King of the Hill

Genre: psychological drama
With: Jesse Bradford, Jeroen Krabbé, Karen Allen
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Release: 1993
Studio: Universal Pictures, Populist Pictures et al. – Gramercy Pictures
Rating: PG-13
MBiS score: 7.9/10


QuickView


Story-line: as America muddles through the Great Depression, the Kurlander family endures as best it can, especially its two young sons, Aaron and Sullivan.
Pluses: a tough and well-constructed story, good acting, solid direction.
Minuses: although it focuses on Aaron’s plight, KING OF THE HILL is by no means a kids’ feature. Its grim story is suitable only for adults.
Comments: Steven Soderbergh can be proud of this fine little film that convincingly recalls a sad period in US history. It may be a painful watch at times but you won’t forget KING OF THE HILL.


MBiS

© 2010 – All rights reserved

Chinatown

Genre: mystery
Director: Roman Polanski
Release: 1974
Studio: Paramount Pictures, Long Road Productions et al. – Paramount Pictures
Rating: R
MBiS score: 8.8/10


Like Water Under The Bridge


Los Angeles, circa 1932. When private eye Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is hired by Mrs. Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) to shadow her husband Hollis (Darrell Zwerling), he goes about his business like any other gumshoe. When he finds Hollis with a young girl, however, his investigation turns into something he neither expected nor relishes. With John Huston (Noah Cross), Perry Lopez (Escobar) and John Hillerman (Yelburton). Music by Jerry Goldsmith.

You can often gauge a movie’s overall quality by its musical theme and, in CHINATOWN’s case, the opening trumpet melody played in a laid-back West Coast style captures all the elegance and mysterious attraction of this matchless movie. Illusion is another important aspect of Roman Polanski’s taut drama. In his investigation, Jake will face baffling events, untruths, interference and even a very pointed knife wielded by Polanski himself in a memorable cameo. Overall, CHINATOWN spotlights the City of Angels’ nefarious reputation, like other films that have depicted it as a paradise for crooks and devils (STRANGE DAYS and THE CHANGELING, for example). This is as far as I’ll go in describing the plot… anything more and I’d ruin it for you.

Are there any weaknesses in CHINATOWN? Try as I may, I can’t find any. This classic film is graced with a marvelous cast (it would be unfair to single out one actor or another), a masterful screenplay by Robert Towne, rich period detail and superb cinematography. Yes, this film is perfect, from its first frames to its powerful climax.

A winner of four Golden Globes but only one Oscar (screenplay) out of eleven nominations, CHINATOWN deserved better when it came out but, then again, we all do in life. At one point in the picture, you will hear Jake remark that ‘Sometimes you're better off not knowing.’ This time around, you have no choice. You must see CHINATOWN.


MBiS

© 2010 – All rights reserved

Howards End

Genre: social and psychological drama
With: Emma Thompson, Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham Carter
Director: James Ivory
Release: 1991
Studio: Merchant/Ivory Productions, Nippon Herald Films, Inc, Channel Four Television – Sony Pictures Classics
Rating: PG
MBiS score: 8.3/10


QuickView


Story-line: in turn-of-the-century England, the friendship between the Schlegel sisters and the well-to-do Wilcox family is put to the test on several occasions.
Pluses: a great cast of characters (including the titular property, Howards End), solid acting and direction, exquisite period detail, a thoughtful screenplay based on an E.M. Forster novel.
Minuses: this lengthy film (2 hours and 22 minutes) will feel slow at first because it needs a lot of time to set up its plot. Between you and me, its first 100 minutes are rather uneventful except for two brief jolts at the thirty- and sixty-minute marks… but all of that is made up in the last 40 minutes which are absolutely glorious.
Comments: many years ago, I heard the late Gene Siskel state that a good movie starts off slowly and builds to a strong climax. In that vein, I can’t think of a better example than HOWARDS END, a very fine film illustrating Forster’s condemnation of class differences in the England of old. Believe me… once this movie picks up steam, it cannot be stopped.


