Best Intentions (The)

Genre: relationship drama
With: Pernilla August, Samuel Fröler, Max von Sydow
Director: Bille August
Release: 1992
Studio: STV1 Drama, ZDF, Channel 4, RAIDUE, La Sept, DR, YLE 2, NRK, RUV
Rating: -
MBiS score: 8.4/10


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Story-line: when Henryk Bergman, a stern young Swede studying to become a pastor, visits his friend Ernst Akerblom and meets Ernst’s sister Anna, you can feel that love is in the air… but a love that will be faced with tremendous obstacles.
Pluses: a serious and moving story, striking characters, seamless direction and impressive acting.
Minuses: the film’s length (3 hours) may scare off some but, really, do try to see this splendid, thoughtful feature.
Comments: this movie about Ingmar Bergman’s star-crossed parents is a true representation of life’s plain and sombre struggles. Pure cinema in its most useful, artful form.


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Lost In Translation

Genre: comedy drama
Director: Sofia Coppola
Release: 2003
Studio: American Zoetrope, Elemental Films, Focus Features
Rating: R
MBiS score: 7.3/10


A Kiss is Just a Kiss (thank you, Louis Armstrong)


Bob Harris (Bill Murray), a washed up American actor who appears in TV ads to fend off irrelevance, finds himself in Tokyo one day to shoot a commercial for Suntory whisky. Jet-lagged, distracted and groggy, he is visibly bored despite the attention he receives as a celebrity guest. Things will change, however, when he unexpectedly meets Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), a young compatriot with problems of her own. With Giovanni Ribisi (John), Anna Faris (Kelly) and Catherine Lambert (the jazz singer).

Some movies are more difficult to fathom than others and LOST IN TRANSLATION is one such film. Neither loud nor busy, it deals in emotions and lets them evolve at a natural pace, truly reflecting life as you and I live it. For this reason, don’t expect big laughs or gut-wrenching action from this film but subtle comedy, light drama and a pleasantly disorienting mood. In her screenplay, Sofia Coppola chose to practise empathy and I don’t see how else she could have depicted her two travellers stranded in a foreign land, struggling to understand their surroundings and what is happening to them. When you go abroad, especially in a country with a culture vastly different from yours, the need to confide in someone you trust is a strong and natural reaction that both Bob and Charlotte will act upon with complete candour.

Technically speaking, LOST IN TRANSLATION remains true to its purpose. It genuinely cares for its characters and shows them for what they are, without fanfare nor pretense. Bill Murray was given a role perfectly suited to him and Scarlett Johansson played hers with justifiable restraint as a young woman searching for the key to her future. The age difference between Bob and Charlotte may – or may not – matter in the story. By comparison, other characters are relegated to bit parts while the real support comes from Japan’s capital, fabulous and iridescent, awesome but never hostile, a city brimming with movement and friendly people; the camera clearly adores Tokyo’s vistas and captures them with elegance. As for Ms. Coppola’s direction, it carries the narrative smoothly and competently.

However, all this beauty and sympathy comes at a cost and LOST IN TRANSLATION suffers from a lack of content that may leave you unfulfilled. I cannot help comparing it with BROKEN FLOWERS, another vehicle for Bill Murray’s deadpan best, which wasn’t a powerhouse either but managed to get the viewer a little more involved than this one. As sensitive a movie as Ms. Coppola’s can be, it remains slight and feels at times like a travelogue. The film’s denouement, also, can hardly be called a climax.

I know that many in moviedom have expressed admiration for LOST IN TRANSLATION but, in life as in matters of motion picture entertainment, it never hurts to be choosy. You may watch this film if you want to – it’s agreeable all right – but I wouldn’t call it essential viewing. As George Borrow once said, ‘Translation is at best an echo.’ Sorry.


