Maria (2021)

Genre: Franco / Drama / Comedy
Réalisateur: Alec Pronovost
Distribution: Mariana Mazza, Alice Pascual, Florence Longpré
Durée : 90 minutes

 

Maria est une femme de 30 ans qui ne fait rien de sa vie. Elle aspire à devenir comédienne, mais elle n’arrive pas à décocher des rôles. Pour faire plaisir à sa mère mourante, chez qui elle habite encore, elle décide de se trouver un travail, comme enseignante suppléante.

Ce film est assez caricatural. Somme toute, il contient des performances correctes, pour la plupart, et plusieurs scènes très drôles. Le jeu est parfois gros et l’histoire n’est pas toujours bien ficelée, mais c’est un divertissement potable.

Note: «««

Roger Waters: Us + Them (2019)

Genre: Musical
Directed by: Roger Waters and Sean Evans
Starring: Roger Waters, Jonathan Wilson, Dave Kilminster
Running time: 101 minutes

 

This live concert was captured during the 2017-2018 tour done by Roger Waters, formerly of Pink Floyd. Over the course of two hours, Waters performs some of his solo material and some stuff from the Pink Floyd days. The visual effects are absolutely astounding. The set and the stuff on the giant screen are mesmerizing. Musically speaking, I am not a huge fan of progressive rock. I find it masturbatory at times. That being said, here is a solid set of music performed by a talented artist and his team of musicians. It was great to revisit those classics and to hear the newer stuff.

Rating: ««««

CBGB (2013)

Genre: Biographical / Drama
Directed by: Randall Miller
Starring: Alan Rickman, Malin Akerman, Justin Bartha
Running time: 101 minutes

 

This film tells the true story of Hilly Kristal and how he created the popular venue called CBGB, in the New York City of the 1970’s, that became a massive launching pad for such bands and artists as The Ramones, Iggy Pop, Blondie, Patti Smith and many more.

Alan Rickman was really good as Hilly Kristal, but the supporting cast was a little too weak to support him in telling the story. And for a movie about the rise of punk music in New York, the finished product looked too cartoonish for its own good.

Nonetheless, I still found the subject matter interesting, which made the flaws that much more of a deception. I appreciated the tribute to Krystal, by the Talking Heads, at their Rock N’ Roll Hall Fame induction, being shown during the end credits.

Rating: «««

Beautiful Creatures (2000)

Genre: Thriller
Directed by: Bill Eagles
Starring: Rachel Weisz, Susan Lynch, Iain Glen
Running time: 86 minutes

 

Petula and Dorothy are both stuck in abusive relationships of their own. Their paths cross when one accidently kills the other woman’s boyfriend trying to stop a public beating. Both women work together on a scam to get money from the deceased’s brother, but things go sideways when a crooked cop gets involved.

This movie contains a few bright spots of witty dark humor, but, overall, it is a very forgettable piece of cinema. The story is a mess and the performances are nothing to write home about.

Rating: ««

The Box (2009)

Genre: Science-fiction / Thriller
Directed by: Richard Kelly
Starring: Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella
Running time: 115 minutes

 

Based on the 1971 short story Button, Button, by Richard Matheson, The Box tells the story of NASA engineer, Arthur Lewis, and his teacher wife, Norma. They have a son called Walter and they are having financial issues. Early one morning, a package is left on their doorstep containing a wooden box with a button on top. Later that day, Norma is visited at her home by a mysterious disfigured man called Arlington Steward, who tells them they have 24-hours to decide if they want to push the button on the box they received. If they do, they will receive 1 million dollars in cash, but someone they do not know will die. Their decision will set off a chain of events they could not predict.

The premise deals with an interesting moral dilemma. If that was offered, would you take it? As for the film itself, the acting performances were decent enough for the most part. The story offered some moments of good thrills, but there seemed to lack something to tie the whole thing together. It dragged along at times and felt discombobulated in certain moments. But, in the end, there is a nice little message about society and taking shortcuts here.

