9/11/11

On 9th September 2001, I was living at home in the box room, single, working in a crappy office job day dreaming about travelling and working abroad. The events that day proved life is to short and made me work towards my dream, which I achieved. I went overseas, made new friends and fell in love.
Now after watching all news coverage today, I took time to reevaluate my life - I'm back living at home in the box room, single, working in another crappy office job still day dreaming about travelling but the dream is to own my own home and lots of visits to France....and a certain film festival.

Mercredi Orange - One Day

After one day together -- July 15, 1988, their college graduation -- Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew begin a friendship that will last a lifetime. She is a working-class girl of principle and ambition who dreams of making the world a better place. He is a wealthy charmer who dreams that the world will be his playground. For the next two decades, key moments of their relationship are experienced over several July 15ths in their lives. Together and apart, we see Dex and Em through their friendship and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. Somewhere along their journey, these two people realize that what they are searching and hoping for has been there for them all along.
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/o/One-Day/index-11870659.html

I didn't want to see this film, love stories are not my cup of tea but I had seen everything else (that wasn't 3D). It wasn't as bad as I was expecting, abit long, Anna Hathaway's terrible and bizarre English accent and I won't be rushing to buy the book. However some parts I compared to my relationship with Monsieur X, especially the parts were Dexter was being a selfish dick and Emma would still be there for me and love him unconditionally.

Life imitating Art or Art imitating Life - it's all the same to me.

Mercredi Orange - Cowboys and Aliens

1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution.The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde. It's a town that lives in fear. But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/c/Cowboys-amp-Aliens/index-10016316.html

Ok it's not going to win any Oscars and the aliens looked like puppets with string, but it was good fun. Daniel Craig was excellent kicking ass (you can take the man out of Bond but you can't take Bond out of the man), even thou it looked a bit skinny. Wasn't impressed with Harrison Ford's performance, I felt he was abit wooden. Cowboys and Aliens was over the top, but unique (I have never seen a film with cowboys and aliens in it at the same time). A good Wednesday evening viewing but I hope there isn't a sequel.

My French Movie Weekend

August is turning out to be a busy month, not with a social life, holidays or long hours at work, but with relaxing and distressing. Letting things go over my head instead of screwing up my head. Ah Oui,  I think there is light at the end of my Monsieur X  tunnel.

What a French themed film weekend I have had. My arse hasn’t moved from the sofa (apart from trips to the bathroom and the kitchen) and being home alone this weekend I could watch subtitled movies in peace. So where do I start order of preference or viewing.? I think viewing

Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adele Blanc-Sec (The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec)

Desperate to cure her near catatonic sister, intrepid authoress Adèle Blanc-Sec braves ancient Egyptian tombs and modern Egyptian lowlife to locate a mummified doctor and get him back to Paris. Her hope is that oddball Professor Espérandieu will then use his unusual powers to bring the doctor back to life so he, in turn, can use his centuries-old skills on the unfortunate sister. In Paris however Espérandieu is already causing mayhem, having brought to life what was a safe museum egg but is now a very active pterodactyl. Paris 1911 may not be the healthiest place to be. Written by Jeremy Perkins {J-26}
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1179025/

 
 
This wasn’t as good as I expecting it to be from the reviews. It was still enjoyable to watch when you want to rest your brain on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Very much a mixture of Indiana Jones and The Mummy movies and as I thought those movies were just OK, it’s no surprise that I found Adèle Blanc-Sec was alright or maybe it was Gilles Lellouche's comedy moustache that makes me rate this film as Ok instead of brilliant.


Les Rivieres Pourpres (The Crimson Rivers)

Veteran cop Pierre Niemans is sent to Guernon to investigate a bizarre murder near a legendary private school isolated in the Alps. And it's no ordinary murder; the killer has been very methodical, leaving twisted inexplicable clues to his motive. Meanwhile Max Kerkerian, an impetuous young cop and former car thief, arrives at a desecrated graveyard 180 miles away. Someone has disturbed the grave of a child who died twenty years before. These two seemingly random events are about to collide as the separate investigations lead the detectives right to one another. The more experienced Niemans begrudgingly joins forces with the brash Max to track down the killer. Despite his ribbing and constant sarcastic banter, Max respects the older cop. The two crimes are assuredly linked--but how? What could the prestigious school possibly have to hide?

Next! Crimson Rivers - Can always rely on the French to give me a good to brilliant thriller. It seems they love a few twists in a story. I think Vincent Cassel and Jean Reno must be the coolest Frenchies to walk the earth. I never knew there was a sequel - The Crimson Rivers II: The Angels of the Apocalypse. That’s on top of my things to do list now - search for a cheap DVD of it.

