Another month of MAI MAY MOVIES, comes to an end!!
Yet again, there are some beautiful movies, I watched, within this one year, that I never got to write about. Especially, the latter lot of DVDโs; that I bought Down Under, in November 2014 (majority of the films, I bought in Adelaide & Sydney; I had managed to watch back in November/December 2014 itself, and write about them, and a few last year, 2015, but here are some films I couldnโt so far); including, Lorenzoโs Oil (1992) – watched on 7th December 2015 (which coincided with the one year anniversary, of my adoption of Gingerella), In Cold Blood (1967) – watched on 16th February 2016, A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) – watched on 11th March 2016 (โtwas a, 2Disc, Directorโs Cut DVD; a collectors item, with a lot of special features, and documentaries), and On the Waterfront (1954) – watched on 21st March 2016 (now I just had one more film I bought in Australia left, which I finally watched toady afternoon; see the last film on this list). There were also the trio of superb Hindi Films (DVDโs), I got down from New Delhi, India, in February 2015 (thru my old man, who flew to New Delhi, last February, on an official visit, to the Indian capital). The three films were, Haider (2014) – watched on 10th March 2015, The Lunchbox (2013) – watched on 3rd December 2015 (managed to watch, at least 2/3, last year itself), and Mary Kom (2014) on 12th January 2016! And, not to forget, the three Big Screen gems, I saw this year, at the local Cinema; the near excellent, historical epic, Bajirao Mastani (2015) – in January 2016; Leoโs Oscar winning performance (prior to the Oscars), in The Revenant (2015) – in February 2016; and, the true life story of a brave young girl, who sacrificed her life to save the lives of hundreds of passengers on board Pan Am Flight 73, which terrorists had hijacked, in 1986, in Neerja (2016) – in March 2016!!!!! Plus so many other movies; at festivals, special screenings, cable TV/channels et al.
So here is the run down, on all the films I watched, this month (May 2016) :- ย
The Hero: Love Story of a Spy (2003) – An out and out Bollywood commercial film. This movie, was actually somewhat a waste of my time, but wasnโt all that bad. Quite OK actually, with an interesting enough premise. Both, Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta, were pretty good in their respective roles. BUT, the one to watch out for, was the former beauty queen, Miss World 2000, Priyanka Chopra (whoโs now made her way into the United States, playing the lead in the ABC television series Quantico (2015 onwards)), in her Bollywood debut. Not only does she mesmerise you with her, cool nโ classy, disposition, but also her performance. This was the first movie, I watched this month.
Watched The Hero: Love Story of a Spy, rented on our cable television.
My Rating: Average Fare – 5/10!!!
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Black Sea (2014) – Leading with Jude Law, the film comprises of an all male star-cast, compressed into an old dilapidated submarine. This British, adventurous thriller, film, is about a gold hunt, in the depths of the Black Sea, off the coast of Georgia (the Eurasian country). Itโs a good insight into human tolerance, especially when people from two different backgrounds have to work together, to achieve the same goal. This movie is really worth watching, though not among the greatest adventure films, ever made.
Watched Black Sea on HBO On Demand.
My Rating: Very Good – 8/10!!!!
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Harry, un Ami qui vous Veut du Bien (2000) – Watched this movie for a 2nd Time! I first saw this, some years ago. A movie about a manโs obsession with a married man, which proves disastrous, to the married manโs family. Very Hitchcockian, with itโs very claustrophobic atmosphere, set in a lonely house in the countryside. Itโs so beautiful, and really good. My original rating stands. Though not necessarily an excellent piece of cinema, itโs really good, and was worth watching a second time.
Watched Harry, un Ami qui vous Veut du Bien on TV5MONDE.
My Rating: Very Good – 8/10!!!! (My Original Rating)
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Les Rides (2014) short film – An OK tale about a group of, fanatic four, senior citizens, who plot to run away from their Old Peoples Nursing Home. This 13 minute short film, is interesting enough, but not that great. Liked the magical realism, input.
Watched Les Rides on TV5MONDE.
My Rating: Average Fare – 6/10!!!
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Nightingale (2014) – A brilliant โOne Man Showโ, with David Oyelowo. Being the only actor, in this movie, set within the confines of his home, Oyelowo carries the entire movie on his shoulders. He plays a psychotic, lonely, war veteran, who is waiting for/expecting, a visit from an old friend. A truly tragic film, thatโs worth checking out, for the performance of perfection, by British actor, of Nigerian roots, David Oyelowo, alone. The movie, on the whole, could have been better though.
