Snow white and the huntsman

Is it because I was not expecting much ? I am not sure, but this film is astonishingly beautiful to look at and the take on the story with its gothic twist much more entertaining than I thought. 

It's the second adaptation of Snow White of the season (the first one by Tarsem with Julia Roberts as the evil queen and Lily Collins as Snow White was a bit of a joke).

Maybe Hollywood's obsession with eternal youth has something to do with it. Maybe it is what it takes to finally wake Kristen Stewart up from her Twilight nightmare and if it the case there is no doubt... she is bound to be THE star because no one catches the light like she does. Mirror mirror... indeed, she is the fairest of all !

Est-ce parce que je ne m'attendais pas à grand chose ? Je ne suis pas sure mais ce film est d'une grande beauté et l'adaptation vaguement gothique est plus divertissante que je ne le croyais.

C'est la deuxième adaptation de Blanche Neige de la saison (la première signée Tarsem avec Julia Roberts en méchante reine et Lily Collins en Blanche Neige était une mauvaise blague).

Peut-être que l'obsession d'Hollywood avec l'éternelle jeunesse a quelque chose à voir avec cette Blanche Neigerie mais quelque soit la raison, il semblerait qu'elle soit suffisante pour propulser Kristen Stewart dans la galaxie star. Il fallait donc une Blanche Neige pour la tirer de son cauchemar Twilight et enfin révéler qu'aujourd'hui, elle est celle que les caméras aiment. Miroir miroir.... c'est bien elle la plus belle !

REMEMBER ME ***

The problem with “Remember me” is that a day after having seen the movie, I don’t remember much! It’s a sign. Not a good one. I am not talking about early signs of Alzheimer, I am talking about signs of a bad story. Not bad actually, but so predictable it’s almost as if you want to scream Polo at every Marco scene. Poor little rich damaged boy meets working class damaged girl, seduces her for nonsensical revenge plotted by sidekick geek friend, but then falls really in love as does the girl and the two of them bloom before the fall… It has all the ingredients of a Hallmark movie but it is much better than that mostly thanks to great acting by Pierce Brosnan (who is becoming quite a great actor over the years), Robert Pattinson (proving that he can do much more than the unfortunate Twilight series), Lena Olin, Emily de Ravin, Chris Cooper and more. I actually remember more than I thought…

Le problème avec “Remember me” (littéralement Souviens-toi de moi) est que un jour après avoir vu le film, je ne me souviens pas de grand chose! C'est un signe. Pas un bon signe et je ne parle pas de signes avant coureurs d'Alzheimer précoce. Ce n'est pas que l'histoire soit mauvaise mais elle est tellement prévisible qu'on a envie de crier Polo à chaque scène Marco. Pauvre petit mec riche endommagé rencontre jolie fille prolo endommagée (on se croirait dans Love Story), la séduit par défi et revanche bête ne pouvant pas penser qu'il va vraiment tomber amoureux d'elle et elle de lui et bref les histoires d'amour ont toujours un début, un milieu et.... une fin ! Rien de bien révolutionnaire mais le film fonctionne, principalement grâce aux acteurs : Pierce Brosnan (qui avec l'âge devient un très bon acteur), Robert Pattinson (qui prouve qu'il peut mieux faire que la série Twilight et tant mieux pour lui), Lena Olin, Emily de Ravin, Chris Cooper et d'autres ce qui rpouve qu'en fait je me souviens plus que je le croyais…

