foutiroir Reviews

Une affaire d'état (2009)

A great french political thriller

[9/10 · 21 June 2010]

It's been a while since the last convincing french spy movie, and "State Affairs" might open a new era, as Olivier Marchal's "36, Quai des Orfèvres" did for french police thrillers.

The pace is a typical french one for a spy movie, as in the great "Le silencieux" by Claude Pinoteau or the stunning "Espion, lève-toi" by Yves Boisset.

The investigation goes slowly on, piece by piece, and all of them matters. The background intrigue is settled in Africa, where French soldiers are held hostages by rebel forces in Congo. The shadow "Mr. Africa" for the french Presidency, Victor Bornand, wonderful André Dussolier, has to deliver weapons as ransom to free the hostages, but the plane delivering the cargo is shot down somewhere over Congo. Bornand will then have to find who's trying to burn him with this potential scandal, in the middle of the presidential campaign.

From these premises, we follow a young police officer, Rachida Brakni (delivering a bluffing performance), who's investigation on the murder of a young woman leads to a particular "Madame", manager of a very select escort-agency. Who happens to be intimate with our Mr. Africa.

Third destiny, the one of a former member of the french secret services (DRI - new agency born from the merging of DGSE and DST after 9/11), Fernandez - very convincing Thierry Frémont - that works now as a hit-man for Bornand.

Those three will see their paths crossing, with a score that reminds of old Italian westerns such as the famous "Django" movies or Ennio Morricone's score for "Espion, lève-toi".

The cinematography is efficient and beautiful, night scenes are especially good, as the superb run across Montmatre near the end. Both editing and dialogues are flawless, leading us through corruption, murder, dirty state secrets' and struggle for power and surviving.

9/10 because of some unnecessary pathos.

Braquo (2009–2016)

A French Masterpiece

[8/10 · 23 January 2010]

Olivier Marchal, series's creator, screenwriter and co-director, has been a cop for many years before he became the now acclaimed director we know. He always said he used his own knowledge of the field for his movies.

"Braquo", one of the latest Canal Plus TV production (see also "La Commune"), tells the story of a Police Group which crosses the line and uses rough methods. Which will draw the attention of Internal Affairs, as they start investigating the Group. The Group, leaded by Eddy Caplan (Jean-Hugues Anglade, who stared in Marchal's first movie "Gangsters"), will go deeper and deeper in its dark path, using the very same methods that the gangsters he's after. The tagline "Gangsters have changed, police too" gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect: nothing but the tough reality. The story is really breathtaking and makes you end up dying for the next episode.

This mini-series has also a political background, referring to the use of french police by the government for political purposes. It's also a reflexion about police methods and morality.

The two directors, Marchal and Frédéric Schoendoerffer (son of Pierre Schoendoerffer and director of "Truands" amongst others), made a wonderful job: great acting, appropriate photography, thrilling score... to make it short, it's quite an achievement.

Don't miss it.

King of the Ants (I) (2003)

A non-typical Gordon's flick

[28 October 2004]

Wow! I have to say that I had the pleasure to meet Mr. Stuart Gordon and I was very surprised to see a very quiet man, quite always laughing. I mean, for anyone who had seen some of his movies, it might be a surprise.

I do think that "King of the Ants" proves that Stuart Gordon is not only a horror film director, but also a director, portion. The acting is good, the direction too, with a lot of veiled references to the cinema (like the origin of the nickname of one of the bad guys coming from John Wayne, Duke). The hallucinations sequences just freak you out and are insane at will. The newcomer McKenna is very good, as all the cast. More that a horror flick, we're in some kind of weirdo revenge movie. What I liked the most is that all characters are realistic. The movie truly tells you about how an ordinary guy can be changed into a bloodthirsty killer. And the torture scenes are just unbearable.

Well, thanks Mr. Gordon!

