung-Cop Lee auf die Spur, doch stellen die Männer bald fest, daß sie mehr verbindet als trennt. Gemeinsam ziehen Cop und Killer in einen Krieg gegen die Heerscharen der Unterwelt.

Seit Jahr und Tag einer meiner absoluten Favoritenfilme. John Woo verstand es bereits Ende der 80er Jahre in Hong Kong Action zu inszenieren, um die ihn nicht nur die Großen des Films bewundern, sondern die auch heute, fast 20 Jahre nach der Veröffentlichung, immer noch etlichen Möchtegern-Regisseuren zeigt, wo der Hammer hängt.

Dabei ist die Action allein nicht einmal das bestechendste an Woos Meisterwerk. Vielmehr vermochte der von den Medien gern "Mozart der Verwüstung" getaufte Regisseur hier etwas zu vollbringen, das in gängigen Actionstreifen gemeinhin selten, eigentlich gar nicht zu finden ist: Er schuf Charaktere, die Ecken und Kanten haben, die Fehler machen, aber auch Prinzipien. Woo hat hier nicht weniger inszeniert als eine Art aktualisierte "klassische Tragödie" mit fantastischen Darstellern (Chow Yun-Fat ist einfach unschlagbar als entschlossener, dennoch keinesfalls unmenschlicher und im Inneren zutiefst zerrüteter Killer), einer kompromisslosen Geschichte über Freundschaft und Verrat, Liebe, Ehre, Verbrechen und den Tod, sowie einer Choreographie, die, wie bereits erwähnt, selbst heute noch viele moderne Actionfilme aussehen lässt wie Amateurkram.

"The Killer" sollte man als Cineast zumindest einmal gesehen haben. Wenn ein Film die späten 80er, frühen 90er des Hong Kong Films prägte und zudem gestandene Regisseure wie Quentin Tarantino, Oliver Stone und Michael Mann beeinflusst und sie zu Reminiszenzen veranlasst, dann war es John Woos The Killer.
Aber Obacht: Auf gar keinen Fall auch nur 1ct. für die FSK-16 Fassung ausgeben - da ist der Film unguckbar, sozusagen der erste John Woo Film "mit ohne" Schießerei. Auf jeden Fall zur 18er Fassung greifen.

So back to the start I go.....

THREE COLOURS: BLUE is the first of the trio of films that follows the order of the French flag, Blue White and Red. This is a stunning, contemplative start that sees Juliette Binoche play Julie, a woman of inner strength who is forced to deal with the grief of losing her composer husband and daughter in a car crash that the protagonist herself, survived. Kieslowski crafts the mood of this film so completely that when watching it, you find yourself immersed in the plight of Julie as she rebuilds her life. She is in all but 1 of the scenes which pulls you into her world although when there, you get the feeling she'd rather be alone.

Solitude seems to be a comfort for Julie with many long scenes involving only Binoche, the melancholic score and Kieslowski's aesthetic lending weight to a state of mind, a raw emotion, a memory or an intention. Her lover, friend and eventual collaborator Olivier (played by the late Benoit Regent) drifts in and out of the story but plays an important part in the journey she embarks on. This journey is beautifully photographed by Slawomir Idziak who has worked on a wide range of stuff including BLACK HAWK DOWN and HARRY POTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHEONIX. The score, which is like another character in this film is provided by Zbigniew Preisner who's credits include another of my favourite films EUROPA EUROPA.

The following scenes demonstrate perfectly the feeling of the film. Julie looks at a piece of score written by her late husband, look out for camera tracking along the notes, as each note passes, it drifts out of focus and disappears. The note of the moment is important and sharp with the past and future being unclear, very much Julie's mindset at that time.

The scene below is a good example of the solitude and fragility of Julie's existence. Within that fragility however is a strength that comes from within. The use of music here is masterful combined with light and an actress giving so much with so very little.

In 1995, Binoche appeared in a big-budget adaptation of Jean Giono's The Horseman on the Roof directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau. The film was a box-office success around the world and Binoche was again nominated for a César Award for Best Actress. This role as a romantic heroine was to color the direction of many of her roles in the late 1990s.