The red carpet issue (Sundance channel) ****

Sundance Channel is airing The Red Carpet Issue, a documentary about the Academy Awards, the Globes, any event which involves stars, brands and publicity by French journalist and filmmaker Olivier Nicklaus and it is a must see. For over 20 years and since actors have accepted to be hangers for clothes and living displays for fashion and jewelry, the red carpet has become synonymous with money : pre-show, post-show, best dressed, worst dressed, any movie star walking the red carpet is wearing someone and is required to give the name of the designer who has provided the goods for the big night. This documentary is fascinating from the beginning to its bitter end. We'll learn that "actors have lots of expenses. Everybody says that Sharon Stone earns a lot of money and that she is always asking for more, but it's normal: she has a dozen bodyguards with her, two or three nannies for the kids, an agent, an assistant... it costs money!"
We'll meet Romain Cayla, co-founder of IDSIDE who proudly presents a 3 click software working with video clips of movie stars on display : 1 click and a label appears identifying the dress as Gucci (a pop up window gives you details on the goods), 2nd click and the necklace is Chopard, 3rd click and Choo Choo for the shoes !
We'll also learn that the red carpet is a job :
1- appear at ease
2- make sure others are not wearing the dame dress
3- remember to stop every two yards and say the same thing over again
4- ease up on the gum and keep that smile even on hostile territory
5- Know how to work the photographers
6- Don't be blinded by the flashes like a deer in the headlights
7- Show that jewelry off (hair up or short)
8- Lift your gown to show the shoes
9- Learn how to strike a pose
10- Know how to make an exit
Believe or not, there are professionals whose job is to train, help, guide and coach the red carpeters. It has become such an industry, a war of nerves and a stressful combat that some of the most renowned and famous designers have decided to give the carpet a bad name. Take Karl Lagerfeld: "ridiculous", "cheap", "look like transvestites", "bad taste" is the verdict of the famous Chanel designer who -he says- could't care less about placing his gowns for Cannes, Oscars and other now cheap events.
Same for Marc Jacobs and many others who are now thrashing out the red carpet and even dare to say that "even Mc Donald's has red carpet events". So ladies, don't cry, walk proudly on the sidewalk and forget about the cheap carpet those poor stars have to walk on !

THE BLIND SIDE effect

"The Blind Side", the feel good movie of the year by John Lee Hancock has been nominated in the best film category of the Oscars. It is a very popular film and a very effective product but it is to cinema what photo romance is to literature. Inspired by true events (always a bad sign...) it tells the story of a good Southern American family, with good values, good kids, good dog, good christians, good all, who helps and adopts a poor black kid with disabilities who happens to be very good at football. Later, the kid became the football star Michael Oher, the story became a non fiction book which became the movie. Sandra Bullock (also nominated for an Oscar) plays the formidable Leigh Anne Tuohy AKA the mom and she does a great job. Of course, she is not interpreting Joan of Arc, Elizabeth I or Simone de Beauvoir but she does a great job although she has seemed a little bit surprised and almost embarrassed by the praise she has received for the Blind Side. The Blind Side has been 100% approved by the people and that's a reality. This $29 million film has grossed $239 million so far and it's not over.... It fits the mold, but best film?????

"The Blind Side", le film bourré de bon sentiments de l'année de John Lee Hancock vient d'être nommé dans la liste des meilleurs films à concourir pour les Oscars. C'est un film très populaire aux Etats-Unis mais il est au cinéma ce que le roman photo est à la littérature. Inspir é de faits réels (toujours un mauvais signe...) il raconte l'histoire d'une famille modèle classe moyenne américaine du sud avec enfants modèles, maison modèle, chien modèle et toute l'enchilada, qui décident d'adopter un pauvre enfant noir qui rame à l'école mais a un talent inné pour le football. Plus tard, l'enfant deviendra une des stars du football américain Michael Oher, l'histoire deviendra un livre qui deviendra le film. Sandra Bullock (aussi nommée pour un Oscar) joue la formidable Leigh Anne Tuohy, la royale Mom et elle s'en sort remarquablement bien. Bien sûr, on ne lui demande pas d'interprêter Jeanne d'Arc, Elizabeth I ou Simone de Beauvoir mais elle s'en sort très bien même si elle semble un peu surprise et presque gênée par les lauriers qu'elle ne cesse de recevoir depuis quelques temps. The Blind Side a été approuvé à 100% par le peuple et c'est comme ça. Ce film au budget de $29 million en a rapporté déjà près de $239 million à ce jours.... Un très bon produit, mais un meilleur film?????

GOLDEN GLOBES 2010

Number of times Haïti was mentioned: 4
Number of times mums/dads were thanked : 4
Number of times husbands/wives were thanked: 10
Number of times agents were thanked: 3
Number of times Barbra Streisand was thanked : 1
Number of "oh my god, I can't believe it" (or variation) : 3
Number of times war was mentioned: 1

Best moments:
"Animation is not only for children, it's also for adults who take drugs" (Paul Mc Cartney)
"One thing that cannot be bought is a Golden Globe... officially" (Ricky Gervais)
"The next category is a bit of a downer... i'ts for writing." (Ricky Gervais)
"I like a drink as much as the next man, and the next man is... Mel Gibson!"