Watched Nightingale on HBO On Demand.
My Rating: Pretty Good – 7/10!!!!
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Brigitte Bardot in Voulez-vous Danser avec Moi (1959)
Voulez-vous Danser avec Moi (1959) – A hilariously fun filled crime comedy, set in a dance school, in Paris. The movie is about a happily married man, who gets caught into blackmail, for no real fault of his, and in turn for a murder, in a dance school. He is assumed to be the culprit, and only his wife believes he is actually a victim of circumstance. Soon she ventures into the school, in the guise of a dance teacher, to solve the crime on her own, against the wishes of her husband. Henri Vidal is hilarious as the husband, as are the other supporting characters, in their respective roles; with interesting cameos by Serge Gainsbourg and Dawn Addams. But, itโs Brigitte Bardot, as the bewitchingly beautiful and innocent wife, who steals the show, with her stunning performance, her perfect comical expressions and the dancing divaโs well choreographed movements. Sheโs hilarious, sheโs fun. And thanks to her cutesy spy work, sheโs the one that ultimately solves the mystery. A sexy young Miss. Marple, or Mrs. Pollifax, if you may (with apologies to Agatha Christie and Dorothy Gilman, respectively).
This movie is a must see, especially if you love Bardot. On IMDB it seems to have an average rating, but I couldnโt help laughing. And kudos to the movie, forย daring to showcase, one hell of comical sequence that takes place in, a queer club, with drag performances, in an acceptable manner; and this was a movie that came out in the 1950โs. In fact, to portray homosexuality, cinematically in the open, as being normal, would have been groundbreaking, back in the day.
Sadly, 40 year old actor, Henri Vidal, died soon after he made this movie. This was his last screen appearance!
Watched Voulez-vous Danser avec moi on TV5MONDE.
My Rating: Near Excellent – 9/10!!!!
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Kill the Messenger (2014) – A Biographical film, on journalist Garry Webb, who committed suicide in 2004. The film is set in the mid-1990โs, when he uncovered the CIAโs major role in bringing in huge amounts of cocaine into the United States. Itโs a beautiful, and sad, story about a man, who truly tries to make โAmerica great againโ, by exposing the big shots, responsible for ruing his country; thus his family might have to pay the ultimate price for it.
The movie dulls at time, and the suspense isnโt necessarily continuous. You tend to lose focus at times. Yawn a bit, here and there. But itโs still quite good, and worth seeing at least once.
Watched Kill the Messenger on HBO On Demand.
My Rating: Pretty Good – 7/10!!!!
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Squatters (2014) – Two homeless youngsters, break into a house of a wealthy family, when the family is on vacation. The son of the rich family, and one of the homeless kids, fall for each other. The movie actually went pretty well, until the love angle ruined it for me, somewhat. Still the whole experience, was not that bad. In fact, the ageing, Richard Dreyfuss, and the young, Thomas Dekker, were pretty good in their respective roles.
Watched Squatters on HBO Signature.
My Rating: Average Fare – 6/10!!!
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Jean-Claude Brialy, le Goรปt des Autres (2013) – An interesting insight into the life of legendary French film star, Jean-Claude Brialy. This documentary delves deep into the starโs life of hosting parties to his close friends, in his big mansion. With appearances by celebrities, Alain Delon, Nana Mouskouri, Claudia Cardinale, et al; โtwas an enjoyable show.
Watched Jean-Claude Brialy, le Goรปt des Autres on TV5MONDE.
My Rating: Very Good – 8/10!!!!
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Poltergeist (1982) – A much awaited venture, I finally watched it. โtwas a very good horror film. I wouldnโt exactly call it an excellent movie, nor among the greatest of the horror genre (in fact it seemed a tad silly towards the end), but I thoroughly enjoyed this piece of supernatural drama. In fact, as the movie sees itโs ghosts through the eyes of a child, it gives it a creepy cuteness.
The filmโs lead character, is the child star, Heather OโRourke. Sheโs the first human, to feel the presence of the Poltergeists. And the movie revolves around, her capture, by the spirits, and a couple of television sets. But to me, the star of the film, was their golden retriever named โE. Buzzโ (pictured below). In fact this dog, plays a prevalent role, in the entirety of the film. A Very Good Horror Classic!!
