My French Movie Weekend

August is turning out to be a busy month, not with a social life, holidays or long hours at work, but with relaxing and distressing. Letting things go over my head instead of screwing up my head. Ah Oui,  I think there is light at the end of my Monsieur X  tunnel.

What a French themed film weekend I have had. My arse hasn’t moved from the sofa (apart from trips to the bathroom and the kitchen) and being home alone this weekend I could watch subtitled movies in peace. So where do I start order of preference or viewing.? I think viewing

Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adele Blanc-Sec (The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec)

Desperate to cure her near catatonic sister, intrepid authoress Adèle Blanc-Sec braves ancient Egyptian tombs and modern Egyptian lowlife to locate a mummified doctor and get him back to Paris. Her hope is that oddball Professor Espérandieu will then use his unusual powers to bring the doctor back to life so he, in turn, can use his centuries-old skills on the unfortunate sister. In Paris however Espérandieu is already causing mayhem, having brought to life what was a safe museum egg but is now a very active pterodactyl. Paris 1911 may not be the healthiest place to be. Written by Jeremy Perkins {J-26}
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1179025/

 
 
This wasn’t as good as I expecting it to be from the reviews. It was still enjoyable to watch when you want to rest your brain on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Very much a mixture of Indiana Jones and The Mummy movies and as I thought those movies were just OK, it’s no surprise that I found Adèle Blanc-Sec was alright or maybe it was Gilles Lellouche's comedy moustache that makes me rate this film as Ok instead of brilliant.


Les Rivieres Pourpres (The Crimson Rivers)

Veteran cop Pierre Niemans is sent to Guernon to investigate a bizarre murder near a legendary private school isolated in the Alps. And it's no ordinary murder; the killer has been very methodical, leaving twisted inexplicable clues to his motive. Meanwhile Max Kerkerian, an impetuous young cop and former car thief, arrives at a desecrated graveyard 180 miles away. Someone has disturbed the grave of a child who died twenty years before. These two seemingly random events are about to collide as the separate investigations lead the detectives right to one another. The more experienced Niemans begrudgingly joins forces with the brash Max to track down the killer. Despite his ribbing and constant sarcastic banter, Max respects the older cop. The two crimes are assuredly linked--but how? What could the prestigious school possibly have to hide?

Next! Crimson Rivers - Can always rely on the French to give me a good to brilliant thriller. It seems they love a few twists in a story. I think Vincent Cassel and Jean Reno must be the coolest Frenchies to walk the earth. I never knew there was a sequel - The Crimson Rivers II: The Angels of the Apocalypse. That’s on top of my things to do list now - search for a cheap DVD of it.

Les Petits Mouchoirs (Little White Lies)

Of course I have already praised and raved about Little White Lies ( See my previous blog entry - Le Petit Monchoirs - J’adore Cap Ferret) but watching this film which is set in beautiful Cap Ferret again (and again) makes me reminisce about my week there with Monsieur X in 2009. Cycling around the area trying to find the film set as they were filming at the time.


Caché (Hidden)

Georges, who hosts a TV literary review, receives packages containing videos of himself with his family--shot secretly from the street--and alarming drawings whose meaning is obscure. He has no idea who may be sending them. Gradually, the footage on the tapes becomes more personal, suggesting that the sender has known Georges for some time. Georges feels a sense of menace hanging over him and his family but, as no direct threat has been made, the police refuse to help.... written by Simon Jones
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387898/

As I said a few sentences ago, I think the French make the best thrillers and I love the twists and turns but this film was too slow for me. I found myself fast forwarding parts. I know filming the front of the house was part of the storyline but it was very dull and even on fast forward it was far to long.




Panique au village ( A Town Called Panic)

Animated plastic toys like Cowboy, Indian and Horse have problems, too. Cowboy and Indian's plan to surprise Horse with a homemade birthday gift backfires when they destroy his house instead. Surreal adventures take over as the trio travel to the center of the earth, trek across frozen tundra and discover a parallel underwater universe where pointy-headed (and dishonest!) creatures live. With panic a permanent feature of life in this papier mâché town, will Horse and his girlfriend ever be alone? Written by Anonymous
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1433540/

This film was perfect for a French beginner like me, slower and more understandable but it couldn’t keep me awake. Boring!





Finally non of the films gave me any more ideas on how I can get to France or the Cannes Film Festival. However I’m more determined to watch more French films, learn the language and visit that beautiful country again.

Mercredi Orange - Super 8

‘In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth - something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.’
http://uk.specials.movies.yahoo.com/super8/

I loved this movie. A big melting pot of Spielberg and 80’s movies all mixed into a two hour film, I felt like a kid again and I didn’t look at my watch once an extra star rating earned for that. The kids weren’t so annoying (in my option most American kids in movies are annoying), but just a comment to the fat kid - you will never be Chunk from the Goonies.

It was good to have some 80s nostalgia, but is there any chance Filmmakers could be make something original instead of using ideas from their idols.

Mercredi Orange - Rise of the Planet of the Apes

‘Set in present day San Francisco, the film is a reality-based cautionary tale, a science fiction/science fact blend, where man's own experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy.’
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/r/Rise-of-the-Planet-of-the-Apes/index-10485240.html

Could that really happen??? Probably. Will it really happen? Maybe. After the riots in Boredville a few weeks ago maybe it has happened already. No! I’m being stupid as apes are more intelligent and well behaved compare to the scum destroying everything in sight.