Worst moments :
William Hurt's old Amish look
Cher walking like an Egyptian
Meryl Streep talking about god knows what !
Schwarzenegger's face during Michael Haneke's speech...
James Cameron speaking Navi
Why the hell is Shwarzenegger on the show?... to say "AvaDar" it seems
Sandra B's wrapping paper dress and Chloe Sevigny's dead flower dress
When the announcer says Jeff Bridges and the camera zooms on Leo de Caprio

AND ON A FINAL NOTE AND DIRECTLY FROM A HOLLYWOOD INSIDER:
"RIDICULOUS THAT AVATAR WINS THE GOLDEN GLOBES: NO ACTORS, ALL SPECIAL EFFECTS, IT'S LIKE FAKE BOOBS, LOOKS OK BUT JUST DOESN'T FEEL THE SAME !"

THE MESSENGER

If you think Hollywood is in denial, here are a few films you might have missed:
The Hurt Locker
Brothers
In the valley of Elah
Grace is gone
Stop Loss
Body of lies
and countless documentaries.
Probably in order to counterbalance all this, most of the major movie theatres play very loud ads for what I thought were videogames until I realized they were ads for the National Guard, the Marines and the Navy.

AMADEUS (THE BIRTH OF CONFUTATIS...)

Confutatis maledictis, Flammis acribus addictis: Voca me cum benedictis. Oro supplex et acclinis, Cor contritum quasi cinis: Gere curam mei finis.

When the accused are confounded,and doomed to flames of woe,call me among the blessed. I kneel with submissive heart,
my contrition is like ashes,help me in my final condition.

Et après avoir réprouvé les maudits et leur avoir assigné le feu cruel. Appelez-moi parmi les élus. Suppliant et prosterné, je vous prie, le cœur brisé et comme réduit en cendres prenez soin de mon heure dernière.

JOHN HILLCOAT

The Telegraph publishes today excerpts from the diary of John Hillcoat, the director of The Road :
"My own new project - with a much-loved script by Nick Cave and a dream all-star cast - has fallen apart. The finance company that we began The Road with has also fallen apart, having to radically downsize to one remaining staff member. The great divide has begun, with only very low-budget films being made or huge 3D franchise films - the birth of brand films such as Barbie, Monopoly: The Movie - who knows what’s next, Coca-Cola: The Movie?
I end the year appropriately - gazing into the apocalypse of my own industry.”

The Telegraph publie aujourd'hui des extraits du journal de John Hillcoat, le réalisateur de The Road :
"Mon nouveau projet - basé sur un script magnifique signé Nick Cave avec un casting de rêve, vient d'être annulé. La compagnie qui devait financer le film (et qui aussi financé une partie de The Road) s'est réduite au point de n'avoir plus qu'un employé. La grande fracture s'annonce... avec d'un côté des films à petit budget ou des monstres du genre franchise en 3D - à quand les films de type Barbie, Monopoly: Le film - et qui sait quoi d'autre encore: Coca-Cola: Le film?
Je finis l'année en observant la vertigineuse descente aux enfers de ma propre industrie.”

John Hillcoat's wonderful film "The Proposition" is available in DVD
"The Road" is still playing at the movies.
"Ghosts of the civil dead" should be released this year in the USA. It has been released in Europe.

AVATAR ****

The blue smurfs of Avatar look funny at first but as much as I would have loved to dismiss the whole thing as a waste of time, I have to admit that it is quite a good piece of entertainment. The storyline might be at the level of the daisies but it doesn’t matter. James Cameron is a good story teller who has the privilege to touch people whether they are 7 or 77 years of age. He also manages to make us forget the technological artillery that made his film possible and that is also what cinema is about.

Les shtroumphs bleus de Avatar ont un drôle d’air mais je dois avouer qu’il n’est pas difficile de se laisser happer dans l’univers Cameronesque et que l’expérience est plutôt amusante et plaisante. Le scénario est au ras de pâquerettes mais il n’y a rien de mal a ça et le film a le privilège comme Tintin de toucher un public de 7 à 77 ans… voire plus. James Cameron sait raconter une histoire et vous faire oublier le bric à brac technologique qui le rend possible et ca aussi, c’est du cinéma.

Shutter Island's identity crisis : what's wrong with this picture?

