cinemma

In Fifties Germany, a tram conductor embarks on an intellectual and erotic affair with a 15 year-old schoolboy. Despite their intense bond, Michael is left confused and heartbroken when Hanna mysteriously disappears one day. Years later the pair are reunited, as Michael watches Hanna being put on trial, and the reasons for her departure soon become clear and many deep secrets are uncovered.

Mmm... First, call me PC if you want but the idea of a grown-up woman with a 15-year-old boy is highly disturbing to me and it took me a while to get over this.

Once I finally overcame this, the film had moved on, and it was like I was watching something totally different (transition can be nice, guys): a film about a trial of Nazi criminals (and really, I don't want to see another film about WW2).

Then, the whole film is slow and cold... I would usually consider that to be a good thing, but I must admit I got bored quite a lot, here. I could never feel for or relate to any character.

This was a disappointment and definitely NOT the film I would have chosen to finally give Kate Winslet an Oscar. I'll still give it 3 hearts for her, though.


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Set at the end of the eighteenth century, The Duchess is the story of the beautiful and, glamorous Georgiana Spencer, the most fascinating woman of the age. While her beauty and charisma made her name, her extravagant tastes and appetite for gambling and love made her infamous. Married young to the older, distant Duke of Devonshire, intimate of ministers and princes, Georgiana became a fashion icon, a doting mother, a shrewd political operator and darling of the common people. But at the core of her story is a desperate search for love. From Georgiana's passionate and doomed affair with Earl Grey to the complex ménage à trois with her husband and her best friend, Lady Bess Foster, The Duchess is a very contemporary tale of fame, notoriety and the search for love.

I've decided to watch this only because I like costume dramas and Keira Knightley and I thought it would just be yet another cheesy story with lovely dresses and hats.
And I was wrong... it's more than that. First, I must say both Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes are amazing, but the plot is also pretty interesting (classical, yes, but not boring and overplayed).
Just don't get bothered by the hype about a 18th century Princess of Wales, it's absolutely irrelevant (I mean, a British aristocrat who likes his dogs more than his wife and has a long-time mistress? Not exactly unheard of).

Oh, and the costumes are to die for (even the little girls ones were so damn pretty).


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So, I FINALLY saw The Baader-Meinhof Complex !


Based on Stefan Aust's best-selling nonfiction book, The Baader Meinhof Complex explores the brutal activities of Germany's terrorist group, The Red Army Faction (RAF), which organized bombings, robberies, kidnappings and assassinations in the late 1960s and '70s. As the threat of terrorism grows, the head of the German police force Horst Herold contuinues in his relentless pursuit of the young fighters.
_{From Screenrush}

For the few people I haven't bored to death with the topic before, I should point out that I've had an unhealthy obsession for the RAF (and no, I don't mean Royal Air Force) since I was a kid.

So, of course, I've enjoyed the film A LOT.
It's very long (two and a half hours), but I really didn't mind (and I usually do) because it's so full of energy.

At first, I was a little worried about "terrorism chic" but this could only *maybe* be said for the first 20 minutes of the film (also, is it me or is Gudrun Esslin pictured in a much more positive way than all the others? I don't know, it seemed a bit odd).

Anyway, I warmly recommend it to everyone but if you're not too familiar with the Red Army Fraction, you might want to read about it a little in advance, otherwise it might be confusing.

Oh and last but certainly not least: Martina Gedeck (the lead actress as she is Ulrike Meinhof) REALLY looks like brynhilda :D

I keep forgetting to mention I've seen Elizabeth, the Golden Age.



Cate Blanchett was, of course, amazing, even though the film itself has some flaws (you'd better now the Tudor period quite well if you wanna follow it) and I would recommend watching the first one if you have to choose only one of those.

Then, I've rented Persepolis DVD as I've been stupid enough to miss it when it was released in the theatres.



I had HIGH expectations about it and it was so much better than everything I had imagined!
It's funny, moving, aesthically stunning, well... I had a brilliant time. I might even consider reading the graphic novel (although I'm not usually big on those).

It's, of course, warmly recommended, especially to you orlandobr! If you're reading this on the beach, go inside and watch Persepolis. NOW :P

Today, I've seen Becoming Jane.



It's one of the very favourites films of my friend Delila, and I was thinking of her nearly the whole time.

