September 9, 1997
East Side Story (1997) ***
Fascinating documentary about musical films made behind the Iron Curtain. From Grigori Alexandrov's Stalin-era gems like "Jolly Fellows" (1934) and "Volga Volga" (1938), to Ivan Pyryev's mind-bogglingly campy "Cossacks Of The Kuban" (1950), to Andrei Calarasu's Romanian curiosity "Vacation on the Black Sea" (1962), to Gottfried Kolditz's East German masterpieces like "Midnight Review" (1962) and "Geliebte Weisse Maus" (1964), the film covers the entire spectrum of the genre, from the ridiculous to the sublime.
Ulee's Gold (1997) ***
Peter Fonda gives the greatest performance of his career in this thoughful and touching film set in the Florida Panhandle.
Wag The Dog (1997) ***
Ruthless satire about a womanizing president trying to divert the attention from himself by fabricating a phony war.
She's So Lovely (1997) ***
Sean Penn gives the performance of his career in this terrific film written by John Cassavetes and directed by his son, Nick.
Selena (1997) ***
"I Will Survive" *
"Last Dance" *
"On The Radio" *
"Como La Flor" ***
"Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" **
"I Could Fall In Love" **
"Dreaming Of You" **
Romy And Michele's High School Reunion (1997) ***
Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow play Romy and Michele, two best friends from high-school who still live together 10 years after their graduation and have no boyfriends and no good jobs. But they want very much to impress their classmates at their 10th high-school reunion, so they pretend to be more successful than they really are. The heroines are quite unique characters: very dumb and very savvy at the same time. Witty film has a very strong lesbian subtext.
Les Randonneurs (1997) ***
Tremendously entertaining comedy about five friends - three men, two women - who undertake an arduous hiking trip across the highest mountain ranges on Corsica. While admiring the gorgeous scenery, they quickly get on each other's nerves, with hilarious results. Sparkling dialogue, superb performances.
Princess Mononoke (1997) ***
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki. With the voices of Claire Danes, Minnie Driver and Jada Pinkett Smith. Mysterious forces inhabiting a virgin forest defend themselves from the human menace slowly encroaching upon their domain. It's an animated epic tale of sorcery and chivalry in medieval Japan... with some preachy ecological appeals thrown in for good measure. Visually beautiful.
La Plante humaine (1997) ***
Réalisation: Pierre Hébert. Un exemple particulièrement réussi d'utilisation de la gravure sur pellicule en conjonction avec l'animation numérique.
The Odd One Dies (1997) ***
This movie is so twistingly bizarre, it's difficult to decide if it's a pretentious bore or a brilliant satire. Imagine a Wong Kar-Wai in slo-mo mixed with Takeshi Kitano on prozac, delivering a triple t(h)reat of jaw-dropping incoherence, pointless artsiness and keystonesque anarchy. An odd film indeed.
La Nuit du deluge (1997) ***
Plenty of water and ballet dancing in this fairy-tale about a pregnant woman sent in a wooden box out to sea during a terrible flood.
Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil (1997) ***
More bizarre than "Twin Peaks", more southern than "Gone With The Wind", this is a well-crafted, constantly surprising, one-of-a-kind courtroom comedy-drama. It's set in Savannah, Georgia, a weird little town with the highest concentration of eccentric personalities per square foot. Most memorable among them is a wacky voodoo priestess, superbly played by Irma P.Hall ("Nothing To Lose", "Soul Food"). Is it just me, or is she the best character actress presently working in Hollywood ?
Men In Black (1997) ***
Mr Smith (Will) and Mr Jones (Tommy Lee) team up as super-secret agents who monitor extra-terrestrial refugees from other planets who live in New York City.
The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997) ***
The director of "The Singing Detective" teams up with the star of "Groundhog Day", and the result is a mix of "Comedy of Errors", "The Game", a James Bond thriller and a Marx Brothers comedy. It's a rollicking farce about British and Russian spies trying to bring back the Cold War, but thwarted in their attempts by a bumbling American tourist who thinks he's participating in an avant-garde theatrical performance. An amazingly inventive, hugely entertaining film, which could be described as a postmodernist brechtian comedy, a mise-en-abime of cinematic cliches, or a self-reflexive orgy of spy movie genre cannibalism.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) ***
There are more dinosaurs in this one, but they are less scary.
Intruder (1997) ***
Beautiful Wu Chien-Lien ("Eat Drink Man Woman") plays a devoted wife who kills one innocent person after another in order to bring her hubby from Mainland China to Hong Kong. It's an expertly crafted, very shocking thriller with suspense sequences worthy of Alfred Hitchcock. It forces the viewers to identify with the killer in the first hour or so, but fortunately allows a more satisfying identification for the conclusion.