In 1996, Binoche appeared in A Couch in New York by Chantal Akerman. The film was a flop, but another 1996 film, The English Patient, based on the acclaimed novel and directed by Anthony Minghella, was a worldwide hit. It garnered nine Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actress for Binoche, who stated in her acceptance speech that it was such a surprise, and she had thought fellow nominee Lauren Bacall was going to win; she started to thank people, but only got past her director Anthony Minghella before laughing that it "must be a dream... a French dream!"^[8]

After this international hit, Binoche returned to France and began work on Claude Berri's Lucie Aubrac opposite Daniel Auteuil, which was based on a true story. Binoche was released from the movie six weeks into the shoot, however, over differences with Berri regarding the authenticity of his script. Next she worked again with André Téchiné for Alice et Martin (1998) followed in 1999 by Children of the Century in which Binoche played the role of 19th-century French writer George Sand.

2000 saw Binoche appear in four successful, but different, roles. Firstly was La Veuve de Saint-Pierre by Patrice Leconte which saw Binoche nominated for a César Award for best actress. Next she appeared in Michael Haneke's Code Unknown, a film which was made following Binoche's approach to the Austrian director. Binoche made her Broadway debut in Harold Pinter's Betrayal for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. Back on screen, Binoche was the heroine of the Lasse Hallstrom film Chocolat for which she won a European Film Award for Best Actress and was nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA.

Between 1995 and 2000, Binoche was the advertising face of the Lancôme scent Poème, her image adorning print campaigns and a TV advertising campaign. There were three commercials featuring Binoche for the perfume, including an advert directed by Anthony Minghella and scored by Gabriel Yared.

In 1985, Binoche secured the lead role in André Téchiné's Rendez-vous. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival that year, winning Best Director. In 1986, Binoche was nominated for her first César Award for Best Actress for the film. Binoche's next film was a role in Mon beau-frère a tué ma soeur by Jacques Rouffio, which was a critical and commercial failure. Later that year, she starred opposite Michel Piccoli in Léos Carax's Mauvais Sang. This film, however, was a critical and commercial success, leading to Binoche's second César Award nomination. In August 1986, she portrayed Tereza in Philip Kaufman's The Unbearable Lightness of Being based on the Milan Kundera novel. This was Binoche's first English language role and was a worldwide success with critics and audiences alike. After this success, Binoche decided to return to France rather than pursue an international career.

In 1988, she filmed the lead in Pierre Pradinas's Un tour de manège, a little-seen French film. Later that year she began work on Léos Carax's Les Amants du Pont-Neuf. The film was beset by problems and took three years to complete. When it was released in 1991, The Lovers on the Bridge was a critical success. Binoche won a European Film Award for best actress as well as her third César Award nomination.

Kieslowski ofrece un trabajo espléndido, con una narrativa prodigiosa y una historia plenamente metafórica y profunda. Os dejo con una escena maestra y cuanto menos, perfecta, con un trabajo de planificación, montaje y fotografía impresionante. Me encanta como en el último plano el azul va envolviendo a Juliette Binoche. Disfrutadla en su esplendor.

[dailymotion id=x5x1ko]

Chocolat - 2000
Director: Lasse Hallström
Based on the novel by Joanne Harris
Nominated for and won several awards
Rating: 4.5/5

J'ai profité de cette session de rattrapage pour découvrir une filmographie qui m'était encore largement inconnue (en dehors du Temps du loup qui m'avait surpris à la cinémathèque d'Oslo). Sans avoir pu tout voir (cinq films sur une dizaine), j'ai tout de même avancé et je commence à me situer mieux dans l'oeuvre.

J'ai trouvé passionnant Caché. J'ai tremblé d'horreur pendant tout Funny Games. J'ai tout simplement adoré Code inconnu.