Watch the1st trailer for Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island and the 2nd one (officially number 3) and witness the identity crisis this movie is having.

UP IN THE AIR ***

Between James Cameron's AVATAR, its acrylic painting vision of the world filled with mega-smurfs and Jason Reitman's UP IN THE AIR, its very down to earth landscape and George Clooney, I opted for the latter even if it doesn't fly as high as one can expect in the spite of the two page ads in the newspapers, signaling the beginning of the awards race.
UP IN THE AIR is a fine movie - the story of a lonely guy flying the four corners of the USA in order to fire people from their jobs. It is intelligent, thoughtful, just slightly depressing and sometimes funny. The screenplay is definitely not one of the best ever written : too many clichés, too many lines landing flat, not first class material (coming from someone who is not afraid of writing coach and flying cattle, it says a lot) but it is worth watching. George Clooney and Vera Farmiga deliver strong performances as does the rest of the cast. Avatar can wait but I will see it anyway smurfs or not.

Entre la vision du monde tendance peinture acrylique peuplée de gros schtroumphs de James Cameron (AVATAR), et celle de Jason Reitman ras des pâquerettes mais avec George Clooney (UP IN THE AIR), j'ai opté pour le film de Reitman même s'il ne vole pas aussi haut qu'on le dit et ceci malgré la méga campagne du pub dont il bénéficie.
UP IN THE AIR est un bon film qui raconte l'histoire d'un homme très seul qui voyage beaucoup par avion et dont le métier consiste à virer des employés. Job ingrat s'il en est et terriblement d'actualité. Le film est intelligent, bien pensé, légèrement déprimant mais parfois assez drôle. Le scénario n'est cependant pas de première classe : trop de clichés, des répliques qui tombent carrément à plat ou qui sont tellement attendues qu'elles en deviennent absurdes (ceci venant de quelqu'un qui assume son écriture de classe touriste et qui voyage en classe sardine). George Clooney et Vera Farmiga forment un excellent duo et sont accompagnés d'un formidable ensemble d'acteurs. Avatar et ses shtroumphs attendra, il peut attendre. comme le virus H1N1, il s'est répandu sur tout la planète et je ne manquerai pas d'être contaminée.

New Moon ??

Because the Twilight saga is such a big deal, I had to see for myself, so I went to see it with a lovely bunch of pre-teens and their moms and from what I understand, Jacob the werewolf is HOT, Edward the vampire is COLD and Bella the human love interest of both is LUKEWARM. Literally! But in the Twilight saga, everything has to be taken literally or so it seems. The movie theatre was packed, the public was 1/4 girls between 10 and 20 years old, 1/4 middle aged women, 1/4 boys threatened by their girlfriends that they would never ever like speak to them again if they didn't come along and 1/4 aliens like me. Women giggled and laugh nervously whenever one of the two heroes ( Jacob and Edward) took off their shirts and show their abs, the film was jumpy and flat (yes, it is possible) but as much as I hate to admit it, it worked for my movie buddies who declared the film awesome, fantastic and the best they had ever seen! It didn't work for me but it might be because I kept searching for the recipe for success and didn't quite get it. New Moon is to be shortly followed by Eclipse and Breaking Dawn... very short order since vampires do not age but actors do, and it is going to be interesting to see if the fan club follows. I am told that Bella the lukewarm one will have a baby which implies that she will eventually have sex which seems quite unreal considering the fact that after two films, she is still at the hugging, holding hands, giving burning looks and kissing on the lips stage ! If the shirtless boy effect is a clue, there will be paramedics waiting at the movie theatres for the next two movies.

