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Le fils de Gascogne (1995)
Affectionate love letter to French cinema and its people
Writer-director Pascal Aubier pays homage to French cinema (especially the Nouvelle Vague era) and some of its icons in this featherweight comedy that's loaded with brief (in some cases, too brief) appearances by famous French actors and directors. It's a slight but amusing film. The two leads, Grégoire Colin and Dinara Drukarova, have a lot of charm, but some of the supporting characters, Jean-Claude Dreyfus in particular, overact. The single most memorable scene has Drukarova explaining, in a few sentences, life in the former Soviet Union: "In the USSR, nobody works. Nobody works, but the production is huge. The production is huge, but there is nothing in the stores. There is nothing in the stores, but there is everything on the table. There is everything on the table, but nobody is happy. Nobody is happy, but everybody is a Communist". **1/2 out of 4.
La fille seule (1995)
Small, simple, effective
In "La Fille Seule" aka "A Single Girl", writer-director Benoît Jacquot takes a big risk: he gambles that he can have his camera fixated on Virginie Ledoyen and follow her around for an hour and a half, and that should be enough to hold our attention for the entire duration. He is right. Of course this has a lot to do with Ledoyen herself: luminous and captivating, on her way to soon become one of the most beautiful actresses in the world (she is just about to blossom here). The film is directed with a sure, fluid hand by Jacquot; he even uses Paris as another character, shooting some scenes on the streets among at least some unpaid "extras", or so it seems - they frequently look straight at the camera. On its own quiet way, this film is almost as riveting as a good thriller. *** out of 4.
I Love Your Work (2003)
Quite an impressive film, especially for being directed by an actor
Actor Adam Goldberg steps behind the camera for a weird, hypnotic, arresting movie that's like a cross between Woody Allen's "Stardust Memories" and Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window", although you can probably find other point of reference as well. Right from the first few shots, Goldberg defies conventional storytellng, blending fantasy, hallucination and reality all together. You could probably argue that he bites off more than he can chew, but he certainly doesn't take the easy route. Giovanni Ribisi is miscast in the leading role, but a good supporting cast compensates for that. **1/2 out of 4.
Vampire's Kiss (1988)
At least one cockroach was harmed during the making of this picture
"Vampire's Kiss" (1988) is little more than a thin, one-joke excuse for Nicolas Cage to act unhinged; apparently his idea of playing someone who thinks he is a vampire is to play the "vampire" as a mental asylum escapee (he acts like Jim Carrey on drugs....before Jim Carrey was a "thing"). Josesph Minion's script is very repetitive and too short on ambiguity, but the film does have a peculiar train-wreck fascination, a strong New York flavor, and an exceptionally attractive female cast (Maria Concita Alonso, Jennifer Beals, future director Kasi Lemmons, and even the smaller roles). ** out of 4.
Cousin cousine (1975)
Adult, knowing dramedy
French cinema is perhaps the only cinema in the world where a man can cheat on a stunning woman like Marie-France Pisier and it looks fairly "normal" and believable. "Cousin, Cousine" does not break much new ground thematically, but it does have plenty of charm and wit, as well as a wonderful cast (especially the two leads, Marie-Christine Barrault and Victor Lanoux). It is also pointed in its observations about male hypocrisy and double-standards, probably the contribution of female co-screenwriter Daniele Thompson. Nominated for several Oscars, this dramedy belongs in the same period of popular French films as "La Cage Aux Folles", although it is considerably more low-key. *** out of 4.
Sedmikrásky (1966)
Painful Godard imitation
"Sedmikrásky" aka "Daisies" raises many questions, one of which is: is a pie-fight stupid slapstick when the Three Stooges do it, but an intellectual political statement when it is done in Czech? This film is apparently considered a feminist manifesto and maybe it is, but I found it empty, annoying, pointless, and indulgent: sequences that might have been amusing for a few seconds go on for minutes instead. Visual trickery and occasional invention cannot camouflage for a moment the utter lack of script, characters, and purpose. Vera Chytilová seems to desperately want to be the Czech Godard - but is that such a worthy cause? 0.5 out of 4 stars.
