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Sun, 27 Jun 2010

L'arnacœur (The Heartbreaker)

Heartbreaker★★★★½

The setup and premise is fantastic. Alex is a professional in the love game.

He job is ensure that people do not end up with the “wrong” partner.

He is good looking, charming, speaks a multitude of languages are swears by a moral code to Never break-up a happy couple.

His mission is to break up the seemingly perfect couple — Juliette (played by Vanessa Paradis who has a lovely Diastema) and Jonathan (Andrew Lincoln) — before they marry in 10 days.

Stylish and set in luxurious Monaco.

It's damn French.

It's damn funny.

Plenty of high-tech. spy stuff, drama about loan sharks, lots of dancing and lots of fun, if you get the chance, see this. You'll enjoy it.

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Sat, 26 Jun 2010

Get Low

Get Low★★

A story about getting people together to tell them a story of regret involving the main character, which we see at the start.

The story itself isn't very dramatic. Which is why there isn't a film about that. Instead we have the story about getting people to tell the story.

This is a great example of a movie with a mind-boggingly amazing cast (Bill Murray, Robert Duvell, Sissy Spacek, Lucas Black) having a script that is crap.

Having the director present, to discuss the film, after the screening lifted this from a 1 to 2.

Hearing Aaron talk about the different styles of Duvell, Murray and how the editing process was actually done (Final Cut Pro) was very entertaining.

The story drifts, the soundtrack doesn't annoy and the filmography is alright. Oh, the period setting is done very well. Not much else to recommend it though.

‘Get Low’ refers to burying in the film. Something I think that should have happened to this film.

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Fri, 25 Jun 2010

The Rebound

The Rebound★★★½

Another “coming of age” movie. All about age differences and timing. Somewhat ironical given the relationship Catherine Zeta-Hones is in.

Had some realism – from what I have observed of relationships with big age differences – but this is also very similiar to Prime (with Uma Thurman) except that this also involved children (and thus you get the associated children gags).

Seems to really play off of Aram Finkelstein (played by Justin Bartha), one of the protaganists, being Jewish. Just like Prime. The Jewishness only added two (or, maybe, three). I felt the film could have done without it. It might have forced the writers to come up with something a bit more original.

For me, the reason to watch this was Catherine Zeta-Jones who, as one of the characters notes is a MILF. The chemistry between two leads is really what saves this film.

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Barry Munday

Barry Munday★★★★½

This is a fairly classic “coming of age” story involving an unwanted pregnancy. Like the others in this genre, it has a twist (in this case neither of the parents are teenagers, like Juno) but revealing it would give away much of the plot.

Oddly this film was finished in 2008 but has taken two years to surface. Apparently the first cuts just did not work. So it was redone a few times. I am glad that the extra time was done, since this film feels "right".

Patrick Wilson, from Watchmen, is perfecly cast as Barry. The other big names make this a delight to watch, as they put in a comedic turn.

There are quite a few cringe worthy moments, especially when Barry is being his pick-up artist self. But he evolves and makes the film warm-hearted.

If you end up seeing this film, I think you'll enjoy it. It won't challenge you but it will entertain.

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Thu, 24 Jun 2010

Brilliant Love

billiantlove★★★★

With great love, comes great sex.

This felt like a truly British film, kind of like it captured the essense of Lily Allen (Noon looks a lot like Lily Allen), Natasha Beddingfield, Kate Nash. The photage is ‘raw’ there is probably too much nudity for this film to get a large run in the UK (or elsewhere).

Basically this is an exploration of young lovers, one of whom is a photographer, the other a taxidermist. So there is this undercurrent of trying to capture the present (photo, stuffed animals) for the future.

That exploitation theme runs throughout the movie, in fact you could say it is self-referential too. The story is fairly simplistic, so I'll focus more on the technical aspects of the film.

The costuming was excellent; Mel O'Connor really captured the „typical artist„ look. Slightly odd and somewhat edgy. Sometimes I wonder if artists really dress this way, or only because everyone expects them too

The soundtrack fitted the film: obscure, offbeat but all good. The Cinematograhy: lush, raw and very personal.

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Silent Voices

Silent Voices★★★½

The introduction of this movie felt really contrived. A group of people waiting to go on a prison visit, when one of them suddenly becomes hysterical because she is unable to read the piece of paper telling her if this is the right place. The pullaway shot of one person tugging the arm of another to drag them away from the specticle was a nice touch though.

There are three major story threads going on during this movie:

  • Alexandre + Laure

    A young couple who have met, fallen for each other and are struggle to remain together even though one is behind bars

  • Stephane + Else

    An older couple who are struggling to find direction, money and love with each other

  • Zorah

    A mother who is trying to understand what has happened to her son

Each of these has a number of sub-threads. Unfortunately, I found both the first two story threads to be clichéd. Cute, but clichéd. Obviously each of the threads intersects, and the finale helps you understand the title.

Farida Rahouadj's portrayal of Zorah was very compelling and makes up for all the other imperfections of the movie. It held the movie together and made it watchable. 3.5 out of 5.

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Back at the festival.

Once again, it is Edinburgh Film Festival time.

Which means a lot of great, obscure, or pre-release movies (and some dross and dreck thrown in too) to watch.

This week, rather than spending my meagre money on rather pointless stuff like food, instead I'll be spending it on movies!

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Tue, 30 Jun 2009

My last five girlfriends …

Going to see films has been, for me, usually a solitary exercise.

Either no one was interested in seeing what I wanted to, my tastes are somewhat elceltic. Or they wanted to see that right at the beginning or right at the end.

Fortunately there are film festivals where other people with eclectic tastes gather. And even more fortuitously there is one in Edinburgh.

Whilst I would have loved to see some films during working hours -- that was not to be. Instead I saw My Last 5 Girlfriends. It stars Brendan Patricks and, judging by the swooning going on in the audience, he is likely to be the Hugh Grant of his time. The story is a cross between Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Being John Malkovich in style.

Most of the girlfriend scenes are what you expect them to be: alternatively predictable, funny and often cringe-worthy. That is not because the script is bad, actually it is the opposite. It is due to the fact that everyone has gone through this exact set of problems and issues with girlfriends. If you get the chance, well worth seeing. ★★★★☆

Oscar Redding wrote and stares in Van Dieman's Land. The movie is graphic, haunting and beautifully shot. In particular I liked the fact that there was little "flinching".

If the guys had to cross the river, the camera was setup and the guys crossed. Buttocks and all.

If the guys had to hit someone, and they were still not dead. You hit them again. And again.

If you want 'popcorn' entertainment, this isn't for you. Why isn't this a 5? Basically — even though I was unaware of the original historical story — I felt that the ending of the film was telegraphed too early. ★★★★☆

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ॐ (aum) - what was, what is and what will be, wildfire's musing

Anand Kumria
wildfire@progsoc.org

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