Curse of the Poltergeist: Both kids playing the two daughters, died, in real life, within the 80โs decade. Dominique Dunne, who plays the teenage daughter, was murdered by strangulation, by her boyfriend, in 1982, itself. She was 22. And OโRourke, suddenly fell ill, and died of a cardiac arrest, at the age of 12, in 1988.
Watched Poltergeist on HBO.
My Rating: Very Good – 8/10!!!!
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Horror Films
Above: Poltergeist (1982)
Below: As Above, So Below (2014)
As Above, So Below (2014) – Silly Horror movie, filmed in the โBlair Witch Projectโ style. No where near as great as The Blair Witch Project (1999). Only saving grace of this, pretty idiotic, horror flick, was that it actually showed the real catacombs of Paris (which I visited back in 2009), before venturing further deep, under the catacombs. As they ventured deeper the film got sillier still.
Though not the worst film experience ever, itโs still quite pathetic. And the movie defies gravity. The more and more, they went deeper into the underworld, I actually expected them to come out of the Pacific Ocean, on the other side of the globe! Yet, actors, Ben Feldman and Franรงois Civil (pictured above) were actually good enough in their respective roles.
Watched As Above, So Below on HBO On Demand.
My Rating: Pretty Bad – 4/10!!
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Le Lieu du Crime (1986) – I really enjoyed this film, starring Catherine Deneuve, Nicolas Giraudi, Wadeck Stanczak, and the yesteryear starlet, Danielle Darrieux. The way the movie began, it reminded me of Charles Dickensโ Great Expectations (which also happens to be my favourite Dickens novel). The movie centres around, a young boy named Thomas (Giraudi), whoโs mother (Deneuve), falls in love with the criminal (Stanczak); Thomas meets, early on in the movie; and has a one night stand, on a rainy night, with tragic circumstances. With a superb cast, headed by Catherine Deneuve, this movie, is really a unique tale, revolving around a โboy who cried wolfโ. The kid is such a story maker, nobody, except his mother, believes his story, about what he witnessed. This coming of age, tale, is a must see, especially if you are a fan of Catherine Deneuve, like me. And the kid is brilliant, an added bonus.
Watched Le Lieu du Crime on TV5MONDE.
My Rating: Very Good – 8/10!!!!
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Into the Storm (2014) – Yet another, idiotically disastrous, disaster film. About a unimaginably massive tornado ravaging a small town called Silverton. The one good thing about this flick, was that it showed the, ironically calm, inside (the eye) of the tornado. Calm within the storm.
Watched Into the Storm on HBO On Demand.
My Rating: Near Worst, film experience, ever – 2/10!
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Timbuktu (2014) – A masterpiece of movie making!! The term โTimbuktuโ is generally a synonym, for some remote unknown place. But, it is in actuality, a name of a city, in Mali, in West Africa. I was always aware it was a place, somewhere in Africa, but this is the first time I saw something/anything about the place known as Timbuktu. The city is full of, beautifully designed, aesthetic, mud huts.
The film itself, is very sad, and a superb Art House film, about the lives of the poor inhabitants of Timbuktu, under Jihadists control. Anyone even slightly opposed to their strict laws, are punished severely. This movie is based around a cattle herder, and his nuclear family, relaxedly residing away from the city of Timbuktu, in the sand dunes of the Sahara Desert. But, sadly, he gets pulled into the city, and imprisoned/sentenced to death, for an accidental crime, he didnโt plan to commit.
Director, Abderrahmane Sissako, has brought out a brilliant piece of socially touching experience; and this film took home two prizes, at the 67th Cannes Film Festival, held in 2014. Sissako was also nominated for the Palme dโOr, that year, for Timbuktu. Plus it won the โBest Filmโ award, at the Africa Movie Academy Awards; along with a โBest Directorโ win for Sissako.
Watched Timbuktu on TV5MONDE.
My Rating: Excellent – 10/10!!!!!
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L.A.dy Dior (2011) – This is an advertorial Short film, starring my favourite French star of today, Marion Cotillard. Cotillard plays a crazed actress, who canโt handle the pressure of being the face of a famous brand of handbags (โL.A.dy Diorโ, obviously). A hilarious 6 minute short, where she ultimately throws a tantrum, which only helps the advertising campaign. Enjoyable enough, thanks to Marion Cotillard. Love L.A.dy Cotillard!!!!
Watched L.A.dy Dior online, on Youtube.
My Rating: Pretty Good – 7/10!!!!