King Lear (1987)
No Thing, indeed
This unreleasable non-movie is inconceivably atrocious, but it's atrocious in a uniquely Godardian way; nobody else would have the audacity to make it. The culture clash (Cannon studios, Jean-Luc Godard, Rocky's coach Burgess Meredith, 1980s sweetheart Molly Rongwald, and - in an inconsequential 30-SECOND appearance at the very end - Woody Allen!) is enough to get anyone curious, but it wears out its welcome in the first 5 minutes - which is about how long 95% of any viewing population of this film will last. In perhaps Godard's most sadistic joke, he flashes a "THE END" sign on the screen multple times....but, alas, it is a fake-out. 0 out of 4.
Wonder Wheel (2017)
Familiar yet compelling Allen drama
Woody Allen's "Wonder Wheel" works on at least two levels: Allen writes and directs a deliberately OTT melodrama with larger-than-life characters, while at the same time he winks at the audience, openly confessing its artificiality. The chameleonic Kate Winslet (she seems to change age in almost every scene) is fantastic, as expected, but the real surprise is that James Belushi and Justin Timberlake are first-rate as well: if Belushi has ever been better I've missed it, and on the basis of this film I'd have no touble believing that acting was Timberlake's primary profession. There are some brilliant moments, like an intense dialogue scene between Winslet and Juno Temple where the changing lights from outside their room reflect their colors on the women's faces. For those who like Woody's more serious films, "Wonder Wheel" will fit in just fine. *** out of 4.
Company Man (2000)
Smart if mild political spoof
"Company Man" (2000) is a smart political spoof that's gently amusing throughout - perhaps too gently: it is missing a certain punch. Most actors, including writer-director-star Douglas McGrath, Denis Leary, and a still-sexy Sigourney Weaver, are pitch-perfect in their roles, but others and especially John Turturro and Alan Cumming, play too broadly. Woody Allen fans will savor his few moments (he is unbilled, even in the closing credits, probably as an in-joke with his "Bullets Over Broadway" co-writer McGrath), but they may get an urge to re-watch Woody's own, somewhat similar but much superior "Bananas" from 1971. **1/2 out of 4.
In the Spirit (1990)
Rare female buddy comedy from the 1990s
"In The Spirit" (1990) is a refreshingly female-oriented buddy comedy-mystery (despite the title, the fantasy elements are mininal), with an eclectic and unapologetically middle-aged cast. Marlo Thomas and Elaine May look damn good in their fifties and are perfectly in tune with each other as a comedy team (with some serious moments, too). May also shares some scenes with her real-life daughter, Jeannie Berlin, who co-wrote the film and has a smaller but amusingly foul-mouthed role. With all that said, the film itself could have been funnier. It feels mild and low-budget, perhaps ideal viewing for a lazy evening. **1/2 out of 4.
Thieves (1977)
Uneven but intelligent film
I was drawn to "Thieves" (1977) mainly because it was written by Herb Gardner, who also wrote "Who Is Harry Kellerman And Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?" (1971), a film I watched recently and found uncommonly inventive. "Thieves" shares some of the same characteristics - both of these films are a rare breed: American cinema of ideas. At its best, "Thieves" can stand up to comparison with any of Woody Allen's movies; like most of his, it is set and shot in Manhattan and captures the chaos and messiness of the city. There are some wonderful, even wise moments in this film, and Marlo Thomas is a gem. There is also one awful, atrociously over-acted character (the cab driver) who should have been cut out altogether. *** out of 4.
The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery (1975)
Surprisingly good
Offbeat, peculiar, funny and pretty dead-on parody of private-eye film clichès (plus, in one memorable sequence, of Sam Peckinpah-type blood-gushing shootouts). This film finds its tone, a sort of straight-faced absurdism, right from the start and sticks with it to the end; it's almost like an American Monty Python movie. Gabriel Dell has the perfect gruff voice for his plentiful pseudo-tough-guy voiceovers; Anjanette Comer is ethereal (shown through deliberately hazy filters, to boot); Nita Talbot has a VERY sexy striptease sequence; but the most amusing character is probably a bartender who speaks exlusively in epigrams. *** out of 4.