Anyway, I've enjoyed the film. It was like being inside a Jane Austen's novel (no wonder as it's supposed to tell the youth of... Jane Austen, yeah). It's extremely sweet and sentimental, and some other days, I would tell you it's horribly mushy, but I was in the mood for something like it, so I've just been smiling, oohing and feeling sorry for the young Jane.
Plus, I always love the clothes and the ball scenes...

While I'm here, I could also write a word about the first film I've seen in 2008: My Blueberry Nights


Can you see a pattern in the photos? Yes, I feel a little... lonely :P

Warning: I might not be objective at all as I love Wong Kar-Wai.
Still... I LOVED it. I cannot stand Norah Jones as a singer, and boy was I prejudiced about her acting skills. But I was wrong, she's actually pretty good... and gorgeous, she's gorgeous (as is Jude Law, but I gonna try and avoid drooling now).
I really liked the way Wong Kar-Wai pictured America. Now I'm a foreigner, he's a foreigner, maybe we share the same clichés, but hey, he knows how to make the clichés look wonderfully pretty, and that's basically all I wanted. Plotwise, I might have a little preference for his Chinese-speaking movies, they're deeper and even more fascinating, but it was still very enjoyable. And it made me hungry!
I'm already waiting impatiently for The Lady from Shanghai.

Still going strong with DVDs.

The Last King Of Scotland



Erm... yeah... maybe I had too high expectations about it as everyone had screamed "masterpiece". No, really, it's okay... a good Hollywood biography, but I don't see anything amazing. I can't really judge if it's accurate historically as I'm totally ignorant about Africa in the 70's but at first view, there wasn't any HUGE mistake (after all, once you've survived Troy and Alexander, you can probably survive anything). Maybe a bit too caricaturing for my liking, but I realize it was hard to do it differently.

The Holiday



I was in the mood for some chick flick and some holiday movie (yeah, Christmas spirit's always stronger in November, for me; the closer it comes, the more Christmas depresses me...), so that was the obvious choice.
First, let's get things straight: it's stupid and hollow. But it's also a feel-good movie that I watched eating rice waffles and drinking hot tea (I'm doing this wrong, I know it's supposed to be ice cream and coke, but it's far too cold for that). It entertained me, and that's all I could ask from such a film.
Besides, let's be honest, I can watch anything if it involves Jude Law :D

It's been ages since I've been to the movies (see, this journal's last entry was in July... true, I've seen Infamous and haven't written about it, but still...). It normally never happens but those days are hard.

Anyway, I finally rented some DVD's of films I had missed. Mostly blockbusters I couldn't have seen in a theatre that suits me anyway.

The Prestige



The story of a lethal rivalry between 2 illusionists in turn-of-the-century London...
A very good cast (Hugh Jackman, Michael Cane, Scarlett Johansson) and a very pleasant plot.
Nothing extraordinary but well done: a film built like a puzzle and a beautiful tale about obsession.

And Davie Bowie as Nikola Tesla ♥ ...

The Illusionist



Another film about a magician.
Again, at the end of the 19th century, but this time in Vienna.
And this time, the magician's opponent is no-one else than the Crown Prince.

Very good casting too (Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, whom I still remembered as the teenager from 7th Heaven, but she really grew up into a very good -and pretty- actress).

I can't help comparing both films and I think I preferred The Prestige because it was a bit more thrilling... but still, I liked them both and consider them both as good entertainments (and it certainly helps that I like magic tricks a lot).

The Good German



This was the one I thought I'd like best and after all, I ended up a little disappointed.

Soderbergh decided to recreate a film noir from the 1940's, starring Cate Blanchett and George Clooney, and taking place in the ruins of Berlin in 1945.

Sounds good, uh? Well, it is, but to me, it was lacking something. The whole thing I've been waiting for something, and I'm unable to tell you what. But definitely "something" was missing!

It's a beautiful exercise of imitation but in all honesty, I'd rather rewatch The Maltese Falcon or Gilda than this one.

Poisoning, love story, betrayal, fight, blood, death and amazing colours in Tang China.



There's Gong Li. There's an amazing and incredibly pretty young actress called Li Man and there are dresses showing as much breast as French second Empire clothes... that should be enough to watch the film, isn't it?