MBiS

© 2010 – All rights reserved

Satin rouge

English title: Red Satin
Genre: psychological drama
Director: Raja Amari
Release: 2002
Studio: ADR Productions, Arte France Cinéma, Nomadis Images – Zeitgeist Films
Rating: -
MBiS score: 8.1/10


Don’t Give Up On Life, Mama… You’re Still A Knockout


SATIN ROUGE takes us to Tunisia where Lilia (Hiam Abbass), a widow for some time now, devotes herself entirely to raising her adolescent daughter Salma (Hend El Fahem). One day, while meeting Salma after dance class, Lilia notices a young man and assumes that her daughter has a relationship with him. Driven by her maternal instincts, she follows the young man and sees him enter a seedy-looking nightclub. Should she enter as well? Not this time… but she may do so eventually. After all, there are things a mother needs to know about. With Maher Kamoun (Chokri) and Monia Hichri (Folla).

Among stock characters in film, the one who rises above adversity through some transcendent endeavour – be it sport, writing, militancy or whatnot – has been portrayed so often that any movie featuring one should be approached with some degree of caution. Nevertheless, miracles can happen in cinema and SATIN ROUGE, which uses dance as its means of epiphany, should be regarded as one. Part of its freshness stems from the dance form it depicts so vividly, an Oriental style that may not appeal much to Western eyes at first but becomes more and more absorbing – and stunningly beautiful – as you get accustomed to it. In a way, the dance shows in SATIN ROUGE partake of a cultural phenomenon and, like the patrons in attendance, you will feel genuine appreciation for the sensuous ladies who light up their night at the club. For that alone, Raja Amari’s film deserves an unambiguous recommendation but, as a bonus, you will be presented with one breathtaking dance number that rivals anything in SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, itself a great showcase for the talents of one John Travolta.

But wait… SATIN ROUGE has much more to offer than splendid dance scenes. It features a divine performance by Hiam Abbass, solid playing by the cast around her, faultless direction and a well-organized screenplay that delivers its share of surprises but never forces the issues. Do I need more superlatives to convince you? I hope not. There’s enough magic in this film to please anyone.

One night, like any human being, you will feel low or crave for enchantment. When that happens, simply reach for SATIN ROUGE. Its exoticism and ready charm will warm you up like chicken soup never will.


MBiS

© 2010 – All rights reserved

Belle de jour

Genre: psychological drama
With: Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Michel Piccoli
Director: Luis Buñuel
Release: 1967
Studio: Paris Films Productions, Five Films – Miramax Zoe
Rating: R
MBiS score: 8.8/10


QuickView


Story-line: Séverine, deeply bored by her relationship with hubby Pierre, fantasizes about sex and even seeks part-time work as a prostitute.
Pluses: a startling and surreal atmosphere, Catherine Deneuve’s aura, Michel Piccoli’s evil (and hilarious) presence.
Minuses: none whatsoever. BELLE DE JOUR is a twisted masterpiece, not a smutty movie.
Comments: watching this picture is a life experience. Trust the great Luis Buñuel to present you with thought-provoking material. One of international cinema’s true gems.


MBiS

© 2010 – All rights reserved

Chicago

Genre: musical comedy
Director: Rob Marshall
Release: 2002
Studio: Miramax Films, Storyline Entertainment Producers Circle Company, Loop Films – Miramax Films
Rating: PG-13
MBiS score: 8.6/10


In Chicago, Showgirls Are Used To High-Stepping Over Corpses


It’s 1924 in the Michigan metropolis and Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger) dreams of a music hall career much like Velma Kelly’s (Catherine Zeta-Jones), one of her idols. She can even taste it when her lover Fred Casely (Dominic West) promises her a spot at the Onyx… until tragedy happens, that is. With John C. Reilly (Amos Hart, Roxie’s husband), Richard Gere (Billy Flynn), Queen Latifah (Matron Mama Morton) and Taye Diggs (Bandleader).

When you think about it, the Oscars garnered some years back by Rob Marshall’s CHICAGO were truly deserved. This movie swings like those Charleston dancers from the Roaring Twenties and entertains like a case of Prohibition bootleg… but there is a difference. In those days, naughty patrons who were arrested in speakeasies could always claim – with varying degrees of success – that ‘the Devil made me do it’. Nowadays, Rob Marshall can’t call Satan to his defence but he can still invoke Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb, the two masters of the musical whose show inspired this fine film. Visually, CHICAGO also borrows from Bob Fosse works, namely SWEET CHARITY, CABARET and ALL THAT JAZZ.

