Sarah's Key

http://niles.patch.com/articles/adaptation-shines-in-both-past-and-present

Midnight in Paris

http://niles.patch.com/articles/allens-new-leading-man-lights-up-midnight-in-paris

Summer in Provence -- without leaving your home!

Summer in Provence sounds good to me. Since this year I cannot afford to go, I’m rewatching two of my favorite Provence films. If you are in the same boat as me (no money), try watching the South of France go by on your TV, rather than running up your credit card. Two films come to mind in particular that breathe new life into the Provence region of France…an area consumed with lavender, wine and the art of kicking back! Can anything be better than that?!?!?!

Both films are based on books by British native and Provence transplant Peter Mayle, a former ad man in London who, along with his wife, decides to retire early in a farmhouse in Provence’s Luberon region. Mayle began writing both fiction and nonfiction once in France and all of his books reflect the art of fun, sun and relaxation that Provence seems to have perfected.

Mayle’s most famous book, A Year in Provence, tells the story of his first months in Provence and what hurdles he and his wife had to overcome to adjust to French living.  It was later made into a mini-series starring Inspector Morse’s John Thaw and is a true experience of the culture, people and general “soul” of the place.  You get a true sense of the area, the people and the lifestyle that the French call La Dolce Vita…which means The Good Life.  A Year in Provence is filled with the “air” of Provence…the images, the language, the smells, the culture, etc.  This is a FUN time…there is something for everybody: scenery, humor, culture, beauty. How can you miss?!?!?!



A Good Year is based on a novel by Mayle about a London financial wizard who returns to Provence to sell the estate left to him by his late uncle. This film transported me to Provence…body, mind and spirit. It is a charming, fun-loving film that made me not only want to go to Provence, but wanted to buy a chateau and vineyard there for a permanent move. And of course, fall in love there. Will any of this happen? Probably not, but watching A Good Year will bring all of us about as close to those things as we’re ever going to get. This movie really brought the region and its people and its sense of romance alive. And when I say romance, I do not only mean love. I mean a romantic feel in the charm and the general air of the locale. Basically, the romance of life. In this story, the Russell Crowe character has a life with NO romance in London. He’s money-driven and career-obsessed. He even has lost touch with his expatriate uncle who had a winery in Provence where Crowe’s character used to vacation as a child. Why did he lose contact with the uncle? Well, because money and his job and his quest to be the best got in his way. After his uncle passes, he finds out the chateau has been left to him. Most people (myself, most definitely) would jump at the chance to live in France rent-free but, of course, this just gets in the Crowe’s character’s way in his pursuit of power. Once he gets there, though, it is another matter. And that’s pretty much the power Provence has over someone even as career-minded as Crowe. And it’s also pretty much the same power this film had over me.

So instead of heading to the airport, head to Niles to check out these titles that are set in a region in France that hopefully we will all visit one day. Until then…these movies will have to do!

Inglourious Basterds

Now, this is not one of my favorite films ever, but, for a Quentin Tarantino film, it's very strong...mostly because of its performance by Christoph Waltz as Nazi officer Colonel Landa. It's a long film, and like Tarantino's other works, it's very stylized and very violent. But, it features performances that make it worth seeing and Waltz’s performance, in particular, propels this film from standard-violent-war-movie to an excellent work of cinema. Waltz steals every moment he is on screen…unlike most Nazi characters portrayed in movies (I’m especially thinking of Ralph Fiennes’ cold-blooded killing machine in Schindler’s List), Waltz plays Landa with a sincerity and seeming likeability. We think “what is he after,” since we never know what to expect with this quietly deranged character; his light demeanor constantly keeps us off guard. And Tarantino really does capitalize off of this stellar performance. Landa’s scenes are visually elegant and the cast in scenes with Waltz seem to be pulling out all of the stops to give their best performance to match Landa’s maniacal, yet pleasant chill. As for the movie on a whole, it is a new twist on the WWII years in Europe…told with a strong film and filmmaking element. For movie buffs (like myself), I did enjoy the dialogue between the characters about the movie industry and 1930s directors and actors, etc. And, whether you like that “Hollywood” angle or not, it is something that really has not been touched on in a major way before. The style is unique, as usual for Tarantino, and his brash, bold techniques add to the power and intensity of the film. If you can tolerate the violence, check this one out! It’s a far cry from Pulp Fiction, but it’s a strong film on its own…highlighted by exceptional performances.