In The Presence Of A Clown (1997) ***
Hercules (1997) ***
After more serious-minded fare like "Pocahontas" and "Hunchback of Notre Dame", those pranksters at Disney return with another hip, wise-cracking, I-dare-you-to-catch-all-the-jokes, fast-paced comedy/adventure animated extravaganza in the "Aladdin" mould. James Woods' Hades is the funniest Disney villain since Cruella (the animated one), gospel/Motown tunes are great and there are enough postmodernist references to fill a dozen Quentin Tarantino pictures. If only the central character wasn't so boring, this would have been a perfect film. Songs:
"Gospel Truth" **
"Go The Distance" **
"One Last Hope" *
"Zero To Hero" **
"I Won't Say (I'M In Love)" **
"A Star Is Born" *
"Gospel Truth" **
"Go The Distance" **
"One Last Hope" *
"Zero To Hero" **
"I Won't Say (I'M In Love)" **
"A Star Is Born" *
Happy Together (1997) ***
Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) ***
Satiric comedy about a professional hitman (John Cusack) attending his high school reunion.
Good Will Hunting (1997) ***
Matt Damon plays a math genius who works as a janitor at MIT. Robin Williams is a shrink who tries to help him.
Full Alert (1997) ***
As cop-and-robbers crime melodramas go, it's a fairly successful film. But director Ringo Lam's steadfast refusal to camp-up the material (there's no oddball humor as seasoning for gore and violence) lowers it to the level of an existential tragedy. Grim, pessimistic, very compelling, but slightly overrated.
L'Abécédaire de Gilles Deleuze (1997) ***
An 8-hour long interview with a famous French philosopher would hardly seem like a material for an entertaining and riveting film. Unless, of course, that philosopher happens to be Gilles Deleuze, a brilliant, fascinating, witty, charismatic, warm and extraordinarily intelligent man, who always refused interviews and never appeared on any TV programs. He only agreed to make this film on the condition that it wouldn't be released before his death. Wheather analyzing Plato and Spinoza, or heaping abuse on dogs, physicians and academic conferences, Deleuze never fails to astound and entertain. The result is a fascinating portrait of one of the greatest minds of the 20th century. It's arranged thematically from A (Animal) to Z (Zigzag) and covers such topics as F (Fidelity), G (Gauche), M (Maladie) and N (Neurology).
Face/Off (1997) ***
John Travolta and Nicolas Cage get to play both the villain and the hero in this loud, violent, but highly watchable action movie.
Copland (1997) ***
Sylvester Stallone plays a New Jersey sheriff who discovers that serious crimes were commited by New York policemen living in his jurisdiction.
Chasing Amy (1997) ***
Witty, occassionally vulgar, but always hilarious comedy about a young comic book artist falling in love with a lesbian.
Cats Don't Dance (1997) ***
Entertaining animated feature about a naive young cat from Indiana, who comes to Hollywood hoping to become a great movie star. According to the credits, no animals were harmed during the making of this film, but some were erased. Songs include:
"Our Time Has Come"
"Tell Me Lies"
"Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"
"I Do Believe"
"Our Time Has Come"
"Tell Me Lies"
"Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"
"I Do Believe"
Anastasia (1997) ***
Once again, Hollywood filmmakers flunked their history and geography tests: the Soviet Revolution wasn't led by Rasputin, St.Petersburg was named Petrograd in 1914 and Leningrad 10 years later, there are no mountains in northern Russia and nobody in his right mind would navigate across a stormy sea to get from Germany to France! But if we generously overlook those tiny little details, we are free to enjoy a spectacular, fast-paced and exciting animated extravaganza about a Russian princess trying to get to Paris to claim her heritage. The musical numbers are particularly memorable.
Air Force One (1997) ***
Harrison Ford plays a US president whose plane has been hijacked by Russian terrorists.
Absolute Power (1997) ***
Clint Eastwood expertly directs this political thriller about an assassination involving the President of United States. Great cast: Gene Hackman, Judy Davis, Laura Linney, Ed Harris and Clint Eastwood himself.
August 8, 1997
Sinon oui (1997) **
A young woman (Catherine Mendez) is pretending to be pregnant, lying to her boyfriend (Emmanuel Clarke), her father (Lou Castel) and her friends. Don't expect a comedy; this is a serious and tragic film. Extremely well done, but profoundly depressing. Reportedly based on a true story.
