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#31658 - Tue Oct 31 2000 10:45 AM French Movie Par Excellence
TemplarLLM Offline
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Registered: Thu Jun 22 2000
Posts: 1471
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I just thought I'd recommend a couple of really really good French movies (subtitled of course) that you (being anybody) may want to see.

They are both absolutely phenomenal.

One is kinda gory, but a very good historical movie called "Queen Margot". It is set at the time of the height of the Reformation in 16th century Europe and involves a complex plot (with a lot of historical accuracy thrown in with a nice movie story) between various factions of Catholic and Protestants. Ultimately it is a love story, but it involves much much more and also has some very bloody scenes. 2 's up!

The other is "La Mode" (could be "A La Mode") and is about a couple of orphan boys and they're apprenticeships ina small parisian neighbourhood in Paris. Again, partially a love story, this movie is just so endearing because of its relative innocence. No gore here or violence, just a feel good movie. You have to see it just for the "Marseille" fart scene.

Again 2 's up or three if you're wierd.

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#31659 - Tue Oct 31 2000 10:47 AM Re: French Movie Par Excellence
TemplarLLM Offline
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Registered: Thu Jun 22 2000
Posts: 1471
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Sorry, you can check out these titles at www.foreignmovies.com
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#31660 - Wed Nov 01 2000 09:03 PM Re: French Movie Par Excellence
greenstar Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: Sun Oct 29 2000
Posts: 209
Loc: Belgium - member of the resist...
Well TemplarLLM, a new French movie you really got to see is "Les rivières pourpres", translated here in Belgium as "The Crimson rivers".
It's a great film you got to see. Espacially when you liked Se7en. In the cast is Jean Reno, to me one of the best actors in the world. Maybe you already saw him in Leon or Godzilla.
The plot of the movie is excellent. It's very unexpected. You got an idea what's going to happen, but that it was like that, I couldn't imagine.

I hope I gave you a good filmtip, but I'm sure you'll like it.

Greetings,
Tom

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The mind is like a parachute. It only works when it's open.

[This message has been edited by greenstar (edited 11-01-2000).]

[This message has been edited by greenstar (edited 11-01-2000).]

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#31661 - Thu Nov 02 2000 02:58 AM Re: French Movie Par Excellence
tomije Offline
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Registered: Tue May 09 2000
Posts: 1740
Loc: St. Paul
Minnesota USA
What is this? No mention of "Breathless" by Goddard? You people! I'd get left pinkie cut off before I call another movie the best movie of France (though I do have a soft spot for "Triumphe of the Will, Part 2" (that was a classless, and yet quite funny joke about how easily the French capitulate to Germany)

I would also say that the original film "The Return of Martin Guerre" with Gerard Depardieu (not be confused with the American remake starring Richard Gere--not that the ladies EVER confuse Gere with Depardieu) is also a brilliant film.

But clearly, Goddard's Breathless was a brilliant film. It used and mocked Hollywood beautifully, and managed to also be a brilliant thriller and character study. I can count the number of movies that serve up satire, character study and drama all at the same time on one hand. The French produced one--Breathless. It deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Citizen Kane and The Third Man.

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Coming or going, we must view the next century with an eye toward the possible continuence of our species on this planet and I'd rather be coming.

--John Muir, 1973

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#31662 - Thu Nov 02 2000 09:31 AM Re: French Movie Par Excellence
vendome Offline
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Registered: Sun May 21 2000
Posts: 1778
Loc: Body: PA USA Heart: Paris   
A superb French film is "Ponnette", a real heartbreaker of a film that has won many awards (I believe it won 'Best Film' at the Cannes Film Festival. Unfortunately, I've leant it to a friend so I don't have the specifics as to Director, stars, etc. Roger Ebert called it the 'one of the best films' he's ever seen.

The story involves a 5 year old girl who survives an auto accident that killed her mother. The story details how a 5 year old comes to terms with death...both from how adults handle its presentation to a child, and the input from her peers. For example, Ponnette (the child) hears the Easter story about how Christ rose from the dead after 3 days; she waits patiently beside her mom's grave for the same thing to happen. You'll need several boxes of tissues to get through this one!!!

It is noted particularly for the performance the Director got from the 5 year old actress who plays Ponnette. It is truly remarkable. Though I must say I did think about the stories I heard about Margaret O'Brien, the former child actress who, when the script called for a crying scene would be told for, for example, that her puppy had just been killed, her grandmother had just dropped dead, etc. Talk about therapy bills!

It's an excellent example of how what we say to a child is processed, received and interpreted. But have those tissues ready.

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#31663 - Mon Nov 06 2000 04:28 AM Re: French Movie Par Excellence
tomije Offline
Prolific

Registered: Tue May 09 2000
Posts: 1740
Loc: St. Paul
Minnesota USA
Dammit, Vendome, you are one sappy guy. But I hear you on kids performances. This doesn't fit in the thread, so I'll just recommend the finest child performance I ever saw real quick: "The Fallen Idol" directed by Carol Reed (same MAN who directed the Third Man). Though I think "The Fallen Idol" may be it's American title. The kid in it is unbelievably good. And of course, Haley Joel Osment is proving his way--"The Sixth Sense", "Pay It Forward" (which I will not see).

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Coming or going, we must view the next century with an eye toward the possible continuence of our species on this planet and I'd rather be coming.

--John Muir, 1973

_________________________
There comes a time when every man feels the urge to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and start slitting throats.

-- H.L. Mencken

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#31664 - Tue Nov 07 2000 12:15 AM Re: French Movie Par Excellence
TemplarLLM Offline
Prolific

Registered: Thu Jun 22 2000
Posts: 1471
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
yes, "Pay it Forward" does appear particularly lame, but there seems to be a lot of bland crap on screen right now...that new Bobby D. flick with the whole diving shennanigans looks very very sad, even if it is based on a true story.

My secretary recommends "Children of Heaven", although she does not remember who the Director was, nor any of the cast. Apparently it is about a brother and sister. The brother loses his sister's shoe, and to replace his sister's shoe he enters a competition for the third place prize, which is a pair of running shoes..the story goes on from there. She tells me it a very touching, cute, and light relief type movie. I looked it up quickly at www.foreignfilms.com ... check out the reviews at http://www.foreignfilms.com/film.asp?film_id=2400&search=1 The Director is Majid Majidi and it was made in 1997.

Oh, stop press, she also reccomends "My New Partner" from the 80's about a cop with a new partner. Apparently this is hilarious. The French title is "Les Ripoux" (1984). Looks to me like an early French Beverly Hills Cop, you know straight working cop with cop who cuts corners story. Site to check it out on is http://www.imdb.com/Title?0088002 The Director is Claude Zidi and it was rated R for the US, but only 14 for Switzerland.

She really wants me to post this info, however, and if I want my new supplies, i'd better concede.

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