That being said, I don’t see how I could add much to the glowing reviews others have written before me. The cast’s performance in Marshall’s marvel comes close to perfection. Catherine Zeta-Jones is absolutely brilliant, Richard Gere plays with energy and Renée Zellweger shows excellent range… this girl reminds me so much of Shirley MacLaine that she takes my breath away. Oops! Don’t forget Queen Latifah who matches up to everybody here… what a talent!

So here’s the plan: put on your pumps, your alligators or whatnot and get yourself pronto to CHICAGO for an awesome ego extravaganza mixing music, dance, cynicism and humour. And while you’re there, go easy on the booze… I don’t want you to miss a minute of it.


MBiS

© 2010 – All rights reserved

Doctor Zhivago

Genre: romantic drama
With: Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin
Director: David Lean
Release: 1965
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) – MGM Distribution Company, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group
Rating: GP
MBiS score: 8.6/10


QuickView


Story-line: fate, love and politics play havoc with Yuri and Lara’s lives during World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution.
Pluses: a classic story, a strong cast, top-notch direction.
Minuses: none except the film’s length (3 hours, 17 minutes).
Comments: recommending this epic film is a no-brainer for reviewers. Do remember that Boris Pasternak suffered like his characters for having written the novel on which this great movie is based.


MBiS

© 2010 – All rights reserved

Fille sur le pont (La)

English title: Girl on the Bridge
Genre: comedy drama
Director: Patrice Leconte
Release: 1999
Studio: France 2 Cinéma, Union Générale, Films Christian Fechner – Paramount Vantage
Rating: R
MBiS score: 8.2/10


The Thrill of Living on a Knife-edge


For a truly discouraged soul, a bridge may look like a desirable exit point from life and suicide is exactly what Adèle (Vanessa Paradis) has in mind as the flowing waters of the Seine beckon from under. But just when she readies herself to jump, a man named Gabor (Daniel Auteuil), comes along and tries to stop her. Of all people, Adèle’s saviour happens to be a professional knife-thrower. With Demetre Georgalas (Takis). Screenplay by Patrice Leconte and Serge Frydman.

When a film is based on a premise this unusual, you may wonder if it will deliver on its promise or simply peter out. Well, you’re in luck: LA FILLE SUR LE PONT is beautiful, original and captivating throughout. Its story-line about fate, luck (again!), our endless search for love and the ambiguousness of human emotions will leave you spellbound. Better still, Leconte and Frydman have managed to fuse their themes so perfectly in LA FILLE SUR LE PONT that they attain a level of perversion that will catch you off guard. Should I say more? Not if I want you to enjoy this film as much as I have.

Technically, this pretty picture leaves nothing to be desired. We all know about Leconte’s skill as a director and Daniel Auteuil’s intensity. As for Vanessa Paradis, yet another French singer blessed with acting talent, she commands attention as a very sexy Adèle. By the way, I do think that shooting this film in black and white was a spectacular move: those dark hues really enhance the production’s impact and sensuousness.

Voilà, I’ve made my case… and now the choice is yours. If you watch movies to find yourself in worlds other than your own and for the enchantment they bring to your life, you will love LA FILLE SUR LE PONT, an uncommon and pleasurable film.


MBiS

© 2010 – All rights reserved

Hud

Genre: psychological drama
With: Paul Newman, Brandon De Wilde, Patricia Neal
Director: Martin Ritt
Release: 1963
Studio: Paramount Pictures, Salem Productions, Dove Productions – Paramount Pictures
Rating: -
MBiS score: 8.3/10


QuickView


Story-line: to Homer Bannon’s disappointment, his son Hud will never be the rancher he had hoped for.
Pluses: a compelling script, great acting (a special nod to Patricia Neal), solid direction.
Minuses: none whatsoever, unless you don’t like black and white films.
Comments: a must-see feature in which Paul Newman portrays a truly contemptible character. More than a modern-day Western, HUD plays like an American tragedy.


