Showing posts with label french. Show all posts
Showing posts with label french. Show all posts

3/30/2015

Nous York (2012)


Les Misérables Clichés




This nonsensical empty attempt at comedy - or whatever it is they tried to do - consists in three childhood friends screaming "OBAMAAAA!" every 15 minutes. Those thirty-something immature boys fly to New York to surprise their other friend on her birthday. This leads to some existential quest for love and happiness within the family and friendship spheres. Not only has the plot barely scratched the surface but if you dug harder, there would be more surface. The poorly cast ensemble doesn't do justice to the typical French tourist and the filmmakers don't even have the slightest idea about American culture. They haven't even researched any of it and they portray the weirdest unbelievable facts. For example, every person they meet in NYC lives in some fancy 10-acre penthouse. Really? Do they have any idea of the housing market in Manhattan these days? Even Charlie Sheen's character in 1987's Wall Street had trouble paying rent for his little bachelor suite. But let's just assume that it makes sense because one of the protagonist is the assistant of some famous actor. Sure she is! How many French illegal workers in Manhattan actually are the assistant of De Niro or Woody Allen? That's right. None. Then there are the scenes regarding shoes on power lines. The three amigos first spot those in Brooklyn where one of them says it's just what New Yorkers do for fun or style. You expect a later scene in which they try to throw their shoes on a wire and a drug lord's street associate chasing them. That never happens. They end up throwing their shoes there and screaming the name of the 44th President of the USA. It is not deep, nor is it French-charming, clever or even funny. This is the last thing you want to watch to try out French comedy.

1 reason NOT to watch it: it's le merde.




6/24/2013

Hollywoo (2011)


Foresti Goes to Hollywoo



Jennifer Marshall is Hollywood's It Girl starring in the over-publicized TV show L.A. Couples. Jeanne is her French dubbing artist whose career depends on Marshall's fame. When Jennifer decides to retire after her co-star and boyfriend cheats on her, Jeanne feels like her own career is over. She flies to LA to meet Jennifer and try to make her reconsider... It's a funny and fresh movie displaying the views of the French on Hollywood and its excessive way of life. The main actors are very popular French comedians (Florence Foresti & Jamel Debbouze) and I think you'll find this movie funny if you already know Foresti's work. It may not be a good movie for someone who is not into contemporary French culture. The cast is very eclectic and you'll find American, French, Canadian actors and more. Hollywoo may not end up in my Top 10 Comedies but I spent an enjoyable moment watching it. You should definitely give it a try and share your opinion with me!


1 reason to watch: if you have any interest in French comedians




6/13/2013

L'Arnacoeur (Heartbreaker - 2010)


Licence to Love



Alex, his sister and brother-in-law break up couples for a living. Their only rule is to operate only if the girl to save is unhappy whether she knows it or not. When Alex is hired to break up Juliette and Jonathan who apparently love each other, he has no choice but to accept in order to pay back his debt. He only has 10 days to break them up before their wedding. L'Arnacoeur is an entertaining movie. But it's a rom com so you obviously know from the start what will happen. There is no twist or surprise but I find it quite entertaining. It is not the plot of the decade but the cast meets my expectations. Hollywood blockbusters have nothing on this French production. It keeps its promise. I think it's a challenge to get an arthouse rom com if you also want to rock the box office. As an indie-enthusiast, I'd rather pick the underground love story nobody knows over the popular sparkly one. But L'Arnacoeur committed to selling tickets. It features 2 popular and glamorous French actors (Romain Duris & Vanessa Paradis), funny supporting roles, and displays over-the-top luxury: the perfect cocktail to attract crowds to the movies.

