A Private Life.

Billed as a mystery thriller, you could throw in other genres as well they are all seamlessly woven into the engaging vehicle for Jodie Foster. The style of the film would be almost unrecognizable to American fans of the mystery thriller oeuvre. Being stylish, literary with a languid pace (not a single car chase). Restaurant scenes, dreamy looks over wine bottles and yet beneath all of this there is an Actual mystery. Lilian Steiner (Jodie Foster) a shrink woking in Paris believes one of her patients who committed suicide was actually murdered. Through an unbelievably byzantine path of plot twists and red herrings she tries to find the culprit, which might in fact indirectly include her. An estranged son, divorced husband, pregnant daughter, a hypnotist, a recently discovered inheritance, phantom mistresses and romances all add to this tagliatelle, which ends up mainly thanks to Foster to keep your attention somehow on the progression of the tale. It is after all a French film with Foster speaking in a more than passable dialect. 328 étoiles

The Christophers.

This terrifically intricate engrossing film masterfully directed by Stephen Soderbergh, in which once famous but now fading painter brilliantly portrayed be the incomparable Ian McKellen long ago painted series of portraits of his then lover. In failing health and soon to die they lie unfinished in his attic. His nefarious offspring played by James Corden  and Jessica Gunning (of baby reindeer fame). hire an artist arrestingly portrayed by Michaela Coe to pose as his assistant in order to finish the paintings and sell them for a fortune after his death. More savvy than he lets on he discovers the plot and has the assistant help to destroy them. Rather than let him carry out his plan she paints a series of forgeries and they are the ones destroyed. All the while a genuine friendship developes between the two. She confesses what she has done and allows him to deface the originals with the intent of eliminating any value they might have. The plot continues to thicken with further forgeries, the baddies scheme fails, the unrecognized painter/ friend/assistant is redeemed and some sort of justice prevails. The entire film rests on Ian McKellen’s  mesmerizing performance. Michaela Coel as McKellen’s assistant  is a standout.

435 stars

 

Moss & Freud 

An engrossing film based on the events that occurred between Kate Moss and Lucien Freud about the coming together of these two unlikely collaborators from completely different worlds.

Kate Moss the English superstar model and Lucien Freud known as the foremost 20th-century English portraitists. Both at the time at the top of their respective careers. The film explores their disparate personalities and lives. How Moss young experimental and frenetic stumbles into Freud's disciplined intense artistic universe.  As his building obsession with his new muse develops, Moss at first bemused and flattered, slowly begins to grasp the importance that drives her towering mentor.  Derek Jacobi as Freud gives a compelling powerful yet restrained portrayal as the artist. Ellie Bamber as Moss also gives a nuanced convincing performance, under the polished direction of James Lucas who gives the film convincing glimpses into the obsessive world of the painter.  263 stars.

The Sheep Detectives.

George (played by Hugh Jackman) a sheep herder who lives in an aluminum house trailer on his farm. Every evening after he has tended to his flock who all have names, he reads them detective stories as they gather around, unaware that this wooly surrogate family can understand and absorb the tales. One morning as they wonder around their idyllic pasture one of the sheep discover Georges dead body lying in the grass. Stunned and bewildered they decide using all of their ovine cunning to try and find on their own the perpetrator of this fowl deed. Hindered more than helped by their human overlords they set about reconstructing in the best Agatha Christie tradition motive suspects and means. Herein lies the plot. The sheep skillfully animated by a huge cast of technicians and supported by a smaller but talented cast actors including Emma Thompson, Molly Gordon and Michael Wildman, and a much larger cast of voice talent to create and endearing atmosphere of wooly earnestness human buffoonery and ultimate redemption. This is a film for children, although it is well enough executed that adults will not have wasted their time watching it. 

300 Baaas and no humbug 

 

The Devil Wears Prada 2

Sequels even ones as well thought out, written, acted, produced as this one come with a built in curse. That of being by their nature unoriginal. The initial surprise ingenuity is missing no matter how strenuous the creators might try to mask this.  Plus there is the underlying smelly grab for money that further taints the effort. That being said this effort is worthy for the excellent quality of its recreation. The twenty year gap between the original surprise hit helping, especially for those with a poor memory. The quartette of original players have been cleverly reassembled with a startling lack of any physical effect. The story as well has been updated to mesh with the current state of printed media decline. Nevertheless the glam glitzy world of high couture has been displayed with unalloyed abandon adding to the fun of the whole visual trip. Maybach limousines along with every famous fashion name are sprinkled throughout like confetti at a drunk although very high end family reunion.  Meryl  Streep effortlessly reprises the imperious  Miranda Priestly, Anne Hathaway as the goofy and far too charming Andy Sachs Emily Blunt brings her English edge as the conniving Emily Charlton and Stanley Tucci  as the ever faithful Nigel. The roles are entirely within the acting chops of the entire quartet. Despite my original provisos, this is a fun well executed recreation of the original. 328 stars