I had read many critics saying the film was visually incredibly beautiful (and god, it certainly is) but it was lacking a real storyline. Seriously, what where they talking about? I can name 100 films with MUCH worse plots (or no plot at all) and they aren't even pretty to watch.
Besides, it's like a Greek tragedy, with incest and betrayal... except, erm... it's Chinese not Greek.

Oh and there are sword fights and tons of blood (not in little geysers though, only Tarantino does that. Pity!)... and did I mention Gong Li?

Plotline: The tumultuous early history of the CIA is viewed through the prism of one man's life.



Globally, I liked it, but let me share 3 objections, first:

1. It's TOO LONG! No more 3-hour-long films, please! Enough, already!

2. Angelina Jolie looks ridiculous in her 40's (and 50's for that matter) outfits.
I love 40's clothes and hairstyles but she makes them look ugly. I don't know why exactly.

3. Matt Damon will never be one of my fave actors. Too neutral.

But for the rest, it was quite pleasant. Good plot and lovely filming (a *little* different from your average blockbuster's).

As I said on emma2403, I finally made it to the cinema again.
And I was really lucky with the film I've chosen after such a long time without anything else than TV series!

About two years ago, I read the book by Zoë Heller.

By the time, I really liked it, but I must admit I don't have strong memories about it.
I'm quite certain the film will have a more lasting impact on me.

The story is simple: Sheba (Cate Blanchett) starts teaching in a new school and quite soon becomes friend with the old spinster nobody really likes (Judi Dench).
Meanwhile, Sheba also starts an affair with one of her 15-year-old students. Her 'friend' Barbara learns it (by sneaking, she's very sneaky, that one) and there starts a battle of wills, with LOADS of manipulation, psychological stalking, and so on...



It's REALLY good, Judi Dench is amazing as always, and Cate Blanchett does a great job too. You should see it, if you have a chance (yeah, you, orlandobr).

Je n'ai quasiment pas suivi le Festival de Cannes, donc je n'ai guère d'avis sur le palmarès mais la jeune Coréenne qui a eu le prix d'interprétation féminine me donne, certes, très envie d'aller voir son film (dont, par ailleurs, je ne sais strictement rien hahaha):

En plus, elle débordait d'émotion, c'était trop mignon!

( I'm okay with this result )

I should have written about this ages ago!

During what they call the German week in my favourite theatre, I've seen 2 German films.

The first one was:
-Requiem


The story of an epileptical young girl in rural Germany in the 70's (same kind of grey, dull atmosphere ♥ ♥ as in Das Leben der Anderen). She comes from a very religious background and ends up thinking she's, in fact, possessed by demons. Around her, some people totally encourage her to think so, and some others try and persuade her to see a psychiatrist.
I really liked it a lot... it's very subtle (it's not a German version of The Exorcist, no green bile there), the director stays quite neutral, he doesn't tell you what you're supposed to think: is this for real? Is she mentally sick? He lets it all to the viewer and I appreciated it.
Besides, the young actress (Sandra Hüller) is amazing...
Oh, and... it's been adapted from real facts... which makes it even more disturbing.

Then, there was:
-Pingpong


I can't come up with a kind of a storyline because it's a very slow, contemplative film... for some reason, it made me think of François Ozon's Swimming-Pool... but in German. I'm not a fan of this kind of "it doesn't matter if nothing ever happens, it makes the film look even more artsy"-movies, but the German language made it all better.

So, finally, some words about the films I've seen lately (and have been too lazy to review until now *face*).

Water

The last film from Deepa Mehta's trilogy (started with Fire if you remember).

It's the story of a 7-year-old little widow in British India in 1938.
I was unexpectedly touched by this one... the little girl is amazing, rebellious, witty and whimsy at the same time. The images are quite stunning, and I find them both beautiful and disgusting (India often does this to me).
There is of course a feminist side of the story, and the shadow of Gandhi is flying over the whole movie.
I totally recommend it. You don't need to have seen the first two films (hell, I haven't!) to enjoy this one, those are 3 different stories.

Breaking and Entering

Okay, I won free tickets for this one... so I took my mum to see it, as I knew that was the kind of film she'd enjoy.

Quite the typical Hollywood make-you-think story (hey, that's Minghella for you!). A successful, rich but unhappy architect happens to meet a Bosniak refugee... they fell for each other (big surprise, isn't it?), and well, they both start thinking of the meaning of their lives.