Parce que la saga Twilight est un véritable phénomème de société, je voulais voir de mes propres yeux et je suis donc allée voir le film en compagnie d'une petite bande de pré-ados et de leurs mères et si je comprends bien, Jacob le loup-garou est HOT, Edward le vampire est FROID et Bella, dont le coeur humain balance entre les deux est carrémeent TIEDASSE. Littéralement. Mais dans la saga Twilight, il semblerait que tout soit à prendre littéralement donc n'hésitons pas. Le cinéma était plein a craquer, le public était composé d'1/4 de filles entre 10 et 20 ans, 1/4 de femmes, 1/4 de garçons menacés de rupture par leurs chéries si ils ne les accompagnaient pas pour voir le film et 1/4 d'ovnis comme moi. Les femmes frétillaient et riaient nerveusement pour des raisons qui me sont inconnues et quand un des deux héros ( Jacob et Edward) enlevait sa chemise. Je ne pensais pas qu'un torse nu d'adolescent puisse avoir autant d'effet et je n'en reviens toujours pas. Mystère et boule de gomme! Bref, le film était assez plat au niveau de la réalisation mais si j'en crois ma brochette de pré-ados, c'est le meilleur film que Planète Hollywood ait jamais produit, c'est "génial", "fantastique" et "à voir et revoir 400.000 fois"! C'est leur avis que je ne partage pas mais j'étais peut-être trop occupée à chercher la recette magique du succès sans la trouver plutôt que de me laisser emporter par l'histoire qui a priori m'intéresse autant que Blanche Neige et les 7 nains. New Moon sera suivi de Eclipse et Breaking Dawn... très bientôt sur les écrans et ça vaut mieux puisque si les vampires sont figés dans le temps, les acteurs n'ont pas ce privilège même avec l'aide du botox et de photoshop. Il sera intéressant de voir si le fan club suit pour les deux prochains films. On m'a dit que Bella aurait un bébé dans le prochain film... jusqu'à présent elle s'est contentée de regards brûlants, d'accolades fumantes, de serrage de mains très fort et de très chastes bisous sur la bouche ! Vu l'effet sur le public que peut avoir un garçon torse nu, je crains le pire... il faudra convoquer les pompiers à la sortie des deux prochains films de la série.

THE ROAD ***

To pretend that the Road is an upbeat film is a grave error of judgment that the Weinstein Company and the marketing behind the movie is trying to push because they are afraid that the movie will not find an audience. It is based on a novel by Cormac McCarthy which was a best-seller even though it was even darker than its movie adaptation. So, what is the problem? Money, box office results? Probably. The movie adaptation of the Road is a work of art, beautifully crafted and filmed, well acted, true to its original source and meaningful. It also carries a message of hope, redemption, compassion, resilience, all good things that prevent it to be a totally depressing movie. I personally find stupidity, shallowness and cheap sensationalism very depressing, more than a story of survival can ever be. Rather than trying to please an audience by following cheap marketing rules and regulations, maybe the producers should take a leap of faith with this one and let it be as it is. The director John Hillcoat is a brilliant director and he did a great job as did Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit McPhee. To my opinion Charlize Theron was a little displaced but she doesn't play a major part in the film. The Road tells the story of a father and son trying to survive in a world gone mad. In a certain way, they both succeed. Tell me it's depressing and I'll tell you about how depressing it is that people rush to the movies to watch a teenager torned apart between a plastic werewolf and a vegetarian vampire!

Prétendre que The Road est un film heureux est une grave erreur de jugement de la part de la Weinstein Company et le marketing derrière le film parce qu'ils ont peur qe le film ne trouve pas son public. Le film est basé sur le roman du même nom de Cormac mcCarthy qui est un best-seller et qui l'est devenu sans que la publicité pour le promouvoir ait eu à prétendre qu'il s'agissait d'un roman rose. Alors quel est le problème? L'argent bien sûr. The Road, le film, est une oeuvre d'art, une histoire importante et magnifiquement filmée, superbement interprêtée et fidèle à sa source. Il parle de survie, de compassion, d'espoir, toutes choses bien moins déprimantes à mon sens que le grand nombre d'inepties qu'on voit portées à l'écran. Plutôt que d'essayer de suivre les règles de marketing, peut-être qu'il faudrait tout simplement laisser le film trouver son audience, comme le livre l'a trouvée. Le réalisateur, John Hillcoat est brillant, les acteurs, Viggo Mortensen et Kodi Smit McPhee sont magnifiques. Charlize Theron ne semble pas trop à sa place mais elle ne fait que passer dans The Road. Le film raconte comment un père et son fils arrivent a survivre dans un monde devenu fou. D'une certaine façon, c'est bien moins déprimant que de voir une teenager courir après un loup-garou de plastoc et un vampire de supermarché, mais bon, c'est une question de goût!