 The Stranger 

Meursault a handsome young man living an existential life in 1930’s Algiers seemingly unaffected by events around him.  His job, the death of his mother, the affections of a young woman who wants to marry him despite is ambivalence.  Willing to be carried along by lifes unpredictable currents while stylishly smoking cigarettes. His friendship with a dubious violence prone neighbor leads him to an altercation on a beach. Whilst walking alone after the event he unexpectedly comes across one of the protagonists. After a silent standoff the surprised assailant draws a knife. Meursault draws his friends gun and disinterestedly fires one bullet killing the man an Arab and afterwards fires four more shots into the dead body. Even this violent random act leaves him unmoved. He is arrested and brought to trial, found guilty because of his unwillingness use any of the plausible defenses that his lawyer could have employed to get him acquitted. This is the third filmic incarnation from the famed 1942 novel by Albert Camus.

Beautifully directed by François Ozon  Stunningly shot in black and white by Manu Dacosse.

Bejamin Voisin is hypnotic in the lead.

A musical comedy this is not, but you will, as I did watch it until the end. 458 stars

 

Two people exchanging saliva.

Set in an alternate world, where kissing is a criminal offence punishable by death and a slap on the face is financial currency, from there on things get stranger.  This 36 minute long film set in a fashionable Paris department store tells the tale of a growing  friendship between a staff member and a wealthy client.Their friendship forbidden by society on the most elemental level and their persistence in spite of the risks. Shot in black and white with many Bergmanesque scenes its surprisingly engrossing and feels very much like a feature due it the intense focus of the storytelling and acting brought to the screen by directing duo Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Sing.  Luana Bajrami playa the sales girl and Zar Amir Ebrahimi plays the wealthy client both giving memorable performances. While not everyone’s cup of tea this multi award winning effort is well worth a look. In French with subtitles.

 256 stars

 The Bride.

Dizzying,Frenetic,Hot, Exhilarating Mesmerizing Romantic.

Not adjectives that readily come to mind when describing a film based on a 1935 Horror classic penned by Mary Shelly who in the black and white title secquence comes back from the afterlife to introduce this VERY updated version of a story she always wanted to tell until her death intervened.  

Set in 1936 Chicago the monster (Frank) arrives at the house of Dr Cornelia Euphonious having read about her work on reanimation, enlisting her help on creating a companion for him after a century of loneliness. They dig up a corpse and the doctor reanimates her unfortunately without her memory. Many other adventures ensue to try and jog her identity. Movie theaters to view Franks favorite screen idol. Dance clubs after which they were accosted by some thugs who Frank in a rage kills. This sets off their criminal lives. After refusing  to leave him  they run away, to New York City, the law close on their heels.  During an escape they crash a high end party during which Ida's shenanigans unwittingly attract the attention of a mob boss complicating their plight. Their crime spree becoming a publicized sensation, gathering lots of followers. The mob boss recognizing Ida (the bride) orders a hit. More chases and shootings ensue, reaching a Bonnie and Clyde final creciendo. But not to worry all is not lost.

Jessie Buckley as Ida deservedly owns this film with her electrifying performance. Christian Bale as Frank gives a convincing (for a monster) empathetic portrayal, as does  Annette Bening as the scientist. All the rest of the cast are top notch.  The scope and excellence of the production show that Maggie Gyllenhaal in her second feature that her directing chops are up there with the veterans.

 679 stars

 

Sinners

In the midst of the great depression  identical twins Elijah "Smoke" and Elias "Stack" Moore, (Both played by Michael B Jordan) return from Chicago to Clarksdale Mississippi with their ill gotten money to open a juke joint, recruiting their younger cousin Sammie the son of a preacher and a  guitar playing prodigy, along with other localist fill out the band. On the joint’s packed opening night, Sammie, Delta Slim, and Pearline – a singer with whom Sammie becomes enamored – perform on stage. Sammie's music is transcendent, unknowingly summoning spirits of performers both past and future to join the crowd. Here the film transitions from a blues biopic into a vampire blood fest with all the traditional accoutrements. As amongst the people attracted by the performance is Remmick and his Irish band of vampires, who offer money and their own raggedy music in exchange for entry. A suspicious Smoke refuses, realizing that the intruding vampires have to be invited in before they can turn the uninfected patrons. Mayhem and confusion ensue, with the time tested battles between good and evil. (Guess who wins). At the very end Buddy Guy makes a cameo appearance, giving the film some authentic gravitas.