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1900

Also known as: Novecento
Genre: social epic
With: Robert De Niro, Dominique Sanda, Gérard Depardieu
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Release: 1976
Studio: Artistes Associés, Produzioni Europee Associates, Artemis Film
Rating: R
MBiS score: 8.4/10


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Story-line: while focusing on Alfredo and Olmo, two men born in 1900 on opposite sides of the social divide, this sprawling film depicts nearly 50 years on an Italian farm where owners and peasant workers struggle together, clash often and witness some of the 20th century’s most important events.
Pluses: a formidable cast including Burt Lancaster and Donald Sutherland (as a demented foreman), expert direction, a sweeping narrative.
Minuses: the movie’s two versions are decidedly long (4 and 5 hours) but, as incredible as it may seem, they remain interesting throughout. Some scenes may be difficult to stomach because of their shock value.
Comments: 1900 is a monumental work by one of the world’s most reputable directors and also a fine product of Italian cinema. A worthwhile watch for movie buffs!


MBiS

© 2010 – All rights reserved

Feux rouges

English title: Red Lights
Genre: thriller
Director: Cédric Kahn
Release: 2004
Studio: France 3 Cinéma, Centre National du Cinéma, Banque Populaire Images 4, Cofimages, Alicéleo, Gimages, Gimages 6, Wellspring Media
Rating: -
MBiS score: 8.3/10


I’m Always Nervous When You Drive


On this last day before the summer holidays, pandemonium has spread throughout Paris but Antoine (Jean-Pierre Darroussin), an insurance man, savours the moment with contrasting serenity. This year, he has set himself up to enjoy his precious time off and, as he emails his wife Hélène (Carole Bouquet) before leaving the office, his mood is almost poetic. ‘I feel like a man in love going on his first date, he writes to his better half, and I’m happy we’ll join the children and visit your parents.’ Sounds like a great vacation… but don’t bet on it. Merely three hours later, as Antoine takes to the road with his belle Hélène, he seems aggravated, even impatient, and the couple’s carefree drive down south turns into a battle of wills. With Carline Paul, Jean-Pierre Gos and Vincent Deniard. Music by Arvo Pärt.

FEUX ROUGES wastes no time in making a mundane premise look odd and even unsettling. Its stunning opening theme by Claude Debussy and a few shots of futuristic high-rises put you on notice that something unusual – and indeed remarkable – is in the offing. Hélène didn’t see it coming but minor annoyances have irritated her hubby. The ensuing spat gets ugly as quarrels often do… but to see it become a chilling, small-scale thriller is a feat we can only attribute to Georges Simenon, the novelist behind the famous Maigret series, and director Cédric Kahn, who expertly adapted his story for the big screen.

There are few characters in FEUX ROUGES and, frankly, there was no need for more. Jean-Pierre Darroussin does a bang-up job as Antoine, a basically agreeable fellow who blows a fuse and allows himself to vent his pent-up emotions (for reasons I shan’t disclose). In this regard, the movie’s story-line makes excellent use of the humongous traffic jams that clog up the French capital every year at vacation time. Carole Bouquet, as usual, doesn’t content herself with playing a pretty face; her Hélène is a strong, intelligent woman who won’t stand for churlishness. Whether together or apart, these two actors deserve your undivided attention.

Polished dialogues, a competent supporting cast and a cunning screenplay will do the rest. Technicals don’t disappoint either, cinematography especially. My only concern about FEUX ROUGES − and a legitimate one since thrillers sometimes veer off atrociously after a solid start − was its staying power. For the record, let’s just say that Kahn’s film grips the pavement like trusty Michelins and that, no matter how finicky you are about plot lines, you will be fully satisfied with what you see. Some elements of the story may be left unexplained but you’ll find answers for every twist and turn.

I won’t say more and, honestly, I don’t need to. Don’t miss FEUX ROUGES, a superb little feature about the fickleness of human nature, life’s many surprises and a very unusual case of road rage. And if one day you find yourself in a car with a driver who’s hot under the collar, don’t argue.


