'Revons a un avenir meilleur' - Monsieur X



Showing posts with label Gilles Lellouche. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gilles Lellouche. Show all posts

Tuesday, 30 August 2011

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.

Thursday, 4 August 2011

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.

Thursday, 7 July 2011

Mercredi Orange - Bridesmaids

Although Annie's life is a mess, when she finds out her lifetime best friend is engaged, she simply must serve as Lillian's maid of honor. Though lovelorn and broke, Annie bluffs her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals. With one chance to get it perfect, she'll show Lillian and her bridesmaids just how far you'll go for someone you love.
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/b/Bridesmaids/index-12398245.html



It lived up to the hype, very funny - especially the bridal shop scene - it made me cry with laughter and Megan played by Melissa McCarthy had all the good lines and when she is knocking some sense into Annie (Kristen Wiig). I wished I had a 'Megan' to make me stop feeling sorry for myself when I'm feeling down.

I rate this movie:

It lost a star for the dull gaps in between all the gags.




I'm running out of options, no new films because a certain Mr Potter is due to take over the multiplexes...but booked my ticket for 'Point Blank' starring Gilles  Lellouche in 3 weeks. Boredville is very slow in showing non British/American films.

Sunday, 22 May 2011

What did I miss at Festival de Cannes 2011?

Firstly merci to all the lucky people in Cannes who kept me up-to date with all your tweets and blogs, sometimes I felt like I was there...then I would wake up from my daydreams and be more determined to make it to the next one in 2012 and to watch more films from this year’s festival than the three I watched from last years., especially The Artist and We Need To Talk About Kevin.

So last year I watched some of my favourite actors walk the red carpet (Javier Bardem and Benicio del Toro) and some of my favourite fashion icons (Charlotte Gainsbourg and Diane Kruger). This year my eyes are hurting from being glued to the Internet or France24 news channel, I feel a few days break from technology is needed.





Cannes 2010

Ok enough about the past, what about now? Who’s been avoiding me - Jack Black, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Sean Penn, Owen Wilson, Jude Law, Gilles Lellouche, Tahar Rahim and Antonio Banderas to name but a few of my favourites, but I will see you all next year boys, bloggers and twitter users.









So I continue on my quest of all things French and hope to see you all IN Cannes in May 2012.

Sunday, 1 May 2011

Le Petit Monchoirs - J’adore Cap Ferret

Back in September 2009, I went to visit Monsieur X, in another beautiful part of France, Lege Cap Ferret. During my stay, filming of Les Petit Mouchoirs/Little White Lies was happening, and we did spent a few days cycling around the area looking out for the film set. All we found were high fences, people claiming to be friends or family of the actors or working on the film and two restaurants with friendly staff and excellent service and food all within my price range:

So Phare Away, 32, avenue Nord du Phare 33950 Lege Cap Ferret (06 70 93 59 79)

mmmmmm

And
Le Café Phare, 2 rue de la poste, Lege cap Ferret.

lecaféduphare@yahoo.fr

Taken in 2009, the cafe has been renovated since.


I have waited 18 months for this film to be shown in the UK and it was worth it. Of course I loved the scenery but the story are excellent as well. It was about friendship and secrets showing all the characters highs and lows and it wasn’t mushy like most American and British friendship/love story films and very funny. François Cluzet was excellent has weasel hating stress head Max and Gilles Lellouche who played Eric is now my favourite Frenchie of the moment. To any one who has seen this film, how many people to you think are actually trying the ’love/hate rice test'. I did think about it but I don’t think using Uncle Ben’s Microwave rice would work.

Excellent….and the soundtrack was cool as well, so hurry up Amazon I want my CD.
 
My Photos - 2009