Sept en attente (1997) *
The film tries to imitate Rohmer's "Le Rayon vert" by relying only on improvisation, but it doesn't succeed.
Soleil (1997) **
If you've liked "Un Ete a la Goulette", you should love this one as well. It's a nicely crafted slice-of-life drama set in Algiers during World War II.
Romaine (1997) **
Quirky comedy about a not-very-bright ugly duckling of a girl who nevertheless attracts swarms of horny boys. Clearly influenced by Eric Rohmer, this clever little film consists of several seemingly banal vignettes that hide an interesting discourse on sexual representation.
Rien ne va plus (1997) **
Two nickel-and-dime crooks find themselves in the middle of a huge and messy affair. This film is far too sophisticated and refined for its own good. The dialogue is great, but there is little suspense and few thrills.
Un air si pur (1997) *
An adaptation of Knut Hamsun's novel set in a French sanatorium during World War I. Patients suffer from various mental, physical or nervous illnesses. Worse still, they drop like flies. Fabrice Luchini is especially memorable as a viper-tongued cynic whose verbal cruelty provides a welcome contrast to other characters' pathetic weaknesses.
L'Age des possibles (1997) *
A study of relationships among several young couples in Strasbourg, France. It's an ambitious film that tries desperately to say something about love in 1990's, but only succeeds in boring the viewers to tears. It doesn't help that all actors and actresses look, talk and act alike.
Le Jaguar (1997) *
Amazonian jungle seem to attract French filmmakers. After "Un Indien dans la ville" (1995), here's "Le Jaguar" - a rather mediocre little comedy starring Jean Reno.
Dobermann (1997) **
If you love ultra-violent, nihilistic, deranged, sick and morally bankrupt movies, don't miss this one. The criminals are psychopats, the cops are even worse (they let a baby play with a handgranade). Be prepared for bloodbaths of apocalyptic proportions. Bob Dole would have a heart attack if he ever saw it. Proof positive that Hollywood doesn't have a monopoly on "nightmares of depravity" - this one comes from France.
Les Demons du Jesus (1997) **
At first, it looks like a well-crafted, but nihilistic drama about losers, toughs, sadists, rapists and sluts. Every conversation seems to consist of vulgarities and insults. Slowly, however, the film reveals a more sensitive and humane side. The ending is a celebration of family values. Well, any film with "demon" and "Jesus" in the title was bound to be morally schizophrenic.
Le Cousin (1997) **
Solid police drama about cops and their informers. Bloodhounds from Internal Affairs (led by Trintignant) investigate a team of Parisian cops who use drug dealers as their informers (aka "cousins"). This tough police drama from France explores the themes of loyalty and corruption with an unusually subtle touch. There are no evil monsters or heroic knights, just flawed men and women doing their jobs.
Comme des rois (1997) **
A farce about two Polish con-men who pretend to be famous movie directors attending a prestigious film festival in France. Rarely has the pretentiousness of the European art cinema been subjected to a more savage ridicule. An entertaining film marred by a very sappy ending.
Ma vie en rose (1997) **
A very subversive Belgian comedy about a cross-dressing 7-year-old boy who stubbornly insists that he's really a little girl. The first half of the film is played strictly for laughs - the little tyke puts on lipstick and pink dresses, and finds himself a boyfriend. The second half is much darker - homophobia raises its ugly head and everybody (even his parents) turn against him. The light comedy part is handled better - it becomes a little too manipulative near the end - but this is definitely taboo-breaking cinema, and far more important for gay rights than either "In & Out" or "Ellen".
La Verite si je mens (1997) **
From France comes this thoughtful and well-acted film about a bright young man who gets ahead in business (textiles) by pretending to be Jewish. Instead of expected stereotypes, we get sympathetic, three-dimensional characters and a warm, fascinating portrait of the Sephardic community in Paris.
La Marquise (1997) **
Don't expect another "Beaumarchais l'insolent". Once again, it's a ribald period comedy about French theater, but unfortunately, without witty dialogues and clever one-liners. Sophie Marceau plays an ambitious prostitute/dancer who seduces Moliere and Racine to become a famous actress admired by King Louis XIV. Imitating those two famous playwrights, the film moves from comedy to tragedy, with jarring abruptness.
Marius et Jeannette (1997) **
Low-key, very de-dramatized film about three working-class couples in Marseilles. It's touching and charming, but unexceptional. A minor-league effort.
Chantal Ackerman par Chantal Ackerman (1997) *
A self-documentary in which the Belgian filmmaker talks about herself and her movies.