A Year in Provence

This film is what I wanted the film Under the Tuscan Sun to be…a true experience of the culture, people and general “soul” of the place. The region of Provence in France is a beautiful region…similar to Italy’s Tuscany in the way people rave of its beauty and its scents and its postcard images. This series is based on the book of the same title by Peter Mayle, a former ad man in London who, along with his wife, decide to retires early in a farmhouse in Provence’s Luberon region. Mayle’s book became a sensation (mostly because it is about someone who actually does something that most people just dream of) just like Frances Mayes’ book about “escaping” to Italy…Under the Tuscan Sun. Unfortunately, the film version of Mayes’ book was changed into more of an exploration of romance instead of a study of Tuscany and its people. This TV version of Mayle’s book, on the other hand, is exactly what the book is…and more! When I say more, I do not mean to criticize Mayle’s beautiful book in any way. I just mean that SEEING Provence in its full glory surpasses the written word some. And what sights you see here! A Year in Provence is filled with the “air” of Provence…the images, the language, the smells, the culture, etc. This is a FUN time…there is something for everybody: scenery, humor, culture, beauty. How can you miss!

The Valet

From the writer and director of The Closet, this film is another French comedy success...in the grand tradition of some of the classic French farces (i.e. La Cage aux Folles). The main character is a nerdy guy who's unsuccessful in the love, looks, and job departments (he's a valet). Coincidentally, he gets photographed next to a supermodel. Because of a series of comic circumstances, he and the model must "pose" to be lovers and even live together so it appears their proximity in the photograph is legit. Both actors, the valet (Gad Elmaleh) and the model's real but married lover (Daniel Auteuil), are just perfect in their roles...especially Auteuil, who is one of France's most talented actors, in both comedies and dramas. It's a short movie that you want to go on and on since it's almost too good to end. A must for all comedy lovers...whether you like foreign films or not! And, while you're at it, check out The Closet too. That one is also a must see!

La Vie En Rose

When I saw Monster or The Queen, I felt like I had seen movies where the actors (in these cases, Charlize Theron and Helen Mirren respectively) embodied the persona of a real-life person. In La Vie en Rose Marion Cotillard takes it one step forward…she embodies the persona and the SOUL of the Edith Piaf. When I was watching this, I just became immersed with Piaf and this movie. I was in a trance…mesmerized in the performance. I had seen Cotillard in A Good Year, a romantic comedy in which she played the love interest to Russell Crowe. She was a striking, tall, stunningly beautiful woman with close-to-perfect features and almost an ethereal quality. In La Vie en Rose, she is truly Piaf…hunched over, small, course, and beautiful only the eyes of a few select people. What is beautiful, mostly, about Piaf, is her voice. Watching Cotillard, though, makes this short, awkward woman a striking person without an overabundance of physical beauty. Without adding any physical attributes to her, Cotillard brings out the inner beauty of Piaf...in both the depth of the fabulous performance and with the sparkle always shining through Piaf’s eye whenever Cotillard is shown. The movie, itself, is a good deal too long and would be quite tedious if I were not memorized with the performance. I’m sure it could have benefited with some serious time in the editing room…as long as no scenes featuring Piaf were cut out. She’s way too good to leave on the cutting room floor.

Victor/Victoria

Blake Edwards’ directs this comedy about a destitute singer (Julie Andrews) who meets up with a gay, out of work nightclub performer, Toddy. He comes up with a plan for them both to be successful involving her changing her image from a woman to a man to a woman. Complications set in when she falls in love with a mobster (James Garner) who is homophobic and convinced she is a woman. Alex Karris steals all of the scenes he is in as Garner’s bodyguard who is coming to terms with his own sexuality in the midst of this whole mess. Definitely the best film from the husband and wife team of Edwards/Andrews.

Priceless

A little bit of French Kiss mixes with the screwball elements of The Valet and The Closet for a fun, wild romp in this romantic comedy set in the French Riviera. Audrey Tautou stars in this fabulously funny film about a woman looking less for love and more for money in a beau. Being devastatingly beautiful helps her snag some rich gentlemen, but it also snags her a bartender, whom she mistakes for a wealthy playboy and he does little to correct her misperception. From there, the two set about together trying to out-do each other in the "rich" loves department. The bartender, who was hilarious in The Valet, is played by comic French star Gad Elmaleh. Between Tautou and him, they make the movie…his expressions of terror and her naivety make for a highly entertaining film.

Frantic

Not being one of Roman Polanski’s biggest fans, I was initially apprehensive about this one. But, I like Harrison Ford and Betty Buckley so I gave it a try. It is a sharp, exciting thriller that really utilizes the feel and atmosphere of Paris. Many thrillers fall short of using location to heighten or complicate the suspense. Polanski really captures the essence of Paris here…from the elegant, tourist side to the dark, seedy underbelly. The plot keeps pretty simple…an American doctor, in Paris for a convention, is convinced his wife has been kidnapped. Yes, it is a little more convoluted than that, but that’s the gist of it. From there, Polanski weaves a thrilling tale of intrigue that will keep you riveted until the finale.

