Takes Your Breath Away (Rating: 5.00)
Review : I don't even know where to begin writing about this movie. It follows young Adele, who thinks that her life is worthless and wants to kill herself by jumping off a bridge. Of corse, she dosen't (or else we wouldn't have much of a movie) and is confronted by a circus-knife-throwing man who says he can make her life better as she starts to plunge. This movie is all about how you control your own luck in life, or atleast that is what I felt the message was. It wasn't until I had finished the movie and gotten into bed that i realized that this THE most beautiful movie I have ever seen. It was just so light and and enjoyable, and made you smile inside. Beautiful is a word I have never used to describe a movie before. I always say "funny" or "cute" or "awful" or even "awsome". But never "beautiful" -until now. I have no idea why it's rated R. There was one profain word and nothing explicit (I mean NOTHING) in the whole film. I would even let a 10 year old watch it- just so they can see what a good movie is supposed to be like. Vanessa Paradis has proven to me with this that she is not just one of my favorite singers and models, but is a really great and serious actress. Everything I saw in this film impressed me. And please don't worry about having to read the subtitles! After 2 minutes, I promise you'll be so involved you won't notice or care. If you loved Chocolat, or Amelie, or anything like that, TRY THIS. (It's so inexpensive you might as well buy it. I couldn't find it in Blockbuster anyway.) Absolutley incredible! I don't know if I'll ever find another movie that can touch me this deeply.
LOVE STORY WITH A CUTTING TWIST (Rating: 5.00)
Review : Vanessa Paradis (Adelle) plays a sad 22 year old woman whose life has been strewn with failures and disappointments. In a single take lasting ten minutes, Paradis transforms before our eyes from an indifferent minx into a tearful plaintiff. That's terrific acting! Adelle grew up believing sex is what life is all about, and so she never learned how to say "no" to any man or boy. Daniel Auteuil (Gabor) is an over 40 year old, tall, dark, contemplative knife throwing artiste who never smiles and has haunting eyes. After Adelle opens the film with a wryly amusing monologue on the failure of her life, an early scene places her perched in the middle of a bridge over the River Seine on a wintry night. Just as she is about to jump into the icy water, Gabor's voice comes out of the dark, "you don't really want to make this mistake." Adelle is annoyed at this intrusion, and she argues with Gabor about her intentions and his meddling. Gabor is a knife thower, he informs Adelle, and bridges are where he finds the best women candidates to serve as his targets for his dangerous art form. Adelle shrugs this off, accusing Gabor of trying to take sexual advantage of a desperate girl on a bridge. He indignantly dismisses her charge saying that he NEVER sleeps with his targets. "That's YOUR problem!" retorts Adelle. And so begins their relationship. The black and white format lends drama to this often very funny movie. After they wind up in the icy water and in a hospital, Gabor virtually abducts Adelle into his act with the promise that they will be very lucky as a pair. Their odyssey takes the pair through Fellini-esque scenes of circuses, night clubs and a cruise ship as Gabor's act becomes increasingly dangerous . . . and sensual. Adelle continues to be distracted by "trying on, like new clothing" one young man after another while the duo travel from gig to gig in the south of France and Italy. But something profound develops between Adelle and Gabor. It climaxes in an impulsive knife throwing scene that is so well acted and filmed that we are presented with an erotic pas de deux between the couple that transcends pedestrian sex. This film is a French fanatasy romance which is funny and erotic in a Hitchkokian way (e.g., Eva Marie Saint and Cary Grant train scenes in "North by Northwest"). What we don't see has a bigger impact on us than what is so skillfully placed before our eyes. The movie asks the question: can a beautiful young woman who has given up hope, live with a man twice her age whose art and life need her? There are many plot twists and turns brought to the viewer by exceptionally fine acting by French pop singing star Paradis, the self disciplined Auteuil, and excellent direction by Patrice Leconte ("The Hairdresser's Husband" and "Ridicule"). The subtitles are easy to read and the music is cleverly well selected. For example, we are haunted by Brenda Lee's far away, almost ironicly singing "I'm Sorry" (this in a French film) as Adelle and Gabor break up at one point. Very satisfying entertainment!
Not worth a single star (Rating: 1.00)
Review : I curse, spit upon, and abhor this movie and its leading actress. She has no talent and appears listless in this film as adele. The only good on her cd Bliss was her long-standing boyfriend Johnny Depp's help in writing some songs and playing guitar with his outstanding talent. But I'm getting off this subject. The point is, she should never have tried her deformed hand at acting for her long neck is very distracting and takes away from the movie. The other actor's performances were fine, I am sure, but I would not know since her lisp was too prominent for me to pay atention to anything else.
la la love you don't mean maybe (Rating: 5.00)
Review : A girl with hard luck in love meets up with a destitute knife thrower as she is about to jump off a bridge to her death. They base an act and latent romance on luck and telekinesis. He talks to her when she is about to go wrong outside of his presence and she answers back in perfect syncopation. She twirls on a wheel and he jams knives close to her skin near enough to maim or spiral her into ecstasy. She [blanks] every man who shows the slighest interest in her and he makes snide remarks and introduces new impossible tricks to his arsenal of sideshow cutlery. All in all the movie is a farce but very believable. Even the propped up rainbow is golden beneath.
most beautiful film (Rating: 5.00)
Review : After I saw this film, I liked to say that the last film I saw was in French and black and white. This film has all the wonders of both. In our age of vivid color and candid sex, this film is both erotic and subtle. Although throwing knife as phallic symbol does not suggest it, this film is sensual, not sexual. Vanessa Paradis and Daniel Auteil make an amazing pair. Her supermodel good looks and flippant sexuality makes her HOT the perfect foil for his calm, collected COOL as they go on a gallavanting tour of behind the big tent Europe. This is a film for clever sentamentalists and cynics alike. Sure, the film takes an "other half" attitude to love, but it also makes it plainly clear that love is altogether fragile, and cannot hold.
Im In Love... (Rating: 5.00)
Review : I looooved this movie when it was in the theaters....not in too many theaters unfortunatly....tooo bad......this movie was really sexy without alot of the stupid pop culture ... that becomes old after 2 months or is trying too hard to be "cool" If you like indie movies and movies from europe....you will probably like it....who hasent felt like jumping off a bridge at one time or another? :) I can relate.....I liked all the sex scenes and the trip across europe was neat too, as well as the circus and knife throwing scenes.....I will probably rent it soon to see it again! I also like that Vanessa Paradis is beautiful without being "perfect" like alot of american actresses and music stars are kind of pressed out of the same mold......imagine a popular actress or singer with a gap in her front teeth? wouldnt happen here in the usa.......
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