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LEFT: Marion Cotillard in L.A.dy Dior (2011)
RIGHT: Xavier Dolan in Jโai Tuรฉ ma Mรจre (2009)
Jโai Tuรฉ ma Mรจre (2009) – The two prominent factors, that make this film so uniquely impressive, is the fact, that Xavier Dolanโs directorial debut, was written by Dolan, at the age of 16, and he was still only 19 years old, when he directed it. The movie was released at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival (rather it premiered at the โDirectorโs Fortnightโ), in 2009. Not only did Dolan, get a standing ovation, he also walked away, with three awards, at the festival, that year. I first heard about this film, and Xavier Dolan, in May 2009.
The movie, itself is so brilliantly made, and moving, I was hooked to the screen from start to finish, engulfing each and every emotional moment felt by itโs characters. The depth of human emotion, portrayed in the film, is so painfully real, my heart just leapt out. This is amongst the best movies, that Iโve ever seen, and โtwas a long awaited venture, pour moi.
Jโai Tuรฉ ma Mรจre, which, when translated into English, means, โI Killed my Motherโ, is a semi-autobiographical film, by Xavier Dolan. Itโs deals with a tiresome mother/son relationship. They both love each other, and neither is a bad parent nor bad child, but they were just not meant to live together. Hubert (Dolan) believes he was born into the wrong family, rather, more specifically, the wrong mother (played by Anne Dorval). And he wishes to get away from her clutches, as soon as possible. But Hubert, is still a 16 year old, thus itโs impossible to get away at that young age. His father, who left when Hubert was a little kid, is no where in sight (who turns up only to make a brief appearance, to intervene in the sonโs life, and makes things worse for poor Hubert). You sympathise with Dolanโs juvenile character, Hubert, and understand what heโs going through. But, at the same time, heโs still only 16, and has a freedom, some 16 year olds would only dream to have. Plus, his mother is not all that bad. Mothers can be really stressful sometimes, even to their adult kids. But Hubertโs mother, comparatively, hardly does anything to stress him out, even though he seems to lose his patience with her. Sheโs neither strict, nor harsh. He does what he wants. She doesnโt necessarily interfere with his studies, or future plans. YES, sheโs not perfect, nobody really is, but sheโs far from being the worst mother ever. Yet, Hubert feels suffocated, and annoyed, with her existence. When the mother finds out about her sonโs sexuality, she doesnโt seem to mind that he is gay, but what disappoints her is, the fact she had to find out about it from someone else, rather than her own son. Thus, sheโs also an open-minded woman. At the same time, Hubert, isnโt necessarily a closeted homosexual. He is open, but doesnโt seem to think it necessary to let her know, that he has a boyfriend (played by Franรงois Arnaud). The film doesnโt deal with Hubertโs sexuality as such, for thatโs not what the story is about. The story is about his love-hate relationship with his mother. His sex life, has nothing to do with it. Instead of a girlfriend, he just happens to have a boyfriend, in a very acceptable and normal manner. Thatโs how the world today, should be. Of course, there is a gay-bashing scene, towards the end. Most probably, just to tell us, thatโs something Dolan had to deal with too, in real life, and/or to show us, that the world is still not as broad-minded, as it ought to be.
The film isnโt all serious and depressing, it has plenty of comical interludes. In fact, the movie is sad, but not at all depressing to watch, and very entertaining. Xavier Dolan is really sweet, and adorable, even when he is angry. I love the scene where he comes home one night, all drugged (a one time thing, in the film), and wakes his mother lovingly. She is not at all angry at him. Dolanโs character is really sweet, when he tries to be extra nice to his mother. Of course, heโs not patient enough, for the niceties to last, and his mother doesnโt really help either. Yet, both of them, are actually good people.
There is plenty of screaming matches, in the film, plenty of drama, and more than enough comical moments, to make you cry and laugh (sometimes at the same time), with a few, very Dolanisque surreal moments!! One of the best films ever made. Dolanโs now, most probably, my favourite Canadian director, and definitely my youngest favourite film director. The only other, directorial venture, of his Iโve seen is, Laurence Anyways (2012); another brilliant Canadian film.
Watched Jโai Tuรฉ ma Mรจre on TV5MONDE.
My Rating: Excellent – 10/10!!!!!
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Tere Bin Laden: Dead or Alive (2016) – Tagged as the โmillion dollar fakeโ, this is an almost brilliant piece of satire, from Bollywood.
