Pasha's Film Reviews Etc.

9/10 The Major is a cyborg made of titanium, but with a human soul (her "ghost"). She works in Section 9, an anti terrorism unit, which is also her family, as she remembers nothing from her previous life. When a dangerous hacker starts killing the members of Hanka, the corporation of artificial intelligence technology, the case quickly becomes personal for the Major as one of her makers is on the hit list. But in the world where everyone holds bionic parts, and can be hacked and manipulated, who can she really trust? Original movie GHOST IN THE SHELL is a world phenomenon that has spawned a successful franchise, but also served as a topic for some philosophical dissertation. The animation by Mamoru Oshii that was an inspiration for the new film starring Scarlett Johansson, acquired a cult following and director Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman) had to play very safe, trying very hard to please everyone (old fans and new). Mostly it works. Th...

  6/10 Max and Leon are two orphans who have been best friends since early childhood and both are nothing but trouble. When the Second World War kicks in they are both summoned to serve. Their little town gives a sigh of relief as the two troublemakers are about to be dispatched, hopefully for good. Thus begin the adventures of Max and Leon as they go to war with Hitler, the French, the English, the Arabs and themselves. Here comes trouble! MAX & LEON is a fine example of what French comedy is about. Echoing the classical film with Louis De Funes "La Grande Vadrouille" (The Grand Promenade), MAX & LEON is a combination of famous French farce, over the top satire and even a musical (a three minute song of dancing German prisoners who tell you why the French people are the worst nation on earth). The jokes come fast and sharp, but some of them do not translate well into the English speaking world.  The duo of MAX & LEON (French comedi...

7/10 Diane is grieving, but it's time to stop and act. Her son has been killed by a speeding car that didn't bother to stop. Using a private detective Diane locates the woman who was driving, but facing her nemesis turns into a strange surprise. Do the two women have too much in common? Now that Diane has located the villain, what will her next step be? Moka is a stove-top, or electric coffee maker that produces coffee by passing boiling water pressurized by steam through ground coffee. This could be the perfect description of the protagonist Diane. She is ready to explode under pressure, but she is keeping it all inside, boiling and keeping a poker face. Emmanuelle Devo has an unusual face, definitely not a classical beauty, but she is definitely elegant. She awards her heroine the perfect mixture of fragility and strength, but she ever remains a mystery and always make us wonder what is happening behind her big deep eyes that on the surface reveal nothing. Her c...

7/10 Since ever she could remember, Russian girl Polina always wanted to dance. When anyone asked, she always said that dance happens all by itself. But does she want to be a classical ballerina at the  Bolshoi, as her down on his luck, gangster father dreams? When time comes to choose there'll be no compromises. POLINA is based on a comic book by French graphic novel writer Bastien Vive. Spanning across several countries this multi-national production nailed the atmosphere of each city and place; and nailed the competitive spirit of the dance world, whether it is a classical ballet or a contemporary dance troupe. The music of Philip Glass and original score by 79D gives a very modern feel to the movie. The film has a sketchy narrative and many daily life decisions of the characters and their motivations are left unexplained, but what matters here is dance and the way to succeed is to be perfect. The dance sequences sometimes balance on the edge of fantasy and the vie...

  8/10   Mathilde is working for the Red Cross in post war Poland. One day a nun knocks at her door, begging for help. Mathilde reluctantly agrees. In the reclusive convent she stumbles on a terrible secret the nuns are hiding - as a result of the brutality of war many of them are pregnant. Putting her life on the line Mathilde becomes their saviour and protector. But she is not yet aware that the true evil lives at the core of the convent she has vowed to protect. Lou De Laage, the rising French star, may be too young to play the experienced war scared veteran nurse. While keeping the innocence of her character, she manages to add intensity and depth and is believable as the determined young woman who doesn't see any other way but to save lives if they need saving. The script is intense, with danger lurking around every corner. The tension builds even during the tranquil convent scenes when the nuns are resting, singing and playing cards. The movie is not...