Le Septieme ciel (1997) *
French movie about a young woman trying to cure her kleptomania with hypnosis.
Nettoyage a sec (1997) *
Standard French fare: menage-a-trois, adultery, tight underwear, loose morals, tragic ending. Something about a transvestite seducing a happily married couple. The film won an Osella d'Oro at the Venice film fest, but didn't really deserve it.
Marthe (1997) *
An unremittingly bleak and depressing drama set in Fance during World War I. A young soldier, licking his wounds and trying to forget the trenches, falls in love with a pretty schoolteacher. Films like that were already seen as hopelessly dated back in the early 30's. Full title: "Marthe ou la promesse d'un jour."
Didier (1997) **
The premise might seem idiotic - a dog changes into a man, but retains all the canine instincts - but this movie offers big laughs. I mean real falling-out-of-your-seat belly laughs. The dog is played by pic's helmer, Alain Chabat, and he's absolutely terrific, giving an uncanny canine imitation. It's a really silly film.
Bye Bye (1997) *
The lives of Arab immigrants in France can't possibly be as boring, depressing and pathetic as this film would lead us to believe. And it's so unflattering to its subjects that it could well be shown at one of Le Pen's anti-immigrant rallies. Watching this insomnia-curing excuse for a motion picture is a very frustrating experience: everyone always yells, screams and acts like a jerk, but nothing of interest ever happens.
La Belle verte (1997) *
A rather naive, but good-natured film about tree-hugging, veggie-gulping, meat-hating aliens visiting the Earth.
Trois vies et une seule mort (1997) *
Marcello Mastroianni plays a man afflicted with a multiple personality disorder - he has three lives, but can only die once. A baffling film that can't decide if it's a black comedy or a serious drama. It's too dull to be the former and too bizarre to be the latter.
Fantome avec chauffeur (1997) *
What a lame turkey! Thirty years earlier, Gerard Oury made one of the best French comedies of all times, "La Grande Vadrouille", but here, he only manages to completely embarass himself with this half-backed, slow-moving bore about a ghost of a rich CEO and his driver. The only good gag takes place in a changing room.
Tenue correcte exigee (1997) *
French farce about a homeless vaganbond, his rich wife, a prostitute and a hotel owner fearing an unexpected police inspection.
Portraits chinois (1997) **
No, there are no Chinese people in this film, only young French couples cheating on each other (what else could we expect from a Gallic import ?). But very strong acting prevents this otherwise average film from being a simple soap opera.
Port Djema (1997) *
An existential drama about a French physician travelling to a war-torn East African country. Clearly influenced by Michalangelo Antonioni, it's somber, well-directed, slow-moving, thought-provoking, challenging and occasionally dull.
Hercule et Sherlock (1997) *
A rather dumb little comedy about two criminals kidnapping two dogs to help them find a box of forged currency.
Le Passage des hommes libres (1997) *
Very boring film about two European scientists exploring the South American jungle circa 1800. An ordinary PBS documentary usually has more exciting moments than this misguided, ponderous meditation on the corrosive influence of Western civilisation.
Passage a l'acte (1997) *
Boring French film about a creepy psychopath playing a cat-and-mouse game with his shrink. Director Francis Girod thinks he's another Claude Chabrol, but he's only deluding himself. He gets credit for an intriguing and disturbing ending, but the rest is crap.
Ni d'Eve ni d'Adam (1997) *
Un films sur les jeunes delinquants dans une petite ville provinciale francaise et plus particulairement un jeune garcon mal adapte qui s'enfuit avec sa jeune copine.
On connait la chanson (1997) **
Meandering, seriously overrated French pic about boring Parisian neurotics. Frequently interrupted by non-sequitur musical numbers, in which the protagonist lip-synch to classic songs, "Pennies From Heaven"-style. It unexpectedly won the Cesar Award for best film, beating "Le Bossu", a far superior film in every respect.
Nous sommes tous encore ici (1997) **
Long, analytical discourses on philosophy replace a conventional narrative in this interesting, mildly watchable, but highly listenable film. Obviously not for all tastes; an ounce of intellectual snobbery is required to be able to sit through the most complicated discourses and pretend to understand them all.
Les Palmes de M.Schutz (1997) **
Not surprisingly, this film about Marie and Pierre Curie's discovery of radioactivity is informative and erudite. But surprisingly, it's also quite funny. There are bits involving secret formulas of vodka, ways of dispatching Russian soldiers to Siberia and the smuggling of powder to the Polish resistance. A huge spoonful of humor makes history, physics and chemistry so much easier to swallow.
July 7, 1997
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