ROSEMARY'S BABY THEME

Spooky!!!!!
Top ten films that spooked me (for various reasons):
1- Rosemary's baby (by Roman Polanski because of the old lady and the lullaby)
2- The Shining (by Stanley Kubrick because of Danny's voice mostly)
3- Freaks (by Tod Browning = "one of us?")
4- Carne (by Gaspar Noé = total nightmare)
5- W (by Oliver Stone = guess why!!!)
6- Fatal attraction (by Adrian Lyne = rabbit + Glenn Close = lethal combination)
7- The fly (by David Cronenberg = I hate flies)
8- The believers (by John Shlesinger = people who believe scare me)
9- The believer (by Henry Bean = see above)
10- Deliverance (by John Boorman = talala lala lala lala....)

COCO BEFORE CHANEL ***

Besides a sharp mind, sharp looks and sharp little scissors, it seems that Coco Chanel didn't have much going for her when she grew up in provincial gloom. Thank god for a few rich barons and Anne Fontaine who chose Audrey Tautou, stripped her from her passé Amélie look to channel the Coco for good! In an almost Campionnesque way, she brings depth and fragility to the French icon by cutting into the social fabric that allowed Coco Chanel to become one extraordinaire and revolutionary icon of haute-couture. From a broken heart comes the proverbial little black dress and all is said. Forget the lame US biopic with an annoying Shirley McLaine (think Julia Roberts in the role of Segolène Royale and you'll understand why casting is crucial to movies), Anne Fontaine's treatment of Chanel's early years is a beautiful portrait of a lady.

Elle avait de l'esprit, un look et des petits ciseaux bien pointus mais à part ça, Coco Chanel n'avait pas un avenir glorieux devant elle en grandissant dans une province étriquée et dans un milieu défavorisé. Grâce à quelques barons riches et Anne Fontaine qui a eu la bonne idée de choisir Audrey Tautou, de lui enlever sa panoplie Amélie qui lui collait un peu trop à la peau pour la faire entrer dans la peau et dans l'âme de la géniale créatrice de mode, tout est dit et Coco revit! Dans un style vaguement Campionnesque, Anne Fontaine apporte une profondeur et une certaine fragilité à cette icône de la mode 100% crème fraiche en taillant de biais dans le tissu social de l'époque qui a permis à Coco Chanel de devenir une créatrice de mode révolutionnaire dans une France encore engoncée dans ses froufrous, ses préjugés et ses collets montés. D'un coeur brisé est né la célèbre petite robe noire! C'est ça, la révolution! On oubliera facilement l'adaptation Américaine de la vie de Coco avec une pénible Shirley McLaine (autant imaginer Julia Roberts dans le rôle de Ségolène Royale) pour apprécier ce joli film d'Anne Fontaine, ce joli portrait d'une lady.

RIDICULE

Roman Polanski was due to receive a prize at the Zurich Film Festival on Sunday, but was arrested on a 1978 U.S. arrest warrant after arriving in Switzerland...
More than 40 years ago, Roman P.'s family was slaughtered by Charles Manson's followers who have been in the news lately (one died recently).
More than 30 years ago Roman P. escaped the US judicial system to avoid an arrest for unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl. He moved to France and has lived there ever since.
For 30 years, Roman has known perfectly how to travel the world and where. He has shot movies in many countries and he always knew where he could go without risking an arrest. He knew.
It could be an unfortunate mistake but I doubt it.
I just want to say that I am very sorry this happens to Roman Polanski (who doen't deserve it) and not Henry Kissinger ( who really deserves it) but who knows very well in what countries he cannot travel because he would be arrested right away for crimes against humanity.

Roman Polanski devait recevoir un prix au Festival de Zurich ce dimanche, mais il a été interpellé suite au mandat d'arrêt américain contre lui datant de 1978 et toujours en vigueur.
Il y a plus de 40 ans, la famille de Roman Polanski était massacrée par des disciples du malade psycho-sociopathe Charles Manson. On en reparle aujourd'hui suite à la mort en prison d'une des criminelles illuminées.
Il y a plus de 30 ans, Roman P. fuit le système judiciaire américain suite à une affaire de moeurs et s'installe en France.
Depuis 30 ans, Roman et les siens savent parfaitement où il peut aller, dans quels pays il ne risque pas de se faire arrêter pour cette poussiéreuse (et ridicule) histoire de moeurs. Il le sait, sa famille le sait, son entourage le sait.
Il pourrait s'agir d'un oubli... j'en doute.
Tout cela pour dire que je suis extrèmement désolée que cela soit arrivé à Roman Polanski (qui ne le mérite pas) et pas à Henry Kissinger qui lui le mérite vraiment mais qui sait très bien éviter d'aterrir dans les très nombreux pays qui l'arrêteraient sur le champ (pour crimes contre l'humanité).