Released earlier this year, a sequel/prequel to Tere Bin Laden (2010); which came before, the actual Osama Bin Laden was killed; this is a hilarious movie, about what happens post the death of this, FBIโs, most wanted terrorist. Both, the Americans, and a Taliban arms dealer, try to get hold of a Bin Laden look-alike, an Indian actor (played by Pradhuman Singh). The Americans want to film, the death of the fake bin Laden, to prove to the world, that theyโve actually killed, this founder of al-Qaeda, whilst the arms dealer, wants to use the doppelganger, as proof, that Bin Laden is still alive.
The movie is a hilarious parody, on both, the Taliban regime, and Americaโs โWar on Terrorโ. I havenโt seen the original Tere Bin Laden (poster pictured, right atop). In fact I had assumed, thatโs the movie, I watched on Sunday morning, the original film, till I read the synopsis now, on IMDB, and realised actor, Manish Paul (who plays a Bollywood director, responsible for making the โOsama bin Ladenโ doppelganger, popular; and in turn putting their lives in danger), didnโt even star in the first one. So I actually tweeted the wrong movie. Slightly disappointed about that. Now I really want to watch, the original. A lot of people, who loved the original, seem to have hated this. But I really enjoyed this farcical film. Itโs definitely worth a watch. Plus, there were no cheap antics, like puking, or passing out excess gas, or any other stale jokes, or anything sickeningly grotesque, that make you feel disgusted, instead of actually enjoying a film. So, I thought it was a really clever comedy. Thus, kudos to director, Abhishek Sharma, for bringing out, such a fun movie, to sit through.
Just wanted to add, an explanation for the title. โBinโ or โBinaโ in Hindi, means โWithoutโ, and โTereโ means โYoursโ. Thus the, first three words, of the title could either translate as, โWithout You Ladenโ or โYours, Bin Ladenโ; I think the latter sounds more like it. Either way, the pun is on the word โBinโ. It would have been a more hilarious pun for the word โBinโ, if it were in English (title/film), considering what the word โBinโ stands for in the English language. Throw it in the Bin Laden!!!!!
Watched Tere Bin Laden: Dead or Alive on Star Plus.
My Rating: Near Excellent – 9/10!!!!
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Airlift (2016) – Set in Kuwait, this is based on a true story, of the airlift of Indians based in Kuwait, during the Invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Husseinโs Iraq, carried out from the 18th of August, 1990 to 20th October, 1990!! Air India, along with Indian Airlines, helped evacuate 170,000 people by civil airliners, whilst 500 people left by a ship, during the Gulf War. It took 63 days. This happens to be the biggest rescue mission, of human evacuation, in the world. Two Indianโs living in Kuwait; South Indian Businessmen, Mathunny Mathews, from Kerala; and North Indian, billionaire, Harbajan Singh Vedi, from Punjab, putting their ethnic differences aside, came together, and ended up playing a major role, in helping get Indians to safety.
The movie, however, is a fictional account, combining the two Indianโs heroic work, into one character called, Ranjit Katyal (played by Bollywood star, Akshay Kumar). Indian actress, Nimrat Kaur, plays his wife. A near brilliant Bollywood commercial venture, by director, Raja Krishna Menon, about a story that deserved to be told. Thanks to Bollywood movies like Neerja and Airlift, more recent, modern Indian history, wonโt be forgotten.
Watched Airlift on Colors (a channel I practically never watch, glad I did on Sunday night).
My Rating: Near Excellent – 9/10!!!!
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10 Things I Hate about You (1999) – A modern, late 20th Century, adaptation of, William Shakespeareโs 16th century comedy, The Taming of the Shrew.
This comedy, could have easily veered towards being just another teenage chick flick, but itโs much more than that. I was pleasantly surprised, how much I enjoyed sitting through this flick. The movie has a brilliant young cast, including the late Heath Ledger, along with Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Andrew Keegan and Gabrielle Union. The movie also stars comedians Larry Miller and Allison Janney, in supporting roles.
Set in a High School, the film is about softening up an uptight girl, who refuses to date. All the absurdism of a perfect Shakespearean comedy, from the 1590โs, brought into the modern world of youth, of the 1990โs. I thoroughly enjoyed it. But it would have been more interesting, if I did actually get to watch it, as a teenager/young adult, than today.
