Confidences trop intimes

English title: Intimate Strangers

Genre: psychological drama

With: Fabrice Luchini (William Faber), Sandrine Bonnaire (Anna), Michel Duchaussoy (Dr. Monnier), Anne Brochet (Jeanne), Laurent Gamelon (Luc, Jeanne’s friend), Hélène Surgère (Mrs. Mulon), Gilbert Melki (Marc), Urbain Cancelier (Chatel, Dr. Monnier’s patient)

Director: Patrice Leconte

Screenplay: Jérôme Tonnerre and Patrice Leconte

Release: 2004

Studio: Les Films Alain Sarde et al.

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.2/10

‟You see… I need to know where she lives.”

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Story-line: on her way to see a psychiatrist, Anna mistakenly enters William Faber’s tax office and begins explaining her personal problems to him. If you were Faber, what would you do?

Pluses: excellent acting by Fabrice Luchini (a staid and sentimental William), Sandrine Bonnaire (the bewitching Anna) and Anne Brochet (William’s saucy ex), an intelligent screenplay tinged with psychological insights, eroticism and a dash of suspense à la Hitchcock, fine direction and solid production values.

Minuses: none I can think of.  

Comments: starting with a very simple premise, Patrice Leconte and crew have whipped up a healthy serving of movie magic. CONFIDENCES TROP INTIMES (roughly translated as ‟Secrets Too Personal”) supplies a foxy story, several deliciously ambiguous moments, one incredible dance scene (you’ve got company, John Travolta!) and a wonderful ending. Who could ask for anything more?

MBiS

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Barbara

Genre: personal and political drama  

With: Nina Hoss (Barbara Wolff), Ronald Zehrfeld (André Reiser, the hospital director), Rainer Bock (Klaus Schütz, the Stasi operative), Christina Hecke (Schulze), Claudia Geisler (Schlösser), Jasna Fritzi Bauer (Stella), Jannik Schümann (Mario)

Director: Christian Petzold

Screenplay: Christian Petzold (with Harun Farocki)

Release: 2012

Studio: Schramm Film Koerner & Weber, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF), ARTE

Rating: for all

MBiS score: 8.3/10

Sometimes a Bike is All the Freedom You Can Settle For

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Story-line: East Germany, circa 1980. When Doctor Barbara Wolff filed a request to travel abroad, it didn’t occur to her that her career at a renowned Berlin medical center would be jeopardized by it. Now, she finds herself in a small-town hospital, with people she doesn’t trust and under Stasi surveillance.

Pluses: fine acting by Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld and Rainer Bock as the unsympathetic Schütz, a methodical screenplay that develops intriguing character interactions, a strong sense of dread and a fabulous final act, faultless helming, appropriate production values and that glorious closing song by Chic (Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards).

Minuses: none whatsoever.

Comments: BARBARA, a taut little thriller reminiscent of the PRISONER TV series with Patrick McGoohan, feels like a penitentiary movie where cells and guards have been replaced by long work shifts, political harassment, lack of privacy and incessant pressure. Yes, life is full of unpleasant surprises… but some people can rise above adversity and show heartwarming humanity. A fine time for movie buffs!

MBiS

© 2018 – All rights reserved

Catch Me If You Can

Genre: crime drama 

With: Leonardo DiCaprio (Frank Abagnale Jr.), Christopher Walken (Frank Sr.), Tom Hanks (Carl Hanratty), Nathalie Baye (Paula Abagnale), Martin Sheen (Roger Strong), Amy Adams (Brenda Strong)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Screenplay: Jeff Nathanson (based on the book by Frank W. Abagnale and Stan Redding)

Release: 2002

Studio: DreamWorks, Kemp Company, Splendid Pictures et al.   

Rating: PG-13

MBiS score: 8.3/10

American Ingenuity… for Better and for Worse

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Story-line: in a few short years (from 1963 to 1969), young Frank Abagnale became a master forger and imposter making headlines everywhere in America. Here’s his story… copycats beware!

Pluses: fine acting by Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks and cast, a rollicking screenplay that conjures up the swinging 60s, top-level direction, photography and production values.

Minuses: none really.

Comments: with its twists and turns, funny episodes and serious moments, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is more than a conventional caper flick; it evolves into a battle of wits between one daring young fraudster and the seasoned cop who believes the kid can be rehabilitated. It also provides Leonardo DiCaprio with several memorable scenes as he struts with flight attendants or runs like a hawk swooping down on its prey. If you feel listless one of these nights, Spielberg and company will have you bouncing around like one of Frank’s brazenly bad cheques. Have fun!

MBiS

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Mountains of the Moon

Genre: historical adventure drama  

With: Patrick Bergin (Richard Francis Burton), Iain Glen (John Hanning Speke), Richard E. Grant (Larry Oliphant), Fiona Shaw (Isabel Arundell), John Savident (Lord Murchison), James Villiers (Lord Oliphant), Adrian Rawlins (Edward), Peter Vaughan (Lord Houghton), Delroy Lindo (Mabruki), Paul Onsongo (Sidi Bombay), Bernard Hill (Dr. Livingstone)

Director: Bob Rafelson

Screenplay: William Harrison and Bob Rafelson (from Harrison’s novel)

Release: 1990

Studio: Carolco Pictures, IndieProd Company Productions, Zephyr Films

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.7/10

‟Knowledge without wisdom is like water in the sand.”  – Guinean proverb*

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Story-line: J.H. Speke, an English medical worker and aspiring adventurer, travels to Africa to take part in R.F. Burton’s expedition sponsored by the Royal Geographical Society. As he tries to join Burton, Speke is informed that the expedition may (a) uncover hidden treasures inside the continent, (b) enhance knowledge of African tribal mores or (c) locate the origins of the Nile River near the ‟Mountains of the Moon”. Whatever is achieved, the enterprise will be perilous.

Pluses: great performances by a smashing Patrick Bergin and also by Iain Glen, Richard E. Grant, Fiona Shaw, Delroy Lindo, Paul Onsongo and cast, consummate direction in difficult conditions, a studious screenplay combining adventure, drama and even romance, awe-inspiring visuals (Roger Deakins) and production values, flawless editing by Thom Noble, Michael Small’s evocative score using both European themes and African rhythms.

Minuses: a few scenes are disturbingly violent. The imperialistic views expressed by some characters are fortunately countered by Burton’s humanistic attitude. 

Comments: at first, I wasn’t convinced that a story about explorers in Africa would make a good movie but MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON proved me utterly wrong. This exotic epic will astound you with its tale of friendship in the face of death, personal disagreements, scientific debate, power struggles and moral dilemmas. It is refreshing to know that, no matter how many films one has seen, there is still lots of original, engrossing material out there for movie buffs. This one’s a true find, my friends… and a considerable cinematic work.  

MBiS

© 2018 – All rights reserved

*Source: afritorial.com/the-best-72-african-wise-proverbs