THE INFORMANT

The informant, the last Steven Soderbergh movie with brilliantissimo Matt Damon is about a nightmare of a guy! We all know - I sure do- a few “nightmare people”. They usually come with a good conspiracy theory, they are very talkative, and they manage to walk the life without people noticing the huge spider that is nesting in their brain... In our informant case, he manages to convince the FBI that there is wrongdoing in his company (an agri-business giant), the said company is therefore investigated and the rest is a saga that takes place over a few years (roughly between 1991 and 2006) and leaves you laughing nervously at the suckers who got sucked into the scheme. It is funny, brilliant, a bit sad too (bi-polars do roam the earth often unnoticed) and Matt Damon is magnificent at all levels. To have the public roar with laughter when showing a guy crossing the screen carrying a brown attaché case is a tour de force these days and there are no special effects involved. Matt Damon is just incredible in this role: he is funny, touching, annoying... and lucky because he just got the role of his career! Do not miss the film...

The informant, le dernier film par Steven Soderbergh avec le brillantissime Matt Damon parle d'un cauchemar vivant! On en connait tous _du moins moi, j'en connais- des cauchemars de ce genre : de ceux qui vous développent des théories de conspiration par paquets de cinquante, qui sont généralement bien bavards et qui s'arrangent pour traverser la vie sans qu'on s'aperçoive qu'ils ont une sacrée araignée dans le tiroir! Dans le cas de notre "Informant", il arrive à convaincre le FBI que la compagnie d'agro-alimentaire pour laquelle il travaille (et il occupe une telle position dans la compagnie que les agents ne doutent pas une seconde de sa crédibilité) ne fonctionne pas de façon légale et s'ensuit une enquête casse-tête qui durera plusieurs années (entre 1991 et 2006) : insensé, drôle, surréel, pathétique aussi mais une aventure à ne pas manquer. Même si au fond, tout s'explique par la bi-polarité du personnage, cette saga nerveuse vaut la peine d'être suivie. Arriver à faire rire une salle de cinéma entière rien qu'en traversant l'écran avec un attaché-case à la main relève du miracle de nos jours ( pas d'effets spéciaux): Matt Damon réussit ce tour de force et beaucoup d'autres en interprêtant ce personnage à la fois pathétique et touchant avec une intelligence rare. A ne pas manquer...

Telluride Film festival live - Waiting for Viggo...

To cover a festival is a sad mix of “Marathon Man” and “Apocalypse Now” combined : I have caught more Q&A sessions than screening of films. I haven't seen the latest movie by Jason Reitman "Up in the air" with George Clooney but I have heard Jason Reitman talk about it : “It is really the success of Juno that has allowed me to make this movie with the actors of my choice. As Michael Haneke (the director of the White Ribbon) said yesterday, the casting of a movie is really 2/3 of the movie done." The film was well received here but less than Juno (at least in Telluride).
Many people were annoyed by the product placement : "It is true", said Reitman, "that American airlines has provided a lot of support for the film. As a matter of fact and if you are travelling on American Airlines in the next few months, you will be able to hear me talk on one of the inflight audio channels about the soundtrack of the film."

Waiting for Viggo and the team from The Road (and seeing the Roadblock coming my way!!!) I sat down in the sun to eat a bagel, seeing Daryl Hannah cruising around, Helen Mirren very regal and Jacques Audiard flanked by his two usual suspects from A Prophet, the magnificent Tahar Rahim and the screenwriter Thomas Bidegain.

The tribute to Viggo Mortensen started with excerpts from “Witness”, “The Indian Runner”, “A walk on the moon”, “GI Jane”, “Lord of the rings”, “History of violence” and “Eastern Promises”… followed by the screening of “The Road” beautifully directed by the Australian director John Hillcoat (charming and sharp) and adapted from Cormac McCarthy's best-seller.
Cormac Mc Carthy should also have been in Telluride but had to stay in New-Mexico in order to work on a new project with Tommy Lee Jones, according to Ken Burns, one of the regular at Telluride and a wonderful and internationally recognized director of documentaries. “The Road” had a strong welcome in Telluride among the public and it is indeed a magical film (the cinematography is stunning), almost black and white in colours. I have heard people fighting over "depressing" vs "not depressing"... it is not a depressing movie, unless you leave before the end and one should never do that! With a little bit of luck, I will close my "Tellurique" coverage with an interview with The Road trio, unless I manage to catch Werner Herzog and get an update about the state of the iguanas!