I recently mentioned this movie, last month. See my Blog-post Shakespeare: Intellectual Minds andย Beyond!!, from April 2016.
Watched 10 Things I Hate about You on HBO On Demand.
My Rating: Near Excellent – 9/10!!!!
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Jacques Bernard in Les Enfants Terribles (1950)
Les Enfants Terrible (1950) – Watched this, collaboration of two greatly creative talents, today afternoon!! Loved it, just as much as the book!!
3ยฝ years ago, I read Rosamond Lehmannโs English translation, of Jean Cocteauโs famed French novella, Les Enfants Terrible!! Author, artist and film personality, Cocteauโs book, was illustrated, with his own artwork, as well. Being an artist(e) myself, I not only, loved the book, for itโs literature, but also for Cocteauโs works of modern art. And, I blogged about the book; when my Blog, was still pretty young (almost 9 months old). Later, 1ยฝ years ago, when I visited Australia, I bought a lot of DVDโs, including the film adaptation of, Les Enfants Terrible. But itโs only now, I finally got to watch this movie. This is the last, of the movies, I bought Down Under!!
Les Enfants Terrible, the movie, is a brilliant adaptation, of an equally superb, piece of, inked, fiction. Author Jean Cocteau (a film director himself), supposedly, commissioned Jean-Pierre Melville, to make the movie, based on his beloved novel. Beautifully photographed, with dim, darkly lit, interiors; skilfully directed, with superb acting talents, the moody expressions, along with, Jean Cocteauโs, own vocals lending the narration, this is one hell of an extraordinarily exceptional piece of cinema. Now, amongst my, favourite French films, ever.
The movie, was practically word to word, as I remembered reading in theย novel. The only major difference, for me, was the fact that, I envisioned the brother and sister, Paul and Elisabeth (played by Edouard Dermithe and Nicole Stรฉphane, respectively, in the movie), as two pre-teens, in the start of the book, who gradually transform, into young adulthood, later on. Same with their friend, Gerard (Jacques Bernard). But in the movie, they seemed liked young adults/late teens, from the very beginning. None the less, the film was perfectly made, as perfect, as perfection goes. The crazed games, played by the siblings: their weirdly possessive, yet ambiguous, relationship; isolated, cut off, from the rest of the world; this movie is a deep psychoanalysis into the crazy human psyche, almost just as much as the book. It, like the book, reminded me of Bernardo Bertolucciโs, The Dreamers (2003). The Dreamers, was set in 1968 Paris, during the student riots.
The actress to look out for, in Les Enfants Terrible, is Renรฉe Cosima, who plays Paulโs two androgynous sexual attractions; a young boy named Dargelos, in the first half, and later on a girl (model) named Agathe (since I had read the book, I realised that, the school bully, Dargelos, was being played by a female, in the guise of a male; though itโs really not at all noticeable, otherwise). Her transformation, from a thuggish young boy, to a beautiful young lady, is incredible. Itโs hard to believe, the dirty rugged boy, and marvellous model, who shows off her elegant legs, is played by, the one and the same, young French actress Renรฉe Cosima.
With itโs surreal dreamy moments, towards the end, Les Enfants Terrible, is almost Shakespearean, the way itโs conveyed. The inevitable tragedy, that lies ahead, is obvious. The game, they played in their โROOMโ, of irritating one another, when younger; continues, to a final finish, that can end, only with death. A sad film. The novel came out in the Roaring 20โs, but the film, seems to be set, in the modern day, i.e. the post-war 1940โs!!
Love the Movie!! Love the Book!! Love the Book more, actually; but as a film, this is an excellent watch. Also do check out my quick write-up, on the novel, Les Enfants Terribles (The Book), from December 2012!!!!!
Watched Les Enfants Terrible on DVD.
My Rating: Excellent – 10/10!!!!!
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Nuwan Senโs Film Sense
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The whole movie has a feel of impending doom, a tragedy waiting to happen. From one angle, heโs an irresponsible father, but at the same time, heโs stressed out. But you canโt help feeling angry at the man, as we see him enjoying cocktails with his colleagues, and chatting up with his boss, in the air-conditioned office, as his baby cries all alone, stuck in a car, with the heat rising inside this locked vehicle, from 43ยฐ to 45ยฐ and so on. I was on the edge of seat, the suspense killing me, like the oven suffocating the child in that contraption. What about the boys playing football? Will they hear?? One boy actually comes to get the ball, near the parked car, thinks he hears something, but ignores it and goes back to the game. What will happen to the baby?? Itโs heartrending. You just want to save the baby somehow. But feel helpless, being on the other side the wide screen (outside the television).
