PARIS

I saw this film when I was in Mexico City, I was interested in the film because the cast included one of m favorite French actors, Romain Duris, maybe you don’t think you know him but if you have seen movies like; “Le Divorce”, “L'auberge espagnole”, “Moliere” or “The Beat that my heart skipped", you would remember him. The story is written and directed by Cedric Klapsich. The plot is kind of cliché; While waiting for a heart transplant that could save his life, Pierre (Duris) has his world invaded by his sister Elise played by Juliet Binoche, and her three children. Her performance is no way near her memorable ones in Kievlovski’s “Blue” or Minghella’s “The English Patient”. The awareness of his possible mortality, makes him get closer to his sister and kids, She also develops a kind of badly written affair with a butcher. The film doesn’t hold its promise, besides his cool apartment there are no great shots of Paris even. Is a film to watch at home or on a cold winter night with a good friend.

Me and Orson Welles

I was hesitant in going to see this film simply because of the bad connotation of having the High School Musical Star in this movie. However, it is directed by Richard Linklater, which I happen to really enjoy most of his films. It also has one of my favorite American actresses, Claire Danes, which I haven't seen in a long time. 

The film is entertaining, I was surprised by Zac Efron, he is not a good actor yet but he definitely could be a big Hollywood star if he doesn't derail like most Disney stars do.

The film is entertaining and has some really good actors in it. I recommend it as a good time.

NINE

It is hard to tell whether I liked the movie or not. I really liked the way the movie looks. I am a sucker for Mastroiani's sense of style those early 1960's looks are amazing. Based on a Broadway play based on "8 1/2" by Fellini. A favorite film of mine as it is for many as well.

Twice removed from the original, the movie sort of follows the story. The problem for me is that the main character played by Daniel Day Lewis, who lately plays himself, he sort of does it once again. Anyway, the character seems completely helpless and lacks any guts, I hated that, it got boring after a while to stress his dismay about life.

It is not a traditional American musical, has more of a European feel to it, certainly abstract. The female characters looked spectacular which was cool. My favorite number by far was Kate Hudson's that is worth going to see the film.

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh

A really intense movie based on a Michael Chabon novel. A great cast Jon Foster, Peter Saasgard Sienna Miller, Mena Suvari and Nick Nolte, directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber. The story is a complicated love triangle. The story of a tormented guy with a dominating father that belongs to the mafia, played by Nolte. The main caharacter Art, meets this couple and quickly befriends them under unusual circumstances. He develops a strong attraction to both of them, which complicates the issues even more. Definitely worth watching, great acting job from Peter Saarggard as usual.

"Intimidades entre Shakespeare y Victor Hugo"

I saw this movie at the cinemateque in Mexico city which is always a great experience, especially when the cost for all these national and international films is 3 dollars.

The movie is directed by Yulene Olaizola. The movie is a documentary about the director's grandmother who runs a boarding house. The tiltle of the film has to do with the name of the streets the house is located at; Shakespeare and Victor Hugo. The grandmother is a great woman, larger than life. The story actually focuses and the dramatic life ofa very particular guest a young gay guy, Jorge Riosse that became the grandmother's great friend. A painter, a singer, and perhaps a murderer whose life had a tragic end.

Parque Via

http://www.parquevia.com/

This is one of those modest jewels that you can find in cinema. It is a small film with a chilling end, Enrique Rivero's "Parque Via” is a film about a man that has worked for a family for 30 years and has taken care of an empty house for 10 years. A study of self-imposed solitude that's not boring, and an exploration of repressed emotions that's not alienating to the viewer, tale of a longtime caretaker of a vacant house whose self-contained existence is suddenly threatened plays almost like a low-key psychodrama or cerebral thriller. The man lives a lonely, but great life in a fantastic modern house located in Lomas, one of the best neighborhoods in Mexico City.

Beto, the main character, is an aging man that probably came from a rural town.  Apart from the rest of the world by high walls, and settled into a routine, cleaning and watching violent news reports on TV, he seems an island unto himself. A kind of ideal life, he has developed a fear of going to any kind of public place. He will start sweating and having anxiety attacks. 

The house after all those years is finally sold and Beto has no longer any use for the family. He will need to leave his peaceful island. His patrona (boss), La Senora, tries to do her best for Beto, who will soon be homeless and jobless, but events take a sudden, surprising turn. 

Though it's clear from their looks and demeanor, the social divide between the upper-class La Senora and working-class Beto is never put directly into words. He seems happy with the status quo and respectful of his employer, there is a kind of hidden affection, and she, in her own cool way, is attached to her loyal servant. The film’s power comes in the final act, though seemingly out of left field, in retrospect makes sense based on tiny nuances in the performances. Beautifully and masterfully directed, the actors are not professional, it has won some art house film festival like Locarno.

Limits of Control

“I always wanted to make an action film with no action, or a film with suspense but no drama.”

Jim Jarmusch

 

I saw Jim Jarmusch’s new film the Limits of Control the last day 0f 2009. I was blow away how cool literally the films is. it is minimalist and beautiful, a kind thriller, a bit James Bondish, about a cool intense man, “Lone Man” played by Isaach De Bankolé, sent from Madrid to Andalusia to do a task and all of the strange people he meets on the way. 

Many scenes reminded me of Antonioni’s beautiful and desolate takes; specially in L’Avventura. The main character stoic, elegant (he wears really cool suits) and handsome a kind of Marcello Mastroiani but for 2010, revealing great depth and sensation. The films uses these premises in a way practically new.

I grew fond of Jarmusch’s films after Coffee and Cigarettes, and Broken Flowers.  The narrative is cut and complex, at times but it reminds us of great eras of cinema like the 60’s. The film is hypnotic by using a classic cinematic language.  It reverses the typical formula; instead of jumping around for your attention it allows you the privilege of watching.  It’s the film’s time and movement and motivations that matter, and given the chance they will freeze you into a different understanding of things. 

I loved the premise of the film taken from Jose Alfredo Jimenez’s quote “La Vida No vale nada” (Life is worth nothing). A statement deeply rooted in the Mexican folk, curious choice, indeed. Many audiences in the world perhaps wouldn't not get the direct reference, which is reinforced by the “Mexican”, a character played by Gael Garcia Bernal.  

In many ways, Limits of Control is a lot like Dead Man, though maybe a little more of a diagram.  Like Dead Man the hero is on a journey, he meets a string of characters who make curious pronouncements about life, the inspiration is taken from ideas the main character takes from looking at the paintings at the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid. Whether the film is about reality or dreams is irrelevant. The trip is rendered like a lush dream saturated in the light of southern Spain and guitar feedback, the hero says virtually nothing but inhabits a space of enormous gravity and knowledge and calm.  A must see for those who enjoy great films.