Rating: «««

Aline (2021)

Genre: Franco / Drama / Comedy
Réalisateur: Valérie Lemercier
Distribution: Valérie Lemercier, Sylvain Marcel, Danielle Fichaud  
Durée : 123 minutes

 

Librement inspiré de la vie de la chanteuse Céline Dion, ce film raconte l’histoire d’Aline Dieu, quatorzième enfant d’un famille modeste du Québec qui devient une star internationale après avoir été découverte par le producteur Guy-Claude Kamar, qui devient son gérant et ensuite son mari.

Avec ce film, les critiques sont dans deux camps diamétralement opposés. Les gens ont soit aimé ou détesté. Je suis dans le deuxième camp. Non, mais quel merde ce film. Et ne croyez pas que c’est par désir de protéger Céline. Je ne suis pas du tout un fan de Céline. Si Lemercier avait voulu faire une caricature de son film, j’aurais compris et ri avec elle. Mais, c’est qu’elle semble sérieuse. Le faux accent québécois horrible, les faux noms ridicules et impossibles donnés à la fausse Céline et à son entourage, la gestuelle maladroite et caricaturale dans les bouts sur scène, tout est vraiment nul. On jurerait du mauvais Louis de Funès. Il n’y a que Danielle Fichaud qui m’a fait sourire par sa performance, avec quelques répliques savoureuses, dans le rôle de la mère d’Aline.

Vraiment, Aline, c’est d’une platitude infinie.

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Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life (2018)

Genre: Comedy / Musical
Directed by: Marcus Raboy
Starring: Steve Martin, Martin Short
Running time: 74 minutes

 

Writers, comedians and actors Steve Martin and Martin Short got together on stage, in Greenville, South Carolina, for a TV special filled with comedy, banter and music. Some of the stuff was a little hacky, but it was still a fun show, mostly because of these two legends having fun together on stage in front of a crowd. Short is a dynamo of energy, and Martin is one hell of a musician. They share a great chemistry on stage and I was entertained by this.

Rating: ««««

The Big Wedding (2013)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Justin Zackham
Starring: Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Katherine Heigl
Running time: 89 minutes

 

Don and Ellie Griffin were married for 20 years before getting divorced. From their marriage came three kids, now grown adults. Their youngest, who they adopted from Columbia, is set to be married. So as to not offend his birth mother, travelling to the US for the first time, they have to pretend to still be a couple over the weekend of the wedding, in spite of the fact that Don now has another woman, Bebe, in his life.

What could have been a very silly, pointless flick was greatly improved in my view by a talented ensemble cast. Some of the humor missed the mark but other lines made me chuckle. It is a fun little movie for a weekend where you do not want to overthink things. It was also a nice treat to see a Robin Williams performance I had missed.

Rating: «««

Mama (2013)

Genre: Horror
Directed by: Andy Muschietti
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier
Running time: 100 minutes

 

Victoria and Lily Desange are two young girls who get abandoned by their father in a cabin in the woods. For five years, they are cared for by this unknown entity they call Mama. When they are found, five years later, in a feral state, they are sent to live with their uncle Lucas, who cares for them with his girlfriend Annabel. But Mama follows the girls there, bringing chaos in and out of the household.

While the acting and the visuals are pretty good, the story and the direction are such a mess that this one was tough to sit through. By the end of it, I was just glad it was over. It was not really that scary and it all made no sense when you tried to comprehend what the point of it all was.

Rating: ««

Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

Genre: Science-fiction /Action
Directed by: Tim Miller
Starring: Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis
Running time: 107 minutes

 

Set 25 years after the events of Terminator 2, this film tells the story of another Terminator being sent through time to eliminate Dani Reyes, whose fate is tied to the future. An augmented soldier called Grace team up with Sarah Connor and Snynet’s T-800 Terminator to protect Reyes.

While definitely better than the previous installments that followed the classic that was Terminator 2, I think it is definitely time to put this one to rest. Seeing Linda Hamilton and Arnold together on screen again was cool, and the story had its moments, but it still lacked the magic from back then.

Rating: «««

Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)

Genre: Drama / Comedy
Directed by: Alfredo de Villa
Starring: John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Alfred Molina
Running time: 103 minutes

 

The Rodriguez clan, a family of Puerto Rican descent from Chicago, are getting back together for the holidays. Mauricio, who is making his way in the business world, arrives with his wife. Jesse, a US soldier returning injured from Iraq, arrives with quite a bit of baggage. Roxanna is also back, with a highly exaggerated story about her career in Hollywood. What they all find at home is not what they expected.