Les Petits Mouchoirs (Little White Lies)

Of course I have already praised and raved about Little White Lies ( See my previous blog entry - Le Petit Monchoirs - J’adore Cap Ferret) but watching this film which is set in beautiful Cap Ferret again (and again) makes me reminisce about my week there with Monsieur X in 2009. Cycling around the area trying to find the film set as they were filming at the time.


Caché (Hidden)

Georges, who hosts a TV literary review, receives packages containing videos of himself with his family--shot secretly from the street--and alarming drawings whose meaning is obscure. He has no idea who may be sending them. Gradually, the footage on the tapes becomes more personal, suggesting that the sender has known Georges for some time. Georges feels a sense of menace hanging over him and his family but, as no direct threat has been made, the police refuse to help.... written by Simon Jones
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387898/

As I said a few sentences ago, I think the French make the best thrillers and I love the twists and turns but this film was too slow for me. I found myself fast forwarding parts. I know filming the front of the house was part of the storyline but it was very dull and even on fast forward it was far to long.




Panique au village ( A Town Called Panic)

Animated plastic toys like Cowboy, Indian and Horse have problems, too. Cowboy and Indian's plan to surprise Horse with a homemade birthday gift backfires when they destroy his house instead. Surreal adventures take over as the trio travel to the center of the earth, trek across frozen tundra and discover a parallel underwater universe where pointy-headed (and dishonest!) creatures live. With panic a permanent feature of life in this papier mâché town, will Horse and his girlfriend ever be alone? Written by Anonymous
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1433540/

This film was perfect for a French beginner like me, slower and more understandable but it couldn’t keep me awake. Boring!





Finally non of the films gave me any more ideas on how I can get to France or the Cannes Film Festival. However I’m more determined to watch more French films, learn the language and visit that beautiful country again.

Mercredi Orange - Super 8

‘In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth - something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.’
http://uk.specials.movies.yahoo.com/super8/

I loved this movie. A big melting pot of Spielberg and 80’s movies all mixed into a two hour film, I felt like a kid again and I didn’t look at my watch once an extra star rating earned for that. The kids weren’t so annoying (in my option most American kids in movies are annoying), but just a comment to the fat kid - you will never be Chunk from the Goonies.

It was good to have some 80s nostalgia, but is there any chance Filmmakers could be make something original instead of using ideas from their idols.

Mercredi Orange - Rise of the Planet of the Apes

‘Set in present day San Francisco, the film is a reality-based cautionary tale, a science fiction/science fact blend, where man's own experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy.’
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/r/Rise-of-the-Planet-of-the-Apes/index-10485240.html

Could that really happen??? Probably. Will it really happen? Maybe. After the riots in Boredville a few weeks ago maybe it has happened already. No! I’m being stupid as apes are more intelligent and well behaved compare to the scum destroying everything in sight.

Yes the ape special effects were very good, but so was the story and acting. Ok it didn’t have much to live up to after Planet of the Apes in 2001 (even my love for Mark Wahlberg could not make that movie enjoyable) however it was good escapism after a busy day….or maybe its the future not escapism.

I so need to stop over analyzing everything.

Mercerdi Orange - Captain America ( a break from the riots)

'Captain America: The First Avenger' will focus on the early days of the Marvel Universe when Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America. As Captain America, Rogers joins forces with Bucky Barnes  and Peggy Carter to wage war on the evil HYDRA organization, led by the villainous Red Skull.
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/features/captain-america/

 

After a two nights of rioting in Boredville, having to evacuate my city centre office in the afternoon after warnings from the police that the area isn't safe - no thug was going to stop me from my Wednesday trip to the cinema.  Where is Captain America when you need him? When Boredville was looking like a scene from Planet of the Apes (even thou Apes are way more intelligent than the yobs).

After Thor, Captain America had a tough job in matching the long haired hero with a hammer, and as I usually get bored of a long film, knowing this was two hours long- the Captain had to keep me interested.  He did, I never looked at my watch once and being the shallow human being that I am.  I did prefer the beefed up Captain America to the skinny Steven Rogers and I did find it alittle weird Dominic Cooper playing Robert Downing Jr's Dad ( the Starks).  With another connection to next year's Avengers movie which is suppose to included Thor and Iron Man as well as CA, I hope it lives up to the hype and anticipation. 

I give it: 4 stars

As for the the low life scum - they can take the Orange phones, they can smash up the Orange shops but they weren't going to wreak Orange Wednesday for me.