Ce dernier film est construit comme un vase cassé dont les morceaux disjoints s'éparpillent sur le sol. Tous témoignent d'une même réalité ; parfois il nous saute aux yeux que tel ou tel morceaux «irait» avec tel autre, mais au total les débris ne forment plus un seul et unique objet. Ainsi, Code inconnu est éclaté en plusieurs dizaines d'extraits non raccordés entre eux, sinon par l'écran noir. Chacune constitue une histoire en elle-même, la somme de ces histoires proposant une réalité encore, par nous, à raccorder.

Le propos, à la limite du lancinant, est toujours celui de l'incommunicabilité. Les situations se révèlent souvent des pièges vers lesquels les personnages avancent avec une sorte d'au-delà de la naïveté : une certaine persistance à vouloir demeurer ce qu'ils sont, comme condition nécessaire à leur survie mais aussi comme condamnation à subir un destin. Il est alors question d'amour et de désamour qui ne parviennent pas à se dire. Il est question de justice et d'injustices comme autant d'interprétations, et de ratés de l'interprétation.

À ce sujet : il y a dans le film une séquence incroyable «d'interprétation» et de mise en abîme : Juliette Binoche "jouant à jouer" un casting sous l'oeil d'une caméra vidéo.

D'un seul coup, on comprend ou on s'imagine pouvoir comprendre Binoche. Rien de moins !

Juliette Binoche, quand elle joue, croit ce qu'on lui dit. Totalement. Le temps du jeu (et du loup !), elle ne garde rien de la méfiance, du quant-à-soi, de la réserve qui nous est naturelle et nécessaire. Le conteur peut avoir pour elle parole d'évangile.

Juliette Binoche incarne immédiatement une situation parce qu'elle est immédiatement, totalement vraie pour elle. Rien que pour ces quelques minutes de casting, il faudrait aller voir Code inconnu.

Enfin, un mot sur le leitmotiv du film : cette école pour enfants sourds. On les voit justement jouer, s'interroger, et pas forcément se comprendre. Même un enfant sourd ne peut pas tout dire, et le langage gestuel qui est le leur ne suffit pas à surmonter le mystère que chacun porte en lui.

Il me semble que c'est ici le propos d'Haneke : nous sommes tous à l'école des sourds, tentant à l'infini de dire ce qui ne s'entend pas, et échouant.

La noblesse d'Haneke est de témoigner de cet effort, de la vanité de cet effort, sans jamais résoudre la difficulté et l'échec, et tout en affirmant, par sa caméra et ce qu'il donne à voir, la beauté et la dignité de cette tentative.

Em dia da Mãe, as actrizes Julia Roberts e Susan Sarandon são as protagonistas de mais um Daily Hotvnews, versão cine...

Sala 1

Lado a Lado

Isabel (Julia Roberts) é uma jovem fotógrafa de moda que namora com Luke (Ed Harris), divorciado de Jackie (Susan Sarandon) e com dois filhos. Ganhar o amor dos seus filhos revela-se muito difícil, sobretudo porque a mãe, Jackie, não está disposta a partilhá-los com outra mulher.

Anna e Ben, os dois filhos de Jackie e Luke, enfrentam o duro processo de divórcio dos seus pais.

O rancor mútuo que existe entre Jackie e Isabel vai-se transformando num ódio profundo, mas o inesperado diagnóstico de cancro de Jackie fará com que a vida de todos mude de forma radical.

Às 20h25, no TVC4

Sala 2

O Cume de Dante

Sem nenhum sinal de aviso, o dia transforma-se em noite. O ar transforma-se em fogo e o piso sólido é substituído pelo terror rubro-branco da lava. Prepare-se para um filme recheado de acção, emoções de fazer estremecer a terra e, sobretudo, faça o que fizer, não olhe para trás.

Pierce Brosnan e Linda Hamilton protagonizam uma assombrosa aventura épica do realizador Roger Donaldson. Repleta de efeitos especiais espectaculares, suspense impróprio para cardíacos, romance e personagens notáveis.