Can you tell I found it quite boring and banal? :P
Well, there's Jude Law at least, and as long as I can watch Jude Law, a film is never a total waste of time.
And there's Juliette Binoche as the... yeah, the woman from ex-Yugoslavia. She's so totally not right for the part... it's laughable somehow.

Little Children

I had heard bad things about it, but I must say I found it quite good. Not a masterpiece, I'm quite sure I won't remember it for a very long time, but quite achieved nevertheless.

I'm not sure it's made on purpose, but it brings to mind many references: from Desperate Housewives to American Beauty, but also Crash (for the way different stories finally mix together). Oh and of course, Madame Bovary (this one being even quoted by the main female character).

The storyline's very simple: a stay-at-home mum meets a stay-at-home dad. I can't tell much more without spoiling it for people who'd like to watch it.

It's very slow, but I don't mind.
And there's Kate Winslet... who can be incredibly beautiful with no make-up (well, okay, I know she wasn't 100% make-up free but we're supposed to believe she is!) and in a horrible denim dungarees. I'm jealous!

I'm so totally unhappy with the results of the Academy Awards (except best foreign film for Das Leben der Anderen, that's great), I don't even feel like writing about it.

_{Scorcese, seriously! For a remake of all things! When Internal Affairs (the original HK one) was sooooo good. Grmpf.}

Yesterday, I've seen Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others in English).

For those who don't know, it's a German film (nominated as Best Foreign Language Film for the next Academy Awards) about the way secret services spied on 'normal' citizens in ex-GDR.



I don't really know what to write, I don't find words. I loved it. It was very touching in a totally not cheesy way. I loved everything including the very end, including the last sentence.

The actors are great. Martina Gedeck does indeed look like brynhilda... quite a lot actually.

I liked it because it's full of nuances. In a Hollywood movie, the Stasi guy would have been a heartless bastard, and the writer he spies on would have been a perfect hero. Here it's far more complicated... because life is far more complicated.

Oh well, I liked it because it takes place in a totalitarian society (and everyone knows it fascinates me), in a world where everything's brown, grey or dull green, a world where women wear hideous blue eyeshadow. I liked the atmosphere, and I liked it because it's in German.

En règle générale, je n'aime pas le cinéma français... je déteste particulièrement ses deux genres de prédilection, la bonne grosse comédie franchouillarde (à la Les Visiteurs) et le film d'auteur glauquissime (à la Swimming-Pool).

Mais il y a quand même des exceptions, des films français qui me touchent beaucoup (La Fille sur le Pont, Amélie Poulain), et donc assez régulièrement, je me trouve une raison (une bonne ou une mauvaise excuse) pour aller voir un film français...
La plupart du temps, j'en sors déçue, jurant qu'on ne m'y reprendra plus, mais parfois...

Dimanche, j'ai donc vu Prête-moi ta main.
Alors, bon, certes, on ne parle pas chef-d'oeuvre, mais je me suis bien amusée. Une comédie française (avec Alain Chabat de surcroît!) qui me fait rire, ça vaut la peine d'être souligné... en plus, Charlotte Gainsbourg est tellement charmante que j'ai, pour elle, toutes les indulgences.

On admire le costume parme de Chabat!!

L'histoire, en gros: un monsieur de 44 ans qui vit dans une famille de femmes (une mère, cinq soeurs, douze nièces!) en a marre que toute sa famille lui présente des filles et veuille le marier à tout prix.
Il loue donc une fiancée pour qu'elle le plante seul devant l'autel le jour du mariage, l'idée étant qu'après une telle chose, plus personne ne va l'embêter sur le sujet. ça ne va, évidemment, pas se passer si simplement.

C'est parfois brossé à gros traits, ça frôle (volontairement, je pense) la parodie, mais c'est drôle.

Et puisque j'en suis à jeter des fleurs au cinéma français (seigneur!), fin 2006, j'ai vu Je vais bien ne t'en fais pas, l'histoire d'une jeune femme, qui à son retour de vacances, apprend que son frère de jumeau a disparu, et du coup, toute sa vie bascule.
Joliment émouvant, doux-amer, et bien interprété.