The Dreamers

Bernardo Bertolucci continually pushes the envelope and sometimes, I feel, he does it deliberately just to stir up controversy. That is how I felt when I heard about The Dreamers . Once again, the film opening was mired in a heated uproar about the rating system (it was eventually given an NC-17 though an R-rated version was also released on DVD) and sex in motion pictures. So, when I rented it, it was just to see if Bertolucci was once again living up to the reputation I had given him as an over-hyped director. I half expected to fast forward through most of it. Thankfully, I didn’t have to. The film is a good one and deserved to get more praise than it did when it was released, rather than just notoriety over its high sexual content. Yes, the film is sexual. It has graphic erotic scenes (I’m basing this review from the R-rated version), even some incestuous sexuality, which Bertolucci has used before in his films (Luna, in particular). Aside from the sexuality, the story and characters are interesting and captivating. It is a solid, vibrant coming-of-age piece with young people searching for a life like the ones they see in their favorite classic movies. The sexuality is a side note…a distraction that does pertain to the plot but does not actually move any of the action forward. Did this film need to be as sexual as it was? No, but Bertolucci so enjoys stepping over that line and inciting controversy that I’m not sure he could make a movie without sex. And, sadly, that controversy kept some people from seeing a film that is a good story about love and friendship and should be seen.

The Day of the Jackal

The Day of the Jackal was a surprise to me. I have tried other 1960s/1970s-era spy films and had not liked them...The Spy Who Came In From the Cold, The Odessa File, etc. When this Fred Zimmemann film came on cable one night, I begrudgingly thought I would give it a go, but expected I’d be turning it off quickly. I didn’t. I was totally engrossed in the story and captivated by the inner workings of the main characters. The story begins in the 1960s with a failed assassination attempt on Charles de Gaulle and leads us into a web of intrigue about a secret French organization that is determined to succeed in killing then President de Gaulle. This film plays like a documentary, which makes it slower-paced and more intense. Mostly filled with unknown actors (or at least actors who are not known to me) with the exception of Derek Jacobi…playing a Frenchman, no less…The Day of the Jackal demands all of your attention. If you take your eyes away from the screen for a second, an important detail might be missed. I’ve watched this one several times since I first saw it and each viewing, I catch something new…something that makes me like the film even more. From start to finish, this one captivates…it is truly one of the best, most taut spy thrillers ever made.

The Crimson Rivers

This film is unlike most of the thrillers I have seen…and I have seen a lot of them. It is smart and clever and unexpected. A little bit of horror mixes with some science, some drama and a lot of strange characters to achieve an edge-of-your-seat film. I guess I should take time here to tell you that some of the plot (especially toward the ending) is a little confused…OK, a lot confused. It involves science and genetics and anything to do with science is pretty much Greek to me (or any other language). At first, I thought I was alone in my confusion but I watched some of the special features on the DVD and the cast and crew were talking about how they didn’t even understand it completely. It’s kind of like the Macguffin in Hitchcock’s films…it doesn't matter WHAT the thing is, it just matters how exciting it is to find it. What kept me most intrigued with the story were the characters and the quick pacing of the action. It is hard to take a breath during this one…things just keep happening. Sometimes, you don’t know why or how they are happening, but by the time you figure it out, something else is happening. Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel play excellently off each other…Reno is brooding and Cassel is inexperienced and impetuous. The way Cassel involves himself with Reno’s case is clever and not the usual “action” movie cliché of "pairing up" the old master with the young guy that has a lot to learn. If you like action thrillers, this is one you will not want to miss!

The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)

First off, I’m not a big fan of “historical” or “costume” pics, but this one for me worked. It is a love story, a thriller, a drama and a heartwarming tale of both friendship and a saga of life-long betrayed all rolled into one. Based on the novel of the same name by Alexandre Dumas, this story has been told before in movies, and probably will be told again…I mean there is so much hatred and passion in this one that it’s hard for filmmakers to resist using it for subject matter. What makes this version captivating for me was the look and feel of the film, and also the performances by both main players…Jim Caviezel and Guy Pierce. Caviezel plays Edmond Dantes, a man dastardly wronged by a man he assumed was his close friend…Fernand Mondego. Pierce is so malicious and cruel in this film that it’s still hard for me to see him in anything else and not see him as a villain. And Caviezel is convincing as a man who will stop at nothing to get revenge. The film is visually stunning, set mostly in France which has never looks better. The visuals themselves are so vivid that they tell their own story…so even if you’ve read the book or seen another version before, check this one out…for the look alone!