The Black Bird (1975)
Half-hearted comedy
"The Black Bird" (1975) is neither an all-out private-eye spoof in the style of Inspector Clouseau (there are very few laughs), nor an engaging "straight" private-eye yarn (the plot - if you can call it a plot, it's mostly just people going around in circles - is tiresome, the McGuffin ineffectual). It is a half-hearted, strained comedy, though at least it is well-shot (in San Francisco). Stephane Audran looks great in two brief lingerie (one black, one white) scenes, but otherwise this is a big comedown from her work with Claude Chabrol. For a better George Segal film in a somewhat similar vein, try "Who Is Killing The Great Chefs Of Europe?". ** out of 4.
Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad (1967)
Title far more inspired than the movie
The title, probably one of the longest in film history, is far more inspired than the rest of this misfired black-oedipal comedy. Rosalind Russell, Robert Morse and Hugh Griffith all give high-pitched, one-note performances (this is not one of the films that Rosalind Russell should be remembered for). Jonathan Winters' little asides to the audience, apparently (according to IMDb trivia) inserted after the film was completed, are rarely very funny, either. A young and shockingly sexy Barbara Harris is the sole bright spot....well, her and some nice Jamaican scenery (in Montego Bay). ** out of 4.
Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? (1971)
Wildly offbeat and very underrated
A unique title, and a memorable opening credits sequence, for an unusual, inventive and decidedly non-mainstream film; unsurprisingly, a big box-office failure, despite starring Dustin Hoffman at the height of his popularity (in one of his most unconventional roles). Sometimes it is reminiscent of one of those introspective Woody Allen films....except it was made BEFORE Woody Allen was doing this sort of thing; past and present and reality and fantasy all flow together (it may also remind you of Ingmar Bergman). The answer to the title question is rather obvious, but I think that's beside the point. An underrated art film with some astonishingly powerful moments. *** out of 4.
Rendez-vous (1985)
Hollow
It is hard to figure out the point of Andre Techine's "Rendez-Vous" (1985). I suppose it can be officially classified under "Romance", but there is no romance or love or even erotic heat in it. The characters are stereotypes: the nerdy good boy, the aggressive bad boy, the slutty girl with a heart of gold, the wise enigmatic mentor. Furthermore, the film is set in Paris but shot in a curiously claustrophobic manner. A young Juliette Binoche bares all, and Jean-Louis Trintignant, entering the picture in the second half, brings some gravitas to the screen, but overall it is a hollow, uninteresting film. ** out of 4.
Une vraie jeune fille (1976)
Uneventful coming-of-age / slice-of-life / soft-core porn
Catherine Breillat has gained, over the years, a reputation as a particularly provocative female writer - director, and she certainly lives up to that description right from this 1976 film, her directorial debut. Although there is nothing really new here thematically, what makes "Une Vraie Jeune Fille" unlike probably any other coming-of-age film up to that time is Breillat's almost microbiological obsession with touchable things and bodily fluids, including flies, eggs, trees, wax, blood, vomit....and others you can imagine. Charlotte Alexandra is voluptuous and sensual in the title role, but after a while the lack of script becomes painfully evident. ** out of 4.
Carry on Screaming! (1966)
Padded horror parody
"Carry On Screaming" (1966) is a well-photographed (by Alan Hume, who later worked on some Bond films, among others) horror parody, with some nice sets and some amusing double-entendres ("Will you show me your whistle? Can I blow it?"). But it feels awfully padded and stretched-out - it clearly has enough script for about half-an-hour's worth of screen time, which is expanded to 90 minutes by the old trick of the characters repeatedly repeating things to each other. Bodacious, raspy-voiced Fenella Fielding is certainly an eye-catching presence, as are the two monsters who seem like crosses between Frankenstein's creations and werewolves. ** out of 4.
Les soeurs Brontë (1979)
Elegant but disappointing
"Les Soeurs Brontë" is an undeniably handsome production, but also a bleak and shallow film. For at least half its length, it could be re-titled "Branwell & Co.", because he is the main character. But even when the sisters have the film to themselves, Andre Techine and his co-screenwriters have chosen to focus too much on their misery and not enough on their artistic / creative impulses and processes. If you bypass the obvious language discrepancy (at one point, one of the sisters says "we know a little French" - the entire film is in French, of course), the three female leads are well-cast, especially as sisters: Marie-France Pisier (who later became a novelist herself) outshines her two more famous co-stars on this occasion. ** out of 4.