1 reason to watch: the Dirty Dancing trump that Alex whips out




6/06/2013

Le Nom des Gens (The Names of Love - 2010)


Make Love, Not War




Le Nom des Genshttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhgXSD-UcKz_WhLbjWzpHD7E3vsQmn9hAfDVpgwpeaJ2vi4lUqoYzX5sT-7AsbM2kMVy0ojJ2zkLen0YGZJG_0x5hKgXmYdBYU9PDbEiSDCvzp4M4OzGhjRbXD6NkA6PEQRukasQ_OlC_3dtNh5sS0UNOX2cXhyphenhyphenDOVLr15Kx9vAtrSEgypMG3ssfis= is a committed French Rom Com by Michel Leclerc. Baya (Sara Forestier) has an uncommon way to convert 'fascists' to her ideology: she has sex with them. She also has a free and broad definition of fascism. When she meets Arthur (Jacques Gamblin), a hung-up moderate left-wing partisan, it changes them both. I vote in favor of this off-the-wall staging and witty screenplay. The latter, written by Leclerc and Baya Kasmi, won the César Award. The César Awards are the French equivalent to the Academy Awards with 2 minor differences. 1/ You choke from laughter and excitement in front of the Oscars while you choke from a senile boredom stroke in front of the Césars. 2/ Everyone in the filmmaking industry dreams of having an Oscar even if only for its esthetics properties while the César is the ugliest  trophy of the industry. And there are. a. lot. (End of my aside). Sara Forestier won the French version of the Oscar for Best Actress but unlike the general opinion, I find her uber-hysterical in her ways and her character is not as subtle as it could have been when it comes to her ideology. On the other hand, Jacques Gamblin, her counterpart, is one of the finest French actors on the market and it's always a pleasure to watch him evolve in a movie. This one is no exception. Le Nom des Gens goes to war with common beliefs and prejudice. Witty humor and self-mockery are its weapons of choice. I really enjoy that this movie deals with contemporary issues. You get a glimpse of France's cultural core through its melting pot and war wounds. You laugh a lot as the plot mixes politics, sex, and immigration. The rare staging juggles oldschool and regular footage and combines past and present facts and characters. Two thumbs up to this creative comedy! (watch it here!https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhgXSD-UcKz_WhLbjWzpHD7E3vsQmn9hAfDVpgwpeaJ2vi4lUqoYzX5sT-7AsbM2kMVy0ojJ2zkLen0YGZJG_0x5hKgXmYdBYU9PDbEiSDCvzp4M4OzGhjRbXD6NkA6PEQRukasQ_OlC_3dtNh5sS0UNOX2cXhyphenhyphenDOVLr15Kx9vAtrSEgypMG3ssfis=)

1 reason to watch: off-the-wall screenplay alert!




5/16/2013

Notre Jour Viendra (Our Day Will Come - 2010)


Redheads VS. The World




Romain Gavras' style is unusual. That's no breaking news. I watched Notre Jour Viendra because the plot seemed fascinating. Let me sum it up for you: Rémy (Olivier Barthelemy) is a teenage ginger constantly bullied at school or at home because of his hair color. Patrick (Vincent Cassel) is a redheaded psychiatrist but he is crazier than all of his patients put together. The two of them join forces to fight against discrimination and hatred. They go on a violent quest to Ireland, supposedly Redhead Heaven. Let's imagine Tarantino would direct this film. It would be a bloody and funny roadtrip to Ireland or when From Dusk Till Dawn meets Django Unchained. But Gavras is no Tarantino. His style is drastically different. When Tarantino makes you laugh with a shocking story, Gavras makes you uncomfortable with a basic one. Vincent Cassel's character is a manipulative mood-swinging psycho. Someone you definitely don't want to meet. Ever. Barthelemy's character has good intentions at first but quickly follows the steps of his mentor. It's a movie to watch but only once. I won't watch this movie once a year on a rainy Sunday like other classics. In line with Sheitan and Irréversible but not as unbearable, Notre Jour Viendra makes you feel gross and affected. I personally felt like taking a shower and watching a re-run of How I Met Your Mother after I watched Notre Jour Viendra. The deranged sexuality scenes sprinkled with infantile weirdness is too much for me to handle. Try it with caution, it's not for everybody.

1 reason to watch it: you like disturbing movie sessions
1 reason NOT to watch it: you like going to bed without feeling dirty and awkward