TurquoiseB wrote: > With the Oscars looming, US film freaks might be > interested in what the snobbish, effete, intellec- > tual (that is to say, French) readers of Studio > voted as their favorites for film year 2007. I > find it an interesting pseudo-scientific study > on the difference between French film freaks' > sensibilities and what they value, compared to > those of American film freaks. > > Favorite Films Of 2007: > > 1. La vie des autres (The Lives Of Others, German). > I still have not seen this film, because my travels > have not brought me upon a version of one with > English subtitles. Sigh, alack. > > I think this won last year's Oscar. It has been available for some time on DVD in the US. Good film. > 2. La Môme (La vie en rose, French). Biopick about > Edith Piaf...would the French like it? Duh. > I haven't rented this one yet but it is at the local Hollywood Video where yesterday I picked up "Next" on HD-DVD for $10. You HD-DVD owners might want to drop by your local Hollywood Video which if they carried HD-DVD is blowing them out. > 3. Les chansons d'amour (Love Songs, French). This > one is "so French" in the same way that some things > are "so gay." It's a musical in the same pop opera > tradition as "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," and it's > about a romantic threesome to boot. "What ees not > to like about that, alors!" > Also on my list. > 4. La nuit nous appartient (We Own The Night, USA). > I'll admit it...I'm a film freak and I had never > even *heard* of this film before seeing it on this > list. Joaquin Phoenix, Robert Duvall, Eva Mendes, > Mark Wahlberg...great cast. Can't wait to see it. > > Just in at HV on BluRay so will watch it sometime soon hopefully when HV stops charging it's MVP members full rental on BluRay. Some of these movies slip right through the theaters in a couple of weeks. > 5. Les promesses de l'ombre (Eastern Promises, USA). > Ok, finally one I've seen and can comment on. Dark, > dark film, in the way that only David Cronenberg > can make a dark, dark film. But at the same time > almost uplifting and hope-inspiring in its darkness, > the polar opposite of the dark, dark and unrelenting > There Will Be Blood. > Good film. I always like Cronenberg but Canadian films are more artistic than Hollywood. > 6. Zodiac (USA). Saw it, wasn't knocked out. In fact, > it barely held my attention. The French love it. Go > figure. > You saw the David Fincher film not one of the knock-offs I hope. The unrated version is much better. I saw it on HD-DVD and there are a lot of great extras. Since I live in the area it was interesting to see a bit of this history. Fincher is obsessive-compulsive about detail and apparently gets to budget to be so. > 7. Ratatouille (USA). A way cool rat becomes a Cordon > Bleu chef in Paris. Again, "What ees not to like about > that, eh?" But I agree with the French...it belongs in > the Top Ten for the year. > Maybe when it makes its way to OnDemand. > 8. Persepolis (French/Iranian). Marjane Satrapi's > wonderful animated autobiography of growing up in Iran. > Highly recommended. > > This looked good but will reserve for rental. > 9. Le Scaphandre et le papillion (The Diving Bell and > the Butterfly, French). The true story of Elle editor > Jean-Dominique Bauby whose stroke has left only his > left eye not paralyzed, but who has a better life than > most of us. > Currently in arthouse around here in the "Exclusive San Francisco Engagement" venue. And who wants to drive into SF? > 10. De l'autre coté (The Other Side, Canada). Don't know > it. A thriller. Sounds interesting. > > Not aware of it but I like thrillers.
At least Sony Classic Films and LionsGate are still distributing foreign films here but not enough IMO. I so bore with over produced Hollywood drek. Speaking of which I was curious enough to see "Vantage Point" on opening day. Not as bad as the critics claim and somewhat entertaining. The critics got hung up on the "Roshomon" device which also annoyed the audience around me (but they probably didn't realize the device). It was at least entertaining. I plan to see "The Signal" this next week as it got a little better reviews. Oh, I met to post my 6 worder last week: "Too many movies, too little time." :)