MBiS

© 2010 – All rights reserved

Glass Menagerie (The)

Genre: family drama
With: Joanne Woodward, Karen Allen, John Malkovich
Director: Paul Newman
Release: 1987
Studio: Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, Aspetuck Productions Ltd – Cineplex Odeon Films, Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI)
Rating: PG
MBiS score: 8.4/10


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Story-line: in St. Louis, during the Depression, the tenuous relationship between an overbearing mother (Amanda), her restless son bent on adventure (Tom) and her hapless and slightly handicapped daughter (Laura) reaches a breaking point.
Pluses: splendid acting, a moving story by Tennessee Williams, respectful direction by Paul Newman.
Minuses: none whatsoever.
Comments: though fundamentally a stage play, THE GLASS MENAGERIE works admirably on the big screen and stands as a fine character study. Don’t miss this heartbreaking film, if only to meet Laura and learn of her real predicament: ‘Mother's afraid I'm going to be an old maid.’


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© 2010 – All rights reserved

Reader (The)

Genre: psychological drama
Director: Stephen Daldry
Release: 2008
Studio: The Weinstein Company, Mirage Enterprises, Neunte Babelsberg Film GmbH – Miramax Films, The Weinstein Company
Rating: R
MBiS score: 8.3/10


The Sting of a First Love Too Powerful and Guilty


Berlin, 1958. As Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet) was washing the sidewalk in front of her building, she noticed a sick lad hovering about and urged him to come up to her apartment for immediate care. While they were together, the boy, one Michael Berg (David Kross), could plainly see that Hanna was not as privileged as he was and their 20-year age difference was clearly understood but the encounter, as brief as it was, left an impression that would prove impossible to quell. With Ralph Fiennes (Michael Berg as an adult), Karoline Herfurth (Marthe), Hannah Herzsprung (Julia), Bruno Ganz (Professor Rohl) and Lena Olin. Music by Nico Muhly.

From what I have told you thus far, THE READER may seem like a standard ‘young man meets mature woman’ love story born of mushy feelings and headed for predictable ruin but, in truth, it encompasses much more. Michael and Hanna’s rocky relationship will conjoin past, present and future as well as conscience, class and culture in ways they would never have suspected when they first set eyes on each other. At the very least, you should know that their chance meeting will open up large-scale issues in addition to personal ones and, in this regard, Stephen Daldry’s film can be likened to CACHÉ, another feature about private matters inescapably linked to the big picture of life.

Since THE READER tells its story from a literary angle and begins with a flash forward to 1995, it needs time to unfold, establish its main characters and shake off an obvious, all-too-perfect premise. Nevertheless, it quietly draws you in from the outset – like the first pages of a book usually hint at greater things to come – until it reaches that pivotal moment when Michael and Hanna each face moral issues as painful as they are intractable. All of this is handled expertly by director Daldry and writer David Hare, working from a novel by Bernhard Schlink. Acting-wise, Kate Winslet serves up a restrained and reasoned performance as Hanna, a moody and impatient woman to whom life offers little consolation aside from a young lover, while David Kross plays a bright, slightly rebellious Michael. Notice how these two characters, though different in personality and background, will react similarly to the tragedy that befalls them. Ralph Fiennes, as the older, colder Michael, shows his usual talent but spends much less time on screen than movie posters and studio publicity may indicate. The other actors on board, especially Bruno Ganz and Lena Olin, are also above reproach. I see no reason to complain about production values, cinematography or editing; visuals, in particular, are crisp and aesthetic.

Since books are so important to Michael, there is one scene in THE READER that I found very revealing and I hope it will strike you as well. It’s the one where a teacher theorizes that ‘The notion of secrecy is central to western literature’. With due respect, I can’t say that I agree entirely with him but THE READER certainly proves his point with eloquence and surprising emotional force. May you profit from this lesson in life and culture as much as I did.


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© 2010 – All rights reserved

Hussard sur le toit (Le)

English title: Horseman on the Roof (The)
Genre: period epic
With: Olivier Martinez, Juliette Binoche, Jean Yanne
Director: Jean-Paul Rappeneau
Release: 1995
Studio: Hachette Première – Miramax Zoe
Rating: R
MBiS score: 8.1/10


QuickView


Story-line: in 1832, an Italian colonel exiled in southern France tries to return home despite enemy agents, a cholera epidemic and a lady in distress.
Pluses: a well-founded story based on a Jean Giono novel, fine period detail, quality acting and Juliette Binoche’s undeniable star power.
Minuses: none, except one gruesome scene involving a corpse.
Comments: if you ache for drama, adventure and romance (yes, that too!), LE HUSSARD SUR LE TOIT will cure what ails you. Let it take you to another time, another place, another world altogether.


