Movie Reviews
This past month I got hooked on French movies on TV5. I saw ONLY 2 movies at the cinemas. Unbelievable! Although I'm a movie addict, lately I've been selective in my choices of films to watch. My criteria has up an ante. Unlike before when I would practically breeze in and out of a movie theater. Well hopefully, in August I'd find make the time to view more meaningful and significant movies.

Wicker Park => This one was pretty haunting with a wicked twist. The games people play when love enters the equation.


Monster-in- Law => No heavy plot to figure out, it was simply entertaining.


Sylvia => Dark tale about the tragic life of talented poet, Sylvia Platt. Sadly, it didn't delve more into her persona.


La Chanson du Macon [The Song of the Mason] => A single woman inherits a house from her dead uncle. The present inhabitants of the house are 3 very endearing characters of the third sex. Quite amusing as they try to match her with the mason/contractor who was hired to renovate the house.


La Reines d'un Jour [The Queens for a day] => An ensemble cast of Parisians living life as they know it. Their interactions, their careers, their fears and their daily existence. A realistic story about life in Paris!


Shark Tale => Cute, funny and very entertaining!


The Body => A priest is ordered by the Vatican to go to Jerusalem. He needs to debunk the theory that the body found in the crypt is that of Jesus Christ. In essence it would mean HE didn't resurrect on the 3rd day after his death. Thank God it was only a movie!


The Incredibles => Half way through this animation I fell asleep (because it was already past 3 am). But it was worth the P25 I paid for the rental - it was hilarious.


Constantine => I ran out of VCDs to borrow from the shop so I said ok why not? But ugh demons, angels, fiery hell - no thanks not my idea of fun. Horrifying!


War of the World => Something not quite right about this film. Nope it wasn't Tom Cruise! But anyways highly implausible scenario but it wasn't that bad either. Just blah!


Trois Petites Filles [3 little girls] => 3 teenagers hunt down Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis who are vacationing somewhere in Corsica. They need him to champion the cause of young Algerian women who are forced to marry old men in their villages. Yes, Johnny Depp! But he doesn't even make a cameo appearance. Their adventures along the way and the characters they encounter make the movie interesting.


La Crise [The Crisis] => Things take a turn for the worse when a guy loses his job then his wife leaves him. When he turns to his family for support - they don't really care. They have their own troubles! Only person to care is a homeless bum he met on the street. A French movie circa 1992. Good acting!


Un weekend pour le dire [A weekend of revelations] => To celebrate Louis' 50th birthday, his young wife surprises him the weekend before his actual natal day. All 3 of his older children and his ex-wife are present. It turns out he has a few surprises of his own which rattles his entire family. Typical dysfunctional family whose secrets are unraveled during that weekend.


Romuald et Juliette => The owner of a milk producing company is clueless. He isn't aware of the machinations of his employees, nor know his wife is having an affair. His company is sued when people are hospitalized from drinking contaminated milk. Juliette is the only person who can help him. She is the African cleaning lady who is privy to everything! Since she tidies up the office, every night.


Strip Search => An original HBO film which features 2 interrogations. One of an Arab guy detained in New York City. The other that of an American woman held in China. Both of them are subject to exactly the same tactics and same questions but in different contexts. Very interesting indeed! Terrorism in whatever form is a very sensitive issue to portray in films. This one succeeded!


Avenging Angelo => A spoiled wife's husband cheated on her, her seven year old son is at a boarding school and she doesn't know her real father is a Mafia boss. Throw in a bodyguard, portrayed by a wooden Stallone, who worships her and you have one crappy movie. But I needed something to occupy my Sabado nights.


What Dreams May Come => Flipping channels after above mentioned crappy movie, I came across this film. It shows there is life after death. That soul mates still find each other even if one is in heaven and the other one is doomed in hell. Beautiful, bright colors, great cinematography! Good acting from Robin Williams.
I cried when he told his wife (Annabella Sciorra):

"Thank you for every kindness. Thank you for our children. For the first time I saw them. Thank you for being someone I was always proud to be with. For your guts, for your sweetness. For how you always looked, for how I always wanted to touch you. God, you were my life. I apologize for everytime I ever failed you. Especially this one..."