Pour la version française voir http://sotinel.blog.lemonde.fr/2009/09/

Telluride Film festival live - Werner and all

To watch Todd Solontz last movie is a bit like watching a never ending car crash on the highway ! It leaves you with a feeling of gloom, mixed with horror. It is Todd Solontz's territory after all, the world of Happiness and Welcome to the dollhouse. A great big garbage (or recycling) can filled with America's lost cases, losers and pedophiles (mostly pedophiles). There is nevertheless a strange poetry in Solontz' films and even though his movies are not "easy" to watch, his work stays with you a long time. Todd Solontz was not attending Telluride, he was still in Venise.
The Prophet by Jacques Audiard was very well received by the public here. It seems that the title was not clear to many. When asked to explain a bit where the "prophet" fit into the film, Jacques Audiard went into a somersault, pirouette of an escape by saying "it's a beautiful word, a beautiful meaning in the large sense of the term". Indeed, but I am not sure this will fly on this side of the world.
Today (Saturday) opened with “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” by Werner Herzog with Nicolas Cage. Werner was still flying from Venise so Nicolas Cage talked at the end of the film. Bad Lieutenant would not be a Herzog film without a three minute sequence involving iguanas. As Nicolas Cage explained, "Werner told me, without the iguanas, my film doesn't make sense. I need the scene with the iguanas. There is actually more than the iguanas that make this film a Herzog film in spite of the more traditional filming this one has. As for Nicolas Cage, it is a delight to see him come back to roles where he excels. He is truly as good in Bad Lieutenant as he is in Leaving Las Vegas. There is a very strong Australian presence in Telluride this year and they (film makers, directors and actors) are by far the most approachable, normal, nice people! The documentary Making Samson follows the shooting of Samson and Delilah, by Warwick Thornton (which got a prize in Cannes last year). This documentary is a happy example of the movie making challenge adventure, even more so in the middle of Australia and with Aborigenes people who could care less about acting in a movie! It is very interesting to see Samson -the actor- becoming a "diva" along the way and as the film is made. He was 14 at the time of the movie. Today he is 16 and he laughs about this "attitude" he had during the film.
The good thing about attending Telluride Film Festival is that if you have missed the movie you can still go horseback riding in the mountains...
See photo with Laurie Lundquist (cavaliere extraordinaire), Marissa Gibson (Delilah in Samson and Delilah), Gabrielle Dalton (Australian film maker, actress) and Alexis Bloom (film maker, documentariste, journalist). Barbara Sukowa is not on the photo but she is ready to join the gang at the ranch !

Pour la version française voir http://sotinel.blog.lemonde.fr/2009/09/

Telluride Film festival live - George Gittoes and the miscreants....

George Gittoes is Australian, he is a filmmaker, photographer, painter, adventurer and has just finished The Miscreants ot Taliwood, a “docu-fiction-mentary” about the film industry in Pakistan. His film talks about the raid and destruction of popular films made locally : the Talibans have annihilated this popular genre to replace it with snuff movies showing executions and torture… George Gittoes doesn’t hesitate to throw himself into the action no matter how risky and dangerous. He is more than an insider, he obviously cares deeply about his subject and the people who help him translate his vision of a world gone mad. Unlike observers he doesn’t hesitate and involves himself deeply in the subject he is tackling, sometimes risking his life and saving some. The Miscreants will be presented at the Amsterdam film festival in November and should then have a European life in terms of distribution. George Gittoes’ next documentary will take him to Afghanistan unless he goes to Somalia and Ethiopia on the footsteps of Rimbaud and some lost poetry… He actually owns a unique portrait of Rimbaud at age 16 (see photo) taken by Carjat, the photographer whose poetry Rimbaud declared “rubbish”…. But it’s another story and the reason why the portrait is slashed!
Works and excerpts of George Gittoes' works are on gittoes-dalton-films.com

Pour la version française voir http://sotinel.blog.lemonde.fr/2009/09/