Les deux films ont deux points communs: un "gros comique" que je n'aime pas (en l'occurence, Kad) qui joue extrêmement bien, et une magnifique jeune actrice que je ne connaissais pas: Aïssa Maïga, qui en plus d'être très jolie, m'a paru excellente.
Allez, juste pour le plaisir pour ceux qui ne la connaissent pas:

Yesterday, I've rented The Woodsman as I had missed it in the cinema.



For the plot, IMDB says: A pedophile returns to his hometown after 12 years in prison and attempts to start a new life.

It's very well done. The director makes you get inside the paedophile's head, without finding him any excuses. I totally admire Kevin Bacon because it was certainly no easy role.

On the topic though, my fave film remains Mysterious Skin, but it's Araki and it's a totally different angle.

I would certainly recommend The Woodsman but it might be a little triggering if you're very sensitive to this subject.

Lights in the Dusk (Laitakaupungin valot)



The latest Kaurismäki.
It's slow, it's grey, it's calm.
It's exactly why I would call a comfort-film (and what most of my friends would label 'dull').
I've seen it on a rather depressed day, and it was just perfect.
Yes, it's a very classical Kaurismäki, yes, he could maybe take some more risks, but it's still very good.
And, it's in Finnish!
Go and watch it.

_{ça se voit bien sur la photo que c'est la folle ambiance ;P}

Best Motion Picture of the Year

Babel
The Departed
Letters from Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen

I haven't seen (or had the chance to see) Letters from Iwo Jima, still I very much doubt a Clint Eastwood film could win my vote.
Then, I'd say Babel. I loved Little Miss and the Queen too, though.
Please, please, not the Departed (and yes I know it could very well win *sigh*).

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Leonardo DiCaprio, Blood Diamond
Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
Peter O'Toole, Venus
Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness
Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland

Okay, I've seen NONE of those (most of them haven't opened here yet).
Everybody seems to say Forest Whitaker should be the one (and me, I suspect they still want to show us how open-minded they are, "see Dreamgirls have 8 nominations, see we can make Whitaker win").

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Helen Mirren for The Queen
Kate Winslet for Little Children
Judi Dench for Notes on a Scandal
Penelope Cruz for Volver
Meryl Streep for The Devil Wears Prada

Helen Mirren definitely! But Penelope Cruz would totally deserve it as well (yes, Orly, she CAN act :p).

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Adriana Barraza for Babel
Cate Blanchett for Notes on a Scandal
Abigail Breslin for Little Miss Sunshine
Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls
Rinko Kikuchi for Babel

I so totally cheer for Rinko Kikuchi (yes, you're all very surprised, I know ;P), and I so totally think she won't be the one. The little Abigail Breslin would make me smile too if she won.

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
After the Wedding - Denmark
Days of Glory (Indigènes) - Algeria
The Lives of Others - Germany
Pan's Labyrinth - Mexico
Water - Canada

I have seen none of those (I beat myself for having missed Pan's Labyrinth, but my Churchill will show it again in February), but as long as Indigènes don't win, I gonna be happy... no, please, I'm so fed up of this film. PLEAAASE!! It's registered as "Algerian", and somehow I'm so totally sure, it gonna be "French" if it gets an oscar... I wonder why ;P

(I skipped "best actor in a supporting role" because I just had no idea).

As I want to go to the movies later today, I thought it was time to shortly mention the films I've seen so far in 2007.

Scoop

I do love Woody. I do love Scarlett.
It was fun, entertaining, pleasant, and smart... Moreover, now, Woody Allen's films even have a British touch. What more could I ask?
I might still have a little preference for last year's Match Point (maybe because of the tennis scenes), but it's always so great to see Woody acting (I was going to write "in his own role", but it's not supposed to be like that ;P).


Perfume : the Story Of A Murderer

First, I must say it's very faithful to the book (I had to check -well, yhancik did for me- because I've read it about 15 years ago and I'm getting old).
Very good parts (visually stunning), but the general feeling's rather mixed. I couldn't really say why.
I'd still recommend to read the book, much more than watching the film.


Little Miss Sunshine

Very cute! The story of a little girl from a, erm... dysfunctional family, who wants to win a beauty pageant. And of course, it's a little problematic.
Smoothly funny, and make-you-feel good.
The little actress (Abigail Breslin) is a real cutie.