Well I am having my full dose of film fanatica this weekend with five films, three at the French Film festival and all memorable for different reasons.
The English version of Andre LeNotre's story of landscaping the gardens of the Palais de Versailles for Louis XIV is a good attempt but falls short with Alan Rickman being the controlling person and the there being holes in the script. Stars Kate Winslett and new emerging Belgian star actor who are both very good and extremely watchable, but the film stalls in its heavy handed and sometimes unbelieveable dialogue. Rickman collectively co-wrote the script, played the King, and directed it by himself. Possibly just too big a job for one peson, but he is to be commended for trying. Kate Winslett is excellent as always.
Alan Rickman writes, directs, stars..!
Matthieu Almaric directs and stars with his wife....interesting...
At the French Film Festival.....
'The Blue Room' is also an indulgence of writer-director and actor Matthieu Almaric. Certainly a great talent, he stars in some torrid sex scenes with his real-life wife in this mystery thriller a la Georges Simenon, but I feel it doesn't make the cut in all areas, although it is enjoyable and interesting. A possible double murder is the ostensible plot, but really it is the story or one man's infidelity to his unsophisticated wife and and his real passion for another woman who is insatiable in her quest for him. Another plausible French story, with interesting provincial courtroom scenes. A good movie for French film lovers
But so far, without any doubt two of the best movies were 'Breathe', by Melanie Laurent, great young director, and 'The Last Hammer Blow', introducing the amazing young talented Romain Paul who won best young actor prize at Cannes for this role where he is in the camera frame nearly the whole of the movie.
'Breathe' is the tortured teenage love story if two 'lyceennes', ending with an awful denouement. Second time director Melanie Laurant shows her fantastic understanding of the female minds in particular, examining the results of dysfunctional families on impressionable teenage girls. Great movie, great acting, should take the prize as best movie.
Melanie Laurent - fabulous director
Excellent young actor...
'The Last Hammer Blow' is the story of a provincial teenager finding his birth-father, a famous conductor, who initially doesn't want him but is eventually reconciled. It's emotion 'a la francaise', which they do so well and can get away with it in bucketloads. Filmed around Montpellier and the Cote d'Azure, it is also lovely cinematography. Most enjoyable with young Romain Paul a runaway success as the lost, troubled teenager.
Foyer in downstairs Embassy
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