Yes the ape special effects were very good, but so was the story and acting. Ok it didn’t have much to live up to after Planet of the Apes in 2001 (even my love for Mark Wahlberg could not make that movie enjoyable) however it was good escapism after a busy day….or maybe its the future not escapism.

I so need to stop over analyzing everything.

Mercerdi Orange - Captain America ( a break from the riots)

'Captain America: The First Avenger' will focus on the early days of the Marvel Universe when Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America. As Captain America, Rogers joins forces with Bucky Barnes  and Peggy Carter to wage war on the evil HYDRA organization, led by the villainous Red Skull.
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/features/captain-america/

 

After a two nights of rioting in Boredville, having to evacuate my city centre office in the afternoon after warnings from the police that the area isn't safe - no thug was going to stop me from my Wednesday trip to the cinema.  Where is Captain America when you need him? When Boredville was looking like a scene from Planet of the Apes (even thou Apes are way more intelligent than the yobs).

After Thor, Captain America had a tough job in matching the long haired hero with a hammer, and as I usually get bored of a long film, knowing this was two hours long- the Captain had to keep me interested.  He did, I never looked at my watch once and being the shallow human being that I am.  I did prefer the beefed up Captain America to the skinny Steven Rogers and I did find it alittle weird Dominic Cooper playing Robert Downing Jr's Dad ( the Starks).  With another connection to next year's Avengers movie which is suppose to included Thor and Iron Man as well as CA, I hope it lives up to the hype and anticipation. 

I give it: 4 stars

As for the the low life scum - they can take the Orange phones, they can smash up the Orange shops but they weren't going to wreak Orange Wednesday for me.

Mercredi Orange - Point Blank (A Bout Portant)

'Samuel is a happily married nurse working in a Paris hospital. When his very pregnant wife is kidnapped before his helpless eyes, everything falls apart. After being knocked unconscious, he comes to and his cell phone rings: he has three hours to get Sartet, a man under police surveillance, out of the hospital. Samuel quickly finds himself pitted against rival gangsters and trigger-happy police in a deadly race to save the lives of his wife and unborn child.'
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/p/Point-Blank-A-Bout-Portant/index-11424735.html

Mercredi Orange without the Orange, not used to paying full price on a Wednesday, but it had to be done and it was worth the £6.50, the long wait to see in Boredville (it was released months ago in the UK) and the inconvenience of not being able to eat in the cinema.

After a few months of watching films, 30 - 45 minutes too long (Transformers and Bridesmaid being the longest), it was good to watch a 84 minutes long film packed with twists and turns, Goodies and Baddies or maybe Baddies and Goodies - due to the twists you don’t know what side some people are on. Of course I was biased from the start of the film as Gilles Lellouche is brilliant actor who just so happened to escape being hit with the ugly stick - gorgeous!

So I give it:

A brilliant fast pacing film which kept me so interested I didn’t miss my cinema chocolate treats.

Back to the books - How do I learn French?

Seven years ago today, a certain Frenchman came into my life…well the truth is I drunkenly fell over this certain Frenchman. I never would of considered he would still be in my thoughts (and heart) seven years on. Oui Oui these feelings are not returned and they never will be. But the positives of this one sided friendship is - France and all things French. Time to get back to the books…podcasts…CDs…films ( watching Seraphine has I type).

My French classes finished a month a go and don’t start again until the middle of September. For the last month I have neglected my studies, so for August I need to get back to learning French before I forget everything I have learnt over the past 10 months and I would like to get abit of a head start when (or if depending on the rising course fees) I start the next level.

So what is the best way to learn? Looking though a few old magazines articles on learning new languages, they all come up with the same ideas:

1. Take a trip - mix with the locals, go on a language learning holiday.
Oui Mais I have no money to take a holiday blah blah.

2. Immersion - French films (see above), music (abit of Vanessa Paradis & Sinclair on my ipod), books, magazines and newspapers (lots of Voicis Monsieur X used to send me).
Need to stop watching English and American repeats and need to watch more French Films. Starting with Point Blank tomorrow.

3. Online courses - More expense!
But I have found a few free ones (www.bbc.co.uk) along with a few podcasts.

4. Learn the 100 most spoken words - as they make up 50% of all conversations. One magazine article stated that if you are learning French (German or Spanish) you already know 40% of the vocab. For example ’danger’ is the same in French and English and all words ending in ’ion’ are the same.
So if I learn 10 new words a day - 10 days later I should have learnt half a language.

5. Use pictures/Flash cards - Spend 10 seconds studying a picture or draw a picture, naming all the things in the scene. For example drawing a picture of a café starting with words ’manger’ then ’le sandwich’ ’fromage’ etc. www.thinkbuzan.com thinks that drawing ’a mind map’ of words associated with each other will help the brain to match and group words together with colours, pictures and associations.
Drawing a few pictures a week - could help. Starting with le bureau, as I spend most of my time there.

So a few ideas I need to be getting on with. And maybe just maybe I might be able to have a French conversation sooner rather than in another seven years!

See Number 7 & - Blogpost - Numero Sept - leçons de François