Swamps & Back Alleys

Bruno! Bruno!

Chris — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 17:50:57 +0000

There’s no doubt in my mind that Romain Duris is the most talented actor on the planet. As of this moment, Jérémie Renier is a close second. The proof is in his starmaking performance as a petty thief/deadbeat dad in “L’Enfant”. A performance, and I use the term lightly, that
will have you, the viewer, mesmerized and quite possibly disillusioned by human kind – yes, the character Renier portrays is a heartless human being. Equally as good, is Déborah François, who portrays the teenage mother of Renier’s child. The two have so much chemistry that it’s hard to believe that they aren’t real life sweethearts. That is, of course,
until Renier’s character commits the truly unthinkable and destroys their relationship, and family, forever. I must also give credit to directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne for allowing their story to be told without the usual gimmicks (practically no music, no forced action or drama, etc.) that would have only distracted from this film. And for that, I thank them.
If you are a fan of documentary-style filmmaking with minimal dialogue and a story that feels like it’s based on true events, then “L’Enfant” is a must see. I encourage you to watch this film and I defy you to try to forget the image of Renier pushing that empty baby carriage all around the streets of Belgium. Like I said, a must see.

“L’ENFANT”
Starring Jérémie Renier, Déborah François
Directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne

Once A Crazy Stranger

Chris — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 21:56:11 +0000

A friend had asked me recently who my favorite actor was, and without hesitation, I answered, “Romain Duris”. It was an impulse reaction, at least I thought it was at the time, but after thinking it over for a bit longer, I agree with my initial response. Romain Duris is indeed my favorite actor. The French-speaking Romain Duris. I’ve watched enough films of his to make that assessment. There’s no actor alive that is as convincing as Duris in his/her roles or as credible. Nor is there an actor that can touch the sort of versatile roles that Duris does and look the part. He is, in my opinion, one of the few actors that mesmerizes
the viewer with his performance, and quite possibly the only actor who can carry a film without even speaking. His facial reactions are that good. I defy you to watch his films and tell me you disagree. I’d start with the below films, that is if you’re interested in checking out his work.

“The Beat That My Heart Skipped”
Directed by Jacques Audiard

“Exiles”
Directed by Tony Gatliff

“L’Auberge Espagnole”
Directed by Cedric Klapisch

“Dans Paris”
Directed by Christophe Honore

Beirut Isn’t A Country

Chris — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:10:10 +0000

Another musical obsession of mine, these days, is Beirut (it’s really just Zach Condon) – it’s Eastern European-influenced gypsy music with a modern twist. His debut album, “Gulag Orkestar”, is officially one of my all-time favorite albums, and Beirut is, as of now, one of 4 artists
that I adore – the others being, Blonde Redhead, Devotchka, and The Walkmen. Below, is the video for “Postcards From Italy”, one of the stand-out tracks on the album. For more info on Beirut, you can check out his site at http://www.beirutband.com/

The Epitome of Cool: The 70s Mustache!

Chris — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 06:34:54 +0000

Movies don’t get any cooler than Jean-Pierre Melville’s “Le Cercle Rouge”, originally released in 1970. Below, is a scene from the film in which, Alain Delon’s character, Corey, has just been released from prison. On his first day as a free man, Corey visits a billiards hall where he’s confronted by two goons from his past. One of many memorable scenes in a film that is the standard to which all films in the crime genre should be held to…like I said, it just doesn’t get any cooler than this.

His Askew View of Humanity

Chris — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 19:42:44 +0000

It looks like Jim Jarmusch is getting the royal treatment by the Criterion Collection this week, and deservedly so, as two of his finest films are officially being released on DVD. For those who aren’t familiar with his work, Jim Jarmusch is one of the first filmmakers to break conventions of traditional Hollywood moviemaking; whose films had forever changed the landscape in American independent cinema. Jim Jarmusch is best known for “Dead Man”, the black & white “anti-western” starring Johnny Depp, and most recently for “Broken Flowers” starring Bill Murray.

“Stranger Than Paradise” was Jarmusch’s first major release, and is considered a landmark work in modern independent film. The minimalist story features the aimless journey of three hipsters from New York to Florida, with a quick stop in Ohio, in between. The DVD also includes Jarmusch’s first feature, “Permanent Vacation”, but I believe it’s included only with the purchase, on a bonus disc. “Stranger Than Paradise”
was originally released in 1984.