An odd but effecting mixture on genres.  High production values and acting by the entire cast, but especially by Jordan will prevent you from fast forwarding through any of the scenes.

425 fangs

One Battle after Another

If social unrest, doomed left wing insurgent groups, military government crackdowns, a psychotic army colonel,  a stoned single father, battling a rebellious teenage daughter, and an elderly cabal of white supremacists.  Is your idea of entertainment and not too close to the world we actually live in this film could be just what the doctor (or psychiatrist) ordered.

The product of gifted director Paul Thomas Anderson this somehow a worthy but exhausting gloomy film.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Pat Calhoun who along with his partner Perfidia Beverly Hills played by Tanaya Taylor play the two leads and lovers in said left wing revolutionary group. From there the plot gets super complicated. There are as suggested in the intro many conflicting groups all jockeying for supremacy. Apart from DiCaprio, the star attraction in a hilariously intense standout portrayal from Sean Penn as the deranged colonel Steven J Lockjaw. Always on the trail of the baddies at the same time trying to erase his own mortal sins. A fun musical this is not, but I did watch until the end to see some version of redemption but you really have to look hard. 236 stars  

 Last Tango In Paris.

It’s hard to remember what the world was like 54years ago when this groundbreaking film was first released. How many boundaries and taboos that seem today so mundane and ordinary were broken. 

From the title sequence featuring paintings by Frances Bacon this was destined to be an unprecedented film, the eighth film in an already remarkable career for 31 year old Bernardo Bertolucci, who went on to direct many other notable films.  The story of an older man who as they are both serendipitously viewing a vacant Paris apartment, almost immidiately begins torrid affair with a woman (Maria Schneider) young enough to be his daughter in a vain attempt to blot out his grief after the suicide of his unfaithful wife. While initially trying to base their relationship on anonymous sex he eventually falls in love with her just as she is falling out of love with him. In the leading role it was the last time Marlon Brando did any serious acting. 

Maria Schneider as his sexual plaything is initially perplexed by his advances, transitioning into enamorment of this lonely man before realizing that her true love is with her age appropriate film director boyfriend. 

At the time the explicit sexual depictions were the most controversial aspects of the film, although Brando’s acting raw and convincing was also a draw. This is a handmade product of a bygone era but there are still many startling  scenes of acting and cinematography which hold up as much today as when they were first shot. 454 stars

 

Good Luck Have Fun Don’t Die.

Completely brilliant on EVERY level. A cinematic and directorial tour de force. An Oscar and Golden Globe worthy performance by 

Sam Rockwell.  Haley Lu Richardson amongst a terrific cast  giving a good female portrayal as the indestructible side kick  Genius director Gore Verbinski, backed with the equally brilliant writing of Mathew Robinson sets news of the coming apocalypse at Norms diner in LA.   The messenger is the mesmerizingly goofy Sam Rockwell on his 117th attempt to recruit a team to help him with his mission. Announcing to stunned patrons a specific combination of which will help him succeed, but as he doesn't know which combination is correct, to help him change the outcome and save (At least 50% of the world's population). Their ultimate mission is to find a nine-year-old boy who is about to create an AI that will take over the world, they do not want to stop the process, but merely introduce a security protocol that will secure the AI. 

More scientifically inventive than 2001,  More thrilling than Towering Inferno. As funny as blazing saddles. And with romance of on par with You’e got Mail. The time traveling plot is dizzying in its inventiveness and keeps you guessing until the very last frame. (Do they still have frames?)   12000 stars

                                                                                                       

Sentimental Value..

This is a story of family estrangement trauma and possible redemption. 

In this predictably gloomy yet  completely engrossing Norwegian drama renowned but now declining film director Gustave Borg played by Stellan Skarsgard tries to reconnect with his two estranged daughters. Nora an actress played by Renata  Reinsve who steals the film with her riveting portrayal and Agnes a historian played by Inge Ibstotter. 

His new and perhaps final project taking place in what was their family home based on the life and suicide of his mother. (The gloomy Norwegian part)  He tries as a way of a possible reconciliation to get Nora to perform in the lead role. Initially refusing because of their fraught past he hires an America actress (Ellie Fanning) to take on the part.

Director Joachim Trier (no relation to Lars von) has crafted a somewhat overly long intense thoughtful, detailed portrait of a complicated (aren’t they all?) family dynamic. 

Well worth your attention 426 stars