We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004)

Sober life and love story

[19 August 2004]

Two couples, husbands working together and wives being close friends, have to face their own desires. Problem is that Jack (Ruffalo) fall in love with Edith (Watts) who's Hanks (Krause) wife. We could hope Hank getting laid with Terry (Dern), Jack's spouse, would be the beginning of a solution, and that everybody would get a happy end. But we are not in Disneyland and things are a little more complicated in real life. And this is the interesting thing about this movie. It's real, could be, so much that you feel awkward by moments. And the actors are great. It's always a pleasure for me to see Ruffalo in this kind of movies, rather than "18 going on 30"... Watts is also very good, as she was in "21 Grams". Krause do a very good job, pretty far from the character he has in "Six Feet Under", and it's nice to see Dern again. The characters are imperfect, they are just human and this help us judging them, as the work on the screenplay do help us too. No judgment, just pure (or impure) emotions. The slow rhythm chosen to tell us the story works very good, and give us the time to feel the tension. The score works also perfectly, and allows us to go deeper in this sober life and love story.

Opening Night (1977)

this is a bliss

[10/10 · 19 August 2004]

Let's go straight to the point: this is The Movie I would take with me on a desert island (with dvd player). It's just perfect. If a reason for you to see a movie is that you love the actors, you like to see them free to involve in the space and feelings, this movie is for you. See the scene when Myrtle (Rowlands) come on stage drunk and Maurice(Cassavetes) has to improvise because she doesn't follow the script anymore. If you're sensitive to the camera's movements, you'll be fascinated by the way the camera moves on stage, the particular flow, that give you the impression camera follow the actors as if it was lead by the theatrical principle of "private space"... amazing. And the story is just a brilliant mix of tale and realistic drama. Cassavetes is again arguing with Hollywood and the majors' politics, but this time, he do it through Broadway, making one of the most exciting movie about theater. Well, this movie is a bliss.

The Taste of Tea (2004)

absurd humor and poetry - don't miss it!

[5 July 2004]

Really fantastic! Ishii offers us a great moment of dream, with humor, absurdity and poetry. Some kind of Non Identified Movie that you quite don't see any more. Everything is built around a little girl getting exhausted by her giant imaginary double. She has a manga-designer mother, a reserved father, a fist-in-love brother, a nut grandfather and a mysterious uncle. This delirious and particular family will follow its path through more than two hours of slow poetry, giving the audience a wonderful time. Don't miss it if you have any chance of watching it, you'll be dreaming in a theater!

Gagamboy (2004)

great parody

[8/10 · 5 July 2004]

Of course, with 250'000$ budget, it's impossible to have the spectacular result of Spider-Man. Yet, this movie is better than the American original. Full of humor (some scenes could have been done by the Monty Pythons!), the movie offers us also an interesting look on poverty and politics in Philippines. The colors (a lot in this movie) remember the Philippines comics, and make the townships look like in soap operas. The 2nd degree - always present - make this movie interesting for both adults and kids. Actors are good in this comedy, doing enough to make us laugh and passing emotions through the screen. Well done! Thanks Matti & Co!

The Machinist (2004)

Well played but no surprise

[5/10 · 5 July 2004]

This movie could have reached "Fight Club" or "Memento" if the scenario would have been as good as the actors (Bale, Jason Leigh and Ironside mostly). But we're far from it. In fact, after 25 minutes, the plot is easily delivered and then you only have a very good acting but nothing else to feed with. The treatment of the idea is so simple, clues and keys are so evident that you don't really care of what's gonna happen. As if the director feared that the audience wouldn't get the point. But it's so easy that a 12 years old kid would tell you he got it in the first hour. Pity because this could really have been a great movie. The cinematography and photography are very good ans even sometimes courageous (almost balck'n'white for a couple of scenes). And some shots will keep you awake, like the one on a phantom train in a lunapark. So, thanks to the actors. Little spank for the writer.

Lost in Translation (2003)

Give me more!

[10/10 · 2 March 2004]

Wow, this movie is great. It's like life: you see a lot of people and of things you don't understand, till you find the one. For me it has something to do with "in the mood for love". Same two lost persons meeting and discovering they are not alone on earth. I wish I could be at their places.

And Bill Murray is fantastic. Sobre, cynical but human. A laconic sense of humor.

And this women is to lovely, so graceful, it's just perfect.

The originality of the photo, this particular look of her, make me feel that Sofia Coppola is important to me as director as Spike Lee or Cassavetes. I can hardly stand till her next piece.