jfseignol Reviews

21 Nights with Pattie (2015)

Feel-good movie about necrophilia

[9/10 · 10 December 2015]

This movie firstly seems to be a comedy confronting two women with radically different attitude about sex: Patty describes her very active sex life with a lot of embarrassing details to the shy and conservative bourgeois Caroline who just wants to conduct the funeral for her mother. Beyond these very funny scenes, it turns out to be a beautiful, heart-warming and poetic reflection about sex, happiness, grief and death. We follow Caroline in her journey from a sad, conventional, "respectable" life to the discovery of simple happiness, helped by the memories of her late libertine mother and a series of funny and nice people. The two main actresses are wonderful. (Note that contrary to what this review may imply, there are no sex scenes in this movie, although some language may sound very explicit).

Much Loved (2015)

Intelligent and touching movie about what prostitution really is

[10/10 · 27 September 2015]

This movie shows in a very realistic form what is behind prostitution: the life and feelings of prostitute themselves. Some scenes are very crude, but there is no vulgarity or pornography in this movie; the reality which is presented is vulgar, the film is not. The intelligent aspect of this movie is that it doesn't impose any moral judgment: it only shows facts, people, the ones who pay for prostitution, the ones who take advantage of it (sometimes condemning it at the same time), the ones who accept it... Even if the reality of the four women and the man making their living by selling their body is often sad, the movie is not tearful; it is full of life, energy and some lines are even very funny. The three main actresses play with great talents these subtle and difficult roles.

Comedy of Power (2006)

Based on "Elf affair"

[9/10 · 1 March 2006]

This new movie by Claude Chabrol is directly inspired by a true story. The "Affaire Elf", named by the french oil-company, was a large financial and political scandal where several top-level french politicians where involved, such as Roland Dumas (ex foreign-affairs minister) or Charles Pasqua (ex minister of interior). As in the true story, a judge is investigating about some corruption in business between a french major company and some African states. Most of the characters in the movie are very similar to real persons involved in the "Affaire Elf".

The movie focuses on two subjects: the first one is how the judge (Isabelle Huppert) becomes more and more addicted to the power she uses by sending powerful businessmen to jail; the second one is the wide-scale cynicalness of people involved in the scandal, used to play with public money and take advantage of this without seeing anything immoral.

A good movie, very funny because, as stated at the beginning "any similarity with real person or event would be, as it is said, fortuitousness".

Imposture (2005)

A sick relationship

[7/10 · 15 June 2005]

This movie is the second directed by Bouchitey, after "Lune froide" (Cold moon, 1991). This new one seems to be more "polite", less cynical and sick than the previous one. "Seems", because, after a (slightly slow and too easy to predict) first part based on the life of a university teacher and notorious literature critic, the movie turns out to be the story of the madness of a man, and the sick relationship between him and his student/prisoner.

The movie focus on the behaviour and psychology of the main character, played by Bouchitey. How, from a frustrated writer, he becomes a maniac, then how, from a cold psychotic, he unveils the cracks of his soul.

Both main character, Bouchitey and the young Laetitia Chardonnet, are interesting, moving and deep.

If one shall find the end of the movie a little bit "quick", and the whole plot too predictable, this movie remains a good thriller and a good portrait of an ambiguous maniac/victim relationship.

Iznogoud- Caliph Instead of the Caliph (2005)

Hollow scenario, no humour

[1/10 · 13 March 2005]

This movie is based on an old (mid 70's) french graphic novel once famous for its humour, based both on situations and on strange and funny characters name (as the main character, Vizir Iznogoud). The adaptation to cinema is a total failure. Braoudé, the writer, totally lacks of imagination. Based on the graphic novel, a continuous flow of gags, hilarious situations, references to classical movies and/or political situation are waited for. But nothing, or quite, happens. A few bad jokes, often predictable (such as the gate in the middle of the desert), a bad copy of "Asterix - Mission Cleopatra" ancient/modern conversations (the flying carpet described as a brand new car), some poor references to the movie "Pretty woman", and that's all folks! 10 (bad) jokes in a 1h30-long movie, it's poor, especially when this movie is supposed to be a comedy. I watched it in a movie-theater in a small town in France. Except, sometimes, a six-year old boy, nobody laughed! Maybe Braoudé should try another job, something which doesn't involved imagination and creative skills...

Les fautes d'orthographe (2004)

Good actors for an interesting movie about the "good old time" school

[7/10 · 30 November 2004]

"Les fautes d'orthographes" tells two stories, which is the main drawback of this interesting movie: at the end, we have a feeling of unachievement, because two (intricate) plots are started, and none are really finished.

Despised this problem, I strongly recommend this movie, for both plots. The first one is the portray of a young teenager put in a difficult position (his father is the severe head of the boarding school where he is pupil) at a difficult time (being 14-year-old, his body is still the one of a child). The conflict with the father, the discovery of sexuality, the embarrassing presence of the mother... contribute to a strong tension, stressed by the natural sadism of teenagers in a boarding school.

The second plot is about the discovery of radical political action of the group of pupils to react against the severe head of the school. These young people read anarchist authors and try to apply their theory of revolution ("hop hop hop rebellion!") to the pre-68 school administration. The movie turns to a discovery of the right to rebel against authority.

Let's finish this comment by mentioning the very good level of each actor, both adults and teenagers.

Crimson Rivers 2: Angels of the Apocalypse (2004)

Totally stupid scenario

[1/10 · 29 February 2004]

This movie is a shame. How can Besson dare propose such a silly scenario? Besson concatenates clichés of fantastic-techno thriller (religious themes focused on spectacular parts of the Bible, classic former nazi who wants to conquer the world, new-age evangelists, so-called dark-ages secret history,...). The global story is full of incoherences, scenes are illogical between each others, a lot of scenaristic "effects" are ridiculous (the chase with the monk in the hospital, the ambush against Reno with an old german machine-gun turret...). The end of the movie is totally stupid. It is a very bad cameo of Indiana Jones. The dialogues are bad, always cliché. The shooting style is very "clipesque", camera is always moving, lights are totally artificial, very nervous, but it doesn't succeed in hiding the drawbacks of the scenario.

Tycoon: A New Russian (2002)

Interesting, but lack of finesse

[6/10 · 14 May 2003]

A good movie about modern Russia. Two major problems, imho :

1) The desire of shooting "nice pictures" is often too invasive in the movie, it makes all the story too heavy, too dramatic

2) The financial aspect, the "how they succedd in conning people (and state)" is too quickly described. I'd rather had got more explanations.

But, despite its duration (more than 2 hours), this movie stays very interesting.