MBiS

© 2010 – All rights reserved

Chariots of Fire

Genre: sports drama
Director: Hugh Hudson
Release: 1982
Studio: Enigma Productions Ltd, Allied Stars et al. – 20th Century Fox Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures International
Rating: PG
MBiS score: 8.4/10


A First Crack in de Coubertin’s Olympic Edifice


Upon the death of Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), a celebrated English athlete, his teammate Aubrey Montague (Nicholas Farrell) recalls their years of arduous training and the times they shared with Lord Andrew Lindsay (Nigel Havers) and Scotsman Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson) preparing for the Paris Olympics of 1924. With Cheryl Campbell (Jennie Liddell, Eric’s sister), Alice Krige (Sybil Gordon, Harold’s love interest), Daniel Gerroll (Henry Stallard), Ian Holm (Sam Mussabini, Harold’s coach), Dennis Christopher (Charles Paddock), Brad Davis (Jackson Scholz), John Gielgud (Master of Trinity), Lindsay Anderson (Master of Caius), Nigel Davenport (Lord Birkenhead) and Struan Rodger (Sandy McGrath).

Basically, I don’t care much for sports movies because many aim to inspire but end up being corny or pretentious; in the genre, I’d rather watch stories about anti-heroes or misfits who don’t give a damn about anything. Nevertheless, I readily recommend CHARIOTS OF FIRE, a serious film that even sportsphobes will appreciate for its human interest and social angles. More than just jocks running around, it portrays dedicated athletes struggling with prejudice, politics and religion, the men and women who support them and the genuine drama behind competitive sport. Thanks to Hugh Hudson’s excellent direction and a masterful screenplay by Colin Welland, you will be treated to a fine, engrossing and valuable movie experience.

Among the athletes, the film focuses on Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell who are driven by very different goals. Harold, a Jewish law student at Cambridge, so desperately wants to be accepted as an Englishman that he hires a professional coach to boost his chances, a move that was frowned upon by the amateur sports establishment of the day. Eric, for his part, has little use for England, being a modest Scotsman and a nationalist; he is destined for missionary work and success in sport is not an endgame for him but a testament to God’s glory on Earth. Both men will strain to reach Paris and faith (in their abilities, their training, their supporters and God) will be instrumental in their quest, as is the case for any athlete on the world stage. Will they win? I won’t say. In sport as in life, many things can go wrong, even unpredictably so, and Hudson’s film depicts mishaps, misunderstandings and rivalries but also surprising acts of sportsmanship. During each and every race, you will feel for the runners, their faces torn by the effort and pain of competition.

Issues aside, the production values in CHARIOTS OF FIRE are simply amazing. Its magnificent settings (the hallowed halls of Cambridge and its College Dash, the Olympic track in Paris), its artistic design, sets, props (the gramophone!), hair and makeup work and beautiful costumes revive the glamour associated with the Roaring Twenties. Pay attention to the movie’s superb visuals and colour palette – an abundant use of brown, black and ivory tones – offering a pleasing, old-fashioned look. Acting-wise, Ben Cross delivers an intense performance as pugnacious Harold while Ian Charleson shows disarming serenity as Eric; behind them, all cast members play admirably, especially Alice Krige. On the negative side, Vangelis Papathanassiou’s synthesizer score has aged poorly in parts and may seem like an odd fit for a period piece; I also thought the movie’s conclusion was a bit rushed. However, these niceties do not detract from Hudson’s worthy film.

From a historical perspective, CHARIOTS OF FIRE also shows that Pierre de Coubertin’s Olympic ideal was already battered three decades after its formal expression. Even before Hitler’s Olympics in Berlin, winning had equaled participation as the prime objective in international games and the seeds of ambition had been sown. In this regard, one exchange between Harold and his Masters at Cambridge is particularly telling: in a few sentences, two sports philosophies are stated and opposed, one that would flourish and the other destined for oblivion. Of course, ambition leads to excellence – for the better – but sometimes to controversy – for worse. The choice was clearer in Harold’s day but it still required a healthy dose of integrity.

As a final irony, I should mention that the executive producer of this quintessentially British film was another man who, like Harold, seeked acceptance from the Brits… Dodi Fayed.


MBiS

© 2010 – All rights reserved