Not to be confused with Renรฉ Clรฉmentโs, excellent French classic, Plein Soleil (1960), starring Alain Delon and Maurice Ronet, based on Patricia Highsmithโs novel The Talented Mr. Ripley; this 2015 Belgian Short film, by Frรฉdรฉric Castadot (which happens to be his directorial debut), is a brilliant masterpiece of the 21st century cinema. Hated the pain of watching the baby in pain, and loved the movie for itโs excellence.
Jack Cardiff was born on the 18th of September, 1914, to a couple of music hall performers. By the age of four, he was already a child artiste, whoโd worked in music hall productions as well as a few silent movies. As a child actor he starred in My Son, My Son (1918), Billyโs Rose (1922), The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots (1923) and Tiptoes (1927). By 15 he started working as a camera assistant, clapper boy and production runner. By 21, Cardiff had graduated to camera operator and occasional cinematographer. Having already worked with Alfred Hitchcock, in The Skin Game (1931), as a clapper boy; soon he got a chance to work with Powell&Pressburger, as a second unit cameraman. Powell&Pressburger were so impressed that they hired him as a cinematographer, and the rest is history.
My all time favourite piece of French cinema. Directed by Franรงois Truffaut, and starring Jeanne Moreau, Oskar Werner, and Henri Serre, this French New Wave classic, is also among my TOP-10 all time favourite movies. An epic saga spanning over 3 decades, happens to be one of my favourite tragic romances ever. Truffaut was a genius. An excellent love triangle, involving two best friends (an Austrian & a Frenchman), both of whom fall for the same French beauty, with a serene looking smile.
One of the most beautiful epics ever made. Les Enfants du Paradis, directed by Marcel Carnรฉ, made with great difficulty during the second World War, and set in the backdrop of the French Theatre during the 19th century, is Franceโs answer to Americaโs Gone with the Wind (1939).
One of my favourite musicals ever. Directed by Jacques Demy, this romantic 60โs movie, set in the late 50โs, is about a young unmarried pregnant girl, separated from her lover (whoโs gone to fight for the French, during the Algerian war), having no news of his whereabouts, she has to come to a crucial decision for the wellbeing of her unborn child. Love this classic. Love Catherine Deneuve!!!!
Been a fan of hers, since like ever. This 71 year old actress is no doubt my all time favourite French celebrity. Having started her cinematic journey in the late 50โs, Deneuve had two film releases this year, and has no plans of retiring from the film industry, any time soon.
I first discovered the existence of Alain Delon, at the turn of the century. Since then have seen quite a lot of, this 79 year old starโs, great movies; and have loved him, in everything Iโve seen him in. But I havenโt really watched any of his movies, heโs acted in, in his old age. His last film appearance, so far, was in 2012.
Back in 2007, whilst living in Sydney, I watched the film Love Me If You Dare (2003), when it was shown on a local channel there. I thought she looked beautiful, and she was a good actress, and the film was really good as well, and that was that. Then mid-2007, the รdith Piaf bio-pic, La Vie en Rose (2007), starring Marion Cotillard, in the lead, as Piaf, was released, in Australia. I went to watch it, โcause Iโve been a fan of รdith Piafโs beautiful song, ever since I watched Audrey Hepburnโs rendition of Piafโs La Vie en Rose in Sabrina (1954), when I was a teenager, back in 1994, whilst living in New Delhi, India. By the turn of this century, I was aware who รdith Piaf was. Thus Piaf was my motivation behind watching La Vie en Rose, and not Cotillard. But Cotillard did such a brilliant job, she was Piaf incarnate. I was instantly hooked by her brilliant performance, and Cotillard became my favourite French movie star from 21st century. Born in 1975, sheโs my age, practically (sheโll turn 40 later, in September, this year). At the Oscars, in 2008, she bagged the โBest Actressโ trophy for her role in La Vie en Rose. Returning home from work, I just managed to switch on the television to see her name being announced as that yearโs winner. I was delighted. And since then Iโve see quite a few of her movies, both from France and Hollywood. Am really keen on checking out her most recent, British venture, Macbeth (2015), where she plays Lady Macbeth, and which was released at the Cannes Festival a couple of months ago (
Boyhood (2014)
No Nonsense with Nuwan Sen 