This was actually a pretty good film. I expected a run-of-the-mill cheesy Christmas movie, but what could have been a silly, pointless ordeal was made so much better by the acting performances and a compelling story. There was still a good dose of clichés and silliness but, overall, I actually liked this one.

Rating: ««««

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Genre: Drama
Directed by: Stephen Chbosky
Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller
Running time: 103 minutes

 

Stephen Chbosky directed this film based on his own novel of the same name. It tells the story of Charlie, a teenager trying to cope and find his own place in high school, as a freshman. He finds a group of friends to fit in, but his world will turn upside down as the reasons for his lingering PTSD finally burst out to the surface.

I absolutely loved this film. The main cast was as solid as you could want it to be. The portrayal of high school life felt truly realistic. And I adored how the story was told by Chbosky. We get bits and pieces until the full picture appears, and it all becomes so clear then. Great movie.

Rating: «««««

Something Wild (1986)

Genre: Comedy / Romance
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
Starring: Melanie Griffith, Jeff Daniels, Ray Liotta
Running time: 113 minutes

 

Charlie Driggs is yuppie investment banker living a boring life in New York City. Outside a diner, he meets a young woman who calls herself Lulu. She offers him a lift downtown, but they end up going on this crazy and wild weekend adventure together traveling to Pennsylvania, meeting with Lulu’s mother, her high school friends and a dangerous ex-husband.

This remains a fun film that has not aged too badly decades later. The two leads had a good on-screen chemistry and the story is told with talent by the director. Some of the stuff is a little zany or over-the-top, but, all things considered, this is one well worth revisiting.

Rating: ««««

20h17 rue Darling (2003)

Genre: Franco / Drama
Réalisateur: Bernard Émond
Distribution: Luc Picard, Guylaine Tremblay, Diane Lavallée
Durée : 101 minutes

 

Gérard est un ancien journaliste des faits divers qui a quitté le métier. Son alcoolisme a ruiné son travail et ses relations de couple. Maintenant sobre depuis un peu plus de six mois, il survit à l’explosion de l’édifice à appartements où il habite en raison d’un lacet détaché. Se demandant pourquoi il n’est pas mort avec les six autres victimes de l’explosion, dont une petite fille de 5 ans, ses instincts de journaliste lui reviennent et il part à la recherche de réponses.

J’ai beaucoup aimé ce film, qui se passe beaucoup en monologue interne avec le personnage principal. Luc Picard, comme toujours, est absolument crédible dans ce rôle d’homme qui tente de maintenir sa sobriété tout en se retrouvant rongé par les remords du survivant. Je me suis beaucoup identifié à son personnage, même si je n’ai pas nécessairement vécu la même chose. Certains personnages secondaires étaient un peu plus caricaturaux ou unidimensionnels, mais, dans l’ensemble, ce film est surtout un character-study de Gérard. Et, à cet égard, c’est pleinement réussi.

Note: ««««

Travelin' Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall (2022)

Genre: Musical / Documentary
Directed by: Bob Smeaton
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Creedence Clearwater Revival
Running time: 86 minutes

 

This film captures the full performance by American band Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall, in London, England, in 1970. It also offers a short documentary, narrated by none other than Jeff Bridges, on the creation of the group and its road up to that point.

I have always loved the music of CCR. To have this concert showing them live, before they completely imploded, was quite a treat. And to have it narrated by none other than the Dude itself, Jeff Bridges, really tied the whole thing together. While the documentary part felt a little dry at time, as it was exclusively based on archived footage, it was still cool and interesting.

Rating: ««««

The Queen (2006)

Genre: Biographical / Drama
Directed by: Stephen Frears
Starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell
Running time: 103 minutes

 

In the aftermath of Lady Diana’s untimely passing, in a car accident that happened in Paris, the Royal family wishes to treat the matter as a private affair, while British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Prince Charles and most of the public want a more public process to help with the national grief.

With the recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II, I decided to revisit this particular film. In spite of the fact that I am not keen on monarchy, to say the least, I greatly appreciated this title then and now. Helen Mirren was simply magnificent in the title role. And the supporting cast was also very good. This is a very compelling story brilliantly told on screen. Love it.   

Rating: «««««