“Night On Earth” is perhaps Jarmusch’s most charming film to date. Its focus is on the bond formed between taxi driver and passenger in
five different cities, around the world, all in one night. In quite possibly, one of the most fascinating, and quite surrealistic, roles of her career, Winona Ryder portrays a taxi driver. The film is also widely known for its excellent soundtrack by Tom Waits. “Night On Earth” was originally released in 1991.

A Peasant’s Journey Into Lost Innocence

Chris — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 01:37:37 +0000

Part of my “must-own dvds” series, “Lacombe, Lucien” is the coming of age story of Lucien, a troubled young man, who foolishly becomes a Gestapo recruit after he’s rejected by the Resistance for being too young. It’s not until Lucien, a Nazi loyalist, meets Albert Horn, a Jewish man, that the film reveals its brilliance. Their relationship, and that of Lucien’s romance with Albert’s daughter, is what makes this one of the best films ever made. Directed by the brilliant Louis Malle, “Lacombe, Lucien” was originally released in 1974. Easily, one of my favorite films of all-time, and definitely a “must-own” for serious movie collectors.

“LACOMBE, LUCIEN”
Starring Pierre Blaise, Aurore Clément, Holger Löwenadler
Co-Written & Directed by Louis Malle

Check out the trailer, below, for “Lacombe, Lucien”, courtesy of the Criterion Collection.

1 Pose Per Second

Chris — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 07:03:22 +0000

And my obsession with Blonde Redhead continues. This is the video for their latest single “Top Ranking” off the album, 23. It’s a simple concept really, Miranda July poses again and again and again and…well, I think you’ll understand once you watch the video.

Ice Pick In The Eye of Family Values

Chris — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 20:05:53 +0000

I rarely, if ever, watch the same film on consecutive nights. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve done this. Count “Fists In The Pocket” among those. Simply put, it’s brilliant. Originally released in 1965, the film is a portrait of a dysfunctional family on the verge of a meltdown that leads to a series of deplorable events, but unlike
most films from that era, it feels contemporary, mainly because it avoids the usual classic-film pitfalls – camp, schlock, etc. Similarly, the chilling score is subtle and perfectly depicts the mood of the film. “Fists In The Pocket” also features one of the most spellbinding performances ever in a film, so eloquently given by Lou Castel, whose portrayal of a troubled young man will stay with you for quite some time. It has, with me.

“FISTS IN THE POCKET”
Starring Lou Castel, Paola Pitagora, Marino Masé
Written & Directed by Marco Bellocchio

Breathless Misery…

Chris — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 03:47:29 +0000

I came across this fantastic video recently on YouTube – it’s a sort of montage of Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless” set to the music of Blonde Redhead (the title track off the album, “Misery Is A Butterfly”). Now, the significance of this, in case you’re wondering: I’m a huge fan of “Breathless” and Blonde Redhead are my favorite musical artist of all-time. It all feels a bit surrealistic being that the two are from different eras (the film was released in 1960 and the album in 2004), yet somehow it seems to work. By the video’s end, you can’t help but realize its brilliance.

For more information on Blonde Redhead, you can check out their fabulous site at http://www.blonde-redhead.com/

The Launch of French New Wave Cinema?

Chris — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:53:03 +0000

Most film connoisseurs believe the French New Wave “movement” began with the release of Claude Chabrol’s “Le Beau Serge”, while others insist it was Francois Truffaut’s “The 400 Blows”. Although both films were quite instrumental, in my opinion, it was neither. The release
of Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless” (1960), also known as À Bout
de Souffle, was the official launch of the Nouvelle Vague with its bold visual style, unconventional editing, and a love story the world hadn’t experienced since “Casablanca”, almost 20 years earlier. For this reason, I’d been puzzled as to why Criterion hadn’t re-issued the film as part of their collection, while other less influential films from that era had been. Well, I’m glad to report that Criterion is finally planning to re-issue “Breathless”, some time in October. I’ll be sure to post the date as soon as I hear something.

In the scene below, Jean-Paul Belmondo, whose character is heavily influenced by Humphrey Bogart, approaches a photo of the star
of “Casablanca” and admires it. A sort of tribute to Mr. Bogart I suppose.

The DVD also includes “Chambre 12, Hôtel de Suède”, an 80-minute French documentary about the making of “Breathless” with members of the cast and crew, and “Charlotte et Son Jules”, a 1959 short film by Godard.