MBiS

© 2010 – All rights reserved

Changeling (The)

Genre: personal drama
Director: Clint Eastwood
Release: 2008
Studio: Imagine Entertainment, Malpaso Productions, Relativity Media – Universal Pictures
Rating: R
MBiS score: 8.0/10


A Mother Should Know


Lincoln Heights (Los Angeles), 1928. Although she had promised to take her ten-year-old son Walter (Gattlin Griffith) to the movies, Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) simply couldn’t refuse an extra work shift at Pacific Telephone and Telegraph. It was one of those split-second choices a single mom must make between career and family but, at least, Christine had figured she’d be home early enough to take Walter to the movie house. Unfortunately, fate decided otherwise and, when Christine returned from work, her son was nowhere to be found. This mother’s ordeal had only begun. With John Malkovich (Gustav Briegleb), Jeffrey Donovan (J.J. Jones), Amy Ryan (Carol Dexter), Frank Wood (Ben Harris), Colm Feore (James E. Davis), Reed Birney (Mayor Cryer), Geoffrey Pierson (S.S. Hahn), Michael Kelly (Ybarra), Denis O'Hare (Dr. Steele), Jason Butler Harner (Gordon Northcott), Peter Gerety (Tarr) and Ric Sarabia (Man at Diner).

In its first few sequences, THE CHANGELING telegraphs one of its essential themes – during a conversation between Christine and her son – but also tries to mislead by showing happy-go-lucky images that belie the horrors yet to come. Judging by those sequences only, you could easily infer that single parents are a very happy lot. One scene, in particular, epitomizes this ham-fisted and unrealistic set-up, the one where Christine enters her son’s room to wake him up for breakfast. The moment feels idyllic and, instead of trudging in (or darting in) like any busy mom would do, Angelina Jolie prances about, her clothes billowing as if she was modeling the latest Dior on a Paris runway. Right then, I wondered if THE CHANGELING would pain me as much as MILLION DOLLAR BABY did but, luckily for me and happily for Clint Eastwood, it didn’t. It slowly gained momentum after that and, once Christine gets caught in a political tug-of-war that may very well destroy her, I was hooked and ready to go. At the finish, THE CHANGELING stands as a changed movie, a suspenseful and punishing film that will remind you of CHINATOWN not only for its locale and spare trumpet melodies (composed by Eastwood himself) but also for its atmosphere of degradation and corruption in a city reputed to be an earthly paradise.

The same comments hold true for the acting, which looks better and better as the movie develops. In all fairness, Angelina Jolie deserves praise for her performance despite my earlier criticism; one should not call her to account for decisions made by others. As Christine, a character not unlike Mariane Pearl in A MIGHTY HEART, Ms. Jolie shows strength as well as vulnerability... and don't doubt my word for it. The other cast members, portraying a splendid assortment of goodies and baddies, play with much the same conviction, especially Jeffrey Donovan, Amy Ryan and John Malkovich. The difficulty here is not finding well-played characters but identifying those who can be trusted; none of them seems evil at first glance but some will commit truly odious acts in the name of malice or power.

Visually, THE CHANGELING is an attractive film even though some of its locations are grim indeed. Production values and period detail are top-line; I won’t easily forget the film’s Roaring 20s feel, its art deco sets, Walter’s radio and those roaming supervisors. Clint Eastwood’s direction is mostly solid and especially effective in the movie’s riveting last half-hour. As for J. Michael Straczynski’s screenplay, which is based on real events, it holds up nicely despite a couple of soft spots; for one thing, I thought Christine was vague – maybe even flippant – when she explained why her husband had left her and, for another, I would have liked to know what happened to the Rileys, two potential witnesses who were mentioned early on and then forgotten entirely.