Le lieu du crime (1986)
Low-key thriller
"Scene Of The Crime" (1986) is a "calm" thriller very much in the Claude Chabrol tradition: the crime(s) is used as a catalyst for human drama, in this case mostly about a dysfunctional family. Pretty rural scenery and another strong Catherine Deneuve performance (here middle-aged, but ageless) are the film's main assets: in some of the best scenes, she shares the screen with another French cinema legend, Danielle Darrieux. On a small note, this is probably the first film I have seen that - logically - suggests that characters who have spent a lot of time in prison should be ghostly pale! **1/2 out of 4.
Barocco (1976)
Strange, self-indulgent film
Dark-haired Depardieu kills blonde Depardieu, then courts blonde Depardieu's girlfriend, Adjani, who only accepts his advances when he agrees to be made to look exactly like the man he killed; it sounds more fun than it plays out. Only the later intimate scenes between the two stars really work, suggesting a sort of gender-reversed "Vertigo". The stuff surrounding them, involving politicians and journalists and gangsters, is murky and uninteresting (lots of things are not clear, including the significance of the title). Philippe Sarde's music score has a grandeur that does not really fit with the images. Despite a top cast and director, "Barocco" is for the most part a misfire. ** out of 4.
Strange Impersonation (1946)
Blonde vs. brunette
While never quite escaping its programmer roots, "Strange Impersonation" is somewhat unusual for its time for being so female-driven: three women (Brenda Marshall, Hillary Brooke, Ruth Ford) run the show, look great, and give strong performances, while the men are incidental. The film ALMOST punches above its weight, but the plot seriously strains credulity in the second half (I don't understand why the film pretends that Marshall "changed" her face through plastic surgery when she looks exactly the same!), and leads to a disappointing cheater of an ending, which drops at least half-a-star from my rating. It must have been fashionable at that time, because there is a more famous Fritz Lang film that uses the same device. ** out of 4.
Elephant Stampede (1951)
Equal-opportunity eye-candy
The least that can be said about "Elephant Stampede" (1951) is that it offers equal-opportunity eye-candy to both genders of viewers: Bomba (Johnny Sheffield) looks jacked and hunky, and his female friend in this episode, Donna Martell, has an especially nice back. Other than that, the plot of this film could not be more standard (ivory hunters....again), though at least it does deliver on the title promise by the end, even if only on a small scale. There is also one particular shot, of the bad guys shooting a vine that Bomba is swinging on, that I think I've seen reused in every Bomba film so far! ** out of 4.
Une si jolie petite plage (1949)
Subdued mood piece
Subdued, melancholy and unwaveringly downbeat, "Une Si Jolie Petite Plage" aka "Riptide" is more of a psychodrama than the film noir it might appear to be at first. The film is atmospheric (drenched in near-constant rain) but, especially during its first half, slow and inert, full of blackout scenes in which very little actually happens. Perhaps the most notable thing about it is how morally gray, if not questionable, it is: essentially it tries to justify murder as part of the "hero"'s "doomed" mystique. Gerard Philipe and Madeleine Robinson are the attractive though deliberately unglamorous this time leads. By the way, the beach is anything but "petite" - in fact it is enormous! **1/2 out of 4.
Pleins feux sur l'assassin (1961)
The chateau is the star
An imposing, magnificent lakeside chateau, where almost the entire action takes place, is the real star of this offbeat yet old-fashioned murder mystery; written by the duo that also penned the French classic "Les Diaboliques", it is essentially a variation on the "And Then There Were None" formula. Certain scenes do have a poetic flair, but otherwise George Franju's direction is mostly static. But perhaps the film's biggest failing is that it does not manage to make the characters distinct enough for the viewer, which is crucial in a mystery; Jean-Louis Trintignant and Marianne Koch display the most star power, but some of the others just blend together. **1/2 out of 4.