Às 18h20, na FOX

Sala 3

Forrest Gump

Tom Hanks oferece-nos uma fabulosa interpretação no papel de Forrest Gump, neste aclamado filme do realizador Robert Zemeckis. Através de três turbulentas décadas, Forrest cavalga numa cadeia de eventos que o leva de uma incapacidade física até ao estrelado no futebol, de herói do Vietnam a empresário de pesca de camarão, de honras na Casa Branca aos braços do seu verdadeiro amor.

Forrest é o símbolo de uma era, um inocente à solta numa América que está a perder a sua inocência.

Vencedor de 6 Óscares, incluindo Melhor Filme e Melhor Actor Principal (Hanks).

Às 16h15, no TVC4

Sala 4

Nada a Esconder

Georges, jornalista, recebe vídeos, filmados clandestinamente a partir da rua, em que aparece com a família, assim como desenhos perturbadores e difíceis de interpretar, e não faz a menor ideia da identidade do remetente.

Pouco a pouco, o conteúdo das cassetes vai-se tornando cada vez mais pessoal, o que o leva a pensar que o autor o conhece há muito tempo.

Georges sente que uma ameaça paira sobre si e sobre a sua família mas, como não é explícita, a polícia recusa-se a ajudá-lo... com Juliette Binoche e Daniel Auteuil.

Às 00h45, na RTP 1

Outras Sugestões:

Supremacia

Segunda aventura do agente Jason Bourne (Matt Damon). Sofrendo de amnésia, Bourne deixou para trás um passado violento vivendo agora um dia-a-dia normal junto da sua namorada Marie (Franka Potente). Contudo, os seus planos de uma vida pacata são gorados quando escapa por um triz a uma tentativa de assassinato.

Perseguido agora por um inimigo incógnito, Bourne prova que não é nem um alvo fácil nem alguém cuja competência, determinação e resiliência possam ser subestimados.

Corajoso e empolgante, com impressionantes perseguições de carros, Supremacia é um dos mais inteligentes e irrespiráveis thrillers de acção dos últimos anos.

Às 13h57, na TVI

As Crónicas de Nárnia - O Leão, a Feiticeira e o Guarda-Roupa

Baseado no conto de C.S.Lewis, “As Crónicas de Nárnia” transportam-nos a um fantástico mundo de acção e muita aventura. Durante a II Guerra Mundial, e após terem sido evacuados de Londres para uma mansão no campo, os quatro irmãos Pevensie (Lucy, Edmund, Peter e Susan), descobrem num velho Guarda-Roupa um portal para um universo paralelo, o mundo de Nárnia, um mundo extraordinário habitado por figuras da mitologia celta e grega e animais falantes que vivem sob a tirania de uma feiticeira, subjugado a um Inverno permanente.

Dos Estúdios da Disney, “As Crónicas de Nárnia” são um filme repleto de efeitos especiais e aventura, vencedor do Óscar da Academia para Melhor Caracterização.

Às 17h20, na SIC

]]> http://popcornwithvodka.wordpress.com/?p=68 Sun, 04 May 2008 03:35:20 +0000 splicegirl http://popcornwithvodka.wordpress.com/?p=68 rent Paris Je'Taime. A movie of shorts, each using different stars, each using different directors gives us a look into the city of love. I must say, I've spent some time in the Paris, and unfortunately did not have a love story of my own...or maybe I did and it just wasn't a fairy tale...shame because if these stories teach us anything it's that love is not a cookie cutter thing. Each story shows love, in different forms - not always pleasant, not always happy, but love in its truest form. With a cast full of American and foreign stars, my favs being Juliette Binoche and Maggie Gylenhaal, and great directors taking their own take of love in the city this movie shows the most beautiful parts of Paris. 

My favorite short? The one with Natalie Portman.

If nothing else rent this movie to get a glimpse of the directors' styles, its like being able to preview their work without having to sit through an entire movie. 

In short (ha!) this is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time...even if it made me realize I may end up like the lady who goes to Paris alone...

Go rent it before I get too mushy about love...because we all know I don't normally do that. I guess a bottle of wine and Paris will do that to you (no fear, vodka is still the drink of choice)