At this point, you can guess where I’m going and I’ll make it even clearer: I have no choice but to recommend THE CHANGELING due to its incredible resilience. As if oblivious of its early failings, it simply chugs along until Christine Collins, real and imagined, takes over formidably and refuses to back off. In the end, Eastwood’s film dedicated to this remarkable woman will reward you with a potent and haunting climax that no one could dismiss. More importantly, it will remind you that abuse of power and human frailty are nothing new – particularly in Los Angeles – and that suspicion is more advisable than blind acceptance. Beware of illusions… such is the vital message behind THE CHANGELING. Incidentally and metaphorically speaking, the same could be said of those palm trees that speckle the LA skyline in the film’s outdoor shots. I have read somewhere – and I have not forgotten since – that these trees are not indigenous to Southern California. They were introduced there long ago and have thrived ever since… like a natural mirage for all of Tinseltown’s inhabitants. Christine Collins was also presented with a mirage. Beware, my friends, beware.


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Odd Couple (The)

Genre: comedy
With: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, John Fiedler
Director: Gene Saks
Release: 1967
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Rating: G
MBiS score: 8.0/10


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Story-line: when marital problems leave Felix Ungar homeless, his good friend Oscar Madison invites him to stay at his place. But can Felix and Oscar be roomies as well as buddies?
Pluses: superb acting, Neil Simon’s fine screenplay, a typical mid-60s feel, Neal Hefti’s catchy musical theme.
Minuses: none whatsoever.
Comments: Lemmon and Matthau may have been cast as an odd couple in this funny movie but they were above all a formidable pair of thespians. Linguine aside, you will enjoy this pleasant, unassuming film!


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© 2010 – All rights reserved

Man Who Wasn't There (The)

Genre: psychological drama
Director: Joel Coen
Release: 2001
Studio: Working Title Films, USA Films, Mike Zoss Productions – October Films, USA Films
Rating: R
MBiS score: 8.1/10


For Once, It’s The Barber Who Gets The Itch


The time is 1949 and the place, Santa Rosa, California. Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), a barber by trade and a taciturn by nature, lives quietly with his wife Doris (Frances McDormand), an accountant for Big Dave Brewster (James Gandolfini) at Nirdlinger’s department store. On the surface, you could argue that life is sweet for the Cranes but, true to the old saying about still waters running deep, Ed’s juices will begin stirring when businessman Creighton Tolliver (Jon Polito) comes to town. Tolliver is looking for a partner and Ed soon gets the urge to join him. Unfortunately, there’s a drawback in Tolliver’s proposal: to play the capitalism game with him, you gotta have capital. With Michael Badalucco (Frank Raffo), Tony Shalhoub (Freddie Riedenschneider), Katherine Borowitz (Ann Nirdlinger) and Scarlett Johansson (Rachel ‘Birdy’ Abundas). Screenplay by Ethan and Joel Coen.

As filmmakers go, the Coen brothers are neither revolutionaries nor iconoclasts but, in my mind, they are certainly off-kilter. Their films don’t quite fit into the industry mould and their original storytelling keeps you guessing from beginning to end. In the comedy genre, they have shown brilliance in RAISING ARIZONA and THE BIG LEBOWSKI, two favourites of mine. In a dramatic vein, they can also deliver startling films like NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. Here, heavy-duty irony is the brothers’ modus operandi and, though they have sprinkled Ed’s tortuous – and torturous – journey through life with touches of humour, THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE is a predominantly solemn film that feels oppressive, even claustrophobic.

To act out their dark screenplay, the Coens relied on a solid cast that delivers handsomely, with Billy Bob Thornton as the mainstay, I believe. The brothers have also chosen to use black and white film for the production, a process that enhances the noirish elements of Ed’s not so excellent adventure. The resulting movie feels lean, sober, unadorned, like those simple songs that have withstood the test of time and become our cherished classics.

For now, there is little else to say about THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE except to recommend it without reservations. As Ed himself would put it, ‘Me, I don't talk much... I just cut the hair.’


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