5/10 Laura and Kate Barlow are two American sisters travelling to Paris in the early forties. They perform at a local cabaret, where their act is talking to the dead. During one of the performances they are noticed by the famous producer Andre Korben. He invites them to his house and into his life. His aim is to capture a ghost on film... The genre of PLANETARIUM is hard to define. Is it a love story? A ghost story? A war time drama? The movie moves at a leisurely pace, focuses only on a handful of characters and it devotes the screening time to somewhat disjointed scenes that one would expect to come together at a later stage. But that moment never comes. Natalie Portman is a fine actress, but her duo with Lily-Rose Depp lacks credibility. They are, however,  both wonderful to watch. The real star here is Emmanuel Salinger as an eccentric millionaire obsessed with spiritualism. He is odd and charismatic, the way characters in David Lynch movies are. He is based on th...

9/10 Erwan has a problem. His opinionated and free spirited daughter is pregnant and won't reveal who the father of her child  is. During a visit to his daughter’s GP, Erwan receives stunning news – the man he always thought to be his father is not his father at all. On his quest to discover his real dad (and also the daddy of his daughter’s baby along the way), Erwan gets himself tangled in situations of mistaken identity; meets an impossible lover; and discovers that a blood relationship is not as important as a human connection is. JUST TO BE SURE is another example of why dramatic comedy by the French is so good  and the real reason why I fell in love with French cinema in the first place. Director Carine Tardieu has made the genre her specialty and this latest movie is a real gem.  Juggling the handful of eccentric characters she manages to reward each and everyone of them with a unique identity, depth and charm. The leading ...

9/10 The year is 1949. Jacques Cousteau had just finished with the army and dreaming of a life full of sea exploration, diving and travel. Armed only with his grand ideas and little money he is ready to make his dreams all come true. But when you sacrifice everything for the greater purpose, does the purpose itself become hard to see? Director Jerome Salle, who has a few well received French comic book adaptations under his belt, takes on a family saga. An ambitious project about a character many in this world grew up with, the plot focuses on Jacques' relationships with his two sons, following his rise and downfall between the early fifties and the  late seventies, when he is facing a crises in both his personal and his  professional life. In biopics the cast is what usually makes it or breaks it. Lambert Wilson has the looks of Jacques Cousteau, but he also seems to embody his spirit. His co-star Pierre Niney had already proved he could do a biopic in the ...

9/10 Once upon a time Liliane was a famous pop singer and almost won Eurovision once. Now she is working in a pate factory, packing boxes all day long. Her life is suddenly changed when she meets Jean. Jean is a boxer, half her age and completely besotted with her. When Jean asks her to sing at his local club Liliane reluctantly agrees. The attention from the press that follows , she did not ask for. Would Liliane be able to make a come back? And if she succeeds, what is the price to pay? The main titles of SOUVENIR appear on the background of beautiful bubbles. The bubbles look surreal, something of out of space, a promise of something magical. When the camera draws backwards we realise that the bubbles are nothing but the aspirin dissolving in the glass of water. This is an allegory - SOUVENIR is about the secret beauty  of everyday things. Isabelle Huppert, who won an Oscar nomination for her part in ELLE is indeed one of the most significant modern livi...

8/10 Jean-Pierre is a country doctor, which includes much more than being a good physician - dealing with people in the provinces requires different kinds of skills. But when Jean-Pierre himself is stricken by a serious illness he cannot do it alone. The help comes by the way of the beautiful Natalie. She has a lot to learn, but is tough enough to take on the job. She also has to deal with Jean-Pierre's insecurities. He thinks he is is still very capable and can do it all by himself. How will their relationship work out? Francois Cluzet is an actor in a league of his own and his involvement in the project is all that it needs to be successful. COUNTRY DOCTOR is a low key drama with comedic elements that don't break any new ground, but delivers what it’s supposed to -  lighthearted entertainment and a heartwarming story with the flavour of the French countryside. One of the patrons, a lady in her sixties, summed it all up for me as the credits rolled by, saying, ...